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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 28, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Hot, rocky planets may change their composition if rock components vaporize in steam atmospheres that escape to spaceThe media often imply that the goal of the hunt for extrasolar planets is to find a rocky planet about the size of Earth orbiting a star like the sun at a distance that would allow liquid water to persist on its surface. In other words, the goal is to find Earth 2.0. |
 | Clandestine black hole may represent new populationAstronomers have combined data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope and the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to conclude that a peculiar source of radio waves thought to be a distant galaxy is actually a nearby binary star system containing a low-mass star and a black hole. This identification suggests there may be a vast number of black holes in our Galaxy that have gone unnoticed until now. |
 | Minor mergers are major drivers of star formationAround half of the star formation in the local Universe arises from minor mergers between galaxies, according to data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The patch of sky called Stripe 82 is observed repeatedly to produce high-quality images of spiral galaxies. Disruptions to the shapes of these galaxies, caused by interactions with their smallest neighbours, pointed to increased star formation in a study being presented at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Nottingham. |
 | Astronomers release spectacular survey of the distant UniverseAstronomers today (28 June) released spectacular new infrared images of the distant Universe, providing the deepest view ever obtained over a large area of sky. The team, led by Prof Omar Almaini, present their results at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Nottingham. |
 | Meet RobERt, the dreaming detective for exoplanet atmospheresMachine-learning techniques that mimic human recognition and dreaming processes are being deployed in the search for habitable worlds beyond our solar system. A deep belief neural network, called RobERt (Robotic Exoplanet Recognition), has been developed by astronomers at UCL to sift through detections of light emanating from distant planetary systems and retrieve spectral information about the gases present in the exoplanet atmospheres. RobERt will be presented at the National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) 2016 in Nottingham by Dr Ingo Waldmann on Tuesday 28th June. |
 | Opal discovered in Antarctic meteoritePlanetary scientists have discovered pieces of opal in a meteorite found in Antarctica, a result that demonstrates that meteorites delivered water ice to asteroids early in the history of the solar system. Led by Professor Hilary Downes of Birkbeck College London, the team announce their results at the National Astronomy Meeting in Nottingham on Monday 27 June. |
 | CR7 is not alone—A team of super bright galaxies in the early universeAstronomers have identified a family of incredible galaxies that could shed further light on the transformation of the early Universe known as the 'epoch of reionisation'. Dr David Sobral of Lancaster University will present their results on Monday 27 June at the National Astronomy Meeting in Nottingham. |
 | Hubble reveals stellar fireworks in 'skyrocket' galaxyFireworks shows are not just confined to Earth's skies. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a spectacular fireworks display in a small, nearby galaxy, which resembles a July 4th skyrocket. |
 | Image: Testing Schiaparelli's parachuteThis is a test version of the parachute that will slow the Schiaparelli entry, descent and landing module as they plummet through the Martian atmosphere on 19 October. |
 | Image: Juno captures Jovian approachNASA's Juno spacecraft obtained this color view on June 21, 2016, at a distance of 6.8 million miles (10.9 million kilometers) from Jupiter. Juno will arrive at Jupiter on July 4. |
 | Drones to keep tabs on light pollutionAstronomers at Nottingham Trent University have developed a light, low cost system, deployable on a drone, that could help everyone monitor and control light pollution. The team, led by undergraduate student Ashley Fuller, present their work at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Nottingham. |
 | Returned samples of asteroid Itokawa show violent 4.5 billion year historyIn 2003, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the Hayabusa probe. Its mission was to rendezvous with asteroid 25143 Itokawa in 2005. Once there, it studied a number of things about Itokawa, including its shape, topography, composition, colour, spin, density, and history. But the most exciting part of its mission was to collect samples from the asteroid and return them to Earth. |
 | Rotating ring of complex organic molecules discovered around newborn starResearchers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have discovered a rotating ring containing large organic molecules around a protostar. This observation definitively shows that organic materials formed in interstellar space are brought into the planet-forming region. Researchers also found that the molecular species brought into the planet-forming region vary from one protostar to another. Chemical composition is a new way to answer the long-standing question of whether or not the Solar System is a typical example of a planetary system. |
 | NASA tests deep space rocket booster ahead of 2018 missionNASA on Tuesday performed its second and last test-fire of a rocket booster for the Space Launch System (SLS), a powerful engine that may one day launch astronauts to Mars, the US space agency said. |
 | Booster rocket fires in key NASA test for Mars missionsNASA's fireworks came early this year with a successful rocket test in Utah. |
Paul Allen's giant plane takes shape in the desert, but its market is unclearIn the high Mojave Desert, the airframe of Paul Allen's giant, mysterious plane for carrying rockets into space is approaching completion. | |
 | Gravitational physics poised for new era of discoveryThe recent detection of gravitational waves from the collision of two black holes signals a new era in gravitational wave astrophysics that will allow probing of the Universe in never before known ways, writes a Montana State University physicist in a recent scholarly paper. |
New database of molecular line lists lifts the veil on the composition of exoplanet atmospheresNow that scientists have identified a very high number of exoplanets, the next step—and probably the most exciting one—will consist in shortlisting actual Earth-like planets. Doing this requires an enormous quantity of spectroscopic data which the EXOMOL project just so happens to have compiled in a single database. | |
