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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 28, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Astronomers detect an ultracompact X-ray binary using OGLEPolish astronomers have detected a new ultracompact X-ray binary as part of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE). The newly found binary, designated OGLE-UCXB-01, is an unusual periodic variable object with a relatively short orbital period. The finding is reported in a paper published August 22 on the arXiv pre-print server. |
 | Jupiter shows its true stripesThere's a reason why Jupiter's stripes are only skin deep. |
 | Wind mystery inside gas giant Saturn begins to unravelA new study argues that Saturn's interior flows like honey due to its magnetic field, which may help solve the mystery of why the planet's powerful winds stop 8,500km inside the giant gas planet. |
 | Gaia untangles the starry strings of the Milky WayRather than leaving home young, as expected, stellar 'siblings' prefer to stick together in long-lasting, string-like groups, finds a new study of data from ESA's Gaia spacecraft. |
 | Astronomers determine earth's fingerprint in hopes of finding habitable planets beyond the solar systemTwo McGill University astronomers have assembled a "fingerprint" for Earth, which could be used to identify a planet beyond our Solar System capable of supporting life. |
 | Star laws: What happens if you commit a crime in space?NASA is reportedly investigating what could be the first ever alleged crime in space. Astronaut Anne McClain has been accused of accessing her estranged spouse's bank account via the internet while on board the International Space Station (she denies the accusation). |
 | 'Green peas' provide clues to the early days of the universeIt is probable that primordial galaxies triggered the period in the history of the universe known as "cosmic reionization." The Geneva-based astronomer Anne Verhamme has succeeded in demonstrating this by studying green pea galaxies. In recognition of this work, the SNSF will award her this year's Marie Heim-Vögtlin prize on 16 September 2019. |
 | Cluster and XMM-Newton pave the way for SMILEA joint European-Chinese spacecraft, SMILE is currently scheduled for launch in 2023. It will be placed in a highly inclined, elliptical orbit around Earth, which will take it as far as 120 000 km from our planet. |
 | Europa: there may be life on Jupiter's moon and two new missions will pave the way for finding itIt's brilliant news. In just over a decade, there will be two spacecraft exploring one of the most habitable worlds in the solar system—Jupiter's moon Europa. That's thanks to a recent announcement by NASA that the orbiter Europa Clipper has been given the go ahead, scheduled to reach the moon at the beginning of the 2030s. |
 | ExoMars rover ready for environment testingThe Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover has completed its construction activities in the UK and will now depart to France for testing under the conditions of the Red Planet's environment. |
Technology news
 | A deep learning technique for context-aware emotion recognitionA team of researchers at Yonsei University and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) has recently developed a new technique that can recognize emotions by analyzing people's faces in images along with contextual features. They presented and outlined their deep learning-based architecture, called CAER-Net, in a paper pre-published on arXiv. |
 | New designs for jumping and wing-flapping microrobotsResearchers at the University of California (UC) Berkeley have recently designed two insect-scale microbots, one that jumps and another that flaps its artificial wings. These robot designs, presented in two papers pre-published on arXiv, mimic real biological behaviors observed in insects. The two microbots, referred to as the fruit fly bot and jumping µbot, were developed by Ph.D. student Palak Bhushan as part of his thesis under the supervision of his professor, Claire Tomlin. |
 | Water harvester makes it easy to quench your thirst in the desertIn 2017, UC Berkeley chemists demonstrated that a new MOF design could rapidly adsorb water from even dry air, allowing it to be condensed and collected for drinking. A second-generation MOF can now cycle through adsorption and desorption in 20 minutes, allowing continous collection of more than a liter per day per kilogram of MOF using solar power. The new MOF is the basis of a planned microwave-sized device that delivers 7-10 liters per day. |
 | Robotic thread is designed to slip through the brain's blood vesselsMIT engineers have developed a magnetically steerable, thread-like robot that can actively glide through narrow, winding pathways, such as the labrynthine vasculature of the brain. |
 | New ultra-soft underwater gripper safely catches and releases jellyfish without damageJellyfish are about 95% water, making them some of the most diaphanous, delicate animals on the planet. But the remaining 5% of them have yielded important scientific discoveries, like green fluorescent protein (GFP) that is now used extensively by scientists to study gene expression, and life cycle reversal that could hold the keys to combating aging. Jellyfish may very well harbor other, potentially life-changing secrets, but the difficulty of collecting them has severely limited the study of such "forgotten fauna." The sampling tools available to marine biologists on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) were largely developed for the marine oil and gas industries, and are much better-suited to grasping and manipulating rocks and heavy equipment than jellies, often shredding them to pieces in attempts to capture them. |
 | Humans and AI team up to improve clickbait detectionHumans and machines worked together to help train an artificial intelligence—AI—model that outperformed other clickbait detectors, according to researchers at Penn State and Arizona State University. In addition, the new AI-based solution was also able to tell the difference between clickbait headlines that were generated by machines—or bots—and ones written by people, they said. |
 | Artificial neural networks could be used to provide insight into biological systemsTeaching a computer to behave like a zebrafish wasn't Martin Haesemeyer's goal. |
 | Researcher finds that U.S. wireless networks are throttling video streaming 24/7All wireless carriers admit to doing it: They slow down internet speed for video streaming, sometimes claiming that it is necessary to do so in order to control network congestion. It's probably why the YouTube trailer for the new Star Wars movie took you forever to watch on the train ride home. |
 | Bell sees nimble autonomous cargo vehicle in flightBell has cause to celebrate its first autonomous test flight of a delivery drone, which took place in Fort Worth, Texas. |
 | Stretchable wireless sensor could monitor healing of cerebral aneurysmsA wireless sensor small enough to be implanted in the blood vessels of the human brain could help clinicians evaluate the healing of aneurysms—bulges that can cause death or serious injury if they burst. The stretchable sensor, which operates without batteries, would be wrapped around stents or diverters implanted to control blood flow in vessels affected by the aneurysms. |
