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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 12, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Researchers conduct comprehensive study of the merging galaxy cluster MACS J0417.5-1154An international team of scientists has carried out a comprehensive multi-wavelength study of one the merging galaxy clusters known as MACS J0417.5-1154. The research, available in a paper published November 1 on arXiv.org, provides new insights into the nature of this peculiar cluster. |
 | How to drive a robot on MarsSome 78 million miles (126 million kilometers) from Earth, alone on the immense and frigid Red Planet, a robot the size of a small 4x4 wakes up just after sunrise. And just as it has every day for the past six years, it awaits its instructions. |
 | Aboard the first spacecraft to the trojan asteroids—NASA Ralph's next adventureRalph, one of NASA's most well-traveled space explorers, has voyaged far and accomplished much: on the New Horizons mission, Ralph obtained stunning flyby images of Jupiter and its moons; this was followed by a visit to Pluto where Ralph took the first high-definition pictures of the iconic minor planet. And, in 2021, Ralph journeys with the Lucy mission to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids. |
 | HD video from the moon in near real timeA new optical modem, capable of sending high-definition quality video significantly faster than standard radio frequency systems, is being developed for NASA's Orion spacecraft. The hardware, offered by LGS Innovations, is expected to deliver near real time footage from the moon and other space destinations. |
 | Oxia Planum favoured for ExoMars surface missionThe ExoMars Landing Site Selection Working Group has recommended Oxia Planum as the landing site for the ESA-Roscosmos rover and surface science platform that will launch to the Red Planet in 2020. |
 | Image: Testing the radar antenna for Juice spacecraftA miniaturised model of the Juice spacecraft during electromagnetic tests at ESA's technical heart in the Netherlands. |
 | Rocket-maker ArianeGroup to cut 2,300 jobsEuropean aerospace and defence firm ArianeGroup is to cut 2,300 jobs by 2022 as orders tumble and development of a new rocket nears its end, management said Monday. |
 | SpaceX is going to build a mini-BFR to launch on a Falcon 9In September of 2016, Elon Musk unveiled his vision for a super-heavy launch vehicle, which would be SpaceX's most ambitious project to date. Known as the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR), this massive launch vehicle is central to Musk's plan of conducting space tourism with flights into orbit and to the Moon. It is also intrinsic to his vision of sending astronauts and colonists to Mars. |
Technology news
 | Using behavior trees to improve the modularity of AUV control systemsResearchers at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and National Oceanography Centre have recently used behavior trees (BTs) to design modular, versatile, and robust control architectures for critical missions. Their study, pre-published on arXiv, specifically applied a BT framework to the control system of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). |
 | Brick by brick, a solution seeking to topple energy storage roadblockA nagging question as the year gets closer to the very end. The wind is there. The water is there. The sun is there. How is it that we are still so far off in fossil-fuel land? Farms, plants, rigs later, those in the renewables industry know the answer. A video from Quartz back in August said, "There's been a lot of progress in renewable energy with solar and wind power, but renewable energy storage remains a challenge." |
 | Android: Google message to developers is about dark themesGoogle has seen the light—and the light is to warm up developers to using dark themes. |
 | Researchers create first-of-its-kind composable storage platform for high-performance computingLarge-scale, advanced high-performance computing, often called supercomputing, is essential to solving both complex and large questions. |
 | With Uber Eats' fast growth comes potential for profitIn three years, the Uber Eats restaurant food delivery service has grown from an experiment to serving much of the U.S. and major cities worldwide. |
 | 'Ababis' and 'Star Wnrs': Knockoffs thrive in China e-commerceSneakers on a popular Chinese e-commerce platform look like Adidas, but are branded "Ababis". Underwear resembling Calvin Klein are called "Caiwen Kani". Toys with an uncanny resemblance to a certain blockbuster movie franchise opt for "Star Wnrs". |
 | Despite restrictions, digital spending hits record in US midtermsEven as online platforms tightened rules for political ads, digital spending set new records in the 2018 US midterm elections and appears poised for further growth in 2020. |
 | Queens neighborhood wary of Amazon coming to townNew York's Long Island City, where Amazon is tipped to set up a new home, is a neighborhood in flux—a construction site of warehouses and skyscrapers where some fear the online retail giant will only make everything worse. |
 | Crazy in love? The Japanese man 'married' to a hologramAkihiko Kondo's mother refused an invitation to her only son's wedding in Tokyo this month, but perhaps that isn't such a surprise: he was marrying a hologram. |
 | Alibaba hits another 'Singles Day' record but growth slowsChinese e-commerce giant Alibaba filled a record $30.7 billion in orders on Sunday during its annual "Singles Day" shopping frenzy, but growth slowed from previous years. |
 | SoftBank unveils massive $21 bn IPO of Japan mobile unitTelecoms giant SoftBank will list shares in its Japanese mobile unit next month in a sale that could raise over $21 billion and be one of the biggest tech IPOs in years. |
 | Pocket money apps aim to help kids in cashless worldFor kids growing up in today's cashless society, the piggy bank is going virtual. |
 | Big data used to predict the futureTechnology is moving in giant leaps and bounds, and with it, the information with which society operates daily. Nevertheless, the volume of data needs to be organized, analyzed and correlated to predict certain patterns. This is one of the main functions of what is known as Big Data. |
