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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 14, 2020:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | ESO telescope sees surface of dim BetelgeuseUsing ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have captured the unprecedented dimming of Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in the constellation of Orion. The stunning new images of the star's surface show not only the fading red supergiant but also how its apparent shape is changing. |
 | Solar wind samples suggest new physics of massive solar ejectionsA new study led by the University of Hawai'i (UH) at Mānoa has helped refine understanding of the amount of hydrogen, helium and other elements present in violent outbursts from the Sun, and other types of solar "wind," a stream of ionized atoms ejected from the Sun. |
 | NASA selects four possible missions to study the secrets of the solar systemNASA has selected four Discovery Program investigations to develop concept studies for new missions. Although they're not official missions yet and some ultimately may not be chosen to move forward, the selections focus on compelling targets and science that are not covered by NASA's active missions or recent selections. Final selections will be made next year. |
 | Galactic cosmic rays affect Titan's atmospherePlanetary scientists using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) revealed the secrets of the atmosphere of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. The team found a chemical footprint in Titan's atmosphere indicating that cosmic rays coming from outside the Solar System affect the chemical reactions involved in the formation of nitrogen-bearing organic molecules. This is the first observational confirmation of such processes, and impacts the understanding of the intriguing environment of Titan. |
 | Status update: OSIRIS-REx Osprey FlyoverNASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft safely executed a 0.4-mile (620-m) flyover of the backup sample collection site Osprey as part of the mission's Reconnaissance B phase activities. Preliminary telemetry, however, indicates that the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA) did not operate as expected during the 11-hour event. The OLA instrument was scheduled to provide ranging data to the spacecraft's PolyCam imager, which would allow the camera to focus while imaging the area around the sample collection site. Consequently, the PolyCam images from the flyover are likely out of focus. |
Technology news
 | Microelectronics embedded in live jellyfish enhance propulsionResearchers in robotic materials aim to artificially control animal locomotion to address the existing challenges to actuation, control and power requirements in soft robotics. In a new report in Science Advances, Nicole W. Xu and John O. Dabiri at the departments of bioengineering, civil and environmental engineering and mechanical engineering at the Stanford University presented a biohybrid robot that used onboard microelectronics to induce swimming in live jellyfish. They measured the ability to substantially enhance propulsion by driving body contractions at an optimal frequency range faster than natural behavior. The manoeuvre increased swimming speed by nearly threefold, although with only a twofold increase in metabolic expenditure of the animal and 10 mW of external power input to the microelectronics. The biohybrid robot used 10 to 1000 times less external power per mass than with previously reported aquatic robots. The capability can improve the performance scope of biohybrid robots relative to native performance, with potential applications as biohybrid ocean monitoring robots. |
 | Stubborn strain of Android malware disses resetsIt's being called nasty—oh, the reinfection of it all— and sneaky for good reason: It's all of that, known to headache-watchers as xHelper, which turns out to be of no help at all once infected. The malware xHelper was identified as a trojan dropper. |
 | Artificial intelligence finds disease-related genesAn artificial neural network can reveal patterns in huge amounts of gene expression data and discover groups of disease-related genes. This has been shown by a new study led by researchers at Linköping University, published in Nature Communications. The scientists hope that the method can eventually be applied within precision medicine and individualized treatment. |
 | Supercharging decarbonization through intelligent technologiesIntegrating digital tools into the world's energy systems could reduce carbon emissions by more than 50%, a new review has found. |
 | Low-cost 'smart' diaper can notify caregiver when it's wetFor some infants, a wet diaper is cause for an instant, vociferous demand to be changed, while other babies may be unfazed and happy to haul around the damp cargo for lengthy periods without complaint. But if worn too long, a wet diaper can cause painful rashes, and miserable babies—and parents. |
 | Longstanding flaw in sensor readings could lead to heating and cooling design errorsStandard comfort measurements used to design buildings' heating and cooling systems share a common flaw, according to new research. The researchers said the findings could mean that designers have relied on inaccurate measurements for decades when building their systems. |
 | Algorithms 'consistently' more accurate than people in predicting recidivism, study saysIn a study with potentially far-reaching implications for criminal justice in the United States, a team of California researchers has found that algorithms are significantly more accurate than humans in predicting which defendants will later be arrested for a new crime. |
 | Facebook's Zuckerberg wants 'new framework' for digital taxFacebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Friday backed moves by the OECD group of free-market economies to reform the way online giants are taxed worldwide, even if that means companies like his own paying more to national governments. |
 | Virus could mean $5 bn in airline losses: UN agencyThe new coronavirus outbreak could mean a $4-5 billion drop in worldwide airline revenue, the International Civil Aviation Organization said on Thursday. |
 | Asian plane makers struggle to take off in crowded marketAsian plane makers have thrown huge sums at building jets but flagship projects have suffered repeated setbacks, and they face a tough time breaking into a market dominated by established players. |
