Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 14, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Discovery of new planet reveals distant solar system to rival our ownThe discovery of an eighth planet circling the distant star Kepler-90 by University of Texas at Austin astronomer Andrew Vanderburg and Google's Christopher Shallue overturns our solar system's status as having the highest number of known planets. We're now in a tie. |
 | New discovery finds starving white dwarfs are binge eatersUniversity of Canterbury astrophysicist Dr Simone Scaringi has made an unexpected and exciting new discovery related to the way white dwarfs grow in space. |
 | Space capsule with 3 astronauts returns to EarthThree astronauts returned to Earth on Thursday after nearly six months aboard the International Space Station, landing on the snow-covered steppes outside of a remote town in Kazakhstan. |
 | Dark energy survey offers new view of dark matter halos, physicists reportDark matter, a mysterious form of matter that makes up about 80 percent of the mass of the universe, has evaded detection for decades. Although it doesn't interact with light, scientists believe it's there because of its influence on galaxies and galaxy clusters. |
 | Dawn of a galactic collisionA riot of colour and light dances through this peculiarly shaped galaxy, NGC 5256. Its smoke-like plumes are flung out in all directions and the bright core illuminates the chaotic regions of gas and dust swirling through the galaxy's centre. Its odd structure is due to the fact that this is not one galaxy, but two—in the process of a galactic collision. |
 | No alien 'signals' from cigar-shaped asteroid: researchersNo alien signals have been detected from an interstellar, cigar-shaped space rock discovered travelling through our Solar System in October, researchers listening for evidence of extraterrestrial technology said Thursday. |
 | A better way to weigh millions of solitary starsAstronomers have come up with a new and improved method for measuring the masses of millions of solitary stars, especially those with planetary systems. |
 | Will Trump send Americans to the Moon? Money talks: expertsUS President Donald Trump's decision this week to return Americans to the Moon makes sense as a way to develop technology to one day reach Mars, but only if Congress allocates the money, experts say. |
 | Rapid-response program to explore a double neutron star mergerTwo years ago, scientists from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected gravitational waves for the first time, proving Einstein's theory of relativity and his prediction of their existence. The waves were triggered by two black holes colliding. |
 | Next-generation GRACE satellites arrive at launch siteA pair of advanced U.S./German Earth research satellites with some very big shoes to fill is now at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base to begin final preparations for launch next spring. |
 | Researchers study impact of space radiation on bone and muscle healthNew research by Henry J. Donahue, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and School of Engineering Foundation Professor at the VCU School of Engineering, suggests that space radiation may cause astronauts in outer space to lose additional bone but not more muscle. |
 | Mars upside downWhich way is up in space? Planets are usually shown with the north pole at the top and the south pole at the bottom. In this remarkable image taken by ESA's Mars Express, the Red Planet is seen with north at the bottom, and the equator at the top. |
 | Image: The fault in our MarsThis image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) of northern Meridiani Planum shows faults that have disrupted layered deposits. Some of the faults produced a clean break along the layers, displacing and offsetting individual beds (yellow arrow). |
Technology news
 | Computer systems predict objects' responses to physical forcesJosh Tenenbaum, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT, directs research on the development of intelligence at the Center for Brains, Minds, and Machines, a multi-university, multidisciplinary project based at MIT that seeks to explain and replicate human intelligence. |
 | US faces moment of truth on 'net neutrality'The acrimonious battle over "net neutrality" in America comes to a head Thursday with a US agency set to vote to roll back rules enacted two years earlier aimed at preventing a "two-speed" internet. |
 | Exploring blimp could tell us about hidden worlds(Tech Xplore)—Mission: To design an innovative robot that can explore heritage buildings while leaving as few traces as possible. |
 | The wet road to fast and stable batteriesAn international team of scientists—including several researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory—has discovered an anode battery material with superfast charging and stable operation over many thousands of cycles. |
 | Scientists prove tailgating doesn't get you there fasterWe've all experienced "phantom traffic jams" that arise without any apparent cause. Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) recently showed that we'd have fewer if we made one small change to how we drive: no more tailgating. |
 | Daimler delivers its first all-electric trucks in EuropeGerman carmaker Daimler on Thursday delivered its first fully electric lorries to companies in Europe, as the global race to mass produce the first generation of "green trucks" heats up. |
 | FCC votes along party lines to end 'net neutrality' (Update)The Federal Communications Commission repealed the Obama-era "net neutrality" rules Thursday, giving internet service providers like Verizon, Comcast and AT&T a free hand to slow or block websites and apps as they see fit or charge more for faster speeds. |
 | Engineers program tiny robots to move, think like insectsWhile engineers have had success building tiny, insect-like robots, programming them to behave autonomously like real insects continues to present technical challenges. A group of Cornell University engineers has been experimenting with a new type of programming that mimics the way an insect's brain works, which could soon have people wondering if that fly on the wall is actually a fly. |
 | Software enables robots to be controlled in virtual realityEven as autonomous robots get better at doing things on their own, there will still be plenty of circumstances where humans might need to step in and take control. New software developed by Brown University computer scientists enables users to control robots remotely using virtual reality, which helps users to become immersed in a robot's surroundings despite being miles away physically. |
Ng aims to bring AI 'electricity' to manufacturingThe artificial intelligence researcher who called AI the new electricity is now trying to make sure every company is plugged in. | |
 | As 'net neutrality' vote nears, some brace for a long fightAs the federal government prepares to unravel sweeping net-neutrality rules that guaranteed equal access to the internet, advocates of the regulations are bracing for a long fight. |
 | Discovery clears way for human body to work as robust communication network for electronic devicesA group of Purdue University researchers have discovered a new way to use the human body as a robust communication medium for networking electronic devices in and on the body that promises to be far more secure and low-energy than any wireless system. |
