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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 16, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Japanese, US astronauts end spacewalk to fix robotic arm (Update)A Japanese and an American astronaut floated for hours outside the International Space Station Friday on a spacewalk to repair the orbiting outpost's robotic arm and move some equipment into storage. |
 | Tesla shot into space will likely collide with Earth or Venus—in millions of years: researchersThe Tesla Roadster that was recently shot into space as part of SpaceX's rocket test flight will likely collide with Earth or Venus eventually, according to new University of Toronto research. |
 | Solar-powered rover approaching 5,000th Martian dawnThe sun will rise on NASA's solar-powered Mars rover Opportunity for the 5,000th time on Saturday, sending rays of energy to a golf-cart-size robotic field geologist that continues to provide revelations about the Red Planet. |
 | Long-lived Mars rover Opportunity keeps finding surprisesNASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity keeps providing surprises about the Red Planet, most recently with observations of possible "rock stripes." |
 | Spacewalking astronauts finish months of robot arm repairSpacewalking astronauts wrapped up months of repair work Friday on the International Space Station 's big robot arm. |
 | ASU professor addresses why we have yet to find extraterrestrial lifeAre we alone in the universe? Few questions have captured the public imagination more than this. Yet to date we know of just one sample of life, that which exists here on Earth. |
 | Image: Sentinel-2 captures BeijingToday, 16 February, upwards of 20% of the world's population will be celebrating Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. According to the traditional Chinese calendar, which is based on the lunar cycle and the position of the Sun, the New Year changes each year, but always falls between 21 January and 20 February. There are 12 Chinese zodiac animals that represent years, and 2018 is the year of the dog. |
Technology news
 | Student research team accelerates snow melt with 'Melt Mat'Snow storms often leave behind reminders of their presence for days - sometimes weeks - after warmer and sunnier weather returns. Snowbanks, often created by snow plows as they clear major roadways, can linger in parking lots, on sidewalks, and in driveways even when temperatures rise well above freezing. |
 | Sensor tech for commercial lithium-ion batteries finds they can be charged five times fasterResearchers at WMG at the University of Warwick have developed a new direct, precise test of Lithium-ion batteries' internal temperatures and their electrodes potentials and found that the batteries can be safely charged up to five times faster than the current recommended charging limits. The new technology works in-situ during a battery's normal operation without impeding its performance and it has been tested on standard commercially available batteries. Such new technology will enable advances in battery materials science, flexible battery charging rates, thermal and electrical engineering of new battery materials/technology and it has the potential to help the design of energy storage systems for high performance applications such as motor racing and grid balancing. |
 | Artificial intelligence can help you protect your personal dataIt's a safe bet that some of the websites and apps you use collect and subsequently sell your personal data. But how can you know which ones? An EPFL researcher has led the development of a program that can answer that question in just a few seconds, thanks to artificial intelligence. |
 | Penn drones navigate on their own, could save people from perilThe flying robots called drones were used in a dramatic light show for the Olympics opening ceremonies in South Korea, executing elaborate routines that humans had programmed in advance. Other drones are piloted by remote control, ranging from low-cost toy versions to the sophisticated devices used in the military. |
 | New recyclable resin makes wind turbines much more sustainableFields of spinning wind turbines inspire thoughts of earth-friendly energy, but until now, generating wind power hasn't been as sustainable as people may have thought. |
 | 'No taboos' in Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance: Renault CEORenault chief executive Carlos Ghosn said the French carmaker is keeping all options open regarding its three-way alliance with Japanese groups Nissan and Mitsubishi. |
 | Utopia or nightmare? The answer lies in how we embrace self-driving, electric and shared vehiclesEmerging transport disruptions could lead to a series of nightmare scenarios and poorer transport systems unless we have sensible and informed public policy to avoid this. Of course, some foresee a utopian scene: self-driving electric vehicles zipping around our cities serving all our transport needs without road accidents or exhaust fumes. But the shift to this transport utopia might not be as straightforward as some think. |
 | Daimler, VW face more recalls over emissions cheating: reportGerman transport authorities will next week recall thousands more Daimler and Volkswagen vehicles, Der Spiegel magazine reported Friday, as the massive emissions cheating scandal that has engulfed the sector for more than two years shows no sign of going away. |
