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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 26, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | More dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies foundA team of researchers with members affiliated with multiple institutions in China has found evidence for more dark-matter-deficient dwarf galaxies. In their paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the group describes their study of dwarf galaxies and how they found some they expected to be dominated by dark matter were not. |
 | Black hole nurtures baby stars a million light years awayBlack holes are famous for ripping objects apart, including stars. But now, astronomers have uncovered a black hole that may have sparked the births of stars over a mind-boggling distance, and across multiple galaxies. |
 | Scientists inch closer than ever to signal from cosmic dawnAround 12 billion years ago, the universe emerged from a great cosmic dark age as the first stars and galaxies lit up. With a new analysis of data collected by the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) radio telescope, scientists are now closer than ever to detecting the ultra-faint signature of this turning point in cosmic history. |
 | Image: Giant magnetic ropes in a galaxy's haloThis image of the "Whale Galaxy" (NGC 4631), made with the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), reveals hair-like filaments of the galaxy's magnetic field protruding above and below the galaxy's disk. |
 | Space travel can make the gut leakyBacteria, fungi, and viruses can enter our gut through the food we eat. Fortunately, the epithelial cells that line our intestines serve as a robust barrier to prevent these microorganisms from invading the rest of our bodies. |
 | Testing time for MetOp Second GenerationMetOp Second Generation (MetOp-SG) is a follow-on system to the successful MetOp satellites, the last of which launched into its 800 km polar orbit in 2018. |
 | Anisotropic radio-wave scattering in the solar coronaSolar radio emission is produced in the turbulent medium of the solar atmosphere, and its observed properties (source position, size, time profile, polarization, etc.) are significantly affected by the propagation of the radio waves from the emitter to the observer. Scattering of radio waves on random density irregularities has long been recognized as an important process for the interpretation of radio source sizes (e.g., Steinberg et al. 1971), positions (e.g., Fokker 1965; Stewart 1972), directivity (e.g., Thejappa et al. 2007; Bonnin et al. 2008; Reiner et al. 2009), and intensity-time profiles (e.g., Krupar et al. 2018, Bian et al. 2019). While a number of Monte Carlo simulations have been developed to describe radio-wave scattering (mostly for isotropic density fluctuations), not all agree. The present work addresses this important issue both by extending and improving the previous descriptions. |
Technology news
 | MOOSE: A platform to create complex multiphysics simulationsIn recent decades, technological advances have opened up exciting new possibilities for research in a variety of fields, including physics. Nonetheless, creating sophisticated simulations to represent or address multiphysics problems using computing resources can still be very challenging. |
 | AI debate machine argues with itself at Cambridge UnionIBM has a Project Debater AI system that can debate humans on complex topics. A recent event to showcase its capabilities turned into pure drama as the machine proceeded to throw AI under the bus as it took both con and pro positions as to whether or not AI is harmful to humans. |
 | A record-setting transistorMany of the technologies we rely on, from smartphones to wearable devices and more, utilize fast wireless communications. What might we accomplish if those devices transmitted information even faster? |
 | Nuclear reactors with a newly proposed barrier could have withstood Chernobyl and FukushimaIn the aftermath of the notorious accidents in the history of nuclear energy at Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011), where all three have turned into devastating disasters due to meltdown in the core of a reactor, leading in turn to the release of radiation into the environment, many countries around the world have already pledged to a nuclear power phase-out. |
 | Alibaba shares surge on Hong Kong debutChinese online retail giant Alibaba surged Tuesday as it drew back the curtain on a Hong Kong listing the firm described as a vote of confidence in the embattled city. |
 | Firings spark dissent in Google ranksGoogle on Monday fired four employees on the grounds they violated data security policies, prompting ire among colleagues concerned it was retaliation for worker organizing. |
 | Saving bats from wind turbine deathWind energy holds great promise as a source of renewable energy, but some have wondered if measures taken to address climate change have taken precedence over conservation of biodiversity. Wind turbines, for example, kill some birds, and the fatality rate for bats is even higher. Since bats are a crucial part of the ecosystem, helping with pollination, insect management, plant seed dispersal, etc., the high fatality rate is concerning. |
 | Search results not biased along party lines, Stanford study findsIn recent months, questions have arisen about big tech's unparalleled influence over what news and information people see online. Potential political bias and censorship in search engine results are a big part of the conversation. Is the concern well-founded? |
 | Periodic review of the artificial intelligence industry reveals challengesAs part of Stanford's ongoing 100-year study on artificial intelligence, known as the AI100, two workshops recently considered the issues of care technologies and predictive modeling to inform the future development of AI technologies. |
 | Former Tinder CEO Sean Rad accused of secretly recording employees and bosses in new court filingThe multibillion-dollar legal battle between Sean Rad, the co-founder and former chief executive of Tinder, and parent company IAC took a new turn this week when IAC alleged in a new court filing that Rad secretly recorded multiple conversations with Tinder employees and his supervisors, potentially violating California law requiring both parties to consent to being recorded. |
