Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 9, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Image: Solar Dynamics Observatory spies rare encircling filamentNASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory came across an oddity that the spacecraft has rarely observed before: a dark filament encircling an active region (Oct. 29-31, 2017). Solar filaments are clouds of charged particles that float above the sun, tethered to it by magnetic forces. |
 | Scientists create cosmic sounds of Voyager 1Music created entirely from data beamed back from the Voyager 1 spacecraft will receive its world premiere at the NASA booth at the SC17 Supercomputing Conference in Denver, Colorado, at 8pm local time (MST) on Monday, 13 November. |
 | Hubble spots expanding light echo around supernovaLight from a supernova explosion in the nearby starburst galaxy M82 is reverberating off a huge dust cloud in interstellar space. |
 | Dawn explores Ceres' interior evolutionSurface features on Ceres—the largest world between Mars and Jupiter—and its interior evolution have a closer relationship than one might think. |
 | Biologists determine how long microorganisms can live on MarsResearchers from Lomonosov Moscow State University have studied the resistance of microorganisms against gamma radiation in very low temperatures. The results have been published in Extremophiles. |
 | Parker Solar Probe comes to NASA Goddard for testingOn Monday, Nov. 6, 2017, NASA's Parker Solar Probe spacecraft arrived at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for environmental tests. During the spacecraft's stay at Goddard, engineers and technicians will simulate extreme temperatures and other physical stresses that the spacecraft will be subjected to during its historic mission to the Sun. |
 | Stars that vary in brightness shine in the oral traditions of Aboriginal AustraliansAboriginal Australians have been observing the stars for more than 65,000 years, and many of their oral traditions have been recorded since colonisation. These traditions tell of all kinds of celestial events, such as the annual rising of stars, passing comets, eclipses of the Sun and Moon, auroral displays, and even meteorite impacts. |
NASA team studies CubeSat mission to measure water on the moonA team of NASA scientists wants to draw a more complete picture of where water exists on the Moon and whether it migrates across the lunar surface, including in the permanently shadowed regions that haven't seen sunlight in perhaps a billion years or more. | |
 | NASA CubeSat to test miniaturized weather satellite technologyBehind every weather forecast—from your local, five-day prediction to a late-breaking hurricane track update—are the satellites that make them possible. Government agencies depend on observations from weather satellites to inform forecast models that help us prepare for approaching storms and identify areas that need evacuating or emergency first responders. |
 | John Glenn's Ohio birthplace places historic markerThe Ohio birthplace of John Glenn is celebrating its place in history with a historic marker commemorating the astronaut and U.S. senator who died last year. |
Technology news
 | Fruit fly brains inform search engines of the futureEvery day, websites you visit and smartphone apps that you use are crunching huge sets of data to find things that resemble each other: products that are similar to your past purchases; songs that are similar to tunes you've liked; faces that are similar to people you've identified in photos. All these tasks are known as similarity searches, and the ability to perform these massive matching games well—and fast—has been an ongoing challenge for computer scientists. |
 | ANYmal takes the elevator instead of stairs (you showoff)(Tech Xplore)—So what is the latest quadruped gee-whiz from those who learned serious ropes at ETH-Zurich? ANYmal, a quadrupedal robot, is now using an elevator. The Robotic Systems Lab video makes you wonder if you are watching a cartoon or actually a real scene involving a robot. The latter is correct. |
 | New framework guarantees stability of microgrids that supply local power in developing countriesToday, more than 1.3 billion people are living without regular access to power, including more than 300 million in India and 600 million in sub-Saharan Africa. In these and other developing countries, access to a main power grid, particularly in rural regions, is remote and often unreliable. |
 | New method developed to 3-D print fully functional electronic circuitsResearchers at the University of Nottingham have pioneered a breakthrough method to rapidly 3-D print fully functional electronic circuits. |
 | Transfer technique produces wearable gallium nitride gas sensorsA transfer technique based on thin sacrificial layers of boron nitride could allow high-performance gallium nitride gas sensors to be grown on sapphire substrates and then transferred to metallic or flexible polymer support materials. The technique could facilitate the production of low-cost wearable, mobile and disposable sensing devices for a wide range of environmental applications. |
 | Uber joins forces with NASA to develop flying taxisUber on Wednesday unveiled a partnership with NASA that will see it develop flying taxis priced competitively with standard Uber journeys. |
Apple defends tax setup amid reportsFor years, Apple and other multinational firms have faced inquiries from government authorities about tactics they employed to lower their tax bills. | |
Sprint turns to improving its wireless network now that a T-Mobile merger is deadUnwilling to turn control of Sprint over to rivals at T-Mobile US, Sprint's chairman vowed this week to spend more money on the Overland Park-based company's wireless network. | |
Apple's Venmo rival launches in betaTime for Venmo, Square Cash and PayPal to play defense? | |
 | Emissions worldwide—gas vs. battery-electric vehiclesGasoline vehicles would produce lower emissions than the average battery-electric vehicle only if their fuel economy was higher than 51.5 mpg worldwide, say researchers at the University of Michigan. |
