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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 14, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | New theory on origin of the asteroid belt(Phys.org)—A pair of researchers with Université de Bordeaux has proposed a new theory to explain the origin of the asteroid belt. In their paper published in Science Advances, Sean Raymond and Andre Izidoro describe their theory and what they found when trying to model it. |
 | Hubble captures blistering pitch-black planetAstronomers have discovered that the well-studied exoplanet WASP-12b reflects almost no light, making it appear essentially pitch black. This discovery sheds new light on the atmospheric composition of the planet and also refutes previous hypotheses about WASP-12b's atmosphere. The results are also in stark contrast to observations of another similarly sized exoplanet. |
 | Curiosity Mars rover climbing toward ridge topNASA's Mars rover Curiosity has begun the steep ascent of an iron-oxide-bearing ridge that's grabbed scientists' attention since before the car-sized rover's 2012 landing. |
 | 3-D supernova simulations reveal mysteries of dying starsAn international team of researchers led by a Monash astronomer has created the longest consistent 3-D model of a neutrino-driven supernova explosion to date, helping scientists to better understand the violent deaths of massive stars. |
 | Astronomers probe origin of Planet 9Astronomers at the University of Sheffield have shown that 'Planet 9' – an unseen planet on the edge of our solar system – probably formed closer to home than previously thought. |
 | SpaceX bloopers video: 'How NOT to land an orbital rocket'SpaceX has put together a bloopers video showing "How NOT to land an orbital rocket booster." |
 | NASA's one-year mission investigates how space affects astronauts' functional performanceAdapting to the microgravity environment of space changes the way your brain interprets sensory signals, decreases muscle strength and alters cardiovascular function. Astronauts will need to overcome these changes to perform critical mission tasks on a journey to Mars. Simple tasks on Earth such as exiting a vehicle becomes more crucial when stepping foot in an unfamiliar world. Maintaining balance control will be key to a successful mission. |
The return of the comet-like exoplanetAstronomers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland and collaborators used the Hubble Space Telescope to study an exoplanet that had been observed losing its atmosphere, forming an enormous cloud of hydrogen and giving the planet the appearance of a giant comet. During earlier observations in 2015, it was not possible to observe the whole cloud, whose shape was predicted by numerical simulations. Thanks to these new observations, however, the scientists have finally been able to confirm the initial predictions. The results are unveiled in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. | |
 | Star formation influenced by local environmental conditionsThree scientists at Niels Bohr Institute (NBI), University of Copenhagen, have carried out extensive computer simulations related to star formation. They conclude that the present idealized models are lacking when it comes to describing details in the star formation process. "Hopefully our results can also help shed more light on planet formation," says Michael Küffmeier, astrophysicist and head of the research team. |
 | NASA's robotic 'sniffer' confirms space station leak, repairIn recent operations on the International Space Station, robotic operators were twice able to test and confirm the ability of the Robotic External Leak Locator (RELL) to "smell" in space. |
 | Splashdown! Crashing into martian mudAn impactor smashing into an ice-rich surface gave rise to the complex flow features around this ancient crater on Mars. |
 | Image: Infrared and visible imaging of model satelliteThermal infrared and visible light cameras mounted on a robot arm as it approaches a model of a dead satellite, as part of a demonstration of vision-based navigation systems intended for ESA's e.Deorbit active space debris removal mission. |
 | A flexible, mobile measuring system for Earth observationOver the next five years, nine research centres of the Helmholtz Association will collaborate to create a flexible, mobile measuring system for Earth observation: MOSES – Modular Observation Solutions for Earth Systems. Researchers will use this system to investigate how short-term dynamic events such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall are linked to the long-term development of Earth and environmental systems. MOSES is being coordinated at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig. |
 | E-mental health tool may be key for astronauts to cope with anxiety, depression in spaceA clinical trial of an innovative e-mental health tool led by a Stony Brook University psychiatry professor to help address stress, anxiety and/or depression will begin on September 18. The trial is designed to inform the delivery of mental health treatments for astronauts on long duration space missions. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-funded study involves "astronaut-like" individuals and is being developed in conjunction with researchers from the Black Dog Institute in Australia. |
Technology news
 | Tire concepts focus on monitoring and adapting for safety(Tech Xplore)—Many drivers could use a reminder that ignoring or neglecting tire care is not an option. Mike Hanlon, New Atlas: "It's remarkable but true that most of the cars in any given carpark have incorrectly inflated or damaged tires." Yet "those black round things," as he called them, are key to moving around and supporting car safety. |
 | New device reveals spinning head of sperm and gives scientists clearest view of its 3-D motionScientists have been observing sperm cells since the invention of the optical microscope. But surprisingly little has been known about sperm swimming patterns in 3-D – information that could help and improve scientists' understanding of the biophysics of sperm locomotion, which can shed light on key physical attributes of healthy and defect sperm. |
Wisconsin Legislature to approve $3B incentive for Foxconn (Update)The deal to develop a massive Foxconn plant in Wisconsin will be virtually complete Thursday when the state Legislature votes to approve a $3 billion incentive package to lure the Taiwan-based electronics giant to the state—the biggest state subsidy to a foreign company in U.S. history. | |
