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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 10, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Merging galaxies have enshrouded black holesBlack holes get a bad rap in popular culture for swallowing everything in their environments. In reality, stars, gas and dust can orbit black holes for long periods of time, until a major disruption pushes the material in. |
 | Waves of lava seen in Io's largest volcanic craterTaking advantage of a rare orbital alignment between two of Jupiter's moons, Io and Europa, researchers have obtained an exceptionally detailed map of the largest lava lake on Io, the most volcanically active body in the solar system. |
 | 'Planetary stethoscope' could determine what lies in Europa's global oceanJupiter's moon Europa is definitely an odd place. Discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei, it was first seen in detail only in the late 1970s, after spacecraft visited the jovian system. |
 | Astrophysicists find that planetary harmonies around TRAPPIST-1 save it from destructionWhen NASA announced its discovery of the TRAPPIST-1 system back in February it caused quite a stir, and with good reason. Three of its seven Earth-sized planets lay in the star's habitable zone, meaning they may harbour suitable conditions for life. |
 | Observatories combine to crack open the Crab NebulaAstronomers have produced a highly detailed image of the Crab Nebula, by combining data from telescopes spanning nearly the entire breadth of the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves seen by the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to the powerful X-ray glow as seen by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory. And, in between that range of wavelengths, the Hubble Space Telescope's crisp visible-light view, and the infrared perspective of the Spitzer Space Telescope. |
 | Will sending selfies to Jupiter moon get the attention of an E.T.?Emcee Tom O'Key seemed giddy as dozens of guests filed into an outdoor theater in this Mojave Desert town on a recent Saturday night to learn about an icy moon of Jupiter and take a stab at connecting with whatever - or whomever - may be living there. |
 | NASA delivers detectors for ESA's Euclid spacecraftThree detector systems for the Euclid mission, led by ESA (European Space Agency), have been delivered to Europe for the spacecraft's near-infrared instrument. The detector systems are key components of NASA's contribution to this upcoming mission to study some of the biggest questions about the universe, including those related to the properties and effects of dark matter and dark energy—two critical, but invisible phenomena that scientists think make up the vast majority of our universe. |
 | After 13 lucky years at Saturn, Cassini's mission comes to an endIn October 1997, the Cassini spacecraft blasted off to explore Saturn and drop a probe onto its eponymously named moon, Titan. Then, something unusual happened. What was meant to be a four-year mission was extended almost a decade beyond its original end-date. As we approach the end of Cassini's 13 years of continuous presence in the Saturnian system, it has become clear that these were some of the luckiest years in the history of astrobiology. |
 | Newly discovered house-sized asteroid 2017 HX4 flies safely past the EarthOn May 8th, 2017, an asteroid swung past Earth on its way towards the sun. This Near Earth Object (NEO), known as 2017 HX4, measures between 10 and 33 meters (32.8 and 108 feet) and made its closest approach to Earth at 11:58 am UT (7:58 am EDT; 4:58 am PT). Naturally, there were surely those who wondered if this asteroid would hit us and trigger a terrible cataclysm! |
Space software company sees big promise in tiny satellitesMarshall Culpepper's career began in his teen years, when he volunteered to work for Nortel Networks, a telecom company that was headquartered outside Dallas. That high school gig turned into a paying one and got Culpepper started in the field of software engineering. | |
 | Seeking solutions to a down-to-earth problem for space travelers—how to keep their clothes cleanAstronaut Don Pettit, a University of Arizona College of Engineering alumnus, wore the same pair of shorts for months at a time while living on the International Space Station. Doing laundry was not an option. When clothes got too dirty, he and his crewmates stored them onboard until they could be thrown out—launched with other debris on a spacecraft and incinerated upon entering Earth's atmosphere. |
Exploding Eta Aquarid meteor caught in the actAn Eta Aquarid meteor captured on video by astrophotographer Justin Ng shows an amazing explodingred meteor and what is known as a persistent train—what remains of a meteor fireball in the upper atmosphere as winds twist and swirl the expanding debris. | |
Technology news
 | Robots teach other robotsMost robots are programmed using one of two methods: learning from demonstration, in which they watch a task being done and then replicate it, or via motion-planning techniques such as optimization or sampling, which require a programmer to explicitly specify a task's goals and constraints. |
 | Carnegie Mellon team hones tap concept for IoT items, shows prototype phone(Tech Xplore)—Lights, washing machine, fridge, thermostat, alarms. Just a few of a growling list of smart items that will be able to obey instructions and relay information. Consumers will get deeper enmeshed in the Internet of Things. |
 | Research may help combat abusive online commentsResearchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Interactive Computing have come up with a novel computational approach that could provide a more cost- and resource-effective way for internet communities to moderate abusive content. |
 | Internet of things made simple: One sensor package does work of manyUbiquitous sensors seem almost synonymous with the internet of things (IoT), but some Carnegie Mellon University researchers say ubiquitous sensing—with a single, general purpose sensor for each room—may be better. |
 | Laser, sound waves provide live views of organs in actionBiomedical engineers are now able to take a live, holistic look at the inner workings of a small animal with enough resolution to see active organs, flowing blood, circulating melanoma cells and firing neural networks. |
 | Microsoft CEO: tech sector needs to prevent '1984' future (Update 2)Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said Wednesday tech developers have a responsibility to prevent a dystopian "1984" future as the US technology titan unveiled a fresh initiative to bring artificial intelligence into the mainstream. |
 | New 3-D printing method promises vastly superior medical implants for millionsFor the millions of people every year who have or need medical devices implanted, a new advancement in 3D printing technology developed at the University of Florida promises significantly quicker implantation of devices that are stronger, less expensive, more flexible and more comfortable than anything currently available. |