 | Structuring thought and imagination brick by brick, Lego is more than child's playYou might think Lego is just a kids' toy – one you played with as a child and now step on as you walk through the house as a parent. |
 | Drones, volcanoes and the 'computerisation' of the EarthThe eruption of the Agung volcano in Bali, Indonesia has been devastating, particularly for the 55,000 local people who have had to leave their homes and move into shelters. It has also played havoc with the flights in and out of the island, leaving people stranded while the experts try to work out what the volcano will do next. |
 | Should you get your child an AI doll this holiday?The technological revolution has hit the doll aisle this holiday season in the form of artificial intelligence dolls. The dolls blend a physical toy with either a mobile device and app, or technological sensors, to simulate signs of intelligence. |
Tackling the missing miner problem with wireless sensor networksA matchbox-sized circuit board with a short aerial could save lives by transmitting the vital statistics and location of miners missing underground. | |
 | Robotics researchers track autonomous underground mining vehiclesQUT robotics researchers have developed new technology to equip underground mining vehicles to navigate autonomously through dust, camera blur and bad lighting. |
 | As Bitcoin, other currencies soar, regulators urge cautionThe public's interest in all things bitcoin and efforts by entrepreneurs to fund their businesses with digital currencies is starting to draw more attention from regulators. |
 | Disney buying large part of 21st Century Fox in $52.4B dealDisney is buying the Murdoch family's Fox movie and television studios and some cable and international TV businesses for about $52.4 billion, as the home of Mickey Mouse tries to meet competition from technology companies in the entertainment business. |
New insight into battery charging supports development of improved electric vehiclesA new technique developed by researchers at Technische Universität München, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and RWTH Aachen University, published in Elsevier's Materials Today, provides a unique insight into how the charging rate of lithium ion batteries can be a factor limiting their lifetime and safety. | |
 | Fox looks to wrap up Sky takeover in UK, hand over to Disney21st Century Fox said Thursday it will still try to complete its 11.7 billion pound ($15.4 billion) takeover offer for Sky, a move that would hand the major European broadcaster over to Disney as it in turn buys most of Fox. |
Drug discovery could accelerate hugely with machine learningDrug discovery could be significantly accelerated thanks to a new high precision machine-learning model, developed by an international collaboration of researchers, including the University of Warwick. | |
 | Engineers scrap the stethoscope, measure vital signs with radio wavesNo visit to the doctor's office is complete without a blood-pressure cuff squeezing your arm and a cold stethoscope placed on your chest. But what if your vital signs could be gathered, without contact, as you sit in the waiting room or the comfort of your own home? |
 | Fully screen-printed monoPoly silicon solar cell technologyThe Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has reached a new cell efficiency milestone in the development of its low-cost screen-printed bifacial monoPoly silicon solar cell technology, recording an average cell efficiency of 21.5% in pilot-scale production using commercially available large-area Cz-Si wafers. |
 | Building hurricane-proof roofsAn FIU professor has a plan to get rid of the blue tarps that inevitably appear on rooftops after a hurricane. |
 | Israeli drugmaker Teva to cut quarter of global work force (Update)Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., the world's largest generic drugmaker, on Thursday said it would lay off over a quarter of its workforce as part of a global restructuring meant to salvage its ailing business. |
 | What is net neutrality and why does it matter?"Net neutrality" regulations, designed to prevent internet service providers like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast and Charter from favoring some sites and apps over others, are on the chopping block. On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission plans to vote on a proposal that would not only undo the Obama-era rules that have been in place since 2015, but will forbid states to put anything similar in place. |
 | Amazon will stream AVP beach volleyball tour next 3 summersAmazon is going shopping for TV content, and it's putting some beach volleyball in its cart. |
Will US companies put overseas cash to work? Don't bet on itThe Republican tax plan seems about to hand a bow-tied holiday gift to some of America's richest multinational companies, from Apple and Microsoft to Google's parent Alphabet: Tens of billions in tax breaks on profits they've parked overseas. | |
 | Vanderbilt researchers win an R&D100 Award for MultiWell MicroFormulatorA team of Vanderbilt University scientists and engineers led by Professor John P. Wikswo has won an R&D 100 Award for their MultiWell MicroFormulator. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Urine test developed to test for tuberculosis(Medical Xpress)—An international team of researchers has developed a urine test that can be used to detect tuberculosis (TB) in human patients. In their paper published in Science Translational Medicine, the group describes how they developed the test and how well it works. |
 | Critical toxic species behind Parkinson's disease is glimpsed at work for the first timeResearchers have glimpsed how the toxic protein clusters that are associated with Parkinson's Disease disrupt the membranes of healthy brain cells, creating defects in the cell walls and eventually causing a series of events that induce neuronal death. |
 | Mistletoe and (a large) wine: Seven-fold increase in wine glass size over 300 yearsOur Georgian and Victorian ancestors probably celebrated Christmas with more modest wine consumption than we do today - if the size of their wine glasses are anything to go by. Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found that the capacity of wine glasses has increased seven-fold over the past 300 years, and most steeply in the last two decades as wine consumption rose. |
 | How well can digital assistants answer questions on sex?Google laptop searches seem to be better at finding quality online sexual health advice than digital assistants on smartphones, find experts in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. |
 | Scientists unlock structure of mTOR, a key cancer cell signaling proteinResearchers in the Sloan Kettering Institute have solved the structure of an important signaling molecule in cancer cells. They used a new technology called cryo-EM to visualize the structure in three dimensions. The detailed information provided by this image paves the way for rational drug design. |
 | Scientists chart how brain signals connect to neuronsScientists at Johns Hopkins have used supercomputers to create an atomic scale map that tracks how the signaling chemical glutamate binds to a neuron in the brain. The findings, say the scientists, shed light on the dynamic physics of the chemical's pathway, as well as the speed of nerve cell communications. |
