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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 10, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Another bee in the beehive—Astronomers discover binary star in the NGC 2632 cluster(Phys.org)—Astronomers have detected a new low-mass eclipsing binary star in an open cluster named NGC 2632, better known as the Beehive Cluster (or Praesepe). The newly identified binary, designated PTFEB132.707+19.810, contains two late-type stars much smaller and less massive than the sun. The new findings were detailed June 28 in a paper published on arXiv.org. |
 | Heart of an exploded star observed in 3-DSupernovas—the violent endings of the brief yet brilliant lives of massive stars—are among the most cataclysmic events in the cosmos. Though supernovas mark the death of stars, they also trigger the birth of new elements and the formation of new molecules. |
 | Pitted materials in craters could indicate buried ice on asteroidsPitted terrains inside fresh complex craters on Ceres are similar to terrains seen Mars and Vesta, and are likely formed through the rapid evaporation of subsurface H2O, a new paper by Planetary Science Institute Research Scientist Hanna G. Sizemore says. |
 | NASA spacecraft to fly over Jupiter's Great Red SpotAn unmanned NASA spacecraft is about to fly over a massive storm raging on Jupiter, in a long-awaited a journey that could shed new light on the forces driving the planet's Great Red Spot. |
 | Cosmic 'dust factory' reveals clues to how stars are bornA group of scientists led by researchers at Cardiff University have discovered a rich inventory of molecules at the centre of an exploded star for the very first time. |
Liftoff for Trump's bold space plans may have to waitThe White House has championed a new era of US leadership in space, but its aspirations are complicated by tight budgets, vacancies in top posts and the rising role of private industry in aerospace innovation, experts say. | |
 | How to rescue a moonwalker in needDuring a simulated space mission underwater last week, ESA tested an ingenious concept to bring astronauts safely back to base if they are incapacitated during lunar exploration. |
 | As the world embraces space, the 50-year-old Outer Space Treaty needs adaptationThe Outer Space Treaty (OST) is the framework multilateral treaty that establishes the principal rules regulating the exploration and use of outer space. Established in 1967, it celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. |
Technology news
 | Nuclear generation in April at lowest monthly level since April 2014, says EIA(Tech Xplore)—US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said that in March, and April, U.S. monthly electricity generation from utility-scale renewable sources exceeded nuclear generation for the first time since July 1984. |
 | New way to predict when electric cars and home batteries become cost effectiveThe future cost of energy storage technologies can now be predicted under different scenarios, thanks to a new tool created by Imperial researchers. |
 | Study indicates concrete construction waste can help rid the air of sulfur dioxide, a major pollutantNew research reveals that sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to air pollution, is removed from the air by concrete surfaces. Stony Brook University researcher Alex Orlov, PhD, and colleagues discovered how concrete interacts and eliminates sulfur and nitrogen oxides. Their findings, published in the July edition of the Journal of Chemical Engineering, could be a significant step toward the practice of using waste concrete to minimize air pollution. |
 | Generating ad hoc 'cache hierarchies' increases chip processing speed while reducing energy consumptionFor decades, computer chips have increased efficiency by using "caches," small, local memory banks that store frequently used data and cut down on time- and energy-consuming communication with off-chip memory. |
 | Smart technology needs smart usersWhat's the point of smart assistants and intelligent electricity meters if people don't use them correctly? In order to cope with the energy transition, we need a combination of digital technologies and smart user behaviour – and the social sciences can help. |
 | Houston team one step closer to growing capillariesIn their work toward 3-D printing transplantable tissues and organs, bioengineers and scientists from Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have demonstrated a key step on the path to generate implantable tissues with functioning capillaries. |
 | US newspaper group assails Google-Facebook online 'duopoly'The US newspaper industry on Monday warned of a "duopoly" in online news by Google and Facebook, and called for legislation that would relax antitrust rules allowing collective negotiations with the internet giants. |
 | In the fast lane—conductive electrodes are key to fast-charging batteriesCan you imagine fully charging your cell phone in just a few seconds? Researchers in Drexel University's College of Engineering can, and they took a big step toward making it a reality with their recent work unveiling of a new battery electrode design in the journal Nature Energy. |
 | CMU-SV Professor uses The Matrix to train drones in tracking objectsIn the 1999 film The Matrix, a young hacker named Neo learns that the world as he knows it is a virtual simulation—and with this realization comes the ability to use this virtual world to his advantage. In one scene, Neo, who has no combat training whatsoever, downloads an extensive knowledge of martial arts into his brain, making him a Kung Fu master in mere seconds. |
 | State election officials worry about 2018 election securityState election officials voiced doubt Saturday that adequate security measures can be adopted before 2018 elections to safeguard against the possibility of a foreign government interfering in U.S. elections. |
 | Take me out to the screen: VR baseball a hitNicholas Montes put on goggles and a catcher's mitt and crouched. |
 | Zzzzzz: Sleep gadgets adjust if you're restless—or snoringPillows that track your snoozing patterns? A bed that adjusts based on how much you twist and turn? Companies are adding more technology into their products, hoping to lure customers craving a better night's sleep. |
 | Snapchat rolls out a feature Instagram doesn't have: linksYou can now add web links to Snaps, a feature many had requested to Snapchat over the years. |
 | Mt Gox CEO facing trial in Japan as bitcoin gains tractionThe head of the failed Japan-based bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox is due to appear in Tokyo District Court on Tuesday to face embezzlement charges. |
 | Detecting short circuits by going back in timeIt took EPFL researchers only three minutes to detect and locate a short circuit triggered intentionally in the power grid serving Fribourg Canton. The researchers, using a computer and a single sensor, spotted it by "going back in time" to find the origin of the problem. Their highly promising method could make it easier to manage complicated power grids, especially those incorporating renewable energies. |
