Dear Reader ,
Be an ACS Industry Insider: https://connect.acspubs.org/Insider?LS=SciX
Sign-up and get free, monthly access to articles that cover exciting, cutting edge discoveries in Energy, Environmental Science and Agriculture.
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 4, 2020:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Study investigates over 70 variable stars in the Sh 2-170 star-forming regionUsing three ground-based telescopes, astronomers have conducted a long-term photometric monitoring of the Sh 2-170 star-forming region. The new observations have identified 71 variable stars in this region and provided essential information about their properties. Results of the study were presented in a paper published January 24 on arXiv.org. |
 | MAVEN explores Mars to understand radio interference on EarthNASA's MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft has discovered "layers" and "rifts" in the electrically charged part of the upper atmosphere (the ionosphere) of Mars. The phenomenon is very common at Earth and causes unpredictable disruptions to radio communications. However, we do not fully understand them because they form at altitudes that are very difficult to explore at Earth. The unexpected discovery by MAVEN shows that Mars is a unique laboratory to explore and better understand this highly disruptive phenomenon. |
 | Pluto's icy heart makes winds blowA "beating heart" of frozen nitrogen controls Pluto's winds and may give rise to features on its surface, according to a new study. |
 | The gravitational conflict that created the asteroid beltThe asteroid belt is the ring-shaped disc consisting of irregular small bodies called asteroids located between Mars and Jupiter. I have studied the origins of the asteroid belt in the the solar system and showed how the gravitational interaction between the two planets is involved in the formation of the asteroid belt, and how the gravitationally bound system becomes stable enough to avoid any disturbance in the distances of its astronomical bodies. |
 | Image: Ariane 6 launch zone at Europe's SpaceportEurope's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana is gearing up for the arrival of Ariane 6, Europe's next-generation launch vehicle. This aerial view taken in January 2020 shows the main elements of the new launch complex. |
 | Astronomers search for gravitational-wave memoryAstronomers regularly observe gravitational waves (GW)—ripples in space and time—that are caused by pairs of black holes merging into one. Einstein's theory of gravity predicts that GW, which squeeze and stretch space as they pass, will permanently distort space, leaving a "memory" of the wave behind. However, this memory effect has not yet been detected, as it would be extremely small, leaving only the faintest traces. |
Technology news
 | Exploring the effects of exchange rate fluctuations on technological learning ratesWhen it comes to predicting the costs of new energy systems and technologies, researchers must consider learning rates, which are estimated measures of technological progress. In fact, technological advances are typically associated with higher technological performance and cheaper costs of production. |
 | External system improves phones' signal strength 1000 percent without requiring extra antennasWe've heard it for years: 5G is coming. |
 | Acoustically driven microrobot outshines natural microswimmersResearchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart have designed and fabricated an untethered microrobot that can slip along either a flat or curved surface in a liquid when exposed to ultrasound waves. Its propulsion force is two to three orders of magnitude stronger than the propulsion force of natural microorganisms such as bacteria or algae. Additionally, it can transport cargo while swimming. The acoustically propelled robot hence has significant potential to revolutionize the future minimally invasive treatment of patients. |
 | Deep learning accurately forecasts heat waves, cold spellsRice University engineers have created a deep learning computer system that taught itself to accurately predict extreme weather events, like heat waves, up to five days in advance using minimal information about current weather conditions. |
 | Researchers successfully test coin-sized smart insulin patch, potential diabetes treatmentUCLA bioengineers and colleagues at UNC School of Medicine and MIT have further developed a smart insulin-delivery patch that could one day monitor and manage glucose levels in people with diabetes and deliver the necessary insulin dosage. The adhesive patch, about the size of a quarter, is simple to manufacture and intended for once-a-day use. |
 | Researchers report progress on molecular data storage systemA team of Brown University researchers has made substantial progress in an effort to create a new type of molecular data storage system. |
 | Hyundai suspends domestic production over China outbreakSouth Korea's largest automaker Hyundai Motor will suspend all domestic production because of a lack of parts due to the coronavirus outbreak in China, it said Tuesday. |
 | Sony April-December net profit down a third but lifts forecastsSony said Tuesday net profit fell more than 30 percent in the nine months to December, but upgraded its annual net profit forecast on solid growth in its image sensor and financial services sectors. |
 | China's virus outbreak weighs on global businessGlobal business is catching a chill from China's virus outbreak. |
 | Why laptops could be facing the end of the lineMicrosoft's recent announcement that it would end support for users of its Windows 7 operating system had stress written all over it. The company advised that important day-to-day tasks such as personal banking and online shopping would no longer be safe on users' now out-of-date and hacker-friendly Windows computers. |
 | Online game has transnational impact as 'vaccine' against fake newsBad News, a game devised to make players better at spotting fake news and misinformation, has the intended effect in Sweden, Greece, Germany and Poland. This is evident from a new academic study from the Universities of Uppsala and Cambridge. The assessment shows an improvement in players' ability to detect fabricated news reports while retaining their trust in real news. |
