Science news

• Calgary man first to be fined for flying drone in Banff National Park

  23-01-2018 21:32 via cbc.ca
  A Calgary man wearing an easy-to-identify Edmonton Oilers jersey became the first person fined for illegal drone usage in Banff National Park, despite close to 100 reports of unidentified flying drones in 2017 alone.
  
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• Intron splicing for lipid biosynthesis

  23-01-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  mTORC1 regulates de novo lipogenesis by enhancing the splicing of introns from transcripts encoding lipogenic enzymes.
  
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• Intracellular cavity of sensor domain controls allosteric gating of TRPA1 channel

  23-01-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is a temperature-sensitive ion channel activated by various pungent and irritant compounds that can produce pain in humans. Its activation involves an allosteric mechanism whereby electrophilic agonists evoke interactions within cytosolic domains and open the channel pore through an integrated nexus formed by intracellular membrane proximal regions that are densely packed beneath the lower segment of the S1–S4 sensor domain. Studies indicate t
  
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• Guanabenz inhibits TLR9 signaling through a pathway that is independent of eIF2{alpha} dephosphorylation by the GADD34/PP1c complex

  23-01-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress triggers or amplifies inflammatory signals and cytokine production in immune cells. Upon the resolution of ER stress, the inducible phosphatase 1 cofactor GADD34 promotes the dephosphorylation of the initiation factor eIF2α, thereby enabling protein translation to resume. Several aminoguanidine compounds, such as guanabenz, perturb the eIF2α phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle and protect different cell or tissue types from protein misfolding and
  
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• Biased signaling by thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor-specific antibodies determines thyrocyte survival in autoimmunity

  23-01-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) is a heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide–binding protein (G protein)–coupled receptor (GPCR). Autoimmune hyperthyroidism, commonly known as Graves’ disease (GD), is caused by stimulating autoantibodies to the TSHR. We previously described TSHR-specific antibodies (TSHR-Abs) in GD that recognize linear epitopes in the cleavage region of the TSHR ectodomain (C-TSHR-Abs) and induce thyroid cell apoptosis instead of stimulating the TSHR
  
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• Bell Canada alerts customers after data breach

  23-01-2018 19:16 via cbc.ca
  Bell Canada is alerting customers after hackers illegally accessed the information of fewer than 100,000 customers, the telecom giant told CBC News.
  
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• Why B.C. and Alaska avoided a massive tsunami

  23-01-2018 19:14 via cbc.ca
  Coastal communities in B.C. and Alaska were evacuated to higher ground early this morning after tsunami warning sirens blared following a large earthquake off the coast of Alaska. But the warning was later cancelled without any reported tsunami damage. Why?
  
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• New device can transmit underwater sound to air

  23-01-2018 19:00
  
  A newly created metamaterial takes a shot at solving the problem of hearing underwater sounds from the surface.
  
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• Scientists reconstruct face of 9,000 year-old Greek teenager

  23-01-2018 18:02
  ATHENS (Reuters) - The last time anyone looked on Dawn's face was 9,000 years ago.
  
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• Your phone is like a spy in your pocket

  23-01-2018 18:00
  
  Smartphones’ powers of perception make them more user-friendly and efficient. But they also open new opportunities for privacy invasions.
  
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• Stars with too much lithium may have stolen it

  23-01-2018 17:00
  
  Some small stars have extra lithium before they grow old, suggesting they get extra amounts of the element from an external source.
  
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• Elon Musk to get no salary unless Tesla hits milestones

  23-01-2018 16:54 via cbc.ca
  Silicon Valley billionaire Elon Musk will get no salary or cash bonuses from Tesla Inc. and all his compensation as chief executive of the electric car maker will be tied to stock and operational milestones, the company said on Tuesday.
  
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• Astronauts go spacewalking to give new hand to Canadarm2

  23-01-2018 13:58 via cbc.ca
  Spacewalking astronauts are giving a hand to the International Space Station's big robot arm, Canadarm2.
  
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• New technique could help spot snooping drones

  23-01-2018 13:00
  
  There may be a new way to tell if a drone is creeping on you or your home.
  
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• Ask the Experts: Does Rising CO2 Benefit Plants?

  23-01-2018 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  Climate change’s negative effects on plants will likely outweigh any gains from elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Ask the Expert: Does Rising CO2 Benefit Plants?

  23-01-2018 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  Climate change’s negative effects on plants will likely outweigh any gains from elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• The human-elephant conflict in India's tea state Assam

  23-01-2018 12:43 via bbc.co.uk
  How expanding tea plantations in India's Assam state are putting humans in conflict with elephants.
  
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• CBC investigation into sales practices at major telcos prompts growing calls for public inquiry

  23-01-2018 11:00 via cbc.ca
  The call to hold a public inquiry into sales practices at Canada’s major telecommunications service providers is growing, on the heels of more allegations of wrongdoing inside the industry.
  
