Science news

• Famous dino-bird Archaeopteryx could fly, but not very well

  13-03-2018 22:21 via cbc.ca
  It may not have been a champion aviator, but the famous dino-bird Archaeopteryx was fully capable of flying despite key skeletal differences from its modern cousins, though not exactly gracefully, according to a new study.
  
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• Cosmic dust may create Mars’ wispy clouds

  13-03-2018 22:08
  
  Magnesium left by passing comets seeds the clouds of Mars, a new study suggests.
  
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• Celebrated dino-bird Archaeopteryx could fly, but not very well

  13-03-2018 20:32
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It may not have been a champion aviator, but the famous dino-bird Archaeopteryx was fully capable of flying despite key skeletal differences from its modern cousins, though not exactly gracefully, according to a new study. Think Wright Brothers, not F-22 fighter jet.
  
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• TSLP signaling in CD4+ T cells programs a pathogenic T helper 2 cell state

  13-03-2018 18:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Pathogenic T helper 2 (TH2) cells, which produce increased amounts of the cytokines interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-13, promote allergic disorders, including asthma. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a cytokine secreted by epithelial and innate immune cells, stimulates such pathogenic TH2 cell responses. We found that TSLP signaling in mouse CD4+ T cells initiated transcriptional changes associated with TH2 cell programming. IL-4 signaling amplified and stabilized the genomic response of T cells
  
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• Skp2-dependent reactivation of AKT drives resistance to PI3K inhibitors

  13-03-2018 18:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The PI3K-AKT kinase signaling pathway is frequently deregulated in human cancers, particularly breast cancer, where amplification and somatic mutations of PIK3CA occur with high frequency in patients. Numerous small-molecule inhibitors targeting both PI3K and AKT are under clinical evaluation, but dose-limiting toxicities and the emergence of resistance limit therapeutic efficacy. Various resistance mechanisms to PI3K inhibitors have been identified, including de novo mutations, feedback activat
  
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• p38{alpha} signaling in Langerhans cells promotes the development of IL-17-producing T cells and psoriasiform skin inflammation

  13-03-2018 18:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Dendritic cells (DCs) contribute to psoriasis pathogenesis. In a mouse model of imiquimod-induced psoriasiform skin inflammation, we found that p38α activity in Langerhans cells (LCs), a skin-resident subset of DCs, promoted the generation of T cells that produce IL-17, a proinflammatory cytokine that is implicated in autoimmune disease. Deletion of p38α in LCs, but not in other skin or circulating DC subsets or T cells, decreased T cell–mediated psoriasiform skin inflammation
  
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• Extension of chemotactic pseudopods by nonadherent human neutrophils does not require or cause calcium bursts

  13-03-2018 18:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Global bursts in free intracellular calcium (Ca2+) are among the most conspicuous signaling events in immune cells. To test the common view that Ca2+ bursts mediate rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton in response to the activation of G protein–coupled receptors, we combined single-cell manipulation with fluorescence imaging and monitored the Ca2+ concentration in individual human neutrophils during complement-mediated chemotaxis. By decoupling purely chemotactic pseudopod formation fro
  
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• Epigenetic ignition of melanoma

  13-03-2018 18:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The histone demethylases LSD1 and JMJD2C enable premalignant melanocytes to escape oncogene-induced senescence and form aggressive melanomas.
  
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• Archaeopteryx flew like a pheasant, say scientists

  13-03-2018 18:34 via bbc.co.uk
  The famous winged dinosaur Archaeopteryx, once thought of as the first bird, could fly, research shows.
  
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• Brain waves may focus attention and keep information flowing

  13-03-2018 18:00
  
  Not just by-products of busy nerve cells, brain waves may be key to how the brain operates.
  
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• National Geographic acknowledges past racist coverage

  13-03-2018 17:19 via cbc.ca
  ​National Geographic acknowledged on Monday that it covered the world through a racist lens for generations, with its magazine portrayals of bare-breasted women and naive brown-skinned tribesmen as savage, unsophisticated and unintelligent.
  
