Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 5, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Bacterial survival in salty antifreeze raises hope for life on Mars and icy moonsNew research by a trans-Atlantic team of scientists suggests that bacteria could survive in briny chemicals that exist on Mars, Enceladus, Europa, Pluto and possibly elsewhere. |
 | The toxic side of the MoonWhen the Apollo astronauts returned from the Moon, the dust that clung to their spacesuits made their throats sore and their eyes water. Lunar dust is made of sharp, abrasive and nasty particles, but how toxic is it for humans? |
Technology news
 | Bacteria-powered solar cell converts light to energy, even under overcast skiesUniversity of British Columbia researchers have found a cheap, sustainable way to build a solar cell using bacteria that convert light to energy. |
 | DeepMind AI shows off winning cooperative team behaviorThe recent Dota 2 feats of openAI, where their people spent months training a new AI system so bots could play together as a team, had emboldened the writing on the wall: Team play in multiplayer video games is a hot focal point in AI right now. |
 | 'Blind' Cheetah 3 robot can climb stairs littered with obstaclesMIT's Cheetah 3 robot can now leap and gallop across rough terrain, climb a staircase littered with debris, and quickly recover its balance when suddenly yanked or shoved, all while essentially blind. |
 | EU Parliament rejects controversial copyright lawThe European Parliament rejected Thursday a highly controversial EU copyright law proposal that has pitted Beatles legend Paul McCartney against internet giants and the creators of Wikipedia. |
 | Catalog secures $9 million in funding to develop DNA based data storage technologyBoston-based Catalog, a startup company focused on solving the looming data storage crisis, has announced to the press that it has received $9 million in funding from several venture capital firms. The funding will go toward the development of a new technique for storing digital data on synthetic DNA strands. Reps for the company claim that the new technique overcomes problems encountered by other companies attempting to do the same thing. |
 | Merging antenna and electronics boosts energy and spectrum efficiencyBy integrating the design of antenna and electronics, researchers have boosted the energy and spectrum efficiency for a new class of millimeter wave transmitters, allowing improved modulation and reduced generation of waste heat. The result could be longer talk time and higher data rates in millimeter wave wireless communication devices for future 5G applications. |
 | Data science can tell us which political party is dominatingYoung scientists from the University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington have come up with a novel way to figure out which party or parties in New Zealand's Parliament are dominating any particular political debate or discourse. |
 | Robotic exoskeleton allows disabled people to eat or drink by themselvesResearchers of the Biomedical Neuro-engineering group of the Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH) of Elche, Spain, have developed a robotic exoskeleton which, attached to a robotic wheelchair, helps people with varying degrees of disability carry out daily activities including eating, drinking or washing. |
 | Cambridge Analytica used our secrets for profit – the same data could be used for public goodEver since it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica had taken data from 87m users via a Facebook app that exploited the social media site's privacy settings, it has been suggested that anything from Donald Trump's election in the US to the European Union referendum result in the UK could have been the result of the persuasive power of targeted advertisements based on voter preferences. |
 | India's richest man unveils broadband planIndia's richest man Mukesh Ambani, who turned the country's mobile market upside down by offering free voice calls for life, is zeroing in on a new market—broadband internet. |
 | Road block for Uber-Grab deal in SingaporeSingapore on Thursday threatened to reverse the sale of Uber's Southeast Asian business to Grab, calling for changes to be made to the deal, which it said infringed competition rules. |
 | Russian search engine alerts Google to possible data problemThe Russian Internet company Yandex said Thursday that its public search engine has been turning up dozens of Google documents that appear meant for private use, suggesting there may have been a data breach. |
 | Facebook creates three Bay Area job hubs of three million square feetFacebook has created three Bay Area work hubs that each total at least one million square feet, following big leases with two legendary developers that widen its Silicon Valley footprint. |
 | Trust the machines? Funds run by artificial intelligenceA computer can trounce a human chess master and solve complex mathematical calculations in seconds. Can it do a better job investing your money than a flesh-and-blood portfolio manager? |
 | Snooze mobiles: How vibrations in cars make drivers sleepyNew research has found the natural vibrations of cars make people sleepier, affecting concentration and alertness levels just 15 minutes after drivers get behind the wheel. |
