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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 23, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | X-ray observations reveal insights into the nature of the pulsar wind nebula 3C 58Analysis of the new data from X-ray observations using NASA's NuSTAR spacecraft and archival data from the agency's Chandra X-ray space observatory, has yielded more insights into the nature of a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) named 3C 58. Results of the analysis, presented in a paper published April 12 on arXiv.org, could also shed more light on particle distribution in the population of known PWNe. |
 | 'Marsquake': first tremor detected on Red PlanetScientists said Tuesday they might have detected the first known seismic tremor on Mars in a discovery that could shed light on the ancient origins of Earth's neighbour. |
 | Research on disk galaxies sheds light on movement of starsUniversity of Arkansas astrophysicists have taken an important step toward solving the mystery of how disk galaxies maintain the shape of their spiral arms. Their findings support the theory that these arms are created by a wave of denser matter that creates the spiral pattern as it travels across the galaxy. |
 | Scientists find auroral 'speed bumps' are more complicatedResearchers at the University of New Hampshire Space Science Center find that "speed bumps" in space, which can slow down satellites orbiting closer to Earth, are more complex than originally thought. |
 | First-ever open public alerts now available from LIGOTwo new probable gravitational waves—ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by cataclysmic cosmic events and first predicted by Albert Einstein over 100 years ago—have been detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo observatory in Italy in the first weeks after the detectors were updated. The source of both waves is believed to be the merging of a pair of black holes. |
 | A new eye on the cosmosHow do galaxies form and evolve? And how do central supermassive black holes form in galaxies and influence their hosts? Those are two of the big questions that Tufts astronomers hope to answer when they start using a new, highly sensitive instrument that's set to come online in a few years on a landmark telescope in Hawaii. |
 | CLASP-2: Investigating the magnetic solar chromosphereFour years ago, an international team (USA, Japan and Europe) carried out an unprecedented suborbital space experiment called CLASP-1, motivated by theoretical investigations carried out at the IAC by Javier Trujillo Bueno and his research group. After the outstanding success of that mission, NASA launched CLASP-2 from a launch center near Las Cruces (USA). CLASP-2 has made it possible to detect for the first time the polarization produced by several physical mechanisms in the most intense ultraviolet radiation emitted by the ionized magnesium atoms of the solar atmosphere. The theoretical modeling of such pioneering observations will help decipher the complex magnetic fields of the Sun's chromosphere. |
Technology news
 | New way to 'see' objects accelerates future of self-driving carsThe laser sensors currently used to detect 3D objects in the paths of autonomous cars are bulky, ugly, expensive, energy-inefficient – and highly accurate. |
 | Security researcher discovers hotspot finder app with leaksAnother day, another app mishap story, and it is in the Ouch range. This one is called WiFi Finder. |
 | Tesla CEO plans to hand the car keys to robots next yearTesla CEO Elon Musk expects to start converting the company's electric cars into fully self-driving vehicles next year as part of an audacious plan to create a network of robotic taxis to compete against Uber and other ride-hailing services. |
 | Facebook hires high-ranking US State Department lawyerFacebook said Monday it has hired a high-ranking US State Department lawyer credited with helping craft the controversial Patriot Act as the social network's new general counsel. |
 | Boeing seeks to exit crisis mode as it reports resultsUnder growing scrutiny from investors and regulators, embattled US aerospace giant Boeing will have a chance this week to reset the narrative as it aims to pivot from two deadly crashes that have grounded a top-selling plane. |
 | Can a Wi-Fi network ever be completely secure?There are many ways in which hackers and crackers can break into a Wi-Fi network. It is trivial if the network uses out of date security protocols or weak passwords. But even if the system is setup with the latest security measures, strong passwords, and firewall and malware protection, there are still ways and means that a malicious third party might access such a network. Writing in the International Journal of Wireless and Mobile Computing, researchers from China review the various hacking techniques that might be used and show what defensive measures might best be taken to preclude system compromise. |
 | Twitter triples profits, global user base steadiesTwitter said Tuesday profits soared in the past quarter, and President Donald Trump immediately claimed credit for the success of the short messaging platform even as he renewed his allegations of bias. |
 | Samsung facing crucial test over Galaxy Fold delay, analysts warnSouth Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics is "facing its biggest test ever", analysts said Tuesday after it delayed the release of its $2,000 foldable phone over screen problems. |
 | Semiconductor scientists discover effect that was thought impossibleA physical effect known as superinjection underlies modern light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and lasers. For decades this effect was believed to occur only in semiconductor heterostructures—that is, structures composed of two or more semiconductor materials. Researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology have found superinjection to be possible in homostructures, which are made of a single material. This opens up entirely new prospects for the development of light sources. The paper came out Feb. 21 in the journal Semiconductor Science and Technology. |
