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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 8, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Researchers discover how water is regenerated on asteroidsScientists have discovered how water molecules can be regenerated on asteroids moving through space, in an exciting breakthrough that could extend to other bodies such as the moon. |
 | Exoplanets: tantalising search for life beyond the solar systemThis year's Nobel Prize for Physics honoured Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz, Swiss astronomers who proved the existence of a planet orbiting a star far beyond the Earth's solar system. |
 | Pressure runs high at edge of solar systemOut at the boundary of our solar system, pressure runs high. This pressure, the force plasma, magnetic fields and particles like ions, cosmic rays and electrons exert on one another when they flow and collide, was recently measured by scientists in totality for the first time—and it was found to be greater than expected. |
 | A dormant volcano: the black hole at the heart of our galaxy is more explosive than we thoughtThe supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy spat out an enormous flare of radiation 3.5 million years ago that would have been clearly visible from Earth. |
 | Controlling robots across oceans and spaceThis Autumn is seeing a number of experiments controlling robots from afar, with ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano directing a robot in The Netherlands and engineers in Germany controlling a rover in Canada. |
 | Two meteor showers peak this week: The Draconids and the Southern TauridsA skywatcher's doubleheader is on tap this week as a pair of meteor showers will peak on back-to-back nights. |
 | Boeing to invest $20 million in Virgin GalacticBoeing plans to invest $20 million in Virgin Galactic as the space tourism company nears its goal of launching passengers on suborbital flights. |
 | Russia bestows medal on US astronaut in failed launchRussia has decorated NASA astronaut Nick Hague, who survived an aborted space launch last year, with one of its highest honours, the Order of Courage, a Kremlin decree said on Tuesday. |
Technology news
 | All-perovskite tandem solar cells with 24.8% efficiencyA team of researchers at Nanjing University in China and the University of Toronto in Canada have recently fabricated all-perovskite tandem solar cells (PSCs), a type of solar cell with a key perovskite structured component. These new solar cells, presented in a paper featured in Nature Energy, were achieve remarkable efficiency, outperforming other existing solutions. |
 | Engineers develop thin, lightweight lens that could produce slimmer camera phones, longer-flying dronesThe new wave of smartphones to hit the market all come with incredible cameras that produce brilliant photos. There's only one complaint—the thick camera lenses on the back that jet out like ugly bumps on a sheet of glass. |
 | Microsoft patent filings raise chatter about Xbox VRA VR boundary mat. A motion controller. A stylus. These are new patent ideas that were spotted on Oct. 4 by a Twitter user. They have inspired anticipation as well as chatter amongst Microsoft watchers. Sure, not all patent ideas turn into products but in this instance, What If? |
 | Samsung Electronics flags 56% fall in Q3 operating profitSamsung Electronics said on Tuesday it expected operating profits to drop more than 50 percent in the third quarter as it struggles with a long-running slump in the global chip market. |
 | Southwest pilots sue Boeing over 737 MAXPilots from Texas-based Southwest Airlines said Monday they had filed a lawsuit against Boeing, accusing it of "deliberately misleading" them over the 737 MAX, which has been grounded after two deadly crashes. |
 | Domain name fraud: is the global Internet in danger?In late February 2019, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization that manages the IP addresses and domain names used on the web, issued a warning on the risks of systemic Internet attacks. Here is what you need to know about what is at stake. |
 | Aerial threat: why drone hacking could be bad news for the militaryUnmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly called drones, are now a fundamental part of defence force capability, from intelligence gathering to unmanned engagement in military operations. But what happens if our own technology is turned against us? |
 | In-ear silicon speakers for the internet of voice"Hey Goosilexa, can I go swimming?" Today, we receive synthetically spoken answers to questions aimed at helping to make our decisions easier. Increasingly, voice-based services infiltrate everyday lives. Major hardware and content providers such as Apple, Google and Amazon have long been growing their businesses with powerful personal voice assistants. |
 | Ammonia may hold key to greener combustionOne way to reduce flight shame may lie in a ring of flames. And in the gas that's generated in an outhouse. |
 | Dry ice could prevent rail delays caused by 'leaves on the line'Researchers from the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with Icetech Technologies, have used dry ice to develop a new solution to the problem of leaves on the line, which cause delays, cancellations and timetable changes for rail passengers. |
 | Want your kids to read more? Amazon has a new Kindle for themYour kids love electronics. You'd love it if they'd read more. Amazon hopes to meet you both in the middle with a new Kindle for the young e-readers in the family. |
 | Five reasons to download MacOS CatalinaIf it's October, it's time once again for a new computer operating system upgrade from Apple, this year called macOS Catalina. |
 | New approach for modern power grids that increases efficiency, reduces costModern power grids are rapidly developing due to the increasing penetration of renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic and wind power. This trend is expected to rise in the near future, as attested by major countries worldwide in their commitments to the production of large renewable power penetration. |
 | Future intent: Would you let an automated car do the driving?Would you be comfortable taking a nap in the driver's seat while your fully automated car did the driving? |
