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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 11, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Researchers conduct chemical analysis of six extremely metal-poor star candidatesAn international team of researchers has conducted a chemical study of six new very metal-poor star candidates in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12 (SDSS DR12). The new research, available in a paper published August 29 on the arXiv pre-print repository, could help researchers better understand the early stages of chemical evolution of the galaxy. |
 | Age bias exists even in outer space—in samples collected by Apollo astronautsBecause much of the evidence from Earth's early history has been destroyed by plate tectonics and weathering, astronomers often look to the moon and Mars for clues about our beginnings. But what if some of our information from those planets is biased? |
 | Landslides, avalanches may be key to long-term comet activityThe release of gases through sublimation is the defining process of comets, but a new paper by Planetary Science Institute Research Scientist Jordan K. Steckloff and Senior Scientist Nalin H. Samarasinha says that periodic landslides and avalanches, known as mass wasting, may be responsible for keeping comets active over a long time. |
 | Bright streaks on the moon are a product of space weatheringThe long, bright streaks that reach out from craters on the moon are actually much longer than they appear, according to research published in the journal Icarus. |
 | Cool ways of studying the cryosphereOne of the key elements of Earth's climate system is the cryosphere – the many forms of ice found on Earth. Two new NASA missions use different technologies to help scientists better understand how frozen water is affecting our planet. Both will continue satellite data records that have greatly improved our understanding of Earth's frozen regions. |
 | Worms in space—the molecular muscle experimentThousands of worms are being flown to the International Space Station later this year for scientists to understand more about spaceflight-induced muscle loss—the first UK experiment to take place on the International Space Station. |
 | A Japanese company is about to test a tiny space elevator in spaceLet's be honest, launching things into space with rockets is a pretty inefficient way to do things. Not only are rockets expensive to build, they also need a ton of fuel in order to achieve escape velocity. And while the costs of individual launches are being reduced thanks to concepts like reusable rockets and space planes, a more permanent solution could be to build a Space Elevator. |
Technology news
 | Adaptive anomaly detection in traffic surveillance videosResearchers at Arizona State University (ASU) have recently developed a new method of detecting unusual activity in traffic surveillance videos, which is based on an adaptive anomaly detection (AAD) framework. Their method, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, gathered promising results, performing better than techniques presented in previous studies. |
 | Tool improves automated image vectorization, saving digital artists time and effortArtists may soon have at their disposal a new MIT-developed tool that could help them create digital characters, logos, and other graphics more quickly and easily. |
 | Beyond deep fakes: Transforming video content into another video's style, automaticallyResearchers at Carnegie Mellon University have devised a way to automatically transform the content of one video into the style of another, making it possible to transfer the facial expressions of comedian John Oliver to those of a cartoon character, or to make a daffodil bloom in much the same way a hibiscus would. |
 | Consumers found to be more open to renewable energy surcharge if they believe it is fairA trio of researchers with RWI in Essen, Germany has found that electricity consumers were more open to paying a renewable energy surcharge when they thought it was being fairly collected. In their paper published in the journal Nature Energy, Mark Andor, Manuel Frondel and Stephan Sommer describe a survey they took of people living in Germany and what they found. Claudia Schwirplies of Hamburg University offers a News and Views piece on the work by the team in the same journal issue. |
 | Intercity travel will take to the sky in vertical modeIn the UK, the testing of a flying taxi made the news this week. We can set sight on a new day in vertical aerospace with the company of the same name. A full scale electric vertical take off and landing aircraft has flown and takes it place as "the UK's first full scale fully electric vertical take off and landing aircraft." |
 | Wealthy countries less concerned about energy security, study suggestsPeople in wealthy countries are less concerned about the reliability, vulnerability and affordability of their energy supplies, a new study has shown. |
 | Poll: Teens say social media makes them feel betterToday's teens are always on their smartphones, many check social media "constantly" and prefer texting over face-to-face communication. |
 | Japan semiconductor company Renesas to buy US firm IDT for $6.7bnJapanese semiconductor firm Renesas on Tuesday announced a deal to buy California-based IDT in a cash deal valued at $6.7 billion. |
 | Understanding deep-sea images with artificial intelligenceThe evaluation of very large amounts of data is becoming increasingly relevant in ocean research. Diving robots or autonomous underwater vehicles that carry out measurements independently in the deep sea can now record large quantities of high-resolution images. To evaluate these images scientifically in a sustainable manner, a number of prerequisites have to be fulfilled in data acquisition, curation and data management. |