 | Ride-hailing firm Grab to invest $500 million in VietnamRide-hailing giant Grab said on Wednesday it will invest $500 million over five years in Vietnam, the company's latest expansion in a key Southeast Asian market. |
 | Russia aims high with new passenger planeRussia on Wednesday unveiled to clients its new MC-21 passenger plane, billed as a competitor to Boeing and Airbus even though the project has been stymied by sanctions and glitches with its predecessor, the Sukhoi Superjet. |
 | Delivering new concepts for urban citizensThe city could be thought of as a living organism that requires inputs of energy, nutrients, and water and exudes wastes. Traditionally, engineers designed and managed the systems that bought energy and water into the city and removed solid and liquid waste. Food is distributed in a less centralized fashion, but still organized by large corporations. |
 | Hybrid sliding-rocking bridge columns are more earthquake-resistantBridges make travel faster and more convenient, but, in an earthquake, these structures are subject to forces that can cause extensive damage and make them unsafe. |
 | Majority of social media users are happy for their data to be used for research, study revealsSocial media users are generally positive about their personal data being used for research purposes, a study by the University of York has revealed. |
 | Fair comparison of desalination technologies puts heat on energy sourcesA novel way to assess the efficiency of rival desalination technologies could help to guide new developments to deliver potable water supplies in urban areas, shows research undertaken at KAUST. |
 | Ransomware attacks on cities are risingA ransomware campaign that targeted 23 US cities across Texas has raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of local governments and public services to cyber-attacks. These events come not long after similar attacks on governmental and business organizations in Indiana, Florida and elsewhere. They reflect a general shift in ransomware tactics from "spray and pray" attacks on large numbers of individual consumers, to "big game hunting," which targets organizations, usually through people in positions of power. |
 | Toyota, Suzuki partnering in self-driving car technologyJapan's top automaker, Toyota, and smaller rival Suzuki are partnering in the development of self-driving car technology, as manufacturers around the world grapple with innovations in the industry. |
 | Giving smart vehicles their sense of directionScientists around the world are racing to develop self-driving vehicles, but a few essential components have yet to be perfected. One is localization—the vehicle's ability to determine its place and motion. Another is mapping—the vehicles' ability to model its surroundings so that it can safely transport passengers to the right place. |
 | Five ways AI could make your car as smart as a human passengerDriving long distances without a passenger can be lonely. If you've ever done it, you might have wished for a companion to talk to—someone emotionally intelligent who can understand you and help you on the road. The disembodied voice of SatNav helps to fill the monotonous silence, but it can't hold a conversation or keep you safe. |
 | Google faces EU anti-trust probe for jobs search toolThe European Commission said Wednesday it had opened an investigation into Google's job search tool on competition grounds, having identified a conflict of interest. |
 | French cyberpolice break up massive 'botnet' ringFrench police have neutralised a hacking operation that had taken control of more than 850,000 computers, mainly in Latin America, while also managing to remove the malware from the infected devices. |
 | Apple apologizes for use of contractors to eavesdrop on SiriApple is apologizing for allowing outsiders to listen to snippets of people's recorded conversations with its digital assistant Siri, a practice that undermined its attempts to position itself as a trusted steward of privacy. |
 | French researcher hacks into Moscow's new e-voting systemA French researcher has exposed a security breach in an electronic voting system to be used in next month's municipal elections in Moscow, potentially giving hackers access to voters' choices. |
 | Measuring up: ONR tech makes sure aviators and aircraft are a perfect fitThe aspiring U.S. Navy pilot ran through a series of motions—sitting, kneeling, stretching out his arm—to gauge the type of aircraft cockpit his body would fit. |
 | Keeping high-performance computers cybersecurePacific Northwest National Laboratory is leading efforts to address next generation computing's critical role in protecting the nation from cybersecurity threats. |
 | New technologies can be a force for good in Africa if they're developed from the groundSub-Saharan Africa is at a point where new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) could present both opportunities and threats to development. But civil society, governments and international organisations need to make sure that everyone benefits from these technologies—not just elites. |
Brexit could cause major disruption to EU-UK data flowsUK businesses could be in for a huge headache if the government fails to secure an agreement on data flows between the E.U. and the U.K. post-Brexit, according to a new report published by UCL European Institute. | |
 | Argon spray preserves leftover bottled wineA young entrepreneur who is commercializing a product that cuts down wine waste one bottle at a time is seeing growing interest across the country – both online and from wine tasting rooms. |
 | Scientists develop a traffic monitoring system based on artificial intelligenceScientists of South Ural State University have developed a unique intelligent system for monitoring traffic flow using artificial intelligence, which does not require specific recording equipment and can work on almost any type of camera. The system instantly processes data received in real time, unlike existing programs in which processing incurs a delay of up to 10 to 15 minutes. An article on the results of the study was published in the Journal of Big Data. |
 | Digital tax deal in works but key questions 'outstanding': OECDG7 leaders announced at their Biarritz summit meeting this week a pledge to update international tax rules, in particular with regards to technology giants whose operations span the globe, by next year. |
 | Brussels mulls car use tax to cut traffic jamsOfficials in the Brussels region are looking at a new tax to tackle the city's notorious traffic jams by penalising heavy car use, the region's minister for mobility said Wednesday. |
 | Facebook tightens rules for political ads ahead of US electionsFacebook said Wednesday it would tighten its rules for political ad spending ahead of the 2020 US elections, notably by requiring more information about who is paying for campaign messages. |
 | Pinterest to direct vaccine-related searches to health orgsPinterest said Wednesday it will try to combat misinformation about vaccines by showing only information from health organizations when people search. |
