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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 2, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | The violent history of the big galaxy next doorAstronomers have pieced together the cannibalistic past of our neighbouring large galaxy Andromeda, which has now set its sights on the Milky Way as its next main course. |
 | New study provides insights on the mysterious low-mass X-ray binary RX1804European astronomers have conducted a comprehensive study of a low-mass X-ray binary known as RX1804 (or 1RXS J180408.9–342058). The research allowed the scientists to unveil important insights into the nature of this mysterious object. The findings are detailed in a paper published September 23 on arXiv.org. |
 | New organic compounds found in Enceladus ice grainsNew kinds of organic compounds, the ingredients of amino acids, have been detected in the plumes bursting from Saturn's moon Enceladus. The findings are the result of the ongoing deep dive into data from NASA's Cassini mission. |
 | Neutrino produced in a cosmic collider far awayThe neutrino event IceCube 170922A, detected at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole, appears to originate from the distant active galaxy TXS 0506+056, at a light travel distance of 3.8 billion light years. TXS 0506+056 is one of many active galaxies and it remained a mystery why and how only this particular galaxy generated neutrinos so far. |
 | Five things we learned from Elon Musk's rollout of the SpaceX Starship prototypeA prototype of SpaceX's Starship Mars spaceship could reach orbit in less than six months and fly humans next year, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said Saturday during an unveiling at the company's facility in south Texas. |
 | Elon Musk's Starship may be more moral catastrophe than bold step in space explorationElon Musk, founder of private space-faring company SpaceX, recently unveiled his new Starship craft. Amazingly, it is designed to carry up to 100 crew members on interplanetary journeys throughout the solar system, starting with Mars in 2024. |
 | Virgin Galactic says it'll fly Italian air force researchersVirgin Galactic says it has been contracted by the Italian air force for a suborbital research flight aboard its winged rocket ship. |
 | NASA's space geodesy project mapping out a bright futureIn April 2019, an international team of more than 300 scientists unveiled the first recorded images of a black hole, its dark shadow and vivid orange disk peering back across 55 million light years of space. Capturing images from so far away required the combined power of eight radio telescopes across four continents, working together to essentially form a massive Earth-sized telescope called the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). |
 | Image: Hera logo aboard ISSThe logo for Hera, ESA's proposed asteroid mission for planetary defense, has already reached space, thanks to ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, who snapped this photo from the cupola of the International Space Station. The Hera mission itself is seeking final approval for development at the Space19+ Ministerial Council this November. |
Technology news
 | A new water-splitting technique to generate clean hydrogenElectrolytic hydrogen production entails the generation of hydrogen from water using electrical power, which should ideally come from renewable power sources such as sunlight and wind. Although this method of producing hydrogen could be a very promising solution for increasing sustainability, but researchers will have to overcome several key challenges in order for it to become widespread. |
 | Inspired by Northern clingfish, researchers make a better suction cupThe finger-sized Northern clingfish employs one of the best suction cups in the world. A small disk on its belly can attach to wet, slimy, even rough surfaces and hold up to 230 times its own body weight. |
 | Bosch aims to fill in blanks on automotive safety in electric vehiclesFirst responders and rescue teams are respected for doing all they can and based on what they know to help rescue victims of vehicle accidents as fast as possible. |
 | PlayStation slashes price of cloud video game serviceSony Interactive Entertainment on Tuesday slashed the price of its PlayStation Now cloud video game service as it braced for Google to launch challenger Stadia in November. |
 | Uber is reportedly testing out an audio recording feature that lets you report your driverUber may be testing out a feature that lets you voice record your driver and report it to the company if you ever start to feel unsafe. |
 | Tesla V10.0 car software update adds Smart Summon, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and SpotifyTesla drivers got a Thursday gift from the company—a software update that lets drivers watch Netflix, YouTube or Hulu while parked and Spotify while driving. |
 | California island Catalina gets its closeup with new macOSThey don't sell computers on Catalina island, Windows or Macintosh. |
 | Smartphone typing speeds catching up with keyboardsThe largest experiment to date on mobile typing sheds new light on average performance of touchscreen typing and factors impacting the text input speed. Researchers from Aalto University, University of Cambridge and ETH Zürich analysed the typing speed of tens of thousands of users on both phones and computers. Their main finding is that typing speeds on smartphones are now catching up with physical keyboards. |
 | Hydrogen fuel is getting buzz, but here's why it hasn't gone mainstreamThe hydrogen fuel that launches NASA rockets into space and provides electrical power via fuel cells produces only one waste product: water so pure the astronaut crew can drink it. |
 | Artificial intelligence opens new window on complex urban issuesUnderstanding the workings and behaviors of a city requires knowledge of the different processes that allow people and other biological organisms to live and thrive, as well as understanding of their interrelationships—many of which are complicated and have yet to be deeply explored. |
 | Engineering team develops 'shipyard on a ship'After months of product development, University of Nebraska–Lincoln engineers are leaving safe harbor to test their prototype on the open ocean. |
 | Hybrid breakers could make direct current practical in high power applicationsDirect current (DC) powers flashlights, smartphones and electric cars, but major power users depend on alternating current (AC), which cycles on and off 60 times per second. Among the reasons: AC is simple to turn off when there's a problem—known as a fault—such as a tree falling on a power line. |
 | Discoveries in sensor technology advance personalized medicineImagine a world where you could present your personal physician with a year's worth of not only your real time heart rate and activity levels but also dynamic glucose and insulin concentrations, cortisol, dopamine, serum fibrinogen, and a large panel of biomarkers of human health. |
