181 articles from TUESDAY 3.9.2019

Scientists link 'hunger hormone' to memory in Alzheimer's study

Scientists have found evidence suggesting that resistance to the 'hunger hormone' ghrelin in the brain is linked to the cognitive impairments and memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The findings, based on observations of postmortem brain-tissue samples from Alzheimer's patients and on experiments with a mouse model of AD, also suggest a possible treatment strategy for the...

Terrawatch: warnings fail to prevent UK fracking quakes

Why didn’t a traffic-light scheme stop the recent fracking-induced tremors near Blackpool?In theory, the chances of your house being shaken by a fracking-related earthquake are incredibly slim. In the UK, a traffic-light system is designed to minimise the risk of larger quakes occurring, with fracking halted if a tremor of magnitude 0.5ML (local magnitude) or above is recorded. So last week’s...

Obesity pandemic shifting cancer to younger people

A new study looking at incidence of disease data nationwide from 2000 to 2016 found a shift in obesity-associated cancers (OACs) to younger individuals. Typically, these cancers are diagnosed at higher rates among people older than 65. The most notable findings pertain to increases in these OACs among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women and men for whom certain cancers increased by 200-400%.

Slow-crawling Dorian a new kind of threat

After devastating the Bahamas, Dorian is continuing its long crawl toward the southeast US with slightly weakened winds. Hurricane Dorian stormed into the record books on Sunday when its maximum sustained winds of 185 miles (300 kilometers) per hour tied it in second place with 1998's Gilbert and 2005's Wilma as the most powerful Atlantic hurricane since 1950, according to Colorado State...

Receptor protein in brain promotes resilience to stress

Scientists have discovered that a receptor on the surface of brain cells plays a key role in regulating how both animals and people respond to stress. The research suggests that the receptor may represent an important biomarker of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans and may offer a new target for future, more effective treatments for stress and anxiety.

Prescription drug monitoring program mandates

States that require prescribers to register with and use prescription drug monitoring programs in most clinical circumstances saw notably fewer opioid prescriptions and reduced opioid-related hospital use by Medicaid patients compared to states with weak or no drug monitoring program mandates, according to a new study.

NASA Selects Proposals to Advance Understanding of Space Weather

Portal origin URL: NASA Selects Proposals to Advance Understanding of Space WeatherPortal origin nid: 451388Published: Tuesday, September 3, 2019 - 16:00Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: NASA has selected three proposals for concept studies of missions that could help us better understand the dynamic space weather system driven by the Sun that...

How to meet student body diversity goals while still giving parents a say in where their child goes to school

All parents want their children to get the best education possible, so how do school districts allow parents/guardians to have a say in where their child goes to school while still meeting diversity goals for the student body? New research in an upcoming addition of the INFORMS journal Operations Research has a solution, just in time for children to return to school for the 2019-2020 year.

Do those retail apps increase customer engagement and sales in all channels?

Researchers from Texas A&M University published new research in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science, which shows that retailers' branded mobile apps are very effective in increasing customer engagement, increasing sales on multiple levels, not just on the retailer's website, but also in its stores. At the same time, apps increase the rate of returns, although the increase in sales outweighs the...

NASA infrared data reveals rainmaking potential in tropical depression 7

Another Atlantic Ocean basin depression formed while Hurricane Dorian is still wreaking havoc on the Bahamas and affecting the southeastern U.S. Infrared imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite shows that Tropical Depression 7 in the western Gulf of Mexico has developed powerful thunderstorms with heavy rain capabilities. That potential for heavy rainfall includes southern Texas and northeastern...

NASA's IMERG estimates hurricane Dorian's rain

In the early hours of Tuesday, September 3, Hurricane Dorian had been stationary over the island of Grand Bahama for 18 hours, most of the time as a category 5 hurricane. Storm-total rain accumulation over parts of Grand Bahama and Abaco Islands have exceeded 24 inches according to NASA satellite-based estimates.

Research finds a new way to reduce food waste

Pity the poor blemished banana. In a society that equates beauty with quality, the perception that blemished produce is less desirable than its perfect peers contributes to 1.3 billion tons of wasted food a year globally.

Using lasers to study explosions

An explosion is a complex event involving quickly changing temperatures, pressures and chemical concentrations. In a paper in the Journal of Applied Physics a special type of infrared laser, known as a swept-wavelength external cavity quantum cascade laser (swept-ECQCL), is used to study explosions. This versatile instrument has a broad wavelength tuning range that allows the measurement of...

