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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 23, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Scientists detect first X-rays from mystery supernovasExploding stars lit the way for our understanding of the universe, but researchers are still in the dark about many of their features. |
 | Scientists 'excited' by observations suggesting formation scenariosPhysicists have described how observations of gravitational waves limit the possible explanations for the formation of black holes outside of our galaxy; either they are spinning more slowly than black holes in our own galaxy or they spin rapidly but are 'tumbled around' with spins randomly oriented to their orbit. |
 | Image: Saturn-lit TethysCassini gazes across the icy rings of Saturn toward the icy moon Tethys, whose night side is illuminated by Saturnshine, or sunlight reflected by the planet. |
 | Image: Return of the sun at Antarctica's Concordia research stationFor some, the sun disappeared behind the moon in yesterday's eclipse for a few minutes, but the 13 people living in Antarctica's Concordia research station had to cope without sunlight for much longer. This sunset picture is beautiful on its own, but imagine if you hadn't seen the sun in over four months. |
Video: Megamovie video captures eclipse coast-to-coastLast evening, the Eclipse Megamovie project posted a preview of the photos of the total solar eclipse submitted by a cast of some 1,500 volunteers spread out along the path of totality. | |
 | Lockheed Martin powers up next Orion spacecraft for first timeEngineers at Lockheed Martin and NASA breathed life into the next Orion crew module when they powered up the spacecraft for the first time at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Designed for human spaceflight, this Orion will be the first to fly more than 40,000 miles beyond the Moon during its nearly three-week Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), a feat that hasn't been possible before. |
 | Here's the blueprint for a global fireball observatory – and why we need oneBright shooting stars are one of nature's great wonders. Like the one in the main image, which was visible from Devon in the south-west of England in June, these fireballs are caused by space rocks hitting Earth's atmosphere. The friction forces them to slow down, producing a tremendous amount of heat at the same time. If the rock is big enough, a fragment will survive this fiery transition and fall to Earth as a meteorite. |
 | SpaceX unveils peek at sleek new spacesuitSpaceX's chief executive Elon Musk gave a sneak peek Wednesday at the California-based company's futuristic new spacesuit. |
Technology news
 | New membrane-based antenna much smaller than conventional onesA group led by researchers at Northeastern University in the U.S. has developed a new kind of antenna that is much smaller than conventional antennas. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the team describes the new membrane-based antenna and offer some ideas on how they think it might be used. |
 | Automated safety systems are preventing car crashesSafety systems to prevent cars from drifting into another lane or that warn drivers of vehicles in their blind spots are beginning to live up to their potential to significantly reduce crashes, according to two studies released Wednesday. |
 | Researchers explore how phone replacement screens could trigger attacksPeople with cracked phone touch screens? What else is new? Many people drop their phones, shatter their screens and either put up with their cracked screens or run to shops for replacements. Now there is something to worry about other than just inconvenience. |
 | Walmart dives into voice-activated shopping with GoogleWalmart is diving into voice-activated shopping. But unlike online leader Amazon, it's not doing it alone. |
 | Cracking the mobile-market code could create food-desert oasisWith perishable inventory and slim profit margins, the grocery business is notoriously tough. The mobile grocery business is even tougher. Two entities – one for-profit and the other not—that in recent years ran mobile groceries in the Kansas City area have shut down. |
 | Growing role of artificial intelligence in our lives is 'too important to leave to men'I must not have got the memo, because as a young lecturer in computer science at the University of Southampton in 1985 I was unaware that "women didn't do computing". |
 | Why you should care about China's VPN crackdownInternet censors have a new target. The Chinese and Russian governments recently announced plans to block the use of "virtual private networks" (VPNs), which are a key tool for people trying to avoid internet restrictions and surveillance. |
 | What blackout? How solar-reliant power grids passed the eclipse testThe total solar eclipse that captivated the United States this week was more than just a celestial spectacle (and a reminder to take care of your eyes). It was also a valuable lesson in how to manage electricity grids when a crucial generation source – solar power, in this case – goes temporarily offline. |
 | Here's how we can stop driverless cars from being hackedOnce hackers get into your internet-connected car, they could disable the air bags, brakes, door locks and even steal the vehicle. That's the finding of researchers who recently uncovered a flaw in the way the different components of a connected car talk to each other. Their work follows several demonstrations of researchers remotely hacking into and taking control of cars, including one that led to a worldwide recall of one connected model of Jeep. |
 | Using blockchain technology to address worldwide food safetyA group of leading companies across the global food supply chain today announced a major blockchain collaboration with IBM (NYSE: IBM) intended to further strengthen consumer confidence in the global food system. The consortium includes Dole, Driscoll's, Golden State Foods, Kroger, McCormick and Company, McLane Company, Nestlé, Tyson Foods, Unilever and Walmart, who will work with IBM to identify new areas where the global supply chain can benefit from blockchain. |
