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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 20, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Dwarf companion to EPIC 206011496 detected by astronomersUsing ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), European astronomers have uncovered the presence of an M-dwarf around the star EPIC 206011496. The newly found object is more than 60 percent less massive than our sun and is bounded to the primary star. The finding is reported in a paper published September 10 on arXiv.org. |
 | Gaia detects a shake in the Milky WayA team led by researchers from the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB, UB-IEEC) and the University of Groningen has found, through the analysis of Gaia data, substructures in the Milky Way that were previously unknown. The findings, which appeared when combining positions and speed of 6 million stars from the galactic disk, have been published in the journal Nature. |
 | Candy-pink lagoon serves up salt-rich diet for potential life on MarsThe discovery of a microorganism that gives a candy-pink lagoon in central Spain its startling colour is providing new evidence for how life could survive on a high-salt diet on Mars or Europa. The Laguna de Peña Hueca, part of the Lake Tirez system in La Mancha, has very high concentrations of salt and sulphur and is a good analogue for chloride deposits found in the Southern highlands of Mars and briny water beneath Europa's icy crust. The results of a study of microorganisms found in the lake will be presented at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin by Dr. Felipe Gómez. |
 | First detection of matter falling into a black hole at 30 percent of the speed of lightA UK team of astronomers report the first detection of matter falling into a black hole at 30 percent of the speed of light, located in the centre of the billion-light year distant galaxy PG211+143. The team, led by Professor Ken Pounds of the University of Leicester, used data from the European Space Agency's X-ray observatory XMM-Newton to observe the black hole. Their results appear in a new paper in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. |
 | Astrophysicists measure precise rotation pattern of sun-like stars for the first timeSun-like stars rotate up to two and a half times faster at the equator than at higher latitudes, a finding by researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi that challenges current science on how stars rotate. |
 | Spacey street artThe winner of ESA's 'Graffiti without Gravity' street art competition has left a permanent mark on the Agency's technical heart, with this mural on the wall next to ESA's Compact Antenna Test Range. |
 | Image: First light data for NASA's Parker Solar ProbeJust over a month into its mission, NASA's Parker Solar Probe has returned first-light data from each of its four instrument suites. These early observations – while not yet examples of the key science observations Parker Solar Probe will take closer to the sun – show that each of the instruments is working well. The instruments work in tandem to measure the sun's electric and magnetic fields, particles from the sun and the solar wind, and capture images of the environment around the spacecraft. |
 | Recent tectonics on MarsThese prominent trenches were formed by faults that pulled the planet's surface apart less than 10 million years ago. |
 | ScanMars demonstrates water detection device for astronauts on MarsAnalogue astronauts have successfully tested a radar that could help future Mars explorers identify where to dig for water. ScanMars is an Italian experiment that was used to identify subsurface water features in the Mars-like Dhofar region of Oman during the AMADEE-18 analogue mission in February 2018. The results will be presented by Alessandro Frigeri of the Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF) at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin. |
Technology news
 | Improbotics: Bringing machine intelligence into improvised theatreAn unconventional company called HumanMachine has recently devised a unique theatre production called Improbotics, which involves both human performers and machines. This is the latest of a series of projects and initiatives that merge the world of theatre with machine learning and robotics. |
 | Crowd counting through walls, with WiFiResearchers in UC Santa Barbara professor Yasamin Mostofi's lab have given the first demonstration of crowd counting through walls using only everyday communication signals such as WiFi. The technique, which requires only a wireless transmitter and receiver outside the area of interest, could have a variety of applications, including smart energy management, retail business planning and security. |
 | Google Mini captures top spot in connected speaker market: surveyGoogle Home Mini has vaulted to the top spot in the global market for connected speakers, edging out a rival device from Amazon, a survey showed Wednesday. |
 | Chemists demonstrate sustainable approach to carbon dioxide capture from airChemists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated a practical, energy-efficient method of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from air. They report their findings in Nature Energy. If deployed at large scale and coupled to geologic storage, the technique may bolster the portfolio of responses to global climate change. |
 | AMD steps up its Ryzen game with 45W chipsRyzen and shine. AMD has released new laptop chips and expect their glitter to come through in high performance laptops. Namely, AMD has listed Ryzen 7 2800H and Ryzen 5 2600H on its website, said Tom's Hardware. |
 | E-skin able to detect changes in wind, water drops and moving antsA team of researchers working at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed an electronic skin that is sensitive enough to detect changes in air moving, falling drops and moving ants. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group describes their e-skin and possible applications. |
 | Reducing false positives in credit card fraud detectionHave you ever used your credit card at a new store or location only to have it declined? Has a sale ever been blocked because you charged a higher amount than usual? |
 | What makes an educational video game work well?To succeed at "Lure of the Labyrinth," a video game created by designers in MIT's Education Arcade, players rescue pets from an underground lair inhabited by monsters. In so doing, they solve mathematical puzzles, decipher maps, wear monster costumes as disguises, and cooperate with Iris, daughter of Hermes from classical mythology. With tenacity, players can foil the monsters' plot and free hundreds of pets. |
