Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 24, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Video: Aeolus launch highlightsLifted into orbit on a Vega rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on 22 August 2018, ESA's Aeolus satellite will measure winds around the globe and play a key role in our quest to better understand the workings of our atmosphere. Importantly, this novel mission will also improve weather forecasting. The Aeolus carries one of the most sophisticated instruments ever to be put into orbit. The first of its kind, Aladin includes revolutionary laser technology to generate pulses of ultraviolet light that are beamed down into the atmosphere to profile the world's winds – a completely new approach to measuring the wind from space. |
 | NASA's OSIRIS-REx begins asteroid operations campaignAfter an almost two-year journey, NASA's asteroid sampling spacecraft, the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx), caught its first glimpse of asteroid Bennu last week and began the final approach toward its target. Kicking off the mission's asteroid operations campaign on Aug. 17, the spacecraft's PolyCam camera obtained the image from a distance of 1.3 million miles (2.1 million km). |
Technology news
 | Using machine learning for cross-lingual and cross-platform rumor verificationResearchers at UC Davis have recently developed a new machine learning based tool to verify multimedia rumors online. Their paper, pre-published on arXiv, proposes cross-lingual and cross-platform features for rumor verification, which leverage the semantic similarity between rumors and information on other websites. Their method can combine information from multiple languages to get a complete picture of online news. |
 | An avatar uses your gait to predict how many calories you will burnHumans instinctively adopt the gait that requires the least amount of energy given the walking conditions. Without realizing it, we are constantly tweaking our pace, stride length and foot lift. But could we consciously play with these parameters in order to influence our energy expenditure? |
 | First-ever 3-D-printed electrolyte for lithium-ion batteriesFor the first time, researchers have successfully printed a complete, albeit experimental, lithium-ion battery including a solid-state electrolyte. While electrodes have been produced using 3-D-printing technology before, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Engineering have printed a stable, yet flexible, solid-state electrolyte using an elevated-temperature extrusion printing technique. They report their findings in the journal Advanced Materials. |
 | Teaching robots how to interact with children with autismPeople with autism see, hear and feel the world differently from other people, which affects how they interact with others. This makes communication-centred activities quite challenging for children with autism spectrum conditions (ASCs). Therapists therefore find it difficult to engage them in these activities during educational therapy. |
 | Brexit nightmare: Video game shows grim vision of life after EUSet in a dystopian post-Brexit Britain, a new video game follows the struggles of a bouncer of foreign ancestry in a world of xenophobia and immigrant camps, but gamers are divided over its message. |
 | Meet the virtual pooch that could prevent dog bitesA virtual dog could soon be used as an educational tool to help prevent dog bites, thanks to an innovative project led by the University's Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC). |
 | Control system simulator helps operators learn to fight hackersA simulator that comes complete with a virtual explosion could help the operators of chemical processing plants – and other industrial facilities – learn to detect attacks by hackers bent on causing mayhem. The simulator will also help students and researchers understand better the security issues of industrial control systems. |
 | Redefining wearable technologyOur bodies are storytellers. Every heartbeat, joint creak and electric signal of a neuron tells a story of what is going right—and wrong—within the vast, complex system that gives us life. |
 | Tiny antennas show promise in defense sectorElectrical engineering research into extremely small antennas has made progress that could have a major impact on secure information exchange, giving the U.S. access to a band of frequency no other country can reach. |
 | How hydrogen power can help us cut emissions, boost exports, and even drive further between refillsHydrogen could become a significant part of Australia's energy landscape within the coming decade, competing with both natural gas and batteries, according to a new CSIRO roadmap for the industry. |
 | Mandarin language learners get a boost from AIIBM Research and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) are collaborating on a new approach to help students learn Mandarin. The strategy pairs an AI-powered assistant with an immersive classroom environment that has not been used previously for language instruction. The classroom, called the Cognitive Immersive Room (CIR), makes students feel as though they are in restaurant in China, a garden, or a Tai Chi class, where they can practice speaking Mandarin with an AI chat agent. The CIR was developed by the Cognitive and Immersive Systems Lab (CISL), a research collaboration between IBM Research and RPI. |
