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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 3, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Researchers model superluminous supernova in 2-D for the first timeSightings of a rare breed of superluminous supernovae—stellar explosions that shine 10 to 100 times brighter than normal—are perplexing astronomers. First spotted only in last decade, scientists are confounded by the extraordinary brightness of these events and their explosion mechanisms. |
 | Dedicated planet imager opens its eyes to other worldsAn astronomical instrument at Subaru Telescope on Maunakea specifically designed to see planets around other stars has been successfully commissioned and has started to reveal stunning images of other worlds after almost a decade of painstaking work. "Maunakea is the best place on this planet to see planets in other stellar systems. Now, we finally have an instrument designed to utilize this mountain's special gifts and the results are breathtaking," exclaims Dr. Thayne Currie, who authored the first science result paper. |
 | Swirling spirals at the north pole of MarsA new mosaic from ESA's Mars Express shows off the Red Planet's north polar ice cap and its distinctive dark spiralling troughs. |
 | Bump on a plot from Chandra X-ray observatory reveals excess of X-rays, hinting at dark matter(Phys.org)—A team of space researchers with members from Yale University, MIT and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has found a bump in X-ray readings from the Chandra-X-ray observatory that appears to be similar to bumps seen with X-rays from other telescopes. Such bumps have been theorized to represent the decay of dark matter, which could indirectly prove it exists. The team has written a paper describing their results and have posted it on the arXiv preprint server. |
 | Hubble captures brilliant star death in 'rotten egg' nebulaThe Calabash Nebula, pictured here—which has the technical name OH 231.8+04.2—is a spectacular example of the death of a low-mass star like the sun. This image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the star going through a rapid transformation from a red giant to a planetary nebula, during which it blows its outer layers of gas and dust out into the surrounding space. The recently ejected material is spat out in opposite directions with immense speed—the gas shown in yellow is moving close to one million kilometers per hour (621,371 miles per hour). |
 | A new recruit for ESA's astronaut corpsMatthias Maurer, from Germany, has started his astronaut training as part of ESA's astronaut corps. |
 | Eclipse 2017: NASA supports a unique opportunity for science in the shadowThe first total solar eclipse in the continental United States in nearly 40 years takes place on Aug. 21, 2017. Beyond providing a brilliant sight in the daytime sky, total solar eclipses provide a rare chance for scientists to collect data only available during eclipses. NASA is funding 11 scientific studies that will take advantage of this opportunity. |
 | NASA makes an EPIC update to website for daily earth picsNASA has upgraded its website that provides daily views of the Earth from one million miles away. NASA's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) camera imagery website was recently updated allowing the public to choose natural or enhanced color images of the Earth and even zoom into an area on the globe. |
Technology news
 | Handle: Boston Dynamics robot on wheels performs on stage(Tech Xplore)—Boston Dynamics videos never fail to wake people up to its high and mighty robots. The recent video that turned up on YouTube is a genuine attention-grabber. This time the robot's name is the Handle. |
Research review shows that nuclear safety is valued too lowNew research has shown that the benchmark used by the Office for Nuclear Regulation for judging how much should be spent on nuclear safety has no basis in evidence and places insufficient value on human life. The review suggests it may need to be ten times higher - between £16 million and £22 million per life saved. | |
 | The legal minefield of 3-D printed guns3-D printed guns are back in the news after Queensland set a legal precedent for giving Kyle Wirth a six-month suspended sentence for fabricating a number of gun parts. |
Court: Police with warrant can view private Twitter messagesA New Jersey appeals court has ruled that law enforcement agencies can view private messages and tweets from private accounts on Twitter if they get a warrant. | |
 | Uber chief quits Trump advisory group after uproarUber chief executive Travis Kalanick on Thursday quit US President Donald Trump's business advisory group, as a movement grew to dump the ride-sharing service because of his connection to the new administration. |
Univision networks back on for Charter customers, for nowMillions of Charter cable customers can watch Univision again, although it may just be a temporary fix. | |
 | Regional irradiation index as a measure of renewable energy feasibility for industryWhere's the best place to set up a factory in Europe? Athens, of course—as unexpected as it may seem, the Greek capital ranks first in a special list of 40 regions across the EU for conditions ideal for the integration of renewable energy, notably solar, in manufacturing activities. |
