Dear Reader ,
Webinar: The Basics of COMSOL Multiphysics in 18 Minutes >> Register here: https://goo.gl/ntH4v9
Learn about the basics of COMSOL Multiphysics and COMSOL Server in 18 minutes by tuning into this short presentation where you will get a live demo of the software and a Q&A session.
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for January 5, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Image: Hues in a Martian crater slopeImpact craters expose the subsurface materials on the steep slopes of Mars. However, these slopes often experience rockfalls and debris avalanches that keep the surface clean of dust, revealing a variety of hues, like in this enhanced-color image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, representing different rock types. The bright reddish material at the top of the crater rim is from a coating of the Martian dust. |
 | Observations cast new light on cosmic microwave backgroundArecibo Observatory observations of galactic neutral hydrogen structure confirm the discovery of an unexpected contribution to the measurements of the cosmic microwave background observed by the WMAP and Planck spacecraft. An accurate understanding of the foreground (galactic) sources of radiation observed by these two spacecraft is essential for extracting information about the small-scale structure in the cosmic microwave background believed to be indicative of events in the early universe. |
 | The mystery of part-time pulsarsA new discovery has upended the widely held view that all pulsars are orderly ticking clocks of the universe. A survey done at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has fortuitously discovered two extremely strange pulsars that undergo a "cosmic vanishing act." Sometimes they are there, and then for very long periods of time, they are not. |
 | Deepest X-ray image ever reveals black hole treasure troveAn unparalleled image from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is giving an international team of astronomers the best look yet at the growth of black holes over billions of years beginning soon after the Big Bang. This is the deepest X-ray image ever obtained, collected with about 7 million seconds, or 11 and a half weeks, of Chandra observing time. |
 | NASA moon data provides more accurate 2017 eclipse pathOn Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, millions in the U.S. will have their eyes to the sky as they witness a total solar eclipse. The moon's shadow will race across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina. The path of this shadow, also known as the path of totality, is where observers will see the moon completely cover the sun. And thanks to elevation data of the moon from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, coupled with detailed NASA topography data of Earth, we have the most accurate maps of the path of totality for any eclipse to date. |
 | How far away is that galaxy? Vast catalog has answersA team of researchers has compiled a special catalog to help astronomers figure out the true distances to tens of thousands of galaxies beyond our own Milky Way. |
 | Astronomers discover powerful cosmic double whammyAstronomers have discovered a cosmic one-two punch unlike any ever seen before. Two of the most powerful phenomena in the Universe, a supermassive black hole, and the collision of giant galaxy clusters, have combined to create a stupendous cosmic particle accelerator. |
 | NASA flying observatory makes observations of Jupiter previously only possible from spaceFor the first time since the twin Voyager spacecraft missions in 1979, scientists have produced far-infrared maps of Jupiter using NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, SOFIA. These maps were created from the researchers' studies of the circulation of gases within the gas giant planet's atmosphere. |
A venerable radio telescope sets new standard for universal constantAbout 150 hours of observing time on the 1,000-ft radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico over the course of the last several years have been devoted to determining whether the most fundamental constant in physics really is constant. | |
Technology news
 | Chip from Qualcomm to hit many high notes for mobile power users(Tech Xplore)—Qualcomm appears to make a lot of device wishes granted. A processor designed for long battery life, virtual reality sessions, nice camera capabilities, and great download speeds. Coming up the pike will be the Snapdragon 835 processor. |
 | Kuri robot speaks language of companionship in chirps and beeps(Tech Xplore)—Cute is an understatement. It is chubby, wheeled and not only looks but sounds like a robot. Think friendly chirps. Meet the little home robot named Kuri. Evan Ackerman commented on it in IEEE Spectrum: "There's speech recognition, but Kuri won't talk back, instead relying on a variety of beepy noises and its expressive head and eyes to communicate." |
 | The Latest at CES: HTC's Netflix for virtual realityThe Latest on the CES gadget show in Las Vegas (all times local): |
 | BMW launches first augmented reality dealershipsBMW customers will be able to view the luxury carmaker's hybrid and electric BMWi cars with augmented reality technology in a world first for car dealerships from Thursday, the manufacturer said. |
 | The big thing in TV sets this year is ... big TV setsWhat's new in television sets this year? Incrementally better pictures, larger screens and cheaper prices—and that's about it. |
Lawsuit seeks to ban Google from US government contractsThe U.S. Labor Department is trying to bar Google from doing business with the federal government unless the internet company turns over confidential information about thousands of its employees. | |
