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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines -- for Tuesday, July 20, 2010

ScienceDaily Technology Headlines

for Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.


Breakthrough in thin-film solar cells: New insights into the indium/gallium puzzle (July 20, 2010) -- Scientists have made a major breakthrough in their search for more efficient thin-film solar cells. Computer simulations designed to investigate the so-called indium/gallium puzzle have highlighted a new way of increasing the efficiency of CIGS thin-film solar cells. ... > full story

Cerebral bioelectricity analysis detects epilepsy (July 20, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain have developed a new method to analyze the information obtained from electroencephalograms to detect neurodegenerative diseases, such as epilepsy, using the bioelectric signals of the brain. ... > full story

Mermaid opens prospect of cleaner seas with pollution early warning system (July 20, 2010) -- Alarm at the massive oil plume in the Gulf of Mexico emphasizes the problem of marine pollution and how difficult it is to evaluate. Thanks to a EUREKA project, another heavily polluted maritime ecosystem, the European North Sea, has been for more than 20 years a test-bed for a highly advanced early-warning system for all types of pollution. This development is now aiding marine authorities around the world to keep seas clean. ... > full story

Cultured brain cells taught to keep time (July 19, 2010) -- Scientists have tested whether networks of brain cells kept alive in culture could be "trained" to keep time. The findings suggest that networks of brain cells can learn to generate simple timed intervals. ... > full story

How technology may improve treatment for children with brain cancer (July 19, 2010) -- A new study shows that children with brain tumors who undergo radiation therapy (the application of X-rays to kill cancerous cells and shrink tumors) may benefit from a technique known as "intensity modulated arc therapy" or IMAT. ... > full story

Getting mosquitoes under control: Gene-silencing nanoparticles may put end to pesky summer pest (July 19, 2010) -- Summer just wouldn't be complete without mosquitoes nipping at exposed skin. Or would it? New research may help solve a problem that scientists and pest controllers have been itching to for years. Scientists have developed a way to use nanoparticles to deliver double-stranded ribonucleic acid to silence genes in mosquito larvae. ... > full story

High-speed study of zebrafish larvae: New technique can analyze larvae in seconds (July 19, 2010) -- With the aim of speeding up the process of studying zebrafish larvae and enabling large-scale studies, engineers have developed a new technique that can analyze the larvae in seconds. ... > full story

Vaccine-delivery patch with dissolving microneedles eliminates 'sharps,' boosts protection (July 19, 2010) -- A new vaccine-delivery patch based on hundreds of microscopic needles that dissolve into the skin could allow persons without medical training to painlessly administer vaccines -- while providing improved immunization against diseases such as influenza. ... > full story

Unusual electrons go with the flow (July 19, 2010) -- On a quest to discover new states of matter, a team of scientists has found that electrons on the surface of specific materials act like miniature superheroes, relentlessly dodging the cliff-like obstacles of imperfect microsurfaces, sometimes moving straight through barriers. ... > full story

Refining a cosmic clock: Particle accelerator research helps narrow down the age of our galaxy (July 19, 2010) -- A study of processes that affect the abundance of osmium will reduce the uncertainty that has plagued measurements of the age of the Milky Way. ... > full story

NASA's WISE mission completes extensive sky survey (July 19, 2010) -- NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, completed its first survey of the entire sky on July 17, 2010. The mission has generated more than one million images so far, of everything from asteroids to distant galaxies. ... > full story

See beautiful Ontario Lacus: Cassini's guided tour (July 19, 2010) -- Ontario Lacus, the largest lake in the southern hemisphere of Saturn's moon Titan, turns out to be a perfect exotic vacation spot, provided you can handle the frosty, subzero temperatures and enjoy soaking in liquid hydrocarbon. ... > full story

Novel microfluidic HIV test is quick and cheap (July 18, 2010) -- Biomedical engineers have developed a "lab on a chip" device for HIV testing. The test integrates an antibody microarray with a lensfree holographic imaging device that takes only seconds to count the number of captured T-cells and amount of secreted cytokine molecules. The test returns results six to 12 times faster than traditional approaches and tests six parameters simultaneously, based on a small blood sample. ... > full story