 | Oil, gas key to world energy for 'decades to come': Saudi Aramco bossOil and gas will remain central to the world's supply of energy for decades to come, despite a surge of interest in renewables, the chief executive of giant producer Saudi Aramco Amin Nasser said Monday. |
Apple to invest $900mn in Danish data plantApple on Monday said it would invest nine billion Danish kroner ($920 million, 810 million euros) in a data centre in Denmark, its second in the country to run entirely on clean energy. | |
 | France could close a third of nuclear reactors: ministerFrance's new environment minister said Monday nearly a third of the country's reactors could be shut under plans to scale back the amount of electricity produced from nuclear power. |
 | Suzuki, Fiat Chrysler in Dutch emissions data probeDutch vehicle authorities said Monday that carmakers Suzuki and Fiat Chrysler were being referred to the public prosecutor for possibly misusing emissions software. |
New study describes method to save lives in chemical attacksA new study by Kiran Bhaganagar, associate professor of mechanical engineering at The University of Texas at San Antonio, and her research group, Laboratory of Turbulence Sensing & Intelligence Systems, is taking a closer look at the damage caused by chemical attacks in Syria. The Syrian Civil War, ongoing since 2011, has seen hundreds of people killed through the use of chemical weapons. | |
Somalia's internet outage costing country $10 million a daySomalia's government says a widespread internet outage that began roughly two weeks ago is costing the Horn of Africa nation about $10 million each day and is a "major disaster." | |
 | Growing chorus denounces sexist Silicon Valley cultureA growing chorus of voices denouncing sexist culture is echoing through male-dominated Silicon Valley, knocking a number of internet industry executives from their perches. |
Jordan, Kuwait carriers lift laptop ban on US flightsThe national carriers of Jordan and Kuwait announced Sunday that passengers will once again be allowed to carry personal electronics, including laptops, on board U.S.-bound flights, ending a ban that had been imposed in March. | |
As US high tech surges, Silicon Valley becomes a diplomatic outpostSometime in August, Denmark's newly appointed ambassador to high tech will settle into Silicon Valley and staff his embassy, a novel kind of diplomatic outpost that recognizes the global clout that U.S. high tech companies now wield. | |
 | Data analysis is really helping the Dutch national women's soccer teamThe European Football Championship for Women, in the Netherlands this summer, is the background of a large and innovative data research project. The Dutch football union is cooperating with Leiden University and Sportinnovator. The research is going to find links that have thus far remained unknown. |
Spain's Iberia scraps pregnancy test after fineSpain's Iberia airline has decided to scrap a pregnancy test for new employees after it was fined 25,000 euros ($29,000) by a regional government for discrimination. | |
 | Researchers revolutionize brain-computer interfaces using silicon electronicsToday, implanted electrode devices for stimulating the brain are extremely crude devices with only a handful of electrodes that are used to mitigate the effects of Parkinson's, epilepsy, and other neurodegenerative conditions. The number of patients with these devices is merely tens of thousands because of the extreme invasiveness of the implantation process and the large size of the implanted device. The invention of a less invasive implant device with many more channels that can interact with the brain would result in revolutionary improvements to brain-machine interfaces, including direct interfaces to the auditory cortex and the visual cortex, expanding dramatically the ways in which artificial systems can support brain function. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Why strength depends on more than muscleA recent study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has given new meaning to the concept of brain power by suggesting that physical strength might stem as much from exercising the nervous system as the muscles it controls. |
 | Researchers hope new biomarkers will lead to sports pitch-side test for brain injuryResearchers at the University of Birmingham have identified inflammatory biomarkers which indicate whether the brain has suffered injury. The team, led by Professor Antonio Belli, at the University's College of Medical and Dental Sciences, now hopes to use these new biomarkers to develop a test which can be used on the side of a sports pitch or by paramedics to detect brain injury at the scene of an incident. |
 | Malaria drug protects fetuses from Zika infectionDevastating consequences of Zika virus infection are suffered in the womb, where the virus can cause brain damage and sometimes death. |
 | Researchers find intriguing clues about obesity by counting steps via smartphonesStanford researchers using smartphones to track the activity levels of hundreds of thousands of people around the globe made an intriguing discovery: in countries with little obesity, people mostly walked a similar amount per day. But big gaps between people who walked a lot and those who walked very little coincided with much higher levels of obesity. |
 | Glioblastoma 'ecosystem' redefined for more effective immunotherapy trialsA research team has revealed the intrinsic gene expression patterns of glioblastoma (GBM) tumors, insights that could drive more effective treatments for GBM, the most common and deadly malignant primary brain tumors in adults. |
 | Brain training has no effect on decision-making or cognitive function: studyDuring the last decade, commercial brain-training programs have risen in popularity, offering people the hope of improving their cognitive abilities through the routine performance of various "brain games" that tap cognitive functions such as memory, attention and cognitive flexibility. |
 | Sleep, Alzheimer's link explainedA good night's sleep refreshes body and mind, but a poor night's sleep can do just the opposite. A study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Radboud University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, and Stanford University has shown that disrupting just one night of sleep in healthy, middle-aged adults causes an increase in amyloid beta, a brain protein associated with Alzheimer's disease. And a week of tossing and turning leads to an increase in another brain protein, tau, which has been linked to brain damage in Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases. |
 | Stem cell advance brings bioengineered arteries closer to realityStem cell biologists have tried unsuccessfully for years to produce cells that will give rise to functional arteries and give physicians new options to combat cardiovascular disease, the world's leading cause of death. |
 | Oxytocin improves social abilities in some kids with autism, study findsChildren with autism showed improved social behavior when treated with oxytocin, a hormone linked to social abilities, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Children with low oxytocin benefited most from the medication, the study found. |
