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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 4, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Voyager 2 reaches interstellar space: Scientists detect plasma density jumpVoyager 1 has a companion in the realm of the stars. |
 | New study sheds more light on the properties of three polarsCataclysmic variables (CVs) are binary star systems consisting of a white dwarf and a normal star companion. They irregularly increase in brightness by a large factor, then drop back down to a quiescent state. Although over 140 polars have been detected to date, only 33 of them have been identified as eclipsing systems. Observations of these rare objects could offer astronomers more opportunities to study magnetic accretion in binaries, for instance. |
 | Boeing crew capsule completes major flight test in desertBoeing's capsule for astronauts underwent its first major flight test Monday, shooting a mile into the air then parachuting back to the New Mexico desert. |
 | 42 years on, Voyager 2 charts interstellar spaceA probe launched by NASA four days after Elvis died has delivered a treasure trove of data from beyond the "solar bubble" that envelops Earth and our neighbouring planets, scientists reported Monday. |
 | Thousands of new globular clusters have formed over the last billion yearsGlobular clusters may contain hundreds of thousands of stars and may even have as many as ten million stars that essentially emerged at the same time. They are the oldest visible objects in the universe. Globular clusters come together in dense, spherical volumes with diameters hundreds of times smaller than the diameter of our galaxy. The Milky Way is surrounded by about 150 globular clusters, some of which are visible in the darkness of the night. But about ten or twenty thousand globular clusters can be found around the giant galaxies located at the centre of the galaxy clusters. Galaxy clusters contain hundreds or thousands of galaxies bound together by gravity and infused by hot gas (over ten times hotter than that at the Sun's core). |
 | How to control biofilms in spaceResearchers from MIT will be collaborating with colleagues at the University of Colorado at Boulder on an experiment scheduled to be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) on Nov. 2. The experiment is looking for ways to address the formation of biofilms on surfaces within the space station. These hard-to-kill communities of bacteria or fungi can cause equipment malfunctions and make astronauts sick. MIT News asked professor of mechanical engineering Kripa Varanasi and doctoral student Samantha McBride to describe the planned experiments and their goals. |
 | Image: ESA's Juice model cast in gold for antenna testsIn a decade's time, an exciting new visitor will enter the Jovian system: ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or Juice. As its name suggests, the mission will explore Jupiter and three of its largest moons—Ganymede, Callisto and Europa—to investigate the giant planet's cosmic family and gas giant planets in general. |
 | Image: Hubble views a not-so-lonely galaxyGalaxies may seem lonely, floating alone in the vast, inky blackness of the sparsely populated cosmos—but looks can be deceiving. This image of NGC 1706, taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, is a good example of this. NGC 1706 is a spiral galaxy, about 230 million light-years away, in the constellation of Dorado (the Swordfish). |
 | 25 years of science in the solar windIn the early 1980s, heliophysicists needed answers. They wanted to learn how to protect astronauts and assets around Earth from the potentially damaging space weather that results from our tumultuous sun. To do that, they needed to better understand the constantly changing, dynamic space system around our planet—including measurements of the properties of the solar wind, the constant billowing of charged particles coming off the sun. Answering this call was the aptly named Wind mission, which launched 25 years ago, on Nov. 1, 1994. Wind currently orbits at the first Lagrange point, L1, a spot of gravitational balance between the sun and Earth, which allows the spacecraft to face the sun at all times. |
 | A decade probing the sunTen years ago, a small satellite carrying 17 new devices, science instruments and technology experiments was launched into orbit, on a mission to investigate our star and the environment that it rules in space. |
Technology news
 | Designing unmanned aerial vehicle trajectories for energy minimizationA team of researchers at the University of Luxembourg and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology have recently proposed a new approach to design trajectories for energy-efficient unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled wireless communications. Their paper, prepublished on arXiv, specifically focuses on cases in which an UAV acts as a flying base station (BS) to serve ground users (GSs) within some predetermined latency constraints. |
 | RoboBee powered by soft musclesThe sight of a RoboBee careening towards a wall or crashing into a glass box may have once triggered panic in the researchers in the Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), but no more. |
 | Better autonomous 'reasoning' at tricky intersectionsMIT and Toyota researchers have designed a new model to help autonomous vehicles determine when it's safe to merge into traffic at intersections with obstructed views. |
 | Patent talk: Transition lenses in broad daylight for ARWill they or won't they? Headlines surface regularly that this, that or the other among digital brands are going to come out with a killer pair of augmented reality glasses, and it's hope, too, mixed with anticipation, feeding the buzz. |
 | Bloodhound's 461-mph speed is big but team eyes bigger record aheadThe Bloodhound, the darling of The Bloodhound LSR jet car project, has good reason to be praised as a speed rockstar, with speed now at 461mph (741km/h). |
 | Scientists create 'artificial leaf' that turns carbon into fuelScientists have created an "artificial leaf" to fight climate change by inexpensively converting harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) into a useful alternative fuel. |
 | Navigation method may speed up autonomous last-mile deliveryIn the not too distant future, robots may be dispatched as last-mile delivery vehicles to drop your takeout order, package, or meal-kit subscription at your doorstep—if they can find the door. |
 | Huawei moving on 5G while politics plays outMajor state telecom operators are rolling out 5G wireless advances in China as the country races to close a technology gap with the United States amid a bruising trade war. |
 | Google buying Fitbit in move into wearables, digital healthGoogle agreed Friday to buy Fitbit for $2.1 billion in a move giving the US tech giant a fresh entry in the wearable technology space and helping it ramp up its challenge to Apple. |
 | Elon Musk says he is disconnecting from TwitterTesla chief Elon Musk fired off a tweet on Friday indicating that he is disconnecting from Twitter, perhaps in favor of popular news and discussion platform Reddit. |
 | US opens national security probe of Chinese-owned app TikTok: reportThe US government has opened a national security investigation into the Chinese-owned video app TikTok, the New York Times reported Friday. |
 | For theaters, rise of streaming is a movie they've seen beforeIn his 60 years in the movie theater business in rural South Dakota, Jeff Logan has heard his share of gloomy predictions before, some of them long before the streaming era. |
 | As 'streaming wars' rage, social networks create own TV seriesEven as Disney, HBO and Apple lavish billions on content to gatecrash TV streaming wars, social networks like Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat are creating their own original shows to get their piece of the advertising pie. |
