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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 5, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | The most metal-poor dwarf star-forming galaxy found(Phys.org)—Using the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), a group of astronomers has found that the star-forming galaxy (SFG) J0811+4730 is the most metal-poor dwarf SFG known to date. The finding is detailed in a paper published online on Sept. 1 on the arXiv pre-print repository. |
 | Shocking discovery explains powerful novaeIn a typical year, there are around 50 novae, nuclear explosions on the surface of white dwarf stars, in our galaxy. Some of these explosions are so bright and powerful, they exceed the scale of scientific explanation. |
 | Evidence found for mid-sized black hole near center of Milky Way(Phys.org)—A team of researchers with Keio University in Japan has found evidence of a mid-sized black hole near the center of the Milky Way galaxy. In their paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the group describes their study of a gas cloud cluster near the center of our galaxy and why they believe it offers evidence of a mid-sized black hole. |
 | Discovery of boron on Mars adds to evidence for habitabilityThe discovery of boron on Mars gives scientists more clues about whether life could have ever existed on the planet, according to a paper published today in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. |
 | Unique study tests fundamental laws of physicsA study that will 'test our understanding of how the Universe works, particularly outside the relatively narrow confines of our planet' is being undertaken by an international team of researchers led by the University of Leicester. |
 | 'Extreme' telescopes find the second-fastest-spinning pulsarBy following up on mysterious high-energy sources mapped out by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, the Netherlands-based Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) radio telescope has identified a pulsar spinning at more than 42,000 revolutions per minute, making it the second-fastest known. |
 | Could Trappist-1's seven earth-like planets have gas giant siblings?New work from a team of Carnegie scientists (and one Carnegie alumnus) asked whether any gas giant planets could potentially orbit TRAPPIST-1 at distances greater than that of the star's seven known planets. If gas giant planets are found in this system's outer edges, it could help scientists understand how our own Solar System's gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn formed. |
 | 'Star Trek' actor Shatner sends message to VoyagerNASA announced the winner Tuesday of a contest to send a message to the Voyager spacecraft which launched 40 years ago on a historic mission to explore the outer planets. |
 | New era in air-quality monitoring a step awayThe Sentinel-5P satellite has arrived in Plesetsk in northern Russia to be prepared for liftoff on 13 October. Built to deliver global maps of air pollutants every day and in more detail than ever before, this latest Copernicus mission will set a new standard for monitoring air quality. |
 | What Cassini's mission revealed about Saturn's known and newly discovered moonsThe Cassini space probe not only visited Saturn as part of its mission, it also revealed many of the planet's moons in stunning detail and showed them to be interesting and unique worlds. |
 | Robin Hood black holes steal from nebulae to make new starsIt's easy to picture a black hole as a kind of all-powerful cosmic drain, a sinkhole of super-strong gravity that snags and swallows passing nebulae or stars. While it is true we can't observe matter once it crosses a black hole's event horizon, scientists are zeroing in on what happens in the margins, where molecular clouds release vast amounts of energy as it circles the plughole. |
 | SDO captures image of mid-level flareThe sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 4:33 pm EDT on Sept. 4, 2017. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however—when intense enough—they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel. |
 | Looking at dark matterThe age of discovery is not over. Once, scurvy-riddled Europeans sailed into the unknown to claim foreign, fantastic parts of the world. Now, physicists sit in labs and ask, "Is this all there is?" |
Technology news
 | A cooling system that works without electricityIt looks like a regular roof, but the top of the Packard Electrical Engineering Building at Stanford University has been the setting of many milestones in the development of an innovative cooling technology that could someday be part of our everyday lives. Since 2013, Shanhui Fan, professor of electrical engineering, and his students and research associates have employed this roof as a testbed for a high-tech mirror-like optical surface that could be the future of lower-energy air conditioning and refrigeration. |
 | China hikes speed train ambition in three-phase plan(Tech Xplore)—You have heard the old saying hold on to your hats when moving at rapid speeds. In this case, you would imagine a scene of cartoon nature where Fright Mouse would hold on to its head, assuming its arms were still in their sockets. |
 | Approach enables experts to look beyond IP in cyber security investigationsA technique which enables digital forensic investigators to assess an individual's internet use rather than simply focusing on traffic using Internet Protocol (IP) addresses has been developed by cyber security experts at the University of Plymouth. |
 | Engineers develop tools to share power from renewable energy sources during outagesIf you think you can use the solar panels on your roof to power your home during an outage, think again. During an outage, while your home remains connected to the grid, the devices that manage your solar panels are powered down for safety reasons. In other words, this permanent connection to the grid makes it impossible for homeowners to draw on power generated by their own renewable energy resources. |
 | United Tech to buy Rockwell Collins for $22.75 billionUnited Technologies plans to boost its aerospace business by paying $22.75 billion for flight deck maker Rockwell Collins. |
 | Student transforms cow manure into household furnitureA university student has gone from stool to stools after transforming cow manure into a range of designer household furniture. |
 | New method developed to find out the emissions of an urban bus fleetResearchers from INSIA (UPM) have developed a new methodology to evaluate the consumption and emissions of urban buses in Madrid using on-board equipment and statistical methods. |
 | A sweeter smile through augmented realityIn the future, patients will be able to see the outcome of dental treatment even before the dentist starts working on their teeth. This is made possible by a "virtual mirror" developed by Kapanu, an ETH spin-off. |