 | Establishing system for 911 video calling poses design challengesImplementing 911 video calling may not be far off, with the CRTC asking for new 911 infrastructure to be in place by 2020. But a team of researchers led by SFU professor Carman Neustaedter suggests that while there may be obvious benefits to video calling for 911, there are also technical and social challenges to ensuring the system works optimally. |
 | Google says Google Documents is secure despite Russian issueGoogle said Thursday that its document writing tool Google Documents was secure even as Russian internet users discovered scores of files that appeared to be intended for private use. |
 | Should police use computers to predict crimes and criminals?Years of secrecy by America's police departments about their use of computer programs predicting where crimes will occur, and who will commit them, are under fire in legal cases nationwide. |
 | Boeing taking over Embraer's commmercial jets in joint venture dealBoeing will take control of the commercial business of Brazil's Embraer, the companies announced Thursday, better positioning the US aerospace giant to compete with rival Airbus in the market for smaller jets. |
 | Zambia planning social media clampdownZambia said on Thursday it will introduce tough new laws to regulate social media use to fight cyber-crime and combat the consumption of pornography in the conservative African country. |
 | Thyssenkrupp CEO resigns after Tata merger dealThe chief executive of German industrial giant Thyssenkrupp has handed in his resignation, less than a week after a merger of its steelmaking business with India's Tata, creating Europe's second biggest steelmaker, the group said Thursday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Children are less likely to be obese if mothers stick to a healthy lifestyleChildren of mothers who follow a healthy lifestyle have a substantially lower risk of developing obesity than children of mothers who don't make healthy lifestyle choices, finds a study published in The BMJ. |
 | What you eat while pregnant may affect your baby's gutA mother's diet during pregnancy may have an effect on the composition of her baby's gut microbiome—the community of bacteria living in the gut—and the effect may vary by delivery mode, according to study published in the open access journal Microbiome. |
 | 'Skinny fat' in older adults may predict dementia, Alzheimer's riskA new study has found that "skinny fat—the combination of low muscle mass and strength in the context of high fat mass—may be an important predictor of cognitive performance in older adults. While sarcopenia, the loss of muscle tissue that is part of the natural aging process, as well as obesity both negatively impact overall health and cognitive function, their coexistence poses an even higher threat, surpassing their individual effects. |
 | Ketogenic diet may boost targeted cancer therapyA very low carbohydrate, high-fat diet called the ketogenic diet may improve the effectiveness of an emerging class of cancer drugs, according to a study in mice by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian. |
 | New small molecules for the treatment of autoinflammatory diseasesEPFL scientists have discovered two small-molecule compound series that can effectively block a central pathway of the innate immune system, offering a promising new way for treating autoinflammatory diseases. The study is published in Nature. |
Zika suppresses virus-fighting cells: studyMore than two years after reports of skyrocketing Zika rates surfaced worldwide, questions still loom about this complicated virus. | |
 | New target in certain leukemias discovered, could be treated with existing drugResearchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have discovered a target in several types of leukemia that could be treated with an existing Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug for other types of blood cancers. |
 | Link to brain protein holds promise for new depression treatmentsScientists have long known that an imbalance in brain chemistry can lead to depression. University of Victoria researchers have taken this knowledge a step further, examining what happens inside the brain's cells in order to better understand how depression occurs. |
 | New research detects brain cell that improves learningThe workings of memory and learning have yet to be clarified, especially at the neural circuitry level. But researchers at Uppsala University and Brazilian collaborators have discovered a specific brain neuron with a central role in learning. This study, published in Neuron, may have a bearing on the potential for counteracting memory loss in Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Genetic study reveals genes associated with propensity for loneliness and social leaningsA trio of researchers at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine has uncovered genes that appear to play a role in a person's propensity for loneliness, and to some degree, how social they are. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, Felix Day, Ken Ong and John Perry describe their comparison of genetic traits in people listed in a health information database. |
 | Non-opioid drug relieves pain in mice, targets immune cellsFaced with the epidemic of opioid addiction, researchers have been charged with finding other strategies to treat pain. Their efforts largely have focused on nerve cells that transmit pain signals to the spinal cord and brain. But new research, led by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, shows that targeting receptors on immune cells may be more effective, particularly for chronic pain. |
