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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 29, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | New model explains what we see when a massive black hole devours a starA star that wanders too close to the supermassive black hole in the center of its galaxy will be torn apart by the black hole's gravity in a violent cataclysm called a tidal disruption event (TDE), producing a bright flare of radiation. A new study led by theoretical astrophysicists at the University of Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute and UC Santa Cruz provides a unified model that explains recent observations of these extreme events. |
 | The case of the relativistic particles solved with NASA missionsEncircling Earth are two enormous rings—called the Van Allen radiation belts—of highly energized ions and electrons. Various processes can accelerate these particles to relativistic speeds, which endanger spacecraft unlucky enough to enter these giant bands of damaging radiation. Scientists had previously identified certain factors that might cause particles in the belts to become highly energized, but they had not known which cause dominates. |
 | Image: BepiColombo unpacked at the spaceportThe three modules of the ESA-JAXA BepiColombo mission to Mercury are pictured here shortly after being unpacked at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. |
 | First light for SPIRou, exoplanet hunterSPIRou, the new planet-hunting spectropolarimeter developed for the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), has successfully recorded its first starlight. Ten years after it was first designed and following four intensive months of installation at CFHT, this international instrument in which France has played a leading role is on the point of initiating its scientific operations, namely the detection of exoplanets around nearby red dwarf stars and the study of newborn stars and planets. The design and construction of SPIRou involved a number of French laboratories. It was then integrated at IRAP (CNRS/CNES/Université de Toulouse III—Paul Sabatier) before being shipped to Hawaii. |
Black holes from an exacomputerEven after the direct measurement of their gravitational waves, there are still mysteries surrounding black holes. What happens when two black holes merge, or when stars collide with a black hole? This has now been simulated by researchers from Goethe University Frankfurt and the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) using a novel numerical method. The simulation code "ExaHyPE" is designed in such a way that it will be able to calculate gravitational waves on the future generation of exascale supercomputers. | |
 | Researchers discover one of the most massive neutron starsUsing a pioneering method, researchers from the Astronomy and Astrophysics Group of the UPC and the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC) have found a neutron star of about 2.3 solar masses—one of the most massive ever detected. The study was published on the 23rd of May in the Astrophysical Journal and opens a new path of knowledge in many fields of astrophysics and nuclear physics. |
Natural phenomenon of Manhattanhenge expected to draw crowdsThanks to a natural phenomenon, it's not all about the plays and celebrity sightings in New York City. When the sun lines up with the Manhattan street grid before setting, the city gets bathed in radiance. | |
2nd powered test flight for Virgin Galactic spaceshipVirgin Galactic has conducted the second rocket-powered test flight of its tourism spaceship in the skies over California. | |
 | How changes in stars' speed gave away the most Earth-like planets ever observedWhen thinking about Earth-like exoplanet discoveries, the Kepler space telescope immediately comes to mind. Yet, it is not only Kepler, but also ground-based information from the HARPS-N spectrograph, that allowed the ETAEARTH consortium to obtain information on these planets with a degree of precision never reached before. |
 | New federal policy would hike student spacecraft costs, threatening technology educationThere are only a handful of astronauts, but every year thousands of high school and college students get to visit space vicariously, by launching their own satellites. Students design, build and test each one, and then work with space industry professionals to get them loaded on rockets and launched into orbit. But this opportunity – available to students and educators for more than 30 years – may not continue much longer, as the Federal Communications Commission considers hiking communications licensing fees beyond the reach of most students and schools. |
Technology news
 | Engineers design color-changing compression bandageCompression therapy is a standard form of treatment for patients who suffer from venous ulcers and other conditions in which veins struggle to return blood from the lower extremities. Compression stockings and bandages, wrapped tightly around the affected limb, can help to stimulate blood flow. But there is currently no clear way to gauge whether a bandage is applying an optimal pressure for a given condition. |
 | Quadrotor safety system offers protective interference against rotor mishapsDrone watchers are talking about a neat idea that has emerged from a prototype by researchers from Australia's University of Queensland, in Brisbane, Australia. They have worked on a rotor safety system for small UAVs (quadrotors). |
 | How to get robots to learn the way humans doMatthew Hutson, a freelance writer, has published a Feature article in the journal Science outlining progress in getting computers to learn and to think more like human beings. In his article, he suggests that a lot of problems will need to be solved before machines can learn to think the way people do. And at its root, he suggests, it will require figuring out how to get computers to learn both by trial and error and through baked-in features that correspond to instinct. |
 | Better, faster, stronger: Building batteries that don't go boomThere's an old saying: "You must learn to walk before you learn to run." Despite such wisdom, numerous industries skip the basics and sign up for marathons instead, including the battery industry. |