 | Up from the ashes: Samsung unveils successor to Note 7 phoneSamsung is trying to move past last year's disastrous Galaxy Note 7 launch with a successor sporting a dual-lens camera, animated messages, expanded note-taking—and lower battery capacity. |
 | How 139 countries could be powered by 100 percent wind, water, and solar energy by 2050The latest roadmap to a 100% renewable energy future from Stanford's Mark Z. Jacobson and 26 colleagues is the most specific global vision yet, outlining infrastructure changes that 139 countries can make to be entirely powered by wind, water, and sunlight by 2050 after electrification of all energy sectors. Such a transition could mean less worldwide energy consumption due to the efficiency of clean, renewable electricity; a net increase of over 24 million long-term jobs; an annual decrease in 4-7 million air pollution deaths per year; stabilization of energy prices; and annual savings of over $20 trillion in health and climate costs. The work appears August 23 in the journal Joule, Cell Press's new publication focused on sustainable energy. |
 | #HappyBirthday! Hashtag turns 10The hashtag, the symbol attached to keywords to tag topics online, on Wednesday celebrates 10 years making social media just a bit more navigable. |
In Seattle, behind-the-scenes Facebook team wrangles digital deluge in massive cloudMore than 2 billion people log into Facebook every month. Every day, the social-media crowd uploads billions of photos, calls up hundreds of millions of hours of video, and fires off a prodigious flurry of likes and comments. Somebody has to store that slice of humanity's digital record. | |
Parents turn to Uber to shuttle kids, even though it's not allowedTeenager Emily Lieber needed a ride home from the bus stop, so she did what her parents might do: She called Uber. | |
 | Focus for independent retailers _ make shopping easy and funWhen sporting goods retailer evo ships ski boots ahead of the winter season, some will be delivered to the company's competitors—who will then help evo customers be sure the boots are a good fit. |
Dutch woman convicted for Facebook threat of prime ministerA Dutch court has sentenced a 47-year-old woman to 40 hours of community service for threatening the country's prime minister in a Facebook post. | |
 | Myanmar's startups map past, shape future with virtual realityGasps echo across the hall as the Myanmar school kids trial virtual reality goggles, marveling at a device that allows some of Asia's poorest people to walk on the moon or dive beneath the waves. |
'Sci-fi to real life': US invests $17 million in laser techThe U.S. Defense Department is investing $17 million in high-powered laser technology that has the potential for practical uses on the battlefield, from destroying enemy drones to disrupting communication systems. | |
 | Whole Foods shareholders say yes to Amazon dealWhole Foods shareholders voted Wednesday to bless a $13.7 billion union with Amazon that the organic grocery chain's CEO had called "love at first sight." |
Medicine & Health news
 | Dramatic new studies into inflammation in the infarcted heart could lead to changes in therapyA medical research collaborative has demonstrated that the response of the human heart to an infarction is very different than previously thought. The study, led by cardiologist Borja Ibáñez and published as two independent articles in the leading journals Circulation and Circulation Research overturns the established view that an infarction is followed by progressive repair of the myocardium. |
 | Survey of DNA fragments circulating in the blood suggests vast microbial diversityA new survey of DNA fragments circulating in human blood suggests our bodies contain vastly more diverse microbes than anyone previously understood. What's more, the overwhelming majority of those microbes have never been seen before, let alone classified and named, Stanford researchers report August 22 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. |
 | Scientists discover common obesity and diabetes drug reduces rise in brain pressureResearch led by the University of Birmingham, published today in Science Translational Medicine, has discovered that a drug commonly used to treat patients with either obesity or Type II diabetes could be used as a novel new way to lower brain pressure. |
 | New understanding of how muscles workMuscle malfunctions may be as simple as a slight strain after exercise or as serious as heart failure and muscular dystrophy. A new technique developed at McGill now makes it possible to look much more closely at how sarcomeres, the basic building blocks within all skeletal and cardiac muscles, work together. It's a discovery that should advance research into a wide range of muscle malfunctions. |
 | Use of brain-computer interface, virtual avatar could help people with gait disabilitiesResearchers from the University of Houston have shown for the first time that the use of a brain-computer interface augmented with a virtual walking avatar can control gait, suggesting the protocol may help patients recover the ability to walk after stroke, some spinal cord injuries and certain other gait disabilities. |
 | Scientists uncover a deadly 'addiction' in esophageal cancerScientists have discovered a new way of attacking oesophageal cancer cells that could make use of an existing drug in a new approach to treatment. |
