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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 4, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Search for life on Mars could get water-enhanced boostA new experiment designed to detect amino acids on Mars, in spite of the reactive perchlorate in the Martian soil that typically breaks organic compounds down, could fly on a future mission to Mars to help in the search for life there. |
 | NASA spacecraft will have company all the way to MarsNASA's next Mars explorer is going to have company all the way to the red planet: a couple of puny yet groundbreaking sidekicks. |
 | Ushering in the next phase of exoplanet discoveryEver since scientists discovered the first planet outside of our solar system, 51 Pegasi b, the astronomical field of exoplanets has exploded, thanks in large part to the Kepler Space Telescope. Now, with the successful launch of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), Professor Sara Seager sees a revolution not only in the amount of new planetary data to analyze, but also in the potential for new avenues of scientific discovery. |
 | Nasa's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer leaves scientific legacyNASA's decommissioned Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) satellite re-entered Earth's atmosphere on April 30. Orbiting for more than 22 years, the 6,700-pound satellite operated from 1996 to 2012, providing scientists with an unprecedented look into the extreme environments around neutron stars—also known as pulsars—and black holes. |
 | Breathing lunar dust could pose health risk to future astronautsFuture astronauts spending long periods of time on the moon could suffer bronchitis and other health problems by inhaling tiny particles of dust from its surface, according to new research. |
 | NASA's first mission to study the interior of Mars awaits May 5 launchAll systems are go for NASA's next launch to the Red Planet. |
 | Astronomer composes galactic jazzA new musical composition expressing the movement of gases through the galaxy as musical notes, "Milky Way Blues" by astronomer Mark Heyer, a research professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will be featured for the next 30 days on the website, Astronomy Sound of the Month. |
 | What if aliens can't reach Earth because gravity traps them on their worlds?The truth is out there. You want to believe. But you are becoming more and more frustrated because there's no conclusive evidence. All this time, the reason could be basic physics. A study submitted to the International Journal of Astrobiology suggests that aliens living on distant planets can't cruise the cosmos because of gravity. |
 | May the forest be with you: GEDI moves toward launch to space stationA first-of-its-kind laser instrument designed to map the world's forests in 3-D is moving toward an earlier launch to the International Space Station than previously expected. |
 | NASA's InSight mission will look deep into the heart of Mars for clues about its pastFor decades, earthlings have dispatched spacecraft to Mars to study the planet's dusty surface and its thin atmosphere. Now NASA is sending a lander to the red planet to look deep into its heart. |
Technology news
 | When little robot will go through your rooms to find the orange purseHmm, once upon a time, we were impressed that this search phenomenon called Google could instantly answer questions and that is by just typing in words into a space bar. Mirabile dictu if you asked where is Miani Google would fire back, Did you mean Miami? |
 | First robotic system plays Tic Tac Toe to improve task performanceResearchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Beer-Sheva, Israel have demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of a robotic system that plays Tic Tac Toe with rehabilitation patients to improve real-life task performance. |
 | Misty II robot's crowdfunding campaign has developer community in mindMisty Robotics has a new Misty in the wings, readied for December, just the time of year when cute little robots are on a lot of shopping lists. Misty II, though, is targeted for developers. It has been positioned as a development platform. |
 | Engineers invent smart microchip that can self-start and operate when battery runs outThe Internet of Things (IoT), while still in its infancy, is shaping the future of many industries and will also impact daily life in significant ways. One of the key challenges of moving IoT devices from concept to reality is to have long-lasting operation with tightly constrained energy sources, and thus extreme power efficiency. IoT devices such as sensors are often deployed on a massive scale and in places that are usually remote and difficult to service regularly, thus making their self-sufficiency essential. |
 | Smart skin for flexible monitoringA thin smart patch called Marine Skin could make studying the behavior of marine animals easier and more informative. This system for electronic tagging of animals is based on stretchable silicone elastomers that can withstand twisting, shearing and stretching, even when exposed to high pressures in deep waters. |
 | First-of-its-kind software quickly automates sports analyticsNew software designed by Rice University students working in the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen and Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie) can provide automated sports analytics in an hour. |
