Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Dec 20

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 20, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Synthesis of pseudo-1D semiconductor provides insight into anisotropic 2D materials

Scientists detect a quantum crystal of electrons and 'watch' it melt

Means by which cells 'eat' silicon nanowire revealed

Avalanche statistics suggest Tabby's star is near a continuous phase transition

Sunlight offers surprise benefit—it energizes infection fighting T cells

Laser pulses help scientists tease apart complex electron interactions

Electric car fever: Heat rises at unveiling of Lucid Air, watch for 2018

Amazonia's best and worst areas for carbon recovery revealed

Does 'publication bias' affect the 'canonization' of facts in science?

Researchers catalog dozens of new neuronal subtypes in the hypothalamus

How bacteria survive antibiotic treatment

Losing body fat could be facilitated by light evening exercise and fasting

Commercial brand of mouthwash can help kill off gonorrhea in the mouth (Update)

Researcher pursues synthetic scaffolds for muscle regeneration

Scientists are trying to uncover what makes Stradivarius violins special – but are they wasting their time?

Astronomy & Space news

	Avalanche statistics suggest Tabby's star is near a continuous phase transition In its search for extrasolar planets, the Kepler space telescope looks for stars whose light flux periodically dims, signaling the passing of an orbiting planet in front of the star. But the timing and duration of diminished light flux episodes Kepler detected coming from KIC 846852, known as Tabby's star, are a mystery. These dimming events vary in magnitude and don't occur at regular intervals, making an orbiting planet an unlikely explanation. The source of these unusual dimming events is the subject of intense speculation.
	Moth's eye inspires critical component on SOFIA's newest instrument Nature, and more particularly a moth's eye, inspired the technology that allows a new NASA-developed camera to create images of astronomical objects with far greater sensitivity than was previously possible.
	Searching a sea of 'noise' to find exoplanets—using only data as a guide Yale researchers have found a data-driven way to detect distant planets and refine the search for worlds similar to Earth.
	VLA, ALMA team up to give first look at birthplaces of most current stars Astronomers have gotten their first look at exactly where most of today's stars were born. To do so, they used the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to look at distant galaxies seen as they were some 10 billion years ago.
	Festive nebulae light up Milky Way Galaxy satellite The sheer observing power of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is rarely better illustrated than in an image such as this. This glowing pink nebula, named NGC 248, is located in the Small Magellanic Cloud, just under 200 000 light-years away and yet can still be seen in great detail.
	Small troughs growing on Mars may become 'spiders' Erosion-carved troughs that grow and branch during multiple Martian years may be infant versions of larger features known as Martian "spiders," which are radially patterned channels found only in the south polar region of Mars.
	PANIC lander to revolutionize asteroid research A US-German team of researchers has proposed developing a micro-scale, low-cost surface lander for the in situ characterization of an asteroid. The tiny spacecraft, called the Pico Autonomous Near-Earth Asteroid In Situ Characterizer (PANIC), could be a breakthrough for the scientific community, offering a simple, cheap solution for asteroid research.
	Astronauts to get help from snake robots Norwegian researchers are looking into how a snake robot might carry out maintenance work on the International Space Station (ISS), study comets, and explore the possibility of living and working in lava tunnels on the Moon.