 | Challenges, opportunities ahead for repairing nation's aging infrastructurePresident Donald J. Trump underscored repairing the nation's aging infrastructure as a national priority both throughout the campaign and in his inauguration address. Senate Democrats last week also unveiled their own $1 trillion plan. But how did the country's infrastructure fall into a state of such disrepair? What are the greatest challenges facing an infrastructure boom? And how can engineering foster innovation and the development of new technology to address this national priority? We asked Jerome Hajjar, CDM Smith Professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. |
Norway accuses Russia of cyberattackNorway's foreign ministry, army and other institutions were targeted in a recent cyberattack by a group suspected of ties to Russian authorities, Norwegian intelligence—which was among the targets—said Friday. | |
Denmark seeks harsher punishment for 'revenge porn'Denmark presented Friday a series of measures to curb "revenge porn", the sharing of nude pictures or videos of people online without their consent, including raising the penalty from six months to two years in prison. | |
 | Super Bowl advertisers tread carefully in divisive climateSuper Bowl advertisers are treading carefully this year to avoid alienating customers as a divisive political climate takes some of the buzz away from what is usually the biggest spectacle on TV. |
Up to 1.87M Michigan workers' info may have been compromisedSocial Security numbers and other personal information of up to 1.87 million Michigan workers may have been compromised, the state said Friday. | |
 | Super Bowl online: See the game, learn some new tauntsYou can watch the Super Bowl online for free, but there are a few catches. For starters, you're out of luck on phones unless you're a Verizon customer. And if you're interested in the ads, you may have a surprise in store. |
British officials arrest two in hacking of DC camera systemTwo people have been arrested in London in the hacking of storage devices that record data from police surveillance cameras in Washington, D.C. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Wired for sound: Enraging noises caused by brain connection overdriveWhile many of us may find the sounds of chewing or breathing off-putting, for some they're unbearable—and new research has shown their brains are going into overdrive. |
 | Thirdhand smoke affects weight, blood cell development in miceThe sticky residue left behind by tobacco smoke can do worse damage than stinking up furniture and discoloring walls. Exposure to thirdhand smoke leads to biological effects on weight and cell development that could be damaging to one's health, according to new research led by scientists at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). |
 | Antibiotics can still kill drug-resistant bacteria if they 'push' hard enough into bacterial cellsAntibiotics can still kill drug-resistant bacteria if they 'push' hard enough into bacterial cells, finds new UCL-led research funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. |
'Gene for speed' linked to severity and progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophyScientists from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) have discovered that a gene linked to performance in elite athletes also influences disease severity in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most common inherited muscle disease that affects around one in 3,500 boys. | |
 | Transcriptional control of sound discriminationFilippo Rijli and his team at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research have identified two genes that control sound discrimination in the brain. The Hox2 transcription factors act in the mouse brain stem and ensure that the auditory neurons are precisely connected from the inner ear to higher brain areas. In their absence, mice were still able to hear but no longer able to discern sounds with close, yet distinct, frequencies. |
 | Mother's diet in pregnancy may have lasting effects for offspringA poor diet during pregnancy can cause biological changes that last throughout life, according to research from Imperial College London. |
 | Cancer drug could promote regeneration of heart tissueAn anticancer agent in development promotes regeneration of damaged heart muscle 0- an unexpected research finding that may help prevent congestive heart failure in the future. |
Patients treated by international doctors have lower death ratesIn the United States, patient death rates are lower for internationally trained graduates than for graduates from a US medical school, despite international graduates caring for patients with higher rates of chronic conditions, finds a study published by The BMJ today. | |
 | Couples with obesity may take longer to achieve pregnancy, study suggestsCouples in which both partners are obese may take from 55 to 59 percent longer to achieve pregnancy, compared to their non-obese counterparts, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. |
 | Monoclonal antibody given to preterm babies may reduce wheeze laterPreterm babies given the monoclonal antibody palivizumab to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also appear less likely to develop recurrent wheeze, at least until the age of six, according to new research published online, ahead of print in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Medicine. |
Cancer survivors find online and phone communication with medical professionals beneficialAdvances in cancer care have led to a rise in the number of people surviving the illness. Cancer survival rates are now at an all-time high with 2.5 million cancers survivors in the United Kingdom, a number which is set to rise to 4 million by 2030. | |
