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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 19, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | IGR J17503-2636 may be a supergiant fast X-ray transient, study findsEuropean astronomers have investigated a recently discovered hard X-ray transient known as IGR J17503-2636 using space observatories. Results of this study, presented in a paper published March 7 on the arXiv pre-print server, suggest that this source may be a relatively faint supergiant fast X-ray transient. |
 | Hayabusa2 helps researchers understand ingredients for life in early solar systemThe first data received from the Hayabusa2 spacecraft orbiting the asteroid Ryugu is helping space scientists explore conditions in the early solar system. The space probe gathered vast amounts of images and other data providing researchers clues about Ryugu's history, such as how it may have formed from a larger parent body. These details in turn allow scientists to better estimate quantities and types of materials essential for life that were present as Earth formed. |
 | Carbon monoxide detectors could warn of extraterrestrial lifeCarbon monoxide detectors in our homes warn of a dangerous buildup of that colorless, odorless gas we normally associate with death. Astronomers, too, have generally assumed that a build-up of carbon monoxide in a planet's atmosphere would be a sure sign of lifelessness. Now, a UC Riverside-led research team is arguing the opposite: celestial carbon monoxide detectors may actually alert us to a distant world teeming with simple life forms. |
 | Fermi Satellite clocks 'cannonball' pulsar speeding through spaceAstronomers found a pulsar hurtling through space at nearly 2.5 million miles an hour—so fast it could travel the distance between Earth and the Moon in just 6 minutes. The discovery was made using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). |
 | OSIRIS-REx reveals asteroid Bennu has big surprisesA NASA spacecraft that will return a sample of a near-Earth asteroid named Bennu to Earth in 2023 made the first-ever close-up observations of particle plumes erupting from an asteroid's surface. Bennu also revealed itself to be more rugged than expected, challenging the mission team to alter its flight and sample collection plans, due to the rough terrain. |
 | The rise and fall of Ziggy star formation and the rich dust from ancient starsResearchers have detected a radio signal from abundant interstellar dust in MACS0416_Y1, a galaxy 13.2 billion light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. Standard models can't explain this much dust in a galaxy this young, forcing us to rethink the history of star formation. Researchers now think MACS0416_Y1 experienced staggered star formation with two intense starburst periods 300 million and 600 million years after the Big Bang with a quiet phase in between. |
 | Energy loss gives unexpected insights in evolution of quasarAn international team of astrophysicists observed for the first time that the jet of a quasar is less powerful on long radio wavelengths than earlier predicted. This discovery gives new insights in the evolution of quasar jets. They made this observation using the international Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope, which produced high-resolution radio images of quasar 4C+19.44, located over 5 billion light-years from Earth. |
 | The powerful meteor that no one saw (except satellites)At precisely 11:48 am on December 18, 2018, a large space rock heading straight for Earth at a speed of 19 miles per second exploded into a vast ball of fire as it entered the atmosphere, 15.9 miles above the Bering Sea. |
 | ESA's Hera asteroid mission borrows eyes of NASA's DawnThe mission to the smallest asteroid ever explored will employ the same main camera as the mission to the largest asteroids of all. ESA's proposed Hera spacecraft to the Didymos asteroid pair has inherited its main imager from NASA's Dawn mission to the Vesta and Ceres asteroids. |
 | UAE announces pan-Arab body for space programmeEleven Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Morocco on Tuesday signed on to the first regional team to cooperate on a space programme, the UAE said. |
 | Jupiter's Great Red Spot: A 300-year-old cyclone persists but is shrinkingThe Great Red Spot, a storm larger than the Earth and powerful enough to tear apart smaller storms that get drawn into it, is one of the most recognizable features in Jupiter's atmosphere and the entire solar system. The counterclockwise-moving storm, an anticyclone, boasts wind speeds as high as 300 miles per hour. This prominent feature, observed since 1830, and possibly as far back as the 1660s, has long been a source of great fascination and scientific study. |
 | Image: Saturn at equinoxSaturn is famous for its bright, glorious rings but in this picture, taken during Saturn's 2009 equinox, the rings are cast in a different light as sunlight hits the rings edge-on. |
 | Which habitable zones are the best to actually search for life?Looking to the future, NASA and other space agencies have high hopes for the field of extra-solar planet research. In the past decade, the number of known exoplanets has reached just shy of 4000, and many more are expected to be found once next-generation telescopes are put into service. And with so many exoplanets to study, research goals have slowly shifted away from the process of discovery and toward characterization. |
 | Team identifies water-bearing minerals on asteroid BennuA Southwest Research Institute-led team discovered evidence of abundant water-bearing minerals on the surface of the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu. Using early spectral data from NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft orbiting the asteroid, the team identified infrared properties similar to those in a type of meteorite called carbonaceous chondrites. |
 | OSIRIS-REx spies on the weird, wild gravity of an asteroidResearch led by the University of Colorado Boulder is revealing the Alice in Wonderland-like physics that govern gravity near the surface of the asteroid Bennu. |
 | Student-led CatSat mission selected by NASAAn inflatable space antenna designed by University of Arizona students is one of 16 small research satellites from 10 states NASA has selected to fly as auxiliary payloads aboard space missions planned to launch in 2020, 2021 and 2022. |
Technology news
 | Researchers demonstrate that jet fuels made from plants could be cost competitive with conventional fossil fuelsWith an estimated daily fuel demand of more than 5 million barrels per day, the global aviation sector is incredibly energy-intensive and almost entirely reliant on petroleum-based fuels. Unlike other energy sectors such as ground transportation or residential and commercial buildings, the aviation industry can't easily shift to renewable energy sources using existing technologies. |
