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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 20, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Open cluster NGC 2345 investigated in detailEuropean astronomers have performed a comprehensive study of the young open cluster NGC 2345. The new research resulted in determining fundamental parameters of dozens of stars in the cluster and also unveiled the presence of new members. The findings are detailed in a paper published September 11 on arXiv.org. |
 | Comet gateway discovered to inner solar system, may alter fundamental understanding of comet evolutionA new study led by a University of Central Florida researcher may fundamentally alter our understanding of how comets arrive from the outskirts of the solar system and are funneled to the inner solar system coming closer to Earth. |
 | Venus puts on variety show among its cloud topsStudies of the cloud-tops of Venus by JAXA's Akatsuki spacecraft show striking variety in wind speeds year-on-year and between the planet's northern and southern hemispheres. The first fine-scale observations of cloud-top temperatures have also revealed a tendency for clouds to converge towards the equator at night, in contrast to poleward circulation seen previously in daytime studies. |
 | Drones probe terrestrial dust devils to better understand the atmosphere of MarsDust devils, small dusty whirlwinds, have been studied for decades. But, says Brian Jackson, an associate professor in the Department of Physics at Boise State University, the ability of dust devils to lift dust into the atmosphere remains murky. "When we compare theoretical predictions of how much dust a devil should lift to how much it does lift, the numbers just don't add up," says Jackson. |
 | Introducing VPLanet: A virtual planet simulator for modeling distant worlds across timeUniversity of Washington astrobiologist Rory Barnes has created software that simulates multiple aspects of planetary evolution across billions of years, with an eye toward finding and studying potentially habitable worlds. |
 | Venus takes center stage in October 2020 observation campaignNext October, Venus will be the focus of an international campaign of coordinated observations involving two space agencies, three missions and multiple ground-based telescopes and planetary scientists around the world. The collaboration aims to shed new light on the thick and complex atmosphere of Venus. Plans for the campaign and a call for astronomers to participate have been announced today by Dr. Yeon Joo Lee of TU Berlin and Dr. Valeria Mangano of INAF-IAPS at the EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting in Geneva. |
 | From clouds to craters: Mars ExpressThis beautiful view from ESA's Mars Express stretches from the bright, cloud-covered north pole of Mars to the contrasting hues of the northern hemisphere and the cratered terrain in the south. |
Technology news
 | Using machine learning to reconstruct deteriorated Van Gogh drawingsResearchers at TU Delft in the Netherlands have recently developed a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based model to reconstruct drawings that have deteriorated over time. In their study, published in Springer's Machine Vision and Applications, they specifically used the model to reconstruct some of Vincent Van Gogh's drawings that were ruined over the years due to ink fading and discoloration. |
 | Wearable brain-machine interface could control a wheelchair, vehicle or computerCombining new classes of nanomembrane electrodes with flexible electronics and a deep learning algorithm could help disabled people wirelessly control an electric wheelchair, interact with a computer or operate a small robotic vehicle without donning a bulky hair-electrode cap or contending with wires. |
 | A bathroom scale could monitor millions with heart failureMillions of heart failure patients are readmitted to hospitals every few months to adjust medications. It sends medical costs sky-high and patients suffer unnecessarily. A new bathroom scale could give clinicians the data they need to cut hospitalizations and treat patients remotely before they suffer too much. |
 | Introducing 'mesh,' a memory-saving plug-in that could boost phone and computer performanceApplications like web browsers or smartphone apps often use a lot of memory. To address this, a research group co-led by Emery Berger, a professor of computer science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has developed a system they call Mesh that can automatically reduce such memory demands. Berger is presenting this work today at Cppcon, the C++ conference in Aurora, Colorado. |
 | Smart devices need to get smarter to help save energyAs the growth in connected devices outstrips that of conventional home appliances, consumers will find it increasingly more difficult to understand which electrical devices are consuming the most power in their homes, and what to do about it, according to Omar Isaac Asensio, an assistant professor in the Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Public Policy. |
