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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 5, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Astronomers probe the nature of a peculiar pulsar wind nebulaUsing ESA's XMM-Newton spacecraft, astronomers have investigated the nature of a peculiar pulsar wind nebula (PWN) in the supernova remnant (SNR) CTB 87. Results of the study, presented in a paper published November 26, shed more light on the morphology and spectral properties of this object. |
 | Scientists reveal potential new class of X-ray star system researchA scientist at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian has announced the discovery that mass in triple star systems takes on the characteristics of recipient stars before mass is actually transferred, which may allow scientists to re-examine previously labeled binary star systems for evidence of a third companion. |
 | OSIRIS-REx mission explains Bennu's mysterious particle eventsShortly after NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at asteroid Bennu, an unexpected discovery by the mission's science team revealed that the asteroid could be active, or consistently discharging particles into space. The ongoing examination of Bennu—and its sample that will eventually be returned to Earth—could potentially shed light on why this intriguing phenomenon is occurring. |
 | Evidence suggests some super-puffs might be ringed exoplanetsA pair of researchers from the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science and the California Institute of Technology have reported evidence that some super-puff exoplanets might be ringed exoplanets. Anthony Piro and Shreyas Vissapragada have written a paper describing their theory and the evidence supporting it and have posted it on the arXiv preprint server. |
 | SpaceX launches beer malt, caring robot and 'mighty mice'SpaceX launched a 3-ton shipment to the International Space Station on Thursday, including "mighty mice" for a muscle study, a robot sensitive to astronauts' emotions and a miniature version of a brewery's malt house. |
 | New clues about the origin of stellar massesAn international team led by the Astrophysics Department-AIM Laboratory of CEA-Irfu has just obtained new clues about the origin of star mass distribution, combining observational data from the large interferometer ALMA and the APEX radio telescope operated by the European Austral Observatory (ESO) and the Herschel Space Observatory. |
 | Why is the sun's atmosphere so hot? Spacecraft starts to unravel our star's mysteriesIf you ask a child to paint a picture of the sun, you will most likely get a bright yellow circle on a piece of paper. This is actually quite accurate, given that the sun is a ball of hot gas and that its surface (called the photosphere) mostly shines in bright yellow light. The yellow color is determined by the temperature of the photosphere, which is about 5,500°C. |
 | Life on Mars? Europe commits to groundbreaking mission to bring back rocks to EarthIt will be one of the most daunting, complicated and, potentially, scientifically rewarding missions ever undertaken to the red planet. Ministers at a recent meeting of the European Space Agency (ESA) have fully committed to plans to collect samples from the surface of Mars and return them to Earth, in a joint effort with NASA. Official approval for the NASA budget to cover this mission is anticipated early next year. |
 | Mice in space: NASA's latest experimentScientists are sending mighty mice to space, but rather than being gym rats, their strength was enhanced through genetic experimentation in the hopes of preventing human astronauts from experiencing muscle loss in microgravity. |
 | Image: Thermal enclosure for OrionThe Orion spacecraft with European Service Module at NASA's Plum Brook Station. The first Orion will fly farther from Earth on the Artemis I mission than any human-rated vehicle has ever flown before—but first it will undergo testing to ensure the spacecraft withstands the extremes of spaceflight. |
Technology news
 | A ferroelectric ternary content-addressable memory to enhance deep learning modelsMost deep-learning algorithms perform well when trained on large sets of labeled data, but their performance tends to decline when processing new data. Researchers worldwide have thus been trying to develop techniques that could improve the ability of these algorithms to generalize well across both new and previously processed data, enabling what is known as lifelong learning. |
 | A gnu way to control room temperatureHeating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems—called HVAC systems—can be a delicate balance. There are many factors to consider, from air flow between rooms to the effect of human body heat. In the past decade, researchers have turned to machine learning to optimize these systems. With smarter controllers, buildings can save on energy without sacrificing comfort. |
 | New record set for cracking encryption keysAn international team of computer scientists had set a new record for two of the most important computational problems that are the basis for nearly all of the public-key cryptography that is currently used in the real world. |
 | Intelligent tow tank automatically carries out 100,000 experiments in just one yearA team of researchers working in a MIT lab has built an intelligent tow tank (ITT) that is capable of carrying out fluid dynamics experiments, and have used it to carry out 100,000 such experiments in just one year. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the team describes the ITT, its capabilities and what it has been working on for the past year. |
 | Privacy gets top billing in Firefox movesTech watchers were discussing Mozilla this week over its new moves, new plans, new Firefox features. |
 | SMAC in the DARQ: the tech trends shaping 2020In 2020, will the wow factor return to consumer hardware? Will blockchain and 5G punch into the mainstream? Or will the world unify against Big Tech's privacy-busting, tax-avoiding practices? |
 | At 50, Europe's oldest nuclear plant not ready to retireEurope's oldest functioning nuclear reactor, at Switzerland's Beznau plant, will turn 50 next week—a lifespan deemed dangerously long by environmentalists who are demanding that it be shut down immediately. |
 | Deployable human-scale immersive virtual environments?Imagine being inside Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Collaborative Research Augmented Immersive Virtual Environment Laboratory (CRAIVE Lab), which features a front-projection 360-degree panoramic display to immerse you visually, while 134 loudspeakers render a spatially superb sound. |
 | High-speed fire footage reveals key insights for power plant safetyHigh energy arcing faults are high-power electrical discharges between two or more conductors that can release tens of thousands of amps of current. They can result in explosions that reach about 35,000 degrees Celsius—about the temperature of lightning strikes—and vaporize steel and spew hot metal particles into the air. |
 | Rainforest preservation through machine learningComputer scientist David Dao develops intelligent algorithms that use satellite and drone images of rainforests to predict where the next sites of deforestation will be. He will be presenting his research at the climate conference in Madrid today, and will start a pilot project in Chile in January. |
 | To stop a tech apocalypse we need ethics and the artsIf recent television shows are anything to go by, we're a little concerned about the consequences of technological development. Dystopian narratives abound. |
