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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 28, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Two radio relics discovered in the galaxy cluster Abell 168Indian astronomers have detected two radio relics in the nearby merging galaxy cluster known as Abell 168. The discovery, which could improve our understanding of merging processes in galaxy clusters, was detailed March 16 in a paper published on the arXiv pre-print repository. |
 | Dark matter 'missing' in a galaxy far, far awayGalaxies and dark matter go hand in hand; you typically don't find one without the other. So when researchers uncovered a galaxy, known as NGC1052-DF2, that is almost completely devoid of the stuff, they were shocked. |
 | Tabby's star dims againThe team of astrophysicists studying KIC 8462852, more well known as Tabby's star, has reported that the star recently dimmed again, and did so quite dramatically. The group, led by LSU's Tabby Boyajian who discovered the odd behavior of the star back in 2015, has been documenting their findings on their web site. |
 | A runaway star in the Small Magellanic CloudAstronomers have discovered a rare "runaway" star that is speeding across its galaxy at a 300,000 miles per hour (at that speed it would take about half a minute to travel from Los Angeles to New York). The runaway star (designated J01020100-7122208) is located in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a close neighbor of the Milky Way Galaxy, and is believed to have once been a member of a binary star system. When the companion star exploded as a supernova, the tremendous release of energy flung J01020100-7122208 into space at its high speed. The star is the first runaway yellow supergiant star ever discovered, and only the second evolved runaway star to be found in another galaxy. |
 | Characterization of a water world in a multi-exoplanetary systemA team of astronomers from 11 countries, led by researchers at the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA), were able to determine the precise mass of two small exoplanets orbiting the variable star HD 106315. |
 | Life beyond Earth—no plate tectonics, no problemScientists looking for life on distant planets are making plans to search non-Earth-like planets based on discoveries within our solar system that are challenging long-standing ideas about habitable zones, plate tectonics and more. |
 | Bigger pipes in space for handling the data explosionEarth observation is being held back by our inability to transport all the data generated down to earth. Irish researchers have developed a new set of pipes, in the shape of a smart system of optical feeder links, to fix the data bottleneck. |
 | Tiangong-1 crash—why it's so hard to predict where space debris will land and what can be done about itThe now defunct Chinese space station Tiangong-1 is en route to crash into Earth – completing its "atmospheric reentry phase". While experts have been aware that this would happen for more than a year, there has been huge uncertainty around the exact timing. As the station's orbital altitude has decreased, however, this uncertainty has gradually reduced and it is now possible to determine that it will deorbit within a few days. |
 | Image: Proba-1 pyramid spottingA view looking north to south of Egypt's famous Giza Pyramid Complex, as seen by ESA's Proba-1 minisatellite. |
 | NASA set to launch rocket carrying Penn State led experimentNASA will launch a suborbital sounding rocket—research rockets that fly a parabolic path, spending only about five minutes in space—carrying a Penn State led experiment to test a newly-developed X-ray spectrograph and study the X-rays from a supernova remnant in the Milky Way galaxy. The Water Recovery X-ray rocket, or WRX, is scheduled for launch April 4, 2018 from Kwajalein Atoll, the Republic of the Marshall Islands. |
Technology news
 | Internet to TLS 1.3: Where have you been all my lifeThe Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which is the premier Internet standards body, has given its nod of approval for something that will make the Web more secure. It is called Transport Layer Security version 1.3. |
 | Knitting electronics with yarn batteriesWhen someone thinks about knitting, they usually don't conjure up an image of sweaters and scarves made of yarn that can power watches and lights. But that's just what one group is reporting in ACS Nano. They have developed a rechargeable yarn battery that is waterproof and flexible. It also can be cut into pieces and still work. |
 | New service aims to follow users across multiple devicesSome 60 companies including such leading brands as Subway, Sprint and the NFL are joining forces to help each other follow you around online. |
 | Volcanic growth for bitcoin in chilly IcelandAt a secret location in the midst of one of Iceland's breathtaking lava fields stands a warehouse whose non-descript siding belies the fact it is ground zero in a digital gold rush for cryptocurrencies that is burning through more electricity than Icelanders' homes. |
 | Japan embracing cryptocurrencies despite big theft casesFour years after popular Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox was hacked and went bankrupt, the case still casts a shadow over the regulatory regime put in place to protect Japan's thriving cryptocurrency market. |
 | BMW sued in US over diesel emissionsGerman luxury carmaker BMW has been sued in the United States over "defeat devices" installed in tens of thousands of vehicles in order to cheat diesel emissions tests, lawyers for the plaintiffs said Tuesday. |
 | Solar seeks its place under Spanish sunSun-drenched Spain should be a natural for solar energy, and it is here that the technology is making an effort to stand on its feet financially without subsidies. |
 | Slippery start for Venezuela's petro crypto coinThe government of crisis-torn Venezuela, struggling to overcome chronic liquidity shortages and burdened by US sanctions, launched the first government-backed cryptocurrency, the petro, earlier this year. |
