Science news

• New feathered dinosaur species named after famed Alberta paleontologist

  17-07-2017 23:04 via cbc.ca
  
  Meet the Albertavenator curriei, a feathered, toothy dinosaur that once roamed a lush coastal plain in what is now Drumheller Valley.
  
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• Rare disease clues found in cell's recycling system

  17-07-2017 22:00
  Scientists have demonstrated how an investigational drug works against a rare, fatal genetic disease, Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1). They found that a closely related compound will activate an enzyme, AMPK, triggering a cellular 'recycling' system that helps reduce elevated cholesterol and other accumulated fats in the brains and livers of NPC1 patients, which are hallmarks associated with severe neurological problems.
  
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• Many new genetic markers for lupus identified in large multi-ethnic study

  17-07-2017 22:00
  A large number of new genetic markers that predispose individuals to lupus have been identified by scientists from an international consortium.
  
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• Key to speeding up carbon sequestration discovered

  17-07-2017 22:00
  The slow part of a chemical reaction that allows carbon to be sequestered in the ocean has now been identified by researchers, who have demonstrated how to speed it up with a common enzyme.
  
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• Global hotspots for potential water conflict identified

  17-07-2017 22:00
  More than 1,400 new dams or water diversion projects are planned or already under construction, fueling the potential for increased water conflict between some countries.
  
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• Fast, cheap method to make supercapacitor electrodes

  17-07-2017 22:00
  Researchers have developed a fast, inexpensive method to make electrodes for supercapacitors, with applications in electric cars, wireless telecommunications and high-powered lasers.
  
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• Outcomes for long QT syndrome patients treated at specialty center are better

  17-07-2017 21:12
  Sudden cardiac death, and episodes of fainting and seizures from long QT syndrome are significantly lower than previously thought when patients are diagnosed and treated at a specialty center dedicated to the treatment of genetic heart rhythm diseases, according to research. This is one of the largest studies of long QT syndrome patients -- people who have an inherited heart rhythm condition that can potentially cause fast and chaotic heartbeats -- evaluated and treated at a single center to ana
  
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• Late-breaking mutations may play an important role in autism

  17-07-2017 21:10
  Mutations that occur after conception play an important role in autism, suggests a new study of nearly 6,000 families, combining three genetic sequencing technologies.
  
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• Amphibians can become tolerant to pesticides, but at a cost

  17-07-2017 21:10
  Amphibians can develop tolerance to pesticides, but this tolerance can lead to increased susceptibility to parasites, according to new research.
  
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• New brown dwarf discovered by citizen science project

  17-07-2017 21:09
  One night three months ago, Rosa Castro finished her dinner, opened her laptop, and uncovered a novel object that was neither planet nor star. Therapist by day and amateur astronomer by night, Castro joined the NASA-funded Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project when it began in February -- not knowing she would become one of four volunteers to help identify the project's first brown dwarf, formally known as WISEA J110125.95+540052.8.
  
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• Hundred-year-old law on fluid flow overturned by research

  17-07-2017 21:08
  Engineers have dispelled a 100-year-old scientific law used to describe how fluid flows through rocks. The discovery could lead to a range of improvements including advances in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). This is where industrial emissions will be captured by CCS technology, before reaching the atmosphere, and safely stored in rock deep underground.
  
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• Mathematics World Mourns Maryam Mirzakhani, Only Woman to Win Fields Medal

  17-07-2017 20:45 via rss.sciam.com
  
  The brilliant Stanford professor, killed by breast cancer at 40, worked with shapes unconstrained by the real world
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Ashley Madison owner to pay up to $11.2M to settle U.S. class action lawsuits

  17-07-2017 20:30 via cbc.ca
  
  The owner of adultery website AshleyMadison.com has agreed to pay $11.2 million US to settle class action lawsuits in the U.S. on behalf of people whose personal information was exposed in a high-profile cybersecurity breach in 2015.
  
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• Plasmon-powered devices for medicine, security, solar cells under development

  17-07-2017 18:57
  A new method that takes advantage of plasmonic metals' production of 'hot' electrons and holes to boost light to a higher frequency could be suitable for medical, energy and security applications.
  
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• Comparing algorithms that search for cancer mutations

  17-07-2017 18:57
  Scientists have teamed up to evaluate the tools used to probe the cancer genome. Their work classifies and describes the strengths and weaknesses of more than 20 algorithms developed by independent research groups.
  
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• Drifting Antarctic iceberg A-68 opens up clear water

  17-07-2017 18:05 via bbc.co.uk
  Satellite images show the colossal Larsen iceberg continuing to edge away from the White Continent.
  
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• You're not yourself when you're sleepy

  17-07-2017 18:00
  More than a third of Americans don’t get enough sleep, and growing evidence suggests it’s not only taking a toll on their physical health through heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and/or other conditions, but hurting their mental health as well.
  
