Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jan 4

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for January 4, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Multiple copies of the Standard Model could solve the hierarchy problem

Researchers get first look at new, extremely rare galaxy

Fast radio burst tied to distant dwarf galaxy, and perhaps magnetar

280 million-year-old fossil reveals origins of chimaeroid fishes

Study confirms steady warming of oceans for past 75 years

Dozens of new ultra-diffuse galaxies discovered in Abell 2744

Chance meeting leads to creation of antibiotic spider silk

Nanowire 'inks' enable paper-based printable electronics

Songbirds divorce, flee, fail to reproduce due to suburban sprawl

Male pipefish pregnancy, it's complicated

Stuttering linked to reduced blood flow in area of brain associated with language

Game your brain to treat depression, studies suggest

Researchers explore link between tropical glaciers, water supply

Lenovo launches 'home assistant' with Amazon Alexa

Discovery of new crystal structure holds promise for optoelectronic devices

Astronomy & Space news

Researchers get first look at new, extremely rare galaxy

Approximately 359 million light-years away from Earth, there is a galaxy with an innocuous name (PGC 1000714) that doesn't look quite like anything astronomers have observed before. New research provides a first description of a well-defined elliptical-like core surrounded by two circular rings—a galaxy that appears to belong to a class of rarely observed, Hoag-type galaxies. This work was done by scientists at the University of Minnesota Duluth and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Fast radio burst tied to distant dwarf galaxy, and perhaps magnetar

One of the rare and brief bursts of cosmic radio waves that have puzzled astronomers since they were first detected nearly 10 years ago has finally been tied to a source: an older dwarf galaxy more than 3 billion light years from Earth.

Dozens of new ultra-diffuse galaxies discovered in Abell 2744

(Phys.org)—Astronomers have found a total of 76 new ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in the massive galaxy cluster designated Abell 2744 (also known as Pandora's Cluster). The discovery updates the current census of galaxies in this cluster and could help better understand the nature of UDGs in general. The findings were presented in a paper published Dec. 30 on arXiv.org.

Hidden secrets of Orion's clouds

This spectacular new image is one of the largest near-infrared high-resolution mosaics of the Orion A molecular cloud, the nearest known massive star factory, lying about 1350 light-years from Earth. It was taken using the VISTA infrared survey telescope at ESO's Paranal Observatory in northern Chile and reveals many young stars and other objects normally buried deep inside the dusty clouds.

Research reinforces role of supernovae in clocking the universe

How much light does a supernova shed on the history of universe?

Research identifies icy ridges on Pluto

Using a model similar to what meteorologists use to forecast weather on Earth and a computer simulation of the physics of evaporating ices, a new study published in the journal, Nature by York University's Professor John Moores, Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering at York's Lassonde School of Engineering, has found evidence that snow and ice features previously only seen on Earth, have been spotted on Pluto.

NASA selects mission to study black holes, cosmic X-ray mysteries

NASA has selected a science mission that will allow astronomers to explore, for the first time, the hidden details of some of the most extreme and exotic astronomical objects, such as stellar and supermassive black holes, neutron stars and pulsars.

Image: Cloud activity returns to Titan's northern latitudes

Floating high above the hydrocarbon lakes, wispy clouds have finally started to return to Titan's northern latitudes.

NASA's Webb Telescope to resume vibration testing in January

Vibration tests are one of the many tests that spacecraft and instruments endure to ensure they are fit for spaceflight. During routine testing of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, an unexpected response occurred from several of the more than 100 devices designed to detect small changes in the motion of the structure. This prompted the engineers put the vibration tests on hold to determine the cause.

India to launch 103 satellites in record single mission

India will launch a rocket carrying 103 satellites next month in a record single mission, a report said Wednesday, as its famously frugal space agency looks to zoom ahead in the commercial space race.

NASA selects mission to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids

NASA has selected a mission that will perform the first reconnaissance of the Trojans, a population of primitive asteroids orbiting in tandem with Jupiter. The Lucy mission will launch in 2021 to study six of these exciting worlds.

NASA announces two missions to study early solar system

The US space agency NASA on Wednesday announced two unmanned missions to asteroids designed to study one of the earliest eras in the history of the solar system.

NASA sending African-American to space station for the first time

NASA is sending an African-American astronaut to the International Space Station for the first time.

New Svalbard avalanches revealed by satellite

Svalbard has experienced an unusually mild and rainy autumn and this has taken its toe on the vulnerable arctic Svalbard-nature.

Technology news

Lenovo launches 'home assistant' with Amazon Alexa

Chinese tech giant Lenovo announced Tuesday it was launching a smart home assistant powered by Amazon's Alexa, becoming the latest firm to enter the market for voice-activated devices.

