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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 25, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Naming of new interstellar visitor: 2I/BorisovA new object from interstellar space has been found within the solar system, only the second such discovery of its kind. The object offers a tantalizing glimpse beyond the solar system, and raises some puzzling questions. It has been given the name 2I/Borisov by the IAU. |
 | Black hole seeds missing in cosmic gardenIn the vast garden of the universe, the heaviest black holes grew from seeds. Nourished by the gas and dust they consumed, or by merging with other dense objects, these seeds grew in size and heft to form the centers of galaxies, such as our own Milky Way. But unlike in the realm of plants, the seeds of giant black holes must have been black holes, too. And no one has ever found these seeds—yet. |
 | A smarter habitat for deep space explorationIn order to explore the moon or Mars, astronauts need smart habitats that will support life and remain operational when they are vacant. To advance the design of autonomous systems for space habitats, NASA is funding a multi-university Space Technology Research Institute called Habitats Optimized for Missions of Exploration, or more fittingly, HOME. |
 | Rocket blasts off carrying first Arab to ISSA Soyuz rocket blasted off on Wednesday from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan carrying an Emirati who is set to make history as the first Arab on the International Space Station. |
 | NASA visualization shows a black hole's warped worldThis new visualization of a black hole illustrates how its gravity distorts our view, warping its surroundings as if seen in a carnival mirror. The visualization simulates the appearance of a black hole where infalling matter has collected into a thin, hot structure called an accretion disk. The black hole's extreme gravity skews light emitted by different regions of the disk, producing the misshapen appearance. |
 | Found: three black holes on collision courseAstronomers have spotted three giant black holes within a titanic collision of three galaxies. Several observatories, including the Chandra X-ray Observatory and other NASA space telescopes, captured the unusual system. |
 | Eyeballing a black hole's massThere are no scales for weighing black holes. Yet astrophysicists from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology have devised a new way for indirectly measuring the mass of a black hole, while also confirming its existence. They tested the new method, reported in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, on the Messier 87 active galaxy. |
 | Image: Glowing solar cellA solar cell is being turned into a light source by running electric current through it. Such 'luminescence' testing is performed routinely in ESA's Solar Generator Laboratory, employed to detect cell defects—such as the cracks highlighted here. |
 | WFIRST space telescope fitted for 'starglasses'When a new NASA space telescope opens its eyes in the mid-2020s, it will peer at the universe through some of the most sophisticated sunglasses ever designed. |
 | Stars in its eyes, UAE celebrates its first astronaut in spaceA crowd in Dubai erupted in cheers and applause Wednesday as the first astronaut from the United Arab Emirates launched towards the International Space Station, dubbing him a national hero. |
 | Video: Astronaut's climate messageAstronauts on the International Space Station have a unique and incredible view of Earth. However, they also see its fragility and the impact we as humans have on the world around us. |
 | Better than earth? Are there superhabitable worlds in the Milky Way?I've said many times in the past that the Earth is the best planet in the universe. No matter where we go, we'll never find a planet that's a better home to Earth life than Earth. Of course, that's because we, and all other Earth life evolved in this environment. Evolution adapted us to this planet, and it's unlikely we could ever find another planet this good for us. |
Technology news
 | A new non-fullerene acceptor for indoor solar energy applicationsOrganic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, a third-generation solar cell technology that can convert solar energy into electricity, have been found to be more efficient than silicon cells under low light intensity indoor LED illumination. These cells have also shown great potential for powering low consumption, off-the grid electronics in indoor environments. |
 | Quantum sensing on a chipMIT researchers have, for the first time, fabricated a diamond-based quantum sensor on a silicon chip. The advance could pave the way toward low-cost, scalable hardware for quantum computing, sensing, and communication. |
 | Spot for select customers, Atlas on gymnastic highAtlas, you're killing us. Head stands and somersaults weren't enough to drop our jaws; now you raised the bar with your ballet twists and in-air leg splits. Can't believe you are a machine but that much we need to accept. |
 | Researchers report a new way to produce curvy electronicsContact lenses that can monitor your health as well as correct your eyesight aren't science fiction, but an efficient manufacturing method—finding a way to produce the curved lenses with embedded electronics—has remained elusive. |
 | Vox Media and owner of 'New York' magazine to mergeVox Media announced a merger agreement Tuesday with New York Media, home of the prestigious "New York" magazine and a series of other titles. |
 | Facebook exempts political speech from fact-checkingFacebook will not fact-check the statements politicians post to the site, the social network announced Tuesday ahead of the US 2020 elections, even as it works to discredit false information meant to manipulate public opinion. |
California ballot proposal would tighten data privacy rulesA San Francisco developer who pressured California lawmakers into enacting the nation's most sweeping data privacy act is pushing a ballot measure to expand the law. | |
 | Google says won't pay media firms to display contentGoogle said Wednesday it will not pay European media outlets for displaying their articles, pictures and videos in search results in France, a move that undercuts EU copyright law and could set up a legal fight between the US tech giant and Brussels. |
