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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for January 7, 2020:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | TESS mission uncovers its first world with two starsIn 2019, when Wolf Cukier finished his junior year at Scarsdale High School in New York, he joined NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, as a summer intern. His job was to examine variations in star brightness captured by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and uploaded to the Planet Hunters TESS citizen science project. |
 | Famous black hole has jet pushing cosmic speed limitThe Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration released the first image of a black hole with observations of the massive, dark object at the center of Messier 87, or M87, last April. This black hole has a mass of about 6.5 billion times that of the sun and is located about 55 million light years from Earth. The black hole has been called M87* by astronomers and has recently been given the Hawaiian name of "Powehi." |
 | New map of Milky Way reveals giant wave of stellar nurseriesAstronomers at Harvard University have discovered a monolithic, wave-shaped gaseous structure—the largest ever seen in our galaxy—made up of interconnected stellar nurseries. Dubbed the "Radcliffe wave" in honor of the collaboration's home base, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, the discovery transforms a 150-year-old vision of nearby stellar nurseries as an expanding ring into one featuring an undulating, star-forming filament that reaches trillions of miles above and below the galactic disk. |
 | SpaceX launches third batch of Starlink satellitesSpaceX on Monday launched its third batch of 60 mini-satellites into orbit, part of its plans to build a giant constellation of thousands of spacecraft that will form a global broadband internet system. |
 | NASA planet hunter finds its first earth-size habitable-zone worldNASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered its first Earth-size planet in its star's habitable zone, the range of distances where conditions may be just right to allow the presence of liquid water on the surface. Scientists confirmed the find, called TOI 700 d, using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and have modeled the planet's potential environments to help inform future observations. |
 | Surprise! TESS shows Alpha Draconis undergoes eclipsesAstronomers using data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) have shown that Alpha Draconis, a well-studied star visible to the naked eye, and its fainter companion star regularly eclipse each other. While astronomers previously knew this was a binary system, the mutual eclipses came as a complete surprise. |
 | LIGO-Virgo gravitational wave network catches another neutron star collisionOn April 25, 2019, the LIGO Livingston Observatory picked up what appeared to be gravitational ripples from a collision of two neutron stars. LIGO Livingston is part of a gravitational-wave network that includes LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory), funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the European Virgo detector. Now, a new study confirms that this event was indeed likely the result of a merger of two neutron stars. This would be only the second time this type of event has ever been observed in gravitational waves. |
 | Binary star V Sagittae to explode as very bright nova by century's endCurrently, the faint star V Sagittae, V Sge, in the constellation Sagitta, is barely visible, even in mid-sized telescopes. However, around the year 2083, this innocent star will explode, becoming as bright as Sirius, the brightest star visible in the night sky. During this time of eruption, V Sge will be the most luminous star in the Milky Way galaxy. This prediction is being presented for the first time at the 235th American Astronomical Society meeting in Honolulu, HI, by astronomers Bradley E. Schaefer, Juhan Frank, and Manos Chatzopoulos, with the Louisiana State University Department of Physics & Astronomy. |
 | Space-baked cookies, 'mighty' mice back on Earth via SpaceXThe first batch of space-baked cookies is back on Earth, along with muscle-bound "mighty" mice and other space station experiments. |
NASA contractor settles whistleblower complaint for $375,000A NASA contractor on Monday agreed to pay $375,000 in order to settle a whistleblower complaint that accused the company of falsely certifying that ground support equipment for a rocket launch system followed the space agency's requirements. | |
Technology news
 | A two-terminal floating-gate transistor for neuromorphic computingResearchers at Technion and TowerJazz in Israel have recently built a low-power, two-terminal floating-gate transistor that could have useful applications in neuromorphic computing. This transistor, presented in a paper in Nature Electronics, was fabricated using standard single-poly technology and a commercial 180-nm CMOS process. |
 | Samsung unveils AI-powered digital avatarA Samsung lab on Tuesday unveiled a digital avatar it described as an AI-powered "artificial human," claiming it is able to "converse and sympathize" like real people. |
 | Hyundai to make flying cars for Uber air taxisHyundai announced Monday it would mass produce flying cars for Uber's aerial rideshare network set to deploy in 2023. |
 | CES has solutions to show for better paths to sleepGetting enough sleep is a real issue for many; a Columbia University Department of Neurology info page referred to estimates from The Institute of Medicine, that between 50 and 70 million Americans alone have chronic sleep problems. |
 | A greener, simpler way to create syngasResearchers from UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, Rice University and UC Santa Barbara have developed an easier and greener way to create syngas. |
 | Toyota's 'woven' city, Samsung robot-ball: CES highlightsA smart city from Toyota, a rolling robot from Samsung and a new 5G smartphone from China's TCL were among the announcements Monday at the Consumer Electronics Show preview day. |
