Provide shady spots to protect butterflies from climate change, say scientists

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-shady-butterflies-climate-scientists....

Host-driven evolution: A new strategy of cell entry for some types of parvoviruses

Researchers  have discovered a new parvovirus strategy for reaching the cell nucleus, where they reproduce. The parvoviruses are extremely contagious and persistent in the environment. They are transmitted mainly through the feces of infected invertebrates, vertebrates and mammals including humans. To reach the nucleus of host cells, parvoviruses use mostly enzymatic reactions. They are first absorbed by the cell inside a vesicle, a membrane compartment. To escape, parvoviruses activate a viral enzyme domain called phospholipase A2 (PLA2), a key mechanism.

However, some types of parvoviruses, as well as other nonenveloped viruses, do not have this enzyme domain and must therefore escape from the vesicle by some other means. Using molecular biology and structural studies,  researchers have discovered that a new virus targeting the giant tiger shrimp uses a more mechanical response. This type of parvovirus contains an inner pentamer helix bundle held together by calcium ions. When the microorganism is in the vesicle, where the calcium concentration is decreased by the elimination of toxic substances, the bundle is released and opens up the protein shell (capsid) enclosing its genetic material and the membrane, allowing viral DNA to escape into the nucleus for replication.

Judit J. Pénzes et al, Molecular biology and structure of a novel penaeid shrimp densovirus elucidate convergent parvoviral host capsid evolution, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2008191117

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-strategy-cell-entry-parvoviruses.html...

Gravity causes homogeneity of the universe

Gravity can accelerate the homogenization of space-time as the universe evolves. 

The temporal evolution of the universe, from the Big Bang to the present, is described by Einstein's field equations of general relativity. However, there are still a number of open questions about cosmological dynamics, whose origins lie in supposed discrepancies between theory and observation. One of these open questions is: Why is the universe in its present state so homogeneous on large scales?

It is assumed that the universe was in an extreme state shortly after the Big Bang, characterized in particular by strong fluctuations in the curvature of spacetime. During the long process of expansion, the universe then evolved towards its present state, which is homogeneous and isotropic on large scales—in simple terms: the cosmos looks the same everywhere.

This is inferred, among other things, from the measurement of the so-called background radiation, which appears highly uniform in every direction of observation. This homogeneity is surprising in that even two regions of the universe that were causally decoupled from each other—i.e., they could not exchange information—still exhibit identical values of background radiation.

To resolve this supposed contradiction, the so-called inflation theory was developed, which postulates a phase of extremely rapid expansion immediately after the Big Bang, which in turn can explain the homogeneity in the background radiation.

However, how this phase can be explained in the context of Einstein's theory requires a number of modifications of the theory, which seem artificial and cannot be verified directly.

In the concrete problem, the time evolution of the originally strong deviations from the homogeneous state as cosmological gravitational waves has to be analyzed mathematically. It has to be shown that they decay in the course of the expansion thus allowing the universe to get its homogeneous structure.

Such analyses are based on modern mathematical methods in the field of geometric analysis. Until now, these methods could only achieve such results for small deviations from the homogeneous space-time geometry. David Fajman from the University of Vienna has now succeeded for the first time to transfer these methods to the case of arbitrarily large deviations.

 David Fajman. Future Attractors in 2+1 Dimensional Λ Gravity, Physical Review Letters (2020). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.121102

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-gravity-homogeneity-universe.html?utm...

Air pollution leads to increase in electricity usage, study suggests

High levels of air pollution are forcing people inside to consume more electricity, subsequently causing even greater environmental problems by increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Pan He et al, Increase in domestic electricity consumption from particulate air pollution, Nature Energy (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-00699-0

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-air-pollution-electricity-usage.html?...

Lab uncovers new mechanism of action against SARS-CoV-2 by antiviral drug remdesivir

Researchers  have discovered a novel, second mechanism of action by the antiviral drug remdesivir against SARS-CoV-2

The research team previously demonstrated how remdesivir inhibits the COVID-19 virus's polymerase or replication machinery in a test tube.

Remdesivir stops or heavily delays replication of the virus, which in turn reduces propagation and spread.

 It is not common for antiviral drugs to have more than one mechanism of action. The first mechanism his team uncovered affects what is known as the "primer strand" of RNA or the first copy the virus makes of the viral genome as it infects a cell. The second mechanism affects the "template strand" which is repeated over and over as the virus spreads.

Egor P Tchesnokov et al, Template-dependent inhibition of coronavirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase by remdesivir reveals a second mechanism of action, Journal of Biological Chemistry (2020). DOI: 10.1074/jbc.AC120.015720

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-lab-uncovers-mechanism-action-sars-co...

Using deep learning to control the unconsciousness level of patients in an anesthetic state

Researchers have been developing machine learning algorithms for an increasingly wide range of purposes. This includes algorithms that can be applied in healthcare settings, for instance helping clinicians to diagnose specific diseases or neuropsychiatric disorders or monitor the health of patients over time.

They have recently carried out a study investigating the possibility of using deep reinforcement learning to control the levels of unconsciousness of patients who require anesthesia for a medical procedure. They  made significant progress in understanding how anesthetic medications affect neural activity  and now  a multidisciplinary team is studying how to accurately determine anesthetic doses from neural recordings. They also we trained a neural network using the cross-entropy method, by repeatedly letting it run on simulated patients and encouraging actions that led to good outcomes.  developed a deep neural network and trained it to control anesthetic dosing using reinforcement learning within a simulated environment. 

