Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Dec 7

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 7, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Giant radio flare of Cygnus X-3 detected by astronomers

Dark matter may be smoother than expected

Studies open deep history of Greenland's ice sheet—and raise new questions about its stability

Unique visual stimulation may be new treatment for Alzheimer's

System correlates recorded speech with images, could lead to fully automated speech recognition

Polar bear numbers to plunge a third as sea ice melts: study

Earth's days getting longer: study (Update)

Fight over revolutionary genetic advance goes to court in US

Car company offering red light-reading vehicles in Las Vegas

Leap Motion: VR fans will be able to go mobile

Development of new techniques makes it possible to date Australian Aboriginal rock art

Scientists find that persistent infections in mice exhaust progenitors of all blood cells

Cassini transmits first images from new orbit

ExoMars orbiter images Phobos

When neurons are 'born' impacts olfactory behavior in mice

Astronomy & Space news

	Giant radio flare of Cygnus X-3 detected by astronomers (Phys.org)—Russian astronomers have recently observed a giant radio flare from a strong X-ray binary source known as Cygnus X-3 (Cyg X-3 for short). The flare occurred after more than five years of quiescence of this source. The discovery was presented in a paper published Dec. 2 on the arXiv pre-print server.
	Dark matter may be smoother than expected Analysis of a giant new galaxy survey, made with ESO's VLT Survey Telescope in Chile, suggests that dark matter may be less dense and more smoothly distributed throughout space than previously thought. An international team used data from the Kilo Degree Survey (KiDS) to study how the light from about 15 million distant galaxies was affected by the gravitational influence of matter on the largest scales in the Universe. The results appear to be in disagreement with earlier results from the Planck satellite.
	Earth's days getting longer: study (Update) Earth's days are getting longer but you're not likely to notice any time soon—it would take about 3.3 million years to gain just one minute, according to a study published on Wednesday.
	Cassini transmits first images from new orbit NASA's Cassini spacecraft has sent to Earth its first views of Saturn's atmosphere since beginning the latest phase of its mission. The new images show scenes from high above Saturn's northern hemisphere, including the planet's intriguing hexagon-shaped jet stream.
	ExoMars orbiter images Phobos The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has imaged the martian moon Phobos as part of a second set of test science measurements made since it arrived at the Red Planet on 19 October.
	New evidence for a warmer and wetter early Mars A recent study from ESA's Mars Express and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) provides new evidence for a warm young Mars that hosted water across a geologically long timescale, rather than in short episodic bursts – something that has important consequences for habitability and the possibility of past life on the planet.
	To Mars in 70 days: Expert discusses NASA's study of paradoxical EM propulsion drive After months of speculation and rumor, NASA has finally released its long-awaited research paper on the controversial EM Drive propulsion system. The paper was recently published in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' peer-reviewed Journal of Propulsion and Power. If the electromagnetic technology proves sound, it could radically change the way humans travel in space, opening up the possibility of journeys to Mars in just 70 days. But there is no shortage of skeptics who are adamant that the drive is more science fiction than science fact. Critics are quick to point out that the drive violates one of the fundamental laws of physics, namely: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. With the science world abuzz in light of the recent developments, UConn Today called on engineering professor Brice Cassenti, an expert in advanced propulsion systems, to help us understand what's happening.
	Saturn's bulging core implies moons younger than thought Freshly harvested data from NASA's Cassini mission reveals that Saturn's bulging core and twisting gravitational forces offer clues to the ages of the planet's moons. Astronomers now believe that the ringed planet's moons are younger than previously thought.
	Mars One puts back planned colonisation of Red Planet A British-Dutch company planning to install a community of humans on Mars admitted on Wednesday that it's project will be delayed by several years.
	Polar balloon STO2 to go the edge of space with Dutch instruments Stars and planets are born from clouds of molecules that coagulate and eventually fall apart again in the space between the stars in a galaxy. Astronomers still do not know exactly how this works.
SpaceX's 1st launch since rocket blast now bumped to January SpaceX's first launch since a rocket explosion at the pad has slipped to January.
	How strong is the force of gravity on Earth? Gravity is a pretty awesome fundamental force. If it wasn't for the Earth's comfortable 1 g, which causes objects to fall towards the Earth at a speed of 9.8 m/s², we'd all float off into space. And without it, all us terrestrial species would slowly wither and die as our muscles degenerated, our bones became brittle and weak, and our organs ceased to function properly.
	American space legend John Glenn hospitalized in Ohio John Glenn, who made history twice as the first American to orbit the Earth and the first senior citizen to venture into space, has been hospitalized, a spokesman at the Ohio State University college bearing his name said Wednesday.

