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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 12, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Giant hydrogen cloud spotted around the Triangulum Galaxy(Phys.org)—While peering into the nearby Triangulum Galaxy known as M33, astronomers have detected what appears to be a giant cloud of hydrogen around it. According to research published online on May 5 on the arXiv pre-print server, the cloud is extremely large, even bigger than the galaxy itself. The discovery could improve our knowledge about the distribution of gas in and around galaxies. |
 | Space mission first to observe key interaction between magnetic fields of Earth and SunLike sending sensors up into a hurricane, NASA has flown four spacecraft through an invisible maelstrom in space, called magnetic reconnection. Magnetic reconnection is one of the prime drivers of space radiation and so it is a key factor in the quest to learn more about our space environment and protect our spacecraft and astronauts as we explore farther and farther from our home planet. |
 | 2007 OR10 is the largest unnamed dwarf planet in the solar systemDwarf planets tend to be a mysterious bunch. With the exception of Ceres, which resides in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, all members of this class of minor planets in our solar system lurk in the depths beyond Neptune. They are far from Earth - small and cold - which makes them difficult to observe, even with large telescopes. So it's little wonder astronomers only discovered most of them in the past decade or so. |
 | Curiosity Mars rover completes its second Martian yearNASA's Curiosity Mars rover today completes its second Martian year since landing inside Gale Crater nearly four Earth years ago, which means it has recorded environmental patterns through two full cycles of Martian seasons. |
 | The rise and fall of Martian lakesThere is a wealth of evidence, collected over the past few decades, that suggests liquid water was abundant in the early history of Mars – one of our nearest and most studied neighbours. However, the size, evolution and duration of standing bodies of water, such as lakes, on Mars' surface are still a matter of great debate. A recent study, using data from several spacecraft operating at Mars, paints a detailed picture of the rise and fall of standing bodies of water in a region of Mars which once hosted one of its largest lakes. |
 | Small blue galaxy could shed new light on Big Bang, astronomers sayA faint blue galaxy about 30 million light-years from Earth and located in the constellation Leo Minor could shed new light on conditions at the birth of the universe. |
 | Tycho's supernova remnant: Chandra movie captures expanding debris from a stellar explosionWhen the star that created this supernova remnant exploded in 1572, it was so bright that it was visible during the day. And though he wasn't the first or only person to observe this stellar spectacle, the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe wrote a book about his extensive observations of the event, gaining the honor of it being named after him. |
 | Close-up Hubble images show new details of cometAstronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured images of Comet 252P/LINEAR just after a close encounter with Earth on March 21. The close proximity to the comet offered scientists new insights on the body's nucleus. |
 | More than 1,000 new exoplanets discovered – but still no Earth twinNASA astronomers working with data from the Kepler space observatory have presented the largest single crop of newly discovered exoplanets to date. It's impressive – 1,284 new planets have been announced, including around 550 which are of comparable size to the Earth. However just nine of these may be in their stars' habitable zones – where it is plausible that liquid water could exist on the surface of a planet. |
 | Image: Lunar ice drillA drill designed to penetrate 1–2 m into the lunar surface is envisaged by ESA to fly to the Moon's south pole on Russia's Luna-27 lander in 2020. |
 | ESA image: Impact chipThe European-built Cupola was added to the International Space Station in 2010 and continues to provide the best room with a view anywhere. |
 | Launching a swarm with rockets to find the cause of GPS chaosSolar storms can paralyse modern communications. Researchers will now launch a swarm with rockets to find out why. Their goal is to develop better space weather forecasts. |
Technology news
 | Ingestible origami robot unfolds from capsule, removes button battery stuck to wall of simulated stomach (w/ Video)In experiments involving a simulation of the human esophagus and stomach, researchers at MIT, the University of Sheffield, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology have demonstrated a tiny origami robot that can unfold itself from a swallowed capsule and, steered by external magnetic fields, crawl across the stomach wall to remove a swallowed button battery or patch a wound. |
 | Pentagon's research agency showcases future techJohnny Matheny's handshake is friendly, confident and firm—though not in the bone-crushing manner favored by some of the alpha types here in the Pentagon. |
 | Solar Impulse 2 set for next leg in round-the-world flightThe Solar Impulse 2 will resume its record-breaking quest Thursday to circle the globe without consuming a drop of fuel, with a flight from Arizona to Oklahoma. |
 | A sixth sense protects drivers except when textingWhile much has been made about the dangers of texting and driving, less attention has been focused on the age-old distractions of being absent minded or upset while driving. A team of researchers from the University of Houston (UH) and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) focused on all three of these important factors. |
 | Facebook engineer tells why he gives Open/R platform huge likesFacebook is talking about an extensible distributed network application platform, and the benefits attached to such a platform. |
Researchers advance groundbreaking 'water-in-salt' lithium ion battery technologyA team of researchers at the University of Maryland (UMD), U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), and colleagues have developed a battery that is at once safer, cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and more powerful—by adding a pinch of salt. | |
 | Finger-specific key presses could speed up computer interactionIf you're looking for a way to use a computer more efficiently, researchers at the University of Waterloo's David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science may have a solution for you. |
 | Doppio: Researchers unveil dual screen smartwatchA Dartmouth researcher and his collaborators have unveiled a prototype of a smartwatch with dual touchscreens called Doppio. |
 | Hybrid hydrostatic transmission enables robots with human-like grace and precisionA new type of hydrostatic transmission that combines hydraulic and pneumatic lines can safely and precisely drive robot arms, giving them the delicacy necessary to pick up an egg without breaking it. |
