ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• 'Superlens' extends range of wireless power transfer
• Innovative soft robotics technology spawns new products
• Loyola patient loses over 120 pounds without surgery, medication
• Predicting crime with big data, affordably
• Comprehensive, nonsurgical treatment improves pelvic floor dysfunction in women
• 'Hip-hop' students unfairly targeted, study finds
• The case for low methane-emitting cattle
• Higher incidence rates of hypertension among African American service members despite equitable access to health care
• Bacteria-invading virus yields new discoveries
• One species, two outcomes: Team seeks source of body louse pathology
• Cilia use different motors for different tasks
• Stem cell replacement for frequent age-related blindness
• Mechanism of genetic mutations known to cause familial Alzheimer's disease uncovered
• What was the fate of oil released into the Gulf of Mexico?
• Primary care practitioners hesitate to prescribe antidepressants for depressed teens
• Living on islands makes animals tamer
• Indigenous groups more vulnerable in fight against flu
• Scientists control cells following transplantation, from inside out
• Fresh faced: Looking younger for longer
• Study quantifies costs when failed banks shun financial transparency
• Regorafenib: hint of minor added benefit
• Researchers pursuing arthritis protein
• Athlete's first reaction in victory is dominance, study finds
• Why are there too few women consultants in surgery?
• The cyborg era has started
• Researchers develop artificial bone marrow; May be used to reproduce hematopoietic stem cells
• Mechanism affecting risk of prostate cancer found
• Vibrations reveal state of bridge ropes
• Ultra-low consumption chip developed
• Development of an advanced system of fuel cell co-generation of heat and power (micro-CHP)
• Modelling modules lead to higher-quality aluminium
• Evidence of harmful effect of bisphenol A-based plastics
• Test to predict early onset of heart attacks
• 'Transformational leadership' curbs bad attitudes towards change
• Prediction of future flu virus
• The 'jacobean space programme': Rediscovering bishop John Wilkins
• Target canine 'superspreaders' to halt killer disease, cull fewer dogs, study suggests
• Teen concussions increase risk for depression
• Antibacterial agent boosts toothpaste effectiveness
• Researchers invent 'sideways' approach to 2-D hybrid materials
• Research reveals structure of master regulator, new drug target for autism, cervical cancer
• High costs of research at universities made worse by funding gap
• Theory for metamaterials that act as an analog computer

'Superlens' extends range of wireless power transfer Posted: 10 Jan 2014 12:32 PM PST Researchers have for the first time demonstrated the feasibility of wireless power transfer using low-frequency magnetic fields over distances much larger than the size of the transmitter and receiver.

Innovative soft robotics technology spawns new products Posted: 10 Jan 2014 11:22 AM PST A newly invented robot gripper is now available commercially.

Loyola patient loses over 120 pounds without surgery, medication Posted: 10 Jan 2014 11:22 AM PST For much of his life Tom Hoppensteadt thought the best thing to do with a scale was to avoid it. When he was diagnosed with a low-grade lymphoma at age 50 and learned he weighed over 300 pounds, it sounded an alarm.

Predicting crime with big data, affordably Posted: 10 Jan 2014 11:22 AM PST Research has resulted in commercial technology that public safety practitioners and researchers worldwide are using to fight crime. It is being offered free of charge to law enforcement agencies.

Comprehensive, nonsurgical treatment improves pelvic floor dysfunction in women Posted: 10 Jan 2014 10:10 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated that a comprehensive, nonsurgical treatment significantly improves symptoms in women with pelvic floor dysfunction, a range of symptoms which include bladder and bowel problems as well as pelvic pain.

'Hip-hop' students unfairly targeted, study finds Posted: 10 Jan 2014 10:10 AM PST Black and Latino "hip-hop" students are disproportionately punished in urban schools, finds a two-year study that sheds light on some of the unfair disciplinary practices newly targeted by the Obama administration.

The case for low methane-emitting cattle Posted: 10 Jan 2014 10:10 AM PST A new research project looks into the possibilities of adapting every aspect of cattle husbandry and selection processes to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.

Higher incidence rates of hypertension among African American service members despite equitable access to health care Posted: 10 Jan 2014 10:09 AM PST African American service members had higher incidence rates of hypertension compared to service members of other races and ethnicities despite equitable access to health care within the military health system, according to a new analysis.

Bacteria-invading virus yields new discoveries Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:36 AM PST Innovative work shows the structural and DNA breakdown of a bacteria-invading virus.