 | Linear equations system will restore impaired hand motionResearchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology have developed a model for predicting hand movement trajectories based on cortical activity: Signals are measured directly from a human brain. The predictions rely on linear models. This offloads the processor, since it requires less memory and fewer computations in comparison with neural networks. As a result, the processor can be combined with a sensor and implanted in the cranium. By simplifying the model without degrading the predictions, it becomes possible to respond to the changing brain signals. This technology could drive exoskeletons that would allow patients with impaired mobility to regain movement. The paper was published in Expert Systems with Applications, the leading journal in the field of artificial intelligence. |
 | Tesla cuts number of stock colors to streamline productionTesla is dropping two of the seven colors it had offered to customers as it tries to streamline production. |
 | Alibaba, Russian tech firm Mail.ru agree joint e-commerce ventureChinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and Russian technology group Mail.ru on Tuesday said they would launch a joint e-commerce venture in Russia and former Soviet countries. |
 | Google fights French 'right to be forgotten' in EU courtGoogle clashed with France in a top EU court on Tuesday arguing it feared for freedom of speech if forced to apply Europe's "right to be forgotten" principle worldwide. |
 | Perfect patterns pave path to faster, cheaper MRIA discovery by a University of Queensland researcher could speed up MRI scanning times and make the scans more affordable. |
 | What's in the Amazon box? Maybe a real 7-foot Christmas treeWatch out for the 7-foot box on the doorstep. Amazon plans to sell and ship fresh, full-size Christmas trees this year. |
 | 'Cloud computing' takes on new meaning for scientistsClouds may be wispy puffs of water vapor drifting through the sky, but they're heavy lifting computationally for scientists wanting to factor them into climate simulations. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and Columbia University have turned to data science to achieve better cumulus calculating results. |
 | Setting up an outdoor TV or projector has gotten easierWhen Karen Snyder's daughter asked if she could have friends over for swimming and a movie, the Los Angeles mom agreed. Then she looked for a way to keep the whole party outside to avoid wet clothes on her furniture. |
 | Agency seeks anti-lock brakes on all new US road motorcyclesA federal safety agency is recommending that all new motorcycles built for road use in the U.S. have anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control as standard equipment. |
 | Apple expected to unveil bigger, pricier iPhone on WednesdayApple is expected to unveil its biggest and most expensive iPhone on Wednesday as part of a lineup of three new models aimed at widening the product's appeal amid slowing sales growth. |
 | Chinese companies flee overseas to avoid US tariffsA growing number of Chinese companies are adopting a crafty way to evade US President Donald Trump's tariffs: remove the "Made in China" label by shifting production to countries such as Vietnam, Serbia and Mexico. |
 | China suspends carpool services following murdersChina has ordered the suspension of carpool services offered by ride-hailing firms until tighter safety measures are implemented, seeking to ease fears after two users of sector leader Didi Chuxing's Hitch service were murdered. |
 | German unions call for strike against Ryanair WednesdayUnions representing pilots and cabin crew of Irish no-frills airline Ryanair In Germany have called for a strike on Wednesday over better pay and working conditions. |
 | High-speed quantum cryptographic communications with key distribution speeds exceeding 10 MbpsToshiba and the Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization at Tohoku University have successfully applied high-speed quantum cryptographic communications technologies developed at Toshiba and Toshiba Research Europe's Cambridge Research Laboratory to achieve world-first quantum cryptography communication at one-month-average key distribution speeds exceeding 10 Mbps over installed optical fiber lines. |
 | Ryanair warns of job cuts in Germany if strikes persistRyanair warned Tuesday that it may slash jobs and close some bases in Germany if it is hit with more strikes, a day before a planned work stoppage for better pay and conditions. |
Chinese auto sales fall for second month in AugustChinese auto sales fell for a second month in August, an industry group reported Tuesday, adding to signs of economic malaise amid a worsening tariff battle with Washington. | |
 | A new study examines use of twitter to spread or debunk conspiracy theoriesResearchers investigating the use of Twitter to propagate or debunk conspiracy theories related to the 2015-2016 Zika virus outbreak analyzed the content of more than 25,000 Tweets and the characteristics of the social networks used to disseminate them. The analysis showed that Tweets intended to propagate conspiracy theories were spread through a more decentralized network than debunking messages. The findings are reported in an article published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. |
 | Drones, ride sharers could team up for package deliveryIn the future, when you hail an Uber or take the bus, you might not only be sharing the ride with another traveler, but perhaps with a drone out on delivery as well. That is the vision of Naira Hovakimyan, professor of mechanical science and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who is leading a six-person, three institution (Illinois, Stanford, South Carolina) $1 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to see if drones and existing ride-sharing vehicles (RSVs) can provide synergetic delivery service in urban areas. The likes of Amazon, UPS, and the United States Postal Service are eagerly awaiting the outcome. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Research team identifies a potential strategy in fight against brain cancerScientists with the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute say a gene involved in the body's circadian rhythms is a potential target for therapies to help patients with a deadly form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma. |