Controlling level of unconsciousness by titrating Propofol with deep reinforcement learning. arXiv:2008.12333 [cs.LG]. arxiv.org/abs/2008.12333

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-09-deep-unconsciousness-patients-a...

Machine learning takes on synthetic biology: algorithms can bioengineer cells for you

Conventional methods of bioengineering are slow and laborious, with trial and error being the main approach.

So now scientists have developed a new tool that adapts machine learning algorithms to the needs of synthetic biology to guide development systematically. The innovation means scientists will not have to spend years developing a meticulous understanding of each part of a cell and what it does in order to manipulate it; instead, with a limited set of training data, the algorithms are able to predict how changes in a cell's DNA or biochemistry will affect its behaviour, then make recommendations for the next engineering cycle along with probabilistic predictions for attaining the desired goal. According to the developers of this technology, if you're able to create new cells to specification in a couple weeks or months instead of years, you could really revolutionize what you can do with bioengineering.

Nature Communications (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18008-4

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-machine-synthetic-biology-algorithms-...

Materials scientists learn how to make liquid crystal shape-shift

A new 3-D-printing method will make it easier to manufacture and control the shape of soft robots, artificial muscles and wearable devices.  Researchers show that by controlling the printing temperature of liquid crystal elastomer, or LCE, they can control the material's degree of stiffness and ability to contract—also known as degree of actuation. What's more, they are able to change the stiffness of different areas in the same material by exposing it to heat.

As a proof of concept, the researchers 3-D-printed in a single print, with a single ink, structures whose stiffness and actuation varies by orders of magnitude, from zero to 30 percent. For example, one area of the LCE structure can contract like muscles; and another can be flexible, like tendons. The breakthrough was possible because the team studied LCE closely to better understand its material properties.

 "Three-dimensional printing of functionally graded liquid crystal elastomer" Science Advances (2020). advances.sciencemag.org/lookup … .1126/sciadv.abc0034

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-materials-scientists-liquid-crystal-s...

Research challenges conventional wisdom about key autism trait

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-conventional-wisdom-key-auti...

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Scientists capture light in a polymeric quasicrystal

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-scientists-capture-polymeric-quasicry...

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https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/09/how-neanderthals-lost-their...

How Neanderthals lost their Y chromosome

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Can fitness bands predict COVID-19 infection before you show symptoms? Probably not

WHOOP’s wearables make strong claims — but the science is still weak

https://massivesci.com/articles/whoop-wearable-fitness-tracker-covi...

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How microbes in a mother's intestines affect fetal neurodevelopment

https://researchnews.cc/news/2691/How-microbes-in-a-mother-s-intest...

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Dogs Deployed at Airport Can Detect COVID-19

https://www.sciencealert.com/dogs-deployed-at-helsinki-airport-can-...

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 The Massive 'Blob' Anomaly Has Our Fingerprints All Over It, Study Finds

https://www.sciencealert.com/the-foreboding-pacific-blob-anomaly-ha...

The male Y chromosome does more than we thought

New light is being shed on a little-known role of Y chromosome genes, specific to males, that could explain why men suffer differently than women from various diseases, including COVID-19. This  discovery provides a better understanding of how male genes on the Y chromosome allow male cells to function differently from female cells. These results could help to shed some light on why some diseases occur differently in men and women.

Humans each have 23 pairs of chromosomes, including one pair of sex chromosomes. While females carry two X sex chromosomes, males carry one X and one Y chromosome. This male chromosome carries genes that females lack. Although these male genes are expressed in all cells of the body, their only confirmed role to date has been essentially limited to the functions of the sex organs.

In his study, scientists performed a genetic manipulation that inactivated two male genes on the Y chromosome, altering several signalling pathways that play important roles in certain functions of non-sex organ cells. For example, under stress, some of the affected mechanisms could influence the way in which cells in human hearts defend themselves against aggressions such as ischemia (reduced blood supply) or mechanical stress.

In addition, the study showed that these male genes performed their regulatory functions in a way that was unusual compared to the mechanisms generally used by most other genes on the non-sex chromosomes. Thus, instead of specifically activating certain genes by direct action at the genome level, the Y chromosome seems to affect cellular functions by acting on protein production.

The discovery of these differences in function may explain in part why the functions of male Y chromosome genes have so far been poorly understood.

Males differ from females in the manifestation, severity and consequences of most diseases. A recent example of this duality is COVID-19, which has a mortality rate twice as high in men than in women.

Christian F. Deschepper, Regulatory effects of the Uty/Ddx3y locus on neighboring chromosome Y genes and autosomal mRNA transcripts in adult mouse non-reproductive cells, Scientific Reports (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71447-3

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-male-chromosome-thought.html?utm_sour...

 Secure nano-carrier delivers medications directly to cells

Medications often have unwanted side-effects. One reason is that they reach not only the unhealthy cells for which they are intended, but also reach and have an impact on healthy cells. Researchers  have now developed a stable nano-carrier for medications. A special mechanism makes sure the drugs are only released in diseased cells.