 | Object identification and interaction with a smartphone knockA KAIST team has featured a new technology, "Knocker," which identifies objects and executes actions just by knocking on it with the smartphone. Software powered by machine learning of sounds, vibrations, and other reactions will perform the users' directions. |
 | A touch of zirconium to better catch the sunTransparent conductive films that let through a broader range of the solar spectrum have been developed by KAUST and are set to increase the power conversion efficiency of perovskite-based multijunction solar cells beyond 30 percent. Improved efficiency makes these devices more commercially appealing. |
 | Google rolls out updated privacy tools for YouTube, MapsGoogle is rolling out more tools for users to control their privacy settings. |
 | Twitter outages reported from Japan to USASeveral features on Twitter were down Wednesday, the platform said, with users from Japan to the USA reporting they were unable to log in, use the mobile app or see direct messages. |
 | FAA orders inspections of Boeing 737 NG planes for structural cracksThe Federal Aviation Administration has ordered inspections of Boeing 737 NG aircraft for structural cracks after Boeing discovered the problem on planes undergoing modifications, the agency said Wednesday. |
 | Microsoft returns with smartphone after high-profile flopsAfter high-profile flops, Microsoft is getting back into smartphones with a dual-screen Android device that won't be out for another year. |
 | Americans fret over social media control of news: SurveyA majority of Americans believe social media platforms have too much control over news they see and many express concern that they get a less favorable "mix" of information as a result, a survey showed Wednesday. |
 | Functional fabrics: Engineers, designers, and other scholars assigned to develop techniques for 'smart textiles'Drexel University opens a new center that its leaders hope will revive one of Philadelphia's oldest industries. |
 | Seattle company is using artificial intelligence to make pizzaUpon entry into an industrial building on the outer edge of Interbay, a neighborhood in Seattle, the scent of pizza wafts throughout a large room where technology and food converge. |
 | 'Personalized DJ' music playlist algorithm matches songs to listeners' changing moodsImagine having a disc jockey inside your computer who matches the music played to your current frame of mind. According to new research from The University of Texas at Austin, machine learning can approximate that experience creating ultra-personal music playlists that adapt to each user's changing moods. |
 | Apple Maps is improved, but still is no Google MapsThere's so much to like about Apple's revamp of the long maligned Maps app. |
 | Google will warn you when your passwords are too simple to guess and used too oftenGoogle is trying to help you not be a password weakling. |
 | Singapore's 'fake news' law takes effect as critics sound alarmSingapore's new law to combat "fake news" came into effect Wednesday despite criticism from tech giants and activists, who labelled the tough rules a "chilling" attempt to stifle dissent. |
Twitch looks beyond gamers; tries to court artists, educators, musicians at weekend eventPatty arrived before the doors opened Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center for a chance to play Apex Legends, a battle royal style video game, against professional players in front of a live audience at TwitchCon. | |
 | Edward C. Baig: Galaxy Fold review: 5 things to consider as Samsung's second-try $2,000 phone goes on saleSamsung's back in the fold. |
 | Teams of mobile 3-D printing robots could fix bridges on Earth and build them to MarsCommercial 3-D printing—or additive manufacturing (AM)—is a booming industry. But if printers were liberated from the typical setup involving an immobile box and a gantry, and set free to work in roving, collaborative teams, the AM business might be much bigger with many more applications, including as robotic masons at construction sites and repairing crumbling urban and rural civil infrastructure. |
 | The blockchain conceptBlockchain is the technology that underpins cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Fundamentally, the blockchain is simply a ledger, a digital record of transactions associated with a digital currency, a Bitcoin, for instance. It is an open system that does not require a trusted third party as all transactions are logged in an immutable distributed public ledger that requires no central repository of data, it is entirely decentralized. |
 | Big Tech's eco-pledges aren't slowing its pursuit of Big OilEmployee activism and outside pressure have pushed big tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Google into promising to slash their carbon emissions. But there's another thing these tech giants aren't cutting: Their growing business ties to the oil and gas industry. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Step forward in falling researchUniversity of Queensland research shows there is more at play than just a sinking feeling when you stumble during movement or trip in a hole in the ground. |
 | Discovery of new source of cancer antigens may expand cancer vaccine capabilitiesFor more than a decade, scientist Stephen Albert Johnston and his team at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute have pooled their energies into an often scoffed-at, high-risk, high-reward goal in medicine: to develop a universal vaccine to prevent cancer. |
 | Gut bacteria 'fingerprint' predicts radiotherapy side effectsScientists have conducted the first clinical study to show a link between types of gut bacteria and radiotherapy-induced gut damage. |
 | Scientists implicate genes behind faulty DNA repair in breast cancerWhile mutations in BRCA genes are well known to increase breast cancer risk, researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have uncovered a different series of genes they believe might be contributing to breast cancer through a lesser-known mechanism. |
 | Leg amputees feel and use nerve-stimulating leg prosthesis as a real limbA European consortium led by ETH Zurich and SensArs Neuroprosthetics reports that tiny electrodes implanted in a patients' thigh nerve allow them to feel natural sensations of touch and movement from a prosthesis. Amputees can then walk freely while thinking about activities other than controlling the device. The details of the work were published in Science Translational Medicine and represent a multidisciplinary collaboration among several European institutions. |
 | An advance for drug-eluting contact lenses: Delivery to the back of the eyeDrug-eluting contact lenses, which gradually release drugs into the eye, offer a promising alternative to daily eye drops, which can be unpleasant and hard for patients to properly administer. In a 2016 preclinical study of glaucoma, the engineered lenses lowered eye pressure at least as well as daily eye drops. |
