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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 13, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Satellite aims to discover thousands of nearby exoplanets, including at least 50 Earth-sized onesThere are potentially thousands of planets that lie just outside our solar system—galactic neighbors that could be rocky worlds or more tenuous collections of gas and dust. Where are these closest exoplanets located? And which of them might we be able to probe for clues to their composition and even habitability? The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will be the first to seek out these nearby worlds. |
 | Hubble catches a colossal clusterThis NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows a massive galaxy cluster glowing brightly in the darkness. Despite its beauty, this cluster bears the distinctly unpoetic name of PLCK G308.3-20.2. |
 | Once upon a time in a thunderstormThunderstorms in Earth's upper atmosphere remain something of a mystery. Scientists cannot reach them directly with instruments; they are too high for balloons and too low for weather satellites. Flying through thunderstorms or camping out on mountaintops waiting for one typically ranks low even on an adventurers' bucket list. |
 | Astrophysics CubeSat could be used to study planets orbiting other starsThe ASTERIA satellite, which was deployed into low-Earth orbit in November, is only slightly larger than a box of cereal, but it could be used to help astrophysicists study planets orbiting other stars. |
 | Hawaii board delays decision on location for giant telescopeA key decision on where to place a $1.4 billion giant telescope has been delayed. |
Technology news
 | Researchers work on algorithm that reveals face swapsImage manipulation in this advanced stage of the digital age is not as much fun but a dicey weapon, in the shadows of fake news, to sway opinion and spark scandals. |
 | Sweden installs section of electrified roadA team making up the eRoadArlanda project has announced that they have electrified a section of road near Stockholm, which will be tested by a battery-powered test truck. The team is part of an initiative set up by the Swedish government's Transport Administration to meet its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. |
 | Researchers conduct first-ever combustion experiment with X-raysThe U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Propulsion made an historic first with its experiment in a gas turbine combustor using X-rays. The data will help advance gas turbine engine designs for higher power density and efficiency, scientists said. |
 | Driverless cars give hope to blind—are automakers onboard?In 2012, Steve Mahan, who is blind, climbed into the driver's seat of a self-driving car and rolled up to the drive-thru of a Taco Bell in a video that's been viewed more than 8 million times online. |
 | Tesla, Feds clash over release of fatal crash informationFederal investigators say they have booted electric car maker Tesla Inc. from a group that's investigating a fatal crash in California that involved an SUV using the company's Autopilot system. |
 | New VW chief Diess aims to steer giant out of diesel cloudThe new CEO of Germany's scandal-hit auto giant Volkswagen, Herbert Diess, is a former BMW executive known as a fierce cost-cutter who is unafraid to clash with labour unions. |
 | Bovines online: Farmers are using AI to help monitor cowsIs the world ready for cows armed with artificial intelligence? |
Fact check: Facebook makes shaky data and privacy claimsFacebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg made several assertions about Facebook's data collection and privacy controls during two days of hearings on Capitol Hill. | |
Scientists develop haptic interface with seven degrees of freedomHaptic interfaces allow humans to handle dangerous or delicate materials. From laparoscopic surgery to radioactive waste removal to the simple act of putting a mobile on vibrate, robotics are getting touchy. | |
Using an algorithm to reduce energy bills—rain or shineResearchers proposed implementing the residential energy scheduling algorithm by training three action dependent heuristic dynamic programming (ADHDP) networks, each one based on a weather type of sunny, partly cloudy, or cloudy. ADHDP networks are considered 'smart,' as their response can change based on different conditions. | |
Engineers propose coordinated control to assist driversEngineers have proposed a coordinated control architecture for motion management in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to increase safety and comfort across all vehicles, regardless of ADAS specifics. | |
 | Technique strengthens buildings using wood wasteResearchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have found an innovative and environmental-friendly technique to enhance building structures. The new method, which incorporates biochar recycled from saw dust into cement, improves the strength and water tightness of mortar and concrete, and offers an alternative use to the large volume of wood waste produced in Singapore. |
 | Kubrick's AI nightmare, 50 years laterAs David Bowman – the surviving crew member aboard the Discovery One spacecraft in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey – disassembles HAL 9000, the sentient computer pleads in an affectless, monotone voice: |