 | $60 million in virtual currency hacked in JapanBitcoin and other digital currency worth around 6.7 billion yen ($60 million) has been stolen in Japan following a hacking attack, a virtual exchange operator said on Thursday. |
 | Amazon considering opening 3,000 cashierless stores: BloombergAmazon is considering opening up to 3,000 new cashier-less stores by 2021 to vie for shoppers at convenience stores and quick-service sandwich shops, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday. |
 | "Wide learning" AI technology enables highly precise learning even from imbalanced data setsFujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development of "Wide Learning," a machine learning technology capable of accurate judgements even when operators cannot obtain the volume of data necessary for training. AI is now often used to leverage data in a variety of fields, but the accuracy of AI may be impacted in cases where the volume of data to be analyzed is small or imbalanced. Fujitsu's Wide Learning technology enables judgements to be reached more accurately than was previously possible, and learning is achieved uniformly, no matter which hypothesis is examined, even when the data is imbalanced. It achieves this by first extracting hypotheses with a high degree of importance, having made a large set of hypotheses formed by all of the combinations of data items, and then by controlling for the degree of impact of each respective hypothesis based on the overlapping relationships of the hypotheses. Moreover, because the hypotheses are recorded as logical expressions, humans can also understand the reasoning behind a judgement. Fujitsu's new Wide Learning technology allows for the use of AI even in areas such as healthcare and marketing, where the data needed to make judgements is scarce, supporting operations and promoting the automation of work processes using AI. |
 | A new carbon material with Na storage capacity over 400mAh/gDeveloping high-capacity carbon anode materials can further improve the energy density of sodium-ion batteries (NIBs). Recently, researchers from the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOP-CAS), reported a high-capacity carbon anode (~400 mAh g-1) for NIBs. The results are published in Science Bulletin. |
 | EU consumer chief "impatient" with Facebook over dataThe European Union's consumer protection chief said Thursday she's growing impatient with Facebook's lack of action in complying with the bloc's demands to be more transparent with users about their data. |
 | AI could help drones ride air currents like birdsBirds have long inspired humans to create their own ways to fly. We know that soaring bird species that migrate long distances use thermal updrafts to stay in the air without using up energy flapping their wings. And glider pilots similarly use thermals currents and other areas of rising air in order to remain airborne for longer. |
 | Why do so many people fall for fake profiles online?The first step in conducting online propaganda efforts and misinformation campaigns is almost always a fake social media profile. Phony profiles for nonexistent people worm their way into the social networks of real people, where they can spread their falsehoods. But neither social media companies nor technological innovations offer reliable ways to identify and remove social media profiles that don't represent actual authentic people. |
 | Robot created to monitor key wine vineyard parametersGrapes must be picked at the exact point of maturation, and its plant must have the appropriate intake of water during development so that the wine ends up with desired properties. Controlling those parameters is complicated and expensive, and few can afford to use pressure chambers that measure water potential. |
The Dambusters raid took place 75 years ago – here's how they made a bomb bounceSir Barnes Wallis was a genius engineer who designed a very special bomb during World War II. The idea was that it would bounce across water and destroy German dams along the Ruhr Valley, causing massive flooding and damage to water and hydroelectricity supplies. | |
 | Researchers patent technology for smart seat cushion, adaptable prostheticsThe University of Texas at Arlington has patented a smart seat cushion that uses changes in air pressure to redistribute body weight and help prevent the painful ulcers caused by sitting for long periods of time in a wheelchair. |
 | Spotify to let artists post music without labelsIn a move with the power to shake up the music industry, Spotify said Thursday that it will allow select artists to upload songs directly without record labels or distributors. |
 | German league launches eSports tournament for Bundesliga clubsBundesliga teams will battle it out on-line this season with the German Football League (DFL) announcing plans for an eSports competition for the clubs in Germany's top two leagues. |
 | James Bond carmaker Aston Martin targets £5.1 bn IPOAston Martin, the luxury British sports car brand favoured by fictional spy James Bond 007, said Thursday that its upcoming stock market flotation would look to value the group at up to £5.1 billion ($6.7 billion, 5.7 billion euros). |
 | Fox-Comcast battle to buy Sky to be settled by auction in UKComcast and 21st Century Fox will settle their battle for control of broadcaster Sky through a rare auction designed to put an end to months of offers and counteroffers from the American media empires seeking a foothold in the European pay TV market. |
 | Ryanair chairman gets shareholder slapdown amid strikesRyanair shareholders delivered a blow to the no-frills airline's chairman on Thursday amid widespread strike action by European staff that has rattled confidence in the company. |
 | Meshed offshore transmission grids key to a sustainable energy futureCoordinated development of electricity infrastructure connecting offshore wind farms to land will bring financial and environmental benefits. |
Medicine & Health news
 | White matter repair and traumatic brain injuryTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., contributing to about 30 percent of all injury deaths, according to the CDC. TBI causes damage to both white and gray matter in the brain, but most research to date has focused on protecting neuronal cell bodies in gray matter, and thus far, has yielded few promising clinical trials. But damage to white matter in TBI, which occurs in the corpus callosum, internal capsule and corticospinal tracts, is also significant. Executive function and memory are particularly dependent on intact white matter tracts, and, compared with focal lesions, white matter disruption is known to be a superior predictor of long-term clinical outcomes in TBI. |
 | 'Gut sense' is hardwired, not hormonalIf you've ever felt nauseous before an important presentation, or foggy after a big meal, then you know the power of the gut-brain connection. |
