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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 7, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Image: Prospecting from orbitThe combination of morphological and topographic information from stereo images from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, as well as compositional data from near-infrared spectroscopy has been proven to be a powerful tool for understanding the geology of Mars. |
 | Ground-based telescopes to photograph NASA's OSIRIS-REx during Earth flybyOn Sept. 22, NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer) spacecraft will make a close approach to Earth, using the planet's gravity to slingshot itself toward the asteroid Bennu. Over the course of several days, observatories and amateur astronomers with specialized equipment will be able to see OSIRIS-REx as the spacecraft approaches and retreats from its closest position over Earth, approximately 11,000 miles (17,000 km) above the planet's surface. |
 | Ultraviolet light from superluminous supernova key to revealing explosion mechanismAn international team of researchers has discovered a way to use observations at ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths to uncover characteristics about superluminous supernovae previously impossible to determine, reports a new study published in Astrophysical Journal Letters on August 3, 2017. |
 | SpaceX launches Air Force's super-secret minishuttleSpaceX launched the Air Force's super-secret space shuttle on Thursday, a technology tester capable of spending years in orbit. |
 | Pluto features given first official namesThe Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union has officially approved the naming of 14 features on the surface of Pluto. These are the first geological features on the planet to be named following the close flyby by the New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015. |
 | Active region on sun continues to emit solar flaresThe sun emitted two mid-level solar flares on Sept. 7, 2017. The first peaked at 6:15 a.m. EDT. The second, larger flare, peaked at 10:36 a.m. EDT. These are the fourth and fifth sizable flares from the same active region since Sept. 4. |
 | New Canadian telescope will map largest volume of space ever surveyedA Canadian effort to build one of the most innovative radio telescopes in the world will open the universe to a new dimension of scientific study. The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, today installed the final piece of this new radio telescope, which will act as a time machine allowing scientists to create a three-dimensional map of the universe extending deep into space and time. |
 | Image: ESA's Large European Acoustic FacilityESA's Large European Acoustic Facility (LEAF) will be on view to visitors at next month's ESA Open Day in the Netherlands, along with other facilities in the establishment's Test Centre. |
Keep your eclipse glasses to see the sun's 'freckles'You don't have to wait on the next eclipse for another cool opportunity to look at the sun—our nearest star puts on quite the show of its own without the help of the moon. Heliophysics, the field of study devoted to the sun and its effects on space, is a science that can often be seen and appreciated from Earth. Some solar phenomenon manifest themselves with spectacular light shows while others are less conspicuous, rewarding careful observers who find themselves in the right place at the right time. | |
Technology news
 | Monitor tracks heart, respiratory rates of elderly living on their own(Tech Xplore)—A scenario that is altogether contemporary in the broader cradle-to-grave journey: An elderly parent, over 65 years of age, functions independently, and lives alone. The fact is also that in his or her senior years there is the possibility of a medical emergency and the adult children would want to know. |
 | Team efforts accelerate 3-D printing journeyWith the development of additive manufacturing—often referred to as 3-D printing—engineers are limited only by their imagination—and the quality of the part that they can produce. By heating plastic or metal powders with lasers, scientists have already built cars, pedestrian bridges and even artificial jawbones layer by layer. This technology has the potential to transform manufacturing as engineers use titanium and other metal alloys to tap raw materials more efficiently, which in turn will reduce product costs and weight and shorten supply chains. |
 | Low-cost wearables manufactured by hybrid 3-D printingHuman skin must flex and stretch to accommodate the body's every move. Anything worn tight on the body must also be able to flex around muscles and joints, which helps explain why synthetic fabrics like spandex are popular in active wear. Wearable electronic devices that aim to track and measure the body's movements must possess similar properties, yet integrating rigid electrical components on or within skin-mimicking matrix materials has proven to be challenging. Such components cannot stretch and dissipate forces like soft materials can, and this mismatch in flexibility concentrates stress at the junction between the hard and soft elements, frequently causing wearable devices to fail. |
 | Jaguar cars set to go electric from 2020Jaguar Land Rover will make all its new vehicles available in electric or hybrid models from 2020, it said on Thursday, two months after a similar announcement from Volvo. |
 | Improving web security without sacrificing performanceChances are, you're reading this article on a web browser that uses HTTPS, the protocol over which data is sent between a web browser and the website users are connected to. In fact, nearly half of all web traffic passes through HTTPS. Despite the "S" for security in "HTTPS," this protocol is far from perfectly secure. |
IBM and MIT partner on artificial intelligence researchIBM is planning to spend $240 million over the next decade to create an artificial intelligence research lab at MIT. | |
Americans support net energy meteringAbout three out of every four Americans support hotly debated net energy metering policies, which allow residents with wind turbines and solar panels to sell excess energy back to the grid at retail rates, according to a national poll by University of Michigan researchers. | |
 | Algorithm reconstructs processes from individual imagesResearchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum München have developed a new method for reconstructing continuous biological processes, such as disease progression, using image data. The study was published in Nature Communications. |
 | Amazon seeks bids for second headquarters, to invest $5bnAmazon announced plans Thursday to invest some $5 billion in a second North American headquarters, in a fresh sign of the phenomenal growth of the diversified US technology giant. |
German hackers say vote software a security 'write-off'German IT security experts said Thursday that they had found "serious flaws" in the ballot software being used for the September 24 elections in which Chancellor Angela Merkel is seeking a fourth term. | |
 | Social networks extend gains as news sources in US: surveySocial networks have made more gains as news sources for Americans in 2017, according to a study released Thursday suggesting more woes for traditional news organizations. |
 | Top 'streamripping' site shuts after music business suitsThe most popular "streamripping" site, in which millions of users have converted YouTube videos into audio files, shut down Thursday faced with a legal campaign by the music industry. |
 | Parched Jordan starts growing vegetables in desertJordan, a water-poor country that is 90-percent desert, on Thursday launched a project to turn its sand dunes into farming land to produce food using sun and sea water. |
Watchdog agency: US nuclear dump running out of roomA government watchdog agency says the only underground nuclear waste repository in the United States doesn't have enough space for radioactive debris left over from decades of bomb-making and research, much less tons of surplus weapons-grade plutonium. | |
 | Here comes the iPhone 8: Five things you should knowDo you have $1,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Then Apple has a deal for you. |
 | Google takes aim at hated auto-play video adsIt may come as a surprise that the video ads that pop up and yell at you when you visit many websites are not considered the most annoying form of online advertising. |