 | Researchers propose new method for secure, speech-based two-factor authenticationResearchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have developed a new method for two-factor authentication via wearables using speech signals. |
Face recognition nabs fake passport user at US airportFacial recognition technology was credited with the arrest this week of a man attempting to use a fake passport to enter the United States at Washington's Dulles airport, officials said. | |
 | Tech giants aim to coordinate fight on misinformation: reportMajor technology firms including Facebook, Google and Twitter were set to meet Friday as part of an effort to coordinate the battle against misinformation campaigns by foreign agents, a media report said. |
 | French tomato grower takes on Monsanto over weedkillerWeaving through the aisles of his greenhouse in northern France, Jean-Claude Terlet, a retired farmer who grows tomatoes for local markets, seems to be brimming with energy. |
Fires, floods and other calamities fuel this app's popularityOn the morning a fire forced the evacuation of her daughter's school, Ruth Kobayashi found out about it when her smartphone bleated out the distinctive tone she knows she can't ignore: the Orange County high school's app-based emergency communications system. | |
 | Researchers develop method to cancel noise without ear-blocking headphonesDisruptive noise is almost everywhere, from people talking in the office corridor to road construction down the street to the neighbor's lawn mower. Research being conducted at the University of Illinois' Coordinated Science Laboratory is looking to improve this noisy frustration. |
Verizon: No internet speed restrictions for first respondersA nationwide telecommunications company that slowed internet service to firefighters as they battled the largest wildfire in California history says it has removed all speed cap restrictions for first responders on the West Coast. | |
NAFTA talks with US 'very far' along: Mexico's GuajardoUS and Mexican negotiators are "very far" along in efforts to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement but some issues will have to wait until Canada rejoins the talks, Mexico's Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said Friday. | |
US taps ex-prosecutor as watchdog over China's ZTEA former US federal prosecutor will serve as the legal watchdog over Chinese telecoms giant ZTE, which narrowly avoided collapse after being hit with US sanctions, the Commerce Department announced Friday. | |
 | Google tells Toomey hackers tried to infiltrate staff emailGoogle has alerted U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey's office that hackers with ties to a "nation-state" sent phishing emails to old campaign email accounts, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Republican said Friday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Researchers report startling inflammasome discovery in Alzheimer's studyIn recent years, researchers have largely converged on the role of inflammation in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies over the past decade have revealed unexpected interactions between the brain and the immune system, and metabolic conditions such as obesity and diabetes may activate inflammatory responses that contribute to the development and progression of AD. |
 | New scientific study: no safe level of alcoholA new scientific study concludes there is no safe level of drinking alcohol. |
 | Cellular pumps protect the gut from toxinsThe master regulators of gut stem cells, called intestinal myofibroblasts, have pumps that protect them, and thus the gut, from the toxic effects of a wide range of compounds, including the anticancer drug tamoxifen, according to an investigation led by Duke-NUS Medical School. |
 | Viral outbreaks could be predicted two years in advance by mathematical modelScientists have identified the cause of outbreaks of enterovirus, one of the most prevalent types of virus in the world. |
 | Researchers determine atomic structure of molecular complex associated with birth defectsIn a study published today in Science, UT Southwestern and Rockefeller University researchers used advanced microscopes to determine at atomic resolution the structure of a molecular complex implicated in birth defects and several cancers. |
 | For first time in 40 years, cure for acute leukemia within reachAcute myeloid leukemia is one of the most aggressive cancers. While other cancers have benefitted from new treatments, there has been no encouraging news for most leukemia patients for the past 40 years. Until now. |
 | Researchers identify link between gut bacteria and eating for pleasure, as opposed to hungerA study of 63 healthy people showed that those with elevated microbiome levels of the metabolite indole—produced when gut bacteria break down the amino acid tryptophan—had stronger function and connectivity in specific areas of the brain's reward network. Such activity in the brain indicates that a person is more prone to "hedonic eating," or eating for pleasure rather than for hunger. Those with higher levels of indole also were more likely to have food addiction, as determined by questionnaires they completed. |
