Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for January 10, 2020:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Study probes the origin of the very high energy gamma-ray source VER J1907+062A new study based on high-quality radio observations with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) has investigated the origin of a very high-energy gamma-ray source known as VER J1907+062. Results of the study, published December 27 on arXiv.org, suggest that VER J1907+062 consists of two separate gamma-ray sources. |
 | Satellite constellations harvest energy for near-total global coverageThink of it as a celestial parlor game: What is the minimum number of satellites needed to see every point on Earth? And how might those satellites stay in orbit and maintain continuous 24/7 coverage while contending with Earth's gravity field, its lumpy mass, the pull of the sun and moon, and pressure from solar radiation? |
 | Simulation of dwarf galaxy reveals different routes for strontium enrichmentSimulations of a dwarf galaxy by RIKEN astrophysicists have revealed the various processes by which moderately heavy metals such as strontium are birthed. They have found that at least four kinds of stars are needed to explain the observed abundance of these metals in dwarf galaxies. |
 | NASA's Lucy mission confirms discovery of Eurybates satelliteNASA's Lucy mission team is seeing double after discovering that Eurybates, the asteroid the spacecraft has targeted for flyby in 2027, has a small satellite. This "bonus" science exploration opportunity for the project was discovered using images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 in September 2018, December 2019, and January 2020. |
 | First sighting of hot gas sloshing in galaxy clusterESA's XMM-Newton X-ray observatory has spied hot gas sloshing around within a galaxy cluster—a never-before-seen behaviour that may be driven by turbulent merger events. |
 | On the hunt for primordial black holesThe theory that dark matter could be made of primordial black holes a fraction of a millimeter in size has been ruled out by a team of researchers led by the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU). |
 | Stellar black holes: When David poses as GoliathStellar black holes form when massive stars end their life in a dramatic collapse. Observations have shown that stellar black holes typically have masses of about ten times that of the Sun, in accordance with the theory of stellar evolution. Recently, a Chinese team of astronomers claimed to have discovered a black hole as massive as 70 solar masses, which, if confirmed, would severely challenge the current view of stellar evolution. The publication immediately triggered theoretical investigations as well as additional observations by other astrophysicists. Among those to take a closer look at the object was a team of astronomers from the Universities of Erlangen-Nürnberg and Potsdam. They discovered that it may not necessarily be a black hole at all, but possibly a massive neutron star or even an 'ordinary' star. Their results have now been published as a highlight-paper in the renowned journal Astronomy & Astrophysics |
 | NASA's latest astronaut graduates almost half womenNASA on Friday honored its latest class of graduating astronauts in a ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars. |
 | SuperTIGER on its second prowl—130,000 feet above AntarcticaA balloon-borne scientific instrument designed to study the origin of cosmic rays is taking its second turn high above the continent of Antarctica three and a half weeks after its launch. |
 | Eyeing Moon, NASA hosts first public astronaut graduation ceremonyNASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honoring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars. |
 | Landsat 9: The pieces come togetherLandsat 9's two science instruments are now attached to the spacecraft, bringing the mission one step closer to launch. In late December, the Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) were both mechanically integrated on to the spacecraft bus at Northrop Grumman in Gilbert, Arizona. |
Technology news
 | OxiCool: Pure water is refrigerant to help cool homesAn air conditioning system that offers zero emissions, cools the house with water and is powered by natural gas was getting attention this week at CES. |
 | How well can computers connect symptoms to diseases?A new MIT study finds "health knowledge graphs," which show relationships between symptoms and diseases and are intended to help with clinical diagnosis, can fall short for certain conditions and patient populations. The results also suggest ways to boost their performance. |
Using a robot to deploy robots in remote oceansA researcher at the University of East Anglia (UEA) has helped design a sea-going robot to deploy research equipment in remote and inaccessible ocean locations. | |
 | CES Gadget Show: Pizza from robots, underwater scootersRobots were front and center at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas. One even made pizza. |