Chinese robotics artist makes real-life 'Transformers'In the suburbs of China's capital, a 32-year-old engineer creates the kind of larger-than-life, shapeshifting robots that most have only seen in "Transformers" movies. | |
The evolving laws and rules around privacy, data security, and robotsEvery day, we use digital devices and web services to shop, track our fitness, chat with friends, play games, check-in at stores and restaurants, you name it. While these activities are becoming increasingly essential in our digital society, they also can put our personal information at risk, says professor Woodrow Hartzog, whose research focuses on privacy, data protection, robotics, and automated technologies. | |
 | Australia needs to do more to regulate internet-connected medical devicesIn the future, people are going to be just a little bit cyborg. We've accepted hearing aids, nicotine patches and spectacles, but implanted medical devices that are internet-connected present new safety challenges. Are Australian regulators keeping up? |
 | GoPro surges on camera-friendly outlookGoPro's expects to turn a profit in the third quarter, removing one-time charges, and the news is sending shares of the wearable camera maker up 19 percent in early trading. |
 | Kenya shows pitfalls of digital electionsAllegations of computer hacking in Kenya's August 8 election have reignited a debate around the use of digital technology in national votes, with experts wondering whether sticking to paper may be best. |
 | Disney streaming service just got a lot biggerDisney is adding more firepower to its upcoming streaming service . |
US drugmaker Eli Lilly to cut 3,500 jobsEli Lilly will cut 3,500 jobs and close some drug manufacturing and research facilities in a cost-cutting drive, the US pharmaceutical company announced Thursday. | |
 | All NFL games will air online, but watching won't be easyEvery NFL football game will be shown live online this season—but that doesn't mean you'll be able to watch them. |
 | EU defence ministers put to test in mock cyberattackA major cyberattack targets European Union military structures, with hackers using social media and "fake news" to spread confusion, and governments are left scrambling to respond as the crisis escalates. |
From immigrant family to tech CEO, Nina Vaca uses her success to spread global entrepreneurshipThe first time you hear about Nina Vaca, you wonder why you've never heard of her before. | |
 | Review: Samsung Galaxy S8 Active is a survivorGetting a new phone is exciting. Worrying about keeping that new phone safe is not so exciting. |
Apple, Microsoft vow to shield DACA employees, urge new law over tax reformDon't mess with DACA. That was the message from major technology companies who are pressuring lawmakers to take swift action on a legislative fix after the Trump administration said it would jettison an immigration program that allows young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children to remain here. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Human skin cells transformed directly into motor neuronsScientists working to develop new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases have been stymied by the inability to grow human motor neurons in the lab. Motor neurons drive muscle contractions, and their damage underlies devastating diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy, both of which ultimately lead to paralysis and early death. |
 | Emoji fans take heart: Scientists pinpoint 27 states of emotionThe Emoji Movie, in which the protagonist can't help but express a wide variety of emotions instead of the one assigned to him, may have gotten something right. A new study from the University of California, Berkeley, challenges a long-held assumption in psychology that most human emotions fall within the universal categories of happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear and disgust. |
 | Study offers a new mindset in the search for stroke therapiesUNSW researchers have identified a promising new avenue to explore in the search for stroke treatments, after translating findings from Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Researchers develop a fluidic device to track over time which cancer cells lead the invasive marchAs cancer grows, it evolves. Individual cells become more aggressive and break away to flow through the body and spread to distant areas. |
 | Researchers find shortened telomeres linked to dysfunction in Duchenne muscular dystrophyResearchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have made a discovery about muscular dystrophy disorders that suggest new possibilities for treatment. In a study published today online in Stem Cell Reports, researchers found that stem cells in the muscles of muscular dystrophy patients may, at an early age, lose their ability to regenerate new muscle, due to shortened telomeres. |
 | Team finds that telomere length can have a direct correlation to heart failure in humansEach cell in the average human body contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, with four telomeres on each pair. Telomeres cover the end of the chromosome, protecting it from deterioration or fusion with adjacent chromosomes, much like the plastic tip at the end of a shoelace protects it from unraveling. While there is a length range for classifying a healthy telomere, researchers found, for the first time ever, that people with heart failure have shorter telomeres within the cells that make up the heart muscle (known as cardiomyocytes). |
 | Human papillomavirus 16 infections may pose variable cancer riskHuman papillomavirus 16 accounts for about half of all cervical cancers, but researchers reporting September 7 in the journal Cell have found that not all infections are equal. An analysis of the HPV16 genome from 5,570 human cell and tissue samples revealed that the virus actually consists of thousands of unique genomes, such that infected women living in the same region often have different HPV16 sequences and variable risks to cancer. Women with precancer or cancer were most likely to have particular versions of the viral gene E7, which researchers are now interested in targeting. |
 | Treating with antioxidants early in Parkinson's disease process may halt degeneration and improve neuronal functionNorthwestern Medicine scientists have identified a toxic cascade that leads to neuronal degeneration in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and figured out how to interrupt it, reports a study to be published September 7 in the journal Science. |
 | Immune and nerve cells work together to fight gut infectionsNerve cells in the gut play a crucial role in the body's ability to marshal an immune response to infection, according to a new study from Weill Cornell Medicine scientists. |
Scientists Discover Mechanism Behind 'Paused' GenesNorthwestern Medicine scientists have discovered the mechanism driving a protein that influences transcription, a crucial step in gene expression. The study, recently published in Science, could lead to drugs that control faulty gene expression, a precursor to cancer and other disease. | |
 | Caloric restriction for anti-aging(Medical Xpress)—The idea that reducing the amount of food you eat can slow metabolism and extend lifespan has been around for a while. Only recently has it become more mainstream. On sites like the popular Fight Aging forum, caloric restriction is a regular topic of scientific discussion. In Silicon Valley, intermittent fasting isn't called dieting, instead it's now "biohacking." |
 | Intermittent electrical brain stimulation improves memoryIntermittent electrical stimulation of an area deep inside the brain that degenerates in Alzheimer's appears to improve working memory, scientists report. |
 | Study finds association between antidepressant use in pregnancy and diagnosis of psychiatric disorderAntidepressant use during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of psychiatric disorder diagnosis in children compared to children born to mothers with no record of antidepressant use during pregnancy, finds a study published in The BMJ today. |
