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COMSOL Conference 2017 - October 4-6
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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 6, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Study of Uranus suggests some of its moons are on a collision course(Phys.org)—A trio of researchers, two with the University of Idaho, the other with Wellesley College, has found evidence suggesting that two pairs of Uranus's moons are on a collision course. Robert Chancia, Matthew Hedman and Richard French have uploaded a paper describing their observations to the arXiv preprint server. |
 | Earth as hybrid planet: New classification places Anthropocene era in astrobiological contextFor decades, as astronomers have imagined advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, they categorized such worlds by the amount of energy their inhabitants might conceivably be able to harness and use. They sorted the hypothetical worlds into three types according to a scheme named in 1964 for Soviet astronomer Nikolai Kardashev. |
 | Jupiter's aurora presents a powerful mysteryScientists on NASA's Juno mission have observed massive amounts of energy swirling over Jupiter's polar regions that contribute to the giant planet's powerful aurora - only not in ways the researchers expected. |
 | Accretion-powered pulsar reveals unique timing glitchThe discovery of the largest timing irregularity yet observed in a pulsar is the first confirmation that pulsars in binary systems exhibit the strange phenomenon known as a 'glitch'. The study is published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. |
 | Asteroid Florence has two moonsFlorence, an asteroid that came within 4.4 million miles (7.0 million kilometers) of Earth last week, has two small moons, according to radar images obtained by NASA. |
 | X-rays reveal temperament of possible planet-hosting starsA new study using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA's XMM-Newton suggests X-rays emitted by a planet's host star may provide critical clues to just how hospitable a star system could be. A team of researchers looked at 24 stars similar to the Sun, each at least one billion years old, and how their X-ray brightness changed over time. |
 | Does the organic material of comets predate our solar system?The Rosetta space probe discovered a large amount of organic material in the nucleus of comet 'Chury.' In an article published by MNRAS on Aug. 31, 2017, two French researchers advance the theory that this matter has its origin in interstellar space and predates the birth of the solar system. |
 | Two significant solar flares imaged by NASA's SDOThe sun emitted two significant solar flares on the morning of Sept. 6, 2017. The first peaked at 5:10 a.m. EDT and the second, larger flare, peaked at 8:02 a.m. EDT. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured images of both events. 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. |
Video: The historic adventure of Cassini-HuygensCassini-Huygens was launched on 15 October 1997 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. | |
 | Image: Voyager 1 Launches aboard Titan III/CentaurNASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft launched atop its Titan/Centaur-6 launch vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex in Florida on September 5, 1977, at 8:56 a.m. local time. |
Technology news
 | Defects in next-generation solar cells can be healed with lightResearchers have shown that defects in the molecular structure of perovskites - a material which could revolutionise the solar cell industry - can be "healed" by exposing it to light and just the right amount of humidity. |
 | Hi, steering wheel? Jaguar's thinking caps call it the Sayer(Tech Xplore)—Chew on this. Forget about turning for news about fresh features in your self-driving car of tomorrow. Jaguar wants to turn everything on its head. Car ownership, like car driving, is up for fresh air thinking. |
 | Nissan adds range to cheaper Leaf, but new drivers are keyNissan's new Leaf electric car will go farther on a charge and has a new type of drive technology and the possibility of single-pedal driving. It will also be cheaper, though the world's top-selling electric car still won't match the driving range of its prime competitors. |
 | Firebricks offer low-cost storage for carbon-free energyFirebricks, designed to withstand high heat, have been part of our technological arsenal for at least three millennia, since the era of the Hittites. Now, a proposal from MIT researchers shows this ancient invention could play a key role in enabling the world to switch away from fossil fuels and rely instead on carbon-free energy sources. |
 | Voting vulnerability: Study points to potential fraud in online voting registration systemsOnline attackers may be able to purchase - for as little as a few thousand dollars - enough personal information to potentially alter voter registration information in as many as 35 states and the District of Columbia, according to a new Harvard study. |
 | Water-based lithium-ion batteries without explosive risks now a realityResearchers at the University of Maryland and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have developed for the first time a lithium-ion battery that uses a water-salt solution as its electrolyte and reaches the 4.0 volt mark desired for household electronics, such as laptop computers, without the fire and explosive risks associated with some commercially available non-aqueous lithium-ion batteries. Their work appears September 6 in Joule. |
 | PupilScreen aims to allow parents, coaches, medics to detect concussion, TBIs with a phoneUniversity of Washington researchers are developing the first smartphone app that is capable of objectively detecting concussion and other traumatic brain injuries in the field: on the sidelines of a sports game, on a battlefield or in the home of an elderly person prone to falls. |
EU top court orders reexamination of Intel antitrust fineThe European Union's top court on Wednesday sent back a case on a billion euro fine against chip maker Intel Corp. for further legal examination. | |
 | Reproducing the computational environments of experimentsExperiments increasingly rely on high-performance computing software. Differences in software environments can cause problems when those experiments need to be reproduced—so scientists at the MDC in Berlin are seeking a solution. |
 | Why US battery startups fail—and how to fix itBetter batteries are critical to the world's clean energy future. More economical and efficient batteries would help to solve many of our planet's energy challenges, paving the way towards long-range electric vehicles to help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels as well as advancing renewable energy production by resolving intermittency problems. However, the scientific research needed to bring the necessary advances in materials to market in the US remains a formidable challenge. Hurdles include high upfront capital costs and long timelines to success - leading many startup companies to fail, even with generous funding from venture capital and esteemed investors such as Bill Gates. |
