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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 17, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Fundamental parameters, evolutionary status determined for three chemically peculiar starsAstronomers have conducted spectroscopic observations of three magnetic chemically peculiar (CP) stars, HD 188041, HD 111133 and HD 204411. Results of these observations, presented in a paper published July 8 on arXiv.org, reveal fundamental parameters and the evolutionary status of the trio, also proving the usefulness of spectroscopy for studying faint CP stars. |
 | ESA confirms asteroid will miss Earth in 2019Asteroid 2006 QV89, a small object 20 to 50 metres in diameter, was in the news lately because of a very small, one-in-7000 chance of impact with Earth on 9 September 2019. |
 | New measurement of universe's expansion rate is 'stuck in the middle'A team of collaborators from Carnegie and the University of Chicago used red giant stars that were observed by the Hubble Space Telescope to make an entirely new measurement of how fast the universe is expanding, throwing their hats into the ring of a hotly contested debate. Their result—which falls squarely between the two previous, competing values—will be published in the Astrophysical Journal. |
 | Miniature gravitational-wave detector to be built at NorthwesternA team of physicists and astronomers from Northwestern University is poised to lead gravitational-wave astronomy into its next evolution. The W. M. Keck Foundation has awarded $1 million, which will be used to develop a prototype for a new kind of gravitational-wave detector that is small enough to fit on a tabletop and powerful enough to detect cosmic events that existing astronomical equipment cannot. |
 | Telescope viewing suspended as protesters block Hawaii roadAstronomers have indefinitely stopped looking through 13 existing telescopes at the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii while protesters block the road downslope in an attempt to prevent the construction of a giant new observatory. |
 | ESA identifies demand for satellites around the moonDozens of very different commercial and institutional missions to the moon are planned for the coming decades. |
 | Opinion: Young Americans deserve a 21st-century moonshot to Mars"Hidden Figures" and "First Man" were arguably the most inspirational space-themed movies of the last several years. Both, though, had to reach back to the glory days of John Glenn and Neil Armstrong. The faces of my children after watching these movies was the surest sign of a missed opportunity, of a generation raised without a Moonshot. |
 | Why the moon is such a cratered placeLook up on a clear night and you can see some circular formations on the face of our lunar neighbour. These are impact craters, circular depressions found on planetary surfaces. |
 | What Artemis will teach us about living, working on the moonHumans have not had much of an opportunity to work on the moon. The 12 Apollo astronauts who got to explore its surface clocked in 80 hours in total of discovery time. From their brief encounters, and from extensive analyses of Apollo samples and lunar meteorites that were found on Earth, scientists have learned nearly as much as is possible to learn about the lunar environment without much contact with the surface. Now, for the first time in half a century, NASA's Artemis missions will allow scientists and engineers to examine the surface from up close. This will teach us how to move safely across lunar soil, known as regolith; how to build infrastructure on top of it; and how to keep humans safe in space. The techniques scientists will develop on the moon will make it possible for humans to safely and sustainably explore farther destinations, such as Mars. |
 | Diamond shines its light on moon rocks from Apollo missions, Martian meteorites and VestaNearly 50 years after our first steps on the moon, samples from the Apollo missions, Mars and Vesta still have a lot to tell us about the formation of the planets and the Earth's volcanoes, and Diamond Light Source is helping to shine a light on these insights. |
 | Flying the final approach to Tranquility BaseAs the Apollo 11 lunar module approached the Moon's surface for the first manned landing, commander Neil Armstrong switched off the autopilot and flew the spacecraft manually to a landing. |
 | Image: Chang'e-4 landerAt a time when ESA is looking forward to future lunar exploration, it turns out there is already some small but crucial ESA-developed hardware in operation on the far side of the moon. |
 | Police arrest Hawaiian protesters trying to block telescopePolice arrested elderly protesters, some using wheelchairs and canes, as they blocked a road Wednesday to Hawaii's highest peak to try to stop construction of a giant telescope on land some Native Hawaiians consider sacred. |
Technology news
 | Inspired by water lilies: A hierarchical design for solar evaporation of high salinity brineInterfacial solar vapor generation has great potential for desalination and wastewater treatment with high energy conversion efficacy. High water evaporation rates cannot be maintained using existing techniques, however, due to unavoidable fouling or salt accumulation on the solar absorbers that cause accelerated degradation of the devices. In a recent study, Ning Xu and colleagues at the National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Artificial Functional Materials in China have demonstrated a water lily-inspired hierarchical structure to facilitate efficient solar evaporation of high salinity brine and wastewater. |
 | A method to reduce the number of neurons in recurrent neural networksA team of researchers at Queen's University, in Canada, have recently proposed a new method to downsize random recurrent neural networks (rRNN), a class of artificial neural networks that is often used to make predictions from data. Their approach, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, allows developers to minimize the number of neurons in an rRNN's hidden layer, consequently enhancing its prediction performance. |
 | Wing app for drone traffic safety gets nod in AustraliaDelivery drones zipping across skies is a business model that can work if there is a safety system in place for avoiding collisions. Think major events such as sporting matches, concerts and emergency response incidents. Think no-fly zones, airports, heliports, any other hazards. |
 | Tiny vibration-powered robots the size of the world's smallest antResearchers have created a new type of tiny 3-D-printed robot that moves by harnessing vibration from piezoelectric actuators, ultrasound sources or even tiny speakers. Swarms of these "micro-bristle-bots" might work together to sense environmental changes, move materials—or perhaps one day repair injuries inside the human body. |
 | Surprise finding uncovers new capability for semiconductor materialScientists have taken a common component of digital devices and endowed it with a previously unobserved capability, opening the door to a new generation of silicon-based electronic devices. |