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• Dino-bird had wings made for flapping, not just gliding

  13-03-2018 17:00
  
  Archaeopteryx fossils suggest the dino-birds were capable of flapping their wings in flight.
  
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• Stone Age people in South Africa able to thrive after supervolcano eruption

  13-03-2018 15:50 via cbc.ca
  A supervolcano eruption about 74,000 years ago on Indonesia's island of Sumatra caused a large-scale environmental calamity that may have decimated Stone Age human populations in parts of the world. But some populations, it seems, endured it unscathed.
  
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• Humans 'thrived' after historic Mount Toba eruption

  13-03-2018 12:00 via bbc.co.uk
  Early humans may have flourished after the largest volcanic eruption in history, according to new research.
  
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• Like Ancient Snowball Earth, Frozen Planets May Still Be Habitable

  13-03-2018 11:45 via rss.sciam.com
  A new model suggests ice-locked worlds might contain oases of temperate land that could support life-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• VTT enters cooperation with Hitachi

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Japanese company Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the development and commercialization of silicon photonics and optical data transfer components.
  
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• UTHealth/Memorial Hermann conduct first sinus surgery in US with augmented reality technology

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) Sinus surgeons with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center are the first in the United States to use augmented reality technology during minimally invasive sinus procedures
  
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• Using whole genome analysis to home in on racing pigeon performance

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Molecular Biology and Evolution (Oxford University Press)) A scientific team led by Malgorzata Anna Gazda and Miguel Carneiro, performed the first whole genome sequencing of 10 racing pigeons as well as data from 35 different breeds, and has now identified new clues in racing pigeons that may help enhance their performance. The study also including looking at gene expression differences (using RNA sequencing expression data) in the brains and muscle tissue of racing pigeons versus other breeds.
  
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• UH optometrist investigates changes in eye structure in astronauts

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Houston) A University of Houston optometrist studies the vision of returning International Space Station astronauts and proves a structural change to their eyes.
  
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• Toilet-to-tap: Gross to think about, but how does it taste?

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (University of California - Riverside) Researchers at University of California, Riverside, asked 143 people to express a preference among recycled water, bottled water, and tap water. They hypothesized that all three would score similarly. In fact, tap water was the least popular among the tasters; recycled water and bottled water scored about the same.
  
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• Thyroid gene variation may increase risk for Alzheimer's disease in African Americans

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Rush University Medical Center) African Americans with a common genetic variation are at increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, while European Americans with the same variation are not, according to a study led by researchers at Rush University Medical Center. They published the study results in the February 22 online issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
  
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• The thousand-year-old egg (video)

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (American Chemical Society) Century eggs, or pidan, are a preserved food made by fermenting duck eggs in alkali. The green and black color of these eggs is not very appealing at first blush, and the smell is even worse. However, this Ming dynasty innovation effectively extended the shelf life of eggs and has been adopted as a beloved comfort food in China and throughout the world. Reactions explains the chemistry behind this unusual culinary offering.
  
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• Study IDs 'white graphene' architecture with unprecedented hydrogen storage capacity

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Rice University) Rice University engineers have zeroed in on the optimal architecture for storing hydrogen in 'white graphene' nanomaterials -- a design like a Lilliputian skyscraper with 'floors' of boron nitride sitting one atop another and held by boron nitride pillars.
  
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• Sensor City awarded £3.5M for 5G health and social care project

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Liverpool) Sensor City, the joint venture project between the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University, has been awarded a £3.5m grant to investigate the opportunities of 5G community Wi-Fi in health and social care.
  
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• Sensor City awarded £3.5 million for 5G health and social care project

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Liverpool) Sensor City, the joint venture project between the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University, has been awarded a £3.5 million grant to investigate the opportunities of 5G community Wi-Fi in health and social care.
  
