Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Oct 11

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 11, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Daisy-chain-like molecular structures mimic artificial muscles

New infrared source detected in supernova remnant RCW 103

Reserarchers find order in a process previously assumed to be random

Researchers discover feedback mechanism in photosynthesis that protects plants from damage by light

24 new isolated exoplanet star systems found that could qualify as 'hot Earths'

Silkworms fed carbon nanotubes or graphene produce stronger silk

Energy hijacking pathway found within photosynthesis

New, gigantic, ancient armored fish discovered

Proxima Centauri might be more sunlike than we thought

Childhood family environment linked with relationship quality 60 years later

Samsung halts sales of Galaxy Note 7 after new troubles

Astronomers confirm remarkable size of the largest known depleted galaxy core

Empowering preschool children with the language of math adds up to stronger skills

Researchers find genes behind aggressive ovarian and endometrial cancers

New research takes guesswork out of depression

Astronomy & Space news

	New infrared source detected in supernova remnant RCW 103 (Phys.org)—Canadian astronomers report the discovery of a previously unseen infrared source in supernova remnant RCW 103, located some 10,000 light years away. According to a paper published Oct. 7 on arXiv.org, this newly detected source could be associated with a bright X-ray source known as 2E 1613.5-5053 and classified as a central compact object (CCO), that was discovered over 30 years ago.
	24 new isolated exoplanet star systems found that could qualify as 'hot Earths' (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with members from NASA Ames Research Center, the SETI Institute and the University of Nevada has identified 24 "hot Earth" star systems where the planets are isolated from other planets. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers describe how they began with a large set of possible star system candidates and whittled them down to two dozen by focusing on those that were not in close proximity to other planets.
	Proxima Centauri might be more sunlike than we thought In August astronomers announced that the nearby star Proxima Centauri hosts an Earth-sized planet (called Proxima b) in its habitable zone. At first glance, Proxima Centauri seems nothing like our Sun. It's a small, cool, red dwarf star only one-tenth as massive and one-thousandth as luminous as the Sun. However, new research shows that it is sunlike in one surprising way: it has a regular cycle of starspots.
	Astronomers confirm remarkable size of the largest known depleted galaxy core Investigating the millions of missing stars from the centres – or cores – of two big galaxies, astronomers at Swinburne University of Technology say they may have solved this cosmic whodunit, and the main culprits are not the usual suspects.
	Chaos in cosmos: Stars with three planet-forming discs of gas A star with a ring of planets orbiting around it - that is the picture we know from our own solar system and from many of the thousands of exoplanets observed in recent years. But now researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute have discovered a system consisting of two stars with three rotating planet-forming accretion discs around them. It is a binary star where each star has its own planet-forming disc and in addition, there is one large shared disc. All three planet-forming discs are misaligned in relation to one another. The spectacular results are published in the scientific journal, Astrophysical Journal Letters.
	US relies on industry help to make 'giant leap' to Mars US President Barack Obama said Tuesday the nation is relying on private industry to find ways to make the "giant leap" to Mars, with human missions on the horizon by the 2030s.
	Researchers discover effect of rare solar wind on Earth's radiation belts Researchers from the University of New Hampshire have captured unique measurements of the Van Allen radiation belts, which circle the Earth, during an extremely rare solar wind event. The findings, which have never been reported before, may be helpful in protecting orbiting telecommunication and navigational satellites, and possibly future astronauts, by helping to more accurately predict space conditions near Earth, as well as around more remote planets.
	Space center reopens after hurricane, damage in millions NASA's Kennedy Space Center reopened for business Tuesday, relying on industrial air conditioners rushed in from around the country in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.