 | Algorithm decrypts brain-on-chip signalsIISRI researchers are helping to measure the brain's response to stimuli, with huge potential for breakthrough research – in areas ranging from mental health to artificial intelligence. |
 | Hidden herpes virus may play key role in multiple sclerosis, other brain disordersThe ubiquitous human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) may play a critical role in impeding the brain's ability to repair itself in diseases like multiple sclerosis. The findings, which appear in the journal Scientific Reports, may help explain the differences in severity in symptoms that many people with the disease experience. |
 | Drinking coffee could lead to a longer life, research saysHere's another reason to start the day with a cup of joe: Scientists have found that people who drink coffee appear to live longer. |
 | More evidence shows natural plant compound may reduce mental effects of agingSalk scientists have found further evidence that a natural compound in strawberries reduces cognitive deficits and inflammation associated with aging in mice. The work, which appeared in the Journals of Gerontology Series A in June 2017, builds on the team's previous research into the antioxidant fisetin, finding it could help treat age-related mental decline and conditions like Alzheimer's or stroke. |
 | Stem cell-based therapy for targeting skin-to-brain cancerInvestigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have a potential solution for how to kill tumor cells that have metastasized to the brain. The team has developed cancer-killing viruses that can deliver stem cells via the carotid artery, and applied them to metastatic tumors in the brain of clinically relevant mouse models. The investigators report the elimination of metastatic skin cancer cells from the brain of these preclinical models, resulting in prolonged survival. The study, published online this week in the journal PNAS, also describes a strategy of combining this therapy with immune check point inhibitors. |
 | New technology to manipulate cells could help treat Parkinson's, arthritis, other diseasesA groundbreaking advancement in materials from Northwestern University could potentially help patients requiring stem cell therapies for spinal cord injuries, stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, arthritic joints or any other condition requiring tissue regeneration, according to a new study. |
 | Shield yourself from 'swimmer's ear'(HealthDay)—It's high season for the painful infection known as swimmer's ear, but it shouldn't spoil your fun if you plan ahead. |
Decades of trying, but health reform remains elusive in USThe United States, entangled in conflict overseas and struggling economically, was at a fraught moment when the president called for a national health care overhaul. | |
 | New research offers hope to neuro-tumor patientsNew research published today, 10th July 2017, online in the journal Oncogene could offer hope to the thousands of, mainly young, people affected by the hereditary condition Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2). This condition is characterised by the development of multiple tumours of the nervous system such as schwannomas, meningiomas and ependymomas, each associated with mutations in a gene coding for a tumour suppressor called Merlin. |
 | Study reveals new insights into rare chronic pain conditionPeople suffering from chronic pain often find their condition distracting and debilitating, but new research reveals that some might in fact be paying less, rather than more, attention to the source of their pain. |
 | Patients whose emergency surgery is delayed are at higher risk of deathDelays for emergency surgery were associated with a higher risk of death for patients in hospital—and higher costs—yet these delays were largely due to lack of operating rooms and staff, and other system issues, found a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). |
Study reveals an elevated cancer risk in Holocaust survivorsA new study indicates that survivors of the Holocaust have experienced a small but consistent increase in the risk of developing cancer. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings offer an example of how extreme population-level tragedies can have an impact on health. | |
 | Purpose in life by day linked to better sleep at nightHaving a good reason to get out of bed in the morning means you are more likely to sleep better at night with less sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, reports a new Northwestern Medicine and Rush University Medical Center study based on older adults. |
 | Study finds rate of medication errors resulting in serious medical outcomes risingEvery 21 seconds someone in the United States calls Poison Control because of a medication error. A new study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital analyzed calls to Poison Control Centers across the country over a 13-year period about exposures to medication errors which resulted in serious medical outcomes. These exposures, which occurred outside of health care facilities, primarily in the home, affected individuals of all ages and were associated with a wide variety of medications. |
 | Women's wellness: Learn more about Zika if you're travelingThe Zika infection in pregnant women can cause severe birth defects in their babies. So the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all pregnant women avoid traveling to areas where there is an outbreak of Zika virus. |
 | Under stress, brains of bulimics respond differently to foodMagnetic resonance imaging scans suggest that the brains of women with bulimia nervosa react differently to images of food after stressful events than the brains of women without bulimia, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. |
 | Does baby-led approach to complementary feeding reduce overweight risk?A randomized clinical trial published by JAMA Pediatrics examined whether allowing infants to control their food intake by feeding themselves solid foods, instead of traditional spoon-feeding, would reduce the risk of overweight or impact other secondary outcomes up to age 2. |
 | Survey finds Medicaid enrollees satisfied with coverage, physician accessEnrollees in Medicaid reported in a nationwide survey that they're largely satisfied with the health care they receive under the program, according to researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Most Medicaid enrollees said that they have good access to physicians, while few reported any barriers to accessing care due to their Medicaid insurance. |
Research team finds notable decrease in IVC filter usage after FDA advisoryDeep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition in which blood clots develop in the deep veins of the body, often in the legs, thigh or pelvis. These clots can break loose and travel to the lungs and can cause a life-threatening condition called pulmonary embolism (PE). An inferior vena cava (IVC) filter is a small, basket-like device made of wire that is inserted into the inferior vena cava, a large vein that returns blood from the lower body to the heart and lungs, to capture the blood clots and prevent them from reaching the lungs. IVC filters are implanted in patients at risk for PE when anticoagulant therapy is ineffective or cannot be used. | |