 | Checking the global pulse for electric vehiclesA team of academic researchers is seeking clarity on predictive plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) models. An examination of more than three dozen studies is providing some meaningful insights. |
 | Amazon's Alexa recorded and shared a conversation without consent, report saysAn Amazon device powered by the Alexa voice software recorded a couple's private conversation in their home and sent it to someone in their contact list without their knowledge, KIRO television reported. |
 | Researchers create framework to stop cyber attacks on internet-connected carsA new study by Maanak Gupta, doctoral candidate at The University of Texas at San Antonio, and Ravi Sandhu, Lutcher Brown Endowed Professor of computer science and founding executive director of the UTSA Institute for Cyber Security (ICS), examines the cybersecurity risks for new generations of smart which includes both autonomous and internet connected cars. |
 | Student Hyperloop motor tested at ESADutch students due to compete in Elon Musk's high-speed 'Hyperloop' challenge this July subjected their motor module to near-vacuum conditions within ESA's technical heart. |
 | Alibaba shows off automated wine store in Hong KongWith no shop workers or cash tills and payments made using facial recognition, China's largest e-commerce platform Alibaba created a fully automated wine store at Hong Kong's Vinexpo fair Tuesday. |
 | Eficient cost-effective cooling solution for high performance chipsImec, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nano-electronics and digital technology, today announced that it has demonstrated for the first time a low-cost impingement-based solution for cooling chips at package level. This achievement is an important innovation to tackle the ever-increasing cooling demands of high-performance 3D chips and systems. |
 | Why we programmed a robot to act like a sheepdogHave you watched a sheepdog gather sheep on a hillside? The sheep move in waves and pulse back and forth, the dog weaving behind and around them. Squint a bit and it's like watching iron filings on a piece of paper being drawn around by a magnet underneath, or a flock of starlings darting from an approaching falcon, or a school of fish evading an oncoming penguin. |
 | From drones to phones, new tech is making gardening easierNew technology is easing the way we garden, store equipment, monitor watering and re-shape landscapes. And some of those tasks can be done remotely, using phones or tablets. |
 | Construction delays make new nuclear power plants costlier than everThe cost of building new nuclear power plants is nearly 20 per cent higher than expected due to delays, a new analysis has found. |
 | Starbucks shuts 8,000 US stores for racial bias trainingStarbucks is closing more than 8,000 stores across the United States Tuesday to conduct employee training on racial bias, a closely watched exercise that spotlights lingering problems of discrimination nationwide. |
 | Bayer, Monsanto on cusp of marriage after US green light (Update)Nearly two years after unveiling their proposed merger, German chemicals firm Bayer and US agricultural giant Monsanto are on the cusp of finalizing the deal following conditional US government approval. |
 | Hacker sentenced to five years for major Yahoo security breachA Canadian computer hacker has been sentenced to five years in prison in connection with a massive security breach at Yahoo that federal agents say was directed by Russian government spies. |
 | Want to make your factory wireless? NIST can guide youIt's been called the "smart factory" and even given the lofty moniker of "the fourth industrial revolution." The manufacturing operation of the just-around-the-corner future will be one in which networked systems monitor and direct processes, machines communicate with each other and with humans at high speeds, and the factory itself makes decisions about how to optimize and facilitate production. |
 | Walk this way: Novel method enables infinite walking in VRIn the ever-evolving landscape of virtual reality (VR) technology, a number of key hurdles remain. But a team of computer scientists have tackled one of the major challenges in VR that will greatly improve user experience—enabling an immersive virtual experience while being physically limited to one's actual, real-world space. The research team will present their work at SIGGRAPH 2018. |
 | Leader of failed MH370 wreckage hunt hopes to search againThe head of a U.S. technology company that scoured the Indian Ocean seabed for more than three months looking for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 said on Tuesday he was disappointed the hunt failed to find wreckage and hoped to take part in some future search. |
 | Swiss watch exports tick ahead in AprilExports of Swiss watches ticked ahead nearly 14 percent in April, trade figures showed Tuesday, aided by strong demand from prime market Hong Kong. |
Cryptocurrency addicts seek treatment at Scottish clinicA Scottish addiction clinic has begun treating people who are hooked on trading cryptocurrencies. | |
 | Bayer selling $9B in ag business ahead of Monsanto mergerGerman pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG has agreed to the U.S. government's demand that it sell about $9 billion in agriculture businesses as condition for acquiring Monsanto Co., a U.S. seed and weed-killer maker. |
France to beef up emergency alert system on social mediaFrance's Interior Ministry announced plans on Tuesday to beef up its emergency alert system to the public across social media. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Scientists identify novel cellular mechanism that can lead to cancer metastasisScientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute have added a new dimension to the understanding of how cells alter their communication with one another during development, wound healing, and the spread of cancer. |
 | Oxytocin, vasopressin flatten social hierarchy and synchronize behaviorsOxytocin's effects on human social behavior aren't clear. Some studies reveal significant positive changes, yet others show none at all. In many animals, from rodents to non-human primates, it's a different story: Oxytocin has been proven to increase positive social behaviors and attention paid to others, and reduce negative social behaviors like threats and vigilance. |
