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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 24, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Fastest eclipsing binary, a valuable target for gravitational wave studiesObservations made with a new instrument developed for use at the 2.1-meter (84-inch) telescope at the National Science Foundation's Kitt Peak National Observatory have led to the discovery of the fastest eclipsing white dwarf binary yet known. Clocking in with an orbital period of only 6.91 minutes, the rapidly orbiting stars are expected to be one of the strongest sources of gravitational waves detectable with LISA, the future space-based gravitational wave detector. |
 | Harnessing the power of microbes for mining in spaceFor centuries, people have done the hard work of mining useful minerals and metals from solid rock. Then, scientists learned how to harness the power of tiny microbes to do some of this labor. This process, called biomining, has become common on Earth. |
 | Production sites of stars are rareAstronomers using the Nobeyama Radio Obeservatory (NRO) 45-meter telescope found that high-density gas, the material for stars, accounts for only 3 percent of the total mass of gas distributed in the Milky Way. This result provides key information for understanding the unexpectedly low production rate of stars. |
 | Individual telescope of the Square Kilometre Array can also be used to study cosmic background radiationThe Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is set to become the largest radio telescope on Earth. Scientists of Bielefeld University and the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) with international partners have now examined the SKA-MPG telescope—a prototype for the part of the SKA that receives signals in the mid-frequency range. The study, published today (24 July) in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, shows that the telescope, jointly developed by the MPIfR and MT-Mechatronics GmbH, can also be used on its own to provide insights into the origin of the universe. |
 | How black holes shape galaxiesData from ESA's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory has revealed how supermassive black holes shape their host galaxies with powerful winds that sweep away interstellar matter. |
 | 'Terminators' on the Sun trigger plasma tsunamis and the start of new solar cyclesIn a pair of new papers, scientists paint a picture of how solar cycles suddenly die, potentially causing tsunamis of plasma to race through the Sun's interior and trigger the birth of the next sunspot cycle only a few short weeks later. |
 | NASA delivers hardware for ESA dark energy missionThe European Space Agency's Euclid mission, set to launch in 2022, will investigate two of the biggest mysteries in modern astronomy: dark matter and dark energy. A team of NASA engineers recently delivered critical hardware for one of the instruments that will fly on Euclid and probe these cosmic puzzles. |
 | Second laser boosts Aeolus powerESA's Aeolus satellite, which carries the world's first space Doppler wind lidar, has been delivering high-quality global measurements of Earth's wind since it was launched almost a year ago. However, part of the instrument, the laser transmitter, has been slowly losing energy. As a result, ESA decided to switch over to the instrument's second laser—and the mission is now back on top form. |
 | Can Earth life survive on Mars?Is there life on Mars, and can life from Earth survive there—or on other space bodies? The international BIOMEX research team, which includes researchers from many countries and space organizations, including Natuschka Lee at Umeå University, Sweden, has made biological experiments under space conditions. An overview of their results has now been published. |
 | First of two Van Allen Probes spacecraft ceases operationsOn July 19, 2019, at 1:27 p.m. EDT, mission operators sent a shutdown command to one of two Van Allen Probes spacecraft, known as spacecraft B, from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, or APL, in Laurel, Maryland. |
 | How to build a moon baseHalf a century after humans first walked on the moon, a number of private companies and nations are planning to build permanent bases on the lunar surface. Despite the technological progress since the Apollo era, this will be extremely challenging. So how should you get started? |
 | Cold, dry planets could have a lot of hurricanesNearly every atmospheric science textbook ever written will say that hurricanes are an inherently wet phenomenon—they use warm, moist air for fuel. But according to new simulations, the storms can also form in very cold, dry climates. |
Technology news
 | UVeye vehicle inspection system hunts down the weird to the woefulMonday was neither stormy nor blue for startup UVeye, which announced investors in a pool of $31 million, a further signal that UVeye is on to something important in the form of vehicle inspection driven by AI. |
 | Motorized prosthetic arm that can sense touch, move with your thoughtsKeven Walgamott had a good "feeling" about picking up the egg without crushing it. What seems simple for nearly everyone else can be more of a Herculean task for Walgamott, who lost his left hand and part of his arm in an electrical accident 17 years ago. But he was testing out the prototype of a high-tech prosthetic arm with fingers that not only can move, they can move with his thoughts. And thanks to a biomedical engineering team at the University of Utah, he "felt" the egg well enough so his brain could tell the prosthetic hand not to squeeze too hard. |
 | What do dragonflies teach us about missile defense?Be grateful you're not on a dragonfly's diet. You might be a fruit fly or maybe a mosquito, but it really wouldn't matter the moment you look back and see four powerful wings pounding through the air after you. You fly for your life, weaving evasively, but the dragonfly somehow tracks you with seemingly instant reflexes. For a moment, you think you've gotten away, just as it closes in swiftly from below for the kill. |
 | Water solutions without a grain of saltMonash University researchers have developed technology that can deliver clean water to thousands of communities worldwide. This solar steam generation system produces clean water from salty (ocean) water with almost 100 per cent salt removal. It provides a solution to water shortages in regional areas where grid electricity isn't available. |
 | How do we design buildings that enable occupants to thrive?Americans spend 87 percent of their time indoors, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. |
 | Research aims to automatically answer user questions on online privacy policiesInternet users may soon have a way to have their questions about online privacy policies answered automatically, thanks to a new multi-institution research project that includes Penn State. |
 | A nanodrone able to detect toxic gases in emergenciesDetecting dangerous gases in collapsed buildings due earthquakes or explosions and locating victims in hard-to-access places are among use scenarios of the Smelling Nano Aerial Vehicle (SNAV), a nanodrone designed and created by the researchers Santiago Marco and Javier Burgués from the Faculty of Physics of the University of Barcelona and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC). |
 | Hacking group Winnti has targeted several industrial enterprisesTogether with an investigative team at Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) and Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR), researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum have unearthed how the hacking group Winnti, also known as APT10, commits its attacks on German and international companies that have been their victims so far. Winnti has supposedly been operating from China for at least 10 years, spying on enterprises worldwide. In Germany, attacks on corporations Thyssen-Krupp and Bayer have come to light. |
 | Facebook algorithm changes suppressed journalism and meddled with democracyFacebook's News Feed algorithm determines what users see on its platform—from funny memes to comments from friends. The company regularly updates this algorithm, which can dramatically change what information people consume. |
 | AI's current hype and hysteria could set the technology back by decadesMost discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) are characterised by hyperbole and hysteria. Though some of the world's most prominent and successful thinkers regularly forecast that AI will either solve all our problems or destroy us or our society, and the press frequently report on how AI will threaten jobs and raise inequality, there's actually very little evidence to support these ideas. What's more, this could actually end up turning people against AI research, bringing significant progress in the technology to a halt. |
