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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 27, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Extended emission filaments found in the galaxy Markarian 6Russian astronomers have conducted a study of large-scale morphology and kinematics of the ionized gas in the galaxy Markarian 6. The research, in addition to mapping the ionized gas in the stellar disc, has identified a system of faint, extended emission filaments in the galaxy. The finding is detailed in a paper published September 16 on the arXiv pre-print server. |
 | Did key building blocks for life come from deep space?All living beings need cells and energy to replicate. Without these fundamental building blocks, living organisms on Earth would not be able to reproduce and would simply not exist. |
 | Simulations uncover why some supernova explosions produce so much manganese and nickelResearchers have found white dwarf stars with masses close to the maximum stable mass (called the Chandrasekhar mass) are likely to produce large amounts of manganese, iron, and nickel after they orbit another star and explode as Type Ia supernovae. |
 | This car-sized NASA spacecraft is hurtling closer to the sun than any mission beforeAt the center of the sun is a raging nuclear inferno that reaches temperatures well into the millions of degrees. The surface is cool by comparison, at 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. |
 | Ten years catching rocket signalsAs ESA celebrates the 100th launch of Ariane 5, the Agency's worldwide ground station network is also marking ten years of providing vital tracking services to launchers soaring out of Kourou. |
 | NASA is taking a new look at searching for life beyond EarthSince the beginning of civilization, humanity has wondered whether we are alone in the universe. As NASA has explored our solar system and beyond, it has developed increasingly sophisticated tools to address this fundamental question. Within our solar system, NASA's missions have searched for signs of both ancient and current life, especially on Mars and soon, Jupiter's moon Europa. Beyond our solar system, missions, such as Kepler and TESS, are revealing thousands of planets orbiting other stars. |
 | Image: A shadowy selfie taken 280 million km from EarthOn 21 September 2018, 280 million km from Earth, a roughly 1.5 square-metre cube descended towards a primitive space rock. After years of planning and 4 years in flight, this tiny spacecraft captured this 'shadow selfie' as it closed in on asteroid Ryugu, just 80 metres from the remnant of our Solar System's formation, 4.6 billion years ago. |
 | Cosmic 'dustpedias' could reveal new types of galaxyMeasuring the vast quantities of cosmic dust in interstellar space may be a key to unlocking various mysteries of the cosmos, including how the grains form and whether new types of galaxy are obscured by the particle clouds. |
 | Experimental cosmologists use photonics to search Andromeda for signs of alien life"Are we alone in the universe?" The question has fascinated, tantalized and even disconcerted humans for as long as we can remember. |
Technology news
 | HP Tango is when you cannot tell a printer from a book (and you like it like that)HP my have been the two-character brand you were parking in your distant memory of star desktops of the digital past but their presence among cubicle-goers and at-home workers who need to print out is solid. Now HP is in the printer news with a machine that is designed to work primarily with mobile devices. Observers consider the printer as a re-invention of the printer concept, at least in design. |
 | Device that integrates solar cell and battery could store electricity outside the gridScientists in the United States and Saudi Arabia have harnessed the abilities of both a solar cell and a battery in one device—a "solar flow battery" that soaks up sunlight and efficiently stores it as chemical energy for later on-demand use. Their research, published September 27 in the journal Chem, could make electricity more accessible in remote regions of the world. |
 | Smart devices could soon tap their owners as a battery sourceIn a study published by the Advanced Energy Materials journal, scientists from Surrey's Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) detail an innovative solution for powering the next generation of electronic devices by using Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs). Along with human movements, TENGs can capture energy from common energy sources such as wind, wave, and machine vibration. |
 | Researchers develop sugar-powered sensor to detect, prevent diseaseResearchers at Washington State University have developed an implantable, biofuel-powered sensor that runs on sugar and can monitor a body's biological signals to detect, prevent and diagnose diseases. |
 | Facebook unveils upgraded wireless Oculus headset in VR pushFacebook on Wednesday unveiled an upgraded Oculus virtual reality headset with power to handle the intensive graphics of digital worlds in a wire-free experience. |
Not a social media influencer? You can still get paidDon't try to make money off my online behavior—unless, of course, I get a commission. | |
Amazon, Apple, Google and other companies say they'd support privacy laws, but there's a catchRepresentatives of six major technology and communications companies, including Google, Apple and AT&T, told lawmakers Wednesday that they support federal laws that would safeguard user privacy—if those laws aren't as stringent as rules recently introduced in Europe and California. | |
Delta to use facial recognition in Atlanta's international terminalDelta Air Lines plans to launch what it calls the nation's first "biometric terminal" by deploying facial recognition at multiple points in the international terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson. | |
AT&T, Samsung team up to create 5G 'Innovation Zone' in AustinTech giants AT&T and Samsung announced Wednesday that they will create the country's first manufacturing-focused 5G "Innovation Zone" in Austin. | |
 | Publicizing a firm's security levels may strengthen security over time, study findsCyberattacks grow in prominence each and every day; in fact, 2017 was the worst year to-date for data breaches, with the number of cyber incidents targeting businesses nearly doubling from 2016 to 2017. |