 | Kohl's to open Amazon shops inside some of its storesKohl's said Wednesday that it will open up Amazon shops in 10 of its stores, making it the latest department store operator to make a deal with the e-commerce giant. |
 | New app could transform music teaching in schoolsDeveloped by academics and musicians at the University of Sussex, the Syncphonia app enables a music teacher or conductor to break down the different parts of a piece of music, so that the notes and tempo for each player's instrument is displayed on their own tablet, highlighted bar by bar. This keeps them in time with the rest of the orchestra without being distracted by multiple lines of notation, reducing stress for children and learners. |
 | House passes bill to speed deployment of self-driving carsThe House voted Wednesday to speed the introduction of self-driving cars by giving the federal government authority to exempt automakers from safety standards not applicable to the technology, and to permit deployment of up to 100,000 of the vehicles annually over the next several years. |
Finding better wind energy potential with the new European Wind AtlasOver the last 25 years, the world has seen an increased dependency on wind energy that promises to continue growing. This has created an ever-evolving process to develop a method that can accurately assess a region's wind energy potential. The most-used assessment methods today are based on the European Wind Atlas through the use of the Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program (WAsP). | |
 | Iceland featured in FIFA 18 gameIceland fans rejoice. The Nordic country's national team will be featured in the FIFA 18 video game, its football association announced on Wednesday, after reaching an agreement with the developer EA Sports. |
 | Russia jails two members of notorious hacker groupA Russian court on Wednesday sentenced two members of an infamous hacking group to three years in jail for breaking into the accounts of high-ranking Russian officials. |
 | Russia-tied hackers can gain control of power network: reportA Russia-linked cyber-espionage group has hacked into the controls of electricity distribution networks in the US and Europe, raising the risk of malicious, remotely-caused blackouts, computer security firm Symantec said Wednesday. |
 | Webcast marks TV milestone, unsung pioneer behind itHappy 90th birthday, television! |
 | Russia-linked Facebook accounts stoked US divisionsFacebook said Wednesday an internal review showed that hundreds of Russia-linked fake accounts were used to buy ads aimed at inflaming political tensions ahead of and following the 2016 US presidential election. |
 | Supercharging silicon batteriesAs the world shifts towards renewable energy, moving on from fossil fuels, but at the same time relying on ever more energy-gobbling devices, there is a fast-growing need for larger high-performance batteries. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) power most of our portable electronics, but they are flammable and can even explode, as it happened to a recent model of smartphone. To prevent such accidents, the current solution is to encapsulate the anode – which is the negative (-) electrode of the battery, opposite to the cathode (+) - into a graphite frame, thus insulating the lithium ions. However, such casing is limited to a small scale to avoid physical collapse, therefore restraining the capacity - the amount of energy you can store - of the battery. |
 | Beware the cult of 'tech fixing' – it's why America is eyeing the nuclear buttonWith even Vladimir Putin now warning of global catastrophe from the recent tensions in Korea, we are in arguably the worst period of nuclear brinkmanship since the end of the Cold War. It is partly thanks to a strand of thinking among the American right that a nuclear attack on Pyongyang would succeed where decades of diplomacy has failed. |
Medicine & Health news
 | New device accurately identifies cancer in secondsA team of scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin has invented a powerful tool that rapidly and accurately identifies cancerous tissue during surgery, delivering results in about 10 second s— more than 150 times as fast as existing technology. The MasSpec Pen is an innovative handheld instrument that gives surgeons precise diagnostic information about what tissue to cut or preserve, helping improve treatment and reduce the chances of cancer recurrence. |
 | Yoga and meditation improve brain function and energy levelsPracticing brief sessions of Hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation can significantly improve brain function and energy levels, according to a new study from the University of Waterloo. |
 | Good and bad news on aspirin and colon cancer: studyDaily aspirin use—known to reduce the risk of colon cancer—could also make the disease harder to treat if it does occur, researchers reported Wednesday. |
 | Biologists slow aging, extend lifespan of fruit fliesUCLA biologists have developed an intervention that serves as a cellular time machine—turning back the clock on a key component of aging. |
 | Potential noninvasive test for Alzheimer's diseaseIn the largest and most conclusive study of its kind, researchers have analysed blood samples to create a novel and non-invasive way of helping to diagnose Alzheimer's disease and distinguishing between different types of neurodegenerative disorders. |
 | Compound found to improve brain structure development of mice with Down syndrome(Medical Xpress)—A team with members from several institutions in Japan has found a compound that reduces the impact of Down syndrome in mice. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes their search for a neural improvement compound and report on one that improved brain structure development in mice with Down syndrome. |
 | New diagnostic tool spots first signs of Parkinson's diseaseResearchers have developed the first tool that can diagnose Parkinson's disease when there are no physical symptoms, offering hope for more effective treatment of the condition. |
 | Scientists discover the 'adrenaline' of the immune systemScientists at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown and the Instituto de Medicina Molecular, in Lisbon, Portugal, have discovered that neurons located at mucosal tissues can immediately detect an infection in the organism, promptly producing a substance that acts as an "adrenaline rush" for immune cells. Under the effect of this signal, immune cells rapidly become poised to fight the infection and repair the damage caused to surrounding tissues. These totally novel results have been published online in the journal Nature on September 6, 2017. |