 | Sarcolipin tricks muscle cells into using more energy, burning fatEver wonder why you burn fat and heat up when you exercise or shiver? Now, researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) have shown that sarcolipin, a small peptide only found in muscles, increases muscle energy expenditure and fat oxidization. The study was published today in the journal Cell Reports. |
 | High blood sugar during pregnancy ups risk of mother's type 2 diabetes, child's obesityMothers with elevated blood glucose during pregnancy—even if not high enough to meet the traditional definition of gestational diabetes—were significantly more likely to have developed type 2 diabetes a decade after pregnancy than their counterparts without high blood glucose. |
 | Overlapping copy number variations underlie autism and schizophrenia in Japanese patientsCommon genetic variants may underlie autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia across human populations, according to a study appearing September 11th in the journal Cell Reports. In line with previous studies in Caucasians, the researchers found that Japanese individuals with autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia have overlapping copy number variations (CNVs)—inter-individual variations in the number of copies of a particular gene. |
 | Fighting the cold virus and other threats, body makes trade-off, says studyA Yale research team has revealed how cells in different parts of the human airway vary in their response to the common cold virus. Their finding, published in Cell Reports, could help solve the mystery of why some people exposed to the cold virus get ill while others don't, said the researchers. |
 | DNA test for predicing risk of leukemia relapseA group of Canadian and Korean scientists and physicians have developed the first DNA-based test that allows them to tell which patients will relapse after receiving chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, for their acute myeloid leukemia, or AML. The findings, published recently in the journal Blood, could help doctors improve patient outcome by changing the treatment before cancer has returned in full force. |
 | Regrowing dental tissue with stem cells from baby teethSometimes kids trip and fall, and their teeth take the hit. Nearly half of children suffer some injury to a tooth during childhood. When that trauma affects an immature permanent tooth, it can hinder blood supply and root development, resulting in what is essentially a "dead" tooth. |
 | Changes in mitochondrial DNA control how nuclear DNA mutations are expressed in cardiomyopathyDifferences in the DNA within the mitochondria, the energy-producing structures within cells, can determine the severity and progression of heart disease caused by a nuclear DNA mutation. A new study found that when a nuclear DNA (nDNA) mutation was combined with different mild variants of mitochondrial (mtDNA) in mice, the severity of heart disease was markedly different. One mtDNA variant dramatically worsened heart disease, while another mtDNA variant conferred protection from heart damage. |
 | Prescribing antibiotics for children with cough does not reduce hospitalization riskDoctors and nurses often prescribe antibiotics for children with cough and respiratory infection to avoid return visits, symptoms getting worse or hospitalisation. In a study published in the British Journal of General Practice today [Tuesday 11 September], researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Southampton, Oxford and Kings College London found little evidence that antibiotics reduce the risk of children with cough ending up in hospital, suggesting that this is an area in which unnecessary antibiotic prescribing could be reduced. |
Widely used youth behaviour treatment may be ineffective: studyA long-established treatment used around the world to help troubled young people and their families tackle behavioural problems may not be as effective as its practitioners claim—a new study reveals. | |
Scientists develop new drug treatment for tuberculosisScientists at The University of Manchester have developed the first non-antibiotic drug to successfully treat tuberculosis in animals. | |
 | Study identifies key features of interventions to help patients in need find jobsHealth care organizations can play a key role in supporting unemployed patients find a job, suggests a new study from the Centre for Urban Health Solutions (C-UHS) of St. Michael's Hospital. |
 | Study shows medical cannabis effective in treating a wide range of health conditionsUtilizing new mobile application technology, researchers at The University of New Mexico found that medical cannabis provides immediate symptom relief across dozens of health symptoms with relatively minimal negative side effects. |
 | Back pain is associated with mental health problems and risky behaviors in teenagersA new study in the Journal of Public Health indicates that adolescents who experience back pain more frequently are also more likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and report problems like anxiety and depression. |
 | 'Danger' molecules may increase cardiovascular risk from early life stressThe release of "danger" molecules in response to significant periods of mental stress early in life may leave young people at lifelong risk of cardiovascular disease, scientists report. |
 | Four honored for genetic research and developing anestheticFour scientists have won prestigious medical awards for genetics research and development of a widely used anesthetic nicknamed "milk of amnesia." |
 | Big safety testing failure rate for California pot productsNearly 20 percent of marijuana products in California have failed tests for potency and purity since the state started requiring the checks on July 1, a failure rate some in the industry say has more to do with unrealistic standards and technical glitches than protecting consumer safety. |
 | Critically ill patients supported by respirators in ICUs may develop weakness from drug treatment, not illnessAt least 25 percent of critically ill patients who receive mechanical ventilation in intensive care units (ICUs) develop muscular weakness severe enough to impair their quality of life. In a new study published in the journal Chest designed to investigate possible causes, researchers found that mechanically ventilated patients treated with vasopressor medications had a more than three-fold increase in the odds of developing ICU-associated weakness. These findings highlight the unintended adverse effects of treatment and suggest possible interventions or avoidance strategies. |
