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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 6, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Telescope attachment allows ground-based observations of new worlds to rival those from spaceA new, low-cost attachment to telescopes allows previously unachievable precision in ground-based observations of exoplanets—planets beyond our solar system. With the new attachment, ground-based telescopes can produce measurements of light intensity that rival the highest quality photometric observations from space. Penn State astronomers, in close collaboration with the nanofabrication labs at RPC Photonics in Rochester, New York, created custom "beam-shaping" diffusers—carefully structured micro-optic devices that spread incoming light across an image—that are capable of minimizing distortions from the Earth's atmosphere that can reduce the precision of ground-based observations. A paper describing the effectiveness of the diffusers appears online on October 5, 2017, in the Astrophysical Journal. |
 | Book the next rocket to New York? What it'll take to realize Elon Musk's bizarre travel planSpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk envisions a time in the near future when long-distance travelers on Earth can hop on a rocket to go across the globe in less than an hour. |
 | Mars study yields clues to possible cradle of lifeThe discovery of evidence for ancient sea-floor hydrothermal deposits on Mars identifies an area on the planet that may offer clues about the origin of life on Earth. |
 | Telemedicine via satellite improves care at astronaut landingsTempus Pro, a portable vital-signs monitor offering telemedicine via satellite, is helping medics at ESA astronaut landings. Thomas Pesquet was the first to benefit at the end of his mission in May. |
 | Image: ISS transits the sunTaking an image of the International Space Station as it passes in front of the Sun, Moon or planets is a popular pastime for astrophotographers. It requires planning, patience and a measure of luck. The camera must be set up at the right time in the right place to capture the Space Station as it flies past at 28 800 km/h. At such speeds the photographer has only seconds to capture the transit and if any clouds block the view it has to wait for another opportunity weeks later. |
 | Image: Fireball over the Netherlands and BelgiumA bright fireball was spotted over the Netherlands and Belgium on 21 September at 21:00 CEST (19:00 GMT). |
 | New study proposes a giant, space-based solar flare shield for earthIn today's modern, fast-paced world, human activity is very much reliant on electrical infrastructure. If the power grids go down, our climate control systems will shut off, our computers will die, and all electronic forms of commerce and communication will cease. But in addition to that, human activity in the 21st century is also becoming increasingly dependent upon the infrastructure located in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). |
 | Astronomers use IAC instrument to probe the origins of cosmic raysIn November 1572 a supernova explosion was observed in the direction of the constellation of Cassiopeia, and its most famous observer was Tycho Brahe, one of the founders of modern observational astronomy. The explosion produced an expanding cloud of superhot gas, a supernova remnant which was rediscovered in 1952 by British radioastronomers, confirmed by visible photographs from Mount Palomar observatory, California, in the 1960's, and a spectacular image was taken in X-rays by the Chandra satellite observatory in 2002. Astronomers use supernova remnants to explore high energy physics in interstellar space. |
Technology news
 | Engineers invent breakthrough millimeter-wave circulator ICColumbia Engineering researchers, led by Harish Krishnaswamy, associate professor of electrical engineering, in collaboration with Professor Andrea Alu's group from UT-Austin, continue to break new ground in developing magnet-free non-reciprocal components in modern semiconductor processes. At the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference in February, Krishnaswamy's group unveiled a new device: the first magnet-free non-reciprocal circulator on a silicon chip that operates at millimeter-wave frequencies (frequencies near and above 30GHz). Following up on this work, in a paper published today in Nature Communications, the team demonstrated the physical principles behind the new device. |
 | Power system takes portable approach with roll-up solar panels(Phys.org)—Imagine a solar power plant with a rollable solar field—a mat rolled out in minutes that can give stranded residents the power they need to get by. That is reality, as a company's portable solar power technology is being used on Flat Holm Island off the coast of Cardiff. |
 | Chinese researchers find Google's AlphaGo smarter than Siri, Bing and Baidu(Tech Xplore)—A trio of researchers in China has developed a system for measuring the intelligence of AI systems. They have also created a classification scheme meant to rank different systems. Feng Liu, Yong Shi and Ying Liu report in their paper uploaded to the arXiv preprint server that Google's AlphaGo system currently rated the highest of all those tested. |
