Science X Newsletter Monday, Oct 23

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 23, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Study may explain counterintuitive effect of why hotter systems can cool more quickly

Researchers reveal insights into the nature of an extremely massive galaxy cluster

Best of Last Week – Neutron star smashup, liquid metal discovery and alcohol improving foreign language skills

Closer looks reveals axial filaments in sea sponge spicules made up of proteins

A way to dramatically improve resolution of confocal microscopy

Wriggling microtubules help understand coupling of 'active' defects and curvature

Scientists develop new theory of molecular evolution

When words, structured data are placed on single canvas

Mountain glaciers shrinking across the West

Exploring how herpes simplex virus changes when passed between family members

Taming 'wild' electrons in graphene

Einstein's theory of happy living emerges in Tokyo note

Researchers see gathering of cyber-storm clouds in botnet

Fast 3-D microscope with nano precision

The atmospheres of water worlds

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers reveal insights into the nature of an extremely massive galaxy cluster New observations carried out by an international team of astronomers have provided important details about an extremely massive galaxy cluster named PLCK G287.0+32.9. The results of these observations, presented October 6 in a paper published on arXiv.org, reveal insights into the structure and mass distribution of this cluster.
	The atmospheres of water worlds There are currently about fifty known exoplanets with diameters that range from Mars-sized to several times the Earth's and that also reside within their stars' habitable zone – the orbital range within which their surface temperatures permit water to remain liquid. A "water world" is an extreme case, an exoplanet defined as being covered by a deep ocean, perhaps as deep as hundreds of kilometers, and among these fifty are several that might be candidates for this category. Astronomers note that at least two of the terrestrial planets in our solar system, Earth and Venus, may possibly also have been water worlds early in their evolution.
	Artificial intelligence finds 56 new gravitational lens candidates A group of astronomers from the universities of Groningen, Naples and Bonn has developed a method that finds gravitational lenses in enormous piles of observations. The method is based on the same artificial intelligence algorithm that Google, Facebook and Tesla have been using in the last years. The researchers published their method and 56 new gravitational lens candidates in the November issue of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
	First joint France-China satellite to study oceans France and China's space agencies unveiled their first joint satellite in Beijing Friday, which will be used to improve forecasting of ocean storms and cyclones.
	Image: Hubble captures collision of two galaxies This image, captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows what happens when two galaxies become one. The twisted cosmic knot seen here is NGC 2623—or Arp 243—and is located about 250 million light-years away in the constellation of Cancer (The Crab).
	Image: NASA's SDO spots a lunar transit On Oct. 19, 2017, the Moon photobombed NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, when it crossed the spacecraft's view of the Sun, treating us to these shadowy images. The lunar transit lasted about 45 minutes, between 3:41 and 4:25 p.m. EDT, with the Moon covering about 26 percent of the Sun at the peak of its journey. The Moon's shadow obstructs SDO's otherwise constant view of the Sun, and the shadow's edge is sharp and distinct, since the Moon has no atmosphere which would distort sunlight.
	Image: The colour sphere of the sun This colourful image is a 'chromosphere flash spectrum' captured during the total solar eclipse that occurred across the United States on 21 August 2017. It was taken by ESA's expedition team who monitored the eclipse from Casper, Wyoming.
	Mars rover mission progresses toward resumed drilling NASA's Mars rover Curiosity team is working to restore Curiosity's sample-drilling capability using new techniques. The latest development is a preparatory test on Mars.

Technology news

	When words, structured data are placed on single canvas If "ugh" is your favorite word to describe entering, amending and correcting data on the rows and columns on spreadsheets you are not alone. Coda, a new name in the document business, feels it's time for a change. This is what they have to say, or rather, exclaim:
	Researchers see gathering of cyber-storm clouds in botnet Security people at Check Point Research have warned us and it is not very pretty. A new Internet of Things botnet storm is in the wings. The team turned up the siren on October 19, warning of a botnet targeting IoT (Internet of Things) devices and saying that it is on the move.
	Scheme would make new high-capacity data caches 33 to 50 percent more efficient In a traditional computer, a microprocessor is mounted on a "package," a small circuit board with a grid of electrical leads on its bottom. The package snaps into the computer's motherboard, and data travels between the processor and the computer's main memory bank through the leads.
	Battery innovations could spread renewable energy In Edmond Hamilton's 1940 novella Revolt On The Tenth World, the science fiction author describes "solid power … the most super-valuable substance in the Solar System." Solid power is "compressed energy 'frozen' by temporary transformation into artificial atoms. Trillions of units of power … compressed thus into an inch-square cube."
	Transparent solar technology represents 'wave of the future' See-through solar materials that can be applied to windows represent a massive source of untapped energy and could harvest as much power as bigger, bulkier rooftop solar units, scientists report today in Nature Energy.
	Air pollution cuts solar energy potential in China China is rapidly expanding its solar power supply, hoping to meet 10 percent of the nation's electricity needs with solar energy by 2030. But there's a problem: severe air pollution is blocking light from the sun, significantly reducing China's output of solar energy, particularly in the northern and eastern parts of the country.
	Tesla to build wholly-owned Shanghai plant: WSJ Tesla has reached an agreement with Shanghai authorities that would make it the first foreign automaker to build its own plant in China, putting it in the driver's seat in the world's biggest electric-vehicle market, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Utilities delay effort to map wildfire risk from power lines A report says California utilities have helped delay efforts for nearly a decade to map where power lines pose the greatest wildfire risk.
	New York advances drone industry with testing corridor Envisioning a day when millions of drones will buzz around delivering packages, watching crops or inspecting pipelines, a coalition is creating an airspace corridor in upstate New York where traffic management systems will be developed and unmanned aircraft can undergo safety and performance testing.
	FBI couldn't access nearly 7K devices because of encryption The FBI hasn't been able to retrieve data from more than half of the mobile devices it tried to access in less than a year, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Sunday, turning up the heat on a debate between technology companies and law enforcement officials trying to recover encrypted communications.
	Unique high-brilliance X-ray sheds new light on additive manufacturing process AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate researchers recently took advantage of a unique and rare research opportunity to better understand the behavior of materials used in the additive manufacturing process.
	DNA techniques could transform facial recognition technology When police in London recently trialled a new facial recognition system, they made a worrying and embarrassing mistake. At the Notting Hill Carnival, the technology made roughly 35 false matches between known suspects and members of the crowd, with one person "erroneously" arrested.
	Does regulating artificial intelligence save humanity or just stifle innovation? Some people are afraid that heavily armed artificially intelligent robots might take over the world, enslaving humanity – or perhaps exterminating us. These people, including tech-industry billionaire Elon Musk and eminent physicist Stephen Hawking, say artificial intelligence technology needs to be regulated to manage the risks. But Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg disagree, saying the technology is not nearly advanced enough for those worries to be realistic.
	The problem with cheap petrol—study looks at fuel prices The economist behind a new study into traffic and fuel prices has urged countries to continue their progress toward eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. He has also drawn attention to the need for Australia to move to a GPS-based road funding system.
	Personalizing human-robot interaction may increase patient use Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers have begun to discover preferences in human-robot interactions and the need to personalize those encounters to fit both the human's preferences and the designated task.
	Kaspersky Lab to open anti-virus software to outside review Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab, battered by suspicion of Russian government influence, wants to reassure customers by opening up its software's underlying code for outside review. But security experts and some U.S. politicians say the move is mostly meaningless.
	Innovative material for soft sensor could bring new tactile tech A new type of soft and stretchable sensor could find uses in applications ranging from athletics and health monitoring to prosthetics and virtual reality.
	Amazon says it received 238 proposals for 2nd headquarters Amazon said Monday that it received 238 proposals from cities and regions in the United States, Canada and Mexico hoping to be the home of the company's second headquarters.
Dr. YouTube ... what's your diagnosis? According to Pew Research center, in 2013, about six out of ten Americans searched for health information online in the past year. With patients regularly turning to the internet for health advice, a group of researchers aimed to evaluate the educational quality of seasonal influenza videos on the user-generated, video-sharing platform, YouTube.
	'Good morning' Facebook post leads to arrest of Palestinian Israeli police have mistakenly arrested then released a Palestinian who posted "good morning" in Arabic on Facebook after software mistranslated it as "attack them," police and a media report said Sunday.
	Cisco Systems buying BroadSoft for $1.9 billion cash Cisco Systems Inc. will pay about $1.9 billion cash to buy BroadSoft Inc. in a move aimed at expanding its communications software offerings.
Red light, green light: New cop car can trip traffic signals The Philadelphia Police Department is getting a new fleet of patrol vehicles that include a feature any motorist stuck at a traffic light would envy.

