Metabolic syndrome predicts not only the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney disease, but also that of many degenerative diseases in later life.

Although both cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies have implicated abdominal obesity as the central feature of this complex condition, the pathogenesis of MetS is very complex in terms of the underlying mechanism, the sequence of development, and the interactions among individual components and with other metabolic disorders.

It is generally accepted that central obesity is a core component of metabolic syndrome (MetS). On the other hand, hyperuricemia, the predecessor of gout, has been found to cluster with multiple components of MetS. But it is unclear whether hyperuricemia is a downstream result of central obesity/MetS or may play an upstream role in MetS development.

Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) has been associated with increased blood pressure, body mass index and triglyceride, and reduced HDL-C. Hyperuricemia also predicts the development of MetS, insulin resistance, hypertension and diabetes.

Nonetheless, so far, hyperuricemia has not been included as a component of the syndrome MetS. A comprehensive map of such a complex syndrome will help to create strategies for prevention and management.

How about buildings healing their own cracks, sucking up dangerous toxins from the air or even glowing on command? Researchers are toying with these ideas to make such building materials with the help of live bacteria!

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-materials-alive-bacteria.html?utm_sou...

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What is soil photosynthesis? And how can it reduce environmental pollution? Find out ...

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-soil-photosynthesis-mitigate-environm...

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Gravitational lensing is helping in learning more about the properties of dark matter.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-temperature-dark.html?utm_source=nwle...

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We know what CRISPR is. But what are anti-CRISPER proteins? How can they make gene editing safer? Find out ...

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00053-0?utm_source=Natur...

Physicists design 'super-human' red blood cells to deliver drugs to specific targets within the body

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-physicists-super-human-red-blood-cell...

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How decisions unfold in a zebrafish brain Scientists Frame-by-frame view of a decision in the making was so detailed that 10 seconds before the fish responded, the researchers could predict what their next move will be and when they would execute it!

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-decisions-unfold-zebrafish-b...

Decision-making process becomes visible in the brain

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-12-decision-making-visible-brai...

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Researchers demonstrate how the brain assesses and predicts physiological states of the body

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-brain-physiological-states-b...

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A recent discovery shows that our dance style is almost always the same, regardless of the type of music, and a computer can identify the dancer with astounding accuracy.  Idea for dance-recognition software?

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200117104740.htm

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Researchers are aiming to stump counterfeiters with an edible "security tag" embedded into medicine to protect drugs from counterfeit

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-01-edible-tag-drugs-counterfeit.ht...

Interesting story on how evolution of acoustic communication occurred ...

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-evolution-acoustic.html?utm_source=nw...

Sci-com :

A good poster usually follows this format:

• A good poster must be structured with an entry point, visual balancer, and lots of empty space.
• A title should have text which is  > 90pt and be placed at the top of the poster

• The best posters have around three hundred and fifty words, and the maximum should be six hundred words

• The poster should have fifty five characters per line, for fast reading

• It should follow the area ratio of twenty percent text, thirty five percent visuals, and forty five percent empty space

• Dare to be creative.

https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=18854

Lead aprons role in shielding from X-rays is being questioned. Why out why ...

Lead shields are difficult to position accurately, so they often miss the target area they are supposed to protect. Even when in the right place, they can inadvertently obscure areas of the body a doctor needs to see—the location of a swallowed object, say—resulting in a need to repeat the imaging process, according to the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, which represents physicists who work in hospitals.

Shields can also cause automatic exposure controls on an X-ray machine to increase radiation to all parts of the body being examined in an effort to "see through" the lead.

Moreover, shielding doesn't protect against the greatest radiation effect: "scatter," which occurs when radiation ricochets inside the body, including under the shield, and eventually deposits its energy in tissues.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-shield-x-rays-science-rethin...

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“Birdbrain” Turns From Insult To Praise  

Some avian species use tools and can recognize themselves in the mirror. How do tiny brains pull off such big feats?

• Corvids, parrots and other bird groups demonstrate complex cognition, including causal reasoning, mental flexibility, planning, social cognition and imagination.
• These cognitive abilities were a surprise to many scientists. They were not expected to be found in birds because of their small brains and the absence of a cerebral cortex.
• Birds compensate for their small brains with a much higher density of neurons. Independently, both birds and mammals have evolved similar neural networks and brain areas that serve cognitive functions.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/birdbrain-turns-from-ins...

Chemists find fungal shrapnel in the air that can contribute to fungus-related allergic reactions and asthma among susceptible people.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-chemists-fungal-shrapnel-air.html?utm...

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Physics shows that imperfections make perfect

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-physics-imperfections.html?utm_source...

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Science to your rescue: Carbon dating reveals fake whisky
Carbon-14 dating has revealed that some expensive ‘antique’ Scotch is decades younger than claimed.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00121-5

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Researchers designed laser diode that emits deep UV light and could be used for disinfection in healthcare, for treating skin conditions such as psoriasis, and for analyzing gases and DNA.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-laser-diode-emits-deep-uv.html?utm_so...

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Researchers found that dozens of non-oncology drugs too can kill cancer cells! Drugs for diabetes, inflammation, alcoholism, arthritis could also kill cancer cells in the lab giving a hope for accelerating the development of new cancer drugs

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-dozens-non-oncology-drugs-ca...

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Even a few hours' exposure to air pollution's tiny particles may trigger nonfatal heart attacks, a study confirms

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-air-pollution-tiny-particles...

Vaginal tobacco- a risky cocktail for women. Women are applying tobacco powder to their genitals to increase sexual pleasure which carries multiple health risks including cancerous lesions experts warn against using it pending research on its effects.