 | First programmable memristor computer aims to bring AI processing down from the cloudThe first programmable memristor computer—not just a memristor array operated through an external computer—has been developed at the University of Michigan. |
 | Harvesting energy from the human kneeImagine powering your devices by walking. With technology recently developed by a group of researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, that possibility might not be far out of reach. |
 | DNA origami joins forces with molecular motors to build nanoscale machinesEvery year, robots get more and more life-like. Solar-powered bees fly on lithe wings, humanoids stick backflips, and teams of soccer bots strategize how to dribble, pass, and score. And, the more researchers discover about how living creatures move, the more machines can imitate them all the way down to their smallest molecules. |
 | Musk shows off progress on brain-machine interfaceFuturist entrepreneur Elon Musk late Tuesday revealed his secretive Neuralink startup is making progress on an interface linking brains with computers, and said they hope to begin testing on people next year. |
 | Internet a distant dream for many in oil-rich E. GuineaEquatorial Guinea is awash in oil, although little of the wealth has trickled down to the poor. |
 | US senators warn of 'trust' gap over Facebook digital currencyUS senators Tuesday questioned whether Facebook can be trusted to manage its proposed Libra digital currency in the first public hearing into the plan on Tuesday. |
 | Researchers hail the demise of an online security algorithmAn international team of mathematicians has hailed the end of a variant of a code that is widely used to protect online transactions. |
 | Efficient hydrogen compression for large scale mobility applicationsHydrogen mobility contributes to the energy transition by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to the long range and the short refueling time of fuel-cell vehicles, hydrogen is of high interest especially for large-scale mobility applications, such as heavy-duty vehicles or large-scale fleets of light duty vehicles with a high utilization rate, such as taxis. |
 | Twitter 'fingerprint' helps decode how individuals respond to crisesOften in the case of a disaster, there are too few resources available to the community. A new algorithm analyzes individuals' tweets to better understand how they respond to crises, offering a new way to inform decisions on disaster management. |
 | Novel X-Blockchain technology can help users share shopping, airline, other rewardsFacebook's announcement to get into the banking business is putting a new spotlight on blockchain technology. Facebook plans to launch a blockchain-based financial network using Libra, which is being touted as Facebook's digital currency. |
 | DistME: A fast and elastic distributed matrix computation engine using GPUsDGIST announced on July 4 that Professor Min-Soo Kim's team in the Department of Information and Communication Engineering developed the DistME (Distributed Matrix Engine) technology that can analyze 100 times more data 14 times faster than the existing technologies. This new technology is expected to be used in machine learning that needs big data processing or various industry fields to analyze large-scale data in the future. |
 | Fiber-optic vibration sensors could prevent train accidentsResearchers have developed new sensors for measuring acceleration and vibration on trains. The technology could be integrated with artificial intelligence to prevent railway accidents and catastrophic train derailments. |
 | New level of smart industrial robotsRobot technicians from Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) together with colleagues from the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FEB RAS) developed a command-and-control plugin for intelligent industrial robots. The new software allows the robots to build up high quality 3-D computer models of workpieces quickly, precisely, and in the fully automated mode. The related article was published in International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research. |
 | Verizon has the fastest and best mobile network, study showsJul. 16—Verizon has bragged about having the best and most reliable 4G LTE mobile networks. But is there a phone company out there that can beat it? |
 | Review evaluates how AI could boost the success of clinical trialsIn a review publishing July 17 in the journal Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, researchers examined how artificial intelligence (AI) could affect drug development in the coming decade. |
 | EU launches in-depth probe into Amazon over data useThe EU's powerful antitrust authority launched an in-depth investigationinto Amazon on Wednesday, amid suspicions the US-based internet behemoth misuses merchant data hosted on its website. |
Survey: Austin is nation's most desirable city for IT professionalsTech professionals would move for the right job, especially if that job were in Austin, tech trade association CompTIA found. | |
Myths and risks in app that gives you peek into older selfA popular app that uses artificial intelligence to transform your current face into your younger and older selves is under fire for privacy concerns. | |
 | Madrid emerges as TV series production hubMedia firms are racing to set up television production centres in Madrid following the runaway global success of Spanish series such as Netflix's crime caper "Money Heist". |
Spain vows to push ahead with tax on tech giantsMadrid will push ahead with a tax on large internet and technology firms as soon as a new government is sworn in, Spain's acting economy minister said Wednesday. | |
 | French prosecutors want Air France tried for 2009 Rio crashFrench prosecutors want Air France to stand trial for manslaughter in the 2009 crash of a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris that killed all 228 people aboard, a judicial official said Wednesday. |
 | Apple, Google continue inclusive push with new emojiApple and Google are rolling out dozens of new emoji that include cute critters, of course, but also expand the number of images of human diversity. |
 | US Fed sees 'modest' growth despite 'widespread' trade fearsFears that President Donald Trump's trade wars will harm the economy are pervasive, but for now, America keeps chugging along with steady job creation and tame inflation, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Your spending data may reveal aspects of your personalityHow you spend your money can signal aspects of your personality, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Analyses of over 2 million spending records from more than 2,000 individuals indicate that when people spend money in certain categories, this can be used to infer certain personality traits, such as how materialistic they are or how much self-control they tend to have. |
 | Can gut infection trigger Parkinson's disease?A new study by Montreal scientists published today in Nature demonstrates that a gut infection can lead to a pathology resembling Parkinson's disease (PD) in a mouse model lacking a gene linked to the human disease. |