 | Belgian court orders Facebook to stop tracking web users (Update)A Belgian court on Friday ordered Facebook to stop tracking internet users in Belgium who have no accounts with the social network, or face fines of 250,000 euros a day. |
Qualcomm rejects $121 bn hostile Broadcom bid, againUS mobile chipmaking giant Qualcomm on Friday rejected for a second time a hostile $121 billion takeover bid from Singapore's Broadcom, but said it was open to "further discussions" on a tie-up. | |
 | Facebook forges ahead with kids app despite expert criticismFacebook is forging ahead with its messaging app for kids, despite child experts who have pressed the company to shut it down and others who question Facebook's financial support of some advisers who approved of the app. |
 | Uber introduces UK safety measures amid licence battleUS ride-hailing app Uber on Friday announced new safety features for its service in Britain, as it appeals against the withdrawal of its licence in London. |
 | Google begins blocking annoying ads on its browserGoogle has begun a new effort to block annoying ads on its Chrome browser, as part of an initiative aimed at improving the online advertising ecosystem that provides the bulk of its revenues. |
 | Cyberattacks are costly, and things could get worse: US reportCyberattacks cost the United States between $57 billion and $109 billion in 2016, a White House report said Friday, warning of a "spillover" effect for the broader economy if the situation worsens. |
 | General Electric to sell parts of overseas lighting businessGeneral Electric has reached an agreement to sell its overseas lighting operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, the conglomerate said Thursday. |
 | India's top court steps in to help thirsty tech hubIndia's water-starved tech hub Bangalore won a reprieve on Friday when the country's top court altered a river-sharing agreement in its favour, ruling on a bitter dispute that dates back more than a century. |
 | Swedish companies decry deportations of skilled workersThe heads of Sweden's largest companies, including clothing giant H&M and telecoms maker Ericsson, denounced Friday deportations of highly-skilled workers as the nation's technology sector suffers a shortage of staff. |
Half of Amazon's HQ2 finalists have overvalued housing marketsAs Amazon ponders possible locations for its new second headquarters, analysts are looking at costs in potential locations. | |
 | Breaking up with Facebook: users confess they're spending less timeMikita Burton has had a Facebook account for nine years, nearly as long as her youngest child has been alive. And, until arguments about the presidential election spread like a contagion throughout her news feed, she averaged three hours a day chatting with friends on the social network. |
 | High-sensitivity low-power MEMS accelerometer for detecting extremely weak ground and building vibrationsHitachi Ltd. today announced the development of a high-sensitivity low-power MEMS accelerometer that can detect extremely weak ground and building vibrations by combining sophisticated MEMS technology with circuit technology. The sensor achieves a comparable sensitivity to that of sensors for oil & gas exploration (noise level 30ng/√Hz) with less than half the power consumption (20mW). Hitachi intends to apply this sensor to various applications including next generation oil & gas exploration, and infrastructure monitoring, to contribute to the realization of a comfortable, safe and secure society. |
 | Heat may detect invisible damage in concrete supportsScientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University together with specialists from NTC Tekhnika proposed thermal non-destructive testing to inspect reinforced concrete supports. It enables efficiently and quickly detecting the corrosion of steel reinforcement hidden behind the concrete shell of the supporting structure. Developers have already studied 14 reinforced concrete supports in Tomsk region. The outcomes of the study were published in Applied Sciences. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Building better tiny kidneys to test drugs and help people avoid dialysisA free online kidney atlas built by USC researchers empowers stem cell scientists everywhere to generate more human-like tiny kidneys for testing new drugs and creating renal replacement therapies. |
 | New approaches in neuroscience show it's not all in your headOur own unique experiences shape how we view the world and respond to the events in our lives. But experience is highly subjective. What's distressing or joyful to one person may be very different to another. |
 | Scientists produce human intestinal lining that re-creates living tissue inside organ-chipInvestigators have demonstrated how cells of a human intestinal lining created outside an individual's body mirror living tissue when placed inside microengineered Intestine-Chips, opening the door to personalized testing of drug treatments. |
 | Humans blink strategically in response to environmental demandsIf a brief event in our surroundings is about to happen, it is probably better not to blink during that moment. A team of researchers at the Centre for Cognitive Science from Technische Universität Darmstadt published a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reporting that humans unconsciously trade off the loss of information during a blink with the physiological urge to blink. |
 | Fragile X syndrome neurons can be restored, study showsFragile X syndrome is the most frequent cause of intellectual disability in males, affecting one out of every 3,600 boys born. The syndrome can also cause autistic traits, such as social and communication deficits, as well as attention problems and hyperactivity. Currently, there is no cure for this disorder. |