 | Novel simulation technique models material-aging processThe nation's aging infrastructure requires massive investment. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates the U.S. needs to spend some $4.5 trillion by 2025 to fix the country's roads, bridges, dams and other infrastructure. |
 | AI-created family trees confirm 18th and 19th century class divisions in FinlandIt would take 100 person-years for a genealogist to map and find all the parents for five million people – with a rate of one person per minute. The AncestryAI algorithm can do the same work in an hour using 50 parallel computers and with a success rate of 65 per cent. The algorithm can also measure the level of uncertainty for each connection so that unreliable results can be ignored. Genealogists and demographers can use the algorithm to shed light on societal change and history. |
 | NIST virtual reality aims to win for public safetyVirtual reality produces entertaining video games. But it's also a serious training and testing tool. Pilots test their skill with flight simulators, and the military can practice by playing war games, for example. |
 | Alibaba says annual net profit up 47% in 2017/2018Chinese e-commerce giant Friday announced a massive 47 percent leap in net profit for the fiscal year 2017/2018, helped by a rise in smartphone and tablet transactions on its shopping platform. |
Xerox CEO to stay as Icahn deal deadline expiresXerox's chief executive and several board members will keep their posts after an agreement with activist shareholders to replace them expired, the company said late Thursday. | |
 | Buffett's firm buys 75 million more Apple shares in 1QWarren Buffett's company bought 75 million more Apple shares in the first quarter, giving it more than 240 million shares of the iPhone maker. |
 | Google to show who is behind US political adsGoogle on Friday said that people looking to place US election ads on its platform will need to show identification, and make clear who is paying. |
 | Apple took 8 days to give me the data it had collected on me. It was eye opening.How much does Apple know about me? The answer surprised me. |
 | Google Assistant is now in 5,000 smart-home devicesAs far as Google is concerned, there's no place like home. |
 | Apple iPhones are still selling. There goes your hope of a price cut.People are still buying lots of iPhones, so don't expect Apple to roll out bargains anytime soon. |
Pentagon halts sales of Chinese-made smartphones as security riskThe Pentagon has ordered retail stores on its bases around the world to cease selling all smartphones and devices made by two Chinese companies, citing security concerns. | |
 | Hotel rooms by the hour—or the minuteMost hotels already offer quick checkout. Now, a growing number are selling briefer stays, too. |
 | Tesla's Musk defends comments made during conference callTesla CEO Elon Musk is going on the defensive Friday in a series of tweets, saying the people he shut down during a contentious conference call were analysts who believe investors could profit by betting that the company's stock price will fall. |
 | Why Wall Street's worried about TeslaElon Musk's track record for technological feats as chief of SpaceX has turned skeptics into believers in everything from his quest to open space travel to Mars to his desire to build a tunnel for high-speed travel between New York and Washington. As Tesla's CEO, his ambitious vision for electric cars has also earned him a faithful following. |
Luke Skywalker's hand inspires scientists to create robotic skinScientists at the University of Bristol are engineering human skin on artificial robotic muscles that can stretch and bend the tissue just like in the real world. This living and moving skin equivalent represents a much more realistic model of human skin and it could have potential applications for burns patients needing skin grafts. | |
Tech companies not hiring blacks despite ownership ratesAfrican-Americans are among the top owners of mobile devices, but aren't being considered when it's time for social media and technology companies to hire. | |
 | BMW races into 2018 with sales, profits recordGerman high-end carmaker BMW said Friday it booked a strong first three months with record first-quarter shipments and profits, confirming its targets for the full year. |
 | Vivendi and activist fund set for Telecom Italia showdownA weeks-long power struggle over the control of Telecom Italia between Vivendi and a US activist fund comes to a head Friday when shareholders vote on a new board. |
 | European airlines seek bigger piece of Latin American pieAir France-KLM's inauguration Thursday of a flight to a little developed corner of Brazil highlights European airlines' attempt to bring the continents together, catching up with far more dominant routes between South and North America. |
 | Seven chateaux and counting: Chinese billionaire is big in BordeauxOver the past decade Chinese investors have conquered dozens of chateaux in Bordeaux, France's famed wine-growing region. |
 | Harvard forum examining safety of self-driving vehiclesA Harvard University forum is examining how a recent death linked to self-driving technology is causing concern about safety. |
 | Air France-KLM chief puts job on the line in standoff with unionsThe chief executive of Air France-KLM raised the stakes Friday after weeks of strikes by pilots and other workers, warning he will quit if employees reject the company's latest offer on wages. |
