Thursday, June 14, 2018

Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jun 14

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 14, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Harmonic oscillator's most 'classical-like' state exhibits nonclassical behavior

The most distant radio galaxy discovered

Engineers configure RFID tags to work as sensors

Amber fossils provide oldest evidence of frogs in wet, tropical forests

Microbe breaks 'universal' DNA rule by using two different translations

Astronomers see distant eruption as black hole destroys star

One black hole or two? Dust clouds can explain puzzling features of active galactic nuclei

New type of photosynthesis discovered

A sprinkle of platinum nanoparticles onto graphene makes brain probes more sensitive

Modern alchemists are making chemistry greener

Scientists discover biomarker for flu susceptibility

Apple closing iPhone security gap used by law enforcement

Exoskeleton designed to help paraplegics walk

Scientists show that drugs targeting tumor metabolism will not stop natural killer cells

Enigma of fatty acid metabolism solved—enzyme shape controls activity

Astronomy & Space news

The most distant radio galaxy discovered

An international team of astronomers has detected a new high-redshift radio galaxy (HzRG). The newly identified HzRG, designated TGSS1530, was found at a redshift of 5.72, meaning that it is the most distant radio galaxy known to date. The finding is reported in a paper published June 4 on arXiv.org.

Astronomers see distant eruption as black hole destroys star

For the first time, astronomers have directly imaged the formation and expansion of a fast-moving jet of material ejected when the powerful gravity of a supermassive black hole ripped apart a star that wandered too close to the cosmic monster.

One black hole or two? Dust clouds can explain puzzling features of active galactic nuclei

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), believe clouds of dust, rather than twin black holes, can explain the features found in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The team publish their results today (14 June) in a paper in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

NASA encounters the perfect storm for science

One of the thickest dust storms ever observed on Mars has been spreading for the past week and a half. The storm has caused NASA's Opportunity rover to suspend science operations, but also offers a window for four other spacecraft to learn from the swirling dust.

Researchers identify 121 giant planets that may have habitable moons

We've all heard about the search for life on other planets, but what about looking on other moons?

New Greenland telescope is up and running

Greenland can now brag about hosting a large, operational radio telescope, with a dish measuring 12 metres in diameter.

Spacewalking astronauts set up TV cameras for arriving ships

Spacewalking astronauts set up TV cameras Thursday for new crew capsules set to arrive in coming months.

UK says shut out of EU's Galileo sat-nav contracts

Britain has been formally excluded from future contracts for the EU's Galileo satellite-navigation system, the government said on Thursday, condemning the decision as "completely unacceptable".

Dancing with giants: dynamics of dwarf satellite galaxies

Dwarf satellite galaxies in the Milky Way perform different dances than researchers initially expected. Marius Cautun from Durham University received a Marie Curie grant to unravel the mysteries of this orbital dance. October 1st 2018 he will start his research at the Leiden Observatory.

Long suspected theory about the moon holds water

A team of Japanese scientists led by Masahiro Kayama of Tohoku University's Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, has discovered a mineral known as moganite in a lunar meteorite found in a hot desert in northwest Africa.

New and improved way to find baby planets

New work from an international team of astronomers including Carnegie's Jaehan Bae used archival radio telescope data to develop a new method for finding very young extrasolar planets. Their technique successfully confirmed the existence of two previously predicted Jupiter-mass planets around the star HD 163296. Their work is published by the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Technology news

Engineers configure RFID tags to work as sensors

These days, many retailers and manufacturers are tracking their products using RFID, or radio-frequency identification tags. Often, these tags come in the form of paper-based labels outfitted with a simple antenna and memory chip. When slapped on a milk carton or jacket collar, RFID tags act as smart signatures, transmitting information to a radio-frequency reader about the identity, state, or location of a given product.

Apple closing iPhone security gap used by law enforcement

Apple is closing a security gap that allowed outsiders to pry personal information from locked iPhones without a password, a change that will thwart law enforcement agencies that have been exploiting the vulnerability to collect evidence in criminal investigations.

Exoskeleton designed to help paraplegics walk

An exoskeleton that can restore mobility for people confined to wheelchairs is always met with interest by medical professionals and by those affected. This time around, a lot of interest is evidenced in a team's effort to provide an exoskeleton that does not require the use of crutches.

The future of AI needs hardware accelerators based on analog memory devices

Imagine personalized Artificial Intelligence (AI), where your smartphone becomes more like an intelligent assistant – recognizing your voice even in a noisy room, understanding the context of different social situations or presenting only the information that's truly relevant to you, plucked out of the flood of data that arrives every day. Such capabilities might soon be within our reach – but getting there will require fast, powerful, energy-efficient AI hardware accelerators.

'iPal' robot companion for China's lonely children

It speaks two languages, gives math lessons, tells jokes and interacts with children through the tablet screen in its chest—China's latest robot is the babysitter every parent needs.

Gasoline-alcohol engines for heavy-duty trucks could produce a meaningful improvement in global air quality

Most efforts to reduce the adverse air pollution and climate impacts of today's vehicles focus on cars and light-duty trucks that are typically fueled by gasoline, with strategies that range from electrification and carpooling to autonomous vehicles.

Tripling the energy storage of lithium-ion batteries

As the demand for smartphones, electric vehicles, and renewable energy continues to rise, scientists are searching for ways to improve lithium-ion batteries—the most common type of battery found in home electronics and a promising solution for grid-scale energy storage. Increasing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries could facilitate the development of advanced technologies with long-lasting batteries, as well as the widespread use of wind and solar energy. Now, researchers have made significant progress toward achieving that goal.

System allows surveillance cameras to 'talk' to the public through individual smartphones

Purdue University researchers have created a technology that allows public cameras to send personalized messages to people without compromising their privacy.

Cortana vulnerability has been patched

Microsoft has a security update regarding Cortana and it's worth a look.

British engine maker Rolls-Royce cuts 4,600 jobs

Rolls-Royce plans to axe 4,600 mainly British management roles by 2020 to further slash costs, the UK maker of plane engines announced on Thursday.

Comcast-Disney fight highlights shifting media landscape

That didn't take long.