 | Scientists reveal new insight into tackling obesityObesity has become one of the most significant challenges to human health. But now scientists at the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute have discovered a tiny group of brain cells that could be harnessed to tackle obesity according to a new study published in Cell Metabolism. |
 | Technique visualizes neuron communicationScientists have developed a way to see brain cells talk – to actually see neurons communicate in bright, vivid color. The new lab technique is set to provide long-needed answers about the brain and neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and depression. Those answers will facilitate new and vastly improved treatments for diseases that have largely resisted scientists' efforts to understand them. |
 | Signaling cascade that repairs damaged nerve cells characterizedThrough a study of roundworm nerve cells with severed axons, researchers at Nagoya University showed that a signaling cascade that normally functions in promoting the phagocytosis of apoptotic cells also acts in inducing axon regeneration. The findings shed light on a fundamental feature of nerve repair, which is limited in the central nervous system in humans, and thus could pave the way towards treatments for brain and spinal cord injuries. |
New online tool for clinicians could predict long-term risk of breast cancer returningA new, simple web-based calculator that could better predict the long term risk of breast cancer returning in other areas of the body has today been published online by researchers at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Queen Mary University of London. | |
 | Researchers test autobiographical memory for early Alzheimer's detectionTesting how well people remember past events in their lives could help medical professionals make early predictions about who is at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study from the University of Arizona. |
In US, HPV-related cancers on riseDespite rising vaccination rates, cancers related to human papillomavirus, a common sexually transmitted infection, are on the rise in the United States, particularly cancers of the head, neck and throat, officials said Thursday. | |
 | Motor control—how the brain responds to unexpected situationsScientists have demonstrated that the motor cortex is necessary for the execution of corrective movements in response to unexpected changes of sensory input, but not when the same movements are executed spontaneously. Signatures of differential neuronal usage in the cortex accompany these two phenomena. The study by researchers from the University of Basel's Biozentrum and the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) has recently been published in Neuron. |
 | Prospect of a new treatment for rheumatoid arthritisAn international research group led by Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin has completed testing a new drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis. The drug is effective in patients with moderate to severe forms of the disease who have shown an inadequate response to conventional disease-modifying drugs. Results from this research have been published in The Lancet. |
 | Increased phosphate intake elevates blood pressure in healthy adultsPhosphates make processed cheese spreadable, prevent coffee from clumping and preserve many meat products. They are a common additive in industrially produced foodstuffs. But phosphates consumed with food raise blood pressure and pulse rates in healthy young adults, according to a study led by the University of Basel and published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. |
 | Comparing two methods for measuring children's exposure to radio frequenciesA study has quantified emissions coming from radio frequency sources, and by means of personal and spot measurements has analysed which levels of exposure children experience. The international journal Environment International has just published the results of this work conducted by a research group at the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country and the Biodonostia Institute, in collaboration with international organisations. |
 | New biomarkers of inflammation identified as risk of polyneuropathyPolyneuropathy is one of the most common complications in people with diabetes. However, it can also occur with certain risk factors or diseases before the onset of diabetes. First symptoms are often pins-and-needles sensations in the feet. Although polyneuropathy is present in about 30 percent of people with diabetes, it often remains undiagnosed. Scientists from the German Diabetes Center (DDZ) in Düsseldorf, in cooperation with colleagues from Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU), both partners in the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), have now shown for the first time that six biomarkers of inflammation indicate the risk of polyneuropathy. The results were published in the current issue of the journal Diabetes. |
 | Technology varies drug levels at different sites of cancerous tumorsA new technology developed by Purdue University researchers allows different concentrations of a drug or a chemical to be targeted at different areas of the same cancerous tissue in the laboratory. The discovery may help the more than 1.7 million people the National Cancer Institute predicts will be diagnosed with the deadly disease this year in the United States. |