Work email overload: can the law lead a fightback?Beatrice, a busy 50-year-old manager at an airline in Paris, sounds like she would benefit from France's new "right to disconnect" law that guarantees all employees freedom from their work smartphone and email. | |
 | BMW to deploy 40 self-driving cars in US, EuropeBMW Group announced Wednesday it would deploy 40 self-driving vehicles for tests in the United States and Europe |
 | Hyundai eyes autonomous cars for the massesHyundai's Ioniq draws little attention as it maneuvers the streets of Las Vegas. |
 | China's Huawei adds Amazon Alexa to flagship phoneChinese tech giant Huawei is adding Amazon's artificial intelligence application Alexa to its flagship smartphone for its US launch. |
China's Alibaba sues vendors over selling counterfeitsChinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has filed a lawsuit against two vendors for allegedly selling counterfeit goods, it said, weeks after the US put its main platform on its "notorious markets" blacklist. | |
 | Apple removes New York Times app from China storeApple has removed the New York Times from its China app store, the tech giant said, after authorities told the company the app breached regulations. |
 | Who will be the winner in the next computing revolution?A computer's operating system, the layer of software between you and the hardware, has changed remarkably over the past few decades. At the beginning a user had to interact with levers and switches, then came screens and DOS, the Apple's Macintosh and Microsoft's Windows, and, finally, the internet. |
 | Attackers can make it impossible to dial emergency servicesIt's not often that any one of us needs to dial 911, but we know how important it is for it to work when one needs it. It is critical that 911 services always be available – both for the practicality of responding to emergencies, and to give people peace of mind. But a new type of attack has emerged that can knock out 911 access – our research explains how these attacks occur as a result of the system's vulnerablities. We show these attacks can create extremely serious repercussions for public safety. |
 | Telecommunications light amplifier could strengthen integrity of transmitted dataImagine a dim light which is insufficiently bright enough to illuminate a room. An amplifier for such a light would increase the brightness by increasing the number of photons emitted. Photonics researchers have created such a high gain optical amplifier that is compact enough to be placed on a chip. The developed amplifier, when used within an optical interconnect such as a transceiver or fiber optic network, would help to efficiently increase the power of the transmitted light before it is completely depleted through optical losses. |
 | Gadget makers offer voice controls through Amazon's AlexaAmazon doesn't have an official presence at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas but its Alexa voice control software seems to be everywhere. |
T-Mobile says unlimited plans will be only optionT-Mobile said unlimited plans will be the only option for new customers even though they are more expensive than some of its old, limited plans. | |
 | Accelerated customization with smarter methodsA recent collaboration between the business sector and the School of Engineering at Jönköping University will facilitate the adaption of products to new requirements and strengthen the companies' competitiveness through new work procedures and IT tools. |
Artificial intelligence seen as a key technology to enable better balancing of UK's energy marketUpside Energy and Heriot-Watt University have been awarded a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) grant by Innovate UK to maximise the opportunities presented by the emerging energy demand response market. | |
 | The Latest at CES: Unlimited will be only option at T-MobileThe Latest on the CES gadget show in Las Vegas (all times local): |
Jury: DuPont should pay Ohio man $10.5M more in cancer suitA federal jury says DuPont should pay an additional $10.5 million in damages to an Ohio man who says he got testicular cancer because of a chemical used to make Teflon. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Living close to major roads linked to small increase in dementia riskDementia is more common in people who live within 50 metres of a major road than those who live further away, according to a study looking at 6.6 million people published in The Lancet. However, the study found no link between traffic exposure and Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis. |
 | Genetics play a significant role in immunity, new research findsNearly three quarters of immune traits are influenced by genes, new research from King's College London reveals. |
 | Scientists find how cancer cells can shrug off physical constraints on growth and spreadScientists have revealed how cancer cells are able to break free of the physical restraints imposed by their surroundings in order to grow and spread around the body. |
 | First complete interactome map of human receptor tyrosine kinases and phosphatasesIn 2011, Igor Stagljar, a professor in the University of Toronto's Donnelly Centre, came across a study that genetically linked two genes in the cell to a hard-to-treat (triple negative) breast cancer. It was not clear how the proteins encoded by these genes worked, but Stagljar had a unique way to find out. |
 | Study shows development of face recognition entails brain tissue growthPeople are born with brains riddled with excess neural connections. Those are slowly pruned back until early childhood when, scientists thought, the brain's structure becomes relatively stable. |
