Science news

• Dinosaur tail to be auctioned for Mexico quake reconstruction

  16-01-2018 22:47
  MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A fossilized dinosaur tail discovered in Morocco will be auctioned on Tuesday night in Mexico to raise funds for the reconstruction of thousands of schools damaged by two earthquakes that struck the Latin American nation in September.
  
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• Warming climate could affect life in Arctic Ocean, says new study

  16-01-2018 22:34 via cbc.ca
  The study looked at the concentration of radium-228 in the central Arctic Ocean and found that between 2007 and 2015 the concentration doubled, suggesting an increase in other elements and nutrients.
  
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• Why your birth year may increase your risk of dying during a flu pandemic

  16-01-2018 21:54 via cbc.ca
  New research suggests that the year you were born may increase your risk of death in an influenza pandemic.
  
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• New connections: Signaling in learning disability

  16-01-2018 21:30 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Research in this issue of Science Signaling and the Archives brings us steps closer to understanding the origins of learning disability.
  
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• Learning-dependent chromatin remodeling highlights noncoding regulatory regions linked to autism

  16-01-2018 21:30 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder that is associated with genetic risk factors. Most human disease-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are not located in genes but rather are in regulatory regions that control gene expression. The function of regulatory regions is determined through epigenetic mechanisms. Parallels between the cellular basis of development and the formation of long-term memory have long been recognized, particularly the role
  
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• Inactivating mutations in Drosha mediate vascular abnormalities similar to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia

  16-01-2018 21:30 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The transforming growth factor–β (TGF-β) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family of cytokines critically regulates vascular morphogenesis and homeostasis. Impairment of TGF-β or BMP signaling leads to heritable vascular disorders, including hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). Drosha, a key enzyme for microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis, also regulates the TGF-β and BMP pathway through interaction with Smads and their joint control of gene expression through miRNAs.
  
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• Functional changes of AMPA responses in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitors in fragile X syndrome

  16-01-2018 21:30 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Altered neuronal network formation and function involving dysregulated excitatory and inhibitory circuits are associated with fragile X syndrome (FXS). We examined functional maturation of the excitatory transmission system in FXS by investigating the response of FXS patient–derived neural progenitor cells to the glutamate analog (AMPA). Neural progenitors derived from induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines generated from boys with FXS had augmented intracellular Ca2+ responses to AMPA
  
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• Digitally preserving important Arkansas dinosaur tracks

  16-01-2018 21:16
  Researchers used LiDAR imaging to digitally preserve and study important dinosaur tracks.
  
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• The Montmaurin-La Niche mandible reveals the complexity of the Neanderthals’ origin

  16-01-2018 21:14
  A team of scientists has examined the Middle Pleistocene Montmaurin-La Niche mandible, which reveals the complexity of the origin of the Neanderthals.
  
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• Drones confirm importance of Costa Rican waters for sea turtles

  16-01-2018 21:12
  A new drone-enabled population survey -- the first ever on sea turtles -- shows that larger-than-anticipated numbers of turtles aggregate in waters off Costa Rica's Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. Scientists estimate turtle densities may reach up to 2,086 animals per square kilometer. The study underscores the importance of the Ostional habitat; it also confirms that drones are a reliable tool for surveying sea turtle abundance.
  
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• Evidence grows that normal childbirth takes longer than we thought

  16-01-2018 20:49
  
  Another study finds that labor lasts longer than is traditionally taught — an insight that could mean fewer unnecessary cesarean deliveries.
  
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• T-cells engineered to outsmart tumors induce clinical responses in relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma

  16-01-2018 20:42
  A research team has validated a way to outfox tumors. They engineered T-cells, essential players in the body's own immune system, to strip tumors of their self-preservation skill and were able to hold Hodgkin lymphoma at bay in patients with relapsed disease for more than four years.
  
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• In sweet corn, workhorses win

  16-01-2018 20:42
  When deciding which sweet corn hybrids to plant, vegetable processors need to consider whether they want their contract growers using a workhorse or a racehorse. Is it better to choose a hybrid with exceptional yields under ideal growing conditions (i.e., the racehorse) or one that performs consistently well across ideal and less-than-ideal conditions (i.e., the workhorse)? New research suggests the workhorse is the winner in processing sweet corn.
  
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• Are amoebae safe harbors for plague?

  16-01-2018 20:42
  Amoebae, single-celled organisms common in soil, water and grade-school science classrooms, may play a key role in the survival and spread of deadly plague bacteria. New research shows that plague bacteria, Yersinia pestis, not only survive, but thrive and replicate once ingested by an amoeba. The discovery could help scientists understand why plague outbreaks can smolder, stay dormant for years, and re-emerge with a vengeance.
  