Technology news

	System correlates recorded speech with images, could lead to fully automated speech recognition Speech recognition systems, such as those that convert speech to text on cellphones, are generally the result of machine learning. A computer pores through thousands or even millions of audio files and their transcriptions, and learns which acoustic features correspond to which typed words.
	Car company offering red light-reading vehicles in Las Vegas On the theory that a driver who knows when a red light will turn green is more relaxed and aware, vehicle manufacturer Audi is unveiling this week in Las Vegas a technology that enables vehicles to "read" traffic signals ahead and tell the motorist how long the wait will be.
	Leap Motion: VR fans will be able to go mobile (Tech Xplore)—Leap Motion has announced it is bringing its technology to mobile platforms.
	Swiss unveil stratospheric solar plane Just months after two Swiss pilots completed a historic round-the-world trip in a Sun-powered plane, another Swiss adventurer on Wednesday unveiled a solar plane aimed at reaching the stratosphere.
	Could a seawater battery help end our dependence on lithium? With the ubiquity of lithium-ion batteries in smartphones and other rechargeable devices, it's hard to imagine replacing them. But the rising price of lithium has spurred a search for alternatives. One up-and-coming battery technology uses abundant, readily available seawater. Now, making this option viable is one step closer with a new report on a sodium-air, seawater battery. The study appears in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Firm's new service tracks an elder's movements It knows if you've been sleeping and when you are awake. The new Family Guardian tracking service is like having an automated snoop on duty 24/7 to report if "everything's OK" with beloved seniors - or not! - says Geoff Gross, founder and CEO of Philadelphia-based Medical Guardian.
	CEOs of AT&T, Time Warner to sell merger to skeptical Senate The CEOs of AT&T and Time Warner are heading to Capitol Hill in a bid to convince senators that a merger of their two companies will mean innovative new experiences for consumers.
	Apple blames external damage for flaming China iPhones Apple has blamed "external physical damage" for causing a handful of iPhones to explode or catch fire in China and insisted that its handsets posed no safety problem.
	Lightening soldiers' loads by lifting PV cells onto flexible surfaces Two thousand years ago, Roman legionnaires lugged 100-pound packs into battle. A lot has changed since then, but technology hasn't really reduced an infantryman's load. On the battlefield, mobility is critical—but a typical, modern Marine may shoulder an 80-pound backpack containing 20 pounds of back-up batteries for an array of electronics.
	Record tunneling magnetoresistance for one of the world's smallest perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions At the 2016 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting, in a special poster session on MRAM, world-leading research and innovation hub for nano-electronics and digital technology imec presented a 8nm p-MTJ device with 100 percent tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) and coercive field as high 1500Oe. This world's smallest device enables the establishment of a manufacturing process for high-density spin-transfer-torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) arrays that meet the requirements of the 10nm and beyond logic node for embedded non-volatile memory applications. It also paves the way for high density stand-alone applications.
	Sick mother was inspiration behind supersmart phone A few years ago, Richard Chan's mother had a stroke and became physically disabled. She was living in England, while he was in Norway. After the stroke, it became difficult to communicate by phone. On one occasion she fell, and lay helpless for several hours, unable to call for help.
	Innovation or monopoly? Panel looks at ATT-Time Warner deal Senators scrutinizing the proposed merger of AT&T and Time Warner homed in on brass tacks with the companies' CEOs. OK, you say this $85.4 billion mega-deal will enhance, not quash, competition and benefit consumers. Will it actually reduce prices that consumers pay?
	Time to set limits: Business owners suffer tech overload Three years into being a business owner, Becky Davis knew she needed to break the hold technology had on her.
	Six ways to keep phone charges low during international travel It's a sure-fire way to dampen the holiday cheers: Spend a week on a dream vacation abroad, then come back to find an additional several hundred dollars on your cellphone bill.
	Time runs out for smartwatch pioneer Pebble Smartwatch pioneer Pebble announced Wednesday it was shutting down, with tech wearables giant Fitbit acquiring some of its assets including key personnel.
China fines Medtronic $17 million on anti-monopoly charges Medical device maker Medtronic has been fined $17 million by Chinese anti-monopoly regulators in the latest effort by Beijing to force down what it sees as unreasonably high prices.
	Japan's deal maker, Softbank tycoon Masayoshi Son Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son, who met with President-elect Donald Trump and then announced plans to create 50,000 jobs and invest $50 billion in U.S. startups, has been one of Japan's most aggressive overseas investors for over two decades. He's getting an early start on deal-making with the future president.
Alibaba, China Mobile announce development partnership Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and the country's biggest phone carrier, China Mobile, announced a partnership Wednesday to develop internet-related services as web users migrate to mobile devices.
Regional Australia is crying out for equitable access to broadband Internet and broadband connectivity are the foundation of the networked economy. But to ensure the benefits of the networked economy are evenly distributed, the Australian government needs to ensure access to the internet to encourage and support innovation.
Expedition eyes sunken mini sub on Pearl Harbor anniversary Federal archaeologists and scientists used a remotely operated vehicle Wednesday to document the condition of a mini submarine used in the attack on Pearl Harbor 75 years ago.
	Need to confess sins? New app in Spain finds nearest priest Catholics seeking to confess their sins to a priest in Spain can now turn to a new app to find the nearest available cleric.

