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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 27, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | A piercing celestial eye stares back at HubbleThis dramatic image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the planetary nebula NGC 3918, a brilliant cloud of colorful gas in the constellation of Centaurus, around 4,900 light-years from Earth. |
 | 15 of Spitzer's greatest discoveries from 15 years in spaceNASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has spent 15 years in space. In honor of this anniversary, 15 of Spitzer's greatest discoveries are featured in a gallery. |
 | How scientists predicted Corona's appearance during Aug. 21, 2017, total solar eclipseIt was Aug. 14, 2017, just one week before the Moon would cross paths with the Sun and Earth, casting its shadow across the United States. The entire country buzzed with anticipation for the fleeting chance to see the corona, the Sun's tenuous outer atmosphere. |
 | Discovering trailing components of a coronal mass ejectionUsing Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, PSI Associate Research Scientist Elizabeth A. Jensen's team observed radio signals from the MESSENGER spacecraft and discovered that solar eruptions known to cause communication disruptions and electrical grid failures as they hit Earth have secondary trailing impacts. Jensen is lead author of "Plasma Interactions with the Space Environment in the Acceleration Region: Indications of CME-trailing Reconnection Regions" that appears in The Astrophysical Journal. Co-authors include PSI Senior Scientists Deborah Domingue Lorin and Faith Vilas. |
 | Image: Radar footprints over buried Mars lakeESA's Mars Express radar team recently made an exciting announcement: data from their instrument points to a pond of liquid water buried about 1.5 km below the icy south polar ice of Mars. |
Technology news
 | An evaluation of machine learning to identify bacteraemia in SIRS patientsA team of researchers at the Medical University of Vienna has recently evaluated the effectiveness of machine learning strategies to identify bacteraemia in patients affected by systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Their study, published in Scientific Reports, gathered discouraging results, as machine learning methods could not achieve better accuracy than current diagnostic techniques. |
 | Neural-network based software allows for copying dance moves from one person to anotherA small team of researchers at UC Berkeley has used neural-networking software to create a program that copies the dance moves of one person to another—making it look like the second person is doing the dancing. The team, with members Caroline Chan, Shiry Ginosar, Tinghui Zhou and Alexei Efros, has written a paper describing their software and has posted it on the arXiv preprint server. |
 | Nile T-18 tested in bid to unleash drone tech for aging farmers in JapanJapan's attention to aging includes trying to find the best models and solutions to cope with the social and economic impact of an aging population. |
 | Generating energy from sandy rivers—an untapped renewable resource ready for prime time?The use of in-stream flow (or hydrokinetic) energy converters in rivers appears to offer another workable and effective option to expand renewable energy and limit carbon emissions in the United States. While the potential for in-stream flow energy harvesting systems has already been demonstrated for rivers with fixed beds, researchers now developed a scaled demonstration of hydrokinetic energy generated from a river channel with a sandy bed. Their findings, detailed in a new paper published in Nature Energy, showed that the model hydrokinetic power plant can generate energy effectively and safely without undermining the stability of the river geomorphic environment. |
 | This bright blue dye is found in fabric. Could it also power batteries?A sapphire-colored dye called methylene blue is a common ingredient in wastewater from textile mills. |
 | Nissan launches China-focused electric carNissan's first electric sedan designed for China began production Monday at the start of a wave of dozens of planned lower-cost electrics being created by global automakers for their biggest market. |
 | Testing new tech in cars of the futureEarly warnings about pedestrians crossing a signalised intersection, red light violations and traffic queues are just some of the latest advanced vehicle warning systems being evaluated by QUT researchers. |
 | Improved efficiency and stability of CQD solar cells using an organic thin filmRecently, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based solar cells has been enhanced, paving the way for their commercialization in various fields; nevertheless, they are still a long way from being commercialized due to their efficiency not matching their stability. In this research, a KAIST team achieved highly stable and efficient CQD-based solar cells by using an amorphous organic layer to block oxygen and water permeation. |
 | Sludge: How corporations 'nudge' us into spending moreSmall changes in how choices are presented or designed can have a big impact on our behaviour. Governments are taking advantage of this to "nudge" us into making better choices without removing our right to choose. |
 | Amid blackout scare stories, remember that a grid without power cuts is impossible... and expensiveLast Friday the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) released its annual Electricity Statement of Opportunities. This was widely (and inaccurately) reported as predicting widespread blackouts. |
 | Experts assemble for UN-hosted meeting on 'killer robots'Experts from scores of countries are meeting to discuss ways to define and deal with "killer robots"—futuristic weapons systems that could conduct war without human intervention. |
Foxconn giving $100 million to UW-Madison for partnershipFoxconn Technology Group announced Monday that it will invest $100 million in engineering and innovation research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, making it one of the largest gifts in the school's history that comes as the Taiwan-based electronics giant builds a factory in southeastern Wisconsin that would be the company's first of its kind in North America. | |
 | Activists urge killer robot ban 'before it is too late'Countries should quickly agree a treaty banning the use of so-called killer robots "before it is too late", activists said Monday as talks on the issue resumed at the UN. |