 Ceren Kimna et al, DNA Strands Trigger the Intracellular Release of Drugs from Mucin-Based Nanocarriers, ACS Nano (2020). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c04035

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-nano-carrier-medications-cells.html?u...

New measurements show moon has hazardous radiation levels

Future moon explorers will be bombarded with two to three times more radiation than astronauts aboard the International Space Station, a health hazard that will require thick-walled shelters for protection, scientists reported  recently.

China's lander on the far side of the moon is providing the first full measurements of radiation exposure from the lunar surface, vital information for NASA and others aiming to send astronauts to the moon, the study noted.

Astronauts would get 200 to 1,000 times more radiation on the moon than what we experience on Earth—or five to 10 times more than passengers on a trans-Atlantic airline flight.

The difference is, however, that we're not on such a flight for as long as astronauts would be when they're exploring the moon. Cancer is the primary risk.

Humans are not really made for these radiation levels and should protect themselves when on the moon. Radiation levels should be pretty much the same all over the moon, except for near the walls of deep craters.

S. Zhang el al., First measurements of the radiation dose on the lunar surface, Science Advances (2020). advances.sciencemag.org/lookup … .1126/sciadv.aaz1334

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-moon.html?utm_source=nwletter&utm...

Bird genes are multitaskers, say scientists

Scientists  have found that although male and female birds have an almost identical set of genes, they function differently in each sex through a mechanism called alternative splicing.

Males and females of the same bird species can be strikingly different. For example, in addition to fundamental differences in reproduction, the sexes can show profound variation in behavior, colouration, metabolism, disease incidence and life history. The team wanted to understand how these remarkable differences develop despite males and females sharing mostly the same DNA.

One notable example of differences between male and female birds is in the peafowl, peacocks have magnificent plumage, whereas the female peahen is relatively dull. The peacock's long tail and bright colours evolved to help them attract mates, but having such eye-catching looks can come with negatives such as making them more noticeable to predators.

Features like this are beneficial to the males but may not be beneficial for females, so birds must find a way to evolve different characteristics. So researchers predicted that the secret to these differences must lie in understanding how the same genes are expressed and function differently in males and females.

The team studied the genomes of multiple bird species to understand how they expressed these different qualities in males and females.

Genes encode proteins, large complex molecules which drive processes in the body and are responsible for the function and structure of the body's tissues. Before genes can be used to make proteins, their DNA sequence is transcribed into RNA, an intermediary molecule that contains the instructions for making proteins.

The scientists found that males and females differ in how bits of RNA are stitched together, meaning that the same gene can produce a large number of distinct proteins and functions depending on which sex the gene is expressed in. This process is called alternative splicing. It is likely that this genetic process is really important for generating biodiversity, not only in birds but across the whole animal kingdom. The study  revealed hundreds of bird genes that use this method to enable the evolution of sex differences. The researchers showed that these genes have evolved remarkably rapidly as a result of the different selection pressures experienced by males and females.

https://academic.oup.com/mbe/advance-article/doi/10.1093/molbev/msa...

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-bird-genes-multitaskers-scientists.html

Possible signs of life on Venus

Autopsies Show Varied Forms of Heart Damage in COVID-19 Patients

The multifarious nature of the damage means treatments for cardiac issues during infection will require tailored approaches.

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/autopsies-show-varied-fo...

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Physicists Argue That Black Holes From the Big Bang Could Be the Dark Matter

A Man Has Died After Eating Bags of Black Licorice Daily

A man in Massachusetts died after eating too much black licorice, which contains a compound known to be toxic in large doses, according to a new report. The 54-year-old man was in a fast food restaurant when he suddenly gasped, began shaking and lost consciousness, according to the report Emergency medical personnel found that the man was experiencing ventricular fibrillation, a life-threatening heart rhythm problem. The man received CPR and briefly regained consciousness before being rushed to the hospital. A discussion with the man's family revealed that he had a poor diet, consuming one to two large packages of soft candy every day, and little else. A few weeks earlier, the man had switched from eating red, fruit-flavored candy to black licorice candy. Black licorice often contains a compound called glycyrrhizin, which is derived from licorice root. Consuming too much licorice root or candies flavored with licorice root can be dangerous because glycyrrhizin lowers the body's potassium levels. This, in turn, can lead to high blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms.

In the man's case, very low potassium levels led to his heart problems. The man received treatment to restore his potassium levels, along with multiple other treatments in the intensive care unit, including being placed on a ventilator. Despite these efforts, the man died 32 hours after arriving at the hospital. 

Although the death is an "extreme case," eating just 2 ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks can cause heart rhythm problems, particularly for people ages 40 and older.

https://www.livescience.com/black-licorice-death.html

https://www.sciencealert.com/man-dies-from-eating-black-licorice-da...

Body fat deep below the surface is a toxic risk, especially for your heart

BMI can’t provide information about the shape and size of potentially dangerous internal fat deposits, known as “visceral fat”. Over recent years it’s become apparent visceral fat can lead to disease, and good fat can turn into toxic fat when there is too much.

Various organs seem to accumulate visceral fat. This can be a problem because it can create and release damaging molecules and hormones into the blood. These are transported in the bloodstream, potentially causing health complications in distant parts of the body.

