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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 10, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Observations unveil chemical structure of the protoplanetary disk Oph-IRS 67Using the Submillimeter Array (SMA), astronomers have conducted a molecular line study of the protoplanetary disk Oph-IRS 67, uncovering essential information about its chemical structure. Results of this study were presented in a paper published June 3 on the arXiv pre-print server. |
 | Astronomers determine mass of small black hole at center of nearby galaxyIf astronomers want to learn about how supermassive black holes form, they have to start small—really small, astronomically speaking. |
 | Technique pulls interstellar magnetic fields within easy reachA new, more accessible and much cheaper approach to surveying the topology and strength of interstellar magnetic fields—which weave through space in our galaxy and beyond, representing one of the most potent forces in nature—has been developed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. |
 | New study dramatically narrows the search for advanced life in the universeScientists may need to rethink their estimates for how many planets outside our solar system could host a rich diversity of life. |
 | Mass anomaly detected under the moon's largest craterA mysterious large mass of material has been discovered beneath the largest crater in our solar system—the Moon's South Pole-Aitken basin—and may contain metal from the asteroid that crashed into the Moon and formed the crater, according to a Baylor University study. |
 | Spectrographic analysis yields empirical benchmark for newborn 'hot Jupiter'CI Tau b is a paradoxical planet, but new research about its mass, brightness and the carbon monoxide in its atmosphere is starting to answer questions about how a planet so large could have formed around a star that's only 2 million years old. |
 | Trump says NASA should stop talking about going back to the MoonUS President Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that NASA should stop talking about going back to the Moon, which caused confusion since his administration aims to restart Moon landings by 2024. |
 | How satellites can improve the health of city dwellersMost people get a health boost from exercise. But for those with heart disease or a lung condition such as asthma, exercising during periods of high urban air pollution can exacerbate rather than improve their condition. |
 | Hayabusa2 drops target marker at asteroid RyuguThe Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has made some impressive feats in recent years. Roughly one year ago, and following in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Hayabusa2 spacecraft successfully rendezvoused with a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) called 162173 Ryugu. Since then, it has been collecting samples from the surface in the hopes of learning more about the formation and evolution of the solar system. |
 | There's only a 1 in 7000 chance an asteroid will hit the Earth in SeptemberWhenever scientists announce an upcoming close encounter with an asteroid, certain corners of the internet light up like the synaptic rush that accompanies a meth binge, with panicky headlines shouted straight from the brain stem. But never mind that. We're not that corner of the internet. We're sober, yo! |
 | Optimizing operations for an unprecedented view of the universeUnder construction on a remote ridge in the Chilean Andes, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will boast the world's largest digital camera, helping researchers detect objects at the solar system's edge and gain insights into the structure of our galaxy and the nature of dark energy. |
 | Hubble survey captures iconic spiral galaxy NGC 2903The iconic appearance of a spiral galaxy is exemplified here in the form of the stunning NGC 2903, imaged by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. It shows off whirling, pinwheeling arms with scatterings of sparkling stars, glowing bursts of gas, and dark, weaving lanes of cosmic dust. |
 | 'First light' achieved on upgraded planet-finding instrument to search for Earth-like planets in nearest star systemNewly-built planet-finding instrument installed on Very Large Telescope, Chile, begins 100-hour observation of nearby stars Alpha Centauri A and B, aiming to be first to directly image a habitable exoplanet |
Technology news
 | PoseRBPF: A new particle filter for 6D object pose trackingResearchers at NVIDIA, University of Washington, Stanford University, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have recently developed a Rao-Blackwellized particle filter for 6-D pose tracking, called PoseRBPF. The approach can effectively estimate the 3-D translation of an object and its full distribution over the 3-D rotation. The paper describing this filter, pre-published on arXiv, will be presented at the upcoming Robotics Science and Systems Conference in Freiburg, Germany. |
 | Video games battle for the cloud as industry girds for changeThe knock-down, drag-out battle in the video game world heads to the cloud as the premier industry event looks to adapt to a consumer shift to streaming services. |
 | Researchers show glare of energy consumption in the name of deep learningWait, what? Creating an AI can be way worse for the planet than a car? Think carbon footprint. That is what a group at the University of Massachusetts Amherst did. They set out to assess the energy consumption that is needed to train four large neural networks. |
 | Microsoft gives glimpse of new Xbox consoleMicrosoft on Sunday gave the world a first glimpse of a powerful next-generation Xbox gaming console that it aims to release late next year. |
 | UN-ish speeches cooked by artificial intelligence are quite credibleThose who worry about artificial intelligence being so good it spins out of control into making humans robo-victims of cooked lies posing as truth had best ignore the recent study which is sure to disturb their sleep. The paper looks at a successful implementation of AI-generated speeches. |
 | Magnetism: An unexpected push for the hydrogen economyHumankind has entered uncharted territory: atmospheric CO2 levels have soared to a record-breaking 415 ppm for the first time in human history. The need to find a sustainable alternative to CO2-producing fuels is urgent. One of the most promising and environmentally friendly energetic sources is hydrogen generated via water splitting, the reaction in which water is broken down into oxygen and hydrogen. Now, researchers from the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia are bringing this hydrogen economy one step closer in an unexpected way. |
 | Light energy and biomass can be converted to diesel fuel and hydrogenA research group led by Professor Wang Feng at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently developed a method to produce diesel fuel and hydrogen by exploiting light energy (solar energy or artificial light energy) and biomass-derived feedstocks. Their findings were published in Nature Energy. |
 | Machine learning approach for low-dose CT imaging yields superior resultsMachine learning has the potential to vastly advance medical imaging, particularly computerized tomography (CT) scanning, by reducing radiation exposure and improving image quality. |