 | Science fiction could save us from bad technologyThe short film Slaughterbots depicts a near future in which swarms of micro drones assassinate thousands of people for their political beliefs. Released in November 2017 by academics and activists warning of the dangers of advanced artificial intelligence (AI), it quickly went viral, attracting over 3m views to date. It helped spark a public debate on the future of autonomous weapons and put pressure on diplomats meeting at the United Nations Convention on Conventional Weapons. |
 | 60% of major US firms have been hacked in cloud: studyHackers have penetrated cloud computing networks of some 60 percent of top US companies, with virtually all industry sectors hit, security researchers said Tuesday. |
 | 'Transformer' rooms and robo-furniture are set to remake our homes—and livesWith two-thirds of a global population of 9.4 billion people expected to live in urban areas by 2050, we can expect a change in the domestic living arrangements we are familiar with today. |
 | Samsung Galaxy Fold is back: Is it ready for primetime this timeGently. That's how Samsung apparently wants you to treat its nearly $2,000 Galaxy Fold smartphone, which finally goes on sale in the U.S. on Friday. |
 | Grammarly's latest tool will tell you if your text comes across too harshlyEmotions are hard to convey via text. |
 | How cities can leverage citizen data while protecting privacyIndia is on a path with dual—and potentially conflicting—goals related to the use of citizen data. |
 | Researchers create 'player trait model' allowing for personalized gamesUniversity of Waterloo researchers have developed a novel tool that will enable user-experience designers to create more effective, personalized games and marketing campaigns. |
 | New research analyzes video game player engagementIn the video game industry, the ability for gaming companies to track and respond to gamers' post-purchase play opens up new opportunities to enhance gamer engagement and retention and increase video game revenue. |
 | Beijing opens glitzy airport ahead of China's 70th anniversaryA futuristic airport that resembles a giant starfish opened in Beijing Wednesday, as China unveils another massive infrastructure project just days before it celebrates 70 years of Communist Party rule. |
IPO values screen-sharing app maker Teamviewer at $5.78BTeamviewer, the maker of the eponymous screen-sharing and conferencing software, has held the biggest initial public offering for a German tech company since the dot-com boom. | |
 | McDonald's enlists Alexa and Google to help with its hiringWant a job at McDonald's? Just ask your smartphone. |
 | More cost overruns, delays for UK nuclear project: EDFBritain's controversial Hinkley Point nuclear power plant project faces substantial fresh cost overruns and further delay, France's EDF power giant said Wednesday. |
 | A comprehensive moving tactile sensor based on mechanoluminescenceMechanoluminescence (ML) is one of the oldest forms of luminescence, referring to the light emitting behaviors under the stimuli of mechanics. Since ML could directly establish the relationship between mechanics and luminescent signals, it shows enormous application prospects in mechanical sensors. However, the instantaneous emitting behavior of ML has restricted its practical applications. |
 | Slovenian flag carrier gets week to solve cash crisisSlovenian civil aviation authority on Wednesday gave the EU member's struggling flag carrier a week to present a financial restructuring plan or else lose its operating license. |
 | CEO Wenig steps down as eBay mulls asset salesOnline commerce giant eBay said Wednesday that chief executive Devin Wenig was stepping down as the California firm considers strategic options including asset sales. |
 | Continental launches job cuts, savings driveGerman car parts giant Continental said Wednesday it would launch a massive restructuring including job cuts and factory closures, aiming to save hundreds of millions of euros annually in costs. |
 | Breathalyzer kiosk touted as game changer for authorities, paroleesLaw enforcement authorities in the county seat of Thief River Falls, Minn., this month installed an electronic kiosk that can accurately measure for alcohol. |
 | US hits dating operator over 'fake love interest' messagesDid the response to your online dating profile seem too good to be true? |
 | LSU researchers continue work on bendable concrete, add sugarcane byproducts to the mixWork on developing an engineered cementitious composite, or bendable concrete, for mass adoption by LSU Construction Management researchers continues and the results are promising. |
 | Minnesota moves to get more electric vehicles on roadsMinnesota will require car manufacturers to sell more electric vehicles in the state starting in the 2023 model year, Gov. Tim Walz said Wednesday, a move meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while defying the Trump administration's efforts to revoke California's clean air and fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. |
 | Boeing settles 1st Lion Air cases with MAX families, $1.2 mn per victim: sourceBoeing has reached settlements with 11 families of victims from October's Lion Air crash, the first agreements following two deadly crashes that killed 346 people, a plaintiffs attorney said Wednesday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Teens sleep 43 more minutes per night after combo of two treatments, study findsTeenagers got 43 more minutes of sleep a night after a four-week intervention that reset their body clocks and helped them go to bed earlier, a study from the Stanford University School of Medicine has shown. |
 | World's first three-organoid system opens doors for medical research and diagnosisImagine trying to paint a forest when all the artist has is a leaf and a piece of bark versus having a living, growing tree as a model. Seeing how the parts fit together can make all the difference. |
 | Discovery could improve MDS cancer treatmentMyelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), one of the most common blood cancers, has very few treatment options. Now, researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have discovered a new and promising drug target for this deadly condition. |
 | Powerful new synthetic vaccines to combat epidemicsA new type of vaccine that can be stored at warmer temperatures, removing the need for refrigeration, has been developed for mosquito-borne virus Chikungunya in a major advance in vaccine technology. The findings, published in Science Advances today [Wednesday 25 September], reveal exceptionally promising results for the Chikungunya vaccine candidate, which has been engineered using a synthetic protein scaffold that could revolutionise the way vaccines are designed, produced and stored. |