How Fox's businesses would match up with Disney and Comcast

Competing bids from Comcast and Disney for the bulk of Twenty-First Century Fox come as the media landscape changes and companies get more involved in both creating and distributing content.

Who's that selling steaks off a truck? It's Amazon

Donna Brunswick drove to a Costco last month to pick up 2 pounds of raw flank steak—not at the wholesale club, but from a truck in the parking lot.

The fake news detector

A story on Reddit asks, "Did Palestinians Recognize Texas as Part of Mexico?" The origin of the story might be dubious, but it doesn't prevent the "fake news" story from accumulating 1.5 million likes across multiple platforms in just four days. The fake news dilemma dates back centuries, according to Politico, but the advance of technology and the rise of social media, it's now at its zenith.

We must ensure new food retail technologies are not barriers to better health

Imagine a world where smart pantries sense when you are running out of your favourite food and order more of it, without you lifting a finger. Where intelligent robots roam your grocery store, ever at your service. Where dynamic food pricing changes minute-to-minute depending on the weather outside, or what the store down the road is offering.

Why 50,000 ships are so vulnerable to cyberattacks

The 50,000 ships sailing the sea at any one time have joined an ever-expanding list of objects that can be hacked. Cybersecurity experts recently displayed how easy it was to break into a ship's navigational equipment. This comes only a few years after researchers showed that they could fool the GPS of a super-yacht into altering course. Once upon a time objects such as cars, toasters and tugboats only did what they were originally designed to do. Today the problem is that they all also talk to the internet.

Robot vision makes solar cell manufacture more efficient

"The price of solar-generated electricity continues to plummet, and the technology is taking over as the least expensive form of energy in more and more parts of the world," says solar cell researcher John Atle Bones at SINTEF.

Facebook news use declining, WhatsApp growing: study

News consumption is increasingly shifting from social media like Facebook to messaging applications like WhatsApp, according to a study published Thursday which also found high levels of international public concern about fake news online.

How microgrids could boost resilience in New Orleans

During Hurricane Katrina and other severe storms that have hit New Orleans, power outages, flooding and wind damage combined to cut off people from clean drinking water, food, medical care, shelter, prescriptions and other vital services.

Kaspersky freezes ties with Europol over calls for EU ban

Russian cybersecurity giant Kaspersky Lab said it has decided to put a halt to its work with several European anti-cybercrime initiatives, following a move in the European Parliament to ban its antivirus software.

Musk company to build Chicago-to-O'Hare express transport

The Boring Company, founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has been selected to build a high-speed underground transportation system that it says will whisk passengers from downtown Chicago to O'Hare International Airport in mere minutes.

Facebook used less for news as discussion moves towards messaging apps

The use of social media for news has started to fall in a number of key markets after years of continuous growth, according to the seventh annual Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford.

EU sets higher target for renewable energy by 2030

The EU agreed Thursday to raise its consumption target from wind, solar and other renewable energy sources, aiming for 32 percent by 2030 rather than the previous 27 percent.

Microsoft follows Amazon in pursuit of cashier-less stores

Microsoft is working on automated checkout technology that could help retailers compete with Amazon's new cashier-less stores.

Samsung joins global pledge to increase renewable energy use

Samsung Electronics Co., the world's biggest smartphone maker, joined on Thursday a growing list of companies that are promising to increase their use of solar and other renewable energy to help curb global warming.

US court confirms danger posed by 'sound cannons'

A New York appeals court on Wednesday upheld a lower court's ruling that two police officers' use of a "sound cannon" was an unconstitutional abuse of force.

Indoor positioning using a wireless network

Scientists from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania, have developed an innovative method for indoor positioning of people and things using wireless network. It localises a human being or an object within an accuracy of one meter, it works in any Wi-Fi-equipped device, and has multiple commercial applications.

Germany agrees to lease Israeli-made drones: manufacturer

Germany has agreed a nine year deal worth over half a billion dollars to lease Israeli military reconnaissance drones capable of carrying missiles, the aircraft's manufacturers said Thursday.

Cyber threats to connected cars

Connected cars could be as vulnerable to so-called "cyber attack" as the smartphone in your hand or the personal computer on your desktop, according to a new study from the UK. "Connected cars are no different from other nodes on the internet of things and face many of the same generic cybersecurity threats," the team reports. They point out that the sheer number of putatively connected vehicles represents the biggest problem to be addressed and yet there have been few contributions to the debate. There are threats that are peculiar to connected cars rather than any other Internet of Things (IoT) device, PC, or mobile.

Britain eases visa rules with eye on post-Brexit migration plan

Britain said Thursday it is easing visa rules to address a shortage of doctors and also encourage tech entrepreneurs as it prepares a new post-EU immigration system, an issue that drove the Brexit vote.

Anonymous Twitter troll convicted of abuse in Belgium

A Belgian court has convicted an anonymous Twitter user of harassment after the social media giant supplied his identity, in the country's first case of its kind, officials said Thursday.

Medicine & Health news

Scientists discover biomarker for flu susceptibility

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found a way to predict whether someone exposed to the flu virus is likely to become ill.

Scientists show that drugs targeting tumor metabolism will not stop natural killer cells

Scientists have just made an important discovery as to how cancer-targeting 'Natural Killer' (NK) cells are fuelled in the body, which has significant implications for related therapies. They found that glutamine—vital for making the energy that fuels tumour cell growth—is not an important fuel for making energy in NK cells, which instead primarily use glucose. As a result the door is now open to targeting glutamine metabolism in tumour cells, as any drugs that do this will not hinder our cancer-killing NK cells.

Religious affiliation linked to nearly 4-year longevity boost

A new nationwide study of obituaries has found that people with religious affiliations lived nearly four years longer than those with no ties to religion.

Gene testing could identify men with prostate cancer who may benefit from immunotherapy

Scientists have identified a pattern of genetic changes that could pick out men with advanced prostate cancer who are likely to benefit from immunotherapy.