 | US moves to tackle scourge of 'robocalls'"Hello? Who's calling?" For many Americans these days, the call is coming from a "bot" or automated program that seeks to trick them into giving up money or important personal data. |
 | 'Hurry up!': G20 urged to speed up digital taxTop G20 finance officials agreed Saturday there was an urgent need to find a global system to tax internet giants like Google and Facebook but clashed on the best way to do it. |
 | Uber chief tightens grip with top execs' departuresUber chief Dara Khosrowshahi put out word Friday that he is tightening his grip on the wheel at the ride-share firm in the wake of a bumpy stock market debut. |
China to set up system to safeguard technology securityChina plans to establish a system to ensure "national security" in technology, state media reported Saturday amid an expanding trade war with the United States which has snared Chinese tech titan Huawei. | |
 | US-China trade war sparks worries about rare mineralsRising trade tensions between the U.S. and China have sparked worries about the 17 exotic-sounding rare earth minerals needed for high-tech products like robotics, drones and electric cars. |
 | Huawei turns to Africa to offset US blacklistAs the US leads a drive for the West to shun Huawei over security fears, the Chinese tech giant has sought to strengthen its position in Africa, where it is already well-established. |
 | How Qantas and other airlines decide whether to fly near volcanoesMount Agung volcano in Bali, Indonesia, has been erupting intermittently since November 2017. The volcano erupted six times in the last month and resulted in the cancellation and delay of some flights in and out of Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport. |
 | Training robots to relieve chronic painResearchers at Swinburne have developed a collaborative robot system to automatically treat back, neck and head pain caused by soft tissue injury. |
 | Machine behavior: A field of study to explore intelligent machines as independent agentsIn 1969, artificial-intelligence pioneer and Nobel laureate Herbert Simon proposed a new science, one that approached the study of artificial objects just as one would study natural objects. |
 | New look at old data leads to cleaner enginesNew insights about how to understand and ultimately control the chemistry of ignition behavior and pollutant formation have been discovered in research led by Sandia National Laboratories. The discovery eventually will lead to cleaner, more efficient internal combustion engines. |
 | Car ownership is likely to become a thing of the past—and so could public transportThe car is set to undergo a massive transformation in the coming years, as automation gradually eliminates the need for drivers, and electric and hybrid vehicles occupy a growing share of the global market. But, in a future where autonomous cars arrive on demand to take you where you need to go, there seems little point in owning one. |
 | Lettuce have it: Machine learning for cr-optimizationAt Earlham Institute (EI), artificial intelligence based techniques such as machine learning is moving from being merely an exciting premise to having real-life applications, where it's needed most: improving efficiency and precision on the farm. |
 | Fiat Chrysler taps Aurora for self-driving commercial vehiclesFiat Chrysler Automobiles said Monday it would develop self-driving systems for its commercial vehicles in partnership with Aurora Innovation, a tech startup led by a former Google car executive. |
 | Media group study finds Google makes billions from newsGoogle took in some $4.7 billion in revenue in 2018 from "crawling and scraping" news websites without paying publishers, according to an industry-sponsored study released Monday which was disputed by the tech giant and media analysts. |
 | Supreme Court sides with Alabama company in patent disputeThe Supreme Court sided Monday with an Alabama technology company over the U.S. Postal Service in a patent dispute. |
Wracked by an opioid scandal, Insys files for bankruptcyAmerican drug maker Insys announced on Monday it was filing for bankruptcy and will sell its assets as it faces legal and financial fallout from its role in the opioid crisis. | |
 | Clarifying the economic value of adjusting power consumptionSince the output of renewable energy such as photovoltaic generation tends to fluctuate, the power system can be viewed as a large-scale complex system with uncertainty. To stabilize the balance of supply and demand of electricity, we need an energy management system to control this. In recent years, energy management systems have been actively researched against the background of the liberalization of power and the spread of smart meters that visualize the power consumption. Koichi Kobayashi, associate professor at Hokkaido University, Shun-ichi Azuma, professor at Nagoya University, and Nobuyuki Yamaguchi, associate professor at Tokyo University of Science etc. developed demand response analysis and control technologies focusing on time-varying power generation costs. |
 | Cyber of the fittest: Researchers develop first cyber agility framework to measure attacksFor more than a year, GozNym, a gang of five Russian cyber criminals, stole login credentials and emptied bank accounts from unaware Americans. To detect and quickly respond to escalating cyber-attacks like these, researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) have developed the first framework to score the agility of cyber attackers and defenders. The cyber agility project was funded by the Army Research Office. |
 | Apple lets users track menstrual period cycles on Health app, Watch with software updateWithin the variety of announcements made at the Worldwide Developers Conference this week, Apple revealed it will be adding new menstrual tracking software to the Health app with the upcoming iOS 13 and Watch OS 6 update. |
 | How cryptocurrency discussions spreadA rapidly increasing percentage of the world's population is connected to the global information environment. At the same time, the information environment is enabling social interactions that are radically changing how and at what rate information spreads. As part of an effort to understand communication patterns and build a quantitative framework for how this information expands online, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, recently examined cryptocurrency discussion threads on Reddit. Their findings, presented at the Web Conference 2019, not only shed light on how cryptocurrency discussions spread but could inform artificial intelligence applications for modeling information spread across internet social environments to help identify and model criminal activities by state and non-state actors exploiting cryptocurrencies. |
 | Google walkout organizer quits, citing retaliation fearA Google worker who helped organize a massive walkout to protest the company's handling of sexual misconduct said Friday she had quit her job. |
 | France ready to cut Renault stake to shore up Nissan partnership: ministerFrance is ready to consider cutting its stake in Renault in the interests of consolidating the automaker's alliance with Nissan, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Saturday. |
 | Raytheon and United Technologies announce merger (Update)Raytheon and United Technologies announced on Sunday that they will merge, creating a behemoth American aeronautics and defense company. |