 | 'Bet hedging' explains the efficacy of many combination cancer therapiesThe efficacy of many FDA-approved cancer drug combinations is not due to synergistic interactions between drugs, but rather to a form of "bet hedging," according to a new study published by Harvard Medical School researchers in Cell on Dec. 14. |
 | How defeating THOR could bring a hammer down on cancerIt turns out Thor, the Norse god of thunder and the Marvel superhero, has special powers when it comes to cancer too. |
 | Journaling inspires altruism through an attitude of gratitudeGratitude does more than help maintain good health. New research at the University of Oregon finds that regularly noting feelings of gratitude in a journal leads to increased altruism. |
 | Womb natural killer cell discovery could lead to screening for miscarriage riskFor the first time the functions of natural killer cells in the womb have been identified. |
 | Little understood cell helps mice see colorResearchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have discovered that color vision in mice is far more complex than originally thought, opening the door to experiments that could potentially lead to new treatments for humans. |
 | Breathing exercises help asthma patients with quality of lifeA study led by the University of Southampton has found that people who continue to get problems from their asthma, despite receiving standard treatment, experience an improved quality of life when they are taught breathing exercises. The majority of asthma patients have some degree of impaired quality of life. |
Children best placed to explain facts of surgery to patients, say expertsGetting children to design patient information leaflets may improve patient understanding before they have surgery, finds an article in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. | |
 | Owning a pet does not seem to influence signs of agingOwning a pet does not appear to slow the rate of ageing, as measured by standard indicators, suggest the authors of a study published in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. |
 | Gene mutation causes low sensitivity to painA UCL-led research team has identified a rare mutation that causes one family to have unusually low sensitivity to pain. |
 | Healthy eating linked to kids' happinessHealthy eating is associated with better self-esteem and fewer emotional and peer problems, such as having fewer friends or being picked on or bullied, in children regardless of body weight, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. Inversely, better self-esteem is associated with better adherence to healthy eating guidelines, according to researchers from The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. |
 | Vaping popular among teens; opioid misuse at historic lowsNearly one in three 12th graders report past year use of some kind of vaping device, raising concerns about the impact on their health. What they say is in the device, however, ranges from nicotine, to marijuana, to "just flavoring." The survey also suggests that use of hookahs and regular cigarettes is declining. These findings come from the 2017 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey of eighth, 10th and 12th graders in schools nationwide, reported today by the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, along with scientists from the University of Michigan, who conduct the annual research. The survey asks teens about "any vaping" to measure their use of electronic vaporizers. It is important to note that some research suggests that many teens don't actually know what is in the device they are using, and even if they read the label, not all labeling is consistent or accurate. |
Groundbreaking gene therapy trial set to cure hemophiliaA 'cure' for haemophilia is one step closer, following results published in the New England Journal of Medcine of a groundbreaking gene therapy trial led by the NHS in London. | |
 | Alleviating complications of babies born smaller: Is a growth factor injection the answer?Researchers have found a new potential treatment that may alleviate complications of babies born smaller than they should be, also called fetal growth restriction, which refers to poor growth of the fetus in the mother's womb during pregnancy. The findings were published in the Journal of Physiology. |
Indonesia's asbestos 'time bomb'The symptoms were mild and seemingly innocuous at first: mostly coughing and fatigue. But it wasn't long before Sriyono got a grim diagnosis—he had asbestosis—an incurable scarring of the lungs that often leads to cancer. | |
 | New mechanism of action for DISC1, a psychiatric disorder agent, revealed by scientistsA protein called disrupted-in-schizophrenia 1, encoded by the DISC1 gene, has been established as a genetic risk factor for a wide array of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and autism spectrum disorders. It was originally identified in a large Scottish family suffering from multiple psychiatric disorders due to a chromosomal translocation-induced disruption. The biochemical and structural characterizations of DISC1 and its interactions with target proteins are very scarce. |
 | Isolated psychosis during exposure to very high and extreme altitudeIt is relatively well known that mountain climbers can suffer psychotic episodes at extreme altitudes, and has been frequently mentioned in mountain literature. Doctors have generally associated this with acute altitude sickness. But now, emergency medicine doctors from Eurac Research and the Medical University of Innsbruck have carried out an investigation into psychotic episodes at extreme altitudes and subjected these to systematic scientific analysis, thereby discovering a new medical entity: isolated high-altitude psychosis. The results of the study have recently been published in the renowned medical journal Psychological Medicine. |
Researchers discover mechanism that allows rapid signal transmission between nerve cellsResearchers at Charité's NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence have successfully identified the mechanism behind rapid signal transmission. Their work, published in the current issue of Nature Neuroscience, shows that bridging by a specific protein is responsible for this high speed of transmission. | |
 | Researchers induce a form of synesthesia with hypnosisHypnosis can alter the way certain individuals information process information. A new phenomenon has been identified by researchers from the University of Skövde in Sweden and the University of Turku in Finland. They have successfully used hypnosis to induce a functional analogue of synaesthesia. The discovery opens a window into the previously unexplored domains of cognitive neuroscience. |
 | 40 years after first Ebola outbreak, survivors show signs they can stave off new infectionSurvivors of the first known Ebola outbreak, which occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1976, may be key to development of vaccines and therapeutic drugs to treat future outbreaks, according to a new study led by researchers at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. |
 | Newest data links inflammation to chemo-brainInflammation in the blood plays a key role in "chemo-brain," according to a published pilot study that provides evidence for what scientists have long believed. |
 | You (and most of the millions of holiday travelers you encounter) are washing your hands wrongFor my fourth-grade science fair project, I tested different soaps to see which ones were the most effective at keeping my hands clean. |