 | A new map of the brain's serotonin systemAs Liqun Luo was writing his introductory textbook on neuroscience in 2012, he found himself in a quandary. He needed to include a section about a vital system in the brain controlled by the chemical messenger serotonin, which has been implicated in everything from mood to movement regulation. But the research was still far from clear on what effect serotonin has on the mammalian brain. |
 | First signs of autism appear in infancyBabies who show lower levels of brain activity in response to social stimuli such as peek-a-boo are more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to research involving UCL. |
 | People should balance busyness with self-reflectionRats in a race. Hamsters on the wheel. These are some common phrases people today use to describe their constantly busy lives. |
 | The key ingredients for successful self-management of chronic painThe outlook for the one in five New Zealanders with persistent or chronic pain has the potential to be more positive according to an extensive study review by researchers from the School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington (UOW) and Pain Management Service, Capital Coast District Health Board. |
 | The influence of genetics on nutritional requirementsApproximately 0.1%: that is the average genetic difference between two individuals. This small percentage is responsible for the variations of certain physical traits, such as eyes, hair, and height, but also for differences in our susceptibility to certain diseases and our capacity to absorb vitamins and phytomicronutrients (carotenoids, polyphenols, etc.), involved in the prevention of chronic disease. Based on the study of genetic interindividual variability, researchers from INRA and Aix-Marseille University have published a review on current knowledge of nutrigenetics in the Annual Review of Nutrition on 21 August 2018. The objective of this emerging science is to personalize nutritional recommendations in order to optimize nutrient, micronutrient, and phytomicronutrient allowances by taking into account genetic differences between individuals and groups of individuals. |
 | What causes asthma? What we know, don't know and suspectAsthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs where the airways become so obstructed the sufferer struggles to breathe. It's vastly more prevalent in Western societies, and usually develops in childhood. But what do we know about what causes it? |
 | How to beat the 'freshman five' weight gainThere is a widespread belief that a young adult's college years are accompanied by weight gain —the so called "freshman five." |
 | Research discovers new channel-gating mechanismComputational biophysicists are not used to making discoveries, says Jianhan Chen at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, so when he and colleagues cracked the secret of how cells regulate Big Potassium (BK) channels, they thought it must be a computational artifact. But after many simulations and tests, they convinced themselves that they have identified the BK gating mechanism that had eluded science for many years. |
 | Understanding drug resistance in ovarian cancerWork just published in Cancer Research by Drs. Hugo Wurtele and Elliot Drobetsky (Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center- CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal and Université de Montréal) sheds new light on the origins of chemotherapy drug resistance in ovarian cancer. This discovery, made in collaboration with researchers at the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montreal (CHUM), Université Laval and Harvard University, brings hope for developing more effective therapies to combat one of the most prevalent and dangerous cancers in women. Indeed recent statistics show that 2,800 Canadian women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017 and 1,800 died. |
 | Obesity and diabetes—two reasons why we should be worried about the plastics that surround usToday, nearly 40 percent of U.S. adults and 21 percent of youth are obese. This trend is on the upswing and the worldwide population is becoming more obese – which is increasing the risk of other conditions like Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease whose prevalence has doubled globally in the last 30 years. But you may be surprised to learn that it's not just food that is making us fat. |
 | New trial improved well-being of working adultsWith workplace stress on the increase and high workloads, rapid delivery targets and lack of job security damaging the health of working adults, academics at Royal Holloway, University of London, decided to trial a new well-being initiative. |
 | Teens who feel down may benefit from picking others upThink about the last time you helped someone out. Maybe you sent a supportive text to a stressed-out friend or gave directions to a lost stranger. |
 | Brazilian butt lifts are the deadliest of all aesthetic procedures – the risks explainedThe desire for a larger bottom is becoming more popular, with the number of so-called Brazilian butt lifts more than doubling in the last five years. |
 | 5 obstacles parents commonly face in child obesity treatment and how to overcome themIt's not easy helping kids with obesity lose weight: U of A experts provide advice on some of the challenges parents are up against. |