 | How to make the dreaded task of data entry less despisedA recent study showing that data entry is one the most redundant and hated workplace tasks raises questions about why, in the age of artificial intelligence, data mining and smart technologies, this task is still being done manually. |
 | How a surface treatment improves the inside of a solar cellPhysicists from the University of Luxembourg with European experts have succeeded in explaining the recent efficiency improvements in thin film solar cells. The work of the whole consortium has been published in the prestigious journal Advanced Energy Materials. |
 | Microsoft fixing Teams outage that disrupted business—expired certificate to blameSo much for "team" work. Microsoft Teams experienced an outage Monday with its business-oriented communications and collaborative platform and rival to Slack. |
 | Should I get a smart lock? The pros and cons of going digital on your doorCharlotte Pfahl, 68, prefers using an old-school mechanical key to access her New York City apartment. |
 | Hackers are using coronavirus fears to send you a computer virus: How to stop themAs the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe sickening thousands of people in its wake, a malicious strain of software is seeking to take advantage of people's fears. |
 | Apple quietly rolled out an at-home repairs option for select iPhone marketsTypically, if you need your iPhone fixed, you have to make a Genius Bar appointment first. |
 | Handheld 3-D skin printer demonstrates accelerated healing of large, severe burnsA new handheld 3-D printer can deposit sheets of skin to cover large burn wounds—and its "bio ink" can accelerate the healing process. |
 | Twitter moves to curb manipulated content including 'deepfakes'Twitter unveiled a plan Tuesday to curb the spread of manipulated content including "deepfake" videos as part of a move to fight misinformation which could result in violence or other harm. |
 | Iconoclastic Musk basks as Tesla shares soarElon Musk is some way away from his goal of sending millions of people to Mars, but Tesla's shares are heading into orbit on Wall Street, leaving conventional automakers in the dust. |
 | US tests pilotless combat jets controlled from another aircraftThe US Navy and Boeing announced Monday they had flown two fighter jets in exercises under the control of a third jet nearby, proving that multiple pilotless combat missions can be run from a separate aircraft. |
 | Clock is ticking for companies that depend on China importsFor companies bracing for losses from China's viral outbreak, the damage has so far been delayed, thanks to a stroke of timing: The outbreak hit just when Chinese factories and many businesses were closed anyway to let workers travel home for the week-long Lunar New Year holiday . |
 | Elon Musk warns Twitter followers about Bitcoin scams: 'This is not cool.'Elon Musk is warning his Twitter followers to be aware of online crypto scams. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Smartphone texting linked to compromised pedestrian safetySmartphone texting is linked to compromised pedestrian safety, with higher rates of 'near misses' and failure to look left and right before crossing a road than either listening to music or talking on the phone, indicates a pooled analysis of the available evidence, published online in the journal Injury Prevention. |
 | New handheld bioprinter holds promise for treating serious burnsA team of researchers in Canada have successfully trialled a new handheld 3-D skin printer, which treats severe burns by 'printing' new skins cells directly onto a wound. |
 | Brain links to embryonic immunity, guiding response of the 'troops' that battle infectionResearchers led by biologists at Tufts University have discovered that the brains of developing embryos provide signals to a nascent immune system that help it ward off infections and significantly improve the embryo's ability to survive a bacterial challenge. Using frog embryos, which continue to develop with their brains removed, the researchers found that embryos without a brain are not able to marshall the forces of immune cells to an injury or infection site, leading the embryo to succumb to an infection more quickly. By contrast, the presence of a brain crucially helps direct immune cells to the site of injury to overcome the bacterial threat. The study was published today in NPJ Regenerative Medicine. |
 | Analyzing the differences in antibiotic resistance between the gut and mouth microbiomeThe threat of antimicrobial resistance to medication is a global health issue. Recent years have seen a surge in our awareness of resistance genes; and as a result of the prevalence of these genes, antibiotics are becoming less effective at treating microbial infections, such as TB and gonorrhoea. |
 | Altruistic babies? Study shows infants are willing to give up food, help othersAltruistic helping—the act of giving away something desirable, even at a cost to oneself—is perhaps no more evident than when it comes to food. |
 | Mushrooms may alleviate features of pre-eclampsiaNew research reveals that a substance most commonly found in mushrooms could help alleviate some features of pre-eclampsia. |
 | Differences in lung cancer tumors found between East Asians and EuropeansA team of researchers from a host of institutions in Singapore and China has found that there are genetic differences between some lung cancer tumors in East Asians versus Europeans. In their paper published in the journal Nature Genetics, the group describes their analysis of tumors from East Asian and European lung cancer patients and what they found. |
 | Children's mental health is affected by sleep durationDepression, anxiety, impulsive behavior and poor cognitive performance in children is effected by the amount of sleep they have researchers from the University of Warwick have found. |