 | More accurate solution for cross-border internet purchasesHow can cross-border internet purchases be accurately estimated? Researchers Quinten Meertens, Cees Diks, Jaap van den Herik and Frank Takes of the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the University of Amsterdam (UvA) present their solution to this problem with an animation. |
 | Filtering out social bots can help critical response teams see what's happening in real timeResearchers have created an algorithm that distinguishes between misinformation and genuine conversations on Twitter, by detecting messages churned out by social bots. |
 | Professors working to eliminate gender-biased 'bugs' in open-source softwareThe cycle of open source software (OSS) development and gender representation is, perhaps, unsurprising—women are vastly underrepresented among OSS developers. As a result, women miss out on development and professional opportunities, and as jobs in OSS development open up, women lack the experience to get them. And the cycle continues. |
 | Remove car lanes, restrict vehicles and improve transit to reduce traffic congestionDuring a trip to the United States, I was surprised to hear a transportation planner from a major American metropolis say that traffic congestion was not a problem because it was a sign of economic vitality. |
 | Mobile devices blur work and personal privacy raising cyber risks, says QUT researcherOrganisations aren't moving quickly enough on cyber security threats linked to the drive toward using personal mobile devices in the workplace, warns a QUT privacy researcher. |
 | Security is one problem that small businesses need to take care of prontoSo where's the best place to spend your company's technology budget next year? The answer may surprise you. |
 | Two Russians charged in multimillion-dollar malware schemeThe Justice Department unsealed charges Thursday against the alleged leader and an administrator of a Russian cyber-criminal gang that U.S. officials say developed and distributed malware used to steal at least $100 million from banks and other financial institutions in more than 40 countries over the past decade. |
 | Can 3-D-printing musical instruments produce better sound than traditional instruments?Music is an art, but it is also a science involving vibrating reeds and strings, sound waves and resonances. The study of acoustics can help scientists produce beautiful music even with musical instruments fashioned with high-tech methods, such as 3-D printing. |
 | Water animation gets easierFrom early story concepts to a theatrical release, full-length animated films can take years to create. One of the biggest time commitments comes during the animation process when the animators are simulating fluid materials, like water or hair. |
 | Developing a digital twinIn the not too distant future, we can expect to see our skies filled with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) delivering packages, maybe even people, from location to location. |
 | Huawei asks court to throw out US telecom funds banChinese tech giant Huawei is asking a U.S. federal court to throw out a rule that bars rural phone carriers from using government money to purchase its equipment on security grounds. |
 | South African Airways begins last-ditch rescue plan to prevent 'collapse'South African Airways was placed under a state-approved rescue plan on Thursday to avoid the embattled airline's collapse following a costly week-long strike last month. |
 | Artists cash in on China's online sticker crazeWhen "Silly Piggy" appeared in China's popular WeChat social media app, the sticker became an instant hit, with people sending it more than 30 million times in its first month to express their feelings in text messages. |
 | Designing AI that better understands humans' goalsWhen researchers design machine learning systems, their goal is typically to automate certain functions. Instead of being fully autonomous, however, most of these systems work together with humans. In order to be truly helpful, they need to understand what goals people have. |
 | Robocalls on the rise: Americans get 18 spam calls per month, report saysThe United States is again the eighth-most-spammed nation in the world and the annoying calls are on the rise, according to a new report. |
 | The future is now: Flying car comes to MiamiIf you grew up watching "The Jetsons," you may have thought that by the 21st century, we'd all have flying cars. It hasn't quite worked out that way, but that could be changing—if you have $599,000 and a pilot's license. |
 | 17 tips you need to know to make you a super searcher on Google"I love your tips," a woman said to me recently. |
 | GM, Korea's LG Chem in venture to build factory in OhioGeneral Motors and Korea's LG Chem have formed a joint venture to build an electric vehicle battery cell factory near Lordstown, Ohio, east of Cleveland. |
 | 2019 tech gifts: A little something for everyoneSome gift guides have a theme, but this week we have a variety of very cool gifts that would be welcome Christmas gifts for anyone - techies or not. |
 | This startup is designing cashierless stores—and just raised $30MA technology startup in San Diego has just raised $30 million from investors to continue building out its software for cashier-less, "grab-and-go" stores. The model, popularized by Amazon Go, allows shoppers to simply walk into a store, grab items from the shelves, and walk out—with the receipt sent directly to their mobile device. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Three types of cells help the brain tell day from nightBright light at night interrupts the body's normal day-night cycles, called circadian rhythms, and can trigger insomnia. In fact, circadian rhythms play a major role in health. Disrupted day-night cycles have even been linked to increased incidence of diseases like cancer, heart disease, obesity, depressive disorders and type 2 diabetes in people who work night shifts. Therefore, understanding how human eyes sense light could lead to "smart" lights that can prevent depression, foster sleep at night, and maintain healthy circadian rhythms. |
 | 2019: the year gene therapy came of ageIn the summer, a mother in Nashville with a seemingly incurable genetic disorder finally found an end to her suffering—by editing her genome. |
 | Genome testing for siblings of kids with autism may detect ASD before symptoms appearOne of the key priorities of interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is starting early, with some evidence showing infants as young as seven months old could benefit. Yet, most children in North America aren't diagnosed with ASD until they're over four years of age. New research led by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Alberta published on December 5, 2019 in Nature Communications has found testing the DNA of siblings of individuals with ASD may be predictive of a future diagnosis even if symptoms aren't yet apparent. |
 | Nervous system doesn't merely detect presence of Salmonella, it actively defends body against it: studyNew research by scientists at Harvard Medical School has found that nerves in the guts of mice do not merely sense the presence of Salmonella but actively protect against infection by this dangerous bacterium by deploying two lines of defense. |
 | Eating only during a 10-hour window improved health for those with metabolic syndromeWhat if a clock did a better job than a scale at promoting weight loss, improving sleep and preventing diabetes? New research suggests it's about time to consider that possibility. |
