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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 4, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | VLA sky survey reveals first 'orphan' gamma ray burstAstronomers comparing data from an ongoing major survey of the sky using the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to data from earlier surveys likely have made the first discovery of the afterglow of a powerful gamma ray burst that produced no gamma rays detectable at Earth. The unprecedented discovery of this "orphan" gamma ray burst (GRB) offers key clues to understanding the aftermath of these highly energetic events. |
 | Latest insights into Saturn's weird magnetic field only make things weirderSome of the last data from the Cassini mission reveals more structure in Saturn's magnetic field, but still no answer as to how it formed. |
 | Surprising chemical complexity of Saturn's rings changing planet's upper atmospherePolitical humorist Mark Russel once joked, "The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage." |
 | ICESat-2 laser fires for first time, measures Antarctic heightThe laser instrument that launched into orbit last month aboard NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) fired for the first time Sept. 30. With each of its 10,000 pulses per second, the instrument is sending 300 trillion green photons of light to the ground and measuring the travel time of the few that return: the method behind ICESat-2's mission to monitor Earth's changing ice. By the morning of Oct. 3, the satellite returned its first height measurements across the Antarctic ice sheet. |
 | Lockheed Martin unveils its lunar lander concept vehicleUS aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, responding to NASA's plans to renew the exploration of the moon and Mars in the next decade, unveiled Wednesday a concept spacecraft able to land on the lunar surface. |
 | Curiosity Rover to temporarily switch 'brains'Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, this week commanded the agency's Curiosity rover to switch to its second computer. The switch will enable engineers to do a detailed diagnosis of a technical issue that has prevented the rover's active computer from storing science and some key engineering data since Sept. 15. |
 | Tracing the Universe: X-ray survey supports standard cosmological modelScanning the sky for X-ray sources, ESA's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory has been busy with the XXL Survey, its largest observational programme to date. The second batch of data from the survey has just been released, including information on 365 galaxy clusters, which trace the large-scale structure of the Universe and its evolution through time, and on 26 000 active galactic nuclei (AGN). |
 | In its final days, Cassini bathed in 'ring rain'On its last orbits in 2017, the long-running Cassini spacecraft dove between Saturn's rings and its upper atmosphere and bathed in a downpour of dust that astronomers call "ring rain." |
 | ISS astronauts return to Earth amid US-Russia tensionsTwo American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut returned to Earth on Thursday wrapping up a six-month mission at the International Space Station as tensions between Washington and Moscow threaten a rare area of cooperation. |
Technology news
 | A new developmental framework could allow robots to optimize hyper-parameters autonomouslyResearchers at Ecole Centrale de Lyon have recently devised a new developmental framework inspired by the long-term memory and reasoning mechanisms of humans. This framework, outlined in a paper presented at IEEE ICDL-Epirob in Tokyo and pre-published on arXiv, allows robots to autonomously optimize hyper-parameters tuned from any action and/or vision module, which are treated as a black box. |
 | Machine learning system aims to determine if a news outlet is accurate or biasedLately the fact-checking world has been in a bit of a crisis. Sites like Politifact and Snopes have traditionally focused on specific claims, which is admirable but tedious—by the time they've gotten through verifying or debunking a fact, there's a good chance it's already traveled across the globe and back again. |
 | Large-scale wind power needs more land, causes more climatic impact than previously thoughtWhen it comes to energy production, there's no such thing as a free lunch, unfortunately. |
 | Model helps robots navigate more like humans doWhen moving through a crowd to reach some end goal, humans can usually navigate the space safely without thinking too much. They can learn from the behavior of others and note any obstacles to avoid. Robots, on the other hand, struggle with such navigational concepts. |
 | Portable cancer test uses smartphone, new gold biosensorEarly diagnosis of cancer greatly improves the odds of successful treatment. Yet many people, especially in developing countries, lack access to facilities to detect the disease. |
 | Artificial enzymes convert solar energy into hydrogen gasIn a new scientific article, researchers at Uppsala University describe how, using a completely new method, they have synthesised an artificial enzyme that functions in the metabolism of living cells. These enzymes can utilize the cell's own energy, and thereby enable hydrogen gas to be produced from solar energy. |
 | China used tiny chips on US computers to steal secrets: reportTiny chips inserted in US computer equipment manufactured in China were used as part of a vast effort by Beijing to steal US technology secrets, a published report said Thursday. |
 | How a machine could mark the turning point for DNA data storageGuzzling, devouring, the words fail to reflect the enormity of it all. Data storage eats up cities' worth of power. Back in March, 3M ran a presentation about data, reminding us there was not going to be anything like a slowing down of data, and then posed the question, ok, so how do we swallow that and at the same time envision a sustainable future? |
 | Toyota, SoftBank setting up mobility services joint ventureJapan's No. 1 automaker Toyota Motor and technology giant SoftBank Group are setting up a joint venture to create mobility services in what they called a "united Japan" effort to face global competition. |
 | An insurance discount for your fitness data is a bad deal in the long runJohn Hancock Insurance, the US division of Canadian insurance company Manulife, came under scrutiny last month for offering lower premiums to individuals who agreed to share their fitness tracking data with the company. |
 | New materials are powering the battery revolutionThere are more mobile phones in the world than there are people. Nearly all of them are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are the single most important component enabling the portable electronics revolution of the past few decades. None of those devices would be attractive to users if they didn't have enough power to last at least several hours, without being particularly heavy. |
 | India plans facial recognition technology at airportsIndian flyers will soon be able to leave their identification cards and boarding passes at home after the government announced plans Thursday to introduce facial recognition technology at airports. |
 | GM tracked radio listening habits for 3 months: Here's whyWhether you're using your cellphone or listening to your car radio, it's likely that someone is paying attention. |
