Daily News chosen by Anchor Science

Deepwater Horizon spill: New method successfully predicted how oil would spread
Prompted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a scientist has come up with a new way of predicting how contaminants like oil will spread. He was able to forecast several days in advance that oil from that spill would wash ashore in particular parts of the Gulf of Mexico.

Insight offered into superstitious behavior
People who believe that fate and chance control their lives are more likely to be superstitious -- but when faced with death they are likely to abandon superstition altogether, according to new research.

Capsaicin can act as co-carcinogen, study finds; Chili pepper component linked to skin cancer
New research links capsaicin, a component of chili peppers, to skin cancer. While the molecular mechanisms of the cancer-promoting effects of capsaicin are not clear and remain controversial, the new research has shown a definite connection to formation of skin cancer through various laboratory studies.

Cranberry juice shows promise blocking Staph infections
Expanding their scope of study on the mechanisms of bacterial infection, researchers have reported the surprise finding from a small clinical study that cranberry juice cocktail blocked a strain of Staphylococcus aureus from beginning the process of infection.

Cancer-causing gene crucial in stem cell development, study finds
A research team has shown for the first time that a gene called Myc, which is traditionally thought of as a cancer-causing gene, may be far more important in the development and persistence of stem cells than was known before.

Computer technique could help partially sighted 'see' better
Thousands of people who are partially sighted following stroke or brain injury could gain greater independence from a simple, cheap and accessible training course which could eventually be delivered from their mobile phones or hand-held games consoles, according to a new study.

Science's policy clout diminished, but oil risk looms large, study finds
More people are likely to believe scientific studies claiming that oil drilling is riskier, not safer, than was previously thought, according to a new study of attitudes in California. What's more the findings show that scientists' efforts to influence public opinion have a limited effect.

Miniature auto differential helps tiny aerial robots stay aloft
Engineers have created a millionth-scale automobile differential to govern the flight of minuscule aerial robots that could someday be used to probe environmental hazards, forest fires, and other places too perilous for people. Their new approach is the first to passively balance the aerodynamic forces encountered by these miniature flying devices, letting their wings flap asymmetrically in response to gusts of wind, wing damage, and other real-world impediments.

Children who eat vended snack foods face chronic health problems, poor diet, study finds
School children who consume foods purchased in vending machines are more likely to develop poor diet quality -- and that may be associated with being overweight, obese or at risk for chronic health problems such as diabetes and coronary artery disease, according to new research.

Experiment records ultrafast chemical reaction with vibrational echoes
To watch a magician transform a vase of flowers into a rabbit, it's best to have a front-row seat. Likewise, for chemical transformations in solution, the best view belongs to the molecular spectators closest to the action. Those special molecules comprise the "first solvation shell," and although it has been known for decades that they can sense and dictate the fate of nearly every chemical reaction, it has been virtually impossible to watch them respond -- until now.

Increased risk for lupus in men with certain form of immune receptor
Humans -- males in particular -- with a variant form of the immune receptor gene "Toll Like Receptor 7" are at increased risk of developing the autoimmune disease lupus. This finding offers renewed hope for developing more targeted treatments.

Laser-based missile defense for helicopters being developed
Protecting helicopters in combat from heat-seeking missiles is the goal of new laser technology.

Social networks influence health behaviors
Individuals are more likely to acquire new health practices while living in networks with dense clusters of connections -- that is, when in close contact with people they already know well.

Chemists develop simple technique to visualize atomic-scale structures
Researchers have devised a new technique -- using a sheet of carbon just one atom thick -- to visualize the structure of molecules. The technique, which was used to obtain the first direct images of how water coats surfaces at room temperature, can also be used to image a potentially unlimited number of other molecules, including antibodies and other biomolecules.

Cigarette smoke may contribute to lung inflammation through a new chemical pathway
Cigarette smoke shuts off a key enzyme in airways that regulates the body's response to inflammation, according to new findings. Researchers say smoke inhibits the enzyme, called Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase (LTA4H), causing it to fail in its job of shutting down white blood cells following a successful response to inflammation.