 | Boeing boosts tech investment in hybrid, autonomous planesBoeing is beefing up its investments in autonomous and electric hybrid planes in anticipation that aviation could be primed for as much disruption as virtually every other sector. |
 | AOL Instant Messenger to sign offAOL Instant Messenger, one of the pioneering chat applications of the internet's early days, will be shut down December 15, the company said Friday. |
 | Mattel scraps plan for digital assistant for kidsUS toy giant Mattel said Thursday it was cancelling its plan to deliver an artificial intelligence-infused digital speaker for children, following complaints from privacy groups and lawmakers. |
 | Renault wants half its cars to be electric or hybrid in 2022French carmaker Renault said Friday that half of its models will be electric or hybrid by 2022 and it's investing heavily in "robo-vehicles" with increasing degrees of autonomy. |
 | Prague hackers' congress to address 'financial freedom'A hackers' congress launched in Prague on Friday will discuss new cryptocurrencies and other tools to combat the erosion of financial freedom around the world, organisers said. |
 | ICAN: staunch campaigners for an end to nuclear weaponsWith the nuclear threat at its most acute in decades, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which on Friday won the Nobel Peace Prize, is urgently pressing to consign the bomb to history. |
Microsoft to help expand rural broadband in 6 statesMicrosoft says it will team up with communities in North Dakota, Wisconsin, Virginia, Texas, Wyoming and Washington state in a program broadly aimed at fostering economic growth in rural and smaller metropolitan areas. | |
 | Three ways electric vehicles will change our worldChina, the world's largest car market, is working on a timetable to stop the production and sale of vehicles powered by fossil fuels. India has declared its intention to make all new vehicles electric by 2030. |
 | Super cute home robots are coming, but think twice before you trust themFollowing several delays, a new range of social domestic robots is expected to enter the market at the end of this year. They are no ordinary bots. Designed to provide companionship and care, they recognise faces and voices of close family and friends, play games, tell jokes and continue to learn from each interaction. |
 | Let's face it, we'll be no safer with a national facial recognition databaseA commitment to share the biometric data of most Australians – including your driving licence photo – agreed at Thursday's Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting will result in a further erosion of our privacy. |
 | Terranova – thinking beyond a network standardThe future is digital: interconnected machines exchange huge amounts of data in real time and the demand for high data rates in the financial sector and in data centers is increasing by the day. Meanwhile, rural areas still lack fast data transmission rates and threaten to fall behind. |
 | Are self-driving cars the future of mobility for disabled people?Self-driving cars could revolutionize how disabled people get around their communities and even travel far from home. People who can't see well or with physical or mental difficulties that prevent them from driving safely often rely on others – or local government or nonprofit agencies – to help them get around. |
 | Opinion: A war made me realize that the world needs biomedical engineersIt was a sunny and pleasant spring day in Dezful, a small city in the south part of Iran. There were not many people on the street but I remember a young teenager pedalling slowly on his bike. I remember him because a moment later he was decapitated by a piece of metal when an Iraqi missile hit the neighbourhood. |
 | Virtual reality re-creation of iconic Indy church to be revealed to publicThe 3-D digital re-creation and preservation of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest African-American church in Indianapolis, will be unveiled Oct. 6 to the public. |
 | Japan A-bomb survivors hail ICAN Nobel Peace Prize winSurvivors of the World War II atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Friday congratulated ICAN on winning this year's Nobel Peace Prize, vowing to work together with the disarmament group to achieve a nuclear-free world. |
 | Hello, Google Pixel Buds (and real-time translation). Goodbye, headphone jack.Hey, Google: Say it ain't so. |
Shopping malls battered by online retailers may be offered to Amazon as HQ2 sitesAmazon will have plenty of options when it picks the site for its second headquarters, and in an ironic twist for a company that helped introduce the world to online retail, a few of those options may be defunct shopping malls. | |
 | Auto supplier Denso: $1B investment in Tennessee plantAutomotive supplier Denso announced plans Friday to invest $1 billion and create more than 1,000 new jobs in its main Tennessee facility to meet growing demand for electric vehicle parts. |
UK teen pleads guilty to hacking CIA chief's computerA British teenager has admitted trying to hack into the computers of the director of the CIA and other U.S. government officials. | |
Netflix shares stream to all-time highsShares of Netflix are streaming to new highs a day after the company announced its first true price hike in years. | |