 | Confusion hits consumer market over US ban of KasperskyWorries rippled through the consumer market for antivirus software after the U.S. government banned federal agencies from using Kaspersky Labs software on Wednesday. Best Buy and Office Depot said they will no longer sell software made by the Russian company, although one security researcher said most consumers don't need to be alarmed. |
Trump blocks Chinese purchase of US semiconductor makerU.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday blocked a Chinese government-financed firm's acquisition of an Oregon semiconductor maker on national security grounds. | |
Samsung steps up push into autonomous driving technologySamsung Electronics Co. said Thursday it will invest 75 million euro ($89 million) in TTTech, a Vienna, Austria-based company that makes autonomous driving technologies and safety controls for Audi cars and others, stepping up its push into autonomous driving technology. | |
 | Researchers identify opportunities to improve quality, reduce cost of global food assistance deliveryFood assistance delivered to the right people at the right time and in the right place can save lives. In 2016 alone, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) delivered over 1.7 million metric tons of food assistance to over 30 million people in 50 countries around the world. However, USAID estimates that over $10 million of that food never made it to the plates of people in need due to spoilage and infestation. |
 | The impacts of a chemical reaction known to cause structural problems in concrete damsWhen the Mactaquac Dam opened in New Brunswick, Canada, in 1968, it was expected to have a service life of 100 years, but a chemical reaction occurring within the concrete used to build the dam has drastically shortened that timeline. |
 | Reports: China orders bitcoin exchanges to shut downRegulators have ordered Chinese bitcoin exchanges to close, two business newspapers reported Thursday, after uncertainty about the digital currency's future in China caused its price to plunge. |
 | With iPhone X, Apple is hoping to augment reality for the everymanThe iPhone X is here, which means Apple's push into augmented reality (AR) begins in earnest. |
 | Never mind the iPhone X, battery life could soon take a great leap forwardAnother suite of Apple iPhones, another media frenzy. Much has been written about the $999/£999 iPhone X, the demise of the home button, the "face ID" function, wireless charging and so on. Somewhere down the list of improvements was extra battery life, at least for the iPhone X, thanks to its new souped up A11 bionic processor. |
 | Research shows social media is no substitute for local news coverageOnce, when discussing our changing habits online, Mark Zuckerberg told his colleagues, "a squirrel dying in your front yard may be more relevant to your interests right now than people dying in Africa." |
 | Sensors in your smartphone could make roads greenerBy combining car sharing apps with a smartphone's ability to measure movement and vibration, researchers are hoping to make roads greener. |
 | Underwater wireless optical communications system for streaming high quality, live videoA flexible and cost-effective technology for streaming high-quality underwater video images has been developed by researchers at KAUST by improving the bandwidth to achieve better video quality. |
 | Meet the E-dumper, the world's largest electric vehicleA Swiss consortium of companies is constructing the largest electric vehicle in the world – in record time. The prototype is not intended as a dainty little exhibition piece for trade fairs, but rather for hard labor in the quarry. Experts from Empa are in charge of its operational safety. |
 | Japan commission supports nuclear power despite FukushimaJapan's nuclear policy-setting Atomic Energy Commission called Thursday for nuclear power to remain a key component of the country's energy supply despite broad public support for a less nuclear-reliant society. |
 | Tesla sets semi-truck debut for October 26Tesla plans to unveil a heavy transport truck next month, in a further broadening of the product lineup for the electric vehicle maker. |
 | China's sharing economy now embraces sex dollsChina has shared bikes, umbrellas, and basketballs, but one company is taking the country's love affair with the "sharing economy" to an erotic extreme with a line of rentable sex dolls. |
 | Fitness trackers could benefit from better security, study findsThe security of wearable fitness trackers could be improved to better protect users' personal data, a study suggests. |
 | US watchdog confirms probe of huge Equifax data breachA US consumer protection watchdog agency said Thursday it has begun an investigation into a massive data breach at credit bureau Equifax that may have leaked sensitive information on 143 million people. |
 | New Google Pixel smartphone debut expected October 4Google on Thursday fired off invitations to an October 4 event at which the US tech giant is expected to field a second-generation Pixel as its new champion in the competitive smartphone market. |
Want to sue Equifax? Chatbot can help.Are you one of the up to 143 million Americans who had their personal info hacked in the massive Equifax data breach? | |
 | Are you OK with using your face to unlock your iPhone?Your passcode can be hacked, but your face is yours and yours alone. That's the thinking behind Apple's latest security measure, which is more high-tech and a bit more intimate than anything else on the market. |
 | Amazon's surprise plan for second headquarters is a bold experimentAmazon.com is about to test whether expertise delivering packages across a continent translates to skill in getting executives in far-flung cities to play nice together. |
Can MoviePass save theaters? The CEO crunched the numbers and says yesVegging out on the couch watching movies streamed from services like Netflix, Amazon or Hulu is today's great American pastime. But one startup is going against the grain to get people out of their homes and into the theaters. | |
 | Got old phones? Here's how to reuse, recycle or sell themIt's natural to get the phone-upgrade itch when the likes of Apple, Samsung and others keep coming out with newer models. And sometimes your old phone is just kaput. |
Project will use AI to prevent or minimize electric grid failuresA project led by the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory will combine artificial intelligence with massive amounts of data and industry experience from a dozen U.S. partners to identify places where the electric grid is vulnerable to disruption, reinforce those spots in advance and recover faster when failures do occur. | |
