Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 7, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Using oxygen as a tracer of galactic evolutionA new study led by University of California, Riverside astronomers casts light on how young, hot stars ionize oxygen in the early universe and the effects on the evolution of galaxies through time. |
 | MinXSS CubeSat brings new information to study of solar flaresAlong with the visible light and warmth constantly emitted by our sun comes a whole spectrum of X-ray and ultraviolet radiation that streams toward Earth. A new CubeSat – a miniature satellite that provides a low-cost platform for missions – is now in space observing a particular class of X-ray light that has rarely been studied. |
 | Opportunity rover to explore Mars gullyNASA's Opportunity Mars rover will drive down a gully carved long ago by a fluid that might have been water, according to the latest plans for the 12-year-old mission. No Mars rover has done that before. |
 | Kepler gets the 'big picture' of comet 67POn Sept. 30, the European Space Agency concluded its Rosetta mission and the study of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. During the final month of the mission, NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft had a unique opportunity to provide a 'big picture' view of the comet as it was unobservable from Earth: Ground-based telescopes could not see comet 67P, because the comet's orbit placed it in the sky during daylight hours. |
 | Automating sample testing in spaceA miniaturised biotech unit developed for the International Space Station is improving medical diagnoses on Earth with affordable automation of small-scale diagnostics. |
Apollo astronaut Frank Borman remembers the viewFrank Borman hasn't forgotten the view. | |
 | World's biggest radio earIt's now the biggest single-dish radio telescope on Earth. Settled down in the bumpy karst of China's Guizhou province, about 1200 miles southwest of Beijing, this newest instrument for studying the heavens is very similar in design to the famed Arecibo dish, renown both for its science accomplishments and its performance in two popular films, "Contact" and "Goldeneye." |
 | Can you buy land on the moon?Have you ever heard that it's possible to buy property on the moon? Perhaps someone has told you that, thanks to certain loopholes in the legal code, it is possible to purchase your very own parcel of lunar land. And in truth, many celebrities have reportedly bought into this scheme, hoping to snatch up their share of land before private companies or nations do. |
 | Schiaparelli readied for Mars landingThis week, the commands that will govern the Schiaparelli lander's descent and touchdown on Mars were uploaded to ESA's ExoMars spacecraft, enroute to the Red Planet. |
 | What is galactic evolution?On a clear night, you can make out the band of the Milky Way in the night sky. For millennia, astronomers looked upon it in awe, slowly coming to the realization that our Sun was merely one of billions of stars in the galaxy. Over time, as our instruments and methods improved, we came to realize that the Milky Way itself was merely one of billions of galaxies that make up the Universe. |
Technology news
 | Facebook's Oculus pushes virtual reality with new gear (Update)Facebook on Thursday worked to ramp up enthusiasm for its virtual reality line, unveiling new gear including a lower-end wireless headset prototype. |
 | Algorithmically challenged: the computers driving tradingWhen the British pound fell off a cliff on Friday morning, it soon became clear what may have been responsible—the computers. |
 | Signs suggest recent dramatic drop in price for solar panels(TechXplore)—Recently, researchers revealed that energy companies making bids to install large solar farms overseas have listed prices for solar panels that are dramatically lower than in the past. One bid, for a project in China, for example, listed a price of just $0.46/W for 500MW of solar power. Another for a project in Dubai listed $0.023/kWh for 1.2GW of solar power—such prices are approximately 25 percent lower than they were just a year ago. |
 | First demonstration of brain-inspired device to power artificial systemsNew research, led by the University of Southampton, has demonstrated that a nanoscale device, called a memristor, could be used to power artificial systems that can mimic the human brain. |
 | Engineers transform brewery wastewater into energy storageUniversity of Colorado Boulder engineers have developed an innovative bio-manufacturing process that uses a biological organism cultivated in brewery wastewater to create the carbon-based materials needed to make energy storage cells. |
 | Apple wins appeal, $120 mn award from Samsung restoredA US appeals court on Friday handed Apple a victory in one of its battles with rival Samsung, reinstating a $119.6 million verdict for the iPhone maker for patent infringement. |