 | WinRAR patch is issued but the unpatched are at riskOK, this bug was nasty. |
 | Study finds people prefer wind turbines as neighbors over other energy plantsA new University of Delaware study examined the attitudes of people who live in close proximity to wind power projects to see if they prefer those projects to energy alternatives, such as a central power plant— fueled by either coal, natural gas or uranium—or a commercial scale solar installation. |
 | China's 737 move shows growing global aviation clout: analystsThe key role China played in grounding the troubled Boeing 737 MAX 8 has demonstrated its growing clout in global aviation and may give it an extra bargaining chip in trade talks with Washington. |
 | Hyundai invests $300 mn to help India's Ola battle UberIndian taxi-hailing company Ola has secured a $300-million investment from South Korean car giant Hyundai, the firms said Tuesday, providing a major boost in its fight against US giant Uber. |
 | Germany launches 5G auction amid row with US over HuaweiGermany launched its auction Tuesday for the construction of an ultra-fast 5G mobile network as a transatlantic dispute rages over security concerns surrounding giant Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei. |
 | A week after Ethiopia crash, questions swirl around BoeingBoeing's 737 MAX aircraft are grounded across the world following the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302, casting a harsh spotlight on the plane's safety certification and the close relationship between Boeing and American authorities. |
 | Apple launches new iPad Air, gives iPad Mini a refresh one week before streaming eventApple may be holding an event on March 25, but that doesn't mean the company has to wait until then to reveal new gadgets. |
 | We're not prepared for the promise of artificial intelligence, experts warnArtificial intelligence will unleash changes humanity is not prepared for as the technology advances at an unprecedented pace, leading experts told an audience at the official opening Monday of Stanford University's new AI center. |
 | Robot arms with the flexibility of an elephant's trunkUnlike conventional robot arms with hinged and swivel joints, new flexible arms being developed by Professor Stefan Seelecke and his research group at Saarland University are constructed using muscles made from shape-memory wires that have the ability to bend in almost any direction and to wind themselves around corners. |
 | New Argonne supercomputer, built for next-gen AI, will be most powerful in U.S.The most powerful computer ever built in the United States will make its home at Argonne National Laboratory in 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy and Intel announced today. Aurora, the United States' first exascale computer, will combine unprecedented processing power with the growing potential of artificial intelligence to help solve the world's most important and complex scientific challenges. |
 | Don't fall for it: A parent's guide to protecting your kids from online hoaxesIt's a parent's responsibility to protect their children from harm, no matter where that threat of harm comes from. But what if the threat is a hoax? |
 | Four ways social media platforms could stop the spread of hateful content in aftermath of terror attacksThe deadly attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 50 people were killed and many others critically injured, was streamed live on Facebook by the man accused of carrying it out. It was then quickly shared across social media platforms. |
Here's how airplane crash investigations work, according to an aviation safety expertThe fatal crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 has resulted in the worldwide grounding of Boeing 737 Max aircraft. Investigators are probing the crash and another like it that occurred less than five months earlier in Indonesia. | |
 | Anxieties over livestreams can help us design better Facebook and YouTube content moderationAs families in Christchurch bury their loved ones following Friday's terrorist attack, global attention now turns to preventing such a thing ever happening again. |
 | Extreme far right: 'pick'n'mix' ideologies and direct messaging online make for deadly new combinationWhile it is difficult to look beyond the atrocities committed in New Zealand, that they were perpetrated by someone inspired by the extreme right reminds us of the very real threat such ideologies and those committed to them pose to our ongoing safety and security. Described by the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, as an "extremist, right-wing, violent terrorist", the Australian national arrested after the two attacks on Christchurch mosques that killed at least 50 people confirmed much the same in a manifesto uploaded to the internet shortly before the shooting spree. |
 | Google moves to disrupt video games with streaming, studioGoogle set out to disrupt the video game world on Tuesday with a Stadia platform that will let players stream blockbuster titles to any device they wish, as the online giant also unveiled a new controller and its very own studio. |
 | Canada to assess Boeing 737 MAX airworthiness without USCanada said Tuesday it will make its own assessment of Boeing's modifications to its 737 MAX airliners before allowing them to fly again in its airspace, after two crashes in less than five months. |
 | Facebook to overhaul ad targeting to prevent discriminationFacebook will overhaul its ad-targeting systems to prevent discrimination in housing , credit and employment ads as part of a legal settlement. |
 | Data-driven modeling and estimation of lithium-ion battery propertiesElectric vehicles are powered by lithium-ion batteries (LIB), a rechargeable battery that's still not fully understood or perfected. And inasmuch as electric cars are expected to replace gas-powered cars, any research that improves the performance of a lithium-ion battery will be a boon for electric vehicles and the environment. |
 | Danish telecom group shuns China's Huawei for 5G rolloutDenmark's biggest telecom group TDC has chosen Swedish firm Ericsson over existing provider Huawei to roll out its ultra-fast 5G mobile network across the country, as a debate rages over security concerns surrounding the Chinese giant. |
 | Taiwan's new carrier StarLux signs deal with Airbus for 17 planesTaiwan's new StarLux Airlines signed a deal on Tuesday worth up to $6 billion for 17 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft in one of the island's biggest single commercial plane purchases. |
