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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 14, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Gravity theory saved from deathAn international group of astronomers, including physicists at the University of St Andrews, has revived a previously debunked theory of gravity, arguing that motions within dwarf galaxies would be slower if close to a massive galaxy. |
 | Gravitational waves provide dose of reality about extra dimensionsWhile last year's discovery of gravitational waves from colliding neutron stars was earth-shaking, it won't add extra dimensions to our understanding of the universe—not literal ones, at least. |
 | SpaceX announces new plan to send tourist around MoonSpaceX on Thursday announced a new plan to launch a tourist around the Moon using its Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), a massive launch vehicle that is being designed to carry people into deep space. |
 | MarCO makes space for small explorersTwenty years ago, CubeSats—a class of boxy satellites small enough to fit in a backpack—were used by universities as a teaching aid. Simpler, smaller and cheaper than traditional satellites, they've made space more accessible to private companies and science agencies. |
 | Fly me to the Moon? A look at the space-tourism raceSpaceX is among a handful of companies racing to propel tourists into space. Here are the top projects in the works, and what they involve. |
 | ELFIN to study how electrons get lostThree hundred and ten miles above our planet's surface, near-Earth space is abuzz with action. Here begin the Van Allen Belts, a pair of concentric rings of fast-moving particles and intense radiation that extends more than 30,000 miles farther into space. For the most part these particles are confined to this special region, spiraling along Earth's magnetic field lines. But sometimes they come too close and crash into our atmosphere—creating the eye-catching diffuse red aurora, but also potentially interfering with critical communications and GPS satellites that we depend on every day. |
Officials shed little light on closure of solar observatoryAn observatory in the mountains of southern New Mexico that is dedicated unlocking the mysteries of the sun has found itself at the center of a mystery that is creating a buzz here on earth. | |
 | Was this huge river delta on Mars the place where its oceans finally disappeared?For some time, scientists have known that Mars was once a much warmer and wetter environment than it is today. However, between 4.2 and 3.7 billion years ago, its atmosphere was slowly stripped away, which turned the surface into the cold and desiccated place we know today. Even after multiple missions have confirmed the presence of ancient lake beds and rivers, there are still unanswered questions about how much water Mars once had. |
Technology news
 | Defense against adversarial attacks using machine learning and cryptographyResearchers at the University of Geneva have recently developed a new defense mechanism that works by bridging machine learning with cryptography. The new system, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, is based on Kerckhoffs' second cryptographic principle, which states that both defense and classification algorithms are known, but the key is not. |
 | GapFlyt gives flying quadrotors a lesson in beesResearchers have come up with a system that is bio-inspired to help drones pass through small gaps. The researchers tested their system and wrote an analysis in a paper which is published in IEEE Robotics & Automation Letters. |
 | Researchers explore machine learning to prevent defects in metal 3-D-printed parts in real timeFor years, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory engineers and scientists have used an array of sensors and imaging techniques to analyze the physics and processes behind metal 3-D printing in an ongoing effort to build higher quality metal parts the first time, every time. Now, researchers are exploring machine learning to process the data obtained during 3-D builds in real time, detecting within milliseconds whether a build will be of satisfactory quality. |
 | Apple, Firefox tools aim to thwart Facebook, Google trackingFacebook and other companies routinely track your online surfing habits to better target ads at you. Two web browsers now want to help you fight back in what's becoming an escalating privacy arms race. |
 | Lawsuit renews focus on privacy policies for mobile appsResearchers have warned that many popular free mobile apps aimed at children are potentially violating a U.S. law designed to protect the privacy of young users. |
Bezos unfazed by antitrust concerns on AmazonAmazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos said Thursday he was not worried about the potential for anti-trust scrutiny of the company as it becomes an important economic force. | |
 | Lego-style solar panels to smash energy billsReady-made snap-together solar panels that turn waste heat into hot water are being developed at Brunel University London in a £10 million sustainable energy scheme starting next month. |
 | Searching through noise for pros and consStructured decision-making support: The research project "ArgumenText" in the field of Ubiquitous Knowledge Processing has found a way to filter concrete pro and con arguments on any topic from amongst the noise of the internet. |
