Welcome to “Hawaii Science Digest”–a Hawaii-based blog focusing on science, technology, the environment, medicine, cyber security, and artificial intelligence (AI). Views expressed in this science news summary are those of the reporters and correspondents.
Accessed on 26 December 2018, 0421 UTC.
Source:
“Spotlight Science News” from the Science X Network, 26 December 2018.
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Spotlight Science News
Certain birthmarks warrant quick treatment, pediatricians say
(HealthDay)—For common birthmarks, doctors should abandon the traditional wait-and-see approach, a leading group of pediatricians says.
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Illuminating nanoparticle growth with X-rays
Hydrogen fuel cells are a promising technology for producing clean and renewable energy, but the cost and activity of their cathode materials is a major challenge for commercialization. Many fuel cells require expensive platinum-based …
Researchers identify how skin ages, loses fat and immunity
Dermal fibroblasts are specialized cells deep in the skin that generate connective tissue and help the skin recover from injury. Some fibroblasts have the ability to convert into fat cells that reside under the dermis, giving …
Cell size and cell-cycle states play key decision-making role in HIV
Thanks to the development of antiretroviral drugs, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is considered a manageable chronic disease today. However, if left undiagnosed or untreated, HIV can develop into AIDS (acquired immune …
Breast cancer drugs could help treat resistant lung cancers
A class of drugs used to treat certain breast cancers could help to tackle lung cancers that have become resistant to targeted therapies, suggests a new study in mice from the Francis Crick Institute and the Institute of …
Head to the movies, museums to keep depression at bay
(HealthDay)—Movies, the theater and other cultural events can help you fight the blues as you age.
Post-natal depression in dads linked to depression in their teenage daughters
Fathers as well as mothers can experience post-natal depression—and it is linked to emotional problems for their teenage daughters, new research has found.
The secret behind chicken soup’s medical magic
(HealthDay)—Many people rely on chicken noodle soup to soothe a cold, but few know exactly why the warm broth brings relief.
Tree-ring analysis explains physiology behind drought intolerance
Tree rings tell the story of what’s happening physiologically as fire suppression makes forests more dense and less tolerant of drought, pests and wildfires, new research shows.
Sustainable ‘plastics’ are on the horizon
A new Tel Aviv University study describes a process to make bioplastic polymers that don’t require land or fresh water—resources that are scarce in much of the world. The polymer is derived from microorganisms that feed …
NASA spacecraft hurtles toward historic New Year’s flyby
A NASA spacecraft is hurtling toward a historic New Year’s Day flyby of the most distant planetary object ever studied, a frozen relic of the early solar system called Ultima Thule.
Mount Etna eruption causes airspace closure
The Mount Etna volcano erupted on Monday, spewing ash as several minor earthquakes hit the region, and prompting a partial closure of the Sicilian airspace around the mountain.
Advancement of artificial intelligence opens health data privacy to attack
Advances in artificial intelligence have created new threats to the privacy of health data, a new UC Berkeley study shows.
Best of Last Year—The top Tech Xplore articles of 2018
New global migration estimates show rates steady since 1990, high return migration
On today’s increasingly crowded globe, human migration can strain infrastructure and resources. Accurate data on migration flows could help governments plan for and respond to immigrants. Yet these figures, when available, …
Trees’ enemies help tropical forests maintain their biodiversity
Scientists have long struggled to explain how tropical forests can maintain their staggering diversity of trees without having a handful of species take over—or having many other species die out.
Researchers use ‘blacklist’ computing concept as novel way to streamline genetic analysis
Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and The Rockefeller University have discovered a new use for a long-standing computational concept known as “blacklisting,” which is commonly employed as a form of …
Research describes how neurons could disconnect from each other in Huntington’s disease
A hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s is the progressive death of nerve cells in the brain. The cells don’t die quickly, though. They first start to disconnect from each other because their neurites—long …
Hotter days will boost Chinese residential electric use
A new study from Duke University and Fudan University in China is the first to estimate how much Chinese residential electricity consumption would increase due to climate change. It’s a lot.
IBM Research shows how health insights may come from fingernail wearable
A tiny fingernail sensor has been worked up that monitors diseases and movement disorders. IBM Research tells their prototype story in a December video.
FDA approves drugs for treatment of two rare blood diseases
(HealthDay)—Two drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of rare blood diseases, the agency announced Friday.
Muscle atrophy among critically ill kids occurs within one week of mechanical ventilation
Children with life-threatening respiratory failure who require mechanical ventilation in a pediatric intensive care unit commonly experience rapid muscle atrophy, according to a study published online Dec. 19, 2018, in PLOS …
Paramedics can safely evaluate psychiatric patients’ medical condition in the field
Emergency medical personnel in Alameda County, California, use a screening process for determining whether to “medically clear” patients experiencing psychiatric emergencies before transporting them. They identify patients …
SpaceX launches Air Force’s best GPS yet, ends banner year
SpaceX has launched the U.S. Air Force’s most powerful GPS satellite ever built.
Malta energy storage system is looking forward to first pilot
Malta has received a round of funding and is graduated from “project” to group that can sail. The Cambridge, MA-based company is focused on the storage of electro-thermal energy and the funding put the group in celebration …
#MeToo sparked surge in awareness about sexual harassment: study
(HealthDay)—Hundreds of thousands of women have used the #MeToo hashtag to speak out about sexual harassment and assault during the past year.
Connected cars accelerate down data-collection highway
That holiday trip over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house could turn into nice little gift for automakers as they increasingly collect oodles and oodles of data about the driver.
Howler monkey study examines mechanisms of new species formation
A new University of Michigan study of interbreeding between two species of howler monkeys in Mexico is yielding insights into the forces that drive the evolution of new species.
Seeds of giant galaxies formed in the early universe
Modern galaxies show a wide diversity, including dwarf galaxies, irregular galaxies, spiral galaxies, and massive elliptical galaxies. This final type, massive elliptical galaxies, provides astronomers with a puzzle. Although …
Study projects a dramatic increase in annual high-heat days in the U.S. Northeast by the century’s end
Long-term assessment of likely regional and local climate impacts is critical to enabling municipalities, businesses, and regional economies to prepare for potentially damaging and costly effects of climate change—from …
Dec 21, 2018 in Environment