Medicine & Health news

	Exploring how herpes simplex virus changes when passed between family members A new study explores how herpes simplex virus might change when passed from one individual to another, information that may prove useful in future development of therapeutics and vaccines. This rare glimpse into a transmission event reveals nearly perfect genetic transmission of the virus from a father to his son and lays the foundation for future studies exploring the genetic diversity of this virus. A paper describing the study appears online October 20, 2017, in the journal Scientific Reports.
Study reveals connection between microbiome and autoimmune disorders Many people associate the word "bacteria" with something dirty and disgusting. Dr. Pere Santamaria disagrees. Called the microbiome, the bacteria in our bodies have all kinds of positive effects on our health, Santamaria says. "The bacteria we have in our gut actually have many beneficial functions. They help in our digestion, prevent infection by pathogens and educate our immune system on what to fight." Now, a new function of a protein in the gut microbiome reveals potential impacts for those who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
	A step closer to a cure for adult-onset diabetes In healthy people, exosomes – tiny structures secreted by cells to allow intercellular communication – prevent clumping of the protein that leads to type 2 diabetes. Exosomes in patients with the disease don't have the same ability. This discovery by a research collaboration between Chalmers University of Technology and Astrazeneca takes us a step closer to a cure for type 2 diabetes.
	Scientists use supercomputer to search for "memory molecules" Until now, searching for genes related to memory capacity has been comparable to seeking out the proverbial "needle in a haystack." Scientists at the University of Basel made use of the CSCS supercomputer Piz Daint to discover interrelationships in the human genome that might simplify the search for "memory molecules" and eventually lead to more effective medical treatment for people with diseases that are accompanied by memory disturbance.
	High-speed locomotion neurons found in the brainstem Think of taking a casual stroll on a sunny Sunday afternoon or running at full speed to catch a bus for work on Monday morning as two extremes. Both forms of locomotion entail a perfect interplay between arms and legs, yet the speed at which this happens is strikingly different. Silvia Arber's group now shows that one particular nerve cell type in the brainstem is essential to implement high-speed locomotion.
	Research revises our knowledge of how the brain learns to fear Our brains wire themselves up during development according to a series of remarkable genetic programs that have evolved over millions of years. But so much of our behavior is the product of things we learn only after we emerge from the womb. We aren't born with instructions to avoid putting our hands on a hot stove. That knowledge comes from experience. Literally and figuratively, it's easy to get burned, yet we survive and thrive thanks to hard-won knowledge obtained from our experiences.
	Synthetic hydrogels deliver cells to repair intestinal injuries By combining engineered polymeric materials known as hydrogels with complex intestinal tissue known as organoids - made from human pluripotent stem cells - researchers have taken an important step toward creating a new technology for controlling the growth of these organoids and using them for treating wounds in the gut that can be caused by disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
	Major study of genetics of breast cancer provides clues to mechanisms behind the disease Seventy-two new genetic variants that contribute to the risk of developing breast cancer have been identified by a major international collaboration involving hundreds of researchers worldwide.
	Activation of immune T cells leads to behavioral changes Scientists from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences in Japan and collaborators have found that T cells—immune cells that help to protect the body from infections and cancer—change the body's metabolism when they are activated, and that this activation actually leads to changes in behavior.
	Exploring disease predisposition to deliver personalized medicine Geneticists from the University of Geneva have taken an important step towards true predictive medicine. Exploring the links between diseases and tissue-specific gene activity, they have been able to build a model that constitutes a first step towards the identification of specific sequences in the non-coding genome signalling their pathogenicity in the context of a specific disease. In a second study, they went even further by associating particular disease risks - including schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease and diabetes - to the variability of genome activity in various cell types, with surprising results. Their discoveries, which can be read in two articles published in Nature Genetics, may very well revolutionize how each one of us, depending on our genome, manage our health.
	Rhythm of memory: Inhibited neurons set the tempo for memory processes The more we know about the billions of nerve cells in the brain, the less their interaction appears spontaneous and random. The harmony underlying the processing of memory contents has been revealed by Prof. Dr. Marlene Bartos' workgroup at the Institute of Physiology I. In a study written with a colleague from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and published in the Nature Communications journal, she highlights the role of inhibiting circuits in the creation of high-frequency brainwaves in the hippocampus. With its work, the team, which also comes partly from the BrainLinks-BrainTools Cluster of Excellence and the Bernstein Center Freiburg, shows how the brain processes information that is relevant to memory.
	Protein regulates vitamin A metabolic pathways, prevents inflammation A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have discovered how uncontrolled vitamin A metabolism in the gut can cause harmful inflammation. The discovery links diet to inflammatory diseases, like Crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel syndromes, and could inform nutritional interventions.
New study shows how cells can be led down non-cancer path As cells with a propensity for cancer break down food for energy, they reach a fork in the road: They can either continue energy production as healthy cells, or shift to the energy production profile of cancer cells. In a new study published Monday in the journal Nature Cell Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers map out the molecular events that direct cells' energy metabolism down the cancerous path.
	Running on autopilot: Scientists find important new role for 'daydreaming' network A brain network previously associated with daydreaming has been found to play an important role in allowing us to perform tasks on autopilot. Scientists at the University of Cambridge showed that far from being just 'background activity', the so-called 'default mode network' may be essential to helping us perform routine tasks.
	Nanodiamonds show promise for aiding recovery from root canal People who undergo root canals may soon have a tiny but powerful ally that could prevent infection after treatment.
	Study identifies brain patterns underlying mothers' responses to infant cries Infant cries activate specific brain regions related to movement and speech, according to a National Institutes of Health study of mothers in 11 countries. The findings, led by researchers at NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), identify behaviors and underlying brain activities that are consistent among mothers from different cultures. Understanding these reactions may help in identifying and treating caregivers at risk for child maltreatment and other problematic behaviors.
