Dear Reader ,
Be an ACS Industry Insider: https://connect.acspubs.org/Insider?LS=SciX
Sign-up and get free, monthly access to articles that cover exciting, cutting edge discoveries in Energy, Environmental Science and Agriculture.
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 17, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Researchers say the age of Saturn's rings is difficult to determineA team of researchers has reignited the debate about the age of Saturn's rings with a study that dates the rings as most likely to have formed early in the Solar System. |
 | Stony-iron meteor caused August impact flash at JupiterAnalysis of a bright flash in Jupiter's atmosphere observed by an amateur astronomer in August 2019 has revealed that the likely cause was a small asteroid with a density typical of stony-iron meteors. The impact is estimated to have released energy equivalent to an explosion of 240 kilotons of TNT—around half the energy released in the 2013 Chelyabinsk event at Earth. The results have been presented today at the EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019 in Geneva. |
 | 3-D models of Mars to aid Rosalind Franklin rover in quest for ancient lifeScientists at TU Dortmund University have generated high-accuracy 3-D models of terrain within the landing ellipse of the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars rover Rosalind Franklin. The Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) have a resolution of about 25 cm per pixel and will help scientists to understand the geography and geological characteristics of the region and to plan the path of the rover around the site. |
 | Research reveals vital clues about recycling in the evolution of life in our universeNew research by Kent astrophysicists reveals vital clues about the role recycling plays in the formation of life in our universe. |
 | ARIEL exoplanet mission celebrates machine learning challenge and citizen science launchARIEL, an ESA mission to make the first large-scale survey of exoplanet atmospheres, has announced the winners of its first international Machine Learning Data Challenge and has launched a new project, ExoClocks, aimed at amateur astronomers and citizen scientists. |
 | Is huge volcano on Jupiter's moon Io about to erupt this month?Volcanic eruptions are difficult to predict, but observations have shown the largest and most powerful volcano on Io, a large moon of Jupiter, has been erupting on a relatively regular schedule. |
 | Huge volcano on Jupiter's moon Io erupts on regular scheduleVolcanic eruptions are difficult to predict, but observations have shown the largest and most powerful volcano on Io, a large moon of Jupiter, has been erupting on a relatively regular schedule. |
Technology news
 | Investigating robot illusions and simulations of realityTo evaluate the performance of robotics algorithms and controllers, researchers typically use software simulations or real physical robots. While these may appear as two distinct evaluation strategies, there is a whole other range of possibilities that combine elements of both. |
 | Hyperbolic paraboloid origami harnesses bistability to enable new applicationsWhile perhaps not as iconic as the paper crane, the hypar origami with its sweeping opposing arcs and saddle shape has long been popular for artists working in the paper folding tradition. |
 | Study finds virtual reality training could improve employee safetyA new study suggests employee safety could be improved through use of Virtual Reality (VR) in Health and Safety training, such as fire evacuation drills. |
 | Facing US ban, Huawei emerging as stronger tech competitorLong before President Donald Trump threatened to cut off Huawei's access to U.S. technology, the Chinese telecom equipment maker was pouring money into research that reduces its need for American suppliers. |
 | WeWork hopes for IPO 'by end of year'A stock offering from fast-growing office-sharing startup WeWork is being delayed and will likely occur by the end of 2019, the parent company said. |
 | Apple slams EU as epic court battle over tax bill beginsApple went on the offensive against Brussels in an EU court on Tuesday, fighting the European Commission's landmark order that the iPhone-maker reimburse Ireland 13 billion euros ($14 billion) in back taxes. |
 | Experts to criticize US aviation authority over 737 MAX: sourceA panel of global civil aviation authorities is expected to criticize the US Federal Aviation Administration's approval of Boeing's 737 MAX, which has been grounded for six months following two crashes, a source familiar with the matter said Monday. |
 | Flickr photos can be used to calculate tourist flows, study findsSummer holiday snaps might not only offer happy memories, but also rapid, low-cost insights into how people travel around the globe, suggests new research. |
 | Apple and Google to offer frictionless gaming, if your NBN plan can handle itTwo of the biggest tech companies in the world, Apple and Google, are launching cloud-based gaming services this year. |
 | Researchers: AI surveillance is expanding worldwideA growing number of countries are following China's lead in deploying artificial intelligence to track citizens, according to a research group's report published Tuesday. |
 | Apple awards $250 million to supplier of glass for iPhonesApple on Tuesday deepened its ties with a Kentucky manufacturing plant by awarding $250 million to support Corning Inc.'s continued work to develop glass for iPhones and other devices. |
 | France gives more people iodine pills in case of nuclear accidentFrance will soon start distributing radioactivity-blocking iodine pills to an additional 2.2 million people living near the country's 19 nuclear power plants, to be taken in case of accidental radiation leaks, regulators said Tuesday. |
 | Facebook taps London police to track terror livestreamsFacebook on Tuesday teamed up with the London police to help its artificial intelligence tools track livestreams of terror attacks such as the New Zealand mosque massacre. |
 | Review: iPhone 11: Great camera, long battery, but not a must-buyExpectations for the latest iPhones are almost always impossibly high—except when they're not. |
 | Signing on with Apple could be safer than Facebook or GoogleMost of us hate logging onto new websites and having to register and create yet another new password and screen name combination. |
 | Washington Post ad tech platform aims at Google-Facebook duopolyThe Washington Post on Tuesday unveiled a new ad tech platform touted as a way to help newspapers counter the loss in online revenue to major platforms Google and Facebook. |
 | Nexstar wins approval for Tribune Media in latest consolidationUS regulators Monday approved a deal allowing Nexstar Media Group's $6.4 billion deal to buy Tribune Media and become the largest operator of local US television stations. |