 | White House proposes guidelines for regulating the use of AIThe Trump administration is proposing new rules to guide future federal regulation of artificial intelligence used in medicine, transportation and other industries. |
 | Power-starved Ethiopia rallies around Nile dam as Egypt dispute simmersCell phone batteries constantly dying, health centres bereft of modern equipment, a dependence on flashlights after sundown—Kafule Yigzaw experienced all these struggles and more growing up without electricity in rural Ethiopia. |
 | Musk hands over made-in-China Teslas to early buyers in ShanghaiTesla CEO Elon Musk presented the first batch of made-in-China cars to ordinary buyers on Tuesday in a milestone for the company's new Shanghai "giga-factory", but which comes as sales decelerate in the world's largest electric-vehicle market. |
 | Geothermal energy storage system to reduce peak electricity demandOak Ridge National Laboratory researchers created a geothermal energy storage system that could reduce peak electricity demand up to 37% in homes while helping balance grid operations. |
 | Comparing residential energy use on similar weather daysTo better determine the potential energy cost savings among connected homes, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a computer simulation to more accurately compare energy use on similar weather days. |
 | The other fake meat: Impossible Foods unveils pork, sausageAfter a big year for its plant-based burger, Impossible Foods has something new on its plate. |
 | Facebook bans deepfakes in fight against online manipulationFacebook says it is banning "deepfake" videos, the false but realistic clips created with artificial intelligence and sophisticated tools, as it steps up efforts to fight online manipulation. But the policy leaves plenty of loopholes. |
 | Britain's electricity since 2010: Wind surges to second place, coal collapses and fossil fuel use nearly halvesIn 2010, Great Britain generated 75% of its electricity from coal and natural gas. But by the end of the decade, these fossil fuels accounted for just 40%, with coal generation collapsing from the decade's peak of 41% in 2012 to under 2% in 2019. |
 | Will AI take over? Quantum theory suggests otherwiseWill artificial intelligence one day surpass human thinking? The rapid progress of AI, coupled with our standard fear of machines, has raised concerns that its abilities will one day start to grow uncontrollably, eventually leading it to take over the world and wipe out humanity if it decides we are an obstacle to its goals. This moment is usually referred to as the "AI singularity." |
 | Clearer, faster, smoother: Improving online video watching on cellular networksEach one of us could be watching an online video at some point on any given day. We could be following the news, listening to a report, learning from a how-to video, taking in sports highlights or watching a TV show. |
 | The price of AI art: Has the bubble burst?Last fall, an AI-generated portrait rocked the art world selling for a staggering US$432,500 at Christie's auction house in New York. The portrait called "Edmond de Belamy" features a slightly out-of-focus man with no nose and a blob for a mouth, dressed in what seems to be a dark frock-coat over a white-collared shirt. |
 | Get ready for a bumpy ride: Cybersecurity trends in 2020What will 2020 have in store for cybersecurity? Tighter regulation, increasingly sophisticated attacks on key infrastructure and AI-driven cyber warfare, according to Dr. Suranga Seneviratne from the School of Computer Science. |
 | An algorithm with an eye for visibility helps pilots in AlaskaMore than three-quarters of Alaskan communities have no access to highways or roads. In these remote regions, small aircraft are a town's bus, ambulance, and food delivery—the only means of getting people and things in and out. |
 | A communal energy hubThe amount of energy produced by renewable sources ebbs and flows. The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM has found a smart work-around for these fluctuations. Its scientists developed an innovative energy management system that connects photovoltaic systems, batteries, heat pumps and electric cars to power individual households or entire neighborhoods with locally produced renewable energy. |
 | CES 2020: 4 cool gadgets that already caught our attentionAugmented-reality software that makes you actually want to work out. A device that prints real-ish temporary tattoos in seconds. A TV screen that rotates like your smartphone. And a robot that just wants to be loved. |
 | Amazon is planning to bring movies and video to cars with Fire TVAmazon says it wants to bring streaming entertainment to cars. |
 | For people who stutter, the convenience of voice assistant technology remains out of reachDo you ever feel as if your voice assistants—whether Siri, Alexa, or Google—don't understand you? You might repeat your question a little slower, a little louder, but eventually you'll get the information you were asking for read back to you in the pleasing but lifeless tones of your voice-activated assistant. |
 | CES 2020: If LG's rollable OLED TV sounds familiar, there's a reasonThe star of last year's CES was clearly the Rollable OLED TV from LG Display, picked by CNET, Mashable and Reviewed.com as one of the hottest products for CES 2019—a TV that could be rolled up and put in the closet easily. |
 | Streaming TV programming for kids embraces iconic brandsNew technology. Same furry faces. |
 | CES Gadget Show: Say 'no' to junk food with DNA wristbandA wristband that will help you say "no" to junk food. A machine that will mix drinks for you. |
 | China's farmers reap rich harvest through video-sharing apps"Do you want a piece?" beekeeper Ma Gongzuo says, looking into the camera of a friend's smartphone before biting into the dripping comb of amber-coloured honey. |
 | American Airlines reaches deal with Boeing on MAX lossesAmerican Airlines on Monday became the latest carrier to reach an agreement with Boeing on compensation to cover the financial losses connected to the 737 MAX grounding, which caused thousands of flights to be cancelled. |
