Science news

• Most football players who donated their brains to science had traumatic injury

  25-07-2017 22:28
  
  A self-selected sample of 202 deceased football players, the largest to date, finds that the majority suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
  
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• NAFTA talks: U.S. proposal for cross-border data storage at odds with B.C., N.S. law

  25-07-2017 22:16 via cbc.ca
  One of the American objectives for the upcoming renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement appears on a collision course with privacy laws in British Columbia and Nova Scotia. Should it matter where governments keep their data?
  
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• Physicists master unexplored electron property

  25-07-2017 21:42
  While the charge and spin properties of electrons are widely utilized in modern day technologies such as transistors and memories, another aspect of the subatomic particle has long remained uncharted. This is the 'valley' property which has potential for realizing a new class of technology termed 'valleytronics' -- similar to electronics (charge) and spintronics (spin). This property arises from the fact that the electrons in the crystal occupy different positions that are quantum mechanically d
  
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• Improved imaging of neonatal soft-tissue tumors can help radiologists improve patient care

  25-07-2017 21:41
  Better understanding of practical imaging techniques with regard to neonatal soft-tissue tumors can improve patient care, according to an article.
  
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• The glucocorticoid-Angptl4-ceramide axis induces insulin resistance through PP2A and PKC{zeta}

  25-07-2017 19:53 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Chronic glucocorticoid exposure is associated with the development of insulin resistance. We showed that glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance was attenuated upon ablation of Angptl4, a glucocorticoid target gene encoding the secreted protein angiopoietin-like 4, which mediates glucocorticoid-induced lipolysis in white adipose tissue. Through metabolomic profiling, we revealed that glucocorticoid treatment increased hepatic ceramide concentrations by inducing enzymes in the ceramide syntheti
  
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• Science Signaling Podcast for 25 July 2017: Natriuretic peptide signaling in metabolism

  25-07-2017 19:53 via stke.sciencemag.org
  AbstractThis Podcast features a conversation with Shelia Collins, senior author of a Research Article that appears in the 25 July 2017 issue of Science Signaling, about how cardiac natriuretic peptides (NPs) exert their beneficial effects on whole-body metabolism. NPs control blood pressure by acting on the kidneys, but they also affect metabolism by stimulating adipose tissue and skeletal muscle to become more metabolically active. Obese individuals have less of these peptides circulating in th
  
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• Papers of note in Science Translational Medicine 9 (399)

  25-07-2017 19:53 via stke.sciencemag.org
  This week’s articles describe how CAR T cells might be used to treat recurrent glioblastoma and how microvascular cells induce inflammation in the autoimmune disease giant cell arteritis.
  
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• Papers of note in Nature 547 (7663)

  25-07-2017 19:53 via stke.sciencemag.org
  This week’s articles identify a surprising role for dopamine outside the nervous system and a cryptic binding pocket that promotes leak currents through a potassium channel.
  
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• Paper of note in Science 357 (6348)

  25-07-2017 19:53 via stke.sciencemag.org
  This week’s article is a review that highlights how epigenetic factors may make cells more or less susceptible to oncogenic transformation.
  
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• Olfactory control of metabolism

  25-07-2017 19:53 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Activation of olfactory sensory neurons promotes adiposity and insulin resistance in mice.
  
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• Enhancing natriuretic peptide signaling in adipose tissue, but not in muscle, protects against diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance

  25-07-2017 19:53 via stke.sciencemag.org
  In addition to controlling blood pressure, cardiac natriuretic peptides (NPs) can stimulate lipolysis in adipocytes and promote the "browning" of white adipose tissue. NPs may also increase the oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle. To unravel the contribution of NP-stimulated metabolism in adipose tissue compared to that in muscle in vivo, we generated mice with tissue-specific deletion of the NP clearance receptor, NPRC, in adipose tissue (NprcAKO) or in skeletal muscle (NprcMKO). We showed th
  
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• Climate lawsuits against energy giants will have 'difficult' time, prof says

  25-07-2017 19:28 via cbc.ca
  A new series of lawsuits may have a tough time proving major energy companies helped cause and cover up climate change — but they have a better chance now than ever, a University of Calgary environmental law professor says.
  
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• New shark species glows in the dark, weighs about 2 pounds and has a huge nose

  25-07-2017 18:56
  Just as "Shark Week" is gearing up, researchers have discovered a new species of shark 17 years in the making. Like finding a needle in a haystack, it was well worth the wait as this elusive creature is yet to be seen in the wild.
  
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• Add penis bacteria to the list of HIV risk factors

  25-07-2017 18:33
  
  Certain bacteria found on the penis raise the risk of HIV infection, a new study finds.
  
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• Adobe to pull plug on Flash, ending an era

  25-07-2017 18:30 via cbc.ca
  Adobe Systems Inc.'s Flash, a once-ubiquitous technology used to power most of the media content found online, will be retired at the end of 2020, the software company announced Tuesday.
  
