Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Nov 29

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 29, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Managing complexity: Novel protein folding tool vastly simplifies understanding how sequence encodes structure

Astronomers discover a dense 'hot Jupiter' exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star

Programmable disorder: Random algorithms at the molecular scale

Geologist uncovers 2.5 billion-year-old fossils of bacteria that predate the formation of oxygen

Deep-learning algorithm creates videos of the future

Mystery of ultra-diffuse faint galaxies solved

Harvest of nuisance black bears in New Jersey reducing human-bear conflicts

Record coral kill-off on Great Barrier Reef

'Programmable materials' showing future potential for industry

Ants communicate by mouth-to-mouth fluid exchange

Researchers make one-way street for light

Scientists unveil hidden step in enzyme mechanism

Groundwater helium level could signal potential risk of earthquake

This is your brain on God: Spiritual experiences activate brain reward circuits

Psychopaths can regret bad decisions—but don't learn from them

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers discover a dense 'hot Jupiter' exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star (Phys.org)—Astronomers have detected a so-called "hot Jupiter" exoplanet transiting a distant sun-like star located some 1,800 light years from the Earth. The newly discovered planet, designated EPIC 220504338b, was found using NASA's prolonged Kepler mission known as K2. The findings are presented in a paper published Nov. 23 on arXiv.org.
	Mystery of ultra-diffuse faint galaxies solved Over the last year, researchers have observed some very faint, diffuse galaxies. The galaxies are as faint as dwarf galaxies, but are distributed over an area just as large as the Milky Way.
	Lab experiments suggests water was in moon mix during its formation (Phys.org)—A team of researchers at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands has found evidence of water on the moon during the time it was formed. In their paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the team describes how experiments they conducted in their lab showed that there was a strong likelihood that water was present on the moon shortly after it coalesced from material blasted off the surface of the Earth by a collision with another object such as a planet.
	First views of Mars show potential for ESA's new orbiter ESA's new ExoMars orbiter has tested its suite of instruments in orbit for the first time, hinting at a great potential for future observations.
	Sentinel-1 satellites confirm San Francisco's Millenium Tower is sinking The Millennium Tower is a luxury skyscraper in San Francisco. It has been sinking and tilting since it's construction 8 years ago. In fact, the 58 story building has sunk 8 inches, and tilted at least 2 inches. San Francisco is experiencing a building boom, and planners and politicians want to know why the Millennium Tower is having these problems.
	IAU formally approves 227 star names The creation of a specialised IAU Working Group, the Working Group on Star Names (WGSN), was approved by the IAU Executive Committee in May 2016 to formalise star names that have been used colloquially for centuries. WGSN has now established a new catalogue of IAU star names, with the first set of 227 approved names published on the IAU website.

