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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 19, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Migrating exoplanetsMany known exoplanets orbit close to their host star, within one-tenth of an astronomical unit (one AU is the average distance of the Earth from the Sun). Since their orbital periods are therefore very short and their gravitational influences on the host star's wobble comparatively large, they can be readily detected by the transit and velocity methods. What astronomers do not yet know is whether these planets formed near their present positions from natal circumstellar material close to their star, or if instead they formed at distances larger than an AU and subsequently migrated inwards. |
 | Image: Hubble finds a lenticular galaxy standing out in the crowdA lone source shines out brightly from the dark expanse of deep space, glowing softly against a picturesque backdrop of distant stars and colorful galaxies. |
 | Twin jets pinpoint the heart of an active galaxyAn international team of astronomers has measured the magnetic field in the vicinity of a supermassive black hole. A bright and compact feature of only 2 light days in size was directly observed by a world-wide ensemble of millimeter-wave radio telescopes in the heart of the active galaxy NGC 1052. The observations yield a magnetic field value at the event horizon of the central black hole between 0.02 and 8.3 Tesla. The team, led by the PhD student Anne-Kathrin Baczko, believes that such a large magnetic field provides enough magnetic energy to power the strong relativistic jets in active galaxies. The results are published in the present issue of Astronomy & Astrophysics. |
 | Shedding light on Pluto's glaciersWhat is the origin of the large heart-shaped nitrogen glacier revealed in 2015 on Pluto by the New Horizons spacecraft? Two researchers from the Laboratoire de météorologie dynamique (CNRS/École polytechnique/UPMC/ENS Paris) show that Pluto's peculiar insolation and atmosphere favor nitrogen condensation near the equator, in the lower altitude regions, leading to an accumulation of ice at the bottom of Sputnik Planum, a vast topographic basin. Through their simulations, they also explain the surface distribution and atmospheric abundance of other types of volatiles observed on Pluto. These results are published in Nature on September 19, 2016. |
 | Russia cancels manned space launch over 'technical' issuesRussia on Saturday cancelled a planned manned space launch expected in one week due to "technical reasons," giving no explanation or a new launch date. |
Air Force base wildfire postpones hi-res satellite launchA wildfire burning at a central California Air Force base on Sunday forced the postponement of a satellite launch, officials said. | |
 | The death of a planet nursery?The dusty disk surrounding the star TW Hydrae exhibits circular features that may signal the formation of protoplanets. LMU astrophysicist Barbara Ercolano argues, however, that the innermost actually points to the impending dispersal of the disk. |
 | The Dynamic Duo: RAVE complements GaiaThe new data release of the Radial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) is the fifth spectroscopic release of a survey of stars in the southern celestial hemisphere. It contains radial velocities for 520 781 spectra of 457 588 unique stars that were observed over ten years. With these measurements RAVE complements the first data release of the Gaia survey published by the European Space Agency ESA last week by providing radial velocities and stellar parameters, like temperatures, gravities and metallicities of stars in our Milky Way. |
Technology news
 | Lima billboard captures attention of Ford engineer who has idea for cars as water sources(Tech Xplore)—On-the-Go H20. It's a catchy rhyme but also a catchy idea hatched by an engineer at Ford. He has thought up an idea for an in-car water dispenser. No store-bought plastic bottles of water needed. |
Exec: Most Lyft rides will be in autonomous cars in 5 yearsWithin five years, a majority of ride-hailing company Lyft's rides will be in self-driving cars, the company's co-founder and president predicted on Sunday. | |
 | Microsoft researchers in test achieve impressively low error rate for conversational speech recognition system(Tech Xplore)—The languages that we speak: how pervasive will they be in the computing of tomorrow? We are often being told that we are getting closer and closer to computers understanding our words as easily as a human beside us. |
 | America's first wave-produced power goes online in HawaiiOff the coast of Hawaii, a tall buoy bobs and sways in the water, using the rise and fall of the waves to generate electricity. |
 | Drive-by monitoring for urban streetlightsIs there a streetlight burned out on your block? Unless you or your neighbors phone the right city department, there's a good chance nobody knows about it. |
 | Video gamers outdo scientists in contest to discover protein's shapeGamers playing the popular online puzzle game Foldit beat scientists, college students and computer algorithms in a contest to see who could identify a particular protein's shape. |
 | Nearly 30 mn diesel cars on EU roads over emissions limit: studyOne year after the Volkswagen "dieselgate" scandal, nearly 30 million cars on Europe's roads are still way over air pollution limits, campaign group Transport and Environment said in a report Monday. |
 | Holographic imaging and deep learning diagnose malariaDuke researchers have devised a computerized method to autonomously and quickly diagnose malaria with clinically relevant accuracy—a crucial step to successfully treating the disease and halting its spread. |
 | Sub-Saharan Africa: Existing energy infrastructure upgrade can bring electricity to 15.4 m peopleA transformation of existing, poorly used or unexploited energy infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa could represent lower-cost and lower-risk opportunities for investors and ensure access to sustainably generated electricity for 15.4 million people, according to a JRC paper published today in Nature Energy. This effort requires a €1-1.5 billion of investment for ensuring additional 1.1GW of power capacity. |