 | Akamai speaks out on uptick of DDoS attacksInternet security's big bully: Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) which messes up normal traffic of a targeted server or network with a flood of HTTP requests, malformed packets. Crash, bam boom. Missions accomplished. Users cannot get back in. |
 | FAA chief meets Boeing officials, tries out Max simulatorThe chief of the Federal Aviation Administration tested the Boeing 737 Max in a flight simulator Thursday, but the FAA declined to say how its updated anti-stall software performed. |
 | Zuckerberg meets Trump, senators; nixes breaking up FacebookFacebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg met Thursday with US President Donald Trump and members of Congress on a political reconnaissance mission to Washington, where he rejected calls to break up the world's biggest social network. |
 | Google green energy buys boost 'carbon-free' portfolioGoogle on Thursday announced a record-high boost to its green electricity purchases, saying the deals will spur construction of millions of solar panels and hundreds of wind turbines. |
 | US fines Hyundai $47 mn over dirty diesel enginesSouth Korean shipbuilding and industrial firm Hyundai Heavy Industries will pay a $47 million fine for illegally importing and selling dirty diesel engines in violation of American environmental rules, US authorities announced Thursday. |
 | Google plans to invest 3 billion euros in EuropeGoogle's top boss said Friday the tech giant is planning to invest 3 billion euros to expand its data centers across Europe in the next two years. |
 | Norway's Equinor, British SSE chosen for world's biggest offshore wind farmNorway's Equinor and Britain's SSE Renewables have been selected to build the world's largest offshore wind farm off the British coast, an investment of 10.2 billion euros ($11.3 billion), Equinor said on Friday. |
 | Twitter closes thousands of fake news accounts worldwideTwitter said Friday it shut down thousands of accounts worldwide for spreading misinformation, including some artificially amplifying pro-Saudi messaging as part of a regional propaganda war. |
 | Why don't we have electric aircraft?Electric cars, trains, trams and boats already exist. That logically leads to the question: why are we not seeing large electric aircraft? And will we see them any time soon? |
 | Scorching growth for renewables thanks to solar: IEAGrowth in the renewable electricity generation sector has returned to a double-digit pace thanks to a surge in the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, the International Energy Agency said Friday. |
 | New AI program better at detecting depressive language in social mediaA new technology using artificial intelligence detects depressive language in social media posts more accurately than current systems and uses less data to do it. |
 | If robots take our jobs, what will it mean for climate change?Nearly half of the tasks currently undertaken by humans could already be automated, even at current levels of technology. Within the next decade it is likely large sections of society will be looking for new jobs. |
 | Google's Nest Hub Max is bigger, pricier and you can make callsA year ago, we were so impressed with what was then called the Google Home Hub, we called it one of the top 10 best tech products of 2018, with one caveat. We wished it could be bigger. |
 | Researchers revolutionize 3-D printed products with data-driven design methodAdditive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional printing, is a process that fabricates parts in a layer-by-layer manner by adding and processing materials. Advancements in AM technology have enabled the processing of a wide range of materials to create products in varying scales which span from medical implants to aircraft engine parts. These products, which can be rich in shape, material, hierarchical and functional complexities, offer high potential to revolutionize existing product development processes. |
 | Amazon taps Rivian to build 100,000 custom electric delivery vans at its Illinois factory, starting in 2021Rivian, the startup electric truck manufacturer, will build 100,000 custom electric delivery vehicles exclusively for Amazon beginning in 2021, the companies said Thursday. |
 | Payouts from insurance policies may fuel ransomware attacksThe call came on a Saturday in July delivering grim news: Many of the computer systems serving the government of LaPorte County, Indiana, had been taken hostage with ransomware. The hackers demanded $250,000. |
 | Scientists develop novel biophotovoltaics systemResearchers from the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have reported a novel biophotovoltaics (BPV) system based on a synthetic microbial consortium with constrained electron flow. This BPV system can stably operate for more than 40 days, setting a new BPV longevity milestone, according to a recent article in Nature Communications. |
