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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 22, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Astronomers discover a giant inflated exoplanet orbiting a distant star(Phys.org)—An international team of astronomers has discovered a giant extrasolar planet that appears to be larger than it should be. According to a new research paper published on June 19 on arXiv.org, the newly detected alien world, designated EPIC 211351816.01, is an inflated planet, orbiting a distant red giant star. Moreover, the researchers suggest, that this exoplanet could be the first example of a new class of "re-inflated" planets. |
 | Dormant black hole eats star, becomes X-ray flashlightRoughly 90 percent of the biggest black holes in the known universe are dormant, meaning that they are not actively devouring matter and, consequently, not giving off any light or other radiation. But sometimes a star wanders too close to a dormant black hole and the ensuing feeding frenzy, known as a tidal disruption event, sets off spectacular fireworks. |
 | An ocean lies a few kilometers beneath Enceladus's icy surfaceWith eruptions of ice and water vapor, and an ocean covered by an ice shell, Saturn's moon Enceladus is one of the most fascinating in the Solar System, especially as interpretations of data provided by the Cassini spacecraft have been contradictory until now. An international team including researchers from the Laboratoire de Planétologie Géodynamique de Nantes (CNRS/Université de Nantes/Université d'Angers), Charles University in Prague, and the Royal Observatory of Belgium recently proposed a new model that reconciles different data sets and shows that the ice shell at Enceladus's south pole may be only a few kilometers thick. This suggests that there is a strong heat source in the interior of Enceladus, an additional factor supporting the possible emergence of life in its ocean. The study has just been published online on the website of Geophysical Research Letters. |
 | Capsule full of space station junk makes fiery re-entry (Update)A capsule filled with space station trash bit the cosmic dust Wednesday with a keenly interested scientific audience. |
 | Team predicts a universe crowded with black holesA new study published in Nature presents one of the most complete models of matter in the universe and predicts hundreds of massive black hole mergers each year observable with the second generation of gravitational wave detectors. |
 | India launches 20 satellites in single mission (Update)India successfully launched a rocket carrying 20 satellites on Wednesday, setting a new national record as its famously frugal space agency looks to grab a larger slice of the lucrative commercial space market. |
 | Image: Sensing OrionA test version of the European Service Module at NASA's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. ESA's module will power NASA's Orion spacecraft to the Moon and beyond, providing propulsion, electricity, water, oxygen and nitrogen and thermal control. |
 | Astrophysicists probe theory of black-hole accretionUtilizing the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), one of the most powerful telescopes in the world, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) astrophysicist Dr. Tracy Clarke and an international team of researchers have peered into the feeding habits of a supermassive black hole and witnessed the first evidence of a new diet. The black hole, whose mass is nearly 300 million times that of our sun, is on the verge of gulping down massive clumps of cold gas which each contain as much material as a million suns. |
 | Sentinel-3 data to allow closer look at Black Sea environmental stateA major oceanographic campaign led by the JRC is underway in the Black Sea. It will allow scientists to thoroughly examine the biological and optical features of a marine region of utmost political and economic importance that is highly influenced by the inflow of the Danube river. |
 | Developed in Waterloo, now orbiting in spaceA one-of-a-kind communications device developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo is now orbiting the Earth as a central component of a microsatellite launched in Sriharikota, India on Tuesday to test new technologies in space. |
Technology news
 | Solar-powered plane more than halfway across the AtlanticThe Solar Impulse 2 aircraft passed the halfway mark of its marathon flight across the Atlantic late Tuesday, one of the most challenging legs of its historic sun-powered journey around the world. |
 | SPRK+ robot for coding and connected play is kid-friendly and school-friendly(Tech Xplore)—Sphero was in the news this week because of its new entry to its little robot family that had numerous tech watchers liking what they saw in the complete package of robot and app, in its new version, namely the SPRK+. |
 | New approach makes 3D printing technique more accessibleWhat you sculpt is what you get. |
 | Researchers creating improved interfaces to help machines and humans work together to complete tasksAs machines become more intelligent, they become embedded in countless facets of life. In some ways, they can act almost as full-fledged members in human-machine teams. In such cases, as with any team, trust is a necessary ingredient for good performance. |
 | Nissan announces next version of Leaf will go 200 miles on a charge(Tech Xplore)—Officials with Nissan have confirmed that the next generation Leaf will be able to travel over 200 miles on a single charge. In speaking with Autoblog, Nissan VP of EV engineering Kazuo Yajima announced that the company will offer a Leaf version with a 60-kWh battery, which should allow the vehicle to travel up to 220 miles before needing a recharge. |
 | Amazon launches upgraded Kindle e-readerAmazon on Wednesday unveiled an upgraded Kindle, aiming to boost its e-reader sales with a thinner, lighter device at a low price. |
 | New tool for virtual and augmented reality uses 'deep learning'Future systems that allow people to interact with virtual environments will require computers to interpret the human hand's nearly endless variety and complexity of changing motions and joint angles. |
 | Heads up! Seoul launches campaign to keep smartphone users safePedestrians glued to their smartphones were given something else to look at this week, as officials in Seoul launched a safety campaign to keep them from walking into busy traffic. |
 | Apple free to take bite out of India after rule changeThe gleaming glass atriums and blue-clad "geniuses" of an Apple store could soon be arriving in India, after the government cleared the way for it to open in the rapidly growing smartphone market. |
Tesla dangles $2.8B to bring SolarCity into its orbitElectric car maker Tesla Motors wants to buy solar panel maker SolarCity for up to $2.8 billion in an attempt to create a one-stop shop for cleaner energy as consumers become more concerned about fossil fuels harming the environment. | |
 | Scanners more rapidly and accurately identify radioactive materials at US borders, eventsIn response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the U.S. government founded the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prevent terrorist attacks on American soil. Among other things, the DHS increased screening of cargo coming into the country. |