 | Immune system can be coaxed into selecting key antibodies to fight HIVResearchers have cleared a major obstacle in the development of an HIV vaccine, proving in animal models that effective, yet short-lasting antibodies can be coaxed into multiplying as a fighting force against the virus. |
 | Root of childhood kidney cancer discoveredA fundamental change in our understanding of the childhood kidney cancer Wilms' tumour is on the horizon, after the discovery of its earliest genetic root by scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators. By comparing genome sequences from normal kidney tissue and tumours, the team identified patches of normal-looking kidney tissue that in fact carried DNA changes that cause Wilms' tumour. |
 | Brain diseases with molecular diversityParkinson's and multisystem atrophy (MSA), both neurodegenerative diseases, are associated with the accumulation of alpha-synuclein proteins in the brain. Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (MPI-BPC) have investigated the molecular makeup of these protein deposits finding structural diversity. Experts from South Korea, Australia and Argentina were also involved in the study. The results, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, suggest that Parkinson's might be related to diverse types of protein aggregates. |
 | Infant blood markers predict childhood mental healthStanford researchers have shown that levels of cholesterol and fat in a newborn's blood can reliably predict that child's psychological and social health five years later. If confirmed, the discovery could point to new ways for monitoring or treating mental illnesses, such as depression, early on in childhood. |
 | Rats are using the same brain region people use to empathize with othersRats are amazing at avoiding dangers. What is their secret? Could empathy be a contributing factor? This is what a group of researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience investigated. Their study shows that rats can use other rats as danger antennas by attending to the emotions of the rats around them. With this finding, new targets for treatment of empathy disorders in humans, such as psychopathy and fronto-temporal dementia, could someday be possible. |
 | Technique shows how individual cancer cells react to drugsA new technique reported in Science this week overcomes several limitations of typical high-throughput chemical screens conducted on cell samples. Such screens are commonly used to try to discover new cancer drugs, and in many other biomedical applications. |
 | Study finds BPA levels in humans dramatically underestimatedResearchers have developed a more accurate method of measuring bispehnol A (BPA) levels in humans and found that exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical is far higher than previously assumed. |
 | Scientists reliably predict people's age by measuring proteins in bloodThe carnival worker who tries to guess your age relies on aspects of your appearance, such as your posture and whether any wrinkles emanate from the corners of your eyes and lips. If the carny's guess is more than a few years off, you win a stuffed koala. |
 | Taming chronic inflammation may reduce illness, save livesScientists from 22 institutions, including UCLA, are recommending early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of severe chronic inflammation to reduce the risk of chronic disease and death worldwide. |
 | Researchers program cancer-fighting cells to resist exhaustion, attack solid tumors in miceA new approach to programing cancer-fighting immune cells called CAR-T cells can prolong their activity and increase their effectiveness against human cancer cells grown in the laboratory and in mice, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. |
 | Study finds wide county-level variation in rates of surgery for early-stage lung cancerA new study finds more than two-fold differences between counties with the lowest and highest rates of surgery for patients with early stage lung cancer, with socioeconomic and healthcare delivery factors contributing to the gap. The study appears in the journal Chest. |
 | New tool to predict the global spread of dengueResearchers at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, QUT and Queensland Health have developed a new tool to predict the global spread of human infectious diseases, like dengue, and track them to their source.The tool draws on travel data from the International Air Transportation Association and dengue incidence rates from the Global Health Data Exchange to derive new insights about the spreading dynamics of dengue, a mosquito-borne disease. |
Research in sheep suggests possible early test for fetal heart healthChanges in heart rate, due to low oxygen conditions, experienced by the fetus during pregnancy, could be used to predict the future heart health of babies, shows research published in the Journal of Physiology today. | |
 | Being active reduces risk of prostate cancerProstate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK , yet we still don't know all of its causes. The largest ever study to use genetics as a measurement for physical activity to look at its effect on prostate cancer, reveals that being more active reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Over 140,000 men were included in the study, of which, 80,000 had prostate cancer. |
 | Potential cause of elevated nighttime blood pressure in patients with apnea identifiedObstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) affects an estimated 22 million Americans. In addition to sleep problems, the condition can cause other health issues, including high blood pressure, chronic heart failure and stroke. Some patients with OSA are at an even higher risk of cardiovascular problems because of a phenomenon called "reverse dipping" that causes blood pressure to rise rather than lower during sleep. Most people experience lower blood pressure at night. Now, University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers have found a potential cause for reverse dipping that may help patients with OSA get the help they need before cardiovascular disease develops. |
Children with food allergies seen faster under new paediatric modelChildren with food allergies are seen 10 months sooner and have fewer allergic reactions when treated by a paediatrician in their own community, a new study shows. | |
 | Vaping linked to rare lung disease: studyDoctors treating a patient with a rare lung disease usually caused by exposure to industrial metals say it may instead be the first case linked to vaping. |
 | Moderate intensity physical activity associated with lower risk of diabetesDaily exercise at moderate intensity is associated with beneficial levels of a hormone that may lower risk of diabetes, according to a study published in Endocrine Connections. Men who were physically active at moderate intensity for 30 minutes a day, released higher levels of a hormone that reduces appetite and blood sugar levels. These findings may suggest that even lower intensity of daily habitual physical activity could help prevent metabolic diseases such as diabetes. |
 | Obesity surgery improves the heartThe benefits of bariatric surgery for obese individuals go beyond weight loss, according to a study presented today at EuroEcho 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). |
