Friday, September 6, 2019

Science X Newsletter Friday, Sep 6

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 6, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Simulating quantum many-body systems on Amazon Web Services

Radio emission from a neutron star's magnetic pole revealed by General Relativity

A swifter way towards 3-D-printed organs

Study of Dead Sea Scroll sheds light on a lost ancient parchment-making technology

Scientists couple magnetization to superconductivity for quantum discoveries

Selenium anchors could improve durability of platinum fuel cell catalysts

Key enzyme found in plants could guide development of medicines and other products

Tuberculosis mutation discovery paves way for better treatments

Scientist explores using nanoparticles to reduce size of deep-seated tumors

'Deepfake challenge' aims to find tools to fight manipulation

Black hole movies coming soon, says leading astronomer

Role of cancer protein ARID1A at intersection of genome stability and tumor suppression

Typhoid toxin accelerates cell aging to enhance killer infection, study reveals

Sugar alters compounds that impact brain health in fruit flies

Frequent flaring of Proxima Centauri means bad news for its rocky planet

Astronomy & Space news

Radio emission from a neutron star's magnetic pole revealed by General Relativity

Pulsars in binary systems are affected by relativistic effects, causing the spin axes of each pulsar to change their direction with time. A research team led by Gregory Desvignes from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany, has used radio observations of the source PSR J1906+0746 to reconstruct the polarised emission over the pulsar's magnetic pole and to predict the disappearance of the detectable emission by 2028. Observations of this system confirm the validity of a 50-year old model that relates the pulsar's radiation to its geometry. The researchers are also able to precisely measure the rate of change in spin direction and find an excellent agreement with the predictions of Einstein's general theory of relativity.

Black hole movies coming soon, says leading astronomer

By the time an international group of scientists stunned the world with the first ever image of a black hole, they were already planning a sequel: a movie showing how massive clouds of gas are forever sucked into the void.

Frequent flaring of Proxima Centauri means bad news for its rocky planet

Proxima Centauri is a cool red dwarf with about one-eighth of the sun's mass. Although it is the closest star to the sun, located just 4.2 light-years from the solar system in the triple star system of alpha Centauri, it is not visible to the naked eye. What makes this star particularly interesting is the recent discovery of an Earth-like exoplanet in its habitable zone: a region around the central star where the presence of liquid water is possible on a planetary surface.

Making sense of Saturn's impossible rotation

Saturn may be doing a little electromagnetic shimmy and twist which has been throwing off attempts by scientists to determine how long it takes for the planet to rotate on its axis, according to a new study.

New insight into how much atmosphere Mars lost

A key tracer used to estimate how much atmosphere Mars lost can change depending on the time of day and the surface temperature on the Red Planet, according to new observations by NASA-funded scientists. Previous measurements of this tracer—isotopes of oxygen—have disagreed significantly. An accurate measurement of this tracer is important to estimate how much atmosphere Mars once had before it was lost, which reveals whether Mars could have been habitable and what the conditions might have been like.

India's Moon mission: Preparing a pitstop for Mars

India is due this weekend to become only the fourth nation after the US, Russia and China to land a spacecraft on the Moon, but there is more at stake than that.

How to spin a disk around young protostars

How do stars and planets form? Scientists are now one step closer to pinning down the conditions for the formation of proto-stellar disks. Observations of three systems in the early stages of star formation in the Perseus cloud revealed that the profile of the angular momentum in these systems is between that expected for a solid body and pure turbulence, indicating that the influence of the core extends further out than previously thought. These findings could lead to more realistic initial conditions for numerical simulations of disk formation.

The stress of extreme living underwater for simulating upcoming Moon missions

As NASA prepares to return to the Moon in the next couple of years and possibly even establish bases, it needs a better understanding of how the human body performs in such an inhospitable habitat.

Konnect satellite completes vibration tests

The first Spacebus Neo satellite—Konnect, a high-throughput satellite ordered by Eutelsat—has successfully completed its mechanical test campaign in Thales Alenia Space facilities in Cannes.

Putin rebukes officials over space delays

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday gave a dressing down to space officials on a visit to Russia's long-delayed and corruption-tainted cosmodrome in the Far East.