 | Can a common heart condition cause sudden death?About one person out of 500 has a heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This condition causes thickening of the heart muscle and results in defects in the heart's electrical system. Under conditions of environmental stress such as exercise, HCM can result in sudden death. In other cases, patients may go undiagnosed, with their heart function declining gradually over decades. |
 | Test could detect patients at risk from lethal fungal sporesScientists at The University of Manchester have discovered a genetic mutation in humans linked to a 17-fold increase in the amount of dangerous fungal spores in the lungs. |
 | Scientists make significant discovery in the fight against drug-resistant tuberculosisA team of scientists have identified a naturally occurring antibiotic that may help in the fight against drug-resistant Tuberculosis. |
 | What can salad dressing tell us about cancer? Think oil and vinegarResearchers led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified another way the process that causes oil to form droplets in water may contribute to solid tumors, such as prostate and breast cancer. The findings appear today in the journal Molecular Cell. |
 | Scientists grow human esophagus in labScientists working to bioengineer the entire human gastrointestinal system in a laboratory now report using pluripotent stem cells to grow human esophageal organoids. |
 | Novel biomarker found in ovarian cancer patients can predict response to therapyDespite months of aggressive treatment involving surgery and chemotherapy, about 85 percent of women with high-grade wide-spread ovarian cancer will have a recurrence of their disease. This leads to further treatment, but never to a cure. About 15 percent of patients, however, do not have a recurrence. Most of those women remain disease free for years. |
 | Gambling monkeys help scientists find brain area linked to high-risk behaviorMonkeys who learned how to gamble have helped researchers pinpoint an area of the brain key to one's willingness to make risky decisions. |
 | Study identifies stem cell that gives rise to new bone and cartilage in humansA decade-long effort led by Stanford University School of Medicine scientists has been rewarded with the identification of the human skeletal stem cell. |
 | Researchers identify human skeletal stem cellsHuman skeletal stem cells that become bone, cartilage, or stroma cells have been isolated from fetal and adult bones. This is the first time that skeletal stem cells, which had been observed in rodent models, have been identified in humans. The researchers were also able to derive the skeletal stem cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells, opening up new therapeutic possibilities. The discovery appears September 20 in the journal Cell. |
 | Drug overdose epidemic has been growing exponentially for decadesDeath rates from drug overdoses in the U.S. have been on an exponential growth curve that began at least 15 years before the mid-1990s surge in opioid prescribing, suggesting that overdose death rates may continue along this same historical growth trajectory for years to come, according to a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health analysis published today in Science. |
 | Understanding epilepsy in pediatric tumorsPediatric brain tumors are characterized by frequent complications due to intractable epilepsy compared to adult brain tumors. However, the genetic cause of refractory epilepsy in pediatric brain cancer has not been elucidated yet, and it is difficult to treat patients because the tumors do not respond to existing antiepileptic drugs and interfere with children's development. |
 | Researchers discover the way we see an image depends on 'where we are'A study conducted by a Fight for Sight-funded researcher has discovered that the way we see an image changes depending on where we are. The results were published in Nature on 11 September 2018. |
 | Testing fluorescent tracers used to help surgeons determine edges of breast cancer tumorsA team of researchers with members from institutions in The Netherlands and China has conducted a test of fluorescent tracers meant to aid surgeons performing tumor removal in breast cancer patients. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the group describes the study they carried out and what they found. |
 | Anti-cancer drugs may hold key to overcoming antimalarial drug resistanceScientists have found a way to boost the efficacy of the world's most powerful antimalarial drug with the help of chemotherapy medicines, according to new research published in the journal Nature Communications. |
 | Study clarifies ApoE4's role in dementiaApoE4, a protein linked to both Alzheimer's disease and a form of dementia caused by damage of blood vessels in the brain, increases the risk of cognitive impairment by reducing the number and responsiveness of blood vessels in the organ, a study by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers suggests. |
 | Gut branches of vagus nerve essential components of brain's reward and motivation systemA novel gut-to-brain neural circuit establishes the vagus nerve as an essential component of the brain system that regulates reward and motivation, according to research conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published September 20 in the journal Cell. The study provides a concrete link between visceral organs and brain function, especially in regards to reward, and may help to inform novel targets for vagal stimulation therapy, particularly for eating and emotional disorders. |
 | Full, but still feasting: Mouse study reveals how urge to eat overpowers a signal to stopAlmost everyone knows the feeling. You're at a restaurant or a holiday meal, and your stomach is telling you it's full, so logically you know you should stop eating. |
 | Genomic dark matter activity connects Parkinson's and psychiatric diseasesDopamine neurons are located in the midbrain, but their tendril-like axons can branch far into the higher cortical areas, influencing how we move and how we feel. New genetic evidence has revealed that these specialized cells may also have far-reaching effects, implicating them in conditions that range from Parkinson's disease to schizophrenia. Using a new technique known as laser-capture RNA seq, that involves cutting out dopamine neurons from a human brain section with a laser, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School have cataloged more than 70,000 novel elements active in these brain cells. Their results are published this week in Nature Neuroscience. |
Public Health England has failed to learn lessons over partnership with drinks industryPublic Health England (PHE) has failed to learn the lessons over its partnership with the drinks industry, warn public health experts in The BMJ today. | |