 | Want an electric vehicle? The one you should buy depends on where you liveFrom the Tesla Model 3 to the Nissan Leaf, electric vehicles are all the rage these days—but before consumers head to the dealership, they should take a moment to consider a few factors. Their city's climates, how much highway driving they will be doing, and their regional electricity grids all contribute to their vehicles' carbon footprints. In other words, if they buy the wrong car for where they live, their good intentions may leave an even bigger carbon footprint than a conventional gasoline-fueled vehicle. |
 | Nissan takes 34 pct stake in scandal-hit Mitsubishi MotorsNissan Motor Co. is investing 237 billion yen ($2.2 billion) to take a 34 percent stake in scandal-ridden Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in what Nissan Chief Carlos Ghosn said is "a win-win" deal intended to repeat the success of his Nissan-Renault alliance. |
Research examines some losses in the devices that convert solar energy into useful heatEngineer Fabienne Sallaberry has calculated the losses sustained by solar thermal collectors, devices that convert the sun's energy into useful heat, when one of their components is not correctly focusing direct solar radiation. This researcher is also proposing that certain sections included in the Spanish standards and in the international ones should be revised so that the global output of these devices can be better determined. | |
Taiwan PC maker Acer's Q1 profit plummetsTaiwan's struggling personal computer maker Acer said Thursday its net profit fell 73 percent year-on-year in the first three months to March due to huge losses from foreign exchange. | |
 | Solar plane's next leg of global trip—Arizona to OklahomaA solar-powered airplane that landed in Arizona last week is headed to Oklahoma on the latest leg of its around-the-world journey. |
 | How Apple Watch and pervasive computing can lure you into leveling up your fitnessHello, my name is Michael, and I'm a Ring Addict. |
 | Explainer: How dangerous is turbulence, and can it bring down a plane?If you have ever travelled on an aeroplane the chances are you have experienced some form of turbulence. For those of us who fly infrequently, it can be alarming and unnerving, but rest assured that for the pilots and crew who experience turbulence every day, it is business as usual. |
 | Autoignition model designed for efficient, accurate engine simulationsResearchers at Sandia National Laboratories have developed a model for how diesel engines autoignite that should lead to increased engine efficiency and a better understanding of how pollutants form. |
Better search engine results thanks to new methodHow does Google decide which search results to display? Doctoral candidate Anne Schuth developed a new method by which dozens or even hundreds of search algorithms can be compared with each other simultaneously. This means that the best search algorithm can be selected faster than was previously possible. Schuth will obtain his PhD from the UvA on 27 May. | |
Social engineering exploits networks' weakest point—peopleIt requires a lot of effort and expense for computer hackers to program a Trojan virus and infiltrate individual or company computers. They are therefore increasingly relying on psychological strategies to manipulate computer users into voluntarily divulging their login details. These methods are known as "social engineering." For the first time, psychologists at the University of Luxembourg have conducted a large-scale study (involving 1,208 people) to investigate how people are manipulated into sharing their passwords with complete strangers in return for small gifts. | |
 | On the hunt for Facebook's army of fakesEver wonder why so many people like certain Facebook pages, no matter how boring or badly updated they are? They could well be the subject of "like farming", the process of artificially inflating the number of Facebook page likes. |
 | New tech fuelling global boom in child sex tourism: studyTechnology is transforming the global sex trade and making it easier than ever for travellers to prey on children, a landmark study on paedophiles warned Thursday. |
 | A password of another kind: User identification through the skullPasswords or personal identification number are often not secure, because users do not choose or store them well. With so-called biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, voice or iris scans, users can be identified more easily and securely. Computer scientists from the University of Saarland and the University of Stuttgart are now introducing the skull as a new biometric identifier which can be used with the eyewear computer Google Glass. |
Accessible color palettes: New tool for web designersMore than 20 percent of people who use the web can't always tell the difference between shades of colors—but very few of them are colorblind, according to a University of Michigan researcher. | |
 | Apple sinks to 2-year low making Google largest companyShares of Apple sank below $90 for the first time in nearly two years during trade Thursday, ceding the title of the world's largest company by market valuation to Google. |
Chilean cabbies block traffic in protest against UberThousands of Chilean taxi drivers honked their horns and blocked traffic Thursday in a protest against ridesharing service Uber. | |
 | Online neighbors forum alters rules to stop racial profilingA social media network created to connect neighbors in online communities said it is changing how members can report suspicious activity after a group complained the website was being used for racial profiling. |
Revolutionary wrist fracture device developedAn innovative new device which will help wrist fractures heal faster and can be fitted more easily by surgeons has been developed, and will be manufactured, in South Australia. | |
 | Google wants new emojis to represent professional womenGoogle wants professional women to be better represented in emoji form. |
 | Interactive digital walls offer art and info in hotel lobbyWalk down a hallway in the new Renaissance NY Midtown hotel and the walls come alive. |
Medicine & Health news
 | UCSF team finds new approaches to eradicate aggressive breast cancersConventional chemotherapy generally fails to eradicate aggressive breast cancers due to the early distant metastasis that can occur in these diseases. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive subtype which has no targeted treatment. It has recently been discovered that the oncogene MYC is elevated in TNBC, opening up promising opportunities for the development of new targeted therapeutic strategies that will allow selective killing of MYC-overexpressing TNBC cells. |