 | US expands probe into air bag failures to 12.3M vehiclesU.S. auto safety regulators have expanded an investigation into malfunctioning air bag controls to include 12.3 million vehicles equipped with bags that may not inflate in a crash. The problem could be responsible for as many as eight deaths. |
 | A step toward determining which car crashes cause traumatic brain injury—and which don'tMotor vehicle crashes are the most common cause of emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths related to traumatic brain injury among people aged 15 to 34, according to a 2013 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
 | Coming to store shelves: cameras that guess your age and sexEyeing that can of soda in the supermarket cooler? Or maybe you're craving a pint of ice cream? A camera could be watching you. |
 | Luckin Coffee, Starbucks rival in China, files for US IPOChina's homegrown coffee chain Luckin Coffee has filed to list publicly in the US as the loss-making company battles to dethrone Starbucks in its home market. |
 | Amazon and Casino to roll out grocery delivery in FranceUS online retailer Amazon and French food giant Casino said Tuesday they would roll out their partnership in rapid delivery of groceries to further French cities in the coming months. |
 | Future millimeter wave networks set to deliver the best features of high and low frequenciesFuture high-speed communication networks based on millimeter-wave (30-300GHz) technology will be more robust and efficient in delivering extremely high speed, high quality video, and multimedia content and services thanks to the results of a ground-breaking research project. The recently-concluded project was a collaboration between Huawei Technologies and IMDEA Networks Institute, the Madrid-based research body pioneering many technologies that are being deployed in the new 5G landscape. |
 | Uganda Airlines gets first planes in revival bidThe first two planes purchased in a bid to relaunch Uganda Airlines were delivered on Tuesday, nearly two decades after the East African country's national carrier collapsed. |
 | France, Japan back Renault-Nissan alliance despite Ghosn caseFrench President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday pledged their backing for the alliance of car giants Renault and Nissan, despite the strains caused by the arrest of the alliance's former boss Carlos Ghosn. |
 | Google self-driving unit Waymo picks Detroit factory siteGoogle's self-driving car spinoff Waymo says it will reopen an axle plant in Detroit to convert conventional vehicles so they can drive autonomously. |
 | Twitter shares lift off as profits soar; Trump weighs inTwitter shares flew higher Tuesday after a surprisingly robust quarterly report, which sparked a fresh tirade from President Donald Trump over his claims of unfair treatment by social media. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Scientists propose new theory on Alzheimer's, amyloid connectionWorldwide, 50 million people are living with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. According to the Alzheimer's Association, every 65 seconds someone in the United States develops this disease, which causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. |
 | Scientists define the role for a rare, influential set of bone marrow cellsResearchers have defined the roles of various cells in the bone marrow that are thought to control the fate of the nearly half million blood cells that develop there each day. |
 | Multiple myeloma: DNA rearrangement may predict poor outcomesA certain type of DNA marker predicts poor outcomes in multiple myeloma, researchers at Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University have found. |
 | Brains of blind people adapt to sharpen sense of hearing, study showsResearch has shown that people who are born blind or become blind early in life often have a more nuanced sense of hearing, especially when it comes to musical abilities and tracking moving objects in space (imagine crossing a busy road using sound alone). For decades scientists have wondered what changes in the brain might underlie these enhanced auditory abilities. |
 | Study: Mediterranean diet deters overeatingEat as much as you want and not gain weight? Sounds too good to be true. |
 | Study reveals large molecular differences between stem cells grown on different biomaterialsThe genes necessary for the growth and survival of stem cells are influenced by the biomaterials on which they're cultured, researchers at the University of Toronto have found. |
 | Study identifies why some colds cause asthma attacks in childrenUpper respiratory infections remain one of the most common triggers of asthma attacks in children, but not every cold leads to a dangerous worsening of symptoms, even among children with severe asthma. The reasons for this have mostly gone unanswered for decades, but a new study led by the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health provides some insight on what differentiates a cold that leads to an asthma attack from a cold that remains a cold. |
 | Mice born to fathers put on exercise regimen show improvements in some brain functionsA large team of researchers with members affiliated with multiple institutions across Spain has found that putting mice on an exercise regimen before allowing them to procreate, gave their offspring a boost in brain functions. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group outlines their study of mice and what they found. |
 | How to be a good host (for Zika virus)Three years after the Zika virus swept through tropical and subtropical South America, the Caribbean, Florida, and Texas, much remains unknown about what the virus needs to infect and damage its host cells in the brain. Now Whitehead Institute scientists have identified several requirements for Zika virus infection, providing new insights into the virus' biology as well as potential therapeutic targets to stop infection. Their work is described in the online the week of April 22 in the journal PNAS. |