Technology news

	Electric car fever: Heat rises at unveiling of Lucid Air, watch for 2018 (Tech Xplore)—Here we go down the electric car path but for this one you had better prepare for a luxury electric sedan experience not unlike first-class travel.
	Researcher pursues synthetic scaffolds for muscle regeneration The word "engineering" can bring to mind images of bridges, spacecraft and even particle colliders. But the human body could use assistance from engineers as well, especially when the natural processes that shape and govern our cells, tissues or organs need a helping hand.
	Building better batteries Lithium-ion batteries, widely used in devices ranging from electric cars to iPhones, are composed of a cathode made from a positively charged lithium compound and an anode composed of negatively charged carbon. Ideally, anodes would be made of lithium metal, which can store more energy than carbon. However, lithium metal anodes have a serious flaw—over time, the lithium metal grows dendrites, tiny needle-like branching structures that can grow through the battery causing it to short-circuit or even explode.
MH370 officials: Crash site could be north of search area A team of international investigators hunting for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 said Tuesday it has concluded the plane is unlikely to be found in a stretch of the Indian Ocean search crews have been combing for two years, and may instead have crashed in an area farther to the north.
	EU charges Facebook over WhatsApp buyout (Update) The European Union charged Facebook on Tuesday with providing "misleading" information when it sought approval for its blockbuster $22-billon buyout of the WhatsApp mobile messaging service.
	New technology coordinates drones in team missions A West Virginia University mathematics researcher has developed an algorithm to mobilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in team missions.
	New technology could help track firefighters for safety In 1999, six career firefighters lost their lives responding to a five-alarm fire. They were part of a group of 73 dispatched to a smoke-filled warehouse in Worcester, Massachusetts. Lost inside the building's tight corners, they were unable to find an exit before running out of oxygen.
	Rating, ranking and recommending—three R's for the internet age This holiday season, when we Google for the most trending gifts, compare different items on Amazon or take a break to watch a holiday movie on Netflix, we are making use of what might be called "the three R's" of the Internet Age: rating, ranking and recommending.
	NRL completes first flight of UAV with custom hydrogen fuel cell Researchers from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's chemistry and tactical electronic warfare divisions completed the first flight of the Ion Tiger unmanned air vehicle with a new hydrogen-powered fuel cell built in-house.
	Preparing for air traffic control via satellite ESA recently completed its first flight trials using satellites to help bring Europe closer to its goal of modernising air traffic control.
	Online sites court procrastinators with speedy shipping Forget ordering online weeks in advance or dashing out to the drug store for a gift card on Christmas Eve. Procrastinating holiday shoppers are finding a haven online as retailers ramp up expedited shipping and same-day delivery services.
Report: Russian cybergang scored millions in fake-ad scam (Update) A Russian criminal group is running a massive fraud that has been siphoning off millions of digital advertising dollars a day for a couple of months, a firm that specializes in detecting online-ad fraud says.
	Google eyes fix after snafu on Holocaust denial Google said Tuesday it was working to refine its algorithm to weed out "non-authoritative" information after a British news report showed a Holocaust denial website ranked highly in search queries.
	Australia and France sign deal to build 12 submarines Australia and France signed an agreement Tuesday to build the world's largest diesel-electric submarines in the Australian industrial town of Adelaide.
Maker of Signal says app is being blocked in Egypt An encrypted messaging app often used by journalists and activists in Egypt has been blocked by authorities, its maker said late Monday.
China clamps down on popular online video-streaming services Chinese authorities are clamping down on streaming video over social media amid a proliferation of online-only television content and live-streaming.
Solar power project at Northeast US military base underway A solar power project officials say is the largest in the military in the Northeastern U.S. is moving forward.
	Flexible OLEDs now one step closer to market Partners of the PI-SCALE project recently showcased their first pilot lines demonstrators of flexible OLEDS—providing a great opportunity for EU companies to bring their ideas and concepts to market. The presented OLED stripes will serve as a raw material for special lighting applications in healthcare, architecture and transportation.

