Science X Newsletter Monday, Aug 14

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 14, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Trophic coherence explains why networks have few feedback loops and high stability

When an eyewitness is wrong: Recommendations for mitigating false convictions

Hologram technology could lead to improved diagnoses of chronic diseases in remote areas

Study looks at potential of Deep Learning on herbarium species identification

Astronomers reveal insights into the nature of a distant ultraviolet-bright star

Best of Last Week – Biggest dinosaur ever, rewriting human evolution and brain damage caused by playing video games

Tiny jumping spiders found preying on frogs and lizards

Exotic quantum states made from light

Single molecules can work as reproducible transistors—at room temperature

Machine-learning system enables smoother streaming that can better adapt to different network conditions

Scientists obtain 'how to' guide for producing hair follicles

Facebook discretely fields China photo-sharing app

Researchers propose Repression Network approach for vehicle search

Los Angeles tests cooling pavement paint to beat heat

SpaceX to launch super-computer to space

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers reveal insights into the nature of a distant ultraviolet-bright star A team of astronomers led by William Dixon of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, has presented new spectral analysis of the ultraviolet-bright star Y453. The study, presented Aug. 3 in a paper published on arXiv.org, reveals insights about the star's physical parameters, chemical composition and its evolution.
	SpaceX to launch super-computer to space SpaceX is poised to launch an unmanned cargo ship toward the International Space Station Monday, including a super-computer that could direct astronauts on future deep-space missions.
	TRAPPIST-1 is older than our solar system If we want to know more about whether life could survive on a planet outside our solar system, it's important to know the age of its star. Young stars have frequent releases of high-energy radiation called flares that can zap their planets' surfaces. If the planets are newly formed, their orbits may also be unstable. On the other hand, planets orbiting older stars have survived the spate of youthful flares, but have also been exposed to the ravages of stellar radiation for a longer period of time.
	Properties of a massive galaxy 800 million years after the Big Bang Searches for the most distant galaxies have now probed earlier than the first billion years in the history of the universe, early enough to start seeing the primary effects of the first stars: the reionization of neutral atoms.
	Image: A partial solar eclipse seen from space Thanks to a quirk of our cosmos, the moon's average distance from Earth is just right for it to appear as the same size in the sky as the significantly larger sun. Once in a while the moon slides directly between Earth and the sun such that it appears to cover our star completely, temporarily blocking out its light and creating a total solar eclipse for those along the narrow path cast by the moon's shadow.
	Hubble displays a dwarf spiral galaxy The subject of this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is a dwarf galaxy named NGC 5949. Thanks to its proximity to Earth—it sits at a distance of around 44 million light-years from us, placing it within the Milky Way's cosmic neighborhood—NGC 5949 is a perfect target for astronomers to study dwarf galaxies.
	Asteroid Apophis has one in 100,000 chance of hitting Earth, expert estimates The huge, nearly 400-meter-wide asteroid Apophis is still on a list of hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs), regarded as a potential threat to the planet. However, new calculations made by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) show that Apophis' odds of Earth impact are lower than previously estimated.
	Stars orbiting supermassive black hole show Einstein was right again At the center of our galaxy, roughly 26,000 light years from Earth, lies the supermassive black hole (SMBH) known as Sagittarius A*. Measuring 44 million km across, this object is roughly 4 million times as massive as our Sun and exerts a tremendous gravitational pull. Since astronomers cannot detect black holes directly, its existence has been determined largely from the effect it has on the small group of stars orbiting it.
	SpaceX launches experiments, ice cream to space station A SpaceX capsule rocketed to the International Space Station on Monday, carrying tons of science research, plus ice cream.
	Get them while they're young: Astronomers catch exploding supernova early (Update) For the first time, astronomers have observed a cosmic event in great detail that they only had glimpses of before: a supernova and its explosive ejecta slamming into a nearby companion star. The discovery was made possible by a specialized survey taking advantage of recent advances in linking telescopes across the globe into a robotic network.
	Tidally locked exoplanets may be more common than previously thought Many exoplanets to be found by coming high-powered telescopes will probably be tidally locked—with one side permanently facing their host star—according to new research by astronomer Rory Barnes of the University of Washington.
	More than spectacle: Eclipses create science and so can you The sun is about to spill some of its secrets, maybe even reveal a few hidden truths of the cosmos. And you can get in on the act next week if you are in the right place for the best solar eclipse in the U.S. in nearly a century.
Eclipse of reason—why do people disbelieve scientists? If you've been paying attention, you know that on Aug. 21, we're in for a special cosmic treat: the Great American Eclipse of 2017.
	NASA Reignites Program for Nuclear Thermal Rockets In its pursuit of missions that will take us back to the moon, to Mars, and beyond, NASA has been exploring a number of next-generation propulsion concepts. Whereas existing concepts have their advantages – chemical rockets have high energy density and ion engines are very fuel-efficient – our hopes for the future hinge on us finding alternatives that combine efficiency and power.
	New 3-D simulations show how galactic centers cool their jets Some of the most extreme outbursts observed in the universe are the mysterious jets of energy and matter beaming from the center of galaxies at nearly the speed of light. These narrow jets, which typically form in opposing pairs are believed to be associated with supermassive black holes and other exotic objects, though the mechanisms that drive and dissipate them are not well understood.
	Studying the Sun's atmosphere with the total solar eclipse of 2017 A total solar eclipse happens somewhere on Earth about once every 18 months. But because Earth's surface is mostly ocean, most eclipses are visible over land for only a short time, if at all. The total solar eclipse of Aug. 21, 2017, is different - its path stretches over land for nearly 90 minutes, giving scientists an unprecedented opportunity to make scientific measurements from the ground.