 | Even computer algorithms can be biased. Scientists have different ideas of how to prevent thatScientists say they've developed a framework to make computer algorithms "safer" to use without creating bias based on race, gender or other factors. The trick, they say, is to make it possible for users to tell the algorithm what kinds of pitfalls to avoid—without having to know a lot about statistics or artificial intelligence. |
 | New safety recommendations for culvert repair releasedCommunities across the U.S. rely on drainage culverts to keep roadways safe. While these buried structures cross streams and divert water from roadways, many are in need of repair. Unexpected culvert failures can disrupt traffic, damage the environment and nearby property, and can even be fatal. |
 | New research considers future interactions with computer-generated people in virtual realityDr. Rachel McDonnell, Assistant Professor in Creative Technologies at Trinity, focuses on the animation of virtual humans for the entertainment industry and virtual reality (VR). |
 | Hydrogen from natural gas without carbon dioxide emissionsMethane pyrolysis will allow for the future climate-friendly use of fossil natural gas. Methane is separated into gaseous hydrogen and solid carbon that is a valuable material for various industry branches and can also be stored safely. This may be a key component of future climate-neutral energy supply. Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed a highly efficient process for this purpose. Together with the industry partner Wintershall Dea, this process will now be further developed for use on the industrial scale. |
 | Xerox launches shareholder fight for control of HPXerox said Tuesday it would take its hostile takeover offer for HP to shareholders after the computer and printer maker rejected the $33 billion offer. |
 | Ad business a boon for Amazon but a turn-off for shoppersMike Maddaloni went to Amazon.com knowing exactly what he wanted to buy. |
 | Audi to slash 9,500 jobs in Germany by 2025German luxury carmaker Audi said Tuesday it planned to slash 9,500 jobs in Germany by 2025 as part of a massive overhaul to help finance a costly switch to electric vehicles. |
 | Report shows high injury rate at Amazon warehousesInjury rates reported for workers at Amazon warehouses across the United States are more than double the national average, according to a news investigation into workplace conditions at the electronic commerce giant. |
 | Google tensions deepen over firings of 'Thanksgiving Four'Google on Monday fired four employees on the grounds they had violated data security policies, but the tech titan was accused of persecuting them for trying to unionize staff. |
 | Tesla and Ford trade challenges in macho truck worldTesla and Ford were in a virtual stare-down on Tuesday in the macho truck world, each claiming their electric pick-up was strongest. |
 | New technology makes internet memes accessible for people with visual impairmentsPeople with visual impairments use social media like everyone else, often with the help of screen reader software. But that technology falls short when it encounters memes, which don't include alternate text, or alt text, to describe what's depicted in the image. |
 | Team develops satellites that fix other satellitesWhen satellites break, which is surprisingly often, there isn't much you can do about them. |
 | Senate Democrats propose sweeping data privacy billSenate Democrats are proposing a broad federal data privacy law that would allow people to see what information companies have collected on them and demand that it be deleted. |
 | UK science engineering company ready to take Purdue heating technology to the marketA novel heating technology based on materials commonly used in the aerospace industry soon may be helping doctors, forensic scientists and automobile manufacturers. Alconbury Weston Limited, a science-engineering company based in the United Kingdom, has licensed carbon fiber technology from Purdue Research Foundation to support industries ranging from research institutes to commercial manufacturers. |
 | Do you know exactly where you are?We all rely on GPS to tell us where we are and where we're going. The US government's global network of 30+ satellites guides planes, ships, cars, tractors and much more. The latest GPS systems can provide mm- to cm-accuracy using advanced equipment and technique. |
 | Baby Yoda GIFs are back after 'confusion' led to removalPeople can send each other animations of Baby Yoda again. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Hardening of the arteries: Platelets, inflammation and a rogue protein conspire against the heartThe Lipid Hypothesis of coronary artery disease has long held that a high level of cholesterol is the causative factor of atherosclerosis, but a group of New York scientists is making a powerful case for platelets as the trigger of an artery-damaging inflammatory response. |
 | Fertility treatment, not maternal age, causes epigenetic changes in mouse offspringThough epigenetic disorders—diseases caused by faulty gene expression—are still rare overall, babies born using fertility treatments have up to an 11-fold higher risk of inheriting them. According to a new mouse study from the Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI), the problem likely lies with the technology, not the mother's age. |
 | Multiple sclerosis linked to variant of common herpes virus through new methodResearchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a new method to separate between two types of a common herpes virus (HHV-6) that has been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS). By analyzing antibodies in the blood against the most divergent proteins of herpesvirus 6A and 6B, the researchers were able to show that MS patients carry the herpesvirus 6A to a greater extent than healthy individuals. The findings, published in Frontiers in Immunology, point to a role for HHV-6A in the development of MS. |
 | Investigators narrow in on a microRNA for treating multiple sclerosisIt turns out the gut is full of surprises. And one of those surprises may have offered up a key for unlocking a new way of treating multiple sclerosis (MS). Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital have discovered a microRNA—a small RNA molecule—that increases during peak disease in a mouse model of MS and in untreated MS patients. When a synthetic version of the microRNA was orally given to the mice, it prevented disease. While several steps remain before these insights can be translated into therapy for patients, the researchers describe their results as both exciting and unexpected. Their findings are published in Cell Host & Microbe. |