'Weekend effect': Risk of dying higher if admitted to intensive care units at the weekendA person's risk of dying is higher if they are admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the weekend compared to a weekday, according to a study involving 119 ICUs in Austria. Conversely, the risk of dying in the ICU on a weekend is lower than on a weekday, highlighting the complexity of the so-called 'weekend effect'. The study was published in the open access journal Critical Care. | |
Children exposed to chemicals in 9/11 'dust' show early signs of risk of heart diseaseSixteen years after the collapse of the World Trade Center towers sent a "cloud" of toxic debris across Lower Manhattan, children living nearby who likely breathed in the ash and fumes are showing early signs of risk for future heart disease. | |
Potentially lifesaving implantable cardioverter defibrillators underutilized in eligible patientsFewer than 10% of people who experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) outside of a hospital survive. Reoccurrence rates after an initial event are high, which is why current Canadian Cardiovascular Society, as well as other international guidelines, strongly recommend the use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in selected patients who survive cardiac arrest. Despite this recommendation, a new study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology reveals that real-life ICD utilization rates are lower than expected. | |
 | Tooth trouble: Many middle-aged adults report dental pain, embarrassment and poor preventionThe dental health of middle-aged Americans faces a lot of problems right now, and an uncertain future to come, according to new results from the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging. |
Study shows oral food challenges are safe for diagnosing food allergiesThe best way to find out if someone has a food allergy is through an oral food challenge (OFC) where the person is given a very small dose of the food by mouth under the supervision of a board-certified allergist to test for a severe reaction. A new study shows that OFCs are extremely safe, with very few people having a reaction of any kind. | |
Link established between a molecular driver of melanoma and novel therapeutic agentResults of a study by The Wistar Institute have described a correlation between a key melanoma signaling pathway and a novel class of drugs being tested in the clinic as adjuvant therapy for advanced melanoma, providing useful information for a more effective use of this type of treatment. The study was published online in Cancer Research. | |
 | Report: Whole grains decrease colorectal cancer risk, processed meats increase the riskEating whole grains daily, such as brown rice or whole-wheat bread, reduces colorectal cancer risk, with the more you eat the lower the risk, finds a new report by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). This is the first time AICR/WCRF research links whole grains independently to lower cancer risk. |
 | Pre-cosmetic Sx advice may aid long-term smoking cessation(HealthDay)—Asking patients to stop smoking before undergoing cosmetic surgery can promote long-term smoking cessation, according to a study published in the September issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. |
 | Acute diverticulitis recurrence more likely with barium enema(HealthDay)—For patients with acute diverticulitis, recurrence is more likely among those undergoing barium enema, according to a study published online Aug. 30 in the Journal of Digestive Diseases. |
 | Islet-released mediators impact transplant outcome(HealthDay)—Cytokines and chemokines produced by pancreatic islets in response to inflammatory and metabolic stress include interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10/CXCL10), which is associated with poor islet transplant outcomes, according to a study published in the September issue of Diabetes. |
 | Universal sequencing of cancer genes ups mutation detection(HealthDay)—Universal sequencing of a broad panel of cancer-related genes is associated with increased detection of potentially clinically significant heritable mutations, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | Docs should be aware of family beliefs regarding nondisclosure(HealthDay)—Physicians should be aware of societal codes of conduct that affect family beliefs and behaviors regarding information disclosure to pediatric patients, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in JAMA Pediatrics. |
 | Long-acting inhaler may help in early stage COPD, too(HealthDay)—The inhaler medication Spiriva (tiotropium bromide) may help slow the progression of COPD if given in the early stages of the disease, a new study suggests. |
 | New 'biologic' drug may help severe asthma(HealthDay)—A "biologic" drug in development to treat severe asthma reduces the rate of serious attacks by about two-thirds compared to a placebo drug, according to preliminary research findings. |
 | Uptick in US stroke deaths sets off alarms: CDC(HealthDay)—Progress in preventing stroke deaths in the United States has stalled after 40 years of decline, and may even be reversing, government health officials say. |
 | Care process use linked to reduced S. aureus mortality(HealthDay)—Use of evidence-based care processes in routine care for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is associated with reduced mortality, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in JAMA Internal Medicine. |
 | Knowledge on primary prevention ICD use found lacking(HealthDay)—Referring physicians have limited knowledge regarding indications for primary prevention implantable defibrillator (ICD) use, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology. |
 | Immunosuppressant response predicts aplastic anemia survival(HealthDay)—Response to immunosuppressive therapy (IST) predicts overall survival (OS) in aplastic anemia (AA), according to a study published online Aug. 29 in the American Journal of Hematology. |
 | New referral pathway cuts palliative radiotherapy wait(HealthDay)—Use of an advanced practice radiation therapist (APRT) may help reduce radiotherapy waiting times for palliative patients, according to a study published Aug. 29 in the Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences. |
 | What role do genome variations play in tuberculosis?Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In 2016, this was the most common causative pathogen for death by infectious diseases. Therefore, investigating the biology of infection and disease development is important in the quest to end tuberculosis. In this study, the authors conducted an integrative analysis of human and pathogen genome variations in tuberculosis. The study is published in Springer Nature's Journal of Human Genetics. |
 | Science Says: How repeated head blows affect the brainResearchers are tackling fresh questions about a degenerative brain disease now that it has been detected in the brains of nearly 200 football players after death. The suspected cause is repeated head blows, an almost unavoidable part of contact sports. |
 | Researchers point way to improved stem cell transplantation therapiesResearchers in Germany have demonstrated that hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplants can be improved by treatments that temporarily prevent the stem cells from dying. The approach, which is described in a paper to be published September 7 in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, could allow those in need of such transplants, including leukemia and lymphoma patients, to be treated with fewer donor stem cells while limiting potential adverse side effects. |
 | Mediterranean-style diet may eliminate need for reflux medicationsA plant-based, Mediterranean-style diet has been shown to provide the same medical benefits for treating laryngopharyngeal reflux as popular reflux medications. This is according to a study published today in JAMA Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery by researchers from Northwell Health's The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and New York Medical College. |
 | 3-D organoids and RNA sequencing reveal the crosstalk driving lung cell formationTo stay healthy, our lungs have to maintain two key populations of cells: the alveolar epithelial cells, which make up the little sacs where gas exchange takes place, and bronchiolar epithelial cells (also known as airway cells) that are lined with smooth muscle. |