Technology news

	Deep-learning algorithm creates videos of the future Living in a dynamic physical world, it's easy to forget how effortlessly we understand our surroundings. With minimal thought, we can figure out how scenes change and objects interact.
	After split from US, internet gatekeeper is 'grassroots' The internet address system gatekeeper, independent after a split from the US government, is now in a phase where "the grassroots are in charge," its top executive said Tuesday.
	Speech synthesizer designed to work out mouth movements into words (Tech Xplore)—French scientists have worked on a speech synthesizer designed for people who have vocal cord paralysis. They have put nine sensors to work capturing lip movements, tongue, jaw, soft palate.
Mobile use drives US holiday shopping gains (Update) Americans are turning to their mobile devices for deals to kick off the holiday shopping season, with retail trends increasingly upended by ever-present smartphones.
	Nissan banks on after-sales 'hyper-personalization' revenue Nissan is going to offer internet access, safety technology and myriad accessory options the Japanese automaker calls "hyper-personalization," not only in new models but also for vehicles people already own.
	First Data: Thanksgiving, Black Friday sales up 9 percent Shoppers put in a strong showing on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.
	Samsung to boost dividends, review corporate structure Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it will increase shareholder returns and review its corporate structure as investors step up pressure to reform the South Korean tech giant's governance structure following the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco.
Intel to provide computing power for Delphi autonomous cars Auto parts and electronics maker Delphi Corp. has signed a deal with Intel to buy high-powered computer processors for Delphi's future autonomous-vehicle systems.
	Ukraine moves giant new safety dome over Chernobyl Ukraine on Tuesday unveiled the world's largest moveable metal structure over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant's doomed fourth reactor to ensure the safety of Europeans for future generations.
	Carmakers to build Europe network of e-charging stations German carmakers BMW, Daimler, Porsche and Audi and US competitor Ford said on Tuesday they would cooperate on a Europe-wide network of electric charging stations.
Online shopping offers environmental benefit Shoppers sitting down at their computer to take advantage of online sales are helping the environment, said a Purdue University professor.
	NREL adds solar array field to help inform consumers Solar panels at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are ubiquitous to the point of practically being invisible, but new rows of photovoltaic (PV) modules installed on the southern edge of campus are intended to attract attention.
	Reconciling solar energy and heritage preservation EPFL researchers have developed a method to assess the aesthetic impact of solar panels on buildings and to set objective criteria for where they should be placed. Some municipal governments could apply this method as early as next year. The researchers have just received the Innovator of the Year award in Sweden.
	Tests on oil recycled from tyres finds a cleaner diesel blend Old tyres can be completely recycled into lower emission diesel engine oil, instead of being dumped in dangerous, highly flammable stockpiles that become breeding grounds for malaria and dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
	New prototype plywood panels may be world's largest A new massive plywood building panel developed by an Oregon company and tested at Oregon State University may be the largest such product ever manufactured.
	UK bill requiring firms to store Web histories becomes law A contentious internet surveillance bill that creates databases of Britons' online activity has become law—though the government says some of its provisions still need "extensive testing" before taking effect.
	VR offers television producers 'Hollywood in a box' On a soundstage no bigger than a large bedroom a cameraman takes up various angles to film a helicopter that isn't there, landing in a field that isn't there either.
	Ready for takeoff: Blues skies thinking to improve aircraft safety Nervous flyers and crew alike would prefer jet airliners not to vibrate so much at take off. Research published in the International Journal of Aerodynamics points to blue skies thinking that might explain the phenomenon and find ways to reduce the safety and image problems associated with this troubling aircraft noise.
	Facebook brings mobile games to Messenger Facebook on Tuesday unveiled "Instant Games" allowing users of the world's biggest social network to play from its Messenger application or directly on their news feeds.
	'Dronejacking' may be the next big cyber threat A big rise in drone use is likely to lead to a new wave of "dronejackings" by cybercriminals, security experts warned Tuesday.
Electric car factory planned in Arizona to have 2000 workers Electric car maker Lucid Motors said Tuesday it will build a manufacturing plant in Arizona that will begin production in 2018 as it looks to compete in the fast-growing market for luxury electric vehicles.
	Top German spy warns of political cyberattacks, Russia links Germany's foreign intelligence chief is warning of cyberattacks aimed at political destabilization as the country prepares for an election next year, and says evidence suggests Russian involvement in hacking during the U.S. campaign.
	Telescopic walls could rise on demand to stop flood waters Jorge Cueto was running a successful consulting and construction company in Bogota, Colombia, and teaching civil engineering in a university five years ago, but he felt the need to do more. He wanted something new.
	Growing fears of IS use of weaponised drones The Mosul battle in Iraq has seen the Islamic State group increasingly resort to weaponised drones, which Western governments fear could lead to a new type of attack at home.