 | Twitter enables longer tweets as part of growth pushTwitter announced Monday it was easing its 140-character limit on tweets, in the latest effort to broaden the appeal and boost the user base of the social network. |
Renewable energy: Research reveals more than industry truthsThroughout his academic career, Dr. Alexander E. Ellinger has conducted research that seeks to quantify the value of strategic decisions to aid decision making in industry. After publishing more than 70 articles in peer-reviewed academic journals, this Culverhouse professor of marketing and supply chain management knows which studies are of particular significance. He believes his latest co-authored research reveals multiple truths about what happens when organizations make critical investments in purchasing renewable energy. | |
 | Twitter kicks off US football game streamsMore than two million people tuned into Twitter's first broadcast of a US football game, as the messaging platform strives to ramp up use with live video streaming of events. |
 | Technology at Paralympics sparks advances and controversyHere's how good technology for prosthetic running blades has become. |
 | Samsung phones reportedly catch fire in ChinaSamsung said Monday it is investigating reports that two Galaxy Note 7 smartphones caught fire in China, where the company previously said all phones for sale were safe and didn't need to be included in a global recall. |
Expressing the value of data science in an ROI frameworkData science is rapidly becoming woven into the fabric of organizations of all sizes and types, and is driving significant societal and economic impact. Organizations are increasingly becoming data driven, investing in infrastructure, people and processes to embrace the data science journey. | |
 | Soaring to faster productionPreparing for the take off of faster production, Lockheed Martin and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Texas A&M University are investigating the use of advanced industrial engineering tools and procedures to study F-35 rate production. |
 | Using VR to explore the inner world of a plant cellThe newly launched Virtual Plant Cell is a phone app that allows users to explore and interact with the microscopic inner world of a plant cell. |
 | Cleaning concrete contaminated with chemicalsIn March 1995, members of a Japanese cult released the deadly nerve agent sarin into the Tokyo subway system, killing a dozen people and injuring a thousand more. |
 | Optical fiber transmits one terabit per secondNokia Bell Labs, Deutsche Telekom T-Labs and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have achieved unprecedented transmission capacity and spectral efficiency in an optical communications field trial with a new modulation technique. The breakthrough research could extend the capability of optical networks to meet surging data traffic demands. |
 | Risk of another Chernobyl or Fukushima type accident plausible, experts sayA team of risk experts who have carried out the biggest-ever analysis of nuclear accidents warn that the next disaster on the scale of Chernobyl or Fukushima may happen much sooner than the public realizes. |
 | Unlocking potential of 3-D printed rocket parts with neutronsThe process of 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, holds promise for advancements in almost every industry, including even rocket science. Engineers from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, used neutrons recently to help understand the potential benefit of additive manufactured rocket engine components. |
What to expect from GoPro's big drone unveilingAction camera-maker GoPro Inc. gets its big chance to rebound from a disastrous year when it unveils its first drone and other new products Monday. | |
What makes a video game great? There's now a scientific way to stop GUESSingFortune magazine noted in February 2016 that sales of video games in 2015 in the United States reached $23.5 billion, "a 5% jump over 2014, according to the Entertainment Software Association." More than 1,000 new games are released each year. Although sales and user reviews might point to gamer satisfaction, consensus is lacking in what exactly constitutes a "good" game. Now there is a scientifically validated means of gauging satisfaction, the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale, or GUESS. | |
 | Self-driving cars coming sooner than you think: LyftThe move to self-driving cars is coming faster than most people think, says the head of ridesharing giant Lyft. |
 | Samsung says it has found no battery problem in China (Update)Samsung Electronics said Monday that its investigation into the first report of a Galaxy Note 7 fire in China found no battery problem, reducing concerns that its smartphone crisis had expanded to the world's largest mobile phone market. |
 | Explainer: Wireless cellphone alerts on bombing suspectMany people in the New York City area were alerted Monday morning to a screeching, buzzing message about a man wanted in connection with explosions in the area over the weekend. |
 | EU tax move on Apple not anti-US bias: VestagerEurope's powerful Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Monday that the EU order for Apple to pay $15 billion in taxes did not represent any bias against US companies. |
Developers face challenges capturing wave energyAlthough wave-generated power could meet a quarter of America's energy needs, the technology lags other renewables such as wind and solar. But the U.S. Navy has established a test site in Hawaii, where power from floating devices travels a mile through undersea cables to Oahu's power grid—the first wave-induced electricity online in the U.S. | |
Schilling agrees to settlement in failed video game ventureFormer Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and others agreed to a $2.5 million settlement to end their part of a lawsuit brought over Rhode Island's disastrous $75 million deal with 38 Studios, his failed video game company. | |
 | Digital photography: The future of small-scale manufacturing?What if it were possible to quickly and inexpensively manufacture a part simply by using a series of close-range digital images taken of the object? |
 | Yelp warns California lawsuit could scrub critical reviewsYelp.com is warning that a California lawsuit targeting critical posts about a law firm could lead to the removal of negative reviews on the site. |