 | Microsoft unveils new Surface devices, including headphonesMicrosoft announced several new Surface devices at an event in Manhattan recently, saying the computers have faster speeds and longer battery lives. |
 | First look: LG V40 ThinQ smartphone features five cameras, but do you really need them?"Do I really need five cameras in a smartphone?" |
Oculus Quest finally gives virtual reality true freedomVirtual reality has always faced barriers that prevented it from going mainstream. Oculus is quite aware of that. The price of a VR machine paired with a powerful PC was a financial obstacle. | |
Tech giant Apple takes tiny Andrea Electronics to court over patentApple Inc., with a trillion-dollar market capitalization, is turning to a federal appeals court in its years-long patent fight with Andrea Electronics Corp., one of Long Island's smallest public companies. | |
 | Get ready for some llama and bagel emojis: Apple's adding 70 new icons in iOS 12.1 updateUpset Apple's recent iOS 12 updates for iPhones, iPads and the iPod touch didn't add any emoji? You can now turn that frown upside down. (There is an emoji for that.) |
 | Indonesia battles fake news after quake-tsunami disasterIndonesia has cracked down on "fake news" about its deadly quake-tsunami disaster, with police arresting nine people for spreading hoaxes in a bid to prevent further panic spreading among survivors. |
 | Poll: Young Americans say online bullying a serious problemTeens and young adults say cyberbullying is a serious problem for people their age, but most don't think they'll be the ones targeted for digital abuse. |
 | Arizona dam at risk of failure will be checked by engineersA damaged earthen dam holding back a lake swollen by runoff from the remnants of a tropical storm was still at risk of failing Thursday and inundating a small Native American village near the U.S.-Mexico border, officials said. |
 | EU commissioner questions legality of new Ryanair termsConsumer officials should examine budget airline Ryanair's new terms and conditions, as any move to force dissatisfied customers to seek redress in Ireland would be illegal, a top European official said Thursday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Using fNIRS to evaluate surgical competencyA team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. has developed a way to test surgical competency by using brain imaging technology to analyze the brains of surgeons in action. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes the system they developed and how well it worked when compared with current methods. |
 | Fathers' postnatal hormone levels predict later caregiving, study showsMuch has been written about what happens to mothers hormonally during pregnancy and after, but what about fathers? |
 | Analysis of largest set of genomes from pregnant women reveals genetic links to disease, birth outcomesAnalysis of the world's largest set of genome data from pregnant women, totaling 141,431 expectant mothers from across China, has uncovered unsuspected associations between genes and birth outcomes, including the birth of twins and a woman's age at first pregnancy. |
 | Dynamin-binding protein linked to congenital cataractsCataracts, a condition in which the eyes' natural lenses get clouded, are the most common cause of vision loss in older people and can be corrected by routine surgery. But congenital cataracts, which occur in infants and children, are particularly serious since they can inhibit visual development leading to permanent vision loss or impairment that cannot be entirely reversed with cataract surgery. A new study has now found compelling evidence that links dynamin-binding protein (DNMBP) to congenital bilateral cataracts and severe vision loss. The study appears in the American Journal of Human Genetics. |
 | Viruses in blood lead to digestive problemsWhile studying viruses best known for infecting the brain, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis stumbled upon clues to a conundrum involving a completely different part of the anatomy: the bowel, and why some people possibly develop digestive problems seemingly out of the blue. |
 | Solving a medical mystery: Cause of rare type of dwarfism discoveredFor children born with Saul-Wilson syndrome, and their parents, much of their lives are spent searching for answers. First defined in 1990, only 14 cases are known worldwide. And the cause of the syndrome—characterized by short stature, microcephaly (small head), hearing loss and early developmental delays—remained unknown. Today, these individuals have answers. |
 | Uncovering the exquisite choreography of the developing human heartHow do you mend an injured heart? We don't yet know—but the answer is likely to lie in how the heart builds itself in the developing embryo one cell at a time. |
 | Discovery of first genetic variants associated with finding meaning in lifeFor the first time, locations on the human genome have been identified that can explain differences between individuals in finding meaning in life. This is the result of research conducted with over 220,000 individuals by Professor Meike Bartels and Ph.D. student Bart Baselmans from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The researchers identified two genetic variants for finding meaning in life and six genetic variants for happiness. The results were published this week in the scientific journal Scientific Reports. |
 | Periodontal disease bacteria may kick-start Alzheimer'sLong-term exposure to periodontal disease bacteria causes inflammation and degeneration of brain neurons in mice that is similar to the effects of Alzheimer's disease in humans, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. |
 | Stem cells control their own fate, making lab-grown tissues less effectiveTissues grown in the lab from stem cells may fail to live up their therapeutic promise because the cells choose their own fate. |
 | Pyramid-shaped brain cells provide algorithm for us to recognize, categorize foodBrain regions best known for recognizing the potential horror of a hurricane also help us recognize, appreciate and categorize our food, scientists report. |
 | Immune cell variations contribute to malaria severityAt least 250 million people are infected with malaria every year, and about half a million of those die from the disease. A new study from MIT offers a possible explanation for why some people are more likely to experience a more severe, and potentially fatal, form of the disease. |
 | Scientists call for microbial 'Noah's Ark' to protect global healthA Rutgers University-New Brunswick-led team of researchers is calling for the creation of a global microbiota vault to protect the long-term health of humanity. |
 | 'Double agent' in the immune system may make us vulnerable to bacterial infectionsScientists at Scripps Research have discovered the role of an immune system double agent. This molecule, called USP18, can help curtail immune responses, but it can also open the door to bacterial infections, such as harmful listeria and staph infections. |
 | Researchers identify potential new treatment for subset of women with triple-negative breast cancerMayo Clinic researchers have identified the drug estradiol as a potential new treatment for a subset of women with triple-negative breast cancer. Their findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. |