 | Software to simulate commercial nuclear reactorsNuclear scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have established a Nuclear Quality Assurance-1 program for a software product designed to simulate today's commercial nuclear reactors—removing a significant barrier for industry adoption of the technology. |
 | Meet Lora Haddock DiCarlo, the woman responsible for the return of sex toys at CES 2020Sex toys are back on the CES show floor. And Lora Haddock DiCarlo deserves a lot of the credit. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Study of veterans details genetic basis for anxiety, links anxiety and depressionA massive genomewide analysis of approximately 200,000 military veterans has identified six genetic variants linked to anxiety, researchers from Yale and colleagues at other institutions report Jan. 7 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. |
 | Study reveals a new approach to enhancing response to immunotherapy in melanomaScientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have identified a new way to boost the immune system's ability to fight cancer. The study, which was performed in collaboration with NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center, used a mouse model to identify the importance of the Siah2 protein in the control of immune cells called T regulatory cells (Tregs), which limit the effectiveness of currently used immunotherapies. The research, which offers a new avenue to pursue immunotherapy in cases where the treatment fails, was published today in Nature Communications. |
 | Single dose of antibodies can knock out HIV in newbornsA single dose of an antibody-based treatment can prevent HIV transmission from mother to baby, new nonhuman primate research suggests for the first time. The findings are being published in the journal Nature Communications. |
 | Immune cell discovery opens door to new powerful cancer therapiesScientists at UCL have identified how a subset of immune cells are activated to kill cancerous cells, a finding in mice which could hold the key to new powerful therapies against cancer. |
 | Study reveals breastfeeding could protect babies from malariaIn a world first, researchers from The University of Western Australia have taken the first step towards understanding whether it may be possible for breastfeeding mothers to naturally vaccinate their babies against malaria—one of the world's deadliest contagious diseases. |
 | Universal flu vaccine with nanoparticles that protects against six different influenza viruses in miceA novel nanoparticle vaccine that combines two major influenza proteins is effective in providing broad, long-lasting protection against influenza virus in mice, showing promise as a universal flu vaccine, according to a study by the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University. |
 | Cancer-like metabolism makes brain growThe size of the human brain increased profoundly during evolution. A certain gene that is only found in humans triggers brain stem cells to form a larger pool of stem cells. As a consequence, more neurons can arise, which paves the way to a bigger brain. This brain size gene is called ARHGAP11B and so far, how it works was completely unknown. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden now uncovered its mode of action. They show that the ARHGAP11B protein is located in the powerhouse of the cell—the mitochondria—and induces a metabolic pathway in the brain stem cells that is characteristic of cancer cells. |
 | Can the flu shot help fight cancer?Changing the microenvironment of tumors to increase the immune system's response to them has been the goal of countless research and clinical studies including the most recent use of checkpoint inhibitory antibodies. The majority of patients have tumors that are "cold"—that is, the tumors don't contain many immune cells, or they have cells that suppress the ability of the immune system to fight them. |
 | Take heart: Study reveals how relaxin targets cardiovascular diseaseAs a healthy heart ages, it becomes more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases. Though researchers have discovered that relaxin, an insulin-like hormone, suppresses atrial fibrillation (AF), inflammation, and fibrosis in aged rats, the underlying mechanisms of these benefits are still unknown. In a recent Scientific Reports paper, University of Pittsburgh graduate student Brian Martin discusses how relaxin interacts with the body's signaling processes to produce a fundamental mechanism that may have great therapeutic potential. |
 | New compounds block master regulator of cancer growth, metastasisScientists have developed new drug compounds that thwart the pro-cancer activity of FOXM1, a transcription factor that regulates the activity of dozens of genes. The new compounds suppress tumor growth in human cells and in mouse models of several types of human breast cancer. |
 | Genetic study provides most comprehensive map of risk to date of breast cancer riskA major international study of the genetics of breast cancer has identified more than 350 DNA 'errors' that increase an individual's risk of developing the disease. The scientists involved say these errors may influence as many as 190 genes. |
 | Children frequently receive unnecessary medical care regardless of insurance typeChildren with public insurance are slightly more likely to receive medical services that they don't need than those with private insurance, a new study finds. |
 | Young adults using both e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes at significantly higher risk of strokePeople are looking at e-cigarettes as a "healthy" alternative to cigarettes and we currently have an epidemic of e-cigarettes use. However, according to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, young adults who smoke cigarettes plus use e-cigarettes are nearly two times more likely to have a stroke compared to current cigarette-only smokers and nearly three times more likely than non-smokers. |