Lessons Learned from the Fukushima AccidentA new article provides an overview of the impacts of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station accident in Japan in 2011 and subsequent remediation measures, comparing similarities and differences with the lessons learned from the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident in Ukraine. | |
 | Uber plans to open office in DetroitRide-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc. will soon open an office in Detroit. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Gene therapy technique may help prevent cancer metastasisThe spread of malignant cells around the body, known as metastasis, is the leading cause of mortality in women with breast cancer. |
 | Alzheimer's stemmed but not stopped, say expertsSoaring rates of population growth and ageing have long been seen as portending a global explosion of Alzheimer's, the debilitating disease that robs older people of their memory and independence. |
 | Neuroscience study supports 200-year old art theoryA pilot study from a group of Dutch scientists implies that being told that an image is an artwork automatically changes our response, both on a neural and behavioural level. This may mean that our brains automatically up- or down-regulate emotional response according to the whether a work should be understood at face value, or whether it should be interpreted as art. This tends to lend support to an over 200-year-old theory of art, first put forward by the philosopher Immanuel Kant in his "Critique of Judgement." |
 | Mosquitoes, Zika and biotech regulationIn a new Policy Forum article in Science, NC State professor Jennifer Kuzma argues that federal authorities are missing an opportunity to revise outdated regulatory processes not fit for modern innovations in biotechnology, such as a current situation involving genetically engineered mosquitoes. |
 | Scientists find Huntington's disease mice respond differently to common infectionCasual conversation three years ago between University of Wyoming veterinary sciences and molecular biology researchers resulted in findings that show for the first time mice engineered to have the human genetic disorder Huntington's disease have an altered immune response to a common infection. |
 | Development of the numerical reasoning network found to not be vision based(Medical Xpress)—A small team of researchers with Johns Hopkins University has found that vision is not necessarily a requirement for being able to perform internal math or counting tasks. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes experiments they carried out with sighted and blind-from-birth volunteers who underwent MRI scans while performing math tasks in their heads. |
 | Parkinson's disease protein plays vital 'marshalling' role in healthy brainsResearchers have uncovered the normal function of a protein associated with Parkinson's disease, giving clues about what happens when it malfunctions. |
 | Targeting dormant HIVDiscovery of a novel, advanced technique to identify the rare cells where human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) hides in patients taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). This is an important step forward in the search for a HIV/AIDS cure. |
 | What you see is not always what you getGeorg Keller and his group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) have identified neurons in the visual cortex whose activity predicts an upcoming visual stimulus. This activity emerges with experience and is integrated with the actual sensory input. What we perceive is thus a combination of what we expect to see and what we actually see. |
 | Glutamate plays previously unknown role in neuromuscular developmentFor decades, scientists thought acetylcholine was the only neurotransmitter responsible for controlling how muscles and nerves are wired together during development. |
 | Researchers harness targeted delivery of microRNAs to primary tumors in mice to block the movement of cancerA new Tel Aviv University study finds that combining genetic therapy with chemotherapy delivered to a primary tumor site is extremely effective in preventing breast cancer metastasis. |
 | Molecular switch controlling immune suppression may help turn up immunotherapiesResearchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center have identified a strategy to maximize the effectiveness of anti-cancer immune therapy. The researchers identified a molecular switch that controls immune suppression, opening the possibility to further improving and refining emerging immunotherapies that boost the body's own abilities to fight diseases ranging from cancer to Alzheimer's and Crohn's disease. |
 | Targeting fat to treat cancerFat isn't just something we eat: it may also lie at the heart of a new approach to treating cancer. |
 | Researchers eye potential schizophrenia 'switch'Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have discovered a key mechanism that explains how compounds they're developing can suppress schizophrenia-like symptoms in mice without side effects. |
 | Human antibodies block norovirus' point of entrance into cellsA team of scientists from Baylor College of Medicine and Vanderbilt University Medical Center have determined a mechanism by which human antibodies target and block noroviruses. Their study, which appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences today, opens the possibility of developing therapeutic agents against this virus that causes the death of about 200,000 children every year. |
Drugmakers fought state opioid limits amid crisisThe makers of prescription painkillers have adopted a 50-state strategy that includes hundreds of lobbyists and millions in campaign contributions to help kill or weaken measures aimed at stemming the tide of prescription opioids, the drugs at the heart of a crisis that has cost 165,000 Americans their lives and pushed countless more to crippling addiction. | |
First mercy killing of minor in Belgium: report (Update)A terminally ill 17-year-old has become the first minor to be euthanised in Belgium since age restrictions on such mercy killings in the country were lifted in 2014, it was learned Saturday. | |
