Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 21, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Astronomers discover a companion of the nearby star HD 118475Using radial velocity method and direct imaging, astronomers have found a compact companion of a nearby star known as HD 118475. The finding is detailed in a paper published March 11 on the arXiv pre-print server, in which the authors reveal fundamental parameters of the system and discuss the nature of the newly found companion. |
 | Ultra-sharp images make old stars look absolutely marvelousUsing high-resolution adaptive optics imaging from the Gemini Observatory, astronomers have uncovered one of the oldest star clusters in the Milky Way Galaxy. The remarkably sharp image looks back into the early history of our Universe and sheds new insights on how our Galaxy formed. |
 | Galactic center visualization delivers star powerWant to take a trip to the center of the Milky Way? Check out a new immersive, ultra-high-definition visualization. This 360-movie offers an unparalleled opportunity to look around the center of the galaxy, from the vantage point of the central supermassive black hole, in any direction the user chooses. |
 | Image: Magnetometer boom built for ESA's mission to JupiterA test version of the 10.5-m long magnetometer boom built for ESA's mission to Jupiter, developed by SENER in Spain, seen being tested at ESA's Test Centre in the Netherlands, its weight borne by balloons. |
 | Michigan could enter the satellite launch business by 2022Michigan was a major force in the early Space Age, when Chrysler made rockets that carried astronauts and General Motors built the electric buggies they used to explore the moon. |
 | Testing the value of artificial gravity for astronaut healthTest subjects in Cologne, Germany will take to their beds for 60 days from 25 March as part of a groundbreaking study, funded by European Space Agency ESA and US space agency NASA, into how artificial gravity could help astronauts stay healthy in space. |
 | The incredible challenge of landing heavy payloads on MarsIt's too bad Mars is such an interesting place, because it's actually one of the most difficult places to visit in the solar system, especially if you want to bring along a lot of luggage. That planet is a graveyard of missions that didn't quite make it. |
Technology news
 | A CNN-based method for math formula script and type identificationResearchers at the University of Tunis have recently proposed a new system for math formula script and type identification, which is based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Their method, presented in a paper published by Springer, can automatically discriminate between printed/handwritten and Arabic/Latin formulas. |
 | Algorithm designs optimized machine-learning models up to 200 times faster than traditional methodsA new area in artificial intelligence involves using algorithms to automatically design machine-learning systems known as neural networks, which are more accurate and efficient than those developed by human engineers. But this so-called neural architecture search (NAS) technique is computationally expensive. |
 | Plant scraps are the key ingredient in cheap, sustainable jet fuelScientists in China have developed a process for converting plant waste from agriculture and timber harvesting into high-density aviation fuel. Their research, published March 21 in the journal Joule, may help reduce CO2 emissions from airplanes and rockets. |
 | Robots enable bees and fish to talk to each otherThrough an imaginative experiment, researchers were able to get two extremely different animal species located far apart to interact with each other and reach a shared decision with the help of robots. |
 | Non-toxic salt water battery prototype can charge in secondsA battery prototype has been designed using salt water and materials that are non-toxic and charge quickly, paving the way for new types of battery. |
 | European, Canadian regulators to do own review of Boeing jetBoeing's grounded airliners are likely to be parked longer now that European and Canadian regulators plan to conduct their own reviews of changes the company is making after two of the jets crashed. |
 | Improved control of big power in little motorsLittle motors power everything from small comforts, such as desk fans, to larger safety systems, like oven exhaust systems—but they could be more precise, according to a research team from Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories. |
 | The U.S. is on the cusp of an offshore wind energy boom. Why aren't energy companies capitalizing on it?When it comes to wind energy, the United States is sitting on a gold mine, so to speak. |
 | First artificial intelligence Google Doodle features BachGoogle is celebrating composer Johann Sebastian Bach with its first artificial intelligence-powered Doodle. |
 | True wearable displays: Self-powered, washable and wearableClothes are usually made of textiles and have to be both wearable and washable for daily use; however, smart clothing presents a challenge with its power sources and moisture permeability, which causes the devices to malfunction. This problem has now been overcome by a KAIST research team, who developed a textile-based wearable display module technology that is washable and does not require an external power source. |
 | Livestreamed massacre means it's time to shut down Facebook LiveWhen word broke that the massacre in New Zealand was livestreamed on Facebook, I immediately thought of Robert Godwin Sr. In 2017, Godwin was murdered in Cleveland, Ohio, and initial reports indicated that the attacker streamed it on Facebook Live, at the time a relatively new feature of the social network. Facebook later clarified that the graphic video was uploaded after the event, but the incident called public attention to the risks of livestreaming violence. |
 | German Wikipedia blacked out in protest of EU copyright planWikipedia's German-language page has been blacked out in protest of a proposal to change European Union copyright rules. |
Germany gives seal of approval to truck turning assistantGermany's transport ministry has issued its first operating license for a driver assistance system meant to reduce the number of cyclists or pedestrians killed by turning vehicles. | |
 | Facebook admits storing passwords in plain text (Update)Facebook on Thursday admitted that millions of passwords were stored in plain text on its internal servers, a security slip that left them readable by the social networking platform's employees. |
 | Researchers create new way to power electric carsA team of UMass Lowell researchers has pioneered a new, more efficient way to power electric vehicles. |
 | Energy stealthily hitches ride in global tradeFulfilling the world's growing energy needs summons images of oil pipelines, electric wires and truckloads of coal. But Michigan State University scientists show a lot of energy moves nearly incognito, embedded in the products of a growing society. |
 | Boeing 737 MAX to face first congressional hearingBoeing's ill-fated 737 MAX and federal regulators next week will face the first public grilling by Congress over the two fatal plane crashes in recent months. |
 | New technology aims to boost wind energy efficiency in EuropeResearchers are developing tools to substantially reduce the operations and maintenance costs of wind farms. The novel tools will be tested on three European wind farms in 2020. |