 | Hypersonic research spotlights future flight challengesSouthwest Research Institute engineers are advancing what researchers know about hypersonic flight. A new study presented at the 2019 Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Propulsion Meeting describes a series of tests conducted at SwRI's San Antonio headquarters that elucidate the conditions a future aircraft may experience traveling faster than 10 times the speed of sound. |
 | A cool alternative to air conditioningA low-cost passive cooling technology made from a polymer film could be used to passively cool buildings in metropolitan areas, avoiding the need for electricity. |
 | Sony's PlayStation 5 launch set for late 2020Sony said Tuesday its next-generation PlayStation 5 console, with new immersive features giving players the tactile experience of virtual worlds, would launch for the 2020 holiday season. |
 | Boeing reports another big drop in deliveries in 3QBoeing on Tuesday reported another steep quarterly drop in commercial plane deliveries due to the grounding of the 737 MAX but confirmed it still plans to win approval get those jets back in the air this year. |
 | Epic Games sued for not warning parents 'Fortnite' is allegedly as addictive as cocaineRoughly a quarter of a billion mostly obsessed gamers are battling it out in "Fortnite." There's a darn decent chance kids you know are among them. |
 | Facebook plugs booming business version into PortalFacebook said Tuesday its Portal smart screens would be incorporated in its Workplace social network for businesses, which has grown to more than three million paid users. |
 | Facebook extends fact-checking programme to 10 new African statesFacebook on Tuesday announced the expansion of its third-party fact-checking programme to 10 new African countries in partnership with Agence France-Presse and other media. |
Adobe cuts off Venezuela clients, citing US sanctionsThe software company Adobe says it is cutting off its accounts in Venezuela, the latest repercussions of U.S. financial sanctions targeting President Nicolás Maduro. | |
 | HBO orders 2 new seasons of Axios news seriesHBO has ordered two new seasons of its Sunday night news program modeled after the Axios website, which has produced newsmaking interviews with presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner and business leaders Elon Musk and Tim Cook. |
 | Crisis-hit Nissan names China unit head Makoto Uchida as new CEOCrisis-hit Japanese automaker Nissan on Tuesday named Makoto Uchida as new chief executive, elevating the insider currently heading the firm's China unit as it overhauls its leadership after the Carlos Ghosn scandal. |
 | New low-consumption diesel engine generates less contaminating particlesResearchers from Valencia's Polytechnic University (UPV) have taken part in the development of a new engine that has low consumption and high efficiency, and which decreases the emissions of contaminating particles by over 80 percent compared to current legal limits. |
 | Editorial: Internet's future rests on California's defense of net neutrality lawThe future of the internet as we know it rests in California's ability to defend what is widely regarded as the nation's most robust net neutrality law. |
 | EU's top regulator for Big Tech looks to use stronger actionThe EU's powerful antitrust chief said Tuesday she's weighing up stronger measures to curb anticompetitive behavior because huge fines that she has levied on tech multinationals aren't working. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Regular exercise is good for your heart, no matter how old you are: studyRegular exercise is highly beneficial for all patients with cardiovascular disease regardless of age, report investigators in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Their results showed that the patients who benefited most from cardiac rehabilitation were those who started out with the greatest physical impairment. |
 | Meningioma molecular profile reliably predicts tumor recurrenceAlthough typically benign, about one-fifth of meningiomas, the most common primary brain tumors, recur despite complete surgical removal. The current meningioma classification does not consistently predict whether the tumor will recur, but researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital report today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that using molecular profiles that might better predict meningioma recurrence. |
 | Research team discovers new mechanism in the liver that helps prevent invasive fungal infectionsAs a world-renowned expert using intravital microscopy to observe fungal infection progression in live samples, Meiqing Shi, associate professor with the University of Maryland Department of Veterinary Medicine, continues to make new breakthroughs in the field. In his latest paper published in Nature Communications, Shi and his lab have discovered a new pathway by which liver macrophages called Kupffer cells (KCs) capture potentially fatal fungi in the bloodstream before dissemination to target organs like the brain or kidney. This mechanism not only provides an explanation as to why individuals with liver disease tend to have enhanced risk of contracting fungal infections, but it also points to therapeutic options that could be used in the future to prevent fungal dissemination and invasive fungal infections, which kill 1.5 million people worldwide each year. |
 | Germ transplant helps women with tough-to-treat vaginal infectionsBacterial vaginosis is a common infection in women that's usually easily treated with antibiotics. But for those who develop recurrent infections, treatment options have been limited. |
 | New research reveals how we make sense of compound wordsPeople process compound words—like snowball—and words that look like compound words but aren't—like carpet—in the same way, according to new University of Alberta research that has broad applications from rehabilitation after stroke or brain injury to developing AI that understands how humans use language. |
 | Epigenomic 'map' helps predict nerve cells' ability to regenerate after injuryAn Imperial-led study has provided new insights into the biological processes which determine nerve cells' ability to regenerate after injury. |
