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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 25, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | New ultra metal-poor star discoveredAn international team of astronomers has detected a new ultra metal-poor star with the lowest ever measured abundance of iron. Designated SMSS J160540.18−144323.1, the newly found object is the most iron-deficient star for which iron has been detected. The finding is presented in a paper published April 16 on the arXiv pre-print repository. |
 | Mystery of the universe's expansion rate widens with new Hubble dataAstronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope say they have crossed an important threshold in revealing a discrepancy between the two key techniques for measuring the universe's expansion rate. The recent study strengthens the case that new theories may be needed to explain the forces that have shaped the cosmos. |
 | Japan creates first artificial crater on asteroidJapanese scientists have succeeded in creating what they called the first-ever artificial crater on an asteroid, a step towards shedding light on how the solar system evolved, the country's space agency said Thursday. |
 | SpaceX, NASA tight-lipped on cause of crew capsule incidentNASA and SpaceX remained tight-lipped Thursday about what caused a mysterious but apparently serious incident last weekend during engine tests on the Crew Dragon capsule designed to carry US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year. |
 | Astronomers find quasars are not nailed to the skyUntil recently, quasars were thought to have essentially fixed positions in the sky. While near-Earth objects move along complex trajectories, quasars are so remote that they were believed to offer stable and reliable reference points for use in navigation and plate tectonics research. Now, an international team of astrophysicists featuring researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology has found that quasars are not entirely motionless and explained this behavior. The findings were published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. |
 | How to destroy an asteroid without nuking each other firstIn the event of an asteroid heading to Earth and likely to cause catastrophic damage, an Armageddon-style nuclear explosion may well be our best line of defence. But would doing so lead the way to potential space-based nuclear apocalypse instead? |
 | Nuclear weapons might save the world from an asteroid strike – but we need to change the law firstThe schlocky 1998 Bruce Willis movie Armageddon was the highest grossing film of that year. The blockbuster saw a master oil driller (Willis) and an unlikely crew of misfits place a nuclear bomb inside a giant asteroid heading for Earth, blow it up – and save humanity. Armageddon isn't exactly a documentary: it's packed full of sci-fi nonsense. But, 20 years on, its basic plot – of using a nuclear explosion to avert a cataclysmic asteroid collision – doesn't seem quite as silly as it did at the time. |
 | What's on the far side of the Moon?Looking up at the silvery orb of the Moon, you might recognize familiar shadows and shapes on its face from one night to the next. You see the same view of the Moon our early ancestors did as it lighted their way after sundown. |
 | Researchers detect evidence of six new binary black hole mergers within LVC dataScholars at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) recently submitted a paper announcing the discovery of six new binary black hole mergers that exceed the detection thresholds defined by the LIGO-Virgo Collaboration (LVC), the group responsible for the first direct observation of gravitational waves on February 11, 2016. |
 | Next-generation NASA instrument advanced to study the atmospheres of Uranus and NeptuneMuch has changed technologically since NASA's Galileo mission dropped a probe into Jupiter's atmosphere to investigate, among other things, the heat engine driving the gas giant's atmospheric circulation. |
 | NASA winner demos red berries on the red planetA team from Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering that designed a greenhouse for Mars was announced the winner of the 2019 NASA BIG Idea Challenge Wednesday at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. |
 | Moon rocks to be studied at University of TennesseeA professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville will help analyze moon rocks collected decades ago and never before opened. |
 | Image: Testing satellite marker designsAkin to landing lights for aircraft, ESA is developing infrared and phosphorescent markers for satellites, to help future space servicing vehicles rendezvous and dock with their targets. |
Technology news
 | An army of microrobots can wipe out dental plaquevisit to the dentist typically involves time-consuming and sometimes unpleasant scraping with mechanical tools to remove plaque from teeth. What if, instead, a dentist could deploy a small army of tiny robots to precisely and non-invasively remove that buildup? |
 | Caffeine gives solar cells an energy boostScientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Solargiga Energy in China have discovered that caffeine can help make a promising alternative to traditional solar cells more efficient at converting light to electricity. Their research, published April 25 in the journal Joule, may enable this cost-effective renewable energy technology to compete on the market with silicon solar cells. |
 | Squishy robots can drop from a helicopter and land safelySometimes the toughest among us come in shapes that are round and just a little bit squishy. |
 | Key-guessing blockchain banditry is discovered in security researchA bandit story of the cryptocurrency kind was a popular item on tech sites this week, with staggering amounts of money scooped up by some blockchain bandit, and spotted by security consultants, Independent Security Evaluators. |
 | New technique uses power anomalies to ID malware in embedded systemsResearchers from North Carolina State University and the University of Texas at Austin have developed a technique for detecting types of malware that use a system's architecture to thwart traditional security measures. The new detection approach works by tracking power fluctuations in embedded systems. |
