Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jan 19

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for January 19, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Graphene's sleeping superconductivity awakens

Gecko inspired adhesive can attach and detach using UV light

New low-cost technique converts bulk alloys to oxide nanowires

Biologists identify signals that drive distinct behavior in microscopic nematode worms

NASA study in Hawaii paving way for human travel to Mars

Experimental drug shows promise for sight-stealing eye condition

Researchers imprint stable, chemically active polymer equivalents of DNA

Magnetic recording with light and no heat on garnet

Harvests in the U.S. to suffer from climate change, according to study

The US Army Research Laboratory visitors see quadcopter for resupplying soldiers

Super-resolution imaging can map critical cell changes several days sooner than current method

Rapid ceramic-metal processing for superior composites

Significant metabolic energy savings gained from wearable, gait-improving robot

Research reveals surprising health benefits of chewing your food

Researchers find no evidence of an overall reduction in the world's consumption of materials

Astronomy & Space news

	NASA study in Hawaii paving way for human travel to Mars A group of NASA-funded researchers is poised to enter an isolated geodesic dome on a remote Hawaii volcano to study human behavior in long-term space exploration, including a planned voyage to Mars.
	Astronomers search for signs of life on Wolf 1061 exoplanet Is there anybody out there? The question of whether Earthlings are alone in the universe has puzzled everyone from biologists and physicists to philosophers and filmmakers. It's also the driving force behind San Francisco State University astronomer Stephen Kane's research into exoplanets—planets that exist outside Earth's solar system.
	Europe's Galileo satellites hit by anomalies The European Space Agency opened an investigation on Thursday into anomalies that have affected five of the first 18 Galileo satellites in orbit.
	Six cosmic catastrophes that could wipe out life on Earth If you ask yourself what the biggest threat to human existence is you'd probably think of nuclear war, global warming or a large-scale pandemic disease. But assuming we can overcome such challenges, are we really safe?