Manufacturing platform makes intricate biocompatible micromachines

A team of researchers led by Biomedical Engineering Professor Sam Sia has developed a way to manufacture microscale-sized machines from biomaterials that can safely be implanted in the body. Working with hydrogels, which are biocompatible materials that engineers have been studying for decades, Sia has invented a new technique that stacks the soft material in layers to make devices that have three-dimensional, freely moving parts. The study, published online January 4, 2017, in Science Robotics, demonstrates a fast manufacturing method Sia calls "implantable microelectromechanical systems" (iMEMS).

Additive manufacturing—a new twist for stretchable electronics?

Electronic components that can be elongated or twisted – known as "stretchable" electronics – could soon be used to power electronic gadgets, the onboard systems of vehicles, medical devices and other products. And a 3-D printing-like approach to manufacturing may help make stretchable electronics more prevalent, say researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Drone big enough to carry people passes another milestone

(Tech Xplore)—Israeli aeronautics firm Urban Aeronautics has announced to the press that its Cormorant drone, named after the aquatic bird, has successfully passed another milestone—flying itself over uneven terrain. The company reports that the 1,500-kg drone is able to carry a 500kg load a distance of 30 miles while traveling at speeds up to 185 km/h and at altitudes up to 18,000 feet.

Sea sponges offer clues to how human-made structures can resist buckling

Judging by their name alone, orange puffball sea sponges might seem unlikely paragons of structural strength. But maintaining their shape at the bottom of the churning ocean is critical to the creatures' survival, and new research shows that tiny structural rods in their bodies have evolved the optimal shape to avoid buckling under pressure.

LG kicks off gadget gala with 'wallpaper' thin TV

LG Electronics showed off a "wallpaper" thin television and task-tending robots that learn, as a day packed with gadget unveilings got underway Wednesday in Las Vegas.

The Latest at CES: From drones to A.I., top CES 2017 trends

The Latest on CES gadget show in Las Vegas (all times local):

Company stands by plan to bury nuke waste near Lake Huron

A Canadian company that wants to bury waste from nuclear power plants near Lake Huron said Tuesday a study of alternative sites had found none better than a location already targeted, which has drawn strong opposition on both sides of the border.

Chrysler's new tech-rich concept car aims young

Fiat-Chrysler on Tuesday unveiled a concept car designed for Millennials: an electric-powered minivan with modular components that can be adapted for autonomous driving.

Electric car startup unveils 'new species' of vehicle

Faraday Future, the secretive electric car startup with ambitions to overtake Tesla, unveiled its first production vehicle Tuesday, proclaiming it to be a "new species" for personal transportation.

Global launch by Huawei of new mid-range smartphone

Chinese electronics giant Huawei announced Tuesday a global launch of its mid-range Honor 6x smartphone which includes dual-lens camera technology and is aimed at young consumers.

Tech outlook dampened by political uncertainty

As tech industry leaders gather for an annual extravaganza showcasing hot new products, political uncertainty is casting a cloud over the sector.

An app to crack the teen exercise code

Pokémon GO has motivated its players to walk 2.8 billion miles. Now, a new mobile game from UVM researchers aims to encourage teens to exercise with similar virtual rewards.

Smart prioritization of visually important data to improve video streaming

By prioritizing the delivery of rich visual data, A*STAR researchers have demonstrated that the quality of streaming video can be vastly improved on even the most crowded wireless networks.

Adobe looks to artificial intelligence to make products more approachable

A teary-eyed Mala Sharma felt vindicated as she stood outside a school for impoverished children in India. A student had snatched the Adobe Systems executive's iPad and had a go with the company's simplest video editing program. He nailed it, creating a quick video that Sharma said amused his teacher and peers.

Review: Acer Spin 3 is a laptop that's also a tablet, and that's just right

While Apple is content to keep its laptop and tablet hardware separate, Windows PC manufacturers seem determined to bring them together.

Microsoft, Intel era at CES gives way to rising star Nvidia

For most of its 23 years, Nvidia was best known for building graphics processors that helped computers display high-powered computer games.

Unconventional Snap Spectacles make discrete video capture a cinch

For decades, from Kodak to Polaroid to GoPro, companies have marketed cameras by touting features such as focal length, image size and memory space.

New gadgets only part of CES's success story

It's easy to get caught up with all the new gizmos at CES.

At 70, JBL still knows how to throw sound

At least one participant at the upcoming presidential inauguration will care more about how clearly the speeches will be heard than about anything said that day.

Select Comfort's new bed tracks whether you sleep badly, and then does something about it

Select Comfort's latest bed promises to adjust to your sleep patterns throughout the night, including warming the foot of your bed before you get in, changing position when it senses snoring and waking you gently in the morning.

Hulu adds CBS for upcoming live TV streaming service

Hulu is teaming up with CBS to add three of the network's channels to its upcoming live TV streaming service.

The Latest at CES: Spy on your fridge to restock

The Latest on the CES gadget show in Las Vegas (all times local):

Tesla starts mass production of batteries

Tesla Motors announced Wednesday that it has begun mass production of energy-saving batteries that it vows will take electric cars mainstream.