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• Memory loss from West Nile virus may be preventable

  16-01-2018 20:40
  More than 10,000 people in the United States are living with memory loss and other persistent neurological problems that occur after West Nile virus infects the brain. Now, a new study in mice suggests that such ongoing neurological deficits may be due to unresolved inflammation that hinders the brain's ability to repair damaged neurons and grow new ones. When the inflammation was reduced by treatment with an arthritis drug, the animals' ability to learn and remember remained sharp after West Ni
  
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• Decoy molecule created to block pain where it starts

  16-01-2018 20:40
  Pain researchers have developed a new method of reducing pain-associated behaviors with RNA-based medicine, creating a new class of decoy molecules that prevent the onset of pain.
  
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• Mount Mayon: Philippines volcano spews out lava

  16-01-2018 20:33 via bbc.co.uk
  Volcanologists say a "hazardous explosion" could be imminent, as thousands flee the area around Mount Mayon in the Philippines.
  
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• Scientists home in on a potential Anthropocene 'Golden Spike'

  16-01-2018 19:13
  Scientists are reviewing the potential settings where a global reference section for the Anthropocene might be searched.
  
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• Rates of great earthquakes not affected by moon phases, day of year

  16-01-2018 19:13
  There is an enduring myth that large earthquakes tend to happen during certain phases of the Moon or at certain times during the year. But a new analysis confirms that this bit of earthquake lore is incorrect.
  
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• New way to unmask melanoma cells to the immune system

  16-01-2018 19:13
  A research team has found a new way to keep the immune system engaged, and is planning to test the approach in a phase 1 clinical trial.
  
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• New study shows producers where and how to grow cellulosic biofuel crops

  16-01-2018 19:13
  A new report provides practical agronomic data for five cellulosic feedstocks, which could improve adoption and increase production across the country.
  
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• New catalyst for hydrogen production is a step toward clean fuel

  16-01-2018 19:13
  A nanostructured composite material has shown impressive performance as a catalyst for the electrochemical splitting of water to produce hydrogen. An efficient, low-cost catalyst is essential for realizing the promise of hydrogen as a clean, environmentally friendly fuel.
  
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• A high-salt diet produces dementia in mice

  16-01-2018 19:13
  A high-salt diet reduces resting blood flow to the brain and causes dementia in mice.
  
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• Great scat! Bears -- not birds -- are the chief seed dispersers in Alaska

  16-01-2018 19:12
  In southeastern Alaska, brown and black bears are plentiful because of salmon. Their abundance also means they are the primary seed dispersers of berry-producing shrubs, according to a new study.
  
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• Speed of universe’s expansion remains elusive

  16-01-2018 18:52
  
  A discrepancy between two measures of the universe’s expansion rate suggests the presence of some unknown astronomical feature.
  
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• In chronic disease care, family helpers are key, but feel left out

  16-01-2018 18:39
  People with diabetes, heart failure and other chronic diseases often live independent lives, without a traditional caregiver. But many have a family member or friend who plays a key supporting role in their health care.
  
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• New insights into underwater adhesives

  16-01-2018 18:38
  An international team of researchers has succeeded in developing a new type of underwater adhesives that are tougher than the natural biological counterpart.
  
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• Improving stroke treatment through machine learning

  16-01-2018 18:38
  Methods from optogenetics and machine learning should help improve treatment options for stroke patients. Researchers have now developed a computer vision technique to analyze the changes in motor skills that result from targeted stimulation of healthy areas of the brain.
  
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• Wealth may drive preference for short-term relationships

  16-01-2018 18:37
  According to new research by psychologists, resource-rich environments may cause people to favor short-term relationships.
  
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• Pharmaceuticals and other contaminants force fish to work much harder to survive

  16-01-2018 18:37
  Pharmaceuticals and other human-made contaminants are forcing fish that live downstream from a typical sewage treatment plant to work at least 30 percent harder just to survive, researchers have found.
  
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• International study identify the process of rock formed by meteors or nuclear blasts

  16-01-2018 18:37
  Scientists have made a model to map out the phases in which silica (SiO2) transforms into coesite, by analyzing how the inelastic scattering of light among molecules changes according to pressure variation.
  
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• An eNose is able to sniff out bacteria that cause soft tissue infections

  16-01-2018 18:37
  A recent study has concluded that an electronic nose (eNose) can be used to identify the most common bacteria causing soft tissue infections.
  
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• No, the full moon does not cause earthquakes, study finds

  16-01-2018 18:07 via cbc.ca
  The moon may be the cause of some things that happen on Earth, but earthquakes aren't one of them, a new study suggests.
  
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• Zoology: Luminescent lizards

  16-01-2018 17:11
  Chameleons are known to communicate with conspecifics by altering their surface coloration. Munich researchers have now found that the bony tubercles on the heads of many species fluoresce under UV light and form impressive patterns.
  
