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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 7, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Could this rare supernova resolve a longstanding origin debate?Detection of a supernova with an unusual chemical signature by a team of astronomers led by Carnegie's Juna Kollmeier—and including Carnegie's Nidia Morrell, Anthony Piro, Mark Phillips, and Josh Simon—may hold the key to solving the longstanding mystery that is the source of these violent explosions. Observations taken by the Magellan telescopes at Carnegie's Las Campanas Observatory in Chile were crucial to detecting the emission of hydrogen that makes this supernova, called ASASSN-18tb, so distinctive. |
 | Telescopes in space for even sharper images of black holesAstronomers have just managed to take the first image of a black hole, and now the next challenge facing them is how to take even sharper images, so that Einstein's Theory of General Relativity can be tested. Radboud University astronomers, along with the European Space Agency (ESA) and others, are putting forward a concept for achieving this by launching radio telescopes into space. They publish their plans in the scientific journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. |
 | Study shows long spaceflights lead to increase in brain ventricle sizeA large team of researchers with members from Belgium, Russia, and Germany has found that people who spend a long time aboard the International Space Station experience an increase in the size of some of their brain ventricles. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their study of brain ventricles in cosmonauts that spent a significant amount of time in space, and what they found. |
 | Space Sustainability Rating aims to address growing amount of space debris orbiting earthThe World Economic Forum has announced the introduction of a Space Sustainability Rating (SSR) system to help tackle the problem of space traffic and congestion in the Earth's orbit. The announcement of the SSR and the participating collaborators was made today at the Satellite 2019 conference in Washington, D.C. |
 | Experimental cosmologist group launches its first iterations of space-traveling 'wafercraft'These are the adventures of the "StarChip Wafersize." |
Technology news
 | An approach for securing audio classification against adversarial attacksAdversarial audio attacks are small perturbations that are not perceivable by humans and are intentionally added to audio signals to impair the performance of machine learning (ML) models. These attacks raise serious concerns about the security of ML models, as they can cause them to make mistakes and ultimately generate wrong predictions. |
 | Collision-detecting suitcase, wayfinding app help blind people navigate airportsCarnegie Mellon University researchers say a smart suitcase that warns blind users of impending collisions and a wayfinding smartphone app can help people with visual disabilities navigate airport terminals safely and independently. |
 | Smarter training of neural networksThese days, nearly all the artificial intelligence-based products in our lives rely on "deep neural networks" that automatically learn to process labeled data. |
 | Microsoft to turn next chapter in raising talk to conversationsOn Monday at Build 2019, Microsoft's annual conference for developers, the company showed off the technology for a conversational engine, to integrate with voice assistant Cortana. |
 | San Francisco to join list of those banning cashless storesSan Francisco is about to require brick-and-mortar retailers to take cash as payment, joining Philadelphia and New Jersey in banning a growing paperless practice that critics say discriminates against low-income people who may not have access to credit cards. |
 | Recent airline crashes run against trend toward safer flyingWith plane crashes making headlines over the weekend, one in Florida with no fatalities and another in Russia that killed dozens, travelers might question whether flying has become less safe. |
 | Amazon to open first Go store that accepts cashAmazon launched its high-tech Go convenience store a year ago, where shoppers can pull items off the shelf and walk out. |
 | Google expected to show off new hardware, AI at annual eventGoogle CEO Sundar Pichai is expected to showcase much-anticipated updates to the company's hardware lines and artificial intelligence. |
New open source software eases the pain of multiple UI designsThe time-consuming and labour-intensive task of designing multiple user interfaces for different screen sizes and orientations could become a thing of the past thanks to open-source software that uses a new paradigm to speed up or even automate the process. | |
 | Bypassing popular passwordsEvery year computer security companies share their findings regarding passwords and data breaches. Again and again, they warn computer users to use complex passwords and not to use the same passwords for different accounts. And, yet, data breaches and other sources show that too many people use the same simple passwords repeatedly and that some of those passwords are ludicrously simple, the word "password" or the number "123456" really isn't a password at all given even the least-sophisticated hacking and cracking software available to malicious third parties these days. |
