Saturday 25 August 2012

Requesting for your partnership

I am Mr. Joseph Wong I have a business transaction for you.
Regards,
Joseph

Requesting for your partnership

I am Mr. Joseph Wong I have a business transaction for you.
Regards,
Joseph

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Obese youth have significantly higher risk of gallstones

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:57 PM PDT

Children who are overweight or obese face an increased risk for gallstones, according to a new study.

Research shows children at risk from rural water supplies

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:57 PM PDT

Children drinking from around half the UK's private water supplies are almost five times more likely to pick up stomach infections – according to new research.

Rapid-scanning microscope with no loss of quality

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:57 PM PDT

Scientists have developed a rapid-scanning microscope with no loss of quality.

Ancestral link places Mexican-Americans at greater risk for metabolic disease

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 02:09 PM PDT

Mexican-Americans with an ancestral link to Amerindian tribes were found to have higher insulin resistance levels, which is an indication of several chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

Sunbathing helps these bugs stay healthy

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:02 PM PDT

Sunbathing may be healthy -- at least for one group of North American insects, the Western boxelder bug -- that apparently uses the activity to fight off germs. The bugs are known to group together in sunlit patches and release monoterpenes, strong-smelling chemical compounds that help protect the bugs by killing germs on their bodies.

Good diet, proper exercise help protect astronauts’ bones

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:19 AM PDT

Eating right and exercising hard in space helps protect International Space Station astronauts' bones, a finding that may help solve one of the key problems facing future explorers heading beyond low Earth orbit.

New non-invasive method for diagnosing epilepsy

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:03 AM PDT

Biomedical engineers have outlined how a new type of non-invasive brain scan taken immediately after a seizure gives additional insight into possible causes and treatments for epilepsy patients. The new findings could specifically benefit millions of people who are unable to control their epilepsy with medication.

Only two percent of Canadians deny climate change

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:03 AM PDT

A new survey shows that only two percent of Canadians deny climate change.

Microwave ovens may help produce lower cost solar energy technology

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:03 AM PDT

The same type of microwave oven technology that most people use to heat up leftover food has found an important application in the solar energy industry, providing a new way to make thin-film photovoltaic products with less energy, expense and environmental concerns.

Boston subway system to be used to test new sensors for biological agents

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:02 AM PDT

The Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate has scheduled a series of tests in the Boston subways to measure the real-world performance of new sensors recently developed to detect biological agents within minutes.

New strain of hand, foot and mouth virus worries parents, pediatricians

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:14 AM PDT

Your child goes to bed in perfect health. The next morning she wakes up with high fever, malaise and bright red blisters erupting all over her body. Dermatologists say the disturbing scenario has become quite common in the last few months, sending scared parents to their pediatrician's office or straight to the emergency room.

Superior fuel cell material developed

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:30 AM PDT

Using a mixture of gold, copper and platinum nanoparticles, researchers have developed a more powerful and longer lasting fuel cell material.

Most mutations come from dad: New insights into age, height and sex reshape views of human evolution

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:30 AM PDT

Humans inherit more than three times as many mutations from their fathers as from their mothers, and mutation rates increase with the father's age but not the mother's, researchers have found in the largest study of human genetic mutations to date.

Survival statistics show hard fight when malignant brain tumors appear at multiple sites

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:29 AM PDT

When aggressive, malignant tumors appear in more than one location in the brain, patient survival tends to be significantly shorter than when the disease starts as a single tumor, even though patients in both groups undergo virtually identical treatments, according to new research.

Flat lens offers a perfect image

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT

Applied physicists have created an ultrathin, flat lens that focuses light without imparting the distortions of conventional lenses. It operates at telecom wavelengths -- i.e., those used for fiber-optics -- and is scalable to a wider range.

Mars surface data: ChemCam laser first analyses yield beautiful results

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT

Scientists squeezed in a little extra target practice after zapping the first fist-sized rock that was placed in the laser's crosshairs last weekend. Much to the delight of the scientific team, the laser instrument has fired nearly 500 shots so far that have produced strong, clear data about the composition of the Martian surface.