 | SoftBank, Saudi Arabia announce massive solar power projectSoftBank Group Corp. Chief Executive Masayoshi Son announced Wednesday a $200 billion solar power project in Saudi Arabia, which promises to be the largest of its kind. |
 | Indian billionaire proposes funding Facebook rivalAn Indian billionaire who promised to help fund a rival to Facebook said Wednesday he had been "overwhelmed" with the response as the world grapples with concerns about data privacy. |
The difficulties of taking humans out of transportationA Purdue University professor says the idea of commuters working as their vehicle drives them to their jobs faces more hurdles than people realize. | |
 | Predicting costly outages with drone analyticsLance Li clicks through an endless, uniform sea of purple, pink, and yellow rectangles. He stops and zooms in on a narrow section that's glowing white. |
 | Cambridge Analytica scandal—Facebook's user engagement and trust declineFacebook has been hit with the biggest trauma in the company's 14-year history in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, but it's far from dead – as a public utility it is as relevant as ever. |
 | Facebook revamps privacy tools as tighter EU rules draw nearFacebook is giving its privacy tools a makeover as it reels from criticisms over its data practices and faces tighter European regulations in the coming months. |
TV ad spending takes hit from 'cord cutting'Television is gradually losing its share of the US advertising market as Americans shift to digital platforms and move away from pay packages, a market tracker said on Wednesday. | |
 | Cutting waste, fossil fuel use, and greenhouse gas emissions by turning unused food into biofuelFunded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant, a team of researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is creating a better way to convert waste food into biofuels that are environmentally friendly, a project that would have an impact on global problems like crude oil dependence, food waste, and water pollution. |
 | How AI is helping to predict and prevent suicidesSuicide is a growing public health concern. In Canada, 4,000 lives are claimed by suicide each year —that is 10 lives per day. |
 | Apple unveils new $299 iPad for students—supports AR, Apple PencilApple hasn't branded it an ePad. |
 | Silicon Valley played by a different set of rules. Facebook's crisis could put an end to thatFacebook was 2 years old when it introduced its most transformative feature: a news feed that offered users a running list of updates about their friends' love lives, favorite new bands and latest vacation photos. |
 | Daimler, BMW to merge car-sharing, other digital servicesAutomakers Daimler and BMW have agreed to merge their transportation services businesses so they can expand offerings in ride-hailing apps, car-sharing, parking, and charging electric cars. |
 | Measuring the economy with location dataCarrying your smartphone around everywhere has become a way of life. In doing so, you produce a surprising amount of data about your role in the economy—where you shop, work, travel, and generally hang out. |
 | Why it's so hard to #DeleteFacebook—constant psychological boosts keep you hookedHere we go again: another Facebook controversy, yet again violating our sense of privacy by letting others harvest our personal information. This flareup is a big one to be sure, leading some people to consider leaving Facebook altogether, but the company and most of its over 2 billion users will reconcile. The vast majority will return to Facebook, just like they did the last time and the many times before that. As in all abusive relationships, users have a psychological dependence that keeps them hooked despite knowing that, at some level, it's not good for them. |
 | Monitoring electric current offers high-precision, sensor-free means to control valves and locksUsing a new technique developed by drive systems engineers at Saarland University, electromagnetic valves can precisely control the amount of liquid they dispense and electromagnetic door locks can close smoothly and quietly. All that the engineers in Saarbrücken need is a magnetically permeable metal bolt that moves within a coil of wound copper wire and their sensor-free, patent-pending control methodology. Using this combination, Professor Matthias Nienhaus and his team are able to keep the bolt in any desired position without the need for additional position sensors. Simply by analysing the electric current that flows through the coil, the team is able to determine where the bolt is and can adjust its position instantaneously. |
 | Tesla: Crash was worsened by missing freeway barrier shieldA missing or damaged safety shield on the end of a California freeway barrier worsened the impact of a crash involving a Tesla SUV that killed a man last week, the electric car maker said on its website. |
 | Playboy quits Facebook over data privacy scandalPlayboy announced Wednesday it was suspending its activities on Facebook to avoid being "complicit" in a wide-ranging scandal over misuse of private data. |
 | How self-driving cars could shrink parking lotsNew U of T Engineering research shows that adoption of self-driving cars—also known as autonomous vehicles (AVs)—could significantly reduce the amount of valuable urban space dedicated to parking. |
 | Road gets tougher for electric car innovator TeslaTesla, which until recently had been seen as cruising to a bright future, has suddenly hit a rough stretch as fresh concerns over the future of autonomous vehicles have exacerbated worries over its ability to hit production targets. |
 | Samsung, Fujitsu pick France for new AI research centresSouth Korean giant Samsung said Wednesday it will set up its third-biggest research centre for artificial intelligence in France. |