 | Court rules Apple must pay California workers during bag checksThe California Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Apple must pay employees for time spent waiting for their bags and personal electronic devices to be searched when they leave work. |
 | Tesla prices its second offering of stock at $767 apieceTesla priced its second offering of stock at $767 apiece Friday. |
 | How social media makes breakups that much worseImagine flipping through your Facebook News Feed on Valentine's Day and spotting a notification that your ex is now "in a relationship." |
 | Drone designs arise from butterfly study: Undulating flight saves monarchs' energyIn a finding that could benefit drone design, award-winning research by a doctoral student at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) shows that the undulating flight paths of monarch butterflies are actually more energy efficient than a straight-line path. |
 | Google makes 1,000 new high-res satellite images available in Earth ViewGoogle has cornered the market on making high-resolution, aerial imagery of earth's most breathtaking landscapes available to the public. |
 | Mac software threats climbed 400% in 2019, more than Microsoft Windows, report saysMac computers are less secure than they used to be and more vulnerable to certain types of software threats than their Microsoft Windows counterparts. |
 | How to make money on YouTube: Insider tips on starting a channelGoogle recently announced that its YouTube had a $15-billion year in 2019, based on advertising sales, showing the world just how huge a business the video network has become. |
 | Snapchat is 'here for you' with new mental health featureAt a time when cyberbullying and unhealthy messaging are running rampant online, social networking sites are grappling with how to address it. |
 | Blame game over 830-mn-euro settlement in VW's German diesel casesConsumer representatives and car giant Volkswagen each blamed the other Friday for a breakdown in talks over a settlement for 400,000 German customers in the firm's "dieselgate" emissions cheating scandal. |
 | Facebook reverses on paid influencers after Bloomberg memesFacebook has decided to let political campaigns pay online influencers to spread their messages, a practice that had sidestepped many of the social network's rules governing political ads. |
 | Google mulls licensing deals with news media: industry sourcesGoogle is in discussions on deals to pay media organizations for content, a move aimed at blunting criticism that it unfairly profits from copyrighted news, according to people familiar with the talks. |
Lufthansa cancels China flights through to late MarchGerman airline giant Lufthansa said Friday it would prolong its suspension of flights to the Chinese mainland until March 28 over the novel coronavirus COVID-19. | |
 | Renault reports first net losses in decade for 2019French carmaker Renault said Friday it went into the red last year for the first time in a decade on lower sales and a falling contribution from its Japanese partner Nissan. |
 | Researchers discover how to improve safety of nuclear power plantsResearchers at Tomsk Polytechnic University found a method to increase fuel lifetimes by 75%. According to the research team, it will significantly increase safety and reduce the operating cost of nuclear power plants in hard-to-reach areas. The study results were published in Nuclear Engineering and Design. |
 | United Airlines pushes 737 MAX flights to SeptemberUnited Airlines announced Friday it was pushing back to September 4 the resumption of flights using the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, grounded worldwide following two deadly crashes. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Can beauty be-er ignored?This Valentine's Day, psychologists from Edge Hill University explore the science behind the 'beer goggles' effect and suggests there is some truth to this when considering the attractiveness of potential suitors. |
 | Remdesivir prevents MERS coronavirus disease in monkeysThe experimental antiviral remdesivir successfully prevented disease in rhesus macaques infected with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), according to a new study from National Institutes of Health scientists. Remdesivir prevented disease when administered before infection and improved the condition of macaques when given after the animals already were infected. |
 | UH Law center professors urge tighter controls on data held by health tech companiesIn an article published today in Science magazine, University of Houston Law Center Professors Jim Hawkins and Jessica L. Roberts call for stronger consumer safeguards to protect the privacy of personal information collected online by health-related companies. |
 | Effectiveness of travel bans—readily used during infectious disease outbreaks—mostly unknown, study findsBecause of the quick and deadly outbreak in late December of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, now known as COVID-19—infecting tens of thousands and killing hundreds within weeks, while spreading to at least 24 other countries—many governments, including the United States, have banned or significantly restricted travel to and from China. |
 | Early treatment for PTSD after a disaster has lasting effectsIn 1988, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck near the northern Armenian city of Spitak. The temblor destroyed cities and is estimated to have killed between 25,000 and 35,000 people, many of whom were schoolchildren. |
 | Key modifier found in genetic deletion related to neurodevelopmental disordersNeurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia and autism, likely result from complex interactions that modify the effects of individual genes. In a new study, researchers evaluated the effects of over 300 pairwise knockdowns—reducing the expression of two genes simultaneously—of the fruit fly versions of genes located in a region of human chromosome 3 that, when deleted, has been implicated in these disorders. These interactions suggest that the disorders have a complex causation involving many genes, rather than resulting from the effects of any individual gene. One gene in particular, NCBP2, appears to be a key modifier, influencing the impact of other genes in the deletion. |
 | Designing artificial brains can help us learn more about real onesDespite billions of dollars spent and decades of research, computation in the human brain remains largely a mystery. Meanwhile, we have made great strides in the development of artificial neural networks, which are designed to loosely mimic how brains compute. We have learned a lot about the nature of neural computation from these artificial brains and it's time to take what we've learned and apply it back to the biological ones. |
