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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 15, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Closest temperate world orbiting quiet star discoveredA team working with ESO's High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) at the La Silla Observatory in Chile has found that the red dwarf star Ross 128 is orbited by a low-mass exoplanet every 9.9 days. This Earth-sized world is expected to be temperate, with a surface temperature that may also be close to that of the Earth. Ross 128 is the "quietest" nearby star to host such a temperate exoplanet. |
 | Astronomers discover new type of cosmic explosionAn international team of astronomers, including a University of Southampton expert, has discovered a new type of explosion in a distant galaxy. |
 | Pluto's hydrocarbon haze keeps dwarf planet colder than expectedThe gas composition of a planet's atmosphere generally determines how much heat gets trapped in the atmosphere. For the dwarf planet Pluto, however, the predicted temperature based on the composition of its atmosphere was much higher than actual measurements taken by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft in 2015. |
 | Neutron star with strong magnetic field may still launch jetsAn international team of astronomers led by the University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) suspects that neutron stars with a strong magnetic field can still launch so-called jets. Since the 1980s, it was thought that strong magnetic fields inhibit the formation of these plasma streams. But observations with more advanced telescopes indicate jet-like radiation. The astronomers publish their findings in two articles in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. |
 | NASA's Mars 2020 mission performs first supersonic parachute testLanding on Mars is difficult and not always successful. Well-designed advance testing helps. An ambitious NASA Mars rover mission set to launch in 2020 will rely on a special parachute to slow the spacecraft down as it enters the Martian atmosphere at over 12,000 mph (5.4 kilometers per second). Preparations for this mission have provided, for the first time, dramatic video of the parachute opening at supersonic speed. |
 | FIREBIRD II and NASA mission locate whistling space electrons' originsScientists have long known that solar-energized particles trapped around the planet are sometimes scattered into Earth's upper atmosphere where they can contribute to beautiful auroral displays. Yet for decades, no one has known exactly what is responsible for hurling these energetic electrons on their way. Recently, two spacecraft found themselves at just the right places at the right time to witness first hand both the impulsive electron loss and its cause. |
How NASA engineers mourn the death of a spacecraftThey called it a wake, but the loved one they had come to mourn wasn't a person. | |
 | Supercomputer simulates dynamic magnetic fields of Jupiter, Earth, SunAs the Juno space probe approached Jupiter in June last year, researchers with the Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics' Dynamo Working Group were starting to run simulations of the giant planet's magnetic field on one of the world's fastest computers. While the timing was coincidental, the supercomputer modeling should help scientists interpret the data from Juno, and vice versa. |
Technology news
 | New-look robot from Boston Dynamics is more sleek than 'Eek'(Tech Xplore)—Freaky. Creepy. Terrifying. Nightmares on four legs. Those are just a few of the one-liners that would pour into web sites from readers after viewing all those big-dog and other clanking machines coming out of Boston Dynamics' labs and on to grassy and rocky terrain to test their mettle in walking and running around. |
 | Electric trucks emerging but still have a long haulElectric trucks are having a moment in the spotlight, but they won't replace diesel-powered trucks in big numbers until they overcome costs and other limitations. |
 | Pine and poplar wood improve sunlight-driven water purificationEngineers at the University of Maryland have found that porous types of wood from trees like poplar and pine can greatly increase the efficiency of water-to-steam conversion under sunlight. The findings, published November 15 in the journal Joule, could be used in a simple and inexpensive biodegradable device for water purification. |
Amazon is bringing 'The Lord of the Rings' to the small screenA "Lord of the Rings" TV series is coming to Amazon. | |
 | Security company says a mask fooled Face ID on iPhone XLess than a week after the Apple iPhone X went on the market, a cybersecurity firm said it had already defeated the new phone's vaunted face recognition system using a $150 mask made on a 3-D printer. |
This bird is too sexy for FacebookThe quintessentially British holiday scene of a Christmas card featuring a robin redbreast in the snow was blocked from sale by Facebook after it was deemed too risqué. | |
Voice impersonators can fool speaker recognition systemsSkilful voice impersonators are able to fool state-of-the-art speaker recognition systems, as these systems generally aren't efficient in recognising voice modifications, according to new research from the University of Eastern Finland. The vulnerability of speaker recognition systems poses significant security concerns. | |
 | How the technology behind virtual currencies can build global health equityAround the globe, a staggering $455 billion intended for health care is lost every year to fraud or misuse. Much of this abuse occurs in developing countries, where the loss of funds can have devastating consequences for health and development. |
 | Facebook wants your nude photos to prevent 'revenge porn' – here's why you should be scepticalFacebook's latest attempt to tackle the non-consensual sharing of sexual pictures (often known as "revenge porn") appeared so wrong-headed that at first it seemed like a joke. But the social network has made clear its system of asking users to send in explicit images that they don't want to appear on the site is a real pilot programme being tested in Australia. |
 | How Google's Pixel Buds earphones translate languagesIn the Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy, Douglas Adams's seminal 1978 BBC broadcast (then book, feature film and now cultural icon), one of the many technology predictions was the Babel Fish. This tiny yellow life-form, inserted into the human ear and fed by brain energy, was able to translate to and from any language. |
 | Subsidizing coal and nuclear power could drive customers off the gridWithin the next month, energy watchers expect the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to act on an order from Energy Secretary Rick Perry that would create new pricing rules for certain power plants that can store fuel on site to support grid resilience. This initiative seeks to protect coal-fired and nuclear power plants that are struggling to compete with cheaper energy sources. |
 | Making road traffic greener by boosting car-sharing and improving road qualityUneven road surfaces cause breaking and variable speeds both of which increase emissions, while low car occupancy rates mean duplicated journeys. An EU project is combining data from trip-sharing communities and phone sensors for feedback on road quality to make road travel greener. |
