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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 28, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | New asteroseismic modelling tool provides crucial parameters of a nearby binary system(Phys.org)—A team of European astronomers led by Benard Nsamba of the University of Porto in Portugal has developed a new tool for asteroseismic modeling of stars capable of deriving fundamental stellar parameters. The Asteroseismic Inference on a Massive Scale (AIMS) tool allowed them to obtain essential information about both components in the nearby binary HD 176465. The results were published Nov. 17 on the arXiv preprint server. |
 | Researchers propose low-mass supernova triggered formation of solar systemA research team led by University of Minnesota School of Physics and Astronomy Professor Yong-Zhong Qian uses new models and evidence from meteorites to show that a low-mass supernova triggered the formation of our solar system. |
 | Violent collision of massive supernova with surrounding gas powers superluminous supernovaeIn a unique study, an international team of researchers including members from the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU) simulated the violent collisions between supernovae and its surrounding gas— which is ejected before a supernova explosion, thereby giving off an extreme brightness. |
 | Study finds cause of visual impairment in astronautsA visual problem affecting astronauts who serve on lengthy missions in space is related to volume changes in the clear fluid that is found around the brain and spinal cord, according to new research being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). |
 | Project to map the history of the Milky WayOur galaxy, the Milky Way, contains at least 100 billion stars. Over the centuries, astronomers have scoured the skies, developing a thorough understanding of the lives of those stars, from their formation in vast nebulae to their fiery and spectacular deaths. |
 | Timing the shadow of a potentially habitable extrasolar planet paves the way to search for alien lifeA group of researchers from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the University of Tokyo, and the Astrobiology Center among others has observed the transit of a potentially Earth-like extrasolar planet known as K2-3d using the MuSCAT instrument on the Okayama Astrophysical Observatory 188-cm telescope. A transit is a phenomenon in which a planet passes in front of its parent star, blocking a small amount of light from the star, like a shadow of the planet. While transits have previously been observed for thousands of other extrasolar planets, K2-3d is important because there is a possibility that it might harbor extraterrestrial life. |
 | NASA technology used to find stone age structuresOklahoma's Beaver River is an incredibly historic place. Anthropologists estimate that as early as 10,500 years ago, human beings hunted bison in the region. Being without horses, the hunter-gatherers would funnel herds into narrow, dead-end gullies cut into the hillside by the river. Once there, they would kill them en masse, taking the meat and organs and leaving the skeletons behind. |
 | Image: Adamas Labyrinthus on MarsThis labyrinth-like system of troughs and plateaus was imaged by ESA's Mars Express on 21 June 2016. |
 | Astronaut vision may be impaired by spinal fluid changes: studyAstronauts may experience blurry vision and impaired eyesight after long spaceflights due to changes in spinal fluid that occur while in microgravity, researchers said Monday. |
Technology news
 | Robot program does not do well enough on school entry exam(Tech Xplore)—Goodness. Imagine if artificial intelligence was so on point that a robot could get good enough marks on an entrance exam to gain admission to a prestigious university? |
 | 'Diamond-age' of power generation as nuclear batteries developedNew technology has been developed that uses nuclear waste to generate electricity in a nuclear-powered battery. A team of physicists and chemists from the University of Bristol have grown a man-made diamond that, when placed in a radioactive field, is able to generate a small electrical current. |
 | Smart patch releases blood thinners as needed, prevents thrombosis in animal modelAn interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a smart patch designed to monitor a patient's blood and release blood-thinning drugs as needed to prevent the occurrence of dangerous blood clots - a condition known as thrombosis. In an animal model, the patch was shown to be more effective at preventing thrombosis than traditional methods of drug delivery. The work was done by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. |
 | Stunned tech sector ponders future under TrumpAfter disbelief, anger and grief, the US tech sector is looking to come to grips with the presidency of a man described by many of its leading lights as a "disaster" for innovation. |
 | Upstate NY towns embroiled in fight over tall wind turbinesClean energy and environmental interests usually go hand in hand. But in western New York, they are battling over plans to build dozens of wind turbines that could be among the nation's tallest, rising 600 feet above the scenic shores of Lake Ontario. |
 | Meet TIM, the LHC tunnel's robotThe name's TIM, Robot TIM – meet the spy patrolling the 27-km tunnel of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). TIM, the Train Inspection Monorail, is a mini vehicle transporting a set of instruments along tracks suspended from the tunnel's ceiling. This smart machine is used for real-time monitoring of the LHC tunnel: the tunnel structure, the oxygen percentage, the communication bandwidth and the temperature. |
Trump Tower becomes 'Dump Tower' on Google MapsSomeone renamed Donald Trump's midtown Manhattan building on Google Maps, and the new moniker isn't very flattering. | |
 | DirecTV wants to be the next online substitute for cableThere are already a few online services that aim to replace cable, but they haven't attracted many users yet. AT&T's DirecTV hopes to change that with a new service announced Monday. |
 | Misinformation on social media—can technology save us?If you get your news from social media, as most Americans do, you are exposed to a daily dose of hoaxes, rumors, conspiracy theories and misleading news. When it's all mixed in with reliable information from honest sources, the truth can be very hard to discern. |
 | How real is the risk posed by 3-D printed guns?3-D printed guns are back in the news after Queensland Police reported last week that they had discovered a 3-D printer in a raid on what appeared to be a "large-scale" weapons production facility as a part of Operation Oscar Quantum. |
 | New technique lays the foundation for greener transport fuels and next generation enginesThe search for better engine performance powered by less polluting fuels will benefit from a new modeling technique developed at KAUST. |
 | New method for the early detection of emerging problems in industrial processesModern automated industrial processes rely heavily on the precise control of process conditions, making it critical to detect emerging deviations. A KAUST-led research team has now developed a highly sensitive incipient anomaly detection method with the potential to dramatically improve industrial productivity, quality and safety. |