 | Low-cost and energy efficient recording of biodiversity soundscapesAn international team of researchers has built a new sensor network that can monitor two crucial activities, namely biodiversity, or the variety of life, in a particular habitat or ecosystem, and identification of possible illegal activities such as logging or poaching in protected areas. This wireless recording network is capable of recording an ecosystem's sounds with the same quality as devices that have been used to date, but it is significantly more energy-efficient and cost-effective. This network is composed of edge computing recorders, or devices that sample and process data at the recording location, with power savings of up to 280%. It promises to significantly streamline the monitoring process of biodiversity and addresses the urgent global need for new assessment methods necessary to maintain the world's biodiversity balance. |
A new method for ethical data scienceArtificial Intelligence is transforming our world, sometimes in ways that its creators did not intend. In Wellcome Data Labs we are developing a new method of applying approaches from the social sciences to the way AI algorithms are produced to solve data science problems. The goal is to avoid potential negative consequences of the algorithms by identifying them earlier in the development process. | |
 | Quick charging system for E-bikesThe e-bike market is booming. Thanks to electric support, cyclists can choose their routes more freely, elderly people can stay mobile, and commuters reach their workplace stress-free. This makes many people use bicycles instead of cars. Presently, charging of the battery takes about two to four hours. To shorten charging time of e-bikes in particular during daily use in the city, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Coboc GmbH & Co. KG, a company specialized in electric mobility, plan to make the batteries of pedelecs capable of rapid charging. |
Facebook's plan to protect the European elections comes up shortIntentionally false news stories were shared more than 35m times during the 2016 US presidential election, with Facebook playing a significant role in their spread. Shortly after, the Cambridge Analytica scandal revealed that 50m Facebook profiles had been harvested without authorisation and used to target political ads and fake news for the election and later during the UK's 2016 Brexit referendum. | |
 | Ethiopian airline defends its pilots' training standardsEthiopian Airlines said Thursday that its pilots went through all the extra training required by Boeing and the U.S. aviation regulators to fly the 737 Max 8 jet that crashed this month, killing all 157 people on board. |
 | You dumped cable? Comcast hopes to reel you back inComcast is launching an aggregated bundle of existing streaming-TV apps for $5 a month to appeal to cord-cutters. |
Medicine & Health news
 | High-fructose corn syrup boosts intestinal tumor growth in miceDoes sugar directly feed cancers, boosting their growth? The answer seems to be 'Yes' at least in mice according to a study led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medicine. Their study, published in Science, showed that consuming a daily modest amount of high-fructose corn syrup—the equivalent of people drinking about 12 ounces of a sugar-sweetened beverage daily—accelerates the growth of intestinal tumors in mouse models of the disease, independently of obesity. The team also discovered the mechanism by which the consumption of sugary drinks can directly feed cancer growth, suggesting potential novel therapeutic strategies. |
 | Early exposure to pesticides linked to small increased risk of autism spectrum disorderExposure to common agricultural pesticides before birth and in the first year of life is associated with a small to moderately increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with infants of women without such exposure, finds a study published in The BMJ today. |
 | Depression in 20s linked to memory loss in 50s, psychologists findA new large-scale longitudinal study carried out by University of Sussex psychologists has found a clear link between episodes of depression and anxiety experienced by adults in their twenties, thirties and forties, with a decrease in memory function by the time they are in their fifties. The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, is the first of its kind to look at the relationship between depressive symptoms experienced across three decades of early-mid adulthood and a decline in cognitive function in midlife. |
 | Analyzing a Facebook-fueled anti-vaccination attack: 'It's not all about autism'Social media has given those espousing anti-vaccination sentiments an effective medium to spread their message. However, an analysis of a viral Facebook campaign against a Pittsburgh pediatric practice reveals that the movement isn't "all about autism." Instead, the research from the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health finds that anti-vaccination arguments center on four distinct themes that can appeal to diverse audiences. |
 | Researchers uncover key to greater efficacy in cancer treatmentResearchers from Mount Sinai and IBM have discovered a novel clue in explaining how cancer cells with identical genomes can respond differently to the same therapy. In a Nature Communications paper published today, researchers reveal for the first time that the number of mitochondria in a cell is, in great part, associated with how the cancer responds to drug therapy. |
 | Researchers call for diversity in the next generation of personalized medicineIn a perspective published today in the journal Cell, researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reveal that genomic data extracted from population biobanks across the globe contain much less ethnic diversity than desirable. Of the nearly 5 million samples of DNA contributed to biobanks worldwide, 68 percent come from individuals of European ancestry. This lack of diversity not only limits researchers' ability to identify associations between genetic variants and disease, but may also contribute to widening ethnic disparities in health care, ultimately preventing underrepresented minorities from benefiting from the fruits of personalized medicine. |
 | Western bias in human genetic studies is 'both scientifically damaging and unfair'Despite efforts to include more diversity in research, people of European ancestry continue to be vastly overrepresented and ethnically diverse populations largely excluded from human genomics research, according to the authors of a commentary published March 21 in a special issue of the journal Cell on human genetics. This lack of diversity in studies has serious consequences for science and medicine. |
 | New evidence links lifespan extension to metabolic regulation of immune systemScientists have known for decades that caloric restriction leads to a longer lifespan. It has also been observed that chronic inflammation increases with age. But any relationship between the two had remained unexplored. |
 | Researchers point to a common cause in sudden death syndromesSudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) are syndromes that share many medical similarities but whose physiological causes are poorly understood. An opinion article publishing March 21 in the journal Trends in Neurosciences suggests that the inability for an individual to wake up when their CO2 blood levels rise, likely due to a faulty neural reflex, may be a shared cause for incidences of death in both disorders. |
