Science X Newsletter Monday, Oct 30

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 30, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Three gas giant planets discovered by astronomers

3-D-printed device builds better nanofibers

Best of Last Week–Nanomagnets that levitate, Yellowstone spawning super-eruptions and T cell activation altars behavior

Gold nano-arrows form basis of exotic new superstructures

Jupiter's X-ray auroras pulse independently

Researchers show how nanoscale patterning can decrease metal fatigue

It's mathematically impossible to beat aging, scientists say

Voltage-driven liquid metal fractals

Scientists penetrate mystery of raging black hole beams

Daimler talks up regional intra-city electric truck distribution concept in E-Fuso Vision One

A light in the dark: NASA sounding rocket probes the dark regions of space

New iPhone brings face recognition (and fears) to the masses

A meet-up reveals a step-up in Apollo self-driving tech

Oldest recorded solar eclipse helps date the Egyptian pharaohs

New studies on disordered cathodes may provide much-needed jolt to lithium batteries

Astronomy & Space news

	Three gas giant planets discovered by astronomers (Phys.org)—A team of European astronomers has detected three new gas giant alien worlds as part of the SuperWASP exoplanet-hunting survey. Two of the newly found planets are the so-called "hot Saturns," while the third one was classified as a "super-Neptune." The discovery was reported October 17 in a paper published on arXiv.org.
	Jupiter's X-ray auroras pulse independently Jupiter's intense northern and southern lights pulse independently of each other according to new UCL-led research using ESA's XMM-Newton and NASA's Chandra X-ray observatories.
	Scientists penetrate mystery of raging black hole beams They are nature's very own Death Star beams - ultra-powerful jets of energy that shoot out from the vicinity of black holes like deadly rays from the Star Wars super-weapon.
	A light in the dark: NASA sounding rocket probes the dark regions of space Though stars and galaxies fill our night sky, most of the matter in the universe resides in the dark voids in between. Spread out over unfathomable distances, this cold, diffuse gas between galaxies—called the intergalactic medium, or IGM for short—hardly emits any light, making it difficult to study.
	Oldest recorded solar eclipse helps date the Egyptian pharaohs Researchers have pinpointed the date of what could be the oldest solar eclipse yet recorded. The event, which occurred on 30 October 1207 BC, is mentioned in the Bible, and could have consequences for the chronology of the ancient world.
	Scientists answer to long-debated mystery of what formed Martian landscapes Scientists from The Open University (OU) have discovered a process that could explain the long-debated mystery of how land features on Mars are formed in the absence of significant amounts of water.
	What the energy cycles of other planets can tell us about climate change on Earth Scientists sometimes think of a planet's atmosphere as an engine. Potential energy, supplied by heat from a parent star, is converted into kinetic energy, producing winds that swirl around the planet and drive storms.
	In desert of Oman, a gateway to life on Mars In sunglasses and jumpsuits, a crew of European test astronauts is laying the groundwork for a Mars simulation in the barren expanse of the Omani desert, a terrestrial mission intended to pave the way to the red planet.
	NASA evaluates coin-sized thermometer to characterize comets and earthbound asteroids Two NASA teams want to deploy a highly compact, sensitive thermometer that could characterize comets and even assist in the redirection or possible destruction of an asteroid on a collision course with Earth.
	Monster colliding black holes might lurk on the edge of spiral galaxies The outskirts of spiral galaxies like our own could be crowded with colliding black holes of massive proportions and a prime location for scientists hunting the sources of gravitational waves, said researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology in an upcoming paper in Astrophysical Journal Letters.
	Saturn's radiation belts: A stranger to the solar wind The radiation belts of Earth and Saturn differ more strongly than previously assumed. In these belts, very energetic particles, such as electrons and protons, move around the planet at high velocities - captured by its magnetic field. In the case of the Earth, the solar wind, a current of charged particles from the Sun varying in strength, controls the intensity of the radiation belt both directly and indirectly. The radiation belts of Saturn, however, develop completely independently of the solar wind and are instead decisively influenced by the gas giant's moons. These results are published today in the journal Nature Astronomy by a group of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany co-leading the most comprehensive study on the subject to date. Key to the new findings are measurements of the MIMI-LEMMS instrument aboard NASA's Cassini space probe, which explored the Saturn system for more than 13 years before its dive into the planet on the 15th of September this year.
	Asteroid mining could start 10-20 years from now, says industry expert Mining space rocks for valuable resources can become reality within two decades, according to J.L. Galache of Aten Engineering. However, still many challenges must be overcome to make it happen that soon.
	Hubble digs into cosmic archaeology This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is chock-full of galaxies. Each glowing speck is a different galaxy, except the bright flash in the middle of the image which is actually a star lying within our own galaxy that just happened to be in the way. At the center of the image lies something especially interesting, the center of the massive galaxy cluster called WHL J24.3324-8.477, including the brightest galaxy of the cluster.
	What could explain the mystery of how land formed on Mars without much water The surface of Mars, with its dune flows, gullies and slope movements, is the result of sediment being transported downwards in the recent past as well as today. But this "mass wasting", typically caused by flows of water – for example, how the gullies on Earth are shaped – has proved a mystery to planetary scientists. This is because it is assumed that huge amounts of water are needed to form these features.
	Image: Reflection nebula NGC 1999 This spooky sight, imaged by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, resembles fog lit by a streetlamp swirling around a curiously shaped hole – and there is some truth in that. While the 'fog' is dust and gas lit up by the star, the 'hole' really is an empty patch of sky.
	SpaceX racks up another rocket launch, its 16th this year SpaceX has racked up another rocket launch, its 16th this year.