 | How suspicious parties can work together safelyCryptographer Max Fillinger developed new methods to analyse a group of algorithms called commitments schemes. These schemes are building blocks for cryptographic protocols, which enable multiple parties that do not trust each other to work together safely. His Ph.D. Defence is on 19 March. |
 | More robots, more workRobots will take over all jobs, so it is often thought. On the contrary, say Charissa Freese and Ton Wilthagen: robots will create jobs. It's just that these new jobs will be different, and the challenge is to anticipate which jobs will disappear, which ones will change, and what the new ones will be like – and when. Tilburg University aims to prepare employers and employees to the labor market of the near future. |
 | US lawmaker sues Twitter, alleging anti-conservative biasA Republican congressman is suing Twitter claiming the online platform discriminates against conservatives by hiding their messages, and for allowing "abusive, hateful and defamatory" content about the lawmaker. |
 | Facial motion capture helps bring VR documentary to lifeCAMERA, the University of Bath's motion capture research centre, has collaborated with the Interactive arm of Aardman on a BBC virtual reality documentary about the story of twin sisters whose lives were torn apart by a terrible accident. |
 | Why Facebook didn't block live New Zealand shooting video (Update)Why did Facebook air live video of the New Zealand mosque shooting for 17 minutes? Didn't anyone alert the company while it was happening? |
Norwegian aluminum producer hit by cyberattackNorwegian aluminum producer Norsk Hydro says it has been a targeted by "an extensive cyberattack" through a ransomware virus impacting its key operations and disrupting its IT systems. | |
 | In end of 20th Century Fox, a new era dawns for HollywoodThe Fox Studio backlot, first built in 1926 on a Culver City ranch in Los Angeles, was enormous. Before much of it was sold off in the 1960s, it was four times the size of its current, and still huge, 53 acres. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Inflammation links heart disease and depression, study findsPeople with heart disease are more likely to suffer from depression, and the opposite is also true. Now, scientists at the University of Cambridge believe they have identified a link between these two conditions: inflammation—the body's response to negative environmental factors, such as stress. |
 | Prescribing healthy food in Medicare/Medicaid is cost effective, could improve healthA team of researchers modeled the health and economic effects of healthy food prescriptions in Medicare and Medicaid. The study, published today in PLOS Medicine, finds that health insurance coverage to offset the cost of healthy food for Medicare and/or Medicaid participants would be highly cost effective after five years and improve health outcomes. |
 | Cerebral organoids at the air-liquid interface generate nerve tracts with functional outputCerebral organoids, also sometimes called mini-brains or brain organoids, have become an important and useful tool in understanding human brain development and disease. They have the potential to model brain functions, such as information transfer between neurons, but restrictions in their growth have so far limited this. Now, Madeline Lancaster's group in the LMB's Cell Biology Division, have for the first time demonstrated that cerebral organoids can direct muscle movement. In collaboration with Marco Tripodi's group and Emmanuel Derivery's group, both also in the LMB, and researchers at the University of Cambridge, they have made significant advances in this field. |
 | Modified immune cells issue alert when detecting cancer in miceStanford scientists were able to engineer immune cells known as macrophages to detect and flag cancer in mice. The researchers hope the technique can be used for early cancer diagnostics in humans. |
 | Squishing blood stem cells could facilitate harvest for transplantsScientists at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Georgia Tech have found that modulating blood-forming stem cells' stiffness could possibly facilitate mobilization procedures used for stem cell-based transplants. |
 | Link found between temperament of high-risk infants and obesityChildren born to mothers with gestational diabetes and who were easier to soothe as infants were at a higher risk to become obese children, according to a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics by University at Buffalo researcher Myles S. Faith and collaborators. |
 | Caterpillars could hold the secret to new treatment for osteoarthritisA substance from a fungus that infects caterpillars could offer new treatment hope for sufferers of osteoarthritis according to new research. |
 | Measuring differences in brain chemicals in people with mild memory problemsUsing strong and targeted but noninvasive magnets at specific sites in the brains of people with and without mild learning and memory problems, Johns Hopkins researchers report they were able to detect differences in the concentrations of brain chemicals that transmit messages between neurons. The strength of these magnetic fields allows the researchers to measure tiny amounts and compare multiple brain metabolite levels at the same time. These studies may ultimately help to reveal what initiates memory decline and may, perhaps, even predict dementia risk. |
 | How attention helps the brain perceive an objectIt's easy to miss something you're not looking for. In a famous example, people were asked to closely observe two groups of people—one group clad in black, the other in white—pass a ball among themselves. Viewers were asked to count the number of times the ball passed from black to white. Remarkably, most observers did not notice a man in a gorilla suit, walking among the players. This ability of the brain to ignore extraneous visual information is critical to how we work and function, but the processes governing perception and attention are not fully understood. Scientists have long theorized that attention to a particular object can alter perception by amplifying certain neuronal activity and suppressing the activity of other neurons (brain "noise"). |
| Inflammation inhibitor blocks neurodevelopmental disorders in mouse modelWork published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that an enzyme inhibitor developed by Professor Bruce Hammock and colleagues at UC Davis reduced inflammation in the brains of mice born to mothers with maternal immune activation. Inflammation triggered by the enzyme, soluble epoxide hydrolase, is linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in these mice. |