 | Researchers identify possible drug target for deadly heart conditionA genetic mutation linked to dilated cardiomyopathy, a dangerous enlargement of the heart's main pumping chamber, activates a biological pathway normally turned off in healthy adult hearts, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. |
 | Study pinpoints cell types affected in brains of multiple sclerosis patientsScientists have discovered that a specific brain cell known as a 'projection neuron' has a central role to play in the brain changes seen in multiple sclerosis (MS). The research, published today in Nature, shows that projection neurons are damaged by the body's own immune cells, and that this damage could underpin the brain shrinkage and cognitive changes associated with MS. These new findings provide a platform for specific new MS therapies that target damaged brain cells to be developed. |
 | Test shown to improve accuracy in identifying precancerous pancreatic cystsIn a proof-of-concept study, an international scientific team led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers has shown that a laboratory test using artificial intelligence tools has the potential to more accurately sort out which people with pancreatic cysts will go on to develop pancreatic cancers. |
 | HIV vaccine nears clinical trial following new findingsA promising vaccine that clears an HIV-like virus from monkeys is closer to human testing after a new, weakened version of the vaccine has been shown to provide similar protection as its original version. |
 | Parkinson's disease study identifies possible new treatment targetTreatments for Parkinson's disease have most recently focused on increasing dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain that affects reward-based behaviors and motivation, as well as movement. A new study by Yale researchers challenges long-held assumptions about dopamine's sole role in this disorder. |
 | Study shows female brain responds to porn the same as male brainA small team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics has found evidence that suggests the female brain responds to pornography in the same ways as the male brain. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers describe their analysis of data from thousands of MRIs taken while volunteers viewed porn and what they learned from it. |
 | Making cancer stem cells visible to the immune systemLeukemia stem cells protect themselves against the immune defense by suppressing a target molecule for killer cells. This protective mechanism can be tricked with drugs. In the journal Nature, scientists from Basel, Tübingen and Heidelberg describe the new therapeutic approaches that can possibly be derived from these results. |
 | Broken heart syndrome linked with cancerOne in six people with broken heart syndrome had cancer and they were less likely to survive for five years after it occurred, according to new international research in Journal of the American Heart Association. |
 | Perception and working memory are deeply entangled, study findsMany people have an intuitive, though incorrect, understanding of how the brain works: Our senses perceive objectively factual data, and our higher-level thought processes interpret that data, pull some levers and shape our conclusions and behavior accordingly. |
 | How the brain distinguishes between voice and soundIs the brain capable of distinguishing a voice from the specific sounds it utters? In an attempt to answer this question, researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, – in collaboration with the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands—devised pseudo-words (words without meaning) spoken by three voices with different pitches. Their aim? To observe how the brain processes this information when it focuses either on the voice or on speech sounds (i.e. phonemes). The scientists discovered that the auditory cortex amplifies different aspects of the sounds, depending on what task is being performed. Voice-specific information is prioritised for voice differentiation, while phoneme-specific information is important for the differentiation of speech sounds. The results, which are published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, shed light on the cerebral mechanisms involved in speech processing. |
 | Buzz off: breakthrough technique eradicates mosquitoesA breakthrough technique harnessing two methods to target disease-carrying mosquitoes was able to effectively eradicate buzzing biters in two test sites in China, according to research published on Thursday. |
 | Rare inherited enzyme disorder yields insight into fibrosisWhat can a family of rare inherited disorders teach scientists about more common health problems like fibrosis? Plenty, based on research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists that appears today in the journal Science Advances. |
 | Exercise offers protection against Alzheimer'sHigher levels of daily physical activity may protect against the cognitive decline and neurodegeneration (brain tissue loss) from Alzheimer's disease (AD) that alters the lives of many older people, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have found. In a paper in JAMA Neurology, the team also reported that lowering vascular risk factors may offer additional protection against Alzheimer's and delay progression of the devastating disease. The findings from this study will be presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in Los Angeles by the first author of the study, Jennifer Rabin, Ph.D., now at the University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Research Institute. |
 | Rugby-style tackling may have lower force of impact than football-style tacklingThe style of tackling used in rugby may be associated with a lower force of impact than the style used in football, according to a preliminary study of college athletes released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology Sports Concussion Conference in Indianapolis July 26-28, 2019. |
Review indicates that menstrual cups are a safe option for menstruation managementThe first systematic review and meta-analysis of the international use of menstrual cups, including 43 studies and data from 3,300 women and girls—published in The Lancet Public Health journal, suggests they are safe and result in similar, or lower, leakage than disposable pads or tampons. | |
Undocumented Latina immigrants face PTSD at four times the national rate, new study findsIn recent years, Latinos have migrated from Central America to the United States due to violence, high crime rates, and poverty in their home countries. However, violence and trauma continue along their way to the United States. New research led by George Mason University's College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) found that undocumented Latina immigrants meet the threshold for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis at nearly four times (34%) the rate of civilian women in America overall (9.7%). | |