 | Commercial cloud service providers give artificial intelligence computing a boostNeural networks have given researchers a powerful tool for looking into the future and making predictions. But one drawback is their insatiable need for data and computing power ("compute") to process all that information. At MIT, demand for compute is estimated to be five times greater than what the Institute can offer. To help ease the crunch, industry has stepped in. An $11.6 million supercomputer recently donated by IBM comes online this fall, and in the past year, both IBM and Google have provided cloud credits to MIT Quest for Intelligence for distribution across campus. Four projects made possible by IBM and Google cloud donations are highlighted below. |
 | Charging toward electric bus and charger interoperabilityImagine the cities of the future: cleaner, more sustainable, with ecofriendly urban transport such as electrically powered buses, garbage trucks and delivery vehicles that can be charged quickly and automatically. For this vision to become a reality, different vehicles must have the capacity to be charged at any charging unit, irrespective of brand. However, effective interoperability requires standardized charging infrastructure. |
 | Concerns linger over workplace robots, even as they deliver benefitsPeople harbour lingering fears about the impact of robots on their jobs and welfare, but machines in the workplace have produced benefits that researchers believe are likely to continue. But for that to happen, challenges such as earning workers' trust and improving safety and human-robot interaction must be overcome. |
 | What to look for in hidden fees on travel sitesHow did a hotel room offer of $137 a night for two nights turn into $373.38? |
Should you really pay monthly to use your at-home printer?Ever just buy a new printer because it might cost less than restocking your old one with ink? | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Mutant live attenuated Ebola virus immunizes non-human primatesInoculation with an Ebola virus that has mutations in a protein called VP35 does not cause disease and elicits protection in monkeys, researchers show September 17 in the journal Cell Reports. The findings suggest that the immune-evasion function of VP35 is a potential drug target, and it may be possible to develop a live attenuated Ebola virus vaccine in the future if precautions are taken to prevent reversion to virulence. |
 | Brain may not need body movements to learn virtual spacesVirtual reality is becoming increasingly present in our everyday lives, from online tours of homes for sale to high-tech headsets that immerse gamers in hyper-realistic digital worlds. While its entertainment value is well-established, virtual reality also has vast potential for practical uses that are just beginning to be explored. |
 | Exercise could slow withering effects of Alzheimer'sExercising several times a week may delay brain deterioration in people at high risk for Alzheimer's disease, according to a study that scientists say merits further research to establish whether fitness can affect the progression of dementia. |
 | Cause of rare, fatal disorder in young children pinpointedScientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis appear to have solved a decades-long mystery regarding the precise biochemical pathway leading to a fatal genetic disorder in children that results in seizures, developmental regression and death, usually around age 3. Studying a mouse model with the same human illness—called Krabbe disease—the researchers also identified a possible therapeutic strategy. |
 | Research suggests the happiest introverts may be extrovertsIf you are an introvert, force yourself to be an extrovert. You'll be happier. |
 | AI can predict the chances of surviving oral cancerThe chances of surviving oral cancers can be predicted by state of the art AI algorithms—developed by scientists at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick—that precisely calculate the abundance of immune cells in the midst of tumour cells to help better understand the spread of and resistance to cancer. |
 | Dishonest behavior damages ability to read other people's emotionsPeople who act dishonestly don't only hurt the people they've wronged—they also harm themselves. |
 | Genes, the social environment, and adolescent smokingAdolescence is a time of dramatic change. It marks a period of significant physical transformation—such as the drive toward sexual maturity. But it can also be a time of considerable psychological change and social experimentation. |
 | Identifying new important players in insulin homeostasisResearchers from La Trobe University in Australia and the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden, partner in the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), in Germany have identified that the protein Atp6ap2 is essential for the correct functioning of pancreatic beta cells. When this protein was switched off in the beta cells of mice their blood glucose levels dramatically increased. The results of this international research project, to which the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, Germany also contributed, have now been published in the renowned journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). |
 | Study gives clues to the origin of Huntington's disease, and a new way to find drugsThe first signs of Huntington's, an inherited disease that slowly deteriorates bodies and minds, don't typically surface until middle age. But new findings suggest that something in the brain might be amiss long before symptoms arise, and earlier than has ever been observed. Using a new technology, Rockefeller scientists were able to trace the causes of the disease back to early developmental stages when the brain has only just begun to form. |
 | Study finds air pollution reaches placenta during pregnancyA new study suggests when a pregnant woman breathes in air pollution, it can travel beyond her lungs to the placenta that guards her fetus. |
 | Researchers identify new pathway that controls fat formationIn work suggesting new therapeutic targets to fight obesity, UT Southwestern researchers have identified a novel mechanism that regulates the creation of fat in mammals. |
 | Scientists prove low cost arthritis drug can effectively treat blood cancer sufferersA simple arthritis drug could be an effective, low cost solution to treat patients with blood cancers such as polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET), a breakthrough study by the University of Sheffield has shown. |
 | Only a third of women take up all offered cancer screenings, new research findsIn a paper published today in the Journal of Medical Screening, researchers from King's College London and Queen Mary University of London have found that despite free cancer screening programmes, only 35% take part in all offered programmes. |