Technology news

Simulating quantum many-body systems on Amazon Web Services

Quantum many-body systems (QMBs), which are physical systems made up of multiple interacting particles, are among the most challenging structures to reproduce in numerical simulations. In the past, researchers have attempted to simulate these systems using a variety of techniques, including Monte Carlo simulations and even exact diagonalizations.

'Deepfake challenge' aims to find tools to fight manipulation

Technology firms and academics have joined together to launch a "deepfake challenge" to improve tools to detect videos and other media manipulated by artificial intelligence.

Nature's most beautiful performances could inspire the next generation of artificial intelligence

Scientists have discovered a possible driving force behind some of nature's most beautiful displays paving the way for more complex and autonomous AI.

AI Aristo takes science test, emerges multiple-choice superstar

Aristo has passed an American eighth grade science test. If you are told Aristo is an earnest kid who loves to read all he can about Faraday and plays the drums you will say so what, big deal.

Amazon's Ring doorbell cameras attract congressional concern

Amazon-owned doorbell camera company Ring is facing questions from a U.S. senator over its partnerships with police departments around the country.

Texas says half of agencies hit by ransomware have recovered

Texas authorities say they aren't aware of any money paid to hackers who used ransomware to target more than 20 communities last month.

Google releases Android 10: The top 8 ways your phone will improve

Android 10 is now available, but you'll need a Google Pixel smartphone to install the latest version of Google's mobile operating system. At least for now. The update is promised for other Android phones over the next several weeks. At its I/O developer conference in May, Google announced that Android is now operating on more than 2.5 billion active devices.

A new iPhone is coming. But no, you don't really have to pay new-phone prices

New iPhones are likely to be revealed Sept. 10 and in stores soon after.

Facebook Dating lets you seek romance on the social network: Is privacy a concern?

Are you ready to friend Cupid on Facebook?

Alibaba buys NetEase's import e-commerce unit for $2bn

Alibaba Group has bought the e-commerce platform of NetEase for about $2 billion and will participate in a $700 million investment in NetEase's music streaming service, the two Chinese firms said on Friday.

Huawei debuts latest advanced chipset for smartphone

Chinese tech giant Huawei unveiled its latest advanced chipset Friday ahead of the upcoming launch of its latest flagship smartphone, even as uncertainty hangs over whether the device can use Google's Android.

Drone monitoring of ship emissions could save lives, protect health

Cargo ships bring the things people want and need to our ports. But they also bring air pollution. And when they burn cheap, sludgy fuel, their emissions include dangerously high levels of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, which along with particulate matter, form a toxic mix that harms respiratory and circulatory health.

A globalized solar-powered future is economically unrealistic

Over the past two centuries, millions of dedicated people—revolutionaries, activists, politicians, and theorists—have been unable to curb the disastrous and increasingly globalized trajectory of economic polarization and ecological degradation. This is perhaps because we are utterly trapped in flawed ways of thinking about technology and economy—as the current discourse on climate change shows.

Empathy for robots can have life-changing consequences for troops

It is increasingly common to use robots in war zones to examine and disarm hazards or recover objects with the understanding that the loss of a robot is a far more acceptable outcome than the death of a solider.

Zao's deepfake face-swapping app shows uploading your photos is riskier than ever

The latest photo app craze can make you look like a movie star. Zao uses artificial intelligence to replace the faces of characters in film or TV clips with images of anyone whose photo you upload to the app.

Linking brains to computers: How new implants are helping us achieve this goal

Cyborgs are no longer science fiction. The field of brain-machine interfaces (BMI) – which use electrodes, often implanted into the brain, to translate neuronal information into commands capable of controlling external systems such as a computer or robotic arm—have actually been around for some time. Entrepreneur Elon Musk's company, Neuralink, is aiming to test their BMI systems on a human patient by the end of 2020.

As feds loom, states hit Facebook, Google with new probes

Two groups of states are targeting Facebook and Google in separate antitrust probes, widening the scrutiny of Big Tech beyond sweeping federal and congressional investigations into their market dominance.

Use smart traffic lights and self-driving cars to see an end to traffic jams, says new paper

With towns and cities across the world using traffic control systems boosted with artificial intelligence—the University of Surrey has released a comprehensive report detailing how such technologies could make traffic jams a thing of the past.

Oklahoma pension fund reports $4.2 million cyber theft

Officials with the pension system for retired Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers and other state law enforcement officers say the FBI is investigating after computer hackers stole $4.2 million in funds.