 | Emergency mobileMedical emergencies inevitably require an urgent response from doctors and other healthcare workers. Response time can mean the difference between life and death. As such, there are ongoing efforts in many areas of research to find technological approaches to reducing response times in order to improve medical outcomes. Writing in the International Journal of High Performance Computing and Networking, an academic team from Ireland explain how and why mobile cloud computing can be an answer. |
 | Nuclear reactors in hurricanes: 5 questions answeredHurricane Florence may affect the operations of several of the 16 nuclear reactors located in the Carolinas and Virginia, raising concerns about safety and power outages. Ted Kury, director of energy studies at the University of Florida's Public Utility Research Center, explains why nuclear power stations must take precautions during big storms. |
 | Could coal ash be a viable source of rare-earth metals?Rare-earth elements, including neodymium and yttrium, are not actually rare – more common, in fact, in the Earth's crust than copper and tin. But, because they are scattered widely, and hard to separate from their surrounding ores, mining and refining them is difficult. |
 | Robotic trousers could help disabled people walk againCould the answer to mobility problems one day be as easy as pulling on a pair of trousers? A research team led by Bristol University's Professor Jonathan Rossiter has recently unveiled a prototype pair of robotic trousers that they hope could help some disabled people walk without other assistance. |
 | Detectors for online hate speech can be easily duped by humans, study showsHateful text and comments are an ever-increasing problem in online environments, yet addressing the rampant issue relies on being able to identify toxic content. A new study by the Aalto University Secure Systems research group has discovered weaknesses in many machine learning detectors currently used to recognize and keep hate speech at bay. |
 | Ryanair announces preliminary deal with Italian staffBudget airline Ryanair announced on Friday that it has reached an agreement with flight crew unions in Italy to provide employment contracts under Italian law. |
 | Decline in auto sales slows US retail spending in AugustFalling auto sales in August slowed US retail spending, but a higher-than-originally reported figure for July meant the overall pace was well above 2017, the government said Friday. |
 | The textile reactor takes its place on the recycling landscapeA multi-year collaboration between researchers within Resource Recovery at the University of Borås, Sweden, and a textile manufacturing company is now yielding results – a new type of reactor made of a textile material has found its way onto the market in different parts of the world. The reactor transforms different kinds of waste into new products, such as biofuel. |
Medicine & Health news
 | How skin begins: New research could improve skin grafts, and moreUniversity of Colorado Boulder researchers have discovered a key mechanism by which skin begins to develop in embryos, shedding light on the genetic roots of birth defects like cleft palate and paving the way for development of more functional skin grafts for burn victims. |
 | Breakthrough in schizophrenia identifies importance of immune cellsResearchers from NeuRA and UNSW have made a major discovery in schizophrenia research that could open doors to new treatments, research and therapies. |
 | Newly formed blood vessels may contribute to eye diseaseNewly formed blood vessels may be cracks in the barrier between the bloodstream and the eye, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. |
 | FRESH program combines basic science with social benefits for women at risk of HIVA program established by investigators from the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), MIT and Harvard is addressing the persistently elevated risk of HIV infection among young women in South Africa from two angles—first, investigating biological factors that modulate infection risk along with the early immunologic events following viral exposure, and second, alleviating the socioeconomic factors that limit opportunities for young women, the group at greatest risk of infection in the region of the world hardest hit by the HIV epidemic. Members of the Ragon Institute team report on the first five years of the FRESH program in a commentary published in Science Immunology. |
 | Facilitating diagnosis with a new type of biosensorScientists from the Max Planck Institute and EPFL have developed a new type of biosensor able to precisely quantify metabolites using a single drop of blood. The accuracy and simplicity of the procedure could make it a tool of choice for diagnosing and monitoring several diseases. |
 | Even on standardized diet, gut flora change from day to dayResearchers are only beginning to understand how the gut microbiome—the vital community of microorganisms that lives in our intestines—interacts with our bodies and the food we eat. For doctors and scientists, the challenge lies in predicting whether changes to gut microbes are associated with either disease, diet, or both—a complex problem due to the ever-shifting nature of gut bacteria, food consumption, and the ways in which the two interact. |
 | Antioxidant found to be effective in treating mice with osteoarthritisA team of researchers in Belgium and the Netherlands has found that feeding a common antioxidant to test mice was effective in treating osteoarthritis. In their paper published in Science Translational Medicine, the group outlines their study of the cause of the most prevalent joint disorder in the world and what they found. |
