Science news

• U.S. affirms commitment to Arctic climate change research

  08-05-2017 23:22 via cbc.ca
  
  The United States will participate in advancing climate change research in the Arctic, a State Department official said on Monday, ahead of a summit of Arctic nations later this week where Washington's commitment to tackling climate change will likely be questioned.
  
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• Trump administration hollows out EPA science integrity board

  08-05-2017 21:39 via cbc.ca
  
  The Trump administration will not reappoint half the expert members of a board that advises the Environmental Protection Agency on the integrity of its science, the latest in a series of moves that could benefit industries whose pollution the government regulates.
  
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• Oxygen on comet 67P might not be ancient after all

  08-05-2017 18:28
  
  Molecular oxygen detected around comet 67P may not be a relic of the solar system’s birth. Instead, it may be generated by interactions of water, the solar wind and the comet’s surface.
  
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• Vatican hosts world's leading cosmologists to bring together faith and science

  08-05-2017 18:19 via cbc.ca
  
  ​The Vatican is celebrating the big bang theory. That's not as out of this world as it sounds.
  
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• Uber launching Toronto branch of self-driving car research group

  08-05-2017 16:07 via cbc.ca
  
  Uber will open a new research hub in Toronto dedicated to perfecting the self-driving car, joining their two other American research centres in Pittsburgh and San Francisco.
  
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• Franklin researchers hope to link DNA from sailors' bones with descendants

  08-05-2017 16:04 via cbc.ca
  
  Researchers who have completed the first genetic analysis on the bones from the crew of the doomed Franklin expedition in Canada's Arctic say they're hoping to meet living descendants to match them with the remains of their ancestors.
  
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• ​Unmanned U.S. space plane returns after secret, 2-year mission

  08-05-2017 15:19 via cbc.ca
  
  The U.S. military's experimental X-37B space plane landed on Sunday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, completing a classified mission that lasted nearly two years, the Air Force said.
  
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• Twisted textile cords may contain clues to Inca messages

  08-05-2017 15:00
  
  A writing system from the 1700s may illuminate even older knotty Inca messages.
  
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• Staying on course

  08-05-2017 15:00 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Land Speed Record holder Andy Green describes how the Bloodhound supersonic car will drive in a straight line.
  
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• In Florida, they’re fighting mosquitoes by meddling with their sex lives

  08-05-2017 13:00
  
  As an alternative to genetically modified mosquitoes, Florida skeeter police are testing one of two strategies that use bacteria to meddle with insect sex lives.
  
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• A New Idea on How Earth Became a Giant Snowball

  08-05-2017 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  
  A cool climate, sulfur and volcanism may have thrust the planet into an extreme glacial state
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Nanotech 'slingshot' shoots drugs right where they're needed

  08-05-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  A group of Canadian and Italian scientists has developed a nano-scale “slingshot” that can shoot drugs directly to the part of the body that needs them, thereby speeding up recovery and reducing side-effects.
  
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• Electric car driver finds altered BMW ad lowers range after purchase

  08-05-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  A BMW driver is accusing the company of overselling the performance capabilities of one of its electric vehicles, then changing its online advertising after the car failed to measure up.
  
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• Virtual reality for psychiatric treatment? Research shows promise for VR and other technologies in mental health care

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Wolters Kluwer Health) A growing body of evidence suggests that virtual reality (VR) technology can be an effective part of treatment for phobias, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other mental health conditions, according to a research review in the May/June issue of the Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.
  
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• Village savings groups boosted financial inclusion and women's empowerment, study finds

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Innovations for Poverty Action) Savings groups popular in rural areas of developing countries -- in which people pool money for saving and borrowing -- empower women, increase business investment, and provide greater access to financial services, according to a new three-country study released in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
  
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• UTHealth researchers identify genes in children linked to stress, bipolar disorder

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) Genetic alterations that can be modulated by stress have been identified in children at high risk for bipolar disorder, according to a recently published study by researchers at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). Results appeared in Translational Psychiatry, a Nature Publishing Group journal.
  
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• US strategy to defeat Islamic State in Iraq and Syria needs overhaul

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (RAND Corporation) Longstanding weaknesses in America's Middle East strategy, spanning at least four decades, mean new options are needed to defeat the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria, stabilize the Middle East and reestablish a sense of domestic security in the US and Europe, according to a new RAND report.
  