 | The future of nuclear energyEarly this year, Rachel Slaybaugh attended a campus mixer on technological innovation. When she introduced herself as a professor of nuclear engineering, other attendees would pause and ask for clarification. She remembers, "People were like, 'Wait. What? You're from where?'" |
Multi-megawatt floating system soon to be set up near Le Croisic, FranceFloating wind turbines for offshore use are seen by many as embodying the future of the sector: they circumvent the problem of unsuitable seabeds and may even cost less than grounded alternatives. A consortium working under the FLOATGEN banner is looking for a share of the pie with the first-ever floating wind turbine to be set-up in the Atlantic close to the French coast. | |
 | Two Taiwanese teenagers win World Robot Olympiad in IndiaWhizzing around a green felt table chasing a soccer ball beaming infrared light, the boxy robot shoots—and scores—and wins its Taiwanese teenage creators first prize at this year's student robot games. |
 | Should tech companies warn consumers that their products could be addictive?How many times per day do you check your phone? Chances are, a lot. According to Time magazine, a recent study found Americans reach for their smartphones an average of 46 times per day, though ABC News reported a few years ago that the figure could be even higher—up to an average of 150 times per day. |
 | New technology aims to makes photovoltaic cells 70% more effectiveTechnion researchers have developed a technology that could improve the efficiency of photovoltaic cells by nearly 70 percent. The study was conducted at the Excitonics Lab, headed by Assistant Professor Carmel Rotschild at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, with the assistance of the Grand Technion Energy Program (GTEP) and the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute (RBNI) at the Technion, and as part of the lab's ERC project on new thermodynamic tools for solar cells. |
 | Chevy Bolt isn't stylish, but GM is pushing its practicalityThe executive in charge of marketing the new electric Chevrolet Bolt keeps coming back to one word. |
 | With early deals, how much will Cyber Monday buyers spend?Millions of Americans paused during the Monday after Thanksgiving to check out online deals and check off people on their holiday gift list. But so-called Cyber Monday may be in danger of losing its online sales title. |
 | Europol closes 4,500 websites peddling fake brandsIn a massive crackdown, police and law enforcement agencies across Europe have seized more than 4,500 website domains trading in counterfeit goods, often via social networks, officials said on Monday. |
 | Britain seeks to restrict access to online pornPornographic websites could be forced to check their users are over 18 under new measures debated by British lawmakers Monday that are designed to protect children but have raised concerns over privacy and censorship. |
 | Cyber Monday transforms as shoppers are more connectedThe Monday after Thanksgiving is still a time when millions of Americans pause to check out online deals and check off items from their gift list—but a one-day Cyber Monday frenzy appears to be going the way of the dial-up modem. |
 | Autonomoose, other self-driving cars hit Canada streetsA Lincoln MKZ sedan dubbed Autonomoose and two other self-driving vehicles hit the road in Canada Monday in the country's first test of the technology on public roads. |
Construction greener and more efficient with intelligent softwareConstruction vehicles could become more efficient and environmentally-friendly, thanks to new technology developed by WMG at the University of Warwick. | |
Feds: Railroads slow to make progress on train technologyThe nation's three busiest commuter railroads - which together serve nearly 1 million riders in the New York City area each day - continue to lag behind their smaller West Coast counterparts in installing sophisticated train-control technology that's seen as an antidote to crashes involving speeding and other human factors, federal regulators said Monday. | |
 | Power savings: ONR research helps Navy curb kilowattsWith support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed a portable measurement system to precisely and cheaply monitor the amount of electricity used by individual household appliances, lighting fixtures and electronic devices. |
Medicine & Health news
 | It takes less than a second to tell humans from androidsIt can be hard to tell the difference between humans and androids in such sci-fi TV shows as "Westworld." But in real life, beyond our screens, the human brain takes less than a second to tell between reality and fantasy, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley. |
 | Targeting breast cancer metabolism to fight the diseaseHow does a cancer cell burn calories? New research from Thomas Jefferson University shows that breast cancer cells rely on a different process for turning fuel into energy than normal cells. The results were recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. |
 | Vestibular function declines starting at age 40A new study led by researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear found that vestibular thresholds begin to double every 10 years above the age of 40, representing a decline in our ability to receive sensory information about motion, balance and spatial orientation. The report was published online ahead of print in Frontiers in Neurology. |
 | Enzyme's 'editing' preferences have implications for infertility and cancerTo "turn off" particular regions of genes or protect them from damage, DNA strands can wrap around small proteins, called histones, keeping out all but the most specialized molecular machinery. Now, new research shows how an enzyme called KDM4B "reads" one and "erases" another so-called epigenetic mark on a single histone protein during the generation of sex cells in mice. The researchers say the finding may one day shed light on some cases of infertility and cancer. |
 | Small RNA identified that offers clues for quieting the 'voices' of schizophreniaSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a small RNA (microRNA) that may be essential to restoring normal function in a brain circuit associated with the "voices" and other hallucinations of schizophrenia. The microRNA provides a possible focus for antipsychotic drug development. The findings appear today in the journal Nature Medicine. |
 | Genes, early environment sculpt the gut microbiomeGenetics and birthplace have a big effect on the make-up of the microbial community in the gut, according to research published Nov. 28. in the journal Nature Microbiology. |
 | A change of heart: Epigenetic basis of cardiac hypertrophy uncoveredThe heart is an amazingly adaptable organ, responding to the needs of the organism throughout life, such as through periods of increased demand by pumping harder, faster, and also growing to accommodate longer-term requirements such as that experienced in pregnancy or as a response to intense exercise. |