 | Researchers discover security flaws in smart home productsSmart home products such as lamps controlled via mobile devices are becoming ever more popular in private households. We would, however, feel vulnerable in our own four walls if strangers suddenly started switching the lights in our homes on and off. Researchers at the IT Security Infrastructures group, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have discovered security problems of this nature in smart lights manufactured by GE, IKEA, Philips and Osram. |
 | What's hot and what's not at Berlin's IFA tech fairBerlin's IFA technology fair, Europe's largest and a bellwether for the Christmas season, draws to a close Wednesday. Here is a quick overview of what's hot and what's not in the aisles. |
 | 'Angry Birds' owners to go public after movie successFinland's Rovio, creator of the hugely popular smartphone game Angry Birds, said Tuesday it was planning to float shares on the Helsinki stock exchange after the success of its comedy film and products. |
 | In a high-tech world, car designers still rely on clayCar designers have every kind of software and virtual reality tool. But when they want to make sure a car's curves look just right, they rely on one of the world's oldest materials: clay. |
 | Car navigation tech brings new twists and turns to drivingDigital maps that dodge traffic jams are saving time for millions of motorists, but they're also turning some neighborhood streets into headache-inducing escape routes from congested highways. |
 | Big sellers like Toyota Camry, Ram getting updates in 2018After seven straight years of growth, U.S. sales of new vehicles could be hitting their peak. That's putting extra pressure on automakers to update their vehicles and hang on to their market share. |
 | Samsung Note 8 gives its stylus some style—for a priceA stylus might seem, well, out of style in the tap-and-type world of smartphones. Yet it's what sets Samsung's Note phones apart from the competition. |
Lenovo to pay $3.5M in settlement over preloaded softwareA technology company will pay $3.5 million and change how it sells laptop computers as part of a settlement reached with federal officials and 32 states. | |
 | Silicon Valley denounces betrayal of 'Dreamers' (Update)Silicon Valley titans including Apple, Facebook and Google on Tuesday condemned the dismantling of an amnesty program for young immigrants after President Donald Trump announced a phase-out of the "Dreamers" policy. |
Silicon Valley on edge as lawmakers target online sex traffickingAfter a sustained assault from lawmakers, investigators and victims groups, the website Backpage.com agreed early this year to shut down its lucrative adult page, which had become a well-known sex-trafficking hub. | |
 | WhatsApp unveils plan to make money from businessesWhatsApp said Tuesday that it is testing potentially money-making ways to be used by businesses to communicate with customers. |
 | The Daily News, a storied New York tabloid, is sold to TroncThe owner of two of the country's largest newspapers has purchased the Daily News, a New York tabloid that is famous for generations of hard-punching reporting and irreverent headlines but that has struggled recently to find its place in the digital age. |
France to arm military surveillance dronesFrance is set to arm drones that are currently used exclusively for surveillance and intelligence, a first for the French military, the defense minister said Tuesday. | |
 | Aerial drones deliver sweet spot for HAB research at VIMSHarmful algal blooms or HABs are notoriously difficult to sample. They can appear abruptly when growing conditions are right, and disappear just as quickly when conditions deteriorate. They also shift with tides and currents, or even the wake of a passing vessel. |
 | Radiation analysis software makes emergency responders' jobs quicker, easierWhen law enforcement officers and first responders arrive at an emergency involving radiation, they need a way to swiftly assess the situation to keep the public and environment safe. Having analysis tools that can quickly and reliably make sense of radiation data is of the essence. |
Ohio Supercomputer Center releases open-source HPC access portalAn innovative web-based portal for accessing high performance computing services has matured beyond the beta phase and now is available to HPC centers worldwide. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Scientists discover and target brain area in patients with schizophrenia who 'hear voices'For the first time, scientists have precisely identified and targeted an area of the brain which is involved in "hearing voices", experienced by many patients with schizophrenia. They have been able to show in a controlled trial that targeting this area with magnetic pulses can improve the condition in some patients. This early clinical work is presented at the ECNP conference in Paris on Tuesday 5th September, with later publication in Schizophrenia Bulletin. |
 | Zika virus kills brain cancer stem cells; could potentially be used to treat deadly diseaseWhile Zika virus causes devastating damage to the brains of developing fetuses, it one day may be an effective treatment for glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California San Diego School of Medicine shows that the virus kills brain cancer stem cells, the kind of cells most resistant to standard treatments. |
 | Boosting a lipid fuel makes mice less sensitive to the coldWhen grandpa nudges the settings on the thermostat, there's likely a good reason. Humans, like other animals, become more sensitive to cold with age. Now, scientists from University of Utah Health report that delivering a single dose of a nutritional supplement called L-carnitine to older mice restores a youthful ability to adapt to the cold. After treatment, they tolerate chilly conditions that would ordinarily trigger hypothermia. |
 | Eat fat, live longer? Mouse study shows a high fat diet increases longevity, strengthAs more people live into their 80s and 90s, researchers have delved into the issues of health and quality of life during aging. A recent mouse study at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine sheds light on those questions by demonstrating that a high fat, or ketogenic, diet not only increases longevity but also improves physical strength. |
 | Ketogenic diet improves healthspan and memory in aging miceA ketogenic diet significantly improved memory in aging mice and increased the animal's chances of surviving to old age. Results of the study from Eric Verdin's lab at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, CA are published in the September 5th issue of Cell Metabolism. |
 | Muscles maintain proper function by producing reactive oxygen species at the right timeMitochondria help injured muscle cells (myofibers) repair by soaking up calcium that enters from the site of injury and using it to trigger increased production of reactive oxygen species. Although reactive oxygen species can damage cells when produced in high amounts, according to a study published online Sept. 5, 2017 by Science Signaling and featured on the journal's cover, these oxidative species are crucial signals that start the process of repairing myofiber. Loading up mitochondria with excess antioxidants inhibits this signaling process, blocking muscle repair, exacerbating myofiber damage and diminishing muscle strength. |