 | UTSA enters Guinness World Records with smallest medical robotIt can't be seen with a human eye. It doesn't look anything like C-3PO or R2-D2, or even BB-8. But, nevertheless, it is a robot (all 120nm of it) and its creators from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) are now world record holders in the Guinness World Records for creating the Smallest Medical Robot. |
 | Judge blocks online plans for printing untraceable 3-D gunsA U.S. judge in Seattle blocked the Trump administration Monday from allowing a Texas company to post online plans for making untraceable 3D guns, agreeing with 19 states and the District of Columbia that such access to the plastic guns would pose a security risk. |
What's Facebook Watch and will you like it?What is "Facebook Watch?" If you said, "another ingenious/devious way for Facebook to consume every last second of my life," you wouldn't be wrong. If you said, "haven't a clue," you wouldn't be alone. | |
 | Toyota set to team up with Uber on driverless cars: reportToyota is poised to pump about $500 million into Uber as part of a deal to collaborate on self-driving vehicles, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. |
 | 'We are totally happy,' says paid Amazon workers on TwitterAmazon is taking an out-of-the box approach to answering its critics—paying workers to be "ambassadors" and tweet full-time about how satisfied they were at their jobs. |
 | All aboard the neutron train—mapping residual stresses for more robust railsRailway rails are designed to endure years of heavy loads and different operating conditions. However, over time, contact forces between the rails and the wheels of trains can cause significant wear and tear on the rails, which then must be replaced to ensure safety and reliability. |
 | Tesla shares slip after company decides to stay publicShares of Tesla slipped on the first day of trading after the electric vehicle maker said it won't consider going private after all. |
 | New platform by NYU Tandon, Frick, brings art history research into the digital ageCan 21st century data science and visualization revolutionize the impact of art created millennia ago? |
Hungary: Opposition party seeks Microsoft graft case probeA Hungarian opposition party is formally asking authorities to investigate an alleged corruption scheme involving the sale of Microsoft products to state clients. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | The art of building boneCell differentiation is a widely studied phenomenon forming the basis of all developmental processes including fetal growth and bone fracture healing. A series of recent studies indicates the emerging role of chondrocyte-to-osteoblast transdifferentiation during bone tissue formation, known as endochondral ossification (replacing cartilage with bone). |
 | Researchers report possible culprit in stunted childhood growthLinear growth delay, in which normal growth in children is stunted, affects an estimated 155 million children around the world each year. Caused in part by malnutrition, it primarily affects children living in difficult economic conditions that expose them to sewage and waste. The pathophysiology of stunted growth is poorly understood, and to date, there are no available preventive or therapeutic strategies. The consequences of stunted growth carry on into adulthood, including decreased income potential and health complications. |
 | Diet has bigger impact on emotional well-being in women than in menWomen may need a more nutrient-rich diet to support a positive emotional well-being, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University at New York. |
 | New target could prevent progression of liver damage to cancerProblems like obesity and alcoholism appear to chronically trigger in the liver a receptor known to amplify inflammation in response to invaders like bacteria, scientists report. |
 | Sensitivity to how others evaluate you emerges by 24 monthsEven before toddlers can form a complete sentence, they are attuned to how others may be judging them, finds a new study by psychologists at Emory University. |
 | Breast cancer breakthrough: Some tumors can stop their own spreadCertain types of breast tumors can send signals that freeze the growth of their own secondary cancers, according to a major new study co-led by Australia's Garvan Institute of Medical Research. |
 | Researchers unearth secret tunnels between the skull and the brainBone marrow, the spongy tissue inside most of our bones, produces red blood cells as well as immune cells that help fight off infections and heal injuries. According to a new study of mice and humans, tiny tunnels run from skull bone marrow to the lining of the brain and may provide a direct route for immune cells responding to injuries caused by stroke and other brain disorders. The study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and published in Nature Neuroscience. |
 | Scientists identify a new kind of human brain cellOne of the most intriguing questions about the human brain is also one of the most difficult for neuroscientists to answer: What sets our brains apart from those of other animals? |
 | New immunotherapy inhibits tumor growth and protects against metastasesScientists at the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology have taken important steps toward the development of cancer-targeting immunotherapy. The research team developed a treatment in mice that destroys part of the tumor and stimulates the immune system to attack persistent surviving cancer cells. In addition, the researchers demonstrated that the treatment provides protection against tumor formation in other areas of the body. Their findings have been published in Nature Communications. |
 | Epigenetic analysis of aggressive brain tumorsGlioblastoma is a highly aggressive brain cancer that predominantly affects people in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Even under the best available care, half of the patients die within one year after diagnosis, and very few live on for more than three years. Many efforts to develop new, targeted treatments have failed over the last decade. The high degree of molecular heterogeneity among the cancer cells results in evolutionary selection for those cells that can withstand drug treatment. |
 | How we judge personality from faces depends on our pre-existing beliefs about how personality worksWe make snap judgments of others based not only on their facial appearance, but also on our pre-existing beliefs about how others' personalities work, finds a new study by a team of psychology researchers. |
