Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Oct 25

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 25, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Four luminous blue variables found to be much closer than previously assumed

Researchers discover new rules for quasicrystals

Deep down fracking wells, microbial communities thrive

Take advantage of evolution in malaria fight, scientists say

Researchers work on little display device that can run on office lighting

Towards better metallic glasses

Enormous dome in central Andes driven by huge magma body beneath it

Arousal exerts an unconscious influence on what we see

First time-lapse footage of cell activity during limb regeneration

Scientists discover particles similar to Majorana fermions

Earth-sized planets with abundant water statistically likely around red dwarfs

Study suggests approach to waking patients after surgery

3-D printed metamaterial shrinks when heated

What wind, currents and geography tell us about how people first settled Oceania

Nano-decoy lures human influenza A virus to its doom

Astronomy & Space news

	Four luminous blue variables found to be much closer than previously assumed (Phys.org)—A new study based on the first Gaia data release (DR1) reveals more accurate measurements of the distance of four canonical luminous blue variables (LBVs) in the Milky Way galaxy. According to a research paper published Oct. 20 on the arXiv server, they are much closer to Earth than previously thought.
	Earth-sized planets with abundant water statistically likely around red dwarfs Computer simulations of the formation of planets orbiting in the habitable zones of low mass stars such as Proxima Centauri by astrophysicists at the University of Bern show that these planets are most likely to be roughly the size of the Earth and to contain large amounts of water.
	Image: CST-100 Starliner manufacturing An engineer guides the upper dome of a Boeing CST-100 Starliner as it is connected to the lower dome to complete the first hull of the Starliner's Structural Test Article, a prototype spacecraft that is identical to the operational versions but not meant to fly in space.
	How many planets are there in the galaxy? On a clear night, and when light pollution isn't a serious factor, looking up at the sky is a breathtaking experience. On occasions like these, it is easy to be blown away by the sheer number of stars out there. But of course, what we can see on any given night is merely a fraction of the number of stars that actually exist within our Galaxy.
Study shows that space travel affects spine of astronauts How does space travel affect the spine? Astronauts on long missions in space have atrophy of the muscles supporting the spine—which don't return to normal even several weeks after their return to Earth, reports a study in Spine.