 | Brain cells that aid appetite control identifiedIt's rare for scientists to get what they describe as "clean" results without spending a lot of time repeating the same experiment over and over again. But when researchers saw the mice they were working with doubling their weight within a month or two, they knew they were on to something. |
 | Changing diet can quickly shift makeup of microbiota, research saysAs the saying goes, you are what you eat. But new evidence suggests that the same may also be true for the microbes in your gut. |
 | Ageing affects test taking, not language, study showsThe ability to understand language could be much better preserved into old age than previously thought, according to researchers from the University of Cambridge, who found older adults struggle more with test conditions than language processing. |
 | New study suggests rethink of dementia causesUniversity of Adelaide researchers have developed a new theory for the causes of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, involving an out-of-control immune system. |
 | Cells carry 'memory' of injury, which could reveal why chronic pain persistsA new study from King's College London offers clues as to why chronic pain can persist, even when the injury that caused it has gone. Although still in its infancy, this research could explain how small and seemingly innocuous injuries leave molecular 'footprints' which add up to more lasting damage, and ultimately chronic pain. |
 | Disrupting autophagy, a cellular housekeeping process, limits cancer spreadResearchers from the University of Chicago have shown that inhibiting autophagy, a self-devouring process used by cells to degrade large intra-cellular cargo, effectively blocks tumor cell migration and breast cancer metastasis in tumor models. In a study, published May 12, 2016, in the journal Cell Reports, they demonstrate that the process is essential for tumor metastasis and describe the mechanisms that connect autophagy to cell migration. |
 | Scientists identify key factor in mitochondrial calcium uptake and bioenergeticsMitochondria are the energy-generating batteries of cells, but they also perform other critical functions, including protecting cells against calcium overload, a significant cause of cell death in certain cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Underlying this safety mechanism is a protein complex known as the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU). New work by scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) shows precisely how MCU proteins come together to effect calcium uptake, shedding new light on the physiological role of the MCU complex and its importance to cellular bioenergetics. |
 | Melatonin signaling is a risk factor for type 2 diabetesA sleeping pancreas releases less insulin, but how much insulin drops each night may differ from person to person, suggests a study published May 12, 2016 in Cell Metabolism. Up to 30 percent of the population may be predisposed to have a pancreas that's more sensitive to the insulin-inhibiting effects of melatonin, a circadian rhythm hormone. People with this increased sensitivity carry a slightly altered melatonin receptor gene that is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. |
 | Gene regulatory mutation linked to rare childhood cancerA single defect in a gene that codes for a histone—a "spool" that wraps idle DNA—is linked to pediatric cancers in a study published today in the journal Science. |
 | Study discovers new HIV vaccine targetA team led by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reported a research trifecta. They discovered a new vulnerable site on HIV for a vaccine to target, a broadly neutralizing antibody that binds to that target site, and how the antibody stops the virus from infecting a cell. The study was led by scientists at the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of NIH. |
 | Bacteria the yin and yang of dandruff, says studyDandruff is not caused by a fungus, as many believe, but by an imbalance between two competing bacteria that naturally colonise the human scalp, according to a study released Thursday. |
 | New gene for familial high cholesterolNew research from Denmark reveals the gene that explains one quarter of all familial hypercholesterolemia with very high blood cholesterol. Familial hypercholesterolemia is the most common genetic disorder leading to premature death, found in 1 in 200 people. |
 | Fruit discovery could provide new treatments for obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseaseA combination of two compounds found in red grapes and oranges could be used to improve the health of people with diabetes, and reduce cases of obesity and heart disease. |
NHS needs to perform more weight loss surgery to curb the obesity epidemicThe NHS should significantly increase rates of weight loss surgery to 50,000 a year, closer to the European average, to bring major health benefits for patients and help reduce healthcare costs in the long term, argue experts in The BMJ this week. | |
Prolonged breath holds of over five minutes could help in targeted radiotherapyResearchers at the University of Birmingham working with clinical teams at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust have successfully shown for the first time that breast cancer patients can be trained to achieve single prolonged breath holds of over five minutes, opening the door for targeted radiotherapy to be administered with just one dose in each daily session. | |
Soft wearable robot lightens heavy loadsA flexible exosuit, developed by researchers at Harvard University, reduces the energy cost of walking when carrying heavy load, according to a proof-of-principle study published in the open access Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation. | |
 | HIV testing during early infection may reduce new cases in high-risk communitiesDetecting HIV earlier, through screening programs that can identify the virus shortly after infection, may lead to lower rates of HIV transmission in local epidemics, suggest findings from a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online. After an acute infection screening program was implemented in San Diego, there were fewer new HIV diagnoses than would have been expected without such testing. |
 | Baby's immune system might hint at autism risk(HealthDay)—While the origins of autism remain mysterious, new research points to the infant immune system as a potential contributing factor. |
 | Misoprostol should be considered in postpartum hyperthermia(HealthDay)—The synthetic prostaglandin E1 analogue misoprostol has known severe side effects and should be considered in cases of postpartum hyperthermia, rigors, and tachycardia, according to a case report published in the June issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Nioltinib associated with case of scurvy(HealthDay)—Nilotinib is associated with scurvy, possibly because of its effects on cutaneous metabolism, according to a letter to the editor published online April 28 in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology. |