 | Google hit with class action lawsuit over gender payGoogle faces a new lawsuit accusing it of gender-based pay discrimination. A lawyer representing three female former Google employees is seeking class action status for the claim. |
 | Startup develops animal detection system to prevent roadkillWildlife road accidents threaten endangered species, but roadkill incidents also jeopardize drivers and passengers, and may oblige road operators to disburse costly compensation. Considering that domestic animals such as horses, cattle and dogs are just as likely to be victims, the scale of the problem is apparent. More than 23,000 road accidents involving users and animals were recorded in the Brazilian state of São Paulo alone between 2005 and 2013. |
 | Supposedly gay-identifying AI tells us more about stereotypes than the origins of sexualityIn a forthcoming paper, two Stanford researchers used a deep neural network to detect sexuality from profile pictures on a US dating website. |
 | How solar power can protect the US military from threats to the electric gridAs the U.S. military increases its use of drones in surveillance and combat overseas, the danger posed by a threat back at home grows. Many drone flights are piloted by soldiers located in the U.S., even when the drones are flying over Yemen or Iraq or Syria. Those pilots and their control systems depend on the American electricity grid – large, complex, interconnected and very vulnerable to attack. |
 | We visit Apple Park. It one-upped iPhone X (and was pretty pungent).Apple Park smells like ... manure. That's because the grounds on this 175-acre campus—call it a shrine to Steve Jobs—are still so new that the landscaping is freshly dusted with pungent fertilizer, helping some 9,000 native and drought-resistant trees and other foliage take root. |
 | iPhone X is Apple's latest attempt at a Samsung killer. But it's coming late.Apple pulled out all the stops Tuesday for its most important event in three years: The unveiling of the new iPhone X. |
Federal Trade Commission investigating Equifax breachThe Federal Trade Commission has become the latest authority to announce an investigation into the massive security breach at credit agency Equifax. | |
UPS adds three all-electric delivery trucks to its fleetUPS is introducing all-electric delivery trucks to its U.S. fleet. | |
South Dakota court rejects law aimed at online sales taxesSouth Dakota's Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a law that would require out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes on in-state purchases—a defeat the state expected and welcomed in a case that eventually could have national implications for e-commerce. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Researchers uncover mechanism behind calorie restriction and lengthened lifespanAlmost a century ago, scientists discovered that cutting calorie intake could dramatically extend lifespan in certain animal species. Despite numerous studies since, however, researchers have been unable to explain precisely why. Now, investigators at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) have broken past that barrier. In new work published online September 14 in Nature Communications, they are the first to show that the speed at which the epigenome changes with age is associated with lifespan across species and that calorie restriction slows this process of change, potentially explaining its effects on longevity. |
 | Natural molecule appears to shut off cancer cells' energy sourceThe Warburg Effect describes a phenomenon in which cancer cells voraciously consume glucose for energy—something scientists have long known, yet have had little success exploiting as a way to stunt tumor growth. |
 | Asthma researchers test substance from coralberry leavesThe coralberry could offer new hope for asthmatics. Researchers at the University of Bonn have extracted an active pharmaceutical ingredient from its leaves to combat asthma, a widespread respiratory disease. In mice, it almost completely inhibits the characteristic contraction of the airways. The plant can be found in any well-stocked garden center. The study is published in the renowned journal Science Translational Medicine. |
 | Study identifies blood vessel as a therapeutic target for diabetesBlood vessels have an often overlooked role of regulating the transfer of nutrients from the blood to organs in the body. In a new Yale-led study, researchers have identified a role of a secreted protein, apelin, in regulating the transfer of fatty acids across the blood vessels. The study offers insights into a potential target for future therapies for type 2 diabetes. |
 | Discovery of a new mechanism for controlling memoryResearchers in Bordeaux recently discovered a new mechanism for storing information in synapses and a means of controlling the storage process. The breakthrough moves science closer to unveiling the mystery of the molecular mechanisms of memory and learning processes. The research, carried out primarily by researchers at the Interdisciplinary Institute for Neurosciences (CNRS/Université de Bordeaux) and the Bordeaux Imaging Center appears in the 13 September 2017 edition of Nature. |
 | Antidepressants associated with significantly elevated risk of death, researchers findAntidepressant medications, most commonly prescribed to reduce depression and anxiety, increase the risk of death, according to new findings by a McMaster-led team of researchers. |
 | Scientists find interaction between two key proteins regulates development of neuronsSalk Institute scientists have discovered that an interaction between two key proteins helps regulate and maintain the cells that produce neurons. The work, published in Cell Stem Cell on September 14, 2017, offers insight into why an imbalance between these precursor cells and neurons might contribute to mental illness or age-related brain disease. |
Six meals per day is better than three for blood sugar control in obese people with diabetesSix meals per day is better than three for blood sugar control in obese people with impaired glucose tolerance (prediabetes) or full-blown type 2 diabetes, suggests new research presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal (11-15 September). | |
Body fat mass distribution: A possible explanation for lower diabetes risk associated with dairy food consumptionScientists have examined how differences in body composition may be a possible explanation for why consumption of some dairy products may be associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes or cardiometabolic disorders. The research is being presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal (11-15 September). | |