 | Attempted suicide in the young related to dramatically reduced life expectancyPeople who have been treated for attempted suicide or suicidal behaviour have a much shorter life expectancy and usually die of non-suicide-related causes, a new study from Karolinska Institutet and Umeå University published in the scientific journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica reports. |
Team of bioethicists calls for rigorous trials for experimental fetal therapyCiting uncertainties about the risks and benefits of an experimental therapy for fetuses whose kidneys do not develop, bioethicists at Johns Hopkins and a team of medical experts are calling for rigorous clinical trials in the use of a potential treatment known as amnioinfusion. | |
 | Decoding tuberculosis—using analysis to better understand disease, develop new treatmentsMycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the causative agent of the serious lung disease, tuberculosis, that is widespread throughout the world. About one-third of the human population is infected with tuberculosis, which takes at least six months of daily drug treatment to cure. Unfortunately, there is an increasing prevalence of drug resistant strains of the disease. |
 | Drug lowers deadly Huntington's disease proteinThe first drug targeting the cause of Huntington's disease was safe and well-tolerated in its first human trial led by UCL scientists. It successfully lowered the level of the harmful huntingtin protein in the nervous system. |
Sedative, tranquilizer misuse a strong indicator of future drug abuseMisusing sedatives or tranquilizers signals a credible risk for the abuse of more addictive substances in the near future, according to new research from the University of Michigan School of Nursing's Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health. | |
 | The story of a new skinDecades of scientific research into areas including plant genetics and data science helped doctors successfully carry out an experimental therapy to create a new skin for a seven-year-old boy suffering from a rare genetic disorder. |
 | Early study shows shoe attachment can help stroke patients improve their gaitA new device created at the University of South Florida – and including a cross-disciplinary team of experts from USF engineering, physical therapy and neurology – is showing early promise for helping correct the signature limp experienced by many stroke survivors. |
 | Swearing helps us battle pain – no matter what language we curse inSwear words have many functions. They can be used for emphasis, for comedic effect, as a shared linguistic tool that strengthens social bonds and maintains relationships, or simply to cause offence and shock. |
 | Researchers track muscle stem cell dynamics in response to injury and agingA new study led by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) describes the biology behind why muscle stem cells respond differently to aging or injury. The findings, published in Cell Stem Cell, have important implications for therapeutic strategies to regenerate skeletal muscle in response to the normal wear and tear of aging, or in cases of injury or muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophy. |
Dementia deaths in Scotland now double 2007 figuresDeaths caused by dementia continue to rise across Scotland according to provisional figures released today by National Records of Scotland. | |
 | Should I roll my baby back over if she rolls onto her stomach in her sleep?The safest place for your baby to sleep is in their own cot in the same room as their parents or adult caregivers. Sound scientific evidence tells us babies should always be placed to sleep on their back, never on their side or stomach. |
 | A parent's guide to ending sexual harassment and assaultThe resignation of three members of Congress – John Conyers, Al Franken and Trent Franks – should serve as a reminder to parents to talk to their children about sexual misconduct. |
 | Hispanics born outside U.S. more likely to die from cardiovascular diseasesHispanics born abroad who now live in the United States have higher odds of dying from cardiovascular diseases than U.S.-born Hispanics, a new study shows. |
 | Eating together as a family helps children feel better, physically and mentallyChildren who routinely eat their meals together with their family are more likely to experience long-term physical and mental health benefits, a new Canadian study shows. |
 | One in five patients report discrimination in health careAlmost one in five older patients with a chronic disease reported experiencing health care discrimination of one type or another in a large national survey that asked about their daily experiences of discrimination between 2008 and 2014. |
 | Researchers develop mouse model to study Pteroptine ortheovirusIn the past decade, the first cases of respiratory tract infection caused by bat-borne Pteropine ortheovirus (PRV) have been reporting in humans. To help shed light on the clinical course of PRV infection, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have now used a mouse model of the infection to study its virulence, pathology and pathogenesis. |
 | Coloring books make you feel better, but real art therapy much more potentA new study shows that while those adult coloring books can reduce stress, they're still not art therapy. |
Research to put bite on liver disease NASHA form of liver disease which threatens to become a modern epidemic due to its association with obesity and type 2 diabetes – both major health issues for modern society – may be stopped in its tracks thanks to a research breakthrough by scientists at the Universities of Dundee, St Andrews and Stony Brook. | |
 | The Japanese concept of ikigai might be a better goal than happinessHappiness is the subject of countless quotations, slogans, self-help books and personal choices. It is also being taken seriously by national governments and organisations like the United Nations, as something societies should aim for. |
 | Antisense therapy—a promising new way to treat neurological diseaseA new treatment for Huntington's disease – a deadly brain disorder – has successfully completed first-in-human trials. The drug lowered levels of the harmful huntingtin protein in the spinal fluid of patients who took part in the trial. |
 | Insight into how infants learn to walkTen-week-old babies can learn from practising walking months before they begin walking themselves say researchers. They gave the infants experience at "reflex walking" which is a primitive instinct in babies which disappears around 12 weeks of age. |
Mild traumatic brain injury causes long-term damage in miceA new Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology study in mice found that mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) can precipitate not only acute damage but also a lifelong degenerative process. | |
Is presumed consent the answer to organ shortages?In an effort to increase the number of organs available for transplant the UK's Department of Health is proposing a move to 'presumed consent' so people have to opt-out of donating their body parts when they die. Ivo Vlaev, Professor of Behavioural Science, argues evidence from the changing of default settings in other ares, shows this will work. | |
 | The iceberg model of self-harmResearchers have created a model of self-harm that shows high levels of the problem in the community, especially in young girls, and the need for school-based prevention measures. |