 | Largest ever genetic study marks likely osteoporosis treatment targetScientists are homing in on a potential treatment for osteoporosis, after performing the largest ever genetic study of the common age-related bone-thinning disease. |
 | 'Mix and match' assembly instructions guide immune cell attacksInstitute researchers have discovered how immune cells use a unique set of assembly instructions to 'mix and match' how they respond to, and kill, tumour and diseased cells. |
 | Gene related to brain damage in pre-term infants identifiedA gene has been identified by researchers at King's College London that is thought to be associated with the types of brain damage that can be caused by pre-term birth. |
 | Blame it on the bossa nova: How music changes our perception of touchMusic touches. Until recently, this was only meant in a figurative way—now it can also be taken literally. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences have found that touch is perceived differently, depending on the music being played. The sexier we perceive the music we are listening to, the more sensual we experience the contact if we think we are touched by another person. |
 | Older wombs linked to complications in pregnant miceDeciding to start a family later in life could be about more than just the age of your eggs. A new study in mice suggests the age of a mother's womb may also have a part to play. This work, led by Dr Myriam Hemberger at the Babraham Institute and the Centre for Trophoblast Research in Cambridge, UK, is one of the first to look at the effects of age on womb health and it is expected to lead to new research into human pregnancies. |
 | Aspirin-like pain reliever diflunisal blocks hearing proteinA Rice University study has found that the aspirin-like drug diflunisal blocks the action of prestin, a key protein that is required for hearing. |
 | Mystery solved: How thyroid hormone prods red blood cell productionFor more than a century, physicians have anecdotally noted that patients with an underactive thyroid—often caused by iodine deficiency—tended to also have anemia. But the link between thyroid hormone and red blood cell production has remained elusive. That is, until two postdoctoral researchers in the lab of Whitehead Institute Founding Member Harvey Lodish, Xiaofei Gao and Hsiang-Ying "Sherry" Lee, decided to investigate. |
 | Swings in dad's testosterone affects the family—for better or worse—after baby arrivesPostpartum depression is often associated with mothers, but a new study shows that fathers face a higher risk of experiencing it themselves if their testosterone levels drop nine months after their children are born. |
 | Researchers develop Lassa fever treatment effective eight days after infectionA collaborative team of scientists, led by a group at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, have successfully protected nonhuman primates against one of the most deadly viruses in the world, Lassa fever, eight days after they became infected. The findings are now available in Nature Medicine. |
 | Racial and ethnic differences seen in antibiotics prescribed for viral illnesses in pediatric EDsNon-Latino white children seeking treatment for viral infections in the Emergency Department are about twice as likely to receive an antibiotic unnecessarily compared with non-Latino black children or Latino children, a multi-center study indicates. The research, led by Monika K. Goyal, M.D., M.S.C.E., director of research in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Children's National Health System, was published online Sept. 5, 2017 in Pediatrics and echoes similar racial and ethnic differences in treating acute respiratory tract infections in the primary care setting. |
 | Mobile phone use while pregnant not linked to child neurodevelopment problemsMobile phone use during pregnancy is unlikely to have any adverse effects on child neurodevelopment, according to new research published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. These findings provide further evidence that exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields associated with maternal use of mobile phones during pregnancy is not linked to neurodevelopment in children. |
Children with bone, joint infection often carry the same infectious bacteria in throatThe presence of the bacterium Kingella kingae in children's throats was strongly linked to bone and joint infection with the same bacterium, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). | |
Change in medical exemptions from immunization after elimination of personal belief exemptions in CaliforniaAn increase in California in medical exemptions from immunization after elimination of personal belief exemptions suggests that some vaccine-hesitant parents may have located physicians willing to exercise the broader discretion provided by California Senate bill 277 for granting medical exemptions, according to a study published by JAMA. | |
Recommendations vary for vision screening in young childrenThe U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends vision screening at least once in all children 3 to 5 years of age to detect amblyopia (also known as "lazy eye") or its risk factors (a B recommendation); and concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of vision screening in children younger than 3 years (an I statement). The report appears in the September 5 issue of JAMA. | |
Outreach interventions improve colorectal cancer screeningOutreach and notification to patients and physicians improved colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among patients who were not up-to-date or nonadherent with CRC screening, according to two studies published by JAMA. | |
Safety, feasibility of PrEP for adolescent men who have sex with menHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was safe and well-tolerated in a study of adolescent men who have sex with men, although adherence to the daily medication waned and some HIV infections occurred among those with poor adherence, according to an article published by JAMA Pediatrics. | |
 | Research dispels popular claims linking power poses to powers of persuasionStrike a pose like Wonder Woman or Spider-Man – and the powers of persuasion are yours! |
 | Rethinking serotonin could lead to a shift in psychiatric careA better understanding of how a key chemical messenger acts in the brain could lead to a radical shift in psychiatric care, according to a new paper. |
Cancer and HIV—closing the screening gapWhile collaborating with clinical colleagues in rural southwest Georgia, Emory cancer researcher Theresa Gillespie learned a surprising fact. The region has one of the state's largest HIV/AIDS populations outside of metropolitan Atlanta. And very few of them were screened for cancer. | |