Medicine & Health news

	This is your brain on God: Spiritual experiences activate brain reward circuits Religious and spiritual experiences activate the brain reward circuits in much the same way as love, sex, gambling, drugs and music, report researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine. The findings will be published Nov. 29 in the journal Social Neuroscience.
	Psychopaths can regret bad decisions—but don't learn from them Psychopaths do experience regret, particularly when their bad decisions affect them directly—yet they don't use that experience to inform their future choices, according to a new study published the week of Nov. 28 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Study shows how epilepsy drugs block electrical signals in the brain As many as one out of four adults who suffer from epilepsy do not respond to any available drugs.
	Patching a gap in wound care Chitosan, a biomaterial derived from the chitin shells of crustaceans and insects, has already been developed by scientists at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering into an environmentally-friendly and fully biodegradable substitute for plastic. It is only natural that the team, led by Wyss Institute Founding Director Donald Ingber, has also become interested in extending chitosan's usefulness into the clinical realm.
	A surprizing finding shines new light on the largest group of human proteins Toronto scientists have discovered that the largest group of human proteins, which work as genome gatekeepers to control gene activity, are even more diverse in their roles than previously thought. The finding expands our understanding of how proteins "read" the DNA and could lead to a more accurate interpretation of individual genomes.
	Don't sleep on it: going to bed mad makes it worse A good night's sleep may reinforce negative memories in the brain, researchers said on Tuesday, lending scientific credence to the time-worn caution against going to bed angry.
	Crunching the numbers: Researchers use math in search for diabetes cure Researchers at Florida State University's nationally renowned biomathematics program are using a mix of math and technology in an ambitious search for a cure to Type 2 diabetes.
Genetic differences in amino acid metabolism are linked to a higher risk of diabetes A study published today in the journal PLOS Medicine has identified the five genetic variants associated with higher levels of the branched-chain amino acids isoleucine, leucine and valine. The researchers also found that these genetic variants were associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
	Sometimes just watching hurts—and the signs of pain are seen in the brain Some people claim to experience pain just watching something painful to happen. This is true especially of people suffering from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a disabling chronic pain disorder in a limb. In CPRS patients, both own movements and just observing other persons' movements may aggravate the pain.
	New research suggests that men and women perceive consonants differently The science behind what makes a human voice sound pleasant, or "vocal attractiveness," is something that people are exposed to everyday while interacting with a digital assistant like Apple's Siri. Once the province of psychologists and linguists, vocal attractiveness is now of increasing interest to acousticians as well as artificial intelligence (AI) researchers.
Emma Morano, last person alive born in 1800s, turns 117 An alert and chatty Italian woman, Emma Morano, on Tuesday celebrates her 117th birthday as the last known person alive who was born in the 19th century.
	Poor diet sees scurvy reappear in Australia Scurvy, a disease historically associated with old-world sailors on long voyages, is making a surprise comeback in Australia, with health officials Tuesday revealing a rare spate of cases.
Death toll from Australia's thunderstorm asthma reaches 8 More than a week after a rare condition known as thunderstorm asthma struck Australia's second-largest city the death toll has risen to eight with one other person on life support, officials said on Tuesday.
One in seven with HIV in Europe unaware of infection: study One in seven people with HIV in Europe is unaware of their infection, the EU and World Health Organization reported Tuesday as 2015 marked another record year for new HIV cases in the region.
	Role for autophagic cellular degradation process in maintaining genomic stability Centrosomes play an essential role in cell division by organizing the protein framework on which chromosomes assemble and then separate prior to division into daughter cells. Centrosomes are made up of a pair of centrioles, which are themselves composed of different proteins such as centrosomal protein 63 (Cep63) and polo-like kinase 4. These proteins are thought to regulate the number of centrioles, and thus centrosomes as well, using the ubiquitin-proteasome breakdown pathway that first adds a molecular tag to the protein to be degraded. However, researchers centered at Tokyo Medical and Dental University observed that mouse cells lacking a protein involved in autophagy (a lysosome-based degradation process involving hydrolytic enzymes) contained multiple centrosomes. Their work showed that autophagy is another method of regulating centrosome number.
Scientists find gene variants causing NK cell deficiency, solving 12 year-long mystery for a family An international team of scientists has solved a medical mystery that has affected a family for more than 40 years. The condition made most of the children in the family susceptible to severe viral infections, Epstein-Barr virus in particular. Two of the four siblings died due to the infections, one was unaffected by the condition and one has survived repeated infections. Discovering the cause of the condition has brought closure to the family, personal satisfaction to the researchers and a better understanding of the clinical manifestations of deficiencies in natural killer (NK) cells, the first responders to viral infections. The results appear in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
	New regulator of immune reaction discovered Cells of the immune system can distinguish between protein molecules that are "self" and "non-self". For example, if we are exposed to pathogens such as bacteria or viruses that carry foreign molecules on their surface, the body reacts with an immune response. In contrast, cells are "tolerant" of the body's own molecules. This state of unresponsiveness, or anergy, is regulated by a cellular signal, a calcium-controlled switch that was known to control also many brain functions. Neuroscientists from Heidelberg University and immunologists of Heidelberg University Hospital identified this signal. The research results were published in the Journal of Cell Biology.
	Defining the emotion inspired by 'cuteness' A cuddly animal, an adorable baby or an endearing gesture from a partner – whatever the cute level, it is usually met with a reaction of "aww."