 | Renault warns Nissan it will block governance reshuffleFrench carmaker Renault has warned its alliance partner Nissan that it will block the Japanese auto firm's plan to overhaul its governance structure, Nissan confirmed Monday, a move it called "regrettable." |
 | Kim Dotcom fights US extradition in New Zealand's top courtInternet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom and three of his former colleagues on Monday took their fight against being extradited to the U.S. to New Zealand's top court. |
 | Salesforce buying Tableau Software in $15.7B all-stock dealCustomer-management software developer Salesforce is buying Tableau Software in an all-stock deal valued at $15.7 billion. |
 | Thomas Cook shares take off on Fosun bid approachEmbattled travel company Thomas Cook on Monday said it had received a takeover approach from Chinese tourism group Fosun for the British group's tour operator business, sending its shares surging. |
 | London leads Europe for tech investment: studyLondon is the top choice in Europe for venture capital investment in technology firms, according to a study by the promotion agency for the British capital. |
 | Vodafone Egypt fined 500,000 euros for coverage outageEgyptian authorities said Monday they had fined the national branch of mobile phone giant Vodafone 500,000 euros over a coverage outage last week just ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | AI software reveals the inner workings of short-term memoryResearch by neuroscientists at the University of Chicago shows how short-term, working memory uses networks of neurons differently depending on the complexity of the task at hand. |
 | Our brains appear uniquely tuned for musical pitchIn the eternal search for understanding what makes us human, scientists found that our brains are more sensitive to pitch, the harmonic sounds we hear when listening to music, than our evolutionary relative the macaque monkey. The study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, highlights the promise of Sound Health, a joint project between the NIH and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts that aims to understand the role of music in health. |
 | Researchers discover how the brain changes when mastering a new skillMastering a new skill—whether a sport, an instrument, or a craft—takes time and training. While it is understood that a healthy brain is capable of learning these new skills, how the brain changes in order to develop new behaviors is a relative mystery. More precise knowledge of this underlying neural circuitry may eventually improve the quality of life for individuals who have suffered brain injury by enabling them to more easily relearn everyday tasks. |
 | Using microRNA to detect early signs of type 2 diabetes in teensResearchers know that exosomes, tiny nanoparticles released from fat cells, travel through the bloodstream and body, regulating a variety of processes, from growth and development to metabolism. The exosomes are important in lean, healthy individuals in maintaining homeostasis, but when fat gets 'sick' - the most common reason for this is too much weight gain—it can change its phenotype, becoming inflammatory, and disrupts how our organs function, from how our skeletal muscle and liver metabolize sugar to how our blood vessels process cholesterol. |
 | Night owls can 'retrain' their body clocks to improve mental well-being and performanceA simple tweak to the sleeping patterns of 'night owls' - people with extreme late sleeping and waking habits—could lead to significant improvements in sleep/wake timings, improved performance in the mornings, better eating habits and a decrease in depression and stress. |
 | Body fat distribution linked to higher risk of aggressive prostate cancerIn the first prospective study of directly measured body fat distribution and prostate cancer risk, investigators found that higher levels of abdominal and thigh fat are associated with an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings may lead to a better understanding of the relationship between obesity and prostate cancer and provide new insights for treatment. |
 | Improvements in insulin release wane after treatment stops in adults with type 2 diabetesA set of clinical trials examining youth and adults with type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance has found that disease progression in adults slowed during medical treatment but resumed after treatment stopped. Youth on the same treatment had markedly poorer outcomes with continued disease progression both during and after the treatment. This research, funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), was published June 9 in the journals Diabetes and Diabetes Care and presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in San Francisco. NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health. |
 | Three public health interventions could prevent 94 million premature deathsA worldwide effort to lower people's blood pressure, cut their sodium intake, and eliminate trans fat from their diet could dramatically reduce the incidence of premature death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) over a quarter century, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. |
 | Study finds macrophages' pathway to nurture PTEN-deficient glioblastomaA common genetic deficiency empowers glioblastoma to broadcast a molecular message to the wrong type of immune cell, summoning macrophages that protect and nurture the brain tumor instead of attacking it, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in Cancer Cell. |
 | A new picture of dengue's growing threatResearch published today in Nature Microbiology paints a startling new picture of where dengue, the world's fastest-growing mosquito-borne virus, will spread to put more than 6 billion people at risk toward the end of the century. |
 | Undetected diabetes linked to heart attack and gum diseasePeople with undetected glucose disorders run a higher risk of both myocardial infarction and periodontitis, according to a study published in the journal Diabetes Care by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The results demonstrate the need of greater collaboration between dentistry and healthcare, say the researchers, and possibly of screening for diabetes at dental clinics. |
 | Medical marijuana does not reduce opioid deaths, study findsLegalizing medical marijuana does not reduce the rate of fatal opioid overdoses, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. |
 | Study examines a number of factors that influence sexual orientationA new study from Professor Doug VanderLaan's lab in UTM's Department of Psychology looking at biological mechanisms that are often thought to influence male sexual orientation was published in the latest edition of PNAS. |
 | Bedroom light at night might boost women's weightWomen, beware: Sleeping with a light on or the TV going in your bedroom could make you put on weight. |
 | In romantic relationships, people do indeed have a 'type'If you've ever come out of a bad relationship and decided you need to date someone different from your usual "type," you're not alone. |
 | New blood test on horizon for the 1 in 10 children who suffer common liver diseaseA new blood test could become clinical practice within five years, reducing the need for a liver biopsy in the management of paediatric Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), as a major new international paediatric liver registry collaboration yields early results. |