 | Researchers restore fertility in non-human primate model of childhood cancer survivorshipOne in three childhood cancer survivors is at risk of becoming infertile due to chemotherapy or radiation, and since their sperm or eggs have not matured, assisted reproduction using those sperm or eggs is not an option when they become adults. Now in a major first, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) have reported in a non-human primate model that immature testicular tissue can be cryopreserved, and later used to restore fertility to the same animal. |
 | How our body 'listens' to vibrationsThe sensation of a mobile phone vibrating is familiar. The perception of these vibrations derives from specialized receptors that transduce them into neural signals sent to the brain. But how does the brain encode their physical characteristics? To understand this, neuroscientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have observed what happens in the brains of mice whose forepaws perceive vibrations. They discovered that neurons in the somatosensory cortex are activated in a manner similar to those in the sound-reactive auditory cortex. These results, published in the journal Nature, suggest that feeling a phone vibrate or hearing it ring is ultimately based on the same brain codes. |
 | The immune system preys on growing lung cancers, forcing them to evolve to surviveCharles Darwin is a founding father of evolution, describing how from simple beginnings "endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful" arise. |
 | The evolution of brain tumorsScientists from the German Cancer Research Center found in a recent study that only three different genetic alterations drive the early development of malignant glioblastomas. At least one of these three cancer drivers was present in all tumors investigated. However, it is the activation of telomerase that leads to rapid growth. The tumors develop for up to seven years before they become noticeable as symptoms and are diagnosed. However, in contrast to their early development, glioblastomas, which return after therapy, share virtually no concurrent genetic alterations. |
 | Scientists narrow in on cells that drive immune response to cancerImmunotherapy, using the body's own immune system to target and destroy cancer cells, is one of the most promising frontiers in cancer research, but many patients do not respond to the therapies for reasons not fully understood. |
 | Scientists discover unique tau filament structures in head-injury associated dementiaResearchers at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) have revealed the atomic structures of the abnormal tau filaments associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a head injury-associated neurodegenerative disease, and found that they differ in structure from those seen in Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Researchers find anesthetic can muddle specific memoriesA team of researchers from Spain, the U.S. and the Netherlands has found that giving people propofol can lead to muddied memory recall of specific incidents. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes experiments they conducted with volunteers undergoing colonoscopy and what they found. |
 | Researchers find oxidative stress plays a role in telling fruit flies when to sleepA team of researchers at Oxford University has found that oxidative stress plays a role in determining when fruit flies go to sleep. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their study of fruit fly neurons and what they found. |
 | Research implicates causative genes in osteoporosis, suggesting new targets for future therapyScientists have harnessed powerful data analysis tools and three-dimensional studies of genomic geography to implicate new risk genes for osteoporosis, the chronic bone-weakening condition that affects millions of people. Knowing the causative genes may later open the door to more effective treatments. |
 | Study gives new perspective on production of blood cells and immune cellsA healthy adult makes about 2 million blood cells every second, and 99 percent of them are oxygen-carrying red blood cells. The other one percent are platelets and the various white blood cells of the immune system. How all the different kinds of mature blood cells are derived from the same "hematopoietic" stem cells in the bone marrow has been the subject of intense research, but most studies have focused on the one percent, the immune cells. |
 | Brain region discovered that only processes spoken, not written wordsPatients in a new Northwestern Medicine study were able to comprehend words that were written but not said aloud. They could write the names of things they saw but not verbalize them. |
 | Data sharing by popular health apps is routine and far from transparent, warn expertsSharing of user data by popular mobile health applications (apps) is routine, yet far from transparent, warn experts in a study published in The BMJ today. |
 | New testosterone rule for female athletes 'risks setting an unscientific precedent'New rules to curb high testosterone levels in female athletes with differences of sex development "risks setting an unscientific precedent for other cases of genetic advantage," warn experts in The BMJ today. |
Childhood adversity linked to higher out-of-pocket health care costs in adulthoodA study has found that out-of-pocket health care spending and medical debt are substantially higher when adults have a history of adverse childhood experiences. The study showed that household medical costs were 30 percent higher, and the likelihood of medical debt was doubled, when an adult had lived through three or more adverse experiences during childhood. | |
Affordable Care Act delivers significant benefits for womenAccording to a new study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, the rate of health insurance coverage and access to affordable acute and preventive care services improved for women after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The greatest advances were seen in women in the lowest income groups. | |
New treatment of acute myeloid leukemia achieves remarkable results in a disease formerly with little hopeThe prognosis for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is poor: very few achieve remission and for those that don't the option is largely palliative. | |
Immigrant women more likely to be overweight during pregnancyA new study in the Journal of Public Health finds that women in Norway from immigrant backgrounds are more likely to be overweight during pregnancy. | |
 | Experts set out targets to eliminate tuberculosis within a generationA world free of tuberculosis (TB) is possible by 2045 if increased political will and financial resources are directed towards priority areas including providing evidence-based interventions to everyone, especially to high risk groups, and increasing research to develop new ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent TB. Funding this response will require substantial investments, and accountability mechanisms will be necessary to ensure that promises are kept and targets are reached. |