 | Rate of CVD mortality, MI, stroke down for patients on semaglutide(HealthDay)—Semaglutide is noninferior to placebo for patients with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk, according to a study published online Sept. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research was published to coincide with the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, held from Sept. 12 to 16 in Munich. |
 | Trudeau, Gates raise billions for AIDS, TB and malaria fightCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that a record $12.9 billion has been raised for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria over the next three years. |
Bill Gates: Disease fight is tough but progress is 'incredible'Through his foundation, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates is the top nongovernmental donor to the Global Fund against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with plans to give $600 million between 2017-2019. | |
India's poor fear 'rent-a-womb' industry shut downAt a hostel for dozens of pregnant women, impoverished widow Sharmila Mackwan weighs up her decision to carry twins for another couple—her only ticket out of poverty—as the government moves to close India's multi-million dollar surrogacy industry. | |
 | Pro-painkiller echo chamber shaped policy amid drug epidemicFor more than a decade, members of a little-known group called the Pain Care Forum have blanketed Washington with messages touting prescription painkillers' vital role in the lives of millions of Americans, creating an echo chamber that has quietly derailed efforts to curb U.S. consumption of the drugs, which accounts for two-thirds of the world's usage. |
MDs strengthen advice against codeine for kids' coughs, painThe American Academy of Pediatrics has strengthened its warnings about prescribing codeine for children because of reports of deaths and risks for dangerous side effects including breathing problems. | |
Team finds relationship and behavioral differences between children and early adolescents who die by suicideAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide was the 10th leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 11 in 2014. This was the first time suicide had shown up in the CDC's top ten leading causes of death for children in this age group. | |
 | Congress works to finish Zika aid, prevent shutdownDriven by a desire to free up endangered lawmakers to campaign, congressional negotiators are working to quickly complete a spending bill to prevent an election-season government shutdown and finally provide money to battle the threat of the Zika virus. |
Hormone EPO shown to improve brain sharpness in patients with depression and bipolar disorderA study has found that the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) – best known as a performance-enhancing drug in sport – may improve cognitive functioning in patients suffering from bipolar disorder or depression. This raises hope for the first long-term treatment for these conditions, which affect hundreds of millions of patients around the world. The work is presented today at the ECNP conference in Vienna. | |
Scientists discover response to anxiety linked to movement control areas in brainResearchers have discovered that the response to anxiety in teenagers may include not only the parts of the brain which deal with emotions (the limbic system), as has been long understood, but also movement control centres in the brain, which may be associated with movement inhibition when stressed ("freezing"). This is a small longitudinal study, presented at the ECNP conference in Vienna. | |
Study shows internet addiction may indicate other mental health problems problem in college-aged studentsA new survey of internet users suggests that people who use the internet excessively may have more mental health problems. Using two scales to evaluate internet use, researchers have found high rates of problematic internet use in a group of primarily college-aged students. The researchers evaluated internet addiction using the Internet Addiction Test, as well as newer scale of their own design, based on updated addiction criteria. This work, which is presented at the ECNP conference in Vienna, may have implications for how psychiatrists approach excessive internet use. | |
Multimodal everyday training and brain stimulation can help with memory problems"By taking the correct steps, it is possible to delay or alleviate the early clinical symptoms of Alzheimer's such as forgetfulness," stresses Peter Dal-Bianco, Alzheimer's expert at MedUni Vienna's Department of Neurology, speaking on the occasion of World Alzheimer's Day on 21 September. A recent study from Finland and Sweden confirms the findings of MedUni Vienna researchers. For example, it was found that "multimodal everyday training" has a beneficial effect upon cognitive abilities such as planning and implementing projects. | |
 | Desalinated sea water linked to iodine deficiency disordersAn estimated 300 million people worldwide rely on over 17,000 desalination plants in 150 countries for water, and the numbers are likely to grow. |
 | Researchers prove that moderate to high aerobic capacity decreases the risk of suffering a sudden death eventUCA researchers, collaborating with the Exercise and Epidemiology Science and Biostatistics Departments from the University of South Carolina in Columbine (USA), have carried out a study focused on the importance of aerobic capacity in the prevention of sudden death, paying special attention to those people who have some pathology such as obesity and hypertension. |
 | Study finds no lithium prescription residues in drinking waterStudies show that lithium contained in drinking water lowers suicide rates. This still holds true when taking account of drug residues of lithium prescriptions, as has been shown by a current study for Austria within the context of a project supported by the Austrian Science Fund FWF. |
 | Vaccination uptake among Traveller communities significantly lower than in general populationTraveller communities have significantly lower uptake of vaccinations compared to the general population, suggesting that more work needs to be done to promote understanding and appreciation of the benefits of vaccination among this population, according to researchers at the University of Cambridge. |