Technology news

	The US Army Research Laboratory visitors see quadcopter for resupplying soldiers (Tech Xplore)—Autonomous re-supply vehicles have the potential of playing a valuable role amidst military actions in the battlefield.
	Significant metabolic energy savings gained from wearable, gait-improving robot Last year, Harvard's soft exosuit team provided first proof-of-concept results showing that its wearable robot could lower energy expenditure in healthy people walking with a load on their back. Made of functional textiles, cable-based actuation and a biologically-inspired control system, the exosuit targets specific leg joints – instead of the full leg - and delivers assistance that is synchronized with the wearer's walking mechanics in individuals ranging from people that carry heavy loads to people that are disabled by stoke or other health complications.
	Researchers find no evidence of an overall reduction in the world's consumption of materials Are humans taking more resources from the Earth than the planet can safely produce? The answer lies partly in whether we can "dematerialize," or reduce the amount of materials needed to produce goods and services.
	Making AI systems that see the world as humans do A Northwestern University team developed a new computational model that performs at human levels on a standard intelligence test. This work is an important step toward making artificial intelligence systems that see and understand the world as humans do.
	Your 'anonmyized' web browsing history may not be anonymous Raising further questions about privacy on the internet, researchers from Princeton and Stanford universities have released a study showing that a specific person's online behavior can be identified by linking anonymous web browsing histories with social media profiles.
	System finds and links related data scattered across digital files, for easy querying and filtering The age of big data has seen a host of new techniques for analyzing large data sets. But before any of those techniques can be applied, the target data has to be aggregated, organized, and cleaned up.
	Google grabs Twitter app platform Fabric Google is acquiring Twitter's mobile application developer platform Fabric, a move which could give some breathing room for the social network after charting an independent path without a suitor.
Netflix adds 7 million subscribers in global expansion Netflix added a record seven million subscribers over the past quarter as part of its global expansion drive, fueling a surge in revenue and profit for the streaming television giant.
	For white-collar staff, AI threatens new workplace revolution If your job involves inputting reams of data for a company, you might want to think about retraining in a more specialised field. Or as a plumber.
	Satellite tracking to keep tabs on airliners over oceans Nearly three years after a Malaysian airliner vanished, it's still possible, if unlikely, for a plane to disappear. But that's changing with new satellites that will soon allow flights to be tracked in real time over oceans.
Hawaii bill aims for 100 percent renewable transportation Hawaii has the most aggressive renewable energy targets in the nation, aiming for its utilities to get 100 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045.
	Startup plans to use 3-D printers to create tomorrow's rocket engines A startup with Purdue ties plans to use 3-D printers as well as other additive manufacturing processes to make future rocket engines that show promise in being faster and less expensive to produce than traditional methods.
How driverless transport could bring an end to commuter rail strike misery It's not easy being a rail passenger in Britain. In recent months, London and south-east England have regularly ground to a halt in a series of rail and Underground strikes, disrupting the lives of millions.
	Securing change—the fight to protect our online space One thing we can all agree on is social media has drastically altered the way we interact with each other and the world around us. This societal shift has brought to light the need for awareness of the risks that surround it. As quickly as the landscape of social interaction changes, new threats emerge.
	Researchers develop ways to improve machining, milling processes Fixing flaws introduced during the machining of large components used in the aircraft and heavy equipment industries can be time-consuming for manufacturers – and costly if they must scrap the flawed parts after they've been fabricated. A new approach developed by researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology is helping manufacturers eliminate those flaws before the parts are created.
	Call issued to white hat hackers—find the flaws in new automotive software updater A consortium of researchers today announced the development of a universal, free, and open-source framework to protect wireless software updates in vehicles. The team issued a challenge to security experts everywhere to try to find vulnerabilities before it is adopted by the automotive industry.
	Rethinking general-purpose computing—toward an internet of secure things In the 1930s Alan Turing imagined a "universal computing machine" capable of computing nearly anything. Today, that universality is the backbone of the information age: Turing-like computers are running governments, businesses, homes, power grids, vehicles, and cities, all linked by a scaffolding of common hardware, software, and network protocols.
	Accelerating fuel-efficient car production with disruptive 3-D print process Engineers at The University of Nottingham are developing lightweight automotive components using new additive manufacturing processes to boost vehicle fuel efficiency, while cutting noise and CO2 emissions.
	VW ex-boss denies prior knowledge of pollution cheating Former Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn said Thursday that he did not know the beleaguered German auto giant was engaging in systematic emissions cheating until shortly before the scam broke.
Facebook to build its 3rd data center outside US in Denmark Facebook will build a 56,500 square meter (608,161 square foot) data center in central Denmark, its third such center outside the United States.
German anti-trust case against Audible, Apple dropped Germany's anti-trust agency says it's dropping its investigation of Amazon subsidiary Audible and Apple after the two companies agreed to end exclusivity deals for audiobook supply and distribution.
	NATO sees sharp rise in state-backed cyber attacks: Stoltenberg NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday said the alliance is coming under an increasing number of state-sponsored cyber attacks as he called on the bloc to boost its online defence capabilities.
New smartwatch application for accurate signature verification developed An innovative, new system that uses smartwatch devices and software to verify handwritten signatures and detect even the most skilled forgeries has been developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Tel Aviv University (TAU) researchers.
	US ends probe of Tesla fatal crash without seeking recall Tesla Motors Inc. won't face a recall or fine as a result of a fatal crash involving its Autopilot system, but U.S. safety regulators are warning auto manufacturers and drivers not to treat semiautonomous cars as if they were fully self-driving.
Study to tackle artificial intelligence law and policy Artificial intelligence (AI) is coming at us before we fully understand what it might mean. Established ways of doing things in areas like transport regulation, crime prevention and legal practice are being challenged by new technologies such as driverless cars, crime prediction software and "AI lawyers".
Spain arrests Russian wanted by US for alleged hacking Spanish officials say a Russian computer programmer wanted by the United States on hacking allegations has been jailed while a decision is made on whether to extradite him.
	IBM tops Street 4Q forecasts International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) on Thursday reported fourth-quarter profit of $4.5 billion.
	Trump steps into security bubble; will he bring his phone? A few hours after President-elect Donald Trump was briefed by intelligence officials about Russian meddling in the election, an Associated Press reporter called his cellphone seeking an interview.
	How to watch inauguration events, with or without TV The lack of a TV set shouldn't prevent you from following Friday's presidential inauguration ceremony, the pomp and circumstance surrounding it, and the many protests and marches planned around the country.