 | Towards sustainable blockchainsAs blockchains become ever more popular and widespread, a growing concern is their sustainability. Current designs, most notably the blockchain underlying the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, are secured using so-called "proofs of work," which requires huge amounts of computational power. This is an ecological problem challenging the long-term viability of cryptocurrencies. In an ongoing collaboration, Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) Professor Krzysztof Pietrzak and BitTorrent inventor/Chia Network CEO Bram Cohen seek to address this problem by making use of disk space rather than computational work. Research into one of the two key components of this approach—"proofs of sequential work," also known as "verifiable delay algorithms," received this year's Best Paper Award at EUROCRYPT, one of the world's top two cryptography conferences. |
 | US hedge fund wrests Telecom Italia control from VivendiFrench media group Vivendi lost de facto control of Telecom Italia on Friday when a U.S. activist hedge fund won a majority of seats on the former state monopoly's board in a dramatic shareholders' showdown that also raised questions about the government's role. |
 | Flipkart board approves $15 bn deal with Walmart: reportIndian e-commerce giant Flipkart has agreed to sell 75 percent of the company to US retail behemoth Walmart for about $15 billion, a report said Friday, in what would be a blow to rival Amazon. |
 | Norwegian says it rejected two IAG takeover bidsLow-cost airline Norwegian Air Shuttle said Friday it had turned the cold shoulder to two separate takeover bids by British Airways owner IAG, which recently acquired a 4.61 percent stake in the company. |
 | Enhanced power devices open the way for high-voltage applicationsPower semiconductors play an important role in power conversion in a wide range of electronic equipment we use in our everyday lives, from smartphones and computers to photovoltaics and electric vehicles. Given the extensive and global use of power semiconductors, scientists have been focusing on making them more energy efficient and cost effective. |
 | Home internet connections hacked – here's how to protect yourselfIn late April, the top federal cybersecurity agency, US-CERT, announced that Russian hackers had attacked internet-connected devices throughout the U.S., including network routers in private homes. Most people set them up – or had their internet service provider set them up – and haven't thought much about them since. But it's the gateway to the internet for every device on your home network, including Wi-Fi connected ones. That makes it a potential target for anyone who wants to attack you, or, more likely, use your internet connection to attack someone else. |
 | Optimizing customized steel products for manufacturersCompanies that process steel usually require customized cutting of steel bars for their products. As a result, steel traders are faced with the challenge of meeting customer-specific requirements while producing as little scrap as possible. That means they have to divide the inventory as efficiently as possible in terms of material. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Algorithms and Scientific Computing SCAI have developed software that addresses this problem and minimizes the amount of generated scrap, therefore optimizing material utilization. |
 | UK car sales rebound from year-long falls: industryBritain's new car sales rebounded slightly in April, industry data showed Friday, having slid a year earlier on taxation changes for high-polluting diesel vehicles. |
 | Building with bottlesPowerful hurricanes and earthquakes have wreaked havoc in the United States and around the world in recent years, often leaving people stranded for months and even years without access to water, food, and shelter. A unique collaborative project at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute seeks to provide a sustainable solution, while also considering the environment. |
 | Vermont reduces incentives for renewable energy programVermont regulators are reducing the financial incentives for electric customers who install renewable energy systems such as solar panels and get a credit on their electric bills for providing power to the grid. |
 | How to pick a new password, now that Twitter wants oneYet another service is asking you to change your password. |
 | Air France-KLM boss resigns after staff reject pay dealAir France-KLM boss Jean-Marc Janaillac announced his resignation Friday after staff at the carrier's French operations rejected a pay deal aimed at ending weeks of strikes. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Gait assessed with body-worn sensors may help detect onset of Alzheimer's diseaseBody-worn sensors used at home and in clinic by people with mild Alzheimer's to assess walking could offer a cost-effective way to detect early disease and monitor progression of the illness. |
Targeted 'click-to-release' chemotherapy gives good results in miceTagworks Pharmaceuticals, based at Radboud University Medical Center, has developed a new technique for the targeted delivery of chemotherapy for tumors in difficult cases. By way of controlled 'click-to-release' of the chemotherapy drug from its tumor-binding carrier, the treatment can be activated at the right location. The company is publishing the results of studies in mice that have been treated with this method in Nature Communications. | |