 | Researchers link Chinese Elm trees with increased fall pollen countsAccording to a study focused on changing pollen trends in Atlanta, an increasing pollen count during the fall pollen bloom may correspond with a growing presence of Ulmus parvifolia or Chinese Elm trees. The study, conducted collaboratively by Emory University and Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinics, is published online this week in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. |
 | Black Americans may be more resilient to stress than white AmericansWhite Americans live on average 3.6 years longer than black Americans. If you look only at men, the difference becomes 4.4 years. |
 | Biomedical researchers break new ground in fight against multiple sclerosisResearchers from the University of Maryland Fischell Department of Bioengineering and the University of Maryland School of Medicine report a new way to "turn off" the harmful immune attack that occurs during autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), while keeping healthy functions of the immune system intact. |
 | Smokefree researchers call for stronger regulation of roll-your-own tobaccoSmokefree researchers at the University of Otago are calling on policy makers to develop stronger regulation of roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco. |
 | Study finds obese children at risk of serious illnessA unique New Zealand study has found that obese children are showing signs from a young age that they are at risk of developing serious weight-related problems, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart, and liver disease. |
Sudden neurological death misclassified, underestimatedUC San Francisco researchers have devised a new term, "sudden neurological death," to describe apparent sudden cardiac deaths that actually were due to neurological causes, such as stroke, aneurysm or epilepsy, and estimate that 10,000 to 25,000 of these deaths may go undetected each year. | |
 | Can an app help us find mindfulness in today's busy high-tech world?With the release of the latest Apple Watch this month came a new Breathe app which promises to "help you better manage everyday stress". Giving mindful breathing a place beside the alarm clock and weather app seems to prove mindfulness has truly gone mainstream. |
Medication to prevent heart attacks linked with reduced heart attack severityMedications prescribed to prevent heart attacks such as statins and aspirin are also associated with reduced heart attack severity, according to research published in PLOS ONE. The observational study in nearly 15 000 patients provides further evidence of the benefit of taking these medications. | |
 | Motivation as a source of energy against mental fatigueDuring periods of mental fatigue, motivation can play a large role in enabling you to carry out your task for a longer period of time. If your 'battery' runs on empty, then a good dose of motivation can provide enough fuel for you to keep on going for a while. This was revealed in the PhD research of organisational psychologist Jesper Hopstaken. |
 | More than two-thirds of cervical cancer deaths prevented by screeningCervical screening prevents 70 per cent of cervical cancer deaths and if all eligible women regularly attended screening this would rise to 83 per cent, according to research led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). |
Mobile device detects irregular heartbeats and helps to prevent cerebral infarctionsVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed a mobile app and thumb-size device that help to prevent cerebral infarctions at an early stage, during asymptomatic atrial fibrillation. The mobile device, which detects arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) has been tested with excellent results for around two years in real-life conditions in cooperation with Turku University Central Hospital. | |
 | When output becomes part of inputNeurofeedback is a technique used for the treatment of clinical disorders (like depression, anxiety, chronic pain, ADHD and schizophrenia etc.) and enhancement of brain performance. It is based on the "self-regulation" of brain activations underpinned by the principles of feedback control systems. Feedback systems can be found in areas such as cybernetics, industrial automation, quality control, optimization and so on. SISSA Trieste researcher, Moses Sokunbi, has reviewed the literature on feedback control systems and neurofeedback in order to provide some insights into how the basic principles of feedback control systems are the building blocks of the advanced brain-computer interfacing technique popularly dubbed "neurofeedback". This article would be particularly useful as an introduction to people who do not know about neurofeedback. |
Transcranial direct current stimulation raises glutamate levels in humansThe notion that low levels of electrical stimulation applied to the scalp, barely enough to create a mild tingling sensation, could activate the brain is a relatively new and somewhat controversial idea. The technique, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been reported to modify mood, emotion, and cognition, yet researchers lack any evidence for how - or even if - it directly modulates brain activity. Still, some researchers see its potential for a new strategy to treat psychiatric disorders. | |
 | Gastric reflux is common but may indicate a more serious health issueGERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is an extremely common problem seen by both primary care providers and specialists in gastroenterology. It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of adults in the western world are suffering from this ailment at any given time. |
 | Let's talk about more than sex: Parents in favor of expanding health educationTeaching kids about drugs, alcohol and sex appears to be less controversial than ever before with the majority of parents in a new poll saying schools should and do teach these subjects. |
 | 'Baby-led' weaning doesn't raise choking risk: study(HealthDay)—Babies who feed themselves solid foods early on may not be at increased risk of choking, a new clinical trial suggests. |