 | Fighting bacterial infection with drug-eluting medical devicesMedical practitioners routinely outfit patients with devices ranging from cardiovascular stents, pacemakers, catheters, and therapeutic lenses to orthopedic, breast, dental, and cochlear implants and prostheses. These accessories restore mobility and improve the lifestyles of millions of people. Yet despite the creation of new biocompatible materials, medical implants remain especially vulnerable to bacterial infection. Bacteria are either preexistent or inoculated during the surgical procedure, which weakens the host's defense mechanisms. In fact, nearly 15 percent of all in-hospital infections among surgical patients are related to indwelling medical devices. |
 | Newly engineered peptide shows potential as long-acting anti-HIV drugA newly engineered peptide called IBP-CP24 has the potential to be further developed as a long-acting anti-HIV drug that can be used alone or in combination with a broad neutralizing antibody for the treatment and prevention of HIV-1 infection, according to a study published December 5 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Lu Lu and Shibo Jiang of Fudan University and Lishan Su of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues. As reported in the study, IBP-CP24 exhibited a prolonged half-life as well as potent and broad anti-HIV-1 activity, even against drug-resistant strains. |
 | Common genetic origins discovered behind uterine fibroids and endometriosisA major international study revealed that the two most common female reproductive system diseases, uterine fibroids and endometriosis, have common genetic origins. The finding, published in the prestigious Nature Communications journal, drives forward basic research in the field and may open up completely new opportunities for developing drug treatment as well. |
 | 3-D model lends hope for cloacal malformationIn so-called cloacal malformation (anal atresia), children are born without a rectal orifice or anus, or one that is malformed. This condition affects one in every 5,000 children. The congenital malformation can be corrected by a highly complex surgical operation. Researchers from MedUni Vienna have now developed the first 3-D model of a congenital cloacal malformation, for the first time allowing the endoscopic technique of cystoscopy to be used very realistically for examination, and the simulation of a real operation. |
 | Study reveals what factors influence young people's gambling habitsA study has shown that regular weekly gamblers were more likely to be male and had developed habits and patterns of play by age 20. Factors such as the gambling habits of parents and social media use were also found to influence a young person's gambling activity. The in-depth longitudinal study by the University of Bristol's Children of the 90s was commissioned by GambleAware. |
 | Fatal child drownings: Chores a distraction in more than 4 out of 10 casesNew UNSW research is a timely reminder this summer that housework, socializing and miscommunication can become deadly distractions when young children are left alone in or near water. |
 | Machine learning, imaging technique may boost colon cancer diagnosisColorectal cancer is the second most common type of cancer worldwide, with about 90 percent of cases occurring in people 50 or older. Arising from the inner surface, or muscosal layer, of the colon, cancerous cells can penetrate through the deeper layers of the colon and spread to other organs. Left untreated, the disease is fatal. |
 | Patient diaries reveal propensity for epileptic seizuresA researcher at Rice University's Brown School of Engineering and an alumna of her lab have the first validation of their program to assess the risk of seizures in patients with epilepsy. |
 | Tick, tock: How stress speeds up your chromosomes' aging clockAgeing is an inevitability for all living organisms, and although we still don't know exactly why our bodies gradually grow ever more decrepit, we are starting to grasp how it happens. |
 | Unboxing videos fueling kids' tantrums, breeding consumerism"Tis the season for tantrums in the toy aisles and impossibly long Santa lists. But for parents wishing to shield their children from the clutches of consumerism, shutting off the TV commercials and avoiding the malls may no longer suffice. |
 | Progress slow against pancreatic cancerPancreatic cancer is the third deadliest form of the disease after lung cancer and colorectal cancer. |
 | How controlled breathing helps elite athletes—and you can benefit from it, tooProfessional sport is full of stories of elite athletes "choking" emotionally and mentally under the pressure of competition. One famous example is golfer Greg Norman, who was leading the 1994 US Masters by six strokes at the beginning of the final round, but then lost by five strokes to Nick Faldo. And England football teams are well known for their struggles in penalty shoot outs. |
 | Telling the complex story of 'medical xenophobia' in South AfricaThe phrase "medical xenophobia" is often used to describe the negative attitudes and practices of South African health care professionals towards refugees and migrants. It is used whenever foreign nationals are denied access to any medical treatment or care. |
 | How hospital design supports children, young people and their familiesEvery time you take your child to the emergency department or a loved one to a mental health outpatient appointment, the very building and spaces you encounter will have been designed, for a number of reasons. |
 | Vaccine group announces creation of Ebola vaccine stockpileThe vaccine alliance GAVI announced Thursday it would invest $178 million to create a global stockpile of about 500,000 Ebola vaccines, a decision that health officials say could help prevent future outbreaks from spiraling out of control. |
 | From depression to Parkinson's disease: The healing power of danceWhy do we stop dancing when we grow up? Why do we disconnect and alienate ourselves from the body? It is surprising to me that dance/movement therapy (DMT) is not more popular within the fields of psychology and psychotherapy globally. |
 | Bullying won't be curbed until we figure out what fuels itIn October 2019, a 14-year-old and an 18-year-old were charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of Devan Bracci-Selvey, who died in his mother's arms outside his southern Ontario high school. In response, provincial Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced "new actions" to tackle bullying, notably without any new funding. |
 | Early medical abortion is legal across Australia but rural women often don't have access to itAround one in six Australian women have had an abortion by their mid-30s. These women come from all age groups and demographics: some are mothers already, while others are child-free; some are partnered, others are single. |
 | Study prompts call for disaster-specific pharmacy legislationPharmacists caught up in the Australian bushfire crisis are being hampered from providing timely and effective treatment to displaced people due to outdated laws, according to QUT researchers. |
 | Without metrics, how do you rate drug treatment facilities?Almost 10 percent of the nation's entire population live with substance use disorder, but many struggle to find the right help—a task which is made more difficult because there is no standardized rating system to ensure the quality of care within specialized drug treatment facilities. Even the efforts that do exist to evaluate these entities don't seem to be aligned with the central concerns of patients, according to a new study from Penn Medicine researchers which was published today in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. |
 | When depression drives you to drinkWhen you drink, do you get depressed? Or is it the reverse: when you're depressed, do you drink? |