 | Researchers warn: junk food could be responsible for the food allergy epidemicExperts at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition are today presenting the results of a study that show higher levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), found in abundance in junk food, are associated with food allergy in children. |
 | Insufficient sleep linked to mental health in college students and athletesPreliminary results from a new study suggest that there is a dose-response relationship between insufficient sleep and mental health symptoms in collegiate students, including varsity athletes. |
 | Nurses have an increased risk of sleep disorders and sleep deprivationAccording to preliminary results of a new study, there is a high prevalence of insufficient sleep and symptoms of common sleep disorders among medical center nurses. |
 | Only 1% of social service policies for children include information about healthy sleepPreliminary results from a new study indicate that a mere 1% of U.S. social service policies impacting children include material regarding healthy sleep education and promotion. |
 | New radiotracer can identify nearly 30 types of cancerA novel class of radiopharmaceuticals has proven effective in non-invasively identifying nearly 30 types of malignant tumors, according to research published in the June issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Using 68Ga-FAPI positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), researchers were able to image a wide variety of tumors with very high uptake and image contrast, paving the way for new applications in tumor characterization, staging and therapy. |
 | Millions of cardiovascular deaths attributed to not eating enough fruits and vegetablesPreliminary findings from a new study reveal that inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption may account for millions of deaths from heart disease and strokes each year. The study estimated that roughly 1 in 7 cardiovascular deaths could be attributed to not eating enough fruit and 1 in 12 cardiovascular deaths could be attributed to not eating enough vegetables. |
 | What is the world drinking? Study reveals global intake of major beveragesThe beverages we drink represent a substantial source of our daily calories and nutrients, yet standardized methods for tracking beverage consumption have been limited. In the latest and most comprehensive assessment of worldwide beverage consumption, researchers report substantial differences in the beverages consumed by different demographic groups in 185 countries. |
Preliminary study finds health coaches and incentives help youth with type 1 diabetesThe life of a type 1 diabetes patient—taking daily insulin shots or wearing an insulin pump, monitoring blood sugar, prioritizing healthful food choices and fitting in daily exercise—can be challenging at age 5 or 15, especially as holidays, field trips and sleepovers can disrupt diabetes care routines, creating challenges with compliance. This is why endocrinologists from Children's National Health System experimented with using health coaches over a 10-week period to help families navigate care for children with type 1 diabetes. | |
 | Scientists feel chill of crackdown on fetal tissue researchTo save babies from brain-damaging birth defects, University of Pittsburgh scientist Carolyn Coyne studies placentas from fetuses that otherwise would be discarded—and she's worried this kind of research is headed for the chopping block. |
 | Study links poor sleep with poor nutritionMany Americans get less than the recommended amount of sleep, and many do not consume the recommended amounts of important vitamins and minerals. A new study suggests the two factors may be connected. |
 | Sun-exposed oyster mushrooms help patients fight tuberculosisTuberculosis (TB) remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases in low income countries, with around 1.6 million people dying of the disease each year. In a new study, researchers show that sun-exposed oyster mushrooms offer a readily available source of vitamin D that can help TB patients respond better to anti-TB drugs by improving immune response. |
 | Drug delays type 1 diabetes in people at high riskA treatment affecting the immune system effectively slowed the progression to clinical type 1 diabetes in high risk individuals, according to findings from National Institutes of Health-funded research. The study is the first to show that clinical type 1 diabetes can be delayed by two or more years among people who are at high risk. These results were published online in The New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in San Francisco. |
 | Combination medication helps patients with type 2 diabetes maintain blood sugar goalsFor patients with diabetes, bringing down and maintaining lower blood glucose levels is important to minimize the risk of long-term complications such as nerve damage, kidney damage, an increased risk of heart disease, eye problems, and more. Through a randomized, multicenter clinical trial sponsored by Novo Nordisk, investigators studied blood glucose results for patients assigned to either take insulin (insulin glargine, IGlar U100) or insulin degludec plus liraglutide (IDegLira), a combination of both insulin and an additional medication to help with blood sugar control. The global study team found that participants who received IDegLira were better able to achieve blood glucose goals and remain at that goal longer compared to those assigned to receive IGlar. Results are presented today at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions and published simultaneously in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. |
 | Large international study finds diabetes drug cuts cardiovascular and kidney problemsA clinical trial that followed more than 9,900 people in 24 countries has found that the drug dulaglutide reduced cardiovascular events and kidney problems in middle-aged and older people with Type 2 diabetes. |
Rheumatoid arthritis—can its onset be delayed or prevented?Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder that leads to significant health issues as well as high treatment costs. In this themed issue of Clinical Therapeutics, experts review multiple aspects of RA detection and intervention with the overall goal of moving the field closer to developing effective preventive measures. Identifying people before they develop the disorder could significantly alter the course of disease and spare people its damaging effects. | |
Chickenpox vaccination lowers risk of pediatric shinglesChildren who receive the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine are significantly less likely to contract shingles, according to a new study led by researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research published today in the journal Pediatrics. | |
Waning potency of pertussis vaccine a significant contributor to recent whooping cough outbreaksIn a large new Kaiser Permanente study, children who were up to date on their pertussis vaccine schedule were far less likely to develop the disease than unvaccinated children. However, most pertussis cases were in fully vaccinated children. The risk of vaccinated children becoming ill increased with the time since vaccination, suggesting that waning effectiveness between doses was a significant contributor to recent outbreaks. | |
