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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 13, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | The moon is quaking as it shrinksA 2010 analysis of imagery from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) found that the moon shriveled like a raisin as its interior cooled, leaving behind thousands of cliffs called thrust faults on the moon's surface. |
 | Study unveils detailed properties of the eclipsing binary KOI-3890By combining transit photometry, radial velocity observations, and asteroseismology, astronomers have gathered important information about the properties of a highly eccentric, eclipsing binary system known as KOI-3890. The new findings are presented in a paper published April 30 on arXiv.org. |
 | Forecasting the hunt for the first supermassive black holesIt is believed that the formation and growth of most galaxies across the history of the universe has been fueled by supermassive black holes growing together with their host galaxy as they collect matter to attain millions of solar masses. Chasing the early stages of these extreme objects is among the missions of future powerful telescopes. |
Space exploration exhibit for Apollo 11 opens at Ohio museumA new permanent exhibit focusing on space exploration and the Ohio native who was the first person to walk on the moon has opened at a Cincinnati museum. | |
 | The building blocks for astronomically literate citizensWhat does it mean for a citizen to be literate in astronomy? Astronomers who participate in outreach to the general public experience various degrees of astronomical knowledge among people. But so far, there had not been a systematic evaluation and definition of what astronomical literacy actually means. Astronomers including Pedro Russo from the Leiden Observatory therefore published the first global document that proposes a definition for astronomy literacy. |
Technology news
 | Atlas is rockstar cross-stepper over tricky terrainRobot enthusiasts were sending up cheers this month to the team advancing Atlas into an even more human-like walker through obstacles including a bunch of cinder blocks and a balance beam. They have turned Atlas into the very credible hulk, who wins the spotlight with its display of walking, which was recorded May 1. |
 | Tester eyes unhackable claim on USB flash driveWhen the unhackable turns hackable you know there will be lots of noise. Case in point: The eyeDisk USB flash drive. Passwords exposed in clear text were discovered. |
 | Amazon offers to help employees start delivery businessAmazon, which is racing to deliver packages faster, is turning to its own employees with a proposition: Quit your job and we'll help you start a business delivering Amazon packages. |
 | Apps cost too much? Court allows suit adding to Apple's woesConsumers can pursue a lawsuit complaining that iPhone apps cost too much, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday, adding to Apple's woes that already include falling iPhone sales and a European investigation. |
 | Mercedes want to abandon combustion engines by 2039German giant Mercedes-Benz said Monday it wants to stop selling traditional combustion engine cars by 2039 and plans for its new vehicles sold worldwide by that time to be carbon-neutral. |
 | Researchers find way to build potassium-oxygen batteries that last longerResearchers have built a more efficient, more reliable potassium-oxygen battery, a step toward a potential solution for energy storage on the nation's power grid and longer-lasting batteries in cell phones and laptops. |
 | Facebook sues South Korea data analytics firmFacebook is suing South Korean data analytics firm Rankwave to make sure it isn't breaking the leading social network's rules, the US company said Friday. |
 | Uber, Lyft losses keep competitors at bayA fare war between Uber and Lyft has led to billions of dollars in losses for both ride-hailing companies as they fight for passengers and drivers. |
 | US, EU spar over sharing electronic evidence in investigationsIn August 2016, the lifeless bodies of a young French man and woman were discovered on a beach in Madagascar, with murder suspected. |
 | San Francisco may ban police, city use of facial recognitionSan Francisco is on track to become the first U.S. city to ban the use of facial recognition by police and other city agencies, reflecting a growing backlash against a technology that's creeping into airports, motor vehicle departments, stores, stadiums and home security cameras. |
 | First international blockchain for science: BloxbergSecuring scientific information online and worldwide with no risk of manipulation is now possible, thanks to the decentralized blockchain infrastructure Bloxberg. |
 | A metal sheet stamping simulation promises improved car part productionThe process of stamping metal sheets to create parts used in automotive products such as car doors has received a virtual upgrade in the form of a simulation method devised by Kanazawa University-based researchers. Their simulation can be used to optimize a metal stamping press in its conceptual design stage, thus reducing the costs of physically trialing designs. This method is not only cost-effective, but also more comprehensive than past simulation methods. |
