Science news

• Research on treatments for advanced ovarian cancer

  26-02-2016 23:32
  New research supports the use of weekly chemotherapy without bevacizumab in treating advanced ovarian cancer.
  
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• Potential treatment for Huntington's disease, found effective, safe in mice, monkeys

  26-02-2016 23:31
  A drug that would be the first to target the cause of Huntington's disease is effective and safe when tested in mice and monkeys, according to data released today. A study to test the drug in humans has begun.
  
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• Breast reconstruction using abdominal tissue: Differences in outcome with four different techniques

  26-02-2016 23:31
  In women undergoing breast reconstruction using their own (autologous) tissue, newer 'muscle-sparing' abdominal flaps can reduce complications while improving some aspects of quality of life, reports a new study.
  
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• Physicists May Have Discovered a New "Tetraquark" Particle

  26-02-2016 23:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Data from the DZero experiment shows evidence of a particle containing four different types of quarks
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• Extremely Hot and Incredibly Close: How Hot Jupiters Defy Theory

  26-02-2016 23:03
  
  Paul Sutter is a visiting scholar at The Ohio State University's Center for Cosmology and Astro-Particle Physics (CCAPP). In fact, in the early days of a solar system's formation, planets are a little rambunctious: squirrely little toddlers jostling about underfoot.
  
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• Scientists build model biological supercomputer the size of a book

  26-02-2016 22:30 via cbc.ca
  
  Researchers at McGill University have helped to develop a model of a biological supercomputer that can solve complex math problems using very little energy.
  
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• Grand Canyon weighs killing, capturing bison to cut numbers

  26-02-2016 21:41
  
  FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The National Park Service is looking at using sharpshooters, capture and other methods to reduce the number of bison that are roaming the far northern reaches of the Grand Canyon and damaging resources, officials said.
  
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• New promise for patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis

  26-02-2016 21:04
  Abstract describes efficacy of ocrelizumab in patients with PPMS with and without T1 gadolinium-enhancing lesions at baseline in a Phase III, placebo-controlled trial.
  
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• Leap Day: The Story Behind This Quirky Calendar Event

  26-02-2016 21:03
  
  Initially, in order to make a proper transition from the Roman calendar (which had 355 days and which was basically a lunar calendar) to the Julian calendar, and to get the months and various feast days and holidays back into their normal seasons, 90 extra days were inserted into the year 46 B.C. Caesar divided these 90 extra days into three temporary months. Two other months (Intercalaris Prior and Intercalaris Posterior) were added after November. The Julian calendar worked so well at first th
  
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• Dark Matter Clue: Strange Radio Bursts Finally Reveal Host Galaxy

  26-02-2016 21:01
  
  For the first time, scientists have determined the location and distance of a strange and powerful explosion known as a fast radio burst, a finding that allows them to refine models of dark matter. Thanks to a new observing program that allows for fast identification and follow-up of these blazes, scientists were able to identify the host galaxy for one of the fast radio bursts, known as FRBs, and use it to begin to unravel another puzzle as well — dark matter. Keane, who is project scient
  
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• Men’s voices dominate political ads, but voters listen to women

  26-02-2016 20:58
  
  The gender of the narrator in political ads can help sway voters, but an analysis finds that this is one area that campaigns actually aren’t exploiting.
  
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• Physicists solve thermoelectric ‘paradox’ in superconductors

  26-02-2016 20:48
  A problem that has been taxing scientists for nearly 40 years has been solved by a team of physicists.
  
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• The couple that sings together stays together, at least with birds

  26-02-2016 20:39
  The courtship and mating behaviors of the perky Australian red-backed fairy-wren have evolved into nothing short of a free-for-all. The rampant promiscuity of both sexes is legendary.What's a fairy-wren to do to keep from wasting energy raising another male's chicks? New research provides a surprising answer: sing with your mate.
  
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• How plants protect photosynthesis from oxygen

  26-02-2016 20:39
  During the daytime, plants convert the Sun's energy into sugars using photosynthesis, a complex, multi-stage biochemical process. New work identifies a protein needed for assembling the photosynthetic apparatus that may help us understand the history of photosynthesis back in the early days of life on Earth, a time when oxygen was not abundant in the atmosphere.
  