Good news from the bad drought: Gulf 'Dead Zone' smallest in years

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT

The worst drought to hit the United States in at least 50 years does have one benefit: It has created the smallest "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico in years, say researchers.

Simplified approach for high-power, single-mode lasers

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a new resonator that creates the purest, brightest, and most powerful single-mode quantum cascade lasers yet at the eight-12 micron range, a wavelength of great interest for both military and industrial use.

Newly discovered genetic markers could signal colon cancer development

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:35 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered how some proteins may cause the development of some forms of colon cancers.

Modeling metastasis

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:34 AM PDT

A technique used by animators helps scientists model how cancer cells enter the bloodstream.

Invention will strike a chord with musicians

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:34 AM PDT

Digital software and hardware is set to revolutionize the music industry around the world.

Medical researchers identify PHF20, a regulator of gene P53

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT

Researchers have identified PHF20, a novel transcriptional factor, and clarified its role in maintaining the stability and transcription of p53, a gene that allows for both normal cell growth and tumor suppression. PHF20, the researchers found, plays a previously unknown and unique role in regulating p53.

Bigger creatures live longer, travel farther for a reason

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT

A biological mystery about the longer lifespans of bigger creatures may be explained by the application of a physical law called the Constructal Law. It proposes that anything that flows -- a river, bloodstream or highway network -- will evolve toward the same basic configuration out of a need to be more efficient. A professor argues that this same basic law applies to all bodies in motion, be they animals or tanker trucks.

Women with Alzheimer’s deteriorate faster than men

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT

Women with Alzheimer's show worse mental deterioration than men with the disease, even when at the same stage of the condition, according to new research.

Joining 'unjoinable' materials: New polymer linking technology based on nano crystals

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT

Ever tried to paint on top of silicone? After a few hours, the paint will peel off. Annoying. Silicone is a so-called low surface energy polymer, well known from flexible baking forms: A synthetic material that has an extremely low adhesion or "stickiness." Teflon is similarly non-sticky and well known from frying pans. Researchers have now developed the first technology which is capable of joining these two "unjoinable" materials. The technology applies passive nano-scaled crystal linkers as internal staples.

New insights to the function of molecular chaperones

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT

Molecular biologists have gained new insights into the function of so-called molecular chaperones in protein synthesis. Scientists were able to demonstrate how a molecular chaperone in bacterial cells can influence the formation of the three-dimensional structure of new proteins.

Working class prefers comedy and the intellectual class goes for drama

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT

A study enjoying Spanish participation has analysed the theatre demand of society according to the socioeconomic status of the different types of the viewing public. The results were that the theatre is not just enjoyed by the intellectual classes. While they do prefer drama, the working class opts for comedy and the wealthier are swayed by reviews.

Cup of herbal tea could help fight breast cancer

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered that an extract from a common plant in Pakistan may help treat breast cancer.

Physicists search for hidden magnetic states

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:25 AM PDT

Physicists have used the new high magnetic-field beamline at Diamond Light Source, the UK's national synchrotron facility, to search for 'hidden magnetic states'. If found, they will provide important confirmation of a theoretical model, which could have important applications in magnetic data storage.

Scientists investigate using artificial intelligence for next-generation traffic control

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT

Researchers are investigating the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology for controlling traffic lights. The development of artificial intelligence-based approaches to junction control is one of many new and promising technologies that can make better use of existing urban and road capacity, while reducing the environmental impacts of road traffic.

New molecular interactions behind the inhibition of TGF beta-signaling described

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT

Researchers describe new molecular interactions behind the inhibition of TGF beta-signaling.

Pollination: with small rewards come bad results

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT

The hawkmoth, a natural petunia pollinator, spends less time on Petunia lines that offer less nectar as a reward.