 | Gene therapy shown to remove core component of Parkinson's diseaseAn international team led by Rush researcher Jeffrey Kordower, Ph.D., has moved a step closer to developing a treatment to clear brain cells of a protein that is an integral cause of Parkinson's disease. The team published the findings of their study in the Aug. 22 issue of Nature Parkinson's Disease. |
 | Team identifies developmental stage for no. 1 eye tumor in childrenInvestigators at Children's Hospital Los Angeles have been able to pinpoint the exact stage of development of the human retina, when cells can grow out of control and form cancer-like masses. The finding could open the door for future interventions in retinoblastoma (RB), a tumor of the retina that affects children under five years of age. |
 | Scientists reveal drumming helps schoolchildren diagnosed with autismDrumming for 60 minutes a week can benefit children diagnosed with autism and supports learning at school, according to a new scientific study. |
New study shows eczema in African-Americans is more difficult to treatThose who suffer with atopic dermatitis (AD) - also known as eczema—know it can be an uphill battle to find the right treatment. Symptoms include severe itching, scaly rashes, extreme dry skin and inflammation. And that battle can be more difficult for African Americans with the condition. | |
Dietary fiber reduces brain inflammation during agingAs mammals age, immune cells in the brain known as microglia become chronically inflamed. In this state, they produce chemicals known to impair cognitive and motor function. That's one explanation for why memory fades and other brain functions decline during old age. But, according to a new study from the University of Illinois, there may be a remedy to delay the inevitable: dietary fiber. | |
ADHD medication use is increasing but some patients in some countries are still not receiving the treatment they needThere has been an increase in the use of medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in both adults and children between 2001 and 2015, according to a major observational study involving over 154 million individuals from 14 countries in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australasia, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal. The study provides the most comprehensive analysis yet of trends in ADHD medication use. | |
 | Tongue-in-cheek Nobels honor nutritional analysis of cannibalism, roller-coaster kidney stones treatmentA nutritional analysis of cannibalism and treating kidney stones on roller-coasters were research projects honored by tongue-in-cheek awards at Harvard University Thursday, designed to make you laugh first, and think later. |
 | TAVR associated with shorter hospital stay, compared to SAVRFor many years, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) has been considered the standard of care for older adults with aortic stenosis. In recent years, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has increasingly gained acceptance as a less-invasive treatment option. |
 | Probiotic use may reduce antibiotic prescriptions, researchers sayUse of probiotics is linked to reduced need for antibiotic treatment in infants and children, according to a review of studies that probed the benefits of probiotics, say researchers in the U.S., England and the Netherlands. |
 | Signaling pathway frequently altered in cancer controls normal kidney developmentThe prevalence of kidney diseases is growing rapidly due to an aging population and an increased incidence of diseases like diabetes. Moreover, congenital anomalies of the kidney are among the most frequently occurring birth defects and play crucial causative roles in the development of renal diseases. |
 | "Atypical" virus discovered to be driver of certain kidney diseasesAn international research team led by Wolfgang Weninger has discovered a previously unknown virus that acts as a "driver" for certain kidney diseases (interstitial nephropathy). This "atypical" virus, which the scientists named "MKPV" (for Mouse Kidney Parvovirus), belongs to the family of parvoviruses. The results of the study have now been published in the leading international journal Cell. |
 | Improving indoor air quality to increase health and well-beingFrom homes, schools and offices to hospitals, sporting venues and buildings of worship, nearly 90 percent of the average American's time is spent indoors. Because a person is indoors for a signification portion of time each day, most of the air he or she inhales, including toxic particles, comes from within buildings. |
 | Video: 'Digital brain in the cloud' could provide real-time injury awarenessPenn State researcher Reuben Kraft specializes in constructing computer models of the human brain that may help to diagnose, monitor and give insight on brain injuries by the creation and storage of what he has deemed the "digital brain." |
 | Retirement brings health gains, with workaholics benefiting the most, research saysPeople who retire feel less unhealthy than those who continue in employment, and those working long hours benefit the most, new research says. |
 | After a century, insulin is still expensive – could DIYers change that?Soon after Federick Banting discovered that insulin could be used to treat diabetes in 1921, he sold the patent to the University of Toronto for about a dollar. Banting received the Nobel prize because his discovery meant a life-saving drug could become widely available. Nearly a century later, an American with diabetes can pay as much as US$400 per month for insulin, driving some uninsured patients to desperate and dangerous measures. Clearly, something went wrong. |