 | Federal data undercounts fatal overdose deaths caused by specific drugsFatal misuse of specific drugs is a bigger problem than federal statistics make them appear, especially in Florida. According to data collected by a researcher at the University of South Florida (USF), between 2008 and 2017, roughly one-in-three overdose deaths in Florida caused by opioids were not reported by the federal government. Likewise, nearly 3,000 deaths in the state caused by cocaine were not included in the total reported federal data. Those conclusions come following a comparison of data provided by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission (FMEC), which is based on state-mandated reporting, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Multiple Cause of Death (MCOD) database. |
 | Health care paperwork cost US $812 billion in 2017, 4 times more per capita than CanadaA study published today (January 6) in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds that health care bureaucracy cost Americans $812 billion in 2017. This represented more than one-third (34.2%) of total expenditures for doctor visits, hospitals, long-term care and health insurance. The study estimated that cutting U.S. administrative costs to Canadian levels would have saved more than $600 billion in 2017. |
 | Study links Medicaid expansion and recipients' health statusIn Southern states that expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, adults experienced lower rates of decline in both physical and mental health, according to research published this month in the journal Health Affairs. |
 | NCI-MATCH: T-DM1 shows promising activity in salivary gland cancerThe antibody-drug conjugate ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) has promising activity in HER2 amplified salivary gland tumors, according to data published in the Annals of Oncology. The publication is for 'Arm Q,' which is one of nearly 40 single-arm phase two treatments in the NCI-Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (NCI-MATCH or EAY131) trial. NCI-MATCH is being co-led by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. |
US warns citizens in China over mystery pneumonia outbreakAmericans travelling in China should avoid animals and contact with sick people as the country grapples with a mystery pneumonia outbreak, the US embassy in China said Tuesday. | |
 | Low-cost prosthesis gives Brazil cancer survivor a new faceDenise Vicentin looks in the mirror and bursts into tears. |
 | From the mouths of babes: Lessons in humilityEach encounter is like a single shard in a mosaic that, taken as a whole, presents a picture of amazing optimism despite myriad challenges. |
 | Researchers recommend five practices to improve doctor-patient relationshipsWhen Stanford physicians Donna Zulman, MD, and Abraham Verghese, MD, set out more than two years ago to lead a team in finding ways to heal a growing fracture in doctor-patient relationships, they knew the task would be complicated. |
 | $1 dollar increase in minimum wage linked to 3.5-6% fall in suicide rateA US$1 increase in the minimum wage is linked to a fall in the suicide rate of between 3.5 and 6% among people with high school education or less, reveals a 26-year study, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. |
 | New ultrasound technique significantly improves brain performanceIn neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease or Multiple Sclerosis, brain neurons are constantly being lost, resulting in memory lapses, speech disorders, mood swings and movement disorders, for example, as well as muscle tremors in the case of Parkinson's. After six years of development, MedUni Vienna researchers from the Department of Neurology (Head: Thomas Berger), led by Roland Beisteiner, have developed a new method of treatment that represents a world first. Using a non-invasive ultrasound technique, it is now possible to reach all areas of the brain and activate neurons that can help to regenerate brain functions. The preliminary data, which have been prominently published on the international stage, show that this can improve brain performance. This has positioned Vienna as a world leader in an important sector of medicine. |
 | Deaths caused by extramedical use of opioids preventableA review of more than 100 studies from around the world has shown that people who use opioids for extramedical reasons have significantly higher rates of mortality. |
 | For a balanced diet and good health, pay particular attention to these essential vitamins and mineralsMost of us know that people require water, protein, carbohydrates, and fats to stay alive. But when it comes to essential vitamins and minerals, needed in smaller amounts but just as key in human functioning, things get hazy. Which ones do we have to be particularly careful about getting enough of? What happens if we don't? And what foods can we find them in? |
 | Is sparkling water bad for you?For many people, the start of a year is a time for new health resolutions—be it eat more vegetables, consume less sugar or drink more water. |
 | How psychologists can help people coping with life threatening food allergiesFood allergies have a big impact on people's quality of life. The stress and worry of having a potentially life-threatening reaction can result in the need for some families to seek help from a psychologist. Unfortunately, only a few allergy clinics in the UK have dedicated psychological services to help these people. |
 | Short-sightedness in kids was rising long before they took to the screensThe number of people with myopia, aka short-sightedness (difficulty seeing objects in the distance), has increased dramatically in recent years in various regions of the world. |
 | Flu no more: The search for a universal vaccineChances are, you've had the flu. |
 | Study finds bereavement program helps children deal with griefThe research, published in Death Studies, assessed the effectiveness of a new two-day childhood bereavement service called Lionheart Camp for Kids, which provides support to grieving children aged five to 12 years living in Perth who are grieving the death of a parent, primary caregiver or sibling. |