 | Stopping fires before they start—how a salty solution is giving lithium metal batteries a safety checkResearchers have long considered lithium metal batteries to be the "holy grail" for energy storage. They have high energy density—how much energy a battery carries relative to its weight. This means they can be made smaller and lighter, while storing the same amount of energy as larger, heavier batteries made from other materials, or they can carry more energy in the same size battery. |
 | EU lawmakers push for cybersecurity, data audit of FacebookEuropean Union lawmakers appear set this month to demand audits of Facebook by Europe's cybersecurity agency and data protection authority in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. |
 | Let's a not go! Nintendo wins Japan court battle over Mario street kartingNintendo said Thursday it has won a court battle against a popular go-kart operator that allows drivers to dress up as Super Mario and other game characters to zip through the streets of Japan. |
 | Online harassment a problem for many US teens: surveyA majority of US teenagers say they have been victims of online harassment or bullying, and that social media companies aren't doing enough to fight the problem, a survey showed Thursday. |
Ride-hailing increases vehicle miles traveledRide-hailing accounts for an 83 percent increase in the miles cars travel for ride-hailing passengers in Denver's metro area, according to a study published this week in the journal Transportation by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver. | |
 | Uber, Cabify drivers protest in Madrid against rule changesHundreds of drivers for ride-hailing services Uber and Cabify marched down a central Madrid avenue on Thursday to protest plans by the Spanish government to tighten regulations in the sector. |
Amazon opens new concept '4-star' retail store in New YorkAmazon opened a new retail store in New York on Thursday selling a range of products that get top ratings from customers of the online colossus. | |
 | Ever struggle with a Rubik's Cube? Someone has created one that will solve itselfEver struggle with a Rubik's Cube? Then this video probably won't help your anxiety. |
 | US regulators charge Tesla CEO Elon Musk with fraudThe US Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday charged Tesla CEO Elon Musk with securities fraud, alleging he misled investors last month in tweets about taking the company private. |
 | Engineers search for cause in cracked beam at transit hubSan Francisco officials struggled Wednesday to find the source of unusual cracking in support beams that shut down a just-opened, $2 billion transit center meant to serve as a bold architectural statement from a wealthy, high-tech city. |
Lockheed Martin hopes new lab inspires workforce, attracts future employeesLockheed Martin pulled up the curtain on a new innovation lab Tuesday, showing off 3-D printers, virtual and augmented reality headsets and a robotics lab meant to encourage its employees to experiment. | |
 | Researcher discusses cutting energy use in aluminum processing by 40%Ms Bakartxo Egilegor is a senior researcher at IKERLAN and coordinator of the research project ETEKINA. She talks about how to reuse waste heat when producing aluminium components and how this could be a blueprint for all energy-intensive industries. |
 | French government rules out selling Air France-KLM stakeFrench Finance Economy Bruno Le Maire on Thursday ruled out selling the government's minority stake in Air France-KLM, saying the priority was to turn around the troubled airline group. |
Tech billionaire buys Australia's most expensive homeTech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes has bought a Sydney waterfront mansion for a reported Aus$100 million (US$72 million), media said Thursday, eclipsing the previous Australian purchase record set by his business partner. | |
 | German cabin crew join Ryanair strike, nearly 250 flights cutGerman cabin crew said they would join pilots in Europe-wide strikes against Ryanair on Friday, as the airline announced it would have to cancel nearly 250 flights. |
 | Ford celebrates century of production at storied Rouge plantFord Motor Co.'s historic Rouge factory complex will continue well into its second century of production with the announcement Thursday that it will make at least one version of the next-generation F-150 pickup truck. |
Medicine & Health news
 | How a sleeping cancer awakens and metastasizesScientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have determined one of the ways in which cancers in remission can spring back into action. This knowledge has inspired a new treatment idea designed to prevent cancer recurrence and metastasis. |
 | Limiting children's recreational screen time to less than two hours a day linked to better cognitionOnly one in 20 US children in the study met the full recommended guidelines on recreational screen time, physical activity and sleep. |
 | People can die from giving up the fightPeople can die simply because they've given up, life has beaten them and they feel defeat is inescapable, according to new research. |
 | Scientists uncover why very few of the many mutated cells in our skin go on to eventually form cancerNormal skin contains a patchwork of mutated cells, yet very few go on to eventually form cancer and scientists have now uncovered the reason why. Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and MRC Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge genetically engineered mice to show that mutant cells in skin tissue compete with each other, with only the fittest surviving. |
 | Researchers find how natural killer cells regulate protective HIV antibodiesIn the quest to develop a vaccine that triggers the immune system to prevent HIV infection, researchers have focused on identifying and eliciting a particular type of antibody that is capable of neutralizing the virus. |
 | Therapy applied directly inside the eye best for treating uveitic macular edemaDelivery of corticosteroids directly into the eye is more effective than injections adjacent to the eye, according to results from a comparative clinical trial of macular edema in patients with noninfectious uveitis. The study was funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health. The results were published online today in the journal Ophthalmology. |