 | Study shows BPA substitutes may cause same health issues as the originalThe credibility of scientific findings hinges on their reproducibility. As a scientist, it is therefore disastrous when you are unable to replicate your own findings. Our laboratory has found itself in just this situation several times; in each instance, unintended environmental exposure distorted our data. Our first accidental foray into toxicology 20 years ago convinced us of the need to understand the reproductive effects of environmental chemical contaminants. The latest twist in our journey down that road adds a new dimension to an old concern, BPA. |
 | Research reveals link between immunity, diabetesWhen it comes to diet-induced obesity, your immune system is not always your friend. |
 | Age bias is subconscious, study indicatesNew research led by Flinders University helps to explain why age distinctions proliferate. |
 | Flu shot rates in clinics drop as day progresses, but nudges help give them a boostPrimary care clinics experienced a significant decline in influenza vaccinations as the day progressed, researchers from Penn Medicine report in a new study published in JAMA Open Network. However, "nudging" clinical staff to order vaccines using a behavioral economics technique known as "active choice" may help curb some of that drop off, the study suggests. The study is the first to show how clinic appointment times can influence influenza vaccination rates. |
 | Financial incentives for cholesterol control may be cost-effectiveA program that offered financial incentives to both patients and their physicians to control low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol could be a cost-effective intervention for patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. |
Overall well-being of a population associated with less per capita medicare spendingA new study in JAMA Network Open finds that the overall well-being of a population on a county level is associated with lower healthcare spending for each Medicare fee-for-service beneficiary. | |
Microbiome serves as sentinel for nerve gas exposureExposure to banned nerve agents remains a major public health concern globally, especially because of the recent air-release of these agents in Syria. One main problem is the difficulty of determining whether an exposure has occurred. Now, a new study demonstrates that the mammalian microbiome can act as a "sentinel" due to its high responsiveness to exposure. The research is published on September 14 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. | |
 | Suicide among men—and the myth of impulsive actsThe recent death of chef and documentarian Anthony Bourdain sparked widespread media attention and a broader cultural discussion about depression and impulsive suicide, especially among middle-aged men. With the nation marking National Suicide Prevention Week this week, the conversation seems more relevant than ever, considering that men account for a staggering 80 percent of suicides, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. What's more, the highest rates of suicide in recent years have been among those who are 45 to 54 years old. |
 | Defects in gene expression partially responsible for ALS and dementiaThe Xrp1 protein appears to play an important role in the development of certain forms of ALS and dementia caused by a mutation in the FUS gene. This finding of Radboud University researchers was published on September 12th in the Journal of Cell Biology. |
 | BPA exposure in U.S.-approved levels may alter insulin response in non-diabetic adultsIn a first study of its kind study, researchers have found that a common chemical consumers are exposed to several times a day may be altering insulin release. Results of the study, led by scientists at the University of Missouri, indicate that the Food and Drug Administration-approved "safe" daily exposure amount of BPA may be enough to have implications for the development of Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. |
 | Cold water swimming might ease depressionFor the first time it has been shown open water swimming could be an effective treatment for depression. |
 | Six ways to beat the back-to-work blues by building resilienceWe are all faced with obstacles at work, and sometimes just going back to work after a holiday can feel like a challenge. We might be faced with a backlog of work, new targets or systems, or looming deadlines – alongside all the usual criticism, office politics and pressures from our personal lives. |
 | Neurons absorb and release water when firing, study suggestsNeurons absorb and release water when they relay messages throughout the brain, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. Tracking this water movement with imaging technology may one day provide valuable information on normal brain activity, as well as how injury or disease affect brain function. The study appears in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. |
 | Medical marijuana stores: NIMBYA majority of officials in Michigan oppose medical marijuana facilities in their jurisdiction, according to a new survey by University of Michigan researchers. |
 | Suicide: A public health crisisEach day in the United States, 123 people take their own lives. For each of those deaths, at least 25 more people attempt suicide. |
 | Working at night is associated with a greater risk of breast cancer in womenWomen who work at night, especially during pre-menopause, may be at greater risk of developing breast cancer. |