Technology news

	Researchers work on little display device that can run on office lighting (Tech Xplore)—Microsoft Research is up to something that could be a work productive wonder. Right now the technology is in the form of a device in prototype. The device is still in the research stage, said New Scientist.
	Turning your living room into a wireless charging station A flat-screen panel that resembles a TV on your living room wall could one day remotely charge any device within its line of sight, according to new research.
	Bio-inspired lower-limb 'wearing robotic exoskeleton' for human gait rehab Stroke and spinal cord injury patients often require gait rehabilitation to regain the ability to walk or to help strengthen their muscles. Wearable "robot-assisted training" is quickly emerging as a method that helps improve this rehab process.
	IEA hikes green energy forecast after 'turning point' year Government support and lower costs will power stronger-than-expected global growth in renewable energy over the next five years, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Tuesday.
	Microsoft claims its new speech recognition system on par with human capabilities (Tech Xplore)—Engineers at Microsoft have written a paper describing their new speech recognition system and claim that the results indicate that their system is as good at recognizing conversational speech as humans. The neural network-based system, the team reports, has achieved a historic achievement—a word rate error of 5.9 percent—making it the first ever below 6 percent, and more importantly, demonstrating that its performance is equal to human performance—they describe it as "human parity." They have uploaded their paper to Cornell's arXiv preprint server.
	Driverless truck from Uber's Otto makes Colorado beer delivery A self-driving truck built by Uber's unit Otto made a pioneering delivery of beer in Colorado last week, Otto announced Tuesday.
	Dutch unveil giant vacuum to clean outside air Dutch inventors Tuesday unveiled what they called the world's first giant outside air vacuum cleaner—a large purifying system intended to filter out toxic tiny particles from the atmosphere surrounding the machine.
	Google adds digital whiteboard to expanding device lineup Google has designed a giant touch-screen canvas for companies trying to make it easier for their employees to brainstorm as they work on team projects and other assignments.
	Big tech-media mergers raise fresh privacy concerns They know how you browse the internet, your favorite TV shows and where you shop and travel.
	Chinese firm says it did all it could ahead of cyberattack A Chinese electronics maker that has recalled millions of products sold in the U.S. said Tuesday it did all it could to prevent a massive cyberattack that briefly blocked access to websites including Twitter and Netflix.
	Samsung's prestige takes another hit over lawsuit A South Korean law firm said Tuesday that it expected thousands more people to join a class action lawsuit seeking compensation from Samsung over its combusting Galaxy Note 7 smartphones.
	Nissan hiring 300 to develop common connected car technology The top executive overseeing connected vehicles at Nissan and Renault believes the benefits of developing a common technology for connectivity within the Japanese and French auto partnership outweigh the risks of sustaining huge damage from a possible defect or cyberattack.
	Samsung rolls out industry's first 8GB LPDDR4 DRAM package Samsung Electronics announced today that it is introducing the industry's first 8-gigabyte (GB) LPDDR4 (low power, double data rate 4) mobile DRAM package, which is expected to greatly improve mobile user experiences, especially for those using Ultra HD, large-screen devices. The 8GB mobile DRAM package utilizes four of the newest 16 gigabit (Gb) LPDDR4 memory chips and advanced 10-nanometer (nm)-class process technology.
Massive cyberattack poses policy dilemma, scholar says The coordinated cyber attack that crippled parts of the internet on Friday highlighted key policy problems, a Stanford cybersecurity scholar said.
	Uber service faster in low income Seattle neighborhoods, initial study finds Your wait time for an Uber ride in Seattle is shorter if you are in a lower income neighborhood.
Professor creates self-folding, origami robots Sam Felton envisions a world in which temporary housing would autonomously constructed, and origami robots would fold themselves into 3-D machines for space exploration. Based on the research he's done—and the origami robots he's already built—his vision might not be as far-fetched as it would seem.
	Researcher discusses the transition from gas to electric motors Electric motors have been around since Thomas Davenport built the first functional model in 1834, and they have played a growing part in our lives ever since. Today, they continue to replace diesel and gas engines, as well as hydraulic cylinders, while evolving into new designs optimized for robots and other technologies.
	By attacking DNS, hackers can bring down many websites for the price of one When hugely popular websites and services such as Netflix, Spotify, Twitter, PayPal and Amazon Web Services are taken offline, it affects millions or even billions of internet users. The cyberattack that brought down these and other sites in the US and Europe focused on a particular component of the internet's architecture that is known to be vulnerable: DNS.
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity systems in buildings Pumped-storage hydroelectricity systems are to be found throughout the world, but always on a large scale. Guilherme Silva and Patrick Hendrick, researchers from the ULB Brussels School of Engineering, investigated whether energy storage via pumped hydro systems is possible on a very small scale, in particular in buildings. They used the Goudemand apartment building in Arras in France as their case study.
	Could your kettle bring down the internet? How could a webcam help bring down some of the world's most popular websites? It seems unlikely but that's what happened recently when hackers attacked the internet infrastructure run by US firm Dyn, knocking out services including Paypal, Twitter and Netflix. More accurately, the attacked involved potentially hundreds of thousands of surveillance cameras and digital video recorders connected to the internet that had been weaponised by the hackers.
	Engineers develop process for electronic devices that stops wasteful power leakage According to the National Resource Defense Council, Americans waste up to $19 billion annually in electricity costs due to "vampire appliances," always-on digital devices in the home that suck power even when they are turned off.
	Researchers find weakness in common computer chip Researchers from Binghamton University—State University of New York and the University of California, Riverside have found a weakness in the Haswell central processing unit (CPU) components that makes common computer operating systems vulnerable to malicious attacks.
	Cheaper phones are fine—if top-end camera isn't a must You can easily save hundreds of dollars on an Android phone—especially if you, like many people, don't need a top-end camera.
New method reduces amount of training data needed for facial performance capture system Disney Research has found a way to tailor a facial capture system to the characteristics of a specific actor's expressions while dramatically reducing the time and effort it would normally require.
	Anger still flares after judge OKs Volkswagen emissions deal (Update) A federal judge approved the largest auto-scandal settlement in U.S. history Tuesday, giving nearly a half-million Volkswagen owners and leaseholders the choice between selling their cars back or having them repaired so they don't cheat on emissions tests and spew excess pollution.
	Robotic cleaning technique could automate neuroscience research For scientists listening in on the faint whispers of brain neurons, a first-ever robotic technique for cleaning the tiny devices that record the signals could facilitate a new level of automation in neuroscience research. That could accelerate the gathering of information used to map the functions of brain cells and ultimately provide a better understanding what's going on between our ears.
	Apple quarterly profit slips 19% on lower iPhone sales Apple said Tuesday its profit over the past quarter fell 19 percent to $9 billion, pulled down by a widely expected drop in iPhone sales.
	Report: Gunmen still control metals mined for modern gadgets Violent gunmen still menace pick-and-shovel miners in eastern Congo, a new report finds, despite years of efforts to loosen their grip by local reformers, Western activists and companies like Apple and Intel that use minerals from the African region in their products.
Washington's version of Silicon Valley startup founders The Obama administration's "18F" program to create its own version of a high-tech startup for government digital projects has foundered since its launch in 2014, losing nearly $32 million as its staff spent most of its time on unbillable work, according to a new inspector general report.
SK Hynix Q3 earnings beat expectations SK Hynix Inc., the world's second largest chipmaker, posted third quarter earnings Tuesday that beat analyst expectations on rising demand from mobile and PC manufacturers and a pickup in semiconductor prices.
	Now Amazon Alexa can control your entire family room entertainment experience with Logitech Harmony Today Logitech announced a new Amazon Alexa skill that enables voice control of your entire living room entertainment experience using a Logitech Harmony Hub with Alexa-enabled devices such as the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot.
	Merck breezes past 3Q profit expectations, raises forecast Higher sales of vaccines and prescription medicines, coupled with restrained spending, helped Merck & Co. post a 20 percent jump in third-quarter profit, trouncing Wall Street expectations.
	Epilog technology improves diagnosis of epilepsy using automated EEG analysis Epilog, a spin-off from imec and Ghent University, is launching its platform that improves epilepsy diagnosis through an automated service that accurately and efficiently analyzes large amounts of EEG-data. The new platform enables doctors to make well-informed patient treatment decisions. Proven in clinical trials and welcomed by the physician community, interest in Epilog has grown internationally, and to-date, the solution is being tested in seven hospitals within Europe.
Politics and social media: Americans see overload The political debate on Facebook and Twitter is getting too mean for many Americans.
	SLAC, Stanford launch 'Bits & Watts,' the first-of-its-kind holistic approach to creating the 21st century electric grid To stave off the worst effects of global warming, energy experts say society needs to switch to low-carbon, inexpensive energy sources like wind and solar on a massive scale. But it will be a challenge to add large numbers of these variable sources to today's electric grid without throwing it off balance and triggering potential outages.
AT&T says new streaming service will cost $35 a month AT&T says a streaming service with more than 100 popular TV channels that's coming out next month will cost $35 a month.