 | Don't blame food stamps for obesity in AmericaPoliticians and scholars sometimes cast obesity as a problem that largely afflicts the poor. But as most obese adults aren't poor and most low-income adults aren't obese, this is a misconception. |
 | Parental lack of confidence in pediatric GPs may contribute to over-crowded ERsAustralia's first national survey of parent confidence in GPs found fewer than half of parents were completely confident in a GP to handle most of their child's general health issues. |
 | Traditional pregnancy a thing of the pastHaving a baby may never be the same again as increasingly sophisticated genetic testing is likely to raise thorny ethical issues, according to a new report. |
 | Links between poor sleep and poor mental wellbeingInadequate sleep at night leads to poor memory and increases the risk of depression, anxiety and stress, according to research revealed today. |
 | One program proven to reduce reduce rape at universitiesAs students return to universities across Canada and the United States this month, the safety of female students is a major concern. Sexual violence occurs on all campuses and can no longer be ignored. |
 | What are ketogenic diets? Can they treat epilepsy and brain cancer?Ketogenic diets are back in the news with claims they are a "cure-all". Research shows that in epilepsy not controlled by current treatment, around 50% of children and adults following ketogenic diets have a reduction in seizures. For brain cancer, most research has been in animals. A number of human trials are underway testing safety, tolerance, interactions with other treatments, side-effects and the impact on cancer progression, quality of life and survival. |
 | Strongyloidiasis worm infects many Australians, yet hardly anybody has heard of itWe all know about parasites, like tapeworms that can get into our intestines if we eat infected undercooked meat. There are many types of parasitic worms, including flatworms and roundworms, and they can all make humans sick. |
 | State school students twice as likely as private school peers to finish top in medical schoolMedical students from state schools are nearly twice as likely to graduate in the top 10% of their class as students from independent schools, according to a new study by the University of Aberdeen. |
 | Why being aware of your mortality can be good for youNobody likes to think about lying on their death bed. From health anxiety to midlife crises, it seems like thoughts about ageing and death can often unleash some level of neurosis. But is that the whole story? We have examined mortality awareness – the realisation that we are all one day going to die – and found that, although the prospect of death is often scary, it can also have positive effects. |
 | A new genetic marker for schizophreniaSchizophrenia is a complicated disease that often appears in early adulthood. Although scientists have not traced the genetic causes, more than 80% of schizophrenia cases are considered to have a hereditary cause. In a new report published in Translational Psychiatry, Japanese researchers report that a rare genetic variant, RTN4R, may have a fundamental role in the disease. |
 | The colons of patients with IBS react differently to bacteriaThe intestinal barrier of patients with the gastrointestinal disease IBS allows bacteria to pass more freely than in healthy people, according to a study led by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden. The study, published in the scientific journal Gastroenterology, is the first to investigate IBS using living bacteria. |
 | Young people seven times more likely to self-harm if their sense of belonging to school is lowResearchers say findings provide opportunity to target resources at new mental health initiatives in schools and local communities in order to tackle self-harm. |
 | Research shows smacking makes children more aggressive and at risk of mental health problemsIt might be seen by some as one of the ultimate parenting taboos – to admit that you smack your child. Yet research from the Children's Society reveals just 14% of adults think slapping children is unacceptable. It's clear then that a lot of parents still see the odd smack as an acceptable form of punishment – for when all other methods of discipline have failed. |
 | Cell marking opens up a window into the body, could reduce animal experimentsA new and particularly reliable method for marking cells can simplify research into diseases such as myocardial infarction, diabetes or Alzheimer's and reduce the use of test animals: Scientists from the University of Tübingen have developed a method by which they can target specific cell types in mice and monitor their behavior using positron emission tomography (PET). PET-based cell tracking allows scientists to observe complex life processes in the body without subjecting test animals to invasive methods. |
Clinical trial aims to slow bone loss in dialysis patientsMany people with chronic kidney disease rely on dialysis to perform some of the functions of a healthy kidney, like removing waste, maintaining safe levels of chemicals in the body and helping to control blood pressure. However, individuals who use dialysis experience very high death rates—the mortality rate is approximately 25 percent each year, which is higher than many cancers. Around 70 percent of these deaths are related to cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. | |
Study raises concerns about drug-resistant STIGreater understanding of testing and treatment is needed to mitigate the rapid increase in drug resistance of a common sexually transmitted infection (STI), according to a study by the University of Bristol, published in the BMJ Journal of Sexually Transmitted Infections. | |
 | Recurrence of prostate cancer could be reduced thanks to exciting new discoveryGround breaking research could reduce the recurrence of prostate cancer in males, a new study in the journal Nature Communications reports. |
 | EU says 40 countries now affected in tainted egg scandalA European Union official says 40 countries now have been affected by a Europe-wide contaminated egg scandal, including 24 EU members and 16 non-members. |
Italian doctors baffled after malaria kills four-year oldA four-year old girl has died of malaria after apparently contracting the disease in northern Italy in a case that has perplexed the medical world, doctors said Tuesday. | |
The STING of death in T cellsThe cells of the innate immune system use a signaling pathway comprising STING (Stimulator of interferon genes) to detect DNA from invading viruses and fight them. However, it is unknown if STING triggers the same or different responses in cells of the adaptive immune system, such as T cells. EPFL scientists have now shown that T cells have an "unconventional" STING response, which manifests as apoptotic cell death. The work, which may have implications for the treatment T cell-derived malignancies, is published in Nature Communications. | |