 | Clues from DNA could predict growth of prostate cancerResearchers from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and other institutions in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Singapore, have identified 1,178 biomarkers in men's genomes—the complete set of genetic material inherited from one's parents—that predict how an individual person's prostate cancer will grow. |
 | Tau-mediated RNA splicing errors linked to Alzheimer's diseaseA collaborative study published today in the journal Cell Reports provides evidence for a new molecular cause for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. The study, led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, integrates data from human brain autopsy samples and fruit flies to reveal a novel mechanistic link between alterations in RNA splicing and tau-mediated neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Mapping normal breast development to better understand cancerBreast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers, and some forms rank among the most difficult to treat. Its various types and involvement of many different cells makes targeting such tumors difficult. Now, Salk Institute researchers have used a state-of-the-art technology to profile each cell during normal breast development in order to understand what goes wrong in cancer. |
 | Research maps key signaling pathways linking calcium entry and exit in activated T cellsLike separate entrance and exit doors on a building, a cell's outer surface has its own doors—channels, pumps, and transporters that selectively control what molecules may enter or exit. In the immune system, T cells—essential players in immune regulation—possess unique sets of these doors, including a set that specializes in the movement of calcium ions. |
 | Need to balance guides development of limb-body coordinationThe need to feel balanced drives the development of coordination between body and limbs as zebrafish larvae learn to swim, a new study finds. |
 | Prenatal stress could affect baby's brain, say researchersNew research from King's College London has found that maternal stress before and during pregnancy could affect a baby's brain development. |
 | Large study reveals PTSD has strong genetic component like other psychiatric disordersPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting some 8 million adults at some point in their lifetime in the United States. Despite this, it is not clear why only some people who experience a traumatic event develop PTSD. Some researchers have suggested that the disorder is only a social construct, but previous studies have hinted that genetics plays a role. A new study identifies a clear biological basis for PTSD. |
 | The effectiveness of electrical stimulation in producing spinal fusionResearchers from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published data on the effect of electrical stimulation therapies on spinal fusion. They found significant improvement overall in the rates of bone fusion following a course of electrical stimulation in both preclinical (animal) and clinical (human) studies. |
 | Violence linked to social isolation, hypervigilance and chronic health problemsExposure to violence can negatively impact a person's physical and psychosocial health, according to two new studies co-authored by University of Chicago Medicine social epidemiologist Elizabeth L. Tung, MD. |
Study shows Housing First program significantly reduces homelessness over long termThe longest running study of its kind on the "Housing First" model has found that it significantly reduces homelessness over the long term compared to treatment as usual, according to a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry by scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and St. Michael's Hospital. | |
Weight stigma affects gay men on dating appsWeight stigma is an issue for queer men using dating apps, says a new University of Waterloo study. | |
 | Initiating breastfeeding in vulnerable infantsThe benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child are well-recognized, including for late preterm infants (LPI). But because LPI do not have fully developed brains, they may experience difficulties latching and/or sustaining a latch on the breast to have milk transfer occur. This means that these infants are at high risk for formula supplementation and/or discontinuation of breastfeeding. Without human milk, these infants lose a critical component for protection and optimal development of their brains. |
 | Daring to dream: Nobel winner's nervous nightWhen US scientist William Kaelin's phone began ringing at 5:00 am, he wasn't sure whether he was dreaming: Winning the Nobel Medicine Prize had long been a goal, but he also thought it was a long shot. |
 | India on the frontline of the fight against tuberculosisAll the symptoms were there but it still took four doctors and several months of waiting before Bharti Kapar's cough and stomach pains were diagnosed as tuberculosis. |
 | Dog ownership associated with longer life, especially among heart attack and stroke survivorsDog ownership may be associated with longer life and better cardiovascular outcomes, especially for heart attack and stroke survivors who live alone, according to a new study and a separate meta-analysis published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association. |
 | Microscopic bots treat blood clots and moreTechnically, they're called "microwheels," but you can call them "blood bots." |
 | New study challenges our understanding of premature ageingDisturbances in the function of mitochondrial DNA can accelerate the ageing process in ways that are different than previously thought, according to a new Finnish study published in Nature Metabolism. Offering a new perspective to ageing, the researchers suggest that accelerated ageing is the result of abnormal cell nucleotide levels and compromised nuclear DNA maintenance. The study was conducted in collaboration between the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Helsinki. |
 | Research identifies a new drug candidate to starve and suffocate breast cancer cell stem growthScientists have identified a new drug candidate that is able starve and suffocate cancer stem cells, paving the way for new therapies to treat breast cancer patients. |