 | Brain-machine interface study suggests how brains prepare for actionSomewhere right now in Pyeongchang, South Korea, an Olympic skier is thinking through the twists and spins she'll make in the aerial competition, a speed skater is visualizing how he'll sneak past a competitor on the inside line, and a curler is imagining the perfect sweep. |
 | Lab-grown human cerebellar cells yield clues to autismIncreasing evidence has linked autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with dysfunction of the brain's cerebellum, but the details have been unclear. In a new study, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital used stem cell technology to create cerebellar cells known as Purkinje cells from patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a genetic syndrome that often includes ASD-like features. In the lab, the cells showed several characteristics that may help explain how ASD develops at the molecular level. |
 | Link between hallucinations and dopamine not such a mystery, finds studyResearchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) and New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) found that people with schizophrenia who experience auditory hallucinations tend to hear what they expect, an exaggerated version of a perceptual distortion that is common among other people without hallucinations. Those with hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms are known to have elevated dopamine, the main area of focus for available treatments for psychosis, but it was unclear how this could lead to hallucinations. The researchers found that elevated dopamine could make some patients rely more on expectations, which could then result in hallucinations. |
 | Women who clean at home or work face increased lung function declineWomen who work as cleaners or regularly use cleaning sprays or other cleaning products at home appear to experience a greater decline in lung function over time than women who do not clean, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. |
 | Transgender women can breastfeed, first case study showsThe first scientific case study has been published describing how a US transgender woman was able to breastfeed her adopted infant by taking hormones that induce lactation. |
Drug that treats psoriasis also reduces aortic vascular inflammationAn antibody used to treat the skin disease psoriasis is also effective at reducing aortic inflammation, a key marker of future risk of major cardiovascular events. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, led a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and found patients who took the drug ustekinumab had a 19 percent improvement in aortic inflammation, as measured and confirmed by imaging, when compared to the placebo group. Joel M. Gelfand, MD MSCE, a professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology at Penn and the study's first author, will present the findings at the 2018 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in San Diego tomorrow. | |
 | Team cracks code to restoring memory creation in older or damaged brainsAging or impaired brains can once again form lasting memories if an enzyme that applies the brakes too hard on a key gene is lifted, according to University of California, Irvine neurobiologists. |
 | Researcher explains how statistics, neuroscience improve anesthesiologyIt's intuitive that anesthesia operates in the brain, but the standard protocol among anesthesiologists when monitoring and dosing patients during surgery is to rely on indirect signs of arousal like movement, and changes in heart rate and blood pressure. Through research in brain science and statistical modeling, Emery N. Brown, an anesthesiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and neuroscientist at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, is putting the brain at the center of the field. His findings allow him to safely give less anesthesia, for example, which can have important benefits for patients. |
 | Team reports progress in pursuit of sickle cell cureScientists have successfully used gene editing to repair 20 to 40 percent of stem and progenitor cells taken from the peripheral blood of patients with sickle cell disease, according to Rice University bioengineer Gang Bao. |
 | Researchers find a pathway that leads to resistance of aggressive brain tumor treatmentGlioblastoma multiforme is one of the most common and deadly brain tumors. Despite the initial responsiveness to state-of-the-art therapies, tumors virtually always become resistant and eventually recur. Researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center, led by Damian A. Almiron Bonnin, MD-Ph.D. candidate of the Mark Israel laboratory, are devising strategies to prevent brain tumors from becoming resistant to anti-tumor drug treatment. |
 | People find comfort listening to the same songs over and over, study findsWith the frequency that some people play their favorite song, it's a good thing vinyl records aren't used often because they might wear out. |
 | Workplace bullying negatively impacts individuals, groupWorkplace bullying can manifest itself in a multitude of ways in any workplace and if left unchecked, can have a negative impact on the readiness of an organization. Being aware of what workplace bullying looks or sounds like is important for workers and management to understand in order to maintain a healthy organizational climate. |