Making virtopsies a reality: New research project to develop reliable and cost-effective virtual autopsies (July 18, 2010) -- A new research project is set to play a vital role in continuing research into viable alternatives to invasive autopsies, which many families find to be unpleasant. ... > full story

Cell signaling classification system gives researchers new tool (July 18, 2010) -- Using ever-growing genome data, scientists are tracing the evolution of the bacterial regulatory system that controls cellular motility, potentially giving researchers a method for predicting important cellular functions that will impact both medical and biotechnology research. ... > full story

Chemists grow crystals with a twist -- and untwist (July 17, 2010) -- Chemists have created crystals that can twist and untwist, pointing to a much more varied process of crystal growth than previously thought. Their work may explain some of the properties of high-polymers, which are used in clothing and liquid crystal displays, among other consumer products. ... > full story

Quantum simulations uncover hydrogen's phase transitions (July 17, 2010) -- Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe and is a major component of giant planets such as Jupiter and Saturn. But not much is known about what happens to this abundant element under high-pressure conditions when it transforms from one state to another. ... > full story

Sound creates light: Researchers transfer ultra-stable frequency across 480-km optical fiber link (July 17, 2010) -- Researchers in Germany have found an elegant solution to transmit an optical frequency with extreme precision: they employ fiber Brillouin amplification. The new method simplifies the comparison of newly developed optical clocks and it is likely to have applications in other areas where precise synchronization is needed, for example in radio astronomy. Experts in geodesy have already approached the researchers with suggestions for joint projects. ... > full story

Astronomers discover an unusual cosmic lens (July 16, 2010) -- Astronomers have discovered the first known case of a distant galaxy being magnified by a quasar acting as a gravitational lens. ... > full story

Small wires make big connections for microelectronics (July 16, 2010) -- Engineers have developed a novel direct-writing method for manufacturing metal interconnects that could shrink integrated circuits and expand microelectronics. The technique produces tiny pure metal wires much smaller in diameter than traditional wires and requiring two orders of magnitude less bonding area. This could enable more complex integrated functions in microelectronics. ... > full story

Record-breaking carbon dioxide storage capacity enhances ability to capture CO<sub>2</sub> (July 16, 2010) -- Chemists report the "ultimate porosity of a nano material" and records for carbon dioxide storage capacity and porosity in an important class of materials known as MOFs. Porosity in materials is essential for capturing carbon dioxide. This research could lead to cleaner energy and the ability to capture heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions before they reach the atmosphere, which contribute to global warming, rising sea levels and the increased acidity of oceans. ... > full story

New radiation mechanism may ward off cancer, oil spills and terrorism (July 16, 2010) -- Radiation similar to that used to treat cancer may someday help clean up environmental disasters such as the Gulf oil spill and detect explosive powder hidden underneath clothing. ... > full story

Reinventing the wheel -- naturally (July 16, 2010) -- Humans did not invent the wheel. Nature did. While the evolution from the Neolithic solid stone wheel with a single hole for an axle to the sleek wheels of today's racing bikes can be seen as the result of human ingenuity, it also represents how animals, including humans, have come to move more efficiently and quicker over millions of years on Earth, according to an expert. ... > full story

Researchers cut years from drug development with nanoscopic bead technology (July 16, 2010) -- New research confirms that a revolutionary technology will slash years off the time it takes to develop drugs -- bringing vital new treatments to patients much more quickly. Lab-on-Bead uses tiny beads studded with "pins" that match a drug to a disease marker in a single step, so researchers can test an infinite number of possibilities for treatments all at once. When Lab-on-Bead makes a match, it has found a viable treatment for a specific disease -- speeding up drug discovery by as much as 10,000 times and cutting out years of testing and re-testing in the laboratory. ... > full story