 | First CAR T cell therapy targeting B cell-activating factor receptor eradicates blood cancersThe first CAR T cell therapy targeting the B cell-activating factor receptor on cancerous cells eradicated CD19-targeted therapy-resistant human leukemia and lymphoma cells in animal models, according to City of Hope research published today in Science Translational Medicine. The new therapy will be used in a clinical trial next year for patients who relapsed after CD19 immunotherapy treatments and may potentially be used as a first-line of CAR T cell therapy treatment. |
 | Promising steps towards a treatment for pulmonary fibrosisIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a type of lung disease that results in scarring of the lungs, also known as fibrosis. Over time, the fibrosis gets increasingly worse so that it becomes hard for those with the condition to simply take in a deep breath to get the oxygen they need. However, it is not clear what the cause of this condition is, and while there are two treatments that can help slow the rate at which IPF progresses, there is currently no treatment that can stop or reverse the scarring of the lung. However, recent research may be paving the way towards a new approach for the treatment for IPF. |
 | Unravelling the mystery of how one gene contributes to Parkinson's, Crohn's and leprosyResearchers have struggled for years to understand how mutations in one gene, called LRRK2, can increase the risk of three very different diseases: Parkinson's (a brain disease), Crohn's (a gut disease) and leprosy (a peripheral nervous system disease). Now, a Canadian team has found that inflammation is the likely culprit. Their results are published in Science Translational Medicine. |
 | Quality control in immune communication: Chaperones detect immature signaling moleculesThe cells of our immune system constantly communicate with one another by exchanging complex protein molecules. A team led by researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now revealed how dedicated cellular control proteins, referred to as chaperones, detect immature immune signaling proteins and prevent them from leaving the cell. |
 | A protein essential for chikungunya virus replication identifiedOriginally from Africa, chikungunya is aptly named. It derives from a word in the Kimakonde language meaning "to become contorted," because the severe muscle and joint pains endured by the patients prevent them from moving normally or performing their daily activities. |
 | Do children's brains really get thinner?The brains of young children get thinner as they grow. At least that's what scientists used to believe. For decades, the debate has been about how and why that happens. Now, an international collaboration of leading neuroscientists suggest, in Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, it may be partly an illusion. |
 | Meet BORIS: Possible new culprit in drug-resistant cancerLike a Russian bot corrupting U.S. elections, or a new prime minister wreaking havoc in the U.K., a protein named BORIS is showing itself to be a malevolent player in some childhood cancers. New research fingers BORIS as a culprit that can hack the neuroblastoma genome, rousing the cancer cells from dormancy after certain types of treatment, and allowing the cancer to relapse. |
 | Brain anatomy changes with maturation to adolescenceIn a first-of-its-kind study, Children's Hospital Los Angeles researchers piece together a road map of typical brain development in children during a critical window of maturation. The study shows how a "wave of brain maturation" directly underlies important social and behavioral changes children develop during the transition from childhood to adolescence. |
 | True lies: How letter patterns color perceptions of truthPeople today constantly encounter claims such as "Advil kills pain," "coffee prevents depression," or "Hilary promises amnesty" as brands, news outlets and social media sites vie for our attention—yet few people take the time to investigate whether these statements are true. Researchers have now uncovered one of the subtle psychological variables that influences whether people deem a claim to be true or false: the sequence of the letters. |
 | Anti-malarial drug can make cancer chemotherapy more effectiveScientists at the University of Birmingham have found an anti-malarial drug was effective in treating head and neck cancer in mice. |
 | New insights into the healing capacity of the heartA group of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the Texas Heart Institute and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston reveals today in the journal Genes & Development new insights into the recently discovered healing capacity of the heart involving the Hippo cellular pathway. The group previously reported that inactivating the Hippo pathway in the adult murine heart promoted cardiac muscle regeneration after injury, opening the possibility of developing promising heart failure therapies. |
 | Adult fly intestine could help understand intestinal regenerationIntestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are exposed to diverse types of environmental stresses such as bacteria and toxins, but the mechanisms by which epithelial cells sense stress are not well understood. New research by the universities of Bristol, Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have found that Nox-ROS-ASK1-MKK3-p38 signaling in IECs integrates various stresses to facilitate intestinal regeneration. |
 | Scientists tackle potential drug resistance by using new single-cell genetic methodUsing a new technique that can identify genetic profiles of individual cells, University of Notre Dame researchers modeled a breast cancer tumor's potential resistance to a drug, and then identified a drug combination that reversed that resistance. |
 | Resistance to immune checkpoint blocker drug linked to metabolic imbalanceA metabolic imbalance in some cancer patients following treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor drug, nivolumab, is associated with resistance to the immunotherapy agent and shorter survival, report scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, in collaborative work with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. |
 | ER visits escalate when kids with asthma also have depression, anxietyChildren with asthma have a higher likelihood of also suffering from anxiety and depression, and when all three conditions are present, patients are almost twice as likely as those with asthma alone to seek care in the Emergency Room. |