Medicine & Health news

	Sunlight offers surprise benefit—it energizes infection fighting T cells Sunlight allows us to make vitamin D, credited with healthier living, but a surprise research finding could reveal another powerful benefit of getting some sun.
	Researchers catalog dozens of new neuronal subtypes in the hypothalamus The human brain is made up of billions of cells. Scientists do not know the identity or exact function of countless thousands of them since comprehensive efforts to catalogue neurons have just recently begun. Studying these many still unidentified cells is an important "hot-spot" in frontier brain research since it offers the discovery of new cell functions that could play important roles in many diseases. In the Department of Molecular Neurosciences at the Center for Brain Research of the Medical University of Vienna, scientists have now described many previously unknown neurons in the hypothalamus and determined the function of a hitherto uncharted dopamine cell. The study has now been published in the leading journal Nature Neuroscience.
	Losing body fat could be facilitated by light evening exercise and fasting Making muscles burn more fat and less glucose can increase exercise endurance, but could simultaneously cause diabetes, says a team of scientists from Baylor College of Medicine and other institutions.
	Commercial brand of mouthwash can help kill off gonorrhea in the mouth (Update) A commercial brand of mouthwash that is readily available from supermarkets and pharmacies can help curb the growth of the bacteria responsible for gonorrhoea, reveals preliminary research published online in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.
	Study shows how brain begins repairs after 'silent strokes' UCLA researchers have shown that the brain can be repaired—and brain function can be recovered—after a stroke in animals. The discovery could have important implications for treating a mind-robbing condition known as a white matter stroke, a major cause of dementia.
	Genetic mutations could increase risk of cytomegalovirus infection Experimenting with human cells and mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have found that a genetic mutation that alters a protein called NOD1 may increase susceptibility to human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. CMV is a common pathogen that infects almost 60 percent of adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and can lead to devastating developmental defects in fetuses and severe disease in people with weakened immune systems.
	Pop-outs: How the brain extracts meaning from noise When you're suddenly able to understand someone despite their thick accent, or finally make out the lyrics of a song, your brain appears to be re-tuning to recognize speech that was previously incomprehensible.
	Researchers strengthen the case for sexual transmission of Zika virus Aedes aegypti mosquitoes harboring parasitic Zika virus (ZIKV) are the primary transmitters of virus to humans, potentially causing catastrophic congenital microcephaly in babies born to women bitten by infected mosquitoes. But confirmation earlier this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that ZIKV can also be sexually transmitted raised new alarm that virus could be passed between sexual partners in venues far from mosquito habitats.
	Building a better brain When you build models, whether ships or cars, you want them to be as much like the real deal as possible. This quality is even more crucial for building model organs, because disease treatments developed from these models have to be safe and effective for humans. Now, scientists at the Salk Institute have studied a 3D "mini-brain" grown from human stem cells and found it to be structurally and functionally more similar to real brains than the 2D models in widespread use. The discovery, appearing in the December 20, 2016, issue of Cell Reports, indicates that the new model could better help scientists understand brain development as well as neurological diseases like Alzheimer's or schizophrenia.
	Study confirms 'sniff test' may be useful in diagnosing early Alzheimer's disease Tests that measure the sense of smell may soon become common in neurologists' offices. Scientists have been finding increasing evidence that the sense of smell declines sharply in the early stages of Alzheimer's, and now a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published today in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease confirms that administering a simple "sniff test" can enhance the accuracy of diagnosing this dreaded disease.
	Got to remember them all, Pokemon "Gotta catch them all, Pokémon!" Or in this case—got to remember them all, Pokémon.
	Study identifies gastric cancer biomarker and possible treatment Scientists at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Miami, and Shantou University Medical College in China, have shown that the hormone receptor GHRH-R could be a potential biomarker for gastric cancer, enabling earlier diagnoses and better staging. In addition, the team found that the GHRH-R antagonist MIA-602 inhibited gastric cancer in both cell lines and human xenografts. The research was recently published in the journal PNAS.
	Study details molecular roots of Alzheimer's Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have detailed the structure of a molecule that has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease. Knowing the shape of the molecule—and how that shape may be disrupted by certain genetic mutations—can help in understanding how Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases develop and how to prevent and treat them.
	Study identifies a way to prevent burn injury infection—without antibiotics A new way to fight multidrug-resistant bacteria by blinding them rather than killing them proved highly effective in a model of burn injuries, UT Southwestern Medical Center research shows.
Up to 8,400 heart attacks and strokes prevented through NHS Health Checks The NHS Health Check programme in England may have prevented an estimated 4,600 to 8,400 heart attacks, strokes, or death from these causes in its first five years, according to an independent review of the programme led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).
More Africans at risk of chronic illness: WHO City life and its modern trappings have brought bad habits to developing African nations that will see more die of chronic illness than infectious diseases by 2030, a study showed Tuesday.
Modern life, bad habits: Africa faces deadly new illnesses When Rose Kariuki first felt a lump on her left breast, the spectre of cancer—a disease she had only heard of on television—was the last thing on her mind.