 | Stress in infancy 'dramatically alters' body's organsScientists have found the first evidence suggesting emotional stress in infancy has significant and far-reaching effects on the body and could result in disease later in life. |
 | Learning from a cancer's past could predict its futureComplaining about the weather is a favourite pastime for many. And while we can't change it, the forecast gives us the opportunity to think ahead, plan and make sensible choices. Whether that's a change of outfit or using a different mode of transport, knowing what might lie ahead allows us to be prepared for what's predicted. |
 | Two teams independently come up with a way to avert CRS in CAR T-cell therapiesTwo teams of researchers, one working in the U.S., the other in Italy, have come up with new ways to avert cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in leukemia patients who undergo CAR T-cell therapies. In the first, the researchers working at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York developed a mouse model to replicate the conditions under which CRS develops. They were able to isolate a key molecule involved in the syndrome and then found a drug that blocks it. The second team developed a different mouse model and found the same molecule involved. But instead of blocking it, they genetically modified the T-cells to prevent CRS from arising in the first place. Both have published their results in the journal Nature Medicine. Cliona Rooney and Tim Sauer with Baylor College offer a News & Views piece on the work done by the two teams in the same journal issue. |
 | A key switch in biological clocksJust as we abide by an external time schedule to eat, sleep, and go to work, our body is similarly dictated by internal clocks. Known as circadian rhythms, these daily cycles keep us on a regular 24-hour day and are involved in numerous aspects of our well-being. When these biological clocks fail to work as they should, our bodies are out of phase with the outside world and this leads to many problems, not only sleep disorders but obesity, cancer and mental health issues as well. |
 | We could reverse aging by removing wrinkles inside our cells, study suggestsA new discovery about the effects of aging in our cells could allow doctors to cure or prevent diabetes, fatty liver disease and other metabolic diseases—and possibly even turn back the clock on aging itself. |
 | No need for high-dose vitamin D in infants: studyTripling the dose of vitamin D supplementation for babies does not make their bones any stronger by age two, according to a study in Finland published Tuesday. |
 | Single injection alleviates chemotherapy pain for months in miceResearchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found a new way to block a root cause of pain. The key is a naturally occurring protein called apolipoprotein A-I binding protein (AIBP). AIBP binds to toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a protein that sits on the surface of cells like an antenna, searching for signs of infection or tissue damage. The researchers found that treating mice with a single spinal injection of AIBP—and thus switching TLR4 "off"—prevented and reversed inflammation and cellular events associated with pain processing. |
 | Brain scientists identify 'cross talk' between neurons that control touch in miceScientists report they have uncovered a previously overlooked connection between neurons in two distinct areas of the mammalian brain. The neurons, they say, control the sense of touch, and their experiments in mice offer insights into mapping brain circuitry that is responsible for normal and abnormal perception and movements linked to touch. |
 | Impaired energy production may explain why brain is susceptible to age-related diseasesDefective energy production in old neurons might explain why our brains are so prone to age-related diseases. Salk researchers used a new method to discover that cells from older individuals had impaired mitochondria—the power stations of cells—and reduced energy production. A better understanding of the effects of aging on mitochondria could reveal more about the link between mitochondrial dysfunction and age-related brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The work appeared in Cell Reports on May 29, 2018. |
 | Study demonstrates link between social stress and shortened lifespan in miceA new study from University of Minnesota Medical School researchers has demonstrated that psychosocial stress can shorten the lifespan in mice. For years, stress and socio-economic status has been connected to morbidity and mortality in humans, but until now, it has not been mechanically understood or explored in animal models. |
 | Scientists show how brain circuit generates anxietyNeuroscientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified a neural circuit in the amygdala, the brain's seat of emotion processing, that gives rise to anxiety. Their insight has revealed the critical role of a molecule called dynorphin, which could serve as a target for treatment of anxiety-related disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). |
 | Early-life seizures prematurely wake up brain networks tied to autismEarly-life seizures prematurely switch on key synapses in the brain that may contribute to further neurodevelopmental delay in children with autism and other intellectual disabilities, suggests a new study from researchers at Penn Medicine published online in Cell Reports. Importantly, the study shows that an existing targeted therapy may keep those synapses "silent" after seizures to allow the brain to develop normally during a critical time in a person's life. "Silent" synapses become active with experience, and removal of the reservoir of these synapses due to seizures results in a decreased capacity to engage these synapses in later learning. |
 | Researchers magnify the brain in motion with every heartbeatUnderstanding how the brain moves—at rest and upon impact—has been crucial to understanding brain disorders, but technology to clearly see these movements has lagged behind. |