If your mom wants to share a Google Doc with you, check the sourceYou might have heard a phishing scam has been making the rounds on the internet in the last day or so. | |
 | As Facebook's grown, so have its challengesIn 2011 as Facebook inched ever closer to 1 billion active monthly users, it faced a vexing crisis: uproar about a facial recognition algorithm that tagged people in photos without their consent. |
 | Is building bigger houses a waste of energy?Research by Iman Khajehzadeh, who graduates with a PhD in Architecture next week, explores the significance of housing decisions on the use of resources and impact on the environment. |
 | New device expedites detection of harmful pathogens in food supplyWhen food shopping, it's easy to overlook what it took to get your favorite meats and produce to the grocery store shelves. Anything perishable – beef, chicken, pork, vegetables, fruit, dairy and even water – must undergo a rigorous and time-consuming inspection process before shipping to its destination. |
 | Tiny houses—the big idea that could take some heat out of the housing crisisIf you could have a new home, exactly to your specification for about a year's average salary wouldn't you take it? Many people, in the US, UK and Europe want to find an alternative housing solution that is cheap and mortgage free but also ecologically sustainable. The solution may be to build so-called "tiny houses" – very small dwellings, often built on trailers, that make the most of unused, unwanted or free sites in the city or country. |
 | Targeted, high-energy cancer treatments get a supercomputing boostRadiation therapy shoots high-energy particles into the body to destroy or damage cancer cells. Over the last century, the technologies used have constantly improved and it has become a highly effective way to treat cancer. However, physicians must still walk a fine line between delivering enough radiation to kill tumors, while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. |
 | SoftBank's profit zooms on Sprint turnaround, AlibabaJapanese internet, robot and solar company SoftBank Group is reporting a 12-fold climb in quarterly profit, as a turnaround at its U.S. mobile unit Sprint helped it on its way to a record annual profit. |
 | Norway to build first self-sailing electric cargo shipNorway plans to launch the first autonomous and fully electric cargo ship next year that the project's backers said Wednesday will save 40,000 truck journeys per year. |
 | Restaurants use technology to nudge us into spending moreRestaurant chains are making it easier to order food with a few taps of the screen—so much so that you may lose sight of how much you're spending. |
 | Live interactions with robots increase their perceived human likenessMost human interactions with robots come from behind a screen. Whether it's fiction or a real-life interaction, rarely are we put face to face with a robot. This poses a significant barrier when we look towards a future where robots will be part of our everyday lives. How do we break down this barrier? A recent study by researchers at the University of Koblenz-Landau, University of Wurzburg, and Arts Electronica Futurelab, found that people who watched live interactions with a robot were more likely to consider the robot to have more human-like qualities. |
 | Kids, parents alike worried about privacy with internet-connected toysConsumer Privacy Rights Fund at the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, University of Washington Tech Policy Lab |
 | Half-billion Windows 10 devices, but PC slump stunts growth (Update)Microsoft's latest version of Windows is faring better than its maligned predecessor, but the software's growth is still stunted by a shift away from personal computers. |
 | Facebook takes aim at 'low quality' websitesFacebook said Wednesday it was making changes designed to keep its users from linking to "low-quality" websites, part of an effort to fight spam and misinformation. |
 | Reaching for the stormy cloud with ChameleonSome scientists dream about big data. The dream bridges two divided realms. One realm holds lofty peaks of number-crunching scientific computation. Endless waves of big data analysis line the other realm. A deep chasm separates the two. Discoveries await those who cross these estranged lands. |
Net neutrality grabs spotlight again as FCC chief seeks to rescind the tough regulationsIt began as an academic subject with a wonky name - network neutrality. | |
This company's scanning technology is a smugglers' nightmareAt Decision Sciences International Corp.'s headquarters, a 20-foot shipping container sits beneath a car-wash size scanner. | |
 | Air traffic control for drones is coming. Here's how it could workBy 2020, an estimated 7 million drones could be zipping around the country delivering packages, taking photos, inspecting infrastructure or conducting search and rescue missions. |
Far away, yet so near: App lets kids, distant loved ones read togetherHelping military families enjoy story time together was the inspiration for Caribu, an app enabling children and their loved ones far away to read together. | |
 | Snap plunges after 1Q report as Facebook's shadow looms (Update)Facebook has been bent on copying Snapchat ever since the social media giant tried unsuccessfully in 2013 to buy what was then an ephemeral photo-messaging app. |
 | Tesla starts selling solar roof; says savings to cover costsElectric car maker Tesla has added another product to its lineup: Solar roof tiles. |
 | UN aviation agency seeks public input on drone trackingThe International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Wednesday asked the public for feedback on a proposal to track drones in real-time around the world to avoid collisions with jetliners. |
 | Software specifically adapted to the special characteristics of the dairy sector presentedAZTI and INGENET have developed and validated a software tool adapted to the dairy sector and designed to evaluate, prevent and reduce the environmental impact caused by dairy products through the ecodesign of new products, offering increased added value. |
 | Review: Goal Zero Yeti gives you hours of power with zero emissionsBe prepared. That's a good motto. Just ask the Boy Scouts of America. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Transplanting rat testes to secondary rat's neck to preserve spermatogenesis(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with members from Tokyo Medical University and Aichi Medical University, both in Japan, has tested the feasibility of removing testes from one rat and surgically implanting them into the neck of another rat to preserve spermatogenesis for the first rat. In their paper uploaded to the open access site PLOS ONE the group describes how the procedure worked, and compared it to attempts to transplant testes into a host groin. |