	Novel technique explains herbicide's link to Parkinson's disease Northwestern Medicine scientists have used an innovative gene editing technique to identify the genes that may lead to Parkinson's disease after exposure to paraquat, a commonly-used herbicide.
	Neuroscientists build case for new theory of memory formation Learning and memory are generally thought to be composed of three major steps: encoding events into the brain network, storing the encoded information, and later retrieving it for recall.
	Researchers quantify breast cancer risk based on rare variants and background risk Rare variants combined with background genetic risk factors may account for many unexplained cases of familial breast cancer, and knowing the specific genes involved could inform choice of prevention and treatment strategies, according to findings presented in a plenary session at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 2017 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla.
	Researchers create tool to measure, control protein aggregation A common thread ties seemingly unlinked disorders like Alzheimer's disease and type II diabetes together. This thread is known as protein aggregation and happens when proteins clump together. These complexes are a hallmark of many diseases, but have recently been linked to beneficial functions as well.
	Economist outlines reforms to improve access to affordable, high quality child care For families in the U.S., the costs of high-quality child care are exorbitant, especially for those with children under age five. A new policy proposal, "Public Investments in Child Care," by Dartmouth Associate Professor of Economics Elizabeth Cascio, finds that current federal child care tax policies are not benefiting the families most burdened by child care costs. Therefore, Cascio outlines a new policy that could replace the current federal child care tax policies. The research examines child care for children ages 0-12 years, with a focus on 0-4 years.
	Why aren't more kids with sickle cell disease getting this test? Hematologist and researcher Julie Kanter says as few as 30 percent of children across the country with sickle cell disease are getting a simple test that could keep them from having a stroke. She wants to bring that more in line with the MUSC Health rate of around 85 percent.
	Steady hand: how to do open-heart surgery in a quake When the ground started shaking in Mexico City on September 19, many people ran out into the street.
Maternal deaths prompt calls for action in Zambia The birthday of twins Karen and Kelly Junior will always be tinged by sadness as it also marks the day their mother died in childbirth—a tragic occurrence of increasing public debate in Zambia.
	Depression strongly linked to higher long-term risk of early death for both women and men Despite increased awareness about mental illness, depression remains strongly linked to a higher risk of early death—and this risk has increased for women in recent years—according to results from the 60-year Stirling County Study published in Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ ).
	New target emerging for treating diabetes-related blood vessel damage A key enzyme that helps our proteins fold and function properly may also be a good therapeutic target to improve blood vessel health in diseases like diabetes and atherosclerosis, scientists say.
	Symptom burden may increase hospital length of stay, readmission risk in advanced cancer Hospitalized patients with advanced cancer who report more intense and numerous physical and psychological symptoms appear to be at risk for longer hospital stays and unplanned hospital readmissions. The report from a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team, published online in the journal Cancer, is one of the first to focus on symptom prevalence and severity among hospitalized patients with cancer and the first to demonstrate a relationship between uncontrolled symptoms and the use of health care services.
	Key discoveries offer significant hope of reversing antibiotic resistance Resistance to antibiotics is becoming increasingly prevalent and threatens to undermine healthcare systems across the globe. Antibiotics including penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems are known as β-lactams and are the most commonly prescribed worldwide.
	Review study finds limited data on medical cannabis use in children A systematic review of published studies on the use of medical cannabis in children and adolescents finds a notable lack of studies and a minimal number of the randomized, controlled trials needed to confirm the effectiveness of a treatment. In their paper published in the journal Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators Shane Shucheng Wong, MD, and Timothy Wilens, MD - both of the MGH Department of Psychiatry - report that their review suggests only two pediatric uses of medical cannabis - to relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and to reduce seizures - are supported by existing studies.
	Our laws don't do enough to protect our health data Have you ever wondered why your computer often shows you ads that seem tailor-made for your interests? The answer is big data. By combing through extremely large datasets, analysts can reveal patterns in your behavior.
	Vagus nerve stimulation therapy shows progress in battling PTSD symptoms Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas are exploring how mild stimulation of the vagus nerve could help alleviate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a complex condition that can cause debilitating anxiety and mental anguish.
	Data, technology drive new approaches to Parkinson's care Complex, multi-system diseases like Parkinson's have long posed challenges to both scientists and physicians. University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) researchers are now reaching for new tools, such as algorithms, machine learning, computer simulations, and mobile technologies, to both improve care and identify new therapies.
Better targeting in prevention could help curb TB infections in low-income, low-HIV countries Treating members of a household known to be infected with tuberculosis could prevent more new cases than screening and treating the community at large, according to an analysis led by a University of Michigan researcher.
	Novel therapies for multidrug-resistant bacteria During this innovative study published in PLOS One, researchers found that novel classes of compounds, such as metal-complexes, can be used as alternatives to or to supplement traditional antibiotics, which have become ineffective due to antimicrobial resistance.
	How patients can help future research into a distressing hearing condition Researchers are calling for people who are hyper-sensitive to noise to help them decide the future of research into this little-known hearing condition.
	Big Data shows how cancer interacts with its surroundings By combining data from sources that at first seemed to be incompatible, UC San Francisco researchers have identified a molecular signature in tissue adjacent to tumors in eight of the most common cancers that suggests they are all using the same mechanism to remodel normal tissue and spread.
	New prevention exercise programme to reduce rugby injuries A new dynamic 20-minute exercise programme, performed by rugby players before training and pre-match, could dramatically reduce injuries in the sport according to a benchmark study published today (Sunday 22 October).
	How doctors are taught to deal with death As a society we're pretty removed from death. We don't really talk about it. Yet when medical students start their training, it suddenly becomes something they're intimately acquainted with. So how are young doctors taught to deal with death?
	Women need health and dental care to stay out of prison "What I have done is not who I am. Most of us are emotionally and physically wounded. It's not easy getting out and starting over. We need help, don't just throw us out into society."