 | How technology could make hotels feel more like homeA hotel room door that opens with your smartphone – no room key required. In-room virtual reality glasses providing virtual tours of famous landmarks. Smart device-controlled lighting and thermostat, a smart TV connected to your Netflix account and smart room service that accepts smartphone orders. |
 | Shadow profiles—Facebook knows about you, even if you're not on FacebookFacebook's founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg faced two days of grilling before US politicians this week, following concerns over how his company deals with people's data. |
Facebook's social responsibility should include privacy protectionIn his congressional testimony, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg seemed to understand the importance of protecting both the security and privacy of Facebook's 2.2 billion users. People in the United States have come to realize the power of technology companies in their daily lives – and in politics. As a result, what they expect of those companies is changing. That's why I believe, privacy protection must now become part of what has been called corporate social responsibility. | |
 | Uber-Grab deal hits speed bump in SingaporeSingapore on Friday imposed restrictions on ride-hailing firm Grab's acquisition of Uber's Southeast Asian business until it concludes a probe into whether the sale may have infringed competition rules. |
 | How Facebook ads target youIf you want to tailor a Facebook ad to a single user out of its universe of 2.2 billion, you could. |
 | Custom-designed alloy enhances nuclear safetyA team led by researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has developed a safer cladding for nuclear fuel rods. |
 | GM to cut more than 1,000 US jobs tied to small carsGeneral Motors will cut more than 1,000 jobs in the US tied to production of sedans that are in low demand, the automaker said Friday. |
 | Q&A: Trump, the post office and AmazonA task force will study the U.S. Postal Service under an executive order from President Donald Trump, who has spent weeks criticizing online retailer Amazon and accused it of not paying enough in shipping costs. |
 | Backpage.com, CEO plead guilty to state, US chargesThe chief executive of a website that authorities have dubbed a lucrative nationwide "online brothel" pleaded guilty Thursday to state and federal charges including conspiracy and money laundering, and agreed to testify in ongoing prosecutions against others at Backpage.com, authorities said. |
 | "Alexa, can we have a real conversation?"Ask her what she likes and she has an answer ready for you: "Holy rusted metal, Batman, I enjoy science. Especially astronomy." Ask her to tell you about herself more generally? She's still figuring that one out: "There's not much to tell. I'm a complicated pile of software running on Amazon's servers." |
 | Risk-based optimization scheme boosts confidence and profitability for future mixed-technology power plantsA scheme to balance risks may help realize the benefits of being able to combine complementary power technologies, such as thermal generation, wind power and energy storage. Such benefits include lower capital costs and more responsive and reliable energy delivery while leveraging renewable energy technologies |
 | First European database for secondary raw materialsIn January 2018 the first pan-European database for secondary raw materials, including many "critical" ones, went online. Ever since, we have known more about which raw material depots reside in cars, batteries and electronic devices sold, used and stored in the 28 EU countries – and ultimately recycled or disposed of. Empa played a key role in the ProSUM project. |
 | Norwegian chief says no plans to sell budget carrierThere are no plans to sell low-cost airline Norwegian Air Shuttle, the group's chief executive said Friday, after British Airways owner IAG indicated it was mulling a takeover. |
 | Russian court blocks Telegram messaging app in privacy rowA Russian court on Friday ordered that a popular messaging app, Telegram, be blocked after the company rejected to share encryption data with authorities. |
Tesla feuds with one federal agency, cooperates with anotherWhile one federal agency is openly feuding with Tesla over a crash investigation, another one probing the same crash says the company is cooperating. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | The hidden health cost of that extra drinkRegularly drinking more than the recommended UK guidelines for alcohol could take years off your life, according to new research published today in the Lancet. Part-funded by the British Heart Foundation, the study shows that drinking more alcohol is associated with a higher risk of stroke, fatal aneurysm, heart failure and death. |
 | FDA approves contact lenses that shade the sunThe lives of contact lens wearers just got a whole lot easier. |
 | Risk of Zika infection through sex may last only a monthSigns of Zika infection can be seen in semen for as long as nine months, but the risk of sexual transmission appears to end in one month, according to a study published Wednesday. |