 | Seven steps to keep your brain healthy from childhood to old ageA healthy lifestyle benefits your brain as much as the rest of your body—and may lessen the risk of cognitive decline (a loss of the ability to think well) as you age, according to a new advisory from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. |
 | Cancer immunotherapy may get a boost by disabling specific T cellsCancer immunotherapy drugs only work for a minority of patients, but a generic drug now used to increase blood flow may be able to improve those odds, a study by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers suggests. |
Immunotherapy combination safe and 62 percent effective in metastatic melanoma patientsImmunotherapy is a promising approach in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, an aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer; but for most patients, immunotherapy drugs so far have failed to live up to their promise and provide little or no benefit. In a phase 1b clinical trial with 21 patients, researchers tested the safety and efficacy of combining the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab with an oncolytic virus called T-VEC. The results suggest that this combination treatment, which had a 62% response rate, may work better than using either therapy on its own. The study appears September 7 in the journal Cell. | |
 | HCV treatment found safe and effective in individuals with kidney diseaseA new study indicates that direct-acting antiviral therapy is safe and effective in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The study, which appears in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), also found that treatment may help improve some patients' kidney function. |
 | A virtual heart to simulate arrhythmiaA group of researchers from MIPT and Ghent University (Belgium) has developed the first realistic model of the complex cardiac microstructure. The researchers hope that the model will elucidate the causes of fibrosis, which affects the onset of cardiac arrhythmias. Although the model currently simulates only one layer of cardiac cells, electrical wave propagation observed in the simulations was the same as in the experimental tissues. The paper was published in the journal Scientific Reports. |
Researchers identify genetic alterations that make a type of brain cancer more aggressiveAmong the cancerous brain tumors, 70 percent are astrocytomas. Fatal in as many as 90 percent of cases, astrocytomas originate in the largest and most numerous cells in the central nervous system, called astrocytes because of their star shape. | |
Researchers find correlation between hookworm infection, extreme poverty and poor sanitation in rural AlabamaHookworm infection is commonly seen in resource-limited areas of Latin America, China and Africa, but problems with poor sanitation linked to extreme poverty also have resulted in a recurrence or persistence of the infection in rural areas of Alabama and likely other parts of the Southern United States. | |
 | Treating insomnia may reduce mental health problemsTreating insomnia with online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could reduce mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and paranoia, according to a large randomised controlled trial published today in The Lancet Psychiatry. |
 | Older men whose wives were main breadwinners suffered poorer health in later lifeMen who came of age in the 1950s, and whose wives were their families' main breadwinners, were more likely than their contemporaries to suffer poor health in later life according to a study by Rutgers-New Brunswick sociologist Kristen Springer. The study has been published in the Journal of Aging and Health. |
 | Study finds early farm exposure mitigates respiratory illnesses, allergies and skin rashesExposure to dairy farms early in life may dramatically reduce the frequency and severity of respiratory illnesses, allergies and chronic skin rashes among young children according to a collaborative study that includes two researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Drs. Christine Seroogy, associate professor of pediatrics, and James Gern, professor of pediatrics, worked with researchers at the Marshfield Clinic on the study. |
Why can't more American women access medications for preterm birth?There are two medications that prevent preterm birth, the most common cause of perinatal death in the U.S. One costs 16 cents a week, one US$285. Poor black women aren't getting either. Why? | |
 | Study finds length of stay key in hospital readmission ratesAn adequate length of stay during hospitalization is a critical factor in quality of care and a predictor of future readmission risk, according to a new study from The University of Texas at Dallas. |
 | An interdisciplinary approach to a better night's sleepMost guidelines suggest adults get six to eight hours of sleep each night. Lichuan Ye, associate professor in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, thinks about sleep for much longer than that each day. Indeed, her research focuses on promoting better sleep, and managing sleep disorders. |
 | Heat a trigger for seizuresFever is the most common trigger for seizures in children between 5 months and 6 years of age. But the underlying cause is not always clear. |
 | Researchers discover connection between low oxygen levels and a human geneUniversity of Texas at Arlington researchers have established a link between hypoxia, a condition that reduces the flow of oxygen to tissues, and HOTAIR, a noncoding RNA or molecule that has been implicated in several types of cancer. |
 | Citrus consumption could lower onset of dementiaTohoku University researchers have found some evidence to suggest that daily intake of citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes, could reduce the risk of dementia developing among older adults by almost 15 percent. |
 | Study shows mould in bedrooms causes asthma in young childrenResearchers at the University of Otago, Wellington (UOW) have shown that leaking and mouldy homes may lead to the development of a first attack of asthma in young children living in them. |
 | Keyhole oesophageal cancer surgery as good as more invasive operationsKeyhole surgery for oesophageal cancer is as good as more invasive surgery in terms of survival, according to unpublished clinical trial results. |
 | Career women optimistic about delayed childbearing despite lower fertilityWomen who prioritize their careers value pregnancy planning and believe they have a good chance of conceiving late in life with the help of reproductive technology, even though fertility rates drop with age, according to a new Yale study. The findings suggest that career-focused women would benefit from guidance about age-related declines in fertility and the limits of reproductive technology, said the researchers. |
 | Toxin-contaminated fish oil loses anti-cancer benefitsWeighing the health risks and rewards of eating fish and taking fish oil supplements is a tricky task. Fish oil, rich in healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids, can protect against certain types of cancer, but many types of fish are also contaminated by waterborne toxins. A new study by San Diego State University researchers found that toxin-contaminated fish oil loses much of its cancer-preventative properties. |
 | Eating oily fish during pregnancy could prevent schizophrenia in the child, new study suggestsMice that are deprived of an essential fatty acid, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), during pregnancy, are more likely to produce pups that display schizophrenia-like symptoms as adults, according to a new study from Japan. |
 | Trigger for fatty liver in obesity foundMorbid obesity affects the liver: Almost one-third of all adults suffer from chronic fatty liver disease, which can lead to infections and even trigger cancer. Researchers at the University Children's Hospital Zurich and the University of Zurich have now found a signaling pathway in cells that play an important role in the development of fatty liver disease. |
 | Talking therapy could help to battle rising 'cyberchondria'A specially developed form of psychotherapy could effectively help patients overcome health anxiety, fueled by Googling their symptoms. |
 | Devastating disease that changes brain size discoveredAn international collaboration led by scientists and doctors from the UK, Netherlands and United States has identified a new genetic disease that affects the size of our brains and causes severe developmental problems. |