Medicine & Health news

	Biologists identify signals that drive distinct behavior in microscopic nematode worms Dr. Kevin Collins carefully places a petri dish with what looks like a blotch of yellowish slime under a microscope. Magnified, the slime comes alive as hundreds of translucent worms, known as Caenorhabditis elegans, slither to and fro.
	Experimental drug shows promise for sight-stealing eye condition An experimental drug may one day make treatment simpler for patients suffering from vision-threatening age-related macular degeneration, researchers say.
	Research reveals surprising health benefits of chewing your food Scientists have shown that chewing your food properly can boost your mouth's immune system to protect you against illness.
	The great unknown—risk-taking behaviour in adolescents Adolescents are more likely to ignore information that could prompt them to rethink risky decisions. This may explain why information campaigns on risky behaviors such as drug abuse tend to have only limited success. These are the conclusions of a study conducted by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, which has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Structure of atypical cancer protein paves way for drug development A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has helped uncover the elusive structure of a cancer cell receptor protein that can be leveraged to fight disease progression. Previous studies have showed blocking the receptor can slow tumor growth and metastasis in certain cases. However, the development of drugs (inhibitors) has been slowed by an absence of structural information on this highly unstable membrane protein. Armed with the new study, drug developers can now design molecules that nestle into the receptor's binding sites to modulate its function or outcompete native ligands.
	Curb your immune enthusiasm Normally when we think of viruses, from the common cold to HIV, we want to boost people's immunity to fight them. But for scientists who develop therapeutic viruses (to, for example, target cancer cells or correct gene deficiencies) a more important question is: How do we keep people's natural immune responses at bay? In these cases, an overenthusiastic immune response actually undermines the therapy.
	In Alzheimer's, excess tau protein damages brain's GPS Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have discovered that the spatial disorientation that leads to wandering in many Alzheimer's disease patients is caused by the accumulation of tau protein in navigational nerve cells in the brain. The findings, in mice, could lead to early diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's and highlight novel targets for treating this common and troubling symptom.
	A role for mutated blood cells in heart disease? A new study provides some of the first links between relatively common mutations in the blood cells of elderly humans and atherosclerosis.
	Why the lights don't dim when we blink Every few seconds, our eyelids automatically shutter and our eyeballs roll back in their sockets. So why doesn't blinking plunge us into intermittent darkness and light? New research led by the University of California, Berkeley, shows that the brain works extra hard to stabilize our vision despite our fluttering eyes.
	As cells age, the fat content within them shifts As cells age and stop dividing, their fat content changes, along with the way they produce and break down fat and other molecules classified as lipids, according to a new University at Buffalo study.
	Pancreatic tumors rely on signals from surrounding cells Just as an invasive weed might need nutrient-rich soil and water to grow, many cancers rely on the right surroundings in the body to thrive. A tumor's microenvironment—the nearby tissues, immune cells, blood vessels and extracellular matrix—has long been known to play a role in the tumor's growth.
Disadvantaged women at greater risk of heart disease than men Women from low socioeconomic backgrounds are 25 per cent more likely to suffer a heart attack than disadvantaged men, a major new study has found.
Mars and Venus on the therapist's couch Generally speaking, men want a quick fix from psychological therapy and women want to talk about their feelings.
	Study provides new evidence on role of person-to person transmission in drug-resistant tuberculosis A study published today in The New England Journal of Medicine provides compelling evidence that extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) is spread from person-to-person in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa from 2011-2014. The study was conducted by a team of researchers from Emory University, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. It builds on a growing body of evidence showing that person-to-person transmission, not just inadequate treatment, is driving the spread of drug-resistant TB.
	Blood test can predict life or death outcome for patients with Ebola virus disease Scientists have identified a 'molecular barcode' in the blood of patients with Ebola virus disease that can predict whether they are likely to survive or die from the viral infection.
Precision medicine advances pediatric brain tumor diagnosis and treatment Precision medicine - in which diagnosis and treatments are keyed to the genetic susceptibilities of individual cancers - has advanced to the point where it can now impact the care of a majority of children with brain tumors, a new study by investigators at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center suggests.
	Forward-thinking tips for back pain (HealthDay)—Back pain is common but not inevitable, an orthopedist says.
	Know the risks, warning signs of ovarian cancer (HealthDay)—Women need to be aware their risk for ovarian cancer increases with age. Half of all cases affect women age 63 or older, according to specialists at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
	Men: here are ways to healthier, younger-looking skin (HealthDay)—Many men don't think about skin care but they should, a dermatologist says.
	FDA offers guidance on fish intake for kids, pregnant women (HealthDay)—A new U.S. government guideline classifies fish into three categories of safety to help pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers and parents of young children make healthy choices.
