Science news

• Neil Armstrong's moon bag sells for $1.8 million at auction

  20-07-2017 23:52
  
  NEW YORK (Reuters) - A bag used by U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong to bring the first samples of moon dust back to Earth was sold to an anonymous bidder for $1.8 million at an auction in New York on Thursday marking the 48th anniversary of the first moon landing.
  
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• Resistance to CRISPR gene drives may arise easily

  20-07-2017 22:35
  
  New tools for pest and disease control could become useless without improvements.
  
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• Kaleidoscope of colors reveals complex biological processes

  20-07-2017 22:26
  Researchers have developed a technique that uses the vibration of chemical bonds to produce specific colors that allow them to simultaneously observe, in cells and tissues, as many as 24 interacting molecules -- each with a distinct color.
  
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• Tuning out arthritis pain with radio energy

  20-07-2017 22:25
  A noninvasive treatment for knee arthritis has been developed that uses cooled radio energy to target and interrupt pain signals.  Known as “Coolief,” the procedure can provide several months of relief from chronic arthritis pain for patients for whom surgery is not an option.
  
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• Shooting the Achilles heel of nervous system cancers

  20-07-2017 22:06
  Scientists have devised a strategy to target cancer cells while sparing normal cells by capitalizing on vulnerabilities that are exposed only in tumor cells. These vulnerabilities are known as the 'Achilles heel' of cancer cells. Although much is known about the mutations that cause a cell to become malignant, little is known about these vulnerabilities.
  
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• Majorana fermion detected in a quantum layer cake

  20-07-2017 21:58
  
  Scientists found evidence of a particle that is its own antiparticle.
  
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• New type of soft, growing robot created

  20-07-2017 21:53
  A newly developed vine-like robot can grow across long distances without moving its whole body. It could prove useful in search and rescue operations and medical applications.
  
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• Gene variant increases risk for depression, study finds

  20-07-2017 21:53
  A gene variant, thought to be carried by nearly 25 percent of the population, increases the odds of developing depression, finds a new study. People with apolipoprotein-E4, called ApoE4 for short, have a 20 percent greater chance of developing clinically significant depressive symptoms later in life compared to those who don't have the gene variant, report the investigators.
  
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• Ancient Italian fossils reveal risk of parasitic infections due to climate change

  20-07-2017 21:53
  In 2014, a team of researchers found that clams from the Holocene Epoch (that began 11,700 years ago) contained clues about how sea level rise due to climate change could foreshadow a rise in parasitic trematodes. Now, an international team has found that rising seas could be detrimental to human health on a much shorter time scale.
  
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• Cash to protect forests: Pilot program in Uganda finds it works

  20-07-2017 21:25 via cbc.ca
  
  Deforestation dropped by more than half in Ugandan villages where land owners were paid about $28 per hectare each year if they preserved their trees, according to the study from U.S. researchers published in the journal Science.
  
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• New Mexico boy trips over 1.2 million year old fossil

  20-07-2017 21:07 via bbc.co.uk
  A 10-year-old boy's stumble unearthed a prehistoric skull, which he then got the chance to help excavate.
  
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• Cows produce powerful HIV antibodies

  20-07-2017 20:46
  
  For the first time in any animal, researchers elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV. Cows’ antibodies could help with drug development.
  
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• Similar improvements between speech language therapy delivered online and in-person

  20-07-2017 20:23
  A recent study found that patients who accessed speech language therapy over the Internet saw large improvements to their communication abilities that were similar to those of patients doing in-person therapy.
  
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• Shale gas development spurring spread of invasive plants in Pennsylvania forests

  20-07-2017 20:23
  Vast swaths of Pennsylvania forests were clear-cut circa 1900 and regrowth has largely been from local native plant communities, but a team of researchers has found that invasive, non-native plants are making significant inroads with unconventional natural gas development.
  
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• Paying people to protect forests is worth it

  20-07-2017 20:23
  A new study suggests that paying people to conserve their trees could be a highly cost-effective way to reduce deforestation and carbon emissions and should be a key part of the global strategy to fight climate change. The study sought to evaluate how effective 'Payments for Ecosystems' (PES) is at reducing deforestation.
  
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• Opioids and obesity, not 'despair deaths,' raising mortality rates for white Americans

  20-07-2017 20:23
  Drug-related deaths among middle-aged white men increased more than 25-fold between 1980 and 2014, with the bulk of that spike occurring since the mid-1990s when addictive prescription opioids became broadly available, according to new research.
  