 | Feeding juvenile rats extra omega-3 PUFAs and vitamin A shown to reduce negative health impact of stressA team of researchers with members from Italy, Brazil and Ireland has found that giving rats exposed to a stressful environment extra doses of omega-3 fatty acids, resulted in a reduction of the kinds of mental and physical damage that normally occur under such circumstances. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their study of rats exposed to stress and what they found. |
 | Short period of parental sexual contact prior to pregnancy increases offspring risk of schizophreniaChildren may be at a slightly increased risk of schizophrenia when their parents were in sexual contact for less than three years before conceiving them, according to research conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published April 23 in the journal Schizophrenia Research. |
 | Self-powered 'pacemaker for life' in pigs unveiledScientists on Tuesday unveiled a battery-free pacemaker that generates its energy from the heartbeats of pigs in what could pave the way for an "implant for life" in humans suffering from heart defects. |
 | Shining light on rare nerve tumors illuminates a fresh path for fighting cancerWhen a protein named "Merlin" fails to do its job, people can develop slow-growing, life-disrupting auditory nerve tumors that can disrupt their hearing and balance. This rare condition is called neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2). |
 | Calcium deficiency in cells due to ORAI1 gene mutation leads to damaged tooth enamelA mutation in the ORAI1 gene—studied in a human patient and mice—leads to a loss of calcium in enamel cells and results in defective dental enamel mineralization, finds a study led by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry. |
 | Playing video games generally not harmful to boys' social development: studyThe popularity of interactive video games has sparked concern among parents, educators, and policymakers about how the games affect children and adolescents. Most research on the effect of gaming on youth has focused on problematic gaming and negative effects like aggression, anxiety, and depression. A new longitudinal study conducted in Norway looked at how playing video games affects the social skills of 6- to 12-year-olds. It found that playing the games affected youth differently by age and gender, but that generally speaking, gaming was not associated with social development. However, the authors did find that 10-year-old girls who played games frequently had less social competence than 12-year-olds than girls who played less frequently. |
 | Dengue mosquito is Queensland's biggest threat for spreading Zika virusResearchers at QUT and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute have found that the dengue fever mosquito common to north and central Queensland poses the greatest danger of spreading the Zika virus in Australia. |
 | New approach to repair fetal membranes may prevent birth complicationsResearchers from Queen Mary University of London and University College London have developed a new approach to repair defects in fetal membranes which could prevent life-long medical conditions and disabilities associated with preterm birth. |
 | Mobility may predict elderly heart attack survivors' repeat hospital staysDetermining which elderly heart attack patients take longer to stand from a seated position and walk across a room may help predict who will be readmitted to the hospital within a month, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, an American Heart Association journal. |
 | Unblocking arteries after heart attack may be lifesaver for older patientsAmong heart attack patients 75 years and older, the oldest of those patients were less likely than younger patients to receive a procedure to open blocked arteries. But, older patients were more likely to survive heart attacks if they had the procedure, called percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, according to a new research letter in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, an American Heart Association journal. |
Study finds improved WIC food packages reduced obesity risk for childrenSweeping changes designed to make a major federal food assistance program more nutritious for low-income families were effective in reducing obesity risk for 4-year-olds who had been on the program since birth, according to a new study by researchers from Tulane University, the University of California, Los Angeles, and PHFE WIC. | |
Study shines light on safety of deworming programsA new study has identified no major differences between the microbiomes of people infected with roundworm or hookworm and uninfected peers. The investigators found no evidence that curing either of these infections with albendazole treatment has a harmful effect on the microbiome, but they identified specific changes that result from curing hookworm infections and from albendazole. The study is published in mBio, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. | |
 | Disadvantages in life add up to increased smoking risk and increased difficulty quittingThe more disadvantages you face, the more likely you are to smoke – and have difficulty quitting – according to a new USC study in JAMA Internal Medicine that sheds light on populations that are resistant to anti-smoking efforts. |
 | Atrial fibrillation is now the leading cause of cardiovascular hospitalisationAtrial fibrillation has overtaken heart failure and heart attacks as the leading cause of cardiovascular hospitalisation, a South Australian study has found. |
 | Cancer rates in young children are increasing worldwideRates of pediatric cancer have been rising since the 1980s; however, this increase varies by age group and cancer type. University of Minnesota researchers studied children under 5 years of age to understand cancer trends that occur in this age group around the world. Their findings were recently published in the journal JNCI Cancer Spectrum. |