 | How technology could help predict terrorist attacksThe internet has become a weapon for terrorists, who use social media and other technologies to organise, recruit and spread propaganda. So is it possible to turn technology around and use it to not only catch terrorists but predict and potentially stop terror attacks before they happen? |
 | Daimler to rev up e-mobility drive: reportGerman luxury automaker Daimler, owner of the Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands, plans to speed up its push into electro-mobility in the race against US pioneer Tesla and German rival BMW, a report said Wednesday. |
 | Hon Hai's Gou plans cuts to streamline Sharp after takeoverTaiwan's tech giant Hon Hai said Wednesday it would close some overseas operations of ailing Japanese electronics maker Sharp after buying the struggling firm in March, with founder Terry Gou suggesting possible job losses. |
China, US, EU pledge to tighten product safety in e-commerceU.S., European and Chinese regulators said Wednesday they will jointly enforce product safety in online commerce, and an American official said they are making progress on crafting standards for hoverboards. | |
 | Energy research in a vertical neighborhoodIn the district of the future, favors amongst neighbors will go much further than lending a lawnmower or giving some sugar for baking. They will help each other out with energy – with electricity, heat and gas. With the help of the demonstrators NEST and move, the "ehub" – short for Energy Hub – combines energy flows between buildings and mobility within a 'vertical' district. The aim of the project is to optimize energy management. |
 | Buying and selling hacked passwords—how does it work?Data breaches are a regular part of the cyberthreat landscape. They generate a great deal of media attention, both because the quantity of information stolen is often large, and because so much of it is data people would prefer remained private. Dozens of high-profile breaches over the last few years have targeted national retailers, health care providers and even databases of the federal government, getting Social Security numbers, fingerprints and even background-check results. Though breaches affecting consumer data have become commonplace, there are other resources that, when targeted, lead to major security concerns. Recently, a hacker claimed to be selling over 32 million Twitter usernames and passwords on an underground marketplace. |
Apple's new privacy effort worth watchingModern technology has presented us with something of a Faustian bargain when it comes to our privacy, but Apple thinks we should have another option. | |
NTT Data smart shirt keeps what's driving IndyCar's Tony Kanaan on trackSpeeding over 200 miles an hour around a race track may seem like a lot to handle, but IndyCar racer Tony Kanaan is in control. | |
 | Green still a dream, petrol tipped to drive Australian car market in 2030Petrol-powered vehicles are predicted to dominate the Australian car market in the year 2030 despite the growing concern of carbon emissions and its impact on the environment, a QUT-led study has found. |
 | Solar plane powers on over Atlantic after turbulenceThe Solar Impulse 2 plane went through "a long night of turbulence" over the Atlantic, its weary pilot said Wednesday as he continued on the challenging leg of its sun-powered trip around the world. |
Senate blocks access to online data without warrant (Update)The Senate on Wednesday blocked an expansion of the government's power to investigate suspected terrorists, a victory for civil libertarians and privacy advocates emboldened after a National Security Agency contractor's revelations forced changes to surveillance of Americans. | |
 | Riding Segway's hoverboard is like skiing on LA's streetsA new self-balancing electric scooter from Segway grows on you. Like a comfortable pair of shoes, it takes you places, but on wheels. |
Car quality improves even as new technology is introducedDespite adding sophisticated electronic safety features and touch screens that once were prone to glitches, most automakers improved their reliability scores this year in an annual survey of new-car buyers. | |
 | Nielsen hopes to bring science to TV castingAshton Kutcher as a television morning show host? Aaron Paul as an advertising spokesman for hybrid automobiles? |
 | A new vision for video game consolesThe next generation of console gaming is coming—or is it? |
 | Russia invests in futuristic Hyperloop trainA Russian state fund said Wednesday it had invested in the company Hyperloop One which is developing a futuristic train project that will propel people and cargo in capsules via low-pressure tubes. |
Fine print says riders can't blame Uber for unsafe driversWhen you catch a ride using Uber or Lyft, you do so at your own risk. | |
 | Uber, Lyft battle governments over driver fingerprint checksHailing a ride with a smartphone app in many U.S. cities is coming down to a fight over fingerprints. |
 | Fiat Chrysler speeds up recall of confusing gear shiftersFiat Chrysler is speeding up a recall of 1.1 million vehicles with confusing gear shifters like one in the SUV that crushed and killed Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin. |
 | US commerce secretary warns of 'digital protectionism'A top US official warned Wednesday against a rise of "digital protectionism," which she said threatens access to information and ideas and can hurt economic growth. |
 | The need for speed—there's still time to fix Australia's NBNA National Broadband Network (NBN) based on Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) was, and still is, the right answer for Australia's broadband needs. |
SoftBank's founder reverses retirement plans, says heir apparent 'victim'The boss of SoftBank Group on Wednesday admitted his desire to hang on to power a little longer had pushed away the former Google executive seen as his heir apparent. | |
Scientists develop self-learning arm controlled by thoughtScientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University are developing a robotic arm prototype and its control algorithm using myoelectric signals. The mechanical limb will independently recognize the motions of its owner and be able to perform all the same motions like a healthy arm. The scientists estimate the final cost of the device of 600 - 1,000 USD. | |
 | Review: Sierra does more than phone it inI drive a small car, so when General Motors asked if I'd like to review the technology inside the 2016 GMC Sierra, I was ready. |
 | Indian cabinet approves mobile radiowaves auctionThe government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday approved a mega auction of mobile phone radiowaves, hoping to scoop about $85 billion from the sale of licenses in the world's second-largest market. |
 | Click here when I die: Sites lay out plans for loved onesSeveral websites are trying to make death easier—for the people left behind. |
 | Israel plans law against using Facebook for 'terror'Israel's justice and internal security ministers on Wednesday announced plans to propose legislation banning the use of Facebook to advance "terror" and outlawing incitement from the Internet. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Landmark study gives clearest picture of genetic causes of bowel cancerA landmark study has given the most detailed picture yet of the genetics of bowel cancer - the UK's fourth most common cancer. |