Talks to create Asia's biggest telecom operator fall apart

Telecom companies Telenor of Norway and Malaysia's Axiata Group Berhad have ended talks about merging operations in Asia, a deal that would have created the region's biggest telecommunications operator with 300 million customers in nine countries.

Asia's richest man offers free TVs in Indian broadband blitz

Having already turned India's mobile market upside down, Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani has now set his sights on broadband.

Iceland's WOW Air to resume flights with new owners

An American aviation firm said on Friday it had taken over Iceland's bankrupt airline WOW Air together with local investors and said flights would resume in October.

Medicine & Health news

A swifter way towards 3-D-printed organs

Twenty people die every day waiting for an organ transplant in the United States, and while more than 30,000 transplants are now performed annually, there are over 113,000 patients currently on organ waitlists. Artificially grown human organs are seen by many as the "holy grail" for resolving this organ shortage, and advances in 3-D printing have led to a boom in using that technique to build living tissue constructs in the shape of human organs. However, all 3-D-printed human tissues to date lack the cellular density and organ-level functions required for them to be used in organ repair and replacement.

Tuberculosis mutation discovery paves way for better treatments

A Rutgers New Jersey Medical School study has found a genetically tractable cause of drug tolerant tuberculosis, paving the way for researchers to develop new drugs to combat the global TB epidemic and cure the disease.

Role of cancer protein ARID1A at intersection of genome stability and tumor suppression

The ARID1A tumor suppressor protein is required to maintain telomere cohesion and correct chromosome segregation after DNA replication. This finding, reported by Wistar researchers in Nature Communications, indicates that ARID1A-mutated cells undergo gross genomic alterations that are not compatible with survival and explains the lack of genomic instability characteristic of ARID1A-mutated cancers.

Typhoid toxin accelerates cell aging to enhance killer infection, study reveals

Scientists have revealed how the typhoid toxin works to hijack DNA repair machines and accelerate the aging of cells, a breakthrough that could pave the way for new strategies to combat the killer disease.

Individual response to flu vaccine influenced by gut microbes

A new study in healthy adults suggests that antibiotics may reduce the effectiveness of the flu vaccine.

'Tiny fat bubbles' can boost immunity, calm disease

People living with inflammatory autoimmune disease could benefit from an "immune system reboot," and researchers have isolated specific cells to target.

How the brain filters sounds

The sound environment is extremely dense, which is why the brain has to adapt and implement filtering mechanisms that allow it to hold its attention on the most important elements and save energy. When two identical sounds are repeated quickly, one of these filters—called auditory sensory gating—drastically reduces the attention that the brain directs to the second sound it hears.

Three teams fail to replicate results of 2016 HIV study that claimed 'cure' in monkeys

Three separate and independent teams of researchers have attempted to replicate the results of a team which, back in 2016, claimed to have cured monkeys of an HIV-like infection. All three have published their work and findings in the journal Science. Notably, the original paper was published in the same journal. After questions arose regarding the work done by the 2016 team, the editors at Science published an "editorial expression of concern."

New compound promotes healing of myelin in nervous system disorders

Scientists have developed a compound that successfully promotes rebuilding of the protective sheath around nerve cells that is damaged in conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

Suicide rates climbing, especially in rural America

Suicide is becoming more common in America, an increase most pronounced in rural areas, new research has found.

Mysterious vaping illness characterized by fat-laden cells in the lung

Doctors have identified a previously unrecognized characteristic of the vaping-related respiratory illness that has been emerging in clusters across the U.S. in recent months. Within the lungs of these patients are large immune cells containing numerous oily droplets, called lipid-laden macrophages.

More targeted, less toxic: The golden future of cancer treatment

Researchers have engineered gold-based molecules that target cancer cells and leave healthy cells unharmed, in a critical step towards precision cancer drugs with fewer toxic side effects.

Researchers find alarming risk for people coming off chronic opioid prescriptions

With a huge push to reduce opioid prescribing, little is known about the real-world benefits or risks to patients.

Research warns of the far-reaching consequences of measles epidemic and failure to vaccinate

The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) 5th Vaccine Conference will hear that the risks of failing to vaccinate children may extend far beyond one specific vaccine, although currently the most urgent problem to address is the resurgence of measles.