 | Diverse biofeedstocks have high ethanol yields and offer biorefineries flexibilityBiorefineries are picky eaters. They only consume one or two types of plant matter. Researchers processed and experimentally measured ethanol production from five different herbaceous feedstocks. They examined two annuals (corn stover and energy sorghum) along with three perennials (switchgrass, miscanthus, and restored prairie). They determined that a lignocellulosic ethanol refinery could use a range of plant types without having a major impact on the amount of ethanol produced per acre, or per land area. |
 | From beaker to solved 3-D structure in minutesIn a new study that one scientist called jaw-dropping, a joint UCLA/Caltech team has shown that it is possible to obtain the structures of small molecules, such as certain hormones and medications, in as little as 30 minutes. That's hours and even days less than was possible before. |
 | Facebook back up after Americas service interruptionFacebook users in the Americas were able to get back onto their profiles Monday afternoon, after the social media network went down briefly across some parts of the region. |
 | Facebook stops requiring arbitration of sexual harassment claimsFacebook on Friday said it will no longer require employees to resolve sexual harassment claims via arbitration, mirroring a move by Google. |
SAP buying Qualtrics for $8 billion in cashSAP says it has agreed to pay $8 billion cash for survey-software provider Qualtrics International Inc., which was preparing for an initial sale of stock to the public. | |
 | Amazon HQ favorites: Similar basics, different vibesThe communities said to be favored to become homes to a pair of big, new East Coast bases for Amazon are both riverfront stretches of major metropolitan areas with ample transportation and space for workers. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Largest ever study of psychological sex differences and autistic traitsScientists at the University of Cambridge have completed the world's largest ever study of typical sex differences and autistic traits. They tested and confirmed two long-standing psychological theories: the Empathizing-Systemizing theory of sex differences and the Extreme Male Brain theory of autism. |
 | Suicide handshakes kill precursor T cells that pose autoimmune dangersBall lands in cup; cup triggers spring; spring clamps lever onto ball and holds it tight. That's a rough description of newly discovered cellular mechanisms that eliminate T cells that may cause autoimmune disorders. |
 | Two-pronged device enables maverick immune cells to identify and kill cancersImmune cells called Gamma Delta T cells can act independently to identify and kill cancer cells, defying the conventional view of the immune system, reveals new research from the Francis Crick Institute and King's College London. |
 | Eyepatch with dissolvable needles used to treat eye diseaseA team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in Singapore has developed an eyepatch with dissolvable needles for use in treating eye diseases. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the group describes their eyepatch and how well it worked in mice. |
 | Big studies give mixed news on fish oil, vitamin DTaking fish oil or vitamin D? Big studies give long-awaited answers on who does and does not benefit from these popular nutrients. |
 | Heart failure therapy improves outcomes for patients with acute illnessA drug therapy used for patients with chronic heart failure also improves markers of poor prognosis in individuals who are hospitalized with acute heart failure, new Yale-led research shows. The findings suggest that the drug can improve outcomes for acutely ill heart patients and potentially become the new standard of care for treating this serious condition, the researchers said. |
 | Heart meeting features fish oil, vitamin D, cholesterol newsFish oil, vitamin D, novel drugs, new cholesterol guidelines: News from an American Heart Association conference over the weekend reveals a lot about what works and what does not for preventing heart attacks and other problems. |
 | Researchers explain how your muscles formAll vertebrates need muscles to function; they are the most abundant tissue in the human body and are integral to movement. |
 | Kawasaki disease: One disease, multiple triggersResearchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and international collaborators have evidence that Kawasaki Disease (KD) does not have a single cause. By studying weather patterns and geographical distributions of patients in San Diego, the research team determined that this inflammatory disease likely has multiple environmental triggers influenced by a combination of temperature, precipitation and wind patterns. Results will be published in the November 12 online edition of Scientific Reports. |
 | Exosomes 'swarm' to protect against bacteria inhaled through the noseBacteria are present in just about every breath of air we take in. How the airway protects itself from infection from these bacteria has largely remained a mystery—until now. When bacteria are inhaled, exosomes, or tiny fluid-filled sacs, are immediately secreted from cells which directly attack the bacteria and also shuttle protective antimicrobial proteins from the front of the nose to the back along the airway, protecting other cells against the bacteria before it gets too far into the body. |
 | Can scientists change mucus to make it easier to clear, limiting harm to lungs?For healthy people, mucus is our friend. It traps potential pathogens so our airways can dispatch nasty bugs before they cause harm to our lungs. But for people with conditions such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), mucus can get too thick and sticky; coughing alone can't clear it. Infections develop, leading to severe chronic disease and early death. Now, for the first time, scientists at the UNC School of Medicine and Duke University demonstrated why coughing often cannot tear mucus apart and away from the airway lining. And they showed how to make mucus thinner and less sticky so coughing can become a therapeutic aid. |
 | Research brings personalized medicine to treat leukemia one step closerScientists at the University of Birmingham have revealed the roles that different types of gene mutations play in causing blood cancers in a study that was the culmination of a decade's research. |