 | Newborn immune system detects harmful skin bacteriaThe immune system must learn from early in life to tolerate bacteria that normally populate healthy skin, while still defending against more dangerous "bugs," but how immune cells make this distinction has long been a mystery. |
 | HIV: Overwhelming the enemy from the start1.7 million. That's how many people are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) each year worldwide. 1.7 million people who are condemned to lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) or risk developing fatal AIDS . Out of the 37.9 million people living with HIV (PLWH), 22.3 million have access to ART, allowing them to have an almost normal lifespan. Unfortunately, however, the medications only go so far: they don't reach the cells where the virus lies dormant for years. Moreover, potential long-term adverse effects of these medications remain unknown. |
 | Newly discovered immune cells contribute to toxic shockRecently discovered immune cells called MAIT cells play a key role in group A streptococcal toxic shock, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden report. The results, which are published in the journal PNAS, have potential implications for the diagnosis and treatment of this life-threatening condition. |
 | Transmission of river blindness may be reduced when vegetation is removedThe World Health Organization has set a goal to eliminate river blindness, a neglected tropical disease found mostly in African villages near fast-flowing rivers and streams, by 2030. Spread by bites from black flies that deposit a parasitic worm under the skin, the disease can cause itching and skin infections in addition to blindness. |
 | Study finds even a short-term visit to a severely polluted city is bad for your healthThere are many things people research when planning a vacation or business trip abroad—such as the weather, how to get around a city and where to access free Wi-Fi. But one important piece of information that some people don't look at is a city's air pollution levels. |
 | Splicing factor to blame in triple negative breast cancerIf your DNA is a cookbook, a single gene is a recipe. But it's a flexible recipe that if edited one way can make a pie; edited another way can make a cake. And that difference can mean cancer, as a team of researchers who looked at those gene editors writes in the 26 November issue of Cell Reports. |
 | One shot of ketamine could reduce problem drinkingA one-off dose of ketamine could help heavy drinkers reduce their alcohol intake, finds a new UCL experimental study. |
 | Drug-resistant staph can spread easily in household environmentsOnce rare, the superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infects hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. each year and kills about 20,000. Antibiotic overuse has made MRSA more common and difficult to treat because of the bacteria's contagiousness coupled with its resistance to standard infection-fighting drugs. Infected individuals also face a high risk of recurrence. |
 | Scientists suggest new solution to the rare-disease problemThousands of rare diseases cumulatively affect millions of people across the globe, yet because each case is so rare doctors struggle to accurately diagnose and effectively treat individual patients. Every time a patient with an unspecified disorder walks into a new clinic or shows up in an emergency room, doctors must start from scratch. The patients often go through years of such experiences before they ever get a diagnosis. |
 | One year later, mystery surrounds China's gene-edited babiesChinese scientist He Jiankui shocked the world by claiming he had helped make the first gene-edited babies. One year later, mystery surrounds his fate as well as theirs. |
 | One third of UK doctors may suffer from workplace 'burnout'This is the finding of new research, published in the journal BMJ Open, led by scientists at Imperial College London. |
 | Children of abused mothers 50% more likely to have low IQChildren of women who reported domestic violence in pregnancy or during the first six years of the child's life are almost 50% more likely to have a low IQ at age 8, research finds. |
Recovering from metabolic syndrome significantly reduces risk for cardiovascular diseaseIt is known that metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess abdominal fat, high triglyceride level, and/or unhealthy cholesterol levels) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. When patients with metabolic syndrome reverse the syndrome, this risk decreases. Findings from a nationwide population-based cohort study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. | |
Study: Increase in calls to US poison control for natural psychoactive substancesNatural substances with psychoactive effects have been used by people for religious, medicinal and recreational purposes for millennia. Lack of regulation has led to an increase in their availability, especially online. Some psychoactive substances may be appealing to recreational users because of the perception they are safer because they're "natural." However, these substances can produce psychedelic, stimulant, sedative, euphoric and anticholinergic symptoms, which are cause for concern. | |
 | Research: Despite what you might think, sexting isn't just about sexLet's talk about sext. |
Industry executives: Profits drive rising prices for MS drugsU.S. Medicare patients with multiple sclerosis often pay, on average, nearly $7,000 out of pocket to treat their condition each year. And, even though drug companies have provided no new treatment breakthroughs, the price of these disease-modifying medications is rising by 10% to 15% each year for the past decade. | |
 | Breakthrough in understanding common childhood cancerScientists studying one of the most common forms of childhood cancer have made an important breakthrough in understanding how the disease progresses. |
 | Turning key metabolic process back on could make sarcoma more susceptible to treatmentSoft tissue sarcoma cells stop a key metabolic process which allows them to multiply and spread, and so restarting that process could leave these cancers vulnerable to a variety of treatments. The enzyme that controls the process is called FBP2, and researchers from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, who detailed their findings in Cell Metabolism, also showed that manipulating sarcoma cells to ramp up FBP2 expression slows or even stops their growth entirely. This ultimately leaves them susceptible to targeted therapies and potentially takes away their ability to develop treatment resistance. |