 | Synthetic version of popular anticoagulant poised for clinical trialsA synthetic version of low molecular weight heparin is poised for clinical trials and development as a drug for patients with clotting disorders, and those undergoing procedures such as kidney dialysis, heart bypass surgery, stent implantation, and knee and hip replacement. Naturally derived low molecular weight heparin is extracted from pig intestines and the synthetic version offers several advantages: a synthesized version poses less risk for contamination in manufacturing, and, unlike its natural counterpart, it has been engineered to be safer for patients with poor kidney function and reversible in cases of complication. |
 | Bacterial in-fighting provides new treatment for hospital infectionsA bacteria that is a leading cause of death worldwide from hospital acquired infections following antibiotic treatment looks set to be brought down through its own sibling rivalry. |
 | Researchers discover why redheads are more prone to melanomaRed-haired people are known for pale skin, freckles, poor tanning ability and unfortunately, an increased risk for developing skin cancer. Research has shown that they have variants in Melanocortin 1 Receptor (MC1R), a protein crucial for pigmentation in humans, but how this translates to increased risk for cancer and whether that risk can be reversed has remained an active area of investigation—until now. |
 | One powerful cell makes or breaks your habitsSome habits are helpful, such as automatically washing your hands before a meal or driving the same route to work every day. They accomplish an important task while freeing up valuable brain space. |
 | 'Vampires' may have been real people with this blood disorderPorphyrias, a group of eight known blood disorders, affect the body's molecular machinery for making heme, which is a component of the oxygen-transporting protein, hemoglobin. When heme binds with iron, it gives blood its hallmark red color. |
 | New model for hard-to-study form of blindness paves way for future researchMacular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults, but scientists have long struggled to study and replicate key elements of the disease in the lab. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is the first to demonstrate hallmarks of macular degeneration in a new human stem cell model developed by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center. |
 | Three scientists, Planned Parenthood win Lasker medical prizesTwo scientists who paved the way for widely used vaccines and another who discovered key players in cell growth have been awarded prestigious medical research awards. |
 | Vaccine to prevent most cervical cancers shows long-term effectivenessA vaccine that can literally eradicate the majority of cervical cancer cases shows long-term effectiveness in a study published today in The Lancet. This study of 14,215 women in 18 countries extends and solidifies the initial phase 3 efficacy and safety trial of the nine-valent human papilloma virus vaccine, Gardasil 9, that was published in February 2015 in The New England Journal of Medicine. |
French fashion giants ban ultra-thin models (Update)A host of French-owned fashion labels spanning Christian Dior to Saint Laurent pledged Wednesday to ban ultra-thin models from their advertising and catwalk shows following repeated scandals about anorexia and mistreatment. | |
 | Spreading depolarizations trigger early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage, researchers findThe phrase "time is brain" could take on new meaning when applied to the treatment of subarachnoid hemorrhage, a type of bleeding stroke, thanks to research partially funded by the Mayfield Education & Research Foundation and the United States government. |
Danish drugmaker reaches settlement with US authoritiesDanish drug maker Novo Nordisk says it has reached a $46.5 million settlement with U.S. authorities over allegations that it hadn't properly communicated safety information when marketing a medicine to treat type 2 diabetes. | |
 | Study associates schizophrenia with defective processing of messenger RNA in cellsSchizophrenia affects approximately 1 percent of the world's population and is the main cause of psychiatric incapacitation. Despite its high prevalence and the severity of its symptoms, little is known about the biochemical mechanisms involved in its development or progression. |
 | 'Waves' of neural activity give new clues about Alzheimer'sWhile unconscious during deep sleep, slow-wave neuron activity travels across the cerebral cortex. This phenomenon is related to the consolidation of memory. A European project called SloW Dyn, led by Spanish scientists, has now revealed anomalies in this activity in mice displaying a decline similar to Alzheimer's. |
Childhood socioeconomic status associated with arterial stiffness in adulthoodA multicentre trial coordinated by the Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Turku, Finland, shows that lower socioeconomic status in childhood is associated with arterial stiffness in adulthood. The socioeconomic gap in cardiovascular disease is a major health problem that has widened. Previous studies have shown that the development of atherosclerosis begins early in childhood and that childhood socioeconomic status predicts the risk of cardiovascular diseases far into adulthood. | |
 | Living in poverty puts demands on attention that impair decision-makingIf the interest rate banks paid on customers' deposits were to soar from 0.3 percent to 5 percent, you would expect that most people would start saving more. But, it turns out, most people aren't that calculating. |
 | Researchers unlock the molecular origins of Alzheimer's diseaseA "twist of fate" that is minuscule even on the molecular level may cause the development of Alzheimer's disease, VCU researchers have found. |
 | New device for testing heart healthUConn researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering have developed a device that tests an important indicator of heart health that is often ignored – blood viscosity. |
 | Kids and high-intensity drinkingAbout 2 percent of kids 14 to 16 years old report high-intensity drinking—drinking 10 or more drinks in a row—in the last two weeks, according to a University of Michigan study. |
Study reveals surprising degree of shared investment across health sectorsA new way of measuring the financial links that tie together hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospices and home health agencies reveals a surprisingly large—and rapidly growing—degree of consolidation across various sectors of the health care industry. | |
 | Fighting dust-mite allergies with fish oilKids born to mums who'd taken high doses of fish oil in pregnancy were less likely to have some types of allergies, Adelaide researchers have found. |