 | Caffeine linked to lower risk of death in women with diabetesWomen with diabetes who regularly drink caffeinated coffee or tea may live longer than those who don't consume caffeine at all, according to new research being presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal (11-15 September). No association was found for men with diabetes. |
 | Weight loss after obesity surgery may reverse eye damageEarly eye damage caused by obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes can potentially be reversed by obesity surgery, concludes a study presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Lisbon, Portugal (11-15 September). |
 | Open communication and emotional closeness linked to fewer low sexual interest problemsBritish women living with a partner are more than twice as likely to lack interest in sex compared to men living with a partner, according to a new study published in the BMJ Open. |
 | People of color exposed to more pollution from cars, trucks, power plants over 10 yearsA new nationwide study finds that the U.S. made little progress from 2000 to 2010 in reducing relative disparities between people of color and whites in exposure to harmful air pollution emitted by cars, trucks and other combustion sources. |
Chronic pain common in people living with HIVBecause ongoing pain is a significant problem that affects 39 to 85 percent of people living with HIV, everyone with the infection should be assessed for chronic pain, recommend guidelines released by the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. Those who screen positive should be offered a variety of options for managing pain, starting with non-drug treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga and physical therapy, suggest the first comprehensive guidelines on HIV and chronic pain. | |
 | Premature infants may get metabolic boost from mom's breast milkThe breast milk of mothers with premature babies has different amounts of microRNA than that of mothers with babies born at term, which may help premature babies catch up in growth and development, according to researchers. |
Delaying child's tonsillectomy does not lower risk of developmental disorderChildren under age 5 who underwent minor surgery requiring anesthesia had a 26 percent increased risk of later diagnosis with a mental disorder. However, the timing of the procedure did not affect this risk, according to a new study at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and College of Physicians and Surgeons. Based on these findings, there is little support for delaying a minor procedure to reduce the potential neurodevelopmental risks of anesthesia in children. The results are published online in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia. | |
 | Improving the way we assign prostate cancer treatmentProstate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Europe. Every year around 5000 men in Norway are diagnosed with the disease. |
 | Brain rewiring in Parkinson's disease may contribute to abnormal movementThe brain's own mechanisms for dealing with the loss of dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease may be a source of the disorder's abnormal movement, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in Neuron. |
 | Drug for type 2 diabetes provides significant benefits to type 1 diabetic patientsA majority of patients with Type 1 diabetes who were treated with dapagliflozin, a Type 2 diabetes medicine, had a significant decline in their blood sugar levels, according to a new study published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. The results are being presented today by the University at Buffalo researcher who led the study at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Lisbon. |
 | Insulin therapy initially declined and delayed by an average of two yearsAlthough delaying insulin therapy leads to a worsening progression of diabetes, new research by Brigham and Women's Hospital has found 30 percent of type 2 diabetic patients don't begin insulin, a medication used to lower the body's blood sugar levels, when it's initially recommended, with the average start time being two years later. These findings were published today in the journal of Diabetic Medicine. |
 | Young binge drinkers show altered brain activityResearchers have studied the brain activity of young binge-drinking college students in Spain, and found distinctive changes in brain activity, which may indicate delayed brain development and be an early sign of brain damage. |
 | Rare genetic cause of peritoneal mesothelioma points to targeted therapyMesothelioma is a rare and aggressive tumor that, in many cases, results from exposure to asbestos. But over the last several decades, other causes of the disease have emerged, including treatment with high-intensity therapeutic radiation and, more recently, an inherited genetic mutation. Now, through an unexpected observation and a meticulous study of patients seen at Brigham and Women's Hospital, BWH investigators have added a fourth cause to the list: a genetic rearrangement in the ALK gene, observed in three patients with peritoneal mesothelioma. Unlike previously known causes, this new discovery points to a potential therapeutic approach for those few patients whose tumors harbor the mutation. |
 | SIDS research confirms changes in babies' brain chemistryUniversity of Adelaide researchers have confirmed that abnormalities in a common brain chemical are linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). |
 | Study calculates 18th century syphilis rates for first timeThe unlikely coincidence of a local hospital record and a census led by a pioneering physician has enabled the first study charting rates of venereal disease in 18th century England, revealing high infection levels in the city of Chester at this time. |
 | Alzheimer's study delves into degraded brain connectionsA new study from the Center for Vital Longevity at The University of Texas at Dallas is among the first to investigate how degraded connections in certain parts of the adult brain might affect the ability to perform the financial calculations that are vital to everyday life among older adults. |
Fertility research brings death of dogma, birth of hopeAbout 13 years ago, Northeastern professor Jonathan Tilly, a reproductive biologist, made a discovery that challenged everything scientists thought they knew about female reproduction. The long-held belief that mammals were born with a set number of eggs—and no ability to create new ones—was wrong. | |
 | Scientists find potential mechanism for deadly, sepsis-induced secondary infectionIn mice, an infection-induced condition known as sepsis may increase the risk of life-threatening secondary infection by preventing recruitment of infection-fighting cells to the skin, according to new research published in PLOS Pathogens. |