New evidence sheds light on how Parkinson's disease may happen

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have identified unexpected new key players in the development of an early onset form of Parkinson's disease called Parkinsonism. These key players are ceramides, a family of lipid molecules that are found within cell membranes. The researchers propose that ceramides are the linchpin that connects previously identified cellular defects and genes independently known to be associated with Parkinson's disease and suggest a mechanism that can lead to the condition. The findings, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, could result in novel strategies to prevent or treat the condition in the future.

Without 'yoga and chardonnay' leukemia stem cells are stressed to death

Change is stressful. The change that a healthy blood stem cell undergoes to become a leukemia stem cell (LSC) is no exception—think of healthy blood stem cells as young professionals and the transformation into an LSC as having a child. Now these chronically frazzled LSCs need a special stress-relief technique above and beyond what they used to require. And the LSC equivalent of yoga and chardonnay is a process called mitophagy. LSCs desperately need mitophagy. Without it, they die.

Foods combining fats and carbohydrates more rewarding than foods with just fats or carbs

Researchers show that the reward center of the brain values foods high in both fat and carbohydrates—i.e., many processed foods—more than foods containing only fat or only carbs. A study of 206 adults, to appear June 14 in the journal Cell Metabolism, supports the idea that these kinds of foods hijack our body's inborn signals governing food consumption.

The same characteristics can be acquired differently when it comes to neurons

Distinct molecular mechanisms can generate the same features in different neurons, a team of scientists has discovered. Its findings, which appear in the journal Cell, enhance our understanding of brain cell development.

Statins found to enhance efficacy of chemotherapy drug in blood cancers

A team of researchers with members affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. has found that some statins could enhance the efficacy of a chemotherapy drug used to fight blood cancers in mouse models. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes their study of statins used with the chemotherapy drug venetoclax and what they found.

The neurons that rewrite traumatic memories

Memories of traumatic experiences can lead to mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can destroy a person's life. It is currently estimated that almost a third of all people will suffer from fear- or stress-related disorders at some point in their lives.

Spatial memory patterns mapped

Researchers at Cardiff University have mapped out how we store long-term spatial memory, shedding light on how our brains remember where things are within our surroundings.

Neuroscientists locate neurons in the brain that respond when a visual target is found

From looking for Waldo to finding your cellphone on a cluttered kitchen table, we are continuously engaged in visual searches. How does the brain do this? How do we know where to look? How do we know when we've found what we are looking for? For the first time, neuroscientists from Caltech have found neurons in the human brain that respond when our targets are spotted. The research involved a collaboration with scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where the data were collected, and West Virginia University.

Researchers find transport molecule has unexpected role

UT Southwestern researchers recently reported a basic science finding that might someday lead to better treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like a hereditary form of Lou Gehrig's disease.

Study shows how intensive instruction changes brain circuitry in struggling readers

The early years are when the brain develops the most, forming neural connections that pave the way for how a child—and the eventual adult—will express feelings, embark on a task, and learn new skills and concepts.

When emotional memories intrude, focusing on context could help, study finds

When negative memories intrude, focusing on the contextual details of the incident rather than the emotional fallout could help minimize cognitive disruption and redirect the brain's resources to the task at hand, suggests a new study by psychologists at the University of Illinois.

UK urgently needs a joined up approach to recruitment of international doctors

The UK urgently needs a joined up and strategic approach to the recruitment of international health professionals, argue experts in The BMJ today.

US painkiller restriction linked to 'significant' increase in illicit online drug trading

The US Drug Enforcement Administration's decision to restrict prescription drugs containing hydrocodone (a popular opioid painkiller) was associated with a 'significant' increase in illicit trading of opioids through online markets, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

Study unmasks scale of patient doctor divide

A study has estimated that around three million Britons—or 7.6 % of the country—believe they have experienced a harmful or potentially harmful but preventable problem in primary healthcare.

Tdap vaccine given during pregnancy reduces occurrence of infant pertussis

A study published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows the effectiveness of the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) vaccine for infants whose mothers receive the vaccine during pregnancy. The "Effectiveness of Prenatal Tetanus, Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis Vaccination in the Prevention of Infant Pertussis in the U.S." study led by Sylvia Becker-Dreps, MD, MPH, associate professor in the departments of family medicine in the UNC School of Medicine and epidemiology in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, is the first to look at clinical outcomes of the vaccine in infants over the first 18 months of life.

Bone mass may suffer when teenage girls binge drink

Teenage girls who regularly binge drink may fail to reach their peak bone mass, according to a new study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Researchers find link between allergen in red meat and heart disease

A team of researchers says it has linked sensitivity to an allergen in red meat to the buildup of plaque in the arteries of the heart. While high saturated fat levels in red meat have long been known to contribute to heart disease for people in general, the new finding suggests that a subgroup of the population may be at heightened risk for a different reason—a food allergen. The study, which is supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, appears in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB), a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

Tobacco aside, e-cigarette flavorings may harm blood vessels

Flavor additives used in electronic cigarettes and related tobacco products could impair blood vessel function and may be an early indicator of heart damage, according to new laboratory research in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, an American Heart Association journal.

Bilinguals use inter-language transfer to deal with dyslexia

Dyslexic children learning both a language that is pronounced as written, like Spanish, and a second language in which the same letter can have several sounds, such as English, are less affected by this alteration when reading or writing in the latter language. The authors a new study say that this is less a cure than a reduction of some of the symptoms.

New mechanism by which Alzheimer's disease spreads through the brain discovered

The waste-management system of the cell appears to play an important role in the spread of Alzheimer's disease in the brain. A new study has focused on small, membrane-covered droplets known as exosomes. It was long believed that the main task of exosomes was to rid the cell of waste products. However, the understanding of exosomes has increased, and researchers now know that cells throughout the body use exosomes to transmit information. The exosomes can contain both proteins and genetic material, which other cells can absorb.

Female genital mutilation increases risk of developing mental illness and changes the body's reactions to stress

Female genital mutilation (FGM) has been officially recognised as a human rights violation by the United Nations since 1992. Still, efforts to prevent the mutilation of newborns and young girls often meet with little success. Female genital mutilation comes in various degrees of severity, ranging from a cut to the clitoris or its removal (FGM I), through circumcision (FGM II) to the sewing together of the outer labia (FGM III). In the most extreme cases, labia that have grown together as a result of FGM are ripped apart violently during sexual intercourse or childbirth and are then sewn back together (infibulation).