 | Percutaneously reducing secondary mitral regurgitation in heart failure appears futilePercutaneously reducing secondary mitral regurgitation appears futile when tested in all heart failure patients, according to late breaking research presented today in a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress 2018 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Lung damage in ventilated preterm infants differs with gestational age, early research showsAssisted ventilation is crucial to support very preterm babies, however the treatment often leads to chronic lung disease. While the survival of preterm babies has increased over the past 30 years, rates of chronic lung disease have remained static. |
 | People who don't read the news better at predicting which articles will go viralFiguring out how to make articles and videos go viral is the holy grail for any content creator. Although a magic formula remains elusive, in recent years, neuroscientists have forecasted which content will go viral by showing it to a small number of people and observing their brain activity. |
 | The heart: Digital or analog? Researchers shed dramatic new light on disorders of heart bioelectricityScientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (VTCRI) have found evidence that may disrupt conventional understanding about how electrical activity travels in the heart—a discovery that potentially can lead to new insight into medical problems such as heart arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. |
 | Study finds sucralose produces previously unidentified metabolitesSucralose, a widely used artificial sweetener sold under the trade name Splenda, is metabolized in the gut, producing at least two fat-soluble compounds, according to a recent study using rats. The finding differs from the studies used to garner regulatory approval for sucralose, which reported that the substance was not broken down in the body. The new study also found that sucralose itself was found in fatty tissues of the body. |
 | Researchers develop more accurate measure of body fatCedars-Sinai investigators have developed a simpler and more accurate method of estimating body fat than the widely used body mass index, or BMI, with the goal of better understanding obesity. |
 | Diseased heart muscle cells have abnormally shortened telomeres, researchers findPeople with a form of heart disease called cardiomyopathy have abnormally short telomeres in heart muscle cells responsible for contraction, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. |
 | Study defines mechanisms behind focused-ultrasound-assisted treatment of brain tumorsA study led by a team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has analyzed, for the first time, the mechanisms underlying the use of focused ultrasound to improve the delivery of anti-cancer drugs across the blood brain barrier into brain tumors. Their report published in PNAS uses advanced microcopy techniques and mathematical modeling to track the potential of this promising, minimally invasive treatment approach in an animal model of breast cancer brain metastasis. The team also included investigators from Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Edinburgh and Brigham and Women's Hospital. |
 | Marijuana found in breast milk up to six days after useWith the legalization of marijuana in several states, increased use for both medicinal and recreational purposes has been documented in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Although national organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that breastfeeding mothers do not use marijuana, there has been a lack of specific data to support health or neurodevelopmental concerns in infants as a result of exposure to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or other components of marijuana via breast milk. |
 | Study finds one in 12 children taking multiple medications at riskAccording to new research from the University of Illinois at Chicago, about one in five children regularly use prescription medications, and nearly one in 12 of those children are at risk for experiencing a harmful drug-drug interaction. The findings from the study, which is published in the journal Pediatrics, indicate that adolescent girls are at highest risk of potential adverse events due to drug-drug interactions, or DDIs. |
 | Study raises the standard for measuring nerve cell deathResearchers at UBC's Okanagan campus have developed a new and improved method to judge the effectiveness of experimental therapies for neurodegeneration—the progressive loss of neurons. |
 | One in three US veteran firearm owners keeps a gun loaded and unlockedOne third of United States Armed Forces Veterans store at least one firearm loaded with ammunition and unlocked, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that reports on the first survey of a nationally representative sample of this group regarding storage practices. Unsafe firearm storage practices appeared to be strongly related to perceptions about the need to keep firearms for protection. This easy access to lethal means increases suicide risk in an already vulnerable population. |
Care coordination improves health of older patients with multiple chronic diseasesFor older adults with multiple chronic diseases, such as diabetes, depression, heart disease and others, care coordination appears to have the biggest impact on better health, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) | |
Drug reduces deaths and hospitalizations from underdiagnosed form of heart failureA phase three clinical trial has shown that a drug called tafamidis significantly reduces deaths and hospitalizations in patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), a progressive form of heart failure that may be more common than doctors realize. | |
 | Child lead exposure study finds substantial reductions possibleNew data from a long-term study of 355 mothers and their children found that fixing peeling paint and removing other household sources of lead during the mother's pregnancy can reduce levels of dust lead in homes to levels significantly lower than previously deemed achievable. |
 | Keeping cost from getting in the way of stroke preventionPeople who survive a stroke in their 40s, 50s or early 60s may still have decades to live—but only if they take blood thinners, blood pressure drugs and other medications that can reduce their risk of a second stroke. |