 | Tiger mosquitoes are capable of transmitting yellow feverSince December 2016, Brazil has been grappling with its worst yellow fever outbreak in several decades. To date, there have been 2,043 human cases including 676 fatalities, mainly occurring in ten Brazilian states including Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. These two states, the most heavily populated in Brazil, had been free of yellow fever for nearly 70 years. Research by scientists at the Institut Pasteur and the Institut Oswaldo Cruz has demonstrated that the yellow fever virus can be transmitted via Aedes albopictus, the tiger mosquito. This opportunistic species is capable of colonizing both urban and forest areas. |
 | Psychologists define the 'dark core of personality'Egoism, Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, sadism, spitefulness and others are among the traits of the malevolent side of human personality. As results from a recently published German-Danish research project show, these traits share a common "dark core." People with one of these tendencies are also likely to have one or more of the others. |
 | Breaking the link between obesity, gastrointestinal cancersStudies have demonstrated a connection between obesity and a person's risk of developing colon and other gastrointestinal cancers. Now, scientists are investigating approaches that can break this relationship. |
 | Bolstering the liver's immune response to fight off malaria infectionA team of researchers with members from Oxford University in the U.K., the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands has developed a new approach to battling malaria—boosting an immune response in the liver. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes their approach and how well it worked in mice. |
 | A call to clear up the definition of 'mesenchymal stem cells'A trio of concerned scientists is issuing a warning regarding use of the phrase "mesenchymal stem cells" or more popularly, MSCs. They claim the phrase is no longer useful because it encompasses too many cell types and because it has come to be associated with unproven medical applications. Douglas Sipp with the RIKEN research institute, Pamela Robey with the National Institutes of Health, and Leigh Turner with the University of Minnesota have together published a Comment piece in the journal Nature, calling for the phrase to be revised or eliminated from use. |
 | The warm glow of kindness is real, study confirmsPsychologists at the University of Sussex have confirmed that the warm glow of kindness is real, even when there's nothing in it for you. In their study, published in NeuroImage, they undertook a major analysis of existing research showing the brain scans relating to over 1000 people making kind decisions. For the first time, they split the analysis between what happens in the brain when people act out of genuine altruism—where there's nothing in it for them—and when they act with strategic kindness—when there is something to be gained as a consequence. |
 | Can we teach heart cells to grow up?Scientists around the world have been trying to replace damaged heart tissue using lab-made heart-muscle cells (cardiomyocytes), either injecting them into the heart or applying patches laced with the cells. But results to date have been underwhelming. |
 | The hormone FGF23 is linked to structural deficits in the brainScientists at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have uncovered mechanisms by which high levels of a hormone called FGF23 can reduce brain health. |
 | 'Cellular memory' of DNA damage in oocyte quality controlFemales are born with a finite number of eggs that are steadily depleted throughout their lifetime. This reserve of eggs is selected from a much larger pool of millions of precursor cells, or oocytes, that form during fetal life. So there is a substantial amount of quality control during the process of forming an egg cell, or ovum, that weeds out all but the highest quality cells. New research from Neil Hunter's laboratory at UC Davis reveals the surprising way that this critical oocyte quality control process works. |
 | The whole day matters for cognitive development in childrenIn a new study, researchers at the CHEO Research Institute have found that children aged nine and 10 who meet recommendations in the Canadian 24-hour Movement Guidelines for physical activity, screen time and sleep time have superior global cognition. The results were published today in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal. |
 | Virtual reality motion sickness may be predicted and counteractedResearchers at the University of Waterloo have made progress towards predicting who is likely to feel sick from virtual reality technology. |
Trial participation among factors influencing risk of relapse in AYA leukemia patientsAdolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were significantly more likely to relapse than pediatric ALL patients, and factors including lower clinical trial enrollment and shorter duration of therapy were associated with relapse. | |
 | New screening tool can improve the quality of life for epilepsy patients with sleep apneaRutgers researchers have developed a tool to help neurologists screen for obstructive sleep apnea in people with epilepsy whose seizures can be magnified by sleep disorders. |
 | Despite restaurant pledges, most kids receive unhealthy items with fast-food kids' mealsA new study of parents' fast-food restaurant purchases for their children finds that 74 percent of kids still receive unhealthy drinks and/or side items with their kids' meals when they visit one of the four largest restaurant chains—McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and Subway—despite restaurants' commitments to offer healthier options with kids' meals. This finding is part of a new report from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut. |
 | Educating the next generation of medical professionals with machine learning is essentialArtificial intelligence (AI) driven by machine learning (ML) algorithms is a branch in the field of computer science that is rapidly gaining popularity within the healthcare sector. However, graduate medical education and other teaching programs within academic teaching hospitals across the U.S. and around the world have not yet come to grips with educating students and trainees on this emerging technology. |
 | Enhanced rehab for stroke doubles movement recoveryA novel therapy technique invented by researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas has been shown in a pilot study to double the rate of upper limb recovery in stroke patients, a leap forward in treating the nearly 800,000 Americans who suffer strokes each year. |
