Science news

• 'UK astronaut' on living with cancer

  21-01-2016 22:53 via bbc.co.uk
  
  British-born astronaut Piers Sellers tells of living life at "20 times normal speed" after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
  
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• [Working Life] Disability is not a disqualification

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Jesse Shanahan
  
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• [This Week in Science] Weaving organic threads

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Phil Szuromi
  
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• [This Week in Science] Two steps in one

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Julia Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink
  
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• [This Week in Science] Timing on a chip

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Ian S. Osborne
  
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• [This Week in Science] The right kind of dopant

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Marc S. Lavine
  
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• [This Week in Science] Social activity alters gut microbiomes

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Philip Yeagle
  
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• [This Week in Science] Share trumps rare

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Kelly LaMarco
  
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• [This Week in Science] Relying more on the Sun

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Phil Szuromi
  
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• [This Week in Science] Raising blood pressure with age

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Wei Wong
  
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• [This Week in Science] Offspring affected by sperm small RNAs

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Beverly A. Purnell
  
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• [This Week in Science] New crustal clues from old rocks

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Brent Grocholski
  
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• [This Week in Science] Neuronal migrations follow vascular pathways

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Pamela J. Hines
  
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• [This Week in Science] More-diverse pollinators improve crop yields

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Sacha Vignieri
  
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• [This Week in Science] Let me comfort you

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Sacha Vignieri
  
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• [This Week in Science] Identifying live radio scattering events

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Keith T. Smith
  
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• [This Week in Science] Editing can help build stronger muscles

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Authors: Paula A. Kiberstis, Beverly A. Purnell
  
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• [This Week in Science] Cell death establishes a site for development

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Pamela J. Hines
  
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• [This Week in Science] A different way to put triplets in play

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Jake Yeston
  
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• [Review] Research opportunities to advance solar energy utilization

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Major developments, as well as remaining challenges and the associated research opportunities, are evaluated for three technologically distinct approaches to solar energy utilization: solar electricity, solar thermal, and solar fuels technologies. Much progress has been made, but research opportunities are still present for all approaches. Both evolutionary and revolutionary technology development, involving foundational research, applied research, learning by doing, demonstration projects, and
  
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• [Report] Weaving of organic threads into a crystalline covalent organic framework

  21-01-2016 22:38
  A three-dimensional covalent organic framework (COF-505) constructed from helical organic threads, designed to be mutually weaving at regular intervals, has been synthesized by imine condensation reactions of aldehyde functionalized copper(I)-bisphenanthroline tetrafluoroborate, Cu(PDB)2(BF4), and benzidine (BZ). The copper centers are topologically independent of the weaving within the COF structure and serve as templates for bringing the threads into a woven pattern rather than the more common
  
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• [Report] Sperm tsRNAs contribute to intergenerational inheritance of an acquired metabolic disorder

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Increasing evidence indicates that metabolic disorders in offspring can result from the father’s diet, but the mechanism remains unclear. In a paternal mouse model given a high-fat diet (HFD), we showed that a subset of sperm transfer RNA–derived small RNAs (tsRNAs), mainly from 5′ transfer RNA halves and ranging in size from 30 to 34 nucleotides, exhibited changes in expression profiles and RNA modifications. Injection of sperm tsRNA fractions from HFD males into normal zygotes generated
  
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• [Report] Real-time detection of an extreme scattering event: Constraints on Galactic plasma lenses

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Extreme scattering events (ESEs) are distinctive fluctuations in the brightness of astronomical radio sources caused by occulting plasma lenses in the interstellar medium. The inferred plasma pressures of the lenses are ~103 times the ambient pressure, challenging our understanding of gas conditions in the Milky Way. Using a new survey technique, we discovered an ESE while it was in progress. Here we report radio and optical follow-up observations. Modeling of the radio data demonstrates that th
  
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• [Report] Postnatal genome editing partially restores dystrophin expression in a mouse model of muscular dystrophy

  21-01-2016 22:38
  CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing holds clinical potential for treating genetic diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. To correct DMD by skipping mutant dystrophin exons in postnatal muscle tissue in vivo, we used adeno-associated virus–9 (AAV9) to deliver gene-editing components to postnatal mdx mice, a model of DMD. Different modes of AAV9 delivery were systematically tested, including intraperitoneal at postnatal day 1 (P1
  
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• [Report] Photonic chip–based optical frequency comb using soliton Cherenkov radiation

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Optical solitons are propagating pulses of light that retain their shape because nonlinearity and dispersion balance each other. In the presence of higher-order dispersion, optical solitons can emit dispersive waves via the process of soliton Cherenkov radiation. This process underlies supercontinuum generation and is of critical importance in frequency metrology. Using a continuous wave–pumped, dispersion-engineered, integrated silicon nitride microresonator, we generated continuously circula
  
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• [Report] Oxytocin-dependent consolation behavior in rodents

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Consolation behavior toward distressed others is common in humans and great apes, yet our ability to explore the biological mechanisms underlying this behavior is limited by its apparent absence in laboratory animals. Here, we provide empirical evidence that a rodent species, the highly social and monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), greatly increases partner-directed grooming toward familiar conspecifics (but not strangers) that have experienced an unobserved stressor, providing soci
  