 | A gut bacterium's guide to building a microbiomeThe mammalian gut is warm, moist, and incredibly nutrient-rich—an environment that is perfect for bacterial growth. The communities of "good bacteria" in the gut, commonly referred to as the microbiome, are vital partners for the body, helping to digest fiber, extract nutrients, and prevent various diseases. We are all familiar with the immune responses and illnesses that ensue from bad, or pathogenic, bacteria entering the body—so, if the immune system evolved to repel microbes, then how do mammals maintain harmonious relationships with the beneficial bacteria in the gut? |
 | The virus-killing 'bodyguards' that make lupus worseA type of cell that protects the body from viruses and cancer may make lupus worse, and trigger flare ups of the condition. |
 | Metabolites shed by intestinal microbiota keep inflammation at bayResearchers at Tufts University have elucidated a mechanism by which the "good" bacteria that reside in our gastrointestinal tract can help protect us from inflammation, and how their disruption (dysbiosis) can increase the susceptibility of the liver to more harmful forms of disease. Their study, now available in the journal Cell Reports, identified two key metabolites produced by the bacteria in mice that modulate inflammation in the host and could ultimately reduce the severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. |
 | Which is better, one space or two after a period in a sentence?A trio of researchers at Skidmore College has found that text with two spaces after the period in sentences allows people to process the information they are reading faster. In their paper published in the journal Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, Rebecca Johnson, Becky Bui and Lindsay Schmitt outline their study and what they found. |
 | New study reveals human brains may require fewer initial cells to grow compared to monkeys and miceA team from the University of Oxford and Cardiff University have used mathematical models to re-enact the complex process of brain development that occurs as initialising cells, otherwise known as progenitor cells, start to grow and begin to differentiate into more specialist cells at various points in time. |
 | Doubt cast over face mask benefitFace masks are a common sight in some of the world's most polluted cities but a recent study has cast fresh doubt over their effectiveness. |
 | Researchers clarify the identity of brain stem cellsThe human nervous system is a complex structure that sends electrical signals from the brain to the rest of the body, enabling us to move and think. Unfortunately, when brain cells are damaged by trauma or disease they don't automatically regenerate. This can lead to permanent disability. |
 | Insight into potential new strategy to target skin diseases like psoriasResearch at UT Southwestern has shown that targeting metabolism in growing cells holds promise for the treatment of skin diseases like psoriasis that are characterized by skin overgrowth resulting from excess cell division, known as hyperproliferation. |
 | Structural variation in key brain receptor enables it to cope with hostile conditionDuring a stroke or an epileptic seizure, neurons in affected parts of the brain fire at an abnormally rapid rate. One byproduct of this condition is that the pH of the brain drops markedly, rendering the local environment inhospitably acidic. |
 | Cancer cells thrive in stiff tissue, according to new studyStiffer breast tissue creates an environment more prone to cancer by enabling the disease to interfere with the surrounding healthy cells, according to a recent study published in Biomaterials. |
 | How low is too low? Experts debate blood pressure targets in post-SPRINT eraFollowing the landmark SPRINT trial, there is a growing body of evidence for reducing systolic blood pressure targets, resulting in the development of new US guidelines. However, this has led to many questions about the impact of such fundamental changes in blood pressure management, and whether they should be implemented in other constituencies. Two new studies published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology assess the benefits and costs of incorporating these more aggressive goals into clinical practice. |
New research uncovers 'stability protein' for cancer treatmentResearchers from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences have characterised a new protein that is important to the genetic stability of cells. It may be significant for the development of new drugs against genetically determined diseases like cancer, sterility and premature ageing. | |
 | COPD-associated inflammation halted in model experimentChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is believed to be the third most common cause of death worldwide. However, because the underlying mechanism is still largely unknown, today's treatments can only slow progression of the disease. Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München have now reported a previously unknown pathogenic mechanism, which they have already been able to prevent in the laboratory. Their findings are reported in EMBO Molecular Medicine. |