 | Research helps explain why androgen-deprivation therapy doesn't work for many prostate cancersMetastatic prostate cancer, or prostate cancer that has spread to other organs, is incurable. In new research published in the journal Science, Roswell Park Cancer Institute scientists have identified two gatekeeper genes that allow prostate cancer to progress and resist treatment. Their work illuminates the mechanisms behind lineage plasticity, the ability of prostate cancer to adapt to therapy, and highlights opportunities to disrupt and even reverse this deadly process. |
 | Study shows different types of fibril formation correlating with Alzheimer's sub-types(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers working at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. and the University College London Institute of Neurology in the U.K. has found what appears to be a correlation between fibril formation types in the brain and Alzheimer's subtypes. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes their examination of the brains of deceased Alzheimer's patients and what they found by comparing amyloid-beta peptide deposits with progression types. |
'Molecular volume control' may help combat tumoursA 'molecular volume control' may one day be used to manipulate enzyme activity in order control the development and treatment of cancer, according to research at the Universities of Dundee and Bath. | |
 | Buzzing the vagus nerve just right to fight inflammatory diseaseIs a treatment only making things better or maybe also making some things a little worse? That can be a nagging question in some medical decisions, where side effects are possible. But researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have figured out a way to keep what helps, while blocking what harms, in a therapy to fight serious chronic inflammatory diseases. |
 | Using fat to help wounds heal without scarsDoctors have found a way to manipulate wounds to heal as regenerated skin rather than scar tissue. The method involves transforming the most common type of cells found in wounds into fat cells - something that was previously thought to be impossible in humans. Researchers began this work at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, which led to a large-scale, multi-year study in connection with the Plikus Laboratory for Developmental and Regenerative Biology at the University of California, Irvine. They published their findings online in the journal Science on Thursday, January 5th, 2017. |
 | Researcher turns 'SARS mask' into a virus killer(Edmonton) A University of Alberta engineering researcher has developed a new way to treat common surgical masks so they are capable of trapping and killing airborne viruses. His research findings appear in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports. |
Ignition interlock laws reduce alcohol-involved fatal crashesState laws requiring ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders appear to reduce the number of fatal drunk driving crashes, a new study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Colorado School of Public Health researchers suggests. | |
Innovative technique to examine blood vessels in 3-D help unlock secrets of the brainA study published today in the Journal of Anatomy has made an important breakthrough in the examination of blood vessels in the brain giving scientists a clearer understanding of how dementia, brain cancer and stroke can affect veins and capillaries in this organ. | |
 | Artificial 'voice box' implant helps cancer patient speak(HealthDay)—An artificial "voice box" has provided long-term relief for a throat cancer patient in France |
 | Interface between allergy, oncology explored(HealthDay)—The interface between allergic responses and oncology is being explored, which may have implications for treatment, according to a European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology position paper published online Dec. 29 in Allergy. |
 | SBP <135 mm hg tied to greater mortality in elderly with HTN(HealthDay)—For adults aged 80 years and older without comorbidity, systolic blood pressure (SBP) |
 | Lumbopelvic stabilization training therapeutic for LBP(HealthDay)—For patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain conditions, lumbopelvic stabilization training (LPST) has a therapeutic effect on pain modulation, according to a study published online Jan. 2 in Pain Practice. |
Chemotherapy effectiveness and initiation time after lung cancer surgeryA new study suggests patients who recover slowly from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) surgery may still benefit from delayed chemotherapy started up to four months after surgery, according to a new study published online by JAMA Oncology. | |
 | Medical screening and fly control could rapidly reduce sleeping sickness in key locationsIn 2012, the World Health Organization set two public health goals for Gambian sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease spread by the tsetse fly. The first is to eliminate the disease as a public health problem and have fewer than 2000 cases by 2020. And the second goal is to achieve zero transmission around the globe by 2030. Now, by mathematically modeling the impact of different intervention strategies, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have described how two-pronged approaches, integrating medical intervention and vector control, could substantially speed up the elimination of sleeping sickness in high burden areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). |
 | Potential evidence of lung-specific Ebola infection found in recovering patientScientists have found potential evidence of Ebola virus replication in the lungs of a person recovering from infection, according to new research published in PLOS Pathogens. The findings could aid research into new treatment approaches and better understanding of how the virus is transmitted. |