 | Microsoft: Free Windows 7 security updates for 2020 electionMicrosoft said Friday it will offer free security updates through the 2020 election in the United States—and in other interested democratic countries with national elections next year—for federally certified voting systems running on soon-to-be-outdated Windows 7 software. |
 | Why you don't need a 5G phone just yetNo 5G iPhone? No problem. You probably don't want one anyway. |
 | House intel chief says Facebook working on election threatsThe head of the House Intelligence Committee said Friday he has been assured by the CEO of Facebook that the company is working on ways to prevent foreign actors from disrupting next year's elections. |
Tinder users get 'apocalyptic' reality show on date experienceIf dating were not scary enough already, users of the Tinder app will now be able to simulate the experience with an interactive reality show where they choose partners for a character just before the end of the world. | |
 | Facebook suspends 'tens of thousands' of apps in privacy reviewFacebook said Friday it suspended "tens of thousands" of apps on its platform as a result of a privacy practices review launched following a scandal involving Cambridge Analytica. |
 | GM's offer to UAW would add lower-paying jobsA General Motors offer to invest $7 billion in U.S. facilities includes $2 billion from joint ventures and suppliers for new plants that would pay workers less than the top union wage, a person briefed on the matter said. |
 | Mitsubishi Corp unit loses $320 mn in unauthorised tradesMajor Japanese trading house Mitsubishi Corp said Friday it was carrying out an investigation after its Singapore-based subsidiary lost $320 million because of unauthorised trades by an employee. |
 | Instagram is cracking down on questionable weight-loss ads and cosmetic surgeryInstagram doesn't want teens seeing questionable weightloss product ads on its platform, so it's doing something about it. |
Medicine & Health news
 | CAR T cell therapy: On the cusp of 'an immunotherapy revolution'?A deeper understanding of the immune system's role in controlling cancer has helped drive "an immunotherapy revolution," offering hope for many patients with previously incurable cancers, including children, doctors have concluded in a new report. |
 | Scientists identify a personality feature that could predict how often you exerciseIndividuals who make concrete plans to meet their goals may engage in more physical activity, including visits to the gym, compared to those who don't plan quite so far ahead, research shows. These research findings, published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, suggest that self-reported levels of a trait called 'planfulness' may translate into real world differences in behavior. |
 | Sponge-like action of circular RNA aids heart attack recoveryThe human genetic blueprint is like a string of code. To follow it, the code, or DNA, is transcribed into shorter strings of RNA. While some of these shorter strings carry instructions for making proteins—the functional units of cells—most RNA is not involved in protein production. Among these noncoding RNAs are the recently discovered circular RNAs, so-named because of their unusual ring shape (most other RNAs are linear). |
 | Study suggests flavored e-cigarettes may worsen asthmaA study into the impact of flavoured e-cigarettes, on allergic airways disease, suggests that some flavours may worsen the severity of diseases such as asthma. For the first time a model of asthma was used to investigate the effect of a range of popular e-cigarette flavours, with and without nicotine. |
 | Saving lives faster: Team develops world-first laser incubator for bloodResearchers from BioPRIA, based at Australia's Monash University, together with industry partner Haemokinesis, have developed the world's first blood incubator using laser technology. This could prevent fatal blood transfusions in critically ill patients, and can detect antibodies in pregnant women that can kill a foetus. |
 | Dengue virus becoming resistant to vaccines and therapeutics due to mutations in specific proteinResearchers from Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS), in collaboration with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)'s Bioinformatics Institute (BII), and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), U.S., have discovered that the dengue virus changes its shape through mutations in Envelope (E) protein to evade vaccines and therapeutics. The study also gives insights on the types of treatment strategies to use at different stages of infection. This could give rise to new approaches in vaccine development and treatment for dengue disease. |
 | Neurons promote growth of brain tumor cellsIn a current paper published in the journal Nature, Heidelberg-based researchers and physicians describe how neurons in the brain establish contact with aggressive glioblastomas and thus promote tumor growth / New tumor activation mechanism provides starting points for clinical trials |