	Short stretches of exercise may have anti-inflammatory effect (HealthDay)—Just 20 minutes of moderate exercise may dampen inflammation in the body, researchers say.
	Neurodevelopment at age 2 not worse after ART conception (HealthDay)—Cognitive, motor, and language development at age 2 years is similar for children born after assisted reproductive technologies (ART) conception and natural conception, according to a study published in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Autologous urethral sling no benefit after prostatectomy (HealthDay)—Placement of a retropubic urethral sling fashioned from autologous vas deferens during robotic assisted radical prostatectomy does not improve recovery of continence, according to a study published in the February issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Quick SOFA score predicts in-hospital mortality risk (HealthDay)—For patients with suspected infection presenting to the emergency department, the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score is better than systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or severe sepsis criteria for identifying patients at high risk of mortality, according to a study published in the Jan. 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Metabolites linked to renal decline, time to ESRD in T1DM (HealthDay)—Serum levels of seven modified metabolites are associated with renal function decline and time to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), according to a study published online Jan. 13 in Diabetes Care.
	Recommendations developed for small renal mass management (HealthDay)—In a clinical practice guideline published online Jan. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, recommendations are presented for the management of patients with small renal masses (SRMs).
	Oxytocin ups feeding, social skills in infants with prader-willi (HealthDay)—For infants with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), oxytocin (OXT) administration is associated with improvement in feeding and social skills, according to a study published online Jan. 18 in Pediatrics.
	Recent study shows maternal protein restriction in mice alters energy and behavior in male offspring A team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have found that the adult offspring of mouse dams that consumed a low-protein diet during pregnancy and lactation had an increase in body fat, lower energy expenditure and increase in anxiety-like behavior even though they had all been fed normal diet from weaning.
Lap band surgery benefits very obese adolescents Lap band surgery has significant benefits for severely obese teenagers and, despite its controversial nature, should still be considered as a first option to manage obesity during adolescence, a new study has found.
	Study finds an estimated 150,000 US youths ages 13-17 identify as transgender An estimated 0.7 percent of youth ages 13 to 17, or 150,000 youth, identify as transgender in the United States, according to a new study released by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. This study is the first to provide population estimates for youth who identify as transgender in each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia.
	Many household products contain antimicrobial chemicals banned from soaps by the FDA This year marks 20 years since Hasbro was fined for false advertising, claiming their Playskool toys laden with the antimicrobial chemical triclosan would keep kids healthier. It is also the year when soap manufacturers will finally have to remove the chemical from their products.
	Why the U.S. 'free market' for drugs doesn't work and what we can do about it The United States faces a major problem with prescription drug prices. Even as the prices of most goods and services have barely budged in recent years, the cost of drugs has surged.
	Scientists provide first evidence that carbamates can upset circadian rhythms Synthetic chemicals commonly found in insecticides and garden products bind to the receptors that govern our biological clocks, University at Buffalo researchers have found. The research suggests that exposure to these insecticides adversely affects melatonin receptor signaling, creating a higher risk for metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
	Latest research offers hope for patients with inflammatory diseases University of Queensland researchers have discovered a molecular trigger for inflammation that could lead to new treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and neurodegenerative diseases.
	Physical health ignored in people with mental illness Australians with serious mental illness are living on average for 10-32 years less than the rest of the population, mainly due to preventable and treatable diseases like diabetes. No wonder, these early, preventable deaths have been described as a scandal.
	Reading picture books with children holds promise for treating common language disorder A clinical trial of book reading to help kindergarten children with Specific Language Impairment learn words has determined the number of times a child with SLI needs to hear a word to learn it: 36 times or exposures compared with 12 times for typically developing children.
	Women of indigenous communities prefer self-screening for cervical cancer-causing virus Cervical cancer is a preventable disease if detected on time, but it remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women in Latin America, particularly women of poor and indigenous communities.
	Synaesthesia 'hearing-motion' phenomenon more common than previously thought, says study A little-known synaesthetic 'hearing-motion' phenomenon in which people hear faint sounds following totally silent visual flashes may be more common than previously realised, according to a new study from City, University of London.
Trial determines safest airway device for babies in surgery A ground-breaking Western Australian medical trial, involving babies with breathing problems, has determined that a laryngeal mask (a medical device that keeps a patient's airway open) is the preferred option over an endotracheal tube during minor surgical procedures.