 | Dutch radio antenna to depart for the moon on Chinese missionResearchers at Radboud University, ASTRON and the Delft company Innovative Solutions in Space (ISIS) are to develop a new instrument that will be onboard the Chinese Chang'e4 satellite that will be placed in an orbit behind the moon in 2018. With the instrument, astronomers want to measure radio waves from the stars and galaxies that were formed directly after the Big Bang. |
Technology news
 | Cozmo is little in size, bigger in brains and social skills(Tech Xplore)—Coolest toy since Furby? That was the headline of a tech site on Monday. Reviews Editor Alex Cranz, Gizmodo,was looking at the new Cozmo, a tiny robot that fits in the palm of your hand. Cranz called it "one of the coolest leaps in toy technology since baby dolls starting soiling their own diapers." |
 | Technology turns wasted heat into powerResearchers at Yale have developed a new technology that could make energy from the low-temperature wasted heat produced by industrial sources and power plants, tapping into a widely available—and mostly unused—resource. |
 | Video privacy software lets you select what others can seeCamera-equipped smartphones, laptops and other devices make it possible to share ideas and images with anyone, anywhere, often in real-time. But in our cameras-everywhere culture, the risk of accidentally leaking sensitive information is growing. |
 | Engineers create a soft motor that could power versatile soft robotsA small, squishy vehicle equipped with soft wheels rolls over rough terrain and runs under water. |
 | Google offers new way for users to manage ads, personal dataGoogle is trying to make it easier for you to manage the vast pool of information that it collects about your online activities across phones, computers and other devices. |
US Navy turns to cloud technology to reduce drunken drivingAn American sailor has tapped a cloud-based technology for mobile phones to make it easier to have volunteers take turns driving drunk friends home, an initiative that has curtailed drunken driving among the Navy ranks. | |
 | Volkswagen reaches $14.7B emissions settlementVolkswagen diesel owners can choose to either sell their car back to the company or get a repair that could diminish the vehicle's performance under a settlement of claims tied to the German automaker's emissions-cheating scandal. |
 | California land regulators to weigh end of nuclear powerCalifornia regulators are expected to decide Tuesday whether to drop their longstanding environmental objections to the state's last nuclear power plant in return for its promised early closing. |
 | First made-in-China jetliner makes debut commercial flightThe first regional jet produced in China's initiative to compete in the commercial aircraft market made its debut flight Tuesday carrying 70 passengers. |
 | Turn your smartphone into any kind of sensorIt started when NASA answered a call for a tool to detect dangerous gases and chemicals with a smartphone. The result became a smartphone-linked device that can do, well, just about anything someone can build a sensor for. |
Airbnb sues over registration of San Francisco homesHome sharing site Airbnb is suing San Francisco over a new law requiring that anyone who offers their home through the rental site first register the dwelling with the city. | |
 | 'Avatar' mobile game landing ahead of film sequelsBefore moviegoers return to Pandora, they'll be able visit the exotic alien world from "Avatar" on their smartphones. |
 | Fiat Chrysler gearshift probe finds 266 crashes, 68 injuriesA government investigation into confusing gear shifters like the one in the SUV that crushed and killed Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin found 266 crashes that injured 68 people. |
 | Thorny technical questions remain for net neutralityFederal rules mandating network neutrality – the concept that all internet traffic should be treated equally – were upheld recently by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The decision was hailed as a win by civil-rights groups, entrepreneurs and tech giants like Google, as well as the Obama administration itself, which had proposed the rules in the first place. Under them, internet service provider companies are prevented from giving speed boosts (or delays) to traffic of certain types or from certain sites. |
 | Energy-efficient security mechanisms for digital currencyIT experts at Ruhr-Universität Bochum have developed a new cryptographic puzzle that might one day be used as a security mechanism for digital currency such as bitcoin. It consumes significantly less energy than the method used to date. The science magazine Rubin reports about their results. |
 | Forget Iron Man—skintight suits are the future of robotic exoskeletonsChildren with a rare neurological disease were recently given the chance to walk for the first time thanks to a new robotic exoskeleton. These devices – which are essentially robotic suits that give artificial movement to a user's limbs – are set to become an increasingly common way of helping people who've lost the use of their legs to walk. But while today's exoskeletons are mostly clumsy, heavy devices, new technology could make them much easier and more natural to use by creating a robotic skin. |
 | The future of the Internet is at risk say global web expertsGlobal web experts, including Professor Dame Wendy Hall from the University of Southampton, have warned that the future of the Internet is at a crossroads and we must act quickly to safeguard its future. |
 | Google faces new EU anti-trust charges: sourcesGoogle faces fresh EU anti-competition charges, this time targeting the search engine giant's advertising business, sources close to the matter told AFP on Tuesday. |
 | Engineers to use cyborg insects as biorobotic sensing machinesA team of engineers from Washington University in St. Louis is looking to capitalize on the sense of smell in locusts to create new biorobotic sensing systems that could be used in homeland security applications. |
 | Google brings Earth into better focusGoogle's free online mapping service is bringing the world into better focus with an updated version of Earth that takes advantage of photos from a US Landsat 8 satellite. |
 | New framework uses patterns to predict terrorist behaviorGovernment agencies are having difficulty tracking potential terrorist attacks, since terrorists have developed new ways to communicate besides social media. A new framework developed by researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York is able to predict future terrorist attacks by recognizing patterns in past attacks. |
Hulu's dance with brandsCar commercials are the kind of thing that Mindy Lahiri, the titular character on "The Mindy Project," might impatiently fast-forward through or ignore while watching a bad reality-TV show. The Hulu comedy offered an alternative earlier this month for viewers of the latter mindset. | |