 | Researchers predict 1.4 million deaths from all cancers in 2019 in the EUDeath rates from breast cancer are predicted to fall in all European Union (EU) countries in 2019 with the exception of Poland, according to new research published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology today. |
 | People who don't drink may still suffer harms from alcohol, study suggestsHarms to people resulting from alcohol consumption by others in Germany in 2014 are assessed in a study published in the open access journal BMC Medicine. |
 | Study suggests why some young adults may be more likely to engage in unsafe sexGender, sexual orientation, and the desire to form lasting romantic relationships appear to influence sexual risk-taking among young adults, according to a new research published in the Journal of Sex Research. |
Health insurance associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease among aging immigrantsAging immigrants' risk for cardiovascular disease may be heightened by their lack of health insurance, particularly among those who recently arrived in the United States, finds a study led by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. The findings are published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship. | |
 | Short walk once-a-week can lower risk of death: studyA brisk stroll once or twice a week is enough to reduce the risk of dying from heart attack, stroke or cancer, according to a statistical study of nearly 90,000 people released Tuesday. |
 | Epigenetic protein could be new therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemiaBritish researchers have discovered that an epigenetic protein called EZH2 delays the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but then switches sides once the disease is established to help maintain tumor growth. The study, which will be published March 19 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, suggests that targeting EZH2 could therefore be an effective treatment for AML, an aggressive blood cancer expected to kill over 10,000 people in the US alone this year. |
 | 3-D mammography significantly reduces breast biopsy ratesThe use of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), also known as 3-D mammography, may significantly reduce the number of women who undergo breast biopsy for a non-cancerous lesion following an abnormal mammogram, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology. |
Breast density assessment varies greatly by screening method and raceFewer women are assigned to a dense breast category when evaluated with advanced mammographic screening technologies compared to standard digital mammography, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology. | |
 | Virtual reality could improve your balance, study findsVision changes can entail major problems in everyday life. To a high degree, vision affects our ability to keep our balance, and balance affects our ability to move around. |
 | Prevention of alcohol use in older teensA recently released publication in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, "Prevention of Alcohol Use in Older Teens: A Randomized Trial of an Online Family Prevention Program," reveals successful results for an online, family-based prevention program, Smart Choices 4 Teens, which is designed to reduce alcohol use among 16 and 17-year old teens. |
 | New potential approach to treat atopic dermatitisHow does the immune system respond to fungi on our skin? Researchers at the University of Zurich have demonstrated that the same immune cells that protect us against skin fungi also encourage the inflammatory symptoms of atopic dermatitis. An antibody therapy could alleviate this chronic inflammatory skin disease. |
 | Study confirms diagnostic accuracy of non-invasive technology for heart painOne-year follow-up results show that a newer, non-invasive technology to evaluate heart pain provided a reliable way to identify which patients had dangerous artery blockages, according to a study co-led by the Duke Clinical Research Institute. |
 | Compound improves heart failure biomarker even after hospitalizationStarting heart failure patients on the compound sacubitril/valsartan instead of enalapril after they've been discharged from the hospital led to an improvement in biomarkers of heart stress, according to a study led by Duke Clinical Research Institute. |
 | Research into aphasia reveals new interactions between language and thoughtKnowledge of the facts is called factive knowledge. In the phrase "He knows [that it is warm outside]", the embedded clause is assumed to be true. However, in the phrase "It seems [that it is warm outside]", the embedded clause is presupposed to be false or counterfactive. Such constructions communicate an individual's mental states and the reliability of the information they provide, and involves a complex process at various cognitive levels of language and thought on which there is controversy as to how these different levels of meaning work. |
 | Acne's possible new roots in growing glands and undigested collagenIt turns out undigested collagen blocking growing gland cells might sometimes be causing the blackheads seen in common acne, not just excess sebum, as had long been assumed. After the publication of a 2018 paper, researchers suggest genetic mutations that inhibit the collagen reshaping process could be one of the underlying culprits in acne. |
 | A guide for parents and teachers: What to do if your teenager watches violent footageThe world is reeling in the aftermath of the horrific shootings in Christchurch. The attack has also raised a number of side issues, including the ethics of broadcasting the live stream of the attack, which was later shared on other platforms. |
 | Separation anxiety can contribute to toxic body imageYoung women with separation anxiety have an elevated risk of idealizing thin body types, such as those featured in the media, according to new research co-directed by Vanderbilt consumer psychologist Steve Posavac. |
 | Cell culture shock – a scientist's hunt for the perfect cocktailStudying how cells grow naturally is at the heart of cancer research. But it often relies on an unnatural world. |
 | Potentially deadly and memory-killing effect of opioid abuse exploredDoctors treating drug-overdose patients should be on the lookout for abnormal brain swelling, a byproduct of a mysterious syndrome that can be fatal and may cause profound amnesia in survivors, a new study suggests. |