 | First childhood flu helps explain why virus hits some people harder than othersWhy are some people better able to fight off the flu than others? Part of the answer, according to a new study, is related to the first flu strain we encounter in childhood. |
 | Dietary interventions may slow onset of inflammatory and autoimmune disordersSignificantly reducing dietary levels of the amino acid methionine could slow onset and progression of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis in high-risk individuals, according to findings published today in Cell Metabolism. |
 | Studies suggest new path for reversing type-2 diabetes and liver fibrosisIn a pair of related studies, a team of Yale researchers has found a way to reverse type-2 diabetes and liver fibrosis in mice, and has shown that the underlying processes are conserved in humans. |
 | Researchers identify unique neuron that computes like a compassIt's 5 p.m. as you leave the parking garage at work, but you realize you have no idea which way to turn to travel home. You know where you are and what street your house is on—it's just that you can't remember how to get there. |
 | New single-cell prenatal blood test can identify genetic abnormalitiesNon-invasive prenatal tests (NIPTs) are used for fetal genetic disease screening in pregnant women. In contrast, invasive tests like amniocentesis carry the risk of causing fetal harm. A report in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics describes the development of a single-cell DNA assessment method with high sensitivity and specificity. This noninvasive test enables direct extraction of genetic information from live fetal cells for simultaneous evaluation, thereby improving the likelihood of detecting a fetal anomaly. |
 | More than half of US opioid prescriptions for dental procedures exceeded 3-day supply recommendationsDentists are among top prescribers of opioids in the US, however, whether their opioid prescribing exceeds guidance had not been investigated. A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine indicates that more than half of opioid prescriptions issued by dentists exceed the three-day supply recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for acute dental pain management. The findings also show that 29 percent of dental patients received more powerful opioids than needed for expected post-procedure pain. |
General anesthesia in cesarean deliveries increases odds of postpartum depression by 54 percentA new study shows that having general anesthesia in a cesarean delivery is linked with significantly increased odds of severe postpartum depression requiring hospitalization, thoughts of suicide or self-inflicted injury. The findings from research conducted at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center are published online in Anesthesia and Analgesia, the journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society. | |
Ad spending on toddler milks increased four-fold from 2006 to 2015Formula companies quadrupled their advertising of toddler milk products over a ten- year period, contributing to a 2.6 times increase in the amount of toddler milk sold, according to a new paper published in Public Health Nutrition from researchers at the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut. This rapid increase in sales occurred despite recommendations from health and nutrition experts. Recently, an expert panel representing the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association issued guidance recommending that parents do not serve toddler milks, as young children do not need them and the added sugars in these drinks raise concerns. | |
 | Putting precision oncology into practiceRush University Medical Center is the first health care organization to launch medical record company Epic's module for genomic results, giving providers the tools they need to tailor patient care at the molecular level. Rush will use the module as part of its Precision Oncology Center to integrate the power of genomic sequencing data into oncologists' daily workflows so they can provide the best care for their patients. |
 | Japan quarantines 3,700 on cruise ship over new coronavirusJapan has quarantined a cruise ship carrying 3,711 people and was testing those onboard for the new coronavirus Tuesday after a former passenger was diagnosed with the illness in Hong Kong. |
 | Hong Kong reports virus death as workers strike at hospitalsHong Kong hospitals cut services as thousands of medical workers went on strike for a second day Tuesday to demand the border with mainland China be shut completely. The new virus caused its first death in the semi-autonomous territory, adding to growing fears it is spreading locally. |
 | Traveller from Thailand confirmed as S.Korea's new virus caseA South Korean woman who recently visited Thailand was confirmed Tuesday as having the deadly new virus sweeping China, Seoul's health authorities said. |
Chinese city lockdown approaches ShanghaiMore Chinese cities, including one just 175 kilometres (110 miles) from Shanghai, were put under lockdown on Tuesday, as the impact of a deadly new virus spread further from its epicentre. | |
China opens virus hospital built from scratch in under two weeksCoronavirus patients arrived Tuesday at a Chinese field hospital built from scratch in under two weeks at the frontline of the outbreak, state media said, following a round-the-clock construction marathon that became a national social media sensation. | |
Vulnerable Pacific islands take hard line on China virusThe tiny Pacific nation of Micronesia banned its citizens from visiting mainland China Tuesday in the latest move by regional leaders to protect island populations highly vulnerable to infectious outbreaks. | |
 | Experts prepare but new China virus not a pandemic yetHealth authorities are preparing for a possible pandemic as they work to contain a respiratory illness in China that's caused by a new virus. Governments are limiting travel, isolating sick people and keeping travelers returning from the affected region under quarantine to watch for symptoms. |