 | 3-D microprinting—security for products, passports, and moneySecurity features are to protect bank notes, documents, and branded products against counterfeiting. Losses caused by product forgery and counterfeiting may be enormous. According to the German Engineering Association, the damage caused in 2016 in its branch alone amounted to EUR 7.3 billion. In the Advanced Materials Technologies journal, researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the ZEISS company now propose to use printed 3-D microstructures instead of 2-D structures, such as holograms, to improve counterfeit protection. |
 | New software can pinpoint hate groups' radicalization sitesA fascinating trait of mass murderers and terrorists is that they often leave a lengthy manifesto detailing the impetus for their actions. |
 | Researchers discover new use for ultrasound technology to help amputeesThere's hope for a better life for people who've lost an arm or leg, thanks to new research funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense. |
GM says next-gen electric cars will cost less, go fartherGeneral Motors is telling investors its next generation of electric vehicles will cost the company 30 percent less than current ones, making them profitable after the new version debuts in 2021. | |
US restarts nuclear testing facility in Idaho after 23 yearsU.S. officials have restarted an Idaho nuclear fuel testing facility amid efforts to boost the nation's nuclear power generating capacity. | |
 | 'Social media suicide' in spotlight after Japan 'Twitter killer'The grisly beheading of nine young people lured by a suspected serial killer after tweeting suicidal thoughts has sparked debate about the use of social media in Japan, which has one of the world's highest suicide rates. |
US says North Korean malware lurking in computer networksUS authorities said Tuesday malware developed in North Korea is still lurking in many computer networks, giving hackers backdoor access to government, financial, automotive and media organizations. | |
 | Facebook tells FEC it supports campaign advertising transparencyFacebook says it supports policy measures that promote transparency in online campaign advertising, according to a comment filed with the Federal Election Commission. |
Extradition hearing for Russian cybercrime suspect postponedGreece's Supreme Court on Wednesday postponed until December an extradition hearing for Russian cybercrime suspect Alexander Vinnik, wanted in the United States on charges of laundering billions of dollars' worth of bitcoin. | |
 | High speed video recording precisely measures blood cell velocityScientists from ITMO University created a high-speed video capillaroscopy system that enables direct measurement of red blood cell velocity. Coupled with sophisticated software, the system can improve the accuracy of vascular condition assessment. Such a system could be useful for monitoring the efficiency of certain therapies. The results of the research were published in Optics and Lasers in Engineering. |
 | Five new jobs for humans if robots take over the worldBy now you've probably heard how robots are going to take over our jobs. And how this will leave future generations with plenty of time on their hands to take up hobbies and pursue creative interests. All while our robot friends spend their days doing the lion's share of the work needed to make the world run. |
 | Spare parts go digital—a boost for the industrial spare parts businessCurrently, 5 percent of spare parts could be stored in digital warehouses. This would make parts more quickly and easily available, while creating considerable cost savings. |
 | One big wire change from 1997 still helping chips achieve tiny scaleThe IT state-of-the-art 20 years ago was rapidly ending, and we – and I mean everyone in the industry that made a device with a chip inside of it – needed something new to keep up with the demand for ever-faster, better electronics. These were the days of laptops with 233 MHz speeds, and Deep Blue was exploring a mere 200 million possible chess positions per second. Without one element in the eleventh group of the periodic table, Cu, our computers and devices would not have advanced much beyond the speed and power of two decades ago. |
Feds charge man they say worked for 'darknet' marketplaceAn Illinois man who federal prosecutors say worked as a spokesman for a "darknet" marketplace for illicit internet commerce has been charged in Atlanta. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Brain implant tested in human patients found to improve memory recall(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with the University of Southern California and the Wake Forest School of Medicine has conducted experiments involving implanting electrodes into the brains of human volunteers to see if doing so might improve memory recall. The group gave a presentation at this year's Society for Neuroscience meeting recently outlining the study and what they found. |
 | Strain of intestinal bacteria can stop high-salt diet from inducing inflammatory response linked to hypertensionMicrobes living in your gut may help protect against the effects of a high-salt diet, according to a new study from MIT. |
 | Scientists reverse diabetes in a mouse model using modified blood stem cellsResearchers at Boston Children's Hospital have successfully reversed type 1 diabetes in a mouse model by infusing blood stem cells pre-treated to produce more of a protein called PD-L1, which is deficient in mice (and people) with type 1 diabetes. The cells curbed the autoimmune reaction in cells from both mice and humans and reversed hyperglycemia in diabetic mice. |
 | US scientists try first gene editing in the bodyScientists for the first time have tried editing a gene inside the body in a bold attempt to permanently change a person's DNA to try to cure a disease. |
 | Proteome of the human heart mapped for the first timeA healthy heart beats about two billion times during a lifetime, thanks to the interplay of more than 10,000 proteins. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB) and the German Heart Centre at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now determined which and how many individual proteins are present in each type of cell in the heart. They have now compiled the first atlas of the healthy human heart, known as the cardiac proteome. The atlas will make it easier to identify differences between healthy and diseased hearts in future. |
 | Generous people give in a heartbeat—new studyAltruistic people are said to be "kind hearted" - and new research published in the journal Scientific Reports shows that generous people really are more in touch with their own hearts. |
 | Researchers find lung stem cell, heal lung injury in miceStanford scientists have found a cell that creates the two different compartments in the mouse lung. They hope their discovery could lead to better therapies for people with lung disease. |
 | Study finds asthma and food allergies predictable at age 1Children at one year old who have eczema or atopic dermatitis (AD) and are sensitized to an allergen are seven times more likely than other infants to develop asthma, and significantly more likely to have a food allergy by age three. |