Another insect-borne virus appears in HaitiInfectious disease specialists say they have confirmed the Mayaro virus in a patient in Haiti. | |
Fermented foods ... health benefits or hype?Dear Mayo Clinic: Are there any special health benefits to fermented foods? | |
The ads say 'Get your flu shot today,' but it may be wiser to waitThe pharmacy chain pitches started in August: Come in and get your flu shot. | |
Health coverage on the rise for those in the justice systemHealth coverage on the rise for those in the justice system, U-M study finds | |
Drug-resistant infections could spark financial crisis: studyThe spread of superbugs that are resistant to all known drug treatments could spark a global financial crisis on the level of the 2008 meltdown or worse, a World Bank-led study warned on Monday. | |
 | Study measures changes in psychosocial attitudes after beer drinkingWhat does drinking beer really do? A new study has shown that drinking beer affects the way we see specific emotions and allows us to see happy faces faster. It also has surprising effects on sexual perception. These results are presented at the ECNP Conference in Vienna, with simultaneous publication in the peer-reviewed journal Psychopharmacology. |
 | Study shows lack of interest in sex successfully treated by exposure to bright lightExposure to bright light increases testosterone levels and leads to greater sexual satisfaction in men with low sexual desire. These are the results of a pilot randomised placebo-controlled trial, presented at the ECNP conference in Vienna. |
 | FDA Oks first muscular dystrophy drug; awaits proof it worksFederal regulators on Monday granted tentative approval to the first drug for muscular dystrophy, following an intense public campaign from patients and doctors who pushed for the largely unproven medication. |
 | Clot-busting medication safe for patients who wake up with strokeUsing a clot-busting medication to treat people who wake up with symptoms of stroke was safe and should be studied further to see how effective it might be for a population that otherwise has few treatment options, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). |
First Miami zone of local Zika spread now 'clear': officialsHealth authorities Monday lifted a travel warning for the Miami neighborhood of Wynwood—site of the United States' first local Zika outbreak—after the governor declared no evidence of active transmission of the virus there in the last 45 days. | |
Rare genetic condition may provide insights on Parkinson's and other late-onset diseasesA new article suggests that an enzyme deficiency seen in the lysosomal storage disorder Krabbe's disease may point to new mechanisms underlying certain late-onset neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. | |
Artificial intelligence reveals mechanism behind brain tumourResearchers at Uppsala University have used computer modelling to study how brain tumours arise. The study, which is published today in the journal EBioMedicine, illustrated how researchers in the future will be able to use large-scale data to find new disease mechanisms and identify new treatment targets. | |
Gardening as a child may lead college students to eat more veggiesAs researchers nationwide try to get college students to eat healthier foods, they're finding that gardening may lead to a lasting habit of eating more fruits and vegetables. | |
Hospital participation in medicare bundled payment initiative results in reduction in payments for joint replacementIn a study published online by JAMA, Laura A. Dummit, M.S.P.H., of The Lewin Group, Falls Church, Va., and colleagues evaluated whether Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) was associated with a greater reduction in Medicare payments without loss of quality of care for lower extremity joint (primarily hip and knee) replacement episodes initiated in BPCI-participating hospitals that are accountable for total episode payments (for the hospitalization and Medicare-covered services during the 90 days after discharge). | |
No significant change in overall antibiotic use among hospitalized patientsWhile overall rates of antibiotic use in U.S. hospitals appeared unchanged from 2006 to 2012, there were increases in the use of some antibiotics, especially broad spectrum ones, according to a new report published online by JAMA Internal Medicine. | |
Testing effects of combining incentives, restrictions in food benefit programA clinical trial that mimicked a food benefit program and paired incentives for buying fruits and vegetables with restrictions on sugary foods found that participants ate fewer calories, less sugary foods, more solid fruit and had better scores on an index that assessed consistency with dietary guidelines, according to a new report published online by JAMA Internal Medicine. | |
Biomarkers to assess degree of brain injury in postconcussion syndromeA new study published online by JAMA Neurology included 16 professional Swedish hockey players and examined whether persistent symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury were associated with brain injury as evaluated by cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for axonal damage and other aspects of central nervous system injury. | |
Researchers identify genes tied to sudden thoracic aortic dissectionsOn Super Bowl Sunday, Tina Wilkins was relaxing in her recliner while she chatted on the phone with her mother and waited for the game to begin. She had recently lost 63 pounds and was in better shape than she had been in years. | |
 | Study shows that opioids may affect how we perceive 'cuteness' of babiesA new pilot study has found that opioid dependence – which includes dependence on drugs such as heroin – affects how 'cute' we perceive images of children to be. As cuteness can trigger caregiving motivation, this result indicates that the opioid system may have significant effects on our ability to care for others. The implications of this may need to be considered in any consideration of medical or recreational opioid use. |
 | E-cigarette research: Flavorings and higher voltage increase toxicityRoswell Park Cancer Institute scientists report that several flavorings added to electronic cigarettes impact the toxicity of the devices and that, among the tested flavors, strawberry was the most toxic. The researchers also confirmed an earlier finding that increasing the battery output voltage of these devices significantly increases toxicity. The study has been published online ahead of print in the journal Tobacco Control. |
