Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for September 11, 2017


To improve health monitoring, simply trip the 'nanoswitch'

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital have developed a new DNA nanoswitch platform that can detect biomarkers associated with different diseases, viral strains, and genetic variabilities. The NLISA system uses gel electrophoresis to screen synthesized DNA reagents that change shape in the presence of a specific biomarker.

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 11, 2017

Small increases in physical activity reduce immobility, disability risks in older adults

A new study by Tufts University found that adding 48 minutes of moderate exercise per week can improve overall physical functioning and lower the risk of major mobility disability in older adults. This is particularly encouraging as it suggests that even small, incremental changes to activity levels can have significant benefits.

Cold region 'tipping point' now inevitable

Periglacial zones, which cover a quarter of the Earth's land surface, are expected to reduce dramatically by 2050 and almost disappear by 2100 due to climate change. This could trigger significant changes in landscapes and biodiversity, with potential implications for regional climate systems.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 11, 2017

CoreTrustSeal Certification launched

The ICSU World Data System has launched the CoreTrustSeal Certification, a core-level certification for Trustworthy Data Repositories. The certification is based on the DSA-WDS Core Trustworthy Data Repositories Requirements catalogue and procedures, aiming to promote sustainable and trustworthy data infrastructures.

Patients to benefit from new 3-D visualizations of the heart

Researchers have developed a new technique to visualize the human cardiac conduction system in 3D, providing unprecedented details. This technology will aid cardiologists in placing prosthetic valves near the heart's conduction system, reducing risks and improving surgical outcomes for patients with congenital heart diseases.

SourceAarhus University·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 11, 2017

Scientists list 50 terms you may be confusing

A new paper defines 50 term pairs in psychology, including envy/jealousy and disease/illness, to improve psychological literacy. The list helps distinguish between related concepts, such as punishment vs. negative reinforcement, antisocial vs. asocial behavior.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Education·DateSep 11, 2017

Reports reveal racial and ethnic disparities in lupus rates

New research reveals striking racial and ethnic disparities in lupus incidence and prevalence, with higher rates found in Black, Hispanic, and Asian populations. The findings emphasize the need for vigilant diagnosis and prompt care for these groups, particularly in cases of arthritis, rashes, and kidney disease symptoms.

SourceWiley·JournalArthritis & Rheumatology·DateSep 11, 2017

Clouds like honeycomb

Researchers used a network approach to analyze the polygonal patterns in clouds, finding that they can be re-created using a simple mathematical model. This new method promises to help scientists improve the accuracy of cloud descriptions in computer models, which is crucial for climate projections.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 11, 2017

Core solutions reach optimally extreme light pulses

Researchers at ICFO and MPL create a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber system producing single-cycle IR pulses at an unprecedented repetition rate of 160 kHz. This enables applications such as real-time electron motions observation in single molecules, opening a window to watching subatomic processes during chemical reactions.

SourceOptica·DateSep 11, 2017

Ancient wetlands offer window into climate change

Researchers have uncovered a wealth of information about ancient wetlands on North Stradbroke Island, which offer never-before-seen insights into climate change since the last ice age. The discovery provides a unique window into past climate and environments, shedding light on how plants and animals survived in a dry climate.

SourceUniversity of Adelaide·JournalJournal of Quaternary Science·DateSep 11, 2017

The USA threatened by more frequent flooding

Researchers warn that US East Coast cities are under threat from more frequent and severe flooding due to the region's slow subsidence into the Atlantic Ocean. Human activities such as groundwater extraction and reservoir creation have accelerated this process, with some areas sinking at a rate of up to three millimeters per year.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 11, 2017

Mitochondrial metastasis suppressor pathway controls tumor cell metabolic reprogramming

Researchers at The Wistar Institute have discovered a novel metastasis suppressor pathway orchestrated by the mitochondrial protein SNPH. This pathway promotes tumor cell proliferation in local growth but inhibits invasion and metastasis. By studying SNPH, scientists may uncover new therapeutic approaches to target metastatic cells.

SourceThe Wistar Institute·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateSep 11, 2017

Coffee and bees: New model of climate change effects

A new model of climate change effects suggests that diversity in bee species may save the day for coffee production in Latin America. The study, which considers both plants and animals, predicts that at least five bee species will be left in future coffee-suitable areas, with 10 species remaining in about half of the regions.

SourceSmithsonian Tropical Research Institute·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 11, 2017

The turbulent healing powers of plasma

Computer simulations reveal that turbulence in plasma jets emerges from heat-induced sound waves, offering a new understanding of plasma's therapeutic properties. This insight may lead to more consistent and effective medical therapies, including wound healing and cancer treatment.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateSep 11, 2017

Explosion in number of known life forms

The study recovers 8,280 bacterial and 623 archaeal genomes from environmental samples, increasing the number of known life forms by nearly 10%. This represents a significant boost to our understanding of microbial diversity and its role in critical biogeochemical processes.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalNature Microbiology·DateSep 11, 2017

Astronomers spun up by galaxy-shape finding

For the first time, astronomers have measured how a galaxy's spin affects its shape, finding that faster-spinning galaxies are flatter and spiral galaxies with faster spins have more circular disks. The study used a new instrument, SAMI, to analyze data from 845 galaxies.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateSep 11, 2017

Climate change a buzzkill for coffee lovers

A new study finds climate change will reduce coffee-growing areas in Latin America by up to 88% by 2050, mainly due to declining bee populations. However, the research also identifies regions where bee diversity is likely to increase, potentially boosting coffee productivity.