	Do boys really have a testosterone spurt at age four? The idea that four-year-old boys have a spurt of testosterone is often used to explain challenging behaviour at this age.
	Health plans can take steps to counter costly opioid epidemic, researcher says Insurers need to use a multipronged approach to create well-designed health insurance plans and counter the steep costs of opioid misuse, according to an article by the director of the Center for Health Services Research in Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business.
	New insights into controversial diagnosis of adolescent chronic fatigue Crucial new research could provide some clarity around the controversy surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in adolescents. The research by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine studied the subjective sleep quality of a small group of adolescents suffering CFS by using self-report measures. Objective measures were also used to assess sleep quality in these teenagers, including the electronic monitoring of the movement of participants while they were in bed.
	Vaccinating against psoriasis, allergies and Alzheimer's a possibility, research shows Research from the Universities of Dundee and Oxford has shown how combining the tetanus vaccine with a viral particle that normally affects cucumbers can be used to treat psoriasis and allergies, and may even protect against Alzheimer's disease.
	Tackling childhood obesity is about more than just diet and exercise A recent World Health Organisation report revealed that the number of obese children and adolescents – aged five to 19 years – worldwide has risen tenfold in the past four decades.
	New autism study a "shocking wake-up call" for society, say academics People who show characteristics of autism are more at risk of attempting suicide, according to a Coventry University study whose results are being presented to a United States federal advisory committee tomorrow.
	Irregular heartbeat linked to higher thyroid hormone levels Individuals with higher levels of thyroid hormone (free thyroxine, FT4) circulating in the blood were more likely than individuals with lower levels to develop irregular heartbeat, or atrial fibrillation, even when the levels were within normal range, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
African Americans live shorter lives due to heart disease and stroke The average lifespan of African Americans is significantly shorter than white Americans, mostly because of heart disease and stroke, which contributed to more than two million years of life lost among African Americans between 1999 and 2010, according to a new scientific statement published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
Diagnosing and treating compartment syndrome in athletes Each of our arms and legs have compartments that contain muscles and nerves which are surrounded by tough walls of tissue called fascia. When we experience an injury or overuse muscles, these compartments can fill with fluid and swell. In some people, the fascia surrounding each compartment is not very flexible and swelling can restrict blood flow, which can lead to pain, numbness and weakness in the affected limb. These symptoms may be a sign of compartment syndrome.
	Nicotinic receptor could be target for treatment of lung inflammation It has been amply proven that smoking can cause serious diseases such as emphysema and cancer. A new study, however, shows that pharmacological stimulation of a specific type of nicotinic receptor in cells of the immune system could be a strategy to treat inflammatory lung disease.
	The Australian same-sex marriage debate is putting children and adolescents at risk As the marriage equality debate continues, misinformation is circulating in the public domain that children and adolescents with same-sex parents are at risk of poorer health and wellbeing than other children.
	Study finds shortcomings in Canadian regulations governing use of sugar claims Consumers believe products with "no added sugar" claims are healthier and lower in calories. But is there evidence to support this belief? In a new study published today in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, researchers at the University of Toronto report that prepackaged food and beverages labelled with claims such as "no added sugar" or "reduced in sugar" can have lower sugar levels than products without sugar claims but may not have notable reductions in calories and some can contain amounts of sugar considered in "excess" by the World Health Organization.
	Genetic testing helps determine safest dose of blood thinner for joint surgery patients A new five-year study of nearly 1,600 patients finds that genetic testing can help determine the safest dose of the blood thinner warfarin, with fewer side effects, in patients undergoing joint replacement surgery.
Scientists identify 'first responders' to bacterial invasion When bacteria enter our body, they kick-start a powerful immune response. But this chain of reactions doesn't fully account for our immediate responses. Researchers at KU Leuven, Belgium, show that so-called ion channels play a key role as 'first responders'.
	Kids, don't touch the toys at the doctor's office (HealthDay)—Avoid the stuffed animals at your pediatrician's office. Or better yet, take your own playthings when your child has a doctor's appointment.
	100-calorie snack suggestions (HealthDay)—Pre-packaged 100-calorie snacks sound like a great idea. They're small enough not to blow your diet, but tasty enough to dampen cravings.
	Independent pharmacies adding patient care services, products (HealthDay)—Independent pharmacies are expanding the scope of services they offer, partly to absorb lower reimbursements for dispensing prescription medications, according to the 2017 National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Digest.
	Herbal and dietary supplements are commonly mislabeled (HealthDay)—Mislabeling of herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) is common, occurring in more than half of products tested, according to a study scheduled for presentation at The Liver Meeting, being held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases from Oct. 20 to 24 in Washington, D.C.
Wealth-associated disparities in death, disability in older adults in US, England Low wealth was associated with death and disability among older adults in both the United States and England, two countries with very different health care and safety-net systems, according to a new article published by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Unique study: more iron in lakes is making them brown The iron concentration in lakes is increasing in many parts of northern Europe, including Sweden. This has been shown in a study in which researchers at Lund University in Sweden examined 23 years of data from 10 countries. High iron levels contribute to browner water; furthermore, iron binds environmental toxins such as lead and arsenic.
Scientists discover new gene associated with debilitating lung disease Health scientists at the University of Leicester and University of Nottingham have heralded the discovery of a gene associated with lung fibrosis as 'a potential new avenue of treatment for further research into this terrible disease.'
	So my brain amyloid level is 'elevated'—What does that mean? Testing drugs to prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's dementia and using them in the clinic will mean identifying and informing adults who have a higher risk of Alzheimer's but are still cognitively normal. A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has shed light on how seniors cope with such information.
Are e-cigarettes with higher nicotine associated with more smoking, vaping? The use of electronic cigarettes with higher nicotine concentrations by high school students in California was associated with a greater likelihood of subsequent use of conventional combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes, according to a new article published by JAMA Pediatrics.