Technology news

	Samsung halts sales of Galaxy Note 7 after new troubles Samsung said Tuesday it is halting sales of the star-crossed Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after a spate of fires involving new devices that were supposed to be safe replacements for recalled models.
	New approach for storing energy could make solar farms less costly A visit to a commercial solar energy farm anywhere in the world reveals the need for matching the variable electric supply generated by the farm's solar panels to the electricity needs of different clients.
	Driverless cars hit British streets in landmark trial Driverless vehicles carrying passengers took to Britain's streets for the first time on Tuesday in a landmark trial which could pave the way for their introduction across the country.
	New smart textile is the muscle behind next generation devices Researchers have for the first time, developed a smart textile from carbon nanotube and spandex fibres that can both sense and move in response to a stimulus like a muscle or joint.
	Achieving ultra-low friction without oil additives Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new process for treating metal surfaces that has the potential to improve efficiency in piston engines and a range of other equipment.
	Food future is now with Australia farm producing tomatoes on sea water and mirrors (Tech Xplore)—And what may we ask is a state of the art tomato farm? Answering questions with questions may help. Can you grow tomatoes with just sea water and sunshine? An even more interesting question, can you deliver tons of tomatoes per year in the South Australian desert?
	Apple, Samsung take battle to US Supreme Court The epic legal battle pitting Apple against its bitter rival Samsung over the design of the iPhone reaches a new level Tuesday when it heads to the US Supreme Court.
	Now hear this: Emergency agencies turn off radio encryption Some police and fire departments are bucking a trend to conceal dispatch communications from the public, acknowledging that radio encryption has the potential to backfire and put first responders in danger.
	YouTube video shows Note 7 'flamer' in Burger King A YouTube video showing an oven-gloved Burger King employee struggling with a burning Galaxy Note 7 has become a viral illustration of the crisis facing Samsung over its troubled smartphone.
	When batteries explode: five questions Samsung has told customers worldwide to stop using their Galaxy Note 7 smartphones after a spate of battery explosions threatens to derail the powerhouse global brand.
	Highly efficient organic solar cells with improved operation stability A new study, affiliated with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), South Korea, has presented an effective and simple strategy to simutaneously improve and stablize the performance of Organic Solar Cells.
	Worried your emails might be spied on? Here's what you can do We live in a post-Edward Snowden world, in which US tech companies have been accused of complicity in mass surveillance by the US National Security Agency (NSA). One recent allegation is the claim that Yahoo scanned hundreds of millions of emails at the NSA's request.
	Autonomous robot that can navigate, explore and digitally map hard-to-access areas Digital technology is frequently used to record and map our cultural heritage, enabling research, preservation efforts and increased public access for sites of archaeological interest for example. Most contemporary techniques involve people entering such areas to capture them using a static 3D laser scanner. While this works for many sites, it does not work for all.
New 3-D design for mobile microbatteries In the race towards miniaturization, a French-US team—mostly involving researchers from the CNRS, Université de Lille, Université de Nantes and Argonne National Laboratory (US) as part of the Research Network on Electrochemical Energy Storage (RS2E)1-has succeeded in improving the energy density of a rechargeable battery without increasing its size (limited to a few square millimeters in mobile sensors). This feat was achieved by developing a 3-D structure made of microtubes, the first step towards producing a complete microbattery. The first experiments have demonstrated the excellent conductivity of the battery's solid electrolyte, whose highly encouraging performance is published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials on October 11, 2016.
	Typing while driving could be more safe with simple text entry technique A combination of a head-up display and the keypad familiar to us from mobiles in the 2000s significantly improved the performance of drivers who were texting while driving.
	There's a way to turn almost any object into a computer – and it could cause shockwaves in AI The latest chip in the iPhone 7 has 3.3 billion transistors packed into a piece of silicon around the size of a small coin. But the trend for smaller, increasingly powerful computers could be coming to an end. Silicon-based chips are rapidly reaching a point at which the laws of physics prevent them being any smaller. There are also some important limitations to what silicon-based devices can do that mean there is a strong argument for looking at other ways to power computers.
	Fragment tracking—insights into what happens in explosions A bang and a swirl of dust from detonating 9 pounds of plastic explosive in the desert signaled the beginning of tests that—thanks to advances in high-speed cameras, imaging techniques and computer modeling—will help Sandia National Laboratories researchers study fragmenting explosives in ways that weren't possible before.
	The future's for sale: Germany auctions maglev train Germany is auctioning off a maglev train that officials once hoped would speed up transport at home and become a major export success.
	Samsung stops making Galaxy Note 7s as fresh problems emerge Samsung Electronics said Tuesday that it is stopping production of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones permanently, a day after stopping global sales of the ill-fated devices amid reports that batteries were catching fire.
	Samsung Note 7 nightmare puts firm's brand on trial Samsung's new smartphone was launched with the expectation of scaling new heights in a highly competitive, rarified market. Instead it has left the company staring into the abyss.
	Dutch freeze court action against Pokemon Go makers Dutch authorities said Tuesday they have suspended plans to sue the US makers of Pokemon Go after the company deleted its virtual pets from a protected beach in The Hague.
	Comcast fined $2.3M to end probe into mischarging customers Government regulators are fining Comcast $2.3 million, saying the cable giant has charged customers for stuff they never ordered, like premium channels or extra cable boxes.
Apple, Samsung clash in top US court patent battle (Update) The epic patent clash between Apple and Samsung went before the US Supreme Court on Tuesday, as the smartphone giants debated the value of design in a case with major implications for the technology sector.
	Justices raise doubts about $399M judgment against Samsung (Update) The Supreme Court raised serious doubts Tuesday about a $399 million judgment against smartphone maker Samsung for illegally copying parts of the patented design of Apple's iPhone.
	Firm linked to social media surveillance loses data access Twitter and Facebook on Tuesday cut access to certain data for an analytics firm which according to a civil liberties group helped law enforcement track protesters in social movements.
NREL to lead one exascale computing project, support three others Scientists at the Energy Department's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will lead an effort to model the complex and turbulent flow of wind through large wind plants as part of DOE's Exascale Computing Project (ECP), which is gearing up U.S. computational capabilities to prepare for the next generation of supercomputers. NREL will also provide support to three projects related to combustion science, urban systems, and power grid dynamics.
	Marconi inspires Rice design for 1-terabit wireless Rice University wireless researchers are taking a page from radio inventor Guglielmo Marconi to create the first laser-free, wireless system capable of delivering 1 terabit of data per second.
	Samsung scraps Note 7, so what next for consumers? Samsung has officially scrapped the Note 7. So what's next for consumers?
	For smartphone-dependent world, Samsung troubles hit hard Yes, you heard that right. Samsung is asking owners of its fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 to do something crazy: "power down and stop using the device."
	Bioeconomy: the ideal mix to pave the way for investments Venture capitalists, of course, seek smart inventors and breakthrough products. But candidates with intellectual property and business skills are music to investors' ears
Sprint to connect 1M students under 'My Brother's Keeper' The White House says 1 million low-income high school students will receive free internet access under President Barack Obama's "My Brother's Keeper" initiative for minority males.
GE ramping up presence at new headquarters, digital hub General Electric is ramping up its presence at its new corporate headquarters in Boston and has unveiled a new digital hub in Rhode Island as it prepares to leave its Connecticut home of the last 42 years.