 | Decoding robotic surgery skillsResearchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC are looking to technology to help deconstruct expert surgeons' robotic surgery skills so they can create an objective, standardized way to train the next generation of surgeons. Using a data recorder plugged into a robotic surgery system, the team analyzed expert and novice surgeons' movements during the reconstruction step of robotic radical prostatectomy, a common surgery for prostate cancer. The data helped the team decode surgical skills, develop a needle-driving gesture classification system and create a training tutorial. The results of their study will appear in the October 2018 issue of The Journal of Urology. |
 | How bad bacteria gain an edge in the gutThe bacterium Clostridium difficile, which is responsible for the majority of antibiotic-associated diarrhea outbreaks worldwide, produces a unique compound called p-cresol to gain a competitive advantage over natural protective gut bacteria. The findings were reported by Lisa Dawson and Team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and colleagues on September 11 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens. |
 | Intense, recent physical activity linked to healthy metabolic profiles in adolescentsMore time spent intensely active, to a greater extent than less time spent sedentary, correlates with a healthier metabolic profile in adolescence, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine. The study, conducted by Joshua Bell and colleagues from the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, also suggests that the metabolic effects of physical activity, if causal, largely depend on recent engagement in such activity. |
 | Variation in cancer-causing KRAS mutations greater than thoughtThe effects of KRAS mutations underlying many different types of cancer are more diverse than previously thought, according to a new study led by the University of Eastern Finland. Different mutations in the same amino acid of the KRAS protein have so varied effects on protein function that they may require different approaches when it comes to treatment and drug development. |
 | Following the tumour DNA trail to crack the secrets of personalised medicineIndividualised therapies that target the specific genetic features of tumours have the potential to transform cancer diagnosis, treatment and care. However, several challenges still need to be overcome before these approaches can be widely used in the clinic. Two DNA testing programmes have been implemented in institutes in Spain and the UK to match patient tumour profiles with targets of early clinical trials, and to embed whole genome sequencing (WGS) in routine oncology practice, respectively. The results of these programmes, to be presented at MAP 2018, illustrate that new sequencing techniques and process restructuring at the system level can be the drivers of a model that promises new opportunities for the greatest number of patients. |
 | New high-throughput screening study may open up for future Parkinson's disease therapyParkinson's disease (PD) is the most common movement disorder in the world. PD patients suffer from shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with walking. It is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. Currently, PD cannot be cured or even halted, but symptoms may be treated to some degree. Probably the single most important cause of PD is the aggregation of the natively unfolded protein α-synuclein (αSN). αSN can form both small oligomeric complexes (αSOs) as well as large fibrillary deposits; the αSOs are thought to be the most toxic species. Preventing or reducing αSN aggregation could be a good way to halt PD development. So far, it has been difficult screen large numbers of compounds to identify potential aggregation inhibitors, since αSN aggregates in a rather irregular and variable fashion; it is also difficult to detect early-stage αSOs. |
 | Muscle strength training improves cardiovascular healthA paper published recently in the scientific journal Nature Reviews Cardiology shows that regular physical exercise and, specifically, that which is undertaken to increase muscle strength, improves cardiovascular health through non-traditional mechanisms such as the skeletal muscle release of myokines or improvement in intestinal microbiota. |
 | Find the flu vaccine that's right for youSchool's back in session, which means that germs that are carrying illnesses such as influenza can start to spread rapidly among classmates, and to their families outside of school. But the good news is that with a variety of flu vaccination options, almost everyone can find just the right one for their needs, says an expert at Baylor College of Medicine. |
 | New study examines predictors of patient-reported experiences at dialysis facilitiesFor patients with end-stage renal disease, dialysis treatments are vital and often are payed for by Medicare. In 2012, Medicare implemented a Quality Incentive Program scoring system, and in 2016, patient-reported experiences became a clinical measure in this scoring system so dialysis facilities are now evaluated and reimbursed based on surveys of patient experiences with the care that they received. In a recently published study in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine examined associations between dialysis facility performance with patient experience measures and patient, facility and geographic characteristics. |
 | A new approach for finding Alzheimer's treatmentsConsidering what little progress has been made finding drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease, Maikel Rheinstädter decided to come at the problem from a totally different angle—perhaps the solution lay not with the peptide clusters known as senile plaques typically found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, but with the surrounding brain tissue that allowed those plaques to form in the first place. |