Brain cells potentiate harmful electrical discharges during stroke In the aftermath of stroke, brain damage is exacerbated by electrical discharges. Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) have investigated the mechanisms of these "spreading depolarizations" in mice, and found that astrocytes potentiate the fatal discharges. The study highlights potential counter-measures—a signaling pathway that acts upon the calcium concentration in astrocytes may be a potential starting point for treating stroke in humans. Dr. Cordula Rakers and Prof. Gabor Petzold report on these findings in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Researchers identify new suppressor effects of the NOX4 protein in liver cancer Researchers at Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), in collaboration with King's College London, have unveiled the role of NADPH oxidase NOX4 as an inhibitor of the epithelial-amoeboid transition, a process that contributes to the migration and invasion of tumor cells. The study has just been published in the journal Oncogene.
Antibiotic gel prevents borreliosis resulting from tick bites An antibiotic gel based on azithromycin, an antibiotic with antibacterial properties, helps to prevent the onset of Lyme borreliosis following a tick bite. That is the finding of a multi-centre international study, in which MedUni Vienna's Department of Clinical Pharmacology played an important part. The study has now been published in the world-leading journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
New model more accurately predicts breast cancer risk in Hispanic women A new breast cancer model, published today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, will help health care providers more accurately predict breast cancer risk in their Hispanic patients.
	Estimating male fertility in eastern and western Germany since 1991 Research on men's birthrates have so far been rather a blind spot. Max Planck researchers have now calculated the missing age data for men using statistical methods. Their figures show that men on average have less children than women and have them later in life. Differences are especially strong in eastern Germany, where men set a new world record for low fertility.
	Avoid holiday gorging and stay healthy A holiday celebration just isn't complete without the food. Let's face it: Family meals, office parties and holiday reunions mean we'll all have the opportunity to eat, eat, and eat some more.
	Scientists find new gene tool for predicting course of prostate cancer Researchers from UR Medicine's Wilmot Cancer Institute and Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo reported in the journal Oncotarget, they have discovered a possible new tool for predicting whether prostate cancer will reoccur following surgery based on the expression patterns of four genes.
	What do high rates of medical student depression say about our health system? A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that 27 percent of medical students around the world exhibit symptoms of depression and 11 percent have thought of taking their own lives. Equally troubling is the fact that, among students experiencing depressive symptoms, only 16 percent seek psychiatric treatment.
	White ibis salmonella shedding increases with urbanization, new study finds The more urbanized a place is, the more white ibises there are carrying salmonella—the same kind that can make people sick, a new University of Georgia study has found.
	Regenerative stem cell active in human blood vessels could help patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease The discovery of a regenerative stem cell active in human blood vessels could help patients with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Bionic pancreas system successfully controls blood sugar without risk of hypoglycemia The bionic pancreas system developed by Boston University (BU) investigators proved better than either conventional or sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy at managing blood sugar levels in patients with type 1 diabetes living at home, with no restrictions, over 11 days. The report of a clinical trial led by a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) physician is receiving advance online publication in The Lancet.
	Early life social stress has long-term impact on brain networks in rats Investigators in veterinary and human medicine have uncovered long-term changes in the brains of adult female rats exposed to social stresses early in life, with the biggest impact on regions of the brain that are linked to social behavior, stress, emotion and depression. The findings, which appear online in advance of the January 2017 print edition of Behavioural Brain Research, establish a neural foundation for related imaging work in humans and animals and will enable researchers to begin testing preventative measures and treatments for depression and anxiety.
	Turns out 'dirty money' does bother people People tend to view money through a moral lens and are more likely to turn down or donate stolen bills and coins than "clean" cash, a new study has found.
Gas heater link to child illness Gas heaters used for home heating have been found to increase the risk of respiratory illnesses in young children, according to the latest research from the University of Auckland.
	Therapy to prevent failure of 3-D printed body parts discovered A key physiological process holding back the successful integration of 3-D printed replacement body parts for many patients has been discovered by a team of biomedical scientists.
	Advertisers depict unsafe sleeping environments for infants, study shows A new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham shows that national magazine advertisements and manufacturers of infant cribs continue to depict unsafe sleep environments, despite longtime guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics to protect against SIDS and other sleep-related deaths.
	Why a standard treatment for the aggressive blood-cell cancer AML so often fails An international team of researchers has shown why a standard treatment for the aggressive blood-cell cancer AML so often fails. The study uncovers a new biomarker that predicts the efficacy of the chemotherapy and identifies a new drug target.
	HIV has no borders, but its treatment does—why this needs to change Panashe is a 26-year-old Zimbabwean woman living with HIV. She works in a restaurant on the western peripheries of Johannesburg.
