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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 31, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Theft behind Planet 9 in our solar systemThrough a computer-simulated study, astronomers at Lund University in Sweden show that it is highly likely that the so-called Planet 9 is an exoplanet. This would make it the first exoplanet to be discovered inside our own solar system. The theory is that our sun, in its youth some 4.5 billion years ago, stole Planet 9 from its original star. |
 | Image: Stellar object IRAS 14568-6304 ejects gas across 180 light yearsThis young star is breaking out. Like a hatchling pecking through its shell, this particular stellar newborn is forcing its way out into the surrounding Universe. |
 | Astronomy student discovers four new planetsMichelle Kunimoto's bachelor degree in physics and astronomy sent her on a journey out of this world—and led to the discovery of four new worlds beyond our solar system. |
 | Measuring the Milky Way: One massive problem, one new solutionIt is a galactic challenge, to be sure, but Gwendolyn Eadie is getting closer to an accurate answer to a question that has defined her early career in astrophysics: what is the mass of the Milky Way? |
 | A new, water-logged history of the MoonAfter the Apollo missions scooped up rocks from the Moon's surface and brought them home, scientists were convinced for decades that they had proof our nearest celestial neighbour was drier than a bone. |
 | Copernicus' revolution and Galileo's vision: Our changing view of the universe in picturesIt's not a stretch to say the Copernican revolution fundamentally changed the way we think about our place in the universe. In antiquity people believed the Earth was the centre of the solar system and the universe, whereas now we know we are on just one of many planets orbiting the sun. |
 | Explainer: What is the Great Attractor and its pull on the Milky Way?Around four decades ago, astronomers became aware that our galaxy, the Milky Way, was moving through space at a much faster rate than expected. |
 | New 'Einstein ring' is discoveredThe PhD student Margherita Bettinelli, of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and the University of La Laguna (ULL), together with an international team of astrophysicists has recently discovered an unusual astronomical object: an Einstein ring. These phenomena, predicted by Einstein's theory of General Relativity, are quite rare but scientifically interesting. The interest is sufficiently strong that this object has been given its own name: the "The Canarias Einstein ring". The research was carried out by the Stellar Populations group at the IAC, led by Antonio Aparicio and Sebastian Hidalgo. The results were published in the international journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. |
 | Close encounter between Mars and EarthMars and Earth got unusually cozy Monday night, drawing closer to each other than they have in more than a decade. |
 | Pluto extreme close-up best yetThe New Horizons mission, which its conducted its historic flyby on July 14th, 2015, has yielded a wealth of scientific data about Pluto. This has included discoveries about Pluto's size, its mountainous regions, its floating ice hills, and (more recently) how the dwarf planet interacts with solar wind – a discovery which showed that Pluto is actually more planet-like than previously thought. |
Technology news
 | Zenbo as your next household helper? Watchers say the price is right(Tech Xplore)—A whole new world in robotics has opened up to research teams seeking to innovate smart machines as assistive robots. |
 | Robot home-help and virtual reality at Taiwan's ComputexA knee-high robot designed to help around the house ended up serenading Taiwan's president as Asia's largest tech trade show kicked off Tuesday in Taipei. |
 | Startup launches theft-proof, weatherproof bikesAvid cyclist and serial entrepreneur Slava Menn MBA '11, an MIT Sloan School of Management alumnus, is racing ever closer to fulfilling a personal—and professional—mission to make it safer to own a bike in the city. |
 | In a new method for searching image databases, a hand-drawn sketch is all it takesComputer scientists at the University of Basel have developed a new method for conducting image and video database searches based on hand-drawn sketches. The user draws a sketch on a tablet or interactive paper, and the system searches for a matching image in the database. The new method is free to access for researchers. |
 | Rays provide power for an electric generatorScientists from the RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center in Japan removed the electric organ from a torpedo and chemically stimulated the organ by injecting a solution of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine though a syringe. They were able to achieve more than a minute of continuous current, with a peak voltage of 91 mV and 0.25 mA of current. By increasing the number of syringes, they achieved a peak voltage of 1.5 V and a current of 0.64mA. |
Analysis shows 'Super Mario Brothers' is harder than NP-hardCompleting a game of "Super Mario Brothers" can be hard—very, very hard. That's the conclusion of a new paper from researchers at MIT, the University of Ottawa, and Bard College at Simon's Rock. They show that the problem of solving a level in "Super Mario Brothers" is as hard as the hardest problems in the "complexity class" PSPACE, meaning that it's even more complex than the traveling-salesman problem, or the problem of factoring large numbers, or any of the other hard problems belonging to the better-known complexity class NP. | |