 | Team develops cutting-edge lubricant technologies to improve gas mileage, reduce wearResearchers at the University of Texas at Arlington have developed a pipeline of new vehicle lubricant technologies that lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce wear and improve gas mileage, as part of an 18-year collaboration with ESL TEKnologies and its predecessor companies in Dallas. |
Tesla delays truck launch, eyes battery power for Puerto RicoTesla said Friday it was delaying the planned launch of its electric transport truck, diverting resources to step up production of its Model 3 sedan and to produce batteries for storm-ravaged Puerto Rico. | |
 | Fujitsu AI increases accuracy of malware intrusion detectionFujitsu Laboratories today announced the development of AI technology to improve accuracy in detecting malware intrusions into networks within organizations, such as corporations, through an extension of its proprietary Deep Tensor AI technology, which can learn from graph-structured data. In recent years, as cyberattack methods have grown more sophisticated, it has become ever more important to build post-intrusion countermeasures against attackers who use specialized malware to invade a system, especially in targeted cyberattacks. As methods, frequency, and scope of attacks made by malware that has invaded a system constantly evolve over time, and because they blend into the day-to-day activity on a network, it is necessary to take a more comprehensive view of the various activities of malware in order to detect them. |
 | Gadgets: Customizable tool puts order in your pocketThe Keyport Pivot is a cool, modern and customizable tool that is so easy to assemble and use for a variety of everyday tasks. And it fits in your pocket. |
Murdoch's UK firm pays damages to ex-spy in hacking scandalRupert Murdoch's British newspaper company has agreed to pay damages to a former intelligence officer whose computer was hacked by detectives working for Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World tabloid, lawyers said Friday. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Team shows how seemingly acute viral infections can persistInfections caused by viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, measles, parainfluenza and Ebola, are typically considered acute. These viruses cause disease quickly and live within a host for a limited time. But in some cases the effects of the infection, and presence of the virus itself, can persist. RSV, for example, can lead to chronic respiratory problems, measles can lead to encephalitis and the Ebola virus can be transmitted by patients thought to be cured of the disease. |
 | Neutrophils found to be helpful, not harmful, after injury(Medical Xpress)—An international team of researchers has found that neutrophils play an important role in wound cleanup rather than causing unnecessary inflammation. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes studying the activities of neutrophils in real time with injured mice. Hannah Garner and Karin de Visser with the Netherlands Cancer Institute offer a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue. |
 | Biosensor mouse lights up health and diseaseResearchers from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the UK have developed a glow-in-the-dark "biosensor mouse" that gives a real-time readout of the rapidly changing "skeleton" within cells. |
 | DNA damage caused by cancer treatment reversed by ZATT proteinAn international team led by scientists at the National Institutes of Health is the first to discover a new way that cells fix an important and dangerous type of DNA damage known as a DNA-protein cross-link (DPC). The researchers found that a protein named ZATT can eliminate DPCs with the help of another protein, TDP2. Since DPCs form when individuals receive some types of cancer treatments, understanding how TDP2 and ZATT work together to repair the damage may improve the health outcomes of cancer patients. The findings were published in the journal Science. |
 | Genetic body / brain connection identified in genomic region linked to autismFor the first time, Whitehead Institute scientists have documented a direct link between deletions in two genes—fam57ba and doc2a—in zebrafish and certain brain and body traits, such as seizures, hyperactivity, enlarged head size, and obesity. |
Social acceptance more important than economic factors in fertility treatment availabilityAlthough one in 8 couples experience fertility issues and many of them turn to Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) to help them have a child, usage varies significantly across Europe. A new Oxford study has shed light on some of the reasons behind this - pinpointing moral and social acceptance of the treatment and religion as key. | |
 | Is your partner's hearing loss driving you mad?Having to shout to be heard, constantly repeating yourself and competing over the blare of a too-loud TV... living with someone experiencing hearing loss can be exhausting, frustrating and often dispiriting. |
Bariatric surgery lowers cancer risk for severely obese patientsSeverely obese patients who undergo bariatric surgery lower their risk of developing cancer by at least a third, according to a University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine researcher leading a large retrospective cohort study of patients in the western United States. | |