One species, two outcomes: Team seeks source of body louse pathology Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:36 AM PST A new study seeks to determine how one parasitic species can give rise to two drastically different outcomes in its host: The human body louse (Pediculus humanus) can transmit dangerous bacterial infections to humans, while the human head louse (also Pediculus humanus) does not.

Cilia use different motors for different tasks Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:36 AM PST Cilia -- tiny, hair-like fibers -- are widely present in nature. Single-celled paramecia use one set of cilia for locomotion and another set to sweep nutrients into their oral grooves. Researchers have discovered that those two cilia sets operate at different speeds when the viscosity of the environment changes. That suggests different molecular motors driving them, which could help explain how cilia have come to be used for so many different tasks in nature.

Stem cell replacement for frequent age-related blindness Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of blindness. Scientists have developed a method for using stem cells to replace cells in the eye destroyed by AMD. The implants survived in rabbit eyes for several weeks. Additional research is needed for clinical application.

Mechanism of genetic mutations known to cause familial Alzheimer's disease uncovered Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST New research has solved one mystery in the development of Familial Alzheimer's Disease (FAD), a genetic variant of the disease that affects a small fraction of the Alzheimer's population. Researchers followed the trail of two genetic mutations – V44M and V44A – known to cause FAD, and have shown how the mutations lead to biochemical changes long linked to the disease.

What was the fate of oil released into the Gulf of Mexico? Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST Researchers recently completed a three-week field campaign in the Gulf of Mexico that centered on the fate of oil that is released into the environment.

Primary care practitioners hesitate to prescribe antidepressants for depressed teens Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST Pediatric primary care practitioners (PCPs) are reluctant to prescribe antidepressant medications to adolescent patients -— even those with severe depression, reports a study.

Living on islands makes animals tamer Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:37 AM PST Biologists have found that island lizards are "tame" compared to their mainland relatives, confirming Charles Darwin's observations of island tameness. Darwin had noted that island animals often acted tame, and presumed that they had evolved to be so after coming to inhabit islands that lacked most predators. The researchers found island lizards were more accessible the farther the islands were from the mainland.

Indigenous groups more vulnerable in fight against flu Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:37 AM PST Researchers have discovered that some Indigenous groups will be more susceptible to the effects of the new strain of influenza currently found in China.

Scientists control cells following transplantation, from inside out Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:37 AM PST Stem cells scientists can now engineer cells that are more easily controlled following transplantation, potentially making cell therapies, hundreds of which are currently in clinical trials across the United States, more functional and efficient.

Fresh faced: Looking younger for longer Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST Researchers have identified an antioxidant Tiron, which offers total protection against some types of sun damage and may ultimately help our skin stay looking younger for longer.

Study quantifies costs when failed banks shun financial transparency Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST A new study shows that more transparent accounting helps bidders, lowers costs when financial institutions fail.

Regorafenib: hint of minor added benefit Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer have severe side effects more frequently under treatment with regorafenib, but they survive longer.

Researchers pursuing arthritis protein Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST Researchers have investigated a special protein that appears in inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis.

Athlete's first reaction in victory is dominance, study finds Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:35 AM PST After victory, an athlete's instinctive reaction is one that displays dominance over his or her vanquished opponent. The body language appears to be innate and stems from an evolutionary need to establish order in society. Researchers have also found that the intensity of the body language correlates with the importance the athlete's culture places on power and status.

Why are there too few women consultants in surgery? Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:32 AM PST Male dominated workplaces can undermine women's identification with their occupations and their sense that they are progressing in their careers.

The cyborg era has started Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:32 AM PST Medical implants, complex interfaces between brain and machine or remotely controlled insects: Recent developments combining machines and organisms have great potentials, but also give rise to major ethical concerns.

Researchers develop artificial bone marrow; May be used to reproduce hematopoietic stem cells Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST Artificial bone marrow may be used to reproduce hematopoietic stem cells. A prototype has now been developed. The porous structure possesses essential properties of natural bone marrow and can be used for the reproduction of stem cells at the laboratory. This might facilitate the treatment of leukemia in a few years.

Mechanism affecting risk of prostate cancer found Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST A research group has identified a mechanism related to a transcription factor that binds much more strongly onto a particular SNP variant, thereby initiating a genetic program that enhances prostate cancer proliferation and metastasis. The study opens up an important new direction in investigating the mechanisms related to the way in which SNP variations cause an elevated risk of prostate cancer and other human diseases.

Vibrations reveal state of bridge ropes Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST The new ResoBridge method has been developed to check bridges during running traffic within one day. It measures the vibrations of the tensioning ropes of externally prestressed concrete bridges. In the future, it may also be used to check cable-stayed bridges and constructions as well as hybrid towers of wind power plants.