Technology news

	Daimler talks up regional intra-city electric truck distribution concept in E-Fuso Vision One The future intra-city electric commercial truck: If it's Daimler, the look is all there in the Fuso Vision One.
	New iPhone brings face recognition (and fears) to the masses Apple will let you unlock the iPhone X with your face—a move likely to bring facial recognition to the masses, along with concerns over how the technology may be used for nefarious purposes.
	A meet-up reveals a step-up in Apollo self-driving tech Baidu has announced an update to its open-source autonomous driving platform. What is interesting about this update is that it comes on the heels rather quickly of its earlier version and its newer features indicate progress made in a very short time.
	Engineers create VibWrite, a finger vibration-based security system "Good, good, good, good vibrations" goes the catchy Beach Boys song, a big hit in 1966 and beyond.
	Team focus is on ultrasound window into the human body (Tech Xplore)—A surgeon diagnosed his own cancer with the help of a phone. That is the attention-grabbing line that has turned people's attention to a new device to ship next year. It is the Butterfly iQ, a portable ultrasound machine that is smartphone-based.
	Small words in an email can reveal a person's identity It's possible to identify the author of an email by analysing as little as two words, research by Nottingham Trent University suggests.
	Robotics principles help wave energy converters better absorb power of ocean waves Compared to wind and solar energy, wave energy has remained relatively expensive and hard to capture, but engineers from Sandia National Laboratories are working to change that by drawing inspiration from other industries.
	VR display technique saves the stomach by exploiting the eye's limits An investigation into a way to provide a virtual reality experience that appears both visually sharp and quick has uncovered interesting findings, giving promise to the holy grail of non-queasy VR.
	'Combosquatting' attack hides in plain sight to trick computer users To guard against unknowingly visiting malicious websites, computer users have been taught to double-check website URLs before they click on a link. But attackers are now taking advantage of that practice to trick users into visiting website domains that contain familiar trademarks—but with additional words that change the destination to an attack site.
	'Instant replay' for computer systems shows cyber attack details Until now, assessing the extent and impact of network or computer system attacks has been largely a time-consuming manual process. A new software system being developed by cybersecurity researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology will largely automate that process, allowing investigators to quickly and accurately pinpoint how intruders entered the network, what data they took and which computer systems were compromised.
	It lives! This nightmare machine writes bone-chilling tales Don't throw away your Stephen King collection just yet. But the Master of the Macabre might want to keep an eye out behind him, because scientists have just unleashed a nightmare machine on a mission to churn out its own bone-chilling tales.
	Web-based system automatically evaluates proposals from far-flung data scientists In the analysis of big data sets, the first step is usually the identification of "features"—data points with particular predictive power or analytic utility. Choosing features usually requires some human intuition. For instance, a sales database might contain revenues and date ranges, but it might take a human to recognize that average revenues—revenues divided by the sizes of the ranges—is the really useful metric.
	U. of Michigan expert puts bird-like robot through its paces A rare bird has landed at the University of Michigan: a two-legged robot named "Cassie" that researchers hope could be the forerunner of a machine that one day will aid search-and-rescue efforts.
	Why the explosive growth of e-commerce could mean more jobs When the robots came to online retailer Boxed, dread came, too: The familiar fear that the machines would take over, leaving a trail of unemployed humans in their wake.
	Oklahoma City, where parking meters began, modernizes system The city where parking meters were born more than eight decades ago is phasing out the last of the coin-gobbling contraptions that reshaped America's downtowns in favor of computerized models seen in many other places.
	Facebook moves toward revealing political ad backers Facebook said Friday it would take steps to deliver on a promise to reveal backers of political advertisements to boost transparency in the wake of criticism of the social network's role in the 2016 US election.
	'Assassin's Creed' game is back, this time in ancient Egypt Video game titan Ubisoft on Friday released a new installment of "Assassin's Creed," seeking to reignite passion for the game after a year off to freshen its top franchise.
	AP-NORC poll: Most have little fear of robots taking jobs Most Americans believe their jobs, and the jobs of those they live with, are safe from automation—at least for the next decade, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.
	VPN law latest step in Kremlin online crackdown: experts A law coming into force on Wednesday will give the Kremlin greater control over what Russians can access online ahead of a presidential election next March.
	Investors fuel a multibillion-dollar ride-sharing frenzy Investors including Japan's SoftBank and Google-parent Alphabet are fueling a drive to a ride-sharing future, betting on startups such as industry giants Uber and Lyft which have so far failed to deliver profits.
	Insider Q&A: Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann talks AI, rivals Pinterest often gets lumped in with social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook, but people don't use it to meet new people or to keep in touch with old classmates. It's designed more to let you get in touch with your own interests, tastes and hobbies.
	Switch helps Nintendo half-year net profit soar 35 percent Japanese video-game maker Nintendo said Monday that its net profit jumped 35 percent in April-September from a year earlier, helped by popularity of its Switch hybrid game machine and new releases.
	Corporate deal-making driven by fast technological change The appetite for mergers and acquisitions remains near a record high as firms try to adapt to fast technological changes and despite a welter of geopolitical concerns, a survey of executives found Monday.
	Can artificial intelligence learn to scare us? Just in time for Halloween, a research team from the MIT Media Lab's Scalable Cooperation group has introduced Shelley: the world's first artificial intelligence-human horror story collaboration.
	An AI professor discusses concerns about granting citizenship to robot Sophia I was surprised to hear that a robot named Sophia was granted citizenship by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
	Can models predict grid tolerance to environmental extremes? Understanding the environmental conditions associated with stress on the electric grid has important practical considerations, but also represents a complex scientific and modeling challenge. A research team led by scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory explored how well statistical models could predict grid stress based on weather conditions in a particular region. Scientists found one type of statistical model provided predictive value and was easy to interpret.
	Getting quicker – more quickly A new procedure simplifies wind tunnel tests and makes the results visible immediately. Athletes have gone up against the wind at ETH to test the new method.
	How a Victorian lawyer from Wales invented the hydrogen fuel cell Let us start, in the spirit of steampunk, by imagining a new and different past. One that is just a little different to that which we currently have.
	Gradation-tint smart window NIMS, Waseda University and Tama Art University developed together smart glass capable of producing various shades on its surface. Unlike the conventional types, the newly developed tinting smart glass allows users to easily change the shaded area of a window. For example, a user would be able to change the shaded area of a window in accordance with the elevation of the sun. The technology may be applicable to various types of windows, including those of automobiles and buildings, enabling them to offer both shade and clear visibility simultaneously.
	Why tech giants are investing millions in AI that can play video games Artificial intelligence researchers at Elon Musk's OpenAI project recently made a big advance by winning a video game. Unlike recent AI victories over top human players in the games of Go and poker, this AI breakthrough involved a game that many people haven't heard of, Dota 2. But to the hundreds of millions of fans of this type of online multiplayer battle game, a computer that can beat a professional player is a big deal.
	Building a sustainable future: Urgent action needed We need to act urgently to increase the energy efficiency of our buildings as the world's emerging middle classes put increasing demands on our planet's energy resources. These are the findings of a new report, published in MRS Energy & Sustainability by authors Matthias M. Koebel, Jannis Wernery and Wim J. Malfait.
Amazon threatens to disrupt the prescription drug delivery business, analysts say In 23 years, Amazon has transformed itself from a relatively unknown online retailer into a behemoth that has toppled traditional big-box stores by attracting consumers to its speedy home delivery model and low prices.
	Facebook stumbles with early effort to stamp out fake news Facebook Inc.'s strategy to stamp out fake news is struggling.
	How much reach do Facebook and Twitter have? Data may not be as accurate as you think Data-driven Internet companies that boast they can precisely target advertising down to users' laundry detergent and their favorite TV shows are getting a reputation for overstating their reach.
	Dr. Alexa? What Amazon might do in health care Paging Dr. Alexa?
Sprint, T-Mobile shares sink after report says talks scrapped Shares in Sprint and T-Mobile fell sharply Monday following a Japanese media report that merger talks between the third- and fourth-largest US wireless operators had been called off.
US museum debuts first 3-D holograms of Holocaust survivors Seated onstage at a museum near Chicago, Adina Sella talks about her life as a Holocaust survivor.
Heathrow launches probe after queen's security details found Heathrow Airport has launched an investigation after a memory stick containing confidential security information was found on a London street.
	Powerful statistical tool could significantly reduce the burden of analyzing very large datasets By exploiting the power of high-performance computing, a new statistical tool has been developed by KAUST researchers that could reduce the cost and improve the accuracy of analyzing large environmental and climate datasets.
	High-performance computing methods focus of new text From your smartphone to your laptop, today's tech devices glean their computing power from multi-core processors. Supercomputers contain thousands of cores, and within three to four years a computer with 100 million cores—and the capacity to do a billion billion calculations per second—is expected to launch.