 | Fewer cars a sensible plan for a liveable futureMore shared spaces, safer streets and fewer cars in the city are all part of a newly released ten-year plan by the City of Melbourne. This evening, Town Hall will consider the ambitious draft transport strategy that would boost pedestrian, cycling and tram access across the CBD's Hoddle Grid. |
 | Adding satnav to turn power grids into smart systemsAn ESA-backed project is harnessing satnav to insert an intelligent sense of place and time to power grids, to provide early warning of potentially dangerous electricity network failures. |
 | Porsche fined 535 mn euros over diesel cheatingGerman sports car maker and Volkswagen subsidiary Porsche will pay a 535-million-euro ($598 million) fine over diesel vehicles that emitted more harmful pollutants than allowed, Stuttgart prosecutors said Tuesday. |
 | Driver protests, strikes cast shadow on Uber IPORideshare drivers in major US cities were set to stage a series of strikes and protests Wednesday, casting a shadow over the keenly anticipated Wall Street debut of sector leader Uber. |
 | Bringing out the science of wargamesA first-of-its-kind online game, released publicly today, is poised to revolutionize the field of wargaming. Developed by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, this new multi-player computer game was custom built to explore deterrence and decision-making in an escalating conflict. |
 | Google promises better privacy tools, smarter AI assistantGoogle announced updates for its artificially intelligent voice assistant and new privacy tools to give people more control over how they're being tracked on the go or in their own home. |
 | Monster cartel charge puts brakes on BMW earningsGerman high-end carmaker BMW on Tuesday reported a plunge in profits in the first quarter as it booked a 1.4-billion-euro ($1.6 billion) charge related to an EU cartel probe. |
 | Homemade energy gets boost to go mainstreamNew rules and initiatives to support communities wanting to produce their own renewable energy could help ordinary people play a key role in the European Union's transition to clean energy. |
 | Singapore oulaws 'revenge porn', 'cyber-flashing'Singapore has outlawed "revenge porn" and "cyber-flashing"—sending unsolicited images of one's private parts —the latest country to clamp down on sexual offences committed online. |
 | Teenagers might not report online abuse because they often don't see it as a problemProtecting children from harm online is high on the political agenda right now. The UK government has set out plans to make social media companies legally responsible for protecting users, and MPs have criticised social media platforms for relying on users to report abuse. |
 | Lufthansa eyes Thomas Cook's Condor with buyout offerEuropean airline giant Lufthansa said Tuesday it had offered to buy carrier Condor from British parent company Thomas Cook, opening a new chapter in its fast-paced growth through buyouts. |
 | GM Cruise autonomous vehicle unit gets $1.15B investmentA group of institutional investors is sinking $1.15 billion into GM Cruise LLC, the autonomous vehicle unit of General Motors. |
 | Germany's Siemens says plans to spin off oil and gas unitGerman industrial conglomerate Siemens said Tuesday it plans to spin off its struggling gas and power unit to prepare it for a potential stock market listing next year. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Damaged lungs regenerated in studyA new technique to rehabilitate lungs that are too damaged to be considered for transplant could benefit an increasing population of patients with end-stage lung disease. |
 | Drug-resistant tuberculosis reversed in labAbout 1.5 million people died of tuberculosis (TB) in 2017, making it the most lethal infectious disease worldwide. A growing rise in drug-resistant TB is a major obstacle to successfully treating the illness. |
 | Transplanting gut bacteria alters depression-related behavior, brain inflammation in animalsScientists have shown that transplanting gut bacteria, from an animal that is vulnerable to social stress to a non-stressed animal, can cause vulnerable behavior in the recipient. The research reveals details of biological interactions between the brain and gut that may someday lead to probiotic treatments for human psychiatric disorders such as depression. |
 | Researchers uncover mechanism blocking retina regenerationA discovery opens the possibility of one day restoring loss of vision by activating the retina's ability to regenerate. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the Cardiovascular Research Institute and the Texas Heart Institute reveal in the journal Cell Reports that although the mammalian retina—a layer of specialized nerve cells that mediates vision and is located on the back of the eye- does not spontaneously regenerate, it has a regenerative capacity that is kept dormant by a cellular mechanism called the Hippo pathway. The discovery opens the possibility of activating the retina's ability to restore lost vision by manipulating this pathway. |