 | Self-delivered cardiac rehabilitation programmes could benefit harder to reach communitiesSelf-delivered cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programmes could benefit some "harder to reach" members of society, new research by the University of York reveals. |
 | Uterine lining test improves chances of a successful pregnancyIt takes a healthy embryo and a healthy mother to nurture the microscopic meeting of a sperm and an egg through nine months of development before a baby can be born. |
 | Study suggests expanded range for emerging tick-borne diseaseHuman cases of Borrelia miyamotoi, a tick-borne infection with some similarities to Lyme disease, were discovered in the eastern United States less than a decade ago. Now new research led by the Yale School of Public Health strongly suggests that the pathogen's geographic range is bicoastal, far larger than previously believed. |
 | The search for a universal influenza vaccineThe current 2017-18 flu season is a bad one. Hospitalization rates are now higher than in recent years at the same point, and infection rates are still rising. The best line of defense is the seasonal influenza vaccine. But H3N2 viruses, like the one that's infecting many people this year, are particularly hard to defend against, and this year's shot isn't very protective against H3N2. |
 | Rapid radiation therapy minimizes treatment time, improves quality of lifeFaster isn't always better, but in the case of radiation therapy for some cancers, accelerating radiation courses can help patients get on the road to recovery sooner. |
 | Calcium and Vitamin D supplements are not associated with risk of heart attacksNew research from the University of Southampton has found no association between the use of calcium or vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular events such as heart attacks. |
 | Healing intestinal diseases with a bacterial mixWhen the bacterial ecosystem in the intestine is out of balance, there often is no other remedy than a faecal microbiota transplant. Due to the risks of this procedure, researchers from the ETH spin-off PharmaBiome are developing a safe alternative. |
 | Model for producing brain's 'helper cells' could lead to treatments for Alzheimer'sA Swedish research team has published a new protocol with the potential for industrial-scale production of the brain helper cells known as astrocytes. Their work could help medical science develop treatments for such diseases as Alzheimer's. |
Study shows how a carb-restricted diet battles fatty liver diseaseNew details about how a carbohydrate-restricted diet improves metabolism were revealed in a study published today, which could lead to improved treatments for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). | |
 | Just how bad is all that sugar for your heart?Still nibbling Valentine's Day goodies? Munching packaged cereals, pancakes or muffins for breakfast? Enjoying a lunch of processed meats and bread, sweetened pasta sauce, or even a salad drenched in dressing? |
 | There are four types of drinker – which one are you?It's easy to see alcohol consumption being a result of thousands of years of ritual and a lifetime of habit. But have you ever stopped to consider why it is you choose to drink? Knowing what motivates people to drink is important to better understanding their needs when it comes to encouraging them to drink less, or in a less harmful way. |
 | Stopping daily aspirin dose can prove deadlyStopping low-dose aspirin can cause an increase of heart attack and stroke, a recent study says. |
 | Positive psychology helps brain injury survivors recover with a better outlook on lifeIn the UK alone, nearly 350,000 people are admitted to hospital each year with an acquired brain injury, caused by anything from road traffic accidents, falls, and assaults, to vascular disorders such as strokes. And this number is growing. |
 | Study shows options to decrease risk of motor vehicle crashes for adolescent driversAdolescents who receive comprehensive and challenging on-road driving assessments prior to taking the license test might be protected from future motor vehicle crashes, according to a University of Alabama at Birmingham study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. |
 | Wearables could catch heart problems that elude your doctorFor years, Kathi Sigona felt like she had "a chest full of writhing worms in a bag." |
 | Will a machine pick your next medication?What once seemed like a scene from a 22nd century sci-fi movie is reality today. High speed, big data-processing computers combine artificial intelligence with human know-how to crack complex health care conditions. This deep computer analysis may unveil new patterns that could bolster your provider's ability to prescribe precise therapies, make a diagnosis, recommend a clinical trial or even predict your risk of disease. |
 | Data wave hits health careTechnology used by Facebook, Google and Amazon to turn spoken language into text, recognize faces and target advertising could help doctors fight one of the deadliest infections in American hospitals. |
 | Black lung disease on the riseAn article published Feb. 6, 2018 in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health had identified 416 cases of advanced black lung disease among coal miners in central Appalachia. New cases of black lung had been rare until recently, but this study suggests that the incidence is rising. Anna Allen and Carl Werntz, professors of occupational medicine at West Virginia University who treat miners with black lung, explain what causes this disabling disease. |
