Self-assembled superlattices create molecular machines with 'hinges' and 'gears'
Atlanta GA (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
A combined computational and experimental study of self-assembled silver-based structures known as superlattices has revealed an unusual and unexpected behavior: arrays of gear-like molecular-scale machines that rotate in unison when pressure is applied to them.
Computational and experimental studies show that the superlattice structures, which are self-assembled from smaller clusters of s ...
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Tracking Sugar Movement in Plants
Upton NY (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by scientists at the University of Queensland, Australia, overturns a long-held theory in plant science. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory who are co-authors on this paper conducted critical radiotracer studies that support the new theory that plant sugars play a dominan ...
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A new tiny species of crayfish from the swamps of coastal eastern Australia
London, UK (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
Hidden in one of Australia's most developed and fastest growing areas lives one of the world's smallest freshwater crayfish species. Robert B McCormack the Team Leader for the Australian Crayfish Project described the new species belonging to the genus Gramastacus, after 8 years of research in the swamps and creeks of coastal New South Wales, Australia. The study was published in the open access ...
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Running geese give insight into low oxygen tolerance
Exeter, UK (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
A new study into how the world's highest flying bird, the bar-headed goose, is able to survive at extreme altitudes may have future implications for low oxygen medical conditions in humans.
An international team of scientists recently tracked the bar-headed goose while it migrated across the Himalayas. Now they have shown how these birds are able to tolerate running at top speed while brea ...
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Longer catch-and-release time leaves largemouth bass nests more vulnerable to predators
Urbana IL (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
During spawning season, a largemouth bass male attentively guards its nest. Recent research at the University of Illinois found that catch-and-release angling could give bass predators the perfect opportunity to consume the young. In fact, the time spent away from the nest during a catch-and-release event and the subsequent exhaustion it creates for the male are critical to the survival of the e ...
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Dropbox out to be a home in the Internet 'cloud'
San Francisco (AFP) April 09, 2014 -
Dropbox is out to be the hip home in the cloud for photos, documents, video and other digital possessions amassed by Internet-age lifestyles.
Dropbox on Wednesday ramped up services for sharing and collaborating on virtual belongings ranging from Excel spreadsheets to family photos.
"This is a little glimpse into our new home; a home for life," Dropbox co-founder and chief executive Drew ...
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Novel plant biotechnology approach for sustainable production of pharmaceutical compounds
Helsinki. Finland (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
European scientists have made ground-breaking discoveries for improving the efficiency of the production of pharmaceuticals through plant biotechnology. Biotechnological production offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to the chemical synthesis of rare and complex pharmaceutical compounds currently isolated from plants. The results have been achieved in the European Sm ...
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IMF sees modest growth from MENA oil states
Washington (UPI) Apr 9, 2013 -
The International Monetary Fund said Wednesday it expects tepid economic growth from oil-producing nations in the Middle East and North African regions.
IMF said economic growth in the region was slow because of declines in oil production and weak private investments. Political transition in countries like Libya, meanwhile, led to a lack of economic confidence.
"Economic activity ...
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Sea Otters Can Get the Flu, Too
Reston VA (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
Northern sea otters living off the coast of Washington state were infected with the same H1N1 flu virus that caused the world-wide pandemic in 2009, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.
During an August 2011 health monitoring project, USGS and CDC scientists found evidence that the Washington sea otters were infected with the pande ...
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HP to pay $108 million in US to settle bribery probes
Washington (AFP) April 09, 2014 -
US computer giant Hewlett-Packard agreed to pay $108 million to settle investigations that it paid bribes to win public contracts in Russia, Poland and Mexico, officials said Wednesday.
The settlement covers criminal and civil investigations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, according to a statement from the US Securities & Exchange Commission.
According to authorities, the Califo ...
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Snowstorms and power outages present elevated risk for carbon monoxide poisoning
Ann Arbor, MI (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
While preventable, carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious and sometimes fatal condition. Large weather events, such as snowstorms and heavy storms that cause power outages, can lead to an increase in the number of reported carbon monoxide exposures. Researchers from Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut explored the link between these major storms and the rise in carbon monoxide exposure ca ...
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Lights, action: tech giants rush into original TV
New York (AFP) April 09, 2014 -
The battle of the tech giants is now moving into television.
Following the success of Netflix and a fresh push by Amazon in online video, the latest players looking to get into the gold rush may be Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL, among others.
These moves come as a growing number of consumers are turning away from traditional television to online services such as Netflix, and with those provid ...
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New study explains evolution of duplicate genes
Atlanta GA (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
From time to time, living cells will accidently make an extra copy of a gene during the normal replication process. Throughout the history of life, evolution has molded some of these seemingly superfluous genes into a source of genetic novelty, adaptation and diversity. A new study shows one way that some duplicate genes could have long-ago escaped elimination from the genome, leading to the gen ...