New knowledge about DNA repair can be turned into cancer inhibitorsResearchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered a molecular mechanism that reads so-called epigenetic information and boosts repair of lesions in our DNA. This knowledge can be used to develop new targeted cancer treatment in which 'inhibitor molecules' can prevent cancer cells from repairing themselves. The researchers have taken out a patent for their new knowledge and the results have just been published in Nature. | |
 | Researchers discover how West Nile virus triggers memory lossResearchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have discovered how the most severe forms of West Nile virus cause memory loss and mood disorders, opening the door to potential new treatments for the mosquito-borne illness. |
 | Compound shown to reduce brain damage caused by anesthesia in early studyAn experimental drug prevented learning deficits in young mice exposed repeatedly to anesthesia, according to a study led by researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center and published June 22 in Science Translational Medicine. |
 | How a woman with amnesia defies conventional wisdom about memoryShe no longer recognizes a Van Gogh, but can tell you how to prepare a watercolor palette. She can't recall a single famous composer, but knows the purpose of a viola's bridge. |
 | Understanding how chemical changes in the brain affect Alzheimer's diseaseA new study from Western University is helping to explain why the long-term use of common anticholinergic drugs used to treat conditions like allergies and overactive bladder lead to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. The findings show that long-term suppression of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine - a target for anticholinergic drugs - results in dementia-like changes in the brain. |
 | Finding new clues to a sugar suspect in birth defectsMost pregnant women with well-controlled diabetes give birth to healthy children. But their babies run much higher risks of birth defects than babies born to women without diabetes, because very early in embryonic development, the babies are exposed to higher levels of glucose in maternal blood. In research done in mice, researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have uncovered new clues about the role that glucosamine, another sugar that circulates in blood, can play in early embryonic development. |
 | Temporary blindness tied to smartphone use in darkWarning: Looking at your smartphone while lying in bed at night could wreak havoc on your vision. |
 | Is 'when we eat' as important as 'what we eat'?In a review of research on the effect of meal patterns on health, the few studies available suggest that eating irregularly is linked to a higher risk of metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity). The limited evidence highlights the need for larger scale studies to better understand the impact of chrono-nutrition on public health, argue the authors of two new papers, particularly with the rise in shift workers and 'social jetlag' where many of us live by social clocks rather than our internal body clocks. |
Male general practitioners more likely to consider heart disease a 'man's issue'Male general practitioners (GPs) are more likely to consider heart disease a "man's issue" and neglect to assess cardiovascular risk in female patients, reports a study of 52 GPs and more than 2200 patients published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. | |
Americans spent $30.2 billion out-of-pocket on complementary health approachesAmericans spent $30.2 billion—$28.3 billion for adults and $1.9 billion for children—out-of-pocket on complementary health approaches, according to a nationwide survey. These approaches include a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products such as herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic, and yoga. This amount represents 9.2 percent of all out-of-pocket spending by Americans on health care and 1.1 percent of total health care spending. | |
 | New evidence links exclusive breastfeeding, early play / stimulation to children's later successA pair of new studies further strengthen scientific understanding of the links between what a child experiences in the first years of life and later childhood behaviour and abilities. |
 | Breastfeeding linked to better childhood behavior: studyChildren breastfed exclusively for their first six months of life have an easier time behaving as primary school students, according to new research published Tuesday. |
 | New for-profit medical schools springing up across USFor-profit medical schools are starting to pop up around the country, promising to create new family doctors for underserved rural regions. |
Hibernation study yields insights about organ protectionNovel adaptations discovered in hibernating animals may reveal ways to mitigate injuries associated with strokes, heart attacks and organ transplants, according to researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Duke University. | |
Infidelity perceptions differ between men and womenNew research published in Sexual & Relationship Therapy has uncovered the different ways in which men and women perceive infidelity. | |
 | Ten minutes on children's internet game enough to lower body satisfaction among young girls, study findsYoung girls reported heightened body dissatisfaction after playing a children's internet game for just 10 minutes, a study has found. |
 | Against suicide, a century of little progressIn late April, the National Center for Health Statistics reported a nearly 30-year high in suicides in the United States. |
Findings dispel belief that physician assistants and nurse practitioners increase health care costsUCLA-led research finds that contrary to physicians' beliefs, advanced-practice clinicians such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants do not provide more costly and unnecessary tests, treatments and referrals to specialists compared with physicians in the primary care setting. | |
 | Laboratory drug trials could lead to asthma treatment breakthroughA new drug with the potential to reverse or slow the development of asthma is being tested by researchers at The University of Queensland. |
 | Switching away from soda cut more than 60 trillion calories from the American diet from 2000 to 2015Soda is making news these days, the subject of new legislation and unfavorable reports highlighting its decline in popularity. Philadelphia recently became the first major U.S. city to pass a soft drink tax, and a new report from Beverage Marketing Corp. found that bottled water will soon surpass soda as the nation's most popular beverage. |
Fair play at the Olympics—testosterone and female athletesThere are performance differences between the sexes in elite sport. It has long been assumed that contrasting levels of testosterone in men and women can largely account for that gap, but new scientific studies are bringing that into question. | |