 | Researchers discover aggressive prostate and lung cancers are driven by common mechanismsUCLA researchers have discovered a common process in the development of late-stage, small cell cancers of the prostate and lung. These shared molecular mechanisms could lead to the development of drugs to treat not just prostate and lung cancers, but small cell cancers of almost any organ. |
 | Compliance with indoor tanning legislation needs improvement to mitigate risksCompliance with legislation intended to mitigate the risks associated with indoor tanning varies widely between countries and individual facilities and is generally poor, a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health suggests. This may reduce its intended protective effect on public health. |
Mouse study mirrors human findings that link chemotherapy and APOE4 to cognitive issuesThe research, led by Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) investigators and published in Neurotoxicity Research, complements findings from another GUMC-led study, published Oct. 3, that found a subset of breast cancer patients who experience long lasting cognitive deficits also have the APOE4 gene. Cancer survivors often report memory difficulties and this study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO), was the first large U.S. study of cognition in older breast cancer patients and the first to zero in on the cause of difficulties in memory, among other issues. | |
 | Would you rather die of liver failure or live with HIV?This was the ethical dilemma faced by doctors at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre to save a child's life. |
 | Weight loss drug shows positive effect on diabetesAt the 2018 Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, Brigham and Women's Hospital investigators from the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Study Group presented diabetes-related findings from CAMELLIA-TIMI 61, a clinical trial of overweight and obese patients designed to test lorcaserin, a weight loss drug manufactured by the trial's sponsor, Eisai Inc. In addition to reporting sustained weight loss without an increased risk of major cardiovascular events, the TIMI Study Group also presented data showing that lorcaserin reduced the risk of diabetes by 19 percent in patients with pre-diabetes, induced remission of hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes, and reduced the risk of diabetic microvascular complications such as microalbuminuria. The team's findings are detailed in a paper published simultaneously in The Lancet. |
 | Researchers link gut bacteria to heart transplant success or failureIn a new study, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have found that the gut microbiome appears to play a key role in how well the body accepts a transplanted heart. The scientists found a causal relationship between the presence of certain microbes and transplant outcome. |
 | Genomic study finds a new role for microRNAs as predictors of Crohn's disease progressionCrohn's disease is a lifelong condition characterized by a fluctuating course of gastro-intestinal inflammation with repeated flares and remissions. Any part of the alimentary tract from the mouth to the anus can be affected resulting in diverse symptoms including abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, and hematochezia. Furthermore, persistent inflammation can result in complications, such as a narrowing of the large intestine called strictures or perforations in the intestinal wall, both of which often require surgical treatment and severely compromise the quality of life of Crohn's patients. The incidence of Crohn's disease has increased throughout the world over the last 50 years for all ages, indicating its emergence as a global disease. |
 | Duvelisib has marked response, survival benefit in difficult-to-treat leukemia and lymphomaFor some patients with difficult-to-treat leukemia and lymphoma, the investigational oral medicine duvelisib may significantly improve disease outcomes, according to phase III trial data published today in the journal Blood. |
Report outlines cancer risk among Hispanics/Latinos in the USThe cancer burden in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory with a 99% Hispanic population, is substantially different from that of Hispanics in the continental U.S., according to Cancer Statistics for Hispanics/Latinos, 2018. The report, published every three years, says that men in Puerto Rico have higher prostate and colorectal cancer rates than non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) in the continental U.S, in contrast to U.S. Hispanics as a whole, who have lower rates for these cancers. The report appears in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. | |
 | Study supports aspirin's ability to reduce liver cancer riskThe results of a study led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators support evidence from previous studies suggesting the regular use of aspirin can reduce the risk of developing primary liver cancer—also called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Their report analyzing data from two long-term epidemiologic studies appears in JAMA Oncology and finds that regular aspirin use—taking two or more 325 mg tablets a week for five years or more—led to a significantly reduced risk of developing HCC, which is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. |
 | Analysis reveals genomic effects of a new cancer treatment now in clinical trialsA twist on the molecular mechanism of how a new cancer drug works could aid in better identifying the best treatments for patients for an array of cancers. The finding is described in Molecular Cell in a study led by Eric J. Brown, Ph.D., an associate professor of Cancer Biology in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. |
 | Low-dose aspirin may lower ovarian cancer riskWomen who reported recent, regular use of low-dose aspirin (100 milligrams or less) had a 23% lower risk of developing ovarian cancer when compared with women who did not regularly take aspirin, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study also found that long-term heavy use of non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. |
 | Facebook status: Sick—how people use the internet to cope with illnessWhen a person is diagnosed with a serious illness, he or she may seek support from a variety of sources: friends, family, support groups, medical and mental health professionals. Today's toolkit for coping with disease also includes something it didn't in the past: digital resources. |
 | Convenient pocket card aims to ensure people have medicine on hand when heart attack strikesA brand new pocket card designed to hold life-saving heart attack medications—the brainchild of a University of Alberta physician—promises to help save lives. |
 | Smoking cessation: A genetic mutation involved in relapseWhy is it so difficult to stop smoking? Why do some people relapse months after giving up? Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS, in collaboration with Sorbonne University and Inserm, have demonstrated that a genetic mutation already known to be involved in sensitivity to nicotine also plays a role in relapse behavior after cessation in rats. The findings will be published in the journal Current Biology on October 4, 2018. |