Discovery improves use of umbilical cord blood as cancer therapyA clinician/scientist, who studies ways to make cord-blood transplants for leukemia and lymphoma patients safer and more effective, recently reported a new finding in the journal Blood. An accompanying editorial called the research "a breath of fresh air" for overcoming barriers to make this a viable option for many patients. | |
 | Immunotherapy team harnesses cellular systems to fight diseasesFour decades ago, researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health had the right idea—to pursue a theory that they could harness patients' own immune systems to fight and defeat cancer. Their perseverance and hard work are paying off, as they've recently made great strides in cellular immunotherapy, along with colleagues in myriad medical fields. |
Sleep quality and emotions affect opioid addiction recoveryGetting enough quality sleep may be as important to one's health as a good diet and exercise, but for people fighting addition to painkillers, it can also lower their cravings, according to a Penn State study. | |
Alarming levels of hypertension found in the general publicA new study finds that 50% of the Canadian public is unaware that they suffer from high blood pressure, with most of them unaware of their condition or unwilling to address and manage their high blood pressure. | |
 | Acai berry hype highlights flaws in new food marketing rulesHype in the marketing of açaí berry products—which sell for up to $150 a kilo—has highlighted serious flaws in new rules governing food health claims. |
 | Exercise, even in small amounts, benefits both physical and psychological well-beingThe largest-ever smartphone-based study examining the relationship between physical activity and happiness has found that even minimal levels of activity can have a positive effect on happiness. |
 | Combining daycare for children and elderly people benefits all generationsWe live in a society where care of young and old is increasingly segregated, with very limited opportunity for the two age groups to interact. If we just thought a little more socially, however, these "book end generations" could become great resources for each other – all we need to do is put them in the same place. |
 | Mediterranean diet linked to reduced brain shrinkage in old ageA new study led by researchers in Scotland has found that older people who ate a Mediterranean-type diet went on to experience less brain shrinkage than those who ate other types of food. The research is published online on Wednesday 4 January in the journal Neurology. |
 | Mouse model points to potential new treatment for Alzheimer's diseaseTreatment with an inhibitor of 12/15-lipoxygenase, an enzyme elevated in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), reverses cognitive decline and neuropathology in an AD mouse model, reports a new study in Biological Psychiatry. The effects were observed after the AD-like phenotype was already established in the mice, which is promising for its potential therapeutic use, as neuropathology tends to develop many years before the appearance of AD symptoms in patients. |
 | Protein associated with Parkinson's travels from brain to gutResearchers of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) have found that "alpha-synuclein", a protein involved in a series of neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease, is capable of travelling from brain to stomach and that it does so following a specific pathway. Donato Di Monte and co-workers report on this in the journal Acta Neuropathologica. Their study, carried out in rats, sheds new light on pathological processes that could underlie disease progression in humans. |
 | Expert panel issues clinical guidelines to prevent peanut allergyAn expert panel sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, issued clinical guidelines today to aid health care providers in early introduction of peanut-containing foods to infants to prevent the development of peanut allergy. |
New drugs, higher costs offer little survival benefit in advanced lung cancerAccording to a University of Colorado Cancer Center study published this week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a decade that saw the development of new therapies for non-small cell lung cancer resulted in little survival benefit for patients with advanced-stage disease. In 22,163 patients treated between 2000 and 2011 with newly approved therapies including pemetrexed, erlotinib, or bevacizumab, survival increased by a median 1.5 months. Because these drugs were used in place of older chemotherapies and there was a declining trend in surgeries, inpatient spending fell about $5,600 per person, but this was more than offset by the cost of these new medicines, which raised outpatient spending by about $8,800 per person. | |
New guidelines show how to introduce peanut-containing foods to reduce allergy riskThe wait is over for parents who've been wanting to know how and when to introduce peanut-containing foods to their infants to prevent peanut allergy. New, updated guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), published today, define high, moderate and low-risk infants for developing peanut allergy, and how to proceed with introduction based on risk. | |
 | Vision symptoms following concussion limit a child's ability to return to the classroomA comprehensive vision assessment should be part of return-to-learn protocols to help determine when children are ready to return to the classroom following concussions—particularly in children reporting academic difficulty. |
 | New apps designed to reduce depression and anxiety as easily as checking your phoneSoon you can seek mental health advice on your smartphone as quickly as finding a good restaurant. |