SourceUniversity of Vermont·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 11, 2017

Mixing and matching yeast DNA

Researchers at Osaka University have identified distinct factors regulating crossover-type recombination at yeast centromeres and non-centromeres. The study suggests that centromeres are protected from chromosomal rearrangements due to specific proteins, ensuring DNA fidelity.

SourceOsaka University·JournalNucleic Acids Research·DateSep 11, 2017

Multiple sclerosis and microbiome

Researchers found significant differences in bacterial genera between MS patients and healthy controls, with Acinetobacter and Akkermansia being more abundant in patients. Exposure to extracts from these bacteria increased proinflammatory T cell differentiation and inhibited regulatory T cell differentiation.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 11, 2017

How liver cancer develops

Researchers discovered that caspase-8 triggers programmed cell death in diseased liver cells, leading to genetic instability and tumor development. This mechanism is remarkably universal across various liver diseases.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalCancer Cell·DateSep 11, 2017

Proteins keep a grip on cells

Scientists have identified where laminin 511 interacts with integrins, crucial adhesion molecules that determine cell function and shape. The discovery reveals the gamma chain directly interacts with integrins, stabilizing the laminin-integrin bond.

SourceOsaka University·JournalScience Advances·DateSep 11, 2017

The evolutionary origin of the gut

Researchers from the University of Vienna have challenged a 150-year-old hypothesis on the evolutionary origin of the gut by studying sea anemones. Contrary to previous beliefs, digestive enzyme- and insulin-producing gland cells do not develop from endoderm but from the ectodermal part of the mouth in sea anemones.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateSep 11, 2017

Researchers find 'internal clock' within live human cells

Scientists have identified a previously undetected motion in the human cell nucleus, which decreases over time during the cell cycle and marks the first physical feature to systematically change with the cell cycle. This internal clock-like mechanism could contribute to understanding nuclear envelope function in health and disease.

SourceNew York University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 11, 2017

Science spin prevalent, researchers warn

A systematic review of 35 academic studies found that over 26% of systematic reviews and meta-analyses contained spin, with up to 84% in non-randomized trials. The most common strategies for spinning results included selective reporting and attributing causality when it was not possible.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalPLOS Biology·DateSep 11, 2017

Metabolically healthy obese, underweight individuals still susceptible to heart disease

A large study found that metabolically healthy obese individuals have a higher risk of coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and heart failure compared to normal weight individuals with no metabolic abnormalities. Underweight individuals also face increased risks for certain cardiovascular diseases.

SourceAmerican College of Cardiology·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateSep 11, 2017

New method for monitoring fetal heartbeat

Researchers have successfully isolated fetal heart sounds from background noise using a mathematical technique, allowing for potential non-invasive and low-cost fetal monitoring at home. This could inform doctors about fetal health and make pregnancy safer by enabling long-term monitoring between checkups.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology·DateSep 11, 2017

Urban climate change

A new study models the impact of changing precipitation patterns in northern European and North American cities, finding that urban runoff is strongly controlled by built-up versus vegetated surfaces. The research also highlights the importance of wintertime climate for northern cities' flood risks.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 11, 2017

Body's own defense against ALS actually drives disease progression at later stages

Researchers discovered that autophagy, a cellular 'clean-up process', initially slows ALS disease progression but later accelerates its deadly spread through the spinal cord. The study provides new insights into the complex mechanisms of ALS and lays the groundwork for therapies that could eventually prevent its onset.

SourceThe Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 11, 2017

Desert locusts: New risks in the light of climate change

Climate change may alter desert locust distribution and behavior, potentially increasing agricultural threats in southern Africa. The study suggests maintaining existing monitoring capacities and reviewing prevention strategies to address changing environmental conditions.

SourceCirad·JournalGlobal Change Biology·DateSep 11, 2017

Clinical trials often unregistered, unpublished

A recent study analyzed over 100 clinical trials and found that many were unregistered and unpublished. Prospective registration was significantly associated with subsequent publication, as well as being published with the same primary outcomes as defined in the protocol.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA·DateSep 11, 2017

NYU researchers examine disaster preparedness and recovery in a hurricane-induced hospital evacuation

Researchers at NYU Langone Health's main hospital during Superstorm Sandy found that communication and social support were critical in connecting nurses with others during the crisis. The study also calls for more education and planning for future disasters, including training on power loss and 'all hazards' approaches.

SourceNew York University·JournalJournal of Nursing Scholarship·DateSep 11, 2017

Study examines use of systolic blood pressure at time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Researchers found that a simple index based on systolic blood pressure and left-ventricular end-diastolic blood pressure ratio can predict in-hospital mortality for patients with STEMI. The study included 219 patients and showed that the SBP/LVEDP ratio was more predictive than other indices.

SourceSociety for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions·JournalCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions·DateSep 11, 2017