Racism a factor in asthma control for young African-American childrenA new article in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) shows an association between African American parents/guardians who have experienced the chronic stress associated with exposure to racism and poor asthma control in their young children. | |
 | Increased risk of prostate cancer in men with BRCA2 gene faultMen with the BRCA2 gene fault have an increased risk of prostate cancer and could benefit from PSA (prostate specific antigen) testing to help detect the disease earlier, according to researchers funded by Cancer Research UK. |
 | Defective cilia linked to heart valve birth defectsBicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common heart valve birth defect and one of the most common birth defects of any type, affecting around 70 million people worldwide. A healthy aortic valve has three leaflets; in BAV disease, two of the leaflets are fused together, impairing the function of the valve. In many individuals with BAV, the valves eventually will have to be replaced or repaired through heart surgery. |
 | Synthetic cells capture and reveal hidden messages of the immune systemWhen immune cells detect harmful pathogens or cancer, they mobilise and coordinate a competent defence response. To do this effectively immune cells must communicate in a way that is tailored to the pathogenic insult. Consequently, the body's response to various health challenges depends on successful coordination among the cells of the immune system. |
Female athletes seek specialty care for concussion later than malesFemale athletes seek specialty medical treatment later than male athletes for sports-related concussions (SRC), and this delay may cause them to experience more symptoms and longer recoveries. Researchers from the Sports Medicine Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), reported these findings after analyzing electronic health records of sports participants aged 7 to 18. | |
 | Daily aspirin may benefit many patients without existing cardiovascular diseaseThe benefits of aspirin may outweigh the risks for many patients without known cardiovascular disease (CVD). Such patients could be identified by using a personalized benefit-harm analysis, which could inform discussions between doctors and patients. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Analysis of studies into alcohol consumption in people with type 2 diabetes suggestsAn meta-analysis of studies presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Barcelona, Spain (16-20 September) shows that recommendations to moderate alcohol consumption for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) may need to be reviewed, since low-to-moderate consumption could have a positive effect on blood glucose and fat metabolism. |
Overgrowth of baby in the womb may begin weeks before women are tested for maternal diabetesThe excessive growth of a baby in the womb, a common complication of gestational diabetes, begins weeks before women are tested for the disease, according to new research being presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain (16-20 September). | |
Texan girl, 10, dies of rare brain-eating amoebaA 10-year-old girl has died in the hospital, her family said in a statement on Monday, after she contracted a rare brain-eating amoeba while swimming in a Texas river. | |
 | Cancer cells turn to cannibalism to survive chemotherapy, study suggestsResearchers from the Tulane University School of Medicine have discovered that some cancer cells survive chemotherapy by eating their neighboring tumor cells. The study, which will be published September 17 in the Journal of Cell Biology, suggests that this act of cannibalism provides these cancer cells with the energy they need to stay alive and initiate tumor relapse after the course of treatment is completed. |
 | Breast cancer screening found effective in men at high risk for the diseaseMen at high risk of developing breast cancer may benefit from mammography, or breast X-ray, screening for the disease, a new study shows. |
 | Hysterectomy and mesh support may have similar outcomes in repairing vaginal prolapseTwo surgical procedures used to repair vaginal prolapse—one involving removal of the uterus via hysterectomy and the other employing mesh support that preserves the uterus—have comparable clinical outcomes after three years, according to new data from researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine. |
 | Nutrition programs alone are not enough to support healthy brain developmentA new study led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, shows that caregiving programs are five times more effective than nutrition programs in supporting smarter, not just taller, children in low- and middle-income countries. |
 | Eating cheese may offset blood vessel damage from saltCheese lovers, rejoice. Antioxidants naturally found in cheese may help protect blood vessels from damage from high levels of salt in the diet, according to a new Penn State study. |
 | Acute chikungunya infection studied at the molecular level in Brazilian patientsComputational tools applied to biology are revolutionizing the study of what happens inside cells during an infection, helping scientists to understand disease mechanisms and contributing to the identification of potential therapeutic targets. |
 | Compounds extracted from Brazilian savannah plant combat fungus that causes candidiasisFungi of the genus Candida cause thrush and candidiasis, a fairly common disease in humans. It can be lethal to individuals with low immunity, especially when they are hospitalized. Although the drug most widely used to combat the disease is effective in most cases, some varieties of the fungus are drug-resistant. |
 | E-cig use jumps 46.2 percent among young adults in one yearE-cigarette use among young adults in the U.S. jumped 46.2% between 2017 and 2018, suggesting that the vaping industry is making inroads among 18- to 24-year-olds as it has among teens. |
 | Major biological processes involved in the development of myeloma uncoveredMyeloma UK funded research from The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has identified the main biological processes which cause the genetic mutations associated with the development of myeloma. |
 | Uninfected patients key to improving Ebola responseResearch on the logistics of responding to Ebola outbreaks has revealed that an often-overlooked, but critical, factor in resource deployment to treat victims of the disease is how many of the people in treatment centers are Ebola-negative. |
 | Play equipment that gets kids movingParents will be pleased to know that more is not always better when it comes to play equipment for their children. |