 | 'On-the-fly' 3-D print system prints what you design, as you design it3-D printing has become a powerful tool for engineers and designers, allowing them to do "rapid prototyping" by creating a physical copy of a proposed design. |
 | Australia to sell bitcoins confiscated as proceeds of crimeAbout $13 million in bitcoins will be auctioned in Sydney in June after Australian police confiscated the digital currency as proceeds of crime, an official said Tuesday. |
 | A smartphone to keep the elderly safeThough senior citizens are generally less fascinated than younger generations with the bells and whistles of mobile devices, they could soon find themselves relying on a new smartphone app built by Rutgers students to help them avoid falling. |
 | Turning human waste into next generation biofuelResearchers affiliated with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea, have found a new way to convert human waste into renewable energy sources. |
Researchers uncover extensive Twitter-based cyber espionage campaign targeting UAE dissidents, journalistsA new report from the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab reveals a sophisticated international cyber-espionage campaign targeting journalists and activists whose work concerns the United Arab Emirates. The campaign used elaborate ruses, including fake organizations and journalists, to engage targets online, then entice them to open malicious files and links containing malware capable of monitoring their activities. | |
 | How computing power can help us look deep within our bodies, and even the EarthCAT scans, MRI, ultrasound. We are all pretty used to having machines – and doctors – peering into our bodies for a whole range of reasons. This equipment can help diagnose diseases, pinpoint injuries, or give expectant parents the first glimpse of their child. |
EU links up with Twitter, tech firms to combat hate speechThe European Union reached an agreement Tuesday with some of the world's biggest social media firms, including Facebook and Twitter, on ways to combat the spread of hate speech online. | |
 | Better combustion for power generationIn the United States, the use of natural gas for electricity generation continues to grow. The driving forces behind this development? A boom in domestic natural gas production, historically low prices, and increased scrutiny over fossil fuels' carbon emissions. Though coal still accounts for about a third of US electricity generation, utility companies are pivoting to cleaner natural gas to replace decommissioned coal plants. |
 | Child's play: Australia's newest roboticists see eye-to-eye with R2-D2Children from age four can become robot programmers rather than waiting for the higher years in schooling, says a QUT education researcher. |
 | Control yourself: 6 apps to help fight digital distractionWhen busy people sit down at night to pay bills, answer emails or RSVP for their kids' school events, they don't plan to procrastinate. But somehow a quick visit to Facebook becomes 20 minutes of mindless scrolling, and a momentary search for a needed item morphs into a half-hour of virtual shopping. |
 | Study shows it is possible to save money and reduce carbon dioxide emission by using more energyWhat is the most optimal energy behaviour in everyday life with variable electricity prices? Researchers at Aarhus University have carried out extensive theoretical mapping of the way private consumers can save money for heating in a modern supply system based on electricity. |
 | Ad-blocking software use for mobile surges: studyThe use of ad-blocking software for mobile devices has nearly doubled in the past year, raising questions about the viability of online media business models, a study showed Tuesday. |
Finland to seek EU aid to cope with Microsoft, Nokia layoffsFinland says it will apply for EU help to deal with recent redundancies, particularly among workers at Microsoft and Nokia. | |
 | Researcher shows cool roofs cut energy consumption year-roundAs the summer heats up, so do cities. That's true not just for hot places like Los Angeles and Phoenix, but also for cooler capitals like Ottawa and Reykjavik. |
 | Algorithm could help detect and reduce power grid faultsThe power grid is aging, overburdened and seeing more faults than ever, according to many. Any of those breaks could easily lead to prolonged power outages or even equipment damage. |
 | Leaving the electrical grid in the Upper PeninsulaWhile Michigan's Upper Peninsula is not the sunniest place in the world, solar energy is viable in the region. With new technologies, some people might be inclined to leave the electrical grid. A team from Michigan Technological University looked into the economic viability of grid defection in the Upper Peninsula. |
 | No warrant needed to get cell phone location: US courtPolice don't need a warrant to obtain mobile phone location data for a criminal investigation, a US appeals court ruled Tuesday in a case closely watched for digital-era privacy implications. |
 | Twitter moves to curb nastiness at PeriscopeTwitter on Tuesday moved to further stifle abusive commentary at its live video streaming application Periscope. |
 | Chai stirred into Silicon Valley coffee cultureIn a Silicon Valley culture known for brilliant ideas boiling up in coffee shops, Gaurav Chawla is pouring his heart into chai. |