 | Novel therapy administered after TBI prevents brain damageAn experimental treatment given to mice after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) reduced damage almost to the levels of mice that never had a TBI, researchers at UT Health San Antonio reported. The study was published July 4 in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism. |
Rewards incentivize people to stop smokingFinancial incentives work to help people stop smoking and remain smoke free—according to research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA). | |
Global commission into health inequities of mental illness gives blueprint for changeFindings released today by a commission into health inequities experienced by people with mental illness lays bare their drastic physical health challenges, and recommends changes to health policy and treatment innovations to tackle what is regarded as a "human rights scandal". | |
Higher iron levels may boost heart health—but also increase risk of strokeScientists have helped unravel the protective—and potentially harmful—effect of iron in the body. | |
 | Proposed gene therapy for a heart arrhythmia, based on models made from patient cellsResearchers at Boston Children's Hospital report creating the first human tissue model of an inherited heart arrhythmia, replicating two patients' abnormal heart rhythms in a dish, and then suppressing the arrhythmia with gene therapy in a mouse model. Their work, published in two papers in the July 30 print issue of the journal Circulation, opens the possibility of developing single-dose gene therapy treatments for inherited arrhythmias, and perhaps more common arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. |
 | Learning several new things at once increases cognitive abilities in older adultsUCR psychologist Rachel Wu says one important way of staving off cognitive decline is learning new skills as a child would. That is, be a sponge: seek new skills to learn; maintain motivation as fuel; rely on encouraging mentors to guide you; thrive in an environment where the bar is set high. |
 | Marijuana use may not make parents more 'chill'Sorry, marijuana moms and dads: Using pot may not make you a more relaxed parent, at least when it comes to how you discipline your children. |
 | New study finds both components of blood pressure predict heart attack, stroke riskBoth numbers in a blood pressure reading—the "upper" systolic and the "lower" diastolic—independently predicted the risk of heart attack or stroke in a very large Kaiser Permanente study that included more than 36 million blood pressure readings from more than 1 million people. The study, which was published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, runs counter to decades of previous research indicating that high systolic blood pressure is more likely than diastolic pressure to result in adverse outcomes. |
Sustainable savings on medical careOne popular idea for lowering the nation's ballooning health care spending is to change the way insurers pay provider organizations for their care. Instead of paying a fee for each service rendered—a model that can encourage the unscrupulous use of more services even when the benefit is dubious—reformers suggest giving clinical practices a global yearly budget to care for a population of patients. The rationale is that operating with a capped budget would incentivize greater use of preventive care and discourage wasteful services. | |
 | New HIV program increased viral suppression, decreased new infections in BotswanaIn Botswana, an intervention in 15 communities to test for and treat HIV infection in all adult residents was effective in increasing population viral suppression to very high levels (meaning that the virus becomes undetectable and can't be transmitted while patients are taking effective treatment), according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, and collaborators at several other institutions. The intervention likely also contributed to a nearly one-third reduction in the incidence of HIV infection in participating communities. |
 | Why hospitals underreport the number of patients they infectWould hospitals lie? It's an important question for patients, certainly, but also for insurers, regulators, and policymakers interested in containing medical costs. |
 | Potassium balance and glaucomaRetinal ganglion cells (RGCs) make up the optic nerve. When RGCs degenerate due to elevated intraocular pressure caused by glaucoma, vision is lost. |
 | A critical factor for wound healingThe p53 family of transcription factors (p63 and p73) plays critical roles in keratinocyte (skin cell) function. |
 | Common steroid could soften up tumors for chemoA common drug used to alleviate side effects of cancer treatment may also make the treatment more successful if given beforehand, report a consortium of research institutions including the University of Connecticut. |
 | Link between paid employment and slower age-related memory declineOver the past century, patterns of employment, marriage and parenthood have changed drastically for women across the Western World. In a study presented today at the Alzheimer's Association Internal Conference 2019, researchers have explored how differences in life experiences affect later life memory decline. |
 | Preventing biofilm formation to reduce the risk of hospital infectionsSome people who are hospitalized feel worse rather than better. On average, 7 percent of all patients in industrial countries are affected by "nosocomial" infections. In intensive care units, the risk increases even more. This can result in serious illnesses and life-threatening blood poisoning. |
 | Creating a new type of food tracking appKim S., like half of mobile phone users, has an application to track her daily eating and fitness. But Kim is newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and wants to start tracking the glycemic index of her food, her blood glucose levels, how low blood sugar affects her moods, and feelings of fatigue. People with complex or unique health tracking needs like these can struggle to find a single tracking app and often resort to using multiple apps, spreadsheets, and lists. |
 | Scientists find a way to reduce sugar in drinksResearch has shown that increasing the pH level of water could help tackle obesity and health problems caused by high sugar content in drinks. |
 | Self-injuring young girls overestimate negative feedback in social media simulationAdolescent girls who self-injure feel that they receive more negative feedback than they actually receive, and are more sensitive to "thumbs down" responses, compared to other adolescent girls. These are the findings presented by Irene Perini, researcher at Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN) at Linköping University, in a recently published article. |
 | Can free schools in South Africa reduce HIV risk?South Africa has the largest HIV epidemic in the world. An estimated 7.2 million people are living with HIV and 4.4 million are on antiretroviral therapy. Despite the progress made, AIDS remains the leading cause of death among adolescents. There were an estimated 270 000 new HIV infections in 2017. The rate is particularly high in young women between the ages of 15 and 24. |