 | The more you have, the more you want?People of a higher social class have a greater desire for wealth and status, a University of Queensland study has found. |
 | Radiation therapy effective against deadly heart rhythmA single high dose of radiation aimed at the heart significantly reduces episodes of a potentially deadly rapid heart rhythm, according to results of a phase one/two study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. |
 | Once-common hysterectomy technique linked to worse uterine cancer outcomesEvery year, nearly 700,000 American women have surgery to remove their uterus (hysterectomy) or uterine fibroids (myomectomy). A laparoscopic surgical technique once commonly used in these procedures could be worsening the outcomes for women who have undiagnosed uterine cancer at the time of the procedure, reports a Yale-led study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. |
 | Expert discusses surprising findings linking PTSD treatment with lower diabetes riskUniversity of Virginia professor and clinical psychologist Peter Tuerk and his colleagues at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and the National Center for PTSD were surprised at the size of their findings. |
 | Stroke patients relearning how to walk with peculiar shoeA therapeutic shoe engineered to improve stroke recovery is proving successful and expected to hit the market by the end of the year. Clinical trials have been completed on the U.S. patented and licensed iStride Device, formerly the Gait Enhancing Mobile Shoe (GEMS), with results just published in the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation. |
 | Personalised VR technology could improve and maintain positive mental health and well-beingPersonalised virtual reality (VR) technology that enables new forms of self-reflection could improve and maintain positive mental health. |
 | How pregnancy changes women's metabolism and immune systemsSome of the changes that happen to a woman's body during pregnancy are more obvious than others. We all know that women usually get a visible bump, they might have morning sickness initially, and swollen ankles later on, but pregnancy can also change some of their key bodily processes and functions too. |
 | Using technology to support caregivers of older people with dementiaIn June, the government of Canada released its long-awaited Dementia Strategy for Canada: Together We Aspire. |
 | The rise of 'eco-anxiety': Climate change affects our mental health, tooThe Australian Medical Association (AMA) recently declared climate change a health emergency, reflecting similar positions taken by a growing list of peak medical bodies around the world. |
 | Best medications to reduce drooling for those with developmental disabilityA new study has revealed the most effective medications to reduce drooling in young people with a developmental disability, which can affect their socialization, relationships and community life. |
 | No link between mobile phones and brain cancer in the over-60sIn December 2018, the British Medical Journal Open published a scientific study led by ARPANSA investigating the relationship between brain cancer and mobile phone use. |
 | Mathematical model finds the cancer mutations that matterResearchers have generated a long list of genetic mutations linked to cancer, but sorting out which ones really drive tumors to grow uncontrollably and which ones don't has been a challenge. A new mathematical model developed by researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) could help with this task, by accurately picking out the "driver" mutations from the less important "passenger" ones. Doing this more accurately could help drug developers focus their work on the true drivers of cancer. |
 | In high-risk neuroblastoma, two stem cell transplants may be better than oneSince the early 1990s, chemotherapy followed by an autologous stem cell transplant has been the standard of care for high-risk neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that starts in nerve cells outside the brain, especially in the tissues of the adrenal glands, and sometimes the neck, chest, or pelvis. Before children receive chemotherapy to destroy the neuroblastoma, some of their healthy blood stem cells are removed and stored. These cells are later returned, helping the child weather the toxic effects of the chemo. |
 | Few online firearm listings in the U.S. require or conduct background checksIndividuals who hold federal firearms licenses are required by federal law to run a background check on buyers. However, the same requirement does not apply to private sellers. |
 | Alzheimer's breakthrough: Two short strings of amino acids could pave the way to new treatmentsTwo years after discovering a way to neutralize a rogue protein linked to Alzheimer's disease, University of Alberta Distinguished University Professor and neurologist Jack Jhamandas has found a new piece of the Alzheimer's puzzle, bringing him closer to a treatment for the disease. |
 | Discovering why chemotherapy only works for some cancer patientsResearchers at Children's Medical Research Institute have demonstrated why chemotherapy drugs work better with some types of cancers than with others. |
 | Eye scan sheds new light on Alzheimer's diseaseNew research by Australian scientists has demonstrated that a quick, non-invasive eye scan can identify changes in the retina that could be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Scientists discover novel viruses carried by the Scottish midgeScotland's biting midge population carries previously unknown viruses, according to new research. |
 | Autism findings: Some better at interpreting facial expressions than previously thoughtThe ability of people with autism to read what someone is feeling or thinking by looking at their eyes and face may have been underestimated, according to research conducted by a developmental psychology expert from London's Kingston University. |
Deeper understanding of early life experiences can help combat chronic obesity and binge-eatingAccording to a new study in the journal Heliyon, published by Elsevier, dysfunctional eating patterns and habits in overweight and obese adults can be triggered by early life experiences that are deeply rooted within patients' personality features. As a result, weight loss interventions like surgery and cognitive-behavior therapy might not be sufficient to guarantee long-term success. Cognitive psychologists used the Schema Therapy (ST) model to gain a deeper understanding of the emotional and psychological functioning of these individuals with a view towards developing more effective treatment options. | |
 | Children 'aging out' of foster care able to cope with childhood emotional abuse with higher self-esteemChildren in foster care are in a better position to cope with childhood emotional abuse if they have higher self-esteem, according to a new study by researchers at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. |