 | Vaccine, anti-PD1 drug show promise against incurable HPV-related cancersA tumor-specific vaccine combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor shrank tumors in one third of patients with incurable cancer related to the human papilloma virus (HPV) in a phase II clinical trial led by investigators at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and reported in JAMA Oncology. |
 | New gene variants associated with chronic back painChronic back pain is the number one cause of years lived with disability worldwide. In a new study, Pradeep Suri of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Seattle, Washington, and colleagues in the United States and Europe, in association with Dr. Frances Williams from King's College London's Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology, identified three novel genetic variants associated with chronic back pain. The study, which was published in the open-access journal PLOS Genetics, links the risk for back pain with variants in genes controlling skeletal development, among other pathways. These findings may help to elucidate the basic biology underlying this common symptom, and point toward avenues for the eventual development of new therapies. |
 | New allergy vaccine for hay fever shows promising resultsUsing sugar molecules, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have developed a new vaccine for hay fever that may reduce treatment times and increase the effect of treatments. The vaccine, which is still at the earliest research stage, has been tested on mice. The method can potentially also be used to develop different forms of vaccines, for example, vaccines for autoimmune disorders. |
 | Uterus transplantation—as ethically problematic as altruistic surrogacyIn 2014, the first child gestated in a donated uterus was born. Although research into uterus transplantation is still in an early phase, many see the donations as a success. Researchers at universities including Linköping University have studied ethical aspects of uterus transplantation. The results show that uterus transplantation with living donors is ethically just as problematic as altruistic surrogacy. |
 | Bariatric surgery linked to safer childbirth for the motherObese mothers who lose weight through bariatric surgery can have safer deliveries. The positive effects are many, including fewer caesarean sections, infections, tears and haemorrhages, and fewer cases of post-term delivery or uterine inertia. This, according to an observational study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, and published in PLOS Medicine. |
 | Wearable technology could help pregnant women detect health complications, improve outcomesPregnant women could use a "wearable" app to detect whether they have or are susceptible to a condition that leads to serious health complications for them or their unborn child. |
 | Mapping the 100 trillion cells that make up your bodyThere are about 100 trillion cells that make up the human body. A new megascience endeavor will catalog and image each of the 200 or more types of cells from the 80 known organs and identify the genes that are active in these cells. |
 | Vampire bats found to carry infectious bacteria at high ratesBartonella are bacteria that cause endocarditis, a potentially life-threatening illness in humans and domestic animals. In Latin America, common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) are frequently infected by Bartonella, and their subsistence on blood creates a risk for bacterial transmission from bats to humans and livestock. A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases by Daniel Becker at Montana State University in Bozeman, found Bartonella infections in vampire bats are highly prevalent in Peru and Belize, and that Bartonella genotypes are distributed widely, rather than clustered geographically. |
 | Risk-profiling can benefit HIV preventionThat men who have sex with men run a greater risk of HIV than others has been known since the virus was discovered. However a thesis from Karolinska Institutet now shows that it is a small sub-group of these men who account for the greater part of the risk increase. The results are important to preventive efforts against HIV in Sweden. |
 | People with dementia encouraged to hang up the keysWhen people with dementia hang up their car keys, the sudden loss of mobility can have devastating effects. |
 | Construction and transport workers face high risk of traumatic spinal injuriesWorkers in the construction and transport industries experience high rates of traumatic spinal injuries, and there is an urgent need for more effective safety and prevention measures, says a new study led by a team at UNSW Sydney and the University of Sydney. |
 | We need to talk about the mental health of content moderatorsSelena Scola worked as a public content contractor, or content moderator, for Facebook in its Silicon Valley offices. She left the company in March after less than a year. |
 | Sharp decline in England youth drinking, new report showsA new report shows a sharp decline in youth drinking across all age groups over the last 15 years. Young people are now less likely to drink and, if they do drink, they start doing so later, drink less often and consume smaller amounts. |
 | Analysis assesses current end-of-life care treatment for stem-cell transplant patientsFor many cancer patients, high-intensity treatments such as intubation and ICU admission are administered during their end-of-life care, but little is known about whether that care is in line with a patient's wishes and treatment goals. In an analysis recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, data was collected from patients who died within one year of receiving a stem cell transplant to better understand what end-of-life for these patients entails and how it can be improved upon to ensure that a patient is dying in the way they would like. |
 | Early Parkinson's patients waiting too long to seek medical evaluationThe time between diagnosis and the institution of symptomatic treatment is critical in the effort to find a cure for Parkinson's Disease (PD). A paper published in Nature Partner Journal: Parkinson's Disease notes too many early PD patients wait too long before seeking medical attention, or start taking symptomatic medications before they are required, thereby dramatically shrinking the pool of candidates for clinical trials. |
 | Just because you're thin, it doesn't mean you're healthyAccording to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 63% of Australian adults are overweight or obese. |