 | New precision cancer model opens doors to personalized cancer treatmentResearchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have developed an extremely powerful and versatile mouse model that will improve cancer research and accelerate pre-clinical testing of novel targeted therapies. Their work appears in Nature Communications. |
 | Bioengineering students develop add-on pad to make defibrillators more effectiveThe skin presents a formidable barrier to life-saving defibrillators, but a team of students from Rice University believes it has found a way around that problem. |
 | Cancer protein could point to new targets for treatmentA new view of a protein frequently mutated in pituitary tumors is overturning conventional wisdom and could point to novel targets for cancer drugs. |
 | Blocking matrix-forming protein might prevent heart failureScientists used an experimental targeted molecular therapy to block a matrix-forming protein in heart cells damaged by heart attack, reducing levels of scarred muscle tissue and saving mouse models from heart failure. |
 | Evidence mounts for Alzheimer's, suicide risks among youth in polluted citiesA University of Montana researcher and her collaborators have published a new study that reveals increased risks for Alzheimer's and suicide among children and young adults living in polluted megacities. |
 | Omega-3s from fish oil supplements no better than placebo for dry eyeOmega-3 fatty acid supplements taken orally proved no better than placebo at relieving symptoms or signs of dry eye, according to the findings of a well-controlled trial funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Dry eye disease occurs when the film that coats the eye no longer maintains a healthy ocular surface, which can lead to discomfort and visual impairment. The condition affects an estimated 14 percent of adults in the United States. The paper was published online April 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Brief exposure to tiny air pollution particles triggers childhood lung infectionsEven the briefest increase in airborne fine particulate matter PM2.5, pollution-causing particles that are about 3 percent of the diameter of human hair, is associated with the development of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in young children, according to newly published research. Increases in PM2.5 levels also led to increased doctor visits for these lung infections. |
An unexpected discovery in a central lineAbout a year and a half ago, a 6-year-old boy arrived at Children's Emergency Department after accidently removing his own gastrointestinal feeding tube. He wasn't a stranger to Children's National Health System: This young patient had spent plenty of time at the hospital since birth. Diagnosed in infancy with an intestinal pseudo-obstruction, a rare condition in which his bowels acted as if there were a blockage even though one was not present, parts of his intestine died and had been removed through multiple surgeries. | |
 | Doctors curbing first-time prescriptions for opioids(HealthDay)—Although the opioid epidemic continues to rage in America, promising new data show that first-time opioid painkiller prescription rates have slowed in recent years. |
 | The traits that hike high school dropout risk(HealthDay)—The reasons students quit high school are complex, but aggression and weak study skills are two key factors, a new study finds. |
 | Quality of life predicts mortality in older breast cancer patients(HealthDay)—For older women with early-stage breast cancer, measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) predict 10-year mortality independently of traditional breast cancer prognostic variables, according to a study published online March 13 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Pharmacists can help with DM management via telemedicine(HealthDay)—Pharmacist use of telemedicine is a promising vehicle for improving patient management of diabetes, according to an article published in Drug Topics. |
 | Recent years saw increase in burden of prior authorization(HealthDay)—The burden of prior authorization (PA) has increased over the past five years, and 92 percent of physicians report associated delays in access to care, according to the results of a survey published by the American Medical Association (AMA). |
 | Why do we get muscle cramps?Many of us know the feeling of a cramp – whether you've been struck down on the sports field or woken with a start in excruciating pain in the middle of the night. A cramp is the involuntary contraction of our skeletal muscle, and it hurts. |
 | Leukemia-causing retrovirus HTLV-1 vaccine a future possibilityA study appearing in the in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences gives new clues into how cancers like leukemia form from the retrovirus HTLV-1, as well as insights into the possible creation of a vaccine. |
 | Children's gestures, and what they meanWhat role does gesturing play as children learn to speak? What gestures do they use to complement their verbal statements? Can computer-assisted models of language acquisition explain different types of gestures? In the new project EcoGest, researchers are investigating how children's use of gestures is connected to communication. Researchers from the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) and collaborators are working together on the project. |