The product is applied either to the skin or the vagina to treat infections or pains, or simply to give pleasure. But it is the aphrodisiac qualities attributed to this “vaginal tobacco” that seem to be the main attraction for consumers in Sédhiou.  the product is made from dried tobacco leaves and the roots of a tree called “tangora” or native plants such as “kankouran mano” or “koundinding”. 
Some manufacturers also add soda and shea butter to the product. But researchers, doctors and other experts in female reproductive systems with experience of treating patients engaged in the practice are clear that the women’s efforts are fruitless. On the therapeutic properties of “vaginal tobacco”, pulmonologist Omar Ba is unequivocal: “There are none.” Ba, who is responsible for Senegal’s tobacco control programme, says this form of tobacco use, well known within his services, has only a “placebo effect” on users.

The product could be giving users the sensation that their genitals are shrinking, due to the reflex retraction of the vaginal muscles when in contact with its chemical components. “However, this feeling is transient and misleading, because the vaginal mucosa that is attacked will eventually develop changes that are the gateway to cancer.

These products often create ulcers which, by scarring, shrink the vagina, make it hard and can go so far as to close it completely. It can even make the normal flow of menstruation impossible.”

Many of the women who have used the product also say they felt burning sensations followed by severe dizziness, vomiting and even loss of consciousness. They also might face complications during deliveries.

https://www.scidev.net/global/health/feature/vaginal-tobacco-a-risk...

Scientists for the first time, manufactured 3-D printed parts that show resistance to common bacteria. This could stop the spread of infections such as MRSA in hospitals and care homes, saving the lives of vulnerable patients.

The research combined 3-D printing with a silver-based antibacterial compound in order to produce the parts.

Results from the research have shown that the anti-bacterial compound can be successfully incorporated into existing 3-D printing materials without any negative influence on processability or part strength, and that under the right conditions, the resultant parts demonstrate anti-bacterial properties without being toxic to human cells. 

The findings offer the potential for applications in a wide range of areas, including medical devices, general parts for hospitals which are subject to high levels of human contact, door handles or children's toys, oral health products (dentures) and consumer products, such as mobile phone cases.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-scientists-d-bacteria.html?utm_source...

How stress causes grey hair puzzle solved: stress activates nerves that are part of the fight-or-flight response, which in turn cause permanent damage to pigment-regenerating stem cells in hair follicles.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-biological-puzzle-stress-gra...

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Researchers have developed a new type of smart contact lenses that can prevent dry eyes. The self-moisturizing system, maintains a layer of fluid between the contact lens and the eye using a novel mechanism.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-self-moisturizing-smart-contact-lense...

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Forensics: Residues in fingerprints hold clues to their age. By determining the age of fingerprints, police could get an idea of who might have been present around the time a crime was committed.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-residues-fingerprints-clues-age.html?...

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The color of your clothing can impact wildlife ... and research on them!

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-impact-wildlife.html?utm_source=nwlet...

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/btp.12744

Identifying how ecotourism affects wildlife can lower its environmental impact. Human presence is an inherent component of ecotourism, which can impact animal behavior because animals often perceive humans as predators and, consequently, spend more time on human‐directed antipredator behaviors and less on other fitness‐relevant activities. We tested whether human clothing color affects water anole (Anolis aquaticus) behavior at a popular ecotourism destination in Costa Rica, testing the hypothesis that animals are more tolerant of humans wearing their sexually selected signaling color. We examined whether clothing resembling the primary signaling color (orange) of water anoles increases number of anole sightings and ease of capture. Research teams mimicked an ecotourism group by searching for anoles wearing one of three shirt treatments: orange, green, or blue. We conducted surveys at three different sites: a primary forest, secondary forest, and abandoned pasture. Wearing orange clothing resulted in more sightings and greater capture rates compared with blue or green. A higher proportion of males were captured when wearing orange whereas sex ratios of captured anoles were more equally proportional in the surveys when observers wore green or blue. We also found that capture success was greater when more people were present during a capture attempt. We demonstrate that colors “displayed” by perceived predators (i.e., humans) alter antipredator behaviors in water anoles. Clothing choice could have unintended impacts on wildlife, and wearing colors resembling the sexually selected signaling color might enhance tolerance toward humans.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/btp.12744

Researchers have developed a highly sensitive and portable optical biosensor that stands to accelerate the diagnosis of fatal conditions like sepsis. It could be used by ambulances and hospitals to improve the triage process and save lives.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-portable-device-doctors-sepsis-faster...

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Researchers uncover the genomics of health

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-uncover-genomics-health.html...

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Researchers find evidence to explain behavior of slow earthquakes. Slow earthquakes are related to dynamic fluid processes at the boundary between tectonic plates.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-evidence-behavior-earthquakes.html?ut...

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Do you know your plane travel destroys polar bear habitat? Scientists are advising we should fly less as a way to reduce our individual and collective effect on the global climate.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-plane-polar-habitat.html?utm_source=n...

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Maturing sperm cells turn on most of their genes, not to follow their genetic instructions like normal, but instead to repair DNA before passing it to the next generation, a new study finds.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-scanning-sperm-human-evolution.html?u...

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Snake stem cells used to create venom-producing organoids

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-snake-stem-cells-venom-producing-orga...

Nature's wonder found by scientists: Neuroplasticity allowed a rat live normally even when affected by a condition called hydrocephalus, with an almost compressed and collapsed brain as it filled with fluid.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-rat-basically-brainbut.html?...

How climate change is affecting our health ...

1. Heat waves

Extreme heat days have increased in number and severity worldwide, which brings health challenges like heat stroke and dehydration. While impacts vary by age, gender, location and socioeconomic factors, the elderly and those living in urban areas will experience the highest heat-related death rates in this century.