Medicine & Health news

	Unique visual stimulation may be new treatment for Alzheimer's Using LED lights flickering at a specific frequency, MIT researchers have shown that they can substantially reduce the beta amyloid plaques seen in Alzheimer's disease, in the visual cortex of mice.
	Scientists find that persistent infections in mice exhaust progenitors of all blood cells Having persistent infections can eventually exhaust the immune cells in charge of fighting disease. In a mouse model, scientists at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center and Rice University reveal that long-lasting infections trigger the loss of the progenitors of all blood cells and suggest a strategy that may help prevent or treat this condition in the future. The study appears in Cell Reports.
	When neurons are 'born' impacts olfactory behavior in mice New research from North Carolina State University shows that neurons generated at different life stages in mice can impact aspects of their olfactory sense and behavior. The work could have implications for our understanding of neurodevelopmental processes or traumatic brain injuries in humans.
	Half of people believe fake facts Many people are prone to 'remembering' events that never happened, according to new research by the University of Warwick.
	TET proteins drive early neurogenesis The fate of stem cells is determined by series of choices that sequentially narrow their available options until stem cells' offspring have found their station and purpose in the body. Their decisions are guided in part by TET proteins rewriting the epigenome, the regulatory layer of chemical flags that adorn the genome and influence gene activity, report researchers at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology and UC San Diego.
	Knowing one's place in a social hierarchy When you start a new job, it's normal to spend the first day working out who's who in the pecking order, information that will come in handy for making useful connections in the future. In an fMRI study published December 7 in Neuron, researchers at DeepMind and University College London provide new insights into how we acquire knowledge about social hierarchies, reveal the specific mechanisms at play when that hierarchy is our own (as compared to that of another person), and demonstrate that the brain automatically generates signals of social rank even when they're not needed to perform a task. The work could prove useful in guiding future research, not only in neuroscience, but also in artificial intelligence.
	Deep brain stimulation may not boost memory Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of areas in the brain known to be involved in making memories does not improve memory performance, according to a study by Columbia University researchers published December 7 in Neuron. The study found a range of memory impairment of 5% to 20% with stimulation. No participants showed memory improvement. The study negates earlier findings that suggested a benefit.
	Stem cell-based test predicts leukemia patients' response to therapy to tailor treatment Leukemia researchers at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre have developed a 17-gene signature derived from leukemia stem cells that can predict at diagnosis if patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) will respond to standard treatment.
	Study identifies cells responsible for initiating and promoting metastasis in several types of human tumors A study headed by Salvador Aznar Benitah, ICREA researcher at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), and published today in Nature identifies metastasis-initiating cells through a specific marker, namely the protein CD36. This protein, which is found in the membranes of tumour cells, is responsible for taking up fatty acids. CD36 activity and dependence on lipid (fat) metabolism distinguish metastasis-initiating cells from other tumour cells.
Team designs molecule that could be first antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC have engineered a protein that reverses carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in mice, a discovery that could potentially lead to the creation of the first antidote in humans to the often deadly poisoning, according to research published today in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
	Personalized cancer vaccine is associated with promising outcomes for patients with AML A personalized cancer vaccine markedly improved outcomes for patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a potentially lethal blood cancer, in a clinical trial led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). The product of a long-term collaboration among investigators at the Cancer Center at BIDMC and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the vaccine stimulated powerful immune responses against AML cells and resulted in protection from relapse in a majority of patients, the team of researchers reported today in Science Translational Medicine.
	Diabetes drug slows experimental Parkinson's progression, human trials to begin next year A new investigational drug originally developed for type 2 diabetes is being readied for human clinical trials in search of the world's first treatment to impede the progression of Parkinson's disease following publication of research findings today in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
	Researchers combine MERS and rabies viruses to create innovative 2-for-1 vaccine In a new study, researchers have modified a rabies virus, so that it has a protein from the MERS virus; this altered virus works as a 2-for-1 vaccine that protects mice against both Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and rabies.
Stanford patient is first infant to receive lifesaving drug for neurodegenerative disease In 2013, Zoe Harting became the first baby in the world to receive an experimental drug that her doctors hoped would save the lives of thousands of infants like her.
Study finds new treatment for spinal muscular atrophy safe for infants Infants as young as five weeks old with the most severe form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) - a leading genetic cause of infant mortality - can be treated safely with nusinersen. This investigational treatment slowed progression of the disease, improved survival, and in some cases demonstrated remarkable improvement in muscle function, according to research published online today by The Lancet.
	US public largely unaware that cigarette smoke much more harmful than additives The US public is largely unaware that the chemicals produced by a burning cigarette are much more harmful than the manufacturer's additives it contains, finds a study of more than 10,000 teens and adults, published online in the journal Tobacco Control.