Smartphone with Google 3-D Tango from Taiwan's Asus

Taiwan-based electronics group Asus announced Wednesday it was launching a new smartphone which uses Google Tango 3D technology and allows users to experience augmented and virtual reality.

Cruise company Carnival gets personal with concierge tech

What if your room on a cruise ship were to unlock automatically as you approach, or if the wait staff could bring your favorite cocktail before you even ask?

China's innovation future depends on intellectual property rights protection

As China's working age population shrinks and cheap labour dries up, the country's leaders have been keen to stress the urgency to move from an economy based on investment and heavy industry to a sustainable, innovation-led one.

Spray Combustion Consortium formed to improve engine design

Sandia National Laboratories has formed an industry-funded Spray Combustion Consortium to better understand fuel injection by developing modeling tools. Control of fuel sprays is key to the development of clean, affordable fuel-efficient engines.

Medicine & Health news

Stuttering linked to reduced blood flow in area of brain associated with language

A study led by researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles demonstrates what lead investigator Bradley Peterson, MD, calls "a critical mass of evidence" of a common underlying lifelong vulnerability in both children and adults who stutter. They discovered that regional cerebral blood flow is reduced in the Broca's area - the region in the frontal lobe of the brain linked to speech production - in persons who stutter. More severe stuttering is associated with even greater reductions in blood flow to this region.

Game your brain to treat depression, studies suggest

Researchers have found promising results for treating depression with a video game interface that targets underlying cognitive issues associated with depression rather than just managing the symptoms.

Study sheds light on esophageal cancer, offers insight into increasingly common disease

A comprehensive analysis of 559 esophageal and gastric cancer samples, collected from patients around the world, suggests the two main types of esophageal cancer differ markedly in their molecular characteristics and should be considered separate diseases.

Scientists tissue-engineer part of human stomach in laboratory

Scientists report in Nature using pluripotent stem cells to generate human stomach tissues in a petri dish that produce acid and digestive enzymes.

Evolving deep brain stimulation patterns

Duke University biomedical engineers have used computers to "evolve" more effective patterns of electric shocks delivered deep within the brain to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms.

Unique electrical properties of human nerve cells confer cognitive advantage

The human brain's advanced cognitive capabilities are often attributed to our recently evolved neocortex. Comparison of human and rodent brains shows that the human cortex is thicker, contains more white matter, has larger neurons, and its abundant pyramidal cells (formerly called "psychic" neurons) have more synaptic connections per cell as compared to rodents.

Unpublished research calls into question efficacy of common morning sickness drug

Previously unpublished research calls into question the efficacy of the most commonly prescribed medication for nausea in pregnancy.

Witnessing fear in others can physically change brain, scientists say

Scientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute have discovered that observing fear in others may change how information flows in the brain.

Lack of joy from music linked to brain disconnection

Have you ever met someone who just wasn't into music? They may have a condition called specific musical anhedonia, which affects three-to-five per cent of the population.

Researchers use light to launch drugs from red blood cells

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a breakthrough technique that uses light to activate a drug stored in circulating red blood cells so that it is released exactly when and where it is needed.

New technique uses immune cells to deliver anti-cancer drugs

Some researchers are working to discover new, safer ways to deliver cancer-fighting drugs to tumors without damaging healthy cells. Others are finding ways to boost the body's own immune system to attack cancer cells. Researchers at Penn State have combined the two approaches by taking biodegradable polymer nanoparticles encapsulated with cancer-fighting drugs and incorporating them into immune cells to create a smart, targeted system to attack cancers of specific types.

Antidepressant side effects reported more by patients with co-occurring panic disorder

Patients who take medication for depression report more side effects if they also suffer from panic disorder, according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Preventing mortality after myocardial infarction

The University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) has been awarded a grant of US$2 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to pilot the Canadian component of a study to determine the optimal amount of blood to transfuse in anemic patients who have suffered a myocardial infarction.

France moves to suspend Vitamin D supplement after baby dies

France has moved to suspend sales of a vitamin D medication following the death of a baby who suffocated after being given the liquid supplement, health authorities said Wednesday.

No lasting benefit for follow-up coronary angiography after PCI

(HealthDay)—For patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), routine follow-up coronary angiography (FUCAG) has no long-term clinical benefit, according to a study published online Jan. 1 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

Zoledronic acid every 12 weeks noninferior in bone metastases

(HealthDay)—Use of zoledronic acid every 12 weeks does not result in increased risk of skeletal events compared with use every four weeks among patients with bone metastases due to breast cancer, prostate cancer, or multiple myeloma, according to a study published in the Jan. 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Over-planning can take the fun out of leisure time

(HealthDay)—Leisure time is supposed to be fun time. But, too much planning makes leisure time seem like work, researchers report.

Routine checkup should assess fitness, too

(HealthDay)—Most people know they should have their height, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly, but an exercise expert says cardiorespiratory fitness should also be part of a routine medical exam.