2. Wildfires

Rising temperatures mean drier forest conditions, resulting in more wildfires.  Wildfire smoke results in emergency room visits to treat respiratory and cardiovascular distress; environmental fallout like poor air, water quality and supply; and for people fleeing fires or fighting on the front lines, hazards like burns and post-traumatic stress syndrome.

3. Food quality

Extreme temperatures, flooding and rising carbon dioxide levels can affect food quality, safety and distribution and bump up the need for pesticides. Food-borne diseases pose a particular threat, because events like flooding and warming oceans can increase pathogen loads and lead to tainted shellfish.

4. Mental health

Catastrophes caused by climate change create anxiety "vicariously" through news coverage and images of destruction.

"It causes uncertainty—what does it mean for my life and my future? And for the people experiencing it directly, there are serious implications. Having to be evacuated, dealing with property damage and other trauma—all of this impacts mental health." Post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression, aggression, survivor guilt and thoughts of suicide can also result.

Human adaptation to the impacts of climate change is possible but only if greenhouse gas emissions are contained. Scientific data is consistently showing that we only have the ability to prevent these health impacts under a low-emission scenario. But if we continue with the status quo and increase our emissions, the health impacts outstrip our ability to manage them.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-ways-climate-affecting-healthand.html

People plan their movements, anticipate force of gravity by 'seeing it' through visual cues rather than 'feeling it' through changes in weight and balance!

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-people-movements-gravity-vis...

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Scientists capture molecular maps of animal tissue with unprecedented detail using a refined technique called mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) that translates reams of data into detailed visuals of the molecular makeup of biological samples.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-scientists-capture-molecular-animal-t...

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Evidence before your eyes: Four graphs that suggest we can't blame climate change on solar activity. There has not been enough of a long-term difference in solar activity since industrialization to fully explain our current global warming trend.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-graphs-blame-climate-solar.html?utm_s...

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Meet the robot that grips and lifts small fragile things without touching them using the phenomenon of acoustic levitation so that they don't get damaged while handling them!

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-01-robot.html?utm_source=nwletter&...

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Ladies are you using a menstrual tracker app? Your health data might get misused in ways you don't intend or anticipate such as determining interest rates on loans or how much they will be charged for life insurance or if they're eligible for it at all

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-01-menstrual-tracker-app-health.ht...

Scientists have invented a nanoparticle that eats away—from the inside out—portions of plaques that cause heart attacks.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-nanoparticle-chomps-plaques-heart.htm...

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A combination of climate change, extreme weather and pressure from local human activity is causing a collapse in global biodiversity and ecosystems across the tropics, new research shows.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-earth-biodiverse-ecosystems-storm.htm...

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Small magnetic objects, which have been used successfully in technological applications such as data storage, are showing promise in the biomedical field. Magnetic nanostructures have interesting properties that enhance novel applications in medical diagnosis and allow the exploration of new therapeutic techniques.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-tiny-magnetic-medical-science.html?ut...

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'Scrambled' cells fix themselves

When microbes enter our body, they liberate toxins that can damage cells by poking holes in the external cell layer. To defend themselves from the intrusion, cells scramble their membrane fat (lipid) into a more liquid form that allows them to fix the holes

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-scrambled-cells.html?utm_source=nwlet...

While human impacts are the leading cause of genetic diversity loss in many cases, scientists studying the lions found that diversity loss across the population was instead caused by the lions' need to adapt to differing habitats.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-humans-blame-genetic-diversity-loss.h...

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What you need to know before clicking 'I agree' on that terms of service agreement

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-01-clicking-terms-agreement.html?u...

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Using modified sugar molecules the outer shell of a virus can be disrupted, thereby destroying the infectious particles on contact, as oppose to simply restricting its growth. This new approach has also been shown to defend against drug resistance

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-unique-antiviral-treatment-sugar.html

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Physical virology: How physics can be used to understand viruses

https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/how-physics-can-be-used-to-unde...

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wnan.1613

Evolution and Immune systems not prepared for rapid climate change may not be able to keep up with it. There is a risk that many animals will not be able to cope with changes in the number and type of pathogens that they will be exposed to.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-immune-climate.html?utm_source=nwlett...

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Haptic helmet for firefighters to improve the safety and efficiency: A haptic interface is a system that enables people to interact with a computer through their body movements.

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-01-haptic-helmet-firefighters.html...

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Sci-com's best strategy: Vaccine for climate disinformation!

https://theconversation.com/we-have-the-vaccine-for-climate-disinfo...

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Theoretical physicists have found a deep link between one of the most striking features of quantum mechanics—quantum entanglement—and thermalisation, the process in which something comes into thermal equilibrium with its surroundings.

https://phys.org/news/2020-01-supercomputers-link-quantum-entanglem...

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https://phys.org/news/2020-01-mountains-impact-earthquakes.html?utm...

Mountains influence the impact of earthquakes

Stem cell clinics’ much-hyped treatments lack scientific support
Patients are getting injections to relieve knee pain and more, with too little research on safety and effectiveness

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/stem-cell-clinics-hyped-treatme...

WHO recommends that the interim name of the disease causing the current
outbreak should be “2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease” (where ‘n’ is for novel
and ‘CoV’ is for coronavirus). This name complies with the WHO Best Practices for
Naming of New Human Infectious Diseases, which were developed through a
consultative process among partner agencies. Endorsement for the interim name
is being sought from WHO’s partner agencies, World Organization for Animal
Health (OIE) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The final name of the
disease will be provided by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). WHO
is also proposing ‘2019-nCoV’ as an interim name of the virus. The final decision
on the official name of the virus will be made by the International Committee on
Taxonomy of Viruses.

