Saturday 14 January 2012

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Surprising results from smoke inhalation study

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:10 PM PST

A new study includes some unexpected findings about the immune systems of smoke-inhalation patients.

Walk this way: Scientists and physiology students describe how a motor protein 'steps out'

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:06 PM PST

Scientists have discovered the unique "drunken sailor" gait of dynein, a protein that is critical for the function of every cell in the body and whose malfunction has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Lou Gehrig's disease and Parkinson's disease.

Faulty proteins may prove significant in identifying new treatments for ovarian cancer

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:06 PM PST

A constellation of defective proteins suspected in causing a malfunction in the body's ability to repair its own DNA could be the link scientists need to prove a new class of drugs will be effective in treating a broad range of ovarian cancer patients, a new study found.

I recognise you! But how did I do it?

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:54 PM PST

Are you someone who easily recognizes everyone you've ever met? Or maybe you struggle, even with familiar faces? It is already known that we are better at recognizing faces from our own race but researchers have only recently questioned how we assimilate the information we use to recognize people.

Perfectly spherical gold nanodroplets produced with the smallest-ever nanojets

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:54 PM PST

Scientists have developed a new method for optical manipulation of matter at the nanoscale. Using 'plasmonic hotspots' – regions with electric current that heat up very locally – gold nanostructures can be melted and made to produce the smallest nanojets ever observed. The tiny gold nanodroplets formed in the nanojets, are perfectly spherical, which makes them interesting for applications in medicine.

Climate change currently benefits albatrosses

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:54 PM PST

Due to climate change, wind patterns are changing in the Southern Ocean. Higher wind speeds enable the wandering albatrosses of the Crozet Islands to travel more rapidly in search of food.The phenomenon has modified the distribution of these seabirds and improved their physical condition as well as their breeding success.

Smart targeting of pollution sources could save lives and climate

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 05:49 PM PST

Implementing 14 key air pollution control measures could slow the pace of global warming, new research suggests.

Novel chemical route to form organic molecules

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 07:20 AM PST

Scientists have discovered a novel chemical route to form polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons -- complex organic molecules such as naphthalene carrying fused benzene rings -- in ultra-cold regions of interstellar space.

Managing private and public adaptation to climate change

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 07:20 AM PST

New research has found that individuals and the private sector have an important role to play in the provision of public policies to help society adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Discovery of plant 'nourishing gene' brings hope for increased crop seed yield and food security

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 07:20 AM PST

Scientists have discovered a "nourishing gene" which controls the transfer of nutrients from plant to seed -- a significant step which could help increase global food production.

High-speed CMOS sensors provide better images

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 07:20 AM PST

Conventional CMOS image sensors are not suitable for low-light applications such as fluorescence, since large pixels arranged in a matrix do not support high readout speeds. A new optoelectronic component speeds up this process.

Superconducting current limiter guarantees electricity supply of the Boxberg power plant

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 07:20 AM PST

For the first time, a superconducting current limiter based on YBCO strip conductors has now been installed at a power plant. At the Boxberg power plant of Vattenfall, the current limiter protects the grid for own consumption that is designed for 12,000 volts and 800 amperes against damage due to short circuits and voltage peaks.

NIH study shows 32 million Americans have autoantibodies that target their own tissues

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:38 AM PST

More than 32 million people in the United States have autoantibodies, which are proteins made by the immune system that target the body's tissues and define a condition known as autoimmunity, a study shows. The first nationally representative sample looking at the prevalence of the most common type of autoantibody, known as antinuclear antibodies (ANA), found that the frequency of ANA is highest among women, older individuals, and African-Americans.

Software for analyzing digital pathology images proving its usefulness

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:38 AM PST

As tissue slides are more routinely digitized to aid interpretation, a software program is proving its utility. In bladder cancer test case, a new software tool separates malignancy from background tissue.

Dark chocolate and red wine are heart-healthy foods of love, dietitians say

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:38 AM PST

Dietitian says resveratrol which lowers blood sugar is found in red wine and also dark chocolate, making them ideal for heart holidays like Valentine's Day and year round consumption for heart health.