 | Redirecting the natural immune response to disrupt bacterial biofilmsMost bacterial species prefer to live in biofilms, where they are protected from antibiotic treatments and can lead to chronic and recurrent diseases in humans. To address this problem, researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital have developed a novel synthetic peptide that mimics an essential component of bacterial biofilms. When used as a vaccine, it redirects the natural adaptive immune response to disrupt bacterial biofilms so the immune system and/or traditional antibiotics can now effectively clear the infection. |
 | Weight change between pregnancies is linked to having premature and large at birth babiesResearch from the University of Southampton has identified that women who are not overweight and lose significant weight (more than 3 kg/m2) between their first and second pregnancies could have a greater risk of a premature birth than those who maintained a stable weight. This link was evident only in women whose body mass index was within the recommended range of 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2 at the start of their first pregnancy. One in a hundred of these women lost more than 3 kg/m2 between their pregnancies. |
 | Study reveals dramatic rise in patients 'cured' of heart condition following GP performance pay schemeThe introduction of a performance-related financial incentive scheme for GPs led to a dramatic almost five-fold rise in the number of patients whose heart rhythm condition was said to have been 'cured', say University of Birmingham researchers. |
 | Dangerous skin tumor now has treatment guidelinesIt starts as a yellow or shiny bump on the eyelids, face or body that grows and doesn't go away, unlike a pimple. |
 | Gene network sparks future autism treatmentA mutated gene found in people with intellectual disabilities that could be targeted for treatment has been identified by an international team including University of Queensland researchers. |
 | First of its kind study seeks to answer whether effects of 'abortion pill' can be reversedWomen who initiate medical abortion but opt to stop in the middle of treatment may be at risk for serious blood loss, a UC Davis Health study finds. Researchers found this is true even for women who use an experimental treatment that claims to "reverse" the effects of the abortion pill. The study, published today in Obstetrics and Gynecology, provides important insights into the safety of using high doses of progesterone during early pregnancy to try to stop a medical abortion. |
 | Preterm birth linked to increased rates of diabetes in children and young adultsNew research shows that preterm birth is linked to increased rates of type 1 and type 2 diabetes in children and young adults, with certain effects stronger in females. People who have been born preterm may need more intensive monitoring and prevention efforts to lower their risk of diabetes, concludes the study, published in Diabetologia. |
 | Review: Teleneurology feasible for several neurologic disordersTeleneurology is feasible for several neurological disorders, according to a review published online Dec. 4 in Neurology. |
 | New HIV infections remained stable in U.S. from 2013 to 2017From 2013 to 2017, the number of new HIV infections remained stable, and only 18.1 percent of the 1.2 million people with indications for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) had been prescribed the medication in 2018, according to research published in the Dec. 3 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Aspirin use may reduce cancer, all-cause mortality in seniorsAspirin use three or more times per week is associated with reductions in all-cause, any cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality among older adults, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in JAMA Network Open. |
 | Why nerve cells in the brain process information differentlyThe dentate gyrus is the "input point" for the hippocampus part of the brain. It transmits information from the short term memory to the long term. It consists of granule cells, which are especially dense in this area of the brain, and interneurons, which are linked up in the central or peripheral nervous system between several nerve cells and have an inhibiting effect on their activity. Both types of cell process information and differentiate closely-related memories. A team headed by Prof. Dr. Marlene Bartos from the Institute of Physiology I of the University of Freiburg, which also includes lead author Dr. Claudio Elgueta, has found why granule cells and interneurons process incoming signals differently: they have fundamentally different structures and functional characteristics. The work group has published its results in the journal Nature Communications. |
 | New protein function could be key to treatment of drug addiction and behavioral disordersThe human brain consists of several intricate networks or "circuits." One such complex circuit, called the "reward circuit," is involved in reward-associated learning, a process in which nerve cell activity changes in response to a "reward" stimulus (something that the brain perceives as a reward). This process is what usually causes feelings of desire and motivation, but excessive stimulus may also cause dependence and addiction. |
 | New weapon in war against opioids: An implanted device that automatically releases lifesaving naloxoneAn opioid overdose can be a lonely death. People who use drugs often do so in private, and should they get a dose stronger than they can tolerate, no one will be there to save them with the overdose-reversing medication naloxone. |
 | Bystanders can help more cardiac arrest victims surviveOnly 8% of Americans survive cardiac arrest outside a hospital, but that percentage could increase significantly if bystanders recognize cardiac arrest and perform simple lifesaving tasks, a UVA Health physician says. |
 | Phone-in-cheek: Spike seen in cellphone-linked face injuriesAdd facial cuts, bruises and fractures to the risks from cellphones and carelessly using them. |
 | Food pantries can help improve nutrition, diet qualityAccording to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 37 million people nationally live in food-insecure households. For those who visit food pantries, the frequency of their visits matters. |
 | New methodology developed to monitor patients with glioblastomaGlioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive brain tumor in adults. Currently, it can be treated with neurosurgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Still, the median life expectancy of patients affected with this pathology is no longer than 15 months. |
 | How to reduce suicides on the psychiatric wardOver the last decade, more than 50 people have died by suicide while admitted to psychiatric facilities in California. The figure paints a bleak picture of the options available for people in the midst of a mental health crisis. |
 | How much will we eat in the future?The amount of food needed to feed the world's population in the future is of vital importance. To date, scientists have only considered this question from the perspective of how much food people can afford to buy, how much food is healthy or what can be sustainably produced. However, researchers at the University of Göttingen have now analysed how the actual quantity of food that people would like to eat is likely to change. A rising Body Mass Index (BMI), which evaluates weight in relation to height, and an increasing body height lead to a marked increase in global calorie requirements. The results have been published in the journal PLOS ONE. |