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-repo...

Corona virus in simple words ...

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/7P7Z4yD8FDtgeLhrz-AeIQ?utm_source=Nature...

Answering the big questions: How the tiniest particles in our Universe might have saved us from complete annihilation ...

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-tiniest-particles-universe-annihilati...

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How nature tells us its formulas ...

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-nature-formulas.html?utm_source=nwlet...

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Agricultural area residents are in danger of inhaling toxic aerosols like excess selenium from fertilizers & other natural sources can create air pollution that could lead to lung cancer, asthma, and Type 2 diabetes, according to new research.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-agricultural-area-residents-danger-in...

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There may be a way to make airplanes less prone to lightning strikes, according to new research exploring the role of the aircraft in the electrical events. The trick, surprisingly, might be to give airplanes a bit of an electrical charge when they are in the air, say scientists reporting their experimental work in AGU's Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-small-electrical-airplanes-lightning....

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The art of scientific deception: How corporations use "mercenary science" to evade regulation ...

https://www.salon.com/2020/02/02/the-art-of-scientific-deception-ho...

New handheld bioprinter holds promise for treating serious burns: A team of researchers have successfully trialled a new handheld 3-D skin printer, which treats severe burns by 'printing' new skins cells directly onto a wound.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-handheld-bioprinter.html?utm...

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Using bone's natural electricity to promote regeneration

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-bone-natural-electricity-regeneration...

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Aneuploidy Could Explain Variability in Female Fertility: Study
Eggs from girls and from older women show higher rates of errors in chromosome number.

https://www.the-scientist.com/the-literature/aneuploidy-could-expla...

A pan-cancer analysis of whole genome consortium published in journal Nature, provide an almost complete picture of all 2658 cancers. They could allow treatment to be tailored to each patient's unique tumour, or develop ways of finding cancer earlier

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-1969-6

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Overlapping multiple eco-crises could trigger global 'systemic collapse': scientists warn

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-multiple-eco-crises-trigger-collapse-...

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Personal energy choices can be contagious: New insights into peer influence research shows peers have a significant influence on an individual's energy-related decisions, whether it's choosing to install solar panels or to purchase a hybrid vehicle

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-02-energy-choices-contagious-insig...

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Charging your phone using a public USB port? Beware of 'juice jacking' - a cyber attack in which criminals use publicly accessible USB charging ports or cables to install malicious software on your mobile device and/or steal personal data from it.

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-02-usb-port-beware-juicejacking.ht...

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Experimental fingerprint test can distinguish between those who have taken or handled cocaine

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-experimental-fingerprint-distinguish-...

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Smartphone lab delivers test results in 'spit' second -The patient simply puts a single-use plastic lab chip into his mouth then plugs that into a slot in the box to test the saliva. The device automatically transmits results to the patient's doctor

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-smartphone-lab-results.html?utm_sourc...

Scientists discover how rogue communications between cells lead to leukemia

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-scientists-rogue-cells-leuke...

New research has deciphered how rogue communications in blood stem cells can cause leukaemia.

The discovery could pave the way for new, targeted medical treatments that block this process.

Blood cancers like leukaemia occur when mutations in stem cells cause them to produce too many blood cells.

An international team of scientists, including researchers at the University of York, have discovered how these mutations allow cells to deviate from their normal method of communicating with each other, prompting the development of blood cells to spiral out of control.

The scientists used super-resolution fluorescent microscopy to study the way blood stem cells talk to each other in real time.

They observed how cells receive instructions from 'signalling proteins', which bind to a receptor on the surface of another cell before transmitting a signal telling the cell how to behave.

Blood stem cells communicate via cytokines, which are one of the largest and most diverse families of signalling proteins and are critical for the development of blood cells and the immune system.

Understanding this process led researchers to the discovery that mutations associated with certain types of blood cancers can cause blood stem cells to 'go rogue' and communicate without cytokines.

New Generation of Dark Matter Experiments Gear Up to Search for Elusive Particle

Deep underground, in abandoned gold and nickel mines, vats of liquid xenon and silicon germanium crystals will be tuned to detect invisible matter

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-generation-dark-m...

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New light on how females shut off their second X chromosome ...

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-scientists-explore-females-chromosome...

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Enabled by decades of basic research, the rise of inexpensive computing, and the genomics revolution in reading and writing DNA, Scientists can now design new proteins from scratch with specific functions

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-scientists-proteins-specific-function...

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https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.28.923185v1

Scientists discover virus with genes that have never been described before

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/02/scientists-discover-virus-n...

the discovery of Yaravirus, a new lineage of amoebal virus with a puzzling origin and phylogeny. Yaravirus presents 80 nm-sized particles and a 44,924 bp dsDNA genome encoding for 74 predicted proteins. More than 90% (68) of Yaravirus predicted genes have never been described before, representing ORFans. Only six genes had distant homologs in public databases: an exonuclease/recombinase, a packaging-ATPase, a bifunctional DNA primase/polymerase and three hypothetical proteins. Furthermore, we were not able to retrieve viral genomes closely related to Yaravirus in 8,535 publicly available metagenomes spanning diverse habitats around the globe. The Yaravirus genome also contained six types of tRNAs that did not match commonly used codons. Proteomics revealed that Yaravirus particles contain 26 viral proteins, one of which potentially representing a novel capsid protein with no significant homology with NCLDV major capsid proteins but with a predicted double-jelly roll domain. Yaravirus expands our knowledge of the diversity of DNA viruses. The phylogenetic distance between Yaravirus and all other viruses highlights our still preliminary assessment of the genomic diversity of eukaryotic viruses, reinforcing the need for the isolation of new viruses of protists.