 | Having a social group will improve your healthIt's well established that people who feel socially isolated, or as though they don't belong, have worse mental health than those who feel socially connected. But in a study recently published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, we've shown that increasing your level of social connection can protect your future mental health. |
Researcher advocates removal of lead from hair dyeHoward W. Mielke, a Tulane research professor in the Department of Pharmacology at Tulane School of Medicine, is raising awareness of toxins within hair dye. This year, Mielke teamed up with fellow health advocates, the Environmental Defense Fund and Earthjustice, a San Francisco–based nonprofit, to petition the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban lead acetate as an ingredient used in hair coloring products. | |
 | Smoking bans linked to drop in child hospital admissionsChildhood chest infections needing hospital care may have dropped by as much as 20 per cent since anti-smoking laws were introduced, research suggests. |
 | The problem with sex shops 'for women'The launch of a sex toy collection to tie-in with the Comedy Central series Broad City calls to mind another connection between sex toys and women on television. In a 1998 episode of Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw and her friends visited a sex shop to buy "Rabbit" vibrators. Several of the women that I interviewed for my research on women and sex shopping mentioned that episode as a watershed moment in the normalisation of sex shopping for women. |
 | Three reasons employers need to recognise menopause at workMenopause, when periods stop for good, is a normal stage in every woman's reproductive life. The symptoms usually begin in a woman's forties, with the average age of menopause itself being 51. Experiences differ from woman to woman. Some report sailing through transition, others are pleased to no longer menstruate or be able to fall pregnant, or just embrace getting older. |
 | Female doctors show more empathy than male doctorsOur latest research found that female doctors are better at empathy than male doctors, and this probably makes them better doctors. |
Genetic effects are influenced by lifestyleThe risk for developing obesity is influenced by our lifestyle as well as our genes. In a new study from Uppsala University, researchers show that our genetic risk for obesity is not static, but is influenced by our lifestyle. Results from the study have been published in the scientific journal PLOS Genetics. | |
Pornography exposure at a young age can lead to early sexual behaviourPeople who view sexually explicit material at a young age are more likely to engage in sexual behaviour at an earlier age. That is the key finding of research by Elysia Walker and Dr Emily Doe from the University of Buckingham being presented today at the annual conference of the British Psychological Society's Division of Health Psychology. | |
Late bedtime and lack of sleep lead to overweight children in ChinaResearchers at the University of Birmingham have found that Chinese children who go to bed later and sleep less are more likely to be more overweight. | |
 | Determining motor deficits more precisely following a strokeAfter a stroke, many people are unable to successfully perform basic hand movements in everyday life. The reason are symptoms of hemiparesis resulting from damage to the brain. These very frequently affect fine motor skills. A team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is now paving the way to better diagnosis and more targeted therapy. |
 | Hate to work out? Your DNA may be to blame(HealthDay)—If a gym visit elicits more grimaces than grins, you might be genetically predisposed to dislike exercise, Dutch researchers suggest. |
 | How a bite of a hot dog threatened and saved a boy's life(HealthDay)—A 9-year-old boy in Turkey opened wide for a big bite of a tasty hot dog, but had no idea the simple act might almost kill him. |
 | Harvey's wrath still poses risks to children(HealthDay)—Safety measures must be a priority for children returning to Houston and other communities affected by flooding from Hurricane Harvey, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. |
 | Team sports for kids: A winning combo(HealthDay)—Team sports are a great way for kids to get exercise, make friends and have fun. |
 | New appropriate use criteria issued for valvular heart disease(HealthDay)—Appropriate use criteria have been developed for valvular heart disease imaging tests, according to a report published online Sept. 1 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. |
 | Smoking bans help kids breathe easier(HealthDay)—Smoking bans help protect the health of children's lungs, a new analysis shows. |
 | Art courses could help medical students become better clinical observersObservation skills are an essential component of any medical education, aiding doctors during patient exams and in making medical diagnoses, yet several studies have indicated inadequacies in this area among medical trainees and practicing physicians. In an effort to explore ways to improve these skills among medical students, researchers from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), in collaboration with educators at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, turned to the field of visual arts to examine if training in art observation, description, and interpretation could be applied to medical training. |
 | Substance in coffee delays onset of diabetes in laboratory miceIn recent years, researchers have identified substances in coffee that could help quash the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. But few of these have been tested in animals. Now in study appearing in ACS' Journal of Natural Products, scientists report that one of these previously untested compounds appears to improve cell function and insulin sensitivity in laboratory mice. The finding could spur the development of new drugs to treat or even prevent the disease. |
Older adults who are frail more likely to have negative outcomes after traumaFrailty is associated with negative outcomes among older patients who suffered trauma, a new study has found. | |
Liver cancer patients can start with lower dose of chemotherapy and live just as longPatients with the most common type of liver cancer who are taking the chemotherapy drug sorafenib can begin their treatment with a lower dose than is currently considered standard, and it will not affect how long they live when compared to patients who start on the full dose. That finding comes from a new study from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, published this week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and it opens the door for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma to begin with a reduced dose of sorafenib, which helps to minimize the drug's side effects while also saving money for patients, providers, and insurers. | |