 | New data replication method for disaster-resilient information platformsResearchers have developed a way to protect data and enable information services to continue working in disaster-affected areas, even when there is a network disruption over a wide area preventing access to remotely located back-ups. |
 | Nestle taps new CEO with health care industry backgroundNestle has selected health care executive Ulf Mark Schneider as its new CEO, the first chief executive brought in from outside the company since 1922 as the food and drinks giant seeks to evolve into a nutrition, health and wellness business. |
Project proposing to move security applications from device to network nodesThe rapid rise of mobile devices has left many security gaps in its wake—with sources of concern including operating systems with flaws, configuration issues, vulnerable apps and public networks. All in all, it is estimated that 75 % or more mobile apps would fail basic security tests. OS vulnerabilities, on the other hand, are more than doubling each year. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | New research shows vaccine protection against Zika virusThe rapid development of a safe and effective vaccine to prevent the Zika virus (ZIKV) is a global priority, as infection in pregnant women has been shown to lead to fetal microcephaly and other major birth defects. The World Health Organization declared the Zika virus epidemic a global public health emergency on February 1, 2016. |
 | Gene signature in ovarian cancer predicts survival and offers new drug targetA new UK study has identified a gene signature that predicts poor survival from ovarian cancer. The study also identified genes which help the cancer develop resistance to chemotherapy - offering a new route to help tackle the disease. |
 | New technology could deliver drugs to brain injuriesA new study led by scientists at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) describes a technology that could lead to new therapeutics for traumatic brain injuries. The discovery, published today in Nature Communications, provides a means of homing drugs or nanoparticles to injured areas of the brain. |
 | Researchers find human development's first gearOxford University researchers are closer to solving a decade-old mystery after discovering that a set of genes they are studying play a key role in early human development. |
 | New electric mesh device gives the heart an electromechanical hugA research team led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Seoul National University has developed a new electric mesh device that can be wrapped around the heart to deliver electrical impulses and thereby improve cardiac function in experimental models of heart failure, a major public health concern and leading cause of mortality and disability. |
 | Scientists stabilize HIV structure, design potential AIDS vaccine candidatesWant to catch a criminal? Show a mugshot on the news. Want to stop HIV infections? Get the immune system to recognize and attack the virus's tell-tale structure. |
 | Threshold for pre-emptive surgery to curb ovarian cancer risk should be halvedThe current threshold for pre-emptive surgery to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes of women aged 40+ at high risk of developing ovarian cancer should be halved, concludes research published online in the Journal of Medical Genetics. |
 | Stem cell therapy as a potential treatment for severe burns patientsScientists have discovered a new way to potentially treat muscle regeneration in patients with severe burns according to a study published today in The Journal of Physiology. |
Programs to thwart prescription drug misuse exist, not always usedMisuse of prescription pain medications remains a major public health problem—but programs to prevent it may be underused, according to a study in the July issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. | |
 | Autologous adipose-derived stromal cells may ease knee OA(HealthDay)—For patients with knee osteoarthritis, a single intra-articular injection of autologous adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) can reduce pain and inflammation, according to research published online May 23 in Stem Cells Translational Medicine. |
People in hotter, poorer neighborhoods at higher risk of death during extreme heatIn Vancouver, heat exposure and social vulnerability can be a lethal combination. | |
 | Second US patient identified with super-resistant bacteriaA second US patient has been infected with a superbug that is highly resistant to last-resort antibiotics, scientists said Monday. |
 | US medical schools expand training to curb painkiller abuseAt first, the woman tried to hide her painkiller problem. She told the doctor that she still had pain from her past pregnancy, and that she just wanted a refill on her pain medication. |
PepsiCo brings back aspartame as diet cola sales fizzlePepsiCo said Monday it is putting aspartame back into some diet beverages in the United States, just a year after pulling the artificial sweetener from its products over consumer concerns about safety. | |
Five new confirmed microcephaly cases in Colombia may be harbingers of epidemicJust when it seemed that missing cases of microcephaly in Colombia were straining the credibility of the Zika virus' connection to the birth defects, the latest report from Colombia includes five new cases of microcephaly with Zika infections. | |
 | New app designed to make students more streetwise about their healthA new app called 'ESC Student' will be launched at the Student Health Association Conference in Leeds today [27 June] as part of a wider campaign to help improve student health and increase health literacy among young people. |
 | E-cigarette vapors could be toxic to mouth, study findsA new UCLA study suggests that e-cigarettes may not be significantly safer than tobacco cigarettes. The research, which was conducted on cultured cells, found that e-cigarettes contain toxic substances and nanoparticles that could kill the top layer of skin cells in the oral cavity. Based on their findings, the researchers believe that similar results could happen in a human study and that e-cigarettes could increase users' risk for oral disease. |
 | Special properties of pneumococci affect their ability to cause meningitisStructures on the surface of pneumococci determine the ability of these bacteria to enter the brain and cause severe infections, according to a paper published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation by researchers at Karolinska Institutet. Their findings suggest that certain pneumococci that are small in size, and which have a special protein on their surface, can more easily pass through the blood-brain barrier and cause meningitis that may be lethal. |