Astrocytes control the generation of new neurons from neural stem cells

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT

Researchers from the Laboratory of astrocyte biology and CNS regeneration headed by Prof. Milos Pekny just published a research article in a prestigious journal Stem Cells on the molecular mechanism that controls generation of new neurons in the brain.

The end of an era? Branding horses does not enable them to be identified

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT

Despite increasing evidence that branding foals causes the animals stress, many horse breeders still claim that this practice represents the best method for identifying the animals. Although the debate has raged for some time, nobody has thought to pose the crucial question: How reliably can brand marks be read later?  New results may well spell the end of the line for the traditional practice of branding horses.

Have Swedish forests recovered from the storm Gudrun?

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT

In January 2005, the storm Gudrun hit Sweden. It has been estimated to have caused an overall economic damage of 2.4 billion euros in Swedish forestry alone. But has there been more damage to the forest than was clearly visible? A new shows that Gudrun caused not only immediate damage corresponding to 110% of the average annual harvest in Sweden from only 16% of the country's forest area but also pervasive effects in terms of growth reduction.

Optimizing forest management under uncertain growth and economic conditions

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:24 AM PDT

Forest management instructions often include recommendations for rotation lengths, thinning years and thinning intensities. However, under uncertain growth and economic conditions, these may not be optimal. Forest management should produce rules that allow forest landowners to adapt their management to changing situations. Researchers have shown how this can be done when both tree growth and timber price are stochastic.

New model gives hands-on help for learning the secrets of molecules

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:19 AM PDT

Squishy models are anything but child's play as they help researchers understand the building-block nature of proteins.

Virus detector harnesses ring of light in 'whispering gallery mode'

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:19 AM PDT

By affixing nanoscale gold spheres onto a microscopic bead of glass, researchers have created a super-sensor that can detect even single samples of the smallest known viruses. The sensor uses a peculiar behavior of light known as "whispering gallery mode," named after the famous circular gallery in St. Paul's Cathedral in London, where a whisper near the wall can be heard around the gallery.

Wind concentrates pollutants with unexpected order in an urban environment

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:19 AM PDT

When blown by chaotic winds in an urban environment, pollutants tend to accumulate in specific neighborhoods.

Friday 24 August 2012

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Repairing cartilage with fat: Problems and potential solutions

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 05:21 PM PDT

Stem cells isolated from fat are being considered as an option for treating tissue damage and diseases because of their accessibility and lack of rejection. New research shows that this is not as straightforward as previously believed, and that fat-derived stem cells secrete VEGF and other factors, which can inhibit cartilage regeneration. However pre-treating the cells with antibodies against VEGF and growing them in nutrients specifically designed to promote chondrocytes can neutralize these effects.

Indo-European languages originated in Anatolia, research suggests

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:54 PM PDT

The Indo-European languages belong to one of the widest spread language families of the world. For the last two millenia, many of these languages have been written, and their history is relatively clear. But controversy remains about the time and place of the origins of the family. New research links the origins of Indo-European with the spread of farming from Anatolia 8,000 to 9,500 years ago.

Rock sparrows react to infidelity by singing louder

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:54 PM PDT

Rock sparrows indicate their age and their reproductive success with their songs and react to infidelity with a higher song volume.

Archaeologists complete survey of Charleston Harbor Civil War Naval Battlefield

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:53 PM PDT

Archaeologists have dived, mapped and completed the first survey of the prolonged Civil War naval battle that took place in Charleston Harbor in 1861 - 1865.

For juvenile moose, Momma's boys and girls fare best

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:53 PM PDT

A new study shows that if you're a juvenile moose trying to make it in the real world, you can't beat an overprotective mom.

New survey of ocean floor finds juvenile scallops are abundant in Mid-Atlantic

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT

Researchers are getting a comprehensive view of the ocean floor using a new instrument, and have confirmed that there are high numbers of young sea scallops off of Delaware Bay.

