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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 24, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | APL proposes Dragonfly mission to explore potential habitable sites on Saturn's largest moonThe Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory has submitted a proposal to NASA outlining a daring New Frontiers-class mission concept that would use an instrumented, radioisotope-powered dual-quadcopter to explore potential habitable sites where life could be developed on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. |
 | James Webb Telescope will study our solar system's 'ocean worlds'NASA's James Webb Space Telescope will use its infrared capabilities to study the "ocean worlds" of Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus, adding to observations previously made by NASA's Galileo and Cassini orbiters. The Webb telescope's observations could also help guide future missions to the icy moons. |
 | NASA's twin study investigates metabolitesYou may think you're just an average Joe, but according to your metabolomics data your body is percolating some expressive information about your daily life. |
Most advanced space weather radar in the world to be built in the ArcticThe most advanced space weather radar in the world is to be built in the Arctic by an international partnership including the UK, thanks to new investment, in the region of £4 to £6m from NERC. | |
 | NASA technologist develops self-calibrating, hybrid space magnetometerThey've flown on high-profile interplanetary and more modest low-Earth-orbiting missions, but in all cases the ubiquitous fluxgate magnetometers that scientists use to measure the intensity of a magnetic field will degrade over time. |
 | SpaceX launches Taiwan's first home-built satelliteSpaceX on Thursday launched the first satellite designed and built entirely in Taiwan, a spacecraft that aims to boost disaster forecasts and mapping, environmental observation and space research. |
 | Image: The eclipse 2017 umbra viewed from spaceAs millions of people across the United States experienced a total eclipse as the umbra, or moon's shadow passed over them, only six people witnessed the umbra from space. |
Technology news
 | No batteries required: Energy-harvesting yarns generate electricityAn international research team led by scientists at The University of Texas at Dallas and Hanyang University in South Korea has developed high-tech yarns that generate electricity when they are stretched or twisted. |
 | Programming language plus simple circuit design could let routers report on their own operationIn today's data networks, traffic analysis—determining which links are getting congested and why—is usually done by computers at the network's edge, which try to infer the state of the network from the times at which different data packets reach their destinations. |
 | Cryptocurrency: Feedback is invited for estcoin idea(Tech Xplore)—Cryptocurrencies are being talked about worldwide and now it looks as if Estonia could be one actor to take them to the next level. Estonia is thinking about issuing its own crypto token and holding an ICO. |
 | Samsung eyes reset with new Galaxy NoteSamsung on Wednesday unveiled a new model of its Galaxy Note as it seeks to leave behind the debacle over exploding batteries in the previous generation of the device, and mount a renewed challenge to Apple and its soon-to-come iPhone 8. |
 | Researchers develop origami-inspired robotNew research from a team of University of Illinois Mechanical Science and engineering professors and students, published as an invited paper in Smart Materials and Structures, details how origami structures and bio-inspired design can be used to create a crawling robot. |
 | Shopping by voice on Amazon or Google device could cost youIn the name of convenience, Amazon and Walmart are pushing people to shop by just talking to a digital assistant. |
 | High-frequency chip brings researchers closer to next generation technologynovel, high-frequency electronic chip potentially capable of transmitting tens of gigabits of data per second—a rate that is orders of magnitude above the fastest internet speeds available today—has been developed by engineers at the University of California, Davis. |
 | India's top court says privacy is a fundamental rightIndia's Supreme Court ruled Thursday that citizens have a constitutional right to privacy, a landmark verdict that could have wide-reaching implications for the government's biometric programme which holds data on over one billion people. |
 | Legal ruling: Facebook 'friends' aren't necessarily real friendsFacebook "friends" aren't always real friends - at least legally. |
 | Samsung Galaxy Note 8 first look: Sharp phone with few surprisesSamsung wants to give customers another reason to love the Note. |
Samsung Note 8, then iPhone 8, could remedy stagnant phone salesSamsung is ready to unpack a new Galaxy smartphone Wednesday. Apple is expected to follow suit, with its 10th-anniversary iPhone, next month. | |
 | Essential Phone on its way to early adoptersEssential, the new smartphone company founded by Android operating system creator Andy Rubin, is planning to ship its first pre-ordered flagship smartphones soon. The general launch date for the Essential Phone remains unknown, despite months of publicity and continued intrigue among Silicon Valley's gadget-loving circles. Recently, Essential's exclusive carrier Sprint announced it will open Phone pre-orders on its own website and stores. Essential opened up pre-orders on its website in May when the product was first unveiled. |
With Amazon looming, Walmart touts surging online grocery salesWalmart said Thursday that it's delivering online grocery orders from more than 900 stores with "strong results" in the early going, as the company's rivalry with Amazon intensifies following the online giant's acquisition of Whole Foods. | |
Revolutionary approach brings 3-D sound into the living roomComputer vision and sound experts at the University of Surrey have demonstrated 'Media Device Orchestration' - an innovative home audio concept which enables users to enjoy immersive audio experiences by using all available devices in a typical living room. | |
Everyone's an expert, but a computer program may be able to pick the best onesCombining the intuition of humans with the impartiality of computers could improve decision-making for organizations, eventually leading to lower costs and better profits, according to a team of researchers. | |
 | Apple gets $208M in tax breaks to build Iowa data centerIowa approved a deal Thursday to give Apple $208 million in state and local tax breaks to build two data storage centers near Des Moines and to create at least 50 jobs—a pact that critics quickly panned. |
 | Amazon: Whole Foods deal to close Monday, vows lower pricesAmazon announced Thursday that its takeover of Whole Foods Market will close next week, as it vowed to cut grocery prices and fully integrate the chain into its retail empire. |
China criticizes US trade probe as protectionismChina's Commerce Ministry on Thursday criticized a U.S. decision to launch a trade probe of Beijing's technology policy as an attack on the global trading system and said it will "resolutely defend" Chinese companies. | |
 | Judge allows money laundering charges against Backpage execsCalifornia prosecutors can bring money laundering charges against the creators of a website that prosecutors label an online brothel, a judge ruled Wednesday. But he dismissed other charges months after another judge threw out the entire case as violating free speech and federal protections. |