 | How the flu vaccine failsInfluenza is ubiquitous. Every fall, we line up to get our flu shots with the hope that we will be protected from the virus that infects 10 to 20 percent of people worldwide each year. But some years, the vaccine is less effective than others. |
 | Revealed: the secret superpower that makes C. difficile so deadlyA new discovery about dangerous Clostridium difficile diarrhea has identified a new way that the bacteria – and possibly others like it – cause severe disease. "C. diff" is the most common hospital-acquired infection; the Centers for Disease Control estimate it results in 453,000 cases per year, with 29,300 associated deaths. |
 | Study: Drugs reprogram genes in breast tumors to prevent endocrine resistanceTreating breast tumors with two cancer drugs simultaneously may prevent endocrine resistance by attacking the disease along two separate gene pathways, scientists at the University of Illinois found in a new study. |
Understanding opioid users' views on fentanyl could help reduce overdosesOpioid users fear accidental overdoses from street drugs laced with fentanyl, but unpredictable drug quality means they often lack reliable strategies to avoid it, according to a team of researchers who suggest that fentanyl test strips may reduce overdose deaths. | |
 | Identity of allergen responsible for durum wheat allergy is unveiledAn international team of researchers, in which a researcher from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid is involved, has identified one of the main causes of food allergy in the Mediterranean area. |
 | Study highlights anti-tumor activity of curcumin on stomach cancerCurcumin is widely used to impart color and flavor to food, but scientists have discovered that this yellow powder derived from the roots of the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa) can also help prevent or combat stomach cancer. |
 | 'Alexa, I'm in pain': Smart assistants could help combat opioid crisisFor patients suffering with chronic pain, relief could soon be found as close as their nearest smart assistant. |
 | Researchers find fewer hospital and nursing home admissions among recipients of medically tailored mealsA new study led by Seth A. Berkowitz, MD, MPH, a physician and assistant professor in the division of general medicine and clinical epidemiology at the UNC School of Medicine, has found that participation in a medically tailored meals program was associated with fewer hospital admissions and nursing home admissions, and less overall medical spending. |
 | New rules for lung transplants lead to unintended consequencesA donated lung suitable for transplant is a scarce resource. For this reason, the national policy determining which patients on the lung transplant waiting list will receive such an organ has provoked significant discussion and recently generated much controversy. At issue is whether lungs should go to the sickest patients within a local area or the sickest patients in a broader region—all while balancing the likelihood of whether a transplant will be successful. |
 | Some women could be more susceptible to PTSD than others, study findsChildhood trauma is known to increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adulthood, especially for women, but the biological reasons for this correlation remain largely unknown. In a new study from the University of Missouri, researchers have proposed a solution to this mystery in the form of a model that could help psychiatrists better understand the far-reaching impacts of early trauma on women, while also clarifying why not all women with traumatic childhoods develop PTSD. Due to hormonal differences between the sexes, the study focused only on women. |
 | How much do sedentary people really need to move? It's less than you thinkPeople who spend much of their day sitting may need to move around less than we thought to counteract their sedentary lifestyle, new research shows. |
 | New biomarkers associated with 'chemobrain' foundCognitive impairment associated with cancer, also known as "chemobrain," has gained recognition as a complication of the disease and its treatment, as it can negatively affect the daily lives of cancer patients and survivors. |
 | Fecal transplant helps improve behavior in kids with autismIn the first published example of how the gut may play a role in autism, scientists have found that a "fecal transplant" helped to substantially improve behavior and gastrointestinal health in children with the neurodevelopmental disorder. |
 | The benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet(HealthDay)—The body's immune system is designed to fight off threats, like infection-causing germs, through a process called inflammation. But a steady state of inflammation can lead to everything from diabetes to autoimmune diseases to heart disease to cancer. |
 | Everything you need to know about Lyme disease(HealthDay)—With growing concern about mosquito-borne viruses such as Zika, it's easy to let down your guard when it comes to ticks. But Lyme disease is still a danger, especially in the Northeast and upper Midwest. In fact, it has affected people in almost every state. |
 | As syphilis invades rural America, a fraying health safety net is failing to stop itWhen Karolyn Schrage first heard about the "dominoes gang" in the health clinic she runs in Joplin, Mo., she assumed it had to do with pizza. |
 | Diminished HRQOL more likely among transgender adults(HealthDay)—Transgender adults are more likely to report diminished health-related quality of life (HRQOL), according to a research letter published online April 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine. |
 | CDC: United States set to break measles cases record(HealthDay)—Just a few months into the year, the United States is set to break an annual record for the number of measles cases. |
Polio vaccine fears spread panic in PakistanMore than 25,000 children were rushed to hospitals in northwest Pakistan after rumours spread that some had suffered reactions to a polio vaccine, officials said Tuesday. | |
 | Eating elderberries can help minimize influenza symptomsFolk medicines and herbal products have been used for millennia to combat a whole range of ailments, at times to the chagrin of modern scientists who have struggled to explain their medicinal benefits. |