 | Training in musical improvisation may teach your brain to think differentlyJohn Coltrane and Jerry Garcia became improvising legends for their ability to mix musical elements on the fly. How the brain accomplishes such feats of creativity under pressure remains a mystery, though practice is increasingly thought to play a pivotal role. |
 | Amyloid beta protein protects brain from herpes infection by entrapping viral particlesA Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) study has found the mechanism by which amyloid beta (A-beta) - the protein deposited into plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease—protects from the effects of herpes viruses commonly found in the brain. Along with another study appearing in the same July 11 issue of Neuron, which found elevated levels of three types of herpes viruses in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, the MGH team's results support a potential role for viral infection in accelerating A-beta deposition and Alzheimer's progression. |
 | Gonorrhea researchers identify novel route to vaccine, new antibioticResearchers have identified a protein that powers the virulence of the bacteria that causes gonorrhea, opening the possibility of a new target for antibiotics and, even better, a vaccine. |
 | New software designed for rapid, automated identification of dendritic spinesIs it possible for microscopes to learn a bit about the brain? Even be taught by neuroscientists to reliably recognize parts of brain cells... all on their own? Though it may seem like something straight out of "The Jetsons", a neuroscientist and software engineer in the lab of MPFI's Scientific Director, Dr. Ryohei Yasuda, Ph.D., is developing new software with the goal of vastly improving the daily life of a microscope user. Combining a specialized algorithm, aptly named a neural network with a small amount of training, microscopes can now autonomously and efficiently identify small neuronal compartments called dendritic spines with over 90% accuracy. Just like Rosie the robotic maid, microscopes equipped with this Spine Identification software are helping scientists streamline their daily routine, bringing research one step into the future. |
 | Gene therapy method developed to target damaged kidney cellsGene therapy has gained momentum in the past year, following the federal government's approval of the first such treatments for inherited retinal diseases and hard-to-treat leukemia. Now, research led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown, in mice, that genetic material can be delivered to damaged cells in the kidneys, a key step toward developing gene therapy to treat chronic kidney disease. |
 | Sleep disorder linked with changes to brain structure typical of dementiaObstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with changes to the structure of the brain that are also seen in the early stages of dementia, according to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal. |
 | Vitamin D deficiency affects many pregnant womenOne in three pregnant women in Norway has a vitamin D deficiency at the end of her pregnancy, a major study published earlier this year in PLOS One has shown. |
Stem cell therapy drug may protect against smoke-related COPD symptomsA drug used in stem cell therapy to treat certain cancers may also protect against cigarette smoke-induced lung injury. The study, published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for July. | |
 | Obesity affects prostate cancer test resultsUniversity of Adelaide research shows that the results of the most widely used test for prostate cancer may be affected by obesity. |
New plant-based drug could provide treatment for two deadly tropical diseasesDerived from nature, a potential new drug to treat two life-threatening tropical diseases has been discovered as a result of collaboration between two Welsh universities. | |
 | Study finds new brain pathway for escaping predatorsHow the zebrafish brain perceives and reacts to predators has been determined by researchers at the University of Queensland. |
 | Spleen microbes of wild animals change with tick-borne illnessAnaplasmosis, a tick-borne febrile disease, can be carried by wild mammals before being transmitted to humans through a tick bite. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have found that Anaplasma bacteria alter the patterns of other microbes in the spleens of mice and shrews. |
Research finds three major failings in some apps used for the diagnosis of skin cancerIn the scramble to bring successful apps for the diagnosis of skin cancer to market there is a concern that a lack of testing is risking public safety, according to research led by the University of Birmingham. | |
 | Study shows BPA risk factor for inflammatory bowel diseaseA recent study in a preclinical model of inflammatory bowel disease shows dietary exposure to bisphenol-A, or BPA, found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, can increase mortality and worsen its symptoms. |