 | Possible $5B Facebook fine echoes European tech penaltiesThe possibility of a $5 billion federal privacy fine for Facebook suggests that U.S. regulators may be taking a cue from the large penalties their European counterparts have been handing out to U.S. technology giants. |
 | Walmart experiments with AI to monitor stores in real timeWho's minding the store? In the not-too-distant future it could be cameras and sensors that can tell almost instantly when bruised bananas need to be swapped for fresh ones and more cash registers need to open before lines get too long. |
 | Tesla hit with big loss as car deliveries sputterElectric carmaker Tesla on Wednesday announced a heavy loss in the first quarter as car deliveries sputtered overseas and a US tax credit that made its prices more attractive was reduced. |
 | China's island cities: Treasure or trouble for Asia?A high-rise city the size of central London rising out of the ocean next to Sri Lanka's capital is laying down another marker for China's global infrastructure ambitions whose epic scope is sounding alarm bells in Asia and beyond. |
 | SK Hynix profits slump 69% in first quarterSouth Korea's SK Hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip maker, saw operating profits plunge more than two-thirds in the first quarter in the face of lower prices, it said Thursday. |
 | Nintendo says full-year profit up nearly 40% on strong game salesNintendo said Thursday its full-year net profit jumped nearly 40 percent, lifted by strong sales of blockbuster game titles for its popular Switch console. |
 | Comcast sheds cable customers but adds internet subscribersComcast kept shedding cable customers and adding home internet customers in its most recent quarter. |
 | AI-generated profiles? Airbnb users prefer a human touchIn an online marketplace like Airbnb, host profiles can mean the difference between a booked room and a vacant one. Too peppy, too long, too many exclamation points? Language is critical in a user's search for trust and authenticity, crucial factors in any online exchange. |
 | Northeastern students design and build devices to help improve the lives of individuals with disabilitiesKevin Leiser starts with his eyes closed and his back to the target. As he turns and raises the compound bow, he keeps his eyes shut, listening to the beeping in his headphones. He adjusts his aim until the beeps merge into a solid tone that comes through evenly in both ears. He draws back an arrow, makes a few final adjustments, and fires. |
 | Microsoft tops trillion-dollar mark for first timeMicrosoft hit the trillion-dollar value mark Thursday for the first time, becoming the third technology giant to reach the milestone. |
 | Assistive robot learns to feedAbout a million Americans with injury or age-related disabilities need someone to help them eat. Now NIBIB funded engineers have taught a robot the strategies needed to pick up food with a fork and gingerly deliver it to a person's mouth. |
 | It's 2019 – where's my supersuit?I loved the "Thundercats" cartoon as a child, watching cat-like humanoids fighting the forces of evil. Whenever their leader was in trouble, he'd unleash the Sword of Omens to gain "sight beyond sight," the ability to see events happening at faraway places, or bellow "Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, Thundercats, Hooo!" to instantaneously summon his allies to his location to join the fight. What kid didn't want those superpowers? |
 | Amazon delivers record profits on gains in cloud, advertisingAmazon on Thursday delivered record profits for the first quarter, fueled by gains in cloud computing and new business segments for the US technology colossus. |
 | Filling in the gaps of connected car data helps transportation plannersIf you have a new or late model car, most likely it's connected: GPS navigation, that infotainment panel, the wireless network your car creates—they're all ways for your car to provide information, whether it's to give you directions, ping other vehicles, or to check in with infrastructure like traffic signals, signs or bridges. |
 | Video game effort could help regulate future drone trafficDrones ferrying medical supplies, packages and even pizza could one day be crisscrossing the skies above U.S. cities, and a team at the University of Utah is working with regulators to keep that future traffic in check using a video game. |
 | Norwegian losses deepen as 737 MAX grounding adds to problemsTroubled low-cost airline Norwegian said Thursday its net losses deepened in the first quarter of the year as the grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft could cost it $58 million. |
Nokia sees tough competition in market for 5G networksTelecoms gear maker Nokia reported Thursday a surprise first-quarter loss amid tougher competition for the new, superfast wireless 5G networks that are expected to increase in business this year. | |
 | UK government says it hasn't decided yet on Huawei 5G roleThe British government has not yet decided whether to allow China's Huawei to supply parts for the U.K.'s new 5G wireless network, Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright said Thursday, as he condemned leaks from private government discussions on the sensitive issue. |
The Momo Challenge: A digital ghost storyAndy Phippen, Professor of Social Responsibility in IT, at the University of Plymouth, and Emma Bond, Professor of Socio-Technical Research, at the University of Suffolk, have worked together to analyse the 'hysteria' that surrounded the Momo Challenge, earlier this year. Here, they summarise the factors that caused a "near perfect storm" and look at the lessons that society is failing to learn. | |
 | US manufacturer 3M says to cut 2,000 jobs on slowing demandUS industrial products manufacturer 3M announced Thursday it will cut 2,000 jobs worldwide, citing weakness in key markets that led to a drop in first-quarter sales. |
 | Irish regulator investigates Facebook over exposed passwordsIreland's privacy regulator says it's investigating Facebook over the social media giant's recent revelation that it had left hundreds of millions of user passwords exposed. |