Medicine & Health news

Arousal exerts an unconscious influence on what we see A new study from UCL researchers finds that subtle, unconscious increases in arousal - indicated by a faster heartbeat and dilated pupils - shape our confidence for visual experiences.
	First time-lapse footage of cell activity during limb regeneration Researchers have for the first time recorded how cells of the epidermis behave during the regrowth of adult limbs after amputation.
	Study suggests approach to waking patients after surgery The use of general anesthesia for surgery has not changed fundamentally since it was first introduced 170 years ago. Patients are still left to come around in their own time following withdrawal of the drug.
	Study finds link between molecular mechanisms in prostate cancer and Ewing's sarcoma Medical researchers at Indiana University Bloomington have found evidence for a link between prostate cancer, which affects millions of men age 50 and older, and Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that affects children and young adults.
	The current state of psychobiotics Now that we know that gut bacteria can speak to the brain—in ways that affect our mood, our appetite, and even our circadian rhythms—the next challenge for scientists is to control this communication. The science of psychobiotics, reviewed October 25 in Trends in Neurosciences, explores emerging strategies for planting brain-altering bacteria in the gut to provide mental benefits and the challenges ahead in understanding how such products could work for humans.
	Researchers use CRISPR to accelerate search for HIV cure Researchers at UC San Francisco and the academically affiliated Gladstone Institutes have used a newly developed gene-editing system to find gene mutations that make human immune cells resistant to HIV infection.
	A new look at vitamin D challenges the current view of its benefits A simple Google search for "what does vitamin D do?" highlights the widely used dietary supplement's role in regulating calcium absorption and promoting bone growth. But now it appears that vitamin D has much wider effects—at least in the nematode worm, C. elegans. Research at the Buck Institute shows that vitamin D works through genes known to influence longevity and impacts processes associated with many human age-related diseases. The study, published in Cell Reports, may explain why vitamin D deficiency has been linked to breast, colon and prostate cancer, as well as obesity, heart disease and depression.
	Drug target for triple-negative breast cancer found in new study A team of researchers led by UC San Francisco scientists has identified a new drug target for triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive disease subtype that has the poorest outcomes and accounts for as many as one in five cases. The findings are particularly noteworthy because drugs that act on the newly discovered target, a protein known as PIM1, are already in clinical trials for leukemia and multiple myeloma.
	Scientists find sight-impaired mice may help vision research Mice may have poor vision when compared to humans, but how their visual system works when they go after prey may provide insights on how human brains make decisions based on visual cues, say University of Oregon researchers.
	Here's when powerful people have trouble making a decision Although powerful people often tend to decide and act quickly, they become more indecisive than others when the decisions are toughest to make, a new study suggests.
Hormone that controls maturation of fat cells discovered Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered a hormone that controls the first step in the maturation of fat cells. Its actions help explain how high-fat diets, stress and certain steroid medications cause obesity.
	After blindness, the adult brain can learn to see again More than 40 million people worldwide are blind, and many of them reach this condition after many years of slow and progressive retinal degeneration. The development of sophisticated prostheses or new light-responsive elements, aiming to replace the disrupted retinal function and to feed restored visual signals to the brain, has provided new hope. However, very little is known about whether the brain of blind people retains residual capacity to process restored or artificial visual inputs.
Cut dietary omega 6 and boost omega 3 to curb soaring obesity rates, urge experts Governments and international bodies should ditch their obsession with calories and energy expenditure to curb soaring obesity rates, and instead focus on restoring the correct balance of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids in the food supply chain and diet, urge experts in an editorial in the online journal Open Heart.
	Long-term exposure to air pollution linked to high blood pressure Long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to a greater incidence of high blood pressure, according to the largest study to investigate the effects of both air pollution and traffic noise by following over 41,000 people in five different countries for five to nine years.
	MRI shows brain disruption in children with PTSD Children with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience disruptions in the structure of the neural networks inside their brains, according to a study appearing online in the journal Radiology. The findings could help in the development of treatments for the disorder, researchers said.
New research characterizes pediatric injuries onboard commercial airline flights In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (UH Rainbow) found that lap infants may be at greater risk for injury on a commercial airline flight than older children traveling in their own seats or using in-flight restraints.
	Asthma research unexpectedly yields new treatment approach for inherited enzyme disease Experiments designed to reveal how a protein protects the lungs from asthma-related damage suggest a new way to treat a rare disease marked by the inability of cells to break down fats, according to a report in EBioMedicine published online Oct. 25.
	The tale of the bats, dark matter and a plastic surgeon What happens when a plastic surgeon meets a bat expert zoologist and a paleobiologist? No, it's not a strange Halloween story about spooky bat dinosaurs but rather, a story about a new discovery about bats which may unlock vital clues about the causes of cleft palate in humans.
GP referral to weight loss program is effective, acceptable and takes 30 seconds Tackling obesity by offering the opportunity to attend a weight loss programme during a routine consultation is effective, welcomed by patients and takes 30 seconds of physicians' time, according to a new randomised trial of over 1800 people published in The Lancet.
	How autism in girls may help reveal the disorder's secrets Think autism and an image of an awkward boy typically emerges, but the way autism strikes girls—or doesn't—may help reveal some of the developmental disorder's frustrating secrets.
	Surgical repair of phrenic nerve injury improves breathing A study led by UCLA researchers found that in people with breathing difficulties caused by phrenic nerve injury surgical reconstruction of the nerve can lead to significant improvement in breathing and an increase in regular physical activities.
Study unites medical staff across borders for global catheter audit Nearly everyone who has either visited someone or been admitted to a hospital has either seen or had a peripheral intravenous catheter, the small plastic devices inserted in the front of your hand or arm to help medical and nursing staff easily administer medicines and fluids into your body. The devices are so common that patients are routinely given one when they're admitted, regardless of whether or not medical staff intend to use them. But despite their usefulness, for many patients they can cause irritation, serious swelling and even life-threatening infections.