Medicine & Health news

	People who value virtue show wiser reasoning From romantic dramas to tensions at work, we're often better at working through other people's problems than our own—while we may approach our friends' problems with wise, clear-eyed objectivity, we often view our own problems through a personal, flawed, emotional lens.
	Sight unseen: Gene Expression reveals 'hidden' variability in cancer cells' response to drugs A study led by scientists from Harvard Medical School reveals "hidden" variability in how tumor cells are affected by anticancer drugs, offering new insights on why patients with the same form of cancer can have different responses to a drug.
	World-first discovery of new carbohydrate 'taste' Deakin scientists have identified a potential seventh "taste" – carbohydrate – and are working to uncover how it's linked to consumption of starchy foods.
	Early childhood adversities linked to health problems in tweens, teens Adverse experiences in childhood—such as the death of a parent, growing up in poverty, physical or sexual abuse, or having a parent with a psychiatric illness—have been associated with physical and mental health problems later in life. But new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown that multiple adverse experiences in early childhood are linked to depression and physical health problems in kids as young as 9 to 15. Further, the researchers have identified a potential pathway in the brain to explain how such stressful experiences influence poor health in kids.
	Researchers design synthetic beta cells to secrete insulin in response to high blood sugar Treating type 1 diabetes and some cases of type 2 diabetes has long required painful and frequent insulin injections or a mechanical insulin pump for insulin infusion. But researchers from the University of North Carolina and NC State have now developed what could be a much more patient-friendly option: artificial cells that automatically release insulin into the bloodstream when glucose levels rise.
	Brain imaging science identifies individuals with suicidal thoughts Researchers led by Carnegie Mellon University's Marcel Just and the University of Pittsburgh's David Brent have developed an innovative and promising approach to identify suicidal individuals by analyzing the alterations in how their brains represent certain concepts, such as death, cruelty and trouble.
	High-pesticide produce not the best recipe for fertility Couples who are trying to have children should probably be picky about their produce, a new study suggests.
	Virtual reality reduces phantom pain in paraplegics Virtual reality reduces phantom body pain in paraplegics and creates the illusion that they can feel their paralyzed legs being touched again. The results could one day translate into therapies to reduce chronic pain in paraplegics.
	How flu shot manufacturing forces influenza to mutate According to a new study from scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), the common practice of growing influenza vaccine components in chicken eggs disrupts the major antibody target site on the virus surface, rendering the flu vaccine less effective in humans.
	Scientists discover surprising immune cell activity that may be limiting immunotherapy Researchers have uncovered a surprising process within a key immune cell that may help explain the limitations of immunotherapy as a cancer treatment.
	Study shows how memories ripple through the brain Using an innovative "NeuroGrid" technology, scientists showed that sleep boosts communication between two brain regions whose connection is critical for the formation of memories. The work, published in Science, was partially funded by the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, a project of the National Institutes of Health devoted to accelerating the development of new approaches to probing the workings of the brain.
	Montmorency tart cherry juice increased sleep time by more than 1 hour Montmorency tart cherry juice was found to help extend sleep time by 84 minutes among eight study participants, ages 50 and older who suffer from insomnia, according to a new pilot study published in American Journal of Therapeutics.
	Blocking enzyme in normal cells may impede pancreatic cancer, team shows Cancer of the pancreas is a deadly disease, with a median survival time of less than six months. Only one in 20 people with pancreatic cancer survives five years past the diagnosis. The reason is the cancer's insidiousness; tumor cells hide deep inside the body, betraying no symptoms until late in the disease, when the cancer has almost invariably spread to other organs.
Gene therapy trial shows promise in treatment of recurrent brain cancer New data from a Phase I clinical trial led by Clark Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Lyle French Chair in Neurosurgery and Head of the University of Minnesota Medical School Department of Neurosurgery shows more than a quarter of patients with recurrent high-grade glioma, a form of brain cancer, were alive more than three years after treatment.
Sharing experiences improves wellbeing of healthcare staff Healthcare staff who regularly share the emotional, social or ethical challenges they face in the workplace experience less psychological distress, improved teamwork and increased empathy and compassion for patients and colleagues, a new study commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research reports.
Second University of Colorado vaccine approved by FDA for shingles The Centers for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended new treatment practices Wednesday for shingles based on a vaccine initially developed at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, now the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
	Opioid epidemic shares chilling similarities with the past While declaring the opioid crisis a national public health emergency Thursday, President Donald Trump said: "Nobody has seen anything like what's going on now."
	Turn over a new leaf this fall—start exercising (HealthDay)—Did you spend the hot, sweltering days of summer sitting in front of an air conditioner? Then fall is a probably a good time for you to get up and get moving, medical experts say.
	Post-op complications low for orbital floor fracture repair (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing orbital floor fracture repair, total operative time and postoperative complications are similar for cases performed by plastic surgeons versus ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeons, according to a research letter published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
	XEN-45 implant effective in uncontrolled uveitic glaucoma (HealthDay)—For medically uncontrolled uveitic glaucoma, the XEN-45 implant is effective, reducing the need for further surgery, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
	Gastric cancer incidence down, survival up (HealthDay)—Since 1984, there has been decreased incidence and increased survival rates for gastric cancer (GC), but long-term survival remains low, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Probiotics linked to weight loss in obese, overweight (HealthDay)—Short-term probiotics are associated with reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), and fat percentage in overweight or obese subjects, according to research published online Oct. 18 in Obesity Reviews.