 | Imaging reveals new results from landmark stem cell trial for strokeResearchers led by Sean I. Savitz, MD, reported today in the journal Stem Cells that bone marrow cells used to treat ischemic stroke in an expanded Phase I trial were not only safe and feasible, but also resulted in enhanced recovery compared to a matched historical control group. |
 | A surprising new source of omega-3s(HealthDay)—There's no shortage of reasons to get your omega-3s, which are abundant in fish and their oils. |
 | Are you just a worrywart or is it something more?(HealthDay)—Everyone goes through moments of worry, but for some people, anxiety takes over their lives. How can you tell if you're an average worrywart or if you might have an anxiety disorder? Your degree of distress is often a good indicator. |
 | Daytime naps could help you avoid heart attacks, strokes, study saysNeed an excuse to squeeze in a midday snooze? Occasional napping could help you maintain a healthy heart, according to a new report. |
 | Having migraines raises the risk of dementia, study findsAs if migraines didn't already cause enough suffering, a new study has found that people who experience the debilitating headaches are at much higher risk for Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Novel anti-cancer nanomedicine for efficient chemotherapyResearchers at the University of Helsinki in collaboration with researchers from Åbo Akademi University, Finland and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China have developed a new anti-cancer nanomedicine for targeted cancer chemotherapy. This new nano-tool provides a new approach to use cell-based nanomedicines for effcient cancer chemotherapy. |
Why is it so hard to stop people dying from snakebite?Twenty-year-old Mamadou is lying on a metal cot, eyes half-closed, breathing fast. At his bedside sits his boss, fanning him. | |
 | Coming out about mental health on social mediaSusanna Harris was sitting in her lab class for her graduate program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when she received an email that told her she had failed what she describes as "the most important exam in grad school," the doctoral qualifying exam. She took the rest of the day off, went home and baked cookies. |
 | Alzheimer's memory loss reversed by new head device using electromagnetic wavesThere is finally some encouraging news for the millions of Americans suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. NeuroEM Therapeutics today announced findings from an open label clinical trial showing reversal of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's Disease patients after just two months of treatment using the company's wearable head device for in-home treatment. |
Tortillas tell the story of folate deficiency in Mexico: studyA new study led by researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in collaboration with that National Institute of Public Health, Mexico, that accounts for folic acid (FA) fortification in staple foods made from wheat and corn, such as bakery bread and tortillas, found that large proportion of women of childbearing age have FA intake below levels recommended by the World Health Organization, potentially raising the risk for neural tube defects in their offspring. The study is one of a few to investigate FA intake after fortification, and the first such report for Mexico. Results are published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. | |
 | Research suggests how environmental toxin produced by algae may lead to ALSCan a computer be used to explain why an environmental toxin might lead to neurodegenerative disease? According to Penn State College of Medicine researchers, a computer generated-simulation allowed them to see how a toxin produced by algal blooms in saltwater might cause Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). |
 | Researchers identify potential target for cardiac fibrosis treatmentA research team led by scientists from the Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation (CFReT) at the University of Colorado School of Medicine has identified a potential target for treating heart failure related to fibrosis. |
 | Gene editing enables researchers to correct mutation in muscle stem cells in DMD modelDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare but devastating genetic disorder that causes muscle loss and physical impairments. Researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have shown in a mouse study that the powerful gene editing technique known as CRISPR may provide the means for lifelong correction of the genetic mutation responsible for the disorder. |
 | Suicide risk factors vary by ethnic groupApproximately 8.3 million adults in the United States reported thinking about suicide last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While thoughts and deeds are clearly different, University of Houston professor of psychology Rheeda Walker has examined both and finds that current approaches to suicide prevention are troubling, because they usually consist of a "one-size-fits- all approach." |
 | Feeling depressed? Mahjong might be the answerWhen it comes to boosting mental health among older Chinese, it might be as simple as a game of mahjong, according to a new study from the University of Georgia. |
 | Headache from epidural for labor may up subdural hematoma risk(HealthDay)—The presence of presumed postdural puncture headache after neuraxial anesthesia (epidural or spinal) in childbirth is associated with an increased risk for being diagnosed with an intracranial subdural hematoma, according to a study published online Sept. 16 in JAMA Neurology. |
 | Initiating empirical therapy for sepsis reduces blood culture sensitivity(HealthDay)—When empirical antimicrobial therapy is initiated in patients with severe manifestations of sepsis, the sensitivity of blood cultures drawn shortly after treatment initiation is reduced, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Combo antithrombotic therapy increases bleeding risk(HealthDay)—Patients with chronic coronary artery disease or peripheral artery disease treated with the combination of rivaroxaban and aspirin face a greater risk for bleeding versus patients treated with aspirin alone, according to a study published in the Sept. 24 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. |
 | Vitamin D is good for the bones, but what about the heart?Vitamin D plays an important role in overall health, but if you've been taking supplements to strengthen your heart, recent research may disappoint you. |
 | High-dose radiation a game changer in fighting deadly prostate cancer(HealthDay)—In what might be a major breakthrough, researchers report that high doses of radiation dramatically prolonged survival in men battling an advanced and aggressive form of prostate cancer. |