 | Breaking the stress and drug abuse connectionWhen people undergo stress, some turn to alcohol or other drugs to help them cope. Most of us, certainly, have had the experience of cracking open a beer to relax at the end of a tough day. But in cases of extreme or long-term emotional strain, some people can develop an addiction to drugs or alcohol, which can lead to a whole host of negative health effects and social problems. |
 | Mindfulness could be a key to recovering from substance abuse, experts sayMindfulness might offer more than relief from daily stress. Research now suggests it can boost recovery from addiction and trauma. |
 | New evidence for a human magnetic sense that lets your brain detect the Earth's magnetic fieldDo human beings have a magnetic sense? Biologists know other animals do. They think it helps creatures including bees, turtles and birds navigate through the world. |
 | Cardiovascular diseases: Prognostic model from the 1990s still gives the best resultsThe so-called Framingham cardiovascular risk calculator was developed in 1991 on the basis of data gathered in the U.S. between 1968 and 1975. It is named after the town of the same name in Massachusetts, where a systematic evaluation of heart health had previously been conducted in the late 1940s. Using figures from the Federation of Austrian Social Insurance Institutions gathered between 2009 and 2014, Daniela Dunkler working with a team from MedUni Vienna's Centre for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Intelligent Systems (Division of Clinical Biometrics) investigated whether this prognostic model is still valid today. The outcome: even in the 21st century, it is still providing the best and most accurate results – especially for Austria or other Central European countries with a similar lifestyle. |
 | Researchers investigate sleep's role in emotional experiences for teensResearchers at the FIU Center for Children and Families are trying to uncover the role that sleep plays in processing emotional experiences, to improve treatments for youth with anxiety. |
 | A nutty solution for improving brain healthLong-term, high nut consumption could be the key to better cognitive health in older people according to new research from the University of South Australia. |
 | Androgen receptor, a target for prostate cancer treatment, imports into mitochondria and plays a novel roleAndrogens, commonly known as male hormones, stimulate prostate cancer cells to grow. Thus, many of the drugs to target that cancer focus on stopping androgen biosynthesis or blocking the androgen receptor. This standard treatment is known as androgen deprivation therapy. |
 | What works best for women struggling with a leaky bladder?(HealthDay)—For women who need relief from bladder control problems, behavioral therapies are a better bet than medication, a new research review finds. |
 | The benefits of a home rowing machine(HealthDay)—Rowing is often called the best aerobic exercise because it offers a total body workout and is low-impact. |
 | Study explaining side effects of statins finds drug can have unexpected benefitsWhile investigating why cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins cause negative side effects such as blurred vision, short-term memory loss or increased risk for diabetes, cellular chemists at The University of Toledo discovered several previously unknown benefits. |
 | Team studies smarter automatic defibrillatorThousands of patients with congestive heart failure benefit from automatic implantable cardiac defibrillators (AICDs) that deliver shocks to the heart to correct abnormal heart rhythms. These defibrillators improve survival in patients who are at risk for sudden cardiac death. |
 | Milk or no milk? Study fills long-time knowledge gap on babies with genetic disorderMilk can be lethal to babies with classic galactosemia, a rare genetic disorder that severely impairs the body's ability to process a milk sugar known as galactose and is associated with a host of neurodevelopmental issues. However, the fate of children with Duarte galactosemia—a milder, more common variant—has been unclear. As a result, state-level recommendations on milk intake for children diagnosed with Duarte galactosemia have varied widely, from no limitations to banning all milk for the first year or more of a child's development. |
 | FDA issues update on mortality risk with paclitaxel-coated products(HealthDay)—A preliminary analysis has revealed a "potentially concerning signal" of increased long-term mortality risk with paclitaxel-coated products indicated for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), according to a March 15 update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. |
 | Active interventions generally helpful for urinary incontinence(HealthDay)—Most active interventions are more likely than no treatment to improve outcomes for women with either stress or urgency urinary incontinence (UI), according to a review published online March 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | In utero ultrafine particle exposure tied to asthma in offspring(HealthDay)—Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs; |
 | Helping physio students get to grips with complex motor skillsA new tool to help physiotherapy students master complex fine motor skills needed to assess and treat patients suffering physical conditions, such as back pain and spinal cord injuries, is being used at the University of Melbourne. |
 | Study links breastfeeding with lower risk of heart diseaseMothers who breastfeed their babies have a lower risk of developing or dying from heart disease than those who don't breastfeed, finds new research from the University of Sydney, Australia. |
 | Eating fish may help prevent asthmaA James Cook University scientist says an innovative study has revealed new evidence that eating fish can help prevent asthma. |
 | Dementia is a global challenge – a new report asks if anyone is ready to meet it?A University of Birmingham report has concluded that national governments, health and social services, businesses, families and communities have to find new ways of responding to the rapidly growing number of people with dementia and of supporting the family and friends who care for them. |
 | Where does chronic pain begin? Scientists close in on its originsA new study by researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, UT Health Science Center at Houston and Baylor College of Medicine has produced evidence of the source of chronic pain in humans, revealing several new targets for pain treatment. |
 | The politics of fear: How it manipulates us to tribalismThe cruel murder of 50 people in New Zealand was another tragic reminder of how humans are capable of heartlessly killing their own kind just based on what they believe, how they worship, and what race or nationality they belong to. There is a longstanding history of the fear of "the others" turning humans into illogical ruthless weapons, in service to an ideology. |