 | Treating suspected autism at 12 months of age improves children's language skillsTherapies given to infants before they receive a diagnosis of autism may lead to important improvements in their language abilities, according to our new research published today in the journal Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. |
 | A better way to treat hypothermiaAlthough most of the western hemisphere is sweating in the summer heat, a team of U of M researchers are keeping cool by finding more efficient ways to tackle hypothermia. |
 | Harsh parenting might alter kids' brainsChildren whose parents often get angry at them, spank them, yell at them or shake them as a way to discipline them could be adversely affected right into their teenage years, researchers at Université de Montréal and CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center have found. |
 | Reproducibility of brain responses: High for speech perception, low for reading difficultiesSome of the findings in cognitive neuroscience and psychology do not seem to replicate from one study to the next. Could this also be true for commonly used brain response studies? It turns out to depend on what is being studied, found a recent study. |
 | Research associates independent travel with better mental healthNew research from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin highlights the importance of older adults being able to travel independently—whether by driving themselves or taking public transport. |
 | How kissing as a risk factor may explain the high global incidence of gonorrhoeaIn 2016, there were 87 million people diagnosed with gonorrhoea, the most antibiotic resistant of all the STIs. There is a global rise in gonorrhoea rates and, until now, no one has understood why. |
A single measurement may help determine kneecap instability riskKnee injuries can be a scourge to collegiate and pro athletes alike, but Penn State researchers say a single measurement taken by a clinician may help predict whether a person is at risk for knee instability. | |
 | Nationwide study on teen 'sexting' has good news, bad newsThe good news is that adolescent "sexting" is not at epidemic levels as reported in some media headlines. The bad news is that it also has not decreased despite preventive efforts by educators and others. Most commonly, the term sexting has been used to describe incidents where teenagers take nude or semi-nude photos or videos of themselves and exchange that content via text or private social media messages. While intended to be shared with trusted romantic partners, these images also can find their way into the hands of others. |
 | Megakaryocytes act as 'bouncers' restraining cell migration in the bone marrowHematopoiesis is the process of forming blood cells, which occurs predominantly in the bone marrow. The bone marrow produces all types of blood cells: red blood cells, platelets, and white blood cells (leucocytes). One of the most prominent white blood cell types are neutrophils—they help the body fight against infections and are the most abundant subpopulation of leukocytes. They are short-lived and highly mobile, and can enter parts of tissue where other cells/molecules cannot. |
New study associates oxidative stress with the spreading of aberrant proteinsOxidative stress could be a driving force in the spreading of aberrant proteins involved in Parkinson's disease. This is the result of lab studies by researchers of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). The findings are published in the "Journal of Clinical Investigation". | |
Multiple injection safety violations found in New Jersey septic arthritis outbreakMultiple violations of injection safety and infection prevention practices—from lack of handwashing to inappropriate re-use of medication vials—were identified after an outbreak of septic arthritis at a New Jersey outpatient facility in 2017, according to an investigation published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal for the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Investigators found 41 patients with osteoarthritis contracted the rare, painful infection following injections in their knee joints, including 33 who required surgical removal of damaged tissue. | |
 | Crunching the numbers of cancer metastasisIn metastasis, cancer cells break away from the original tumor and take root in another region of the body by entering the blood stream. In order to spread, metastatic cells cross over the endothelium—a barrier of endothelial cells lining the circulatory system that controls the passing of materials into and out of the blood stream—a behavior not as easily accomplished by non-metastatic cells. |
 | At-home support helps stroke patients adjust after hospital stayMichigan State University researchers have found that many stroke patients feel unprepared when discharged from the hospital. Their caregivers feel the same. |
 | Neighborhood environment and healthIt is well understood that urban black males are at a disproportionately high risk of poor health outcomes. But little is known about how the neighborhood environments where these men live contribute to their health. |
 | Continuous anticoagulants and cold snare polypectomy noninferior(HealthDay)—For patients with subcentimeter colorectal polyps receiving oral anticoagulants, continuous administration of anticoagulants (CA) with cold snare polypectomy (CSP) is noninferior to periprocedural heparin bridging (HB) with hot snare polypectomy (HSP) for polypectomy-related major bleeding, according to a study published online July 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Many patients with depression do not need a psychiatrist(HealthDay)—Primary care doctors can detect and treat most cases of depression, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. |
 | Rituximab noninferior to cyclosporine in membranous nephropathy(HealthDay)—In patients with membranous nephropathy at high risk for progressive disease, rituximab is noninferior to cyclosporine in inducing complete or partial remission of proteinuria at 12 months and is superior in maintaining proteinuria remission up to 24 months, according to a study published in the July 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Early EEG helps predict cardiac arrest outcomes in comatose(HealthDay)—Early electroencephalography (EEG) reliably predicts the outcome of comatose patients after cardiac arrest, according to a study recently published in the Annals of Neurology. |
 | Wake up your breakfast with delicious whole grains(HealthDay)—If you're looking to change up that sugary bowl of cold cereal, quinoa and amaranth are nutritious alternatives. |
 | Exercises to head off a painful rotator cuff injury(HealthDay)—The rotator cuff refers to a group of four distinct muscles and tendons that connect to each shoulder and stabilize the humerus, the upper arm bone. These muscles are engaged when you move your shoulder, and work together to give you the needed range of motion to toss a ball or reach for an object on a high shelf. |
