Science news

• Walnuts impact gut microbiome and improve health

  03-05-2018 23:50
  Diets rich in nuts, such as walnuts, have been shown to play a role in heart health and in reducing colorectal cancer. According to a new study, the way walnuts impact the gut microbiome -- the collection of trillions of microbes or bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract -- may be behind some of those health benefits.
  
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• Committee chair calls on firms to freeze data linked to Facebook privacy scandal

  03-05-2018 23:49 via cbc.ca
  The chair of the parliamentary committee investigating the Facebook privacy scandal is calling on companies at the centre of the controversy to preserve vital data, following news that Cambridge Analytica is filing for bankruptcy.
  
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• Twitter says glitch exposed some users' passwords

  03-05-2018 22:33 via cbc.ca
  Twitter is urging its more than 330 million users to change their passwords after a glitch caused some of them to be stored in plain text on its internal computer network.
  
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• Masks to protect against China's smog not always effective, tests show

  03-05-2018 22:22 via cbc.ca
  Face masks available to consumers in China for protection against air pollution vary widely in their real-world performance, suggests a recent study.
  
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• Newly-discovered anti-inflammatory substances may potentially treat variety of diseases

  03-05-2018 22:19
  Researchers have discovered a new family of substances which has been found to display highly potent activity against the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the toxicity induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The novel compounds synthesized and evaluated belong to a family of low molecular weight substances named indolines. In early experiments, these compounds have shown promising activity in the treatment of acute pancreatic inflammation, acute fatty liver damage, and diabetes.
  
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• Poor countries face 'unfair pattern' of temperature swings

  03-05-2018 21:44 via cbc.ca
  A new study suggests temperature changes made worse by climate change will hit poor countries the hardest.
  
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• Plants get a brace to precisely shed flowers and leaves

  03-05-2018 21:42
  Spring. As a delicate wind blows, pink cherry blossom petals leave branches by flying in the air. It sounds like the setting of a romantic movie, but it is actually the research topic. Biologists are keen on studying this as the mechanism of such process is far from clear. Spoiling the magic, each of the falling petals leaves behind a little open cut, which might be prone to infection. The same happens when plants shed leaves, fruits, and seeds.
  
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• Fighting like an animal doesn’t always mean a duel to the death

  03-05-2018 21:05
  
  Conflict resolution within species isn’t always deadly and often involves cost-benefit analyses.
  
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• The solution to climate change might be in your fridge

  03-05-2018 20:44 via cbc.ca
  A new study has evaluated all possible contributing factors to greenhouse gas emissions from farm to fork and come up with suggestions for citizens and municipalities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  
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• Wriggling tadpoles may hold clue to how autism develops

  03-05-2018 20:29
  New research sheds light on a phenomenon called neuroplasticity.
  
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• Volcanic hazard scenarios: Mount Taranaki, New Zealand

  03-05-2018 20:29
  Over the last 5000 years, Mount Taranaki volcano, located in the westernmost part of New Zealand's North Island, produced at least 16 Plinian-scale explosive eruptions, the latest at AD 1655. These eruptions had magnitudes of 4 to 5, eruptive styles, and contrasting basaltic to andesitic chemical compositions comparable to the eruptions of Etna, 122 BC; Vesuvius, AD79; Tarawera, 1886; Pelée, 1902; Colima, 1910; Mount Saint Helens, 1980; Merapi, 2010; and Calbuco, 2015.
  
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• The headache of adapting to the cold, literally

  03-05-2018 20:29
  A common genetic variant implicated in migraine headaches may have proliferated because it helped early humans adapt to cold weather in northern climates.
  
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• New light on genetic foundation of migraines

  03-05-2018 20:29
  The nauseating, often debilitating, headaches affect 15-20 percent of adults in developed countries, yet they remain stubbornly hard to explain. Scientists know that migraines tend to run in families but aren't sure exactly how. A new study shows why some families are susceptible to migraines and how genetics may influence the type of migraine they get.
  