 | Mitochondria found to run as high as 50 C(Phys.org)—A team of researchers with members from France, Korea and Germany has found that temperatures inside human mitochondria can run as high as 50°C. In their paper uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv, the group describes how they used temperature-sensitive dyes to determine the temperature of the organelles and what their findings might mean for prior biological research that has relied on lower temperatures during reactions. |
 | Engineering human stem cells to model the kidney's filtration barrier on a chipThe kidney - made up of about a million tiny units that work to filter blood, constantly rids the body of undesired waste products to form urine while holding back blood cells and valuable proteins, and controls the body's fluid content. Key to each of these units is a structure known the 'glomerulus', in which so-called podocyte cells wrap themselves tightly around a tuft of capillaries separated from them only by a thin membrane composed of extracellular matrix, and leaving slits between them to build an actual filtration barrier. Podocytes are also the target of many congenital or acquired kidney diseases, and they are often harmed by drugs. |
 | Experimental technology monitors and maintains drug levels in the bodyAs with coffee or alcohol, the way each person processes medication is unique. One person's perfect dose may be another person's deadly overdose. With such variability, it can be hard to prescribe exactly the right amount of critical drugs, such as chemotherapy or insulin. |
 | Scientists unveil the UK's largest resource of human stem cells from healthy donorsReported in Nature today, one of the largest sets of high quality human induced pluripotent stem cell lines from healthy individuals has been produced by a consortium involving the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Comprehensively annotated and available for independent research, the hundreds of stem cell lines are a powerful resource for scientists studying human development and disease. |
Biologists identify key step in lung cancer evolutionLung adenocarcinoma, an aggressive form of cancer that accounts for about 40 percent of U.S. lung cancer cases, is believed to arise from benign tumors known as adenomas. | |
 | Study finds relationship between common brain disease and gut microbiomeBacteria in the gut microbiome drive the formation of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), clusters of dilated, thin-walled blood vessels in the brain that can cause stroke and seizures, according to new research published this week in Nature by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Led by Mark Kahn, MD, a professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, the team's research suggests that altering the microbiome in CCM patients may be an effective therapy for this cerebrovascular disease. CCM disease, which occurs in about one in 100 to 200 people, can present in two forms. One is sporadic, accounting for 80 percent of cases, and is most frequent in older individuals. The remaining 20 percent are familial, inherited cases. |
 | Antibiotic breakthrough: Team discovers how to overcome gram-negative bacterial defensesScientists report that they now know how to build a molecular Trojan horse that can penetrate gram-negative bacteria, solving a problem that for decades has stalled the development of effective new antibiotics against these increasingly drug-resistant microbes. The findings appear in the journal Nature. |
 | High levels of exercise linked to nine years of less aging at the cellular levelDespite their best efforts, no scientist has ever come close to stopping humans from aging. Even anti-aging creams can't stop Old Father Time. |
 | Common sweetener in low-cal foods also a marker for weight gainA new study has identified the sugar alcohol erythritol as a biomarker for increasing fat mass. In contrast to previous assumptions and research, erythritol can be metabolized by, and even produced in, the human body. |
 | Molecular imaging reveals mechanism for resistance to immune checkpoint blockadeAmong today's most promising weapons against cancer is the use of therapies that direct the immune system against a tumor. One approach - immune checkpoint blockade - is designed to circumvent the "off switches" that prevent the immune system from attacking healthy tissues but also can shield a tumor from the immune response. These drugs have had remarkable success in some but not all patients, and long-term survival has been achieved in a minority of patients. |
 | Mapping reveals reactions differ in male and female brains during cardiovascular activityA region of the brain that helps to manage body functions including stress, heart rate and blood pressure reacts differently between men and women when presented with certain stimuli, according to a new study from the UCLA School of Nursing. |
 | Hope for first drug against lymphedema, a cancer complicationMany cancer patients, especially those who've undergone breast cancer treatment, experience painful, swollen limbs, a condition called lymphedema. |
 | First year of grade school sharpens kids' attention skillsThe first year of elementary school markedly boosts a child's attentiveness, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Max Planck Institute in Germany. |
 | Heightened risk of heart attacks found with common painkillers in routine usePeople who use commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat pain and inflammation could be raising their risk of having a heart attack, as early as in the first week of use and especially within the first month of taking high doses of such medication, suggests a study in The BMJ this week. |
New nanotechnology application for difficult-to-treat cancersA new treatment combining shock waves with nanoparticles can successfully treat tumours that are difficult to target using conventional chemotherapy. This is the first time this combined therapy has been tested in live animals. The findings of this pre-clinical study, published in the journal Endocrine-Related Cancer, could lead to the development of more effective therapies for treating life-threatening cancers in the future. | |
 | Spoken languages affect reading strategies and cognitive foundations of literacyThe way bilingual people read is conditioned by the languages they speak. This is the main conclusion reached by researchers at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL) after reviewing the existing scientific literature and comparing this information to the findings of studies at their own centre. The scientists found that the languages spoken by bilingual people (when they learned to read in two languages at the same time) affect their reading strategies and even the cognitive foundations that form the basis for the capacity to read. This discovery could have implications for clinical and education practice. |