 | Brains of people with schizophrenia are less reactive to social rewards like smiling faces, study showsIn imaging studies, UCLA researchers found that the brains of people with schizophrenia are less sensitive to social rewards, such as the positive feelings that can come from social interactions with people, than they are to so-called nonsocial rewards, such as money or objects. |
 | How do we make snap decisions?Decision-making is part of daily life but in many situations, from deciding whether to hit the snooze button on your alarm or reacting to an intruder, choices are made very quickly. Now we're getting new insight into how these snap decisions are made. |
 | Treadmill desks don't hinder thinking but can hamper memoryIf you've ever tried to recall a recently learned phone number while using a treadmill workstation, you know it can be tough. That's because working memory isn't as efficient when using a treadmill workstation as when sitting or standing, a new University of Michigan study found. |
 | Kid-friendly chocolate formula helps the medicine go downResearchers from The University of Western Australia have developed a winning medicine formula that makes bad-tasting medicine taste nice, making it easier to treat sick children. |
 | How overmedication is injuring and killing the elderly—a world-first studyElderly taking multiple high-risk medications for sleeping, pain or incontinence are twice as likely as others to fall and break bones, with many dying within a year of their injury, new research shows. |
Teachers to trial new MindAid app created to support pupilsMindAid was created by Dr. Helen Pote, from Royal Holloway's clinical psychology department and acts as a Mental Health First Aid training tool and will be trialled by more than 250 teachers during the new September term. | |
 | Medical students study tampons as possible screening test for cancerSeptember is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. There is no screening test for ovarian cancer. Three FIU medical students would like to change that. They are hoping to save lives by collecting used tampons. |
 | Duchenne muscular dystrophy: How muscle cells journey to the dark sidePromoting repair of dystrophic muscles is a major goal in the treatment of muscular dystrophies but is complicated by the incomplete knowledge of the cellular and molecular events that drive muscle regeneration. |
Global nutrition group issues first-ever consensus criteria for diagnosing malnutritionEvidence of malnutrition—marked by "deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person's intake of energy and/or nutrients—can be seen broadly around the world, with the World Health Organization reporting 1.9 billion adults who are overweight or obese and 462 million adults who are underweight. Yet, despite the serious concern associated with malnutrition's adverse outcomes and cost, no single existing approach to malnutrition diagnosis has achieved broad global acceptance. Now, thanks to more than two years' work by members of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) working group, a consensus report, which outlines five criteria for malnutrition, has just been published in the latest issue of both the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition. | |
 | Programs for teens with autism should promote strengthsThe unique strengths of adolescents with autism – including attention to detail, loyalty and memory skills – should be the focus of employment programs to ensure they can play a crucial role in the workforce, the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre's latest report shows. |
 | Protein analysis uncovers new cancer subtypes for medulloblastomaTwo patients with the same kind of tumor can have very different experiences. One patient's cancer may progress quickly while the other grows slowly. Treatments may shrink tumors or have no effect at all. And some patients survive while others don't. Efforts to profile tumors at the DNA, RNA, or epigenetic levels have revealed subtypes of tumors that help oncologists diagnose and prognose cancer, but it's often unclear how to turn that molecular knowledge into new therapeutics. |
 | West Nile virus prediction model protects human health, empowers communitiesA reliable means of predicting disease risk and communities engaged in controlling mosquito populations are helping South Dakotans get a handle on West Nile virus. It did not happen by chance. |
 | Researcher directing evidence-based opioid treatment efforts and seeing resultsDrug overdoses killed about 72,000 people in the United States last year with most of those due to opioids, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This represents an increase of about 16 percent nationwide from 42,249 to 49,068. |
 | Study finds high levels of nicotine in popular e-cigarettesEveryone knows that smoking cigarettes is dangerous. Smoking cigarettes kills more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, HIV, guns and illegal drugs combined and, according to the American Cancer Society, about half of all Americans who keep smoking will die from their addiction. |
 | Two for the price of oneMononuclear phagocytes can both promote and inhibit inflammation. An LMU team has now shown that individual phagocytes in the central nervous system can play both roles, sequentially adopting different phenotypes with distinct functions. |
 | Happiness is the metric of the future – but there are problems with how we measure itMove over GDP: happiness is angling to become the metric of the future. Nation states have begun to compete in global happiness rankings and plan policy according to statistics of well-being. |
 | Better understanding of how colon cancer develops and progressesResearchers from the University of Luxembourg have discovered a molecular mechanism that is responsible for the spread of cancer cells in the body and the development of metastases in patients with colon cancer. Their findings could help to develop treatments that inhibit tumor growth. |
 | Mentoring can reduce anxiety, study findsMentoring of junior colleagues can reduce anxiety and improve the mental health of the mentors themselves, finds a new study. |