 | High gluten diet in pregnancy linked to increased risk of diabetes in childrenA high gluten intake by mothers during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of their child developing type 1 diabetes, suggests a study published by The BMJ today. |
 | Therapy dogs for children with speech difficulties shows promising resultsTherapy assisted by a dog could be more effective than standard speech and language therapy for children with communication impairments, suggests a new study published in the journal Anthrozoös. |
 | Discovery could explain failed clinical trials for Alzheimer's, and provide a solutionResearchers at King's College London have discovered a vicious feedback loop underlying brain degeneration in Alzheimer's disease which may explain why so many drug trials have failed. The study also identifies a clinically approved drug which breaks the vicious cycle and protects against memory-loss in animal models of Alzheimer's. |
 | Crunched for time? High-intensity exercise = same cell benefits in fewer minutesA few minutes of high-intensity interval or sprinting exercise may be as effective as much longer exercise sessions in spurring beneficial improvements in mitochondrial function, according to new research. The small study is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. |
 | China's doctor shortage prompts rush for AI health careQu Jianguo, 64, had a futuristic medical visit in Shanghai as he put his wrist through an automated pulse-taking machine and received the result within two minutes on a mobile phone—without a doctor present. |
 | Mediterranean-style diet may lower women's stroke riskFollowing a Mediterranean-style diet may reduce stroke risk in women over 40 but not in men—according to new research led by the University of East Anglia. |
 | American girls read and write better than boysAs early as the fourth grade, girls perform better than boys on standardized tests in reading and writing, and as they get older that achievement gap widens even more, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. |
 | Detecting epigenetic signature may help people stay ahead of inflammatory bowel diseaseWith an estimated 1.6 million people in the U.S. dealing with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), physicians can have a hard time telling which newly diagnosed patients have a high risk of severe inflammation or what therapies will be most effective. Now researchers report in the journal JCI Insights finding an epigenetic signature in patient cells that appears to predict inflammation risk in a serious type of IBD called Crohn's disease. |
 | Researchers identify a new cause of childhood mitochondrial diseaseA rapid genetic test developed by Newcastle researchers has identified the first patients with inherited mutations in a new disease gene. |
 | Gut fungus exacerbates asthma in antibiotic-treated miceA non-pathogenic fungus can expand in the intestines of antibiotic-treated mice and enhance the severity of allergic airways disease, according to a study published September 20 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by David Underhill of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and colleagues. The findings suggest that alterations in gut microbiota induced by intestinal fungi might be a previously unrecognized but potentially important risk of antibiotic therapy in patients with asthma and other respiratory diseases. |
 | Preventing a dengue outbreak at the 2020 Summer OlympicsIn 2014, a dengue outbreak unexpectedly occurred in Tokyo. What does that mean for the 2020 summer Olympics and Paralympics being held in the city? Researchers report this week in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases that new controls and frameworks are recommended to detect dengue and other infectious diseases and help prevent their spread during the summer games. |
 | Where you live might influence how you measure up against your peersSocial comparison is one of the most ubiquitous features of human social life and a fundamental aspect of human cognition. The human tendency to look to others for information about how to think, feel and behave has provided humans with the ability to thrive in a highly complex and interconnected social world. |
Zebrafish research highlights role of locus coeruleus in anesthesiaBy using a larval zebrafish model, Dr. Du Jiulin's lab at the the Institute of Neuroscience and Zunyi Medical College revealed that two commonly used intravenous anesthetic drugs, propofol and etomidate, suppress the excitability of locus coeruleus neurons via synergic mechanisms—thus inhibiting presynaptic excitatory inputs and inducing membrane hyperpolarization of these cells. | |
 | Can machine learning bring more humanity to health care?Stephanie Harman, MD, a palliative care physician at Stanford Hospital, has witnessed many people take their last breath, and she considers each passing a unique and sacred event. |
 | Quitting junk food produces similar withdrawal-type symptoms as drug addictionIf you plan to try and quit junk food, expect to suffer similar withdrawal-type symptoms—at least during the initial week—like addicts experience when they attempt to quit using drugs. |
A behavioral intervention for cancer patients that worksThis is a story about something rare in health psychology: a treatment that has gone from scientific discovery, through development and testing, to dissemination and successful implementation nationwide. | |
 | Despite some progress, Alzheimer's fight falling flatIt's a devastating disease driving a dementia epidemic ruining tens of millions of lives, but with no new medical treatment since the turn of the century the fight against Alzheimer's is foundering. |
 | Study shows 'precision nutrition' may prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseA study led by researchers from the Texas A&M University System and Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, or CTVHCS, shows how a protein known as STING could be a therapeutic target for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD. |
 | New drugs could reduce risk of heart disease when added to statinsNew drugs that lower levels of triglycerides (a type of fat) in blood could further reduce the risk of heart attack when added to statins. These new drugs, which are in various stages of development, could also reduce blood glucose levels and the risk of diabetes, according to a new genetic study from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. |
 | How many Americans really misuse opioids? Why scientists still aren't sureWith rates of prescription opioid use disorder and opioid-involved overdose deaths on the rise, the U.S. opioid crisis appears to be continuing unabated. |