 | Blappy, a new Bluetooth chat app for people with sensory disabilitiesBlappy is a smartphone application that enables fluid communication between people with visual and/or auditory disabilities. Voice messages can be changed into text and vice versa; in addition, high-contrast images can be included, and the screen has a zoom feature. It is also compatible with the TalkBack accessibility service. To use the service, it is only necessary to install the app in two terminals that are less than 30 meters apart and in a closed Bluetooth environment. Once the user is registered, there are two ways to send messages: either using voice recognition or a keyboard. |
 | A layer of diamond can prevent high-power electronic devices from overheatingPowerful electronic components can get very hot. When many components are combined into a single semiconductor chip, heating can become a real problem. An overheating electronic component wastes energy and is at risk of behaving unpredictably or failing altogether. Consequently, thermal management is a vital design consideration. |
 | The Internet of Things could spark a new wave of cyber attacksThe past few weeks have seen a remarkable and somewhat alarming development in cyber security. It comes in the wake of a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that has forced a rethink of how we can deal with attacks of this nature in the future. |
New technology using radar can identify materials and objects in real timeA revolutionary piece of technology, created by researchers at the University of St Andrews, can detect what an object is by placing it on a small radar sensor. | |
New NIST test bed makes the 'digital thread' accessibleResearchers at the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have launched the Smart Manufacturing Systems (SMS) Test Bed. The test bed is an innovative model factory that will facilitate the advanced manufacturing technology known as the "digital thread" and help manufacturers cut costs, shorten production time, reduce errors and provide higher quality goods. | |
Thomson Reuters to open tech hub in Canada, add 400 jobsThe Thomson Reuters news agency and financial information group will open a technology center in Toronto, adding 400 jobs over the next two years, the company announced Friday. | |
US surgeon general warns of possible computer breachThe Health and Human Services Department is investigating a possible breach of a computer system holding personal information of more than 6,700 doctors, nurses and other uniformed public health workers overseen by the surgeon general. | |
 | Pokemon Go vows to remove monsters from Dutch dunesThe US makers of Pokemon Go have promised to remove their virtual monsters from an area of protected Dutch beaches, seeking to stave off a lawsuit by angry local authorities, Dutch officials said Friday. |
 | Verizon cuts jobs in stores as wireless growth slowsVerizon has cut jobs in stores across the country as it deals with increasing competition in the wireless industry. |
T-Mobile says 'calling issues' resolvedT-Mobile says it has resolved "calling issues" that prompted numerous social media postings early Friday of cellphone service problems. | |
 | Researchers develop system to monitor industrial food processing in real timeThe EU MUSE-TECH project has developed an innovative new system to monitor industrial food processing in real time by combining three different sensors into one easy-to-use tool. Positive test results suggest that the device could help food makers across a number of sectors to achieve greater processing efficiencies and ensure high standards of safety. |
 | US blames Russia for hacking political sitesThe U.S. on Friday blamed the Russian government for the hacking of political sites and accused Moscow of trying to interfere with the upcoming presidential election. |
Baltimore police release flight logs for surveillance planeBaltimore Police have released data showing that a surveillance plane secretly flew over the city roughly 100 times, taking more than 1 million snapshots of the streets below. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Stepping closer to a universal flu vaccineResearchers at McMaster University and two American universities have taken another step closer to developing a much more effective, "one-punch" universal flu vaccine. |
 | New viral vector tool will help expand scope of neural circuit researchScientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus and the University of California, Berkeley have developed a powerful new tool for neuroscientists—a viral vector called rAAV2-retro, which efficiently enters and travels through the long neuronal projections that connect different regions of the brain. Genetically-encoded tools for labeling cells or monitoring or manipulating their activity can be packaged inside the virus and delivered to groups of neurons that signal to a specific part of the brain, creating new opportunities to study large-scale neural networks. |
 | Study reveals potential new strategy to prevent Alzheimer's diseaseTaking a pill that prevents the accumulation of toxic molecules in the brain might someday help prevent or delay Alzheimer's disease, according to scientists at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. |