 | Researchers defy biology: Mice remain slim on burger dietWe are our own worst enemy when it comes to developing obesity. The body is naturally geared to assimilate energy from the food we eat and store it as fat until it is needed. This is the result of millions of years of evolution under the pressure of low food availability. |
 | Astrocyte findings suggest new options against Alzheimer'sA study by scientists of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) points to a potential approach against Alzheimer's disease. In studies with mice, the researchers were able to show that blocking a particular receptor located on astrocytes normalized brain function and improved memory performance. Astrocytes are star-shaped, non-neuronal cells involved in the regulation of brain activity and blood flow. The findings are published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM). |
Weekday for operation does not affect survival from lung cancerThe day of the week on which a patient has a lung cancer operation has no significance for survival. This has been demonstrated by researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, in a new study published in the journal Chest. | |
 | Researchers map intricacies of lung cancer in one of their ownWhen James Spudich was diagnosed with lung cancer, researchers had a rare, and unexpected, opportunity to study healthy and diseased human tissue at an unprecedented level of detail. |
 | There is more than one way to say 'no,' researchers findA team of researchers looked at the ways students communicate refusal of sexual advances and found that, just as in conversations seeking consent for everyday activities, people express their refusal in a variety of ways beyond a direct verbal "no." |
Prescribing guidelines not always followed for patients on cholesterol-lowering drugNew Zealand prescribers do not always follow guidelines when prescribing other medicines to patients taking simvastatin, according to University of Otago researchers from the Pharmacoepidemiology Research Network. | |
 | Press release links rise in aggressive brain tumours to mobile phones, but study doesn'tMobile phones hit headlines this morning because a press release linked an increase in brain tumour cases in England with the devices. |
 | Study shows minorities widely underrepresented in autism diagnosesIn education circles, it is widely accepted that minorities are overrepresented in special education. New research from the University of Kansas has found, in terms of autism, minorities are widely underrepresented in special education. The underrepresentation varies widely from state to state and shows that students from all backgrounds are not being identified accurately, resulting in many students, especially those from minority backgrounds, not receiving services that are crucial to their education. |
 | Burnout, depression can affect ophthalmology residents, study findsA new study led by Brown University researchers finds that ophthalmology residents across the U.S. face a substantial burden of burnout and depression, which may affect not only the residents themselves but also the quality of care they deliver to patients. |
 | Young people use self-harm to share emotionsDamaging your body may be a way to control negative emotions. New research from UiO shows that young people also use self-harm to communicate and share difficult feelings, which they are unable to express in words. |
NY aims to launch safe injection sites to fight opioid abuseNew York's mayor is pushing for a plan to bring safe injection sites for illegal drug users to the US metropolis in a bid to reduce ever-rising overdose numbers. | |
 | Improvements needed in end-of-life careA study looking at the personal perceptions and experiences of patients, families and healthcare professionals has highlighted the need for improvement in symptom management for end of life care. |
 | How to tell if your kid's 'fussy eating' phase is normalIf you have a child who is a fussy eater, you're not alone. Almost half of all children will go through a fussy eating period in the early years. Rest assured, refusal of foods by young children is a normal stage of development. |
 | The many benefits of meditation in the classroomThe fast pace of the business world —where competition is the rule and return on investment decides everything —can be challenging for business students. |
 | Breakthrough may explain why cancer immunotherapies can backfireResearch by University of Alberta scientists into PD-1, a cell surface receptor that naturally plays a major role in de-escalating the body's immune system, may explain why it can go haywire and cause autoimmune diseases like Type 1 diabetes. |
 | Australian breakthrough in stem cell kidney researchNew research led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), has combined gene editing technology with stem cell kidney regeneration to correct a patient's gene mutation. |
 | Economic issues drive disparities in heart disease, strokeState-by-state disparities in heart disease and stroke are rooted in the economic health of communities and the people who live in them, according to an analysis of a report tracking the impact of cardiovascular disease across the country. |