Hip fracture often deadly, Australian study showsHip fracture is a major public health problem, associated with high morbidity and mortality, and high costs to the healthcare system. With the ageing of populations worldwide, the socioeconomic burden of hip fracture is set to rise dramatically. | |
 | Sometimes you shouldn't say sorryImagine you find out that your friend meets with mutual co-workers for lunch every Friday. You ask to join, but your friend declines your request. Could the way they phrased this rejection make you feel more or less hurt about being snubbed? |
 | Researchers help uncover mechanism behind heart failure and mortality in sepsisOf the nearly one million people in the United States who are affected by sepsis each year, almost one-fifth die. Cardiovascular complications account for approximately 80 percent of those deaths. The heart muscle, weakened by systemic inflammation, is unable to generate the energy it needs to contract, resulting in a severe decline in blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues that ultimately leads to organ failure. Now, in new work, scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM), in collaboration with colleagues at Columbia University in New York, describe the mechanism underlying the loss of energy from heart dysfunction in sepsis, opening the way for the development of a new therapy that could save thousands of lives annually. |
 | New dental imaging method uses squid ink to fish for gum diseaseSquid ink might be a great ingredient to make black pasta, but it could also one day make getting checked for gum disease at the dentist less tedious and even painless. By combining squid ink with light and ultrasound, a team led by engineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a new dental imaging method to examine a patient's gums that is non-invasive, more comprehensive and more accurate than the state of the art. |
Want your question answered quickly? Use gestures as well as wordsWhen someone asks a question during a conversation, their conversation partner answers more quickly if the questioner also moves their hands or head to accompany their words. These are the findings of a study led by Judith Holler of the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics and Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands. The study is published in Springer's journal Psychonomic Bulletin & Review and focusses on how gestures influence language processing. | |
Life expectancy trends tied to 2016 voting choicesEver since the unexpected results of the 2016 presidential election, political analysts have sought to understand what factors played into voters' decision making. Now, a new study by a Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher shows how voting patterns correlated with the nation's growing geographic health divides, with Donald Trump winning more votes in counties that have seen lower gains in life expectancy. | |
 | Fifty-fifty split best for children of divorcePreschool children in joint physical custody have less psychological symptoms than those who live mostly or only with one parent after a separation. In a new study of 3,656 children in Sweden, researchers from Uppsala University, Karolinska Institutet and the research institute CHESS show that 3-5-year-olds living alternately with their parents after a separation show less behavioural problems and psychological symptoms than those living mostly or only with one of the parents. |
Antibody-biogel partnership can be stronger defense than previously thought, study provesStrong molecular bonds between antibodies and biological gels, like mucus, aren't necessary to catch pathogens as was previously thought, according to new research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In fact, rapid and weak interactions between antibodies and biogels are much better suited to locking down foreign invaders in the body's sticky first line of defense. | |
 | Link between positive emotions and health depends on culturePositive emotions are often seen as critical aspects of healthy living, but new research suggests that the link between emotion and health outcomes may vary by cultural context. The findings, published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, show that experiencing positive emotions is linked with better cardiovascular health in the US but not in Japan. |
 | Nutrition has benefits for brain network organization, new research findsNutrition has been linked to cognitive performance, but researchers have not pinpointed what underlies the connection. A new study by University of Illinois researchers found that monounsaturated fatty acids - a class of nutrients found in olive oils, nuts and avocados - are linked to general intelligence, and that this relationship is driven by the correlation between MUFAs and the organization of the brain's attention network. |
 | Biomarkers as predictive of sepsis as lengthy patient monitoringSepsis is a deadly and quick-moving medical condition, but its presence can be betrayed early on by the very immune responses that trigger it. |
 | SNAP benefits aren't enough to afford a healthy dietA new study from North Carolina State University and the Union of Concerned Scientists finds that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, only covers 43-60 percent of what it costs to consume a diet consistent with federal dietary guidelines for what constitutes a healthy diet. The study highlights the challenges lower-income households face in trying to eat a healthy diet. |
 | Double targeting ligands to identify and treat prostate cancerResearchers have demonstrated a new, effective way to precisely identify and localize prostate cancer tumors while protecting healthy tissue and reducing side effects. The new approach utilizes a single molecule designed to bind two proteins with differing affinities in an effort to optimize specific tumor localization—prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and human serum albumin—thereby enhancing tumor localization for targeted alpha radionuclide therapy. The study is presented in the featured basic article of the September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. |
 | Sleepless nights plague many women in middle age(HealthDay)— Lots of middle-aged American women are fretfully counting sheep each night, new research shows. |
 | You're only as full as you expect to be(HealthDay)—How filling you think a meal will be can affect how much you eat later, a small study found. |
 | Get your kids to eat smart at school(HealthDay)—Your kids eat healthful meals at home, but what about when they're at school? |
 | Seborrheic dermatitis more common in males, on dark skin(HealthDay)—Seborrheic dermatitis is a common inflammatory condition in middle-aged and elderly individuals, especially males and those with darker skin, according to a study published online Aug. 30 in the British Journal of Dermatology. |
 | Many teens with type 1 diabetes report disordered eating(HealthDay)—High rates of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors (DEB) are reported by adolescents with type 1 diabetes, particularly females, according to a study published online Aug. 30 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders. |
 | Early respiratory infections tied to celiac in high-risk children(HealthDay)—A higher frequency of respiratory infections during the first two years of life is associated with an increased risk of celiac disease (CD) in genetically predisposed infants, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in Pediatrics. |
 | No difference in toxicity for 6-, 2-fraction HDR in prostate cancer(HealthDay)—For men with prostate cancer there is no difference in acute genitourinary or sexual dysfunction between 6- and 2-fraction high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy monotherapy, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology. |
 | Intervention beneficial for acute gastroenteritis patients(HealthDay)—Implementation of a clinical pathway to improve care of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) patients is associated with a sustained reduction in intravenous (IV) fluid use and length of stay (LOS) in the pediatric emergency department (ED), according to a study published online Sept. 7 in Pediatrics. |