 | Tuberculosis can be eradicated by 2045: expertsThe world can eradicate tuberculosis by 2045 if the fight against the killer disease is properly funded, an international team of experts said Wednesday. |
Breast ultrasound and cancer detection rates increased under new lawsState breast density notification laws that mandate reporting of mammogram results can prompt further screening and modestly boost cancer detection rates, say researchers at Yale's School of Public Health and School of Medicine. Their study was published in the American Journal of Public Health. | |
 | Excess hormones could cause a condition that can lead to blindness in women, study findsResearch led by the University of Birmingham has found that increased levels of hormones including testosterone could cause a brain condition that can lead to blindness in women. |
 | Imaging method reveals long-lived patterns in cells of the eyeCells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) form unique patterns that can be used to track changes in this important layer of tissue in the back of the eye, researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) have found. Using a combination of adaptive optics imaging and a fluorescent dye, the researchers used the RPE patterns to track individual cells in healthy volunteers and people with retinal disease. The new finding could provide a way to study the progression and treatment of blinding diseases that affect the RPE. The study was published today in the journal JCI Insight. |
 | Immunotherapy of precancerous skin lesions may prevent squamous cell carcinomaA treatment previously shown to clear the precancerous skin lesions called actinic keratosis now appears to reduce the chance that the treated skin will develop squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), the second most common form of skin cancer. In their paper being published online in JCI Insight, a team led by a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigator reports that treatment with the combination of two FDA-approved drugs—a topical chemotherapy and an immune-system-activating compound—reduced the risk of SCC development on the face and scalp by almost 75 percent. |
 | Study points to new strategy for boosting immunotherapy effectiveness in advanced colorectal cancerResearchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed the common oncogene KRAS as a possible explanation for why many patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) do not respond to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. |
 | Study finds no evidence that calcium increases risk of AMDEating a calcium-rich diet or taking calcium supplements does not appear to increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to the findings of a study by scientists at the National Eye Institute (NEI). AMD is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness among people age 65 and older in the United States. The study findings are published in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | Knowledge of female genital schistosomiasis lacking in Ghana, study findsUrogenital schistosomiasis (US), a chronic parasitic disease, is endemic in Ghana and policymakers have undertaken efforts to control it, largely through mass drug administration of praziquantel given to school-aged children. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have found that awareness of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), a specific gender manifestation of US, is lacking, which affects the ability to control this disease in girls and women. |
 | Inflammatory monocytes play contradictory roles in fungal infectionsImmune cells called inflammatory monocytes are often one of the first responders to infections, but they actually facilitate the progression of Cryptococcus neoformans infection in mice, according to a study published March 21 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Lena Heung and Tobias Hohl of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. According to the authors, these disparate results indicate that inflammatory monocytes possess a plasticity of function that can regulate infection outcomes, making them an important target for immunomodulatory therapies against C. neoformans. |
 | Mystery novel and dream spur key scientific insight into heart defectOn Dec. 14, 2014, after many months of not getting expected results, biochemist Jim Spudich got into bed, read a chunk of a novel, fell asleep and had a dream that would change the focus of his entire field in thinking about what causes a common and often lethal heart defect. |
 | Study: Antiretroviral therapy crucial in preventing non-Hodgkin lymphomaA research team led by the Yale School of Public Health has found that for people living with HIV/AIDS, both recent immunosuppression (a low recent CD4 T-cell count [white blood cells that fight infection]) and prolonged HIV viremia (the presence of HIV in the blood) play important and independent roles in the development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Furthermore, the team observed differences across non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes. |
 | Nicotine addiction from vaping is a bigger problem than teens realizeData show clearly that young people are vaping in record numbers. And despite the onslaught of reports and articles highlighting not only its dangers but the marketing tactics seemingly aimed to hook teens and young adults, the number of vaping users continues to climb. |
 | To abort or not to abort—making difficult choices aloneAlmost half of all pregnancies are unplanned. In 2017, 12,733 abortions were carried out in Norway. The number of live births the same year was 56,600. |
 | App launches to support the creative writing of people with aphasiaCity, University of London researchers and people with aphasia have created the MakeWrite app to support users in producing creative writing, including poetry, which can be shared via their social media channels such as WhatsApp and Twitter. |
 | Studies: Overweight kids have more fatty tissue in muscles than peers, at risk of health problemsJuvenile obesity is known to cause a range of health problems, and University of Kansas researchers have documented another concern. Overweight children ages 7-10 show more fat in their muscle than healthy weight peers, which could lead to issues such as loss of muscle function, diabetes and disability. |
 | Study shows 33% of workers at homeless shelters suffer PTSDIt's probably no surprise that many people who experience homelessness have experienced trauma in their lives. However, a new study led by the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work shows that a surprisingly large number of individuals who work with people in homeless shelters also experience trauma on a regular basis. |
 | Website puts fears about depression genes into perspectiveA new interactive website launched by UNSW mental health researchers allows people with a family history of major depressive or bipolar disorder to work out how likely it is that they – or any of their offspring – could develop these mental illnesses. |
 | C-sections are seen as breastfeeding barrier in the U.S., but not in other global communitiesThe increase in cesarean sections is on the verge of a global epidemic. Though the World Health Organization recommends an optimal C-section rate of 10-15 percent, the United States' C-section rate is more than 30 percent. |
