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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 16, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Scientists detect most distant signs of oxygen in the universeAstronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) detected a clear signal from oxygen in a galaxy located 13.1 billion light-years away from us. This is the most distant oxygen ever detected. Oxygen in this galaxy seems to be ionized by a number of young giant stars, and this detection is a key step to understand the enigmatic "cosmic reionization" in the early history of the Universe. These observations have opened a new window to probe the early Universe with ALMA. |
 | Desert telescope stakes out supermassive black holeFirst postulated more than 230 years ago, black holes have been extensively researched, frequently depicted, even featured in sci-fi films. |
 | Black holes and measuring gravitational wavesThe supermassive black holes found at the centre of every galaxy, including our own Milky Way, may, on average, be smaller than we thought, according to work led by University of Southampton astronomer Dr Francesco Shankar. |
 | NASA spacecraft barreling toward Jupiter for July 4 meetupA NASA spacecraft is bound for a Fourth of July encounter with Jupiter in the latest quest to study how the largest planet in the solar system formed and evolved. |
 | ExoMars sets sights on the Red PlanetExoMars captured its first images of Mars this week as part of its preparations for arriving at the Red Planet in October. |
 | A little help from friendsESA's first Mars orbiter will provide an important helping hand when the second arrives at the Red Planet in October. |
Delayed ExoMars mission gets 77-mln-euro boostThe second part of a delayed joint European-Russian mission to probe Mars for traces of life has received a crucial 77 million euros ($86 million) cash injection, the European Space Agency said Thursday. | |
 | Sweden's biggest contribution yet to the world's largest radio telescopeSweden's biggest contribution yet to the world's biggest radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), has passed a major milestone. An advanced - and beautiful - feed horn, developed at Chalmers University of Technology, has been delivered for testing in Canada. |
Pitt researcher's work headed to International Space StationRocky S. Tuan, Ph.D., has received a research grant from the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to continue his work on a 3D microphysiological system (MPS) to be conducted on board the International Space Station (ISS) to evaluate the accelerated aging and degeneration process of bones that occurs in space. | |
Technology news
 | Eye-tracking system uses ordinary cellphone cameraFor the past 40 years, eye-tracking technology—which can determine where in a visual scene people are directing their gaze—has been widely used in psychological experiments and marketing research, but it's required pricey hardware that has kept it from finding consumer applications. |
 | Nobody likes this reality show: A locked TV screen and ransomware demand(Tech Xplore)—A newer malware variant could affect smart TVs running on the Android operating system Softpedia's Catalin Cimpanu reported earlier this week. |
 | New 'GreenWeb' tools aim to create an energy-efficient webResearchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a new, open-source computer programming framework that could make the web significantly more energy efficient, allowing people to save more battery power while browsing on mobile devices. |
 | Huge FBI facial recognition database flawed: auditA facial recognition database compiled by the FBI has more than 400 million images to help criminal investigations, but lacks adequate safeguards for accuracy and privacy protection, a congressional audit shows. |
 | Neural network used to create realistic-looking 'photograph' from line drawn face(Tech Xplore)—A small team of researchers at Radboud University in the Netherlands has used neural networking technology to create a system capable of accepting a sketch of a human face and effectively converting it to one that looks like a photograph. In their paper uploaded to the preprint server arXiv, the team describes their approach, how well it worked and some applications they believe might benefit from its use. |
 | In Science essay, professor says FBI approach to investigations puts security at riskIn an essay to be published on June 17, 2016 in Science magazine Susan Landau, professor of cybersecurity policy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), argues that the FBI's recent and widely publicized efforts to compel Apple Computer to write software to unlock an iPhone used by a terrorist in California reflects an outdated approach to law enforcement that threatens to weaken the security of all smartphones, potentially putting the private information of millions of smartphone users at risk and undermining the growing use of smartphones as trusted authenticators for accessing online information. |
 | Nissan is working on bio-ethanol system for vehiclesNissan is developing a bio-ethanol fuel cell system. This is an auto industry first, said headlines. |