 | Number of women who aren't physically active enough is high and growingUsing data from a national survey representing more than 19 million U.S. women with established cardiovascular disease, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say that more than half of women with the condition do not do enough physical activity and those numbers have grown over the last decade. These results imply that targeted counseling to exercise more could reduce risk of cardiovascular disease as well as associated health care costs over their lifetimes. |
 | Minor sleep loss can put your job at riskLosing just 16 minutes of sleep could be the difference between a clear-headed day at the office or one filled with distractions. |
 | Immune system boost could prevent lung cancerGenomic differences related to the immune system may play a key role in the early development of lung cancer. That finding, published April 23, 2019, in Nature Communications, reveals potential for developing new therapeutics that could boost immune activity to prevent or halt progression of the disease, says Avrum Spira, the study's senior author. He says that the newly identified genomic differences can be detected in normal airway tissue before any precancerous activity begins, which could potentially help physicians screen and monitor smokers who are at the highest risk of lung cancer. |
 | Obesity linked with differences in form and structure of the brainResearchers using sophisticated MRI technology have found that higher levels of body fat are associated with differences in the brain's form and structure, including smaller volumes of gray matter, according to a study published in the journal Radiology. The findings add important information to our understanding of the connection between obesity and negative health consequences such as dementia. |
Majority of US states restrict decision-making for incapacitated pregnant womenHalf of all U.S. states have laws on the books that invalidate a pregnant woman's advance directive if she becomes incapacitated, and a majority of states don't disclose these restrictions in advance directive forms, according to a study by physicians and bioethicists at Mayo Clinic and other institutions. | |
 | Despite health warnings, Americans still sit too muchMost Americans continue to sit for prolonged periods despite public health messages that such inactivity increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers, according to a major new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. |
 | Three-antibiotic cocktail clears 'persister' Lyme bacteria in mouse studyA new study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that a slow-growing variant form of Lyme bacteria caused severe symptoms in a mouse model. The slow-growing variant form of Lyme bacteria, according to the researchers, may account for the persistent symptoms seen in ten to twenty percent of Lyme patients that are not cured by the current Lyme antibiotic treatment. |
 | To test the munchies, researchers offer a choice: chips or an orange?Picture this: Researchers attending a cannabis decriminalization event ask attendees, who are high on marijuana, to fill out surveys. The questionnaires ask participants to list the foods they typically eat while high and how much more, or less, they eat when under the influence, among other questions. |
 | Researchers see health effects across generations from popular weed killerWashington State University researchers have found a variety of diseases and other health problems in the second- and third-generation offspring of rats exposed to glyphosate, the world's most popular weed killer. In the first study of its kind, the researchers saw descendants of exposed rats developing prostate, kidney and ovarian diseases, obesity and birth abnormalities. |
Scratching the skin primes the gut for allergic reactions to food, mouse study suggestsScratching the skin triggers a series of immune responses culminating in an increased number of activated mast cells—immune cells involved in allergic reactions—in the small intestine, according to research conducted in mice. This newly identified skin-gut communication helps illuminate the relationship between food allergy and atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema), a disease characterized by dry, itchy skin. The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and led by researchers at Boston Children's Hospital. | |
 | Women underreport prevalence and intensity of their own snoringA new study of adults who were referred for evaluation of a suspected sleep disorder suggests that women tend to underreport snoring and underestimate its loudness. |
 | People with happy spouses may live longerResearch suggests that having a happy spouse leads to a longer marriage, and now study results show that it's associated with a longer life, too. The study was published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. |
 | Texting to improve health outcomes for people with schizophreniaTexting patients with schizophrenia and their lay health supporters in a resource-poor community setting is more effective than a free-medicine program alone in improving medication adherence and reducing relapses and re-hospitalizations, according to a study published April 23 in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Wenjie Gong of Central South University in Hunan, China, Dong (Roman) Xu of Sun Yat-sen University Global Health Institute, Guangdong, China and colleagues. |
 | Low socioeconomic position associated with worse care at the end of lifeIn high-income countries, people with low socioeconomic position are more likely to receive poor quality end of life care and die in hospital, according to a large meta-analysis by Joanna Davies of King's College London, UK, and colleagues, published this week in PLOS Medicine. |
 | In severe, asymptomatic aortic stenosis, early surgery may help(HealthDay)—Early aortic valve replacement (AVR) may improve survival in patients with severe, asymptomatic aortic stenosis, according to a study published online March 20 in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. |