	Research looks at prevalence of ageist attitudes toward older adults Strap on flat-footed "shoes" first, followed by ankle weights and knee braces. Then, add elbow braces and a vest weighted with 20 pounds. Put on gloves and attach a TENS unit—which stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and issues mild, safe electrical signals—making your hands feel prickly like they are going numb. Moving on up the body, fasten on a neck brace, put in ear plugs covered by headphones and, finally, put on goggles.
Depression in soldiers linked to brain disruption from injury Using multiple brain imaging techniques, researchers have found that a disruption of the circuitry in the brain's cognitive-emotional pathways may provide a physical foundation for depression symptoms in some service members who have suffered mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in combat. The researchers will present their findings today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
	Alcohol consumption shows no effect on coronary arteries Researchers using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) have found no association between light to moderate alcohol consumption and coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
New report warns of chest injuries in children after ATV accidents Children in all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents are likely to suffer chest injuries, many of them serious, according to a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Children with medical and psychiatric disorders have driven increase in hospital usage and costs The number of children with psychiatric illnesses admitted to pediatric hospitals in the United States has increased sharply in the past decade, according to a study led by Dr. Bonnie Zima, professor of psychiatry at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
	Flakka is a dangerous drug, but it doesn't turn you into a zombie Stories of horrific crimes resulting from drug use have been propagated by the media for over a century. Such stories began with cocaine in 1914 and were followed by "reefer madness" stories in the 1930s and reports of "LSD murders" in the 1960s. Our latest drug said to be associated with murderous stories is a "bath salt" called Flakka, which some media have even called a "zombie drug."
Online group therapy may be effective treatment for bulimia nervosa Eight years ago, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill launched a new kind of clinical trial to compare the effectiveness of online therapy – delivered through group chat sessions – to face-to-face group therapy for the treatment of bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder marked by recurrent episodes of binge eating (or eating an unusually large amount of food and feeling out of control) coupled with purging behaviors such as vomiting, laxative abuse, or excessive exercise.
	Domestic violence also has an economic penalty – we need to tackle it While Australia has a national conversation on domestic violence, some of the harms of this violence remain in the shadows. The ways violence degrades women's financial status and access to economic resources are particularly poorly recognised.
'Major veterans health disparity' poses challenges, opportunities When they enter the military, they're among the healthiest people in the country. But as they begin active duty—and even more so when they conclude their service and enter veteran status—they often join the ranks of the nation's unhealthiest populations.
Psychosis in Parkinson's—now we can treat it without making other symptoms worse One night without warning, Jay Sagen leapt from his bed and grabbed the quilt, then ran downstairs and threw it out onto the street. He was certain there was a large black snake in it. His startled wife Diane hurried after him and tried to explain that nothing was there. "But he wasn't listening to me trying to talk sense into him."
Should I go to the ER or wait for my doctor? A sudden illness or injury sometimes requires immediate care, and if it's a weekend, evening or your regular doctor isn't available, you might decide to go to the emergency department for treatment. In fact, a study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics found that about 48 percent of patients who went to the emergency department but were not admitted to the hospital chose the ER because the doctor's office was closed.
	Social ties critical for disaster survivors, study says Connections to other people are at the heart of the resilience and recovery of survivors of Victoria's Black Saturday bushfires—but a landmark study warns that it can take five years or longer for the trauma to become manageable for many of those involved.
	World first MRI study sheds light on heart damage during kidney dialysis Experts in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and kidney disease have carried out the first ever scans to study the heart function of kidney patients while they are having dialysis treatment.
	Huntington's disease affects muscle as well as neurons, study reveals Researchers have discovered that mice with Huntington's disease (HD) suffer defects in muscle maturation that may explain some symptoms of the disorder. The study, "Progressive Cl− channel defects reveal disrupted skeletal muscle maturation in R6/2 Huntington's mice," which will be published online November 29 in The Journal of General Physiology, suggests that HD is a disease of muscle tissue as well as a neurodegenerative disorder and that therapies targeting skeletal muscle may improve patients' motor function.
Study examines use of deep machine learning for detection of diabetic retinopathy In an evaluation of retinal photographs from adults with diabetes, an algorithm based on deep machine learning had high sensitivity and specificity for detecting referable diabetic retinopathy, according to a study published online by JAMA.
	Dengue vaccine estimated to reduce disease burden in dengue-affected areas The first available dengue vaccine, CYD-TDV (Dengvaxia), is estimated to reduce the burden of dengue and be potentially cost effective in settings where infections with dengue are common, according to a study published by Stefan Flasche from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK and an international consortium of dengue experts, in PLOS Medicine.
Education on personalized diabetes risk doesn't motivate behavior change People who receive personalized genetic and phenotypic information on their risk of developing diabetes don't significantly increase their physical activity compared to those who get broader, generic information on diabetes, according to a randomized controlled trial of more than 500 healthy adults published in PLOS Medicine by Job Godino from the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, UK, and colleagues.
	More than eight-fold higher risk of major heart attack for under 50s who smoke Smokers under the age of 50 are more than eight times as likely as non-smokers to have a major heart attack, making them the most vulnerable of any age group of smokers, reveals research published online in the journal Heart.