 | Improved early diagnosis and treatment for Graves' orbitopathyDespite Graves' disease and Graves' orbitopathy affecting around 3 million Europeans and costing billions of euros, treatments can only control symptoms. INDIGO identified risk factors, studied microbiota composition and tested probiotics to improve health outcomes. |
 | Researchers trying to fathom the causes of fibromyalgiaFibromyalgia is something of a mystery. It can't be detected with scans or blood tests, yet it causes lifelong pain for millions of people. |
 | MND affects thinking in up to 80 per cent of patients, study findsFour out of five people with motor neuron disease are likely to experience changes in their brain function, as well as impaired movement, research suggests. |
 | Ground-level ozone continues to damage health, even at low levelsGround-level ozone is one of six major pollutants regulated nationally under the Clean Air Act. It is not directly emitted, but instead forms in the atmosphere through reactions between other pollutants from cars, power plants and industrial sources. Breathing ozone irritates the airways and can worsen respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, emphysema and asthma. |
 | MICA-mediated immunity: A new opportunity for improving corneal graft survivalCorneal transplantation is one of the most common human organ transplantations worldwide. Although the 1-year survival rate is as high as 90%, more than half of transplantation patients suffer various types of corneal rejection, such as epithelial rejection, chronic stromal rejection, and endothelial rejection. |
 | Viruses under the microscopeHuman herpesviruses such as HHV-6 can remain dormant in cells for many years without being noticed. When reactivated, they can cause serious clinical conditions. Researchers from Würzburg have now found a way of differentiating between active and inactive viruses. |
 | More than one in five children in England care for sick and disabled family membersNew figures from BBC News and the University of Nottingham reveal that the extent of caring by children is much higher than had been thought, with 22% of children, who responded to a questionnaire, admitting to being young carers. |
 | Making chemotherapy kinder for childhood leukaemiaChemotherapy often gets a bad reputation – mainly down to the side effects it can cause. |
 | Flooding one of Florence's big dangers(HealthDay)—As Florence unleashes her full fury on the Carolinas, residents who stayed put need to know that flooding will be even more dangerous than the high winds of this hurricane. |
 | Picky eating may mask larger issues(HealthDay)—Many children are picky eaters, making every meal a challenge. But for some, the problem goes deeper than not liking vegetables or whole-wheat bread. |
 | Low literacy levels can be a silent health threatHe kept it from family members, friends and employers. Some of Walter Washington's children still don't know their father struggles to read and write. |
 | CDC: about one in five U.S. adults have chronic pain(HealthDay)—About 20.4 percent of U.S. adults have chronic pain and 8.0 percent have high-impact chronic pain, according to research published in the Sept. 14 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
Ontario women to get PET scans to help plan treatment in locally advanced cervix cancerAn Ontario clinical study that shows adding PET imaging to conventional CT imaging to stage locally advanced cervix cancer can change treatment means newly diagnosed women in this province may also receive PET imaging. | |
Religious upbringing linked to better health and well-being during early adulthoodParticipating in spiritual practices during childhood and adolescence may be a protective factor for a range of health and well-being outcomes in early adulthood, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Researchers found that people who attended weekly religious services or practiced daily prayer or meditation in their youth reported greater life satisfaction and positivity in their 20s—and were less likely to subsequently have depressive symptoms, smoke, use illicit drugs, or have a sexually transmitted infection—than people raised with less regular spiritual habits. | |
 | Big data studies scrutinize links between fatty liver disease and how cells make energyNonalcoholic fatty liver disease affects up to 40 percent of American adults. Though the condition produces no noticeable symptoms, one out of every five people with it will go on to develop a more serious condition called NASH (short for nonalcoholic steatohepatosis). |
 | Brief psychotherapy benefits women caring for children with severe health issuesBrief cognitive behavioral therapy significantly improved the mental health of women overwhelmed by caring for children with severe chronic health conditions, researchers at the University of Louisville have found. |
 | Undocumented immigrants least likely to see a doctor, but still healthier than other populationsUndocumented Latino immigrants have some of the lowest rates of health care use—and signs point to it getting worse. |
 | New US survey shows some progress against opioid crisisFigures from a U.S. government survey released Friday show some progress in the fight against the ongoing opioid addiction crisis with fewer people in 2017 using heroin for the first time compared to the previous year. |
 | FDA plans meeting to discuss safety data on breast implantsU.S. health regulators say they'll convene a public meeting of medical advisers next year to discuss new science on breast implant safety, including an independent analysis that suggests certain rare health problems might be more common with silicone gel implants. |