 | Machine learning and deep learning programs provide a helping hand to scientists analyzing imagesPhysicists on the MINERvA neutrino experiments at the Department of Energy's Fermilab faced a conundrum. Their particle detector was swamping them with images. The detector lights up every time a neutrino, a tiny elementary particle, breaks into other particles. The machine then takes a digital photo of all of the new particles' movements. As the relevant interactions occur very rarely, having a huge amount of data should have been a good thing. But there were simply too many pictures for the scientists to be able to analyze them as thoroughly as they would have liked to. |
 | Walk this way—a better way to identify gait differencesBiometric-based person recognition methods have been extensively explored for various applications, such as access control, surveillance, and forensics. Biometric verification involves any means by which a person can be uniquely identified through biological traits such as facial features, fingerprints, hand geometry, and gait, which is a person's manner of walking. |
 | Smartphone study highlights a 'digital divide'A research project into smartphone use across the life span has shone a light on some interesting insights into modern Australian life. |
 | Grads receive James Dyson Award for cancer detection deviceWhat started as a final year engineering class project at McMaster University is now an internationally recognized improved solution for the early detection of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. |
 | Hydrogen-powered trains to run on German rails from 2021Commuters in northern Germany will be able to travel on the world's first hydrogen-powered trains in four years' time. |
 | Aviation renaissance: NASA advances concepts for next-gen aircraftAn aviation renaissance, one focused on energy efficiency and economic impact, is on the horizon, and it's changing how engineers look at aircraft power and design. |
 | Sri Lanka plans to scrap state-owned fossil fuel vehicles by 2025Sri Lanka announced Thursday plans to replace all state-owned vehicles with electric or hybrid models by 2025, a move that will be extended to private vehicles by 2040. |
 | Kindle with your kale? Amazon to open shops in Whole FoodsYou may see more of Amazon inside Whole Foods soon: The online retailer, which has already been selling its voice-activated Echos at Whole Foods, will start to sell Kindles, Fire tablets and other Amazon devices at its grocery stores. |
 | Zuckerberg nears end of US tour, wants to boost small bizWhat's Mark Zuckerberg's biggest takeaway as he wraps up a year of travel to dozens of U.S. states? The importance of local communities. |
 | Uber IPO 'target' is 2019: CEOUber is on track for a 2019 public stock offering and the plan is not dependent on new funding from Japan's SoftBank, the global ride-sharing giant's CEO said Thursday. |
 | Self-driving shuttle collision mars Las Vegas debutA self-driving shuttle test in Las Vegas streets resulted in a minor bang-up with a delivery truck on Wednesday, with city officials blaming the human driver. |
 | North Korea, ever so cautiously, is going onlineEver so cautiously, North Korea is going online. |
CVS to offer nationwide next-day delivery in preemptive shot at AmazonCVS Health plans to begin offering next-day delivery of prescriptions and retail merchandise from its nationwide network of more than 9,700 stores, marking a potentially preemptive strike at Amazon as the online giant weighs entry into the pharmacy business. | |
Apple iPhone X strikes viral gold with 'Animoji Karaoke'Earlier this year, Apple spun off the viral late-night show skit "Carpool Karaoke" to a full-blown TV show exclusive on Apple Music. The show received mixed reviews critically and never took off commercially. | |
Trump's poor climate record sends America's green business to ChinaTesla knew just where to look when the California company decided to expand its business in manufacturing electric cars: China. | |
Facebook, Twitter, Google and where Silicon Valley's money comes fromTech companies face dilemma after conundrum after balancing act, and now the spotlight is on their funding sources. | |
Gadgets: Backup device offers peace of mind, sleek designYou might not think of an external hard drive as fun, sexy or cool, but the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual mini can be any or all of them. I can say first hand you'll find it useful at home, work, play, and even consider taking it on vacation. | |
 | Why is Australia so slow at adopting electric cars?In the race to adopt electric vehicles, Australia is sputtering along in the slow lane. Rather than growing, Australian sales of electric cars are actually in decline. In 2016 they represented just 0.02% of new car sales – even lower than in 2013. |
 | Time is right to capitalise on artificial intelligenceJust weeks after the publication of the UK government's review of the country's capabilities in artificial intelligence, Southampton Professor Dame Wendy Hall, co-chair of the review, says the time is right to capitalise while the time is right. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Brace yourself for coming heatwaves, there are at least 27 ways they can kill youA new systematic synthesis by researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa shows that there are at least 27 different physiological pathways in which a heatwave can kill a human being, and everyone is at risk. |
 | Traditional Amazonian drug linked to improved sense of wellbeingA psychedelic drug traditionally used in South America improves people's general sense of wellbeing and may offer a treatment for alcoholism and depression, new research suggests. |
 | Frequent alcohol drinking kills new brain cells in adults, females are more vulnerableResearchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston recently discovered that alcohol killed the stem cells residing in adult mouse brains. Because the brain stems cells create new nerve cells and are important to maintaining normal cognitive function, this study possibly opens a door to combating chronic alcoholism. |