 | Researchers create advanced brain organoid to model strokes, screen drugsWake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) scientists have developed a 3-D brain organoid that could have potential applications in drug discovery and disease modeling. This is the first engineered tissue equivalent to closely resemble normal human brain anatomy, containing all six major cell types found in normal organs including, neurons and immune cells. |
 | Woulda, coulda, shoulda: The haunting regret of failing our ideal selvesForsaken dreams. Romantic interests not pursued. Securing a job near home rather than an adventurous position overseas. |
 | Man against machine: AI is better than dermatologists at diagnosing skin cancerResearchers have shown for the first time that a form of artificial intelligence or machine learning known as a deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN) is better than experienced dermatologists at detecting skin cancer. |
 | Report identifies characteristics of microorganisms most likely to cause a global pandemicInfectious disease preparedness work focuses predominantly on an historical list of pathogens derived from biological warfare agents, political considerations, and recent outbreaks. That fails to account for the most serious agents not currently known or without historical precedent, write scholars from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in a new report on the traits of microorganisms with high pandemic potential. |
 | Assessment of biomarkers of subconcussive head traumaResearchers from The Sport Science Center at Texas Christian University, Texas Health Sports Medicine, and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse evaluated the usefulness of biomarker testing in determining the potential extent of brain trauma suffered from repetitive subconcussive head impacts sustained over the course of a college football season. Their findings are reported today in the Journal of Neurosurgery, in the article "Fluctuations in blood biomarkers of head trauma in NCAA football athletes over the course of a season" by Jonathan M. Oliver, Ph.D., and colleagues . |
 | Scientists discover why heart function is reduced at high altitudeFor over a century, we have known that high altitude reduces the amount of blood the heart pumps around the body with each beat. New research published in The Journal of Physiology has unearthed why this is the case and the findings will be important for people who live, travel and exercise at high altitudes. |
Genomic medicine may one day revolutionize cardiovascular careA new scientific statement from the American Heart Association summarizes the state-of-the-science of genomic medicine—the study of the health effects of the molecular interactions of a person's unique genes—for studying cardiovascular traits and disorders and for therapeutic screening. | |
 | High protein diet associated with small increased heart failure risk in middle-aged menFor middle-aged men, eating higher amounts of protein was associated with a slightly elevated risk for heart failure than those who ate less protein, according to new research in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal. |
 | Human plus machine – face recognition at its bestThe first study to compare performances of trained facial examiners, super-recognisers, and facial-recognition algorithms, has revealed a combination of human and computer decision-making is most accurate. |
 | Social pursuits linked with increased life satisfactionIf you want to give a little boost to your life satisfaction a year from now, you may want to try socially-focused strategies over strategies that involve nonsocial pursuits, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. |
Anti-inflammatory strategy stops aggressive childhood cancerResearchers at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital have discovered that an anti-inflammatory drug candidate inhibiting the prostaglandin E2 producing enzyme mPGES-1 in the tumour stroma reduces tumour growth in experimental neuroblastoma models. The findings are published in EBioMedicine and open for new treatment strategies for this aggressive childhood cancer. | |
 | Some same sex attracted women avoid treatment for alcohol problemsSame sex attracted women (SSAW) have higher alcohol and mental health problem rates than heterosexual women but many do not access or are not satisfied with treatment, a University of Melbourne-led study has found. |
 | Treating domestic violence perpetratorsA QUT researcher is hoping to develop a new treatment approach for men who act violently towards their intimate partners. |
 | More than lip service to a smile in advertising and marketingBrands spend millions of dollars endorsing celebrities, including sports and movie stars, and when they get it right, it can be a powerful marketing tool – think Michael Jordan and Nike, George Clooney and Nespresso, or Beyonce and Pepsi. |
 | Olfactory receptor as therapeutic target in bladder cancerResearchers from Bochum have detected an olfactory receptor in the human bladder that might prove useful for bladder cancer therapy and diagnosis. Using cell culture studies, the team headed by Prof Dr Dr Dr habil Hanns Hatt and Dr Lea Weber demonstrated that the receptor occurs more frequently in bladder cancer tissue than in healthy bladder tissue. Accordingly, significant higher amounts of the receptor could be found in the urine samples of patients. The team from the Department for Cellphysiology at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, together with colleagues from the Augusta Hospital in Bochum and the University Hospital in Düsseldorf, describes the results in the journal Frontiers in Physiology (May 16, 2018). The researchers, moreover, explain why the olfactory receptor might be a suitable therapeutic target in cancerous and other diseases of the urinary bladder. |
Researchers discover nerve repair mechanismThe research group of the Physiology Department of Elche's Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH), Hugo Cabedo, has discovered how peripheral nerves induce the repair of the myelin sheath so that communication is properly restored following an injury. This finding could provide clues toward repairing the spinal cord. | |