Researchers aim to know more about super recognizers

People with superior facial recognition abilities are being recruited for surveillance and security roles while the science behind the phenomenon is having to play catch-up.

36% of proton pump inhibitor prescriptions for older adults may be unnecessary

One in eight older adults was prescribed proton pump inhibitor drugs, which are used to treat gastric ulcers or to prevent gastrointestinal bleeding in those taking blood thinners. About 36 percent of those prescriptions were potentially unnecessary, a study found, primarily because people took them far longer than the often-recommended eight weeks.

With one click, 'digital pipeline' automates classification of diabetic kidney disease

A new method that automates the classification of progressive diabetic kidney disease, reducing variability and boosting precision, has been developed by researchers in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.

Researchers explore origins of neuron diversity

SMU (Southern Methodist University) researchers have discovered another layer of complexity in gene expression, which could help explain how we're able to have so many billions of neurons in our brain.

Study links low language ability and poor mental health

One of the first studies of its kind focusing on South African children's language ability and mental health outcomes, has found clear evidence for a link between low language ability and depression in young people.

New research suggests gut bacteria may be linked to high blood pressure and depression

A study of bacteria in the gut identified differences between people with high blood pressure compared to those with high blood pressure plus depression, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions.

Temps up, blood pressures down in hot yoga study

Taking hot yoga classes lowered blood pressure in a small study of adults with elevated or stage 1 hypertension, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions.

Is laziness a choice or genetic trait?

Regular physical activity is a crucial part of living a healthy lifestyle. However, a majority of American adults spend their waking hours sitting, which leads to a variety of health issues such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

How parents and caregivers can help keep children with autism safe

Preventable injuries are the leading cause of death for Canadians under the age of 45. Unfortunately, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are two to three times more likely to experience a preventable injury than those without.

Recommendations on changes to HIV criminalization don't go far enough

Earlier this summer, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights released a report on Canada's approach to criminalizing those who don't disclose that they're living with HIV to sexual partners.

Can we heal teeth? The quest to repair tooth enamel, nature's crystal coat

Tooth enamel is one of the hardest tissues in the human body. It acts as a protective layer for our teeth, and gives our smile that pearly white shimmer. But when enamel erodes, it can't regrow itself.

A digital detox does not improve wellbeing, say psychologists

A 24-hour period of abstinence from your smartphone induces cravings, but mood and anxiety remain stable, say psychologists.

Greater support needed to improve the treatment of knee osteoarthritis

A new Curtin University-led paper has outlined that many people living with knee osteoarthritis may be needlessly suffering or receiving the wrong treatments for their symptoms, recommending a major change in how osteoarthritis is understood and treated.

Rare ovarian cancer confirmed as not seeded from elsewhere

An international study led by Peter Mac has revealed the origin of mucinous ovarian cancer (MOC) confirming, unlike other types of ovarian cancer, this rare cancer is not seeded from elsewhere in the body.

Pharmacy researchers find mom's marijuana use to impair baby's memory

Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy researchers have found more and more expectant mothers are turning to marijuana and subsequently putting their baby's memory at risk.

Elderly should consider residential care before a health crisis

Very old people would feel more in control of their lives if they thought about a future move to assisted accommodation or residential care before health problems force them to—according to new research from the University of East Anglia and the University of Cambridge.

Helping preterm babies breathe

It's that sound we hear when healthy babies are born, just seconds after delivery—a gasp of air, perhaps even a cry, as a newborn inflates its lungs for the very first time.

9/11 World Trade Center exposure linked to heart disease among NYC firefighters

A new study of New York City firefighters has found that exposure to 9/11 World Trade Center (WTC) dust is associated with a significantly increased long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The study, conducted by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Health System, and the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), found that those who arrived first at the WTC site—when the air-borne dust was thickest—have a 44% increased risk of CVD compared to those who arrived later in the day. The study was published online today in JAMA Network Open.

Disturbed childhood can lead to adult insomnia

Parents should help their children with better sleep patterns, along with any problem behavioural issues, because this can lead to severe insomnia in middle age, a groundbreaking new study shows.

Black, Hispanic patients more likely to be brought to safety-net hospital emergency rooms

A new national study done by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center showed large differences in the emergency department (ED) and hospital destinations of minority (Black and Hispanic) patients who are transported by emergency medical services (EMS) when compared with their non-Hispanic white counterparts. The study appears in JAMA Network Open.