Technology news

	Study looks at potential of Deep Learning on herbarium species identification "Let's leverage herbaria impact through Deep Learning," was the headline in the BMC Series blog of August 11.
	Machine-learning system enables smoother streaming that can better adapt to different network conditions We've all experienced two hugely frustrating things on YouTube: our video either suddenly gets pixelated, or it stops entirely to rebuffer.
	Facebook discretely fields China photo-sharing app Facebook's interest in China has led it to discreetly create a photo-sharing application released there without the social network's brand being attached.
	Researchers propose Repression Network approach for vehicle search (Tech Xplore)—Surveillance cameras looking for a thief's vehicle faces uphill task. Cars look very similar to each other and you know the thief was probably clever enough to change license plates or mess with the plate ID in such a way to escape identification.
	Sports hall for school in Thailand has bamboo construction An idea worth saving—an ambitious bamboo structure serving as a large sports hall with open, natural ventilation, strong enough to withstand nasty weather and boasting zero carbon footprint.
	Novel software can recognize eye contact in everyday situations Human eye contact is an important information source. However, the ability of computer systems to recognize eye contact in everyday situations is very limited. Computer scientists of Saarland University and the Max Planck Institute for Informatics have now developed a method by which it is possible to detect eye contact, independent of the type and size of the target object, the position of the camera, or the environment.
	Team 3-D-prints first truly microfluidic 'lab on a chipl devices Researchers at BYU are the first to 3D-print a viable microfluidic device small enough to be effective at a scale much less than 100 micrometers. Microfluidic devices are tiny chips that can sort out disease biomarkers, cells and other small structures in samples like blood by using microscopic channels incorporated into the devices.
	Leaked email shows HBO negotiating with hackers Hackers released an email from HBO in which the company expressed willingness to pay them $250,000 as part of a negotiation over electronic data swiped from HBO's servers.
	Estonia 'e-residency' offers Brexit Brits EU loophole As Brits brace for the upheaval that Brexit could bring, some are turning to Estonia's e-residency digital ID programme to keep doing business across the European Union.
	Silicon Valley's accidental war with the far right Silicon Valley is finding itself entrenched in battle with the far right over ground rules for the digital world, a conflict that mirrors the polarization of American politics in recent years.
HBO hackers leak episodes from upcoming season of 'Curb' The hackers who broke into HBO's computer network have released more unaired episodes, including several from the highly anticipated return of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," which debuts in October.
	No 'Game of Thrones' in latest HBO hacker leak Hackers continue to pester HBO, but didn't release any material related to the network's hit show "Game of Thrones" in their latest leak.
	The right order Ingo Scholtes from the Chair of Systems Design has developed an analytical method that takes account of the chronological order of connections within networks. This not only makes it possible to more accurately identify links between topics on the internet, but also makes it easier to predict the spread of epidemics, for example.
	End-to-end encryption isn't enough security for 'real people' Government officials continue to seek technology companies' help fighting terrorism and crime. But the most commonly proposed solution would severely limit regular people's ability to communicate securely online. And it ignores the fact that governments have other ways to keep an electronic eye on targets of investigations.
	Spotify may soon dominate music the way Google does search—this is why While competition online starts the same way as that in offline markets, my research shows it often settles very differently online.
	Spotting a social bot might be harder than you think How do you spot a fake friend? Sometimes, it's easy. Other times, fake friends can be much better disguised as real ones.
	British cybersecurity expert pleads not guilty to US charges A British cybersecurity researcher credited with helping curb a recent worldwide ransomware attack pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges accusing him of creating malicious software to steal banking information three years ago.
	Automated fingerprint analysis is one step closer to reality The first big case involving fingerprint evidence in the United States was the murder trial of Thomas Jennings in Chicago in 1911. Jennings had broken into a home in the middle of the night and, when discovered by the homeowner, shot the man dead. He was convicted based on fingerprints left at the crime scene, and for most of the next century, fingerprints were considered, both in the courts and in the public imagination, to be all but infallible as a method of identification.
	Lawyer: British hacking suspect will be vindicated A lawyer for a 23-year-old British computer security researcher accused of creating malware to attack the banking system on Monday called him a "hero" and predicted he would be "fully vindicated."
	Target moves to shore up grocery, improve delivery service Target announced moves Monday aimed at helping it shore up two key areas: groceries and delivery.
	DC Hot Stick developed for first responder, worker safety With more volts than ever before in electric vehicles (EVs) and on solar-paneled rooftops, first responder and electrical worker safety is a growing concern. Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are addressing the challenge with the development of a probe to accurately detect direct-current (DC) energy.
Israel moves to curb strike at nuclear plant Israel's government approved Sunday emergency measures to end a "disruptive" months-long strike over pay by scientists working at the country's top secret nuclear research centre.
Four arrested in India for leaking 'Game of Thrones' episode Four people have been arrested in India for leaking an episode from HBO's "Game of Thrones" television series before it was aired in the country, police said Monday.
Wisconsin Assembly committee to vote on Foxconn incentives The Wisconsin state Assembly planned a committee vote Monday on a $3 billion tax incentive package for Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, the start of what could be an intense month of legislative action to approve the massive deal.
	GoDaddy boots neo-Nazi site after post on protest violence A leading neo-Nazi website is losing its internet domain host after its publisher posted an article mocking the woman who was killed in a deadly attack at a white nationalist rally in Virginia.
	Netflix wins 'Scandal' creator Rhimes in blow to Disney, ABC Netflix has lured Shonda Rhimes, the well-regarded creator of TV series "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy," from ABC, its latest big get as media companies old and new fight for viewers' attention.