Medicine & Health news

	Childhood family environment linked with relationship quality 60 years later Growing up in a warm family environment in childhood is associated with feeling more secure in romantic relationships in one's 80s, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings show that men who grew up in caring homes were more adept at managing stressful emotions when assessed as middle-aged adults, which helps to explain why they had more secure marriages late in life.
	Empowering preschool children with the language of math adds up to stronger skills Teaching preschool children simple math-related vocabulary and concepts, such as "more," "a lot," "some" and "fewer," improves their mathematical skills, according to a new a study from Purdue University.
	Researchers find genes behind aggressive ovarian and endometrial cancers In a major breakthrough for ovarian and uterine cancers, Yale researchers have defined the genetic landscape of rare, highly aggressive tumors called carcinosarcomas (CSs), pointing the way to possible new treatments.
	New research takes guesswork out of depression A team of Australian and United States mental health researchers has found that combining new brain scan techniques with patient information about any early life trauma can predict with unprecedentedly high (80%) accuracy whether a depressed patient is likely to recover with anti-depressant medications (ADM), or not.
	Hippocampus in women changes in sync with hormones Although it has already been known for some time that the brain does not remain rigid in its structure even in adulthood, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences made a surprising discovery: The brain is not only able to adapt to changing conditions in long-term processes, but it can do this every month. The researchers observed that in women, in parallel to the rhythm of the level of estrogen across their menstrual cycle, the structures of the hippocampus vary—a brain area that is crucial for memories, mood and emotions.
	Researchers develop a way to predict how a tumor tissue's physical properties affect its response to chemotherapy drugs Chemotherapy is often used to combat malignant tumors, but rarely completely cures patients due to cancer cells' resistance to drugs. It has been thought that the environment in which particular cancer cells live could impact their response to specific drugs, but until now, it's been difficult to analyze exactly how mechanics—specifically, stiffness of the extracellular material that surrounds cells and structures tissues—alter a drug's efficacy.
	Anti-tuberculosis drug disrupted by botanical supplement, can lead to development of disease Botanical supplements are used by people around the world to treat a wide range of physical and mental ailments. Some of these botanical supplements have high levels of antioxidants, which may have some positive health effects for certain conditions. However, a new study from the University of Missouri in partnership with scientists in Africa has uncovered evidence that these supplements and their antioxidants may reduce the effectiveness of prescription medications. The researchers examined the effects of a widely used African botanical supplement, called Sutherlandia, and found that it may disrupt the effectiveness of a common anti-tuberculosis drug. This could lead to the development of active tuberculosis and perhaps drug resistant forms of the pathogen in some patients.
	New molecular mechanism revealed for genetic mutations in aggressive cancer cells Scientists at the University of Birmingham have described a previously-unknown molecular mechanism that could lead to the genetic mutations seen in certain types of aggressive cancer cells, involving a cell's own transcription machinery.
	Fruit fly neurons hold the key to the molecular causes of mental diseases New research involving the removal and analysis of single neurons from fruit fly (Drosophila) embryos has revealed insights into the causes of mental diseases such as bipolar disease.
	Study shows that people switch their morality in the heat of the moment Virtual reality technology could show how a person would really behave in a morally difficult situation – despite what he or she might claim on paper, according to new research by Plymouth University.
	First of our three billion heartbeats is sooner than we thought When does our heart first start to beat? Until now, researchers thought that the first time our heart muscle contracted to beat was at eight days after conception in mice, which equates to around day 21 of a human pregnancy.
New platform for roundworms could speed up drug delivery Researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin have developed the first large-scale in vivo drug discovery platform using a whole animal model that could speed up scientific research and more accurately assess the effectiveness of new drugs in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
	Scientists bioprint tubular 3-D renal architecture that recapitulates functions of the kidney Toward the ultimate goal of engineering human tissues and organs that can mimic native function for use in drug screening, disease modeling, and regenerative medicine, a Wyss Institute team led by Core Faculty member Jennifer Lewis, Sc.D., has made another foundational advance using three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting.
	3-D printing customized vascular stents Most people have heard about personalized medicine. But how about personalized medical devices?
Team maps genomic landscape of schwannoma tumours Researchers from the University Health Network (UHN); Toronto Western Neurosurgery Division and MacFeeters Hamilton Neuro-oncology Program at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre have described the genomic landscape of schwannomas in a paper published online today in Nature Genetics.
	Sick or healthy? Bacterial metabolism tells us which—and why The human gut is a complex ecosystem: Countless bacteria colonise it and help us to digest our food. Scientists from the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University of Luxembourg in collaboration with the Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg (IBBL), the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg and the Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch have developed a way to study this ecosystem - the microbiome of the gut - in unprecedented detail: Their new approach allows examination of the genetic potential of the bacteria by decoding their DNA as well as assessing their activity by sequencing RNA, the molecules that are first formed upon transcription of the DNA. They can also identify the proteins that are subsequently synthesised which in turn then catalyse metabolic reactions.
	Astroglia zip the two halves of the brain together Scientists have identified the cellular origins of the corpus callosum, the 200 million nerve fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain. A study of mice and human brains published on October 11 in Cell Reports shows that during development, astroglia, the main supporting cells of the brain, weave themselves between the right and left lobes, and form the bridge for axons to grow across the gap. Without these astroglia, the corpus callosum doesn't form correctly, causing a condition called callosal agenesis—which affects 1 out of 4,000 people—and a range of developmental disorders.
	Running triggers production of a molecule that repairs the brain in animal models Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have discovered that a molecule triggered by running can help repair certain kinds of brain damage in animal models. They found that this molecule, called VGF nerve growth factor, helps to heal the protective coating that surrounds and insulates nerve fibres. Their study, published in Cell Reports, could pave the way for new treatments for multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders that involve damaged nerve insulation.
	High-protein diet curbs metabolic benefits of weight loss Dieters sometimes consume extra protein to stave off hunger and prevent loss of muscle tissue that often comes with weight loss.
	Adding oxidative stress to FLT3 inhibition proves promising combination against AML FLT3 inhibitors are a promising new class of drugs targeting acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, these inhibitors alone tend not to result in long-term control of the disease. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences demonstrates the promise of adding drugs that increase oxidative stress to FLT3 inhibition, potentially paving the way for combination therapy directed at the disease.
Report shows neglected cancer is killing the young A report published today, 11th October 2016, by charity Brain Tumour Research shows that funding for research into brain tumours is still woefully inadequate, despite it being the biggest cancer killer of children and people under the age of 40.
	Brain training may help keep seniors on the road Older adults who participate in training designed to improve cognitive ability are more likely to continue driving over the next 10 years than those who do not, according to health researchers.