 | Prostate cancer diagnosis later for Kiwi menNew Zealand men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer later in life at a higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and higher disease grade compared to men in the United States according to University of Auckland research. |
 | Healthy diet may lower eye disease riskAn analysis of recent high-quality research reveals that diet may affect individuals' risks related to the development and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The findings are published in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology. |
 | What Big Pharma pays your doctorMembers of Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC), the lobby group for the large pharmaceutical companies, recently released their voluntary reports of payments to health-care professionals and health-care organizations. |
 | New care model increases preventive behaviour in patientsIn order to give Albertans the best possible health care, patients need to be empowered to improve their health and one way to do this is through the BETTER program, says a University of Alberta family physician. |
 | Content of illicit cannabis to treat kids with epilepsy revealedA study of community use of medicinal cannabis to treat childhood epilepsy has found most samples contained some THC and little CBD, contrary to parents' expectations, and a majority were reported as reducing seizures. |
 | Ex-smokers crave lost identity, study showsEx-smokers may not be able to resist lighting up again in order to recover a sense of 'who they are'– according to new research from the University of East Anglia. |
 | The real life dangers of learning self-defence from viral videos – martial arts expertsEvery day, women live with the risk of being physically attacked. It's not one of those dangers that is regularly blown out of proportion – such as being in an aeroplane crash or getting bitten by a shark. Attacks on women are common. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights surveyed 42,000 women and concluded that 31% of women have experienced one or more acts of physical violence since the age of 15. |
 | Prostate cancer ultrasound treatment as effective as surgery or radiotherapyUsing high energy ultrasound beams to destroy prostate cancer tumours may be as effective as surgery or radiotherapy, but with fewer side effects. |
 | Study delivers mixed news on skin cancer ratesSouth Australians living in coastal and agricultural areas have up to a 31 per cent higher chance of developing the most common cancer in Australia, according to a University of South Australia study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health today. |
Higher risk of heart defects in babies of mothers with type 1 diabetesPregnant women with type 1 diabetes run a higher risk of having babies with heart defects, especially women with high blood glucose levels during early pregnancy, a study from Karolinska Institutet and the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden published in The BMJ shows. | |
 | Sports safety: it's not just child's play(HealthDay)—Playing sports offers plenty of fitness and other developmental benefits for kids, but injuries are common. Every year, more than 2.6 million U.S. children aged 19 and under are treated in the ER for sports- and recreation-related injuries. |
 | Greater concentration on wound care will save NHS millions argues prof of vascular surgeryIT is estimated that annually the NHS treats over two million wounds at a cost of £5.3 billion and with tougher financial constraints being announced every year, there needs to be ongoing research to ensure the lack of finances doesn't affect the quality of wound care available. |
 | Pathway of Alzheimer's degeneration discoveredScientists at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro) of McGill University have used a unique approach to track brain degeneration in Alzheimer's disease, uncovering a pathway through which degeneration spreads from one region to another. |
Cultural practices may cause dermatologic side effects and complicationsPopulation diversity and widespread immigration predispose physicians to encounter patients with a variety of backgrounds and cultural practices. While many of these practices are commonly performed, there has been limited medical literature describing their potential for complications. | |
 | Abnormal branched-chain amino acid breakdown may raise diabetes riskIn the U.S., about five out of 100 expectant mothers develop gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a temporary form of diabetes in which hormonal changes disrupt insulin function. Although GDM is often symptomless and subsides after delivery, women with a history of it face a seven-fold risk for developing type 2 diabetes. |
Biomarker for salt sensitivity of blood pressure discoveredFor the first time researchers have identified a genetic marker (GNAI2) that is associated with the risk of salt sensitivity in blood pressure (BP) regardless of age or gender. | |
 | Rethinking neurodegenerative disease treatment: Target multiple pathological proteins, not just oneNearly all major neurodegenerative diseases—from Alzheimer's to Parkinson's—are defined and diagnosed by the presence of one of four proteins that have gone rogue: tau, amyloid-beta (Aβ), alpha-synuclein (α-syn), or TDP-43. As such, investigational drugs and studies aimed at preventing or slowing the disease often hone in on just one of these respective proteins. However, targeting multiple proteins—known as "proteinopathies"—at once may be the real key, according to a recent study published in Brain by Penn Medicine researchers. |