 | Why is the brain disturbed by harsh sounds?Why do the harsh sounds emitted by alarms or human shrieks grab our attention? What is going on in the brain when it detects these frequencies? Neuroscientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), Switzerland, have been analyzing how people react when they listen to a range of different sounds, the aim being to establish the extent to which repetitive sound frequencies are considered unpleasant. The scientists also studied the areas inside the brain that were stimulated when listening to these frequencies. Surprisingly, their results—which are published in Nature Communications—showed not only that the conventional sound-processing circuit is activated but also that the cortical and sub-cortical areas involved in the processing of salience and aversion are also solicited. This is a first, and it explains why the brain goes into a state of alert on hearing this type of sound. |
 | No benefit in growth mindset theory, study saysA motivational approach to learning used widely in schools to encourage academic success does not benefit pupils, Edinburgh research suggests. |
 | Ancient viruses could help kill cancersDNA "echoes" of viruses that infected our ancestors millions of years ago could help the immune system to identify and kill cancer cells, according to new research from Crick scientists. |
 | Open Medicare data helps uncover potential hidden costs of health careAn interdisciplinary team of Indiana University scientists studying Medicare data have found an association between health care industry payments to medical providers for non-research expenses and what these providers charge for medical services—shedding new light on potential hidden costs to the public. |
 | Scientists identify new family of drugs which could combat prostate cancerA new family of drugs which inhibit the activity of a protein associated with prostate and other cancers has been reported by scientists from the University of Bath. |
 | Long-acting injectable multi-drug implant shows promise for HIV prevention and treatmentA new study published today in Nature Communications shows a promising alternative for those who have to take a daily pill regimen. Targeting HIV treatment and prevention, researchers across multiple departments at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill collaborated on a seven-year study in animals to make a better injectable drug implant that can combine multiple drugs and is ultra-long-acting, while also addressing many of the challenges faced with current HIV treatment and prevention methods. |
 | New vaccine prevents herpes in mice, guinea pigsResearchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a vaccine to protect against genital herpes. Tested on both mice and guinea pigs, the immunization led to "mostly sterilizing immunity" from the virus—the strongest type of immunity. The results of the study are published today in Science Immunology. |
| Leukemia drug shows promise for treating a childhood brain cancerA drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia appears to be more effective at stopping a type of medulloblastoma in mouse models than existing treatments for the deadly pediatric brain tumor, reports a multi-institutional team led by researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego. |
 | For the first time walking patterns identify specific types of dementiaWalking may be a key clinical tool in helping medics accurately identify the specific type of dementia a patient has, pioneering research has revealed. |
 | Tumor resistance is promoted by anti-cancer proteinLack of oxygen, or hypoxia, is a biological stressor that occurs under various conditions such as wound healing and stroke. To rescue the tissue, the body has innate mechanisms that "kick in" to make the cells of the hypoxic tissue more resistant and assist in tissue repair. One such mechanism is the expression of a protein called Hypoxia Induction Factor (HIF), which controls several processes such as glucose uptake, growth of blood vessels and cell proliferation. Despite its beneficial role in some diseases, HIF has also been found to be an important contributor towards cancer progression. |
Alzheimer's drug also treats parasitic Chagas diseaseThe drugs currently used to treat Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease, have serious side effects and limited use in those with chronic disease. Now, researchers have reported in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases that memantine, a drug currently used to treat Alzheimer's disease, can diminish the number of parasites in mice with Chagas disease, and increase the survival rate of the animals. | |
 | Pathway found for treatment-resistant lung cancerA big way chemotherapy works is by prompting cancer cells to commit suicide, and scientists have found a pathway the most common lung cancer walks to avoid death. |
 | Smoking abstinence has little impact on the motivation for foodIt's sometimes thought that smokers who can't light up are likely to reach for food in lieu of cigarettes. But new research from the University at Buffalo suggests that smoking abstinence doesn't greatly affect the motivation for food. |