 | Singapore announces first local coronavirus transmissionsSingapore on Tuesday announced the first local transmissions of the deadly coronavirus from China as a major aviation conference was scrapped due to the escalating health scare. |
 | HIV drugs touted as weapon in war on coronavirusAs doctors scramble to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus, a potent brew of anti-retroviral and flu drugs has emerged as a possible defence against the disease that has killed hundreds. |
 | New discovery provides hope for improved multiple sclerosis therapiesScientists from Trinity College Dublin have made an important discovery that could lead to more effective treatments for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Their work highlights the significant potential of drugs targeting a specific immune molecule (IL-17) implicated in MS. |
 | Johns Hopkins physicians propose quality measures to improve medical billingIf you're concerned about rising health care costs and overwhelming medical bills, you're not alone. According to statistics reported in 2019: |
Thais who drove Chinese tourists among new virus casesTwo Thai drivers who came into contact with Chinese tourists were among six new cases of coronavirus reported Tuesday, bringing to 25 the number of infected in the kingdom. | |
 | China virus: What we know about the fatalitiesThe first fatality from China's new virus would come to represent a common set of traits among most of those who have died of the disease: he was over the age of 60 and in poor health. |
 | World currently 'not in a pandemic' of China virus: WHOThe World Health Organization said Tuesday that the outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus, which has spread from China to two dozen countries, does not yet constitute a "pandemic". |
 | Neurological disorders are linked to elevated suicide ratesA newly published study in JAMA shows that people with neurological disorders have a 75% higher suicide rate than people with no neurological disorders. Still, suicide deaths are rare events. While the suicide rate for the general population is around 20 per 100,000, the rate for people with neurological disorders is around 40 per 100,000 person-years. The study is based on the data covering the entire population of Denmark and followed over 37 years. |
 | Physical activity regulates appetite, study findsFollowing a dietary weight loss program can be difficult. Many factors trigger diet lapses, which can lead to weight loss failure. Experts disagree on whether physical activity increases risk or protects against diet lapses. While some studies show exercise leads to overeating by increasing appetite and/or a person's justification for eating, other studies show exercise regulates hunger and may help reduce overeating. |
 | Positive outcome for Hendra antibody trialA process developed by University of Queensland researchers to produce larger quantities of the Hendra virus therapeutic antibody could be expanded to manufacture treatments for other potentially deadly viruses around the world. |
 | Light therapy holds promise for people with bipolar disorderLight therapy, consisting of daily exposure to bright, artificial light, is already a recognized line of treatment for people affected by seasonal and nonseasonal depressive disorder. |
 | Saliva tests show high drug use among aggressive emergency patientsA large number of threatening patients who presented at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) Emergency Department (ED) tested positive to methamphetamine use, according to new research. |
 | Keeping a stiff upper lip can hurt your health following death of a loved oneSome people facing the loss of a loved one try to maintain their composure, but it's healthier to ditch the stiff upper lip and freely express your emotions, according to a new study from Rice University. |
 | Receiving flu vaccine during pregnancy can protect infants as well as mothersNew research by the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton has shown the positive effects to newly born infants and mothers of receiving the influenza vaccine during pregnancy. Their findings show that the vaccine can reduce the chance of the infant having influenza by about a third. |
 | American Heart Association: We need evidence-based approaches to eliminate inequitiesImprovements in the nation's health care system—particularly changes that address inequities in care and the impact of social determinants of health—are necessary to achieve the goal to equitably increase healthy life expectancy in this country, according to a new advisory published by the American Heart Association, the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. |
 | How we discovered a personality profile linked to war crimesFormer US Private First Class Stephen Green was found guilty of raping and killing a 14-year-old girl and murdering her family in Mahmudiyah, Iraq in 2006. Four years later, US Corporal Jeremy Morlock was convicted of ambushing, murdering and maiming Afghan civilians in 2010. |
 | Psychiatric disorders and suicide attempts substantially higher in diabetic teens, young adultsBecoming an adult is not easy, but dealing with type1 diabetes adds another layer of complexity, and young people affected by this chronic illness are paying the price with their mental health |
 | Insects, seaweed and lab-grown meat could be the foods of the futureThe world is facing a major food crisis where both obesity and hunger are rising in the context of rapidly changing environments. The Food and Agriculture Organization has presented alternative food sources—such as seaweed and insects—as possible solutions to this crisis. |
 | US workplaces are nowhere near ready to contain a coronavirus outbreakThe new coronavirus has spread rapidly around the globe since its discovery late last year in China. It has now infected more than 19,700 people worldwide and killed at least 425, prompting travel bans, citywide quarantines and mass hysteria. |
 | Thinking about taking a break from alcohol? Here's how to cut back or quitIt's February and many people are starting to put into place their New Year's resolution to drink less alcohol. |