 | What's your savings personality?(HealthDay)—Can your personality determine how good you are with money? |
 | In California, 2 in 3 kids fail to meet exercise standards, according to studyCalifornia's weather encourages year-round outdoor activity. Yet just 1 in 3 children and only 1 in 5 teens in the state exercise for the one hour per day that's recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. |
 | Americans who don't finish high school are less healthy than the rest of the US,On Sept. 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the latest numbers on health in the U.S. |
 | Investigating cooperation during social interaction in schizophreniaPeople spend much of their time within social groups but those with schizophrenia commonly describe difficulty with trusting others. Using a public goods game to study social interactions in individuals with the disorder, it was seen that when a lack of cooperation was punished, both patients and control subjects demonstrated increased levels of cooperation. |
 | Smarter trials speed up patients' access to effective treatmentsAdaptive clinical trials are transforming the efficiency of drug development and the MRC has played a crucial role in implementing this innovative method into the UK clinical trials landscape. This trial methodology helps to deliver the right treatment to the right patient faster than ever before. As treatments increasingly become more personalised, accommodating a complex approach within a clinical trial setting requires a new type of clinical trial with a flexible design. |
 | PVC flooring in homes give rise to uptake of phthalates in pregnant womenA new study in the SELMA project at Karlstad University, Sweden, shows that plastic flooring in the home is a source of phthalate uptake in pregnant women. Phthalates are considered dangerous by EU regulators. |
 | Aromatherapy and reflexology ease side effects for cancer patientsA noninvasive approach using aromatherapy and reflexology can dramatically reduce pain and anxiety for women undergoing cervical radiation therapy, according to preliminary data from a clinical study underway at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). |
 | Can pink really pacify?As an interior designer, I've long been interested in how different colors can affect our mood and behavior. |
 | PCI, CABG both acceptable for CKD patients with LMCAD(HealthDay)—For patients with left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD), those with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing revascularization have similar long-term outcomes with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), according to a study published in the Aug. 14 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. |
 | HIV infection diagnoses on the rise in young homosexual men(HealthDay)—Among men who have sex with men (MSM), the change in the annual number of HIV diagnoses from 2008 to 2016 varies with age, according to research published in the Sept. 21 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Give-up-itis: When people just give up and dieDuring World War Two, when a cargo ship was torpedoed and sank in the North Sea, some of the crew managed to escape the sinking vessel. One survivor reported a curious incident that happened on their life raft: "There were seven of us on the raft, but the third officer died about two hours before we were picked up. He was very despondent, and toward the end he lost heart and gave up and died." |
 | Crash diets are highly effective – new evidenceIf you've ever tried to lose weight, you've probably heard that crash dieting isn't the best way to go about it. Although you may lose lots of weight initially, you won't be able to keep the weight off and may even end up being heavier than you were before. But our latest research suggests that this isn't always the case. |
 | Media violence, impulsivity and family conflict tied to aggressive behaviors in teenagersTeenagers exposed to TV and film violence and high levels of household conflict are at risk of engaging in aggressive behaviors, according to a new study by researchers at three U.S. universities. |
 | Scientists discover mathematics of brain wavesA U.S. Army Research Laboratory scientist has collaborated with a team of researchers from the University of North Texas to develop a new data processing technique that uses electroencephalogram, or EEG, time series variability as a measure of the state of the brain. |
 | Discovery links DNA-packaging proteins and cancer developmentUniversity of Otago scientists have unravelled the 3-D structure of two proteins, potentially providing answers as to why some people may be at risk of developing specific cancers. |
 | Postnatal depression could be linked to fewer daylight hours during late pregnancyWomen in late pregnancy during darker months of the year may have a greater risk of developing postpartum depression once their babies are born. This is consistent with what is known about the relationship between exposure to natural light and depression among adults in the general population. Deepika Goyal of San José State University in the US is the lead author of a study published in a special issue "Post-partum Health" in Springer's Journal of Behavioral Medicine. The findings of Goyal and her colleagues should lead clinicians to encourage at-risk women to increase their exposure to natural daylight and vitamin D. |
 | Medical-records study links dementia-related brain changes to hospital stays for critical illnessResearchers at Johns Hopkins report that a novel analysis of more than a thousand patients adds to evidence that hospitalization, critical illness and major infection may diminish brain structures that are most commonly affected by Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Genetic analyses hone risk prediction for coronary diseaseCoronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading killer of people with type 2 diabetes, and it's not a secret killer. |
DNA vaccine targets family of tumor antigens and shows promise for cancer immunotherapyScientists at The Wistar Institute have implemented a novel structurally designed synthetic DNA vaccine to simultaneously target multiple members of a family of proteins that are specifically overexpressed in several types of cancer. This approach addressed a difficult issue in cancer immunotherapy, specifically how to simultaneously drive antitumor immune responses against multiple tumor antigens in a single, easily delivered formulation. The new strategy could simplify immunotherapy treatment and may prevent cancer escape from immune pressure as the immune system could attack the cancer at multiple susceptible target points. The new vaccine, targeting the human cancer-associated MAGE-A family of proteins, is effective and safe in a melanoma preclinical model, as described in a paper published online in Clinical Cancer Research. | |