 | EU's future cyber-farms to utilise drones, robots and sensorsBee-based maths is helping teach swarms of drones to find weeds, while robotic mowers keep hedgerows in shape. |
Intelligent flow sensor for demand-controlled ventilationVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Fläkt Woods Oy have developed a flow sensor that enables ventilation to adapt to actual demand, thereby improving indoor air quality and energy efficiency. The flow control utilises a flow sensor, based on ultrasound, which is ideal for use in challenging hospital conditions and schools, for example. | |
 | Fukushima operator faces $5 bn US suit over 2011 disasterTokyo Electric Power Co Holdings said Thursday it faces another US lawsuit over the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, with the latest one demanding at least $5 billion in compensation. |
Gadgets: System improves sleeping environmentThe Nightingale smart home sleep system is designed to give you a better night of sleep by creating an optimal sleep environment. These are designed to create sound blankets which mask noises that keep you awake at night, depriving you of a good night's sleep. | |
 | Startup launches new app that could shake up conventional video viewingA start-up from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has launched an innovative mobile app that allows viewers to interact with television or video screens. This could spell new opportunities for marketers as Singapore moves towards more digital applications in a SMART Nation. |
 | Nandan Nilekani back at India's InfosysInfosys cofounder Nandan Nilekani will take over immediately as the company's nonexecutive chairman, the Indian software giant said Thursday, a move to calm investor unrest and steady the share price. |
 | Purdue startup receives Veteran Affairs' grant, advance RoboTable, increase independence, improve quality of lifePrehensile Technologies, a company developing robotic assistive technology devices, is developing RoboTable, a robotic over-the-bed table, to help veterans and others with disabilities or mobility impairments better use their laptop computers and mobile devices while restricted to bed, allowing them to be more independent and remain productive with work or school. |
 | Amazon to cut prices on Whole Foods staples like eggs, beefAmazon is moving swiftly to make big changes at Whole Foods, saying it plans to cut prices on bananas, eggs, salmon, beef and more as soon as it completes its $13.7 billion takeover next week. |
Philips to build health technology center in TennesseeDutch giant Royal Philips plans to build a health technology center in Tennessee. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | High levels of lithium in tap water linked to lowered rates of dementia(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers from several institutions in Denmark has found what appears to be a link between the amount of lithium naturally present in tap water and dementia in the people that drink it. In their paper published in JAMA Psychiatry, the group describes how they tested tap water that reached approximately 800,000 people in Denmark and compared it with dementia rates to see if there might be any connection between the two. John McGrath with the University of Queensland and Michael Berk with Deakin University, both in Australia, offer an editorial piece in the same journal issue describing the work done by the team in Denmark and the possibility of adding lithium to drinking water to lower dementia rates. |
 | Antioxidant supplement cost saving and effective for degenerative eye diseaseA supplement that combines antioxidants with zinc and copper is a relatively inexpensive and effective means of halting the progression of a certain type of degenerative eye disease, concludes research published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. |
 | 11 minutes of mindfulness training helps drinkers cut backBrief training in mindfulness strategies could help heavy drinkers start to cut back on alcohol consumption, finds a new UCL study. |
 | Distractions diminish ability to remember, but important facts stick, psychologists report"In a world of computers and iPhones, it's rare that we're fully focused," said Alan Castel, a UCLA professor of psychology. |
 | Study shows wearable robotic exoskeletons improve walking for children with cerebral palsyAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cerebral palsy (CP)—caused by neurological damage before, during or after birth—is the most common movement disorder in children, limiting mobility and independence throughout their lives. An estimated 500,000 children in the U.S. have CP. |
 | New type of MRI scan developed to predict stroke riskResearchers at the University of Oxford have developed a new type of MRI scan to predict the risk of having a stroke, thanks to funding from the British Heart Foundation (BHF). |
 | Exercising immediately after study may help you rememberExercise may be the secret to retaining information, according to new research from UNSW that may encourage more physical activity in classrooms and nursing homes. |
 | Scientists develop novel 'dot' system to improve cancer detectionResearchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) have developed a proof-of-concept nanosystem that dramatically improves the visualization of tumors. Published today in Nature Communications, the platform achieves a five-fold increase over existing tumor-specific optical imaging methods. The novel approach generates bright tumor signals by delivering "quantum dots" to cancer cells without any toxic effects. |
 | Researchers closer to understanding how a drug could induce health benefits of exerciseThe research team - led by the University of Leeds - has found that a protein called Piezo1 in the lining of blood vessels is able to detect a change in blood flow during exercise. |
 | Brain recovery longer than clinical recovery among athletes following concussion, research suggestsUniversity athletes with a recent concussion had changes in their brain structure and function even after they received medical clearance to return to play, a new study has found. |
 | Cancer drug can reactivate HIVPeople living with HIV must take a combination of three or more different drugs every day for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, by following this strict treatment plan, they can suffer from side effects ranging from mild dizziness to life-threatening liver damage. However, if they stop taking the drugs, the virus hiding inside their cells can spontaneously resurface. |
 | Leprosy turns the immune system against itself, study findsLeprosy hijacks our immune system, turning an important repair mechanism into one that causes potentially irreparable damage to our nerve cells, according to new research that uses zebrafish to study the disease. As such, the disease may share common characteristics with conditions such as multiple sclerosis. |
 | VCP protein inhibitor found to help virus kill liver tumors(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with members from several institutions in China has found that combining a VCP protein inhibitor with a virus that naturally targets liver cancer tumors made the virus much more potent. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes their search for a way to improve the cancer fighting abilities of a natural virus, the protein inhibitor they found, and how well the two work together to kill cancer cells. |