	Bioinformatics brings to light new combinations of drugs to fight breast cancer Based on the study of cell signalling networks, the cell signals that drugs alter when they reach their target molecule, an exhaustive in silico analysis of the pairing of 64 therapeutic agents used to treat breast cancer (half already in use and the other half in clinical testing phase) has allowed researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) to identify 10 new and previously untested combinations that hold potential for the treatment of breast cancer.
	Capsaicin molecule inhibits growth of breast cancer cells Capsaicin, an active ingredient of pungent substances such as chilli or pepper, inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells. This was reported by a team headed by the Bochum-based scent researcher Prof Dr Dr Dr habil Hanns Hatt and Dr Lea Weber, following experiments in cultivated tumour cells. In the journal Breast Cancer: Targets and Therapy, the researchers from Ruhr-Universität Bochum presented their findings together with colleagues from the Augusta clinics in Bochum, the hospital Herz-Jesu-Krankenhaus Dernbach and the Centre of Genomics in Cologne.
Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are safe, effective option Long-acting reversible contraceptives are the most effective form of reversible birth control but not the most commonly used. Misconceptions and outdated misinformation prevent many people from realizing the benefits of intrauterine devices (IUDs), contraceptive implants and the birth control shot. While use of these contraceptives has increased over time, they are still very underutilized.
	Psychological benefit of gratitude around the holidays Attention all last-minute holiday shoppers: If you want to alleviate stress while saving some hard-earned money in the process, then learn to cultivate a sense of gratitude.
	Scientists track sequence of events necessary for apoptosis to occur properly Billions of cells in our bodies die every day in an important process called apoptosis. Now, researchers at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute have mapped out a sequence of events that are necessary for apoptosis to occur properly. Published in eLife, the study focuses on the protein IRBIT and how its action near mitochondria in our cells can set off a chain reaction that leads to programmed cell death.
Study provides clues to improving fecal microbiota transplantation Results from a placebo-controlled trial provide a strategy for improving fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. The study, published online this week in mBio, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, identified microorganisms that are key for cure with fecal microbiota transplantation.
	Model demonstrates high-quality patient care while reducing costs Providing high-quality patient care while reducing costs is a significant goal in the current health care reform environment. The Institute of Medicine has specifically called for the establishment of "learning health systems" to address this challenge. In a learning health system, the electronic health record is utilized to drive research and personalized treatments based on data from patients with similar conditions and risk factors.
Routine screening for genital herpes infection not recommended The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against routine serologic screening (via a blood test) for genital herpes simplex virus infection in asymptomatic adolescents and adults, including those who are pregnant. The report appears in the December 20 issue of JAMA.
Physical activity in week after concussion associated with reduced risk of persistent postconcussive Among children and adolescents who experienced a concussion, physical activity within 7 days of injury compared with no physical activity was associated with reduced risk of persistent postconcussive symptoms at 28 days, according to a study appearing in the December 20 issue of JAMA.
	Association between birth of an infant with major congenital anomalies and subsequent risk of death In Denmark, having a child with a major congenital anomaly was associated with a small but statistically significant increased risk of death in the mother compared with women without an affected child, according to a study appearing in the December 20 issue of JAMA. A major congenital anomaly is a structural change (such as cleft palate) that has significant medical, social or cosmetic consequences for the affected individual; this type of anomaly typically requires medical intervention.
	Aging and cancer: An enzyme protects chromosomes from oxidative damage EPFL scientists have identified a protein that caps chromosomes during cell division and protect them from oxidative damage and shortening, which are associated with aging and cancer.
	Why some people may not respond to the malaria vaccine Generating protective immunity against the early liver stage of malaria infection is feasible but has been difficult to achieve in regions with high rates of malaria infection. Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine reveal one potential reason for this difficulty in Cell Reports on December 20.Their study demonstrates that exposure to the latter blood stage of malaria infection inhibits the formation of the protective immune cells (and their antibodies) that can prevent the early liver stage infection.
History of TBI linked to poor outcomes for those who are homeless, have mental illness Among homeless adults with mental illness, having a history of head injuries is associated with a greater risk of adverse health conditions, new research indicates.
	High-fat diet before imaging improves diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago were able to reduce uncertainty in diagnosing cardiac sarcoidosis by having patients consume a high-fat, low-sugar diet for 72 hours prior to diagnostic imaging.
As children with autism age, services to help with transition needed According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 45 children is diagnosed with autism. As these children age, experiences such as leaving school, finding jobs and living alone can be stressful for adolescents with autism as well as their caregivers. Researchers from the University of Missouri have conducted the first study analyzing the perspectives of adolescents with autism to identify challenges as they "age out" of services. The researchers say these findings highlight the need for social workers and providers to assist children with autism as they transition to adulthood.
	Strict rest may not be best medicine for kids' concussions Strict rest may not be the best medicine for kids with concussions, a Canadian study found, challenging the idea that physical activity should be avoided until symptoms disappear.