Medicine & Health news

	When an eyewitness is wrong: Recommendations for mitigating false convictions (Medical Xpress)—Eyewitness testimony is a foundational component in the U. S. criminal justice system. Criminals are convicted and innocent people go free on the basis of an eyewitness testimony. But, sometimes the eyewitness gets it wrong.
	Scientists obtain 'how to' guide for producing hair follicles How does the skin develop follicles and eventually sprout hair? A USC-led study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), addresses this question using insights gleaned from organoids, 3D assemblies of cells possessing rudimentary skin structure and function—including the ability to grow hair.
	Brain study connects cannabis, oxygen changes New research from the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas reveals that levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis that leaves a euphoric feeling, directly correlate to changes in how the brain utilizes oxygen.
	Dementia and brain research could be improved thanks to new sensor Scientists have improved the way that brain activity data is collected in mice, which could advance dementia and brain research.
	Injectable tissue patch could help repair damaged organs A team of U of T Engineering researchers is mending broken hearts with an expanding tissue bandage a little smaller than a postage stamp.
	From thousands of suspects, researchers ferret out cancer-causing genes A Yale-led team of researchers has identified specific gene combinations that can cause deadly brain cancer glioblastoma, using new technology that can also pinpoint triggers of other types cancers, they report Aug. 14 in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
	Blood biopsy test reads platelets to detect human lung cancer Researchers in the Netherlands have designed a different approach to the liquid biopsy. Rather than looking for evidence of cancer DNA or other biomarkers in the blood, their test (called thromboSeq) could diagnose non-small cell lung cancer with close to 90% accuracy by detecting tumor RNA absorbed by circulating platelets, also known as thrombocytes. Non-small cell lung cancers make up the majority of lung cancer cases. The research appears August 14 in the journal Cancer Cell.
	New study reveals late spread of breast cancer and backs key role of early diagnosis Breast cancer cells that spread to other parts of the body break off and leave the primary tumour at late stages of disease development, scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have found.
	Scientists identify a new way to activate stem cells to make hair grow UCLA researchers have discovered a new way to activate the stem cells in the hair follicle to make hair grow. The research, led by scientists Heather Christofk and William Lowry, may lead to new drugs that could promote hair growth for people with baldness or alopecia, which is hair loss associated with such factors as hormonal imbalance, stress, aging or chemotherapy treatment.
	Oxytocin and social norms reduce xenophobia How can xenophobia be reduced and altruism strengthened? Researchers at University Hospital Bonn have shown in a new study that the bonding hormone oxytocin together with social norms significantly increases the willingness to donate money to refugees in need, even in people who tend to have a skeptical attitude towards migrants. The results are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Study shows prevalence of knee osteoarthritis has doubled since World War II The average American today is twice as likely to be diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis than in the years before World War II, Harvard scientists say, but that increase can't be blamed on the reasons most might think.
	Discovery of new prostate cancer biomarkers could improve precision therapy Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a new cause of treatment resistance in prostate cancer. Their discovery also suggests ways to improve prostate cancer therapy. The findings appear in Nature Medicine. In the publication, the authors explain the role of mutations within the SPOP gene on the development of resistance to one class of drugs. SPOP mutations are the most frequent genetic changes seen in primary prostate cancer. These mutations play a central role in the development of resistance to drugs called BET-inhibitors.
	Change in protein production essential to muscle function Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have shed light on the process that guides the maturation of newborn muscles into adult, fully functional organs. In mice, they determined that a group of genes involved in calcium handling undergoes a highly-regulated process called alternative splicing that changes the type of protein the genes produce as muscles transition from newborn to adult. These protein changes are essential for normal adult muscle function and, when disturbed, lead to muscle disorders such as myotonic dystrophy, the second most common cause of muscular dystrophy, and numerous other muscle disorders that affect tens of thousands of individuals in the U.S. The study appears in eLife.
	Granulins are brain treasure, not trash Emory University School of Medicine researchers have developed tools that enable them to detect small proteins called granulins for the first time inside cells. Granulins are of interest to neuroscientists because mutations in the granulin gene cause frontotemporal dementia (FTD). However, the functions of granulins were previously unclear.
	The best place to treat type 1 diabetes might be just under your skin A group of U of T researchers have demonstrated that the space under our skin might be an optimal location to treat type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Highly hazardous pesticides: Bans not secure storage The first study, by lead author Professor David Gunnell at the University of Bristol, is a randomised trial in 180 villages in Sri Lanka which found that secure storage had no impact on rates of self-poisoning or suicide, and the second is a review of global policies on highly hazardous pesticides which concludes that bans are the most effective way of reducing suicides.
Europe's tainted egg scare reaches Spain Liquid egg products tainted by fipronil were discovered at a food company in northern Spain, authorities said Saturday, the first time the chemical that has caused a Europe-wide crisis has been detected in the country.
64 deaths at India hospital without oxygen At least 64 children have died over six days at a government hospital in northern India that suffered oxygen shortages, officials said Saturday.