Health Informatics team uses EHRs to track hospital-acquired infection In a first for hospital infection control, the UC San Francisco Health Informatics team has used electronic health records (EHRs) to track down a source of a common hospital-acquired infection by tracing the movements of more than 85,000 patients over a three-year period.
Are teens more likely to take charge of their health when money is on the line? For children with type 1 diabetes, daily monitoring of blood glucose levels is vital for since glucose level awareness dictates the rest of their diabetes care, like insulin dose adjustments, eating behaviors, and physical activity. However, studies have shown overall diabetic glycemic control often deteriorates during adolescence, leading to increased risks of costly and potentially life-threatening complications. A new study shows that using small financial incentives and accessible monitoring tools such as wireless glucometers and apps may motivate young people to engage in playing a more active role in the management of their condition. The results of a randomized control trial, led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Duke University School of Medicine, show that participants in the intervention group, where a $60 monthly credit was on the line, were nearly three times more likely to achieve daily glucose monitoring goals.
	Queen's University Belfast leads study to transform prostate cancer treatment Queen's University Belfast has led the world's largest research study using a diagnostic test developed by Almac Diagnostics, to better understand the biology of prostate cancer tumours, which could lead to a transformation in how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated.
ESMO calls for cancer-specific targets to be included in NCDs' global and national agendas ESMO, the leading European professional organisation for medical oncology, was present at the WHO Global Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) that finished last Friday in Montevideo, Uruguay.
	Researchers discover pathway by which blood cells release a potent signalling factor The bloodborne chemical signal sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is released by blood cells to regulate immune and vascular functions. How S1P is released to the circulation was unknown for a long time, until now. On October 18, researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine reported online in the prestigious journal Nature that they had discovered this pathway in blood cells. Their findings have broad implications for the treatment of various immune and vascular diseases.
Science shapes new century of sandwich recommendations for children Although sandwiches first appeared in American cookbooks in 1916, the role they play in the U.S. diet has just been illuminated, ironically, at the centennial celebration for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics - the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The results of a Building-A-Better Sandwich Study are being presented at the Academy's 2017 Food Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) in Chicago.
	Integrative health group visit reduce chronic pain in underserved Spanish-speaking Latinos Spanish-speaking Latinos suffering from chronic pain, who typically lack access to effective treatments due to insurance, income, and language barriers, showed significant benefits from an Integrative Medical Group Visit (IMGV) approach that was adapted for this population. A description of this promising non-pharmacologic integrated health intervention and its positive impact on pain, fatigue, and depression, are reported in a new study published in JACM, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the JACM website.
Adolescents underreport amphetamine use, likely unaware that adderall is amphetamine High school seniors appear to be underreporting their nonmedical use of amphetamine, despite reporting using Adderall without a doctor's orders, finds a study by the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU Meyers College of Nursing.
	Study shows mindfulness meditation app works—but acceptance training component is crucial For the millions of mindfulness meditation mobile app users, there is good news: New research shows that they can reduce the body's response to biological stress.
	Virus-like particle vaccine protects against RSV vaccine-enhanced respiratory disease, study finds Researchers have discovered that a virus-like particle vaccine can prime the body's immune response and prevent the severe respiratory disease that results when patients given an early form of a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are exposed to RSV, according to a study led by Georgia State University.
	Trial shows drug can dramatically reduce weight of people with obesity A drug that targets the appetite control system in the brain could bring about significant weight loss in people with clinical obesity, according to new research.
	Patients at risk over failure to recognize important diabetes subtype The health of people with diabetes is being put at risk due to the failure of doctors to recognise which type of diabetes they have, a new study in the journal Diabetes Care reports.
	Researchers seek answers to complicated mental health condition Understanding the complex nature of posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is one of the most pressing challenges for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. An article in the October 2017 issue of Current Psychiatry Reports describes a resource aimed at providing answers: the VA National PTSD Brain Bank.
How hospitals respond when it's uncertain if the newborn is a boy or a girl Mike and Julie were eagerly counting down the days until they'd get to meet their baby girl, Emma. But hours after her birth, their joy turned to worry. Doctors had made a discovery that shocked them: Their newborn daughter had what appeared to be testes.
	Proton therapy lowers treatment side effects in pediatric head and neck cancer patients Pediatric patients with head and neck cancer can be treated with proton beam therapy (PBT) instead of traditional photon radiation, and it will result in similar outcomes with less impact on quality of life. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania as well as Children's Hospital of Philadelphia analyzed cases of pediatric head and neck cancer treated with PBT between 2010 and 2016 and found similar rates of tumor control and lower rates of toxicity than what is historically expected from photon radiation. They published their findings today in the journal Pediatric Blood and Cancer.
	Introduction of a novel system for in vitro analyses of zebrafish oligodendrocyte progenitor cells Spinal cord injuries result from a blunt or penetrating trauma. This is generally caused by accidents that occur during sport activities or when driving. Injuries of the spinal cord can lead to extreme pain (e.g. pressure in the head, neck or back), the loss of sensation (e.g. in fingers or feet), the loss of control over different parts of the body, an abnormal sense of balance and many other symptoms. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as many as 500,000 people suffer from spinal cord injuries each year. Humans do not regain spinal cord function after injury. However, zebrafish have the remarkable ability to functionally recover from spinal cord injury. They repair injured connections, replace damaged motor neurons and oligodendrocytes, enabling them to regain full movement within six weeks after injury.
	Enough vitamin D when young associated with lower risk of diabetes-related autoimmunity Getting enough vitamin D during infancy and childhood is associated with a reduced risk of islet autoimmunity among children at increased genetic risk for type 1 diabetes, according to a study published this week in the journal Diabetes.
