Science news

• Eric Schmidt resigning as executive chair at Google parent Alphabet

  21-12-2017 23:46 via cbc.ca
  Eric Schmidt is stepping down as the executive chairman of Google parent Alphabet in January, but will become a technical adviser and continue to sit on the board.
  
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• Boy robot passes agility tests

  21-12-2017 22:13
  
  Anatomically accurate humanlike robots pave the way for more sophisticated prosthetics and realistic crash-test dummies.
  
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• Star in the constellation Pisces is 'eating' planets

  21-12-2017 22:07
  Astronomers have discovered that a distant star called RZ Picseum in the constellation Pisces is crushing one or more planets into its orbit into a vast cloud of gas and dust.
  
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• Variation in the AvrSr35 gene determines Sr35 resistance against wheat stem rust race Ug99

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt) causes wheat stem rust, a devastating fungal disease. The Sr35 resistance gene confers immunity against this pathogen’s most virulent races, including Ug99. We used comparative whole-genome sequencing of chemically mutagenized and natural Pgt isolates to identify a fungal gene named AvrSr35 that is required for Sr35 avirulence. The AvrSr35 gene encodes a secreted protein capable of interacting with Sr35 and triggering the immune response. We show that
  
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• Synthetic transcription elongation factors license transcription across repressive chromatin

  21-12-2017 20:45
  The release of paused RNA polymerase II into productive elongation is highly regulated, especially at genes that affect human development and disease. To exert control over this rate-limiting step, we designed sequence-specific synthetic transcription elongation factors (Syn-TEFs). These molecules are composed of programmable DNA-binding ligands flexibly tethered to a small molecule that engages the transcription elongation machinery. By limiting activity to targeted loci, Syn-TEFs convert const
  
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• Swope Supernova Survey 2017a (SSS17a), the optical counterpart to a gravitational wave source

  21-12-2017 20:45
  On 17 August 2017, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo interferometer detected gravitational waves (GWs) emanating from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817. Nearly simultaneously, the Fermi and INTEGRAL (INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) telescopes detected a gamma-ray transient, GRB 170817A. At 10.9 hours after the GW trigger, we discovered a transient and fading optical source, Swope Supernova Survey 2017a (SSS17a), coincident with GW1
  
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• Swift and NuSTAR observations of GW170817: Detection of a blue kilonova

  21-12-2017 20:45
  With the first direct detection of merging black holes in 2015, the era of gravitational wave (GW) astrophysics began. A complete picture of compact object mergers, however, requires the detection of an electromagnetic (EM) counterpart. We report ultraviolet (UV) and x-ray observations by Swift and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array of the EM counterpart of the binary neutron star merger GW170817. The bright, rapidly fading UV emission indicates a high mass (0.03 solar masses) wind-driven
  
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• Spatial reconstruction of immune niches by combining photoactivatable reporters and scRNA-seq

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Cellular functions are strongly dependent on surrounding cells and environmental factors. Current technologies are limited in their ability to characterize the spatial location and gene programs of cells in poorly structured and dynamic niches. We developed a method, NICHE-seq, that combines photoactivatable fluorescent reporters, two-photon microscopy, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to infer the cellular and molecular composition of niches. We applied NICHE-seq to examine the high-o
  
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• Response to Comment on "Rapid cooling and cold storage in a silicic magma reservoir recorded in individual crystals"

  21-12-2017 20:45
  In a recent paper, we used Li concentration profiles and U-Th ages to constrain the thermal conditions of magma storage. Wilson and co-authors argue that the data instead reflect control of Li behavior by charge balance during partitioning and not by experimentally determined diffusion rates. Their arguments are based on (i) a coupled diffusion mechanism for Li, which has been postulated but has not been documented to occur, and (ii) poorly constrained zircon growth rates combined with the assum
  
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• Recurrent infection progressively disables host protection against intestinal inflammation

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Intestinal inflammation is the central pathological feature of colitis and the inflammatory bowel diseases. These syndromes arise from unidentified environmental factors. We found that recurrent nonlethal gastric infections of Gram-negative Salmonella enterica Typhimurium (ST), a major source of human food poisoning, caused inflammation of murine intestinal tissue, predominantly the colon, which persisted after pathogen clearance and irreversibly escalated in severity with repeated infections. S
  
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• RALF4/19 peptides interact with LRX proteins to control pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis

  21-12-2017 20:45
  The communication of changes in the extracellular matrix to the interior of the cell is crucial for a cell’s function. The extracellular peptides of the RAPID ALKALINIZATION FACTOR (RALF) family have been identified as ligands of receptor-like kinases of the CrRLK1L subclass, but the exact mechanism of their perception is unclear. We found that Arabidopsis RALF4 and RALF19 redundantly regulate pollen tube integrity and growth, and that their function depends on pollen-expressed proteins of
  