 | Researchers develop new compound to reduce tumor growthA baseball glove is typically made from leather. If a new design made gloves more attractive to baseballs—catching them at higher rates than the typical glove—would it be a game changer? |
 | How kids' brains respond to a late night upAny parent can tell you about the consequences of their child not getting enough sleep. But there is far less known about the details of how sleep deprivation affects children's brains and what this means for early brain development. |
 | New finding about a protein that enables our brains and muscles to talkA huge colony of receptors must be optimally positioned and functioning on our muscle cells for our brains to talk with our bodies so we can walk and breathe. |
 | Largest resource of human protein-protein interactions can help interpret genomic dataAn international research team has developed the largest database of protein-to-protein interaction networks, a resource that can illuminate how numerous disease-associated genes contribute to disease development and progression. Led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the team's report on its development of the network called InWeb_InBioMap (InWeb_IM) is receiving advance online publication in Nature Methods. |
 | Young toddlers can tell when others hold false beliefs, study findsA new study finds that, under the right conditions, 2 1/2-year-old children can answer questions about people acting on false beliefs, an ability that most researchers believe does not develop until age 4. |
 | Modern hunter-gatherers show value of exerciseIn a remote area of north-central Tanzania, men leave their huts on foot, armed with bows and poison-tipped arrows, to hunt for their next meal. Dinner could come in the form of a small bird, a towering giraffe or something in between. Meanwhile, women gather tubers, berries and other fruits. |
 | It's all in the eyes: Women and men really do see things differentlyWomen and men look at faces and absorb visual information in different ways, which suggests there is a gender difference in understanding visual cues, according to a team of scientists that included psychologists from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). |
Stem cells police themselves to reduce scarringTreating mice with a compound that increases the expression of an inactive protein helped them heal from injury with less scarring, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. | |
 | Liver-brain pathway may regulate alcohol consumptionIn the largest study of its kind, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers and colleagues in Europe identified a gene variant that suppresses the desire to drink alcohol. |
 | Elder abuse often missed in ER(HealthDay)—About 10 percent of American seniors suffer elder abuse, yet the problem is often missed in hospital emergency departments, a new study finds. |
 | Winter shoes can boost bunion pain(HealthDay)—As temperatures tumble and women switch from sandals to closed-toe shoes, bunions can be a real pain, experts say. |
 | Rural appalachia faces growing cancer crisis, research shows(HealthDay)—While the rest of the United States makes major strides against cancer, a cancer crisis is taking hold in rural Appalachia. |
 | First new HIV vaccine efficacy study in seven years has begunThe first HIV vaccine efficacy study to launch anywhere in seven years is now testing whether an experimental vaccine regimen safely prevents HIV infection among South African adults. The study, called HVTN 702, involves a new version of the only HIV vaccine candidate ever shown to provide some protection against the virus. HVTN 702 aims to enroll 5,400 men and women, making it the largest and most advanced HIV vaccine clinical trial to take place in South Africa, where more than 1,000 people become infected with HIV every day. |
Death toll rises in Australia 'thunderstorm asthma'The death toll from Australia's "thunderstorm asthma" episode has risen to six and three others are in critical condition, authorities said Sunday, as they assessed the fallout from the unprecedented event. | |
 | Some fear California's tax on e-cigarettes may deter smokersSmoking has dropped to historic lows nationwide, dramatically decreasing revenue from tobacco taxes. In search of funds, a growing number of states are taxing electronic cigarettes—a trend that is sparking a fierce public health debate over whether it will deter smokers from switching to a safer alternative. |
 | How to prevent spread of the skin infection impetigo(HealthDay)—Impetigo is a contagious skin infection that's preventable and can be treated with antibiotics, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. |
 | Large study finds no evidence for age-based mammography cut-offIn the largest-ever study on screening mammography outcomes, researchers found that there is no clear cut-off age to stop breast cancer screening. The findings will be presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). This research adds support for guidelines that encourage screening decisions based on individual patients and their health status. |
 | Head impacts lead to brain changes in high school football playersBrain imaging exams performed on high school football players after just one season revealed changes in both the gray and white matter that correlated with exposure to head impacts, according to a new study that will be presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). |
 | Healthcare professionals lack knowledge on allergic reactions in childrenMany school first aiders, community pharmacists and GP practice nurses overestimate the risk of fatal reaction for children with food allergy. |
Expert reviews novel studies on impact of vaginal versus C-section delivery on infant healthIn a review article published in EMBO Reports, Dr. Kjersti Aagaard, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, and her colleagues Derrick Chu and Dr. Christopher Stewart focus on other investigators previous studies' which might suggest disease risks infants face when alternately delivered via Cesarean. | |
 | Parents can improve their child's literacy and numeracy skills by influencing the games they playNew Macquarie University research shows parents can help improve their children's literacy and numeracy skills by having a greater influence on the type of games they play in their free time. |
Scientist concerned by US decline in meat protein consumptionA 14 percent decline in U.S. consumer meat consumption over the past decade has caused alarm with one Texas A&M AgriLife scientist who warns the effects could be dire for overall human health and child development. | |
 | New guidance on dealing with menopause in the workplaceResearch by a Nottingham academic has helped to shape new guidance on dealing with menopause in the workplace. |