 | Explainer: Not all cyber threats equally worrisomeWest Virginia reported unusual cyber activity targeting its election systems. The Texas governor said the state was encountering attempted "attacks" at the rate of "about 10,000 per minute" from Iran. Information technology staff in Las Vegas responded to an intrusion, though the city says no data was stolen. |
 | Connected cars moving targets for hackersAs cars evolve into rolling mobile computers, the potential for disastrous cyber attacks has become a new road hazard. |
 | Boeing papers show employees slid 737 Max problems past FAABoeing employees raised doubts among themselves about the safety of the 737 Max, hid problems from federal regulators and ridiculed those responsible for designing and overseeing the jetliner, according to a damning batch of emails and text messages released nearly a year after the aircraft was grounded over two catastrophic crashes. |
 | Food stirs up interest at Vegas tech showWhat's cooking at the Consumer Electronics Show? AI meal planning, a robot to chop your onions and vegan pork. |
 | YouTube's new ad policy is designed to protect kids. Will it drive them away instead?This week, YouTube announced changes to its advertising policies for children viewing videos on the site. The changes are designed to protect against the collection of children's personal information, but may have unintended consequences, says Northeastern assistant professor Keith Smith: Reducing the overall amount of content available for children and pushing them to streaming sites that are less child-friendly. |
 | CES: Buzzy NEON startup builds 'artificial humans' that resemble bankers, fashion modelsFiguring out who and what is real or fake nowadays is getting to be a harder challenge in this AI-driven age. At CES, a buzzy startup with a Samsung pedigree, STAR Labs, introduced NEON as its first "artificial human." |
Ridesharing links can boost transit use in the suburbsIntegrating ridesharing with transit in poorly serviced suburban neighbourhoods is an effective way to get people out of their cars and boost ridership. | |
 | Blockchain to trace agricultural supply chainsThe impacts of unsustainable agriculture on the environment can be devastating. With increasing pressure from consumers for sustainably sourced products, companies need to act to minimise their impacts. But how can a company minimise its impacts if it doesn't know where they are occurring, or who is responsible? Blockchain could offer the technology to help companies better understand their supply chains, so they can see where action needs to be taken to make products sustainable. |
 | Reducing power plants' thirstElectricity production is one of the industries that uses the most water in the country each day. Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are helping the largest power plant in the United States identify the most efficient and cost-effective strategies to reduce water use. |
 | Transformative 3-D printing approach established from insight into developmental biologyEngineers need to get more creative in their approach to design and additive manufacturing (AM) systems, by taking inspiration from the way humans grow and develop, say researchers at the University of Birmingham. |
 | Study examines costs of closing nuclear plants in GermanyMany countries have phased out production of nuclear energy because of concerns related to nuclear waste and the risk of nuclear accidents. A new study explored the impact of the shutdown of roughly half of the nuclear power plants in Germany after the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan. The study found that the resulting reductions in nuclear power were replaced primarily by production from coal-fired sources and reductions in net electricity exports. The authors show that the switch to fossil fuel-fired power resulted in considerable increases in pollution at an estimated annual social cost of about $12 billion. |
 | Privacy, once hidden topic, gets attention at CES tech showOnce a hidden and under-the-radar topic, privacy got more attention at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas this week. Startups now volunteer information about how they're securing your data and protecting your privacy when you use their heart rate monitor or cuddly robot. |
 | Dressed to connect: wearable tech expands all over the bodyFrom tiredness-detecting driving glasses to shin guards that judge the performance of footballers—we've come a long way since the early days of the pulse-measuring smart watch. |
 | Bzigo marks mosquitoes for deathStartup Bzigo was at the Consumer Electronics Show this week with a gadget designed to spot mosquitos and then mark them for death. |
 | Robo-crib highlights infant safety at technology showA robotic crib with a mission of preventing sudden infant death syndrome made its appearance this week at the Consumer Electronics Show, part of a growing "baby tech" exhibit. |
 | Seniors get special attention at consumer tech showHow can the tech sector help seniors remain independent, connected, healthy, and safe? |
 | Future of mobility: some wild rides seen ahead at tech showIn the not-too-distant future you could ride one, two or three wheels... or maybe none at all. |