 | Electric cars: Current trends make for a shocking changeWhile vehicle manufacturers invest in research, authorities are working to improve charging infrastructure to support consumers' growing interest in the sector. The day when electric cars dominate the passenger transport market no longer seems quite so distant. |
 | Crowded trains? City planning focus on cars misses new apartment impactsWondering why you can't get a seat on the train? Perhaps it's because we don't actually know how many extra people will use public transport when new building developments are planned. As a result, you're probably in for a bit of a crush. |
 | Avoid the politics and let artificial intelligence decide your vote in the next electionIf trust in our politicians is at an all time low, maybe it's time to reconsider how we elect them in the first place. |
 | Researchers find patterns associated with extreme floodsExtreme floods across the continental United States are associated with four broad atmospheric patterns, a machine-learning based analysis of extreme floods found. |
 | How cryptocurrency scams workMillions of cryptocurrency investors have been scammed out of massive sums of real money. In 2018, losses from cryptocurrency-related crimes amounted to US$1.7 billion. The criminals use both old-fashioned and new-technology tactics to swindle their marks in schemes based on digital currencies exchanged through online databases called blockchains. |
 | Research sheds light on UK's new unsustainable viewing habitsA new study looks behind closed doors to reveal how UK viewing habits are shifting away from traditional broadcasting with more data-intensive streaming options now the default for many. |
 | Apple revamps TV app for direct subscriptions to channelsApple users will be able to subscribe to HBO, Showtime and a handful of other channels directly through Apple's new TV app, bypassing the need to download or launch a separate app. |
Signals to noise in acoustic vehicles alerting systemsIf you've ever wished for a quieter commute, you may be in luck: The low-emission electric vehicles of tomorrow are expected to lower noise pollution as well as air pollution. In Europe, and across the world, the prospect of a future powered by environmentally friendly electric vehicles is leading experts to consider the benefits—and the risks—of quieter traffic. | |
 | Facebook plans pay boost for content moderatorsFacebook on Monday said it will boost pay and support programs for US contract workers hammered by the stress of having to review offensive content flagged at the social network. |
 | Wait, is that video real? The race against deepfakes and dangers of manipulated recordingsIt used to take a lot of time and expertise to realistically falsify videos. Not anymore. |
 | Bike to Work Week: Are e-bikes the answer to health, traffic and environmental issues?Melissa Wenzel got rid of her Toyota Prius in April 2018. |
Apple's new TV app lets users download this season's 'Game of Thrones' episodesFurthering its push into the burgeoning streaming TV industry, Apple launched a new app that it hopes will help consumers navigate an increasingly cluttered world of direct-to-consumer platforms. | |
 | Podcasters find niche in the Arab worldRana Nawas left the corporate world nearly two years ago to produce and host a podcast—one that is now considered the most popular in the Arab world. |
 | Toshiba net profit up on chip business saleStruggling Japanese engineering firm Toshiba on Monday reported improved full-year net profit thanks to the sale of its chip business, but said operating profit was sharply down. |
 | China auto sales slump continues in AprilChina car sales fell 14.6 percent in April, an official industry association said on Monday, extending a slump in a massive auto market that has long been a cash cow for the industry. |
 | Advancement in driverless aircraft could direct the future of drones, flightBillions of dollars are being spent by aviation giants and aerospace startups to create driverless flying vehicles that can meet the growing need for rapid and flexible travel and delivery. Anyone who has tried to navigate major metro areas like New York City or Los Angeles knows the hassles associated with sharing the roads and air with millions of other people. |
 | Uber shares continue sliding in first full day of tradingUber shares sunk even further after its disappointing stock market debut as doubts lingered over the company's ability to turn a profit and trade tensions dragged down the overall market. |
 | Private equity firm buys Canada's WestJet airlinePrivate equity firm Onex announced Monday its purchase of Canada's second-largest airline WestJet for about Can$5 billion (US$3.7 billion) including assumed debt. |
 | Facebook removes fake Italian accounts ahead of EU electionFacebook shut down phony Italian accounts and pages spreading fake news ahead of European Union parliamentary elections, prompting opposition lawmakers to call Monday for tougher laws to curb online misinformation. |