 | China gets into blockchain race with USChina has launched an ambitious effort to challenge the US dominance in blockchain technology, which it could use for everything from issuing digital money, to streamlining a raft of government services and tracking Communist Party loyalty. |
 | Huawei pushes 5G in SEAsia, brushing off 'tech war' with USChinese phone giant Huawei said Sunday it was ready to roll out 5G infrastructure across Southeast Asia, dismissing US warnings its tech could be used to hoover up data for Beijing. |
 | Crypto-currencies and criminality: myth or reality?The recent bust of a worldwide international paedophile ring using Bitcoin payments highlighted one of the key fears surrounding crypto-currencies—their use by criminals. |
 | Merkel: 1 million car charging points in Germany by 2030German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday she wants to drastically increase the number of charging stations for electric cars in Germany to give consumers more confidence to switch over to electric from internal combustion engines. |
 | Learning from mistakes and transferable skills—the attributes for a worker robotPractise makes perfect—it is an adage that has helped humans become highly dexterous and now it is an approach that is being applied to robots. |
 | 11 expert tips to search Google better, faster, more strategicallySearching on Google has become second nature for billions of people. In fact, Googling is so entrenched in our culture, it's become the generic word for looking things up online. Yet even though you long ago mastered the essentials, there's still a lot most of us can learn about how to search faster and more effectively. |
 | Caught red-handed: Automatic cameras will spot mobile-using motorists, but at what cost?Over the years, advances in technology and transport policy have greatly impacted drivers. In the 1980s this came in the form of random breath testing, and more recently, mobile drug testing. |
 | Another approach to online platforms is possible: Cooperation2000s, but there is growing societal concern. On the technological end, their are questions concerning their use of personal data as well as the ethics of algorithms. Their broader socioeconomic model is also hotly debated: such platforms are designed to generate value for their users by organizing peer-to-peer transactions, but some of the more dominant ones charge high fees for their role as an intermediary. They're also accused of dodging labor laws, with their high use of independent workers, practicing tax optimization or contributing to the growing commodification of our everyday lives. Such concerns have even driven some of their users to take collective action. |
 | Project Silica proof of concept stores Warner Bros. 'Superman' movie on quartz glassMicrosoft and Warner Bros. have collaborated to successfully store and retrieve the entire 1978 iconic "Superman" movie on a piece of glass roughly the size of a drink coaster, 75 by 75 by 2 millimeters thick. |
 | Apple offers $2.5 bn to address California housing crisisApple said Monday it would commit $2.5 billion over the next two years to help address the shortage of affordable housing in California and reduce homelessness. |
 | Photostructurable pastes for 5G applicationsFor many years now, miniaturization has been the main driver of the electronics industry. This is particularly true for ceramic-based circuit boards, which have properties that make them especially suitable for high-frequency circuits. Increasingly demanding technical requirements have exposed the limits of the classic thick-film technologies used for the production of circuit-board conductors. Now, however, a new generation of thick-film pastes and their photolithographic structuring enable the manufacturing of extremely high-resolution thick-film structures necessary for 5G applications. Moreover, this process is suitable for mass production and industrial applications while maintaining low investment costs and only minimally extending production times. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS exhibit the new pastes at the Productronica trade fair in Munich from November 12 to 15 (Hall B2, Booth 228). |
 | Neural networks enable autonomous navigation of cathetersWhen a patient has a stroke, every minute counts. Here, prompt action can prevent serious brain damage. If a clot is blocking a large blood vessel in the brain, surgeons can remove this occlusion by means of a catheter inserted in the patient's groin. However, this is a complicated procedure, requiring a lot of experience, and only a few specialists are capable of carrying it out. In new work, Fraunhofer researchers have been investigating whether artificial intelligence might be used to steer a catheter automatically and reliably to a blocked blood vessel. Initial tests with a simulation model and in the laboratory have been highly promising. The research team will be demonstrating this new technique on a blood vessel phantom at the MEDICA 2019 trade fair in Düsseldorf from November 18 to 21 (Hall 10, Booth G05). |
 | Snowden warns of Web giants' 'irresistible power'Technology has given internet giants "irresistible power" when they work in concert with governments, whistleblower Ed Snowden told the Web Summit that opened in Lisbon on Monday. |
 | New Facebook logo arrives as its 'family' growsFacebook on Monday unveiled a new logo to represent the Silicon Valley company, distinct from its core social network. |
 | Fosun buys Thomas Cook brand for £11 millionChinese conglomerate Fosun has snapped up the Thomas Cook brand for £11 million ($14.2 million), weeks after the renowned British travel group went bust and left hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers stranded abroad. |
 | Airbnb bans 'party houses' after deadly US shootingAirbnb's boss announced Saturday that the online platform, which offers private homes for rent for short periods, is banning "party houses" after a deadly shooting at a Halloween event in California. |
 | Ryanair net profits flatten in first halfIrish no-frills airline Ryanair said Monday that first-half net profit flattened on lower ticket prices, weak British demand, fierce competition elsewhere in Europe and a soaring fuel bill. |
 | 'Silicon Saxony' stands on foundations laid under East GermanyWhen US computer processor maker AMD was building a factory in the eastern German city Dresden in the late 1990s, it sent around 200 local engineers for training to its site in Texas. |
 | IAG buys Air Europa amid aviation sector upheavalBritish Airways owner IAG agreed Monday to buy Spain's Air Europa as the global aviation sector charts a path through high-profile failures, fierce competition, economic woes and high fuel prices. |
 | Philippines' Cebu Pacific places $4.8 bn Airbus orderThe Philippines' largest budget airline Cebu Air Inc has ordered 16 Airbus planes worth $4.8 billion, the company said Monday, as it aims to expand carrying capacity with larger, more fuel-efficient jets. |
 | Lufthansa faces German cabin crew strike on Thursday and FridayA German union on Monday said it had called on Lufthansa cabin crew to stage a strike Thursday and Friday in an escalating battle for better pay and conditions. |
 | Ferrari shares roar ahead on raised 2019 targetsShares in Italian luxury sportscar maker Ferrari leapt ahead Monday after the company raised its 2019 targets and unveiled a partnership with Armani. |
 | An intelligent network for better water managementEPFL-based startup Droople has developed a smart flow meter that can measure buildings' water consumption and identify potential savings in energy. The Montreux Jazz Café at EPFL has already tested the device and found a way to cut its energy bill. |
 | SRNL radiation detection systems operating at ports of Tacoma and NY/NJAfter years of development and testing, a radiation detection system developed by the Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory is now in full-scale operation at major United States shipping ports. |