 | Facebook's Zuckerberg takes long view on new year's resolutionsFacebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has ditched his annual new year's resolutions for a long-term list of goals and predictions that he posted on the social network, including a virtual reality boom and an emphasis on community. |
 | Infosys profits jump 23.5% as probe finds no proof of wrongdoingIndia's second-largest IT outsourcing firm Infosys on Friday announced a 23.5 percent jump in its quarterly net profits, beating estimates as it declared that an internal probe had found no evidence of misconduct by its top executives. |
 | Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems to lay off 2,800 workersSpirit AeroSystems, a major supplier for the Boeing 737 MAX, said Friday it will lay off 2,800 employees after Boeing halted production of the plane. |
 | Google legal chief leaving amid sexual misconduct troublesDavid Drummond, the legal chief of Google parent company Alphabet, is leaving at the end of the month, following accusations of inappropriate relationships with employees. |
 | Lawsuit forces Uber to stop operating in ColombiaUber said Friday it will stop operating in Colombia following stiff opposition from taxi drivers' unions and a lawsuit that said the ride-sharing app was breaking local transport laws. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Wonder drug? Exploring the molecular mechanisms of metformin, a diabetes drug with Medieval rootsAt only pennies per dose, metformin is a Type 2 diabetes drug with distant roots in Medieval folk medicine and a powerful capacity to reduce body weight, fat mass, circulating glucose—and prevent the disorder altogether in people at elevated risk. |
 | Serotonin is a master regulator of neuroregenerationNeuroregeneration entails not only neurogenesis, but also regrowth of lost connections and birth of non-neuronal cells. While adult neurogenesis in humans is only known to occur definitively in a few precisely circumscribed regions of the brain, work in other species suggests that science has only scratched the surface of the full regenerative potential of our own nervous systems. |
 | Molecular 'doormen' open the way to potential obesity treatmentFat cells are filled with droplets coated by molecules that act like hotel doormen: These "doormen" control cellular access for nutrients as well as for the exit of energy-supplying molecules called lipids. In healthy individuals, outgoing and incoming traffic in fat cells is finely balanced, supplying energy while preventing excessive spread of undesirable fat in the belly. |
 | Genetics of human height unraveled in widespread Japanese studyThe largest genetic study of human height in an Asian population has revealed dozens of rare DNA variants specific to people of the region. The findings deepen our understanding of the complex interactions among genes that contribute to normal growth. They also highlight some of the similarities and differences underlying genetic determinants of height in different parts of the world. |
 | Speech-disrupting brain disease reflects patients' native tongueEnglish and Italian speakers with dementia-related language impairment experience distinct kinds of speech and reading difficulties based on features of their native languages, according to new research by scientists at the UC San Francisco Memory and Aging Center and colleagues at the Neuroimaging Research Unit and Neurology Unit at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan. |
 | Malnutrition linked with increased risk of Zika birth defectsCongenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) refers to a collection of developmental malformations associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) congenital infection. This syndrome includes devastating conditions that have a huge impact on the rest of the life of the individual and their family, such as smaller (microcephaly) and unfolded (lissencephalic) brains, retinal abnormalities, enlarged ventricles of the heart, a lack of the inter-hemispheric connections and calcifications in the brain. |
 | Researchers find parents can curb teen drinking and drivingBinge drinking by teenagers in their senior year of high school is a strong predictor of dangerous behaviors later in life, including driving while impaired (DWI) and riding with an impaired driver (RWI), according to a new Yale-led study. |
 | Antibiotics could be promising treatment for form of dementiaResearchers at the University of Kentucky's College of Medicine have found that a class of antibiotics called aminoglycosides could be a promising treatment for frontotemporal dementia. |
 | Study suggests giving infected patients combinations of antibiotics may promote resistanceA team of researchers from the Hebrew University and Shaare Zedek Medical Center has found evidence that suggests administering combinations of antibiotics to patients with bacterial infections might be promoting resistance transmission. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their research on patients with bacterial infections and what they learned. |