 | Scientists pinpoint potential new target for regulating inflammationScientists from Trinity College Dublin have discovered a potential new target for regulating inflammation, which drives a range of diseases including diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer's. The potential target is an ancient immune protein—SARM—that has been conserved throughout evolution and thus is very similar in humans, other mammals, flies and worms. |
 | Key step in transformation of B cells to antibody-secreting cells describedImmunologist Frances Lund, Ph.D., and colleagues have detailed the role of a key controlling factor in the transformation of B cells into antibody-secreting cells, the cells that produce antibodies to fight invading pathogens like viruses. The key controlling factor also is needed for memory B cells to respond to a second, subsequent infection by a pathogen. |
 | Detailed brain map uncovers hidden immune cells that may be involved in neurodegenerative disordersBrains contain a variety of immune cells that play an important role for brain function. A team led by Prof. Kiavash Movahedi (VIB Center for Inflammation Research at VUB) has developed a comprehensive cell atlas of the brain's immune compartment. This revealed not only the striking diversity of brain macrophages, but also uncovered microglia where they were not expected. Remarkably, these previously unknown microglia showed a clear resemblance to microglia that are normally associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The new insights are important for understanding the role of macrophages in healthy brain physiology and for developing future treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. |
 | New molecule maps cerebrovascular systemBrazilian and U.S. researchers have developed a molecule called FRW that proved capable of binding to blood vessels in the brain but not in other organs when injected into the bloodstream in tests with mice. They used the technique to produce the first ever complete map of the vasculature of the brain, paving the way for the creation of novel diagnostic imaging strategies and therapies for diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. |
 | Neurons that encode sweetness identified in miceResearchers from the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Japan have identified the neurons responsible for relaying sweet taste signals to the gustatory thalamus and cortex in mice. While the peripheral taste system has been extensively investigated, relatively little is known about the contribution of CNS gustatory neurons in the sensation of taste. In this new study, researchers have identified neurons in the brainstem that are responsible for encoding sweet tastes. |
 | Research on repetitive worm behavior may have implications for understanding human diseaseRepetition can be useful if you're trying to memorize a poem, master a guitar riff, or just cultivate good habits. When this kind of behavior becomes compulsive, however, it can get in the way of normal life—an impediment sometimes observed in psychiatric illnesses like Tourette's syndrome and autism spectrum disorders. Now, Rockefeller scientists have identified a brain circuit that underlies repetition in worms, a finding that may ultimately shed light on similar behavior in humans. |
 | Newer diabetes drugs linked to 'flesh-eating' genital infectionSay you have type 2 diabetes and you are taking a newer class of medications to treat your disease—but one day you notice pain, redness and a foul odor in your genital area. |
 | Why visual stimulation may work against Alzheimer'sSeveral years ago, MIT neuroscientists showed that they could dramatically reduce the amyloid plaques seen Alzheimer's disease in mice simply by exposing the animals to light flickering at a specific frequency. |
 | Scientists discover new antibiotic resistance geneWhile sifting through the bacterial genome of salmonella, Cornell food scientists discovered mcr-9, a new, stealthy jumping gene so diabolical and robust that it resists one of the world's few last-resort antibiotics. |
 | Prison tobacco ban significantly reduces secondhand smokeLevels of second-hand smoke in Scotland's prisons fell by more than 80 percent in the week after smoking was banned, according to new University of Stirling research. |
Study shows adult tourniquet suitable for school-age childrenResearchers with Nemours Children's Health System have shown the effectiveness of an adult tourniquet for use in children, according to a study published today by the journal Pediatrics. While developed for adults, the military's Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) is effective in controlling blood flow in children's arms and legs, as measured by Doppler pulse, in 100 percent of cases involving upper extremities and 93 percent for lower extremities. This is the first, prospective study on the device's use in children. Past anecdotal, retrospective reports from international warzones have indicated the CAT is being used in pediatric trauma cases. | |
 | Side-by-side comparison on point of care tests for blood's ability to clotDuring big procedures like open heart surgery, patients need anticoagulants to prevent dangerous blood clot formation and regular bedside monitoring to make sure the drugs aren't also causing problems like excessive bleeding. |