New test more effective at predicting survival in blood cancer patientsTechnology that can detect the length of small DNA structures in cancer cells could hold the key to predicting the outcome of patients with two different types of blood cancer. The test, used in conjunction with current methods, may help doctors make better choices about the most appropriate and effective treatment option for individual patients. | |
 | Turning a toxoplasma protein into a tool against infectionToxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease that most severely affects people with a weakened immune system. Caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, it spreads due to consumption of undercooked meat and exposure to cat faeces. Although it can be mild, causing only flu-like symptoms, it can lead to brain problems such as lesions and encephalitis, in addition to other neurological disorders. It is not generally spread between humans, but can be passed to an unborn child if a pregnant woman is infected. |
 | Population ageing may lead to increased negative effects of dementiaA report into dementia in New Zealand has found that morbidity from chronic illness is worse for older people who also have dementia, and the ageing population will mean increased pressure on the health sector. |
 | Researchers explore the purpose of offensive humourSome people believe that offensive humour such as sexist or racist jokes can help break down barriers and challenge prejudice. Others simply find it appalling. The topic is clearly sensitive and often leads to discussions about free speech, morality and political correctness. But what can academic research tell us about the implications of offensive joking? |
 | Deciphering an embryo-protecting proteinRevelations about a protein expressed in fetal cells could provide novel insights into its function and future immunosuppressive therapies. |
 | How Kenya can manage its increasing dengue fever casesA public health alert for 150 dengue fever cases has been issued in Mombasa, Kenya. The Conversation Africa's Health and Medicine Editor Joy Wanja Muraya spoke to Dr Andrew Githeko on the effective management of this disease whose spread is encouraged by water storage trends. |
 | What is cancer radiotherapy, and why do we need proton beam therapy?In last night's federal budget, the government dedicated up to A$68 million to help set up Australia's first proton beam therapy facility in South Australia. The government says this will help Australian researchers develop the next generation of cancer treatments, including for complex children's cancers. |
Cancer drug design targeted by COSMIC's new 3-D systemCOSMIC-3D, the most comprehensive system for exploring cancer mutations in three dimensions, is launched today by COSMIC, based at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in collaboration with Astex Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, UK. With extensive colourful and helpful visualisations, the new resource can help identify and characterise drug targets as well as support the design of new therapeutics for cancer. The new tool is set to change the way researchers interact with genomic mutations in order to identify new cancer drug targets. | |
Largest clinical trial aimed at aiding children with depressionA recent study by BU Associate Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Martha Tompson, analyzed Family Focused Treatment for Children with Depression (FFT-CD) in the largest clinical trial ever to examine a non-medication treatment for children with depressive disorders. FFT-CD focuses on integrating not only the child, but also the entire family into the treatment plan in an effort to help families develop skills to enhance coping and emotional regulation, foster positive parent-child interactions, and cultivate techniques to help promote positive reinforcement and communication within the family. | |
Brain cancer study reveals therapy cluesResearchers have pinpointed two key molecules that drive the growth of an aggressive type of adult brain cancer. | |
Quit-smoking drug safe for lung disease patientsMedication that helps smokers to quit is safe for use by people with chronic lung conditions, research suggests. | |
Early epigenetic switches associated with childhood bone healthThe health of children's bones could be determined before they are born, a new University of Southampton study has shown. | |
 | Understanding the health benefits of eating crabScientists from the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute are to study the association between consumption of crab meat and health. |
 | Personalized music may help nursing home residents with dementiaAcross the country, nursing home employees and families are trying personalized music playlists to help seniors cope with the disorienting, anxious experience of living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Now they can look to the results of the first national study to compare key outcomes in homes that implemented an individualized music program called MUSIC & MEMORY with similar homes that did not adopt the program. |
 | Do red Smarties make you happier? 'Live the trial' class debunks the mythA test to assess the effect of red Smarties on happiness has been used to teach the often "dull" or "boring" concepts of clinical research. |
 | Women in East Germany will be more likely to die from smoking than those in West GermanyDue to a silent but dramatic increase in the number of young East German women smoking after reunification, their death rates are forecasted to exceed those in the West within the next few decades according to forecasts up to the year 2036 by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock. The deadly trend is hidden beneath a currently favorable trend in life expectancy. |
Proteins on the loose in a rare childhood diseaseAustralian scientists have shown, for the first time, that a family of untethered proteins builds up in the cells of children with a rare and serious genetic condition, known as mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD). | |
 | Stem cell vaccine found to increase immune responses, inhibit tumors in animal modelsResearchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have found that a cancer stem cell vaccine, engineered to express a pro-inflammatory protein called interleukin-15 (IL-15) and its receptor (IL-15Ralpha), caused T cell production in animal models and enhanced immune responses against tumors. |
 | Climate change could increase ER visits for allergy-related asthmaMore children could wind up in hospital emergency rooms suffering from allergy-induced asthma if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and cause longer oak pollen seasons, according to a new study. |