 | Studies link air pollution to mental health issues in childrenThree new studies by scientists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Cincinnati, highlight the relationship between air pollution and mental health in children. |
 | Scientists identify benefits, challenges to using film in public health researchThe research community is increasingly recognizing video as more than just a medium to disseminate scientific findings after a study's conclusion. A powerful tool, film can engage study participants and become an integral part of the scientific process, when deployed thoughtfully. |
Sexual trauma common in postmenopausal women veteransThanks to increased media attention, sexual assaults occurring in the military are finally getting the attention they deserve. However, most reports involve reproductive-aged women Veterans from recent service eras. A new study confirms the problem has a long history with assaults linked to numerous mental and physical problems. Study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Chicago, September 25 to 28, 2019. | |
 | First systematic review and meta-analysis suggests AI may be as effective as health professionals at diagnosing diseaseArtificial intelligence (AI) appears to detect diseases from medical imaging with similar levels of accuracy as health-care professionals, according to the first systematic review and meta-analysis, synthesising all the available evidence from the scientific literature published in The Lancet Digital Health journal. |
 | Pesticide exposure may increase heart disease and stroke riskOn-the-job exposure to high levels of pesticides raised the risk of heart disease and stroke in a generally healthy group of Japanese American men in Hawaii, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association. |
 | Researchers apply fat cells to deliver drug to suppress tumor growthResearchers at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a new drug delivery pathway that may help stop tumor growth and keep cancer from coming back in mice. In the preclinical study, the team found that they could reengineer adipocytes—fat cells that feed fatty acids energy needed to promote tumor growth and metastasis—to reverse their malignant role on tumor development and deliver cancer-fighting drugs directly to the tumor microenvironment. |
 | Does migraine leave your head spinning? Noninvasive treatment shows early promiseThere may be some good news for people with vestibular migraine, a type of migraine that causes vertigo and dizziness with or without headache pain. A small, preliminary study suggests that non-invasive nerve stimulation may show promise as a treatment for vestibular migraine attacks, a condition for which there are currently no approved treatments. The study is published in the September 25, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. |
 | Vaping: 5 things to considerWhile vaping can serve as an alternative to cigarette smoking, it still poses inherent risks, especially for young adults. Most vape products contain nicotine, the same highly addictive chemical found in cigarettes. There is no regulated list of chemicals in vape products, and these chemicals can have unknown health consequences. There is currently an outbreak of lung disease in the U.S. associated with vaping nicotine and THC. |
 | France forgets own golden age of medical marijuanaThis past summer, the French food and drug office, the Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament, greenlighted limited medical cannabis trials inside France, something that's been illegal since 1953. |
 | A better MRI marker for disability progression in multiple sclerosisA retrospective, five-year study of 1,314 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has found that atrophied brain lesion volume is the only marker from MRI scans that can accurately predict which patients will progress to the most severe form of the disease. |
 | Avatars against obesityNew therapies against excessive weight: A collaborative project led by the University of Würzburg develops virtual reality methods to positively affect the body perception of obese patients. |
| UK urine test that can detect early-stage pancreatic cancer starts clinical studyA urine test that can detect early stage pancreatic cancer has reached the final stage of validation before being developed for use with patients. |
 | The origin of genetic mutations in cancerWhen a cell divides into two daughter cells, it must replicate its DNA according to a very specific scenario. In the presence of some disruptive elements, however, cancer cells are unable to perform this operation optimally; replication then takes place more slowly and less efficiently. This phenomenon is called "replication stress." While known to be linked to the increase in genetic mutations, another phenomenon typical of cancer cells, the exact mechanism at work remained unknown until now. By deciphering how replication stress induces the loss or gain of whole chromosomes in the daughters of cancer cells, and even by reversing it in diseased cells, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) provide new knowledge that will ultimately lead to better diagnosis and possibly better treatment of cancer. Results can be discovered in the journal Nature Communications. |
 | Third of children who need glasses aren't wearing themIt's a problem many teachers are familiar with, a student apparently struggling in class, but in fact just suffering from something that's easily fixed—vision problems—with an inexpensive pair of glasses. |
 | Depression: It's a word we use a lot, but what exactly is it?Depression is a serious disorder marked by disturbances in mood, cognition, physiology and social functioning. |
 | Adding variety to your diet lowers disease risk. But what does variety mean?Since the late 1970s, a diversified diet has been considered an essential component of healthy eating. Ensuring a good balance of nutrients is crucial for people to stay healthy. Dietary diversity is also a key indicator of diet quality as well as nutritional adequacy. |
 | In a virtual universe of 'perfect' bodies, Instagram's new policy offers important protection for young usersInstagram recently announced posts promoting diet products and cosmetic procedures will no longer be visible to users under the age of 18. While the initiative is being led by Instagram, the policy will also be in place on Facebook. |