 | Volvo Trucks' new concept truck cuts fuel consumption by more than 30%With support from the Swedish Energy Agency, Volvo Trucks has developed a new concept vehicle, the Volvo Concept Truck. It is the result of a five year long research project aimed at creating more energy-efficient vehicles. The new concept truck cuts fuel consumption by more than 30 percent. |
 | Field testing medium-sized EV bus with wirelessly rechargeable lithium-ion batteryToshiba Corporation has developed a fast, cable-free contactless charger for electric vehicles (EV), and will field test it on a medium-sized EV bus designed to handle the power demands of regular high-speed journeys on expressways. Field tests will start from June 1 and continue until December. |
 | Computerized haptic system for nasogastric tube placement trainingThe School of Nursing of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has recently developed a computerized haptic system for nasogastric tube (NGT) placement training, enabling nursing students to practise NGT insertion in computer-simulated virtual environment. |
Icahn takes 'large' stake in Botox maker AllerganActivist investor Carl Icahn revealed Tuesday a big stake in Botox maker Allergan, voicing confidence in the Ireland-based company's chief executive. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Leaky blood-brain barrier linked to Alzheimer's diseaseResearchers using contrast-enhanced MRI have identified leakages in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) of people with early Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. The results suggest that increased BBB permeability may represent a key mechanism in the early stages of the disease. |
 | Brain structure that tracks negative events backfires in depressionA region of the brain that responds to bad experiences has the opposite reaction to expectations of aversive events in people with depression compared to healthy adults, finds a new UCL study funded by the Medical Research Council. |
 | Researchers find new signs of stress damage in the brain, plus hope for preventionChronic stress can make us worn-out, anxious, depressed—in fact, it can change the architecture of the brain. New research at The Rockefeller University shows that when mice experience prolonged stress, structural changes occur within a little-studied region of their amygdala, a part of the brain that regulates basic emotions, such as fear and anxiety. These changes are linked to behaviors associated with anxiety and depressive disorders |
 | Scientists find brain area responsible for learning from immediate experienceScientists have confirmed one of the brain areas responsible for rapid updating of information during learning - the sort of information we use to negotiate many changing situations in everyday life. |
 | Flatworms left in sunlight spur investigations into rare metabolic disordersA type of flatworm could be a new weapon in the hunt for better ways to treat a group of diseases that can cause extreme sensitivity to light, facial hair growth, and hallucinations, according to a study published in the journal eLife. |
 | Teenage brain on social media: Findings shed light on influence of peers, much moreThe same brain circuits that are activated by eating chocolate and winning money are activated when teenagers see large numbers of "likes" on their own photos or the photos of peers in a social network, according to a first-of-its-kind UCLA study that scanned teens' brains while using social media. |
 | Researchers find what could be brain's trigger for binge behaviorRats that responded to cues for sugar with the speed and excitement of binge-eaters were less motivated for the treat when certain neurons were suppressed, researchers discovered. |
 | Children's digestive health across Europe in crisisA report investigating the current state of digestive health in children has revealed alarming trends in disease incidence and inequalities in the provision of digestive healthcare services for children across Europe. |
N.Zealand, Norway back plain packets for cigarettes (Update)New Zealand and Norway became on Tuesday the latest countries to announce they will remove branding from cigarette packets, in a move hailed by the WHO as an effective way to cut smoking rates. | |
 | UN health agency trumpets 'plain packaging' for tobaccoThe UN health agency says "plain packaging" on tobacco products has shown to be an effective complement to health warnings, advertising restrictions, and curbs on misleading packaging to help save lives. |
EU drug agency: Ecstasy is making a comeback among the youngEcstasy is becoming popular again in the European Union, with online sales and targeted marketing helping to drive the revival among a new generation of users, the EU drug agency said Tuesday. | |
 | Researchers create first 3D mathematical model of uterine contractionsAlthough researchers have been seeking the origins of preterm birth for many years, the causes are still relatively unknown. By studying the electrical activity that causes contractions, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and their collaborators have developed a multiscale model they believe may aid in predicting preterm birth. |
Identifying how Merkel cell polyomavirus infection can cause a lethal carcinomaA benign virus normally found in the skin can lead to a type of rare, lethal skin cancer. Specifically, infection by the Merkel cell polyomavirus can lead to Merkel cell carcinoma in immune-compromised individuals. Researchers have now identified a type of skin cell as the target of the virus in humans. This study, from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, establishes a new way to investigate this type of oncogenic viral infection and identifies a potential therapeutic agent against Merkel cell polyomavirus infection. | |