 | Cardio exercise and strength training affect hormones differentlyFor exercise, many people cycle to and from work, or visit the gym to lift weights. Regardless of the form of training they choose, people exercise to improve their health. But researchers actually know surprisingly little about exactly how different forms of training affect health. |
 | Happy elderly people live longer, say researchersHappy older people live longer, according to researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. In a study published today in Age and Ageing, the scientific journal of the British Geriatrics Society, the authors found that an increase in happiness is directly proportional with a reduction in mortality. |
 | Blood cancer patients benefit from breakthrough genetic testing serviceCutting-edge DNA sequencing technology has been used by QUT researchers at the new Australian Translational Genomics Centre (ATGC) to identify genetic mutations in 100 patients with blood cancers, with this testing providing clinically important information to doctors about prognosis and likely treatment responses for the majority of patients. |
 | Can echocardiography improve care of patients with pulmonary embolism?The use of echocardiography, which creates two-dimensional images of the heart, can help clinicians better predict outcomes for individuals with pulmonary embolisms, says a Yale author of a new study. |
 | INRS takes aim at dreaded tropical disease leishmaniasisLeishmania is a microorganism that enters the human body via a sandfly bite. The parasite allows itself to be swallowed up by white blood cells to advance its life cycle. The disease threatens the health of over 500 million people at risk of infection in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas. |
 | MS researchers find new ways to regenerate the brain's insulationUniversity of Melbourne researchers have found a way to rebuild damaged nerve coverings that cause Multiple Sclerosis. |
 | How does manganese enter the brain? Research offers clues to neurological disorderNew information from the University at Buffalo on how manganese, an essential nutrient, gets into the brain, is helping shed light on a neurological disorder usually associated with industrial overexposure to the metal. |
 | Microvascular dysfunction—a common cause of heart failure with preserved pumping capacityMicrovascular dysfunction, or small vessel disease, can be an important cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (preserved pumping capacity), according to an international team including researchers from Karolinska Institutet and AstraZeneca. Their study is published in The European Heart Journal. The results could play a crucial role in identifying people at risk for this type of heart failure, and could also contribute to the development of new drugs. |
 | New technique to visualise brain tissueBelén Notario Collado,leader of the Micro-Computed Tomography Laboratory at the Centro Nacional de investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), is part of the team that developed a technique to visualise post-mortem nerve tissue through X-ray computed tomography, achieving a clear differentiation between the white matter and grey matter of the brain. The results have been published in the journal Archives Italiennes de Biologie. |
 | High-sugar feeding only at active times of day reduces adverse effects in ratsA sedentary lifestyle combined with a diet dominated by processed foods has widely resulted in a range of conditions including diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure, which are known collectively as metabolic syndrome. Although many insights into the causes of metabolic syndrome have been made, much remains to be understood about the complex interplay among the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle-related factors in terms of preventing this condition. |
 | Imaging advance to speed quest for cell therapiesCancer treatments that involve transplanting cells into patients could move forward faster thanks to a new imaging system. |
 | Aspirin disappoints for avoiding first heart attack, strokeTaking a low-dose aspirin every day has long been known to cut the chances of another heart attack, stroke or other heart problem in people who already have had one, but the risks don't outweigh the benefits for most other folks, major new research finds. |
 | The health benefits of eating earlier(HealthDay)—Weight loss depends on eating fewer calories than your body uses up. But when you eat those calories could make a difference that you'll see on the scale. |
Pediatricians warn of rising use of pot while pregnant, breastfeeding(HealthDay)—More and more pregnant or breastfeeding women are using marijuana, and U.S. pediatricians are pushing back against the notion that the drug is "safe." | |
 | Most research participants not concerned about data sharing(HealthDay)—Few participants in clinical trials have strong concerns about the risks of data sharing, according to a study published June 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Long-term antiplatelet monotherapy after stenting is safe but does not improve outcomesLong-term antiplatelet monotherapy after stenting is safe but does not reduce the risk of death or heart attack compared to standard dual antiplatelet therapy, according to late breaking results from the GLOBAL LEADERS trial presented today in a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress 20181 and published in The Lancet. |
 | Bioeningeers create new virtual 3-D heart for clinical useA team at the University of Auckland's Bioengineering Institute have created a virtual 3-D heart that could have a major impact on treatment of the most common heart rhythm disturbance, atrial fibrillation (AF). |
 | Tips to fight hand, foot and mouth disease from pediatric infectious disease specialistWith an uptick in cases of hand, foot and mouth disease in the area, Loyola Medicine pediatric infectious disease specialist Nadia Qureshi, MD, offers tips to keep kids healthy as they go back to school. |
 | Study reveals when and why people die after noncardiac surgeryThe main reasons why people die after noncardiac surgery are revealed today in a study of more than 40,000 patients from six continents presented in a late breaking science session at ESC Congress 2018. Myocardial injury, major bleeding, and sepsis contributed to nearly three-quarters of all deaths. |
 | How long are you contagious with gastro?There's no way you'd want to go to work when you've got the telltale signs of gastro: nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. But what about when you're feeling a bit better? When is it safe to be around colleagues, or send your kids to school or daycare? |