 | How the human brain detects the 'music' of speechResearchers at UC San Francisco have identified neurons in the human brain that respond to pitch changes in spoken language, which are essential to clearly conveying both meaning and emotion. |
 | Research reveals how estrogen regulates gene expressionEstrogen hormones regulate gene expression. They achieve this by first binding to estrogen receptor in the cell nucleus, which triggers the recruitment of different molecules called coactivators in specific order. In a study published in Molecular Cell, a team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston shows that the sequential recruitment of coactivators is not simply adding molecules to the complex, it results in dynamic specific structural and functional changes that are necessary for effective regulation of gene expression. |
 | Finding what fuels the 'runaway train' of autoimmune diseaseA newly-unveiled discovery, which has been four years in the making, has the potential to change the way we look at autoimmune diseases and understand how and why immune cells begin to attack different tissues in the body. |
 | Manipulating a single gene defines a new pathway to anxietyRemoving a single gene from the brains of mice and zebrafish causes these animals to become more anxious than normal. Researchers from University of Utah Health show that eliminating the gene encoding Lef1 disrupts the development of certain nerve cells in the hypothalamus that affect stress and anxiety. These results are the first implication that Lef1 functions in the hypothalamus to mediate behavior, knowledge that could prove useful for diagnosing and treating human brain disorders. |
 | Could nicotine reduction help curb addiction?The FDA is right - when it comes to disease culprits, cigarette smoking tops the list. While recognized as the number-one cause of preventable disease and death, it's an incredibly tough habit to break due to the addictiveness of nicotine. New research from the University of Vermont (UVM) and colleagues suggests that reducing nicotine content in cigarettes may decrease their addiction potential in especially vulnerable populations and suggests how regulatory policies could shift preferences to less-harmful tobacco products. |
Average cost of first 2 years of oropharyngeal cancer treatment in Texas is $139,749Bottom Line: In Texas, the average cost for the first two years of health care after a diagnosis of oropharyngeal cancer was $139,749. | |
 | Researcher identifies a new way to treat HIVMedical treatment that targets human proteins rather than ever-mutating viruses may one day help HIV-positive people whose bodies have built a resistance to "cocktails" currently used to keep them healthy, according to a Keck School of Medicine of USC researcher. |
Methamphetamine use linked to heightened stroke risk in the youngThe stimulant methamphetamine, also popularly known as 'speed,' 'ice' and 'meth,' is linked to a heightened risk of stroke among young people, reveals a review of the available evidence, published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. | |
Effect of population screening for type 2 diabetesThree large trials published today in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) show that screening for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors may not reduce mortality and cardiovascular disease in the general population. However, for individuals diagnosed with diabetes, screening is associated with a reduction in mortality and cardiovascular disease risk. | |
Improvised explosive devices inflict much more serious injuries than land minesThe types of close contact injuries inflicted by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are much more serious than those associated with land mines, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open. | |
 | Allergies? Exhausted regulatory T cells may play a roleResearchers have evidence that the specialized T cells responsible for maintaining a balanced immune response are vulnerable to exhaustion that disrupts normal functioning and may even contribute to allergic reactions. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists led the study, which appeared today as an advance online publication in the scientific journal Nature. |
 | Programming games prevents cognitive decline in elderly peopleInformation technology can be a powerful tool for preserving the cognitive functions of people over 60 years of age. This proposition was the basis of Fabio Ota's initiative to test the benefits of teaching game programming techniques to a group of 46 people over the age of 60, with the aim of fostering logical reasoning and preventing cognitive decline. |
 | First aid 'could help ease the pressure on emergency rooms', according to researchNew research commissioned by British Red Cross shows that over a third of people [34.1 per cent] who attend accident and emergency (A&E) departments were seeking help because they are 'worried and didn't know what to do'. |
 | Anti-vaccination beliefs don't follow the usual political polarizationWhen health officials learned that the 2015 measles outbreak was caused by clusters of unvaccinated children, Americans once more wanted to understand why some parents do not vaccinate their children. In our highly polarized culture, media commentators and even academics began to connect opposition to vaccination to either the left or right of politics. |
 | Oxidative stress on the brainSmith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is a rare disease that occurs when patients inherit from both parents defects in the Dhcr7 gene, which encodes the last enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. A large portion of SLOS patients exhibit autism spectrum disorder (ASD) behaviors. |
Can targeting social needs reduce health care costs?Can taking care of social needs for people utilizing Medicare and Medicaid help them spend less on health care? Can a personalized approach help people connect with services for interpersonal violence, transportation, housing instability, food insecurity and utility assistance? | |
 | Do homework on food safety when packing school lunchesNow that children are starting back to school and some parents will be packing their lunches, there are some food safety tips everyone should know, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist. |
 | For pregnancy or profit—motive for undergoing IVF may alter the experienceAn individual's reason for undergoing a medical intervention—be it to prevent or treat disease, earn money, or have a child—may result in variations in the bodily experience of the patient, Yale researchers have found. |
 | Prejudice in the emergency roomEvery so often—a few times a year—a patient at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) hospital in Portland refuses treatment in the emergency department from Esther Choo, M.D. '01, M.P.H. It's not because they consider her 15 years' medical practice too paltry, or her School of Medicine degree insufficient—but because she is not white. |
 | Star ratings encourage production of healthier foods, surveys showThe voluntary Health Star Rating is encouraging manufacturers to create healthier foods, surveys of more than 44,000 New Zealand supermarket products over a three-year period have shown. |
Millions of uncommon genetic variants found in Swedish studyAn extensive exercise to map genetic variation in Sweden has found 33 million genetic variants, 10 million of which were previously unknown. Large-scale DNA sequencing methods were used to analyse the whole genome of 1,000 individuals from different parts of the country. The study was led by researchers at Uppsala University, who have published their findings in the European Journal of Human Genetics. | |