 | Scientists shine new light on link between obesity and cancerScientists have made a major discovery that shines a new, explanatory light on the link between obesity and cancer. Their research confirms why the body's immune surveillance systems—led by cancer-fighting Natural Killer cells—stutter and fail in the presence of excess fat. Additionally, it outlines possible paths to new treatment strategies that would see "fat-clogged" Natural Killer cells molecularly re-programmed and jolted back into action. |
 | In live brain function, researchers are finally seeing redFor years, green has been the most reliable hue for live brain imaging, but after using a new high-throughput screening method, researchers at the John B. Pierce Laboratory and the Yale School of Medicine, together with collaborators at Stanford University, have identified a new fluorescent protein that will make it possible for live neurons to glow red when activated. |
 | Salmonella found to be resistant to different classes of antibioticsBrazil's Ministry of Health received reports of 11,524 outbreaks of foodborne diseases between 2000 and 2015, with 219,909 individuals falling sick and 167 dying from such diseases. Bacteria caused most outbreaks of such illnesses, including diarrhea and gastroenteritis. The most frequent were Salmonella spp., with 31,700 cases diagnosed in the period (14.4 percent of the total), Staphylococcus aureus (7.4 percent), and Escherichia coli (6.1 percent). |
 | Defective DNA damage repair leads to chaos in the genomeScientists at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have now found a cause for frequent catastrophic events in the genetic material of cancer cells that have only been known for a few years. The failure of an important cellular DNA repair system promotes fragmentation and defective assembly of genetic material. Cancer cells with such a repair defect can now possibly be treated by a specific group of drugs. |
 | Mutations, CRISPR, and the biology behind movement disordersScientists at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) in Japan have discovered how mutations related to a group of movement disorders produce their effects. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study found three ways in which mutations affecting the IP3R1 protein can affect the chemical balance of neurons in the brain, ultimately leading to the degeneration of motor control. |
 | New treatment significantly reduces cardiovascular events when combined with statinsStatins are the most commonly used treatment for cardiovascular disease. Despite reducing certain risk factors, if triglyceride levels remain high with use of statins, there is still a significant risk for heart attack, stroke or other ischemic events. |
 | Fecal transplant effective against immunotherapy-induced colitisFor the first time, transplanting gut bacteria from healthy donors was used to successfully treat patients suffering from severe colitis caused by treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, which includes two patients, suggests fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is worth investigating in clinical trials as a therapy for this common side effect of immunotherapy. |
 | Spread of deadly eye cancer halted in cells and animalsBy comparing genetic sequences in the eye tumors of children whose cancers spread with tumors that didn't spread, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report new evidence that a domino effect in cells is responsible for the cancer spreading. Their experiments suggest that blocking part of the chain of events—which they successfully accomplished in zebra fish and human cells—stops the growth and spread of the eye tumor cells. |
 | Obesity both feeds tumors and helps immunotherapy kill cancerA groundbreaking new study by UC Davis researchers has uncovered why obesity both fuels cancer growth and allows blockbuster new immunotherapies to work better against those same tumors. |
 | Scientists uncover new gatekeeper function of anti-aging moleculeThe protein klotho has been shown to promote longevity and counteract aging-related impairments. Having more klotho seems to allow for longer and healthier lives, whereas a depletion of this molecule accelerates aging and may contribute to age-related diseases. Curiously, within the brain, one structure contains vastly higher levels of klotho than all the others. |
 | New Ebola test produces results in remote areas(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved emergency use of a new Ebola fingerstick test, which includes a reader that makes it possible to obtain results outside a laboratory. |
 | Many women have not heard of ovarian cancer before Dx(HealthDay)—Many women are not knowledgeable about ovarian cancer before diagnosis despite most women experiencing prediagnosis symptoms, according to a report published online Oct. 18 by the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition. |
 | Overtreating patients for hypothyroidism could raise their risk of stroke, study findsFor patients who take medication to treat hypothyroidism, being treated with too much medication can lead to an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder associated with stroke, a new study of more than 174,000 patients has found. |
 | Coronary calcium levels a better predictor of patients at risk for coronary heart diseaseA new study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Session conference found that testing a patient's coronary calcium levels is a better predictor of blocked coronary arteries at risk for a heart attack and the need for revascularization than standard risk-assessment equations used in medical practice today. |
 | Researchers find further link between A-fib, brain injury, and possible neurodegenerationA new study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Session conference has found that patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) also show signs of asymptomatic brain injury. |
 | Bacterial pneumonia far more dangerous to the heart than viral pneumonia, study findsHeart complications in patients diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia are more serious than in patients diagnosed with viral pneumonia, according to new research from the Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City. |
 | Phone app effectively identifies potentially fatal heart attacks with near accuracy of medical ECGCan your smart phone determine if you're having the most serious—and deadly—form of heart attack? A new research study says it can—and may be a valuable tool to save lives. |