 | Electric pill bottles and text messaging not enough to affect blood pressure controlAbout one in three Americans have high blood pressure, called hypertension, but only about half of them have their condition under control. A major factor is that many do not consistently take their medications for the condition, which leads to poor health outcomes such as heart attack or stroke. Researchers from Penn Medicine tested new tactics, including text messaging and remote monitoring via an electronic pill bottle, to see if they might affect blood pressure levels. They found that while each method did appear to keep medication adherence high, neither method appeared to drive down blood pressure levels. These findings were published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. |
No difference in pain response between SBRT and conventional RT for patients with spinal metastasesA Phase III, NRG Oncology clinical trial that compared radiosurgery (SRS) or stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to the conventional radiotherapy (cEBRT) for patients with spinal metastases indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the treatments for pain response, adverse events, FACT-G, BPI, and EQ-5D scores. These results were presented during the plenary session of the American Society of Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO) Annual Meeting in September 2019. The abstract was one of four abstracts chosen from over 3,000 submitted abstracts for the plenary session. | |
Later puberty and later menopause associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes in womenNew research presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Barcelona, Spain (16-20 Sept) shows that use of the contraceptive pill and longer menstrual cycles are associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), while later puberty and later menopause are associated with lower risk. | |
 | Short-term study suggests vegan diet can boost gut microbes related to body weightNew research presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Barcelona, Spain (16-20 Sept) suggests that a 16-week vegan diet can boost the gut microbes that are related to improvements in body weight, body composition and blood sugar control. The study is by Dr. Hana Kahleova, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Washington, DC, USA, and colleagues. |
Meal type and size are the key factors affecting carb-counting in type 1 diabetesMeal type and size are the most important factors influencing the accuracy of carb-counting for the control of blood sugar in type 1 diabetes, according to new research being presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain (16-20 September). | |
 | As illnesses spread, fake vape gear sells on LA streetsA short walk from police headquarters in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, a cluster of bustling shops are openly selling packaging and hardware that can be used to produce counterfeit marijuana vapes that have infected California's cannabis market. |
 | Purdue Pharma begins Chapter 11 bankruptcy journeyPurdue Pharma gets its day in court Tuesday after the OxyContin maker filed for bankruptcy and negotiated a potential multi-billion dollar settlement to resolve thousands of lawsuits. |
Russia says no threat after blast in lab holding smallpoxRussia has said there is no threat of contamination after an explosion and fire at a Soviet-era biological weapons facility in Siberia that stocked samples of the Ebola and smallpox viruses. | |
 | High number of cases of severe mental disorders detected in prisonsResearchers have analyzed 1,328 patients sent to penitentiary psychiatric consultation by the medical services, the most comprehensive study conducted in Spain to date. |
 | Quinn on Nutrition: What is A2 milk?At a recent nutrition seminar, my friend, Kristin (another registered dietitian) and I were intrigued to hear an update about a new product on the market called A2 milk. |
Reduced-dose IMRT with cisplatin meets predetermined benchmarks for PFS and swallowing-related QOLResults of the NRG Oncology clinical trial NRG-HN002 indicated that the combination of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and cisplatin was able to meet acceptability criteria for progression-free survival (PFS) and swallowing-related quality of life for patients who have p16-positive, non-smoking-associated oropharyngeal cancer. These results were highlighted during the plenary session at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO) Annual Meeting in September 2019 and this presentation was the recipient of ASTRO and ABR Foundation's Steven A. Leibel Memorial Award at the Meeting. | |
Cosmetic changes are equivalent after WBI vs PBI for women with early stage breast cancerResults from the Quality of Life substudy of the NRG Oncology clinical trial NSABP B-39/RTOG 0413 indicate that women rated post-lumpectomy partial breast irradiation (PBI) as equivalent to whole breast irradiation (WBI) in terms of cosmetic outcomes and satisfaction from baseline to three years following radiotherapy treatment. Treating physicians from the accruing site rated PBI as inferior to WBI while physicians who performed central review of digital photos blinded to treatment arm and time-point rated cosmetic outcome from PBI equivalent to WBI. These results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) during the Plenary Session. | |
 | How animal research is helping fight antibiotic resistancePeople do not expect to die from a simple infection. But that might change: the world is running out of effective antibiotics. |
 | Familial hypercholesterolemia patients at high risk for cardiovascular eventsIndividuals with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) were able to lower their cholesterol under FH specialty care, but many are still not meeting LDL-cholesterol targets, according to the FH Foundation's CASCADE FH Registry. In new research published in the October issue of Atherosclerosis, 52 percent of adults with FH still had LDL-cholesterol over 100 mg/dL despite being on multiple cholesterol-lowering treatments. In addition, these individuals with FH had high heart attack, stroke, and vascular procedure rates, with an annualized cardiovascular event rate of 2.21 per 100 patient years overall, and 4.57 if an individual had a prior cardiovascular event. |
Biology news
 | Bioengineering organ-specific tissues with high cellular density and embedded vascular channelsBioengineers study the development of organ-specific tissues in the lab for therapeutic applications. However, the process is highly challenging, since it requires the fabrication and maintenance of dense cellular constructs composed of approximately 108 cell/mL. Research teams have used organ building blocks (OBBs) composed of patient-specific-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived organoids as a pathway to achieve the requisite cell density, microarchitecture and tissue function. However, OBBs hitherto remain to be assembled into 3-D tissue constructs. In a recent report, Mark A. Skylar-Scott and an interdisciplinary research team at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University, developed a new biomanufacturing method. |