 | Equity doesn't mean equal in heart health careRadical changes to our health care system that take into account the unique needs of women, including minority populations, are needed to ensure women are receiving the same high-quality care that men receive, according to a state of the art review paper published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and written by members of the American College of Cardiology Cardiovascular Disease in Women Committee. |
 | Scientists link new cancer treatments to cardiovascular alterationsPlk1 inhibitors have recently been acknowledged as an innovative therapy for leukaemia by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, a study published in Nature Medicine by researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) suggests that prolonged use of these inhibitors can not only lead to hypertension issues but also to the rupturing of blood vessels and severe cardiovascular problems. |
Which bar patrons underestimate their inebriation the most?Prior research suggests that college students, males, and people drinking alcohol at restaurants, bars, and nightclubs are at particularly high risk for driving after drinking. Breath-testing devices are not usually found at these drinking establishments, so patrons generally assess their own intoxication levels using internal (feelings of intoxication) and external (number of drinks consumed) cues. This study examined bar patrons' self-estimates of their breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs) in natural drinking environments. | |
 | Investing more in inpatient care relative to longer-term nursing facilities reduces mortality ratesHospitals that spend more on initial care following patient emergencies have better outcomes than hospitals that spend less at first and rely more on additional forms of long-term care, according to a new study co-authored by MIT economists. |
 | Don't hate your gut—it may help you lose weight, fight depression and lower blood pressureA universe of organisms living inside you may affect every part of your body, from your brain to your bones, and even your thoughts, feelings and your attempts to lose weight. |
 | Handwritten opioid prescriptions contain more mistakes than those that are electronically generatedIn a small study of opioid prescriptions filled at a Johns Hopkins Medicine outpatient pharmacy, researchers found that handwritten orders for the drugs contribute to a disproportionate number of prescribing and processing errors compared to prescriptions created electronically. |
 | Exercise in early life has long-lasting benefitsExercise in early life counteracts some of the damaging programming effects of a high-fat diet, a new Auckland study shows. |
Disruptive technology for the treatment of hemophiliaAn international team of hematologists including Guy Young, MD, of Children's Hospital Los Angeles, has found that in patients with hemophilia A with inhibitors, a novel therapy called emicizumab, decreases incidence of bleeding episodes by 87%. Results of this multicenter phase III study called HAVEN 1, will be presented at the International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis and published in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 10. | |
 | Dancing toward better physical rehabilitationTo dance is human; people of all ages and levels of motor ability express movements in response to music. Professional dancers exert a great deal of creativity and energy toward developing their skills and different styles of dance. How dancers move in beautiful and sometimes unexpected ways can delight, and the synchrony between dancers moving together can be entrancing. |
 | Study focuses on 'speed bumps' protecting against Alzheimer's diseaseDedicated to the study of Alzheimer's disease, University of Virginia biology professor George Bloom's lab has spent the last decade working to expand the scientific community's still-primitive understanding of the disease's underlying biology. A recently published study from Bloom's lab is helping to solve one of the devastating brain disorder's underlying mysteries, explaining how certain proteins convert previously healthy nerve cells into neurons afflicted with Alzheimer's. |
 | Why comparing technology to drugs isn't simply a question of addictionSome experts say technologies such as social media and video games are like drugs. Others disagree. |
 | How we discovered that brain connections shape memoriesReliving and sharing our personal past is part of what makes us human. It creates a sense of who we are, allows us to plan for the future and helps us form relationships. But we don't all remember our past in the same way. In fact, the nature and quality of memory differs considerably between people. |
 | Detailed structure of the sweat gland revealedResearchers at Osaka University have characterized the structure of human sweat glands down to the single-cell level; the findings clarify the functional components of these glands and their interactions with the vasculature and nervous system, and thus could lead to treatments for sweating disorders |
 | Blood vessels are not designed to fight infectionOsaka University researchers show endothelial cells are vulnerable to bacterial infection because they lack certain immune machinery common in other cells. |
 | High-speed whole-brain imaging improves understanding of brain disease in animals and humansResearchers at Osaka University develop a high-speed serial-sectioning imaging system that captures high-resolution images of a whole mouse brain and furthers our understanding of brain diseases in rodents and primates |
 | Macrophages as drivers of an opportunistic infectionThe opportunistic bacterium Burkholderia cenocepacia is feared by cystic fibrosis patients and is emerging in hospital-acquired infections. An international study sheds new light on the infection mechanism of this opportunistic pathogen that may have large implications for treatment strategies. |
 | A short history of vaccine objection, vaccine cults and conspiracy theoriesWhen we hear phrases like vaccine objection, vaccine refusal and anti-vaxxers, it's easy to assume these are new labels used in today's childhood vaccination debates. |
 | New tools promise life-saving treatments from basic scienceA mouse with cancer dies from a trial treatment that cured its genetically identical sibling. A stem cell in a dish has a different reaction than usual to a chemical cocktail and morphs into something unexpected. |
Violent news—psychological trauma a new risk in digital agePsychological trauma from seeing violent and distressing incidents in news coverage is a growing risk for journalists, even for those who have never been in the field. | |