 | Here's how witnessing violence harms children's mental healthWhen children learn about news like the deadly school shooting that claimed more than a dozen lives on Feb. 14, 2018 in Broward County, Florida, a logical question for them to ask is: Will the same thing happen to me? |
 | 10 ways schools, parents and communities can prevent school shootings nowAfter a shooter killed 17 people at a Florida high school, many have expressed frustration at the political hand-wringing over gun control and calls for prayer. |
 | Opinion: Persistent lack of evidence connecting video games and violenceIn the wake of the Valentine's Day shooting at a Broward County, Florida high school, a familiar trope has reemerged: Often, when a young man is the shooter, people try to blame the tragedy on violent video games and other forms of media. Florida lawmaker Jared Moskowitz made the connection the day after the shooting, saying the gunman "was prepared to pick off students like it's a video game." |
The same test, regardless of cancer typeResearchers at the Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics at Oslo University Hospital (OUS), have developed a method that can assess the seriousness of a patient's cancer and what treatment is required. | |
 | New treatment strategies for chronic kidney disease from the animal kingdomThe field of biomimetics offers an innovative approach to solving human problems by imitating strategies found in nature. Medical research could also benefit from biomimetics, as a group of international experts from various fields, including a wildlife veterinarian and wildlife ecologists from Vetmeduni Vienna, point out using the example of chronic kidney disease. In future research, they intend to study the mechanisms that protect the muscles, organs and bones of certain animals during extreme conditions such as hibernation. The possibilities were published in Nature Reviews Nephrology. |
 | After another shooting tragedy, 'stop the bleed' kits urged for schools(HealthDay)—Some of the 17 people killed Wednesday in the senseless Florida school shooting might have survived if their bleeding could have been stopped in time, experts say. |
 | How to spare family and coworkers your flu misery(HealthDay)—You've caught the flu, but you have to go to work and you can't desert your family. What do you do? |
 | Hey runners, be sure to choose the right shoes(HealthDay)—The only equipment you really need to go running are running shoes. But choosing a pair can often feel like a shopping marathon. |
 | Patients want physicians to have greater connectivity(HealthDay)—Most patients want greater connectivity, online tools and text messaging, as well as more time with their physicians, according to a report published in Medical Economics. |
 | Patient involvement may promote hand washing in the hospital(HealthDay)—There is limited understanding of patients' and health care professionals' perceptions about appropriate patient involvement in promoting hand hygiene compliance in the hospital setting, according to a review published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing. |
 | Patients often mispredict well-being after mastectomy(HealthDay)—Adult women undergoing mastectomy underestimate future well-being after mastectomy alone and overestimate well-being after reconstruction, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in JAMA Surgery. |
 | Better tools needed to diagnose depression in people with autismAutistic adults are not being effectively diagnosed with depression due to a lack of asessment tools, a new study has found. |
 | How can women feel comfortable saying no when they are told they can't say yes?The #MeToo movement has demonstrated huge success in raising awareness around sexual harassment and assault. This effort has faced backlash, such as Donald Trump's recent tweets arguing that lives have been ruined by accusations – and that there is no recovery for the falsely accused. |
First multiplex test for tick-borne diseasesA new blood test called the Tick-Borne Disease Serochip (TBD Serochip) promises to revolutionize the diagnosis of tick-borne disease by offering a single test to identify and distinguish between Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen responsible for Lyme disease, and seven other tick-borne pathogens. Led by scientists at the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, the research team report details on the new test in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports. | |
 | Expanding Hepatitis C testing to all adults is cost-effective and improves outcomesAccording to a new study, screening all adults for hepatitis C (HCV) is a cost-effective way to improve clinical outcomes of HCV and identify more infected people compared to current recommendations. Using a simulation model, researchers from Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Stanford University found that this expanded screening would increase life expectancy and quality of life while remaining cost-effective. |
'Liquid biopsy' can help predict outcomes in metastatic triple-negative breast cancerA clinically relevant "liquid biopsy" test can be used to profile cancer genomes from blood and predict survival outcomes for patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), according to new research published by a multi-institutional team of researchers with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James), the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. | |
