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Science News for April 17, 2017


Updated AATS guidelines help cardiovascular surgeons navigate the challenges of managing ischemic mitral regurgitation

The updated AATS guidelines offer guidance on managing ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR), a condition associated with increased long-term mortality. For patients with severe IMR, replacement or repair of the mitral valve is considered based on specific criteria.

SourceAmerican Association for Thoracic Surgery·JournalJournal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery·DateApr 17, 2017

Why don't fish freeze to death in icy water?

Researchers from Hokkaido University conducted microgravity experiments on the International Space Station to measure ice crystal growth rates. They found that glycoproteins in fish blood facilitate growth, but also lead to a slowing effect when flat faces are truncated by slower-growing faces.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalScientific Reports·DateApr 17, 2017

Sympathetic nervous system is critical in regulating energy expenditure and thermogenesis

A new study from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai suggests that the sympathetic nervous system, not macrophages, is the main driver of thermogenesis. The research team found that catecholamines released by the sympathetic nervous system can convert white fat tissue into a tissue resembling brown fat.

Success in recognizing digits and monosyllables with high accuracy from brain activity measurement

A research group at Toyohashi University of Technology has developed a technology that can recognize Japanese digits and monosyllables with 90% and 60% accuracy, respectively, using brain waves. This achievement paves the way for an EEG-activated typewriter and potentially empowers handicapped individuals to regain voice communication.

Protein Science Best Paper awards annoucement

Charlotte Miton and Zach Schaefer have won the Protein Society's Year 2016 Best Paper award for their research on mutational epistasis and protein structure. Their study reveals that epistasis plays a major role in constraining evolutionary trajectories, with half of fixed mutations becoming positive at later rounds of evolution.

Creating time crystals

Researchers at Harvard University created a time crystal, a periodic arrangement of atoms across time, using nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond. The discovery offers insights into non-equilibrium quantum systems and may lead to new applications in precision measurement.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature·DateApr 17, 2017

Scientists engineer human-germ hybrid molecules to attack drug-resistant bacteria

Researchers at Rockefeller University have created lysibodies, human-germ hybrid molecules that target specific carbohydrate molecules on bacterial cell surfaces, helping the immune system fight off microbial pathogens. The approach shows promise for treating life-threatening infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria like MRSA.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 17, 2017

Researchers working toward indoor location detection

Researchers at Rice University have developed a new indoor location detection system that uses existing mobile device sensors to improve accuracy and energy efficiency. By leveraging machine learning algorithms and incorporating information from standard human movements, the system can estimate accurate locations even with noisy sensors.

Lessons from Parkfield help predict continued fault movements after earthquakes

A new study reveals that faults like the San Andreas Fault can experience prolonged 'afterslip' for six to twelve years after an earthquake, unlike a similar quake in Napa, California, which showed less afterslip. This variation makes it harder to predict post-earthquake damage and infrastructure repair needs.

SourceSeismological Society of America·JournalBulletin of the Seismological Society of America·DateApr 17, 2017

The impossibility of immorality

A new study by Harvard University researchers suggests that people tend to view immoral actions as impossible, leading them to make more moral decisions. When given time for reflection, participants rate one-quarter of immoral actions as impossible, but with less time, they call half of them impossible.

SourceHarvard University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 17, 2017

Landslides on Ceres reflect hidden ice

A new study led by Georgia Tech reveals that massive landslides on Ceres are indicative of hidden ice, suggesting up to 50% of the upper layers may be composed of ice. The research uses data from NASA's Dawn spacecraft to identify three types of landslides, offering insights into Ceres' composition and structure.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalNature Geoscience·DateApr 17, 2017

Older victims of fraud have poorer cognitive skills and are less conscientious, honest

Researchers found that older victims of fraud have poorer cognitive abilities in everyday activities and are less conscientious and honest. Cognitive factors, such as simple calculations and remembering events, play a crucial role in identifying and avoiding scams. The study's findings can help prevent fraud victimization in older people.

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalFrontiers in Psychology·DateApr 17, 2017

Medical mystery solved in record time

A team of researchers solved a medical mystery in just one day, identifying the genetic cause of intellectual disability in four male patients. They used advanced technology to search genomic databases and connect with other researchers, ultimately finding three more patients with the same condition.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalPLOS ONE·DateApr 17, 2017

Electroacupuncture may improve regulation of blood sugar in overweight and obese women

New research suggests that electroacupuncture can activate adipose tissue metabolism and stimulate muscle contraction, leading to improved blood sugar regulation. The study found benefits for both overweight and obese women with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), offering a new possibility for managing prediabetes.

Guideline sets standard of care for treatment of oropharynx cancer with radiation therapy

The new ASTRO clinical practice guideline provides recommendations for the management of oropharyngeal cancer, including optimal radiation dose and fractionation schedules, chemotherapy integration, and post-operative treatment. The guideline aims to improve treatment outcomes while minimizing long-term side effects.

SourceAmerican Society for Radiation Oncology·JournalPractical Radiation Oncology·DateApr 17, 2017

Cover crops may be used to mitigate and adapt to climate change

A recent study found that cover crops can mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing soil carbon sequestration. The research suggests that cover cropping can be an effective adaptive management tool to maintain yields and minimize nitrogen losses as the climate warms.

SourcePenn State·JournalAgronomy for Sustainable Development·DateApr 17, 2017

Eat, prey, move

Researchers found that competition among grazers, such as herbivorous fishes and algae, structures the space use patterns and feeding behaviors of bulletheads. The study suggests that predation risk has a limited impact on prey foraging behaviors in areas with high levels of competition.

'Detergent' molecules may be driving fluctuations in atmospheric methane concentrations

A new study suggests that hydroxyl radicals, a key component of the atmosphere, are behind unexplained recent increases in methane levels. Fluctuations in hydroxyl concentrations correlate strongly with fluctuations in methane, and changes in hydroxyl availability govern the amount of methane in the atmosphere.

SourceCalifornia Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 17, 2017

Electronics to control plant growth

Scientists from Linköping University successfully applied an ion pump device to a small flowering plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, allowing them to control root growth and auxin response. This breakthrough enables localized application of hormones to study their impact on plant growth and development at tissue and cellular resolution.

SourceLinköping University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 17, 2017

Columbia engineers invent method to control light propagation in waveguides

Researchers developed a technique to efficiently control light in waveguides by decorating them with nano-antennas, achieving record-small footprints and broad wavelength ranges. This innovation has the potential to transform optical communications and signal processing, enabling faster and more powerful optical chips.

Synthetic carbohydrates against autoimmune diseases

Researchers at the University of Basel have created a treatment approach using customized synthetic glycopolymers that act as molecular sponges to neutralize disease-causing antibodies. This innovative method has potential applications for treating other antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 17, 2017