Science news

• Cyberspy agency defends proposed new powers to go on the offensive

  13-02-2018 23:20 via cbc.ca
  A senior official from Canada's cyberspy agency told a House of Commons committee proposed new powers would allow it to stop a terrorist's mobile phone from detonating a car bomb, block the ability of extremists to communicate, or prevent a foreign power from interfering in the country's democratic process.
  
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• Genes could record forensic clues to time of death

  13-02-2018 23:12
  
  Scientists have found predictable patterns in the way our genetic machinery winds down after death.
  
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• What is a 'normal' blood pressure response during exercise testing?

  13-02-2018 21:43
  New data suggest that the guidelines used to evaluate an individual's peak blood pressure response during cardiopulmonary exercise testing, which were last updated in 1996 and help doctors screen for hypertension and cardiovascular disease, may need to be revised.
  
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• Ocean winds influence seal pup migration

  13-02-2018 21:43
  Scientists have confirmed what native Alaskans have observed for centuries -- maritime winds influence the travel patterns of northern fur seal pups. New research shows strong winds can potentially displace seal pups by hundreds of kilometers during their first winter migration.
  
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• BBC to ban single-use plastics by 2020 after Blue Planet II

  13-02-2018 21:31 via bbc.co.uk
  The move comes after the 'shocking' scale of plastic waste featured on the Blue Planet II series.
  
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• Watch robot skiers race down snowy slopes

  13-02-2018 20:34 via cbc.ca
  While Alpine skiers fought high winds at the Pyeongchang Games on Monday, there were no such problems for robots competing in their own "Olympics" ski challenge.
  
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• The unfolded protein response regulator ATF6 promotes mesodermal differentiation

  13-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  ATF6 encodes a transcription factor that is anchored in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and activated during the unfolded protein response (UPR) to protect cells from ER stress. Deletion of the isoform activating transcription factor 6α (ATF6α) and its paralog ATF6β results in embryonic lethality and notochord dysgenesis in nonhuman vertebrates, and loss-of-function mutations in ATF6α are associated with malformed neuroretina and congenital vision loss in humans. These phen
  
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• Structural basis for the interaction between the cell polarity proteins Par3 and Par6

  13-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Polarity is a fundamental property of most cell types. The Par protein complex is a major driving force in generating asymmetrically localized protein networks and consists of atypical protein kinase C (aPKC), Par3, and Par6. Dysfunction of this complex causes developmental abnormalities and diseases such as cancer. We identified a PDZ domain–binding motif in Par6 that was essential for its interaction with Par3 in vitro and for Par3-mediated membrane localization of Par6 in cultured cells
  
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• Educated natural killer cells show dynamic movement of the activating receptor NKp46 and confinement of the inhibitory receptor Ly49A

  13-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Educated natural killer (NK) cells have inhibitory receptors specific for self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules and kill cancer cells more efficiently than do NK cells that do not have such receptors (hyporesponsive NK cells). The mechanism behind this functional empowerment through education has so far not been fully described. In addition, distinctive phenotypic markers of educated NK cells at the single-cell level are lacking. We developed a refined version of the imag
  
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• (A)GO for gene expression

  13-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  AGO1 promotes, rather than represses, gene expression in response to hormones and stress signaling in plants by binding chromatin.
  
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• Shifting shorelines at Lake Tahoe caused by ancient lava dams

  13-02-2018 19:29
  Pleistocene basaltic lavas form a small volcanic field that was erupted from seven vents in the northwestern Lake Tahoe basin. Most of these lavas were erupted above the water and produced lava flows that dammed the lake outlet and flowed into an early Lake Tahoe. The resulting steam explosions produced deltas composed of fragmental deposits as well as pillow lavas.
  
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• Missing link to novel superconductivity revealed

  13-02-2018 19:29
  Scientists have discovered a state of magnetism that may be the missing link to understanding the relationship between magnetism and unconventional superconductivity.
  
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• Low-cost way to build gene sequences

  13-02-2018 19:29
  A new method enables an average biochemistry laboratory to make its own gene sequences for only about $2 per gene, a process that previously would require its researchers to pay a commercial vendor $50 to $100 per gene. The approach will make it possible for scientists to mass produce thousands of genes and screen for their roles in diseases.
  
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• Gene expression patterns may help determine time of death

  13-02-2018 19:29
  International team of scientists shows that changes in gene expression in different tissues can be used to predict the time of death of individuals. Their results may have implications for forensic analyses.
  
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• Genes remain active after death

  13-02-2018 18:56 via bbc.co.uk
  Cells continue to function even after an individual dies, a discovery that could be developed into a forensic tool.
  
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• Cabozantinib shows promise as first line treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer

  13-02-2018 18:32
  A kinase inhibitor called cabozantinib could be a viable therapy option for patients with metastatic, radioactive iodine-resistant thyroid cancer. In a recent trial tumors shrunk in 34 out of 35 patients who took the drug, and more than half of those patients saw the tumor size decrease by more than 30 percent.
  