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• Astronaut shares 'burrito of awesomeness' aurora video

  25-07-2017 18:23 via bbc.co.uk
  Nasa's Jack Fischer gives his take on this aurora time-lapse from the International Space Station.
  
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• How fear alone can cause animal extinction

  25-07-2017 18:22
  Fear alone may contribute to the extinction of animal populations according to a recent study. When scientists exposed fruit flies to the scent of a praying mantis, a known predator, they found that the risk of extinction increased up to seven fold. The increased risk of extinction occurred because at small population sizes, as the flies spent more time being vigilant and less time eating, populations that declined could not quickly rebound.
  
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• Study points to penile microbiome as a risk factor for HIV in men

  25-07-2017 18:21
  Uncircumcised men with high levels of anaerobic penile bacteria at higher risk for HIV, suggests new research.
  
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• Reversing tissue damage caused by heart attacks?

  25-07-2017 18:20
  A new discovery helps to explain how cells which surround blood vessels, called pericytes, stimulate new blood vessels to grow with the hormone 'leptin' playing a key role. Leptin is produced by fat cells which helps to regulate energy balance in the body by inhibiting the appetite. This study may have important implications for the treatment of heart attacks and also for cancer.
  
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• New discovery could reverse tissue damage caused by heart attacks

  25-07-2017 18:20
  A new discovery helps to explain how cells which surround blood vessels, called pericytes, stimulate new blood vessels to grow with the hormone 'leptin' playing a key role. Leptin is produced by fat cells which helps to regulate energy balance in the body by inhibiting the appetite. This study may have important implications for the treatment of heart attacks and also for cancer.
  
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• How earthquake scientists eavesdrop on North Korea’s nuclear blasts

  25-07-2017 18:00
  
  Researchers monitor the power and location of underground nuclear weapons testing by North Korea.
  
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• Scientists find new evidence of water in the moon

  25-07-2017 17:50 via cbc.ca
  New satellite data has found numerous volcanic deposits across the moon that add to the growing weight of evidence that there's a surprising amount of water beneath its barren-looking surface.
  
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• Secret to giving the perfect gift: Stop being afraid

  25-07-2017 16:07
  People would prefer to receive sentimentally valuable gifts, but instead they often receive superficial gifts related to their personal preferences, researchers have found.
  
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• Feeling stressed during the workday? Playing video games may help

  25-07-2017 16:07
  Human factors/ergonomics researchers found that engaging in casual video game play during rest breaks can help restore mood in response to workplace stress.
  
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• Symbiosis: Butter for my honey

  25-07-2017 16:06
  Textbooks tell us that, in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses, the host plant supplies its fungal symbionts solely with sugars, in return for inorganic nutrients. New findings now show that lipids are also on the menu.
  
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• Dodder: A parasite involved in the plant alarm system

  25-07-2017 16:06
  Parasitic plants of the genus Cuscuta (dodder) not only deplete nutrients from their host plants, but also function as important 'information brokers' among neighboring plants, when insects feed on host plants, a team of scientists has discovered.
  
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• New treatment options for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

  25-07-2017 15:01
  Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most frequent liver diseases worldwide. The underlying causes involve obesity and decreased physical activity leading to accompanying metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Currently no approved pharmacotherapy is available. Therefore, the aim of a new joint research initiative is to employ a novel and applicable lifestyle intervention that is feasible and exerts a lasting benefit.
  
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• Cryptococcal meningitis should be classified as a 'neglected tropical disease,' researchers say

  25-07-2017 15:01
  Crytococcal meningitis is a deadly invasive fungal infection which affects hundreds of thousands of HIV patients in the late stage of their disease every year.
  
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• Climate change poses threat to European electricity production

  25-07-2017 15:01
  The vulnerability of the European electricity sector to changes in water resources is set to worsen by 2030 as a consequence of climate change, conclude researchers.
  
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• Secret to cell size found in group underpinning world’s biggest food producer

  25-07-2017 15:00
  A gene controlling cell size has been identified in a microalgal group which underpins a fifth of the world’s food chains.
  
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• Large single-crystal graphene is possible, say scientists

  25-07-2017 15:00
  The target of large, cheap and quick graphene synthesis has been achieved, report researchers in a new article.
  
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• Violent sleep patterns, stress hormones change after a violent crime in the neighborhood

  25-07-2017 14:59
  Violent crime changes youth's sleep patterns the night immediately following the crime and changes patterns of the stress hormone cortisol the following day, new research shows. Both may then disrupt academic performance in students.
  
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• People living in rural households have lower risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease

  25-07-2017 14:36
  Living in rural households decreases a person's risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease, particularly for young children and adolescents, according to a new study.
  
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• Clues to healing spinal cord injuries

  25-07-2017 14:36
  Fresh insights into how zebrafish repair their nerve connections could hold clues to new therapies for people with spinal cord injuries. Researchers have pinpointed key molecules that prompt damaged nerve fibers in the fish to regenerate themselves.
  