 | Quebec to tax some tech firmsQuebec will start applying a sales tax to some internet companies such as Netflix and AirBnb starting in 2019, the government of the French speaking province said Tuesday. |
 | Energy reduction in public buildings: learning to lead from the frontBuildings in EU-27 Member States represent up to 24 billion m2 of floor space, responsible for 40 percent of Europe's energy consumption and 36 percent of CO2 emissions – both key contributors to climate change. In response, a number of European directives promoting energy efficiency and ambitious goals for achieving nearly zero-energy buildings will be enforced in the coming years. |
Japan's Takeda eyes takeover of ShireJapan's Takeda Pharmaceutical said Wednesday it is considering buying Ireland-based drugmaker Shire as part of its attempts to boost overseas acquisitions. | |
 | 3 Facebook Messenger app users file lawsuit over privacyThree Facebook Messenger app users have filed a lawsuit claiming the social network violated their privacy by collecting logs of their phone calls and text messages. |
 | EasyJet chief says European airline shakeup is not overThe European aviation sector is likely to see further consolidation after a number of airline bankruptcies, the new chief executive of British low-cost airline EasyJet said on Wednesday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Brain-wide tracing of single neurons reveals breadth of information transfer from visual cortexAn international collaboration of neuroscientists have today published a paper in Nature demonstrating the breadth of neural communication in visual cortex using a combination of methods for tracing the projections of individual neurons across the brain. |
 | Study: Parental conflict can do lasting damage to kidsIt stands to reason that parents who physically or emotionally abuse their children do them lasting damage, among other things by undermining their ability to trust others and accurately read their emotions. |
 | Prosthetic memory system successful in humans, study findsScientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the University of Southern California (USC) have demonstrated the successful implementation of a prosthetic system that uses a person's own memory patterns to facilitate the brain's ability to encode and recall memory. |
Scientists discover promising off-switch for inflammationScientists have discovered a new metabolic process in the body that can switch off inflammation. They have discovered that 'itaconate'—a molecule derived from glucose—acts as a powerful off-switch for macrophages, which are the cells in the immune system that lie at the heart of many inflammatory diseases including arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and heart disease. | |
 | Revolutionary brain-mapping technique provides new blueprint for cortical connectionsUsing a revolutionary new brain-mapping technology recently developed at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), an international team of scientists led by Professor Anthony Zador have made a discovery that will force neuroscientists to rethink how areas of the cortex communicate with one another. |
 | Decades-long trends, not flawed vaccine, explain resurgent whooping coughResearchers and public health officials have struggled to explain the resurgence of whooping cough in the United States since the late 1970s, and the suspected shortcomings of the current generation of vaccines are often blamed. |
 | Diagnosing Ebola before symptoms arriveBoston University researchers, led by John Connor, associate professor of microbiology at the Boston University School of Medicine and researcher at Boston University's National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), in collaboration with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID), studied data from 12 monkeys exposed to Ebola virus, and discovered a common pattern of immune response among the ones that got sick. This response occurred four days before the onset of fever—the first observable symptom of infection. The work, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, suggests a possible biomarker for early diagnosis of the disease. |
 | Scientists identify a promising target for the treatment of heart failureResearchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) led by Dr. José Antonio Enríquez have described a new therapeutic target for the prevention of heart failure, one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. The new target, a mitochondrial protease called OMA1, is activated when the heart is under stress. Inhibition of OMA1 protects cardiomyocytes (the muscle cells of the heart), preventing their death and stemming the deterioration in heart function. The study is published today in Science Translational Medicine. |
 | Drug compound shows promise against rheumatoid arthritisScientists have designed a new drug compound that dials down inflammation, suggesting possible future uses against autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. |
 | Aggressive growth of common brain tumors linked to single geneUC San Francisco scientists have uncovered a common genetic driver of aggressive meningiomas, which could help clinicians detect such dangerous cancers earlier and lead to new therapies aimed at curing these difficult-to-treat tumors. |
 | A moveable feast: Antibiotics give C. diff a nutrient-rich environment, no competitionUsing a mouse model, researchers from North Carolina State University have found that antibiotic use creates a "banquet" for Clostridium difficile (C. diff), by altering the native gut bacteria that would normally compete with C. diff for nutrients. The findings could lead to the development of probiotics and other strategies for preventing C. diff infection. |