 | One in eight older adults in Ireland are deficient in vitamin DResearchers from Trinity College Dublin have discovered that one in eight adults over the age of 50 living in Ireland are vitamin D deficient ( |
 | Prenatal lack of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids linked to schizophrenic symptoms in miceResearchers at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan have discovered a process through which changes in nutrition during early mouse pregnancy lead to offspring that develop schizophrenic-like symptoms as adults. Published in Translational Psychiatry, the study shows how deprivation of two polyunsaturated fatty acids during early gestation can have long lasting effects on offspring through specific epigenetic changes in gene expression. |
 | Contagious yawning more closely associated with perceptual sensitivity than empathyContagious yawning is a universal phenomenon, but why it happens remains a mystery. |
 | Cannot sleep due to stress? Here is the cureEveryone empirically knows that stressful events certainly affect sound sleep. Scientists in the Japanese sleep institute found that the active component rich in sugarcane and other natural products may ameliorate stress and help having sound sleep. |
EU contaminated eggs scandal spreads to 45 countriesA scandal involving eggs tainted by the insecticide fipronil has spread to 45 countries worldwide, including 19 beyond the European Union where the scare began, a top EU official said Tuesday. | |
Preventing exercise-induced bronchospasmA team of researchers in Italy have explored previous research to find the best ways to identify, prevent and treat exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) in children with and without asthma. In EIB, the airways become constricted during and after exercise, and effective treatment could allow children to fully enjoy the benefits of exercise. | |
 | How to implement Advance Care Planning for patientsEmeritus Professor Sheila Payne from the International Observatory on End of Life Care at Lancaster University helped conduct the study commissioned by the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) and published in The Lancet Oncology. |
 | Side effects of antidepressants used for chronic pain reliefChronic pain negatively impacts a person's quality of life. Often, over the counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, are ineffective in alleviating chronic pain. In these instances, a surprising choice is often a drug used to treat an entirely different condition - depression. |
 | Scientists find new evidence about how to prevent worsening pneumoniaSodium channels in the cells that line the tiny capillaries in our lungs play an important role in keeping those capillaries from leaking and potentially worsening conditions like pneumonia, scientists report. |
 | Surgeons create 'vacuum' procedure to remove infected pacemakerPacemakers help people live longer, active lives. They're also often worn for decades at a time. But a pacemaker's wiring could get infected, and the signs are too similar to typical ailments. It's something 68-year-old Richard Agger of Brandon, Fla. experienced first-hand while trying to treat what he thought was a bacterial infection. |
Protein shown to be predictor of kidney damage in childrenHigh levels of a protein known as suPAR, which has been shown to be a marker and likely cause of kidney damage, is as reliably predictive in children as in adults, according to results of a study published online today in JAMA Pediatrics, a clinical publication of the American Medical Association. | |
 | Glowing cancer tool illuminates benign, but dangerous, brain tumors during pituitary surgeryAn experimental imaging tool that uses a targeted fluorescent dye successfully lit up the benign brain tumors of patients during removal surgery, allowing surgeons to identify tumor tissue, a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows. The tumors, known as pituitary adenomas, are the third most common brain tumor, and very rarely turn cancerous, but can cause blindness, hormonal disorders, and in some cases, gigantism. |
 | New, ultra-rare gene mutations implicated in eating disordersBy combining whole exome sequencing, machine learning, and network analysis, researchers have identified new, ultra-rare gene mutations within specific biological pathways that may contribute to eating disorders. |
 | Nanoparticles limit damage in spinal cord injuryAfter a spinal cord injury, a significant amount of secondary nerve damage is caused by inflammation and internal scarring that inhibits the ability of the nervous system to repair itself. |
 | Eating meat linked to higher risk of diabetesWhile a plant-based diet is generally considered healthier than a meat-based diet in preventing the risk of diabetes, not all meats affect the risk equally. As Professor Koh Woon Puay, Professor of Clinical Sciences at Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS), and her team found out, higher intake of red meat and poultry is associated with significantly increased risk of developing diabetes, which is partially attributed to their higher content of heme iron in these meats. This study provides the basis for evidence-based dietary recommendations to the Singapore population in mitigating diabetes risk and reducing the healthcare burden of this chronic condition. |
Opioid abuse can be treated successfully in primary care settings, study findsCombining substance abuse treatment with regular medical care can successfully treat people with opioid or alcohol addiction, providing an option that might expand treatment and lower the cost of caring for people caught up in the nation's opioid epidemic, according to a new RAND Corporation study. | |
 | Researchers discover previously unknown cause of nTOSNeurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (nTOS) is a common neurologic syndrome resulting in pain, numbness, and/or weakness in the arm, forearm, and hand. This condition affects 0.3-8.0% of the U.S. population, and is generally caused by impingement of nerves traveling from the brachial plexus in the neck, through a region referred to as the thoracic outlet. Despite its prevalence, this condition is notoriously difficult to diagnose in the clinical setting. However, researchers from Midwestern University have recently discovered a previously unknown cause of nTOS and an effective method of identifying it in patients. |
 | Is dementia declining among older Americans?(HealthDay)—Here's some good news for America's seniors: The rates of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia have dropped significantly over the last decade or so, a new study shows. |
 | Helping kids adapt to a new school(HealthDay)—Kids like familiar routines. So, when a grade change means a change in school—from elementary to middle school, for instance—or when a family move means a new school district at any time of the year, children are likely to experience some degree of anxiety. |