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• US international military training programs tied to fewer civilian casualties

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Kansas) US grant programs that provided training to international military and civilian personnel since 1995 are tied to fewer conflict-related civilian casualties in foreign countries that were recipients of the US security aid. However, arms-sales programs are ineffective at improving human rights in those countries that purchase US weapons and services.
  
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• Trump's actions on sexual orientation/gender identity data collection send ominous message

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) The Trump/Pence Administration's recent removal of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) questions from a national aging survey and omission of a sexual orientation category and a transgender identity field from a national disability survey threaten to set back years of advances in collecting and using SOGI data to understand and intervene in the health disparities experienced by LGBT people.
  
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• The effects of obesity on cognitive decline in middle-aged and older African Americans

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (American Geriatrics Society) Despite the fact that more African Americans are affected by obesity and dementia thanother individuals, few studies have examined the link between obesity and dementia among African Americans. Recently, a team of researchers examined this link, and published their findings in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
  
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• The BGRF is helping develop AI to accelerate drug discovery for aging and age-associated diseases

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Biogerontology Research Foundation) The Chief Science Officer of the Biogerontology Research Foundation (BGRF) will present new research on artificial intelligence for drug discovery at the NVIDIA Graphics Technology Conference (GTC) at the San Jose Convention Center, on Wednesday, May 10, 1-1:50 p.m. alongside two AI scientists from the BGRF and Insilico Medicine, where they will deliver a presentation titled 'Applications of Generative Adversarial Networks to Drug Discovery in Oncology and In
  
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• Study: Black and white kids faring equally in subsidized housing

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Johns Hopkins University) Once-formidable disparities between black and white families living in subsidized housing have largely vanished, and black and white children who grew up in such housing fared similarly in school, jobs and earnings.
  
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• Studies reveal socioeconomic and racial disparities in lupus

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Wiley) Two new studies have uncovered socioeconomic disparities related to the health of patients with lupus.
  
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• Space weather model simulates solar storms from nowhere

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) A kind of solar storm has puzzled scientists for its lack of typical warning signs: They seem to come from nowhere, and scientists call them stealth CMEs. Now, scientists have developed a model simulating their evolution.
  
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• Secondhand smoke ups heart disease in unique group of female nonsmokers -- Amish women

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Maryland Medical Center) New research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine finds that secondhand smoke tends to have somewhat different effects on men and women. The research, conducted in a Pennsylvania Amish community where virtually no women smoke, found that women who were exposed to secondhand smoke had a greater risk for cardiovascular disease, while men exposed to secondhand smoke tended to have a higher body mass index.
  
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• Research evaluates effectiveness of yoga in treating major depression

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Care New England ) New research indicates that the benefits of hatha yoga in treating depression are less pronounced in early treatment, but may accumulate over time.
  
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• Research center helps consumers 'fight bac' through national poultry food safety campaign

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Kansas State University) The Partnership for Food Safety Education is using research from Kansas State University's Center for Sensory Analysis and Consumer Behavior for its nationwide campaign promoting food safety and safe poultry handling.
  
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• Public skeptical of research if tied to a company

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Michigan State University) When it comes to research warning us about the latest health risks or touting the latest cure, a new Michigan State University study indicates that many people won't trust the findings when an industry partner, even with a good reputation, is involved.
  
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• PTSD, certain prescriptions for PTSD may raise risk for dementia

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (American Geriatrics Society) Until now, researchers didn't know whether the kinds of medications used for people with PTSD could increase risks for dementia. (These medications include including antidepressants, antipsychotics, sedatives, or tranquilizers.) A new study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, examined this connection.
  
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• Policy statement urges 'alternatives to discipline' for nurses with substance use disorders

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Wolters Kluwer Health) A new position statement on substance use by nurses and nursing students emphasizes 'alternative-to-discipline' (ATD) approaches -- including specialized treatment and a pathway for return to practice, according to a position paper in the April/June issue of Journal of Addictions Nursing (JAN), the official journal of the International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.
  
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• Police training program in age-related health helps better serve older adults

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (American Geriatrics Society) A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reports that most police officers receive little to no training in aging-related health concerns, and that promising approaches to such training can improve how officers can help older adults in their communities when they're called to offer assistance.
  