 | Bat tested positive for rabies at Grand CanyonA bat collected from the bottom of the Grand Canyon has tested positive for rabies. |
 | UN agrees global plan to battle TB ahead of first-ever summitUN member-states on Friday agreed on a global plan to step up the fight against tuberculosis, the world's number one killer among infectious diseases, settling a row with the United States over access to cheap drugs. |
Newspaper reporting of NHS Cancer Drugs Fund misleadingAn analysis of UK newspaper reporting of the NHS Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) between 2010 and 2015 shows that despite some critical analysis, the mostly positive stories are likely to have contributed to the CDF's continuation, despite mounting evidence of its ineffectiveness. Close to £1.4 billion in total has been spent through the CDF which has subsequently been reconfigured and is now under the control of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). | |
 | Inhaled steroids may increase risk of nontuberculous mycobacteria lung infectionsPatients using inhaled steroids to control asthma and other breathing problems may be at greater risk for developing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung infections, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. |
Children who develop ALL may have dysregulated immune function at birthNeonatal concentrations of eight detectable inflammatory markers were significantly different in children later diagnosed with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) compared with controls. | |
Lesbian, gay or bisexual youth are at increased risk of using multiple substancesYoung people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual are at increased risk of using substances such as alcohol, nicotine and marijuana, a new study from Oregon State University has found. | |
 | What happens inside an injured brain?Scientists have discovered that a single severe head injury can lead to dementia through a rogue protein that propagates through the brain and corrupts others, giving some much needed insight into what happens inside an injured brain. |
 | Toxic metal pollution linked with development of autism spectrum disorderRussian researchers, together with their foreign colleagues, have demonstrated that environmental metal and metalloid pollution (lead, mercury, aluminum, and arsenic) may induce autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and have considered possible mechanisms of exposure to these substances. The study may be useful for the prevention and therapy of ASD. The article is published in the journal Environmental Research. |
 | Tumour removal with a cancer cell clear marginA biopsy reporting that cancer cells are still in the margin indicates a likelihood of cancer cells remaining in the body. An EU-funded project, IMAGINE, has developed a unique tissue 'optical biopsy' technology to assess tumour margins. |
Some Bob Evans sausage links recalled, may contain plasticThe Agriculture Department says Bob Evans Farms is recalling nearly 47,000 pounds (21,318 kilograms) of pork sausage links because it might contain pieces of plastic. | |
 | An innovative procedure improves the control of liquid intake during haemodyalisisLecturer and researcher Mark Beyebach of the Department of Health Sciences of the Public University of Navarre (NUP/UPNA) has conducted a pilot study to demonstrate the positive impact of solution-focused communication by nurses towards their patients on hemodialysis, so that the patients manage to reduce their liquid intake and thus contribute towards the satisfactory course of their treatment. |
Most kids with special healthcare needs still aren't receiving 'patient-centered medical home' careThe "patient-centered medical home" (PCMH) approach is an important tool for providing coordinated care for the millions of American children with special healthcare needs. But most of these special-needs children don't have access to care consistent with the PCMH approach, reports a study in the October issue of Medical Care. | |
'Huge challenge' to halt DR Congo Ebola outbreak: Red CrossEfforts to rein in an Ebola outbreak raging in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are being complicated by the geographical spread and growing suspicion towards outsiders fighting the epidemic, the Red Cross said Friday. | |
Repeat vaccination is safe for most kids with mild to moderate reactionsChildren who experience some type of adverse event following initial immunization have a low rate of recurrent reactions to subsequent vaccinations, reports a study in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, the official journal of The European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases. | |
Biology news
 | Gut microbes' role in mammals' evolution starts to become clearerAn international collaboration led by Oregon State University scientists has made a key advance toward understanding which of the trillions of gut microbes may play important roles in how humans and other mammals evolve. |
 | A very special protein synthesis machinerySleeping sickness-causing parasites contain an unusual protein synthesis mechanism. A team of researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Bern have resolved its very special structure for the first time. Ribosomes are among the most important molecular machines within the cell, and have hardly changed in the course of evolution. Their function is to read copies of our genes, or building plans, and to translate them into proteins. |
 | Sniffing out poop error in detection dog dataA new study in the journal Scientific Reports gets to the bottom of it: Why do dogs that are trained to locate poop sometimes find the wrong kind of poop? |