 | Consensus in the fight against colorectal cancerIn colorectal cancer, the presence of invasive tumor cells at the advancing edge of the tumor can provide valuable information on prognosis. Initiated by the Colorectal Cancer Research Group at the Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, a consensus conference was held to determine how this phenomenon should best be put into practice. Together with colleagues from eleven countries, an internationally standardized scoring method was established. |
 | Why it's easier to be prescribed an opioid painkiller than the treatment for opioid addictionPrescription opioid abuse and its downstream effects have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. On May 26, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved a step closer to providing help to those addicted to opioids by approving a new implant containing buprenorphine, an opioid replacement that can reduce the cravings of addiction. |
Antipsychotic prescribing trends in youths with autism and intellectual disabilityAbout one in 10 youths treated with an antipsychotic are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disability. Conversely, one in six youths diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has been prescribed antipsychotics. These findings are reported in the June 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP). Furthermore, the results suggest that the proportion of adolescents with autism or intellectual disability has increased among youths treated with antipsychotics and that more youths with autism or intellectual disability have received antipsychotics. | |
 | Score card to pinpoint depression risk in older West AussiesWA doctors could soon have a score card to rank diabetic patients on their likelihood of developing depression in old age. |
 | Halting protein degradation may contribute to new cancer treatmentDe Bruin carries out chemical-biological research on proteasomes. 'They are a kind of degradation factory that cuts proteins in cells into smaller fragments. It's a highly useful activity: it's a way for cells to clean up proteins that are redundant or that have been damaged.' |
Prevention of genetic breast cancer within reachAbout one in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Causes can be the use of synthetic sex hormones and other environmental factors, but also gene mutations like in the BRCA1 gene (BReast CAncer). US actress Angelina Jolie who underwent a preventive double mastectomy is the most famous carrier of a "faulty" BRCA1 gene. On average, women with this mutation have an up to 87% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Tumors usually develop early in life. Until now, prophylactic surgery is the only procedure which significantly reduces the breast cancer risk, but which is also often associated with postoperative complications. | |
 | New guidelines for nausea, stomach pain and other problems help physicians better diagnose, treat kidsA child feels nauseated all the time, but no medical test can find what is wrong. Or a child vomits regularly, but there's no illness or eating disorder to explain it. These, and other stomach and bowel-related problems with no obvious causes, are called functional gastrointestinal disorders. |
 | Researchers identify protein that could prevent tumor growth in cervical cancerUCLA scientists have identified a protein that has the potential to prevent the growth of cervical cancer cells. The discovery could lead to the development of new treatments for the deadly disease. |
US may be greatly undercounting pediatric concussionsNew research from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights a substantial gap in how the United States currently estimates the nation's burden of pediatric concussions. Among 0- to 17-year-olds who have a CHOP primary care physician and were diagnosed with a concussion within CHOP's regional pediatric network, 82 percent had their first concussion visit at a primary care site, 12 percent at the emergency department, 5 percent within specialty care (sports medicine, neurology, trauma), and 1 percent were directly admitted to the hospital. Many current counts of concussion injury among children are based solely on emergency department (E.D.) visits or on organized high school and college athletics data. Thus, the authors say, we may be vastly underestimating child and youth concussions in the US. | |
Calcium signals balance the body's response to infection against potential for self-attackA key cellular signal provides a vital balance between the body's ability to destroy invading microbes and its need to prevent autoimmune disease, in which immune cells attack the body's own tissues. That is the finding of a study led by researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center and published May 31 in the journal Immunity. | |
New findings linking abnormalities in circadian rhythms to neurochemical to changes in specific neurotransmittersResults of the first study of its kind to link abnormalities in circadian rhythms to changes in specific neurotransmitters in people with bipolar disorder will be published this week in the journal Biological Psychiatry. | |