 | Supermarkets could trick you into buying fewer caloriesSupermarkets could help their customers consume fewer calories by making small changes to the recipes of own-brand food products to reduce the calories contained in the product, without notifying consumers explicitly, according to a study published in the open access International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. So-called 'silent' product reformulation may be a promising strategy by which food retailers could contribute to lower calorie intake in the population, researchers at the University of Copenhagen suggest. |
Artificial intelligence helps with earlier detection of skin cancerNew technology being developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo and the Sunnybrook Research Institute is using artificial intelligence (AI) to help detect melanoma skin cancer earlier. | |
 | How text messaging could help tackle high blood pressure in at-risk patientsMost primary care doctors will measure a patient's blood pressure during an appointment. Emergency department physicians do, too. |
 | Oropouche virus could emerge as a serious public health problem, researcher saysDue to the Zika epidemic, which began in 2015, and the outbreak of yellow fever early in 2017, Brazil runs a serious risk of being afflicted by Oropouche, another virus that is widely distributed throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean. Oropouche has adapted to urban environments and is spreading ever closer to Brazil's major cities. An arbovirus transmitted by a mosquito, like Zika and yellow fever, Oropouche causes acute fever and may lead to meningitis and meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the brain and meninges). |
 | Physicist reports binary marker of preclinical and clinical Alzheimer's diseaseA new technique shows high potential for providing a discrete, non-invasive biomarker of Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the individual level during both preclinical and clinical stages. The proposed biomarker has a large effect size (0.9) and high accuracy, sensitivity and specificity (100 percent) in identifying symptomatic AD patients within a research sample, according to Sanja Josef Golubić Ph.D. of the University of Zagreb. He is the leading author of a new study published in the neuroimaging journal Human Brain Mapping. |
Podiatrist offers tips for teachers to put their best foot forward this school yearStudents aren't the only ones heading back to school, and according to a podiatrist at Baylor College of Medicine, teachers should be sure to include comfortable shoes on their shopping lists. | |
 | Bongs, booze and baby boomersIf you ask someone what a typical heavy drinker or drug user looks like, they're probably more likely to evoke images of Gen Ys with tattoos and piercings than greying baby boomers. |
 | To overcome vaccination standoffs, doctors should listen to reluctant parentsVaccines save between two and three million lives per year by protecting individuals from diseases such as measles, mumps, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and others. Clean water is the only other public intervention to save more lives than vaccines. Despite their life-saving benefits, however, parental resistance toward childhood vaccinations is increasing. |
 | Study a breakthrough in understanding chronic pain in childrenA University of Calgary psychologist who studies pediatric pain has made a breakthrough in understanding the cause of chronic pain in adolescents—by focusing on those recovering from major surgeries. |
 | So-called "bright girl effect" does not last into adulthoodThe notion that young females limit their own progress based on what they believe about their intelligence—called the "bright girl effect"—does not persist into adulthood, according to new research from Case Western Reserve University. |
 | Trial to test new drug in patients with advanced cancerA clinical trial to test a new cancer drug in patients with advanced solid tumours, launches in four centres across the UK, through Cancer Research UK's Centre for Drug Development. |
Study identifies a new way to prevent deadly fungal infection spreading to the brainResearch at the University of Sheffield has identified how the behaviour of an infection can be changed to prevent serious disease. | |
 | Food allergies—animals and humans may have more in common than you thinkPeople are not the only ones suffering from the symptoms and problems of food intolerance and allergies. Other mammals, such as cats, dogs and horses, are affected as well. The Messerli Research Institute, a cooperation between Vetmeduni Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, has now condensed the knowledge about human and animal food allergies and intolerances into a new European position paper. The paper highlights the strong similarities in animal and human symptoms and triggers of adverse food reactions. More importantly, the publication stresses the need for more comparative studies on the mechanisms and the diagnosis of food intolerance, and on formulating adequate measures. |
Study of homeless finds women at disadvantage for accessing disability benefitsA recent study of homeless adults finds that women are at a significant disadvantage compared to men when it comes to accessing disability benefits. The study also finds that medical records are key to accessing disability benefits, which poses a problem for many homeless adults. | |
 | How the Latino approach to relationships yields mental and physical benefitsConvivir. Familismo. In Spanish-speaking cultures, there are several terms that describe social relationships as something deeper than friendly conversations and meetups. They're something to which a person belongs, depends upon, contributes to and supports, and they're the norm in Latino societies, says Belinda Campos, UCI associate professor of Chicano/Latino studies. And, as it turns out, they provide quite a few health benefits. |
 | How quokkas provided hope for sufferers of a rare muscle diseaseDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a muscle-wasting disease that affects one in every 3500 boys around the world. |