 | Study links perimenopause to accelerated fat mass gains, lean mass lossesThe menopause transition, also known as perimenopause, is the time in a woman's life when hormonal changes lead to irregular menstruation, hot flashes and other symptoms leading up to menopause, when menstruation stops altogether. The researchers found that women undergoing perimenopause lost lean body mass and more than doubled their fat mass. The women's lean and fat mass remained stable after the transition to menopause. The researchers also noted ethnic/racial differences in the impact of menopause on body composition. |
 | A new treatment for gout lowers the urinary acid level in the bodyGout is an inflammatory disease that can cause very painful attacks. The illness is also called podagral, or colloquially "The Captain's syndrome". It primarily affects men, particularly over 40 years of age. Symptoms of an attack are typically manifested in the big toe or other places like swollen and extremely painful joints. |
 | Neurofeedback may reduce anxietyA new method for reducing anxiety based on neurofeedback has been validated in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Deficient emotion regulation and exaggerated anxiety represent a major transdiagnostic psychopathological marker. On the neural level these deficits have been closely linked to impaired, yet treatment-sensitive, prefrontal regulatory control over the amygdala. Gaining direct control over these pathways could therefore provide an innovative and promising intervention to regulate exaggerated anxiety. |
 | The qualities that make a good psychotherapistYou can study and get the best training, but it is unlikely that you are going to be a good psychotherapist unless you have the qualities that are outlined in an article in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. In psychotherapy, clinician empathy is fundamental for guiding supporting behavior in response to the patient's emotional plight. |
 | FDA takes new look at breast implant safety(HealthDay)—Questions about breast implant safety are getting new attention from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as thousands of women say their implants cause debilitating joint pain and fatigue. |
 | Pregnancy-adapted algorithm avoids diagnostic imaging for PE(HealthDay)—A pregnancy-adapted algorithm can safely avoid diagnostic imaging in a proportion of pregnant women with suspected pulmonary embolism, according to a study published in the March 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Antiepileptic drugs not tied to dementia risk(HealthDay)—Antiepileptic drug (AED) use is not significantly associated with dementia risk in patients in Germany, according to a study published online March 12 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. |
 | Teens have less face time with their friends – and are lonelier than everAsk a teen today how she communicates with her friends, and she'll probably hold up her smartphone. Not that she actually calls her friends; it's more likely that she texts them or messages them on social media. |
 | Early palliative care offers no extra benefit for mesothelioma patientsEarly specialist palliative care treatment does not improve the quality of life for patients diagnosed with the rare cancer mesothelioma when compared to standard care alone, new research led by Curtin University has found. |
 | Antibodies stabilize plaque in arteriesResearchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have found that type IgG antibodies play an unexpected role in atherosclerosis. A study on mice shows that the antibodies stabilise the plaque that accumulates on the artery walls, which reduces the risk of it rupturing and causing a blood clot. It is hoped that the results, which are published in the journal Circulation, will eventually lead to improved therapies. |
 | Solving the 'Catch-22' of rectal cancerToday's standard procedure to treat rectal cancer includes radical surgery to remove the tumour along with the rectum and its encasing tissue (called mesorectum). After the surgery, the specimen is analysed in the pathology lab to assess, among other things, whether tumour infiltration has occurred into the lymph nodes of the mesorectum. Finally, clinicians consider this and other relevant findings to determine how to proceed with the optimal therapeutic route. |
 | Professor's study helps athletic trainers improve concussion managementA new study by Daniel J. Goble, Ph.D., associate professor of exercise science, has been published in the Journal of Athletic Training. The study examined more than 10,000 male and female athletes, ages 8 to 21, to provide normative data for the BTrackS Balance Test (BBT), a tool that Dr. Goble invented for concussion balance testing. |
 | New, wiggly microrobots raise hopes for minimally invasive surgeriesThe shortest distance between two points is a straight line, but that doesn't mean the most direct route will yield the best results. |
 | Diet generally improves as adolescents age into young adulthoodUnderstanding how diet changes over time, particularly during the period from adolescence to young adulthood when individuals often gain independence, is crucial to supporting healthier dietary practices. |
 | Drinking water? There's an app for thatThe human body is well equipped to maintain an adequate level of hydration through the various biological feedback control mechanisms of homeostasis. However, this regulation relies on an adequate supply of water. While there is much mythology surrounding how many glasses of water we each must drink daily to stay healthy. Many people sip at a water bottle throughout the day in the belief that this will keep them well hydrated without considering the possibility that it might nudge their systems to expect such levels of water consistently and so when they have no access to their bottle they feel far more thirsty and suffer a feeling of dryness more than another individual who drinks water only when they feel thirsty and is perfectly well hydrated nevertheless. |
 | Q&A: Research needed into treating anxiety with CBDDear Mayo Clinic: Is there any harm in trying CBD for anxiety? It seems to have helped my co-worker, but I am hesitant to try it without knowing more about it. |
 | TB doesn't only attack the lungs—other organs are also vulnerableThe world marks World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24 every year. Most people assume that TB only affects the lungs – but the disease can also attack other organs. The Conversation Africa's Ina Skosana spoke to Professor Nazir Ismail to find out more. Professor Ismail works and conducts his research in South Africa, one of the world's TB hot spots. |
 | Zapping your brain is dopeEmerging technology has created a new doping technique for athletic performance that is, as of now, perfectly legal. |
 | How team sports change a child's brainAdult depression has long been associated with shrinkage of the hippocampus, a brain region that plays an important role in memory and response to stress. Now, new research from Washington University in St. Louis has linked participation in team sports to larger hippocampal volumes in children and less depression in boys ages 9 to 11. |