 | Researchers study the mechanisms behind learning and long-term memory in the brainWhen we first purchase a smart phone, all of our settings and applications are the same. But as time passes, everyone's phones will change drastically as we adapt them to our own individual needs and preferences. In the same way, our memories and life experiences are loaded into our brains, making one person unique from another. |
 | New 'rogue waves' test pinpoints epilepsy seizure brain zonesAnalysing 'rogue brainwaves' in people with epilepsy could help doctors better treat patients needing brain surgery. |
 | Fungal invasion of pancreas creates cancer riskCertain fungi move from the gut to the pancreas, expand their population more than a thousand-fold, and encourage pancreatic cancer growth, a new study finds. |
 | Researchers identify molecular process that could accelerate recovery from nerve injuriesTwenty million Americans suffer from peripheral nerve injuries, which can be caused by traumas such as combat wounds and motorcycle crashes as well as medical disorders including diabetes. These injuries can have a devastating impact on quality of life, resulting in loss of sensation, motor function and long-lasting nerve pain. The body is capable of regenerating damaged nerves, but this process is slow and incomplete. |
 | Mutant cells team up to make an even deadlier blood cancerSometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered that two cell mutations, already harmful alone, enhance one another's effects, contributing to the development of the deadly blood cancer acute myeloid leukemia (AML). |
 | Antidepressants linked to heightened pregnancy related diabetes riskTaking antidepressants while expecting a baby is linked to a heightened risk of developing diabetes that is specifically related to pregnancy, known as gestational diabetes, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open. |
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome face higher risk of breathing difficultiesWomen with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are more likely to develop poor respiratory health based on lung function tests, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress. | |
Tenfold increase in number of adolescents on HIV treatment in South Africa since 2010, but many still untreatedA new study of more than 700,000 one to 19-year olds being treated for HIV infection suggests a ten-fold increase in the number of adolescents aged 15 to 19 receiving HIV treatment in South Africa, according to results published in The Lancet HIV journal. | |
One third of patients with severe asthma are taking harmful doses of oral steroidsA third of patients with severe asthma are taking harmful doses of oral steroids, according to a study of several thousand people in The Netherlands, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress today. | |
 | Mexican lower house passes junk-food label lawMexico's lower house unanimously passed a bill Tuesday to make manufacturers put warning labels on junk food, defying industry pressure in a bid to protect consumers' health in one of the world's most obese countries. |
 | Sleeping less than 6 hours and heart disease, stroke—deadly comboMiddle-aged adults with high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke could be at high risk for cancer and early death when sleeping less than six hours per day, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the open access journal of the American Heart Association. |
 | FODMAPs diet relieves symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseaseNew research from King's College London has found that a diet low in fermented carbohydrates has improved certain gut symptoms and improved health-related quality of life for sufferers of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). |
 | Fragmented physical activity linked to greater mortality riskAlthough reduced physical activity during the day is widely seen as a harbinger of mortality in older people, fragmentation of physical activity—spreading daily activity across more episodes of brief activity—may be an earlier indicator of mortality risk than total amount of daily activity, according to a new study from scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. |
 | Teens taking oral contraceptives may be at increased risk for depressive symptomsEver since birth control pills first became available, researchers have been trying to understand the connection between oral contraceptive use and mood. A new study led by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital and University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands adds important, new information by surveying young women about depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms—such as crying, sleeping excessively, and eating issues—can be far subtler than diagnosed clinical depression. But by surveying a cohort of more than 1,000 women every three years, investigators have amassed a unique trove of data about these subclinical symptoms. |
 | Female surgeons earned 24% less per hour while operating compared to male surgeons: studyFemale surgeons earned 24 per cent less per hour while operating compared to male surgeons, finds a new study led by St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, which also noted that female surgeons performed fewer of the highest-paid primary procedures than male surgeons. |
 | Drops in income may not only hurt the wallet, they may harm the brainYoung adults who experience annual income drops of 25 percent or more may be more at risk of having thinking problems and reduced brain health in middle age, according to a study published in the October 2, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. |
 | Vaping-associated lung injury may be caused by toxic chemical fumes, study findsResearch into the pathology of vaping-associated lung injury is in its early stages, but a Mayo Clinic study published in The New England Journal of Medicine finds that lung injuries from vaping most likely are caused by direct toxicity or tissue damage from noxious chemical fumes. |
 | Substantial variation in uptake of new prescribing guidance by GPsSubstantial variation exists between general practices in uptake of new prescribing guidance, with important implications for patient care and health expenditure, finds the largest analysis of its kind published by The BMJ today. |
 | In women with HIV, TB preventive therapy poses greater risk in pregnancy than postpartumStudy results published today help clarify how to safely prevent tuberculosis (TB) in women living with HIV who are pregnant or have recently given birth, are taking antiretroviral therapy, and live where TB is highly prevalent. |
