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Science News for April 11, 2016


The brain on LSD revealed: First scans show how the drug affects the brain

Researchers from Imperial College London have visualized the effects of LSD on the human brain for the first time, revealing complex changes in brain activity that underlie psychedelic experiences. The study found that LSD alters the way brain networks process information, leading to a more integrated and unified brain state.

SourceImperial College London·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 11, 2016

Mapping the routes to drug resistance in cancer

Cancer researchers used single-cell phosphoproteomics to study glioblastoma and found that tumors adapt and resist therapies in as little as 48 hours. The approach could lead to personalized treatment with better combination therapies for this deadly brain cancer.

SourceCell Press·JournalCancer Cell·DateApr 11, 2016

Scientists uncover what makes plants 'clot'

Researchers have identified two novel molecular players necessary to regulate plasmodesmata in plants under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. These enzymes help control the flow of nutrients, minerals, and cellular signals between cells by altering callose levels at the plasmodesmata channel.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalNature Plants·DateApr 11, 2016

Shining new light on diabetes treatment

Researchers have created a light-activated tool to adapt drugs for type 2 diabetes. The study provides insight into cellular receptor signalling and could lead to more efficient anti-diabetic drugs. The new tool, PhotoETP, allows precise control over blood glucose levels with fewer side effects.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateApr 11, 2016

New insights into how the brain adapts to stress

New research reveals that stressful events result in DNA de-methylation, leading to the suppression of gene expression and facilitating adaptive behavioral responses. The study also found a link between SAM, a compound produced by the liver, and stress-related responses in the brain.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 11, 2016

It's a small world

Researchers at UCSB have mapped the network of circadian neurons that communicate to re-establish synchronization, finding a 'small-world structure' with hubs and short paths for communication. This discovery sheds light on how the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) regulates essential functions like sleep and hormone release.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 11, 2016

Discovery in roundworms may one day help humans with spinal cord injury and paralysis

Researchers found a novel neuron regeneration pathway in C. elegans that could lead to treatments for human spinal cord injury and paralysis. The discovery sheds light on the adult human nervous system's ability to regenerate, which is essential for restoring health to people with permanent neurological damage.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 11, 2016

Breakthrough may stop multiple sclerosis in its tracks

Researchers at University of Queensland have developed a new plant-derived drug, T20K, that can block the progression of multiple sclerosis. The treatment, extracted from the Oldenlandia affinis plant, has shown success in an animal model and may offer a new quality of life for people with the debilitating disease.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 11, 2016

More males born to Indian-born women in Canada who already have daughters

A large study in CMAJ found that Indian-born women living in Ontario, Canada, who already have two daughters are more likely to have a boy. The likelihood of male births increases if women had an induced abortion before the birth. Birth ratios fell within natural ranges for Canadian-born and immigrant women from most other countries.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateApr 11, 2016

Solving a genetic mystery in type 1 diabetes

Scientists have found that the RGS1 gene affects the frequency of T follicular helper cells, which are important for B cell production and seem to be crucial for the disease. The study suggests that while inhibiting RGS1 did not prevent autoimmune diabetes, it changes the way cells move within lymph nodes and spleen.

SourceJoslin Diabetes Center·JournalGenes and Immunity·DateApr 11, 2016

Even low levels of air pollution appear to affect a child's lungs

A recent study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that exposure to even low levels of air pollution affects children's lung function. Children living near major highways showed significant reductions in lung function, with those exposed to higher levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) a...

SourceAmerican Thoracic Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateApr 11, 2016

Battery components can take the heat

Researchers at Rice University have developed a combined electrolyte and separator for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that can operate at high temperatures, including 150 degrees Celsius, with negligible loss of efficiency. The 'white graphene' composite eliminates the need for conventional plastic or polymer separators and is desi...

SourceRice University·JournalAdvanced Energy Materials·DateApr 11, 2016

Brittle is better for making cement

Rice University scientists have discovered that certain types of tricalcium silicates are more efficient to produce cement due to their structural properties. These findings could lead to lower energy consumption and reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with concrete production, a major contributor to climate change.

SourceRice University·JournalJournal of the American Ceramic Society·DateApr 11, 2016

Can more fiber restore microbiome diversity?

Researchers at the University of Alberta advocate for increasing dietary fiber intake to regain lost microbial biodiversity. A recent study found that mice fed a Western diet with low fiber transferred lower beneficial microbial species to future generations, indicating extinctions had occurred in just a few generations.