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• Molecular 'pulleys' improve battery performance

  20-07-2017 20:23
  Scientists have reported a molecular pulley binder for high-capacity silicon anodes of lithium ion batteries.
  
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• How CRISPR proteins find their target

  20-07-2017 20:23
  In addition to the Cas9 protein that bacteria use to bind and snip DNA, bacteria have other Cas proteins that know where to insert that viral DNA into the CRISPR region to remember which viruses have attacked and mount a defense. A research team has discovered how these proteins -- Cas1 and Cas2 -- locate and insert the viral DNA, and it relies on the flexibility of these enzymes and the shape of the DNA.
  
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• Genetic predisposition to breast cancer due to non-BRCA mutations in Ashkenazi Jewish women

  20-07-2017 20:23
  Genetic mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in Ashkenazi Jewish women. A new article pexamines the likelihood of carrying another cancer-predisposing mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2 or another breast cancer gene among women of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry with breast cancer who do not carry one of the founder mutations.
  
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• Faulty support cells disrupt communication in brains of people with schizophrenia

  20-07-2017 20:23
  New research has identified the culprit behind the wiring problems in the brains of people with schizophrenia. When researchers transplanted human brain cells generated from individuals diagnosed with childhood-onset schizophrenia into mice, the animal's nerve cell networks did not mature properly and the mice exhibited the same anti-social and anxious behaviors seen in people with the disease.
  
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• Evidence for the Majorana fermion, a particle that's its own antiparticle

  20-07-2017 20:23
  In a discovery that concludes an 80-year quest, researchers found evidence of particles that are their own antiparticles. These 'Majorana fermions' could one day help make quantum computers more robust.
  
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• Biological hydraulic system discovered in tuna fins

  20-07-2017 20:23
  The unique system of hydraulic control of fins discovered in tuna indicates a new role for the lymphatic system in vertebrates. This natural mechanism may inspire designs for new 'smart' control surfaces with changeable shape and stiffness for both air and underwater unmanned vehicles.
  
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• 3-D imaging of surface chemistry in confinement

  20-07-2017 20:23
  An optical imaging tool has been developed to visualize surface chemistry in real time. Researchers imaged the interfacial chemistry in the microscopically confined geometry of a simple glass micro-capillary. The glass is covered with hydroxyl (-OH) groups that can lose a proton -- a much-studied chemical reaction that is important in geology, chemistry and technology. A 100-micron long capillary displayed a remarkable spread in surface OH bond dissociation constant of a factor of a billion.
  
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• Use of cognitive abilities to care for grandkids may have driven evolution of menopause

  20-07-2017 20:22
  Instead of having more children, a grandmother may pass on her genes more successfully by using her cognitive abilities to directly or indirectly aid her existing children and grandchildren. Such an advantage could have driven the evolution of menopause in humans.
  
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• Laser treatment reduces eye floaters

  20-07-2017 20:22
  Patients reported improvement in symptoms of eye floaters after treatment with a laser, according to a new study.
  
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• Is mental health associated with perception of nasal function?

  20-07-2017 20:22
  A study of preoperative patients for rhinoplasty suggests poor mental well-being and low self-esteem were associated with poorer perceptions of nasal function, according to a new study.
  
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• Google searches can be used to track dengue in underdeveloped countries

  20-07-2017 20:22
  An analytical tool that combines Google search data with government-provided clinical data can quickly and accurately track dengue fever in less-developed countries.
  
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• Elephant seals recognize each other by the rhythm of their calls

  20-07-2017 20:22
  Every day, humans pick up on idiosyncrasies such as slow drawls, high-pitched squeaks, or hints of accents to put names to voices from afar. This ability may not be as unique as once thought, researchers report. They find that unlike all other non-human mammals, northern elephant seal males consider the spacing and timing of vocal pulses in addition to vocal tones when identifying the calls of their rivals.
  
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• Crustal limestone platforms feed carbon to many of Earth's arc volcanoes

  20-07-2017 20:22
  A new analysis suggests that much of the carbon released from volcanic arcs, chains of volcanoes that arise along the tectonic plates of a subduction zone, comes from remobilizing limestone reservoirs in the Earth's crust.
  
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• Scientists discover combined sensory map for heat, humidity in fly brain

  20-07-2017 19:31
  Neuroscientists now can visualize how fruit flies sense and process humidity and temperature together through a 'sensory map' within their brains, according to new research. The findings could one day help researchers better understand how the human brain simultaneously processes humidity and temperature and might influence how humans control for mosquitoes in cities and prevent mosquito-borne diseases.
  