Researchers find campus sexual violence significantly affects academicsSexual assault on a college campus can cause a considerable number of physical and emotional issues for the victim. While much needed programs, and past studies, have predominately focused on the mental health effects of such violent acts on students, new research by the University of New Hampshire shows that aggressive sexual acts can also adversely impact school work and overall college experience. | |
 | Researchers measure the basis of color visionDr. Wolf M. Harmening from University Eye Hospital Bonn, together with American colleagues, studied color vision by probing individual sensory cells - photoreceptors - in the human eye. The results confirm that the photoreceptor cells of the retina are especially sensitive to colors corresponding to their visual pigments, even when stimulated in isolation. A new observation is that proximity effects play a key role: sensitivity of tested photoreceptors varied depending on which cell classes were located in their immediate neighborhood. The results have now been published in advance online and will soon be published in the Journal of Neuroscience. |
 | Study points to path for better diagnosis of eating disorders, the deadliest of mental illnessesA paper appearing recently in the peer-reviewed journal Comprehensive Psychiatry details a "radical" new method for diagnosing eating disorders that predicts 68 percent of people's problems in psychological and social functioning due to eating-disorder features. |
Common cerebral white matter abnormalities found in children with autistic traitsStructural abnormalities in the brain's white matter match up consistently with the severity of autistic symptoms not only in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but also, to some degree, in those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who also have autistic traits. | |
Mislabeled moisturizers create problems for skin disorder sufferersA new Northwestern Medicine study found that moisturizers marked "fragrance free" or "hypoallergenic" were not, and products labeled as "dermatologist-recommended" often came with a higher price tag. | |
Not adhering to recommended exams for severe narrowing of the aortic valve associated with increased heart failurePatients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis who did not follow recommended guidelines for regular exams had poorer survival and were more likely to be hospitalized for heart failure, according to a study published by JAMA Cardiology. | |
Health insurance changes, access to care by patients' mental health statusA research letter published by JAMA Psychiatry examined access to care before the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and after the ACA for patients grouped by mental health status using a scale to assess mental illness in epidemiologic studies. | |
 | Unneeded medical care is common and driven by fear of malpractice, physician survey concludesA new national survey of more than 2,000 physicians across multiple specialties finds that physicians believe overtreatment is common and mostly perpetuated by fear of malpractice, as well as patient demand and some profit motives. |
 | Listening to happy music may enhance divergent creativityListening to happy music may help generate more, innovative solutions compared to listening to silence, according to a study published September 6, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Simone Ritter from Radboud University, The Netherlands and Sam Ferguson from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. |
Statins reduce deaths from heart disease by 28 percent in men, says longest ever studyPrevious research has shown the benefit of statins for reducing high cholesterol and heart disease risk amongst different patient populations. However, until now there has been no conclusive evidence from trials for current guidelines on statin usage for people with very high levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (above 190mg/dL) and no established heart disease. | |
 | For some, smell test may signal Parkinson's disease up to 10 years before diagnosisA simple scratch-and-sniff test may one day be able to help identify some people at greater risk of developing Parkinson's disease up to 10 years before the disease could be diagnosed, according to a new study published in the September 6, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. |
Black teens from Great Recession may have higher risk factors for heart disease, diabetesAfrican-American teens who lived through the Great Recession of 2007-2009 may have higher risk of metabolic syndrome, a common cluster of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. | |
 | Discovery of genes linked to preterm birth in landmark studyA massive DNA analysis of pregnant women has identified six gene regions that influence the length of pregnancy and the timing of birth. The findings, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, may lead to new ways to prevent preterm birth and its consequences—the leading cause of death among children under age 5 worldwide. |
 | Three-quarters of Americans see head injuries in football as major problemThree-quarters of fans say head injuries in football are a major problem and another six in 10 are worried about off-field violence involving players. Despite that, football remains America's favorite professional sport, according to results of a UMass Lowell-Washington Post poll released today. |
 | CBD may protect against psychiatric risk from high-THC cannabis strainsA study reported Sept. 5 by neuroscientists at Indiana University finds that a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis called cannabidiol, or CBD, appears to protect against the long-term negative psychiatric effects of THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. |
Blood tumor markers may warn when lung cancer patients are progressingFor many years, oncologists have known that cancers can secrete complex molecules into the blood and that levels of these molecules can be easily measured. These so-called 'tumor markers' are traditionally associated with a single dominant cancer type, for example Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) linked to prostate cancer, Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) to colorectal cancer, CA125 to ovarian cancer, CA19.9 to pancreatic cancer and CA27.29 to breast cancer. However, the real challenge has been to determine a practical use for these markers. They don't appear to be useful as a means of screening otherwise healthy people for evidence of underlying cancers. | |
 | Health of more than half of US adults affected by obesityConsidering weight across the life course, the prevalence of obesity among adults in the US rises considerably, suggesting that the effects on population health may be even more pervasive than previously understood, according to a new study led by a Boston university School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher. |