 | Medical marijuana won't help ease opioid crisis: study(HealthDay)—Some proponents of medical marijuana have claimed that its use against pain might help curb the ongoing crisis of opioid abuse. |
 | Autism largely caused by genetics, not environment: Study(HealthDay)—The largest study of its kind, involving more than 2 million people across five countries, finds that autism spectrum disorders are 80% reliant on inherited genes. |
 | Mayo Clinic Q&A: Heart disease and kidney disease—what's the connection?Dear Mayo Clinic: My 78-year-old mother had a heart attack three weeks ago. She was feeling better for a bit, but became ill again and was told she has an acute kidney injury. Are the two conditions somehow related? Is she at higher risk for more kidney and heart problems after this? |
 | Pregnancies persist among women taking acne medication known to cause birth defectsIsotretinoin (also known by its former brand name as Accutane or Roaccutane) is an extremely effective acne medication that can help patients whose severe acne has not responded to other drugs. But the drug is also a potent teratogen—if a woman takes isotretinoin while pregnant, even for a short period of time, the risk of severe birth defects is high. In 2006, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) imposed a special restricted distribution program, known as iPLEDGE, which has stringent, recurring requirements for patients, prescribing physicians and dispensing pharmacists. But despite the substantial imposition of iPLEDGE on patients and clinicians, the extent to which it has reduced pregnancy and other adverse effects has been unknown. In a new study, investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital evaluated the frequency of reported pregnancies and pregnancy-related adverse events among women taking isotretinoin. In a paper published in JAMA Dermatology, the team reports that although the number of pregnancies has decreased, pregnancies among women taking isotretinoin have continued to persist even after the implementation of iPLEDGE. |
Germany makes measles vaccination compulsory for childrenGermany will make childhood measles vaccinations mandatory from March 2020, aiming to wipe out the resurgent and potentially deadly disease, Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet decided Wednesday. | |
Health insurance idea could help millions of Americans spend lessMillions of Americans with chronic conditions could save money on the drugs and medical services they need the most, if their health insurance plans decide to take advantage of a new federal rule issued today. | |
First clinical proof that genotypes determine if Alzheimer's drugs will workUniversity at Buffalo researchers have determined that a human gene present in 75 % of the population is a key reason why a class of drugs for Alzheimer's disease seemed promising in animal studies only to fail in human studies. | |
About 44% of high school seniors who misuse prescription drugs have multiple drug sourcesRoughly 11% of high school seniors reported prescription drug misuse during the past year, and of those, 44% used multiple supply sources, according to a pair of University of Michigan studies. | |
 | Cracks in the skin of eczema patients promote allergic diseasesInfants who develop eczema are more likely to develop food allergies, hay fever and asthma as they grow older, a progression known as the atopic march. Donald Leung, MD, Ph.D., head of Pediatric Allergy & Clinical Immunology at National Jewish Health, has identified itching and dry cracked skin of eczema patients as a significant promoter of the atopic march. Moisturizers, especially early in a child's life, may help prevent eczema, food allergies and other allergic diseases. |
Massive potential health gains in switching to active transportSwapping short car trips for walking or biking could achieve as much health gain as ongoing tobacco tax increases, according to a study from the University of Otago, New Zealand. | |
Ohioans have lost more than 1 million years of life due to drug overdose since 2009The drug addiction epidemic continues to plague the country, and thousands of lives are cut short each year due to overdose. Tragically, when a person's life ends prematurely, much of their potential impact on the world is lost as well. This includes both lost benefits to society and lost experiences for family and friends left behind. | |
Number of US overdose deaths appears to be fallingU.S. overdose deaths last year likely fell for the first time in nearly three decades, preliminary statistics suggest. | |
The older you get the more time you spend alone—that can mean more health problemsAs concerns have grown about the dangers of isolation and loneliness in late life, a new study from Pew Research Center finds that Americans spend increasing amounts of time alone as they age, with people in their 70s averaging three hours more alone time each day than people in their 40s and 50s. | |
 | Dutch airline KLM under fire for breastfeeding cover-up ruleDutch airline KLM faced criticism Wednesday for policies that "shame women's bodies" after a breastfeeding mother said she was told to cover up in case other passengers were offended. |
 | Ebola outbreak in Congo declared a global health emergencyThe deadly Ebola outbreak in Congo is now an international health emergency, the World Health Organization announced Wednesday after the virus spread this week to a city of 2 million people . |
 | Data shows flood of opioids across US, many of them genericsThe maker of OxyContin has been cast as the chief villain in the nation's opioid crisis. But newly released government figures suggest Purdue Pharma had plenty of help in flooding the U.S. with billions of pills even as overdose deaths were accelerating. |
Biology news
 | Spawn of the triffid? Tiny organisms give us glimpse into complex evolutionary taleTwo newly discovered organisms point to the existence of an ancient organism that resembled a tiny version of the lumbering, human-eating science fiction plants known as 'triffids,' according to research in Nature. |
 | 'Intensive' beekeeping not to blame for common bee diseasesMore "intensive" beekeeping does not raise the risk of diseases that harm or kill the insects, new research suggests. |
 | Timing is everything for the mutualistic relationship between ants and acaciasIn the 1960s, Penn biologist Dan Janzen, as part of earning his Ph.D., re-described what has become a classic example of biological mutualism: the obligate relationship between acacia-ants and ant-acacia trees. The acacia trees produce specialized structures to shelter and feed the ant colony, and the ants, in turn, defend the tree against herbivores. |
 | Avian malaria behind drastic decline of London's iconic sparrow?London's house sparrows (Passer domesticus) have plummeted by 71% since 1995, with new research suggesting avian malaria could be to blame. |
 | Living longer or healthier? Genetic discovery in worms suggests they can be separatedIn a report published today in Nature Communications, a surprising new genetic discovery by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh suggests that there may be molecular switches that control lifespan and healthspan separately. |