	As babies stricken by Zika turn 1, health problems mount Two weeks shy of his first birthday, doctors began feeding Jose Wesley Campos through a nose tube because swallowing problems had left him dangerously underweight.
	DEET repellents safe in pregnancy to prevent Zika, researchers say (HealthDay)—DEET insect repellents won't harm a pregnant woman or her fetus when used as instructed to prevent infection with the Zika virus, a new research analysis suggests.
	A guide to coping with corns and calluses (HealthDay)—Corns and calluses are sometimes painful areas of thickened skin that develop on the feet due to repeated rubbing or pressure.
	Undiagnosed eye problems pose risks for migrant farm workers (HealthDay)—Vision problems are common among migrant farm workers, but many never get eye exams, a new study shows.
	US health care system is one of the least efficient worldwide (HealthDay)—The U.S. health care system is one of the least efficient worldwide based on a Bloomberg index that assesses life expectancy, health care spending per capita, and relative spending as a share of gross domestic product, according to a report published by Bloomberg.
A noninvasive approach may identify glioblastoma patients suitable for antiangiogenic therapy Radiomics, an approach that combines imaging and computation, can stratify patients with recurrent glioblastoma into those who are likely to benefit from the antiangiogenic therapy bevacizumab (Avastin) and those who do not, according to a study published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
	Opinion: How to build a mentally healthy workplace Mental health has long been the Cinderella of healthcare: left to scrape an existence while the bulk of funding and attention goes elsewhere. As we mark World Mental Health Day, it is clear that policy makers and the public are coming to the realisation that there is no health without mental health. This shift is desperately needed.
	Low-income communities of color grow healthier through community organizing More than two in three adults are considered overweight or obese in the United States. Alarmingly, this trend begins in childhood: about one-third of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered overweight or obese.
	Gestational age estimated through DNA methylation Researchers have developed a method for estimating developmental maturity of newborns. It is based on tracking DNA methylation, a structural modification of DNA, whose patterns change as development progresses before birth.
	Lack of resources affects mammogram rates Almost 70 percent of women in the U.S. over the age of 40 get mammograms at least every other year, but minority and foreign-born women report lower rates even though they are at an increased risk for developing advanced breast cancer.
	Trial tests extract from a rare tropical fruit for schizophrenia treatment Researchers at The University of Queensland have begun clinical trials into whether an extract from a rare tropical fruit can help treat schizophrenia.
	Embedding non-dispensing pharmacists in medical centers to improve patient outcomes Medication-related problems are one of the most common reasons for patients to be readmitted to hospital.
	Psychological intervention tackles fear of melanoma recurrence A new psychological intervention has been shown to significantly reduce melanoma survivors' fear of their cancer returning. The study, published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, comes as Australia marks Mental Health Week.
	What is normal vaginal discharge and what's not? V-juice, vovey-goo, vu-dew… there are many ways to describe the natural fluid that comes out of the vagina. It varies in consistency, texture, smell, taste and volume in the same woman from day to day, week to week, month to month and beyond.
	Walking the dog keeps owners healthy and neighbourhoods feeling safe An international study carried out by Dr Hayley Christian from The University of Western Australia (UWA) has found dog walkers are not only more likely to be physically active but that walking the dog can help people in their neighbourhood feel safer.
Viral particles support prophylactic vaccination against breast cancer Artificial structures of tumour antigens, so-called mimotopes, applied in vaccinations of cancer patients can trigger a long-term immune response. For the vaccine, however, a carrier is required that triggers an immune response itself. A team of researchers from the Messerli Research Institute at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, and the Medical University of Vienna showed in laboratory tests that virus-like particles of harmless adeno-associated viruses (AAV) are particularly suitable as carriers. The scientists were able to produce mimotopes for the growth factor HER2, a tumour antigen of about 30 percent of breast tumours, without chemical after-treatment at these AAV carrier particles and use them directly as a specific vaccine. In the future, this vaccine could serve as a prophylaxis for high-risk patients or breast cancer patients that have already received a therapy. Due to close similarities of the growth factor in humans and dogs, also a treatment of canine breast tumours seems possible. The results were published in the journals OncoImmunology and Oncology Letters.
The healing effect of faecal microbiota transplantation lasts for long Researchers in the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital have studied in detail the intestinal microbiota of 14 patients treated with a faecal microbiota transplant. The patients suffered from recurrent Clostridium difficile -infection, also known as antibiotic associated diarrhoea, and they had not responded to antibiotic treatment. After the faecal microbiota transplantation therapy, the patient's microbiota was followed for a year.
	Failures in mental health system flagged in new report Significant numbers of people with learning disabilities, particularly very young adults, remain inappropriately incarcerated in English hospitals, says new research released today.
New immune cell subset associated with progression to type 1 diabetes A study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland revealed that a recently described T cell subset may have a central role in the development of type 1 diabetes. These so called follicular T helper cells were found to be increased at the onset of type 1 diabetes, and the phenomenon was linked with the presence of autoantibodies commonly associated with the disease.
	Could mental health boost emotional health? Engaging a specific part of the brain during mental math exercises is connected with better emotional health, according to a new brain-scanning study published by Duke researchers in the journal Clinical Psychological Science.
Movement of mTORC1 observed for the first time in live cells What do proteins and wild bears have in common? Just like tagging wild animals aims to allow researchers to observe and track their natural behaviour, molecular researchers use tags to track the minute movements of proteins in cells. Despite the difference in the size of the target, the challenge remains the same: how to tag the object without changing its usual behaviour.
	Investigation lifts lid on big tobacco's campaigning methods New research by academics at the University of Bath reveals the scale of lobbying against the introduction of plain packaging of cigarettes by bodies with links to the tobacco industry, and shows how low levels of transparency led to 'a misleading impression of diverse and widespread opposition' to the ban on logos and brand imagery that came into force in May.
Good motor control boosts learning Infants with good motor skills are better at solving problems that require good cognitive skills. These are the findings of a new study from Uppsala University's Child and Baby Lab recently published online in the scientific journal Psychological Science. The study findings could be an argument for a greater focus on sports in primary and secondary school and active play in preschool.
	Study highlights lack of information about the global prevalence of childhood cataracts Researchers at City, University of London have conducted the first systematic review of the prevalence and incidence of childhood cataracts worldwide.
	Diagnosis of cancer as a medical emergency leads to poorer prognosis for many patients Too many patients – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – are being diagnosed with cancer as medical emergencies, say researchers. This means that their chances of successful treatment are greatly reduced.
	Opinion: Feeling anxious about that first date? Here's how science can help Does anxiety keep getting in the way of you making connections with the people you'd like to spend more time with? Maybe you've just met someone, but are worried that your anxiety will ruin it all. People with anxiety can be highly self-critical, tend to overestimate the likelihood that something negative will happen, and often feel that others are judging them.