 | New mutation behind heart failure identifiedAn international research team involving Karolinska Institutet has identified a new mutation in South Asians that, in combination with a known mutation in the same gene, increases the risk of cardiomyopathy and heart failure. The finding, published in the scientific journal JAMA Cardiology, can lead to improved treatment options for a large number of patients. |
 | Experts urge review of alcohol consumption guidelinesThresholds for safer alcohol use might need lowering, University of Queensland drug and alcohol experts have cautioned. |
 | Alpha-gal found to be both a medication and red meat allergyAlpha-gal allergy has commonly been referred to as "the red meat" allergy, but doctors at the Vanderbilt Asthma, Sinus and Allergy Program (ASAP) helped uncover that not only red meat, but some medications, can contain alpha-gal. |
 | Social isolation puts elderly at health riskOne in five elderly adults is socially isolated from family or friends, increasing their risks for poor mental and physical health, as well as higher rates of mortality, according to a University of Michigan study. |
 | Vaping's potential to benefit public health exceeds its risksThe benefits of vaping to quit smoking far outweigh the health risks of youths moving from electronic to traditional cigarettes, a new study says. |
 | Is there a link between your pets and your food choices?People who grow up with a greater variety of pets are significantly more likely to follow a vegetarian diet as adults, according to research by a professor-student team in the University at Albany psychology department. |
Opioid addiction treatment drug helps suppress HIV in former prisonersWhen individuals with HIV are released from prison, they have difficulty obtaining care and are often unable to adhere to their HIV medications and maintain viral suppression. Relapse to opioid use often occurs quickly after release from prison or jail and interferes with HIV treatment adherence. Medications that are effective in reducing relapse to opioid use are rarely started prior to release. | |
 | Big data analysis accurately predicts patient survival from heart failureHeart failure is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, costing healthcare systems worldwide more than $30 billion annually. Current approaches to treatment are limited by crude clinical assessments of the disease. In a new study, Yale researchers have successfully used big data methods to improve prediction of heart failure patient survival. They also described data-driven categories of patients that are distinct in their response to commonly used therapies. |
 | Smart egg cartons to transport cells to cure diabetesWe have developed "smart egg carton" packages for transporting live human pancreas cells for transplantation to diabetic patients. The egg cartons provide oxygen and allow physical separation to prevent damage and death to the cells – known as islet cells – during transport. |
 | Are you at risk for macular degeneration?Many people accept deteriorating eyesight as an inevitable part of getting older, but blurry or distorted vision – such as when straight lines appear wavy – could be signs of age-related macular degeneration. |
 | How Big Pharma deceives you about drug safetyThe recent decision of a Saskatchewan judge to reject the proposed settlement between the provinces and Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, should raise serious questions. |
 | More employers look to boost employee health and well-beingWith so much time spent at work, the office seems a logical place to encourage a healthy lifestyle. |
 | Study sheds light on skin cancer risk behaviorsUltraviolet (UV) light exposure through indoor and outdoor tanning is the leading environmental risk factor for developing skin cancer. Now, a new San Diego State University study explains how a new technology that shows future aging effects could lead people to engage in less risky tanning behavior. |
 | Overcoming barriers to fitness for people with intellectual disabilitiesUniversity of Delaware Behavioral Health and Nutrition (BHAN) associate professor Iva Obrusnikova is developing physical fitness training programs for people with intellectual disabilities. For anyone with at least a little experience in a gym, working out on standard exercise machines is something you probably take for granted. You sit down, glance at the machine's cartoon how-to sticker and begin. |
 | Genetic study could lead to new treatments for sufferers of pulmonary arterial hypertensionResearch carried out by a consortium including St George's, University of London has identified new genes for pulmonary arterial hypertension, which provides renewed hope for people affected with this incurable condition. |
How tumour donations from patients help scientists understand cancer"You don't exactly want your tumour to take home and stick on your mantelpiece - give it to the research people and let them make some use of it." | |
 | Wealthy Americans know less than they think they do about food and nutritionSocioeconomics play a significant role in attitudes about food – especially concerns about safety and purchasing behavior. And higher income doesn't always correlate with informed choices. On the contrary, our research shows that affluent Americans tend to overestimate their knowledge about health and nutrition. |