 | Artificial intelligence aids research to find best treatment for stroke patientsStudying human diseases is the equivalent of solving a massive and dynamic jigsaw puzzle with pieces that are constantly changing shape. |
Healthy oils to keep in the kitchenWhile eating too much fat can lead to weight gain and associated health problems, a moderate amount of fat is essential to a healthy lifestyle. Adding a little fat to your food—such as cooking oil—can help fill you up, become the body's source of energy once carbohydrates are used up, and helps with absorption of several fat-soluble vitamins. | |
 | Partnership pioneers safer insulin injectionsWork by Cardiff University has shown a device for self-managing diabetes medication could save the NHS millions of pounds. |
 | New comparison chart sheds light on babies' tearsA chart that enables parents and clinicians to calculate if a baby is crying more than it should in the first three months of its life has been created by a Kingston University London researcher, following a study of colic and crying in babies from across the world. |
On-site ecstasy pill-testing services may reduce user risks at concerts and ravesJohns Hopkins scientists report that data collected over five years by volunteers who tested pills free of charge at music festivals and raves across the United States suggest that at least some recreational users of illegal drugs may choose not to take them if tests show the pills are adulterated or fake. | |
 | Yemen cholera outbreak tops 300,000 suspected cases: ICRCA cholera outbreak in Yemen has now surpassed 300,000 suspected cases, the Red Cross said Monday as the war-torn country reels from disease as well as the threat of famine. |
BSACI guideline for the diagnosis and management of allergic and non-allergic rhinitisThe Standards of Care Committee of the British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI) is to publish updated guidance on the diagnosis and management of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis is common and affects between 10-15% of children and 26% of adults in the UK. | |
 | Sugary drinks in pregnancy tied to heavier kids later(HealthDay)—Could a pregnant woman's craving for sugar-sweetened drinks put her child at risk for being overweight later in life? |
 | Age and obesity conspire to damage the tiny blood vessels that feed the heart, causing heart failureAge and obesity appear to create a perfect storm that can reduce blood flow through the tiny blood vessels that directly feed our heart muscle and put us at risk for heart failure, scientists report. |
 | NEJM case reports show promise of cancer immunotherapy to treat rare lymphomaThree case reports published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrate the promise of cancer immunotherapy in gray zone lymphoma, a rare subtype that mixes characteristics of Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin forms of the disease. In one case from the University of Colorado Cancer Center using nivolumab and two from the National Institutes of Health using pembrolizumab, treatment with immune therapy "checkpoint inhibitors" followed unsuccessful therapies and was based on clinicians' ability to match the mechanism of the drug with the known molecular alterations in this lymphoma. These three cases represent the first successful uses of immune therapies in gray zone lymphoma, potentially paving the way for clinical trials utilizing this strategy in this and related conditions. |
Food scientists find cranberries may aid the gut microbiomeMany scientists are paying new attention to prebiotics, that is, molecules we eat but cannot digest, because some may promote the growth and health of beneficial microorganisms in our intestines, says nutritional microbiologist David Sela at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In a new study, he and colleagues report the first evidence that certain beneficial gut bacteria are able to grow when fed a carbohydrate found in cranberries and further, that they exhibit a special nontypical metabolism. | |
Team publishes longitudinal work on pneumoniaA Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine research team has published findings that show patients who recover from invasive pneumococcal pneumonia, on average, live 10 years less when measured against life expectancy tables for the state of West Virginia as well as two other techniques. | |
Researchers find significance of plaque burden using 3-D vascular ultrasoundIn a large population study that was the first of its kind, researchers found that an experimental technique known as three-dimensional vascular ultrasound (3DVUS) estimated the quantification of plaque burden (in cubic millimeters) as an important addition to conventional risk factor profile in addressing patient risk stratification. | |
Blacks suffer higher rates of fatal first-time heart attacks than whitesBlack men may have similar risk of coronary heart disease as white men, but their first cardiac event is twice as likely to be fatal. That means preventing a first heart attack is even more crucial for blacks, according to research findings reported in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation. | |
 | Drinking coffee reduces risk of death from all causes, study findsPeople who drink around three cups of coffee a day may live longer than non-coffee drinkers, a landmark study has found. |
Large-scale, collaborative effort could help ease global hearing lossA team of hearing experts at Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke Global Health Institute is calling for a comprehensive, worldwide initiative to combat hearing loss. | |
Well-known protein stimulates insulin secretion in pancreatic cells, surprising scientistsA study published online in The FASEB Journal demonstrated that a protein complex (Gbeta5-RGS) commonly known for halting cellular functions may actually stimulate insulin secretion in pancreatic cells. This discovery offers insights into new treatment strategies for conditions where the body is unable to produce sufficient levels of insulin, such as diabetes. | |
 | Can patients record doctor's visits? What does the law say?Traffic stops, office conversations, and even doctor's visits—more and more people today are choosing to record life's encounters. If you are doctor, there is a good chance that at least one of your last 10 patients recorded their visit—either with or without permission. This "new reality" has some doctors and health care clinics worried about the ownership of recordings and their potential to be used in complaints or even law suits. Patients also worry that recording a doctor's visit might be illegal, especially if done covertly. |
Updated meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of S-DAPT versus L-DAPT strategiesResearchers have evaluated the long-term efficacy and safety of long duration dual anti-platelet therapy (L-DAPT) compared to short duration DAPT (S-DAPT) after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. The current meta-analysis is the first to compare outcomes between S-DAPT and L-DAPT in a meta-analysis restricted to trials with patient follow-up of 24 months or longer. The research is detailed in the Editor's Choice article of the July 2017 issue of Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions. | |