 | Cycle, walk, drive or train? Weighing up the healthiest (and safest) ways to get around the cityThere are many ways to get around a city. You can drive a car or ride a motorcycle. In many cities you have the option of public transport. And of course if you live close enough to where you are heading you can get around in a more active way by riding a bicycle or walking. |
 | Listening to yoga music at bedtime is good for the heartListening to yoga music at bedtime is good for the heart, according to research presented today at ESC Congress 2018. |
 | New medications for diabetes management have additional heart benefits, study findsA drug used to manage diabetes may reduce heart disease and death in people with diabetes regardless of their cholesterol levels and whether they are on a statin therapy, suggests a new analysis of the LEADER trial. |
 | Additional inhibitor can help anti-VEGF therapy overcome resistance in deadly brain cancerAdding another inhibitor to therapies that cut off a tumor's access to blood vessels could be the key to helping those therapies overcome resistance in glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer. |
Left atrial fibrosis may explain increased risk of arrhythmias in endurance athletesLeft atrial fibrosis may explain the increased risk of arrhythmias seen in highly trained endurance athletes, according to research presented today at ESC Congress 2018. | |
 | World's largest transfusion study in cardiac surgery changes transfusion practicesLower thresholds for blood transfusions for cardiac surgery patients compared to traditional thresholds provide positive patient outcomes and safety at six months after surgery, according to the world's largest research study on this topic. |
 | HIV RNA expression inhibitors may restore immune function in HIV-infected individualsImmune activation and inflammation persist in the majority of treated HIV-infected individuals and is associated with excess risk of mortality and morbidity. A new study by Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers suggests that use of HIV RNA expression inhibitors as adjunct therapy might diminish atypical inflammation and restore immune function in HIV-infected individuals on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). |
 | Reversing influences of intergenerational stress offers hope for addressing public healthIn an effort to help protect children from intergenerational vulnerabilities associated with parental trauma and stress, researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, have shown for the first time in an animal model it is possible to reverse influences of parental stress by exposing parents to behavioral interventions following their own exposure to stress. Yerkes researcher Brian Dias, Ph.D., led the research team in this discovery that has important implications for preventing future generations from bearing influences of stressors their parents faced before the children were conceived. The study results are published online in Biological Psychiatry. |
Ross procedure may provide longer survival and better quality of life, study suggestsThe Ross procedure, a valve replacement surgery that is largely unused in practice, may provide long-term benefits including longer survival, less clotting and bleeding complications and better quality of life than other valve replacement surgery, finds a study led by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital. | |
ARRIVE trial of daily aspirin does not show lower risk of first cardiovascular eventThe role of aspirin in preventing a first heart attack or stroke among people at moderate risk of heart disease remains unclear. At the 2018 European Society of Cardiology meeting, J. Michael Gaziano, MD, a preventive cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, presented findings from ARRIVE, a randomized, controlled clinical trial of the use of daily aspirin to prevent a first cardiovascular event among more than 12,500 participants considered to be at moderate cardiovascular risk. The team's findings are detailed in a paper published simultaneously in The Lancet. | |
 | Stabilizing dysferlin-deficient muscle cell membrane improves muscle functionHealthy muscle cells rely on the protein dysferlin to properly repair the sarcolemmal membrane, a thin specialized membrane that serves a vital role in ensuring that muscle fibers are strong enough and have the necessary resources to contract. Mutations in the DYSF gene that produces this essential protein causes limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2B (LGMD2B), a disease characterized by chronic muscle inflammation and progressively weakened muscles in the pelvis and shoulder girdle. |
Antithrombin drug not effective in heart failure with sinus rhythm and coronary diseaseThe antithrombin drug rivaroxaban does not reduce the risk of a composite endpoint of survival, myocardial infarction and stroke after an episode of worsening heart failure in patients with heart failure, sinus rhythm, and coronary artery disease, according to late breaking results from the COMMANDER HF trial presented today in a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress 2018 and with simultaneous publication in NEJM. | |
Researchers discover first treatment to improve survival in rare heart conditionTafamidis is the first treatment to improve survival and reduce hospitalisations in a rare heart condition called transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, according to late breaking research presented today in a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress 2018 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. | |
 | Clock drawing cognitive test should be done routinely in patients with high blood pressureA clock drawing test for detecting cognitive dysfunction should be conducted routinely in patients with high blood pressure, according to research presented today at ESC Congress 2018. |
 | Healthy dining in convenience stores?People turn to convenience stores to grab on-the-go food while traveling or as the only alternative when fresh food options like grocery stores are scarce. |
 | Doctors have difficulty finding practices offering deliveries(HealthDay)—Finding a practice that provides opportunities to do deliveries is a considerable barrier to performing obstetric deliveries, according to a study published in the May-June issue the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. |