 | Multiplayer video games: Researchers discover link between skill and intelligenceResearchers at the University of York have discovered a link between young people's ability to perform well at two popular video games and high levels of intelligence. |
 | Engineering the gut microbiome with 'good' bacteria may help treat Crohn's diseasePenn Medicine researchers have singled out a bacterial enzyme behind an imbalance in the gut microbiome linked to Crohn's disease. The new study, published online this week in Science Translational Medicine, suggests that wiping out a significant portion of the bacteria in the gut microbiome, and then re-introducing a certain type of "good" bacteria that lacks this enzyme, known as urease, may be an effective approach to better treat these diseases. |
 | Researchers identify potential mediator for social memory formationResearch by a group of scientists at the Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) have discovered that a tiny brain region plays a critical role in the formation of social memory and interaction. |
 | Molecular pathway offers treatment targets for pulmonary fibrosis, related conditionsA study led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto has identified a molecular pathway that appears to be critical to the development of fibrosis - scarring and excessive tissue deposition that result from abnormal healing responses and can compromise the function of vital organs. In their report that has received advance online publication in Nature Medicine, the researchers describe a series of molecular interactions that are essential for the induction of lung and skin fibrosis in a mouse model and appear to be active in human fibrotic lung disease. |
 | A delicate crossing: Controller developed to open the blood-brain barrier with precisionThe blood-brain barrier - the semi-permeable membrane that surrounds the brain - offers important protection for a delicate organ, but in some cases, clinicians need to get past the barrier to deliver vital drugs to treat the brain. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital are investigating a way to temporarily loosen the blood-brain barrier to deliver drugs with the assistance of microbubbles. In a new advancement, they have developed a system in preclinical models that offers a finer degree of control - and, therefore, safety - in opening the barrier. Their findings are published this week in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. |
 | Aging tests yield varying resultsWhether it's an on-line quiz, a $300 chromosome test or an $800 blood panel, a lot of people seem to be interested in whether they're aging faster or slower than their chronological age would suggest. |
 | Amish gene mutation makes some live 10 years longer: studyScientists have found a genetic mutation in the Amish people of the midwestern United States that appears to make them live 10 years longer than people without it, a study said Wednesday. |
 | Introduction is different, but top medications for opioid addiction equally effectiveWith opioid addiction officially declared a public health emergency in the U.S., medical intervention to treat the illness is increasingly important in responding to the epidemic. Now, a new study concludes that two of the top medications available for outpatient, office-based treatment, once initiated, are equally safe and effective in curtailing opioid use, relapse, treatment drop-out and overdose. |
'Grave concern' over plans to allow US-style bodies to operate in the NHSIt is of grave concern that there has been no public consultation on government plans to enable accountable care organisations (ACOs) to operate in England, say experts in The BMJ today. | |
Weight reducing diets, predominantly those low in fat, may reduce risk of early death for adults with obesityWeight reducing diets, mostly low in fat, may reduce risk of early death in adults with obesity, finds a study published in The BMJ. However, the researchers were unable to show if there was any effect of weight reducing diets on heart disease and cancer. | |
 | Vitamin D linked to better live birth rates in women undergoing assisted reproduction treatmentResearchers are calling for a randomised clinical trial to investigate the potential role of vitamin D supplementation in improving live birth rates following assisted reproduction treatment (ART). |
Type 2 diabetes associated with risk of aggressive breast cancer in black womenAfrican American women with type 2 diabetes (often referred to as adult-onset diabetes) are at a greater risk for developing breast cancer. | |
New study examines value of routine laboratory screenings for children entering foster careRoutine laboratory screening recommended for children entering foster care carries high costs and questionable medical benefits. | |
Shining a light on the nervous system to thwart diseaseResearchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, and University of Pittsburgh have received a four-year, $9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop enhanced infrared light technology (infrared neuromodulation) for potentially treating a variety of diseases, including cardiac arrhythmias, high and low blood pressure, asthma, sleep apnea and diarrhea, one of the leading killers of children worldwide. | |
 | Study finds consuming nuts strengthens brainwave functionA new study by researchers at Loma Linda University Health has found that eating nuts on a regular basis strengthens brainwave frequencies associated with cognition, healing, learning, memory and other key brain functions. An abstract of the study—which was presented in the nutrition section of the Experimental Biology 2017 meetings in San Diego, California, and published in the FASEB Journal. |
 | An Alzheimer's treatment would tax the US health care systemThe U.S. health care system lacks the capacity to rapidly move a treatment for Alzheimer's disease from approval into wide clinical use, a shortcoming that could leave millions of people without access to transformative care if such a breakthrough occurs, according to a new RAND Corporation study. |
 | Experimental peanut allergy patch shows promiseAn experimental patch that delivers a high dose of peanut protein has shown promise in reducing allergic reactions in children and adults, researchers said on Tuesday. |
Why health officials are concerned about the Madagascar plague outbreakA large outbreak of plague, including the rare form known as pneumonic plague, has health officials in Madagascar working to prevent the bacterial infection from spreading to neighboring countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) says there have been more than 1,800 confirmed, probable or suspected cases of plague since Aug. 1, including 127 deaths. | |
Home remedies: Problems with pink eyePink eye (conjunctivitis) is an inflammation or infection of the transparent membrane (conjunctiva) that lines your eyelid and covers the white part of your eyeball. When small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become inflamed, they're more visible. This is what causes the whites of your eyes to appear reddish or pink. | |