 | Digital storytelling helps people with dementia trigger memoriesFor Myrna Caroline Jacques, digital storytelling is her way of fighting Alzheimer's. |
 | Canadian children's nutrition suffers during school hoursCanadian children don't eat enough vegetables, fruit and dairy products during school hours, causing them to fall short of several daily dietary recommendations on school days, a new UBC study has found. |
 | Mosquitoes fatally attracted to deadly, sweet-smelling potionMosquitoes aren't just blood thirsty. They also have a sweet tooth, relying on plant nectar to get the sugar they need to survive. Exploiting this weakness, scientists have developed an environmentally friendly eradication method. The new, inexpensive technique tricks these annoying pests into gorging themselves on insecticides laced with a concoction that mimics the sweet-smelling scents and aromas that they find irresistible. It could bolster efforts to suppress malaria, Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases worldwide. |
 | Treating arthritis with algaeResearchers at ETH Zurich, Empa and the Norwegian research institute SINTEF are pursuing a new approach to treating arthritis. This is based on a polysaccharide, a long-chain sugar molecule, originating from brown algae. When chemically modified, this "alginate" reduces oxidative stress, has an anti-inflammatory effect in cell culture tests and suppresses the immune reaction against cartilage cells, thereby combating the causes of arthritis. The research is, however, still in its infancy. |
Understanding how omega-3 dampens inflammatory reactionsOmega-3 fatty acids, which we primarily get through eating fatty fish, have long been thought to be good for our health. Many dietary studies have suggested that high intake is associated with a reduced risk of various disorders. Clinical trials have also shown beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in patients taking omega-3 supplements. | |
Liquid nutrition may benefit children with Crohn's diseaseAn analysis of published studies indicates that exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN)—when individuals receive only liquid nutrition—may be an effective treatment for children with Crohn's disease. The findings are published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. | |
Development of screening tests for endocrine-disrupting chemicalsA new article published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry looks under the hood of how U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists develop and validate testing methods that support regulatory decisions. | |
 | Children with fragile X syndrome have a bias toward threatening emotionAnxiety occurs at high rates in children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common form of inherited intellectual disability. Children with co-occurring anxiety tend to fare worse, but it can be hard to identify in infants. A new study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging reports that infants and children with FXS show bias toward threatening emotion, rather than positive emotion, a pattern highly linked with anxiety. The study was led by Dr. Susan Rivera of University of California, Davis. The findings may help develop a marker to identify anxiety in FXS patients and open avenues for future treatment options. |
 | Research shows women outlast men during dynamic muscle exercisesIn the battle of the sexes, new UBC research suggests that men may be stronger physically but women have much greater muscle endurance than their male counterparts. |
Nutlin-3, a p53-Mdm2 antagonist for nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatmentNasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common epithelial squamous cell head and neck cancer which is strongly associated with gamma herpes Epstein-Barr virus infection and the intake of salted fish. NPC incidence remain significantly high among men in the populations of Southern China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Northern Africa and Southeast Asia. | |
New use of blood cleaning device saves high-risk patients with liver failureSevere acute liver failure (ALF), a rare but life-threatening illness, is associated with high death rates if patients don't receive timely treatment or a liver transplant. Unlike the heart or the kidneys, there is no established mechanical device to replace the liver's function. Now, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) researchers report that a device that removes toxins from the blood can also effectively provide a bridge to liver transplantation or buy time for a traumatically injured liver to heal, suggesting broader uses for the device than previously thought. | |
Psychotic disorders and obesity: New report shows big waistlines are to blameObesity is a major public health problem in the United States, as an estimated 35 percent of Americans are obese and have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. For the 2.2 million Americans with schizophrenia and the 5.7 million Americans with bipolar disorder, the increased prevalence of obesity and its related diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease is particularly disconcerting. | |
Researchers link high levels of 'good' cholesterol with excessive mortalityIt has been accepted wisdom for many years that the more good cholesterol people have in their blood, the better. But the good cholesterol, also known as HDL, might not be as good as we think. | |
 | 'Shapeshifter' that regulates blood clotting is visually captured for the first timeWe are normally born with a highly sophisticated array of molecules that act as "sentries," constantly scanning our bodies for injuries such as cuts and bruises. One such molecular sentry, known as von Willebrand factor (VWF), plays a critical role in our body's ability to stop bleeding. |