 | Developing technologies that run on lightThe future of faster, more efficient information processing may come down to light rather than electricity. Mark Lawrence, a postdoctoral scholar in materials science and engineering at Stanford, has moved a step closer to this future with a scheme to make a photon diode—a device that allows light to only flow in one direction—which, unlike other light-based diodes, is small enough for consumer electronics. |
 | Mobile technology may serve underbanked with no cryptocurrencyAs Facebook touts a new cryptocurrency as a way to serve people who are underbanked, mobile technology companies may provide the same path to financial services using good old-fashioned dollars. |
 | How US video game companies are building tools for China's surveillance stateLast October, software developers at Riot Games in Santa Monica fielded an unusual request. Like other video game makers, Riot's success depends on its ability to make games that are compulsively playable, like its global hit "League of Legends." But Tencent, the Chinese tech giant that owns Riot, needed a way to force some of its most enthusiastic customers to play less. |
 | Barr warns time's running out for companies to open encryptionAttorney General William Barr issued a sharp warning that time may be running out for Facebook Inc. and other technology companies to come to a voluntary agreement providing law enforcement officials with access to the encrypted communications of their users. |
 | FTC fines Facebook $5B, adds limited oversight on privacyFederal regulators have fined Facebook $5 billion for privacy violations and are instituting new oversight and restrictions on its business. But they are only holding CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally responsible in a limited fashion. |
 | Artificial throat could someday help mute people 'speak'Most people take speech for granted, but it's actually a complex process that involves both motions of the mouth and vibrations of folded tissues, called vocal cords, within the throat. If the vocal cords sustain injuries or other lesions, a person can lose the ability to speak. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Nano have developed a wearable artificial throat that, when attached to the neck like a temporary tattoo, can transform throat movements into sounds. |
 | Dining reservation app OpenTable moves into deliveryOpenTable is getting into the food delivery business. |
 | GM's Cruise delays launch of robo-taxisGeneral Motors' autonomous car division Cruise said Wednesday it will take longer than expected for it to hit the streets with self-driving taxis. |
 | Justice Dept. puts Big Tech under the antitrust microscopeLike Europe before it, the U.S. government looks ready to try reining in its technology giants. But doing so may be more difficult than it seems. |
 | Did Facebook data help Trump? 'Great Hack' explores scandalThe new documentary "The Great Hack" captures how Facebook's cavalier handling of user data in the Cambridge Analytica scandal posed a threat to democracy. |
 | Vietnam's 'homespun Facebook' swamped after launchA homegrown Vietnamese social media app was overloaded with users hours after launching as the one-party state tries to boost its own web platforms while tightening its grip on internet freedoms. |
China eyes high-tech military, says US undermines global stabilityChina outlined plans to build a modern, high-tech army in a national defence plan published Wednesday, as it accused Washington of undermining global strategic stability and warned against Taiwanese independence. | |
 | Big Tech's big earnings week overshadowed by political backlashA big earnings week for Big Tech firms is being overshadowed by the heated political environment that is turning up the pressure on giants Facebook, Google and Amazon as their profits and dominance grow. |
 | Is a $5 billion fine the least painful part of Facebook's settlement?US regulators are expected to unveil Wednesday a settlement with Facebook—a reported $5 billion fine that might be the least painful part of the agreement for the social network. |
 | Ford shutters French transmission plantA Ford plant that produced transmissions in southwestern France shut down for good on Wednesday after the carmaker brushed aside efforts save some operations at the facility that had employed up to 3,600 people. |
 | Switzerland the world's most-innovative in latest rankingsSwitzerland is the world's most innovative country for a second consecutive year while Asian giant India made the biggest strides among major economies, a global indicator showed Wednesday. |
 | Petrobras to privatize fuel unit in $2.3 billion share saleBrazil's state-owned oil giant Petrobras on Wednesday approved the sale of $2.3 billion worth of shares in its fuel distributor BR, as it seeks to privatize assets to pay down debt. |
 | France to try again with solar road planFrench local authorities said Wednesday that a high-profile "solar highway" experiment in Normandy had failed, but vowed to try again with new panels on a shorter stretch of road. |
 | US fine on Facebook puts CEO Zuckerberg on the hookA record $5 billion fine slapped on Facebook by US regulators on Wednesday came with conditions that included putting chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on the hook for future privacy violations. |
Brazil police arrests 4 for alleged hacking into authoritiesBrazil's federal police have arrested four people for allegedly hacking into the phone of Justice Minister Sérgio Moro. | |
Police say car in fatal crash was not partially self-drivingSan Francisco police say preliminary information shows a rented Tesla that was speeding when it ran a red light and struck a couple, killing a man and critically injuring his wife, was not on semi-autonomous Autopilot mode. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Hit your head, lose your sense of smellIt's long been known that people who suffer a major concussion can lose their sense of smell temporarily and also develop affective problems, such as anxiety and depression. Now scientists have found that's true even for people who get a minor concussion. |
 | A new framework to study congenital heart defectsEach year, 9 months of dreams and anticipation shared by millions of parents-to-be turn to despair and fright when learning their child is born with a birth defect; an often-devastating event affecting one out of 20 children born worldwide. The formation of our organs, limbs, and face are the result of carefully choreographed movement and behavior by millions of cells, much like dancers in a troupe. If even a few cells don't get to the right position and do their job correctly, the end result is a birth defect. Yet, how each individual cell knows what to do at precisely the right time and place has largely been a mystery. |
 | To understand a childhood brain tumor, researchers turn to single-cell analysisInvestigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, alongside others, have revealed the cells of origin for specific subtypes of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. The work also has implications for how medulloblastoma is classified, which may eventually shape clinical care. The work appears as an advance online publication today in Nature. |
 | A new way to stop cancer cells from killing their healthy neighborsOne of the reasons cancer cells are so robust against the body's natural defenses is that they are in fact human cells, and as such they have the innate machinery not only to trick the body's defense and maintenance systems, but even to hijack them. Therefore, discovering cancer cells' full "bag of tricks" is key for fighting cancer. |
 | Bioinspired wound dressing contracts in response to body heat to speed healingCuts, scrapes, blisters, burns, splinters, and punctures—there are a number of ways our skin can be broken. Most treatments for skin wounds involve simply placing a barrier over it (usually an adhesive gauze bandage) to keep it moist, limit pain, and reduce exposure to infectious microbes, but do not actively assist in the healing process. More sophisticated wound dressings that can monitor aspects of healing such as pH and temperature and deliver therapies to a wound site have been developed in recent years, but they are complex to manufacture, expensive, and difficult to customize, limiting their potential for widespread use. |
 | How to consider nature's impact on mental health in city plansAlmost one in five adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness. That statistic is similar worldwide, with an estimated 450 million people currently dealing with a mental or neurological disorder. Of those, only about a third seek treatment. |