 | Most kidney transplants between people with HIV have long-term successPeople living with HIV who received kidney transplants from deceased donors with HIV had high rates of overall survival and kidney graft survival after five years, according to an observational study published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study, which incorporated data from transplants beginning in 2008, was a collaboration of researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and the University of Cape Town, South Africa, with joint support from NIH and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). The investigators followed 51 study participants with HIV who received kidney transplants from deceased donors with HIV in South Africa. |
Cancer data provide insights into occurrence, overdiagnosis, and treatment advancesCritical questions about progress in the fight against cancer cannot be answered simply by looking at rates of cancer incidence, a special report published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds. H. Gilbert Welch, MD, MPH, a senior investigator in the Center for Surgery and Public Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and colleagues analyzed 40 years of cancer burden data and examined patterns of incidence and mortality for various cancers, finding examples for which incidence and mortality moved in concert—such as lung cancer—and examples where discordance in incidence and mortality indicate that overdiagnosis may be at play. | |
 | Low blood pressure could be a culprit in dementia, studies suggestDecline in brain function often occurs as people age. People often worry that declining brain function is an inevitable part of growing old and will lead to dementia, but it is not. Many people do not experience age-related cognitive decline. |
 | Study eyes air pollution, noise links to epilepsyEpilepsy, a neurological disorder in which patients experience recurring seizures, can develop from a number of causes. Genetics plays a role, while some people develop it as a result of conditions like stroke, tumors or head trauma. |
 | Cannabidiol gel reduces seizures in children with severe epilepsy, Australasian trial showsA cannabidiol gel has been shown to reduce epileptic seizures in children in a clinical trial conducted in New Zealand and Australia. |
 | Op-ed: Why cheaper drugs from Canada likely won't cure what ails U.S.President Trump has called for ways to allow U.S. residents to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. Many drugs are cheaper in Canada, thanks to government price controls in that country. |
 | Estimating calorie content not clear-cut for allWe make food decisions several times a day—from what time we eat to how much—but a new University of Otago study has found we are not very good at judging the energy-density of what we consume. |
 | Physical activity and good fitness improve cardiac regulation in childrenA recent Finnish study showed that more physically active and fit children have better cardiac regulation than less active and fit children. The study also showed that cardiac regulation was better especially in boys with better aerobic fitness and in girls with lower levels of sedentary time. The results, based on the Physical Activity and Nutrition (PANIC) Study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland, were published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. |
 | Madagascar trial: How a simple pregnancy test can change livesNot having access to affordable pregnancy tests profoundly affects women's lives. Without access to these tests, women are not able to confirm if they are pregnant. This leads to delays in getting prenatal care services. |
 | Genetically modifying mosquitoes to control the spread of disease carries unknown risksEvery year, around one million people die of mosquito-borne diseases according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This is why mosquitoes are considered one of the deadliest living creatures on the planet—not because they are lethal themselves, but because many of the viruses and parasites they transmit are. |
 | What's made of legumes but sizzles on the barbie like beef? Australia's new meat alternativeThere is a revolution taking place in burger joints and supermarkets across Australia. Plant products that taste and behave like meat are increasingly making their way onto the plates of consumers as concern grows over the environmental impact of food production. |
 | VR game gives users 'eyes-on' experience with vision lossIn a virtual world, a knight in full armour sits in front of me, expectantly waiting for me to deal them some playing cards. As the game progresses, a large black spot grows in the middle of my vision. I try to pick up the deck of cards from the table, but the spot is now so bad I can't see the deck when I look directly at it. I fumble for the cards for a few moments, but my time runs out and the game ends. |
 | Computer game to assist clinicians in diagnosing mental health disordersA team of researchers led by CSIRO's Data61, the data and digital specialist arm of Australia's national science agency, have developed a novel technique that could assist psychiatrists and other clinicians to diagnose and characterize complex mental health disorders, potentially enabling more effective treatments. |
 | Untangling tattoos' influence on immune responseI lay on the mat of the open-air bungalow in Apia, Samoa, looking up at a gecko. As its tail quivered, I felt a sympathetic twitch in my leg. Su'a Sulu'ape Paulo III, the sixth-generation Samoan hand-tap tattoo master leaning over me, paused to see if my movement was due to pain. |
 | New report shows rare disease more common than previously thoughtApproximately one in forty-two thousand children are born with a disease called CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder, according to a new medical report recently published in the journal Brain and presented last month at the 13th European Paediatric Neurology Society Congress in Athens, Greece. This means that each year there are over 100 new children born with the disease in the EU alone, and over 3,000 in the world. |
 | Researchers create new viral vector for improved gene therapy in sickle cell diseaseResearchers at the National Institutes of Health have developed a new and improved viral vector—a virus-based vehicle that delivers therapeutic genes—for use in gene therapy for sickle cell disease. In advanced lab tests using animal models, the new vector was up to 10 times more efficient at incorporating corrective genes into bone marrow stem cells than the conventional vectors currently used, and it had a carrying capacity of up to six times higher, the researchers report. |
Researchers use NHANES to search for hypothyroid-sleep apnea linkSeveral past studies have sought to determine if a link exists between thyroid disorders like hypothyroidism, a decrease in thyroid hormone levels, and sleep apnea, a potentially dangerous condition in which a sleeping person's breathing repeatedly stops and starts. However, results from those studies were generally based upon clinical observations that were limited by small population samples and produced often conflicting results. | |