 | Survey: Majority of current gun owners support the sale of personalized gunsA new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that almost four out of five current gun owners support the sale of both traditional and personalized guns through licensed dealers. However, only 18 percent of gun owners reported being likely to purchase a personalized gun for themselves when considering the additional costs. |
Supportive families and schools help prevent substance use among trans youth: studyStrong family and school connections are helping prevent transgender youth from smoking cigarettes and using marijuana, even among those targeted by violence. | |
 | To protect kids and teens from firearm harm, answer these question first, expertsFirearm injuries kill more American children and teens than anything else, except automobile crashes. But research on how those injuries happen, who's most likely to suffer or die from one, or what steps would prevent them, has lagged behind research on other causes of death in young people. |
 | More support needed to increase HIV testing in GP practicesOne-off training sessions for GPs are not enough to increase rates of HIV testing in general practice and greater support is needed, according to researchers from the University of Bristol's Centre for Academic Primary Care and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Evaluation of Interventions published in BMC Family Practice. |
 | First clinical guidance on anal sex after prostate cancerUK doctors and surgeons have formulated what is probably the world's first clinical guidance on anal sex before, during, and after diagnosis and treatment for prostate cancer. This consensus guideline, which is aimed at clinicians as well as gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer, recommends that men should abstain from receiving anal sex for a period of time before, during, and after certain tests and cancer treatments. It also warns of possible risks to sexual partners from exposure to radiation. The guidance is being presented at the UK Imaging and Oncology congress in Liverpool, and funded by Health Education England (HEE) in partnership with The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). |
 | It's good for new moms' health when dads can stay homeA new study by Stanford economists shows that giving fathers flexibility to take time off work in the months after their children are born improves the postpartum health and mental well-being of mothers. |
 | The impact of gender norms on healthThe standards and expectations to which men and woman generally conform impact health across life stages, health sectors and world regions, finds a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. |
 | New report card could mark governments' progress in improving preconception healthResearchers, including a group from the University of Southampton, say action for healthier pregnancies and babies means increasing intake of vitamins, being free of smoking and alcohol and keeping to a healthy diet and weight before conception. |
 | Can 'brain games' really help you improve the way your brain functions?You've probably seen ads for apps promising to make you smarter in just a few minutes a day. Hundreds of so-called "brain training" programs can be purchased for download. These simple games are designed to challenge mental abilities, with the ultimate goal of improving the performance of important everyday tasks. |
 | People with untreated 'white coat hypertension' twice as likely to die from heart diseaseWhite coat hypertension, a condition in which a patient's blood pressure readings are higher when taken at the doctor's office compared to other settings, was originally attributed to the anxiety patients might experience during medical appointments. However, over the years, research has suggested the elevated readings might be a sign of underlying risk for future health problems. A new study led by researchers from Penn Medicine, published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, revealed that patients with untreated white coat hypertension not only have a heightened risk of heart disease, but they are twice as likely to die from heart disease than people with normal blood pressure. |
New evidence questions use of saline fluids to resuscitate children with sepsisDoctors have urged hospitals around the world to reconsider the type of fluids used to treat children gravely ill with sepsis. | |
 | Social media use contributing to poor mental health in Indonesia, research findsSocial media use contributing to poor mental health in Indonesia, research has found. |
 | Adherence is delaying HIV elimination targets. What's needed to break the cycleAs 2020 draws closer, the deadline to end AIDS by 2030 looms large. The aim is to achieve the ambitious targets of "90-90-90." That is, 90% of people living with HIV knowing their status; 90% of all those with HIV on antiretroviral therapy; and 90% of those on antiretroviral therapy with no HIV in their bloodstream. |
 | 'Forgotten organs' may hold clues to new type-2 diabetes treatmentImmune disorders associated with type 2 diabetes could be better managed thanks to new research that shows that "forgotten organs" such as the spleen hold clues about the disease's effect on the body. |
 | Why do women live longer than men?In Australia, an average baby boy born in 2016 could expect to live to 80, while a baby girl born at the same time could expect to live until closer to 85. A similar gap in life expectancy between men and women is seen around the world. |
Study illustrates gaps in knowledge and lack of support for girls during pubertyA study led by Marni Sommer, DrPH, RN, associate professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, examined girls' transitions through puberty in Madagascar and ways in which menstruation influences their educational experiences and future sexual and reproductive health. The findings, published in the Journal of Early Adolescence, revealed gaps in the girls' knowledge and an absence of support during puberty, varying guidance received about sexuality after the onset of menstruation and the challenges of managing menstruation in school. Until this study little had been known about girls' experiences of puberty in Madagascar, which has among the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy compared with those in other parts of Africa. | |
Exposure to videos of race-based violence online may be spurring mental-health issuesSocial media-based movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #SayHerName have taken off over the past decade as a response to highly scrutinized police shootings of African American people. Recordings from body cameras or bystanders are frequently posted online and shared by activists and others as a way to press for police accountability. | |
 | Cognitive behavioral therapy delivered by telemedicine is effective for insomniaPreliminary findings from two analyses of an ongoing study suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia delivered by telemedicine is as effective as face-to-face delivery. |
 | New research could help predict seizures before they happenA new study has found a pattern of molecules that appear in the blood before a seizure happens. This discovery may lead to the development of an early warning system, which would enable people with epilepsy to know when they are at risk of having a seizure. |