 | Improving clinical trials with machine learningMachine learning could improve our ability to determine whether a new drug works in the brain, potentially enabling researchers to detect drug effects that would be missed entirely by conventional statistical tests, finds a new UCL study published in Brain. |
Cognitive behavioural therapy for children and adolescents with OCD works in the long termThe vast majority of children and adolescents who receive cognitive behavioural therapy treatment for OCD thrive and live without symptoms a year after the end of treatment. This is shown by new research from Aarhus University's Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Risskov. | |
 | How emotions influence our internal clockHuman beings have an internal clock that enables the subconscious perception and estimation of time periods. A research team under Dr. Roland Thomaschke of the University of Freiburg's Department of Psychology has showed in experiments that this mental time-processing system is able to adapt quickly and flexibly to predictive time patterns. The study has been published in the specialist journal Emotion. |
New gene expression analysis paves way for improved disease diagnosis and treatmentA comprehensive new analysis from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Germany, and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, provides insight on how the dysfunction of an important biological process causes disease. | |
Antibiotic ciprofloxacin increases risk of tears and rupture in mouse aortasA team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the Texas Heart Institute and Baylor College of Medicine's Cardiovascular Research Institute has found that ciprofloxacin, a widely prescribed antibiotic, increases the risk of tears and rupture on the main artery of the body, the aorta, in a mouse model of human aortic aneurysms and dissections (AAD), a disease that carries high risk of death from aortic rupture. The study, which is presented today at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2017, provides insights into the biological mechanism underlying the antibiotic's effects on aortic tissue and suggests that the drug should be used with caution in patients with aortic dilatation. | |
Advice for displaced persons during the holiday seasonThe holiday season is a time to give back, and that is especially important to remember this year due to the impacts of Hurricane Harvey. Although many people are back in their homes, others are still displaced. One Baylor College of Medicine expert discusses the challenges of being displaced and how to overcome them during the holidays. | |
 | How pomegranate extract alters breast cancer stem cell propertiesA University at Albany research team has found evidence suggesting that the same antioxidant that gives pomegranate fruit their vibrant red color can alter the characteristics of breast cancer stem cells, showing the superfood's potential for aiding in much more than diabetes or heart disease as previously thought. |
 | What can Facebook learn about you from just one click?How effective is psychological targeting in advertising? Dr Sandra Matz, a former PhD student at Cambridge now based at Columbia University, and her co-authors, including Dr David Stillwell from the Cambridge Psychometrics Centre, have published a new study which demonstrates that companies only need one Facebook 'like' to effectively target potential customers. |
 | Primary care is key to optimising value in healthcareBalancing improvements in health against the cost of such improvements in primary care is vital to achieve a cost-effective and efficient healthcare system, finds a new report by University of Bristol researchers and published in the BMJ. |
 | How Obamacare changed the love lives of young adultsIt seems that each week, a new development about the Affordable Care Act calls into question the future of health care in the U.S. Such policy changes may also have much more far-reaching effects on Americans' major life decisions. |
 | Computation combats concussion damageAs football season rolls on, fans across the country look forward every weekend to touchdowns, tackles and tailgating. But recent news about football-induced brain injuries is casting a pall on the sport. |
 | Impact of a genetic risk factor for substance use differs by sex in adolescentsIn a study of adolescent boys and girls, neuroscientists at Penn State and Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) have found a sex difference in a gene linked to substance use disorders. |
Food swamps predict obesity rates better than food desertsA new study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut suggests that living in a food swamp – a neighborhood where fast food and junk food outlets outnumber healthy alternatives – is a stronger predictor of high obesity rates than living in a neighborhood with limited access to affordable, nutritious food, or food desert. | |
Unblocking arteries with mathsUniversity of Melbourne researchers have combined mathematical modelling, supercomputing and laser imaging technology to assess the severity of artery blockages without having to insert a physical separate pressure wire to assess blood pressure loss around a blockage. | |
 | Researchers study barriers to online health technology adoption, help underserved minorities boost skillsAs more aspects of everyday life move online, not keeping up with technology and trends might seem old-fashioned. But those who don't have knowledge or access to online technologies may be left behind in critical areas such as health, even though they want to learn. A team of University of Kansas researchers has undertaken a project to better understand what barriers keep low-income African-American older adults from adopting technology and seeking health information. |
 | Exome sequencing allows scientists to find the mutations responsible for an array of ailmentsAbout eight years ago, a doctor in Turkey examined a 5-month-old boy for "failure to thrive and dehydration." Paradoxically, his diapers were wet, so the medical team was inclined to suspect Bartter syndrome, a congenital kidney defect which is manageable if caught early. But the standard treatments weren't working. Baffled, the doctors sent the infant's blood sample to Yale for a sophisticated analysis then under development called exome sequencing. |
Controlling cancer in the PacificCancer is a significant and growing problem in the Pacific, with limited resources and finance, and a strategy which means cancer is often overshadowed by other diseases. Now researchers are calling for the challenges faced by the island nations to be facilitated through a regional cancer control partnership. | |
 | Australian workers who smoke hit national pocketbookSmoking among the working population is predicted to cost Australia an estimated $340 billion in lost productivity, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2017, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians. |
 | How to be more persuasive – according to scienceWhether it's getting your partner to do more housework or making your colleagues back your latest idea, we all end up spending a considerable amount of time trying to persuade or even manipulate others. |
 | Stressful events can increase women's odds of obesityWomen who experienced one or more traumatic lifetime events or several negative events in recent years had higher odds of being obese than women who didn't report such stress, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2017, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians. |