 | With humor—and brain-shaped Jell-O—this doctor teaches kids about healthOne of the most valuable lessons in pediatrician April Inniss' medical career came from an 8-year-old boy. |
 | FDA approves pembrolizumab plus axitinib for advanced RCC(HealthDay)—The combination of pembrolizumab and axitinib has been approved as a first-line treatment in advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday. |
 | Individualized medical-nutrition therapy important in diabetes(HealthDay)—Diabetes-focused medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is fundamental to overall diabetes management and should be adapted as needed throughout life, according to a consensus report published in the May issue of Diabetes Care. |
 | Risks, benefits of long-term drug therapy for osteoporosis reviewed(HealthDay)—Long-term osteoporosis drug therapy (ODT) reduces fracture risk in women but may increase risk for rare adverse events, and research gaps surround use of long-term drug therapies for osteoporotic fracture prevention, according to a review and position paper published online April 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Fixing a broken heart: Exploring new ways to heal damage after a heart attackFor people who survive a heart attack, the days immediately following the event are critical for their longevity and long-term healing of the heart's tissue. Now researchers at Northwestern University and University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) have designed a minimally invasive platform to deliver a nanomaterial that turns the body's inflammatory response into a signal to heal rather than a means of scarring following a heart attack. |
 | Girls and boys on autism spectrum tell stories differently, could explain 'missed diagnosis' in girlsBoys are four times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet a growing body of research shows that the condition is more common in girls than previously thought, strongly suggesting that new methods are required to diagnose the disorder at younger ages. |
Information technology can support antimicrobial stewardship programsThe incorporation of information technology (IT) into an antimicrobial stewardship program can help improve efficiency of the interventions and facilitate tracking and reporting of key metrics, including outcomes, according to a Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) white paper published in the society's journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. | |
 | Seven seconds of Spiderman viewing yields a 20 percent phobia symptom reductionAs the Marvel Avenger Endgame premieres in movie theaters this week, Israeli researchers are revealing that exposure to Spiderman and Antman movie excerpts decreases symptoms of spider and ant phobias, respectively. |
 | Experiences of 'ultimate reality' or 'God' confer lasting benefits to mental healthPeople over the millennia have reported having deeply moving religious experiences either spontaneously or while under the influence of psychedelic substances such as psilocybin-containing mushrooms or the Amazonian brew ayahuasca, and a portion of those experiences have been encounters with what the person regards as "God" or "ultimate reality." In a survey of thousands of people who reported having experienced personal encounters with God, Johns Hopkins researchers report that more than two-thirds of self-identified atheists shed that label after their encounter, regardless of whether it was spontaneous or while taking a psychedelic. |
 | Low mobility predicts hospital readmission in older heart attack patientsClose to 20% of elderly adults who have suffered a heart attack will be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days. Performance on a simple mobility test is the best predictor of whether an elderly heart attack patient will be readmitted, a Yale-led study reports. |
Patients with cancer seen in the emergency department have better outcomes at original hospitalPatients with cancer requiring emergency department care had better outcomes at their original hospital or a cancer centre hospital than at alternative general hospitals, found research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). | |
 | Malawi becomes 1st nation to immunize kids against malariaThe World Health Organization says Malawi has become the first country to begin immunizing children against malaria, using the only licensed vaccine to protect against the mosquito-spread disease. |
 | Speechless: you don't need to be a singer to lose your voiceAdele, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and countless others have something in common beside the fact they've made a few bucks making music. |
 | For teens living with cancer, keeping life as 'normal' as possibleAs if adolescence isn't difficult enough, imagine the many complicated feelings around being diagnosed with five cancers starting at age 11, resulting in needing to have your left leg amputated at age 14. |
 | Researchers identify an error in the therapy of ischemic stroke after-effectsIf a patient is treated for ischemic stroke after-effects using the cerebral hypothermia method, their diet is adjusted, and they are expected to consume 20-25 Kcal per 1 kilogram of body weight. RUDN researchers demonstrated that this value should be reduced by 15-20% to decrease the mortality and disability rate among such patients by half. The article was published in Clinical Nutrition journal. |
Men are mentors in program for adolescent boys about healthy relationships and sexualitySocial media campaigns such as #MeToo have brought tremendous attention to the issue of sexual violence in North American society, igniting the call for violence prevention programs that challenge traditional gender norms and promote healthy relationships. | |