Type 1 diabetes may have an impact on the developing brain in childrenA study co-led by Dr. Nelly Mauras at Nemours Children's Health System in Jacksonville, Florida found that children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have slower growth in brain areas associated with mild cognitive deficits compared to children without T1D. The study, presented today at the American Diabetes Association's (ADA's) 79th Scientific Sessions, found significant differences in total brain and regional gray and white matter growth based on a series of three structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. | |
 | Xpert Ultra test for diagnosing TB now included in Cochrane ReviewTuberculosis (TB) causes more deaths globally than any other infectious disease and is a top 10 cause of death worldwide. Globally in 2017, of the estimated 10 million people with TB, 3.6 million were not reported to national TB programmes, many of whom were not being diagnosed with their disease. When it is detected early and effectively treated, TB is largely curable, but in 2017, around 1.6 million people died of tuberculosis, including 300,000 people living with HIV. |
 | Drinking alcohol even at conception damages placenta development: studyAlcohol consumption during pregnancy has been linked to poor growth of the placenta, causing conditions such as fetal growth restriction and low birth weight. Although most women cease drinking once they know they are pregnant, the effect of alcohol during the initial stages of pregnancy, even as early as around the time of conception, is less well understood. Now, Dr. Jacinta Kalisch-Smith together with Professor Karen Moritz at the University of Queensland in Australia have investigated the impact of alcohol consumption on the placenta early in pregnancy. They show that the growth of the placentas of rats that consumed alcohol around the time of conception was reduced significantly, providing new evidence for how pregnancy-related conditions develop. This research has just been published in the scientific journal Development. |
 | Unhealthy gut promotes spread of breast cancer, study findsAn unhealthy, inflamed gut causes breast cancer to become much more invasive and spread more quickly to other parts of the body, new research from the University of Virginia Cancer Center suggests. |
 | Safe to breastfeed while on bipolar meds? Jury's still outWomen taking lithium to treat their bipolar disorder frequently ask if breastfeeding while on the medication will harm their babies. Those fears are largely rooted in sparse studies that have not addressed critical factors, reports a new Northwestern Medicine systematic review. |
 | How to improve care for patients with disabilities? We need more providers like themIt is common for patients to prefer seeking care from a clinician similar to them—such as of the same gender, ethnicity and culture—who can relate to their experiences and make treatment plans that work better for their lives. To meet these preferences from patients and improve quality of care, a diverse clinician workforce that matches the diversity in the general population is needed. However, when it comes to patients with disabilities, the chance of getting a clinician "like them" is extremely low, which may lead to patients' reluctance to seek care or follow prescribed interventions and treatments. Meanwhile, without adequate scientists with disabilities bringing perspectives to patient-centered research, the ability to improve care for patients with disabilities is limited. |
'Green Revolution' in RNAi tools and therapeutics"Green revolution" in the early 1950s, the extensive cultivation of Dwarf Rice solves the food problem in developing countries. At present, chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been a major public health problem. According to the announcement from World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 257 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B. Recent studies have shown that the expression level of hepatitis B virus surface antigen gene (HBsAg) is correlated with the occurrence of HCC or fibrosis severity in transgenic mice and HBV infection patients, therefore, HBsAg becomes a rising target for drug design for the treatment of hepatitis B. | |
Radiation treatment increases cardiac risk for lung cancer patientsAs advances in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) extend patients' lives, more of these patients are facing a different threat: adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and heart failure. A new retrospective study led by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute examined outcomes for patients after receiving treatment for locally advanced NSCLC, finding that the average radiation dose delivered to the heart was associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events and death. Among patients who did not have preexisting coronary heart disease, risk of having a major cardiovascular event after treatment exceeded the rates of people considered at high risk of such events. The team's findings are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. | |
 | Fewer new T2DM cases seen in adults on plant-based diet(HealthDay)—Fewer new type 2 diabetes (T2D) cases are seen in adults who eat more plant-based foods, and intake of vitamins B2 and B6 is also associated with a reduced risk for T2D, according to two studies presented during Nutrition 2019, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, held from June 8 to 11 in Baltimore. |
 | Half an hour of sun exposure daily may lower risk for pediatric IBD(HealthDay)—Higher sun exposure in the previous summer or winter is associated with a lower risk for having pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a study recently published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. |
 | Access to health care has little impact on longevity(HealthDay)—Health care has modest effects on extending life expectancy in the United States, while behavioral and social determinants may have larger effects, according to a review published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine. |
 | Mouth rinse for HPV DNA may be biomarker in head, neck cancer(HealthDay)—Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA detected from a mouth rinse may be an effective marker for prognosis during treatment of HPV-positive head and neck cancer, according to a study recently published in JAMA Oncology. |
 | What and how you eat affects your odds for type 2 diabetes(HealthDay)—The kind of foods you eat, and even the order in which you eat them can affect your odds of developing type 2 diabetes, three new studies suggest. |
 | Sugary sodas still popular, but warnings, taxes can curb uptake(HealthDay)—Eight of every 10 American households buys sodas and other sugary drinks each week, adding up to 2,000 calories per household per week, new research shows. |
 | How to put limits on your family's screen time(HealthDay)—While kids get some benefit from using digital and social media, such as early learning and exposure to new ideas, too much of it can negatively affect their health, sleep and eating habits, and even their attention span. |
Study finds FDA dermatology advisors receive payments following drug approvalsA team of researchers led by a member of the University of Colorado School of Medicine faculty at the Anschutz Medical Campus examined post-advisory financial relationships between U.S. physicians who advised FDA committees during dermatological drug approval processes. Critics of these industry-physician relationships claim these types of payments could incentivize advisors to alter their voting habits. | |