 | Late reactions in food challenges common(HealthDay)—Late reactions in children undergoing food challenges are common and poorly predicted but generally not severe, according to a study published online May 10 in Allergy. |
Abortion rate steady in poor nations, plunging in rich onesThe rate of abortions in the developed world has dropped to an all-time low while remaining steady in poorer regions, where nearly 90 percent of the abortions worldwide occur, researchers say in a new study published Wednesday in the journal Lancet. | |
 | Scans reveal babies of mothers with gestational diabetes have more body fatBabies born to mothers with gestational diabetes have more body fat at two months of age compared to babies born to healthy mothers, says a new study. |
 | Scientists determine the mechanism of a drug that protects cell mitochondria from damage by aggressive oxygenAn international team of scientists led by researchers from the Lomonosov Moscow State University clarified the molecular mechanism of a drug created in Russia and designed to prevent the damaging of cell mitochondria by reactive oxygen species. This work is published in the journal Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. |
 | 'Star Wars' helmet for detecting concussionA new system has been developed to make it possible to run fast EEG tests at accident scenes or in ambulances. Potential head traumas can be assessed and action taken at an early stage. |
 | Bauer RE-AKT 75 is the best performing hockey helmet on the consumer marketThe latest hockey helmet to be released, the Bauer RE-AKT 75, is the best performing helmet on the consumer market according to the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings system developed by Virginia Tech researchers. The Bauer helmet is rated the highest of 38 hockey helmet models that have been tested to date, earning 3 stars. |
Scientists develop new treatment to prolong life of those with cystic fibrosisScientists at Queen's University Belfast have discovered a new molecule which has the potential to prolong the life of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). | |
Gene and tonic: Genetic link in binge-drinking teensFrom minor acts of rebellion such as bunking off school, to the more serious experimentation with illicit substances, the teenage years can be a stressful time for parents. But what if your child goes beyond the odd cigarette behind the bike shed or sneaking sherry from the drinks cabinet? Some teenagers develop riskier behavior, such as binge drinking or drug taking, which can follow them into adulthood with all the health concerns that go with them. | |
 | Most asthma research may not apply to African-American childrenResults from the largest single study of the genetic and environmental causes of asthma in African-American children suggest that only a tiny fraction of known genetic risk factors for the disease apply to this population, raising concerns for clinicians and scientists working to stem the asthma epidemic among African-Americans. |
 | Should older people and those with dementia have their licences revoked?One in ten people over the age of 65 and three in ten people over the age of 85 have dementia. As a degenerative and debilitating disease, people with dementia find they are unable to perform some of the everyday tasks they used to do very well. |
Chronic drinking interferes with absorption of critical vitamins by pancreasChronic exposure to alcohol interferes with the pancreas' ability to absorb vitamin C, potentially predisposing the body to pancreatitis and other pancreatic diseases, a new study in the American Journal of Physiology—Cell Physiology reports. | |
Better burn treatment using soluble factors from irradiated white blood cellsExtensive burn injuries are usually treated by transplanting layers of skin from other parts of the body. Although this is a commonly used method, the wounds do not always heal completely. A research group headed up by plastic surgeon Stefan Hacker of MedUni Vienna's Department of Surgery has been able to show that soluble factors from white blood cells improve tissue healing following skin grafting. The study has been published in the top journal Scientific Reports. | |
Benefits of calcium supplements may be outweighed by cardiovascular risksTaking calcium and vitamin D can help prevent broken bones in older women. However, this benefit may be cancelled out by an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. | |
Loneliness in midlife—the risk of becoming lonely is not limited to old ageMaike Luhmann from the University of Cologne and Louise C. Hawkley from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago were able to find out in which phases of their lives people are most at risk of becoming lonely. Their findings show that loneliness most often affects people in old age, beginning at approximately eighty. But there are also phases in midlife at which the risk is high. | |
 | Botox treatment affects the perception of emotionsBotulin injections in the facial muscles, which relax expression lines and make one's skin appear younger as a result of a mild paralysis, have another, not easily predictable effect: they undermine the ability to understand the facial expressions of other people. This consequence, as SISSA scientists explain in a new research study, depends on a temporary block of proprioceptive feedback, a process that helps us understand other people's emotions by reproducing them on our own bodies. |
 | Midlands research powerhouse will use powerful new imaging technology to develop the next generation of drugsThe next generation of drugs to tackle two of the planet's biggest killers are to be developed through a partnership bringing together powerful Nobel Prizewinning imaging technology and some of the brightest scientific minds from around the globe. |
 | Can psychological therapies help people who self-harm?A review by the respected Cochrane organisation, and led by Oxford University Professor of Psychiatry Keith Hawton, has found that psychological therapies, more commonly known as 'talking treatments", may help people who self-harm. |
 | An old new weapon against emerging Chikungunya virusSince 2013, the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus has spread rapidly through South America and the Caribbean, and is now threatening Southern Europe and the southern US. It causes flu-like symptoms with fever and joint pains, which in some cases can last for months with occasional fatalities. |
Patients may not need to wait two weeks to shower following knee replacement surgeryA Loyola Medicine study suggests it may not be necessary for knee replacement patients to wait up to two weeks after surgery before showering, as many surgeons now require. | |
Viruses detected in Swedish mosquito larvaeAfter an outbreak of Ockelbo disease in northern Sweden in 2013, researchers at Umeå University were able to trace the virus to mosquitos in an area of Lövånger. In a new study, researchers have shown that mosquito larvae in the Västerbotten region also carry virus that can cause infectious disease. These include the Sindbis virus, which causes Ockelbo disease, which is associated with fever, rashes and prolonged joint pain. | |