 | Protecting homes with netting window screens can reduce malaria parasite infectionIn an article published in Lancet Planetary Health, a team from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), provides evidence that even window screens with no insecticide suppressed mosquito populations and dramatically reduced malaria prevalence in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam. |
 | Bacteria in urine doesn't always indicate infectionDoctors should think carefully before testing patients for a urinary tract infection (UTI) to avoid over-diagnosis and unnecessary antibiotic treatment, according to updated asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) guidelines released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. |
 | Small vessel disease MRI marker linked to worse cognitive health in older adultsSeemingly harmless fluid-filled spaces around the cerebral small vessels, commonly seen on brain MRIs in older adults, are now thought to be associated with more compromised cognitive skills, according to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center study published in Neurology. |
 | Childhood trauma may affect brain structure, predisposing adults to recurring major depressive disorderEarly life trauma may affect the structure of the brain in a way that makes clinical depression more likely to be severe and recurrent, according to a two-year observational study of 110 patients published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal. |
 | Many recovering from addiction have chronic health problems, diminished quality of lifeAlcohol and other substance-use problems take enormous psychological and societal tolls on millions of Americans. Now a study from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Recovery Research Institute shows that more than a third of individuals who consider themselves in recovery from an alcohol or other substance use disorder continue to suffer from chronic physical disease. The study, published online March 20 in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, is the first to look at the national prevalence of medical conditions that are commonly caused or exacerbated by excessive and chronic alcohol and other drug use among people in addiction recovery. |
 | Study shows alarming increases of firearm deaths in US school-age childrenFirearm-related deaths in school-age children are increasing at alarming rates in the United States where homicide rates are about 6- to 9-fold higher than those in comparably developed countries. This epidemic poses increasingly major clinical, public health and policy challenges. |
 | C-sections are seen as breastfeeding barrier in US, but not in other global communitiesThe increase in cesarean sections is on the verge of a global epidemic. Though the World Health Organization recommends an optimal C-section rate of 10-15 percent, the United States' C-section rate is more than 30 percent. |
 | Delusions may stem from sticky beliefs, study findsDelusions are one of the most common symptoms of psychosis, but little is known about what causes them. A new study from researchers at Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute offers insight into the development of delusions, which could lead to better treatments for people with psychosis. |
 | An artificial cerebellum that also learns to blinkThe Human Brain Project (HBP) aims to help fields such as medicine and neuroscience to advance more easily. CerebNEST is an associated project of the HBP that focuses on the study of the brain region related to movement: the cerebellum. |
 | Study identifies possible causes of and protectors against premature birthSeven types of bacteria and certain immune factors in a woman's vagina and cervix may be responsible for increasing the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) or protect against it, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Results of the study provide groundbreaking information that the authors suggest could help physicians better predict preterm birth, especially for African-American women early in pregnancy. The study, published today in Nature Communications, will allow for the development of new research targeting "bad" bacteria or increasing "protective" bacteria. |
 | Poll: More Americans say too little spending on healthA growing majority of Americans want greater government spending on health care, and the increase is being driven by both Democrats and Republicans. |
African-Americans more likely to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, study findsAfrican-Americans with severe depression are more likely to be misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia, according to a new Rutgers study. | |
Eating breakfast with parents is associated with positive body image for teenagersParents hoping to raise teenagers with positive body image might just find helpful tools in the kitchen every morning. A new study from the University of Missouri says consistently eating breakfast as a family might promote positive body image for children and adolescents. | |
 | How 'sleeper cell' cancer stem cells are maintained in chronic myelogenous leukemiaMost patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia can be treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. These drugs are highly effective and lead to deep remission and prolonged survival. Yet quiescent leukemic stem cells persist in these patients, and they therefore must continue inhibitor treatment to maintain remission. |
Examining ball pits as a playground for pathogenic germsBeware the ball pit. Ball pits used in children's physical therapy—similar to those made popular by restaurants catering to families—may contribute to germ transmission between patients, 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. | |
 | Study in mice examines impact of reused cooking oil on breast cancer progressionA new study in mice suggests that consuming the chemical compounds found in thermally abused cooking oil may trigger genetic changes that promote the progression of late-stage breast cancer. |
 | First of its kind statistics on pregnant women in US prisonsIn what is believed to be a first-of-its-kind systematic look at pregnancy frequency and outcomes among imprisoned U.S. women, researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine say almost 1,400 pregnant women were admitted to 22 U.S. state and all federal prisons in a recent year. They also found that most of the prison pregnancies—over 90 percent—ended in live births with no maternal deaths. |
 | Overdose deaths from fentanyl soaring: report(HealthDay)—The number of Americans dying from overdoses of the powerful narcotic fentanyl rose 12-fold in recent years, health officials reported Thursday. |
 | Strengthening family ties through online gaming(HealthDay)—Video games provide unlimited entertainment, and interactive ones can even help you burn off calories. |
 | Culture, paycheck, neighborhood key to your heart's healthEating a low-fat diet, getting regular exercise and watching your weight can help lower risk for heart disease and stroke. |
 | Stretches to strengthen your core(HealthDay)—Ever had a bad spasm from bending down to pick up your child or tie your shoes? |
New heart failure device is approved(HealthDay)—The Optimizer Smart System has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people with chronic, moderate-to-severe heart failure who are not candidates for other heart failure remedies. | |
 | Younger female blood donors vulnerable to iron deficiency(HealthDay)—Blood donation is associated with iron deficiency among both adolescent girls and younger adult women in the United States, according to a study recently published in Transfusion. |