 | How the brain responds to choicesChoices, it is commonly understood, lead to action—but how does this happen in the brain? Intuitively, we first make a choice between the options. For example, when approaching a yellow traffic light, we need to decide either to hit the breaks or to accelerate the car. Next, the appropriate motor response is selected and carried out, in this case moving the foot to the left or to the right. Traditionally, it is assumed that separate brain regions are responsible for these stages. Specifically, it is assumed that the motor cortex carries out this final response selection without influencing the choice itself. |
 | Males conceived via fertility treatment may have weakened sperm: study(HealthDay)—Males who were conceived using an infertility treatment where sperm is injected into an egg may themselves have lower sperm quantity and quality than those conceived naturally, Belgian researchers report. |
 | Using satellite images to better target vaccinationSatellite images that capture short-term changes in population size in communities in the developing world can help vaccination campaigns achieve more complete coverage to help prevent and control disease outbreaks. A team of researchers led by Penn State scientists have combined satellite imagery, vaccination records, and measles case reports to illustrate how using predictable population fluctuations can help to improve vaccination coverage—a vital factor in combatting infectious disease outbreaks. The research is published in the October 5, 2016 edition of the journal Scientific Reports. |
 | Study challenges idea of mandatory water intakeA multi-institute study led by Monash University has revealed for the first time the mechanism that regulates fluid intake in the human body and stops us from over-drinking, which can cause potentially fatal water intoxication. The study challenges the popular idea that we should drink eight glasses of water a day for health. |
 | Different brain atrophy patterns may explain variability in Alzheimers disease symptomsMathematical modeling of the brain scans of patients with Alzheimer's disease and others at risk for the devastating neurodegenerative disorder has identified specific patterns of brain atrophy that appear to be related to the loss of particular cognitive abilities. In their report that has been published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the National University of Singapore describe how different atrophy patterns may explain the different ways that Alzheimer's disease can be manifested in individual patients. |
Researchers find the link between heart and blood cells in early developmentNew research from the University of Minnesota reveals endoglin as a critical factor in determining the fate of early undifferentiated cells during development. Endoglin, a receptor involved in cell signaling, has previously been known mostly for its function in blood vessels and angiogenesis. In a new paper published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers showed endoglin modulates key signaling pathways to encourage early cells to develop into blood cells at the expense of the heart. | |
 | Imaging stroke risk in 4-D: New MRI technique detects blood flow velocity to identify who is most at risk for strokeAffecting 33.5 million patients worldwide, atrial fibrillation is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia. As if having an irregular heart beat wasn't troubling enough, patients with atrial fibrillation are also much more likely to have a stroke. |
 | What's really going on in PTSD brains? Experts suggest new theoryFor decades, neuroscientists and physicians have tried to get to the bottom of the age-old mystery of post-traumatic stress disorder, to explain why only some people are vulnerable and why they experience so many symptoms and so much disability. |
 | Culprit found in breast cancer resistance to tamoxifenResearchers have discovered that a protein found naturally in cells that provides some protection from viruses is responsible for creating mutations that drive resistance to tamoxifen treatment in breast cancer. Because the protein, known as APOBEC3B, is found in elevated quantities in other kinds of cancer cells, the finding explains differential responses to treatment and opens the door to boosting the effectiveness of tamoxifen and related breast cancer therapies that inhibit the ability of estrogen to stimulate tumor growth. |
 | Woman who has baby with mom's womb: it's 'science fiction'Emelie Eriksson has a bond with her son that hardly seems possible: She and her son were born from the same womb. |
Thousands of melanoma patients in Europe have no access to new life saving drugsOver 5000 patients with metastatic melanoma in Europe are denied access to new, life saving drugs every year, according to a survey presented at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen. | |
Researchers activate repair program for nerve fibersInjuries to the spinal cord can cause paralysis and other permanent disabilities because severed nerve fibers do not regrow. Now, scientists of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) have developed a molecular brake that prevents the regeneration of nerve connections. Treatment of mice with 'Pregabalin,' a drug that acts upon the growth-inhibiting mechanism, caused damaged nerve connections to regenerate. Researchers led by neurobiologist Frank Bradke report on these findings in the journal Neuron. | |