Exercise does not seem to increase bone marrow edema in healthy peopleA recent study published in Rheumatology finds that osteitis/bone marrow edema as measured by magnetic resonance imaging was present in healthy people. However, it did not significantly increase due to intense physical activity. | |
 | Your pets can't put your aging on 'paws'(HealthDay)—In a finding that's sure to ruffle some fur and feathers, scientists report that having a pet doesn't fend off age-related declines in physical or mental health. |
 | Party tips for teetotalers(HealthDay)—You love social gatherings, but you're not a social drinker. |
 | Findings could help reduce risk of calciphylaxis in renal disease(HealthDay)—For patients with late-stage renal disease, the presence of lupus anticoagulant and combined thrombophilias are risk factors for the development of calciphylaxis, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in JAMA Dermatology. |
 | Serial hsTnT level IDs risk of 30-day adverse cardiac event(HealthDay)—High-sensitivity troponin (hsTnT) assay can identify patients presenting with suspected acute coronary syndrome at very low risk for 30-day adverse cardiac events (ACE), according to a study published online Dec. 13 in JAMA Cardiology. |
 | Gabapentin doesn't cut time to pain cessation after surgery(HealthDay)—For patients undergoing surgery, gabapentin does not reduce the time to pain cessation, but can increase the rate of opioid cessation, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in JAMA Surgery. |
 | Children's screen-time guidelines too restrictive, according to new researchDigital screen use is a staple of contemporary life for adults and children, whether they are browsing on laptops and smartphones, or watching TV. Paediatricians and scientists have long expressed concerns about the impact of overusing technology on people's wellbeing. However, new Oxford University research suggests that existing guidance managing children's digital media time may not be as beneficial as first thought. |
Genetics may play role in chronic pain after surgeryGenetics may play a role in determining whether patients experience chronic pain after surgery, suggests a study published today in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). Aside from genetic factors, the study also found patients younger than 65 years old, males and those with a prior history of chronic pain were at increased risk. | |
Testing the accuracy of FDA-approved and lab-developed cancer genetics testsCancer molecular testing can drive clinical decision making and help a clinician determine if a patient is a good candidate for a targeted therapeutic drug. Clinical tests for common cancer causing-mutations in the genes BRAF, EGFR and KRAS abound, and include U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved companion diagnostics (FDA-CDs) as well as laboratory-developed tests (LDTs). LDTs are tests that have been designed and implemented in a single laboratory - some are completely homegrown while others are commercial kits, including "off label" uses of FDA-CDs (also known as in vitro diagnostics). Amid the debate about how much these tests should be regulated by the FDA, one question has gone unanswered: how well do LDTs and FDA-CDs perform? A new study published this week in JAMA Oncology, which analyzed data from almost 7,000 tests, finds that the answer is: very well and very comparably. | |
 | Do bullies have more sex?Adolescents who are willing to exploit others for personal gain are more likely to bully and have sex than those who score higher on a measure of honesty and humility. This is according to a study in Springer's journal Evolutionary Psychological Science which was led by Daniel Provenzano of the University of Windsor in Canada. |
 | Bioengineers imagine the future of vaccines and immunotherapyIn the not-too-distant future, nanoparticles delivered to a cancer patient's immune cells might teach the cells to destroy tumors. A flu vaccine might look and feel like applying a small, round Band-Aid to your skin. |
 | Liquid biopsy results differed substantially between two providersTwo Johns Hopkins prostate cancer researchers found significant disparities when they submitted identical patient samples to two different commercial liquid biopsy providers. Liquid biopsy is a new and noninvasive alternative to tumor tissue sequencing, and it is intended to specifically detect and sequence tumor DNA circulating in patients' blood. The results are used to help guide doctors to tailor the best treatment for patients at each point of their disease. |
 | Clinical trial does not support the use of bortezomib for kidney transplant recipientsA new clinical trial looks at the potential of a new treatment for transplant rejection. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), do not support the use of bortezomib in kidney transplant recipients. |
 | Drinking hot tea every day linked to lower glaucoma riskDrinking a cup of hot tea at least once a day may be linked to a significantly lower risk of developing the serious eye condition, glaucoma, finds a small study published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. |
High success rate reported for diabetic Charcot foot surgeryNearly four out of five diabetic patients with severe cases of a disabling condition called Charcot foot were able to walk normally again following surgery, a Loyola Medicine study has found. | |
 | Study suggests social workers lack tools to identify potential chronic child neglectNeglect accounts for more than 75 percent of all child protection cases in the United States, yet, despite this alarming frequency, child welfare workers lack effective assessment tools for identifying the associated risk and protective factors of chronic neglect, according to Patricia Logan-Greene, an assistant professor in the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. |
 | All politics—and cannabis marketing—are localCalifornia's legal cannabis market, opening for business on Jan. 1, is expected to quickly grow to be the largest in the nation and worth more than $5 billion a year. |
Valley fever cases see major spike in NovemberValley fever cases in November saw a 50-percent spike over the previous month, leading experts at the University of Arizona Valley Fever Center for Excellence to predict a significant increase in cases in 2018. | |
 | Food-induced anaphylaxis common among children despite adult supervisionAt least a third of reactions in children with food-induced anaphylaxis to a known allergen occur under adult supervision, according to a new study led by AllerGen researchers in Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. |
Researcher exposes MRSA risk at northeast Ohio beachesBeachgoers know there is always some risk of disease, but a recent study by a Kent State University researcher shows they may not be aware of all the dangers the beach poses. | |
 | Mechanism identified of impaired dendritic cell function that weakens response to cancerA new study from The Wistar Institute revealed the mechanism implicated in the defective function of tumor-associated dendritic cells (DCs), a specialized type of immune cells that expose the antigens on their surface to activate the T cells. The new findings explain why DCs are not effective in executing a specialized process that is required for inducing antitumor immune responses and effective cancer immunotherapy. The work was published online in Nature Communications. |