	A virus could manipulate neurons to reduce the desire to drink About 17 million adults and more than 850,000 adolescents had some problems with alcohol in the United States in 2012. Long-term alcohol misuse could harm your liver, stomach, cardiovascular system and bones, as well as your brain.
	Smartphone survey to track flu in Western New York When a flu epidemic hits a metropolitan area, it's helpful for public health officials to know how quickly the disease could spread and which residents may be most vulnerable to infection.
	Teenagers influenced by video games with alcohol and smoking content Images and references to alcohol and tobacco in popular video games may be influencing UK teens who play the games and the age restriction system is not working, according to a new study.
Personalised prescription tool could help to combat antibiotic resistance Students from the University of Sheffield are building a device capable of quickly diagnosing bacterial infections, which could help doctors improve the way they prescribe treatment for patients.
Risk of hospital admissions could be reduced with better general practice strategies Hospital admission rates are 55 per cent higher in some areas than in others because of a greater prevalence of conditions such as diabetes, alcoholism, dementia and socioeconomic deprivation. According to research published today, those admission rates could be reduced if GPs were better supported to provide more specialist care for chronic conditions and difficult-to-reach groups.
	The heterogeneous nature of depression Depression is generally considered to be a specific and consistent disorder characterised by a fixed set of symptoms and often treated with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. However, the standard rating scales used by healthcare professionals and researchers to diagnose this disease often differ in the symptoms they list, perhaps explaining why a one-size-fits-all treatment has to date been so ineffective. This is the finding of research conducted by psychologist Eiko Fried from the University of Amsterdam (UvA). His results are published in the latest edition of the Journal of Affective Disorders.
	Innovative drug could revolutionise the treatment of early-stage breast cancer The large-scale international study ABCSG 42/PALLAS is currently investigating whether a drug that is already showing great promise in the treatment of metastasised breast cancer might also increase the success of treatment of the most common type of breast cancer: early-stage hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. The study is being conducted in the USA and in other countries including Austria, Australia, Belgium and Spain, for example. The lead investigator for all countries outside the USA is Michael Gnant, Head of the Breast Health Center at MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital, Deputy Head of the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Vienna and President of the Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG). Over the course of the next two years, up to 500 patients from Austria can be included in the study.
Suicide prevention—reacting to the tell-tale signs Can search engines save lives? Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich researchers are working on an approach which would enable search engines to more effectively identify users who are at risk of suicide and provide them with information on where to find help.
New study compares different approaches for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation A recent study from University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers published in PLOS ONE compares different available treatments for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
	Sleep loss tied to changes of the gut microbiota in humans Results from a new clinical study conducted at Uppsala University suggest that curtailing sleep alters the abundance of bacterial gut species that have previously been linked to compromised human metabolic health. The new article is published in the journal Molecular Metabolism.
	Peptide-based vaccination against VEGF results in efficient antitumor activity A research team including professor Peter Timmerman of the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) has developed a peptide-based vaccine enabling a successful active anti-tumor immunization therapy targeting the growth hormone Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). Suppression of tumor growth has already been established in mice and exploratory studies in patients are now underway at VU Medical Center (Amsterdam). The encouraging preclinical results were published last week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
New research shows dieting success may be hardwired into the brain A new research paper, by Chen et al in Cognitive Neuroscience, studied the connections between the executive control and reward systems in the brain, and discovered the ability to self-regulate a healthy body weight may be dependent on individual brain structure.
	Adolescents do not 'get the gist' when it comes to making risky decisions online Adolescents are more likely than adults to take online risks, regardless of the gamble involved, according to new research by the University of Plymouth.
	People trying quit smoking don't always focus on tobacco cessation Fifty per cent of statements made by smokers during counselling sessions designed to help them stop have nothing to do with quitting, a UBC study has found.
	Can the brain feel it? The world's smallest extracellular needle-electrodes A research team in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering and the Electronics-Inspired Interdisciplinary Research Institute (EIIRIS) at Toyohashi University of Technology developed 5-μm-diameter needle-electrodes on 1 mm × 1 mm block modules. This tiny needle may help solve the mysteries of the brain and facilitate the development of a brain-machine interface. The research results were reported in Scientific Reports on Oct 25, 2016.
Questions about quiet group of brain cells lead to new discovery What started as a project investigating the role of memories in Parkinson's disease patients took Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) researchers Dr. Bin Hu and Taylor Chomiak, PhD, down a ten-year path towards what Hu calls the most significant discovery in his career.
New worm strain to facilitate study of Alzheimer's disease Researchers from Yale-NUS College have partnered with researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and SingHealth Group to develop a novel Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worm strain which expresses an amyloid beta protein fragment involved in the development of human Alzheimer's Disease (AD). This strain will serve as a tool for the testing of interventions against AD and to help researchers understand the disease better.
Remote and poor Australians at greater risk of infectious disease A unique 21-year study of more than 2.4 million cases of infectious disease across Australia reveals a major social divide where being poorer, living remotely or being an Indigenous Australian means having an increased risk of sexually transmissible infections (STIs). These include diseases that can be vaccinated against - or hepatitis B and C.
	Many kids not ready for kindergarten Many children are still learning to control their behavior as they enter kindergarten and may need educational support to develop that critical skill, indicates one of the most conclusive studies to date of early childhood self-regulation.