 | Why it's important to test drugs on pregnant womenVulnerable groups, such as children, prisoners and people with limited mental capacity, are usually excluded from drug trials. And, until quite recently, it was considered unethical to test drugs on pregnant women, too (the thalidomide scandal is probably not too far from people's minds). But the tide is turning. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently published a draft guidance for how and when to include pregnant women in drug trials. |
Six steps to returning to work after mental health illnessA new online toolkit to help employers and staff in the United Kingdom talk about mental health has been developed by a team of researchers from Kingston University in London, Loughborough University and Affinity Health at Work. | |
 | New approach for treating neuropathic painNeuropathic pain is the chronic, pathological pain that continues even when the cause of pain is removed. Causes include damage to nerve cells and medicines used to treat cancer. A collaboration between research groups from Indiana University in Bloomington, USA and Turku Centre for Biotechnology in Finland has discovered a novel therapeutic that appears to interrupt the signaling cascades in the body required for multiple forms of neuropathic pain. |
 | Dancer's brains display brain frequencies linked to emotion and memory processesNeuroscience has studied music for decades, and it has been found to activate both the cortical and deeper brain areas. Neuroscience of dance, instead, is a young but quickly growing field. |
 | Scientists reanimate disembodied pigs' brains – but for a human mind, it could be a living hellDo you want to live forever? If so, there's some good news. Or so it seems. For it appears that we may have taken a step closer to making immortality reality. In a recent meeting at the National Institutes of Health, Yale neuroscientist Nenad Sestan revealed that his team has successfully reanimated the brains of dead pigs recovered from a slaughterhouse. By pumping them with artificial blood using a system called BrainEx, they were able to bring them back to "life" for up to 36 hours. |
 | New breast cancer targetsGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 150 genetic variations associated with increased risk for breast cancer. Most of these variants are not located in protein-coding gene regions but are assumed to regulate the expression of certain genes. |
 | Osteoporosis drug could be used to treat aggressive form of breast cancer, researchers sayResearchers in China have discovered that an enzyme called UGT8 drives the progression of basal-like breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that is largely untreatable. But the study, which will be published May 4 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, reveals that the widely used osteoporosis drug zoledronic acid inhibits UGT8 and prevents the spread of basal-like breast cancer in mice, suggesting that this drug could also be used to treat the disease in humans. |
 | To treat pain, look at more than the 1-10 scalePeople in chronic pain are some of the most difficult patients to treat. They have complex circumstances that medicine can't always remedy. Pain can be amplified, by depression and anxiety, genetics and quality of life. Genetics can also play a role in how people experience pain. |
 | Urine of kidney disease patients contains diverse mix of bacteriaThe urine of kidney disease patients contains a diverse mix of bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, according to a study by researchers at Loyola Medicine and Loyola University Chicago. |
 | WHO: Saturated fat should be less than 10 percent of dietThe World Health Organization is taking on the battle of the bulge, saying that saturated fats shouldn't make up more than 10 percent of people's diet. |
 | Researchers find link between crystal methamphetamine and immune changes in HIVA researcher at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has found that the use of stimulants, such as methamphetamine, can negatively affect the health of HIV-positive persons even when they are adhering to medical treatment. |
Fifteen percent of osteoporosis patients who take 'drug holidays' suffer bone fracturesPatients who take osteoporosis drugs for long periods typically are advised to temporarily discontinue the drugs to prevent rare but serious side effects to the jaw and thighs. | |
 | Drug epidemic ensnares 25-year-old pill for nerve painThe story line sounds familiar: a popular pain drug becomes a new way to get high as prescribing by doctors soars. |
 | U.S. motorcycle deaths dropped six percent last year(HealthDay)—Motorcycles are still deadlier than cars, but there's some good news: Nearly 6 percent fewer bikers died on U.S. roads last year than in 2016, a new report says. |
 | Make your amusement park visits safe(HealthDay)—Hundreds of millions of people visit U.S. amusement parks every year and take over a billion rides. |
 | Too much social media may harm a woman's body image(HealthDay)—Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest may not be good for women's self-esteem, a new study suggests. |
 | Physical therapy helps recover arm function in chronic CVA(HealthDay)—Physical therapy promotes the recovery of arm function and neuroplasticity in all chronic stroke patients, according to a study published online April 25 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. |
 | Psychiatric diagnosis common in medicaid-insured children(HealthDay)—About 20 percent of Medicaid-insured children receive a psychiatric diagnosis by age 8 years, according to a study published online April 30 in JAMA Pediatrics. |