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• Maxima in the thermodynamic response and correlation functions of deeply supercooled water

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Femtosecond x-ray laser pulses were used to probe micrometer-sized water droplets that were cooled down to 227 kelvin in vacuum. Isothermal compressibility and correlation length were extracted from x-ray scattering at the low–momentum transfer region. The temperature dependence of these thermodynamic response and correlation functions shows maxima at 229 kelvin for water and 233 kelvin for heavy water. In addition, we observed that the liquids undergo the fastest growth of tetrahedral str
  
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• Loss of AvrSr50 by somatic exchange in stem rust leads to virulence for Sr50 resistance in wheat

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Race-specific resistance genes protect the global wheat crop from stem rust disease caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt) but are often overcome owing to evolution of new virulent races of the pathogen. To understand virulence evolution in Pgt, we identified the protein ligand (AvrSr50) recognized by the Sr50 resistance protein. A spontaneous mutant of Pgt virulent to Sr50 contained a 2.5 mega–base pair loss-of-heterozygosity event. A haustorial secreted protein from this region
  
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• Light curves of the neutron star merger GW170817/SSS17a: Implications for r-process nucleosynthesis

  21-12-2017 20:45
  On 17 August 2017, gravitational waves (GWs) were detected from a binary neutron star merger, GW170817, along with a coincident short gamma-ray burst, GRB 170817A. An optical transient source, Swope Supernova Survey 17a (SSS17a), was subsequently identified as the counterpart of this event. We present ultraviolet, optical, and infrared light curves of SSS17a extending from 10.9 hours to 18 days postmerger. We constrain the radioactively powered transient resulting from the ejection of neutron-ri
  
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• Illuminating gravitational waves: A concordant picture of photons from a neutron star merger

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Merging neutron stars offer an excellent laboratory for simultaneously studying strong-field gravity and matter in extreme environments. We establish the physical association of an electromagnetic counterpart (EM170817) with gravitational waves (GW170817) detected from merging neutron stars. By synthesizing a panchromatic data set, we demonstrate that merging neutron stars are a long-sought production site forging heavy elements by r-process nucleosynthesis. The weak gamma rays seen in EM170817
  
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• Electromagnetic evidence that SSS17a is the result of a binary neutron star merger

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Eleven hours after the detection of gravitational wave source GW170817 by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and Virgo Interferometers, an associated optical transient, SSS17a, was identified in the galaxy NGC 4993. Although the gravitational wave data indicate that GW170817 is consistent with the merger of two compact objects, the electromagnetic observations provide independent constraints on the nature of that system. We synthesize the optical to near-infrared photometry
  
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• Early spectra of the gravitational wave source GW170817: Evolution of a neutron star merger

  21-12-2017 20:45
  On 17 August 2017, Swope Supernova Survey 2017a (SSS17a) was discovered as the optical counterpart of the binary neutron star gravitational wave event GW170817. We report time-series spectroscopy of SSS17a from 11.75 hours until 8.5 days after the merger. Over the first hour of observations, the ejecta rapidly expanded and cooled. Applying blackbody fits to the spectra, we measured the photosphere cooling from 11,000–900+3400 to 9300–300+300 kelvin, and determined a photospheric velo
  
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• Determination of intrinsic attenuation in the oceanic lithosphere-asthenosphere system

  21-12-2017 20:45
  We recorded P and S waves traveling through the oceanic lithosphere-asthenosphere system (LAS) using broadband ocean-bottom seismometers in the northwest Pacific, and we quantitatively separated the intrinsic (anelastic) and extrinsic (scattering) attenuation effects on seismic wave propagation to directly infer the thermomechanical properties of the oceanic LAS. The strong intrinsic attenuation in the asthenosphere obtained at higher frequency (~3 hertz) is comparable to that constrained at low
  
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• Comment on "Rapid cooling and cold storage in a silicic magma reservoir recorded in individual crystals"

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Rubin et al. (Reports, 16 June 2017, p. 1154) proposed that gradients in lithium abundance in zircons from a rhyolitic eruption in New Zealand reflected short-lived residence at magmatic temperatures interleaved with long-term "cold" (<650°C) storage. Important issues arise with the interpretation of these lithium gradients and consequent crystal thermal histories that raise concerns about the validity of this conclusion.
  