 | Biennial mammography screening yields more advanced-stage cancersCancers found in patients undergoing annual mammography screening are smaller and less advanced than those found in patients undergoing screenings every two years, according to a new study presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). |
 | Minimally invasive procedure relieves tremors in Parkinson's patientsA procedure that applies pulses of focused ultrasound to the brain is safe and effective for reducing tremors and improving quality of life in people with essential tremor (ET) or Parkinson's disease (PD) tremor, according to a new study being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). |
 | Study explores new tracer in prostate cancer huntA new study looks to move doctors and patients closer to earlier and more precise detection of recurrent prostate cancer that would clarify treatment decisions and lead to more confident courses of action and better health outcomes. |
 | Does the brain trick you into thinking food tastes better on Thanksgiving? It's complicated.Turkey that's often bland and accompanied with cranberry sauce from a can? Stuffing yourself with food until you're set to burst? Those are two of the most common hallmarks of Thanksgiving, which most Americans around the country looking forward to with gusto each year, but have you ever wondered why? |
 | World-first testing strategy for penicillinNew research led by The University of Western Australia will lead to a world-first in testing strategy for penicillin allergy to ensure patients aren't avoiding taking antibiotics when they don't need to, as well as preventing more superbugs from emerging. |
 | 'Gay gene' testing apps are misleading and dangerousThe launch of a genetic app titled "How gay are you?" prompted a well-deserved outcry from scientists and the public last month, with media coverage branding it "disgusting" and "the latest bad idea". |
 | Greedy doctors make private health insurance more painfulLarge bills are one of the main reasons people are dissatisfied with their private health insurance—especially when these bills come as a surprise. |
 | Experts: Practicing gratitude can have profound health benefitsBefore the feast begins, everyone around the table shares something that makes them feel grateful. |
 | Researchers take first steps toward a vaccine for pancreatic cancerResearchers from Queen Mary University of London and Zhengzhou University have developed a personalized vaccine system that could ultimately delay the onset of pancreatic cancer. |
 | The evidence shows pharmacist prescribing is nothing to fearProminent GP and former member of parliament Kerryn Phelps has entered the turf war between doctors and pharmacists over who gets to prescribe. |
 | Depression: Men far more at risk than women in deprived areasDepression is a major cause of disability around the world, and if left untreated, can lead to substance abuse, anxiety and suicide. |
 | Can an Apple Watch tell if you had a heart attack?An electrocardiogram (ECG) generated by the Apple Watch series 4 or 5 could potentially be used to diagnose a heart attack when a specific method of obtaining the ECG is used and the results are reviewed by a specialist. The method used to obtain a multilead ECG reading is described in a brief research report published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Games can protect thinking skills in older agePeople who play games—such as cards and board games—are more likely to stay mentally sharp in later life, a study suggests. |
 | Study: Medical and surgical residents' lack of sleep recovery leads to persistent fatiguePoor sleep quality and persistent fatigue in medical and surgical residents does not improve during residency, suggesting even the most experienced residents may struggle with persistent fatigue, according to a new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. |
Common test used to determine racism is flawed, says professorFor decades the psychology community has been using a test developed by their peers at Harvard to determine if someone has hidden prejudices. | |
 | Regular fasting could lead to longer, healthier lifeRegular fasting is associated with lower rates of heart failure and a longer life span, according to two new studies. |
 | Pro-meat campaign may have turned some social media users against planetary health dietIn January 2019, The Lancet's report "Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems" received significant positive international media coverage. The report concluded that greatly reduced meat and dairy consumption would improve health and environmental outcomes and proposed the "Planetary Health" diet. |
Choking deaths in US children drop by 75% in past 50 yearsChildren's deaths from choking on small objects dropped by 75 percent from 1968 to 2017, according to a report published in JAMA. | |
 | Working-age Americans dying at higher rates, especially in economically hard-hit statesMortality rates among working-age Americans continue to climb, causing a decrease in U.S. life expectancy that is severely impacting certain regions of the United States, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study set to publish Tuesday in JAMA. The report, "Life Expectancy and Mortality Rates in the United States, 1959-2017," is one of the most comprehensive 50-state analyses of U.S. mortality. |
More medical students are telling their schools about disabilities, and getting a responseThe percentage of medical students who told their schools that they have a disability rose sharply in recent years, a new study shows. | |
 | Decline in primary care visits continued after ACAThe long-term decrease in primary care contact was not interrupted following implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to a study published in the November/December issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. |
 | Poll: adults who vape often buy from unauthorized sellersNearly one in 10 Americans who vape purchase their products from an unauthorized seller, according to the results of a survey released Nov. 18 by the American Osteopathic Association. |
 | For newborns with hearing loss, screening opens window to a world of soundFour-year-old Betty Schottler starts each morning with the same six sounds: (m), (ah), (oo), (ee), (sh), and (s). |