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• Mexico documents big rebound in monarch butterflies

  26-02-2016 20:12
  
  MEXICO CITY (AP) — Monarch butterflies have made a big comeback in their wintering grounds in Mexico, after suffering serious declines, investigators said Friday.
  
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• 3.5 billion years ago, oceans were cool, not hot

  26-02-2016 20:09
  
  Extensive new evidence from South Africa suggests that 3.5 billion years ago, Earth was locked in a cold spell, with isolated blasts of hydrothermal heat that may have helped incubate life.
  
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• Shark research produces the unexpected

  26-02-2016 19:38
  In a surprise result, scientists have found female blacktip reef sharks and their young stay close to shore over long time periods, with adult males only appearing during the breeding season.
  
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• Metabolism protein found to also regulate feeding behavior in the brain

  26-02-2016 19:38
  Feeling hungry or full leads us to change how much we eat, but the molecular wiring of this process is not well understood. Scientists have identified a new player in this circuit called amylin, which contributes to reducing food consumption in mice.
  
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• How to make a tiny volcanic island

  26-02-2016 19:38
  On Nov. 20 2013, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force discovered a small islet near Nishinoshima volcano, Ogasawara Islands, Japan. The exact date of the initial eruption that spawned the islet is unknown, but a thermal anomaly was detected in the area in early November 2013. Researchers are investigating the creation of this islet, which on the day of its discovery was about 150 by 80 meters in size.
  
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• Structure of a hantavirus protein as a promising model for drug design

  26-02-2016 18:53
  There is no treatment for infection with the dangerous hantavirus. Scientists have now identified the three-dimensional structure of a hantavirus protein that is essential for replication of the virus. They have published their findings, providing a blueprint for the design of antiviral drugs.
  
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• Smart glasses offer users a keyboard to type text

  26-02-2016 18:53
  K-Glass, smart glasses reinforced with augmented reality that were first developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2014, with the second version released in 2015, is back with an even stronger model. The latest version, called K-Glass 3, allows users to text a message or type in key words for Internet surfing by offering a virtual keyboard for text and even one for a piano.
  
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• Researchers find association between oral bacteria and esophageal cancer

  26-02-2016 18:53
  Researchers have found a bacterial species responsible for gum disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis, is present in 61 percent of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
  
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• Combination therapy may be better than radiotherapy alone to treat aggressive brain cancer

  26-02-2016 18:53
  Radiotherapy effectively damages brain tumors but the cancer cells can repair themselves in order to live on. Now, researchers have tested a strategy that combines radiotherapy with a drug that shuts down the ability of tumor to mend themselves.
  
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• Opposition leader Karroubi praises high Iran poll turnout - website

  26-02-2016 18:33
  ANKARA (Reuters) - An Iranian opposition leader under house arrest since 2011 praised the high turnout of voters in elections on Friday, saying it had happened despite the mass disqualification of pro-reform candidates, Kaleme website reported. "High turnout of people showed that tactics like mass disqualification of reformers had no effect," Karroubi said in a statement carried on Kaleme about the contest for parliament and a leadership body called the Assembly of Experts. ...
  
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• Why scaring raccoons could restore ecosystem balance

  26-02-2016 18:29 via cbc.ca
  
  A new study presents a simple way to deal with out-of-control raccoon populations: scare their appetite away with the sound of barking dogs.
  
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• Don't promote new $25 basic TV package, Bell document tells staff

  26-02-2016 18:18 via cbc.ca
  
  Bell is directing sales staff not to promote its basic $24.95 "Starter" Fibe TV package, according to a recent internal Bell training document obtained by CBC News.
  
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• EU exit 'risks British science'

  26-02-2016 18:10 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Prof Sir Paul Nurse says that research in the UK would suffer if the country decided in the forthcoming referendum to leave the EU.
  