SourceCell Press·JournalTrends in Endocrinology and Metabolism·DateApr 11, 2016

The fourth dimension

Researchers propose an algorithm to retrieve four-dimensional surface deformation field using space-borne SAR data, crucial for interpreting complex geological phenomena. The method demonstrates its validity in areas where large and/or rapid surface deformation occurs, such as the Afar depression system.

SourceGeological Society of America·JournalGeosphere·DateApr 11, 2016

Wayne State study provides new understanding of diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Researchers at Wayne State University have discovered that dendritic cells play a crucial role in guiding sensory nerve regeneration after wounding, but their interactions are disrupted in diabetic corneas. The study found that applying exogenous CNTF and its soluble receptor CNTFR-alpha can partially reverse the adverse effects of dia...

SourceWayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateApr 11, 2016

Mount Sinai and Sage Bionetworks report analysis of nearly 600,000 genomes for resilience project

The Mount Sinai Hospital and Sage Bionetworks conducted a genome study of over 589,000 adults to identify individuals resistant to severe Mendelian childhood diseases. Thirteen healthy people with associated genetic variants were found, but limitations in the original studies' informed consent policies hinder further analysis.

Study finds unexpected long-range particle interactions

A team of researchers at MIT found that spinning particles, even when separated by tens of times their size, will ultimately migrate toward each other due to long-range interactions. The phenomenon was observed in a liquid medium with inert particles and has potential applications in biological systems and synthetic materials.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 11, 2016

Antibiotics don't promote swapping of resistance genes

Researchers at Duke University found that antibiotics do not promote the spread of bacterial antibiotic resistance through genetic swapping, contrary to previous assumptions. The study's results suggest that differential birth and death rates, rather than DNA donation, are to blame for the spread of resistance.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Microbiology·DateApr 11, 2016

Shark population threatened due to fin harvesting

A recent study highlights the need for sustainable shark conservation in Indonesia, where fin harvesting contributes to over 3 million shark deaths annually. Implementing no-fishing zones and providing alternative livelihood options can help protect shark populations and support local communities.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Marine Science·DateApr 11, 2016

Beta cells from love handles

Scientists have successfully extracted stem cells from a 50-year-old test subject's fatty tissue, applied genetic reprogramming, and produced mature, insulin-producing beta cells. The researchers' technique has the potential to treat diabetes by implanting new functional beta cells made from the patient's own adipose tissue.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 11, 2016

Fathers plays a critical role in family values for Mexican-origin youth

A father's family values can predict the family values held by Mexican-origin youth as well as the amount of time they spend with their families, according to new research. The study also found that parental acceptance and warmth play a crucial role in determining the link between family time and young adults' depressive symptoms.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalJournal of Marriage and Family·DateApr 11, 2016

New findings reveal social thinking in the infant brain

Researchers investigated how infants process others' actions and found that brain activity in the motor system predicts imitation of others' actions. The study provides evidence for intelligent social behavior in infants as young as 7 months old, shedding light on neural processes contributing to this complex behavior.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalPsychological Science·DateApr 11, 2016

Omega factor: Novel method measures mortality risk when multiple diseases threaten

Researchers developed a novel method to measure mortality risk in elderly cancer patients with multiple diseases, providing a more accurate assessment than current survival rates. The approach uses machine learning and calculates the 'omega factor,' which compares a patient's cancer mortality risk to their overall mortality risk.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateApr 11, 2016

PET scans guiding chemo boosts remission for Hodgkin patients

A clinical trial found that using PET imaging to guide chemotherapy significantly increases remission rates and reduces toxic side effects in advanced Hodgkin lymphoma patients. The study showed a promising approach to tailor treatment to individual patients, leading to a potential new standard of care.

SourceSWOG·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateApr 11, 2016

New way to smell a rat means end for rodents

Scientists at Simon Fraser University have developed a new method to exterminate rats by replicating the male brown rat's sex pheromone. This attracts female brown rats, allowing for effective trapping. The discovery forms part of a three-pronged rat control tactic that also exploits sound communication and food preferences.

SourceSimon Fraser University·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateApr 11, 2016

Small nerve fibers defy neuropathy conventions

A new study published in JAMA Neurology found that even prediabetes can cause nerve damage in people with small fiber neuropathy, challenging the conventional wisdom of how nerves deteriorate. The research showed that patients with prediabetes lost about 10% of their nerve fiber density each year, similar to those with diabetes.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalJAMA Neurology·DateApr 11, 2016