 | Olli, a 3D printed, self-driving minibus, to hit the road in USA new maker of self-driving vehicles burst onto the scene Thursday in partnership with IBM's supercomputer platform Watson, and it's ready to roll right now. |
 | Live-streaming of attacks a challenge for social mediaAs more gruesome crimes and attacks show up on live online video, social media platforms are facing new challenges on preventing the spread of gruesome and horrific content. |
 | Samsung to acquire US cloud service firm to boost softwareSamsung Electronics has agreed to buy a U.S. cloud service startup to boost its software and internet services. |
Chinese ride-hailing service raises $7.3 billionChinese ride-hailing service Didi Chuxing, the main local competitor for Uber Technologies Ltd., said Thursday it has raised $7.3 billion from investors, adding to intensifying rivalry in the market. | |
 | Video game makers finding their way in virtual worldsWizards duel and players transform into tribal warriors and fierce jaguars—welcome to the world of virtual reality at the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) video game industry gathering. |
 | Volkswagen to launch more electric cars after diesel scandalGerman automaker Volkswagen plans to ramp up its offerings of electric vehicles as it fights to bounce back from a scandal over diesel cars rigged to cheat on emissions tests. |
 | Gambling or skill? Fantasy sports fight for legitimacyA year ago, fantasy sports was rapidly building into a multi-billion dollar US business with huge global potential. Now it's fighting to survive amid objections that the industry is essentially unregulated gambling. |
New insights into California electricity crisis may help prevent future crisesBetween 2000 and 2001, California experienced the biggest electricity crisis in the U.S. since World War II. Exactly how it happened, however, is complex. New research now reveals insights into the market dynamics at play, potentially helping regulators standardize the market and prevent future crises. | |
Fuzzy logic helps detect redirection spamWeb browsers might soon use fuzzy logic to spot redirection spam and save users from being scammed, phished or opening malicious sites unwittingly, according to researchers in India writing in the International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics. | |
 | Story time: Researchers create 'human user manual' for robotsWith support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created an artificial intelligence software program named Quixote to teach robots to read stories, learn acceptable behavior and understand successful ways to conduct themselves in diverse social situations. |
ASML microchips to buy Taiwan's HMI for 2.7 bn eurosDutch computer chip maker and global hi-tech bellwether ASML announced Thursday it will buy Taiwanese chip inspection firm HMI in a multi-billion-euro deal, as it planned to speed up advanced microchip manufacturing. | |
Microsoft to work with cannabis compliance tech firm KindMicrosoft is dipping its toe in the legal marijuana business. | |
 | Facebook out to play at Electronic Entertainment ExpoFacebook has come a long way since early days when "Farmville" players reached out to one another for help tending virtual acreage. |
 | E3 interrupted after attendee injured on escalatorThe revelry at the Electronic Entertainment Expo temporarily paused Wednesday afternoon after an unidentified man suffered a seizure and fell down an escalator at the Los Angeles Convention Center. |
 | China's Midea tries to calm fears on bid for Germany's KukaChinese appliance maker Midea promised Thursday that German industrial robot maker Kuka will remain independent, seeking to allay fears about its takeover bid for the company. |
 | UK law firm faces payout over missing Trafigura compensationThousands of people due payouts over the dumping of toxic waste by oil-trading group Trafigura in Ivory Coast won their English High Court claim against their lawyers on Thursday, having never received their money. |
New index examines the American content of the 2016 vehicle line-upAmerican University's Kogod School of Business announced today the release of the 2016 Kogod Made in America Auto Index that provides consumers with a more accurate picture of the production process for the most popular vehicles on the road today. The Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia rank as the most American-made 2016 car models, according to the Index, developed by Kogod Professor Frank DuBois, an expert in global supply chain management. | |
Italy firms ink nearly 5 billion euro ship deal with QatarItalian ship-builder Fincantieri signed a 3.8 billion euro ($4.3 billion) contract Thursday with Qatar's navy to build seven ships as part of the biggest naval deal ever inked by aItalian firms. | |
Company linking restaurants, home delivery drivers to expandA southwest Louisiana company that links more than 500 Louisiana and Texas restaurants with drivers for home delivery plans to add 100 jobs at a technology operations center in south-central Lafayette. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Need to remember something? Exercise four hours laterA new study suggests an intriguing strategy to boost memory for what you've just learned: hit the gym four hours later. The findings reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on June 16 show that physical exercise after learning improves memory and memory traces, but only if the exercise is done in a specific time window and not immediately after learning. |