 | Thiazide diuretics reduce risk of fractures in people with Alzheimer's diseaseThe use of thiazide diuretics was associated with a decreased risk of low energy fractures in people with Alzheimer's disease, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. The association was found in long-term use exceeding three years; however, shorter term use did not reduce the risk of fractures. Thiazides are typically prescribed to treat hypertension. The results were published in Osteoporosis International. |
Pre-op daily life disability may predict poor outcome after hip replacementA new Johns Hopkins Medicine study looking at medical records of more than 43,000 U.S. adults with hip-joint damaging osteoarthritis suggests that those who cannot perform daily activities independently before total hip replacement surgery are more likely to have poorer outcomes after surgery. | |
 | Army publishes new findings to support soldier trainingResearchers recently demonstrated that people's attitudes about avoiding negative outcomes versus achieving positive outcomes is related to how their performance changes in response to gamified feedback during simulation-based training exercises. |
Electronic health records decision support reduces inappropriate use of GI testProgramming a hospital's electronic health record system (EHR) to provide information on appropriate use of a costly gastrointestinal panel and to block unnecessary orders reduced inappropriate testing by 46 percent and saved up to $168,000 over 15 months, according to a study published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. | |
 | Acupuncture equals disease prevention say new studiesWell-recognized for its therapeutic effects, acupuncture is increasingly being appreciated for its ability to promote wellness and contribute to the prevention of a broad range of conditions. A new study, which demonstrates the promise of acupuncture as a complementary approach in improving psychological and pain symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a natural disaster, is published as part of a Special Issue on Acupuncture to Foster Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Medical Acupuncture. |
 | Walgreens to hike minimum age for store tobacco salesWalgreens has decided to raise its minimum age for tobacco sales several weeks after a top federal official chastised the drugstore chain for violating laws restricting access to cigarettes and other tobacco products. |
 | When is sexting associated with psychological distress among young adults?While sending or receiving nude electronic images may not always be associated with poorer mental health, being coerced to do so and receiving unwanted sexts was linked to a higher likelihood of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, according to a new study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. |
When designing clinical trials for Huntington's disease, first ask the expertsProgress in understanding the genetic mutation responsible for Huntington's disease (HD) and at least some molecular underpinnings of the disease has resulted in a new era of clinical testing of potential treatments. How best to design clinical trials in which HD patients are willing to participate and comply is a question faced by researchers. For that reason, investigators in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) surveyed HD patients at different stages of the disease about their attitudes and treatment goals. The results, published in the Journal of Huntington's Disease, should be useful for designing future clinical trials of gene therapies for HD and other genetic disorders. | |
Researchers devise a progression risk-based classification for patients with AWMBy analyzing data from hundreds of patients with asymptomatic Waldenström macroglobulinemia (AWM), researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have devised a risk model for determining whether patients with AWM have a low, intermediate, or high risk of developing symptomatic Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), which requires chemotherapy treatment. | |
Hospitals sue over new national liver transplant policyHospitals and patients have sued to block a new nationwide liver transplant policy that they say will waste viable livers, lead to fewer transplants and likely cause deaths. | |
Biology news
 | Proofreading the book of life: Gene editing made saferThe advance of science is something like the wandering of an explorer through an uncharted jungle. Often, the dense undergrowth can seem impenetrable, but at certain privileged moments, a clearing opens, and an entirely new landscape emerges. |
 | Scientists discover how 'superbug' E. coli clones take over human gutA 'superbug' clone of E. coli has evolved to prevent itself from becoming so dominant that it could potentially wipe out the bacteria from existence, scientists led by the University of Birmingham have discovered. |
 | Wet and dry tropical forests show opposite pathways in forest recoveryThe composition of regrowing wet and dry tropical forests follow opposite pathways while these forests age. This fact has significant consequences for forest restoration initiatives. The findings of a new study published this week in Nature Ecology & Evolution provide insights to select the best tree species for a forest area, thus enhancing and accelerating tropical forest restoration success. |
 | One million species risk extinction due to humans: Draft UN reportUp to one million species face extinction due to human influence, according to a draft UN report obtained by AFP that painstakingly catalogues how humanity has undermined the natural resources upon which its very survival depends. |
 | Study: Why unique finches keep their heads of many colorsThere appears to be an underlying selection mechanism at work among Gouldian Finches—a mechanism that allows this species to produce and maintain individuals with red heads, black heads, and yellow heads. Research by scientists from the the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and other institutions, reveals what this additional evolutionary process might be. Findings were published today in the journal Nature Communications. |