Promising new target to combat Alzheimer's disease

In the case of Alzheimer's disease, researchers show that mitochondrial calcium transport remodeling -- what appears to be an attempt by cells to compensate for flagging energy production and metabolic dysfunction -- while initially beneficial, ultimately becomes maladaptive, fueling declines in mitochondrial function, memory, and learning. The new research, published by Nature Communications, is...

New way to reduce food waste

In a society that equates beauty with quality, the perception that blemished produce is less desirable than its perfect peers contributes to 1.3 billion tons of wasted food a year globally. Researchers are suggesting a potential solution -- they found that 'humanizing' produce can change consumer attitudes toward fresh fruits and vegetables that are showing signs of age.

Explosive fireballs: Never-before-seen insight

An explosion is a complex event involving quickly changing temperatures, pressures and chemical concentrations. A special type of infrared laser, known as a swept-wavelength external cavity quantum cascade laser, can be used to study explosions. This versatile instrument has a broad wavelength tuning range that allows the measurement of multiple chemical substances in an explosive fireball. The...

Upper atmosphere gridlock stalled Dorian

Hurricane Dorian is finally moving. Before Dorian picked up speed Tuesday morning, the upper atmosphere had been too calm. Its eyewall first hit Grand Bahama Island Sunday night, and into Tuesday morning part of the eye still lingered there, meteorologists...

Using mouthwash could reduce the benefits of exercise, study finds

Using anti-bacterial mouthwash could reduce the benefits of exercise, a study has found. Physical exertion is known to lower blood pressure but the effects are significantly reduced when people use mouthwash instead of water. A team of international scientists said the results showed the importance of oral bacteria in cardiovascular health. They are urging health professionals to pay attention to...

US imposes sanctions on Iran space program

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Iran's space program, saying that a recent explosion on a launch pad was a sign of missile work. "The United States will not allow Iran to use its space launch program as cover to advance its ballistic missile programs," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "Iran's August 29 attempt to launch a space launch vehicle underscores the...

Scientists can predict risk of heart attack with 90 per cent accuracy

Scientists have found a way to predict the risk of heart attack with 90 per cent accuracy - almost a decade in advance. The breakthrough by Oxford University uses artificial intelligence to look “beneath the surface” of routine CT scans and spot biomarkers which can give early red flags. Scientists said 350,000 people a year could benefit from the checks, ensuring they were given the right...

U.S. imposes sanctions on Iran space agencies

The United States imposed sanctions on Iran's civilian space agency and two research organizations on Tuesday, saying they were being used to advance Tehran's ballistic missile programme. The U.S. Treasury sanctions targeted the Iran Space Agency, Iran Space Research Center and the Astronautics Research Institute, according to a statement on its website. "The United States will not allow Iran to...

This is no time for hunches – we need evidence and expertise in science | Ian Chubb

Nobody argues that science is perfect, but it has been an essential part of making us what we areThere will always be people who call for additional review or scrutiny of science when the results of a rigorous process don’t yield the outcomes they want. Effectively they want incontrovertible evidence, and anything less is unacceptable to them. Incontrovertible evidence is rare in science, so it...

SpaceX reports a ‘bug’ in its alert system after ESA shifts spacecraft to avoid Starlink satellite collision

The European Space Agency says it performed a collision avoidance maneuver over the Labor Day weekend to head off a potential crash between its Aeolus wind-measuring satellite and one of SpaceX's Starlink broadband data satellites. In a series of tweets, ESA said Monday's event marked the first such maneuver taken to avoid an active satellite in what's expected to become a "mega...

Comparing primate vocalizations

The language of Old World monkeys, some of our primate cousins, may be more sophisticated than previously realized. Even so, it displays constraints that reinforce the singularity of human language, according to a new study.

Performance of electric solid propellant

Electric solid propellants are being explored for use in dual-mode rocket engines because they aren't susceptible to ignite from a spark or flame and can be turned on and off electrically. Researchers have conducted experiments to understand the behavior of a high-performance electric propellant compared with a traditional propellant.

European satellite in near collision with Elon Musk SpaceX craft

ESA say its Aeolus Earth observation satellite fired thrusters to avoid crashThe European Space Agency has said it altered the trajectory of one of its observation satellites to avoid a collision with a craft operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.“@ESA’s Aeolus Earth observation satellite fired its thrusters, moving it off a collision course with a @SpaceX satellite in their Starlink...