	Daily low-dose aspirin may cut pancreatic cancer risk (HealthDay)—There's evidence that daily low-dose aspirin may decrease the risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study.
	Stay safe, play safe in a winter wonderland (HealthDay)—When you're outdoors enjoying the winter weather, be sure to protect against cold temperature-related injuries, a sports medicine expert says.
	Pathologists vary in suggested therapy for melanocytic lesions (HealthDay)—Pathologists have wide variability in treatment suggestions for melanocytic lesions, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Case volume impacts re-op rates after penile prosthesis Sx (HealthDay)—Surgeon volume is associated with the likelihood of reoperation after inflatable penile prosthesis surgery, with the trend driven by reoperations for infection, according to a study published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty offers option for select patients (HealthDay)—The minimally invasive procedure endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) delays gastric emptying, induces early satiation, and successfully results in weight loss, according to a study published in the January issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	MicroRNAs 203 and 205 are prognostic in cutaneous SCC (HealthDay)—MicroRNAs (miR-203 and miR-205) could be useful prognostic markers in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, with distinct expression and associations, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
	Daily text messaging ups ART adherence in youth (HealthDay)—A two-way, personalized daily text messaging intervention can improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among HIV-positive adolescents and young adults, according to a study published in AIDS and Behavior.
	Lowest glucose variability for insulin + GLP-1 RA in T2DM (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, the lowest glucose variability (GV) and hypoglycemia is seen for patients using basal insulin + glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) (BGLP), according to a study published online Dec. 2 in Diabetes Care.
	Therapeutic hypothermia benefits adults with TBI (HealthDay)—For adults, but not children, with traumatic brain injuries, therapeutic hypothermia is beneficial, according to a meta-analysis published online Dec. 9 in Critical Care Medicine.
	Examining toddler temperament around the globe How do parents' cultural values affect their babies' temperament? Maria (Masha) Gartstein, professor of psychology, is on a multi-year quest to find out.
Gelatin supplements, good for your joints? A new study from Keith Baar's Functional Molecular Biology Laboratory at the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences and the Australian Institute of Sport suggests that consuming a gelatin supplement, plus a burst of intensive exercise, can help build ligaments, tendons and bones. The study is published in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Given time, most women with anorexia or bulimia will recover A study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators finds that, contrary to what is often believed, around two thirds of women with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa will eventually recover from their eating disorders. Recovery from bulimia tends to happen more quickly, but while less than a third of participants with anorexia were determined to have recovered an average of nine years after entering the study, almost 63 percent were recovered an average of 22 years later.
	The way you move: Tumor cells move differently than normal ones What makes cancer so deadly is its ability to move . The better that doctors can keep tumors contained and protect unaffected organs in the body, the less lethal a cancer will be.
Commonly used drugs lead to more doctor's office, hospital and emergency department visits Anticholinergic medications, a class of drugs very commonly used by older adults, are linked to an increased rate of emergency department and hospital utilization in the United States, according to an Indiana University Center for Aging Research, Indiana University Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science, and Regenstrief Institute study of community-dwelling Americans age 65 and older.
Learning by listening: Physicians say online reviews can improve health care Online platforms that allow users to read and write reviews of businesses and services afford health care providers an opportunity to learn by listening, Penn Medicine physicians say in a new Viewpoint published today in JAMA. The authors point to a growing body of literature supporting the value of unstructured reviews in supplementing ratings from formal sources such as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Heathcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). They call on hospital leaders to pay attention to online reviews to show current and prospective patients that they are being heard.
	Levels of DNA in blood test correlated with ovarian cancer outcomes Levels of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detected in a blood test are correlated with the size of ovarian cancers and can predict a patient's response to treatment or time to disease progression, according to a retrospective study of cancer patients' blood samples published in PLOS Medicine by Nitzan Rosenfeld and James Brenton of Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and colleagues.
Cancer genomics: Addressing treatment resistance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia In the third week of PLOS Medicine's ongoing special issue on cancer genomics, principal investigator Jules Meijerink of the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands and colleagues seek to identify mechanisms underlying treatment resistance in children with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) by combining genomic DNA sequencing and chromosomal copy-number analyses, and suggest a new approach to therapy.
First US babies treated in study of adult stem cell therapy for congenital heart disease In a first-in-children randomized clinical study, medical researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) and the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have begun testing to see whether adult stem cells derived from bone marrow benefit children with the congenital heart defect hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).