 | Novel signal ID'd for microalbuminuria in europeans with T2DM(HealthDay)—A novel signal has been identified that is associated with microalbuminuria in Europeans with type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a study published online April 27 in Diabetes. |
 | Obstructive sleep apnea linked to thinning of calvaria, skull base(HealthDay)—Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with thinning of the calvaria and skull base, according to a study published online May 3 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. |
 | High incidence of sudden and/or arrhythmic death in CHD(HealthDay)—Among patients with coronary heart disease without severe systolic dysfunction, sudden and/or arrhythmic deaths (SAD) account for a considerable proportion of deaths, according to a study published online May 2 in JAMA Cardiology. |
 | Punctal plug deemed beneficial in ocular surface disease(HealthDay)—For patients with ocular surface disease (OSD) using prostaglandin analogue monotherapy, a punctal plug improves OSD and reduces intraocular pressure (IOP), according to a study published online April 26 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology. |
 | Study IDs pain descriptors for varying stages of low back pain(HealthDay)—Varying pain descriptors may be useful when evaluating patients with different stages of low back pain (LBP), according to a study published online April 30 in PAIN Practice. |
 | Computerized test may help improve ADHD diagnosesThe prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses in children and young people has increased, but diagnostic practice among clinicians remains variable, with significant diagnostic delays and reliance on subjective assessments. A new clinical trial published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry shows that adding a computerised test of attention and activity (QbTest) to standard care can reduce the time needed to make a diagnostic decision on ADHD, increase the likelihood of excluding ADHD when it is not present, and improve clinicians' confidence in their decision-making, without compromising diagnostic accuracy. |
 | Dengue virus transmission dominated by those with undetected infection, study findsPeople showing virtually no symptoms are likely the primary source of dengue fever, according to new research published in PLOS Pathogens. Nearly 400 million people each year are infected with dengue virus, which is transmitted through mosquitoes. |
Study warns of cholera flare-up in beleaguered YemenWar-torn Yemen, caught in what the UN terms the world's worst humanitarian crisis, risks a resurgence of cholera that could infect millions as the rainy season advances, researchers warned Friday. | |
 | What's a 'variant of uncertain significance?'Seven words someone taking a genetic test doesn't want to hear: |
 | Type 2 diabetes slowly rising in Auckland kids – Pacific and Māori have highest ratesNew research shows increasing numbers of children and teens under-15 in Auckland are developing type 2 diabetes, and that rates among Pacific and Māori children are up to 18 times higher than for European children. |
 | Decellularized muscle grafts support skeletal muscle regeneration to treat tissue lossA new comparative study showed the advantages of using donor decellularized muscle to promote functional tissue regeneration at the site of bulk skeletal muscle loss due to trauma or surgery. Compared to an autologous muscle graft, a decellularized muscle matrix used to repair medium- and large-sized defects in rats resulted in enhanced muscle function recovery, muscle regeneration, and the formation of new neuromuscular junctions, as reported in an article published in Tissue Engineering, Part A. |
Genomics is disrupting the healthcare sectorAffordable, rapid DNA sequencing is causing a revolution in medicine and healthcare globally—and it's happening now, says Thomas Barlow (Barlow Advisory), the author of the landmark Garvan Global Genomics Report, which launches today. | |
For parents of multiples, elevated rates of mental health symptoms but low rates of treatmentParents of twins and other multiple-birth children experience higher than average rates of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues, particularly during the first three months, according to a survey study in the May issue of Journal of Psychiatric Practice. | |
 | Iowa governor signs strictest abortion regulation in USIowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday signed a law banning most abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected, or at around six weeks of pregnancy, marking the strictest abortion regulation in the nation—but setting the state up for a lengthy court fight. |
Researchers: Former NHL player Jeff Parker had brain diseaseResearchers say former NHL player Jeff Parker suffered from a brain disease that has been linked with repeated head injuries in athletes. | |
Biology news
 | Third of Australia's threatened species not being monitoredA third of Australia's threatened species are not being tracked, scientists said Friday, warning they could easily slide into extinction without anyone noticing. |