 | Three factors predict psych events with drugs for smoking cessation(HealthDay)—Three factors predict clinically significant neuropsychiatric adverse events (NPSAEs) in smokers with or without mental health conditions who use cessation pharmacotherapy, according to a study published online March 7 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. |
 | Mothers of children with eczema more likely to have exhaustion(HealthDay)—Mothers of children with atopic dermatitis (AD) are more likely to report difficulty falling asleep and daytime exhaustion, according to a study published online March 20 in JAMA Dermatology. |
Stricter US state gun laws linked to safer high schoolsAdopting stricter state gun laws is linked to a safer school experience for students, finds research published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. | |
Zambia bans 'Viagra' energy drinkAuthorities in Zambia have banned an energy drink after laboratory results showed that it contained the active ingredient of the anti-impotence drug Viagra. | |
 | Antiepileptics increase the risk of pneumonia among persons with Alzheimer's diseasePeople with Alzheimer's disease using antiepileptic drugs have twice the risk of pneumonia compared to non-users, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. The risk was highest in the beginning of use, but remained on an elevated level even in long-term use. The results were published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. |
 | Deafening sounds and blinding lightsNavigating public transport on the autism spectrum. |
 | Mayo Clinic minute: Sifting through flour options"Flour is the sifted meal from grains, nuts, seeds and legumes," says Anya Guy, a Mayo Clinic dietitian. "That's why there can be a lot of variety of flour in the grocery store." |
 | What African countries can do about ensuring safer surgeryThe World Health Organisation (WHO) has come up with plans and tools to help countries ensure safer surgery in their hospitals and clinics. These include the surgical safety checklist and safe childbirth checklist. |
Lung cancer patient channels diagnosis into lifetime activismBy any measure, lung cancer patients have it rough. | |
Naltrexone implant helps HIV patients with opioid dependence adhere to medications, prevent relapseWhen patients with HIV who are also battling opioid dependence go without addiction treatment, they are more likely to stop taking their HIV medications than drug-free patients. While the daily oral form of naltrexone—a drug that blunts the effects of opioids—is one option to treat opioid dependence, medication adherence among drug users is known to be low. A new study, published this month in Lancet HIV by Penn Medicine researchers, shows that a naltrexone implant placed under the skin, which slowly releases the drug over three months, was more effective at helping HIV-positive patients with an opioid addiction reduce relapse and have better HIV-related outcomes compared to the oral drug. | |
Girls need more positive experiences of ball skillsChildren's positive perception of movement is an important supporter for natural physical activity and developing motor skills. A study at the University of Jyväskylä suggests that children had high perceptions of motor skills. Some gender differences were identified, however: Girls were better in locomotor skills and boys had higher perception and better ball skills. | |
 | New mechanism identified for influenza-induced bacterial superinfectionsResearchers have described a new mechanism by which influenza A viruses (IAV) alter the host immune system and make them more or less susceptible to often deadly co-occurring bacterial infections. The role of the PDZ-binding motif of IAV in susceptibility to bacterial superinfections (BSI) is presented in an article published in Viral Immunology. |
Ebola death confirmed in eastern DR Congo provincial capitalA six-month-old baby in the eastern DR Congo city of Bunia has died of Ebola, becoming the first fatality of the disease in a provincial capital, the heath ministry said Thursday. | |
 | Mississippi governor signs 'heartbeat' abortion lawMississippi Gov. Phil Bryant on Thursday signed a bill to outlaw most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy. |
 | Genetic test for cognitive performance developed by Air ForceA research psychologist at the Air Force Research Laboratory can predict your mental performance from a cheek swab or blood sample. |
Biology news
 | World's smallest bears' facial expressions throw doubt on human superiorityThe world's smallest bears can exactly mimic another bear's facial expressions, casting doubt on humans and other primates' supremacy at this subtle form of communication. |
 | Study finds cells maintain a complete molecular 'memory' of their embryonic originsIn research that casts cells as curators of their own history, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have discovered that adult tissues retain a memory, inscribed on their DNA, of the embryonic cells from which they arose. The discovery led to one even more intriguing—that the memory is fully retrievable: under certain conditions, cells can play the story of their development in reverse to switch on genes that were active in the fetal state. |
 | Females live longer when they have help raising offspringFemale birds age more slowly and live longer when they have help raising their offspring, according to new research from the University of Sheffield. |
 | Using more-specific 'genetic scissors' may avoid problems associated with gene editingRecent studies have suggested a potential barrier to making CRISPR gene-editing treatments a viable option for inherited blood-related disorders such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and primary immunodeficiency syndromes. Stem cells may respond to having their genes edited by shutting down—and trying to get around this roadblock could increase the risk of cancer. |
 | Two-step path to shrinking worker bee gonadsThe dramatic difference in gonad size between honey bee queens and their female workers in response to their distinct diets requires the switching on of a specific genetic program, according to a new study publishing March 21 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Annika Roth and Martin Beye of Heinrich-Heine University in Dusseldorf and colleagues. The finding is likely to allow more detailed analysis of the interplay of genes and nutrition that drive caste dimorphism in honey bees. |
 | Sustainable fisheries and conservation policyThere are roughly five times as many recreational fishers as commercial fishers throughout the world. And yet, the needs and peculiarities of these 220 million recreational fishers have largely been ignored in international fisheries and conservation policy. This gives rise to conflicts and loss of social welfare, and is not conducive to the sustainable management of fish stocks. An international team of fisheries scientists, economists, sociologists and ecologists led by Robert Arlinghaus from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) has now presented a five-point plan to bring about reform. |