Philippine education ministry rejects school condomsThe Philippine education ministry has rejected a plan to distribute condoms in schools, authorities said Friday, blocking a move meant to stop one of Asia's fastest growing HIV epidemics. | |
UK cancer rates to rise faster among women than men: charityCancer rates in Britain will rise six times faster among women than men within the next two decades, according to data released on Friday by charity Cancer Research UK. | |
 | Centrifugal-flow left ventricular assist device noninferior(HealthDay)—For patients with advanced heart failure, a newer-design centrifugal-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is noninferior to an axial-flow LVAD, according to a study published in the Feb. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Breast density may be leading indicator of cancer risk(HealthDay)—Women whose breasts are predominantly made up of more dense, glandular tissue face higher odds for breast cancer, a new study finds. |
 | U.S. high school kids abandoning sweetened sodas(HealthDay)—There's good news when it comes to American teens' diets, with more high school kids saying no to sodas and other sweetened beverages, researchers say. |
 | Transverse myelitis ID'd as manifestation of celiac Dx in child(HealthDay)—Transverse myelitis (TM) can be a manifestation of celiac disease (CD) in young children, according to a case report published online Feb. 2 in Pediatrics. |
 | Underuse, misuse of hormone Tx in breast cancer still occurring(HealthDay)—Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) can reduce the likelihood that women diagnosed with certain breast cancers will experience a recurrence of their disease, but these treatments are still too seldom utilized, or used incorrectly, according to a study published online Feb. 2 in JAMA Oncology. |
 | NSAIDs found to be of little benefit to patients with back pain(HealthDay)—Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) don't help most patients with back pain, according to a review published online Feb. 2 in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. |
A simple, cost-effective method for determining aerobic fitness proposedIbai García-Tabar, who holds a degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, believes that the most effective, accurate and cost-effective way of determining the aerobic fitness of sportspeople and specific populations is to measure the blood lactate threshold. | |
 | Ability to make money develops before birth, study suggestsResearchers from the Higher School of Economics have shown how the level of perinatal testosterone, the sex hormone, impacts a person's earnings in life. |
Immune system suppression may be related to problem drinkingCytokines are small proteins in the immune system that act as chemical messengers between cells. Prior research suggests that pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are dysfunctional during alcohol dependence and may contribute to the progression from healthy to problem drinking. This study compared social and non-dependent problem drinkers on the impact of alcohol-related changes in the body's immune response to stress, alcohol-cue induced craving and anxiety, motivation to drink, and alcohol consumption. | |
Surprise finding leads to new insights into splenic B cell differentiationBelgian scientists have discovered the key role of protein Taok3 in the development of type B immune cells known as MZB cells, which are responsible for making antibodies to fight diseases. Researchers are familiar with the functions of MZB cells, but the molecular processes involved in their development remained a mystery until an unrelated test revealed that Taok3 plays an essential role. Using these insights, a research team led by professor Bart Lambrecht (VIB-UGent/UZ Gent) demonstrated that mice genetically lacking in Taok3 did not develop MZB cells, and are more susceptible to bacterial infection. These insights also lead to potential new molecular therapies for genetic conditions, asthma and diabetes. The results of the study were published in leading academic journal Nature Immunology. | |
 | Unexpected experimental results indicate nicotine creates a chronic drug memory in the brainIn a recent study involving nicotine-addicted rats, the first period of nicotine abstinence proceeded as expected. The surprise came after three months, when the lab rats suddenly became fearless and sought out well-lighted areas that prey animals normally avoid. At the same time, signaling in the brain's reward system changed, as shown by a study at Sahlgrenska Academy. |
Many kids still don't report concussion symptoms. How can we change that?As Superbowl LI between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots approaches, football fans reflect on a season of intense competition, hard-fought battles and the tenacity of elite professional athletes. Among the over 100 million fans watching the game this Sunday will be approximately three million youth athletes who play the game themselves. | |
 | How man's best friend is helping cancer treatment"A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart… Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty." |
 | We have a vaccine for six cancers; why are less than half of kids getting it?Early in our careers, few of us imagined a vaccine could one day prevent cancer. Now there is a vaccine that keeps the risk of developing six Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers at bay, but adoption of it has been slow and surprising low. |