 | Map of teenage brain provides evidence of link between antisocial behavior and brain developmentThe brains of teenagers with serious antisocial behaviour problems differ significantly in structure to those of their peers, providing the clearest evidence to date that their behaviour stems from changes in brain development in early life, according to new research led by the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, in collaboration with the University of Rome "Tor Vergata" in Italy. |
 | Cancer-preventing protein finds its own way in our DNAGeneticists from KU Leuven, Belgium, have shown that tumour protein TP53 knows exactly where to bind to our DNA to prevent cancer. Once bound to this specific DNA sequence, the protein can activate the right genes to repair damaged cells. |
 | A single species of gut bacteria can reverse autism-related social behavior in miceThe absence of one specific species of gut bacteria causes social deficits in mice, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report June 16 in Cell. By adding this bacterial species back to the guts of affected mice, the researchers were able to reverse some of the mice's behavioral deficits, which are reminiscent of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in humans. The investigators are now looking to explore the effects of probiotics on neurodevelopmental disorders in future work. |
 | Impaired decision-making may contribute to motor symptoms in Parkinson's diseaseUCLA researchers have discovered that people with Parkinson's disease have a form of impaired decision-making that may be a major contributor to the movement problems that characterize the disease. The finding suggests that the neurological factors underlying Parkinson's, which currently affects nearly 1 million people in the United States, may be more complex than commonly believed. The study also could pave the way for strategies to detect Parkinson's earlier in its course. |
 | Pregnant women's high-fat, high-sugar diets may affect future generationsNew research suggests that mothers who eat high-fat, high-sugar diets can predispose multiple generations to metabolic problems, even if their offspring consume healthy diets. |
 | Lab-grown nerve cells make heart cells throbResearchers at Johns Hopkins report that a type of lab-grown human nerve cells can partner with heart muscle cells to stimulate contractions. Because the heart-thumping nerve cells were derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that in turn were made from human skin cells, the researchers believe the cells—known as sympathetic nerve cells—will be an aid in studying disorders that affect the nervous system—that is, scientists will be able to grow nerve cells in the lab that replicate particular patients' diseases. |
 | Summer session fruit fly data leads to promising new target in colorectal cancerIn summer 2011, University of Colorado Cancer Center investigators Joaquín Espinosa, PhD, and Matthew Galbraith, PhD, taught a summer symposium on gene expression at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island, New York. As part of the three-week course, one of their students, Joel Perrez-Perri from Dr. Pablo Wappner's lab at the Instituto Leloir in Buenos Aires, Argentina, presented data from experiments on fruit flies describing the role of the histone acetyl-transferase TIP60 (aka KAT5) in regulating the expression of genes controlled by a protein known as HIF1A. Now five years later, in summer 2016, studies resulting from this seemingly obscure finding have resulted in a paper published today in the high-impact journal Cell Reports showing the role of TIP60 in allowing human colorectal cancer cells to survive at the oxygen-poor centers of tumors. |
 | How fat becomes lethal—even without weight gainSugar in the form of blood glucose provides essential energy for cells. When its usual dietary source—carbohydrates—is scarce, the liver can produce it with the aid of fat. But new research from Johns Hopkins now adds to evidence that other tissues can step in to make glucose when the liver's ability is impaired, and that the breakdown of fats in the liver is essential to protect it from a lethal onslaught of fat. The new research findings, from studies in mice, are likely to help researchers better understand a growing class of often-deadly metabolic diseases, which affect how the body processes nutrients, the investigators say. |
 | Stinky or fragrant? Predicting changing odor preferencesPleasant and unpleasant odors are a part of everyone's life, but how do our reactions to smells change when other odors are present? To answer this question, researchers at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan have combined experimental and modeling approaches to reveal the process through which smell preference is computed in the brain. Published in Neuron, the work shows how the activity of neurons in the olfactory processing center of the Drosophila brain can be decoded to predict behavioral responses to odors, and reveals that the relative preference of odors can flip depending on the situation. |