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• Nation's first cardiac ablation with mapping system recently cleared by the FDA performed at Penn Medicine

  03-05-2018 20:29
  After eight years of failed treatment for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF), a New Jersey patient became the first patient in the United States to undergo cardiac ablation -- a procedure in which an electrophysiologist will scar or destroy tissue in the heart that's allowing incorrect electrical signals to cause an abnormal heart rhythm -- using an intraoperative imaging and mapping system recently cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
  
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• Mistletoe has lost 'most of its respiratory capacity'

  03-05-2018 20:29
  Most people know mistletoe as a plant to hang up and kiss under at the holidays. But in its natural environment, mistletoe is a hemiparasite, latching onto trees and extracting water and nutrients from them. Now, two independent studies show that mistletoe's parasitic lifestyle has brought about a surprising evolutionary loss. Mistletoe lacks key components of the cellular machinery other organisms depend upon to convert glucose into ATP.
  
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• Microbeads to combat infection show promise in burn wound simulations

  03-05-2018 20:29
  Computer simulations of microscopic, protein-coated beads that block bacteria from binding to host cells suggest that the microbeads could help reduce or eliminate bacterial infections in burn wounds.
  
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• Gray hair linked to immune system activity and viral infection

  03-05-2018 20:29
  A new study on mice offers insights into why some people's hair may turn gray in response to a serious illness or chronic stress. Researchers have discovered a connection between the genes that contribute to hair color and the genes that notify our bodies of a pathogenic infection.
  
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• Environmental quality research questions identified for Latin American region

  03-05-2018 20:29
  Using an innovative initiative, Latin American researchers from academia, government agencies and businesses leaders identified priority research questions for the region to tackle pressing environmental quality issues.
  
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• Discovery of gene of extra chromosome boosts zebra finch biology

  03-05-2018 20:29
  Researchers have identified the first gene of the germline-restricted chromosome in zebra finches, a finding that could pave the way for further research into what makes a bird male or female.
  
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• A designer's toolkit for constructing complex nanoparticles

  03-05-2018 20:29
  A team of chemists has developed a designer's toolkit that lets them build various levels of complexity into nanoparticles using a simple, mix-and-match process. This work will allow researchers to create a library of complex nanoparticles that could be used in medical, energy, and electronic applications.
  
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• Revealing the remarkable nanostructure of human bone

  03-05-2018 20:28
  Using advanced 3D nanoscale imaging of the mineral in human bone, research teams have shown that the mineral crystals of bone have a hierarchical structure integrated into the larger-scale make-up of the skeleton.
  
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• New approach to starve p53 deficient tumors

  03-05-2018 20:28
  Researchers recently discovered an alternative metabolic pathway that might be used by cancer cells to survive nutrient deprivation. Targeting these proteins to disrupt autophagy in cancer cells is an exciting therapeutic strategy that could minimize toxicity.
  
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• Neurons use a single switch to decide whether to make or break new connections

  03-05-2018 20:28
  Visualizing the signals that make brain cells connect reveals new insights into the developing brain.
  
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• Madagascar periwinkle research uncovers pathway to cancer-fighting drugs

  03-05-2018 20:28
  Plant scientists have taken the crucial last steps in a 60-year quest to unravel the complex chemistry of Madagascar periwinkle in a breakthrough that opens up the potential for rapid synthesis of cancer-fighting compounds.
  
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• A new model for communication in plant cells

  03-05-2018 20:28
  A study suggests a new model for how glutamate receptor-like proteins (GLRs) function in plant cells. Working with Arabidopsis thaliana pollen cells, the researchers found that GLRs form the basis of a complex communication network inside individual plant cells. Their findings also suggest that GLRs rely on another group of proteins, called 'cornichon' proteins, to shuttle GLRs to different locations and regulate GLR activity within each cell.
  
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• Temperature swings to hit poor countries hardest

  03-05-2018 20:27
  Temperature fluctuations that are amplified by climate change will hit the world's poorest countries hardest, new research suggests.
  
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• Study points to the futility of urine tests for salbutamol doping

  03-05-2018 20:27
  Salbutamol, also known as albuterol, is a medication that opens up constricted medium and large airways in the lungs and is often used to treat asthma.
  
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• Long-distance relationships of particles: Electron-hole pairs in two-dimensional crystals

  03-05-2018 20:27
  Researchers reveal the nature of optical excitations in two-dimensional crystals within an international collaboration
  
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• Adapting to life in the north may have been a real headache

  03-05-2018 20:02
  
  A cold-sensing protein has adapted to different local climates, also affecting risk of migraine.
  
