Risk for bone fractures up for patients with psoriatic diseases

(HealthDay)—For adults with psoriatic diseases, the likelihood of developing bone fractures is increased, although they have no increased risk for osteoporosis, according to a review published online Nov. 19 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

US predicts 'vaccines before Christmas' as virus super-surge looms

Hopes for a first wave of vaccinations before the end of 2020 received a boost with US firm Moderna saying it was filing Monday for emergency authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine in the United States and Europe.

Ventilators may leave COVID survivors with windpipe injuries

(HealthDay)—COVID-19 patients who end up on a ventilator may be at risk of rare but serious injuries to the throat, a new study suggests.

Stable connections between nerve cells are the basis of memory

Memories are part of our lives, the good and the bad. Through our senses, experiences reach our brain where networks of nerve cells encode them into a memory. It was previously unclear why only certain nerve cells join together for this purpose. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have now discovered that stable connections of neurons are a support for memories to be generated. Flexible connections on the other hand were found to be responsible for learning.

New tests identify very early changes in Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, together with their colleagues at the Barcelona Beta Research Centre in Spain, the University Medical Centre in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and the University of Paris, have found new forms of tau protein that become abnormal in the very early stages of Alzheimer's disease before cognitive problems develop. The scientists developed new tools to detect these subtle changes and confirmed their results in human samples.

Life on an airless Earth

In hidden pockets around the world, tiny creatures consume toxins and wait for their day to again rule the Earth.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-life-airless-earth.html

Italy fines Apple 10 mn euros for water damage claims

Italy's competition authority said Monday it had fined Apple 10 million euros ($12 million) for misleading claims about the water resistant properties of various iPhone models.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-italy-fines-apple-mn-euros.html

Women found to be at higher risk for heart failure and heart attack death than men

Women face a 20% increased risk of developing heart failure or dying within five years after their first severe heart attack compared with men, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

Heart disease risk in women increases leading up to menopause; early intervention is key

The menopause transition, the years leading up to menopause, is a time of increasing heart disease risk for women. Monitoring women's health and lifestyle, while integrating early intervention strategies for good cardiovascular health, are important, especially during midlife and during menopause to help prevent heart disease, according to a new Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association, "Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing for Early Prevention," published today in its flagship journal, Circulation.

Forearm fractures may signal intimate partner violence

Up to one-third of adult women who sustain a non-displaced fracture to the ulna bone of the forearm may be victims of intimate partner violence, according to a study being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The findings underscore the need to screen for intimate partner violence in women with these types of injuries, researchers said.

Deep learning predicts woman's risk for breast cancer

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed a deep learning model that identifies imaging biomarkers on screening mammograms to predict a patient's risk for developing breast cancer with greater accuracy than traditional risk assessment tools. Results of the study are being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Italy fines Apple 10 mn euros for water damage claims

Italy's competition authority said Monday it had fined Apple 10 million euros ($12 million) for misleading claims about the water resistant properties of various iPhone models.

WHO warns malaria fight flat-lining

Progress in eliminating malaria has stalled in recent years, the World Health Organization said Monday, with more than 400,000 people once again estimated to have died from the disease last year.

First foreign students arrive in Australia since virus closure

International students have arrived in Australia for the first time since the country shut its borders to curb coronavirus in March, with a charter flight touching down in Darwin on Monday.

Researcher uses fruit for less toxic drug delivery

University of Louisville researchers have found a less toxic way to deliver medicines by using the natural lipids in plants, particularly grapefruit and ginger.

Measuring broken hearts: Divorce has negative effects on physical and mental health

Going through a divorce is extremely challenging and previous research has highlighted the adverse effects that it can have on divorcees. A recent study in open-access journal Frontiers in Psychology is the first to examine health impacts immediately after a divorce. The study found that the mental and physical health of recent divorcees was worse than that of the background population and that higher levels of conflict predicted worse mental health, regardless of other factors. Understanding these effects could assist researchers in designing interventions that help divorcees to get back on their feet and avoid long-term repercussions.

COVID-19 studies should also focus on mucosal immunity, researchers argue

Anyone who has undergone a nasal swab or saliva test for COVID-19 knows that the virus is most easily detected in the nose and mouth. That's why, University at Buffalo researchers argue in a new paper, more COVID-19 studies should be devoted to how immunity emerges to SARS-CoV-2 in the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth.

First foreign students arrive in Australia since virus closure

International students have arrived in Australia for the first time since the country shut its borders to curb coronavirus in March, with a charter flight touching down in Darwin on Monday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-foreign-students-australia-virus-closure.html

Australia bush fire rips through heritage-listed island

Australian firefighters are struggling to control a massive bush fire that already destroyed 40 percent of the UNESCO world heritage-listed Fraser Island before a heatwave hit Monday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-australia-bush-rips-heritage-listed-island.html

Thousands flee as Indonesian volcano bursts to life

Thousands have fled the scene of a rumbling Indonesian volcano that burst to life for the first time in several years, belching a massive column of smoke and ash, the disaster agency said Monday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-thousands-indonesian-volcano-life.html

Merriam-Webster's top word of 2020 not a shocker: pandemic

If you were to choose a word that rose above most in 2020, which word would it be?

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-merriam-webster-word-shocker-pandemic.html

Brightly burning meteor seen across wide areas of Japan

A brightly burning meteor was seen plunging from the sky in wide areas of Japan, capturing attention on television and social media.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-brightly-meteor-wide-areas-japan.html

Fast-moving gas flowing away from young star caused by icy comet vaporisation

A unique stage of planetary system evolution has been imaged by astronomers, showing fast-moving carbon monoxide gas flowing away from a star system over 400 light years away, a discovery that provides an opportunity to study how our own solar system developed.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-fast-moving-gas-young-star-icy.html

Australia bush fire rips through heritage-listed island

Australian firefighters are struggling to control a massive bush fire that already destroyed 40 percent of the UNESCO world heritage-listed Fraser Island before a heatwave hit Monday.

Thousands flee as Indonesian volcano bursts to life

Thousands have fled the scene of a rumbling Indonesian volcano that burst to life for the first time in several years, belching a massive column of smoke and ash, the disaster agency said Monday.

Merriam-Webster's top word of 2020 not a shocker: pandemic

If you were to choose a word that rose above most in 2020, which word would it be?

Brightly burning meteor seen across wide areas of Japan

A brightly burning meteor was seen plunging from the sky in wide areas of Japan, capturing attention on television and social media.

Fast-moving gas flowing away from young star caused by icy comet vaporisation

A unique stage of planetary system evolution has been imaged by astronomers, showing fast-moving carbon monoxide gas flowing away from a star system over 400 light years away, a discovery that provides an opportunity to study how our own solar system developed.