 | Study finds people exposed to violence end up isolated and lonely, with chronic health problemsChristopher Lee was 15 years old when he was shot May 14, 2016, while on his bike outside his home. He was shot in the back, arm and chest, and was in the hospital for six days, where he had two surgeries in addition to staples and stitches. To this day, he said, he still has a bullet in his chest. |
 | Researchers ID risks for second childhood cancersChemotherapy and radiation treatments have helped children survive cancer. Now University of Minnesota researchers are trying to find the ideal combinations that prevent the disease from coming back. |
 | Crossing borders and growing resistance: a superbug from south AsiaUsing whole genome sequencing, researchers have been able to trace the origins and global spread of a multi-drug resistant, community Staphylococcus aureus lineage from the Indian subcontinent, known as the Bengal Bay clone. |
 | New migraine medications could endanger patients with high blood pressureNew migraine medications block αCGRP, a neuropeptide which causes vasodilation, for example in the meninges. The very same peptide, which is formed in the muscles during physical activity, protects the heart—which is vital for people with chronic high blood pressure. The innovative migraine prophylaxis could endanger these people, as researchers at the University of Zurich have demonstrated in mice. |
 | Understanding why men get more cancer than womenPeter Mac-led research has shed new light on why men are more likely than women to get cancer, uncovering a new role for the X chromosome in affecting cancer risk and mortality. |
 | Skiers had lower incidence of depression and vascular dementia—but not Alzheimer'sHalf as many diagnosed with depression, a delayed manifestation of Parkinson's, a reduced risk of developing vascular dementia—but not Alzheimer's. These connections were discovered by researchers when they compared 200 000 people who had participated in a long-distance cross-country ski race between 1989 and 2010 with a matched cohort of the general population. The results of the population register study, led by researchers at Lund University in Sweden together with Uppsala University, were recently published in three scientific articles. |
 | We love coffee, tea, chocolate and soft drinks so much, caffeine is literally in our bloodScientists at Oregon State University may have proven how much people love coffee, tea, chocolate, soda and energy drinks as they validated their new method for studying how different drugs interact in the body. |
 | Cerebral organoid model provides clues about how to prevent virus-induced brain cell deathScientists have determined that La Crosse virus (LACV), which can cause inflammation of the brain, or encephalitis, in children, affects brain cells differently depending on their developmental stage. Neurons—the primary brain cells of the central nervous system—evolve from neural stem cells and during development "commit" to becoming neurons. A new National Institutes of Health study shows that uncommitted neural stems cells generally survive LACV infection, while LACV often kills neurons. The study also shows that neurons infected by LACV can be rescued by interferon, a powerful antiviral protein. The study results appear in the Journal of Neuroinflammation. |
 | Insights into a versatile molecular death switchThe enzyme caspase-8 induces a molecular cell death programme called pyroptosis without involving its enzymatic activity, a new study by Hamid Kashkar published in Nature shows. In order to safeguard healthy and functioning tissues, cells utilize different cell death mechanisms to dispose of unwanted cells (e.g. infected or aged cells). Apoptosis is a 'cellular suicide programme' that does not cause tissue injury and is induced by caspase-8. |
 | The human brain is prepared to follow the rhythm of a song or of a danceWhen listening to a song or watching a dance, humans tend to follow the rhythm of the music. This is because one fundamental aspect of music is its rhythm, the way we synchronize with the temporal regularities of a melody or a dance. A recent study explores how our brain fuses with musical rhythm and the extent to which humans share this ability with other animals. |
 | Dermatologists issue consensus guideline for opioid prescribing(HealthDay)—In an expert panel consensus, published online Nov. 12 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, opioid-prescribing guidelines are presented for common dermatologic procedures. |
 | Longer PAP therapy for apnea reduces medical visits, costs(HealthDay)—In patients with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea, positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy reduces acute and inpatient care visits as well as health care costs, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. |
 | Many cancer patients interested in pathology consultations(HealthDay)—When surveyed, a majority of cancer patients expressed interest in participating in a patient-pathologist consultation program, according to a study recently published in the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. |
 | Cancer patients with obesity show poorer psychosocial health(HealthDay)—Patients with breast or prostate cancer who are obese score higher in psychosocial problem-related distress than nonobese patients, according to a study recently published in Psycho-Oncology. |
 | For better or for worse, a couple's heart health can overlapTom and Martta Kelly don't need a study to tell them how couples influence one another's health. |
 | Play it safe with holiday foods(HealthDay)—When preparing the Thanksgiving feast this week, don't forget food safety, a medical expert says. |
 | Blood clots, uncontrolled bleeding and a stroke—all after giving birthNear the end of her second pregnancy, Amanda Moreland sliced open her knee. She applied pressure with a towel but couldn't fully stop the bleeding. |
 | Autism and ADHD share genesResearchers from the national psychiatric project iPSYCH have found that autism and ADHD share changes in the same genes. The new knowledge relates directly to the biological causes of the two child psychiatric disorders. |
 | Master regulator of liver metabolism identified during infectionResearchers at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences identified a key mechanism for how antiviral immune responses reprogram liver metabolism. Their recent study, which was published in the renowned scientific journal Immunity, investigated the communication between inflammation and liver metabolism during chronic viral infection. |