 | Treating gum disease may help lower blood pressureTreatment for gum disease, or periodontitis, significantly lowered blood pressure among Chinese patients at risk for developing high blood pressure, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2017, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians. |
 | Paving the way to a drug for post-partum depressionFor women with postpartum depression—by some estimates, nearly one in five new mothers—the announcement last week of positive results in clinical trials of a drug to help alleviate their symptoms was welcome news. |
 | Getting enough sleep may help skin wounds heal fasterGetting more sleep may help wound healing, and a nutrition supplement may also help, according to a new study. The paper, published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for November. |
 | Compound found in berries and red wine can rejuvenate cells, suggests new studyBy the middle of this century the over 60s will outnumber the under 18s for the first time in human history. This should be good news, but growing old today also means becoming frail, sick and dependent. A healthy old age is good for you and a remarkably good deal for society. Improving the overall health of older Americans could save the US alone enough money to pay for clean drinking water for everyone on Earth for the next 30 years. |
 | Friendships between young children can protect against ADHDChildren who experience social exclusion in preschool are at greater risk of becoming so-called "school losers." Norwegian researchers are studying what happens to children who are marginalized. |
 | Primary care physicians cautious about new guidelines for high blood pressurePrimary care faculty at UMass Medical School will continue counseling patients about lifestyle modifications as well as medication to manage blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular disease risk rather than striving to achieve a set point for all, despite stringent new guidelines from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. |
 | No, you shouldn't eat your placenta, here's whyIn almost all mammals, the placenta - the organ that develops in pregnancy to provide oxygen and nutrients to the baby and remove waste products - is eaten by the mother immediately after giving birth. Humans and aquatic mammals are the only exceptions. |
 | Catching up on sleep over the weekend may not help the heartUsing the weekend to catch up on sleep may not be good for heart health, a new study suggests. |
 | Researchers think cell phones might prevent suicidesNew studies by the UO Center for Digital Mental Health hope to not only harvest personal data gleaned from cell phones and use it for good, they also aim to prevent suicide attempts in adolescents by identifying a crisis window when help can be offered at just the right moment. |
 | Toys that look identical aren't identically safe, biomechanics experts sayThe popularity of the Nerf "blaster" toy gun has created an active market for inexpensive off-brand versions of the Nerf darts, but new data from Virginia Tech suggests that the off-brand darts are two to three times more likely to cause eye injuries. |
 | Grandparent behaviour appears to have a negative impact on children's long-term cancer risksThe behaviour of grandparents may inadvertently be having a negative impact on the health of their grandchildren, according to a new study. |
 | New research reveals friends are worse than enemies when it comes to bullyingResearch into the effects of different types of bullying on young people's health, conducted by academics at the University of Hertfordshire, has shown bullying between friends to be the most damaging type. |
 | Take a fantastic 3-D voyage through the brain with new immersive virtual reality systemA new immersive virtual reality (VR) experience now offers a unique way to visualize and interact with large volumes of 3D anatomical brain data. The system, developed by researchers from the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering and the University of Geneva, has applications in neurotechnology development, research and surgeon training. A poster describing the system will be presented on Wednesday 15 November at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience 2017, in Washington DC. |
 | Children's exposure to secondhand smoke may be vastly underestimated by parentsFour out of 10 children in the US are exposed to secondhand smoke, according to the American Heart Association. A new Tel Aviv University study suggests that parents who smoke mistakenly rely on their own physical senses to gauge the presence of tobacco smoke in the air. |
 | Tapeworm drug fights prostate cancerCancer researchers at the University of Bergen (UiB) in Norway have in the recent years experienced with hundreds of known drugs, to see how they influence cancer cells. |
 | Study asks neurosurgeons: How old is too old to perform brain surgery?People sometimes joke that easy tasks are "not brain surgery." But what happens when it actually is brain surgery? How old is too old to be a neurosurgeon? In a new Mayo Clinic Proceedings study, most neurosurgeons disagreed with an absolute age cutoff, but half favored additional testing for neurosurgeons 65 and older. |
Disparities in exposure to toxins may drive higher diabetes rates in minoritiesUnequal exposure to environmental pollutants acting as endocrine-disrupting chemicals is an under-recognized risk factor that may play a key role in driving the higher rates of diabetes among minority and low-income populations, according to a new article in the journal Diabetes Care. | |
 | Researchers identify potential therapeutic target in aggressive breast cancer cellsAn especially aggressive breast cancer cell can respond to hormone therapy if they express a specific protein known as estrogen receptor beta (ERβ), according to new research published on the cover of Oncotarget. The findings also revealed additional molecules that the researchers suggest targeting to develop drugs for this breast cancer type. |
Cell therapy improves heart function, upper limb strength in Duchenne muscular dystrophyAfter boys and young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy received cardiac progenitor cell infusions, medical tests indicated that the patients' hearts appeared improved, results from a new study show. Patients in the study also scored higher on arm strength tests after receiving the cell infusions. | |
Stem cells fail to alleviate peripheral artery diseaseA stem cell therapy did not improve walking ability in people with peripheral artery disease, although exercise did lead to significant improvements, according to the results of a new Northwestern Medicine clinical trial. | |
 | Virtual reality training may be as effective as regular therapy after strokeUsing virtual reality therapy to improve arm and hand movement after a stroke is equally as effective as regular therapy, according to a study published in the November 15, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. |