Non-small cell lung cancer patients see improved survival with durvalumabNon-small cell lung cancer patients survive longer when their treatment includes durvalumab following platinum-based chemoradiotherapy, according to research led by Moffitt Cancer Center. New clinical trial data published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine show durvalumab improved progression-free survival by 17.2 months compared to placebo. | |
 | Confused about the term 'soy milk'? FDA wants to knowDo people understand the differences between milk and soy and rice "milk"? |
 | Having hospital palliative care doesn't impact Tx intensity(HealthDay)—For adult patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), the availability of hospital-based palliative care is not associated with in-hospital treatment intensity, according to a study published in the September issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. |
 | Single agent treats two cancers with same genetic cause(HealthDay)—A single checkpoint inhibitor can be used to successfully treat two simultaneous types of primary cancer in a patient with Lynch syndrome, according to a research letter published online Sept. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Time to defib not linked to survival in pediatric IHCA(HealthDay)—For pediatric patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), time to first defibrillation attempt is not associated with survival, according to a study published online Sept. 21 in JAMA Network Open. |
 | Grip strength tied to pulmonary function in older women(HealthDay)—For older Korean women, handgrip strength is positively associated with pulmonary function, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Practices should set rules for staff social media use(HealthDay)—Medical practices can take steps to avoid problems related to use of social media by staff members, according to an article published in Medical Economics. |
 | Guidelines updated for adult congenital heart disease(HealthDay)—Updated guidelines have been developed for management of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), according to a report published online Aug. 16 in Circulation. |
 | Many drivers rely too much on new car safety features(HealthDay)—New cars are now coming out with high-tech safety features designed to prevent crashes. But if you don't know how they work you could be inviting an accident, new research suggests. |
 | NIH eyes $54 million to map trillions of human cells(HealthDay)—The U.S. National Institutes of Health hopes to spend $54 million over the next four years to map the trillions of cells that compose the adult human body. |
 | Machine learning can improve chemical toxicity prediction(HealthDay)—Machine learning of toxological big data can predict the toxicity of chemicals, and may be more reliable than animal testing, according to a study published in the September issue of Toxicological Sciences. |
 | Heading a soccer ball found to be riskier for female players(HealthDay)—Female soccer players exhibit more widespread evidence of microstructural white matter alteration than males, despite having similar exposure to heading, according to a study recently published in Radiology. |
 | New study hints at potential antibiotic breakthroughThe rapid emergence and global spread of antibiotic resistance demands a new approach for developing novel ones. A study published in The FASEB Journal uncovers a novel approach to combatting the fast spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. |
 | Stillbirth reduction strategy remains unproven, study findsA care package aimed at reducing the risk of babies being stillborn may offer marginal benefit, research suggests. |
Deaths of despair in the era of Donald Trump: The opioid epidemic is just part of the problemOpioid-related deaths contributed to more than 60 000 U.S. lives lost in 2016 but absolute declines in life expectancy relative to other countries and in various measures of psychosocial well-being have been observed starting as early as 1980. Increases in despair over time have had a broad effect among all groups and regions of the country in the United States, not just less-educated Whites, who have been identified as the primary victims. Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health provide an overview of trends toward both increasing despair and declining health observed among many groups of people in the United States. The paper is published in the American Journal of Public Health. | |
Hospital privacy curtains may harbor dangerous germs—new studyWithout timely intervention, privacy curtains in hospitals can become breeding grounds for resistant bacteria, posing a threat to patient safety, according to new research published in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), the journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). | |
 | Study of children in Romanian orphanages tells cautionary tale about family separationMany migrant children separated from their parents at the U.S. border, some of them very young, have landed in shelters where they often experience stress, neglect and minimal social and cognitive stimulation. The latest findings of the long-running Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP), involving children in Romanian orphanages, tells a cautionary tale about the psychiatric and social risks of long-term deprivation and separation from parents. |
 | New England Journal of Medicine's longtime editor to retireDr. Jeffrey Drazen, editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine, said Thursday he is planning to retire within a year after nearly two decades at the publication. |
Brexit will affect the UK's ability to tackle illicit drugs trade, warn expertsExclusion from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) because of Brexit will have serious consequences for public health in the UK, warn experts in a letter to The BMJ this week. | |
 | The Spanish town that wants to shed 100,000 kilosIn a remote corner of northwestern Spain, a small town has set itself the ultimate weight loss challenge: by early 2020, its residents must shed 100,000 kilos (220,500 pounds). |