Medical marijuana laws linked to health and labor supply benefits in older adultsA study that examined older Americans' well-being before and after medical marijuana laws were passed in their state found reductions in reported pain and increased hours worked. The study, co-written by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Temple University, suggests medical marijuana laws could be improving older Americans' health. | |
 | TB discovery could save tens of thousands of livesAround one in 15 people affected by tuberculosis are likely get the treatable fungal infection aspergillosis according to new research by experts at The University of Manchester and Gulu Referral Hospital, Uganda. |
 | New class of drugs could treat ovarian cancerA team of researchers across The University of Manchester have shown that a new class of drugs are able to stop ovarian cancer cells growing. |
Undernutrition during pregnancy changes lung-specific gene expressionChildren born to women pregnant during the Dutch famine were more likely to have a constellation of health problems including cardiovascular disease and asthma, but the exact mechanisms that cause this epigenetic inheritance have not been fully explored. Now researchers at Jefferson show how a mother's diet can affect epigenetic markers of her offspring and result in changes to genes that regulate lung health. | |
 | First in Michigan: Self-controlled tissue expanders for breast reconstruction after mastectomyHenry Ford Cancer Institute is the first in Michigan to offer a needle-free, patient-controlled tissue expansion system for women undergoing breast reconstruction after mastectomy. |
 | Simple blood test could determine preterm birth rate in low-resource countriesPreterm birth is a leading cause of death among children under the age of five, with low resource countries facing the greatest challenge. But before solutions can be tested, researchers first need to be able to accurately measure the problem at a population level. This has been particularly difficult in countries where pregnant women don't have routine access to ultrasound technology to determine gestational age. |
 | It's no Fortnite, but it's helping stroke survivors move againSeverely impaired stroke survivors are regaining function in their arms after sometimes decades of immobility, thanks to a new video game-led training device invented by Northwestern Medicine scientists. |
 | People choose healthy and sustainable lunches if given the green lightPeople are likely to choose healthier and more sustainable canteen meals if they are labelled with a traffic light system, according to research from Queen Mary University of London. |
 | Trigger warnings do little to reduce people's distress, research showsTrigger warnings that alert people to potentially sensitive content are increasingly popular, especially on college campuses, but research suggests that they have minimal impact on how people actually respond to content. The findings are published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. |
 | Precision oncology insights revealed for colorectal cancerNext-generation sequencing of tumor DNA from patients with colorectal cancer revealed genetic alterations that were linked to different survival and treatment outcomes in an analysis led by a University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher. |
 | Neighborhood-level socioeconomics tied to MS disability progression(HealthDay)—Lower neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with a higher risk for disability progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study recently published in Neurology. |
 | Emphysema may raise risk of ruptured aneurysmsWhen a weakened artery wall balloons or bulges, it's called an aneurysm. For people with emphysema, the risk of that aneurysm rupturing is much higher than for those without the lung condition, new research suggests. |
 | Bluetooth technology enables insulin adherence monitoring(HealthDay)—Adherence to timing and dosing of insulin injections can be objectively measured using Bluetooth-enabled pen caps, according to a study published online March 12 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Novel checklist can distinguish anthrax exposure from other illnesses(HealthDay)—A newly developed checklist can rapidly identify anthrax cases after a suspected mass exposure, according to a study published online March 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Analgesics in pregnancy do not seem to cause offspring asthma(HealthDay)—Analgesics taken during pregnancy, including opioids, antimigraine drugs, and paracetamol, do not appear to cause asthma, according to a study published online March 17 in the European Respiratory Journal. |
 | Volatile anesthetics do not reduce deaths in elective CABG(HealthDay)—For patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), there is no significant difference in deaths at one year with anesthesia with a volatile agent versus total intravenous anesthesia, according to a study published online March 19 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, held from March 19 to 22 in Brussels. |
 | Favorable outcomes seen in long term for ALLR3 trial(HealthDay)—For children with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia with late bone marrow relapse, risk stratification by minimal residual disease seems to be an effective strategy for treatment, according to a study recently published in The Lancet Haematology. |
 | New Labour's policies reduced geographical inequalities in infant mortality ratesEfforts by the Labour government to reduce inequalities between the most deprived areas of England and the rest of the country had a positive impact on infant mortality rates, suggests research by the Universities of Newcastle, Leeds, York, and Liverpool published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. |
 | Sleep problems during pregnancy affect glucose, may increase risk of childhood obesityA study conducted by Sarah Farabi, Ph.D., RN, while she was a post-doctoral fellow working with Dr. Teri Hernandez at the University of Colorado College of Nursing and School of Medicine in 2018 found that mild sleep apnea changed sugar levels during pregnancy and was connected to infant growth patterns related to increased risk of obesity. |
 | UN: Gene editing for human reproduction is 'irresponsible'A panel convened by the World Health Organization said it would be "irresponsible" for scientists to use gene editing for reproductive purposes, but stopped short of calling for a ban. |