 | Cellular soldiers designed to kill cancer cells that get loose during surgeryCellular soldiers created using the body's own defenses can track down and kill escaping cancer cells during surgeries, preventing metastasis and saving lives, a Vanderbilt University biomedical engineer has discovered, particularly in cases of triple negative breast cancer. |
 | Noninvasive device could benefit patients with kidney disease, congestive heart failure, or dehydrationFor patients with kidney failure who need dialysis, removing fluid at the correct rate and stopping at the right time is critical. This typically requires guessing how much water to remove and carefully monitoring the patient for sudden drops in blood pressure. |
 | Pupil dilation and heart rate, analyzed by AI, may help spot autism earlyAutism and other neurodevelopmental disorders often aren't diagnosed until a child is a few years of age, when behavioral interventions and speech/occupational therapy become less effective. But new research this week in PNAS suggests that two simple, quantifiable measures—spontaneous fluctuations in pupil dilation or heart rate— could enable much earlier diagnosis of Rett syndrome and possibly other disorders with autism-like features. |
 | Study shows stimulation of the ear can help manage Parkinson's symptomsA new study led by the University has shown that gentle, controlled stimulation of the ear canal can help reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease. |
 | Alzheimer's protein is likely held together with many weak chemical interactionsThe chemical interactions that give proteins their shape may be weaker and more numerous than previously recognized. These weak connections provide a new way for researchers to understand proteins that cause disease and help them gain insights into the fundamentals of chemistry. |
 | Newly identified meningeal lymphatic vessels answers key questions about brain clearanceJust see what happens when your neighborhood's waste disposal system is out of service. Not only do the piles of trash stink but they can indeed hinder the area's normal functioning. That is also the case when the brain's waste management is on the blink. The buildup of toxic proteins in the brain causes massive damage to the nerves, leading to cognitive dysfunction and increased probability of developing neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Though the brain drains its waste via the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), little has been understood about an accurate route for the brain's cleansing mechanism. |
 | Atrial fibrillation: New marker for atrial damage discoveredAtrial fibrillation is a common abnormal heart rhythm. It is treated either with medications or by applying heat or extreme cold to destroy small specific tissue areas in the atrium. This inevitably causes small wounds. A team at the Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Unit of the German Heart Center Munich (DHM) of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now discovered a blood-borne marker that quickly reveals the extent of such wounds, allowing healing and the success of the intervention to be monitored precisely. |
 | Scientists pinpoint new mechanism that impacts HIV infectionA team of scientists led by Texas Biomed's Assistant Professor Smita Kulkarni, Ph.D. and Mary Carrington, Ph.D., at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, published results of a study that pinpointed a long noncoding RNA molecule which influences a key receptor involved in HIV infection and progression of the disease. This newly-identified mechanism could open up a new avenue for control of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. |
 | Worrisome increase in some medical scans during pregnancyUse of medical imaging during pregnancy increased significantly in the United States, a new study has found, with nearly a four-fold rise over the last two decades in the number of women undergoing computed tomography (CT) scans, which expose mothers and fetuses to radiation. Pregnant women are warned to minimize radiation exposure. |
| Exploring genetic 'dark matter,' researchers gain new insights into autism and strokeWith its elegant double helix and voluminous genetic script, DNA has become the of darling of nucleic acids. Yet, it is not all powerful. In order for DNA to realize its potential—for genes to become proteins—it must first be transcribed into RNA, a delicate molecule that requires intense care and guidance. |
 | Unlocking therapies for hard-to-treat lung cancersNow, a new Salk Institute study, published on July 24, 2019, in the journal Science Advances, shows that researchers could target these hard-to-treat cancers by pursuing drugs that keep a cellular "switch," called CREB, from triggering tumor growth. The study was led by Marc Montminy, professor and J.W. Kieckhefer Foundation Chair at Salk, in close collaboration with Professor Reuben Shaw, director of the Salk Cancer Center and William R. Brody Chair. |
 | 'Browning' white fat cells opens new avenue to obesity preventionScientists are getting closer to understanding how to turn the body's energy-storing white fat cells into energy-burning beige fat cells, opening up hopes that fat deposits could one day be deliberately manipulated to prevent obesity and related health conditions. |
 | Psychological support 'not available' to one in three cancer patients who need itPeople with cancer have trouble accessing appropriate psychological support, a new global report published today by the All.Can international cancer initiative reveals. |
 | Most women use vaginal ring for HIV prevention in open-label studyIn an open-label study of women in southern and eastern Africa, a vaginal ring that is inserted once a month and slowly releases an antiviral drug was estimated to reduce the risk of HIV by 39%, according to statistical modeling. In addition, the study found that participants appeared to use the ring more in the open-label study than in a previous clinical trial. These and other results of the HIV Open Label Extension (HOPE) study were presented today at the 10th IAS Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2019) in Mexico City. |
 | Researchers map protein-gene interactions involved in Alzheimer's diseaseAmong the confounding challenges of diagnosing and treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the fact that patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic versions of the degenerative condition may share similar neuropathological burdens but experience significantly different rates of cognitive decline. |
Study identifies cells required for the development of a healthy uterusKnowledge of the biological processes involved in the development of the uterus is important for understanding uterine health and fertility. A research team led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has uncovered important insights on a type of cell that is critical for the formation of a functioning uterus. | |
 | E. coli superbug strains can persist in healthy women's gutsA recent study of over 1,000 healthy women with no symptoms of urinary tract infections showed nearly 9 percent carried multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli strains in their guts. |
PrEP use high but wanes after three months among young African womenIn a study of open-label Truvada as daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV among 427 young African women and adolescent girls, 95% initiated the HIV prevention strategy, and most used PrEP for the first three months. However, PrEP use fell among participants in this critical population during a year of follow-up clinic visits, although HIV incidence at 12 months was low. The preliminary results suggest that tailored, evidence-based adherence support strategies may be needed to durably engage young African women in consistent PrEP use. The study, known as HPTN 082, was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), both parts of the National Institutes of Health. The data were presented at the 10th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science. | |
Zhang group identifies gene that may make TNBC cells vulnerable to existingCertain therapies that have proven effective in treating some types of breast cancers are ineffective for women diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In fact, there is limited targeted drug therapy for this type of breast cancer—the most aggressive type, diagnosed in about 20 percent of breast cancer patients. | |
 | Researchers unlock access to pain relief potential of cannabisUniversity of Guelph researchers are the first to uncover how the cannabis plant creates important pain-relieving molecules that are 30 times more powerful at reducing inflammation than Aspirin. |