Some women with PCOS may have adrenal disorder, researchers suggestA subgroup of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a leading cause of infertility, may produce excess adrenal hormones, according to an early study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. | |
 | Steroid receptor crosstalk informs therapies for breast cancer treatmentOne of the first clues pathologists look for in tissue from a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient is the estrogen receptor, a nuclear protein that converts hormonal messages in the bloodstream into instructions for the cell about how to behave. They also look for the presence of progesterone receptors, primarily to confirm that the estrogen receptor is active. |
Keeping the heart's electrical system runningA drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of blocked electrical impulses to the heart and could be an effective treatment for certain types of heart disease known as conduction disease, in which the progression of electrical impulses through the heart is impeded, according to researchers at UCSF and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). | |
 | Why having thoughts that aren't yours doesn't make you delusionalAny thought that occurs within our minds is undoubtedly our own thought – and when we say, "I think", there will be absolutely no mistake about the "I" to which we refer. In fact, only very few of us would even question whether we are thinking our own thoughts, and those who do are most likely pursuing a philosophical enquiry rather than physically questioning the nature of one's thinking. Isn't "I think, therefore I am" the most basic of all prerequisites for one's existence? |
Relapse of leukemia after bone marrow transplantation—cytomegalovirus infection has no protective effectRecent studies on a small number of patients with leukemia treated with bone marrow transplantation have suggested that the presence of the common cytomegalovirus (CMV) in patients or their donors may protect against relapse or even death after the transplant. A large international study published in the journal Blood, based on data from some 9,500 transplant patients in over 400 hospitals between 2003 and 2010 now shows the opposite. | |
Food's transit time is a key factor in digestive healthThe time it takes for ingested food to travel through the human gut – also called transit time – affects the amount of harmful degradation products produced along the way. This means that transit time is a key factor in a healthy digestive system. This is the finding of a study from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, which has been published in the renowned journal Nature Microbiology. | |
Drug that helps addicts may help treat cancer too, say expertsScientists at St George's, University of London, say the drug naltrexone (LDN), which is used to treat addicts, can have a beneficial impact on cancer patients if it is given in low doses. | |
 | Summer heats up our emotions, tooEmotions can heat up when it is hot outside, says University of Alabama at Birmingham psychologist Josh Klapow, Ph.D. Numerous studies have shown heat is related to increased aggressive/violent behavior. |
 | Phantom fullness—feeling full on an empty stomachLess calories in combination with a high dietary fibre content result in more satiation than high-calorie foods with less dietary fibres. However, the first combination results in an empty stomach. A study conducted by Wageningen University has shown that the effect of dietary fibres on satiation is not only caused by the length of time the high-fibre food remains in the stomach. The speed of eating, taste and mouthfeel can also effect the feeling of fullness. The results of the study have been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. |
 | Breakthrough in brain tumour researchA potentially ground-breaking scientific breakthrough with far-reaching consequences for future treatments of brain tumours is to be revealed at an international research meeting in Poland today. |
Car ownership has the biggest influence over how much exercise Londoners do while travellingOwning a car or bicycle has the strongest influence on how much active travel a Londoner engages in. Car ownership leaves them two to three times less likely to travel actively. And in Outer London, simply owning a bicycle makes you more likely to get 30 minutes of active travel in, even if you have not used it recently. These findings, published in a study in the Journal of Transport & Health, will help policymakers better target interventions to promote active travel. | |
 | From drugs to brain surgery—the consciousness technology of the futureOur complicated emotional lives can often feel like a prison. Insecurities, depression and anxiety can all hold us back in life. But what if we could just eliminate the mental states that we don't want? Or enhance the moods we do? There's every reason to believe that this may be commonplace in the future. In fact, a lot of the technology that could achieve this already exists. |
 | 'Omnigen' amniotic bandage could help save sight in trauma patientsTrauma patients rushed to A&E with serious eye injuries can now benefit from a ground-breaking sight-saving wound dressing made from amniotic membrane. |
Decision to ban unrealistic body images has merit, but presents challengesThe images are nearly impossible to avoid – stick-thin women and bulked-up men posing in magazines, on billboards and shared through social media. Many are featured in ads for any variety of products, but their bodies – unrealistic and unattainable for most people – sell a different message. | |
 | Sex and other myths about weight lossThe estimated annual health care costs related to obesity are over $210 billion, or nearly 21 percent of annual medical spending in the United States. Americans spend $60 billion on weight loss products each year, trying everything from expensive meal replacement products to do-it-yourself programs on the latest cell phone apps. We gather weight loss advice, voluntarily or involuntarily, from news outlets, social media and just about everyone. |
 | Early screening spots emergency workers at greater risk of mental illnessStudy offers new direction for preventative interventions to increase mental resilience to stress and trauma |
Novel lipid lowering medication improves blood sugar control in type 2 diabetesHigh triglycerides—a type of fat, or lipid, in the blood—increase the risk of heart disease and perhaps type 2 diabetes. For the first time, it has been shown that profoundly lowering triglycerides in diabetics improves their insulin sensitivity over time, which helps them maintain healthy glucose - blood sugar—levels. Volanesorsen, an experimental lipid-lowering medication, improved insulin sensitivity and glucose control by significantly decreasing patients' overall hemoglobin A1c—the standard clinical measurement of blood glucose levels for diabetics—in a new study reported by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The results are published online this month in Diabetes Care. | |