Can a brain-computer interface convert your thoughts to text? Ever wonder what it would be like if a device could decode your thoughts into actual speech or written words? While this might enhance the capabilities of already existing speech interfaces with devices, it could be a potential game-changer for those with speech pathologies, and even more so for "locked-in" patients who lack any speech or motor function.
	UK and France see highest number of imported malaria cases An international study, led by the University of Southampton, shows the UK and France experience the highest number of malaria cases imported from other countries.
Low-dose estrogen therapy shown to be very effective on vasomotor symptoms For early postmenopausal women concerned about the effectiveness of low-dose estrogen therapy for alleviating menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and irritability, data from the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) was used to compare the efficacy of two forms of hormone therapy (HT) on menopause symptoms compared with placebo over 4 years. Results of the study were published today in the journal of The North American Menopause Society, Menopause.
	Study identifies two new genes responsible for Alzheimer's disease among African-Americans Researchers have identified two new genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) among African Americans.
	Birthing pool not the place to deliver, new guidelines say (HealthDay)—While a birthing pool during the early stages of labor may offer some advantages, women should not deliver their baby in the water, new guidelines advise.
	Improved leg ulcer healing with hair follicle punch graft (HealthDay)—For patients with venous leg ulcers, ulcer healing is significantly increased using hair follicle punch scalp grafts, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Saxagliptin linked to improved albumin/creatinine ratios (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, saxagliptin is associated with improvement in the albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR), according to a study published online Oct. 17 in Diabetes Care.
Dose of dextrose gel lowers risk of low blood sugar in newborns A single dose of dextrose gel, rubbed inside a newborn's mouth an hour after birth, can lower their risk of developing neonatal hypoglycaemia, according to a randomized study published in PLOS Medicine by Jane Alsweiler from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and colleagues. The study, designed to investigate the optimal dose and timing for dextrose, is novel in testing dextrose as a preventive rather than treatment for low blood glucose.
	Advanced analysis of brain structure shape may track progression to Alzheimer's disease Use of a novel approach to analyzing brain structure that focuses on the shape rather than the size of particular features may allow identification of individuals in early presymptomatic stages of Alzheimer's disease. A team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators using advanced computational tools to analyze data from standard MRI scans report that individuals with Alzheimer's disease, including those diagnosed partway through a multi-year study, had greater levels of asymmetry - differences in shape between the left and right sides of the brain - of key brain structures. Their study has been published online in the journal Brain.
	Some breastfeeding advice worth ditching: US task force A review of scientific evidence on breastfeeding out Tuesday found that some long-held advice is worth ditching, including that babies should avoid pacifiers and moms should breastfeed exclusively in the first days after birth.
To help divorced parents, programs should address financial and parenting barriers Prior research has shown that cooperative co-parenting after divorce is often best for children's well-being. To promote this, more than half of America's courts require some type of education for divorcing parents to help them establish workable co-parenting plans. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri shows that concerns about co-parenting differ by gender, impacting the ability of divorced parents to work together in supporting their children's development. By understanding the implications of these concerns, better programs for divorcing parents can be developed that can have a positive impact on the overall health of the children involved.
	Toss eggs onto salads to increase Vitamin E absorption, study says Adding whole eggs to a colorful salad boosts the amount of Vitamin E the body absorbs from the vegetables, according to research from Purdue University.
	Physician fine-tuning mouse model for rare condition in which HPV infection causes hoarseness, breat Infection with the common human papillomavirus can result in a rare condition that can leave children chronically hoarse and with difficulty breathing.
Fat in feces points to early presence of colorectal cancer Scientists at Washington State University and Johns Hopkins Medical School have discovered a fast, noninvasive method that could lead to the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
Terminally ill cancer patients fare poorly after surgery Patients with disseminated advanced cancer who undergo surgery are far more likely to endure long hospital stays and readmissions, referrals to extended care facilities and death, UC Davis researchers have found.
	Why some dental implants work and others don't Each year, about 500,000 North Americans get dental implants. If you are one of them, and are preparing to have an implant, it might be a good idea to start taking beta blockers, medication that controls high blood pressure, for a while. And to stop taking heartburn pills.
	Building a vaccine against Chagas disease: Scientists identify potential new approach Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development researchers have identified a potential new target for vaccines that activates a part of the immune system not previously known to be protective against Chagas disease, tuberculosis and AIDS, as well as other diseases.
Air pollution linked to blood vessel damage in healthy young adults Fine particulate matter air pollution may be associated with blood vessel damage and inflammation among young, healthy adults, according to new research in Circulation Research, an American Heart Association journal.
	3 in 4 teens think e-cigarettes safer than tobacco: survey (HealthDay)—Close to three-quarters of American teenagers believe e-cigarettes are less harmful or addictive than real cigarettes, a new study finds.
	Mouse study hints at damage Zika may cause to adult brain (HealthDay)—Certain brain cells in adults may be vulnerable to damage from Zika infection, research with mice suggests.
	Narrow-spectrum Abx feasible in healthcare-associated pneumonia (HealthDay)—It may be safe to switch from broad- to narrow-spectrum antibiotic coverage once hospitalized patients with healthcare-associated pneumonia reach clinical stability, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
	Rx subsidy ups persistence to breast cancer hormone therapy (HealthDay)—For white, black, and Hispanic women, receipt of a prescription subsidy is associated with improved persistence to breast cancer hormone therapy, according to a study published online Oct. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Recommendations for secondary prevention of cervical cancer (HealthDay)—In a Clinical Practice Guideline published online Oct. 12 in the Journal of Global Oncology, recommendations are presented for the secondary prevention of cervical cancer.