 | Canada privacy watchdog taking Facebook to courtCanada's privacy czar is taking Facebook to court after finding the social media giant's lax practices allowed personal information to be used for political purposes. |
 | US invites world's aviation regulators to meeting on Boeing's 737 MAXFacing criticism that it is too close to Boeing, the Federal Aviation Administration has invited global regulators to a meeting on the Boeing 737 MAX next month as it works to restore confidence following two deadly crashes. |
 | Ford shares surge as US pickup sales stay strongFord reported a drop in first-quarter profits Thursday due in part to restructuring costs, but the company's share price rallied following a strong performance in North America and improved results in Europe. |
 | Google updates misconduct reporting amid employee discontentGoogle says it has updated the way it investigates misconduct claims, changes it pledged to make after thousands of employees walked out in protest last November. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Fishing for cures: New zebrafish model identifies drugs that kill pediatric cancer cellsA new animal model developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators promises to be less expensive, easier to use and to improve personalized therapies for cancers and potentially other diseases. In their paper published online in Cell, the investigators describe using their immunodeficient zebrafish model to visualize drug responses at single-cell resolution in live animals. They also identify a promising new treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma, a muscle cancer that primarily develops in children. |
 | Researchers discover how eating feeds into the body clockNew research has found it is not just what you eat, but when you eat that is important, knowledge which could improve the health of shift workers and people suffering from jet lag. |
 | Analyzing colon cancer proteins and genes uncovers new potential treatmentsAnalyzing both the entire set of genes and all the proteins produced by colon cancer tissues from patient samples has revealed a more comprehensive view of the tumor that points at novel cancer biological mechanisms and possible new therapeutic strategies. This multidisciplinary and multi-institutional study led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and published in the journal Cell, strongly supports comprehensive characterization of tumor tissues as a means to guide further research leading to early diagnostic strategies and new treatments. |
 | Comfort food leads to more weight gain during stressIt's no secret that overindulging on high-calorie foods can be detrimental to health, but it turns out that under stress, watching what you eat may be even more important.A team led by Professor Herbert Herzog, Head of the Eating Disorders laboratory at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, discovered in an animal model that a high-calorie diet when combined with stress resulted in more weight gain than the same diet caused in a stress-free environment. The researchers revealed a molecular pathway in the brain, controlled by insulin, which drives the additional weight gain. |
 | Injections, exercise promote muscle regrowth after atrophy in mice, study findsBy injecting cells that support blood vessel growth into muscles depleted by inactivity, researchers say they are able to help restore muscle mass lost as a result of immobility. |
 | Sleep frees up the hippocampus for new memoriesTwo regions of our brain are central for storing memories: the hippocampus and the neocortex. While the hippocampus is primarily responsible for learning new information and its short-term storage, the neocortex is able to store large amounts of information for a long time. Lea Himmer, Dr. Monika Schönauer and Professor Steffen Gais of the Institute of Medical Psychology at the University of Tübingen and their team investigated how these brain areas interact during the consolidation of new memories and which role sleep plays in that process. The team of researchers used functional neuroimaging to show that repeated rehearsal can lead to the establishment of memory traces in the neocortex within a short timeframe. However, these traces are only sufficiently stable if a sleep phase follows learning – otherwise the brain continuously needs to call on the hippocampus to help with long-term storage of new memories. The new study is published in Science Advances. |
 | Antibiotics: How much is too much?New research has, for the first time, provided guidance on the amount of antibiotics that can safely be prescribed without generating resistant superbugs. |
 | Study in mice uncovers an unknown pathway for breast cancer tumors to recurFor many women who thought they had beaten breast cancer, the news that it has roared back years later comes as an especially cruel diagnosis with no clear answers for why or how it recurs. |
 | Impeding white blood cells in antiphospholipid syndrome reduced blood clotsFor men and women affected with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), blood thinners are the main treatment option. |
 | Antibiotic use linked to greater risk of heart attack and stroke in womenWomen who take antibiotics over a long period of time are at increased risk of heart attack or stroke, according to research carried out in nearly 36,500 women. |
College-age males at bars, parties more likely to be sexually aggressiveCollege men who frequently attend parties or go to bars are more likely to be sexually aggressive compared to those who don't, Washington State University researchers have found. | |
 | Teens prefer harm reduction messaging on substance useFor many parents, talking to their children about substance use is like navigating a field of landmines. It's difficult to know exactly what to say and how to say it. |
 | Drug overdoses in young people on the riseIn American adolescents and young adults, death rates from drug poisoning, particularly from opioids, have sharply increased over the last 10 years, according to new research in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. |