Safe sex or no sex after visiting Zika-hit areas: WHOPeople who travel to Zika-hit areas should practice safe sex or have no sex at all for at least eight weeks after their return to avoid sexual transmission of the virus, WHO said Tuesday. | |
Ever-changing moods may be toxic to the brain of bipolar patientsBipolar disorder (BD) is a severe and complex mental illness with a strong genetic component that affects 2% of the world population. The disorder is characterized by episodes of mania and depression that may alternate throughout life and usually first occur in the early 20s. | |
Implanted neuroprosthesis improves walking ability in stroke patientA surgically implanted neuroprosthesis—programmed to stimulate coordinated activity of hip, knee, and ankle muscles—has led to substantial improvement in walking speed and distance in a patient with limited mobility after a stroke, according to a single-patient study in the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the official journal of the Association of Academic Physiatrists. | |
 | Community interventions needed to close epilepsy treatment gap can be cost-effectiveMost of epilepsy cases are treatable, yet in many parts of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa where the burden is amongst the world's highest, access to adequate treatment remains low. This results is significant stigma, avoidable harm and large societal costs. A doctoral dissertation from Umeå University suggests using community health workers to provide patient education and monitor medication adherence in a cost-effective way to reduce the epilepsy treatment gap. |
Researchers show the transmission of the genetic disorder HD in normal animalsMice transplanted with cells grown from a patient suffering from Huntington's disease (HD) develop the clinical features and brain pathology of that patient, suggests a study published in the latest issue of Acta Neuropathologica by CHA University in Korea, in collaboration with researchers at Université Laval in Québec City, Canada. | |
Researchers suggest whole-person perspective is needed to assess obesityAuthors from the Cleveland Clinic's Bariatric and Metabolic Institute recommend physicians use obesity staging models to recognize and manage weight-related health issues that may not be captured by traditional diagnosis criteria. The review article was published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. | |
 | Is endurance training bad for you?In 2012, Belgium scientists published a study that concluded that repeated bouts of intensive endurance exercise at the elite level may result in the pathological enlargement of the right ventricle, which, according to the article, is associated with potential health hazards including sudden cardia death. The publication was the cause of considerable debate among experts in the medical and sports communities. Sports medicine physicians at Saarland University have now tested the conclusions of the 2012 study by examining the hearts of elite master endurance athletes. Their findings refute the hypothesis proposed by their Belgian colleagues. The Saarland research team could find no evidence that years of elite-level endurance training causes any long-term damage to the right ventricle. The study has been published in the respected medical journal Circulation. |
 | Tobacco smoke makes germs more resilientThe mouth is one of the "dirtiest" parts of the body, home to millions of germs. But puffing cigarettes can increase the likelihood that certain bacteria like Porphyromonas gingivalis will not only set up camp but will build a fortified city in the mouth and fight against the immune system. |
Study paves way for new therapies in fight against calcium disordersA study led by researchers at Georgia State University provides new insights into the molecular basis of human diseases resulting from mutations in the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), a protein found in cell membranes. | |
 | How long have I got? The response influences quality of end-of-life careThe way in which bad news is communicated to patients at the end of their lives influences their quality of care. Researchers at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work are examining the perceptions and preferences of older Latinos with advanced cancer—one of the fastest growing segments in the aging population—about receiving news on their diagnosis or prognosis. |
Readmissions after complex cancer operations vary with institution type and patient cohortReadmission rates after complex cancer operations tend to be higher in hospitals that are considered to be vulnerable because they serve as safety nets in their communities or have a high number of Medicaid patients. Reasons for higher readmission rates are highly complex and involve socioeconomic and hospital institutional characteristics. Payment programs that penalize hospitals for high readmission rates without understanding these issues could stress already financially threatened institutions, according to authors of a new study published online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in advance of print publication. | |
Clay country poet suffered from congenital syphilisCornish 'Poet of the Clay' Jack Clemo became blind and deaf because of congenital syphilis inherited from his father, a new University of Exeter study has found. | |