 | New study shows marijuana users have low blood flow to the brainAs the U.S. races to legalize marijuana for medicinal and recreational use, a new, large scale brain imaging study gives reason for caution. Published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, researchers using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a sophisticated imaging study that evaluates blood flow and activity patterns, demonstrated abnormally low blood flow in virtually every area of the brain studies in nearly 1,000 marijuana compared to healthy controls, including areas known to be affected by Alzheimer's pathology such as the hippocampus. |
Physician calls for better understanding, policy and treatment for opioid addictionThe U.S. opioid epidemic has evolved so much in the last four years that current federal policy responses risk diminishing returns in saving human lives, according to a new peer-reviewed perspective by University of Alabama at Birmingham Associate Professor of Preventive Medicine Stefan Kertesz, M.D. His perspective was published online in the addiction journal Substance Abuse. | |
 | Case study chronicles first brain bleed tied to energy drinksInvestigators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have presented the first case study of a patient experiencing a hemorrhagic stroke—a brain bleed—following consumption of an energy drink. |
Blood test hope for bowel diseasesScientists have identified chemical changes in the DNA of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases that could improve screening for the conditions. | |
Family violence perpetrators need better responseThe call for improved responses is made in a paper published today by the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse. | |
 | Waking up dormant tumour suppressor genesA drug-free cancer treatment could teach our genes to destroy the disease from within, according to Western Australian medical researchers. |
 | 1 in 5 people don't have time to look after their healthOne in five people aged 25 to 54 years old don't have time to exercise and eat healthy food, a new study led by ANU has found. |
 | Students risking health with alcohol and energy drink mixYoung people are fuelling big nights out by drinking alcohol mixed with energy drinks to help them party through the night, according to a new Victorian government report. |
 | New study shows fewer aortic aneurysm repairs, more deaths in the UK versus the USA new study has shown that surgeons in England operate significantly less often on aortic aneurysms in the population than in the US, and that the death rate here for the condition is over twice that in the States. |
How South Africa can beat its sugar-fuelled diabetes epidemicFour times as many people have Type II diabetes today as 36 years ago, according to the World Health Organisation. In 1980, 108 million people were diagnosed with diabetes worldwide. By 2014, the figure was 422 million. | |
 | Using antibiotics wiselyAntibiotic resistance is a growing problem, both in the United States and around the world. |
Even with workplace support, breastfeeding takes commitmentSometimes all it takes is a single interaction or a thoughtless comment from a coworker to make a new mother feel negatively about her experience with breastfeeding and pumping at work. That's true even in a place that attempts to build a positive culture around these aspects of motherhood, according to research from the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. | |
 | Clinical trial of infection detecting bandages beginsA clinical trial of a smart bandage which changes colour when it detects infections is beginning using samples from burns patients from four UK hospitals. |
 | Almost half of daycare children found to have respiratory virusForty-three per cent of children at two daycare centres researchers studied had at least one virus in their respiratory tract. |
 | Gene mutation linked to early onset of Parkinson's disease in CaucasiansA defect in a gene that produces dopamine in the brain appears to accelerate the onset of Parkinson's disease, according to new research from Iowa State University. The effect is particularly dramatic for people under age 50. |
 | Oldest adults may have much to gain from social technologyAdults over 80 who use information and communication technology are more likely to report mental and physical well-being, according to Stanford research. |
 | Safe hair care spares hair, dermatologists reportA common cause of hair loss and breakage known as acquired trichorrhexis nodosa, or TN —often more prevalent in African-Americans—can actually be remedied through appropriate use of cleansing products, hair care and styling practices, say researchers at Johns Hopkins. |
New ways to measure solid stress in tumors could lead to improved understanding, therapiesMassachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have developed new methods for mapping and measuring solid stress - the force exerted by solid and elastic components - within tumors, an accomplishment that may lead to improved understanding of those forces and their consequences and to novel treatment strategies. The team from the Steele Laboratories of Tumor Biology in the MGH Radiation Oncology Department report their findings in the inaugural issue of Nature Biomedical Engineering. | |
Imaging study examines brains of current, former NFL playersThe resident immune cells of the central nervous system called microglia are thought to play a role in the brain's response to injury and other neurodegenerative processes. It has been suggested that prolonged microglial activation happens after single and repeated traumatic brain injury. | |
No association between mother flu in pregnancy and increased child autism riskA study of more than 196,000 children found no association between a mother having an influenza infection anytime during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children, according to a new study published online by JAMA Pediatrics. | |
Measures of inflammation in blood tests may help predict risk of disease and deathA new study looking at deaths from cancer, cardiovascular disease and all causes suggests that an inflammatory marker detected in blood tests in middle-aged adults can better predict the risk of death compared with another similar biomarker. The study is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). | |
 | Edible dormice: The older they get the more they rejuvenate their cellsThe shortening of telomeres in cells was thought to be an important biomarker for lifespan and aging. The edible dormouse (Glis glis), a small hibernating rodent, now turns everything upside down. In contrast to humans and other animals, telomere length in the edible dormouse significantly increases in the second half of its life, as researchers from Vetmeduni Vienna found out just recently. The study was published in Scientific Reports. |
 | Cholesterol an important piece of the puzzle for fat-burningGut bacteria play a little-understood role in the body's energy balance, which is influenced by diet. However, the crucial nutritional components are unknown. A team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) was able to demonstrate for the very first time that mice without gastrointestinal microbiota grow obese when fed with dietary fat from plant sources, but not from animal sources. One of the important findings of the study is that cholesterol from the animal dietary fat plays a crucial role in what goes on in the intestines. |