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• Asylum applications respond to temperature fluctuations

  21-12-2017 20:45
  International negotiations on climate change, along with recent upsurges in migration across the Mediterranean Sea, have highlighted the need to better understand the possible effects of climate change on human migration—in particular, across national borders. Here we examine how, in the recent past (2000–2014), weather variations in 103 source countries translated into asylum applications to the European Union, which averaged 351,000 per year in our sample. We find that temperatures
  
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• Arabidopsis pollen tube integrity and sperm release are regulated by RALF-mediated signaling

  21-12-2017 20:45
  In flowering plants, fertilization requires complex cell-to-cell communication events between the pollen tube and the female reproductive tissues, which are controlled by extracellular signaling molecules interacting with receptors at the pollen tube surface. We found that two such receptors in Arabidopsis, BUPS1 and BUPS2, and their peptide ligands, RALF4 and RALF19, are pollen tube–expressed and are required to maintain pollen tube integrity. BUPS1 and BUPS2 interact with receptors ANXUR
  
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• An integrated assessment of the vascular plant species of the Americas

  21-12-2017 20:45
  The cataloging of the vascular plants of the Americas has a centuries-long history, but it is only in recent decades that an overview of the entire flora has become possible. We present an integrated assessment of all known native species of vascular plants in the Americas. Twelve regional and national checklists, prepared over the past 25 years and including two large ongoing flora projects, were merged into a single list. Our publicly searchable checklist includes 124,993 species, 6227 genera,
  
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• A radio counterpart to a neutron star merger

  21-12-2017 20:45
  Gravitational waves have been detected from a binary neutron star merger event, GW170817. The detection of electromagnetic radiation from the same source has shown that the merger occurred in the outskirts of the galaxy NGC 4993, at a distance of 40 megaparsecs from Earth. We report the detection of a counterpart radio source that appears 16 days after the event, allowing us to diagnose the energetics and environment of the merger. The observed radio emission can be explained by either a collima
  
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• Meet the tiny machines in cells that massacre viruses

  21-12-2017 20:31
  When viruses infect the body's cells, those cells face a difficult problem. How can they destroy viruses without harming themselves? Scientists have found an answer by visualizing a tiny cellular machine that chops the viruses' genetic material into bits. Their research shows how the machine detects the intruders and processes them for destruction to protect cells and prevent the spread of infection.
  
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• An integrated assessment of vascular plants species of the Americas

  21-12-2017 20:31
  Botanists have compiled a comprehensive, searchable checklist of 124,993 species, 6,227 genera and 355 families of vascular plants of the Americas. This represents one third of all known vascular plants worldwide.
  
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• Wheat disease breakthrough to help feed the world

  21-12-2017 20:30
  Famine may be largely a thing of the past but in recent years the re-emergence of a disease that can kill wheat -- which provides a fifth of humanity's food -- has threatened food security; now a wheat stem rust breakthrough is being announced.
  
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• Tumor growth parameters predict response to anti-angiogenic therapy in mice

  21-12-2017 20:30
  Using a mathematical modeling approach, scientists have found that certain parameters of tumor growth in mice can predict the effectiveness of drugs that block formation of tumor-nourishing blood vessels.
  
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• The origin of water's unusual properties found

  21-12-2017 20:30
  Using x-ray lasers, researchers have been able to map out how water fluctuates between two different states when it is cooled. At -44°C these fluctuations reach a maximum pointing to the fact that water can exist as two different distinct liquids.
  
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• Hotter temperatures will accelerate migration of asylum-seekers to Europe

  21-12-2017 20:30
  Researchers predict a rising number of asylum-seekers to the EU as global temperatures increase.
  
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• Gut reaction: Repeated mild food poisoning triggers chronic disease

  21-12-2017 20:30
  Small bacterial infections that may go unnoticed and which the body easily clears without treatment, such as occurs during mild food poisoning, nevertheless can start a chain of events that leads to chronic inflammation and potentially life-threatening colitis.
  
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• Anti-virus protein in humans may resist transmission of HIV-1 precursor from chimps

  21-12-2017 20:30
  In humans, an anti-virus protein known as APOBEC3H may defend against cross-species transmission from chimpanzees of the virus that gave rise to HIV-1, according to a new study.
  
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• Fish use deafness gene to sense water motion

  21-12-2017 19:36
  Fish sense water motion the same way humans sense sound, according to new research. Researchers discovered a gene also found in humans helps zebrafish convert water motion into electrical impulses that are sent to the brain for perception. The shared gene allows zebrafish to sense water flow direction, and it also helps cells inside the human ear sense a range of sounds.
  
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• Nissan Canada breach may have exposed data of up to 1.1 million customers

  21-12-2017 18:54 via cbc.ca
  Nissan Canada says it has been the victim of a data breach that has exposed the personal financial information of 1.13 million customers of its vehicle-financing arm.
  