 | Study: Access to long-lasting contraception after childbirth lags behind demandBefore leaving the hospital after childbirth, more women are opting to check one thing off their list: birth control. |
 | Experts probe possible reasons for loss of smellStudies have shown that loss of the sense of smell can be among the first warning signs of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Now a researcher at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania wants to shift the search for clues about this process back even further, to find out if there is a common factor responsible for the loss of smell that may also serve as an early warning signal for a number of neurodegenerative diseases. In a review published online in Lancet Neurology, Richard L. Doty, PhD, a professor of Otorhinolaryngology and director of the Smell and Taste Center, cites evidence that the common link could be damage to neurotransmitter and neuromodulator receptors in the forebrain - the front part of the brain. |
Helping clinicians through traumatic events also helps the bottom line, analysis showsA peer-support program launched six years ago at Johns Hopkins Medicine to help doctors and nurses recover after traumatic patient-care events such as a patient's death probably saves the institution close to $2 million annually, according to a recent cost-benefit analysis. | |
 | Experts argue that obesity is a chronic, relapsing, progressive diseaseIn a new article, World Obesity Federation experts consider the argument for obesity as a chronic relapsing disease process. They note that obesity fits the epidemiological model of a disease process except that the toxic or pathological agent is food rather than a microbe. |
 | ADHD medication associated with reduced risk for motor vehicle crashesIn a study of more than 2.3 million patients in the United States with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), rates of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) were lower when they had received their medication, according to a new article published by JAMA Psychiatry. |
Enhanced recovery after surgery program at Kaiser Permanente improves surgical outcomesA comprehensive Enhanced Recovery After Surgery program implemented in Kaiser Permanente's 20 Northern California medical centers involved nearly 9,000 surgical patients and resulted in a one-third relative reduction in postoperative complication rates and a 21 percent reduction in opioid prescribing rates. A study of the program, published today in JAMA Surgery, also showed decreased hospital mortality among colorectal resection patients and increased rates of home discharge over discharge to skilled nursing facilities among hip fracture patients. | |
 | Study reveals a new method to address a major barrier to eradicating HIVScientists at the Gladstone Institutes discovered that an enzyme called SMYD2 could be a new therapeutic target for flushing out the HIV that hides in infected individuals. Overcoming this latent virus remains the most significant obstacle to a cure. |
 | Virtual support groups help grieving spouses with depressionAs the U.S. population ages, it's estimated that half of women older than 65 are widows, while one-sixth of men of the same age have lost their spouses. |
 | Yogurt consumption in older Irish adults linked with better bone healthThe largest observational study to date of dairy intakes and bone and frailty measurements in older adults has found that increased yogurt consumption was associated with a higher hip bone density and a significantly reduced risk of osteoporosis in older women and men on the island of Ireland, after taking into account traditional risk factors. |
 | Dread of roses: Neurobehavioral effects found in children exposed to flower pesticidesEcuador is the third largest producer of cut flowers in the world, primarily roses, many of which are destined to be sold for Mother's Day. The industry employs more than 103,000 people, and relies heavily on agricultural pesticides. |
Research links genetics to early-onset pancreatitis in pediatric patientsA study published today in The Journal of Pediatrics suggests that early-onset pancreatitis in children is strongly associated with certain genetic mutations and family history of pancreatitis. | |
 | A defence mechanism that can trap and kill TB bacteriaA natural mechanism by which our cells kill the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis (TB) has been discovered by scientists at the Francis Crick Institute, which could help in the battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. |
Loss of spinal nerve fibers not the only cause of disability in multiple sclerosisIt is commonly thought that in MS, the loss of axons (nerve fibres) contributes to the chronic disability found in many patients. This has led to the wide use of MRI to measure the cross sectional area of the spinal cord in order to predict disability. | |
 | The extent of neuronal loss in the brain during MSA study by researchers from Queen Mary University of London establishes for the first time the extent of neuronal loss in the brain of a person with MS over their life, and finds that demyelination may not be as good an indicator of disease progression as previously thought. |
Baby deaths soar 30% in Venezuela: ministryDeaths of babies soared by 30 percent last year in Venezuela, hit by shortages of food and medicine in an economic and political crisis, the health ministry said on Wednesday. | |
Unique approach to autism screening provides new, effective model for Latino infantsGeorgetown University Medical Center autism specialists working with Latino families in Washington, DC, have developed an effective screening program that identifies Latino infants who may be at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), allowing the opportunity for early intervention. | |
Mothers living with HIV with high CD4+ counts may benefit from continuing ART postpartumMothers in the early phases of HIV infection who continued antiretroviral therapy (ART) postpartum experienced a significantly slower rate of disease progression than those who stopped using ART after delivery, according to a study published May 10, 2017, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Judith S. Currier of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues from the International Maternal Pediatric and Adolescent and Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Networks. | |
 | Tai chi relieves insomnia in breast cancer survivorsIf you've ever had insomnia, you know worrying about sleep makes it even harder to fall asleep. For the 30 percent of breast cancer survivors who have insomnia, sleepless nights can lead to depression, fatigue and a heightened risk of disease. |