 | Evidence grows for iron deficiency screening in childhoodTwo recent studies from the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children are adding to mounting evidence that Canadians would benefit from more screening for iron deficiency in early childhood. |
 | Moderate-intensity exercise with appetite suppressant supplement could boost fat lossModerate-intensity exercise combined with a supplement which suppresses appetite could boost the rate at which fat is burned in the human body, new research suggests. |
 | When college students post about depression on FacebookWhen college students post about feelings of depression on Facebook, their friends are unlikely to encourage them to seek help, a small study suggests. |
 | Vaping increases odds of asthma and COPDUsing data from a large federal government telephone survey of adults, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report evidence that inhaling heated tobacco vapor through e-cigarettes was linked to increased odds of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), conditions long demonstrated to be caused by smoking traditional, combustible cigarettes. The data, the researchers say, also suggest that odds of developing COPD may be as much as six times greater when people report they both vape and smoke tobacco regularly, compared with those who don't use any tobacco products at all. |
 | Research defines meaningful activity for people with Alzheimer's diseaseIndividuals with Alzheimer's disease prefer taking part in familiar activities that are emotionally meaningful over strictly task-oriented activities, new research shows. |
 | Smart algorithm finds possible future treatment for childhood cancerUsing a computer algorithm, scientists at Uppsala University have identified a promising new treatment for neuroblastoma. This form of cancer in children, which occurs in specialized nerve cells in the sympathetic nervous system, may be life-threatening. In the long term the discovery, described in the latest issue of the scientific journal Nature Communications, may result in a new form of treatment for children in whom the disease is severe or at an advanced stage. |
 | Brain tumor research could help future precision medicineNew research on brain tumors could improve patient diagnosis and treatment options as part of a precision medicine approach. Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer deaths in children and adults under the age of 40, with 16,000 people in the UK diagnosed with a brain tumor each year. |
 | Lifelong female exercisers benefit from better muscle functionExercising throughout a woman's life may help preserve muscle power during the aging process, according to recent research. The study, the first to examine the effects of lifelong aerobic exercise on a woman's muscles as she ages, is published in the Journal of Applied Physiology and was chosen as an APSselect article for January. |
 | 2014 to 2016 saw decline in U.S. adults prescribed opioidsFrom 2014 to 2016, there was a decrease in the proportion of U.S. adults who were prescribed opioids, with a larger decrease seen for those who reported moderate or more severe pain versus less-than-moderate pain, according to a report published in the January issue of Health Affairs. |
 | Price hikes for hundreds of medicationsU.S. drug companies have started the new year by raising the prices of hundreds of medications. |
 | An artificial neural connection allows a new cortical site to control hand movementsRestoration of lost motor function after stroke is typically accomplished after strenuous rehabilitation therapy lasting for over months. However, new research published by a group led by Yukio Nishimura, the project leader of the Neural Prosthesis Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, showed that an artificial neural connection (ANC) successfully allowed a new cortical site, previously unassociated with hand movements, to regain control of a paralyzed hand in a matter of minutes. |
 | Need to control blood sugar? There's a drink for thatWith more people with diabetes and pre-diabetes looking for strategies to help control blood sugar, new research from UBC's Okanagan campus suggests that ketone monoester drinks—a popular new food supplement—may help do exactly that. |
 | Significant underreporting in safety data found on Nursing Home Compare websiteThe website Nursing Home Compare, sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, is a go-to resource for many families researching nursing home options for their loved ones. The number of falls that lead to injury are a critical category of concern for nursing home residents, however, a University of Chicago researcher has found that the data used by Nursing Home Compare to report patient safety related to falls may be highly inaccurate. |
 | Hobbyist DNA services may be open to genetic hackingOnline services that allow users to upload their genetic information, research genealogy and find lost relatives may be vulnerable to a sort of genetic hacking, according to two geneticists at the University of California, Davis. A paper describing the work is published Jan. 7 in the journal eLife. |
 | Computerized training improves selective attention of soccer playersResearchers of the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Malaga (UMA) have demonstrated how computerized training—through a specific software—can improve the attentional capacity of athletes, particularly, soccer players. |
 | Government-funded day care helps keep seniors out of nursing homes and hospitalsTwo mornings a week, a van arrives at the Escondido home of Mario Perez and takes him to a new senior center in this northern San Diego County town, where he eats a hot lunch, plays cards and gets physical therapy to help restore the balance he lost after breaking both legs in a fall. |
 | Horses offer emotional healing to recovering addicts, others facing mental health challengesTim Funk slid open the barn doors, and his herd of horses thundered into the arena, kicking up thick clouds of dust that mixed with their steamy breath to dance on the slivers of afternoon sunlight that peeked through the windows. |