 | The tricks to playing extra time in the World CupEngland's shootout victory against Colombia was the latest World Cup knockout game to go into extra time—and pundits noted how, as ever, the 30-minute period placed extra physical demands on the players, as well as affecting their ability to execute skills such as passing and dribbling. What can be done to give teams a winning edge when a deadlocked game has a gruelling further 30 minutes added? Research at the University of Huddersfield has been finding out. |
Revving up innate control of viral infection requires a three-cell ignitionOne of the most important cell types for controlling certain viral infections are natural killer (NK) cells. As part of the innate and rapid immune response, NK-cell recruitment and activation was thought to be a straightforward process. New research shows that NK-cell recruitment and activation requires a rather carefully choreographed interaction of three cell types in the headquarters of the slower adaptive immune-activation: the lymph node. | |
Research derives muscle stem cells from teratomasResearchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School have developed a process to regenerate skeletal muscle cells in mice with muscular dystrophy. The unlikely source of those cells is a type of benign tumor called a teratoma. | |
Precision genomics point the way to mutations associated with accelerated agingMayo Clinic researchers are using precision genomics to search for undiscovered, inheritable genetic mutations that cause accelerated aging. In a study recently published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers conducted a study assessing 17 patients with short telomere syndromes—rare conditions that result in premature DNA and cellular deterioration. The ability to pinpoint the genetic abnormalities associated with short telomere syndromes is key to finding better ways to screen, diagnose and treat patients. | |
 | As temperatures soar, study warns of fatal heat stroke at work(HealthDay)—Much of the United States has been sweltering in triple-digit heat this week, but new research finds outdoor workers can suffer fatal heat stroke from temperatures that only reach the high 80s. |
 | For postpartum hemorrhage, carbetocin similar to oxytocin(HealthDay)—For women after vaginal birth, heat-stable carbetocin is non-inferior to oxytocin for prevention of blood loss of at least 500 ml or use of additional uterotonic agents, according to a study published online June 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Increase in prevalence of peds HTN with new definitions(HealthDay)—Incorporation of new pediatric hypertension definitions recently published in a clinical practice guideline (CPG) has increased the prevalence of pediatric hypertension in a population of high-risk youth, according to a study published online July 5 in Pediatrics. |
 | High patient burden with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis(HealthDay)—Patients with moderate/severe atopic dermatitis (AD) have higher patient-reported burden than those with mild AD, regardless of disease control, according to a study published online July 3 in JAMA Dermatology. |
 | U.K. campaign hasn't aided patient presentations for TIA, minor CVA(HealthDay)—The Face, Arm, Speech, Time (FAST) public education campaign in the United Kingdom has not improved the response to transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke, according to a study published online July 2 in JAMA Neurology. |
 | 1996 to 2013 saw large increase in diabetes spending(HealthDay)—In 2013, $101 billion was spent in the United States on diabetes, almost a three-fold increase since 1996, according to a study published in the July issue of Diabetes Care. |
 | Medical marijuana a hit with seniors(HealthDay)—Seniors are giving rave reviews for medical marijuana. |
 | Stopping a tiny—and deadly—fly in its tracksSixty million people in sub-Saharan Africa live at risk of African sleeping sickness, a disease caused by parasites transmitted through the tsetse fly. In the late stage of the disease, when the parasite crosses the blood-brain barrier, the results are oftentimes fatal. |
The rising price of Medicare Part D's 10 most costly medicationsPerhaps surprising no one, researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego have found that the cost for the 10 "highest spend" medications in Medicare Part D—the U.S. federal government's primary prescription drug benefit for older citizens—rose almost one-third between 2011 and 2015, even as the number of persons using these drugs dropped by the same amount. | |
 | Low-cost needle simulator aims to revolutionize medical trainingAdministering needle-based procedures in anesthesiology, such as epidurals, is a complex and delicate procedure and the current training methods for doctors are costly and fall short in preparing them for every patient and situation they will face. |
An aggressor is not necessarily a bully—and the distinction mattersSpotting a bully is more nuanced than it might seem, because there is a difference between general aggressive behavior and bullying. They are not the same thing, according to the findings of a new paper by a University at Buffalo psychologist who is among the country's leading authorities on aggression, bullying and peer victimization. | |