 | Could leukemia be stopped before it starts?Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a blood cancer affecting both adults and children, requires more than one genetic "hit" to develop. As we age, many of us acquire a mutation that enables certain of our blood cells to multiply faster than others, forming their own distinct population. This first hit, known as "clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential," or CHIP, isn't necessarily harmful. |
 | Researchers were not right about left brainsThe left and right sides of the human brain are specialized for some cognitive abilities. For example, in humans, language is processed predominantly in the left hemisphere, and the right hand is controlled by the motor cortex in the left hemisphere. The functional lateralization is reflected by morphological asymmetry of the brain. Left and right hemisphere differ subtly in the distribution of nerve cells, their connectivity and neurochemistry. |
 | Unraveling mechanisms of ventricular enlargement linked to schizophreniaEnlarged cerebral ventricles are found in 80% of individuals with schizophrenia, yet the mechanisms that lead to ventricular enlargement are mostly unknown. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have found that two microRNAs play a critical role in a mechanism that results in ventricular enlargement in a type of mouse model. The results were reported today in Nature Communications. |
 | Women don't fancy easy-to-seduce menHow men play the mating game is fairly well understood. But the psychological tricks and ploys women might use to attract or deceive men are less clear. |
 | WWI helmets protect against shock waves just as well as modern designsiomedical engineers from Duke University have demonstrated that, despite significant advancements in protection from ballistics and blunt impacts, modern military helmets are no better at protecting the brain from shock waves created by nearby blasts than their World War I counterparts. And one model in particular, the French Adrian helmet, actually performed better than modern designs in protecting from overhead blasts. |
 | Green tea extract combined with exercise reduces fatty liver disease in miceThe combination of green tea extract and exercise reduced the severity of obesity-related fatty liver disease by 75% in mice fed a high-fat diet, according to Penn State researchers, whose recent study may point to a potential health strategy for people. |
 | Tennessee infants exposed to hepatitis C at birth often not tested for virusMost Tennessee infants exposed to hepatitis C at birth are not later tested to see if they acquired the virus, according to a study by researchers at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy. |
Study shows text messaging is an effective tool to improve access to prenatal health informationPregnant urban African American and immigrant Afro-Caribbean women are more likely to receive the prenatal health information they need if they are given access to mhealth apps like Text4baby. That is the finding of a new study from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University School of Public Health. | |
 | Predicting autism risk may begin with a drop of bloodWithin days of birth, a few drops of blood are collected from every newborn in California—and across the United States—which are then stored on filter paper and screened for dozens of genetic and congenital disorders, such as phenylketonuria (PKU), an inherited metabolic disorder that can result in intellectual disability, seizures, heart and behavioral problems. |
 | Study explores hypnotherapy for gastrointestinal issuesLoyola Medicine is among the first to conduct a clinical study using hypnotherapy to treat functional dyspepsia, a gastrointestinal disorder affecting approximately 10 percent of the population. |
 | 'Quit vaping searches increased during lung-disease outbreakE-cigarettes have been sold for more than a decade, seemingly without incident, but in the summer of 2019 serious lung injuries began appearing among some e-cigarette users—especially adolescents and young adults. By last January of 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 2,700 hospitalizations for EVALI, or e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury, and confirmed 60 deaths in 27 states with more under investigation. The cases have now been linked primarily vaping of marijuana and additives, but before this was discovered, many people using nicotine-containing e-cigarettes became concerned. |
 | How early life trauma can contribute to functional neurological disorderIn individuals with functional neurological disorder (FND), the brain generally appears structurally normal on clinical MRI scans but functions incorrectly (akin to a computer software crashing), resulting in patients experiencing symptoms including limb weakness, tremor, gait abnormalities and non-epileptic seizures. In some cases, childhood maltreatment may have been a contributing factor, yet links between risk factors such as childhood abuse and brain mechanisms for the development of FND remain poorly understood. In a new study published in Molecular Psychiatry, researchers led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) examined the brains of individuals who experienced early-life trauma, some with FND and others without the condition. The findings may provide a better understanding of what happens in the brains of some patients with FND, as well as those with various other trauma-related brain disorders. |
Ceramides predict vascular brain injury and dementiaNovel blood-based biomarkers for dementia could identify disease at an early preclinical stage, serve as surrogate outcomes for clinical trials of investigational therapies and even identify future potential therapeutic targets. Unlike cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers that require a spinal tap, plasma biomarkers can be extracted from the blood, making their collection much less invasive and much more appealing for patients. In a study published in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, a team led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital describes the role of plasma ceramides in dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their potential as a blood-based biomarker. | |
 | Some bariatric surgery patients don't sense heightened blood alcohol levelsA new study of 55 women found that two of the most popular forms of bariatric surgery—Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy—may dramatically change patients' sensitivity to and absorption of alcohol. |