 | Chair yoga more effective than music therapy in older adults with advanced dementiaAs dementia progresses, the ability to participate in exercise programs declines. Sticking to a program also becomes challenging because of impaired cognition, mobility issues or risk of falls and fractures—some exercise regimens are just too complicated or physically demanding. Although studies have shown the benefits of physical activity on dementia, few have included participants with moderate-to-severe dementia or examined the effects of gentle types of exercise on this population. |
 | The science of mindfulness—What do we really know and where do we go?The historical practice of mindfulness is a burgeoning integrated medicine field associated with benefits for people with issues ranging from insomnia to chronic pain and fueled by more than $550 million in federal funding over the past 20 years. |
 | Children told lies by parents subsequently lie more as adults, face adjustment difficulty"If you don't behave, I'll call the police," is a lie that parents might use to get their young children to behave. Parents' lies elicit compliance in the short term, but a new psychology study led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) suggests that they are associated with detrimental effects when the child becomes an adult. |
 | Engineered T cells may be harnessed to kill solid tumor cellsThere is now a multitude of therapies to treat cancer, from chemotherapy and radiation to immunotherapy and small molecule inhibitors. Chemotherapy is still the most widely used cancer treatment, but chemotherapy attacks all the rapidly dividing cells that it locates within the body, whether they're ultimately harmful or beneficial. |
Codeine misuse in Australia reduced by prescription-only changesThe move to prescription-only codeine in Australia has seen a 50 percent reduction in the monthly rate of codeine-related poisoning calls and halved codeine sales, finds new research led by the University of Sydney. | |
 | Decades-long drop in breast cancer death rate continuesA decades-long decline in the breast cancer death rate continues, but has begun to slow in recent years, while breast cancer incidence rates continue to inch up. These trends are outlined in Breast Cancer Statistics, 2019-2020, the latest edition of the American Cancer Society's biennial update of breast cancer statistics in the United States, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, and the accompanying Breast Cancer Facts & Figures. |
 | New approach to pain treatment in diseases of the pancreasOne of the worst symptoms associated with inflammation or cancer of the pancreas is severe chronic pain. Pancreatic pain is difficult to treat, because many painkillers prove ineffective in pancreatic patients. In a recent study, a team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) discovered the cause of this phenomenon for the first time: a particular neuroenzyme in the body is present in the nerves of the organ in high concentrations. |
 | Sex-based differences in the development of brain hubs involved in memory and emotionThe amygdala and the hippocampus—structures in the brain that are involved in emotion, learning, and memory—have been found to play a role in a diverse range of disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Research investigating the development of these two structures has shown that differences in age, sex, and pubertal status affect the bulk volume of these brain structures. However, researchers have yet to understand the dynamics of volume and shape change that occur between childhood and early adulthood. |
Laser therapy gains credibility as effective option for treating vaginal problemsNearly 50% of menopausal women complain of vaginal dryness, itching, and burning, among other commonly reported menopause symptoms. Laser therapy is one of the newer techniques for addressing these problems. A new study suggests that it is as effective and safe as vaginal estrogen in improving sexual and urinary functionality. Results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). | |
 | Gut bacteria is key factor in childhood obesityNew information published by scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Health suggests that gut bacteria and its interactions with immune cells and metabolic organs, including fat tissue, play a key role in childhood obesity. |
 | No benefit found for high-dose vitamin C infusions in sepsis, ARDS(HealthDay)—Compared with placebo, intravenous infusion of high-dose vitamin C does not improve organ dysfunction or alter markers of inflammation or vascular injury among patients with sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | USPSTF finds evidence lacking to prevent illicit drug use in youth(HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) finds that the current evidence is insufficient to recommend primary care-based interventions to prevent illicit drug use in children, adolescents, and young adults. These findings form the basis of a draft recommendation statement published online Oct. 1 by the USPSTF. |
 | FDA: Pacemakers, insulin pumps could be hacking targets(HealthDay)—Medical devices that can connect to the internet might be at risk for hacking, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Tuesday. |
 | Butter or margarine? The latest round in a long-running debate(HealthDay)—Thanks to a federal ban on trans fats—commonly listed on labels as partially hydrogenated oils—margarine makers have taken steps to remove them from their ingredients. Does this mean margarine is once again a better choice than butter? |
 | It's not just insulin: Diabetes patients struggle to get crucial suppliesIn the first three months after getting his Dexcom continuous glucose monitor, Ric Peralta said, he reduced his average blood sugar level by 3 percentage points. |
 | A new route to blocking children's bone cancerEwing sarcoma is a bone cancer that appears mainly in teenagers. Due to a single defective gene, once it spreads to distant organs it is hard to treat. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have discovered molecular interactions underlying Ewing sarcomas and proposed a potential treatment, which has shown promise in a study in mice. These findings were published recently in Cell Reports. |
 | Health anxiety tends to rise after age 50. It doesn't have to take over your lifeAfter she broke her neck in a car accident at age 28, Renee Tucker's doctors told her that her newly repaired spine would never be as strong as it was before. Another accident could paralyze her. |
 | Father's obesity in puberty doubles the risk of asthma in his future offspringA study performed by researchers at the Centre for International Health (CIH) at the University of Bergen (UiB), showed that obese boys between 8 years old and their age when their voice breaks, have double the risk of having children with asthma, compared with others. |