Comparing cancer drug effectiveness from cells to mice to manScience is very good at determining how drugs work in experimental models. New research out of Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center led by Alan Eastman, PhD, helps to bridge the gap when it comes to ensuring that drugs work by the same mechanism in human patients. | |
 | Put flu shot on the back-to-school checklist(HealthDay)—Annual flu vaccines are appropriate for everyone aged 6 months or older, the American Academy of Pediatrics reminds parents. |
 | New study finds improved vaccine that protects against nine types of HPV is highly effectiveCervical cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with almost 300,000 deaths occurring each year. More than 80 percent of these deaths occur in developing nations. The advent of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines has significantly reduced the number of those who develop and die from cervical cancer. And thanks to an international effort to improve the vaccine, the medical community is one step closer to preventing more HPV-associated diseases. The researchers, including those from Moffitt Cancer Center, published the final results of a study showing the newest vaccine is highly effective at preventing HPV infection and disease. The study was published this week in The Lancet. |
 | A bioactive molecule may protect against congestive heart failure after heart attacksHeart attacks provoke an acute immune response. Leukocytes rush to the heart muscle to remove dead cells and begin building scar tissue. This is followed by a second immune response, the resolving phase that allows healing. |
 | Chronic bronchitis new insights could lead to first diagnostic test and better treatmentsWhen a patient arrives at a doctor's office with a persistent cough and the sensation of gunk building up in the lungs, the doctor's thought process is essentially the same as it would have been decades ago. There has been no understanding of the affected biological pathways causing the gunk buildup in the lung, nor has there been a diagnostic test for chronic bronchitis. UNC School of Medicine researchers are trying to change that. |
Patient satisfaction with pain management linked to nurse staffingHospital patients' satisfaction with pain management is linked to nurse staffing, according to an article authored by nurse researchers from the Connell School of Nursing at Boston College and published in the journal Pain Management Nursing. | |
A decade later, older Americans are still going hungryHunger does not respect age. A recent report comparing data from 2007 to 2015 finds 5.4 million people age 60 or older in the U.S., or 8.1 percent, are food insecure. Although this percentage went down from 2014 to 2015, it's still unacceptable, according to a University of Illinois economist. | |
Alectinib: ALEX and ALUR trials show CNS benefit in NSCLCData from two separate phase 3 studies to be presented at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid, show alectinib's particular central nervous system (CNS) activity in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer involving a mutation of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene (ALK-positive NSCLC). | |
 | New study aims to narrow the gap between the care the elderly want and what they getResearch has shown most frail elderly patients want to maintain the quality of life rather than prolong it, but the use of invasive life-sustaining technologies in this population has been increasing. |
Pain and Alzheimer's diseaseFor people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), pain that interferes with daily activities may be more common than people with AD typically report. | |
Patient's immune status associated with outcome following third-generation CAR T-cell therapyTreatment with third-generation CAR T–cell therapy led to a complete response in six of 15 patients with a CD19-positive B-cell malignancy and overall survival was associated with the patient's immune status, according to data from a phase I/IIa clinical trial presented at the Third CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival, held Sept. 6–9. | |
Inactivated vaccinia virus effective against advanced cancers alone or combined with immune checkpoint inhibitorsModified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), a poxvirus, was found to be safe when administered in an inactivated form in mice, and delivering it into the tumor in addition to systemic delivery of an immune checkpoint inhibitor yielded synergistic antitumor effects in mice with large tumors and those with multiple tumors, according to data presented at the Third CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival, held Sept. 6-9. | |
Gut microbes may promote immune responses against colorectal cancerBacteria in the gut could stimulate tumor cells to produce factors that regulate cell mobility called chemokines that recruit T cells to the tumor, which is linked to improved outcomes, according to data presented at the Third CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival, held Sept. 6-9. | |
Study finds less extensive damage in young female mice from chemotherapy-induced kidney injuryYoung females may have the greatest level of protection against acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by the chemotherapy drug Cisplatin, commonly used to treat lung, ovarian, bladder and stomach cancer. Nearly a third of all people who are treated with Cisplatin develop AKI. The study—the first to investigate combined sex and age differences in the response to kidney injury—is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Renal Physiology and was chosen as an APSselect article for September. | |
Some stroke survivors may have underlying cancerSome stroke survivors may have underlying cancer, according to an observational study to be presented at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid. | |
People who use drugs require prioritization, not exclusion, in HCV eliminationAn international conference bringing together hepatitis C experts from around the world is today calling for strategies to prioritise people who use drugs, saying hepatitis C elimination is impossible without them. | |
Nivolumab in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Added benefit for specific patientsNivolumab (trade name: Opdivo) has been approved since June 2017 for adults with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. The drug is an option if platinum-based chemotherapy is not sufficiently effective against this form of cancer. In recent years, nivolumab has repeatedly been subject to early benefit assessments conducted by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) for other oncological indications. IQWiG has now investigated whether the drug has an added benefit for patients in the new therapeutic indication. | |