	Bone strength + bone mineral density screening cost-effective (HealthDay)—Combined assessment of bone strength and bone mineral density is a cost-effective strategy for osteoporosis screening in postmenopausal women, according to a study published in the November issue of Radiology.
	Arterial stiffness linked to incidence of diabetes (HealthDay)—Increased arterial stiffness, as measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (c-f PWV), is associated with increased incidence of diabetes, according to a study published online Sept. 29 in Diabetes Care.
	70-gene signature impacts treatment decisions in breast CA (HealthDay)—The 70-gene signature (GS) assay affects treatment decisions among physicians treating patients identified as being at intermediate risk with the 21-gene assay (21-GA), according to a study published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Oncology.
	ACAAI: doctors not adhering to new peanut guidelines (HealthDay)—Many pediatricians are not adhering to revised guidelines for peanut allergies that recommend early introduction to high-risk infants, according to a study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting, being held Oct. 26 to 30 in Boston.
	Incretin tied to better outcomes in NOCS-diabetes (HealthDay)—Incretin treatment appears to improve non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and non-obstructive coronary artery stenosis (NOCS), according to a study published online Sept. 26 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
	Multidisciplinary model cuts treatment delay in head, neck CA (HealthDay)—For patients with head and neck cancer, a multidisciplinary head and neck clinic model is associated with reduced treatment delay, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery.
	Colorectal cancer screening should start at 45, new research shows Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) should begin at 45 years of age to match rising mortality rates in young adults, research presented today at the 25th UEG Week Barcelona reveals.
	Review finds poor compliance with helmet use in baseball and softball Despite lower rates of traumatic brain injuries in baseball and softball, there is poor compliance overall with helmet use and return-to-play guidelines following a concussion across all levels of play, according to a new systematic review.
	E-cigarette use by high school students linked to cigarette smoking Use of e-cigarettes by high school students was strongly associated with later cigarette smoking, according to a large study conducted in 2 Canadian provinces and published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Mental health clinicians need to better engage men with depression The approach to treating men with depression needs to change if their increased uptake of mental health services is to be successful, new research from the University of Sydney shows.
	Less than half of patients prescribed new cholesterol drug receive insurance approval Less than half of patients received their insurer's approval for prescriptions of PCSK9 inhibitors, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	300 neurons traced in extensive brain wiring map A vast effort by a team of Janelia Research Campus scientists is rapidly increasing the number of fully-traced neurons in the mouse brain. Researchers everywhere can now browse and download the 3-D data.
	Link between biological-clock disturbance and brain dysfunction found Researchers at Okayama University report in the Journal of Neuroscience that a certain protein known to play a major role in circadian rhythmicity—humans' intrinsic 24-hour biological cycle—is also key to proper brain functioning. The findings may increase the understanding of neurological diseases and guide the development of future treatments.
	Rousing masses to fight cancer with open source machine learning Here's an open invitation to steal. It goes out to cancer fighters and tempts them with a new program that predicts cancer drug effectiveness via machine learning and raw genetic data.
	Why it's time to lay the stereotype of the 'teen brain' to rest A deficit in the development of the teenage brain has been blamed for teens' behavior in recent years, but it may be time to lay the stereotype of the wild teenage brain to rest. Brain deficits don't make teens do risky things; lack of experience and a drive to explore the world are the real factors.
Impulsivity in Parkinson's disease Dopamine medications are effective in treating the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), but dopamine agonists can trigger impulsive-compulsive behaviors (ICBs), such as compulsive gambling, eating or shopping, in a subset of patients. ICBs are thought to be caused by overstimulation of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine network, which regulates reward learning and executive function.
A non-invasive computational imaging approach may predict response to immunotherapy A computational imaging-based signature of immune-cell infiltration in and around a tumor could predict patients' responses to treatment with anti-PD1/PDL1 immunotherapies, according to data from a study presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held Oct. 26-30.
Test could detect early colorecral cancer-causing genetic biomarkers with high sensitivity An investigational test that screens for colorectal cancer could detect genetic mutations that are indicative of the disease with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity, according to results of a study presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held Oct. 26-30.
Colorectal cancers may mutate to escape immune system detection in many ways Whole exome sequencing revealed that colorectal cancers with high mutational load (MSI-H) predominantly use "immunoediting" to escape immune surveillance while colorectal cancers with low mutational load (MSS) use oncogenic signaling to escape from the immune response, according to data presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held Oct. 26-30. The data suggest that promoting immune-cell infiltration into MSS colorectal tumors by blocking certain cancer genes could potentially make them respond to immunotherapies.
Number of seamless clinical trials in oncology has risen recently The number of early-phase trials in oncology that adopted a seamless approach, as opposed to a traditional trial approach with defined phase I, II, and III plans, is rising, with data from the majority of them presented after 2014, according to a study presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held Oct. 26-30.
Tazemetostat shows early promise for children with certain relapsed or refractory solid tumors Children with relapsed or refractory malignant rhabdoid tumors, epithelioid sarcomas, or poorly differentiated chordomas with a particular genetic defect tolerated treatment with the investigational drug tazemetostat well and some had objective and durable responses, according to data from a phase I clinical trial presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held Oct. 26-30.
Doctors warn of a common respiratory illness in children Like most moms, Shanisty Ireland had dealt with many bugs being passed between her three children. Last winter, she thought her newborn, Adam, had the same cold that had caused her older children to cough and sniffle. But as Adam ran a fever and struggled to keep his food down, she realized this was something far more serious. She took her baby to Nationwide Children's Hospital where he was diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus, more commonly known as RSV. He spent four days inpatient receiving oxygen, IV fluids and breathing treatments that thankfully helped him fully recover.