Abnormal eating behaviors in frontotemporal dementiaFrontotemporal dementia is associated with a wide variety of abnormal eating behaviors such as hyperphagia, fixations on one kind of food, even ingestion of inanimate objects, making an already-difficult situation even worse. A review by SISSA researchers gathers together the state of the art of what is known in this field, paying particular attention to the brain mechanisms involved. The information may be used for understanding eating disorders in healthy people. The review was published in the magazine Neurocase. | |
 | Overusing social media as an adolescent may hurt your love life later onSocial media allows adolescents to stay in constant contact with peers, but may keep young people, particularly boys, from developing key interpersonal skills they need to successfully manage some aspects of their relationships the rest of their lives. |
Alzheimer's researchers investigate diabetes link in miceResearchers in Aberdeen have highlighted a possible new link between Alzheimer's disease and diabetes according to a new study published today in the journal Diabetologia. | |
 | Changes in blood flow to the brain may be early feature of Alzheimer's diseaseA new study has shown that changes in blood flow to different brain areas may be one of the earliest changes in the brain linked to Alzheimer's disease. The research is published today in the journal Nature Communications. |
 | New heart failure therapy could prevent substantial number of deaths, study findsA UCLA-led study estimates that almost 28,500 deaths could be prevented each year in the U.S. through use of a new FDA-approved class of cardiovascular medication that helps reduce mortality in patients diagnosed with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, the percentage of blood pumped from the heart with each contraction. |
Blacks with AFib at greater risk for adverse outcomesBlacks with atrial fibrillation (AFib) have nearly double the risk than their white counterparts of stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease (CHD) and mortality from all causes, according to a study published today in JAMA Cardiology. | |
Canada spends over $400 million on medicine that harms seniorsCanada spends more than $400 million annually on drugs prescribed to seniors even though the medicines should be avoided for older patients, according to new UBC research. | |
 | Diabetes raises risk of heart attack death by 50 percentHaving diabetes increases the risk of dying from the effects of a heart attack by around 50 per cent, a University of Leeds study has found. |
 | Why stress is more likely to cause depression in men than in womenAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), more women are affected by depression than men. This pattern is seen in countries around the world, including the United States. |
Major review of Zika evidence highlights lack of understandingA major review of the Zika virus has concluded that further research to understand the nature of the virus is critical to developing antiviral treatments and vaccines.The paper, published in the journal Veterinary Quarterly, considers the breadth of current research and highlights a lack of understanding of the nature of the virus. The research team, based in India and the USA, concludes that whilst prevention and control measures are mainly aimed at the mosquitoes which spread the disease, further research is required into this relatively new pathogen. | |
 | Surgery tied to longer survival for lung cancer patients(HealthDay)—Many patients with advanced stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) might live longer if treated surgically, but few patients are actually undergoing surgery, according to a study published online June 9 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery. |
 | Thermal lipolysis linked to reduction in waist circumference(HealthDay)—Treatment with the ULTIMA system, designed to induce the thermal destruction of fat cells using ultrasound, radiofrequency, and vacuuming, results in a significant reduction in abdominal circumference, according to a study published online June 20 in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. |
 | Diet soda and high blood pressureDear Mayo Clinic: I typically drink three or four cans of diet soda each day, and my doctor told me it may be the cause of my high blood pressure. But, I've been drinking this much soda for years and have never had any issues. Why would it suddenly affect my blood pressure? |
Male anorexia often goes undiagnosed, untreatedEighteen months ago, Alex Levy, then 19, fell while rock-climbing, injuring his foot. He was midway through freshman year at college in California. Levy loved to hike, cycle and run. He played Ultimate Frisbee on a school team. | |
Childhood abuse and chronic parental domestic violence linked to later addictionsAdults who have drug or alcohol dependency have experienced very high rates of early adversities, according to a new study published by University of Toronto researchers. One in five drug dependent Canadian adults and one in six alcohol dependent adults were survivors of childhood sexual abuse. This compares to one in 19 in the general Canadian population. More than one half of substance abusers had been physically abused in childhood compared to one-quarter of those who were not addicted. After accounting for mental illness, poverty and social support, both sexual and physical abuse were associated with twice the odds of drug dependence. | |
Empowering addiction treatment patients to engage in care may improve overall healthIn the first trial of an intervention focused on increasing alcohol and drug treatment patients' engagement in their own health care, researchers found that patients who received 6 intervention sessions had greater involvement in managing their health and health care than those receiving fewer sessions. The Kaiser Permanente study was published today in JAMA Psychiatry. | |
Australia 20 years after gun reform—no mass shootings, declining firearm deathsSince gun law reform and the Firearms Buyback program 20 years ago, Australia has seen an accelerating decline in intentional firearm deaths and an absence of fatal mass shootings, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports today in a landmark study. | |
Digital strategies show promise for emergency heart and stroke careMobile devices, social media, visual media and crowdsourcing have the potential to improve emergency care for cardiac arrests, heart attacks and strokes, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association. | |
Gender gap found in cardiac arrest care, outcomesWomen who have a cardiac arrest are less likely than men to receive potentially life-saving procedures such as angiography to look for blocked coronary arteries or angioplasty to open them, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. | |
 | Is Huntington's disease more common than we thought?More people may have the potential to develop Huntington's disease than previously thought, according to a study published in the June 22, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. But the increase comes in the percentage of people who have a lower risk of developing the hereditary disease, which causes uncontrolled movements, loss of intellectual abilities, emotional problems and eventually death. |
 | Healthy aging benefits may be associated with walnut consumption: studyA new study published in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that consuming 1-2 servings of walnuts per week (1/4 cup per serving) was associated with reduced risk of developing impairments in physical function, which helps enable older women to maintain independence throughout the aging process. |