 | Fountain of youth for heart health may lie in the gutWhy do blood vessels naturally stiffen and degrade as we age, boosting cardiovascular disease risk? New University of Colorado Boulder research has identified a surprising new culprit—and it lives in your gut. |
 | Imaging data reveals nanomedicines in lungsThe PneumoNP project aims at developing new inhaled nanotherapeutic formulations to combat lung infection. The novel drug is comprised of an antibiotic carried by a nanoparticle. For this project, Spanish researchers from CIC BiomaGUNE track the location of the therapeutic particles in rat airways. |
 | Meal kits and recipe tastings increase healthy food selections among food pantry clientsFood pantry clients are more likely to select whole grains and leafy greens when they are arranged with all ingredients needed to make a meal, reports a new study from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut. |
 | Registry helps move aortic dissection care forwardWhat began with a modest hospital grant at the University of Michigan in 1996 is now the world's leading source of data on diagnosis, treatments and outcomes for a rare and dangerous cardiac condition. |
 | Even low doses of synthetic cannabinoids can impair cognitive performanceA new study shows that inhaled doses of as little as 2 mg of the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 can significantly impair critical thinking and memory, slow reaction times, and increase confusion and dissociation. The results of this placebo controlled, cross-over study are published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. |
Puerto Rico approves sale of naloxone amid opioid crisisPuerto Rico's health department says a drug meant to control opiod overdoses can now be sold without a prescription, a move meant to reduce a spike in opioid deaths across the U.S. territory. | |
 | Every hour 30 people are diagnosed with tuberculosis in the European RegionThe latest ECDC-WHO report Tuberculosis surveillance and monitoring in Europe 2019 (2017 data) shows that despite an overall decline in numbers of people suffering from TB, the disease remains a major public health challenge in the Region. Of the 275 000 new diagnoses and relapses, an estimated 77 000 people are suffering from difficult-to-treat multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). The European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries fare better, with only 1 041 people reported to have MDR-TB. However, most countries in the Region, including many in the EU/EEA, struggle to treat patients successfully. |
Former inmates need social supports to maintain mental health, study saysMen released from prison who receive social, community and spiritual support have better mental health, according to a study by researchers at Rutgers School of Public Health. | |
Tecentriq approved for small cell lung cancer(HealthDay)—Tecentriq (atezolizumab) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). | |
Biology news
 | Superbugs have colonized the International Space Station—but there's a silver liningAstronauts leave behind many things when they boldly go. Bacteria, however, stay with them. |
 | Food safety: Dung beetles and soil bacteria reduce risk of human pathogensFood safety regulations increasingly pressure growers to remove hedgerows, ponds and other natural habitats from farms to keep out pathogen-carrying wildlife and livestock. Yet, this could come at the cost of biodiversity. |
 | Expansion of transposable elements offers clue to genetic paradoxSpecies often experience a genetic bottleneck that diminishes genetic variation after speciation or introduction into a new area. Though bottlenecks in population size always reduce fitness and evolutionary potential, introduced species often become invasive. This is known as the genetic paradox of invasion. |
 | Organoids reveal inflammatory processes in chlamydia infectionsFor a long time, researchers were only able to examine human cells infected with bacteria by using cancer cell lines. However, these transformed cells often give a false impression of the infection process. Fallopian tube organoids from normal human fallopian tube cells, on the other hand, reflect the natural structure of the tissue. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin have now investigated fallopian tube cells chronically infected with Chlamydia for many months. The results show that the cells react to the bacterial infection with increased production of LIF—an inflammatory messenger associated with ectopic pregnancies. In addition, the bacteria cause persistent epigenetic changes to the DNA. |
 | Tree swallows expose state of our climateFor many of us, birds are an interesting distraction or a sign of spring. For Fran Bonier and her former master's student Amelia Cox, bird populations provide vital data about the health of the world. Their new research adds to growing evidence that the climate is changing – and not for the better. |
 | Study identifies molecule that allows bacteria to breach cellular barriersA new study identifies a single molecule as a key entry point used by two types of dangerous bacteria to break through cellular barriers and cause disease. The findings, published March 19 in the journal mBio, suggest that blocking the interaction between the molecule, known as CD40, and bacteria may represent a universal strategy for preventing life-threatening illnesses, including toxic shock syndrome. |
 | Across North America and the Atlantic, an enormous migration journey for a tiny songbirdBlackpoll warblers that breed in western North America may migrate up to 12,400 miles roundtrip each year, some crossing the entire North American continent before making a nonstop trans-ocean flight of up to four days to South America. Now a new study led by first author Bill DeLuca at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and project lead Ryan Norris at the University of Guelph, Ontario offers details of the feat. |
 | Starving bacteria can eject their tails to save energy and stay aliveWhen nutrients are dangerously low, a group of bacteria have been found to take the drastic measure of getting rid of their tails. |
 | Study finds natural selection favors cheatersMutualisms, which are interactions between members of different species that benefit both parties, are found everywhere—from exchanges between pollinators and the plants they pollinate, to symbiotic interactions between us and our beneficial microbes. |
 | Fishing for fun, not food: Study takes stock of recreational fishing impactsThe vast majority of people who fish in the world do so for pleasure, not food. Yet despite the substantial impacts these fishers have on fish populations and aquatic ecosystems worldwide, fishery management approaches still focus on the production of protein rather than quality leisure. |