 | How to control traffic on cellular highwaysInside cells, protein "motors" act like trucks on tiny cellular highways to deliver life-sustaining cargoes. |
 | Study reveals how a very low calorie diet can reverse type 2 diabetesIn a new study, a Yale-led research team uncovers how a very low calorie diet can rapidly reverse type 2 diabetes in animal models. If confirmed in people, the insight provides potential new drug targets for treating this common chronic disease, said the researchers. |
 | Th1/17 hybrid T cells offer potent and durable anti-tumor response in preclinical modelAdoptive cell therapy for cancer involves harvesting T cells from a patient and expanding and sometimes modifying them in the laboratory before reinfusion. It has been challenging to create T cells that are both potent and durable. In a Cell Metabolism article, Medical University of South Carolina investigators report the potent anti-tumor properties of hybrid Th1/Th17 cells that combine the cancer-fighting properties of Th1 cells and the ability of Th17 cells to self-renew and regenerate. |
Misregulated protein breakdown promotes leukemias and brain cancerAn enzyme that is responsible for the breakdown of specific amino acids in food plays a key role in the development of leukemias and brain cancer, according to scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg. They have reported their findings in Nature. The researchers have discovered a surprising link between energy metabolism and the so-called epigenetic code. These labels in the DNA of cancer stem cells determine the activity of genes, and thus, many cellular functions. The authors think that blocking this enzyme is a promising approach to combat cancer. | |
 | Researchers report findings on the effects of fat on stem cellsYou really are what you eat—especially when it comes to fats, according to a study this week in the journal Science Advances that was co-authored by Rice University undergraduate Allison Skinkle and colleagues at the Laboratory of Membrane Biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston's McGovern Medical School. |
 | Biomedical engineer finds how brain encodes soundsWhen you are out in the woods and hear a cracking sound, your brain needs to process quickly whether the sound is coming from, say, a bear or a chipmunk. In new research published in PLoS Biology, a biomedical engineer at Washington University in St. Louis has a new interpretation for an old observation, debunking an established theory in the process. |
 | Risk of cholera epidemics estimated with new rule-bookCholera has repeatedly traveled out of Asia to cause epidemics in Africa and Latin America, an international research team has found. Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Institut Pasteur in France, and collaborators from across the world, studied outbreaks in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean from the last 60 years. |
 | Two teams implant human organoids into rodent brains sparking ethical debate(Medical Xpress)—Two teams of researchers have reportedly implanted human organoids into mice and rat brains, setting off what it likely to be a heated debate about the ethical implications of such research. Statnews is reporting that one of the teams was led by Fred Gage of the Salk Institute, though there are few other details. The other team, led by Isaac Chen with the University of Pennsylvania, has reportedly implanted human organoids into the visual cortices of 11 rats that subsequently underwent testing. Both teams are scheduled to give presentations surrounding their work at this year's Society for Neuroscience meeting. |
 | Twin study finds genetics affects where children look, shaping mental developmentA new study co-led by Indiana University that tracked the eye movement of twins finds that genetics plays a strong role in how people attend to their environment. |
 | How and why blood clots shrinkBlood clotting is the "Jekyll and Hyde" of biological processes. It's a lifesaver when you're bleeding, but gone awry, it causes heart attacks, strokes and other serious medical problems. If a clot grows too big, pieces dislodged by blood flow (emboli) can block downstream blood vessels in the lungs or brain, leading to life-threatening complications such as pulmonary embolism or ischemic stroke. Therefore, once a clot forms, even for beneficial reasons, it must shrink and disappear after wound healing starts to maintain normal blood flow. |
Efforts are needed to study elder abuse among veteransExperts are calling on the Veterans Administration (VA) to promote research, clinical care, and education in the area of elder abuse, furthering the VA's mission of serving those who have served. Such efforts will benefit not only Veterans, but also the many older individuals in the general population who face mistreatment or harm, including physical, emotional or sexual abuse, along with neglect and financial exploitation. A way forward is described in a new Journal of the American Geriatrics Society article. | |
 | New DNA antenatal screening for Down's syndrome shown to be a 'transformational advance'Medical scientists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have demonstrated for the first time that it is possible to incorporate DNA analysis into antenatal screening for three serious chromosome disorders, including Down's syndrome, in a way that is far more accurate than existing methods, and safer and less stressful for mothers. |
All forms of sexual harassment can cause psychological harm"Being exposed to non-physical sexual harassment can negatively affect symptoms of anxiety, depression, negative body image and low self-esteem," say Associate Professor Mons Bendixen and Professor Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's (NTNU) Department of Psychology. | |