 | Asthma changes obesity rate in black female teens living in disadvantaged neighborhoodsA first-of-its-kind study led by researchers at LSU Health New Orleans Schools of Public Health and Medicine found that asthma may protect against obesity among African American female adolescents living in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The findings are published in Obesity Science & Practice. |
 | Hypoglycaemia prevention could cut hospital staysPreventing in-patients with diabetes from developing hypoglycaemia could dramatically reduce the length of time they spend in hospital—according to new research from the University of East Anglia and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. |
 | Few critical care nurses feel competent in providing palliative care(HealthDay)—Most critical care nurses feel inadequately prepared to provide palliative care, according to a study published in the October issue of Critical Care Nurse. |
 | Care at high-volume facility may cut mortality in multiple myeloma(HealthDay)—Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) may receive a survival benefit from being treated at high-volume facilities, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. |
 | Smartphone-operated one-lead ECG detects A-fib, flutter(HealthDay)—A smartphone-operated one-lead electrocardiography (1L-ECG) device with an integral algorithm can diagnose atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL), according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. |
 | Antidepressant medications appear to be generally safeAntidepressants are generally safe, according to a new study by an international team of researchers. By assessing evidence from 45 meta-analyses, which combined the results from many studies, the researchers did not find strong evidence of adverse health outcomes associated with antidepressant use. The findings have been published in JAMA Psychiatry. |
 | Medicare spends more than $6 billion on secondary fractures(HealthDay)—Medicare could save billions of dollars if secondary fractures could be prevented with improved osteoporosis screening, according to a new National Osteoporosis Foundation report conducted by Milliman. |
 | 24-year-old's fainting was a clue to her fatal heart conditionChristie Tolosky went to her family doctor's office to get a prescription for a toothache. She collapsed and was dead within an hour, leaving doctors looking for clues about what happened to the otherwise healthy 24-year-old. |
 | Cooling cardiac arrest patients may mean better long-term brain function(HealthDay)—Lowering the body temperature in patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest helps a broader group of people than previously believed, a new French study finds. |
 | Canadians told to stop taking aspirin to prevent first heart attack, strokeIf you've never had a heart attack or stroke, you likely should not be taking aspirin to prevent them, according to new research. |
 | Study: Biomarker in urine may offer noninvasive detection of prostate cancerA research study published in the journal Neoplasia and led by principal investigator Nallasivam Palanisamy, Ph.D., associate scientist in the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Health System, has identified a novel prostate cancer gene fusion involving the KLK4 protein coding gene and KLKP1 pseudogene. This unique biomarker can be detected in the urine samples of patients with prostate cancer, offering a non-invasive means of detection. |
Touting flavor before nutrition encourages healthy eatingMost people want to eat healthier, but efforts to encourage healthy eating by providing nutrition information have not drastically changed habits. A new study suggests that labels emphasizing taste and positive experience could help. | |
 | Helping pregnant women at work can hurt their chances of returning after maternity leaveCourteous people routinely give up a seat on a bus, open a door or extend some other form of kindness to a pregnant woman. But when colleagues at work try to lighten a pregnant woman's load, it can hurt her chances of returning to work after giving birth, according to new research from Rice University, the University of Memphis, Boston College and the University of Massachusetts Lowell. |
Lesbian and bisexual women more likely to smoke while drinking alcohol than heterosexual womenSexual minority women are more likely to smoke cigarettes when drinking alcohol than heterosexual women, according to new University at Buffalo research. | |
 | Environmental toxins impair immune system over multiple generationsNew research shows that maternal exposure to a common and ubiquitous form of industrial pollution can harm the immune system of offspring and that this injury is passed along to subsequent generations, weakening the body's defenses against infections such as the influenza virus. |
 | The propensity to hear 'voices' in schizophrenia may be established by infancySome people suffering from severe mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, hear "voices," known as auditory hallucinations. This symptom, which afflicts more than 80% of patients, is among the most prevalent and distressing symptoms of schizophrenia. Patients "hear voices" speaking to them or about them without anyone actually being there. Auditory hallucinations, which usually begin in adolescence and young adulthood, "sound" very real to patients and can have a devastating impact on their quality of life because the "voices" are typically distressing and distracting, sometimes compelling the sufferer into suicidal or violent actions. Uncovering the biological origins of auditory hallucinations is essential for reducing their contribution to the disease burden of schizophrenia. |
 | Gene editing video stirs talk of designer babies, ethicsA new video showing people casually discussing gene editing and designer babies is making waves because of its source: the government-funded group leading efforts to set standards for the ethically dicey science. |
How opt-out organ donation could affect US waiting listsEvery year in the United States, about 7,500 people die while waiting for an organ transplant, and that number is expected to increase in coming years as demographics shift. | |
Cheap, quick test identifies pneumonia patients at risk of respiratory failure or sepsisSpanish researchers in Valencia have identified specific fragments of genetic material that play a role in the development of respiratory failure and sepsis in pneumonia patients. | |
 | Treatment with long term, low dose antibiotic could help people born with chronic lung conditionTaking a low dose of the antibiotic azithromycin for six months reduces symptoms for patients with the chronic lung condition primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress. |
 | J&J agrees $20.4 mn payment in Ohio opioid caseUS healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday announced it had reached a $20.4 million settlement to avoid a much-anticipated trial in Ohio for allegedly fueling the opioid addiction crisis. |