 | Juul Labs to stop advertising e-cigarettes amid backlashThe nation's largest e-cigarette maker will stop advertising its devices in the U.S. and replace its chief executive as mysterious breathing illnesses and an explosion in teen vaping have triggered efforts to crack down on the largely unregulated industry. |
 | Near misses on slot machines may not encourage continued gambling, study findsYou enter your quarter into the slot machine and hit the button. Two lemons and a cherry appear in front of you—close to a win, but not quite. For nearly 70 years, researchers believed near misses like these would encourage you to continue gambling, but new research from University of Alberta scientists suggests the near-miss effect may not exist at all. |
 | New mechanisms that regulate pluripotency in embryonic stem cells are discoveredEmbryonic stem cells (ESCs) can give rise to many types of tissues and organs. At the turn of the century, these cells were believed to offer hope of treatment for several health problems, but as research advanced, scientists realized that understanding and controlling the behavior of ESCs would be a more daunting challenge than initially imagined. |
 | Genome study shows that Iran's population is more heterogeneous than previously believedAn international research team including scientists from the University of Cologne, Germany, numerous Iranian universities and the University of Sydney, Australia, has shown that today's Iranian population is composed of partially highly heterogeneous ethnic groups, exhibiting a high degree of genetic variation. In many cases, their source goes back many thousands of years. The results, obtained from the first genome-wide genetic characterization of the Iranian population by this team, appeared in PLOS Genetics, titled "Distinct genetic variation and heterogeneity of the Iranian population." |
 | Snoring and heart disease link explainedA brain chemical could be responsible for triggering heart disease and high blood pressure in people with the snoring condition obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), Sydney scientists have discovered. |
 | New survey exposes sauces and marinades with up to ten times the salt concentration of sea waterA nationwide product survey published today by Action on Salt has exposed the unnecessary levels of salt present in many table sauces, Asian sauces and marinades. |
 | Patients with adrenogenital syndrome more likely to suffer from sexual dysfunctionAdrenogenital syndrome (AGS) encompasses a group of inherited metabolic disorders caused by a disruption in steroid hormone production in the adrenal cortex. Doctor of internal and sexual medicine Michaela Bayerle-Eder and biochemist Sabina Baumgartner-Parzer from the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism within MedUni Vienna's Department of Medicine III are studying sexual function and sexual orientation in a group of women with mild and severe forms of AGS. The main findings are as follows: they are much more likely to suffer from sexual dysfunction and problems with gender identification than healthy women. An early diagnosis is therefore extremely important. |
 | Psychology can help patients beat obesity problem, says expertPsychologists have expertise to understand the causes of obesity and should be central to help the prevention and treatment of the condition, according to a leading Health Psychologist from the University of Bedfordshire. |
 | Debunking the myths around self-injuryNon-suicidal self-injury is the deliberate damage of body tissue without conscious suicidal intent. It's more specific than self-harm, a broader term that can also include suicide attempts. |
 | Your preschooler's forgetfulness isn't bad behavior and nagging them won't helpAnother school year is upon us, and both parents and children have a lot to remember as people are coming and going on new schedules: make and take lunches, bring an item for show-and-tell, carry cups to the table for dinner when asked. |
 | Why does the CDC want us to 'Think Fungus'?When people think of infectious microbes, they typically think of bacteria and virus. There is, however, another enormous group of organisms that can affect our health: fungi. |
 | 1 in 3 new moms struggle to get their baby to sleep, but some women have a tougher timeBecoming a parent is a wonderful experience but it can also be incredibly daunting. There is no qualification or test you can take to make sure you're ready; you have to rely on life experience, advice from friends, family and experts, and trial and error. |
 | Do new cancer drugs work? Too often, we don't really know (and neither does your doctor)It's hard to find anyone who hasn't been touched by cancer. People who haven't had cancer themselves will likely have a close friend or family member who has been diagnosed with the disease. |
 | Breakthrough in the fight against superbugsNew molecules, developed by researchers in UCC, have been shown to dramatically improve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics against several strains of infectious diseases and will help address the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance. |
 | Researchers identify one driver of melanoma spreadUsing a small noncoding RNA, microRNA 211, and tools that track the stability and decay of the protein-coding and noncoding RNAs in lab-grown melanoma cells, a team led by a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researcher identified highly unstable RNA molecules in human melanomas, including a novel miR-211 target gene DUSP3. |
 | For hospitalized patients with fungal infections, specialists save livesBloodstream infections caused by the fungus Candida are among the most common and deadly infections in hospitals, with 25,000 such cases seen annually in the U.S. - mostly in people originally hospitalized for other reasons. About 40% to 45% of people with Candida in their blood die of the infection. |
 | Babies with hydrocephalus caused by toxoplasmosis have good outcomes with prompt treatmentBabies born with toxoplasmosis, which is caused by a congenital parasitic infection, can develop hydrocephalus, a condition where excess fluid creates damaging pressure in the brain. |
 | How biscuits enriched with protein could keep the UK's aging population strongThe world's aging populations are increasing every year. In 2016, 18% of the UK's population was aged 65 years or older—by 2046, this group will account for nearly a quarter of the people living in the British Isles. |
 | Not enough time to exercise? High-intensity training can fit into your daily lifePhysical inactivity is a global health problem. But despite overwhelming evidence that regular exercise is highly beneficial, the challenge of encouraging people to be more active remains. |