 | How challenges change the way you thinkResearch published today in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience shows that challenging situations make it harder to understand where you are and what's happening around you. A team of researchers showed participants video clips of a positive, a negative and a neutral situation. After watching the challenging clips—whether positive or negative—the participants performed worse on tests measuring their unconscious ability to acquire information about where and when things happen. This suggests that challenging situations cause the brain to drop nuanced, context-based cognition in favor of reflexive action. |
 | Cancer drug parity laws lower costs for many, but not everyoneState laws designed to ensure that the pill form of cancer drugs is not more costly than treatments given through an infusion in a clinic or hospital have had a mixed impact on patients' pocketbooks, according to University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers. |
 | Hearing loss among U.S. adolescents is not increasing(HealthDay)—Hearing loss among U.S. adolescents seems not to be increasing, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in Pediatrics. |
 | Average cost of care in year after ovarian cancer surgery around $100K(HealthDay)—For women with ovarian cancer who underwent both surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, the average medical expenditures are about $100,000 in the first year after surgery, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Doctors have extra two weeks to preview performance data(HealthDay)—Physicians have two extra weeks to preview their 2016 performance information as a result of a mistake related to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Physician Compare online resource, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians. |
Research finds hot flashes, night sweats connected to obstructive sleep apnea risk in middle-aged womenIn a new study published recently in Menopause, researchers have found that the hot flashes and night sweats faced by upward of 80 percent of middle-aged women may be linked to an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea. | |
Women's wellness: Hormone therapy and Alzheimer's diseaseIntroducing hormone treatment for women in early stages of menopause might help decrease their risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. | |
 | New possibility to prevent and treat Parkinson's disease with licorice extractDGIST's research team, led by Dr. Yun-Il Lee in Well Aging Research Center, has identified a new mechanism to inhibit dopaminergic neuronal apoptosis, a possible approach for preventing and treating Parkinson's disease (PD). |
Researchers report epidermal cell differentiation findingsTo ensure the barrier function of the skin, mutual regulation of connections between epidermal cells and a receptor for growth factors is necessary. These findings can help to reduce the effects of inflammatory skin diseases and the decreased barrier function of the aged skin. The mechanism was described by a team of researchers led by Carien Niessen of the Cluster of Excellence for aging research, CECAD/Cologne. The results have been published in Nature Communications. | |
 | Online therapy proves effective for treating depression and anxietyProviding an online computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) program, both alone and in combination with an Internet Support Group (ISG), is a more effective treatment for anxiety and depression than a doctor's usual primary care, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found. Results were published today in JAMA Psychiatry. |
Facts about STI testingWhen we talk about sexual health, many of us get a little uncomfortable. But why? We aren't afraid to talk about getting the flu virus or strep throat. Still, there seems to be a taboo when it comes to talking about, and getting tested for, infections below the belt. We want to change that. | |
 | Chemist has designs on drug-resistant breast cancerDr. Jung-Mo Ahn, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The University of Texas at Dallas, has designed a small molecule that could help breast cancer patients for whom current treatments no longer work. |
 | Why do some kids die under dental anesthesia?Anesthesiologists call for more research into child deaths caused by dental anesthesia in an article published online by the journal Pediatrics. |
 | New gene therapy targets brain disordersUNSW researchers have tailored gene therapy for a rare genetic disorder called Canavan disease, and say it could eventually be adapted to treat other inherited disorders affecting the brain. |
Cellphone-based microscope leads to possible strategy for treating river blindnessRiver blindness, or onchocerciasis, is a disease caused by a parasitic worm found primarily in Africa. The worm (Onchocerca volvulus) is transmitted to humans as immature larvae through bites of infected black flies. Symptoms of infection include intense itching and skin nodules. Left untreated, infections in the eye can cause vision impairment that leads to blindness. Mass distribution of ivermectin is currently used to treat onchocerciasis. However, this treatment can be fatal when a person has high blood levels of another filarial worm, Loa loa. | |
 | Researcher discusses economic innovation for an aging populationThe populations of many developed countries are aging markedly, due to a suite of medical, social, and economic changes. Will this notable demographic trend force us to change our image of the older adults and regard them as a more vital force in society? Joseph F. Coughlin, director of the MIT AgeLab, which is part of the Center for Transportation and Logistics, hopes so. Coughlin's new book, "The Longevity Economy," published this week by PublicAffairs, makes a pointed call for companies and policymakers to expand their ideas about what seniors can and want to do in life. MIT News sat down with Coughlin to talk about innovation for an aging population. |
 | Scientists unravel likely causes of blood vessel leakage in severe dengueA protein secreted by cells infected with dengue virus can cause dangerous leakage of fluid from blood vessels, and new research published in PLOS Pathogens supports a primary underlying mechanism: disruption of a molecular barrier that lines the vessels. |