Particle-free silver ink prints small, high-performance electronics

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:36 AM PST

Materials scientists have developed a new reactive silver ink for printing high-performance electronics on ubiquitous, low-cost materials such as flexible plastic, paper or fabric substrates. The reactive ink has several advantages over particle-based inks: low processing temperature, high conductivity, and the ability to print very small features.

Horse fly named in honor of Beyonce

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:36 AM PST

A previously unnamed species of horse fly whose appearance is dominated by its glamorous golden lower abdomen has been named in honor of American pop diva, Beyonce -- a member of the former group Destiny's Child, that recorded the 2001 hit single, "Bootylicious."

Criegee intermediates found to have big impact on troposphere

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:36 AM PST

Scientists report direct measurements of reactions of a gas-phase Criegee intermediate using photoionization mass spectrometry. They found that oxidation of SO2 by Criegee intermediate is much faster than modelers assumed, so Criegee reactions may be a major tropospheric sulfate source, changing predictions of tropospheric aerosol formation.

What can be done to slow climate change?

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 04:34 PM PST

Scientists have detailed 14 key air pollution control measures that, if implemented, could slow the pace of global warming, improve health and boost agricultural production.

New clue in battle against Australian Hendra virus: African bats have antibodies that neutralize deadly virus

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 04:34 PM PST

A new study on African bats provides a vital clue for unraveling the mysteries in Australia's battle with the deadly Hendra virus.

Cold winters caused by warmer summers, research suggests

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 04:34 PM PST

Scientists have offered up a convincing explanation for the harsh winters recently experienced in the Northern hemisphere: increasing temperatures and melting ice in the Arctic regions creating more snowfall in the autumn months at lower latitudes.

Girl power surges in India

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 11:22 AM PST

An affirmative action law in India has led to a direct role model effect and is changing the way the girls as well as their parents think about female roles of leadership and has improved their attitudes toward higher career aspirations and education goals for women, according to a new study.

Newly identified type of immune cell may be important protector against sepsis

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 11:22 AM PST

Investigators have discovered a previously unknown type of immune cell, a B cell that can produce the important growth factor GM-CSF, which stimulates many other immune cells. They also found that these novel cells may help protect against the overwhelming, life-threatening immune reaction known as sepsis.

Don't know much about charter schools

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 11:22 AM PST

Researchers say the best studies reflect only the best charter schools and must be boosted with "value-added" approaches for all the rest.

World's smallest magnetic data storage unit

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 11:22 AM PST

Scientists have built the world's smallest magnetic data storage unit. It uses just twelve atoms per bit, the basic unit of information, and squeezes a whole byte (8-bit) into as few as 96 atoms.

Diverse ecosystems are crucial climate change buffer

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 11:22 AM PST

Preserving diverse plant life will be crucial to buffer the negative effects of climate change and desertification in in the world's drylands, according to a new landmark study.

Genes and disease mechanisms behind a common form of muscular dystrophy discovered

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 10:43 AM PST

Continuing a series of groundbreaking discoveries begun in 2010 about the genetic causes of the third most common form of inherited muscular dystrophy, scientists have identified the genes and proteins that damage muscle cells, as well as the mechanisms that can cause the disease.

'Open-source' robotic surgery platform going to top medical research labs

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 10:43 AM PST

Robotics experts have completed a set of seven advanced robotic surgery systems for use by major medical research laboratories throughout the United States.

Improving performance of electric induction motors

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 08:26 AM PST

New research describes advanced motor control devices. These control devices are units designed to correct errors and improve the performance of the motors. This researcher has opted for cutting-edge models and has developed them so that they can be applied to an induction motor, and in this way he has transferred them from theory to practice.

How stem cell implants help heal traumatic brain injury

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 08:26 AM PST

Researchers have identified key molecular mechanisms by which implanted human neural stem cells aid recovery from traumatic axonal injury.

Thousands of seniors lack access to lifesaving organs, despite survival benefit

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 08:19 AM PST

Thousands more American senior citizens with kidney disease are good candidates for transplants and could get them if physicians would get past outdated medical biases and put them on transplant waiting lists, according to a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers.

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