 | Use of complementary, alternative medicine affects initiation of chemotherapyWomen with early-stage breast cancer for whom chemotherapy was indicated and who used dietary supplements and multiple types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) were less likely to start chemotherapy than nonusers of alternative therapies, according to latest research led by Heather Greenlee, ND, PhD, associate professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. This is one of the first studies to evaluate how complementary and alternative medicine use affects decisions regarding chemotherapy. Findings are available in JAMA Oncology. |
Repetitive, subconcussive head impacts from football associated with short-term changes in eye functionIn a study that included 29 NCAA football players, repetitive subconcussive impacts were associated with changes in near point of convergence (NPC) ocular-motor function among players in the higher-impact group, although NPC was normalized after a 3-week rest period, according to a study published online by JAMA Ophthalmology. The NPC measures the closest point to which one can maintain convergence (simultaneous inward movement of eyes toward each other) while focusing on an object before diplopia (double vision) occurs. | |
Study finds low levels of ultraviolet A light protection in automobile side windowsAn analysis of the ultraviolet A (UV-A) light protection in the front windshields and side windows of automobiles finds that protection was consistently high in the front windshields while lower and highly variable in side windows, findings that may in part explain the reported increased rates of cataract in left eyes and left-sided facial skin cancer, according to a study published online by JAMA Ophthalmology. | |
 | Zika virus: Optimized tests for reliable diagnosisDZIF scientists from the University of Bonn have shown that not all conventional Zika virus molecular diagnostic tests for are sufficiently reliable. They developed optimised assays and a control for quantifying viruses in blood and urine. |
WHO approves new, faster treatment for drug-resistant TBThe World Health Organization approved a new treatment for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) on Thursday, a crucial step towards replacing an old, costly therapy that is brutal on patients and only 50-percent effective. | |
 | Hay fever's hidden supporting substancesUp to now, research into pollen allergies has largely focused on allergens - those components of pollen that trigger hypersensitivity reactions. When it comes into contact with the nasal mucous membrane, however, pollen releases a host of other substances in addition to allergens. In a pilot study, a team of researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Helmholtz Zentrum München investigated for the first time the effects of these substances on allergy sufferers. It emerged that the non-allergenic components of pollen have a significant influence on the way the body reacts. The results of the study suggest that it may be time to rethink the current methods of treating allergies. |
 | Study identifies potential treatment target for pancreatic cancerMassachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have identified the first potential molecular treatment target for the most common form of pancreatic cancer, which kills more than 90 percent of patients. Along with finding that the tumor suppressor protein SIRT6 is inactive in around 30 percent of cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the team identified the precise pathway by which SIRT6 suppresses PDAC development, a mechanism different from the way it suppresses colorectal cancer. The paper will appear in the June 2, 2016 issue of Cell and had been published online. |
What the Disneyland measles outbreak of 2014-15 can teach us about how stories go viralNew research published Wednesday in the journal Vaccine revealed a key factor for what it takes to make an article about vaccines go viral: including a clear bottom-line message explaining the meaning of vaccination. David Broniatowski, assistant professor of engineering management and systems engineering at the George Washington University, led the study. | |
 | Online therapy effective at treating depression and anxietyDoctors from the University of Pittsburgh showed that providing an online computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) program both alone and in combination with Internet Support Groups (ISG) is a more effective treatment for anxiety and depression than doctors' usual primary care. The preliminary findings were highlighted today at the annual meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) in Hollywood, Florida. |
Scientists find what might be responsible for slow heart function under general anesthesiaAnesthesia is used every day, but surprisingly little is known about one of its most dangerous side effects—depressed heart function. Now, thanks to a team of Johns Hopkins researchers who published a new research article in The FASEB Journal, this mystery is clarified as they identify which proteins in heart muscle are affected by anesthesia. This, in turn, opens the doors to the development of new anesthetics that would not have depressed heart function as a side effect. | |
 | WHO warns pregnant women about Zika ahead of Rio OlympicsThe World Health Organization is warning pregnant women not to travel to areas with Zika, and advising other travelers to take precautions against the mosquitoes that spread the virus ahead of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. |
 | Study of glioma susceptibility in dogs may yield insights for humansA new study of the genetic factors underlying glioma formation in dogs may hold clues to how these common and often untreatable tumors form in humans. The genome study, which was conducted across 25 dog breeds, identified three genes associated with the tumor. The results from this research, led by Katarina Truvé of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Kerstin Lindblad-Toh of Uppsala University, were published on May 12 in PLOS Genetics. |
Brain images reveal first physical evidence that AA prayers reduce cravingsLong-term members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) report little or no craving for alcohol, but why this happens remains poorly understood. | |
Diabetes drug found no better than placebo at treating NAFLDA diabetes medication described in some studies as an effective treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) works no better than a placebo, report researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, after conducting the first randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial of sitagliptin, an oral antihyperglycemic marketed by Merck & Co. under the name Januvia. | |