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• New opioid guideline for chronic non-cancer pain focuses on preventing harm

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Canadian Medical Association Journal) A new guideline for prescribing opioids for people with chronic non-cancer pain is aimed at helping health care professionals in Canada limit use of these addictive and potentially lethal drugs. The guideline, published in CMAJ contains 10 recommendations, of which seven are focused on preventing harm from opioid use.
  
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• New Canadian clinical guideline for physicians tapers down use of opioids

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (McMaster University) There are important risks associated with opioids. The guideline aspires to promote evidence-based prescribing of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain.
  
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• NASA spots powerful Tropical Cyclone between Vanuatu and New Caledonia

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Tropical Cyclone Donna continues to move through the South Pacific Ocean as a major hurricane. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the storm and captured an image of a clear eye as the storm was located between the island nations of Vanuatu and New Caledonia. The GPM satellite found that the powerful hurricane was generating very high amounts of rainfall.
  
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• Narrative journaling may help heart health post-divorce

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Arizona) Journaling after divorce could improve cardiovascular health -- but only if it is done in an expressive way that tells a story, new University of Arizona research suggests.
  
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• 'Narrative expressive writing' might protect against harmful health effects of divorce-related stress

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Wolters Kluwer Health) For people going through a divorce, a technique called narrative expressive writing -- not just writing about their emotions, but creating a meaningful narrative of their experience -- may reduce the harmful cardiovascular effects of stress related to marital separation, reports a study in Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.
  
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• Large, innovative autism project sparks hope for better treatments

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Medical University of South Carolina) SC SPARK or Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge, has launched a nationwide genetic study with the ambitious goal of enrolling 50,000 families to allow scientists to better understand the genetic changes that contribute to autism. MUSC is the South Carolina clinical partner for SPARK and will be serving the entire state.
  
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• Juvie talk

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (University of California - Santa Barbara) Art professor Richard Ross brings front and center the stories of teens and adolescents in juvenile detainment.
  
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• Installing solar to combat national security risks in the power grid

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Michigan Technological University) Power grid vulnerabilities are one of the most prevalent national security threats. The technical community calls for building up grid resiliency using distributed energy and microgrids for stabilization as multiple sources increases the difficulty of triggering cascading blackouts, and following an attack or natural disaster, microgrids can provide localized energy security. An interdisciplinary team from Michigan Tech calculated what it takes to make militar
  
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• 'Humanlike' ways of thinking evolved 1.8 million years ago, suggests new study

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Indiana University) By using highly advanced brain imaging technology to observe modern humans crafting ancient tools, an Indiana University neuroarchaeologist has found evidence that human-like ways of thinking may have emerged as early as 1.8 million years ago. The study is reported today in the journal Nature Human Behavior.
  
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• Garden-enhanced intervention improved BMI and nutrition knowledge of California students

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Elsevier Health Sciences) The factors that affect rates of childhood obesity are complex. Because schools can act as a focal point for engaging students, families, educators, administrators, and community members, researchers implemented and evaluated a multicomponent, school-based nutrition intervention in an attempt to improve children's dietary behaviors and prevent childhood obesity. Their results are published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
  
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• Fetal reduction in multifetal pregnancies associated with better birth outcomes

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (Canadian Medical Association Journal) Among twin and triplet pregnancies that were reduced to singleton or twin pregnancies, there was a substantial reduction in complications such as preterm birth and very preterm birth, according to new research published in CMAJ.
  
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• Ethical business practice can flourish in nations with serious corruption problems

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Exeter) Ethical business practice can flourish even in countries with widespread corporate corruption problems, research shows.
  
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• Caltech chemical engineer explains oxygen mystery on comets

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (California Institute of Technology) A Caltech chemical engineer who normally develops new ways to fabricate microprocessors in computers has figured out how to explain a nagging mystery in space -- why comets expel oxygen gas, the same gas we humans breathe.
  
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• Bullying's lasting impact

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Delaware) A new study led by the University of Delaware found that kids who are bullied in fifth grade are more likely to suffer from depression in seventh grade; and have a greater likelihood of using alcohol, marijuana or tobacco in tenth grade.
  
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• Brain injury causes impulse control problems in rats

  08-05-2017 06:00
  
  (University of British Columbia) New research from the University of British Columbia confirms for the first time that even mild brain injury can result in impulse control problems in rats.
  
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