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• Why the seafloor starts moving

  13-02-2018 18:04
  When the seabed loses its stability and starts to move, it often happens in much larger dimensions than landslides ashore -- and at slopes with very low gradients. At the same time, discplacement of large amounts of sediment under water scan cause devastating tsunamis. However, why and when submarine landslides develop is hardly understood. Marine scientists have now published possible causes based on observations on submarine landslides off the coast of northwest Africa.
  
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• Understanding a fly's body temperature may help people sleep better

  13-02-2018 18:04
  In findings that one day may help people sleep better, scientists have uncovered the first molecular evidence that two anciently conserved proteins in the brains of insects and mammals share a common biological ancestry as regulators of body temperature rhythms crucial to metabolism and sleep. The scientists study fruit flies (Drosophila) and mice to solve mysteries about body temperature rhythms in insects and mammals.
  
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• The end of yo-yo dieting? Brain switch that controls fat burning uncovered

  13-02-2018 18:04
  Scientists have discovered a molecular switch in the brain that regulates fat burning -- and could provide a way to control weight gain following dieting.
  
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• Snapping shrimp may act as 'dinner bell' for gray whales off Oregon coast

  13-02-2018 18:04
  Scientists have for the first time captured the sounds of snapping shrimp off the Oregon coast and think the loud crackling from the snapping of their claws may serve as a dinner bell for eastern Pacific gray whales.
  
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• Plants feel the heat, especially at night

  13-02-2018 18:04
  Scientists have solved a 79-year-old mystery by discovering how plants vary their response to heat stress depending on the time of day. This understanding could help with breeding commercial crops able to produce higher yields in hotter climates as predicted under climate change.
  
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• One or more soda a day could decrease chances of getting pregnant

  13-02-2018 18:04
  A new study has found that the intake of one or more sugar-sweetened beverages per day -- by either partner -- is associated with a decreased chance of getting pregnant.
  
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• New lead-free perovskite material for solar cells

  13-02-2018 18:04
  Perovskite solar cells are a promising new low-cost photovoltaic technology, but most contain toxic lead. Researchers have introduced solar cells with a new titanium-perovskite material that gets the lead out.
  
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• New insights into human evolution

  13-02-2018 18:04
  The evolution of human biology should be considered part and parcel with the evolution of humanity itself, proposes an assistant professor of biological sciences. She explores an interdisciplinary approach to human evolution.
  
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• Mending broken hearts -- by reprogramming cells

  13-02-2018 18:04
  Scientists have reprogrammed ordinary cells called fibroblasts into new and healthy heart muscle cells, and recorded changes that appear to be necessary for this reprogramming.
  
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• New technique shows how 2-D thin films take the heat

  13-02-2018 17:26
  
  A new method exposes how 2-D materials react when heated, which could help engineers build sturdy next-gen electronics.
  
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• Sex differences in lifespan: X chromosome not the reason

  13-02-2018 17:25
  The shorter average lifespan of males compared to females appears not to be a result of the fact that males have only one X chromosome. This is the conclusion from a research study on fruit flies.
  
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• Palm oil in your Valentine's chocolate? Beware

  13-02-2018 17:23
  A diet rich in saturated fat and sugar not only leads to obesity, it creates inflammation in the nucleus accumbens, a part of the brain that controls mood and the feeling of reward. And this inflammation can lead to depressive, anxious and compulsive behavior and disrupt  metabolism,according to a new study.
  
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• New method maps the dopamine system in Parkinson’s patients

  13-02-2018 17:22
  With the aid of a PET camera, researchers have developed a new method for investigating the dopamine system in the brains of patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease. The method measures levels of a protein called dopamine transporter and could lead to improved diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and the development of new treatments.
  
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• Screening for ovarian cancer not recommended

  13-02-2018 17:15
  The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against screening for ovarian cancer in women without symptoms and who are not known to be at high risk (such as those who have certain hereditary cancer syndromes that increase the risk for ovarian cancer).
  
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• Light-activated cancer drugs without toxic side effects: Fresh insight

  13-02-2018 17:15
  Future cancer drugs that are activated by light and don't cause the toxic side-effects of current chemotherapy treatments are closer to becoming a reality, thanks to new research.
  
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• All-female fish species shows sex is overrated

  13-02-2018 15:08 via cbc.ca
  An all-female freshwater fish species called the Amazon molly is living proof that sexual reproduction may be vastly overrated, scientists say after analyzing its DNA.
  
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• Elongated heads were a mark of elite status in an ancient Peruvian society

  13-02-2018 15:00
  
  Elites in ancient Peruvian society developed a signature, stretched-out head shape over several centuries.
  