	Global survey reveals how football's regulatory structures fail to protect players The first-ever worldwide survey of male professional footballers has revealed that the vast majority have short careers with very little job security, and that they face an uncertain future once their career comes to an end.
	New insight into why leukaemia drug is successful Researchers at the University of Southampton have shed new light on why and how a new class of drug is effective at fighting off leukaemia.
	Disrupting the brain's internal clock causes depressive-like behavior in mice Disruptions of daily rhythms of the body's master internal clock cause depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in mice, reports a new study in Biological Psychiatry. The findings provide insight into the role of the brain's internal time keeping system in the development of mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, which have been associated with disturbed daily (circadian) rhythms.
	Why running could keep you awake at night You've probably heard people say they enjoy running because it lets them switch off. Perhaps you feel that way yourself. Well recent research in mice suggests there may actually be a scientific basis for this, because brain activity really does decrease when you're performing a simple, repetitive action. What's more, while running may tire your body out, such exercise might actually reduce your brain's need for sleep.
	Researchers use stories, video games to combat obesity We've heard about the power of stories to, among other things, engage, delight, teach, challenge, and help us understand ourselves. Now new research from Northeastern assistant professor Amy Shirong Lu shows the power of stories to help children fight obesity.
Almost half of HIV infections worldwide undetected: WHO The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday that nearly half of all people with HIV around the globe do not know they are infected, and called for broader access to at-home testing kits.
	Daily reminders to increase calcium intake are effective UBC researchers have demonstrated that simple, cost-effective email messages can help improve the health habits of Canadians.
	Brain pattern flexibility and behavior Your brain is never really at rest. Neither is it in chaos. Even when not engaged in some task, the brain naturally cycles through identifiable patterns of neural connections—sort of like always practicing your favorite songs when learning to play the guitar.
	Tens of thousands of new tricks for existing drugs One drug, one disease. This is how we traditionally think about pharmaceutical drugs, but many of them are actually effective for more than one disease.
Enzyme research provides a new picture of depression Depression is the predominant mental disease and constitutes the most common cause of morbidity in developed countries. Now researchers at Karolinska Institutet have managed to find a connection between development of depression and the existence of an enzyme in the brain of the fetus.
	Link found between epilepsy drugs and birth defects A joint study conducted by researchers from the universities of Liverpool and Manchester has found a link between birth defects and certain types of epilepsy medication.
	Amphetamine may slow rise of body temperature and mask fatigue to enhance endurance, study finds Amphetamine may slow down the rise of temperature in the body and mask fatigue, which could allow athletes to run significantly longer but result in potentially dangerous overheating of muscles, according to a study.
Policy changes needed for promoting physical activity in group home settings Increased physical activity for group home residents and the potentially huge health care savings that could come with it hinge on people who run the homes making health-promoting behaviors a priority.
Marijuana use gender gap widens, mainly among low-income Americans A new study of changes in marijuana use over time in the U.S. found that the prevalence of past-year marijuana use increased for both men and women between 2002 and 2014. Throughout this period, more men reported past-year use than women, but since 2007, the rate of increase was greater for men than for women, leading to a widening of the gender gap in marijuana use over time. An estimated 6 million additional men and 4 million additional women used marijuana in 2014 compared to 2002.
	Researcher explores male perceptions about HPV Maggie Pitts took great interest in the human papillomavirus vaccine after Virginia became the first state in the country to mandate its use among girls in the sixth grade.
	Drugs prevent heart damage during breast cancer treatment, study show Heart medication taken in combination with chemotherapy reduces the risk of serious cardiovascular damage in patients with early-stage breast cancer, according to results from a new landmark clinical trial.
	Team finds myocarditis caused by infection on rise globally Myocarditis, an assortment of heart disorders often caused by infection and inflammation, is known to be difficult to diagnose and treat. But the picture of who is affected is becoming a little clearer. Men may be as much as twice as likely as women to develop severe and possibly fatal reactions. And the risk of sudden cardiovascular death in the young is relatively high. Myocarditis accounts for about 5 percent of sudden cardiovascular infant deaths and up to 20 percent of sudden cardiovascular death in adolescents. And the chronic disease is responsible for up to 45 percent of heart transplants in the U.S.
Cancer patients take comfort in peer stories on online forums When faced with potentially life-threatening diseases such as cancer, people often seek information about the disease and support from peers.
	Virtual liver model could help reduce overdose risk from acetaminophen, other drugs Researchers at Indiana University's Biocomplexity Institute have developed a virtual model of the human liver to better understand how the organ metabolizes acetaminophen, a common non-prescription painkiller and fever-reducer used in over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol.
	Young children's spatial talk predicts their spatial abilities It's not how many words a kid knows; it's how they choose them that tells Hilary Miller the most about their spatial skills.
	S.Africa launches major new trial of AIDS vaccine South Africa on Wednesday begins a major clinical trial of an experimental vaccine against the AIDS virus, which scientists hope could be the "final nail in the coffin" for the disease.
	Drug epidemic stalls HIV decline in whites who shoot up The long decline in HIV infections among white people who inject drugs has stalled, another grim side effect of the nation's drug abuse epidemic.
HIV toll tops one million in Russia and keeps climbing Russia's HIV infection rate is growing 10 percent a year and over one million Russian have been diagnosed with the disease in nearly three decades, the country's top AIDS expert said Tuesday.