 | Bacterial colonies in human body linked to presence of cancer in mouth and throatIn a sample study, researchers at Johns Hopkins say they have found an association between the makeup of an individual's microbiome and head and neck cancer, a finding that potentially advances the quest for faster and more accurate cancer diagnosis and therapy. |
Greenery in neighborhoods may reduce adolescent aggressive behaviorA study to be published in the July 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) reports that adolescents in urban communities may have less aggressive behaviors if they live in neighborhoods with more greenery, such as parks, golf courses, or fields. | |
Latest research on physical therapy in ICU setting a 'surprising reversal'In a surprising reversal, researchers have determined that a particular protocol providing physical therapy to ICU patients with acute respiratory failure did not shorten hospital length of stay. | |
Lack of voluntary data sharing from industry-funded clinical trialsIn a study appearing in the June 28 issue of JAMA, Isabelle Boutron, M.D., Ph.D., of Paris Descartes University, Paris, and colleagues investigated the proportion of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) registered at ClinicalTrials.gov that were listed at the Clinical Study Data Request website, where companies voluntarily list studies for which data can be requested. | |
 | Monkey study shows Zika infection prolonged in pregnancyUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison researchers studying monkeys have shown that one infection with Zika virus protects against future infection, though pregnancy may drastically prolong the time the virus stays in the body. |
Antidepressant does not reduce hospitalization, death for HF patients with depressionIn a study appearing in the June 28 issue of JAMA, Christiane E. Angermann, M.D., of University Hospital Wurzburg, Germany, and colleagues examined whether 24 months of treatment with the antidepressant escitalopram would improve mortality, illness, and mood in patients with chronic heart failure and depression. | |
Cross-respiration between oral bacteria leads to worse infectionsResearchers determined that two bacterial species commonly found in the human mouth and in abscesses, cooperate to make the pathogenic bacterium, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, more infectious. Key to the cooperation is that the harmless partner provides the pathogen with an oxygen-rich environment that helps it flourish. The findings, published this week in mBio, an online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, could lead to better ways to fight the majority of bacterial infections that play out within complex communities of bacteria. | |
Researchers identify new strategy for decreasing neonatal mortalityResearchers have discovered how the bacteria Group B streptococcus (GBS) avoids detection by the immune system during pregnancy. The findings, reported in the journal mBio, could lead to the development of new drugs and strategies for treating GBS infection, which is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. | |
Researchers identify possible link between the environment and pubertyDanish researchers have discovered a possible epigenetic link between the environment and pubertal timing. To a large extent, pubertal timing is heritable, but the underlying genetic causes are still unexplained. Researchers have now studied how chemical modifications of the human genome (so-called epigenetic modifications) change when girls and boys enter puberty. The results indicate that such epigenetic changes are involved in defining the onset of puberty. | |
 | Fish oil during pregnancy offers no protection for children against obesityIn Europe, almost one in three schoolchildren under the age of ten is overweight, if not obese. In the search for the cause of this phenomenon, fetal programming inside a mother's womb was put under scrutiny as a potential culprit for this "heavy issue". The hypothesis that the mother's diet might have some sort of influence could not be confirmed in a long-term study: administering a special diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, to pregnant women neither resulted in children being slimmer nor fatter than their counterparts from the control group whose mothers had enjoyed a normal diet. |
 | New method to grow and transplant muscle stem cells holds promise for treatment of MDSatellite cells are stem cells found in skeletal muscles. While transplantation of such muscle stem cells can be a potent therapy for degenerative muscle diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, these cells tend to lose their transplantation efficiency when cultured in vitro. In a study in the current issue of the Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases, researchers treated these stem cells with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), which effectively maintained the undifferentiated state of the satellite cells and enhanced their transplantation efficiency. |
Researchers find protein signatures for accurate noninvasive diagnosis of prostate cancerResearchers at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) and University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, along with researchers at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, have created protein signatures that accurately diagnose prostate cancer and can distinguish between patients with aggressive versus non-aggressive disease using a simple urine sample. The findings could be developed into a non-invasive "liquid biopsy" that could provide a faster, cheaper and easier method to detect prostate cancer with fewer complications for patients. The findings were published today in the journal Nature Communications. | |
Study uses diverse sample to examine childhood weight's link to age of first substance useGirls who were overweight as children are likely to begin using cigarettes, marijuana or alcohol at an earlier age than their healthy-weight peers, according to a new study by researchers in the Indiana University School of Education. | |
Insights into neurons that cause symptoms of Rett syndrome could guide new therapy searchTwo studies in mice from Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, reveal new insights into neurons that mediate symptoms typical of the postnatal neurological disorder Rett syndrome. | |
 | Shape-changing enzyme suggests how small doses of anti-HIV drug might treat Alzheimer'sFor a promising pathway to treating Alzheimer's patients, "aim here." That's what National Institute of Standards of Technology (NIST) researchers advised collaborators hunting for molecules that, by linking to a normally occurring enzyme, rev up the brain's capacity for clearing cholesterol—a boost associated with improvements in memory and other benefits in animal studies. |