 | Paradigm shift in tuberculosis treatment: Genome sequencing replaces standard resistance testingAn international research team from the CRyPTIC Consortium has taken a critical step forward in the fight against tuberculosis: a large-scale genome analysis of over 10,000 pathogen strains has shown that genome sequencing can improve tuberculosis treatment. Furthermore, the method has the potential to replace time-intensive phenotypic resistance testing. The results of this study, led by the University of Oxford, have been published in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Treating dogs with insecticide reduces leishmaniasis transmission in human populationsTreating dogs at a community level with systemic insecticide could considerably reduce the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil, according to a modeling study led by ISGlobal, an institution supported by "la Caixa" Foundation. The results, published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, will help define which kind of insecticide is needed and how to apply it to achieve maximum effectiveness. |
 | Study suggests specific cells and genes may be potential brain injury treatment targetsTraumatic head injury can have widespread effects in the brain, but now scientists can look in real time at how head injury affects thousands of individual cells and genes simultaneously in mice. This approach could lead to precise treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study, reported in Nature Communications, was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health. |
 | Sustainability-driven developments in a transplant rejection drug's formulationAn environmentally responsible formulation process that makes the immunosuppressant drug, Tacrolimus (TAC) more soluble, and hence more readily absorbed by the body, has been developed by A*STAR scientists. |
 | A class of white blood cells becomes more inflammatory as they get olderA particular type of white blood cell becomes more pro-inflammatory as it deteriorates with age or 'senesce', according to research led by A*STAR scientists. |
 | Hormone helps reverse brain damage caused by obesityThe neurobiotechnology research team of the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) in Castellón, Spain, headed by professor Ana María Sánchez, has proven the positive effects of a vegetable hormone, reversing brain alterations caused by high-fat diets, type-2 diabetes, obesity and physical inactivity. The results of this work, developed by the Health Sciences Department, have been published in Molecular Neurobiology. |
 | The risk of dying during pregnancy is five times higher for women with epilepsyThe risk of dying during pregnancy is negligible for the average Danish woman, but if a woman has epilepsy, the probability is multiplied by five. This is the central result of a comprehensive epidemiological study conducted by researchers from the health department at Aarhus University. |
 | JUUL laboratories have largest market share of E-cigarettes(HealthDay)—From 2016 to 2017, sales of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) by JUUL Laboratories increased 641 percent, with their sales comprising 29 percent of total e-cigarette sales by December 2017, according to a research letter published in the Oct. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | Innovative board game to tackle malnutrition among older peopleThe University of Hertfordshire is celebrating the first UK Malnutrition Awareness Week, running 1-7 October 2018, with the launch of a new educational board game. The Food in Later Life Game will help people learn more about the causes of malnutrition in older people and the actions they can take to help prevent and manage it. |
 | Brain imaging database of nonhuman primatesResearchers have released the first open-source data sets from the non-human primate brain imaging consortium. |
 | Liver transplant from HIV+ living donor to negative recipient: Key ethical issuesSouth Africa has a dire shortage of organ donors. This means that doctors struggle to find suitable donor organs for critically ill patients who would die without receiving a transplant. Sometimes they have to make tough calls such as using a blood group incompatible organ to save a patient's life – even if this comes with additional risk. |
 | The elimination of smallpox showed how humans can work together to solve deadly global problemsIf you were to watch a split-screen broadcast with global weather on one side and world politics on the other, you could easily conclude that we are doomed. |
 | Delay in replacing the Pap smear with HPV screening is costing livesIt was established a decade ago that testing for the presence of HPV – the virus that causes cervical cancer – is a better cervical screening test than the Pap smear. Yet in England, the Pap smear is still used, and it's costing lives. |
 | The drug that can put some cancer cells to sleepAs soon as Nature published findings on cancer research by a team including Monash University's Professor Jonathan Baell, his phone started ringing and his email pinging. |
 | A mechanism of interaction between innate and learned response in the Drosophila brainResearchers have known for a long time that innate and learned behaviors occur in separate brain areas. Each one is stimulated by a sensation, like a smell or a picture, but the way innate and learned responses are integrated to yield an appropriate behavior has remained unclear. In an article published in the journal Neuron, scientists from the Brain Plasticity Unit (CNRS, ESPCI Paris) and from the Medical Research Council (Cambridge) identified some neurons in the drosophila brain involved in the innate response to attractive odors and in aversive memory retrieval after olfactory conditioning. The researchers also showed that the memory of an aversive experience expresses through a lowered activity of this circuit, which is innately dedicated to mediating an attractive behavior. Hence, flies run away because they are less attracted. |
Interpersonal psychotherapy helps depressed women with histories of sexual traumaWomen sexually abused in childhood and adolescence who suffer from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder benefit significantly from Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Trauma, according to a Rutgers researcher. | |
 | A new antibiotic could be a better, faster treatment for tuberculosisTuberculosis is a sneaky disease. The bacteria hide from antibiotics inside the very immune cells that are supposed to kill them, making treatment long and difficult. But in the November issue of ACS Infectious Diseases, UConn chemists report a new antibiotic that can find and kill tuberculosis bacteria where they hide. |
 | Day-time naps help us acquire information not consciously perceived, study findsThe age-old adage "I'll sleep on it" has proven to be scientifically sound advice, according to a new study which measured changes in people's brain activity and responses before and after a nap. The findings, published in the Journal of Sleep Research, support the advice which suggests that a period of sleep may help weighing up pros and cons or gain insight before making a challenging decision. |
At-risk teens and young adults overlooked during opioid crisisTeens and young adults who have injected drugs are at risk for contracting hepatitis C, but most aren't tested and therefore don't receive life-saving treatment, according to a national study being presented at IDWeek 2018. The study of more than 250,000 at-risk youth found only one-third of those with diagnosed opioid use disorder (OUD) were tested for hepatitis C. | |