 | New open-source software judges accuracy of computer predictions of cancer geneticsCancers are often made up of many cells which vary genetically to each other. These genetic differences mean the cancer may be particularly susceptible or resistant to a given treatment. As a result, identifying these variations can help clinicians decide which treatment is most likely to be successful for a specific patient. |
 | A molecular switch for repairing central nervous system disordersA molecular switch has the ability to turn on a substance in animals that repairs neurological damage in disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Mayo Clinic researchers discovered. The early research in animal models could advance an already approved Food and Drug Administration therapy and also could lead to new strategies for treating diseases of the central nervous system. |
 | Scientists examine how a gut infection may produce chronic symptomsSometimes the end of an intestinal infection is just the beginning of more misery. Of those who contract traveler's diarrhea, for example, an unlucky few go on to develop irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. |
 | Prenatal exposure to flame retardants linked to reading problemsA new study from researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons suggests that prenatal exposure to flame retardants may increase the risk of reading problems. |
 | Losing tongue fat improves sleep apneaLosing weight is an effective treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), but why exactly this is the case has remained unclear. Now, researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that improvements in sleep apnea symptoms appear to be linked to the reduction of fat in one unexpected body part—the tongue. |
 | New insulin compound could improve therapy for diabetes patientsIn a promising discovery that could improve the clinical delivery of insulin for people living with diabetes, scientists have developed a non-fibrillating form of human insulin. |
New possible strategy for treating chronic pain due to burns may help sufferers including veteransNew research shows how second-degree burns cause hard-to-treat chronic pain, and this understanding may be key to treating these complications, common in war veterans This research, published in Physiological Reports, suggests that burns cause changes to neurons in multiple parts of the spinal cord, even far from the injury site, which can contribute to chronic pain and other long-term complications. | |
 | Protest-hit Hong Kong sees surge in depression, PTSD: studyNearly one in three adults in Hong Kong reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder during months of often violent social unrest in the city, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal Friday. |
 | Lonely in a crowd: Overcoming loneliness with acceptance and wisdomBy nature, human beings are social creatures. Yet, as we age, personal dynamics and lifestyles change, which can result in loneliness and isolation. With older adults increasingly moving into senior living or retirement communities, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine sought to identify the common characteristics of residents who feel lonely in these environments. |
 | New study finds 8% of Chinese men are problem drinkersAlcohol consumption has become more prevalent in China in recent years but limited large-scale epidemiological evidence has made it difficult to know the true scale of the problem. A new large study of Chinese adults, published by the scientific journal Addiction, has found that eight percent of men in China are problem drinkers, and that problem drinking is more prevalent among men of lower socio-economic status and in rural areas. Problem drinking is associated with significantly increased risk of physical and mental health problems and premature death. |
 | At gun safety events, 40% of gun owners reported not locking all household guns—even around kidsWhile waiting for free firearm storage devices at gun safety events held in sporting goods stores across Washington, nearly 3,000 people filled out a one-page survey asking how they stored guns at home and other household information. |
 | Synthetic neurons project offers platform for disease treatment, further brain researchThe body can recover from many things, but the damage caused by Parkinson's disease isn't one of them. |
 | Clinical trial gives hope for families with Huntington's diseaseOne of the first people in Scotland to take part in a new clinical trial for Huntington's disease says the programme gives him hope for the future. |
 | Prozac fights deadly childhood brain cancerThe anti-depressant drug Prozac could be used to tackle one of the deadliest childhood tumours and possibly other types of cancer, scientists said. |
 | Medicaid expansion associated with fewer opioid overdose deaths across the USThe expansion of Medicaid coverage for low-income adults permitted by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was associated with a six percent reduction in total opioid overdose deaths nationally, according to new research from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and University of California, Davis. |
