Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for January 5, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Spend next New Year's eve with New HorizonsThe New Year's celebration to usher in 2019 will include an event like no other – more than four billion miles from Earth. |
 | Eclipse Megamovie project seeks public's help analyzing 50,000 photosAlthough August's total solar eclipse was over in minutes, analysis of the 50,000 photos uploaded to the Eclipse Megamovie website is a time-consuming job, so team leaders are asking citizen scientists for help. |
 | You, too, can be an astrophysicist with your new telescopeA telescope can reveal the beauty of the universe, such as the Moon's craters, Saturn's rings, and the glowing gas of the Orion nebula. But a telescope isn't just for sightseeing – it is also a scientific instrument. |
 | The origins of the cigar-shaped alien 'asteroid' 'OumuamuaOne of the highlights of 2017 was the discovery of the first object in our solar system that definitely came from somewhere else. At first we thought it was a comet, then an asteroid, and now the International Astronomical Union has reclassified it as something new entirely, an interstellar object. The Hawaiian astronomers who discovered it aptly named it 'Oumuamua, which means "a messenger from afar arriving first", reflecting that this object is like a scout sent from the past to reach out to us. |
 | Rover could discover life on Mars – here's what it would take to prove itFinding past or present microbial life on Mars would without doubt be one of the greatest scientific discoveries of all time. And in just two years' time, there's a big opportunity to do so, with two rovers launching there to look for signs of life – Mars2020 by NASA and ExoMars by the European Space Agency and Roscosmos. |
 | Upcoming Chinese lander will carry insects and plants to the surface of the moonIt would be no exaggeration to say that we live in an age of renewed space exploration. In particular, the moon has become the focal point of increasing attention in recent years. In addition to President Trump's recent directive to NASA to return to the moon, many other space agencies and private aerospace companies are planning their own missions to the lunar surface. |
The trouble with rocketsSpace is big. Really big. It takes 10 years just to cross our solar system. The next star is 70,000 years away at the same speed. So if we're going to get anywhere, we're going to need more than just rockets. | |
Technology news
 | Tech firms rush out patches for 'pervasive' computer flawAmid a frantic rush to patch a computer security flaw, experts struggled Thursday to determine the impact of a newly discovered vulnerability which could affect billions of devices worldwide. |
 | When all the world's a toaster, according to tricked AIImage recognition technology can be duped by psychedelic stickers created by a Google team. |
 | Intel CEO sold shares before chip security flaw disclosedIntel's CEO sold shares in his company several months after Google informed the chipmaker of a serious security problem affecting its products. |
 | HP recalls computer batteries over fire riskHP on Thursday announced a recall of batteries in some of its notebook and mobile workstation computers due to the risk they could burst into flames. |
 | Why cable bills are rising again and what can you doCable and satellite TV providers are ringing in the new year with an unwelcomed gift: higher cable bills. |
China's Alibaba under fire over use of customer dataChinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has come under fire over its handling of user data in an episode that underscores growing concerns for privacy in the hyper-digitised country. | |
 | Threat identification tool for cybersecurity in self-driving carsInstead of taking you home from work, your self-driving car delivers you to a desolate road, where it pulls off on the shoulder and stops. |
 | Big data could bring about workplace utopia—or the office from hellThe cost of poor employee well-being for individuals, organisations and society is significant – 25.7m days were lost to work-related ill health during 2016-17, half of which can be accounted for by stress, depression and anxiety. Not only is this problematic for employees and organisations, it can put added pressure on health services. |
 | How playing games on your phone or tablet could cut your power billSummer has arrived, and with it, soaring energy bills. Australian households are paying more for their power as generators struggle to meet consumer demand. |
Where is AI headed in 2018? Your phone will know you better than your friends do, researcher predictsFrom self-driving cars to finding disease cures, artificial intelligence, or AI, has rapidly emerged as a potentially revolutionary technology – and the pace of innovation is only set to speed up. | |
 | Batman's Gotham City provides test case for community resilience modelIf a community is resilient, it can withstand and recover from an unanticipated disaster, like an earthquake, fire or flood. |
 | Algorithms obtain the maximal amount of knowledge from imagesDigital images and videos contain much more information than computers currently extract from them. With the help of intelligent algorithms, a research team led by Professor Stefan Roth aims to obtain the maximal amount of knowledge from images. |
 | New street light runs on dog wasteTurning human and animal waste from problem to energy source is not new, animal dung has been used as fuel since the neolithic period. But a pilot project is showing dog poo can be used to fuel street lighting. |
Harnessing the potential of blockchain to transform educationBlockchain technology can help improve old models of data management and bring benefits to learners and educational institutions in the EU—if policymakers are well prepared to embrace the change. | |