 | Much shorter radiation treatment found to be safe, effective for people with soft tissue sarcomaA new study led by researchers at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that treating soft tissue sarcoma with radiation over a significantly shorter period of time is safe, and likely just as effective, as a much longer conventional course of treatment. |
 | Brain inflammation in veterans with Gulf War illnessIn a new discovery, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have detected widespread inflammation in the brains of veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Illness (GWI). These findings, published online in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity on February 3, could serve as a guidepost for identifying and developing new therapies for people with GWI, as well as many other chronic conditions that have recently been linked to inflamed brain tissue, or neuroinflammation. |
 | Doctors successfully synchronize both sides of the heart with promising new wirelessly powered, leadless pacemakerResearchers at Texas Heart Institute (THI) and UCLA crossed a significant milestone in the development of wirelessly powered, leadless pacemakers. In an article in the Nature Research journal Scientific Reports, the team used their innovative pacing system to reveal the ability to provide synchronized biventricular pacing to a human-sized heart in a preclinical research model. |
 | Virus-hit Hong Kong says it with face masks, not flowersHong Kong's flower markets are lamenting dismal Valentine's Day sales as the city battles the deadly coronavirus outbreak, with admirers joking that a box of face masks is a better way to say "I love you" than a bouquet. |
 | China says 6 health workers died from virus, 1,716 infectedSix health workers have died from the new coronavirus in China and more than 1,700 have been infected, health officials said Friday, underscoring the risks doctors and nurses have taken due to shortages of protective gear. |
 | China virus death toll nears 1,400, US bemoans 'lack of transparency'The death toll from China's virus epidemic neared 1,400 on Friday, as the United States complained of a "lack of transparency" from Beijing over its handling of a crisis that has fuelled global panic. |
 | Virus renews safety concerns about slaughtering wild animalsChina cracked down on the sale of exotic species after an outbreak of a new virus in 2002 was linked to markets selling live animals. The germ turned out to be a coronavirus that caused SARS. |
 | AI helps predict heart attacks and strokeArtificial intelligence has been used for the first time to instantly and accurately measure blood flow, in a study led by UCL and Barts Health NHS Trust. |
 | Cocoa could bring sweet relief to walking pain for people with peripheral artery diseaseConsumption of cocoa may improve walking performance for patients with peripheral artery disease, according to the results of a small, preliminary, phase II research trial published today in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation Research. |
 | Stress in small children separated from their parents may alter genesExperts in the emotional needs of small children say increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol in babies and small children who are separated from their parents, especially their mothers, could have a long-term genetic impact on future generations. In a commentary published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, the authors say that several studies show that small children cared for outside the home, especially in poor quality care and for 30 or more hours per week, have higher levels of cortisol than children at home. |
 | No 'Plan B' for Olympics; questions over Chinese presenceTokyo Olympic organizers and the International Olympic Committee said Friday there is no "Plan B" for the 2020 Games, which open in just over five months and have been jolted by the outbreak of a virus in neighboring China. |
 | Differences in airway size develop during puberty, new study findsSex differences in airway size are not innate, but likely develop because of hormonal changes around puberty, reports a new study by the University of Waterloo. |
 | Video: Can you be addicted to being in love?Being in love. It can take the shape of a long-term intimate partnership, or become an obsessive source of emotional excitement and distraction. When does being in love become similar to addiction, and can you be addicted to it? |
 | Overworked and undervalued: GPs struggling to keep afloat in western SydneyA Western Sydney University research paper has painted an inspiring picture of local General Practitioners (GPs) who, despite the heavy personal and financial toll, are deeply committed to serving their communities. |
 | Algorithm helps improve coronary calcium detectionDutch computer scientists and colleagues in the United States have achieved a marked improvement in the automatic detection of calcified atherosclerotic plaque in coronary arteries and thoracic aorta using computerized tomography (CT). |
 | Beyond the pap smear: Potential to detect cervical cancer earlier than ever beforeWhile the mortality rate for cervical cancer has declined dramatically since the 1970s, more than 400 Canadian women succumbed to the disease in 2019. A new paper, published in the International Journal of Cancer, by researchers at McGill University's Faculty of Medicine, supports a novel alternative to standard pap smears and human papillomavirus (HPV) tests, one that has the potential to detect cervical cancer earlier than ever before. |
 | Collective trauma is real, and could hamper Australian communities' bushfire recoveryMost of us are probably familiar with the concept of psychological trauma, the impact on an individual's psyche caused by an extremely distressing event. |
 | Medication errors prevented with optimized lightingWestern societies currently face the challenge of maintaining the high standard of health care (both affordable and available), with a growing shortage of care professionals. A well-designed hospital environment can positively contribute to the performance of care professionals. Healthy and engaged nurses are key in maintaining good health care. Mariëlle Aarts found that optimizing the lighting is a simple, non-invasive means to support the work and health of nurses, preventing medication errors. She also established that light can reduce problems like sleepiness associated to night shift work. Aarts will defend her thesis on this work tomorrow at Eindhoven University of Technology. |