	From diet to blood pressure – it's not just chromosomes that help determine the sex of a baby The concept of being able to predict the sex of a baby during early pregnancy or even influence it by eating or doing certain things when trying to conceive has been the subject of public fascination and debate for many centuries. But surely the sex of a foetus is exclusively determined by the father's sperm, carrying an X chromosome for girls and a Y chromosome for boys?
More than half of atrial fibrillation patients become asymptomatic after catheter ablation More than half of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) become asymptomatic after catheter ablation, reports the largest study of the procedure published today in European Heart Journal.
	Opinion: The dangerous ideal of mental health The following commentary is provided by Simon Keller, a professor of Philosophy at Victoria University of Wellington.
	Endogenous peptide lowers cholesterol Cells of the innate immune system that play an important role in development of atherosclerosis contain a protein that reduces levels of cholesterol in mice – and thus helps to inhibit or mitigate the disease.
	Handy device scans beneath the skin In collaboration with various companies, scientists at Mira Research Institute have recently developed a prototype for a handheld device that combines ultrasound technology with photoacoustics.
	Health system not fit for people with dementia and other chronic conditions The UK's current health and social care system isn't fit for purpose when it comes to caring for people living with dementia (PLWD) who also have other illnesses and chronic conditions.
Sepsis trumps CMS's four medical conditions tracked for readmission rates Sepsis accounts for considerably more hospital readmissions and associated costs than any of the four medical conditions tracked by the federal government to measure quality of care and guide pay-for-performance reimbursements, according to an analysis led by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
Great differences in the view of withdrawing futile intensive care The views among physicians and the general public when it comes to deciding whether to withhold or withdraw treatment of terminally ill patients differ greatly. However, in a hypothetical case study at Umeå University in Sweden of a clearly hopeless medical case, great unanimity among physicians' and the public's assessments could be seen with regards to cancelling treatment or offering relief at the final stages of life.
	Rabies viruses reveal wiring in transparent brains Scientists under the leadership of the University of Bonn have harnessed rabies viruses for assessing the connectivity of nerve cell transplants: coupled with a green fluorescent protein, the viruses show where replacement cells engrafted into mouse brains have connected to the host neural network. A clearing procedure which turns the brain into a 'glass-like state' and light sheet fluorescence microscopy are used to visualize host-graft connections in a whole-brain preparation. The approach opens exciting prospects for predicting and optimizing the ability of neural transplants to functionally integrate into a host nervous system. The results have now been published in the specialist journal Nature Communications.
Plan A is to get patients to stick to their blood pressure pills There is value in starting off patients with high blood pressure on an all-in-one pill. In the long run, it may help them stick to taking the potentially life-saving medicines prescribed to them. This advice is given to clinicians by Julie Lauffenburger and colleagues of the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. In a paper in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer, the researchers found more value in fixed-dose combination pills that contain more than one type of medication, rather than separate pills for each drug.
	$460-mn vaccine push to 'outsmart' viruses With the world still reeling from outbreaks of deadly Ebola and baby-deforming Zika, governments and charities launched a $460-million (431 million-euro) initiative Thursday to "outsmart" infectious epidemics.
	Official abortion rate declined in Texas after law restricted access to clinics New research from the Texas Policy Evaluation Project (TxPEP) exploring the impact of House Bill 2 (HB 2) - the restrictive Texas abortion law that was struck down by the Supreme Court - found that increases in travel distance to the nearest abortion clinic caused by clinic closures were closely associated with decreases in the official number of abortions.
	Nearly half of U.S. men infected with HPV, study finds (HealthDay)—Many American men are infected with the cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV), but unlike women, men are more likely to stay infected throughout their lives, a new study finds.
Computer-based cognitive training program may help patients with severe tinnitus In a study published online by JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, researchers evaluated the effect of a cognitive training program on tinnitus.
Research team develops new diagnostic tool to identify tinnitus in animals A team of researchers from Wayne State University has developed a behavioral tool that may significantly aid in understanding the underlying mechanisms of tinnitus, ultimately leading to new drugs and treatment methods.
One percent of Cambodian children live in orphanages yet have a living parent Nearly 80 percent of adolescents living in Cambodia's orphanages have one or more living parents, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. The first research of its kind assessing the literacy and health of children living outside of family care in Cambodia, the study estimated a total of 48,775 children - close to one percent of all children in Cambodia - were living in residential care institutions. The vast majority of these children are school-aged. Poverty and lack of educational opportunities in their home communities were cited as the primary reasons for family separation. Lindsay Stark, DrPH, associate professor of Population and Family Health at the Mailman School of Public Health, led the research. Findings of the study are published online in the journal BMJ Open.
German lawmakers green-light medical cannabis use German lawmakers on Thursday legalised cannabis use for medical purposes for people with serious diseases such as certain cancers and multiple sclerosis.