'Pop drop' study finds more ER visits, higher costs for older disabled patientsEmergency room staff call it a "pop drop" - when a disabled older person comes in for medical attention, but it seems like the person who takes care of them at home is also seeking a break from the demands of caregiving. | |
Tanzania to use drone network to deliver critical medicinesDrones soon will be used in Tanzania to deliver medicines to health facilities across the East African country, continuing a trend of African governments embracing drone networks to deliver critical services. | |
 | Many addicts seeking opioid recovery find relapse and fraudThe Reflections treatment center looked like just the place for Michelle Holley's youngest daughter to kick heroin. Instead, as with dozens of other Florida substance abuse treatment facilities, the owner was more interested in defrauding insurance companies by keeping addicts hooked, her family says. |
 | Before babies understand words, they understand tones of voiceBefore babies start saying words, it is hard for parents to know whether their little one actually understands the things that they say to them. Many parenting magazines and books recommend speaking to children even before parents think their babies can understand what they're saying – and sometimes even before they're born – because it helps babies to recognise voices and begin to learn about language. You may wonder, though, if a baby has no idea what is being spoken to them, does it really matter what or how it is said? |
 | New drug targets for a rare kidney and liver diseaseIn a joint international study, researchers from Osaka University have partnered with research groups from the United States and Spain to uncover how mutations in a single gene called PKHD1 lead to symptoms associated with a rare kidney and liver disease, ARPKD (autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease). The findings are expected to lead to novel treatment strategies against the disease. |
 | Do you brood too much?Your mind begins to churn, and you start brooding about something that's happened or worry about what's going to happen. Most people have had this experience, and many often feel powerless to stop their brooding once it has started. |
New imaging technique spots prostate tumours starved of oxygenA new imaging technique uncovers oxygen levels in prostate tumours and could lead to a non-invasive way to determine which tumours are more difficult to treat, according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in Theranostics. | |
 | An especially challenging brain cancer diagnosisMost brain cancers start elsewhere in the body, but one particularly aggressive and uncommon form—glioblastoma—originates in the brain itself. |
 | We should serve kids food in school, not shameFor the past several years, reports have surfaced about the "shaming" of students for outstanding school meal debts. These students, often from low-income families, are being publicly humiliated because they have unpaid debt in their school meal accounts.Policies that shame students can include stamping on children's hands or arms, taking their food away and dumping it in the trash or giving them stigmatized cold, partial meals in lieu of the regular hot lunch. |
 | The concept of schizophrenia is coming to an end – here's whyThe concept of schizophrenia is dying. Harried for decades by psychology, it now appears to have been fatally wounded by psychiatry, the very profession that once sustained it. It's passing will not be mourned. |
Age-related hearing loss and communication breakdown in the clinical settingIt was not uncommon for older adults to report mishearing a physician or nurse in a primary care or hospital setting, according to a study published by JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. | |
 | General patient infections transferred similarly to hospital-acquired infectionsA new study shows that the networks formed by patterns of patient transfers between hospitals in France are very similar among three patient populations: those diagnosed with hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), those with suspected HAIs, and the general patient population. The research, published in PLOS Computational Biology, could help inform efforts to reduce the spread of HAIs. |
 | Poor treatment of meningitis in kids can lead to tragedies warn expertsResearch has shown that bacterial meningitis in infants may not be being diagnosed or acted on quickly enough by medical professionals. |
 | New virtual model reveals details of declining lung function in miceScientists have developed a new virtual model of mouse lung function that illuminates the relative importance of different factors that contribute to lung changes accompanying chronic inflammation. Christopher Massa and his colleagues at Rutgers University, New Jersey, present the work in PLOS Computational Biology. |
First walking app of its kind launched to help adults be more physically activeA free app created in collaboration with engineers from the University of Sheffield has been launched today (24 August 2017) by Public Health England to encourage adults to be more physically active. | |
 | Missed nursing care due to low nurse staffing increases patient mortalityFailure to deliver complete nursing care explains why hospitals with lower registered nursing (RN) staff levels have a higher risk of patient death, a new University of Southampton study has shown. |
 | One in five women with postpartum mood disorders do not seek helpA recent study from North Carolina State University finds that 21 percent of recent mothers experiencing postpartum mood disorders (PPMDs), such as anxiety and depression, do not disclose their symptoms to healthcare providers. |
McDonalds to limit use of antibiotics in chicken supplyMcDonalds says it will start globally rolling back use of antibiotics in its chicken products from 2018 as part of efforts to curb microbial resistance to drugs and the rise of superbugs. | |
Egg scare shows flaws in food alert system: watchdogRecalls of unsafe food products often reach consumers too late or not at all, the campaign group Foodwatch said Thursday, calling for tighter oversight after a Europe-wide scare erupted over insecticide-tainted eggs. | |
 | HPV vaccination rates lag for vulnerable population of childhood cancer survivorsDespite being at an increased risk for cancers associated with the human papillomavirus, the first comprehensive national survey found that HPV vaccination rates for childhood cancer survivors lag well behind the national average and that health care providers often fail to recommend the vaccine. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the University of Alabama at Birmingham led the study, which appears today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. |
 | Study examines whether marijuana affects kidney functionA new study found little evidence that marijuana use affects kidney function in healthy young adults. The analysis appears in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). |
 | PERSEVERE-XP improves mortality risk stratification in sepsis(HealthDay)—Addition of previously unconsidered genes from the Pediatric Sepsis Biomarker Risk Model (PERSEVERE) can improve mortality risk stratification for children with septic shock, according to a study published in the Aug. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. |