	New approach for treatment of contact allergy Researchers from the University of Bonn have isolated a molecule that is suitable for the control of contact allergies. The study illuminates a central immune mechanism, which may also play a role in other inflammatory diseases such as arthritis or arteriosclerosis. The results will soon be published in the journal Molecular Therapy, but are already available online.
	Important mechanism of epigenetic gene regulation identified How can defective gene activity leading to cancerbe avoided? Researchers at the University of Zurich have now identified a mechanism by which cells pass on the regulation of genetic information through epigenetic modifications. These insights open the door to new approaches for future cancer treatments.
	HPV vaccination and test reduce cancer risk by more than 90% Every year there are around 400 new cases of cervical cancer and a total of approximately 800 cancers associated with HPV (human papilloma virus). Two measures could reverse this trend: the nonavalent HPV vaccination co-developed at MedUni Vienna's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology under the supervision of Elmar Joura and HPV screening by means of smear tests as secondary prevention. This combination is able to reduce the cancer risk by more than 90 percent. This point was emphasised by Joura in advance of the European Gynaecological Oncology Congress (ESGO), which is being held in the Austria Center Vienna from 4 – 7 November, under the aegis of MedUni Vienna.
	Why parents should never spank children Spanking —usually defined as hitting a child on the buttocks with an open hand —is a common form of discipline still used on children worldwide. However, to date, spanking has been banned in 53 countries and states globally.
	How to soothe yourself to sleep Getting a good night of sleep can seem like the most effortless and natural thing in the world, but when we can't fall asleep it can quickly feel elusive and frustrating. There are a few techniques we can use to help us fall asleep, and some things we should always practise before we go to bed to give ourselves the best chance of being able to drop off easily.
Moving neuroscience into the fast lane At the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan, a two-year project from Andrea Benucci's research group has culminated in the construction and deployment of a high-throughput system to study mouse behavior and physiology. The system aims to deliver larger, standardized datasets, a reduction in the number of experimental animals, and time-savings through complete automation.
	In landmark report, public health leaders outline steps for urgent action on opioids A group of experts, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in collaboration with the Clinton Foundation, today issued a new report with comprehensive recommendations aimed at stemming the opioid epidemic, a spiraling crisis that kills on average 90 people a day in the United States and shows few signs of reversing. This report, "The Opioid Epidemic: From Evidence to Impact," maps out a blueprint for national action on the epidemic and details dozens of concrete, evidence-based steps for everyone working to fight the opioid crisis in America – from the health care, advocacy, nonprofit, government, academic, and business sectors.
	Most staph infections resistant to antibiotics occur in the community The proportion of staph infections resistant to antibiotics has increased in Australia since 2000 with most cases now occurring in the community rather than in hospitals, a new study led by ANU has found.
	New study reveals how low-income diners choose what's on their plate A study from U of T Mississauga is shedding new light on the complex relationship between food, culture and poverty. The study by Professor Josée Johnston and Associate Professor Shyon Baumann of the Department of Sociology investigates how and why people in low socioeconomic households make the food choices they do, and features surprising results about how low-income diners view healthy eating.
What causes marathon-runners and other extreme sport enthusiasts to catch colds? Participants in this year's Snowdon Marathon (28 October), described as one of Europe's toughest, have been invited to help with research at Bangor University's School of Sport Health & Exercise Sciences.
	Food should be marketed as a 'meal' rather than a 'snack' to avoid overeating Marketing food as a 'snack' leads to increased consumption and continued overeating, a new study in the journal Appetite reports.
	Perception of foreign language phonemic contrasts is associated with children's reading skills After their first year of life, infants' perception of phonemic contrasts usually becomes more specialised and adapted to their lingual environment, and they lose perceptual sensitivity to phonemic contrasts irrelevant in this respect. This phonemic specialisation is known to be important for early language development. Whether this specialisation process is still relevant at school age was examined in a recent joint study by the University of Jyväskylä and Yale University.
	Work-family balance can tip wrong way for some young doctors Female medical interns are more likely to suffer from symptoms of depression than their male counterparts, and the conflict between work and family responsibilities is a factor in that gender difference about a third of the time.
	Helping smokers quit: Payments, personalized support can work Money can be more powerful than nicotine, as a new study found that smokers who received financial incentives, in addition to personalized support, to help them quit were more successful than smokers who did not receive these interventions. Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the study demonstrates that these approaches could play an important role in helping people quit smoking.
	Montessori preschool boosts academic results and reduces income-based inequality: study Children in Montessori preschools show improved academic performance and social understanding, while enjoying their school work more, finds the first longitudinal study of Montessori education outcomes. Strikingly, children from low-income families, who typically don't perform as well at school, show similar academic performance as children from high-income families. Children with low executive function similarly benefit from Montessori preschools. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, suggests that well-implemented Montessori education could be a powerful way to help disadvantaged children to achieve their academic potential.
	Group exercise improves quality of life, reduces stress far more than individual work outs Researchers found working out in a group lowers stress by 26 percent and significantly improves quality of life, while those who exercise individually put in more effort but experienced no significant changes in their stress level and a limited improvement to quality of life, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
	Brain's response to mid-life surge in cell aging starts or ends a path to dementia Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Dentistry and McGovern Medical School have discovered a previously unknown characteristic of brain-cell aging that could help detect late-onset Alzheimer's disease decades before symptoms begin.