 | Google employees call for corporate climate change actionGoogle employees are demanding the company issue a climate plan that commits it to zero emissions by 2030. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Lymphatic system found to play key role in hair regenerationGiven the amount of wear and tear it's subjected to on a daily basis, the skin has a phenomenal ability to replenish itself. Spread throughout it are small reservoirs of stem cells, nested within supportive microenvironments called niches, which keep a tight rein on this repair process. Too much tissue might cause problems like cancer, while too little might accelerate aging. |
 | Some skin cancers may start in hair folliclesSome of the most deadly skin cancers may start in stem cells that lend color to hair, and originate in hair follicles rather than in skin layers, a new study finds. |
 | Stem cell scientists reveal key differences in how kidneys form in men and womenUSC researchers have completed a detailed deconstruction of the kidney, revealing for the first time an intimate portrait of gender differences and more in the organ. |
 | Screen-based media associated with structural differences in brains of young childrenA new study documents structural differences in the brains of preschool-age children related to screen-based media use. |
 | Regeneration mechanism discovered in mice could provide target for drugs to combat chronic liver diseaseA newly-discovered molecular mechanism that allows damaged adult liver cells to regenerate could pave the way for drugs to treat conditions such as cirrhosis or other chronic liver diseases where regeneration is impaired. |
 | Gene variant may help protect against Alzheimer's diseaseA new study led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), in collaboration with the University of Antioquia, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass. Eye and Ear, and Banner Alzheimer's Institute, provides insights on why some people may be more resistant to Alzheimer's disease than others. The findings may lead to strategies to delay or prevent the condition. |
 | Combination gene therapy treats multiple age-related diseasesAs we age, our bodies tend to develop diseases like heart failure, kidney failure, diabetes, and obesity, and the presence of any one disease increases the risk of developing others. Traditional drug development targets only one condition per drug, largely ignoring the interconnectedness of age-related diseases and requiring patients to take multiple drugs, which increases the risk of negative side effects. |
 | Study shows checkpoint inhibitor prolongs survival in patients with certain head and neck cancersThe checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) increases the survival time of patients with advanced head and neck cancers, according to a new global study led by Yale Cancer Center (YCC). The data was published today in the journal The Lancet. |
 | New genomic regions linked to common vascular disorderBlood clotting in veins, a disorder called venous thromboembolism (VTE), is a common vascular disease like heart attack and stroke, but hasn't been as well studied. Genetics are known to be involved, but only about a dozen genomic regions have been linked with the condition. Now a large genetic study of VTE led by researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System has found 22 new regions in the genome that contribute to the disease. The team has also developed a genetic score that could one day be used to identify patients at highest risk for the disease. |
 | Fish oil supplements have no effect on anxiety and depressionOmega-3 fats have little or no effect on anxiety and depression according to new research from the University of East Anglia. |
 | Zebrafish study reveals developmental mechanisms of eye movementResearchers studying zebrafish have found that genes linked to autism spectrum disorder and other developmental brain abnormalities may be playing a role in people who cannot control their eye movements. |
 | Atomic-level analysis of bone aims to predict and lessen fractures in diabeticsPeople with diabetes face a significantly higher risk of osteoporotic fractures than those without the disease, but the reason for this is not well understood and can't be adequately predicted. Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will use novel measurement techniques to observe—at the atomic level—the effect Type I diabetes has on bone and how medication could lessen the risk of fracture. |
 | How much do we lie when we have sex on the brain?In a world of seemingly endless opportunities for finding a mate, competition for a partner can be fierce. Not all that glitters is gold, as the old adage goes. If you've long suspected that people fudge the truth when it comes to presenting themselves to a potential partner, here's the research to back you up. |
 | Stressed to the max? Deep sleep can rewire the anxious brainWhen it comes to managing anxiety disorders, William Shakespeare's Macbeth had it right when he referred to sleep as the "balm of hurt minds." While a full night of slumber stabilizes emotions, a sleepless night can trigger up to a 30% rise in anxiety levels, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley. |
 | Study reveals how brain injury can lead to post-traumatic stress disorderPost-traumatic stress disorder in U.S. military members frequently follows a concussion-like brain injury. Until now, it has been unclear why. A UCLA team of psychologists and neurologists reports that a traumatic brain injury causes changes in a brain region called the amygdala; and the brain processes fear differently after such an injury. |
 | Deep neural networks uncover what the brain likes to seeOpening the eyes immediately provides a visual perception of the world—and it seems so easy. But the process that starts with photons hitting the retina and ends with 'seeing' is far from simple. The brain's fundamental task in 'seeing' is to reconstruct relevant information about the world from the light that hits the eyes. Because this process is rather complex, nerve cells in the brain—neurons—also react to images in complex ways. |
 | Daylight Saving Time has long-term effects on healthThe annual transition to and from daylight saving time (DST) has clinical implications that last longer than the days where clocks "fall back" or "spring forward." |
 | Scientists identify protein that promotes brain metastasisA protein that breast, lung and other cancers use to promote their spread—or metastasis—to the brain, has been identified by a team led by Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian investigators. The protein, CEMIP, will now be a focus of efforts to predict, prevent and treat brain metastases, which are a frequent cause of cancer deaths. |
 | Characteristics beyond intelligence influence long-term achievement, study findsPeople often ask University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth what predicts success. |
 | Simple blood test for early detection of breast cancerBreast cancer could be detected up to five years before there are any clinical signs of it, using a blood test that identifies the body's immune response to substances produced by tumour cells, according to new research presented at the 2019 NCRI Cancer Conference today (Sunday). |
 | First shipment of new Ebola vaccine arrives in DR CongoThe Congolese medical authorities said Saturday they had received the first shipment of a new Ebola vaccine as the central African country battles its second deadliest outbreak of the virus this decade. |
 | Increased risk of suicide for teens who visit emergency for self-harmYouth who self-harmed were five times more likely to have repeat visits to the emergency department, three times more likely to die from any cause and eight times more likely to die from suicide than youth who did not self-harm and who were matched on sex, age, and psychiatric and medical diagnoses. |