	Doctors need to develop broader skill of empathy Developing a broader skill of empathy is a more realistic goal for medical students and doctors than urging them to be more compassionate. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Dr David Jeffrey, an honorary lecturer in palliative medicine at the Centre for Population Health Sciences in Edinburgh, says that doctors are at risk not only of personal distress but eventually burnout if their feelings of sympathy and compassion for patients override the more nuanced stance of empathy.
	Nearly one in five young Ontario adults shows problematic use of electronic devices As many as 19 per cent of Ontario adults aged 18 to 29 experience moderate to severe problematic use of electronic devices, which includes smartphones and tablets as well as computers and video game consoles, according to the latest CAMH Monitor survey. It's the first time the ongoing survey has measured the impact of our increasing reliance on electronic devices.
	New study identifies possible predictor for women's longevity Death and taxes have long been said to be the only two things guaranteed in life. Exactly when someone will die, in most instances, remains a mystery. A new study, however, identifies one possible predictor—specifically, telomere length. This has been linked to longevity, as well as the ability to bear children at an older age. The study is being published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
	Benin clinic battles mother-to-child HIV transmission Pregnant with her fourth child in a clinic in Benin, Rosine is relieved to learn that she does not have AIDS, after a free test considered a national health priority.
	Imaging links structural brain changes and cognitive decline in Parkinson's People with Parkinson's disease and cognitive impairment have disruptions in their brain networks that can be seen on a type of MRI, according to a study appearing online in the journal Radiology.
	Heart disease protein linked to brain damage Levels of a protein in the blood associated with heart disease are also linked to early-stage brain damage, according to a study appearing online in the journal Radiology.
Reason why farm kids develop fewer allergies explained Scientists have discovered why growing up on a farm might protect children from developing allergies. Using studies in both mice and humans, they found that exposure to farm dust increases expression of a protective protein that suppresses the inflammatory immune system by modifying the communication between the lining of the lungs and the immune system. The findings are presented today at the Joint Congress of the British and Dutch Societies for Immunology, taking place in Liverpool, UK.
Patients wait four months before seeking cancer diagnosis Patients wait an average of four months before seeking a cancer diagnosis, researchers report at the ESMO ASIA 2016 Congress in Singapore. Some patients waited less than a week before seeing a doctor while others waited three years.
	Study: 'Obamacare' repeal-only would make 30M uninsured Repealing President Barack Obama's health care law without a replacement risks making nearly 30 million people uninsured, according to a study released Wednesday.
	GeroScope—a computer method to model cellular molecular pathways for drug development Russian scientists from MIPT, in collaboration with Insilico Medicine Inc., were commissioned by the Center for Biogerontology and Regenerative Medicine to develop the GeroScope algorithm to identify geroprotectors—substances that extend healthy life. Hundreds of compounds were screened for geroprotective activity using computer simulations, and laboratory experiments were conducted on 10 substances that were identified using this algorithm. A research paper detailing the results of the study has been published in Aging.
	Protein biomarker as potential tool for predicting lung cancer survival The biomarker PD-1, a protein, could potentially be used to predict survival or disease-free survival of lung cancer patients who have had the tumour surgically removed. This is substantiated by the results of a study conducted under the direction of the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) of MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital, together with MedUni Graz and the University of Novi Sad. The paper was presented at the 17th World Conference on Lung Cancer, which is currently taking place in Vienna (4 - 7 December).
	Researchers uncover new evidence linking inflammation and increased prostate cancer risk UCLA researchers have discovered a previously unrecognized type of progenitor cell that, though rare in most regions of the human prostate, is found in uncommonly high numbers in inflamed areas of the gland. These progenitor cells have the ability to initiate prostate cancer in response to genetic changes. The study results suggest inflammation increases overall risk for the disease by increasing the available pool of progenitor cells that can develop into prostate cancer.
Targeted preventive measures for hip fracture are needed for persons with Alzheimer's disease The hip fracture risk factors are generally similar among those with and without Alzheimer's disease, according to a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland. However, the incidence of hip fracture is higher among those with Alzheimer's disease, regardless of other characteristics. Alzheimer's disease itself appears to be such a significant risk factor for hip fracture that the relative impact of other risk factors is considerably smaller among those with Alzheimer's disease.
	Collaborating on big data to unravel disease processes Patients with the same illness often receive the same treatment, even if the cause of the illness is different for each person. This represents a new step towards ultimately being able to offer every patient more personalised treatment.
	Tablet-based tool helps epilepsy patients learn self-management skills Epilepsy patients who want to learn how to manage their own unique symptoms can now get individualized information via tablet computer through a research project at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
	Apartheid's lingering effects on HIV and AIDS Though it was abolished more than two decades ago, Apartheid continues to affect communities in South Africa. In this political system, which lasted from 1948 to the 1994 democratic elections, people were racially classified and forced to live in segregated geographic areas. Within rural South Africa, these spatial containers were called "homelands," or Bantustans.
	Is 12 minutes of exercise all that is needed to fight diabetes? A University of Queensland researcher is trialling a 12-minute exercise plan that aims to fight type 2 diabetes in a flash.
Study finds resilience protects against risk for developing alcohol use disorders Resilience considerably reduces risk for developing alcohol use disorders, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden.
	New study indicates weekly consumption of chocolate lowers the risk for diabetes New research from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS) confirms that persons who eat chocolate at least once a week have a lower prevalence of diabetes and are at lower risk for a diagnosis of diabetes four to five years later.