 | Exercise at work also has mental health benefitsSpending too many hours sitting at your desk or inside an office is known to be unhealthy, so workplace health programs have been designed to improve employees' physical health by encouraging exercise and activity. Now researchers at UCLA have shown another important but lesser-recognized benefit to such programs: improved mental health. |
UV light robots cut C. diff transmissions by 25 percent on cancer patient floors, study findsRobots are capable of all sorts of tasks to help better treat cancer: They connect oncologists to patients remotely, make incisions, staple them shut, deliver "nano" therapies—and they clean rooms. Newly published research from Penn Medicine infection control specialists found that ultraviolet (UV) robots helped reduce the rates of transmission of the common bacterial infection known as Clostridium difficile (C. diff) among cancer inpatients – mostly blood cancer patients, a group more vulnerable to hospital-acquired infections – by 25 percent. The no-touch device, used after patients with C. diff or contact precautions were discharged from the hospital, also resulted in substantial health care savings, estimated between $350,000 and $1.5 million annually. | |
Study points to postsecondary mental healthA recent Ontario University and College Health Association (OUCHA) report isn't news to those working to improve student mental-health services at postsecondary institutions. But it is a catalyst to improving mental-health supports for university students across the province, said Jana Luker, Associate Vice-Provost (Student Experience) at Western. | |
Sociologist links unstable, unpredictable schedules to health problemsFor people who work in the service sector, unpredictable, unstable schedules have a range of negative consequences, including psychological stress and poor health, according to a new working paper from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley. | |
 | New research sheds light on role of HPV in head and neck cancersHuman Papillomavirus (HPV) drives a greater number of head and neck cancers than previously thought, finds new research from UCL and the University of Southampton. |
 | Boys should also get the HPV vaccine to protect themselves from oral and genital cancersThe human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer in women, is also responsible for many cancers in men. It causes most cancers of the tonsils (known as oropharyngeal cancers), which are more common in men than women. HPV is also to blame for cancers of the anus, vulva, vagina and penis. |
 | Hospital choice could determine survival after a heart attackWhere you go for heart attack care may matter for both your short- and long-term risk of death, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | US life expectancy lags behind other wealthy nations(HealthDay)—The United States lags behind other advanced nations when it comes to infant mortality and the life expectancy of its citizens, according to a comprehensive review of global health statistics. |
 | Steep rise in price of older cancer drugs(HealthDay)—Many older cancer drugs took a bigger bite out of Medicare and older Americans' wallets last year than five years earlier, a new analysis finds. |
 | Number of Americans with severe joint pain keeps rising(HealthDay)—Severe joint pain plagues an increasing number of aging, often arthritic Americans, a new report finds. |
 | Prenatal factors may raise child's risk for OCD(HealthDay)—Pregnancy behaviors and certain childbirth complications may influence a child's risk of developing obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a new study suggests. |
 | Drug trio shows major promise against myeloma(HealthDay)—Adding a newer drug to a standard treatment for advanced cases of multiple myeloma may significantly boost patients' chances of a response and even recovery, a new clinical trial finds. |
 | Older surgery patients should be screened for frailty: study(HealthDay)—Screening older surgery patients for frailty could improve their outcomes and chances for survival, researchers say. |
 | Don't let the change of seasons put you at risk(HealthDay)—Fall can be beautiful, but changing weather can cause hazards. The key to staying safe is being aware of the potential risks and how to avoid them, according to the Farmers' Almanac. |
 | Low incidence of cervical cancer, CIN3+ for HPV-negative women(HealthDay)—Human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative women have low long-term incidence of cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 3 or worse (CIN3+), which supports an extension of the cervical screening interval beyond five years for certain women, according to a study published online Oct. 4 in The BMJ. |
 | Changes in depression symptoms tied to mortality in lung cancer(HealthDay)—Longitudinal changes in depression are associated with differences in mortality among patients with lung cancer, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. |