 | Raw milk: the benefits are unclear but the dangers are realAccording to some of its online proponents, unpasteurised or "raw" milk can "heal the gut", boost the immune system, prevent allergies, give you healthier skin and even contribute to bodybuilding. Perhaps more common is the idea that pasteurisation—the heating process used to kill harmful bacteria in milk—reduces the amount of vitamins and "good" bacteria in the drink, so raw milk is supposedly better for you. Recent media reports suggest this perception is creating a growing demand for raw milk that some farmers are happily responding to. |
 | How CT scans continue to play a fundamental role in cancer treatmentIf you have been diagnosed with cancer, you have probably received at least one CT scan, before or during the course of your treatment, and possibly many more. |
 | Revealing sexual orientation at work improves well-beingBeing open about your sexual orientation in the workplace is beneficial to your overall well-being, according to new research from Rice University. |
 | Patient-aligned care reduces unwanted medications, tests for older adultsAn emerging approach to health care that focuses decision-making on older patients' health goals and care preferences can reduce unwanted and unhelpful treatment, such as medications and diagnostic tests, say Yale researchers. It can also lessen treatment burden, according to their new study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine. |
 | Important steps to prevent dementiaAlzheimer's disease wreaks emotional havoc on patients, who are robbed of their memories, their dignity, and their lives. It's financially devastating as well: care for Alzheimer's patients is predicted to top $1 trillion by the time children born today are having children of their own. |
 | Stem cell transplant reverses disabling MS-like diseaseA stem cell transplant reversed a debilitating neurological disease that causes half of the patients to go blind and lose the ability to walk five years after diagnosis. Most of the patients stayed better five years after the transplant and were able to avoid drug treatment that cost up to $500,000 yearly, reports a new study from Northwestern Medicine and Mayo Clinic. |
 | Data breach fixes could impact patient care: studyIT security measures implemented following data breaches at hospitals may cost valuable time in delivering life-saving care, according to new research by Eric Johnson, Ralph Owen Dean and Bruce D. Henderson Professor of Strategy at Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management, and Christoph Lehmann, professor of pediatrics and biomedical informatics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. |
 | Strong family ties during teen years can help ward off depression in later lifeDepression is a leading cause of disability and disease for people around the world. It often begins during adolescence, especially for females, may continue or recur in adulthood and tends to become a lifetime chronic health condition. |
 | How birth control pill prescriptions by a pharmacist could broaden access and keep costs downAlmost 50% of pregnancies in the U.S. are still unplanned or mistimed, even though the first birth control pill was sold almost 60 years ago. |
 | Who is telling the truth about their health?When researchers or policymakers ask health-related questions, they often rely on self-reported rather than tested health data. IIASA researchers looked into the reliability of this type of data for research, and found that depending on country or age, self-reported data could be highly biased. |
 | Scientists discover way to stop ulcers caused by aspirinA new study carried out in Cork has shown that bifidobacteria, which is commonly found in the guts of newborns but tends to decline as people age, can prevent and heal ulcers caused by the painkiller aspirin. |
 | Tetris gameplay reveals complex cognitive skillsIn a fraction of a second, a colorful digital block shaped like the letter "L" falls from the top of the computer screen. In even less time, fingers float across a controller, striking the arrow keys in rapid succession to rotate the figure so it falls in line with a computerized stack of shapes. Form after form falls, faster and faster. |
 | Maternal obesity speeds up offspring aging, increases likelihood of diabetes and heart diseaseIt has long been known that obesity impairs our metabolism and predisposes to diabetes and heart disease. New research published today in The Journal of Physiology has shown that the effects of maternal obesity even pass across generations to offspring, accelerating the rate of aging of metabolic problems that occur in normal life. |
 | Six minutes of walking can increase motivation to perform physical activityJust six minutes of walking can increase a person's motivation to perform physical activity and improve feelings of energy, fatigue, depression, and confusion, according to research conducted by Clarkson University Associate Professor in Physical Therapy, Ali Boolani. |
 | Hardship could harm children's language skillsChildren from disadvantaged backgrounds are three times more likely to develop difficulties with language than those from more affluent areas, research suggests. |
 | California program is a good step toward coordinating care for high-needs patients, study findsAn evaluation by UCLA researchers has found that a California program launched in 2016 has been a positive step toward providing better-coordinated health care for people insured by Medicaid. |
 | Study confirms serious health problems, high trauma rates among unsheltered people in U.S.A report released today finds that physical and mental health care needs as well as abuse and traumatic experiences are major contributing factors to a loss of housing for unsheltered people, especially unsheltered women. A research team at the California Policy Lab analyzed survey responses from more than 64,000 single adults ages 25 and older who were experiencing sheltered or unsheltered homelessness in 15 states across the U.S. from 2015 through 2017. |
 | Research shows that weight stigma toward pregnant women is widespread and damagingFamily and friends are often the first people with whom women share the news of a pregnancy, and who get a first peek at a newborn fresh from the hospital. |
 | Marker in tear samples could detect diabetes complicationYou've heard of blood tests and stool samples. Tear samples might be the next screening method to enter your doctor's office, a new study from UNSW Sydney suggests. |