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• Scientists create hybrid nanomaterials in fight against cancer and bacteria

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (National University of Science and Technology MISIS) Scientists from the National University of Science and Technology MISIS (NUST MISIS), the State Research Center for Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology and the Queensland University (Brisbane, Australia) have created BN/Ag hybrid nanomaterials and have proved their effectiveness as catalysts and antibacterial agents as well as for treating oncological diseases. The results are published in the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology.
  
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• Russian physicists make toy asteroids and blast them with a laser

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology) Researchers created small copies of asteroids in the laboratory, and then destroyed them with lasers. The nanosecond laser pulse served as an experimental substitute for a nuclear explosion. The experiments showed high efficiency of nuclear anti-asteroid defense. The study suggests the most effective asteroid destruction criteria, such as the explosion energy needed to eliminate a dangerous object on a collision course with Earth.
  
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• Road, rail, boat: Sandia transport triathlon puts spent nuclear fuel to the test

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (DOE/Sandia National Laboratories) Late last year, Sandia researchers completed an eight-month, 14,500-mile triathlon-like test to gather data on the bumps and jolts spent nuclear fuel experiences during transportation.
  
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• Researchers develop spectroscopic thermometer for nanomaterials

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory) A scientific team led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has found a new way to take the local temperature of a material from an area about a billionth of a meter wide, or approximately 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. This discovery, published in Physical Review Letters, promises to improve the understanding of useful yet unusual physical and chemical behaviors that arise in materials and structures at the nanoscale.
  
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• Researchers computationally find the needle in a haystack to treat rare diseases

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Louisiana State University) One in 10 people in America is fighting a rare disease, or a disorder that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans. Researchers have developed a sophisticated and systematic way to identify existing drugs that can be repositioned to treat a rare disease or condition.
  
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• Researchers bring the bling to improve implants

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (RMIT University) In a world first, Australian researchers have harnessed the power of diamonds in a breakthrough that could lead to radical improvements in the way human bodies accept biomedical implants.
  
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• Rensselaer professor Jian Sun receives Power Electronics Achievement Award

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) Jian Sun, professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering and director the New York State Center for Future Energy Systems at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, received the 2017 R. David Middlebrook Outstanding Achievement Award from the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS). He was recognized for 'contributions to modeling and control of power electronic converters and systems.'
  
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• Register now to cover the ATS 2018 International Conference

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (American Thoracic Society) The American Thoracic Society will host the world's leading scientists and clinicians in the fields of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at the ATS 2018 International Conference (ATS 2018). This year marks our 114th conference, and will feature 500+ sessions and more than 6,000 abstracts and case reports.
  
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• PSU receives $300,000 grant to help students use big data to guide Portland's growth

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Portland State University) The National Science Foundation has awarded Portland State University a three-year, $300,000 grant to help undergraduate student researchers use big data to guide growth in the Portland metropolitan region.
  
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• Prevent antibiotic resistances from spreading: Rapid test helps administering the 'correct' drug

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Leibniz-Institute of Photonic Technology) Multi-resistant microbes are a growing danger. The often unnecessary and mass use of antibiotics causes the impassivity of pathogens against drugs. Infections that were easily curable up to now, may become life threatening. A new rapid test will give information on which available antibiotic is still effective. Faster diagnostics allow a personalized therapy and saves lives. A requirement for prevention of spreading antibiotic resistances is a targeted,
  
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• Patients with multiple conditions receive higher level of care in affluent areas

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (American Academy of Family Physicians) Patients with multimorbidity -- two or more long-term medical conditions -- have complex health care needs, often requiring higher levels of care than other patients. According to a new study, however, patients with multimorbidity in affluent areas receive longer doctor visits, greater perceived empathy, and more patient-centered care than comparable patients in socioeconomically deprived areas.
  
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• Oseltamivir does not increase risk of suicide in children

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (American Academy of Family Physicians) A new study finds that use of oseltamivir, an antiviral drug used to treat influenza A and B, does not increase risk of suicide in children.
  