 | Menopause contributes to a decline in muscle strength - a crucial factor of functional independence in old ageMenopause occurs on average at 51 years of age and leads to the gradual dysregulation of the reproductive endocrine system. The menopausal transition can be divided roughly into three different stages. During pre-menopause, the menstrual cycle gradually becomes irregular. This stage begins 5-10 years before menopause. Perimenopause is the transition period prior to menopause, when the function of the ovaries noticeably fades away leading to cessation of menstruation. Postmenopause is the time after the last menstruation. |
Harnessing oxygen drop could eliminate cancers without harming healthy tissueA major advance towards targeting cancer without harming healthy tissue has been discovered by University of Bristol researchers. The team has found a way to exploit hypoxia (reduced oxygen levels)—a condition which occurs during the development of many common cancers and drives their progression and spread. The findings, which have implications for targeted oncology, are published today [24 August 2018] in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine. | |
Researchers discover epigenetic reason for drug resistance in a deadly melanomaMount Sinai researchers have discovered a previously unknown reason for drug resistance in a common subtype of melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer, and in turn, have found a new therapy that could prevent or reverse drug resistance for melanoma patients with a particular gene mutation, according to a study published in Nature Communications in August. | |
 | Researchers work on scientific foundation for new forms of therapy in neurodegenerative processesProtective proteins that mitigate the destruction of nerve cells after a stroke can be administered into the brain through the nose, as Heidelberg University researchers demonstrated using a mouse model. The team led by Prof. Dr. Hilmar Bading at the Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN) is laying the scientific groundwork for new forms of therapy that inhibit degenerative processes in humans. Prof. Bading's team is concentrating on the body's own neuroprotective mechanisms. The most recent results of their work were published in Molecular Therapy. |
 | Could the future edge in college sports be mental wellness?We live in a sports-oriented culture. In the United States alone, there are about 8 million high school students participating in sports, almost a half a million students in the National Collegiate Athletics Association, and many more play organized sports in club or intramural leagues. A small percentage of these students will go on to become elite college athletes, often revered by their universities' fans and alumni. |
 | Scientists closer to solving arthritic condition in teensA new Michigan State University study has found that a malfunctioning gene associated with a common arthritic disease that often starts in teenagers is now directly linked to the loss of vital immune cells that may prevent it. |
 | Frailty in middle-aged with multimorbidity tied to mortality(HealthDay)—For middle-aged individuals with multimorbidity, frailty is significantly associated with mortality, according to a study published in the July issue of The Lancet Public Health. |
 | Are you a fan or a fanatic?(HealthDay)—Do you get way too involved when following sports events? |
 | Risk adjusting for race and poverty bolsters rankings of some hospitalsSociodemographic risk adjustment of emergency care-sensitive mortality improves apparent performance of some hospitals treating a large number of nonwhite, Hispanic, or poor patients. That is the finding of a study published in the August 2018 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), a journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). |
 | Sweeter dreams in a peaceful mindA new study by researchers from the University of Turku, Finland and the University of Skövde, Sweden shows that people with more peace of mind in the waking state have more positive dreams, whereas those with more anxiety in the waking state have more negative dreams. This means that dream experiences, as revealed in recalled and reported dreams, may reflect a person's mental health. |
 | Many young adults lack financial literacy, economic stability, study findsNearly a third of young adults in a recent study were found to be "financially precarious" because they had poor financial literacy and lacked money management skills and income stability. |
 | Increased first-trimester HbA1c predicts gestational diabetes(HealthDay)—First-trimester glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) may aid in early identification of women at risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), according to a study published online Aug. 16 in Scientific Reports. |
 | Researchers stop cell suicide that worsens sepsis, arthritisResearchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have discovered a way to stop immune cell death associated with multiple diseases, including sepsis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and arthritis. |
 | Uninsured major cardiac-related hospitalizations declined in first year after ACAStates that expanded eligibility for their Medicaid program in 2014 when the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was implemented, saw fewer uninsured patients among major cardiac-related hospitalizations in the first year compared with states that did not expand the program, according to a study released today in JAMA Network Open. |