 | Sensor array may detect de novo Parkinson's disease in breath(HealthDay)—A sensor array has the potential to identify de novo Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values, according to a research letter published online July 10 in ACS Chemical Neuroscience. |
 | Computer-aided colonoscopy reliably identifies small polyps(HealthDay)—Computer-aided colonoscopy can reliably diagnose small polyps that do not need to be removed, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Emergency department visits after abortion extremely rare(HealthDay)—Abortion-related visits to the emergency department comprise a very small proportion of reproductive-aged women's visits, according to a study published June 14 in BMC Medicine. |
 | Smartphone app can help improve outcomes with HIV(HealthDay)—A smartphone app designed for people living with HIV increases users' consistency in doctor visits and improves their health outcomes, according to a study recently published in AIDS Patient Care and STDs. |
 | Prescription drug monitoring program may not cut opioid use(HealthDay)—Implementation of a mandatory prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) does not necessarily reduce the overall rate of opioid prescribing or the mean number of pills prescribed for patients undergoing general surgical procedures, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in JAMA Surgery. |
Significant dialysis developmentA new minimally-invasive surgical technique for dialysis patients may be the most significant development in dialysis access in the last 50 years, according to the surgeon who performed the first two cases in the United States. | |
 | Commentary: More malaria nets likely needed between campaignsA new study published in the Lancet journal EClinicalMedicine suggests that more mosquito nets are likely needed between mass campaigns to keep malaria cases in check. Writing in an accompanying commentary, Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs' Hannah Koenker, Ph.D., says the paper shows that the loss of treated bed nets between mass campaigns may have a much greater impact on malaria transmission than previously understood. |
 | Heart-brain connection could be predictive biomarker for epilepsyHeartbeat irregularities connected to brain activity abnormalities may lead to the ability to predict eventual epileptic seizures in subjects who suffered physical or infectious brain insults, according to Penn State researchers who studied mouse models of cerebral malaria, which often causes epilepsy in those who survive. |
 | Researchers reveal how gene variant is linked to chronic pain after traumatic injuryThe gene FKBP5 is a critical regulator of the stress response and affects how we respond to environmental stimuli. Previous studies have shown that certain variants of this gene play a role in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, suicide risk, and aggressive behavior. But in 2013, UNC School of Medicine researchers were first to show an association between genetic variants in FKBP5 and posttraumatic chronic pain. In particular, the study found that people with a variant or minor/risk allele on chromosome 6 known as rs3800373 are likely to experience more pain after exposure to trauma (such as sexual assault or motor vehicle collision) compared to people who don't have this variant. |
Drug could aid recovery after a heart attackDrugs currently undergoing development to treat anaemia could be repurposed to help prevent people with Type 2 diabetes from developing heart failure, according to new research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and Diabetes UK. | |
 | Researchers to test novel drug combination against toughest breast cancersResearchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have launched a phase Ib clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of cirmtuzumab, in combination with standard chemotherapy, to treat metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer that cannot be surgically removed. |
 | Physicians deserve answers as public service loan forgiveness program hangs in the balanceWith medical school loan debt averaging $200,000, many physicians pursue the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program that eliminates federal student loans after 10 years of service in the public sector. But the fate of the program hangs in the balance, as government officials signal a desire to end it, leaving physicians in a lingering uncertainty that's unnecessary and unfair, health policy experts from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and three other medical institutions argue in a new commentary published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Call for a unified approach to preventing suicides and other self-injury deathsSelf-injury mortality (SIM), a composite of all methods of suicide and estimated non-suicide deaths from drug self-intoxication, has surpassed diabetes as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, prompting researchers to call for a new unified approach to SIM prevention. |
 | Food insecurity leads to higher mortality risk, a new study findsA wide array of negative health outcomes have been associated with food insecurity including diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease. But could food insecurity lead to an increased risk of mortality? According to University of Illinois agricultural economist Craig Gundersen, no one has researched this relationship until now. |
New urine dipstick test detects cause of disease that blinds millionsScientists at Scripps Research have developed a urine diagnostic to detect the parasitic worms that cause river blindness, also called onchocerciasis, a tropical disease that afflicts 18 to 120 million people worldwide. | |
Analysis: Commonly used drugs are rarely studied in primary care patientsDrugs most commonly prescribed to patients seen by primary care physicians are not often tested in the patients who go to these clinics, where most people receive their care, say investigators at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) and Yale School of Medicine. | |
 | Scientists develop an effective marker for cancer diagnosis and therapyA research group consisting of scientists from NUST MISIS, the Technical University of Munich, Helmholtz Zentrum München, the University of Duisburg-Essen, and the University of Oldenburg has developed a system that allows doctors to both improve the accuracy of diagnosing malignant cells and to provide additional opportunities for cancer treatment. The magnetoferritin compound is the main element of this new system. The research article has been published in Advanced Functional Materials. |