Platypus venom inspires potential new diabetes treatments

The world-first discovery of a key metabolic hormone found in the venom and gut of Australia's iconic platypus will now be investigated for its potential to treat type 2 diabetes, in new research led by the University of Adelaide.

Deficient letter-shape knowledge and awareness despite massive visual experience

Despite seeing it in nearly every book, newspaper, and email message, people are essentially unaware of the more common version of the lowercase print letter g, Johns Hopkins researchers have found. Most people don't even know that two forms of the letter—the open-tail one usually handwritten and the looptail one seen in typed materials—exist. And if they do, they can't write the typeset one we typically see. They can't even pick it out from a lineup.

It is important for kids to stay socially active during summer, expert says

For most children, summer break means more free time, but that extra time should not be spent alone. One Baylor College of Medicine expert discusses why it is important for children to remain socially active during summer.

Scientists identify enzyme responsible for vascular damage caused by aircraft noise

In a recent study, scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have identified an enzyme responsible for aircraft-related vascular damage. The researchers were also able to show that nighttime noise has a particularly harmful effect and suggest that nighttime sleep be protected from noise. With the current study, the team led by Professor Thomas Münzel, director of cardiology I at the Department of Cardiology, and Professor Andreas Daiber, head of molecular cardiology at the Department of Cardiology, consistently pursue the field of noise research and can announce another breakthrough. The new study is published in the European Heart Journal.

Treating intestine with 'good' cholesterol compound inhibits lung tumor growth in mice

A compound that mimics the main protein in high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") cholesterol significantly reduced the number of tumors in the lungs of mice, reports a team of UCLA researchers. The findings help explain the connection between HDL cholesterol and reduced cancer risk, and suggest that a similar compound may be an effective therapy in humans.

What does it mean to be moved by love?

Researchers from UCLA and the University of Oslo have documented a complex but universally felt emotion they call kama muta—a Sanskrit term that means "moved by love."

World-first test could predict risk of heart attack in coronary artery disease patients

Researchers have developed a world-first blood test which improves the prediction of the long-term risk of heart attack or death in those with severe coronary artery disease.

Year 7 bullies can become victims

Students who are bullies in year seven are also likely to become victims in high school, Flinders research has found.

US painkiller restriction linked to increase in drug trading

A new study led by Swinburne shows trading of prescription opioids through the darknet has increased in the wake of tighter regulation by the US government for this category of legal pharmaceutical products prescribed by doctors.

Rising number of older and female cannabis users developing health problems

Researchers at the University of York have shown that there has been a 118% rise in those aged over 40 presenting to specialist drug treatment services citing cannabis as their primary health concern.

Efficient immunotherapy using spider silk

Spider silk guarantees that special pharmaceutical substances can make it to the centre of immune cells and achieve their maximal effect. Together with the company AMSilk, researchers from the University of Bayreuth, the LMU in Munich, and the Universities of Genf and Freiburg in Switzerland have developed transport particles from artificial spider silk that are capable of significantly increasing the efficiency of immunotherapies for cancer and tuberculosis. They can also be employed in preventive vaccinations against infectious diseases or for vaccine storage in the tropics. The scientists have published their findings in the journal Biomaterials.

The molecules that energize babies' hearts

A metabolic process that provides heart muscle with energy fails to mature in newborns with thickened heart walls, according to a Japan–Canada research team.

Large international study links blood vitamin D levels to colorectal cancer risk

A new study authored by scientists from the American Cancer Society, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the U.S. National Cancer Institute, and more than 20 other medical centers and organizations finds that higher circulating vitamin D concentrations are significantly associated with lower colorectal cancer risk. This study strengthens the evidence, previously considered inconclusive, for a protective relationship. Optimal vitamin D concentrations for colorectal cancer prevention may be higher than the current National Academy of Medicine recommendations, which are based only on bone health. The study appears online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

New simulation tool predicts how well HIV-prophylaxis will work

A new mathematical simulation approach predicts the efficacy of pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications, which help prevent HIV infection. The framework, presented in PLOS Computational Biology by Sulav Duwal and Max von Kleist of Freie Universität Berlin and colleagues, could help streamline development of new PrEP treatments.

Patient refusal for trichiasis surgery in Tanzania based on misconception of recovery time

Trachomatous trichiasis, caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide. It is common in areas of the world that lack access to health care and clean water. A relatively simple surgery can spare the patient's vision, and although this surgery is usually performed free of charge in endemic regions, multiple studies indicate that surgical refusal is common.

Why solvents can affect brain health even at low levels of exposure

The health effects associated with occupational exposure to solvents have long been recognised. But despite greater health and safety awareness in general, our research suggests that workers from some industries are still at risk.

Should I get the flu shot if I'm pregnant?

Australia experienced a severe flu season last year with over a quarter of a million confirmed cases. Pregnant women are a high‐risk group where the disease can cause more serious illness when compared to the general population.

Can you rely on the drugs that your doctor prescribes?

The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) has just published a new guideline for the management of hepatitis C—a disease that is underdiagnosed and undertreated in Canada.

Binge drinkers' brains respond differently to risky child's play

New Husker research suggests the same people who get a stronger jolt playing Crocodile Dentist may chase a more dangerous buzz when drinking, thanks to an anticipatory spike in their brains.

A maestro that conducts the invasiveness of glioblastoma tumors

Glioblastoma is the most severe form of brain cancer in adults. The aggressiveness of this cancer is largely due to its ability to invade surrounding brain tissue, making the tumor difficult to remove by surgery. Now, a research team led by Diogo Castro, from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC, Portugal), has discovered a genetic programme that controls the invasiveness of this form of cancer. This research, published in The EMBO Journal, may open avenues for developing new therapies.