 | Art is in the eye of the beholderA researcher from James Cook University in Australia has found that a person's mental state affects how they look at art. |
 | UN's health body urges Hepatitis C offensiveHepatitis C is easily cured. Yet, about 400,000 people die of the liver disease every year as only a smattering get the medicine they need. |
 | Clinical trial to find new treatment for visceral leishmaniasis begins in eastern AfricaA new study to find a safer, efficacious and more patient-friendly treatment and improved diagnostic tools for people living with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has begun in eastern Africa, within the new Afri-KA-DIA Consortium with funding from The European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). The large-scale Phase III clinical trial seeks to assess the efficacy and safety of a combination of miltefosine and paromomycin in treating VL in eastern Africa. |
Self-inflicted gunshot wound survivors may deny suicide attempt, face barriers to careResearchers have found that more than one-third of patients who denied that their self-inflicted gunshot wound resulted from a suicide attempt most likely had indeed tried to kill themselves, and commonly were sent home from the hospital without further mental health treatment. | |
To starve pancreatic tumors, researchers seek to block 'self-eating,' other fuel sourcesTo get the extra energy they need to fuel their uncontrolled growth, cancer cells break down some of their own parts for fuel - a process known as autophagy, or "self-eating." Researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center found a possible therapeutic strategy to block self-eating in one of the deadliest cancers, as well as to cut off the tumor's other energy sources. | |
 | For racial minority adolescents, cigarette and alcohol use linked to suicidalityExamining more than 20 years of national data for U.S. adolescents, a research team led by Andrew Subica at the University of California, Riverside reports that adolescents have high prevalence of alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use, and concerning rates of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors. |
 | Arizona romaine lettuce tied to nationwide E. coli outbreak: CDC(HealthDay)—You may want to think twice about that Caesar salad. |
 | 'Let it go' may be good advice for health(HealthDay)—The advice to "let go" of negative feelings is repeated in yoga classes and self-help books. Now a new study suggests it really brings a lasting health benefit. |
 | Rx for sedentary kids—friends and the great outdoorsHanging out with friends can make kids less sedentary, but having inviting outdoor spaces and nearby parks can help them be more physically active, according to new research. |
 | Busting myths surrounding cancer and genetic testing(HealthDay)—While only 5 percent to 10 percent of cancers are caused by an inherited gene mutation, genetic testing may benefit people with a strong history of family cancer, an expert in genetics suggests. |
 | FDA cracks down on caffeine-loaded supplements(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it has issued tough new restrictions on the sale of dietary supplements that contain dangerously high amounts of caffeine. |
 | Elder abuse not associated with risk of chronic pain(HealthDay)—Elder abuse and neglect (EAN) is not tied to the risk of chronic pain, according to a study published online March 30 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Low-vision rehab improves several elements of visual function(HealthDay)—Low-vision (LV) rehabilitation is associated with improvement in several dimensions of visual function, according to a study published online April 12 in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | Receptor that feels the heat of a red chili pepper may be target for TBI recoveryA receptor on our immune cells that can detect both the heat of a red chili pepper and the extreme physical heat of a pizza oven may help protect the brain following a traumatic brain injury, scientists say. |
 | Canadian pharmacy fined $34 million for illegal importsAn online pharmacy that bills itself as Canada's largest was fined $34 million Friday for importing counterfeit cancer drugs and other unapproved pharmaceuticals into the United States, a sentence that one advocacy group called too light for such a heinous crime. |
 | Regenerative wound dressings foster healingGroup of researchers at Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania, are developing next-generation, sponge-like wound dressings with hyaluronic acid. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory wound dressings stimulate tissue regeneration and can be especially efficient in treating deep wounds that are difficult to heal. |
 | Engineering innate immunity for therapyImmune system defends our body against pathogens and cancerous cells, but excessive immunity can in turn lead to tissue damages and diseases. For example, scratching the surface of the eye ignites an immune response that aims at preventing infection but can also lead to edema, angiogenesis and eventually loss of sight. By regulating the balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, one may be able to avoid infection and to minimize the risk of self-destruction. |