 | A moody gut often accompanies depression—new study helps explain whyFor people with depression, gastrointestinal distress is a common additional burden, and a new study suggests that for some, the two conditions arise from the same glitch in neuron chemistry—low serotonin. |
 | Alternative treatment for anxiety proves effective for the most difficult casesHelping children diagnosed with anxiety hone their attention shows promising results for recovery, according to a new study by researchers at Florida International University's Center for Children and Families. |
 | Arsenic in drinking water may change heart structureDrinking water that is contaminated with arsenic may lead to thickening of the heart's main pumping chamber in young adults, a structural change that increases the risk for future heart problems, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, an American Heart Association journal. |
 | Meatsplainer: How new plant-based burgers compare to beefIf you want to skip meat, a new era of options is here. |
 | Chemists study new cancer therapiesFor the last 10 years, Edith (Phoebe) Glazer, an associate professor of biological chemistry in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, has focused on creating new cancer therapies. As an inorganic chemist, she knows there is both a good and bad history of inorganic chemistry in cancer therapies. Drugs made from platinum are effective and successful. Cisplatin remains one of the most commonly used chemotherapy drugs, but Glazer says there hasn't been a significantly better inorganic drug produced in the cancer field in the last 30 years. She is working hard to remedy that and develop a research platform where inorganic chemistry and the features of inorganic compounds can be used to make better, more selective anticancer agents. |
 | Use of supportive palliative care lags for heart patientsWhile heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, relatively few of these patients receive a referral to palliative care focusing on quality of life and value-based treatment decisions. |
Technology better than tape measure for identifying lymphedema riskBioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) is better than a tape measure for assessing a woman's risk for developing lymphedema after breast cancer surgery, according to interim results of a study led by Sheila Ridner, Ph.D., RN, Martha Ingram Professor and director of the Ph.D. in Nursing Science Program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. | |
 | Teenage pregnancy doesn't have to mean catastrophe—research shows it can be an opportunityThe idea of having a baby as a teenager often is viewed as both a personal catastrophe and a social problem. This is probably why the continuing decline in teenage births in Britain – which is now at the lowest level since records began – is presented as a policy triumph. But research tells a different story. |
 | Empathy in healthcare is finally making a comebackA doctor friend – let's call her Anne – was teaching three smart medical students who were told to diagnose a woman complaining of nonspecific pain and anxiety. After 20 minutes of questions, the students wrote seven pages of notes and recommended two drugs: a painkiller and an antidepressant. Anne considered the students' analysis and agreed that it was based on sound medical evidence. But something told her there was more to the story. |
 | The hazards of living on the right side of a time zone borderThe sun both rises and sets later in the western parts of time zones, by about an hour at the extremes. If sunrise in Nashville, Tennessee is 6:30 a.m., it's about 7:30 a.m. in Amarillo, Texas. Similarly, if sunset in Nashville is 8 p.m., it's about 9 p.m. in Amarillo. Yet both are in the Central time zone. |
 | Robotic health care is coming to a hospital near youMedical robots are helping doctors and other professionals save time, lower costs and shorten patient recovery times, but patients may not be ready. Our research into human perceptions of automated health care finds that people are wary of getting their health care from an automated system, but that they can adjust to the idea – especially if it saves them money. |
 | New guidelines outline methods to manage Tourette syndrome and other tic disordersThe common symptom of tics for those living with Tourette syndrome can sometimes interrupt a person's life, and for some, the condition also may come with other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. New guidelines by the American Academy of Neurology outline effective ways to treat the symptoms that range from new therapies to holistic care. |
 | We're developing the world's first vaccine suitable for humans and livestockIf ever there were proof that humans are animals too, it's in the diseases that we share with other species. From rabies and Zika to Ebola and bird flu, many deadly diseases around the world can pass between animals and people. |
 | Three ways to improve focus and concentration(HealthDay)—Do you get distracted easily or find that it's getting harder to stay focused on a task at hand or retain new information? These issues can happen to anyone, though they may seem to be more troublesome with advancing age. |
 | Can social media lead to eating disorders?(HealthDay)—Traditional media, including TV and magazine ads, tend to portray ideals of physical perfection that can fuel worries about body image and eating disorders. A study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that spending hours on social media is linked to these issues, too. |