 | Got a cervix? Get it tested or test it yourselfWomen who have sex with women (WSW), transsexual men and non-binary people with a cervix are at similar risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and subsequent risk of developing cervical cancers as heterosexual women, but are often never screened or underscreened, according to the authors of a Lessons from Practice article published online by the Medical Journal of Australia. |
 | Audit of supermarket booze ads finds the law is falling shortA study led by Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington researchers has shown that legal requirements around the display of alcohol could be doing more to reduce alcohol consumption in New Zealand. |
 | Cancer deaths decline in U.S., with advances in prevention, detection and treatmentThe American Cancer Society recently reported a drop in the overall cancer death rate in the U.S., with an overall 29% decline in cancer deaths from 1991 to 2017. |
 | A clue to stopping coronavirus: Knowing how viruses adapt from animals to humansAs the novel coronavirus death toll mounts, it is natural to worry. How far will this virus travel through humanity, and could another such virus arise seemingly from nowhere? |
 | Carbon monoxide poisons thousands every year, and there are no good treatmentsCarbon monoxide is an undetectable yet lethal gas, often produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels, such as coal, gas and wood. It kills about 60 people a year in the UK, according to the NHS. |
 | Vulnerability in healthcare of migrants living with HIVMigrants living with HIV are a particularly vulnerable group in Sweden and Swedish health care, research from the University of Gothenburg shows. How they perceive their own physical health is highly variable—more so than in Swedish-born people with HIV. |
 | Experimental antiviral drug to be tested against new coronavirusA clinical trial to test an experimental antiviral drug's effectiveness against the new coronavirus will be conducted in China as it battles a coronavirus outbreak there. |
 | Genetic meta-analysis quantifies similarities, differences in depression and bipolar disorderResearchers shed new light on the genetic relationship between three mood disorders associated with depression—major depression and bipolar disorder types 1 and 2, in a new study in the journal Biological Psychiatry, published by Elsevier. |
 | Health sector needs guidelines for big data usageMany predict the health sector will be revolutionized by big data analytics, but the level of understanding and commitment to using big data varies across the sector in New Zealand. |
 | Elders in Rwanda need leaders' support to face old age, study findsRwanda's Government should investigate how leaders can honor and support older people who – despite making a valuable contribution to society across their lifetimes – face intense poverty in old age due to lack of water, food and health care, according to a new report. |
 | Heart muscle cells change their energy source during heart regenerationResearchers from the group of Jeroen Bakkers at the Hubrecht Institute (KNAW) have found that the muscle cells in the heart of zebrafish change their metabolism, the way in which they generate energy, during heart regeneration. Contrary to the human heart, the zebrafish heart can regenerate after injury. Studying the mechanisms of regeneration in zebrafish hearts may help to better understand why the human heart does not regenerate, and find ways to stimulate regeneration after a heart attack in humans in the future. The results from this study were published in the scientific journal eLife on the 4thof February. |
 | Fragile: Handle with careSeriously ill patients require serious, higher-level care, and sometimes patients must be transferred from one hospital to another to allow access to that care. For example, a patient may require procedures, tests or expertise that only an academic medical center can deliver. The benefits of such interhospital transfer (IHT) are believed to outweigh the risks, but at the same time, studies of national databases indicate that transferred patients have a higher risk of dying than patients admitted to the hospital locally through the emergency department. And with about 1.6 million patients being transferred between hospitals each year, this safety risk needs to be resolved as a top priority. |
 | Study paints picture of marijuana use in pregnant womenAs the use of marijuana is legalized in an increasing number of U.S. states, the number of people who use the drug daily is on the rise. This upward trend also holds up in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, despite evidence that using marijuana could harm their babies. |
 | Study links high stillbirth rates worldwide to gender inequalityIn the first comprehensive study mapping global patterns of stillbirth rates, University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have found that pregnant women who are poor and have lower access to education and employment are more likely to experience a child's death at delivery. |
 | How an immune system regulator shifts the balance of immune cellsResearchers have provided new insight on the role of cyclic AMP (cAMP) in regulating the immune response. |
 | More pieces of the autism puzzle uncoveredA major international study from the Autism Sequencing Consortium with participation of researchers from the Danish iPSYCH psychiatry project, has recently mapped 102 new autism genes. The new findings provide a new understanding of the biology behind autism, which could in the future be utilised to provide an earlier and more precise diagnosis and better treatment options. |
 | Kidney stem cells can be isolated from urineResearchers from the Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine (ISRM) at the medical faculty of Heinrich Heine University-Duesseldorf under the directorship of Prof. Dr. James Adjaye have developed a protocol for the reproducible isolation and characterization of kidney stem cells, urine derived renal progenitor cells (UdRPCs) from donors of distinct ages, gender and ethnicity. The study is published online: Nature Press, Scientific Reports. |