Researchers Find Cell-Free Mitochondria Floating in Human Blood

The functional, respiring organelles appear to be present in the blood of healthy people, but their function is yet unclear.

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/researchers-find-cell-fr...

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Medical advice: Ibuprofen may provide some relief from 'heavy bleeding' during periods, but it’s generally not recommended as a long-term treatment as side effects outweigh the benefits.

https://theconversation.com/ibuprofen-might-make-your-periods-light...

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High rise buildings kill millions of birds. Here’s how to reduce the toll ...

https://theconversation.com/buildings-kill-millions-of-birds-heres-...

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Half of the one million animal and plant species on Earth facing extinction are insects, and their disappearance could be catastrophic for humankind, scientists have said in a "warning to humanity".

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-half-a-million-insect-species-extinct...

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How cancer-exploding viruses (oncolytic virus) are changing the game: Oncolytic viruses are remarkable multi-faceted anti-cancer agents: they can kill cancer cells directly through the process of lysis.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-cancer-exploding-viruses-gam...

Animal birth control - the natural way: How some mammals pause their pregnancies Diapause, or delayed implantation, is a biological strategy for waiting out conditions unfavorable to sustaining newborns.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-mammals-pregnancies.html?utm_source=n...

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Huge bacteria-eating viruses close gap between life and non-life

Scientists have discovered hundreds of unusually large, bacteria-killing viruses with capabilities normally associated with living organisms, blurring the line between living microbes and viral machines.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-huge-bacteria-eating-viruses-gap-life...

These phages—short for bacteriophages, so-called because they "eat" bacteria—are of a size and complexity considered typical of life, carry numerous genes normally found in bacteria and use these genes against their bacterial hosts.

Altogether they identified 351 different huge phages, all with genomes four or more times larger than the average genomes of viruses that prey on single-celled bacteria.

Among these is the largest bacteriophage discovered to date: Its genome, 735,000 base-pairs long, is nearly 15 times larger than the average phage. This largest known phage genome is much larger than the genomes of many bacteria.

These huge phages bridge the gap between non-living bacteriophages, on the one hand, and bacteria and Archaea. There definitely seem to be successful strategies of existence that are hybrids between what we think of as traditional viruses and traditional living organisms."

Ironically, within the DNA that these huge phages lug around are parts of the CRISPR system that bacteria use to fight viruses. It's likely that once these phages inject their DNA into bacteria, the viral CRISPR system augments the CRISPR system of the host bacteria, probably mostly to target other viruses.

"It is fascinating how these phages have repurposed this system we thought of as bacterial or archaeal to use for their own benefit against their competition, to fuel warfare between these viruses," said UC Berkeley graduate student Basem Al-Shayeb. Al-Shayeb and research associate Rohan Sachdeva are co-first authors of the Nature paper.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2007-4

New technologies, strategies expanding search for extraterrestrial life. Such "technosignatures" can range from the chemical composition of a planet's atmosphere, to laser emissions, to structures orbiting other stars, among others.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-technologies-strategies-extraterrestr...

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Earth's cousins: Upcoming missions to look for 'biosignatures' in exoplanet atmospheres such as quirks in chemical composition that are telltale signs of life.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-earth-cousins-upcoming-missions-biosi...

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Facial expressions don't tell the whole story of emotion. 'Can we truly detect emotion from facial articulations?'" "And the basic conclusion is, no, you can't."

it takes more than expressions to correctly detect emotion.

Facial color, for example, can help provide clues.

"What we showed is that when you experience emotion, your brain releases peptides—mostly hormones—that change the blood flow and blood composition, and because the face is inundated with these peptides, it changes color,

The human body offers other hints, too, he said: body posture, for example. And context plays a crucial role as well.

Culture plays a role in expressions. 

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-02-facial-dont-story-emotion.html?...

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De novo genes-genes that have evolved from scratch- are far more common and important :genetic novelty can also be generated by totally new genes evolving from scratch.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-de-novo-genes-common-important.html?u...

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Reproductive genome from the lab: Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried generated a system, which is able to regenerate parts of its own DNA and protein building blocks.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-reproductive-genome-laboratory.html?u...

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Bioengineers developing organisms without biological parents: Bioengineers are on the brink of developing artificial organisms that will open up new applications in medicine and industry. Find out their risks and benefits.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-bioengineers-biological-parents.html?...

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Scientists are much more open but less agreeable than people in other professions. They’re more likely to be intellectually curious, idealistic, & passionate than non-scientists. But as a group, they also tend to be more rigid, cynical, and tactless

https://www.natureindex.com/news-blog/scientists-are-curious-and-id...

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‘Radiation-eating’ fungi could protect astronauts in space ...

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/radiation-ea...

https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2020/02/04/fungi_that_eat_rad...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2677413/

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The First Molecule In The Universe
Scientists have identified mystery molecules in space and the compound thought to have started chemistry in the cosmos

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-first-molecule-in-th...

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Newly Named Chibanian Age Demarcates Earth’s Last Magnetic Flip
The time period, which spans 770,000 to 126,000 years ago, started with a reversal of the planet’s magnetic field

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/newly-named-chibanian-ag...

Communicating science can benefit from scientists 'being human'

MU researchers determine a scientist's 'perceived authenticity' can inform trust and credibility with audience

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/uom-csc021920.php

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The key to effective science communication isn’t the science. It’s communication.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00452-3

Lesson 1: Don’t argue with beliefs. People tend to incorporate facts that align with their belief systems.

