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Science News Archive January 2014 - Page 26


Page 26 of 28

Reactivation of the AKT survival pathway by ERK1/2

Researchers found that long-term PI3K inhibitor treatment reactivates Akt through an unknown ERK1/2 regulatory loop. This limits the effectiveness of anti-PI3K strategies against K-Ras mutant or overexpressed tumor cells. Combining MEK-ERK1/2 and PI3K inhibitors may overcome resistance in these tumors.

SourceLandes Bioscience·JournalCancer Biology & Therapy·DateJan 6, 2014

Technology 1 step ahead of war laws

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists explores the impact of emerging military technologies on the laws of war, highlighting the need for new legal thinking and institutions to address asymmetric warfare. The article argues that current international law is no longer sufficient to handle the complexity of modern warfare.

SourceSAGE·JournalBulletin of the Atomic Scientists·DateJan 6, 2014

RAMBO a small but powerful magnet

RAMBO allows researchers to run spectroscopy-based experiments in pulsed magnetic fields of up to 30 tesla on a tabletop. The device enables direct optical access to the sample and combines ultrastrong magnetic fields with short and intense optical pulses.

SourceRice University·JournalReview of Scientific Instruments·DateJan 6, 2014

'Ardi' skull reveals links to human lineage

New research confirms Ardi's close evolutionary relationship to humans, revealing a pattern of similarity linking it to Australopithecus and modern humans. The study shows that the human cranial base pattern is at least a million years older than previously thought, with implications for our understanding of human evolution.

SourceArizona State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 6, 2014

CWRU researcher finds released inmates need programs to meet basic and mental health needs

A new study from Case Western Reserve University finds that released inmates with severe mental illness prioritize basic needs like housing and food over mental health services. The study suggests that social workers and policymakers must ensure that both basic and treatment needs are met during the transition from jail to community.

SourceCase Western Reserve University·JournalQualitative Health Research·DateJan 6, 2014

New fossils shed light on the origins of lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my!)

New fossils from Belgium have revealed the earliest known ancestor of modern carnivores, with species such as lions, tigers and bears tracing their ancestry to primitive carnivorous mammals. The new specimens, including over 250 teeth and ankle bones, provide valuable insights into the evolutionary history of these iconic animals.

SourceSociety of Vertebrate Paleontology·JournalJournal of Vertebrate Paleontology·DateJan 6, 2014

Green spaces deliver lasting mental health benefits

A new study published in Environmental Science & Technology found that moving to a greener area improves mental health and the effect continues long after the move. The research team analyzed data from over 1,000 participants and found significant and sustained improvements in mental health for those who relocated to greener areas.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateJan 6, 2014

Regional variation in Medicare imaging utilization is considerably less than regional variation in imaging costs

A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology reveals that there is minimal change in regional variation of imaging utilization between 2007 and 2011. In contrast, regional variation in imaging costs and other major health services categories remains significant.

SourceAmerican College of Radiology·JournalJournal of the American College of Radiology·DateJan 6, 2014

Worker wasps grow visual brains, queens stay in the dark

A new study reveals that queen paperwasps have smaller visual processing brain regions than workers, suggesting environmental factors shape caste differences. The research highlights the importance of considering individual brain differences within insect colonies for studying neuroecology.

SourceDrexel University·JournalBehavioral Ecology and Sociobiology·DateJan 6, 2014

ALMA spots supernova dust factory

Astronomers have observed a recently formed dust factory in the remnant of Supernova 1987A using ALMA. The findings suggest that significant amounts of dust are being created by supernovae explosions, which could explain the dusty appearance of many galaxies in the early Universe.

SourceESO·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateJan 6, 2014

After a 49-million-year hiatus, a cockroach reappears in North America

A new species of cockroach discovered in Colorado's Green River Formation reveals that the genus Ectobius originated in the New World over 49 million years ago. The finding challenges a long-held assumption about the cockroach's evolutionary history, instead suggesting a complex migration history between the Old and New Worlds.

SourceEntomological Society of America·JournalAnnals of the Entomological Society of America·DateJan 5, 2014

Yeast's lifestyle couples mating with meiosis

Researchers found that Candida lusitaniae fuses its mating and meiosis programs, expressing genes associated with both processes during each. This 'coupling' offers the yeast an efficient way to split diploid products of mating, maintaining its haploid lifestyle. The discovery challenges understanding of fungal reproduction and evolution.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature·DateJan 5, 2014

Supervolcano eruptions are triggered by melt buoyancy

Researchers at ETH Zurich and ESRF have identified a trigger for supereruptions, finding that the overpressure generated by density differences in the magma chamber alone can trigger an eruption. The study suggests that supervolcanos are not triggered solely by overpressure due to magma recharge.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Geoscience·DateJan 5, 2014

Mine landslide triggered quakes

Researchers discovered that a record-breaking landslide at a Utah copper mine triggered 16 small earthquakes due to two massive rock avalanches. The slide was the largest nonvolcanic landslide in modern North American history, covering New York's Central Park with about 20 meters of debris.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalGSA Today·DateJan 5, 2014

New study may aid rearing of stink bugs for biological control

A new study published in Annals of the Entomological Society of America has found that low temperatures can be used to store eggs of the predatory stink bug Podisus nigrispinus. This allows for greater flexibility in mass rearing and storage, increasing the availability of insects for release in the field at an early opportunity.

SourceEntomological Society of America·JournalAnnals of the Entomological Society of America·DateJan 4, 2014

Novel exfoliation method developed by NUS chemists paves the way for 2-dimensional materials to be used in printable photonics and electronics

A team of NUS scientists developed a new method to exfoliate molybdenum disulfide crystals into high-quality monolayer flakes with higher yield and larger flake size than current methods. The breakthrough method can be made into a printable solution, which can be applied in printable photonics and electronics.

SourceNational University of Singapore·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 3, 2014