Reducing the burden of neglected tropical diseases requires investments in basic researchInternational support for measures to prevent neglected tropical diseases has resulted in public health gains, but eliminating these debilitating conditions will require significant investments in basic research, argues Dr. Peter Hotez in a new article publishing 9 November in the open access journal PLOS Biology. | |
 | Study shows that the consumption of antioxidant-rich foods is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetesA lower risk of type 2 diabetes has been observed among individuals consuming food rich in antioxidants. This effect is largely contributed by fruit, vegetables, tea and other hot beverages, as well as moderate consumption of alcohol, as shown in a recent study from an Inserm research group, published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) |
 | Zika surprise—African strain can do more damage than Asian strainThe Zika virus has spread to 44 countries, with thousands infected and thousands of babies born with microcephaly, a rare complication that causes small heads. |
 | We made great strides with childhood leukaemia – we can do the same for brain cancerBrain cancers are the leading disease-related cause of death in Australian children. And survival rates have changed little in decades. As a paediatric oncologist, the worst conversation I can have with my patients or their parents is to tell them their tumour is incurable. |
 | What can twitter reveal about people with ADHD?What can Twitter reveal about people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD? Quite a bit about what life is like for someone with the condition, according to findings published by University of Pennsylvania researchers Sharath Chandra Guntuku and Lyle Ungar in the Journal of Attention Disorders. Twitter data might also provide clues to help facilitate more effective treatments. |
 | Genetic carrier screening should be recommended for all couples planning a familyNew research by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) has shown that the combined affected pregnancy rate of cystic fibrosis (CF), fragile X syndrome (FXS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is comparable to the population risk for Down syndrome – highlighting the need to routinely offer carrier screening. |
 | Researchers struggle to turn the tide of the opioid epidemicThe numbers tell the story of the opioid epidemic. And the story is tragic. |
 | More accurate aging of teeth could hold the key to identifying health-compromised children in AfricaPopulation-based data on human biological growth and development processes are fundamental for assessing the health status of a community. For many populations in rural Africa, birth registry and eliciting date of birth are still challenges. Data on uncompromised development and growth variation in most developing populations are surprisingly lacking, and researchers typically compare growth in the population of interest to standards that are formulated for European or US children. |
Why older people in Uganda struggle to access healthcareThe World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 50 years and above instead of 60 to define older people in sub Saharan Africa. This is primarily because of low life expectancy in the region. In addition, people aged 50 and older have health and functional limitations akin to those experienced by people 60 or above in developed countries. | |
 | Why saunas really are good for your healthThings are hotting up in the world of sauna research. Previously, anecdotal claims of possible benefits were rarely backed up by medical evidence. But recent studies have shown that taking a regular sauna can be extremely good for your health – alleviating and preventing the risk of common acute and chronic conditions. |
 | Drug deaths increase as fewer people access treatmentThe latest drug-treatment figures from Public Health England show that the UK's current approach is failing to reduce drug-related deaths, which are now at an all-time high. |
 | Is freezing human eggs really 'extremely unsuccessful'?Freezing eggs is extremely unsuccessful. Although it's never admitted, it is true from the national statistics, how poor the chances of pregnancy are afterwards. |
 | Australia and Indonesia must work together to combat domestic violenceIn Bali on 5 September this year, a husband violently hacked off his wife's feet with a machete. The victim, Ni Putu Kariani, survived the horrific attack, but will be permanently disabled. |
 | Scientists discover new drug combination to tackle antimicrobial resistanceScientists at the University of Sheffield have demonstrated how a novel combination of drugs could be used to treat infections caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria. |
Majority of hospice workers don't have end-of-life wishes themselvesThere are approximately 6,100 hospices nationwide that provide care for about 1.6 million patients annually. On a daily basis, health care providers, especially those dealing with terminally ill patients, such as hospice workers, witness how advance directives - an important document specifying choices for future medical treatment and options when an individual is unable to communicate their needs - help ensure the wishes of patients. These providers witness the negative consequences when patients fail to document the care they desire at their end of life. | |
E-cigarette online vendors triple, concerns raised about marketing, deliveryUniversity of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have found the number of online vendors of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, increased more than threefold between 2013 and 2014. The researchers called this growth worrisome due to findings of low prices, a range of appealing flavors and ineffective age restrictions that could make these products accessible to youth. | |
Study shows cell signaling interaction may prevent key step in lung cancer progressionNew findings from University of Kentucky faculty published in Scientific Reports reveals a novel cell signaling interaction that may prevent a key step in lung cancer progression. | |