 | 3-D printing to help tortured bonesFor one recent case, Dr. David Frumberg had to figure out how he was going to fix the left leg of his patient, a 14-year-old girl. |
 | Long-term medication for schizophrenia is safeResearchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and their colleagues in Germany, the U.S. and Finland have studied the safety of very long-term antipsychotic therapy for schizophrenia. According to the study, which is published in the scientific journal World Psychiatry, mortality was higher during periods when patients were not on medication than when they were. |
 | Nutrition expert finds muscle mass and diet play crucial role in fighting cancerStep off of that bathroom scale. That number won't tell you how healthy you actually are, according to a University of Alberta researcher. |
 | 'Gift of life' marketing fails to motivate many blood and organ donorsWith a global shortage of both blood and organ donors, QUT researchers are suggesting language used to attract donors be changed, especially for organ donor donation. |
 | We know bushfire smoke affects health, but the long-term consequences are hazyIn previous years, Australians might have been exposed to bushfire smoke for a few days, or even a week. But this bushfire season is extreme in every respect. Smoke haze has now regularly featured in Australian weather reports for several weeks, stretching across months in some areas. |
 | Rising eco-anxiety means we should address mental health alongside food securityFor over a quarter of a century, United Nations climate negotiations have failed to reach a legally binding treaty. For instance, the failed 1997 Kyoto Protocol was modeled after the success of the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which legally required all nations to phase out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a chemical used in refrigerators and air conditioners. |
 | Gene therapy to boost fetal hemoglobin continues to do well in sickle cell trialA pilot gene therapy treatment for sickle cell disease, restoring patients' ability to make fetal hemoglobin, has produced good results in the first three patients to receive it. Investigators at Boston Children's Hospital reported the findings of their ongoing clinical trial this week at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting. |
 | AQAMAN takes aim at rare neurodegenerative diseasesA synthetic small molecule compound called AQAMAN can prevent and even reverse harmful protein build-up in neurons that is associated with several rare neurodegenerative disorders, including polyglutamine (or polyQ) diseases. |
 | Broad support needed to maximize impact of cars designed for kids with mobility issuesFor the first month and a half after receiving a modified toy car designed for children with disabilities, the kids and their families seemed motivated to use driving as a means of exploration and socialization. |
 | Obesity as a growing social normFrom a philosophical point of view, we cannot reconcile a world in which so many people are suffering from malnutrition and starving for want a few grains and yet others are killing themselves through obesity. |
 | Research shows sleep inequities start early in lifeEthnic and socioeconomic inequities in sleep health are already evident by the time children are three, according to the Sleep/Wake Research Centre. |
 | Your blood type may influence your vulnerability to norovirus, the winter vomiting virusIn the last few months, schools all over the country have closed because of outbreaks of norovirus. Also known as stomach flu, norovirus infections cause watery diarrhea, low-grade fever and, most alarming of all, projectile vomiting, which is an extremely effective way of spreading the virus. |
 | Why we are hard-wired to worry, and what we can do to calm downA new year brings both hopes and anxieties. We want things to be better for ourselves and the people we love, but worry that they won't be, and imagine some of the things that might stand in the way. More broadly, we might worry about who's going to win the election, or even if our world will survive. |
 | 3-D printing of body parts is coming fast—but regulations are not readyIn the last few years, the use of 3-D printing has exploded in medicine. Engineers and medical professionals now routinely 3-D print prosthetic hands and surgical tools. But 3-D printing has only just begun to transform the field. |
 | What happens to deferred intentions in the brain?Placing a checkmark on the to-do list is an extremely liberating feeling for many eager list lovers, especially when the task has been postponed for a long time. But what happens in our brain when we have completed a postponed task? Will it be deactivated? If so, how? A team of scientists from the Collaborative Research Centre 940 "Volition and Cognitive Control" at TU Dresden, together with two leading international experts, Julie Bugg and Michael Scullin, investigated these questions in a systematic review article. |