 | The absence of a single protein spurs muscle aging in miceIRB Barcelona researchers discover that the loss of the protein Mitofusin 2 in the muscles of young mice speeds up aging and causes early sarcopenia, thus leading to the muscle quality of aged mice.Sarcopenia, which is muscle wastage and the accompanied loss of strength, is one of the most weakening conditions of old age and it has no treatment.The scientists propose that stimulating Mitofusin 2 activity would provide a good strategy through which to ameliorate sarcopenia. |
 | Hops could help reduce breast cancer riskHops, the flower cones used in beer-making, are also found in dietary supplements designed to help treat post-menopausal symptoms and other conditions. Scientists are now investigating whether an extract from the plant could also help fend off breast cancer. In the ACS journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, one team reports new lab tests on breast cells that support this possibility. |
Psychiatric diagnostic tools may not be valid for African AmericansDepression in African Americans, according to Sirry Alang, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology at Lehigh University, is expressed in ways that are inconsistent with symptoms of depression laid out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). The DSM-V is the primary source of diagnostic information, relied upon by not only clinicians and researchers, but also psychiatric drug regulation agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, the legal system, and policy makers. | |
 | Smoking may have negative effects on sperm qualityA recent study found that that sperm of men who smoke has a greater extent of DNA damage than that of non-smokers. |
Treatment of humans and pigs may reduce endemic tapeworm infectionThe transmission of Taenia solium, a pork tapeworm species that infects humans and causes late-onset seizures and epilepsy, can be stopped on a population-wide level with mass treatments of both pigs and humans, researchers have shown. | |
One-third of hospitals in developing world lack running waterA study of 430 hospitals in the developing world found that more than one-third lacked running water, a deficiency that can lead to unsanitary conditions for patients in general and dangerous conditions for those who need surgery. | |
Impulsive children raised in caring families drink less during adolescenceYears of research have shown that impulsivity in childhood is among the individual vulnerabilities leading to substance abuse, delinquency, as well as aggressive and antisocial behavior in adolescence and adulthood. Yet researchers from the CHU Sainte-Justine Mother-child Research Hospital and University of Montreal have discovered a reversal of this trend for those children when raised in a less coercive environment. | |
Novel combination therapy shows strong response in phase 1 trialA phase 1 clinical trial testing a novel combination therapy developed by scientists at VCU Massey Cancer Center slowed the growth of cancer in the majority of trial participants, which were patients with advanced solid tumors. Approximately 61 percent of these patients experienced some degree of tumor growth delay, with multiple partial responses and one complete response. A phase 2 study testing the same combination of the drugs sorafenib and pemetrexed in patients with recurrent or metastatic triple negative breast cancer is now open at Massey. | |
 | Get a clue: Biochemist studies fruit fly to understand Parkinson's disease, muscle wastingThe fruit fly may help us be less clueless about human muscle development and Parkinson's disease. |
Childhood-onset epilepsy has long-term effects on patients' health and social statusChildren and adolescents with epilepsy experience significant long-term socioeconomic consequences and higher personal health care costs. The findings come from a study that followed young epilepsy patients until 30 years of age. | |
Quitting Olympics an 'over-reaction': Zika expertsOnly pregnant women and people planning a family need fear Zika, disease experts said Wednesday after golfer Rory McIlroy became the latest athlete to withdraw from the Olympics over virus fears. | |
Drug monitoring programs reduce opioid deaths, study findsThe implementation of state prescription drug monitoring programs was associated with the prevention of approximately one opioid-related overdose death every two hours on average nationwide, according to a new Vanderbilt-led study released June 22 in the journal Health Affairs. | |
 | Nearly 1 in 3 on Medicare got commonly abused opioidsNearly 12 million Medicare beneficiaries received at least one prescription for an opioid painkiller last year at a cost of $4.1 billion, according to a federal report that shows how common the addictive drugs are in many older Americans' medicine cabinets. |
Some older adults live well, despite advancing years and the burdens of chronic diseasesYou might believe that older adults who deal with extensive chronic illnesses or serious diseases would be more likely to be frail and to have a poorer quality of life than healthier older adults. That may be true for some elders—but not for all. Researchers writing in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggest that an undefined coping mechanism of some sort may play a role in how well older adults are able to live despite having burdensome illnesses. | |
Are older adults being appropriately screened for colorectal cancer?Who should consider colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and why? CRC is a common and costly disease, largely of the elderly, with nearly 25% of cases diagnosed among patients aged 75-84 years, but the guidelines for CRC screening of Americans aged 75 or older vary according to the source. In a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found that CRC screening, consistent with recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, is not widely used by this segment of the population even though some patients are healthy and may benefit, and that appropriate follow-up is not taking place in a timely manner for some older adults. | |
 | Tele-psychiatry reaches rural kids in needThe American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry estimates that as many as 1 in 5 children in the United States have behavioral health issues. However, of these children, only 20 percent receive mental health services. Of those 20 percent, approximately half end treatment prematurely because of issues such as lack of access, lack of transportation and financial constraints. In rural states such as Missouri where almost 40 percent of the population lives outside urban areas, children usually have even less access to timely psychiatric care. Now, a study by the University of Missouri School of Medicine shows that video-based mental health services are bridging the gap by providing care to underserved areas. |
New York sets 7-day limit on initial opioid prescriptionsNew York is limiting opioid drug prescriptions to seven days of painkillers following a patient's initial visit to a doctor. | |