 | Screening programs unlikely to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in competitive athletesScreening programs for cardiac conditions are not an effective way to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in competitive sport, and may prevent healthy athletes from participating, a new study suggests. |
Health and social care spending cuts linked to 120,000 excess deaths in EnglandThe squeeze on public finances since 2010 is linked to nearly 120,000 excess deaths in England, with the over 60s and care home residents bearing the brunt, reveals the first study of its kind, published in the online journal BMJ Open. | |
 | Wider sampling of tumor tissues may guide drug choice, improve outcomesA new study focused on describing genetic variations within a primary tumor, differences between the primary and a metastatic branch of that tumor, and additional diversity found in tumor DNA in the blood stream could help physicians make better treatment choices for patients with gastric and esophageal adenocarcinoma. |
 | Team advances in developing vaccine for cutaneous leishmaniasisA research team at The University of Texas at El Paso is one step closer to developing an effective human vaccine for cutaneous leishmaniasis, a tropical disease found in Texas and Oklahoma, and affecting some U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. |
Head injury does not worsen drinking behavior in heavy drinkersHead injury, which often damages brain regions overlapping with those involved in addictive behaviors, does not worsen drinking behavior in people with heavy alcohol use, according to a new study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. The study, led by Dr. Andrew Mayer of the Mind Research Network and University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico, also found that combining head injury with heavy alcohol use did not further alter the structure or function of the brain. | |
 | Serious health risks associated with energy drinksA new review of current scientific knowledge on energy drinks finds their advertised short-term benefits can be outweighed by serious health risks—which include risk-seeking behavior, mental health problems, increased blood pressure, obesity and kidney damage. The study, published in Frontiers in Public Health, also highlights the worrying trend of mixing energy drinks with alcohol. The authors recommend restricted sales to children and adolescents and setting evidence-based caffeine limits. |
 | Water baths as good as bleach baths for treating eczemaFor patients suffering from eczema (atopic dermatitis), dermatologists will sometimes recommend bleach baths to decrease bacterial infection and reduce symptoms. But a new Northwestern Medicine study found no difference in the effectiveness of a bleach bath compared to regular water baths. In addition, bleach baths can cause stinging and burning of skin, and occasionally even trigger asthma flare-ups in patients. |
Intensive glucose control in type 2 diabetes can have adverse effectsThe common approach of intensive glucose control to achieve low blood sugar targets in type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of mortality, finds a study by Cardiff University. | |
Parent-supplied photos allow pediatric dermatology diagnoses with no office visit in most casesUsing smartphone cameras, parents can reliably take high-quality photographs of their child's skin condition to send to a dermatologist for diagnosis. This finding suggests that direct-to-patient dermatology can accurately provide pediatric dermatology care. | |
 | Manganese-based MRI contrast agent may be safer alternative to gadolinium-based agentsA team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers has developed a potential alternative to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In their report that has been published online in Radiology, the team describes experiments showing in a primate model that the manganese-based agent Mn-PyC3A produced contrast enhancement of blood vessels equivalent to that of gadolinium-based agents, which carry significant health risks for some patients. |
 | Two-thirds of children with concussions not receiving medical follow-upsIn a study that looked at data over a 10-year period, York University researchers, in collaboration with Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), found that more than two-thirds of youth and children with an acute concussion do not seek medical follow-up or clearance as recommended by current international concussion guidelines. |
New study underpins the future of Person Centred CarePublic sector organisations are being driven to produce greater efficiencies and cost savings, and the NHS in particular is facing the requirement to do more with less, and deliver better and more effective care while at the same time reducing a fiscal deficit. | |
Linking heart attack damage to the spleen and kidney, an integrated study of heart failureHeart failure after a heart attack is a global epidemic leading to chronic heart failure pathology. About 6 million people in the United States and 23 million worldwide suffer from this end-stage disease. | |
 | FDA clears nerve stimulator to aid recovery from opioidsU.S. health authorities have cleared a brain-stimulating device for patients suffering from debilitating withdrawal symptoms caused by addiction to heroin and other opioids. |
 | Could your cat give you 'bird flu?'(HealthDay)—U.S. scientists are reporting a case of a veterinarian who apparently caught "bird flu" from an infected cat at a New York City animal shelter. |
 | How to do a skin cancer body check(HealthDay)—Every year, about 5 million Americans are treated for skin cancer—an abnormal growth of skin cells that most often develops on areas exposed to the sun. |
Mepsevii approved for rare enzyme disorder(HealthDay)—Mepsevii (vestronidase alfa-vjbk) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat a rare, genetic disorder called mucopolysaccharidosis type VII, sometimes called Sly syndrome. | |
 | Psychostimulant use tied to placental complications(HealthDay)—Psychostimulant use during pregnancy is associated with a small increased relative risk of preeclampsia and preterm birth, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Longer appointment times in clinic where trainees present(HealthDay)—The presence of trainees in an outpatient ophthalmology clinic is associated with longer appointment times, even for appointments for which the trainee is not present, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | Poorer neuropsychological test scores for HIV-positive(HealthDay)—HIV-positive individuals treated with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) have poorer neuropsychological test scores than controls but no significant neuropsychological decline over time, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in JAMA Neurology. |
 | Sport sampling in children tied to more exercise in adolescence(HealthDay)—Sport sampling in childhood may be associated with higher physical activity (PA) levels during adolescence, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in Pediatrics. |
 | AHA: noninvasive testing ups LOS in patients with chest pain(HealthDay)—Noninvasive cardiac testing leads to longer length of stay (LOS) for patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in JAMA Internal Medicine to coincide with the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions, being held Nov. 11 to 15 in Anaheim, California. |