 | Melanoma—taming a migratory menaceThe deadliest cancer of the skin is cutaneous melanoma. In 2017 over 160,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma, and over half will have invasive disease, or one that has gone beyond the skin and which carries greater risk of recurrence. About 9,700 people are expected to die from melanoma this year. |
Report reveals overworked truck drivers fear raising safety concernsA Macquarie University report has revealed the major reasons why truck driving is Australia's deadliest job. Long hours, pressure to drive unsafe schedules with unsafe loads and an inability to raise safety concerns without jeopardising their jobs are among the risks to safety facing drivers. | |
 | Australian-first trial offers faster treatment for PTSDAn Australian-first research program will help improve treatment for up to one million Australians with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). |
 | Atrial fibrillation hospitalizations rise as mortality rates declinePatients with atrial fibrillation—the second most common cardiac condition—are hospitalized more frequently than in the past, but their survival rates are improving, says a new Yale-led study. |
 | Lessons learned from an overdose outbreakLast summer, within eight hours, 12 patients were brought to the emergency department at Yale New Haven Hospital with signs of drug overdose. They had been exposed to toxic doses of fentanyl, a highly potent opioid 50 times stronger than heroin, sold as cocaine. By the end of the episode, three patients had died and four had been admitted to intensive care. |
 | Poor odor identification may be early warning for dementiaPoor performance on a simple odor identification test was associated with a significantly increased risk of developing dementia years later, in a study of more than 2,400 older black and white adults led by Kristine Yaffe, MD, a UC San Francisco professor of psychiatry, neurology and epidemiology and biostatistics. |
Researchers find unhealthy gut microbes a cause of hypertensionResearchers have found that the microorganisms residing in the intestines (microbiota) play a role in the development of high blood pressure in rats. The study is published in Physiological Genomics. It was chosen as an APSselect article for February. | |
BrainScope—a new view on the brainResearchers at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and TU Delft have developed a web portal that serves to advance brain research. Using BrainScope, researchers can quickly and interactively explore gene activity in the brain. "BrainScope reveals patterns that you would otherwise never notice," says Prof. Boudewijn Lelieveldt (Medical Delta professor and affiliated with LUMC and TU Delft). | |
 | New research paints a merciless picture of life as a deaf-blind personIt is like being in a dirty glass jar, unable to reach out and with acquaintances passing by without saying hello. New research from the Sahlgrenska Academy paints a merciless picture of life with acquired deaf-blindness. |
More children raise cardiovascular risk factor for both parentsNumber of children is emerging as a novel factor that influences the risk for some cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and in some societies in both parents, according to Professor Vera Regitz-Zagrosek, chairperson of the European Society of Cardiology "management of CVD During Pregnancy" guidelines task force. | |
 | New method uses near infrared light to shed light on memory loss conditionsResearchers at Hiroshima University have developed a new laser activated technique for bridging missing links in memory flow. |
 | Pregnant women should avoid liquorice, new study confirmsA new Finnish study supports food recommendations for families with children in that women should avoid consuming large amounts of liquorice during pregnancy. The limit for safe consumption is not known. |
 | Personality traits 'contagious' among childrenWhen preschoolers spend time around one another, they tend to take on each others' personalities, indicates a new study by Michigan State University psychology researchers. |
Research connects overeating during national sporting events to medical problemsPeople who overeat during national holidays and national sporting events - like this weekend's Super Bowl - are 10 times more likely to need emergency medical attention for food obstruction than any at other time of the year, according to a new study led by a University of Florida researcher. | |
 | Faster way of detecting bacteria could save your lifeA Michigan State University researcher has developed a faster way to detect the bacteria causing patients to become sick, giving physicians a better chance at saving their lives. |
Research supports expanded use of cell free DNA prenatal testingA DNA-based prenatal blood test used to screen pregnancies for Down syndrome and similar chromosome abnormalities in high-risk women has moved a step closer to use in the general pregnancy population. Researchers at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, have published a study in Genetics in Medicine that shows that this non-invasive test can be effectively and appropriately offered to all pregnant women, regardless of maternal age or risk factors, through primary obstetrical care providers. | |
Cancer experts urge greater focus on preventionCancer is not an inescapable fate. But while prevention can save millions of lives much more cheaply than treatment, it remains an underfunded, much-neglected weapon in the anti-cancer arsenal, experts say. | |