 | Shopping addiction is a real disorderUK-based healthcare group the Priory is well-known for treating gambling, sex, drug, alcohol and computing addictions—especially of the rich and famous. Now it has added a new condition to its list: shopping addiction. |
Web tool prioritizes health risks for postmenopausal womenA web-based calculator that helps middle-aged women predict their risks of conditions that become more likely with age has been developed by public health, medical and computer science experts from throughout the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. | |
 | Unravelling an alternative mechanism of airway mucosal immunityContrary to popular belief, there may be more than one mechanism involved in microbial airway protection. Researchers from Japan and China have found an alternative mechanism that may be involved in fighting microbial infections. |
 | Truly smart homes could help dementia patients live independentlyYou might already have what's often called a "smart home," with your lights or music connected to voice-controlled technology such as Alexa or Siri. But when researchers talk about smart homes, we usually mean technologies that use artificial intelligence to learn your habits and automatically adjust your home in response to them. Perhaps the most obvious example of this are thermostats that learn when you are likely to be home and what temperature you prefer, and adjust themselves accordingly without you needing to change the settings. |
 | How seniors perceive oral health may make all the difference whether they will seek treatment, according to studyHow do senior citizens perceive the importance of their oral health? The answer to that question might make all the difference whether they'll decide to seek treatment. |
 | USPSTF urges asymptomatic bacteriuria screening in pregnancyThe U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends using a urine culture to screen pregnant persons for asymptomatic bacteriuria (Grade B recommendation) but does not recommend screening nonpregnant adults. These findings form the basis of a final recommendation statement published in the Sept. 24 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | Why you should ask to be screened for postpartum depressionIt's not uncommon for new moms to feel an emotional letdown shortly after baby is born. Though symptoms of these so-called "baby blues" can be wide-ranging, they last no more than two weeks and go away on their own. |
 | How our brains cope with the constancy of changeChange is the only constant, according to Heraclitus. It may also be the most important variable for how our minds understand the world, say a group of UConn cognitive scientists. |
 | How and why does Parkinson's disease effect women and men differently?There is growing evidence that Parkinson's disease (PD) affects women and men differently. In this insightful review, published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, scientists present the most recent knowledge about these sex-related differences and highlight the significance of estrogens, which play an important role in the sex differences in PD. |
 | Secret-shopper-style study shows online birth control prescription overall safe, efficientWeb-based and digital-app services that offer oral contraception appear to be overall safe and efficient, according to the findings of a secret-shopper-style study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and UC Davis that analyzed the birth control prescription services of nine U.S. vendors. |
 | Study assesses asthma treatment options in African American children and adultsA new study of African Americans with poorly controlled asthma, found differences in patients' responses to commonly used treatments. Contrary to what researchers had expected, almost half of young children in the study responded differently than older children and adults, and than white children in prior studies. |
 | Benefits for mind, body and work ability seen in Medicaid Expansion studyExpanding Medicaid to more low-income adults helped many of them feel healthier, and do a better job at work or a job search, in just one year after they got their new health coverage, a University of Michigan study finds. |
 | Blood-brain barrier damage occurs even with mild head traumaIn a new study of adolescent and adult athletes, researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Stanford University and Trinity College in Dublin have found evidence of damage to the brain's protective barrier, without a reported concussion. |
 | Many patients not receiving first-line treatment for sinus, throat, ear infectionsInvestigators have now shown that only half of patients presenting with sinus, throat, or ear infections at different treatment centers received the recommended first-line antibiotics, well below the industry standard of 80 percent. The research is published this week in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. |
 | Researchers developing new 'DNA stitch' to treat muscular dystrophyA new therapeutic being tested by University of Alberta researchers is showing early promise as a more effective treatment that could help nearly half of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). |
 | Scientists solve mystery underlying heart toxicity caused by diabetes drugsLike catching two fish with one worm, treating two problems with a single drug is efficient, but exceedingly difficult. In particular, for new diabetes medications, in which one drug aims to tackle two major complications of diabetes—the excess of both lipids and glucose in the blood—the therapeutic benefits, while great, frequently are accompanied by dangerous toxic effects to the heart. |
 | AI helps scientists predict depression outcomesThe psychiatry field has long sought answers to explain why antidepressants help only some people. |
 | Fear not a factor in gun ownership: researchAre gun owners more or less afraid than people who do not own guns? A new study from researchers at Florida State University and the University of Arizona hopes to add some empirical data to the conversation after finding that gun owners tend to report less fear than non-gun owners. |
 | Prediction system significantly increases palliative care consultsPalliative Connect, a trigger system developed at Penn Medicine and powered by predictive analytics, was found to be effective at increasing palliative care consultations for seriously ill patients, according to a new study from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. After the system was implemented, palliative care consultation increased by 74 percent. The study was published this month in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. |