 | Hospital known for glamorous patients opens new doors to its neediestWith its deluxe suites, A-list patients and world-class art collection that includes works by Picasso and Chagall, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's nickname is "hospital to the stars." But starting this year, it is making a change for its poorest patients. |
 | Correcting vaccine misinformation is a difficult process, study showsThe number of girls receiving HPV vaccines in Denmark plummeted after vaccine misinformation spread through Danish media outlets from 2013 to 2016. Health officials launched a campaign in 2017 aiming to correct the misinformation and encourage girls to get vaccinated. |
| Medicaid expansion improves access to postpartum careStudy comparing Utah and Colorado finds Medicaid expansion helped prevent new mothers from losing coverage to the "postpartum coverage cliff," with implications for reducing maternal mortality. |
 | Air pollution in childhood linked to schizophreniaAir pollution affects physical health, and research results now conclude that it also affects our psychological health. The study, which combines genetic data from iPSYCH with air pollution data from the Department of Environmental Science, shows that children who are exposed to a high level of air pollution while growing up, have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. |
Affordable Care Act led to fewer disruptions in careAmong low-income adults enrolled in Medicaid, disruptions in coverage, or churning, decreased following the Affordable Care Act (ACA). | |
 | Large study shows no strong link between baby powder, ovarian cancer(HealthDay)—There's been a longstanding debate—and a slew of lawsuits—over whether baby powder containing talc plays any role in the development of some cancers. |
 | Zinc, folic acid supplements fail to enhance male fertilityZinc and folic acid, a pair of dietary supplements long touted as an effective treatment for male infertility, failed to improve pregnancy rates, sperm counts, and sperm potency in a new study conducted at University of Utah Health and other medical centers in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health. According to the researchers, the finding presents the most definitive evidence to date that so-called fertility supplements do not live up expectations. |
 | Risk for blood clots increased with PICC placement in children(HealthDay)—Central venous catheter (CVC) placement with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in children is associated with increased risks for venous thromboembolism (VTE), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), and CVC malfunction, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in Blood. |
 | Prevalence of buprenorphine-waivered prescribers increasing(HealthDay)—From 2007 to 2017, there was an increase in the prevalence of buprenorphine-waivered prescribers in the United States, according to a research letter published online Jan. 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Decision aids may not reduce odds of hip, knee arthroplasty(HealthDay)—Use of decision aids developed for shared decision-making does not appear to reduce the odds of hip and knee arthroplasty in patients with osteoarthritis, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs. |
 | Low cardiac troponin levels cannot safely rule out ischemia(HealthDay)—Even very low concentrations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) cannot safely rule out inducible myocardial ischemia in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a study published online Jan. 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Few youths receive addiction treatment after opioid overdose(HealthDay)—Less than one-third of youths surviving an opioid overdose receive timely addiction treatment, according to a study published online Jan. 6 in JAMA Pediatrics. |
 | FDA documents analysis reveals inadequate monitoring of safe opioid use programA risk-management program set up in 2012 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to curb improper prescribing of extended-release and long-acting opioids may not have been effective because of shortcomings in the program's design and execution, according to a paper from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Extended-release and long-acting opioids, which include oxycontin, account for a significant proportion of the prescription opioid market and are among the most misused. |
 | Study of cardiac muscles in flies might help you keep your heart youngResearchers may have discovered a way to turn back the clock on aging heart muscles in fruit flies, a development that could lead to new therapies for older humans with heart disease. |
 | Predictors of chronic migraineA meta-analysis published in the journal Cephalalgia, the official journal of the International Headache Society, highlights the predictors of chronic migraine. The study, entitled "Predictors of episodic migraine transformation to chronic migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational cohort studies," was coordinated by Dr. Dawn Buse, from the Department of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA. |
 | New multiple sclerosis treatment trial compares stem cell transplantation to best available drugsA clinical trial has begun testing an experimental stem cell treatment against the best available biologic therapies for severe forms of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). The trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, will compare the safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the two therapeutic approaches. |
 | Ratings system may penalize hospitals serving vulnerable communitiesHospital ratings are intended to help patients decide where to get medical care and encourage hospitals to improve the quality of their services. They also can influence how insurance companies negotiate contracts for reimbursing hospitals. |
 | Some surprisingly good news about anxietyAnxiety disorders are the most common type of psychiatric illness, yet researchers know very little about factors associated with recovery. A new University of Toronto study investigated three levels of recovery in a large, representative sample of more than 2,000 Canadians with a history of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). |