Researchers use AI and de-identified health records to identify the safest hip implantsResearchers use AI and de-identified health records to identify the safest hip implants | |
 | To fight effects of sleep deprivation, reach for healthy snacksIn a study of 245 Stanford physicians, researchers found that a better diet is associated with reduced side effects of sleep deprivation. |
 | Food labels too complicated for most shoppers to understand – new researchThink back to the last time you went food shopping, did you check the labels for nutritional information? If you did, chances are it still felt tricky to know exactly what was in your food: how do you decide between a can of soup that has "reduced sodium" and one that's labeled "low sodium"—and what's the difference? |
 | An oral anticoagulant delays the appearance of Alzheimer's disease in miceScientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) have identified a possible treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Working together with a scientific team at the Rockefeller University in New York, the investigators have shown that treatment with the oral anticoagulant dabigatran delays the appearance of Alzheimer's disease in mice. |
 | Still at war with the tobacco epidemic, Indonesia must control e-cigarettes tooSeveral countries are banning e-cigarettes due to revelations of health risks to both users and bystanders. |
 | Experimental growth factor shows promise for treating knee osteoarthritisMore than 10 percent of Americans over age 60 experience knee pain related to osteoarthritis, the most common disease of the knee joint. Osteoarthritis of the knee causes pain, activity limitation, physical disability, reduced health-related quality of life and excess mortality compared with the general population. The pain is usually treated with over-the-counter pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, local steroid injections and sometimes surgery. There are currently no drugs approved to treat the underlying cause of the condition, which results from the breakdown of joint cartilage covering the long bones due to increasing age, injury/overuse, obesity, genetics and/or local inflammation. A new experimental growth factor therapy, however, appears to prevent a worsening of osteoarthritis by increasing the thickness of cartilage in the knee joint and preventing further loss, according to results from an early clinical trial that were published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | Striking a balance: a mechanism to control autoimmunityB cells are white blood cells that generate antibodies against an almost unlimited number of pathogens, a capacity that is vital for any higher organism. However, establishing a diverse repertoire of pathogen recognition comes at a price, as some B cells will inevitably go wild and turn against the organism's own, healthy tissue. |
 | Spurred by mass shootings, more Americans view mentally ill as violent(HealthDay)—Americans are increasingly viewing people with mental illnesses as a violent threat, despite scientific evidence to the contrary, a new study suggests. |
 | Mortality down for autoantibody-associated vasculitides patients(HealthDay)—From 1999 to 2017, there was a decrease in mortality among individuals with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitides (AAV) in the United States, according to a research letter published online Oct. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | The science Of Breaking Bad: Would you know if meth was cooked inside your house?The highly anticipated Breaking Bad movie El Camino story line focusing on drug production is more relevant than ever—with contamination of houses from methamphetamine cooking or smoking an increasing public health problem around the world. |
Severe allergic reactions identified with peripherally inserted central cathetersPeripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) that use a magnetized tip to guide insertion were associated with serious allergic reactions in patients, according to a study published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal for the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Severe adverse reactions occurred in patients within minutes of PICC insertion. | |
 | New addiction treatments hold promise for stemming the opioid crisis, scientists sayConcerns over the opioid epidemic have sparked a strong scientific interest in why some people become addicted while others don't. Now, researchers are proposing novel treatment strategies that could help prevent abuse of opioids and other substances. |
 | Bill aims to limit nicotine in E-cigarette products(HealthDay)—A bill to limit the amount of nicotine in electronic cigarette products was introduced Monday by U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in a bid "to make them significantly less addictive and appealing to youth." |
 | Melanoma variability at the single-cell level predicts treatment responsesPatients with advanced melanoma have been able to live longer because of several newly approved targeted treatment options, including BRAF and MEK inhibitors. However, patients will often have different responses to the same treatment due to genetic variability. Melanoma varies from patient to patient, but genetic variability is also prevalent among different cells from a single tumor. In a new study published in EBioMedicine, researchers with Moffitt Cancer Center's Donald A. Adam Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center of Excellence reveal that differences at the single-cell level can predict responses to initial BRAF inhibitor therapy, and that leveraging these differences may improve patient outcomes. |
 | Four Loko continues to wreak havoc among young drinkersSupersized alcopops pose unique risks to young drinkers, despite new serving size labels mandated by the Federal Trade Commission. Two new studies led by Dr. Matthew Rossheim at George Mason University's College of Health and Human Services examine the issue. |
 | How to keep cool in a blackout during a heatwaveResearchers from the University's Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory simulated heatwave conditions to examine the effect of using water in different ways—on a person's core temperature, cardiovascular strain, risk of dehydration and comfort levels. |
 | Study reveals uptick in suicide and fatal drug overdoses among blacks, Hispanics, womenTo classify a death as a suicide, medical examiners and coroners rely on hard evidence, perhaps a suicide note or a gun near the body. |