 | Nature hits rewind: Research predicts what makes evolution go backwardsThe study of evolution is revealing new complexities, showing how the traits most beneficial to the fitness of individual plants and animals are not always the ones we see in nature. |
 | How hot spots of genetic variation evolved in human DNAWhat makes one person different from one another, and how did these differences evolve? |
 | When snakes strike, lives shatterOn June 15, 2015, four-year-old Chepchirchir Kiplagat's life changed forever. Bitten by a snake as she slept, she permanently lost the use of the left side of her body. |
 | The battle to bring antivenoms to AfricaSnake antivenoms have been around for 125 years, are effective and can be produced cheaply at scale. Yet Africa, with its abundance of deadly snakes, has an alarming shortage of the life-saving medicine. |
How to avoid snakebitesIf you live in a country with venomous snakes, or are travelling to one, here are a few tips to avoid being bitten. | |
 | Biologists develop new method of cloningDNA, which contains the genetic information of an organism, consists of long chains of nucleotides. In order to study the functions based on the sequence of these building blocks, DNA molecules must be inserted in carrier molecules (plasmid-vectors) to be multiplied. For this cloning process, a research team from the University of Bayreuth has developed a highly efficient, fast and inexpensive method that is versatile enough to be deployed in all areas of biology, biochemistry and biotechnology. A key feature of the method is that it makes any painstaking screening of bacterial colonies unnecessary. The scientists presented their innovation in the journal Scientific Reports. |
 | Researchers show best methods to help endangered woodpeckerThe best methods to help an endangered woodpecker in Alabama thrive are installation of artificial homes and controlled burning in forests, according to research from The University of Alabama. |
 | Giving marsupials scents from suitors helps breeding programsSmell is a vital part of sexual attraction for all kinds of animals (including humans). We may be able to use smell to improve breeding programs by giving the female animal a sample sniff of potential mates and letting her choose the best one before introducing them. |
 | New approach to stem soil erosionTopsoil and nutrient runoff are two serious challenges of sustainable agriculture. Perennial crops can help solve these problems by preserving cropland productivity without requiring substantial dietary and manufacture shifts. Although the development of perennial corn has long been an idea, a major roadblock has been the lack of knowledge about the genetics of perennialism. SDSU researchers Drs. Yang Yen and Donald Auger have been working on this problem. |
 | Butterfly numbers down by two-thirds—scientists call for a change in agricultural approachesTogether with a German/Polish team, Senckenberg scientist Thomas Schmitt studied the effects of various land use models on the butterfly fauna. The researchers show that meadows adjacent to high-intensity agricultural areas are home to less than half the number of butterfly species than areas in nature preserves. The number of individuals is even down to one-third of that number. In their study, which was recently published in the scientific journal Insect Conservation and Diversity, the scientists emphasize the need for a more environmentally friendly agriculture. |
 | CRISPR gene editing: Why we need Slow ScienceIn a newly published article in Nature, a group of prominent scientists and ethicists have called for a moratorium on clinical research using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. |
 | Triangle Bird Count to shed light on urban wildlifeWildlife researchers are launching a bird population survey in the Triangle region, focused on getting a better understanding of the birds that live in Raleigh, Durham and other urban centers. The researchers are recruiting participants for the citizen science study, and are particularly interested in bringing in people who may not view themselves as birdwatchers. |
 | Dolphin smartsImagine you are blindfolded and placed into a pool of water with a dolphin. The dolphin performs a movement, such as spinning in a circle, or swimming in a zig-zag pattern, and your task is to imitate this movement, without having seen it. Ready, go. |
 | New model IDs primate species with potential to spread Zika in the AmericasIn the Americas, primate species likely to harbor Zika—and potentially transmit the virus—are common, abundant, and often live near people. So reports a new study published today in Epidemics. Findings are based on an innovative model developed by a collaborative team of researchers from Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and IBM Research through its Science for Social Good initiative. |
 | 'Insectageddon' is 'alarmist by bad design': Scientists point out the study's major flawsAmidst worldwide publicity and talks about 'Insectageddon': the extinction of 40% of the world's insects, as estimated in a recent scientific review, a critical response was published in the open-access journal Rethinking Ecology. |
 | Many pet owners keen to have vegan pets, study findsA surprising number of pet owners, particularly those who are vegan, are interested in feeding their pets a plant-based diet, according to new University of Guelph research. |
 | Woolly stars need catastrophes to liveA small, crunchy, spiny plant redefines toughness as it thrives on catastrophic flooding. The endangered Santa Ana Woolly Star does not just prosper with floods, though; it depends on them. Thanks to a huge dam, natural floods are now nonexistent in its home turf. |
 | Thumbs up for marine blueprint in the MediterraneanThanks to a trailblazing marine protection initiative in Turkey, the tide may finally be turning for the Mediterranean monk seal – one of the world's most threatened marine mammals. |
 | Scientists study fish to learn how to adapt to the impacts of climate changeFreshwater biodiversity is rapidly declining worldwide, and nature-based solutions that increase the resilience of ecological communities are becoming increasingly important in helping communities prepare for the unavoidable effects of climate change. |
 | Have microscope, will travel: New tech project links Madison, Boston scientistsAn invention designed to transform how and where high-powered research microscopes are deployed—and who gets to use them—will make its way from Madison this spring to the fertile biology labs of greater Boston. |
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