 | Union, AT&T say 20,000 striking workers coming back to workAT&T and the Communications Workers of America said that the 20,000 AT&T workers in the Southeast who went on strike over the weekend were coming back to work Wednesday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Exposing how pancreatic cancer does its dirty workPancreatic cancer is one of the most insidious forms of the disease, in which an average of only 9% of patients are alive five years after diagnosis. One of the reasons for such a dismal outcome is that pancreatic cancer cells are able to escape from tumors and enter the bloodstream very early in the disease, meaning that by the time the cancer is discovered, it has usually already spread. Paradoxically, pancreatic tumors appear to almost lack blood vessels altogether, which prevents cancer drugs from reaching and killing them and has puzzled scientists and clinicians trying to understand how the disease progresses. |
 | What we don't know about prenatal opioid exposurePregnancy can be a time of anxious uncertainty, particularly if there are any risks of complications. The question always arises, from parents, grandparents, friends and others: "Will the baby be OK?" |
 | Red wine benefits linked to better gut health, study findsA study from King's College London has found that people who drank red wine had an increased gut microbiota diversity (a sign of gut health) compared to non-red wine drinkers as well as an association with lower levels of obesity and 'bad' cholesterol. |
 | Vaccine against deadly superbug Klebsiella effective in miceScientists have produced and tested, in mice, a vaccine that protects against a worrisome superbug: a hypervirulent form of the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae. And they've done so by genetically manipulating a harmless form of E. coli, report researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and VaxNewMo, a St. Louis-based startup. |
 | Popular pain medication associated with greater risk of hypoglycemiaSince its approval in 1995, the opioid tramadol (marketed as ConZip and Ultram) has become a widely prescribed remedy for osteoarthritis and other painful indications, in part because it presents a lesser risk for some side effects and has a lower abuse potential when compared to other opioids. It is currently ranked among the top five prescribed opioids and top 60 prescribed medications in the country. |
 | New MRI computing technique can spot scar muscles of heart without damaging kidneys3-D MRI computing can measure strain in the heart using image registration method. Traditional method involves giving the patient a dose of gadolinium which can affect the kidney, researchers at WMG, University of Warwick have found. |
 | More than a billion fewer cigarettes smoked each year as people ditch the cigsAround 1.4 billion fewer cigarettes are being smoked every year according to new research funded by Cancer Research UK, published today in JAMA Network Open. |
 | After 10-year search, scientists find second 'short sleep' geneAfter a decade of searching, the UC San Francisco scientists who identified the only human gene known to promote "natural short sleep"—lifelong, nightly sleep that lasts just four to six hours yet leaves individuals feeling fully rested—have discovered a second. |
 | Cancer cells 'corrupt' their healthy neighborsThe healthy cells immediately surrounding a tumour become more stem cell-like and support cancer growth, reveals a new study published in Nature. |
 | Researchers study how the insular cortex processes negative emotions and bodily statesThe insular cortex is an important, yet almost hidden part of the cerebral cortex. Here, sensory information, bodily states, feelings and emotions come together. However, how the insular cortex processes this information and how this affects behavior is largely unknown—knowledge that would help us to better understand the mechanisms involved in depression, anxiety and eating disorders, for example. Nadine Gogolla and her team at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology were now able to show how the insular cortex of mice processes such strong feelings as fear or bodily discomfort, and how this affects their behavior. |
 | Researchers probe microbiome-cancer treatment linkCancer immunotherapies have given patients with particularly intractable cancers new hope, but not everyone benefits. One such immunotherapy, known as CAR T-cell therapy, works only in about a third of the people who take it—and the reason may lie in the microbes residing in our guts. |
 | Lefty, righty brains count on same area for numbersLefties and righties may put pen to paper from different sides of the page, but when it comes to numbers, everything adds up using the same point in the brain, according to a recent Western study. The findings offer one more clue in toward helping kids who struggle with numerical and math skills. |
 | New sequencing study provides insight into HIV vaccine protectionIn a new study, scientists led by the U.S. Military HIV Research Program (MHRP) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research identified a transcriptional signature in B cells associated with protection from SIV or HIV infection in five independent trials of HIV-1 vaccine candidates. The gene expression signature was found to correlate with protection in the only human HIV vaccine trial that previously showed modest efficacy, RV144. Results from the study were published today in Science Translational Medicine. |
 | Scientists find how to block inflammatory molecules in mouse model of multiple sclerosisYour immune system comes ready for battle against bacteria, viruses, fungi and even cancer. But in cases of autoimmune disease, the immune system's superpowers turn it into a supervillain. Now, Salk Institute scientists have discovered a way to stop certain immune system cells from mistakenly attacking the body. Their findings, published the week of August 26, 2019, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest a new way to target Th17 helper T cells, a type of immune cell that produces interleukin 17, a molecule known to be at the root of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Previous efforts targeting Th17 helper T cells have had limited success. |
 | Millennials, think you're digitally better than us? Yes, according to scienceEmails, instant messaging, app notifications, RSS feeds, and a plethora of social networks inundate almost every aspect of daily life from work to home or just keeping in touch socially. Some people average more than four information technology (IT) switches per minute. This barrage of IT interruptions makes it increasingly difficult to focus on the task-at-hand. |
Brain stem cells have a good memoryThe cerebral cortex acts as the control centre of our cognitive processes. During embryogenesis, dozens of types of neurons with distinct functions come together to form the circuits that drive our thoughts and actions. These neurons are generated by progenitor cells, which produce them one after the other in a very precise order. While neuroscience textbooks establish the irreversible nature of this specialization process, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) now provide proof to the contrary. Indeed, when progenitor cells are transplanted into a young mouse embryo, they recover their past skills and rejuvenate. These results are now published in the journal Nature. By revealing an unsuspected progenitor plasticity, they shed new light on how the brain constructs itself. In the long term, they open up new perspectives for the regeneration of damaged cortical circuits. | |