 | Doctors turn to thumbs for diagnosis and treatment by textDr. Anna Nguyen spoke with none of the five patients she treated on a recent weekday morning. She didn't even leave her dining room. |
 | Cost of waste in U.S. health system estimated(HealthDay)—The estimated cost of waste in the U.S. health care system varies from $760 to $935 billion, according to a special communication published online Oct. 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | Skin cancer prevention program may have reduced melanoma in AustraliansA skin cancer prevention program called SunSmart may have contributed to a recent reduction in melanoma among younger residents of Melbourne, according to a study published October 8 in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Suzanne Dobbinson of Cancer Council Victoria in Australia, and colleagues. According to the authors, the findings may have substantial implications for the future delivery of skin cancer prevention programs. |
 | Hydroxychloroquine blood levels predict retinopathy risk in lupus(HealthDay)—Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) blood levels are useful in predicting retinopathy among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study published online Sept. 18 in Arthritis & Rheumatology. |
 | Primary care appointment time impacts prescribing of opioids(HealthDay)—Even within an individual physician's schedule, physician behavior for opioid prescribing varies by the appointment timing, according to a study recently published online in JAMA Network Open. |
 | What's your sense of purpose? The answer may affect your healthWhen you fill out a medical form listing your health history, vital statistics and test results, there probably isn't a space for "sense of purpose." |
 | Pressuring kids to diet can backfire, damaging long-term health(HealthDay)—Parents want the best for their children. Eat well. Get enough sleep. Exercise. But sometimes pressuring your teen to diet or lose weight may end up harming them, a new study suggests. |
 | STD rates continue to rise in the U.S.STD rates in the United States are continuing a years-long climb—including a sharp rise in the number of babies born with syphilis. |
One in three young adults receive medication for opioid use disorder after overdoseA new study found that one in three young adults receive medication for opioid use disorder within 12 months of a non-fatal opioid overdose. The study, led by researchers at Boston Medical Center's Grayken Center for Addiction, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), shows which medications—buprenorphine, methadone or naltrexone—are being taken, and how long after the overdose they receive the treatment. Published online in Annals of Emergency Medicine, the results provide important new data that can help increase access and time to medication for opioid use disorder for young adults who survive an overdose, including in an emergency department setting. | |
 | New evidence on the mistreatment of women during childbirthNew evidence from a World Health Organization (WHO)-led study in four countries shows more than one-third of women experience mistreatment during childbirth in health facilities. |
 | Lymphoma stage at diagnosis may predict when and where new cancer formsWith improved treatments, especially the use of anti-cancer immunotherapies, more than two-thirds of all patients diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) will survive. However, after treatment, patients are at a small but real risk of developing a new cancer, called a second primary cancer. Now a Colorado study of long term DLBCL survivors shows, for the first time, that the stage at which DLBCL is originally diagnosed impacts the types of second cancers that may form after treatment. |
 | 3 sexually transmitted diseases hit new highs again in USU.S. infections from three sexually transmitted diseases have risen for the fifth consecutive year. |
 | Rice bran may help curb malnutrition, diarrhea for infantsMalnutrition is prevalent on a global scale and has numerous negative consequences for children during the first five years of life. For some children, it can mean struggling with health issues for life or a higher risk of death among those under five years of age. |
 | Pharmacists provide patient value in team-based careWith inhaler in hand, Dr. Cheng Yuet went over every detail to make sure the patient understood how the drug would control their COPD symptoms. |
 | Research shows drug can extend survival rates for heart failure patientsResearchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine—Phoenix have shown for the first time in preclinical studies that Aliskiren, a drug that inhibits the enzyme that regulates blood pressure, can delay the progression of congestive heart failure and lengthen survival rates. |
 | Research supports expanding insurance coverage of non-invasive prenatal testingResearch conducted by the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences provides evidence to support expansion of insurance plan coverage of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), a simple maternal blood draw which screens for fetal chromosomal disorders including trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), and trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), to women under the age of 35. |
Online patient portal usage linked to higher rates of flu shots, blood pressure checksPatients who use online patient portals are 50 percent more likely to get a flu shot and twice as likely to have their blood pressure checked as compared to patients who do not interact with these portals. A new Penn Medicine study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, also showed that patients using portals were 50 percent more likely to have their cholesterol checked, adding to the list of preventive health behaviors linked to portal use. | |
 | Published studies may exaggerate the effect of burnout on quality of patient carePublished studies have shown an association between burnout among health care professionals and quality of patient care, but those studies may exaggerate the magnitude of the effect. A systematic review is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