Resolve to reduce your cancer risk this year

(HealthDay)—More than half of cancer deaths could be prevented through healthy habits such as eating right, exercising and not smoking, according to the American Cancer Society.

Review examines diversity in dermatology clinical trials

Racial and ethnic groups can be underrepresented in medical research. So what is the makeup of participants in randomized clinical trials of common dermatologic conditions? A review article published online by JAMA Dermatology attempts to answer that question.

Most younger adults with high LDL-C levels do not take a statin

Despite recommendations, less than 45 percent of adults younger than 40 years with an elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of 190 mg/dL or greater receive a prescription for a statin, according to a study published online by JAMA Cardiology.

First snapshot of Inuit gut microbiome shows similarities to Western microbiome

Researchers at the University of Montreal, in Canada, have characterized the gut microbiome of the Canadian Arctic Inuit for the first time. Reporting this week in mSphere, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, the researchers found that the Inuit harbor a composition and diversity of gut microbes remarkably similar to their urbanized, westernized counterparts in urban Montreal. What differences they did find were subtle, and in the relative abundances of individual taxa.

Expert cautions reality television love might not be so real

While millions of people tune in every week to watch love unfold on reality television shows such as "The Bachelor," one Baylor College of Medicine expert cautions that these reality television relationships may not be as real as they seem.

Bipolar disorder and epilepsy linked to turning down an inhibitory switch in brain circuits

People with bipolar disorder suffer from excessive emotional highs and lows that can cycle uncontrollably, severely distorting their awareness of self and others, impairing social and work ability and causing high risk of suicide. Current treatments are only partly effective. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have used mouse models and advanced molecular mapping studies in both mouse and human to learn how a gene associated with bipolar disorder controls the balance between brain excitation and inhibition and shown for the first time that it also is linked to epilepsy.

TV and video games link to emotional and behavioural problems among young boys

New research from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute has found a link between different types of electronic media and mental health among young children.

Parents' presence when TV viewing with child affects learning ability

Parenting today, for many, has become nothing more than sitting a child in front of a television or handing them a device that plays their favorite video. But it's much more than that.

Getting children to fall asleep and stay asleep

Overall, studies indicate that 15 to 20 percent of one to three year olds continue to have nightwakings. Stephanie Zandieh, M.D., director, Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Apnea Center at the Valley Hospital, says, "Inappropriate sleep associations are the primary cause of frequent nightwakings. Sleep associations are those conditions that are habitually present at the time of sleep onset and in the presence of which the infant or child has learned to fall asleep. These same conditions are then required in order for the infant or child to fall back to sleep following periodic normal nighttime arousals."

Helping children make healthy eating choices

Childhood obesity rates have more than doubled in the last 30 years, with pre-adolescence emerging as a critical window for preventing excess weight gain. In a new Penn State project, researchers are investigating why some children are more prone to weight gain than others, by studying how children's brains respond to food portion size.

Who gets most distracted by cell phones?

Researchers have verified that the mere presence of a cell phone or smartphone can adversely affect our cognitive performance, particularly among infrequent internet users.

As routine screenings drop, prostate cancer on rise in older men

The incidence of metastatic prostate cancer in older men is rising after reaching an all-time low in 2011, according to new research from Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators.

New stroke treatment proves effective, both medically and financially

As soon as possible after a stroke, a critical step is to eliminate the clot that caused it. While the current standard of care is to use "clot busting" tissue-type plasminogen activator drugs, recent studies have shown greater medical efficacy in combining the drugs with a "stent retriever" that mechanically opens the artery for a device to grab it and pull it out—a surgical procedure called "thrombectomy."

Is a New Year really enough motivation to create a new you?

With New Year's resolutions still fresh, the first week of January traditionally brings a spike in gym attendance. Americans are eager to use the start of the new calendar year as motivation to get healthy, but new research from the University of Virginia suggests that this could be problematic for their long-term success.

The paradoxical roles of well-known cancer genes are mediated by oxygen levels in breast cancer

Oxygen deprivation, or hypoxia, has been identified by A*STAR researchers as a key factor in switching the function of major cancer genes from tumor-promoting to tumor-suppressing in a breast cancer subtype, suggesting the need for differential therapies in cancer treatments.

Studying the body's immune response to malaria infection could help scientists find life-saving vaccines

Three malaria proteins that trigger an immune response in infected individuals have been identified by A*STAR researchers. These proteins could underpin a new vaccine against the world's deadliest parasitic disease.

The world is getting fatter with technology as part of the problem and not the cure

If you are one of the majority of people who make New Year's resolutions, you are also very likely to fail at keeping them. Losing weight and being more active are always in the top 5 resolutions and unfortunately for the majority, the hardest to ever achieve for any significant period of time. No amount of technology or novel psychological approaches will help as we are unfortunately battling with our fundamental programming fuelled by the most primitive of drives.