 | New study finds teen vaping probably doesn't lead to smokingA new study in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, published by Oxford University Press, suggests that adolescent e-cigarette users are more similar to conventional cigarette smokers than they are to non-tobacco users in terms of demographics and behavioral characteristics. While many public health advocates have suggested that vaping may lead to cigarette smoking, this new research suggests that cigarette smoking may be entirely attributable to adolescents' pre-existing propensity to smoke, rather than their use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). |
Studies find nurse-led program improves care of older adultsAn analysis of research on the Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) program finds that it improves older adult care, including preventing falls, improving patient safety and quality of care, reducing potentially inappropriate medications, and helping healthcare providers to care for patients with dementia. The study is published in the journal The Gerontologist. | |
 | New database enhances genomics research collaborationSharing datasets that reveal the function of genomic variants in health and disease has become easier, with the launch of a new, open-source database developed by Australian and North American researchers. |
 | Adding weight loss counseling to group visits improves diabetes outcomesFor people with difficult-to-control diabetes, adding intensive weight management counseling to group medical visits provided extra health benefits beyond improved blood-sugar control, according to a study led by researchers at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center and the Department of Veterans Affairs. |
 | Poll reveals older adults' risky use of antibiotics, opportunities to improve prescribingHalf of older Americans got help from the infection-fighting power of antibiotics in the past two years, a new poll finds, but a sizable minority didn't follow the instructions on their pill bottle. |
 | Study offers alternative explanation for much-heralded decline in hospital readmission rates under pay-for-performanceThe decline in hospital readmission rates that occurred following the launch of a federal program designed to improve quality of care and reduce repeat hospitalizations has been lauded as proof of the program's effectiveness. |
New research links SNAP participation to reduced risk of premature deaths among US adultsA new study published in the journal Health Affairs by researchers from Syracuse University's Maxwell School and the University of Kentucky reveals that participation in the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reduces the risk of premature mortality among U.S. adults. | |
 | FDA committee: Makena should be removed from marketMakena, a drug used to reduce the risk for preterm births, should be taken off the U.S. market, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommends. The 9-to-7 vote in favor of withdrawing approval of the drug came in response to evidence suggesting it is not effective, CNN reported. Although not required to, the FDA often follows the advice of its advisory committees. |
 | US oncologist shortage may impact women's healthAnticipated future shortages of oncology providers may have a serious and specific impact on women's health care, according to Doximity's 2019 Women's Health and Oncologist Workforce Analysis. |
 | Heart disease risk starts young: Improving teenager health is essentialHeart disease causes an estimated 31% of all deaths worldwide each year. While the condition is often associated with older adults, rising childhood inactivity and poor fitness levels mean that the risk factors associated with heart disease are more common among teenagers than most people think. |
 | Study decodes gene function that protects against type 2 diabetesAn international research collaboration led by researchers from the Universities of Helsinki and Oxford has identified the biological mechanism through which a genetic variant protects against type 2 diabetes. |
 | Alzheimer's disease impacts women in higher numbers and different waysNovember is Alzheimer's Awareness Month, and many people don't realize that of the 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease, nearly two-thirds are women. The reason for this striking discrepancy isn't yet known, and proposed theories range from differences in hormones and lifestyle factors to life span and other biological variations. |
 | Cauliflower ear: All you need to knowAs a young anatomist, I was fascinated by an ancient Greek sculpture at the National Museum in Rome known as Boxer of the Quirinal. The bronze figure has dark voids for eye sockets and very odd ears. The sculptor depicted in great detail the boxer's cauliflower ear. Watching the Rugby World Cup recently, I was reminded of it. |
 | Three reasons why we need to talk about the mental health of political leadersAs the impeachment investigation gathers pace on Capitol Hill, some commentators have argued that if Donald Trump remains the Republican presidential candidate in 2020, there is no way the election could be deemed legitimate. |
 | Higher rate of smoking may result from a national vaping tax, economist findsE-cigarette taxes will increase the purchase and use of cigarettes, a study by Georgia State University economist Michael Pesko and his colleagues suggests in the wake of legislation to tax e-cigarettes proportionately to cigarettes that was approved by the U.S. House of Representative's Ways and Means Committee in late October. |
 | Heel pain: To jab or not to jab?New La Trobe University research has found cheaper orthotics might prevent the need for steroid injections for plantar fasciitis—a condition causing heel pain that affects one in 10 people aged over 50. |
 | Saffron effectively complements antidepressant medicationsNew research has shown that saffron may assist adults with depression when it is taken in conjunction with pharmaceutical antidepressants. |
 | Whether direct or indirect, parental alienation harms familiesIn one particular form of family violence, a parent tries to damage a child's relationship with the other parent. The outcome of these behaviors is called parental alienation, and it can result in a child's ultimate rejection of a parent for untrue, illogical or exaggerated reasons. |
 | Survey: Seriously ill Medicare beneficiaries can face considerable financial hardshipDespite high beneficiary satisfaction with Medicare overall, a new national survey led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Business School, and colleagues finds that its coverage gaps may cause considerable financial distress for the most seriously ill patients. About half reported a significant problem paying medical bills, with prescription drugs posing the most hardship. |
 | Health care provider deserts may leave patients in the coldPeople with health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may have access to fewer health care providers—and may also have to drive further to see them—than people with other plans, according to researchers. |
 | Lonely cardiac patients at increased risk of death within year of hospital dischargeCardiac patients who feel lonely are at heightened risk of dying within a year of being discharged from hospital, reveals research published online in the journal Heart. |
 | Fixing muscle and the brainWith the number of times the word "gel" comes up in the research of Nenad Bursac and Tatiana Segura, one would be forgiven for thinking they might work in the haircare or running shoe industries. Their gels, however, are aimed at much more difficult tasks than holding hair styles or cushioning feet. |
 | 'Magic therapy' program helps reduce pediatric patient anxietyThe experience of stress and fears upon hospitalization is frequent with pediatric patients. A new study of pediatric patients at Stony Brook Children's Hospital reveals that a program called MagicAid helps significantly reduce both patient and caregiver (parent) anxiety by about 25 percent. The findings, to be published in Hospital Pediatrics, suggest that a magic therapy program for pediatric inpatient care may have great value to patients and caregivers while hospitalized and should be considered to be implemented in this setting. |