 | Screen children with reading difficulties for hearing problems, says reportChildren with reading difficulties should be more thoroughly screened for hearing problems, a new report by Coventry University academics has said. |
Women who get frequent UTIs may reduce risk by drinking plenty of waterDrinking an additional three pints of water a day may keep the urinary tract infection (UTI) away - at least for women who are prone - suggests a study being presented at IDWeek 2017. | |
 | Pushy or laid back? Economic factors influence parenting styleSettling on a parenting style is challenging. Is it better to be strict or more lenient? Have helicopter parents found the right approach to guiding their children's choices? |
 | One type of dementia is especially costly(HealthDay)—A type of early onset dementia known as frontotemporal degeneration appears to take an even more punishing toll on family finances than Alzheimer's disease, a new report suggests. |
 | Reasons physicians are delaying retirement vary(HealthDay)—Physicians are delaying retirement, often because they feel they are providing a useful service to patients or because of concerns about social interaction in retirement, according to an article published online Sept. 25 in Medical Economics. |
 | Stem cell gene therapy safe for adrenoleukodystrophy(HealthDay)—Early results suggest that stem cell gene therapy is a safe and effective treatment for boys with early-stage cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, according to a study published online Oct. 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the 2017 Child Neurology Society Annual Meeting, being held Oct. 4 to 7 in Kansas City. |
 | Medicare paid $1.5 billion to replace faulty heart devices(HealthDay)—Medicare paid at least $1.5 billion over a decade to replace seven types of defective heart devices that apparently failed for thousands of patients, according to an article published Oct. 2 in The New York Times. |
 | Most ophthalmologists write few opioid prescriptions(HealthDay)—Most ophthalmologists write no more than 10 opioid prescriptions annually, with a mean supply per prescription of five days, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | Researchers identify a candidate genetic factor for the effects of prenatal alcohol exposureResearchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland, have found a genetic variation associated with the damage caused by maternal alcohol consumption. This genetic variation clarifies the role of genetic factors in alcohol-induced developmental disorders and could be useful in future diagnostics. |
 | Air pollution exposure on home-to-school walking routes reduces the development of working memory in childrenA study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) has demonstrated that exposure to air pollution on the way to school can have damaging effects on children's cognitive development. The study, published recently in Environmental Pollution, found an association between a reduction in working memory and exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon during the walking commute to and from school. However, the researchers emphasize that the benefits of daily walking or cycling outweigh the risks of exposure. |
Improvement of the genetic decoding of neurodevelopmental disordersA result that will help in the future diagnosis of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as intellectual disability, autism or schizophrenia. A video illustrates this scientific analysis with medical applications. | |
 | Research identifies potential targets for treatment of leishmaniasisBrazilian researchers at the University of São Paulo's Bioscience Institute (IB-USP) are starting to unravel the molecular mechanisms by which the parasite that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis circumvents the host organism's defenses and infects new cells. |
 | Study reports higher rates of cancer in developed countriesDeveloped countries, with greater access to healthcare, experience much higher rates of cancer incidence than the world's "worse off" countries, according to new research from the University of Adelaide. |
 | Asthma might be over diagnosed in children born with HIVA team of researchers has reassessed the clinical diagnosis of asthma in children born with HIV and found that asthma seems to be overdiagnosed in these patients. Instead, the diagnosis appears to be a new early chronic obstructive lung disease that might increase the risk for lung complications later in life. The study appears in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. |
Better understanding of bladder cancer subtypes might lead to improved treatmentsAn international multidisciplinary team of researchers from a number of institutions, including Baylor College of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, British Columbia Cancer Agency and the Broad Institute, who all are part of The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network, has completed a comprehensive molecular characterization of 412 muscle-invasive bladder cancers that resulted in the identification of five cancer subtypes with different susceptibilities to specific therapies. The results, which appear in the journal Cell, might lead to future personalized therapies. | |