Lesson 2: Listen.

Lesson 3: Learn what people really think.

When feelings speak louder than facts, appealing to feelings can actually work in favour of science.

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Viewpoint: Glyphosate causes kidney disease? Debunking anti-GMO activist Vandana Shiva’s herbicide junk science.
We are not taking sides. You can analyse this and come to your own conclusion ...

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2020/02/19/viewpoint-glyphosate-...

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New Discoveries in Human Anatomy

Using advanced microscopy and imaging techniques, scientists have revealed new parts of the human body and overturned previous misconceptions.

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/new-discoveries-in-human...

Lack of oxygen during the period anticipating child birth, a condition that may affect children of pregnant women subjected to a high blood pressure disorder called pre-eclampsia, has been found to be a cause of schizophrenia.

No, demons are not responsible for the condition!

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-lack-oxygen-pregnancy-schizo...

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Scientists (theoretically) predict state of matter that can conduct both electricity and energy perfectly - with 100% efficiency—never losing any to heat or friction.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-scientists-state-electricity-energy-p...

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How earthquakes deform gravity

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-earthquakes-deform-gravity.html?utm_s...

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https://theconversation.com/what-are-viruses-anyway-and-why-do-they...

What are viruses anyway, and why do they make us so sick?

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China Science Communication tells you about nine occasions when you should wash your hands.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-02-20/Coronavirus-prevention-is-in-...

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There’s scant evidence the ‘binaural beats’ illusion relaxes your brain

https://theconversation.com/sounds-like-hype-theres-scant-evidence-...

Opening the window in your home will not flush out the chemicals in the air! The chemicals clinging to the walls and on surfaces in the home immediately replace them by detaching from these surfaces & floating into the air as soon as the conc. drops!

All homes have chemicals in the air that are inhaled by the home's occupants. The chemicals come from materials such as couches and pillows, and also from products such as hair sprays, room deodorizers and scented candles. Other contributors include cleaning products and fumes from heating or cooking oils.

the researchers wondered if simply opening the windows and doors to a home would reduce the amount of chemicals in the air.

The experiments consisted of testing the air in a model home

Afterward, all the doors and windows were opened for a period of time and then closed again. The air was then tested again for the same chemicals. As expected, the researchers found that concentrations of most of the chemicals dropped dramatically when the doors and windows were opened—but they were surprised to see that the chemicals returned to their original concentrations within just a few minutes.

The researchers suggest that the reason opening the doors and windows did not reduce chemical levels for more than a few minutes was because the chemicals were clinging to the walls and on surfaces in the home. As concentration levels in the air dropped, the chemicals were immediately replaced by chemicals detaching from these surfaces and floating into the air.

The researchers also mopped the floor in the house several times using vinegar, and sprayed ammonia on most of the surfaces in the house to change surface pH. They found that it only made things worse. Readings showed that chemical concentrations in the air were higher for a short period of time.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-window-home-flush-chemicals-air.html?...

More information: Chen Wang et al. Surface reservoirs dominate dynamic gas-surface partitioning of many indoor air constituents, Science Advances (2020). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay8973

Study finds microbes can alter an environment dramatically before dying out

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-microbes-environment-dying.html?utm_s...

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How COVID-19 Is Spread: Scientists’ latest understanding of the facts, the suspicions, and the discounted rumors of SARS-CoV-2’s transmission from person to person

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/how-covid-19-is-spread-6...

ALPHA collaboration reports first measurements of certain quantum effects in antimatter

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-alpha-collaboration-quantum-effects-a...

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Researchers combine lasers and terahertz waves in camera that sees 'unseen' detail interior of solid objects

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-combine-lasers-terahertz-camera-unsee...

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Fundamental symmetry tested using antihydrogen

Microbes in our ancestors’ stomachs helped them adapt to new areas

https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/microbes-in-our-ancestors-stomach...

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Different shades of hypnobirthing: the techniques don’t work for everyone.

https://theconversation.com/what-is-hypnobirthing-the-technique-the...

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How gut bacteria make broccoli a superfood

Study on artificial and biological neural networks found that the use of contrived experimental manipulations with the hope of uncovering simple rules or representations is unlikely to yield models that can be effectively applied to the real world.

Models based on artificial neural networks do not learn rules or representations of the world around them that are easy for humans to interpret. On the contrary, they typically use local computations to analyze different aspects of data in a high-dimensional parameter space.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-perspective-artificial-biolo...

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When coronavirus is not alone: Team of complexity scientists present 'meme' model for multiple diseases

The interplay of diseases is the norm rather than the exception - the presence of even one more contagion in the population can dramatically shift the dynamics from simple to complex.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-coronavirus-team-complexity-scientist...

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New plant based eco-glue: just a single drop of the eco-glue has enough strength to hold up to 90 kg weight, but can still be easily removed by the touch of a finger. And it 's cheap!

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-combination-plant-based-particles-eco...

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Antibiotics May Compromise Manure's Carbon-Fixing Effects

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/antibiotics-may-compromi...

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Solar Weather Linked to Gray Whale Strandings

When the sun’s atmosphere is stormy, more whales end up on the beach, according to a new study. Biologists speculate it may have to do with navigation or health.

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/solar-weather-linked-to-...

Line of defense: Scientists report surprising evolutionary shift in snakes

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-line-defense-scientists-evolutionary-...

In the animal kingdom, survival essentially boils down to eat or be eaten. How organisms accomplish the former and avoid the latter reveals a clever array of defense mechanisms. Maybe you can outrun your prey. Perhaps you sport an undetectable disguise. Or maybe you develop a death-defying resistance to your prey's heart-stopping defensive chemicals that you can store in your own body to protect you from predators.