Identifying children at risk of eating disorders is key to saving livesSpotting eating disorder symptoms in children as young as nine years old will allow medics to intervene early and save lives, experts say. | |
 | New therapeutic agent proves more effective treatment for advanced prostate cancerA German multicenter study, initiated by the German Society of Nuclear Medicine, demonstrates that lutetium-177 (Lu-177)-labeled PSMA-617 is a promising new therapeutic agent for radioligand therapy (RLT) of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The study is published in the January 2017 issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine and is the featured article. |
Researchers identify factors associated with stopping treatment for opioid dependenceIndividuals with opioid use disorder who are treated with buprenorphine, a commonly prescribed drug to treat addiction, are more likely to disengage from treatment programs if they are black or Hispanic, unemployed, or have hepatitis C according to a study published online in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. | |
Team publishes study on sun protection behavior and skin cancer awarenessA large international survey on sun exposure behaviors and skin cancer detection found there are many imperfections and geographical inequalities in primary and secondary prevention of skin cancer. This information could help inform future awareness campaigns developed to address the global need to reduce mid- and long-term development of skin cancer. | |
 | Cancer death rate has dropped 25 percent since 1991 peakA steady decline over more than two decades has resulted in a 25% drop in the overall cancer death rate in the United States. The drop equates to 2.1 million fewer cancer deaths between 1991 and 2014. |
 | Animal study shows harmful effects of secondhand smoke even before pregnancyExposure to second-hand tobacco smoke—even before conception—appears to have a lingering impact that can later impair the brain development of a fetus, researchers at Duke Health report. |
For some patients in marketplace plans, access to cancer centers is elusiveGetting cancer is scary. Discovering that your marketplace plan doesn't give you access to leading cancer centers may make the diagnosis even more daunting. As insurers' shrink their provider networks and slash the number of plans that offer out-of-network coverage, some consumers are learning that their treatment options can be limited. | |
 | Vaginal microbes point toward early detection and screening for endometrial cancerEndometrial cancer triggers remain elusive, despite continued research. But given the typical inflammatory profile in these cases, microbes in the uterine environment are suspected to play a role in the development of this disease. |
Genomic data sharing is critical to improving genetic health careThere are an estimated 5,000 - 7,000 rare genetic diseases, each of which can vary dramatically and be caused by a multitude of different genetic changes. Even common diseases with genetic influences may also have rare variants that influence the risk of disease or how severe the disease might be. How can a single provider, laboratory, medical center, or even state possess sufficient knowledge about genetic conditions in order to deliver the best care possible for patients in need of care? How can we harness the massive amounts of genetic data that are currently being produced to improve patient care, continue to improve critical genetic testing and further the promise of personalized medicine? | |
Taking hour-long afternoon naps improves thinking and memory in older Chinese adultsPreserving your memory, as well as your ability to think clearly and make decisions, is a key goal for people as they age. Researchers have a growing interest in the role sleep plays in helping older adults maintain their healthy mental function. | |
Eight years of decreased MRSA health care-associated infections associated with Veterans Affairs Prevention InitiativeThe Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Health Administration's campaign to limit healthcare facility-associated infections (HAIs) of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to make significant progress, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). | |
 | Apligraf demonstrates significant change in chronic wound's genomic profileApligraf - an FDA-approved, bioengineered living-cell therapy from Organogenesis Inc. - has become the first wound-healing therapy to demonstrate a significant change in the genomic profile of a treated non-healing wound, according to new research published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Translational Medicine. The analysis from a multidisciplinary research team at the University of Miami, titled "A bioengineered living cell construct activates an acute wound healing response in venous leg ulcers," provides new insight on what happens to a wound's genomic profile when Apligraf is applied to a chronic venous leg ulcer (VLU), when compared to standard care with compression therapy alone. The analysis found that the application of Apligraf in conjunction with compression therapy altered specific molecular and cellular responses in the wound environment, converting the chronic wound profile to resemble an acute, healing wound profile. |
 | Cancers evade immunotherapy by 'discarding the evidence' of tumor-specific mutationsResults of an initial study of tumors from patients with lung cancer or head and neck cancer suggest that the widespread acquired resistance to immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors may be due to the elimination of certain genetic mutations needed to enable the immune system to recognize and attack malignant cells. The study, conducted by researchers on the cells of five of their patients treated at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, is described online Dec. 28 in Cancer Discovery. |