 | Intervention offered in school readiness program boosts children's self-regulation skillsAdding a daily 20 to 30 minute self-regulation intervention to a kindergarten readiness program significantly boosted children's self-regulation and early academic skills, an Oregon State University researcher has found. |
 | Zika babies facing increasing health problems with age(HealthDay)—Most children born with brain abnormalities caused by the Zika virus are facing severe health and developmental challenges at 2 years of age, a new study suggests. |
 | Telemedicine facilitates diabetes foot ulcer care(HealthDay)—Telemedicine follow-up enables more comprehensive diabetes foot ulcer care, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing. |
 | Recent change in spectrum of HIV-linked kidney disease(HealthDay)—The spectrum of HIV-associated kidney disease has changed with the improvement of therapy for HIV infection, according to a review article published in the Dec. 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Bivalent meningococcal B vaccine safe, immunogenic(HealthDay)—A bivalent meningococcal B vaccine targeting factor H-binding protein (MenB-FHbp) elicits bactericidal responses against diverse meningococcal B strains after two and three doses in adolescents and young adults, according to a study published in the Dec. 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Serum homocysteine higher in acne patients(HealthDay)—Acne patients have higher levels of serum homocysteine (HCY), according to a study published online Nov. 21 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. |
 | Day-care centers have more allergens than homes(HealthDay)—Mite, mouse, cat, and dog allergens are higher in day-care centers (DCCs) than in homes, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in Allergy. |
 | Stricter short-term glycemic control may increase remission(HealthDay)—Stricter glycemic control during short-term intensive insulin therapy for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients is associated with a higher likelihood of remission at one year, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation. |
 | Ocular safety profile of novel oral antithrombotics explored(HealthDay)—Prasugrel carries no increased ocular risk compared with clopidogrel, and dabigatran and rivaroxaban may reduce risk compared with warfarin, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | Simulation model finds Cure Violence program and targeted policing curb urban violenceWhen communities and police work together to deter urban violence, they can achieve better outcomes with fewer resources than when each works in isolation, a simulation model created by researchers at the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program, Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the University at Albany has found. |
 | Suicidal thoughts rapidly reduced with ketamine, finds studyKetamine was significantly more effective than a commonly used sedative in reducing suicidal thoughts in depressed patients, according to researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). They also found that ketamine's anti-suicidal effects occurred within hours after its administration. |
Autism traits increase thoughts of suicide in people with psychosisPeople with autism traits who have psychosis are at a greater risk of depression and thoughts of suicide, new research has found. | |
Sepsis is the leading cause of death in Brazilian ICUs, with 55.7 percent mortality rateBrazil has an extremely high rate of mortality from sepsis in intensive care units (ICUs), surpassing even mortality due to stroke and heart attack in ICUs. According to a survey conducted by researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) and the Latin American Sepsis Institute (LASI), more than 230,000 adults die from sepsis in ICUs every year. Even more alarmingly, 55.7 percent of sepsis cases in ICUs end in death. | |
 | 27% of California adolescents are gender nonconforming, study findsA new UCLA study finds that 27 percent, or 796,000, of California's youth, ages 12 to 17, report they are viewed by others as gender nonconforming at school. |
 | More than 15,000 frail elderly New Zealanders are lonelyMore than 15,000 frail elderly identified as being lonely according to a world-first study of 72,000 older New Zealanders. That equates to one in five older people. |
 | Italy OKs living wills amid long-running euthanasia debateItaly's Senate gave final approval Thursday to a law allowing Italians to write living wills and refuse artificial nutrition and hydration, the latest step in the Roman Catholic nation's long-running and agonizing debate over euthanasia and end-of-life issues. |
Novel fMRI applications in childhood epilepsy increase understanding of seizure impactsFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has allowed researchers to map the memory functions that are often impaired within the brains of children with epilepsy. Additionally, a separate study of a novel application of resting-state fMRI, where the patient does not have to complete tasks, demonstrated the potential for clinicians to use non-invasive fMRI for language assessment for children who are too young or impaired to follow task directions in traditional fMRI studies. Both studies were presented at the American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., last week. | |
Student drug use in Ontario, Canada, at historic lows but new concerns over fentanyl emergeBy almost every measure, students in grades 7 through 12 in Ontario, Canada are drinking, smoking, and using drugs at the lowest rates since the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) began in 1977. This according to new numbers released today by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). | |
 | Canada's aging population signals need for more inclusive, accessible transportation systemAs the number of Canadians aged 65 and older continues to grow faster than any other age group, so too does the need for a more inclusive and accessible transportation system, underscores a group of experts in a new report released today by the Council of Canadian Academies. Older Canadians on the Move addresses key obstacles faced by today's older travellers and explores innovative and technological solutions for adapting Canada's transportation system to meet future needs. |
Italy adopts 'living wills' despite church oppositionCatholic Italy adopted a law Thursday which will allow patients to refuse life-prolonging treatment despite opposition from the Church, which warned it was a dangerous step towards assisted suicide. | |
How Canada can help protect Canadians from obesity and chronic diseaseUniversity of Toronto nutritional scientists are leading a study with national experts calling on the Canadian government to outlaw junk food marketing to children, impose stricter limits on unhealthy nutrients added to foods, and impose a "sugary drink tax." | |
More than 200 people sickened onboard Ovation of Seas cruiseMore than 200 people became sick and five were hospitalized in Australia after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness aboard a cruise ship earlier this month. | |
Survival rates are improving for individuals with kidney failureIndividuals with kidney failure have a much higher risk of dying prematurely than people in the general population, but a new analysis indicates that this excess risk is falling. The findings, which come from a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), are encouraging and suggest that efforts to improve care have resulted in improved survival. | |