 | Advancing cancer research through artificial intelligenceThe sequencing of 20,000 human genes has produced an immense amount of data that must now be deciphered. Sébastien Lemieux, a bioinformatics specialist at Université de Montréal's Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, has begun doing so to advance cancer research. "Artificial intelligence helps us analyze data," he said in an interview. |
NGM282—an engineered analogue of FGF19—shows promise in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitisThe fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) engineered analogue, NGM282, inhibits bile acid synthesis, decreases markers of hepatic inflammation, and significantly improves markers of fibrosis in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), according to the results of a Phase 2, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study reported today. The study, which involved 62 patients with PSC diagnosed according to EASL criteria,7 offers hope of a new medical treatment for a condition in which effective drug therapies are currently limited. | |
Phase 2 studies of two novel treatments for primary biliary cholangitis report encouraging resultsPreliminary results from two ongoing Phase 2 studies of novel agents under investigation for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) have suggested promising efficacy, safety and tolerability profiles in patients not responding to current standard of care, potentially paving the way for longer-term studies. In the first study presented this week at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, the non-bile acid farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist, tropifexor, demonstrated dose-dependent activity on markers of cholestasis and hepatocellular damage over 4 weeks, with no apparent increase in itching. The second study evaluated 12-26 weeks of treatment with the selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-delta (PPAR-δ), seladelpar, at doses of 2, 5, and 10 mg/day, and reported potent and sustained anti-cholestatic and anti-inflammatory activity without an increase in pruritus. | |
Germany: compensated cirrhosis substantially increases comorbidities and healthcare costsAn analysis of outcomes and costs for German patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) who develop compensated cirrhosis was presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France. Healthcare costs for this population spiked in the first year after compensated cirrhosis diagnosis. Comorbidities were common and one in five patients died within a year of cirrhosis diagnosis, highlighting the need for new treatment options to improve outcomes in these patients. | |
Automated analysis of biopsy samples enables rapid and reproducible quantification of NASH disease activityDeep-learning approaches to pattern recognition in liver biopsy samples have moved one step closer to clinical application, with a new study reporting a good correlation between an automated image analysis system and an expert reviewer for the identification of key markers of disease activity in a pre-clinical model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The study reported today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, found that deep-learning algorithms applied using open-source pathology software (QuPath) could accurately identify cell histology patterns consistent with lobular inflammation and hepatocellular ballooning—markers of disease activity that are essential to establish the diagnosis and severity of NASH. | |
Scientists find positive workplace experiences among Americans with disabilitiesA multidisciplinary team of researchers at Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire, Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD), have authored a new article that identifies how Americans with disabilities are striving to work and overcoming barriers to employment. Their findings are detailed in "Striving to work and overcoming barriers: Employment strategies and successes of people with disabilities," which was published online February 26, 2018 by the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation. The authors are John O'Neill, PhD, and Elaine Katz, MS, CCC-SLP, of Kessler Foundation, and Vidya Sundara, PhD, OTR/L, Andrew Houtenville, PhD, Kimberly G. Phillips, PhD, Tracy Keirns, PhD, and Andrew Smith, PhD, of UNH. | |
 | 'Tic-tac-toe'-themed MRI technology easy win for neurological disease researchersThe University of Pittsburgh houses a whole-body 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imager (7T MRI), one of the strongest human MRI devices in the world and a powerful imaging tool that allows researchers to gain a far better understanding of brain structure and function. Tamer Ibrahim, associate professor of bioengineering in Pitt's Swanson School of Engineering, runs the Radiofrequency (RF) Research Facility and conducts experimental and human studies with this device - one of only five dozen 7T MRI machines in the world. |
 | Brazil yellow fever vaccination campaign far short of goalBrazil's yellow fever vaccination campaign has fallen significantly short of its goal, the Health Ministry acknowledged this week, saying that 10 million people in the targeted population still need to be immunized. |