Antarctic ice sheet quakes shed light on ice movement and earthquakes

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT

Analysis of small, repeating earthquakes in an Antarctic ice sheet may not only lead to an understanding of glacial movement, but may also shed light on stick slip earthquakes like those on the San Andreas fault or in Haiti, according to geoscientists.

Nanoparticles reboot blood flow in brain

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT

Nanoparticles show promise in restoring blood flow to the brain when administered soon after a traumatic brain or other injury.

Language, emotion and well-being explored

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT

We use language every day to express our emotions, but can this language actually affect what and how we feel? Two new studies explore the ways in which the interaction between language and emotion influences our well-being.

'Smart catheters' for the major problem of catheter-related infections

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:19 PM PDT

A new "smart catheter" that senses the start of an infection, and automatically releases an anti-bacterial substance, is being developed to combat the problem of catheter-related blood and urinary tract infections.

Human melanoma stem cells identified

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:24 PM PDT

Cancer stem cells are defined by three abilities: differentiation, self-renewal and their ability to seed a tumor. These stem cells resist chemotherapy and many researchers posit their role in relapse. A new study shows that melanoma cells with these abilities are marked by the enzyme ALDH, and imagines new therapies to target high-ALDH cells, potentially weeding the body of these most dangerous cancer creators.

Collective motion in schools of fish can evolve as finely tuned defense against attack from predators: Virtual fish simulation

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:24 PM PDT

Researchers have designed a video game for predatory fish that has unraveled some lingering evolutionary questions about group formation and movement in animals.

Research on wood formation sheds light on plant biology

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:24 PM PDT

Scientists have discovered a phenomenon never seen before in plants while studying molecular changes inside tree cells as wood is formed.

Webb Telescope's 'golden spider'

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:21 PM PDT

What looks like a giant golden spider weaving a web of cables and cords, is actually ground support equipment, including the Optical Telescope Simulator (OSIM), for the James Webb Space Telescope. OSIM's job is to generate a beam of light just like the one that the real telescope optics will feed into the actual flight instruments. Because the real flight instruments will be used to test the real flight telescope, their alignment and performance first have to be verified by using the OSIM. Engineers are thoroughly checking out OSIM now in preparation for using it to test the flight science instruments later.

Smooth sailing: Space launch system giving Marshall, Langley wind tunnels a workout

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:17 PM PDT

Since well before the inception of NASA, engineers used wind tunnels and scale models to test how vehicles would respond and interact with the atmosphere. At the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., engineers are using wind tunnel testing to enhance the development of NASA's Space Launch System, a heavy-lift launch vehicle that will propel science and human exploration into deep space and launch NASA's Orion spacecraft to expand human presence beyond low Earth orbit.

More exoplanets discovered: 41 new transiting planets in Kepler field of view

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 12:04 PM PDT

Two newly submitted studies verify 41 new transiting planets in 20 star systems. These results may increase the number of Kepler's confirmed planets by more than 50 percent: to 116 planets hosted in 67 systems, over half of which contain more than one planet.

Study helps pancreatic cancer patients make hard choices

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT

Researchers have examined SEER data on 25,476 pancreatic cancer patients, correlating days spent on medical care with disease stage, type of treatment and survival time. The first of its kind, the study is intended to provide physicians and patients with vital information needed to maximize quality of life for people with pancreatic cancer.

NCAA football exploits players in 'invisible labor market', expert says

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT

College football exploits players in an "invisible labor market," and the only plausible way for student-athletes to address their interests is the credible threat of unionization, according to new research from an expert in labor relations and collective bargaining in athletics.

March Madness brings September students: Out-of-state students drawn by college sports success

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT

A new study examines the impact that college sports success has in drawing prospective students. A pair of economists show how much of a bump follows a stellar season (up to 10 percent) and what types of prospective students are attracted to schools with winning teams.