 | Researchers find a method to select for haploid mammalian cellsSince the emergence of molecular genetics more than 50 years ago, scientists have tried to isolate haploid mammalian cells, that is, cells with half the number of chromosomes contained in somatic cells. Haploid cells are a powerful genetic tool to analyze gene function. In the past decade, a number of researchers have succeeded in developing haploid cell line cultures. However, these cell lines are unstable and have a tendency for diploidization. Now, researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have identified chemical compounds that increase the stability of mammalian haploid cell lines. The study is published in the latest issue of Cell Reports. |
 | New tuberculosis tests pave way for cow vaccination programsSkin tests that can distinguish between cattle that are infected with tuberculosis (TB) and those that have been vaccinated against the disease have been created by an international team of scientists. The traditional TB tuberculin skin test shows a positive result for cows that have the disease as well as those that have been vaccinated against the disease. By distinguishing between these two groups, the new tests will facilitate the implementation of vaccination programs that could considerably reduce the transmission of this infectious bacterial disease from cattle to cattle and humans. |
 | Bioengineered cell walls open new medical, research possibilitiesBiomedical engineers at Penn State have developed a process to build protective, synthetic plant cell walls around animal cells. The work, published in Nature Communications, could hold significant potential for a variety of medical and biomanufacturing applications for human health. |
 | New function for the nucleolusThe nucleolus is a well-known structure in the cell nucleus that is easily visible under a light microscope. This nuclear structure is known to be the site of ribosome production. A new study shows that the nucleolus is also a site of quality control for proteins. |
 | New insight into microRNA function can give gene therapy a boostScientists at the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Oxford have shown that small RNA molecules occurring naturally in cells, i.e. microRNAs, are also abundant in cell nuclei. Previously, microRNAs were mainly thought to be found in cytoplasm. The scientists also discovered that microRNA concentrations in cell nuclei change as a result of hypoxia. The findings strongly suggest that microRNAs play a role in the expression of genes in the cell nucleus. This observation is crucial for the development of novel gene therapy, among other things. The study was published in Scientific Reports today. |
 | For bacteria, the neighbors co-determine which cell dies firstBacteria do not simply perish in hunger phases fortuitously; rather, the surrounding cells have a say as well. A research team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now discovered that two factors, above all, decide over life and death: the energy required to continue living and the efficiency with which surviving cells can recycle biomass from dead cells. |
 | Red algae steal genes from bacteria to cope with environmental stressesIt's a case of grand larceny that could lead to new fuels and cleanup chemicals. Ten species of red algae stole about 1 percent of their genes from bacteria to cope with toxic metals and salt stress in hot springs, according to a study in the journal eLife. |
 | Plant viruses may be reshaping our worldThe community of viruses is staggeringly vast. Occupying every conceivable biological niche, from searing undersea vents to frigid tundra, these enigmatic invaders, hovering between inert matter and life, circumnavigate the globe in the hundreds of trillions. They are the most abundant life forms on earth. |
 | Giving a chip about masaProducts we commonly buy at the supermarket, such as tortillas and corn chips, are made from food grade corn. The corn is grown, harvested, bought by a food company, turned into masa (dough from ground corn) through a chemical process, and then made into our favorite products. |
 | Salt regulation among saltmarsh sparrows evolved in 4 unique waysIn nature, as in life, there's often more than one way to solve a problem. That includes the evolutionary process. A new study in Evolution Letters finds that different bird species in the same challenging environment—the highly saline ecosystem of tidal marshes along ocean shores—were able to evolve unique species-specific ways to address the same problem. |
 | Researchers track how cats' weights change over timeUntil now, pet owners and veterinarians didn't know for sure. Now University of Guelph researchers have become the first to access data on more than 19 million cats to get a picture of typical weight gain and loss over their lifetimes. |
 | Limits on pot fishing can result in win-win for fishermen and marine wildlifeRestricting the amount of inshore potting for crab and lobster within marine protected areas (MPAs) can generate a "win-win" for both fishermen and the marine environment, according to the first major study exploring the issue. |
 | Predators' fear of humans ripples through wildlife communities, emboldening rodentsGiving credence to the saying, "While the cat's away, the mice will play," a new study indicates that pumas and medium-sized carnivores lie low when they sense the presence of humans, which frees up the landscape for rodents to forage more brazenly. |
 | Protected area designation effective in reducing, but not preventing, land cover changesThe designation of protected areas in Europe has been effective in reducing, but not completely preventing, land cover changes associated with human activity, according to a study published July 17 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Niels Hellwig of Potsdam University and Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and colleagues. Approximately 1.5% of all protected areas and 3% of all surrounding buffer zones were affected by land cover change from 2000 to 2012. |
 | Endangered Bornean orangutans survive in managed forest, decline near oil palm plantationsRecent surveys of the population of endangered Bornean orangutans in Sabah, the Malaysian state in the north-east of Borneo, show mixed results. Populations have remained stable within well-managed forests, where there is little hunting, but declined in landscapes comprising extensive oil palm plantations, according to a new study in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Donna Simon of the World Wide Fund for Nature—Malaysia, and colleagues. The study is the largest and most complete population survey of orangutans on Borneo, home to this endangered and endemic species. |