Experts point finger at Dutch oversight agency in egg scandal Years of cuts at the Dutch food watchdog agency and a tendency among politicians to put economics ahead of public safety may be to blame for the EU's tainted-egg scandal that has spread as far as Hong Kong.
Hong Kong scrambles to inspect EU eggs as insecticide found Hong Kong is increasing inspections of eggs imported from Europe, officials said Saturday after some were found to be contaminated with an insecticide in a scandal which has now spread beyond the EU.
Important to communicate cancer prevention message to young adults to reduce risks later in life The latest estimates suggest that, by 2020, more than 1.9 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer each year. In a special supplement to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a noted group of experts examines the evidence linking factors in early adulthood (18 to 44 years of age) to subsequent cancer risk and presents opportunities for putting that evidence into public health practice in order to help individuals reduce cancer risk later in life.
'Smiley' emojis in formal workplace e-mails could create frowns, study says A smiley face emoji and similar emoticons included in work-related e-mails may not create a positive impression and could even undermine information sharing, according to a new study by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU).
	New blood test may transform the way cancer is monitored and treated Stanford University scientists have described a new type of test that can detect genetic mutations in minute amounts of DNA released from cancer cells into the blood. The test, which is called single color digital PCR, requires only a fraction of a tube of blood and can detect as few as three mutation-bearing molecules in a single reaction. According to the report in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, this highly sensitive test has the potential to be personalized to recognize mutations unique to any individual cancer.
Cognitive abilities seem to reinforce each other in adolescence One of the most striking findings in psychology is that almost all cognitive abilities are positively related - on average, people who are better at a skill like reasoning are generally also better at a skill like vocabulary. This fact allows scientists and educational practitioners to summarize people's skills on a wide range of domains as one factor - often called 'g', for 'general intelligence'. Despite this, the mechanisms underlying 'g' and its development remain somewhat mysterious.
	English football team's eco dream as first vegan club English football club Forest Green Rovers, run by a former nomad turned renewable energy entrepreneur, are proudly boasting their credentials as a pioneer in environmental sustainability.
	Breast cancer study in India shows how the country can avoid crisis A new study examining breast cancer awareness in India has found that a lack of early diagnosis is leading the country towards an epidemic.
Predicting worsening frailty in over-40s men Scientists from the University of Manchester have discovered how to predict worsening frailty in men over the age of 40.
	Why social smoking can be just as bad for you as daily smoking "Everything in moderation." It's a common justification made for behaviors that may fall outside the realm of healthy. Whether it's a drink or two or indulging in a favorite dessert, consuming small quantities, rather than abject abstinence, is a more palatable and acceptable option for most people.
	Researchers find genetic precursors of leukemia in patients treated for non-blood cancers In a study of nearly 9,000 people treated for solid tumor cancers, researchers found that radiation treatment and tobacco use were linked to higher rates of blood-based DNA mutations that could lead to higher risk for blood cancers like leukemia.
	Potential treatment for brain cancer as drug shrinks tumours An international team of researchers has found a drug previously approved to treat breast cancer could also be used to shrink medulloblastoma, a common form of childhood brain tumour.
	New type of blood cells work as indicators of autoimmunity A team from Instituto de Medicina Molecular Lisboa, led by Luis Graça, has analyzed blood samples from patients with Sjögren syndrome, an autoimmune disease that affects the mucous membranes and moisture-secreting glands of the eyes and mouth, and found that these patients have a significant increase in a specific immune cell type called T follicular regulatory cells (Tfr).
	Scientists identify mutations in venous valve disease A team of scientists has discovered that mutations in the genes FOXC2 and GJC2 are associated with defects in venous valves, flaps within veins that help maintain proper blood flow.
	Alzheimer's risk linked to energy shortage in brain's immune cells People with specific mutations in the gene TREM2 are three times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those who carry more common variants of the gene. But until now, scientists had no explanation for the link.
	Turning up the heat on hypothermia Blood clots, infections, heart attacks and the spiralling financial costs associated with surgery-related hypothermia could be reduced thanks to a leap forward in the technology used to prevent it.
	Dairy intolerance real, "not in people's heads" For the first time, scientists have shown that dairy intolerance is a physiological condition distinct from lactose intolerance, and not "all in people's heads".
	Finding better ways to reduce serious drug side effects Many of the medicines we depend on to treat disease—and even to save our lives—pose potentially serious risks along with their benefits. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that about 40,000 deaths yearly in the United States may be attributable to the side effects of drugs, a number that rivals the toll of traffic accidents.
E-cigarette use accelerates effects of cardiovascular aging A new study suggests that a single exposure to e-cigarette (e-cig) vapor may be enough to impair vascular function. Researchers from West Virginia University will present findings today at the Cardiovascular Aging: New Frontiers and Old Friends meeting in Westminster, Colo.
Menopausal status may better predict blood vessel health in women than fitness level High physical fitness is known to be related to enhanced blood vessel dilation and blood flow (endothelial function) in aging men. However, for women, endothelial function and the effect of exercise may be related more to menopausal status than fitness. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst will present their findings today at the Cardiovascular Aging: New Frontiers and Old Friends conference in Westminster, Colo.