Learning one of cancer's tricks: Chemists determine one way tumors meet their growing needs

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT

Researchers have shown for the first time that a specific sugar, known as GlcNAc ("glick-nack"), plays a key role in helping cancer cells grow rapidly and survive under harsh conditions. The finding suggests new potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Novel technique to synthesize nanocrystals that harvest solar energy

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT

A new video protocol focuses on the liquid phase synthesis of two nanocrystals that produce hydrogen gas or an electric charge when exposed to light.

Advantage flu virus: Scientists discover one of the ways the influenza virus disarms host cells

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered one of the ways the influenza virus disarms our natural defense system. The virus decreases the production of key immune regulating proteins in human cells that help fight the invader. The virus does this by turning on the microRNAs -- little snippets of RNA -- that regulate these proteins. The researchers are among the first to show the influenza virus can change the expression of microRNA to control immune responses in human lung cells.

Link found between cold European winters and solar activity

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:38 AM PDT

Scientists have long suspected that the Sun's 11-year cycle influences climate of certain regions on Earth. Yet records of average, seasonal temperatures do not date back far enough to confirm any patterns. Now, armed with a unique proxy, an international team of researchers show that unusually cold winters in Central Europe are related to low solar activity – when sunspot numbers are minimal.

Past tropical climate change linked to ocean circulation

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT

A new record of past temperature change in the tropical Atlantic Ocean's subsurface provides clues as to why the Earth's climate is so sensitive to ocean circulation patterns.

For mitochondria, bigger may not be better: Optimal length of mitochondria is essential to preventing Alzheimer's

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT

Abnormalities in mitochondrial length promote the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Field guide to the Epstein-Barr virus charts viral paths toward cancer

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT

Researchers have published the first annotated atlas of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome, providing the best look yet at how EBV interacts with human genes and proteins. EBV, which is thought to be responsible for one percent of all human cancers -- including B cell lymphomas, gastric carcinomas, and nasopharyngeal carcinomas -- establishes a latent infection in nearly 100 percent of infected adult humans.

Sensor detects glucose in saliva and tears for diabetes testing

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT

Researchers have created a new type of biosensor that can detect minute concentrations of glucose in saliva, tears and urine and might be manufactured at low cost because it does not require many processing steps to produce.

How to feed data-hungry mobile devices? Use more antennas

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT

Researchers have just unveiled Argos, a new multi-antenna technology that could help wireless providers keep pace with the voracious demands of data-hungry smartphones and tablets. Argos aims to dramatically increase network capacity by allowing cell towers to simultaneously beam signals to more than a dozen customers on the same frequency.

Novel microscopy method offers sharper view of brain's neural network

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:31 AM PDT

An Italian research team has, for the first time, imaged a fluorescent mouse brain in its entirety with the highest resolution to date. The novel method, which uses a new microscopy technique, produced 100 percent sharper images of the neural pathways, and should be applicable to human brain samples in the future – opening the door to a better understanding of brain disorders such as autism and ischemic stroke.

Gene 'switch' may explain DiGeorge syndrome severity

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:31 AM PDT

The discovery of a 'switch' that modifies a gene known to be essential for normal heart development could explain variations in the severity of birth defects in children with DiGeorge syndrome.

Histone-modifying proteins, not histones, remain associated with DNA through replication

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT

A study of Drosophila embryos found that parental methylated histones are not transferred to daughter DNA. Rather, after DNA replication, new nucleosomes are assembled from newly synthesized unmodified histones.

Supernovae of the same brightness, cut from vastly different cosmic cloth

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT

Astronomers have presented the first-ever direct observations of a Type 1a supernova progenitor system. Astronomers have collected evidence indicating that the progenitor system of a Type 1a supernova contains a red giant star. They also show that the system previously underwent at least one much smaller nova eruption before it ended its life in a destructive supernova. By comparison, indirect observations of another Type 1a supernova progenitor system showed no evidence of a red giant star. Taken together, these observations unequivocally show that just because Type 1a supernovae look the same, that doesn't mean they are all born the same way.