 | Combating mosquito-borne diseases with bacteriaViruses, spread through mosquito bites, cause human illnesses such as dengue fever, Zika and yellow fever. A new control technique harnesses a naturally occurring bacterium called Wolbachia that blocks replication of viruses and breaks the cycle of mosquito-borne disease, according to an international team of researchers. |
How conquering a rare leukemia in children revolutionized cancer care for millionsFifty years ago, children with an aggressive form of leukemia went from diagnosis to death in a few months, as the disease rampaged through their lymph nodes, spleens, livers, and nervous systems. | |
 | Pneumonia mapped in largest genomic survey of any disease-causing bacteriumResearchers have mapped the most common bacterial cause of pneumonia around the world and revealed how these bacteria evolve in response to vaccination. Scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Emory University (Atlanta, USA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention worked with many collaborators around the world to carry out a global genomic survey of Streptococcus pneumoniae, discovering 621 strains across more than fifty countries. |
 | Molecular chatter makes for a 'hot tumor'A Ludwig Cancer Research study has deciphered a complex molecular conversation between cancer and immune cells that is key to orchestrating the successful invasion of tumors by T cells that kill cancer cells. |
 | Long-term islet transplant recipients show near-normal glucose controlContinuous glucose monitoring (CGM) evaluations in islet transplant recipients who have been insulin independent for an average of 10 years show near-normal glycemic profiles and time-in-range metrics, according to data presented by the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The findings, which were accepted as a late-breaking poster at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 79th Scientific Sessions, June 7-11, 2019 in San Francisco, CA, demonstrate that islet transplantation can be a successful long-term cell therapy for select patients with type 1 diabetes. |
 | Marijuana and fertility: Five things to knowFor patients who smoke marijuana and their physicians, "Five things to know about ... marijuana and fertility" provides useful information for people who may want to conceive. The practice article is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). |
Canadian pediatric emergency department crowding not linked to death, serious adverse outcomesVisiting a crowded pediatric emergency department in Canada may increase the likelihood of being hospitalized but is not linked to delayed hospitalization or death in children, according to research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). | |
 | Our tears could one day tell us if we have glaucomaContrary to what many of us think, high pressure inside the eye does not define glaucoma and investigators want to know if the proteins circulating in the fluid of our eyes might. |
 | Study reports asthma control in older patients and shows lower ED visitsMount Sinai was part of the largest clinical trial for asthma self-management support in older patients, which resulted in improved control and quality of life, and fewer emergency department visits. |
 | A dermatologist's best sunscreen adviceNearly 9,500 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each day in the U.S. alone, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. But you can still enjoy the summer if you take the right precautions. |
 | 5 ways to get through stressRelationships, jobs, school, finances—stress can creep up on you from all areas of your life. While stress is often associated with negative events, positive events can sometimes be stressful, too. No matter where your stress is coming from, here are some tips to help you get through it. |
 | Study shows culture of continuous instability driving NHS ultrasound staff shortageA new study of ultrasound departments shows that continuous personnel changes are a major cause of the now serious shortage of ultrasound staff in the NHS. This shortage has led to delays in diagnosis and cancellations of operations. The work is presented at the UK Imaging and Oncology Congress in Liverpool. |
 | Researchers pioneer new model of care for patients with back pain in NZResearchers are pioneering a new model of care for patients with back pain in New Zealand, in a bid to address what is a costly and growing problem. |
 | How electrical stimulation reorganizes the brainRecordings of neural activity during therapeutic stimulation can be used to predict subsequent changes in brain connectivity, according to a study of epilepsy patients published in JNeurosci. This approach could inform efforts to improve brain stimulation treatments for depression and other psychiatric disorders. |
 | A concise history of the US abortion debateOn Nov. 14, 1972, a controversial two-part episode of the groundbreaking television show, "Maude" aired. |
 | Improving breast cancer treatmentMillions of patients with incurable breast cancer could benefit from Welsh-led research which shows it is possible to control the cancer for twice as long by combing an investigational therapy with standard treatment. |
 | Vaping device maker sponsoring public health researchA historically black college in Tennessee is planning to research the impact of electronic cigarettes and vaping with a grant from vaping device maker JUUL Labs. |
 | Personality traits of drug usersThe social environment is an influential factor with regards to drug addiction. However, some people living in the same environment become drug users, whilst others resist. Is this difference just random or are there key personality traits that help people to avoid drug addiction? Is it possible to evaluate the risk of drug consumption for different personality profiles? Is this risk different for different drugs? |
 | Do magazines exaggerate fertility at advanced reproductive age?A new study has shown that popular magazines commonly feature older pregnant celebrities on their covers with no mention of the risks of advanced maternal age pregnancy or the advanced reproductive technologies and methods needed to achieve these pregnancies. By downplaying fertility decline with advancing age, these magazines likely contribute to women's belief that they can safely put off pregnancy until later ages. The study is published in Journal of Women's Health. |
 | Does obesity increase risk of being a bullying victim, perpetrator, or both?A new study has shown that obese adolescents are not only significantly more likely to experience bullying, but they are also more likely to be both victims and perpetrators of bullying compared to their healthy weight peers. The study also found that overweight or obese adolescents who are either victims or perpetrators of bullying, or both, have significantly greater odds of having depression, behavioral problems, and difficulty making friends. The detailed findings are published in Childhood Obesity. |
 | Unique case of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome in palliative careThe medical use of cannabis is growing. Medical marijuana may improve symptoms including pain and anorexia. While it may improve nausea and vomiting, it can rarely cause a hyperemesis syndrome with chronic use. Because this is a rare syndrome, case reports are important. A new case study has surprisingly shown that stopping cannabis use may not be necessary to alleviate cannabis hyperemesis syndrome. The case study and a review of the current literature on cannabis hyperemesis syndrome are published in Journal of Palliative Medicine. |