 | NASA funds aviation research on a new fuel conceptResearchers at the University of Illinois are leading a newly funded project from NASA to develop a novel approach for all-electric aircraft. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Measuring chromosome imbalance could clarify cancer prognosisMost human cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Any deviation from this number can be fatal for cells, and several genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome, are caused by abnormal numbers of chromosomes. |
 | Older fathers put health of partners, unborn children at risk, study findsMen who delay starting a family have a ticking "biological clock"—just like women—that may affect the health of their partners and children, according to Rutgers researchers. |
 | We are more envious of things that haven't happened yetWe are more envious of someone else's covetable experience before it happens than after it has passed, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. |
 | Distracted driving more frequent among millennial than older parentsAccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured each day in incidents involving a distracted driver. Texting while driving is a modern safety crisis associated with increased risk of motor vehicle crashes and may underlie the recent rise of motor vehicle fatalities in the United States. Motor vehicle crashes are a top cause of death for children and young adults. |
 | Stopping inflammation in its tracks: A leap forward for new anti-inflammatory drugsTreatments for chronic inflammatory diseases are one step closer as University of Queensland researchers discover a way to stop inflammation in its tracks. |
 | Obesity: The key role of a brain protein revealedRegardless of how much you exercise or how balanced your diet is, controlling your weight is more brain-related than you might have thought. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) show for the first time in mice that the acyl-CoA-binding protein, or ACBP, has a direct influence on the neurons that allow rodents and humans to maintain a healthy weight. |
 | Snapshot of chikungunya could lead to drugs, vaccines for viral arthritisChikungunya virus, once confined to the Eastern Hemisphere, has infected more than 1 million people in the Americas since 2013, when mosquitoes carrying the virus were discovered in the Caribbean. Most people who become infected develop fever and joint pain that last about a week. But in up to half of patients, the virus can cause severe arthritis that persists for months or years. There is no treatment to prevent the short-lived infection from persisting into chronic arthritis. |
 | A new treatment for stroke in mice reduces brain damage and promotes motor recoveryBrain injuries like stroke can be debilitating and require time-sensitive treatment. Clotting factors like thrombin are commonly administered to patients, but there are many other stroke-related signs that can be targeted, such as swelling and ion imbalances in the surrounding fluids. New research shows that brain fluids can be normalized with adrenergic receptor antagonists, a combination of drugs to block the activity of (nor)adrenaline in the brain. This experimental treatment for stroke aided motor recovery and reduced cell death in mice, as reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 13. |
 | Studies expand and update an encyclopedia of cancer cell linesLarge libraries of cancer cell lines—collections of cells that represent tumor types seen in cancer patients—can yield profound insights into tumors' unique genetic features and their sensitivities to current and potential treatments. The data produced by these libraries is invaluable for developing new therapeutic options for patients. |
 | Flu virus' best friend: Low humidityYale researchers have pinpointed a key reason why people are more likely to get sick and even die from flu during winter months: low humidity. |
 | How to starve triple negative breast cancerA team of Brazilian researchers has developed a strategy that slows the growth of triple negative breast cancer cells by cutting them off from two major food sources. |
 | Room for thought: Brain region that watches for walls identifiedTo move through the world, you need a sense of your surroundings, especially of the constraints that restrict your movement: the walls, ceiling and other barriers that define the geometry of the navigable space around you. And now, a team of neuroscientists has identified an area of the human brain dedicated to perceiving this geometry. This brain region encodes the spatial constraints of a scene, at lightning-fast speeds, and likely contributes to our instant sense of our surroundings; orienting us in space, so we can avoid bumping into things, figure out where we are and navigate safely through our environment. |
 | When possible, upper and lower GI endoscopies should be done on same dayIf your car needs work on its front and rear axles, it's obviously more convenient, efficient and cost effective to have both repairs done at the same time. Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have shown similar benefits from "bundling" upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies on the same day to remedy what they say is the "disturbingly" large number of older Americans currently being scheduled for the procedures on two different days. |