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• Pulsating dissolution found in crystals

  16-01-2018 17:11
  When researchers zoomed in to the nanometer scale on time-lapse images of dissolving crystals, they found a surprise: Dissolution happened in pulses, marked by waves that spread just like ripples on a pond.
  
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• New treatment target for melanoma identified

  16-01-2018 17:11
  Researchers have identified a new therapeutic target for the treatment of melanoma. For decades, research has associated female sex and a history of previous pregnancy with better outcomes after a melanoma diagnosis. Now, a research team says it may have determined the reason for the melanoma-protective effect.
  
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• Named after Stanley Kubrick, a new species of frog is a 'clockwork orange' of nature

  16-01-2018 17:11
  Two new frog species were discovered in the Amazon Basin. Both had been previously misidentified as another superficially identical species. One of them received a name translating to 'demon' or 'devil' in allusion to the horn-like projections visible on its eyelids. The second one was named in honor of famous American filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, because of his masterpiece A Clockwork Orange.
  
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• Mysteries of a promising spintronic material revealed

  16-01-2018 17:11
  Researchers have used an unconventional approach to determine the strength of the electron spin interactions with the optical phonons in antiferromagnetic nickel oxide (NiO) crystals.
  
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• More evidence of link between severe gum disease and cancer risk

  16-01-2018 17:11
  A new study adds to accumulating research that gum disease is associated with some cancer risk. It reports a 24 percent increase in the risk of cancer among participants with severe gum disease. The highest risk was observed in cases of lung cancer, followed by colorectal cancer.
  
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• Genome architecture's surprising role in cell fate decisions

  16-01-2018 17:11
  A new study shows unexpected and crucial role of genome architecture in determining cell fate. The work represents an important advance in our understanding of gene regulation and reveals a new layer of complexity that needs to be studied to properly interpret genomics and gene expression in the future. An example of how risky fundamental science with innovative approaches leads to surprising and important advances in knowledge.
  
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• Europe's lost forests: Coverage has halved over 6,000 years

  16-01-2018 17:11
  Research shows more than half of the forests across Europe have been lost over the past 6,000 years.
  
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• Cellular seismology: Putting vibrations on the map

  16-01-2018 17:11
  Using a unique technology called 'cell quake elastography,' scientists can now map to the millisecond the elasticity of components vibrating inside a cell. This discovery opens up a whole new field of research in mechanobiology, opening the door to many practical applications in medicine.
  
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• Bile acids fire up fat burning

  16-01-2018 17:11
  Scientists have discovered a novel role for bile acids: converting energy-storing white fat depots into energy-expending beige fat.
  
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• The Fields Medal fallacy: Why this math prize should return to its roots

  16-01-2018 17:10
  The Fields Medal, whose origins date back to the 1930s, will be issued again this year in August to up to four of the world's most accomplished mathematicians under the age of 40. Experts now propose that the Fields Medal return to its roots as a tool intended to shape the future of mathematics, rather than recognizing those who have already found the spotlight.
  
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• Computer-aided facial analysis helps diagnosis

  16-01-2018 17:06
  In rare diseases, the computer-aided image analysis of patient portraits can facilitate and significantly improve diagnosis. This has been demonstrated on the basis of so-called GPI anchor deficiencies. Using data on genetic material, cell surface texture and typical facial features, researchers utilized artificial intelligence methods to simulate disease models.
  
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• Scientists unleash power of genetic data to identify disease risk

  16-01-2018 15:56
  Massive banks of genetic information are being harnessed to shed new light on modifiable health risks that underlie common diseases. Researchers have pioneered a method to integrate data from multiple large-scale studies to assess risk factors such as body mass index (BMI) and cholesterol levels, and their association with diseases including type two diabetes and heart disease.
  
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• New study offers insights on genetic indicators of COPD risk

  16-01-2018 15:56
  Researchers have discovered that genetic variations in the anatomy of the lungs could serve as indicators to help identify people who have low, but stable, lung function early in life, and those who are particularly at risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of a smoke-induced decline in lung function.
  
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• High performance CNT catalyst relating to its electroconductivity

  16-01-2018 15:56
  Biofuels were obtained from Jatropha Oil using carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst, which showed efficient cracking activity. The performance was activated by the high stability, metal sites, acid sites, electroconductivity, and coking tolerance of CNT. Two cracking circulations were found in the hydroprocessing. Meanwhile, the sulphur-free process was eco-friendly.
  
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• Circadian clocks under the microscope

  16-01-2018 15:55
  Circadian clocks regulate the behavior of all living things. Scientists have now taken a closer look at the clock's anatomical structures and molecular processes in the honeybee.
  
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• Bitcoin prices drop as South Korea minister indicates ban still possible

  16-01-2018 15:45 via cbc.ca
  Prices of bitcoin and other digital currencies fell after South Korea's top financial policymaker said a crackdown on trading of cryptocurrencies was still an option.
  
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