New study helps determine which older adults might need help taking medicationsAs age increases, older adults can develop problems taking their medications. But until now, few studies have examined the traits that might cause elders to need help with their medications, or how widespread a problem this might be. | |
Has breast MRI been performed upside down?Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been used as an effective tool for cancer evaluation and has been found to be highly sensitive in detecting breast tumors, but there is no evidence that pre-operative MRI translates into improved outcomes following breast conserving surgery. Traditionally, patients who are scheduled to undergo breast-conserving lumpectomy for breast cancer undergo a breast MRI prior to surgery to help inform the surgeon about the size, shape, and location of the tumor. These MRIs are performed with the patient lying prone, or face down, while the surgery is performed with the patient lying supine, face up. | |
High-tech scans can spare lymphoma patients intensive chemoHodgkin lymphoma patients can be spared the serious side effects of chemotherapy thanks to high-tech scans that can predict the outcome of treatment, according to a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. | |
New insights on causes of sudden cardiac death in the youngGenetic testing has shed new light on the deaths of nearly 500 young Australians and New Zealanders who died from sudden cardiac death in a 3-year period, the New England Journal of Medicine reports today. | |
 | Zika virus alerts may have prompted uptick in abortion requests in Latin America (Update)Pregnant women in Latin American countries were more likely to seek an abortion after receiving health alerts about Zika virus, according to a study co-authored by Princeton University researchers and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
For women, healthy diets may help with mobility when agingIn a large study conducted by at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), researchers found an association between women who maintain a healthy diet and a reduction in the risk of developing impaired physical function as they age. | |
Simple measures can reduce post-operative cognitive dysfunction in older patientsPost-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), a condition mostly observed in older patients following surgery under general anesthesia, is characterized by impaired memory and concentration. The impairment may be temporary or permanent and incapacitating. | |
Rates of nonmedical prescription opioid use and opioid use disorder double in 10 yearsNonmedical use of prescription opioids more than doubled among adults in the United States from 2001-2002 to 2012-2013, based on a study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health. Nearly 10 million Americans, or 4.1 percent of the adult population, used opioid medications in 2012-2013 a class of drugs that includes OxyContin and Vicodin, without a prescription or not as prescribed (in greater amounts, more often, or longer than prescribed) in the past year. This is up from 1.8 percent of the adult population in 2001-2002. | |
 | Ouch! Flu spray fails again, panel urges shot insteadThe nasal spray version of the annual flu vaccine failed to protect kids again last year, the latest in a string of failures that has prompted an expert panel to recommend that doctors stop giving it to patients. |
More than 1,000 swine flu deaths so far this year: BrazilAmid economic woes, political crisis and a Zika outbreak, Brazil's health minister on Wednesday announced yet another concern—a resurgence of swine flu that has killed more than 1,000 people since the start of the year. | |
Federal agency upholds California abortion coverage mandatePresident Barack Obama's administration said Tuesday that California did not violate a religious freedom law when it ordered health insurance companies to pay for elective abortions. | |
Helping children with autism transfer new communication skills from home to schoolA new study is testing whether an intervention with parents and teachers can help children with autism transfer newly acquired social communication skills from home into school. | |
Novel antibody against brain tumorsScientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Munich University Hospital (LMU) are developing a novel antibody to treat brain tumors. Now, with funding amounting to EUR 3.5 million approved by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Helmholtz Validation Fund, the molecule shall undergo the first phase of clinical testing. | |
 | Helping consumers to better understand health-related food package labellingThe EU CLYMBOL project has held its final project conference, presenting its findings on food labelling and health claims to a large audience of European stakeholders. |
Public health researchers track transformative period of Kentucky health policyHealth care insurance coverage remains a contested policy issue in Kentucky years after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). | |
 | Tips provided for leveraging social media(HealthDay)—During a presentation at the 2016 American Medical Association Annual Meeting, Kevin Pho, M.D., founder and editor of the popular physician blog KevinMD, shared insights into making a difference in health care through use of social media. |
 | German diabetes risk test optimized for mobile devicesThe German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) has updated the online version of its German Diabetes Risk Score and has optimized it for mobile devices. The test now takes into account the familial predisposition and is immediately accessible free of charge, both in German and English, at http://drs.dife.de/. The update is based on scientific results that the researchers at DIfE published jointly with colleagues from the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. |
 | Exhausted? Join the world's oldest clubIn her new book, Exhaustion: A History (Columbia University Press, 2016), Dr Anna Katharina Schaffner, Reader in Comparative Literature and Medical Humanities, in the University's School of European Culture and Languages, says 'burnout' and worries about work life balance were known to different eras by different terms. |
Blue or green? United Kingdom split over color of swatchA survey from a Scottish eye care company could be sparking a color controversy similar to last year's debate over the color of a dress. | |
Low doses of common cancer drug may promote cancer spreadNew research indicates that paclitaxel, which is the most commonly used chemotherapy for breast cancer, suppresses tumors when given at a certain dosage, but at low doses, it actually promotes cancer spread to the liver. | |
Feds charge 300 in nationwide health care fraud sweepsHealth care fraud sweeps across the country have led to charges against 300 people including doctors, nurses, physical therapists and home health care providers accused of bilking Medicare and Medicaid, the government announced Wednesday. | |
Study links omega-3s to reduced mortalityA recent meta-analysis in Scientific Reports supports a link between EPA and DHA omega-3 intake and a reduced risk of death by any cause. The meta-analysis included 11 studies involving 371,965 participants and 31,185 death events, with a subset of the studies being used for different analyses. | |