 | Study: Fat cells play key role in dangerous transformation of melanomaResearchers at Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Carmit Levy and Dr. Tamar Golan of the Department of Human Genetics and Biochemistry at TAU's Sackler School of Medicine, have discovered that fat cells are involved in the transformation that melanoma cells undergo from cancer cells of limited growth in the epidermis to lethal metastatic cells attacking patients' vital organs. |
 | Folic acid reduces risk of neural tube defects linked to HIV drug dolutegravirDolutegravir is a preferred medication for treating HIV infection, but it recently has been linked to a 6- to 9-fold increase in the risk for neural tube defects among babies born to mothers receiving the drug during early gestation. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine suspected that folic acid (vitamin B9), which is known to prevent the vast majority of neural tube defect cases, could be a part of the puzzle of dolutegravir's negative side effects. |
 | Brain protein mutation from child with autism causes autism-like behavioral change in miceA de novo gene mutation that encodes a brain protein in a child with autism has been placed into the brains of mice. These mice then showed severe alterations of specific behaviors that closely resemble those seen in human autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. |
 | Compensatory strategies to disguise autism spectrum disorder may delay diagnosisFirst scientific study of compensatory strategies—techniques to camouflage autism—finds that they have positive and negative outcomes, increasing social integration, but possibly also resulting in poor mental health for autistic people, and could be a barrier to diagnosis. |
 | Study finds meal timing strategies appear to lower appetite, improve fat burningResearchers have discovered that meal timing strategies such as intermittent fasting or eating earlier in the daytime appear to help people lose weight by lowering appetite rather than burning more calories, according to a report published online today in the journal Obesity, the flagship journal of The Obesity Society. The study is the first to show how meal timing affects 24-hour energy metabolism when food intake and meal frequency are matched. |
New data fills research gaps on weight loss experiences for minority groupsThe use of intensive lifestyle interventions focused on altering dietary and physical activity habits using behavioral strategies can produce sustained weight loss among African Americans and Hispanics who have type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a new study published online today in Obesity, the flagship journal of The Obesity Society. | |
 | Former NFL players may face higher risk of atrial fibrillationFormer National Football League players were nearly 6 times more likely to have atrial fibrillation (AFib) compared to men of similar age who did not play professional football, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. |
 | New studies suggest prenatal marijuana may be capable of causing FASD-like impairmentWhether alone or combined with alcohol, new studies included in Birth Defects Research suggest marijuana exposure may be capable of triggering morphological and behavioral impairments similar to those seen with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The groundbreaking insight is part of a special journal issue of 13 studies looking more closely at the biomarkers, mechanisms and interactions of prenatal alcohol exposure. |
 | Non-invasive longitudinal imaging of the developing eyeAn article published in Experimental Biology and Medicine (Volume 244, Issue 10, July, 2019) reports that noninvasive imaging techniques can be used to study eye development. The study, led by Dr. Xincheng Yao, Richard and Loan Hill Professor of Bioengineering and Ophthalmology at the University of Illinois at Chicago in Chicago Illinois (U.S.), demonstrates that quantitative optical coherence tomography and angiography can be used to monitor the vascular system during eye development in mouse models. |
 | Genes underscore five psychiatric disordersA group of international doctors has uncovered the genes that contribute to the development of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia. |
 | Brain scans of incarcerated men reveal reduced gray matter in homicide offendersThe brains of murderers look different from those of people convicted of other crimes—differences that could be linked to how they process empathy and morality. |
 | Heart transplant doctors could help more people by accepting donations from the obeseHeart disease is the top cause of death in the U.S. For some people with end-stage heart disease, a heart transplant can save their life. |
 | What motivates gay and bisexual men to participate in PrEP-related research?Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been shown to be effective at preventing HIV among key populations like gay and bisexual men (GBM), but there remains a need to engage GBM in behavioral and clinical research to monitor factors such as adherence to PrEP and retention in PrEP-related quarterly medical appointments. |
 | Anxiety disorders during pregnancy and postpartum more prevalent than previously thoughtMany mothers have likely heard about postpartum depression, but what about postpartum anxiety? |
 | 40% of treatment facilities won't accept people prescribed meds to fight opioid addictionAs American policymakers and health care providers try multiple approaches to reduce the number of deaths related to the opioid epidemic, treatment facilities are commonly recommended. But there's a major obstacle: Many facilities that serve individuals with opioid-related needs often won't accept people who have been prescribed medications to combat the addiction. |
 | Government says England will be smokefree by 2030. But how will it get there?Smoking causes nearly one in five cancer cases and more than one in four cancer deaths each year in the U.K. Decades of policy action have steadily cut the U.K."s smoking rates to one of the lowest in Europe. But with around one in seven people still smoking, tobacco continues to place an enormous cost on our society and our economy. |
 | How climate change could make your allergies worseSprouting daffodils, magnolias, and cherry blossoms serve as cues to put away puffy coats and say goodbye to winter. But for more than 50 million Americans (myself included), the beautiful flowers also signal something else: the arrival of spring allergy season. Sadly, the sniffles will only get louder. As the world warms, pollen allergies will likely get worse. |
 | Africa needs specialist capacity to tackle the spread of infectious diseasesOver the past 10 years, a community of practice has begun to develop in Africa around research that uses models to understand and evaluate population-level health problems and their potential solutions. This type of research—known as Applied Epidemiological Modelling—involves developing and applying analytical tools for problems that can't be addressed by traditional statistical methods. These tools are particularly useful for combating infectious diseases. |
 | Sexually objectifying women leads women to objectify themselvesHow does a woman feel when a man wolf-whistles at her from across the street? Or when a male coworker gives her body a fleeting once-over before looking her in the eye? |
 | Dissociative disorders are nearly as common as depression. So why haven't we heard about them?Dissociative disorders are often said to be rare. But our soon-to-be published analysis of international studies suggest they affect 10-11% of the population at some point in their lives. This makes them nearly as common as mood disorders (such as clinical depression). |
 | A path toward more effective drug safety labelingChanges to drug safety labeling by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provide patients and providers with the most up-to-date information about a product's risk. |
| Review of electronic medical records best way for family doctors to detect early signs of frailty, study showsFamily doctors are in the best position to identify aging patients at risk of frailty early enough to stop—or even reverse—mobility and other function loss, say University of Alberta researchers. |
 | Exposure to parasites may have greater negative effect than previously thoughtThe mere presence of parasites can have a negative effect on hosts, according to new research by University of Alberta parasitologists. |
 | DNA sequencing study suggests common genetic basis for epilepsyEpilepsy is one of the most widespread neurological disorders, but relatively little is known about the genes involved in the more common types. By examining all the genes of over 17,000 people, an international research group has found that more and less severe forms of epilepsy may share similar genetic features. The findings, reported in the American Journal of Human Genetics, support the involvement of genes previously associated with epilepsy, including those that help keep the brain's electrical activity in check and others that help generate electrical signals in nerve cells. |