	Researchers demonstrate 'mind-reading' brain-decoding tech Researchers have demonstrated how to decode what the human brain is seeing by using artificial intelligence to interpret fMRI scans from people watching videos, representing a sort of mind-reading technology.
	Space station crew takes a breather with lung tissue investigation The microgravity environment of the International Space Station impacts nearly every system within the human body. Researchers are studying the effects to the eyes, heart, muscles, and bones, but an area that hasn't received as much focus is one that is vital to human survival: the lungs.
Antimicrobial gel could improve root canal results More than 15 million root canals are done each year, according to the American Association of Endodontists. During the procedure, the tooth's pulp and nerve are removed before the tooth is cleaned and sealed. If bacteria, viruses or yeasts contaminate the tooth, another root canal procedure or surgery must be done.
	Better sleep, less fear Higher quality sleep patterns are associated with reduced activity in brain regions involved in fear learning, according to a study of young adults published in Journal Neuroscience. The results suggest that baseline sleep quality may be a useful predictor of susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
	Study links mutations in notch gene to role in B cell cancers Notch is one of the most frequently mutated genes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common leukemia in adults in the United States. It is also often mutated in other common B cell tumors, such as mantle cell lymphoma. However, the role of Notch in these cancers has been uncertain. Now, a collaborative effort between investigators at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Harvard Medical School provides new insights into how Notch drives the growth of B-cell cancers. The teams report their findings in Cell Reports.
	Microbiologists contribute to possible new anti-TB treatment path As part of the long effort to improve treatment of tuberculosis (TB), microbiologists led by Yasu Morita at the University of Massachusetts Amherst report that they have for the first time characterized a protein involved in making a glycolipid compound found in the TB cell wall, which is critical for the disease-causing Mycobacterium to become infectious.
	Disaster makes people with depression less healthy People who exhibit even a few depressive symptoms before a major life stressor, such as a disaster, may experience an increase in inflammation—a major risk factor for heart disease and other negative health conditions—after the event, according to new research from Rice University.
	Better food choices near schools for healthier teeth There's something endearing about the crooked, gapped-tooth smiles of children whose permanent teeth are coming in. While it's normal for adult teeth to show up at very different times, should we expect the same good oral health conditions for all children at all times?
Acute kidney failure with VTE proves difficult to treat Researchers from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center conducted a prospective, observational study to assess the impact that weight and renal function have on venous thromboembolism (VTE) rates among in-patients receiving prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight or unfractionated heparin.
	Lung cancer driver ALK-fusion found in melanoma Melanomas caused by sun exposure have been matched with targeted treatments and immunotherapies, in many cases dramatically extending patients' lives. However, there are other kinds of melanoma not related to sun exposure and because they are caused by different genetic changes, they are not susceptible to the same targeted treatments. This often leaves patients with these non-sun melanoma subtypes without treatment options. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics may offer hope to some of these patients with melanomas caused by genetic changes not related to sun exposure. The study finds a genetic change called ALK-fusion in a patient sample of a melanoma subtype called mucosal melanoma. When researchers treated a tumor grown from this sample with the drugs crizotinib and ceritinib - both FDA approved to treat ALK-positive lung cancer - the tumor responded dramatically.
Neighborhoods can affect the need for urgent asthma care In a new study presented at CHEST 2017, researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York aimed to determine if the associations between combustion-related air pollutant levels and urgent asthma care differed by neighborhood in New York City. The research revealed asthma prevalence and emergency department visits for asthma vary widely among different neighborhoods.
Two studies explore gender, language, and treatment setting as barriers in screening and patient care in lung cancer TORONTO (October 23, 2017) -More people die of lung cancer than any other type of cancer, and two new studies from CHEST 2017 reveal disparities in lung cancer screening and care that may impact detection, as well as mortality and survival rates in the disease.
You rang? Researchers address 'alarm fatigue' among staff and the rate of false alarms In the ICU, it's uncommon to hear silence—buzzing, beeping, and ringing of alarms area part of the hum of the ICU environment. The Joint Commission attributes many alarm-related incidents and deaths to the "alarm fatigue" hospital workers face. Alarm fatigue happens when staff "tune out" the background sounds and can negatively impact patient safety and potentially lead to life-threatening events. Two studies from researchers in New York aim to decrease alarm rates, tackle alarm fatigue, and assess alarm accuracy in the ICU.
Are clinicians prepared to give bad news? Delivering news about end-of-life issues is one of the most difficult tasks clinicians encounter in medical practice. Researchers from the Texas Medical Center on behalf of the ETHICS study investigators, in Houston, Texas, aimed to assess how prepared health-care providers feel in communicating end-of-life issues and determining if proper training had been given to health-care providers.
Teamwork makes the dream work? In new research from CHEST 2017, a team from Montefiore Medical Center in New York aimed to create a team-driven atmosphere in the hospital and hypothesized that the use of personalized numbered jerseys for each member of the code team would help to improve teamwork and overall time to perform critical clinical actions.
	Long-lasting blood vessel repair in animals via stem cells Stem cell researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have made an advance toward having a long-lasting "repair caulk" for blood vessels. The research could form the basis of a treatment for peripheral artery disease, derived from a patient's own cells. Their results were recently published in the journal Circulation.
Open channels of communication may help patients overcome misperceptions of prognosis Researchers from the Aventura Hospital Medical Center in Aventura, Florida, aimed to assess the quality of continuity of care by analyzing family perceptions, education, and their psychological stress during the process.
Resident physicians feel unprepared to counsel patients on medical cannabis A recent study from Saint Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, highlights the need for further education among resident physicians in the use of medical cannabis. It found 38% of resident physicians thought medical marijuana was a prescribed substance, while 78% did not know into what category medical cannabis fell within the Controlled Substance Act. Researchers also found internal medicine residents reported a lack of preparedness for counseling patients regarding medical cannabis. Among resident physicians, there were increased concerns of safety, addiction potential, and limited evidence of therapeutic benefit, which were similar across specialties.