 | Researcher develops device to secure chest tubes without suturesMedical practitioners may be able to secure chest tubes to their patients more quickly and with greater reliability by using a device developed by Dr. Samer Abu-Sultaneh, assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. |
 | Change behaviors by changing perception of normalWhether it be for the environment, one's health or other important causes, convincing people to adopt new or uncommon behaviors can be difficult. One reason is that societal norms powerfully reinforce the status quo. |
 | Knowing the signs of Lewy body dementia may help speed diagnosisLewy body dementia reached the public eye in 2014 after reports that Robin Williams died with diffuse Lewy body disease. |
 | Everything you need to know about trans fatsNearly 12 years after it was first recommended, the federal government has announced its intention to ban partially hydrogenated oils in all food sold in Canada. |
 | Legal landscape on concussion liabilities may be shiftingIt seems as though almost weekly, we receive newly published information or reported decisions that appear to confirm how very little we know about the true impact of head injuries within a sport context. |
Improving assessment of acute abdominal painSurgical admissions for people with abdominal pain to Wellington Hospital's department of general surgery have nearly doubled over the past decade, a University of Otago, Wellington (UOW) study has found. | |
 | Smoking during pregnancy linked to cerebral palsy, animal studies showScientists investigating the underlying mechanism causing cell death and damage have confirmed links between maternal smoking and cerebral palsy, the most common physical disability in childhood. |
 | Some cancer drugs approved in Europe might not have sufficient evidence of survival benefits, says studyMost cancer drugs approved in Europe from 2009-2013 weren't backed by sufficient scientific evidence that they work, according to a new study. |
 | Kidney findings a first for JapanMonash University's Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI) scientists in Melbourne, Australia, collaborating with researchers from the Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo, have shown for the first time that Japanese people have significantly fewer nephrons, the tiny filtering units in kidneys, than most other races. |
 | Scientists find new RNA class in kidneys is linked to hypertensionResearchers from the University of Toledo (Ohio) College of Medicine and Life Sciences have discovered more than 12,000 different types of noncoding RNA (circRNAs) in the kidney tissue of rats. This type of genetic material, previously thought to have no function, may play a significant role in regulating blood pressure in heart and kidney disease. The article, published in Physiological Genomics, was chosen as an APSselect article for October. |
 | Why a little dirt is good for usKeeping the house spotless is impossible with a dog, two cats, grass-clotted soccer cleats and mud-crusted work boots. So, I was thrilled to learn from some of our researchers at the veterinary school that a little dirt may be healthier than the slew of household cleaners my family uses on floors and countertops. In fact, some of those cleaning agents may be messing with our health and reproductive capabilities. |
 | Antisocial behaviour mainly a consequence of gene interactionsIndividual genes have little influence in the development of antisocial behaviour. However, the interaction of genes as a whole could explain some of the differences in antisocial behaviour. This was revealed by international research among more than 25,000 participants in which the researchers Jorim Tielbeek, Arne Popma, Tinca Polderman and Danielle Posthuma of VUmc and VU Amsterdam were involved. Tielbeek carried out this research with funding from the NWO programme Research Talent. The research was published today in JAMA Psychiatry. |
 | Cystic fibrosis scientists discover abnormal response to lung infections"For a very long time, there has been discussion about whether cystic fibrosis was a bacteria-infection problem, an inflammation problem, or an immune system problem," said Juan Ianowski, the lead author of the paper published today in the prestigious Nature Communications journal. |
 | Tom Petty died from a cardiac arrest – what makes this different from a heart attack and heart failure?Rolling Stone magazine landed in a spot of bother on Monday after publicising news of rock star Tom Petty's death prematurely, while others said it was the result of a heart attack rather than a cardiac arrest. Petty unfortunately did subsequently pass away, from a cardiac arrest, but it's important to note neither a cardiac arrest nor a heart attack is synonymous with death. |
How to train nursing students? Schools turn to fake patientsThe University of Miami's newest hospital has a six-bed emergency room, operating room, intensive care unit, a birthing suite and outpatient clinics. | |
The best shoes for healthy feetWearing a pair of ill-fitting shoes can make walking across the room uncomfortable. | |
 | Seven body organs you can live withoutThe human body is incredibly resilient. When you donate a pint of blood, you lose about 3.5 trillion red blood cells, but your body quickly replaces them. You can even lose large chunks of vital organs and live. For example, people can live relatively normal lives with just half a brain). Other organs can be removed in their entirety without having too much impact on your life. Here are some of the "non-vital organs". |