New guideline: Ask about body cooling for loved ones after cardiac arrestCooling down the body may reduce brain injury for people in a coma after being revived from cardiac arrest, according to a new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and published in the May 10, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The guideline recommends that families ask if their loved one qualifies for the procedure. The guideline is endorsed by the Neurocritical Care Society. | |
 | Higher levels of biomarker linked to increased stroke risk for womenWomen with elevated levels of a protein in their blood may be at a higher risk of ischemic stroke, according to a study published in the May 10, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The new research comes in time for Stroke Awareness Month in May. |
 | Heart failure patients readmitted to the same hospital may have better outcomesWhen patients with heart failure were re-hospitalized within a month, those who returned to the same hospital were discharged quicker and were more likely to survive, according to new Canadian research in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. |
 | Gene sequencing study reveals unusual mutations in endometriosisUsing gene sequencing tools, scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of British Columbia have found a set of genetic mutations in samples from 24 women with benign endometriosis, a painful disorder marked by the growth of uterine tissue outside of the womb. The findings, described in the May 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, may eventually help scientists develop molecular tests to distinguish between aggressive and clinically "indolent," or non-aggressive, types of endometriosis. |
 | Team uncovers novel epigenetic changes in leukemiaUT Health San Antonio researchers discovered epigenetic changes that contribute to one-fifth of cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive cancer that arises out of the blood-forming cells in bone marrow. |
Study finds worsening outcomes in service members five years after mild blast-induced concussionAccording to a new study in JAMA Neurology, U.S. military service members who endured a mild concussion after blast injury while deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan may continue to experience mental health symptoms as well as decreases in quality of life for at least five years after their injury. The study was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Department of Defense. NINDS is part of the National Institutes of Health. | |
 | Too many parents say no to helmets for kids on wheels(HealthDay)—Injuries from cycling or other wheeled activities send over 400,000 kids to U.S. emergency rooms each year. Yet, many parents don't require their children to wear helmets or other safety gear, researchers say. |
 | Got 10 minutes to spare?(HealthDay)—If you're looking for big fitness results in a small amount of time, a twist on high-intensity interval training just might fit the bill. It also should fit into most anyone's busy schedule. |
 | Bundled payment initiative doesn't cut readmission in COPD(HealthDay)—A Medicare Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiative does not reduce readmission rates or costs among patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published in the May 1 issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. |
 | Clinical benefits for CRT-D over ICD even with comorbidity(HealthDay)—For patients with left bundle branch block, the benefit of cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) over implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) alone persists with comorbidity, according to a study published in the May 16 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. |
 | Risk of Zika infection appears to be low for pregnant women(HealthDay)—U.S. women traveling to areas where the Zika virus is circulating might be less likely to be infected than expected, but risk remains, according to research published in the June issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Vitamin D doesn't impact insulin sensitivity, secretion in T2DM(HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation has no impact on insulin sensitivity or secretion, according to a study published online May 3 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Translational research leads to potential Zika virus vaccinePreclinical results of research by City College of New York scientists and TechnoVax, Inc. in animal models demonstrate favorable outcomes in developing a vaccine against the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The results were announced by Tarrytown, New York-based TechnoVax, a biotechnology developer of novel vaccines whose proprietary virus-like particle (VLP) is the center of the research. |
 | Study: The family dog could help boost physical activity for kids with disabilitiesThe family dog could serve as a partner and ally in efforts to help children with disabilities incorporate more physical activity into their daily lives, a new study from Oregon State University indicates. |
 | Vitamin D and calcium from food is associated with lower risk of early menopauseA new study led by epidemiologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst's School of Public Health and Health Sciences suggests that high intake of dietary vitamin D and calcium may be modestly associated with lower risk of early menopause, the cessation of ovarian function before age 45. Early menopause affects about 10 percent of women and is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and early cognitive decline. |
 | Gene-delivery system prevents vision loss from inherited eye diseaseResearchers at Case Western Reserve University have developed gene-carrying nanoparticles that home in on target cells and prevent vision loss in mice with a human form of Leber congenital amaurosis. |
Scientists create unique disease 'catalog' linked to immune system gene variationsA study led by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy has generated the first comprehensive catalog of diseases associated with variations in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes that regulate the body's immune system. | |
 | Stroke, MS patients walk significantly better with neural stimulationRobert Bush has multiple sclerosis (MS), which sapped his ability to walk five years ago. Joseph McGlynn suffered a stroke that seriously impaired his left side, also five years ago. |
 | Computer accurately identifies and delineates breast cancers on digital tissue slidesA deep-learning computer network developed through research led by Case Western Reserve University was 100 percent accurate in determining whether invasive forms of breast cancer were present in whole biopsy slides. |
 | Pet dogs help kids feel less stressed, study findsPet dogs provide valuable social support for kids when they're stressed, according to a study by researchers from the University of Florida, who were among the first to document stress-buffering effects of pets for children. |