	Factors ID'd for recurrence after radical cystectomy (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing robot-assisted radical cystectomy, predictors of recurrence include mainly tumor characteristics, according to a study published in the October issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Liraglutide increases heart rate in T2DM with stable CAD (HealthDay)—Liraglutide increases heart rate (HR) and reduces heart rate variability (HRV) in overweight patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D) and stable coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a study published online Oct. 19 in Diabetes Care.
	Advantages of FIT as CRC screening method discussed (HealthDay)—Fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) has advantages as a colorectal cancer (CRC) screening method, and should be a component of a screening program, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online Oct. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	More than half of melanomas are self-detected (HealthDay)—More than half of melanomas are self-detected, and more melanomas are self-detected by women than men, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Review: No clear link for calcium supplements, CVD (HealthDay)—Calcium supplements, taken within recommended levels, can be considered safe for the heart, according to new guidelines and an evidence review published online Oct. 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Popular ultrasound treatment does not improve fracture healing Low intensity ultrasound after surgical repair of a bone fracture is a popular treatment to improve recovery, but it doesn't work, says a large international study led by researchers at McMaster University.
Novartis profit slips as key drug goes generic Swiss drug company Novartis saw net profit slip in the third quarter as the loss of a key drug to generic use in the United States outweighed strong sales of its psoriasis drug Cosentyx and MS treatment Gilenya.
Providing interventions during pregnancy and after birth to support breastfeeding recommended The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends providing interventions during pregnancy and after birth to support breastfeeding. The report appears in the October 25 issue of JAMA.
'Diabetes cure' herbal medicine kills four in India A self-styled doctor and three of his patients died in a south Indian village after drinking a poisonous herbal medicine which he claimed cured diabetes and hypertension, officials said Tuesday.
	Opinion: Junk food ads aimed at children should be banned "The World Medical Association have called for junk food advertising to be banned during all TV programmes that are appealing to children. I strongly support this, and believe that the evidence base warrants further regulatory action in this area.
FDA approves Merck's Zinplava to reduce recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection International pharmaceutical company Merck has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zinplava (its brand name for bezlotoxumab) to reduce recurrence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients 18 years of age or older who are receiving antibacterial drug treatment of CDI and are at high risk for CDI recurrence. The drug, a monoclonal antibody, was developed by researchers at UMass Medical School's MassBiologics in conjunction with Medarex (now part of Bristol-Myers Squibb), and licensed to Merck in 2009 for development as a potential therapeutic for C. difficile infection.
Newborn screening for tyrosinaemia type 1: Benefit unclear Tyrosinaemia type 1 is a rare, hereditary metabolic disease that, if left untreated, can already lead to serious liver and kidney damage in infancy. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) investigated the benefit and harm of tandem mass spectrometry screening for tyrosinaemia type 1 in newborns.
Molecular origins of allergy to house dust mites discovered Scientists at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin found which molecules of the house dust mites are initially targeted by the immune system of children developing, even years later, allergic rhinitis and asthma. The discovery, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, will open up new avenues not only to novel and more precise therapies, but also to a successful prediction and prevention of chronic rhinitis and asthma caused or aggravated by allergy to house dust mites.
Study gives tips for avoiding mistakes in pediatric chest radiography While radiography remains the gold standard in pediatric imaging, it is rife with opportunities for error because cooperation and positioning are often challenging for such patients. In response, a group of pediatric radiologists practicing in Seattle, WA, published a paper that outlines pitfalls in pediatric chest radiography while offering tips and tricks for avoiding potential errors.
	App prompts sexual health testing for young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a project to investigate a personalized web app that is designed to encourage young men at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), to get routine testing. The funding for "Get Connected" is supported by the new NIH Adolescent Trials Network. As part of the UNC/Emory Center for Innovative Technology (iTech), the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) and the University of Michigan School of Nursing are leading the large scale implementation of the project to encourage young men who have sex with men to get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.
	Consensus by international federation on drug use at high altitude Drug taking at high altitude is variably intended to enhance performance, prevent or alleviate the debilitating effects of altitude, or for pleasurable use. In some cases, certain drugs can be advantageous and even life-saving, but many drugs lack evidence of benefit and carry risks of side effects or interactions. The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) has published evidence-based guidelines advising on the safe use of alcohol, steroids, oxygen, erythropoietin, and many other types of drugs in mountain environments in an article in High Altitude Medicine & Biology.
UN expert: Junk food is a human rights concern A U.N. expert says junk food is a human rights concern.
Large-scale program effectively promotes and supports healthy breastfeeding in Asia A multipronged approach to supporting healthy breastfeeding among new mothers was effective when implemented at the population level, according to research published in PLOS Medicine. In cluster-randomized evaluations of two programs in Viet Nam and Bangladesh, Purnima Menon of the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, DC, and colleagues compared the effect of a program combining intensive interpersonal counseling (IPC), mass media (MM), and community mobilization (CM) to encourage breastfeeding (intensive group) to that of standard nutrition counseling and less intensive MM and CM (non-intensive group). In Bangladesh IPC was delivered through a large non-governmental health program, while in Viet Nam it was integrated into government health facilities.
Combining dental, medical procedures may safely limit children's anesthesia exposure Children who require both dental and non-dental medical procedures should have them completed under one general anesthesia session whenever possible, which is ideal for both the patient and family, suggests research being presented at the Anesthesiology 2016 annual meeting.
	Study tests whether exercise, lowering cholesterol helps prevent Alzheimer's Carol White can't help but worry when she misplaces keys or can't recall a name ever since relatives have been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.
Experimental drug shows promise in treating Alzheimer's disease An experimental drug shows promise in treating Alzheimer's disease by preventing inflammation and removing abnormal protein clumps in the brain that are associated with the disease, suggests a study in mice presented at the Anesthesiology 2016 annual meeting.