 | More than half of older people don't consume enough protein to stay healthyMore than half of older people in South Yorkshire don't consume enough protein to stay healthy, according to a new study from the University of Sheffield's Healthy Lifespan Institute. |
 | WHO underestimates the spread of coronavirusThe coronavirus probably has a stronger ability to spread than the World Health Organization has estimated so far. This according to a review of previous studies of the coronavirus' transmissibility performed not least by researchers at Umeå University in Sweden. |
 | A connected world makes coronavirus scarier, but also helps us deal with itThe health implications of the Wuhan coronavirus (now called "Covid-19") outbreak are, obviously, deeply concerning. |
 | Here's why the WHO says a coronavirus vaccine is 18 months awayThe World Health Organisation said this week it may be 18 months before a vaccine against the coronavirus is publicly available. |
 | Saying sex increases cancer risk is neither totally correct, nor in any way helpfulA study published today claims to have found a link between having had ten or more sexual partners and an increased risk of cancer. But it's not as simple as that. |
 | Why heart-racing romantic feelings fade over timeYou know the feeling—the warm, heart-skipping sensation that comes with romantic love. It happens when your brain releases certain feel-good chemicals, stemming from a powerful attraction. |
 | Wearable trackers estimate fitness levels without high-intensity exerciseResearchers have developed a method to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness levels that could be applied to data captured by wearable fitness trackers during activities of daily life. This could facilitate testing for those with low exercise tolerance and may reduce the need for medically supervised fitness testing. The study is published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology. |
 | 2002 to 2015 saw increase in incidence of diabetes in youthFrom 2002 to 2015, there was a constant increase in the incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes among youth, according to research published in the Feb. 14 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Subconcussive head impacts may affect neuro-ophthalmologic functionRepetitive subconcussive head impacts may cause short-term impairment of neuro-ophthalmologic function, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | FDA requests market withdrawal of diet drug Belviq due to cancer riskA clinical trial of the weight-loss drug Belviq (lorcaserin) shows an association with an increased risk of cancer, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requesting that its maker withdraw the drug from the U.S. market. |
 | Study: Higher sugar intake correlates to lower vitamin intakeThe more sugar we eat, the less vitamins and minerals we consume, new findings from Lund University in Sweden show. However, the researchers behind the study do not believe that their results alone are enough to make changes to current dietary recommendations. |
 | Researchers use new method to investigate neural oscillationsNeural oscillations—also known as brainwaves—are important carriers of information in the brain. Researchers are increasingly coming to view them less as sustained oscillations and more as transient bursts. Until now, there has been no method for measuring such short-lived bursts in real time or for examining how they influence the behavior of living things. In cooperation with her working group, Prof. Dr. Ilka Diester of the University of Freiburg's Institute of Biology III and excellence cluster BrainLinks-BrainTools has developed a new method for analyzing data in the brain. They are using their method to detect short beta wave bursts in real time within neural frequency bands of around 20 Hertz and to show how rats can increase the occurrence of these bursts. The researchers have published their results in the scientific journal Nature Communication Biology. |
 | What 'dry fasting' is and why you shouldn't do itA new fad diet making the rounds on wellness influencer Instagram won't actually help you lose weight. And it could cause dehydration, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, organ failure—even death. |
 | Home remedies: Acne affects people of all agesAcne is a skin condition that occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. It often causes whiteheads, blackheads or pimples, and usually appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders. Acne is most common among teenagers, though it affects people of all ages. |
 | One defensive strategy against surprise medical bills: Set your own termsWhen Stacey Richter's husband recently landed in a New Jersey emergency room, fearing a heart attack, she had an additional reason for alarm: a potential big bill from the hospital if the ER wasn't in his insurer's network. |
 | Hospital program tackles pregnancy and postpartum depression that affects 20% of womenJenny Mason-Frey had experienced panic attacks before—sudden waves of anxiety that set her heart racing, her head spinning and made her feel as if she was going to die. |
Study looks at changes in outcomes for coronary revascularizationThe most common type of heart disease—coronary artery disease—affects 6.7% of adults and accounts for 20% of 2 in 10 deaths of adults under age 65. The condition builds over time as inflammation and cholesterol-containing plaques settle in the heart's arteries, where they can eventually cause narrowing and blockages that lead to a heart attack. | |
 | China virus death toll nears 1,400, six health workers among victimsThe death toll from China's virus epidemic neared 1,400 on Friday with six medical workers among the victims, underscoring the country's struggle to contain a deepening health crisis. |
 | Radiation therapy to heart can worsen fatigue, shortness of breath in cancer patientsRadiation doses to the heart that occur during radiation therapy treatments for lung cancer, breast cancer and lymphoma can increase fatigue, cause difficulty breathing and lower capacity for physical activity in patients with cancer, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Advancing the Cardiovascular Care of the Oncology Patient course. The course examines new science and best practices in assessing, diagnosing and treating the unique cardiovascular concerns of patients with cancer and/or those requiring survivorship care. |