 | New species of giant salamander is world's biggest amphibianUsing DNA from museum specimens collected in the early 20th century, researchers from ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and London's Natural History Museum identified two new species of giant salamander—one of which they suspect is the world's biggest amphibian. |
 | Early rice farmers unwittingly selected for weedy impostersEarly rice growers unwittingly gave barnyard grass a big hand, helping to give root to a rice imitator that is now considered one of the world's worst agricultural weeds. |
 | How nitrogen-fixing bacteria sense ironResearchers at the University of East Anglia have discovered how nitrogen-fixing bacteria sense iron—an essential but deadly micronutrient. |
 | Elephant seal 'supermoms' produce most of the population, study findsMost of the pups born in an elephant seal colony in California over a span of five decades were produced by a relatively small number of long-lived "supermoms", according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz. |
 | Every step a cell takes, every move they make—scientists will be watchingAn interdisciplinary team has found a solution to a problem plaguing developmental biology—long-term cell tracking and manipulation. |
 | Disrupting key protein alters biological rhythms in water fleaResearchers from North Carolina State University have shown that the E75 protein is a key regulator of some biological rhythms through interactions with nitric oxide. Suppression of E75 results in longer molt cycles and reduced numbers of offspring in the water flea, Daphnia magna. The work also raises questions about the ability of nitric oxide from environmental sources to disrupt biological rhythms that are critical to population sustainability. |
 | Novel use of laser technology reveals interactions between roots, soil organismsA novel use of a custom laser system—developed in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences eight years ago—allows researchers to see how soil organisms affect plant roots. The discovery has implications for future breeding of more resilient and productive crops, according to an international team of scientists. |
 | Global warming makes it harder for birds to mate, study findsNew research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and University of Porto (CIBIO-InBIO) shows how global warming could reduce the mating activity and success of grassland birds. |
 | Sesame yields stable in drought conditionsTexas has a long history of growing cotton. It's a resilient crop, able to withstand big swings in temperature fairly well. However, growing cotton in the same fields year after year can be a bad idea. Nutrients can get depleted. Disease can lurk in the ground during the winter season, only to attack the following year. Thus, rotating cotton with other crops could be a better system. |
 | New method reveals how damage occurs in human biological cells due to mechanical fatigueHuman red blood cells (RBCs) are extremely resilient and have the capacity to undergo cellular deformation as they navigate across various micro-vessels and capillaries. Over their 120-day normal lifespan, RBCs must undergo significant cyclic deformation through large elastic stretching and relaxation. Pathological deformations in RBCs are associated with various diseases such as malaria, sickle cell anemia, diabetes, myocardial infarction and various hereditary disorders. |
 | North Atlantic haddock use magnetic compass to guide themA new study found that the larvae of haddock, a commercially important type of cod, have a magnetic compass to find their way at sea. The findings showed that haddock larvae orient toward the northwest using Earth's magnetic field. |
 | Scientists identify previously unknown 'hybrid zone' between hummingbird speciesWe usually think of a species as being reproductively isolated—that is, not mating with other species in the wild. Occasionally, however, closely related species do interbreed. New research just published in The Auk: Ornithological Advances documents the existence of a previously undiscovered hybrid zone along the coast of northern California and southern Oregon, where two closely related bird hummingbirds, Allen's Hummingbird and Rufous Hummingbird, are blurring species boundaries. Researchers hope that studying cases such as this one could improve their understanding of how biodiversity is created and maintained. |
 | Scientists in New York City discover a valuable method to track ratsA new paper in The Journal of Urban Ecology, published by Oxford University Press, finds that rats can be baited to, or repelled from, locations using pheromones found in the scents of other rats. |
 | Nature documentaries increasingly talk about threats to nature, but still don't show themResearchers from Bangor University, University of Kent, Newcastle University and University of Oxford coded the scripts from the four most recent David Attenborough narrated series. They found the Netflix series Our Planet dedicated 15% of the script to environmental threats and conservation, far exceeding the BBC series Planet Earth II and Dynasties, with only Blue Planet II coming close to this figure. |
 | South Korea confirms first swine fever outbreakSouth Korea on Tuesday reported its first cases of African swine fever, becoming the latest country hit by the disease that has killed pigs from China to North Korea, pushing up pork prices worldwide. |
 | Thailand's sex-shy giant panda dies aged 19A beloved male giant panda on loan to Thailand from China has died aged 19 in Chiang Mai, leaving Thais on Tuesday to mourn the death of a mammal whose sex life captivated the kingdom. |
 | Genomics provides evidence of glacial refugia in ScandinaviaEvolutionary research on a grass-like, flowering perennial called the northern single-spike sedge has offered some of the first proof of ice-free locations, or glacial refugia, in Northern Europe during Earth's most recent ice age. |
 | Researchers: Loss of genetic variation means species are less adaptable to climate changeQueen's University researcher Vicki Friesen (Biology) and former postdoctoral fellow Debbie Leigh are sounding the alarm over the increasing loss of the genetic variation that allows species to adapt to the rapid and drastic environmental changes being generated by human activity. |