Species of the Rhabdophis genus. Commonly called "keelbacks" and found primarily in southeast Asia, the snakes sport glands in their skin, sometimes just around the neck, where they store bufadienolides, a class of lethal steroids they get from toads, their toxic prey of choice.

"These snakes bend their necks in a defensive posture that surprises unlucky predators with a mouthful of toxins"."Scientists once thought these snakes produced their own toxins, but learned, instead, they obtain it from their food—namely, toads."

In a surprising twist, the researchers discovered not all members of the genus derive their defensive toxin from the same source. A species group of the snakes, found in western China and Japan, shifted its primary diet from frogs (including toads) to earthworms.

The earthworms don't produce the toxins; instead, the snakes also snack on firefly larvae, which produce the same class of toxins as the toads. Their findings appear in the Feb. 24, 2020, early online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This is the first documented case of a vertebrate predator switching from a vertebrate prey to an invertebrate prey for the selective advantage of getting the same chemical class of defensive toxin.

A  new type of battery combines negative capacitance and negative resistance within the same cell, allowing the cell to self-charge without losing energy!

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-simple-self-charging-battery-power-so...

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Synthesizing a superatom (a name given to a cluster of atoms that seem to exhibit properties similar to elemental atoms) : Opening doors to their use as substitutes for elemental atoms

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-superatom-doors-substitutes-elemental...

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Scientists document striking changes in Pacific Arctic ecosystems because of warmer ocean water.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-scientists-document-pacific-arctic-ec...

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Gene loss more important in animal kingdom evolution than previously thought

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-gene-loss-important-animal-kingdom.ht...

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The genetic secret of night vision

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-genetic-secret-night-vision.html?utm_...

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The do's and don'ts of monitoring many wildlife species at once

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-donts-wildlife-species.html?utm_sourc...

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How resident microbes restructure body chemistry

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-resident-microbes-body-chemi...

Henneguya salminicola: Microscopic parasite has no mitochondrial DNA

An international team of researchers has found a multicellular animal with no mitochondrial DNA, making it the only known animal to exist without the need to breathe oxygen. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their study of Henneguya salminicola, a microscopic, parasitic member of the group Myxozoa and its unique physiology.

One of the common characteristics of all multicellular animals on Earth is mitochondrial respiration—the process by which oxygen is used to generate adenosine triphosphate—the fuel used to power cellular processes. The process takes place in mitochondria, which has both its own genome and the main genome found in the rest of the body's cells. But now, there is a known exception: Henneguya salminicola.

H. salminicola is a microscopic parasite that infects salmon. When the host dies, spores are released that are consumed by worms, which can also serve as hosts for the parasite. When salmon eat the worms, they become infected as the parasite moves into their muscles. They can be seen by fishermen as white, oozing bubbles, which is why salmon with H. salminicola infections are sometimes said to have tapioca disease.

In their work, the researchers sequenced the DNA of H. salminicola tissue and found no mitochondrial DNA at all. Believing they had made an error, the team repeated their work and once again found no sign of mitochondrial DNA. Confused, they sequenced the DNA of close relatives of H. salminicola and found evidence of the expected mitochondrial genomes. H. salminicola did have structures that resembled mitochondria but they were not capable of producing the enzymes needed for respiration, a finding that suggested the creature was capable of surviving without oxygen—a first. The presence of structures that resemble mitochondrial DNA suggests that the tiny parasites have undergone a process of de-evolution. In addition to losing the apparatus to create ATP, they also have lost tissue, nerve cells and muscles.

The researchers did not find any other mechanism for producing the fuel cells in H. salminicola would need to survive, but suggest they likely steal energy from their host using some type of proteins.

More information: Dayana Yahalomi et al. A cnidarian parasite of salmon (Myxozoa: Henneguya) lacks a mitochondrial genome, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1909907117

Press release

Arms race between bacteria and viruses: New light

A new study reveals how bacterial immune systems can be harmful for their hosts, and why they are not found in all bacteria. 

The existing CRISPR anti-viral immunity was often a disadvantage to the bacterium when infected by certain viruses.

CRISPR has become well known for its repurposing as a tool for precise genetic engineering. However, CRISPR systems (segments of DNA) naturally occur in many bacteria and have the important function of providing bacteria with immunity against viruses or foreign DNA.

This triggered a major question as to whether autominnunity is important in other bacterial pathogens. 

 Triggering the powerful CRISPR defence systems is risky for a bacterium. "Importantly, this may help answer a long-standing question of why these defence systems are absent in 60 per cent of bacteria."

For example, Staphylococcus aureus pathogens that often take up extra genes to become multidrug resistant, seldom have CRISPR defence. An example of this is MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) an infection often occurring in people who have been in hospitals or other healthcare settings like residential care homes, which has become resistant to many of the antibiotics used to treat ordinary staph infections. It seldom has CRISPR defence.

More information: Clare Rollie et al, Targeting of temperate phages drives loss of type I CRISPR–Cas systems, Nature (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-1936-2

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/on-the-road-to-3-d-print...

Hundreds of bird species in India are in decline, according to the country’s first major report on the state of bird populations. Birds of prey and waterbirds seem to have been hit particularly hard owing to habitat destruction, hunting and the pet trade.

But it’s not all bad news. Species such as the house sparrow seem to be doing better than previously thought.

The State of India’s Birds report, released on 17 February, relied on more than 10 million observations from birdwatchers recorded in the online repository of worldwide bird sightings, eBird.