New study finds 'amplifier' helps make connections in the fetal brain Fetal brains use a special amplifier in order to transmit signals, according to research published in the journal eLife by George Washington University's (GW) Matthew Colonnese, Ph.D. and Yasunobu Murata, Ph.D. Early neural connections are sparse, weak, and unreliable. This unique amplification circuit boosts weak inputs to ensure accurate and powerful information transfer in the developing brain.
Diabetes opens floodgates to fructose Fructose, once seen as diabetics' alternative to glucose, is fast-tracked to the liver in diabetic mice and contributes to metabolic diseases, according to new research from Harvard University.
New study reveals major racial bias in leading genomics databases A national group of researchers has confirmed for the first time that two of the top genomic databases, which are in wide use today by clinical geneticists, reflect a measurable bias toward genetic data based on European ancestry over that of African ancestry. TThe results of their study were published in the latest issue of Nature Communications.
WHO urges price hikes on sugary drinks in obesity fight The UN health agency on Tuesday urged countries to start taxing sugary beverages as they fight against an obesity epidemic, pointing to evidence that price hikes can dramatically reduce consumption.
Composite biomaterial scaffolds enable patterning of tissue architecture and cell identity Three-dimensional culture of stem cells in biomaterials has recently enabled the formation of complex cellular structures and miniature organoid tissues, including tissues resembling brain, spinal cord, retina, liver, and kidney. In order to improve this technology further, research published in the Journal of Tissue Engineering describes new designs for unique biomaterial scaffolds that incorporate patterned architectures and regional compartments of signaling factors that can more intricately guide tissue development. These designs enable more comprehensive control over cell fate and tissue architecture, and also establish a platform for studying the effects of concentration gradients of a variety of signaling factors on tissue development.
Use of dietary supplements remains stable in US; multivitamin use decreases A nationally representative survey indicates that supplement use among U.S. adults remained stable from 1999-2012, with more than half of adults reporting use of supplements, while use of multivitamins decreased during this time period, according to a study appearing in the October 11 issue of JAMA.
Modified cast instead of surgery results in similar functional outcomes for ankle fracture in older adults Among older adults with an unstable ankle fracture, the use of a modified casting technique known as close contact casting (a molded below-knee cast with minimal padding) resulted in similar functional outcomes at 6 months compared with surgery, and with fewer wound complications and reduced intervention costs, according to a study appearing in the October 11 issue of JAMA.
	Study: Shakespeare play helps children with autism communicate A new study showed improvement in the social and communication skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using a signature approach pairing the recitation of Shakespeare's rhythmiclanguage with physical gesture.
Medicaid expansion associated with increased Medicaid revenue, decreased uncompensated care costs In a study appearing in the October 11 issue of JAMA, Fredric Blavin, Ph.D., of The Urban Institute, Washington, D.C., estimated the association between Medicaid expansion in 2014 and hospital finances by assessing differences between hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid and in states that did not expand Medicaid.
Postmortem genetic testing may help determine cause of death after sudden unexpected death In a study appearing in the October 11 issue of JAMA, Ali Torkamani, Ph.D., of Scripps Translational Science Institute, La Jolla, Calif., and colleagues report preliminary results from a family-based, postmortem genetic testing study.
	Roadmap to get new cancer scans into clinic A team of international scientists has outlined key recommendations for a global standard for scanning biomarkers in cancer - to bridge the gap between research and the clinic, according to a new paper published in Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology today (Tuesday).
Immunotherapy prolongs life, reduces side effects and improves quality of life The immunotherapy nivolumab significantly increases survival and causes fewer adverse side-effects in patients with recurrent head and neck cancer, according to a randomized trial co-led by investigators at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), partners with UPMC CancerCenter.
	How children inherit discrimination's effects When a child's family members experience stress related to ethnic discrimination and the process of adapting to a new culture, the child's behavior and academics may suffer as a result, according to a new study.
	Study seeks to improve diabetic eye health While diabetes is the most common cause of blindness in the working-age population in the U.S., only about 55% of lower income adults living with the disease undergo the retinal screening needed to detect and help prevent blindness.
Receptionists could put people off seeing their GP Forty per cent of people say that having to talk through their symptoms with doctors' receptionists could put them off going to their GP, according to an analysis of the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) published today (Tuesday) in the Journal of Public Health.
Treatment shrinks bladder cancer tumors in patients that can't tolerate chemotherapy A treatment harnesses the immune system to shrink tumors in bladder cancer patients that cannot take the most effective chemotherapy.
Financial difficulties linked to worse outcomes from cancer treatment Financial difficulties can significantly impact a cancer patient's quality of life during treatment and may even increase their risk of death, according to the results of a pooled analysis presented at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen.
Successful trial shows tablet lowers risk of disease returning for kidney cancer patients The first successful clinical trial of an adjuvant treatment for patients who have had kidney cancer has been carried out by an international team of oncology experts. Released during the Presidential Address of the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen on 10 October, the results of the trial are likely to change clinical practice worldwide.
Maternal chronic disease linked to higher rates of congenital heart disease in babies Pregnant women with congenital heart defects or type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of giving birth to babies with severe congenital heart disease and should be monitored closely in the prenatal period, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Treating the inflammation in lymphedema ETH researchers have discovered that certain cells in the immune system suppress the development of lymphedema. Anti-inflammatory therapies could therefore be the key to treating this previously incurable condition.
	Scientists exploit cell metabolism to attack cancer Cancer cells have their own unique way of reproducing, involving a shrewd metabolic reprograming that has been observed in virtually all types of cancer but not in normal cells. Now, University of Rochester Medical Center scientists have pinpointed one key source of the problem, which could lead to new treatment opportunities.
Community outreach may reduce the risk of liver cancer Liver cancer is more common among Asian Americans in part because they are at high risk of HBV infection. One out of 12 Asian Americans carries the virus, accounting for more than half of the cases in the US. Although the HBV vaccine is now given at birth in many countries throughout the world, a large portion of Asian American adults remain unprotected and at risk for developing cancer, because the virus, which can cause liver cancer, is endemic in many Asian and Sub-Saharan African countries. A new Thomas Jefferson University study of Asian Americans living in the Baltimore Washington metropolitan area shows that community outreach workers, or so-called lay health workers (LHW), may help bridge that gap by ensuring the medical information is understood.
	Study gives doctors guidance on reproductive coercion New research finds that men purposely are breaking their own condoms and pressuring female partners in their teens and 20s to go without birth control in order to get them pregnant.
Collecting injury data could reduce A&E attendances A study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), has found data on injuries can be collected relatively easily at A&E departments to help understand injury patterns in communities.