 | Burns, blast injuries on the rise from exploding e-cigarettes(HealthDay)—Electronic-cigarette devices are randomly and unexpectedly exploding, burning and injuring people near them when they detonate, according to a research letter published in the Oct. 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Conservative oxygen treatment linked to lower ICU mortality(HealthDay)—A conservative protocol for oxygen therapy results in lower intensive care unit (ICU) mortality compared to conventional care, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research was published to coincide with the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Annual Congress, held from Oct. 1 to 5 in Milan. |
 | Empirical micafungin treatment doesn't improve survival(HealthDay)—Empirical treatment with micafungin seems not to increase invasive fungal infection (IFI)-free survival at 28 days for patients with intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired sepsis with Candida colonization, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research was published to coincide with the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Annual Congress, held from Oct. 1 to 5 in Milan. |
 | Exposure to LDL-C-lowering genetic variants ups T2DM risk(HealthDay)—Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering genetic variants are associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a meta-analysis published in the Oct. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
Many doctors treating alcohol problems overlook successful drugsAs millions of Americans battle alcohol abuse problems each year, public health officials suggest that two often overlooked medications might offer relief to some. | |
Health law targets women's preventive services, but it offers help to men, tooThis week, I answered a couple of questions from readers about preventive health benefits and looked into coverage options for people who travel frequently. | |
Hospitals still overusing antibiotics, feds sayAmid rising fears about "superbugs" that are resistant to antibiotics, hospitals are still overusing antibiotics to treat patients. | |
 | 'Don't feed the trolls' really is good advice—here's the evidenceAlmost half the population of the planet now has access to the internet, with about one in three of those people regularly active on social media. |
 | Researchers study potential for emergence of mosquito-borne diseaseWith Zika virus raising concerns around the United States about the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, the transmission of these viruses has become paramount in terms of how, when and where they are spread. Researchers at The University of New Mexico are using mathematics to try and learn more about the potential for emergence of mosquito-borne disease in metropolitan areas in the United States. |
 | Predicting diabetes risk from birth weightDo you know how much you weighed when you were born? From that first weigh-in moments after birth, it's possible to predict your future adult health. And when it comes to disease risk in later life, it's best to be average – babies that are larger than average are at an increased risk of diabetes, while small babies are at a higher risk of both diabetes and heart disease. The reasons for this are complex, but researchers at the University of Oxford have perhaps found the biggest part of the puzzle. It's in your genes. |
 | Entangled in the endotheliumLMU researchers have uncovered the underlying cause of a rare type of immunodeficiency syndrome, which severely impairs their ability to fight infections. |
 | Study supports "Do Not Sell" voluntary waiting period for gun sales to reduce suicideA new study suggests many patients at risk for suicide would voluntarily place their name on a Do Not Sell list, prohibiting gun shops from immediately selling them a firearm. |
Research finally reveals reason for perplexing red skin disease ichthyosisThe children and adults travel from as far as Australia, Africa and Mongolia to see her, because she is one of the few dermatologists in the world who specializes in the rare and perplexing genetic disease that causes their skin to be disfigured by redness and dark scales across their entire bodies. | |
 | Review suggests eating oats can lower cholesterol as measured by a variety of markersResearchers have known for more than 50 years that eating oats can lower cholesterol levels and thus reduce a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease. |
 | How a patient's 'crazy' request for a new womb made historyWhen the young Australian cervical cancer patient learned she had to lose her womb in order to survive, she proposed something audacious to the doctor who was treating her: She asked if she could have a womb transplant, so she could one day carry her own baby. |
 | Breast milk protein safely reduces hospital infections in preemiesResponding to a call from the American Academy of Pediatrics to reduce hospital-acquired infections in neonatal intensive care units across the country, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and Sinclair School of Nursing have found a protein in breast milk to be a safe and efficient solution. |
 | Kids' consumption of high-calorie drinks at fast-food restaurants tied to combo mealsA new survey of children's and teenagers' eating habits at fast-food restaurants suggests that consumption levels of sugary drinks are closely tied to their automatic inclusion in "combo meal" packages. |