Moving light-dark exposure could reduce disruption faced by night shift workersNew research published in The Journal of Physiology shows that our brain clock can be shifted by light exposure, potentially to align it with night shift patterns. It highlights that a 'one size fits all' approach to managing sleep disruption in shift workers may not be appropriate. A personalised approach, with light-dark exposure scheduled and taking into account whether someone is a 'morning' or 'evening' person, could reduce the increased risk of health problems in shift workers. | |
Mandatory nutrition policies may impact sugar consumptionMandatory nutrition policies could be a valuable tool in helping high school students to lower their sugar intake, a University of Waterloo study has found. | |
Liver cancer caused by alcohol consumption may have worse prognosis than other formsA new study indicates that patients with alcohol-related liver cancer often do not live as long as patients with liver cancer that is not associated with alcohol consumption, mainly due to diagnoses at later stages. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings indicate that efforts should be made to improve both screening for early signs of liver cancer and the management of alcohol abuse. | |
 | Social awareness increases prove brain changing in adults with autismResearchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas, in collaboration with co-leading authors at George Washington University and Yale, have demonstrated in a pilot study that a clinician-driven virtual learning platform, tailored to young adults on the autism spectrum, shows improved social competency. Findings published in Autism Research reveal that increases in socio-emotional and socio-cognitive abilities correlate with brain change. Results included increased activation in the brain's socio-cognition hub with gains linked to improvement on an empathy measure. |
 | Researchers reveal how brain circuits are affected by infections in mothers and newbornsMcLean Hospital neuroscientists have found that immune system activation during pregnancy and right at birth can cause alterations in the brain's neural circuits during young adulthood that are consistent with behavioral symptoms common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental conditions. The detailed findings are available in the March 28, 2018, issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. |
 | Selfie medicine: Phone apps push people to take their pillsTake two tablets and a selfie? Your doctor's orders may one day include a smartphone video to make sure you took your medicine. |
Heart disease, stroke less widespread among foreign-born vs. US-born adultsForeign-born adults living in the United States had a lower prevalence of coronary heart disease and stroke than U.S.-born adults in nationally representative data spanning 2006-2014, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. | |
 | Low birthweight in newborns linked to protein in placentaFor the first time, UCLA scientists have discovered higher levels of a protein called humanin in the placenta tissue of women who give birth to severely underweight infants. This protein plays a role in breaking down carbohydrates and delivering nutrients to other organs, including muscle. The researchers suspect that levels of humanin rise to protect the fetus during placenta failure. |
 | Women with polycystic ovary syndrome have double the risk of liver diseaseScientists at the University of Birmingham have found that increased male hormones result in women with polycystic ovaries having a two-fold increased risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. |
 | New colon cancer finding could lead to earlier diagnosis—and better outcomesFor many years, physicians have puzzled over why people with "clean" colonoscopies went on to develop colon cancer. New findings from the Oklahoma Medical Research may help explain why, and the discovery could lead to ways to detect these cancers earlier and more effectively. |
 | Stroke affects more than just the physicalA new study looks at what problems affect people most after a stroke and it provides a broader picture than what some may usually expect to see. Stroke affects more than just physical functioning, according to a study is published the March 28, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. |
 | Taking a standard prostate cancer drug with food boosts impact, lowers costBy taking a high-cost drug with a low-fat meal—instead of on an empty stomach, as prescribed—prostate cancer patients could decrease their daily dose, prevent digestive issues and cut costs by 75 percent, according to a new study in the March 28, 2018, issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO). |
Global cancer trial sets new standard for post-surgery chemotherapySome stage III colon cancer patients can cut in half the number of chemotherapy treatments they receive after surgery, significantly reducing the costs, treatment time, and long-term toxic effects of chemotherapy, according to results of a unique global clinical trial collaboration published for the first time in the New England Journal of Medicine. | |
 | 'Virtual tumours' predict success of tumour-heating sound wavesResearchers have developed a virtual, computerised cell model that is being used to predict the success of treating cancer with an exciting new tumour-heating technology – which uses targeted sound waves to heat and destroy cancer. |
 | Finding the Achilles heel of cancerA research team led by Monica Bettencourt Dias, from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC, Portugal), has discovered important features of cancer cells that may help clinicians fighting cancer. The researchers observed that the number and size of tiny cellular structures called centrioles are increased in the most aggressive sub-types of cancer. This study will be published in Nature Communications on the 28th of March. |
 | Computer game encourages people to be more risk-awareHow do you encourage people in the midst of an emergency to stay calm and prioritise their safety over their possessions? University of Bristol researchers have devised a game which they believe could help, by encouraging players to be more risk-aware. |