 | Researchers discover mechanism for Rift Valley fever virus infectionViruses can't live without us—literally. As obligate parasites, viruses need a host cell to survive and grow. Scientists are exploiting this characteristic by developing therapeutics that close off pathways necessary for viral infection, essentially stopping pathogens in their tracks. |
 | Carrots and sticks fail to change behaviour in cocaine addictionPeople who are addicted to cocaine are particularly prone to developing habits that render their behaviour resistant to change, regardless of the potentially devastating consequences, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge. The findings may have important implications for the treatment of cocaine addiction as they help explain why such individuals take drugs even when they are aware of the negative consequences, and why they find their behaviour so difficult to change. |
Pre and post testing show reversal of memory loss from Alzheimer's disease in 10 patientsResults from quantitative MRI and neuropsychological testing show unprecedented improvements in ten patients with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) or its precursors following treatment with a programmatic and personalized therapy. Results from an approach dubbed metabolic enhancement for neurodegeneration are now available online in the journal Aging. | |
 | Women's long work hours linked to alarming increases in cancer, heart diseaseWomen who put in long hours for the bulk of their careers may pay a steep price: life-threatening illnesses, including heart disease and cancer. |
 | Japanese city offering public funds to freeze women's eggs (Update)A Tokyo suburb will help women cover the cost of freezing their eggs in a pilot program aimed at countering Japan's declining birth rate. |
Absent investments, 200 million children may not reach their potential, experts sayThirty-one academic experts in children's health argue that absent urgent action by international aid agencies, 200 million children around the world could sustain serious, lifelong cognitive impairment. The National Academy of Medicine Perspective article makes the case that global policy lags behind the science of brain health, and children must be given the opportunity not just to survive, but thrive. | |
 | 'Disease outbreak guarantees'—A proposed mechanism for enhancing public health capacityWhat if private companies could obtain some coverage to protect their foreign investments in developing countries against crippling infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola? |
Extent of resection associated with likelihood of survival in glioblastomaThe extent of resection in patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive and often fatal brain tumor, was associated with the likelihood of survival and disease progression, according to a new study published online by JAMA Oncology. | |
 | Cerebral microbleeds in MS are associated with increased risk for disabilityLeaky blood vessels in the brain called cerebral microbleeds are associated with an increased risk of physical and cognitive disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study by researchers in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. |
 | Changed gut bug mix linked to C-section, antibiotics, formula lasts through baby's first yearBirth by C-section, exposure to antibiotics and formula feeding slow the development and decrease the diversity of a baby's microbes through the first year of life. That is the finding of a study led by researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center and published June 15 in the journal Science Translational Medicine. |
 | African subterranean animal exhibits 'extraordinary' cancer resistanceNaked mole-rats (NMR) are the longest-living rodent species and exhibit 'extraordinary' resistance to cancer. Mole-rats live up to 30 years, 10 times longer than mice, and captured colonies almost never show any type of cancer. Understanding these animals' anti-cancer mechanisms may help advance human treatment in the future, according to a collaborative research team from Hokkaido University and Keio University in Japan. |
 | '7-day GPs' cut weekend emergency visits by 18 percent, study findsThe UK Government's pilot of seven-day opening of doctor surgeries has significantly reduced weekend emergency hospital visits, hospital admissions and ambulance call-outs, new University of Sussex research has found. |
 | Cause of heart arrhythmia in adult muscular dystrophy clarifiedAn international joint research group found that the cause of heart arrhythmia in myotonic dystrophy was RNA abnormalities in the sodium channel in the heart, clarifying the symptom's mechanism. This finding will be helpful in prevention and early intervention of death in this disease, leading to the development of new treatment. |
 | Radical approach for parents with learning disabilities developedResearchers from the University of Bristol have contributed to the development of a radical new approach to supporting parents with learning disabilities. |