 | Neural tube defect prevalence 7.0 per 10,000 in HIV-exposed(HealthDay)—The prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) is 7.0 per 10,000 live births in HIV-exposed pregnancies, which is similar to the prevalence in the general population, according to research published in the Jan. 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Recruitment satisfactory for foreign-educated health providers(HealthDay)—Foreign-educated health professionals (FEHPs) in the United States are overall satisfied with their recruitment experience, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Nursing. |
 | Nurse training for triathlon had her heart stopped mid-swimWhen Alicia Bravo saw the EMS service in her childhood hometown was holding a 5K race to raise money for a mechanical chest compression system, she signed up right away. |
 | Two more heartburn meds recalled due to possible carcinogen(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is adding to a list of recalled lots of popular heartburn medications—including generic forms of Zantac—because the pills might contain small amounts of a suspected carcinogen. |
 | Up to a third of opioid overdose deaths might be suicides, researcher concludesTens of thousands of people fatally overdose each year on opioids and other drugs. Sometimes medical examiners label them accidents, and sometimes they don't know what to call them. |
 | Black mothers get less treatment for postpartum depression than other momsPortia Smith's most vivid memories of her daughter's first year are of tears. Not the baby's. Her own. |
 | Research shows nasal spray antidote is easiest to give for opioid overdoseOf three possible ways for people to deliver the life-saving antidote naloxone to a person experiencing an opioid overdose, the use of a nasal spray was the quickest and easiest according to research conducted by William Eggleston, clinical assistant professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York, and colleagues at SUNY Upstate Medical University. |
 | Researchers identify molecular characteristics of leptomeningeal melanoma metastasesPatients with advanced melanoma who develop metastases in the leptomeninges, the fluid filled membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, have an extremely dismal prognosis. Most patients only survive for 8 to 10 weeks after diagnosis. One reason for this poor prognosis is that very little information is known about the molecular development of leptomeningeal melanoma metastases (LMM), making it difficult to develop effective therapies. Researchers in Moffitt Cancer Center's Donald A. Adam Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center of Excellence and the Department of Neuro-Oncology sought to change this by performing an extensive analysis of the molecular characteristics of the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with LMM. Their findings were published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. |
 | Researchers develop new protocol to generate intestinal organoids in vitroBoston researchers have developed a new way to generate groups of intestinal cells that can be used, among others, to make disease models in the lab to test treatments for diseases affecting the gastrointestinal system. Using human induced pluripotent stem cells, this novel approach combined a variety of techniques that enabled the development of three-dimensional groups of intestinal cells called organoids in vitro, which can expand disease treatment testing in the lab using human cells. |
 | New cellular player involved in obesity discoverThe prevalence of obesity, a disease considered a serious public health problem, is increasing globally. In Portugal, almost half of the population is overweight and close to one million adults suffer from obesity. Known as a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, obesity is associated with chronic inflammation in fat tissues. New strategies to fight this disease are needed. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in metabolic deregulation are critical to approach the obesity problem. |
 | Hikikomori: New definition helps identify, treat extreme social isolationExperts in the Japanese phenomena of hikikomori say the condition of extreme social isolation is more widespread than previously acknowledged, and it deserves a clear and consistent definition to improve treatment across the globe. |
 | Stanford Medicine's 2020 Health Trends Report spotlights the rise of the data-driven physicianIn a health care sector now awash with data and digital technologies, physicians are actively preparing for the transformation of patient care, according to the 2020 Health Trends Report published today by Stanford Medicine. |
Smart photonic contact lens for diabetic diagnosis and retinopathy treatmentDiabetic patients need to measure their blood-sugar level by drawing blood before and after a meal, and it is easy to develop complications due to diabetes. Recently, a research team from POSTECH developed technology that allows diagnosis of diabetes and treatment of diabetic retinopathy just by wearing a 'smart light-emitting diode (LED) contact lens.' With this technology, it is anticipated that development of wearable diagnostic and therapeutic devices for diabetes will be realized. | |