 | Researcher considers social reactions to obesityIn 2004, the first season of Biggest Loser was broadcast in the U.S. The programme presented a group of overweight people who competed to achieve the greatest weight loss within a couple of months. The following year, a Nordic version of the show, Slankekrigen, premiered on TVNorge with participants from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Since then, the concept has continued with new seasons of Biggest Loser, and a constant flow of other reality shows revolving around weight loss. |
Nutrition can modify age-related inflammation according to expert reportAgeing is characterised by increased levels of inflammatory markers in the bloodstream, a phenomenon that has been termed "inflammageing." This type of enhanced inflammation tone, also designated as low grade inflammation, is associated with age-related decline of many functional systems and with increased risk of sickness, poor well-being and mortality. In a just published article in Ageing Research Reviews by ILSI Europe, a group of experts reviewed and documented evidence for the protective role of diets and foods as a strategy to control inflammageing and to boost healthy ageing. | |
 | Faster treatment but poorer survival rates—rural cancer riddle revealedPeople with cancer who live more than an hour from their nearest major hospital are diagnosed and treated faster than those who live closer but are still more likely to die within a year of diagnosis, according to new research. |
 | New study looks at end-of-life decision making for people with intellectual disabilitiesA new study by researchers at the University at Buffalo provides a groundbreaking look at how advance care planning medical orders inform emergency medical service (EMS) providers' experiences involving people with intellectual disabilities. |
 | New insights on the addictions of tumorsResearchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) and UC San Diego have shown that tumors can ensure a more reliable nutrient supply by eliminating the p62 protein in surrounding stromal tissue. Specifically, p62 deficiency helps tumors and stroma (supportive tissue outside the tumor) survive and grow, despite being deprived of glutamine, an essential amino acid. |
 | Beyond bullying: Study shows damaging affects of multiple forms of victimization on school climateSchool officials focused exclusively on bullying prevention efforts might want to consider the findings of a new study showing the highly damaging effects of multiple forms of victimization on school climate. |
 | Docs may have trick up their sleeves fighting germs(HealthDay)—With antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" continuing to be a threat in U.S. hospitals, doctors are looking for innovative ways to cut down on disease transmission. |
 | Childhood 'growth' tests not always necessary(HealthDay)—Just because a child isn't growing or developing exactly like his or her peers doesn't mean a host of medical tests are in order. |
 | The benefits of 'being in the present'(HealthDay)—When you have a full schedule, multitasking might seem like the best way to finish your endless to-do list. |
 | Legalising marijuana can increase use: French studyLegalising marijuana can lead to increased use of the drug, according to a French study that looked at consumption levels in two US states and Uruguay in the midst of a debate over France's narcotics laws. |
 | Researchers find link between bacterial imbalances and breast cancerIn a newly published study, Cleveland Clinic researchers have uncovered differences in the bacterial composition of breast tissue of healthy women vs. women with breast cancer. The research team has discovered for the first time that healthy breast tissue contains more of the bacterial species Methylobacterium, a finding which could offer a new perspective in the battle against breast cancer. |
New York City PrEP prescriptions increase nearly 1,000 percent, but disparities remainPre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prescriptions in New York City increased by nearly 1,000 percent in two years, but men of color, women and patients outside the city center were less likely to be prescribed the HIV prevention medication. Taken daily, PrEP is more than 90 percent effective in reducing the risk of HIV infection and is recommended for everyone at very high risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). | |
Study reveals benefits of having GPs in Emergency DepartmentsA new study from the University of Liverpool provides evidence that locating a General Practitioner (GP) in a hospital emergency department (ED) can reduce waiting times and admissions, but may increases antibiotic prescribing. | |
 | Preeclampsia triggered by an overdose of gene activityPreeclampsia is the most dangerous form of hypertension during a pregnancy and can be fatal for both mother and child. Though it is known to originate in the placenta, the root causes remain largely a mystery. An international research team led by the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) has recently published new findings in the scientific journal Circulation, which reveal that preeclampsia is not in fact a single disease caused solely by genetic factors. Their tests on placenta samples have shown that epigenetically regulated genes play an important role. The Berlin research team also developed an in vitro model of the disorder which demonstrates the dysregulation of an important transcription factor. |