More neuroscience research articles are reporting the sex of laboratory animalsIn the largest-ever survey of neuroscience research, scientists from North Carolina State University found that the number of research studies reporting the sex of lab animals increased significantly in the current decade, though sex bias remains present. The findings demonstrate progress in addressing both males and females in neuroscience research but also highlight the continued need for improved research design. | |
 | Mushrooms are full of antioxidants that may have antiaging potentialMushrooms may contain unusually high amounts of two antioxidants that some scientists suggest could help fight aging and bolster health, according to a team of Penn State researchers. |
Older donor lungs should be considered for transplantationWith a scarcity of lungs available for transplantation, the use of lungs from donors older than age 60 has been shown to achieve reasonable outcomes and should be considered as a viable option, according to research published online today in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. | |
 | How spatial navigation correlates with languageCognitive neuroscientists from the Higher School of Economics and Aarhus University experimentally demonstrate how spatial navigation impacts language comprehension. The results of the study have been published in NeuroImage. |
 | HPV vaccine linked to drop in cases of rare childhood disease(HealthDay)—The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, first developed to help guard against cervical cancer, also seems to protect against a rare, chronic childhood respiratory disease, a new study suggests. |
 | Low-fat diet, low-carb diet—or 'low both'?(HealthDay)—Low-carb diets are often thought of as fad diets that might yield a rapid initial weight loss, but aren't sustainable or necessarily healthy. But when there's academic research behind the approach, it's worth taking a second look. |
 | In US, one in five use tobaccoOne in five adults in the United States uses tobacco on a regular basis, and 15 percent of the population smokes cigarettes, according to US government data released Thursday. |
 | Extreme swings in blood pressure are just as deadly as having consistently high blood pressureExtreme ups and downs in systolic blood pressure may be just as deadly as having consistently high blood pressure, according to a new study from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City. |
 | Increasing hydroxyurea dose helps to keep young sickle cell patients out of the hospitalSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators have shown that using the drug hydroxyurea to boost average fetal hemoglobin levels above 20 percent in children and teenagers with sickle cell anemia was associated with at least a two-fold reduction in hospitalization for any reason. |
Simple blood test identifies critically ill patients who misuse alcohol, study findsA simple blood test for a compound called PEth can accurately identify critically ill hospital patients who misuse alcohol, a study has found. | |
 | Fighting overdose epidemic, US bans all fentanyl-type drugsThe US Justice Department on Thursday announced a ban on all fentanyl-like drugs amid skyrocketing rates of overdoses from the synthetic opioids. |
Westernmost Canada opioid deaths double in 2017A concerted effort to prevent opioid overdoses in Canada has not resolved the public health crisis, with British Columbia's coroner saying Thursday the number of deaths in the province nearly doubled from last year | |
 | Switching to whole grain foods could trim your waistline(HealthDay)— Put down that forkful of perfectly twirled white spaghetti, and grab a plate of whole grain pasta instead. |
 | Doctors prescribing too many opioids after nose jobs(HealthDay)—Could some patients recovering from a nose job get a problem they didn't bargain for? |
 | CPAP may be superior to gastric banding for severe sleep apnea(HealthDay)—Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may be a more effective treatment than laparoscopic gastric banding (LGB) for control of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study published online Oct. 16 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. |
 | Addition of peel to microneedling improves acne scar treatment(HealthDay)—The combination of sequential 70 percent glycolic acid peel and microneedling results in better acne scar improvement than microneedling alone, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. |
 | Benefits for new immunoassays for measuring A-beta-42 in CSF(HealthDay)—Concentrations of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) β42-amyloid 42 (Aβ42) derived from new immunoassays may show improved agreement with visual flutemetamol F18 ([18F]flutemetamol)-labeled positron emission tomography (PET) assessment, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Neurology. |
 | Overlapping surgery appears safe in neurosurgical procedures(HealthDay)—For patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures, overlapping surgery (OS) is not associated with morbidity, mortality, or worsened functional status, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in JAMA Surgery. |
 | Delayed cord clamping linked to reduced hospital mortality(HealthDay)—Delayed cord clamping is associated with reduced hospital mortality in preterm infants, according to a review published online Oct. 30 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Vaccination coverage high for children aged 19 to 35 months(HealthDay)—Vaccination coverage has remained above 90 percent for many vaccinations among young children, and progress is being made toward immunization information systems (IISs) program goals, according to two studies published online Nov. 2 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
Exercise may benefit patients with leg ulcersA preliminary British Journal of Dermatology study suggests that ulcers in the legs may heal faster with exercise. | |