 | One in seven Washington State drivers with children in the car recently used marijuanaAccording to a roadside survey conducted in Washington State, 14.1% of drivers with children in the car—nearly one in seven—tested positive for THC, the principal psychoactive compound in marijuana. The results are published in the latest issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. |
 | Drugs to prevent stroke and dementia show promise in early trialTreatments that prevent recurrence of types of stroke and dementia caused by damage to small blood vessels in the brain have moved a step closer, following a small study. |
 | Two firms first to export LatAm medicinal marijuana to EuropeTwo companies from Uruguay and Colombia will become the first in Latin America to export medical marijuana products to Europe under deals announced Wednesday. |
 | Many stroke patients not screened for osteoporosis, despite known risksThe majority of stroke survivors are not screened or treated for osteoporosis, broken bones, or fall risk—despite stroke being a risk factor for these conditions. The risk is up to four times greater than in healthy people, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke. |
 | Blood cancer's Achilles' heel opens door for new treatmentsNew findings about a fatal form of blood cancer could aid the development of new drugs with significantly less harmful side effects than existing chemotherapy. |
 | Haunted by the past: Insomniacs unable to get emotional distress off their mindCringe-worthy mistakes and embarrassing blunders made today won't seem so bad tomorrow. That is, unless you're an insomniac, research at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience shows. The scientists asked participants to relive their most shameful experiences of decades ago while making MRI scans of their brain activity. While good sleepers literally settled those experiences in their head as neutralized memories, people with insomnia were not able to do so. This breakthrough finding suggests that insomnia could primarily be caused by a failing neutralization of emotional distress. Which makes it understandable that insomnia is the primary risk factor for the development of disorders of mood, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress. The findings will be published on 25 April in the leading scientific journal Brain. |
 | Hypnosis to tackle painkiller crisisNew research shows that hypnosis can reduce pain by up to 42% and may offer a genuine alternative to painkillers. |
 | Scientists develop swallowable self-inflating capsule to help tackle obesityA team from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the National University Health System (NUHS) has developed a self-inflating weight management capsule that could be used to treat obese patients. |
 | Particulate matter takes away 125,000 years of healthy life from Europe's child populationA study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by "la Caixa," has estimated the disease burden for various environmental exposure factors among the child population of Europe, and once again highlights the risk posed by air pollution. The study calculates that every year exposure to particulate matter of less than 10 micrograms (PM10) in diameter and less than 2.5 micrograms (PM2.5) takes away 125,000 years of healthy life from children in Europe. |
 | Rare disease gives new insight into regulatory T cell functionAn international study led from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden provides new insights into the regulatory T cells' role in protecting against autoimmune disease. By mapping the targets of the immune system in patients with the rare disease IPEX, they were able to show that regulatory T cells control immunotolerance in the gut. The results are published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. |
 | Pregnant women with type 1 diabetes are at risk of giving birth prematurelyPregnant women with type 1 diabetes are at increased risk of delivering their baby prematurely. The risk increases as blood sugar levels rise, however women who maintain the recommended levels also risk giving birth prematurely. These are the findings from researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden, published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Dengue research in the Philippines evolving over timeCommunicable diseases including dengue continue to be major causes of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have reviewed 60 years of published literature on dengue in the country to identify trends in previous studies and areas where more research is needed. |
 | When pregnant women take kratom, their babies may sufferIn the past couple of years, two newborn babies in Buffalo experienced withdrawal as a result of their exposure to kratom in utero. |
 | Opinion: Are researchers to blame for nutrition misinformation?The search for "scientific truth" is never direct. Rather, hills, curves and even the occasional U-turn describe the journey. |
 | Electronic health records may compromise safety for chemotherapy patientsElectronic health records were supposed to streamline patient information, but in the decade since inception, health workers claim they have compromised patient care and complicated their jobs. |
 | Brain scans on movie watchers reveal how we judge peopleUnconscious bias has become a hot topic recently, with high profile incidents reported around the world. Researchers at Aalto University are exploring the causes of these biases in our neural wiring, and are developing techniques using MRI scanners that let us see the brain as it makes assumptions in real time. The results show for the first time that the brain is not only unconsciously biased towards people based on appearance, but it also forms biases based on what we know about the person as well. |
 | Higher out-of-pocket costs threaten universal health coverage in 'missing middle' nationsOne in six countries is expected to have substantially high out-of-pocket spending as a proportion of total health expenditures by 2050, according to a new scientific study. |