	Just-in-time 3-D implants set to transform tumor surgery A major new Australian research project using 3D implants and robotic surgery is set to radically advance the way physicians surgically treat tumours and bone cancer.
	Bonding benefits of breastfeeding extend years beyond infancy Women who breastfeed their children longer exhibit more maternal sensitivity well past the infant and toddler years, according to a 10-year longitudinal study published by the American Psychological Association.
	Wait a minute—clamping the umbilical cord later saves preterm babies' lives Thousands of preterm babies could be saved by waiting 60 seconds before clamping the umbilical cord after birth instead of clamping it immediately - according to two international studies coordinated by the University of Sydney's National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre.
	How Spidey, Superman and Sherlock keep us sane Superheroes like Spider-Man, Batman and Superman keep us sane while we struggle to feel safe in our overcrowded cities.
	Researchers discover cause of brain sensitivity to lack of oxygen Researchers at Maastricht University Medical Center and Maastricht University have discovered why the brain is more sensitive to oxygen deprivation, or hypoxia, than other organs. Hypoxia caused by a stroke, for example, activates a specific mechanism that is protective in other organs but can be detrimental to the brain. 'This discovery solves a long-standing mystery of the unique sensitivity of the brain to hypoxia,' says head researcher and professor Harald Schmidt. The research results were published today in the leading scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Research pinpoints powerful biomarker of multiple sclerosis A breakthrough study led by the University of Sydney's Brain and Mind Centre and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital has revealed unique molecules in the blood of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) that could become definitive diagnostic biomarkers of the world's most common neurologic disability in young adults.
Minorities less likely to have breast reconstruction, but not for the reason many think Minority women are far less likely to undergo breast reconstruction than white women, even if they live in the same area and have similar insurance. The finding from a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania challenges the commonly held belief that the disparity is based on access to plastic surgeons or a patient's insurance status. The research, which will published next month in The American Journal of Surgery, shows that even when the number of plastic surgeons in the area are the same and the patient has private insurance as opposed to public, white women are 24 percent more likely to undergo reconstruction than black women, 26 percent more likely than Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans (APINA), and 19 percent more likely than Hispanics.
	Acetaminophen in pregnancy tied to ADHD risk in kids (HealthDay)—Acetaminophen is considered the go-to pain medication during pregnancy. But a new study adds to evidence linking the drug to an increased risk of behavioral issues in kids.
	Keep Halloween spooky, but safe (HealthDay)—Kids may encounter some scary surprises on Halloween, but they shouldn't get injured while they go trick-or-treating.
	Doctors urged to discuss cord blood donations early in pregnancy (HealthDay)—A leading group of U.S. pediatricians is encouraging parents to donate to public cord blood banks after the birth of their children.
	Where do grains fit in your diet? (HealthDay)—To cut calories, you may be tempted to cut out carbs in the form of grains. But that could be a mistake—for a variety of reasons.
	Umbilical cord blood improves motor skills in some children with cerebral palsy An infusion of cells from a child's own umbilical cord blood appears to improve brain connectivity and motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy, according to a randomized clinical trial published this week by Stem Cells Translational Medicine.
	Cochrane review looks at the effectiveness and side effects of mefloquine Researchers from LSTM Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group publish two systematic reviews this week about the safety of mefloquine (Lariam) for preventing malaria in travellers.
	Study first to examine prevalence of 'digital' self-harm in youth with some startling results Adolescents harming themselves with cuts, scratches or burns has gained a lot of attention over the years not just because of the physical damage and internal turmoil, but also because it has been linked to suicide. More recently, a new form of self-harm in youth has emerged and is cause for concern, warns a researcher and bullying expert from Florida Atlantic University.
Studies reveal characteristics of bone and tendon injuries incurred by Olympic athletes Female athletes participating in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro were more likely to experience bone stress injuries in their lower extremities while competing in track and field compared to other events. In addition, tendon abnormalities similarly were most common in track and field athletes, however they most frequently involved the shoulder, Achilles and patellar tendons.
The painful side of positive health care marketing Lori Wallace sits on a couch with her 11-year-old son and his new pet snake. It burrows under his armpit, as if afraid. Wallace is sure it's not.
Competitive divers face high risk of back, shoulder and other injuries Competitive divers face a high risk of injuring their shoulders, back, elbows, wrists and other body parts, according to a report by a Loyola Medicine sports medicine physician.
Breastfeeding for two months halves risk of SIDS, study finds Breastfeeding for at least two months cuts a baby's risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome almost in half, a sweeping new international study has found.
	Immigrants living in the country without authorization at risk for anxiety and depression Nearly a quarter of Mexican immigrants who live near the California-Mexico border without legal authorization have a mental disorder, particularly depression or anxiety, according to a new study by Rice University.
	Kidney damage seen in most patients with long-lasting T1D (HealthDay)—Most patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) of long duration have some degree of kidney disease, according to a study published online Oct. 4 in Diabetes Care.
	3-D ultrasound not accurate for ID of sex in first trimester (HealthDay)—Three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality ultrasound is not accurate in first-trimester fetal sex determination, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound.
	Elastography and color doppler improve breast ultrasound (HealthDay)—The combination of elastography and color Doppler ultrasonography (US) with B-mode US in women with dense breasts can increase the positive predictive value of screening and reduce the number of false-positives, according to a study published in the November issue of Radiology.
	Flow cytometry assesses minimal residual disease in myeloma (HealthDay)—Data on methods used for assessing minimal residual disease (MRD) in multiple myeloma (MM) are presented in a report published online Oct. 23 in the International Journal of Laboratory Hematology.
