[Cancer] The search for cancer cell vulnerabilities
Efficient screening of gene essentiality in mammalian cells, enabled by CRISPR-mediated gene editing, offers the opportunity to search for genes that are particularly required for proliferation – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - March 2, 2017 Category: Science Authors: L. Bryan Ray Tags: Cancer Source Type: research
[Development] Heal our breaking hearts
Myocardial infarction (heart attack) causes irreversible damage to the heart, leaving the survivor with reduced cardiac output and lowering their quality of life. Some animals, such – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - March 1, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Megan Eldred Tags: Development Source Type: research
[Evolution] How animals sense CO2 in blood
High carbon dioxide levels in blood can be lethal to animals, so it is crucial that the body regulates the regular excretion of CO2. De Wild et al. hypothesized – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 23, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Julia Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink Tags: Evolution Source Type: research
[Electrochemistry] CO2 reduction off base
The electrochemical reduction of CO2 can yield a range of products, including aldehydes, acids, and alcohols, as well as hydrogen formed by the competing hydrogen evolution – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 23, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Phil Szuromi Tags: Electrochemistry Source Type: research
[Development] Polarity reversal during tissue remodeling
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition occurs when epithelial cells lose apicobasal polarity and cell-cell contacts and migrate into surrounding tissues as mesenchymal cells. Migration – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 23, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Megan Eldred Tags: Development Source Type: research
[Active Galaxies] A supermassive black hole awakes
Every large galaxy hosts a supermassive black hole at its center, which grows by consuming passing gas or stars. Most are quiescent, but when the black hole is feeding, an accretion – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 23, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Keith M. Smith Tags: Active Galaxies Source Type: research
[Stress Response] How tissues can take the heat
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) show a generally conserved stress response, interacting with specific chaperone proteins to maintain cellular homeostasis. However, studies of the heat shock – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 23, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Laura M. Zahn Tags: Stress Response Source Type: research
[RNA Design] An old motif with new specificity
RNA aptamers bind to small molecules and, in the context of adjacent regulatory domains, can control cellular processes. Synthetic RNA aptamers can be selected against a target, but – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 23, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Valda Vinson Tags: RNA Design Source Type: research
[Mast Cells] DNA methylation curbs mast cell response
Mast cells are white blood cells that are perhaps best known for their role in allergic responses and asthma. Leoni et al. now show that the enzyme DNMT3A limits mast cell – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 22, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Priscilla Kelly Tags: Mast Cells Source Type: research
[Hydrogels] A less structured way to better hydrogels
Hydrogels are composed of cross-linked polymers that are highly swollen with water. They are typically soft, squishy, and elastic, but they are not known for their strength or toughness. – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 16, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Marc S. Lavine Tags: Hydrogels Source Type: research
[Neuroscience] Strengthening the remaining synapses
Working memory depends in part on the proper activation of neural circuits in a brain area called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In primates, DLPFC performance during working – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 16, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Peter Stern Tags: Neuroscience Source Type: research
[Optoelectronics] Electrical detection of diamond defects
Diamonds have many different kinds of defects, each type imbuing the crystal with a distinctive color. The quantum properties of the nitrogen vacancy defect are being intensely studied – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 16, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Ian S. Osborne Tags: Optoelectronics Source Type: research
[Neurodevelopment] Vocalizations channeled by developmental affordances
Like humans, marmoset monkey infants vocalize differently from adults. Maturation of vocalizations depends on parental feedback, as well as development of the vocal apparatus and cognitive – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 16, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Pamela J. Hines Tags: Neurodevelopment Source Type: research
[Cell Biology] Dissecting the effects of APOE
Three APOE alleles are expressed in humans: APOE4 allele is the single most important genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, APOE3 is neutral, and APOE2 – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 16, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Stella M. Hurtley Tags: Cell Biology Source Type: research
[Political Science] Scientific curiosity versus polarization
Knowledge does not always change biases, and people tend to absorb information that fits their prejudices. However, rather than studying scientific knowledge, Kahan et al. – [Read More] (Source: Editors' Choice)
Source: Editors' Choice - February 16, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Barbara R. Jasny Tags: Political Science Source Type: research