The report’s authors — researchers from 10 government and non-profit research and conservation groups — used eBird data to analyse long-term trends for 261 bird species. That is, the proportional change in the frequency of reported sightings of since 1993. They found that more than half of those species have declined since 2000. The group also looked at the current annual trends in 146 species; nearly 80% have declined in the past 5 years.

The researchers classified 101 species as of high conservation concern, and another 319 species as of moderate conservation concern, on the basis of declines in their abundance and range, and their status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00498-3?utm_source=Natur...

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Can a rogue star kick Earth out of the solar system?

https://www.space.com/rogue-star-kick-earth-out-solar-system.html

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New study allows brain and artificial neurons to link up over the web. Research on novel nanoelectronics devices has enabled brain neurons and artificial neurons to communicate with each other over the Internet.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200226110843.htm

Scientists 'film' a quantum measurement. Measuring a quantum system causes it to change—one of the strange but fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics. Researchers now have now been able to demonstrate how this change happens.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-scientists-quantum.html?utm_source=nw...

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Scientists discovered entirely new class of RNA caps in bacteria and described the function of 'alarmones' and their mechanism of function.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-discovery-class-rna-caps-bacteria.htm...

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Chemists learn how to detect phenols in smoked food samples using vitamin B4

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-chemists-phenols-food-samples-vitamin...

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Mosaic evolution - where subsets of traits evolve independently of others - painted lorikeets a rainbow of colour ...

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-mosaic-evolution-lorikeets-rainbow.ht...

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Researchers turn bacterial cell into biological computer: Currently, the computer identifies and reports on toxic and other materials. Next up: the ability to warn about hemorrhaging in the human body.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-bacterial-cell-biological.html?utm_so...

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Cannibalism on rise among polar bears, say Russian scientists: Cases of polar bears killing and eating each other are on the rise in the Arctic as melting ice and human activity erode their habitat.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-cannibalism-polar-russian-scientists....

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Sugary drinks a sour choice for adults trying to maintain normal cholesterol levels

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-sugary-sour-choice-adults-ch...

Computer scientists' new tool fools hackers into sharing keys for better cybersecurity

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-02-scientists-tool-hackers-keys-cy...

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Scientists show how caloric restriction prevents negative effects of aging in cells

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-scientists-caloric-restriction-negati...

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Quantum researchers able to split one photon into three

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-quantum-photon.html?utm_source=nwlett...

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https://phys.org/news/2020-02-snowflakes-soot-particles-unique-affe...

Like snowflakes, soot particles are unique, affecting climate modelling ... now that we know this we can make models that agree with actual conditions ...

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When developed countries decide to stop offshoring their plastic problem, less developed ones can breathe easy ...

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-offshoring-plastic-problem.html?utm_s...

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Tying up molecules as easily as laces: scientists are trying to knot molecules together to create new, custom-made mechanical properties that could give rise to new materials.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-tying-molecules-easily-laces.html?utm...

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https://phys.org/news/2020-02-sniprs-aim-disease-related-mutations....

SNIPRs take aim at disease-related mutations

The body's immune response to fungal infections changes when a patient is also infected by a virus, according to new research which investigated the two types of infection together for the first time. fresh light on the immune system's ability to deal with co-infection.

Typically, white blood cells will attack pathogens through a process called phagocytosis—where a pathogen is engulfed by the white blood cell. In fungal infections, however, this process sometimes 'reverses' - ejecting the fungus back out of the white blood cell via a process called vomocytosis.

In a new study, published in PLOS Pathogens, the researchers were able to show that this process of expulsion is rapidly accelerated when the white blood cell detects a virus.

The team used advanced microscopy techniques to study live white blood cells exposed to two different types of virus, HIV, and measles, alongside the fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. This opportunistic pathogen is particularly deadly among HIV+ patients, where it causes around 200,000 deaths per year worldwide.

The researchers found that, instead of becoming simply less able to deal with the fungus, the white blood cells began expelling the fungal cells much more rapidly.

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-unravels-immune-fungal-viral...

Learning difficulties due to poor connectivity, not specific brain regions

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-difficulties-due-poor-specif...

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How does the brain put decisions in context? Study finds unexpected brain region at work

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-brain-decisions-context-unex...

Why is there any matter in the universe at all? New study sheds light

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-universe.html?utm_source=nwletter&...

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Researcher discovers huge flaw with anthropometry, the measurement of facial features from images

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-02-huge-flaw-anthropometry-facial-...

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Fighting fake news: LSU professor relaunches fake news and disinformation resource website: https://faculty.lsu.edu/fakenews/

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-02-lsu-professor-relaunches-fake-n...

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How stable conditions are maintained during cell division ...

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-stable-conditions-cell-division.html?...

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Male-killing bacteria hold key to butterflies' curious colour changes

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-male-killing-bugs-key-butterflies-cur...

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GPS for chromosomes: Reorganization of the genome during development

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-gps-chromosomes-genome.html?utm_sourc...

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The enemy within: How a killer hijacked one of nature's oldest relationships

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-enemy-killer-hijacked-nature-oldest.h...

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Why objects in images may appear closer—or farther—than they actually are

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-images-closeror-fartherthan....

Deep-sea coral gardens discovered in canyons off Australia's South West

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-deep-sea-coral-gardens-canyons-austra...

Fasting at night or in the morning? Listen to your biological clock, says new research

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-fasting-night-morning-biolog...

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Eating fruit during pregnancy boosts babies' brain development, new study confirms

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-02-fruit-pregnancy-boosts-babie...

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Wormholes Reveal a Way to Manipulate Black Hole Information in the Lab

Paleontologists discover why the oceans are so diverse

A new study in the journal Science has given insight into why the world's oceans are full of more species than ever before -- a question that has long been a focus of paleontological research.