 | Addition of growth factors to unique system helps new bone formationThe development of new bone can be a multistep process: first, stem cells differentiate into cartilage cells. Next, the cartilage cells become bone cells. But that's not all: the cells must experience some mechanical stresses during the transformation in order to transform efficiently from stem cells to bone cells. |
Waist size, not body mass index, may be more predictive of coronary artery diseaseFor years, women have been told that weight gain could lead to heart disease. A new study indicates that it is the location of the fat that matters most, with abdominal fat representing the greatest harm and not overall body mass index (BMI) when assessing risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). Results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). | |
 | Parental burnout can lead to harmful outcomes for parent and childWhen the daily stress of parenting becomes chronic it can turn into parental burnout, an intense exhaustion that leads parents to feel detached from their children and unsure of their parenting abilities, according to research published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. This type of burnout can have serious consequences for both parent and child, increasing parental neglect, harm, and thoughts about escape. |
 | Little-used drug combination may extend the lives of lung transplant patientsLung transplantation can prolong the lives of patients with end-stage lung disease, but the median survival rate after lung transplant is less than six years, which has improved only slightly in recent decades. To see what might help lung transplant recipients live longer, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) developed a novel epidemiological analysis of lung transplant data in the United States focused on regimens that prevent the body's immune system from attacking the transplanted lung. The study has identified a drug combination that appears to significantly extend patient survival. |
 | Exposure to second-hand e-cigarettes increasing among young peopleA growing number of middle- and high-school students are being exposed to second-hand aerosols from e-cigarettes by living with or being around individuals who are vaping, according to data from a national survey. |
 | Study finds many psychiatric disorders have heightened impulsivityIndividuals with many different psychiatric disorders have a higher tendency to choose smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards, a study led by Hamilton researchers has found. |
 | Some vaccine doubters may be swayed by proximity to disease outbreak, study findsAn individual's trust in institutions such as the CDC, and how close they live to a recent measles outbreak, may affect their attitudes on measles vaccination, according to a study published August 28, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Florian Justwan of the University of Idaho, USA, and colleagues. |
 | Music-based biofeedback shows promise in improving deadlift techniqueA study of 31 recreational weightlifters suggests that a real-time, music-based feedback system helps improve deadlift technique. Valerio Lorenzoni of Ghent University, Belgium, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on August 28, 2019. |
AAN issues guideline on vaccines and multiple sclerosisCan a person with multiple sclerosis (MS) get regular vaccines? According to a new guideline, the answer is yes. The guideline, developed by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), recommends that people with MS receive recommended vaccinations, including yearly flu shots. The guideline is published in the August 28, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the AAN, and is endorsed by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers and by the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. The guideline updates the 2002 AAN guideline on immunization and multiple sclerosis. | |
 | Pregnant women of color experience disempowerment by health care providersA new study finds that women of color perceive their interactions with doctors, nurses and midwives as being misleading, with information being "packaged" in such a way as to disempower them by limiting maternity health care choices for themselves and their children. |
 | Data shows Lyme threat in West largely due to Eastern ticksAccording to figures compiled by the Laboratory of Medical Zoology (LMZ), a national tick-testing service at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, tick submissions from California increased by just under 250 percent from 2017 to 2018, the largest single increase from any state, and are on track to match that level this year, as well, predicts microbiologist and LMZ director Stephen Rich. |
 | How an online test might help identify mental illnessesOutside prisons and jails, more than four million people in the United States are still monitored on probation and parole. Mental health disorders may affect about half a million of them—or perhaps more. No one is quite sure. |
 | Do weight loss interventions for children work?First came Kurbo, a new app launched by Weight Watchers (WW) on Aug 13 to help children ages 8 to 17 make healthier food choices and lose weight. |
 | How peer pressure does—and doesn't—influence our choicesIt's a familiar scenario: You go out to eat with a friend, and he or she orders a Caesar salad. Your friend's choice inspires you to order a salad, too—only you decide to mix things up a little and choose a chef salad instead. This scenario sits at the center of a persistent marketing puzzle: Why are we more likely to copy our friends in certain domains but not in others? |
 | Study links body clock to obesity and diabetesDoes skipping a meal at particular times of day reduce your chances of developing obesity or diabetes? |
 | New best practice approach to resuscitation competence and data management unveiled for hospitalsAn integrated resuscitation product pairing combining the latest in resuscitation science, data management and quality improvement solutions is being offered by the American Heart Association, the leading voluntary health organization devoted to a world of longer, healthier lives, and RQI Partners, its partnership with Laerdal Medical. |
 | Pole dancing popularity on the riseResearch from The University of Western Australia has found that although there is still a stigma associated with pole dancing, the activity is quickly growing in popularity in Australia with many women finding great benefits for their mental and physical health. |
 | Researchers describe a mechanism inducing self-killing of cancer cellsResearchers have described a new mechanism which induces the self-killing of cancer cells by perturbing ion homeostasis. A research team from the KAIST Department of Biochemical Engineering has developed helical polypeptide potassium ionophores that lead to the onset of programmed cell death. The ionophores increase the active oxygen concentration to stress endoplasmic reticulum to the point of cellular death. |
 | Could more time off for military members provide mental health benefits?Officials at the Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina are giving service members a day off following the suicides of several airmen. They will also get another day off in September, and gather for small-group training to address suicide prevention. Could the down days bolster the mental health of airmen? |