 | Few at-risk adults getting the diabetes prevention help they needUsing data from the 2016 National Health Interview Survey, Johns Hopkins researchers report that few American adults eligible for diabetes prevention programs are being referred to, or participating in, these programs. |
Dermcidin may play role in the pathogenesis of skin disease hidradenitis suppurativaDermcidin, an anti-microbial peptide normally found in human sweat, may play a role in the pathogenesis of this chronic skin disease hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), according to a research team from the George Washington University (GW). Their findings were recently published in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. | |
 | Novel vaccine for colorectal cancer shows positive phase I resultsA new colorectal cancer vaccine showed positive results in the phase 1 clinical trial to demonstrate that the approach is safe. The patients treated had no signs of serious adverse events and samples of their blood contained markers of immune activation—an early indication that the vaccine could activate immune cells to fight colorectal tumors and metastases. Further tests to determine if the vaccine is effective at slowing tumor growth are forthcoming. |
 | '13 Reasons Why' and young adults' risk of suicideOne of the most heavily watched and debated fictional portrayals of suicide in recent years was the Netflix series "13 Reasons Why," which raised outcries about potential contagion stemming from its portrayal of a female high-school student's suicide. |
Vascular surgery after firearm injury associated with increased morbidity and mortalityResearchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) found that among all hospitalizations that were due to firearm injury, patients who underwent surgical repair of their major blood vessels had the highest injury severity score (predictor of in-hospital death). | |
New genetic test detects hundreds of harmful mutations among high-risk groupsResearchers at Nemours Children's Health System have developed a new low-cost genetic test that accurately identified more than 200 known disease-causing gene variations in two high-risk populations, the Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonites of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The findings, published today in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, could help reduce morbidity and mortality from these rare genetic disorders, and dramatically reduce costs of care through early diagnosis of newborns. | |
 | Poll: Many blame drug firms for opioid crisisAbout two-thirds of Americans believe drug companies are to blame for the opioid crisis, although nearly as many hold drug users themselves responsible, a new poll finds. |
 | Evidence of heart injury in 'healthy' people may lead to more effective treatmentNew evidence of heart injury found in apparently healthy people could help pave the way for better long-term monitoring of cardiac health and personalised approaches to treatment, scientists say. |
 | Think you should slow down as you get older? Think againMuscle strengthening exercises are important for building bone strength and preventing osteoporosis, but new research shows that even just 10,000 steps a day can help to keep bones strong. |
 | Personalities are like traditions—unique patterns of behaviour that build over a lifetime of improvisationThe question of whether personality is the result of nature or nurture has plagued researchers – and the general public – for decades. What we do know is that we are all unique, each with a distinctive pattern of speech, gesture, movement and thought. And when it comes to our personality, our past thoughts and actions influence our future thoughts and actions. In short, our personalities are traditions. If this is the case, then, can we change them? The answer is yes, but the process might be difficult. |
 | Striving for happiness could be making you unhappy—here's how to find your own pathHappiness is big business, with sales of self-help books in the UK reaching record levels in the past year. Perhaps that's because happiness is no longer the birthright of the elite. Just half a century ago, psychologist Warner Wilson seemed to suggest that you are be less likely to be happy if you're uneducated and poor when he stated that a happy person generally is "young, healthy, well educated, well paid, extroverted, optimistic, worry free, religious, married, with high self-esteem, high job morale, modest aspirations, of either sex and of a wide range of intelligence". |
Quebec siblings with rare orphan disease lead to discovery of rare genetic diseasesMutations in a gene involved in brain development have led to the discovery of two new neurodevelopmental diseases by an international team led by researchers at McGill University and CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center. | |
 | Conflicting laws may keep contaminated needles in circulation, add to hep-C casesAcute hepatitis C infections rose 98 percent between 2010 and 2015 nationwide, largely because more people were injecting drugs. Using a new needle for every injection can slow the spread of hepatitis C, but getting those new needles isn't always as simple as buying glucose-meter lancets at the pharmacy. And safely disposing of old needles presents a whole other set of problems. |
 | Rekindling your sex life after a heart attack(HealthDay)—Having sex after a heart attack is a concern not only for men, but for many women, too. Because of fear and a lack of information, many may think it's no longer possible to enjoy a sex life. Fortunately, that's rarely the case. |
 | As U.S. measles cases hit new high, experts warn the disease can be deadly(HealthDay)—Measles cases in the United States have now reached 695—the highest since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced late Wednesday. |
 | Naproxen sodium does not slow presymptomatic Alzheimer's disease(HealthDay)—Naproxen sodium twice daily is not associated with reduced progression of presymptomatic Alzheimer disease (AD) among cognitively intact people at risk for the condition, according to a study published online April 5 in Neurology. |