An electronic health platform enabling clinical records to be exchanged between centresA telecommunications engineer of the NUP/UPNA-Public University of Navarre has designed an e-health platform that standardises health information, thus making it compatible among different computing systems. It would allow clinical records to be exchanged between various hospital and healthcare complexes, and the design of new tools to tackle emerging medical needs. | |
Survey finds pediatric doctors attempts to address parental health issues are limited by barriersA national survey of more than 200 pediatric primary care physicians found that while over three-quarters addressed at least one parental health issue, such as maternal depression or parental tobacco use, during child health visits and a majority recognized the impact of such issues on children's health, fewer felt responsible for addressing them. | |
Significant financial stress associated with 13-fold higher odds of having a heart attackJohannesburg, South Africa 9 Nov 2017: Significant financial stress is associated with a 13-fold higher odds of having a heart attack, according to research presented at the 18th Annual Congress of the South African Heart Association. | |
Queen's researcher uses monitoring device to understand feeding of high-risk newbornsHigh-risk newborn infants in intensive care at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) will be the first in Canada to be monitored and evaluated for their feeding skills in a novel research initiative led by Queen's University researcher, Kimberly Dow. | |
Brazilian congressional committee votes to ban all abortionsA congressional committee has voted to make abortion illegal without exception in Brazil. | |
 | Despite Trump's scorn, early 'Obamacare' sign-ups top 600kDespite President Donald Trump's efforts to take down "Obamacare," more than 600,000 people signed up for coverage the first week of open enrollment, the government said Thursday. |
 | Prosecutors: German nurse may have killed over 100 patientsA nurse who is already serving a life sentence for two murders may have killed more than 100 patients over several years at two hospitals in northwestern Germany, prosecutors said Thursday. |
 | New study reports sex differences in lupus-related premature deathResearchers have shown that women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the U.S. have an average 22-year shorter life expectancy compared to the general population, versus a 12-year average reduced life-span for men with SLE. The most common causes of death for women with SLE 50 years of age or younger, for their non-SLE female counterparts, and for men with SLE, are reported in an article published in Journal of Women's Health. |
Cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain—can CBT help fight the opioid epidemic?By teaching patients better strategies for coping with chronic pain, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a valuable treatment alternative for the millions of Americans taking opioids for noncancer pain, according to an article in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice. | |
 | Is it an emergency? Insurer makes patients question ER visitAlison Wrenne was making waffles for her two young children one morning when abdominal pain forced her to the floor. A neighbor who is a physician assistant urged her to go to the emergency room. |
UN labour body under fire over tobacco tiesThe UN's labour organisation was accused Thursday of capitulating to pressure from tobacco companies after it withdrew an announcement that it had cut financial ties with the industry. | |
Biology news
 | Fatty molecule in human blood controls malaria parasites' decision to leap to mosquitoesDepletion of a fatty molecule in human blood propels malaria parasites to stop replicating and causing illness in people and instead to jump ship to mosquitoes to continue the transmission cycle, according to a new study by an international research team. |
 | Low protein diet in early life increases lifespan in fruit fliesFruit flies raised on a low protein diet early in life can live over twice as long as their peers, according to new research from the Francis Crick Institute. |
 | Crested pigeons use feathers to sound the alarmMany animals will sound an alarm to alert other members of their group of impending danger. Now, researchers reporting in Current Biology on November 9 have shown that crested pigeons do this in a surprisingly non-vocal way. One of their main flight feathers produces a critical high-pitched sound as the birds fly away. As they flap faster to escape a predator, that alarm signal automatically increases in tempo. |
 | Breeding highly productive corn has reduced its ability to adaptStuck where they are, plants have to adapt to their environments, responding to stresses like drought or pests by changing how they grow. |
 | Climate-influenced changes in flowering, fruiting also affect bird abundance, activities"You are what you eat" might give way to "you are when you eat," based on a new study tracking shifts in Hawaiian bird abundance, breeding and molting based on climate-related changes to native vegetation. |
Controversial weedkiller keeps EU in a tangle (Update)With a deadline just weeks away, the European Union failed Thursday to break a hardening stalemate on whether to renew the licence for the widely-used weedkiller glyphosate, which critics fear causes cancer. | |
Weedkiller glyphosate, controversial but still most usedIt is the most popular weedkiller in the world but concerns about the toxicity of glyphosate have led to growing demands for restrictions. | |
 | From racehorses to bananas—the importance of biosecurityIrish horse Rekindling's win in the 2017 Melbourne Cup follows months of training, an aeroplane journey across the world, and, because this is Australia, a month in quarantine. |
 | Genes don't always dictate that 'boys will be boys'As an evolutionary biologist focusing on animal behaviour, I'm sometimes asked what relevance our research has for human behaviour. Years ago, I would duck the question because it was such a passionately polarising, political and social issue, and respond lamely that I thought probably none. |