Lab-tested diagnosis needed when treating patients with persistent diarrheaPersistent diarrhea, which is diarrhea that lasts at least 14 days, is an illness typically caused by parasites or bacteria and requires accurate diagnosis in order to determine what treatment to give, according to Herbert L. DuPont, M.D., director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health. | |
 | FDA approves first pill to treat all forms of hepatitis CFederal health officials on Tuesday approved the first pill to treat all major forms of hepatitis C, the latest in a series of drug approvals that have reshaped treatment of the liver-destroying virus. |
 | Derms seek minimally invasive rx mostly from other derms(HealthDay)—A majority of female dermatologists undergo minimally invasive cosmetic procedures (MICPs), and most choose other dermatologists to perform the procedures, according to a study published online June 20 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. |
 | Patients face high hospital bills despite having insurance(HealthDay)—Costs of hospitalization for privately insured adults rose more than 37 percent over five years, with patients paying more than $1,000 on average by 2013, according to research published online June 27 in JAMA Internal Medicine. |
 | Liraglutide tops lixisenatide as add-on to metformin in T2DM(HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes taking metformin, add-on liraglutide is more effective than lixisenatide for improving glycemic control, according to a study published online June 16 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Mathematical model to determine how much of a role sexual transmission plays in the spread and control of ZikaBefore British long jumper Greg Rutherford departs for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer, he'll leave an important part of himself behind: a sample of his frozen sperm. |
Risk of death for adults with blood cancer higher in three N.C. regionsAcross North Carolina, the risk of death from the most common form of acute leukemia in adults was significantly higher in three regions, researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center found. | |
Non-healing tissue from diabetic foot ulcers reprogrammed as pluripotent stem cellsResearchers at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts, led by Jonathan Garlick, have established for the first time that skin cells from diabetic foot ulcers can be reprogrammed to acquire properties of embryonic-like cells. These induced pluripotent stem cells might someday be used to treat chronic wounds. The study is published online in advance of print in Cellular Reprogramming. | |
Medical device regulation in the EU and US needs urgent reform, say expertsMedical devices approved first in the European Union (EU) are associated with a greater rate of safety issues, finds a study published by The BMJ today. | |
 | Obesity linked to increased risk of multiple sclerosisIndividuals who are obese in early adulthood face a heightened risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research conducted by Dr. Brent Richards of the Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital, Quebec, Canada and colleagues, published in PLOS Medicine. This result provides further confirmation of previous observational studies that had suggested the existence of such a link. MS is a progressive neurological disorder which can lead to disability and death, involving damage to the myelin which surrounds nerves in the spinal cord and brain. Causes of the disease are poorly understood, although immune-mediated mechanisms are likely. Currently available treatments have only modest effects on the disease and its symptoms, which underlines the importance of identifying preventive measures. |
 | Helicopter parents: Hovering may have effect as kids transition to adulthoodAs thousands of young adults prepare to leave the nest and attend college for the first time, parents may want to examine whether they are kind and supportive or hovering into helicopter parent territory. |
Decreases in malaria transmission may be followed by increased susceptibility in childrenProgress in reducing malaria burden in Africa may have had the paradoxical effect of increasing transmission among older children in recent years, according to research published this week in PLOS Medicine. | |
 | Researchers discover a possible first therapy for an uncommon childhood diseaseMucolipidosis IV (MLIV) is a devastating early childhood neurological disease characterized by progressive neurodegeneration, leading to severe impairments in muscle coordination, cognitive deficits and retinal degeneration that causes blindness. |
Childhood binge eating: Families, feeding, and feelingsBinge eating is the most prevalent type of eating disorder across races, ethnic groups, ages, and genders. Surprisingly, binge eating has even been reported in children as young as 5 years old. | |
Deaths from heroin, opioid drugs in US rise sharplyThe Obama administration on Tuesday emphasized the need for funding to treat opioid and heroin addiction, releasing new statistics showing explosive growth in overdose deaths. | |
Europe: Don't adopt Australian style immigration system, warn ethicistsEuropean countries should not adopt Australia's immigration system, with its emphasis on deterrence, warn ethicists in a special issue of the Journal of Medical Ethics, dedicated to global medical ethics. | |
 | Methylene blue shows promise for improving short-term memoryA single oral dose of methylene blue results in an increased MRI-based response in brain areas that control short-term memory and attention, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. |
 | Supreme Court ruling imperils abortion laws in many statesBy striking down tough abortion restrictions in Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court has emboldened abortion-rights activists nationwide and imperiled a range of anti-abortion laws in numerous states. |
 | Historian on Zika's ethical, moral and social complexity for womenThe Zika virus, like Ebola and other public health issues before it, bring up a variety of complex issues for women, says a Purdue University expert who studies the history of medicine and women's health. |
 | Study reveals high rate of disordered eating in young Australian womenUp to one-third of young Australian women experience episodes of binge or overeating, with socially disadvantaged women at greater than average risk. |
Tumor uptake of antibody FF-21101 confirmed by imaging of advanced solid cancer patientsFujifilm Corporation is announcing the progress in a Phase I clinical trial of radioimmunotherapeutic anti-cancer agent FF-21101 in the United States in patients with advanced solid cancers. In imaging, tumor uptake of antibody FF-21101 was demonstrated in administered patients. Taking these results, it is expected to treat diseases with emission from the radiolabeled antibody. Fujifilm will proceed with the clinical trial and evaluate FF-21101 as an anti-cancer agent. | |