 | Farewell flat biology—Tackling infectious disease using 3-D tissue engineeringIn a new invited review article, ASU Biodesign microbiologists and tissue engineers Cheryl Nickerson, Jennifer Barrila and colleagues discuss the development and application of three-dimensional (3-D) tissue culture models as they pertain to infectious disease. They describe these models as predictive pre-clinical platforms to study host-pathogen interactions, infectious disease mechanisms, and antimicrobial drug development. |
Newborns with congenital heart disease have enlarged kidneysThe hearts and brains of babies born with congenital heart disease are not the only organs affected by this common medical condition. Surprisingly, their kidneys tend to be enlarged at birth, says Gemma Scholes of the University of Melbourne in Australia, who is lead author of a study in the Springer Nature-branded journal Pediatric Research. | |
 | Majority of women receive breast cancer diagnosis over the phoneA new study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine reveals an increasing number of women are learning about their breast cancer diagnosis over the phone. It's a finding that has prompted the MU School of Medicine to develop new training methods to better prepare future physicians to deliver negative news without being face-to-face with patients. |
 | Inhaled version of blood pressure drug shows promise in treating anxiety, painAn inhaled form of a high blood pressure medication has potential to treat certain types of anxiety as well as pain, according to a new study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). |
 | Study reveals which transgender teens have highest suicide riskResearch has shown that transgender adolescents are at greater risk for attempting suicide than cisgender teens, who identify with the gender they are assigned at birth. A new study from the University of Arizona takes a deeper look at who within the transgender adolescent community is most at risk. |
 | Active shooter study: Semi-automatic rifles more deadlyActive shooters with semi-automatic rifles wound and kill twice as many people as those using non-automatic weapons, although chances of dying if hit in either type of assault are the same, a new analysis shows. |
 | Prenatal exposure to cannabis impacts sociability of male offspring onlyTaking cannabinoids during pregnancy can cause behavioural and neuronal deficits in adult male offspring, while females remain unaffected, says new research published in eLife. |
 | Pain response in babies' brains controlled in 'similar way to adults'Researchers from the Department of Paediatrics and Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging at the University of Oxford, UK, have identified the neural network that helps control babies' brain activity in response to pain in a similar way to adults. |
Treating sleep apnea greatly improves stroke patients' neurological and functional recoveryA large study has found that commencing treatment for sleep apnea as soon as possible after a stroke or a mini-stroke significantly improves speech impairment and other neurological symptoms as well as walking and other physical functioning. | |
 | Stress linked to more advanced disease in some leukemia patientsPatients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who feel more stress also have more cancer cells in their blood and elevated levels of three other markers of more advanced disease. |
 | 'Evil' proteins a force for good in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancerBreast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, striking 1 out of 8 women. About 80 percent of all breast cancers are estrogen receptor-positive, in which cancer growth is fueled by estrogen. |
 | For the first time, a neural link between altruism and empathy toward strangersGiving up a kidney to a stranger requires a certain sense of selflessness, what's come to be known in social science as extraordinary altruism. University of Pennsylvania psychologist Kristin Brethel-Haurwitz wanted to understand the connection between this trait and empathy, specifically empathy for distress emotions. |
 | Drug for pancreatic cancer heralds a new strategy for fighting cancerA treatment for highly aggressive and commonly fatal pancreatic cancer is being developed, reports a University of Houston researcher who has designed a new medicine that can inhibit two of the major pathways of the deadly disease. Ruiwen Zhang, M.D., Ph.D. and Robert L. Boblitt Endowed Professor in Drug Discovery, has published his findings, along with research associate professor of pharmacology Wei Wang, M.D., Ph.D., in Cancer Research Journal. |
Scientists identified enzyme in milk production as target for novel breast cancer drugsVCU Massey Cancer Center researchers have identified a protein involved in milk production that stimulates the growth and spread of breast cancer and could ultimately serve as a target for novel therapies to treat breast cancer. | |
 | 17 years after 9/11, former NYPD cop still battles serious health problemsPeter Woods hardly called in sick back when he worked for the New York Police Department. Then terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, creating a noxious cloud of finite glass, cancer-causing chemicals and other pollutants that hovered for months around ground zero. |
 | As hurricane florence targets US, experts urge safety(HealthDay)—With Hurricane Florence barreling toward the Carolinas, the National Safety Council offers steps to stay safe. |
 | Want to avoid type 2 diabetes? Eat more whole grains(HealthDay)—It may seem counterintuitive, but eating bread, pasta and cereal may actually help prevent type 2 diabetes, as long as those foods are made from whole grains, new research suggests. |
 | Juuls pack same nicotine punch as cigarettes(HealthDay)—Juuls, the latest craze in vaping, deliver levels of nicotine that nearly match what is inhaled with tobacco cigarettes, a new study finds. |
 | Going vegetarian to cut colon cancer risk(HealthDay)—There's no disputing the fact that regular colonoscopies, now suggested to start at age 45 for those with an average risk of colorectal cancer, can help prevent the disease by finding—and removing—precancerous growths. |