 | CDC: Number of measles cases in the united states reaches 764(HealthDay)—At least 60 more measles cases have been reported in the United States, bringing the total so far this year to 764, health officials said Monday. |
 | FDA: French soft ripened cheese possibly contaminated(HealthDay)—Consumers should not eat and retailers should not sell or serve l'Explorateur soft ripened cheese due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. |
 | FDA approves treatments for heart failure caused by rare disease(HealthDay)—Vyndaqel (tafamidis meglumine) and Vyndamax (tafamidis) capsules have been approved to treat adults with cardiomyopathy caused by transthyretin mediated amyloidosis (ATTR-CM), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today. |
 | Novel artificial intelligence method predicts future risk of breast cancerResearchers from two major institutions have developed a new tool with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) methods to predict a woman's future risk of breast cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology. |
 | Obesity reprograms immune cells in breasts to promote tumor formationSmoking has long been the biggest cause of cancer in the United States, but obesity, now the second leading cause, has been gaining ground. A new study from researchers at the University of Chicago finds that women with breast cancer, the most common cancer among women, are at even higher risk from obesity. |
Health professionals wary of medicinal cannabis misuse and adverse effectsA Queensland University of Technology analysis of studies gauging attitudes to medicinal cannabis has found that while health professionals are broadly supportive, they feel they lack clinical and legislative knowledge, and their greatest concerns are the psychiatric harm that may be caused to patients and misuse by recreational drug users. | |
 | Alternative treatment for epileptic seizures in children identifiedA new study published in The Lancet, involving researchers from the University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children's Hospital Trust, has identified a 'user friendly' treatment for the most common life-threatening neurological emergency in children. |
 | Stem cells make more 'cargo' packets to carry cellular aging therapiesJohns Hopkins scientists report that adult cells reprogrammed to become primitive stem cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), make tiny "cargo packets" able to deliver potentially restorative or repairing proteins, antibodies or other therapies to aged cells. They say the human iPSCs they studied produced much more of the packets, formally known as extracellular vesicles, than other kinds of adult stem cells commonly used for this purpose in research. |
 | Can a mobile phone-based behavioral intervention affect weight regain?A scalable, mobile phone-based intervention designed to slow weight regain after an initial weight loss had no significant effect on participants' weight, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine by Falko Sniehotta from Newcastle University, UK and colleagues. |
Patients of medicare providers committing fraud, abuse more likely to be poor, disabledA new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health analyzed providers excluded from Medicare for fraud and abuse, and found that the patients they treated prior to being banned were more likely to be minorities, disabled and dually-enrolled in Medicaid to supplement financial assistance for health care. | |
 | Eye's vulnerability to macular degeneration revealedScientists have found significant differences in the shape and biology of the same type of cell taken from different parts of the retina, according to a study in eLife. |
 | Challenging metabolism may help fight diseaseNew research by Swansea University academics has shown that harnessing metabolism at a cellular level may help to relieve or heal a range of disorders. |
Patients insured by marketplace health plan less likely to receive a medical appointmentAmong adults with mental health needs, those covered by Medicare or employer-sponsored health insurance have greater access to medical treatment, less out-of-pocket cost and are more likely to receive care than those seeking an appointment through an Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace-sponsored plan, according to findings from researchers at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health. Their study, published in the May 2019 issue of Health Affairs, provides preliminary results on disparities among those experiencing psychological stress since the ACA became law in 2010. | |
 | Electroconvulsive therapy reboots certain brain networks to help depressed individualsElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT) helps people with severe depression by "pushing the reset button" on brain networks involved in creating a mental picture, according to recent Baycrest findings. |
 | Teen girls more vulnerable to bullying than boysGirls are more often bullied than boys and are more likely to consider, plan, or attempt suicide, according to research led by a Rutgers University-Camden nursing scholar. |
