Science news

• Papers of note in Science Translational Medicine 9 (416)

  21-11-2017 19:55 via stke.sciencemag.org
  This week’s articles describe why pulmonary hypertension often arises with lung cancer; a way to interrupt the autoimmune response in type 1 diabetes; and a marker through which to screen patients for response to MSC therapy and risk for graft-versus-host disease.
  
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• Papers of note in Nature 551 (7680)

  21-11-2017 19:55 via stke.sciencemag.org
  This week’s articles identify a mechanism by which liver inflammation suppresses antitumor immunity; a bacterial effector protein that targets host defense proteins for degradation; and a signaling mechanism for detecting and repairing a specific type of DNA damage.
  
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• Paper of note in Science 358 (6365)

  21-11-2017 19:55 via stke.sciencemag.org
  This week’s article presents the structure of the NLRC4 inflammasome bound to ligand.
  
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• Nuclear hyaluronidase 2 drives alternative splicing of CD44 pre-mRNA to determine profibrotic or antifibrotic cell phenotype

  21-11-2017 19:55 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The cell surface protein CD44 is involved in diverse physiological processes, and its aberrant function is linked to various pathologies such as cancer, immune dysregulation, and fibrosis. The diversity of CD44 biological activity is partly conferred by the generation of distinct CD44 isoforms through alternative splicing. We identified an unexpected function for the ubiquitous hyaluronan-degrading enzyme, hyaluronidase 2 (HYAL2), as a regulator of CD44 splicing. Standard CD44 is associated with
  
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• New connections: Making dendritic cells go faster

  21-11-2017 19:55 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Danger signals, such as microbial products or ATP, enhance the speed of migrating dendritic cells to lymph nodes to initiate an immune response.
  
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• Microtubules tune mechanotransduction through NOX2 and TRPV4 to decrease sclerostin abundance in osteocytes

  21-11-2017 19:55 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The adaptation of the skeleton to its mechanical environment is orchestrated by mechanosensitive osteocytes, largely by regulating the abundance of sclerostin, a secreted inhibitor of bone formation. We defined a microtubule-dependent mechanotransduction pathway that linked fluid shear stress to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium (Ca2+) signals that led to a reduction in sclerostin abundance in cultured osteocytes. We demonstrated that microtubules stabilized by detyrosination, a reversib
  
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• ATP promotes the fast migration of dendritic cells through the activity of pannexin 1 channels and P2X7 receptors

  21-11-2017 19:55 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Upon its release from injured cells, such as infected, transformed, inflamed, or necrotic cells, extracellular adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) acts as a danger signal that recruits phagocytes, such as neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells (DCs), to the site of injury. The sensing of extracellular ATP occurs through purinergic (P2) receptors. We investigated the cellular mechanisms linking purinergic signaling to DC motility. We found that ATP stimulated fast DC motility through an autocr
  
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• AKAP95-mediated nuclear anchoring of PKA mediates cortisol-induced PTGS2 expression in human amnion fibroblasts

  21-11-2017 19:55 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Phosphorylation of the transcription factors cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element–binding protein (CREB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) by protein kinase A (PKA) is required for the cortisol-induced production of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in human amnion fibroblasts, which critically mediates human parturition (labor). We found that PKA was confined in the nucleus by A-kinase–anchoring protein 95 (AKAP95) in amnion
  
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• When it comes to self-driving cars, what’s safe enough?

  21-11-2017 19:51
  
  Even as unmonitored self-driving cars take to the streets, there’s no consensus about how safe is “safe enough” for driverless vehicles.
  
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• What's ruthenium-106? What you need to know about Russian radiation

  21-11-2017 19:38 via cbc.ca
  Russia has finally confirmed the release of "extremely high contamination" of the radioactive isotope ruthenium-106 in the southern Urals in late September. Here's what you need to know.
  
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• Net neutrality 'could be gone for good' after FCC vote to undo Obama-era rule in December

  21-11-2017 18:32 via cbc.ca
  The chair of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has unveiled plans to repeal a landmark 2015 order that barred internet service providers from blocking or slowing down consumer access to web content, and said the regulator will prevent states and cities from adopting similar protections.
  
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• Drug-driving cases dropped over forensics

  21-11-2017 17:35 via bbc.co.uk
  Thousands more cases - including violent and sexual crimes - could be affected by "manipulated" tests.
  
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• The dietary habits of the emerald ash borer beetle are complicated

  21-11-2017 17:00
  
  Tests answer some questions about the emerald ash borer’s hidden taste for olive and fringe trees.
  
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• Think Hurricane Harvey's Flooding Was Bad? Just Wait Until 2100

  21-11-2017 16:15 via rss.sciam.com
  Storms with much greater rainfall are predicted to hit North America by century’s end
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Autonomous ships on the horizon for Great Lakes

  21-11-2017 14:04 via cbc.ca
  The day of autonomous ships is soon dawning. Industry players say autonomous vessels will be cheaper to run — with no crew to feed and house — and take the danger out of sailing as well.
  