 | McDonald's says classic burgers no longer have artificial ingredientsMcDonald's USA on Wednesday announced that its iconic burgers, including the Big Mac and the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, no longer have artificial preservatives, artificial flavors or added colors from artificial sources. |
 | Study specifies the neuropsychological deficits of alcoholic abusersA University of Valencia psychology and neuroscience team has defined the specific neuropsychological profile of men with several patterns of alcohol consumption and a history of violence against women in couple relationships. The study, published in Alcohol, seeks to facilitate adherence to treatment, as well as the detection of the chances of a relapse of abusers who are brought before a court. |
Henry Ford Hospital patient is first in the US to receive angina deviceCardiologists at Henry Ford Hospital performed the first implantation in the United States of a device approved for use in Europe for hard-to-treat angina. | |
 | Niger cholera outbreak claims 67 livesA cholera outbreak in Niger has killed 67 people since July out of thousands of recorded cases, the UN said Thursday, citing health ministry figures. |
HPV vaccination can play critical role in global prevention of cervical and genital cancersIn low-resource countries without well-developed screening programs, expanding access to human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination is the best means of preventing cervical cancer and other diseases caused by HPV infection, according to an editorial in the October special issue of the Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease, official journal of ASCCP. | |
 | Fewer children in social care in Northern Ireland than rest of UK, according to new reportNEW research has uncovered massive differences in children's social care between the four countries of the UK, with Northern Ireland emerging as the territory where young people are much less likely to be fostered or taken into residential care. This is despite the fact that the province has the UK's biggest percentage of children living in deprived areas. |
 | Narrowing sexual health equity gap for Puerto Rican adolescentsPersistent and significant health disparities related to sexual health, including a higher teen birth rate and HIV prevalence, exist among Puerto Rican adolescents compared to other racial and ethnic adolescents. The Internet is a major platform for the dissemination of health information and has the potential to decrease health disparities and provide quality, culturally sensitive health information to disadvantaged populations. Yet, little is known about the barriers that exist related to how Latinos use web-based health information. |
 | Unusual case of father-to-son HIV transmission reportedDiagnosis of HIV-1 infection in the 4-year old child of an HIV-negative mother led to a forensic analysis to determine the source of the infection and try to date the transmission of the virus. The results of genetic, phylogenetic, and serologic data analysis on both the father and son and the hypothesis for how the boy became infected are published in a study in AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. |
Managing congenital adrenal hyperplasia requires shared decisions among patients, families, and healthcare professionalsThe Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline that offers best practices for healthcare providers on how to promptly diagnose, treat, and manage patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), an inherited endocrine disorder, throughout their entire lives. | |
Certain reflux and ulcer medications linked with bone fractures in dialysis patientsCertain medications commonly used to treat heartburn, acid reflux, and ulcers are linked with higher bone fracture risks among patients on dialysis, according to a new study. Almost three-quarters of patients who had a hip fracture had used the medications in the 3 years preceding their event. The findings appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). | |
Q&A: Treatment with medical cannabisDear Mayo Clinic: Medical marijuana is now legal in the state where I live. What conditions can it be used for and how effective is it? Do people who use medical marijuana need to be concerned about addiction? | |
A breakthrough in the hunt for a vaccine against foal pneumoniaA vaccine against deadly foal pneumonia might finally be within reach, thanks to Morris Animal Foundation-funded research conducted at two major universities. The breakthrough could potentially save the lives of thousands of foals every year. | |
Biology news
 | New study probes the ancient past of a body plan codeResearchers from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have opened a window on another piece of evolutionary biology. They have found that Hox genes, which are key regulators of the way the bodies of bilaterally symmetrical animals form, also play a role in controlling the radially symmetric body plan of the starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. |
 | In the battle of cats vs. rats, the rats are winningThe first study to document interactions between feral cats and a wild rat colony finds that contrary to popular opinion, cats are not good predators of rats. In a novel approach, researchers monitored the behavior and movement of microchipped rats in the presence of cats living in the same area. They show the rats actively avoided the cats, and only recorded two rat kills in 79 days. Published as part of a special "rodent issue" in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, the findings add to growing evidence that any benefit of using cats to control city rats is outweighed by the threat they pose to birds and other urban wildlife. |
 | New bird flu viruses in ducks after vaccines largely prevented H7N9 in chickensIn response to bird flu pandemics starting in 2013, officials in China introduced a new vaccine for chickens in September 2017. Recent findings suggest that the vaccine largely worked but detected two new genetic variations of the H7N9 and H7N2 subtypes in unvaccinated ducks. These findings will be published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe on September 27. |
 | Feeding ants dopamine might make them smarter foragersIn an ant colony, few tasks are as important as gathering food. But the desert heat can pose a challenge for an ant on foraging duty. Recent findings, publishing in the journal iScience on September 27, show how dopamine may influence the behavior of ant foragers in the desert. |