 | Direct-to-consumer cancer testing could be beneficial, expert says, but it's not a substituteThe biotechnology company 23andMe was recently given the green light by the Food and Drug Administration to make direct-to-consumer genetic testing for cancer risk available to the public. The test seeks to identify three specific pathogenic variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are distinctly linked to breast and ovarian cancer in women, and breast cancer in men. After receiving a mailed kit, users can set up an online account with 23andMe and provide a saliva sample that is mailed back to the company and tested. |
 | Study: Counties with fracking have increased rates of STIsResearchers at the Yale School of Public Health have discovered that the rates of two major sexually transmitted infections (STIs), gonorrhea and chlamydia, are 21% and 19% higher, respectively, in Ohio counties with high shale gas activity ("fracking"), compared to counties without any fracking. Rates of a third STI, syphilis, were not elevated. |
 | Accept yourself, and you'll eat betterThe battle to correct eating disorders has taken an interesting turn with researchers finding that acceptance of weight, body and appearance can be linked to promoting healthy eating. |
 | Hundreds trial online bipolar resourcesMore than 200 people around the world have signed up to trial online bipolar self-help resources created at Swinburne. |
 | Life expectancy significantly worse in deprived areasLife expectancy and health outcomes worsen the more deprived an area or population is, new research from Cass Business School has found. |
 | Importance of physical activity in preschoolers highlighted by researcherThe journey to obesity can start as young as age one so increased physical activity should be established and encouraged early, University of Otago researchers say. |
 | Study finds the frequency of alpha brain waves could be used to assess a person's predisposition to painThe frequency of alpha brain waves can be used as a measure of an individual's vulnerability to developing and experiencing pain, researchers at the University of Birmingham in the UK and University of Maryland in the US have discovered. |
 | Research team helping better understand causes of muscular dystrophyUsing fruit flies, Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists may be one step closer to better understanding the pathological mechanisms of muscular dystrophy. |
 | Tiny fish leading the way in a cure for goutA popular aquarium fish that grows no longer than 4 cm could provide the breakthrough in treating and preventing extremely painful attacks of joint inflammation that are a key concern to patients with gout. |
 | Spontaneous thought and the mysteries of the wandering mindIt's happened to all of us. Someone is droning on about KPIs in a meeting, and your mind drifts off. I should really buy a new suit in case I get that job interview. But I probably won't get it. But if I do get it, where will I park? Should I take the train? |
 | Drug that kills mosquitoes could be used to fight malariaResearchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) have shown the large potential impact of a completely new type of antimalarial drug that kills mosquitoes, as opposed to existing drugs that target the parasite, to reduce the spread of malaria. |
Romania: authorities offer money for in-vitro fertilizationAuthorities in the Romanian capital have promised financial aid for women who seek fertility treatment to get pregnant in a bid to increase falling birthrates. | |
 | Genetic testing evaluation could help public health practiceWith their growing use in recent years, genetic tests have received a lot of attention. A new study explored how they are evaluated. |
 | Scientist uses microbial sequencing to understand and treat respiratory diseasesAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 16 percent of adults in the United States have been diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis, or CRS—commonly defined as a sinus infection and inflammation that lasts more than 12 weeks. Not only do CRS patients report a significantly worse quality of life than those with asthma, congestive heart failure and chronic back pain, but the disease results in $65 billion per year in health care costs. Yet, despite the substantial socioeconomic impact of sinonasal inflammation, its underlying cause is not well understood. |
 | EHR usability contributes to possible patient harm events(HealthDay)—Electronic health record (EHR) usability may contribute to possible patient harm events, according to a research letter published in the March 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | Cervical cancer frequently diagnosed after age 65(HealthDay)—A considerable proportion of women are diagnosed with cervical cancer after age 65, according to a study presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology's Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer, held from March 24 to 27 in New Orleans. |
 | How complementary medicine practitioners can help get kids vaccinatedAustralian parents who take their children to a complementary medicine practitioner such as a naturopath or chiropractor are more likely to delay or reject vaccination, according to our research. |
 | Rapid DNA sequencing transforms care for critically unwell childrenRapid genomic sequencing for babies and children with suspected genetic conditions improves health outcomes and saves healthcare dollars – transforming rare disease diagnosis in paediatric and neonatal intensive care. |
 | Chromosomal loop signatures could identify poor drug response in arthritisChromosomal loop signatures found in blood samples obtained in early rheumatoid arthritis could identify patients that will not respond adequately to 'anchor' treatment drug methotrexate. |