 | Female smokers more likely to kick the habit by 'timing' their quit date with their menstrual cycleWomen who want to quit smoking may have better success by carefully timing their quit date with optimal days within their menstrual cycle, according to a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The results, published online this month in Biology of Sex Differences, were also presented at the annual meeting of the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD), held at Penn. |
Improving cell transplantation after spinal cord injury: When, where and how?Spinal cord injuries are mostly caused by trauma, often incurred in road traffic or sporting incidents, often with devastating and irreversible consequences, and unfortunately having a relatively high prevalence (250,000 patients in the USA; 80% of cases are male). One currently explored approach to restoring function after spinal cord injury is the transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) into the damaged area. The hope is that these will encourage the repair of damaged neurons, but does it work? And if so, how can it be optimized? | |
Newly discovered gene regulates hyperglycemia-induced beta cell death in type 2 diabetesIt's no secret that over time, elevated levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia) can induce the death of the pancreatic beta cells. The death of these cells, which are responsible for the production of insulin, underlies much of the pathology of diabetes. Exactly how and why they die is not fully understood, but a new research report published online in The FASEB Journal by a team of Korean scientists, suggests that a protein called, "TSPAN2" may play a key role hyperglycemia-induced beta cell death and might serve as a new therapeutic target. | |
 | Large global range of prices for hepatitis C medicines raises concerns about affordabilityThe prices and affordability of recently developed and highly effective direct-acting antivirals for treating hepatitis C (HCV) vary greatly among countries worldwide, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine. |
Many patients continue using opioids months after joint replacementMany patients undergoing hip or knee replacement are still taking prescription opioid pain medications up to six months after surgery, reports a study in Pain, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). | |
Study show female heart patients less likely to get blood thinning therapyFemale atrial fibrillation patients are less likely than their male counterparts to receive blood thinning therapies to prevent stroke, say University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researchers. | |
High blood pressure linked to short-, long-term exposure to some air pollutantsBoth short- and long-term exposure to some air pollutants commonly associated with coal burning, vehicle exhaust, airborne dust and dirt are associated with the development of high blood pressure, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension. | |
 | The unintended consequences of a hospital's attempt to improveAs hospitals try to maintain effective and efficient operations, physician call systems can be a critical element in maintaining quality medical care and financial stability. In a new report published in The American Journal of Medicine, a decade-long study from a large teaching hospital in Toronto, Canada, shows that a change in staff scheduling resulted in 26% higher readmissions, an unintended and negative result. |
Many children go to primary care for concussions, not the ERNew research confirms that relying on emergency room data to estimate the prevalence of childhood concussions doesn't deliver a complete picture because many seek treatment in primary care. | |
Maternal inflammation boosts serotonin and impairs fetal brain development in miceFighting the flu during pregnancy sickens a pregnant woman, but it may also put the fetus at a slightly increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders like autism later in life. A new study in pregnant mice, published June 1 in The Journal of Neuroscience, offers a potential mechanism explaining why: Inflammation alters neurotransmitters and impairs growth of nerve cells in the developing fetal brain. | |
 | Women with migraines have higher risk of cardiovascular disease and mortalityWomen diagnosed with migraines have a slightly increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, and are somewhat more likely to die from these conditions than women who do not have migraine, according to findings of a large study published in The BMJ today. |
Ancient anti-inflammatory drug salicylic acid has cancer-fighting propertiesScientists from the Gladstone Institutes have identified a new pathway by which salicylic acid—a key compound in the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs aspirin and diflunisal—stops inflammation and cancer. | |
Does obesity lead to more nursing home admission and a lower quality of care?In a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers examined the care that obese older adults receive when they are admitted to nursing homes. | |
Pakistan closer to eliminating polio: officialsPakistan is moving closer to eradicating polio, officials said Tuesday, with no fresh traces of the crippling childhood disease found in sewage samples taken from 40 high-risk sites across the country over April. | |
 | Puerto Rico's tourist industry feels economic sting of ZikaIt was the wedding of one of her best friends, and Natalie Kao was going to be a bridesmaid in a fun, tropical setting on a small island just off the east coast of Puerto Rico. But the prevalence of the Zika virus across the U.S. territory gave her pause. |