 | Officials: 75,000 vaping cartridges seized in Anoka CountyLaw enforcement officials say they've seized 75,000 vaping cartridges in Anoka County. |
 | Brain stimulation prevents anxiety-induced decrease in motor performancesResearchers in the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and the Centre national de la recherché scientifique used fMRI to discover a new neural mechanism involving the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex to explain how anxiety deteriorates physical performance. Moreover, the performance deterioration was rescued by suppressing brain activity with transcranial magnetic stimulation to the dACC. The findings would provide a new therapeutic strategy for athletes, musicians and other performers susceptible to anxiety during performance. |
 | This can be a pivotal moment for global healthAs a global action plan to achieve health for all is launched at the United Nations General Assembly, Alex Harris explores what this means for research and innovation. |
 | More blood pressure drugs recalledThe recall of the commonly prescribed blood pressure drug losartan has been expanded once again to include an additional five lots. |
 | Try roasted root vegetables for a tasty fall dinnerWant to warm up as the temperature cools down and get in more nutrients, too? Roasted vegetables are a delicious way to do both. |
 | Physicians of color are far too rare: Study highlights one potential reasonOveremphasizing test scores may make radiation oncology residency programs too white, according to a new study by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University. |
 | Trial into skin collection of babies blood chemistry seeks to replace invasive samplingScientists at the University of Strathclyde are researching a system to measure and monitor blood chemistry levels in premature and sick babies through their skin, which if successful, could eventually replace the need for invasive blood tests. |
Best Buy digs deeper into health care tech for elderlyBest Buy Co. says it plans to expand its remote health monitoring services for seniors, including sensors that can be worn on their arms, to 5 million from 1 million in five years. | |
 | Report: Opioids settlement won't fix areas hardest hitOxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's tentative legal settlement over the toll of the nation's opioid crisis is unlikely to reverse the consequences of the epidemic in the hardest-hit towns and regions, according to a report released Wednesday. |
 | Emergency vaccination for deadly DR Congo measles outbreak: UNThe UN health agency on Wednesday said it would carry out an emergency vaccination campaign in six DR Congo provinces to counter an outbreak of measles that has killed 3,600 since the start of the year. |
 | Rhode Island is latest state to bar flavored vape productsRhode Island became the latest state to restrict e-cigarettes Wednesday when Gov. Gina Raimondo signed an executive order banning the sale of flavored vaping products. |
Biology news
 | Jackdaws learn from each other about 'dangerous' humansJackdaws can learn from each other to identify "dangerous" humans, new research shows. |
 | Bird droppings defy expectationsFor every question about bird poop, uric acid appears to be the answer. |
 | Bats use private and social information as they huntIn the arms race between predators and prey, each evolves more and more sophisticated ways of catching or escaping from the other. Rachel Page, staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Ximena Bernal, associate professor at Purdue University, review in Functional Ecology how bats use both private and social information to attack their prey. |
 | Fish micronutrients 'slipping through the hands' of malnourished peopleMillions of people are suffering from malnutrition despite some of the most nutritious fish species in the world being caught near their homes, according to new research published in Nature. |
 | New research reveals soil microbes play a key role in plant disease resistanceScientists have discovered that soil microbes can make plants more resistant to an aggressive disease—opening new possibilities for sustainable food production. |
 | New discoveries map out CRISPR-Cas defense systems in bacteriaFor the first time ever, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have mapped how bacterial cells trigger their defense against outside attacks. This could affect how diseases are fought in the future. |
 | Specific immune response of beetles adapts to bacteriaThe immune system fends off pathogens in a wide variety of ways. For example, the immune system's memory is able to distinguish a foreign protein it has encountered before and to react with a corresponding antibody. Researchers have now investigated experimentally whether this ability of the immune system to specifically fend off pathogens can adapt in the course of evolution. To this end, they studied many successive generations of flour beetles—because insects can also specifically repel pathogens to a certain degree. |
 | Fish experience pain with 'striking similarity' to mammalsA new University of Liverpool study has concluded that the anglers' myth 'that fish don't feel pain' can be dispelled: fish do indeed feel pain, with a similarity to that experienced by mammals including humans. |
 | New method provides better understanding of gene 'enhancers' workScientists from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Science and Istituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare (IFOM), along with collaborators from Kyoto University, the Karolinska Institut, and DNAFORM, have developed a new technique, NET-CAGE, to elucidate the structure of a type of non-coding portion of the genome called enhancers, which function to activate specific genes. These parts of the genome, which were once thought to be unimportant and called "junk DNA," are now known to be associated with a variety of diseases, and understanding their function has become an important goal with genomic research. |
 | Cryopreservation of sperm found to slow offspring growth in fishA trio of researchers with the University of Lausanne has found that cryopreservation of fish sperm leads to slowed growth of their offspring. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, David Nusbaumer, Lucas Marques da Cunha and Claus Wedekind describe their study of brown trout cryopreservation fertilization and what they learned from it. |