Study advises treating glioblastoma brain tumors based on complexity Survival for patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive and deadly brain cancer, could be determined by the complexity of their tumor, according to researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
Proteins in wastewater from sweet potato processing reduce fat levels and weight in mice The sweet potato pie you eat during the holidays might not be good for your waistline, but according to a new study published in the journal Heliyon, the starchy water left over from cooking the sweet potato could have slimming effects—at least in mice.
Public urged to be more body vigilant in fight against cancer, new study finds New research published in BMC Public Health has found that increased body vigilance may contribute to early cancer diagnosis.
	New cancer drug shows promise in helping patients with blood cancer A drug, which has been developed from the results of cancer immunology research at the University of Southampton, has been showed to reduce the risk of follicular lymphoma progression.
Team looks to experimental cancer drug to dampen bronchospasm UC San Francisco researchers have developed a new treatment strategy for asthma that acts in a completely different way than standard drugs that have been used for decades as "rescue" medicines.
Inactive lifestyle linked to ozone-related lung An inactive lifestyle may increase the risk of environmentally induced asthma symptoms. In a new study published in the American Journal of Physiology—Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency researchers found that sedentary rats exposed to varying degrees of ozone, a type of air pollution, had higher markers for chronic disease when compared to counterparts that were more active.
	Researcher outlines promising paths for cures, including targeted therapy, RNA medicine, and immune therapy In recent years, cancer patients have benefited from a new array of weapons to fight the disease. Traditional chemotherapy and radiation therapy—blunt clubs aimed at any fast-growing cell in the body—have been augmented by "targeted therapy" drugs that interfere with specific cellular functions in an attempt to block cancer growth.
Whiplash symptoms are caused by actual changes in the brain, research suggests Whiplash symptoms that last years after a car accident but cannot be seen in tests could be down to previously unseen functional changes in the pain and posture processing parts of the brain, according to research published in EBioMedicine. The results of the study suggest close interaction between the neck and brain, resulting in changes in blood flow.
Working out the genetic risk for ADHD Genetics play a strong part in the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the path from a gene to risk for the disorder has remained a black box to researchers.. A new study in Biological Psychiatry suggests how the risk gene ADGRL3 (LPHN3) might work. ADGRL3 encodes the protein latrophilin 3, which regulates communication between brain cells. According to the study, a common variation of the gene associated with ADHD disrupts its ability to regulate gene transcription - the formation of mRNA from DNA that leads to expression of the gene.
Research team lays bare melanin's DNA guarding mechanism With a little help from chickens and video cameras, scientists have captured live the moment when skin gets darker. In a study appearing in Scientific Reports, a Japanese team has filmed and demystified the process by which melanin—molecules that give skin its color—are carried to the epidermis.
	Healthy weight only protects women from hot flashes during the early stages of menopause Greater weight increases the likelihood of night sweats and hot flashes during early stages of the menopause transition but reduces those symptoms throughout menopause and beyond, new UC Davis research published in the journal Menopause shows.
	Baby teethers soothe, but many contain low levels of BPA Bisphenol-A (BPA), parabens and antimicrobials are widely used in personal care products and plastics. The U.S. and other governments have banned or restricted some of these compounds' use in certain products for babies and kids. But the compounds' presence in and leaching from teethers hasn't been thoroughly investigated. Now a study in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology reports that all tested plastic teethers contained BPA and other endocrine-disruptors that leached at low levels.
	MAO is a possible Alzheimer's disease biomarker Alzheimer's disease affects more than 35 million people, a number that is expected to increase in the coming years. Currently, Alzheimer's diagnoses rely on clinical neuropathologic assessment of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide aggregates (plaques) and neurofibrillary tangles. But in ACS Central Science, researchers reveal that an enzyme already implicated in a host of neural disorders could someday serve as a biomarker.
	Study shows blood products unaffected by drone trips In what is believed to be the first proof-of-concept study of its kind, Johns Hopkins researchers have determined that large bags of blood products, such as those transfused into patients every day, can maintain temperature and cellular integrity while transported by drones.
	Scientists discover way of developing test for Parkinson's disease diagnosis Misfolded proteins associated with Parkinson's disease were detected in cerebrospinal fluid by scientists at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), paving the way to development of a biochemical test to diagnosis the disease.
New moms moving toward the bottle New moms are increasingly using expressed breast milk (either pumped or expressed by hand) instead of directly breastfeeding their babies, according to a UBC study.
	MRI scans detect 'brain rust' in schizophrenia A damaging chemical imbalance in the brain may contribute to schizophrenia, according to research presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting in Hollywood, Florida.
	How our immune system targets tuberculosis Every 18 seconds someone dies from tuberculosis (TB). It is the world's most deadly infectious disease.
Follow-up by trained nurses helps myocardial infarction patients The quality of life of elderly myocardial infarction patients can be significantly improved without extra costs by means of so-called case management following hospitalization. Health economists from the Helmholtz Zentrum München have reported these results in the journal Value in Health.
	Helping children achieve more in school Not all children do well in school, despite being intellectually capable. Whilst parental relationships, motivation and self-concept all have a role to play, a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology shows that children's learning strategy is key for academic success.