 | Active surveillance of low-risk PMC of the thyroid proposed as first-line managementA 10-year study of more than 1,200 patients with low-risk papillary microcarcinoma (PMC) of the thyroid led researchers to conclude that close and continuous monitoring is an acceptable first-line approach to patient management instead of immediate surgery to remove the tumor. The article entitled "Insights into the Management of Papillary Microcarcinoma of the Thyroid" is part of a special section on Japanese Research led by Guest Editor Yoshiharu Murata, Nagoya University, Japan, in the January 2018 issue of Thyroid. |
Couples win lawsuit over donated eggs with genetic defectTwo couples that gave birth to children with a genetic defect later traced to donated eggs have won a lawsuit against a New York fertility doctor and his clinic. | |
Biology news
 | Study of sea creatures suggests nervous system evolved independently multiple times(Phys.org)—A team of researchers from Norway, Sweden and Denmark has found evidence that suggests the nervous system evolved independently in multiple creatures over time—not just once, as has been previously thought. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their study of tiny sea creatures they collected from fjords in Norway and Sweden, from various sea floor locations, and from a site off the coast of Washington state, and what they found. Caroline Albertin and Clifton Ragsdale, with the University of Chicago, offer a News & Views piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue. |
 | Researchers identify a pair of receptors essential to male-female plant communicationsTwo groups of plant molecular biologists, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Peking University, China, have long studied how pollen tubes and pistils, the male and female parts of flowers, communicate to achieve fertilization in plants. Today they report in a Science early release paper that they have identified a pair of receptors essential to these communications as well as molecules that modulate the receptors' activity. |
 | Bacterial control mechanism for adjusting to changing conditionsA fundamental prerequisite for life on earth is the ability of living organisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Physicists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) have now determined that the regulation mechanisms used by bacteria to adapt to different environments are based on a global control process that can be described in a single equation. |
 | Cells sense and explore their environmentsThe process through which cells are able to sense their environment is regulated by force detection. This is the main conclusion of a study published in the journal Nature, led by the team of Pere Roca-Cusachs, lecturer from the Department of Biomedicine and main researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC). |
 | A new way to deliver mRNA genomes: Nucleocapsids with evolutionary properties(Phys.org)—A team of researchers at the University of Washington has created microscopic assemblies for packaging genetic material that they call synthetic nucleocapsids. The team hopes the assemblies can one day be used to treat patients with cellular-level problems by delivering appropriate therapies to the cells that could benefit from them. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes their assemblies and what they have done with them thus far. |
 | To sleep or not: Researchers explore complex genetic network behind sleep durationScientists have identified differences in a group of genes they say might help explain why some people need a lot more sleep—and others less—than most. The study, conducted using fruit fly populations bred to model natural variations in human sleep patterns, provides new clues to how genes for sleep duration are linked to a wide variety of biological processes. |
 | Sumatran rhinos never recovered from losses during the Pleistocene, genome evidence showsThe Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is one of the most threatened mammals on earth. By 2011, only about 200 of the rhinos were thought to remain living in the wild. Now, an international team of researchers has sequenced and analyzed the first Sumatran rhino genome from a sample belonging to a male made famous at the Cincinnati Zoo. This study reported in Current Biology on December 14 shows that the trouble for Sumatran rhinoceros populations began a long time ago, around the middle of the Pleistocene, about one million years ago. |
 | To trade or not to trade? Breaking the ivory deadlockThe debate over whether legal trading of ivory should be allowed to fund elephant conservation, or banned altogether to stop poaching has raged for decades without an end in sight. |
 | Researchers discover how cells remember infections decades laterA perplexing question in immunology has been, how do immune cells remember an infection or a vaccination so that they can spring into action decades later? Research led by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, in collaboration with investigators at Emory University, has found an answer: A small pool of the same immune cells that responded to the original invasion remain alive for years, developing unique features that keep them primed and waiting for the same microbe to re-invade the body. |
 | Scientists develop new approach to identify important undiscovered functions of proteinsIn the bustling setting of the cell, proteins encounter each other by the thousands. Despite the hubbub, each one manages to selectively interact with just the right partners, thanks to specific contact regions on its surface that are still far more mysterious than might be expected, given decades of research into protein structure and function. |
 | Loose skin and 'slack volume' protect Hagfish from shark bitesChapman University has published new research showing how hagfishes survive an initial attack from predators before they release large volumes of slime to defend themselves. Because the slime is released after they are attacked, this defense strategy is only effective if they survive the initial bite. Results show that hagfish skin is not puncture resistant; it is both unattached and flaccid, which helps avoid internal damage from penetrating teeth. |
 | BigH1—the key histone for male fertilityResearchers in the Chromatin Structure and Function Lab at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) have identified the histone BigH1 as a key protein in stem cell differentiation to male sex cells. Histones are basic proteins that confer order and structure to DNA, and play an important role in gene regulation. |
Listening in: Acoustic monitoring devices detect illegal hunting and loggingPopulations of large cats such as jaguars and pumas are in global decline due to habitat loss and indiscriminate hunting of them and their prey by humans. Newly developed acoustic loggers are able to record sounds of shotguns and chainsaws, shedding light on the frequency and patterns of illegal exploitation. | |
 | New sorghum cultivars can produce thousands of gallons of ethanolSweet sorghum is not just for breakfast anymore. Although sorghum is a source for table syrup, scientists see a future in which we convert sorghum to biofuel, rather than relying on fossil fuel. That potential just grew as University of Florida researchers found three UF/IFAS-developed sorghum varieties could produce up to 1,000 gallons of ethanol per acre. |