Long-term obeticholic acid treatment leads to reversal or stabilization of fibrosis/cirrhosis in patients with PBCThe first results from the POISE biopsy sub-study have today confirmed that long-term treatment with obeticholic acid (OCA) leads to the reversal or stabilization of fibrosis/cirrhosis in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) who have had an incomplete response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). These results provide the first evidence that improvements in biochemical markers of PBC observed in previous studies are accompanied by anti-fibrotic effects in line with those observed in pre-clinical trials. | |
Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) fails to extend survival in the SORAMIC study palliative cohortThe final results of the palliative cohort of the SORAMIC study in patients with unresectable, locally advanced primary liver cancer have confirmed no clinical advantage to adding selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) to standard sorafenib treatment compared with using sorafenib alone. However, although the overall survival rates in the total patient population did not differ significantly between treatment groups, subgroup analyses suggested possible survival benefits with adding SIRT to sorafenib in some patient groups. | |
A Web-based lifestyle intervention supports weight loss in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver diseasePatients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who participated in a web-based lifestyle modification intervention achieved similar levels of weight loss and more rapid normalization of their liver enzymes than patients who participated in an intensive, group-based programme. The results of this Italian study, which were presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, also suggested that the degree of weight loss achieved by some patients in both intervention groups was likely to have resulted in fibrosis regression. | |
Hepatitis C virus elimination programs report encouraging results: Is elimination within reach?Two nationwide programmes in Georgia and Iceland, which were designed to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) at the population level, have reported encouraging results, suggesting that these countries could be on target to achieve their elimination goals. Although both programmes have adopted slightly different approaches, both have reported high levels of engagement, initiation of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), and cure among patients chronically infected with HCV. | |
HCV-related liver transplantation and post-transplant survival rates in Europe have improved rapidlyHCV-related liver transplantation rates in Europe have declined dramatically since the availability of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs and survival rates after transplantation have reached an all-time high. A study presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, has found that the percentage of liver transplants performed as a result of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has more than halved since the availability of DAA drugs, and that post-transplant survival rates among those with HCV infection are now similar to those reported in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. | |
US study reports dramatic reduction in likelihood of liver transplantation in patients with hepatocePatients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) waiting for a liver transplant in the USA are now significantly less likely to receive a new liver than they were around a decade ago. A nationwide study presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, has confirmed that patients with HCC on the liver transplant list in the USA were more than 50% less likely to receive a transplant in 2014-2016 than they were in 2005-2007. Patients with Medicaid insurance were also significantly less likely to undergo liver transplantation than those with private/commercial insurance. 'This is a very worrying trend and reflects the continued imbalance between the number of patients with HCC in need of liver transplantation and the limited number of donor livers available', said Dr. Jennifer Wang from the California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, USA, who presented the study findings today. | |
Budesonide add-on therapy improves markers of disease activity but fails to improve histologyThe addition of budesonide is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in biochemical markers of disease activity but no improvement in liver histology in high-risk patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) experiencing a sub-optimal response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), according to the results of a study presented today. The placebo-controlled study, which randomized 62 patients with PBC, was terminated early because of slow recruitment and as a result, insufficient power to detect a significant histological difference between treatment groups. | |
Sustained virological response to oral hepatitis C virus treatment associated with reduced mortality in Italian cohortPatients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who achieve a sustained virological response (SVR) after direct-acting antiviral agent (DAA) treatment have lower all-cause mortality, according to a real-world study presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France. The study, conducted in Italy, found that patients who achieved SVR were at reduced risk of death from both liver-related and other causes. | |