 | 2.5 million U.S. women have condition that can cause infertility(HealthDay)—About 2.5 million American women have had pelvic inflammatory disease, an often-symptomless infection of the reproductive tract that can cause infertility and lasting abdominal pain, a new U.S. government report shows. |
 | Black Americans still undertreated for HIV(HealthDay)—Although progress has been made, blacks in America are still being hit harder by HIV/AIDS, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. |
 | Substitutions for a 'Slimmer Bowl' football party(HealthDay)—To burn off the calories in 10 Buffalo crispy chicken wings, you would have to run the length of 149 football fields, a nutrition expert says. |
 | Sleep: the great motivator(HealthDay)—If you really want to follow through on your New Year's resolutions, make sure you get enough sleep. |
 | What to do if you think you're having a heart attack(HealthDay)—Would you be able to recognize the urgent symptoms of a heart attack—and know how to respond to it? |
 | Immunotherapy better than cryotherapy for wart lesions(HealthDay)—Intralesional immunotherapy is more effective than cryotherapy for treatment of wart lesions, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in the International Journal of Dermatology. |
 | Comorbidities up resource use in pediatric spinal fusion(HealthDay)—For children with medical complexity undergoing spinal fusion, chronic respiratory insufficiency, bladder dysfunction, and epilepsy are significantly associated with hospital resource use, according to a study published online Feb. 2 in Pediatrics. |
 | Zoster ups stroke risk in patients with autoimmune disease(HealthDay)—For patients with autoimmune diseases, the risk of stroke is increased in the few months subsequent to incident herpes zoster (HZ), according to a study published online Jan. 28 in Arthritis & Rheumatology. |
 | One in five undergoing telemetry for noncardiac indications(HealthDay)—More than 20 percent of patients undergoing telemetry have noncardiac indications, according to a study published online Jan. 27 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. |
 | High TG, low HDL-C levels may help further stratify CHD risk(HealthDay)—A high fasting triglyceride (TG) level combined with a low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level is associated with increased risks of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischemic stroke, especially for patients with diabetes or a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of ≥130 mg/dL, independent of other atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors, according to a study published online Jan. 25 in Diabetes Care. |
 | One more reason to focus on prenatal care—stronger muscles for newborn babiesBorn too soon, she weighed just over 1 pound at birth and spent the first three months of her life in the neonatal intensive care unit, fighting to live. This tiny baby survived under the care of skilled medical professionals and was sent home with her teenage mother. Today, she's a high school student enrolled in a precollege program. But is it possible that she has health risks that relate to her early life experience? |
Finding the needle in a genomic haystackResearchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have identified a genomic mutation that causes physical abnormalities and developmental delays in children. | |
 | Weed 101: Colorado agriculture agency shares pot know-howNorth Carolina wants to know if marijuana could one day replace tobacco as a cash crop. Louisiana is wondering how pot holds up in high humidity. And Washington state has questions about water supplies for weed. |
Black and low-income New Yorkers largely shut out of major academic hospitalsFew Black New Yorkers receive care in New York City's elite private academic medical centers (AMCs), according to a study published today [Thursday, Feb. 2] in the International Journal of Health Services. Uninsured and Medicaid patients are also markedly underrepresented at the city's major academic hospitals. In contrast, patients in Boston's hospitals are much less segregated by race or health insurance status. | |
 | Weed 101: Colorado agriculture office shares pot know-howNorth Carolina wants to know if marijuana could one day replace tobacco as a cash crop. Louisiana is wondering how pot holds up in high humidity. And Washington state has questions about water supplies for weed. |
 | ISBM releases the updated version of Immune Response TemplateDrug development has always been expensive and complicated. Many drug candidates are discontinued from clinical development during later stages, and it is not always possible to determine doses of medication or recruit a suitable group of patients for trials. ISBM offers a new approach to solve these problems: quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) modeling. Diseases and biological systems are modeled in the most precise mechanistic way, and equations are based on data and basic knowledge. QSP models have the greatest planning horizon; applied during the early stages of research, they predict what the developers will observe during the second phase of clinical trials. |
 | Report on new estimates of the size of the lesbian, gay and bisexual population of EnglandPublic Health England (PHE) has published a report, compiled by researchers from the Health Services Research team at Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry (PUPSMD), estimating the size of the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) population in England. |