 | How extreme environmental conditions affect the human brainMembers of a polar research expedition have provided researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development with an opportunity to study the effects of social isolation and extreme environmental conditions on the human brain. The researchers found changes to the dentate gyrus, an area of the hippocampus responsible for spatial thinking and memory. Results from their study have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Mouse study shows nerve signaling pathway critical to healing fracturesSticks and stones may break one's bones, but healing them requires the production of a protein signal that stimulates the generation, growth and spread of vital nerve cells, or neurons, throughout the injured area. That's the finding of a recent Johns Hopkins Medicine study that used mice to demonstrate what likely takes place during human fracture repair as well. |
 | How sand fly mating habits are helping tackle tropical disease in £2.5 million projectThe tropical disease Leishmaniasis is being tackled by catching female sand flies who carry the parasite that causes the disease. |
 | What is a scream? The acoustics of a primal human callScreams are prompted by a variety of emotions—from joyful surprise to abject terror. No matter what sparks them, however, human screams share distinctive acoustic parameters that listeners are attuned to, suggests a new study published by the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. |
 | Using lungs from increased-risk donors expands donor pool, maintains current survival ratesCleveland Clinic researchers have found that using lungs from donors who are considered high risk for certain infectious diseases compared to standard risk donors results in similar one-year survival for recipients. In addition, researchers saw no difference in rejection or graft (donor lung) survival after one year in patients receiving lungs from increased-risk donors. |
 | Young people with IBD five times more likely to develop serious infectionsYoung patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are five times more likely than the general population to develop viral infections that can lead to hospitalisation or permanent organ damage, a new study published in the UEG Journal has found. |
 | Older adults who 'train' for a major operation spend less time in the hospitalOlder adults who "train" for a major operation by exercising, eating a healthy diet, and practicing stress reduction techniques preoperatively have shorter hospital stays and are more likely to return to their own homes afterward rather than another facility, compared with similar patients who do not participate in preoperative rehabilitation, according to research findings. The new study, which appears as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print, evaluated a home-based program of preoperative rehabilitation—called prehabilitation—for Michigan Medicare beneficiaries. |
 | British woman in Spain revived after 6 hours in cardiac arrestA British woman suffering from severe hypothermia who was revived by doctors in Spain after more than six hours of cardiac arrest, on Thursday hailed her survival as "a miracle". |
 | Racial differences seen with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HealthDay)—Racial differences in disease expression and adverse clinical outcomes exist between black and white patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in JAMA Cardiology. |
 | Prescription opioid analgesic use reported in 6.5 percent of adults(HealthDay)—Overall, 6.5 percent of adults aged 20 years and older reported using a prescription opioid analgesic in the previous 30 days during 2013 to 2016, according to a report published in the December Health E-Stats, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics. |
 | NFL coaches' drive for success can be hard on their heartsYou're not likely to find any studies linking heart disease and NFL coaches—just a long list of familiar names. |
 | Vaping may have triggered lung illness typically only seen in metalworkers(HealthDay)—A lung disease that normally strikes in the workplace has been linked to vaping in a new report. |
 | Prenatal and early life exposure to multiple air pollutants increases odds of toddler allergiesA new article in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) shows a significant association between multiple prenatal and early life exposures to indoor pollutants and the degree of allergic sensitivity in 2-year-olds. |
 | Brain differences detected in children with depressed parentsThe largest brain imaging study of children ever conducted in the United States has revealed structural differences in the brains of those whose parents have depression. |
 | Chronic disease prevention could ease opioid crisisPreventing chronic disease could help curb the opioid epidemic, according to research from the University of Georgia. |
 | Gay, bisexual men increasingly agree: HIV 'undetectable equals untransmittable'Extensive evidence from HIV prevention research studies has firmly established that "Undetectable Equals Untransmittable," or U=U. This means that people living with HIV who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load—the amount of virus in their blood—by taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribed do not sexually transmit HIV to others. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates this strategy is 100% effective against the sexual transmission of HIV. |
 | Study examines the relationship between sugars and heart healthThe impact of sugars on heart health depends on the dose and type of sugar consumed, suggests a new study led by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital. |
 | Though safe, nilotinib does not show promise for benefit for Parkinson's diseaseNorthwestern University and the Parkinson Study Group announced that the Nilotinib in Parkinson's Disease (NILO-PD) study showed that nilotinib, an FDA-approved treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia being tested for potential repurposing as a Parkinson's drug, was safe and tolerable in its trial population of 76 participants with moderate to advanced Parkinson's but does not exert a clinically meaningful benefit or biological effect to benefit those with Parkinson's disease. |
 | Immune checkpoint therapy for ER+ breast cancers, a missed opportunity?In the United States, apart from some forms of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. It is also the most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women and the second most common among all other women, after lung cancer. There are different types of breast cancer, and for this reason there are multiple alternative treatments. Determining a patient's specific cancer type helps physicians decide which of these therapies are most appropriate. |
 | Measles killed more than 140,000 amid stagnating vaccine ratesMore than 140,000 people died from measles worldwide in 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) and US authorities said Thursday, the result of global vaccination rates that have stagnated for almost a decade. |
 | Experts split sharply over experimental Alzheimer's drugA company that claims to have the first drug to slow mental decline from Alzheimer's disease made its case to scientists Thursday but left them sharply divided over whether there's enough evidence of effectiveness for the medicine to warrant federal approval. |