 | Apple, Android and PC chip problem – why your smartphone and laptop are so at riskLess than a week into 2018 and we may have already seen the year's biggest technology story. Researchers have identified a security flaw in the computer processors made by three of the world's biggest chip designers, Intel, AMD and ARM, and a second flaw in Intel chips. This means that almost every smartphone, tablet, laptop and business computer in the world could be vulnerable to having sensitive data including passwords stolen. The cloud servers that store websites and other internet data are also at risk. |
Tech firms battle to resolve major security flawAmazon, Google and now Apple... as the list of digital giants hit by the "Spectre" and "Meltdown" computer security flaws grows longer, the race is on to limit the damage. | |
5G: What is it? What does it mean for your smartphone?Are you ready for 5G? | |
Flawed computer chips and how to fix themAs tech giants race against the clock to fix major security flaws in microprocessors, many users are wondering what lurks behind unsettling names like "Spectre" or "Meltdown" and what can be done about this latest IT scare. | |
 | Five questions for autonomous car pioneer Chris UrmsonAfter leaving a leadership post at Google's autonomous car unit, Chris Urmson and two other self-driving vehicle pioneers are back in the race with a new company that will rival their former employers. Aurora Innovation on Thursday announced that it had signed partnerships with Hyundai and Volkswagen to help the automakers develop autonomous vehicles, a major step in the tightening competition. |
 | Geopolitical risks to US oil supply lowest since the early 1970sThe geopolitical risks to the United States' oil supply are the lowest since the early 1970s, due to fracking, climate action and a more diverse global supply, according to a new paper by experts at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. America's energy prosperity contrasts with a more fraught period for energy-exporting countries where geopolitical challenges have been compounded by fiscal stress and rising domestic energy demand, the authors said. |
Border inspections of electronic devices hits record numberThe government inspected a record number of international travelers' electronic devices in the last budget year. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Mirror neuron activity predicts people's decision-making in moral dilemmas, study findsIt is wartime. You and your fellow refugees are hiding from enemy soldiers, when a baby begins to cry. You cover her mouth to block the sound. If you remove your hand, her crying will draw the attention of the soldiers, who will kill everyone. If you smother the child, you'll save yourself and the others. |
 | Advances in brain imaging settle debate over spread of key protein in Alzheimer'sRecent advances in brain imaging have enabled scientists to show for the first time that a key protein which causes nerve cell death spreads throughout the brain in Alzheimer's disease - and hence that blocking its spread may prevent the disease from taking hold. |
 | Multiple sclerosis—cholesterol crystals prevent regeneration in central nervous systemMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, in which the body's own immune cells attack the fatty, insulating myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers. The regeneration of intact myelin sheaths is a necessary prerequisite for patients to recover from MS relapses. Nevertheless, the body's ability to regenerate myelin decreases with age. |
Researchers develop approach for identifying tumor targets when genetic drivers are unknownEpendymoma is a type of brain tumor that is resistant to chemotherapy. While genomic sequencing has provided molecular targets and resulted in precision oncology therapies for many cancers, effective targets for ependymomas have remained elusive. Dr. Stephen Mack, assistant professor of pediatrics – oncology and new faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, and colleagues have developed a framework for discovering targets in ependymomas, and other cancer that lack known genetic drivers, thereby also providing insights into treatment strategies. The study appears in Nature. | |
 | Strategy introduces stable components of flu virus for long-lasting, DNA-enhanced protectionGetting a flu shot every year can be a pain. One UW Medicine researcher is hoping to make the yearly poke a thing of the past with the development of a universal vaccine that would protect from all strains of influenza virus, even as the viruses genetically shape-shift from year to year. |
 | Finding the tipping point for sleepSleep is essential for many aspects of normal life, but how we actually fall asleep remains a mystery. |
 | Supercharged antibiotics could turn tide against superbugsAn old drug supercharged by University of Queensland researchers has emerged as a new antibiotic that could destroy some of the world's most dangerous superbugs. |
 | Molecular mechanism behind HIV-associated dementia revealedFor the first time, scientists have identified and inhibited a molecular process that can lead to neurodegeneration in patients with HIV, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in Nature Communications. |
 | Leptin hormone spurs body's shift from burning carbs to fatTo keep the human brain supplied with energy when food was scarce, mammals evolved the ability to switch from burning carbohydrates to burning fat in order to preserve skeletal muscle that would otherwise be metabolized and converted to glucose. Scientists have long believed that the transition to fat metabolism was instigated solely by a drop in insulin. But a new study has identified leptin—a hormone made by fat cells—as a key mediator in this fundamental biological process. |
 | How Zika infection drives fetal demiseA powerful antiviral protein may act as a checkpoint for keeping or ending a pregnancy. |