 | Database helps researchers connect exposures to health effects, compare diseasesTwo new studies from a group at North Carolina State University give researchers new strategies for connecting environmental exposures to human health effects. |
Smartphone-based system may improve health of patients with chronic diseasesA new study shows how mobile technology can allow patients to work collaboratively with clinicians to improve their health. The research, which appears in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), may signal a paradigm shift in the model of healthcare delivery. | |
 | Membrane-tube shunt device can reduce intraocular pressure(HealthDay)—Glaucoma surgery using a novel membrane-tube (MT) type glaucoma shunt device (MicroMT) can safely reduce intraocular pressure (IOP), according to a study published online May 3 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology. |
 | Pop-up messages up physician awareness of osteoporosis(HealthDay)—The introduction of pop-up messages relating to a history of dual-energy X-Ray absorptiometry (DXA) in an order communication system can increase the rates of DXA prescription, as well as the rates of osteoporosis medication and exercise, according to a study published online May 6 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. |
 | Midlife occupational physical activity, disability linked(HealthDay)—High midlife occupational physical activity (PA) is associated with greater decline in functional capacity later in life, according to a study published online May 5 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Use of disease-monitoring tests often extreme in breast cancer(HealthDay)—More than one in three women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are extreme users of disease-monitoring tests, with higher total health care costs seen in association with extreme use, according to a study published online May 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. |
 | Prevalence of gestational diabetes varies across seasons(HealthDay)—The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) varies across the seasons, with higher prevalence in the summer and lower prevalence in the winter, according to a study published online May 10 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Two years of tamoxifen offers long-term survival benefit(HealthDay)—For premenopausal women with breast cancer, two years of tamoxifen is associated with long-term survival benefit, according to a study published online May 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. |
 | Endometriosis prevalence <25 percent in chronic pelvic pain(HealthDay)—The prevalence of surgically confirmed endometriosis is less than 25 percent among women undergoing hysterectomy for chronic pelvic pain, according to a study published in the June issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
Eyewitnesses' memories darken skin colorEyewitnesses remember the faces of black suspects less accurately in drive-by shootings than they do in serial killings. | |
Pinpointing a specific cause of lung cancer isn't possibleDear Mayo Clinic: My brother-in-law has never smoked, but was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer at the age of 45. He was told there is no way to determine what caused it, even though he had a biopsy. What are some of the things that cause lung cancer? | |
 | RFID-based drug management and electronic nursing service management systemsThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed two Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based smart healthcare systems, namely 1) a drug management system and 2) an electronic nursing service management system. |
Is an unprecedented infant feeding transition underway?To ensure children get the best start in life the World Health Organization recommends that infants are exclusively breastfed to six months of age with ongoing breastfeeding for up to two years of age and beyond. Yet worldwide the prevalence of infants exclusively breast fed to six months hovers at around 37% and has improved only marginally in recent decades. | |
Investigating how rural families cope with cancerA University of Adelaide study is investigating how rural families cope in the wake of a cancer diagnosis, particularly how they manage the various financial, social, practical and emotional issues that arise. | |
 | Alarming burnout rate in young NL medical specialistsApproximately one in eight medical specialists in the Netherlands suffers from burnout and an increased risk of burnout. This figure is even higher for AIOS (Artsen In Opleiding tot Specialist) Specialist Registrars. This means that in an average hospital, around 25 medical specialists suffer from burnout or related symptoms. What are the implications for patient safety? This question and other issues were the focus of research conducted by Mr Erik Drenth MSc (for healthcare insurance provider VvAA) as part of his executive Master's Degree in Risk Management at the University of Twente. |
More urinary tract stones are being treated with surgeryResearchers in Oxford who analyzed recent trends related to urinary tract stones in the UK found a sustained and high prevalence of the condition, with an increased trend to treat patients with surgery. | |
Donor kidneys may be discarded due to 'weekend effect' at hospitalsInvestigators have uncovered a "weekend effect" contributing to the worsening availability of donor kidneys in the United States. They found that kidneys that would normally be made available for transplantation were less likely to be procured from donors over the weekend (89.5% on the weekend vs. 90.2% during the week). Further, organs procured during the weekend were more than 20% more likely to be discarded than kidneys procured on other days, although the discarded kidneys were of higher quality on average than those discarded during the week, according to a new report in Kidney International. | |
 | Hospital: State policy on mentally ill 'misguided'The Massachusetts hospital under scrutiny for releasing a man who hours later fatally stabbed two people and injured several others says state policy that governs the way it handles psychiatric patients is "misguided." |
New ISSCR guidelines for stem cell research and translation outline best practicesThe International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), the world's largest professional organization of stem cell scientists, today released newly updated guidelines for stem cell research and the development of new clinical therapies. The new guidance comes at a time when rapidly evolving technologies like gene editing in human embryos and emerging areas of stem cell discovery and its applications are providing unprecedented opportunities to understand human biology and disease, but also raising questions that have social and ethical implications. The guidelines build on widely shared principles in science that call for rigor, oversight, and transparency in all areas of practice. Adherence to these principles provides assurance that stem cell research is conducted with scientific and ethical integrity and that new therapies are evidence-based. | |