New nusinersen drug delivery method identified for spinal muscular atrophy patientsSTRASBURG, PA- A new report has identified an alternative method to deliver nusinersen to patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) using a subcutaneous intrathecal catheter system (SIC) configured by connecting an intrathecal catheter to an implantable infusion port. SMA is a devastating genetic disease that leads to progressive degeneration of motor neurons that control movement, swallowing, and breathing. It is the leading genetic cause of infant death worldwide. Nusinersen is the first FDA approved therapy for SMA but must be administered into the cerebrospinal fluid by repeat lumbar puncture every 4 months for life. Unfortunately, the majority of surviving SMA patients have skeletal deformities or spinal hardware that make it difficult to safely and reliably access the cerebrospinal fluid. | |
 | AHA: bandmates in the war and treaty open up about health, homelessnessMichael Trotter Jr. said his mother knew the turkey sandwiches, hot dogs and cupcakes he and his siblings were constantly eating weren't good for them. But life in homeless shelters was traumatic, and eating a nutritious meal was not high on his mother's priority list. |
 | Broader scope of practice linked to lower rates of burnout(HealthDay)—Early-career family physicians who practice inpatient medicine or obstetrics have reduced odds of burnout, according to a study published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. |
 | Decline in hospital-acquired conditions continues(HealthDay)—The rate of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) continued its decline from 2014 to 2016, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) National Scorecard on Hospital-Acquired Conditions. |
 | Living in deprived area is risk factor for cognitive dysfunction(HealthDay)—Area-level deprivation is an independent risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in older adults, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Education RE: herd immunity can up readiness to be vaccinated(HealthDay)—Educating adults about herd immunity can increase the proportion willing to be vaccinated for influenza, according to a study recently published in Vaccine. |
 | Hydrocodone schedule change affected post-op opioid rx(HealthDay)—Hydrocodone's change from schedule III to schedule II in 2014 was associated with an increase in the amount of opioids filled in the initial prescription after surgery, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in JAMA Surgery. |
 | TNFi not linked to increased cancer recurrence in RA patients(HealthDay)—For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), treatment with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) is not associated with increased risk for cancer recurrence, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Lower post-op mortality with hip fx surgery on day of admission(HealthDay)—Postoperative mortality is lower for medically stable older patients who undergo surgery for hip fracture on the day of admission or the following day, according to a study published in the Aug. 7 issue of CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association. |
 | Why polluted air may be a threat to your kidneysThere is good evidence that polluted air increases the risk of respiratory problems such as asthma—as well as organ inflammation, worsening of diabetes and other life-threatening conditions.But new research suggests air pollution can also fuel something else: chronic kidney disease, or CKD, which occurs when a person's kidneys become damaged or cannot filter blood properly. |
 | Study reveals potential biomarkers of cerebral aneurysm riskExpansive arterial remodeling (EAR) comprises a genetically programmed biological response designed to restore homeostatic levels of arterial wall stress after an increase in vessel flow load occurs. The magnitude and rate of EAR reactions relative to local hemodynamic stress fields and the tensile strength of vascular tissue determines whether the process will result in a stable mural structure (adaptive remodeling) or an unstable mural structure that progresses to form an aneurysm (maladaptive remodeling). A recent study published in Current Neurovascular Research reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptive and maladaptive remodeling of cerebral arteries for the first time. |
How low is too low? Study highlights serious risks for intensive blood pressure controlKaiser Permanente research published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found if patients with hypertension taking prescribed medications experience unusually low blood pressures—systolic blood pressure under 110mmHg—they are twice as likely to experience a fall or faint as patients whose treated blood pressure remains 110mmHg and above. | |
 | Britain faces sperm shortage in case of no-deal BrexitBritish couples looking to conceive through artificial insemination face uncertainty if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal because sperm would no longer be imported from EU countries under existing legislation. |