	Can breakfast help keep us thin? Nutrition science is tricky Cereal makers have happily encouraged the belief that eating breakfast can help keep us thin and bring other benefits, partly by paying for studies that seem to support the idea.
Advances in imaging detect blunt cerebrovascular injury more frequently in trauma patients Advances in diagnostic imaging technology have meant that more trauma patients are being diagnosed with blunt cerebrovascular injuries, and as a result, stroke and related death rates in these patients have declined significantly over the past 30 years. These changes are due to the evolution of imaging technology, namely CT-scanning, and its wide availability in hospitals large and small, according to a new study from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Memphis, published online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in advance of print publication later this year.
	Scientists aim to create the world's largest sickle cell disease stem cell library Scientists at the Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) are creating an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based research library that opens the door to invaluable sickle cell disease research and novel therapy development.
Roots of related genetic diseases found in cell powerhouses Scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered the mechanisms behind a genetic change known to cause a set of related diseases.
	Bodywide immune response important for fighting cancer, researchers say Fighting off cancer requires the concerted efforts of immune molecules throughout the body, rather than just in the tumor itself, according to a new study of laboratory mice by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	New genital herpes vaccine candidate provides powerful protection in preclinical tests Approximately 500 million people around the world are infected with the genital herpes virus known as herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV2). A vaccine that could bring an end to this global pandemic is needed desperately, yet no candidate vaccine has ever performed well in clinical trials. Now scientists in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have shown that a new type of vaccine provides powerful protection in standard guinea pig and monkey models of HSV2 infection.
	New technique could enable safer production of polio vaccines A new method to produce a stable fragment of poliovirus could enable safer production of vaccines, according to a study published in PLOS Pathogens.
	Time to put TB on a diet Global Tuberculosis Report, the disease kills over 1.5 million people a year. Although the mortality rate has dropped by 47% since 1990 due to advances in preventive and treatment options, the tuberculosis bacillus is growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics. For this reason, biochemists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, are attempting to identify the mechanisms that enable the bacterium to reproduce, spread and survive in latent form in our macrophages. The scientists have discovered that the bacterium has the ability to "reprogramm" the cell it infects so that it can feed on its lipids. The UNIGE research results, which will be published in the PLOS Pathogens journal, will pave the way for new treatment opportunities based on starving and weakening the bacterium.
Type 1 diabetes linked to gut inflammation, bacteria changes People with Type 1 diabetes exhibit inflammation in the digestive tract and gut bacteria—a pattern that differs from individuals who do not have diabetes or those who have celiac disease, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Public health experts support federally mandated smoke-free public housing In response to a new federal rule mandating smoke-free policies in federally funded public housing authorities (PHAs), three public health experts applaud the efforts of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to protect nonsmoking residents from the harmful effects of tobacco exposure. In a commentary published online today in the American Journal of Public Health, authors from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health discuss both implementation challenges and possible solutions to ease the burden of transition.
Leaders issue 'call to action' on gun safety; urge consensus vs. confrontation In an unprecedented call to action, public health leaders from some of the nation's top universities on Thursday urged consensus-building on gun safety, rather than confrontation, saying that the election of President Donald Trump had "changed the national conversation on firearms" and made federal policy changes unlikely.
Americans in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have higher mortality The U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps low-income individuals and families purchase food, covered one in six Americans during 2015 and represented more than half of the entire U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual budget of $155 billion.
	Number of women who take maternity leave has stalled The number of U.S. women taking maternity leave has not changed in 22 years despite factors that suggest it should be increasing, a new study found.
	What causes sleepiness when sickness strikes It's well known that humans and other animals are fatigued and sleepy when sick, but it's a microscopic roundworm that's providing an explanation of how that occurs, according to a study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. A study published this week in eLife reveals the mechanism for this sleepiness.
Access to anesthesia care is not improved when states eliminate physician supervision Patient access to anesthesia care for seven common surgical procedures is not increased when states "opt-out" of the Medicare rule that requires anesthesia to be administered with physician supervision, reports a study published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). The study showed that "opt-out" states did not experience a reduction in the distance patients were required to travel for their procedure—a common measure used to gauge access to care.
	Brain stimulation used like a scalpel to improve memory Northwestern Medicine scientists showed for the first time that non-invasive brain stimulation can be used like a scalpel, rather than like a hammer, to cause a specific improvement in precise memory.