	PCP has vital role in managing pediatric heart disease (HealthDay)—Primary care providers (PCPs) and medical homes (MHs) have a role to play in the management of pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and their families, according to a policy statement published online Oct. 30 in Pediatrics.
	More than one in five U.S. working adults uses tobacco (HealthDay)—Overall, 22.1 percent of working U.S. adults currently use any form of tobacco, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Depression is on the rise in the US, especially among young teens Depression is on the rise in the United States, according to researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. From 2005 to 2015, depression rose significantly among Americans age 12 and older with the most rapid increases seen in young people. The findings appear online in the journal Psychological Medicine.
	Financial ties of medical journal editors should be disclosed: study Approximately half of the editors of 52 prestigious medical journals received payments from the pharmaceutical and medical device industry in 2014. And only a fraction of these journals publish conflict-of-interest policies for editors that address these payments, according to research by University of Toronto professors published in the journal BMJ Oct. 26, 2017.
	Focused ultrasound shows promise for treating Parkinson's tremor An initial test to determine if a scalpel-free form of brain surgery can reduce tremor caused by Parkinson's disease has produced encouraging results. Further research is warranted, the researchers conclude in a paper published today by the scientific journal JAMA Neurology.
	Fish oil or fish consumption? New recommendations for pregnant women trying to prevent childhood asthma Pregnant women who consume fish rather than fish oil supplements are just as likely to protect their offspring from developing asthma.
	Team explores anti-breast cancer properties of soy A University of Arizona Cancer Center research team is engaged in a series of studies to investigate how genistein, a component of soy foods, might suppress the development of breast cancer.
For older adults with diabetes, losing weight with diet, exercise can improve circulation Type 2 diabetes affects blood circulation. The disease stiffens blood vessels and reduces the amount of oxygen that circulates throughout your body. This includes your brain. When blood flow in the brain is impaired, it can affect the way we think and make decisions.
	High burden, high cost and low awareness of kidney disease in the United States According to an annual data report from the United State Renal Data System, the overall burden of kidney disease remains high in U.S. with the rates of kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation ranking among the highest in the world.
Wristband devices detect dangerous seizures in patients with epilepsy New research published in Epilepsia, a journal of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), indicates that wristband devices may improve the detection and characterization of seizures in patients with epilepsy.
	FDA moves to ax claim for heart benefits from soy foods U.S. regulators want to remove a health claim about the heart benefits of soy from cartons of soy milk, tofu and other foods, saying the latest scientific evidence no longer shows a clear connection.
Artificial intelligence: Is this the future of early cancer detection? A new endoscopic system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) has today been shown to automatically identify colorectal adenomas during colonoscopy. The system, developed in Japan, has recently been tested in one of the first prospective trials of AI-assisted endoscopy in a clinical setting, with the results presented today at the 25th UEG Week in Barcelona, Spain.
	Health law sign-ups start, and some see a 'hostile takeover' It's sign-up season for the Affordable Care Act, but the Trump administration isn't making it easy—cutting the enrollment period in half, slashing advertising and dialing back on counselors who help consumers get through the process.
Updated guidelines detail treatment for patients with ventricular arrhythmias The American College of Cardiology, along with the American Heart Association and the Heart Rhythm Society, today published new guidelines for the treatment of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death.
UIC hopes to reduce LGBTQ youth homelessness A new website, "3/40 Blueprint," was recently launched by the University of Illinois at Chicago as a primary site for identifying promising practices that serve LGBTQ youth who are experiencing homelessness and to publish new information on the struggles of this vulnerable population.
	89 percent of hispanic women use herbal remedies A new study comparing use of herbal remedies among Hispanic women and non-Hispanic white women showed higher than expected use of herbal treatments by both groups, 89% and 81%, respectively. Notably, less than 1 in 6 Hispanic women and only a third of white women discussed the use of herbal treatments with their doctors, as reported in an article published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
AUGS publishes best practice statement on pelvic organ prolapse Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common problem in women that is caused by a weakness of the ligaments and muscle that normally hold up the bladder, vagina, uterus, and rectum. While it is not usually dangerous, POP can be very uncomfortable and interfere with healthy living. Often, health care providers struggle with how to properly evaluate and counsel patients with POP.
Internists play a vital role in identifying patients for genetic counseling for cancer risk Patients at high risk for familial cancer, history of cancer at a young age, or history of multiple cancer occurrences may be referred to genetic counseling for genetic testing from the primary care office, which makes internists an important partner with genetic counseling.
Discovery challenges belief about brain's cellular makeup A discovery made by Junhwan Kim, PhD, assistant professor at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, is challenging science's longstanding beliefs regarding the cellular makeup of the brain. This breakthrough was outlined in a study recently published in the journal Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. Having a full understanding of the brain can help identify new therapies as well as develop guidelines to maintain brain health.
	'Obamacare' curveball: free insurance in 1,500-plus counties In an odd twist, low-income people in about half of U.S. counties will now be able to get a taxpayer-subsidized "Obamacare" policy for free, according to a new study that suggests some actions by President Donald Trump against the health law could backfire.
Despite improvements, death rates from lupus remain disproportionately high Despite improving trends in mortality, death rates from systematic lupus erythematosus (lupus) remain high compared to those in the general population, and disparities persist between subpopulations and geographic regions. Underreporting of lupus on death certificates may have resulted in underestimates of mortality rates. Findings from a nationwide population-based study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Biology news