Engineers achieve longstanding goal of stable nanocrystalline metals

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT

Most metals -- from the steel used to build bridges and skyscrapers to the copper and gold used to form wires in microchips -- are made of crystals: orderly arrays of molecules forming a perfectly repeating pattern. In many cases, the material is made of tiny crystals packed closely together, rather than one large crystal. The crystals tend to merge and grow larger if subjected to heat or stress. Now, researchers have found a way to avoid that problem. They've designed and made alloys that form extremely tiny grains -- called nanocrystals -- that are only a few billionths of a meter across.

How does body temperature reset the biological clock?

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered a molecular mechanism by which body temperature rhythms influence the expression of 'clock genes' and synchronize local oscillators. This study also demonstrates how the production of DBP, a protein involved in detoxification and drug metabolism, is modulated by daily variations of temperature.

Human lungs brush out intruders

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:30 AM PDT

A new study helps to explain how human airways clear mucus out of the lungs. The findings may give researchers a better understanding of what goes wrong in many human lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.

New way to fight bacterial infections: 'Naked Darth Vader' approach could tame antibiotic resistant superbugs

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:29 AM PDT

Rather than trying to kill bacteria outright with drugs, researchers have discovered a way to disarm bacteria that may allow the body's own defense mechanisms to destroy them. "To understand this strategy one could imagine harmful bacteria being like Darth Vader, and the anti-virulence drug would take away his armor and lightsaber," explained the study's lead author.

Mini-camera with maxi-brainpower

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:29 AM PDT

Torrential rapids, plunging mud holes and soaring hurdles: in the outdoor competitions at the Olympic Games, athletes pushed themselves to the limit. But it's hard to depict this in pictures alone. This is why researchers created an intelligent camera that instantly delivers additional metadata, such as acceleration, temperature or heart rate.

New standard high efficiency video coding encodes films more efficiently

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:29 AM PDT

Television resolution is constantly improving – and this must go hand-in-hand with transmitting the data more efficiently. Reputable manufacturers of televisions, computers and mobile telephones are developing a new standard for data transmission.

Human-chimp genetic differences: New insights into why humans are more susceptible to cancer and other diseases

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:27 AM PDT

Ninety-six percent of a chimpanzee's genome is the same as a human's. It's the other 4 percent, and the vast differences, that has intrigued researchers. For instance, why do humans have a high risk of cancer, even though chimps rarely develop the disease? In a new study, scientists have looked at brain samples of each species. They found that differences in certain DNA modifications, called methylation, may contribute to phenotypic changes. The results also hint that DNA methylation plays an important role for some disease-related phenotypes in humans, including cancer and autism.

Underground solution to starving rice plants

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:31 AM PDT

Scientists have pinpointed a gene that enables rice plants to produce around 20 percent more grain by increasing uptake of phosphorus, an important, but limited, plant nutrient.

New insights into salt transport in the kidney

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT

Sodium chloride, better known as salt, is vital for the organism, and the kidneys play a crucial role in the regulation of sodium balance. However, the underlying mechanisms of sodium balance are not yet completely understood. Researchers in Germany have now deciphered the function of a gene in the kidney and have thus gained new insights into this complex regulation process.

Therapeutic avenues for Parkinson's investigated

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered what may possibly be a key ingredient in the fight against Parkinson's disease. Researchers have demonstrated that the nuclear receptor liver X receptor beta may play a role in the prevention and treatment of this progressive neurodegenerative disease.

Study reveals human drive for fair play

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT

People will reject an offer of water, even when they are severely thirsty, if they perceive the offer to be unfair, according to a new study. The findings have important implications for understanding how humans make decisions that must balance fairness and self-interest.

One-molecule-thick material has big advantages

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT

New research suggests that a whole family of two-dimensional materials may open up possibilities for applications that could change many aspects of modern life.