 | Weight during adolescence may affect pancreatic cancer risk in adulthoodNew research has linked adolescent obesity with up to a four-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer later in life. The study's results also suggest that overweight and even higher weight within the "normal" weight range in men may increase pancreatic cancer risk in a graded manner. The findings are published early online in Cancer. |
 | Major traumatic injury increases risk of mental health diagnoses, suicidePeople who experience major injuries requiring hospital admission, such as car crashes and falls, are at substantially increased risk of being admitted to hospital for mental health disorders, found a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). As well, they are at much higher risk of suicide than people without such injuries. |
 | China mulls $720,000 fine for faking vaccine tests after scandalChinese vaccine manufacturers who falsify test results or break other rules could be fined up to $720,000 under a new law proposed after a scandal that fulled public fears over domestically made medicine. |
 | Hands-only CPR training kiosks can increase bystander intervention, improve survivalPrompt action from a bystander can impact the likelihood a person survives cardiac arrest that occurs outside of a hospital. One common and proven intervention that anyone can learn is Hands-Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Hands-Only CPR training kiosks are becoming more widespread and are an effective training tool, a new Annals of Emergency Medicine analysis finds. |
 | Hepatitis C treatment can be shortened in 50 percent of patients, study findsHepatitis C drugs cure more than 90 percent of patients, but can cost more than $50,000 per patient. |
| RIP1 Kinase identified as promising therapeutic target in pancreatic cancerAn experimental drug may be effective against a deadly form of pancreatic cancer when used in combination with other immune-boosting therapies, according to a cover study publishing online Nov. 12 in Cancer Cell. |
 | How nurses rate daily job difficulty plays key role in patient careA neonatal intensive care unit nurse's ability to provide optimal patient care is influenced by a variety of factors—not just how many babies he or she is caring for or how sick they might be, a new study suggests. |
 | Combination therapy promising against blindness-causing bacterial keratitisMultidrug-resistant bacterial infections of the cornea are a leading cause of blindness and cannot be effectively managed with current ophthalmic antibiotics. A team of investigators has now devised a combination therapy that largely circumvents resistance, and quickly and effectively eradicated bacterial keratitis in 70 percent of animal models treated. The research is published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. |
 | Small populations of normal cells affect immunity in patients with XLP1Human SH2D1A mutations resulting in X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome type 1 (XLP1) are associated with a unique susceptibility to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which may lead to fatal infectious mononucleosis (FIM). Many studies have attempted to elucidate an appropriate treatment for XLP1 that does not involve hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT); clinical evidence supporting such treatments has been minimal, until now. |
 | Flowers in food are popular, but safety data is limitedA study of 23 flowers used in cooking shows a lack of chemical and toxicological data, which makes it impossible to set a limit for safe consumption, according to the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark. |
 | It's time to go back to basics in the fight against childhood pneumoniaPneumonia is a respiratory infection that affects the lungs. The viruses and bacteria that cause the disease are spread through airborne droplets from a cough or sneeze. An infection can cause the lungs to fill with pus and fluid, making breathing and oxygen intake difficult. And while anyone can get pneumonia, children with weakened immune systems or underlying illnesses are more susceptible. That's why, pneumonia kills more than a million children every year across the world. |
 | Diabetic foot ulcers heal quickly with nitric oxide technologyDiabetic foot ulcers can take up to 150 days to heal. A biomedical engineering team wants to reduce it to 21 days. |
 | Modern life offers children almost everything they need, except daylightThe debate about the volume of homework that children are being given has been bouncing around the opinion pages of broadsheets and red tops in recent weeks after Gary Lineker tweeted that it was "a waste of time". As names are called and sides are taken in the debate there are much bigger issues at stake than either side is admitting. |
 | Should you take probiotics when you're on antibiotics?If you take antibiotics, there's a good chance you'll also get diarrhoea. |
 | Humanity under threat from antibiotic-resistant infectionsI grew up believing in the forward trajectory of progress in science and medicine – that human health would continue to improve as it had for hundreds of years. As I progressed through my own career in health sciences, I continued to be optimistic. |
 | Five food mistakes to avoid if you're trying to lose weightMany people wonder why they're not losing weight when they follow a strict diet and exercise routine. |
 | The science behind face massage rollersFacial massaging using a roller can increase skin blood flow for more than 10 minutes after the massage. It can also improve vasodilation, the widening of blood vessels, in the long term, according to a study by researchers in Japan. |
 | Updated cholesterol guidelines offer more personalized risk assessment, additional treatment optionsMore personalized risk assessments and new cholesterol-lowering drug options for people at the highest risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are among the key recommendations in the 2018 cholesterol guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). |
 | More women in poor countries use contraception, says reportMore women and girls in poor countries are using modern contraception, signifying progress in efforts to involve women in family planning, according to a report released Monday. |