Venezuelans turn to alternative medicine amid shortagesThe small waiting room at the home of self-styled healer "Brother Guayanes" in Caracas' rundown Petare district fills up quickly with patients—business has never been better. | |
What patients expect influences pain managementAn article in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics explores the psychological aspects of pain management with particular reference to placebo infusions in back pain. | |
 | How pregnancy can be made more difficult by maternity care's notions of 'normal'Maternity records in the UK have spaces only for the expectant mother and the baby's father. This inflexibility can cause difficulties for the pregnant person, their partner, and their unborn baby if they do not fit into these boxes. |
 | A cool-season comfort food without lots of calories(HealthDay)—If you've been relegating parsnips to the stock pot (their sweetness enhances both chicken and vegetable broth) or have been skipping over them altogether, you're missing out on a hearty side-dish choice for fall evenings and winter holidays alike. |
 | Is online fitness training right for you?(HealthDay)—You say that you can't get to the gym or afford to hire your own personal trainer, but you want a routine made just for you. It might not be mission impossible after all. |
 | How can ultrasonic brain stimulation cure brain diseases?Just as rays of sunlight can be focused by a magnifying glass, beams of ultrasound can be focused—not to start a fire, but to converge on a specific target. The pulses of ultrasound are able to pass through obstructions like body tissue, without carrying risks associated with conventional device implantation and electrical stimulation. As a noninvasive approach that can target specific brain regions, focused ultrasound technology is a novel treatment for movement disorders, like Parkinson's disease. Specifically, low intensity, low-frequency ultrasound (LILFU, of non-thermal power levels from 30 to 500 mW/cm2) is emerging as a highly transformative approach. LILFU enables high spatial resolution, deep penetration, combinational use with MRI, cost-effective implementation, and long-lasting neuromodulatory effect without noticeable side effects such as thermal response, which causes a change in temperature of the local tissue environment. LILFU has recently been found to modulate neuronal activity. Though animal trials have demonstrated that LILFU increases neural activity in the motor pathway, the exact workings haven't been nailed down. |
 | Psychedelic drug to be tested for treatment-resistant depression in HoustonPsilocybin, a psychedelic drug believed to help rewire the brain, is now being studied to relieve treatment-resistant depression at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) as part of a global Phase II clinical trial. |
Biology news
 | How differences in the genetic 'instruction booklet' between humans and Neanderthals influenced traitsWhen it comes to our differences from Neanderthals, most of what we know comes from comparing fossils. But fossils can only tell us about bones and not whole living organisms. |
 | New research furthers understanding about what shapes human gut microbiomeA new Northwestern University study finds that despite human's close genetic relationship to apes, the human gut microbiome is more similar to that of Old World monkeys like baboons than to that of apes like chimpanzees. |
 | Scientists discover new antibiotic in tropical forestScientists from Rutgers University and around the world have discovered an antibiotic produced by a soil bacterium from a Mexican tropical forest that may help lead to a "plant probiotic," more robust plants and other antibiotics. |
 | Pigs observed using tools for the first timeA team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in France has found evidence of pigs using tools—a first. In their paper published in the journal Mammalian Biology, the group describes multiple instances of Visayan warty pigs using sticks and bark to assist with nest building. |
 | When laying their eggs, tobacco hawkmoths avoid plants that smell of caterpillar fecesOvipositing insects use odor cues to select suitable food substrates for their offspring in order to increase the survival rates of the larvae. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology demonstrated that not only may plant odors determine the best oviposition site, but also the frass of other larvae of the same species. They specified the repelling substance in the feces of tobacco hornworm larvae which signals the presence of competing conspecifics to the female moths. |
 | Identifying a cyanobacterial gene family that helps control photosynthesisA new Michigan State University study has identified a family of genes in cyanobacteria that help control carbon dioxide fixation. |
 | The deeper these octopuses live, the wartier their skinDeep beneath the ocean's surface, surprisingly cute warty pink octopuses creep along the seafloor. But not all these octopuses look alike. While we humans love a good "Is your skin oily, dry, or combination?" quiz, members of one octopus species take variations in skin texture to a whole new level. Some have outrageous warts, while others appear nearly smooth-skinned. Scientists weren't sure if these octopuses were even members of the same species, and they didn't know how to explain the differences in the animals' looks. But in a new study, scientists cracked the case: the deeper in the ocean the octopuses live, the bumpier their skin and the smaller their bodies. DNA revealed even though the octopuses looked different, they were the same species. |
 | Mechanical engineer's simple running hack is fun and increases efficiencyAttention runners: The next time you go out for a jog, you might want to strap a light resistance band between your feet. This rather quirky but oddly effective hack, according to UC Santa Barbara mechanical engineer Elliot Hawkes, could make you a more efficient runner by approximately 6.4%. |
 | Scientists use machine-learning algorithms to help automate plant studiesFather of genetics Gregor Mendel spent years tediously observing and measuring pea plant traits by hand in the 1800s to uncover the basics of genetic inheritance. Today, botanists can track the traits, or phenotypes, of hundreds or thousands of plants much more quickly, with automated camera systems. Now, Salk researchers have helped speed up plant phenotyping even more, with machine-learning algorithms that teach a computer system to analyze three-dimensional shapes of the branches and leaves of a plant. The study, published in Plant Physiology on October 7, 2019, may help scientists better quantify how plants respond to climate change, genetic mutations or other factors. |