 | Researchers help develop new antifungal drugUniversity of Liverpool researchers, working with F2G Limited (Eccles, Manchester), have developed a new antifungal drug to help in the treatment of life threatening invasive fungal infections such as invasive aspergillosis. |
 | Gluten intolerance appears largely undiagnosed in CanadaResearch on a large sample of Canadians suggests that most people with celiac disease don't know they have it. |
 | Primary care unable to adequately care for cancer survivorsPrimary care medicine is currently not able to meet the health care needs of cancer survivors, despite a decade-long effort by the medical establishment to move long-term survivorship care out of the specialists' realm, according to a new Rutgers study. |
Lifestyle changes can close regional obesity gap, study findsLifestyle differences are to blame for regional variation in obesity rates in Scotland, research has found. | |
 | Children's brain cells changed by internet porn: neurosurgeon"Internet pornography changes children's brain cells", says American neurosurgeon Donald Hilton. |
 | Cannabis consumption increases violent behaviour in young people in psychiatric careA new study by researchers at the Institut en santé mentale de Montréal demonstrates that sustained used of cannabis is associated with an increase in violent behaviour in young people after discharge from a psychiatric hospital. |
Antibiotics for dental procedures linked to superbug infection, study showsAntibiotics prescribed by dentists may contribute to the growing problem of Clostridium difficile (C. diff), a serious and potentially deadly infection that causes severe diarrhea, suggests research presented at IDWeek 2017. And many of those antibiotics are likely unnecessary, researchers note. | |
 | Japanese woman dies after 150 giant hornet stingsA wheelchair-bound 87-year-old pensioner who was attacked by giant hornets in Japan and stung 150 times has died, a firefighter said Friday, as emergency workers stood by powerless to help her. |
Football's decline has some high schools disbanding teamsOn a cool and rainy afternoon during the first week of classes at Centennial High School in this well-to-do Baltimore suburb, about 50 members of the boys' cross-country team sauntered across the parking lot for their after-school run. | |
 | Neurobiologist studies how the brain learns to interpret what the body touchesIt's a touchy subject—literally. Samuel Andrew Hires, assistant professor of biological sciences, wants to know how the brain learns to understand what we're touching. Understanding how this works could one day be a boon for people who have suffered a stroke or spinal cord injury. |
 | Is your child scared of shots? Are you? Here are 7 things you can do to tame the fear.For the second year in a row, the Centers for Disease Control is telling doctors not to give patients FluMist, the nasal spray flu vaccine, and that's a problem for kids and adults who are scared of needles. |
Despite boost in Social Security, rising Medicare Part B costs leave seniors in bindMillions of seniors will soon be notified that Medicare premiums for physicians' services are rising and likely to consume most of the cost-of-living adjustment they'll receive next year from Social Security. | |
How you can enjoy the empty nestSending children off to college or into the real world is usually a proud time for parents. But there also can be sadness, especially when it's the last child to leave home. Empty nest syndrome isn't a clinical diagnosis. Instead, it's a phenomenon in which parents experience feelings of sadness and loss when the last child leaves home. | |
 | White house to roll back birth control mandate in employers' health care plans(HealthDay)—In a move that could affect millions of American women, the Trump Administration is poised to roll back a federal mandate requiring that birth control be available as part of employer-based health plans. |
 | Economic recovery extends to 18 months for Americans with disabilitiesAmericans with disabilities continue to close in on pre-recession employment levels with yet another month of strong job numbers, according to today's National Trends in Disability Employment - Monthly Update (nTIDE), issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD). This extends the record trend to 18 consecutive months for this population. |
Plague-hit Madagascar bans jail visitsAuthorities in Madagascar Friday announced a ban on prison visits to prevent the spread of a plague epidemic that has killed 36 people in the Indian Ocean island. | |
New studies add to understanding of treatments for Barrett's esophagusThe October issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy features several new studies evaluating various treatments for Barrett's esophagus (BE). Two of these studies are highlighted below. | |