 | Researchers accurately predict how well body will fight lung cancer based on patterns of immune cellsResearchers at Case Western Reserve University have discovered how to quickly and accurately predict which lung cancer patients will benefit from chemotherapy by analyzing how immune cells the body sends out to fight the disease are arranged. |
 | Here's how Trump-era politics are affecting worker morale – and what managers can do about itPundits are projecting this year's midterm elections to be nasty, polarizing and "epic." |
 | Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning can be very difficult to spot – and can cause brain damageCarbon monoxide (CO), like many gases, cannot be detected by our human senses. We cannot see it, smell it or taste it. But unlike many gases, small amounts are extremely harmful to us. |
 | Autistic children need the world to acknowledge the significance of the challenges they faceAutistic children are increasingly being suspended or expelled from school, because of "behavioural problems" official figures show. Some regions in the UK have seen a 100% increase in these types of exclusions since 2011. |
 | High-intensity interval training provides significant benefits to survivors of testicular cancer, study showsTesticular cancer survivors have a markedly better chance of staving off cardiovascular disease caused by the cancer treatment and report a higher quality of life if they undertake some kind of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) as part of their recovery, according to new University of Alberta research. |
 | Analysis of sea squirt embryo reveals key molecules in dopaminergic neuron differentiationResearchers at the University of Tsukuba have revealed two molecules in the brain of a sea squirt that specify the development of a hypothalamus-like region, also shedding light on how different parts of the brain form in more complex organisms. |
 | Your Apple Watch can now record your ECG – but what does that mean and can you trust it?Apple's new, fourth-generation watch has an electrical heart rate sensor. This can record your electrocardiogram or ECG, which Apple says: "… can classify if the heart is beating in a normal pattern or whether there are signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a heart condition that could lead to major health complications." |
 | Drugging detained children is like using a chemical straitjacketThere are almost 13,000 detained migrant children in the United States, according to several recent news reports. This number has increased six-fold since 2017, despite the successful reunification of some families. |
 | Treating health care woes through data analysisMIT Sloan professor of management and operations research Dimitris Bertsimas has an idea that data-based algorithms could help cure health care problems—both in patients and hospital administration. Learn more in the "Data Made to Matter" podcast. |
 | Do images of the brain make us more likely to believe what we read?Whether in a newspaper or online, news articles can be supported with an image of a brain scan or statement to explain the way our brain works. Often, readers use these scientific explanations to help separate fact from fiction. However in the age of fake news, what happens when extraneous brain images or claims are included in an article? Do these make us more likely to believe what we read? |
 | A new app enables a smartphone to ID bacteria in just one hourIn a potential game changer for the health care industry, a new cell phone app and lab kit now allow a smartphone to identify bacteria from patients anywhere in the world. With the new app, doctors will be able to diagnose diseases and prescribe the appropriate antibiotic within a one-hour office visit, meaning faster recovery—and lower treatment costs—for patients. |
 | Immediate compression could help prevent complications after deep-vein thrombosisPeople with deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) can substantially cut their risk of potentially debilitating complications by starting adequate compression therapy in the first twenty-four hours of DVT therapy (known as the acute phase of treatment), suggests a study published today in the journal Blood. |
 | Fish-rich diets may boost babies' brain developmentWomen could enhance the development of their unborn child's eyesight and brain function by regularly eating fatty fish during pregnancy. This is the suggestion from a small-scale study led by Kirsi Laitinen of the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital in Finland, in the Springer Nature-branded journal Pediatric Research. The research supports previous findings that show how important a prospective mother's diet and lifestyle choices are for the development of her baby. |
 | New way to target advanced breast cancersA cytokine signature found in certain kinds of breast cancer cells can not only serve as a diagnostic tool for HER2-negative cancers but also offer an effective treatment target. |
Madagascar says plague outbreak 'under control'Madagascar's seasonal outbreak of plague, which has so far killed two people, is "under control", Health Minister Yoel Rantomalala said Thursday. | |
 | In depression the brain region for stress control is largerAlthough depression is one of the leading psychiatric disorders in Germany, its cause remains unclear. A recent study at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig, Germany, found that those affected by depressive disorder have a larger hypothalamus compared to their healthy counterparts. This could explain why many sufferers show increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol and are very often afflicted with periods of tension. |
 | Exercising with rheumatoid arthritis(HealthDay)—Different from osteoarthritis, which is the wear-and-tear breakdown of joint cartilage experienced over time, rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune disease that causes both pain and intense fatigue. |
 | Florence's lingering threat: mold(HealthDay)—In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, residents of the Carolinas are facing a new health threat: mold. |
 | Opioid crisis driving decline in U.S. life expectancy: CDC(HealthDay)—Life expectancy in the United States has declined for two years in a row, fueled by increasing death rates from opioid drug overdoses, suicides and chronic liver disease, a new government report shows. |
 | Patient-directed IV remifentanil cuts epidural conversions(HealthDay)—Compared with intramuscular pethidine, use of intravenous remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in labor reduces the proportion of epidural conversions, according to a study published in the Aug. 25 issue of The Lancet. |