 | New exercise guidelines: Move more, sit less, start youngerMove more, sit less and get kids active as young as age 3, say new federal guidelines that stress that any amount and any type of exercise helps health. |
 | Diabetes drug might also ease heart failure risks(HealthDay)—The diabetes drug Farxiga might do double-duty for patients, helping to ward off another killer, heart failure, new research shows. |
 | When the numbers aren't enough—how different data work together in researchAs an epidemiologist, I am interested in disease – and more specifically, who in a population currently has or might get that disease. |
 | Missouri made medical marijuana legal, but most doctors don't want any part of itJoshua Mammen, a Kansas City area cancer surgeon, has a plan for when patients ask him for medical marijuana. He'll discuss the symptoms they want to treat. And then he will propose alternatives. |
 | Some activity fine for kids recovering from concussions, docs say(HealthDay)—Children and teens who suffer a sports-related concussion should reduce, but not eliminate, physical and mental activity in the days after their injury, an American Academy of Pediatrics report says. |
 | Breaking the smoking-drinking connection(HealthDay)—Smoking and drinking often go hand-in-hand, stimulating pleasure centers in the brain. But there's even more to this unhealthy relationship than meets the eye. |
 | E-alerts dramatically cut heart attack rate for people hospitalized with A-fib(HealthDay)—A simple pop-up alert on a computer screen could help save the brains and hearts of many hospital-bound people with an irregular heartbeat, a new clinical trial reveals. |
 | Family, school support makes kids more likely to stand up to bullyingA recent study from North Carolina State University and the University of South Carolina finds that young people with good family relationships are more likely to intervene when they witness bullying or other aggressive behavior at school – and to step in if they see victims planning to retaliate. The study found that kids who were already excluded, or discriminated against by peers or teachers, were less likely to stand up for victims of bullying. |
 | Lack of exercise impacts mental health in Japanese expatsA study of Japanese people living in Malaysia found that their exercise routines affected time spent sitting down and quality of life, including their mental health. These findings were published in Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine on October 25, and the research group was led by Associate Professor Kazuhiro P. Izawa (Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University) and Professor Koichiro Oka (Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University). |
 | Eye contact reduces lyingA new study from the University of Tampere found that eye contact can make people act more honestly. In everyday life, we often find ourselves in situations where we suspect that someone is being untruthful, whether it is a child claiming cluelessness about a missing cookie or a colleague arriving late and blaming the traffic. When asking the other person about the matter, a common intuition is to look them in the eyes. A recent study now suggests that, in situations like these, the use of eye contact may induce honesty. |
 | Dynamic audiovisuals increase spectator attention, inhibit conscious processingAccording to a study conducted by the UAB and the UPO, scene changes diminish a spectator's blink rate, producing an increase in attention. The results of the study demonstrate that dynamic and chaotic audiovisual editing causes more activity in the visual processing areas, while continuous and orderly editing produces more cognitive processing activity. |
 | Children with autism thrive in mainstream pre-schoolsIn a world first, breakthrough research from La Trobe University has shown that toddlers with autism are just as capable of learning important life skills through early-intervention delivered in mainstream pre-schools as in specialised settings. |
Low-dose methotrexate does not reduce risk of cardiovascular eventsWhen it comes to reducing inflammation to decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke, results from the much-anticipated Cardiovascular Inflammation Reduction Trial (CIRT) indicate that targeting the right inflammatory pathways in at-risk patients is crucial. Last year, the Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study (CANTOS) showed that the interleukin-1? inhibitor canakinumab both targeted a specific inflammatory pathway and consequently lowered rates of heart attack and cardiovascular death. By contrast, the findings from CIRT showed that low-dose methotrexate neither inhibited that same inflammatory pathway nor reduced major adverse cardiovascular event rates. These results were presented by Paul Ridker, MD, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham and Women's Hospital, during the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2018, and published simultaneously in The New England Journal of Medicine. | |
 | Frail seniors going without desperately needed in-home healthcare, study findsThere is a tremendous disparity between the need for home-based medical care and the number of frail seniors actually receiving it, a new study finds. In many rural areas, the problem is so great that the researchers label it "remarkable." |
 | Decrease in specific gene 'silencing' molecules linked with pediatric brain tumorsExperimenting with lab-grown brain cancer cells, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have added to evidence that a shortage of specific tiny molecules that silence certain genes is linked to the development and growth of pediatric brain tumors known as low-grade gliomas. |
 | Study: How vitamin D and fish oil affect risk of heart attack, stroke and cancerFor years, it's remained an open question: What effects do dietary supplements such as high doses of vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish oil have on the risk of diseases such as heart attack, stroke and cancer? While there have been hints along the way, until now, no randomized clinical trial of a general population, especially a racially diverse population, has been large enough to adequately address these questions. Brigham and Women's Hospital investigators leading the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) conducted a rigorous placebo-controlled trial over the course of 5.3 years, gleaning a treasure trove of information on the effects of both supplements. The team found that omega-3 fish oil reduced heart attack rates but did not affect risk of stroke or cancer. In addition, vitamin D did not significantly affect heart attack, stroke or cancer incidence but was associated with a decrease in cancer deaths that started one to two years after participants began treatment. Results from VITAL were presented by JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at the Brigham, at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2018, and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