 | The walking dead: Fossils on the move can distort patterns of mass extinctionsUsing the fossil record to accurately estimate the timing and pace of past mass extinctions is no easy task, and a new study highlights how fossil evidence can produce a misleading picture if not interpreted with care. |
 | Researchers use environmental DNA to detect the presence of white sharks in local watersA white shark's acute sense of smell is legendary, allowing it to detect a potential meal several miles away—and giving pause to those of us who work and play in the ocean. |
 | New soft coral species discovered in PanamaA study in the journal Bulletin of Marine Science describes a new, blood-red species of octocoral found in Panama. The species in the genus Thesea was discovered in the threatened low-light reef environment on Hannibal Bank, 60 kilometers off mainland Pacific Panama, by researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama (STRI) and the Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR) at the University of Costa Rica. |
 | Team reports sighting rare wild goat species in AfghanistanBased on field surveys in northern Afghanistan, Zalmai Moheb, an ecologist with the Wildlife Conservation Society's Afghanistan Program and a doctoral candidate in environmental conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with others, report this week that they have for the first time documented by direct observation the presence of two rare Asian wild goat species in the country. |
 | First sequencing of Canada lynx genomeScientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in collaboration with the Vertebrate Genome Laboratory (VGL), New York, this week are publishing the first-ever whole genome for the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis). It is one of 14 being released to the public data repository for use by researchers studying evolution, disease, genetics and conservation, says lynx team coordinator Tanya Lama, a doctoral candidate in environmental conservation at UMass Amherst. |
 | Slaughtered rhino embodies S.Africa's poaching crisisThe mutilated carcass of a female white rhino, who had given birth just months ago, lay rotting on a hill beside a road that meanders through South Africa's Kruger National Park. |
 | Colombian zoo celebrates birth of endangered spider monkeyA zoo in Colombia is celebrating the birth of a baby spider monkey, a rare species in danger of extinction. |
Belugas adopt toothy whale lost in Canadian watersA lonely narwhal that strayed far from its Arctic habitat has apparently found a new family in a pod of belugas in Canada's Saint Lawrence River, a marine conservation group said Thursday. | |
 | Groundwork for playing with the architecture of plantsGrowing tomatoes at the same height so that they can be easily picked by a harvesting robot. Growing deeper roots where the soil is dry. These types of changes to plant architecture may well be enabled in the future thanks to scientists from Wageningen University & Research who have shown how to stimulate stem cells in a specific spot. "We have proven a simple model for organising stem cells at a precise location in the plant," says Ben Scheres, professor in Development Biology. |
 | Tiny protein has big impact in times of stressRibosomes churn out proteins that carry out all of life's functions, but when missing a key and previously overlooked factor, they can break down in times of stress, Yale University scientists have discovered. |
 | Research in yeast leads to finding about a central nervous system disorderStudying the fundamental aspects of biology can sometimes lead to unexpected findings that directly relate to human disease. In one of the latest examples of scientific serendipity, researchers from the Salk Institute found that an important quality control mechanism in baker's yeast is closely connected to hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, a debilitating disease found in children. |
 | Organic farming methods favors pollinatorsPollinating insects are endangered globally, with a particularly steep decline over the last 40 years. An extensive 3-year study from Lund University in Sweden has found that organic farming methods can contribute to halting the pollinator decline. This beneficial effect is due to both the absence of insecticides and a higher provision of flower resources. |
 | Aerial survey reveals great diversity and abundance in NE Canyons Marine National MonumentAirborne marine biologists were amazed by the sheer abundance and diversity of large marine wildlife in their recent aerial survey of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, the only marine national monument on the East Coast, about 150 southeast of Cape Cod. Scientists with the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium documented more than 600 animal sightings in just four hours, including a "superpod" of about 250 common dolphins and a rare sighting of a giant manta ray. |
 | Japan's commercial whaling bid rejected by IWCJapan's determined bid to return to commercial whale hunting was rejected by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Friday in a tense vote that exposed a deep split in the 72-year old organization. |
 | Mexico arrests 'hitman' for trafficking endangered fishMexico has arrested an alleged drug cartel hitman on charges of trafficking the critically endangered totoaba fish, a species whose swim bladder can fetch up to $20,000 on the black market in China. |
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