 | Opioid epidemic responses overlook genderYale health experts warn that current efforts to confront the growth of opioid addiction and overdose deaths must better incorporate an understanding of how women fit into this epidemic. |
Inferior vena cava filter trends over two decadesInferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement and retrieval procedures have markedly declined over the last decade from previous large growth in Medicare beneficiaries, according to a new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study published online in the Journal of American College of Radiology (JACR). | |
 | Progress in addressing a severe skin disease that affects dogs and humansThink of the skin as a kind of raincoat for the inner organs. With its densely packed layers of cells and lipids, it keeps foreign substances from leaking in and keeps water from leaking out, preventing dehydration. But in certain skin disorders, this barrier breaks down, and problems arise. |
Results for female ACL graft repair methods differ among younger athletes, say researchersFemale athletes are two to eight more times likely to injure their ACL than males, however utilizing one graft repair treatment method in females may be more beneficial than another, according to researchers presenting their work today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in San Diego. | |
Limited shoulder function is leading factor for rotator cuff surgery, research showsFor patients with rotator cuff tears, improving shoulder function is the most important reason for moving forward with surgical repair, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego. Researchers also found that through arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR), these patients consistently saw significant functional improvements and relief from pain. | |
Young athletes' ACL injury risk increases with fatigue, new research showsACL injuries are one of the most common sports injuries affecting adolescent athletes, leading to lost playing time and high healthcare costs. Research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego shows athletes who experience fatigue—tested on a standardized assessment -¬ demonstrated increased risk of ACL injury. The study is the first to measure the direct impact of fatigue on injury risk in the adolescent population. | |
Current ACL return to sport criteria fails to identify second injury risk, say researchersReturning to your sport after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and not suffering a second injury is often difficult but for a kid who suffers an ACL injury figuring out how to prevent reinjury is even more tricky, say researchers presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego. This research study also received the STOP Sports Injuries Award during the meeting. | |
Older patients with knee pain may benefit from allograft transplant techniqueKnee pain in active patients over 40 is often difficult to treat but according to researchers presenting their work today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in San Diego utilizing a special kind of allograft may be a step in the right direction. | |
UK marks 70th birthday of health service with pride, worryChurch services, tea parties and even a medically themed symphony are on the agenda as Britain marks the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service—a battered but beloved institution facing an uncertain future. | |
 | Consumption of fast food linked with asthma and other allergic diseasesA new Respirology review and analysis of published studies reveals a link between fast food consumption and an increased likelihood of having asthma, wheeze, and several other allergic diseases such as pollen fever, eczema, and rhino-conjunctivitis. |
Online reviews of spine surgeons—Staff and office factors may negatively affect ratingsSpine surgeons earn high ratings for their skill and good clinical outcomes on internet review sites -but are more likely to receive negative ratings and comments on factors pertaining to clinic staff, billing, and wait times, reports a landmark study in Spine. | |
Web-based support system may help people lose weight and keep it offIn a randomized long-term lifestyle change trial, an Internet-based health behavior change support system (HBCSS) was effective in improving weight loss and reduction in waist circumference for up to 2 years. The findings are published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. | |
 | Study reveals privacy issues in smartphone headache appsHeadache diaries are a mainstay of migraine management, and many commercial smartphone apps have been developed to help people track their pain. A new Headache study found that such apps often share information with third parties, posing privacy risks partly because there are few legal protections against the sale or disclosure of data from medical apps to third parties. |
Extended tamoxifen therapy may increase risk of endometrial cancerThere is clear evidence that extended adjuvant tamoxifen therapy for 10 years reduces local recurrence and improves breast cancer-free survival in women with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. An analysis of large randomized controlled trials, however, reveals that extended use is linked with a two-fold increased risk of developing endometrial (womb) cancer, when compared with standard 5 years of tamoxifen. | |