 | Final puffs for France's last tobacco factoryGerard Chanquoi looks sadly at the conveyor belts of France's sole remaining tobacco processing factory as they whirl for the last times ahead of its final closure, a victim of changed economic times and a different public health landscape. |
 | Innovative drugs to tackle antimicrobial resistanceAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a global health threat, increasingly impacting the effective prevention and treatment of various infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi. According to a report by the UN ad hoc Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, drug-resistant diseases claim 700,000 lives a year globally. That number is expected to rise to 10 million deaths per year by 2050 if no action is taken. |
German sausage plant production halted over listeria deathsGerman authorities have halted production at a meat processing plant after two deaths that were linked to listeria in sausage products. | |
 | Retail giant Walmart halts sales of Zantac and related drugsWalmart has become the latest store to halt sales of the popular heartburn treatment Zantac after health regulators warned about a potentially dangerous contaminant in the drug. |
 | S1P molecule regulates dendritic cell localization and vascular integrity in lymph nodesThe trafficking of white blood cells called lymphocytes is crucial for controlling our immune response. Maintaining the integrity of high endothelial venules (HEVs)—the gateway for lymphocytes to move from the blood into lymph nodes (LNs)—is therefore crucial. This study describes for the first time how a molecule called sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) positively influences the function and integrity of HEVs. It also reveals how the activation of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-1 (S1PR1) signalling influences HEV interactions with dendritic cells (cells that carry messages between the innate and adaptive immune systems). |
 | Say yes to foam roller workouts(HealthDay)—Foam rollers are great tools for improving range of motion before a workout and easing soreness as part of the cooldown after exercise. |
 | 'Nerve-release' surgery helped ease one man's tough migraines(HealthDay)—Chronic migraine headaches plagued Adam Pressley from childhood, and by his 30s they had become a near-daily occurrence. |
 | Infectious diseases A-Z: Roll up your sleeve, it's time for your flu shotWhen is the best time to get your flu shot? Ideally, it's before flu season becomes active in your community. |
 | New book explores how we make decisions when faced with uncertaintyFor decades, statisticians, economists, philosophers and mathematicians have studied how to make decisions in the face of uncertainty, and typically their analyses have focused on how to use probability theory from mathematics to harness this vexing problem. |
 | Fresh health fears as Rome rubbish crisis intensifiesItalian officials warned Wednesday Rome's burgeoning garbage crisis constituted a health risk, as rat control services worked overtime and the waste collection company board resigned. |
 | Gun control risks losing momentum as impeachment fever risesAfter mass shootings in Ohio and Texas this summer, gun control burst back on the scene as a major political issue for Democrats. Now it risks taking a back seat as impeachment fever overtakes Washington. |
A student videographer saw colors for the first time on live TV. Now, he's getting national credJake Loburak usually sits in the control room. It's where the Neumann University sophomore prefers to be while his fellow students are on camera once a week for the Delaware County school's live television news update. | |
Recommendations to prevent secondary fractures in adults 65+ with osteoporosisA multistakeholder coalition assembled by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) has issued clinical recommendations for the optimal prevention of secondary fracture among people aged 65 years and older with a hip or vertebral fracture—the most serious complication associated with osteoporosis. Douglas P. Kiel, M.D., M.P.H., Director of the Musculoskeletal Research Center in the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, is senior author on the report and served as co-leader of the project. | |
Vaping group mounts legal challenge to temporary sales banA national industry group has asked a federal judge to immediately end Massachusetts' four-month ban on the sale of all vaping products. | |
Biology news
 | Scientists recreate in flies the mutations that let monarch butterfly eat toxic milkweed with impunityThe fruit flies in Noah Whiteman's lab may be hazardous to your health. |
 | First skeletal remains of Phoebodus found in MoroccoAn international team of researchers has found the first skeletal remains of Phoebodus—an ancient shark—in the Anti-Atlas Mountains in Morocco. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes the fossil and compares it to a modern shark and fish. |
 | Mob mentality rules jackdaw flocksJackdaws are more likely to join a mob to drive off predators if lots of their fellow birds are up for the fight, new research shows. |
 | Researchers use drones to weigh whalesBy measuring the body length, width and height of free-living southern right whales photographed by drones, researchers were able to develop a model that accurately calculated the body volume and mass of the whales. |
 | Ancient genomes provide insight into the genetic history of the second plague pandemicAn international team of researchers has analyzed remains from 10 archaeological sites in England, France, Germany, Russia and Switzerland to gain insight into the stages of the second plague pandemic (14th-18th centuries) and the genetic diversity of Yersinia pestis during and after the Black Death. In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers reconstructed 34 Y. pestis genomes, tracing the genetic history of the bacterium, which revealed key insights into the initiation and progression of the second plague pandemic in Europe. |
 | Preventing future forest diebacksBark beetles, heat, drought, storms, and fires have damaged the German forests. Those who go for a walk there often encounter dead spruces and dried beech trees. "The forests are affected in all regions and need quick help," says the website of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. |
 | Microscopic evidence sheds light on the disappearance of the world's largest mammalsUnderstanding the causes and consequences of Late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions is increasingly important in a world of growing human populations and climate change. A new review, led by scholars at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, highlights the role that cutting-edge scientific methods can play in broadening the discussions about megafaunal extinction and enabling more localized insights into ecosystems and species-specific responses to climate change and human activities. |