Some children are genetically predisposed to overeating in response to television food ads Exposure to food ads on television leads to overeating among children, especially those genetically predisposed to obesity, researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center and the C. Everett Koop Institute have shown. In the Dartmouth study, a particular gene that has been linked previously to obesity is now shown to play a role in overeating among children exposed to food cues such as TV food advertising.
	Pediatric clinic tests virtual reality for hemophilia patients during procedures As a nurse clinician in the comprehensive hemophilia treatment center at Nationwide Children's Hospital for nearly 30 years, Charmaine Biega, RN, has watched her patients endure hundreds of needle sticks for infusions and other procedures which can mean tears, frustration, wiggling and - in some cases - lifelong anxiety about the medical system and treatments that patients with hemophilia need to survive. But when she administered six-year-old Brody Bowman's infusion this month in clinic, he was doing something she had never seen him do before a needle stick: having fun.
Barrow finds correlation in TBI and concussions Physicians and researchers at Barrow Neurological Institute have identified a link between domestic violence and traumatic brain injury. The findings could have important implications in the treatment of domestic violence survivors, both in medical and social service communities. The research, led by Dr. Glynnis Zieman, was published in the July issue of Journal of Neurotrauma.
New approach to treating type 1 diabetes aims to limit damage caused by immune system Researchers at the University of Cambridge have taken the first step towards developing a new form of treatment for type 1 diabetes which, if successful, could mean an end to the regular insulin injections endured by people affected by the disease, many of whom are children.
Combination therapy shows promise in fighting neuroblastoma A study by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles sheds further light on the role of the cytokine TGFβ1 in the growth of neuroblastoma, and suggests the possibility for a small molecule drug/antibody combinatorial therapy to treat this cancer. Their data has been published online by the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
Exercise beneficial to those with type 1 diabetes on insulin pump Type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients on insulin pumps stand to benefit by engaging in aerobic exercise, said a team researchers who conducted a three-month observational study on two groups of diabetes patients. When compared to patients in the study who did not exercise, patients in the study group who engaged in aerobic exercise benefited by improving their metabolic control, reducing their insulin requirement, and a saw a reduction in the number of hyperglycemic events they experienced.
Sudden blood pressure drops associated with long-term dementia risk Orthostatic hypotension—low blood pressure when suddenly standing up—is associated with a 15 percent increase in a person's long-term risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, according to a twenty-four year study of more than 6,000 people published this week in PLOS Medicine by Arfan Ikram and Frank Wolters from Erasmus Medical Center, the Netherlands, and colleagues.
Study finds differences in obesity rates between children/teens with and without autism Children and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be more likely to be obese and stay obese during adolescence than their peers without ASD, according to a new epidemiological study led by researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine and published online in Childhood Obesity in advance of print.
	Machine learning technique helps identify cancer cell types National Institutes of Health, COBRE Center for Cancer Research Development at Rhode Island Hospital, Rhode Island Foundation Medical Research Grant, Jason and Donna McGraw Weiss
	Designer brain receptors used in preclinical study to suppress cued cocaine seeking Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have used viruses to infect neurons with genes that allow them to switch on brain receptors involved in suppressing addiction relapse. Results of these preclinical studies were published in the September 28th, 2016 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. The technology, called designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs, or DREADDs, is one of the most promising gene therapies for the future treatment of addiction in humans.
	New approach may be key to improving US population health The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world, yet the life expectancy of its citizens is significantly shorter when compared to other high-income countries. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine are suggesting that an innovative systems-thinking approach to population health could improve the country's current health disadvantage.
	Study finds Alzheimer's manifests differently in Hispanics Certain symptoms associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease, including agitation and depression, affect Hispanics more frequently and severely than other ethnicities. The findings, published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience (JNCN), suggest that Alzheimer's disease manifests itself differently in Hispanic populations.
Study finds ribociclib improves progression-free survival for women with metastatic breast cancer In a randomized, Phase III trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, ribociclib, in combination with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole, dramatically improved progression-free survival (PFS) of post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer, compared to the hormone therapy alone.
	Health conditions worsen as aid trickles into remote Haiti In this most western tip of Haiti, 300 patients with festering wounds lay silently on beds at the main hospital in the seaside village of Dame Marie waiting for medicine a week after Hurricane Matthew hit the remote peninsula.
The microbial superhero in your vagina The aisle is marked with a little red sign that says "Feminine Treatments". Squeezed between the urinary incontinence pads and treatments for yeast infections, there is a wall of bottles and packages in every pastel shade imaginable. Feminine deodorant sprays, freshening wipes, washes for your "intimate area".
WHO to send 1 mln cholera vaccine doses to hurricane-hit Haiti The World Health Organization said Tuesday it would send a million cholera vaccine doses to Haiti, which has seen cases of the disease surge since it was ravaged by Hurricane Matthew last week.
	France to open first safe-injection room for drug addicts France will open its first safe-injection room for drug addicts despite years of efforts by conservatives to block the plan.
True burden of head and neck cancer in France underestimated by more than one-third A nationwide study of head and neck cancers in France has revealed that the true burden of the disease is underestimated by at least one-third, and that head and neck cancers carry a very high risk of secondary primary cancers, according to two presentations at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen.
Greater patient selection may be needed for first line nivolumab to improve progression-free survival Greater patient selection may be needed for first line nivolumab to improve progression-free survival over chemotherapy in advanced lung cancer as the CheckMate 026 trial gave negative results in a broad group of patients expressing PD-L1 in their tumour cells. The findings were presented at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen.
	Big data for little creatures While millions of people are fighting Zika with bug spray and long pants, researchers at the University of California, Riverside are using another tool—big data. By collecting and analyzing large datasets, they can track the mosquitoes that spread the disease in real time, intervene quickly, and help governments plan for future outbreaks.
The many health benefits of gardening for elderly women A study in HortTechnology confirms that gardening has a multitude of physical and psychological benefits for older women. Elderly women who participated in a 15-session gardening intervention significantly reduced their waist circumference and improved aerobic endurance, hand dexterity, cognitive function, and amount of their daily physical activity. In contrast, elderly women in the control group (nonparticipants in the gardening intervention) experienced reductions in physical and psychological health.
Lifting children out of food insecurity Replacing the maximum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) allotment with a benefit that reflects the real cost of a healthy diet, expanding the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) eligibility to age 6, and maintaining the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) may effectively address the needs of many families who experience food insecurity and increase access to healthy options, according to a new policy brief released by Children's HealthWatch, a nonpartisan network of pediatricians and public health researchers headquartered at Boston Medical Center with research sites in Arkansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