Tricky gene mutations detected by free, fast, easy-to-use new softwareScientists have developed an easy-to-use software tool that can detect important genetic mutations that previously needed to be identified by a separate test. | |
New approach needed in way Tourette's syndrome is portrayed, research showsMedia stereotypes of people with Tourette's Syndrome (TS) are leading to the stigmatising of adolescents with the condition by their peers. | |
 | People with Parkinson's show altered iron levels in their brainsIron occurs naturally in the human body. However, in people with Parkinson's disease it distributes in an unusual way over the brain. This is the result of a study by the DZNE that has been published in the journal Brain. Researchers headed by Professor Peter Nestor applied a special type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allowing them to map iron levels in the entire brain—it is the first time this is done in Parkinson's disease. |
Researchers suggest kratom may have medical benefit as opioid alternativeA delayed U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration ban on kratom would stifle scientific understanding of the herb's active chemical components and documented pharmacologic properties if implemented, according to a special report published today in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. | |
 | Martial arts can be hazardous to kids(HealthDay)—Perhaps there's a black belt in your child's future. But for safety's sake, kids should only engage in noncontact forms of martial arts, a new American Academy of Pediatrics report says. |
 | Pediatricians can help when parents divorce: report(HealthDay)—A pediatrician can play an important part in helping children adjust when their parents split up, a new American Academy of Pediatrics report says. |
Preventing heart failure risk factors in midlife substantially lowers riskPreventing the development of hypertension, obesity and diabetes by the age of 45 to 55 years may lead up to an 86 percent lower risk for heart failure through the remainder of life, according to research published today in JACC: Heart Failure. | |
 | Taste bud maintenance in mice requires Hedgehog signalingDisruptions in the Hedgehog signaling pathway can interfere with taste bud maintenance in mice, potentially explaining why some cancer patients experience a loss of taste during treatment with Hedgehog-blocking drugs. Charlotte Mistretta and Andrzej Dlugosz of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, with colleagues, report these findings November 28th in PLOS Genetics. |
$89 test kit claims to determine how well your cells are aging. Does it work?A new $89 test claims to calculate the age of the DNA in your cells and tell you how well you are aging. The test, called TeloYears, is the newest in a bunch of mail-order kits that measure the length of telomeres, the caps that cover the ends of chromosomes. | |
 | Bioscientists help throat cancer patients speak againThrough the work of the School of Biosciences team, in collaboration with East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Kent has developed a new method of care for patients who have to have their larynx removed. |
Successfully treating genetically determined autoimmune enteritisUsing targeted immunotherapy, doctors have succeeded in curing a type of autoimmune enteritis caused by a recently discovered genetic mutation. This report comes from researchers at the Department of Biomedicine of the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel. Their results raise new possibilities for the management of diarrhea, which is often a side effect of melanoma treatment. | |
 | Engineers develop first-ever capsule to treat hemophiliaIn the near future, hemophiliacs could be able to treat their disease by simply swallowing a capsule. |
 | Cardiorespiratory fitness needs to be measured in clinical practice, researcher saysA new Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association led by Queen's University professor Robert Ross provides unequivocal evidence to confirm that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), a reflection of overall cardiovascular health, should be measured in clinical practice to provide additional information for patient management. |
US blood system faces financial and biological threats, study findsMedical advances have reduced the demand for blood in the United States, creating financial pressure on the nation's blood collection centers and threatening their future survival, according to a new RAND Corporation study. | |
 | Comparing gait parameters can predict decline in memory and thinkingWalking is a milestone in development for toddlers, but it's actually only one part of the complex cognitive task known as gait that includes everything from a person's stride length to the accompanying swing of each arm. A Mayo Clinic study recently published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that problems associated with gait can predict a significant decline in memory and thinking. |
 | Preventative antibiotics could prevent C. diff in transplant patientsIt may be possible to safely prevent one of the most common - and costly to treat - infections contracted by hospitalized patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation for the treatment of blood cancers, according to a study from the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. The researchers will present their findings at this week's 58th Annual American Society of Hematology Meeting and Exposition in San Diego. |
Bullying rates remain higher for children with disabilities, even as they matureMore than 22 percent of children ages 12-18 say they have been bullied in school within the last month; a significant portion of those children have disabilities. However, little research exists on how bullying rates for individual children change over time. Now, a University of Missouri researcher and bullying expert has determined that children with disabilities are victimized by bullying at a much higher rate over time than their peers without disabilities. The study also revealed that this discrepancy in victimization and bullying perpetration rates remains consistent as children age. Chad Rose, an assistant professor of special education in the MU College of Education, says this indicates that children with disabilities are not developing adequate social skills to combat bullying as they mature. | |
Study reveals lack of supporting evidence for claims about fertility treatmentsMany claims made by UK fertility clinics about the benefits of treatments beyond standard IVF procedures are not backed up by evidence, finds a study published in the online journal BMJ Open. | |
Study finds activity trackers can work when paired with wellness coachingWith the holiday shopping season upon us and a new year just around the corner, many people will begin looking for ways to move more and eat less. Some of those people will turn to activity trackers to help them achieve their goals. | |
 | Epileptic encephalopathy linked to protein trafficking geneResearchers have linked a debilitating neurological disease in children to mutations in a gene that regulates neuronal development through control of protein movement within neuronal cells. |