 | Researchers find some of the genes responsible for differences in behavior between dog breedsA team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. has found some of the genes that are responsible for differences in behavior between dog breeds. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes their study of data from two types of dog-based databases and what they found. |
 | Why are there no animals with three legs?If "Why?" is the first question in science, "Why not?" must be a close second. Sometimes it's worth thinking about why something does not exist. |
 | Understanding the genomic signature of coevolutionAn international team of researchers including limnologists from the University of Konstanz shows that rapid genomic changes during antagonistic species interactions are shaped by the reciprocal effects of ecology and evolution. |
 | Stanford-made exhibit plunges people in the world of microbesWandering through the exhibits of the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco in spring 2018, visitors had the chance to dance with microbes. The boogie appeared to take place on a projection screen where visitors were represented as bright blue silhouettes amidst a crowd of their single-cell dance partners—a light-sensitive organism called Euglena. As the Euglena flipped and shuffled to avoid the humanoid blobs of light, people posed and pranced in response. |
 | Seagrass meadows harbor wildlife for centuries, highlighting need for conservationSeagrass meadows put down deep roots, persisting in the same spot for hundreds and possibly thousands of years, a new study shows. |
Lop-eared rabbits more likely to have tooth/ear problems than erect eared cousinsLop (floppy) eared rabbits are more likely than erect ('up') eared breeds to have potentially painful ear and dental problems that may ultimately affect their ability to hear and eat properly, finds a small observational study published in Vet Record. | |
Genomic fluke close-upParasitic flukes have been a leading source of food-borne infections, sparking fear and wreaking havoc on human public health, and contributed to more than 3 billion in animal agricultural losses per year in the U.S. alone. | |
Limited seed availability, dry climate hamper post-wildfire forest recoveryA lack of tree seedling establishment following recent wildfires represents a crucial bottleneck limiting coniferous forest recovery in the western U.S., new University of Colorado Boulder-led research finds. | |
 | Pig farmers pessimistic as China tries to talk down swine feverSun Dawu sighs sadly when asked about the death of thousands of his pigs, killed by the African swine fever outbreak that has been decimating hog herds across China. |
 | Rare, endangered orchids slip across porous southern Chinese borderThe insatiable demand for orchids could be driving wild orchids to extinction in southern China. |
 | Caught in the act: Proteins responsible for metastasisResearch by Assoc. Prof. Nurhan Özlü of Koç University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics and her team, recently published in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, has uncovered the effects of two proteins in the transition from the epithelial to the mesenchymal cell type, the latter of which has mobility. The identification of these two proteins will contribute to the development of new methods for preventing cancerous cells from transitioning into the mesenchymal cell type and being transported via blood to other organs and tissues. |
 | Safeguarding the world's largest tuna fisheryUnderstanding the impact of modern fishing techniques is critical to ensure the sustainability of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) tuna fishery—the largest tuna fishery in the world that accounts for 55% of the total tropical tuna catch and provides up to 98% of government revenue for some Pacific Island nations. |
 | Gibbons hold on in last remaining Vietnam strongholdA crucial population of one of the rarest primates on the planet is holding its own in the face of multiple threats, according to the latest surveys conducted in northern Vietnam. |
 | Chimpanzees are being killed by poachers – researchers like us are on the frontline protecting themOn a sunny day in early August 2019, screams broke the calm of a national park in East Africa. Researchers ran to find Kidman – an adult female chimpanzee—and her child being attacked by the dogs of poachers. In their desperate attempt to save them, the researchers fought off the dogs and removed a spear that poachers had lodged in Kidman's back. She died shortly after the researchers had arrived, her infant a few days later. |
 | Technology provides insight into the hunting behavior of white sharksWhite sharks are top predators in the marine environment, but unlike their terrestrial counterparts, very little is known about their predatory activity underwater, with current knowledge limited to surface predation events. Now, a team of international scientists has used video- and data-logging technology to shed new light on predator-prey interactions of these mighty sea creatures. |
 | Researchers identify mechanism controlling DNA repairDeoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), is the macromolecule that holds all hereditary and genetic information. Continuously under assault, alterations and damage to DNA can lead to many different health issues, including cancer. DNA is highly regulated within cells, where multiple mechanisms are at play to repair and protect its integrity. Scientists are still investigating these mechanisms to fully comprehend how these DNA repair processes are managed. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers recently identified a new mechanism that controls DNA repair. Their findings were published in the journal Cell Death & Differentiation. |
 | Soaring eagle films crumbling Alpine glaciers as Earth warmsThe images will be stunningly beautiful yet also hint of dire future consequences. Filmed with a camera mounted between his majestic wings, they'll show how a white-tailed eagle named Victor sees the world as he flies over the Alps and capture its once-magnificent glaciers now crumbling because of global warming. |
 | South Korea confirms 2 more swine fever casesSouth Korea on Wednesday confirmed two additional cases of African swine fever near its border with North Korea despite heightened efforts to contain the epidemic that has wiped out pig populations across Asia. |
 | Catching up with DIVERSIFY: Fizzing with ideas for aquacultureDIVERSIFY (Exploring the biological and socio-economic potential of new/emerging candidate fish species for the expansion of the European aquaculture industry) is the largest EU research project focusing on aquaculture to date. With a total budget exceeding EUR 11 million and a total of 40 partners, it comes as no surprise that the project continues to impact the aquaculture sector almost a year after its completion. |
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