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• Thailand: Tiger Temple under investigation after reports of wildlife trafficking and illegal breeding

  26-02-2016 18:09
  Thailand's controversial Tiger Temple, situated west of Bangkok, is struggling to keep its tigers, after the country's wildlife department rejected its bid to extend its zoo licence. Calling itself a Buddhist temple, the Tiger Temple is home to 137 "tame" tigers and has been investigated for suspected links to wildlife trafficking, and activists have long accused the temple of illegal breeding. The temple, which advertises itself as a wildlife sanctuary, and denies links to illegal trafficking,
  
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• Determining the structures of nanocrystalline pharmaceuticals by electron diffraction

  26-02-2016 17:52
  Reliable information about the structure of pharmaceutical compounds is important for patient safety, for the development of related drugs and for patenting purposes. However, working out the structures of pharmaceuticals can be tough.
  
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• Zika Virus Linked to Stillbirth

  26-02-2016 17:39
  A woman in Brazil who became infected with the Zika virus gave birth to a stillborn baby, and large parts of the infant's brain were missing, according to a new report. Moreover, the fetus had damage to tissues outside of the central nervous system, the researchers said. "These finding raise concerns that the virus may cause severe damage to fetuses leading to stillbirths, and may be associated with effects other than those seen in the central nervous system," study author Dr. Albert Ko, chair o
  
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• Is Soda Consumption Falling Flat?

  26-02-2016 17:39
  Americans appear to be cutting back on sugary sodas and fruit drinks, a new report finds.
  
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• The Happiest Places in the US: Top Metro Areas for Well-Being

  26-02-2016 17:38
  When it comes to well-being, the top-rated community in the U.S. is in southern Florida, on the state's Gulf Coast: the metro area of Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, according to new findings from a Gallup-Healthways survey of people living in 190 metro areas, conducted in 2014 and 2015. The community of Provo-Orem, Utah — which ranked No. 1 in Gallup-Healthways' previous survey, in 2012-2013 — fell to spot 14 in the new rankings. The lowest-ranked community in the country for residen
  
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• Ebola May Leave Survivors with Lasting Problems in Brain, Nerves

  26-02-2016 17:38
  Although experts recently declared the world's largest Ebola outbreak over, many people who were infected with the virus are still experiencing neurologic problems, according to a new study. Researchers found that, among a group of 82 Ebola survivors in Liberia, nearly all had some neurologic problems at six months or longer after they were infected. "While an end to the outbreak has been declared, these survivors are still struggling with long-term problems," study author Dr. Lauren Bowen, a ne
  
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• People with Mental Health Disorders Often Marry Each Other

  26-02-2016 17:37
  People with psychiatric disorders may be likely to marry and have children with other people who also have psychiatric disorders, according to a new study from Sweden. The study did not examine why people with psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia and depression, may tend to mate with other people with such conditions, and therefore, the mechanisms behind this phenomenon are not clear, said Ashley E. Nordsletten, a co-author of the study and a postdoctoral research fellow at Karolinska I
  
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• Double Trouble: Twins Suffer Heatstroke in Same Marathon

  26-02-2016 17:36
  It was more than a coincidence that a pair of identical male twins in England both suffered heatstroke "in relatively cooler conditions" while running in the London Marathon, a new case report suggests. During the 26.2-mile event, the 26-year-olds were both running in the race as "pacers" for the other competitors. One twin collapsed at the 19-mile mark, and the second twin collapsed at mile 21, according to the case report, published online Feb. 5 in the journal BMJ Case Reports.
  
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• 11,000-year-old pendant with etched design found in England

  26-02-2016 17:28
  
  Stone artifact with design etched on it comes from a transitional time in England 11,000 years ago.
  
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• Homosexual necrophilia: Male sand martins filmed repeatedly trying to have sex with corpse

  26-02-2016 17:18
  A case of homosexual necrophilia has been observed among sand martin birds, with three males seen repeatedly trying to mate with a dead male lying at the side of a road. Researchers believe the incident may have been a case of mistaken identity, with the birds believing it was a female they were mating with. Naoki Tomita and Yasuko Iwami from the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology noticed three male Sand Martins surrounding a dead bird on a roadside.
  