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• Russia denies nuclear accident after radioactive traces found

  21-11-2017 13:57 via bbc.co.uk
  The weather service says the levels of a radioactive isotope were nearly 1,000 times normal levels.
  
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• Even a tiny oil spill spells bad news for birds

  21-11-2017 13:00
  
  Just a small amount of crude can make birds less active.
  
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• Russia confirms spike in radioactivity after nuclear accident claims

  21-11-2017 12:50 via cbc.ca
  Russia's meteorological service says it measured pollution of a radioactive isotope at nearly 1,000 times normal levels in the Ural mountains, the first official Russian data supporting reports that a nuclear accident had taken place.
  
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• Meet the Spiders That Completely Defy What We Know as Jet Lag

  21-11-2017 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  A serendipitous discovery turns up creatures able to reset instantly their biological clocks by six hours, a feat unmatched in the animal world
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• This man travelled 90,000 km across Ontario to break a bird-watching record

  21-11-2017 12:02 via cbc.ca
  A Leamington, Ont. man has broken the record for highest number of bird species spotted in Ontario in a single year.
  
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• How crews are busting congealed blobs of fat in London sewers and turning them into fuel

  21-11-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  The monstrosity is born innocently enough. Londoners flush away wet wipes, diapers or condoms. They pour grease down the kitchen sink. And in a city of 8.7 million, the Victorian-era sewers can't cope.
  
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• Fatbergs to fuel: London's blockage-busting battle in the sewers

  21-11-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  How crews are taming a wretched sewer monster and turning it into renewable energy
  
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• Bialowieza forest: EU threatens Poland with fine over logging

  21-11-2017 10:49 via bbc.co.uk
  Europe's top court says Poland must prove it has stopped logging in Bialowieza forest or face fines.
  
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• Women's health has worsened while men's health has improved, trends since 1990 show

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Umea University) Swedish researchers have studied health trends among women and men aged 25-34 from 1990-2014. In 1990, 8.5 percent of women self-rated their health as being worse than peers in their own age group. At 2014, this trend had increased to 20 per cent of women. In contrast, a bigger part of the men self-rated their health as better at the end of the study period compared to the start. The study is published in PLOS One.
  
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• What does it mean for the husband when his wife keeps her own surname?

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Springer) When a woman chooses not to take her husband's surname after marriage, people perceive her husband as being higher in traits related to femininity and lower in traits related to masculinity. He is also perceived as having less power in the relationship. This is according to a study led by Rachael Robnett of the University of Nevada in the US. The research is published in Springer's journal Sex Roles.
  
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• Watching atoms move in hybrid perovskite crystals reveals clues to improving solar cells

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of California - San Diego) The discovery of nanoscale changes deep inside hybrid perovskites could shed light on developing low-cost, high-efficiency solar cells. Using X-ray beams and lasers, a team of researchers led by the University of California San Diego discovered how the movement of ions in hybrid perovskites causes certain regions within the material to become better solar cells than other parts.
  
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• Video game improves balance in youth with autism

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Playing a video game that rewards participants for holding various "ninja" poses could help children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improve their balance, according to a recent study in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  
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• Unexpected atmospheric vortex behavior on Saturn's moon Titan

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Bristol) A new study led by a University of Bristol earth scientist has shown that recently reported unexpected behavior on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is due to its unique atmospheric chemistry.
  
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• UCLA engineers use deep learning to reconstruct holograms and improve optical microscopy

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of California - Los Angeles) UCLA researchers report that they have developed new uses for deep learning: reconstructing a hologram to form a microscopic image of an object and improving optical microscopy. Their new holographic imaging technique produces better images than current methods that use multiple holograms, and it's easier to implement because it requires fewer measurements and performs computations faster.
  
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• Two Los Alamos scientists honored by AAAS

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (DOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory) Prominent researchers Angel E. Garcia and Laura Smilowitz of Los Alamos National Laboratory have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as a Fellow of AAAS is an honor bestowed upon Association members by their peers.
  
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• Turtles & technology advance understanding of lung abnormality

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center) A study of an unusual snapping turtle with one lung found shared characteristics with humans born with one lung who survive beyond infancy. Digital 3-D anatomical models created by Emma Schachner, PhD, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology & Anatomy at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, made the detailed research possible.
  
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• The slight difference: Why language is a uniquely human trait

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences) Language makes us human. For a long time, scientists have been racking their brains about how we process what we hear and read. One of them is Angela D. Friederici, director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences. Thanks to her we know why only humans are able to understand language and Chomsky's idea of an innate universal grammar must be correct. Now her book, "Language in Our Brain" is published.
  