 | Researchers compare drugs for treating severe hypertension in pregnancyA recent meta-analysis of published studies has compared the efficacy and safety of antihypertensive drugs during pregnancy. |
Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis can reliably detect trisomy 21Until a few years ago, invasive testing was the only way to diagnose trisomies, such as the Down syndrome, before birth. These invasive tests, for example amniocentesis, have a risk of causing miscarriage. Therefore, they are usually only used in so-called high-risk pregnancies, for example, when the woman is relatively old or when trisomies already occurred in earlier pregnancies. | |
Figures reveal GBP 1.77bn mental health treatment gap for children and young peopleA radical new Government Strategy focused on preventing, and not just treating, mental ill health in young people is required as a report by the University of Birmingham reveals today that an additional £1.77bn funding and 23,800 staff are needed to plug the current treatment gap. | |
 | Study examines alcohol's effects on sexual aggressionA new Aggressive Behavior study has examined alcohol's "in the moment" effects on sexual aggression, or the acute effects of alcohol on men's decisions about how to respond to sexual refusals in a dating simulation. |
MGMT promoter methylation associated with improved survival for patients with WHO Grade II GliomasFurther exploration into the endpoints of the NRG Oncology/RTOG 0424 trial resulted in the discovery that MGMT promoter methylation is an independent prognostic biomarker of high-risk, low-grade glioma treated with temozolomide and radiation. This is the first study of its kind to validate the prognostic significance of MGMT promoter methylation in this patient population and treatment regimen. These findings were published in JAMA Oncology on June 28, 2018. | |
SBRT may be effective, safe alternative for patients, medically inoperable early-stage lung cancerJAMA Oncology recently published data from NRG Oncology's RTOG 0618 trial [clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00551369], which shows that the utilization of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) as a treatment for medically operable lung cancer is associated with favorable primary tumor control and local control rates. | |
New study pinpoints ways to improve quality of food and nutrition researchIn a study published today in PLOS ONE, experts analyzed reams of past food and nutrition research to help identify and spur action in areas where meaningful improvements can be made in the design and execution of future food and nutrition studies. This is one of the first studies to use "Risk of Bias (ROB) domains," as defined by Cochrane, in this way. Researchers typically use ROB domains to evaluate the relative strengths of individual studies when conducting systematic reviews. | |
 | At 88, heart disease won't slow this glam Texan philanthropistIt's been said that one can never be too overdressed, and Betty Thrasher needs no convincing. Every day, the 88-year-old resident of Temple, Texas, applies makeup, coifs her locks and selects a fashionable garment for the day. Black is her favorite. |
Biology news
 | Spiders go ballooning on electric fieldsThe aerodynamic capabilities of spiders have intrigued scientists for hundreds of years. Charles Darwin himself mused over how hundreds of the creatures managed to alight on the Beagle on a calm day out at sea and later take-off from the ship with great speeds on windless day. |
 | Ancient genome analyses reveal mosaic pattern of goat domestication thousands of years agoAn international team of scientists, led by geneticists from Trinity College Dublin, have sequenced the genomes from ancient goat bones from areas in the Fertile Crescent where goats were first domesticated around 8,500 BC. They reveal a 10,000-year history of local farmer practices featuring genetic exchange both with the wild and among domesticated herds, and selection by early farmers. |
 | Shrinking rivers affect fish populationsNew research from the University of Canterbury published today has found that a shrinking river is less able to support larger predatory fish, such as the highly-valued sports fish like brown trout or at-risk native fish like galaxiids and eels. |
 | New assay reveals biophysical properties that allow certain proteins to infect othersScientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have identified a physical basis for the spread of corrupted proteins known as prions inside cells. Their research findings are reported in the July 5, 2018, issue of the scientific journal Molecular Cell. |
 | Mighty mitochondria flex their DNA power to help nucleus run the cellUSC researchers have discovered that transfer of vital genetic information within a cell isn't the one-way telegraph once thought, opening new pathways for understanding human disease and developing potential treatments, a new study shows. |
 | Ranking locations for lion conservation in southern Africa—a new approachAn international team of scientists has developed a new strategy to rank locations for lion conservation activities, based on GPS collar data revealing lions' movements, in a study published July 5 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Samuel Cushman of the U.S. Forest Service and colleagues. |