Study says CT use OK for some colon cancers, yet challenging for lymph node involvementCT has good sensitivity for the detection of colon cancers with tumors that have spread beyond the bowel wall, however, it remains a challenge in detecting nodal involvement, which could have considerable consequences given the increasing interest in neoadjuvant treatment for colon cancer. | |
Many primary care doctors are reluctant to talk about medical errors, study findsWhile most primary care physicians would provide some information about a medical error, only a minority would fully disclose important information about potentially harmful medical errors to patients, a new survey shows. | |
Most people at risk for osteoporisis fractures are not evaluated and treatedOsteoporosis is preventable and treatable, but only a small proportion of people at risk for fractures are evaluated and treated, according to new osteoporosis guidelines written by an expert panel headed by Loyola Medicine endocrinologist Pauline M. Camacho, MD, FACE. | |
 | Prevention program safeguards children's brains from effects of povertyA University of Georgia research team has shown for the first time that participation in a prevention program known as the Strong African American Families Program, which enhances supportive parenting and strengthens family relationships, removes the effects of poverty on brain development. |
Texas announces first local Zika case (Update)Texas has announced its first case of local Zika virus, making it the second US state after Florida to say it likely has mosquitoes spreading the disease that can cause birth defects. | |
 | Taking a closer look at online social networking and depressionComparing yourself with others on Facebook is more likely to lead to feelings of depression than making social comparisons offline. |
 | When judging other people, first impressions lastA well-known saying urges people to "not judge a book by its cover." But people tend to do just that - even after they've skimmed a chapter or two, according to Cornell University research. |
 | Alzheimer's protein plaques may also harm the heart(HealthDay)—Protein fragments that form plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients might also stiffen their heart muscle and increase their risk of heart failure, a new study reports. |
 | Mouthguard a key defense against sports-related injuries(HealthDay)—Safety gear for athletes playing contact sports should include mouthguards, say dental experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. |
 | ADT use not linked to dementia in prostate cancer(HealthDay)—For men with prostate cancer, use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) seems not to be associated with dementia, according to a study published online Nov. 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. |
 | Liraglutide doesn't affect gastric emptying in type 1 diabetes(HealthDay)—For individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), liraglutide therapy does not affect the rate of gastric emptying (GE) during hypoglycemia, according to a study published online Nov. 21 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. |
 | In acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure, FABP1 IDs mortality(HealthDay)—Serum liver-type fatty acid binding protein (FABP1) early (day one) or late (day three to five) levels are associated with mortality in patients with acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver failure (ALF), according to a study published online Nov. 18 in Hepatology. |
 | Recommended tx adherence low in pediatric acute seizure(HealthDay)—For pediatric patients transported for an acute seizure, adherence to recommended treatment is poor, according to a study published online Nov. 23 in Pediatrics. |
Electronic prescribing of high-risk meds may contribute to falls in elderlyCertain medications are considered high risk in elders. In a recent study of 287 individuals ?65 years who experienced a fall while hospitalized at an urban academic hospital, 62 percent of falls occurred in patients in whom high risk medications had been administered within the 24 hours before the fall. | |
 | Weed is winning, but the train could still go off the tracksWeed is winning in the polls, with a solid majority of Americans saying marijuana should be legal. But does that mean the federal government will let dozens of state pot experiments play out? Not by a long shot. |
 | Landmark ruling lifts the lid on the hope, science and ethics of cryogenic preservationFollowing the granting of a young British girl's instructions to be cryogenically preserved so she can be revived in the future when a cure for cancer exists, there has been intense debate inside and outside the scientific community on both the viability of cryogenic freezing but also on the ethical issues thrown up by the procedure. Once again, it raises the centuries-old question that defines the conflict between modern science and ethics: Even if we could do something, should we? |
 | Marijuana in Massachusetts—what happens now that it's legal?Massachusetts voters on Nov. 8 overwhelmingly approved the legalization of recreational marijuana. The new law will take effect Dec. 15, but there are still some questions concerning regulation, possession, and distribution. |
 | Understanding immune reaction to the hepatitis B virusA collaboration of researchers from Japan and Malaysia has further clarified the immune response to hepatitis B virus through in vivo experimentation. |
 | Early intervention in brain inflammatory pathways may improve stroke recoveryIntracerebral hemorrhage is a type of stroke characterized by the rupture of a blood vessel within the brain. When the brain is exposed to blood, local immune cells become activated, triggering inflammation that promotes ongoing injury in the days and weeks after the initial stroke event. |
Puerto Rico reports nearly 500 new Zika cases amid epidemicPuerto Rico's health secretary says nearly 500 new cases of Zika have been reported in the U.S. territory in the past week. | |
Achieving NP predischarge thresholds associated with reduced acute decompensated heart failure mortality, readmissionLow-strength evidence suggests that achieving brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and pro-brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) predischarge thresholds is associated with a reduced risk for mortality and readmission in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The systematic evidence review is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. | |
Hashimoto's thyroiditis—will diet alone help?Dear Mayo Clinic: I just turned 30 and recently was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I'm wondering about whether it can be cured or if I will have to take medication for the rest of my life. I've read the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet may help. Is this true? Do you have any suggestions for managing symptoms? | |
Electro-acupuncture for disrupted sleep in women with breast cancerIt's somewhat of a little-known adverse effect of having breast cancer, but studies suggest that approximately 30% to 40% of women with breast cancer report persistent hot flashes. Nocturnal hot flashes are among the most problematic because they can contribute to poor sleep. | |