For example, toxic fat can release proteins that blunt the body’s sensitivity to insulin. Blood glucose levels then rise, potentially causing diabetes in the long term. Visceral fat can also stimulate uncontrolled cell growth and replication, potentially triggering some forms of cancer. A fatty liver is associated with metabolic diseases, and excess kidney fat interferes with the body’s fluid balance.

The heart is especially vulnerable

https://theconversation.com/body-fat-deep-below-the-surface-is-a-to...

Seven Warning Signs of Bogus Science

1. The discoverer pitches the claim directly to the media.

2. The discoverer says that a powerful establishment is trying to suppress his or her work.

3. The scientific effect involved is always at the very limit of detection.

4. Evidence for a discovery is anecdotal.

5. The discoverer says a belief is credible because it has endured for centuries.

6. The discoverer has worked in isolation.

7. The discoverer must propose new laws of nature to explain an observation.

https://quackwatch.org/related/signs/

White supremacists believe in genetic ‘purity’. Science shows no such thing exists

Science does not support the idea of pure races with ancient origins. In the past few years, genetic sequencing of ancient and modern humans and related species has given us a flood of new information about how human populations have evolved.

The evidence reveals a history of ongoing genetic mingling, due to interbreeding between different populations and even species. Humans from different groups had children together, and even with Neanderthals and members of other now-extinct hominin species.

This mingling occurred constantly in the long process of human migration across the globe. Europeans inhabit one region of a large genetic continuum and are no more or less “pure” than any other population.

https://theconversation.com/white-supremacists-believe-in-genetic-p...

Antifungal preventive drugs reduce mortality risk following lung transplantation: Study

The retrospective study, published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, is the largest ever to evaluate the effectiveness of antifungal preventive drugs in lung transplant recipients who are particularly susceptible to invasive fungal infections. These infections are associated with a nearly threefold increase in mortality for lung transplant recipients.

The study showed that  the risk of death within the first year posttransplant is about twice as high in patients not receiving antifungal preventive treatment, compared with those receiving treatment.

https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1513/AnnalsATS.202003-267OC

Ecologists confirm Alan Turing's theory for fairy circles

Fairy circles are one of nature's greatest enigmas and most visually stunning phenomena. An international research team has now, for the first time, collected detailed data to show that Alan Turing's model explains the striking vegetation patterns of the Australian fairy circles. In addition, the researchers showed that the grasses that make up these patterns act as "eco-engineers" to modify their own hostile and arid environment, thus keeping the ecosystem functioning.

Researchers used drone technology, spatial statistics, quadrat-based field mapping, and continuous data-recording from a field-weather station. With the drone and a multispectral camera, the researchers mapped the "vitality status" of the Triodia grasses (how strong and how well they grew) in five one-hectare plots and classified them into high- and low-vitality.

The systematic and detailed fieldwork enabled, for the first time in such an ecosystem, a comprehensive test of the 'Turing pattern' theory. Turing's concept was that in certain systems, due to random disturbances and a 'reaction-diffusion' mechanism, interaction between just two diffusible substances was enough to allow strongly patterned structures to spontaneously emerge. Physicists have used this model to explain the striking skin patterns in zebrafish or leopards for instance.

The data show that the unique gap pattern of the Australian fairy circles, which occur only in a small area east of the town of Newman, emerges from ecohydrological biomass-water feedbacks from the grasses. In fact, the fairy circles—with their large diameters of 4m, clay crusts from weathering and resultant water run-off—are a critical extra source of water for the dryland vegetation. Clumps of grasses increased shading and water infiltration around the nearby roots. With increasing years after fire, they merged more and more at the periphery of the vegetation gaps to form a barrier so that they could maximize their water uptake from the fairy circle's runoff. The protective plant cover of grasses could reduce soil-surface temperatures by about 25°C at the hottest time of the day, which facilitates the germination and growth of new grasses. In summary, the scientists found evidence both at the scale of the landscape and at much smaller scales that the grasses, with their cooperative growth dynamics, redistribute the water resources, modulate the physical environment, and thus function as "ecosystem engineers" to modify their own environment and better cope with the arid conditions.

Stephan Getzin et al, Bridging ecology and physics: Australian fairy circles regenerate following model assumptions on ecohydrological feedbacks, Journal of Ecology (2020). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13493

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-ecologists-alan-turing-theory-austral...

Metformin treatment linked to slowed cognitive decline

Metformin is the first-line treatment for most cases of type 2 diabetes and one of the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide, with millions of individuals using it to optimize their blood glucose levels.

A new research study, conducted over six years 

 has revealed an additional effect: individuals with type 2 diabetes who used metformin experienced slower cognitive decline with lower dementia rates than those who did not use the medication.

The findings provide new hope for a means of reducing the risk of dementia in individuals with type 2 diabetes, and potentially those without diabetes who number nearly 47 million people worldwide.

Diabetes Care (2020). DOI: 10.2337/dc20-0892

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-metformin-treatment-linked-c...

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Scientists discover why tarantulas come in vivid blues and greens

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-scientists-tarantulas-vivid-blues-gre...

Researchers show conscious processes in birds' brains for the first time

By measuring brain signals, a neuroscience research group has demonstrated for the first time that corvid songbirds possess subjective experiences. Simultaneously recording behavior and brain activity enabled the group  to show that crows are capable of consciously perceiving sensory input. Until now this type of consciousness has only been witnessed in humans and other primates, which have completely different brain structures to birds.