 | Looking to start the school year off on the right foot? Get more sleepThere is a palpable buzz at the beginning of every school year on campus. There are new classes, new professors and new friends to make. The start of a new school year—not unlike New Year's Eve—is often accompanied by an optimistic outlook to do better, be better and accomplish more. |
 | A rose-tinted cure:The myth of colored overlays and dyslexiaIt is claimed that the use of colored filters and lenses can alleviate visual distortions for people with dyslexia. These overlays are simple translucent pieces of plastic which add color to text. But I believe they should not be recommended as a treatment or a form of support for people with dyslexia because there is a lack of convincing scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness. |
 | The science behind diet trendsEvery year a new batch of diets become trendy. In the past, the blood group, ketogenic, Pioppi and gluten-free diets were among the most popular. These have made way for the mono diet, charcoal detox, Noom, time-restricted feeding and Fast800. |
 | When a baby is stillborn, grandparents are hit with 'two lots of grief'Six babies are stillborn every day in Australia. This significant loss affects parents for years to come, often the rest of their lives. However, stillbirth also affects many others, including grandparents. |
 | How do whales fight off cancer?Oxford University epidemiologist Richard Peto was puzzled by a paradox: If cancer is a function of individual cells going haywire, wouldn't an organism with a lot more cells, say a whale, have a greater chance of getting cancer than a human or a mouse? |
 | Decline in mortality rates for cardiometabolic disease slowingAge-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) for cardiometabolic diseases are continuing to decline but at a slower rate, according to a research letter published online Aug. 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | An easy recipe for healthier back-to-school lunchesGetting kids to eat right can be a challenge, but an easy place to start is with the lunch they bring to school. Make the contents of their lunchbox more fun, and they'll be more likely to eat what you pack. These creative tips will make this meal more nutritious, too. |
 | Personality reboots are possible, studies suggestDo you ever think that being more at ease at social and business functions could make you happier or possibly help you get ahead at work? |
 | Intermittent fasting: 'Fast and feast' diet works for weight lossTired of that spare tire? |
 | Third locally transmitted dengue fever case confirmed in Miami-Dade CountyThe third locally transmitted case of dengue fever this year has been confirmed in Miami-Dade County, the Florida Department of Health announced Friday. |
 | The 10-cent tuberculosis test that's saving livesNews of a cure for the deadliest strain of tuberculosis is making headlines around the world. However, before treatment can begin, TB must first be diagnosed. |
 | Signal blocks stem cell division in the geriatric brainScientists from Basel have investigated the activity of stem cells in the brain of mice and discovered a key mechanism that controls cell proliferation. According to the researchers, the gene regulator Id4 controls whether stem cells remain in a state of rest or enter cell division. The results were published in Cell Reports and may be relevant for treating neurodegenerative disease in human brains. |
 | Childhood injuries could decrease with balance training in schoolsBalance is part of a child's successful progression in fundamental development. Higher levels of balance can help reduce injuries in children, as well as increase their ability to participate in a variety of sports and activities. |
 | Could marriage stave off dementia?Dementia and marital status could be linked, according to a new Michigan State University study that found married people are less likely to experience dementia as they age. |
 | Moisturizers may be turning your skin into 'swiss cheese'Visit any drugstore and you'll find a dizzying array of choices for skin-care products. |
Probiotic use can lead to major economic and health savings related to flu-like illnessesA study published on August 27 in Frontiers in Pharmacology found that general probiotic use in the U.S. could save the health care payer and the economy around $1.4 billion in medical bills and lost productivity due to acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs). | |
 | High-protein bedtime snacks no problem for active womenPhysically active women who have foresworn bedtime snacks should feel no fear cracking open the cupboards after sundown for a protein-rich treat, according to new Florida State University-led research. |
 | Blinking lights don't make a better knee brace – fighting cognitive biases in testing orthopedic devicesAs a researcher in a health-care-related field, I am keenly aware of how frequently economics enters the discussion these days. I am a biomedical engineer who works with patients using orthopedic devices: prosthetics, such as an artificial limb; and orthotics, which help improve the function of an intact limb, like a knee brace or custom shoe insert. In recent years, these devices have become far more complex and technologically advanced, to the point where they can sense walking patterns and modify their function accordingly. Others contain motorized components to add power. |
 | Can you hear what I say? New findings on human speech recognitionNeuroscientists at TU Dresden were able to prove that speech recognition in humans begins in the sensory pathways from the ear to the cerebral cortex and not, as previously assumed, exclusively in the cerebral cortex itself. |
 | How blood sugar levels affect risks in type 1 diabetesA major new study on the association between blood glucose levels and risks of organ impairment in people with type 1 diabetes can make a vital contribution to diabetes care, in the researchers' view. |
 | How your brain remembers motor sequencesEver wondered what was going on in the brain of John Coltrane when he played the famous solo on his album Giant Steps? Researchers at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Japan, and Western University, Canada, have succeeded in visualizing how information is represented in a widespread area in the human cerebral cortex during a performance of skilled finger movement sequences. |
One in nine Australian women live with endometriosisA new figure has been put on the number of women in Australia living with endometriosis. | |
 | Doctors don't always know what patients will owe for medsIt's the No. 1 reason patients don't fill their prescriptions: sticker shock. |
Spanish kids get 'werewolf syndrome' in medicine mix-upAt least 17 children developed so-called "werewolf syndrome" in a major medicine mix-up in Spain, the health ministry said Wednesday. | |
HIV-positive New Yorkers are living longer but still dying from underlying infection, not just from old ageA review of the autopsy reports of 252 men and women who died of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in New York City between 1984 and 2016 reveals several long-term trends in combatting the epidemic. The infectious disease is known for drastically lowering the body's immune defenses and is spread by the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. | |