 | Physical-environment checklist leads to sharp drop in inpatient suicides in VAA new study shows a sharp decline in suicides at Veterans Affairs inpatient mental health units from 2000 to 2015, thanks to the Mental Health Environment of Care Checklist. |
 | Wound irrigation tools improvised in the wilderness are effectiveWounds are a very common injury and irrigation is crucial for preventing infection. Wound irrigation removes bacterial contaminates, in addition to clearing the wound of any debris or dirt. In the wilderness, where proper medical equipment may not be readily available, options for delivering wound irrigation are limited. A team of researchers examined how much water pressure improvised irrigators could produce compared to a commercially available portable irrigator with splash guard. They looked at several different options that might be available outside of a hospital setting and found that most provided sufficient pressure to properly irrigate a wound. |
Study to assess shorter-duration antibiotics in childrenPhysicians at five U.S. medical centers are planning to enroll up to 400 children in a clinical trial to evaluate whether a shorter course of antibiotics—five days instead of 10—is effective at treating community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children who show improvement after the first few days of taking antibiotics. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring the clinical trial, which will use an innovative evaluation method developed by a group of scientists who specialize in antibiotic resistance research. | |
Iraq-Afghanistan veterans with epilepsy more at risk of deathU.S. Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans (IAVs) with epilepsy were more than twice as likely to die between 2011 and 2015 as were similar veterans without epilepsy. A study published Nov. 11 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report revealed that IAVs were found to have a higher prevalence of mental and physical comorbidity and to have substantially higher mortality than were veterans without epilepsy. | |
Program helps teens 'get the message' about distracted drivingA program to educate teens about distracted driving—including a tour of a hospital trauma center and testimony from a trauma survivor—can increase awareness of the dangers of texting, cell phone use, and other distractions while driving, reports a study in the Journal of Trauma Nursing, official publication of the Society of Trauma Nurses. | |
 | Does hormonal contraception alleviate premenstrual symptoms?The results of a new study designed to compare the severity and timing of perimenstrual symptoms among women who do or do not use cyclic hormonal contraception are reported in Journal of Women's Health. |
Biology news
 | Staph uses nitric oxide enzyme to colonize nosesStaph bacteria colonize nasal passages through a newly discovered function for a primeval biochemical mechanism. |
 | Search is over for a mate for Jeremy the 'lefty' snailA nationwide search to find a mate for a 'one in a million' rare mutant garden snail has been successful. |
 | Gorilla mobs attacking single individuals suggests new type of behavior for them(Phys.org)—A trio of researchers studying gorillas in Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda has reported on a developing trend observed in mountain gorillas—mobs attacking single individuals for unknown reasons. In their paper published in Scientific Reports, Stacy Rosenbaum, Veronica Vecellio and Tara Stoinski describe three mob attacks that have been observed by several human witnesses over the past decade and offer some possible explanations. |
 | How the world can save bees and pollinating insectsAn international research team has released a top-10 list of ways countries can protect pollinating insects such as bees, which are vital for food production, following worrying declines in pollinating insect populations in America and Europe. |
 | 1.4 bn jobs 'depend on pollinators'About 1.4 billion jobs and three-quarters of all crops depend on pollinators, researchers said Monday warning of a dire threat to human welfare if the falls in bee and butterfly numbers are not halted. |
 | Scientists discover the first Antarctic ground beetleFossilised forewings from two individuals, discovered on the Beardmore Glacier, revealed the first ground beetle known from the southernmost continent. It is also the second beetle for the Antarctic insect fauna with living descendants. The new species, which for now is also the sole representative of a new genus, is to be commonly known as Ball's Antarctic Tundra Beetle. Scientists Dr Allan Ashworth, North Dakota State University, and Dr Terry Erwin, Smithsonian Institution, published their findings in the open access journal ZooKeys. |
 | Our closest worm kin regrow body parts, raising hopes of regeneration in humansWhat if humans could regrow an amputated arm or leg, or completely restore nervous system function after a spinal cord injury? |
 | Marine incentives programs may replace 'doom and gloom' with hopeIncentives that are designed to enable smarter use of the ocean while also protecting marine ecosystems can and do work, and offer significant hope to help address the multiple environmental threats facing the world's oceans, researchers conclude in a new analysis. |
 | Each animal species hosts a unique microbial community and benefits from itEach animal species hosts its own, unique community of microbes that can significantly improve its health and fitness. |
Dutch kill 190,000 ducks to contain bird flu outbreakDutch officials have culled 190,000 ducks on a central Netherlands farm where inspectors have confirmed the presence of a highly infectuous strain of bird flu, officials and local media said Sunday. | |
Connecticut Audubon calls for protecting endangered birdsThe Connecticut Audubon Society has released a sharply worded report, warning that many birds in the state are suffering slow, steady population declines because of a loss of nesting areas. | |
 | Guinea-Bissau islands feel the bite of antivenom crisisThe vivid red wound at the base of Gina's ankle has remained open for three months and refuses to heal, leaving the Guinea-Bissau islander in constant pain. |
 | Minimum dose with maximum effectLMU researchers have shown that a defined set of 15 bacterial species protects mice from Salmonella infections as effectively as does the natural gut microbiota. The system will facilitate studies of host-pathogen interactions in the gut. |
 | Move to conserve Bremer Canyon's orcasThe jury is still out as to why hundreds of killer whales (orcas) flock to a location above the continental shelf near Bremer Bay on WA's south coast. |
 | Digital games can improve life for apes in captivityResearch from The Australian National University (ANU) has found chimpanzees and orangutans in captivity can improve their quality of life through the use of digital touch-screen technology and interactive games. |