 | Learning at an advanced age makes the brain fit but age-related brain changes cannot be undoneAs a person ages, perception declines, accompanied by augmented brain activity. Learning and training may ameliorate age-related degradation of perception, but age-related brain changes cannot be undone. Rather, brain activity is enhanced even further, but for other reasons and with different outcomes. Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum discovered these facts in a recent study, the results of which have now been published in Scientific Reports. |
 | Device for irregular heartbeat may be more cost-effective than medicationA new study by a Yale researcher may support the use of a device for patients suffering from irregular heart rhythms. |
Football performance impaired by mental fatigueProfessional footballers and their coaches often complain about the mental fatigue induced by the stress of frequent matches. | |
 | Vitamin D may not be the great solution to health problemsAs Canadians prepare for long summer days in the sun, a new publication is shedding light on the suggested medical benefits of a nutrient that comes with the sun's rays: vitamin D. |
 | Exercise can help adults better cope with ADHD symptomsExercise, even a small amount, can help alleviate symptoms of ADHD in adults, according to a new study by University of Georgia researchers. |
Researchers discover an early warning sign of transplant rejectionA new study published today in the journal Blood has identified a protein that could diagnose chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD), a serious, long-term complication that affects some patients after a blood and bone marrow transplant. The work was led by researchers in the Michael Cuccione Childhood Cancer Research Program at BC Children's Hospital and the University of British Columbia. | |
 | Unlocking secrets of the immune system could help combat colitisResearchers have unlocked secrets of our ancient immune system, a major scientific advance which could help scientists and clinicians in the global fight against disease. |
 | Mosquito saliva increases disease severity following dengue virus infectionInsects transmit diseases when, probing for blood vessels, they inject saliva together with viral, bacterial, or parasitic pathogens into the skin of mammalian hosts. A study in mice published on June 16, 2016 in PLOS Pathogens suggests a critical role of mosquito saliva in the outcome of dengue virus infection. |
 | Cholera vaccine study in Haiti suggests problems with current booster regimenCholera outbreaks are on the rise. To prevent and control them, three oral cholera vaccines are currently approved by WHO. A study published in PLOS NTDs examining the immune response to one of them in Haitian adults finds that while the first vaccine round elicits a strong cholera-specific response in the mucosa (the first point of contact with the cholera pathogen), the booster dose after 2 weeks does not appear to stimulate the immune system further. |
 | Overweight adolescent men more likely to develop severe liver disease later in lifeThe first study that shows that overweight in late adolescence in men is a significant risk factor for developing severe liver disease later in life has been published in the Journal of Hepatology. Contributing to the strength of this research are the large group of men studied (close to 45,000), very long follow-up time (nearly 40 years), and the high percentage of individuals who remained in the study (1% loss to follow-up). |
 | Natural molecule shows benefit in a preliminary clinical trial for Parkinson's DiseaseThe natural molecule, n-acetylcysteine (NAC), with strong antioxidant effects, shows potential benefit as part of the management for patients with Parkinson's disease, according to a study published today in the journal PLOS ONE. |
Having a relative with epilepsy may increase your risk of being diagnosed with autismHaving a first-degree relative with epilepsy may increase a person's risk of being diagnosed with autism, according to a study published in the June 15, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. | |
Statin drugs reduce infection risk in stroke patientsA Washington State University researcher has found that statin drugs can dramatically lower the risk of infections in stroke patients. | |
 | Philadelphia becomes 1st major American city with soda taxPhiladelphia became the first major American city with a soda tax on Thursday despite a multimillion-dollar campaign by the beverage industry to block it. |
 | CDC: 3 babies with Zika-linked birth defects born in USThree babies with Zika-linked birth defects have been born in the U.S., the government reported Thursday in its first accounting of outcomes for pregnant women infected with the virus. |
 | Electric fields weaker in slow-healing diabetic woundsPeople with diabetes often suffer from wounds that are slow to heal and can lead to ulcers, gangrene and amputation. New research from an international group led by Min Zhao, professor of ophthalmology and of dermatology at the University of California, Davis, shows that, in animal models of diabetes, slow healing is associated with weaker electrical currents in wounds. The results could ultimately open up new approaches for managing diabetic patients. |