 | Increasing the possibility of early diagnosis for neuro-developmental disordersDGIST researchers have identified the causes of hypersensitivity accompanied by neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism-spectrum disorder (ASD). This is expected to make huge contributions to the early diagnosis of sensory-defective symptoms accompanying neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer as well as the improvement of anti-cancer drug side effects. |
 | Reshaping modern play spaces for children's healthA world first review of the importance of nature play could transform children's play spaces, supporting investment in city and urban parks, while also delivering important opportunities for children's physical, social and emotional development. |
 | New study: Chronic kidney disease a 'global killer in plain sight'Rates of people needing dialysis have increased more than 40% since 1990, but access to this life-saving treatment is still markedly inequitable, according to a new scientific study. |
 | World's first congenital pituitary hypoplasia model developed using patient-derived iPS cellsResearchers at Kobe University's Graduate School of Medicine have developed the world's first congenital pituitary hypoplasia (CPH) model using patient-derived iPS cells. The research group consisting of Associate Professor TAKAHASHI Yutaka, medical researcher Matsumoto Ryusaku and Professor Aoi Takashi et al. succeeded in using the model to illuminate the mechanisms underlying CPH. The team has been attempting to apply this model to other pituitary diseases and drug discovery. |
 | Scientists map coronavirus path with computer modelsAs the novel coronavirus spreads around the world, scientists are using the latest computer modelling techniques to predict its fallout: from the eventual number of cases and deaths to the peak of the outbreak. |
 | Molecule offers hope for halting Parkinson'sA promising molecule has offered hope for a new treatment that could stop or slow Parkinson's, something no treatment can currently do. |
 | Our memory prefers essence over formWhat clues does our memory use to connect a current situation to a situation from the past? The results of a study conducted by researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland—working in collaboration with CY Cergy Paris University in France—contrast sharply with the explanations found until now in the existing literature. The researchers have demonstrated that similarities in structure and essence (the heart of a situation) guide our recollections rather than surface similarities (the general theme, for example, or the setting or protagonists). It is only when individuals lack sufficient knowledge that they turn to the surface clues—the easiest to access—to recollect a situation. These results, published in the journal Acta Psychologica, are particularly relevant in the field of education. They underline the need to focus on the conceptual aspects of situations that are tackled in class to help pupils make use of the relevant features, and not to be misled by apparent similarities. |
 | Short-course rifamycin-based regimens preferred for latent TB(HealthDay)—For treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), short-course rifamycin-based regimens are preferred over longer-course isoniazid monotherapy, according to guidelines published in the Feb. 14 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | 2010 to 2017 saw > 5,000 travel-linked dengue virus cases in U.S.(HealthDay)—During 2010 to 2017, there were 5,009 travel-associated and 378 locally acquired confirmed or probable dengue virus cases in the United States, according to research published in the Feb. 14 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Perinatal outcomes poorer with cryopreserved donor oocytes(HealthDay)—For women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), use of cryopreserved versus fresh donor oocytes is associated with marginally, but statistically significant, lower odds of a good perinatal outcome, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Massachusetts health reform tied to decrease in advanced cancer(HealthDay)—Following state health reform, there was a decline in advanced-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnoses in Massachusetts, according to a study published in the February issue of Medical Care. |
 | Spanish-speaking stroke survivors face more obstaclesStroke survivors who speak Spanish are more likely to have low stroke literacy and a negative perception of their health care, according to a new study that called for breaking down language barriers. |
 | Five secrets to an allergy-free Valentine's Day(HealthDay)—Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to shower your loved one with gifts, but some may do more harm than good. |
 | Vitamin C may shorten ventilation in critically ill patientsVitamin C administration shortened the duration of mechanical ventilation in critical care patients, but the effect depended on the severity of illness. |
 | A good blood supply is good for memoryMemory performance and other cognitive abilities benefit from a good blood supply to the brain. This applies in particular to people affected by a condition known as "sporadic cerebral small vessel disease." Researchers of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the University Medicine Magdeburg report on this in the journal Brain. Their study suggests that blood perfusion of the so-called hippocampus could play a key role in age- and disease-related memory problems. |
 | Fast food intake leads to weight gain in preschoolersThere is a strong link between the amount of fast food that pre-school age children consume and their likelihood of becoming overweight or obese, according to a new Dartmouth-led study, published in the journal Pediatric Obesity. |
 | Subtle decline in cognition predicts progression to Alzheimer's pathologyAlzheimer's disease (AD) is progressive, but slow to develop—or at least to reveal itself. In a new study, published online February 14, 2020 in the journal Biological Psychiatry, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues elsewhere, report that early, subtle differences in cognitive performance, such as fewer words recalled on a memory test, are a sign that harmful proteins are accumulating in the brain, even if levels of those proteins do not yet qualify as dangerous. |
Study finds out-of-network primary care tied to rising ACO costsAccountable Care Organizations—or ACOs—formed for the first time in 2011, designed to combat rising medical costs and provide more coordinated care to Medicare patients. But the savings have been inconsistent nationwide. | |