 | New study questions value of fluoride varnishFluoride varnish has become a popular anti-cavity treatment for children, and it isn't hard to see why. It's relatively easy to apply, and not just for dentists or dental hygienists. Pediatricians can do it as well, with minimal instruction. The sticky varnish goes on with a brush and then dries in a few hours. There's little risk of children swallowing the fluoride, as they might with other topical treatments such as gels. |
Probiotic supplements may enhance weight loss in obese childrenProbiotic supplements may enhance weight loss and improve the metabolic health of obese children folowing a diet and exercise plan, according to research presented today at the 58th Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Meeting. The findings of this small trial suggest that probiotic supplements may help obese children lose body weight and also reduce their risk of future metabolic conditions, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. | |
 | Smoking during pregnancy may damage daughters' future fertilityBaby girls, born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy, exhibit signs of increased testosterone exposure, which may affect their hormone and reproductive function, according to research presented today at the 58th Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Meeting. The findings of this study suggest that cigarette is an endocrine disruptor that can masculinise girls in the womb and that daughters of women that smoked during pregnancy may suffer from hormonal and reproductive health problems in the long-term. |
 | A single dose of yellow fever vaccine does not offer lasting protection to all childrenYellow fever is a viral infection spread by various species of mosquito and is rife in 34 countries in Africa and 13 in Latin America. Infection may be asymptomatic and go unnoticed or, on the contrary, it may progress rapidly to severe illness with fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. The virus attacks the liver cells, often causing jaundice from which the disease gets its name. Severe bleeding occurs in 25 to 50 percent of cases, with high levels of mortality observed seven to 10 days after the onset of symptoms. |
Undocumented immigrants' transplant survival rates on par with US citizens'Unauthorized immigrants who receive liver transplants in the United States have comparable three-year survival rates to U.S. citizens, according to a study by researchers at UC San Francisco. Yet access to life-saving organs for this population varies widely by state, in part due to a medical misperception that undocumented migrants face a higher risk of transplant failure. | |
 | Children spend less time reading and engaging in physical activity as they grow olderA new research study from Queen's University Belfast has found that children from disadvantaged backgrounds spend less time reading and engaging in physical activity and exercise than their peers as they get older. |
 | Survival for pediatric patients with Hodgkin lymphoma differs by raceIn what is believed to be the largest dataset study to date examining the role of race on survival outcome for pediatric patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, investigators at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey have found that black patients have significantly worse overall survival at five years than white patients when accounting for all available clinical variables. The work was presented as part of a mini oral presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in Chicago this week. |
 | How can more walking be encouraged in cities?A report investigating travel habits in seven European cities reveals environmental and social drivers that make people choose to walk. |
 | Exploring better fatty liver remediesObesity often leads to increased accumulation of fat in the liver, which can, over time, result in diabetes, poor liver function, and liver cancer. It's increasingly a problem affecting obese children and young people who need exercise and good diet—but are not likely to embrace those solutions, wanting a pill instead to remedy the fatty liver problem. The key problem being that no such pill currently exists. |
 | Your brain has 'landmarks' that drive neural traffic and help you make hard decisionsBrain regions exchange information by sending and receiving signals through a network of nerve connections. |
 | How sleep makes the brain forget things: New research on miceWhat a nuisance is a faulty memory. How many times have you forgotten where you parked the car? A few years ago, probably as a sign that my retirement was overdue, I spent literally half a day trying to find my car at a major New York airport. Fortunately, I am not alone. When people find out I am an expert on memory, the first thing they ask me is normally whether I can help them be less forgetful. |
 | Flirty comments from romantic partner may offer confidence boost for womenDrawing attention to a woman's sexuality or physical appearance often has negative psychological consequences, but a new study from a Florida State University researcher has found that when the comment comes from the right person, those remarks can be a confidence boost. |