 | Quinn on Nutrition: Life on the ranch is all about food and nutritionNow that I'm living on a ranch, I've realized something. It's all about nutrition! Yesterday, I walked my horse into the barn to feed him some extra nourishment for these colder days. There to greet us were seven hungry barn cats ... anxious for their breakfast as well. |
 | Reducing aluminium intake can minimize potential health risksIn addition, the contributions of the various sources of total aluminum intake by the population were compared with one another. A high intake of aluminum compounds can cause, among other things, neurotoxic developmental disorders as well as damage the kidneys, liver and bones. |
 | Low-fat diet linked to lower testosterone levels in menFor the many men diagnosed with testosterone deficiency, losing weight can help increase testosterone levels. But certain diets—specifically a low-fat diet—may be associated with a small but significant reduction in testosterone, suggests a study in The Journal of Urology, Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). |
 | A first-of-its-kind heart transplant in New EnglandA team of surgeons and specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is announcing an achievement in transplant surgery today, having recently performed the largest number of adult heart transplants in the country using what are known as Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) donor hearts. The five transplants also include the first surgery of this kind for the New England region. |
 | Deep learning differentiates small renal masses on multiphase CTA deep learning method with a convolutional neural network (CNN) can support the evaluation of small solid renal masses in dynamic CT images with acceptable diagnostic performance, according to an article published ahead-of-print in the March issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR). |
Study finds 95 percent satisfaction rate with Mohs surgeryPatients who received Mohs surgery to treat the most serious form of skin cancer, melanoma, reported a 95 percent long-term satisfaction rate with their results, according to a new study by UT Southwestern Medical Center dermatologists. | |
Biology news
 | Taking one for the team: How bacteria self-destruct to fight viral infectionsResearchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have discovered how a new immune system works to protect bacteria from bacteriophages (phages), viruses that specifically infect bacteria. This new system is unusual in that it works by abortive infection—the infected bacterial cell self-destructs to keep the infection from spreading to other cells. |
 | Scientists transform a BBQ lighter into a high-tech lab deviceResearchers have devised a straightforward technique for building a laboratory device known as an electroporator—which applies a jolt of electricity to temporarily open cell walls—from inexpensive components, including a piezoelectric crystal taken from a butane lighter. |
 | Plants found to speak roundworm's languageNematodes are tiny, ubiquitous roundworms that infect plant roots, causing more than $100 billion in crop damage worldwide each year. New research has found that plants manipulate the worms' pheromones to repel infestations, providing insights into how farmers could fight these pests. |
 | Hummingbirds' rainbow colors come from pancake-shaped structures in their feathersHummingbirds are some of the most brightly-colored things in the entire world. Their feathers are iridescent— light bounces off them like a soap bubble, resulting in shimmering hues that shift as you look at them from different angles. While other birds like ducks can have bright feathers, nothing seems to come close to hummingbirds, and scientists weren't sure why. But a new study in Evolution shows that while hummingbird feathers have the same basic makeup as other birds', the special shape of their pigment-containing structures enables them to reflect a rainbow of light. |
 | Chromatin organizes itself into 3-D 'forests' in single cellsA single cell contains the genetic instructions for an entire organism. This genomic information is managed and processed by the complex machinery of chromatin—a mix of DNA and protein within chromosomes whose function and role in disease are of increasing interest to scientists. |
 | Scientists develop 'Twitter' for cellsComputational biologists led by Prof. Yvan Saeys (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research) developed a new bioinformatics method to better study communication between cells. This method, called NicheNet, helps researchers to gain insight into how the gene expression of cells is regulated by interacting cells. NicheNet has a broad range of potential applications in fields like immunology and tumor biology, and was already successfully used by the collaborating group of Prof. Martin Guilliams (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research). |