Biology news

	Deep down fracking wells, microbial communities thrive Microbes have a remarkable ability to adapt to the extreme conditions in fracking wells, according to a study published in the October issue of Nature Microbiology.
	Take advantage of evolution in malaria fight, scientists say One of the frustrations of fighting malaria is that mosquitoes evolve resistance to the insecticides used to kill them.
	New method of estimating biodiversity based on tree cover Historically, conservationists have protected species by placing large swaths of land into preserves and parks. However, only 13 percent of the world's land area is located in protected natural land. Most of the planet's species live in ecological gray areas, located within a gradient where one end is pristine wilderness, the other a parking lot.
	Study reveals human ability to make ourselves sound bigger Research from the University of Sussex suggests that humans are unique among primates in being able to intentionally alter the frequencies of our voices to sound larger or smaller than we really are, a capacity that is likely to have evolved over many thousands of years.
	Microbe hunters discover iron-munching microbe A microbe that 'eats' both methane and iron: microbiologists have long suspected its existence, but were not able to find it - until now. Researchers at Radboud University and the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen discovered a microorganism that couples the reduction of iron to methane oxidation, and could thus be relevant in controlling greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Their results are published in the scientific journal PNAS on October 24, 2016.
	Flawed analysis casts doubt on years of evolutionary research Years of research on the evolution of ancient life including the dinosaurs have been questioned after a fatal flaw in the way fossil data is analysed was exposed.
	Structure of key DNA replication protein solved A research team led by scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) has solved the three-dimensional structure of a key protein that helps damaged cellular DNA repair itself. Investigators say that knowing the chemical structure of the protein will likely help drug designers build novel anti-cancer agents.
	Genome editing: Efficient CRISPR experiments in mouse cells In order to use the CRISPR-Cas9 system to cut genes, researchers must design an RNA sequence that matches the DNA of the target gene. Most genes have hundreds of such sequences, with varying activity and uniqueness in the genome. The search for the best sequences is therefore hardly achievable by hand. The new "CrispRGold" program helps scientists to identify the most effective and specific RNA sequences. It has been devised by a group of researchers headed by Prof. Klaus Rajewsky of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), and is now described in the journal PNAS. The team has also developed a new mouse model that already carries the Cas9 protein. Combining this mouse model with the reliable RNA sequences allowed an efficient inactivation of genes in primary cells. This has enabled the researchers to discover new genes involved in the regulation of immune cells.
	Researchers identify genes for 'Help me!' aromas from corn When corn seedlings are nibbled by caterpillars, they defend themselves by releasing scent compounds that attract parasitic wasps whose larvae consume the caterpillar—but not all corn varieties are equally effective at giving the chemical signal for help.
	Caught 'napping': First direct evidence of migratory hoary bats hibernating Perched among the branches and needles of California's redwood forests are nestled wayfaring hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus). A migratory species capable of traveling hundreds of miles, hoary bats may wander throughout western North America before settling into California's north coast...to sleep.
	Long, curved, akimbo: Hope uncovered for bird beak deformity Biologist Colleen Handel saw her first black-capped chickadee with the heartrending disorder in 1998.
	How does the loss of a wildebeest migration also harm giraffes? Animal migrations are among the world's most awe-inspiring natural phenomena. This complex behaviour includes repeated, long-distance, seasonal movements between breeding and non-breeding sites. Unfortunately, animal migrations are an increasingly endangered phenomenon as migratory animals face the ubiquitous threats of habitat destruction and overexploitation, and the particular problem of human-created barriers. One of the best-known animal migrations is the great migration of wildebeests between Tanzania's Serengeti plains and Kenya's Masai Mara. Of the dozens of wildebeest migrations that existed in Africa in the 1900s less than a handful remain, and all but the Serengeti-Mara are endangered.
	Whaling nations vote down bid for South Atlantic sanctuary Whaling nations defeated a renewed bid Tuesday by southern hemisphere states to create an Atlantic sanctuary for the marine mammals hunted to near extinction in the 20th century.
	Microscopic technique to observe antibiotics live in action A new microscopic technique is enabling scientists to observe the antibiotic daptomycine live in action. This marks an exciting first, because even though doctors have been prescribing this antibiotic for over a decade, its precise mechanisms have remained unclear. Researchers at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Bonn University and Ruhr University Bochum have now described this mechanism in the forthcoming issue of PNAS.
Study reveals which genes are critical to a plant's response to drought Because plants cannot relocate when resources become scarce, they need to efficiently regulate their growth by responding to environmental cues. Drought is the most important cause of reduced plant growth and crop yield, which makes insights into a plant's drought response highly valuable to agriculture. A team of VIB and Ghent University researchers set out to shed more light on this vital topic through a research initiative led by Professor Dirk Inzé. The study provided major insights into how plants cope with water-limiting conditions, which can direct advanced breeding and genome engineering efforts to create high-performing, drought-tolerant crop plants. The findings are published in the leading academic journal The Plant Cell.