Rise in oropharyngeal cancer incidence not solely driven by HPV in United Kingdom The rise in incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the United Kingdom from 2002 to 2011 was not solely attributable to a rise in incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive disease because the proportion of HPV-positive and -negative cases remained the same throughout that period, according to a study published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
	New non-invasive assay may improve surveillance of heart and other solid-organ transplants Patients who have received a solid organ transplant require lifelong immunosuppressive therapy. The threat of transplant rejection due to insufficient drug therapy must be balanced against increased risks of infections and cancer from excessive immunosuppression. A significant unmet need exists for non-invasive diagnostic tools to monitor transplant recipients, especially for early detection of active injury and rejection. A report in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics describes a new non-invasive test that measures donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) in plasma that has the potential to reduce complications and rejection, improving outcomes in transplant recipients.
Ibrutinib in CLL: Added benefit for treatment-naive patients not proven Ibrutinib was approved in 2014 for the treatment of certain adults with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), particularly as second-line treatment. The therapeutic indication was expanded in 2016. The drug is now also approved for treatment-naive patients. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has now examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug offers an added benefit. This was not proven, however, because the drug manufacturer presented no suitable data for any of the total of three subgroups of patients.
Saxagliptin and saxagliptin/metformin in type 2 diabetes: Added benefit not proven Saxagliptin (trade name: Onglyza) is approved for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus whose blood-glucose levels are inadequately controlled by diet and exercise alone. The fixed combination with metformin is available under the trade name Komboglyze. Both the single agent and the fixed combination underwent early benefit assessments already in 2013, which were concluded with limited decisions by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA). In 2015, the G-BA extended the period of the limited decision by one year.
Single-arm trials improve early access to rare cancer drugs Although randomised clinical trials (RCTs) remain the gold standard for evaluating the benefit/risk of cancer drugs, single-arm trials (SATs) can provide invaluable opportunities to speed up cancer drug development and approval, in particular for drugs with dramatic activity and strong biological rationale in small populations with high unmet need, Dr. Jorge Martinalbo, Scientific Officer at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) reported at the ESMO 2016 Congress today.
Pembrolizumab new option in one-line treatment of adv lung cancer and high PD-L1 expression Pembrolizumab is set to become a new option for first line treatment of patients with advanced lung cancer and high PD-L1 expression, according to the results of the phase III KEYNOTE-024 trial presented at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Nintedanib improves progression-free survival in metastatic colorectal cancer Nintedanib improves progression-free survival but not overall survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who are not responding to standard therapies, according to results of the phase III LUME-colon 1 trial presented at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen.
First feasibility study of the ESMO-MCBS scale in rare tumor entities The results of the first study analysing the application of the ESMO-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) in a real-life context for rare tumour entities, were announced today at the ESMO 2016 Congress in Copenhagen.
	Hospital industry says it, too, is slammed by drug costs Hospitals, too, are getting slammed by sharp price increases in prescription drugs, and the industry is urging the next president and Congress to take up the issue.
	New findings address state and community tobacco control policies and practices A new series of research papers presents key findings of state and community tobacco control research to help guide state and community tobacco control policies and practices. The papers were produced by investigators in the State and Community Tobacco Control (SCTC) Research Initiative and funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute.
	Video: The 'end of pain': How anesthesia works October 16 is World Anesthesia Day, celebrating the 170th anniversary of the first successful demonstration of surgical anesthesia. Prior to then, surgery was very unpleasant, to put it mildly—surgeons turned to alcohol, narcotics and even striking their patients on the head to induce unconsciousness.
Technique may identify patients with fast-progressing fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease Combining multiple non-invasive measures, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine describe a novel method to quantify the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to its more dangerous and deadly states—advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis.
Research findings may lead to promising Zika virus drug targets Following recent outbreaks of Zika virus and the potential health dangers of infection, especially during pregnancy, scientists are striving to rapidly develop effective antiviral drugs that can halt transmission. Investigators who recently performed detailed analyses of the targets of a key enzyme of the Zika virus have uncovered peculiarities of the viral enzyme, called the NS3 protease.
Measles prevention—how to pull the trigger for vaccination campaigns? Measles is an extremely contagious disease that can cause serious health outcomes in children. Routine vaccination has greatly reduced measles deaths in recent years, but very high vaccination coverage is needed in all countries to prevent disease outbreaks.
Transplantation with induced neural stem cells improves stroke recovery in mice In a study to determine whether induced neural stem cells (iNSCs), a type of somatic cell directly differentiated into neural stem cells, could exert therapeutic effects when transplanted into mice modeled with ischemic stroke, researchers found that the cells promoted survival and functional recovery. Additionally, they discovered that when administered during the acute phase of stroke, iNSCs protected the brain from ischemia-related damage.
	St. Jude warns of battery defect in some heart devices Medical device maker St. Jude Medical is warning doctors and patients about a rare battery defect in some of its implantable heart devices that can cause them to fail much earlier than expected.
	CCS sets new guidelines for management of lipid metabolism disorders that affect cholesterol and cause atherosclerosis The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) has published an important update to its guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia - lipid metabolism disorders - that can cause cardiovascular disease. These disorders are very common, affect atherosclerosis-promoting lipids like cholesterol, and are a major target of widely used drugs like statins. The guidelines update evidence-based guidance for cardiologists and other clinicians regarding which patients will benefit from statin therapy. There is also new information on the use of health behavior modifications and non-statin medications to help doctors make the difficult decisions about when to use drugs to treat cholesterol and when other approaches are possible. The update is published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
Inadequate state children's mental health structure hampers chances for improved care State agencies charged with the treatment of children who have mental health and substance abuse conditions are missing out on opportunities to improve care. They are unable to capitalize on chances to advance prevention, care coordination and integration with primary care, according to a national survey of state agency directors.
Florida voters set to legalize medical marijuana: survey Voters in the US state of Florida appear overwhelmingly inclined to legalize medical marijuana in a referendum November 8, a new poll out Tuesday shows.
UN wants to vaccinate 41 million African kids against polio The U.N. children's agency says a major health campaign is taking place to vaccinate 41 million children against polio in the four countries comprising the Lake Chad Basin—Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Biology news