 | Everyday stress may boost blood vessel dysfunction in people with depressionLong-term stress has been linked with cardiovascular disease, but for people with depression, researchers say small, everyday stressors may be enough to diminish blood vessel function in otherwise healthy adults. |
New treatment for severe dry eye disease promising in early clinical trialsParticipants in a phase I/II clinical trial of a new enzyme-based treatment for severe dry eye disease experienced reduced signs of disease and discomfort, according to a paper in Translational Vision Science and Technology. | |
 | Colorado nail salon workers face chronic air pollution, elevated cancer riskColorado nail salon employees face increased health risks due to high levels of indoor airborne pollutants such as formaldehyde and benzene, new University of Colorado Boulder research finds, concluding that working in a salon is akin to working at an oil refinery or an auto garage. |
 | 3-D 'mini-gut' model reflects autoimmune response to gluten in celiac patient tissueIn pursuit of a novel tool for the research and treatment of celiac disease, scientists at the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center (MIBRC) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have validated the use of intestinal organoids. These three-dimensional tissue cultures are miniature, simplified versions of the intestine produced in vitro. Taking tissue from duodenal biopsies of celiac and non-celiac patients, researchers created the "mini-guts" to explore how the gut epithelium and microbiota-derived molecules respond to gluten, a complex class of proteins found in wheat and other grains. |
 | Does insulin resistance cause fibromyalgia?Researchers led by a team from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston were able to dramatically reduce the pain of fibromyalgia patients with medication that targeted insulin resistance. |
 | Security cameras in nursing homes aim to protect the vulnerable but present ethical dilemmasFor many people who care for aging parents, one solution is a safe, responsible nursing home. |
 | Groundbreaking study could lead to fast, simple test for Ebola virusIn a breakthrough that could lead to a simple and inexpensive test for Ebola virus disease, researchers have generated two antibodies to the deadly virus. |
 | Train your brain to eat less sugarMore than half of American adults consume excess added sugars, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Major dietary guidelines recommend limiting foods high in added sugars. A recent study led by Evan Forman, Ph.D., a psychology professor in Drexel University's College of Arts and Sciences, shows that a computer game can be used to train its players to eat less sugar, as way of reducing their weight and improving their health. |
 | WHO urges broader use of Ebola vaccine as DR Congo case numbers climbThe World Health Organization on Tuesday urged a dramatic broadening of Ebola vaccination in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the latest outbreak of the virus has killed more than 1,000 people. |
 | Could adding minerals to drinking water fight high blood pressure?If you have high blood pressure, chances are you've been told to cut back on salt. You might even be taking medication. These are good strategies, as nearly half of all adults in the United States work to keep hypertension at bay. |
 | Weight before pregnancy most important to risk for complications(HealthDay)—Expectant mothers and doctors have focused a lot on how much a woman gains during pregnancy, but new research suggests how much a woman weighs before getting pregnant may be far more important. |
Many pregnancy-related maternal deaths occur months after delivery: CDC(HealthDay)—Too many women still die from pregnancy-related causes, some up to a year after delivery, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. | |
 | In men, low BMI tied to later inflammatory bowel disease(HealthDay)—Low body mass index (BMI) among men entering adult life is associated with an increased incidence of Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) up to 40 years later, according to a study published online April 23 in Scientific Reports. |
 | Efforts needed to ensure publication of all trials(HealthDay)—Efforts are needed to ensure all completed large trials are reported, according to a research letter published online May 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Fewer than half of British men and women have sex at least once a weekFewer than half of men and women in Britain aged 16-44 have sex at least once a week, reveals a large study published by The BMJ today. |
Denver voters to decide legalizing 'magic mushrooms'Voters decide this week whether Denver will become the first U.S. city to decriminalize the use of psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in "magic mushrooms." | |
Circulating tumor DNA gives treatment options for the most common ovarian cancer typeAccording to a new research, circulating tumor DNA can be used detect treatment options for ovarian cancer patients who don't benefit from chemotherapy. | |