 | Spread of Zika linked to how much time people spend outsideWhether a community is made up of people who spend their days entirely outside or those who rarely see sunshine, the amount of time residents spend outdoors can affect how Zika virus spreads throughout the population. That's the conclusion of a new study conducted in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and published this week in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. |
 | Most people newly recommended to take statins are from disadvantaged backgrounds, less likely to have health insuranceThe majority of people who are recommended to take cholesterol-lowering medication under new American guidelines are from disadvantaged populations, but people from these populations are less likely to have health insurance and receive recommended medications, a new study has found. |
 | Impaired sleep may have serious health consequences for kidney disease patientsA new study reveals a potential link between disordered sleep and kidney function loss and early death among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), suggest that people with CKD may be especially vulnerable to the deleterious effects of impaired sleep. |
 | Century-old brain collection yields new researchThe father of neurosurgery, Yale's Harvey Cushing, MD, left a remarkable gift to science. Now, for the first time, his collection of brains is being used for active research. |
 | Lower thyroid stimulating hormone levels elevate risk of thyroid cancerThere is an increased risk of thyroid cancer associated with lower-than-normal thyroid hormone levels, a finding that could have a major impact on patients fighting the disease. |
 | Artificial pancreas to manage type 1 diabetes gets a trial runNine-year-old Summer Alba watched in rapt attention as the tour guide at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History animatedly outlined the profile of a bird-like dinosaur on a laminated sheet. As the guide described melanin and skin, one wonders whether Summer's attention returned to the pod attached to her own skin—visible on her upper arm, and perhaps nearly forgotten. She was one of five children (aged nine to 11 years) and one adult participating in a five-day clinical trial for a system to manage type 1 diabetes; the pod is a discreet insulin dispenser. The pediatric patients spent the days of the trial on outings around New Haven, including to the Peabody, where they heard about dinosaurs and handled—with mingled delighted disgust and fascination—fossilized dinosaur poop, a T-Rex tooth, and a Hadrosaur jawbone. |
 | Biomarkers in the blood prove strong role of food for type 2 diabetesMetabolic fingerprints from blood samples could render important new knowledge on the connection between food and health. A new study finds that diet is one of the strongest predictors of type 2 diabetes risk in older women. |
Snail fever progression linked to nitric oxide productionBilharzia, caused by a parasitic worm found in freshwater called Schistosoma, infects around 200 million people globally and its advance can lead to death, especially in children in developing countries. | |
 | Regenerating heart muscle tissue using a 3D printerThe combination of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron's unique biomedical imaging and therapy (BMIT) beamline and the vision of a multi-discipline researcher from the University of Saskatchewan in confirming fiction as fact was published in the September issue of Tissue Engineering, one of the leading journals in this emerging global research field of tissue regeneration. |
 | Legal weed—what your kids really need to knowWeed, pot, grass, marijuana—or cannabis to use the proper terminology—will be legal in Canada from July 1, 2018. Anyone over the age of 18 will be able to walk into a store and buy up to 30 grams of regulated product. While most Canadians approve of this new policy, many also believe the law will fail to stop more children using the drug. |
 | How everyday language casually stigmatises obesity – and what to do about itObesity is a highly stigmatised condition. Those with obesity are frequently subject to prejudice and ridicule at home, school, work and even from health care professionals. Every day, they face social rejection and are deemed lazy, unattractive, unmotivated and unhappy. Alarmingly, many obese individuals feel unable to challenge such stigma, so they passively accept and sometimes believe it. |
 | Epigenetic 'fingerprint' identifies diabetes riskDeakin researchers have identified an epigenetic marker that predicts risk of type 2 diabetes in women with gestational diabetes. |
 | Antibiotic reduces infection risk in young leukemia patientsSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital researchers have identified an antibiotic that significantly reduced the odds of infections in children starting treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) without an apparent increase in antibiotic resistance. The research appears today in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. |
 | Study on transplanted hearts reveals risk genes for cardiovascular diseasesWith participation of the Helmholtz Zentrum München, an international research team has discovered a number of new risk factors for dilated cardiomyopathy and other heart conditions. In the largest transcriptome study to date, the researchers analysed the RNA of transplanted hearts. The study was recently published in Genome Biology. |
Interventions for treating tuberculous pericarditisResearchers from South Africa and Canada have carried out a Cochrane review update to assess the safety and effectiveness of corticosteroids for treating tuberculous pericarditis. | |
 | Biomedical engineers connecting a human brain to the internet in real timeIn research thought to be a world first, biomedical engineers at Wits are connecting a human brain to the internet in real time. |
 | For worriers, expressive writing cools brain on stressful tasksChronic worriers, take note: Simply writing about your feelings may help you perform an upcoming stressful task more efficiently, finds a Michigan State University study that measured participants' brain activity. |
 | Scientists grow human 'mini brains'Birmingham scientists who are growing human brain cells in the laboratory say their work could one day help combat the damage caused by Alzheimer's and other brain traumas. |
 | Study adds to evidence that racial and economic factors affect surgical pain managementA "look back" analysis of more than 600 major colorectal surgeries using a "checklist" tool has added further evidence that racial and socioeconomic disparities may occur during many specific stages of surgical care, particularly in pain management. |