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• The main switch

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Freiburg) The three-dimensional folding of DNA provides important epigenetic mechanisms in the formation of cardiac muscle cells.
  
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• The art and science of glassblowing (video)

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (American Chemical Society) If you've ever tapped a screen to send a tweet, opted for a glass bottled soda because of taste, or drooled over art glass in a gallery, then your life has been changed for the better by the transparent yet durable combination of sand and simple chemicals we call glass. Reactions visited McFadden Art Glass in Baltimore, Maryland, to learn about the chemistry of this ancient material.
  
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• Tempting your taste buds: Food cues entice consumers to overeat

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Michigan) The mouth-watering aroma of juicy burgers and crispy fries, and the eye-catching menu signs with delicious food pictures can tempt many hungry patrons to stop at fast-food restaurants.
  
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• Taking proton pump inhibitors not linked to higher dementia risk

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (American Geriatrics Society) In a new research article published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, scientists were able to conclude that developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease (the most common form of dementia) did not appear to be linked to taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
  
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• Sunrise and sunset guide daily activities of city-dwellers

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (PLOS) Despite artificial lightning and social conventions, the dynamics of daylight still influence the daily activities of people living in modern, urban environments, according to new research published in PLOS Computational Biology.
  
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• Study shows how to get sprayed metal coatings to stick

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Research from MIT reveals the best way to make metal particles stick to a surface in a spray-coating process. Surprisingly, melting hurts rather than helps.
  
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• Study calculates contribution of risk factors to cancer in the United States

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (American Cancer Society) A new American Cancer Society study calculates the contribution of several modifiable risk factors to cancer occurrence, expanding and clarifying the role of known risk factors, from smoking to low consumption of fruits and vegetables.
  
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• Six USC professors named fellows of esteemed scientific society

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Southern California) Five USC scientists and one Keck School of Medicine of USC physician have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, an honor awarded to AAAS members by their peers.
  
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• 'Share, test and refine'

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of California - Santa Barbara) Researchers receive a $3.4 million grant from the NSF's Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure to improve scientific image processing
  
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• Researchers reveal new details on aged brain, Alzheimer's and dementia

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Allen Institute) In a comprehensive analysis of samples from 107 aged human brains, researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, UW Medicine and Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute have discovered details that will help researchers better understand the biological bases for Alzheimer's disease and dementia in older populations.
  
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• Researchers link post-right stroke delirium and spatial neglect to common brain mechanism

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Kessler Foundation) Stroke researchers at Kessler Foundation have proposed a theory for the high incidence of delirium and spatial neglect after right-brain stroke. Their findings are detailed in "Disruption of the ascending arousal system and cortical attention network in post-stroke delirium and spatial neglect", published Sept. 27, 2017 by Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. Authors are Olga Boukrina, PhD, research scientist, & A.M. Barrett, MD, director of Stroke Rehabilitation Re
  
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• Researchers discover specific tumor environment that triggers cells to metastasize

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of California - San Diego) A team of bioengineers and bioinformaticians at the University of California San Diego have discovered how the environment surrounding a tumor can trigger metastatic behavior in cancer cells. Specifically, when tumor cells are confined in a dense environment, the researchers found that they turn on a specific set of genes and begin to form structures that resemble blood vessels.
  
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• Report highlights opportunities and risks associated with synthetic biology and bioengineering

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Cambridge) Human genome editing, 3-D-printed replacement organs and artificial photosynthesis - the field of bioengineering offers great promise for tackling the major challenges that face our society. But as a new article out today highlights, these developments provide both opportunities and risks in the short and long term.
  
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• Rainfall can indicate that mosquito-borne epidemics will occur weeks later

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences) A new study demonstrates that outbreaks of mosquito-borne viruses Zika and Chikungunya generally occur about three weeks after heavy rainfall. Researchers also found that Chikungunya will predominate over Zika when both circulate at the same time.
  
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• Preliminary stages of dementia reduce human face memorization ability

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Kumamoto University) A Japanese research group has revealed that elderly people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have a particularly weakened ability to memorize human faces in the short term when compared to healthy elderly people. MCI patients also had a different gaze behavior when trying to memorize a face. This research may lead to the early detection of dementia.
  
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• PPPL scientists deliver new high-resolution diagnostic to national laser facility

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (DOE/Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory) Scientists from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have built and delivered a high-resolution X-ray spectrometer for the largest and most powerful laser facility in the world.
  
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• Poll: Most LGBTQ Americans report violence, threats, or sexual harassment

  21-11-2017 06:00
  (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) This report is part of a series titled 'Discrimination in America.' The series is based on a survey conducted for National Public Radio, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. While many surveys have explored Americans' beliefs about discrimination, this survey asks people about their own personal experiences with discrimination.
  
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