 | First transcatheter implant for diastolic heart failure successfulResults presented today at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions and published in Circulation show that a new device designed to treat diastolic heart failure is safe and effective. The first patient in the randomized, blinded study was enrolled at The Ohio State University Ross Heart Hospital, which also enrolled the most patients in the trial. |
Study finds higher rates of sexual violence among bisexual womenWhile sexual harassment and sexual violence have been pervasive problems for women over the course of history, a recent study has uncovered that bisexual women specifically experience sexual violence more often than straight and lesbian women. | |
African-American women with type 2 diabetes may have higher risk for ER-neg breast cancerAmong African-American women, those with type 2 diabetes may have a higher risk of developing estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. | |
Combined resistance to multiple antibiotics: A growing problem in the EUOn the occasion of the 10th European Antibiotic Awareness Day, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is releasing its latest EU-wide data on antibiotic resistance, as well as its guidance on prevention and control of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). In 2016, combined resistance to several antibiotic groups continued to increase for Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter species. This situation is of great concern as patients infected with these multidrug-resistant bacteria have very limited treatment options. | |
Second-generation vaginal films address issues with current HIV prevention methodsSexual transmission is the main method of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in women. The effectiveness of topical microbicides for HIV-1 prevention can be inconsistent and insufficient, which are associated with low adherence rates and/or product misuse. To address these difficulties, researchers presenting at the 2017 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exposition designed extended release vaginal films which could be effective in HIV prevention for up to seven days. | |
Precise 3-D imaging of skin cancer tumoursScientists and clinicians from Singapore and Germany have successfully used multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) to achieve accurate, real-time 3-D imaging of non-melanoma skin cancer tumours. This imaging technique uses a combination of light pulses and ultrasound waves to form 3-D images that are precise in dimensions and depth. | |
 | Sleep deprivation may increase risk of cardiovascular disease in older womenOlder women who don't get enough sleep were more likely to have poor cardiovascular health, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2017, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians. |
Single men 'less likely' to participate in bowel screeningSingle men are significantly less likely to participate in bowel screening tests compared to those who live with a partner, according to a new University of Stirling study. | |
 | Almost half of trans pupils have attempted suicideA recent report by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender charity Stonewall, found that 80% of transgender youth have self-harmed, and 40% have attempted suicide. So the Church of England's recent guidance to its schools, urging teachers to allow pupils to "explore the possibilities of who they might be without judgment", is very welcome. |
 | Medical Innovations for AfricaEbola, malaria, tuberculosis: These are the three best known poverty-related diseases affecting millions of people. They are predominantly encountered in poor countries due to the inadequate medical care there. Another reason is that the development of the corresponding drugs in industrialized countries is far from being economically attractive. New, non-profit types of cooperation for drug development, open innovation processes, and the expansion of clinical centers and regulatory bodies in the regions affected can strengthen research and product development. These options are the result of a study made by the Office of Technology Assessment with the German Bundestag (TAB) operated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). |
Quality of care for older Texas patients with colon cancer on the rise, still room for improvementResearch from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center finds adherence to surgical treatment guidelines has improved significantly among older Texas patients with colon cancer since 2001, while adherence to chemotherapy guidelines has remained largely unchanged. The study, published today in Cancer, identifies factors influencing adherence rates, including socioeconomic status and access to skilled physicians. | |
 | 'Obamacare' sign-ups 45 percent ahead of last year's paceSign-ups for Affordable Care Act health plans are running more than 45 percent ahead of last year's pace, according to government data released Wednesday. |
 | Strategies to combat the opioid epidemicThe opioid epidemic is ravaging lives and tearing families apart. Overdose deaths from heroin, fentanyl and misused prescription painkillers have tripled in the past 15 years. Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, explores how abuse-deterring and novel formulations for painkillers in addition to crime-fighting tools to quickly identify opioids could help curb the crisis. |
 | New theory of how the brain transforms sensations into mental objectsInputs to the brain from the eyes, ears, and skin are continually changing as we move. Yet our brain perceives objects in the world as stable. How the brain learns the structure of the world from rapidly changing inputs is a mystery. |
 | New guidelines issued for diagnosis and care of LAM, a rare lung diseaseThe American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS) have published additional clinical practice guidelines regarding four specific questions related to the diagnosis of lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and management of pneumothoraces in patients with LAM. |
 | Text message reminders increase rates of influenza vaccinationText message reminders are a low-cost effective strategy for increasing rates of influenza vaccination. |
Diagnostic test helps primary care docs rule out pathologic heart murmur in kidsAlthough heart murmur in children is usually harmless (referred to as innocent murmur), in a small number of cases it is symptomatic of cardiac disease (referred to as pathologic murmur). | |
Biology news
 | Chimps found to use arm and mouth expressions to convey distance(Phys.org)—A small team of researchers working at the Primate Research Institute at Kyoto University has found evidence that chimps are able to use gestures to convey distance to a person. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the group describes experiments they carried out with chimps in a confined location, what they found and what their findings might mean for the development of symbolic communication in primates. |
 | Genome of wheat ancestor sequencedSequencing the bread wheat genome has long been considered an almost insurmountable task, due to its enormous size and complexity. Yet it is vitally important for the global food supply, providing more than 20 percent of the calories and 23 percent of the protein consumed by humans. |