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• Tailored semiconductors for high-harmonic optoelectronics

  20-07-2017 19:23
  The advent of high-harmonic generation in gases 30 years ago set the foundation for attosecond science and facilitated ultrafast spectroscopy in atoms, molecules, and solids. We explore high-harmonic generation in the solid state by means of nanostructured and ion-implanted semiconductors. We use wavelength-selective microscopic imaging to map enhanced harmonic emission and show that the generation medium and the driving field can be locally tailored in solids by modifying the chemical compositi
  
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• Response to Comments on "The [4Fe4S] cluster of human DNA primase functions as a redox switch using DNA charge transport"

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Baranovskiy et al. and Pellegrini argue that, based on structural data, the path for charge transfer through the [4Fe4S] domain of primase is not feasible. Our manuscript presents electrochemical data directly showing charge transport through DNA to the [4Fe4S] cluster of a primase p58C construct and a reversible switch in the DNA-bound signal with oxidation/reduction, which is inhibited by mutation of three tyrosine residues. Although the dispositions of tyrosines differ in different constructs
  
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• Remobilization of crustal carbon may dominate volcanic arc emissions

  20-07-2017 19:23
  The flux of carbon into and out of Earth’s surface environment has implications for Earth’s climate and habitability. We compiled a global data set for carbon and helium isotopes from volcanic arcs and demonstrated that the carbon isotope composition of mean global volcanic gas is considerably heavier, at –3.8 to –4.6 per mil (), than the canonical mid-ocean ridge basalt value of –6.0. The largest volcanic emitters outgas carbon with higher 13C and are located in ma
  
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• Ratchet-like polypeptide translocation mechanism of the AAA+ disaggregase Hsp104

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Hsp100 polypeptide translocases are conserved members of the AAA+ family (adenosine triphosphatases associated with diverse cellular activities) that maintain proteostasis by unfolding aberrant and toxic proteins for refolding or proteolytic degradation. The Hsp104 disaggregase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae solubilizes stress-induced amorphous aggregates and amyloids. The structural basis for substrate recognition and translocation is unknown. Using a model substrate (casein), we report cryo&nda
  
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• Photoinduced decarboxylative borylation of carboxylic acids

  20-07-2017 19:23
  The conversion of widely available carboxylic acids into versatile boronic esters would be highly enabling for synthesis. We found that this transformation can be effected by illuminating the N-hydroxyphthalimide ester derivative of the carboxylic acid under visible light at room temperature in the presence of the diboron reagent bis(catecholato)diboron. A simple workup allows isolation of the pinacol boronic ester. Experimental evidence suggests that boryl radical intermediates are involved in
  
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• Hydraulic control of tuna fins: A role for the lymphatic system in vertebrate locomotion

  20-07-2017 19:23
  The lymphatic system in teleost fish has genetic and developmental origins similar to those of the mammalian lymphatic system, which is involved in immune response and fluid homeostasis. Here, we show that the lymphatic system of tunas functions in swimming hydrodynamics. Specifically, a musculo-vascular complex, consisting of fin muscles, bones, and lymphatic vessels, is involved in the hydraulic control of median fins. This specialization of the lymphatic system is associated with fish in the
  
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• Highly elastic binders integrating polyrotaxanes for silicon microparticle anodes in lithium ion batteries

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Lithium-ion batteries with ever-increasing energy densities are needed for batteries for advanced devices and all-electric vehicles. Silicon has been highlighted as a promising anode material because of its superior specific capacity. During repeated charge-discharge cycles, silicon undergoes huge volume changes. This limits cycle life via particle pulverization and an unstable electrode-electrolyte interface, especially when the particle sizes are in the micrometer range. We show that the incor
  
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• Experimentally realized mechanochemistry distinct from force-accelerated scission of loaded bonds

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Stretching polymer chains accelerates dissociation of a variety of internal covalent bonds, to an extent that correlates well with the force experienced by the scissile bond. Recent theory has also predicted scenarios in which applied force accelerates dissociation of unloaded bonds and kinetically strengthens strained bonds. We report here unambiguous experimental validation of this hypothesis: Detailed kinetic measurements demonstrate that stretching phosphotriesters accelerates dissociation o
  
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• Epigenetic plasticity and the hallmarks of cancer

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Chromatin and associated epigenetic mechanisms stabilize gene expression and cellular states while also facilitating appropriate responses to developmental or environmental cues. Genetic, environmental, or metabolic insults can induce overly restrictive or overly permissive epigenetic landscapes that contribute to pathogenesis of cancer and other diseases. Restrictive chromatin states may prevent appropriate induction of tumor suppressor programs or block differentiation. By contrast, permissive
  
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• Comment on "The [4Fe4S] cluster of human DNA primase functions as a redox switch using DNA charge transport"

  20-07-2017 19:23
  O’Brien et al. (Research Article, 24 February 2017, eaag1789) proposed a novel mechanism of primase function based on redox activity of the iron-sulfur cluster buried inside the C-terminal domain of the large primase subunit (p58C). Serious problems in the experimental design and data interpretation raise concerns about the validity of the conclusions.
  