 | Cells rank genes by importance to protect them, according to new researchResearchers at the University of Oxford have discovered that a cellular mechanism preferentially protects plant genes from the damaging effects of mutation. |
 | Study finds excess fat disrupts heart cell's energy systemA University of Iowa study has identified how excess fat in the heart, a common feature in diabetes and obesity, can harm the cells' essential ability to produce energy. Researchers believe the mechanism may contribute to the two- to five-fold increased risk of heart failure in people with diabetes. |
 | Impact of inactivity on muscles more severe for older peopleAccording to a recent study published in The Journal of Physiology, researchers have been able to document for the first time how the same period of inactivity has a greater and more severe impact on the muscle power of the lower limbs of the elderly than young people, which is essential for movements like climbing the stairs. |
 | Tumor suppressor gene variants identified as cancer 'double whammy' for leukemia patientsNewly identified germline variations in a key tumor suppressor gene predispose individuals to develop leukemia as children and leave them with a 1-in-4 chance of developing a second cancer later. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists led the study, which appears today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.Researchers sequenced the TP53 tumor suppressor gene in 3,858 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and identified 22 high-risk germline variations. The variants were associated with reduced gene activity and were five times more frequent in pediatric ALL patients than individuals without the disease. Germline variations are usually inherited and carried in the DNA of every cell, not just in the DNA of tumor cells. |
Experts call for World Health Organization to rethink 'unacceptable' plansThe World Health Organization (WHO) has been accused of "washing its hands of older people" in its proposed priorities for future work. | |
 | Advanced MRI can detect placental perfusion abnormalities in pregnancies complicated by fetal CHDIn pregnancies complicated by fetal congenital heart disease (CHD), global placental perfusion was significantly decreased and regional variation of placental perfusion significantly increased as pregnancies progressed, findings that point to non-invasive imaging providing an early warning of placental dysfunction. A Children's National Health System research team is thought to be the first to report non-invasive, whole placenta perfusion imaging in utero in a study published online Nov. 23, 2017 in Scientific Reports. |
Philippines probing 14 deaths amid dengue vaccine furoreThe Philippines is investigating if the deaths of 14 children had any link to a dengue vaccine whose use the government has suspended due to health concerns, officials said Friday. | |
 | Team develops world-first array of compounds for detection, imaging of Alzheimer's diseaseHong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) chemists have invented a new class of multifunctional cyanine compounds that can be used for detection, imaging and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The research team was jointly led by Professor Ricky Wong Man-shing and Associate Professor Dr Li Hung-wing, with members from the Department of Chemistry of HKBU. By making use of the proprietary compounds, the HKBU team has proved that cyanine compounds applied on a nano-detection platform can quantify trace amounts of Alzheimer's disease-related protein biomarkers present in human fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid, serum, saliva, and urine. It is a rapid, low-cost and ultrasensitive detection assay. The compounds also serve as an imaging agent for in vivo detection and monitoring of disease progression and understanding the disease pathogenesis, as well as a drug candidate for treatment of the disease. |
Researchers identify a new therapeutic target to fight metastasis in ovarian cancerResearchers at Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute have described a key cellular receptor in the processes of metastasis in ovarian cancer. The finding, published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, might lead to the use of inhibitors of this receptor as a therapeutic target in the most aggressive variants of the disease in which a differential expression has been found. | |
 | Scientists reveal the structure of the zebrafish locomotor repertoireIn order to survive in a changing environment, animals and humans must integrate sensory information and their experience to select the most appropriate behavior for a given situation. This process is ultimately constrained by the range of possible motor outputs they can produce. |
Brain cap gives scientists a better look at brain behaviorNo, it's not a swimming cap, but it is making a splash in the field of brain science. This electroencephalography—or EEG—cap monitors electrical activity in the brain and has been helping scientists at Johns Hopkins understand what we pay attention to—and what we ignore. | |
Better decision-making for the planetWe might think we have control of the mix of decisions we make during the day. But it turns out that our brain gives us subconscious nudges, preferring some choices over others. | |
 | Exploring the connections between nutrition and learningWe all know it's hard to focus when you're hungry. Researchers at the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education are working across several fields to figure out why that is, how much it matters in the classroom and what we can do to make sure all children are well-fed and ready to learn. |