Clinicians' personal religious beliefs may impact treatment provided to patients who are homosexual In a report presented at CHEST 2017, researchers from the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas, sought to determine if a clinician's own religious beliefs could influence the care of a homosexual patient.
New tool captures fertility knowledge and attitudes in transgender youth A novel tool developed by researchers at Children's National Health System-with critical input from transgender youth and their parents-assesses the level of interest or concern these teens and their families have regarding the impacts of medical gender treatments on long-term fertility.
Surgical checklist can help prevent life-threatening infections in low resource settings Preventing infections after a surgical procedure is important in any setting, but these complications can be particularly dangerous to surgical patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To address the situation, the global organization, Lifebox, brought together researchers from Stanford University, Stanford, Calif., and Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia, in a collaboration to address the morbidity and mortality caused by surgical site infections in LMICs. The resulting checklist-based intervention helps surgical teams comply with infection prevention standards. Highlights from their research initiative were presented today at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2017.
	Researchers identify protein that plays key role in diabetic blindness For millions of Americans, their world is dissolving into an unrecognizable blur. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease affecting one-third of the estimated 30 million Americans who struggle with diabetes. As the patients' vision slowly fades, it never recovers and few treatments are available.
What's snow got to do with it? Most elderly hip fractures occur in warm months and indoors Think the shorter winter days, ice and snow put your older loved one at greater risk for a fall and broken hip? Think again. A preliminary study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting shows that the majority of falls occur during warm months, and a greater number of the falls happen indoors rather than out.
	Diabetes still on rise, but new study suggests major progress in screening and diagnosis A study that compared total U.S. diabetes diagnoses over a 26-year period found that while the prevalence nearly doubled, from 5.5 to 10.8 percent, the proportion of missed cases of diabetes dropped significantly during the same period, from 16.3 to 10.9 percent. The study, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, suggests that increased screening by primary health care providers is yielding a bigger proportion of diagnoses and, as such, more opportunities for treatment.
	Gun deaths, injuries in California spike following Nevada gun shows When gun shows are held in Nevada, gun-related deaths and injuries spike across the state line in California for at least the next two weeks. A new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, examined gun deaths and injuries in California before and after gun shows in California and Nevada, and their results show a nearly 70 percent increase in deaths and injuries from firearms in California communities within convenient driving distance of Nevada gun shows. No spike in gun deaths or injuries was found following gun shows in California.
	One in 4 women and 1 in 6 men aged 65+ will be physically disabled in Europe by 2047 By 2047 one in four women and one in six men aged 65 and above is expected to be living with a physical disability that will severely restrict everyday activities, reveals an analysis published in the online journal BMJ Open.
	Study finds Florida needs more pet-friendly shelters Florida needs more pet-friendly shelters, especially for older adults who represent 50 to 75 percent of deaths following disasters like hurricanes, according to a recent study from Florida State University.
Diabetes boosts risk of cognitive issues after surgery, especially in seniors, study finds Older patients with diabetes may be at an 84 percent higher risk of developing postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) than those who are not diabetic, suggests new research being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.
Acetaminophen may help reduce postoperative shivering Administering acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, during surgery may reduce the incidence of postoperative shivering, suggests a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOG 2017 annual meeting.
Length of incision may affect pain after cesarean delivery Both short and long surgical incisions for cesarean births are associated with increased pain after delivery, suggests a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting. Based on the findings, the authors recommend an optimal range for cesarean incision length to be between 12 and 17 centimeters (about 4.5 - 6.5 inches), and advise that neither shorter nor longer incisions be performed when possible.
Hip and knee replacement patients using fewer opioids to manage pain after surgery Opioid use in patients recovering from hip and knee replacement decreased by one-third between 2006 and 2014, reflecting success in efforts to promote a multimodal approach to pain management (using a variety of methods to manage pain) rather than using opioids alone, reveals new research being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.
Ketamine may help treat migraine pain unresponsive to other therapies Ketamine, a medication commonly used for pain relief and increasingly used for depression, may help alleviate migraine pain in patients who have not been helped by other treatments, suggests a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.
Perioperative Surgical Home reduces death, ER visits in elderly hip fracture patients Elderly patients who had emergency repair of a fractured hip were much less likely to die or make a return visit to the emergency room (ER) after discharge if they received care under the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) model of care, suggests research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.
Soda tax supporters try to pivot from Chicago setback US public health advocates are hoping to pivot after a major setback in Chicago, where local lawmakers repealed a soda tax after only two months following fierce industry-backed lobbying.
After skyrocketing, opioid abuse plateaus but remains too high, national analysis shows While the breakneck upswing in opioid abuse has leveled off, it remains disturbingly high and does not appear to continue its decline, according to an analysis of national data presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.
Women who give birth in winter or spring less likely to have postpartum depression Women who give birth in winter or spring are less likely than women who deliver in the fall or summer to suffer from postpartum depression (PPD), suggests a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.
Why we still don't understand sleep, and why it matters One of my first jobs was to keep a lookout for lions. There are some occupations that are not suitable for someone with untreated narcolepsy and this is probably one of them. I was 22, a recent zoology graduate studying meerkats in the Kalahari desert in South Africa. We worked in pairs, one of us on foot, walking with meerkats, the other in the jeep scanning the horizon for signs of leonine danger. On many occasions, I awoke with the imprint of the steering wheel on my forehead, realising that meerkats and colleague had wandered out of sight. I would look for signs of life and, as the panic grew, signs of death. I can tell this story now only because nobody got eaten.
California company recalls vegetables over listeria fears A California company has voluntarily recalled packaged vegetables distributed throughout the U.S. and Canada because of possible bacterial contamination.