2018 California Safety and Wellbeing Survey details firearm ownership in the stateFourteen percent of California adults, or roughly 4.2 million individuals, personally own firearms. While the majority (54 percent) of owners have just one or two firearms, 10 percent own 10 or more firearms, which combined account for roughly half of all civilian-owned firearms in the state. | |
 | Less surveillance needed for simple ovarian cystsSimple ovarian cysts are extremely common in women and do not require additional ultrasound surveillance or surgical removal, according to a new study of more than 72,000 women and close to 119,00 pelvic ultrasound exams over a dozen years. |
Racial disparities in sudden cardiac death rates cannot be explained by known risk factorsWhile it's well reported that black patients are twice as likely as white patients to succumb to sudden cardiac death (SCD), the underlying factors that propel this disparity remain unknown. According to a first-of-its-kind study from Penn Medicine, published online today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers showed that even after controlling for risk factors like income, education, smoking, exercise, and bad cholesterol, among others, black patients remained at significantly higher risk for SCD. | |
 | Study suggests diabetes medication improves heart structureA study led by St. Michael's Hospital researchers, and presented at a prestigious late-breaker session at the American Heart Association meeting in Chicago on Nov. 11, indicates that the diabetes medication empagliflozin has important effects that can improve cardiac structure in people with Type 2 diabetes who also have heart disease. |
 | A novel strategy to potentially reduce breast cancer bone metastasisUncovering a novel mechanism that promotes growth of breast cancer bone metastasis has revealed a potential Achilles' heel for these cancer cells. Reported in the journal Cancer Cell, the study shows that interfering with this mechanism can reduce the risk of relapses in animal models. |
 | Which outreach method encourages patients overdue for cancer screening to get tested?Phone calls are more effective reminders for patients to book cancer screening appointments than mailed letters but are also more costly, suggests a new study from St. Michael's Hospital. |
Those using psychotropic drugs in suicide attempts more likely to have had prescriptionsAs prescriptions for psychotropic drugs increase, researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found that prescribed access to anti-anxiety and anti-psychotic medications may make it easier for some patients to use the drugs in attempted suicides. | |
 | Cancer stem cells get energy from protein, and it's proving to be their Achilles' heelThink of energy metabolism like a party popper: Ripping something apart releases a bang. Most of your cells rip apart sugar to release the "bang" of energy. Sometimes they rip apart fats, and in a pinch, cells can even metabolize protein. |
Researchers identify risk factors of advanced liver disease in cystic fibrosis patientsChildren's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado) pediatric gastroenterologist, Michael Narkewicz, MD, recently shared results of the Prospective Study of Ultrasound to Predict Hepatic Cirrhosis in Cystic Fibrosis (PUSH), which sought to determine if liver ultrasounds could identify children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis who are at greater risk of developing advanced liver disease. The Cystic Fibrosis Liver Disease Network PUSH study is a multicenter prospective observational clinical trial that tested the hypothesis that a heterogeneous pattern (i.e., not totally uniform) on a liver ultrasound predicts the subsequent development of cirrhosis, late advanced stage of scarring (fibrosis) of the liver. Dr. Narkewicz presented the study results at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference after four years of research that was funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. | |
 | New strategy discovered toward possible prevention of cancers tied to mono, the 'kissing disease'Researchers from the University of Minnesota, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the University of Toronto have discovered a possible path forward in preventing the development of cancers tied to two viruses, including the virus that causes infectious mononucleosis—more commonly known as mono or the "kissing disease"—that infects millions of people around the globe each year. |
 | Tobacco availability raises smoking in pregnancyWomen are more likely to smoke during pregnancy if they live in areas with lots of shops selling cigarettes, a study shows. |
 | COPD patients rarely receive pulmonary rehabilitation despite its health benefitsOnly a tiny fraction of patients hospitalized for COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, participate in a pulmonary rehabilitation program following hospitalization, even though such programs are recommended and Medicare covers their cost, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. |
Spectrum of cardiovascular toxicities with immune checkpoint inhibitors revealedIn the first large-scale analysis of cardiovascular complications linked to immune checkpoint inhibitors, Vanderbilt researchers have shown that heart and vessel complications include myocarditis, pericarditis, vasculitis and arrhythmias, and that they occur early in the course of treatment. | |
 | Concussion tied to suicide risk(HealthDay)—People who have experienced either a concussion or a mild traumatic brain injury are twice as likely to commit suicide than others, a new review suggests. |
 | Your 6-month-old isn't sleeping through the night? Relax(HealthDay)—If your 6-month-old still wakes up at 2 a.m., a new study suggests you don't lose any additional sleep worrying about it. |