 | Early growth after preterm birth is linked to cognitive functioning in adulthoodPreterm born children are more likely to have problems in cognitive functioning and mental health. Then again, most preterm infants grow up to be just as happy, healthy and smart as their peers. Among the preterm infants, who are at risk? |
Why family violence leave should be paidFive days unpaid family violence leave is a significant improvement over no guaranteed leave at all. But research shows that finances and domestic violence are inextricably linked. | |
Q&A: Life after a heart transplantDear Mayo Clinic: My dad is 66 and was just put on the waitlist for a heart transplant due to coronary artery disease. How soon after the transplant would we know that he's out of the woods and his body didn't reject the new heart? Are there other complications he might face? What is the life expectancy for someone who's had a heart transplant if all goes well? | |
Increase in heart rate as blood pressure falls could be early sign of neurological diseaseA simple bedside test that matches a change in heart rate with a drop in blood pressure after a patient stands may help doctors diagnose certain degenerative brain diseases. This is the finding of a study led by neurologists at NYU School of Medicine and published in the March issue of Annals of Neurology. | |
 | Why it's so hard for women to 'just leave' abusive relationships"And so I stayed." |
 | Baby bottle propping isn't just dangerous—it's a sign of a broken societyBottle propping is a dangerous practice that goes back years. But it is now receiving increased attention as society tries to sell a "solution" for everything. |
 | Hospitals hit back on drug pricing, but will they knock out the problem?Drug manufacturing and pricing vaulted into the news several years ago when a privately held company raised the price of a drug used for infections from US$13.50 to $750 for one pill. |
 | Meningitis B vaccine trial for teenagers launchedThe NHS is inviting teenagers to take part in a study to see whether giving a group B meningococcal (MenB) vaccine to teenagers reduces carriage of this bacteria in their throat, potentially providing protection to all ages from this dangerous infection. |
 | Surgeons transform static 'Mona Lisa' smiles to joyous onesBy modifying a muscle transplant operation, Johns Hopkins surgeons report they are able to restore authentic facial expressions of joy—wide and even smiles—to selected patients with one-sided facial muscle paralysis due to birth defects, stroke, tumors or Bell's palsy. |
Mitochondrial replacement moratorium should be reconsidered, researchers sayMothers with mitochondrial DNA mutations often give birth to children who face incurable and fatal illnesses. But a much-studied form of mitochondrial replacement (MR) could prevent the transmission of such diseases from mothers to children, researchers say. | |
 | Research uncovers a potential new strategy to fight ovarian cancerA new discovery opens the possibility of developing a novel way to fight ovarian cancer. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have revealed a previously unknown cellular pathway that selectively regulates a mutant protein, called p53-R175H, linked to ovarian cancer growth. The researchers identified a key regulator of this pathway—USP15—and suggest that designing drugs directed at this regulator might lead to better ways to control cancer growth in the future. The study appears in Nature Communications. |
France leads EU fertility rates: agencyFrance and Sweden have the highest fertility rates in Europe but births across the EU are less than needed to replenish the population naturally, the bloc's statistics agency said Wednesday. | |
Meditate regularly for an improved attention span in old ageRegular and intensive meditation sessions over the course of a lifetime could help a person remain attentive and focussed well into old age. This is according to the most extensive longitudinal study to date examining a group of meditation practitioners. Published in Springer's Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, the research evaluates the benefits that people gained after three months of full-time meditation training and whether these benefits are maintained seven years later. Lead author Anthony Zanesco, now at the University of Miami in the US, however, cautions that further research is needed before meditation can be advocated as a sure-fire method for countering the effects of aging on the brain. | |
Test for antibiotic associated kidney damage in children with cystic fibrosis identifiedNew research, published in Nature Scientific Reports, conducted by the University and partners highlights effective methods for identifying a common side effect in children receiving drug treatments for Cystic fibrosis. | |
 | Big weight loss may bring big relationship changes(HealthDay)—Weight-loss surgery may turn your love life upside down, new research suggests. |
 | Could coffee perk up your heart health?(HealthDay)—Besides staying alert, coffee lovers who drink more than three cups of java a day may lower their risk for clogged arteries, a new Brazilian study suggests. |
 | A few tips to make for a more active you(HealthDay)—Most people today simply aren't as active as people were decades ago. You can blame technology for some of that. |
 | Casting, surgery equivalent over long term for unstable ankle Fx(HealthDay)—For older patients with acute unstable malleolar fractures, equivalence in function between close contact casting and immediate surgery strategies persists at three years, according to a research letter published in the March 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | 'Nontrivial' number of seniors lack a personal physician(HealthDay)—Medicare beneficiaries without a personal physician report substantially worse patient experiences and less routine care, according to a study published online Feb. 16 in Medical Care. |