 | Birth control: Trump expands opt-out for workplace insurancePresident Donald Trump is allowing more employers to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women by claiming religious or moral objections, issuing new rules Friday that take another step in rolling back the Obama health care law. |
Biology news
 | Researchers map human genome in 4-D as it foldsA multi-institutional team spanning Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, Stanford University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has created the first high-resolution 4-D map of genome folding, tracking an entire human genome as it folds over time. The report, which may lead to new ways of understanding genetic diseases, appears on the cover of Cell. |
 | Bacteria can spread antibiotic resistance through soilWhen most people think about bacterial antibiotic resistance, they think about it occurring in bacteria found in people or animals. But the environment surrounding us is a huge bacterial reservoir, and antibiotic resistance can be passed between bacteria in the environment, including in the soil. |
 | Deer prefer native plants leaving lasting damage on forestsWhen rampant white-tailed deer graze in forests, they prefer to eat native plants over certain unpalatable invasive plants, such as garlic mustard and Japanese stiltgrass. These eating habits lower native plant diversity and abundance, while increasing the proportion of plant communities made up of non-native species, according to a new study. |
'Transformative' research unrealistic to predict, scientists tell granting agenciesResearch-funding agencies that require scientists to declare at the proposal stage how their projects will be "transformative" may actually be hindering discovery, according to a study by Oregon State University ecologists. | |
 | From poacher to ranger: saving China's Siberian tigersIn the northern mountains bordering Russia, everyone knew the spry Chinese man as a skilled and ruthless hunter—the kind who once killed a mother black bear as her cubs looked on. |
 | New mobile app diagnoses crop diseases in the field and alerts rural farmersResearchers who developed a new mobile application that uses artificial intelligence to accurately diagnose crop diseases in the field have won a $100,000 award to help expand their project to help millions of small-scale farmers across Africa. |
 | Study tells of pumpkin-colored zombiesJust in time for Halloween, a new study reveals that pumpkin-colored zombies may be running rampant through your local salt marsh. |
 | Predicting insect feeding preferences after deforestationLike a scene from the movie Alien, insect parasitoids inject their eggs into unsuspecting hosts, their offspring grow and eat from within, eventually bursting out leaving dead, empty host vessels. These tiny predators, many of them wasps, can have major ecological and economic impacts. For example, wasps in the genus Melittobia attack pollinating bumblebees. Parasitoid wasp larvae feed on the pupae of nesting bees, and their fast reproduction can destroy entire colonies with barely a trace of the preceding carnage. |
 | Plant cells survive but stop dividing upon DNA damageThe cell cycle is the system through which a cell grows and divides. It is also how a cell passes its DNA to its progeny and is why the cell cycle ceases if the DNA is damaged, as otherwise it risks passing this damage to daughter cells. Scientists at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) have reported a new molecular mechanism that explains how this cessation occurs. The study, which can be read in Nature Communications, shows the transcription factor family MYB3R prevents progression to the division stage (M phase) of the cell cycle in Arabidopsis, a small flowering plant that is a member of the mustard family. |
 | Ocean meeting raises over $7 billion for marine protectionA global conference to better protect marine life has raised more than $7 billion and won commitments to protect huge swathes of the Earth's oceans. |
 | Coal miners shift to beekeepingFormer coal miners or citizens whose lives have been shaped by the coal mining industry in southern West Virginia spent their summer learning how to establish and operate bee colonies thanks to help from the University of Delaware's Debbie Delaney. |
 | Hurricane mauled PR's renowned Monkey Island research centerAs thousands of troops and government workers struggle to restore normal life to Puerto Rico, a small group of scientists is racing to save more than 1,000 monkeys whose brains may contain clues to mysteries of the human mind. |
 | Britain announces plan to ban antique ivory tradeBritain on Friday outlined plans for a near-total ban on trade in antique ivory, bowing to pressure from campaigners who say that poachers are exploiting loopholes in the current regulations. |
 | Leopard caught after 36 hours on prowl in India factoryA leopard on the loose inside India's largest car factory was caught and tranquilised Friday after sparking a frantic 36-hour search by 200 police and wildlife officials. |
Renewed calls for legal hunt to control Connecticut's rising bear populationConnecticut's population of about 700 black bears is growing at a rate of about 10 percent each year, according to wildlife experts, an increase that could more than double the current number of bears in this state over the next decade. | |
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