Opinion: Clear communication can make doctor visits successful for children with autismDoctor visits can be a challenge for patients with autism, their families and health care providers. Kristin Sohl, associate professor of child health at the University of Missouri, offers several steps providers and families can take to make medical visits more successful. She says that all of them require good communication between the provider and parent before, during and after medical visits. | |
Study addresses extreme thinness standards in fashion industryIn a recent study, female fashion models reported high levels of pressure to lose weight, which was associated with higher odds of engaging in unhealthy behaviors to control weight. The study is the largest to date to explore disordered eating among professional models, and in particular to examine rates of specific unhealthy weight control behaviors. | |
Red 'color channel' may aid in screening for diabetic eye diseaseIn photographs of the eye used to screen for diabetes-related eye disease, separating out the red color channel can help show some abnormalities—especially in racial/ethnic minority patients, suggests a study in the February issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. | |
 | 'Obamacare' sign-ups show slippage in preliminary reportFacing higher premiums, less choice and a last-minute advertising pullback, fewer people signed up for coverage this year through HealthCare.gov, according to numbers from a preliminary government report Friday. |
Biology news
 | Engineered bacteria produce rare and commercially useful compounds in large quantitiesUsing advanced fermentation technology, industrial biotech startup Manus Bio hopes to make manufacturing flavors, fragrances, and other products greener and more cost-effective—and maybe create new products in the process. |
 | Study finds mutual reinforcement of phenotypic diversity and cooperationA new model exploring how evolutionary dynamics work in natural selection has found that phenotypic diversity, or an organism's observable traits, co-evolves with contingent cooperation when organisms with like traits work together to protect themselves from outsiders, according to a Dartmouth-led study published in PLOS Computational Biology. The study also finds that diversity helps prevent the collapse of cooperation. |
 | A struggle for land and survival in Kenya's restive highlandsThe broad plains of Mugie, a huge estate on a high plateau northwest of Mount Kenya, are crisscrossed with cattle trails and the wildlife is mostly gone. |
 | Deal allows Yellowstone bison slaughterA deal disclosed Thursday will allow the mass slaughter of hundreds of wild bison migrating from Yellowstone National Park, while sparing 25 animals that American Indian tribes want to start new herds. |
 | Zoologists say dead whale in Norway full of plastic bags (Update)Norwegian zoologists have found about 30 plastic bags and other plastic waste in the stomach of a beaked whale that had beached on a southwestern Norway coast. |
 | Salicylic acid promotes nasal mucosa colonization by Staphylococcus aureusSalicylic acid is a plant hormone best known for its use as a key ingredient in pain relievers, anti-acne preparations and medications for skin conditions. We also consume mild doses of salicylic acid when we eat fruits and vegetables. An international team of researchers, including scientists from Vetmeduni Vienna, has now shown that this multifaceted compound can also have an unpleasant side effect. Salicylic acid forms complexes with iron, an important trace element for humans as well as bacteria. Laboratory tests showed that iron limitation strongly promotes the formation of biofilms by Staphylococcus aureus. This allows the bacteria to survive and persist in our respiratory tract for longer periods of time which eventually trigger life-threatening infections in immunocompromised persons. The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. |
 | Researchers help salmon farmers confront threat to their industryIt's a mystery that has puzzled University of Maine assistant professor of marine biology and aquaculture Heather Hamlin and the salmon farming industry in New England: the decline in egg survival. |
 | The mysterious 98%: Scientists look to shine light on the 'dark genome'After the 2003 completion of the Human Genome Project – which sequenced all 3 billion "letters," or base pairs, in the human genome – many thought that our DNA would become an open book. But a perplexing problem quickly emerged: although scientists could transcribe the book, they could only interpret a small percentage of it. |
 | Empathetic people experience dogs' expressions more stronglyHuman empathy can even extend to dogs: empathetic people interpret dogs' facial expressions more intensely. |
 | Spain's Balearic Islands hit by deadly olive tree bacteriaA deadly bacteria that infected thousands of olive trees in Italy has been detected in Spain's Balearic Islands where authorities are racing to contain it, a regional government official said Friday. |
 | Oil spill threatens India's nesting turtlesHundreds of students and fishermen were working Friday to clean up an oil spill on India's southern coast that campaigners say threatens the turtles that nest there every year. |
USDA removes animal welfare reports from its websiteThe Agriculture Department has removed animal welfare inspection reports, enforcement records and other information about the treatment of animals from its website, citing privacy and other laws. | |
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