Too little sleep in childhood may have negative effects on cholesterol levelsSleep has important functions for both health and cognitive performance. In her doctoral dissertation, MA Liisa Kuula-Paavola from University of Helsinki investigated typical, non-restricted sleep over a developmental span from middle childhood to early adulthood. | |
 | Remote village to metropolis—how globalisation spreads infectious diseasesThese days we can get from most remote villages anywhere to home in 36 hours. And migrating humans can certainly carry microbial "passengers". This means the increasing globalisation of our world can give infectious diseases a good opportunity to spread. |
 | Stopping Ebola before the virus goes viralThe Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains relatively small. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports 56 people with confirmed, probable or suspected infections, including 25 deaths. |
 | Prostate cancer survivors more susceptible to chronic diseasesProstate cancer survivors taking androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a treatment commonly used to block the release of male hormones, are at a higher risk of developing chronic diseases, according to new research published this week. |
 | Plants are new weapon in fight against dengueScientists have discovered a way to create disease fighting proteins from tobacco plants which could lead to the development of a vaccine for Dengue Fever. |
 | Answering a medical mystery: Why are vaccines less effective in the developing world?It's a question that has challenged scientists and physicians for years: Why do vaccines work better in some parts of the world than in others? A new study, led in part by University of Minnesota Medical School researcher Tim Schacker, MD, contributes to knowledge about why vaccines given in the developing world often are less effective than in the developed world. |
 | Sex hormone levels alter heart disease risk in older womenIn an analysis of data collected from more than 2,800 women after menopause, Johns Hopkins researchers report new evidence that a higher proportion of male to female sex hormones was associated with a significant increased relative cardiovascular disease risk. |
 | Recreational football an absolute winner for 55- to 70-year-olds with prediabetesTwice-weekly football training combined with dietary guidance improves fitness level and cardiovascular health profile in untrained 55-70-year-old women and men with prediabetes. Also leads to healthier weight loss than through normal dieting. |
 | Stronger alcohol policies help reduce alcohol-related crash deaths in USStronger alcohol policies, including those targeting both excessive drinking and driving while impaired by alcohol, reduce the likelihood of alcohol-related motor vehicle crash deaths, according to a new study from Boston Medical Center and Boston University. The findings, published in JAMA Internal Medicine and based on national data, demonstrate that policies involving alcohol consumption and drinking and driving contribute to lower rates of alcohol involvement in car crashes, indicating the need for more comprehensive policy approaches to be developed and implemented nationwide. |
 | Understanding the origin of Alzheimer's, looking for a cureAfter a decade of work, a team led by Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont researcher and Université de Montréal associate professor Dr. Gilbert Bernier has shed promising light on the origin of the most common and prevalent form of Alzheimer's disease, hoping to someday help mitigate or even reverse the progress of the disease. The team's results are published in the prestigious scientific journal Cell Reports. |
Trial shows AZEDRA can be effective, safe for treatment of rare neuroendocrine tumorsA radiotherapy drug that treats the rare neuroendocrine cancers pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma can be both effective and safe for patients, according to the findings of a multi-center trial led by researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The study showed AZEDRA (ultratrace iobenguane I131) led to a significant reduction in the cardiovascular side effects that are associated with these cancers while also stopping tumor growth. The drug is designed to treat malignant, recurrent, or unresectable forms of the cancers—cases for which there are currently no approved non-surgical treatments. Progenics Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures AZEDRA, recently submitted the findings of this trial as part of an application for approval to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The study's principal investigator Daniel A. Pryma, MD, an associate professor of Radiology and Radiation Oncology, and Chief of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Molecular Imaging at Penn's Perelman School of Medicine, will present the results at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2018 Annual Meeting in Chicago as an oral abstract (Abstract #4005). | |
 | Team develops hepatitis C model that could help improve treatmentThe University of Surrey has created a new mathematical model that details how the Hepatitis C (HCV) infection develops and behaves more accurately than previous models. This new model has the potential to improve treatment for the infection that affects 215,000 people in the United Kingdom. |
 | Health officials 'cautiously optimistic' on Ebola responseThe World Health Organization said Tuesday it is "cautiously optimistic" about efforts to curb the spread of Ebola in an urban area in Congo, although the lethal virus is still reported in at least two remote areas. |
Caseload volume in gynecologic surgery important consideration for womenWhen faced with the possibility of having to undergo gynecologic surgery, women rely on the guidance of their OBGYN providers to provide the best recommendations. More than 500,000 women undergo hysterectomy each year, in addition to those who have other gynecologic surgeries. However, many gynecologic surgeons do not regularly practice the most up-to-date minimally invasive surgery. | |