 | Racial/ethnic disparity in use of low-vision devices(HealthDay)—Among Medicare beneficiaries with self-reported vision impairment, Hispanic individuals and those from other races/ethnicities are less likely to report using low-vision devices than white individuals in a model adjusted for ocular diagnoses, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | Mediterranean diet tied to lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis(HealthDay)—High adherence to the Mediterranean diet score is tied to lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in some populations, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in Arthritis Research & Therapy. |
 | Algorithm can discriminate cardiovascular disease risk(HealthDay)—The Cardiovascular Disease Population Risk Tool (CVDPoRT) algorithm, which includes 12 variables, can discriminate cardiovascular disease risk, according to a study recently published in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association. |
 | Data age in clinical trials is about three years at publication(HealthDay)—The median data age in clinical trials in journals with a high impact factor is about three years at publication, according to a study published in the Aug. 10 issue of JAMA Network Open. |
 | Total of 43,371 new cases of HPV-associated cancers in 2015(HealthDay)—A total of 43,371 new cases of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers were reported in 2015, with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) being the most common HPV-associated cancer, according to research published in the Aug. 24 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Medicaid work requirements don't impact many enrollees(HealthDay)—Medicaid work requirements will only impact a small proportion of persons and may only generate minimal savings, according to two research letters published online Sept. 10 in JAMA Internal Medicine. |
 | Case report describes four breast cancer cases post transplant(HealthDay)—A single multiorgan donor transmitted breast cancer to four transplant recipients, according to a case report published recently in the American Journal of Transplantation. |
 | Here's one reason why US healthcare costs so muchThere is substantial waste in U.S. healthcare, but little consensus on how to identify or combat it. |
 | UK heart failure patients twice as likely to die as their Japanese counterpartsPatients with heart failure in the UK are twice as likely to die six months after a hospital admission for their condition as their Japanese counterparts, finds the first analysis of its kind published in the online journal Open Heart. This gap persisted even after taking account of the fact that those admitted to hospital with heart failure in the UK tended to be sicker. |
 | Stem cell transplant cements Arizona men's father-son bondThirty-five years after an Arizona man cared for his son when he was shot in their native Lebanon, the son is returning that devotion. |
Six-year-old becomes first in Mali to have open heart surgeryA six-year-old girl became Mali's first open heart surgery patient on Monday, after a successful procedure performed by a team of Malian and French surgeons that was a first for the African nation. | |
 | Screen strategies for off-target liability prediction and identifying small-molecule pharmaceuticalsA new review in SLAS Discovery explores how improved safety screening strategies and methods are improving the pharmaceutical discovery and development process. Terry R. Van Vleet et al. of AbbVie (Chicago, IL USA) outline several fundamental methods of the current drug screening processes and emerging techniques and technologies that promise to improve molecule selection. In addition, the authors discuss integrated screening strategies and provide examples of advanced screening paradigms. |
 | Baker Institute expert: Addressing child stunting in Pakistan is criticalPakistan's new prime minister, Imran Khan, must be commended for his pledges to reduce child stunting and improve maternal health in the country, according to a global health and human development policy expert at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. Stunting is impaired growth and development caused by poor nutrition, repeated infection and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. |
 | Cosmetically smoothing over visible facial scarsA novel cosmetic product designed to fill small to moderate facial scars has shown promise in covering such deformities in a small group of patients. Participants were generally more satisfied with their appearance after the treatment was applied, and the researchers believe it could help improve psychological wellbeing for patients whose self-esteem is affected by their scars. |
 | Vietnam's capital urges residents to stop eating dog meatAuthorities in Vietnam's capital are urging residents to stop eating dog meat because it hurts the city's image and improper raising and slaughtering of the animals could spread rabies. |
 | Zimbabwe declares cholera outbreak after 20 deathsA cholera emergency has been declared in Zimbabwe's capital after 20 people have died, the health minister said Tuesday. |
 | Engrafted stem cell-derived lung organoids that model human lung developmentResearchers have now grown lung organoids from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) that, after implantation in mice, can develop mature alveolar type 1 (AT1) and AT2 cells and architecture approximating that of human lungs. The strategy is the first to generate both lung distal progenitor cells and mature AT1-like cells. The study is published in Stem Cells and Development. |
 | Miniaturized HTS assay identifies selective modulators of GPR119 to treat type 2 diabetesA novel high throughput screening (HTS) assay compatible with an ion channel biosensor component was used successfully to identify selective and active small molecule modulators of G protein-coupled receptor 119 (GPR119), a promising target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and related metabolic disorders. The development of this cell-based HTS assay and its miniaturization are described in an article published in ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies. |
