Saturday, September 12, 2015

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Uniting classical and quantum mechanics: Breakthrough observation of Mott transition in a superconductor

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 07:43 PM PDT

Researchers have announced the observation of a dynamic Mott transition in a superconductor. The discovery experimentally connects the worlds of classical and quantum mechanics and illuminates the mysterious nature of the Mott transition. It also could shed light on non-equilibrium physics, which is poorly understood but governs most of what occurs in our world. The finding may also represent a step towards more efficient electronics based on the Mott transition.

Large eyes come at a high cost

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 01:41 PM PDT

Researchers have shown that well-developed eyes come at a surprising cost to other organ systems. The study involving Mexican cavefish shows that the visual system can require between 5 and 15 percent of an animal's total energy budget.

Africanized bees continue to spread in California

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 01:41 PM PDT

Biologists have found that the Africanized honey bee -- an aggressive hybrid of the European honey bee -- is continuing to expand its range northward since its introduction into Southern California in 1994.

Burning remaining fossil fuel could cause 60-meter sea level rise

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 01:41 PM PDT

New work demonstrates that the planet's remaining fossil fuel resources would be sufficient to melt nearly all of Antarctica if burned, leading to a 50- or 60-meter (160 to 200 foot) rise in sea level. Because so many major cities are at or near sea level, this would put many highly populated areas where more than a billion people live under water, including New York City and Washington, D.C.

Neural circuit in the cricket brain detects the rhythm of the right mating call

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 11:09 AM PDT

Delay mechanism within elegant brain circuit consisting of just five neurons means female crickets can automatically detect chirps of males from same species. Scientists say this example of simple neural circuitry could be "fundamental" for other types of information processing in much larger brains.

Competition and decision-making: Too many candidates spoil the stew

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 11:09 AM PDT

This election year has produced 17 Republican presidential candidates, which on its surface may appear to give the party a competitive advantage. Evolution, however, disagrees. A new study says the delicate balance of some, but not too much, competition optimally drives the evolution of decision-making strategies.

An antibody that can attack HIV in new ways

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 11:09 AM PDT

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are thought to be the future for treating and preventing HIV infections. A bNAb recently characterized by researchers can neutralize the virus in several different states -- increasing the antibody's promise as a therapeutic.

Insights into obscure transition uncovered by X-rays

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 11:09 AM PDT

The list of potential mechanisms that underlie an unusual metal-insulator transition has been narrowed by a team of scientists using a combination of X-ray techniques. This transition has ramifications for material design for electronics and sensors.

Stellar discovery: Massive binary star with unique properties

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 11:07 AM PDT

The first massive binary star, epsilon Lupi, in which both stars have magnetic fields has been discovered by a PhD candidate. A binary star is a star system consisting of two or more stars, orbiting around their common center of mass.

Smart cells teach neurons damaged by Parkinson's to heal themselves

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 08:27 AM PDT

As a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease, scientists have created smarter immune cells that produce and deliver a healing protein to the brain while also teaching neurons to begin making the protein for themselves.

Cancer patient receives 3-D printed ribs

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 08:10 AM PDT

After being diagnosed with a chest wall sarcoma, a 54-year-old Spanish man's surgical team made the decision to remove his sternum and a portion of his rib cage and replace it with an implant. This cancer patient has now received a 3-D printed titanium sternum and rib implant.

New epigenetic study reveals exciting insights into colorectal cancer progression

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 08:10 AM PDT

New epigenetic markers for colorectal cancer have been identified by researchers, suggesting that there may be a new approach for treatment in sight.

Improving a better class of cancer drugs

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 08:10 AM PDT

A class of therapeutic drugs known as protein kinase inhibitors has become a powerful weapon in the fight against various life-threatening diseases. One problem with these drugs, however, is that they often inhibit many different targets, which can lead to side effects and complications in therapeutic use. A recent study has identified a new technique for improving the selectivity of these drugs and possibly decreasing unwanted side effects in the future.

Connection found between fitness level, brain activity, and executive function

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 08:10 AM PDT

Brain function associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness plays a role in increased cognitive performance in older adults, according to a new study. Specifically, the scientists found that dual-task processing in a core executive function brain region is associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness and dual-task performance.