WIC participation better among vulnerable, US citizen children whose mothers are eligible for DACAResults of a study of nearly 2,000 U.S. citizen children and their mothers add to growing evidence of the multigenerational, beneficial effects of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy on children who are citizens, illustrating increased participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) among citizen children whose mothers are likely eligible for DACA. | |
 | In child-crippling mucolipidosis IV, drug shows hope in lab culturesMucolipidosis IV debilitates afflicted children's nervous systems in their first year of life, steals their eyesight in their teens and takes their lives in their twenties, and so far, there is no therapy to fight it. Now, lab tests using an existing prescription drug have shown initial hope for a future treatment. |
 | Neuroscientists publish research that opens door for brain disorder therapiesA Montana State University neuroscientist who studies vision and visual attention has published research that reveals how the brain maintains attention on an object even while the eyes are making many rapid, voluntary movements. This research seeks to answer fundamental questions that could eventually lead to new treatments or therapies for some brain disorders. |
Four skills key in establishing nurse-led cross-sector collaborationsAbout 70 percent of all variations in health care outcomes are explained by individuals' social conditions including housing, neighborhood conditions, and income, data show. In order to establish community cultures of health where people are empowered to live healthier lives, health care providers and community sector leaders in transportation, government, schools, and businesses must collaborate to address the social conditions that affect population health. | |
 | Mathematical model explains why metastasis can occur even when cancer is caught earlyThe concept of survival of the fittest most often applies to the competition that occurs within and between animal species, but evolutionary pressures can be found elsewhere—even in a cancerous tumor. |
New research finds lung cancer risk drops substantially within five years of quittingJust because you stopped smoking years ago doesn't mean you're out of the woods when it comes to developing lung cancer. That's the "bad" news. The good news is your risk of lung cancer drops substantially within five years of quitting. | |
Proxies less likely to use interventions when patients are close to deathResearchers from Hebrew SeniorLife's Institute for Aging Research (IFAR) have discovered that to begin with, proxies are a fairly accurate judge of the length of life left for their loved one with advanced dementia. Secondly, when proxies have judged that their loved one has less than 6 months to live they are more likely to have discussed goals of care with the health care team, and less likely to agree to burdensome interventions. | |
 | Data from online physician review sites may be skewed and misleading to consumers, new study findsPhysician satisfaction scores on online third-party review sites tend to be skewed and can easily mislead patients, according to a new study by Cedars-Sinai investigators. |
 | High-risk, undertreated mystery heart attacks occurring more commonly in womenA whole new category of heart attack, not caused by obstructed arteries, is more common and higher risk—especially in women—than previously thought, according to a University of Alberta study. |
 | Smell receptor fuels prostate cancer progressionWhen scientists first described the receptors responsible for our sense of smell, they naturally assumed that these chemical sensors resided exclusively in the lining of our noses. |
 | A young life lost to high insulin prices(HealthDay)—Alec Smith was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes shortly before his 24th birthday. When he turned 26, he lost his health insurance. Less than a month later, he lost his life because he couldn't afford the exorbitant price of his life-saving insulin. |
 | Thirsty mosquitoes may bite more in droughts(HealthDay)—Your blood mght be a thirst quencher for mosquitoes during a drought. |
 | Take your swim workouts to the next level(HealthDay)—Swimming is a great way to stay in shape while having fun and without stressing your joints. |
 | Stroke survivor vows to 'live life again'Last November, two days before Thanksgiving, Gerardo Lucio collapsed after getting off a forklift at work. When he was able to get up, his right arm and leg were weak and he had trouble walking. A nephew he worked with took him to a hospital. |
 | Another drug to prevent migraines shows promise(HealthDay)—Migraine sufferers could soon turn to a number of new medications to avoid their crippling headaches. |
 | Scientists seek to better protect the eye from glaucomaUnder the increased pressure of glaucoma, scientists want to help the neurons in our eyes better protect themselves and get better help from their friends. |
Responding to 'deaths of despair'—call for a national resilience strategyStartling increases in nationwide deaths from drug overdoses, alcohol, and suicides constitute a public health crisis - spurring an urgent call for a National Resilience Strategy to stem these "deaths of despair." The proposal is outlined in a special commentary in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. | |
 | Ovarian cancer statistics, 2018A new report from the American Cancer Society provides an overview of ovarian cancer occurrence and mortality data. Ovarian Cancer Statistics, 2018 is published early online in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. |
 | CDC interventions targeting diabetes in pregnancy could improve maternal and infant healthDiabetes in pregnant women can have serious health consequences for both mother and baby, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified four target areas in which increased surveillance, screening, and preventive care can improve maternal and infant health. CDC researchers provide an up-to-date review of the science related to diabetes during pregnancy and describe the activities they have implemented at different stages of pregnancy, from preconception to postpartum care, in an article published in Journal of Women's Health. |