Bullying among adolescents hurts both the victims and the perpetratorsName-calling, hair pulling and cyberbullying: About one-tenth of adolescents around the globe have been victims of psychological or physical violence from classmates at least once in their lives. A new study carried out by researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) has shown that victims and their perpetrators both suffer as a result of these attacks. They are more inclined to consume alcohol and tobacco, are more likely to complain of psychosomatic problems, and their chances of having problems with their social environment increase. In the journal Children and Youth Services Review, the researchers argue for prevention programmes to place more emphasis on cohesion within the classroom. | |
 | How Rwanda could be the first country to wipe out cervical cancerGirls began queuing at their local school with their friends, waiting for their names to be called. Many were apprehensive. After all, most of them had not had a vaccination since they were babies. It was 2013 and a new vaccine had arrived in Kanyirabanyana, a village in the Gakenke district of Rwanda. Reached by a reddened earth road, the village is surrounded by rolling hills and plantations growing crops from bananas to potatoes. Unlike the 10 vaccines already offered to young children as part of the country's immunisation programme, this vaccine was different: it was being offered to older girls, age 11–12, in the final year of primary school. |
 | Tumor mutations may predict response to immunotherapyMismatch repair deficiency refers to a characteristic of some cancer cells that create a large number of mutations, or changes, in certain genes when their mismatch repair proteins are unable to correct mistakes made when DNA is copied and passed on to daughter cells. Tumor cells with many such mutations create what is known as microsatellite instability and a worsening inability to correct those DNA mistakes. And, because defective genes can cause both inherited and noninherited (or sporadic) forms of cancer, they are used as biomarkers for diagnostic screening and chemotherapy treatment planning. |
 | Congo ebola outbreak death toll surpasses 1,000(HealthDay)—The death toll in the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo now stands at 1,008, the country's health minister reported. |
Apalutamide in prostate cancer: indication of considerable added benefitDo adult men with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have a high risk of developing metastases benefit from treatment with apalutamide—or would they do better to simply continue their conventional androgen deprivation therapy? The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) addressed this question in an early benefit assessment. Analysis of the data from the ongoing randomized controlled trial SPARTAN resulted in an indication of a considerable added benefit of the new drug. | |
Frequency and outcomes of new suspicious lesions on breast MRI in neoadjuvant therapyDuring neoadjuvant chemotherapy, new suspicious findings detected on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during neoadjuvant therapy are most likely benign, according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2019 Annual Meeting, set for May 5-10 in Honolulu, HI. | |
Rate of radiology resident recognition of non-accidental traumaRadiology residency programs nationwide are not adequately teaching residents to accurately recognize and report child abuse, according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2019 Annual Meeting, set for May 5-10 in Honolulu, HI. | |
Utilization and cancer yield of BI-RADS 3 lesions detected on high risk screening breast MRIWhen appropriate, short-interval follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to identify early stage breast cancer and avoid unnecessary biopsies, according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2019 Annual Meeting, set for May 5-10 in Honolulu, HI. | |
Percutaneous ablation vs. surgery for hepatocellular carcinomaCompared to surgery, percutaneous liver ablation interventions (IRs) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are associated with lower inhospital mortality, length of hospital stay (LOS), and hospitalization costs, according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2019 Annual Meeting, set for May 5-10 in Honolulu, HI. | |
 | Lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents at elevated risk for engaging in polysubstance useIn a new study among adolescents in the United States, lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents were more likely than heterosexual adolescents to be polysubstance users versus non-users across multiple classes of use: experimental users, marijuana-alcohol users, tobacco-alcohol users, medium-frequency three-substance users, and high-frequency three-substance users. In general, sexual orientation identity differences in polysubstance use class membership were larger for females, especially bisexual females, than for males. The findings regarding sexual orientation disparities in polysubstance use are reported in an article published in LGBT Health. |
Biology news
 | Merging cell datasets, panorama styleA new algorithm developed by MIT researchers takes cues from panoramic photography to merge massive, diverse cell datasets into a single source that can be used for medical and biological studies. |