Biology news

	Birds without own brood help other birds with parenting, but not selflessly Birds will sometimes care for the offspring of other birds of their own species if they anticipate future benefits. Being tolerated in another bird's territory and the chance to inherit that territory later are considered rewards for which some birds are willing to postpone their own chance of reproduction. On 23 October 2017 veni researcher Sjouke Kingma from the University of Groningen has published an article on this subject in Nature Communications.
	Scientists find blood molecule that attracts wolves, repels humans The faintest whiff of a molecule from mammal blood known as E2D sends some animals into a predatory frenzy but frightens others—including people—into retreat, scientists have discovered.
	Crops evolved 10 millennia earlier than thought Ancient hunter-gatherers began to systemically affect the evolution of crops up to thirty thousand years ago – around ten millennia before experts previously thought – according to new research by the University of Warwick.
	Single-molecule dissection of developmental gene control Scientists at EPFL and Max Plank have made significant discoveries on how developmental genes are controlled by the methyltransferase enzyme PRC2. The study is published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
	Expanding Brazilian sugarcane could dent global CO2 emissions Vastly expanding sugarcane production in Brazil for conversion to ethanol could reduce current global carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 5.6 percent, researchers report in the journal Nature Climate Change.
	Discovered in plants a mechanism that corrects defects in protein folding Various human nervous system diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases, are associated with the same basic disorder: the loss of nerve cells capacity to fold their proteins correctly, which causes protein aggregations that form "clumps" that end up generating the cell death.
	These shrews have heads that shrink with the season If any part of the body would seem ill equipped to shrink, it would probably be the head and skull. And, yet, researchers reporting in Current Biology on October 23 have found that the skulls of red-toothed shrews do shrink in anticipation of winter, by up to 20 percent. As spring approaches, their heads grow again to approach their previous size.
	Rethinking well-being and sustainability measurements from local to global scales A new study suggests that standard ways of measuring well-being and sustainability in communities used by global organizations may be missing critical information and could lead to missteps in management actions. The paper, published today in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution by a team of 40 scientists, policy-makers and on-the-ground practitioners, suggests alternative and complementary approaches that use indicators grounded in the values of a particular community.
	Five new malaria targets that could lead to an effective vaccine In the largest study of its kind, five new malaria vaccine targets have been discovered by scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators. Researchers studied the malaria parasite at its most vulnerable stage - when invading human red blood cells - and identified five targets that lead to a reduction in the parasite's ability to enter red blood cells.
	Cryo-EM imaging suggests how the double helix separates during replication Life would be impossible if the DNA in dividing cells were replicated with anything less than near-perfect precision. Every time a nucleated cell commits to becoming two cells, every "letter" of its genome must be replicated once and only once. In humans, the task boggles the imagination. If unwound, the double helix crammed into each of our cells would measure 6 feet in length. In our bone marrow alone, half a billion new cells are born every minute. These cells alone contain enough DNA to wrap around the earth's equator 25 times. Within daunting tolerances, each new cell must have a genome identical to that of the cell that gave birth to it. Cancer and other diseases can result when the process goes awry.
	Lost Australia diver swam miles to shore stalked by shark A diver separated from his boat off the coast of Australia said Sunday he was lucky to be alive after being forced to swim miles back to shore—shadowed by a large tiger shark.
	How African elephants' amazing sense of smell could save lives For 27 years Angola was gripped by civil war. Half a million human lives were lost and wildlife, too, was decimated to sustain troops. Rhino and elephants became valuable targets – rhino horn and ivory served as currency for arms among rebel forces.
	The illegal turtle trade—why scientists keep secrets I could tell you where I work, but then I'd have to kill you.
	Researchers reveal how stem cells make decisions Embryonic stem cells have the remarkable ability to develop into any type of cell. On their way to become for example a liver or a heart cell, they must repeatedly decide between alternative developmental paths. How they make these decisions is largely unknown. An international team of biophysicists has now charted the decision-making process in unprecedented detail, watching the cells as they make up their mind. Publication in Nature Communications on 23 October.
	Not so cold duck? Man keeps looking for bird thought extinct Hope is the thing with feathers, poet Emily Dickinson wrote. For Richard Thorns, the feathers are pink.
Geophysicist finds teaching opportunities in movie mistakes Few scientists regard the 1997 movie Volcano, in which flaming magma suddenly spews from the La Brea tar pits and incinerates much of Los Angeles, as a means to foster scientific literacy. After all, Southern California has no magma to spew. But geophysicist Seth Stein sees it differently.
	Novel transdisciplinary study uncovers microbes that may one day deter major grape disease To date, scientists are increasingly studying the structure of microbial communities and their composition associated with plants, but few have been doing so in the context of vascular diseases.
	Genetic rescue boosts recovery of Australia's endangered mountain pygmy possums For the first time, a breeding technique known as genetic rescue has been shown to increase population numbers and survival rates of the endangered mountain pygmy possum, now at their highest numbers since 1996.
	Routes out of isolation for Yellowstone grizzlies In summer of 2017, biologists from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks confirmed sightings of a grizzly bear in the Big Belt Mountains northeast of Helena, Montana. The bear, an adventurous vanguard from its home range in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem of northwestern Montana, could be an unwitting pioneer on a path that may one day bring grizzlies from the Northern Continental Divide face to face with cousins long isolated in Yellowstone, say an interagency team of Montana and Wyoming biologists.
	Sumatran tigers on path to recovery in 'in danger' UNESCO World Heritage site A new scientific publication from WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) and the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park Authority looks at the effectiveness of the park's protection zone and finds that the density of Sumatran tigers has increased despite the continued threat of living in an 'In Danger' World Heritage Site.
	New Peruvian bird species discovered by its song A new species of bird from the heart of Peru remained undetected for years until researchers identified it by its unique song.
Malaysia embraces Melanie's work on the illegal wildlife trade RESEARCH into how the law can be used to protect endangered species has led to a University of Huddersfield lecturer's expertise being harnessed by an overseas nation that has some of the world's most diverse and fascinating wildlife.

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