Postmenopausal hormone therapy associated with higher risk of hearing lossHearing loss afflicts approximately 48 million Americans and the number is expected to increase as the population ages. Some previous studies suggested that menopause may increase the risk for hearing loss, presumably due to the reduction in circulating estrogen levels, and that postmenopausal hormone therapy might slow hearing decline by 'replacing' estrogen. To investigate the role of menopause and postmenopausal hormone therapy as risk factors for hearing loss, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital prospectively examined the independent links between menopausal status, oral hormone therapy, and risk of self-reported hearing loss in 80,972 women in the Nurses' Health Study II followed from 1991-2013. The findings are published online May 10, 2017 in Menopause, The Journal of the North American Menopause Society. | |
Newborn baby brain scans will help scientists track brain developmentScientists have today published ground-breaking scans of newborn babies' brains which researchers from all over the world can download and use to study how the human brain develops. | |
 | Descendants of syphilis study subjects emerging from shadowsDecades later, it's still hard to grasp what the federal government did to hundreds of black men in rural Alabama—even if you're among their descendants, lighting candles in their memory. |
World's heaviest man goes under knife in MexicoThe world's heaviest man, who at one point weighed almost 600 kilogrammes (1,300 pounds), has undergone successful gastric bypass surgery, his doctors in Mexico said. | |
Pupils wouldn't need doctor's note for sunscreen under billRhode Island lawmakers are considering a proposal that would allow students to take sunscreen into schools without a doctor's note. | |
New endoscope to target colon tumoursEuropean scientists are working on the development of an innovative, compact and easy-to-use endoscopic device for identifying and diagnosing preprecancerous polyps and early colon cancers. Worldwide, colon cancer remains the third most common cancer in men, behind lung and prostate cancer, and second in women, behind breast cancer. | |
 | Researchers report specific ways that plant extracts target and kill cancerous cells in the breast and colonFour species of Phyllanthus, herbs commonly found throughout the tropics and subtropics, pose great potential as nontoxic breast cancer treatments. While their therapeutic properties have been reported, a team from the University of Malaya recently investigated specifically how the plants' extracts combat breast cancer. |
 | Studies of dogs that lose their hair from cancer treatments could benefit humans, tooWhile it's rare for dogs undergoing chemotherapy to lose their hair, when they do, some owners will stop treatment for their pets because they assume the chemo has become toxic. |
Environmental and personal factors still create barriers for people with disabilities, despite assistive techAssistive products and technologies – such as wheelchairs, upper-limb prostheses, and hearing and speech devices – hold promise for partially or fully mitigating the effects of impairments and enabling people with disabilities to work, but in some cases environmental and personal factors create additional barriers to employment, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. | |
 | The continuum of HIV care: What does it mean and how is Europe doing?From diagnosis of HIV to successful viral suppression: this new ECDC report summarises key findings concerning and the Continuum of HIV Care in Europe based on data reported by countries in Europe and Central Asia. In the 37 countries reporting data, an estimated 1.2 million people are living with HIV, 898 000 of whom (75%) have been diagnosed; 88% of these are estimated to be virally suppressed. |
 | Does HIV infection affect brain connectivity and cognitive performance?A new study has shown that compared to HIV-negative young adults, those positive for HIV infection with limited or no treatment history had significant disruptions in whole brain structural networks, poorer strength and efficiency of connections, and corresponding reductions in cognitive performance. Performance on learning/recall tasks was worse with increasing abnormalities in brain structural organization, as reported in Brain Connectivity. |
Portuguese doctors launch two-day strikePortuguese doctors launched a 48-hour strike Wednesday to protest at working conditions and budget cuts, with only minimum healthcare being offered at public hospitals nationwide. | |
Training surgeons to teach the public is effective in advancing bleeding control knowledgeTraining surgeons in bleeding control techniques so that they can in turn train the general public is an effective way to disseminate bleeding control knowledge and teach skills, according to study findings published as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication. | |
Mandatory Headwear does not influence surgical site infectionsSurgical site infections are noteworthy and costly health complications. Patients with infections are likely to stay longer an intensive care unit and a hospital. Those with infections have an increased risk of hospital readmission or death. In an attempt to address this, hospital policy in the United States changed in February 2016 and made it obligatory to wear a bouffant cap and not traditional surgeons caps in order to prevent infections from occurring. | |
Biology news
 | Dingo fence study shows dingo extermination leads to poorer soilA comparison of conditions in the outback on either side of Australia's dingo fence has revealed that extermination of these apex predators not only affects the abundance of other animals and plants, but also reduces the quality of the soil. |
 | How fruit fly brains control what they choose to eatUsing fruit flies, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have identified a specific and very small set of brain cells—dubbed dopamine wedge neurons—responsible for driving the insects' food preferences toward what they need, rather than what they like. |
 | Cells calculate ratios to control gene expressionIn multicellular animals, cells communicate by emitting and receiving proteins, a process called signaling. One of the most common signaling pathways is the transforming growth factor b (Tgf-b) pathway, which functions in all animal species throughout their lifetimes and regulates numerous biological processes, such as instructing cells how to differentiate—whether a stem cell will become a muscle cell or a bone cell, for example. |
 | Quorum sensing helps beneficial bacteria reign in their pathogenic originsGermophobes - let's chat. Microbes are everywhere—on every surface, every object, every plant and animal. Yes, including on and inside you. True, some of them cause disease. |