 | In bee decline, fungicides emerge as improbable villainWhen a Cornell-led team of scientists analyzed two dozen environmental factors to understand bumblebee population declines and range contractions, they expected to find stressors like changes in land use, geography or insecticides. |
 | Saving Cavendish: Team grows world-first Panama disease-resistant bananasQUT researchers have developed and grown modified Cavendish bananas resistant to the devastating soil-borne fungus Fusarium wilt tropical race 4 (TR4), also known as Panama disease. |
 | Finding a key to unlock blocked differentiation in microRNA-deficient embryonic stem cellsThe more than 200 different types of human cells have the same DNA but express different ensembles of genes. Each cell type was derived from embryonic stem cells, which are called pluripotent stem cells because they can differentiate to all those different cell fates. |
 | Study sheds new light on krill larvae survivalAn international study involving British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists has shed light on how the larvae of Antarctic krill – small shrimp-like crustaceans – use sea ice to ensure their successful development and survival through winter in Antarctica. The paper is published this week in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. |
 | Mutated frog gene repels predatorsPost-doctoral researcher Andrés Posso-Terranova and his former supervisor José Andrés have found evidence that a single gene called MC1R controls the deep black color on the skin of these poisonous frogs. The researchers have found that the disruption of the gene is responsible for the black blobs and stripes. Their results have been published this week in the international journal Evolution. |
 | Shifting presence of North Atlantic right whales tracked with passive acousticsA new study confirms what marine mammal researchers have suspected for a while: right whales use nearly the entire eastern seaboard during the winter, and they move around a lot more than was previously thought. How long they spend in some areas of their range has also changed in recent years. |
 | Study finds potential cell receptors to reduce antibiotic resistanceThe bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. The pathogen is resistant to many antibiotics so treating those infections, particularly in patients with compromised immune systems, is difficult. |
 | Antibiotic discovery in the abyssCombining the innovations of synthetic biology with robotic environmental sampling, a team of University of Bristol researchers are travelling to some of the most 'extreme' environments on Earth, including Atlantic depths of 4.5km, to find new leads which could help in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance. |
 | Scientist calls on public to help 'unlock' genes of threatened bat speciesA University of Southampton scientist is calling on the public's help in her bid to unlock the genetic secrets of an endangered bat species. |
 | Flower attracts insects by pretending to be a mushroomThe mysterious flowers of Aspidistra elatior are found on the southern Japanese island of Kuroshima. Until recently, scientists thought that A. elatior has the most unusual pollination ecology among all flowering plants, being pollinated by slugs and amphipods. However, direct observation of their ecosystem has revealed that they are mainly pollinated by fungus gnats, probably thanks to their resemblance to mushrooms. |
 | 'Left-handed' fish and asymmetrical brainsTo humans, being right-handed or left-handed plays an important role. The majority of people are right-handed, while only about 3 percent of people innately use both hands equally well. Preferring one side of the body over another is not unique to humans: the phenomenon occurs in the animal kingdom as well, for instance in great apes or birds, although their "handedness" is typically not as obvious as it is in humans. |
 | Scientists team up on study to save endangered African PenguinsWith less than 25,000 breeding pairs in existence today, it is an uphill battle for the African Penguin, which calls South Africa home. The 60 percent drop in their population since 2001 has put them on the endangered species list by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In some South African colonies, the drop in population has been as high as 80 percent. Competition with fisheries, oil spills, climate change, diseases and predators are all contributing factors in their dramatic decline. |
 | Microbial ecosystem at Laguna La Brava may contain novel microorganismsAn investigation of the microbial environment at Laguna La Brava in Chile may suggest that novel microorganisms might be at work in the absence of cyanobacteria, according to a study published November 15, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Maria Eugenia Farias from Laboratorio de Investigaciones Microbiológicas de Lagunas Andinas, Argentina, and colleagues. |
 | Chimp study reveals how brain's structure shaped our evolutionThe pattern of asymmetry in human brains could be a unique feature of our species and may hold the key to explaining how we first developed language ability, experts say. |
Agricultural groups challenge California weed-killer warningA coalition of a dozen national and Midwestern agricultural groups sued on Wednesday to overturn a California decision that could force the popular weed-killer Roundup to carry warning labels that it can cause cancer. | |
 | Hope for dogs with most common cardiorespiratory diseaseOpen-heart surgery to address the most common cardiorespiratory disease in dogs has been performed for the first time in Australia, at the University of Sydney's Veterinary Teaching Hospital. |
 | How to keep cows happyCorrals are used on livestock farms around the world to round up the animals when they need to be weighed or vaccinated. New research now shows that removing splashes of colors, shadows or water puddles from corrals, keeping noise levels down and not using dogs and electric prods can dramatically reduce the stress cattle experience. Maria Lúcia Pereira Lima of the Instituto de Zootecnia Sertãozinho in Brazil is the lead author of this study in Springer's journal Tropical Animal Health and Production. |
 | Pacific Island countries could lose 50 - 80% of fish in local waters under climate changeMany Pacific Island nations will lose 50 to 80 percent of marine species in their waters by the end of the 21st century if climate change continues unchecked, finds a new Nippon Foundation-Nereus Program study published in Marine Policy. This area of the ocean is projected to be the most severely impacted by aspects of climate change. |
 | Dead whale surprises swimmers at iconic Rio beachThe decomposing body of a dead humpback whale surprised swimmers when it washed up on Rio de Janeiro's iconic Ipanema beach Wednesday. |
Video of four bobcats in suburban area shows healthy populationVermont's top wildlife official says an amateur video of four bobcats frolicking in a suburban neighborhood shows that the state's population of the normally elusive animals is healthy. | |
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