Study finds little increased risk of injury in high-intensity functional training programHigh-intensity group workout classes are increasingly popular at fitness centers. While research has shown that these workouts can have cardiovascular and other benefits, few studies have been conducted on whether they lead to more injuries. | |
 | Behavioral interventions may be as effective at reducing food intake as anorectic drugsSimulations predict that behavioral interventions such as imposing strict no-food restrictions after meals can be as effective as strong anorectic drugs in reducing food intake in rodents, according to a study published December 5 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Tom McGrath, Kevin Murphy and Nick Jones of Imperial College London, and colleagues. |
 | Researchers develop open source EEG visualization toolResearchers at UT have developed a free open source computer program that can be used to create visual and quantitative representations of brain electrical activity in laboratory animals in hopes of developing countermeasures for opioid use disorder. |
 | US report: Prescription drug prices down slightly last yearPrices for prescription drugs edged down by 1% last year, a rare result driven by declines for generics and slow, low growth in the cost of brand-name medications, the government said Thursday. |
Samoa shuts down in unprecedented battle against measles crisisSamoa entered a two-day lockdown Thursday to carry out an unprecedented mass vaccination drive aimed at containing a devastating measles epidemic that has killed dozens of children in the Pacific island nation. | |
 | UN says online anti-vaxxers fuelling Samoa measles deathsSocial media giants must crack down on anti-vaccination posts that are fuelling Samoa's deadly measles epidemic from afar, UNICEF's Pacific islands chief said Thursday. |
 | Turning gray and into the red: The true cost of growing old in AmericaThe U.S. population is aging at such a rate that within a few years, older Americans will outnumber the country's children for the first time, according to census projections. But rising rents, health care and other living costs mean that for many entering their retirement years, balancing the household budget can be a struggle. |
Fentanyl now greatest risk to correctional officers' safety in prisonsFentanyl and other new opioids are drastically altering the lives of inmates and correctional officers in Western Canada's prisons, according to a study by two U of A sociologists. | |
 | Injuries and illness are big concerns for Paralympic athletes, unique study revealsParasport continues to grow worldwide. A new thesis from Lund University in Sweden shows how Paralympic athletes run the risk of both being injured by strenuous training as well as being affected by injuries and illness due to their impairment. The results indicate that the incidence is almost twice as high when compared with similar studies of athletes in Sweden with no disabilities. |
 | Imaging of conjunctival goblet cells helps diagnosis of dry eyesGoblet cells are epithelial cells that produce mucins and disperse tears which help the surface of eyes maintain their wet environment. Goblet cells are closely related to autoimmune diseases including dry eyes and chemical burns. Therefore, it is very important to examine the status of goblet cells to better understand and diagnose ocular disease. |
 | Anti-hepatitis medicine surprisesHepatitis C is a serious disease, but the biggest threat to someone's health is not the virus itself. Rather, it is the diseases that can result from it such as reduced liver functioning, scar tissue in the liver and potentially cirrhosis. A new study shows that the antiviral treatment which has been used to fight the disease over the last five years, also helps improve the complications which follow. |
 | Recruitment of miR-8080 by luteolin inhibits AR-V7 in castration-resistant prostate cancerProstate cancer is the most common noncutaneous malignancy in the United States and is responsible for many male deaths. The development of prostate carcinogenesis is initially androgen-dependent. |
Biology news
 | Can a single-celled organism 'change its mind'? New study says yesOnce, single-cell life claimed sole dominion over the earth. For some three billion years, unfathomable generations of unicellular organisms ate, grew and reproduced among only each other. They evolved into predators and prey, thrived and spread across the primordial waters and land, and formed complex and dynamic ecosystems in every ecological niche on the planet. Around 600 million years ago, some even crossed the threshold into multicellularity. |
 | Wildlife in tropics hardest hit by forests being broken upTropical species are six times more sensitive to forests being broken up for logging or farming than temperate species, says new research. |
 | With cellular blueprint for lungs, researchers look ahead to organ regenerationUsing sophisticated screening across animal species, researchers at Yale have created a cellular blueprint of the human lung that will make it easier to understand the design principles behind lung function and disease—and to bioengineer new lungs. |
 | First 'lab in a field' experiment reveals a sunnier side of climate changePioneering experiments using heated field plots to test the responses of crops to temperature have revealed an unexpected plus side of climate change for farmers. |
 | Wildfire may benefit forest bats: studyBats face many threats—from habitat loss and climate change to emerging diseases, such as white-nose syndrome. But it appears that wildfire is not among those threats, suggests a study from the University of California, Davis, published today in the journal Scientific Reports. It found that bats in the Sierra Nevada appear to be well-adapted to wildfire. |
 | Machine learning provides new paradigm in understanding microbial gene regulationE. coli are hardy bacteria, able to live in diverse conditions from the surface of a lettuce leaf to an acidic stomach. To survive and thrive in so many environments, the bacteria must use a network of transcriptional regulators to change their gene expression levels in response to their surroundings. Even in E. coli, one of the best characterized bacteria, it is still a significant challenge for scientists to understand how they coordinate the expression of their thousands of genes. |
 | What does DNA's repair shop look like? New research identifies the toolsA team of scientists has identified how damaged DNA molecules are repaired inside the human genome, a discovery that offers new insights into how the body works to ensure its health and how it responds to diseases that stem from impaired DNA. |
 | Whales may owe their efficient digestion to millions of tiny microbesA study by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) shows that the microbial communities inside whales may play an important role in the digestion of one of the ocean's most abundant carbon-rich lipids, known as a wax ester. Their findings were published Dec. 2 in the Journal of the International Society for Microbial Ecology. |
 | Protein antibiotics offer new hope for fighting common crop diseasesScientists have tested a new way to protect crops from a widespread and devastating bacterial disease, without using environmentally damaging chemical sprays. |
 | Physical forces affect bacteria's toxin resistance, study findsA random conversation between two Cornell researchers at a child's birthday party led to a collaboration and new understanding of how bacteria resist toxins, which may lead to new tools in the fight against harmful infections. |