Lower deaths overall but frailty is still 'fatal', say researchers

A study published today in Age and Ageing, the scientific journal of the British Geriatrics Society, found that despite death rates in the UK now being much lower than in the 1990s, the relationship between higher levels of frailty and mortality remains unchanged. Reduced mortality rates in older age appear to apply to those with little frailty, while older people with higher levels of frailty are not seeing a benefit.

Frailty in middle aged linked to higher mortality

Frailty is a condition commonly associated with old age, however new research has highlighted the significance of frailty in middle age, especially in those living with chronic illness, and the importance of diagnosing it at an early stage.

Partnership tackles the root cause of dental problem

A new chemical solution jointly developed by the University of Adelaide's Dental School and Australian company Dentalife could radically reduce the chance of infection associated with root canal work.

Study finds music therapy brings effective pain relief for sickle cell patients

A new study published in the Journal of Music Therapy reveals promising findings for the application of improvisational music therapy in assuaging the multidimensional acute pain of adult patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). This study, conducted by University Hospitals Connor Integrative Health Network's music therapist Samuel Rodgers-Melnick, MT-BC, investigated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a single-session electronic music improvisation to diminish pain intensity and improve pain relief and mood in adults with SCD.

Study: Patients maintain muscle mass five years after surgically induced weight loss

Newly-published research on surgically-induced weight loss provides important evidence supporting the long-term safety and viability of bariatric surgery.

Early source of irritable bowel syndrome discovered

Michigan State University scientists have identified an early cause of intestinal inflammation, one of the first stages of inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, which afflict around 11 percent of the world's population.

The truth about teenage girls, consent and contraceptive implants

For years now newspapers have been reporting that girls as young as 12 are being given contraceptive implants without parental consent. In April, an article in the Daily Mail reported that more than 10,500 underage girls had been given the implants on the NHS in the past two years, quoting statistics from NHS Digital.

First-hand accounts of premature baby loss inspires new resource

A new resource has been launched based on the first-hand experiences of parents whose baby died before, during or shortly after birth at 20 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Sleep problems are influenced by our genes – but this doesn't mean they can't be fixed

Some people struggle greatly with sleeplessness, whereas others appear to be able to nod off effortlessly, regardless of the circumstances. Perhaps the most obvious explanation for differences between us in terms of our sleep is the environmental challenges that we face. An unrelenting stint at work, relationship difficulties or receiving bad news are just some of the many life challenges that can lead to sleepless nights.

Team creates online database to compare regenerative tissue capabilities among animals

Comparing regenerative tissue capabilities among animals is the focus of a new database created by a team of researchers at the University of Maine and MDI Biological Laboratory.

Suicide nation—what's behind the need to numb and to seek a final escape?

Suicide rates in the U.S. have increased nearly 30 percent in less than 20 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported June 7. These mind-numbing statistics were released the same week two very famous, successful and beloved people committed suicide – Kate Spade, a tremendous entrepreneur, trendsetter and fashion icon, and Anthony Bourdain, a distinguished chef and world traveler who took us on gastronomic journeys to all corners of the world through his TV shows.

Digital mental health drug raises troubling questions

Moments after Neo eats the red pill in The Matrix, he touches a liquefied mirror that takes over his skin, penetrating the innards of his body with computer code. When I first learned about the controversial new digital drug Abilify MyCite, I thought of this famous scene and wondered what kinds of people were being remade through this new biotechnology.

Water fluoridation confirmed to prevent dental decay in US children and adolescents

The fluoridation of America's drinking water was among the great public health achievements of the twentieth century but there is a scarcity of studies from the last three decades investigating the impact of water fluoridation on dental health in the U.S. population. A recent study "Water fluoridation and dental caries in U.S. children and adolescents," published in the Journal of Dental Research, evaluated associations between the availability of community water fluoridation and dental caries (decay) experience in U.S. child and adolescent populations.

Know the signs of postpartum depression

(HealthDay)—Having a baby is a unique joy, yet it can also bring profound sadness to some women.

IV fluid specs do not influence neuro outcomes in kids w/DKA

(HealthDay)—Neurologic outcomes in children with diabetic ketoacidosis are similar regardless of the rate of administration or the sodium chloride content of intravenous fluids, according to a study published in the June 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

APA: Suicide prevention should be a public health priority

(HealthDay)—Suicide prevention needs to be a public health priority, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

60 sickened so far in salmonella-tainted melon outbreak

(HealthDay)—Federal, state, and local health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to fruit salad mixes that has sickened 60 people in five U.S. states. The fruit salad mixes included precut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and cut fruit medley products from the Caito Foods facility in Indianapolis. The company has recalled the products.

Online information on vaccines and autism not always reliable, study shows

Research at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) has found that information available online can provide unreliable information based on old, 'weak' scientific studies. The study 'Fake news or weak science?' is published in open-access journal Frontiers in Immunology.

Gene therapy restores hand function after spinal cord injury in rats

Researchers at King's College London have shown that rats with spinal cord injuries can re-learn skilled hand movements after being treated with a gene therapy.

Few early parent education programs available to help dads

Umpteen books and programs are available to help new moms before and after their child is born, but the same can't be said for fathers, a new University of Michigan study found.

Study finds behavioral-related youth hospitalizations complicated by suicidality

A recent study published in American Psychiatric Association's Psychiatric Services journal found previous research on youth hospitalizations associated with behavioral and mental disorders failed to adequately consider children exhibiting suicidality or self-harm. Previous studies assigned behavioral health disorders, such as depression, as the primary diagnosis, while identifying suicidality or self-harm as a secondary diagnosis. By looking closely at the data, the new study found that nearly 24 percent of all behavioral-related admissions are complicated by suicidality or self-harm.

Parents ranked cancer prevention as number one provider reason for HPV vaccination

Parents ranked cancer prevention as the most compelling reason health care providers can give for recommending the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, according to a survey led by University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers.

Research identifies possible new pathway to treat anxiety

Researchers know that anxiety is a result of repeated stress. William Colmers, a University of Alberta professor in the Department of Pharmacology, is trying to understand why stress affects people differently, and to identify possible new therapeutic approaches to anxiety disorders.