Hunting for the brain's opioid addiction switchNew research by Steven Laviolette's research team at Western University is contributing to a better understanding of the ways opiate-class drugs modify brain circuits to drive the addiction cycle. Using rodent models of opiate addiction, Dr. Laviolette's research has shown that opiates affect pathways of associative memory formation in multiple ways, both at the level of anatomy (connections between neurons) and at the molecular levels (how molecules inside the brain affect these connections). The identification of these opiate-induced changes offers the best hope for developing more effective pharmacological targets and therapies to prevent or reverse the effect of opiate exposure and addiction. These results were presented at the 10th Annual Canadian Neuroscience Meeting, taking place May 29 to June 1 2016, in Toronto, Canada. | |
 | Europe sees constant increase in gonorrhoea infectionsSince 2008, the overall rate of reported gonorrhoea infections has more than doubled across Europe, going up from 8 per 100 000 population to 20 cases per 100 000 persons in 2014. |
 | Novel type 2 diabetes risk model more accurately assesses disease trajectoryAn innovative model for determining a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) overcomes many of the challenges associated with estimating the onset of a chronic condition based on the usual sequence of comorbid conditions that lead up to a diagnosis of T2D. In addition to identifying a typical T2D trajectory, the new model has shown that people who follow atypical trajectories can face significantly increased or decreased risks of developing T2D, according to an article in Big Data, the highly innovative, peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free for download on the Big Data website until July 1, 2016. |
 | New evidence shows Affordable Care Act is working in TexasThe percentage of Texans without health insurance has dropped by 30 percent since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect, cutting the state's uninsured rate below 1999 levels. That's one of the conclusions of a new report released today by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF). |
Autism care improved, diagnosis time shortened by new MU programWait lists for a specialist to confirm an autism diagnosis can be agonizing and last months. As the prevalence of autism and autism spectrum disorders increase, so does the demand for a health care system that is fully equipped to respond to the complex needs associated with autism. Now, Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Autism, a new program from the University of Missouri, is training primary care providers in best-practice care for autism spectrum disorders. Initial results of the pilot program found significant improvements in primary care provider confidence in screening and management of autism and in utilization of specific tools and resources. | |
Financial relationships between biomedical companies and organizationsFinancial relationships between biomedical companies and organizations that produce clinical practice guidelines are common, but often unreported. | |
 | UA engineers zero in on early detection of ovarian cancerUniversity of Arizona researcher Jennifer Barton is leading a two-year, $1 million project funded by the National Cancer Institute to identify imaging biomarkers of ovarian cancer, the most deadly gynecological cancer in the United States. This work may enable the first effective screening system for ovarian cancer. |
 | Risk of international spread of yellow fever re-assessed in light of the ongoing outbreaksECDC has updated its rapid risk assessment on the outbreak of yellow fever with the latest developments, more comprehensive information on the current situation in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda and an extended threat assessment for the EU. |
General Mills recalls flour over possible E. coli linkGeneral Mills is recalling about 10 million pounds of its flour over a possible link to an E. coli outbreak in 20 states. | |
Woman can use dead husband's sperm: French courtA Spanish woman whose husband died in France last year won the right Tuesday to use his frozen sperm and continue the in vitro treatment the couple had started before he died. | |
 | Already hurting for doctors, Louisiana could lose even moreBahnsen Miller understands the challenges—and the damages—of Louisiana's budget woes firsthand. You can't ignore them if you've been in one of the state's doctor training programs, constantly at risk of calamity. |
Biology news
 | Honeybees pick up 'astonishing' number of pesticides via non-crop plantsA Purdue University study shows that honeybees collect the vast majority of their pollen from plants other than crops, even in areas dominated by corn and soybeans, and that pollen is consistently contaminated with a host of agricultural and urban pesticides throughout the growing season. |
 | When it comes to claws, right-handed attracts the girlsA tiny marine crustacean with a great big claw has shown that not only does size matter, but left or right-handedness (or in this case, left or right-clawedness) is important too. |
 | What birds' attitudes to litter tell us about their ability to adaptUrban birds are less afraid of litter than their country cousins, according to a new study, which suggests they may learn that litter in cities is not dangerous. The research could help birds to adapt to urban settings better, helping them to survive increasing human encroachment on their habitats. |