 | Mapping the 'dark matter' of human DNAResearchers from ERIBA, Radboud UMC, XJTU, Saarland University, CWI and UMC Utrecht have made a big step towards a better understanding of the human genome. By identifying large DNA variants in 250 Dutch families, the researchers have clarified part of the 'dark matter,' the great unknown, of the human genome. These new data enable researchers from all over the world to study the DNA variants and use the results to better understand genetic diseases. |
Weethinking the role of bacteria in incontinenceWe all know that feeling of suddenly needing to pee, and the agonizing worry that we might not find a toilet in time or make it that far. Sadly, for many people this is a regular occurrence and wetting themselves uncontrollably is an inevitable consequence. | |
 | Aberrant Tau proteins put neuronal networks to sleepThe brain could easily be compared to the internet. In both networks information is transmitted from one unit to the next with numerous units making up the network. Unlike computers, neurons are interconnected by axons, thin biological wires which can be as long as one meter. A protein called Tau normally helps in maintaining axonal integrity by stabilizing the tracks which are necessary to transport cellular components within the axon. However, Tau goes astray in multiple neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and other "tauopathies". Here it starts to aggregate into tiny fibers or clumps, which can corrupt neuronal function. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood and there is therefore no effective treatment. |
 | USDA: Egg group inappropriately targeted vegan spreadAn egg industry group's discussions about thwarting the sale of an eggless vegan spread were inappropriate, a yearlong investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found. |
New tool for cancer patients measures the stress of expensesFor many patients, the uncertainty and stress that can come with cancer treatment is compounded by what is now known as "financial toxicity," the anxiety and distress that follow health care and medication expenses, often compounded by reduced ability to work. | |
Researchers explore the relationship between religion and cancer screeningDoes religion affect people's likelihood of being screened for cancer? That's the question Dr. Aisha Lofters and her team at St. Michael's Hospital are trying to answer. | |
 | Children mean stress for mums, joy for dadsA new study from a Cornell University sociologist shows that while parents enjoy the time they spend with their children, parenting carries more strain for mothers. |
 | More Washington state agricultural workers injured in hot weatherWarmer weather is related to an increase in traumatic injuries for outdoor agricultural workers in central and eastern Washington. |
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy prior to surgery is safe and feasible in early lung cancerNeoadjuvant immunotherapy with the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab is safe and feasible prior to surgery for early lung cancer, researchers reported at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen. | |
High response rate in phase I/II paediatric brain cancer trialA high response rate with a single drug in a phase I/II trial of paediatric brain tumour has set the stage for combination therapy with higher response and lower toxicity, researchers reported at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen. | |
What does 'having a drink' mean to the average Aussie?Drinking alcohol is seen as part of the national culture, but what is the real significance of "having a drink" for the average middle-aged Australian? | |
 | Researcher maps life expectancy along Greater Manchester's MetrolinkAn academic from The University of Manchester has created a map based on the region's Metrolink tram network, which has revealed the striking differences in life expectancy across Greater Manchester. |
Medical mysteries: Seeing right doctor for rheumatic disease is keyMedical mysteries have become the topic for several popular television shows - allowing large TV audiences a quick glimpse into the challenges faced by those who suffer from rare, bizarre, or little-known illnesses. In an hour or less, viewers can see how mysterious symptoms and wrong diagnoses cause years of frustration and suffering when medical answers prove illusive. | |
Home remedies: Manage discomfort of heartburnHeartburn is a burning sensation in your chest, just behind your breastbone. Technically called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heartburn occurs when stomach contents back up into your esophagus. Sour taste and the sensation of food coming back into your mouth may accompany the sensation. | |
 | Traumatic stress and aging—an interview with psychologist Joan CookDr. Joan Cook is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in the Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. She has specific expertise in the areas of traumatic stress and geriatric mental health. Dr. Cook has served as the principal investigator on four grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, as well as grants from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. She is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) Guideline Development Panel for PTSD and is the 2016 President of APA's Division of Trauma Psychology. |