Globally unique double crater identified in Sweden

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 06:53 AM PDT

Researchers have found traces of two major meteorite impacts in Sweden, a twin strike that occurred around 460 million years ago. One is enormous, while the other is a tenth of the size of the first. The largest crater has a diameter of 7.5 kilometers.

Scientists learn how to predict plant size

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 06:51 AM PDT

Scientists have developed a new method that allows them to predict the final size of a plant while it is still a seedling. Thanks to this method, which is based on the knowledge that a set of genes is associated with the final size of a leaf, scientists will be able to significantly accelerate plant breeding programs. The scientists were able to identify this set of genes through advanced and highly detailed analyses. Expression analysis of specific genes will help breeders select the most useful crossing products at a very early stage.

Poor diet and high blood pressure now number one risk factors for early death

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 06:49 AM PDT

A new global burden of disease study finds a huge amount of deaths worldwide are due to preventable risk-factors.

African dams linked to over one million malaria cases annually

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 06:49 AM PDT

For the first time, research correlates the location of large dams with the incidence of malaria and quantifies the impacts across sub-Saharan Africa. The study looked at over 1,200 dams and found that the population at risk for malaria around dams is at least four times greater than previously estimated.

Pressure to be available 24/7 on social media causes teen anxiety, depression

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 06:49 AM PDT

Overall and night-time specific social media use along with emotional investment were related to poorer sleep quality, lower self-esteem as well as higher anxiety and depression levels, new research concludes.

Fewer women getting minimally invasive hysterectomies since FDA guidelines

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 06:49 AM PDT

A nearly quarter increase in hospital readmissions and 27 percent increase has been found in major postoperative complications after hysterectomies in Michigan following FDA communication on morcellation.

Diet beverage drinkers compensate by eating unhealthy food, study finds

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 06:49 AM PDT

A new study that examined the dietary habits of more than 22,000 US adults found that diet-beverage consumers may compensate for the absence of calories in their drinks by binging on extra food that is loaded with sugar, sodium, fat and cholesterol.

Pressure to be cool, look good is detrimental to many children

Posted: 11 Sep 2015 06:49 AM PDT

The pressure to be cool, look good and own the 'right stuff' is detrimental to many children and teenagers, according to new research. The study shows that, while many young people buy into consumer culture believing it will make them feel better about themselves and help them to make friends, often the reverse happens.

Female mice sing for sex

Posted: 10 Sep 2015 03:51 PM PDT

Male mice belt out love songs to females during courtship. What scientists didn't know until now is female mice sing back. Using a sophisticated array of microphones and a sound chamber he developed, a researcher discovered the world is full of tiny furry Beyonces. Studying all the Single Ladies' communication provides insight into brain mechanics and impairments, potentially including those related to autism.

Nurses more likely to suffer emotional exhaustion by working 12 hour shifts or longer

Posted: 10 Sep 2015 03:51 PM PDT

Hospital nurses who work longer than 12 hour shifts have a higher risk of wanting to leave their job, are more dissatisfied and more likely to burnout in terms of emotional exhaustion, new research has found.

Blood cancers develop when immune cell DNA editing hits off-target spots

Posted: 10 Sep 2015 01:42 PM PDT

Editing errors in the DNA of developing T and B cells can cause blood cancers. Now, researchers have shown that when the enzyme key to cutting and pasting segments of DNA hits so-called 'off-target' spots on a chromosome, the development of immune cells can lead to cancer in animal models. Knowing the exact nature of these editing errors will be helpful in designing therapeutic enzymes based on these molecular scissors, researchers say.

Reduced heart rate variability may indicate greater vulnerability to PTSD

Posted: 10 Sep 2015 01:42 PM PDT

A prospective longitudinal study of US Marines suggests that reduced heart rate variability -- the changing time interval between heartbeats -- may be a contributing risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Struggles with sleep may affect heart disease risk

Posted: 10 Sep 2015 01:42 PM PDT

Young and middle-aged adults who get too much or too little sleep or have poor quality sleep are at higher risk for the early signs of heart disease than those who get adequate, good quality sleep, research shows.

Neuroanatomical signature for schizophrenia found

Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:19 AM PDT

The right anterior insula of brain may play a role in schizophrenia as well as other Axis I disorders such as bipolar disorder, depression, etc. across ethnic groups despite differences in symptoms, suggest findings of a new study.