For humans and our nearest relatives in the animal kingdom, the nonhuman primates, our ability to perceive things consciously is localized in the cerebral cortex. Over many years research has discussed whether animals with brains that are structured completely differently, without a cerebral cortex, are also endowed with conscious perception. Until now however there has been no experimental neurological data to support such a claim.

In order to track conscious processes in birds, the Tübingen scientists trained two crows: they had to signal whether they had seen a stimulus on a screen by moving their heads. Most of the stimuli were perceptually unambiguous: different trials presented either bright figures or no stimulus at all, and the crows reliably signaled the presence or absence of these stimuli, respectively. However, some stimuli were so faint that they were at the threshold of perception: for the same faint stimulus, the crows sometimes indicated that they had seen it, whereas in other cases they reported that there was no stimulus. Here, the subjective perception of the crows came into play.

While the crows responded to the visual stimuli, the researchers simultaneously recorded the activity of individual nerve cells in the brain. When the crows reported having seen something, the nerve cells were active in the period between presentation of the stimulus and the behavioral response. If they did not perceive a stimulus, the nerve cells remained silent. Surprisingly, it was possible to predict the subjective experience of the crows with regard to the stimulus based on the activity of the nerve cells.

These results conclusively show that nerve cells at higher processing levels of the crow's brain are influenced by subjective experience, or more precisely, produce subjective experiences."

This means that in terms of evolutionary history the origins of consciousness could be far older and more widespread in the animal kingdom than previously thought. the capability of conscious experience can be realized in differently structured brains and independently of the cerebral cortex.

Nieder et al., A neural correlate of sensory consciousness in a corvid bird. Science (2020). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi … 1126/science.abb1447

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-conscious-birds-brains.html?utm_sourc...

Scientists Have Found The Molecule That Allows Bacteria to 'Exhale' Electricity

For mouthless, lungless bacteria, breathing is a bit more complicated than it is for humans. We inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide; Geobacter - a ubiquitous, groundwater-dwelling genus of bacteria - swallow up organic waste and 'exhale' electrons, generating a tiny electric current in the process.

https://www.livescience.com/electron-breathing-geobacter-microbes.html

https://www.sciencealert.com/bacteria-in-mud-breathe-through-giant-...

First Compelling Evidence of Organisms That Eat Viruses as a Food Source

Two types of single-celled organisms found drifting in the waters of the Gulf of Maine off North America's coast just might be the first true virophages known to science.

Researchers identified the virus grazers after sifting nearly 1,700 plankton cells collected from the waters of the gulf and the Mediterranean Sea, and amplifying the DNA inside each and every one to create individualised genomic libraries.

In the gulf sample, half of the libraries contained snippets of genes from 50 or more different viruses. In the Mediterranean sample it was closer to a third of the sample.

Most of the virus sequences appeared to be from bacteriophages – pathogens that invade and replicate inside bacterial cells.

Bacteria are a common food source for marine protozoans, so finding their dinner came pre-infected isn't much of a surprise.

But representatives belonging to groups known as choanozoans and picozoans, both collected from the waters off North America, stood out as a little unusual.

For one thing, in many cases there was not a shred of bacterial DNA in sight. Without any signs of a bacterial brunch, it's hard to know how bacteriophage genes might have ended up inside the planktons' cells.

More compelling still is that the two completely different phyla of protozoans shared near-identical viral sequences, making it hard to argue that infection was responsible.

While the evidence for a diet of virus snacks could be considered circumstantial, it's not unlike finding dark crumbs dusting your toddler's fingers near an empty box of Oreos. Nobody's going to blame you for being suspicious.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2020.524828/full

https://www.sciencealert.com/first-compelling-evidence-of-organisms...

Electrons that flow like water in ultra-pure graphene

Since its discovery in 2004, graphene has largely been known for its quantum properties. But recently, researchers discovered that electron flow in graphene at certain temperatures could be described using the very classical laws of hydrodynamics.

People observed that electrons in graphene flowed collectively, akin to water in a pipe. This was exciting not only because it provided a new playground to study electron interactions but also because it could also provide a new way to control electrons.”

Since that initial discovery, researchers wondered if the behavior could be replicated in other quantum materials.

Now, a team of researchers have classified different types of hydrodynamic behaviours which could arise in quantum materials where electrons flow collectively. This research opens the door to studying exotic physics and electron hydrodynamics in a range of new materials beyond graphene and paves the way for potentially interesting applications for extremely energy efficient electronics.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1788-9

https://researchnews.cc/news/2744/Electrons-that-flow-like-water-ar...

Study finds that high levels of a growth factor increases risk for several cancers

A study of almost 400,000  participants has identified a new link between raised levels of the growth factor IGF-1 and increased thyroid cancer risk and has confirmed associations with breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. This could lead to new preventative strategies, including diet and lifestyle interventions.

IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1) helps to support normal cell growth and development, processes which can lead to cancer if they become dysregulated.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2020-09-15-study-finds-high-levels-growth....

https://researchnews.cc/news/2729/Study-finds-that-high-levels-of-a...