 | No clear benefit for rivaroxaban after hospital discharge(HealthDay)—Rivaroxaban does not lower risk of symptomatic venous thromboembolism and related death in medical patients after hospital discharge, compared to placebo, according to a study published in the Sept. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Medicaid expansion linked to gains in insurance coverage(HealthDay)—Medicaid expansion was associated with gains in insurance among low-income adults with substance use disorders, but corresponding treatment gains were not seen, according to a study published in the August issue of Health Affairs. |
Sample size matters in multisensory integration studiesThe accuracy and reproducibility of research studies are a major concern of the scientific community. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have examined this problem in the field of multisensory integration to understand how it affects both basic research and the development of therapies. They determined that sample size (the number of individuals examined for a study) is the most important factor determining the accuracy of the study results. They report in the journal PLOS ONE that studies with sample sizes of 20 individuals overestimate true effects and that sample sizes of 100 or more individuals generally are necessary to reliably measure population differences or experimental effects. | |
Even the best healthcare facilities can do more to prevent infectionsHealthcare-associated infections can be reduced by up to 55 percent by systematically implementing evidence-based infection prevention and control strategies, according to a review of 144 studies published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). The study suggests that there is considerable room for improvement in infection prevention and control practices, regardless of the economic status of the country. | |
 | Inequities remain in heart attack treatments for black patientsBlack patients hospitalized for heart attacks continue to receive different medical treatment than white patients, according to a new study that explored whether previously reported racial differences in care have faded. |
 | US Alzheimer's cases to nearly triple by 2060(HealthDay)—By 2060, almost 14 million Americans will suffer from Alzheimer's disease, a number that's nearly three times as high as today, a new report projects. |
 | Statins improve long-term survival after AAA repair(HealthDay)—Preoperative statin therapy is associated with higher long-term survival following abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery. |
 | Residents should take advantage of paid time off(HealthDay)—Although there are many demands on residents, taking advantage of paid vacation time is one of the perks and should be maximized, according to an article published in the American Medical Association's AMA Wire. |
 | Hospitals charge 479 percent of cost of drugs on average(HealthDay)—On average, hospitals mark up drugs by 479 percent of their cost, according to a report from The Moran Company, commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). |
 | >60 percent of adults report adverse childhood experiences(HealthDay)—More than 60 percent of adults report having had at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), and almost 25 percent report three or more, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in JAMA Pediatrics. |
 | Cardiac monitoring needed for high-risk breast cancer patients(HealthDay)—Risk of cardiotoxicity is higher for patients receiving trastuzumab and/or anthracyclines for the treatment of breast cancer, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging. |
 | Allopurinol dose escalation for gout doesn't improve mortality(HealthDay)—Allopurinol dose escalation is not associated with reductions in mortality risk among patients with gout, according to a study published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology. |
 | Opioid controlled substance agreements safely reduce health care visits, study findsThe medical community has long known that patients on long-term opioid therapy often have significantly more health care visits. But adhering to a standardized care process model for opioid prescriptions appears to reduce the overall number of health care visits for these patients while maintaining safety, shows new research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. |
 | In cardiac injury, the NSAID carprofen causes dysfunction of the immune systemNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are commonly used as inflammation blockers worldwide. However, recent clinical data show these painkillers can have serious side effects that create some risk of heart attacks, strokes, and kidney or heart failure. |
 | Cancer immunotherapy might benefit from previously overlooked immune playersCancer immunotherapy—efforts to boost a patient's own immune system, allowing it to better fight cancer cells on its own—has shown great promise for some previously intractable cancers. Yet immunotherapy doesn't work for everyone, for reasons that aren't always clear. Most research and new therapies in this field have been focused on CD8+ T cells, a type of immune cell that recognizes and destroys other cells that display cancer antigens (mutated proteins that help give rise to tumors). Meanwhile, another type of immune cell, CD4+ T cells, and the molecular signals they recognize have received less attention. |
 | Affordable Care Act: Study finds surprising gaps in HIV care providers' knowledgeA new study has revealed surprising gaps in some HIV medical providers' knowledge of the Affordable Care Act, with more than a quarter of providers surveyed unable to say whether their state had expanded Medicaid. |
 | Investigational steroid mirrors prednisone's benefits while taming its side effectsA head-to-head trial comparing the decades-old steroid, prednisone, and a promising new steroid, vamorolone, finds both act on the same key set of genetic pathways involved in controlling inflammation, indicates a new study led by Children's National Health System researchers. However, the study suggests the new investigational steroid doesn't activate several additional pathways involved in prednisone's bevy of undesirable side effects. |
Giving birth in Afghanistan: inside MSF's 'baby factory'The mother was admitted at 9.30am, the birth recorded at 9.35. Women often arrive in extremis at the Doctors Without Borders maternity hospital in southeastern Afghanistan, one of the most active in the world, with more than 60 babies born daily. | |
 | Certain factors linked with kidney function recovery in children on dialysisChildren with kidney failure due to certain diseases may regain kidney function and therefore no longer need dialysis, and kidney transplantation might be postponed. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), may help clinicians better allocate scarce donor kidneys to pediatric patients. |
Cruise ship moors in Rotterdam with dozens of ill passengersDozens of cruise ship passengers who fell ill during their voyage were temporarily held on board Thursday after the liner moored in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. | |