Overcoming barriers to recruiting blacks/African-Americans for dementia researchIn a paper published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, lead author Eseosa Ighodaro, PhD, encouraged fellow researchers to address the challenges associated with studying dementia in Blacks/African-Americans. | |
Brazil declares end to yellow fever outbreak that killed 261Brazil's Health Ministry has declared an end to a yellow fever outbreak that killed more 250 people over the past nine months. | |
Biology news
 | High-flying ducks cross HimalayasA high-flying duck species reaches altitudes of up to 6,800 metres (22,000 feet) to cross the Himalayas, new research shows. |
 | Clever cockatoos bend hooks into straight wire to fish for foodIn the early 2000s the New Caledonian crow Betty in Oxford shocked the world when she spontaneously bent a hook into a straight piece of wire while trying to retrieve a small out-off-reach basket with a handle from a vertical tube. Interestingly, when human children were tested on a similar task setup they showed great difficulties with coming up with a suitable solution until the age of nearly eight years. New Caledonian crows are specialized tools users in the wild and their ability to handle tools is innate. Nevertheless, in this case Betty seemed to innovatively produce a novel behavioural sequence on an unknown material. |
 | Something to sneeze about: Democratic voting in African wild dog packsScientists studying African wild dogs in Botswana have found members of this endangered species use sneezes to vote on when the pack will move off and start hunting. |
 | Identification of individuals by trait prediction using whole-genome sequencing dataResearchers from Human Longevity, Inc. (HLI) have published a study in which individual faces and other physical traits were predicted using whole genome sequencing data and machine learning. This work, from lead author Christoph Lippert, Ph.D. and senior author J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). |
 | Could solar storms that cause the northern lights cause whale strandings?A series of sperm whale strandings saw 29 of the animals beached across the North Sea in early 2016. As these whales are not normally found in the North Sea, the strandings were a bit of a mystery. But a study is now proposing that the solar storms that cause the northern and southern lights (aurora) could be to blame for the ill-fated whales ending up on the beaches. |
 | Sugar molecule helps stomach cells to differentiate between good and bad bugsHalf of all people are chronically infected with Helicobacter pylori, a Gram negative bacterium that plays a causative role in the development of gastric cancer. It comes in two types, one that is relatively harmless and another that increases the risk of cancer six-fold. The dangerous strain causes a particularly strong inflammation in the stomach mucosa by activating nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), the "master switch" of the tissue-based innate immune response, which rapidly triggers transcription of genes that initiate local inflammation. How exactly H. pylori triggers NF-κB has long been a mystery, however. |
 | The shark network—exposing the social lives of sharksResearchers have shown for the first time that sharks show very strong preferences for particular individuals in their social networks over years and prefer to hang out with other individuals of the same sex and size, in a new study released today. |
 | Molecular map shows how to disable dangerous bioweaponDuring World War II, the Soviet Red Army was forced to move their biological warfare operations out of the path of advancing Nazi troops. Among the dangerous cargo were vials of Francisella tularensis, the organism that causes tularemia and one of the world's most infectious pathogens. |
 | Malaria: Drug candidate may reduce spread of the parasiteSignificant headway has been made in controlling malaria. However, two vexing problems remain: currently available treatments are unable to block transmission of the parasite that causes the disease, and the parasite often becomes resistant to drugs. According to a new study led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), there is a class of compounds that could address both of these problems. |
 | Due to climate change, one-third of animal parasites may be extinct by 2070The Earth's changing climate could cause the extinction of up to a third of its parasite species by 2070, according to a global analysis reported Sept. 6 in the journal Science Advances. Parasite loss could dramatically disrupt ecosystems, and the new study suggests that they are one of the most threatened groups of life on Earth. |
 | Pollen stays on bee bodies right where flowers need it for pollinationAfter grooming, bees still have pollen on body parts that match the position of flower pollen-sacs and stigmas, according to a study published September 6, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Petra Wester from Heinrich-Heine-University, Germany, and colleagues. |
 | Monkey sees ... monkey knows? A metacognitive illusion in monkeysSocrates is often quoted as having said, "I know that I know nothing." This ability to know what you know or don't know—and how confident you are in what you think you know—is called metacognition. |
 | Will mallards hybridize their cousins out of existence?Mallards—the familiar green-headed ducks of city parks—are one of a group of closely related waterfowl species, many of which are far less common. Interbreeding with Mallards can threaten the genetic distinctiveness of those other species and cause concern for their conservation. A new study from The Condor: Ornithological Applications investigates hybridization between Mallards and Mottled Ducks, a species specially adapted for life in Gulf Coast marshes, and finds that while hybridization rates are currently low, human activity could cause them to rise in the future. |
 | Dutch give big cats hunting lessons in return to the wildSuspended from a large butcher's hook, a prime piece of raw steak glides and then zigzags through the air in a big arena under the watchful eye of Dumi, the lioness. |
 | Dog helps sniff out invasive ants on California islandScientists assessing long-term efforts to eradicate invasive ants on the Channel Islands off the Southern California coast have enlisted a four-legged expert to make sure a project to kill off the destructive pests has succeeded. |
 | Human Cell Atlas hopes to unravel mysteries hidden in our genesA major international project is attempting to create the first comprehensive three-dimensional map of all human cells which could end up revealing secrets about our health and how our bodies function. |