 | More reasons why you must manage your stressIf you've ever experienced an immobilizing sense of panic when faced with a difficult or threatening situation, you're not alone. It turns out that the well-documented fight-or-flight instinct for self-preservation isn't a guaranteed reaction. |
 | Anti-vaxxers find ways around 'personal exemption' bansWhen parents can no longer get "personal-belief" exemptions from childhood vaccinations, they may get around it by asking for religious exemptions for their kids, a new study finds. |
 | Ways to make exercise more enjoyableOnly about half of all American adults meet the national guidelines for aerobic activity and only about one-fifth meet the combined aerobic and strength-training goals. One reason is that some people just don't find it enjoyable, so they don't stick with it. |
 | Preventive health care via appDemand for apps for preventive health care is growing all the time. Particularly popular are diagnostic assistants that record physiological and fitness data. However, there are data protection concerns with these tools. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Application Center SYMILA in Hamm have developed two prevention apps that safeguard users' data protection rights. While teamFIT is aimed at sports trainers who want to monitor the current state of fitness of their teams, BAYathlon is designed to help detect a specific form of cardiac arrythmia at an early stage. From November 18 to 21, the team of researchers will be demonstrating how the apps work at MEDICA 2019 in Düsseldorf (Hall 10, Booth G05). |
 | Improved biopsies with MRI-compatible ultrasound systemBiopsies are standard procedures in interventional radiology, not least for patients with a suspected tumor. In this instance, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly the method of choice for guiding minimally invasive tissue sampling. Yet this involves having to undergo repeated MRI scans, which patients find uncomfortable. In an ongoing R&D project, Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a system that allows acquisition of ultrasound images simultaneously to an MRI scan. These multimodal data are then combined and permanently mapped onto one another, meaning that the high-contrast MRI images can still be utilized, in combination with the live ultrasound images, once the patient is no longer inside the MRI scanner. In other words, only one MRI scan is required at the beginning of the biopsy procedure. Afterwards, the biopsy can be safely performed under the guidance of a combination of real-time ultrasound images improved with MRI contrast. The MRI-compatible ultrasound system will be on display at the MEDICA trade fair in Düsseldorf from November 18 to 21, 2019 (Hall 10, Booth G05). |
 | A gentler technique for artificial respirationIn intensive care wards, artificial respiration is often used as a last resort to save a patient's life. Unfortunately, however, it brings with it the risk of acute or chronic lung damage, particularly if the ventilator is working against the patient's respiratory impulse. Therefore, researchers from the Fraunhofer Project Group for Automation in Medicine and Biotechnology in Mannheim are working on an innovative new sensor aiming to provide a gentler way to administer artificial respiration, especially for children and newborn infants. A prototype of the sensor system will be on display at the MEDICA trade fair in Düsseldorf from November 18 to 21, 2019 (Hall 10, Booth G05). |
 | Measurement of uterine contractions could predict the outcome of in vitro fertilizationIn vitro fertilization (IVF) is considered as the gold standard of assisted reproductive technologies. Yet, the failure rate for IVF treatments is still above 70 percent, and the exact causes of failure remain unknown. Federica Sammali, Ph.D. candidate at the department of Electrical Engineering, has developed a system for measuring and characterizing uterine contractions, which are known to influence the outcome of IVF. Via mathematical models and machine-learning approaches, Sammali was able to discriminate between favorable or adverse uterine activity in non-pregnant women and predict the outcome of IVF with an accuracy of 94 percent. Her results could be used in the future for effective decision making, to ultimately improve the success rate of IVF. Sammali defends her Ph.D. project on November 4th. |
 | Is physical activity always good for the heart?Physical activity is thought to be our greatest ally in the fight against cardiovascular disease. But there may be significant variations in its protective effects across a range of different situations, such as regularly playing a sport, carrying heavy loads at work, or going for a walk with friends. These are the findings of a new study led by Inserm researcher Jean-Philippe Empana (U970 PARCC, Inserm/Université de Paris) in collaboration with Australian researchers. The results have been published in Hypertension. |
 | Study highlights fluid sexual orientation in many teensAt least one in five teenagers reports some change in sexual orientation during adolescence, according to new research from North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Pittsburgh. |
 | Tweets from Twitter users could predict lonelinessLoneliness is estimated to affect roughly one in five adults in the United States. It also stands as a public health crisis because loneliness has been tied to depression, cardiovascular disease and dementia, among other conditions. As such, a team of researchers at Penn Medicine came together to determine what topics and themes could be associated with loneliness by accessing content posted by users on Twitter. By applying linguistic analytic models to tweets, the researchers found users who tweeted about loneliness post significantly more often about mental well-being concerns and things like struggles with relationships, substance use, and insomnia. Findings from this work, published today in BMJ Open, could lead to easier identification of users who are lonely and providing support for them even if they don't explicitly tweet about feeling alone. |
 | Cell signalling breakthrough opens up new avenues for researchResearchers at the University of Liverpool have made a major breakthrough in the field of cell signalling. |
 | Revolutionising radiotherapy: making a cornerstone cancer treatment more personal and powerful"We have a very powerful treatment which contributes to the cure of cancer in around a third of patients treated," says Professor David Sebag-Montefiore from the University of Leeds of radiotherapy, a cornerstone of cancer treatment in the UK. |
 | High-intensity interval training not worth the extra effort, study suggestsExercising at a moderate intensity produces almost the same physical outcomes as exercising at maximum intensity, according to a recent study by University of Alberta researchers looking at the differences in intensity regulation during an interval training-style exercise program. |
 | First study of how family religious and spiritual beliefs influence end of life careIn the first study to investigate the association of the religious and spiritual beliefs of surrogate decision makers with the end of life decisions they make for incapacitated older adult family members, Regenstrief Institute Research Scientist Alexia Torke, M.D., and theological and scientific colleagues have found that the surrogate's belief in miracles was the main dimension linked to preferences for care of their loved one. |