	Map of oncogenic dependencies for the design of personalized therapeutic approaches Being able to predict the resistance or sensitivity of a tumour cell to a drug is a key success factor of cancer precision therapy. But such a prediction is made difficult by the fact that genetic alterations in tumours change dynamically over time and are often interdependent, following a pattern that is poorly understood. A recent study led by researchers at the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne and EPFL provides a promising framework to anticipate drug resistance in cancer by predicting the co-occurrence of about 500 known tumour alterations, as well as their response to over 200 common cancer drugs. The research, published in Cancer Cell, showed that while some co-occurrences between genomic alterations confer a resistance to tumour cells against particular drugs, they also make them sensitive to other unexpected drugs.
Characteristics of international drug regulatory regimes The regulatory requirements for the approval of new drugs vary greatly internationally in regards to the resources allocated to the authorities, the evaluation periods for approval and the fees for the pharmaceutical companies. This reports a study of the European Center of Pharmaceutical Medicine at the University of Basel. The results were published in the journal Nature Reviews Drug Discovery.
	Protein associated with Alzheimer's disease linked to cognitive ability If the knowledge that our brains can produce new cells in adulthood is ever going to help in the fight against neurodegenerative disease, we need to understand the underlying mechanisms more effectively. Towards this end, a new study drawing on EU-funded research, sheds further light on the role the protein APP plays in neuroplasticity.
	Ancient spinal injury—a story of survival It was a single fragment of bone, but to Angela Lieverse, it told an 8,000-year-old tale of violence and compassion.
	Blood test uncovers hidden diseases Sufferers of rare mitochondrial disease have new hope with a new method developed at the University of Sydney. The method provides a diagnosis within weeks instead of months or years through a simple blood sample.
	Why it costs you so much to see a specialist – and what the government should do about it Australians pay too much when they go to medical specialists. The government can and should do more to drive prices down. A current Senate Inquiry on out-of-pocket costs will hopefully lead to some policy action.
Usain Bolt and Andre De Grasse—hamstring injuries explained Judging by recent hamstring injuries of high-profile athletes at the world track and field championships in London, some may muse that perhaps it's a contagious virus hitting sprinters.
	Legal weed—an accidental solution to the opioid crisis? It's hard to go a day in Canada without hearing about at least one of two types of drugs – but for vastly different reasons. One class of drug—opioids —kills four people a day in British Columbia. The other —cannabis —will be legal for adult purchase and consumption by this time next year.
	Poo transplants beyond the yuck factor—what works, what doesn't and what we still don't know The intriguing, yet somewhat malodorous, topic of poo transplants is in the news. A study published today found poo transplants are better at treating a particular type of diarrhoea than an antibiotic or placebo (a fake or dummy treatment).
Cancer researchers validate a clinical test for fusion genes An assay that identifies a peculiar but important abnormality in cancer cells has been developed and validated by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James).
Emotionally supportive virtual assistant could help people with Alzheimer's disease Computer scientists at the University of Waterloo are creating a prototype of a virtual assistant to help people living with Alzheimer's disease. It will prompt them to complete day-to-day tasks by taking the person's personality and current state of mind into consideration.
	Can medication for anxiety and sleeping problems during pregnancy harm the child? Many women experience anxiety and sleeping problems during pregnancy. The research so far has been unable to determine the safety for the child if the mother is prescribed drugs to treat these disorders.
	Brain scan study adds to evidence that lower brain serotonin levels are linked to dementia In a study looking at brain scans of people with mild loss of thought and memory ability, Johns Hopkins researchers report evidence of lower levels of the serotonin transporter—a natural brain chemical that regulates mood, sleep and appetite.
Secret to happiness may include more unpleasant emotions People may be happier when they feel the emotions they desire, even if those emotions are unpleasant, such as anger or hatred, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
	Cancer detection with sugar molecules Galectins are a family of proteins that have become a promising source of cancer research in recent years. A representative thereof is galectin-1. It sits on the surface of all human cells; on tumor cells, however, it occurs in enormous quantities. This makes it an interesting target for diagnostics and therapy.
Dutch count massive cost of tainted-egg scare Dutch farmers and retailers on Monday were counting the costs stemming from the tainted egg scandal that swept Europe, saying the total ran into tens of millions of euros as two men at the scandal's centre were due to appear in court.
	ER rates soar as toddlers ingest pot, french study finds (HealthDay)—Emergency room admissions for toddlers accidentally intoxicated by marijuana increased 133 percent over a decade in France, a new study finds.
	When you're the only one on a diet (HealthDay)—Dieting is tough enough. But when you're the only one at home cutting back on calories, you might face temptation every time you open the fridge.
	Digital recording in skills lab helps nursing students learn (HealthDay)—Nursing students report that using digital recording as a teaching and learning method enhances learning in the skills laboratory, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
	Majority of derm clinic patients express interest in anti-aging tx (HealthDay)—Patients are largely unfamiliar with most anti-aging treatment options, but are interested in pursuing future treatment, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
	Multigene panel tests can ID hereditary kidney cancer (HealthDay)—For patients who lack distinguishing clinical characteristics of known hereditary kidney cancer syndromes, panel testing may be useful for identifying hereditary cancer, according to a study published online Aug. 8 in Cancer.