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• No assembly required: Nanoparticles that put themselves together

  17-07-2017 18:00
  Scientists may be able to use self-assembly to design new materials with custom characteristics. Understanding self-assembly is particularly important for working with nanoparticles.
  
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• Lighting up the study of low-density materials

  17-07-2017 18:00
  Low-density materials, from laminate layers in airplane wings to foams and epoxies that cushion parts, have been the focus of new study. In studying these materials, scientists borrowed and refined a technique being studied by the medical field, X-ray phase contrast imaging, to look inside the softer side of things without taking them apart.
  
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• New way to enlarge tissues gives pathologists a closer look at cells

  17-07-2017 17:58
  Investigators have developed and tested an innovative, reliable means of analyzing pre-cancerous breast lesions diagnosing certain kidney diseases and using only a conventional light microscope. The technique – dubbed “expansion pathology or ExPath – enhances pathologists’ diagnostic ability and could mean earlier interventions for high-risk patients.
  
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• Better method for identifying aquatic species using environmental DNA

  17-07-2017 17:58
  Researchers have improved their method of tracking species by using the biological material those organisms leave behind known as environmental DNA (eDNA).
  
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• Stronger winds heat up West Antarctic ice melt

  17-07-2017 17:54
  Stronger winds 6000kms away on the East Antarctic, have generated waves that circle the continent at almost 700kmh. When these waves meet the steep underwater topography of the West Antarctic Peninsula they push warm water under the ice shelves. This helps explain the increased ice melt in this region that can lead trillion tonne ice shelves, like Larsen C, to break away from the continent.
  
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• First experimental observation of new type of entanglement in a 2-D quantum material

  17-07-2017 17:54
  Scientists have shown experimentally, for the first time, a quantum phase transition in strontium copper borate, the only material to date that realizes a famous quantum many-body model.
  
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• Two new genes linked to Alzheimer's risk

  17-07-2017 17:53
  Two genes that influence a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease have now been identified by a team of researchers.
  
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• Mutation speeds up sperm of zebra finches

  17-07-2017 17:53
  In zebra finches, sperm velocity and morphology and hence reproductive success strongly depend on a specific mutation (an inversion) on one of the sex chromosomes, called Z. This gene inversion gives reproductive advantage to zebra finches, suggests new research.
  
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• Why the cheetah is a champion sprinter

  17-07-2017 17:07 via bbc.co.uk
  New research reveals why bigger is not always better in the animal world when it comes to speed.
  
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• Ozone pollution connected to cardiovascular health

  17-07-2017 17:05
  Exposure to ozone, a risk for impaired lung function, is also connected to health changes that can cause cardiovascular disease such as heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke, according to a new study of Chinese adults. A new study followed 89 healthy adults living in Changsha City for one year. They showed blood platelet activation and an increase in blood pressure, suggesting a possible mechanism by which ozone may affect cardiovascular health.
  
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• Oil impairs ability of coral reef fish to find homes and evade predators

  17-07-2017 17:05
  Just as one too many cocktails can lead a person to make bad choices, a few drops of oil can cause coral reef fish to make poor decisions. Oil impacts the higher-order thinking of coral reef fish in a way that could prove dangerous for them -- and for the coral reefs where they make their home.
  
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• Space sound waves around Earth: Electrons whistle while they work?

  17-07-2017 17:04
  NASA's Van Allen Probes have observed a new population of space sound waves, called plasmaspheric hiss, which are important in removing high-energy particles from around Earth that can damage satellites.
  
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• Reduced oxygen nanocrystalline materials show improved performance

  17-07-2017 17:04
  Researchers have found that reducing oxygen in some nanocrystalline materials may improve their strength and durability at elevated temperatures, a promising enhancement that could lead to better biosensors, faster jet engines, and greater capacity semiconductors.
  
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• Radiation prior to surgery reduces risk of secondary tumors in early-stage breast cancer

  17-07-2017 17:04
  Patients who have neoadjuvant radiation therapy have a significantly lower risk of developing a second primary tumor at any site, report investigators.
  
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• Oxygen and hyperbaric oxygen therapy reverses brain damage in drowned toddler

  17-07-2017 17:04
  Medical researchers report the case of the reversal of brain volume loss in a 2-year-old drowning victim unresponsive to all stimuli treated with normobaric oxygen (oxygen at sea level) and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
  
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• Mow before you spray, and other tips for protecting pollinators in grassy landscapes

  17-07-2017 17:04
  With the right combination of methods, landscape managers can strike an effective balance between pest management and protecting pollinators in turfgrass settings. A new, open-access guide offers an in-depth look at best practices for protecting pollinators such as bees and butterflies while reducing pests in lawns, fields, golf courses, and other managed grass settings.
  
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• Computers helping emergency doctors make better choices

  17-07-2017 17:04
  Embedded clinical decision support in electronic health record decreases use of high-cost imaging in the emergency department, a new article suggests.
  