 | Baby your baby with sunscreen(HealthDay)—Be sure your summer plans include a big dose of sun protection for your baby's thinner and more delicate skin, a pediatrician recommends. |
 | Easing your child's allergies(HealthDay)—Up to 40 percent of children in the United States have nasal allergies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. |
 | For better heart care, get a pharmacist on your team(HealthDay)—People with poorly controlled risk factors for heart disease could cut their chances of future trouble by having pharmacists help manage their care, new Canadian research suggests. |
 | One in 13 young adults in U.S. considered suicide in past year(HealthDay)—About one in 13 young adults in the United States had serious thoughts of suicide in 2013-2014, federal officials reported Thursday. |
 | Single working moms carry a heart burden(HealthDay)—Single working moms, who are often pressed for time and money, may have to worry about their heart health, too. |
 | Painkiller that killed Prince part of dangerous wave of new synthetic drugs(HealthDay)—The recent overdose death of rock legend Prince has brought renewed focus on the dangers posed by synthetic opioids—laboratory-created narcotics tweaked by chemists to produce potentially lethal highs while skirting U.S. drug laws. |
 | Boost minimum wage and babies benefit: study(HealthDay)—Raising the minimum hourly wage in every state by as little as $1 above the federal level might lead to fewer infant deaths and cases of low birth weight babies, a new study suggests. |
 | Implantable ultrasound device augments chemo in glioblastoma(HealthDay)—An implantable ultrasound device (SonoCloud) appears to enhance chemotherapy treatment in glioblastoma, according to research published online June 15 in Science Translational Medicine. |
 | Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate can cut HBV transmission(HealthDay)—Use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) during pregnancy can reduce the rate of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV), according to a study published in the June 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Genetic data help ID risk of future impaired fasting glucose(HealthDay)—The addition of genetic risk variant data to conventional childhood risk factors improves risk assessment of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and type 2 diabetes in adulthood, according to a study published online June 13 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Prices for care rise significantly as multi-hospital systems emerge(HealthDay)—Hospital prices in California increased substantially from 2004 to 2013, with a larger increase in hospitals that are members of multi-hospital systems, according to a study published online June 9 in Inquiry. |
 | Increased prevalence of HPV for men with phimosis(HealthDay)—Men with phimosis have increased prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and high-risk HPV genotypes compared with asymptomatic men, according to a study published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology. |
 | Tasquinimod improves radiographic PFS in mCRPC(HealthDay)—For chemotherapy-naive men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), tasquinimod is associated with improved radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), according to a phase III study published online June 13 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. |
 | Most websites, apps not accurate for predicting fertile window(HealthDay)—Most fertility websites and applications (apps) are not accurate for predicting the fertile window, according to a study published in the July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. |
 | Innovative device allows 3-D imaging of the breast with less radiationPreliminary tests have demonstrated that a new device may enable existing breast cancer imagers to provide up to six times better contrast of tumors in the breast, while maintaining the same or better image quality and halving the radiation dose to patients. The advance is made possible by a new device developed for 3D imaging of the breast by researchers at the Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Dilon Technologies and the University of Florida Department of Biomedical Engineering. |
California county health programs yield high returnsReturn on investment in county public health departments in California exceeds return on investment in many other areas of medical care, according to a new study by a University of California, Berkeley economist. | |
 | Dull and dirty: Your workplace could affect brain functionA new study by a Florida State University researcher shows that both a lack of stimulation in the workplace and a dirty working environment can have a long-term cognitive effect on employees. |
 | Scientists create 'guided chemotherapy missiles' that target cancer cells and spare healthy onesThere's a good, bad and ugly to cancer chemotherapy. The good is that the drugs do often effectively kill cancer cells. The bad is that the drugs also damage other quickly dividing cells in the body, causing side effects ranging from cosmetic, like hair loss, to disabling. |