 | Common food additive E171 found to affect gut microbiotaUniversity of Sydney research provides new evidence that nanoparticles, which are present in many food items, may have a substantial and harmful influence on human health. |
 | Researchers seek 'fingerprints' of severe mental diseasesResearchers from McLean Hospital and Yale University have published findings of their study of large-scale systems in the brain, findings that could improve understanding of the symptoms and causes of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and other mental illnesses. Their paper, "Functional Connectomics of Affective and Psychotic Pathology," published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, details their investigation into brain network connectivity in patients with psychotic disorders. |
 | Detecting dementia's damaging effects before it's too lateScientists might have found an early detection method for some forms of dementia, according to new research by the University of Arizona and the University of Toronto's Baycrest Health Sciences Centre. |
 | Israel drugmaker Teva vows to fight US price-fixing lawsuitIsraeli pharmaceutical giant Teva vowed Saturday to defend itself after being accused of orchestrating price-fixing among drugmakers in a US antitrust lawsuit. |
 | Penis extensions don't work, can be risky, study saysPenis extensions don't work and can be risky, a new study says. |
 | Machine learning overtakes humans in predicting death or heart attackMachine learning is overtaking humans in predicting death or heart attack. That's the main message of a study presented today at ICNC 2019. |
 | Artificial intelligence could prevent unneeded tests in patients with stable chest painArtificial intelligence (AI) could prevent unnecessary diagnostic tests in patients with stable chest pain, according to research presented today at ICNC 2019. A decision support system saved one hour of testing per patient. |
 | States seek explicit patient consent for pelvic examsSavanah Harshbarger estimates she performed as many as 10 pelvic exams last year on patients before gynecologic surgeries, feeling for fibroid tumors or other abnormalities. |
 | GPs need training to tackle chronic opioid useGPs must be better-equipped to support patients to manage the psychological challenge of reducing their opioid use—according to new research from the University of East Anglia. |
 | Maternal microbes mediate diet-derived damageNew research in The Journal of Physiology has found, using a mouse model, that microbes in the maternal intestine may contribute to impairment of the gut barrier during pregnancy. |
Political controversies about marginalized groups increase bullying in youthsScientists have uncovered new evidence that heated political discourse over proposed laws involving marginalized groups, such as debates about the rights of LGBT people, can contribute to an increase in bullying linked to students' identity in schools. It is the largest study to date to examine the link. | |
 | Physician procedure volume linked to outcomes after surgical abortionAlthough surgically induced abortion is a low-risk procedure, women whose physician infrequently performs it have almost twice the risk of severe complications, found new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). |
 | Program takes on alcohol, e-cigarette use by childrenThe bottom line is to help children grow up safer and healthier and to increase parents' ability to help them do that, says the investigator leading a $1.4 million state-funded alcohol and substance abuse prevention program. |
 | New Mexico cancer patients have lower survival rate, study findsResearchers at the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM) have found that cancer patients in New Mexico have lower chances of survival when compared to the rest of the nation. |
 | New approach uses magnetic beads to treat preeclampsiaPreliminary laboratory tests show that functionalized magnetic beads successfully reduced blood levels of a harmful molecule that is elevated during preeclampsia, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension. |
 | Home-based cardiac rehabilitation is an option to overcome barriers of traditional cardiac rehabilitationHome based, medically supervised cardiac rehabilitation may be, for some patients, an alternative to traditional medical center cardiac rehabilitation programs after a heart attack or other heart procedure, according to a joint scientific statement from the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. |
 | Autophagy in dendritic cells helps anticancer activityAutophagy contributes to the homeostasis of a cell and recently another function of autophagy has been reported. A KAIST research team found that the autophagy of dendritic cells supports T-cell anticancer activity. |
 | The sounds of orgasms: A study on the sex life of rats informs human sexual behaviourRats have similar physiological reactions to humans when it comes to sex, and perhaps also to orgasm. In fact, a good deal of what we know about what happens in our brains during orgasm comes from the laboratory rat. |
 | Pre–drinking increasing across age groupsInstead of slowing down, New Zealanders appear to increase their pre-drinking after the age of 30, a University of Queensland study has found. |