 | A prescription for the pain of rejection: Acetaminophen and forgivenessMost everyone experiences the pain of social rejection at some point in their lives. It can be triggered by the end of a romantic relationship, losing a job or being excluded by friends. |
 | US will test people with flu symptoms for novel coronavirusThe US will begin testing people identified by local health authorities as having flu-like symptoms for the novel coronavirus, a senior official said Friday, a significant expansion of the government's response to the epidemic. |
Egypt confirms first case of new virusEgypt's Health Ministry has confirmed the first case of the new virus in the North African country. | |
 | Amid coronavirus fears, a second wave of flu hits US kidsA second wave of flu is hitting the U.S., turning this into one of the nastiest seasons for children in a decade. |
 | Vitamin E effective, safe for fatty liver in HIV patientsA type of fatty liver disease that commonly affects patients with HIV can be safely treated with vitamin E, a McGill-led study has found. |
 | Team explores pathway to open up blood cancer treatmentsReversing runaway inflammation in the bone marrow could lead to major breakthroughs in treatments for some blood cancers, according to a new publication by scientists at Hackensack Meridian Health's Center for Discovery and Innovation. |
 | New technology may significantly reduce diagnostic time of coronavirusDiagnosing coronavirus takes approximately one hour using current methods. A new technology, based on a combination of optics and magnetic particles, can rapidly test 100 samples of patients potentially infected with the virus and reduce the diagnostic time to approximately 15 minutes. |
 | Advancing an oral drug for pulmonary arterial hypertensionIn pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), high blood pressure in the lungs' arteries causes the heart to work extra hard to pump blood to the lungs and around the rest of the body. The condition is rare but deadly, and current treatments are expensive and have side effects and inconvenient modes of delivery. There is no cure. |
 | Per-person health care spending grew 18% from 2014 to 2018, driven mostly by pricesAverage employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) spending rose to $5,892 per person in 2018, according to the Health Care Cost Institute's annual Health Care Cost and Utilization Report, which analyzes 2.5 billion medical claims to inform the public about trends affecting approximately 160 million U.S. individuals with employer-sponsored insurance. This spending growth outpaced 2017's growth due to continued price growth combined with an uptick in utilization. |
 | China's virus crackdown leaves millions working at homeIn the middle of a phone call with a customer, an important visitor knocks on Michael Xiong's door: his 3-year-old son. |
 | Feds to track how private Medicare info gets to marketersA government watchdog plans to launch a nationwide probe into how telemarketers may be getting hold of seniors' personal Medicare information, a red flag for potential fraud and waste. |
French quarantine ends for first group repatriated from ChinaFrench authorities on Friday discharged 181 people repatriated from the Chinese city at the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, after two weeks of quarantine in a seaside resort. | |
Philippines lifts virus travel ban on TaiwanThe Philippines on Friday lifted a coronavirus travel ban on Taiwan after Taipei threatened retaliation. | |
Drugmaker AstraZeneca warns on coronavirus impactBritish pharmaceuticals group AstraZeneca on Friday warned that the coronavirus epidemic would hit its performance this year in key market China. | |
 | Home remedies: Just jammed your finger?A jammed finger is typically a sprain to the joint or knuckle, of the finger. There may also be a small fracture or dislocation of the joint. The injury can be extremely painful, and the joint usually becomes swollen. A jammed finger is a common sports injury. For example, your fingertip receives the full impact of a hard hit baseball, basketball rebound or volleyball spike. |
 | Consumer health: Eating nuts for heart healthDiscover how walnuts, almonds and other nuts can help lower your cholesterol when eaten as part of a balanced diet. |
 | Virus infects more than 1,700 health workers in China, 6 dieMore than 1,700 Chinese medical workers have been infected by the new virus that has killed nearly 1,400 people and spread to other parts of Asia and as far as the U.S. and Europe, a senior Chinese official announced Friday. |
 | Gold nanoclusters: New frontier for developing medication for treatment of Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrillation and plaque formation. While more than 50 million people are devastated by AD, no treatment is available. Recently, anti-Aβ antibody-based immunotherapy has failed in clinical trials, partially due to the increased cytotoxicity of soluble Aβ oligomers. Therefore, developing a medication for AD treatment becomes an even more important challenge. |
 | Double success for drug resistance researchSwansea University research into the threat posed by antifungal drug resistance has been highlighted in two prestigious international journals. |
New guidelines for hepatic failure in the intensive care unitFor critical care specialists, hepatic failure poses complex challenges unlike those of other critical illnesses. A new set of evidence-based recommendations for management of liver failure is presented in the March issue of Critical Care Medicine, the official journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). | |
Biology news
 | Caribbean sharks in need of large marine protected areasGovernments must provide larger spatial protections in the Greater Caribbean for threatened, highly migratory species such as sharks, is the call from a diverse group of marine scientists including Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS) Ph.D. Candidate, Oliver Shipley, and led by the conservation NGO Beneath the Waves in a letter to published in Science. |
 | Tourists pose continued risks for disease transmission to endangered mountain gorillasResearchers at Ohio University have published a new study in collaboration with Ugandan scientists, cautioning that humans place endangered mountain gorillas at risk of disease transmission during tourism encounters. |