 | Researcher warns of spread of homemade steroidsA Clemson University researcher recently published insights into homemade steroids and steroid trafficking through a study of federal court cases. The research details why homemade steroids became popular and how online tools and cryptocurrency have allowed for their rapid spread. |
Potential treatment could stop knee and spine osteoarthritis, scientists sayScientists at the Krembil Research Institute have developed a novel therapeutic treatment that has the potential to stop knee and spine osteoarthritis in its tracks. | |
 | Rethinking lethality in youth suicide attemptsFirst suicide attempts are more lethal than previously realized, reports a study of children and adolescents published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP). |
Researchers use 3-D technology to identify optimal stem cells for transplantationMuscular dystrophy is a condition which causes muscle weakness and decreased mobility, caused by defects in a person's genes. There is no cure. University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have combined technology with science to discover a stem cell population that could hold promising answers for patients in the future. | |
Researchers develop combined data model to better evaluate for mild cognitive impairmentA new study has shown that by combining imaging and neuropsychological testing, one can more accurately assess the cognitive status of individuals. | |
 | Tarragon supplements may make healthy women gain weightRussian tarragon and bitter melon supplements may be less helpful for women than men when it comes to combating metabolic syndrome, whose symptoms include high blood sugar, high blood pressure and excess fat around the waist. |
Significant barriers facing homeless adults in accessing quality end-of-life careTerminally-ill homeless adults and their care providers must surmount many obstacles in the receipt and provision of palliative care, according to a University of Toronto scoping review of the available grey and peer-reviewed literature on this topic, published online this week in OMEGA—Journal of Death and Dying. | |
 | New clues about how our body guards against cancerWalter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have uncovered a key factor protecting against age-related DNA damage, providing important clues about how our body guards against cancer. |
Synthetic DNA-encoded checkpoint inhibitor antibodies advance cancer immunotherapyWistar scientists and collaborators demonstrate for the first time that through engineering constructs, they can express DNA-encoded monoclonal antibodies (DMAbs) targeting CTLA-4, an important cancer checkpoint molecule that blocks anti-cancer immunity. Using a synthetic DNA platform, they built versions of the anti-CTLA-4 molecule and were able to then deliver the DMAbs and have them generate fully functional anti-CTLA4 molecules in vivo. This proof-of-principle study opens new avenues for the design and delivery of therapeutic checkpoint inhibitors and suggests potentially novel applications of this technology in cancer treatment. Study results were published online in Cancer Research. | |
 | Amputation injury is communicated to opposing limbsIn research that extends knowledge about the physiology of regeneration and wound repair, Tufts University biologists have discovered that amputation of one limb is immediately reflected in the bioelectric properties of the contralateral, or opposing, un-damaged limb of developing frogs. The pattern of bioelectric depolarization in the un-injured leg is directly correlated to the position and type of injury, indicating that information about damage to tissues is available to their symmetrical counterparts within about 30 seconds of injury. The newly discovered phenomenon, dubbed "bioelectric injury mirroring" or BIM, is described in detail in a paper to be published next week in the journal Development. |
 | Genetic mutation may increase risk of pancreatic cancer in femalesIn a new study from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, researchers have found that mutation of a gene called ATRX may lead to increased risk of developing pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer in females. The study marks the first time a sex-specific genetic risk factor for pancreatic cancer has been identified. |
 | New DNA tool predicts height, shows promise for serious illness assessmentA new DNA tool created by Michigan State University can accurately predict people's height, and more importantly, could potentially assess their risk for serious illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer. |
Efavirenz in HIV-positive pregnant women, risk of neurological condition in childrenAntiretroviral therapy (ART) is a vital treatment that helps prevent a pregnant woman from passing HIV to her baby, but one type of ART medication may increase the risk the child will develop a neurological condition, according to new research being presented at IDWeek 2018. | |
Animal study suggests ketone supplement more effective for weight lossNew study suggests ketone supplement more effective than low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic diets at reducing body weight in mice | |
 | A couple's tough trek back from opioid addiction(HealthDay)—In 2016, almost 174 Americans died each day due to drug overdoses—and roughly two-thirds of those deaths were caused by opioid drugs. The statistics are startling and make the problem seem hopeless. |
Researchers suggest new way to possibly eliminate clogged arteriesResearchers have proposed a unique study in humans to reduce the early onset of atherosclerosis, the buildup of the artery-clogging plaque that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. | |
 | Why printed calorie counts at restaurants are important(HealthDay)—May 7, 2018 marked a milestone for public health in the United States. It's the date that mandatory nutrition and calorie information took effect for most chain restaurants, enabling consumers to compare menu items before ordering and, hopefully, make smarter choices. |
 | Adherence to mediterranean diet linked to lower risk for AMD(HealthDay)—Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) is associated with a reduced risk for incident advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study recently published in Ophthalmology. |
 | Genomic screening can ID undetected BRCA1/2 cancer risk(HealthDay)—Exome sequencing-based screening may identify pathogenic and likely pathogenic (P/LP) BRCA1/2 variants that might otherwise remain undetected, according to a study published online Sept. 21 in JAMA Network Open. |
 | Childhood risk profiles affect middle-age lung function(HealthDay)—Profiles of childhood respiratory risk factors predict middle-age lung function levels and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk, according to a study published in the September issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. |
 | Opioid use down with 'enhanced recovery after surgery' program(HealthDay)—An "enhanced recovery after surgery" (ERAS) program is associated with a significant reduction in opioid consumption after gynecologic surgery with no increase in pain scores, according to a study published in the August issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Residual vein obstruction down with compression after DVT(HealthDay)—The likelihood of residual vein obstruction (RVO) is reduced with immediate compression after diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in Blood. |