 | A mating war in diving beetles has stopped the evolution of speciesIn nature, male attempts to mate with females can be so extreme that they can harm the females. Such negative impacts of mating interactions have been suggested to promote the emergence of new species under some circumstances. Surprisingly, one type of diving beetle species now shows that this conflict between the sexes can instead lead to an evolutionary standstill in which mating enhances traits in males and fosters counter-adaptations in females, preventing the formation of new species. |
 | Plant immunity cut to sizeAn international team based in Ghent, Belgium (VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology) and Basel, Switzerland (University of Basel), found a link between a class of enzymes and immune signals that is rapidly triggered upon physical damage in plants. This new discovery will increase the understanding of the plant immune system, and might be exploited to improve crop health and yield in the future. |
 | Solving the efficiency of Gram-negative bacteriaSuperbugs, also known as Gram-negative bacteria, are causing a global health crisis. Each year in the United States, at least two million people contract an antibiotic-resistant infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Of those, 23,000 people die. |
 | With a 'hello,' researchers demonstrate first fully automated DNA data storageResearchers from the University of Washington and Microsoft have demonstrated the first fully automated system to store and retrieve data in manufactured DNA—a key step in moving the technology out of the research lab and into commercial data centers. |
 | Prenatal allergies prompt sexual changes in offspringA single allergic reaction during pregnancy prompts sexual-development changes in the brains of offspring that last a lifetime, new research suggests. |
 | Bacteria bide their time when antibiotics attackIf an antibiotic doesn't kill all the bacteria that infects a patient, the surviving bugs may be particularly adept at timing their resurgence. |
 | Natural plant defense genes provide clues to safener protection in grain sorghumWeeds often emerge at the same time as vulnerable crop seedlings and sneak between plants as crops grow. How do farmers kill them without harming the crops themselves? |
 | Study shows first evidence bacterial-induced apoptosis in algaeA new study by UAlberta biologists shows the first evidence of apoptosis, or programmed cell death in algae. The outcomes have broad-reaching implications, from the development of targeted antibiotics to the production of biofuels in industry. |
Monsanto's responsibility at the center of Roundup trial phase 2After finding that exposure to the weedkiller Roundup was a "substantial factor" in one man's cancer, jurors in California must now grapple with the question of just how culpable the product's manufacturer, agriculture giant Monsanto, was in his illness. | |
Scientists tag sharks in Galapagos Islands to monitor their migrationScientists in the Galapagos Islands have attached tracers to five blue sharks for the first time as part of a project to study their migratory patterns, Ecuador's government said. | |
 | Boulder-sized sunfish washes ashore in AustraliaA boulder-sized fish of a kind known to "sink yachts" has washed up on an Australian beach. |
 | Multi-drug resistant UTIs—is the answer in our food?Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the world's most common bacterial infections, affecting around 50 per cent of women and five per cent of men. They can present as low-level cystitis or cause debilitating and potentially life-threatening conditions such as blood sepsis and kidney infection. Each year, treatment costs run to billions of dollars worldwide. |
 | Australia's animal testing laws are a good start, but don't go far enoughYour lipstick and foundation will be less likely to come at the expense of animal welfare, thanks to Commonwealth legislation that passed in recent weeks. |
 | Caterpillars listen to voicemail by eating soilLeaf-eating caterpillars greatly enrich their intestinal flora by eating soil. Even effects of plants that previously grew in that soil can be found back in bacteria and fungi in caterpillars. Researchers from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and Leiden University write about this discovery in Nature Communications. |
 | CRISPR/Cas libraries open new avenues in cancer researchCRISPR/Cas enables the targeted deactivation of genes by cutting DNA at pre-determined sites. This is accomplished by providing the Cas enzyme with a genetic zip code. Using an entire library of zip codes, it is then possible to simultaneously probe multiple sites within the genome, for example to determine which genes are essential for cancer cell survival. This could revolutionize drug discovery. |
 | Study suggests better method to manage kangaroo populationsLandholders need to turn professional in controlling kangaroo populations on their properties and regard the iconic Australian animals as assets rather than pests, new research led by ANU has recommended. |
 | Elevation shapes species survival in changing habitatsLuke Frishkoff, University of Texas at Arlington assistant professor of biology, explores how human land use expedites biodiversity loss in a paper recently published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. |
 | Eternal shell: Sacred turtle embalmed in HanoiA sacred giant turtle that died in Hanoi's storied Hoan Kiem lake has been given a new lease on life by city authorities who have embalmed the beloved creature for posterity—and tourist visits. |
 | Artificial chemical DNA switch helps understand epigenetic mechanismsResearchers from the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University constructed an artificial chemical DNA switch and made the first step towards artificial epigenetics – targeted switching on and off of genes. Their paper was recently published in the journal Chemical Science. |
 | Your pet on pot, or even CBD: Not a good thing, a vet toxicologist explainsMy family and I were on vacation in Florida recently and took advantage of a free afternoon to do some gift shopping for local memorabilia – not your ordinary T-shirts and key chains. Our adventure took us to St. Armand's Key, part of Sarasota, and the many unique shops there. |
 | Will more genetically engineered foods be approved under the FDA's new leadership?The world of food and drug regulation was rocked earlier this month by the news of a change in leadership at the Food and Drug Administration. Commissioner Scott Gottlieb resigned and will step down in early April. His temporary replacement is Dr. Ned Sharpless, director of the National Cancer Institute. |
 | Pathogenic, drug-resistant bacteria found in wastewater treatment plantsInfections caused by drug-resistant bacteria are a global public health threat causing serious illness and even death. Strains of the bacterium Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) are generally harmless in healthy people, but can be pathogenic in immunocompromised or severely ill patients. E. faecium strains from hospital environments have acquired resistance to commonly used antibiotics, including those used to treat serious infections, making these infections especially challenging to treat. |
 | Sleep and aging: Two sides of one coin?Oxford University researchers have discovered a brain process common to sleep and ageing in research that could pave the way for new treatments for insomnia. |
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