ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

---

• Giant sunspot, larger than Earth's diameter, appears on sun
• Eight million lives saved since Surgeon General's tobacco warning 50 years ago
• Link found between intimate partner violence and termination of pregnancy
• Sugar-sweetened beverage tax could reduce obesity and type 2 diabetes in India
• Pandora's magnifying glass: First image from Hubble's Frontier Fields
• Out-of-this-world first light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager
• Stormy stars? Probing weather on brown dwarfs
• Hubble unveils a deep sea of small and faint early galaxies
• Ultra-bright young galaxies discovered
• Thousands of unseen, faraway galaxies discovered
• Snowball effect of overfishing highlighted
• Is multitasking mastery in genes?
• Study of African forest elephants helps guide research efforts in US
• Found: New cellulose digestion mechanism by fast-eating enzyme
• Teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis: Added benefit not proven
• Aflibercept in macular oedema: Added benefit not proven
• Dabrafenib in melanoma: Added benefit not proven
• Synthetic genetic clock checks thermometer
• On-demand vaccines possible with engineered nanoparticles
• Early sharks reared young in prehistoric river-delta nursery
• New, simple technique may drive down biofuel production costs
• When germs attack: Lens into molecular dance
• Cold weather increases chances of carbon monoxide poisoning; toxicologist offers advice
• Stem cells on road to specialization
• Several forms of vitamin E protect against memory disorders, study says
• Cancer Statistics 2014: Death rates continue to drop
• To keep eye on ball, batters mostly use heads
• Jumping snails left grounded in future oceans
• Green spaces deliver lasting mental health benefits
• Racism may accelerate aging in African-American men
• Rare eclipsing double asteroid discovered
• Vikings and superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories
• First dinosaurs identified from Saudi Arabia
• Stopping molecules with a centrifuge
• NASA's Fermi makes first gamma-ray study of a gravitational lens
• Workplace wellness programs can cut chronic illness costs
• Faster method of boarding planes devised
• Personal health record associated with improved medication adherence
• One in, one out: How people put a limit on their social networks
• New packaging plastic protects as well as aluminium foil
• Establishing guides for molecular counting using fluorescent proteins

Giant sunspot, larger than Earth's diameter, appears on sun Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:55 PM PST An enormous sunspot, labeled AR1944, slipped into view over the sun's left horizon late on Jan. 1, 2014. The sunspot steadily moved toward the right, along with the rotation of the sun, and now sits almost dead center, as seen in the image above from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Eight million lives saved since Surgeon General's tobacco warning 50 years ago Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:55 PM PST A new study estimates that 8 million lives have been saved in the United States as a result of anti-smoking measures that began 50 years ago this month with the groundbreaking report from the Surgeon General outlining the deadly consequences of tobacco use.

Link found between intimate partner violence and termination of pregnancy Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:53 PM PST Intimate partner violence in women (sometimes referred to as domestic violence) is linked to termination of pregnancy, according to a new study. The study also found that intimate partner violence was linked to a women's partner not knowing about the termination of pregnancy.

Sugar-sweetened beverage tax could reduce obesity and type 2 diabetes in India Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:53 PM PST A sugar-sweetened beverage tax could help mitigate the rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes rates in India among both urban and rural populations, according to a new study.

Pandora's magnifying glass: First image from Hubble's Frontier Fields Posted: 07 Jan 2014 02:09 PM PST This image of Abell 2744 is the first to come from Hubble's Frontier Fields observing program, which is using the magnifying power of enormous galaxy clusters to peer deep into the distant universe. Abell 2744, nicknamed Pandora's Cluster, is thought to have a very violent history, having formed from a cosmic pile-up of multiple galaxy clusters.

Out-of-this-world first light images emerge from Gemini Planet Imager Posted: 07 Jan 2014 02:09 PM PST After nearly a decade of development, construction and testing, the world's most advanced instrument for directly imaging and analyzing planets orbiting around other stars is pointing skyward and collecting light from distant worlds.

Stormy stars? Probing weather on brown dwarfs Posted: 07 Jan 2014 02:06 PM PST Swirling, stormy clouds may be ever-present on cool celestial orbs called brown dwarfs. New observations suggest that most brown dwarfs are roiling with one or more planet-size storms akin to Jupiter's "Great Red Spot."

Hubble unveils a deep sea of small and faint early galaxies Posted: 07 Jan 2014 01:37 PM PST Scientists have long suspected there must be a hidden population of small, faint galaxies that were responsible during the universe's early years for producing a majority of stars now present in the cosmos. At last Hubble has found them in the deepest ultraviolet-light exposures made of the early universe. This underlying population is 100 times more abundant in the universe than their more massive cousins that were detected previously.