DNA sensor system developed for specific and sensitive measurement of cancer-relevant enzyme activityThe development of DNA sensor systems is of great importance for advances in medical science. Now another piece of the puzzle for the development of personalized medicine has been found with the results of a highly sensitive monitoring of cancer-related topoisomerase II enzymes. | |
 | Omega-3 intake reduces cardiac death risk according to comprehensive new studyResults from a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology showed that in 14 randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) of 71,899 people, consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3s reduced the risk of cardiac death by a statistically-significant average of 8 percent. Cardiac death accounts for about two-thirds (about 405,000) of all cardiovascular disease deaths in the United States, and 42 percent (7.4 million) globally, each year. This is the first published meta-analysis to include cardiac death (also known as "coronary mortality") as a primary endpoint, and the most comprehensive review of the evidence to date. |
 | Parenting style reduces kids' distress in warResearchers in Israel have surveyed parents and children in a region that recently experienced an armed conflict. They found that maternal authoritativeness and warmth helped to protect against psychological distress and mental health symptoms in children exposed to war. |
Linking mental health and the gut microbiomeBetter understanding the gastrointestinal microbiome may help psychiatrists treat mental health disorders such as depression, highlights a review in Frontiers in Psychiatry. | |
 | Reducing infant mortality in NigeriaA doctor in Nigeria and a professor at Michigan State University have teamed up to reduce infant mortality in the African nation. |
Antipsychotics common for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilitiesAntipsychotic medication is frequently being prescribed to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), often without a psychiatric diagnosis, a new study conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) has found. | |
International eye cancer research project to improve future therapiesA new international research project, involving the University of Liverpool's leading eye cancer research group, has identified specific subtypes of ocular melanoma that will help develop improved management strategies and therapies in the future. | |
 | New insights into the world of trypanosomesSingle specimens of the vermicular pathogens causing sleeping sickness swim inside the gut of the tsetse fly between blood cells which the fly has ingested from an infected mammal. This is where they start their week-long journey through the fly's internal organs. In other places, they have clustered together to form a teeming swarm so dense that nothing is visible of the fly's structures. |
 | Scientists explore more about how sugary drinks make us fatThese hot summer days may tempt some of us to reach for a cold sugary drink, but scientists are finding increasing evidence that if we reach too often, we are setting ourselves up for rapid weight gain. |
 | Smokers in clinical studies who say they've quit often haven'tA new US study published by the scientific journal Addiction has found that a high proportion of smokers enrolled in stop-smoking programs during a hospital stay report having quit when in fact they have not. The findings mean that in these kinds of study it is vital to check claims of having quit using an objective measure. |
 | Is MRI needed in children with a sports-related concussion?A new study reviewed more than 5 years of records of pediatric patients treated for sports concussion, the most common form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among children, to determine if magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed structural changes to the brain that may be related to persistent symptoms. The findings are reported in an article published in Journal of Neurotrauma. |
 | New guidelines point way toward more effectively addressing hypertension in kids, teensThe first new national guidelines since 2004 on identifying and treating high blood pressure in children and adolescents (aged 3-18 years old) have been published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which convened a panel of experts to produce the new recommendations. The AAP report, Clinical Practice Guideline for Screening and Management of High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents, offers a series of evidence-based recommendations for pediatricians derived from a comprehensive review of nearly 15,000 medical studies published since 2004. |
 | Researcher working to develop new tool for non-invasive neuromodulation of human brainA UTA researcher is developing a technology that will map and image the effects of infrared light shone on the human brain that may be able to modulate and improve brain waves and circuits at certain spots in the brain. |
Altered mitochondria associated with increased autism riskMitochondria, the tiny structures inside our cells that generate energy, may play a key role in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A provocative new study by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)'s pioneering mitochondrial medicine team suggests that variations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) originating during ancient human migrations may play an important role in predisposition to ASDs. | |
Study finds link between malnutrition, alcoholism and tuberculosis in IndiaA new study reveals a striking link between malnutrition, heavy alcohol use and tuberculosis (TB) in southern India. | |
 | Lack of REM sleep may lead to higher risk for dementiaSpending less time in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and taking longer to enter REM sleep are separately associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. |
 | Brain activity may be predictor of stress-related cardiovascular riskThe brain may have a distinctive activity pattern during stressful events that predicts bodily reactions, such as rises in blood pressure that increase risk for cardiovascular disease, according to new proof-of-concept research in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. |
Death rates from rheumatic heart disease falling since 1990The risk of dying from rheumatic heart disease, a condition of damaged heart valves caused by bacterial infection that leads to rheumatic fever, has dropped around the world over the last 25 years, according to a new scientific study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. | |
 | Two studies support intensive blood pressure control for long-term health, quality of lifeTwo studies provide additional support for lowering systolic blood pressure to an intensive goal of 120 mmHg - far below the standard guidelines of 140 mmHg - to reduce the risk of heart disease in high-risk patients with hypertension. The new research shows that intensive blood pressure control is well-tolerated by patients and is cost-effective in terms of health-related quality of life and financial costs to the healthcare system. |
 | Lab-made "mini organs" helping doctors treat cystic fibrosisEls van der Heijden, who has cystic fibrosis, was finding it ever harder to breathe as her lungs filled with thick, sticky mucus. Despite taking more than a dozen pills and inhalers a day, the 53-year-old had to stop working and scale back doing the thing she loved best, horseback riding. |
 | Cutting carbs and calories at lunch(HealthDay)—The choices you make during your lunch hour can make—or break—your "bottom" line. Picking smart carb and calorie options will help keep your weight loss efforts on track. |
 | Occult cancer found in ~5 percent with unprovoked VTE(HealthDay)—About one in 20 patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) have occult cancer detected within one year, according to a review published online Aug. 22 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Maraviroc-containing HIV PrEP regimens safe, well tolerated(HealthDay)—Maraviroc (MVC)-containing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimens are well tolerated for preventing HIV infection in uninfected women, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Few smokers hospitalized with CHD get smoking cessation meds(HealthDay)—Few smokers hospitalized for coronary heart disease (CHD) receive smoking cessation pharmacotherapy (SCP), according to a research letter published online Aug. 21 in JAMA Internal Medicine. |
 | Higher BMI in childhood linked to adult stroke risk(HealthDay)—Above-average childhood body mass index (BMI) and increases in BMI during childhood are associated with increased risk of early adult ischemic stroke, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in JAMA Neurology. |
 | Telehealth feasible for family-based anorexia treatment(HealthDay)—Telehealth-enabled family-based treatment (FBT) for adolescents with anorexia nervosa is both feasible and effective, according to a study published online Aug. 11 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders. |
 | In T2D, glycemic control up with continuous glucose monitoring(HealthDay)—Adults with type 2 diabetes receiving multiple daily insulin injections randomized to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have improved glycemic control versus usual care, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | NT-ProBNP-guided treatment no benefit in high-risk HFrEF(HealthDay)—For high-risk patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), an amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)-guided treatment strategy does not improve clinical outcomes versus usual care, according to a study published in the Aug. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. |
 | Tick-borne disease research receives global boostA unique scientific resource for the study of ticks and tick-borne diseases has moved to the University of Liverpool with exciting plans for international expansion. |
 | Blood test for colitis screening using infrared technology could reduce dependence on colonoscopyA fast, simple blood test for ulcerative colitis using infrared spectroscopy could provide a cheaper, less invasive alternative for screening compared to colonoscopy, which is now the predominant test, according to a study between the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University. |
Discovery fuels hope for Rett syndrome treatmentVanderbilt University researchers have relieved symptoms of Rett syndrome in a mouse model with a small molecule that works like the dimmer switch in an electrical circuit. | |
Integrative medicine residency program flourishesFaculty at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and their collaborators successfully demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of an online approach to train more family medicine residents in integrative medicine. | |
 | A pair of medical magnets shows promise as a new tool for creating an anastomosisAn experimental device that employs a pair of magnets offers surgeons a new safe and simple alternative to standard methods for creating an anastomosis for the first time in nearly 50 years. An anastomosis is a surgical connection between tubular anatomic structures, such as blood vessels, urinary tract, or bowel. In its first proof-of-concept clinical trial in humans, the device was easy for surgeons to use, even with patients who required complicated surgical reconstruction. It also was safe; none of the patients had any complications related to the use of the device or the anastomosis it fashioned. Findings from the clinical trial now appear as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print. |
 | Researchers develop faster, more accurate test for liver cancerIt's estimated that about 788,000 people worldwide died of liver cancer in 2015, the second-leading cause of cancer deaths, according to the latest statistics from the World Health Organization. One of the major challenges in combatting this disease is detecting it early because symptoms often don't appear until later stages. |
 | Research could treat Type I Diabetes by engineering pancreatic islets outside the bodyTiny packets of cells called islets throughout the pancreas allow the organ to produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes—also known as juvenile diabetes - tricks the immune system into destroying these islets. Patients must take insulin daily to maintain blood sugar, or too much sugar will build up in the blood stream and lead to hyperglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and, if left untreated, death. Patients must self-regulate their blood sugar for their entire lives, unless there were some way to restore the pancreatic islets. |
On the other hand, the immune system can also cause cancerInfection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical cancer and a subset of head and neck cancers worldwide. A University of Colorado Cancer Center paper describes a fascinating mechanism that links these two conditions—viral infection and cancer. The link, basically, is a family of enzymes called APOBEC3. These APOBEC3 enzymes are an essential piece of the immune system's response to viral infection, attacking viral DNA to cause disabling mutations. Unfortunately, as the paper shows, especially the action of family member APOBEC3A can spill over from its attack against viruses to induce DNA mutations and damage in the host genome as well. In other words, this facet of the immune system designed to scramble viral DNA can scramble human DNA as well, sometimes in ways that cause cancer. | |
 | New equipment maps brain activity and blood flow in state-of-the-art neuroscience labUsing lasers and photodetectors, a new optical brain-imaging tool is providing a never-before-seen look inside your head. The non-invasive tool projects and measures infrared light as it is projected into the brain and the rate at which it exits, painting a picture of brain activity and blood flow at the same time—something that is impossible without this technology. |
Test reveals potential treatments for disorders involving MeCP2Having twice the normal amount of the protein MeCP2, a condition called MECP2 duplication syndrome, causes severe progressive neuropsychiatric disorders that include intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, motor dysfunction and other medical complications. In animal models, normalization of MeCP2 levels has largely reversed the neurological problems, opening the possibility that a similar approach might lead to treatments for patients with these conditions. In a paper published in Science Translational Medicine, a team of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco has developed a strategy that allows them to identify potential treatments that would restore altered levels of MeCP2. | |
Rate of suicide among teen girls reaches 40-year highIn 2015, five girls out of every 100,000 between the ages of 15 and 19 committed suicide in the United States. | |
 | Study suggests frailty makes elderly more likely to die in home firesA new study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) shows scientifically for the first time that an individual's ability to respond quickly to a residential fire determines who dies and who gets injured. Home fire deaths, the NIST researchers state, are more likely among those they define as frail populations—persons who are not in robust health and primarily age 65 and older—while nonfatal injuries occur more often in adults ages 20 to 49. |
 | Many parents would support transgender teen's transition(HealthDay)—More than half of U.S. adults surveyed would be supportive if they had a teenage child who wanted to transition to the opposite gender, according to a Harris Poll commissioned by the American Osteopathic Association. |
 | Selecting most effective materials for dental pulp tissue engineeringTo regenerate dental pulp tissue after emptying of a tooth's root canals researchers compared the effectiveness of 3D scaffolds made of natural or customized synthetic materials containing pulpal stem cells and dentin-derived growth factors. The substantial differences in terms of scaffold degradation, cell viability, vascularization, and pulpal tissue formation are reported in Tissue Engineering, Part A. |
More education linked to better cognitive functioning later in lifeHigher levels of education are tied to later ages of peak cognitive functioning, according to new research published today in the journal PLOS ONE. | |
 | Egg scare costs Dutch poultry farmers 33 mn eurosEurope's contaminated egg scare has cost Dutch poultry farmers at least 33 million euros ($39 million), according to a preliminary estimate by the government. |
Biology news
 | Toothless, dwarf dolphin, a case study in evolutionScientists on Wednesday unveiled an extinct species of toothless, whiskered and objectively cute mini-dolphin that plied Earth's oceans some 30 million years ago. |
 | Researchers discover how fish recognise toxic preyPredator animals have long been known to avoid devouring brightly coloured and patterned prey, and now an international study has revealed more about how they recognise toxic species. |
 | Are blue whales finding new "microphone channel" to communicate in?For the past two decades, scientists have documented a gradual lowering of the frequency of blue whale calls and they haven't been sure why – or even whether the phenomenon is intentional. |
 | Self-assembling protein complexes could provide scaffolding for nanostructuresWhen hemoglobin undergoes just one mutation, these protein complexes stick to one another, stacking like Lego blocks to form long, stiff filaments. These filaments, in turn, elongate the red blood cells found in sickle-cell disease. For over 50 years, this has been the only known textbook example in which a mutation causes such filaments to form. According to Dr. Emmanuel Levy and his group in the Weizmann Institute of Science's Structural Biology Department, Lego-like assemblies should have formed relatively frequently during evolution. Could this assembly method be common, or even easy to reproduce? Their answer, which was recently published in Nature, may have implications for both biological research and nanoscience. |
 | New fly fossil sheds light on the explosive radiation of flies during the Cenozoic EraThe first unambiguous fossil from the botfly family adds to the few known fossils of a major clade of flies (Calyptratae), shedding light on their rapid radiation during the Cenozoic Era, according to a study published August 23, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Pierfilippo Cerrito from Sapienza Università di Roma, Italy, and colleagues. |
 | Understanding Caribbean mammal extinctions of the past spurs renewed focus on conservationA Johns Hopkins paleontologist and her collaborative team of scientists report they have clear evidence that the arrival of humans and subsequent human activity throughout the islands of the Caribbean were likely the primary causes of the extinction of native mammal species there. The evidence, they say, highlights the need for urgent human intervention to protect the native mammal species still inhabiting the region. |
 | Researchers outline a new way to define and classify how groups of animals hunt togetherAnimals as different as lions, piranha, killer whales and ants have something in common: they have all evolved the ability to hunt in groups. Group hunting is one of the most fascinating behaviours in the animal kingdom, with an enormous diversity of different behaviours that animals use to capture prey. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell have realized that strategies vary between species in a number of ways; from social stability of the group, the roles members play, or how they share food amongst the group. By disentangling these elements, the researchers have outlined a multidimensional framework. Using this method, they have identified commonalities between animals with similar hunting strategies, and uncovered some surprising parallels. Not only are orca, chimpanzees and lions similar to humans when hunting, but African wild dogs, some birds of prey, and certain species of ants also show the same combination of hunting strategies. |
Clear it – but will they come? Native plants need re-seeding after rhododendron removal, study findsNative plants need a helping hand if they are to recover from invasive rhododendron, Scottish ecologists have discovered. A new study in the Journal of Applied Ecology reveals that – even at sites cleared of rhododendron 30 years ago – much native flora has still not returned. As a result, rhododendron eradication programmes may need to be supplemented by reseeding for the original plant community to re-establish. | |
 | When 'man's best friend' feels more hate than love for an ownerEveryone thinks that dogs worship their owners – viewing them as gods of some sort. While that may be true in the majority of cases, it isn't always so. As a veterinarian who has focused on animal behavior and the human/canine bond for 30 years, I can confirm that sometimes, no matter what, a dog and his person just aren't going to get along. |
 | Study sheds new light on evolutionary forces that drove horses to evolve a single toeIf you want to understand the history of modern horses, start with their toes. |
Wing shape helps swifts glide through stormsThey are among nature's best fliers, spending most of their time in flight … now scientists have shed new light on how swifts can glide with ease, whatever the weather. A new study suggests that the aerodynamics of swifts' wings enable them to adapt effortlessly to sudden changes in wind speed and direction. | |
 | Countries in Europe with the richest biodiversity do not always receive more fundingA recent study, published in the journal Conservation Biology, reveals that the investments and resources allotted for conservation only partially tally with the levels of biodiversity in the European Union. Thus, countries such as Portugal, Slovakia, Greece and the Czech Republic receive less funding than they would be entitled to as per their biodiversity. |
 | Peas that like it hot: Genetic map reveals heat tolerance traits in peasFarmers across the world produce between 10 and 13 million tons of field pea every year. That makes it a top legume crop, just behind dry beans and chickpeas. |
 | Anglers' delight as algal blooms breakthrough highlights innovative scienceMillions of fish-deaths caused by toxic Prymnesium algal blooms could be prevented with the application of a household chemical best known for bleaching hair, breakthrough research has revealed. |
 | S.Africa's first online rhino horn auction sparks angerSouth Africa's first online auction of rhino horn opened Wednesday, despite conservation groups protesting that the legal, domestic sale would encourage poachers. |
Climate change is luring Kodiak bears away from their iconic salmon streamsKodiak brown bears are abandoning salmon-their iconic prey-due to climate change, according to a new study. | |
 | Judge: Bears near US-Canada border merit endangered statusAnimals and plants can be considered endangered even if they are not on the brink of extinction, a judge ruled in overturning the U.S. government's re-classification of a small population of grizzly bears living in the forests of Montana and Idaho near the Canada border. |
 | Poodle gets tumor that's a third of its body weight removedA poodle named Oreo is on the mend after having a 6.4-pound (2.9-kilogram) tumor removed—nearly a third of its body weight. |
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