French court orders doctors to rule in right-to-die caseA French court ordered doctors Thursday to decide whether a patient in a vegetative state should be allowed to die after years of legal battles that have torn his family apart. | |
Identification of an adrenaline receptor mutation in a family with atypical lipodystrophyLipodystrophy syndromes are characterized by an abnormal distribution of adipose tissue and metabolic dysfunction. These disorders are rare and the underlying genetic abnormalities that lead to altered fat distribution are not fully known. | |
Receptor variation influences fingolimod efficacy in mouse multiple sclerosis modelsMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder that results in demyelination of neurons. The FDA-approved drug fingolimod (Gilenya, FTY-720) modulates signaling by the bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), which is linked to MS pathogenesis. Fingolimod treatment reduces relapse rates and neurologic disability in many individuals with MS; however, the drug is less effective in some patients. | |
African-American lupus patient immune cell characteristics may increase disease severitySystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs. SLE severity is highly variable, and this variability is known to be partially dependent on ancestral background. Notably, African Americans are at a higher risk of developing SLE and suffer from a more severe form of the disease compared with European Americans. | |
Combined radiotherapy and immunotherapy improve efficacy in a murine lung cancer modelRadiation therapy is commonly used to reduce tumor size and improve symptoms of non-small cell lung cancer. While initially beneficial, many patients will eventually relapse with metastatic tumors. Last year, two immunotherapies that improve anti-tumor T cell responses by inhibiting the PD-1 pathway were approved for non-small cell lung carcinoma. However, it is not yet known if combining immunotherapy with traditional radiation therapy will improve outcome for lung cancer patients. | |
CSEP announces new Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for children and youthThe Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) announces the world's first 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth (5-17 years) released today in the 2016 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour and Sleep are the first evidence-based guidelines to address the whole day. The academic papers that explain the novel approach to the new guidelines are available today in a special supplementary issue of CSEP's official journal, Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism (APNM) published by Canadian Science Publishing. | |
 | Does inflammation contribute to premenstrual symptoms?Women with premenstrual symptoms (PMS) including mood swings, weight gain/bloating, and abdominal cramps/back pain have elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Establishing a link between inflammation and PMS would have important implications for treatment and prevention using anti-inflammatory agents and for cardiovascular disease risk reduction, according to an article in Journal of Women's Health. |
 | ClinicalTrials.gov vs. Drugs@FDA: A comparison of results reporting for new drug trialsPharmaceutical companies and other sponsors of clinical drug trials are required to report results to ClinicalTrials.gov, a registry run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It's the largest clinical trials database, currently holding registrations from about 200,000 trials. Researchers Lisa Schwartz and Steven Woloshin from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice recently worked with researchers from the NLM to compare the validity of sponsor-submitted results posted on ClinicalTrials.gov with corresponding information on Drugs@FDA. The latter is a searchable and publicly accessible catalogue of FDA-approved prescription and over-the-counter drugs. |
Mechanisms, therapeutic targets of microRNA-associated chemoresistance in epithelial ovarian cancerEpithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal disease among gynecologic malignancies. Patients with an advanced disease often relapse due to the development of chemoresistance. Chemotherapy failure is a consequence of acquired drug resistance which may potentially be due to multiple mechanisms including miRNA-mediated gene regulation. | |
Certain factors affect vitamin D levels in children with chronic kidney diseaseResearchers have identified certain modifiable and non-modifiable factors associated with vitamin D deficiency in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), could help physicians protect the health of these young patients. | |
 | In human clinical trial, UAB to test diet's effect on ovarian cancer patientsNew research conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has shown that a particular type of diet could help women with ovarian cancer to lose weight and improve their quality of life and cancer-related measures. |
Biology news