 | 10-year study of Salmonella enterica serotype Newport infections in the USA 10-year investigation evaluating data from four surveillance systems captured information on the geographic distribution of outbreaks of Salmonella enterica serotype Newport infections in the U.S., who is at greatest risk, the rate of antimicrobial resistance of Newport infections, and how often antimicrobial resistance may be linked to an environmental cause of infection. The findings of this 10-year study are published in an article in Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. |
Biology news
 | Study shows how beetle larvae adapt to different bee hostsA team of researchers at the University of California has discovered adaptations made by a species of beetle to survive in different geographic locations. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their study of a parasitic blister beetle and their digger bee hosts living in different areas on the West Coast of the United States. |
 | New bacterial strain named after Cornish discoveryA new bacterial strain will be named after Cornwall following its identification from a skin infection. |
 | Can you evolve while being robust?It was long thought that DNA, together with the genes encoded in it, determined genetic destiny. But equally important is coordinating when genes are turned on and off. In fact, the regulation of gene expression defines life by allowing organisms to react to their surroundings rather than being static automatons. As even the smallest organisms like bacteria have many genes, coordinating their expression is done by a dedicated set of proteins, which bind specific sites in the DNA (called 'promoters') in order to turn genes on or off. Each such pairing between a protein and its associated promoter constitutes one of many connections in the organismal gene regulatory network. Gene regulatory networks are intricately tuned, so how can they evolve and change? |
 | Researchers show that nucleosomes can inhibit CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiencyA team of researchers at the University of Utah has found that nucleosomes can inhibit CRISPR/Cas9 cleavage efficiency. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes testing the gene editing technique on yeast samples and what they found. |
 | The size of the nucleolus plays an important role in protecting cells against infectionAll cells in the body have the basic ability to protect themselves from infection, called the innate immune response. But how cells do this is not very well understood. Recently, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing and the University of Cologne, found that the size of the nucleolus plays an important role in protecting cells against infection. |
 | Finding Nemo's genesAn international team of researchers has mapped Nemo's genome, providing the research community with an invaluable resource to decode the response of fish to environmental changes, including climate change. |
 | Japan proposes end to commercial whaling ban, faces pushbackJapan proposed an end to a decades-old ban on commercial whaling at an international conference Monday, arguing there is no longer a scientific reason for what was supposed to be a temporary measure. |
 | Molecular switches are not just 'on' or 'off'The GTPases constitute a very large protein family, whose members are involved in the control of cell growth, transport of molecules, synthesis of other proteins, etc. Despite the many functions of the GTPases, they follow a common cyclic pattern (Figure 1). The activity of the GTPases is regulated by factors that control their ability to bind and hydrolyse guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to guanosine diphosphate (GDP). So far, it has been the general assumption that a GTPase is active or "on" when it is bound to GTP and inactive or "off" in complex with GDP. The GTPases are therefore sometimes referred to as molecular "switches." |
 | Kidnapping in the Antarctic animal world?Pteropods or sea snails, also called sea angels, produce chemical deterrents to ward off predators, and some species of amphipods take advantage of this by carrying pteropods piggyback to gain protection from predators. There is no recognisable benefit for the pteropod. On the contrary, they starve: Captured between the amphipod's legs, they are unable to feed. Biologists working with Dr. Charlotte Havermans at the Alfred Wegener Institute have investigated this phenomenon as part of a cooperation project with the University of Bremen. In an article in the journal Marine Biodiversity, they talk about this "kidnapping" and explain the potential advantages of this association for both the host and its passenger. |
 | Florence is for the birds—and that's both good and badAs Hurricane Florence tracks toward the East Coast with predicted windspeeds up to 150 mph when it makes landfall Thursday, storm prognosticators are busy trying to forecast its effects for local residents. But one William & Mary ornithologist has his own predictions on what Florence will mean for birds and birders. |
 | Total of 21 new parasitoid wasps following the first ever revision of their genusAs many as twenty-one species of parasitoid wasps are described as new to science, following the first ever revision of their genus since its establishment back in 1893. |
 | Researchers develop new approach to conserving tree speciesGlobally, forest trees are increasingly at risk from habitat destruction, pests and disease, and a changing climate. But the guidelines for effective preservation of a tree species' genetic diversity and adaptive potential have been limited to simple mathematical equations for crop collections from the 1970s, or best guesses based on intuitions. |
 | Pro-hunting nations block whale sanctuary bidPro-whaling nations on Tuesday blocked a near two-decade effort to create a South Atlantic haven for the endangered marine mammals, deepening divisions at an already fractious International Whaling Commission meeting in Brazil. |
 | Dozens of rare Hermann's tortoises stolen in CorsicaA turtle conservation park on the French island of Corsica is asking the public for help after 56 rare Hermann's tortoises, considered a nearly threatened species, were stolen from the site. |
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