Pilot study in Kenya shows link between chronic pain and glutamate consumptionChronic pain is among the most vexing health problems, including in the developing world, where most research suggests that the prevalence of pain is similar to the United States and other developed nations. | |
 | Immune signature predicts asthma susceptibilityAsthma is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by the interplay of genetics, environmental factors and a diverse cast of immune cells. In their latest study, researchers at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology (LJI) identified a subset of T cells, whose frequency serves as early childhood immune signature that predicts the risk of developing asthma later on. |
 | Flu season shows signs of leveling offThis nasty flu season, which has been worsening for months, may finally be leveling off. |
 | Euthanasia dispute in Belgium: When do doctors cross a line?A disputed case of euthanasia in Belgium, involving the death of a dementia patient who never formally asked to die, has again raised concerns about weak oversight in a country with some of the world's most liberal euthanasia laws. |
 | Multidisciplinary team completes first-ever EXIT to ventricular pacing procedureResearchers at Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado) have completed the first-ever EXIT (Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment) to ventricular pacing procedure. The patient, a 36-week fetus, who suffered from complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) and cardiac dysfunction, was at high risk of dying before delivery. While still attached to its mother via the umbilical cord, the baby received a temporary pacemaker, which stabilized its dangerously low and irregular heart rate and ensured enough blood flow from the heart to the rest of its body for delivery. |
 | Study finds no testosterone changes in eSports gamersPlayers of the competitive eSports video game League of Legends showed no change in testosterone during game play, UNLV researchers have found. |
 | Pets good medicine for those battling mental ills(HealthDay)—Can the adoring gaze of a dog or the comforting purr of a cat be helpful to people with mental illness? Absolutely, new research suggests. |
 | How to put mass shooting tragedies in perspective for kids(HealthDay)—In the wake of yet another deadly school shooting in the United States, one health specialist offers advice on how to ease children's fears about acts of terror and violence. |
 | Molecular markers may ID Alzheimer's before clinical onset(HealthDay)—For young adults with autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (AD), molecular markers can identify changes associated with the disease before clinical onset, according to a study published online Feb. 12 in JAMA Neurology. |
 | Follow-up lacking for teen, young adult cancer survivors(HealthDay)—Many adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors are not receiving adequate follow-up care, according to a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual Cancer Survivorship Symposium, held from Feb. 16 to 17 in Orlando, Fla. |
 | Influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominate 2017-2018 season(HealthDay)—Most influenza viruses identified in the 2017 to 2018 season are influenza A, with A(H3N2) viruses predominating, according to research published in the Feb. 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Long-term inhaled corticosteroid use may raise fracture risk(HealthDay)—Long-term, high-dose use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) is associated with a modest increase in the risk of hip and upper extremity fractures in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study published in the February issue of CHEST. |
 | Death of dementia patient stirs Belgium euthanasia fearsA disputed case of euthanasia in Belgium, involving the death of a dementia patient who never formally asked to die, has again raised concerns about weak oversight in a country with some of the world's most liberal euthanasia laws. |
Scaling back Obamacare will make the opioid crisis worseThere's been much talk in the U.S. about fixing the opioid crisis. | |
ECMO helps revive woman thought to be drownedJust before 3 a.m., the distress call came in to the Coast Guard's Small Boat Rescue Station in Seattle: A young woman and another person were on a weather-battled paddleboat in the middle of Puget Sound—and they were sinking. | |
Biology news
 | Intercellular communication system is found to encode and transmit more messages than previously thoughtMulticellular organisms like ourselves depend on a constant flow of information between cells, coordinating their activities in order to proliferate and differentiate. Deciphering the language of intercellular communication has long been a central challenge in biology. Now, Caltech scientists have discovered that cells have evolved a way to transmit more messages through a single pathway, or communication channel, than previously thought, by encoding the messages rhythmically over time. |
 | Birds and beans: Study shows best coffee for bird diversityIt's an age-old debate for coffee lovers. Which is better: Arabica beans with their sweeter, softer taste, or the bold, deep flavor of Robusta beans? A new study by WCS, Princeton University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison appearing in the journal Scientific Reports has taken the question to unlikely coffee aficionados: birds. |