 | 3/4 of adult day services centers keep advance directives on hand(HealthDay)—Just over three-quarters of U.S. adult day services centers (ADSCs) maintain documentation of participants' advance directives, according to a report published Sept. 12 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics. |
 | Why Australia's famed gun control laws probably wouldn't reduce shooting deaths in AmericaOn a Sunday in the Tasmanian town of Port Arthur, a lone gunman shot an elderly couple at the inn they owned, 22 diners lunching at a nearby tourist spot, two tour bus drivers and several of their passengers, four occupants of a BMW, and two customers at a gas station. |
As stem cell and gene technologies advance, La Jolla conference mushroomsIn 2006, a few hundred mostly local researchers gathered in La Jolla to discuss the emerging but still science-fictiony field of stem cells. | |
Proof-of-concept study using dinutuximab and activated natural killer cells leads to a clinical trialNeuroblastoma, a disease of immature nerve cells, is the most common solid tumor cancer occurring in children. About 700 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year with approximately half of these children developing high-risk disease, which has a 40 to 50 percent chance of survival. | |
 | Future GBS vaccine highly likely to be cost-effective way of preventing infant deathsBacteria which 1 in 10 pregnant women carry, and which can cause death or serious complications in their babies, could be targeted in a cost-effective way by a future vaccine – even if it costs the NHS as high as £54 a dose. |
Post-treatment surveillance frequency not related to improved lung cancer patient survivalCancer treatment continues to improve for many types of cancer, leading to increased life expectancy for many survivors. In fact, the number of cancer survivors is expected to reach nearly 18 million within the next decade in the U.S.1 For survivors of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common type of lung cancer, their outcomes are improving too: the number of survivors is expected to grow 20 percent by 2022.2 Imaging is a common component of surveillance for these survivors, but the guidelines regarding the type, frequency, and intensity of imaging vary across different organizations. | |
 | Using personal data to predict blood pressureEngineers at UC San Diego used wearable off-the-shelf technology and machine learning to predict, for the first time, an individual's blood pressure and provide personalized recommendations to lower it based on this data. |
AI could predict cognitive decline leading to Alzheimer's disease in the next five yearsA team of scientists has successfully trained a new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to make accurate predictions regarding cognitive decline leading to Alzheimer's disease. | |
 | Berlin nightclub patrons urged to get meningitis testBerlin authorities on Thursday urged patrons of a famed nightclub in the German capital to immediately visit a doctor to be checked for bacterial meningitis after a visitor was hospitalized for the illness. |
 | How Indigenous women use physical activity for spiritual connection, resistance and resilienceFor a group of Anishinaabeg women, physical activity is about more than just fitness, according to a new University of Alberta study; it's about enacting resilience in the face of colonialism. |
 | Aging and decision-makingWho makes riskier decisions, the young or the old? And what matters more in our decisions as we age—friends, health or money? The answers might surprise you. |
 | Cancer researchers at Purdue aim to take the 'accelerator' off aggressive prostate and other deadly tumorsPurdue University researchers are studying ways to make prostate cancer, ranked as the second most common and second most fatal cancer among men by the American Cancer Society, less lethal by making it less aggressive. |
 | Polish lawmakers approve more talks on banning vaccinationsLawmakers from Poland's conservative ruling party have approved further parliamentary discussion over a controversial plan to abolish compulsory vaccinations for children, including those against serious diseases such as polio, measles, tuberculosis, rubella and whooping cough. |
 | Alarm as Red Cross workers attacked in Congo Ebola effortsThe international community is sounding new alarm after three Red Cross workers were attacked while trying to contain the latest deadly Ebola outbreak in Congo. |
 | Red tide may be cause of Florida beachgoers' breathing problems(HealthDay)—Red tide may be the reason why some beachgoers on Florida's Atlantic coast have suffered breathing problems, according to Palm Beach County officials. |
 | How torture tears apart societies from withinMunir is a Kurdish man in his forties. We met several times in his home, with his family, and in the clinic where he has been for therapy. It took him a long time to open up. |
Mechanical ventilation 'no increased risk' of mortality in pregnant patientsResearchers in Columbia, South America, conducted a retrospective observational study within six hospitals to identify risk factors of maternal mortality in mechanically ventilated pregnant patients. | |
Triple dual therapy significantly improves lung function, quality of life in COPD patientsThe InforMing the PAthway of COPD Treatment (IMPACT) study was conducted to assess the benefits of triple versus dual therapy in patients with COPD. In a study at CHEST, researchers found that regardless of baseline reversibility, the usage of triple dual therapies significantly reduced the annual rate and moderate-to-severe and severe exacerbations, improved lung function and overall quality of life in patients. | |
Women are less likely to receive lung protective tidal volumes when being considered as a lung donorA study presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2018 in San Antonio examined the adherence to lung protective ventilation and whether there were sex specific differences in mechanical ventilation strategies. The authors found that potential organ donors frequently did not receive appropriate low tidal volumes (VT) in the transplant evaluation period. | |
Gram-negative bacteria increase mortality, vasopressor use and ICU admissionAlterations to the respiratory microbiome have been identified as a predisposing factor of interstitial lung diseases (ILD). In a study at CHEST 2018, researchers at Beaumont Health Systems studied the influence of bacterial virulence on clinical outcomes patients hospitalized with ILD patients. The authors found that the use of immunosuppressive medications or antifibrotics had no influence on the outcomes including development of resistant pathogens in patients. However, they also found that the presence of gram-negative bacteria, excluding Pseudomonas, was a risk factor for worse outcomes including higher mortality, ICU admission and vasopressor use in hospitalized patients with ILD. | |
Synthetic training models provide equivalent physiologic stress response in learnersA study from the University of Minnesota Combat Casualty Training Consortium shows no significant differences between the use of live tissue models and synthetic training models in the learners' stress level. The study being presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2018 in San Antonio shows that similar stress levels can be reached in the learner while learning critical medical procedures with synthetic models. This type of simulation may be able to reduce the use of live animals for training without sacrificing educational quality. | |