 | Researchers develop a promising new 'Trojan horse' treatment for multiple sclerosisWe often take our immune and nervous systems for granted. We assume that our immune system will protect us from diseases and when pathogens invade our body. Likewise, we assume that our nervous system will take information from the environment, relay it to our brain and then allow our brain to move muscles. |
 | Here's proof that bowel cancer screening reduces deathsNew research led by the University of South Australia shows just how effective bowel cancer screening is in helping to reduce the number of bowel cancer deaths by up to 45 percent. |
 | Migraine sufferers needlessly enduring agonizing painHundreds of thousands of Australians are needlessly enduring days of agony because they don't know how to prevent migraines, researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have found. |
 | Philippines confirms 2nd polio case after declaring outbreakPhilippine health officials on Friday confirmed a second case of polio in a 5-year-old child a day after declaring the country's first outbreak in nearly two decades, and announced plans for a massive immunization program. |
 | New sensors could lead to earlier lymphoma diagnosisCNBP researchers have developed a new method of detecting multiple cytokines—the body's messenger proteins—in very small volume samples, which could lead to earlier diagnosis of diseases such as lymphoma. |
 | CDC: Valley fever cases increased from 2014 to 2017Coccidioidomycosis is still a national public health problem, and the number of cases has increased in recent years, according to research published in the Sept. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Alcohol advice for pregnant women: A lost opportunity to communicate new guidelinesPregnant women in the UK are now officially advised to consume no alcohol at all. These guidelines, from the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), were issued in January 2016, and replaced a previous recommendation that women should limit themselves to one or two units of alcohol, once or twice per week, and not get drunk. |
 | Declaring vaccine hesitancy one of the ten biggest health threats in 2019 is unhelpfulThe World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared vaccine hesitancy one of the ten biggest threats to global health in 2019, along with air pollution and climate change. The declaration followed several measles outbreaks in Europe and the US, but most cases were in a country where the health system had broken down: Ukraine. |
 | Fewer lymph node operations for breast cancer patients with new prediction modelsIn recently published studies, researchers at Lund University and Skåne University Hospital in Sweden have produced new prediction models for improved personalized treatment of lymph nodes in breast cancer patients. The latest results that have now been published in Clinical Cancer Research and BMC Cancer show that up to one in every three operations could be avoided. |
 | Breath-holding technique could improve outcomes for radiotherapy patientsA technique that will enable cancer patients to hold their breath during prolonged bouts of radiotherapy treatment has been developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham. |
 | Alzheimer's study: Electrostimulation to evoke vivid memoriesAlzheimer's disease is one of the most dreaded diagnoses, and the fear is particularly acute among older people. This complex brain disorder, which usually affects older individuals, can cause many cognitive disabilities, most notably memory impairment. |
 | Marriage could be good for your health—unless you're bisexualIs marriage good for you? |
| Stephenson Cancer Center testing drug for prostate cancer patients on active surveillanceMen who are diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer usually opt for active surveillance—a monitoring of their cancer over time without undergoing treatments that would cause side effects. In many men, the cancer never grows and poses no threat, but in others, the cancer begins to grow and treatment is necessary. |
SCAI stages of cardiogenic shock stratify mortality riskA new shock classification scheme released by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and endorsed by the American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association, the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons was recently applied in a retrospective study analyzing patients in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) at the Mayo Clinic. The study was published today in early view in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). | |
 | Racial/ethnic disparities seen in PrEP awareness, discussions(HealthDay)—Considerable racial/ethnic disparities exist in HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness, discussion, and use among men who have sex with men (MSM), according to research published in the Sept. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Marijuana use common among adults with medical conditions(HealthDay)—Marijuana use is common among adults with medical conditions, especially younger people, according to a study published online Sept. 20 in JAMA Network Open. |