 | Shades of grey reveal breast tumoursBreast cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Mammography is the best imaging technology for early detection of tumours in breast tissue. |
 | Drop in EU/EEA measles cases between March and July 2018During the month of July, a total of 758 cases of measles were reported across seventeen countries in the EU/EEA, which is a decrease from the 1054 cases reported during the month of June. |
 | NIH launches study to test combination antibody treatment for HIV infectionA clinical trial testing infusions of combination antibodies in people living with HIV has begun at the National Institutes of Health. The early-phase clinical trial will evaluate whether periodic infusions of two highly potent, HIV-specific, broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs)—3BNC117 and 10-1074—are safe in people living with HIV. The study also will gather preliminary data on how effectively the bNAb infusions, delivered together every two to four weeks, suppress HIV following discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). |
Study at Johns Hopkins hospital leads to changes in reporting patient safety concernsIn a case study published online last week in Academic Medicine, an international team of researchers led by the University of Cambridge and Johns Hopkins Medicine looked at what prevented employees from raising concerns. The study identifies measures to help health care organizations encourage their employees to speak up and recommends a systematic approach to promoting employee voice that appears to have already made a positive impact at Johns Hopkins. | |
New research finds annual well visit increases likelihood of preventive servicesA new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study assesses the effect of receiving an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) between 2011 and 2013 on the annual rate of eight preventive services recommended for the Medicare population following the AWV. The study is published online in Preventive Medicine. | |
 | We all carry a personal cloud of germs, chemicals(HealthDay)—You might feel squeaky clean after that morning shower, but you carry an invisible cloud of bacteria, viruses, fungi and chemicals every day. |
 | New evidence for coordinated hedgehog and Wnt pathway activation in appendage regenerationResearchers have made a significant new discovery concerning the signaling mechanisms that enable newts to regrow their tails after injury. Specifically, this process is shown to require the coordinated activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt pathways. The study is published in Stem Cells and Development. |
After EMR implementation, surgeons spend less time interacting with patientsImplementing an electronic medical records (EMR) system at an orthopaedic clinic may have unanticipated effects on clinic efficiency and productivity - including a temporary increase in labor costs and a lasting reduction in time spent interacting with patients, reports a study in September 19, 2018 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. | |
Biology news
 | Octopuses given mood drug 'ecstasy' reveal genetic link to evolution of social behaviors in humansBy studying the genome of a kind of octopus not known for its friendliness toward its peers, then testing its behavioral reaction to a popular mood-altering drug called MDMA or "ecstasy," scientists say they have found preliminary evidence of an evolutionary link between the social behaviors of the sea creature and humans, species separated by 500 million years on the evolutionary tree. |
 | When a chemical tag makes the difference in cell fate and gene expressionScientists at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, Spain, have uncovered the role of special chemical 'tags' in controlling vital genes involved in early mammalian development, publishing their findings in the journal Nature Genetics on 17 September. The researchers studied the changes in epigenetics, genome architecture, accessibility and gene expression, and unraveled how cells can make quick cell fate decisions. The study has resulted in new understanding of cancer development and progression. |
 | We are bombarded by thousands of diverse species and chemicals, study findsWe are all exposed to a vast and dynamic cloud of microbes, chemicals and particulates that, if visible, might make us look something like Pig-Pen from Peanuts. |
 | Kiwifruit duplicated its vitamin C genes twice, 50 million and 20 million years agoToday's kiwifruit, a member of the Chinese gooseberry family, contains about as much vitamin C as an orange. This extra boost in vitamin C production is the result of the kiwifruit's ancestors' spontaneously duplicating their DNA in two separate evolutionary events approximately 50-57 million and 18-20 million years ago, as reported September 20 in the journal iScience. |
 | Co-evolution between a 'parasite gene' and its hostA Danish research team has delineated a complex symbiosis between a 'parasitic' noncoding RNA gene and its protein-coding 'host' gene in human cells. The study reveals how co-evolution of the host gene and parasite gene has shaped a feedback mechanism in which the parasite gene plays a completely new and surprising part as regulator of the host gene protein production. The breakthrough finding opens an entirely new avenue of research in gene expression. |
 | Restoring cells to an uninfected state once a virus is destroyedNew research, pioneered by a first year Ph.D. student and researchers at the University of St Andrews' School of Biology, has identified an important new component of the CRISPR genome engineering toolkit, which is revolutionising the treatment of genetic disease and infection. |
| Mathematics meets biology to uncover unexpected biorhythmsA novel mathematical approach has uncovered that some animal cells have robust 12-hour cycles of genetic activity, in addition to circadian or 24-hour cycles. The method, published in the journal PLOS ONE, assessed the periodicity of gene expression data and compared the results with those obtained with other computational methods. As opposed to the other methods, this novel approach showed not only the existence of unsuspected biological cycles, but also that the 12-hour cycles work independently from the 24-hour cycles, which has been confirmed by laboratory experiments. These findings open a new area of study of how gene functions over time influence health and disease. |
 | Scientists predict extinction risk for hard-to-track speciesSpecies are going extinct all over the world: Scientists believe that Earth is losing between 200 and 2,000 species every year. That number is squishy, partly because there are so many species for which they lack good data—particularly those living in the oceans, which are difficult to track but still critically important to ecosystems and livelihoods. Even the most comprehensive evaluation of extinction risk—the international Red List of Threatened Species—has only spotty data for many species around the globe. |