 | What can I eat to stop mosquitoes biting me?The warm weather is beckoning us into the backyard but pesky bloodsuckers are waiting. Insect repellents are safe and effective but many people are reluctant to rub what they perceive to be smelly or sticky on their skin. Wouldn't it be great if there was something you could eat or drink to protect yourself from mosquito bites? |
 | 7 ways to keep the heart safe when shoveling snowA winter storm advancing up the East Coast pummeled the Northeast on Thursday, bringing bitter cold, snow and strong winds. As people dig out there and elsewhere this winter, there are some health hazards to keep in mind. |
 | Physician shares advice on how to deal with extreme coldEnvironment Canada issued an extreme cold weather warning for Toronto on Thursday. Temperatures will fall rapidly this evening to lows of -20 to -25 C, or -35 to -40 C with wind chill. The extreme cold is expected to last through Saturday, or Sunday morning. |
 | Biologists seek to take bite out of mosquitoesIt's only a first step, but a project led by two UO scientists eventually could deliver welcome news to outdoor lovers and the medical community. |
 | Further evidence shows education reduces risk of Alzheimer'sNew research from Cambridge University, supported by European Union funding, has added weight to the theory that education protects against Alzheimer's disease. |
 | How Alzheimer's disease spreads throughout the brain – new studyAlzheimer's disease is a devastating brain illness that affects an estimated 47m people worldwide. It is the most common cause of dementia in the Western world. Despite this, there are currently no treatments that are effective in curing Alzheimer's disease or preventing its relentless progression. |
 | Stop worrying about not getting enough exercise and being too stressed – you may live longerIt's January, so it's likely that you have set yourself goals to be more physically active and less stressed in 2018. Paradoxically, better goals would be to stop worrying about how much exercise you're getting and to stop worrying about being too stressed. |
 | Ethics for healthcare data is obsessed with risk – not public benefitsHow many times a year do we tick a website or phone app's box saying "read and approved" – without having read the terms of service at all? While a user's tick of the box is sufficient to allow businesses offering web services and smartphone apps to use "anonymised" customer data for their own purposes, the same doesn't apply to most health research. |
 | Glucose in the airways could increase infections in lung disease patientsPeople with the lung disease COPD have higher levels of glucose in their airways, researchers have shown for the first time. |
Addictive gaming to be recognised as disease: WHO"Gaming disorder" will be recognised as a disease later this year following expert consensus over the addictive risks associated with playing electronic games, the World Health Organization said Friday. | |
 | Half of gastric cancer patients diagnosed from ER visit(HealthDay)—Half of patients with gastric cancer (GC) are diagnosed as a result of an emergency department visit, which is independently associated with increased mortality, according to a study published recently in the American Journal of Surgery. |
 | Impaired survival with LVEF below 60 percent in aortic stenosis(HealthDay)—For patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below 60 percent is associated with impaired survival, according to a study published online Dec. 27 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. |
 | Certain stresses, burnout causing some women to leave medicine(HealthDay)—Though equal numbers of men and women are now entering medical schools, the majority of physicians are still male, and female physicians face several unique stressors, according to a report published online in Medical Economics. |
Landmark genetic study better predicts stomach cancerA research team led by National University Health System (NUHS) and Duke-NUS Medical School has used genomic technologies to better understand intestinal metaplasia (IM), a known risk factor for gastric (stomach) cancer. Patients with IM are six times more likely to develop stomach cancer than those without. This study is an important part of an ambitious investigation to understand why some people develop stomach cancer, while others do not. The research, which was published in one of the top cancer research journals, Cancer Cell, could also help detect patients who are infected with the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which is also linked to the disease. | |
 | ASK the enzyme: New potential targets for cancerNew understandings of how molecules affect the activity of an enzyme could lead to potential targets for the treatment of cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. |
Depression in black adolescents requires different treatmentBlack adolescents express depressive symptoms differently than people from other age and racial groups, requiring that clinicians take this into account when developing treatment plans, according to a new study led by a Rutgers University-Camden researcher. | |
Pharmaceutical stirs outrage over price hike for brain tumor drugA little known pharmaceutical company in Florida has found itself in the eye of a storm following disclosures it raised the price of an old drug used to fight brain tumors by 1,400 percent, from $50 a pill to more than $700. | |
 | Big strides made in diabetes care(HealthDay)—This past year was a busy, productive one for diabetes research and care. |
 | Exercise boosts kids' brain health, too(HealthDay)—A lack of exercise puts kids at risk for very adult problems, like obesity and diabetes. |
 | Incomplete revascularization in PCI linked to higher mortality(HealthDay)—The risk of mortality is increased for certain patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with incomplete revascularization (IR), according to a study published online Dec. 27 in JAMA Cardiology. |