 | Lab's marketing challenge: Recruit veterans for PTSD studyTo prove that a medical treatment works, scientists must run not just one human trial but several. This poses a challenge that many scientists aren't formally trained to tackle: Recruit hundreds of participants through elaborate marketing and networking. |
 | A PoEM on breast cancer metastasisWhen breast cancer cells spread through the body, they do so mainly through the lymph system that normally removes excess fluid and waste products from our tissues. Now, scientists from the group of Professor Massimiliano Mazzone (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology) identified a novel subset of immune cells, called Podoplanin-expressing macrophages (PoEMs), that change the tissues near a tumor in a way that promotes the spreading of cancer cells. Getting rid of these PoEMs in a mouse model strongly reduced the ability of breast cancer cells to move to other parts of the body. |
 | Healthy foods more important than type of diet to reduce heart disease riskEveryone knows that achieving or maintaining a healthy body weight is one key to preventing cardiovascular disease. But even experts don't agree on the best way to achieve that goal, with some recommending eliminating carbohydrates and others emphasizing reducing fats to lose weight. Few studies have investigated the effects of these specific macronutrients on cardiovascular health. |
 | Teen birth control use linked to depression risk in adulthoodWomen who used oral contraceptives during adolescence are more likely to develop depression as adults, suggests new research from the University of British Columbia. |
 | Depression linked to costly chronic medical conditions and disability among aging minoritiesMore than 50 percent of older Chinese American immigrants experience depressive symptoms linked to increased disabilities and chronic health conditions, according to two new Rutgers studies. |
 | Gout 'more than doubles' risk of kidney failure, according to research studyPatients with gout are at increased risk of chronic kidney disease and kidney failure, according to new University of Limerick (UL), Ireland led research. |
 | Salvage therapy does not up survival for progressive myeloma(HealthDay)—For myeloma patients with progressive disease (PD) after induction therapy, deepening of response through salvage therapy is not associated with improved progression-free or overall survival, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in Leukemia & Lymphoma. |
 | Losing 20 lb improves knee replacement outcomes(HealthDay)—Losing at least 20 lb before total knee arthroplasty is associated with better outcomes among morbidly obese patients, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. |
 | Long-term night-shift work may up risk for multiple sclerosis(HealthDay)—A history of 20+ years of rotating night-shift work is associated with an increased risk for definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study published online Aug. 12 in Occupational & Environmental Medicine. |
 | Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors may up pancreatic disease risk(HealthDay)—Use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) is associated with increased risks for pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Low nurse and support staffing tied to higher inpatient mortality(HealthDay)—Low levels of nurse and nursing support staffing are associated with increased inpatient mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in BMJ Quality & Safety. |
 | Mysterious stroke at 38 changed how popular speaker connects with a crowdAs the author of 11 books about education, Allison Zmuda has long been a highly sought speaker about approaches to learning. |
 | Patients comfortable with postoperative telehealth visits(HealthDay)—Despite initial hesitancy, plastic surgery patients are satisfied with postoperative telehealth visits, according to a study published in the August issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. |
 | Planned delivery reduces impact of potentially fatal pregnancy complication, trial findsIn research published today in The Lancet and funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), researchers from King's College London have found that early, planned delivery for women with pre-term pre-eclampsia reduces complications and severe hypertension, as well as costs, compared to the current method of care. |
 | The role of a single molecule in obesityA single cholesterol-derived molecule, called 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC), lurks inside your bloodstream and will increase your body fat, even if you don't eat a diet filled with red meat and fried food. That kind of diet, however, will increase the levels of 27HC and body weight. |
Autism rates increasing fastest among black, Hispanic youthAutism rates among racial minorities in the United States have increased by double digits in recent years, with black rates now exceeding those of whites in most states and Hispanic rates growing faster than any other group, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research. | |
 | Clostridium difficile infections may have a friend in fungiThe pathogen Clostridium difficile, which causes one of the most common hospital-acquired infections in the United States, may have accomplices that until now have gone largely unnoticed. |
Team reduces secondary cardiac events through virtual cardiac rehabilitation programKaiser Permanente has demonstrated promising results in reducing secondary cardiac events and rehospitalizations by creating a virtual cardiac rehabilitation program that fits seamlessly into patients' lives. Increasing rates of program enrollment and completion have been key factors in the improved outcomes. Results and details about the program were published today in NEJM Catalyst. | |
Behavioral therapy, physical strengthening may prevent disability in minority eldersA randomized controlled trial of a new disability prevention intervention, called Positive Minds-Strong Bodies (PMSB), indicates that improving coping skills and physical strengthening can significantly improve functioning and mood in racial and ethnic minority and immigrant older adults. A report on this multi-site clinical trial is being published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and is now available online. | |
 | Narrowing risk of preeclampsia to a specific phenotypeThe force of blood traveling through your arteries and veins determines much of your heart health. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, stroke and chronic kidney disease, and when it's coupled with type 1 diabetes and pregnancy, it can put both the mother and the baby at risk. |
Ecopipam reduces stuttering symptoms in proof-of-concept trialA team led by a psychiatrist at the University of California, Riverside, has tested the orally administered investigational medication ecopipam on adults who stutter in an open-label, uncontrolled clinical trial and found that it reduced their stuttering symptoms from the start of therapy after eight weeks of dosing. | |