 | Interdisciplinary care pathway helps manage frail, elderly trauma patients(HealthDay)—An interdisciplinary care protocol for frail geriatric trauma patients significantly reduces the risk for delirium and 30-day readmission, according to a study published online April 5 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. |
 | Dentists can be the first line of defense against domestic violenceThe University of Arizona College of Medicine—Phoenix and Midwestern University have published an article to bring to light the important role dentists can play in identifying domestic violence victims. |
It's OK to indulge once in a while: The body adapts to occasional short-term overeatingOvereating has been found to impair blood sugar (glucose) control and insulin levels. A new study suggests that the duration of a bout of overeating can affect how the body adapts glucose and insulin processing when calorie intake increases. The article is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism. | |
Two birds, one stone: Drug combo may prove effective against second type of leukemiaEvery year, nearly 11,000 Americans die of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a blood cancer that affects mainly older adults. While most patients initially respond to chemotherapy, more than half of those who respond will eventually relapse as the cancer cells develop resistance to treatment. In a new paper published today in Cell Research, a team of scientists led by Pier Paolo Pandolfi, MD, Ph.D., Director of the Cancer Center and Cancer Research Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, reveal vulnerabilities in a subset of AML that could serve as the foothold researchers need to overcome resistance to therapy. | |
Working to advance radiation therapy for children with cancerDoctors at Children's Hospital Los Angeles continue to lead the field of radiation oncology by pushing the leading edge of technological advances. A new report by Arthur Olch, Ph.D., highlights use of specialized software that could advance treatment accuracy for pediatric cancer patients. | |
 | The glass half-full: How optimism can bias prognosis in serious illnessMost people think of optimism as a good thing—a positive outlook in challenging circumstances. But in reality, it's a psychological state that can be "contagious" in a bad way. A new study, published in the journal Psycho-Oncology, details how a seriously ill patient's optimism can impact a clinician's survival prognosis in palliative care conversations. |
 | Food poisoning remains persistent problem, US report findsAs recent illnesses tied to raw turkey , ground beef , cut melon and romaine lettuce suggest, U.S. food poisoning cases don't appear to be going away anytime soon. |
 | One in nine U.S. women drink during pregnancy, and numbers are rising(HealthDay)—Even though the harms to babies are well known, one in nine pregnant women in the United States drinks alcohol, new research shows. |
 | Rehabilitation psychologists: #SayTheWord disabilityWhy are people afraid to use the term "disability"? |
 | Researchers verify new method of HIV transmission among injection drug users and effective prevention techniqueNew studies from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University have found for the first time that HIV can be transmitted through the sharing of equipment used to prepare drugs before injection and that a simple intervention—heating the equipment with a cigarette lighter for 10 seconds—can destroy the HIV virus, preventing that transmission. The findings, used to inform a public health campaign called 'Cook Your Wash,' have helped reduce rates of HIV transmission in London, Ontario. |
 | Researchers reveal key to targeting dormant cancer cellsAn international team of scientists has uncovered the unique set of genes that keeps some cancer cells dormant. Led by Associate Professor Tri Phan and Professor Peter Croucher at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Australia, in collaboration with Professor Ido Amit at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, the research may reveal new therapeutic targets for multiple myeloma (a blood cancer that arises in bone) and other cancers which spread, or metastasise, to bone such as breast and prostate cancer. |
Rates of physician-patient discussions about lung cancer screening very low and decliningLow rates of physician-patient discussions about lung cancer screening have declined further since 2012 and were not associated with current smokers' intents or attempts to quit smoking. | |
Six factors may predict invasive breast cancer recurrence after DCIS diagnosisSix factors were associated with invasive recurrence of breast cancer after a diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), according to data from a meta-analysis. | |
Regular exercise and stretching can help older drivers keep the keys longerNew research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds that increased fatigue and poor physical functioning are leading factors that can result in older adults limiting their driving. But simple steps, like weekly exercise and stretching, can improve safe driving abilities and keep older adults on the road longer. | |
Exercise activates memory neural networks in older adultsHow quickly do we experience the benefits of exercise? A new University of Maryland study of healthy older adults shows that just one session of exercise increased activation in the brain circuits associated with memory—including the hippocampus—which shrinks with age and is the brain region attacked first in Alzheimer's disease. | |
 | Prior authorization obstacles unnecessarily delay patient access to cancer treatments, survey findsRestrictive prior authorization practices cause unnecessary delays and interference in care decisions for cancer patients, according to a new survey of nearly 700 radiation oncologists—physicians who treat cancer patients using radiation— released today by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). |
 | Women with coronary artery wall thickness at risk for heart diseaseThe thickness of the coronary artery wall as measured by MRI is an independent marker for heart disease in women, according to a study published in the journal Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging. |