 | CDC: Asthma visit rates decreased from 2001 to 2016(HealthDay)—Asthma is a common reason for physician visits, although the rate of asthma visits decreased from 2001 through 2016, according to a report published Sept. 20 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics. |
 | Vaping-linked lung illness claims eighth life(HealthDay)—A Missouri man in his 40s is the eighth person in the United States to die from complications of a lung injury tied to using electronic cigarettes, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported. |
 | Adopted baby's unexpected heart problem brought unexpected joyWhen their hopes of adopting a child from China were stretched thin by years of wait, Vanessa and Chris Zoog asked for a baby with a physical issue—one who could use an extra dollop of love. Doing so, they learned, would expedite the adoption process. |
 | Rethinking how cholesterol is integrated into cellsMost people have heard of "cholesterol levels" and the dangers of high blood cholesterol, which is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease. But besides the harmful side effects of high cholesterol, cholesterol is an essential component of all cells and fundamental to a host of important functions of the body. Hormones like estrogen and testosterone are made from cholesterol, for example. |
 | Sick Americans turning to medical pot for help(HealthDay)—More Americans use marijuana to help them cope with an illness than just to get high, a new study finds. |
 | Malawi study confirms lasting impact of life-saving technologyMalawi's national adoption of affordable, rugged, neonatal CPAP technology as a part of routine hospital care resulted in sustained improvements in the survival of babies with respiratory illness, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. |
 | World's first gene therapy for glycogen storage disease produces remarkable resultsAt the Association for Glycogen Storage Disease's 41st Annual Conference, Dr. David Weinstein of UConn School of Medicine and Connecticut Children's presented his groundbreaking, one-year clinical trial results for the novel gene therapy treatment for glycogen storage disease (GSD). |
 | Diagnostic radiologists with lifetime ABR certificates less likely to participate in MOCAccording to an ahead-of-print article published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), lifetime-certified diagnostic radiologists whose Maintenance of Certification (MOC) was not mandated by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) were far less likely to participate in ABR MOC programs—especially general radiologists and those working in smaller, nonacademic practices in states with lower population densities. |
 | Walmart to stop selling electronic cigarettes at its storesWalmart said Friday that it will stop selling electronic cigarettes at its namesake stores and Sam's Clubs in the wake of a string of several hundred mysterious illnesses and eight vaping-related deaths. |
Both natural variation in ACE concentrations and lowering BP with ACE inhibitors associated with lower risk of T2DNew research presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Barcelona, Spain (16-20 September) shows that usage of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors to lower blood pressure, is associated with a 24% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) when compared with placebo. | |
 | New study reveals a strong link between vitamin D deficiency and increased mortality, especially diabetes-related deathsNew research presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Barcelona, Spain (16-20 Sept) reveals that vitamin D deficiency is strongly linked to increased mortality, especially in younger and middle-aged people, and is particularly associated with diabetes-related deaths. |
 | Ketoacidosis and high-blood sugar comas in patients with type 1 diabetes linked to increased risk of suicide attemptNew research presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Barcelona, Spain (16-20 September) shows that in patients with type 1 diabetes, hospitalization for either ketoacidosis or a hyperglycaemic (high blood sugar) coma are both linked to a subsequent increase in the risk of attempting suicide. The study is by Dr. Jean Michel Petit, CHU (University Hospital) Dijon, France, and colleagues. |
 | DR Congo Ebola survivors play crucial role helping victims of virusAs health agencies battle to stop the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in eastern DR Congo, some survivors of the disease are playing a crucial role in aiding victims of the worst outbreak in the country's history. |
UN agency says 124 suspected cholera cases in SudanThe U.N.'s humanitarian agency says that two of Sudan's southeastern provinces have reported 124 suspected cholera cases with seven deaths. | |