 | Brain responds differently to food rewards in bulimia nervosaResearchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have discovered differences in how the brain responds to food rewards in individuals with a history of bulimia nervosa (BN), an eating disorder characterized by frequent episodes of binge eating followed by efforts of purging to avoid weight gain. The findings further define specific brain mechanisms involved in eating disorders and could help lead to new treatment therapies. |
Improving cardiac ICU outcomes through specialized 24/7 careAround-the-clock care from senior physicians helped reduce major complications in cardiac surgery patients as compared to receiving care from resident physicians, according to a new University of Alberta study. | |
 | Questionnaires can be a good predictor of survival rates in multiple sclerosisThe way in which patients with multiple sclerosis answer questionnaires could help to predict their survival rate from the disease, a study has found. |
 | Analysis: Hospital readmissions of all ages, insurance types identifies high risk groupsShort-term hospital readmissions - or readmissions within 30 days - are common, costly and a substantial contributor to health care utilization. Annual costs of readmissions among patients who receive Medicare account for billions of dollars in national health care spending, and those costs are expected to increase over the next decade. While there is research that examines short-term readmissions for patients in the Medicare and Medicaid populations, no analysis existed of readmission rates across the spectrum of all age groups and insurance types. |
 | Most breast cancer patients have help choosing treatments(HealthDay)—Most women who've been diagnosed with breast cancer don't go it alone. |
 | No signs of abuse potential for eluxadoline in IBS with diarrhea(HealthDay)—For patients with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D), there are no signs of abuse potential for eluxadoline, according to a study published in the July issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. |
 | Radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy aids RA with arthralgia(HealthDay)—Radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) is beneficial for patients with rheumatoid arthritis with arthralgia, according to research published online June 30 in Pain Practice. |
 | Low platelet count linked to thrombosis in aPL carriers(HealthDay)—For antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) carriers, low platelet count is associated with increased risk of developing thrombosis, according to a study published online June 29 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. |
 | Cognitive function up with adherence to mediterranean diet(HealthDay)—For older adults, greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and the Mediterranean-DASH diet Intervention for Neurodegeneration Delay (MIND) is associated with improved cognitive function, according to a study published online recently in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Increasing BMI causally linked to asthma, not hay fever(HealthDay)—There is a causal relationship between increasing body mass index (BMI) and asthma and decreased lung function, according to a study published online July 4 in Allergy. |
 | 2011 tsunami in Japan had lasting impact on fatal myocardial infarction(HealthDay)—The 2011 tsunami in Japan was associated with an increase in fatal myocardial infarction (MI) in the high-impact zone, which was sustained through 2014, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology. |
 | Subcirrhotic liver stiffness cuts HCC risk in hepatitis B(HealthDay)—For patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), achievement of subcirrhotic range of liver stiffness (sc-LS) with antiviral therapy (AVT) is associated with reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to a study published online June 30 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. |
 | Coronary CT angiography ups prediction of MACE in T2DM(HealthDay)—For asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes, the addition of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-detected obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) improves prediction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), according to a study published online June 29 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Aphasia recovery via speech therapy related to structural plasticity of the ventral streamLanguage disturbances (aphasia) are common after stroke and can manifest as difficulty identifying the correct word to use (semantic problems) and/or difficulty pronouncing words (phonemic problems). Speech therapy has long been a standard of post-stroke care and can improve aphasia. However, the neurological basis of therapy-mediated recovery is poorly understood, and researchers do not know why some patients improve with therapy while others show little response. |
 | Survey: US uninsured up by 2M this year as gains erodeThe number of U.S. adults without health insurance has grown by some 2 million this year, according to a major new survey that finds recent coverage gains beginning to erode. |
Hiking accidents—take care when descending mountainsFalls account for about half of all hiking accidents. With the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF, a team led by Martin Faulhaber from the University of Innsbruck is currently investigating what makes hikers slip, trip or stumble. | |
Study identifies new gene mutation associated with defective DNA repair and Fanconi anemiaFanconi anemia is a rare genetic disease characterized by hematologic symptoms that include low platelet count and unusually large red blood cells. Mutations in nearly 20 genes have been identified as causative for Fanconi anemia, all of which encode proteins involved in DNA repair mechanisms. The failure to repair DNA is also considered the source of increased cancer risk in individuals with Fanconi anemia. Ongoing efforts to identify additional genes and pathways linked to this disease may also reveal potential susceptibility genes for hereditary cancers. | |
Miami project presents data demonstrating therapeutic potential of SRK-015 in SCIThe Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a Center of Excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, in collaboration with Scholar Rock, a biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing drugs that selectively target growth factors in the disease microenvironment, today announced the presentation of data from its SRK-015 antibody program, that demonstrate beneficial effects in a preclinical model of spinal cord injury. The study results, presented at the 35th Annual National Neurotrauma Symposium, held July 9-12th in Snowbird, UT, revealed that the Company's proprietary antibody, which possesses a unique ability to selectively block intramuscular activation of myostatin, improved key characteristics of muscle pathology that result from severe contusion injury to the spinal cord. More specifically, the antibody decreased muscle atrophy, reduced fat infiltration into muscle, and improved muscle function. SRK-015 is Scholar Rock's lead antibody drug candidate which is initially being developed for the improvement of muscle strength and function in patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). | |