 | Total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes $327 billion in 2017(HealthDay)—The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2017 was $327 billion, including $237 billion in direct medical costs, according to a study published online March 22 in Diabetes Care. |
Phase I HIV vaccine trial to beginA Phase I clinical trial testing the safety of vaccines that might have the potential to prevent HIV infection will begin this month at four sites in the United States, marking the latest step in a three-decade quest at UMass Medical School to harness the power of DNA vaccines in addressing a major global health threat. The study, which is the result of research by Shan Lu, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and biochemistry & molecular pharmacology, will also monitor the vaccine's ability to create an immune response against HIV. It is being run by the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN). | |
 | Researchers identify chemical compound that inhibits Ebola virusAn organic chemical compound shows effective antiviral activity against Ebola virus and several other viruses, according to a study led by Georgia State University. |
Double danger: The peril of childbirth for women with rheumatic heart diseaseToday, most people in the United States rarely think of rheumatic heart disease (RHD)-or the rheumatic fever that causes it-as more than a historical footnote. | |
 | Inquiry calls for moratorium on the use of genetics test results for life insuranceAustralian Life Insurers will no longer be able to use predictive genetic test results in underwriting, if recommendations tabled yesterday by a Parliamentary Inquiry into Life Insurance are adopted. The recommendations would bring Australia into line with much of the developed world, who have banned the practice, and are being welcomed by Monash Public Health and Preventive Medicine's Head of Genomics, Dr. Paul Lacaze. |
Biology news
 | Scientists unravel the structure of common bacterial wall-building proteinThe wall that surrounds bacteria to shield them from external assaults has long been a tantalizing target for drug therapies. Indeed, some of modern medicine's most reliable antibiotics disarm harmful bacteria by disrupting the proteins that build their protective armor. |
 | Study finds sea turtles use flippers to manipulate foodSea turtles use their flippers to handle prey despite the limbs being evolutionarily designed for locomotion, a discovery by Monterey Bay Aquarium researchers published today in PeerJ. |
 | Genes in songbirds hold clues about human speech disorders, biologists reportInsights into how songbirds learn to sing provide promising clues about human speech disorders and may lead to new ways of treating them, according to new research published in the journal eLife. |
 | Global analysis of large carnivore habitatsAlthough humans have driven lions, tigers, wolves, bears and other large carnivores from much of their home territories across the planet, scientists have identified more than 280 areas where these animals could potentially be reintroduced to restore ecosystems on practically every continent. |
 | Novel synthetic biology technique could lead to breakthroughs in disease treatmentSynthetic biology offers a vision for the future of medicine, where cells could be re-engineered to fight diseases such as cancer and diabetes. For this to happen, scientists use viruses to infect and transfer new properties to cells so they behave in a certain way. But there hasn't been a reliable method to ensure all cells behave in the same way, even if they are not infected uniformly—until now. |
 | Photosynthesis uses vibrations as 'traffic signals'Researchers have discovered a new role for protein vibrations in controlling the transformation of sunshine into useful energy. The study illuminates a mechanism that could help design better solar materials. |
 | Turtle shells help decode complex links between modern, fossil speciesImagine that Labradors and golden retrievers died out a million years ago, leaving only fossilized skeletons behind. Without the help of DNA, how could we determine that a fossil Labrador, a fossil retriever and a modern Chihuahua all belong to the same species, Canis lupus familiaris? And could we look at the wide variety of dogs today to gain clues about lost diversity in the past? |
 | Norfolk's iconic swallowtail butterfly at risk from climate changeNorfolk's butterflies, bees, bugs, birds, trees and mammals are at major risk from climate change as temperatures rise—according to new research from the University of East Anglia. |
 | Ragweed casts shade on soy productionRagweed, its pollen potent to allergy sufferers, might be more than a source of sneezes. In the Midwest, the plant may pose a threat to soybean production. |
 | Bioinformaticians studied the evolution of broken genes in a fruit flyPseudogenes lose their ability to encode proteins, which is unaffected by natural selection, as no mutations in such genes are harmful. A study conducted with the participation of the specialists from the Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, MSU (Lomonosov Moscow State University) confirms this, but shows that natural selection still has a certain influence on some of such genes. An article about it was published in the journal Genome Biology and Evolution. |
 | Fungi found in the guts of healthy adults just travel throughFungi found in the gastrointestinal tracts of healthy adults are largely transient and stem from the mouth or foods recently consumed, according to new research published this week in mSphere, an open access journal from the American Society for Microbiology. |
 | Why genes don't hold all the answers for biologistsIt is still widely believed that the gene is the foundation of life – that its discovery has provided information about how all living beings are controlled by the genetic factors they inherit from their parents. |