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• Chiral Majorana fermion modes in a quantum anomalous Hall insulator-superconductor structure

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Majorana fermion is a hypothetical particle that is its own antiparticle. We report transport measurements that suggest the existence of one-dimensional chiral Majorana fermion modes in the hybrid system of a quantum anomalous Hall insulator thin film coupled with a superconductor. As the external magnetic field is swept, half-integer quantized conductance plateaus are observed at the locations of magnetization reversals, giving a distinct signature of the Majorana fermion modes. This transport
  
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• Cash for carbon: A randomized trial of payments for ecosystem services to reduce deforestation

  20-07-2017 19:23
  We evaluated a program of payments for ecosystem services in Uganda that offered forest-owning households annual payments of 70,000 Ugandan shillings per hectare if they conserved their forest. The program was implemented as a randomized controlled trial in 121 villages, 60 of which received the program for 2 years. The primary outcome was the change in land area covered by trees, measured by classifying high-resolution satellite imagery. We found that tree cover declined by 4.2% during the stud
  
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• Bismuthene on a SiC substrate: A candidate for a high-temperature quantum spin Hall material

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Quantum spin Hall materials hold the promise of revolutionary devices with dissipationless spin currents but have required cryogenic temperatures owing to small energy gaps. Here we show theoretically that a room-temperature regime with a large energy gap may be achievable within a paradigm that exploits the atomic spin-orbit coupling. The concept is based on a substrate-supported monolayer of a high–atomic number element and is experimentally realized as a bismuth honeycomb lattice on top
  
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• Bidirectional eukaryotic DNA replication is established by quasi-symmetrical helicase loading

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Bidirectional replication from eukaryotic DNA replication origins requires the loading of two ring-shaped minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicases around DNA in opposite orientations. MCM loading is orchestrated by binding of the origin recognition complex (ORC) to DNA, but how ORC coordinates symmetrical MCM loading is unclear. We used natural budding yeast DNA replication origins and synthetic DNA sequences to show that efficient MCM loading requires binding of two ORC molecules to two ORC b
  
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• An organic-inorganic perovskite ferroelectric with large piezoelectric response

  20-07-2017 19:23
  Molecular piezoelectrics are highly desirable for their easy and environment-friendly processing, light weight, low processing temperature, and mechanical flexibility. However, although 136 years have passed since the discovery in 1880 of the piezoelectric effect, molecular piezoelectrics with a piezoelectric coefficient d33 comparable with piezoceramics such as barium titanate (BTO; ~190 picocoulombs per newton) have not been found. We show that trimethylchloromethyl ammonium trichloromanganese
  
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• Viewing Martian moon orbiting the red planet

  20-07-2017 19:19
  While photographing Mars, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured a cameo appearance of the tiny moon Phobos on its trek around the Red Planet. Hubble took 13 separate exposures over 22 minutes to create a time-lapse video showing the moon's orbital path.
  
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• Innate reaction of hematopoietic stem cells to severe infections

  20-07-2017 19:18
  For the first time, researchers have shown that hematopoietic stem cells detect infectious agents themselves and begin to divide – that is, without signals from growth factors. This direct production of defensive cells damages hematopoiesis in the long term, however, which could lead to malignant hematopoietic stem cell diseases at advanced age.
  
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• Fear of predation may be enough to push small groups of animals to extinction

  20-07-2017 19:07 via cbc.ca
  
  Fear of predation may play a role in pushing small populations of vulnerable species to extinction, a new Canadian study has found.
  
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• Black-winged stilts: Record year for UK breeding

  20-07-2017 18:22 via bbc.co.uk
  The number fledging from the UK in 2017 is more than the total number for the previous 30 years.
  
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• What Do We Know about the Brain Cancer Plaguing Sen. John McCain?

  20-07-2017 18:15 via rss.sciam.com
  
  An oncology expert discusses treatment options for aggressive glioblastoma
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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