 | Transcranial direct current stimulation promising for bipolar(HealthDay)—Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) appears to be effective and safe as an add-on intervention for adults with bipolar depression, according to a study published online Dec. 27 in JAMA Psychiatry. |
 | Static perimetry approach may be better for kids with glaucoma(HealthDay)—A simple static perimetry approach may yield higher-quality results than a combined perimetry approach in children younger than 10 years with glaucoma, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | Home physical activity coaching may up physical activity in COPD(HealthDay)—A home-based health coaching intervention can increase physical activity levels among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published online Dec. 28 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. |
 | KRAS mutations linked to brain arteriovenous malformations(HealthDay)—Many patients with arteriovenous malformations of the brain have somatic activating KRAS mutations, according to a study published online Jan. 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Bidirectional association for depression, dysglycemia in T1DM(HealthDay)—For patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), there is a bidirectional association between depression and severe hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Breast implants slightly increase risk of breast ALCL(HealthDay)—Breast implants are associated with an increased risk of anaplastic large-cell lymphoma in the breast (breast-ALCL), though the absolute risk is small, according to a study published online Jan. 4 in JAMA Oncology. |
 | Molecular imaging technique identifies lung nodules for resection in osteosarcoma patientIn a proof-of-principle case report, researchers announce that targeted fluorescence successfully identified pulmonary metastases in a patient with osteosarcoma, making it easier for surgeons to locate the tumors for resection. This advance is reported in an article published today by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. |
 | Five tips to bounce back to a leaner, healthier body this new yearEveryone loves the holiday season. Spending time with family and friends, sounds of laughter throughout the house, mouthwatering smells radiating from the kitchen, feasting on holiday specialties … and feeling extra padding around the midsection? |
 | Preventing and treating acute chest syndrome in children with sickle cell diseaseAcute chest syndrome (ACS), a potentially severe lung complication of sickle cell disease, increases a child's risk of respiratory failure, chronic lung disease, and prolonged hospitalization if not recognized early and treated effectively. Risk factors of ACS and effective preventive and therapeutic strategies to prevent recurrent episodes in children with sickle cell disease are presented in a new article published in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology. |
Biology news
 | DropSynth, a one-pot approach to gene synthesisA team of researchers at the University of California has found a way to synthesize multiple genes from a group of microarray-generated oligonucleotides. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their technique, called DropSynth, how well it works, and its drawbacks. |
 | How bird genetics adapt to climate changeAs Earth's climate changes, species must adapt, shift their geographical ranges or face decline and, in some cases, extinction. Using genetics, UCLA biologists involved in the Bird Genoscape Project are racing against time to find out the potential for adaptation and how best to protect vulnerable populations of birds. |
 | A nonaddictive opioid painkiller with no side effectsWhat if scientists could develop an opioid-based painkiller that is not addictive and has limited side effects? |
 | Study shows treeshrews break evolutionary 'rules'A new study has exposed the common treeshrew, a small and skittish mammal that inhabits the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, as an ecogeographical rule breaker. |
 | Team publishes research on unusual gene evolution in bacteriaUniversity of Montana researchers have made another discovery at the cellular level to help understand the basic processes of all life on our planet - this time within the unusual bacteria that has lived inside cicada insects since dinosaurs roamed Earth. |
 | Study on super-silenced DNA hints at new ways to reprogram cellsNewly described stretches of super-silenced DNA reveal a fresh approach to reprogram cell identity to use in regenerative medicine studies and one day in the clinic, according to a study in Molecular Cell last week by investigators from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. |
Fowl weather friends: Arkansas students print 3-D duck legEighth-grade science students have used a 3-D printer to create a prosthetic leg for a duck found without a foot shortly after he hatched. | |
 | Bullfinches stick together for yearsScientists and many bird enthusiasts have long assumed that bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) mate for several years, and perhaps even for life. |
 | Swift parrots bred on predator-free islands at risk of extinctionNew research from The Australian National University (ANU) has found genetic evidence that critically endangered swift parrots, which breed all over Tasmania and on predator-free islands, form a single nomadic population at high risk of extinction. |
Temperature may affect pollen colorWhile studies on flowers' petal-color variation abound, new research looks at differences in the performance of pollen under varied environmental conditions based on its color. | |
This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you do not wish to receive such emails in the future, please unsubscribe here.
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com. You may manage your subscription options from your Science X profile
No comments:
Post a Comment