 | Immune cell therapy shows promising results for lymphoma patientsLymphoma is the most common blood cancer. The disease occurs when immune cells called lymphocytes multiply uncontrollably. Cancerous lymphocytes can travel throughout the body and form lymph node tumors. The body has two types of lymphocytes that can develop into lymphoma - B cells and T cells. B-cell lymphomas account for 85 percent of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas and 30 percent of those patients are diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. |
Physical activity reduces heart disease deaths for older adultsBeing physically inactive—sitting for long periods of time—can be so harmful to your health that experts sometimes call it "sitting disease." In fact, worldwide, physical inactivity is estimated to cause some 3.2 million deaths a year. | |
High monthly vitamin D reduces respiratory infections, may increase falls for older adultsIn people over the age of 65, acute respiratory infections—such as the common cold, influenza, or pneumonia—can lead to potentially life-threatening complications. | |
 | New advice: Peanuts in baby's diet can prevent scary allergyNew parents, get ready to feed your babies peanut-containing foods—starting young lowers their chances of becoming allergic. |
Many kidney failure patients lack advance directives near the end of lifeA new study indicates that many nursing home residents receiving dialysis do not have advance directives that sufficiently address end-of-life treatment decisions. Those with advance directives that put limitations on treatments and designated surrogate decision makers had fewer hospitalizations, intensive procedures, and inpatient deaths, and they were more likely to use hospice and discontinue dialysis prior to death. The study, which appears in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), found that nearly all patients with an advance directive requesting treatment limitations received end-of-life care that was in line with their preferences. | |
Anemia protects African children against malariaIron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world and causes long-term adverse consequences in children. However, concerns remain about the safety of iron supplements, particularly for children in malaria-endemic countries lacking adequate access to health services. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have proven these concerns valid after finding iron deficiency anemia actually protects children against the blood-stage of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Africa, and treating anemia with iron supplementation removes this protective effect. Their results were published in EBioMedicine. | |
Consumption of grilled meat linked to higher mortality risk among breast cancer survivorsFindings published in JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute indicate that higher consumption of grilled, barbecued, and smoked meat may increase the mortality risk among breast cancer survivors. In the study, entitled "Grilled, Barbecued, and Smoked Meat Intake and Survival Following Breast Cancer," Humberto Parada, Jr., MPH, and colleagues evaluated the link between grilled/barbecued and smoked meats and the survival time after breast cancer. | |
 | Heartburn drugs may raise risk of stomach infections: study(HealthDay)—People who take heartburn drugs such as Prilosec and Nexium may be at increased risk of two potentially serious gut infections, a new study suggests. |
 | Is running bad for your knees?(HealthDay)—Everybody believes running can leave you sore and swollen, right? Well, a new study suggests running might actually reduce inflammation in joints. |
 | Some apolipoproteins linked to incident type 2 diabetes(HealthDay)—Apolipoprotein (apo) CIII and apoCIII-to-apoA1 ratio are correlated with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study published online Dec. 28 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Letrozole tops aspirin for halting ovarian hyperstimulation(HealthDay)—For high-risk women, letrozole is more effective than aspirin for decreasing the incidence of moderate and severe early-onset ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Respiratory muscle strength can predict survival in ALS(HealthDay)—Respiratory muscle strength assessments can predict survival or ventilator-free survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to research published online Dec. 30 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. |
 | Acid suppression medications linked to serious gastrointestinal infectionsIn a population-based study from Scotland, use of commonly-prescribed acid suppression medications such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) was linked with an increased risk of intestinal infections with C. difficile and Campylobacter bacteria, which can cause considerable illness. |
 | Foods rich in resistant starch may benefit healthA new comprehensive review examines the potential health benefits of resistant starch, a form of starch that is not digested in the small intestine and is therefore considered a type of dietary fibre. Some forms of resistant starch occur naturally in foods such as bananas, potatoes, grains, and legumes, and some are produced or modified commercially and incorporated into food products. |
 | Ready your home for winter's wrath(HealthDay)—Winter's here. Nothing you can do about that. But, it's not too late to take steps to keep you and your home safe when frigid weather hits, according the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
 | Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hikers provide data for study of health, performanceIt takes a special type of person to hike from one rim of the Grand Canyon to the other in a single day. These motivated, resilient athletes now are helping researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico (UNM) to collect and study biometric data to determine if declines in physical or cognitive functions can predict a medical emergency. |
Ketamine trial could help free patient from alcoholismJust two months ago, Marcus was drinking up to seven bottles of wine a night and regularly blacking out, sometimes finding himself in police custody. | |
Hypothyroidism, spinach and kaleDear Mayo Clinic: I have hypothyroidism and take medication for it. When researching online, I read that I should avoid kale and spinach. Is this true? I enjoy a kale or spinach smoothie almost daily and don't want to give that up. Are there other foods I should avoid because of hypothyroidism? | |
New report calls for use of emerging scientific data to better assess public health risksRecent scientific and technological advances have the potential to improve assessment of public health risks posed by chemicals, yet questions remain how best to integrate the findings from the new tools and methods into risk assessment. A new National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report recommends approaches for using 21st century science to evaluate the many factors that lead to health risks and disease, laying the groundwork for a new direction in risk assessment that acknowledges the complexity of disease causation. | |
New report calls for revisions to WIC food packages; changes would save money over timeA new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine proposes updated revisions to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to better align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and promote and support breast-feeding. The committee that carried out the study and wrote the report recommended cost-neutral changes that include adding fish; increasing the amount of whole grains; and increasing vegetables and fruits as a trade-off for decreasing juice, milk, legumes, peanut butter, infant vegetables and fruits, and infant meats. It also recommended allowing women to receive the quantity of formula needed to support any level of breast-feeding. The proposed changes will save approximately $220 million programwide from 2018 to 2022. | |
 | Evaluating tissue response to biomaterials with a new bone-implant interaction modelTo understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction of bone with orthopedic implants comprised of novel biomaterials, researchers have made a mouse model in which they can assess early tissue responses to surfaces such as bioactive glass. The ease of genetically modifying this mouse model makes it especially valuable in designing novel biomaterials for use in regenerative medicine, as describe in an article published in Tissue Engineering, Part C Methods, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Tissue Engineering website until February 5, 2017. |
 | Minnesota pedestrian death spike illustrates grim US trendPedestrian deaths spiked to a 25-year high in Minnesota in 2016, illustrating what's been a grim upward trend across the country in recent years. Experts tie it to more people driving and to more distractions such as smartphones that draw the attention of drivers and pedestrians away from the road. |
Structure of kidney failure patients' blood clots may increase their risk of early deathDialysis patients may have altered blood clots that increase their risk of dying prematurely, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). | |
FACT CHECK: No evidence to back claim of VapoRub deathA viral Facebook post claims a 2-year-old boy died after his mother applied Vicks VapoRub to his skin, but the manufacturer and authorities in U.S. and Mexico say they have no record of such a death. | |
What is Obamacare?President-elect Donald Trump and his Republican allies have vowed a swift repeal of President Barack Obama's landmark reforms known as Obamacare, a 2010 law which has had a dramatic impact on America's health care system. | |
Biology news
 | Hummingbirds see motion in an unexpected wayHave you ever imagined what the world must look like to hummingbirds as they zoom about at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour? According to new evidence on the way the hummingbird brain processes visual signals reported in Current Biology on January 5, you can't. That's because a key area of the hummingbird's brain processes motion in a unique and unexpected way. |
 | Scientists crack the structure of HIV machinerySalk Institute scientists have solved the atomic structure of a key piece of machinery that allows HIV to integrate into human host DNA and replicate in the body, which has eluded researchers for decades. The findings describing this machinery, known as the "intasome," appear January 6, 2017, in Science and yield structural clues informing the development of new HIV drugs. |
 | Domino effect—the loss of plant species triggers the extinction of animalsWhen plant species disappear due to climate change, this may lead to the subsequent loss of various animal species. Insects which depend on interactions with specific plant partners are particularly threatened. Plants, in contrast, will be less sensitive to the disappearance of their animal partners, according to an international team led by scientists from Senckenberg. Their study was published recently in the scientific journal Nature Communications. |
 | How artificial intelligence techniques are aiding the hunt for new drugsA better cure for cancer – and other illnesses – could already be in existence, hidden right under our noses. |