Nanotubes pass acid test (July 16, 2010) -- Scientists have unveiled a new method for dissolving half-millimeter-long carbon nanotubes in solution, a critical step toward the spinning of fibers from ultralong nanotubes. The breakthrough is a promising development on the road to scalable methods for making strong, ultralight, highly conductive materials like the "armchair quantum wire," a new type of cable that could revolutionize power distribution. ... > full story

New revelations about Mercury's volcanism, magnetic substorms and exosphere from MESSENGER (July 16, 2010) -- Analysis of data from MESSENGER's third and final flyby of Mercury in September 2009 has revealed evidence of younger volcanism on the innermost planet than previously recognized, new information about magnetic substorms, and the first observations of emission from an ionized species in Mercury's very thin atmosphere or exosphere. ... > full story

Herschel: The first science highlights (July 16, 2010) -- Astronomy & Astrophysics is publishing a special feature devoted to the first science results obtained with Herschel, an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA. It includes 152 articles dealing with various subjects based on the first few months of science observing. A few papers describe the observatory and its instruments, and the rest are dedicated to observations of many astronomical targets from bodies in the Solar System to distant galaxies. ... > full story

How human immune response to virus is triggered at the atomic level (July 15, 2010) -- A team of biochemists has identified the molecular mechanism by which an immune response is triggered by the invading viruses, according to recent research. ... > full story

Database for personalised cancer treatment: Largest study of genomes and cancer treatments releases first results (July 15, 2010) -- The largest study to correlate genetics with response to cancer drugs releases its first results. The researchers behind the study describe in this initial dataset the responses of 350 cancer samples to 18 anticancer therapeutics. These first results will help cancer researchers around the world to seek better understanding of cancer genetics and could help to improve treatment regimens. ... > full story

Giant antenna propped up, ready for joint replacement (July 15, 2010) -- Workers at NASA's Deep Space Network complex in Goldstone, Calif., have been making precise, laser-assisted measurements to ensure a flat surface for pouring new grout as part of a major renovation on the 70-meter-wide (230-foot-wide) "Mars antenna." While officially dubbed Deep Space Station 14, the antenna picked up the Mars name from its first task: tracking NASA's Mariner 4 spacecraft, which had been lost by smaller antennas after its historic flyby of Mars. ... > full story

Submarines could use new nanotube technology for sonar and stealth (July 15, 2010) -- Speakers made from carbon nanotube sheets that are a fraction of the width of a human hair can both generate sound and cancel out noise -- properties ideal for submarine sonar to probe the ocean depths and make subs invisible to enemies. That's the topic of a report on these "nanotube speakers." ... > full story

Team develops non-toxic oil recovery agent (July 15, 2010) -- A team of chemists has developed a non-toxic, recyclable agent that can solidify oil on salt water so that it can be scooped up like the fat that forms on the top of a pot of chilled chicken soup. The agent could potentially be used to recover oil lost in the British Petroleum (BP) spill in the Gulf of Mexico. ... > full story

Super-hot planet with unique comet-like tail discovered (July 15, 2010) -- Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed the existence of a baked object that could be called a "cometary planet." The gas giant planet, named HD 209458b, is orbiting so close to its star that its heated atmosphere is escaping into space. Observations taken with Hubble's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) suggest powerful stellar winds are sweeping the cast-off atmospheric material behind the scorched planet and shaping it into a comet-like tail. ... > full story

New light on Leonardo Da Vinci’s faces (July 15, 2010) -- How did Leonardo Da Vinci manage to paint such perfect faces? For the first time a quantitative chemical analysis has been done on seven paintings from the Louvre Museum (including the Mona Lisa) without extracting any samples. This shows the composition and thickness of each layer of material laid down by the painter. ... > full story

Physicists find clues to the origin and evolution of wrinkles in thin sheets (July 15, 2010) -- New experiments offer insights into how defects influence the formation of wrinkles, and could prove helpful in understanding wrinkles in biological tissue. ... > full story

Supercharged proteins enter biology's forbidden zone (July 15, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting discovery of a way to help proteins such as the new generation of protein-based drugs -- sometimes heralded as tomorrow's potential "miracle cures" -- get past the biochemical "Entrance Forbidden" barrier that keeps them from entering cells and doing their work. The new technique represents a new use for an engineered form of green fluorescent protein, the topic of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. ... > full story