**Mutation leading to biological changes may play role in cancer

A new study from McGill University’s Goodman Cancer Research Centre (GCRC) has revealed significant biological changes in mice expressing an activated, mutant form of the Estrogen Receptor alpha (ER alpha), shedding new light on the role of this important gene in development and cancer. Over-expressed in approximately 70 % of breast cancer cases, the Estrogen Receptor is often associated with breast cancer therapy resistance when it mutates and therefore can contribute to poor patient outcomes. To understand how the biological effects of ER alpha mutations can lead to cancer, researchers at the GCRC have generated the first mouse model expressing one of these mutations early in development, bringing new insight on its effects on the development of the sexual organs.

https://researchnews.cc/news/2743/Mutation-leading-to-biological-ch...

Optical Wi-Fi allows for ultrafast underwater communications

Common pelvic pain drug is ineffective, study finds

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Plastic-eating enzyme 'cocktail' heralds new hope for plastic waste

The scientists who re-engineered the plastic-eating enzyme PETase have now created an enzyme 'cocktail' which can digest plastic up to six times faster.

A second enzyme, found in the same rubbish dwelling bacterium that lives on a diet of plastic bottles, has been combined with PETase to speed up the breakdown of plastic.

PETase breaks down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) back into its building blocks, creating an opportunity to recycle plastic infinitely and reduce plastic pollution and the green house gasses driving climate change.

Brandon C. Knott el al., "Characterization and engineering of a two-enzyme system for plastics depolymerization," PNAS (2020). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2006753117

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-plastic-eating-enzyme-cocktail-herald...

Commercial battery cells that can monitor their own chemical and thermal state

Battery technology can sometimes be unstable and volatile, two characteristics that impair its safety and reliability. Actively monitoring the chemical and thermal state of battery cells over time could help to detect changes that may cause incidents or malfunctions, giving users the chance to intervene before a problem arises.

Researchers  have recently designed a Na(Li)-ion battery that can monitor its own chemical and thermal state via a series of optical sensors integrated in its cells. This unique self-monitoring battery, presented in a paper published in Nature Energy, could provide greater safety and a more sustained efficiency compared to conventional battery technologies.

Jiaqiang Huang et al. Operando decoding of chemical and thermal events in commercial Na(Li)-ion cells via optical sensors, Nature Energy (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-0665-y

C. P. Grey et al. Sustainability and in situ monitoring in battery development, Nature Materials (2016). DOI: 10.1038/nmat4777

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-09-commercial-battery-cells-chemic...

Low doses of the insecticide, Imidacloprid, cause blindness in insects

New research has identified a mechanism by which low levels of insecticides such as, the neonicotinoid Imidacloprid, could harm the nervous, metabolic and immune system of insects, including those that are not pests, such as our leading pollinators, bees. This study shows that low doses of Imidacloprid trigger neurodegeneration and disrupt vital body-wide functions, including energy production, vision, movement and the immune system, in the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster.

With insect populations  declining around the world and intense use of insecticides suspected to play a role, the findings provide important evidence that even small doses of insecticides reduce the capacity of insects to survive, even those that are not pests.

Felipe Martelli el al., "Low doses of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid induce ROS triggering neurological and metabolic impairments in Drosophila," PNAS (2020). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2011828117

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-insect-armageddon-doses-insecticide-i...

Scientists precisely measure total amount of matter in the universe

A top goal in cosmology is to precisely measure the total amount of matter in the universe, a daunting exercise for even the most mathematically proficient. A team led by scientists  has now done just that.

The team determined that matter makes up 31% of the total amount of matter and energy in the universe, with the remainder consisting of dark energy.

"To put that amount of matter in context, if all the matter in the universe were spread out evenly across space, it would correspond to an average mass density equal to only about six hydrogen atoms per cubic meter.

However, since we know 80% of matter is actually dark matter, in reality, most of this matter consists not of hydrogen atoms but rather of a type of matter which cosmologists don't yet understand.

*one well-proven technique for determining the total amount of matter in the universe is to compare the observed number and mass of galaxy clusters per unit volume with predictions from numerical simulations. Because present-day galaxy clusters have formed from matter that has collapsed over billions of years under its own gravity, the number of clusters observed at the present time is very sensitive to cosmological conditions and, in particular, the total amount of matter.*

Researchers developed "GalWeight ", a cosmological tool to measure the mass of a galaxy cluster using the orbits of its member galaxies. The researchers then applied their tool to observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) to create "GalWCat19," a publicly available catalog of galaxy clusters. Finally, they compared the number of clusters in their new catalog with simulations to determine the total amount of matter in the universe.

 Mohamed H. Abdullah et al, Cosmological Constraints on Ω m and σ 8 from Cluster Abundances Using the GalWCat19 Optical-spectroscopic SDSS Catalog, The Astrophysical Journal (2020). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/aba619

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-scientists-precisely-total-amount-uni...

Faced with shortages, researchers combine heat and humidity to disinfect N95 masks

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-shortages-combine-humidity-d...

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Cement-free concrete beats corrosion and gives fatbergs the flush

Researchers have developed an eco-friendly zero-cement concrete, which all but eliminates corrosion

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200928103418.htm

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How sewage testing helps contain COVID-19

Scientists have found an early-warning tool for COVID-19 in our sewage to help detect its spread. Here's a run down on how it works.

https://ecos.csiro.au/how-sewage-testing-helps-contain-covid-19/?ut...