 | New light sensing molecule discovered in the fruit fly brainSix biological pigments called rhodopsins play well-established roles in light-sensing in the fruit fly eye. Three of them also have light-independent roles in temperature sensation. New research shows that a seventh rhodopsin, Rh7, is expressed in the brain of fruit flies where it regulates the fly's day-night activity cycles. The study appears in Nature and was funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. |
 | In brain evolution, size matters—most of the timeWhich came first, overall bigger brains or larger brain regions that control specialized behaviors? Neuroscientists have debated this question for decades, but a new Cornell University study settles the score. |
 | Ongoing natural selection against damaging genetic mutations in humansThe survival of the human species in the face of high rates of genetic mutations has remained an important problem in evolutionary biology. While mutations provide a source of novelty for the species, a large fraction of these genetic changes can also be damaging. A newborn human is estimated to have ~70 new mutations that the parents did not have. In a project conducted by Brigham and Women's Hospital research geneticist Shamil Sunyaev, PhD, and University of Michigan professor Alexey Kondrashov, PhD, scientists studied natural selection in humans. |
 | New analytical methods to estimate the size of wild animal populations from a distanceCamera traps are a useful means for researchers to observe the behaviour of animal populations in the wild or to assess biodiversity levels of remote locations like the tropical rain forest. Researchers from the University of St Andrews, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research recently extended distance sampling analytical methods to accommodate data from camera traps. This new development allows abundances of multiple species to be estimated from camera trapping data collected over relatively short time intervals – information critical to effective wildlife management and conservation. |
 | Changes in water temperature have an impact on the dentex in Medes IslandsThe movement of the dentex, a fish living in rocky sea floors and marine lands in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, is influenced by the changes in ocean temperatures, according to a study carried out in the Medes Islands and published in the journal Scientific Reports. Regarding climate change, which brings higher temperatures, this behavioral pattern of the dentex, an apical predator in marine areas, could have an impact on the dynamics of the species and coastal ecosystems. |
 | A possible way to new antibioticsTwo Swiss research teams from the University of Bern and the ETH Zurich have developed a new method to shed light onto a mostly unknown process of bacterial protein production. Their results could be used for the design of new antibiotics. |
 | How cells combat salmonellaWith drug resistance being on the rise worldwide, bacterial infections pose one of the greatest global threats to human health. By deciphering the host-pathogen interaction on a molecular level, researchers hope to pave the way for new therapies. Studying the cell's reaction to Salmonella, scientists from Goethe University Frankfurt have now made a critical discovery to this respect. |
 | African lions under same threats as extinct sabre-toothed tigers facedThe seven big cats that went extinct towards the end of the last Ice Age, including several sabre-toothed cats, are those which lost the greatest proportion of their prey, according to an international team of scientists who believe the African lion and Sunda clouded leopard are next on the list. |
 | Natural disasters pose grave threat to planet's last Javan rhinosThe world's only population of Javan rhinoceros, already under severe threat from poaching, could go extinct in the future due to natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, according to a new study published in Conservation Letters. The few remaining Javan rhinos live in Ujung Kulon National Park, which is within sight of volcanic Mount Krakatoa and close to the Indonesian Sunda Arc, an area of converging tectonic plates that commonly cause earthquakes, triggering tsunamis. |
 | Activists urge EU to rebuke Denmark for Faroe whale huntEnvironmental campaigners on Wednesday urged the EU to take action against Denmark, accusing officials there of facilitating the traditional annual hunt of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands. |
 | Hatchlings raise hope for Cambodia's endangered 'Royal Turtle'The birth of nine Cambodian royal turtle hatchlings has sparked hope for the future of a species on the brink of extinction, conservationists said Wednesday. |
 | Thirsty seeds reach for medicine cabinetJust like humans and animals sometimes need medicine to feel well or perform better, so can plants. |
 | Scientists identify novel technique to build better vaccine adjuvantsA study published this week in mBio demonstrates that a novel technique can be used to build better vaccines for infectious diseases. The study shows that a practical method, bacterial enzymatic combinatorial chemistry (BECC), can be used to generate functionally diverse molecules that can potentially be used as adjuvants. Vaccines often combine a well-characterized recombinant protein antigen with an adjuvant to increase the immunogenic response of the vaccine. The study is important given the urgent need for new and more effective vaccines against infectious diseases worldwide. |
 | Name sought for rare albino orangutan rescued in IndonesiaA conservation group is asking the public to name a rare albino orangutan that was rescued from villagers on Borneo island last month, hoping it will become a symbol of efforts to save the critically endangered species. |
 | Microdevice provides novel method of measuring cell mechanical propertiesThe mechanical properties of cells have an impact on biological processes ranging from wound healing and disease to cellular aging and differentiation. Currently, the most popular method of measuring the mechanical properties of a cell is by atomic-force microscopy (AFM). Very simply, AFM works by moving a very fine needle attached to a cantilever beam across the sample surface, and the deflection of the beam is measured directly with a laser. Very high resolution (< nanoscale) measurements are possible with this method, and it is used for imaging, force measurement, and fine manipulation. |
 | New strains of staple crops serve up essential vitaminsMore nutritious versions of staple crops could increase daily vitamin and mineral intake for millions of people with poor diets, helping to overcome undernourishment that can cause blindness, brittle bones, feeble muscles and brain damage. |
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