 | Researchers develop new strategy to target KRAS mutant cancerAlthough KRAS is one of the major oncogenes associated with aggressive cancers, drugs designed to block KRAS function have not been able to halt cancer progression in a clinical setting. Until now, KRAS has remained infamously "undruggable." |
Chad Carr's tumor offers genetic clues for DIPG researchA year and half after losing his battle against brain cancer, Chad Carr's legacy lives through research that will help other children facing the same cruel disease. | |
 | Engineered therapy for blood clotting disorder shows early promiseAn investigational treatment that mimics a key clotting enzyme is effective, safe, and may one day eliminate the need for blood products for people with the rare, life-threatening blood disease hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), according to a study published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH). |
Too many older diabetes patients are being overtreatedUp to 11 percent of older Americans insured through Medicare are receiving too much medication to control their diabetes, and around 7 percent are being undertreated. This is according to a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine which is published by Springer. The research involved the analysis of Medicare insurance claims data in 2011 from 78,792 diabetes patients 65 years and older living in ten eastern American states. Medicare is a US federal health insurance program primarily for people who are 65 or older. | |
 | New knowledge on how HIV beats the body's early immune responseIn an important step towards eradicating HIV-associated viral reservoirs, researchers at Sydney's Westmead Institute for Medical Research have identified how the HIV virus hijacks the innate immune system to facilitate its replication and spread, thus gaining a foothold infection in the body. |
 | New inhibitor brings new hopeScientists from the cluster of excellence BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies at the University of Freiburg and the Freiburg University Medical Center have shown that inhibiting the epigenetic regulator KDM4 might offer a potential novel treatment option for breast cancer patients. They used a newly established cell model that enables scientists to isolate cancer stem cells directly from patient tumor. Using this special culture system, they were able to test potential new cancer drugs. One of these, a novel inhibitor of the epigenetic regulator KDM4, co-developed in the lab of Prof. Schüle, showed promising results. The researchers now published their work in the scientific journal Cancer Research. |
Google Glass app helps autistic children with social interactionsA prototype software application, to be used with the optical head-mounted display Google Glass, has been designed as a social-skills coach for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). | |
 | Could swine flu be linked to type 1 diabetes?(HealthDay)—Young people who've been infected with the H1N1 swine flu virus may be at increased risk for type 1 diabetes, a new study suggests. |
 | 5 no-calorie hunger busters(HealthDay)—Psychology can play a big role in how much we eat. |
 | AACR releases 2017 cancer progress report(HealthDay)—The age-adjusted U.S. cancer death rate decreased 25 percent from 1991 to 2014, which translates into 2.1 million fewer cancer deaths, according to an annual progress report published by the American Association for Cancer Research. |
 | Study details humanitarian surgical care in afghanistan(HealthDay)—Humanitarian surgical care (HSC) has been provided to local national civilians during the Afghanistan conflict, with 49.3 percent of patients treated for non-war-related (NWR) conditions, according to a research letter published online Sept. 13 in JAMA Surgery. |
Sportspeople can face retirement identity crisisNew research shows how top-level sportspeople can struggle to adjust to life after retirement, with their identities continuing to be defined by their former careers. | |
 | U.S. cancer death rate continues to fall(HealthDay)—More Americans are surviving cancer than ever before, but as the population ages, even more will develop the disease. |
App to help treat substance abuse approved(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its first mobile app to help treat substance abuse, the agency said Thursday in a news release. | |
 | Hurricanes' toll on mental health will linger(HealthDay)—Even after the devastation caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma disappears, survivors could still suffer from mental stress caused by the massive storms, experts say. |
 | Ablating non-pulmonary vein triggers improves A-fib outcome(HealthDay)—For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with two or more failed pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures, ablating non-PV triggers is associated with improved outcomes, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. |
 | New test developed to assess geriatrics fellowship programs(HealthDay)—A geriatrics knowledge test demonstrates sound reliability for use in evaluating geriatrics fellowship programs, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Peri-op IV corticosteroids benefit knee, hip arthroplasty(HealthDay)—Intravenous corticosteroids are both safe and effective when used perioperatively in total knee or hip arthroplasty, with benefits including less pain, vomiting, and nausea, and fewer opioids, according to a review published online Aug. 29 in PAIN Practice. |
 | Study IDs determinants of the neuro-retinal rim area(HealthDay)—Reduced neuro-retinal rim area (RA) is associated with narrow central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) and higher intraocular pressure (IOP), according to a study published online Aug. 31 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology. |
 | Fibrous dysplasia associated with increased breast cancer risk(HealthDay)—Patients with fibrous dysplasia (FD) are at increased risk for breast cancer, according to a study published online Aug. 30 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. |
Low awareness of breast cancer overdiagnosis and overtreatment among US womenDid you know that routine mammograms can lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment of breast cancer? Most American women aren't aware of these risks of breast cancer screening, reports a study in the October issue of Medical Care. | |