 | Researchers describe a molecular strategy that helps prevent tumour formation in miceThe body's process for manufacturing fatty acids is regulated by the enzyme FASN. In normal cells, this is not a very active process—except occasionally in the liver and adipose tissue—since most of the fatty acids we need for cell maintenance are obtained from the diet. However, it is known that FASN is overexpressed in many types of cancer, such as prostate, breast, thyroid, colorectal, bladder, lung, and pancreatic cancer. Therefore, even though its relationship with the disease is still poorly understood, scientists from around the world are studying FASN as a potential target for cancer treatment. |
 | Care plans reduce risk of ending up in hospital for patients with severe mental illnessThe chances of a patient with a serious mental illness ending up in hospital because of their condition are reduced by almost 40 per cent if they have a care plan, according to the research. |
 | A clinical guide for the genomic diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes and chronic myelomonocytic leukaemiaIn Spain, a workgroup of more than 400 researchers—the Spanish Group of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (GESMD)—meets twice a year to present projects and undertake collaborations that improve their work in the fight against myelodysplastic syndromes (SMD) and chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML), two types of blood cancers. |
 | Advanced heart failure: Telemonitoring reduces cardiovascular mortalityDo patients with advanced heart failure benefit from data-supported, timely management in collaboration with a medical telemedical centre, in short: telemonitoring with defined minimum requirements? |
 | Vegan school lunches have three times more fiber than meat-based entrées, according to pilot studyVegan school lunches contain triple the amount of heart-healthy fiber found in standard entrées, according to a new case study published in The Journal of Child Nutrition & Management. Fiber is an important nutrient that not only aids heart health, but also boosts digestion, weight loss, and cancer prevention. |
 | Following hospitalization for heart failure, home care lessens re-admission riskOlder adults who are recovering from heart failure often leave the hospital to stay at rehabilitation facilities (also called skilled nursing facilities) before they return home. However, healthcare practitioners know that the stress of the transitioning from hospital to skilled nursing facility and back to a person's home can result in an older adult's readmission to the hospital within 30 days after their discharge. |
 | Researchers say elite-level video gaming requires new protocols in sports medicinecross the U.S. the esports athlete is a rising class of competitor in the highest collegiate and professional arenas. According to researchers in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, the field of sports medicine needs to catch up in order to address these players' particular needs. |
 | Retrospective study suggests ED physicians improving both outcomes and efficiency of careAs policymakers focus on improving health care value, there has been increasing attention to Emergency Department (ED) care, which is often thought to be high cost and of variable quality, according to policymakers and health care leaders. Yet despite rising ED costs and efforts to encourage alternative sources of acute care, such as going to an urgent care clinic or a primary care physician, one in five Americans visits an ED annually, a number that has continued to rise. However, alongside rising ED utilization has been a national trend toward admitting fewer ED patients to the hospital, as alternative payment models have proliferated and hospital capacity has declined. Yet, the impact of these trends on clinical outcomes is unclear, and there has been concern that they may lead to patient harm. |
 | Researchers estimate 17% of food-allergic children have sesame allergyInvestigators at the National Institutes of Health have found that sesame allergy is common among children with other food allergies, occurring in an estimated 17% of this population. In addition, the scientists have found that sesame antibody testing—whose utility has been controversial—accurately predicts whether a child with food allergy is allergic to sesame. The research was published on Oct. 28 in the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. |
Cervical pre-cancer can be detected in self-collected urine or vaginal samplesResearchers have developed a non-invasive test to detect cervical pre-cancer by analysing urine and vaginal samples collected by the women themselves. | |
 | At-home test could boost screening for cervical cancerAn at-home, non-invasive screening for cervical pre-cancer could increase compliance with recommended follow-up tests, according to research presented Monday at a cancer conference. |
End of life carers should have six months paid leave, say expertsPeople who look after loved ones nearing the end of their lives should be entitled to up to six months paid time off work and safeguards for their job so they can return to work, according to academics from the University of Sheffield's School of Nursing and Midwifery. | |
 | Admissions to ER's for adolescent sexual abuse have more than doubledFrom 2010 to 2016, emergency department admissions for confirmed adolescent sexual abuse in the U.S. doubled, even as rates of child sexual abuse have steadily declined for decades. |
 | Flotillin is a novel diagnostic blood marker of Alzheimer's diseaseCurrently, best-characterized indicators for Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis are the decreased levels of amyloid β-protein 42 and increased levels of phosphorylated tau in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) is also used in AD diagnosis by visualizing amyloid deposition in the brain. Because these methods are invasive or expensive, less invasive and easily detectable blood biomarkers are required. Because our previous study showed that flotillin release, a marker of exosomes, was attenuated by Aβ, we designed the present study to determine whether flotillin levels could be reduced in CSF and/or serum of patients with AD. |
 | Eye on research: A new way to detect and study retinoblastomaRetinoblastoma is a cancer that forms in the light-detecting cells in the back of the eye. It often appears in children under two years of age and can lead to blindness or eye removal. Most cancers are biopsied and studied so that medical research can design targeted treatments. Unfortunately, this is not possible with retinoblastoma. Thanks to research led at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, this is no longer the case. |
 | Economists tally societal cost of preterm birthIn the United States, 1 in 10 babies is born preterm, or at a gestational age of less than 37 weeks. The causes of preterm birth are complicated but the effects are clear: Preterm birth has lasting consequences for the child and their family. |
 | Biosimilar drugs can reduce costs but still face challenges in the USBiologics used to treat patients can be incredibly expensive, so there was significant hope that biosimilar drugs—which are highly similar to an existing biologic drug on the market—could serve as a less-costly substitute. However, new research from the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic finds that while physicians are indeed willing to prescribe these drugs, the cost savings are minor and there remains a number of regulatory barriers to their use. |
Some CBD products may yield cannabis-positive urine drug testsIn a study of six adults, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that a single vaping episode of cannabis that is similar in chemical composition to that found in legal hemp products could possibly result in positive results on urine drug screening tests commonly used by many employers and criminal justice or school systems. | |