 | Leukomelanoderma after hydroquinone use described(HealthDay)—In a case report published online Aug. 16 in the Journal of Dermatology, leukomelanoderma is described in patients using hydroquinone at a concentration of 10 percent. |
 | Five prebariatric subtypes identified with specific profiles(HealthDay)—Five prebariatric subtypes have been identified with specific self-control, emotional dysregulation, and disinhibited eating behavior profiles, according to research published online Aug. 16 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders. |
 | Once-yearly counseling tied to more physical activity in T2DM(HealthDay)—Theoretical and practical once-yearly counseling for three years is associated with increased physical activity (PA) and reduced sedentary (SED) time in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Aug. 18 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Good cosmetic outcomes for super pulse CO2 laser therapy(HealthDay)—Super pulse carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is associated with good cosmetic outcomes for benign eyelid lesions, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. |
 | Demand for liver transplant for NASH set to continue rising(HealthDay)—Given population obesity trends, the increase in the demand for liver transplantation (LT) for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) noted since 2000 is expected to continue, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in Hepatology. |
 | Nurse-, system-related factors analyzed in wrong-patient events(HealthDay)—Greater focus is needed on correct identification processes in order to prevent wrong-patient medication administration incidents, and system supports for nurses are critical, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing. |
 | Tablet use encourages patients to explore diabetes risk(HealthDay)—The multispecialty San Bernardino Medical Group has replaced magazines with digital devices in waiting rooms, which can help patients learn about their risk of diabetes and take preventive action, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA). |
 | Pattern of stressor-evoked brain activity can predict BP reactivity(HealthDay)—A multivariate pattern of stressor-evoked brain activity can predict individual differences in blood pressure (BP) reactivity, according to a study published online Aug. 23 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. |
 | Day-supply of opioid Rx factor in likelihood of long-term use(HealthDay)—The days supplied is far more important than the dosage level or even the type of pain being treated in risk of opioid use disorder following opioid prescription, according to a study published recently in The Journal of Pain. |
Home visits help new parents overcome tough histories, raise healthy childrenSeated at a kitchen table in a cramped apartment, Rosendo Gil asked the young parents sitting across from him what they should do if their daughter caught a cold. | |
 | 'Breakthrough' leukemia drug also portends 'quantum leap' in costWhen doctors talk about a new leukemia drug from Novartis, they ooze enthusiasm, using words like "breakthrough," "revolutionary" and "a watershed moment." |
| Signs of eye damage from staring at solar eclipseOphthalmologists expect to see a few patients who might have injured to their eyes by staring at the sun during Monday's solar eclipse. |
 | Researchers test new technique to help with concussion diagnosisSports-related concussions are a major public health concern and are notoriously difficult to diagnose. But new research from UBC's Okanagan campus provides a new tool to help test athletes for recent brain trauma. "Diagnosing concussions relies heavily on patients reporting their symptoms. While there are other tests that may be used to help clinicians make a diagnosis, they can be extremely subjective, inaccurate and, frankly, easy to manipulate," says study lead author and UBC Okanagan medical student and PhD candidate Alexander (Sandy) Wright. "Because concussions can't be seen on standard brain imaging, the holy grail in the concussion world has been to devise a test that can objectively say whether or not a patient has suffered a mild brain injury." |
 | Anticoagulants used for arrhythmia can have different thrombus formation ratesAnticoagulants are recommended for atrial fibrillation due to the high risk of stroke. However, bleeding complications can occur as a side effect. Researchers in Japan examined several types of anticoagulants and found that the rates of thrombus formation are different according to the type of drug. This difference may be related to the risk of side effects, especially intracranial bleeding. |
 | Androgen deprivation therapy increases risk of heart failure in men with prostate cancerMen with localized prostate cancer who received androgen deprivation therapy, a hormone treatment, were at significantly higher risk of heart failure than men who did not receive this therapy, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the British Journal of Cancer. |
Researchers discover cancer stem cell pathway in endometrial cancerA team of Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered a key pathway that leads to recurrence and treatment resistance in endometrial cancer, providing the potential for much needed new therapies for women with limited options. | |
 | Bacterial infection stresses hematopoietic stem cellsIt has been thought that only immune cells would act as the line of defense during bacterial infection. However, recent research has revealed that hematopoietic stem cells, cells that create all other blood cells throughout an individual's lifetime, are also able to respond to the infection. A collaboration between researchers from Japan and Switzerland found that bacterial infection activates hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow and significantly reduces their ability to produce blood by forcibly inducing proliferation. These findings indicate that bacterial infections might trigger dysregulation of blood formation, such as that found in anemia or leukemia. This information is important to consider in the development of prevention methods for blood diseases. |
 | Zika monkey study suggests worse fetal effects for vaginal versus mosquito transmissionRhesus macaques that were vaginally infected with Zika virus showed higher prevalence of Zika in the reproductive tract than previously seen in macaques that received skin injections of the virus. The findings, published in PLOS Pathogens, suggest that vaginal transmission may increase the risk or severity of fetal Zika disease compared to mosquito transmission. |
 | Panic disorder symptoms may be tied to acid-sensing receptorPanic disorder is a syndrome characterized by spontaneous and recurrent episodes of incapacitating anxiety. It typically emerges during adolescence or early adulthood and can take an exhausting emotional and physical toll on the body. Physical symptoms can include heart palpitations, sweating and/or chills, trouble breathing and dizziness, nausea and even chest pain. |
 | Physical activity in midlife not linked to cognitive fitness in later years, long-term study showsA study led by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers that tracked activity levels of 646 adults over 30 years found that, contrary to previous research, exercise in mid-life was not linked to cognitive fitness in later years. |
 | How the emotions of others influence our olfactory senseWhether something smells good or bad, does not solely depend on one's own nose. |
 | This is how belly fat could increase your cancer riskIt's been well established that obesity is a contributor to cancer risk, but how it actually causes cancer is still a question that hasn't been fully explained. |