 | How many rare diseases are there?Some diseases are like black swans. They occur so rarely that many physicians never encounter them in their clinical practice, complicating efforts to treat them. |
 | Scientists find RNA affecting skin cancer progressionResearchers at the University of Turku, Turku University Central Hospital, and Western Cancer Center (FICAN West) have discovered a new RNA molecule, PRECSIT, which regulates the growth and invasion of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. In the future, PRECSIT could potentially serve as a new marker for the detection of rapidly advancing or spreading squamous cell carcinoma and as a target for new therapies. |
 | Costs of ART regimens increasing, outpacing inflation(HealthDay)—Initial regimens recommended for most people with HIV (PWH) are priced above $36,000 per year, with antiretroviral therapy (ART) cost increases exceeding the inflation rate, according to a research letter published online Feb. 3 in JAMA Internal Medicine. |
 | More than one in 10 deployed soldiers thinks about suicide(HealthDay)—Major depressive disorder (MDD) and noncombat trauma are important factors tied to suicide ideation (SI) risk during combat deployment, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in JAMA Network Open. |
 | Persistent asthma linked to increased risk for heart rhythm disorderPeople with persistent asthma could be at 1.5 times higher risk of developing a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation than those without asthma, new research shows. |
 | Two in three Americans unaware that heart disease is leading killer of women(HealthDay)—More than two-thirds of Americans don't know that heart disease is the leading cause of death among U.S. women, a new survey reveals. |
 | Medicare could save billions if allowed to negotiate insulin prices(HealthDay)—If you don't need insulin, you probably haven't paid much attention to its skyrocketing cost, but new research shows that exorbitant drug pricing eventually affects everyone. |
 | Q and A: Getting adequate amount of fiber has several health benefitsDEAR MAYO CLINIC: My doctor is recommending a trial of a gluten-free diet to see if my digestive symptoms improve. Can I still get enough fiber without eating bread and bran flakes? |
 | This addiction treatment medicine is often sold on the streets and may be preventing overdosesIt's a refrain dealers chant every day up and down Philadelphia's Kensington Avenue, the city's largest drug marketplace: "Subs—subs—subs!" |
 | Medicaid expansion slashed uninsured rates in Diabetes Belt, study findsMedicaid expansion dramatically reduced the numbers of low-income residents without insurance in the Diabetes Belt, a swath of 644 counties across 15 southeastern states (including Virginia) that are stricken with high diabetes rates, a new study has found. |
 | Expanded medication assistance program increases access to cancer medicationsThe Medical Assistance Program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC—James) has helped more than 30,000 patients gain access to vital medications valued at more than $500 million, and a new program expansion will further increase access to vital cancer therapies for patients with the greatest financial need. |
Scientists find new ways to prevent skin scarringA new study in Burns & Trauma, published by Oxford University Press, reveals promising new strategies to prevent skin scarring after injuries. | |
 | Building a better breastSurgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a process to determine the best approach for single breast reconstruction that involves mapping out prior to surgery which blood vessels to use in lower abdominal tissue to minimize the chances of complications or undesirable outcomes including partial tissue death known as fat necrosis, which can cause local pain and lumpiness. The results were published last month in the Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery. |
 | Researchers say early spread of coronavirus extends far beyond China's quarantine zoneInfectious disease researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and other institutions in Hong Kong, mainland China and France have concluded there is a high probability that the deadly Wuhan coronavirus spread beyond Wuhan and other quarantined cities before Chinese officials were able to put a quarantine in place. At least 128 cities in China outside of the quarantine zone, including cities with no reported cases to date, had a greater than even risk of exposure, according to a paper currently in press with Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
 | Changing counts reveal inexact science of calorie labelsAlmonds used to have about 170 calories per serving. Then researchers said it was really more like 130. A little later, they said the nuts may have even less. |
 | US working with pharmaceutical firm on new type of coronavirus treatmentThe United States is working with a pharmaceutical company to develop a treatment for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, using a class of drug that has boosted survival rates among Ebola patients, officials said Tuesday. |
Europe could consider US-style coronavirus travel ban: ministersEuropean governments could consider a US-style ban on foreign visitors who have recently been to China, in a bid to impede the spread of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, the health ministers of France and Germany said Tuesday. | |
 | World has 'window of opportunity' to halt virus spread: WHO chiefThe dramatic measures taken by China to rein in the deadly new coronavirus outbreak have prevented significant spread abroad, providing a "window of opportunity" to halt transmission, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. |
 | Gun owners aren't happier, don't sleep better at nightDespite claims that owning a gun makes a person feel safer and sleep easier, gun owners don't actually sleep any better than non-gun owners, according to a new study by University of Arizona researcher Terrence Hill. |