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• Japan chastises Nobel laureate-led research team after data fabrication

  23-01-2018 10:47
  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan chastised a Kyoto University stem cell research team led by Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka on Tuesday after a team member fabricated data in his paper, saying it shook people's trust in scientific research.
  
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• Tsunami warning ends for B.C. after large earthquake strikes off Alaska

  23-01-2018 10:41 via cbc.ca
  A tsunami warning for coastal British Columbia and parts of Alaska has ended after a powerful earthquake struck, about 250 kilometres southeast of Chiniak, Alaska, early today.
  
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• Inherited IQ can increase in early childhood

  23-01-2018 06:11
  When it comes to intelligence, environment and education matter -- more than we think.
  
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• When the eyes move, the eardrums move, too

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Duke University) Simply moving the eyes triggers the eardrums to move too, even in the absence of sound, says a new study by Duke University neuroscientists. The findings, which were replicated in both humans and rhesus monkeys, provide new insight into how the brain coordinates what we see and what we hear. It may also lead to new understanding of hearing disorders, such as difficulty following a conversation in a crowded room.
  
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• Warning follows report into online child sexual abuse risk

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Lancaster University) If the public are serious about wanting to protect children from online sexual abuse more investment in skilled professionals is needed now.The stark warning comes from researchers following publication of a new report commissioned by the Independent Inquiry on Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) which coincided with the first day of the public hearing into online child sexual abuse.
  
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• Vascular bypass grafting: A biomimetic engineering approach

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (University of Pittsburgh) The National Institutes of Health awarded Jonathan Vande Geest, professor of bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, and his multi-institutional research team $672,682 for his one-year study, 'Preclinical assessment of a compliance matched biopolymer vascular graft.' His research builds upon his work at Pitt's Soft Tissue Biomechanics Laboratory designing newly engineered materials that mechanically and microstructurally behave the
  
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• UTA researcher receives $441,000 NIH grant to develop technology for cardiovascular health

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (University of Texas at Arlington) A UTA researcher will use a National Institutes of Health grant to build new imaging technology that will study blood vessel function in patients with heart failure that could lead to quicker diagnosis and life-saving treatment.
  
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• Using epigenetic signatures and machine learning to improve diagnosis

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Greenwood Genetic Center) Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC) researchers in collaboration with scientists from Canada have identified unique epigenetic signatures for nine neurodevelopmental disorders lending to a better method of diagnosis for disorders with much clinical overlap. The epigenetic signatures were developed through methylation array analysis and were reported in the January issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics.
  
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• UNIST startups selected for prestigious tech incubator program for startup

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology(UNIST)) Six startup companies, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) have been selected to partake in Prestigious Tech Incubator Program for Startup (TIPS) by the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
  
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• The Ellen MacArthur Foundation awards VTT for a bio-based packaging solution that reduces the use of plastics

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) The Ellen MacArthur Foundation awarded VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland for a packaging solution made of cellulose in Davos on Jan. 23, 2018.
  
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• The concept of constitution in the history of political thought

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (De Gruyter Open) The aim of the present volume is to discuss the notion of constitution from the perspectives of history of political thought. Its scholarly intention is to go beyond the approach concentrating on the formal understanding of constitution and bring forward more complex historical and philosophic-political interpretations.
  
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• Study shows how fetal infections may cause adult heart disease

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (University of Washington Health Sciences/UW Medicine) Infants born prematurely are known to have a higher risk of developing heart disease later in life.Now, a study led by researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle shows that, in preterm animal models, inflammation due to infection can disrupt the activity of genes that are crucial for normal development of the heart. The findings point to the importance of developing better ways to prevent or therapeutically tar
  
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• Study explores how propaganda recruits terrorists

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (University of Massachusetts Lowell) Neil Shortland, director of the Center for Terrorism and Security Studies at UMass Lowell, recently won a $794,000 grant from the US Department of Defense to study how terrorists use propaganda to recruit members to their ranks and which types of individuals are inclined to be influenced by such tactics.
  
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• Solar power is suited for the energy use of sports halls

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland studied the energy consumption of indoor swimming pools and practice indoor ice rinks, and use of solar power in them.
  
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• So much depends on a tree guard

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Columbia University) In a big city, trees, like people, like their space. In a new study, researchers at Columbia University found that street trees protected by guards that stopped passersby from trampling the surrounding soil absorbed runoff water more quickly than trees in unprotected pits. The results are published online in the journal Ecological Engineering.
  
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• Smart baby pillows for flat head syndrome prevention

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology(UNIST)) A team of students, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has succeeded in developing a smart baby pillow to help prevent and correct mild cases of flat head syndrome. This innovative device has also recently won a gold award at a business idea competition.
  