 | New HIV treatment appears to have fully erased the virus from a patient's bloodA pioneering new trial offers new hope in the fight against HIV after a patient treated with a new therapy appears to have no trace of the virus in their blood. Although experts remain cautious, this novel treatment may allow for a new front to be opened in the ongoing battle against the disease. |
Ticagrelor after MI: Added benefit called into question by data subsequently submittedThe drug ticagrelor has been approved since February 2016 for adults who had a myocardial infarction a year or more ago and are at a high risk of a new myocardial infarction or stroke. Ticagrelor is used together with low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). In its dossier assessment published in early July 2016, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) determined an indication of a minor added benefit of ticagrelor in comparison with the administration of ASA alone. | |
 | Cholera outbreak hits war-torn Yemen: UNICEFWar-torn Yemen is suffering from a cholera outbreak, the UN's children agency and the World Health Organization said Friday, posing a further threat to infants in the impoverished nation. |
Watchdog: Staff issues affect care at reservation hospitalsThe internal watchdog of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services blames the often-substandard quality of care at hospitals serving Native Americans on outdated equipment and technology, lack of resources and difficulty attracting and keeping skilled staff. | |
Mylan to pay $465 mn to settle allegations it overcharged Medicaid for EpiPenMylan will pay $465 million to resolve accusations from regulators that it overbilled the federal Medicaid program for the EpiPen allergy medication, the drugmaker announced Friday. | |
Biology news
 | Scientists discover mechanisms of shape-shifting sea cucumbersScientists from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have discovered for the first time how marine animals called sea cucumbers can rapidly change the stiffness of their body, which could provide a useful basis for developing novel biomaterials for applications in medicine. |
 | Ultimate sacrifice: Spider's post-sex cannibalism aids offspringThe male dark fishing spider is just dying to father some children - and this death wish probably evolved to benefit his offspring, according to new research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Gonzaga University. |
Differing division rates of brain stem cellsOur similarities and differences to chimpanzees, our great ape cousins, have intrigued people for centuries. Of particular interest is the brain. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig now report the first detailed comparison of how human and chimpanzee stem cells form a cerebral cortex during brain development. They uncover a subtle but intriguing difference in how the cortical stem cells divide – the human cells take more time to arrange the chromosomes before they are distributed to the daughter cells. This may help to understand why human and chimpanzee brains develop differently. | |
 | How RNA could keep us youngWith over 75 million baby boomers in the U.S. alone, age-related diseases are a major concern in the health care system. The connection between aging and cancer has become a pillar in medicine: we know that as we age, our cells tend to accumulate damaging changes in their DNA, eventually becoming unfit to perform their normal functions. |
 | Berks' bees and pollen variation subject of student's independent studyWhat does the study of honey bees have to do with pollen variations and seasonal allergies? Science major Cassandra Darnell hopes to find out, through an ongoing independent study she is conducting on the honey bees that she brought to Penn State Berks. |
 | Researcher's squash hybrid changes color as it ripensHow do you know when squash is at its ripest and tastiest? Most vegetables offer a unique hint. Bananas turn a summery yellow. Peaches are soft but not too squishy. Squash, however, is an anomaly in that it shows no exterior sign of ripeness. |
 | Bacteria-based water treatment systems may help prevent the spread of antibiotic resistanceMany wastewater treatment facilities rely on membrane bioreactors (MBRs) that use bacterial communities to consume and break down contaminants that make the water unsafe for reuse. |
 | Sustainable vaccines and fuels research boosted by computer breakthroughSustainable sources of fuels and new medicines and vaccines for a growing global population could be a step closer after the University of Aberdeen made an important breakthrough that will optimise a new and rapidly evolving biotechnology. |
 | When, and why, must we die?Life-extension zealots have championed many strategies aimed at prolonging our days here on Earth, and not all sound like much fun (I'm thinking specifically about caloric restriction). Supercentenarians - those rare humans who live beyond the age of 110 - by contrast seem to embrace much more appealing life-extension strategies: They routinely endorse regular naps, consumption of large quantities of chocolate, and a daily nip of strong drink, for instance. |