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U.S. awards $3 million for fuel cell research
Washington (UPI) Apr 9, 2013 -
The U.S. Energy Department announced it gave $3 million to FuelCell Energy, a Connecticut company, to increase the U.S. competitiveness of the fuel cell market.
The Energy Department said the investment would help cut the costs and improve the performance of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies for vehicles.
"This project will enhance the performance, increase the lifespan, and de ...
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UC Geographers Develop a System to Track the Dynamics of Drought
Cincinnati OH (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
University of Cincinnati researchers are at work tracking drought patterns across the United States. Qiusheng Wu, a doctoral student and research assistant for the UC Department of Geography, and Hongxing Liu, a UC professor and head of the Department of Geography, will present details this week at the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) in Tampa, Fla
To trace t ...
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British economy still tied to oil
London (UPI) Apr 9, 2013 -
Though the British economy is striving to focus more on renewable resources, oil will continue to play a crucial role, a government report said Wednesday.
The British Department of Energy and Climate Change published its assessment of the downstream, or refining, sector of the industry. British Energy Minister Michael Fallon said the British economy will need more than 360 million barre ...
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NWF oil spill report 'cherry picks' data, BP says
Houston (UPI) Apr 9, 2013 -
A report from the National Wildlife Federation on the impact of the BP oil spill is not based on science, a spokesman for BP said Wednesday.
The National Wildlife Federation published a report Tuesday that said 14 different species of wildlife were still feeling the effects of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Jason Ryan, a spokesman for BP, said in response to e-mail que ...
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TAP pipeline gets nod for Albanian construction
Zug, Switzerland (UPI) Apr 9, 2013 -
The consortium behind the planned Trans-Adriatic natural gas pipeline said it received the necessary permits to start work on the project in Albania.
The TAP consortium, led by BP, the State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic, and Norway's Statoil, said the Albanian government gave the go ahead for the start of construction activities in the country.
The consortium said construction ...
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PC sales see modest drop amid Windows XP replacements
New York (AFP) April 09, 2014 -
Global personal computer sales saw a modest dip in the first quarter of 2014, as the pace of decline was eased by replacements of older PCs using Windows XP.
Figures released Wednesday by Gartner showed global sales down 1.7 percent year-over-year at 76.6 million units in the first quarter of 2014.
A separate survey by IDC showed a 4.4 percent drop to 73.4 million.
Analysts said the ...
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Shell remains committed to Alaskan arctic
Houston (UPI) Apr 9, 2013 -
The arctic waters off the Alaskan coast may be one of the more promising reserve basins in the nation, but exploration will have to wait, Shell said Wednesday.
Ann Pickard, executive vice president for Shell's arctic programs, said arctic nations have decided to open their waters to exploration and her company aims to develop those reserves responsibly.
Last week, the U.S. Coast ...
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China imports, exports slump in March
Beijing (AFP) April 10, 2014 -
Chinese exports and imports fell sharply in March, data showed Thursday, as officials noted that the world's second-largest economy faces headwinds from tougher regional competition and "friction" with trade partners.
The figures are potentially another cause for concern about the the economy, which has shown signs of weakness recently with a string of disappointing indicators on trade, indu ...
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Kiev: Russia putting European energy sector at risk
Kiev, Ukraine (UPI) Apr 9, 2013 -
Russia is putting energy security in Europe at risk by increasing the price it charges for natural gas, the Ukrainian energy minister said.
Russian energy company Gazprom in 2009 cut gas to Ukraine because of contractual disputes. The row left downstream consumers in Europe in the cold because, while Europe gets about a quarter of its gas from Russia, the majority of it runs through the ...
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Americans, Germans clash on US-EU trade standards
Washington (AFP) April 09, 2014 -
Americans and Germans are broadly supportive of a US-EU free-trade pact under negotiation, but differ over details, especially forging similar goods and services standards, according to a survey released Wednesday.
Common regulatory standards are perhaps the most ambitious objective of the bilateral talks that began last July to create the world's biggest free-trade zone.
The so-called T ...
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San Diego City Council approves HERO Residential Energy - and Water-Efficiency Program
San Diego CA (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
The San Diego City Council voted to make the Home Energy Renovation Opportunities (HERO) Program available to residents of San Diego. The HERO Program is a local government-approved program that provides private financing to enable property owners to make energy- and water-efficient upgrades to their properties.
Payment is made through property taxes as part of this Property Assessed Clean ...
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Advanced warning systems increase safety at intersections
Clemson SC (SPX) Apr 10, 2014 -
Most drivers have experienced a traffic signal that turns yellow just as they approach an intersection, which makes it difficult for them to decide whether to stop or proceed through it. The wrong choice in this situation, known as the "dilemma zone," may lead to crashes, especially at high-speed intersections.
A major factor making driving difficult is hazards that are sudden and hard to ...
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