New care pathway advises health professionals on postreproductive healthA new position statement by the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) published in the journal Maturitas provides a pathway with the latest post-reproductive health strategies, with the aim of optimizing care at an international scale. The pathway will assist healthcare professionals to provide up-to-date evidenced-based information so that women seeking advice about menopausal health should not suffer in silence and be able to make informed choices. | |
 | Interpreting clinical sequencing results for genome medicineThis week, two important papers addressing pressing challenges and the best path forward for interpreting results from clinical genome and exome sequencing will appear in the American Journal of Human Genetics. |
Surgical oncology societies: Global curriculum to address training variations, inadequaciesThe lack of an adequately trained workforce of surgical oncologists can be a major detriment in efforts to address the rising global cancer burden, according to two leading international surgical oncology societies. | |
 | Clinical trials of robotic legs helping patients walk againExpert clinicians and engineers at the University of Kent are carrying out the first clinical trials of robotic legs for patients. |
 | Is sleeve gastrectomy a good choice for people with a sweet tooth?Sleeve gastrectomy is a novel bariatric surgical procedure showing promising weight loss results, even among individuals classified as moderate or severe sweet eaters before the surgery. Evidence suggesting that preoperative sweets consumption is not predictive of sleeve gastrectomy results are reported in a study published in Journal of Laparoendoscopic & Advanced Surgical Techniques (JLAST). |
 | More potent, inexpensive gene silencing agents describedCombining the therapeutic potential and advantages of existing oligonucleotide-based approaches to turn off disease-related genes, a type of single-stranded silencing RNAs (ss-siRNAs) has shown significantly improved potency and activity. The chemical modification used to create these novel ss-siRNAs is both inexpensive and readily available to researchers, as described in an article in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics. |
 | Judge sides with House Republicans against health care lawIn a setback for the Obama health care law, a federal judge ruled Thursday that the administration is unconstitutionally subsidizing medical bills for millions of people while ignoring congressional power over government spending. |
Kidney disease may increase hospitalized patients' risk of complicationsPatients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be at an increased risk of experiencing complications when hospitalized, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). This risk continues to rise as the severity of CKD increases. | |
LSU ophthalmologist recommends UV protection inside carsIn invited commentary on a comparative study of the protective properties of windshields and side-windows in cars against harmful UV rays, Dr. Jayne Weiss, Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, has a take-home message for both ophthalmologists and consumers - UV protection should be used not just outdoors, but inside cars, too. Her editorial, UV-A Protection from Auto Glass, Cataracts, and the Ophthalmologist, was published online May 12, 2016, in JAMA Ophthalmology, available at http://archopht.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2522181. | |
Opponents of Vermont GMO law find friendly audience in FargoA group of food producers and other advocates of genetically modified food gathered in one of the smallest states in the country Thursday to speak out against product labeling requirements set to become law in an even smaller state. | |
Biology news
 | Highway noise deters communication between birdsNew research from University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers shows birds may be avoiding habitats near noisy highways because they can't hear fellow birds' alarms that warn them of attacking hawks or owls. |
 | Colour constancy in chickensChickens can find the correct colour in redder lighting conditions, researchers from Lund University and the University of Bristol have found. Their study indicates that – like us – chickens have colour constancy (a feature of the colour perception system which ensures that the perceived colour of objects remains relatively constant under varying illumination conditions). |
 | Brittle star study reveals richness and diversity of deep-sea life(Phys.org)—A team of researchers from Canada, the U.K. and Australia has compiled a dataset of brittle stars from across the globe and in so doing have offered a new way for biologist to view the richness of deep-sea life. In their paper published in the journal Nature the team describes the lengths they went to in attempting to add samples to their database, some details of what they found and possible uses for such a database. |
 | Fluorescent jellyfish gene sheds light on 'fitness landscape'By studying more than 50,000 variants of a jellyfish gene, researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona (Spain) have drawn a detailed picture of how changes in that gene affect its function. The study, carried out in collaboration with researchers in Russia, the US, Israel and Spain, is published in the journal Nature. |
 | The new SLENDR technique: Protein labeling in the developing brain by genome editingDr. Ryohei Yasuda and his team have developed a method, called SLENDR, that allows precise modification of neuronal DNA in living samples. Using their new technique, the research team were able to reliably label two different proteins with distinct colors at the same time in the same cell. The researchers used a variety of imaging methods as well as DNA sequencing to confirm that the SLENDR method had truly and precisely knocked in the genes. |
 | Surprise! This eukaryote completely lacks mitochondriaMitochondria are membrane-bound components within cells that are often described as the cells' powerhouses. They've long been considered as essential components for life in eukaryotes, the group including plants, fungi, animals, and unicellular protists, if for no other reason than that every known eukaryote had them. But researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 12, 2016 now challenge this notion. They've discovered a eukaryote that contains absolutely no trace of mitochondria at all. |
 | When dung beetles dance, they photograph the firmamentThe discovery that dung beetles use the light of the Milky Way to navigate in the world has received much praise. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have now taken a new step in understanding the existence of these unique beetles: when the beetles dance on top of a ball of dung, they simultaneously take a photograph - a snapshot - of how celestial bodies are positioned. |