 | Take a fresh look at fitness classesTired of taking the same old cardio class? It's time to explore some of the combination classes being offered at both large gyms and small, more personalized fitness centers. |
 | Pembrolizumab in metastatic NSCLC: Now added benefit for subpopulationsIn early July, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) conducted two early benefit assessments to investigate whether certain drug combinations with pembrolizumab have advantages in comparison with the respective appropriate comparator therapy for patients with metastatic squamous or non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Due to a contradictory presentation of the operationalization of the key outcome "overall survival" in the drug manufacturer's dossiers, the presented data were not interpretable, however. |
Biology news
 | The next agricultural revolution is hereAs a growing population and climate change threaten food security, researchers around the world are working to overcome the challenges that threaten the dietary needs of humans and livestock. A pair of scientists is now making the case that the knowledge and tools exist to facilitate the next agricultural revolution we so desperately need. |
 | Computer simulations show human ancestors would have had an easier time giving birth than modern womenA trio of researchers with Boston University and Dartmouth College has found that one of our ancient ancestors likely had a much easier time giving birth than modern humans. In their paper published on the open-access site PLOS ONE, Natalie Laudicina, Frankee Rodriguez and Jeremy DeSilva describe how they created 3-D computer models of some of our ancient ancestors and compared them with modern humans and chimpanzees—and describe what they found. |
 | Vampire bats help unravel the mystery of smellThe sense of smell is one of the most poorly understood of the five major senses. But now an international team of scientists led by Laurel Yohe of Stony Brook University suggests a new method to quantify olfactory receptors by sequencing them in vampire bats may hold the key to unraveling the mysteries of smell. Their findings are published this week in Molecular Ecology Resources. |
 | Evolution of learning is key to better artificial intelligenceSince "2001: A Space Odyssey," people have wondered: could machines like HAL 9000 eventually exist that can process information with human-like intelligence? |
 | New insight as to how cells maintain their identityIn the body's cells, some proteins are of vital importance as to which genes are active or turned off. Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have discovered which proteins are necessary in order to maintain the proper genetic regulation. |
 | Lab develops novel approach to study sound recognition in acoustically orienting animalsIf you wander outside on these late summer nights, you might hear the din of calling songs from field crickets. Male crickets produce these songs to attract their mates—but they may also draw the attention of acoustically orienting parasitiod flies. The fly Ormia ochracea has evolved directionally sensitive ears to eavesdrop on the communication signals of field crickets. Crickets that are parasitized by these flies face almost certain death. How these flies recognize cricket songs and whether crickets can change their love songs to avoid parasitism is unknown. |
 | Researchers show how railroad worms produce red lightA research group comprising Brazilian and Japanese scientists has discovered how luciferase produced by the railroad worm Phrixothrix hirtus emits red light. Luciferase is an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin in fireflies, producing oxyluciferin and enabling fireflies to emit light. Differences in the molecular structures explain the different colors of this bioluminescence in different species. |
 | The Crim Jellies are back: Craspedacusta jellyfish are swarming and looking for matesYes, they have stinging tentacles. No, they won't sting you—unless you're a tasty-looking zooplankton. |
 | Why do men have nipples?Women's nipples have long been a source of fascination and controversy, from celebrity gossip stories of wardrobe malfunctions and "nip slips" to feminist movements for gender equality. Nipples even became a fashion accessory. |
 | An origin story for the queer communityI came out to a Christian counselor during a therapy session in 2001 when I was 14. He convinced me to engage in conversion therapy, a pseudoscientific practice to change an individual's sexual orientation based in the assumption that such behaviors are "unnatural." He produced an article describing a talk at that year's American Psychological Association conference that indicated the therapy worked. |
 | South Korea reports more suspected swine fever casesSouth Korea said Friday that it is investigating more suspected cases of African swine fever in farms near its border with North Korea, as fears grow over the spread of the illness that has decimated pig herds across Asia. |
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