 | Scientists image heart RNA structure for the first timeScientists at Los Alamos and international partners have created the first 3-D images of a special type of RNA molecule that is critical for stem cell programming and known as the "dark matter" of the genome. |
 | 10 new bird taxa discovered in islands of WallaceaBirds are the best known class of animals, and since 1999, only five or six new species have been described each year on average. Recently, a joint research team from NUS and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) made a quantum leap in the discovery of cryptic avian diversity by uncovering five bird species and five subspecies new to science. |
 | Deep learning, 3-D technology to improve structure modeling, create better drugsProteins are often called the working molecules of the human body. A typical body has more than 20,000 different types of proteins, each of which are involved in many functions essential to human life. |
 | Climbing trees reveals a housing shortage for tree-rats and other endangered animalsEstimates of tree hollows—which form the houses of several endangered species in northern Australia—are much too high, researchers at Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory have found. |
 | Rotting feral pig carcasses teach scientists what happens when tons of animals die all at onceThe unprecedented wildfire raging across Australia is not only destroying human lives, but has killed hundreds of millions of animals – perhaps billions before it is all over. |
 | Pearls of wisdomSince the late 19th century, pearl aquaculture has been a revered industry in Japan, enabling widespread cultivation and commercialization of beautiful pearls. From a genetic and evolutionary perspective, scientists have known little about the source of these pearls—the Japanese pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata, until now. |
 | New function for potential tumor suppressor in brain developmentThe gene Cdkn1c could have been considered an open-and-shut case: Mice in which the gene is removed are larger and have bigger brains, so Cdkn1c should function to inhibit growth. This rationale has led to Cdkn1c being studied as a tumour suppressor gene. New research from the group of Simon Hippenmeyer, professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), has now uncovered a novel, opposite role for Cdkn1c. When Cdkn1c is removed only in certain cells of the brain, these cells die, arguing for a new growth promoting role of Cdkn1c. The new research is published today in the journal Nature Communications. |
 | Swarms of locusts threaten food security in KenyaLarge swarms of desert locusts are spreading through Kenya, after wreaking havoc in Somalia and Ethiopia, posing a significant threat to food security, the agriculture minister said Friday. |
 | Technique allows dolphin pregnancy exams to mirror those in humansUltrasound has been used for decades to study dolphin health and much of that work has been pioneered by veterinarians at the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF). But in a groundbreaking study just published in Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound, scientists have developed a new ultrasound technique for evaluating dolphin fetuses at all stages of gestation. This recent advancement in dolphin medicine allows veterinarians to evaluate dolphin pregnancies the same way doctors approach pregnancies in humans. |
 | Trace metals in leatherback turtle eggs may harm consumersLeatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) eggs laid in Bocas del Toro nesting beaches in the Panamanian Caribbean may be harmful to consumers. According to a study by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and collaborating institutions, they contain high concentrations of trace metals and their ingestion could pose health risks to local communities. Decreasing the consumption of leatherback turtle eggs would benefit the well-being of consumers and the conservation of this endangered species. |
 | New assessment method reveals many fish stocks are in urgent need of sustainable managementA newly developed method for assessing how abundant fish populations are and how fishing is affecting them revealed that several fish stocks across oceans are far below internationally agreed minimum levels and in urgent need of sustainable management. |
Wildlife needs fire-damaged and dead trees after firesRather than an untidy mess, fire-damaged trees and half burnt logs left behind by a fire are valuable habitat for recovering wildlife, according to a group of leading Australian environmental scientists. | |
 | Scientists welcome reports of wolf pack in northern Colorado, call for reintroduction to ensure recoveryA pack of gray wolves may have been spotted in northwest Colorado just one day after a measure to reintroduce the species throughout the state won approval to appear on the 2020 ballot. |
This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you do not wish to receive such emails in the future, please unsubscribe here.
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com. You may manage your subscription options from your Science X profile
No comments:
Post a Comment