Mammography unlikely to benefit older women with chronic illnesses

Regular screening mammograms are unlikely to benefit women 75 and older who have chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes. New data suggest they would likely die due to other health conditions before they developed breast cancer.

Researcher develops method to prevent, even reverse obesity

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States. According to the latest estimates from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), more than one-third of American adults are obese, and that rate has been rising steadily for decades.

Biomarker identified for early beta cell death in type 1 diabetes

Beta cells in the pancreas produce insulin. Their death is a key feature of Type 1 diabetes, and that loss starts long before diagnosis. However, there has been no straightforward way to measure that early loss.

'I'll have what she's having': How and why we copy the choices of others

Imagine you're dining out at a casual restaurant with some friends. After looking over the menu, you decide to order the steak. But then, after a dinner companion orders a salad for their main course, you declare: "I'll have the salad too."

Bedrest for high-risk pregnancies may be linked to premature birth

Newborns whose mothers spent more than one week on bedrest had poorer health outcomes, according to a new study out of the University of Alberta that further challenges beliefs about pregnancy and activity levels.

New frontier highlights role of smartphones in addressing Australia's mental health crisis

With smartphones and smart devices now ubiquitous in most Australian homes, a review by the Black Dog Institute has identified how these technologies can be used to identify, prevent and help treat mental illness.

Allergic diseases increase the risk of adult-onset asthma

A Finnish study reports that the more allergic diseases an individual has, the higher the asthma risk.

Majority of U.S. doctors believe ACA has improved access to care

Sixty percent of U.S. physicians believe that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has improved access to care and insurance after five years of implementation, according to a report published in the September issue of Health Affairs.

Dr. Spock's timeless lessons in parenting

The book ignited a revolution, breaking free from conventional wisdom that said children required schedules, discipline and little affection. Instead, "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Childcare," written by Dr. Benjamin Spock and published in 1946, encouraged parents to think for themselves and to trust their instincts.

CDC: Racial and ethnic disparities reported in pregnancy-related mortality ratios

Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women have significantly higher pregnancy-related mortality ratios (PRMRs) than whites, according to research published in the Sept. 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Survivors' advice for others touched by shootings: Seek help

It haunts him.

Bad to the bone or just bad behavior?

Hannibal. Voldemort. Skeletor and Gargamel. It's hard to imagine any nefarious villain having redeeming qualities. But what if someone were to tell you that the Joker is a monster only because he learned the behavior from people around him and it's possible that, one day, he might change for the better?

More time spent standing helps combat effects of sedentary lifestyle

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) recommends spending more time standing to increase energy expenditure and combat the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle. The research has also quantified exactly how many extra calories we burn when we remain standing: 45 kilocalories more, per six-hour period, than when lying or sitting.

Q&A: How the future of medicine looks to the FDA's top drug regulator

If there's anyone in the United States who can see the future of medicine, it's Dr. Janet Woodcock.

Spate of clinical trials has scientists hopeful about a vaccine to prevent HIV

First there were the drugs that could knock back HIV to undetectable levels, and the virus was no longer synonymous with a death sentence. Then came a treatment that allowed people who were HIV-negative to remain that way, even if their partners weren't.

Black market cannabis products linked to US vaping illnesses

Health officials said Friday that black market cannabis products could be the cause of a mysterious outbreak of severe lung disease among vapers that has sickened more than 200 people and killed two.

Speech impairment in five-year-old international adoptees with cleft palate

In a group of internationally adopted children with cleft lip and/or palate, speech at age five is impaired compared to a corresponding group of children born in Sweden, a study shows. The adopted children also need more extensive surgery, which may be due to their surgical interventions taking place later in life.

Long-term opioid use has known link to low testosterone but not many men screened, treated

Long-term opioid use previously has been linked with low testosterone in men. What has been unclear is how many men taking opioids had been screened or treated for low testosterone.

1971 to 2017 saw 32 drinking water hepatitis A outbreaks

(HealthDay)—Thirty-two outbreaks of hepatitis A associated with drinking water were identified during 1971 to 2017, and all occurred before 2010, according to research published in the Sept. 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Sound deprivation in one ear leads to speech recognition difficulties

Chronic conductive hearing loss, which can result from middle-ear infections, has been linked to speech recognition deficits, according to the results of a new study, led by scientists at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and published September 6 in the journal Ear and Hearing.