 | Sharing data key in fight against illegal fishingSharing data may be a vital element in ending illegal fishing—a crime currently robbing nations of approximately $23 billion annually while also undermining legal fisheries management and industry practices. A perpetrator of human trafficking, smuggling, human rights violations and environmental degradation, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing poses a serious threat to the economies, environment and security of nations. A new paper examines how data sharing between countries committed to Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14), which entails ending IUU fishing by 2020, can be successfully implemented globally. |
 | Robotic fish helps protect native species from invasive pestsResearchers at the University of Western Australia have developed a robotic fish that behaves like a bodyguard for native species and safeguards them against the aggressive attitudes of invasive pests. |
 | What is a species? The most important concept in all of biology is a complete mysteryA koala bear isn't actually a bear, it's a marsupial. Whales aren't fish, they're mammals. Tomatoes aren't vegetables, they're fruit. Almost nothing is actually a nut. Peanuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans and almonds: none of them are really nuts (for the record, peanuts are legumes, Brazils and cashews are seeds, and the others are all droops). Hazelnuts and chestnuts are the exception: they are the elite, the "true" nuts. |
 | Forest elephants are allies in the fight against climate change, finds researchForest elephant extinction would exacerbate climate change. That's according to a new study in Nature Geoscience which links feeding by elephants with an increase in the amount of carbon that forests are able to store. |
 | Newly discovered cattle genes could be keys to more sustainable beef industryA newly discovered series of genes related to feed efficiency could pave the way to making cattle farming cheaper and more sustainable, according to a new study by University of Alberta researchers. |
 | Animal experimentation in research: between animal welfare and scientific qualityIn animal experimentation in research, it is important to ensure both the highest scientific quality and high animal welfare standards, yet in practice, this can lead to interdependencies and conflicts. The Permanent Senate Commission on Animal Protection and Experimentation of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) calls on researchers to commit to animal welfare policies as an integral part of scientifically valid project design. To support this goal, the Senate Commission has now published guidelines on the design, planning and implementation of research projects involving animal experimentation. |
 | Can protecting land promote employment? In New England, the answer is yesProtecting land from development provides numerous ecological and social benefits, but many people debate whether it hurts or helps local economies. Some worry that land protection will inhibit economic growth by restricting local resource use or building opportunities. Others counter that land protection can support local economies because it promotes sustainable resource use, tourism and recreation and attracts new residents and businesses. |
Plant probe could help estimate bee exposure to neonicotinoid insecticidesBee populations are declining, and neonicotinoid pesticides continue to be investigated—and in some cases banned—because of their suspected role as a contributing factor. However, limitations in sampling and analytical techniques have prevented a full understanding of the connection. Now, researchers describe in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology a new approach to sample neonicotinoids and other pesticides in plants, which could explain how bees are exposed to the substances. | |
 | The loss of biodiversity comes at a priceAlmost 300,000€ is what the Doñana fire cost in terms of biodiversity, according to an estimate done by a University of Cordoba research group. The fire occurred in 2017 and destroyed about 8,500 hectares, most of which were part of Doñana National Park, home to a number of emblematic species. The fire destroyed the habitat of a group of Iberian lynxes, one of the most symbolic endangered species on the Iberian Peninsula. These lynxes had to escape and move to another home. The breeding grounds for the Iberian lynxes in El Acebuche also had to evacuate its animals, one of which, a female, died from stress endured during the capture and transport. |
 | Little genes, big conservation: Scientists study genetic rescueAt first glance, there aren't many similarities between westslope cutthroat trout in Montana, wolves on Isle Royale National Park in Michigan and Australia's mountain pygmy possum, a mouse-sized alpine marsupial. |
 | New study works with historically disenfranchised communities to combat sudden oak deathScience often reflects the priorities of dominant industries and ignores the needs of disenfranchised communities, resulting in the perpetuation of historical injustices. One team of scientists in Northern California studying sudden oak death, which poses a threat to the longstanding cultural heritage of several indigenous tribes, sought to chip away at this cycle through a new collaboration with these communities. |
 | Pokémon-like card game can help teach ecologyPlaying a Pokémon-like card game about ecology and biodiversity can result in broader knowledge of species and a better understanding of ecosystems than traditional teaching methods, like slideshows, according to new research from the University of British Columbia. |
 | Wary US swimmers share waves with deadly sharks off Cape CodAt the entrance to Newcomb Hollow Beach, at the tip of the Cape Cod peninsula, the picture of a great white shark reminds swimmers that the US shores of the Atlantic must be shared with the ocean's most feared predator. |
 | Study identifies how to verify whether MPAs are effectiveMarine protected areas, or MPAS, are an increasingly common way of protecting marine ecosystems by prohibiting fishing in specific locations. However, many people remain skeptical that MPAs actually benefit fish populations, and there has not yet been a way to demonstrate whether or not they are effective. Until now. |
 | New Zealand cops nab penguin prowlers in sushi stallA pair of New Zealand penguins that broke into a sushi stall at Wellington's busiest railway station have been returned to their natural habitat. |
 | Ghana and Ivory Coast lift threat to suspend cocoa suppliesIvory Coast and Ghana, the world's two largest cocoa producers, have ended a threat to stop selling their production in what was a push for higher prices. |
 | Animal rescue group needs help caring for 89 baby birdsAn animal rescue group is asking for help caring for 89 baby snowy egrets and black-crowned night herons left homeless last week after a tree fell in downtown Oakland. |
 | Georgia beachgoers help pilot whales from stranding on shoreA summer afternoon at the beach quickly became a scramble to save a pod of disoriented pilot whales, with vacationers joining lifeguards and state wildlife crews in the water trying to keep roughly 30 of the large marine mammals from beaching themselves on the Georgia coast. |
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