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• Core Strength: Extreme "Close-Ups" May Help Explain Why Our Bones Are So Strong

  03-05-2018 20:00 via rss.sciam.com
  Snapshots taken at roughly 400,000x zoom reveal mineral crystals and proteins organize into twisting, helical shapes-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Uncovering the essential genes of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum by saturation mutagenesis

  03-05-2018 19:39
  Severe malaria is caused by the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Despite decades of research, the distinct biology of these parasites has made it challenging to establish high-throughput genetic approaches to identify and prioritize therapeutic targets. Using transposon mutagenesis of P. falciparum in an approach that exploited its AT-rich genome, we generated more than 38,000 mutants, saturating the genome and defining mutability and fitness costs for over 87% of genes. Of 5399 gene
  
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• Tunable intraparticle frameworks for creating complex heterostructured nanoparticle libraries

  03-05-2018 19:39
  Complex heterostructured nanoparticles with precisely defined materials and interfaces are important for many applications. However, rationally incorporating such features into nanoparticles with rigorous morphology control remains a synthetic bottleneck. We define a modular divergent synthesis strategy that progressively transforms simple nanoparticle synthons into increasingly sophisticated products. We introduce a series of tunable interfaces into zero-, one-, and two-dimensional copper sulfi
  
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• The threshold for conscious report: Signal loss and response bias in visual and frontal cortex

  03-05-2018 19:39
  Why are some visual stimuli consciously detected, whereas others remain subliminal? We investigated the fate of weak visual stimuli in the visual and frontal cortex of awake monkeys trained to report stimulus presence. Reported stimuli were associated with strong sustained activity in the frontal cortex, and frontal activity was weaker and quickly decayed for unreported stimuli. Information about weak stimuli could be lost at successive stages en route from the visual to the frontal cortex, and
  
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• Structure of the DASH/Dam1 complex shows its role at the yeast kinetochore-microtubule interface

  03-05-2018 19:39
  Kinetochores connect mitotic-spindle microtubules with chromosomes, allowing microtubule depolymerization to pull chromosomes apart during anaphase while resisting detachment as the microtubule shortens. The heterodecameric DASH/Dam1 complex (DASH/Dam1c), an essential component of yeast kinetochores, assembles into a microtubule-encircling ring. The ring associates with rodlike Ndc80 complexes to organize the kinetochore-microtubule interface. We report the cryo–electron microscopy structu
  
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• Real-space and real-time observation of a plasmon-induced chemical reaction of a single molecule

  03-05-2018 19:39
  Plasmon-induced chemical reactions of molecules adsorbed on metal nanostructures are attracting increased attention for photocatalytic reactions. However, the mechanism remains controversial because of the difficulty of direct observation of the chemical reactions in the plasmonic field, which is strongly localized near the metal surface. We used a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to achieve real-space and real-time observation of a plasmon-induced chemical reaction at the single-molecule lev
  
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• Polyamide membranes with nanoscale Turing structures for water purification

  03-05-2018 19:39
  The emergence of Turing structures is of fundamental importance, and designing these structures and developing their applications have practical effects in chemistry and biology. We use a facile route based on interfacial polymerization to generate Turing-type polyamide membranes for water purification. Manipulation of shapes by control of reaction conditions enabled the creation of membranes with bubble or tube structures. These membranes exhibit excellent water-salt separation performance that
  
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• Pleistocene North African genomes link Near Eastern and sub-Saharan African human populations

  03-05-2018 19:39
  North Africa is a key region for understanding human history, but the genetic history of its people is largely unknown. We present genomic data from seven 15,000-year-old modern humans, attributed to the Iberomaurusian culture, from Morocco. We find a genetic affinity with early Holocene Near Easterners, best represented by Levantine Natufians, suggesting a pre-agricultural connection between Africa and the Near East. We do not find evidence for gene flow from Paleolithic Europeans to Late Pleis
  
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• Piezo2 channel-Merkel cell signaling modulates the conversion of touch to itch

  03-05-2018 19:39
  The somatosensory system relays many signals ranging from light touch to pain and itch. Touch is critical to spatial awareness and communication. However, in disease states, innocuous mechanical stimuli can provoke pathologic sensations such as mechanical itch (alloknesis). The molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern this conversion remain unknown. We found that in mice, alloknesis in aging and dry skin is associated with a loss of Merkel cells, the touch receptors in the skin. Targeted ge
  
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• Morphogen gradient reconstitution reveals Hedgehog pathway design principles