Unlicenced Ebola meds could soon be used in DR Congo: WHOThe World Health Organization said Tuesday it was awaiting formal approval from the Democratic Republic of Congo to send in unlicenced Ebola medication to help rein in an outbreak of the deadly virus. | |
 | 'Second brain' neurons keep colon movingMillions of neurons in the gastrointestinal tract coordinate their activity to generate the muscle contractions that propel waste through the last leg of the digestive system, according to a study of isolated mouse colons published in JNeurosci. The newly identified neuronal firing pattern may represent an early feature preserved through the evolution of nervous systems. |
Surgical outcomes equivalent whether physician anesthesiologist assisted by nurse anesthetist or AAPatients who undergo inpatient surgery experience no difference in death rates, hospital length of stay or costs between admission or discharge whether their physician anesthesiologist is assisted by a nurse anesthetist or an anesthesiologist assistant, according to a new study published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). | |
 | Virtual brain could aid surgical planningResearchers have simulated neural activity based on the unique structural architecture of individual brain tumor patients using a platform called The Virtual Brain. The findings, reported in eNeuro, are a first step toward creating personalized brain models that could be used to predict the effects of tumors and consequent surgery on brain function. |
 | E. coli infection induces delirium in aging ratsActivation of the immune system by an infection may temporarily disrupt formation of long-term memories in healthy, aging rats by reducing levels of a protein required for brain cells to make new connections, suggests new research published in eNeuro. |
Male thyroid cancer survivors face 50 percent higher risk of heart disease than womenMale thyroid cancer survivors have a nearly 50 percent higher risk of developing heart disease than women within five years of cancer diagnosis, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. | |
 | Portugal's parliament to vote on bills legalizing euthanasiaPortuguese lawmakers were holding a landmark debate Tuesday on whether to make Portugal one of only a handful of countries in the world allowing euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide. |
 | First time guidance on treating red diaper syndrome in otherwise healthy breastfed infantsA case study and subsequent literature review has concluded that absent signs of clinical infection, breastfeeding should continue normally when mother and baby are diagnosed with Red Diaper Syndrome (pink-colored breast milk and pink-colored soiled diapers) caused by Serratia marcescens, an opportunistic bacteria. The study in Breastfeeding Medicine. |
Custom 3D-printed models help plastic surgeons plan and perform rhinoplastyComputer-designed, 3-D-printed models are emerging as a useful new tool for planning and carrying out cosmetic plastic surgery of the nose, reports a paper in the June issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). | |
 | Portugal's parliament rejects bills legalizing euthanasiaPortuguese lawmakers Tuesday narrowly rejected a proposal to make Portugal one of only a handful of countries in the world allowing euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide. |
Biology news
 | A photosynthetic engine for artificial cellsIn the quest to build an artificial cell, there are two approaches: The first, reengineers the genomic software of a living cell. The second, focuses on cellular hardware, building simple, cell-like structures from the ground up that mimic the function of living cells. One of the biggest challenges in this second approach is mimicking the intricate chemical and biological reactions required for cells to perform complex behaviors. |
 | Wars and clan structure may explain a strange biological event 7,000 years agoStarting about 7,000 years ago, something weird seems to have happened to men: Over the next two millennia, recent studies suggest, their genetic diversity —specifically, the diversity of their Y chromosomes—collapsed. So extreme was that collapse that it was as if there was only one man left to mate for every 17 women. |
 | Could we work together with our bacteria to stop infection?The benefits of antibiotics to both human and animal health are undisputed. However, as microbes have become increasingly resistant to antimicrobials and other drugs, scientists have become interested in new solutions to the growing superbug crisis, including the use of defensive microbes and faecal transplants. In new research, Oxford University scientists have developed a lab-based approach, creating positive co-dependent relationships between hosts and bacteria, termed 'mutualisms', quickly. These lab-developed bacterial relationships demonstrate how microbes can work with their hosts to prevent infection. |
 | Climate change forced zombie ant fungi to adaptZombie ants clamp on to aerial vegetation and hang for months spewing the spores of their parasitic fungi, but researchers noticed that they do not always clamp on to the same part of the plant. Now the researchers know that the choice of leaves or twigs is related to climate and that climate change forced the fungi to adapt to local conditions. |
 | Troika of proteins controls leaf old age onsetResearchers at the Center for Plant Aging Research, within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), have discovered that a three protein hub – dubbed NAC troika—controls the onset of leaf old age. Their systematic study, published on Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), describes protein networks that change during the plant lifespan and play a role in aging. |
 | New tool for female reproductive geneticsThe fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model organism for studying animal and human development and disease. It is low cost, generates rapidly, and there are many tools to genetically modify its cells. One tool is called the Gal4/UAS two-component activation system. It is a biochemical method used to study the process of turning a gene on (gene expression) and gene function. Although it has been a mainstay of Drosophila genetics for twenty-five years, it only functions effectively in non-reproductive cells, not in egg-producing cells. It has not been known why. Now, Carnegie's Steven DeLuca and Allan Spradling have discovered why and the have developed a new tool that can work in both cell types. The research is published in the June 2018 Genetics. |