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• Off-the-shelf smart devices found easy to hack

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) 'It only took 30 minutes to find passwords for most of the devices and some of them were found only through a Google search of the brand,' says Omer Shwartz, a Ph.D. student and member of Dr. Oren's lab. 'Once hackers can access an IoT device, like a camera, they can create an entire network of these camera models controlled remotely.'
  
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• NIDA's 2018 Avant-Garde awards highlight immune response and killer cells

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse) With diverse proposals focused on everything from natural killer cells to therapeutic vaccines to treat HIV, three recipients have been selected for the 2018 Avant-Garde Award for HIV/AIDS Research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health. The awards will each provide $500,000 per year for up to five years (subject to the availability of funds) to support the research of three scientists, Drs. Catherine Blish, Nat
  
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• New guidelines on preventing and treating 'equine strep throat'

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Pennsylvania) Ashley Boyle, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine, took the lead in writing a new consensus statement, issued by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, on treating, controlling, and preventing strangles in horses.
  
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• NASA sees Tropical Cyclone Linda lose an 'arm'

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Tropical Cyclone 13P has been renamed Tropical Cyclone Linda in the Southern Pacific Ocean. NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites found a powerful band of thunderstorms east of Linda's center that resembled an arm, fell apart in nine hours.
  
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• Multifunctional metalens unlocks with light

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a flat optical component that is simultaneously a metalens, a microscope objective that can resolve details smaller than a wavelength of light, and an optical vortex and hologram generator. Each functionality is controlled by a different wavelength of light.
  
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• Mindfulness meditation reduces incidence of major depression

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (American Academy of Family Physicians) Among primary care patients with subthreshold depression, mindfulness meditation training reduces the incidence of major depression and improves depression symptoms.
  
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• Mesenchymal stem cell therapy: Holding promise for feline inflammatory diseases

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (SAGE) Stem cell therapy is acknowledged as having great potential for the treatment of a variety of diseases in both people and animals. The use of bone marrow-derived stem cells is well established in the treatment of human cancer patients, and veterinary applications for bone marrow- and adipose-derived stem cells are being evaluated
  
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• Mending broken hearts with cardiomyocyte molds

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Michigan Technological University) Whether caused by an undetected birth defect or by a heart attack (myocardial infarction), when a heart sustains damage, it can be difficult to repair.
  
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• Men and women have opposite genetic alterations in depression

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Elsevier) Men and women with major depressive disorder (MDD) have opposite changes in the expression of the same genes, according to a new postmortem brain study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada. The findings, published in Biological Psychiatry, indicate distinct pathology, and suggest that men and women may need different types of treatment for depression.
  
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• March/April 2018 Annals of Family Medicine tip sheet

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (American Academy of Family Physicians) Annals of Family Medicine is a peer-reviewed, indexed research journal that provides a cross-disciplinary forum for new, evidence-based information affecting the primary care disciplines.
  
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• IUPUI field-data study finds no evidence of racial bias in predictive policing

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Science) While predictive policing aims to improve the effectiveness of police patrols, there is concern that these algorithms may lead police to target minority communities and result in discriminatory arrests.An IUPUI School of Science computer scientist conducted the first study to look at real-time field data from Los Angeles, CA and found predictive policing did not result in biased arrests.
  
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• Individual education programs not being used as intended in special education

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (Penn State) Gone are the days when students with disabilities were placed in a separate classroom, or even in a completely different part of the school. These students often sit alongside their traditional student peers for at least part of the day, with the help of individualized education programs (IEPs).
  
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• IMDEA Networks participates in Spain's first Master's degree in 5G

  13-03-2018 05:00
  (IMDEA Networks Institute) Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and Ericsson have launched a Master's in NFV and SDN technologies for 5G networks with the collaboration of IMDEA Networks This program, which will be taught at the UC3M Madrid-Puerta de Toledo campus and the Ericsson Auditorium in Madrid, is the product of a long-standing collaboration between both entities in the area of education and research.
  
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