 | Anesthesia and surgery during infancy may impact white matter during childhoodGeneral anesthesia and surgery in otherwise healthy infants under the age of 1 year old could be associated with decreases in the amount of white matter in the brain, as well as reductions in the remaining white matter's integrity, according to a new University of Iowa Health Care study published this week in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. |
Flu vaccine rates for kids may drop when the nasal spray vaccine is unavailableInfluenza vaccination rates in children may have decreased for the 2016-17 influenza season because of a recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the nasal spray version of the vaccine not be used, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. | |
 | New receptor found on scavenger cellsAdenoviral infections have a mild disease progression in healthy people, but it can be dangerous for immunocompromised people. If a patient is infected with the virus and gets a bacterial infection on top of it, it can lead to an excessive inflammatory response known as a cytokine storm, an overreaction by the immune system leading to high concentrations of proteins that promote inflammation. Many patients do not survive this crisis. |
 | Young children's sense of self is similar to that of adultsYoung children's sense of self is similar to that of older kids and adults, a team of psychology researchers has found. The results show that our ability to reason about our self-worth as individuals develops early in life, but also suggest that failure can instill discouragement sooner than previously thought. |
Combating antiviral drug resistance with dynamic therapeuticsAntiviral drug resistance has long been a problem in modern society. As viruses evolve, they develop resistance to antiviral drugs, which become less effective at treating diseases such as influenza. | |
 | Rapid diagnostic test helps distinguish between severe and uncomplicated malaria in AfricaMalaria is a leading cause of death for children living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Many children in rural areas seek care at local community health clinics, but these clinics lack reliable tests to distinguish severe and uncomplicated malaria. Working at a health center in rural Uganda, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill demonstrated for the first time the potential of using a low-cost, routinely available rapid diagnostic test to detect severe malaria in children. |
 | Gene therapy with BMP4 protects against weight gain and insulin resistance in miceThere was no weight gain, despite a higher energy intake, and insulin sensitivity was increased. These are the results from experiments on mice that had elevated levels of the protein BMP4 following gene therapy in a study at Sahlgrenska Academy, published in Cell Reports. |
Study shows incisionless surgery with MR-HIFU effective in destroying painful bone tumorsDoctors from the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children's National Health System have completed a clinical trial that demonstrates how osteoid osteoma, a benign but painful bone tumor that commonly occurs in children and young adults, can be safely and successfully treated using an incisionless surgery method called magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU). | |
 | Caffeine tempers taste, triggering temptation for sweetsCaffeine, the widely consumed stimulant and igniter of sluggish mornings, has been found to temper taste buds temporarily, making food and drink seem less sweet, according to new Cornell University research. |
 | Scientists discover how tuberculosis hijacks the immune systemScientists have unlocked a key element in understanding how human lungs fight tuberculosis (TB). They hope their research findings, which were published today in the international peer reviewed journal Immunity, will help pave the way towards new treatment approaches for TB, particularly in an era of increasing antibiotic resistance to TB. |
 | Researchers enter race for early Alzheimer's testAccording to Paul Coleman, an Alzheimer's researcher at the ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center (NDRC), one of the greatest difficulties plaguing efforts to find effective treatments for Alzheimer's is the enormous lag between the disease's inception and the appearance of clinical symptoms. |
 | Scientists characterize regulatory DNA sequences responsible for human diseasesScientists from the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have developed an innovative system to identify and characterize the molecular components that control the activities of regulatory DNA sequences in the human genome. |
 | Patients' hearing loss may mean poorer medical care(HealthDay)—Many seniors may not hear everything their doctors tell them, new research suggests, and that could raise the risk of medical errors. |
 | How you think about your arthritis makes a difference(HealthDay)—How well you cope with knee arthritis depends a lot on your mental outlook, a new study suggests. |
 | What's your real salmonella risk?(HealthDay)—Every year, roughly 1 in 6 Americans gets sick from contaminated food. That includes more than 1.2 million illnesses due to the bacteria salmonella. |
 | Platelet-rich plasma plus hyaluronic acid improves skin rejuvenation(HealthDay)—Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with hyaluronic acid (HA) improves skin firmness and elasticity, according to a research letter published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. |
 | Myricetin potentially protective against photodamage of skin(HealthDay)—Myricetin protects cells from photodamage via the IκB/NFκB signaling pathway, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. |
 | Worse LV global longitudinal strain for STEMI with COPD(HealthDay)—For patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have significantly more impaired left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS), according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology. |
 | Increased risk of MI, stroke for patients with hip fracture(HealthDay)—Patients with hip fracture have an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. |
 | No increase in acute kidney injury risk for SGLT2 users(HealthDay)—The risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) is not increased for new sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor users, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Patient beliefs may explain high rate of medicine intake(HealthDay)—Subjective norms and attitudes toward medicine consumption predict the intention and expectation to consume medicines, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. |
 | Google search for 'depression' now to provide screening test(HealthDay)—Web search giant Google is partnering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to make depression screening a part of a search for 'depression' on the site. |
 | Telomere length prognostic in hepatocellular carcinoma(HealthDay)—Telomere attrition occurs in tumor cells from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and shortened telomeres are independent prognosticators for HCC patients, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in the Journal of Pathology. |
 | DNA sensor plays critical role in cancer immunotherapy via response to unexpected DNA formUT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report for the first time that tumors stressed by cancer immunotherapy release their mitochondrial DNA into nearby immune cells, triggering a host alert system. |