 | UK court sets new hearing in case of terminally ill babyA British court on Monday gave the parents of 11-month-old Charlie Gard a chance to present fresh evidence that their terminally ill son should receive experimental treatment. |
 | Noninvasive intranasal method shows prevention of neurologic effect from metabolic diseaseResearchers have successfully used a noninvasive intranasal approach to deliver the gene for the enzyme that is deficient in the inherited lysosomal storage disease mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 (MPS 1) to the brains of an MPS mouse model, and have demonstrated the presence of the therapeutic enzyme throughout the mouse brains. Five months later, the treated mice did not exhibit the learning and navigation deficiencies seen in untreated mice, as reported in an article published in Human Gene Therapy. |
 | Farm work may improve veterans' mental healthCare farming—using working farms and agricultural landscapes to promote mental and physical health—helped improve veterans' well-being in a recent study. |
New book provides guide to evidence-based practices in addiction treatmentA new book will provide a definitive guide to the findings from cutting-edge clinical research on addiction to front-line clinicians. | |
Current performance measures for cervical cancer screening promote overscreeningFollowing current performance measures that require adherence to strict time intervals for cervical cancer screening may promote overscreening. Changing cervical cancer screening performance measures to distinguish between overscreening and appropriate screening and include time ranges rather than strict intervals could help to reduce the frequency of unnecessary procedures. The findings of a brief research report are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. | |
 | Phase II study: Radiotherapy dose increase to hypoxic NSCLC lesionsFluorine-18 (18F)-fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) is a positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer that is widely used to diagnose hypoxia (insufficient oxygen supply to tissue), and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with FMISO uptake are known to face a poor prognosis. A multicenter French Phase II study featured in the July issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM) investigated whether a selective radiotherapy (RT) dose increase to tumor areas with significant FMISO uptake in NSCLC patients could improve outcomes. |
Training/support have ongoing impact on delivery of alcohol interventionIn primary care settings, training and support of clinicians has a lasting effect on the proportion of adult patients given an alcohol intervention at nine months. A cluster randomized factorial trial spanning four countries (England, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden) and the Catalonia region compares three strategies to increase delivery of screening and advice to heavy drinkers: clinician training and support, financial reimbursement, and an option to direct screen-positive patients to an Internet-based method of giving brief advice. | |
Puerto Rico enacts medicinal marijuana lawThe depleted government coffers of bankrupt Puerto Rico will take in $50 million a month now that a law allowing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes has taken effect, the governor said. | |
Biology news
 | Big, shape-shifting animals from the dawn of timeWhy did life on Earth change from small to large when it did? Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Tokyo Institute of Technology have determined how some of the first large organisms, known as rangeomorphs, were able to grow up to two metres in height, by changing their body size and shape as they extracted nutrients from their surrounding environment. |
 | Plants under attack can turn hungry caterpillars into cannibalsWhen does a (typically) vegetarian caterpillar become a cannibalistic caterpillar, even when there is still plenty of plant left to eat? |
 | Researchers observe unexpected flipper flapping in humpback whalesWhen Jeremy Goldbogen, an assistant professor of biology at Stanford University, affixed recording devices to humpback whales, it was with the hope of learning more about how the animals move in their natural environment - deep underwater and far from human's ability to observe. |
 | In fathering, peace-loving bonobos don't spread the loveBonobos have a reputation for being the peaceful, free-loving hippies of the primate world. But, researchers reporting in Current Biology on July 10 have discovered that despite friendly relations between the sexes, particular males have a surprisingly strong advantage over others when it comes to fathering offspring. For example, researchers found in one group that the most reproductively successful bonobo male fathered more than 60 percent of the next generation. |
 | Sea spiders move oxygen with pumping guts (not hearts)To keep blood and oxygen flowing throughout their bodies, most animals depend on a beating heart. But researchers reporting in Current Biology on July 10 have discovered that sea spiders use a strange alternative: they move blood and oxygen throughout most of their bodies by pumping their guts. |
 | Not every sperm is sacred: Longer-lived sperm produce healthier offspringMales produce hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of sperm within a single ejaculate depending on the species. Does it matter then which sperm is actually fertilising the egg? |
 | Biologists say disappearance of species tells only part of the story of human impact on Earth's animalsNo bells tolled when the last Catarina pupfish on Earth died. Newspapers didn't carry the story when the Christmas Island pipistrelle vanished forever. |
 | Decoding ants' coat of many odorsIt's a waxy layer that covers their bodies and is the source of the complex aromas that ants use to communicate. These odorant blends act like biochemical uniforms, identifying individual ants by caste, colony and species. In so doing it helps regulate the ants' behavior, allowing them to navigate the sophisticated social systems that has made ants one of the most successful families of animals on Earth. |
 | Researchers argue publicly on how well monkeys could talk if their brains were able(Phys.org)—A very public argument has erupted between researchers involved in attempting to understand why monkeys cannot speak—in the pages of respected journals. The argument traces its roots back several decades when a group led by Philip Lieberman conducted research on rhesus macaques to better understand why they cannot speak in a human-like manner. They concluded that the vocal abilities of the monkeys were far too limited to allow the monkeys to talk anything like humans—even if they had the proper brain wiring. |