	Cardiac stem cells from young hearts could rejuvenate old hearts, new study shows Cardiac stem cell infusions could someday help reverse the aging process in the human heart, making older ones behave younger, according to a new study from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.
	Brain injury in kids might lead to alcohol abuse Researchers at Ohio State University have surveyed previous studies to investigate the relationship between traumatic brain injuries and alcohol abuse. They found evidence that traumatic brain injuries in children and adolescents could be a risk-factor for alcohol abuse in later life.
Neurological complications associated with Zika virus in adults in Brazil A new article published by JAMA Neurology reports on a study of hospitalized adult patients with new-onset neurologic syndromes who were evaluated for Zika virus infection.
Research review recommends eliminating widely ordered blood test for diagnosing heart attacks Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic have compiled peer-reviewed evidence and crafted a guideline designed to help physicians and medical centers stop the use of a widely ordered blood test that adds no value in evaluating patients with suspected heart attack.
Police try out new database for documenting opioid overdoses Police in Massachusetts are testing a new database for documenting opioid overdoses they hope will help departments share information in real time and get people into treatment.
	Genetic mechanism prevents kidney injury after severe dehydration Millions of people die every year from dehydration as a result of exposure and illness. In humans, even the most minor dehydration can compromise the kidneys causing lifelong, irreparable issues or even death. However, some animals living in desert environments are able to survive both acute and chronic dehydration. While these animals, like cactus mice, have evolved over time to deal with environmental stressors like dehydration, researchers at the University of New Hampshire have found it's not the physical makeup that is helping them survive, but rather their genetic makeup.
	Bugs on the menu at Swiss supermarket Switzerland's first insect-based food aimed at humans will go on sale next week following a revision of the country's food safety laws, a supermarket chain said Monday.
The secret to beating bone and joint health injuries? Get to the right medical team Orthopaedic surgeons are medical doctors with extensive training in the diagnosis as well as surgical and nonsurgical treatment of injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Orthopaedists can help prevent injuries; put people back together; provide patients with in-home exercises and ergonomically proper reconditioning programs; or pair patients with rehabilitation professionals for nonsurgical or post-surgical rehabilitation therapies. According to a new literature review published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, therapeutic modalities—or physical therapy—can be a useful addition to exercise or to manipulative therapy to help improve bone-and-joint-based function affected by pain and/or injury.
	The brain's solution for seeing as is and seeing flexibly New experiments described in The Journal of Neuroscience support distinct roles for two brain pathways in processing information related to an object, with one carrying a largely invariant representation of an object and the other a flexible one depending on what we do with an object.
	Immune study points to new ways to treat lung disease Fresh insight into how the immune system keeps itself in check could lead to new ways of fighting chronic lung disease.
	Air pollution linked to cardiovascular disease; air purifiers may lessen impact Exposure to high levels of air pollution increased stress hormone levels and negative metabolic changes in otherwise healthy, young adults in a recent study conducted in China. Air purifiers appeared to lessen the negative effects, according to new research published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	Older cancer patients rate own physical abilities as better than their caregivers do Older cancer patients and their caregivers often differ in their assessment of the patient's physical abilities, with caregivers generally rating the patient's physical function as poorer, according to a new study published in The Oncologist. The study also found that differences in assessment of physical abilities between patients and caregivers were associated with greater caregiver burden.
	Clinical trial eligibility criteria a growing obstacle Despite a decade-long call for simplification of clinical trials, the number of criteria excluding patients from participating in clinical trials for lung cancer research continues to rise.
	Study hints at experimental therapy for heart fibrosis Researchers report encouraging preclinical results as they pursue elusive therapeutic strategies to repair scarred and poorly functioning heart tissues after cardiac injury—describing an experimental molecular treatment for heart failure.
	High use of electronic cigarettes seen in 8th-9th graders in Oregon A study at Oregon Research Institute (ORI) shows that rates of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use among Oregon 8th and 9th graders is higher than seen in national samples, and that e-cigarette use is closely linked with use of marijuana and other tobacco products. Led by ORI scientist Erika Westling, Ph.D., study investigators examined e-cigarette prevalence rates in 8th graders and tracked early usage patterns from 8th grade through 9th grade, the first year of high school. Westling and her team also examined gender, ethnicity, and the use of other substances. Study results were recently published in the June 2017 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Doctors trained at lowest-ranked medical schools prescribe more opioids Physicians trained at the United States' lowest-ranked medical schools write more opioid prescriptions than physicians trained at the highest-ranked schools, according to a study by Princeton University. The study suggests that better training for physicians, and for general practitioners in particular, could help curb the nation's opioid epidemic.
	Binge-watching 'The Walking Dead?' You might feel like a zombie yourself Binge-watching is a great way for young adults to catch up on multiple episodes of their favorite television series like "The Walking Dead" or "Game of Thrones," but it comes at a price.