 | CYP2C9 variants linked to clinical events in VTE(HealthDay)—For elderly patients treated with vitamin K antagonists for venous thromboembolism (VTE), CYP2C9 variants are associated with any clinical event, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. |
 | More research needed for vitamin D's cardiac effect in PCI(HealthDay)—More research is needed to assess the role of vitamin D in the prevention of periprocedural myocardial injury, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. |
 | CRP, PCT added to MELD ups prediction of mortality in cirrhosis(HealthDay)—For patients with cirrhosis, addition of C-reactive protein (CRP) and/or procalcitonin (PCT) to the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score improves prediction of mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. |
 | CBT, SSRIs effectively cut anxiety symptoms in childhood(HealthDay)—Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are effective for reducing symptoms of anxiety in childhood, according to a review published online Aug. 31 in JAMA Pediatrics. |
 | Cognitive test predicts elderly insulin injection success(HealthDay)—A cognitive test involving animal name recall can predict which elderly patients succeed in mastering an insulin self-injection technique within one week, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation. |
 | Perception of nursing home safety varies by employee type(HealthDay)—Perceptions of safety culture vary widely among nursing home staff members, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Goshuyuto, rabeprazole shown to treat refractory H. pylori(HealthDay)—Refractory Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection can be successfully treated with goshuyuto and rabeprazole, according to a case report published online Aug. 28 in the Journal of Digestive Diseases. |
 | Role of stress, sleep highlighted in study of obesity(HealthDay)—Stress is associated with impaired sleep and increased emotional rewarding of palatable foods, which may lead to obesity, according to research published online Aug. 28 in Obesity Reviews. |
Can height increase risk for blood clots in veins?The taller you are, the more likely you may be to develop blood clots in the veins, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics. | |
ACA marketplace plans offer fewer mental health providers compared to primary careThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, also known as Obamacare, aimed to achieve parity in coverage between mental health care and other forms of health care. A new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that ACA plans may still fall short of that goal. The Penn researchers found that provider networks in ACA Marketplace plans tend to offer far fewer choices for mental health care, compared to primary health care. ACA plan networks last year included, on average, only 11 percent of all mental health care providers in their coverage areas—compared, for example, to 24 percent for primary care providers. The study is published today in the September issue of Health Affairs. | |
 | Readmission rates decline when hospitals develop skilled nursing facility networksA new study on hospital re-admission rates found that hospitals with formal networks of skilled nursing facilities as part of their care management efforts had reduced readmission rates among patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities as compared to hospitals without such networks, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. The findings will be published in the September issue of the journal Health Affairs. |
 | Physical activity can lead to difference in diet preferences between males, femalesRecent studies have shown that approximately 90 percent of adult Americans fail to reach the U.S. Department of Health guidelines for physical activity, which could be contributing to surging obesity rates. Now, new research by a multidisciplinary team of University of Missouri researchers suggests that physical activity can change diet preferences in males, but not in females—an area that researchers say has not been thoroughly studied. |
 | New app replaces ultrasound with smartphone camera to measure heart healthWant to know how healthy your heart is? Now there's an app for that. |
Women's wellness: breast-feeding and weight lossBeyond providing nourishment and helping to protect your baby from getting sick, breast-feeding can also help you lose weight gained during pregnancy. | |
On a quest to improve treatments for inflammatory bowel diseaseScientist Shomyseh Sanjabi, PhD, joined the Gladstone Institutes seven years ago, and she brought with her a special type of mice that develop inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Coincidentally, microbiome expert Katherine Pollard, PhD, was looking for a model to study the disease. Particularly because she is an IBD patient herself. | |
 | Longtime antidepressant could slow Parkinson'sMichigan State University scientists now have early proof that an antidepressant drug that's been around for more than 50 years could slow the progression of Parkinson's. |
Team discovers that skin color affects skin sensitivity to heat, mechanical stimuliResearchers at the Bluestone Center for Clinical Research at the New York University College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry) have identified a novel molecular mechanism which explains why dark-skinned and light-skinned people respond differently to heat and mechanical stimulation. | |
 | Split-brain fruit fly research gives new insight into autismA better understanding of the cause of autism may come from an unlikely source, neurological studies of the fruit fly. Neuroscientists working in the biology department at the University of Nevada, Reno have identified a new genetic mechanism they believe is responsible for disruption of the brain pathways connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain; which has separately been linked to autism. |
New strategy for vaccinating pregnant mothers against malaria holds promise for protecting infantsA mother and infant in Malawi have the same repertoire of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum, the malaria parasite. That suggests that boosting the mother's immune response to malaria, as via vaccination, will result in better protection for the infant. The research is published August 23rd in Clinical and Vaccine Immunology. | |
 | Heparin stimulates food intake and body weight gain in miceHeparin is a medication widely used to prevent blood clotting; it is named after and mimics the naturally occurring anticoagulant in the body. However, research published today in Cell Reports shows a novel role of heparin as a promoter of food intake and body weight increase in animal models. These results suggest that heparin could be a potential target for drugs regulating appetite and weight control. |