 | Heart attacks more common now in younger people, especially womenHeart attacks once characterized as a part of "old man's disease"—are increasingly occurring in younger people, especially women, according to new research. |
 | 3 things to know about cholesterolWith the release of new guidelines for treating and managing cholesterol, there may be questions not only about the changes in the update, but about cholesterol itself. |
 | FIT Project turns to interdisciplinarity to understand injury factors in youth footballTo address the alarming injury rate in youth footballers in Sweden, the project Injury-Free Children and Adolescents: Towards Better Practice in Swedish Football (FIT project) seeks to fill in the knowledge gaps by bringing biomedical and social science together. |
 | Better way to transplant human stem cellsA tissue-like structure created from human stem cells and implanted into a damaged region of the mouse brain improves cell survival and differentiation relative to conventional, cell-based methods. The research, published in eNeuro, encourages further investigation of this strategy and its potential to treat traumatic brain injury and neurodegeneration. |
 | Pakistan launches another vaccination drive against polioPakistan has launched yet another vaccination drive against polio, trying to eradicate the crippling disease from the country. |
 | Online abortion pills come to the US, as the right to abortion is on the lineFoes and defenders of abortion rights are preparing for seismic shifts in the abortion landscape. |
Team developing instruments to detect language problems earlierChildren with undiagnosed language problems are more likely to have difficulty in school, and ultimately graduate and find employment at lower rates than their counterparts. | |
 | Higher dietary quality associated with improved glycemic control in women with GDMA new study has found that higher dietary quality was associated with improved overall glycemic control and postprandial glycemic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The association between dietary quality and glycemic control was examined in the Gestational Diabetes' Effects on Moms Study and the findings are reported in an article published in Journal of Women's Health. |
 | More than 80 percent of Americans are concerned with antibiotic resistance health threatNearly two thirds of Americans (65%) say antibiotic resistance is a public health problem and a strong majority (81%) say they are concerned that antibiotic resistance will make more infections difficult or impossible to treat and even deadly, according to a national public opinion survey commissioned by Research!America in collaboration with the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA). The survey was supported in part by Pfizer Inc. Majorities across the political spectrum say the federal government should increase funding for research and public health initiatives to address antibiotic resistance—specifically 81% of Democrats, 76% of Republicans and 70% of Independents. |
 | Three landmark heart studies shed light on sudden cardiac arrestToday, at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, the research group led by Sumeet Chugh, MD, professor of Medicine and associate director of the Smidt Heart Institute, presented three critical research studies aimed at better understanding sudden cardiac arrest. |
Patients with common heart failure more likely to have lethal heart rhythmsResearchers at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai discovered that a non-treatable form of lethal heart rhythm responsible for sudden cardiac arrest is twice as likely to be found in patients with the most common form of heart failure—heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), compared to heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The findings, presented today at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, have important implications for prevention of sudden cardiac arrest. | |
Biology news
 | How plants evolved to make ants their servantsPlants are boring. They just sit there photosynthesizing while animals have all the fun. Right? Not so much. Take a look at the interactions between ants and plants—plants have evolved features specifically to make them enticing to ants, like juicy nectar for the insects to eat and hollow thorns for them to take shelter in. In exchange, plants use ants to spread their seeds and even act as bodyguards. A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences breaks down the genetic history of 1,700 species of ants and 10,000 plant genera, and the researchers found that the long history of ant and plant co-evolution started with ants foraging on plants and plants later responding by evolving ant-friendly traits. |
 | Warming hurting shellfish, aiding predators, ruining habitatValuable species of shellfish have become harder to find on the East Coast because of degraded habitat caused by a warming environment, according to a pair of scientists that sought to find out whether environmental factors or overfishing was the source of the decline. |
 | Escape responses of coral reef fish obey simple behavioral rulesThe escape response to evade perceived threats is a fundamental behavior seen throughout the animal kingdom, and laboratory studies have identified specialized neural circuits that control this behavior. Understanding how these neural circuits operate in complex natural settings, however, has been a challenge. |
 | Poxvirus hijacks cell movement to spread infectionVaccinia virus, a poxvirus closely related to smallpox and monkeypox, tricks cells it has infected into activating their own cell movement mechanism to rapidly spread the virus in cells and mice, according to a new UCL-led study. |
 | Environmentally-inspired 'niche' features impact species evolutionResearchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have shown that the environment-driven evolution of a unique ovipositor in the female fruit fly Drosophila suzukii may have caused coevolution of the male genitalia; new features were found to cause mechanical incompatibility during reproduction with similar species, impeding crossbreeding and isolating the species. The dual role of the female genitalia was found to trigger coevolution and speciation, a generic pathway which may apply to many other organisms. |