Scientists listen to faint sounds inside insects using atomic force microscopy
Scientists are using atomic force microscopy to record sounds emanating from inside living insects like flies, mosquitoes and ladybugs.

Serendipity contributes to MRSA susceptibility findings
Researchers have found two genes in mice which might help identify why some people are more susceptible than others to potentially deadly staph infections.

Researchers discover proton diode: Water is an active element in proteins
Biophysicists in Germany have discovered a diode for protons: just like the electronic component determines the direction of flow of electric current, the “proton diode” ensures that protons can only pass through a cell membrane in one direction. Water molecules play an important role here as active components of the diode. The researchers were able to observe this through a combination of molecular biology, X-ray crystallography, time-resolved FTIR spectroscopy and biomolecular simulations.

Problem of fake medicines in developing countries could be solved, experts say
Counterfeiting of drugs is a huge industry. In Africa the situation is extremely serious. Half of the malaria medication sold there could be ineffective or even harmful. There is currently no good way to identify counterfeit drugs. However, researchers in Sweden and the UK have now developed a technique that could resolve the situation.

Molecules involved in 'touch' identified: Could lead to new treatments for pain, deafness and cardiac function
Scientists have identified two proteins with potential to be important targets for research into a wide range of health problems, including pain, deafness, and cardiac and kidney dysfunction.

Value of oxygen therapy in end-of-life care challenged in new study
Millions of patients with advanced disease in palliative care settings receive oxygen therapy to help them breathe more easily. But a new study says roughly half of them don't benefit from the intervention, and among those who do benefit, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether they get pure oxygen or just plain old room air -- both offer equal benefit.

How do organisms make dietary choices?
When given a choice, organisms will choose a diet that maintains a nutritional balance in tune with their needs. That choice, studied in fruit flies for the first time, is regulated by activity in a molecular pathway involved in aging, cancer and diabetes. Humans share the same molecular pathway. The study, the first to be done in a genetically tractable lab animal, could lead to treatments that would "reboot" metabolic pathways in individuals who are obese or suffer from diabetes.

New warning signs may predict kidney transplant failure
Kidney transplants that show a combination of fibrosis (scarring) and inflammation after one year are at higher risk of long-term transplant failure, according to a new study.

The perfect nanocube: Precise control of size, shape and composition
Researchers have developed a simple process for producing near-perfect nanocrystals that will enable studies of physical and chemical properties that affect how nanoparticles interact with the world around them.

Safety cultures in emergency medical services agencies vary widely, study finds
A survey of emergency medical services agencies from across the country found wide variation in perceptions of workplace safety culture -- providing a tool that might point to potential patient safety threats, according to researchers.

Model for implantable artificial kidney to replace dialysis unveiled
Researchers have unveiled a prototype model of the first implantable artificial kidney, in a development that one day could eliminate the need for dialysis.

New type of anti-malarial compound discovered
Scientists have discovered a promising new drug candidate that represents a new class of drug to treat malaria. Clinical trials for the compound are planned for later this year.

Cuckoo chicks in Zebra finches: Eggs from other females can be found in every fifth nest
Some female zebra finches foist a part of their eggs on their neighbors. Scientists in Germany have discovered that in every fifth nest there is one egg that is not produced by its social parents. The female birds act in a very well-targeted way: eggs are being placed in “foster-care” shortly before the hosts commence their own egg laying.

Long term use of oral bisphosphonates may double risk of esophageal cancer, study finds
People who take oral bisphosphonates for bone disease over five years may be doubling their risk of developing esophageal cancer (cancer of the gullet), according to a new study.

Scientists develop new method to identify glycosylated proteins
Various processes in our body are controlled by subsequent changes of proteins. Therefore, the identification of such modifications is essential for the further exploration of the human organism. Now, scientists in Germany have made a crucial contribution to this: Using a new method, they have been able to identify more than 6,000 glycosylated protein sites in different tissues and have thus established an important basis for the better understanding of all life processes.