Racial differences uncovered in debilitating itchy skin condition

An international team led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers has conducted what is believed to be the largest detailed published study of people with a poorly understood skin condition known as prurigo nodularis (PN). Such studies collect information on a whole subset of people at once and at a particular point in time.

3-D imaging and computer modeling capture breast duct development

Working with hundreds of time-lapse videos of mouse tissue, a team of biologists joined up with civil engineers to create what is believed to be the first 3-D computer model to show precisely how the tiny tubes that funnel milk through the breasts of mammals form.

Emergency departments help close gaps in opioid abuse and addiction treatment

Following emergency care for an opioid overdose, an emergency department-facilitated transition to outpatient care is more likely to lead to healthier patient outcomes when it begins with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the emergency department, according to a review of current evidence published in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

EEG can determine if a depressed patient will do better on antidepressants or talk therapy

People react differently to positive events in their lives. For some, a small reward can have a large impact on their mood, while others may get a smaller emotional boost from the same positive event.

Social rejection is painful and can lead to violence. Mindfulness may provide a solution.

People who have greater levels of mindfulness—or the tendency to maintain attention on and awareness of the present moment—are better able to cope with the pain of being rejected by others, according to a new study led by a team of Virginia Commonwealth University researchers.

New position paper recommends treatment options for nightmare disorder in adults

A variety of treatment options may be effective for nightmare disorder in adults, according to a position paper from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

Early-stage respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine trial begins

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has launched a clinical trial of an investigational vaccine designed to protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The Phase 1 study will enroll a small group of healthy adult volunteers to examine the safety of an experimental intranasal vaccine and its ability to induce an immune response. The study is being conducted at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, one of the NIAID-funded Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs).

Sepsis-3 criteria 'preferable' in prognostication of critically ill patients

For almost 30 years, diagnostic criteria for sepsis has used the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria in those with suspected infection, with presence of two or more criteria being diagnostic of sepsis. Recently, the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) re-evaluated these definitions and introduced the Sequential (Sepsis-related) Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, with an increase of ?2 SOFA score points being diagnostic of sepsis and indicative of increased risk of death.

Syringe exchange program played key role in controlling HIV outbreak

A study by researchers investigating the 2015 HIV outbreak in Scott County, Indiana, found that a syringe services program is an important tool to control and prevent HIV outbreaks among people who inject drugs in a nonurban area.

Fewer US teens smoking, doing drugs ... and drinking milk

Fewer U.S. teens are smoking, having sex and doing drugs these days. Oh, and they're drinking less milk, too.

Canadian team reports success in transplanting hepatitis C organs

A long-running shortage in donor organs has pushed doctors to find ways to use those with hepatitis C, an infection that is increasingly common in the United States due to the opioid crisis, and which can be cured with medicine.

Sex, drugs hold less allure for today's high schoolers

(HealthDay)—Today's teens are a much tamer lot, a new U.S. government survey finds.

Obesity's a larger problem in rural America

(HealthDay)—City folks are leaner than their country cousins, a new U.S. study finds.

Lack of paid sick leave linked to poverty

(HealthDay)—Workers without paid sick leave are three times more likely to have incomes below the poverty line, two new studies find.

Test-taking can be tough for kids with vision problems

(HealthDay)—A lazy eye? Crossed eyes? New research suggests that children with such vision problems may take longer to complete standardized tests.

T2DM risk in offspring greater with T2DM versus GDM exposure

(HealthDay)—In utero exposure to type 2 diabetes is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes in offspring versus exposure to gestational diabetes, according to a study published online June 11 in JAMA Pediatrics.

CDC: U.S. suicide rate rose 30 percent from 2000 to 2016

(HealthDay)—From 2000 to 2016 there was a 30 percent increase in the age-adjusted suicide rate in the United States, according to a June data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

Illicit opioid trade up with restrictions on hydrocodone

(HealthDay)—The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's 2014 ruling to reschedule hydrocodone combination products coincided with an increase in illicit trading of opioids through online illicit markets (cryptomarkets), according to a study published online June 13 in The BMJ.

Acute insomnia found to be common among good sleepers

(HealthDay)—Acute insomnia (AI) is common among good sleepers, and about three-quarters of those with AI recover good sleep, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (SLEEP 2018), held from June 2 to 6 in Baltimore.

African-Americans less likely to get recommended statin therapy

(HealthDay)—African-Americans are less likely than whites to be treated with statins or to receive a statin at guideline-recommended intensity, according to a study published online June 13 in JAMA Cardiology.

First clinical trial to recognize the needs of severely disabled MS patients

A new clinical trial testing a disease-modifying drug for multiple sclerosis (MS) will be the first in the world to recognise the importance of wheelchair users retaining the use of their hands.

Markers, erasers, and germs, oh my!

A thorough, terminal cleaning of hospital rooms between patients is essential for eliminating environmental contamination, and a checklist is a standard tool to guide the cleaning staff. But new research presented at the 45th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) offers an important reminder that the checklist is only as good as the list itself.

Parents see cancer prevention potential as best reason for HPV vaccination

Parents of adolescents believed that the potential to prevent certain types of cancer is the best reason for their children to receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, whereas other reasons health care providers often give were far less persuasive.

Parent cleansing paramount prior to skin-to-skin care

Neonatal intensive care units increasingly encourage meaningful touch and skin-to-skin care—aka "kangaroo care—between parents and premature babies to aid the babies' development. But a Michigan children's hospital practicing skin-to-skin care noticed an unwanted side effect in 2016—a spike in Staphylococcus aureus (SA) infections among newborns.

Pre-delivery risk factors associated with C-section infections

Having a prior cesarean section (C-section), smoking, illicit drug use, and obesity increase the likelihood of developing an infection during a C-section delivery, according to new research presented at the 45th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

New opportunities for studying the activity of neural networks in real time

Over the last decade, neurobiology has been focused on the functioning of neural networks rather than single nerve cells. It is at this level that the key functions of the brain are performed, including processing, storage and transmission of information. However, researchers are facing some methodological difficulties in the investigation of neural networks. Traditional methods such as those aimed at studying the electrical and metabolic activity of single neurons do not provide any insight into a network's architectonics or its functional features. Commonly used methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or classical biochemical methods are not applicable to the study of neural networks, since they do not allow experiments on live cells (biological samples must be fixed) and lead to the destruction of the bonds between the cells.