 | Have LEGO toys become more violent over time?When I think of the Danish company LEGO, the first image that comes to mind is their classical LEGO brick, and I am sure I am not the only one. This simple but advanced toy was designed to spur children's imagination and creativity by allowing them to build almost anything by putting bricks together, with or without instruction. Today, LEGO is the world's largest toy maker and their products have come a long way from the original LEGO brick of my childhood to branded toy collections for popular franchises, such as the Star Wars series, taking over toy stores. LEGO's popularity has even culminated in a 2014 film that anthropomorphize the toy collection. |
Does a Fitbit make you more active?My wife recently purchased a FitBit Alta activity tracker that she absolutely loves. She is constantly looking at the number of steps she's taken throughout the day, and rejoices like a child when she hits a milestone (i.e. 10,000 steps) and her watch vibrates and a graphic appears to let her know. On days her step count is on the lower end, Marina has roped me in to take evening walks to play catch up. | |
 | Alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment is more effective when the family is involvedBetween 50,000 and 150,000 children in Norway live with a parent whose alcohol consumption is in the risk zone. The same might apply to as many as 100,000 spouses or partners. |
Patient-centered approach to collect sexual orientation and gender ID information studiedRoutine documentation of sexual orientation and gender identity (SO/GI) information in health care settings is essential for a complete understanding of the health status and needs of individual patients, but, a standard method for routinely collecting the data has not been implemented, and patient preferences regarding collection of this information have not been previously studied. In new research to be presented at the AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, BWH researchers will discuss findings from the EQUALITY Study which seeks to identify the best patient-centered approach to collecting SO/GI demographic data in the Emergency Department (ED). | |
Florida reports first baby born with Zika virus defects (Update)Florida on Tuesday reported its first case of a baby born with the birth defect microcephaly after the child's mother, a Haitian citizen, was infected with the Zika virus while pregnant, officials said. | |
 | International lung cancer experts seek public comments on revised molecular testing guidelineThe College of American Pathologists (CAP), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) announced today the open comment period for the revised evidence-based guideline, "Molecular Testing Guideline for Selection of Lung Cancer Patients for EGFR and ALK Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors." |
 | What effect does oral Aloe Vera have on diabetes?A meta-analysis of studies in people with diabetes and pre-diabetes has shown that oral aloe vera use was associated with significant decreases in both fasting blood glucose (FBG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). |
 | Medicare weighs changes to controversial plan on cancer medsTrying to salvage a controversial experiment to confront rising drug costs, the Obama administration Tuesday hinted at modifications to an ambitious plan that would revamp Medicare payments. |
Industry-academia publication agreements include limits on publication of trial resultsPublication agreements constraining academic investigators' independence are common, and incompletely reported in publications, according to a study published in this week's PLOS Medicine. The study, conducted by Matthias Briel, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland, and colleagues, suggests that publication agreements may compromise the scientific evidence base established by randomized clinical trials. | |
High cholesterol in childhoodDear Mayo Clinic: My grandson is 11 and already has high cholesterol. He does not eat a lot of junk food and plays many sports, but we do have high cholesterol in our family. Could this be hereditary, and, if so, is it common to show up in such a young person? | |
Biology news
 | Lionfish invading the Mediterranean SeaRising sea temperatures in the Mediterranean are encouraging alien lionfish species to invade and colonise new territories with potentially serious ecological and socioeconomic impacts. |
 | Lost hormone is found in starfishBiologists from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have discovered that the evolutionary history of a hormone responsible for sexual maturity in humans is written in the genes of the humble starfish. |
 | Study shows trees with altered lignin are better for biofuelsLignin is a natural component of plant cell walls, the scaffolding that surrounds each cell and plays a pivotal role in plants' ability to grow against gravity and reach heights ranging from stubbly grasses to the sky-scraping splendor of redwoods. But lignin is a problem for scientists interested in converting plant biomass to biofuels and other sustainable bio-based products. Lignin makes it hard to break down the plant matter so its carbon-rich building blocks can be converted into forms suitable for generating energy or running automobiles. |
 | Honeybee circadian rhythms are affected more by social interactionsCircadian rhythms are internal clocks that determine many of an organism's daily rhythms, for example sleep-wake, feeding, urinary output and hormone production. Aligned with the environment by external forces such as sunlight and ambient temperature, circadian rhythms are important for animal health and survival. Disturbances of the circadian clock are associated with a variety of diseases in humans and animals, including cancer, mental illnesses and metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and obesity. |
 | Animals 'inherit' their social network from their mothers, study showsDolphins, lizards and hyenas may not be on Facebook or Twitter, but, as social species, their social networks influence every pivotal aspect of their lives: finding a mate, reproducing, becoming ill or surviving. |
 | See and sort: Developing novel techniques to visualize uncultured microbial cell activityMany uncultured microbes play unknown roles in regulating Earth's biogeochemical processes; everything from regulating plant health to driving nutrient cycles in both terrestrial and marine environments, processes that can impact global climate. While researchers are harnessing multiple approaches to identify these microbes, referred to as "microbial dark matter," and determine what they're doing, most techniques don't allow them to do both at once. |