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• Air pollution: Diesel is now better than gas, emitting fewer carbonaceous particulates

  17-07-2017 17:04
  Regulators, take note: a new international study shows that modern diesel passenger cars emit fewer carbonaceous particulates than gasoline-powered vehicles.
  
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• Studying argon gas trapped in two-dimensional array of tiny 'cages'

  17-07-2017 16:05
  For the first time, scientists have trapped a noble gas in a two-dimensional porous structure at room temperature. This achievement will enable detailed studies of individual gas atoms in confinement -- research that could inform the design of new materials for gas separation and nuclear waste remediation.
  
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• Quantifying effectiveness of treatment for irregular heartbeat

  17-07-2017 16:05
  In a small proof-of-concept study, researchers report a complex mathematical method to measure electrical communications within the heart can successfully predict the effectiveness of catheter ablation, the standard of care treatment for atrial fibrillation, the most common irregular heartbeat disorder. This has the potential to let physicians and patients know immediately following treatment whether it was effective, or whether they'll need to anticipate another procedure in the future.
  
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• Peering inside dangerous blood clots with optical clearing technique

  17-07-2017 16:05
  A new technique that makes blood clots optically clear is allowing researchers to use powerful optical microscopy techniques to study the 3D structure of dangerous clots for the first time. Although blood clots stop bleeding after injury, clots that block blood flow can cause strokes and heart attacks.
  
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• New test paves way for potential treatments to target Alzheimer's and other conditions

  17-07-2017 16:05
  A simple methodology for capturing proteins implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease and other conditions has been developed.
  
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• Is this Gulf of Mexico tubeworm the longest living animal in the world?

  17-07-2017 16:05
  Large tubeworms living in the cold depths of the Gulf of Mexico may be among the longest living animals in the world. The tubeworm species Escarpia laminata live around 100 to 200 years, while the longevity of some even stretches to the three century mark.
  
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• Happiness can affect physical health

  17-07-2017 16:05
  A new review indicates that subjective well-being -- factors such as life satisfaction and enjoyment of life -- can influence physical health.
  
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• Epigenetics between the generations: We inherit more than just genes

  17-07-2017 16:05
  We are more than the sum of our genes. Epigenetic mechanisms modulated by environmental cues such as diet, disease or our lifestyle take a major role in regulating the DNA by switching genes on and off. It has been long debated if epigenetic modifications accumulated throughout the entire life can cross the border of generations and be inherited to children or even grand children. Now researchers show robust evidence that not only the inherited DNA itself but also the inherited epigenetic instru
  
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• Whole genome sequences of rare red bat

  17-07-2017 16:04
  Scientists have presented the whole genome sequence and analyses of the rare red bat, Myotis rufoniger.
  
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• New device detects tumor cells in blood

  17-07-2017 16:04
  Researchers have patented a portable device that can detect tumor cells in blood. The device counts the number of tumor cells in a blood sample and is a highly effective tool for improving the monitoring, treatment and diagnosis of cancer.
  
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• Lymph node removal isn't necessary for all melanoma patients, new study finds

  17-07-2017 16:04
  Many patients with melanoma need a sentinel-lymph-node biopsy to determine if cancer cells have spread there, but a positive finding doesn't mean all the lymph nodes in the area must be removed, according to new international study.
  
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• Key to improved cancer immunotherapy

  17-07-2017 16:04
  Researchers have investigated how different subtypes of essential immune-response cells called CD8+ T lymphocytes cooperate to mount a stronger anti-tumor response. The results show that generation of an optimal immune response to cancer requires cooperation between two types of memory T cell -- one circulating in the blood and the other resident in tissues -- that can be reactivated with current immunotherapy strategies.
  
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• Genome therapy could lead to new treatment for life-threatening blood disorders

  17-07-2017 16:04
  By introducing a beneficial natural mutation into blood cells using the gene-editing technique CRISPR, scientists have been able to switch on production of fetal haemoglobin - an advance that could eventually lead to a cure for sickle cell anaemia and other blood disorders.
  
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• Climatic stability resulted in the evolution of more bird species

  17-07-2017 16:04
  More species of birds have accumulated, in general, inhabiting climatically stable areas.
  
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• Bacteria found in Alzheimer's brains

  17-07-2017 16:04
  Researchers have used DNA sequencing to examine bacteria in post-mortem brains from patients with Alzheimer's disease. Their findings suggest increased bacterial populations and different proportions of specific bacteria in Alzheimer's, compared with healthy brains. The findings may support evidence that bacterial infection and inflammation in the brain could contribute to Alzheimer's disease.
  
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• Ebola lingers in survivors' eyes

  17-07-2017 15:19
  Three years after an Ebola epidemic swept across West Africa, researchers have found a clue to how the virus may live on in the eyes of survivors suffering from uveitis -- one of the more serious and common complications of the disease.
  
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