One boy's battle back from mysterious polio-like illness

(HealthDay)—Last October, 15-year-old Alec Woodruff developed a strange-sounding cough. Less than a week later, he was fighting for his life in the hospital, partially paralyzed and with a tube in his throat attached to a ventilator because just breathing was a task he could no longer do on his own.

Access to high-cost targeted treatments varies for lung cancer

(HealthDay)—Not all patients have access to new, high-cost lung cancer drugs, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

One in three parents report skipping doctor, dentist appointment

(HealthDay)—One in three parents have skipped a doctor or dentist appointment in the past year because they could not afford to pay for visits or find transportation, according to the results of a survey released Nov. 18 by Nemours Children's Health System.

Twitter brings back election labels for 2020 US candidates

Twitter is bringing back special labels to help users identify accounts and tweets from U.S. political candidates.

Exposure to PM 2.5 linked to decline in episodic memory

(HealthDay)—Long-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter

Breast cancer cells swallow a 'free lunch' of dietary fat particles from the bloodstream

High-fat diets and obesity have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer and worsen outcomes and prognosis of breast cancer patients. A team of researchers from Dartmouth and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center led by William Kinlaw III, MD, sought to understand how fat from the diet might influence breast cancer cells. In their new study, they found that in addition to making new fat to fuel proliferation, breast cancer cells can take up large quantities of fat derived from the lipid-rich particles that circulate in the bloodstream. The particles bind to the breast cancer cell surface and are then taken into the cell by a novel mechanism not previously described in cancer cells. This uptake provides a large supply of fat that drives proliferation of the cancer cells. Their findings, "Endocytosis of very low-density lipoproteins: an unexpected mechanism for lipid acquisition by breast cancer cells" is newly in press at the Journal of Lipid Research.

Deadly 'superbugs' destroyed by molecular drills

Molecular drills have gained the ability to target and destroy deadly bacteria that have evolved resistance to nearly all antibiotics. In some cases, the drills make the antibiotics effective once again.

Boeing's crew capsule declared ready for 1st space flight

Boeing's Starliner crew capsule finally has a launch date for its first test flight to the International Space Station.

US FAA warns Boeing its 737 MAX timeline 'not realistic'

The top US aviation regulator will meet Thursday with Boeing chief Dennis Muilenburg to express concerns the company is rushing to get its 737 MAX jets back in the air, officials said.

Facebook says ready for new California privacy law

Facebook on Thursday said it was ready for a data privacy law that will go into effect in its home state of California at the start of next year.

Eastern EU states opposed to 2050 zero-emissions goal

Eastern EU members Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary have opposed the bloc's target of zero net carbon emissions by 2050.

Vaping illness death count surpasses 50 in US

The death toll in the vaping illness outbreak has topped 50, U.S. health officials said Thursday.

Can you change your personality? Scientists say 'maybe'

It has long been believed that people can't change their personalities, which are largely stable and inherited. But a review of recent research in personality science points to the possibility that personality traits can change through persistent intervention and major life events.

Tiny quantum sensors watch materials transform under pressure

Since their invention more than 60 years ago, diamond anvil cells have made it possible for scientists to recreate extreme phenomena—such as the crushing pressures deep inside the Earth's mantle—or to enable chemical reactions that can only be triggered by intense pressure, all within the confines of a laboratory apparatus that you can safely hold in the palm of your hand.

Researchers perfect nanoscience tool for studies of nuclear waste storage

Safe nuclear waste storage, new ways of generating and storing hydrogen, and technologies for capturing and reusing greenhouse gases are all potential spinoffs of a new study by University of Guelph researchers.

Here's what police know about digital evidence

In today's criminal justice system, a Play Station and iPhone are just as important pieces of evidence as eyewitness accounts. Yet, there isn't a strong understanding as to how police officers identify digital evidence—everything from a laptop to a smart television—in the field.

Caribou migration linked to climate cycles and insect pests

Caribou, the North American cousin of reindeer, migrate farther than any terrestrial animal. They can cover thousands of miles as they move between winter feeding grounds and summer calving grounds. But many caribou herds are in decline as the warming climate changes much of the landscape they depend on. Inedible shrubs are rapidly encroaching on the tundra, and more frequent forest fires and disease are destroying the trees that provide caribou with lichen for food. The role of climate on their migration patterns has never been well understood, but knowing what drives caribou movements is crucial to predicting the future for the iconic species that plays a key roll the ecological and economic stability of the Arctic region.

Tiny insects become 'visible' to bats when they swarm

Small insects that would normally be undetectable to bats using echolocation suddenly become detectable when they occur in large swarms. Arjan Boonman of Tel-Aviv University and colleagues present these findings in PLOS Computational Biology.

New drugs more likely to be approved if backed up by genetics

A new drug candidate is more likely to be approved for use if it targets a gene known to be linked to the disease; a finding that can help pharmaceutical companies to focus their drug development efforts. Emily King and colleagues from AbbVie report these findings in a new study published 12th December in PLOS Genetics.

Achieving optimal collaboration when goals conflict

New research suggests that, when two people must work together on a physical task despite conflicting goals, the amount of information available about each other's actions influences how quickly and optimally they learn to collaborate. Vinil Chackochan and Vittorio Sanguineti of the University of Genoa, Italy, present these findings in PLOS Computational Biology.

Running away from exercise: The curious case of migraine

A recent study published in the journal Cephalalgia, the official journal of the International Headache Society, highlights an overlooked relationship between migraine and exercise. The study, entitled "Anxiety sensitivity and intentional avoidance of physical activity in women with probable migraine", was led by Samantha G Farris, from Rutgers, Department of Psychology, the State University of New Jersey, NJ, USA.

Beyond 'shovelomics': Growing cassava in the air helps study the plant's mysterious roots

The normal way to study cassava roots is digging up the plant. Unfortunately, that tends to kill the plant, causing serious complications for researchers who are interested in learning more about how cassava grows. To solve this, scientists at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture grew cassava in the air—using a technique called aeroponics—and in doing so removed an obstacle for researchers interested in getting the most out of one of the world's hardiest staple crops.

Interstellar comet 2I/Borisov swings past sun

When astronomers see something in the universe that at first glance seems like one-of-a-kind, it's bound to stir up a lot of excitement and attention. Enter comet 2I/Borisov. This mysterious visitor from the depths of space is the first identified comet to arrive here from another star. We don't know from where or when the comet started heading toward our Sun, but it won't hang around for long. The Sun's gravity is slightly deflecting its trajectory, but can't capture it because of the shape of its orbit and high velocity of about 100,000 miles per hour.