 | Alendronate effective, safe in 'oldest old' with prior fracture(HealthDay)—Alendronate treatment reduces the risk of hip fracture in elderly patients with a prior fracture, with sustained safety, according to a study published online Aug. 30 in the Journal of Internal Medicine. |
 | 'Cyberchondria' costs the UK health service £56m a yearHealth anxiety, also known as hypochondria, cost the British healthcare system around £56 million a year, researchers said on Thursday, blaming the internet for a rise in "cyberchondria". |
 | Comprehensive study of chronic disease reveals vulnerability of childhood cancer survivorsThe most complete assessment yet of chronic disease in adult survivors of childhood cancer found they have a nearly two-fold greater cumulative burden of chronic health problems than the general public. The St. Jude Children's Research Hospital study appears today in The Lancet and offers insights for improving health care delivery. |
 | Better understanding of 'one of the most complex organs' for better lung treatmentsDetails of lung cell molecular pathways that promote or inhibit tissue regeneration were reported by researchers from the Perelmen School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Cell this week. Their aim is to find new ways to treat lung disorders. |
 | Tick saliva may be a secret ingredient to help HIV patientsThe black-legged tick -loaded with bacteria causing Lyme disease - may have some good qualities: its spit. |
Google launches 5-minute quiz to see if you're clinically depressedWith 7 percent of American adults and 13 percent of adolescents believed to suffer from major depression, Google has just made it easy to check to see if you're afflicted with this mental illness. | |
 | From bed to bench and back to bed: Mimicking how HPV-positive cancer responds to treatmentPatients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who are positive for human papilloma virus (HPV-positive) have been observed to respond significantly better to chemo-radiotherapy than HPV-negative patients. This observation is surprising because HPV infection leads to an increased risk of developing oropharyngeal cancer. To date, the reason for this dichotomy has not been well understood. |
 | Are you barking up the wrong tree by sleeping with your dog?Let sleeping dogs lie ... in the bedroom. That's according to a new Mayo Clinic study that's sure to set many tails wagging. |
 | Many pregnant women search the Internet for medication safety informationA new study reveals that due to a lack of specific recommendations for medication use during pregnancy, many pregnant women search the Internet for information. |
Cholesterol-lowering drugs may help patients with cirrhosisStatins used for the treatment of high cholesterol may have other beneficial effects, but there has been reluctance to prescribe them to patients with liver disease because of concerns that they may cause abnormal liver enzyme levels in the blood. In a new Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics analysis of data from the Danish National Patient Registry, patients with cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol had a 43% lower risk of dying prematurely than patients not on statins. | |
 | Undiagnosed spine fractures often cause pain in older menFewer than a quarter of new vertebral fractures are clinically diagnosed, yet they often cause symptoms. In a study of older men in the general population now published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, clinically undiagnosed vertebral fractures that were evident on x-rays were associated with higher likelihood of back pain and limited physical activity. |
Does alcohol affect the risk of developing an abdominal aortic aneurysm?In an analysis of published studies, lower levels of alcohol consumption were associated with a lower risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm until approximately 15 to 20 g/day, with an increasing risk thereafter. In the British Journal of Surgery analysis, the increase in risk beyond 2 units/day was stronger in men than in women. | |
Helping cancer survivors return to workA new Psycho-Oncology analysis of published studies indicates that there are various employer-related factors that can help or hinder cancer survivors as they attempt to go back to work. | |
Private payments for hospital care in Indiana are high relative to Medicare, study findsThe prices that large employers pay for hospital care in Indiana are high relative to national norms and are increasing over time relative to the prices that Medicare pays for the same services, according to a new RAND Corporation study. | |
Long-term opioid prescription use jumps threefold over 16-year period, study suggestsA new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that opioid prescription use increased significantly between 1999 and 2014, and that much of that increase stemmed from patients who'd been taking their medication for 90 days or longer. | |
Urinary markers may indicate prognosis after kidney transplantationA new British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology study indicates that certain markers can help predict which patients may experience problems after receiving an organ transplant. | |
 | Be cautious going home after hurricane Harvey(HealthDay)—As people return to flood-affected homes in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, they need to take precautions to stay safe and healthy, the American Thoracic Society (ATS) says. |
 | Eight priorities identified for tobacco control researchA new set of research priorities to support tobacco control will help ensure future research provides the greatest benefit to public health and value for money, according to an international group led by Oxford University researchers. |
 | Colour blindness statistically affects every male football teamEvery male football team statistically contains at least one colour-blind player, with many more watching from home or at the match. |
 | The role of smartphones in skin checks for early detection of melanomaQUT skin cancer researchers are seeking community volunteers to participate in a skin self-examination study. Performed regularly, self-examination can alert you to changes in your skin and may improve the early detection of melanoma. |
New generation drugs may hold key to alternative erectile dysfunction treatmentClose to 70 percent of men with erectile dysfunction (ED) respond to the ED drug sildenafil. However, only about 50 percent of men with diabetes—a population commonly affected by ED—achieve positive results with sildenafil. Researchers from the Smooth Muscle Research Centre at the Dundalk Institute of Technology, in Dundalk, Ireland, are studying two new drugs that may give men with diabetes—and others for whom conventional treatment is ineffective—new hope for treating ED. The article is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Cell Physiology. | |
 | Whatever happened to the Zika virus?If I asked if you'd heard of the Zika virus before 2015, chances are the answer would be no. In fact, many scientists working in the field of mosquito-transmitted diseases probably wouldn't have heard of it. If they had, it would have been regarded as something obscure from the history books. |
New hope on black schizophrenia care crisisA groundbreaking talking treatment has been developed and successfully trialled with a group of black and minority ethnic (BME) schizophrenia service users, carers, community members and health professionals. | |
 | People take to their bikes when we make it safer and easier for themThe latest national cycling participation data, released in June this year, show the proportion of Australians cycling has fallen significantly since 2011. This is bad news for health and wellbeing, and for the economy as well. |
 | Ecuador's school food is bad for kids—and the environmentEach year, malnutrition costs Ecuador the equivalent of 4.3% of its gross domestic product, as the resulting health burden and reduced potential productivity places an economic toll on society. That was the unsettling conclusion of the World Food Programme's 2017 report on the country, where stunting or chronic malnutrition in children under five has been persistently high for decades. |