Ultra-bright young galaxies discovered Posted: 07 Jan 2014 01:37 PM PST Astronomers have discovered and characterized four unusually bright galaxies as they appeared more than 13 billion years ago, just 500 million years after the big bang. Although Hubble has previously identified galaxies at this early epoch, astronomers were surprised to find objects that are about 10 to 20 times more luminous than anything seen previously.

Thousands of unseen, faraway galaxies discovered Posted: 07 Jan 2014 01:37 PM PST The first of a set of unprecedented, super-deep views of the universe contain images of some of the intrinsically faintest and youngest galaxies ever detected. This is just the first of several primary target fields in The Frontier Fields program. The immense gravity in this foreground galaxy cluster, Abell 2744, warps space to brighten and magnify images of far-more-distant background galaxies as they looked over 12 billion years ago, not long after the big bang.

Snowball effect of overfishing highlighted Posted: 07 Jan 2014 01:37 PM PST Researchers have completed a major review of fisheries data that examines the domino effect that occurs when too many fish are harvested from one habitat.

Is multitasking mastery in genes? Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:59 AM PST Human factors/ergonomics researchers have long studied the connection between cognitive function and the ability to perform well on multiple simultaneous tasks, and recently a group of neuroergonomics researchers went a step further to examine a genetic link to multitasking ability. Neuroergonomics is the study of the brain in relation to performance.

Study of African forest elephants helps guide research efforts in US Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:59 AM PST Researchers are employing genotyping to study movement patterns of African forest elephants in protected and unprotected regions of Gabon to better understand how human occupation of these areas might affect elephants on the African continent. Genotyping is helping conservation biologists determine the best course of action to ensure biodiversity and the preservation of various species in the US and abroad.

Found: New cellulose digestion mechanism by fast-eating enzyme Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:59 AM PST Researchers have discovered that an enzyme from a microorganism first found in the Valley of Geysers on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia in 1990 can digest cellulose almost twice as fast as the current leading component cellulase enzyme on the market.

Teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis: Added benefit not proven Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:59 AM PST Flu-like symptoms and reactions at the injection site of Teriflunomide for treatment of those with Multiple Sclerosis occur less frequently than under beta interferon 1a, whereas diarrhea and hair loss are more frequent. There are no relevant differences in other aspects of treatment.

Aflibercept in macular oedema: Added benefit not proven Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:59 AM PST Due to a lack of suitable data, it is not proven that visual impairment in macular oedema can be treated more effectively with aflibercept than with the appropriate comparator therapy.

Dabrafenib in melanoma: Added benefit not proven Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:59 AM PST No positive effects regarding mortality, symptoms and quality of life can be derived from the available data on the use of Dabrafenib in melanoma treatment. The side effects are too concerning, says a new study, and overall, the data are too uncertain for it to be recommended.

Synthetic genetic clock checks thermometer Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:58 AM PST Scientists have developed a method to make robust synthetic gene circuits that can adjust to changing temperatures. The research may provide a window into natural genetic regulatory processes.

On-demand vaccines possible with engineered nanoparticles Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:43 AM PST Engineers hope a new type of vaccine they have shown to work in mice will one day make it cheaper and easy to manufacture on-demand vaccines for humans. Immunizations could be administered within minutes where and when a disease is breaking out.

Early sharks reared young in prehistoric river-delta nursery Posted: 07 Jan 2014 10:43 AM PST Like salmon in reverse, long-snouted Bandringa sharks migrated downstream from freshwater swamps to a tropical coastline to spawn 310 million years ago, leaving behind fossil evidence of one of the earliest known shark nurseries.

New, simple technique may drive down biofuel production costs Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:26 AM PST Researchers have developed a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive technique for removing lignin from the plant material used to make biofuels, which may drive down the cost of biofuel production.

When germs attack: Lens into molecular dance Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:25 AM PST Researchers have zoomed in on what is going on at the molecular level when the body recognizes and defends against an attack of pathogens, and the findings, they say, could influence how drugs are developed to treat autoimmune diseases.

Cold weather increases chances of carbon monoxide poisoning; toxicologist offers advice Posted: 07 Jan 2014 08:25 AM PST Temperatures in the next few days are predicted to be the coldest of the winter so far, and people using space heaters to get some extra warmth into their living and working spaces need to be aware of a potential "silent killer" inside their homes and offices — carbon monoxide (CO).

Stem cells on road to specialization Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST Scientists have gained new insight into how both early embryonic cells and embryonic stem cells are directed into becoming specialized cell types, like pancreatic and liver cells.

Several forms of vitamin E protect against memory disorders, study says Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST Elderly people with high serum vitamin E levels are less likely to suffer from memory disorders than their peers with lower levels, according to a study published recently. According to the researchers, various forms of vitamin E seem to play a role in memory processes.