Biology news
 | Researchers focus on how bacteria cause food poisoningCampylobacter is the most common cause of bacterial food poisoning in the world according to the World Health Organization, and with over a million people in the U.S. infected every year, it's not surprising that there is a need to understand why this spiral-shaped microbe causes disease. |
 | New method predicts evolutionPredicting chance-driven evolution seems impossible. Nevertheless, scientists from AMOLF in Amsterdam and the ESPCI in Paris have succeeded in making predictions about the evolution of a set of genes in E. coli. When and how genes mutate remains random, but it appears predictable which gene is more likely to evolve first, or if evolutionary deadlock arises. The results are published on 13 April in the journal Nature Communications. |
 | Breakthrough brings gene-editing medicine one step closer to patient applicationsImagine a future where a guided biomachine put into your body seeks out defective gene sequences in each cell and edits in the correct information with precision accuracy. |
 | Newly identified bacteria may help bees nourish their youngA team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside have isolated three previously unknown bacterial species from wild bees and flowers. The bacteria, which belong to the genus Lactobacillus, may play a role in preserving the nectar and pollen that female bees store in their nests as food for their larvae. |
Crowded urban areas have fewer songbirds per personPeople in crowded urban areas - especially poor areas - see fewer songbirds such as tits and finches, and more potential "nuisance" birds, such as pigeons, magpies and gulls, new research shows. | |
 | Battle to save Africa's elephants is gaining some groundThe elephant staggered and keeled over in the tall grass in southern Tanzania, where some of the world's worst poaching has happened. |
 | Researchers warn 'Ebola for plants' hitting Africa's cassava cropA new disease infecting cassava—dubbed "Ebola for plants"—could spell a looming food crisis for Africa, researchers have warned, fearful that the emerging blight could decimate one of the continent's most vital food crops. |
 | Japan faces record low eel catch, renewing stock fearsJapan is on track for a record low catch of baby eels this year, renewing fears about declining stocks of the endangered fish, a favoured summer delicacy for Japanese. |
 | Enzyme LSD1 found to regulate muscle fiber type differentiationOur bodies convert food into energy for all life activities. These metabolic processes allow cells to produce energy (anabolism) and consume energy from nutrients (catabolism). In a recent update out of Kumamoto University in Japan to a continuing research project from the Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), researchers found that the LSD1 enzyme suppresses the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial metabolism and the slow-muscle genes that cooperate with them. |
 | Rapamycin resolves genetic defects in yeastScientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have taken one step closer to potential cures for several human genetic diseases, and the answers have been found in the humble cells of fission yeast. |
 | Deeper understanding of species roles in ecosystemsA species' traits define the role it plays in the ecosystem in which it lives—this is the conclusion of a study carried out by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden. New methods can make it easier to predict the ecological role that a species will play when it is introduced, by accident or design, into a new habitat. |
 | Research shows how genetics can contribute for advances in 2G ethanol productionProduction of second-generation (2G) ethanol from sugarcane requires enzymatic hydrolysis in which enzymes from microorganisms act together to break down and convert the carbohydrates in sugarcane straw and bagasse into sugars capable of undergoing fermentation. |
 | For fewer cast-related ailments in dogs, researchers find taller casts a better fitDogs fitted with longer casts for hind-leg injuries or ailments should see fewer pressure sores and soft tissue complications than dogs with shorter casts, said Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at Colorado State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital. |
 | Faithful storks keep long-distance love alive in CroatiaA faithful male flying thousands of miles each year to join his handicapped female who cannot fly—the story of two storks in Croatia, Klepetan and Malena, is one of love and devotion beating the odds. |
 | Founder of Kenya's iconic 'elephant orphanage' dies aged 83Dame Daphne Sheldrick, a conservationist famous for her work rearing baby elephants in Kenya and fighting for the protection of the species, has died aged 83, her family said Friday. |
Has the bald eagle population along the James River peaked?The bald eagle population along Virginia's James River made a stunning comeback after falling to zero in the 1970s. | |
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