 | Study identifies new metabolic target in quest to control immune responseA surprising discovery that immune cells possess an internal warehouse of glycogen used to activate immune responses could help to increase immune activity in vaccines or suppress immune reactions in autoimmune disease or hyper-inflammatory conditions. |
| PSA screening significantly reduces the risk for death from prostate cancerAfter differences in implementation and settings were accounted for, two important prostate cancer screening trials provide compatible evidence that screening reduces prostate cancer mortality. These findings suggest that current guidelines recommending against routine PSA-based screening may be revised. However, questions remain about how to implement screening so that the benefits outweigh the potential harms of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Study shows contrasting long-term cognitive effects of psychiatric drugs in schizophreniaPARIS, France: A long-term study has found that low cumulative exposure to benzodiazepine and antidepressant medications does not seem to affect cognition in schizophrenia. However, long-term high-dose use of antipsychotic drugs seemed to be associated with poorer cognition, whereas a relatively long break in antipsychotic use was associated with better cognitive functioning. This work, the first to follow lifetime exposure to benzodiazepines and antidepressant in schizophrenia, is presented at the ECNP conference in Paris, and it is also published in the peer-reviewed journal European Psychiatry*. |
 | Scientists find link between cognitive fatigue and effort and rewardKessler Foundation researchers have authored a new article that has implications for our understanding of the relationship between cognitive fatigue and effort and reward. The study, which was conducted in healthy participants, broadens our understanding of disease entities that are associated with a lower threshold for cognitive fatigue, such as multiple sclerosis, brain injury, stroke and Parkinson disease. |
 | Learning to improve foot control in cerebral palsyA device to measure foot control is being trialled to improve walking ability for adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy. |
MIRO trial: 3-year outcomes favour laparoscopic surgery for oesophageal cancerPatients requiring surgery for oesophageal cancer fare better after undergoing a hybrid minimally invasive oesophagectomy (HMIO) compared to an open oesophagectomy (OO), according to long-term results of the MIRO trial to be presented at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid. | |
 | Ex-college player who inspired ice bucket challenge honoredA Massachusetts man who inspired the ice bucket challenge has been honored for helping to raise millions of dollars for Lou Gehrig's disease research. |
 | Death toll from Nigeria cholera rises to 21: officialThe death toll from a cholera outbreak in restive northeast Nigeria has risen to 21, with most of the victims living in a camp for people displaced by Boko Haram violence, the health ministry said Tuesday. |
Study shows transgender students are at significant risk for suicidal thoughtsNearly 35% of transgender youth in California reported suicidal thoughts in the past year, almost double that of non-transgender youth, reports a study published in the September 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP). | |
 | Italy orders investigation after child dies of malariaItaly's health ministry has ordered an investigation into the death of a 4-year-old girl from malaria after checks determined she hadn't traveled to any country at risk for the disease. |
 | FDG-PET/CT predicts melanoma patients' response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapyAdvanced melanoma, a type of skin cancer that has spread to other areas of the body, has a poor prognosis, but immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy can be effective for some patients. Research highlighted in the featured article of the September issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine demonstrates that combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning early in treatment could identify whether the therapy will benefit a particular patient. As the therapy has potentially serious side-effects, early determination of ineffectiveness could avert unnecessary risk exposure and provide the option of a different treatment. |
Newly identified growth factor inhibitors selectively target the cells that cause fibrosisFibrosis describes the accumulation of excessive of connective tissue that occurs in response to organ injury or pathological states. Scars that replace injured skin are an example of external, visible fibrosis. Progressive scarring of the lung, liver, and heart represent fibrotic diseases that are major drivers of mortality. The tissue stiffness that characterizes fibrosis is also known to play a role in cancer metastasis. | |
Biology news
 | Blood is thicker than water for the common reed—At least that's what the soil tells usIn a paper published in Nature Communications, Northeastern University Professor Jennifer Bowen and University of Rhode Island Professor Laura Meyerson reveal that a native type of the common reed (Phragmites australis) has more in common with other native populations of the plant growing elsewhere across the country than they have in common with invasive types occupying the same ecosystem. The results from their study will aid in understanding how plant invasions succeed and the conditions necessary for their success. |
 | Hop, skip, run, leap: Unpredictability boosts survival for bipedal desert rodentsSometimes it pays to be unpredictable. A new study shows that when bipedal desert rodents called jerboas are being chased, sudden changes in direction, gait and speed help them elude hungry predators and likely give them a competitive edge over their quadrupedal neighbors. |
 | Insects can see the world in much finer resolution than previously thoughtInsects have much better vision and can see in far greater detail than previously thought, a new study from the University of Sheffield has revealed. |
 | Large-scale study of genetic data shows humans still evolvingIn a study analyzing the genomes of 210,000 people in the United States and Britain, researchers at Columbia University find that the genetic variants linked to Alzheimer's disease and heavy smoking are less frequent in people with longer lifespans, suggesting that natural selection is weeding out these unfavorable variants in both populations. |
 | Diverse landscapes are more productive and adapt better to climate changeEcosystems with high biodiversity are more productive and stable towards annual fluctuations in environmental conditions than those with a low diversity of species. They also adapt better to climate-driven environmental changes. These are the key findings environmental scientists at the University of Zurich made in a study of about 450 landscapes harbouring 2,200 plants and animal species. |
 | Life in the fast lane—how plants avoid traffic jamsTraffic jams are the curse of the commute, the scourge of the school run and the bane of Bank Holidays. But gridlocked motorists and students of traffic flow may soon be relieved and enlightened thanks to new research into plants. |