 | Linking wound healing and cancer riskWhen our skin is damaged, a whole set of biological processes springs into action to heal the wound. Now, researchers from the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research have shown that one of the molecules involved in this, HMGB1, slows down wound healing. It is, however, also essential for tumor formation at sites of previous injury. The researchers found that HMGB1 controls the actions of neutrophils, a specific type of immune cells, in skin wounds and that this is crucial for cancer initiation. Targeting this pathway could be beneficial in diabetic wound care and in patients suffering from skin blistering diseases. Their work appears in Cell Reports. |
 | A novel pathway to target colorectal cancerWhile the emergence of precision medicine and immunotherapy has greatly improved outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer, new approaches are still needed for patients with late-stage disease who do not respond to these therapies. According to the American Cancer Society, patients who present with stage 4 colorectal cancer have a five-year survival rate of only 14%. Therefore, researchers are interested in finding new ways to try to inhibit colorectal tumor growth. |
 | Schools, parents and grandparents hold key to unlocking China's obesity problemEducating parents and grandparents—as well as improving physical activity and the food provided at school—could hold the key to solving China's obesity pandemic, according to one of the largest trials of childhood obesity prevention in the world. |
 | Doctors should avoid co-prescribing benzodiazepines to opioid dependent patientsDoctors should avoid co-prescribing benzodiazepines to opioid dependent patients who are being treated with methadone or buprenorphine, also known as opioid agonist treatment (OAT), due to a three-fold increase in risk of overdose death, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Bristol. |
 | Mommy drinking is on the upswing—but women without children still drink moreMen and women are continuing to increase binge drinking, regardless of parenting status, according to the latest study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Men and women with children reported consistently lower levels of binge drinking than those without children, and men without children consistently report the highest levels of binge drinking overall; yet nearly all groups increased binge drinking in the past decade. The largest increases in binge drinking were reported among women ages 30-44 without children—from 21 percent reporting binge drinking in 2006 to 42 percent in 2018. The exception was young men (ages 18-29) with children, the only group for whom binge drinking declined. The findings are published online in PLOS Medicine. |
 | Study calls for improved mental health supportA government scheme to support the mental health of people affected by terrorist attacks needs to provide a better system of immediate psychological help, according to research led by the Care Policy and Evaluation Centre at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). |
 | A protein tag to study the immune systemResearchers from VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, University of Iowa (USA) and other collaborators, developed a novel approach to better understand a basic defense mechanism of our immune system. Central is ISG15, a small protein with a role in the immune system. With the newly developed method, scientists can now identify and study proteins tagged with ISG15, allowing them to unravel its many functions in fighting disease, potentially leading to novel antimicrobial drugs. The work appears in Nature Communications. |
 | Fewer Americans now struggle with 'problem' pot use(HealthDay)—There are fewer problem "potheads" today than before the wave of marijuana legalization that's swept the United States, a new analysis of federal survey data shows. |
 | Autism-related genetic mutations occur in aging brains of Alzheimer's patientsResearchers believe that autism is caused by mutations that occur sporadically in the egg or sperm or during pregnancy. Activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) is a dominant gene whose de novo (during pregnancy) mutations are known to cause autism-related intellectual disabilities. A new Tel Aviv University study has found that ADNP mutations continue to occur in old age and accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. |
 | People who qualify for Medicare due to disability account for most opioid-related deathsNew findings from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston show that patients qualifying for Medicare because of a disability have the highest rates of opioid overdose deaths compared with older Medicare beneficiaries and commercial insurance beneficiaries. The findings are now available in JAMA Network Open. The study, led by Yong-Fang Kuo, UTMB professor in the department of preventive medicine and population health, found that Medicare beneficiaries who qualify because of a disability are a growing group of patients hospitalized for opioid or heroin overdose and account for 25 percent of deaths from prescription opioid overdose each year. Previous research shows that not many of these patients make use of opioid treatment programs. |
Successful alcohol, drug recovery hampered by discriminationEven after resolving a problem with alcohol and other drugs, adults in recovery report experiencing both minor or "micro" forms of discrimination such as personal slights, and major or "macro" discrimination such as violation of their personal rights. These experiences are associated with increased distress and lead to both diminished quality of life and a decrease in resources needed to successfully sustain recovery, investigators from the Recovery Research Institute and Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) report. | |
 | Building a better flu shotEach year millions of Americans become sick with the flu, hundreds of thousands are hospitalized and tens of thousands die. Getting the flu shot can reduce the chances of infection. But, at best, the vaccine is only effective 40% to 60% of the time, according to the CDC. |
 | More clues point to chemical compound in US vaping illnessesHealth officials say they have more evidence that a certain chemical compound is a culprit in a national outbreak of vaping illnesses. |