 | Tart cherry shown to decrease joint pain, sore muscles in some breast cancer patientsTart cherry reduces the musculoskeletal effects of aromatase inhibitors in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer, according to new findings from a clinical trial by researchers at Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center. |
 | Using tumor biomarkers to tailor therapy in metastatic pancreatic cancerA new pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of using molecular tumor markers as the basis for selecting the chemotherapeutic agents to use in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Based on these promising results a larger phase II clinical trial has been initiated using molecular biomarkers to guide the choice of second-line therapies. The design, results, and implications of the initial pilot study are presented in Journal of Pancreatic Cancer. |
 | Healthy nuts: The best of the best(HealthDay)—From positive effects on cholesterol levels to reducing the risk of heart disease and even some cancers, nuts are good for you. |
Biology news
 | Biotechnology: Using wireless power to light up tiny neural stimulators""Implantable optical devices that target neurons can be improved using miniature coils smaller than a grain of rice using optogenetic technology. Scientists can propagate pulses of light using the method to turn protein expression on or off in genetically modified neurons. Neuroscientists have used bulky cables and batteries to control and collect data from such experimental setups so far. In a recent study, Wasif Khan and a team of researchers in the interdisciplinary departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physiology in the U.S. developed a completely wireless prototype to replace the bulky hardware. |
 | Ancient DNA from Roman and medieval grape seeds reveal ancestry of wine makingA grape variety still used in wine production in France today can be traced back 900 years to just one ancestral plant, scientists have discovered. |
 | Scientists discover gene that could help us grow crops fasterPlant scientists at the Universities of Cambridge and Bordeaux have discovered a gene that they hope can be used to widen a nutrient trafficking bottleneck and potentially increase crop yields. |
 | Hamsters take cues from decreasing day length to prepare for the long winterAnalysis of the first fully-sequenced genome of the Siberian hamster shows how these small, seasonal breeders adapt their bodies and energy usage to survive the winter. |
 | Structuring sweetness: What makes Stevia 200 times sweeter than sugarNew research from Washington University in St. Louis reveals the molecular machinery behind the high-intensity sweetness of the stevia plant. The results could be used to engineer new non-caloric products without the aftertaste that many associate with sweetener marketed as Stevia. |
 | Past climate change pushed birds from the northern hemisphere to the tropicsResearchers have shown how millions of years of climate change affected the range and habitat of modern birds, suggesting that many groups of tropical birds may be relatively recent arrivals in their equatorial homes. |
 | Researchers discover meat-eating plant in Ontario, CanadaCall it the "Little Bog of Horrors." In what is believed to be a first for North America, biologists at the University of Guelph have discovered that meat-eating pitcher plants in Ontario's Algonquin Park wetlands consume not just bugs but also young salamanders. |
 | Deceptively simple: Minute marine animals live in a sophisticated symbiosis with bacteriaTrichoplax is one of the simplest animals, resembling a shapeless blob. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Germany, the University of Hawaii and North Carolina State University have now discovered that Trichoplax is not as simple as it looks. It lives in a remarkably sophisticated symbiosis with highly unusual bacteria. |
 | The cholera bacterium's 3-in-1 toolkit for life in the oceanBacteria are the most abundant form of life on Earth. The ocean is highly abundant with small particles and debris, some inert, some highly nutritious. But researchers want to know how bacteria differentiate between these surfaces, how they hold onto them in moving water, and how they recognize each other so that they can work together. |
 | Scorpions adapt their stinging, stingers and sting contents to minimize costs of venom useReplenishing venom takes time and energy—so it pays to be stingy with stings. |
 | New study shows how climate change could affect impact of roundworms on grasslandsSoil food webs play a key role in supporting grassland ecosystems, which cover about one-quarter of the land on Earth. Climate change poses a threat to these environments, partly because of the uncertainty of extremes in rainfall, which is projected to increase. |
 | Scientists make case for stabilizing forest carbon to help mitigate climate changeThere's no doubt that climate change is affecting ecosystems as well as the lifestyles of plants and animals around the globe. As temperatures rise, so do the complexity of the issues. Scientists, both in the United States and around the world, are actively pursuing mitigation solutions while providing governments with the understanding of natural hazards to help stem the effects of climate change. |
 | DNA base editing induces substantial off-target RNA mutationsIn a study published in Nature on June 10, researchers from Dr. Yang Hui's Lab at the Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and collaborators from the CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology of CAS and Sichuan University demonstrated that DNA base editors generated tens of thousands of off-target RNA single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and these off-target SNVs could be eliminated by introducing point mutations to the deaminases. |
 | Bioengineered salmon won't come from US's biggest farm stateGenetically engineered salmon is heading to store shelves in the U.S., but it won't be coming from the biggest salmon farming state in the country. |
 | New insect species discovered on the slopes of the Maungatua RangeA team of zoologists from the University Otago has discovered a new species of insect—the Maungatua stonefly—from the slopes of the Maungatua Range, on the doorstep of Dunedin. |
 | Netherlands vegetable seed developer wins World Food PrizeA seed developer from the Netherlands credited with introducing high quality disease-resistant vegetable seeds to more than 60 countries including the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia was awarded the 2019 World Food Prize on Monday. |
 | Op-ed: When did GMO become a dirty word?Do you know someone with diabetes? While most people may associate GMOs with food products, their use actually began in the medical field with insulin, an important part of diabetes treatment. |
 | Locust swarm decimates crops in SardiniaMillions of locusts have devastated at least 2,000 hectares of crops in Sardinia, Italian farmers union Coldiretti said Monday, with experts calling the invasion the worst in six decades. |
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