 | Liquid biopsy chip detects tumor cells in 100 percent of blood samples from breast cancer patientsResearchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) have developed a chip made of carbon nanotubes that can capture circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of all sizes and types, and can do so with far greater sensitivity than existing technologies. The unique design of the device makes it possible to easily identify and even culture the captured cells, which could make it possible to detect early-stage tumors, predict the course of a cancer, and monitor the effects of therapy. |
 | Study highlights the benefits of a salt reduction strategy to US food industryNew research, published in the Milbank Quarterly, highlights the potential health and economic impact of the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) proposed voluntary salt policy on workers in the US food industry. |
 | It will take a lot more than free menstrual pads to end period povertyAll of those who menstruate, wherever they live, experience challenges when managing their period. These might include a lack of products, toilets or disposal facilities, enduring pain, being bullied or being restricted from activities and locations. In high income countries these challenges are often referred to as "period poverty" and in low-middle income countries as "poor menstrual hygiene management." But the result is the same: a large proportion of the global population are disadvantaged by having a period. |
 | How autism can be hidden from society using psychological strategiesAutism is usually identified by doctors during childhood, but a growing number of people are now being diagnosed with the condition in adulthood. A later diagnosis can be challenging because many intellectually able adults have developed "compensatory" psychological strategies for coping with their autistic difficulties. These can hide their symptoms from doctors, employers, and even family members. |
 | Postpartum psychosis: Mothers still aren't getting the support they needIf you look on social media, you'll see plenty of mothers showing how "perfect" their lives are with their babies and children. But smiles and cuddles don't always show the whole truth. While most of us know that having a baby comes with physical consequences for the mother, not all are aware that it can impact a woman's mental health too, and, in rare cases, can lead to severe episodes of illness known as postpartum psychosis. |
 | Understanding the role of a little known gene in regulating metabolismThousands of genes are involved in the regulation of our day-to-day metabolism and relatively little is understood about their function. One key protein, an ABC Transporter called ABCC5, has recently been predicted to be a susceptibility gene for Type 2 diabetes. In a new study, Associate Professor Heidi de Wet of the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics has confirmed ABCC5's role in energy metabolism and identified the mechanism behind its metabolic impact for the first time. |
One dose of HPV vaccine may be enough, Australian research findsOne dose of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has comparable effectiveness to two or three doses for preventing cervical pre-cancer, according to a new study. | |
 | Half of young drinkers are unaware of health messages on alcohol packagingJust half of 11-19 year old drinkers recall seeing health messages or warnings on alcohol packaging—despite being an important target market for this information, according to new research. |
High blood sugar increases pancreatic cancer rateHigh blood sugar may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. | |
Accidental infant deaths in bed tripled from 1999 to 2016 in the USWhile the number of babies who die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been on the decline, a study by researchers at Florida Atlantic University's Schmidt College of Medicine and collaborators shows that infant deaths from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed have more than tripled between 1999 and 2016 in the United States with increases in racial inequalities. | |
 | Waist size is a forgotten factor in defining obesityA new study from the University of Iowa finds that some people considered to be a normal weight could unknowingly be at high risk for obesity-related health issues. |
 | Antimalarial treatments less effective in severely malnourished childrenResearchers have found that severe malnutrition is associated with lower exposure to the antimalarial drug lumefantrine in children treated with artemether-lumefantrine, the most common treatment, for uncomplicated falciparum malaria. The study, which is the first to specifically address this, has been published in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. It calls urgently for further research into optimised dosing regimens for undernourished children. |
 | Scientists use phone movement to predict personality typesRMIT University researchers have used data from mobile phone accelerometers—the tiny sensors tracking phone movement for step-counting and other apps—to predict people's personalities. |
 | Screen time no child's playExperts are urging parents to brush up on national guidelines following a rapid rise in screen time on electronic devices for children under two. |
 | 'Cholera detection lab' smartphone-enabled platform to be beta tested by worldwide leading hospital in cholera researchOne of the world's leading cholera research hospitals has teamed with a Purdue University-affiliated startup with a goal to stop the spread of cholera, one of the most preventable and treatable diseases on Earth. |
 | 2001 to 2017 saw increase in suicides in African-American teens(HealthDay)—From 2001 to 2017, the rate of suicides among African-American (AA) adolescents increased, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Community Health. |
 | Nonphysican practitioners filling post-ACA primary care gap(HealthDay)—Primary care practices may be relying on advanced practitioners (APs) to accommodate new Medicaid beneficiaries following the passage of the Affordable Care Act, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. |
 | Spice up your cooking with licorice-scented herbs(HealthDay)—Love the idea of using more exotic fresh herbs in your cooking, but not sure where to begin? Thai basil and tarragon are two to try. |
 | How to protect your baby from unsafe products(HealthDay)—In an average year, close to 70,000 children under age 5 go to the emergency department because of injuries from common nursery items, according to the journal Pediatrics. About 90% of these injuries happen at home, so prevention starts there. |
 | Traveling abroad? make sure your measles shot is up to date(HealthDay)—Due to waning vaccination levels in some areas, measles outbreaks are back with a vengeance. |
 | Ex-NFL player helps researchers probe long-term effects of head injuries(HealthDay)—Brian Duncan doesn't know why his brain still works as well as it does. |
 | Cancer risks examined in rheumatoid arthritis patients(HealthDay)—Compared with the general population, there is an increased risk for certain cancers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Singapore, according to a study published online July 11 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. |
 | American medical students less likely to choose to become primary care doctorsDespite hospital systems and health officials calling out the need for more primary care doctors, graduates of U.S. medical schools are becoming less likely to choose to specialize in one of those fields. |
 | Mayo Clinic Q&A: Artificial sweeteners—aye or nay?Dear Mayo Clinic: Are artificial sweeteners bad for your health? I want to cut down on sugar in my diet. I've found many products that are sugar-free, but they're sweetened with things like Splenda, stevia and NutraSweet. Are these reasonable alternatives to sugar, or should they be avoided? |
 | Pilot study of 5-hour molecular test accurately distinguishes malignant and benign breast tumorsA team led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center investigators reports that a new laboratory test they developed to identify chemical changes to a group of cancer-related genes can accurately detect which breast tumors are cancerous or benign, and do it in far less time than gold-standard tests on biopsied breast tissue. |