NIH launches first large trial of a long-acting injectable drug for HIV prevention The first large-scale clinical trial of a long-acting injectable drug for HIV prevention began today. The study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, will examine whether a long-acting form of the investigational anti-HIV drug cabotegravir injected once every 8 weeks can safely protect men and transgender women from HIV infection at least as well as the anti-HIV medication Truvada taken daily as an oral tablet. If injectable cabotegravir is found to be effective for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, also known as PrEP, it may be easier for some people to adhere to than daily oral Truvada, the only licensed PrEP regimen. Truvada consists of the two anti-HIV drugs emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.
Traffic fatalities decline in states with medical marijuana laws States that enacted medical marijuana laws, on average, experienced reductions in traffic fatalities, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Overall, states that passed medical marijuana laws saw an 11 percent reduction in traffic fatalities, on average, after enacting the laws, and had 26 percent lower rates of traffic fatalities compared with states without the laws. The findings are published online in the American Journal of Public Health.
Black males nearly three times as likely to die when police use force, study finds A new Drexel University study found that black males are nearly three times as likely to be killed by police action as white males, while Hispanic males are more than one-and-a-half times as likely to fall victim.
	Violence spreads like a disease among adolescents, study finds A new study of U.S. adolescents provides some of the best evidence to date of how violence spreads like a contagious disease.
	Dynamic changes, regulatory rewiring occur as T-cells respond to infection Scientists have used systems biology tools to map out molecular pathways and signaling circuits that come into play when the immune system acts against infections and cancer. Important immune cells, called CD8+ T cells, play a pivotal role in immune response, but their gene regulatory circuits are not well understood.
	Illuminating cancer: Researchers invent a pH threshold sensor to improve cancer surgery UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have invented a transistor-like threshold sensor that can illuminate cancer tissue, helping surgeons more accurately distinguish cancerous from normal tissue.
	For geriatric falls, 'brain speed' may matter more than lower limb strength "Why does a 30-year-old hit their foot against the curb in the parking lot and take a half step and recover, whereas a 71-year-old falls and an 82-year-old falls awkwardly and fractures their hip?" asks James Richardson, M.D., professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Musculoskeletal Center.
High dietary processed meat intake linked to worsening asthma symptoms A high dietary intake of cured and processed meats, such as ham and salami, is linked to worsening asthma symptoms, reveals research published online in the journal Thorax.
	Sleep and circadian rhythm disruption addressed with new Oxford spinout Circadian Circadian Therapeutics, a life sciences spinout of Oxford University, has been established to identify and bring to market pharmaceutical and diagnostic platforms for the effective management of physiological and pathological conditions through their ability to modify the body's circadian rhythms.
Research discredits theory that e-cigarettes make tobacco use socially acceptable A study conducted by the Glasgow-based Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR) has cast doubt on the link suggested by some between the increased visibility of e-cigarette use and the renormalisation of smoking.
Guam governor supports legalizing pot for recreational use Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo has proposed legalizing recreational marijuana on the island, with heavy taxation.
	Study finds some councils in London let down homeless veterans In the case of Barnet and Kensington & Chelsea, their allocations policies don't comply with the law which provides for particular duties towards veterans and their families. Barnet is amending its Housing Allocations Scheme to reflect the changes highlighted in the report, to be in place before Christmas and Kensington & Chelsea has stated it is updating its policy early in the New Year.
Medication may provide greater virus suppression, reduction in lesions for patients with genital herpes In a study appearing in the December 20 issue of JAMA, Anna Wald, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Washington & Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, and colleagues compared the medications pritelivir and valacyclovir for reducing genital herpes simplex virus shedding and lesions in persons with recurrent genital herpes.
	Cancer registries in resource-constrained countries can inform policy Data from population-based cancer registries are vital for informing health programs, policies and strategies for cancer screening and treatment. A special issue of Cancer Epidemiology, prepared under the auspices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offers lessons for planning and supporting cancer registration in resource-constrained settings to support data-driven policies on cancer prevention, early detection and appropriate treatment leading to significant cost savings for government and society as a whole.
Mumps outbreak strikes Marshallese population in Arkansas An outbreak of mumps has hit a community of Marshall Islanders in northwest Arkansas particularly hard, according to health officials.
Trends in extracorporeal life support For critically ill patients with heart or lung failure that does not respond to conventional treatments, extracorporeal life support (ECLS) can provide a bridge to survival. Updated analysis of a worldwide database finds that ECLS technologies are becoming more widely available and more frequently used at centers around the world, according to a report in the ASAIO Journal.
	Feeling blue? Taking a break from Facebook might help A new study shows that regular use of social networking such as Facebook can negatively affect your emotional well-being and satisfaction with life. But you don't have to quit Facebook altogether; simply changing your social networking behavior and taking an occasional break from Facebook may lift your spirits, according to the study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
Quints born at Phoenix hospital for 1st time in its history Quintuplets have been born at a Phoenix hospital for the first time in its 121-year history.