 | Mice cooperate if they benefitFour people meet for dinner in a restaurant and split the check four ways. Anyone who ordered more or something more expensive than the others gains an advantage from the situation. Social dilemmas like this one also occur in animals - such as during communal offspring care. Biologists from the University of Zurich studied how house mice are able to prevent social dilemmas and still cooperate. The results of their study reveal that house mice adjust their willingness to cooperate to the to the expected pay-off. |
 | Shrinking shorebird pays the bill for rapid Arctic warming while wintering in the tropicsRed knots migrate between their breeding grounds in the Arctic and their wintering grounds in West Africa. Chicks currently born under rapidly warming conditions attain smaller sizes before migration starts, because they miss the insect peak. If they reach their wintering grounds in the tropics, they are faced with a second disadvantage: their shorter bills cannot reach their favourite shellfish food. This results in an evolutionary force towards smaller-sized birds with large bills. |
 | Fatal attachment: How pathogenic bacteria hang on to mucosa and avoid exfoliationMucous surfaces in the nose, throat, lungs, intestine, and genital tract are points of first contact for many pathogens. As a defensive strategy, most animals (and humans) can rapidly exfoliate these surfaces (i.e., shed the surface layer) to get rid of any attached attackers. A study published on May 12th in PLOS Pathogens reveals a common strategy by bacteria to prevent exfoliation and so gain extra time to colonize the mucosa or penetrate the mucosal barrier. |
Effort to list lesser prairie chicken as threatened is droppedThe Obama administration has abandoned its effort to list the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species, drawing cheers Wednesday from lawmakers who had fought the designation but skepticism about whether the fight is really over. | |
 | The high costs of imported pestsA new analysis of the damage done by invasive forest pests shows that homeowners and local governments are being stuck with a $4.5 billion yearly bill for the boring beetles, choking fungi, and rogues' gallery of other foreign pests that are killing millions of trees across the country. |
 | Homosexual activity documented in female gorillas for the first timeAs part of a study facilitated through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, a researcher from The University of Western Australia has documented the first detailed evidence of homosexual behaviour in female gorillas. |
 | Nucleus DNA benefits from chloroplast DNAAn unexpected human intervention in changing biodiversity |
 | Solving the biomass puzzleBiomass holds great promise as a petroleum replacement, but unlocking its true potential remains a puzzle. A group of researchers at Iowa State University and the U.S Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory hope to develop the pieces of that puzzle to create a clearer picture of what takes place within a plant and how that applies to its downstream uses as biomass. |
 | New integrative data portal for brilliant brassicasScientists at The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) have released the first web repository for Brassica (mustard plants) trait data to tackle reproducibility, user controlled data sharing and analysis worldwide. Scoring the versatile crop's beneficial traits will assist Brassica breeders in improving their crop yields, increased nutritional benefits and reduce our carbon footprint through biofuel production. |
 | Hedgehogs are indeed not so widespread in England any moreThere's now more than just anecdotal evidence that England's hedgehog population is feeling the squeeze. In the past 55 years, there has been a moderate decline of up to 7.4 percent in the areas they frequent, says Anouschka Hof of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US and Paul Bright, previously of the University of London in the UK. This is after they resampled two sets of data collected by members of the public as part of citizen-science projects. Their findings are published in Springer's European Journal of Wildlife Research. |
Gene expression depends on a constant dialogue between the nucleus and the cytoplasmGene expression is the process by which genetic information is used to produce proteins, which are essential for cells to function properly and fulfil their many purposes. It takes place in two distinctive steps: first the transcription, which takes place in the nucleus, then the translation, in the cytoplasm. Control of gene expression is vital for cells to produce the exact proteins that are needed at the right moment. Until now, gene transcription and translation into proteins were thought to be two independent processes. | |
 | Rare human disease found in dogsA rare, severe form of pulmonary hypertension, which up until now, has only been classified as a human lung disease, has also been discovered in dogs according to a Michigan State University study. |
 | Poaching of old forest elephant matriarchs threatens rainforestsScientists working for the Wildlife Conservation Society, the University of Stirling, and the Amboseli Trust for Elephants say that the high levels of poaching forest elephants will result in a loss of the oldest, wisest matriarchs, who are living libraries of their vast rainforest domain. The oldest females guide and teach their young where to go for food and minerals, what to eat, how to process tricky foods, and how to avoid danger. Without these mothers, forest elephant social lives and their understanding of their ecosystem will be lost. This exacerbates the ongoing loss of ecosystem function already underway by the loss of these most effective seed dispersers and forest gardeners. |
 | Montana, Wyoming, Idaho gear up for possible grizzly hunts (Update)Hunters soon could be chasing grizzly bears across the ridges of the Rocky Mountains, leaving three states to drum up plans to ensure the iconic species won't be snuffed out soon after recovering from threats to their survival. |
Is quinoa California's next niche crop?Bryce Lundberg is elated, which is saying a lot for a California farmer these days. | |
 | Rare Sumatran rhino calf born in IndonesiaA Sumatran rhino gave birth at a sanctuary in Indonesia on Thursday, an official said, taking the critically endangered species a step further away from extinction. |
 | Chimpanzee enclosure redesign translates wild chimpanzee research to zoo settingsUniversity of Birmingham scientists have developed a new way to redesign chimpanzee enclosures to translate research on wild chimpanzees into zoos to help preserve the behavioural and physiological adaptations that make the species unique. |
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