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• Iceland's bitcoin miners will guzzle more energy than its homes in 2018

  13-02-2018 14:23 via cbc.ca
  Iceland is expected to use more energy "mining" bitcoins and other virtual currencies this year than it uses to power its homes.
  
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• Amazon fish challenges mutation idea

  13-02-2018 14:19 via bbc.co.uk
  Study of an Amazon fish has challenged ideas about how DNA gathers deadly mutations over time.
  
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• Cannibal Sex and Love Darts: Animal Libido Is Not for the Fainthearted [Slide Show]

  13-02-2018 14:00 via rss.sciam.com
  Some creatures have unusual ways of courting their Valentines-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• What will it take to go to Venus?

  13-02-2018 13:00
  
  Undeterred by funding woes, scientists are scraping together ideas to tackle heat, pressure and acidity challenges of landing on Venus.
  
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• Will Astronomers Be Ready for the Next 'Oumuamua?

  13-02-2018 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  It may already have arrived. Here’s how scientists are preparing for the next close encounter-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Maven, General Motors' car-sharing app, launches in Toronto

  13-02-2018 10:00 via cbc.ca
  General Motors is bringing its car-sharing app to Toronto. In the U.S., nearly 80 per cent of its users are aged 18-34.
  
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• World's biggest city database shines light on our increasingly urbanized planet

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (European Commission Joint Research Centre) The world's largest data platform on cities, launched by the Joint Research Centre, the European Commission's science and knowledge service, reveals the planet is even more urbanized than we thought.
  
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• Understanding brain functions using upconversion nanoparticles

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (National University of Singapore) Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have worked with an international research team to jointly develop a novel approach for deep brain stimulation. The new method utilises upconversion nanoparticles developed by Professor Liu Xiaogang from the Department of Chemistry at NUS Faculty of Science to allow delivery of visible light deep into the brain to stimulate neural activities in a less-invasive manner. This innovation marks a significant
  
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• TV's influence on pregnancy, childbirth more powerful than many women admit

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (University of Cincinnati) UC sociology research may reveal a surprisingly stronger-than-expected influence from TV reality shows and other media on pregnant women's perception and management of their pregnancy and childbirth -- possibly impacting more highly educated consumers.
  
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• True to type: From human biopsy to complex gut physiology on a chip

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard) Published in Scientific Reports, Donald Ingber's team at the Wyss Institute leverages the organoid approach to isolate intestinal stem cells from human biopsies, but goes on to break up the organoids and culture the patient-specific cells within our Organ Chips where they spontaneously form intestinal villi oriented towards the channel lumen, and the epithelium in close apposition to human intestinal microvascular endothelium
  
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• To prevent cyberattacks, agency similar to National Transportation Safety Board suggested

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (Indiana University) After arguably the worst year ever for cyberattacks and data breaches, Indiana University research suggests it may be time to create an independent cybersecurity agency board comparable in approach to the National Transportation Safety Board that investigates airplane crashes and train derailments.
  
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• Three's company: New alloy sets magnetism benchmark

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (American Institute of Physics) Spintronics leverages electron spins to enhance solid-state devices by prolonging battery life. Spintronic developments, however, are increasingly running up against the Slater-Pauling limit, the maximum for how tightly a material can pack its magnetization. Now, a new thin film is poised to break through this decades-old benchmark. Researchers discuss their work constructing a stable thin film made from iron, cobalt and manganese that may push past the Slater-Pau
  
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• The impact of Hurricane Harvey on pregnant moms

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (University of Houston) Women pregnant during Hurricane Harvey, or who became pregnant within six months afterwards, face a special set of stressors that could impact neonatal development and pregnancy outcomes. UH psychology assistant professor Johanna Bick is launching a study to see if a simple online writing exercise can alleviate some of that anxiety.
  
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• Study finds depression and fatigue increase women's risk of work-related injuries

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus) Women who suffer from depression, anxiety, and fatigue are more likely to be injured at work, according to a new study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The study found that these health factors significantly affected women's risk of injury but not men's risk.
  
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• Shorter time between first medical contact to PCI in heart patients linked to saving lives

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (European Society of Cardiology) Heart experts are calling for immediate action following new research in the European Heart Journal that shows every minute counts for patients who suffer the most severe type of heart attack. The study shows numbers of deaths rise steadily and rapidly the longer the time between patients' first contact with a medical professional and when they are treated in hospital with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to insert a balloon catheter to widen blocked arte
  
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• Self-driving servicer now baselined for NASA's Restore-L satellite-servicing demonstration

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) One test changed the fortunes of an advanced 3-D imaging lidar system now baselined for NASA's Restore-L project that will demonstrate an autonomous satellite-servicing capability.
  
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• Russian scientists found an alternative to water chlorination

  13-02-2018 06:00
  (Peter the Great Saint-Petersburg Polytechnic University) Specialists of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, participant of the Project 5-100, developed a unique equipment for complex water purification which can improve or in some cases replace the process of disinfection with chlorine.
  
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