	Researchers discover feedback mechanism in photosynthesis that protects plants from damage by light Scientists at Imperial College London have discovered a feedback mechanism at the heart of photosynthesis that protects plants from damage by light.
Researcher develops test scenarios for sustaining ecotourism in the Galapagos If ecotourism in the Galapagos Islands—a province of Ecuador 1,000 kilometers from the mainland—continues to match its growth rate of the past two decades, the renowned sea turtles, giant tortoises, marine iguanas and unique landscapes that help attract visitors face serious risks.
	DNA mapping tool helps scientists better understand how genes are regulated Scientists have devised a powerful new tool for understanding how DNA controls gene activity in cells. The tool allows researchers to map at high resolution, across large swaths of a cell's genome, which DNA nucleotides work to regulate gene activity.
	Stressed cabbages emit defensive signals with human-like genetics Plants get stressed and send defensive signals in the same way humans do, researchers from The University of Queensland have found.
	Insights into the development of sperm and egg cell precursors in the embryo Researchers at the Babraham Institute have investigated the early stages of the development of cells called primordial germ cells and developed strategies to generate 'lookalike' cells in the lab. The generation of human 'lookalike' primordial germ cells is of importance for future fertility studies and the analysis of potential transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in humans.
	Females react differently than males to social isolation While male and female mice have similar responses to physical stress, research from the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary, Canada, suggests females, not males, feel stressed when alone.
	Study pinpoints why naked mole rats feel no pain The African naked mole rat is an odd, homely creature with the closest thing to real-life super powers on earth. These small rodents can live for 32 years, they are cancer-resistant, and they are impervious to some types of pain.
	'Poring over' DNA: Advancing nanopore sensing towards lower cost and more accurate DNA sequencing In a future of personalized medicine, doctors may quickly glean the changes in the DNA sequences of patients that predispose them to specific diseases or determine the most appropriate therapeutic approach simply by analyzing a saliva sample. At present, however, reading DNA sequences from genomes using current next generation sequencing methods is still a costly endeavor restricted to well-equipped laboratories.
	Virus carrying DNA of black widow spider toxin discovered A tiny virus that may sting like a black widow spider. That is one of the surprise discoveries made by a pair of Vanderbilt biologists when they sequenced the genome of a virus that attacks Wolbachia, a bacterial parasite that has successfully infected not only black widow spiders but more than half of all arthropod species, which include insects, spiders and crustaceans.
	Lack of opportunities promotes brood care Male black coucals who care for their broods alone are just as successful as pairs of the closely related white-browed coucal, where partners share parental duties. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen discovered that a single white-browed coucal parent would be sufficient to raise the brood; they believe that females share the job primarily because they are unlikely to find another mate. In white-browed coucals the sex-ratio is relatively balanced, whereas in black coucals there are more than twice as many males than females.
	Team studies how selfish genes cause male sterility in flowering plants Why are plants often sterile when their parents are from different species? How do species remain separate entities in nature?
	It's a dog's life: Yangon neuters city's many strays The dart hits a fleeing street dog in the thigh, the bright orange tip sagging against his brown and white fur as he slows to a halt, his limbs succumbing to the sedatives.
	Surfing the world for microbes Surfers have a very intimate connection to the ocean. Their skin is bathed in the rushing tide, and crashing waves send salty seawater into their ears, eyes and throat. Inside and out, they are saturated with diverse molecules and bacteria to which the average person is not exposed. This prompts the question: How do these unique bacteria and chemicals impact human health? Cliff Kapono, UC San Diego chemistry doctoral student, is embarking on a worldwide quest to find out.
	Scientists lead development of tools to track genetically engineered organisms Rice University scientists are leading an effort to detect genetically modified organisms in the environment.
	Old forest roads offer survival perspectives for amphibians Senckenberg scientists have studied the impact of old forest roads on the species diversity in the rainforest of Central Guyana. They reached the conclusion that the established roads may be of use for amphibians and should therefore not necessarily be closed or restored to their natural state. For example, ruts in the roads filled with accumulated water can serve as spawning grounds for frogs during dry periods. The study was recently published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
	It takes patience to restore watercourses A common way to restore Swedish streams previously used for timber-floating has been to return rocks. A group of researchers at Umeå University has studied the effects of improved methods that also add large boulders and trees. Creating complex channels and watercourses is easy, but reintroducing plants and aquatic animals is a challenge, according to Umeå researchers. The results have been published in Ecosystems.
	Claims that declines of pollinator species richness are slowing down in Europe revisited Having conducted a thorough interpretation of the results of a recent study that inferred decrease in the biodiversity loss among pollinators across Europe, Dr Tom J. M. Van Dooren reveals that this conclusion cannot in fact be drawn. It is only supported for the bee fauna in the Netherlands. His study is published in the open access journal Nature Conservation.
	Restoring sand dunes, one microbe at a time Sand dunes pull double duty—offering a visual treat both for their undulating curves and their ability to attract birds and other wildlife, while affording protection from storm surges and the threat of rising sea levels.
	A non-proliferative signaling center kicks off tooth development Despite extensive research on the molecular regulation of early tooth development, little is known about the cellular mechanisms driving morphogenesis prior to enamel knot formation. In a recent study, published with a spotlight in Journal of Cell Biology, researchers Laura Ahtiainen and Isa Uski from the research groups of Marja Mikkola and Irma Thesleff from the Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, tackle this conundrum. Their findings imply that the early signaling center is essential for tooth budding morphogenesis and is an important determinant of the tooth size.
	Genome of fiercely protective Fonni's Dog reflects human history of Sardinia A genomic analysis of 28 dog breeds has traced the genetic history of the remarkable Fonni's Dog, a herd guardian endemic to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. The results, published in the journal Genetics, reveal that the regional variety has developed into a true breed through unregulated selection for its distinctive behavior, and that its ancestors came from the very same geographic areas as Sardinia's human migrants. Just as Sardinian people have long provided a wealth of genetic insights to scientists, the canine natives are an example of an isolated population that could prove a powerful resource for finding genes that influence health and behavior.
	Unconventional cell division in the Caribbean Sea Most bacteria divide by placing a protein called FtsZ at the division site. Traditionally, it was thought that FtsZ must organize into a ring in order to recruit a dozen of other proteins and together with them exert an homogeneous and simultaneous constricting force pinching the bacterium from side to side. Just as when one tries to squeeze a rod-shaped air-balloon with a thumb and a ring finger. Although it is still debated which one - among the division complex proteins - is generating the constricting force, it has never been debated that FtsZ forms a ring. Be it made by continuous FtsZ filaments or by short and partly overlapping ones, be it patchy, elliptic or toroid, a ring has been long believed to be sine qua non for cell division.
	Equality, more than dominance, defines Asian elephant society Elephants are commonly thought to live in female-led, or matriarchal, societies that rely on the strong leadership and wisdom of elders. But a new study on Asian elephants led by researchers at Colorado State University found that Asian elephants, unlike African savannah elephants, do not exhibit clear dominance hierarchies or matriarchal leadership.
Scientists map genome of African diaspora in the Americas Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus along with colleagues at Johns Hopkins University and other institutions have conducted the largest ever genome sequencing of populations with African ancestry in the Americas.
Florida hopes quarantine and irradiated flies stop screwworm A narrow ribbon of road linking the Florida Keys with the mainland is the front line in a renewed fight against maggots that can eat livestock and pets alive.
	Genomic study of high school students from Denmark reveals remarkable genetic homogeneity People from Denmark are genetically similar to each other no matter which part of the country they come from, report researchers in the journal Genetics, a publication of the Genetics Society of America. Eight hundred Danish high school students contributed genetic material to the Where Are You From? project, and the data were used to decode population-wide patterns of genetic variation. Although there were subtle traces of the impact of Danish history on genetic similarity between different regions, the study revealed that, in genetic terms and disregarding recent migration in the last two generations, Denmark has a relatively homogeneous population, and people have mixed freely between different parts of the country.
	Researcher points finger at inaccuracy in most biology textbooks Nearly all biology textbooks are wrong, according to a new paper co-authored by University of Kansas researcher Christopher Haufler.
	The ecology and economics of autumn leaves Beyond pumpkin flavored everything, autumn is big business in some parts of the United States. And the main draw are the leaves themselves. In New England alone, tourists venturing to witness the change-in-color, a hobby known colloquially as "leaf peeping," spend upwards of $3 billion US dollars annually. There are even great debates about where the best places to go "leaf peeping" are—a personal nod for me towards the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and the Canaan Valley in West Virginia. And while we are amazed at the natural tapestry autumn brings us, the underlying ecology is equally fascinating.
	EU draws fire for allowing 'overfishing' of Baltic cod European Union ministers have agreed to cuts in Baltic cod catch quotas for next year that fall well short of calls by scientists worried about the stock's eventual collapse.
	Scientists unravel weapons of defense against 'cotton cancer' As world's largest cotton producer, China yields six to eight million tons cotton (30% of total world production) every year. However, high quality cotton cultivars are vulnerable to Verticillium wilt disease. Due to their long-term survival and vascular colonization of pathogen, the disease cannot be controlled by fungicides. How V. dahliae infects cotton was largely unknown and very limited resistance genes can be used for cotton breeding.
	Grafting increases Chilean-grown watermelon yield, quality Grafting of seedlings has been used for decades in many parts of the world, but adoption of the technique is still limited in many countries, due in part to higher costs of grafted seedlings and the uncertainty of grafting benefits under certain conditions. "Because of higher costs involved, the use of grafted seedlings can only be recommended if it provides clear biological and economic benefits," said Samuel Contreras, lead author of a study in the August 2016 issue of HortTechnology. Contreras and researchers at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile studied the effects on yield and quality with watermelon plants grown under Chilean field conditions. Their results showed that grafting increased both yield and quality of seeded and seedless watermelon cultivars.
	Fertilizer, plastic mulch treatments benefit tomato yield Nonreflective plastic mulches have been shown to increase early and total yield in tomato, benefits most often attributed to increased soil temperatures that enhance roots' ability to assimilate nutrients such as phosphorus, a vital contributor to increased yield. Phosphorus- (P) or nitrogen- (N) and phosphorus-containing water-soluble fertilizers applied at transplant have also been recommended to improve establishment and enhance yield of annual vegetables. A new study supports the use of both practices for tomatoes grown in clay loam soils in Minnesota.
Optimizing strawberry yield in vertical farming As consumer interest in local foods rises, producers of fruits and vegetables are seeking answers to challenges such as limited growing seasons and pests. Across the country, growers are looking to vertical, hydroponic, high tunnel production systems to extend short growing seasons, minimize pest incidence, and maximize crop yield and profitability. A study in the August 2016 issue of HortTechnology contains new recommendations for best management practices for vertical farming for strawberry production in the Midwestern U.S.
Research points to ways to improve the therapeutic potential of stem cells Stem cells hold great promise for transforming medical care related to a diverse range of conditions, but the cells often lose some of their therapeutic potential when scientists try to grow and expand them in the laboratory. A new study, however, provides insights on the cellular mechanisms that might be targeted to help certain stem cells—called human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs)—maintain properties needed to make them clinically useful.
	Unfamiliar bloodline: New family for an earthworm genus with exclusive circulatory system New earthworm family, named Kazimierzidae, has been established for a South African indigenous genus of 21 species. Although the circulatory system in the group has been regarded as exclusive upon their original description in 2006, their raising to a family status have only recently been confirmed by a research team from South Africa.

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