Biology news

	How bacteria survive antibiotic treatment Scientists around the world are working hard to win the battle against multi-resistant bacteria. A new publication from the BASP Centre, University of Copenhagen, now suggests even sensitive bacteria manage to survive antibiotic treatment as so-called "persister cells." The comprehensive perspective on this phenomenon may contribute to better options of drug treatment and could even inspire the discovery of novel antibiotics targeting these notoriously difficult-to-treat persister bacteria.
	The pointy-nosed blue chimaera has a huge geographic range The deep sea is the largest contiguous habitat on the earth, covering two thirds of the earth's surface and averaging over 3.5 kilometers deep. Because most deep-ocean waters are connected, many species of deep-sea animals have huge geographic ranges. For example, one deep-sea fish that was previously identified in the Southeastern Pacific has recently been found around the Hawaiian Islands and off the coast of Central California, according to a new paper by MBARI researcher Lonny Lundsten and his colleagues.
	Reprogrammable skin stem cells in a test tube could reduce number of animal experiments To develop new treatments for skin cancer, drugs need to be tested on animals. Now scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing in Cologne have been able to grow mouse skin stem cells in a dish. These stem cells in a test-tube could reduce the number of animal experiments.
	Male bumblebees leave home without looking back Male bumblebees leave home and fly away without looking back, making no effort to remember the location of the nest, researchers at the University of Exeter have found.
	Chimpanzees are 'indifferent' when it comes to altruism New research into chimpanzees suggests that, when it comes to altruistically helping a fellow chimpanzee, they are 'indifferent'.
	Sex cells evolved to pass on quality mitochondria Mammals immortalise their genes through eggs and sperm to ensure future generations inherit good quality mitochondria to power the body's cells, according to new UCL research.
	An ancient mechanism helps a cell to resist stress Biologists from the Lomonosov Moscow State University in collaboration with colleagues from the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, used RNA transfection and in vitro techniques to show how the same mRNA can direct protein synthesis in a cell by four different means. The research results have been published in a peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports.
	Study explores vets' attitudes towards treatment of wild animals Veterinary practices could be treating increasing numbers of wildlife casualties while facing significant restrictions in terms of cost, knowledge and facilities, according to new research.
	Keeping pets safe in the festive season Christmas can be exciting and full of treats for us, but full of new dangers for pets warns veterinarian Dr Leonie Richards from the University of Melbourne's U-Vet clinic in Werribee.
	Nests near bird feeders are five times more likely to be predated, research shows Animal lovers who feed birds during the spring could unintentionally be harming them, a new study from the University of Reading has revealed.
	Novel mechanism in bacterial-fungal symbiosis could have biodiesel production applications To answer the challenge of producing renewable, sustainable alternative fuels, researchers aren't just looking at developing candidate bioenergy crops but are also reviewing other natural sources of energy-dense oils such as fungi. To learn more about how bacteria interact with fungi in a symbiotic relationship to support the biochemistries that could contribute to the development of alternate fuel sources, Cornell and DOE JGI researchers used a model bacterial-fungal system to reveal the mechanism for lipid production in oil-producing or oleaginous fungi.
Discovering the origin of the anus and mouth The mouth and anus are not connected in the development of the embryo as earlier thought, shows a Norwegian ground-breaking study.
	Warmer climate threatening to northern birds Will northern birds such as the Siberian jay and the red-flanked bluetail be gone in 50 years? There is a huge risk since a deteriorating climate for breeding is imminent. Another six species are also under threat and will require particular conservation actions in order to survive, according to Anouschka Hof, former researcher at Umeå University, who has developed a species analysis method.
Stabilizing evolutionary forces keep ants strong Hokkaido University researchers are finding evidence of natural selection that maintains the status quo among ant populations.
	Golden jackals might be settling in the Czech Republic, hint multiple observations The first living golden jackal in the Czech Republic was reported by researchers from Charles University, Prague. The scientists captured the canid on camera multiple times over the span of a year and a half some 40 km away from the capital. Once considered native to northern Africa and southern Eurasia, the species seems to be quite rapidly extending its range towards the north of Europe. The study is published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
Mapping the molecules made by a lichen's resident microbes An international team of researchers has spatially mapped molecules produced by an intact, complex microbial community for the first time. Using a tiny slice of lichen, the team used imaging mass spectrometry to track and plot metabolites made by both bacterial and fungal lichen members. Their approach, published this week in mSystems, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, shows how researchers can tease apart the chemistry that shapes and maintains a complex, three-dimensional microbial community.
Japan culling 122,000 more birds for avian flu Japan began killing about 122,000 farm birds on Tuesday to contain another outbreak of a highly contagious strain of avian flu, officials said.
	The fight to save Earth's smallest rhino in Sumatra's jungles Deep from within the Indonesian jungle a solitary, seldom seen forest giant emerges from the undergrowth.
	Now boar-ding—wild pig chase at Hong Kong airport A wild boar led Hong Kong police on a merry chase after it wandered onto the apron of Hong Kong's international airport on Tuesday.
	Best practices for bone measurements It's no secret to most of my colleagues that I'm a big fan of measurements in papers. Some of this stems from a graduate school education thoroughly steeped in quantitative methods and statistics. Some of it also derives from my nostalgia for the Golden Age of Paleontological Publications, where measurements were published for virtually every bone in the skeleton (at least in some cases). This is all balanced by frustration with papers that list important characters as mere ratios, talk about absolute size without presenting measurements, or only provide femur length and skull length in the description of a complete skeleton. Things are getting better, of course–many authors do provide a detailed set of comparative measurements, and supplemental information can be a handy place to put long tables of lengths and widths.

---

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