 | Could honey bee brood be the future of food?Honey bee brood – the larvae and pupae of drones – has great potential as a food source. It is already eaten as a delicacy in many countries, including Mexico, Thailand and Australia. It has a nutty flavor with a crunchy texture when eaten cooked or dried, and is a versatile ingredient used in soups and egg dishes. It also has high nutritional value, similar to beef in terms of protein quality and quantity. |
Plant makes growth spurt as competition approachesPlants know when to grow faster to stay ahead of the competition based on the colour of the light that reaches them. This process works even when the competition is still far away. But the plants work even harder as the danger approaches. Biologists at Utrecht University have discovered that blue light is essential to this process. They published a description of the exact mechanism in the 23 November issue of Current Biology. | |
 | Defining immortality of stem cells to identify novel anti-aging mechanismsThe survival of an organism is linked to its ability to maintain the quality of the cellular proteins. A group of proteins called chaperones facilitate the folding of proteins and are essential to regulating the quality of the cellular protein content. This ability declines during the aging process, inducing the accumulation of damaged and misfolded proteins that can lead to cell death or malfunction. Several neurodegenerative age-related disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or Huntington's disease are linked to a decline in protein quality control. |
Researchers crack the code of a deadly virusVenezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is an unforgiving killer of horses, donkeys and zebras, resulting in mortality as high as 80 percent of infected animals. It causes rapid, catastrophic swelling of the brain and spinal cord, leading to severe neurological symptoms and—in many cases—sudden death. The virus can also infect humans, with similar results. The U.S. and Soviet Union both weaponized VEEV during the Cold War, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health to classify VEEV as a category B pathogen. | |
 | With climate change, not all wildlife population shifts are predictableWildlife ecologists who study the effects of climate change assume, with support from several studies, that warming temperatures caused by climate change are forcing animals to move either northward or upslope on mountainsides to stay within their natural climate conditions. |
VirusDetect, a new bioinformatics pipeline for virus identification releasedResearchers studying the viruses that affect agricultural production or human health now have a new tool for investigating where viruses have spread, on a local, national, or even global scale. | |
 | Tech solutions to tackle overfishing, labor abuse at seaFishing boats used high-tech systems to find vast schools of fish for decades, depleting stocks of some species and leading to the complete collapse of others. Now more than a dozen apps, devices and monitoring systems aimed at tracking unscrupulous vessels and the seafood they catch are being rolled out—high-tech solutions some say could also help prevent labor abuse at sea. |
 | Miniature monkeys reunited after Australia zoo theftTwo men were charged Monday with stealing rare pygmy marmosets from an Australian wildlife park as a baby was reunited with her mum and the hunt continued to find dad. |
What role does mouth shape play for echolocating bats?Echolocating bats are able to manipulate the acoustic projection pattern of their sonar pulse emissions—but how they do it remains a largely unexplored mystery. | |
Cultivation technologies benefit ultradwarf bermudagrassResearchers at Mississippi State University say turfgrass professionals could benefit from more research on how new or alternative technologies compare with traditional methods for growing and maintaining ultradwarf bermudagrass putting greens. Their study in the September 2016 issue of HortScience adds to the literature by recommending the optimal combination of dry-injection (DI) cultivation technology with modified traditional hollow-tine (HT) verification programs for growing healthy greens. Ultradwarf bermudagrass is the most prevalent warm-season species used on putting greens in warm, humid regions. The grass, which features fine-textured leaf blades, short internodes, and high shoot density, has the ability to withstand low height of cut, which provides a smooth and fast putting surface. However, the grasses can quickly generate an excessive thatch-mat layer of organic matter, which negatively affects putting green performance. | |
Compost establishes growing media pH similar to limestoneAs concerns increase about the environmental impacts of harvesting peat and the rising costs of peatmoss used as a growing substrate, researchers are seeking feasible alternatives. Compost can be used as a replacement for peatmoss, but issues such as phytotoxicity, high concentration of heavy metals, chemical carry over, high salts, and high pH have limited its use in the industry. The authors of a study in the September 2016 issue of HortScience studied the pH buffering capacity of substrates produced with compost and found that compost can be used to establish growing substrate pH similar to limestone, with "little to no effect on pH buffering capacity." | |
Handheld, mobile data technologies compared for turfgrassPerformance testing of natural turfgrass sports fields requires sampling to obtain information on surface properties (e.g., soil moisture, soil compaction, surface hardness, and turfgrass vigor). A study in the September 2016 issue of HortScience compared two sampling methodologies and provided recommendations to acquire reliable, cost-effective spatial data for turfgrass managers. | |
 | How crop load density affects apple juice, hard cider qualityHard cider, an alcoholic beverage produced from fermented apple juice or apple juice concentrate, is gaining popularity among consumers. Domestic cider consumption increased more than 850% in the last 5 years in the US, with more than 550 cider producers in the country. The authors of a study in HortScience say that more information about how orchard management decisions impact cider quality can help orchard managers improve cider they produce from culinary apples. |
Optimizing fertilizer rates for wild blueberryThe authors of a study in HortScience (September 2106) say that wild blueberry nutrient management varies considerably compared with typical tilled crop systems. According to the study, there is a "tremendous amount of uncertainty" in wild blueberry nutrient management as a result of dynamic interactions among plant and soil factors. To increase understanding of fertilizers' impact on wild blueberry, scientists in Nova Scotia carried out a 12-year field experiment that produced valuable recommendations for optimum rates of fertilizers to enhance growers' profitability. | |
 | Panda cub gets meds in sweet potato after tummy surgeryThe Smithsonian National Zoo's giant panda cub Bei Bei is getting antibiotics and antacids via sweet potatoes after surgery to remove bamboo stuck in his intestine. |
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