Ebola spreads to DR Congo city surrounded by rebels: WHOThe Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to a city surrounded by rebels, creating challenges responders were "dreading," the World Health Organization said Friday. | |
UN summit on TB seeks to put spotlight on killer diseaseIt's the world's number one killer among infectious diseases, but tuberculosis has been eclipsed by HIV/AIDS as a focus of global attention and donor funding. | |
 | John McCain no longer receiving treatment for terminal brain tumor(HealthDay)—Senator John McCain's long battle with brain cancer may be nearing an end, with his family announcing Friday that he will no longer receive treatment for the condition. |
Nebraska official certifies Medicaid expansion ballot itemA proposal to expand Medicaid in Nebraska moved closer Friday to getting on the November ballot after the state's top elections official determined there are enough valid signatures to send the question to voters. | |
 | Tobacco-funded group starts Montana anti-initiative ad blitzA group funded by the tobacco industry has launched a massive ad blitz against a ballot initiative to fund Montana's Medicaid expansion program and other health programs by raising the cigarette tax by $2 per pack and taxing vaping products for the first time. |
Biology news
 | Researchers discover mechanism underlying activity of proteins associated with cancer and autismAn international team of researchers has determined the function of a new family of proteins associated with cancer and autism. The results have been published in Molecular Cell. |
 | From guts to glory: The evolution of gut defenseA new Nature Communications paper has journeyed to the inside of our insides, as a team from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University has mapped the evolutionary journey of how animal guts have evolved to defend themselves from microbial attack. |
 | Martens recolonized Isle Royale in the '90s, showing island's dynamismAfter decades of trapping, the last known American marten was spotted on Isle Royale in 1917. Fifty years later, in 1966, the National Park Service planned to reintroduce martens to the national park situated in Lake Superior, but nobody knows if the agency ever followed through. Then, in 1993, martens were confirmed on the island for the first time in 76 years. |
 | Researchers develop cryopreservation method for ladybird beetle ovariesA new study has found an effective way to cryopreserve and subsequently transplant ovaries of the multicolored Asian ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis. In mammals (including humans), long-term cryopreservation of fertilized eggs, sperm and ovaries is possible. However, in insects, cryopreservation of fertilized eggs has not been successful, and cryopreservation of sperm and ovaries has been put to practical use only in silkworms. |
 | New study finds zoning ineffective for deer winter habitat conservationProtection of only narrowly defined zones of winter habitat is not an effective means of regional habitat conservation for white-tailed deer, according to a new University of Maine study. |
 | Why do weever fish make beach visits a painful experience?Scientists from the University of Plymouth are carrying out research into one of the more painful features of the South West's beaches – weever fish. |
 | Infrared beams show cell types in a different lightBy shining highly focused infrared light on living cells, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) hope to unmask individual cell identities, and to diagnose whether the cells are diseased or healthy. |
 | What the grieving mother orca tells us about how animals experience deathFor many weeks, news of a mother orca carrying her dead infant through the icy waters of the Salish Sea captured the attention of many around the world. Keeping the infant afloat as best she could, the orca, named Tahlequah, also known as J35 by scientists, persisted for 17 days, before finally dropping the dead calf. |
 | A molecular pit crew responsible for refuelling in signaling cellsDuring IndyCar races, pit stop crews will often refuel a car, replace wheels and complete minor repairs on a race car within 10 seconds. In this short time, a dozen or so people work rapidly and in a highly coordinated manner to complete a number of tasks with extraordinary efficiency. |
 | Do dogs have feelings?If you live with a dog you just know when it's happy or miserable, don't you? Of course you do. Even the scientific community, now admits that dogs have emotions – even if scientists can't directly measure what they are experiencing. |
 | New insights on sperm production lay groundwork for solving male infertilityNearly one in eight couples in the U.S. face infertility, and about half of those cases can be attributed to semen abnormalities in the male partner. |
 | Effective fisheries management can reduce extinction risk of marine fish stocksNumerous studies have highlighted that climate change impacts will put vulnerable marine species at risk of local and even global extinction; however, local actions through effective fisheries management can reduce the probability of those species' extinction risk by as much as 63 per cent, says a new UBC study. |
 | Tourists complain French cicadas are 'too loud'It is the quintessential sound of the Mediterranean in summer, but for some French tourists the cicadas of Provence are just too noisy. |
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