Beware: Children can passively 'smoke' marijuana, too Relaxing with a joint around children is not very wise. Not only do youngsters inhale harmful secondary smoke in the process, but the psychoactive chemicals in the drug are taken up by their bodies as well. This warning comes from Karen Wilson of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the American Academy of Pediatrics Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence in the US. She led the first study showing that it is possible to pick up traces of THC, the primary psychoactive chemical in marijuana, in the urine of children exposed to secondary marijuana smoke. The findings are published in Springer Nature's journal Pediatric Research.
Novel test enables earlier detection of Merkel cell carcinoma, scientists say Scientists have found a way to detect earlier if a deadly cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), is recurring in patients, according to a paper to be published 11 a.m. Eastern time, Dec. 7, in the journal Cancer.
What comes before new-onset major depressive disorder in kids, teens? Early-onset major depressive disorder (MDD) is common in individuals with a family risk of depression. So what signs or symptoms might precede that initial onset of MDD during adolescence among a high-risk group of children with depressed parents?
	Scientists shed new light on how the brain processes and maintains what we don't see A team of scientists has mapped out how our brains process visuals we don't even know we've seen, indicating that the neuronal encoding and maintenance of subliminal images is more substantial than previously thought.
	Enzyme that digests vitamin A also may regulate testosterone levels An enzyme that converts the dietary carotenoid beta carotene into vitamin A in the body may also regulate testosterone levels and growth of the prostate, a new study found.
	Chemical mosquito controls ineffective in Zika fight Some existing methods for controlling Zika-carrying mosquitos are not effective and may even be counter-productive, according to research by scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
	West African HIV-2 prevalence associated with lower historical male circumcision rates In West African cities, male circumcision rates in 1950 were negatively correlated with HIV-2 prevalence from 1985, according to a study published December 7, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by João Sousa from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and colleagues.
	Two genetic mutations discovered in subset of acute myeloid leukemia Two genetic mutations known to play a role in many solid cancers might also help explain why a subset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients develop the disease, according to new research from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James).
	Intimate and social relationships important for older adults in assisted living, study finds Intimate and social relationships remain important for older adults residing in assisted-living facilities, according to a recent study.
IVF success rate poised to improve with new research Over the past three years, Canadian women desperate to conceive a child endured more than 82,000 attempts to become impregnated using in vitro fertilization (IVF), a reproductive technique that fertilizes a woman's eggs outside of her body.
	How your parenting tactics influence your teen's problem behaviors Yelling. Screaming. Slamming of doors. Sneaking out.
	Protect against carbon monoxide as researchers hunt antidote Scientists are on the trail of a potential antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning, an injected "scavenger" that promises to trap and remove the gas from blood within minutes. It's very early-stage research—but a reminder that, however it turns out, there are steps people should take now to protect themselves from this silent killer.
	Cellular immunotherapy targets a common human cancer mutation In a study of an immune therapy for colorectal cancer that involved a single patient, a team of researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) identified a method for targeting the cancer-causing protein produced by a mutant form of the KRAS gene. This targeted immunotherapy led to cancer regression in the patient in the study. The finding appeared Dec. 8, 2016, in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study was led by Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the Surgery Branch at NCI's Center for Cancer Research, and was conducted at the NIH Clinical Center. NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health.
Patients receiving CD for atraumatic headache in ER less likely to return within 30 days A retrospective observational study illustrates that patients who underwent CT examination for atraumatic headache in an initial emergency department (ED) visit were less likely to return to the ED within 30 days.
Some breast cancer patients on neoadjuvant chemo may avoid axillary lymph node dissection A sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) during surgery that showed no signs of cancer was associated with a low risk for breast cancer recurrence in the axillary (armpit) lymph nodes for patients with large, operable breast tumors and no clinical signs of the cancer in the axillary lymph nodes prior to neoadjuvant (presurgery) chemotherapy, according to data from the GANEA 2 clinical trial presented at the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held Dec. 6-10.
	Modest increases in high blood pressure linked to death, heart failure Even modest increases in high blood pressure were linked to a greater risk of death and heart failure among African American adults of all ages, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
	New study shows targeted therapy needed for breast cancer with brain metastases Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) have discovered molecular changes in the primary tumor of breast cancer patients who developed brain metastases. The finding is expected to lead to improved diagnosis and targeted therapies.
	Optimism may reduce risk of dying prematurely among women Having an optimistic outlook on life—a general expectation that good things will happen—may help people live longer, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study found that women who were optimistic had a significantly reduced risk of dying from several major causes of death—including cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and infection—over an eight-year period, compared with women who were less optimistic.
	Research helps refine role of gene variants in breast cancer risk Inherited pathogenic variants in protein coding genes BARD1 and RAD51D increase a woman's likelihood of developing breast cancer, according to research conducted at Mayo Clinic and presented today at the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Pathogenic variants are changes in DNA that have a negative impact on a gene's ability to function properly.