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• [Report] Oligodendrocyte precursors migrate along vasculature in the developing nervous system

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Oligodendrocytes myelinate axons in the central nervous system and develop from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) that must first migrate extensively during brain and spinal cord development. We show that OPCs require the vasculature as a physical substrate for migration. We observed that OPCs of the embryonic mouse brain and spinal cord, as well as the human cortex, emerge from progenitor domains and associate with the abluminal endothelial surface of nearby blood vessels. Migrating OPCs c
  
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• [Report] Mutually beneficial pollinator diversity and crop yield outcomes in small and large farms

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Ecological intensification, or the improvement of crop yield through enhancement of biodiversity, may be a sustainable pathway toward greater food supplies. Such sustainable increases may be especially important for the 2 billion people reliant on small farms, many of which are undernourished, yet we know little about the efficacy of this approach. Using a coordinated protocol across regions and crops, we quantify to what degree enhancing pollinator density and richness can improve yields on 344
  
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• [Report] In vivo genome editing improves muscle function in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating disease affecting about 1 out of 5000 male births and caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Genome editing has the potential to restore expression of a modified dystrophin gene from the native locus to modulate disease progression. In this study, adeno-associated virus was used to deliver the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)–Cas9 system to the mdx mouse model of DMD to remove the mutated exon 23 from the
  
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• [Report] In vivo gene editing in dystrophic mouse muscle and muscle stem cells

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Frame-disrupting mutations in the DMD gene, encoding dystrophin, compromise myofiber integrity and drive muscle deterioration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Removing one or more exons from the mutated transcript can produce an in-frame mRNA and a truncated, but still functional, protein. In this study, we developed and tested a direct gene-editing approach to induce exon deletion and recover dystrophin expression in the mdx mouse model of DMD. Delivery by adeno-associated virus (AAV) of c
  
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• [Report] Direct observation of triplet energy transfer from semiconductor nanocrystals

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Triplet excitons are pervasive in both organic and inorganic semiconductors but generally remain confined to the material in which they originate. We demonstrated by transient absorption spectroscopy that cadmium selenide semiconductor nanoparticles, selectively excited by green light, engage in interfacial Dexter-like triplet-triplet energy transfer with surface-anchored polyaromatic carboxylic acid acceptors, extending the excited-state lifetime by six orders of magnitude. Net triplet energy t
  
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• [Report] Cyclic programmed cell death stimulates hormone signaling and root development in Arabidopsis

  21-01-2016 22:38
  The plant root cap, surrounding the very tip of the growing root, perceives and transmits environmental signals to the inner root tissues. In Arabidopsis thaliana, auxin released by the root cap contributes to the regular spacing of lateral organs along the primary root axis. Here, we show that the periodicity of lateral organ induction is driven by recurrent programmed cell death at the most distal edge of the root cap. We suggest that synchronous bursts of cell death in lateral root cap cells
  
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• [Report] Biogenesis and function of tRNA fragments during sperm maturation and fertilization in mammals

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Several recent studies link parental environments to phenotypes in subsequent generations. In this work, we investigate the mechanism by which paternal diet affects offspring metabolism. Protein restriction in mice affects small RNA (sRNA) levels in mature sperm, with decreased let-7 levels and increased amounts of 5′ fragments of glycine transfer RNAs (tRNAs). In testicular sperm, tRNA fragments are scarce but increase in abundance as sperm mature in the epididymis. Epididymosomes (vesicles t
  
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• [Report] Archean upper crust transition from mafic to felsic marks the onset of plate tectonics

  21-01-2016 22:38
  The Archean Eon witnessed the production of early continental crust, the emergence of life, and fundamental changes to the atmosphere. The nature of the first continental crust, which was the interface between the surface and deep Earth, has been obscured by the weathering, erosion, and tectonism that followed its formation. We used Ni/Co and Cr/Zn ratios in Archean terrigenous sedimentary rocks and Archean igneous/metaigneous rocks to track the bulk MgO composition of the Archean upper continen
  
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• [Report] Active sites of nitrogen-doped carbon materials for oxygen reduction reaction clarified using model catalysts

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Nitrogen (N)–doped carbon materials exhibit high electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is essential for several renewable energy systems. However, the ORR active site (or sites) is unclear, which retards further developments of high-performance catalysts. Here, we characterized the ORR active site by using newly designed graphite (highly oriented pyrolitic graphite) model catalysts with well-defined π conjugation and well-controlled doping of N species. The
  
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• [Policy Forum] Editing policy to fit the genome?