 | New way out: Researchers show how stem cells exit bloodstreamResearchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that therapeutic stem cells exit the bloodstream in a different manner than was previously thought. This process, dubbed angiopellosis by the researchers, has implications for improving our understanding of not only intravenous stem cell therapies, but also metastatic cancers. |
 | New blind and rare planthopper species and genus dwells exclusively in a Brazilian caveThis cave planthopper species new to science is only the second dwelling exclusively in the subterranean depths of Brazil from its family. Surviving without seeing the light of the day at any point of its life, this species has neither the eyes, nor the vivid colouration, nor the functional wings typical for its relatives. |
 | Chilling findings are good news for koalasUniversity of Queensland research into the chilled storage of koala semen has major implications for the assisted breeding and genetic diversity of captive and wild populations. |
 | Unraveling the genes for sexual traits in stag beetlesScientists have built a gene expression database of a stag beetle and identified genes important for sex determination and differentiation. |
 | Fungi can be used to control filth fly adults and reduce egg layingStable flies and house flies are a concern in livestock and poultry farming because they can transmit harmful pathogens, and animals can harm themselves while trying to avoid bites from the flies. Researchers at the University of Florida found that a commercial formulation of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum was effective at reducing house fly and stable fly egg-laying and inhibiting house fly development. Formulations of another fungus called Beauveria bassiana were also found to be effective, albeit less so. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Insect Science. |
 | World's first successful artificial insemination of southern rockhopper penguinDNA tests have confirmed that one of the three southern rockhopper penguin chicks born at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan between June 4 and 6 was conceived through artificial insemination. This is the result of a project led by Kaiyukan with the collaboration of Associate Professor KUSUNOKI Hiroshi (Kobe University Graduate School of Agricultural Science). It is the world's first successful case of a southern rockhopper penguin being conceived through artificial insemination. |
Urban rabbits distance themselves more from their neighboursAs a group of researchers at Goethe University has now discovered, urban rabbits display a greater need to segregate themselves from their neighbours. | |
 | Pollen-carrying birds need safeguard against Perth's sprawlWestern Australia's urban sprawl may be closing in on the future of the state's fragile native plant and bird population, according to a recent study. |
 | Birds pushed to the edge by floodsA flock of cranes that ended up at the centre of a once-in-200-year flood has given researchers a rare insight into how wildlife copes with extreme weather. |
 | Scientists now listening for whales in New York waters with real-time acoustic buoyScientists working for WCS's (Wildlife Conservation Society) New York Aquarium and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) now have an "ear" for the New York region's biggest "voices and singers"— the whales of New York Bight. |
Developers of fortified food staple awarded World Food PrizeFour scientists credited with creating food that's fortified with essential nutrients and vitamins and has helped an estimated 10 million people avoid starvation and disease were awarded this year's World Food Prize on Tuesday. | |
'Bugs' on the subway: Monitoring the microbial environment to improve public healthThe trillions of microbes that transfer from people to surfaces could provide an early warning system for the emergence of public health threats such as a flu outbreak or a rise in antibiotic resistance, according to a study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The researchers took to the Boston subway system to find out what kinds of bugs people across the city are passing around—and how they might help preserve or disrupt our health. | |
Boston subway system covered in microbes, but they're not harmfulBoston's subway system, known as the T, might be just as bacteria-laden as you'd expect but organisms found there are largely from normal human skin and incapable of causing disease, according to a study published June 28 in mSystems, an open access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. | |
 | Pipelines affect health, fitness of salmon, study findsPipelines carrying crude oil to ports in British Columbia may spell bad news for salmon, according to a new University of Guelph-led study. |
 | Study shows how the protein controls the development of fruit fly wingsHow do the cells in a human embryo know where they are located in the body and how they should develop? Why do certain cells form a finger while others do not? Freiburg biologists have explained the mechanisms that control these steps by showing why veins form at particular points in the wing of a fruit fly. The protein Pentagone spreads a particular signal in the wing that tells the cells how to behave. |
Female deer disperse farther than males, present disease-control challengeFewer female white-tailed deer disperse than males, but when they do, they typically travel more than twice as far, taking much more convoluted paths and covering larger areas, according to researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. | |
Lives in the balance: Why do we hold onto potentially harmful, disease-causing mutations?The persistence of heritable disease raises an evolutionary paradox. When DNA goes awry, and a harmful mutation sprouts up that affects survival, why aren't these simply purged from a population over generations? | |
 | New cotton disposable disinfecting wipes effective, biodegradableDisposable disinfecting wipes made from nonwoven synthetic fibers are popular because they are convenient and effective. The wipes are soaked in a solution that contains germ-killing compounds called "quats." The quats release readily from the synthetic-fiber wipes, but those fibers decompose slowly in landfills. While cotton and other cellulose-based fibers are biodegradable, quats do not readily release from them. |
 | Six things to know about alligatorsGrowing up to nearly 15 feet in length, the American alligator can take up residence in Florida's canals, lakes, rivers and swamps. It is one of the state's most ecologically important and often misunderstood predators. And when they attack, they make news. |
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