 | Fighting the HIV epidemicStigma is an important contributor to the continued HIV epidemic in the United States. While pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication that can be taken to prevent HIV infection, previous research has shown that a barrier preventing gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men from using PrEP is fear that partners, family members or community members would believe that those who use PrEP are HIV infected. Less is known, however, about these factors among women. |
 | 2007 to 2016 saw increase in child psychiatrists in U.S.(HealthDay)—The number of child psychiatrists has increased in the United States, although there is considerable regional variability, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in Pediatrics. |
 | Coronary calcium score may ID CV risk in rheumatoid arthritis(HealthDay)—The Coronary Calcium Score (CCS) may be a useful tool in cardiovascular (CV) risk assessment among female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published in the October issue of the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. |
 | One in three young adults get meds for opioid use disorder after overdose(HealthDay)—One in three young adults receive medication for opioid use disorder in the 12 months after surviving an overdose, according to a study published online Oct. 4 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. |
 | CDC: 1 dead, 8 hospitalized in Salmonella outbreak tied to ground beef(HealthDay)—Ground beef tainted with Salmonella has led to 10 known infections across six states, including eight people who were hospitalized, and one death. |
 | Your eating-on-the-job problems, solvedFew meals may be less loved than the workday lunch. Pulled from a brown bag, yanked from a microwave in the middle of a shift or nabbed from a bland cafeteria between meetings, it's more associated with frustration than nutrition. |
 | Many U.S. parents can't find a psychiatrist to help their child(HealthDay)—Despite a growing need for mental health care for children and teens—including a rise in youth suicide—many areas of the United States lack any child psychiatrists, new research reports. |
Researchers identify certain gut bacteria that may be involved in causing bowel cancerPeople who have a certain type of bacteria in their guts may be at greater risk of developing bowel cancer. | |
 | Pattern of hospital visits offers clue to spotting people at risk of myelomaA condition that can progress to myeloma could be identified in patients by their unusually frequent hospital visits, according to research presented at the 2019 NCRI Cancer Conference. |
 | Diabetes drug relieves nicotine withdrawalA drug commonly used to treat Type II diabetes abolishes the characteristic signs of nicotine withdrawal in rats and mice, according to new research published in JNeurosci. The finding may offer an important new strategy in the battle to quit smoking. |
 | The fetal brain possesses adult-like networksThe fundamental organization of brain networks is established in utero during the second and third trimesters of fetal development, according to research published in JNeurosci. The finding lays the groundwork for understanding how the prenatal period shapes future brain function. |
 | Investigators lead effort to create map of the human kidneyDiabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, one of the nation's most debilitating and expensive medical conditions. In 2016 Medicare spent $35 billion caring for more than 725,000 Americans whose kidneys had failed. |
 | Australia should adopt pill testing, but lacks the political will to do soDespite harm reduction being one of the three pillars of the National Drug Strategy, Australian governments are shying away from pill-testing despite evidence suggesting it provides a useful tool for both direct harm reduction, as well as indirect harm reduction through the increased education of a hard-to-reach group of drug users, according to the authors of a Perspective published online today by the Medical Journal of Australia. |
 | Preventing smoking—evidence from urban emergency department patientsA new study from the Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation offers a more in-depth understanding of smoking among patients in an urban emergency department. |
 | Gut microbiome of premature babies is associated with stunted growthThe more abnormal the microbiome in NICU infants, the more likely they are to experience stunted growth even at 4 years of age. While the growth stunting of premature infants has been well known, the role of the microbiome has not been investigated. The effects of the gut microbiome on this growth faltering were just revealed at the World of Microbiome Conference in Milan, Italy, the culmination of a five-year, $2.7 million study funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research. |
Biology news
 | Gene-OFF switches tool up synthetic biologyIn the quest for tomorrow's diagnostics, therapeutics, and bioproduced drugs and fine chemicals, synthetic biologists are assembling artificial networks of genes and modular regulatory elements, similar to the electronic circuits in computer chips. Introduced into cells, these networks can sense biological signals such as viruses and inflammation markers, or chemical substances, and respond by producing a reporter signal, therapeutic protein, or enzyme that converts one substance into another. |
 | Scientists discover how potent bacterial toxin kills MRSA bacteriaScientists from the University of Sheffield have discovered how a potent bacterial toxin is able to target and kill MRSA, paving the way for potential new treatments for superbugs. |
 | City apartments or jungle huts: What chemicals and microbes lurk inside?What are the differences between life in a walled urban apartment versus in a jungle hut that's open to nature? |
 | Complex society discovered in the vulturine guineafowlMultilevel societies have, until now, only been known to exist among large-brained mammals including humans, other primates, elephants, giraffes and dolphins. Now, scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz report the existence of a multilevel society in a small-brained bird, the vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum). The study, published in Current Biology, suggests that the birds can keep track of social associations with hundreds of other individuals—challenging the notion that large brains are a requirement for complex societies, and providing a clue as to how these societies evolved. |
 | Study of African animals illuminates links between environment, diet and gut microbiomeIn recent years, the field of microbiome research has grown rapidly, providing newfound knowledge—and newfound questions—about the microbes that inhabit human and animal bodies. A new study adds to that foundation of knowledge by using DNA analysis to examine the relationship between diet, the environment and the microbiome. |
 | Researchers engineer insulin-producing cells activated by light for diabetesTufts University researchers have transplanted engineered pancreatic beta cells into diabetic mice, then caused the cells to produce more than two to three times the typical level of insulin by exposing them to light. The light-switchable cells are designed to compensate for the lower insulin production or reduced insulin response found in diabetic individuals. The study published in ACS Synthetic Biology shows that glucose levels can be controlled in a mouse model of diabetes without pharmacological intervention. |
 | Best of frenemies: Unexpected role of social networks in ecologySocial networking, even between competing species, plays a much bigger role in ecology than anyone previously thought, according to three biologists at the University of California, Davis. |
 | Time ticks away at wild bison genetic diversityEvidence is mounting that wild North American bison are gradually shedding their genetic diversity across many of the isolated herds overseen by the U.S. government, weakening future resilience against disease and climate events in the shadow of human encroachment. |