US health officials report 3rd vaping death, repeat warning

U.S. health officials on Friday again urged people to stop vaping until they figure out why some are coming down with serious breathing illnesses.

Preclinical study reveals the impact of age on immunotherapy treatment for breast cancer

Recent clinical trials have indicated that immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, which is designed to unleash a patient's immune system to attack cancer, has been revolutionary in its implications for breast cancer treatment, especially for its potential to treat patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Despite the fact that most breast cancer patients are over the age of 60, most clinical trials enroll patients under the age of 60. Age may be an important consideration with respect to ICB, given that aging is associated with profound changes to the immune system, so whether ICB will benefit patients of all age groups is still unknown. In order to understand the influence of aging on the effectiveness of ICB therapy, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School conducted preclinical studies using younger and older mice with TNBC, finding that age affects the efficacy of ICB therapy. The results of this study are published in Cancer Discovery.

Diabetes control has stalled across U.S.

(HealthDay)—U.S. adults with diabetes are no more likely to meet disease control targets than they were in 2005, a new study finds.

Pumpkin pulp, seeds lower blood pressure in rat study

Incorporating pumpkin pulp or seeds into a healthy diet may help reduce blood pressure levels, according to a new study using rats.

Vitamin E oil might be cause of vaping-linked lung injuries

(HealthDay)—Lab tests have found a chemical derived from vitamin E in samples of vaping products that have sickened people in 25 states.

Motion perception of large objects gets worse during infant development

Humans can visually perceive the motion of a small object better than that of a large one. By contrast, according to a study reported in the journal Current Biology on September 5, babies under six months of age are better at seeing the movement of large objects than small objects.

Stem cell companies using new US laws to provide unapproved products to seriously ill patients

A new US law, designed to give terminally ill patients access to unproven drugs, is being invoked by stem cell companies to make unapproved stem cell products available, in a move that has an Australian expert concerned.

Ebola's economic effects

While the world's media may well have moved on to new stories, the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which was one of the most devastating in history, continues to have a significant impact on the lives of those affected by it. Writing in the International Journal of Healthcare Policy, Mohamed Jalloh of the Economic Policy Analysis Unit (EPAU), Macroeconomic Policy Department, ECOWAS Commission, in Abuja, Nigeria, discusses the long-lasting economic impact.

White house announces nearly $2 billion in grants to fight opioid epidemic

Nearly $2 billion in grants to help fight the U.S. opioid epidemic will be handed out to states and local governments, the White House says.

Get spicy with homemade no-salt seasonings

Spices add not only great flavor to foods, but also micronutrients for a healthy diet.

How phubbing can threaten your love life

(HealthDay)—As helpful as your smartphone is, it's easy to develop an unhealthy attachment to it, one that can even become an addiction. It also can isolate you from other people. For instance, looking at your phone in social settings keeps you from looking at others, whether loved ones, friends or co-workers, and missing the connection that comes from making eye contact.

Antihistamines that cause the death of leukaemic stem cells

Ruth M. RisueƱo leads the Leukaemic Stem Cell group of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute. This group investigates Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and the cell population responsible for the disease spreading, persisting, and if it has been treated and overcome, reappearing.

Resilience protects pregnant women against negative effects of stress

Resilience—understood as the set of personal resources that help individuals deal effectively with adversity, protecting them from the negative health effects of stress—is receiving increasing attention from researchers. However, it remains under-studied in such a sensitive time of life as pregnancy.

Most footballers in the Spanish League unaware of banned substances

The vast majority (97.4%) of players with the Spanish League are unfamiliar with the list of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Furthermore, 95% do not even know what this agency is for.

Generic drugmaker Mallinckrodt settles 2 opioid lawsuits

One of the largest makers of generic opioids has settled a lawsuit with two Ohio counties, removing the company from the first federal trial over the toll of the opioid crisis.

Biology news

Sugar alters compounds that impact brain health in fruit flies

When fruit flies are exposed to a high sugar diet, key metabolites associated with brain health become depleted, according to a University of Michigan study.