Penn ethicist proposes new category for psychiatric patients to justify instances of compulsory treatmentThe "involuntary treatment" of unwilling psychiatric patients has long been accepted as necessary in some cases, for the sake of patients and society, though it can raise serious ethical concerns as well as legal barriers. In a Viewpoint essay published online today in JAMA, Dominic Sisti, PhD, an assistant professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, argues that some of the concerns about treating patients without their consent would be alleviated if the mental health profession recognized an important distinction among these cases. | |
 | As hurricane harvey targets Texas, tips to protect yourself(HealthDay)—By 1 p.m. Thursday, the Gulf of Mexico storm dubbed Harvey had officially gained hurricane status—and forecasters say it could deliver a devastating blow to East Texas by late Friday. |
 | After heart attack, just one in three go for rehab: CDC(HealthDay)—Only one in three heart attack survivors in the United States goes for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation, government health officials report. |
 | Bicyclist deaths rise in U.S., men are likely victims(HealthDay)—Bicyclist deaths on U.S. roadways are up significantly, and men—not kids—are commonly the victims, a new report finds. |
More U.S. teens getting vaccinated against HPV(HealthDay)—Six out of 10 U.S. parents are choosing to get their children vaccinated against the cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV), which is spread by sexual contact, federal health officials reported Thursday. | |
 | Study gauges perceptions of transgender youths in small townsTransgender youths face a number of challenges each day, and it's easy to assume those who live in small, rural towns have less understanding and more hostility in their lives. But a new study shows that's not necessarily the case and that how transgender youths perceive the climate in their community is more significant than the number of residents. |
 | Cancer drug may benefit patients with inherited form of kidney diseaseA cancer drug called bosutinib may inhibit the growth of cysts in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings point to a potential new treatment strategy for affected patients, but the long-term benefits remain to be determined. |
Protecting newborns from pertussisDear Mayo Clinic: I am four months pregnant and live in an area where there has been a pertussis outbreak. What's the best way to keep my newborn baby safe until he or she can get the vaccine? | |
Speech therapy after a strokeDear Mayo Clinic: My mother had a stroke six months ago. Her mobility has returned to near normal. She can read and understands others when they speak. But she has a lot of difficulty talking, often struggling to find the words she wants to say. She's frustrated but refuses to go to speech therapy. She doesn't think it will do any good. What does speech therapy after a stroke involve? Could it help someone like my mother? | |
Mathematical tools improve theory and prediction in psychiatryRecent years have seen an explosion in the use of mathematical models to integrate insights emerging from studies of the brain and behavior. This approach has been used to develop new theoretical perspectives that can enrich data analysis, which researchers hope will help explain mechanisms behind complex psychiatric diseases and improve treatment for patients. Biological Psychiatry presents a special issue titled "Computational Psychiatry" dedicated to these exciting advancements. | |
 | ICU patients who survive ARDS may suffer from prolonged post-intensive care syndromePatients who survive acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) often leave a hospital intensive care unit with debilitating mental, physical, or cognitive problems that may limit their quality of life. |
LGB older adults suffer more chronic health conditions than heterosexualsLesbian and bisexual older women are more likely than heterosexual older women to suffer chronic health conditions, experience sleep problems and drink excessively, a new University of Washington study finds. | |
 | Nearly one in four hospitalized patients has diabetesOne in four patients in a university hospital suffers from diabetes (22 percent), and again as many suffer from prediabetes (24 percent). These were the findings of a current study by researchers in Tübingen of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD) and Helmholtz Zentrum München. Further results of the study: Patients with diabetes have prolonged hospital stays and a higher risk of complications. |
Report highlights growing health disparities in AppalachiaThe 25 million people who live among the Appalachian mountains have struggled to keep up with health gains of the rest of the nation, falling behind in most major public health indicators, according to a study released Thursday . | |
 | Long, mysterious strips of RNA contribute to low sperm countScientists have found distinctive portions of genetic material—known as lncRNAs—that help sperm develop. Male mice lacking a particular lncRNA have low sperm count, suggesting lncRNAs could represent novel infertility drug targets. |
Insurer fills last hole in health law marketplaces for 2018The lone U.S. county still at risk of leaving shoppers with no choices next year on the federal health law's insurance marketplace has landed an insurer. | |
Biology news
 | The science of fluoride flipping: A new technique helps researchers study tiny biological processesSo much of what happens inside cells to preserve health or cause disease is so small or time-sensitive that researchers are just now getting glimpses of the complexities unfolding in us every minute of the day. UNC School of Medicine researchers have discovered one such complexity—a previously hidden mode of RNA regulation vital for bacterial defense against toxic fluoride ions. |
 | Pheromone genes could dictate colony structure of the red fire antProteins involved in the production and perception of pheromones may determine if red fire ant colonies contain a single queen or multiple queens. |
 | Epigenetics may explain how Darwin's finches respond to rapid environmental changeEpigenetics may explain how Darwin's finches respond to rapid environmental changes, according to new research published in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology. |
 | Magical creatures help conservationBeliefs in magical creatures can impact the protection of biodiversity, and the field of conservation needs to consider them seriously, researchers have warned. |
 | Baby boomer squirrels master tricky timingFemale squirrels who align their reproduction to take advantage of food-rich years and align have more pups that survive to maturity, according to new research from UAlberta biologists |
 | Plant 'smells' insect foe, initiates defenseIt cannot run away from the fly that does it so much damage, but tall goldenrod can protect itself by first "smelling" its attacker and then initiating its defenses, according to an international team of researchers. |
 | Bleats and trills evolved multiple times to aid in 'caller ID'Sheep, giant pandas, mouse lemurs, capybaras, and fur seals all have something in common when it comes to communication. All of them produce calls with rapid, vibrato-like fundamental frequency modulation—commonly known as bleats or trills. Now, researchers reporting in Current Biology on August 24 think they know why that call feature has arisen multiple times over the course of evolution: it improves the ability of listeners to detect call components that provide important identifying information about a caller. |