 | Should we be worried that the chemicals from sunscreen can get into our blood?A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has attracted widespread media attention after it found chemicals contained in sunscreen could get into people's bloodstreams: |
 | The death of a close friend hits unexpectedly hardThe trauma caused by the death of a close friend endures four times longer than previously believed, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). |
 | Fluoride reduces dental risk from minimal and extended breastfeedingCavity-conscious mothers can rest assured their children will not be at increased risk of tooth decay if they can't breastfeed or they want to breastfeed their children for longer—as long as they have access to fluoridated water, research from the University of Adelaide has found. |
 | How mutations lead to neurodegenerative diseaseScientists have discovered how mutations in DNA can cause neurodegenerative disease. The discovery is an important step towards better treatment to slow the progression or delay onset in a range of incurable diseases such as Huntington's and motor neurone disease – possibly through the use, in new ways, of existing anti-inflammatory drugs. |
 | Discovery of a mechanism responsible for chronic inflammation in multiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system turns on its own cells and attacks them for reasons that are not yet known. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur have shown that ancient viruses are involved in the acute inflammatory defense response that may contribute to the disease. |
 | Whole grain can contribute to health by changing intestinal serotonin productionAdults consuming whole grain rye have lower plasma serotonin levels than people eating low-fibre wheat bread, according to a recent study by the University of Eastern Finland and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). In the study, the consumption of cereal fibre from rye or wheat was also found to reduce serotonin levels in the colon of mice. In light of the results, the health benefits of whole grain cereals may be linked, at least in part, to the alteration of serotonin production in the intestines, where the majority of the body's serotonin is produced. The results of were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. |
 | How stress can affect your sleepStress not only harms your well-being but it also can prevent you from getting a reasonable amount of sleep. A Baylor College of Medicine sleep expert explains how stress can interfere with your nighttime schedule and ways you can sleep more when life becomes busy. |
 | A new system for treating type 1 diabetes mellitusType 1 diabetes mellitus (DMT1) contributes to 10 percent of the total of cases of diabetes mellitus worldwide, mainly in young people, and is regarded as a growing health risk. DMT1 is characterised by the self-immune destruction of the pancreatic cells that produce insulin (pancreatic islets), which leads to severe insulin deficiency and which is followed by the raising of blood glucose levels. Right now, the therapy based on insulin injections is the treatment applied in type 1 diabetic patients. As a result, in addition to the medical complications, this treatment requires multiple daily measurements of blood glucose and the lifelong sub-cutaneous administration of insulin. |
 | Inhibitory synapses grow as 'traffic controller' at busy neural intersectionsNeurons pass on information to one another via synapses. The vast majority of these synapses are excitatory, which increase the activity of the receiving neuron. Around 10 to 20 percent of synapses have the opposite effect, and are called inhibitory. Researchers at Utrecht University have discovered that the growth of inhibitory synapses is specifically stimulated in the vicinity of excitatory synapses. The researchers published the results of their research in Cell Reports on 16 April. |
 | Awakening stem cells to unlock the brain's regenerative potentialThe human body has powerful healing abilities. But treating brain disorders is no easy task, as brain cells—neurons—have limited ability to regenerate. Nonetheless, stem cells are a form of natural backup, a vestige of our days as still-developing embryos. |
 | Family dynamics—molecules from the same family have different effects in cancer prognosisResearchers at Hiroshima University have found that different levels of two molecules of the same family—TIMP-1 and TIMP-4—can influence prognosis of liposarcoma. |
 | Quieter intensive care units may translate to better outcomes for infants in new studyExcessive noise is widely known to have negative effects on health, and children in neonatal intensive care units are among the most vulnerable. To help preterm infants make a smooth transition to life outside of the womb, some NICUs have instituted set quiet times to limit children's exposure to potentially dangerous levels of noise. |
 | CBD—it's everywhere, but does it work?(HealthDay)—You would have to be living in a cave to have missed the CBD craze that is sweeping across America: New products are cramming store shelves as the market explodes for what many Americans believe to be a miracle cure-all. |