Sleep apnea can contribute to recurring pulmonary embolism Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a major risk for patients suffering from venous thromboembolism (VTE) and can often be fatal. While advanced age, lack of exercise, and obesity all contribute to PE, it has been hypothesized that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may also promote the formation of blood clots. Because VTE is a chronic condition with reoccurring episodes of PE, researchers wanted to examine how OSA affected the rate of repeat PE occurrence. They found that after the first PE, OSA increases the risk for PE recurrence. Their results are published in the December issue of CHEST.
	Brain activity may predict risk of falls in older people Measuring the brain activity of healthy, older adults while they walk and talk at the same time may help predict their risk of falls later, according to a study published in the December 7, 2016, online issue of Neurology.
Patients with acute coronary syndrome at increased risk of suicide Patients with acute coronary syndrome, an umbrella term for conditions where the heart's blood supply is suddenly blocked, may be at an increased risk for suicide compared to otherwise healthy people, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Conservative Serbia becomes unlikely sex change centre In a country where Gay Pride parades require massive security and almost half the citizens think homosexuality is a disease, Serbia is drawing patients from around the world seeking sex change operations to become men.
Lack of access to medicine in Latin America taken to rights body Complaints over lack of access to medicine in Latin America were brought before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday, with demands that big drug companies be punished for preventing the sale of generics.
New system developed that can switch on immune cells to attack cancer cells Researchers have developed an artificial structure that mimics the cell membrane, which can switch on immune cells to attack and destroy a designated target. This method has potential to be used as a future cancer immunotherapy treatment as well as providing more insight into how immune cells are activated to find and kill cancer cells. The findings are presented today at the Joint Congress of the British and Dutch Societies for Immunology, taking place in Liverpool, UK.
	Pfizer fined for hiking epilepsy drug price 2,600 pct in UK British regulators fined U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and distributor Flynn Pharma a record 89.4 million pounds ($112.7 million) Wednesday for increasing the cost of an epilepsy drug by as much as 2,600 percent.
Investigation into family violence exposes critical need for workforce training, identifying perpetrators A leading Victorian family violence expert has responded to the Victorian Commission on Children and Young People report, Neither Seen nor Heard, which exposes multiple 'systemic issues' with the current child protection system.
	Expanding scopes of practice for dental hygienists improves oral health Research conducted by the University at Albany's Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) finds that in states where dental hygienists are allowed by law to practice at higher levels of professional competence and skill, the population's oral health notably improves.
Supportive care for cancer patients remains inadequate Pain relief and other forms of supportive care for cancer patients are insufficient, researchers report at the ESMO ASIA 2016 Congress in Singapore. They also highlight that side-effects to chemotherapy must be treated efficiently and that doctors should ensure end-of-life treatment meets patients' expectations.
	Virtual reality in medicine—new opportunities for diagnostics and surgical planning Before an operation, surgeons have to obtain the most precise image possible of the anatomical structures of the part of the body undergoing surgery. University of Basel researchers have now developed a technology that uses computed tomography data to generate a three-dimensional image in real time for use in a virtual environment.
Gut feelings: How the microbiome may affect mental illness and interact with treatment All of us who have experienced a "nervous stomach" under periods of stress suspect that there is a link between our gut and our mood. This link received strong scientific support during a series of presentations at the recent meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.
Substance present in ayahuasca brew stimulates generation of human neural cells Ayahuasca is a beverage that has been used for centuries by Native South-Americans. Studies suggest that it exhibits anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in humans. One of the main substances present in the beverage is harmine, a beta-carboline which potential therapeutic effects for depression has been recently described in mice.
Disruption of the body's internal clock causes disruption of metabolic processes Chronobiologists from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin have shown that the body's carbon monoxide metabolism is closely linked to the body's circadian (internal) clock. Carbon monoxide, a toxic gas found in exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke, is also an endogenous by-product of the degradation of heme, the hemoglobin cofactor responsible for giving red blood cells their color. The production of carbon monoxide is regulated by the body's internal clock, and this clock, in turn, is regulated by carbon monoxide. An article discussing the close reciprocal relationship between these two regulatory mechanisms has been published in the current issue of the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
	Don't bet big on health law changes when mulling coverage Why worry about buying health insurance when President-elect Donald Trump plans to dump the requirement that most Americans get coverage?
Texas eyes immunizations as more kids file exemptions Texas could be the epicenter for the nation's next major fight over stricter requirements for immunizations as rates of schoolchildren who refuse shots for non-medical reasons climb in America's second-largest state.
	Congress approves biomedical bill as leaders eye adjournment With an atypical burst of bipartisanship, the Senate shipped legislation to President Barack Obama on Wednesday lowering hurdles for government drug approvals as the 114th Congress bumped toward the end of a two-year run highlighted by upheaval and stalemate.
	In Greece's tobacco culture, passive smoke a serious problem Nearly two-thirds of Greeks are inhaling someone else's tobacco smoke on a daily basis, making Greece the worst nation in the European Union in exposing its people to the health risks of passive smoking.
Study proposes new protocol for treatment of thalassemia Iron accumulation in myocardial cells, potentially resulting in heart failure or fatal arrhythmia, is one of the complications most feared by patients with thalassemia major, a hereditary disease also known as Mediterranean anemia.