 | Scientists capture for first time, light flashes from human eye during radiotherapyFor decades, theories have existed to explain patient reports of seeing light flashes during radiation therapy, even with their eyes closed. However, no one has been able to secure evidence of this sensation in humans to prove their theory. A team of researchers at Dartmouth's and Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Norris Cotton Cancer Center led by radiation oncologist Lesley Jarvis, MD, Ph.D. and Irwin Tendler, MEng, have collected real-time data to show that during head and neck radiation therapy, enough light is produced inside the eye to elicit such a visual sensation. This evidence, and their explanation of it, "Experimentally Observed Cherenkov Light Generation in the Eye During Radiation Therapy," is newly published in The Red Journal (International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, & Physics). |
 | Does timing matter for initiating HIV therapy in infants?Starting HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) within hours of birth has been hypothesized to have positive effects raising the possibility of remission in some children with HIV. To test the hypothesis, researchers at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center designed a trial in a group of newborns with HIV who started ART within 14 days of birth. The results showed that about 75 percent of infants attained viral suppression on ART; but only 52 percent attained and sustained viral suppression on ART. The success of attaining and sustaining viral suppression was similar in the 46 infants starting ART less than two days old (51 percent) and the 27 infants starting therapy between 2 and 14 days after birth (54 percent). The findings are published online in E-Clinical Medicine. |
 | Nosebleed (epistaxis): New clinical practice guidelineThe American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation published the Clinical Practice Guideline: Nosebleed (Epistaxis) today in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. A nosebleed is a common medical condition that occurs at some point in at least 60 percent of people in the United States. |
 | American College of Physicians issues guideline for testosterone treatment in adult menPhysicians should prescribe testosterone for men with age-related low testosterone only to treat sexual dysfunction, the American College of Physicians (ACP) says in a new evidence-based clinical practice guideline published today in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
How do outcomes for in-hospital cardiac arrest differ in patients treated with dialysis?A new study indicates that there are opportunities to improve the quality of care for patients on dialysis who experience cardiac arrest while in the hospital, but survival rates are similar for these patients compared with patients not on dialysis. The findings appear in an upcoming issue of CJASN. | |
 | Nurses study the needs of transgender senior citizensOf the 1.5 million Americans who identify as transgender, roughly 217,000—about 14—are older than age 65. According to a 2011 report by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 97 percent transitioned (claimed their preferred gender identity that differed from their sex at birth) at age 55 or older. |
 | Hong Kong to add mystery illness to reportable diseasesHong Kong's health chief said Tuesday that a respiratory illness whose cause remains unknown will be added to an official list of diseases that medical practitioners are required to report to the government. |
 | Researchers pursue single-dose gene therapy to treat cocaine addictionIn a radical new approach to treat cocaine addition, researchers at the Mayo Clinic are seeking approval for first-in-human studies of a single-dose gene therapy. To support the safety and efficacy of this approach they have demonstrated the successful delivery of a gene coding for an enzyme that metabolizes cocaine into harmless byproducts in mice. The study is published in Human Gene Therapy. |
 | New recommendations released on bedsharing to promote breastfeedingLeading experts representing The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) have released new evidence-based recommendations regarding the benefits and risks of bedsharing for mother-infant pairs who have initiated breastfeeding and are in home settings. The new protocol is published in Breastfeeding Medicine, the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. |
 | DR Congo measles outbreak kills 6,000 in a year: WHOMeasles has killed more than 6,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo since January, the world's worst outbreak and nearly triple the toll in the country's Ebola epidemic, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. |
'Are we waiting long enough?' Study raises questions on timing of intracranial pressure measurementsCareful monitoring of pressure within the skull (intracranial pressure, or ICP) is crucial for some neurocritical care patients. But current procedures for measuring ICP via an external ventricular drain (EVD) may not leave enough time for accurate ICP readings, reports a study in the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing (JNN), official journal of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses. | |
Biology news
 | Birds and bats have strange gut microbiomes—probably because they can flyAt a time when kombucha is commonplace on cafe menus and "probiotic-fortified" has become the newest health buzzword, our guts have never been more relevant. With good reason, humans have begun paying more attention to the bacteria living in our guts—our microbiomes. The microbiome helps fight disease and aid digestion, playing a pivotal role in many creatures' wellbeing, from canines to primates to rodents. But for the first time— largely in part due to museum collections—scientists were able to compare the guts of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians alike. It turns out that not all species rely so heavily on their gut microbiomes. In fact, birds and bats have oddly similar microbiomes, and neither appear to rely on them much. "Why?" you may ask: to accommodate their ability to fly, scientists think. |