	Intoxication increases risk for heavy drinkers to commit violence against intimate partner Intoxicated, heavy drinkers have a tendency to act rashly in response to negative emotions, which can intensify the risk for intimate partner aggression, according to a study by Georgia State University and Purdue University.
	Most people expect physicians and nurses to protect them from harm in the hospital Hospitals are not off limits to tragic shooting events, and with these incidents on the rise in public places, more than half of the general public expects that physicians and nurses will protect them from harm if an active shooter event erupts while they're in the hospital. Likewise, more than half of health care professionals believe they have a special duty to protect patients under these circumstances. But the two groups differ about the inherent safety of hospitals, with most people viewing them as safe havens, while health care professionals are more likely to view the hospital as a potentially risky setting for an active shooter event. These beliefs are among key findings from a national survey conducted in March 2017 by the Hartford Consensus. The results are published online as an "article in press" on the website of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in advance of print.
	Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may have protective health effects Light-to-moderate drinking can lower risk of mortality from all-causes and cardiovascular disease, while heavy drinking can significantly increase risk of mortality from all-causes and cancer, according to a new study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Taking a stand on staying mobile after 80 (HealthDay)—If you want to stay as fit as possible well into your 80s, the answer may be as simple as standing on your own two feet.
	Hyperglycemia may cause caries but not periodontal disease (HealthDay)—For rodents with diabetes, periodontal inflammation may be derived from dental caries rather than periodontal disease (PD), according to a study published online Aug. 9 in Diabetes.
	Most common arrhythmia: intra-atrial re-entrant tachycardia (HealthDay)—For patients with congenital heart disease and atrial arrhythmias, the most common presenting arrhythmia is intra-atrial re-entrant tachycardia (IART), according to a study published in the Aug. 15 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Endometrial ablation doesn't increase cancer risk (HealthDay)—For women in Finland, endometrial ablation is not associated with increased risk of endometrial or breast cancer, according to a study published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Statin use among nursing home residents varies significantly (HealthDay)—Statin prescribing is considerable among nursing home residents, with significant variation in prescribing seen across physicians, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	Variation in participation in diabetes self-management class (HealthDay)—There is considerable variation in nonparticipation in diabetes self-management classes, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
	Sonography may aid hyaluronic acid injections for knee arthritis (HealthDay)—Sonography-guided hyaluronic acid injection may yield better results than surface anatomy-guided injection in patients with knee osteoarthritis, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
	Review: Killed whole-cell oral cholera vaccine efficacious (HealthDay)—Two doses of killed whole-cell oral cholera vaccine (kOCV) are efficacious for protecting against cholera for at least two years after vaccination, according to a review published online July 17 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
New Hampshire hospital emergency reopens after mystery odor A hospital emergency department in New Hampshire is open again, one day after an unknown odor sickened 19 workers.
Yemen's blood bank faces threat of closure within days Yemen's blood bank has sent out an urgent appeal to anyone who will listen, as war and a blockade on the capital may force the centre to close within a week.
	Marijuana states try to curb smuggling, avert US crackdown Well before Oregon legalized marijuana, its verdant, wet forests made it an ideal place for growing the drug, which often ended up being funneled out of the state for big money. Now, officials suspect pot grown legally in Oregon and other states is also being smuggled out, and the trafficking is putting America's multibillion-dollar marijuana industry at risk.
Yemen cholera cases soar past half-million: WHO Cholera is believed to have affected more than 500,000 people and killed nearly 2,000 since late April, the World Health Organization said Monday.
Virulence factor made by influenza virus is potential target for vaccine drug development A new study describes how NS1, a protein produced by influenza A viruses, suppresses the body's immune responses to viral infection. Researchers present the potential to develop a live attenuated vaccine based on an engineered influenza A virus lacking NS1 and to design antiviral drugs that target NS1. The study is published in Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research (JICR).
Working memory may compensate for lack of attention A study in eNeuro shows that, when remembering a sequence of events, the brain focuses on the event paid the least attention, rather than replaying the events in the order they occurred. This finding suggests that attention during the initial encoding of a memory influences how information is manipulated in working memory.
	Running rats remember better Young rats with access to a running wheel show improved memory later in life and increased activity of neurons generated in adulthood, finds a study published in eNeuro. The results raise the possibility that exercise early in life may help to protect against age-related cognitive decline.
A recorded do-not-resuscitate directive significantly increases the likelihood of dying where one chooses An end-of-life plan that includes a recorded do-not-resuscitate directive significantly increases a person's chances of dying where she chooses. A brief research report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
New cancer diagnosis may come with risk of thromboembolism Patients newly diagnosed with cancer may have a substantially increased short-term risk of arterial thromboembolism, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Researcher advises tracking transgender homicides More research should be pursued about violence against transgender individuals, especially among young and Black or Latina transfeminine women, according to a recent study completed by Dr. Alexis Dinno, Sc.D., M.P.H., M.E.M., professor and researcher in the Oregon Health Sciences University-Portland State University School of Public Health.