 | A mouse or an elephant: what species fights infection more effectively?What species is better at fighting an infection, a mouse or an elephant? Body size is one of the most noticeable differences among species, but relationships between immune defenses and body size have largely been unstudied. |
 | Private boats in the Mediterranean have extremely high potential to spread alien speciesThis is the first study in the Mediterranean to combine boat and marina sampling data with crew surveys to better understand the role these boats play in spreading alien species. The researchers from the University of Pavia, Italy found that boats traveling to new marinas were likely to be transporting alien species in the biofouling: living growth on submerged areas of the vessel. |
 | Tropical fish swim into Europe's waters as common species head northCod, sole and plaice might be regulars on European dinner tables but as climate change heats the oceans common species are heading to cooler northern waters—with profound potential consequences for fish stocks and consumers. |
 | California ramps up efforts to combat invasive swamp rodentsOne of the most recent threats to California's environment has webbed feet, white whiskers, shaggy fur and orange buck teeth that could be mistaken for carrots. |
 | Germany's climate-stressed trees face 'catastrophe' as bugs attackGermany's forests have long been treasured by its people, so the country has reacted with alarm and dismay as a beetle infestation has turned climate-stressed woodlands into brown ecological graveyards. |
 | First known cases of sudden oak death detected in Del Norte CountyA team of collaborators including the citizen science project SOD Blitz have detected the first cases of the infectious tree-killing pathogen Phytophthora ramorum in California's Del Norte county. |
 | Researchers use immune system to attack glioblastomaThe Yale laboratory of Sidi Chen, assistant professor of genetics in the Systems Biology Institute and Yale Cancer Center, has developed advanced gene-editing and screening technology to find new targets for cancer immunotherapy. |
 | Monkeys like alcohol at low concentrations, but probably not due to the caloriesFruit-eating monkeys show a preference for concentrations of alcohol found in fermenting fruit, but do not seem to use alcohol as a source of supplementary calories, according to a study by researchers from Linköping University, Sweden, and the Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico. The findings do not support the idea that human alcoholism originated from a predilection of primates for alcohol-containing overripe fruit. |
 | Scientists find ways to improve cassava, a 'crop of inequality' featured at GoalkeepersToday, as world leaders gather for the UN General Assembly, hundreds of emerging leaders focused on fighting global inequality came together at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's third annual Goalkeepers event in New York City. Among them, University of Illinois scientist Amanda De Souza highlighted a crop of inequality called cassava, which has starchy, tuberous roots that sustain more than 500 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, yet cassava has been largely neglected by research and development compared to the staple crops of wealthier regions. Recently, De Souza and a team from Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) published a study in New Phytologist that identified opportunities to improve cassava yields—which have not increased for more than fifty years in Africa. |
 | Investigation of viral communities of sponges allows new insights into the mechanisms of symbiosisSponges form an extensive animal phylum with over 7,500 species worldwide, which occur in a wide range of habitats in the ocean. A special feature of this animal phylum is their ability to filter seawater, through which these organisms obtain their food. In doing so, certain sponge species can move up to 24,000 litres through their body per day. The surrounding seawater contains a wide range of viruses—on average, one millilitre of water contains 10 million viruses. The filter-feeding lifestyle of sponges combined with the rich proliferation of viruses in the ocean therefore might suggest that marine sponges may have a similar viral composition as the surrounding water. |
 | Leaving more deadwood in forests enhances biodiversity, according to studyIncreasing the amounts of deadwood in protected forests would help conserve biodiversity, according to a new University of Alberta review. |
 | Earthworm population triples with use of cover cropsResearch from Cranfield University has found that using cover crops to protect soil and introduce organic matter increases earthworm numbers and provides financial savings for farmers. |
 | Dugongs: Looking to the gentle sea creature's past may guard its futureMost people look rather blank when asked if they know what a dugong is. Some may be aware that it's a sea cow, something similar to the manatee. But they don't know much more. This is a shame for two reasons. |
 | Sneaky lions in Zambia are moving across areas thought uninhabitable for themZambia, a country in southeast Africa, has approximately 1,200 lions, one of the largest lion populations on the continent. More than 40% of the U-shaped country is protected land, with over 120,000 square miles of national parks, sanctuaries and game management areas for lions to roam. |
 | Whole genome sequencing benefits for surveillance of bacteria behind gastroenteritisA new study into one of the UK's leading causes of gastroenteritis has shown how whole genome sequencing can improve its surveillance and control of the disease. |
 | Rare and endangered symbolic scar tree preservedQueensland Museum researchers have been part of a rescue mission to preserve a centuries-old Aboriginal tree carving, helping document it for future generations using technology known as photogrammetry. |
 | Two ginger species reported new to MyanmarZingiberaceae, the ginger family of flowering plants, consists of 53 genera and more than 1,377 species. Amomum is the second largest genus in the family Zingiberaceae with about 150–180 species. |
US appeals court to decide fight over jaguar habitatIt will be up to a federal appeals court to decide whether tens of thousands of acres in New Mexico should be reserved as critical habitat for the endangered jaguar. | |
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