Study links sleep habits to adolescent drug and alcohol useA study led by researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Pitt Department of Psychology has identified a possible link between adolescent sleep habits and early substance abuse. The study, published today in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, found that both sleep duration and sleep quality during late childhood predict alcohol and cannabis use later in adolescence. | |
 | Sleep paralysis: When your peaceful slumber turns into a haunting nightmareYour eyes begin to open after a good night of sleep, but something feels weird. You try to rub the tiredness out of your face but can't lift your arms. In a panic you try to take a deep breath but can't draw air. You can't sit up, and you may even see a shadow in the corner of the room. This isn't a nightmare or a medical emergency—you likely just had a case of sleep paralysis. |
 | Preventing back-to-school illnessesThe backpacks are packed, lunchboxes are filled and the little ones are back in school. Kids have returned to their classrooms with stories of their summer vacations, and, unfortunately, with a host of germs ready to spread quickly in a close environment. |
 | Genes influence response to glycemic control as a preventive therapy for cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetesGenes play a role in how people with type 2 diabetes at high risk of cardiovascular disease risk respond to intensive glycemic control as an intervention to prevent the disease. That is the major finding of a Joslin-led study which was published online on August 15 in Diabetes Care. |
Oklahoma's first new abortion clinic in 40 years opens doorsDespite facing some of the nation's strictest anti-abortion laws, a Kansas-based foundation opened a new facility in Oklahoma City—the first new abortion provider in the state in 40 years. | |
 | Scientists propose solution for blast cells' classification in diagnostics of acute lymphoblastic leukemiaCurrently, diagnostics of acute leukemia are based on manual calculations of different types of cells by blood smears and bone marrow aspirations. The data from morphological research conducted by doctors in the microscopic analysis of blood and bone marrow products shows high variability of blast cells, and, as a consequence, leads to complications in identification of cell types and possible errors in diagnostics. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, determining the presence of leukemia cells, which are morphologically similar to lymphoblasts in blood or bone marrow, requires conducting differential diagnostics with other lymphoproliferative diseases and reactive lymphocytosis. In a number of cases, this is a difficult diagnostic problem. |
How daily stressors take a toll on long-term healthEveryone experiences stress, but how a person responds varies. For some, stressors are viewed as challenges to overcome, whereas others may see them as threats and give up or shut down when faced with a stressful situation. How people react – both psychologically and physically – can have implications for a person's health and well-being, including how well they age. | |
 | Novel regeneration therapy promises to significantly improve bone repairEU-funded researchers have pioneered a new bone regeneration therapy that promises to significantly improve bone repair and provide a realistic solution for patients who require partial bone replacement. |
 | As simple as random can beA few weeks ago I was having a discussion about mathematical models for the prediction of the movements of the stock market. The question was whether there was any use to developing complex algorithms trying to predict these fluctuations. My friend (an economist) argued that while he admits the market value isn't truly random, incorporating random variables may be the best model we have for it. It turns out that many mathematicians (and quants, economists who analyze market fluctuations using algorithms) have been using "random" models for their predictions. These range from sequences randomly drawn from log-normal distributions, to chaotic systems that may allow for the prediction of market crashes and other rare large movements. I was fascinated by the idea of randomness as a model for complex systems. It seemed particularly interesting to explore this in the context of biological processes, especially when the laws of thermodynamics have described that all physical phenomena drift towards the chaotic state of maximum entropy. Could randomness be a model for circuit wiring and function in the brain? |
Study reveals scope and characteristics of adverse drug reactions in the general populationIn a study of 1000 adult patients with unplanned admission to a tertiary hospital in Singapore, the prevalence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) at the time of admission was 12.4 percent, and the prevalence of ADRs causing admission to the hospital was 8.1 percent. | |
Stem cell-based screening methods may predict heart-related side effects of drugsCoaxing stem cells from patients to become heart cells may help clinicians personalize drug treatments and prevent heart-related toxicity. | |
People with epilepsy face increased risks of discrimination and other negative life eventsIn a recent analysis, people with epilepsy were seven-fold more likely to have reported experiencing discrimination due to health problems than the general population. This risk was greater than other chronic health problems such as diabetes, asthma and migraines. | |
Disease outbreak kills 19 in rain-hit Sudan: ministerAn outbreak of water-borne disease has killed at least 19 people and sickened scores more in Sudan's rain-ravaged states of Blue Nile and Kasala, a minister said Monday. | |
Binge-eating disorder linked to other health conditionsBinge-eating disorder (BED) was linked with a broad range of other illnesses in a recent study, with the strongest associations related to the endocrine and circulatory systems. | |