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• There’s a long way to go in understanding the brain

  25-07-2017 13:00
  
  Neuroscientists offer multiple “perspectives” on how to plug gaps in current knowledge of the brain’s inner workings.
  
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• World's first floating offshore wind farm in Scotland.

  25-07-2017 11:28 via bbc.co.uk
  Each wind turbine is taller than Big Ben and the farm can power 20,000 homes.
  
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• Where there's smoke

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (University of California - Santa Barbara) The close juxtaposition of the ocean and the mountains in Santa Barbara makes for beautiful views -- but when it comes to wildfires, it can also spell danger. In the past decade, the area has experienced seven major fires on both sides of the Santa Ynez Mountains, including the Whittier fire that started July 8.
  
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• When should the police use confrontational tactics?

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (Northwestern University) In a newly published article, Northwestern University economist Charles F. Manski and his co-author, Carnegie Mellon University criminologist Daniel S. Nagin, outline a 'formal model of optimal policing' that can be used to resolve tensions between public safety and community trust -- and that also can help a public that is prone to privileging one over the other, depending on the circumstances, to keep both in mind.
  
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• What do Trump's tweets say about his personality?

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (Springer) The Twitter messages of Donald J. Trump, the entrepreneurial businessman turned US president, show that he is creative, competitive and a rule-breaker, but also has neurotic tendencies. An analysis of Trump's tweets and what implications his personality traits have for political leadership are the focus of a study published in Springer's journal Small Business Economics.
  
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• Well-designed visual aids improve risk understanding

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (University of Oklahoma) A University of Oklahoma professor, Edward T. Cokely, shows that informed decision making depends on the ability to accurately evaluate and understand information about risk in a newly published study in the scientific journal Human Factors. A state-of-the-science review of the literature concludes that visual aids are beneficial for diverse people with different levels of numeracy and graph literacy. Cokely identifies five categories of practical, evidence-based guideli
  
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• We have a quorum

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (University of Pittsburgh) Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering have utilized computational modeling to mimic such quorum sensing behavior in synthetic materials, which could lead to devices with the ability for self-recognition and self-regulation.
  
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• Violent sleep patterns & stress hormones change after a violent crime in the neighborhood

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (Society for Research in Child Development) A new study has found that violent crime changes youth's sleep patterns the night immediately following the crime and changes patterns of the stress hormone cortisol the following day. Both may then disrupt academic performance in students.
  
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• Venus's turbulent atmosphere

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (University of Cologne) A research paper published today by Nature Astronomy sheds light on the so far un-explored nightside circulation at the upper cloud level of Venus. Researchers from the Rhenish Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Cologne are part of an international research project which has now presented these first comprehensive findings. They discovered unexpected patterns of slow motion and abundant station-ary waves in Venus's nighttime sky.
  
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• University of Sydney and Microsoft forge global quantum computing partnership

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (University of Sydney) A multi-year partnership announced today establishes ongoing investment focused on Sydney's Quantum Nanoscience Laboratory to scale-up devices, as Microsoft moves from research to real-world engineering of quantum machines.
  
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• UNIST professor featured as a highly prolific author in ACS Journal

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology(UNIST)) A South Korean researcher, affiliated with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology has recently been listed in the 2017 'Highly Prolific Authors' for Nano Letters by ACS Publications.
  
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• UNIST hits new world efficiency record with perovskite solar cells

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology(UNIST)) South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology has presenteda new cost-efficient way to produce inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) which sets a new world-record efficiency performance of 22.1 %.
  
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• Toddlers begin learning rules of reading, writing at very early age, study finds

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (Washington University in St. Louis) New research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that children as young as 3 already are beginning to recognize and follow important rules and patterns governing how letters in the English language fit together to make words.
  
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• Thousands of genes exchanged within microbial communities living on cheese

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (University of California - San Diego) Using cheese as a novel way to study microscopic communities, researchers have found that bacteria living on artisanal cheese varieties have transferred thousands of genes between each other. They also identified regional hotspots where such exchanges take place, including several genomic "islands" that host exchanges across several species of bacteria. Microbiome communities are known to play a key function in many areas, including human health, protecting
  
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• The microscopic origin of thermodynamics

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati) A deep understanding of the irreversibility of the arrow of time cannot ignore the quantum nature of the world that surrounds us. The is the key result of the work carried out by Vincenzo Alba and Pasquale Calabrese of the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) of Trieste, recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
  
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• Taking technology to the next level

  25-07-2017 06:00
  (ARC Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS)) Physicists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS) developed a new hybrid integrated platform, promising to be a more advanced alternative to conventional integrated circuits. The researchers demonstrated their approach is mass manufacturable, making it possible to integrate the platform into everyday electronic equipment like smartphones. For end users thi
  
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