 | Ebola: Early immune response provides insight into vaccinationThe latest outbreaks of emerging, dangerous pathogens, such as Ebola, MERS-CoV or Zika, emphasise the importance of the rapid development of effective vaccines. However, being able to predict the efficacy of new vaccines is and remains a challenge in vaccine development. DZIF scientists at the Heinrich Pette Institute and the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) were successful in their study in assessing early on the longer-term immune response in humans after being vaccinated with the newly developed Ebola vaccine "rVSV-ZEBOV". The study results provide approaches for searching for new strategies to improve the efficacy of vaccines. |
 | Transformative technology: Encapsulated human cells to revolutionize cell researchAtelerix, a spin-out from Newcastle University, UK is offering the transformative hydrogel technology for the storage and transport of viable cells including stem cells and cell-based assays at ambient temperatures. This overcomes the barriers presented by the current need for cryo-shipping as it is simple, cell-friendly and offers immediate access to stem cell therapy. |
Italy opens manslaughter probe over child's malaria deathItalian prosecutors have opened a manslaughter inquiry into the death of a four-year-old girl who was killed by malaria in northern Italy in a medical mystery that has gripped the country. | |
Top New York court rules against physician-assisted suicideNew York's ban on assisted suicide stands after the state's highest court rejected arguments from terminally ill patients who want the right to seek life-ending drugs from a doctor. | |
 | What makes alcoholics drink? Research shows it's more complex than supposedWhat makes alcoholics drink? New research has found that in both men and women with alcohol dependence, the major factor predicting the amount of drinking seems to be a question of immediate mood. They found that suffering from long-term mental health problems did not affect alcohol consumption, with one important exception: men with a history of depression had a different drinking pattern than men without a history of depression; surprisingly those men were drinking less often than men who were not depressed |
 | Many ICU survivors depressed—study finds young and African-Americans at highest riskIntensive care unit survivors, growing in number as clinicians and medical technology save more lives, are psychologically as well as medically fragile. The first study to examine antidepressant use and depressive symptoms after an ICU stay has found that even if prescribed antidepressants, a significant percentage—about a third—had symptoms of depression at the time of their initial visit to a clinic specially designed for ICU survivors. Young ICU survivors and African American ICU survivors were at the highest risk for depression. |
 | Johns Hopkins health system reduces unnecessary transfusions with new blood management programA five-year effort across the Johns Hopkins Health System to reduce unnecessary blood transfusions and improve patient care has also resulted in an annual cost savings of more than $2 million, researchers report. |
Hurricane-battered Caribbean now faces health perilCaribbean islands battered by Hurricane Irma now face a mighty task: preventing the rampant spread of disease as hospitals and clinics struggle to function and microbe-spreading mosquitoes and rats multiply. | |
Biology news
Handful of molecular machines run the biochemical oscillator that sets the timing of many bodily processesScientists have long known that circadian clocks—biochemical oscillators that control physiology, metabolism and behavior on a roughly 24-hour cycle—are present in all forms of life, including animals, plants, fungi and some types of bacteria. However, the molecular mechanisms that "run" these systems remain largely unknown. | |
 | Gut microbiota of larvae has an impact on mosquito's ability to transmit human pathogensResearchers have demonstrated that differential bacterial exposure during the development of mosquito larvae (Aedes aegypti) can influence adult traits related to the transmission of arboviruses. This study represents an important step toward a more comprehensive understanding of how the environment shapes the risk of vector-borne disease. |
 | Chromosome motor discovery supports DNA loop extrusionIt is one of the great mysteries in biology: How does a cell neatly distribute its replicated DNA between two daughter cells? For more than a century, we have known that DNA in the cell is comparable to a plate of spaghetti—a jumble of intermingled strands. When cells divide, they have to pack two metres of DNA into tidy little packages—chromosomes. This packing is induced by proteins called condensin, but scientists are split regarding the actual mechanism. One argument holds that the protein works like a hook, randomly grasping somewhere in the jumble of DNA and tying it all together. Another holds that the ring-shaped protein pulls the DNA inward to create a loop. In a new study reported in Science, researchers from TU Delft, Heidelberg and Columbia University give the oop-extrusion argument a significant boost, demonstrating that condensin does, indeed, have the putative motor function required for this dynamic. |
 | In the wild, biodiversity's power surpasses what experiments predictHundreds of experiments have shown biodiversity fosters healthier, more productive ecosystems. But many experts doubted whether these experiments would hold up in the real world. A Smithsonian and University of Michigan study published Wednesday in the journal Nature offers a decisive answer: Biodiversity's power in the wild does not match that predicted by experiments—it surpasses it. |
 | Bacteria found to produce compounds that activate sweet taste receptors in the sinuses allowing infections(Phys.org)—A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. has found that a certain type of bacteria produces compounds that cause sweet taste receptors in the sinuses to activate—this in turn shuts off an immune response allowing the bacteria to thrive. In their paper published in the journal Science Signaling, the group describes their study of bacteria that cause chronic sinus infections and what they learned about them. |
 | Honeybees could play a role in developing new antibioticsAn antimicrobial compound made by honeybees could become the basis for new antibiotics, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago. |
 | Macaques learn to crack open oil palm nuts with rocks in just 13 years(Phys.org)—A team of researchers from the U.K., Thailand and Singapore has discovered that long-tailed macaques living in southern Thailand have learned to crack open oil palm nuts using rocks in just 13 years. The group reports on their observations and what they believe the observed behavior suggests about the evolution of tool use in primates in their paper published in the International Journal of Primatology. |
 | How conflicts spread through monkey societiesHow does conflict spread through a society? One way to think of conflict spreading is to picture an epidemic, with aggressive individuals "infecting" others and causing them to join the fight. |
 | Hidden Inca treasure: Remarkable new tree genus discovered in the AndesHidden in plain sight - that's how researchers describe their discovery of a new genus of large forest tree commonly found, yet previously scientifically unknown, in the tropical Andes. |
 | Neuroscientists explore the risky business of self-preservationA critical survival decision for all animals is when, where and how to escape from a looming threat. A Northwestern University research team using multi-neuron imaging has learned that the escape response for prey is more nuanced than previously thought. |
 | Scientists nail vandals of 800-year-old scrollMore than 800 years ago, a teenaged soldier named Laurentius Loricatus accidentally killed a man. He spent the next three decades repenting alone in an Italian cave, self-flagellating. |
 | Cilia: 'The bouncer' of bacteriaImagine a club scene—a bouncer at a velvet rope selects which individuals get into the club. This, explains Eva Kanso, a professor of mechanical engineering at USC Viterbi School of Engineering, is what cilia do in an organism. Kanso applied the analogy to explain her new paper, "Motile cilia create fluid-mechanical microhabitats for the active recruitment of the host microbiome," co-authored with researchers from the Pacific Biosciences Research Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and from Stanford, to explain the active role that cilia have in ensuring certain bacteria are kept out of an organism while other symbiotic bacteria are selectively permitted to enter. |