 | Caring for family is what motivates people worldwideAcross the globe, caring for loved ones is what matters most. |
 | Additives result in higher toxins for vape users, study findsThe vaping industry is filled with unknowns. Those unknowns are leading to more questions as the number of users dealing with injuries, or in some cases, death, continues to rise. |
 | High levels of screen use associated with symptoms of anxiety in adolescenceA new study, by researchers Drs. Boers, Afzali and Conrod who are affiliated with CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Montreal, reveals that social media use, television viewing and computer use, but not video gaming, are linked to an increase in anxiety symptoms among adolescents. |
Imaging study provides new biological insights on functional neurological disorderIndividuals with functional neurological disorder (FND) have symptoms not explained by traditional neurological conditions, including limb weakness, tremor, gait abnormalities, seizures and sensory deficits. New research led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and published in Psychological Medicine has uncovered pathways in the brain's white matter that may be altered in patients with FND. The findings advance current understanding of the mechanisms involved in this disease, and offer the possibility of identifying markers of the condition and patients' prognosis. | |
 | New York City lawmakers vote to ban flavored vaping productsNew York City lawmakers voted Tuesday to ban flavored electronic cigarettes after a lawsuit halted a statewide ban. |
Babies worst affected as Samoa measles deaths rise to 32The death toll from a measles epidemic in Samoa rose to 32 on Tuesday as infection rates continue to soar out of control in the Pacific island nation, official data showed. | |
 | New book examines eating disorders, failure to care for those impactedA new book from a cultural anthropologist at Washington University in St. Louis explores a topic that impacts and kills almost as many people in the United States as the opioid crisis, yet receives a fraction of the sympathy, support or funding. |
 | Life-saving heart repair a first for the Southern HemisphereA Macquarie University Hospital interventional cardiologist has pioneered an innovative heart procedure that is helping patients avoid heart failure and death. |
 | Search for the source of antibodies would help treat allergiesResearchers of Sechenov University, together with colleagues from Russia and Austria, have summarized everything known about cells producing group E antibodies. These molecules are responsible for most of the allergic reactions, including such dangerous diseases as asthma, Quincke's edema and anaphylaxis. Studying them and learning better how to manage these reactions would help clinicians treat allergies and make patients' lives easier. The research was published in Cells. |
 | Team reduces neurodegeneration associated with dementia in animal modelsThe Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI, President Pann Ghill Suh) announced on November 12 that a Korean research team made up of Dr. Hyung-Jun Kim and Shinrye Lee of KBRI, and professor Kiyoung Kim of Soonchunhyang University, found a new molecular mechanism of suppressing neuronal toxicity associated dementia and Lou Gehrig's disease. |
 | Psychological well-being at 52 years could impact on cognitive functioning at 69 yearsPeople around the world are living longer, and dementia has consequently become recognized as a public health priority in many countries. The Lancet Commission paper in 2017 collated a large body of medical research evidence that aims to address the dementia epidemic and following challenge for health and social care. It is estimated that as much as 35% of dementia cases could be prevented by targeting nine modifiable risk factors. However, relatively little is known about psychological well-being in this context. |
 | DC government sues e-cigarette maker Juul over teen useThe District of Columbia is joining several states in suing the nation's largest e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, saying the company's online ads and promotions illegally targeted minors. |
Officials in north China tackle plague with poisonChinese officials have sprayed almost 200 acres of land with poison as part of a rat and flea eradication campaign after a case of bubonic plague was reported in a northern region. | |
Communities key to fighting HIV, says UNAIDS reportThe UN's AIDS organisation on Tuesday hailed an increase in the numbers of HIV-positive people getting treatment, and credited community-based programmes as the key to fighting the disease. | |
Biology news
 | California's valley oak is poorly adapted to rising temperatures, study findsWith increasing regularity, Californians are witnessing firsthand the destructive power of wildfires. But not everyone sees what happens after the flames die down, when debris is cleared, homes and lives rebuilt—and trees replanted to help nature recover. |
 | Chicken embryo model allows researchers to assess toxicity of environmental pollutantsNew research spearheaded by scientists at McGill University reports that exposing chicken embryos, a model of higher vertebrate development, to leachate from crumb rubber used for example in artificial turf infill allowed to assess the toxicity of environmental pollutants contained in such material. |
 | Hibernating mammals arouse hope for genetic solutions to obesity, metabolic diseasesHibernation is one of nature's strangest quirks, inducing bears and other mammals to pack on massive weight—amounts that would be unhealthy for humans—so they can survive months of slumber. Yet when these animals reemerge, they are as fit as ever. Now University of Utah Health scientists say they have detected new genetic clues about this phenomenon that could lead to better understanding and treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders that afflict millions worldwide. |
 | What keeps cells in shape? New research points to two types of motionThe health of cells is maintained, in part, by two types of movement of their nucleoli, a team of scientists has found. This dual motion within surrounding fluid, it reports, adds to our understanding of what contributes to healthy cellular function and points to how its disruption could affect human health. |