 | Pairing zebrafish by personality improves fitness of the speciesScientists have challenged the theory of "love at first sight" after discovering that they can boost the reproductive success of zebrafish by pairing them by personality, rather than appearance. |
 | Basking sharks can jump as high and as fast as great whitesA collaborative team of marine biologists has discovered that basking sharks, hundreds of which are found off the shores of Ireland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Scotland, can jump as fast and as high out of the water as their cousins, the famously powerful and predatory great white shark. |
 | Intestines modify their cellular structure in response to dietBody organs such as the intestine and ovaries undergo structural changes in response to dietary nutrients that can have lasting impacts on metabolism, as well as cancer susceptibility, according to Carnegie's Rebecca Obniski, Matthew Sieber, and Allan Spradling. |
 | Decoding the structure of an RNA-based CRISPR systemOver the past several years, CRISPR-Cas9 has moved beyond the lab bench and into the public zeitgeist. This gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 holds promise for correcting defects inside individual cells and potentially healing or preventing many human ailments. But the Cas9 system alters DNA, not RNA, and some experts believe that being able to modify RNA ultimately may prove just as useful. |
 | Two fishes a day keep the mantid coming back to prey: The first fishing praying mantisCommonly known to predate on insects, praying mantises have occasionally been observed to feed on vertebrates, including small birds, lizards, frogs, newts, mice, snakes and turtles. Mostly, such records have either not been scientifically validated or have occurred under induced and human-manipulated circumstances. |
 | What's eating these endangered orchids?A species of seed-feeding fly is critically damaging the seed production of multiple orchid species, as revealed by a group of Japanese researchers. If the damage caused by this fly is occurring long-term and across Japan, these already-endangered orchid species could become unable to reproduce using seeds, and their dwindling numbers will take a large hit. |
 | Researcher using bird's eye view to reduce building strikesBrandon Samuels plans to set up cameras this January in hopes of catching footage of birds crashing into windows across campus. Honestly, he really is a nice guy – it's for science. |
 | Bye bye bugs? Scientists fear non-pest insects are decliningA staple of summer—swarms of bugs—seems to be a thing of the past. And that's got scientists worried. |
 | The effects of anthropogenic noiseHans Slabbekoorn, researcher at the Institute of Biology Leiden, is one of the editors of the latest volume of the Springer Handbook of Auditory Research (SHAR). This book is filled with everything known about the effects of sound on vertebrates. Slabbekoorn's contribution to the book as a co-author is in two chapters on hearing and noise impact for terrestrial mammals and birds. |
 | EU Fisheries failures jeopardise sustainability of small fishing communitiesTraditional artisanal fishing has been harmed by EU fishing policies that favour big businesses and ignores other more sustainable approaches to conserving fish stocks, according to new research from the University of Kent. |
 | Few hatchery brook trout genes present in Pennsylvania watershed wild fishDespite many decades of annual brook trout stocking in one northcentral Pennsylvania watershed, the wild brook trout populations show few genes from hatchery fish, according to researchers who genotyped about 2,000 brook trout in Loyalsock Creek watershed, a 500-square-mile drainage in Lycoming and Sullivan counties celebrated by anglers for its trout fishing. |
Hookworms employ live fast/die young strategy in fur seal pup hosts, study findsHookworms exploit a live fast/die young strategy in their South American fur seal pup hosts, report Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Georgia. As a result, they often kill their host, rather than finding a happy equilibrium. Scientists are concerned that this type of hookworm infection could eventually pose a risk to critically endangered populations of fur seals. | |
 | Manganese plays a key role in bacterial infectionThe ability to acquire manganese during infection is essential for the virulence of Enterococcus faecalis in animals, according to a study published September 20 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by José Lemos of the University of Florida College of Dentistry, and colleagues. |
 | Plant growth-promoting bacteria enhance plant salinity toleranceSoil salinity is one of the key abiotic stress factors affecting agricultural productivity worldwide. Every day, nearly 2000 hectares of fertile agricultural land degrades due to salinity. There are only limited agricultural options to cope with increasing salinification of soils, especially in the case of salt-sensitive staple crops such as rice and wheat, productivity of which is seriously curbed due to salinity in many regions. Among the possible options, plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have a high potential to improve crop plant productivity under salinity, but the progress in application of PGPB has been slow due to lack of a non-invasive methodology for testing the efficiency of different bacteria in increasing plant salt resistance. The present collaborative study by scientists of Chungbuk National University, South Korea and the Estonian University of Life Sciences looked at foliage volatile emission and photosynthetic traits as potential non-invasive markers to estimate improvements in salinity resistance upon inoculation of rice plants with plant growth-promoting rhizosphere bacterium (PGPR) Brevibacterium linens RS16. |
 | 'Penis bones' – an evolutionary puzzle explained using innovative 3-D scanningFor ferrets, sex is a prolonged affair. In total, the act of mating might last up to three hours. Fortunately for the males of the species, they are packing a secret weapon to help them through this daunting task. Some modern mammals (including ferrets, mice, dogs and even apes) have a bone inside their penis, called the baculum. |
 | Farmers fume as France announces more bears for the PyreneesDozens of farmers and lawmakers stormed out of a meeting Thursday with France's new environment minister after he confirmed that two more bears would soon be released into the Pyrenees mountains. |
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