New gene therapy strategies emerging to combat vision lossDiseases of the eye that cause vision loss and blindness, especially neurodegenerative disorders affecting the retina, are ideal targets for gene therapy, including gene replacement and promising corrective gene editing strategies. A comprehensive Review article providing an overview of emerging therapeutic approaches and innovative gene delivery and gene editing tools to treat ocular diseases is published in Human Gene Therapy. | |
Puerto Rico public hospital faces Hepatitis A outbreakPuerto Rico's largest public hospital is reporting an outbreak of hepatitis A. | |
Whitewater rafter dies from amoebic infection after NC tripA Ohio woman who went whitewater rafting in North Carolina has died of an infection after being exposed to an amoeba that is naturally present in warm fresh water. | |
The struggle to maintain accurate data on the prevalence of opioid abuseNonmedical use of opioids (such as Vicodin, Percoset, and OxyContin) has become a major public health concern due to increases in treatment admissions, overdoses, and deaths. Data collected from high school seniors between 2009 and 2013 showed that 8.3% self-reported past-year nonmedical opioid use. Data have also shown a link from nonprescription opioid abuse to increased risk for heroin initiation and addiction, now widely considered one of the biggest public health challenges facing the U.S. | |
Biology news
 | Budgies found to fly at just two speeds(Phys.org)—A pair of researchers has found that at least one type of birds flies at just two speed levels. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, Ingo Schiffner and Mandyam Srinivasan with the University of Queensland in Australia, describe tunnel tests they conducted with budgerigars, what they found and offer some theories on why the birds fly at just two speeds. |
 | Study finds contagious cancers are spreading among several species of shellfishThe oceans are home to innumerable and diverse species of marine life. A new paper, published in Nature, suggests that the watery medium that nourishes and protects this life may also promote the spread of certain cancers, both within and across species. |
 | New research details how big game follow spring green-upMost big-game animals in Wyoming and the West can assess the quality of vegetation during the spring green-up to select the best patches of habitat during the growing season, a team of researchers led by University of Wyoming and U.S. Geological Survey scientists has documented. |
 | How squash agriculture spread bees in pre-Columbian North AmericaUsing genetic markers, researchers have for the first time shown how cultivating a specific crop led to the expansion of a pollinator species. In this case, the researchers found that the spread of a bee species in pre-Columbian Central and North America was tied to the spread of squash agriculture. |
 | Mama bears use human shields to protect cubs: studyBrown bear mothers in a Swedish forest use human "shields" against murderous males, overcoming their own fear to raise defenceless cubs near villages where hunters live, researchers said Wednesday. |
 | An Antarctic sponge offers new hope against deadly MRSA infectionDendrilla membranosa may be a sponge, but it's no easy squeeze. |
 | Full circumpolar migration ensures evolutionary unity in the Emperor penguinNo colony is an island or a remote patch on sea ice on the coast of Antarctica. Emperor penguins move all around the frozen continent making one single interbreeding population for the whole species. A single circumpolar population! Even though fidelity for the natal site is calling most of the individuals back to mate and rear their chicks in the colony they were born, a constant dispersal every generation is producing the fully admixed genetic pattern found by Cristofari and co-authors and published in prestigious journal Nature Communications this week. |
 | In worldwide chemotaxis competition, researchers race cell lines to the finish lineNeutrophil-like cells must balance speed against chemotactic accuracy to win a chemotaxis maze race in the inaugural Dicty World Races, a worldwide competition, according to a study published June 22, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Monica Skoge from Princeton University, Daniel Irmia from the Massachusetts General Hospital, and colleagues. |
 | Fish out of water are more common than thoughtFish have evolved the ability to live on land many times, challenging the perception that this extreme lifestyle shift was likely to have been a rare occurrence in ancient times, new UNSW Australia research shows. |
 | Bees are more productive in the city than in surrounding regionsBees pollinate plants more frequently in the city than in the country even though they are more often infected with parasites, a factor which can shorten their lifespans. These were the findings of a study conducted by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) in conjunction with the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). The findings were recently published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. |
 | Sequencing method precise enough to reveal mechanisms by which bacteria resist antibioticsA new technology can read the order (sequence) of the "letters" making up DNA code with enough accuracy to reveal how bacteria use high-speed evolution to defeat antibiotics. That is the finding of a study led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and published June 22 in the journal Nature. |
The World's oldest farmersAn international team of researchers has discovered the oldest fossil evidence of agriculture, not by humans, but by insects. | |
 | More reasons to eat your broccoliLove it or hate it, broccoli is touted as a superfood, offering an array of health benefits. And it's about to get even more super. |
 | Team discovers new origins for farmed riceChew on this: rice farming is a far older practice than we knew. In fact, the oldest evidence of domesticated rice has just been found in China, and it's about 9,000 years old. |
The call of the sea: Mammalian evolutionary transitions back to the seaThough mammals adapted on land, a new study by Maria Chikina and Nathan Clark has shown that during three major independent evolutionary events, a number of mammals harkened back to the sea. | |
 | Early arrival gives bluebirds an edge in keeping nest sitesFinders, keepers: Mountain Bluebirds are more likely to defend nest cavities against competition from other birds such as swallows if they get there first, but climate change may disrupt the migratory timing that lets them beat their rivals to the punch, according to new research in The Auk: Ornithological Advances. |
 | Exotic pet trade sends Florida bird rescues soaringIn this small animal hospital perched on Miami's sun-splashed harbor, some of the most exotic creatures fly in and out of Carla Zepeda's life. |
 | Media neglect puts native insects at riskNative bees are falling victim to bad press, with the media glorifying European honey bees at the expense of hard-working Australian pollinators. |
 | Saving Saintpaulia, the African violetThe African violet is one of the world's most common houseplants. You can buy it at Lowe's. You can get it at the nursery. You can find it in the grocery store. |