  03-05-2018 19:39
  In developing tissues, cells estimate their spatial position by sensing graded concentrations of diffusible signaling proteins called morphogens. Morphogen-sensing pathways exhibit diverse molecular architectures, whose roles in controlling patterning dynamics and precision have been unclear. In this work, combining cell-based in vitro gradient reconstitution, genetic rewiring, and mathematical modeling, we systematically analyzed the distinctive architectural features of the Sonic Hedgehog path
  
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• Fractal-like hierarchical organization of bone begins at the nanoscale

  03-05-2018 19:39
  The components of bone assemble hierarchically to provide stiffness and toughness. However, the organization and relationship between bone’s principal components—mineral and collagen—has not been clearly elucidated. Using three-dimensional electron tomography imaging and high-resolution two-dimensional electron microscopy, we demonstrate that bone mineral is hierarchically assembled beginning at the nanoscale: Needle-shaped mineral units merge laterally to form platelets, and t
  
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• Enhanced thermal stability of nanograined metals below a critical grain size

  03-05-2018 19:39
  The limitation of nanograined materials is their strong tendency to coarsen at elevated temperatures. As grain size decreases into the nanoscale, grain coarsening occurs at much lower temperatures, as low as ambient temperatures for some metals. We discovered that nanometer-sized grains in pure copper and nickel produced from plastic deformation at low temperatures exhibit notable thermal stability below a critical grain size. The instability temperature rises substantially at smaller grain size
  
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• CORNICHON sorting and regulation of GLR channels underlie pollen tube Ca2+ homeostasis

  03-05-2018 19:39
  Compared to animals, evolution of plant calcium (Ca2+) physiology has led to a loss of proteins for influx and small ligand–operated control of cytosolic Ca2+, leaving many Ca2+ mechanisms unaccounted for. Here, we show a mechanism for sorting and activation of glutamate receptor–like channels (GLRs) by CORNICHON HOMOLOG (CNIH) proteins. Single mutants of pollen-expressed Arabidopsis thaliana GLRs (AtGLRs) showed growth and Ca2+ flux phenotypes expected for plasma membrane Ca2+ chann
  
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• C1q restrains autoimmunity and viral infection by regulating CD8+ T cell metabolism

  03-05-2018 19:39
  Deficiency of C1q, the initiator of the complement classical pathway, is associated with the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Explaining this association in terms of abnormalities in the classical pathway alone remains problematic because C3 deficiency does not predispose to SLE. Here, using a mouse model of SLE, we demonstrate that C1q, but not C3, restrains the response to self-antigens by modulating the mitochondrial metabolism of CD8+ T cells, which can themselves propagate
  
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• Activation mechanism of a human SK-calmodulin channel complex elucidated by cryo-EM structures

  03-05-2018 19:39
  Small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels mediate neuron excitability and are associated with synaptic transmission and plasticity. They also regulate immune responses and the size of blood cells. Activation of SK channels requires calmodulin (CaM), but how CaM binds and opens SK channels has been unclear. Here we report cryo–electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of a human SK4-CaM channel complex in closed and activated states at 3.4- and 3.5-angstrom resolution, respectively.
  
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• Ancestral remains 'people not objects'

  03-05-2018 16:48 via bbc.co.uk
  A collective of scientists recommends that human ancestors be respected as individuals.
  
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• Seal avoids 'slow and painful death' by air vent filter

  03-05-2018 16:06 via bbc.co.uk
  Vets who treated the seal, which had a deep neck wound, had "never seen anything as severe".
  
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• Hawaii poised to ban sale of some sunscreens that harm coral

  03-05-2018 16:03 via cbc.ca
  Many sunscreen makers could soon be forced to change their formulas or be banned from selling the lotions in Hawaii.
  
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• Facebook fires employee over Tinder post about access to private user info

  03-05-2018 14:54 via cbc.ca
  Facebook Inc. says it has fired an employee accused of bragging on matchmaking app Tinder about his access to private user information.
  
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• Tyson Foods backs Israeli startup to grow meat in the lab

  03-05-2018 14:46
  JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Tyson Foods , the largest U.S. meat processor, has invested in an Israeli biotech company developing a way to grow affordable meat in a laboratory that takes live animals out of the equation.
  
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• Ancient seabird had a toothy beak and a dinosaur's bite

  03-05-2018 14:18 via cbc.ca
  A primitive seabird that prospered about 85 million years ago along the warm, shallow inland sea that once split North America boasted what scientists are calling a surprising blend of traits from its dinosaur ancestors and modern avian characteristics.
  
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