Why some people can multitask online and others can't

The internet may be the most comprehensive source of information ever created but it's also the biggest distraction. Set out to find an answer on the web and it's all too easy to find yourself flitting between multiple tabs, wondering how you ended up on a page so seemingly irrelevant to the topic you started on.

Why some girls grow breasts early—and how new findings could cut cancer risks

When a girl's breasts start growing early, it can be a sign she will develop certain diseases later in life. There is evidence of early puberty leading to increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer – particularly breast cancer. Girls who develop breasts before the age of ten have around a 20% higher risk of breast cancer in later life than girls who develop breasts between the ages of 11 and 12.

Vitamin D deficiency increases risk of chronic headache

Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of chronic headache, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. The findings were published in Scientific Reports.

New study blows whistle on home advantage in soccer

Higher standards in football refereeing have brought about an unexpected change – the end of the home advantage.

'Heart-in-a-dish' sheds light on genetics of heart disease

When a patient shows symptoms of cancer, a biopsy is taken. Scientists study the tissue, examining it under a microscope to determine exactly what's going on.

The dangers of indoor tanning

Before you try to banish the winter blues by adding some color to your skin with a trip to the tanning salon, remember that exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from indoor tanning beds, sunlamps, and tanning booths increases your risk of developing skin cancer.

Study reveals what happens when depression, anxiety coincide with minor injury

When someone breaks a leg or fractures a rib, injuries considered relatively minor, providers often don't look beyond what's initially required to help that person heal. But new research from Therese Richmond and Sara Jacoby of the University of Pennsylvania shows that may not be the best approach.

Scientists develop new antibiotic for gonorrhoea

Scientists at the University of York have harnessed the therapeutic effects of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules to develop a new antibiotic which could be used to treat the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea.

Smokers keen to break the habit can now play games to help them quit

A smartphone app that could help smokers stick to New Year's resolutions to quit by playing games to combat cravings has been developed by academics at Kingston University London and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

Pain relief without the high

Researchers at Leiden University led by Mario van der Stelt (Leiden Institute for Chemistry) have set 'gold standards' for developing new painkillers based on the medicinal effects of cannabis. Publication in Nature Communications.

Cancer after-care 'shake-up' could reduce NHS costs

Cancer survivors say they may be happy to receive after-care from medical professionals that are not cancer specialists provided they receive follow up care for longer and are compensated by some additional services, such as dietary advice and counselling.

Single fecal transplant no more effective than standard of care in treating C. diff

Researchers at the University Health Network have found that when treating recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (RCDI), a single fecal transplantation delivered by enema is no more effective than the existing standard of care for RCDI, administration of oral vancomycin taper. The findings were published recently in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Mediterranean diet may have lasting effects on brain health

A new study shows that older people who followed a Mediterranean diet retained more brain volume over a three-year period than those who did not follow the diet as closely. The study is published in the January 4, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. But contrary to earlier studies, eating more fish and less meat was not related to changes in the brain.

A view from the edge: Creating a culture of caring

In an article to be published in the Jan. 5 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, a Henry Ford Hospital critical care medicine physician describes in candid detail about how her own near-death experience inspired an organizational campaign to help health professionals communicate more effectively and demonstrate more empathy to their patients.

Many poor asthma sufferers stuck in settings that make their disease worse

(HealthDay)—Poor Americans with asthma face constant challenges in managing their respiratory disease—from dilapidated housing to neighborhood violence to depression, new research shows.

Promising new drug stops spread of melanoma by 90 percent

Michigan State University researchers have discovered that a chemical compound, and potential new drug, reduces the spread of melanoma cells by up to 90 percent.

Helpful ways you can reduce your sodium intake

Kay Alberg, a Mayo Clinic Health System registered dietitian, shares her perspective on the dangers of a high-sodium diet as well as her recommendations for lessening daily intake.

Medicine's secret: Some drugs won't help most of those who take them

In an era when a lack of interest in sex is considered a treatable medical disorder, these are the pros and cons for patients seeking a pharmaceutical fix:

Most veterans experience good quality of life after military service

With a few notable exceptions, the majority of post-9/11 U.S. veterans appear to do well in regards to work and family quality of life after departing from military service despite their exposure to the war zone.

New study finds girls feel unprepared for puberty

Girls from low-income families in the U.S. are unprepared for puberty and have largely negative experiences of this transition, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Their latest paper on the puberty experiences of African-American, Caucasian, and Hispanic girls living mostly in urban areas of the Northeastern U.S. shows that the majority of low-income girls feel they lack the information and readiness to cope with the onset of menstruation. The research is one of the first comprehensive systematic reviews of the literature on puberty experiences of low-income girls in the U.S.

Fewer see e-cigarettes as less harmful than cigarettes

The perception that e-cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes fell between 2012 and 2014, a sign that fewer people see them as a safe alternative to smoking tobacco, a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests.