 | Researchers discover genes that give vegetables their shapeFrom elongated oblongs to near-perfect spheres, vegetables come in almost every size and shape. But what differentiates a fingerling potato from a russet or a Roma tomato from a beefsteak? Researchers at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences have recently found the genetic mechanism that controls the shape of our favorite fruits, vegetables and grains. |
 | Stripping the linchpins from the life-making machine reaffirms its seminal evolutionSo audacious was Marcus Bray's experiment that even he feared it would fail. |
 | Resonant mechanism discovery could inspire ultra-thin acoustic absorbersNew research led by academics at the University of Bristol has discovered that the scales on moth wings vibrate and can absorb the sound frequencies used by bats for echolocation (biological sonar). The finding could help researchers develop bioinspired thin and lightweight resonant sound absorbers. |
 | Fish's brain size influenced by habitat, new study revealsThe busier the neighbourhood, the bigger the brain—at least for pumpkinseed sunfish, according to a pioneering study by University of Guelph biologists. |
 | Breakthrough in understanding how deadly pneumococcus avoids immune defencesScientists at the University of Liverpool have discovered a new and important function of a toxin produced by disease-causing bacteria that could have significant implications for future vaccine design. |
 | Beneficial gut bacteria metabolize fiber to improve heart health in miceDiets rich in fiber have long been associated with an array of positive outcomes, chief among them healthy hearts and arteries protected from the ravages of atherosclerosis, the accumulation of fatty plaques linked to heart attacks and strokes. |
 | How mitochondria deploy a powerful punch against life-threatening bacteriaThe constant battle for dominance between disease-causing bacteria and our immune systems has led to the evolution of some crafty warfare tactics on both sides. |
 | It's not trails that disturb forest birds, but the people on themThe first study to disentangle the effect of forest trails from the presence of humans shows the number of birds, as well as bird species, is lower when trails are used on a more regular basis. This is also the case when trails have been used for many years, suggesting that forest birds do not get used to this recreational activity. Published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, the finding suggests the physical presence of trails has less of an impact on forest birds than how frequently these recreational paths are used by people. To minimize the impact on these forest creatures, people should avoid roaming from designated pathways. |
 | Five surprising Aussie pollinators that make your dinner possibleWe owe such a lot to the humble European honeybee. For an insect that was only brought to Australia in 1822, it has become well-established as one of our most important crop-pollinating insects. |
 | Conservation areas help birdlife adapt to climate changeAs the climate warms up, the belts of current climate conditions move further north, forcing species to follow the climate suited to them. At the same time, environmental transformation by humans is causing problems. Species are experiencing great difficulties in adapting simultaneously to a decrease in the quality of their habitat and the pressure brought on by climate change. |
 | Misunderstood flying fox could prove bat species demise, warn scientistsA large fruit-eating bat native to Mauritius is the subject of controversy over the announcement of a major cull to protect the Indian island's fruit crops, despite a lack of evidence as to the extent of damage directly attributed to the endangered species. An international team of researchers, including the University of Bristol, that monitored the damage directly caused by the Mauritian flying fox to commercial fruit has found the bat is responsible for only some, and could be managed effectively without the need to cull.The study is published in the journal Oryx. |
 | The tale of a spider and a pitcher plant: Study explains how two predators can benefit from collaborationTwo recent studies by ecologists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have shed light on the relationship between the slender pitcher plant and its 'tenant', the crab spider Thomisus nepenthiphilus, providing insights into the little known foraging behaviours of the spider. |
 | Sequencing pollen DNA to discover insect migratory routesMetabarcoding, a technique of mass DNA sequencing, allows for tracing migratory routes of insects, an understudied subject due to technical limitations. A small DNA fragment of the pollen that insects transport is used as a barcode to identify the plant species they visited previously. A new study shows that transcontinental pollination mediated by migrating insects is possible and, therefore, various plants located very far apart can mix. |
 | New study sheds light on medicines storage practices on UK dairy farmsResearchers at the University of Bristol, supported by the British Veterinary Association, the British Cattle Veterinary Association and the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (RUMA) Alliance, are calling for veterinary surgeons in the UK to work together with their farmer clients to remove expired and inappropriate veterinary medicines from farms and dispose of them appropriately. |
 | Scientists debunk potential link to crop cold toleranceWhen temperatures drop, the enzyme Rubisco that fuels plant growth and yield gets sluggish. Many crops compensate by producing more Rubisco; however, scientists speculated that some crops may lack space in their leaves to boost the production of this enzyme, making them more susceptible to cold. A new study from the University of Illinois and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology refutes this theory but found these crops are far from reaching their photosynthetic potential. |
 | Surfer bitten by shark in latest Australia attackA surfer was bitten on the leg by a shark off a beach on Australia's west coast Sunday, authorities said, the latest in a spate of recent attacks that saw another man killed. |
 | China postpones lifting rhino, tiger parts banChina appeared to backtrack on a controversial decision to lift a ban on trading tiger bones and rhinoceros horns, saying it has been postponed, state media reported Monday. |
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