 | Community-based wildlife carcass surveillance is key for early detection of Ebola virusHuman Ebola epidemics, like the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are known to start from a contact with wildlife infected with Ebola virus. In the early 2000s a series of such outbreaks in Central Africa began from different infected animal sources. In response, WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) and NIH (National Institutes of Health) scientists partnered with the Republic of Congo Ministry of Health to develop a low-cost educational outreach program and surveillance system for wildlife mortality that has continued now for over a decade. While the region is a high-risk zone, Republic of Congo has not had a human case or detection of Ebola virus since 2005. The study authors provide the first description of the early warning system for Ebola in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. |
US agency sees low risk in contaminated blood pressure drugsU.S. health officials on Wednesday tried to reassure patients that they face very low risks from ongoing contamination problems with widely prescribed blood pressure drugs. | |
 | In Ethiopia, a rehab centre takes on khat addictionYonas Getu Molla started chewing khat as an architecture student, when he and his friends would munch on the leafy stimulant late into the night to help them study. |
 | OxyContin maker negotiating settlement worth a reported $12BPurdue Pharma and the thousands of state and local governments suing the maker of OxyContin over the nation's deadly opioid crisis are negotiating a $10 billion to $12 billion settlement under which the Sackler family would give up ownership of the company, according to published reports. |
 | J&J verdict sends opioid makers a billion-dollar warningThe US pharmaceutical industry faces tens of billions of dollars in potential damage payments for fueling the opioid addiction crisis after Oklahoma won a $572 million judgment against drugmaker Johnson & Johnson. |
 | Expert applauds new draft recommendation for HCV screeningA new draft recommendation for hepatitis C virus (HCV) that recommends screening for adults ages 18 to 79 is exactly what's needed to address the dramatic increase in incidence of the disease, according to a University at Buffalo professor who is an expert on HCV. |
 | As opioid settlements grow, so do questions about the moneyOklahoma's legal fight against the opioid industry has racked up settlements and judgments of nearly $1 billion, but as the numbers keep rising, so do concerns over how that money will be spent. |
 | Sick and dying workers demand help after cleaning coal ashThe Tennessee Valley Authority, long respected for providing good jobs and cheap electricity, is facing a growing backlash over its handling of a massive coal ash spill a decade ago, with potentially serious consequences for an industry often opposed to environmental regulation. |
 | Personalizing drug development using big dataA new computer program developed at the University of Arizona College of Medicine—Tucson and recently licensed to startup INTelico Therapeutics, LLC, is pushing the envelope of precision medicine. By integrating the genetic information from millions of patients, researchers are able to use the new technology to predict the effects of personalized courses of drug therapy based on an individual's unique genetic makeup. |
 | Hurricane evacuation of nursing home residents still an unsolved challengeHurricane season is here, with the historical peak of the Atlantic season approaching. While these storms can be terrifying, when a bad one is on the way, people usually have time to prepare. One key decision is choosing whether to flee to a safe location or ride out the storm in our homes. |
 | Purdue Pharma settlement would see Sacklers out: reportsThe wealthy Sackler family would give up control of Purdue Pharma as part of a court settlement being negotiated with the drugmaker accused of fueling the opioid crisis, newspapers reported on Wednesday. |
Youth: Transgender people should use bathroom they're most comfortable inYoung people clash with older adults when it comes to bathroom policies related to gender identity, a University of Michigan study suggests. | |
Biology news
 | Organ-on-a-chip: 3-D self-rolled biosensor array to electrically interrogate electrogenic cellsCell to cell communication plays an important role in coordinating the function of biological systems. Three-dimensional (3-D) spheroids (cell aggregates) allow biologists to explore cellular communication during tissue development and drug discovery since their 3-D architecture can mimic in vivo microenvironments in the lab. Cellular electrophysiology is an existing signaling technique to study electroactive cells (heart cells, neurons). However, the technique does not yet provide direct and simultaneous investigations of tissues at multiple sites in 3-D. In a new report now published on Science Advances, Anna Kalmykov and an interdisciplinary research team in the departments of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering in the U.S. and Singapore, developed 3-D, self-rolled biosensor arrays (3-D-SR-BA). They built-in active field effective transistors or passive microelectrodes within the devices to interface with encapsulated 3-D human cardiac spheroids to investigate electrogenic cell behavior. |
 | Using artificial intelligence to track birds' dark-of-night migrationsOn many evenings during spring and fall migration, tens of millions of birds take flight at sunset and pass over our heads, unseen in the night sky. Though these flights have been recorded for decades by the National Weather Services' network of constantly scanning weather radars, until recently these data have been mostly out of reach for bird researchers. |
 | Birds of a feather flock together, but only in similar climatesOne might assume that birds of flight are cosmopolitan travelers, and bird species should be distributed far and wide, spread across long distances—continents even. However, a study led by Alex White, Ph.D., a former University of Chicago graduate student now at National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C, shows that a bird has strong ties to the climate patterns of its habitat. As a result, the geographical distribution of birds may be more restricted than we think. |
 | Model: Drastic ash tree dieback in U.K. unless breeding program institutedMatthew Evans, a biology professor at the University of Hong Kong, has created a computer model that shows the likely impact of dieback disease on ash trees in the U.K. In his paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, he describes the model and what he believes resource managers can do to reduce the loss of trees. |
 | Mathematical modeling shows why animals see at nightNocturnal and diurnal mammals see the same—but only for a brief time. When mice are born, the chromatin in the cells of their eyes has a diurnal structure. Day by day, the layout of this chromatin slowly inverts, allowing the mice to see at night. How this change happens was a mystery. |
 | High-end microscopy reveals structure and function of crucial metabolic enzymeThe enzyme transhydrogenase plays a central role in regulating metabolic processes in animals and humans alike. Malfunction can lead to serious disorders. For the first time, structural biologists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) have now visualized and analyzed the enzyme's atomic structure with the support of the institute's newly installed high-end cryo-electron microscope. The study presented in the journal Nature is relevant for the development of currently unavailable therapeutic options. |
 | Researchers determine pollen abundance and diversity in five major pollinator-dependent cropsA new study provides valuable insights into pollen abundance and diversity available to honeybee colonies employed in five major pollinator-dependent crops in Oregon and California, including California's massive almond industry. |