 | Did human hunting activities alone drive great auks' extinction?New insight on the extinction history of a flightless seabird that vanished from the shores of the North Atlantic during the 19th century has been published today in eLife. |
 | Once hidden cellular structures emerge in fight against virusesNew University of Arizona-led research has revealed the structure and function of one of bacteria's latest strategies in the fight against viruses: a fleet of highly organized enzymes that provide a rapid immune response capable of quickly shredding the harmful DNA of viral invaders. |
 | Using fungi to search for medical drugsAn enormous library of products derived from more than 10,000 fungi could help scientists find new drugs. Researchers from the group of Jeroen den Hertog at the Hubrecht Institute, in collaboration with researchers from the Westerdijk Institute and Utrecht University, have set up this library and screened it for biologically active compounds. They tested the biological activity of these fungal products first using zebrafish embryos. |
 | Thank fungi for cheese, wine and beer this holiday seasonIt's hard to imagine a holiday table without bread, meat, vegetables, wine, beer or a board of French cheeses for those with more adventurous palates. Savoring these delicacies with family and friends is part of what makes the holidays so much fun. |
 | Silencing retroviruses to awaken cell potentialEmbryonic stem cells have the potential to differentiate into any type of cell in the human body. Once differentiated though, the newly minted somatic cells live out the rest of their days as that specific cell type and never again have the capacity to differentiate. Or so the theory goes. |
 | Study shows evolution turns genes back on to regain functionGenes often mutate and lose their natural or synthetic function over long-term evolution, which could be good if that stops drug resistance of infectious microbes or cancer. A new study by Stony Brook University researchers, published online in PNAS, shows that evolution can exploit positive feedback (PF) within cells to restore gene function. Such repair by evolution may provide a basis for regaining lost gene function, which has implications in medicine and other scientific endeavors. |
 | Discovery of plant immune signaling intermediary could lead to more pest-resistant cropsA new actor in the immune system of plants has been identified. KAUST scientists have identified the protein MAP4K4 is needed to mount proper defenses against environmental pathogens. |
 | Recrutement of a lateral root developmental pathway into root nodule formation of legumesPeas and other legumes develop spherical or cylindrical structures—called nodules—in their roots to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable nutrient for the legume plant. Root nodule symbiosis enables legumes to grow under nitrogen-limiting conditions where most non-leguminous plants cannot survive. Researchers in Japan now have a better understanding of how the symbiotic relationship evolved. |
 | Scientists clarify light harvesting in green algaeAlgae are indispensable because they generate about 50% of primary organic matter and account for about 50% of all oxygen on Earth. They produce oxygen through oxygenic photosynthesis—a biological process that "harvests" light and turns it into chemical energy. |
 | Finding Nemo's family: A good home is more important than good genesIn a study published today, scientists report that the long-term success of clownfish depends more on living in a good neighbourhood than it does on good genes. |
 | Scientists dissect and redesign protein-based pattern formationProbing the functional segments, or 'motifs', of proteins has helped scientists identify the minimal ingredients needed for them to form biological patterns. |
 | Life, liberty—and access to microbes?Poverty increases the risk for numerous diseases by limiting people's access to healthy food, environments and stress-free conditions. In a new essay published November 26 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, Suzanne Ishaq and colleagues at the University of Oregon, argue that poverty also compromises health by creating unequal access to beneficial microorganisms. The essay is part of the "Microbiomes Across Systems" special issue. |
 | Losing Nemo: clownfish 'cannot adapt to climate change'The star of Pixar's blockbuster "Finding Nemo" may be about to vanish again—this time for good—as its peculiar mating habits put it at risk from climate change, scientists said on Tuesday. |
 | Bigeye tuna get 'modest' reprieve as fishing nations cut quotasThe world's major fishing nations have agreed "modest" quota cuts for the under-pressure Atlantic Bigeye tuna but critics say more should be done to protect an important food resource. |
 | Scientists outline 10 simple rules for the computational modelling of behavioural dataNew guidelines for scientists who use computational modelling to analyse behavioural data have been published today in the open-access journal eLife. |
 | Killer crocodiles: Why are more humans being attacked in East Timor?Mario Da Cruz could only watch in horror as a small army of crocodiles killed a child on an East Timor beach—another victim of the tiny nation's soaring rate of attacks. |
 | Biologists discover how algae absorb phosphorus after forced phosphorus starvationRUDN University biologists studied how microalgae absorb phosphorus after a period of phosphorus deficiency, how the rate of cell division and the production of "internal reserves" of phosphorus in the form of polyphosphate granules changes. Results of the study can help in the development of biotechnological methods of wastewater treatment from phosphorus fertilizers. The study is published in the journal Algal Research. |
 | Red-listed red panda caught red-handed on cameraContrary to popular belief, life is not always black and white. And the same goes for pandas. |
 | Conservation of biodiversity is like an insurance policy for the future of mankindFens and bogs are valuable research environments for paleoecologists due to ancient fossils that have survived in the peatland for thousands of years. A recent study carried out by the paleoecologists of Tallinn University of Technology reveals that the rich biodiversity of spring fens is a result of their millennia-long stable environment. The continuously high local richness in spring fens is contrary to the general decrease in biodiversity around the world caused by increasingly intensive land use. |
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