Researchers identify factors responsible for chronic nature of autoimmune disease

Researchers from Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear have uncovered two factors responsible for the chronic, lifelong nature of autoimmune disorders, which tend to "flare up" intermittently in affected patients. These two factors are cell-signaling proteins called cytokines—specifically Interleukin-7 and -15 (IL-7 and IL-15)—that are secreted by cells of the immune system and help modulate memory Th17 cells, a subset of T cells which are known to contribute to autoimmune disorders. Until now, it was unclear how Th17 cells maintained memory; the study results show that IL-7 and IL-15 signal the Th17 cells to chronically reside in the body. These findings, published online in the Journal of Autoimmunity, may lead to the development of new therapies to address a variety of chronic autoimmune disorders.

High fiber diets may alleviate inflammation caused by gout

New research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, shows that a high-fiber diet likely inhibits gout-related inflammation caused by monosodium urate (MSU) crystals. Specifically, researchers found that diets high in fiber trigger microorganisms in the gut to produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which induce neutrophil apoptosis and the resolution of inflammation. These findings have important implications for the treatment of gout, and possibly for the treatment of arthritis.

Yoga may help kids with cancer

A yoga program for children with cancer can be carried out even during cancer treatment, and has quality of life (QOL) benefits for the children as well as their parents, suggests a study in Rehabilitation Oncology, official journal of the Oncology Section.

As neighborhood status falls, cardiovascular disease risk among black residents spikes

The lower a neighborhood's socioeconomic status is, the more likely its black residents are to develop heart disease and stroke, according to a new Drexel University-led public health study.

Immunotherapy, gene therapy combination shows promise against glioblastoma

"Devastating" and "dismal." That's how leading researchers describe the present outlook for malignant brain tumors. The median survival rate for patients with glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM, is a mere 14.2 months.

Preterm infants fare well in early language development

Preterm babies perform as well as their full-term counterparts in a developmental task linking language and cognition, a new study from Northwestern University has found.

Stem cell therapy trial at Sanford first of its kind in US for shoulder injuries

The first FDA-approved clinical trial of its kind in the United States using a person's own fat-derived adult stem cells to treat shoulder injuries is available at Sanford Health.

Medication adherence a problem in atrial fibrillation patients

For patients with atrial fibrillation, the most common form of heart arrhythmia, a main goal of treatment is stroke prevention.

Increased reaction to stress linked to gastrointestinal issues in children with autism

One in 45 American children lives with autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of these children also have significant gastrointestinal issues, but the cause of these symptoms is unknown. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine suggest that the gastrointestinal issues in these individuals with autism may be related to an increased reaction to stress. It's a finding the researchers hope could lead to better treatment options for these patients.

'Complementary' feeding for infants—ESPGHAN position paper offers guidance

Updated evidence-based recommendations on introducing complementary foods to infants' diet—solids and liquids other than breast milk—appear in a position paper of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN). The statement appears in the January Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (JPGN), official journal of ESPGHAN and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.

Psychiatric emergency patients in Massachusetts wait longest for hospital beds

Patients having mental health emergencies who require hospital admission wait nearly four times longer for an inpatient bed than their medical counterparts and more than five times as long for transfer to another facility, according to a study published online today in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

Study suggests route to improve artery repair

People with any form of diabetes are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular conditions than people without the disease. Moreover, if they undergo an operation to open up a clogged artery by inserting a "stent" surgical tube, the artery is much more likely to clog up again. However, researchers at Joslin Diabetes Centers now have uncovered an explanation for why these procedures often fail, which may lead toward better alternatives.

Study shows cardiovascular benefits continue five years after weight loss program

Joslin Diabetes Center's intensive life-style intervention program for obese patients with diabetes continues to offer health benefits for participants five years after they begin the intervention, a new study demonstrates. Participants in the Why WAIT (Weight Achievement and Intensive Management) program lost substantial amounts of weight, and even those who maintained relatively little loss of weight after five years demonstrated reduced risks of cardiovascular disease.

First study of diet's impact on dementia, Alzheimer's disease begins in January

The first study of its kind designed to test the effects of a diet on the decline of cognitive abilities among a large group of individuals 65 to 84 years who currently do not have cognitive impairment will begin in January.

Medicaid expansion boosts Michigan's economy and will more than pay for itself

Michigan's expansion of Medicaid health insurance coverage has boosted the state's economy and budget, and will continue to do so for at least the next five years, according to a new University of Michigan study.

'Screen and treat' approach to prevent type 2 diabetes unlikely to have major impact

"Screen and treat" policies to preventing type 2 diabetes are unlikely to have substantial impact on this growing epidemic, concludes a study published by The BMJ today.

The BMJ reveals private firms run one-third of CCGs' schemes to screen GP referrals

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England are spending millions of pounds on schemes that screen patient referrals from GPs to specialist services, reveals an investigation by The BMJ today.

Immune system reboots during sleep

(HealthDay)—Researchers say they've gained new insight into how the immune system restores itself during sleep.