 | Touchscreen test reveals why some birds are quicker to explore than othersBirds such as parrots and crows have been using touchscreen technology as part of an international research study examining whether the ways in which animals respond to new things influences how eager they are to explore. |
 | Scientists invent new tool for the synthetic biologist's toolboxResearchers at the University of California San Diego have invented a new method for controlling gene expression across bacterial colonies. The method involves engineering dynamic DNA copy number changes in a synchronized fashion. The results were published in the July 10, 2017 online edition of Nature Genetics. |
 | Undersea robot reveals 'schools' of animals in deep scattering layersThroughout the world ocean, animals congregate at certain depths, forming layers that can be hundreds of meters thick and may extend horizontally for dozens or even hundreds of kilometers. Because these dense layers of animals reflect sound waves, they are sometimes called "sound-scattering layers" or "deep scattering layers" (though they can occur near the sea surface). A new paper in Limnology and Oceanography shows that, rather than consisting of a random mixture of animals, these layers contain discrete groups or "schools" of squids, fishes, and crustaceans. |
 | Bringing bacteria's defense into focusBy taking a series of near-atomic resolution snapshots, Cornell University and Harvard Medical School scientists have observed step-by-step how bacteria defend against foreign invaders such as bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria. |
 | Lost in translation: To the untrained zebra finch ear, jazzy courtship songs fall flatZebra finches brought up without their fathers don't react to the singing of potential suitors in the same way that female birds usually do, hinting that the environment in which the birds are raised can have a determining effect on their behaviour. |
 | Birth of wolf cubs in Mexico raises hopes for endangered speciesMexican zoo officials are drooling over the birth of seven cubs of a species of endangered wolf. |
 | Nanoscale forces measured in aortic smooth muscle cells tell story of diseaseResearchers from Virginia Tech and the University of Pittsburgh have collaborated to employ a novel nanoscale fibrous system that can measure the tiny forces exerted by and upon individual cells with extreme precision. The team hopes that this platform, which investigators call nanonet force microscopy (NFM), will provide new knowledge about smooth muscle cell biology that could have implications for treating cardiovascular disease, which is still a leading cause of death in the United States. |
 | Waterbirds threatened by invasive carpThe presence of the carp, a freshwater invasive species spread worldwide, is alarmingly reducing the populations of diving ducks and waterbirds, according to a study published in the journal Biological Conservation by Alberto Maceda Veiga from the University of Barcelona and Raquel López and Andy J. Green from the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC). |
 | Researchers probe protein diversityProteins make up a wildly diverse class of molecule, with key roles in everything from catalyzing reactions to helping fight off infection to transporting oxygen through the body. Now, Harvard scientists are beginning to provide answers on drivers of that diversity. |
 | Stress test—how scientists can measure how animals are feelingTo help determine how stress is affecting animals across Australia, researchers at Western Sydney University are utilising non-invasive methods to help farmers, zookeepers and pet owners ensure their animals are happy and healthy. |
 | Scientists name new species of fish from the Orinoco region after singer EnyaIn 1988, Irish singer and songwriter Enya released a lead single titled "Orinoco Flow" from her second studio album, which went on to become an international hit, earn a Grammy Award nomination, and help launch her wildly successful career. |
Study clears way to growing replacement body organsA discovery involving Monash University scientists promises to pave the way to producing replacement organs for damaged hearts, kidneys and bowels, using patients' own stem cells. | |
 | The sixth mass genesis? New species are coming into existence faster than ever thanks to humansAnimals and plants are seemingly disappearing faster than at any time since the dinosaurs died out, 66m years ago. The death knell tolls for life on Earth. Rhinos will soon be gone unless we defend them, Mexico's final few Vaquita porpoises are drowning in fishing nets, and in America, Franklin trees survive only in parks and gardens. |
 | Citizen science brings monarch butterfly parasitoids to lightThanks to citizen volunteers, scientists now know more than ever about the flies that attack monarch butterfly caterpillars. |
 | UNH researchers extend N.H. growing season for strawberriesResearchers with the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire have succeeded in quadrupling the length of the Granite State's strawberry growing season as part of a multi-year research project that aims to benefit both growers and consumers. |
Single protein controls genetic network essential for sperm developmentScientists have found a single protein—Ptbp2—controls a network of over 200 genes central to how developing sperm move and communicate. The protein works by regulating how RNA is processed during each stage of sperm development. | |
 | Cannibalism: A new way to stop the spread of diseaseCannibalism may be just what the doctor ordered, according to a new study that will be published in American Naturalist led by former LSU postdoctoral researcher and current University of California, San Diego, or UCSD, postdoctoral researcher Benjamin Van Allen, along with other individuals in Bret Elderd lab's at LSU and Volker Rudolf's lab at Rice University. |
 | Three tonnes of ivory seized in VietnamVietnamese authorities have seized nearly three tonnes of ivory hidden among boxes of fruit, officials said Sunday, the latest haul to spotlight the country's key role in the global wildlife smuggling trade. |
'Whales ho!' Sailors, conservationists help keep whales safeCompetitive sailors have teamed up with conservationists on new guidelines aimed at keeping sailboats and whales from colliding during races. | |
 | World's 'oldest' hippo dies at Philippine zooBertha, believed to be the world's oldest hippopotamus, has died aged 65, the Manila zoo said Monday, having beaten the typical lifespan for the mostly herbivorous mammals by decades. |
 | Maryland Zoo: Baby giraffe receives 2nd plasma transfusionMaryland Zoo officials say a struggling baby giraffe has had a second plasma transfusion and is continuing to receive around-the-clock intensive care. |
 | Four lions escape from S.Africa's Kruger ParkFour male lions escaped over the weekend fromm South Africa's famed Kruger National Park, officials said Monday, two months after five others slipped out. |
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