STSR tests confirm that dogs have self-awarenessA new study carried out by the Department of Psychology at Barnard College in the U.S. used a sniff test to evaluate the ability of dogs to recognize themselves. The results have been published in the journal Behavioural Processes. | |
 | Research dog helps scientists save endangered carnivoresScat-sniffing research dogs are helping scientists map out a plan to save reclusive jaguars, pumas, bush dogs and other endangered carnivores in the increasingly fragmented forests of northeastern Argentina, according to a new study from Washington University in St. Louis. |
 | How a tiny portion of the world's oceans could meet global seafood demandSeafood is an essential staple in the diets of people around the world. Global consumption of fish and shellfish has more than doubled over the last 50 years, and is expected to keep rising with global population growth. Many people assume that most seafood is something that we catch in the wild with lines, trawls and traps. In fact, aquaculture (aquatic farming) accounts for just over half of all the seafood consumed worldwide. |
 | Newly described 'parasol' sponges are graceful but deadly (to small crustaceans)When most people think of sponges, they think of squishy, soap-filled kitchen sponges, or perhaps the graceful barrel sponges that grow around coral reefs. But in the dark depths of the ocean, some sponges have evolved into deadly predators, which trap and digest small, helpless prey. In a new paper in the journal Zootaxa, marine biologists describe three new species of predatory sponges that live in deep water off the coast of California and in the Gulf of California. |
 | The science behind those fire-ant rafts"Life likes to live," Kevin Haight said after viewing a photo of reddish-brown swirls in a floodwater eddy in southeast Texas. |
 | A protein that extends life of yeast cellsTo understand and control aging is the aspiration of many scientists. Researchers at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel have now discovered that the protein Gcn4 decreases protein synthesis and extends the life of yeast cells. Understanding how individual genes affect lifespan opens new ways to control the aging process and the occurrence of aging-related diseases. The results of this study have recently been published in Nature Communications. |
 | Team finds way to measure key cell regulator's activityUT Health San Antonio researchers and co-authors in New York state on Monday (Sept. 4) reported an innovative approach that will enable scientists to study the most common regulator of our bodies' cells, a molecule called guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP). |
 | The protein TAZ sends 'mixed signals' to stem cellsJust as beauty exists in the eye of the beholder, a signal depends upon the interpretation of the receiver. According to new USC research published in Stem Cell Reports, a protein called TAZ can convey very different signals—depending upon not only which variety of stem cell, but also which part of the stem cell receives it. |
 | Curves in all the right placesResearchers from the University of Liverpool collaborating with University College London, Banfield Pet Hospitals and the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition have developed the first evidence-based growth standards chart for dogs. |
 | Wildlife loss and climate change can synergistically increase tick abundance and the risk of tick-borne diseaseAround the world, ticks are one of the most important vectors of zoonotic diseases—animal diseases communicable to humans—and they're everywhere. |
 | People synchronize their walking gaits when carrying a stretcher-like object togetherWhen two people walk one in front of the other while carrying a stretcher-like object, they typically synchronize their gaits, according to a study published September 6, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Jessica Lanini from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, and colleagues. |
 | Curved substrates restrict spreading and induce differentiation of stem cellsAn invention by Florida Institute of Technology's Shengyuan Yang was found to naturally narrow the spreading of stem cells and has the potential to induce and regulate their differentiation. |
 | Herbicide rotation ineffective against resistance in waterhempFarmers have been battling herbicide-resistant weeds for generations. A common practice for most of that time has been to rotate between different herbicides every season. But despite farmers' best efforts, herbicide resistance has grown through the years, with some weed populations showing resistance to not one but four or five different herbicides. A new study from the University of Illinois explains why herbicide rotation doesn't work. |
 | Building a morphogen gradient by simple diffusion in a growing plant leafIn an article published on September 5 in Biophysical Journal, Associate Professor Kensuke Kawade at the Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience and National Institute for Basic Biology in Japan showed that a transcriptional co-activator ANGUSTIFOLIA3 (AN3) forms a signaling gradient along the leaf proximal-to-distal axis to determine the cell-proliferation domain. In particular, by experimental and theoretical approaches, they demonstrated that pure diffusion in a growing tissue is sufficient to explain the AN3 gradient formation. This work provides evidence that the diffusion-based model of morphogen is viable in developmental patterning of multicellular organisms. |
 | Collaring the mice that carry Lyme disease-causing ticksWhite-footed mice in Howard County, Maryland are being collared as part of a study to improve control of the ticks that spread Lyme disease. The mouse collaring research, never before done in Maryland, is a partnership of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks (HCRP), and University of Maryland (UMD). |
 | In Antarctica, NASA satellites are guiding commerce and conservationAlong Antarctica's coastline, marine mammals, seabirds, and aquatic life thrive in the icy, krill-rich waters of the Southern Ocean. One of many species that depends on krill for their diet, Adélie penguins are distributed around the Antarctic coast and nest in some the world's most remote places. |
This one goes up to 11: Researchers crack code for genetic 'control dials'Scientists at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, Spain, have developed a new technique to crack the underlying DNA code for the 'control dials' that determine levels of gene activity in bacteria. The discovery has important implications for biotechnology, because genetically engineered bacteria and other organisms are used to produce useful molecules such as new materials and drugs. | |
A touch of EroS: 'Bacterial aphrodisiac' triggers cell mating, illuminates multicellular evolutionSometimes scientific experiments take an unexpected turn. | |
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