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There’s no single gene for left-handedness. At least 41 regions of DNA are involved

https://theconversation.com/theres-no-single-gene-for-left-handedne...

Neurons in spinal-cord injuries are reconnected in vivo via carbon nanotube sponges

Research conducted by two groups have shown that functional materials based on carbon nanotubes facilitate the reconnecting of neuronal networks damaged as a result of spinal cord injuries. The study constitutes a huge step forward in research geared toward recovery from injuries of this type.

Collaboration between the groups has shown that biomaterials based on carbon nanotubes facilitate communication between neurons, neuronal growth and the establishing of connections by means of materials of this type. The electrical and mechanical properties of this material enable many applications unthinkable for any other materials. In particular, the interaction of excitable cells, such as nerve and heart cells, make carbon nanotubes of great relevance. The communication among cells increases when interfaced with carbon nanotubes, and it is also possible to construct mechanically stable scaffolds that sustain nerve growth.

Sadaf Usmani el al., Functional rewiring across spinal injuries via biomimetic nanofiber scaffolds.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2005708117

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-neurons-spinal-cord-injuries-reconnec...

Saving lives through early detection of gastric cancer cells

 A new method for identifying gastric cancer cells within minutes and more accurately than by using traditional methods is underway. The aim is to reduce the number of deaths due to gastric cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide.

However, the OEK method is a new technique that could be integrated with “lab-on-a-chip” systems that offers researchers opportunities to manipulate objects within a micro- and nanoscale bioengineering environment.

The rationale for applying OEK to gastric cancer is that these cells are not the same size and, crucially, possess different electrical characteristics to other cells in the peritoneal region. The new method is appealing because it is quick and non-invasive. In fact, within five minutes, it can separate out the gastric cancer cells on the OEK microfluidic chip.

https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/32/eaba9628.full

https://researchnews.cc/news/2751/Saving-lives-through-early-detect...

Lining the GI tract

By making use of enzymes found in the digestive tract, MIT engineers have devised a way to apply a temporary synthetic coating to the lining of the small intestine. This coating could be adapted to deliver drugs, aid in digestion, or prevent nutrients such as glucose from being absorbed.

The Sound of Gravity

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Your Running Shoes Might Actually Increase Your Risk of Injury, Scientists Say

https://www.sciencealert.com/our-super-comfy-running-shoes-may-be-m...

Deadly Spread of Some Cancers May Be Driven by a Common Mouth Microbe

An ordinary bacterium can trigger changes in some primary tumors that lead to dangerous metastasis.

 Fusobacterium nucleatum, which normally lives harmlessly in the gums, appears to have a role in the spread of some cancers of the colon, esophagus, pancreas and—possibly—breast. Laboratory studies and evidence in patients indicate that the microbe can travel through the blood and infect tumor cells by attaching to a sugar molecule on their surface. There it provokes a range of signals and immune responses known to cause tumor cells to migrate. If further confirmed, the work with F. nucleatum could add to a growing understanding of how the microbiome influences cancer progression and may even point the way to fresh approaches to treatment.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deadly-spread-of-some-ca...

Computer model shows how COVID-19 could lead to runaway inflammation

Why do some people with COVID-19 develop severe inflammation? A study using computer models unlocks this mystery. 

The research shows how the molecular structure and sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein—part of the virus that causes COVID-19—could be behind the inflammatory syndrome cropping up in infected patients. It used computational modeling to zero in on a part of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that may act as a "superantigen," kicking the immune system into overdrive as in toxic shock syndrome—a rare, life-threatening complication of bacterial infections.

team created a computer model of the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 viral spike protein and the receptors on human T cells, the foot soldiers of the immune system. Under normal circumstances, T cells help the body fight off infection, but when these cells are activated in abnormally large quantities, as is the case with superantigens, they produce massive amounts of inflammatory cytokines—small proteins involved in immune system signaling—in what's known as a "cytokine storm."

Using this computer model, the team was able to see that a specific region on the spike protein with superantigenic features interacts with T cells. Then, they compared this region to a bacterial protein that causes toxic shock syndrome and found striking similarities in both sequence and structure. Importantly, the proposed SARS-CoV-2 superantigen showed a high affinity for binding T cell receptors—the first step toward touching off a runaway immune response.

Mary Hongying Cheng et al. Superantigenic character of an insert unique to SARS-CoV-2 spike supported by skewed TCR repertoire in patients with hyperinflammation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2010722117

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-covid-runaway-inflammation.h...

Conversation quickly spreads droplets inside buildings: study

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-conversation-quickly-droplet...

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**Understanding ghost particle (neutrino) interactions

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-ghost-particle-interactions.html?utm_...

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** Evolution of pine needles helps trees cope with rainfall impact

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-evolution-needles-trees-cope-rainfall...

New insights into the origin of diamonds in meteorites

Scientists have offered new insights into the origin of diamonds in ureilites (a group of stony meteorites). These diamonds most likely formed by rapid shock transformation from graphite (the common low-pressure form of pure carbon) during one or more major impacts into the ureilite parent asteroid in the early solar system.

The ureilites that they investigated have all been highly shocked, based on the evidence from their silicate minerals, which strongly suggests that both large and small diamonds in these rocks formed from original graphite via shock processes.