Have asthma and a pet? Re-homing your cat or dog may not be necessaryA study from the Nationwide Children's Hospital analyzed environmental exposures, like pet and secondhand smoke, to determine if they have a role in asthma control among children whose asthma is managed per NAEPP (EPR-3) guidelines. Researchers found that once asthma guidelines are followed, environmental exposures to pets or secondhand smoke were not significant factors in overall asthma improvement over time. | |
Chemotherapy may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscleChemotherapy drugs to treat breast cancer may promote muscle mitochondrial dysfunction, according to new research. Dysfunctional mitochondria, the energy centers of the cells, may contribute to fatigue and weakness that some people with breast cancer experience through the course of disease treatment. The study is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Cell Physiology. | |
Mortality in septic shock has improved since the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines in 2004A study from Mount Sinai West concludes that the overall mortality in septic shock has improved in the decade following the introduction of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines. | |
 | High blood levels of inflammatory marker linked with kidney function decline in adultsA large multi-ethnic study of healthy individuals found that high circulating levels of an inflammatory marker are linked with long-term decline of kidney function. The results, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), may lead to new insights on the mechanisms behind the development of kidney disease. |
 | New study evaluates efficacy of PET imaging to manage chronic liver diseasesWhile liver biopsies are powerful and reliable, they are also invasive, painful, limited and subject to complications. These effects may soon be a thing of the past for some patients thanks to new research showing PET imaging with the 18F-FAC radiotracer can be used as a non-invasive substitute. The study is featured in the October issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. |
 | Cracking the (reimbursement) code: Hard work, big changes covering care we need with ageFor millions of older adults who rely on Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people 65-years-old and older, it happens seamlessly and almost always behind-the-scenes: The care we receive from expert clinicians becomes five-digit "billing codes," which in turn ensure our clinicians can be reimbursed for their work supporting our health, safety, and independence. But even billing codes have a story to tell—an important one at that, as experts from the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) describe in a new Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) editorial (DOI: 10.1111/jgs.15593). The editorial outlines how several key health services—from those for managing chronic care to those for assessing cognitive health—came to be recognized as part of Medicare through an important but oft unsung facet of geriatrics expertise: its leaders' engagement in building a better public policy environment to support the care we all need as we age. |
Finns demand legal right to breastfeed in publicFinnish health officials are demanding a law to protect breastfeeding mothers from being driven out of public places, including restaurants and coffee shops, in one of western Europe's most gender equal nations. | |
 | FDA seizes documents from E-cigarette maker JUUL(HealthDay)—Thousands of pages of documents were seized from the electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) maker JUUL by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during a surprise inspection last week as part of the agency's investigation into the company's marketing practices. |
Experts develop guide for getting more LTC residents immunizedA summit convened by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) National Adult Vaccination Program (NAVP) has resulted in a roadmap for advancing immunization efforts in long-term care (LTC) facilities. A dozen recommendations—including five priority actions—have been outlined in a new white paper, "Charting a Path to Increase Immunization Rates in the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Settings." | |
Congress OKs opioid legislation in show of bipartisanshipSetting aside the Supreme Court fight, members of Congress this week approved bipartisan legislation aimed at curbing the devastating opioid addiction across the country. | |
Biology news
 | Modern humans inherited viral defenses from NeanderthalsNeanderthals mysteriously disappeared about 40,000 years ago, but before vanishing they interbred with another human species that was just beginning its global spread. As a result of these ancient trysts, many modern Europeans and Asians today harbor about 2 percent of Neanderthal DNA in their genomes. |
 | Fungus provides powerful medicine in fighting honey bee virusesA mushroom extract fed to honey bees greatly reduces virus levels, according to a new paper from Washington State University scientists, the USDA and colleagues at Fungi Perfecti, a business based in Olympia, Washington. |
 | Molecular guardians monitor chromosomes during cell divisionOne of the worst things that can happen to a cell is to end up with the wrong number of chromosomes. This can happen if something goes wrong during cell division, and it can lead to infertility, miscarriages, birth defects, or cancer. An estimated 30 percent of miscarriages are due to an incorrect number of chromosomes in the cells of the embryo. |
 | Teaching wild birds to sing a new tuneLike toddlers learning to speak, young birds learn to sing by listening to the voices of adults. Now, researchers reporting in Current Biology on October 4 have shown for the first time that they could teach young sparrows in the wild how to sing a new tune. The wild birds then passed the new songs on to the next generation. |
 | Researchers report evidence that fruit plants evolved to offer seed dispersers an attractive scentA team of researchers from Germany, Madagascar and the U.S. has found evidence that suggests fruit-bearing plants have evolved to produce fruit that communicates ripeness with a particular smell that attracts the animals that will disperse its seeds. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes their study of fruit eaten by lemurs in Madagascar. |
 | A recording device for cell historyETH researchers are using the CRISPR-Cas system to develop a novel recording mechanism: The snippets of DNA it produces can provide information about certain cellular processes. In the future, this cellular memory might even be used in diagnostics. |
 | Chan Zuckerberg Biohub launches Tabula Muris, an open-source database of mouse cellsA very large team of researchers from Stanford University, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System and the University of California has put together an open-source database of mouse cell information it is calling Tabula Muris. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes how information in the database was obtained and the ways in which it might be used. |