	Study suggests handwashing compliance in child care facilities is insufficient Child care personnel properly clean their hands less than a quarter of the times they are supposed to, according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official journal of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Genetic link to fatal health condition could aid future treatment Thousands of lives could be saved every year after it was discovered a fatal cardiovascular condition could be linked to four genes, research has found.
	Q&A: A look at Texas' first homegrown case of Zika Health officials are going door-to-door in the Texas neighborhood of a woman who is believed to be the first person to contract the Zika virus by getting bitten by a mosquito in that state.
	Insulin prices skyrocket, putting many diabetics in a bind (HealthDay)—Insulin, a life-saving medication used to treat diabetes, was discovered nearly 100 years ago, yet the price of the drug has now spiked by 700 percent in just two decades.
	Fast-food calorie labeling not working, study finds (HealthDay)—Does it help to know that a double quarter-pounder with cheese delivers 740 calories? Probably not, a new study suggests.
	Cancer advances demand continual funding, specialists say (HealthDay)—Sufficient and sustained funding for cancer research should be a global priority, European and American cancer organizations said at the start of an international oncology conference in Germany on Tuesday.
	Mindfulness-based Tx doesn't cut distress in prostate cancer (HealthDay)—For men with advanced prostate cancer (PC), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) does not reduce distress more than minimally enhanced usual care, according to a study published online Nov. 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Methylation of gene panel may help predict breast CA survival (HealthDay)—Methylation of a gene panel is a strong predictor of survival outcomes in metastatic breast cancer (MBC), according to a study published online Nov. 21 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Incidence of sebaceous carcinoma up from 2000 to 2012 (HealthDay)—From 2000 to 2012 there was an increase in the incidence of sebaceous carcinoma (SC), according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Clinical practice guideline on UTI in febrile young reaffirmed (HealthDay)—The 2011 clinical practice guideline (CPG) on urinary tract infection (UTI) in young children has been reaffirmed, according to a report published online Nov. 28 in Pediatrics.
Researchers identify unexpected role of Neuropilin-1 The recent work of Dr. Jean-Sebastien Delisle of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center (CIUSSS-EMTL) affiliated with the University of Montreal, which uncovers novel immune system mechanisms, has been recognized by the highly respected Journal of Immunology. Indeed, the official journal of the American Association of Immunologists has ranked Dr. Delisle's article published in its November 15 issue among the top 10% of its best scientific articles.
Free 'Track it!' app tracks seizures on Apple Watch Nationwide Children's Hospital and SeizureTracker.com are introducing a new wearable app to help track seizures called Track It! – available for the Apple Watch in the Apple Store today.
	Three wins this week for tackling obesity When it comes to obesity in Australia, the statistics are alarming – and generally getting worse.
	Trump taps 'Obamacare' foe, champion of privatizing Medicare (Update) Reaching deep into conservative territory, President-elect Donald Trump chose Georgia Rep. Tom Price to oversee the nation's health care system on Tuesday, picking a fierce "Obamacare" critic who also has championed efforts to privatize Medicare. Trump selected another veteran Republican, Elaine Chao, to lead the Department of Transportation.
Use of prescription analgesics differs significantly between persons with and without Alzheimer's Approximately one third of persons with Alzheimer's disease use prescription medicines for pain after their diagnosis, reports a recent study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland. The use of analgesics was as common among persons with Alzheimer's disease as it was among those of the same age without the disease, but there were significant differences in the types of medicines used. The results were published in European Journal of Pain.
For refugees seeking asylum, medical exams are in short supply They come from war zones and terrorist strongholds. From places where being the "wrong" religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation is a crime. From countries where sexual violence and mutilation are considered normal.
Patients should stop using e-cigarettes before plastic surgery, experts conclude Cigarette smokers are at increased risk of complications after plastic surgery. Could e-cigarette users face a similar risk? Evidence and recommendations related to e-cigarette use by plastic surgery patients are discussed in a special topic paper in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
	Inequality and social exclusion drive mental health problems in northern India A survey of nearly 1000 households in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand showed that six percent of adults were identified as depressed. People were two or three times more likely to be depressed if they were from the most socially oppressed castes, had taken a recent loan, lived in poor quality housing or had not completed primary school. This is according to research from Umeå University.
Tweeting #plasticsurgery—plastic surgeons urged to engage and educate on Twitter Twitter has become an important resource for people seeking information about plastic surgery. But only a small percentage of plastic surgery "tweets" consist of evidence-based information posted by credentialed plastic surgeons, according to a report in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Drug-resistant salmonella linked to Wisconsin calves A multistate outbreak of salmonella bacteria that is resistant to several drugs has been linked to infected dairy bull calves purchased in Wisconsin, according to federal and state health officials.
New research explores patients' satisfaction with their radiologists According to a new research study, most U.S. radiologists receive favorable satisfaction scores from their patients. The abstract, funded by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute, was presented at the 102nd Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
	Clinical trial to test device that heals wounds with ultrasound Drexel University researchers are one step closer to offering a new treatment for the millions of patients who suffer from slow-healing, chronic wounds. The battery-powered applicator—as small and light as a watch—is the first portable and potentially wearable device to heal wounds with low-frequency ultrasound.
	Optimal MELD threshold for HCV Tx pre-liver transplant 23 to 27 (HealthDay)—For hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with decompensated cirrhosis who are eligible for liver transplant (LT), the optimal model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) threshold below which they should receive HCV treatment is 23 to 27, according to a study published online Nov. 5 in Hepatology.