Research tag not adequately sterilized is linked to death of whaleAn endangered orca that died earlier this year likely developed a fatal infection after a scientist failed to adequately sterilize a research tag that was shot into its body, according to a report released Wednesday. | |
 | Student start-up reduces toxic threat of pesticidesImagine you're a farmer whose crops are nearing their harvest time. You've just sprayed them with standard pesticides to keep the bugs away until the fruit is ready, and then you see a report that there will be huge storm in your area this week. |
 | Staphylococcus aureus has a resistance strategy that thwarts certain antimicrobialsThe natural presence of fatty acids in the human body leads to increased resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to a class of antimicrobials that target bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis. This discovery, based on research by INRA scientists in collaboration with with INSERM, Hôpital Cochin APHP, the Université Paris Descartes, Institut Pasteur and CNRS scientists, is reported in an article in Nature Communications (5 October 2016). While antimicrobial drug discovery is a top research priority, this work reveals that resistance strategies involving host fatty acids can thwart the use of fatty acid synthesis inhibitors to treat staphylococcal infection. |
 | How scientists use DNA to spy on whales and find 'extinct' fishIn 2014, when Mariah Pfleger volunteered to sift through water samples from Alabama's Mobile River Basin, she wasn't expecting to solve one of biology's most frustrating missing fishes cases. |
 | How cells take out the trash—phosphoarginine decipheredCells never forget to take out the trash. It has long been known that cells tag proteins for degradation by labelling them with ubiquitin, a signal described as "the molecular kiss of death". Tim Clausen's group at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna identified an analogous system in gram-positive bacteria, where the role of a degradation tag is fulfilled by a little known post-translational modification: arginine phosphorylation. The discovery, which is published online by the journal Nature, opens new avenues for designing antibacterial therapies. |
 | Researchers discover new regulatory mechanism of important proteinProtein kinase A (PKA) is an important signaling enzyme that is found throughout the body and is involved in many cellular processes. It was thought to have been comprehensively studied, but scientists at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) have now discovered a new layer of PKA regulation and published their findings in Nature Communications. |
 | UTA biologist to expand study of invasive zebra mussels in Texas lakesA professor emeritus in biology from The University of Texas at Arlington who is an esteemed expert in freshwater and marine invertebrates is expanding his research into the spread of invasive zebra mussels into Texas lakes. |
 | To help bees, skip herbicides and pesticides, keep lawns naturally diverseDeclining populations of pollinators is a major concern to ecologists because bees, butterflies and other insects play a critical role in supporting healthy ecosystems. Now a new study from urban ecologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst suggests that when urban and suburban lawns are left untreated with herbicides, they provide a diversity of "spontaneous" flowers such as dandelions and clover that offer nectar and pollen to bees and other pollinators. |
 | Vietnam seizes illegal ivory shipmentAround a half tonne of ivory hidden in a timber shipment has been seized in Vietnam, an official said Friday, the second large haul of the illegally-trafficked product in a week. |
 | Antarctic yeast's strategies: Consuming energy to prevent from intracellular freezingFungi that inhabit Antarctica can grow even at subzero temperatures. These fungi act as decomposers and play a significant role in the nutrients cycle in polar-region ecosystems. Yet, the metabolic response of such fungi to the cold stress of subzero temperature conditions is not entirely clear. |
Report proposes new research framework to understand cumulative impacts of human activities on marine mammalsRising levels of noise in the ocean have been identified as a growing concern for the well-being of marine mammals, but other threats such as pollution, climate change, and prey depletion by fisheries may also harm marine mammals and influence their response to additional noise. Current knowledge and data are insufficient to determine what combination of factors cause the greatest concern, says a new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report includes a newly developed conceptual framework model to help federal agencies and research communities explore the potential cumulative effects of human activities on marine mammals. | |
Walrus begin arriving near Alaska village in annual eventPacific walrus are beginning to come ashore near a remote community on Alaska's northwest coast in what's become an annual marine mammal phenomenon caused by a warming climate. | |
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