Study estimates ADHD symptom persistence into adulthoodSixty percent of children with ADHD in a recent study demonstrated persistence of symptoms into their mid-20's, and 41 percent had both symptoms and impairment as young adults. | |
Diet and exercise may improve physical function and quality of life in older obese adultsA recent review and analysis of published studies since 2005 found low-to-moderate evidence that dietary and exercise interventions can improve physical function and quality of life in older adults with obesity. | |
Cooking fuels contribute to childhood pneumonia in developing countriesSolid fuels used for cooking are the prevailing source of indoor pollution in developing countries. Now a worldwide ecological assessment has found that rates of pneumonia among young children in different countries are linked with the use of solid fuels. | |
Film and television often provide misleading information on brain deathNeurologists who examined how brain death and organ donation are portrayed in film and television found that only a small fraction of productions provide the public with a complete and accurate understanding of brain death. In addition, most productions do not provide professional discussions about organ donation. | |
Abaloparatide benefits a wide range of postmenopausal women with osteoporosisA recent analysis of results from a randomized controlled clinical trial indicates that abaloparatide-SC, a novel therapy for osteoporosis, provides consistent protection against bone fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis regardless of their baseline bone density, age, and previous history of fracture. | |
Researchers to develop new method, device for controlling blood pressure levels automaticallyUniversity of Texas at Arlington researchers are developing a new method and device for controlling blood pressure levels in cardiac care environments that use targeted electrical stimulation rather than drugs. | |
Kellogg recalls some Eggo waffles over listeria fearKellogg Co. is recalling about 10,000 cases of its Eggo Nutri-Grain Whole Wheat Waffles in 25 states because they could be contaminated with the bacteria listeria. | |
Biology news
 | Pigeons can learn to distinguish real words from non-wordsPigeons can learn to distinguish real words from non-words by visually processing their letter combinations, surprising new research from the University of Otago in New Zealand and Ruhr University in Germany shows. |
 | Scientists enhance ability of antibiotics to defeat resistant types of bacteria using molecules called PPMOsResearchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a strategy to overcome a key defense that drug-resistant bacteria use to fend off antibiotic attack. |
 | Genes identified in defence against powdery mildewAn international research team has identified two genes which could help protect barley against powdery mildew attack. |
 | Tags on RNA silence X chromosome in femalesThe addition of a chemical tag on an RNA molecule is the critical switch that inactivates one X chromosome in every cell, ensuring healthy development in all female mammals, according to new research by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The findings, reported Sept. 7 in Nature, could offer researchers a new scientific avenue to pursue treatments for X-linked chromosomal diseases in females such as Rett syndrome. |
 | Microbes help plants survive in severe droughtWith California in its fifth year of severe drought and many western states experiencing another year of unusually dry conditions, plants are stressed. |
 | Orphaned baby koala finds fluffy toy friendAn orphaned baby koala in Australia has found solace cuddling a fluffy toy marsupial in the absence of his mother as he recovers from the trauma of her death. |
How a bacterial virulence factor promotes its own secretionIn adhering to body cells, many bacteria cause disease. Antibiotics are the usual means for treating infection, but decades of use have led to increasing bacterial resistance. Therefore, scientists are looking at other strategies. | |
 | Jet fuel may be grown on iconic Aussie gum treesScientists are a step closer to using Australia's iconic gum trees to develop low-carbon renewable jet and missile fuel. |
Microbes corrode steel in ships, marine infrastructureRust is the bane of steel, whether on cars, on ships and boats, or as part of marine infrastructure. Now, contrary to previous thinking, it turns out that the ocean-dwelling, steel-corroding species, Mariprofundus sp. DIS-1, can thrive under aerobic conditions, rather than being limited to "micro-aerobic" or anaerobic conditions. That means steel in marine environments is more vulnerable to bacterial depredations than previously thought. The research is published on Friday, September 16th in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. | |
 | Better models to forecast effects of environmental change on food websExtinctions, variations in population densities, and large algal blooms in waters are examples of expected effects of global warming and nutrient over-fertilization. Wojciech Uszko at Umeå University shows how simple mathematical models can help us understand mechanisms behind these phenomena and forecast consequences of environmental change. |
 | Scientists reach back through centuries of cultivation to track how corn adapted to different elevations, environmentsAn Iowa State University scientist is attempting to peal back centuries of adaptations in corn to gain a better understanding of how the plant adjusted to the diverse environments and elevations of the Americas. |
 | Borneo loggers swap chainsaws for cheap healthcareThe forest around Manjau in Borneo once reverberated with the scream of chainsaws, as gangs of illegal loggers felled ancient hardwood trees for sale to timber merchants downstream. |
Experience with vehicles does not help birds avoid collisionsResearchers suspected that experience with passing vehicles may cause birds to adjust their avoidance responses-specifically, to increase their flight initiation distances-to keep from being hit. Instead, though, they recently found that inexperienced birds have longer flight initiation distances in response to oncoming vehicles than birds that have repeatedly observed passing, fast-moving vehicles. | |
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