 | Researcher studies incurable blood disease usually diagnosed in childrenMost people with Fanconi anemia are diagnosed before they turn 12 but don't live past 30. Wei Du—a researcher in the WVU School of Pharmacy and the WVU Cancer Institute—is exploring the metabolic processes the underlie this form of anemia. Her findings may lead to new gene therapies that help patients live better, longer. |
 | The unique harm of sexual abuse in the black communityWhat makes R. Kelly's alleged sexual abuse of black girls different than that of other big-name alleged perpetrators, like Woody Allen? |
 | Psychologists searching for public participants for research project into navigationA groundbreaking study into the cognitive basis of our spatial navigation and sense of direction is searching for volunteers to take part in a series of trials. |
 | Dog disease that can be passed to humans confirmed in IowaOfficials say a dog disease that can be passed to humans has been confirmed in Iowa. |
 | Weight-free strength training(HealthDay)—You don't have to go to the gym for a strength-training workout. With these three moves, your own body weight provides the resistance needed to develop key muscles. |
 | Body adapts, recovers from occasional 'pigging out,' study finds(HealthDay)—It's almost time for long summer weekends and backyard barbecues. And you may be wondering if a day or two of burgers and beers does any long-term damage to your body. |
 | Study shows people fail to recognise male postnatal depressionA new study shows that people are almost twice as likely to correctly identify signs of postnatal depression in women than in men. |
More than 15,000 suicide deaths reported in Ohio over 10 years, an increase of nearly 24 percentWhere does suicide live in Ohio? How old is it? What does it look like? | |
 | Bone cells suppress cancer metastasesIn breast cancer, there are cases of women and men whose cancer returns in their bones 20-30 years after they were treated for their primary disease and thought they were cancer-free. This phenomenon always puzzled Jefferson researcher Karen Bussard, Ph.D. How is it possible that breast cancer cells from a primary tumor are able to reach the bones when a patient is deemed "cancer-free" after treatment? What was happening in bones that allowed the cancer cells to remain there for up to 30 years, alive but in a sleeping state, only to re-awaken decades later? In a step towards answering these questions, Dr. Bussard recently discovered a type of bone cell that can subdue cancer cells, slowing their growth, even in one of the most aggressive types of breast cancer: triple negative. |
 | US measles cases still climbing, topping 800 for yearU.S. health officials say this year's count of measles cases has surpassed 800, a growing tally that is already the nation's highest in 25 years. |
 | Artificial intelligence could select heart failure patients for expensive treatmentArtificial intelligence (AI) has shown promise to select heart failure patients for expensive treatments to prevent lethal arrhythmias, reports a study presented today at ICNC 2019. The study is the first to use a machine learning algorithm to predict sudden death in heart failure patients. |
| Team finds rare gene mutations may prevent heart diseaseTargeting apolipoprotein B (APOB) gene has not been tested in clinical trials for cardiovascular outcomes because of risk of fatty liver disease, but naturally-occurring mutation suggests it may be effective. |
 | Researchers find screenings for social determinants of health need to be tailored to clinicsStudy of community health centers in Boston finds great deal of variation in practice, as well as in provider and staff opinions about what helps or hinders the process. |
 | This may be why slashing salt lowers blood pressureSlash sodium from your diet. That's the advice inevitably given to everyone. |
 | New insights into treatment targets for men with advanced prostate cancersA study published recently in the Journal of Clinical Oncology Precision Oncology, an American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) journal, outlines findings from the largest-ever prospective genomic analysis of advanced prostate cancer tumors. Using comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) to analyze thousands of tumor samples from men with advanced prostate cancers, the researchers identified that 57 percent of the samples evaluated had genomic characteristics that suggested the tumors were candidates for targeted therapies. |
 | Being bullied as a teen is associated with growing up in areas of income inequalityGrowing up in areas with income inequality is associated with being bullied, according to a new study, which surveyed approximately 874,000 children in 40 medium and high income countries in Europe, North America and Israel. |
 | New tool to predict epileptic seizures in pregnancy could save livesA new risk calculator for pregnant women with epilepsy, developed by researchers from Queen Mary University of London, has been found to accurately predict the risk of seizures during pregnancy and up to six weeks after delivery, and could save the lives of mothers and babies. |