Ultra-low consumption chip developed Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST Researchers have developed a chip incorporating a new design of ultra-low consumption, digital analogue converter; it consumes 50 million times less than a conventional light bulb.

Development of an advanced system of fuel cell co-generation of heat and power (micro-CHP) Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST A micro-CHP system is a small heat engine that provides all the power for a home: heating, ventilation, air conditioning and electricity. Many times, the electricity generated can be sold to the grid using the natural gas that gets to the houses. Scientists are working on a system that consists of two parts: a reactor to produce heat and hydrogen from natural gas, and a fuel cell that converts hydrogen to electricity.

Modelling modules lead to higher-quality aluminium Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST Scientists have developed modelling tools that show the impact of even minute adjustments to the casting process on aluminum casthouse products.

Evidence of harmful effect of bisphenol A-based plastics Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST Bisphenol A impairs the function of proteins that are vital for growth processes in cells. The substance, BPA for short, is contained in many plastic products and is suspected of being hazardous to health. To date, it had been assumed that bisphenol A produces a harmful effect by binding to hormone receptors. A chemist and biochemist team has discovered that the substance also affects the so-called small GTPases.

Test to predict early onset of heart attacks Posted: 10 Jan 2014 07:25 AM PST A new "fluid biopsy" technique that could identify patients at high risk of a heart attack by identifying specific cells as markers in the bloodstream has been developed by a group of researchers.

'Transformational leadership' curbs bad attitudes towards change Posted: 09 Jan 2014 03:03 PM PST It's no surprise that a cynical attitude towards the prospect of change makes change harder to implement. But it's important to understand that cynicism happens at an Individual and workplace-wide level and both must be addressed to get employee buy-in for change initiatives.

Prediction of future flu virus Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:57 PM PST The differences in the seasonal flu usually result from point mutations in the influenza virus genes, while major pandemics are often connected to profound genetic shifts known as reassortments. The link between these two phenomena has now been studied for the first time.

The 'jacobean space programme': Rediscovering bishop John Wilkins Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:55 PM PST The seventeenth century saw unprecedented changes in our understanding of the universe, spurred on by the invention of the telescope and the opportunity to study stars and planets in detail for the first time. Figures like Galileo are famous for their work not just in astronomy but in scientific experiments of many kinds that challenged established ideas and helped lead to the final demise of an Earth-centered view of the cosmos.

Target canine 'superspreaders' to halt killer disease, cull fewer dogs, study suggests Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:55 PM PST A new way to test for the parasite which causes the fatal disease leishmaniasis could help control its spread to humans and stop dogs being needlessly killed in parts of South America.

Teen concussions increase risk for depression Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:55 PM PST Teens with a history of concussions are more than three times as likely to suffer from depression as teens who have never had a concussion, finds a new study.

Antibacterial agent boosts toothpaste effectiveness Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:55 PM PST Regular use of fluoride toothpaste containing triclosan, an antibacterial agent, reduces plaque, gingivitis and slightly reduces tooth decay compared to regular fluoride toothpaste, finds a new review.

Researchers invent 'sideways' approach to 2-D hybrid materials Posted: 09 Jan 2014 02:54 PM PST Researchers have pioneered a new technique for forming a two-dimensional, single-atom sheet of two different materials with a seamless boundary.

Research reveals structure of master regulator, new drug target for autism, cervical cancer Posted: 09 Jan 2014 11:38 AM PST A team of scientists has discovered the structure of the active form of E6-associated protein (E6AP), an enzyme that acts as a master regulator, controlling functions like the ability of nerve cells to "rewire" themselves in response to external stimuli and HPV hijacking cells leading to cervical cancer. They report, for the first time, that the active form of E6AP is composed of three distinct protein molecules.

High costs of research at universities made worse by funding gap Posted: 09 Jan 2014 11:38 AM PST Although more opportunity exists for university-based researchers to be innovative, and there is more financial support for innovation than ever before, the cost of university research is rising to new levels and presents a serious funding problem, according to new research.

Theory for metamaterials that act as an analog computer Posted: 09 Jan 2014 11:37 AM PST A new study shows that metamaterials can be designed to do "photonic calculus" as a light wave goes through them. A light wave, when described in terms of space and time, has a profile that can be thought of as a curve on a Cartesian plane. This theoretical material can perform a specific mathematical operation on that wave's profile, such as finding its derivative, as the light wave passes through the material.

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