 | Consuming 60 grams of nuts a day improves sexual functionResearchers from the Human Nutrition Unit of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona/Spain) and the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) have found that consuming 60 grams of nuts a day improves sexual function. They have conducted the first nutritional intervention study with healthy participants of reproductive age in order to determine if regular consumption of nuts has any effect on sexual function. The analysis forms part of the FERTINUTS project, which has been created to assess the effects of regularly consuming nuts on the quality of semen. |
 | Findings from CARE Consortium added to global repository for brain injury dataData from the world's most comprehensive concussion study is now publicly available in a repository aimed at providing traumatic brain injury researchers access to a wealth of new knowledge. |
 | With bitter foods, what you eat determines what you like to eatIntroducing plant-based foods to a diet is a common-sense approach to healthy eating, but many people don't like the taste of vegetables, bitter greens, in particular. |
 | Hair could be the key to better mental-illness diagnosis in teensIt's possible that a lock of hair could one day aid in the diagnosis of depression and in efforts to monitor the effects of treatment, said the author of a new study examining cortisol levels in the hair of teens. |
 | NIH establishes network to improve opioid addiction treatment in criminal justice settingsThe National Institutes of Health will award 12 grants to form the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) to support research on quality addiction treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) in criminal justice settings nationwide. The awards, totaling an estimated $155 million from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of NIH, will support the multi-year innovation network, including 10 research institutions and two centers that will provide supportive infrastructure. |
 | Magnetic eyelashes: A new source of MRI artifactsA new cosmetic product, magnetic eyelashes, should be of interest and concern to radiology professionals working in the MRI environment, according to an ahead-of-print article published in the November 2019 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR). |
 | Study to explore accessibility of talk therapy treatment for new mothers is underwayDepression and anxiety during and after a pregnancy is the most common complication associated with having a child. Up to one in five women experience these issues during what's known as the perinatal period. Talk therapy is a proven and effective treatment method for women experiencing mild to severe symptoms, yet less than one in five women have access to this care. |
 | High blood pressure treatment and nursing home residentsAlthough 27 percent of all older adults who live in nursing homes in this country have both high blood pressure and dementia, we don't have enough research yet to inform healthcare providers about the best way to treat their high blood pressure. |
 | Selinexor for multiple myeloma receives accelerated FDA approvalA first-in-class drug recently granted accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adult patients with heavily pretreated multiple myeloma has been the subject of study at Moffitt Cancer Center for years. Now, selinexor (XPOVIO, Karyopharm Therapeutics) used in combination with the corticosteroid dexamethasone will offer another option for patients with multiple myeloma who have exhausted the most common therapies for the disease. |
 | ADVANCE study provides evidence for shift to dolutegravir-containing ART in SAThe South African study shows that dolutegravir-containing regimens perform as well as the current efavirenz-containing one used for first-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) in South Africa and most of Africa. |
 | Metformin may lower dementia risk in black patients with T2DM(HealthDay)—Metformin use is associated with a substantially lower risk for dementia among younger African-American patients with diabetes compared with sulfonylurea initiation, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. |
 | Tissue adhesive, sterile strips similar after cesarean section(HealthDay)—With cesarean deliveries, wound complications are similar for tissue adhesive and sterile strips when used after closure of a Pfannenstiel skin incision, according to a study published online July 9 in Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | AHA news: Exercise caution outdoors in the summer heatThe higher the red line creeps up the thermometer gauge, the more red flags for outdoor exercise. |
Researchers find evidence a cancer drug may be extended to many more patientsJuly 24, 2019—A new molecular mechanism discovered by UT Southwestern researchers indicates that drugs currently used to treat less than 10 percent of breast cancer patients could have broader effectiveness in treating all cancers where the drugs are used, including ovarian and prostate cancers. The new study also revealed a potential biomarker indicating when these drugs, called PARP inhibitors, can be unleashed in the fight against cancer. | |
Molecule reduces accumulation of toxic protein in Parkinson's disease modelParkinson's disease often begins with small tremors. Over time symptoms worsen. Tremors become shakes and stiffness takes the body hostage. People with advanced stages of the neurodegenerative disease often have trouble with coordination, walking and maintaining their balance. Currently no cure exists for the condition and available treatments only address symptoms. No therapies are able to slow the progression of the disease yet. | |
Fracking activities may contribute to anxiety and depression during pregnancyA new study led by a researcher at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health identifies a link between proximity to hydraulic fracking activities and mental health issues during pregnancy. Results appear in the journal Environmental Research. | |
Visits to the dentist decline in old age, especially among minoritiesVisits to the dentist drop significantly after adults turn 80, finds a new study by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. | |
Physician experience and practice area affects decision-making for endovascular treatmentA new study presented today at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery's (SNIS) 16th Annual Meeting found significant differences in decision-making for endovascular treatment (EVT) when the physician's experience with EVT use and practice area were taken into consideration. | |
New research has potential for 'unpacking' complex simultaneous emotions in adolescenceShows for the first time that complex, mixed simultaneous emotions in adolescents could be assessed using an Analogue Emotion Scale. Potential to supplement traditional emotional assessments where emotions are complex and people 'may not have the words'. Next step: trials to test the findings in practice. | |
South Florida partnership using data to guide stroke triage decisionsA progressive Emergency Medical Services (EMS)-driven partnership in South Florida has expedited access to lifesaving care for stroke patients. This groundbreaking effort to optimize the likelihood of recovery from a "brain attack" was showcased this week at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery's (SNIS) 16th Annual Meeting. | |
Artificial intelligence solution improves clinical trial recruitmentClinical trials are a critical tool for getting new treatments to people who need them, but research shows that difficulty finding the right volunteer subjects can undermine the effectiveness of these studies. Researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center designed and tested a new computerized solution that used artificial intelligence (AI) to effectively identify eligible subjects from Electronic Health Records (EHRs), allowing busy clinical staff to focus their limited time on evaluating the highest quality candidates. | |
 | Family experience influences diabetes risk, management for African AmericansAfrican American families not only share a higher risk for Type 2 diabetes, but many myths and misconceptions about the disease are often passed on from one generation to the next. |
 | Breast implant recalled after link to more rare cancer casesBreast implant maker Allergan Inc. issued a worldwide recall Wednesday for certain textured models after regulators alerted the company to a heightened cancer risk with the devices. |
BU researchers say special "mapping" brain cells could inspire smarter self-driving vehiclesIn a study published in Nature Communications, BU researchers Jake Hinman, William Chapman, and Michael Hasselmo, director of BU's Center for Systems Neuroscience and a College of Arts & Sciences professor of psychological and brain sciences, confirmed the presence of specialized brain cells that provide rats with personal maps of their surroundings. They believe that human brains likely have these neurons too, although further research is needed to be certain of this. | |