 | Lion patrol: Learning to share the savannah with big animalsSaitoti Petro scans a dirt road in northern Tanzania for recent signs of the top predator on the African savannah. "If you see a lion," he warns, "stop and look it straight in the eyes—you must never run." |
 | Mapping white clover heritageFour-leaved clovers may or may not bring good luck. What's indisputable is that all white clovers, whether with three or four leaves, have many benefits. |
 | Histone modifications are the influencers of zygotic genome awakeningThe zebrafish is an important model organism in biology. Humans and zebrafish share 70 percent of their genes, and more than 80 percent of human genes associated with disease are known to have a zebrafish counterpart. Additionally, their entire genome sequence has been identified, and it is more efficient to grow fish than mice. |
 | Indian paper wasps have their favourite places in their nestsA new study from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has shown that Indian paper wasps distribute themselves non-randomly in their nests, a strategy that may help them exchange food efficiently and avoid the spread of infections. The study was carried out by Ph.D. student Nitika Sharma and Professor Raghavendra Gadagkar, and published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. |
 | Sweet corn growers, processors could dramatically increase yield, profitIn an industry struggling to maintain profitability, it's curious that U.S. processing sweet corn—the corn that ends up in cans and freezer bags—is falling so far below its potential. Yet, that's what a new study in PLOS ONE clearly demonstrates. |
 | Cheap as chips: identifying plant genes to ensure food securityAn international team of scientists led by the University of Goettingen has developed a new approach that enables researchers to more efficiently identify the genes that control plant traits. This method will enable plant breeders and scientists to develop more affordable, desirable, and sustainable plant varieties. The application will be most valuable for the fruit, vegetable and grain crops that not only end up on our dinner table, but are also critical for global food security and human nutrition. The research was published in BMC Plant Biology. |
 | DNA metabarcoding useful for analyzing human dietA new study demonstrates that DNA metabarcoding provides a promising new method for tracking human plant intake, suggesting that similar approaches could be used to characterize the animal and fungal components of human diets. The study, published in the journal mSystems, demonstrated that dietary plant DNA can be amplified and sequenced from human stool using methods commonly applied to wildlife studies. |
 | Endangered black rhino expecting first calfFor the first time, there's a pregnant black rhino at the Potter Park Zoo in Lansing, Michigan and Michigan State University veterinarians are part of the team bringing her to term. Vets and students from MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Medical Center are working alongside the zoo staff to monitor the pregnancy, as well as learn from and plan for delivery. |
 | Non-antibiotic cures for cows could speed up treatments for peopleAs the global antibiotic resistance crisis grows, chemical-based aerosol sprays and electrical signals to wake up the immune system are being developed to treat cow infections. These non-antibiotic therapies for livestock could also help to limit the spread of antibiotic resistance through the human food chain. |
 | A study on tropical fish sheds light on species invasionsBiodiversity, i.e., the variety of life forms on Earth, is in great danger. Human-driven climate change and intensive land use are altering ecosystems, and globalisation facilitates the transport of non-native species into already disturbed habitats. Invasive populations are a major cause of extinction, so controlling their impact is crucial. In his dissertation, M.Sc Sebastiano De Bona shed light on the invasion process by studying populations of guppies in the Caribbean island of Trinidad. The thesis deepens the understanding of how invasive populations become established, occupy a habitat, and spread to new areas. |
 | Shedding new light on West Africa's birds and butterfliesHow do you identify a soaring scavenger from its flight silhouette, or pinpoint which species of swallowtail has just fluttered by on gossamer wings? These were among the challenges facing the survey teams as they attempted to shine a spotlight on the wildlife treasures concealed within the tropical forests on both sides of the border between Guinea and Liberia. |
 | New large-sized insect species discovered in tropical forestScientists at the Biodiversity Unit of the University of Turku in Finland have studied the diversity of tropical parasitoid wasps for years. Parasitoid wasps are among the most species rich animal taxa on Earth, but their tropical diversity is still poorly known. Recently, the research group sampled Afrotropical rhyssine wasps, which are among the largest wasps. Scientists from three countries and research institutes participated in the research led by the University of Turku research group. |
 | Influenza evolution patterns change with time, complicating vaccine designSkoltech scientists discovered new patterns in the evolution of the influenza virus. This may help predict mutations in the viral genome and ultimately help design better vaccines. Research results were published in the top scientific journal PNAS. |
 | WTO urges quick ban on harmful fisheries subsidiesThe World Trade Organization on Tuesday called for countries to speed up talks aimed at hammering out an agreement on banning harmful fisheries subsidies. |
Rat poison eyed in 2 California mountain lion deathsTwo Southern California mountain lions that were part of a National Park Service study have been found dead and rodent poison has been confirmed as the cause in one case and is suspected in the other. | |
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