Researchers identify the most effective operating room infection control practicesWhile hospitals grapple with what operating room (OR) infection control procedures work best, a new study of Texas hospitals has determined two areas that stand out: mandating sterile operating conditions at or close to the wound itself; and tracking in-hospital outcomes on surgical site infections (SSIs) and sharing that information with surgeons and other OR staff. | |
Shifting attitudes on pre-planned death raises new questions for cliniciansAmid changing attitudes toward death and dying, some people with serious physical and/or mental illnesses are claiming a right to choose the time, place, and manner of their death. Discussions about "pre-planned death" pose new challenges for psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals to consider, according to an article in the September Journal of Psychiatric Practice. | |
Opioid overdoses killed 8 Canadians a day in 2016: ministerAn average of nearly eight Canadians per day died last year from opioid overdoses, mostly involving the potent drug fentanyl, and the crisis has since deepened, the government said Thursday. | |
New study shows that genomic profiling can help improve treatment of brain tumors in childrenThe largest genomic profiling study ever conducted into a type of brain tumor known as glioma in children has identified genetic alterations in 96% of cases. As reported in The Oncologist, this genetic information could help to identify the most effective treatments for specific cases of glioma, hopefully improving the prognosis for what is currently the leading cause of death for children with cancer in the US. | |
Link between breast cancer and obesity influenced by type of obesity, says Chinese studyObese women with large bellies may be at risk of developing a different subtype of breast cancer than those with widespread fat accumulation, according to a new study published in The Oncologist. This suggests that the link between breast cancer and obesity may be more complex than previously thought. | |
New global study finds countries saving more lives, despite a 'triad of troubles'Countries have saved more lives over the past decade, especially among children under age 5, but persistent health problems, such as obesity, conflict, and mental illness, comprise a "triad of troubles," and prevent people from living long, healthy lives, according to a new scientific study. | |
 | New book explores how the human brain can overcome any conditionIn his new book 'Your brain knows more than you think', the neuroscientist Professor Niels Birbaumer, a Senior Research Fellow at the Wyss Center, in Geneva, Switzerland, investigates the limitless capacity of the brain to remould itself. |
Repealing ACA would leave more veterans uninsured, increase pressure on VAProposals to repeal or replace the federal Affordable Care Act would likely increase the demand for service in the Veterans Affairs medical system, while also increasing the number of veterans who have no insurance coverage at all, according to a new RAND Corporation report. | |
Key Democrats line up behind Sanders health care billFormer US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Wednesday introduced a revolutionary plan for government-sponsored health care, a proposal that has gained traction among rising-star Democrats. | |
New research shows climate change could impact on 351 million Europeans by 2100According to a study recently published in the The Lancet Planetary Health, global warming could impact about two-thirds of the European population a year, 351 million people, by 2100, resulting in 152 000 deaths annually. | |
Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in Scotland increase by 33.4% in one yearDeaths from Alzheimer's in Scotland have soared by 33.4 percent in a year, according to new statistics released by the National Records of Scotland today. | |
Safe cocaine sniffing 'kit' under fire in SpainA Spanish city is under fire for distributing advice on how to safely snort cocaine. | |
 | Do titanium dioxide particles from orthopedic implants disrupt bone repair?Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have proposed that negative cellular responses to titanium-based nanoparticles released from metal implants interfere in bone formation and resorption at the site of repair, resulting in implant loosening and joint pain. Their review of recent scientific evidence and call for further research to characterize the biological, physical, and chemical interactions between titanium dioxide nanoparticles and bone-forming cells is published in BioResearch Open Access. |
MRI effective in detecting postpartum breast cancersPregnancy-associated breast cancer, which is rare but often aggressive, was detected with MRI in 98% of cases reviewed in a recent article published in the September 2017 edition of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR). | |
Biology news
 | Biologist reaches into electric eel tank, comes out with equation to measure shocksThe electric eel has always been noted for its impressive ability to shock and subdue its prey. It's recently become clear that electric eels also use a clever trick to deliver an intense, Taser-like jolt to potential predators: they leap from the water to target threatening animals, humans included, above water. Now, a researcher reporting in Current Biology on September 14 has measured (and experienced) just how strong that jolt can be. |
 | Plant geneticists develop a new application of CRISPR to break yield barriers in cropsScientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have harnessed the still untapped power of genome editing to improve agricultural crops. Using tomato as an example, they have mobilized CRISPR/Cas9 technology to rapidly generate variants of the plant that display a broad continuum of three separate, agriculturally important traits: fruit size, branching architecture and overall plant shape. All are major components in determining how much a plant will yield. The method is designed to work in all food, feed, and fuel crops, including the staples rice, maize, sorghum and wheat. |
 | Scientists reveal the beautiful simplicity underlying branching patterns in tissueIn the centenary year of the publication of a seminal treatise on the physical and mathematical principles underpinning nature - On Growth and Form by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson - a Cambridge physicist has led a study describing an elegantly simple solution to a puzzle that has taxed biologists for centuries: how complex branching patterns of tissues arise. |