 | Alcohol relapse rate among liver transplant recipients identical regardless of sobriety periodFor decades, patients with liver disease related to alcohol use have been told they must be sober for six months before they can get a liver transplant. Many die before that six-month wait period is up. Now, a growing number of researchers are questioning that six-month waiting period. |
Video game violence and family resilienceThere is much debate about whether or not violent video games give rise to violent tendencies in those who play them. Some research shows this to be the case while other studies demonstrate the opposite. However, a third factor may be critical to understanding what role, if any, such games play in society and that is "family resilience." | |
Low awareness of hypertension and diabetes in China elderly causing public health concernsAwareness and diagnoses of hypertension and diabetes in China has been limited, resulting in compromised treatment, and increased screening did not lead to significant improvements, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Findings are online in the journal BMC Public Health. | |
 | Following a healthy plant-based diet may lower kidney disease riskA new study has uncovered a link between plant-based diets and kidney health. The finding, which appears in an upcoming issue of CJASN, indicates that consuming a diet based on nutrient-rich plants may help protect against the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). |
 | Ginger: A flavorful and healing root(HealthDay)—Zesty ginger is more than just a great way to dress up your favorite recipes. It contains a potent immunity booster—its active compound gingerol is an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compound. |
 | Salmonella outbreak tied to pre-cut melons expands to more than 100 cases(HealthDay)—Twenty-four new illnesses linked to an outbreak involving packaged melon distributed across 16 states were reported by U.S. health officials Wednesday. |
Biology news
 | Turtle study shows gender lifespan differences likely due to aggressive tendenciesA team of researchers with members from Taiwan, the U.S., China and the U.K. has found evidence that suggests the reason females of most species live longer than males is because of male aggressive tendencies. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes their study of a species of turtle where the females are the aggressors and what they found. |
 | Research sheds light on genomic features that make plants good candidates for domesticationNew research published this week identifies the genomic features that might have made domestication possible for corn and soybeans, two of the world's most critical crop species. |
 | Pole-to-pole study of ocean life identifies nearly 200,000 marine virusesAn international team has conducted the first-ever global survey of the ecological diversity of viruses in the oceans during expeditions aboard a single sailboat, the Tara. They identified nearly 200,000 marine viral species, which vastly exceeds the 15,000 known from prior ocean surveys of these waters and the approximately 2,000 genomes available from cultured viruses of microbes. Their findings, appearing April 25 in the journal Cell, have implications for understanding issues ranging from evolution to climate change, because they help create a new picture of our planet and how it may be impacted by interactions among organisms. |
 | What makes mosquitoes avoid DEET? An answer in their legsMany of us slather ourselves in DEET each summer in hopes of avoiding mosquito bites, and it generally works rather well. Now, researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on April 25th have made the surprising discovery that part of the reason for DEET's success can be found in the mosquito's legs, not their biting mouthparts. |
 | Sex and diet affect protein machineriesScientists from EMBL Heidelberg have discovered that the collection of proteins in an animal cell—called the proteome—is substantially affected by both the animal's sex and its diet. Understanding these individual proteomes might provide a basis for personalised treatments for humans in the future. |
 | A new way to 'freeze' cells promises to transform the common cell-freezing practiceA team of Japanese researchers has—for the first time—demonstrated preserving frozen animal cells without a cryoprotectant agent (CPA), a substance that can protect biological material from freezing damage. To keep cells alive, all the conventional freezing methods needed to add a CPA, which can be potentially toxic and associated with cell damage and death. Their method only relies on ultrarapid cooling—or really fast freezing—for cells and vital biological material during freezing process. A safe freezing without CPA method would not only revolutionize how important research and medical material is stored, but greatly advance any and all research methods within those fields. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on April 1st, 2019. |
 | Natural landscapes? Scientists call for a paradigm shift in restoration projectsRegardless of whether we are dealing with a floodplain landscape or an entire national park, the success of a restoration project depends on more than just the reintroduction of individual plant or animal species into an area. An international team of researchers led by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig reveals it is more a matter of helping the damaged ecosystem to regenerate and sustain itself. In the current issue of the journal Science the researchers describe how rewilding measures can be better planned and implemented—and the benefits this can have on humans. |
 | Bringing information into the cellResearchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) have elucidated an important part of a signal pathway that transmits information through the cell membrane into the interior of a cell. |