 | A specific active immunotherapy to control cholesterol levels in bloodCardiovascular disease still accounts for the greatest number of deaths worldwide. PCSK9-inhibition reduces the risk of cardiovascular events by regulation of the LDL (low density lipoprotein) receptor, one of the transporters of cholesterol in blood. The protein PCSK9 binds to the LDL-cholesterol receptor and enhances its degradation, which leads to the reduced clearance of LDL-cholesterol and a higher risk of atherosclerosis. |
Merely thinking about the grocery store could lead to a lapse in dietMerely thinking about the food store could lead a dieter to make the wrong food choices, explains a new doctoral dissertation. What is happening if a consumer on a diet is being guided towards unhealthy food choices without being aware of it? | |
 | New study examines wartime experiences and PTSD among female Air Force personnelA study of deployed and non-deployed active duty, female Air Force personnel found that both rates of exposure to wartime experiences and reports of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increased between 2008 and 2013. Rates of post-deployment PTSD were highest among women who reported wartime experiences during deployment. The likelihood of a positive PTSD screen increased as the number of wartime experiences increased, but it decreased with increases in unit cohesion and self-efficacy, as reported in an article published in Journal of Women's Health. |
 | The sugar wars: Rhetoric or reason?Over the past 50 years researchers, clinicians, professional organizations, and health charities have waged war on sugar, calling for dietary recommendations to be changed and for a sugar tax on soft drinks and sweet treats in an effort to reduce obesity and cardiovascular diseases. In 2014, the WHO recommended that adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than ten percent of their total energy intake. But could the war on sugar be bad for your health? Experts present the arguments both for and against sugar in this hotly contested debate on the "Sugar Wars" published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases. |
 | Connectome organization in childhood ALL and risk of delayed neurodevelopmentA new study provides novel insights into the cognitive effects of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and of chemotherapeutic treatment in long-term survivors of ALL. The findings from comparative studies of structural and functional connectome organization, showing that connectome disruption is associated with delayed neurodevelopment, are published in an article in Brain Connectivity. |
 | Stress gene influences chronic pain after car crashA study of more than 1,000 motor vehicle accident survivors published in JNeurosci reveals a common variant in a gene involved in the stress response that increases vulnerability to developing chronic pain. Addressing the interaction between this genetic variant and post-traumatic stress may represent a supplemental or alternative to treatment with addictive opioids. |
 | Brain-heart activity predicts post-malaria epilepsy in miceAnimals that develop epilepsy after an infection can be identified as early as three months prior to their first seizure by measuring interactions between the brain and the heart, according to new research using a mouse model of post-cerebral malaria epilepsy. Published in JNeurosci, this finding could inform efforts to diagnose and treat acquired epilepsy. |
 | E-cigarette use common, especially among younger adults and those in the LBGTQ communityE-cigarette use is prevalent among U.S. adults, especially among men; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons (LGBT); those who are unemployed; and those with chronic disease. E-cigarette use was also more common among those living in the South and West. Findings from a large U.S. survey are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Gala apple passes Red Delicious as America's favoriteAt their core, Americans have changed—at least when it comes to their apple preferences. |
 | Ebola death toll rises to 75 in DR CongoThe death toll from an outbreak of Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 75, the health ministry said Monday. |
Biology news
 | In the race of life, the tortoise beats the hare every timeOver the long-run, the race will indeed go to the slower, steadier animal. |
 | Beluga whales and narwhals go through menopauseScientists have discovered that beluga whales and narwhals go through the menopause—taking the total number of species known to experience this to five. |
 | EXP2 protein helps deadliest malaria parasite obtain nutrients during infectionResearchers from the National Institutes of Health and other institutions have deciphered the role of a key protein that the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum uses to obtain nutrients while infecting red blood cells. Their study appears in Nature Microbiology. |
 | Scientists solve 30-year wheat rust genetics puzzleResearchers from the University of Sydney, CSIRO, the United Kingdom's John Innes Centre, Limagrain UK and the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) have isolated the first major resistance genes against the detrimental stripe rust disease that is devastating wheat crops worldwide. |
 | Ebola species found in bats ahead of any potential outbreakFor the first time, scientists discovered a new ebola virus species in a host prior to detection in an infected human or sick animal. |
 | Massive effort yields image-based cell sorting technologyInvented over 50 years ago, flow cytometry-based cell sorting has become a widely used tool in biology labs for physically isolating cells based on their global surface marker expression profiles. But on August 27 in the journal Cell, an international, multi-institutional team of researchers unveil the next evolution in this critical process, "Image-Activated Cell Sorting", or IACS for short. |
 | Mutations in this molecule may have helped mammoths tolerate the coldColumbia University biomedical researchers have captured close-up views of TRPV3, a skin-cell ion channel that plays important roles in sensing temperature, itch, and pain. In humans, defects in the protein can lead to skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema), vitiligo (uneven skin coloration), skin cancer, and rosacea. |