 | Stick insects produce bacterial enzymes themselvesMany animals depend on their microbiome to digest their food. Symbiotic microorganisms produce enzymes their hosts cannot, and these work alone or together with the animals' own enzymes to break down their food. Many plant-feeding insects need microbial enzymes, such as pectinases, that degrade plant cell walls; yet some insects have overcome this dependency in a surprising way. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, found that stick insects make microbial enzymes themselves. From an ancestral gut microbe, the genes for the essential enzymes simply "jumped" as they are to their insect host. The researchers report this newly discovered "horizontal gene transfer" in a paper recently published in Scientific Reports. |
 | Male fiddler crabs produce female-luring vibrations in their burrowsThe vibrations and pulses that male fiddler crabs produce when they are trying to lure females into their burrows to mate are surprisingly informative. These signals serve as a type of "Morse code" that the females decipher to learn more about the size and stamina of their suitors. This is according to a study by Japanese researchers Fumio Takeshita of Nagasaki University and Minoru Murai of the University of the Ryukyu, published in Springer's journal The Science of Nature. |
 | RNA simulations boost understanding of retroviral diseasesNew molecular dynamics research into how RNA folds into hairpin-shaped structures called tetraloops could provide important insights into new treatments for retroviral diseases. |
 | 'Baby talk' can help songbirds learn their tunesAdult songbirds modify their vocalizations when singing to juveniles in the same way that humans alter their speech when talking to babies. The resulting brain activity in young birds could shed light on speech learning and certain developmental disorders in humans, according to a study by McGill University researchers. |
 | Researchers show nature conserves its most vital DNA by multitaskingIn evolutionary biology, the most vital genomic elements necessary for survival are typically those that are held on most dearly throughout the history of life on Earth. |
 | Crocodile safaris urged after Australia attackAn outspoken Australian politician Tuesday called for crocodile-shooting safaris to help control their numbers in the wild, after a woman was taken by one of the feared reptiles while swimming. |
 | How to live alongside flying foxes in urban AustraliaThe conflict between urbanites and wildlife recently developed a new battleground: the small coastal New South Wales town of Batemans Bay, where the exceptional flowering of spotted gums has attracted a huge influx of grey-headed flying foxes from across Australia's southeast. |
 | Bee populations expanded during global warming after the last Ice AgeThe Australian small carpenter bee populations appear to have dramatically flourished in the period of global warming following the last Ice Age some 18,000 years ago. |
New blood test for the detection of bovine TBA new blood test to detect Mycobacteria in blood has been developed by a team at The University of Nottingham led by Dr Cath Rees, an expert in microbiology in the School of Biosciences and Dr Ben Swift from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. | |
 | The mysterious sexual life of the most primitive dragonflyThe dragonfly considered the most primitive in the world lives in Australia and Tasmania, and was believed to be extinct four decades ago. But it is far from being so. A Spanish researcher has observed thousands of these insects in one of the few habitats in which it has been detected and it displays sexual behaviour that is unique, not only directed towards reproduction. |
 | Can the environment help control disease in Asian aquaculture?The University of Southampton is leading an international project to understand how the environment can help to control the risk of disease in fish and crustacean aquaculture in India and Bangladesh. |
How fisheries impact behavioural evolution in Atlantic codAs seen in other animal species, fish individuals tend to react differently to a new situation. In the case of human harvest, the boldest individuals are more likely to get caught, leaving only the fearful and cautious ones to breed. But does it mean that future generations of fish will become harder to catch? This is one of the questions the BE-FISH project tried to answer. | |
A multispecies approach to fish management in the North SeaAs fish overexploitation becomes more and more of a concern, stakeholders are constantly looking for novel resource management strategies and more accurate forecasting techniques. The GADCAP project has made an important contribution by test-driving the multispecies approach to fisheries management in the Flemish Cap. | |
 | Big CAT scan: LSU mascot Mike the Tiger in cancer treatmentCall it a big CAT scan. |
 | Sharing biodiversity data: Best tools and practices via project EU BONDue to the exponential growth of biodiversity information in recent years, the questions of how to mobilize such vast amounts of data has become more tangible than ever. Best practices for data sharing, data publishing, and involvement of scientific and citizen communities in data generation are the main topic of a recent report by the EU FP7 project Building the European Biodiversity Observation Network (EU BON), published in the innovative Research Ideas & Outcomes (RIO) journal. |
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