Flameless candle batteries pose risk to kids

(HealthDay)—Tiny button batteries that light up flameless "tea candles" pose a significant risk to children when swallowed, the National Capital Poison Center warns.

Coping with sleep loss during pregnancy

(HealthDay)—It's safe to assume many new parents aren't sleeping as much as they'd like, but many pregnant women also suffer from insomnia, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Plant-based diets score big for healthy weight loss

(HealthDay)—If you've resolved to eat healthy and lose weight in 2017, a new report suggests the DASH diet may be your best bet.

Participation in meaningful use doesn't up quality of care

(HealthDay)—Physician participation in meaningful use is associated with improvement in colorectal cancer screening, but is not associated with improvement in other quality measures, according to a study published online Dec. 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

New model IDs inflammatory asthma without sputum

(HealthDay)—A new prediction model identifies eosinophilic asthma without the need for sputum induction, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in Allergy.

Lifestyle intervention reduces portal pressure in cirrhosis

(HealthDay)—For overweight/obese patients with compensated cirrhosis and portal hypertension, a lifestyle intervention can reduce body weight and portal pressure, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in Hepatology.

Anterior T-wave inversion in 2.3 percent of healthy young adults

(HealthDay)—Anterior T-wave inversion (ATWI) occurs in 2.3 percent of young asymptomatic adults, usually in leads V1 and V2, according to a study published in the Jan. 3/10 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Skin diseases have large impact on patients' well-being

(HealthDay)—Skin diseases affect quality of life differently across distinct aspects of the EuroQoL five dimension questionnaire (EQ5D), according to a study published online Dec. 29 in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Fenofibrate may reduce CVD in patients with DM, dyslipidemia

(HealthDay)—Fenofibrate therapy may reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) in statin-treated patients with diabetes and dyslipidemia, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Cardiology.

Non-liver-related critical events down with SVR in HCV+Cirrhosis

(HealthDay)—For patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and biopsy-proven cirrhosis, sustained viral response (SVR) is associated with a reduction in critical events, both liver and non-liver related, according to research published in the January issue of Gastroenterology.

Metformin tied to better clinical outcomes in CKD, CHF, CLD

(HealthDay)—For patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), congestive heart failure (CHF), or chronic liver disease (CLD) with hepatic impairment, metformin use is associated with improvements in clinical outcomes, according to a review published online Jan. 3 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Sequential empagliflozin, linagliptin diabetes Tx effective

(HealthDay)—After metformin failure, sequential treatment escalation with empagliflozin and linagliptin is an effective diabetes treatment option due to additive effects on postprandial glucose control, according to a study published online Dec. 23 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

Research on sweat glands suggests a route to better skin grafts

As early humans shed the hairy coats of their closest evolutionary ancestors, they also gained a distinct feature that would prove critical to their success: a type of sweat gland that allows the body to cool down quickly. Those tiny glands are enormously useful, allowing us to live in a wide variety of climates, and enabling us to run long distances.

Obama moves to stop Trump gutting signature healthcare law

US President Barack Obama will make a short but politically charged trip from the White House to Capitol Hill Wednesday, calling allied lawmakers to arms in defense of his signature healthcare reforms.

Reducing severe violence among adolescents

The World Health Organization reported in 2014 that homicide was the fourth leading cause of death among 15 - 29 year olds worldwide. Severe youth violence (SYV), which can be defined as including aggravated assault, rape, murder, and robbery committed by adolescents, has been described by some public health experts as "highly contagious," referring to the way it seems to spread among people.

Promising results using silver-releasing scaffolds in MRSA infection of bone

Researchers developed a biocompatible scaffold capable of controlled-release of silver ions and have shown in a new study that it can inhibit infection of bone by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA. The antimicrobial properties of silver combined with a biodegradable scaffold that can be seeded with bone-forming stem cells offers a potential implant system for treating and preventing bone infection, as described in an article published in Tissue Engineering, Part A.

Obama, Team Trump in health care showdown

US President Barack Obama called on congressional Democrats Wednesday to "fight" to preserve his signature health care reform, with its future in doubt as Donald Trump's incoming administration vowed a swift repeal of the controversial law.

Biology news

Songbirds divorce, flee, fail to reproduce due to suburban sprawl

Suburban development is forcing some songbirds to divorce, pack up and leave and miss their best chances for successful reproduction.

Male pipefish pregnancy, it's complicated

In the upside-down world of the pipefish, sexual selection appears to work in reverse, with flashy females battling for males who bear the pregnancy and carry their young to term in their brood pouch. But new research shows even more factors appear to play a role in determining mating success.

Big data shows how what we buy affects endangered species

The things we consume, from iPhones to cars to IKEA furniture, have costs that go well beyond their purchase price. What if the soybeans used to make that tofu you ate last night were grown in fields that were hewn out of tropical rainforests? Or if that tee-shirt you bought came from an industrial area that had been carved out of high-value habitat in Malaysia?