 | Alcohol tolerance may have saved our ancestors from extinctionThe ability to process alcohol may have saved humanity's ancestors from extinction, a new book suggests. |
 | Contamination by metals can increase metabolic stress in musselsA study of six beaches in the coastal city of Guarujá in São Paulo state (Southeast Brazil) suggests that urbanization may be a source of stress not only for humans but also for mussels. Researchers affiliated with the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) in Santos, Brazil, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, found a direct correlation among the degree of urbanization, contamination of the sea by metals and the possible metabolic stress caused by these contaminants in mussels native to the beaches of interest. The study was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin. |
 | Host cell proteases can process viral capsid proteinsIt has long been suggested that a cell protease could take part in enterovirus infection. However, the identities of such proteases have remained unknown. The work performed in the University of Jyväskylä shows, for the first time, that host cell calpain proteases can process enterovirus polyprotein in vitro. The research was published in Viruses in November 2019. |
 | New insights into regulation of root initiationWhen young, dark-grown seedlings of thale cress are given light, they start to form roots from the stem-like part of the plant called the hypocotyl. Abdellah Lakehal used this system to study how the initiation of these adventitious roots is regulated at the molecular level. Abdellah Lakehal successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis on Thursday, 28th of November 2019 at Umeå University. |
 | Scientists identify new marker for insecticide resistance in malaria mosquitoesResearchers at LSTM have genetically modified malaria carrying mosquitoes in order to demonstrate the role of particular genes in conferring insecticide resistance. |
 | Gene expression regulation in Chinese cabbage illuminatedDoctoral student Ayasha Akter (Kobe University's Graduate School of Agricultural Science) and technical staff member Satoshi Takahashi (from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science) have revealed the important role played by the histone modification H3K27me3 in regulating gene expression in Chinese cabbage. In addition, they illuminated the role of H3K27me3 in vernalization—a vital process for enabling Brassica rapa vegetables, such as Chinese cabbage, to flower. |
 | Scientists: Insect populations are shrinking—here are six ways to helpAre you planning a big garden clean-up this summer, or stocking up on fly spray to keep bugs at bay? Before you do, it's worth considering the damage you might cause to the insects we share the planet with. |
 | New eDNA tool research helps scientists find deep sea coralsCurtin University researchers have developed a promising new toolkit for monitoring threatened coral ecosystems by analyzing environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from waters off the coast of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. |
Detailed insight into stressed cellsWhen cells are stressed, they initiate a complex and precisely regulated response to prevent permanent damage. One of the immediate reactions to stress signals is a reduction of protein synthesis (translation). Until now, it was difficult to measure such acute cellular changes. As reported in the latest online issue of the renowned journal Molecular Cell, researchers at Goethe University have now developed a method overcoming this hurdle. | |
 | Lights on fishing nets save turtles and dolphinsPlacing lights on fishing nets reduces the chances of sea turtles and dolphins being caught by accident, new research shows. |
 | Changing wildfires in California's Sierra Nevada may threaten northern goshawksWildfire is a natural process in the forests of the western US, and many species have evolved to tolerate, if not benefit from it. But wildfire is changing. Research in the journal Biological Conservation, published by Elsevier, suggests fire, as it becomes more frequent and severe, poses a substantial risk to goshawks in the Sierra Nevada region. |
 | Conferring leaf rust resistance in cereal cropsGenes have been identified that confer resistance to multiple leaf rust species in barley. The findings by an international team, led by KAUST researchers, could transform the breeding of durable disease-resistant cereal crops and help support efforts to improve global food security. |
 | Brown bananas and squishy avocados no more? Food tech could keep your produce from going badImagine bananas that never go bad. To Aidan Mouat, CEO of Chicago-based Hazel Technologies, it's not so far-fetched. |
 | Multiple correlations between brain complexity and locomotion pattern in vertebratesResearchers at the Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, have uncovered multi-level relationships between locomotion—the ways animals move—and brain architecture, using high-definition 3-D models of lizard and snake brains. |
 | How flowers adapt to their pollinatorsFlowering plants are characterized by an astonishing diversity of flowers of different shapes and sizes. This diversity has arisen in adaptation to selection imposed by different pollinators including, among others, bees, flies, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats or rodents. Although several studies have documented that pollinators can impose strong selection pressures on flowers, our understanding of how flowers diversify remains fragmentary. For example, does the entire flower adapt to a pollinator, or do only some flower parts evolve to fit a pollinator while other flower parts may remain unchanged? |
How our single-celled relatives package their DNAA group of single-celled organisms organises its DNA in a similar way to higher organisms such as plants, animals, and fungi. However, the way packaged DNA is read out differs between the two related groups, Bram Henneman discovered. Ph.D. defence on 5 December. | |
 | Squid pigments have antimicrobial propertiesOmmochromes, the pigments that colour the skin of squids and other invertebrates, could be used in the food and health sectors for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. This is confirmed by analyses carried out by researchers from the University of Sonora in Mexico and the Miguel Hernández University in Spain. |
 | New tool to detect blackleg disease in potato has widespread applicationPotatoes are important. They rank fourth among the world's staple crops. In the United States, they are grown commercially in 30 states and valued at $4 billion annually. Potatoes are also susceptible to 160 different fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases, such as blackleg and soft rot diseases, which are caused by the bacterium Dickeya dianthicola. |
 | Academy scientists describe 71 new species in 2019In 2019, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 71 new plant and animal species to our family tree, enriching our understanding of Earth's complex web of life and strengthening our ability to make informed conservation decisions. The new species include 17 fish, 15 geckos, eight flowering plants, six sea slugs, five arachnids, four eels, three ants, three skinks, two skates, two wasps, two mosses, two corals, and two lizards. More than a dozen Academy scientists—along with many more international collaborators—described the new species discoveries. |
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