'They're at risk:' Congo's taxi drivers fear Ebola's spread

Propped against his motorcycle taxi outside a hospital in the city affected by Congo's latest deadly Ebola outbreak, Jean Cedric waved a hand in the air, showing his fear about the risks of his job.

Patients to set agenda for heart failure research

People with advanced heart failure, their carers, families and friends are being asked to help set the priorities for future research into the condition. Researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Oxford and Cambridge are working with the James Lind Alliance—a non-profit organisation which looks for unanswered health research questions by reaching out to those most affected—to identify research questions that will focus on improving advanced heart failure care.

Pharmacists intervention improves management of diseases among Syrian refugees in Jordan

As global political conflicts continue to increase, more and more refugees are facing urgent challenges such as the unavailability of proper medical care. Many of the Syrian refugees now living in Jordan (the entire group accounts for one-tenth of that country's population) are struggling with at least one chronic disease, placing tremendous strain on existing health and humanitarian resources as a result. A new study published in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy demonstrates that pharmacists can play a vital role in closing treatment gaps for managing chronic health conditions among this underserved population.

Numbers of Maori and Pacific students training to be doctors and dentists skyrocket

There has been a significant increase in diversity of students entering the University of Otago's health professional programmes in recent years, especially among Māori and Pacific students and those from rural areas.

Abortion rights around the world

Abortion, which Argentine lawmakers on Thursday voted to legalise, is banned in some 20 countries worldwide, while others have highly restrictive laws in place.

Novel in vitro approaches for toxicity testing of inhaled substances

Integrated approaches that avoid the use of animals to assess the toxicity of inhaled materials may include a computational model to screen for chemical reactivity, a human tissue-based assay to predict the absorption of a chemical into the respiratory tract, and other types of advanced systems based on in vitro and in vivo respiratory biology. A comprehensive review of the progress and ongoing efforts in this fascinating field is the focus of a new special issue on Inhalation Toxicity Testing published in Applied In Vitro Toxicology. The issue is available free on the Applied In Vitro Toxicology website.

Rise of carbapenem-resistant Enterobactericaeae

Infections with bacteria resistant to carbapenems, a group of highly effective antibiotics, pose a significant threat to patients and healthcare systems in all EU/EEA countries, warns ECDC in a Rapid Risk Assessment.

Significant increase in self-harm attempts following ankylosing spondylitis diagnosis

The results of a population study presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) demonstrate a significantly increased rate of self-harm attempts in inflammatory arthritis (IA), particularly following a diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).

Depressive symptoms associated with disease severity in patients with knee osteoarthritis

The results of a study presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) demonstrate that among individuals with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA), decreased physical performance and greater structural disease severity are associated with a higher risk of experiencing depressive symptoms.

Increased helmet use in alpine sports fails to reduce risk of traumatic brain injury

Head injury is the leading cause of death and catastrophic injury among skiers and snowboarders and accounts for three to 15 percent of winter sports-related injuries. Helmet use is increasingly encouraged at ski resorts, however, there have been little data collected on the degree to which ski helmet use prevents traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other types of head injury (OTHI). A new study published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine confirms that helmets are generally effective in protecting skiers and snowboarders from head injuries, but questions their effect in reducing traumatic brain injury, especially concussion.

Clinical advances in systemic lupus erythematosus

The results of two studies presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) demonstrate exciting advances for individuals suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The first is a phase II clinical study of a promising oral treatment, baricitinib. The second demonstrates the effective use of the shingles vaccine in SLE patients who are particularly prone to this infection.

Financial literacy linked to lower hospitalization risk in older adults

Could being more knowledgeable about finances help to keep you out of the hospital? Older adults with higher financial literacy are at lower risk of being hospitalized, reports a study in the July issue of Medical Care.

ACP calls for continued efforts in reducing physician burdens in Red Tape Roundtable

Excessive administrative tasks divert physicians' time and focus away from patient care, the American College of Physicians (ACP) told a panel of members of Congress this afternoon. William Fox, MD, FACP, an internist at Fox and Brantley Internal Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, presented ACP's ideas for how to address the burdensome administrative tasks physicians face to the second Red Tape Relief Initiative roundtable, convened by the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee.

Daily text message may improve adherence and treatment outcomes in patients with gout

The results of a study presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) demonstrate significant improvements in adherence and clinical outcomes in gout patients who received a daily text message to remind them to take allopurinol.

Combining NSAIDs and TNFi may reduce radiographic progression in ankylosing spondylitis

The results of a cohort study presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) showed that, in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) taking tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, the addition of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with significantly less radiographic progression in a dose-related manner at four years.

Youth-R-Coach: A peer-to-peer program for young people suffering with chronic disease

The details of a youth project presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) demonstrate how, by empowering patients to become 'experts-by-experience', young people can give support to peers as well as provide insights into living with a chronic illness as a young person.

Rheumatoid arthritis in pregnancy associated with low birth weight and premature birth

The results of a study presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) demonstrate that pregnancies in women with rheumatoid arthritis are associated with premature delivery and low birth weight.

Case comprehensive cancer center endorses elimination of HPV-related cancers

Nearly 80 million Americans—one out of every four people—are infected with human papillomavirus (HPV). And of those millions, more than 31,000 will be diagnosed with an HPV-related cancer this year. Despite those staggering figures and the availability of a vaccine to prevent the infections that cause these cancers, HPV vaccination remains low in the U.S.

Biology news

Microbe breaks 'universal' DNA rule by using two different translations

DNA is often referred to as the blueprint for life, however scientists have for the first time discovered a microbe that uses two different translations of the DNA code at random. This unexpected finding breaks what was thought to be a universal rule, since the proteins from this microbe cannot be fully predicted from the DNA sequence.