 | Researchers show kids widely exposed to smoking in moviesMore than half of the top-grossing movies in Ontario in the past 16 years featured smoking, according to University of Toronto researchers with the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit—and most of these films were rated as acceptable for youth. |
Disrupting immune cell behavior may contribute to heart disease and failure, study showsOn an ice hockey team, the players all start off with identical uniforms, skates and a stick. But if you take one of them, add padding, a glove, and a mask; and switch the stick to one with a larger blade, then you get a goalie. Now, the player has morphed—or differentiated—into one with a specific function: protect the goal from invading pucks. | |
 | Too much caffeine during pregnancy may damage baby's liverHaving too much caffeine during pregnancy may impair baby's liver development and increase the risk of liver disease in adulthood, according to a study published in the Journal of Endocrinology. Pregnant rats given caffeine had offspring with lower birth weights, altered growth and stress hormone levels and impaired liver development. The study findings indicate that consumption of caffeine equivalent to 2-3 cups of coffee may alter stress and growth hormone levels in a manner that can impair growth and development, and increase the risk of liver disease in adulthood. |
 | Judge temporarily blocks new Arkansas anti-abortion lawsA federal judge blocked three new abortion restrictions in Arkansas minutes before they were set to take effect Wednesday, including a measure that opponents say would likely force the state's only surgical abortion clinic to close. |
 | Device could automatically deliver drug to reverse opioid overdoseOpioid users tend to be alone and incapacitated during an overdose. Purdue University researchers are developing a device that would automatically detect an overdose and deliver naloxone, a drug known to reverse deadly effects. |
 | Ebola vaccine hampered by deep distrust in eastern CongoUntil his last breath, Salomon Nduhi Kambale insisted he had been poisoned by someone and that was the reason he was vomiting blood. The 30-year-old man wouldn't give community health teams his phone number, and when they found it, he hung up on them. |
 | Health system offers free DNA tests for 10,000 FloridiansAn operator of hospitals and clinics began offering free DNA testing on Wednesday to 10,000 Floridians in a partnership with a private genomics company. Some biomedical ethicists warn that participants need to realize their data can be used for purposes other than their health care. |
France may extend fertilization rights to lesbians, singlesLesbians and single women in France may soon have access to medically assisted reproduction for the first time. | |
 | Abortion arguments at play in limiting veterans' IVF benefitA federal program to help injured veterans and their spouses conceive children through in vitro fertilization is being hobbled by anti-abortion forces that oppose how the process can lead to embryos being destroyed. |
Biology news
 | Amoeba builds barriers for protection against bacteriaIn some respects, animals and amoebae are not that different. For instance, both are at risk of potentially deadly attacks by bacteria and have evolved ways to prevent them. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report in the journal Science Advances that Dictyostelium discoideum, the soil-dwelling single-celled amoeba that feeds on bacteria, builds a barrier around its colonies that counteracts bacterial attempts to penetrate them, facilitates amoebal feeding and protects them from oxidative stress. |
 | Researchers develop phage-assisted continuous evolution of base editors systemA team of researchers from the Broad Institute, Harvard and Boston's Children's Hospital has developed a new way to improve the editing efficiency of base editors using a system called "phage assisted continuous evolution of base editors," or BE-PACE. In their paper published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the group describes their new system and how well it worked. |
 | Seismic air guns found to harm balance organ in rock lobstersA team of researchers with the University of Tasmania and Curtin University has found that seismic air guns used for oil and gas exploration can damage a sensory organ in rock lobsters called the statocyst, which provides balance and orientation. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes tests they conducted with lobsters in their lab and what they found. |
 | Finding one's way in the rainforestKnowing which direction to go in order to reach food or home is important for many animal species, including humans. For human foragers who travel long distances every day for hunting and gathering, orientation skills are essential. Haneul Jang and her colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology set out to study how the Mbendjele BaYaka people in Republic of the Congo orient themselves in the dense rainforest. The researchers conducted more than 600 pointing tests with 54 Mbendjele BaYaka men, women and children aged between six and 76 years, in which the participants were asked to point to an out-of-sight target in more than 60 different rainforest locations (including the camp). |
 | Cane toad testes smaller at the invasion frontUnderstanding the dynamics of cane toad dispersal is vital information for scientists helping native animals survive the spread of the poisonous invasive species. |
 | Algae living inside fungi: How land plants first evolvedScientists think that green algae are plants water-living ancestors, but we are not sure how the transition to land plants happened. |
 | Putting the brakes on lateral root developmentThere's no organ system in the body that does as much for humans as roots do for plants. Part anchor and part mouth, a plant's root system architecture is critical to its success. But the process of growing new roots is costly to a plant, and there can be diminishing returns. |
 | Chimpanzees' working memory similar to oursPrevious studies have showed that chimpanzees have excellent long-term memory abilities. However, little is known so far about their working memory abilities. To explore this subject, the researchers presented chimpanzees with a task in which they could search for food in a number of small, opaque boxes. The chimpanzees first watched as pieces of food were hidden in the boxes. Then they searched for the food items by pointing at the boxes one by one. If a chosen box contained food, the chimpanzees received it as a reward. After each choice, the boxes were covered for 15 seconds. |
 | How the kava plant produces its pain-relieving and anti-anxiety moleculesKava (Piper methysticum) is a plant native to the Polynesian islands that people there have used in a calming drink of the same name in religious and cultural rituals for thousands of years. The tradition of cultivating kava and drinking it during important gatherings is a cultural cornerstone shared throughout much of Polynesia, although the specific customs—and the strains of kava—vary from island to island. Over the past few decades, kava has been gaining interest outside of the islands for its pain-relief and anti-anxiety properties as a potentially attractive alternative to drugs like opioids and benzodiazepines because kavalactones, the molecules of medicinal interest in kava, use slightly different mechanisms to affect the central nervous system and appear to be non-addictive. Kava bars have been springing up around the United States, kava supplements and teas lining the shelves at stores like Walmart, and sports figures in need of safe pain relief are touting its benefits. |
 | Changes in human diet shed light on human evolutionA shift in diet has long been seen as one of the critical adaptations that distinguishes our own genus Homo from earlier human ancestors. The timing and context of this dietary shift, however, has been hotly debated. A recent study by Columbian College of Arts and Sciences researchers finds that this change in the human diet reflects a behavioral shift approximately 1.65 million years ago. |
 | Scientists report a new clue to understanding of bacterial evolutionScientists at the University of Glasgow have found a new paradigm in the understanding of bacterial evolution—an important element in the wider context of antibiotic resistance. |