 | Biologists investigate the role of the largest animal brain cellsThe brains of most fish and amphibian species contain two types of conspicuously large nerve cells. These are the largest cells found in any animal brain. They are called Mauthner cells and trigger lightning-fast escape responses when predators approach. Biologists at the University of Bayreuth have now shown that these cells have unique functions essential for survival, the loss of which cannot be compensated for by other nerve cells. In addition, they have discovered that Mauthner cells remain functional for a long time without their cell bodies (soma). The researchers have published their findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. |
 | Transparent human organs allow 3-D maps at the cellular levelFor the first time, researchers have managed to make intact human organs transparent. Using microscopic imaging, they revealed complex underlying structures of the transparent organs at the cellular level. The resulting organ maps can serve as templates for 3-D bioprinting technologies. In the future, this could lead to the creation of on-demand artificial organs for many patients in need. The findings have been published in Cell. |
 | Leaking away essential resources actually helps cells growExperts have been unable to explain why cells, from bacteria to humans, leak essential chemicals necessary for growth into their environment. New mathematical models reveal that leaking metabolites—substances involved in the chemical processes to sustain life with production of complex molecules and energy—may provide cells both selfish and selfless benefits. |
 | Physically producing computer-generated artificial genomes to understand DNAThe molecular blueprint of life is stored in DNA within the genome. The digital revolution in biology, driven by DNA sequencing, enables scientists to read the genomes of the many microbes and multicellular organisms that populate our world. Today, DNA sequences of over 200,000 microbial genomes are deposited in digital genome databases and have exponentially increased the understanding of how DNA programs living systems. Using this incredible treasure trove of molecular building blocks, bioengineers learn to sequence and synthesize long DNA molecules and to breed useful microbes with the help of computers. |
 | Research reveals unique reproductive trait for seagrassSeagrasses have long been known as some of Earth's most remarkable organisms—descendants of flowering land plants that have re-colonized the ocean by developing traits that allow them to grow, pollinate, and release seeded fruits while fully immersed in salty seawater. |
 | Researchers study how birds retweet newsEvery social network has its fake news. And in animal communication networks, even birds discern the trustworthiness of their neighbors, a study from the University of Montana suggests. |
 | Forests bouncing back from beetles, but elk and deer slowing recoveryTwo words, and a tiny little creature, strike fear in the hearts of many Colorado outdoor enthusiasts: bark beetle. But new research from University of Colorado Boulder reveals that even simultaneous bark beetle outbreaks are not a death sentence to the state's beloved forests. |
 | San Diego aquarium breeds rare weedy sea dragon in captivityA Southern California aquarium has successfully bred the rare weedy sea dragon, the lesser known cousin of the sea horse that resembles seaweed when floating. |
 | Cryo-electron microscopy opens a door to fight Epstein-BarrThe Epstein-Barr virus is one of the most widespread human viruses. Part of the herpesvirus family, it causes glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis), cancer and autoimmune diseases. At present, there is no treatment for infections caused by this virus. In work recently published in Nature Communications, scientists from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Molecular Biology Institute of Barcelona (IBMB-CSIC) in Spain used cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to reveal the structure of a key protein, known as a portal, in the Epstein-Barr virus. Similarities between herpesviruses and tailed bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) suggest that these two types of organism may be related. In a second paper published in the same journal, the team solved the structure of the portal protein in bacteriophage T7, using a combination of cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography. These results allowed them to infer how the Epstein-Barr virus portal works and may help in the development of a treatment for this virus. |
 | New research: Climate change could reduce lifespan among hundreds of speciesResearchers from Queen's University Belfast and Tel Aviv University in Israel have carried out one of the most comprehensive studies to date to better understand what affects life expectancy among all living vertebrates in the world. |
 | Mechanism of controlling autophagy by liquid-liquid phase separation revealedUnder JST's Strategic Basic Research Programs, Noda Nobuo (Laboratory Head) and Fujioka Yuko (Senior Researcher) of the Institute of Microbial Chemistry, in collaboration with other researchers, discovered that a liquid-like condensate (liquid droplets) in which the Atg protein is clustered through the liquid-liquid phase separation is the structure responsible for the progression of autophagy. |
 | Tiny, erratic protein motor movements revealedThe smallest proteins travel in our cells, completing deeply important tasks to keep our molecular mechanisms moving. They are responsible for transporting cargo, duplicating cells and more. Now, a research team based in Japan has uncovered more about how these proteins move. |
 | Computer simulations visualize how DNA is recognized to convert cells into stem cellsResearchers from the group of Vlad Cojocaru together with colleagues the Max Planck Institute in Münster (Germany) have revealed how an essential protein helps to activate genomic DNA during the conversion of regular adult human cells into stem cells. Their findings are published in the Biophysical Journal. |
To help wildlife move, researchers map both natural and legal boundariesWildlife need to move to survive: to find food, reproduce and escape wildfires and other hazards. Yet as soon as they leave protected areas like national forests or parks, they often wind up on a landscape that is very fragmented in terms of natural boundaries and human ones. | |
 | The officer for animal research of the Max Planck Society explains new regulationsFor the first time, the European Union has published detailed statistics on animal research. Andreas Lengeling, the officer for animal research of the Max Planck Society, explains the background to the new figures. |
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