Biology news

	Managing complexity: Novel protein folding tool vastly simplifies understanding how sequence encodes structure (Phys.org)—Protein folding is the process by which a polypeptide (a linear organic polymer chain consisting of many amino acid residues, or monomers) transforms from a random coil into the 3D conformation in which it can perform its biological function. Since different proteins fold into a range of very different shapes, the Protein Data Bank (PDB) – a database archive comprising experimentally-determined three-dimensional structures of large biological molecules, including numerous protein conformations – can be disarmingly complex. This is problematic because that space is fundamental to understanding how sequence encodes structure. Recently, however, scientists at Dartmouth College deconstructed the universe of known protein structures into reusable building blocks that they term tertiary structural motifs, or TERMs. (Structural motifs are compact blocks of a 3D protein structure.) They found that 50% of PDB protein conformations were described – at sub-Angstrom resolution – by a surprisingly small group of roughly 600 TERMs. Moreover, TERMs allowed them to discern sequence–structure relationships. The researchers state that these results can be used for protein structure prediction, protein design and other applications.
	Harvest of nuisance black bears in New Jersey reducing human-bear conflicts Is there room for black bears in human-dominated New Jersey? According to Utah State University researchers, the answer is yes, but only with science-based strategic planning, comprehensive management and thorough public education.
	Ants communicate by mouth-to-mouth fluid exchange Liquids shared mouth-to-mouth by social insects contain proteins and small molecules that can influence the development and organisation of their colonies, according to new findings published in eLife.
	Research finds common grass could help boost food security Australian researchers have discovered that the common Panic grasses could hold the secret to increasing the yields of cereal crops and help feed the world with increasing temperature extremes and a population of nearly 10 billion people by 2050.
	Food scientist aiding fuel ethanol with new engineered bacteria For James Steele, moving from the small fermenters where microbes make cheese, wine and beer to the multimillion-gallon tanks where corn is converted to ethanol was a natural progression.
	Researchers develop novel wound-healing technology A WSU research team has successfully used a mild electric current to take on and beat drug-resistant bacterial infections, a technology that may eventually be used to treat chronic wound infections.
	Biologists watch speciation in a laboratory flask Biologists have discovered that the evolution of a new species can occur rapidly enough for them to observe the process in a simple laboratory flask.
	Highly-contagious bird flu found in Japan, culling start Japanese health authorities have confirmed a highly contagious avian flu strain in poultry in two prefectures in northern Japan, with culling of hundreds of thousands of birds starting Tuesday at the affected farms.
	Scientists discover a key signal in intercellular communication A team of scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), led by Prof. Francisco Sánchez-Madrid, has characterized a cell signal that impedes intercellular communication and could play a central role in biomedical strategies such as gene therapy, vaccine design, and immunotherapy. The study, published today in Nature Communications, characterizes a signal that impedes the secretion of nanovesicles called exosomes. Cells secrete exosomes as a means of intercellular communication; however, certain viruses can use exosomes as "Trojan horses" to facilitate their propagation and entry into neighboring cells.
	Prevention of RNA virus replication Researchers at Okayama University have successfully cleaved influenza viral RNA to prevent its replication using novel artificial RNA restriction enzymes in laboratory cell cultures. While further improvements are needed, the findings show great promise and could lead to anti-viral drug development in the future. The findings are published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, October 2016.
	Evolutionary conservation explains similar genetic mechanism between flowering plants and mosses An international team has discovered a genetic mechanism that is responsible for the development of stomata - microscopic valves on the surface of plants that facilitate the uptake of carbon dioxide and the release of oxygen and water vapor. The researchers discovered this mechanism, which was previously known in flowering plants like Arabidopsis thaliana, in the moss Physcomitrella patens and found similarities between the two, implying that it already existed in the last common ancestor of mosses and flowering plants. The team was led by the biologists Professor Ralf Reski from the University of Freiburg/Germany and Professor David J. Beerling from the University of Sheffield/UK. The results were published in the journal Nature Plants.
	Super seeds promise better crops South Australian research that improves wheat, pastures and other crop yields has sown the seeds for global distribution deals and a timely partnership with an innovative US agricultural technology company Indigo Ag Inc.
	Exploring the secret life of house sparrows with the aid of a 3-D printer Since it was introduced to North America in the late 19th century, the house sparrow has received little love. "Nothing can be urged in its favor," declared an 1891 editorial in the New York Times. A few years later, the same newspaper deemed the birds "rats in the air." Adding insult to injury, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has long kept the house sparrow on its unceremonious list of species of "least concern."
	Komodo dragons help researchers understand microbial health in captive animals Humans and Komodo dragons, the largest lizards in the world, could not be more different. In the wild, these four-legged carnivores wander in solitude across islands in Indonesia, consuming large prey like deer and water buffalo. But when placed in a closed environment, Komodo dragons interact with their surroundings much in the same way humans do – at least on the microbial level – and researchers are using this knowledge to help them understand the health of animals in captivity.
	Is a paleodiet for your pet a step too far? Will 2016 be the year the world finally lost interest in the paleodiet? Believe it or not, it's already happened! 'Peak-paleo' passed without notice way back in January 2014.
	A molecular switch between life, sex and death "Till death do us part" – for marine bristle worms, these words are invariably true: Shortly after mating, the parent worms die, leaving thousands of newly fertilized eggs to develop in the water. This extreme all-or-nothing mode of reproduction demonstrates a general principle: Animals need to decide if they invest their available energy stores either in growth or in reproduction. Researchers around Florian Raible at the Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL) of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna were now able to solve a 60-year-old riddle and determine the molecule that orchestrates this decision in marine bristle worms. Their results are published in the journal eLife.