Scientists produce hydrogen for fuel cells using an inexpensive catalyst under real-world conditions

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT

Scientists have produced hydrogen, a renewable energy source, from water using an inexpensive catalyst under industrially relevant conditions (using pH neutral water, surrounded by atmospheric oxygen, and at room temperature).

Spacetime: A smoother brew than we knew

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:15 AM PDT

Spacetime may be less like beer and more like sipping whiskey. Or so an intergalactic photo finish would suggest. Physicists reached this heady conclusion after studying the tracings of three photons of differing wavelengths that were recorded by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in May 2009. Photons from a gamma-ray burst jetted 7 billion light years across the universe and arrived at Earth in a dead heat, calling into question just how foamy the universe may be.

Foreclosures impact California voter turnout, researchers find

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 07:33 AM PDT

California neighborhoods reeling from record foreclosures also experienced lower levels of voter turnout in the 2008 presidential election. Voters who lost their homes and those who remained in impacted neighborhoods were less likely to cast ballots.

No-till could help maintain crop yields despite climate change

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:10 AM PDT

Reducing tillage for some Central Great Plains crops could help conserve water and reduce losses caused by climate change, according to studies at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sinus irrigation with tap water linked to two deaths

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:10 AM PDT

When water containing the Naegleria fowleri amoeba, a single-celled organism, enters the nose, the organisms may migrate to the brain, causing primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a very rare -- but usually fatal -- disease. A new study has described the first reported cases in the United States implicating nasal irrigation using tap water in these infections. "N. fowleri was found in water samples from both homes," researchers said, but "not found in the treatment plants or distribution systems of the municipal water systems servicing the patients' homes."

Primate of the opera: What soprano singing apes on helium reveal about the human voice

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT

Have you ever heard an opera singing ape? Researchers in Japan have discovered that singing gibbons use the same vocal techniques as professional soprano singers. The study explains how recording gibbons singing under the influence of helium gas reveals a physiological similarity to human voices.

Identifying aggressive breast cancers by interpreting the mathematical patterns in the cancer genome

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT

It is now possible to identify aggressive breast cancers by interpreting the mathematical patterns in the cancer genome.

Cloud control could tame hurricanes, study shows

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT

They are one of the most destructive forces of nature on Earth, but now environmental scientists are working to tame the hurricane. Scientists now propose using cloud seeding to decrease sea surface temperatures where hurricanes form. Theoretically, the team claims the technique could reduce hurricane intensity by a category.

Researching the dream cure to insomnia

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT

More than one third of people in the UK are likely to experience acute insomnia each year, say sleep experts.

Prostate cancer survival rates improved since introduction of PSA testing

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT

The routine use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for screening and monitoring prostate cancer has led to early and more sensitive detection of the disease. A new study reports that in the "PSA era," survival has improved for patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer that has spread to the bones or other parts of the body and the disparity between African American and Caucasian men has been resolved.

Shaking the electron has strengthened quantum mechanics

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:09 AM PDT

Atomic orbital electrons react to change of nucleus electric charge following each beta decay and to flying nearby particles emitted from the nucleus. Physicists have simulated such processes for 6He nuclei. Theoretical calculations were recently confirmed.

Study attempts to reverse autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 05:46 AM PDT

Results from a novel experimental therapy for type 1 diabetes that boosts parts of the healthy immune system were just reported.

Global 'epidemic' of gullet cancer seems to have started in UK in 1950s

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:26 PM PDT

The global "epidemic" of one type of gullet cancer (adenocarcinoma) seems to have started in the UK during the 1950s, sparked by some as yet unknown, but common, factor, suggests new research.

Wide circle of friends key to mid-life wellbeing for both sexes

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:26 PM PDT

The midlife wellbeing of both men and women seems to depend on having a wide circle of friends whom they see regularly, finds new research.

First UK operation to tackle heart failure with novel nerve-stimulating implant

Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:26 PM PDT

Researchers have announced that the UK's first operation to tackle heart failure (HF) with a novel nerve-stimulating device was performed August 23.