 | Simple sea anemones not so simple after allThe tube-dwelling anemone is an ancient sea creature that resembles a prehistoric flower. The animals live slow, long and predictable lifestyles and look fairly similar from species to species. |
 | Meet B. fragilis, a bacterium that moves into your gut and evolves to make itself at homeMIT researchers have analyzed population genomics and metagenomics to investigate the microbiome evolution of Bacteroides fragilis, one of the most prevalent bacteria found in humans' large intestines. In a paper published April 23 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, the authors describe how the common gut microbe adapts and evolves within individuals as well as across Western versus Eastern cultures. |
 | New study compiles Gulf of Maine seasonal wildlife timing shiftsMany researchers and amateur naturalists keep track of dates for the first robin of spring, the first peepers or ice-out on ponds, and such records can offer decades of data on the timing of plant and animal life cycle events known as phenology. |
 | Good mousekeeping: En suite bathroom makes for happier miceMice have a strong preference to nest away from their own waste and should be housed in a system of cages that allows them to create a toilet area, according to work led by researchers at the University of British Columbia. |
 | Scientists find an underground bacterium that could live on MarsTomsk State University microbiologists were the first in the world to isolate Desulforudis audaxviator from deep underground waters. Translated from Latin, its name means "a brave traveler". Scientists from different countries have hunted for this bacterium for over 10 years. The increased interest by researchers is because the microorganism receives energy in the absence of light and oxygen. Theoretically, this method makes life possible in space—for example, on Mars. The results of their studies are published in The ISME Journal of the publishing group Nature. |
 | Will ocean seafood farming sink or swim? Study evaluates its potentialSeafood farming in the ocean—or marine aquaculture—is the fastest growing sector of the global food system, and it shows no sign of slowing. Open-ocean farms have vast space for expansion, and consumer demand continues to rise. |
 | Researchers describe the mechanism of a protein upon infection of the 'Fasciola hepatica'Fasciola hepatica is a parasite that causes on average 3.2 million in losses in the agricultural sector every year worldwide. It is a two-centimeter-long worm at adult size that mainly affects ruminants by means of water or raw vegetables that act as vehicles of infection. Moveover, in developing countries with deficient sanitary control systems, more than five million people have been infected. Though it does not have high death rates, it causes liver damage and makes the host more prone to catching other diseases. |
 | Students develop acoustic device to detect whales near offshore wind farmA group of six ocean engineering students at the University of Rhode Island has developed an acoustic device that successfully detects the sounds made by whales and other marine mammals in the vicinity of the Block Island Wind Farm. The invention was created for the students' senior capstone design class, a yearlong project that requires students to call upon all of the skills and knowledge they learned during their college careers. |
 | Fortune favours the bold: Can behaviour explain why some animal species become invasive?A new study has found that adaptability is the key to invasive species succeeding in non-native environments. |
 | An ecological tale of two scavengersTwo species of vulture—the turkey vulture and the black vulture—are able to coexist because their respective traits reduce the need for them to compete for nutritional resources, according to a study by University of Georgia researchers. |
 | New dispersion method to effectively kill biofilm bacteria could improve wound careResearchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York have developed a method to treat bacterial infections which could result in better wound care. |
 | Endangered rays may have unknown birthing zone in Mexican watersThe discovery of dozens of pregnant giant devil rays accidentally caught in fishing nets in a village along Mexico's northern Gulf of California could mean the endangered species has a previously unknown birthing zone in nearby waters, a new Duke University study suggests. |
 | The buzz about bumble bees isn't goodWhile many scientists are focused on the decline of honey bees, relatively few study bumble bees. The good news is that a new study provides an estimate on bumble bee population and distributions across Michigan in the past century. The bad news is that these results are dramatically low, and they mirror what's happening across the Americas, Europe and Asia, too. |
Oldest southern sea otter in captivity dies in CaliforniaCharlie, the oldest southern sea otter held by any zoo or aquarium, has died in California. | |
 | Danish dogs to receive virus-inspired cancer vaccine treatmentFifteen Danish dogs with advanced cancer are to receive a new type of therapeutic vaccine which, it is hoped, will rid them of the disease and pave the way for human testing. |
Researchers work to genetically modify flatworms and unlock their regenerative powersSlice it into a hundred pieces if you want, and the millimeters-long flatworm called a planarian won't particularly care. Each piece can grow back into a new worm. But how they do that, and what scientists could learn about how to regenerate our own bodies, has remained mysterious because one of the most valuable investigative tools – gene editing – has so far not worked in these animals. | |
 | New diagnostic tool developed for global menace Xylella fastidiosa increases specificityThe bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is notable for having a wide host range, with the ability to infect more than 300 plants. X. fastidiosa has a long history of causing serious harm to crops and trees in the Americas, with especially damaging repercussions on grapevine and citrus. |
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