 | Motor proteins and membrane dynamicsMembranes composed of a lipid bilayer define the outer surface of nucleated cells (the plasma membrane) and delimit the vital organelles within these cells, such as mitochondria and nuclei. The membrane curvature determines the three-dimensional form of these structures, and is therefore a key factor in their respective functions. Furthermore, the ability to actively deform membranes is indispensable for many cellular processes. Using a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches, LMU research groups led by Prof. Claudia Veigel (Biomedical Center) and Prof. Erwin Frey (Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics), who are also members of the Munich Center for Nanoscience (CeNS), have now demonstrated that proteins called molecular motors are directly involved in the control of membrane deformation. The new findings appear in the online journal Nature Communications. |
 | Sisters improve chances of reproduction in Asian elephantsResearchers at the University of Turku found that the presence of a maternal sister was positively and significantly associated with annual female reproduction in a population of working elephants in Myanmar. In addition, an age-specific effect was found: young females were more sensitive to the presence of sisters and even more likely to reproduce when living near a sister. |
 | Genome research shows that the body controls the integrity of heritable genomesScientists at the CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Aging Research of the University of Cologne have discovered that body cells which are in direct contact with the germ cells in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans are responsible for controlling the stability of the genome in primordial germ cells (PGCs). All germ cells, including sperm and eggs, originate from primordial germ cells that form during early embryo development. Professor Dr. Björn Schumacher and his team at the UoC's Institute for Genome Stability in Aging and at CECAD discovered that somatic niche cells that surround the PGCs control their response to DNA damage. The study "Somatic niche cells regulate the CEP-1/p53-mediated DNA damage response in primordial germ cells," has now been published in Developmental Cell. |
 | How climate change disrupts relationshipsHigher mean temperatures as associated with climate change can have a severe impact on plants and animals by disrupting their mutually beneficial relationship: The pasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris), for example, is very sensitive to rising temperatures by flowering earlier each year, whereas one of its major pollinators, a solitary bee species, does not quite keep pace by hatching earlier. In the worst case, this may cause the seed production of the plant to decrease and impair reproduction while requiring the bee to switch to other plants to forage on to compensate for the lack of food supply. |
 | Researchers use light to serve up on-demand genome foldingEvery cell in your body has a copy of your genome, tightly coiled and packed into its nucleus. Since every copy is effectively identical, the difference between cell types and their biological functions comes down to which, how and when the individual genes in the genome are expressed, or translated into proteins. |
 | Left eye? Right eye? American robins have preference when looking at decoy eggsJust as humans are usually left- or right-handed, other species sometimes prefer one appendage, or eye, over the other. A new study reveals that American robins that preferentially use one eye significantly more than the other when looking at their own clutch of eggs are also more likely to detect, and reject, a foreign egg placed in their nest by another bird species—or by a devious scientist. |
 | What motivates people to join—and stick with—citizen science projects?From searching for extraterrestrial life to tracking rainfall, non-experts are increasingly helping to gather information to answer scientific questions. One of the most established hands-on, outdoor citizen science projects is the University of Washington-based Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team, COASST, which trains beachgoers along the West Coast, from California to Alaska, to monitor their local beach for dead birds. |
 | An apple carries about 100 million bacteria—good luck washing them offTo the heroes among you who eat the whole apple: besides extra fiber, flavonoids and flavor, you're also quaffing 10 times as many bacteria per fruit as your core-discarding counterparts. |
 | Insects replace pesticides in Spain's 'Sea of Plastic'"They work for me night and day," smiles Antonio Zamora, standing in his greenhouse. His minuscule employees are bugs that feed on the parasites threatening his peppers. |
 | Some Pacific salmon populations are especially at risk from climate changeFour population groups of Pacific salmon in California, Oregon, and Idaho are especially vulnerable to climate change, according to a new study in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Lisa Crozier of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and colleagues. The results will be useful for prioritizing protection efforts for salmon populations along the entire west coast of the United States. |
 | Aussie drug offers hope for stamping out wombat-killing diseaseA disease that has ravaged wombats in southern Australia could be brought under control using a treatment commonly applied by pet owners on cats and dogs, researchers said Wednesday. |
 | Scientists complete first assessment of blood abnormalities in Antarctic penguin colonyScientists have completed the first study of immune and genetic stability among a colony of penguins living in a remote corner of southern Antarctica. |
 | Following the food trail to help right whalesScientists are gathering data on a flea-sized, fat-rich organism that could be key to predicting where North Atlantic right whales venture in their search for food in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. |
Rising CO2 levels could boost wheat yield but slightly reduce nutritional qualityLevels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) are rising, which experts predict could produce more droughts and hotter temperatures. Although these weather changes would negatively impact many plants' growth, the increased CO2 availability might actually be advantageous because plants use the greenhouse gas to make food by photosynthesis. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry say that a much higher CO2 level could increase wheat yield but slightly reduce its nutritional quality. | |
 | Monarch butterflies rely on temperature-sensitive internal timer while overwinteringThe fact that millions of North American monarch butterflies fly thousands of miles each fall and somehow manage to find the same overwintering sites in central Mexican forests and along the California coast, year after year, is pretty mind-blowing. |
 | A $3M collaborative research project on 'Rules of Life'The University of Rhode Island is leading a team that has been awarded a $3 million 5-year collaborative research grant from the National Science Foundation as part of its investment in 10 Big Ideas to serve the nation's future. Funded through NSF's Understanding the Rules of Life: Epigenetics program, researchers will work to better understand how changes in nutrition and energy through symbiosis can influence epigenetic changes in corals, and what it may mean for coral ecology. |
 | Picky pathogens help non-native tree species invadeWalk into a forest comprising only native trees, and you probably notice many different tree species around you, with no one species dominating the ecosystem. Such biodiversity—the variety of life and species in the forest—ensures that each species gets a role to play in the ecosystem, boosting forest health and productivity. However, when non-native trees invade, they form dense groups of a single species of tree. This bucks conventional wisdom because, in theory, pathogens—microscopic disease-causing organisms—should prevent this from happening. |
 | Light pollution may be increasing West Nile virus spillover from wild birdsWe're in the midst of summertime mosquito bite season and cities across the country are reporting a heightened number of West Nile Virus (WNV) cases. The house sparrow is one of the most common carriers of WNV in urban areas. Mosquitos feed off the infected birds and spread the virus to humans. New research finds house sparrows exposed to artificial light at night, such as what's used in parking lots, maintain higher burdens of WNV for longer than those who spend their nights in the dark. |
 | Rare rhinos among more than 200 animals killed by India floodsDevastating floods have killed more than 200 wild animals—including 17 threatened one-horned rhinos—in one of India's best-known national parks, officials said Wednesday. |
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