 | Study finds samples from opposite sides of the globe are surprisingly similarThe natural world is full of examples of what biologists call convergent evolution—instances where unrelated creatures developed similar traits in response to similar evolutionary pressures. |
 | Researchers discover signatures predicting therapeutic applications, toxicity of chemicalsTo predict the effects of a compound on the human body, researchers assess its biological activity, which requires pinpointing the affected biological processes within cells. Considering that living cells comprise many biological processes, this is a daunting task. Researchers from Attagene and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have found a new, straightforward approach to the assessment of the biological activities of chemicals. |
 | PCB pollution threatens to wipe out killer whalesMore than 40 years after the first initiatives were taken to ban the use of PCBs, the chemical pollutants remain a deadly threat to animals at the top of the food chain. A new study, just published in the journal Science, shows that the current concentrations of PCBs could lead to the disappearance of half of the world's populations of killer whales from the most heavily contaminated areas within a period of just 30 to 50 years. |
 | Why a 'cuckoo in the nest' can go undetectedResearchers at the Universities of Exeter and Cambridge have shed light on why some species cannot tell the difference between their own offspring and those of intruders that have been slipped into their nests. |
 | Aphids use sight to avoid deadly bacteria, could lead to pest controlPea aphids—a serious agricultural pest—have the ability to see and avoid a common, aphid-killing bacteria on plant leaves, according to a new Cornell University study published in Current Biology. |
 | Antibiotics' mode of action observed in the bacterial cell membraneFor the first time, researchers have been able to observe the mode of action of a promising class of alternative antibiotics directly in bacterial cellular membranes. Until now, such studies could only be done in less relevant media, such as organic solvents or micelles. The approach they developed could provide important cues to design drugs for combatting drug-resistant bacteria. Their findings already suggest novel cues to improve the activity of nisin, the most popular antibiotic of this class. The study, led by Dr. Markus Weingarth and Dr. Eefjan Breukink of Utrecht University, was published in Nature Communications on 27 September. |
 | Tomatoes 'mixing chemical cocktails': Early detection of disease resistance in food cropsBacterial wilt devastates food crops all over the world. It destroys major crop plants such as tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, ginger and pepper. It occurs in many countries and attacks over 200 plant species. The bacterium which causes the disease lingers in soil, seeds and plant material for years. It can infect water and farming equipment, as well. |
 | New tool in the fight against grapevine trunk diseaseGrapevine trunk disease is estimated to cost the Australian wine sector millions of dollars in lost production each year, but now grapegrowers have a new tool to better manage its impact. |
 | A protein prevents plants from premature floweringThe induction of flowering is of major importance from an ecological and agronomic point of view. Timely and synchronous flowering is essential to optimize pollination and allow seed production and maturation under favorable environmental conditions. Environmental factors, including light in particular, regulate flowering time, the mechanisms of which have been the subject of many studies. However, these experiments are usually performed in growth chambers in the absence of UV-B, a type of radiation that is a natural component of sunlight and, for example, is responsible for sunburns in humans. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has discovered that UV-B can be a powerful inducer of flowering, but that a protein called RUP2 blocks its action to prevent early flowering. This work is published in the journal Genes & Development. |
 | After a fatal shark attack on Cape Cod, will the reaction be coexistence or culling?Interactions between people and animals offer insights into human culture and societies' core values. This is especially true with respect to large predators – perhaps due to a collective memory of our evolutionary past as hunted prey. |
 | Citizen scientists advance the knowledge of coastal seasScientists from the University of Portsmouth and local volunteers have taken part in the UK's largest ever citizen science project to understand how our coastline is changing in the face of climate change and species invasion. |
 | New invasive bryozoan arrives in Alaskan watersAlaska has a near-pristine marine ecosystem—it has fewer invasive species in its waters than almost any other state in the U.S. But that could be changing. With help from local volunteers, biologists at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and Temple University have reported a new invasive species in the Ketchikan region, the invertebrate filter-feeder Bugula neritina, and documented the continuing spread of three other non-native species. |
 | Successful development of intestinal epithelial cells derived from human iPS cellsFUJIFILM Corporation has successfully developed intestinal epithelial cells derived from human iPS cells for optimal use in assessing drug absorption in joint research conducted with Nagoya City University (Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor Tamihide Matsunaga). The cells have been confirmed to have high capabilities in activating enzymes involved with the metabolism of drugs as well as drug intake/emission, and have properties that are close to the intestinal epithelial cells of the small intestine that play an important role in drug absorption. These research results are ground-breaking in the field of drug discovery support using human iPS cells, and are expected to contribute significantly to enhancing the efficiency of the development of oral drugs. |
 | Game-changing ivory ban takes effect but further efforts needed to ensure long-term gainsNew research released today by WWF and TRAFFIC reveal that China's elephant ivory trade ban has had significantly positive effects since coming into force on 31 December 2017, but still requires further action to influence key segments of society. |
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