'FishTaco' sorts out who is doing what in your microbiome A growing body of evidence indicates that the trillions of microbes that live on and inside our bodies affect our health. Collectively, these resident microbes form our microbiome.
	Most cow's milk baby formulas don't up risk of type 1 diabetes (HealthDay)—Although breast milk is still considered the best nutrition for babies, a new study suggests that most cow's milk formulas don't increase the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
	17 million U.S. adults may have tough-to-spot high blood pressure (HealthDay)—You get your blood pressure checked at your doctor's office, and it reads in the normal range. You're fine, right?
	CpG island methylator phenotype prognostic after CRC surgery (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery, CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) status predicts survival, according to research published online Jan. 14 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Increasing severity of airflow limitation linked to lung CA risk (HealthDay)—For older heavy cigarette smokers, the severity of airflow limitation is associated with increasing lung cancer risk, according to a study published online Jan. 11 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
	Effectiveness of one-dose MenACWY-D drops over time (HealthDay)—For adolescents, the effectiveness of the one-dose meningococcal (groups A, C, W, and Y) polysaccharide diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine (MenACWY-D) decreases at three to less than eight years post-vaccination, according to a study published online Jan. 18 in Pediatrics.
	Less sitting time can be initial step in total fitness plan (HealthDay)—The reduction and interruption of sitting time can be an initial step in the development of a total physical activity plan for male patients, according to the conclusions of a report published in the December issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
	Researchers identify mechanism of oncogene action in lung cancer Researchers at Mayo Clinic have identified a genetic promoter of cancer that drives a major form of lung cancer. In a new paper published this week in Cancer Cell, Mayo Clinic researchers provide genetic evidence that Ect2 drives lung adenocarcinoma tumor formation.
Digital assay of circulating tumor cells may improve diagnosis, monitoring of liver cancer Use of an advanced form of the commonly used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to analyze circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may greatly increase the ability to diagnose early-stage cancer, increasing the likelihood of successful treatment. In their report published in PNAS, a team from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center describe how combining use of the MGH-developed CTC-iChip with RNA-based digital PCR greatly improved detection of cancer cells in the blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer.
Surgical site infections are the most common and costly of hospital infections A Loyola Medicine surgeon is first author of new guidelines for the prevention, detection and management of surgical site infections, which affect as many as 300,000 patients per year in the United States.
Study uses social media, internet to forecast disease outbreaks When epidemiological data are scarce, social media and Internet reports can be reliable tools for forecasting infectious disease outbreaks, according to a study led by an expert in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University.
	Breast cancer prognosis of African-American patients may improve with chemotherapy before surgery Administering chemotherapy to African-American breast cancer patients prior to surgery could improve their prognosis and survival rates from the disease, according to a new study.
	Study discusses model for understanding nutrition and brain development Pediatric nutrition research has shown the important effects of early-life nutrition on a baby's development—especially the gastrointestinal tract—and more recent research indicates that nutrition may also have an influence on an infant's brain as it develops.
Scorecard shows public health goals could suffer under Trump presidency Speculation abounds on what a Donald Trump presidency will mean to the future of public health, particularly health care coverage.
Disabled people reveal their experiences of social care At a time when Social Care in England is at a 'tipping point', according to the Care Quality Commission, it is vital that local authorities find ways of working together with people who use social care services. With that goal in mind, a group of disabled people have recently carried out research in co-production with researchers at the University of Bristol.
Czechs a step away from smoking ban in bars, restaurants The Czech Republic is one step away from losing its status of one of the last havens for tobacco smokers in Europe.
Low levels of circulating protein linked to kidney function decline Higher blood levels of a protein called klotho may help preserve kidney function, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). Although additional studies are needed, the findings point to a potential target for preventing and treating kidney disease.
Lead on climate change to 'make America great again,' respiratory doctors urge Trump If the new US President wants to keep his promise to 'make America great again,' then he should follow the example of the late British premier Margaret Thatcher on climate change, say a group of UK and US respiratory doctors, in an editorial published online in the international journal Thorax.
Oregon faces obstacles expanding health insurance to all residents, study finds Creating a Medicare-like public health insurance option for residents of Oregon may be the easiest system to extend health coverage to more people in the state, but other proposals such as single-payer plan or a system to provide limited private insurance to all residents would eventually cover more people, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Arkansas panel OKs restrictions on 2nd trimester abortions An Arkansas legislative committee voted Thursday to outlaw an abortion procedure that opponents call "savage" and "barbaric" while others deem it the safest way to end a pregnancy in the second trimester.