 | Green fluorescent protein a potential scaffold for protein assemblyScientists in Korea have developed a protein-scaffolding tool that paves the way for the assembly of diverse proteins with defined structures and functions. |
 | Work together or go it alone? Microbes are split on the answerJust below the surface of soils and sediments, large portions of Earth's biosphere exist in the absence of oxygen. The microbial inhabitants of these low or no oxygen environments, called anoxic environments, drive planetary biogeochemical cycles, and their metabolic activities impact the bioavailability of nutrients, metals, and environmental contaminants. To survive, many microbial species have evolved collaborative symbiotic lifestyles that allow two organisms to perform metabolic processes that neither could do alone (that is, "mutualistic syntrophy").In a study led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, researchers found a remarkable parallel evolution between two microbial species. The results suggest a trade-off between working together to thrive and maintaining the flexibility to survive alone. |
 | China giant panda gives birth to twinsA giant panda in China has given birth to two cubs, conservation authorities said, the first twins of the critically endangered species this year even though multiple births are common. |
 | Historic marine mammal sound archive now available onlineOver his more than 40 years as a scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), William Watkins led the effort to collect and catalog the vocalizations made by marine mammals. In the last decade of his career, he strove to digitize as many of his recordings as possible, with the goal of making them publicly available. |
 | Young bowhead whales may cease growing lengthwise to grow head and baleen platesYoung bowhead whales may cease growing lengthwise and undergo severe bone loss to help grow their enormous head and baleen plates, according to a study published June 22, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by John George from North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, Alaska, and colleagues. |
 | Shark census reaches first 100 reefs: Early findings of global survey show existing data may be inaccurateResearchers attempting the world's largest-ever survey of shark populations have reached their first 100 reefs, collecting exciting footage along the way. |
Rare moth in severe decline at its last English siteNumbers of a rare species of moth - found only in York in England - have tumbled in recent years, a team including researchers from the University of York have discovered. | |
 | Decision on reviled sea birds has foes feeling helplessBiologists worry a decision by a federal judge to block programs that control double-crested cormorants in 24 states could set back their efforts on the birds, blamed for despoiling islands in Lake Champlain where they nest. |
 | A 'Fitbit' for plants? Low-cost, portable platform to gauge plant healthPlant breeders test their experiments by growing the seeds of their labor. They cross two different plants that have desirable traits. They sow the resulting seeds and evaluate the results, hoping to find a candidate variety that is better than anything currently available. |
 | Jaguar used in Olympic torch event killed in BrazilA jaguar trotted out for the Olympic torch's passage through Brazil's Amazon was killed shortly afterward when it escaped its handlers and threatened a vet, the Brazilian military said Tuesday. |
Veterinarians find an easier way to collect diagnostic samples from pigsIowa State University veterinarians are refining a method of collecting diagnostic samples from swine that both pigs and producers are happy about – and all it requires is a little rope. | |
 | Persian leopard cubs born in Russian reintroduction centreTriplets have been born to a captive Persian leopard in a Russian breeding centre. The cubs are in good health and may one day be reintroduced to the wild as part of a reintroduction programme supported by WWF, Russian authorities and other partners. |
 | How does your garden grow? Study identifies instigators of plant growthA major component of wood, grain, and forage, xylan provides a strong, flexible molecular scaffolding; however, if xylan synthesis is disrupted, plants do not grow normally. Despite this key role, the complex molecules, called enzymes, responsible for forming xylan have not been clearly identified. Until now. Researchers have identified two key enzymes that synthesize xylan and confirmed their function biochemically. |
 | Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific bans shark finHong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific said Wednesday it will ban the carriage of shark fin on all its flights, a victory for conservationists concerned for endangered species of the predator. |
 | 23 new wallabies released into Kalbarri National ParkThe stunning environs of Kalbarri National Park are alive once again with the presence of black-flanked rock-wallabies (Petrogale lateralis) after Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW) staff and volunteers released 23 new wallabies into the gorge in May. |
Barrier screens reduce damage from brown marmorated stink bugThe brown marmorated stink bug, first identified in the United States in Pennsylvania in the mid-1990s, has spread to at least 42 states and two Canadian provinces. The invasive pest has been able to rapidly extend its range because of its ability to overwinter in heated structures. "As the populations of the brown marmorated stink bug build within invaded territories, the stink bug progresses from a household nuisance into a major agricultural pest that can inflict massive crop yield losses during outbreak years," noted Rachelyn Dobson, lead author of a study in the April 2016 issue of HortTechnology. | |
 | Wild boars and wart hogs may have an internal compassNew research suggests for the first time that wild boars and wart hogs have an internal magnetic compass that helps them orient themselves as they forage for food and inhabit new areas. |
 | Lizard tail adaptations may reflect predators' color vision capabilitiesJuveniles of numerous lizard species have a vividly blue-colored tail that likely serves to deflect predator attacks toward the detachable tail rather than the lizard's body. Now researchers have found that certain differences in blue and UV light reflectance in lizard tails are likely adaptations to predators with different color vision capabilities. |
 | How huanglongbing affects oranges' detachment force, fruit propertiesThe citrus greening disease, huanglongbing (HLB), is a devastating condition that has been reported in 40 countries across the globe. Citrus trees infected with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) develop HLB symptoms such as reduced plant height, yellow shoots, blotchy mottled leaves, canopy thinning, and premature abscission of fruits. Citrus fruits severely affected by HLB can be small, lopsided, and poorly colored, with bitter or sour tasting juice. As HLB severity increases, preharvest fruit drop becomes increasingly problematic, contributing to declining crop yields. HLB is a very serious issue for the citrus industry, as it can kill or debilitate citrus trees quickly, and no effective treatment has been identified. |
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