 | New key stages discovered in how plants prepare to make sex cells for reproductionBirds do it. Bees do it. Plants do it, too. And for good reason: Sexual reproduction has evolved as nature's way of shuffling the genetic deck of cards, so to speak. That shuffling actually starts before organisms make sex cells (sperm and egg). In this process, called meiosis, matching chromosomes inherited from an organism's mother and father swap sections, yielding cells that are genetically distinct from either parent. This genetic rejiggering churns out diverse combos of traits that can be "winning hands" for offspring, giving them a competitive advantage. |
 | Songbird-body changes that allow migration may have human health implicationsSongbirds that pack on as much as 50 percent of their body weight before migrating and that sleep very little, exhibit altered immune system and tissue-repair function during the journey, which may hold implications for human health, according to Penn State researchers. |
 | Scientists unlock new role for nervous system in regenerationBiologists at Tufts University have developed a computational model of planarian (flatworm) regeneration that explains how fragments of planaria determine which end should form a tail and which should form a head. The development begins to answer an important question in regeneration research—what are the signals that determine the rebuilding of specific anatomical structures? Combining modeling and experiment, the researchers determined that the direction of nerve fibers sets the redistribution of chemical signals establishing the direction of the head-to-tail axis. The model was also able to predict the outcomes of numerous genetic, pharmacological, and surgical manipulations, such as worms with two heads or two tails. |
 | Bacteria uses viral weapon against other bacteriaBacterial cells use both a virus—traditionally thought to be an enemy—and a prehistoric viral protein to kill other bacteria that competes with it for food according to an international team of researchers who believe this has potential implications for future infectious disease treatment. |
 | 'Catastrophic' breeding failure at one of world's largest emperor penguin coloniesEmperor penguins at the Halley Bay colony in the Weddell Sea have failed to raise chicks for the last three years, scientists have discovered. |
 | Cat problem can only be solved by ownersConserving wildlife is not very different from improving public health. They both involve (sometimes nasty) debates between people with different opinions and values. In health, some most value the enjoyment they get from smoking or unprotected sex, while others value stopping the illnesses caused by these behaviours. In conservation, some value the management of predators above all else, while others value animal control that does not use poisons or is less cruel or they find value in the comfort of a pet cat. |
 | Long live Nemo! New animal model in aging research?The colorful Clownfish lives longer than 20 years in the aquarium. Researchers of the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, Italy, in collaboration with the Leibniz Institute on Aging (FLI) in Jena, Germany, have investigated the genetics behind the longevity of clownfish. By sequencing the genome and comparing the sequences with other species, they were able to show, that the secret of this longevity lies in the mitochondria and lysosomes of the clownfish. Because it is uncomplicated to keep and breed clownfish, they represent an interesting new animal model for research on longevity. The results are now published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology. |
 | Reindeer adapt to climate change by eating seaweedThe bodies of Svalbard reindeer are extremely well adapted to their arctic home at 79 degrees N latitude. As the northernmost reindeer population on the planet, they are thick and round, which makes it easier for them to tolerate the cold. |
 | Human activity can influence the gut microbiota of Darwin's finches in the GalapagosIn the Galapagos Islands, Darwin's finches drawn to junk food are experiencing changes in their gut microbiota and their body mass as compared to finches that don't encounter human food, according to a new University of Connecticut study. |
 | Study: Americans' beliefs about wildlife management are changingAbundant and healthy wildlife populations are a cultural and ecological treasure in the United States. Over time, however, the decisions about how agencies manage wildlife have become highly contested: How should managers handle human-wildlife conflict, endangered species restoration and predator control? |
 | Hundreds of dead dolphins wash up on French coastA record number of dead dolphins have washed up on France's Atlantic coast in recent months after being caught in fishing nets, the Pelagis observatory said Thursday. |
Preventing collapse after catastropheAs the impacts of climate change escalate, ecosystems will likely undergo events that will disrupt entire populations. In marine ecosystems, anthropogenic warming has subjected organisms to elevated temperatures, oxygen loss, and acidification. The increased frequency and severity of catastrophic events may inhibit a population's ability to recover and, in turn, may spur collapse. | |
Maximizing conservation benefitsOverexploitation and population collapse pose significant threats to marine fish stocks across the globe. While certain fish populations have already collapsed, research indicates that nearly one third of fisheries worldwide are currently impacted by overharvesting. | |
 | Study reveals massive ecological and economic impacts of woody weed invasion in EthiopiaCABI scientists have revealed the massive ecological and economic impacts that the invasive alien tree Prosopis juliflora has had across the Afar Region of north eastern Ethiopia. |
 | Here we go again: Earth's major 'mass extinctions'Most scientists agree that a "mass extinction" event is underway on Earth, with species disappearing hundreds of time quicker under the influence of human activity. |
 | High school students publish paper with RIT scientists analyzing rare bacteriumThree high school students working in a science lab for the first time made a surprising discovery with a Rochester Institute of Technology professor. Now, the young women are co-authors on a scientific paper announcing a rare bacterium that kills e-coli. |
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