Routes of migratory birds follow today's peaks in resources

Movement of migratory birds is closely linked to seasonal availability of resources. The birds locate the areas with the most resources across continents. Researchers from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, University of Copenhagen, have tracked three long-distance migratory birds. By comparing their migration routes to climate projections, the scientists show that finding food may become a challenge to the birds by the end of this century.

Scientists expand toolbox to study cellular function

Scientists on the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have developed a new tool for studying the molecular details of protein structure.

Murky Amazon waters cloud fish vision

Cichlids are a remarkably diverse family of fish, with many African freshwater species known for their incredible visual system. These cichlids' complex vision results from a diverse array of visual pigment proteins in their retinas: while humans have the genes to produce three of these proteins (called opsins), many cichlids have seven. Each African cichlid species produces a specific suite of opsin proteins that matches well with the light spectrum of their environment.

Researchers discover new mechanism for Type IV pili retraction in Vibrio cholerae

Type IV pili, essential for many pathogens to cause disease, are hair-like appendages that grow out of and are retracted back into bacteria cells, enabling them to move and adhere to surfaces. Although pathogenic bacteria often rely on a specialized molecular motor to retract their pili, a new study in PLOS Pathogens reveals that a minor pilin protein elicits pilus retraction in the cholera bacterium, Vibrio cholerae.

Scientists learn how to ramp up microbes' ability to make memories

Some microbes can form memories—although, inconveniently for scientists who study the process, they don't do it very often.

Eelgrass in Puget Sound is stable overall, but some local beaches suffering

Eelgrass, a marine plant crucial to the success of migrating juvenile salmon and spawning Pacific herring, is stable and flourishing in Puget Sound, despite a doubling of the region's human population and significant shoreline development over the past several decades.

US-trained dolphins to help locate Mexico's vaquita porpoise

U.S. Navy-trained dolphins and their handlers will participate in a last-ditch effort to catch, enclose and protect the last few dozen of Mexico's critically endangered vaquita porpoises to save them from extinction.

Bats avoid collisions by calling less in a crowd

In the warm summer months, bats go about their business each night, flying and gobbling up insects (a benefit to us). Using echolocation (making calls and listening for returning echoes to figure out where objects are) they can hunt and navigate around obstacles in total darkness, often in large groups. But if everybody is echolocating at once, how do bats pick out their own echoes?

Blocking mechanism used by a mysterious class of retroviruses to force hosts to allow them to replicate

Viruses hijack a body's cellular machinery for their own reproduction. Scientists have shown how one class of virus uses a trick to override natural signals that would otherwise stop them from replicating.

Integrated management of stink bugs in beans

In many tropical countries, stink bug infestations are a severe problem in common bean production. A new study looks at an integrated management system to control this agricultural pest.

Natural antifungal in avocados believed to cause sudden death in aye-ayes

A two-month investigation into the sudden deaths of four aye-ayes at the Duke Lemur Center has left just one plausible explanation—avocados.

Neotropical spotted cats may appear more frequently near protected areas

Neotropical spotted cats may occur more near protected areas, according to a study published January 4, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Mariana B. Nagy-Reis from the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, and colleagues.

It's a girl! Tweaking the names of a pest fanworm group

The largest group of fanworm species with rigid chalky (calcareous) tubes belong to the Hydroides genus, and are easily recognised thanks to the shape of their beautifully ornate tube plugs. Hydroides is economically important as its members have the potential to cover immersed marine structures with massive nuisance settlements of chalky biofouling. The best-known example is Hydroides elegans, which settles on boat hulls so readily that colonies of it are perpetually in transit around the world, hitch-hiking to new places.

Humpback habitats off Madagascar revealed as energy exploration ramps up

How humpback whales use marine habitats off the eastern coast of Africa is only partially understood, and that has become a conservation concern as offshore energy exploration expands in the region. However, a new study published in Marine Ecology Progress Series found that humpback whales that were satellite tagged off the coast of Madagascar during peak breeding season are traveling much further in the southwest Indian Ocean than previously thought. This research can help define potentially sensitive areas that should be protected from the disruption of seismic testing or other industrial development that could be destructive to the humpback population and this globally important marine habitat.

Czechs detect bird flu on two farms, in dead swans

Czech authorities on Wednesday said they had detected highly-contagious bird flu at two small poultry farms and in dead swans in the first such cases in a decade.

Emiratis banned from keeping wild pets: reports

The private ownership of wild animals has been outlawed in the United Arab Emirates, where keeping exotic creatures as pets is a status symbol for some, reports said Wednesday.

ELFI—Engine for Likelihood-Free Inference facilitates more effective simulation

Researchers have succeeded in building an engine for likelihood-free inference, which can be used to model reality as accurately as possible in a simulator. The engine may revolutionise the many fields in which computational simulation is utilised. This development work is resulting in the creation of ELFI, an engine for likelihood-free inference, which will significantly reduce the number of exhausting simulation runs necessary for the estimation of unknown parameters and to which it will be easy to add new inference methods.


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