 | Hair indicates whether wild animals were 'stressed'While hair analysis has become routine in humans—for example for the detection of prolonged drug or medication abuse—it has been little used in animals to date. Scientists led by Alexandre Azevedo and Katarina Jewgenow of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) have now demonstrated that the stress hormone cortisol is deposited in hair of wild mongooses in Portugal and determined baselines for cortisol in these carnivores. Age, sex and storage time of the samples were reflected in the cortisol values, but not the season or reproductive status of the females. It is now possible to investigate whether different habitats and changed living conditions, such as the return of the Iberian lynx, place a particular burden on the mongooses. The results were recently published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE. |
 | Victorian hog deer genetics revealedAustralian researchers looking for a genetic lifeline to endangered hog deer species endemic to Pakistan, northern India and mainland southeast Asia have found widespread hybridization of the species in Victoria. |
 | Scientists find new class of flavonoid pigments in liverwortsScientists at Plant & Food Research, along with colleagues at Lincoln University and overseas, have recently discovered a brand new class of flavonoid pigments called "auronidins." |
 | Indonesia's toxic haze affecting Borneo's orangutans—rescuersMassive forest fires in Indonesia that have caused a toxic haze to spread as far as Singapore and peninsular Malaysia are also seriously affecting endangered orangutans and their habitat, a rescue foundation said Tuesday. |
 | Did microbes assist life in colonizing land?All living organisms exist and function only in cooperation with an abundance of symbiotic microorganisms, and have developed together with them over the course of the earth's history. This central finding of modern life sciences has led researchers worldwide to analyze the highly complex interactions and long-term bonds of host organisms and microbes in ever greater detail. Gradually, they want to achieve a new functional understanding of biology and the development of life. In the analysis of the complex interactions within the so-called metaorganism, the unit consisting of a body and the totality of its microbial colonization, in short the microbiome, scientists use techniques such as genome sequencing. These technologies make it possible to analyze genetic information from large quantities of biological sample material and, thanks to new high-throughput methods, quickly assign it to specific organisms and, in some cases, to possible functions. |
 | Why the global Red List mislabels the risk to many speciesWhen we talk about how threatened animals or plants are, we will almost always reference their statuses on the Red List. Created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature – a global organisation that seeks to direct and shape conservation efforts—the Red List uses a set of criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of species and subspecies. |
 | Invasive tadpoles can recognize potential predators in new environmentsInvasive species have become an increasingly big threat to indigenous ones as the spread of alien animals and plants has accelerated with the growth of global trade. Some can be very destructive, while some live in close proximity without posing any sort of threat. |
 | Field adult plant disease resistance can be assessed in young oilseed rape plantsNew research into crop disease resistance in oilseed rape by a research team at the University of Hertfordshire has been published online this week by journal PLOS ONE. |
 | Pros and cons of genetic scissorsCrispr technology has greatly facilitated gene editing. Associate Professor Thorsten Müller from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Dr. Hassan Bukhari from Harvard Medical School discuss its pros and cons in a review article in the journal Trends in Cell Biology. They believe Crispr technology has future potential primarily if it can be rendered usable in the field of stem cell research. |
 | Shark pups lose gains in stressed environmentsA prominent JCU shark researcher is part of an international team that found shark babies can't reach their physical peak if they're born into environments degraded by human-induced stressors, including climate change. |
 | Bat influenza viruses possess an unexpected genetic plasticityBat-borne influenza viruses enter host cells by utilizing surface exposed MHC-II molecules of various species, including humans. Now, an international research team from Germany (Medical Center—University of Freiburg and Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, island of Riems) and the United States (Colorado State University, Fort Collins and Kansas State University, Manhattan) addressed concerns about the zoonotic spill-over potential and discovered an unexpected high genetic plasticity of the bat influenza virus H18N11 with unpredictable consequences. |
 | Hundreds of sea turtle nests lost after Hurricane Dorian: 'It could have been worse'Strong tropical winds and high tides associated with Hurricane Dorian unearthed hundreds of sea turtle nests on beaches along the Space Coast, officials said. |
 | Genomic migration analysis shows antibiotic resistance moving from humans to animalsA Clemson University professor's research has documented the movement of antibiotic resistance in humans into animal species. |
UM study abroad students fuel understanding of gaps in conservation dataAnimals around the globe face rising extinction rates, but there is often a lack of data about the causes of population declines, as well as ecological and biological considerations for conservation. | |
The effects of variation in T6SS and bacteria on competition in host environmentA group of scientists studying the ways plant-associated bacteria interact were surprised to find that strains predicted to be more sensitive to bacteria were able to coexist with aggressor strains. | |
 | A matter of concentrationPlants can grow whole new organs with the help of pluripotent stem cells throughout their entire lives. When necessary, these stem cells can develop into any type of cell within an organism. The biologist Prof. Dr. Thomas Laux and his plant genetics research group at the University of Freiburg, who are studying how the balance between stem cells and specialized cells is regulated in plants, have determined that the concentration of so-called Argonaute proteins, such as AGO1 and ZLL/AGO10, plays a central role in this process. The team recently published their findings in the scientific journal Plant Communications. First author is Dr. Fei Du. |
This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you do not wish to receive such emails in the future, please unsubscribe here.
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com. You may manage your subscription options from your Science X profile
No comments:
Post a Comment