 | Research may point to new ways to deliver drugs into bacteriaAn exhaustive look at how bacteria hold their ground and avoid getting pushed around by their environment shows how dozens of genes aid the essential job of protecting cells from popping when tensions run high. |
New procedure allows long-term culturing of adult stem cellsA new procedure developed at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) may revolutionize the culturing of adult stem cells. In their report that has been published online prior to its appearance in the August 6 issue of Cell Stem Cell, the team describes generating and expanding airway stem cells from the sorts of tissue samples collected during routine treatment of lung disorders. The overall approach appears applicable to several other tissue types, including skin and the linings of the gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts. | |
 | Life as we know it most likely arose via 'long, slow dance'The first eukaryote is thought to have arisen when simpler archaea and bacteria joined forces. But in an Opinion paper published June 16 in Trends in Cell Biology, researchers propose that new genomic evidence derived from a deep-sea vent on the ocean floor suggests that the molecular machinery essential to eukaryotic life was probably borrowed, little by little over time, from those simpler ancestors. |
 | Survival of the fittest sperm: How new technology may help infertile couplesThe competition is fierce and only the strongest survive the obstacle course within the female reproductive tract. Of the millions of sperm that enter the vagina, only about 10 or so make it to the oocyte or egg, demonstrating how rigorous the natural sperm selection process really is. So how is it possible to select only the best sperm for assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization? That's what a researcher at Florida Atlantic University is aiming to do with his microfluidic technology for reproductive medicine. |
 | Color vision helps birds find good food and the right partnerThe researchers have established that chickens - just like people - have colour constancy. For birds, this means that they, in different environments and under different lighting conditions, recognise the colour of, for instance, berries and can thereby distinguish those that are ripe from those that are not. Without colour constancy, they would not be able to rely on their colour vision - they would simply see the berries in different colours as the light changed. They would certainly also not be able to recognise their own kind of species. |
 | Fishing gaps called malnutrition threatThe world won't be able to fish its way to feeding 10 billion people by mid-century, but a shift in management practices could save hundreds of millions of fish-dependent poor from malnutrition, according to an analysis led by Harvard researchers. |
 | Pitch range produced by vocal cordsPicture a singer, accompanied by a grand piano. As the singer's voice dances through multiple octaves of range, the pianist's fingers trip from one end of the keyboard to the other. Both the singer's voice and the piano are dynamic instruments. But while the piano creates its music using the vibration of 88 strings, the singer uses only two. |
 | Dolphins to get coastal sanctuary in USAfter years of research on dolphin behavior and under pressure from animal rights groups, the National Aquarium in Baltimore has decided to move the marine mammals to a sanctuary, officials said Wednesday. |
 | Artists, scientists urge North America to save Monarch butterflySome 200 intellectuals, scientists and artists from around the world urged the leaders of Mexico, the United States and Canada on Wednesday to save North America's endangered migratory Monarch butterfly. |
 | Dozens of pilot whales stranded in Indonesia, eight deadEight pilot whales have died after a mass stranding on the coast of Indonesia's main island of Java that sparked a major rescue operation, an official said Thursday. |
 | Researchers discover three new species of fish off HawaiiResearchers in Hawaii have discovered three probable new species of fish while on an expedition in the protected waters of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. |
 | Genetic mutation causes ataxia in humans and dogsCerebellar ataxia is a condition of the cerebellum that causes an inability to coordinate muscle movements. A study publishing June 16 in Cell Reports now describes a new genetic mutation as an additional cause of ataxia in humans and mice. The mutation, in the gene CAPN1, affects the function of the enzyme calpain-1 and causes abnormal brain development. The same genetic mutation is also associated with ataxia in Parson Russell Terrier dogs. |
 | Personalised medicine will employ computer algorithmsScientists from ITMO University, the Federal Research and Clinical Centre of Physical-Chemical Medicine and MIPT have developed a software program that quickly compares sets of DNA of microorganisms living in different environments. Using the algorithm to compare the microflora of a healthy person with the microflora of a patient, specialists could detect previously unknown pathogens and their strains, which can aid the development of personalized medicine. The results of the study have been published in Bioinformatics. |
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