	The gene of autumn colours Researchers have found Mendel's Stay-Green gene encodes an enzyme that extracts magnesium from chlorophyll, adding clarity to understanding how the pigment degrades.
	Quantum leap in the reliability of mass spectrometry-based proteomics Modern mass spectrometry systems enable scientists to routinely determine the quantitative composition of cells or tissue samples. However, different analysis software packages often produce different results from the same raw data. An international team of researchers led by Professor Stefan Tenzer from the Mainz University Medical Center has now addressed this problem. In the framework of an international collaboration with leading laboratories worldwide, the team has compared and modified various analysis software packages to ensure that the different software solutions produce consistent results. A wide range of laboratories around the world are benefiting from this work, which enables researchers to analyze or compare the results of quantitative proteomics assays in a standardized way. This is crucial to detect certain organic diseases, such as cancer, at an early stage. The results of Tenzer and his team have now been published in the highly respected academic journal, Nature Biotechnology.
Researcher worries global warming may harm predator and prey connections A UBC study highlights the potential harm that climate change may have on a number of predator and prey relationships.
	Carpenter ants: When social instructions may be dangerous Why do social beings sometimes put their own common sense aside to follow the lead of others, even though by doing so they could be brought to death's door? Research on carpenter ants (Camponotus mus) led by Roxana Josens of the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina is the first to show that so-called social information delivered by other ants often overrides an individual's assessment that a certain food source is toxic. The findings are published in Springer's journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
	STAT2: Much more than an antiviral protein A protein known for guarding against viral infections leads a double life, new research shows, and can interfere with cell growth and the defense against parasites. In a new paper publishing 25 October in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, Johnathan Ho and Uwe Vinkemeier at the University of Nottingham, UK, and colleagues describe the duplicitous nature of this essential protein, called STAT2, which they discovered while investigating the mechanisms behind interferon signaling.
	Ant genomics help reshape biological history of the Americas Scientists have long believed that the Isthmus of Panama emerged from the ocean three million years ago, triggering a massive interchange of species between the Americas in its wake. However, recent conflict in both geological and biological literature suggests that this simple story is insufficient to explain the available evidence. In a new study, published in the journal of Molecular Ecology, Field Museum scientists explored questions fundamental to this interchange using novel genomic methods in army ants, finding that land bridges likely connected the Americas millions of years earlier than previously thought.
	Seal 'attacks surfers' in rare Australia encounter An aggressive seal has bitten a surfer and knocked another man off his board at a popular Sydney beach in a "freak occurrence", a report said Tuesday.
Court: US agency acted reasonably to protect seals An appeals court panel on Monday ruled that a federal agency acted reasonably in proposing to list a certain population of bearded seals threatened by sea ice loss.
	Changes in the macrobenthos community of the southern Bohai Sea over the past 60 years The evolution and degeneration of ecosystems in estuaries and coastal zones are becoming a general trend worldwide. The Bohai Sea, an important, semi-enclosed sea in China, has been degenerating as a result of climate change and anthropogenic disturbances.
	Border fences need not harm large fauna Although the increasing number of fences and walls along national boundaries is intended to prevent human migration, these can also have disastrous consequences for the natural spread of large animals. These constructions could rapidly destroy decades of international collaboration to facilitate the spread of European brown bears, lynxes and wolves, for example. This is the argument that lawyer Arie Trouwborst presents in the article entitled 'RECIEL: Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law'. The author and his research group are working at Tilburg University with the support of a Vidi grant from the NWO Talent Scheme.
	Our collective guilt is leading to a rise in werewolf sightings, says expert The collective cultural memory of wiping out the UK's native wolf population could be behind a spate of recent werewolf sightings in Hull according to an academic expert at the University of Hertfordshire.
	Lifting the veil on evolution from terrestrial to water walking insect Anyone who has seen a lake or a small pond will have witnessed the evolutionary marvel of those curious insects that run over water with no trouble whatsoever, as if it were solid ground. An EU project is allowing ENS de Lyon to investigate the genetics behind this capacity.
Research provides new insights on the impact of wild birds' social networks New research looks into how social networks among wild great tits, as they forage in flocks during the winter, carry over into shaping the set locations at which the birds breed and raise their young during the spring.
Scientists root for more cassava research to help meet greater demand for food Global food demand is expected to grow by 110 per cent over the next 30 to 35 years, and for many of the poorest people on the planet, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, cassava is the most important source of calories. Cassava is also important as a crop that is resistant to climate change, but it has not received the same amount of attention as other staple food crops.
	Save the vaquita: Plea at world whale assembly The vaquita, a diminutive Mexican porpoise feared near-extinct, made a big splash at a world whaling meeting Tuesday with pleas to arrest illegal fishing to prevent its extermination.

---

This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
https://sciencex.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com