 | Self-care linked to greater confidence in parents of children with FASDChildren diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)—caused by prenatal alcohol exposure—often face lifelong developmental, cognitive and behavioral problems. Without the right support they are at high risk of mental health disorders and other life problems. Affecting around 2 to 5 percent of school-aged children in the United States, FASD is a major public health problem. |
 | In virus outbreak, fretting over a name that might go viralWest Nile virus, Lyme disease, Ebola virus. |
 | Public opinion of drugs effectiveness may be too biasedPeople asked by experts to comment on the effectiveness of new psychiatric drug treatments appear to be unfairly biased even though they declare a conflict of interest, suggests research published online in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine today. |
 | For China virus insurance, check the small printCompanies and tourists out of pocket from the global disruption caused by the virus epidemic in China risk meeting a cold shoulder from insurers, industry experts warn. |
Sanofi says charged in birth defects casePharmaceutical firm Sanofi has been charged in France with failure to adequately warn patients and causing injury over an anti-epilepsy drug linked to birth defects following a three-year probe. | |
New ACIP adult immunization schedule recommends changes to several vaccinesThe Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) released its 2020 Recommended Immunization Schedule for adults with changes to the administration of the influenza, human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal B, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. The schedule, which can be complex and challenging to implement, features revised content, format, and graphics to make it easier to follow. The complete schedule, including changes in the vaccine notes section, is being simultaneously published in Annals of Internal Medicine and on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web site. | |
China readies thousands of new hospital beds in virus outbreak epicentreHundreds of empty beds lined an exhibition centre converted into a makeshift hospital at the epicentre of China's deadly virus epidemic on Tuesday, awaiting coronavirus patients. | |
Malaysian citizen infected with novel coronavirusA Malaysian citizen who had not visited China has contracted the new coronavirus after travelling to Singapore, health authorities reported Tuesday. | |
 | 'Treating cancer is only part of the journey': the overlooked needs of cancer survivorsAs more people live for years and even decades after being diagnosed with cancer, the question of how best to support survivors is a challenge now facing health systems in Europe. More research into survivors' specific care and support requirements is now needed, say experts. |
 | Fat grams: How to track fat in your dietQUESTION: What's an easy way to see how much fat I eat each day? |
 | Mayo Clinic Minute: Capsaicin connection to heartAn ingredient in hot peppers has long been used in topical creams to relieve muscles aches and arthritis pain. Dr. DeLisa Fairweather, a Mayo Clinic cardiovascular disease researcher, says capsaicin, when included as part of a healthy diet, also may improve heart health. |
 | Overall survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma harboring 'niche' mutationsThe cover for issue 5 of Oncotarget features Figure 2, "Survival curves in the KRAS, EGFR, and niche mutations cohorts," by Aramini, et al. |
 | Why researchers say term 'bad cholesterol' might be misleadingTom Waddell lost about 40 pounds, but his cholesterol level did not drop, it skyrocketed. |
Biology news
 | Feeding bluebirds helps fend off parasitesIf you feed the birds in your backyard, you may be doing more than just making sure they have a source of food: you may be helping baby birds give parasites the boot. |
 | Wasps' gut microbes help them—and their offspring—survive pesticidesExposure to the widely used pesticide atrazine leads to heritable changes in the gut microbiome of wasps, finds a study publishing February 4 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. Additionally, the altered microbiome confers atrazine resistance, which is inherited across successive generations not exposed to the pesticide. |
 | Size matters! What drives zoo attendance and how does footfall impact conservation?Scientists from Trinity College Dublin, Species360 and NUI Galway have quantified what drives attendance to zoos by assessing how variations in animal collections affect footfall. Crucially, they link their findings to the contributions made to conservation efforts in situ (in the wild), and find that zoos are making significant, positive impacts on our attempts to conserve biodiversity. |
 | Researchers find microscopic airlock mechanism in cellular transport systemBulky globular proteins require specialized transport systems for insertion into membranes. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich researchers have determined the structure of such a system for the first time, and propose that it exploits the principle of the airlock. |
 | International team identifies areas of top priority for deep-sea monitoring and conservationTo classify the most important ecological and biological components of the deep sea, an international team including Professor Roberto Danovaro from Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli, Italy and Dr. Moriaki Yasuhara from The Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong (HKU) sent a questionnaire-based survey to the world's leading deep-sea scientists around the world. They then analyzed the responses received from 112 scientists so as to create an expert-led list of priorities covering all aspects of deep-sea monitoring, conservation and management. |
 | Flyception 2.0: New imaging technology tracks complex social behaviorScientists at the University of California San Diego have a much clearer idea thanks to the evolution of an advanced imaging system designed to record ultra-precise brain activities in flies. |