New type of photosynthesis discovered

The discovery changes our understanding of the basic mechanism of photosynthesis and should rewrite the textbooks.

Endocrine-disrupting pesticides impair frog reproduction

In a new study, researchers from Sweden and Britain have investigated how the endocrine-disrupting substance linuron affects reproduction in the West African clawed frog, Xenopus tropicalis. The scientists found that linuron, which is used as a pesticicide, impaired the males' fertility, and that tadpoles developed ovaries instead of testicles to a greater extent, which caused a female-biased sex ratio. The results are published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Native fish tell story of Australia's less arid past

Despite the odds, new research has shown how a tiny fish managed to find its way across the arid Australian continent – more than once.

Scientists have captured the elusive cell that can regenerate an entire flatworm

Researchers at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have captured the one cell that is capable of regenerating an entire organism. For over a century, scientists have witnessed the effects of this cellular marvel, which enables creatures such as the planarian flatworm to perform death-defying feats like regrowing a severed head. But until recently, they lacked the tools necessary to target and track this cell, so they could watch it in action and discover its secrets.

Non-coding DNA changes the genitals you're born with

Male mice grow ovaries instead of testes if they are missing a small region of DNA that doesn't contain any genes, finds a new paper published in Science.

Climate change means fish are moving faster than fishing rules, study says

Climate change is forcing fish species to shift their habitats faster than the world's system for allocating fish stocks, exacerbating international fisheries conflicts, according to a study led by a Rutgers University-New Brunswick researcher.

Flying spiders sense meteorological conditions, use nanoscale fibers to float on the wind

Spiders take flight on the smallest of breezes by first sensing the wind, and then spinning out dozens of nanoscale fibers up to seven meters long, according to a study publishing June 14 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Moonsung Cho, Ingo Rechenberg, Peter Neubauer, and Christoph Fahrenson at the Technische Universität in Berlin. The study provides an unprecedentedly detailed look at the "ballooning" behavior that allows certain spiders to travel on the wind for hundreds of kilometers.

AI-driven ultrafast technology visually identifies cells without images

A team from a scientific start-up company and academic researchers has invented a new cell identification and sorting system called Ghost Cytometry. The system combines a novel imaging technique with artificial intelligence to identify and sort cells with unprecedented high-throughput speed. The scientists leading the project hope that their method will be used to identify and sort cancer cells circulating in patients' blood, enable faster drug discovery, and improve the quality of cell-based medical therapies.

Study shows how a gene helps plants manage their protein production in stressful times

The lab of Federica Brandizzi is showing how a gene helps plants adjust protein production during stressful times. The study is in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Elevated androgens don't hinder dads' parenting—at least not in lemurs

Studies have shown that when men marry and have children, they often see a decline in their androgen levels—or their levels of male sex hormones. Scientists think this could be due to the fact that androgens, such as testosterone, are commonly associated with aggression and mate competition, and could therefore impede dads' abilities to bond with and care for their children.

Many animals are shifting from day to night to avoid people

Lions and tigers and bears are increasingly becoming night owls because of us, a new study says.

Observing the cell's protein factories during self-assembly

Berlin-based researchers have produced snapshots of cellular ribosomes. Their findings could set us on the path towards a new class of antibiotics. The study—a basic science study conducted by researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics—has been published in Molecular Cell.

Antarctic fungi found to be effective against citrus canker

A research team at the São Paulo State University's Bioscience Institute (IB-UNESP) in Rio Claro, Brazil, has identified 29 fungi with proven action against Xanthomonas citri, a bacterium responsible for citrus canker, an endemic disease in all citrus-producing countries. The origin of the fungi is surprising. They were isolated from samples of soil and marine sediment collected in Antarctica.

Study shows more people are afraid of scorpions than spiders

"I hate spiders."

Probiotic bacteria can diagnose, prevent, and treat infections

MIT engineers have developed a probiotic mix of natural and engineered bacteria to diagnose and treat cholera, an intestinal infection that causes severe dehydration.

Naming rights for five new snail-sucking snake species auctioned to save forests in Ecuador

Five new species of eye-catching snakes with curious eating habits were found to dwell in forests in Ecuador. Their unusual taste for snails—a rather unusual diet among typical snakes—has even sculpted their jaws in such a way that they can suck the viscous slimy body of a snail right out of its shell.

DNA 'fossils' in fish, amphibians, and reptiles reveal deep diversity of retroviruses

Retroviruses, a broad category of viruses that infect humans and other vertebrates, have much greater diversity than previously thought, according to new research presented in PLOS Pathogens by Xiaoyu Xu and colleagues at Nanjing Normal University, China.

Zinc plays vital role in animal and human fertility, can help scientists quickly diagnose infertility

Infertility affects about 20 percent of the U.S. population and can be incredibly costly; it also costs the livestock industry billions of dollars each year. Researchers at the University of Missouri have found that zinc plays a key role in promoting fertility in males, a discovery that has implications for improved in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination in livestock, and for human infertility diagnostics and therapies.

Scientific sleuthing for reproducible results

Researchers found traces of foreign, non-human genetic material in human blood samples. It turned out that it was not a groundbreaking scientific discovery, but mostly the result of contaminated laboratory materials. Scientists led by Associate Prof. Paul Wilmes of the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University of Luxembourg recently published an article about their unexpected findings in the open-access journal BMC Biology.

Human and artificial intelligence join forces to study complexity of the brain

A team of scientists lead by prof. Stein Aerts (VIB-KU Leuven) is the first to map the gene expression of each individual brain cell during aging in fruit flies. Their resulting "cell atlas" provides unprecedented insights into the workings of the brain as it ages. Published today in the scientific journal Cell, the atlas is heralded as an important first step in the development of techniques that can contribute to a better understanding of human disease development.

Mass slaughter of wedge-tailed eagles could have Australia-wide consequences

Last week it was revealed that at least 136 wedge-tailed eagles have been intentionally poisoned in East Gippsland, with concerns that more are yet to be found.

Agency considers dropping wolf protections

The federal government is considering another attempt to drop legal protections for gray wolves across the lower 48 states, reopening a lengthy battle over the predator species.


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