 | It takes a village—How researchers built their own microscope to decipher 'superbugs'A hand-made super-microscope—capable of seeing the actual building blocks of a bacterial cell wall—has helped Monash researchers decipher how bacteria are able to literally build a wall against the immune system, leading to often deadly disease. |
 | Researchers identify how eye loss occurs in blind cavefishLoss of eye tissue in blind cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus), which occurs within a few days of their development, happens through epigenetic silencing of eye-related genes, according to a study led by the National Institutes of Health. Epigenetic regulation is a process where genes are turned off or on, typically in a reversible or temporary manner. This mechanism differs from genetic mutations, which are permanent changes in the DNA code. The study appears in Nature Ecology & Evolution. |
 | Folkloric and a national symbol: saving the Balkan LynxIn Albania, legend has it that staring into the almond-shaped eyes of the Balkan Lynx renders you blind. |
Scientists develop improved model for study of Zika virusAn international research team has developed a new animal model used to study the pathogenesis of the Zika virus. Scientists were able to induce the disease in mice in a way that is similar to human pathology. The new model reflects the most dangerous manifestation of the Zika virus: infection of the fetus from a pregnant woman, which leads to developmental problems. This was achieved due to a new, more pathogenic virus strain, as well as a specially bred group of mice with a human-like immune response. The new model paves the way for more detailed study of the Zika virus, which should result in a more effective fight against it. The research is published in Cell Host & Microbe. | |
 | Hold your horses – feral horse fertility control isn't that easyA proposed Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Bill that rules out shooting horses is based on a flawed understanding of fertility control. Unfortunately, by ignoring scientific evidence and expert advice horses will be condemned to slow starvation. |
The shape of the DNA helix proves to be as important as its sequenceThe mechanism of DNA binding of the well-studied protein Polycomb, which is vital for cell division and embryogenesis, has finally been deciphered. A remarkable discovery, as it proves that the shape of DNA is at least as important for where the protein binds in the DNA as the DNA sequence. The role of the shape of DNA had not been demonstrated so clearly. Researchers at Radboud University will publish their findings on May 28th in the scientific journal Nature Genetics. | |
 | Viruses can cause global pandemics, but where did the first virus come from?Viruses such as Ebola, influenza and Zika make headlines. They grab our attention with their potential to cause widespread disease and death. |
 | Why do trees sleep badly?You may think that trees and other plants are stationary and passive organisms that just stand around all day. So long as they get sufficient sun and water, everything is fine. |
 | Can this bird adapt to a warmer climate? Read the genes to find outMany animals have adaptations that help them cope with specific environments or lifestyles. Antarctic fish produce antifreeze proteins that prevent their blood from freezing in subzero temperatures. Some desert rodents survive without ever drinking a single drop of water. Humans living at high altitudes have special adaptations to cope with the low oxygen concentrations. |
 | France vows to outlaw glyphosate weedkillers within 3 yearsThe French government reiterated Tuesday a campaign pledge by President Emmanuel Macron to ban glyphosate-based herbicides by 2021, after senators refused to enshrine the pledge into law. |
 | Group making digital tool for documenting life on Earth adopts new organizational modelFor more than 20 years, scientists managing biological research collections around the world have used open-source Specify software for data entry, managing museum curation, linking images and documents to specimens, and for sharing species information for education and research. Recently, the project has added options for mobile and cloud-computing technology. |
Conservation groups' pact will help save Atlantic salmonTwo conservation groups said Tuesday a deal has been struck with commercial fishermen in Greenland and the Faroe Islands that will help thousands of vulnerable Atlantic salmon return to rivers in the United States, Canada and Europe. | |
Postbiotics and smart toilets—new era of harnessing our microbial chemicals to keep us slim and healthyEver since Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin growing naturally on a petri dish, we have been aware of the power of chemicals produced by microbes. But we have only recently realised their vast potential. | |
 | The last laugh – How long before the helmeted hornbill falls silent?I'll never forget the first time I heard the maniacal cackle of a helmeted hornbill. I was standing beneath a massive fruiting fig tree in the middle of the Brunei rainforest – not exactly the heart of Borneo, but it was certainly wild enough for me – and craning my neck to catch a glimpse of the gibbons in the canopy. The ripening fruit was a magnet for all manner of other wildlife too, from wild pigs, diminutive mouse deer and tufted jungle king butterflies on the forest floor to pig-tailed macaques, barbets and, yes, hornbills in the treetops. |
 | We are still evolvingFrom the colour of our eyes to the size of our brain, humans have been adapting to their environment, acquiring new abilities and losing others. We take a look at how evolution is still shaping us. |
 | Toxic pesticide use rising at illegal California pot farmsResearchers and U.S. authorities are finding what they say is an alarming increase in the use of a powerful banned pesticide at illegal marijuana farms hidden on public land in California. |
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