Fabrizio Nestola et al. Impact shock origin of diamonds in ureilite meteorites, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919067117

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-insights-diamonds-meteorites.html?utm...

**Nanotech filter coating offers promise against COVID-19

Researchers developed a nanotech coating designed to allow air filters to capture airborne or aerosolized droplets of the virus that causes COVID-19.

The coating works by capturing liquids which encase the virus particles while still allowing air to flow through unimpeded. That allows ventilation systems to remove the virus during normal operation, without retrofitting or limiting the system's ability to draw fresh air.

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-nanotech-filter-coating-covid-.html?u...

Nutation in magnetic materials was observed for the first time

Much of the 'memory' of the world and all our digital activities are based on media, hard disks, where the information is encoded thanks to magnetism, by orienting the spin of electrons in one direction or the other.

An international team of scientists has managed for the first time to observe the 'nutation' of these spins in magnetic materials, i.e. the oscillations of their axis during precession. The measured nutation period was of the order of one picosecond: one thousandth of a billionth of a second. In this research, physicists observed experimentally that the nutation of the magnetic spin axis is 1000 times faster than precession, a curiously similar ratio to that of Earth. This is the first direct and experimental evidence of the inertial movements of magnetic spins.

This new discovery on hitherto unknown physical characteristics of spins is fundamental in research to make digital technologies ever faster, compact and energetically efficient. 

Kumar Neeraj et al, Inertial spin dynamics in ferromagnets, Nature Physics (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-020-01040-y

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-nutation-magnetic-materials.html?utm_...

CERN meets quantum technology

The CERN Quantum Technology Initiative will explore the potential of devices harnessing perplexing quantum phenomena such as entanglement to enrich and expand its challenging research programme

https://home.cern/news/news/computing/cern-meets-quantum-technology

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Second alignment plane of solar system discovered

A study of comet motions indicates that the solar system has a second alignment plane. Analytical investigation of the orbits of long-period comets shows that the aphelia of the comets, the point where they are farthest from the Sun, tend to fall close to either the well-known ecliptic plane where the planets reside or a newly discovered "empty ecliptic." This has important implications for models of how comets originally formed in the solar system.

In the solar system, the planets and most other bodies move in roughly the same orbital plane, known as the ecliptic, but there are exceptions such as comets. Comets, especially long-period comets taking tens-of-thousands of years to complete each orbit, are not confined to the area near the ecliptic; they are seen coming and going in various directions.

Models of solar system formation suggest that even long-period comets originally formed near the ecliptic and were later scattered into the orbits observed today through gravitational interactions, most notably with the gas giant planets. But even with planetary scattering, the comet's aphelion, the point where it is farthest from the Sun, should remain near the ecliptic. Other external forces are needed to explain the observed distribution.

The solar system does not exist in isolation; the gravitational field of the Milky Way galaxy in which the solar system  resides also exerts a small but non-negligible influence. 

when the galactic gravity is taken into account, the aphelia of long-period comets tend to collect around two planes. First the well-known ecliptic, but also a second "empty ecliptic." The ecliptic is inclined with respect to the disk of the Milky Way by about 60 degrees. The empty ecliptic is also inclined by 60 degrees, but in the opposite direction. Higuchi calls this the "empty ecliptic" based on mathematical nomenclature and because initially it contains no objects, only later being populated with scattered comets.

Arika Higuchi. Anisotropy of Long-period Comets Explained by Their Formation Process, The Astronomical Journal (2020). DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/aba94d

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-alignment-plane-solar.html

Rocky icebergs and deep anchors – new research on how planetary forces shape the Earth's surface

https://theconversation.com/rocky-icebergs-and-deep-anchors-new-res...

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The world's first jet suit paramedic  :  Emergency responders and engineers have successfully tested "the world's first jet suit paramedic", which could transform how life-savers reach isolated casualty sites.  

Filtering radioactive elements from water

How do you filter huge amounts of radioactive compounds from water? 

One of the methods usually  used 's reverse osmosis but it isn't particularly effective. Although it is possible to purify up to 70 percent of the contaminated water this way, radioactive elements accumulate in the remaining 30 percent. Some of these elements are highly radioactive and remain so for thousands of years.

Four years ago scientists invented  a filter membrane made primarily of denatured whey protein and activated carbon. The researchers then demonstrated how efficiently their product removes heavy metals, some radioactive elements such as uranium, and precious metals such as gold or platinum from water.

Now, they have used this membrane to purify hospital effluents contaminated with radioactive elements. Over the course of their investigation, the researchers discovered that their filter is efficient at removing these substances as well. 

Laboratory tests show that the membrane is able to remove radionuclides used in the medical field—technetium-99m, iodine-123 and gallium-68—from water with efficiencies of over 99.8% in just one filtration step.

The researchers also tested their filter membrane with a sample of real effluents from a Swiss hospital, which contained radioactive iodine-131 and lutetium-177. It removed both elements almost completely from the water.

Sreenath Bolisetty et al, Amyloid hybrid membranes for removal of clinical and nuclear radioactive wastewater, Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology (2020). DOI: 10.1039/D0EW00693A

https://phys.org/news/2020-09-filtering-radioactive-elements.html?u...