 | New insights into genetic basis of bird migrationA gene newly associated with the migratory patterns of golden-winged and blue-winged warblers could lend insight into the longstanding question of how birds migrate across such long distances. |
 | Researchers use epigenetics to determine the age of dolphinsCan you tell the difference between a young dolphin and an old one? Neither can scientists—not without pulling a tooth, sawing it in half and counting the growth layers like the rings of a tree. |
 | Lessons on parasitism from the curious DicyemidaThe incredible diversity of life forms on the planet led Charles Darwin to note, "From so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved." In order to gain a true understanding of the power and limitations of evolution to produce such "endless forms," it is important to study a variety of organisms from across the tree of life. Luckily, next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled in-depth genomic analysis of virtually any organism, expanding the scope of powerful evolutionary analyses beyond model organisms. For example, take the decidedly unusual animal, the Dicyemida. |
 | Farmers, researchers try to hold off deadly citrus greening long enough to find cureIn an orange grove outside Exeter, California, workers climb aluminum ladders to pick fruit with expert speed. California produces 80 percent of the nation's fresh oranges, tangerines and lemons, most of it in small Central California communities like these. |
 | Researchers calculating the scientific value of trees in one lush neighborhoodPerhaps more than anywhere else in Miami, the streets of Coconut Grove are dappled with sunlight and shadow. Look overhead and you'll see why. |
 | Shameless thief or good forest citizen? Weka bring hidden benefits to New Zealand forestsWeka are often portrayed as little more than sandwich-stealing scallywags. The large, brown flightless bird's tendency to be curious and gobble any food available (whether it be an unwatched biscuit, penguin egg or endangered gecko) also makes them troublesome for conservationists. However, a new study by University of Canterbury and Department of Conservation researchers has found that these charismatic birds also perform important services for Aotearoa New Zealand forests. |
 | The role of GABA neurons in the central circadian clockThe research team led by Dr. Daisuke Ono and Prof. Akihiro Yamanaka of the Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, along with collaborators, has revealed that inhibitory neurons (GABAergic neurons) of the central circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) refine circadian output rhythms. |
 | Isotopes in poop show where secretive jaguars huntHow do you follow a predator so elusive that its nickname is "shadow cat"? |
 | Wildlife protections tightened as southern Africa protestsA global wildlife summit has decided to regulate trade in giraffes and tighten protections for endangered animals including elephants, triggering a threat from disgruntled southern African nations to leave an international treaty. |
 | New DNA sequencer method achieves early-stage and broad-range detection of wheat diseasesPlant diseases, especially those caused by fungal pathogens, jeopardize global crop biosecurity and preventing them requires rapid detection and identification of causal agents. Traditional methods for crop disease diagnosis rely on the expertise of pathologists who can identify diseases by eye, but this approach comes with many limitations, including the reliance on physical appearance of disease symptoms. |
 | Grassland biodiversity is blowing in the windTemperate grasslands are the most endangered but least protected ecosystems on Earth. Grassland restorations are crucial for recovering this important but highly degraded ecosystem. Restored grasslands, however, tend to be more species poor and lose diversity through time as compared to remnant, or never-been plowed, grasslands. A new study from the University of Missouri found that milkweeds and other plants that have seeds carried by the wind are an important source for enriching the diversity of plants in these valuable ecosystems. |
 | Can global matcha craze save Japan's tea industry?From matcha ice cream to cake and chocolate, producers of traditional Japanese green tea are capitalising on growing global interest in its flavour—even as demand for the drink declines at home. |
 | Rare Caribbean gecko given highest level of protection under CITESThe Union Island gecko, found only in St Vincent & the Grenadines, is to be listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). |
 | New mussel discoveries in Myanmar spark calls for protectionEight new freshwater mussels have been discovered by an international team of scientists in Myanmar, a finding that has sparked calls for action to protect this most vulnerable of freshwater animals. |
 | Science wages a battle against the swine sector's costliest virusPeople who work in the swine sector have declared war on what is known as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), responsible for millions in losses, not only in Spain, but throughout the world. Although it was discovered in the 90s, in recent years the sector has faced the emergence of new, more virulent strains that have, in some instances, devastated farms' entire pig populations. Fighting against this disease today is very difficult, as each of the strains of this virus behaves differently, so no effective vaccine against it has been developed. |
VGP generates largest number of high-quality genomes of iconic and endangered speciesThe Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP) and collaborators are announcing the second data set of the largest number (101) of chromosomal-level genome assemblies of vertebrates towards completing Phase 1 of the VGP, which includes one representative species per vertebrate order or ~260 species. These 101 genomes, most finished or in their final stages of assembly, demonstrate the success of the VGP in utilizing and developing experimental and computational tools for scalability to achieve the goal of producing high-quality, near error-free, and complete chromosomal-level genome assemblies of all 70,000 extant vertebrate species on Earth. The VGP revised the number of vertebrate species upwards from 66,000 since its first data set because of updates in species identification and classifications. | |
 | Russia seizes over 4,000 smuggled endangered tortoisesRussian border guards have seized more than 4,000 endangered wild tortoises after they were smuggled out of Kazakhstan, officials said. |
 | Yahoo Japan to end ivory trade on its websitesYahoo Japan said Wednesday it will end the trade of ivory on all its websites from November, after pressure from conservationists. |
Animal ethics and animal behavioral science—bridging the gapThe moral status of animals is an important emerging topic for society, one that is leading to significant changes at academic, political, and legal levels in both wealthy and developing nations. However, some fields, such as animal behavioral science, have remained relatively aloof, despite producing evidence that is deeply enmeshed in animal ethics arguments. | |
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