 | Evolution on the vine: A history of tomato domestication in Latin AmericaThe common cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. lycopersicum; or (SLL)) is among the world's most widely grown vegetable crops, from big agricultural farms to heirloom grown varieties. |
 | New 'umbrella' species would massively improve conservationThe protection of Australia's threatened species could be improved by a factor of seven, if more efficient 'umbrella' species were prioritized for protection, according to University of Queensland research. |
 | Scientists use satellite-mounted laser to map global ocean migrationDuring WWII, naval oceanographers discovered a reflective layer that rose and fell across their sonar screens once each day. Further research revealed that it comprised swarms of fish and tiny sea creatures called zooplankton migrating toward the ocean surface as the sun set to feed under cover of darkness, then swimming back to the inky depths at dawn to escape their own predators during daylight hours. |
 | When the past catches up on you: Land use impacts biodiversity in the long termGhosts of land use past haunt current biodiversity in farmland ecosystems, according to a new study led by a researcher from the German Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre. The study on farmlands in southwestern France shows that changes from grassland to cropland that happened as long as 20 years ago result in the animal community on-site today exhibiting a lower diversity of mobility and feeding-related traits, which are related to the functioning of agricultural ecosystems.. The study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences emphasizes the need to protect permanent grasslands in farmland ecosystems as a refuge for species and the functional roles they perform, which would otherwise be lost. |
 | Researchers struggle to engineer plants that cope with climate changeA new study published by biologists at LMU demonstrates that there are no simple or universal solutions to the problem of engineering plants to enable them to cope with the challenges posed by climate change. |
 | Indian cobra genome sequenced in search for new antivenomA large international team of researchers affiliated with corporate and academic institutions has sequenced the genome of the Indian cobra. In their paper published in the journal Nature Genetics, the group describes their goal of using the sequenced genome to develop an antivenom. |
 | Ghost worms mostly unchanged since the age of dinosaursIt is well known that the size, shape and structure of organisms can evolve at different speeds, ranging from fast-evolving adaptive radiations to living fossils such as cichlids or coelacanths, respectively. |
 | Pathways of disease spillover among domestic and wild sheep and goats in the western United StatesA new large-scale genetic study has determined that domestic sheep and goats are the source of bronchopneumonia in bighorn sheep and mountain goats in the western United States, according to a research team led by Pauline Kamath, University of Maine assistant professor of animal health. |
 | Don't like spiders? Here are 10 reasons to change your mindAustralia is famous for its supposedly scary spiders. While the sight of a spider may cause some people to shudder, they are a vital part of nature. Hostile reactions are harming conservation efforts—especially when people kill spiders unnecessarily. |
 | Trinidad's guppy-filled streams provide natural lab for genetic rescue researchTrinidadian guppies, ubiquitous in freshwater aquariums around the world, are no bigger than your thumb. But for Sarah Fitzpatrick, assistant professor in Michigan State University's Department of Integrative Biology and W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, or KBS, faculty member, these small fish came up big. |
 | Abandoning pastures reduces the biodiversity of mountain streamsThe abandonment of high-altitude mountain pastures and the climatic changes that are causing woodland boundaries to extend ever higher, may potentially result in the reduction of the number and variety of invertebrates living in mountain streams. Eurac Research ecologists have compared 15 streams and found that in streams running through extensive meadows with grazing animals—regardless of elevation—biodiversity is greater. The study was published in the renowned international journal Freshwater Biology. |
 | The growing pains of orphan chimpanzeesThe prolonged periods of juvenility and nutritional dependence that are characteristic of human development are thought to facilitate brain and somatic growth in children, as well as provide opportunities to learn and accumulate skills required for a productive adult life. In chimpanzees, the benefits of continuing to associate with mothers after becoming nutritionally independent are less well understood. |
 | 'Census' in the zebrafish's brainThe zebrafish is a master of regeneration: If brain cells are lost due to injury or disease, it can simply reproduce them—contrary to humans, where this only happens in the fetal stage. However, the zebrafish is evolutionarily related to humans and, thus, possesses the same brain cell types as humans. Can a hidden regeneration potential also be activated in humans? Are therapies for stroke, craniocerebral trauma and presently incurable diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's possible? |
 | Koalas are the face of Australian tourism. What now after the fires?In 1936, The Evening News in Rockhampton wrote: "The time has arrived when Australians must decide whether or not they will accept responsibility for the perpetuation of the koala […]" |
 | Four held for lion body part trafficking in S.AfricaSouth African police have arrested four people for allegedly trying to sell lion paws, just days after eight mutilated lion carcasses were discovered at a private game farm. |
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