 | Communication via calcium waveBased on what we know today, the plant hormone auxin influences all aspects of plant growth and development. It makes corn thrive from germination to harvest, causes trees to grow skyward and date palms to produce sweet fruits. This makes auxin a significant driver of plant biomass creation on our planet. This is already suggested by its name which derives from Greek auxánō, meaning "I grow". |
 | How male germ cells avoid genome instabilityA group of researchers at Osaka University reported the function of GTSF1 in male germ cells. The study, which can be read in EMBO Reports, shows that GTSF1 is an essential factor for secondary piRNA biogenesis by regulating piRNA-mediated cleavage of target RNA. The discovery gives important insights on how male germ cells avoid the genome instability commonly seen in other types of cells. |
 | The startling diversity of Buša cattleIn a study of the genetic structure and population dynamics of a unique breed of cattle that is indigenous to Southeastern Europe, LMU researchers have discovered a remarkable degree of genetic variation. |
 | The tragic story of America's only native parrot, now extinct for 100 yearsIt was winter in upstate New York in 1780 in a rural town called Schoharie, home to the deeply religious Palatine Germans. Suddenly, a flock of gregarious red and green birds flew into town, seemingly upon a whirlwind. |
 | Transhumanism—advances in technology could already put evolution into hyperdrive – but should they?Biological evolution takes place over generations. But imagine if it could be expedited beyond the incremental change envisaged by Darwin to a matter of individual experience. Such things are dreamt of by so-called "transhumanists". Transhumanism has come to connote different things to different people, from a belief system to a cultural movement, a field of study to a technological fantasy. You can't get a degree in transhumanism, but you can subscribe to it, invest in it, research its actors, and act on its tenets. |
 | Plants, fungi and bacteria work together to clean polluted landHighly complex interactions among roots, fungi and bacteria underlie the ability of some trees to clean polluted land, according to a novel study by bioinformatics and plant-biology experts from McGill University and Université de Montréal. |
 | Why has this tiny island seen a sharp rise in shark bites?A small island has become a hotbed for shark bites and people may be partly to blame. |
 | Broader research perspective unveils more about changing life opportunities in urban fisheriesAs cities grow, the traditional lifestyle for small-scale fishing can be threatened, while at the same time cities create development opportunities. Using a wider analytical perspective, researchers can disclose a more diverse picture of development opportunities, threats, and conflicts for small scale fisheries than researches commonly do. This is shown a new dissertation from Gothenburg University. |
 | Team develops a new method for tracing protein sources of farmed and wild salmonMore than half of the world's fish and seafood products come from aquaculture. The increasing demand and the simultaneous decline of the natural stocks due to overfishing have led to strong growth of the aquaculture industry for decades. To reduce costs and impact on wild fish stocks, carnivorous fish are increasingly fed plant-based diets in aquaculture. However, the rapid development in aquaculture fish production has not been matched by new methods that accurately can trace the food chain supply in aquaculture production. With stable isotope fingerprinting, an international team lead by researchers from Kiel University and the Kiel Cluster of Excellence "The Future Ocean" has developed a new method for identifying the protein sources of salmon with high accuracy. In this way, conclusions can be drawn about the origin and nutrition of individual fish. The results of the study were recently published in the international journal Food Chemistry. |
 | Labs still lead but French bulldogs leap in popularity in USAmericans still love Labrador retrievers, but the nation's flirtation with French bulldogs has reached new heights. |
The mechanisms of plant agingEuropean researchers investigated the molecular mechanisms that drive stress-related responses that cause aging and death in plants. The goal is to generate resilient crop varieties. | |
 | Veterinarian clarifies misconceptions about toxoplasmosis, offers safety tipsToxoplasmosis is a disease that can have devastating effects on an unborn child, and many women have been erroneously advised to get rid of their cat if they are pregnant, says Susan Nelson, veterinarian and clinical professor at Kansas State University's Veterinary Health Center. |
 | New survey of mountain gorillas underway in UgandaA team of researchers is currently combing through the forests of the aptly named Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for signs of mountain gorillas. This is part of a major effort to understand the conservation status of this great ape and other wildlife that shares its habitat. |
 | Information experts optimizing potato productionFarmers can optimize harvesting procedures and improve yields, food manufacturers can improve planning reliability. Information systems specialists at Saarland University are working to optimize the entire potato production chain, from field to fork. When it comes to the world's most popular tuber, Professor Wolfgang Maaß and his team are aiming to make all of the processes totally transparent. Starting with the farmer out in the field, Professor Maaß' team can offer forecasts that assist the decision-making processes. To provide these services, the team has built networks filled with data and information on topics as diverse as agricultural machinery, price forecasting and how often and how hard potatoes get knocked on a conveyor belt – the latter data being collected by harvesting an impact-sensitive artificial potato. |
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