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Balancing therapeutic prospects brought by scientific advances with regulation to address highly contested socioethical issues is the ultimate challenge in dealing with disruptive science. Human genome editing is a powerful tool that offers great scientific and therapeutic potential (1, 2). Yet, it rejuvenates socioethical and policy questions surrounding the acceptability of germline modification.
  Authors: R. Isasi, E. Kleiderman, B. M. Knoppers
  
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• [Perspective] The do-it-all nitrifier

  21-01-2016 22:38
  With numerous amendments to the microbial nitrogen cycle over the past two decades, it seems at times that nothing is certain. Yet one aspect of the nitrogen cycle seemed clear: that the labor of nitrification—the oxidation of ammonia (NH3) to nitrite (NO2−) and ultimately nitrate (NO3−)—is divided between two separate groups of microorganisms. Sergei Winogradsky first showed this in the late 1800s when he isolated the organisms responsible for the two steps of nitrification, ammonia oxi
  
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• [Perspective] Plasmonics—turning loss into gain

  21-01-2016 22:38
  The light-induced electronic excitations that occur at the surface of metals—plasmons—provide the extraordinary ability to confine electromagnetic energy to the subwavelength scale. Such extreme optical confinement can enhance the light-matter interaction and enable miniaturized optical and optoelectronic devices. However, this confinement requires that plasmonic materials possess free carriers, which unavoidably results in light being lost or absorbed in the system (1). This optical loss ha
  
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• [Perspective] Oligodendrocytes follow blood vessel trails in the brain

  21-01-2016 22:38
  The mammalian brain is probably the most complex organ generated by evolution so far. It is composed of more distinct cell types than any other organ (1), including those that protrude myriads of processes to make the connections that define brain function. Brain development requires that differentiated cells become dispersed and positioned correctly, which demands that progenitor cells migrate—often over very long distances—from sites of origin in the early neural tube to final sites of dif
  
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• [Perspective] Interlacing molecular threads

  21-01-2016 22:38
  The synthesis of organic materials has typically involved linking one or more types of discrete molecular building blocks to produce structures that are extended in three dimensions. For example, repeated addition of monomers results in the formation of organic polymers that have randomly packed structures and therefore form amorphous solid materials. If the building blocks repeat in an ordered sequence, crystalline solids are formed. The properties of the resulting solids are intimately related
  
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• [Perspective] How Cherenkov radiative losses can improve optical frequency combs

  21-01-2016 22:38
  The idea of a frequency comb seems relatively simple, yet substantial technical efforts are required for one to be generated with the high accuracy and stability needed for metrology applications. The ideal frequency comb would be a set of discrete equidistant frequency (f) components separated by intervals Δf. Typically Δf is in the microwave range so that the separation of the comb “teeth” can be measured and controlled electronically. However, stabilization of Δf is not sufficient for
  
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• [Letter] Practicalities of political agency—Response

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Karen O'Brien
  
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• [Letter] Practicalities of political agency

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Ilan Kelman
  
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• [Letter] Eradicating polio: A balancing act

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Authors: Vadim Agol, Jeronimo Cello, Konstantin Chumakov, Ellie Ehrenfeld, Eckard Wimmer
  
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• [Letter] Editorial expression of concern

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Author: Marcia McNutt
  
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• [In Depth] Standoff imperils Oregon refuge

  21-01-2016 22:38
  As an armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon drags into its fourth week, the first casualty of the standoff could be the refuge's ecological health. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in Portland, Oregon, oversees the refuge and intensively manages it to maintain habitat and fight invasive species. Beginning in early spring, FWS personnel regulate water flows throughout the refuge to safeguard habitat for the hundreds of thousands of migratory birds
  
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• [In Depth] Shell trade pushes giant clams to the brink

  21-01-2016 22:38
  As countries crack down on the trade of elephant tusks, constricting illegal ivory exports to China, shells of giant clams—the "jade of the sea"—have become the new rage in scrimshaw. And that is taking a heavy toll on the mollusks, which can span a meter and play a key role in reef ecosystems. The main species targeted—Tridacna gigas—is considered vulnerable to extinction based on survey data from 20 years ago, and its status has eroded considerably since then. To feed the boo
  
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• [In Depth] Montreal institute going ‘open’ to accelerate science

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Starting this year, any work done at the renowned Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) will conform to the principles of the "open-science" movement—all results and data will be made freely available at the time of publication, for example, and the institute will not pursue patents on any of its discoveries. The idea is that neuroscience research will become more efficient if duplication is reduced and data are shared more widely and earlier. Although some large-scale initiatives li
  
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• [In Depth] Debate sharpens over U.K. threat to leave Europe

  21-01-2016 22:38
  There is growing alarm among the scientific community about the prospect of the United Kingdom exiting the European Union. Many universities fear they could lose the hundreds of millions of pounds that their researchers win in grant competitions run by the European Union, such as Horizon 2020. Another concern is the potential loss of influence in shaping the directions of these research programs. But campaigns for a U.K. exit argue that the United Kingdom as a whole would save money if it didn't
  
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• [In Depth] DATA CHECK: Tracking first jobs to measure the impact of research funding

  21-01-2016 22:38
  Newly minted Ph.D.s from two flagship public universities in the Midwest are more likely to end up working in California than in their home states, according to a recent study in Science. The ability to track geographic mobility is just one of the many applications of a new database focused on how public spending on research fosters innovation. For government officials, such results bring them one step closer to their goal of setting national research policy based on evidence rather than anecdot
  
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