 | Malaria parasites adapt to mosquito feeding times, study showsMalaria parasites have evolved to be most infectious at the time of day when mosquitoes feed, to maximise the chance of being spread, research shows. |
 | Rewriting the textbook on how steroid hormones enter cellsA discovery by scientists at UC Riverside may open up new ways to control steroid hormone-mediated processes, including growth and development in insects, and sexual maturation, immunity, and cancer progression in humans. |
 | Why huskies have blue eyesDNA testing of more than 6,000 dogs has revealed that a duplication on canine chromosome 18 is strongly associated with blue eyes in Siberian Huskies, according to a study published October 4, 2018, in the open-access journal PLOS Genetics by Adam Boyko and Aaron Sams of Embark Veterinary, Inc., and colleagues. Embark is a dog DNA startup company headquartered in Boston, MA, and Ithaca, NY, and research partner of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. According to the authors, this represents the first consumer genomics study ever conducted in a non-human model and the largest canine genome-wide association study to date. |
 | Successful mouse couples talk out infidelity in calm tonesCalifornia mice are relatively solitary animals, but put two in a room and they'll talk each other's ears off. |
 | Scientists: US military program could be seen as bioweaponA research arm of the U.S. military is exploring the possibility of deploying insects to make plants more resilient by altering their genes. Some experts say the work may be seen as a potential biological weapon. |
25 UK species' genomes sequenced for first timeThe genomes of 25 UK species have been read for the first time by scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators. The 25 completed genome sequences, announced today (4 October) on the Sanger Institute's 25th anniversary, will lead to future studies to understand the biodiversity of the UK and aid the conservation and understanding of our species. | |
Another rare fish pulled back from extinctionAnother rare Colorado River fish has been pulled back from the brink of extinction, the second comeback this year for a species unique to the Southwestern U.S. | |
 | First evidence of fatal infection of white-tailed sea eagles with avian influenzaThe most common unnatural causes of death in white-tailed sea eagles are lead poisoning and collisions with trains. During the winter of 2016/2017, however, many white-tailed eagles died in Northern Germany in circumstances unrelated to either cause. Instead, at least 17 white-tailed sea eagles were killed by avian influenza of the highly pathogenic virus subtype H5N8, as a team of scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, FLI) demonstrated. Avian influenza may become a new threat for this highly protected wild species. The study was published in the scientific journal Viruses. |
 | New approach on the use of big data in clinical decision supportA new computational approach that allows the identification of molecular alterations associated with prognosis and resistance to therapy of different types of cancer was developed by the research group led by Nuno Barbosa Morais at Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM; Portugal). It has been published in Nucleic Acids Research. |
 | Researcher developing new industrial uses for wax made from soybean oilPetroleum-based paraffin wax commonly coats cardboard and all sorts of other products to improve durability and water resistance, but it can't be recycled and may adversely affect human health. So researchers at Iowa State University are developing wax from soybean oil that would share many properties of paraffin wax but would also be biodegradable. |
 | Screening technique detects special messenger RNA molecules that sense and respond to environmental signalsA*STAR researchers have developed a rapid, high-throughput screening procedure that can detect RNA aptamers—special messenger RNA molecules (mRNAs) able to sense and respond to particular cellular chemicals—in a sea of normal mRNA extracted from cells. |
 | Decoding the regulation of cell survival—a major step towards preventing neurons from dyingAn interdisciplinary and international research group led by Dr. Volker Busskamp from the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden at the TU Dresden (CRTD) has decoded the regulatory impact on neuronal survival of a small non-coding RNA molecule, so-called miRNA, at the highest resolution to date. This deciphering of gene regulation primes applications for strengthening neurons in order to protect them from neurodegenerative diseases. The extensive systems biology methods used here could become a new standard for the way miRNAs are researched. |
 | How capitalism ruined our relationship with bacteriaThere are many rational reasons that motivate consumers to spend US$65 billion annually on household cleaning products. But non-rational mechanisms are nevertheless still at work in the cleaning products market, as in all others. |
 | Common genetic toolkit shapes horns in scarab beetlesHorns have evolved independently multiple times in scarab beetles, but distantly related species have made use of the same genetic toolkit to grow these prominent structures, according to a study publishing October 4, 2018 in the open-access journal PLOS Genetics by Teruyuki Niimi at the National Institute for Basic Biology in Okazaki, Japan, and colleagues. |
 | The homing instinct of relocated snakesA pioneering study by the University of Kent on the effects of relocating adders due to development has found that males will disperse from their release site—with one even going so far as to return to his original home. |
 | Myanmar torches $1.3m of illegal wildlife partsElephant skins, clouded leopard remains and tiger bones were among a $1.3 million haul of illegal wildlife incinerated Thursday in Myanmar's first ever public event of its kind against the illicit trade. |
 | Proposed simple chemical reaction network of existing biological E. coli signaling dataBacteria have been found to exhibit a behaviour characterized by statistics and can be described by power-law distributions. For example, E. coli bacteria have an appendage called a flagellum, an appendage that works as a screw-propeller of the cell, which rotates at intrinsically random time intervals distributed according to a power law. What is so special in the power-law distributions and the ability of bacteria to produce them? |
 | Japan to revise northern Pacific sei whaling programJapanese fisheries officials said Thursday they will revise one of the country's two main research whaling programs after an international organization said selling meat from killed sei whales violates a convention protecting endangered species, in a possible setback for Japan's ambition to resume commercial whaling. |
European badgers' gut bacteria may be a powerful ally in the fight against tuberculosisWhat do cattle, European badgers, and gut bacteria have in common? They are all central players in a complex web surrounding a disease that affects multiple species, often with devastating results—tuberculosis. Now, new research funded by Morris Animal Foundation is shedding light on how one player, gut bacteria, may help protect both badgers and cattle from this common, pervasive and deadly illness. | |
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