 | How tails help geckos and other vertebrates make great stridesA wagging tail is often associated with dogs' emotions, but the side-to-side motion may also help them take longer strides and move faster, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, Riverside. |
 | The bacteria responsible for legionellosis modulates the host cell metabolism to its advantageScientists have shown that the bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila has developed a specific strategy to target host cell mitochondria, the organelles in charge of cellular bioenergetics. Their study provides information on how a pathogen manipulates the cellular metabolism to replicate intracellularly, and proposes a new concept of protection of host cells from Legionella-induced mitochondrial changes in order to fight infection. |
Researchers break through the wall in bacterial membrane vesicle researchMany bacteria release membrane vesicles, which are nanoscale spheres consisting of a cellular membrane containing biomolecules. Membrane vesicles can transport DNA and proteins, and are involved in bacterial interactions. They have potential applications in nanotechnology and biomedicine, including cancer treatment. However, the formation of membrane vesicles by bacteria is currently not well understood. In particular, the release mechanism of membrane vesicles of Gram-positive bacteria, which have a very thick cell wall, has remained an enigma. | |
 | Increasing effective decision making for coastal marine ecosystemsMarine restoration, rather than protection, might be the most cost-effective solution for coastal marine ecosystems suffering from human activities, a new study has found. |
 | Researchers tune into cockatoo callsIn a groundbreaking study, tiny sound recorders will be set up near the nests of south-eastern red-tailed black-cockatoos to monitor the nesting habits of the endangered species. |
 | Mixing and matching yeast DNAOsaka University scientists show molecular factors that determine why some regions in yeast chromosomes are apt for remodeling, while other regions stay faithful during cell replication. |
 | Researchers convert 80 percent of biomass into high-value products via new strategyThe three main components of non-edible plant matter can now be turned into high-value products in economically favorable yields. Using the concept of an integrated biorefinery, researchers showed how multiple products are created. The streams are similar to those used in a petroleum refinery. With the new approach, non-edible plant matter could become a promising alternative source of carbon. The resulting products—dissolving pulp, furfural, carbon foam and battery anodes—have established markets, reducing the risk for the first commercial plant. |
 | Searching for the rootsWhat are the closest relatives of humans? What is the common origin of multicellular life? What is the source of disease-causing germs that can lead to devastating epidemics? Since the beginnings of modern research into evolution, questions as to the origin of organisms and their ancestor–descendent relationships have played a central role in the field of biology. However, most methods of analysis used have not been developed further for decades - unlike, for example, the genetic and molecular investigation techniques, which have been refined on an ongoing basis. The Genomic Microbiology working group at the Institute of General Microbiology at Kiel University (CAU) has now developed a new procedure which could revolutionise evolutionary biological research, and answer key questions in the history of how life developed. The CAU researchers Fernando Tria and Dr. Giddy Landan describe their universally-applicable bioinformatic method for the analysis of evolutionary lineage and ancestor–descendent relationships in the scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. |
 | Consequences of drought stress on biofuelsPlant-derived sustainable fuel sources could contribute to near-term U.S. energy security and independence. However, weather conditions could greatly affect crop yields. In this study, researchers examined the effect of weather on biofuel production by comparing switchgrass and corn stover harvested after a year of major drought and after 2 years of normal precipitation. They found that the plants produced more sugar, but the sugar changed during pretreatment and produced toxic compounds rather than the desired fuels. |
Australian magpie 'dunks' its food before eating, researchers findScientists at the University of York, in collaboration with researchers at Western Sydney University, have shown that the Australian Magpie may 'dunk' its food in water before eating, a process that appears to be 'copied' by its offspring. | |
 | Scientists sniff out Thailand's first truffle speciesGastronomes of the world delight. Two new types of truffle have been unearthed in Thailand's far north, scientists announced Thursday in what they called a first for Southeast Asia. |
 | Individuality drives collective behavior of schooling fishNew research sheds light on how "animal personalities" - inter-individual differences in animal behaviour - can drive the collective behaviour and functioning of animal groups such as schools of fish, including their cohesion, leadership, movement dynamics, and group performance. These research findings from the University of Konstanz, the Max Planck Institute of Ornithology and the University of Cambridge provide important new insights that could help explain and predict the emergence of complex collective behavioural patterns across social and ecological scales, with implications for conservation and fisheries and potentially creating bio-inspired robot swarms. It may even help us understand human society and team performance. The study is published in the 7 September 2017 issue of Current Biology. |
 | New porcelain crab species from Colombia namedDespite their names, hermit crabs, king crabs and horseshoe crabs are not true crabs. Neither are porcelain crabs, decapod crab-like crustaceans that live in shallow water throughout the world's oceans. Researchers working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama and the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen, Germany (JLU), recently identified a new species of porcelain crab: Pachycheles tuerkayi. |
Birds are on the move in the face of climate changeResearch on birds in northern Europe reveals that there is an ongoing considerable species turnover due to climate change and due to land use and other direct human influences. The findings are published in Ecology and Evolution. | |
 | Corruption fuelling ivory trade in central Africa: studySophisticated international trafficking of ivory in central Africa is being fuelled by high levels of corruption, according to a report published Thursday. |
 | Cat eradication to help threatened Christmas Island wildlifeResearchers are assisting Parks Australia in the eradication of feral cats on Christmas Island, something very few populated islands in the world have successfully achieved. |
 | Proteins keep a grip on cellsJapanese scientists at Osaka University have revealed new structural information on the integrin-laminin interaction. These findings provide important insights on cellular interactions that promote cell growth, differentiation, and migration. |
 | Delving into the heart of Príncipe Island's forestsAt least six species that have never been seen before on Príncipe Island were identified during recent field surveys undertaken by intrepid local and international botanists. |
 | An advanced autonomous platform for securing marine infrastructuresThe global marine industry represents a multi-billion-dollar per year business. Its main activities are related to natural resources that are abundant in the sea (especially oil and gas), to communication and trading gateways between continents, and to fishery. As part of these activities, underwater infrastructures exist and operate across the globe. Some examples include submerged pipes and cables for the transfer of gas, oil, power, or communication signals, and harbour infrastructures for shipping support. |
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