 | Science explains the colour of your ChristmasWhen we think of Christmas, what colour comes to mind? For most people, that colour is probably red. Even Santa himself is red. It's a colour reminiscent of family, good food, Santa and his gifts and festive holidays. The Christmas table is laid out with fresh crab, the vibrant red of holly berries and the delicate pinks and intense reds of Poinsettia on the table… |
 | Australian lizards take toll on turtle eggsGoannas have overtaken foxes as the number one predator of the endangered loggerhead turtle at its second largest Queensland nesting beach. |
 | Bee-mimicking clearwing moth buzzes back to life after 130 yearsAn entomologist from the University of Gdansk in Poland has rediscovered a striking blue-and-white species of clearwing moth known only from a single faded and damaged museum specimen collected in 1887. The Oriental blue clearwing (Heterosphecia tawonoides) looks more like a bee, behaves more like a bee, and may even buzz like a bee, according to a paper published recently about the species in the journal Tropical Conservation Science. |
 | Designer proteins that package genetic material could help deliver gene therapyIf you've ever bought a new iPhone, you've experienced good packaging. |
 | Fungus relies on bacteria to regulate key components of its reproductive machineryTo better understand how beneficial organisms (symbionts) are transmitted between host generations, researchers investigated the role of bacterial that lives within its host (endosymbionts) has on fungal host reproduction, and the reproductive genes they regulate. The bacterial endosymbiont, Burkholderia, is recognized as a mutualist, where both species of organism benefit from association, but was predicted to have evolved from a parasitic interaction with their soil fungus host, Rhizopus microsporus . Researchers found that endobacteria establishing control over reproduction was a likely key to this evolutionary transition. Using this model, researchers also generated the first transcriptomic dataset of sexual reproduction in early fungi and discovered genes that are critical for this process. |
 | The amazing diversity – and possible decline – of mushrooms and other fungi"Whatever dressing one gives to mushrooms…they are not really good but to be sent back to the dungheap where they are born." |
Tracking planned experiments online could spot ways to improve animal testingAn online database of study summaries could be systematically evaluated to uncover new information about animal testing, including potential targets for efforts to minimize harm to lab animals. A demonstration of this approach is publishing 14 December in the open access journal PLOS Biology. | |
 | Lab-grown meat could let humanity ignore a serious moral failingLab-grown meat is being hailed as the solution to the factory farming of animals. The downside of factory farming for the cows, chickens and pigs themselves is obvious enough. But it is also bad for human health, given the amount of antibiotics pumped into the animals, as well as for the environment, given the resources required to provide us with industrial quantities of meat. |
 | Genetic mutation explains the origin of some human organsA neutral genetic mutation—a fluke in the evolutionary process that had no apparent biological purpose—that appeared over 700 million years ago in biological evolution could help explain the origin of complex organs and structures in human beings and other vertebrates, according to an article published in Nature Communications by a team led by CRG group leader Manuel Irimia, university professor Jordi García-Fernàndez, of the Faculty of Biology and the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), and Maria Ina Arnone (Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, Italy). |
 | Supercoiling pushes molecular handcuffs along chromatin fibresGene regulation relies on complex structural arrangements and processes at the molecular level. One of them, called 'chromatin loop extrusion', strikingly resembles the quick-lacing system of some trail running shoes: as the buckle is pushed downward, a larger loop is extruded on the top. This is where the transcription takes place. |
 | Tracing a plant's steps: Following seed dispersal using chloroplast DNAPlants spread their seeds across the landscape to colonize new areas, but it's difficult and expensive for biologists to trace their movements. Now, researchers at Portland State University have developed a new technique to sequence chloroplast DNA from hundreds of plants at once, to learn more about how plant populations move. |
Research highlights need for new approach to crippling horse diseaseA new review 'Paradigm shifts in understanding equine laminitis' published in The Veterinary Journal, demonstrates how University of Liverpool led research has changed the way we think about a crippling disease of horses. | |
New bird species named for Harvard 'father of biodiversity'Here's something to tweet about: A new species of bird has been named for a retired Harvard biologist known as "the father of biodiversity." | |
 | Researchers identify way to weaken malaria parasites against popular drug treatmentIndiana University School of Medicine researchers have identified a way to block the ability of parasites that cause malaria to shield themselves against drug treatments in infected mice—a finding that could lead to the development of new approaches to combat this deadly disease in humans. |
 | New antbird species discovered in PeruIt was July 10, 2016 when Dan Lane, Fernando Angulo, Jesse Fagan, and I rolled into the coffee-growing town of Flor de Café in north-central Peru. This town lies in the Cordillera Azul—a picturesque series of outlying Andean ridges hardly explored by ornithologists. In fact, the first ornithological inventory in the region was only in 1996, when a team of researchers from the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science (LSUMNS), bushwhacked into the extremely remote eastern Cordillera Azul. It was on this expedition that Dan, then a beginning graduate student at LSU, discovered the distinctive Scarlet-banded Barbet (Capito wallacei) on "Peak 1538". Now, twenty years later, we were back to see this iconic species, which graces the cover of the Birds of Peru field guide. |
 | Hope for one of the world's rarest primates: First census of Zanzibar Red Colobus monkeyA team of WCS scientists recently completed the first-ever range-wide population census of the Zanzibar red colobus monkey (Piliocolobus kirkii) an endangered primate found only on the Zanzibar archipelago off the coast of East Africa. |
 | Climate change causes alterations in marine phanerogamous populationsMarine angiospermas are a unique group of flowering plants that have adapted to live completely submerged in the sea for 40 million years. They form dense, productive grasslands and provide a wide range of ecosystem functions and services such as nutrient regeneration, improved water quality, coastal protection, breeding habitats (including economically relevant species) and CO2 burial. But as beneficial as they are to our environment, marine phanerogams are also among the world's most threatened ecosystems as a result of human pressure, with an annual global decline rate of 7% and nearly 14% of all species at risk of extinction. |
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