 | Fat fruit flies: High-sugar diet deadens sweet tooth; promotes overeating, obesity in fliesSome research suggests that one reason people with obesity overeat is because they don't enjoy food—especially sweets—as much as lean people. |
 | New discovery could alleviate salty soil symptoms in food cropsNew research published in Nature Scientific Reports (opens in new window) has found that a hormone produced by plants under stress can be applied to crops to alleviate the damage caused by salty soils. The team of researchers from Western Sydney University and the University of Queensland identified a naturally-occurring chemical in plants that reduces the symptoms of salt stress in plants when applied to soil, enabling the test plants to increase their growth by up to 32 times compared with untreated plants. |
 | Bacterial toxin research could improve pesticides and help treat cancerResearch into an intricate toxin delivery system found in bacteria could overcome the problem of pesticide resistance in insects, and might even lead to new cancer treatments. |
 | Surface protein editing in bacteriaUniversity of Minnesota researchers have discovered this previously unknown signaling pathway that regulates surface proteins on bacteria that can lead to new targets for antibiotics. |
 | Canada lists three whale species as threatenedCanadian scientists on Monday listed three types of whale that swim its waters, including two of the world's largest species, as threatened. |
 | Lions vs. porcupines—Historical records show what leads lions to hunt porcupines and what happens when they doNot much can mess with a lion. They're four-hundred-pound top predators, bringing down large prey like wildebeests, zebras, and even giraffes. But they're not invincible—a new study delves into the interactions between lions and porcupines, and shows how these spiky, cocker spaniel-sized critters can come out on top. |
 | Two flower species show that close relatives can coexistScientists have discovered how two closely-related species of Asiatic dayflower can coexist in the wild despite their competitive relationship. Through a combination of field surveys and artificial pollination experiments, the new study shows that while reproductive interference exists between the two species,Commelina communis and Commelina communis forma ciliata, both can counter the negative effects of this interference through self-fertilization. |
A scientist's work to protect the pork industry from virus outbreaksIn 2015, an outbreak of bird flu destroyed more than 50 million chickens and turkeys in the United States. Within a matter of months, affected states reeled from the overwhelming damage: in Iowa alone, economic losses were estimated at $1.2 billion, and thousands of jobs were lost. | |
 | Pesticide research must stay transparent and independentFew people would make an important purchase on trust alone. The same logic applies to pesticides. |
 | New species of fish parasite named after Xena, the warrior princessA study of parasitic crustaceans attaching themselves inside the branchial cavities (the gills) of their fish hosts was recently conducted in order to reveal potentially unrecognised diversity of the genus Elthusa in South Africa. |
Vaccine for African swine fever may save our baconWild boar can be immunized against African Swine Fever by a new vaccine delivered to the animals in their food, says new research. Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, it is the first report of a promising inoculation against this deadly disease, which is a worldwide threat to the swine industry. The study also provides evidence that this immunity can be passed on via contact with immunized individuals, but further studies are needed to examine exactly how this occurs, as well as the safety of repeated administration. | |
 | How birdwatchers can help threatened bird populationsThe types of birds coming through your neighborhood are probably changing, and so is the timing of their migrations. Birdwatchers noticing these differences are on the front line in figuring out how climate change and more severe weather events are putting stress on bird populations. |
 | Seed abortion and the role of RNA Pol IV in seed developmentASPB is pleased to announce the publication in The Plant Cell of important research that explores the cause of seed abortion and the role of the enzyme RNA Pol IV to understand how seed development works. |
 | Study explores genetics behind evolution of flightless birdsSince Darwin's era, scientists have wondered how flightless birds like emus, ostriches, kiwis, cassowaries, and others are related, and for decades the assumption was that they must all share a common ancestor who abandoned the skies for a more grounded life. |
 | Three lions rescued in Albania sent to the NetherlandsThree lions, rescued in October from a private zoo in Albania where they were kept in "hellish" conditions were transported Tuesday to the Netherlands, an animal welfare organisation said. |
 | Southern African leaders seek ways to manage elephant populationsLeaders from four southern African countries held talks in Botswana on Tuesday to better manage the world's largest concentration of elephants, amid growing concerns over poaching, loss of habitat, and conflict with humans. |
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