Toward room-temperature superconductors: Key advance in understanding 'pseudogap' phase in high-T<sub>c</sub> superconductors (July 15, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a fundamental difference in how electrons behave at the two distinct oxygen-atom sites in a copper-oxide superconductor. Understanding this broken symmetry in the non-superconducting pseudogap phase may lead to new approaches to understanding the pseudogap, long hypothesized as a key hurdle to achieving room-temperature superconductivity. ... > full story

Noninvasive probing of geological core samples (July 15, 2010) -- Tools to measure a core sample's electrical anisotropy have been sadly lacking, according to a group of researchers. To solve this problem, they found inspiration in a type of logging technology currently used by the modern oil industry. They created a device capable of noninvasively measuring electrical conductivity. ... > full story

Carbon sequestration: Steam process could remove carbon dioxide to regenerate amine capture materials (July 15, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated a relatively simple regeneration technique that could utilize waste steam to remove carbon dioxide from solid amine materials used to capture the greenhouse gas from the flue gases of coal-burning facilities. This steam-stripping technique could produce concentrated carbon dioxide ready for sequestration -- while readying the amine materials for further use. ... > full story

Moving polymers through pores (July 15, 2010) -- The movement of long chain polymers through nanopores is a key part of many biological processes, including the transport of RNA, DNA, and proteins. New research offers an improved theoretical model for this type of motion. ... > full story

Bringing molecules into view: Record-breaking high-resolution optical technique resolves objects as small as 0.5 nanometers (July 15, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a technique that enables the use of optical microscopy to image objects or the distance between them with resolutions as small as 0.5 nanometers -- one-half of one billionth of a meter, or an order of magnitude smaller than the previous best. This super-resolution technique has the potential to revolutionize biological imaging. ... > full story

A simple quantum dynamics problem? (July 15, 2010) -- New research provides the first real-time measurements of the time dependence of the individual steps of dissociation of a complex consisting of two rare gas atoms and a halogen molecule. ... > full story

Reports detail global investment and other trends in green energy (July 15, 2010) -- Investment in green energy in China, most notable in wind energy, leapt 53 per cent in 2009, bucking a trend during the recession that saw global investments dip 7 per cent overall from 2008 levels. However, if spending on solar water heaters (now used in 70 million world households) and total installation costs for rooftop solar were included, renewables investment worldwide increased last year. ... > full story

Unravelling the mystery of massive star birth: All stars are born the same way (July 14, 2010) -- Astronomers have obtained the first image of a dusty disc closely encircling a massive baby star, providing direct evidence that massive stars form in the same way as their smaller brethren. ... > full story

Rainbow trapping in light pulses (July 14, 2010) -- Scientists in China have shown how a rather wide spectrum of light -- a rainbow of radiation -- can be trapped in a single structure. They propose to do this by sending the light rays into a self-similar-structured dielectric waveguide -- essentially a light pipe with a cladding of many layers. ... > full story

Consumers under-predict learning curve following initial experience with product (July 14, 2010) -- A new study found that consumers often quit using products that would be beneficial for them in the long run because they experience a short period of pessimism during their initial encounter with skill-based products as varied as knitting needles and mobile devices. ... > full story

Record-breaking X-ray blast briefly blinds space observatory (July 14, 2010) -- A blast of the brightest X-rays ever detected from beyond our Milky Way galaxy's neighborhood temporarily blinded the X-ray eye on NASA's Swift space observatory earlier this summer, astronomers now report. The X-rays traveled through space for 5-billion years before slamming into and overwhelming Swift's X-ray Telescope. The blinding blast is by far the brightest light source ever seen in X-ray wavelengths at cosmological distances. ... > full story

New generation of biological scaffolds (July 14, 2010) -- Scientists in the UK are conducting research into how biological scaffolding can pave the way for off- the-shelf tissue transplants. ... > full story


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