 | How 'eavesdropping' African herbivores respond to alarm callsMany animals live in a world characterised by a bewildering array of signals from other species. But to what extent are individuals able to extract useful information from these signals? |
 | Berry-gorging bears disperse seeds through scat and feed small mammalsNew research shows that mice and voles scurry to bear scats to forage for seeds, finding nutritional value in the seeds and in some cases further dispersing them. |
 | Make your garden frog friendly – amphibians are in decline thanks to dry pondsGarden frogs and toads are in decline. The latest data from RSPB Garden Birdwatch reveals that we are seeing one-third fewer toads and 17% fewer frogs compared to 2014. Many people forget that our gardens can be important havens for wildlife. But with ponds drying up, amphibians are losing out. |
 | Batswana set to weigh in on whether ban on elephant hunting should be liftedThe government of President Mokgweetsi Masisi in Botswana has announced that it will hold a two-month nationwide consultation to review the ban on hunting, notably of elephants. The ban, introduced by Masisi's predecessor, Ian Khama in 2014, has come under increasing criticism from people living in areas with significant wildlife populations as well as impoverished communities previously reliant on hunting income. |
 | Resurrection of the northern white rhino – could this be the turning point?A major scientific breakthrough, officially announced in a press release today, could signal a seismic shift in the survival prospects of the world's rarest rhino. |
 | Study finds 29 pesticides in Devon riverResearchers have found 29 different pesticides in a single river in Devon. |
Worms may hold the secret to longer lifeResearch into the remarkable regenerative powers of worms and the insights they can give into battling diseases could help humans live longer and healthier lives. | |
 | Seven percent of Australia's reptiles 'risk extinction'Australia's reptiles, including lizards and snakes, are facing growing threats from invasive species and climate change, with seven percent on the verge of extinction, conservationists said Thursday. |
Invaluable to the medical industry, the horseshoe crab is under threatBlood from horseshoe crabs is essential for many drug, implant and environmental safety tests—but blood harvesting, together with capture for bait and impacts from climate change and habitat destruction, is threatening populations of these "living fossils." A review published in Frontiers in Marine Science highlights that these continuing threats will detrimentally affect the surrounding ecosystem, including migratory shorebirds who rely on horseshoe crab eggs for food. To enable a sustainable harvest of their blood for the biomedical industry —which currently is entirely dependent on these creatures for drug and environmental safety testing—alternative tests should be explored in conjunction with better harvesting and conservation strategies. | |
 | Summer fun: How plants beat the heatResearchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science in Japan have discovered a gene in plants that helps protect them from excessive heat. Published in the scientific journal Plant Cell, the study shows that the newly found gene prevents the destabilization of chloroplast membranes that occurs at very high temperatures. |
 | Described 28 years post collection, new grass species makes a strong case for conservationOriginally collected 28 years ago in Ecuador, new species Poa laegaardiana has been just described, only to find out its prospects for surviving in its type location seem bleak nowadays. The study was published in the open access journal PhytoKeys. |
Study examines salmon poisoning disease in grizzly bearsSalmon in the northwestern continental US often carry a fluke containing bacteria that can produce a deadly disease in bears called salmon poisoning disease (SPD). Current recovery plans for grizzly bears in the North Cascades of Washington and the mountains of central Idaho, where infected salmon currently occur, call for using bears from several interior populations; however, a new study reveals that such bears with no history of salmon consumption are likely sensitive to SPD. | |
Exposure of hummingbirds and bumble bees to pesticidesNew research reveals that hummingbirds and bumble bees are being exposed to neonicotinoid and other pesticides through routes that are widespread and complex. The findings are published in Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry. | |
When rabbits and hares are introduced to new areas: Factors to considerThroughout history, humans have deliberately translocated rabbits and hares (leporids) around the world, so they now occupy every continent (except Antarctica). A new Mammal Review article examines studies on the 12 leporid species that have been introduced by humans to areas beyond their native ranges, highlighting the animals' effects on the ecosystem at different levels. | |
This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you do not wish to receive such emails in the future, please unsubscribe here.
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com. You may manage your subscription options from your Science X profile
No comments:
Post a Comment