Parasite insight may help curb sleeping sicknessNew insight into sleeping sickness suggests communication between parasites that cause infection could affect the severity and spread of the disease. | |
 | Why poison dart frogs don't poison themselves(Phys.org)—A pair of researchers with the State University of New York has found the source of poison dart frogs' immunity from their own poison. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Sho-Ya Wang and Ging Kuo Wang describe testing frog muscle-derived amino acids in rat muscles to determine if one of them might be responsible for preventing muscle from seizing. |
 | New study shows cannibalistic fish refrain from eating their own embryosEven though it is known to be a cannibal, the mangrove rivulus or killifish of the Americas will never eat one of its own embryos, even if it is hungry. This slender amphibious fish can recognize its own kin, even if these are still in the embryonic stage. This is according to a study by Michael Wells and Patricia Wright of the University of Guelph in Canada, in Springer's journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. |
 | Biologists show that fruit fly larvae can make decisions about feeding that balance risk against benefitWe humans aren't the only creatures drawn by the smell of a good meal. Fruit fly larvae, it turns out, are equally susceptible to food scents, although the odors that attract them may not appeal to us. |
 | Superhuman 'night' vision during the total eclipse? Research offers a biological explanationIf you were fortunate enough to witness the recent total solar eclipse in all its glory, you might have noticed something surprising. |
 | Chile's Easter Island declares huge marine protection zoneIndigenous people who live on Chile's Easter Island far out in the Pacific have voted to create a vast marine protection zone. |
 | First detailed decoding of complex finger millet genomeFinger millet has two important properties: The grain is rich in important minerals and resistant towards drought and heat. Thanks to a novel combination of state-of-the-art technologies, researchers at the University of Zurich were able to decode the large and extremely complex genome of finger millet in high quality for the first time. This represents a fundamental basis for improving food security in countries like India and parts of Africa. |
 | How animal genes go into battle to dominate their offspringThe burdens of becoming parents are often shared unequally between male and female animals. This is particularly true of species that give birth to live young, where male duties such as defending the breeding territory and building dens or nests rarely compare with the ordeals of pregnancy and labour. |
 | Tasmanian genes helping to rebuild Victoria's bandicootsEastern barred bandicoots were once common in Victoria, but foxes and other threats have decimated numbers so badly that they only remain in captivity at three fenced reserves and on one small island. |
 | Scientists use CRISPR technology to change flower colourIn a world-first, Japanese scientists have used the revolutionary CRISPR, or CRISPR/Cas9, genome- editing tool to change flower colour in an ornamental plant. Researchers from the University of Tsukuba, the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) and Yokohama City University, Japan, altered the flower colour of the traditional Japanese garden plant, Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil or Pharbitis nil), from violet to white, by disrupting a single gene. This research highlights the huge potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to the study and manipulation of genes in horticultural plants. |
 | Discovery of dynamic seasonal changes in color perceptionIn many areas, the environment fluctuates greatly depending on the season, and animals living in those areas must adapt to the changing environment. A research group from the National Institute for Basic Biology and Nagoya University in Japan found that color perception of Medaka, a small fish inhabiting rice fields and streams, varies greatly according to seasonal changes. |
 | An overlooked and rare new gall-inducing micromoth from BrazilA new species and genus (Cecidonius pampeanus) of primitive monotrysian micromoth from the Brazilian Pampa biome has been recently discovered to induce scarcely noticeable galls under the swollen stems of the Uruguayan pepper tree. |
 | 'Bee' informed: public interest exceeds understanding in bee conservation, says biologistMany people have heard bee populations are declining due to such threats as colony collapse disorder, pesticides and habitat loss. And many understand bees are critical to plant pollination. Yet, according to a study led by Utah State University ecologist Joseph Wilson, few are aware of the wide diversity of bees and other pollinators beyond such species as honeybees. |
 | Adventitious root formation on cycads saves trees, but informs new conservation dilemmasConservationists are often hindered by lack of knowledge to support decisions for conserving endangered plants. Applied research projects are often conducted in what scientists call an adaptive management approach. A recent adaptive management study from the University of Guam has revealed that large stem cuttings of the Endangered Cycas micronesica tree may be nurtured to produce adventitious roots which enable the creation of large transplants. The results appear in the current issue of the Journal of Threatened Taxa. |
 | Team assembles genome of threatened northern spotted owlA charismatic owl iconic to Pacific Coast forests is no longer ruling the roost, and scientists now have another tool for understanding its decline. Researchers have assembled the California Academy of Sciences' first-ever animal genome after sequencing the DNA of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina). In collaboration with the University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Academy scientists extensively mapped the bird's genetic material to better understand how this threatened forest dweller is interacting with non-native owls invading its habitat. Findings are published this month in Genome Biology and Evolution. |
 | Rare footage of a new clearwing moth species from Malaysia reveals its behaviorUnique footage of a new species of clearwing moth has been recorded in a primeval rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia revealing the behaviour of this elusive insect. |
 | Why aren't Britons more outraged about eating chlorinated chicken?Like a B-movie for a post-Brexit era, consumers in Britain may soon be unwillingly cast in the 2019 blockbuster, Attack of the Chlorine Chickens. If news headlines are to be believed, flocks of toxic fowl are waiting to storm Britain's shores like mini featherless zombies as part of a US-UK trade deal. |
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