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• Short-course treatment for combat-related PTSD offers expedited path to recovery

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine) Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be debilitating and standard treatment can take months, often leaving those affected unable to work or care for their families. But, a new study demonstrated that many PTSD sufferers can benefit from an expedited course of treatment.In the first study of its kind, prolonged exposure (PE) therapy was found to be as effective when administered over two weeks as when it is provided over eight weeks
  
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• Scientists emulate the human blood-retinal barrier on a microfluidic chip

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona) A team of scientists in Barcelona has developed a microfluidic device that mimics the human blood-retinal barrier. It enables to test molecules in vitro and to study diseases such as diabetic retinopathy.
  
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• Retrospective test for quantum computers can build trust

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore) Researchers in Singapore and Japan describe in Physical Review Letters two approaches that offer 'post-hoc verification' of quantum computations.
  
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• Researcher to study blunt use among African-American young adults using social media

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center) A new study at the University of Cincinnati Addiction Sciences Division at the College of Medicine will use Twitter to engage blunt users in discussion about the health effects of smoking marijuana and tobacco.
  
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• Reduced attention to audiovisual synchrony in infancy predicts autism diagnosis

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Uppsala University) An ability to integrate information from different sensory modalities is important for infants' development and for their perception of the environment. A new study suggests that infants who pay little attention to synchronous sights and sounds may be at elevated risk for developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  
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• Queen's University scientist unlocks gamma ray burst secrets

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Queen's University Belfast) A Queen's University Belfast scientist has recreated the first ever mini version of a gamma ray burst in a laboratory, opening up a whole new way to investigate their properties and potentially unlocking some of the mysteries around alien civilization.
  
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• Quantum control

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (National University of Science and Technology MISIS) An international team consisting of Russian and German scientists has made a breakthrough in the creation of seemingly impossible materials. They have managed to create the world's first quantum metamaterial which can be used as a control element in superconducting electrical circuits.
  
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• Prosecuting background check and straw purchase violations depends on state laws

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health) Study examined prosecutions following tougher sentencing for 'straw arm' purchases in Pennsylvania and a Maryland court decision that redefined private firearm transfers.
  
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• Princesses and action heroes are for boys and girls

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Springer) Given the chance, young boys will try out dolls, and girls will play with cars and building blocks. It's even possible to encourage the two sexes to play together without too much moaning, says Lauren Spinner of the University of Kent in the UK, lead author of a study in Springer's journal Sex Roles.
  
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• Press registration opens for 2018 spring national meeting of the American Chemical Society

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (American Chemical Society) Journalists may now apply for press credentials for the American Chemical Society's 255th National Meeting & Exposition, one of the largest scientific conferences of the year. It will be held March 18-22, 2018, in New Orleans.
  
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• Personality changes during transition to developing mild cognitive impairment

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (American Geriatrics Society) Personality changes and behavior problems that come with Alzheimer's disease are as troubling as memory loss and other mental difficulties for caregivers and those living with the condition. Mayo Clinic researchers wondered if personality changes that begin early, when MCI memory loss becomes noticeable, might help predict Alzheimer's disease at its earliest stages. The researchers created a study to test their theory and published their findings in the Journal of t
  
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• Only 1 in 10 patients with anxiety disorders receives the right treatment

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute)) The results of an international study commissioned by the World Mental Health with a sample of more than 51,500 individuals from 21 different countries, reveals that 10% of people suffer anxiety. Of these, only 27.6% have received some type of treatment, and this was considered appropriate in only 9.8% of the cases. It is the first time a study has described the treatment gap in anxiety disorders at an international level.
  
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• Number of older people with four or more diseases will double by 2035, say researchers

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Newcastle University) A study published today in Age and Ageing, the scientific journal of the British Geriatrics Society, reports that the number of older people diagnosed with four or more diseases will double between 2015 and 2035.
  
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• NTU Singapore and BlueSG launch ultra-fast charging electric shuttle

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (Nanyang Technological University) NTU Singapore, BlueSG and JTC Corporation launched an ultra-fast charging electric shuttle. The 22-seater, emission-free shuttle undergoes 20 seconds of quick charging at charging stations while passengers board or alight.
  
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• NREL research determines integration of plug-in electric vehicles

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) An influx of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) charging without coordination could prove challenging to the nation's electric grid, according to research conducted by the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
  
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• New report one of the most comprehensive studies on health effects of e-cigarettes

  23-01-2018 06:00
  (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) A new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine takes a comprehensive look at evidence on the human health effects of e-cigarettes. Although the research base is limited given the relatively short time e-cigarettes have been used, the committee that conducted the study identified and examined over 800 peer-reviewed scientific studies, reaching dozens of conclusions about a range o
  
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