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• US astronaut Scott Kelly looks back on record-breaking year on ISS

  26-02-2016 17:11
  US astronaut Scott Kelly held his final press conference from the International Space Station (ISS) on 25 February, telling reporters that the ISS is a "magical" place, but that he'll be glad to get back to Earth. Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko are finishing a 340-day mission before returning to Earth next week. Kelly told reporters that he hopes the legacy of their work will be to enable others to go to Mars.
  
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• We are drowning in disposable plastic bags and coffee pods: Bob McDonald

  26-02-2016 16:51 via cbc.ca
  
  In Canada, we do a pretty good job of hiding our trash underground, but we could do a better job of reducing the amount that goes in there in the first place. It's time for industry and governments to step up.
  
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• Millions vote in Iran poll set to shape post-sanctions era

  26-02-2016 16:32
  By Samia Nakhoul TEHRAN (Reuters) - Millions of Iranians voted in high-stake elections on Friday that could shift the balance of power within the hardline-controlled Islamic elite by ushering in a reformist comeback or help conservatives tighten their grip on power. An hour before the original 6 p.m. expiry of voting, there were still long queues outside polling stations in the capital, and state television showed throngs of voters in Ahvaz and Shiraz. "Whoever likes Iran and its dignity, greatn
  
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• Bees, butterflies and other pollinators face extinction: UN

  26-02-2016 15:13 via cbc.ca
  
  Many species of wild bees, butterflies and other critters that pollinate plants are shrinking toward extinction, and the world needs to do something about it before our food supply suffers, a new United Nations scientific mega-report warns.
  
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• Think You Know Rainbows? Look Again [Slide Show]

  26-02-2016 15:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Physicists are starting to explain how rainbows can be completely red, white, nearly flat or full-circle
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• How hospitals are helping cybercriminals get rich quick

  26-02-2016 15:00 via cbc.ca
  
  It sounds like a bad plot from a network television show: hackers shutting down a hospital's computer network, locking down its ability to treat patients until a sky-high ransom is paid.
  
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• Scientists warn of the dangers of salt pollution of freshwaters if preventive measures are not taken

  26-02-2016 14:58
  A new article warns of the dangers of increasing water salinity for human health and freshwater ecosystems (rivers, lakes, etc.) and the economic cost arising from a lack of public policies to tackle this problem.
  
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• New research reveals 25 signs your cat could be in pain

  26-02-2016 14:57
  Cat owners the world over are familiar with their pets' individual personalities, habits and preferences, and are adept at spotting when their feline friends' behaviour differs from the norm. However, understanding what these changes mean can be a much more difficult task.
  
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• Homeless people suffer geriatric conditions decades early, study shows

  26-02-2016 14:57
  Homeless people in their fifties have more geriatric conditions than those living in homes who are decades older, according to researchers who are following 350 people who are homeless and aged 50 and over, in Oakland.
  
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• Death Valley California super bloom: National park experiences rare burst of floral wildflowers

  26-02-2016 14:16
  California's Death Valley National Park is experiencing a rare super bloom of wildflowers that has transformed the park's arid landscape into a floral paradise. Death Valley, famed for its scorching temperatures and its barren landscape, has not experience a super bloom such as this in over a decade, according to Park Ranger Alan Van Valkenburg. "It's very rare to have a good bloom in Death Valley.
  
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• Who(what)'s driving and when?

  26-02-2016 14:15
  Researchers are working to advance the state of knowledge about human factors aspects of autonomous passenger vehicles, including an assessment of the level of drivers’ trust in the autonomous car, and how drivers will respond best to verbal prompts alerting them to driving conditions and the state of the vehicle.
  
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• Researchers develop 3-D printed diagnostic device that can rapidly detect anemia

  26-02-2016 14:15
  Researchers are using 3-D printers to develop a low cost, point-of-care device that can quickly detect anemia. Anemia is a condition in which the blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells to transport oxygen to the body's organs. It affects 2 billion people worldwide, including more than half of preschool children and pregnant women in developing countries and at least 30 percent of children and women in industrialized nations.
  
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• People stay true to moral colors, studies find

  26-02-2016 14:15
  When judging the character of a friend, co-worker or potential romantic partner, pay attention to little acts of kindness or cruelty because these are likely part of a consistent behavioral pattern, suggests new research.
  
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