 | Higher biodiversity due to river-expanding measuresLower flood risk and the start of biodiversity recovery - those two things can go together quite well. Multiple groups of endangered and protected species are returning to river areas in the Netherlands, reveal researchers of Utrecht University and Radboud University today in Science Advances. |
 | Researcher studies birds that break all the mating rulesWhat can the mating behavior of birds tell us about evolution, climate change and species survival? For Peter Dunn, UWM distinguished professor of biological sciences, bird-watching offers clues to overarching ecological questions. He wants to know the purpose behind bird preferences such as feather brightness and why some birds follow the same mating playbook, while others deviate. He and Professor Linda Whittingham are now in their 21st year of studying tree swallows at the UWM Field Station, a 320-acre wetland near Saukville. This has given the ornithologists a long-term perspective on the birds they study, which include common yellowthroats and tree swallows. |
 | Beluga whales modifying what they eat due to climate change, study findsFinally, some good news for the Greenland halibut, a deep-water flatfish with two eyes on one side of its head: climate change has altered its ecosystem and beluga whales, at times, are less likely to eat them. |
 | New technology makes oak wilt detection faster, more affordableOak wilt fungus is another invasive plant pathogen that often goes unnoticed, until it's too late. Not anymore. New technology developed by University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) Assistant Professor Abdennour Abbas and his research team offers a simple, affordable diagnostic test utilizing nanotechnology and gold. |
 | Ocean monuments face possible loss of protectionThe Trump administration is considering rolling back federal protections for a number of national monuments. While most are on land and relatively accessible, three are deep below the ocean's surface and many miles from the mainland: the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument and the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, both in the central Pacific Ocean, and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument off the coast of New England. While most people will never explore the canyons and reefs of these watery realms, their value is hard to overestimate, according to Stanford scientists with years of experience exploring and studying these and adjacent areas. |
 | Scientists create 'tracking' nanoagents to illuminate very small diseased tissuesPolymer nanoagents that can 'light up' tiny areas of diseased tissues that conventional methods fail to detect, have been created by a research team led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) |
 | Study finds how to increase the survival time of stem cellsA team of researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Coimbra, led by Dr. Lino Ferreira, MIT Portugal Program Faculty and researcher at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC) in collaboration with Langer Lab at MIT (USA), has developed a new technology, which is promising to understand and treat ischemic diseases. This research is the result of the work initiated by Bioengineering PhD Alumni at IST Sezin Aday during her MPP Doctoral Program whose PhD thesis was advised both by L. Ferreira and R. Langer. Under MIT Portugal Program she was able to spend the first year's studies of this work in Langer Lab at MIT. |
 | Not all milkweed is equal for egg-laying monarchs, study revealsA new University of Guelph study reveals that not all milkweed plants are the same for endangered monarch butterflies looking to lay their eggs. |
 | Fueling the future: Scientists promote new method of algal hydrogen productionChanging the way the nation generates and consumes energy is at the heart of a new NSF grant awarded to Arizona State University and Kevin Redding, professor in the School of Molecular Sciences and director of the Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis (CB&P). |
 | Animals aplenty, space at a premium in Africa's oldest zooBoba springs left and right for a Cairo zookeeper feeding him fruit, but the chimp's exuberance contrasts with the pitiful lack of space and natural habitat in Africa's oldest zoo. |
 | Size matters—how thrips choose their partnersThe bigger the male, the higher his chances to successfully mate—this applies, at least, to thrips, insects measuring only two to three millimetres in length that are hard to recognise with the naked eye. The larger males not only drive off their smaller rivals, they also have better immune systems and produce more sperm. This discovery was made by biologists at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU). Their study is published in the Journal of Insect Behaviour. |
 | Japanese whalers head to AntarcticJapanese whaling vessels left port Thursday for an annual hunting voyage in the Antarctic, this time to kill 333 minke whales, despite international calls to stop the practice. |
 | New bioresources for plant peptide hormones using gene editing technologyPeptide hormones are important growth regulators that play various roles in many organisms. Although the importance of genes that encode peptide hormones is broadly recognized, most peptides have yet to be functionally characterized. Using genome editing technology, researchers from Kumamoto University, Japan generated a new, comprehensive genetic resource collection of plants with knocked out CLE peptides-encoding genes. CLE peptides are a group of plant-specific peptide hormones that play a role in cell signaling and are regulated by CLE genes. This open collection is expected to contribute to future studies on how peptide hormones work in plants. |
 | Philadelphia Zoo euthanizes popular Asiatic black bearOne of the Philadelphia Zoo's most popular animals has died. |
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