Biology news

	Tiny jumping spiders found preying on frogs and lizards A trio of researchers from Switzerland and the U.S. has found documented evidence of tiny regal jumping spiders killing and eating much larger frogs and lizards. In their paper published in Journal of Arachnology, Martin Nyffeler, with the University of Basel, G. B. Edwards with Florida State Collection of Arthropods and Kenneth Krysko with the University of Florida, describe their findings.
	Now showing: Researchers create first 3-D movie of virus in action A research collaboration led by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has for the first time created a three-dimensional movie showing a virus preparing to infect a healthy cell.
	By attacking queen bumblebee, pesticide threatens colony: study A common pesticide used on crops compromises a queen bumblebee's ability to lay eggs, threatening her colony with extinction, according to a study released Monday.
	Can offshore fish farming feed a hungry world? Harvesting fish and shellfish from offshore farms could help provide essential protein to a global population set to expand a third to 10 billion by mid-century, researchers said Monday.
	Bacteria can feel their surroundings For humans, our sense of touch is relayed to the brain via small electrical pulses. Now, University of Colorado Boulder scientists have found that individual bacteria, too, can feel their external environment in a similar way.
	Cancer-fighting T cells are smarter, stronger than experts thought Scientists studying the body's cancer-fighting T cells have a serious problem: When they culture them in the lab, the T cells sit around at equilibrium, waiting to bump into cancerous cells. But that's not how they operate inside the body. There, they are motorized little bloodhounds, actively seeking out infected cells.
	The origin of the chloroplast A new study, led by the University of Bristol, has shed new light on the origin, timing and habitat in which the chloroplast first evolved.
	Viruses up their game in arms race with immune system In a classic example of the evolutionary arms race between a host and a pathogen, the myxoma virus—introduced to control the rabbit population in Australia in 1950—has developed a novel and deadly ability to suppress the immune response of its host rabbits. New research shows that viruses collected in the 1990s are much more effective at shutting down the immune systems of rabbits that have never been exposed to the virus than are viruses from the 1950s.
	Researchers describe neural mechanisms for gregariousness and monogamy in zebra finches How do gregarious songbirds such as zebra finches, where both males and females live in close proximity and where females may be attracted by the songs of many potential suitors, sustain monogamy? A new study appearing in eLife sheds light on how males have evolved a high tolerance to birdsong while females have evolved a high selectivity to these songs.
	Reward offered to catch Nevada lake invasive fish dumper Nevada game wardens who spend most of their time hunting down big-game poachers are focusing on a serious threat to nature in a lake: An invasive fish species that eats all the other fish prized by anglers and then turns cannibalistic.
	Bangladesh hopes to rekindle passion to save rare crocodiles Bangladeshi conservationists introduced two rare river-dwelling crocodiles to potential mates Sunday in a last-ditch attempt to save the critically-endangered species from extinction.
	Tokyo zoo releases video of 'fluffy' baby panda A two-month-old panda, the first cub born at Tokyo's Ueno zoo for five years, is growing well and has become "fluffy", the zoo said Monday as it released fresh video footage of the baby animal.
New insights into the fuctions of fat metabolism What happens when the body's fat stores are activated? With the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF, the biochemist Ruth Birner-Grünberger investigated the complex interaction of activation and regulation in fat breakdown, thus providing a basis for new therapeutic approaches for illnesses such as diabetes or arteriosclerosis.
	Fighting ivory trafficking with forensic science Two weeks ago, Kevin Uno was on a field expedition in Kenya when he got a message he'd been hoping for: the NY Department of Environmental Conservation had officially approved his request to sample some ivory that had been confiscated from retail stores in the U.S. The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory geochemist and his colleague, University of Washington research professor Samuel Wasser, use radiocarbon dating and DNA testing to determine when and where an elephant was killed; sampling this recently seized ivory would be an opportunity for them to find out whether it was recently harvested, and help law enforcement target the poachers responsible.
	Why aren't we more outraged about eating chicken? Like a B-movie for a post-Brexit era, consumers in Britain may soon be unwillingly cast in the 2019 blockbuster, Attack of the Chlorine Chickens. If news headlines are to be believed, flocks of toxic fowl are waiting to storm Britain's shores like mini featherless zombies as part of a US-UK trade deal.
	Cows in Antarctica? How one expedition milked them for all their worth Domestic animals are rarely associated with Antarctica. However, before non-native species (bar humans) were excluded from the continent in the 1990s, many travelled to the far south. These animals included not only the obvious sledge dogs, but also ponies, sheep, pigs, hamsters, hedgehogs and a goat. Perhaps the most curious case occurred in 1933, when US Admiral Richard E. Byrd's second Antarctic expedition took with it three Guernsey cows.
'Inefficient' sailing fleet keeps oyster fishery alive Oyster stocks in a Cornish fishery are sustained thanks to "inefficient" traditional fishing methods, new research suggests.
	Varroa mites—bees' archenemies—have genetic holes in their armor Seemingly indestructible Varroa mites have decimated honeybee populations and are a primary cause of colony collapse disorder, or CCD.
	Rescued Aleppo lion gives birth after Jordan move A charity has successfully transferred 13 animals to a new home in Jordan via Turkey from a neglected Syrian zoo, including a lioness who gave birth to a healthy cub just hours after arriving, it said Monday.
How testosterone regulates singing in canaries Testosterone controls specific features of birdsong in two distinct regions of the canary brain that resemble the human motor cortex, according to a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience. The research points to a role for sex hormones in the regulation of this complex behavior that is more precise than merely increasing motivation to sing.

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