 | Synthetic phages with programmable specificityETH researchers are using synthetic biology to reprogram bacterial viruses—commonly known as bacteriophages—to expand their natural host range. This technology paves the way for the therapeutic use of standardized, synthetic bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections. |
 | Elusive cancer-related protein captured in flightScientists have for the first time seen how the MYC protein, which plays a central role in cancer, binds to a key protein and controls important functions in the cell. The study, published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, is a collaboration between scientists at Linköping University, Sweden, and the Princess Margaret Cancer Center in Toronto, Canada. The new discovery may in the long term help in the development of new cancer drugs that disrupt the function of MYC in tumor cells. |
 | Transient wave of hematopoietic stem cell production in late fetuses and young adultshematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are responsible for the constant replenishment of all blood cells throughout life. One of the major challenges in regenerative medicine is to produce tailor-made HSCs to replace the defective ones in patients suffering from blood-related diseases. This would circumvent the shortage of donor HSCs available for the clinic. |
 | Ramping up to divide: An unstable protein is the master switch for cell divisionAn extremely unstable protein, Cln3, appears to be the master switch that activates cell division in budding yeast. Cln3 concentrations only reach high enough levels to trigger the cell division process when the rate of protein synthesis outpaces the rate of cell volume increase. University of Groningen scientists, together with colleagues in Switzerland, published this discovery in the journal Nature Cell Biology on 4 November. |
 | Research team spins the Sleeping Beauty transposaseEMBL scientists have developed a new variant of the so-called Sleeping Beauty transposase. It has dramatically improved biochemical features, including enhanced stability and intrinsic cell penetrating properties. This transposase can be used for genome engineering of stem cells and therapeutic T cells. As such, it is extremely valuable for use in regenerative medicine and cancer immunotherapy. The underlying genome engineering procedures will in the future also reduce costs and improve the safety of genome modifications. |
 | New approach uses light to stabilize proteins for studyResearchers have developed a new technique that uses light to control the lifetime of a protein inside the cell. This method will allow scientists to better observe how specific proteins contribute to health, development and disease. |
 | Deep sea vents had ideal conditions for origin of lifeBy creating protocells in hot, alkaline seawater, a UCL-led research team has added to evidence that the origin of life could have been in deep-sea hydrothermal vents rather than shallow pools. |
 | Global policy-makers must take a more ambitious approach to reversing biodiversity lossA group of leading conservationists, including Dr. Joseph W. Bull at the University of Kent, is urging governments across the globe to adopt a new approach to address the impact of economic development on our natural world. |
 | Fractionation processes can improve profitability of ethanol productionThe U.S. is the world's largest producer of bioethanol as renewable liquid fuel, with more than 200 commercial plants processing over 16 billion gallons per year. Plants typically use dry grind processing methods; however, implementing fractionation techniques that separate corn components prior to fermentation can improve profitability, a University of Illinois study shows. |
 | Peering into a more 'human' petri dishCell culture media, the cocktail of chemicals and nutrients that keep cells alive and thriving in a dish, have been an essential tool of biology for more than 70 years. Remarkably, the composition of these potions hasn't fundamentally changed much over that time, primarily because they deliver what scientists need: Cells that stay viable and rapidly divide. |
 | Estrogen's opposing effects on mammary tumors in dogsDogs that are spayed at a young age have a reduced risk of developing mammary tumors, the canine equivalent of breast cancer. Early spaying reduces levels of estrogen production, leading many veterinarians and scientists to cast estrogen in a negative light when it comes to mammary cancer. |
 | Stuck in a Polish nuclear weapon bunker cannibal wood ants found the way homeIn a recent development of the story about wood ants trapped in a post-Soviet nuclear weapon bunker in Poland, scientists, led by Prof. Wojciech Czechowski, with the decisive contribution of Dr. István Maák, both from the Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, deduced that the "colony" (in quotation marks because only workers were found), while lacking other food, had to survive on the corpses of imprisoned nestmates. By using an experimentally installed boardwalk, the ants were helped to get through the ventilation pipe that led out of the bunker and back to their maternal nest on the top. |
 | Aussie researchers mount rescue bid for endangered pygmy possumClimate change is threatening to wipe out Australia's critically endangered mountain pygmy possum, but researchers are hoping to save the hibernating species by relocating the last remaining mammals to cooler lowlands. |
 | Imaging host-pathogen battle for metalBacterial pathogens require nutrient metals to survive and cause disease, and hosts try to protect themselves by hiding metals away—a process called "nutritional immunity." Bacteria have evolved multiple strategies for getting the metals they need, including the secretion of small molecule metal-binding "sponges" called siderophores. |
 | Puffins make poor diet choices when the chips are downA new study has shown that Britain's puffins may struggle to adapt to changes in their North Sea feeding grounds and researchers are calling for better use of marine protection areas (MPAs) to help protect the country's best known seabirds. Britain's coasts support globally important populations of many species of seabird, but they face many challenges as their established habitats change. |
 | Shark skin microbiome resists infectionA survey of the shark skin microbiome provides the first step toward understanding the remarkable resilience of shark wounds to infection. |
 | The space-time fabric of brain networksNeuroscientists at the Bernstein Center Freiburg (BCF) of the University of Freiburg and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm have decoded a significant process in the brain that in part contributes to the behavior of living beings. "One of the basic requirements for meaningful behavior is that networks in the brain produce precisely defined sequences of neuronal activity," says Prof. Dr. Ad Aertsen of the University of Freiburg. The researchers have published the results of the cooperation with Prof. Dr. Arvind Kumar of the KTH and Sebastian Spreizer, a doctoral candidate at the BCF, in the scientific journal PLoS Computational Biology. |
 | Helping quinoa brave the heatQuinoa is a healthy food many know and love. As its popularity grows, more farmers are interested in planting it. However, the plant doesn't do well in high temperatures, so plant breeders are trying to help. |
 | Research highlights importance of crop competition as a weed control strategyA new study featured in the journal Weed Science points to the formidable weed control challenges faced by growers today. Weeds have developed resistance to many existing herbicide options, and new herbicide discoveries have plummeted. As a result, nonchemical approaches are growing in importance. |
 | New cocoa deals help peasant farmers, but not enoughThe willingness of some multinational firms to pay a cost-of-living bonus for African cocoa planters is welcome but will not save many farmers from grinding poverty, industry sources say. |
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