 | Want to expand your toddler's vocabulary? Find another childChildren's brains are sponges. These voracious little learners glean all kinds of information from the people around them. In particular, children mimic and learn speech patterns from their family. Previous work has shown that infants attend selectively to their mother's voice over another female's voice. But new research suggests that children learn new words best from other children. |
Q&A: Determining foods to avoid when managing Barrett's esophagusDear Mayo Clinic: I was diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus three months ago and was given some diet instructions, including eliminating alcohol and caffeine. Why is this necessary? Is it still possible for me to have an occasional alcoholic drink? Is decaffeinated coffee OK? | |
Doctor plans to withdraw life support in French right-to-die caseThe doctor of a Frenchman whose family has kept him alive in a vegetative state for a decade has informed them that he plans to take the patient off life support this month, lawyers said Saturday. | |
 | Five things to know about melanoma"Five things to know about ... melanoma" in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) provides a brief overview of this malignant skin cancer for physicians and patients. |
 | In Greece, smoking is alive and kicking despite bansWhen George Balafoutis returned home from New York two years ago, he was shocked to see what little impact nearly a decade of anti-smoking laws had made on stubbing out Greece's favourite guilty pleasure. |
 | Long-term consequences of Zika virus infectionMice exposed to the Zika virus during later stages of gestation present behaviors reminiscent of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to a study of genetically diverse animals. The findings, published in JNeurosci, suggest children exposed to the virus during the 2015-16 epidemic may harbor increased risk for developmental disorders. |
 | Assessment of work-related functional abilities is important in disability determinationAssessments of a person's ability to function at work provide important information for disability determinations, and many validated tests are available to assess work-related physical and mental functions. However, because no single test of function is likely to provide all of the information needed to evaluate an individual's ability to work, it is important to consider information from multiple sources, including health records, functional assessments, and standardized reports from the applicant and relevant health care providers, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. |
New Alzheimer therapy passes another important testThe Alzheimer drug candidate PRI-002 developed at Forschungszentrum Jülich has successfully completed Phase I of clinical research involving healthy volunteers. When administered daily over a period of four weeks, the active substance proved to be safe for use in humans. The next milestone will be the proof of efficacy in patients in clinical Phase II. | |
 | Nipple reconstruction techniques could be improved with 3-D scaffoldsNipple and areola reconstruction is a common breast reconstruction technique, especially for breast cancer patients after mastectomy. However, tissue for grafting is a limiting factor, and there is no gold standard method. Correspondingly, researchers are continuously exploring new methods for the expansion of patient-matched tissue samples and the improvement of cosmetic outcome, and these topics are the focus of a new review article published in Tissue Engineering. |
 | How to cook with luscious lentils(HealthDay)—Lentils are super nutritious legumes that sometimes take a backseat to beans because they're not always as readily available and aren't sold precooked in cans like many beans are. |
 | One in five civil monetary penalties due to EMTALA violations involved psychiatric emergenciesNearly one in five civil monetary penalty settlements related to Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) violations involved psychiatric emergencies. That is the conclusion of a study to be published in the May 2019 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), a journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). Settlements related to psychiatric emergencies were costlier and more often associated with failure to stabilize than for nonpsychiatric emergencies. |
 | Half of all patients with syncope have CT head performed with a yield of 1.2% to 3.8%More than half of patients with syncope underwent CT head with a diagnostic yield of 1.1 percent to 3.8 percent. That is the conclusion of a study to be published in the May 2019 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), a journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). |
 | New recommendations for a thyroid and cardiovascular disease research agendaNew Recommendations for a Thyroid and Cardiovascular Disease Research Agenda have been co-published in Thyroid and Circulation. The Guidelines are published online here in Thyroid. The Guidelines are also copyrighted by the American Heart Association and are being simultaneously published in its journal Circulation. |
Biology news