 | Study identifies interaction site for serotonin type 3A and RIC-3 chaperoneTo address the receptor dysfunction associated with several serious neurological diseases, Michaela Jansen, Pharm.D., Ph.D., from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine recently completed a study that provides novel insights into a protein-protein interaction that may one day lead to more effective treatments for these disorders. The study, "Delineating the site of interaction of the 5-HT3A receptor with the chaperone protein RIC-3," was recently published in Biophysical Journal. |
 | Researchers obtain the most complete genetic map of peppersThe most complete genetic map of peppers cultivated in Spain has been created by Valencia's Polytechnic University (UPV). The results make it possible to learn the smallest detail of this crop, of which Spain is one of the main worldwide producers. And more importantly, they establish the bases for obtaining new landraces with better organoleptic properties, and which may even be more resistant to climate change. |
 | Cross-country dingoes have differently shaped headsA new University of Sydney study has revealed differences in skull shapes among dingoes from different Australian regions, lending support for the idea of two dingo subgroups, rather than three. |
 | Vernalization study defines additional phase in universal epigenetic mechanismIn many plants the timing of flowering is controlled by a range of environmental and molecular signals. |
 | Veterinary medicine researchers develop new method to improve food safetyFaculty members from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine have developed a faster, more efficient method of detecting "Shiga toxin-producing E. coli," or STEC, in ground beef, which often causes recalls of ground beef and vegetables. |
 | Unlocking the secret of cell regulation: New method offers a closer look at noncoding RNARibonucleic acids (RNA) ensure that the blueprint in the cell nucleus is translated into vital proteins and that cell functions are regulated. However, little is known about the structure and function of particularly long RNAs, which consist of hundreds or thousands of building blocks. Chemists at the University of Bonn have now developed a new method for this purpose: They mark the complex molecules with tiny "flags" and measure the distances between them with a "molecular ruler". The results are published online in advance in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. The print version will be published shortly. |
 | Trees in South Africa are under attack—and it's proving hard to manageMore than two years have passed since the detection of what is arguably the most damaging tree pest ever to arrive in South Africa: the polyphagous shot hole borer (Euwallacea fornicatus). The beetle kills trees and there are no proven remedies. |
 | Herringbone pattern in plant cell walls critical to cell growthPlant cells tend to grow longer instead of wider due to the alignment of the many layers of cellulose that make up their cell walls, according to a new study that may have implications for biofuels research. The study, which appears online Feb. 4 in the Journal of Experimental Botany, reveals that the protein CSI1 and the alternating angle of the cell wall's layers, creating a herringbone pattern, are critical for cell growth. |
 | How cells respond appropriately in harsh environments arising from global warmingUnder severe environmental stresses such as high temperature, dryness and high salinity, cells survive by responding appropriately through elaborate mechanisms, according to new cell biology research from the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics at The Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo. The results are expected to be useful for conferring environmental stress resistance to animals and plants to survive in severe environmental conditions caused by global warming, and also for developing methods of treating human diseases such as cancer and autoimmune diseases caused by dysregulation of the stress response machinery. Their recent research has been published in The EMBO Journal. |
 | Open sores, lower numbers likely not invasive lionfish's endA new disease has caused open sores that can eat into the muscles of invasive lionfish and appears to have contributed to an abrupt drop in their numbers in the northern Gulf of Mexico, scientists reported Tuesday. But they hasten to say it's probably far from the end of the showy invader with long, venomous spines. |
 | Microbes linked to cancer in threatened California foxes, report Princeton researchersCan staph microbes lead to cancer? |
 | Locust invasion threatens wildlife and livelihoods in KenyaKenya is bracing itself for a humanitarian and conservation catastrophe in the wake of a desert locust invasion on an unprecedented scale. The infestation is already affecting more than a quarter of the entire country and in danger of wreaking havoc nationwide. |
 | Ecologists find how forest age affects the accumulation of carbon in the soilEcologists from RUDN University have studied abandoned vineyards and forests in Italy and found that a high concentration of nitrogen and carbon could be observed in the soil of an old oak forest left free from anthropogenic stress for about 200 years, while in the soils of vineyards abandoned relatively recently, the concentration is many times less. The data show that even Mediterranean soils, affected by humans, can accumulate large amounts of carbon and nitrogen in the process of changing the vegetation community. The article was published in the journal PLOS One. |
Beloved 3-flippered sea turtle dies after nearly 20 years at National AquariumCalypso, a 500-pound green sea turtle who had delighted millions of visitors over nearly 20 years as the unofficial "queen" of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, died unexpectedly Sunday, the aquarium announced Monday. The cause of death is unknown. | |
This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you do not wish to receive such emails in the future, please unsubscribe here.
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com. You may manage your subscription options from your Science X profile
No comments:
Post a Comment