 | New research: Increased stress on fathers leads to brain development changes in offspringNew research in mice has found that a father's stress affects the brain development of his offspring. This stress changes the father's sperm, which can then alter the brain development of the child. This new research provides a much better understanding of the key role that fathers play in the brain development of offspring. |
 | Newly-hatched salmon use geomagnetic field to learn which way is upResearchers who confirmed in recent years that salmon use the Earth's geomagnetic field to guide their long-distance migrations have found that the fish also use the field for a much simpler and smaller-scale migration: When the young emerge from gravel nests to reach surface waters. |
 | Using CRISPR to create a cell 'black box' to record cell life eventsA pair of researchers with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has developed a technique that uses CRISPR to create cell event recording systems. In their paper published in the journal Science, Weixin Tang and David Liu describe the technique and the two recording systems they developed using it. Jon Cohen, staff writer for Science, also offers a look at the work done by the team in the same issue. |
 | Plants are given a new family treeA new genealogy of plant evolution, led by researchers at the University of Bristol, shows that the first plants to conquer land were a complex species, challenging long-held assumptions about plant evolution. |
 | Scientists shed light on biological roots of individualityPut 50 newborn worms in 50 separate containers, and they'll all start looking for food at roughly the same time. Like members of other species, microscopic C. elegans roundworms tend to act like other individuals their own age. |
 | Reducing bird-related tragedy through understanding bird behaviorBird-human actions can end in tragedy—for bird as well as human. |
 | Scientists improve DNA transfer in gene therapyParkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, cystic fibrosis and many other fatal human diseases are hereditary. Many cancers and cardiovascular diseases are also caused by genetic defects. Gene therapy is a promising possibility for the treatment of these diseases. With the help of genetically modified viruses, DNA is introduced into cells in order to repair or replace defective genes. Via this method, scientists from the German Primate Center (DPZ) - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research have discovered a quicker and more efficient treatment for the cells. The scientists changed the so-called HEK293 cell line that is used for the production of therapeutic viruses. The cells then produced a protein called CD9 in large quantities. In addition, they modified the viruses for gene transfer in such a way that CD9 is integrated into their envelope membrane. These genetic manipulations resulted in a faster and more efficient infection of the target cells. The resulting higher transfer rate of DNA into the target cells promises new and improved gene therapy treatment. |
 | Australian fire beetle avoids the heatThe Australian jewel beetle Merimna atrata has several heat sensors. Originally, it was thought to use them to detect forest fires as it lays its eggs in the wood of burned eucalyptus trees. Researchers at the University of Bonn have refuted this hypothesis. Instead, the beetle appears to need its heat sensors for a different purpose: to avoid burning its feet upon landing. The study has now been published in the journal PLOS ONE. |
 | Sweden may need to revise approach to the spread of earthwormsIn North America, the spread of European earthworms is a known environmental issue as it has turned out that some of these species are capable of altering entire forest ecosystems. In Sweden, we have so far had a positive approach to earthworms and no policies have been put in place to limit the spread of these worms in Swedish national parks. A new study from Umeå University in North Sweden now shows that the Swedish approach may need revision. |
 | How a bat's brain navigatesMost of what we know about how the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with memory formation and spatial representations, comes from research done on rodents. Rat brains have taught us a lot, but researchers in Israel have found an interesting alternative model to understanding how the hippocampus helps mammals navigate: Bats. |
 | In mice, a single vaccine prompts the immune system to fight breast, lung and skin cancersIn the field of regenerative medicine, induced pluripotent stem cells have a lot of neat tricks up their sleeves. One of them may be teaching the immune system how to beat back cancer. |
 | Starfish can see in the dark (among other amazing abilities)If you go down to the shore today, you're sure of a big surprise. Many will have witnessed the presence of a starfish or two when visiting the seashore or a public aquarium. Starfish come in an exciting range of colours and sizes, but have you ever given a thought to how this multi-armed wonder manages to exist in our oceans when it's so unlike the other animals we know? |
 | Researchers study Texas' first federally endangered mussel speciesIn February the Texas hornshell mussel, Popenaias popeii, became the first among 15 state-threatened freshwater species to receive federal protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. |
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