 | Scientists create new genomic resource for improving tomatoesTomato breeders have traditionally emphasized traits that improve production, like larger fruits and more fruits per plant. As a result, some traits that improved other important qualities, such as flavor and disease resistance, were lost. |
 | Scientists bioengineer a cellular speedometerAn all-Princeton research team has identified bacteria that can detect the speed of flowing fluids. |
 | Catapulting spider winds up web to launch at prey: studyJust when you thought spiders couldn't get any more terrifying. |
 | Human gut microbiome physiology can now be studied in vitro using Organ Chip technologyThe human microbiome, the huge collection of microbes that live inside and on our body, profoundly affects human health and disease. The human gut flora in particular, which harbor the densest number of microbes, not only break down nutrients and release molecules important for our survival but are also key players in the development of many diseases including infections, inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer, metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and neuropsychiatric disorders. |
 | Study uncovers key mechanism that allows some of the world's deadliest viruses to replicateViruses are masterful invaders. They cannibalize host cells by injecting their genetic material, often making thousands of copies of themselves in a single cell to ensure their replication and survival. |
Researchers find evolutionary backing in analysis of mammalian vertebraeDifferences in numbers of vertebrae are most extreme in mammals which do not rely on running and leaping, such as those adapted to suspensory locomotion like apes and sloths, a team of anthropologists has concluded in a study appearing in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. | |
 | Study expands understanding of bacterial communities for global next-generation wastewater treatment and reuse systemsA University of Oklahoma-led interdisciplinary global study expands the understanding of activated sludge microbiomes for next-generation wastewater treatment and reuse systems enhanced by microbiome engineering. Wastewater treatment and reuse are critical to global health and sustaining a world population predicted to reach 10 billion by 2050. |
 | Hong Kong to cull 6,000 pigs as first swine fever case foundHong Kong will cull 6,000 pigs after African swine fever was detected in an animal at a slaughterhouse close to the border with China, the first case of the disease in the densely populated financial hub. |
 | Give 'em shell: turtles stick neck out for Japan rice forecastIn an ancient ceremony that occurs only once every imperial era, Japanese palace courtiers in traditional robes and hats decided on Monday where best to grow royal rice—using shells from endangered turtles. |
 | Mosquito protein controls blood feedingBiting insects use a range of tools when sucking blood from hosts to maximize their chances of a good meal. Only female mosquitos feed on blood, which provides a high level of nutrients for egg production. The saliva of biting insects contains proteins that stop host blood from clotting, keep blood vessels dilated and easily accessible, and prevent inflammatory reactions. |
 | Wild pigs invade Canadian provinces—an emerging crisis for agriculture and the environmentWild pigs—a mix of wild boar and domestic swine—are spreading rapidly across Canada, threatening native species such as nesting birds, deer, agricultural crops, and farm livestock, research by the University of Saskatchewan (USask) shows. |
 | Understanding relationship break-ups to protect the reefUnravelling the secrets of the relationship between coral and the algae living inside it will help prevent coral bleaching, University of Queensland researchers believe. |
 | Bayer admits Monsanto may have other 'watch lists'German chemical giants Bayer admitted Monday its subsidiary Monsanto could have kept lists of key figures—for or against pesticides—"in other European countries", and not just in France. |
Highly endangered Florida grasshopper sparrows reared in captivity are releasedThree of the rarest birds in Florida took an extraordinary adventure this week, slipping out of a large pen into the freedom of an expansive, treeless prairie south of Orlando. | |
37 spotted seal pups rescued from China traffickers releasedAnimal rights groups have cheered the release of 37 spotted seal pups rescued from traffickers into the wild in northern China. | |
 | A late-night disco in the forest reveals tree performanceIn 2017, the group from the Optics of Photosynthesis Lab (OPL) developed a new method to measure a small but important signal produced by all plants, and in this case trees. This signal is called chlorophyll fluorescence and it is an emission of radiation at the visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Chlorophyll fluorescence relates to photosynthesis and the health status of plants, and it can be measured from a distance, for example from towers, drones, aircraft and satellites. Interpretation of the signal is, however, complicated, and so far it has only been possible to measure it within discrete spectral bands from fully-grown trees in the field. |
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