Biology news

	Polar bear numbers to plunge a third as sea ice melts: study Polar bear numbers could drop a third by mid-century, according to the first systematic assessment, released on Wednesday, of how dwindling Arctic sea ice affects the world's largest bear.
	Fight over revolutionary genetic advance goes to court in US A fierce legal battle over the patent for a revolutionary gene-editing technique played out Tuesday in a US court, with billions of dollars at stake.
	Gene "bookmarking" regulates the fate of stem cells A protein that stays attached on chromosomes during cell division plays a critical role in determining the type of cell that stem cells can become. The discovery, made by EPFL scientists, has significant implications for stem cell biology and their use in medicine.
	Atlas of the RNA universe takes shape As the floor plan of the living world, DNA guides the composition of animals ranging from unicellular organisms to humans. DNA not only helps shepherd every organism from birth through death, it also plays an essential role in the development of many human diseases.
	Common insecticides are riskier than thought to predatory insects Neonicotinoids—the most widely used class of insecticides—significantly reduce populations of predatory insects when used as seed coatings, according to researchers at Penn State. The team's research challenges the previously held belief that neonicotinoid seed coatings have little to no effect on predatory insect populations. In fact, the work suggests that neonicotinoids reduce populations of insect predators as much as broadcast applications of commonly used pyrethroid insecticides.
	Can bird feeders do more harm than good? Many bird lovers put out feeders full of seed for their feathered friends—but those feeders may also attract predators that eat eggs and nestlings. The researchers behind a new study in The Condor: Ornithological Applications tried to untangle these relationships through a four-year study of songbird nests, bird feeders, and predators in urban Central Ohio.
	Foraging differences let closely related seabirds coexist How do seabirds share habitat when food is limited? In the case of frigatebirds, size differences drive them to seek different prey. A study in The Auk: Ornithological Advances uses new technology to explore how closely related Great and Lesser frigatebirds manage to coexist at shared breeding colonies where the need to stick close to their nests prevents them from traveling far in search of food.
	Migrating birds pile up along Great Lakes' shores Birds prefer to migrate at night—so much so that if day breaks while they're over water, they'll turn back toward the nearest shore rather than pressing on. That's the key finding of a new study in The Auk: Ornithological Advances, which used weather radar to examine the behavior of birds crossing the Great Lakes.
	Captive elephants help save wild cousins on forest frontline It was the middle of the night when the villagers sounded the alarm: a huge Sumatran elephant was raiding their rice fields, and they needed urgent help to drive it back to the forest.
	Unique strain of lactic acid bacteria in Buryat milk is found Scientists from the Microbiology Department of the Faculty of Biology of the Lomonosov Moscow State University have discovered a new strain of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that could be promising as a biopreservative for food and as a probiotic. The research results have been presented at the First Black Sea Association of Food Science and Technology Congress (December, 1-2).
Fighting contaminated land with help from the humble fruit fly Scientists have discovered that a gene found in the common fruit fly can be successfully expressed in a plant and used to detoxify land contaminated with TNT.
	New study shows plants can learn from experience The first time I met the Australian evolutionary ecologist Monica Gagliano, she was wearing colourful paisley trousers and was giving an animated talk at a 2014 environmental humanities conference in Canberra.
	Five amazing ways plants have created new technologies Scientists have come up with a strange new method for detecting explosives: using spinach. The plants are impregnated with fluorescent "bionic" nanotubes that emit infrared light. In the presence of specific chemicals, the light turns off and this can be used as a signal that explosives are present. The change in fluorescence can even be detected using a modified mobile phone.
	Molecular switches researched in detail Seeing, smelling, tasting, regulation of blood pressure – molecular switches are involved in all of these processes. The mechanism with which these proteins are switched off has been analysed by a research team at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), headed by Prof Dr Klaus Gerwert and private lecturer Dr Carsten Kötting. With the aid of infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and computer simulations, they described the process at the subatomic level. The researchers published their report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
	Major urinary proteins do not allow kin recognition in male mice The urine of house mice, unlike humans, contains large amounts of proteins, which are mainly major urinary proteins or MUPs. These proteins function to stabilize the release of volatile pheromones from urinary scent marks. MUP genes occur in a large cluster in mice, and there are 21 different MUP genes, whereas humans have only one MUP gene, which is no longer functional.
	Experiences leave behind epigenetic traces in our genetic material An ideological dispute is taking place in biology. And it's about a big topic that's central to everything: heredity. In his epoch-making book On the Origin of Species of 1859, Darwin wrote of the reigning ignorance about how differences between individuals come about. It was only with 'modern evolutionary synthesis' in the 1940s that people became convinced that heredity functions through genetics – in other words, that the characteristics of living creatures are passed on to the next generations through their genetic substance, DNA.
	Iguanas partner with the plants of the Galápagos Islands The isolation of ocean islands like the Galápagos prevents the arrival of large mammals, which disperse the seeds of many plants by ingesting them. In the absence of mammals, this function is filled by birds, tortoises, lizards and iguanas. To date, no investigation had been carried out into the role iguanas play with at least ten species of plants.
	Miraculous proliferation Bacteria able to shed their cell wall assume new, mostly spherical shapes. ETH researchers have shown that these cells, known as L-forms, are not only viable but that their reproductive mechanisms may even correspond to those of early life forms.
	Conservation effort spreads seeds of destruction across the Midwest Weed scientists in at least two Midwestern states have been reporting for years that a conservation program meant to provide habitat for pollinating insects is sowing bad seeds - including seeds of the potentially devastating agricultural weed Palmer amaranth - along with the good. Now, researchers at the University of Illinois have traced the weed seeds to at least one source: pollinator habitat seed sold by a company in the Midwest.
	Despite evolutionary inexperience, northern sockeye manage heat stress Sockeye salmon that evolved in the generally colder waters of the far north still know how to cool off if necessary, an important factor in the species' potential for dealing with global climate change.
Manatee rescued off Cape Cod swims to another unusual spot The pregnant manatee rescued off Massachusetts' Cape Cod and released off Florida's Atlantic coast is now in another unusual place—the Bahamas.
	Fishy Caribbean 'juveniles' to be recognized as a new species, the Hourglass basslet Living in deep reefs in the Atlantic Ocean, the banded basslet, a small and colorful species with a wide range of distribution, has long been thought to undergo significant changes during its growth into an adult. Suspiciously, the juveniles appeared much more heavily banded. Recently, however, American scientists figured out that the 'juveniles' were in fact a new species.
	Thousands of geese die after landing in toxic US water Thousands of migrating geese have died after taking refuge from a snowstorm in toxic mine waters in the western United States, mine officials have said.

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