 | Antibiotic resistance rises in 'lonely' mutating microbesA major study led by The University of Manchester has discovered that so called 'lonely' microbes, those living at low population densities, are more likely to mutate causing higher rates of antibiotic resistance. |
 | Hunter-gatherers' seasonal gut-microbe diversity loss echoes our permanent oneMore evidence that our intestinal microbes are profoundly influenced by the foods we eat—or don't: The gut ecosystems of members of a small group of hunter-gatherers inhabiting Tanzania's Rift Valley show a strong cyclicality consistent with the population's seasonally changing diet. |
 | Research reveals how new behaviors appear and spread among capuchin monkeysOne white-faced capuchin monkey sticks its fingers deep into the eye sockets of another capuchin it's friends with. A capuchin uses her ally's body parts to whack their common enemy. These behaviors become entrenched in the repertoires of the inventors. But in the first case, the behavior spreads to other group members, and in the second case it does not. |
 | Scientists take first snapshots of a molecular propeller that runs at 100 degrees CelsiusScientists have made a crucial new discovery into how a group of ancient microbes that can survive in some of the world's harshest environments, propel themselves forward. |
 | As Tolstoy noted (sort of), all unhappy microbiomes are unhappy in their own wayThe bacterial communities that live inside everyone are quite similar and stable when times are good, but when stress enters the equation, those communities can react very differently from person to person. |
 | Farming, cheese, chewing changed human skull shapeThe advent of farming, especially dairy products, had a small but significant effect on the shape of human skulls, according to a recently published study from anthropologists at UC Davis. |
 | DNA detectives crack the case on biothreat look-alikesBiological "detectives" are tracking down biothreats such as the bacteria that causes tularemia ("rabbit fever"), but they constantly face the challenge of avoiding false positives. Sounding the alarm over a bioattack, only to find it's a harmless relative in the same genus, reduces credibility and public trust. New work at Los Alamos National Laboratory is narrowing down the confusion over Francisella bacteria, a few species of which include highly virulent human and animal pathogens, fish pathogens, opportunistic human pathogens, tick endosymbionts, and free-living isolates inhabiting brackish water. |
 | Tracking down the jumping genes of maizeThe "jumping genes" of maize have finally been mapped by an international team led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The discovery could ultimately benefit the breeding and production of maize, one of the world's most important crops. |
 | Survival of soil organisms is a wake-up call for biosecurityTiny creatures in soil that attack plants have shown the ability to survive for at least three years stored in dry conditions in a recent AgResearch study, giving new insights into the biosecurity threats posed by passenger travel and trade between countries. The research article is published in the open access journal Neobiota. |
 | Studies reveal worrisome trend for health of wild dolphinsTwelve years of data on the health of two Atlantic bottlenose dolphin populations paints a grim reality concerning the wellbeing of the Atlantic Ocean. The research, published as two companion review papers July 24 in the scientific journal Diseases in Aquatic Organisms (here and here), compiles findings from Georgia Aquarium, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at Florida Atlantic University and a number of contributing partners as part of the Health and Environmental Risk Assessment Project (HERA) from 2003-2015. In addition to informing researchers about the health of dolphins, the data have prompted additional studies on how the environment may impact human health. |
How cells hack their own genesDNA in all organisms from yeast to humans encodes the genes that make it possible to live and reproduce. But these beneficial genes make up only 2 percent of our DNA. In fact, more than two-thirds of our genome is populated by selfish genes that only care about their own replication – so-called genetic parasites. Scattered throughout the genomes of plants, fungi, and animals, they can jump from one genomic location to another. Although they can be important for generating diversity in the genome, they can also cause lethal mutations or sterility. Just as bacteria use the CRISPR/Cas9 system to identify and cleave viruses invading their DNA, eukaryotic cells have developed various strategies to protect the genome and silence these selfish genetic parasites. Small regulatory RNAs govern many of these genome-defense mechanisms and have also yielded major biotechnological innovations. | |
 | Introducing 'dark DNA'—the phenomenon that could change how we think about evolutionDNA sequencing technology is helping scientists unravel questions that humans have been asking about animals for centuries. By mapping out animal genomes, we now have a better idea of how the giraffe got its huge neck and why snakes are so long. Genome sequencing allows us to compare and contrast the DNA of different animals and work out how they evolved in their own unique ways. |
 | Root behavior changes as woody trees ageThe study of plant root behavior has always taken a back seat to the study of above-ground plant parts. But this hidden plant organ is just as important as stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Recent research from the University of Guam has revealed that the timing of daily root extension is under the influence of the age and size of a plant. The results appear in the current issue of the journal Plant Signaling & Behavior. |
 | Hopes soar in Scotland: Edinburgh Zoo panda may be pregnantThe only female giant panda in Britain is believed to be pregnant, Edinburgh Zoo said Thursday. |
 | Collapse at salmon farm renews debate about fish farmingA marine net pen holding 305,000 farmed Atlantic salmon collapsed recently, releasing thousands of fish into Puget Sound and renewing concerns that a new proposed salmon farm could harm wild salmon stock and cause other environmental damage. |
 | Her Majesty's police horses kick back in southern FranceAfter years of pounding the pavement in Britain, four-legged veterans of the country's fight against crime are hoofing it across the Channel to kick back under the sun in southwest France. |
 | Reassessing nomenclature for 'horned turban' snailThe 'horned turban' is well known to people mainly in Japan, Korea, and China as an edible marine snail. The species of Japan and Korea was known as Turbo cornutus Lightfoot, 1786 (Sazae in Japanese; Fig. 1) and the Chinese one as T. chinensis Ozawa & Tomida, 1995 (Nankai-sazae; Fig. 2). The first literature record of T. cornutus was published 250 years ago (Fig. 3) and the name was globally accepted. |
 | Australian prison provides rehab for inmates and animalsAustralian prisoners are caring for animals that have been abandoned, attacked by predators, hit by cars or even seized in a drug bust as part of a rehabilitation programme. |
Duke University receives two endangered lemurs from MadagascarA pair of endangered lemurs has been imported to the U.S. from Madagascar for the first time in two decades. | |
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