Cancer Statistics 2014: Death rates continue to drop Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:26 AM PST An American Cancer Society report finds steady declines in cancer death rates for the past two decades add up to a 20 percent drop in the overall risk of dying from cancer over that time period. Progress has been most rapid for middle-aged black men. Nevertheless, black men still have the highest cancer incidence and death rates among all ethnicities in the US.

To keep eye on ball, batters mostly use heads Posted: 07 Jan 2014 07:24 AM PST Baseball players at bat follow coaches' advice to "keep your eye on the ball" —- but head movements play a surprisingly important role in tracking pitches, suggests a study.

Jumping snails left grounded in future oceans Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:33 AM PST Sea snails that leap to escape their predators may lose their extraordinary jumping ability because of rising carbon dioxide emissions, scientists have discovered. Researchers observed that the conch snail, which uses a strong foot to leap away from approaching predators, either stops jumping, or takes longer to jump, when exposed to carbon dioxide levels projected for the end of this century.

Green spaces deliver lasting mental health benefits Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:33 AM PST Green space in towns and cities could lead to significant and sustained improvements in mental health, finds a new study. Analyzing data that followed people over a five year period, the research has found that moving to a greener area not only improves people's mental health, but that the effect continues long after they have moved.

Racism may accelerate aging in African-American men Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:33 AM PST A new study reveals that racism may impact aging at the cellular level. A research team found signs of accelerated aging in a group of African-American men who reported experiencing high levels of racial discrimination and who had internalized anti-black attitudes. Findings from the study are the first to link racism-related factors and shortened telomere length.

Rare eclipsing double asteroid discovered Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:33 AM PST Students in an undergraduate astronomy class made a discovery that wowed professional astronomers: a previously unstudied asteroid is actually a pair of asteroids that orbit and eclipse one another. Fewer than 100 binary eclipsing asteroids have been found in the main asteroid belt.

Vikings and superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:29 AM PST The Icelandic sagas of the Norse people are thousand-year-old chronicles of brave deeds and timeless romances, but how true to Viking life were they? Researchers used a statistical network of associations between characters to find out.

First dinosaurs identified from Saudi Arabia Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:28 AM PST Dinosaur fossils are exceptionally rare in the Arabian Peninsula. Scientists have now uncovered the first record of dinosaurs from Saudi Arabia. What is now dry desert was once a beach littered with the bones and teeth of ancient marine reptiles and dinosaurs. A string of vertebrae from the tail of a huge "Brontosaurus-like" sauropod, together with some shed teeth from a carnivorous theropod represent the first formally identified dinosaur fossils from Saudi Arabia.

Stopping molecules with a centrifuge Posted: 07 Jan 2014 06:28 AM PST A novel deceleration technique brings fast continuous beams of polyatomic polar molecules almost to a halt.

NASA's Fermi makes first gamma-ray study of a gravitational lens Posted: 06 Jan 2014 04:01 PM PST Astronomers have made the first-ever gamma-ray measurements of a gravitational lens, a kind of natural telescope formed when a rare cosmic alignment allows the gravity of a massive object to bend and amplify light from a more distant source.

Workplace wellness programs can cut chronic illness costs Posted: 06 Jan 2014 04:01 PM PST Workplace wellness programs have the potential to reduce health risks and cut health care spending, but employers and policymakers should not take for granted that the lifestyle management components of the programs can reduce costs or lead to savings overall.

Faster method of boarding planes devised Posted: 06 Jan 2014 04:00 PM PST Researchers have come up with a new way to reduce the time it takes to board an airplane. Passengers are assigned to seats based on the amount of luggage they carry, distributing carry-ons evenly throughout the plane, resulting in a reduction in the total time to board all passengers.

Personal health record associated with improved medication adherence Posted: 06 Jan 2014 01:01 PM PST Patients with diabetes who used an online patient portal to refill medications increased their medication adherence and improved their cholesterol levels, according to a new study.

One in, one out: How people put a limit on their social networks Posted: 06 Jan 2014 01:00 PM PST A new study has shown that people still put most of their efforts into communicating with small numbers of close friends or family, often operating unconscious one-in, one-out policies so that communication patterns remain the same even when friendships change.

New packaging plastic protects as well as aluminium foil Posted: 06 Jan 2014 10:29 AM PST Scientists have created an alternative stretchable plastic for prolonging shelf-life of pharmaceuticals, food and electronics.

Establishing guides for molecular counting using fluorescent proteins Posted: 06 Jan 2014 07:38 AM PST A study recently published has been able to determine the photoactivation efficiency of fluorescent proteins, an important parameter that has so far been difficult to measure at the single molecule level.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610