 | Evidence of 'night parrot', one of world's rarest birds, found in AustraliaA feather from one of the most elusive birds in the world has been found in South Australia, the first proof in more than a century that it lives there, wildlife experts said Thursday. |
 | Tiny fighters in sediments determine success of invasive marine plantsArmies of microbes that are invisible to the naked eye battle it out to determine whether exotic marine plants successfully invade new territory and replace native species, UNSW-led research shows. |
 | Huge genetic diversity among Papuan New Guinean peoples revealedThe first large-scale genetic study of people in Papua New Guinea has shown that different groups within the country are genetically highly different from each other. Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their colleagues at the University of Oxford and the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research reveal that the people there have remained genetically independent from Europe and Asia for most of the last 50,000 years, and that people from the country's isolated highlands region have been completely independent even until the present day. |
 | Genome of orchid Apostasia shenzhenica sequenced(Phys.org)—A large international team of researchers has sequenced the genome of the orchid Apostasia shenzhenica. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes the approach they used and what they learned during the process. |
 | Scientists tinker with gene-mapping device to make DNA editing safeIlya Finkelstein chuckles when recounting the origins of the project that landed the University of Texas scientist and his colleagues in the prestigious academic journal Cell. |
 | How does a cell maintain its identity during replication?Prior to cell division, chromosomes are seemingly a jumbled mess. During cell division, parent cell chromosomes and their duplicates sort themselves out by condensing, becoming thousands of times more compact than at any other time. Researchers have long assumed that genes become "silent" during cell division, not being transcribed into proteins or regulatory molecules. This has left open the question of how genes get properly re-activated after cell division. Now, researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University Pennsylvania have found that gene expression actually continues during cell replication. Their findings are published this week in Science. |
 | World's oldest panda dies aged 37 in ChinaThe world's oldest captive giant panda has died at age 37—more than 100 years in human years—her handlers in China said on Thursday as they gave "Basi" an emotional send-off befitting a minor celebrity. |
 | Old fish few and far between under fishing pressureLike old-growth trees in a forest, old fish in the ocean play important roles in the diversity and stability of marine ecosystems. Critically, the longer a fish is allowed to live, the more likely it is to successfully reproduce over the course of its lifetime, which is particularly important in variable environmental conditions. |
 | Small-scale fisheries have big impact on oceansA new UBC study has found that small-scale fisheries may have a much larger impact on ocean ecosystems than previously thought, due to a lack of data on their development over time. |
 | 'Handedness' in scale-eating fishTwo researchers from Nagoya University and the University of Toyama find scale-eating fish have a naturally stronger side for attacking prey fish, and learn to use the dominant side through experience. |
 | Baw Baw frog charms researchers in battle against extinctionScientists are racing against time to save Victoria's unique Baw Baw frog - facing extinction from a fungus threatening a third of Australia's frog species. |
 | Study explains how bacteria form flocksScientists have shed light on how tiny organisms flock together even when they are present in very low numbers. |
 | Research discovers a chemical-free way to keep apples fresher longerAn apple a day may keep the doctor away, but the mold on it could make you sick. |
 | Long-endangered snow leopard upgraded to 'vulnerable' statusThe elusive snow leopard—long considered an endangered species—has been upgraded to "vulnerable," international conservationists said Thursday. But experts warned the new classification does not mean they are safe. |
 | Secrets of Bonsai: Uncovering the mechanism of root regenerationThe molecular mechanism behind root regeneration after root cutting in plants has been discovered. A finding which could lead to the development of new methods for regulating plant growth in agriculture and horticulture. |
 | Light at the end of the tunnel: Restored forest now shelters dozens of endangered speciesDuring the last twenty years, scientists worked hard to protect and restore the scattered patches of a dilapidated forest and its surroundings of agricultural and fallow vegetation in southern Benin. |
 | Threatened Alabama snail renamed after a case of mistaken identityAlabama has some of the highest diversity of freshwater snails in the world, but many snails are at high risk of extinction. |
 | Report finds staggering decline in Canada wildlifeHalf of the vertebrate populations in Canada are in staggering decline, despite the country's vast outback, according to a WWF report Thursday that highlighted threats to beluga whales and caribou. |
Breakthrough soybean research could save farmers millionsThrough a collaborative project, Purdue University and Dow AgroSciences researchers have discovered a novel soybean gene that provides resistance to a devastating and costly fungal disease. | |
 | Initial survey results reveal a worrying decline in Guinea's forest elephant populationA new survey by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has highlighted the increasing risk in the density and distribution of forest elephants in Guinea's Ziama Massif forest. This is the first time that such a survey has been attempted since 2004. |
Once-abundant ash tree and antelope species face extinction—IUCN Red ListNorth America's most widespread and valuable ash tree species are on the brink of extinction due to an invasive beetle decimating their populations, while the loss of wilderness areas and poaching are contributing to the declining numbers of five African antelope species, according to the latest update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. | |
 | California crabbers use GPS to find whale-killing gearFisherman Jake Bunch leans over the side of the fishing boat "Sadie K," spears his catch, and reels it aboard: an abandoned crab pot, dangling one limp lasagna noodle of kelp and dozens of feet of rope, just the kind of fishing gear that has been snaring an increasing number of whales off U.S. coasts. |
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