Biology news

	Super-resolution imaging can map critical cell changes several days sooner than current method Scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health have developed a new way to identify the state and fate of individual stem cells earlier than previously possible. Stem cells are undifferentiated, serving as building blocks for the various tissues and organs of the body.  Understanding a stem cell's fate—the type of cell it will eventually become—and how far along it is in that process can help scientists better manipulate cells for therapies.
	Phages found to use peptide to communicate with one another (Phys.org)—A team of researchers from several institutions in Israel has, for the first time, identified a molecule that phages use to communicate with one another. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes the methods they used to isolate the molecule and the way it was used by phages to make decisions. Alan Davidson with the University of Toronto offers a News & Views article on the work done by the team in the same journal issue along with an explanation of why the finding is so exciting to those in the microbiological field.
	Ants use sun and memories to guide their backwards walk home They are famed for their highly developed work ethic ... now a study shows ants' navigational skills are more sophisticated than was previously thought.
	Balance may rely on the timing of movement Zebrafish learn to balance by darting forward when they feel wobbly, a principle that may also apply to humans, according to a study led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center.
	Moth gut bacterium defends its host by making antibiotic Nearly half of all insects are herbivores, but their diets do not consist of only plant material. It is not uncommon for potentially harmful microorganisms to slip in during a feast. In a study published on January 19 in Cell Chemical Biology, researchers report that these insects use an ironic strategy to resist microbial infections. A bacterial species commonly found in the gut of the cotton leafworm and other moths secretes a powerful antimicrobial peptide, killing off competitors while defending its host against pathogens.
	Novel regulatory mechanism controls how plants defend themselves against pathogens Together with collaborators in Austria, scientists at The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) in Norwich (UK) are unravelling the complex mechanisms underlying plants' innate abilities to resist pests and pathogens. In a new paper published in Science, the team reveals how a class of endogenous plant peptides and their corresponding receptor regulate plant immune responses.
	Seeking structure with metagenome sequences For proteins, appearance matters. These important molecules largely form a cell's structures and carry out its functions: proteins control growth and influence mobility, serve as catalysts, and transport or store other molecules. Comprised of long amino acid chains, the one-dimensional amino acid sequence may seem meaningless on paper. Yet when viewed in three dimensions, researchers can see what a protein's structure is and how a protein's structure, and particularly the way it folds, determines its functions.
	Why the human voice is so versatile Macaques and baboons – two distantly related primates – are able to produce a similar range of voice-like sounds to humans.
	Climate change prompts Alaska fish to change breeding behavior One of Alaska's most abundant freshwater fish species is altering its breeding patterns in response to climate change. This could impact the ecology of northern lakes, which already acutely feel the effects of a changing climate.
	Impending extinction crisis for non-human primates spurs a call for action The plight of Earth's primates has prompted researchers around the world to call for sweeping societal changes before hundreds of non-human species are driven to extinction.
	What 'walkies' says about your relationship with your dog Dogs love "walkies." And unless it's pouring with rain and blowing a gale, so do their owners. But there's much more to this daily routine than you might think. In fact, it's actually a complex process of negotiation, which reveals a great deal about our relationship with man's best friend.
	Massive sea lion and fur seal hunting in the Patagonian coasts is altering Southern Atlantic Ocean ecosystems Sea lion hunting by the Europeans at the Atlantic coasts of South America started in the 19th Century and continued up to the second half of the 20th century in Argentina and Uruguay. The practice changed nutrition guidelines of these pinnipeds as well as the structure of the coastal trophic network, according to the studies by the team co-directed by Lluís Cardona from the University of Barcelona (IRBio), and Enrique Crespo from the Patagonian National Center and the National University of Patagonia (Argentina).
	Protein complex prevents genome instability An international collaboration between Osaka University and the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) in Switzerland is investigating the repair process of a serious form of DNA damage that can lead to instability of genetic material and tumor formation. The researchers are studying the roles of groups of proteins that control the repair of double-stranded breaks (DSBs) in DNA that occur from internal or external sources, such as UV irradiation.
Molecule flash mob Neurotransmitter transporters are some of the most popular transport proteins in research as they play a major role in the processing of signals in the brain. A joint study by TU Wien and the Medical University of Vienna has now successfully demonstrated for the first time the structural impact of membrane lipids on medically relevant serotonin transporters.
	CRISPR meets single-cell sequencing in new screening method Genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 "gene scissors" is a powerful tool for biological discovery and for identifying novel drug targets. In pooled CRISPR screens, a large number of cells are edited simultaneously using CRISPR guide-RNAs against thousands of different genes. Next, some of the edited cells are experimentally selected, and their guide-RNAs are counted to determine which genes are most important for the studied biological mechanism.
	Herbaria prove valuable in demonstrating long-term changes in plant populations A new study published today in Botany demonstrates how herbaria can be valuable resources for studying the impact over time of large herbivores on perennial plant populations.
Quality control inside the cell The ability to dispose of proteins that are either aberrant or (in the worst case) toxic is fundamental to a cell's survival. Researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have been able to demonstrate the manner in which two specific proteins recognize defective messenger RNAs (molecules that carry the 'assembly instructions' for protein synthesis) and trigger their destruction. Results from this study have been published in the current issue of the journal Nature Communications.
'Marine repairmen'—new research shows limpets are construction workers of the seashore New research from a beach-roaming biomechanics engineer paints a surprisingly industrious picture of limpets—the marine snails that are abundantly plastered on rocks at low tide. His work shows that limpets survive and thrive by being the busy construction workers of the seashore.
	New book explores why the discovery of sex in plants took so long Sexual reproduction in animals has been recognized since ancient times and used in the breeding of domesticated animals for more than 10,000 years. Humans have depended on domesticated crops for more than 10,000 years as well, but for most of that time there was no intentional breeding of crop plants because people didn't think plants had sex.
	Scientists collaborate to reduce number of animals needed for breast cancer research More than 200 scientists have signed up to a tissue-sharing database designed to reduce the number of animals needed for biomedical research.

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