 | Females seeking a sex partner can tell whether males experienced stress during adolescenceSexual preference is influenced by males' adolescent social stress history and social status, according to a research team including Nicole Cameron, assistant professor of psychology at Binghamton University, State University of New York. |
Scientists use light to control the logic networks of a cellProteins are the workhorse molecules of life. Among their many jobs, they carry oxygen, build tissue, copy DNA for the next generation, and coordinate events within and between cells. Now scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a method to control proteins inside live cells with the flick of a switch, giving researchers an unprecedented tool for pinpointing the causes of disease using the simplest of tools: light. | |
 | Arctic sea ice loss impacts beluga whale migrationThe annual migration of some beluga whales in Alaska is altered by sea ice changes in the Arctic, while other belugas do not appear to be affected. |
 | Climate change has mixed effects on migratory geeseClimate change improves the breeding chances of migratory geese in the Arctic - but puts mother geese at more risk of death, according to a new study. |
 | NOAA releases plan for Alaska endangered beluga whalesA federal plan for the recovery of an endangered Alaska beluga whale calls for a reduction in threats of high concern while scientists try to pinpoint what has kept the population from growing. |
 | Scaling up marine conservation targets should benefit millions of peopleAbout 200 countries worldwide committed to protecting 10% of national marine areas by signing the Convention on Biological Diversity. But more ambitious marine reserve coverage policies that target unprotected fishing grounds would benefit millions of people who depend on fisheries for food and livelihoods, argue the authors of an international study, publishing on January 5 in the open access journal PLOS Biology. |
 | Hot weather not to blame for salmonella on egg farmsNew research conducted by the University of Adelaide shows there is no greater risk of salmonella contamination in the production of free range eggs due to hot summer weather, compared with other seasons. |
Study shows big-billed birds spend more time snuggling in against the coldBigger isn't always better – at least not in the bird kingdom, with new Deakin University research finding that the larger a bird's bill the longer they spend trying to snuggle it in against the cold. | |
 | Ash dieback—insect threat to fungus-resistant treesAsh trees which can resist the killer dieback fungus may be more vulnerable to attacks by insects, according to new research. |
 | A colorful yet little known snout moth genus from China with five new speciesA group of beautiful snout moths from China was revised by three scientists from the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. |
 | Biologists reveal important role cities play in conservation of threatened speciesThe exhaustive international trade of wildlife has pushed many species to the brink of extinction. Coincidentally, many of the same species have been introduced to urban centres or wilderness areas outside their natural ranges. In a recent study published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, authors from Hong Kong and Australia find that these introduced populations may provide hope for these threatened species. |
 | Common terns stay with the same partner for life even though they have poor breeding successMany birds choose partners for life - it offers many advantages and often improves a couple's breeding output. New research reveals that for the common tern lifelong monogamy does not always lead to breeding success. Nevertheless, they don't split up. |
 | Unlucky polar bears beset by toxins tooPolar bears just can't catch a break. |
Efforts are needed to enrich the lives of killer whales in captivityKeeping Killer whales in zoos and aquariums has become highly controversial. In a new paper, experts outline several novel ideas for improving the lives of Killer whales in zoological institutions by enhancing the communication, feeding, environment, and health of the animals in order to elicit natural behaviours seen in the wild. | |
 | France launches mass duck cull to stem bird flu spread (Update)Authorities in south-west France began a cull of hundreds of thousands of ducks Thursday as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak of a virulent strain of bird flu sweeping Europe. |
 | Sky's the limit for Thai baby elephant swimming back to healthAfter losing part of her foot in a snare in Thailand, baby elephant 'Clear Sky' is now learning to walk again—in water. |
 | Hong Kong hosts more than a quarter of all marine species recorded in ChinaHong Kong is best known as a bustling harbour, a financial centre and a shoppers' paradise, with a dense burgeoning population of seven million impacting its natural environment. Yet, away from the skyscrapers and the pressures of anthropogenic influence, Hong Kong has a record of 5,943 marine species according to a recent review by a research group led by Professor Gray A. Williams of The Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) and School of Biological Sciences, the University of Hong Kong (HKU). This 1.5-year study funded by the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) was published in Biodiversity and Conservation recently. |
 | Ski-run surprise: Lynx stroll past crowds in rare sightingsSome elusive and charismatic lynx have been parading past awe-struck Colorado residents and visitors this winter, electrifying social media and giving biologists reason to smile. |
This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
https://sciencex.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment