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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 30, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Astronomers reveal new insights into physical properties of the young star system ROXs 12Astronomers have disclosed new information about the young star system ROXs 12 as a result of near-infrared spectroscopic observations of one of the system's components. The findings, presented Aug. 25 in a paper published on arXiv.org, provide new insights into physical properties of ROXs 12 and reveal the existence of an additional companion to this system. |
 | Researchers propose how the universe became filled with lightSoon after the Big Bang, the universe went completely dark. The intense, seminal event that created the cosmos churned up so much hot, thick gas that light was completely trapped. Much later—perhaps as many as one billion years after the Big Bang—the universe expanded, became more transparent, and eventually filled up with galaxies, planets, stars, and other objects that give off visible light. That's the universe we know today. |
 | Weightlessness affects health of cosmonauts at molecular levelA team of scientists from Russia and Canada has analyzed the effect of space conditions on the protein composition in blood samples of 18 Russian cosmonauts. The results indicate many significant changes in the human body are caused by space flight. These changes are intended to help the body adapt and take place in all major types of human cells, tissues and organs. The results of the research have been published in the prestigious scientific journal Scientific Reports. Skoltech and MIPT Professor Evgeny Nikolaev led the study and is a corresponding author. |
 | Saturn plunge nears for Cassini spacecraftNASA's Cassini spacecraft is 18 days from its mission-ending dive into the atmosphere of Saturn. Its fateful plunge on Sept. 15 is a foregone conclusion—an April 22 gravitational kick from Saturn's moon Titan placed the two-and-a-half ton vehicle on its path for impending destruction. Yet several mission milestones have to occur over the coming two-plus weeks to prepare the vehicle for one last burst of trailblazing science. |
 | Volunteers find 'spiders' on mars - but not where they expectedArmchair astronomers have helped Oxford University scientists discover landforms known as 'spiders' on parts of Mars where they were previously thought not to exist. |
 | Astrophysicists convert moons and rings of Saturn into musicAfter centuries of looking with awe and wonder at the beauty of Saturn and its rings, we can now listen to them, thanks to the efforts of astrophysicists at the University of Toronto (U of T). |
 | Scientists recover nova first spotted 600 years ago by Korean astrologersOn a cold March night in Seoul almost 600 years ago, Korean astrologers spotted a bright new star in the tail of the constellation Scorpius. It was seen for just 14 days before fading from view. From these ancient records, modern astronomers determined that what the Royal Imperial Astrologers saw was a nova explosion, but they had been unable to find the binary star system that caused it—until now. A new study published today by the journal Nature pinpoints the location of the old nova, which now undergoes smaller-scale "dwarf nova" eruptions. The work supports that idea that novae go through a very long-term life cycle after erupting, fading to obscurity for thousands of years, and then building back up to become full-fledged novae once more. |
 | Private companies drive 'new space race' at NASA centerFor the first time since the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011, NASA says it may soon have the capability to send astronauts to the International Space Station from U.S. soil. |
 | Distant galaxy sends out 15 high-energy radio burstsBreakthrough Listen, an initiative to find signs of intelligent life in the universe, has detected 15 brief but powerful radio pulses emanating from a mysterious and repeating source – FRB 121102 – far across the universe. |
 | House-sized near Earth objects rarer than we thoughtIn 2013 a small meteoroid, the size of a house, hurtled through Earth's atmosphere and exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. The explosion shattered windows, and more than a thousand people were treated for injuries from flying debris. How many similar-sized rocks have orbits that bring them close to Earth? A new study has answered that question using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) on the Blanco telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. The result lends new insights into the nature and origin of small meteoroids. |
 | ALMA finds huge hidden reservoirs of turbulent gas in distant galaxiesA team led by Edith Falgarone (Ecole Normale Supérieure and Observatoire de Paris, France) has used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to detect signatures of the carbon hydride CH+ in distant starburst galaxies. The group identified strong signals of CH+ in five out of the six galaxies studied, including the Cosmic Eyelash (eso1012). This research provides new information that helps astronomers understand the growth of galaxies and how a galaxy's surroundings fuel star formation. |
 | Largest asteroid in a century to whiz by Sept 1The largest asteroid in more than a century will whiz safely past Earth on September 1 at a safe but unusually close distance of about 4.4 million miles (7 million kilometers), NASA said. |
 | Dream Chaser spacecraft in captive-carry test over desertA test version of a spacecraft resembling a mini space shuttle was carried aloft over the Mojave Desert by a helicopter Wednesday in a precursor to a free flight in which it will be released to autonomously land on a runway as it would in a return from orbit. |
Technology news
 | New robot rolls with the rules of pedestrian conductJust as drivers observe the rules of the road, most pedestrians follow certain social codes when navigating a hallway or a crowded thoroughfare: Keep to the right, pass on the left, maintain a respectable berth, and be ready to weave or change course to avoid oncoming obstacles while keeping up a steady walking pace. |
 | Researchers show the value of perovskite solar cells in addressing global environmental challengesA new study from the University of Sheffield has confirmed the potential for Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to be a 'game changer' in addressing global environmental challenges. |
 | Android certified items under safety net of Google Play ProtectShook up with all the tech news headlines about Android malware? Planning to break your vow to never get in line for an iPhone with all the choices you get from phone makers tied to Android? |
 | Artificial intelligence analyzes gravitational lenses 10 million times fasterResearchers from the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have for the first time shown that neural networks - a form of artificial intelligence - can accurately analyze the complex distortions in spacetime known as gravitational lenses 10 million times faster than traditional methods. |
Adoption of robotics into a hospital's daily operations requires broad cooperationVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland studied the implementation of a logistics robot system at the Seinäjoki Central Hospital in South Ostrobothnia. The aim is to reduce transportation costs, improve the availability of supplies and alleviate congestion on hospital hallways by running deliveries around the clock on every day of the week. Joint planning and dialogue between the various occupational groups and stakeholders involved was necessary for a successful change process. | |
 | Solar cell breakthrough paves the way for new applicationsAn international scientific collaboration has successfully integrated a sub-micron thin, nanophotonic silicon film into a crystalline solar cell for the first time. |
 | Plutonium research to advance stockpile safelyConducting an experiment that combines high explosives with plutonium—a special nuclear material used in nuclear weapons—is no trivial matter. Not only do researchers need to ensure the plutonium remains "subcritical" to avoid a nuclear explosion, they must be absolutely certain that these materials are confined in a worst-case scenario. On top of that, they have to be sure they can collect data they need to continue to ensure the safety, security and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. |
 | Silicon solves problems for next-generation battery technologySilicon – the second most abundant element in the earth's crust – shows great promise in Li-ion batteries, according to new research from the University of Eastern Finland. By replacing graphite anodes with silicon, it is possible to quadruple anode capacity. |
 | Choose better passwords with the help of scienceFor years, computer users have been told they should have complicated passwords, including numbers, punctuation marks and other symbols, and upper- and lowercase letters. Despite those being hard to remember, people were told not to write their passwords down, and forced to make up new ones quite frequently. Users dutifully complied – by capitalizing the first letter of their passwords, adding a "1" or their birth year, or perhaps ending their password with an exclamation point. |
Making 3-D printing saferWithin the past decade, 3-D printers have gone from bulky, expensive curiosities to compact, more affordable consumer products. At the same time, concerns have emerged that nanoparticles released from the machines during use could affect consumers' health. Now researchers report in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology a way to eliminate almost all nanoparticle emissions from some of these printers. | |
 | Industry expected to advance research innovated by Army-led science consortiumWork to develop small autonomous robots through a 10-year effort led by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory is helping to inform the development of future swarms of heterogeneous Army systems for air and ground - large and small - that work collaboratively. |
When it comes to looking for jobs, it's not how many you know, but how well you know themWhile online networking sites enable individuals to increase their professional connections, to what extent do these ties actually lead to job opportunities? A new study in the INFORMS journal Management Science finds that, despite the ability to significantly increase the number of professional connections and identify more job leads with limited effort on these sites, unless the connection is a strong one, they typically will not lead to job offers. | |
 | In smartphone age, the hajj is for sharingArm outstretched, Abdul Rahman sweeps his mobile phone across the vista of Mecca, the Great Mosque dazzling in the sun, so his son in Tanzania can experience the pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites. |
 | Posts, tweets spread widely as the Harvey missing are soughtPhotos with pleas for help in finding the missing from Hurricane Harvey are being posted, cut-and-pasted and retweeted by thousands of people as desperate family members seek loved ones who they fear might be dead, but may only have a dead phone. |
 | Alexa and Cortana to join forcesAmazon's Alexa and Microsoft's Cortana will start talking to each other in a first of its kind alliance of rival digital assistants, the companies said on Wednesday. |
Amazon's talking delivery drone would ask for help if it fell out of the skyWhat's nice about Amazon's new drone patent is the prospect of having a little chat with your aerial-delivery vehicle when it's dropping off your new camera. What's not so nice is Amazon's recognition that drones carrying consumer goods are going to be falling out of the sky. | |
These robot priests are programmed for a high-tech funeralAdding a high-tech twist to eternal rest, robotic Buddhist priests are now offering up their services for funerals in Japan. | |
Dermatologist developing wristband that tells you when you're about to sunburnBrian Matthys honed his internal instincts for when he had gotten too much sun during his years as a teenage lifeguard. | |
 | US looking into whether Uber bribed foreign officialsThe US Justice Department is investigating whether Uber broke American laws against bribing foreign officials to promote business interests, the company confirmed Tuesday. |
 | 'Gifted' high-tech takes spotlight at Berlin's IFA fairThe gadgets on display at Berlin's mega consumer electronics fair this week may not look radically different, but they are smarter than ever before and designed to meet our every need—often before we've even thought of it ourselves. |
 | Beat the heat in 3-D chip stacks with ICECoolIn the Moore's Law race to keep improving computer performance, the IT industry has turned upward, stacking chips like nano-sized 3-D skyscrapers. But those stacks, like the law it's challenging, have their limits, due to overheating. So, our team in New York, alongside colleagues in Zurich, received a 2013 contract to tackle intra-chip cooling from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in its ICECool program. For our part, we developed a new cooling technology to overcome the thermal barrier of stacking chips, an on-chip solution that could help to even cool off entire datacenters. |
 | S. Korean court says worker's rare disease linked to SamsungSouth Korea's Supreme Court said a former worker in a Samsung LCD factory who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis should be recognized as having an occupationally caused disease, overturning lower court verdicts that held a lack of evidence against the worker. |
 | Smart tomographic sensors control industrial processes of tomorrowModern parallel computer architectures are capable of processing huge amounts of data at high speed. This allows for the increasing use of imaging techniques as sensors to control machines and process plants. In the new European collaborative project TOMOCON twelve research institutions and 15 renowned industrial companies work together on the development of imaging-based industrial process control. The network is coordinated by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). |
 | Former monk sues cosmetics giant over anti-aging formulaA former Roman Catholic monk has filed a federal lawsuit against cosmetics giant L'Oreal, accusing the company of stealing patented technology in an anti-aging wrinkle cream that his charity was selling to raise money for the poor. |
 | What grocery shoppers want: Low prices, one-stop shoppingDonna Brown visited a Whole Foods for the first time in at least five months with one goal: see how much Amazon had cut prices. She did buy almond milk, yogurt and lunch meat, but doesn't plan to quit her usual grocers, Walmart and HEB, where she says she finds bigger selections and lower prices. |
 | France seeks 600 mn in taxes from Microsoft: reportFrance's tax authority is seeking 600 million euros ($715 million) from Microsoft's local subsidiary for billing French customers from Ireland, the weekly L'Express reported on Wednesday. |
 | Uber says it'll stop tracking riders after they're dropped offUber will end a controversial policy of tracking some riders for five minutes after their trip ends, the ride-hailing company said Tuesday as it tries to repair its privacy reputation. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Cell culture system could offer cancer breakthroughA new cell culture system that provides a tool for preclinical cancer drug development and screening has been developed by researchers in the USA. |
 | Nanoparticle-drug combo turns white fat to brown fat with potential to treat obesity, diabetesIn a potential breakthrough for the treatment of obesity and diabetes, Purdue University scientists have found a way to deliver a drug directly to stored white fat cells to turn them into more easily burned brown fat cells. |
 | Inflammation required for olfactory tissue regenerationIn a mouse study designed to understand how chronic inflammation in sinusitis damages the sense of smell, scientists at Johns Hopkins say they were surprised to learn that the regeneration of olfactory tissue requires some of the same inflammatory processes and chemicals that create injury and loss of smell in the first place. |
 | Stroke patient improvement with a brain-computer interfaceUniversity of Adelaide researchers have shown that it is possible for stroke patients to improve motor function using special training involving connecting brain signals with a computer. |
 | 'Seeing' robot learns tricky technique for studying brain cells in mammalsWhole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology, or whole-cell recording (WCR), is the gold-standard technique for studying the behaviour of brain cells called neurons under different brain states such as stress or learning. |
 | Hidden deep in the brain, a map that guides animals' movementsNew research has revealed that deep in the brain, in a structure called striatum, all possible movements that an animal can do are represented in a map of neural activity. If we think of neural activity as the coordinates of this map, then similar movements have similar coordinates, being represented closer in the map, while actions that are more different have more distant coordinates and are further away. |
 | When making decisions, monkeys use different brain areas to weigh value and availabilityThere are many calculations at play in our minds when we make a decision, whether we are aware of them or not. Seventeenth-century mathematician Blaise Pascal first introduced the idea of expected value, which is reached by multiplying the value of something (how much it's wanted or needed) with the probability that we might be able to obtain it. Now some very 21st century research is showing for the first time in monkeys which parts of the brain are involved in the two-pronged decision-making process that determines this expected value. The study appears August 30 in Neuron. |
 | Monkeys with Parkinson's disease benefit from human stem cellsOne of the last steps before treating patients with an experimental cell therapy for the brain is confirmation that the therapy works in monkeys. Today, scientists at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Japan, report monkeys with Parkinson's disease symptoms show significant improvement over two years after being transplanted neurons prepared from human iPS cells. The study, which can be read in Nature, is an expected final step before the first iPS cell-based therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. |
 | Scientists unveil powerful resource to advance treatment of pediatric solid tumorsIn an effort to improve outcomes for patients with some of the deadliest childhood cancers, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have created the world's largest collection of pediatric solid tumor samples, drug-sensitivity data and related information and have made the resource available at no charge to the global scientific community. |
 | Blunting CRISPR's 'scissors' gives new insight into autoimmune disordersEach one of our cells has the same 22,000 or so genes in its genome, but each uses different combinations of those same genes, turning them on and off as their role and situation demand. It is these patterns of expressed and repressed genes that determine what kind of cell—kidney, brain, skin, heart—each will become. |
 | Columbia engineers and clinicians first to build a functional vascularized lung scaffoldEnd-stage lung disease is the third leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 400,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. Researchers exploring new ways to both promote lung repair and increase the number of available donor lungs have been challenged by the organ's extreme complexity—the lung has more than 40 different cell types residing in its matrix and the total surface area between the airway and the vasculature is the size of a tennis court. Efforts to bioengineer functional lungs from fully decellularized or synthetic scaffolds that lack functional vasculature have been largely unsuccessful until now. |
 | Breakthrough in understanding mitochondriaScientists have made a breakthrough in understanding how mitochondria - the "powerhouses" of human cells - are made. |
 | Robotic system monitors specific neuronsRecording electrical signals from inside a neuron in the living brain can reveal a great deal of information about that neuron's function and how it coordinates with other cells in the brain. However, performing this kind of recording is extremely difficult, so only a handful of neuroscience labs around the world do it. |
 | Sequencing all 24 human chromosomes uncovers rare disordersExtending noninvasive prenatal screening to all 24 human chromosomes can detect genetic disorders that may explain miscarriage and abnormalities during pregnancy, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. Because of the way data have been analyzed, typical genomic tests performed during pregnancy have targeted extra copies of chromosomes 21, 18 and 13, but rarely evaluated all 24 chromosomes. The study findings, which appear in the August 30 issue of Science Translational Medicine, may ultimately improve the accuracy of these tests, including by explaining why some give false-positive results. |
Researchers identify a common genetic variant linked to muscle pains in statin usersPeople who have been prescribed statins to lower their cholesterol levels sometimes complain of muscle aches and pains and therefore stop taking their medication in the belief that it is causing their symptoms. This puts them at higher risk of developing diseases of the heart and blood vessels which the statins had been prescribed to prevent. | |
 | Regular, early lifestyle changes key to reducing type 2 diabetes & cardiovascular diseaseRegular and early lifestyle changes key to reducing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in young South Asians, study suggests |
 | Study highlights new link between gene fusion and bladder and brain cancerA study by the University of Warwick sheds new light on gene fusion in bladder and brain cancer. |
 | Millions of infected Brazilian mosquitoes to tackle dengueBrazilian scientists on Tuesday began to unleash the first of millions of mosquitoes infected with a bacteria meant to prevent the insects from transmitting the dengue virus to humans. |
 | Banned flame retardants pose ongoing concerns about potential effects on developing brainsAdditional measures may be needed to limit the potential effects of a mixture of flame retardants on the mental development of babies and young children, new research from Brunel University London concludes. |
Online tool predicts heart disease events in young adultsAn online calculator using lifestyle metrics showed initial success at predicting the risk of heart disease events among young, healthy adults, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. | |
Autoimmune diseases increase cardiovascular and mortality riskResearchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) and IDIAP Jordi Gol have just published an article showing that autoimmune diseases significantly increase cardiovascular risk as well as overall mortality. This is particularly pronounced in people suffering rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus. In addition, it has been seen that inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, increase the risk of stroke and death through any cause. The article is published this month in the journal Heart. | |
 | Shared custody equals less stress for childrenChildren who live full time with one parent are more likely to feel stressed than children in shared custody situations. The benefit holds regardless of the level of conflict between the parents or between parent and child. These are the results of a new study from Stockholm University's Demography Unit. |
 | Fathers of American newborns keep getting olderWhile data on the moms of newborn American children has been abundant, equivalent data on dads hasn't—a gap that Stanford scientists have now filled. |
 | Why one teenager may need more—or less—sleep than anotherSleep problems contribute to a number of mental health issues in adolescents, researchers say. But a lingering question is whether some teens need more—or less—sleep than others to be healthy and at their best. |
 | Study of lung function sheds light on ventilator-induced lung injuries in elderly patientsMechanical ventilation can be a lifesaver for patients suffering from lung disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and pneumonia. Unfortunately, the use of ventilators to support breathing can cause further lung injury, particularly in elderly patients. |
 | Positive outlook for couples with fertility difficultiesYoung couples who fear they are infertile may just need more time rather than costly treatments, University of Otago research shows. |
 | Research finds dog walkers motivated by happiness, not healthIt appears to be a case of 'do what makes you happy' for people who regularly walk their dogs. |
 | Study finds cutbacks in foreign aid for HIV treatment would cause great harmProposed reductions in U.S. foreign aid would have a devastating impact on HIV treatment and prevention programs in countries receiving such aid, an international team of investigators reports. In their paper published online in Annals of Internal Medicine, the team led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Yale School of Public Health describes how a 33 percent cutback in funds earmarked for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and research in recent budget proposals would only save $900 per year of life lost in the countries of South Africa and Côte d'Ivoire. |
 | New study finds exercise improves children's brain powerA new study has found that short bursts of intensive exercise boosts children's brain power and has benefits for children with learning difficulties or conditions such as autism. |
 | Why animal trial results don't always translate to humansThroughout the era of modern medicine, animals have been used extensively to develop and test therapies before they are tested in humans. Virtually every medical therapy in use today – including drugs, vaccines, surgical techniques, devices such as pacemakers and joint prostheses, radiation therapy – owes its existence, at some level, to animal experiments. |
 | Heat therapy to aid the treatment of cancer, organ transplant and autoimmune diseasesHeat therapy may be a promising treatment in the fight against cancer, autoimmune problems and efforts to avoid organ rejection in transplant patients, according to researchers at the University of Kentucky. The research team exposed colorectal cancer cells and T-cells—immune cells that fight disease—to temperatures lower (hypothermic) and higher (hyperthermic) than normal body temperatures. They observed the effects of these temperature changes on the energy production (bioenergetics) in both cell types. They will present their findings at the American Physiological Society's Physiological Bioenergetics: Mitochondria from Bench to Bedside conference in San Diego. |
 | Brain stimulation can boost creativity – but could it also help you hear inspirational voices?Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, once said "creativity is just connecting things". There's truth in that but there is another source of creativity, too – the ideas that simply pop into our minds. In ancient times, these were seen as gifts from the muses or gods. Today, people sometimes describe such ideas as coming from an inner voice or even a character separate from themselves. |
 | Despite heatwaves, cold houses are much more likely to killA pervasive myth in Australia is that hot weather is the greatest danger to our health. In reality, it's more likely cold weather will kill you. |
 | New study finding fat isn't as bad as carbs misses the pointA new study has added weight to the debate as to whether fat is better or worse for you than carbohydrates, in terms of risk of heart disease and early death. Unfortunately based on this study the jury's still out, but it does highlight that we should focus on what foods people are eating, rather than just looking at components such as fat and carbohydrates. |
 | Managing risk, managing painOxycodone. Morphine. Fentanyl. They're some of the most effective drugs on the market for pain, but they're also some of the most addictive. |
 | Healthy glucose levels the key to a healthy ageing brainNew research has found blood glucose levels even at the normal range can have a significant impact on brain atrophy in ageing. |
 | Is back stiffness just a trick of the mind?Is back stiffness all in the mind? New scientific evidence from a University of South Australia researcher shows – for the first time – that feelings of back stiffness may purely be a protective mechanism to avoid further injury. |
 | Is changing languages effortful for bilingual speakers? Depends on the situation, new research showsResearch on the neurobiology of bilingualism has suggested that switching languages is inherently effortful, requiring executive control to manage cognitive functions, but a new study shows this is only the case when speakers are prompted, or forced, to do so. |
 | Lesbian, gay and bisexual teenagers at much greater risk of depressionAdolescence can be tough for young people, but it can be especially hard for teenagers who aren't straight. Our latest study reveals that lesbian, gay and bisexual young people (LGB or "sexual minority youth") have about three times the risk of being depressed compared with their heterosexual peers. |
Largest study to date evaluates occupational health risks to hardmetal workersWorkers in the hardmetal industry are not at increased risk for lung cancer or any of 63 other potential causes of death, concluded the largest and most definitive study on this population to date. The results are being presented by the study investigators today at the 26th International Symposium on Epidemiology in Occupational Health annual meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland, and will be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine as a series of eight articles. | |
Interventions for anxiety may help people with autism spectrum disorderA new study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging reports that anxiety occurring in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) shares similar brain mechanisms as anxiety alone. Led by Drs. John Herrington and Robert Schultz of the Center for Autism Research, a joint research center of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, the study could be good news for treating anxiety symptoms in ASD. The findings suggest that treatments that work for anxiety disorders may also help people with anxiety and ASD. | |
Fetal membranes may help transform regenerative medicineA new review looks at the potential of fetal membranes, which make up the amniotic sac surrounding the fetus during pregnancy, for regenerative medicine. | |
 | Researcher studies the types of visual judgment errors that referees, coaches and players makeAs a new football season approaches, so, too does an air of anticipation and hope. It's still anyone's game. But there's one thing we can already bet on—at some point in almost every matchup, people are going to disagree about what they saw. |
Some women with history of preeclampsia have significantly lower risk for breast cancerResearchers have demonstrated that women with a history of preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure, have as much as a 90 percent decrease in breast cancer risk if they carry a specific common gene variant. Further studies are now underway to determine the mechanism of this protection in an effort to develop new breast cancer prevention strategies for all women. The study is now online in Cancer Causes & Control, and can be found here. | |
Only 20 minutes less sitting per day is enough to maintain good health and muscle massFinnish researchers conducted one of the largest and longest studies to find out if it is possible to reduce sedentary time and if the reduction will result in any health benefits during one year. A tailored counseling helped busy office workers with young children to decrease their sedentary leisure time 21 minutes per day, which was enough to improve some biomarkers and to maintain muscle mass during one year. | |
 | Stabilizing TREM2 – a potential strategy to combat Alzheimer's diseaseA gene called triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2, or TREM2, has been associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Parkinson's disease, and Nasu-Hakola disease. Recently, a rare mutation in the gene has been shown to increase the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Study of inherited herpes virus finds links to ancient humansAn international study of integrated HHV-6 has discovered that a small number of human ancestors, one from about 24,000 years ago, have been responsible for transmitting ancient strains of the virus to individuals today – affecting about a million people in the U.K. alone. |
 | Nanoparticles loaded with mRNA give disease-fighting properties to cellsA new biomedical tool using nanoparticles that deliver transient gene changes to targeted cells could make therapies for a variety of diseases—including cancer, diabetes and HIV—faster and cheaper to develop, and more customizable. |
 | Protein turnover could be clue to living longerIt may seem paradoxical, but studying what goes wrong in rare diseases can provide useful insights into normal health. Researchers probing the premature aging disorder Hutchinson-Gilford progeria have uncovered an errant protein process in the disease that could help healthy people as well as progeria sufferers live longer. |
More TV & less physical activity ramps up risk of walking disabilityOlder people who watched more than five hours of TV per day and reported three or fewer hours per week of total physical activity had more than a three-fold higher risk of being unable to walk or having difficulty walking at the end of a study that ran for nearly a decade. | |
 | Cardiac arrests in black neighborhoods less likely to get CPR, defibrillationSurviving cardiac arrest often seems like a matter of luck—whether a passerby knows CPR, or a defibrillator is close at hand or the ambulance arrives quickly. |
Psychotic experiences put kids at higher suicide riskOtherwise healthy people who experience hallucinations or delusions are more likely to have later suicidal thoughts or attempts, an international study has found. | |
 | A decline in navigational skills could predict neurodegenerative diseaseChanges in how humans map their surroundings and construct and follow directions as they age have been understudied compared to effects on memory and learning. However, age-related declines in navigational ability are independent of those more well-known cognitive downturns, and could form the basis for tools for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers discuss this possibility in a review published August 30 in the journal Neuron. |
 | Rugby players take part in ground-breaking concussion studyRugby and the Rugby Players' Association, will run throughout the 2017/18 rugby season and is the biggest of its kind to take place in the history of UK sport. It is a key element in the University of Birmingham's research programme to create a test that can be performed rapidly pitch-side and will determine whether a player has been concussed. The study is part of the University of Birmingham's REpetitive COncussion in Sport (RECOS) project. |
Shifting school start times could contribute $83 billion to US economy within a decadeThe RAND Corporation and RAND Europe have released the first-ever, state-by-state analysis (in 47 states) of the economic implications of a shift in school start times in the U.S., showing that a nationwide move to 8.30 a.m. could contribute $83 billion to the U.S. economy within a decade. | |
 | Tick saliva may hold potential treatment for reducing HIV-linked heart disease riskScientists may have found a clue to why people living with HIV have double the likelihood of developing heart disease. The findings, made by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research and National Institutes of Health, also show that an experimental drug may hold promise as a potential treatment. |
 | New approach to genetic testing leads to dramatic response in MET fusion lung cancerThere are many ways a gene can be altered and there are many genes that, when altered, can cause cancer. Testing individually for each possible alteration in every cancer-related gene is not feasible as it would require hundreds of individual tests and many, many thousands of dollars. A University of Colorado Cancer Center case study published today in the journal JCO Precision Oncology highlights an alternative: Use testing that can look for gene alterations in many genes simultaneously. The technique results in the first published report describing successful targeting of MET fusion in a lung cancer patient. |
 | Study examines dietary fats' impact on healthy, obese adultsMetabolically healthy obese adults consuming a diet high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat may be able to decrease their total cholesterol by 10 points, a new study suggests. |
Researchers raise health concerns about off-road vehicles and inhalation of asbestosPreventing injuries may not be the only reason children shouldn't use off-road vehicles (ORVs). | |
Millennials prefer healthy habits, less likely to choose opioids to manage painOften spending their days hunched over phones, tablets or computers and their free time at spin class or playing sports, millennials are the next generation poised to experience chronic pain. Even at their young age, millennials say acute and chronic pain are already interfering with their quality of life. | |
Researchers developing drug for recurring ER-positive breast cancerResearchers at UT Health San Antonio and two partner institutions are developing a new, first-in-class agent that has stopped the growth of estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancer in its tracks. The new agent is a molecule called ERX-11 that has blocked the growth of recurring breast cancer tumors. | |
 | Harvey's floodwaters harbor many health hazards(HealthDay)—Texans trapped in the unprecedented flooding wrought by Hurricane Harvey now face untold health hazards, officials say. |
 | Intracranial pressure monitoring no benefit in pediatric TBI(HealthDay)—For children with severe traumatic brain injury, intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is not associated with improved functional survival, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in JAMA Pediatrics. |
 | Review links sleep-disordered breathing, cognitive impairment(HealthDay)—Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with increased likelihood of cognitive impairment, according to a review published online Aug. 28 in JAMA Neurology. |
 | A blood test can predict early lung cancer prognosisCancer cells obtained from a blood test may be able to predict how early-stage lung cancer patients will fare, a team from the University of Michigan has shown. |
 | A magic formula to predict attraction is more elusive than everDating websites often claim attraction between two people can be predicted from the right combination of traits and preferences, but a new study casts doubt on that assertion. |
 | Virus that causes mono may increase risk of MS for multiple racesLike whites, Hispanic and black people who have had mononucleosis, commonly known as mono, which is caused by Epstein-Barr virus, may have an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study published in the August 30, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. |
 | Researchers discover MRI can measure kidney scarring and predict future kidney functionResearchers from St. Michael's Hospital have made what are believed to be two world first discoveries: an MRI can measure kidney damage and can predict future kidney function within one year while avoiding needle biopsies. |
 | Offshore rush for herpes vaccine roils debate over US safety rulesDefying U.S. safety protections for human trials, an American university and a group of wealthy libertarians, including a prominent Donald Trump supporter, are backing the offshore testing of an experimental herpes vaccine. |
Infectious diseases A-Z: Will eating undercooked pork make you sick?Eating raw or undercooked pork infected with the parasitic worms, Trichinella spiralis, can lead to trichinosis. | |
 | Meditation expert tells us what the science really says and why multitasking is a 'myth'So you fell asleep easily enough, but now it's 3 a.m. Your mind is spinning, and rest is elusive. You're reliving every foolish or embarrassing thing you did in the past 24 - or 48 or 72 - hours, and that is a lot of material to run through. And you simply can't stop. |
'Open gym' format shortens waiting time for cardiac rehabChanging from scheduled appointments to an "open gym" format can reduce waiting times for cardiac rehabilitation, reports a study in the September/October issue of Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer. | |
Breastfeeding reduces risk of endometriosis diagnosisEndometriosis is a chronic and incurable gynecologic disorder that affects approximately 10 percent of women in the United States. Its symptoms can be debilitating and include chronic pelvic pain, painful periods and pain during intercourse. A new study by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital finds that women who breastfed for longer periods of time had significantly lower risk of being diagnosed with endometriosis, offering new insights into a condition that, up until now, has had very few known, modifiable risk factors. The team's findings are published today in The BMJ. | |
 | Protecting the guardiansA guardian gene that protects against type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases exerts its pancreas-shielding effects by altering the gut microbiota.Experiments in mice born with the protective gene show that exposure to antibiotics during critical windows of development fuels risk for type 1 diabetes and leads to loss of genetic protection by altering the gut microbiota.Scientists say the findings underscore the importance of avoiding antibiotic use during late pregnancy and early infancy. |
 | Researchers use gold nanoparticles to enhance the accuracy of biomedical testsFew experiences invoke as much anxiety as a call from your doctor saying "you need to come back for more tests." Your imagination goes wild and suddenly a routine medical screening becomes a minefield of potential life-threatening diseases. |
CVS customer seeks dismissal of recent drug prices lawsuitA CVS customer wants to end a short-lived, federal lawsuit that hit the drugstore chain in a sensitive area: The prices it charges for prescriptions. | |
Lilly lays out faster time frame for FDA drug resubmissionEli Lilly says it will resubmit its potential rheumatoid arthritis treatment to regulators several months faster than expected. | |
 | FDA approves personalized cellular therapy for advanced leukemiaIn a landmark decision for the field of cancer immunotherapy, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved a personalized cellular therapy developed by the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) for the treatment of patients up to 25 years of age with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that is refractory or in second or later relapse. The approval was granted to Novartis for the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, Kymriah™ (tisagenlecleucel, formerly CTL019). In 2012, Penn and Novartis entered into a global collaboration to further research, develop and commercialize Kymriah and other CAR-T cell therapies for the treatment of cancers. Kymriah is the first therapy based on gene transfer approved by the FDA. |
 | Insurer aetna's envelopes revealed customers' HIV status(HealthDay)—Customers of health insurance giant Aetna in many states were sent mail with envelopes that clearly revealed their HIV status, says the Legal Action Center and AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania. |
Costa Rica gets dose of 'Patch' Adams medicine"Patch" Adams, the eccentric American doctor made famous in a movie starring Robin Williams, brought his brand of laughter-is-the-best-medicine therapy to Costa Rica this week to promote his view of "humanist health." | |
Biology news
 | Male mice found able to bias gender ratios of offspringAn international team of researchers has discovered that contrary to conventional views, a male mammal was found able to exert inadvertent gender bias ratios in his offspring. In their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the team describes a study they carried out with inbred mice and what they found. |
 | Study shows whales dive deeper and longer when exposed to human produced sonarA combined team of researchers from Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research and the U.S. Navy's Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division has found evidence of whales diving deeper and longer than normal when exposed to sonar from submarines and helicopters. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group describes their study, which included tagging whales and monitoring their behavior when exposed to artificial sonar signals. |
 | Ancient whales were predators not gentle giantsAncient whales had extremely sharp predator teeth similar to lions, Australian scientists said Wednesday in a discovery they believe debunks theories the mammals used their teeth to filter feed like today's gentle giants. |
 | RNA discoveries could improve stem cell researchA recently described variety of RNA closely associated with gene expression was found to be largely cell-type specific, raising the possibility this variety of RNA sequences may be able to be used as a marker in stem cell research. |
 | The long quest for the right pollen: how to really help beesPlanting bee-friendly plants seems to be the new fad in many cities around the globe. In the UK, amateur gardeners regularly try to attract such insects, while in France, farmers have offered land to help beekeepers . In other countries, such as Canada, cities adopt pollinators. Even some companies undertake wildflower planting efforts. |
 | Research team identifies mutations key to antibiotic resistanceTwo genetic mutations could be key to understanding how bacteria retain antibiotic resistance, according to a team led by University of Idaho researchers. |
 | Unusual protein production found in trypanosome mitochondriaMitochondria, the power plants of the cell, have their own protein factories, although the cell apparatus could easily do the job for them. A special species of eukaryotes even has all the transfer-RNA it needs for protein assembly promptly delivered. Researchers from the University of Bern have now uncovered how this highly unusual import mechanism works in detail. |
 | A new estimate of biodiversity on EarthAnyone who has studied biology, watched a nature documentary, or, for that matter, simply enjoyed time in the outdoors, has likely been amazed by the variety of plant and animal life on our planet. |
 | Scientists uncover factors that shape sea lifeOn its 50th anniversary, the landmark theory of island biogeography—the study of the distribution of species on islands over time—expands from land to sea with fascinating results. A team of researchers led by Dr. Hudson Pinheiro, postdoctoral ichthyologist at the California Academy of Sciences, have proposed a new conceptual model of island biogeography for marine organisms—a theory that explores how different processes (like sea level fluctuations and geographic isolation) influence marine species diversity around islands. The team found that, despite some similarities, the forces that tend to shape diversification and community assemblage on land are different from those that impact islands' marine environments. Results—authored by researchers from the Academy, University of California, Santa Cruz, and Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo—are published today in Nature. |
 | Motorized molecules drill through cells, destroy diseased cellsMotorized molecules driven by light have been used to drill holes in the membranes of individual cells and show promise for either bringing therapeutic agents into the cells or directly inducing the cells to die. |
 | American pika disappears from large area of California's Sierra Nevada mountainsThe American pika, a small mammal adapted to high altitudes and cold temperatures, has died out from a 165-square-mile span of habitat in California's northern Sierra Nevada mountains, and the cause appears to be climate change, according to a new study published August 30 in PLOS ONE. |
 | Gut bacteria that 'talk' to human cells may lead to new treatmentsWe have a symbiotic relationship with the trillions of bacteria that live in our bodies—they help us, we help them. It turns out that they even speak the same language. And new research from The Rockefeller University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai suggests these newly discovered commonalities may open the door to "engineered" gut flora who can have therapeutically beneficial effects on disease. |
 | Scientists discover spring-loaded mechanism in unusual species of trap-jaw antResearchers provide the first mechanical description of the jaws of a group of trap-jaw ants that can snap their spring-loaded jaws shut at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour - just fast enough to capture their elusive prey. |
 | Tracking down the whale-shark highwayDid you know that August 30 is International Whale Shark Day? Whale sharks are the largest fishes on Earth, growing up to 18 meters (60 feet) long, but they feed mostly on tiny drifting animals such as copepods and, occasionally, small fish such as anchovies. To satisfy their immense appetites, whale sharks travel long distances to find dense swarms of prey. |
 | Key factor identified in gene silencingA fertilized human egg develops into multiple tissues, organs and about 200 distinct cell types. Each cell type has the same genes, but they are expressed differently during development and in mature cells. |
 | Century-old seal pelts reveal changes in Ross Sea ecosystemWhen scientists at McMurdo Station in Antarctica have time off from their field work, they often pay a visit to three nearby wooden huts built in the early 1900s by Antarctic explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott. That's what UC Santa Cruz biologists Daniel Costa and Luis Huckstadt were doing on a day off from studying Weddell seals when they realized that a pile of frozen pelts in one of the huts represented samples of Weddell seal tissue from more than 100 years ago, at the very start of human activities in Antarctica. |
 | Otters learn by copying each otherOtters can learn how to solve puzzles by watching and copying each other, new research shows. |
 | Some birds better than others at adjusting to habitat degradationBefore habitat degradation from impacts like grazing begins to cause population declines, the first response by wildlife usually comes in the form of behavioral changes—for example, switching their diets in response to changes in food availability. A new study from The Condor: Ornithological Applications looks at the diets of seed-eating birds in a South American desert and finds that while some can switch between seed types when grazing alters local plant communities, others continue to stick to old favorites, limiting their options. |
 | Online game challenges players to design on/off switch for CRISPRA Stanford team has launched a new challenge on the Eterna computer game. Players will design a CRISPR-controlling molecule, and with it open the possibility of new research and therapies. |
 | Research explores natural selection in actionThe extreme "polar vortex" winter of 2013–14 did more than set records across the United States; it created conditions for a Harvard graduate student to explore something rarely observed by biologists: natural selection in action. |
 | The secret life of whale sharks no longer a mysteryWhale shark researchers have marked International Whale Shark Day by solving a long-standing mystery about where the world's largest fish go during the Australian spring and summer. |
 | Estrogen turns up volume of mating song in female birdsDoes estrogen affect the way females perceive male sexual signals? That is a question a team of Yale researchers explored in a study, focusing on the female house sparrow. |
 | Conservation hindered by geographical mismatches between capacity and needNew research suggests that geographical mismatches between conservation needs and expertise may hinder global conservation goals. |
 | X-ray micro-CT enhanced revision of the ant genus Zasphinctus WheelerBiologists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have named three new, rare ant species in Africa after important figures in African biodiversity conservation—a former United States president, a writer-activist, and a world-renowned scientist. Using new scanning technology for documenting species, the OIST researchers compiled scans of the ants to create 3D avatars, giving them, and their namesakes, a measure of immortality. |
 | Why some Listeria strains survive good food hygiene standardsDespite the high standards of cleanliness and hygiene in the food industry, bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes can still be found in the food processing environment. In a study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a team of researchers from Vetmeduni Vienna has now shown that certain Listeria strains – figuratively speaking – take refuge on an island. An "islet" of two genes located in one area of the genome increases the bacteria's survival under alkaline and oxidative stress conditions. The researchers were able to identify the two genes as a functional unit termed a "stress survival islet". Understanding this genetic "lifesaver" can help develop new strategies for food safety. |
 | Novel enzymatic mechanism for biorefining and sustainable production of biofuelsIn 2010, researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) were the first to describe a new class of enzymes that have created a revolution in the area of biorefining. These enzymes, known as "Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases" or LPMOs, have drastically improved our ability to convert cellulose into fermentable sugar (glucose), which is a key step in the production of so-called second generation biofuels and other biomass-derived products. Today, modern cellulose-degrading enzyme cocktails, thanks to these LPMOs, are so efficient that commercial production of second generation bioethanol has become a reality. |
 | Developing a forecast system for Atlantic albacore tunaFish population dynamics models are essential tools used to estimate fishing impact and provide key indicators of exploitation. A EU-funded project is helping to provide a new generation of models harnessing the progress made in monitoring using in situ and satellite data. |
 | Fighting mucosal bacteria in the battle against cystic fibrosisMichael Maiden, a Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine student and doctoral candidate in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, was recently awarded a traineeship from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to help pursue his research of the disease. |
Developing new long-range micro backpacks for beesA project to develop a new means of tracking bees in the landscape is progressing well according to scientists at Bangor University. | |
Fish food for marine farms harbor antibiotic resistance genesFrom isolated caves to ancient permafrost, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes for resistance have been showing up in unexpected places. As scientists puzzle over how genes for antibiotic resistance arise in various environments and what risks to human health they might pose, one team has identified a surprising way some of these genes are getting into ocean sediments: through food for marine fisheries. Their report appears in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology. | |
 | How invasive species threaten batsA new review is the first to describe the scope of threats to bats by invasive species. |
 | Fast-forward aging due to DNA damageThe heredity substance DNA is the blueprint of our life. Like an instruction manual it contains all the information needed for cells and the body to function properly. In the process, the DNA is always exposed to threats like UV light, pollutants and damage by metabolic byproducts. Many of those damages can be undone by sophisticated repair mechanisms. Nevertheless, the accumulation of DNA damage is a cause of aging. A team of scientists based at CECAD at the University of Cologne is now trying to better understand the damage to the genome driving the aging process. |
 | Do squirrels teach bears to cross the railroad? Grizzlies dig squirrel middens for grainsGrains have been reported to regularly trickle from hopper cars travelling via the railway located within the Canadian Banff and Yoho National Parks, attracting the local red squirrels. |
 | Wolf behaviour undeterred by tailings ponds and pit minesWolves do not avoid areas of human disturbance when hunting moose in Alberta's oil sands region. |
 | Hope for improving protection of the reticulated pythonTrading in skins of the reticulated python is such a lucrative business that illegal exports are rising sharply and existing trade restrictions are being circumvented on a large scale. This is endangering the stability of populations. Therefore, researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the Royal Zoological Society Scotland (RZSS) are developing genetic methods for tracking down individual origins and potential trade routes of the skins. Initial results have now been published in the renowned journal PLOS ONE. They show the genetic variation across reticulated python populations in Southeast Asia, and demonstrate the importance of such data for the long-term conservation of the giant snake species and controlled trade of its skin. |
 | Soybean rust develops 'rolling' epidemics as spores travel northAlthough Midwestern soybean growers have yet to experience the brunt of soybean rust, growers in the southern United States are very familiar with the disease. Every year, the fungus slowly moves northward from its winter home in southern Florida and the Gulf Coast states, and eventually reaches Illinois soybean fields—often just before harvest. |
Fungal spore 'death clouds' key in gypsy moth fightA fungus known to decimate populations of gypsy moths creates "death clouds" of spores that can travel more than 40 miles to potentially infect populations of invasive moths, according to a new Cornell study. | |
 | More N. Atlantic fishing bans may be needed: ministersNorth Atlantic coastal nations proposed Wednesday to make more frequent use of fishing bans for certain species, in order to ensure the sustainability of marine resources. |
 | Peptide mass fingerprinting can identify whale species based solely on their baleenPeptide mass fingerprinting accurately identified 10 species of whales from their baleen alone, according to a study published August 30, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Caroline Solazzo from Smithsonian Institution, US, and colleagues. |
 | Study finds pallid bat is unfazed by venom of Arizona bark scorpionThe Arizona bark scorpion is the most venomous scorpion in North America. It possesses venom that causes serious pain in humans and can kill a child if anti-venom is not administered quickly. |
 | A big difference between Asian and African elephants is dietNew research has shown that there are significant differences between the Asian and the African forest elephant - and it isn't just about size and the shape of their ears. It is about what they eat and how they affect forest ecosystems. See video here. |
 | France to vote against EU renewal of weedkillerFrance will vote against a proposal by the EU Commission to renew the licence for glyphosate, the active ingredient in one of the world's most widely used weedkillers, Monsanto's Roundup, a government source said Wednesday. |
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