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• Project helps assemble complex molecules

  21-12-2017 18:48
  Nucleosides are fundamental building blocks of genetic material which makes them attractive for a number of biologically relevant applications and as potential pharmaceuticals. Scientists are developing facile methods for modifying nucleoside structures to make chemical processes more efficient.
  
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• Taking folic acid in late pregnancy may increase childhood allergy risk

  21-12-2017 18:31
  Taking folic acid in late pregnancy may increase the risk of allergies in offspring affected by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), new research indicates.
  
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• Inebriation at sporting events is a problem

  21-12-2017 18:31
  In many western countries, public concern about violence and other problems at sporting events has increased. Alcohol is often involved. Research shows that approximately 40 percent of the spectators drink alcohol while attending U.S. baseball and football games, especially when alcohol is served within the arenas themselves. Alcohol-related problems can be compounded at large sport stadiums that hold tens of thousands of spectators. This study examined occurrences of overserving at licensed pre
  
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• Another test to help clinicians diagnose asthma more accurately

  21-12-2017 18:29
  A meta-analysis shows that fractional exhaled nitrous oxide (FeNO) is a good evidence-based adjunct test for asthma
  
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• Allergens need collaborators to cause allergy

  21-12-2017 18:29
  Direct evidence has been found that the ligands, compounds carried by allergens, are actively involved in the allergic sensitization phase.
  
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• Adolescent brain makes learning easier

  21-12-2017 18:29
  The brains of adolescents react more responsively to receiving rewards. This can lead to risky behavior, but, according to new research, it also has a positive function: it makes learning easier.
  
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• New insights on graphene

  21-12-2017 18:28
  Graphene floating on water does not repel water, as many researchers believe, but rather attracts it, explain researchers in a new report.
  
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• Quantum coupling

  21-12-2017 18:27
  Physicists have linked atoms and superconductors in a key step towards new hardware for quantum computers and networks.
  
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• New technique could reveal immunotherapy targets, study finds

  21-12-2017 18:26
  A new way to pinpoint potential targets for cancer therapies that rely on the body's immune system have now been developed by researchers.
  
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• Laser shoes prevent 'freezing' in Parkinson patients

  21-12-2017 18:26
  Freezing of gait, an absence of forward progression of the feet despite the intention to walk, is a debilitating symptom of Parkinson's disease. Laser shoes that project a line on the floor to the rhythm of the footsteps help trigger the person to walk. The shoes benefit the wearer significantly, according to research.
  
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• Human impacts on forests and grasslands much larger and older than previously assumed

  21-12-2017 18:26
  Human biomass utilization reduces global carbon stocks in vegetation by 50%, implying that massive emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere have occurred over the past centuries and millennia. The contribution of forest management and livestock grazing on natural grasslands to global carbon losses is of similar magnitude as that of deforestation. Currently, these effects are underappreciated in existing global carbon models and assessments of the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from land-based producti
  
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• Using footprints to identify and monitor giant pandas in the wild

  21-12-2017 18:25
  Footprints left by giant pandas in the wild can be used to identify the individual panda that made them and determine its sex, scientists show. The new identification technique uses an interactive software tool called FIT.
  
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• PSA from your gut microbes: Enjoy the holidays, but don't forget your fiber

  21-12-2017 18:25
  Anyone watching their waistline this holiday season may want to pay attention to what their gut bacteria are eating. It's not just calories that matter in a healthy diet -- it's fiber, which can influence weight gain, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and colon health. Research with mice help shed light on how and why fiber has such a powerful effect on the entire body.
  
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• Cutting-edge statistics yield new insight into attributing, projecting climate change

  21-12-2017 18:25
  Projecting the future of extreme weather events across the globe remains a complex task in climate research -- and one in which statisticians are increasingly playing key roles.
  
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• Shutdown of coal-fired power plant results in significant fetal health improvement in downwind areas

  21-12-2017 18:24
  First study to show fetal health improvement as a result of a coal-fired power plant shutdown due to direct federal level regulation on single pollution source finds 15 percent reduction in likelihood of having a low birth weight baby and 28 percent reduction in likelihood of a preterm birth in areas downwind of the power plant.
  
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• Fewer laboratory animals thanks to secondary nanobodies

  21-12-2017 18:24
  Researchers have developed a sustainable alternative to the most widely used antibodies and their controversial production in animals.
  
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• Brain waves may predict and potentially prevent epilepsy

  21-12-2017 18:24
  The findings demonstrate how using EEGs to identify changes in brain wave patterns over time can predict which post-injury patients will develop epilepsy.
  
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