 | How the cholera bacterium survives water predatorsEPFL scientists have deciphered mechanisms that help the cholera bacterium to survive grazing predators in aquatic environments. |
 | Researchers use crowdsourcing to speed up data analysis in corn plantsTeaching a machine to finish a complex task can save humans a lot of time, effort and money. But first, the machine has to learn how, and that comes with plenty of its own challenges. |
 | How do fruit flies grow legs? Solving a molecular mysteryWhat do cancer and the growing legs of a fruit fly have in common? They can both be influenced by a single molecule, a protein that tends to call the shots inside of embryos as they develop into living, breathing animals. Present in virtually every creature on the planet, this protein goes by the name Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor protein, or EGFR. |
 | Research methods that find serial criminals could help save tigersA geographic profiling tool used to catch serial criminals could help reduce the casualties of human-tiger conflict, according to scientists who collaborated on an innovative conservation research study. |
 | Scientists 'fix' bacterial tree of lifeBacterial classification has been given a complete makeover by a team of University of Queensland researchers, using an evolutionary tree based on genome sequences. |
 | Serendipitous discovery may lead to eco-friendly lubricantSeed oil components of an ornamental flower could provide a direct pathway for designing a new class of environmentally friendly lubricants. Researchers at the School of Science at IUPUI identified the compound in the seed oil that is produced in a manner unlike any other fatty acid. The study was published today online in the journal Nature Plants. |
 | Fishing activity skyrocketed ahead of ban in South Pacific areaAhead of a full ban, fishing increased 130 percent in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area in the South Pacific, setting back projected efforts to let nature rebuild fish stocks by 18 months, researchers say. |
 | In sync: How cells make connections could impact circadian rhythmIf you've ever experienced jet lag, you are familiar with your circadian rhythm, which manages nearly all aspects of metabolism, from sleep-wake cycles to body temperature to digestion. Every cell in the body has a circadian clock, but researchers were unclear about how networks of cells connect with each other over time and how those time-varying connections impact network functions. |
 | Flirting flies: More than just winging itStudies of the song of fruit flies have revealed new findings of neuron function in a recent study. These results could lead to new knowledge on how brains in general function, which in the longer term, may have medical significance. |
 | Tree species richness in Amazonian wetlands is three times greater than expectedThroughout the alluvial plains of Amazonia, there are immense forests that are flooded for almost half the year. These Amazonian wetlands encompass a wide array of types of vegetation in or near stream gullies, including blackwater and whitewater inundation forests, swamps, white sand savannas, and mangrove types. |
 | Red light at night: A potentially fatal attraction to migratory batsLight pollution is rapidly increasing around the world. Nocturnal animals are likely to be especially affected, but how they respond to artificial light is still largely unknown. In a new study, scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in Berlin, Germany, tested the response of European bats to red and white light sources during their seasonal migration. Soprano pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) and, to a lesser degree, Nathusius' pipistrelles (Pipistrellus nathusii) were recorded more frequently near red LED light, indicating that the animals might be attracted to red light during their migration. In contrast, the scientists did not observe such behaviour near white LED lights. The wavelength of the experimental red LED lights was similar to that of red safety lights used for indicating the presence of wind turbines or tall buildings to aircraft pilots. Warning lights such as these might therefore lure migrating bats toward the very danger they help people to avoid. Switching to more bat-friendly lights or deploying on-demand lighting that only activates if an airplane approaches would most likely reduce bat collisions and bat casualties at wind power stations. The study has just been published in the scientific journal Ecology and Evolution. |
 | Screw pine is a self-watering giantPandanus forsteri, a species of screw pine endemic to Lord Howe Island, grows tall like no other tree on Earth. To reach the canopy, these trees have evolved a rainwater harvesting system that enables them to water themselves. |
 | Milk carton 'sell-by' dates may become more preciseThe "sell-by" and "best-by" dates on milk cartons may soon become more meaningful and accurate. Cornell University food scientists have created a new predictive model that examines spore-forming bacteria and when they emerge, according to research published in the August 2018 print issue of the Journal of Dairy Science. |
 | Towards untangling the 'antennal grabbing' phenomenon in mating cuckoo beesOne can seldom spot a cuckoo bee, whose peculiar kleptoparasitic behaviour includes laying eggs in the nests of a certain host bee species, let alone a couple mating. |
 | For carbon storage, biodiversity can help—or hurtBiodiversity plays a significant role in forest carbon storage, but surprisingly less than previously thought, new research in Ecology Letters suggests. |
Algae a threat to walleye vision, study findsWalleye and the fish they eat struggle to see in water clouded by algae, and that could potentially jeopardize the species' future if harmful algal blooms persist, according to a new study. | |
 | Fishing for new ways to expand the EU's aquaculture industryThe EU-funded DIVERSIFY project is contributing to the sustainable expansion of the Europe's aquaculture industry by promoting species diversification and product development. |
Assessment, monitoring, and mitigation of stressors on bee healthHoney bees, bumble bees, and solitary bees pollinate crops and wildflowers and are essential for both human and planetary well-being. The new EU Horizon 2020 project PoshBee aims to support healthy bee populations, sustainable beekeeping and pollination, since bees face many threats and are often in decline. | |
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