 | Plants get a brace to precisely shed flowers and leavesIn the spring, pink cherry blossom petals are borne by the wind. Each of the falling petals leaves behind a little open cut on the plant, which might be prone to infection. The same happens when plants shed leaves, fruits and seeds. Biologists at DGIST and IBS have just reported in Cell how plants regulate the detachment process and protect themselves. As shedding is closely associated with a plants' life cycle, this is a topic of substantial interest to improve crop and fruit production. |
 | Molecular atlases of turtle and lizard brains shed light on the evolution of the human brainOur cerebral cortex, a sheet of neurons, connections and circuits, comprises "ancient" regions such as the hippocampus and "new" areas such as the six-layered "neocortex," found only in mammals and most prominently in humans. But when in evolution did the components of cerebral cortex arise and how did they evolve? Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt am Main studied gene expression in the neurons of the cortex of turtles and lizards, and found unexpected similarities and differences with the mammalian cortex. These results are a milestone towards reconstructing the evolution of the vertebrate brain. |
 | Microbes with a reserve pack of sulfurSUP05 bacteria are often found in places where there is really no basis for life for them. Researchers in Bremen have now discovered that they are even quite active there – possibly with consequences for the global nitrogen cycle. The bacteria travel with a "reserve pack." In addition, the researchers have deciphered the bacteria's genome. |
 | Molecular movies of RNA guide drug discoveryThumb through any old science textbook, and you'll likely find RNA described as little more than a means to an end, a kind of molecular scratch paper used to construct the proteins encoded in DNA. |
 | Zoo's aardvark contributes to national animal milk researchAn aardvark in Cincinnati is sharing his mother's milk—with scientists in Washington. |
 | Effects of hypoxia stronger on a busy benthosAs coastal marine environments become starved of oxygen, the response of one key species could have further consequences for an entire ecosystem. |
 | Armed conflicts in Sahara and Sahel endangering wildlife in the regionAn international study involving researchers from the University of Granada has established that the escalation of armed conflicts in the Sahara-Sahel region is leading to a dramatic population decline of species such as the African elephant and dorcas gazelle. The research paper calls for greater emphasis on environmental factors in the peace process initiatives that aim to bring an end to the conflicts. |
 | Odd microbial partnerships via electrically conductive particlesHuman activities have contributed to global warming, leading to increasing erosion of land. This results in conductive minerals being washed into water streams. The inflow of conductive particles can enable unusual electric partnerships between microbes, leading to additional emissions of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas. |
 | Study examines how therapy horses are affected when helping othersAnimal therapy helps people to relax, but how do the animals feel about it? A Rutgers University-New Brunswick study finds that horses don't mind working as part of therapy for traumatized veterans. |
 | How the hard work of wild animals benefits us tooLike other nature lovers and rural residents, I have been marvelling at the many animal courtships and other mating preparations that accompany the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. |
 | A drug lord and the world's largest invasive animalAt his infamous zenith in the 1990s, Pablo Escobar's drug-fueled empire—a vast underworld syndicate built upon the United States' insatiable appetite for cocaine—made him one of the wealthiest criminals in history. |
 | Researchers seek to make wheat fungus a thing of the pastResearchers have a new understanding of the genetic makeup of a fungus that causes the disease Wheat Stripe Rust, one of the most destructive wheat diseases globally costing $1 billion annually. |
 | Veterinary intervention helps Kansas bald eagle fly again after lead poisoningThanks to diligent action by concerned landowners, local law enforcement, staff of the Milford Nature Center and veterinary intervention at Kansas State University, a bald eagle suffering from lead contamination is flying again over the Tuttle Creek River Pond near Manhattan. |
 | Smart beehives and heat treatments could protect bees from declineSince the mid-1980s, the number of bees in Europe has been in decline. Threatened by pesticides, insecticides and climate change, they are also being struck by infestations of mites and a crippling virus that deforms their wings. But new technology aims to take the sting out of the situation. |
 | Racing can be fatal to horses, new study revealsIntense exercise can be fatal to racehorses, according to a new University of Guelph study. |
 | Line-1 modes of nuclear entrance and retrotranspositionIn a new SLAS Discovery auto-commentary, two authors of an article recently published in eLife ("LINE-1 Protein Localization and Functional Dynamics During the Cell Cycle") explain their general views on their novel discoveries and discuss ideas on the relevant new questions generated by their data. |
 | 50 live crocodiles from Malaysia seized at London airportBritish officials have seized an illegal shipment of 50 live crocodiles at London Heathrow Airport, the UK Border Force said Friday. |
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