New method for imaging biological molecules

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, together with colleagues from Aalto University in Finland, have developed a new method for creating images of molecules in cells or tissue samples. The method is based on the use of DNA snippets and is called DNA microscopy. The approach is currently described in the scientific journal PNAS.

Study shows how serotonin and a popular anti-depressant affect the gut's microbiota

A new study in mice led by UCLA biologists strongly suggests that serotonin and drugs that target serotonin, such as anti-depressants, can have a major effect on the gut's microbiota—the 100 trillion or so bacteria and other microbes that live in the human body's intestines.

New structure for human flu virus protein

Researchers from Oxford University have worked out the molecular structure of a protein that is vital for survival of the flu virus. Recently published in Nature, they used several different techniques to look at the arrangement of atoms within a protein that the human flu virus uses to make new copies of its genetic information. Without this multifunctional protein, known as a polymerase, the flu virus cannot survive. A key finding of the study is that the polymerase can exist in two forms, a monomer and a dimer. It is only when the polymerase dimerises that specific functions are switched on. The research team saw the dimeric form of the polymerase was formed by a specific region of protein and when the region was disrupted, the polymerase couldn't work. This finding presents a brand-new way of potentially inhibiting the flu virus which means we could develop new drugs and flu treatments in the future.

Study answers longstanding cell-development riddle

During the lifetime of a body—whether human, fish or any other type of vertebrate—cells die, making room for fresh new cells to carry on vital processes. The dead cells must be cleared away, though, and debris removal is performed after the embryonic stage by cells of the immune system called macrophages.

Ecologists find bird-deterring nets create haven for stinging venomous caterpillars

While collecting data from live oak trees in the world's largest medical center, Rice University evolutionary ecologists have discovered huge quantities of one of North America's most venomous caterpillars.

'Extreme mating' killing tiny marsupials en masse: researchers

A tiny marsupial found only in northwest Australia mates so intensely that an entire generation of males can die off during a single breeding season, researchers reported on Friday.

GIS and eDNA analysis system successfully used to discover new habitats of rare salamander

A research team has successfully identified an unknown population of the endangered Yamato salamander (Hynobius vandenburghi) in Gifu Prefecture using a methodology combining GIS and eDNA analysis. This method could be applied to other critically endangered species, and could also be used to locate small organisms that are difficult to find using conventional methods.

New hair follicles can corral skin cancer

The same genetic mutations that can trigger cancer in some tissues are relatively harmless in others. A new Yale study has identified an unlikely source of protection against some forms of skin cancer—hair follicle regeneration.

Can we really know what animals are thinking?

Sarah, "the world's smartest chimp," died in July 2019, just before her 60th birthday. For the majority of her life she served as a research subject, providing scientists with a window into the thoughts of homo sapiens' nearest living relative.

What home gardeners can learn from nature's rebirth after fire

A startling phenomenon occurs after a bushfire tears through a landscape. From the blackened soil springs an extraordinary natural revival—synchronized germination that carpets the landscape in flowers and colour.

Households feeding their dogs and cats with raw food do not consider the diet a significant source of infections

An extensive international survey conducted at the University of Helsinki indicates that pet owners do not consider raw food to considerably increase infection risk in their household. In the survey, targeted at pet owners, raw food was reliably determined to be a contaminant only in three households.

Analysis of global cancer data shines light on alternative gen 'switches' in tumors

Scientists from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)'s Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) have discovered that many human cancers exhibit widespread alterations in gene activation, where the same gene uses different start positions to generate alternate gene products. These alterations, previously undetected by earlier methods of analysis, may identify novel biomarkers for predicting cancer patient survival and new targets for therapies. The study was published in Cell on 5 September 2019 and featured on the journal's cover.

Evidence suggests rare deer lived 50 years beyond 'extinction'

A rare deer species that lived in central Thailand might have come back from the dead—without the help from sci-fi-like genetic engineering.

France reports first case of fatal olive tree bacteria

France's agriculture ministry said Friday that it had detected its first cases of a bacterium that has been devastating olive trees in Italy and elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin.

Monkey business: Vietnam macaque island draws tourists—and criticism

Menacing macaques snatch bags of crisps, water bottles, cookies and crackers from uneasy tourists on Vietnam's Monkey Island, a popular attraction decried as cruel by activists calling for an end to animal tourism in Southeast Asia.


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