Digital microbes for munching yourself healthy Hundreds of bacterial species live in the human gut, helping to digest food. The metabolic processes of these bacteria are not only tremendously important to human health – they are also tremendously complex. A research team at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University of Luxembourg has taken an important step in modelling the complexity of the human gut's bacterial communities – the microbiome – on the computer. The researchers gathered all known data on the metabolism of 773 bacterial strains – more than ever before. Working from this data, they developed a computer model for each bacterial strain. This collection, known as AGORA, can now be used on the computer to simulate metabolic processes taking place in the microbes and to investigate how they affect the metabolism of other microbes and that of the human host. The LCSB team publishes its results in the scientific journal Nature Biotechnology. The collection of predictive metabolic models is available to researchers via http://vmh.life.
Enhanced CRISPR lets scientists explore all steps of health and disease in every cell type Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and University of Cambridge researchers have created sOPTiKO, a more efficient and controllable CRISPR genome editing platform. Today, in the journal Development, they describe how the freely available single-step system works in every cell in the body and at every stage of development. This new approach will aid researchers in developmental biology, tissue regeneration and cancer.
	Combining pathway data resources gives a clearer view on complex biological interactions Combining the power of 27 data resources, Omnipath helps researchers see biological signalling pathways with unprecedented accuracy. Developed by researchers in the UK and Germany and published in Nature Methods, OmniPath offers a comprehensive, unified collection of literature-curated signalling pathways based on an analysis of 41,000 scientific papers.
	Live cell imaging of asymmetric cell division in fertilized plant cells A group of plant biologists at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM) of Nagoya University, the University of Tokyo, the Gregor Mendel Institute, and the University of Kentucky, have reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, on their discovery on how the plant's egg cells initially lose their skeletal pattern upon fertilization and are reorganized by two major cytoskeleton components in the cell, microtubules (MTs) and actin filaments (F-actin). Through live cell imaging, the group was able to visualize how fertilized egg cells in plants undergo asymmetric cell division, which is responsible for determining the plant's body axis.
New discovery of alarm response in medaka fish furthers analysis of fear Yale-NUS Assistant Professor of Science Dr Ajay Mathuru has discovered that the medaka fish has an 'alarm response' to a type of semiochemical (message-bearing chemicals that carry information from one animal to another) released due to physical injuries sustained by another member of its kind. Since the 1970s, many scientists had considered this type of alarm behaviour to be unique to fishes of the superorder Ostariophysi. The medaka fish, a member of the Beloniformes order, is one of the few laboratory-friendly fish outside of the Ostariophysi superorder to similarly have a response to this type of semiochemical. With this discovery, it is now possible to perform non-invasive, comparative neural circuit analysis against the zebrafish, the species of the Ostariophysi superorder most commonly used in laboratories.
	The good, the bad and the spliceosome The Fas protein can either inhibit or promote the controlled cell death (apoptosis), depending on the isoform in which it occurs. Together with international colleagues, researchers from the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technical University of Munich have elucidated how this decision is guided. These results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of tumor diseases and have now been published in eLife.
	New forecast tool helps ships avoid blue whale hotspots Scientists have long used satellite tags to track blue whales along the West Coast, learning how the largest animals on the planet find enough small krill to feed on to support their enormous size.
	EDGE bioinformatics brings genomics to everyone A new bioinformatics platform called Empowering the Development of Genomics Expertise (EDGE) will help democratize the genomics revolution by allowing users with limited bioinformatics expertise to quickly analyze and interpret genomic sequence data. Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory and their collaborators at the Naval Medical Research Center developed EDGE, which is described in a paper recently published in Nucleic Acids Research.
	Researcher asks if common bacteriophages in the human gut can help to identify contaminated water Believed by some to be the most abundant known virus in the human digestive system, cross-assembly phage (shortened to crAssphage) remained undetected until researchers sorting through hundreds of thousands of lines of DNA accidentally stumbled upon its circular viral genome of about 97,000 base pairs. A study published in the journal Nature Communications officially introduced crAssphage to the world in the summer of 2014.
	Alaska biologists research mystery of declining caribou herd The size of a large caribou herd in Alaska's Arctic region has dropped by more 50 percent over the last three years, and researchers who have tentatively ruled out hunting and predation as significant factors for the decline are trying to determine why.
	Belize's Glover's Reef providing refuge for new generation of sea turtles A new generation of threatened hawksbill sea turtles is thriving in the protected waters of Glover's Reef Atoll, Belize, evidence that efforts to protect these and other marine species in one of the world's great barrier reef systems are working, according to WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) and the Belize Fisheries Department.
	Eliminating waste in the fisheries industry Every year 340,000 tonnes of usable whitefish by-product are discarded into the sea. But the fisheries industry has now identified ways of halting this practice.
New research could replace petrochemicals with biodegradable microbial products Researchers are actively studying polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of natural polyesters produced by microorganisms that may represent biodegradable and biocompatible substitutes for petroleum-based plastics. For the past 30 years, investigators have been striving to determine the crystal structure of an important enzyme in the production of PHAs— called PHA synthase— but without success.
Climate change affects Swedish reindeer herding and increases tularemia In northern Sweden, data from certain weather stations have shown that the snow season has been shortened by over two months in the last 30 years, which has huge effects on reindeer herding. Also, the climate sensitive human infection tularemia has tenfolded over the same period and is much more common now than before. This according to a dissertation at Umeå University in Sweden.
	Can drone technology save the Sumatran elephant? Fauna & Flora International has acquired two quadcopter drones to help reduce incidents of conflict between humans and wild elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Management of feral horses an ongoing challenge in the United States Feral horses are free-ranging descendants of once-domesticated horses. All free-ranging horses in North America are feral horses, and between 2014 and 2015 the feral horse population in the United States increased 18% according to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In 2015, the number of feral horses in the western ranges of the United States alone was estimated at 58,150. With few natural predators, populations will continue to rise, doubling every four years; thus, managing populations of feral horses represents a unique challenge in the United States.

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