	It's mathematically impossible to beat aging, scientists say Aging is a natural part of life, but that hasn't stopped people from embarking on efforts to stop the process.
	Researcher reveals how beetles bounce back from forest fires For decades, forestry services have used prescribed burns to promote ecological resilience in areas vulnerable to wildfires. Now, research from Florida State University has illuminated the piecemeal patterns of recolonization among a hardy species of beetle regularly affected by these managed burns.
	Males rapidly adjust sperm speed to beat rivals, study finds Joint research by the University of Otago and University of Canterbury has revealed that male salmon can adjust their sperm's swimming speed if competing with a rival to reproduce.
	Scientists unveil structure of protein critical for gene expression The technique of cryo-electron microscopy - for which MRC scientist Dr Richard Henderson won a Nobel Prize earlier this month - has now been used to solve the structure of a protein complex critical for gene expression.
	Research reveals how pollutants affect early embryo development Chemicals found in cigarette smoke, factories and incinerators can interfere with the crucial early stages of embryo development, suggests new research from the Francis Crick Institute.
	Driving drug resistance out of fungi Candida albicans is a notorious human fungal pathogen that causes thrush and serious systemic infections. Opportunistic C. albicans fungi, which often live inconspicuously in the normal flora of human skin and gut, can switch from their harmless stealth mode to become aggressive pathogens, especially in people whose immune systems are already compromised by pre-existing diseases or harsh drug therapies. They can also form biofilms on medical devices, such as catheters and stents in the human body, leading to infections and sometimes death. The threat posed by both free and biofilm-bound forms of the pathogen is constantly growing, as virulent C. albicans strains are becoming increasingly resistant to the few drugs that are available to treat them.
	Pumpkin genomes sequenced, revealing uncommon evolutionary history For some, pumpkins conjure carved Halloween decorations, but for many people around the world, these gourds provide nutrition. Scientists at Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and the National Engineering Research Center for Vegetables in Beijing have sequenced the genomes of two important pumpkin species, Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita moschata.
	Food odor enhances male flies' attractiveness Vinegar odor boosts the perception of a male sex pheromone in the brain of unmated female Drosophila melanogaster flies, as a team of scientists from the Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology has now discovered. The researchers were able to identify the underlying neuronal mechanism in the brain of Drosophila flies. Previous experiments had revealed that the male pheromone cis-vaccenyl acetate activates the glomerulus DA1 in the brains of female flies. Glomeruli are spherical functional units in the antennal lobe, the olfactory center in the fly brain.
	Combatting viruses: Code breakers turn code writers Researchers who successfully cracked a code that governs infections by a major group of viruses have gone a step further, creating their own artificial code.
	Nanoscale platform aims to control protein levels A nanoscale antibody first found in camels combined with a protein-degrading molecule is an effective new platform to control protein levels in cells, according to Rice University scientists. The technique could aid fundamental research into cellular dynamics as well as the design of synthetic gene circuits.
	White rot fungi's size explained by breadth of gene families involved Among the contenders for the world's largest living organism is something usually considered much smaller than a blue whale, or a towering sequoia. This particular organism is so big, one needs an aerial map to grasp its size, and even then it's not completely visible as most of it is underground. It's a specimen of the fungus Armillaria ostoyae, first discovered two decades ago though thought to be a few millennia old by then, and so large it is spread over nearly four square miles - a space equivalent to one-sixth of Manhattan, or nearly 8,300 Olympic-sized swimming pools - and weighs as much as three blue whales combined.
	Examining potatoes' past could improve spuds of the future The old adage of looking to the past to understand the future certainly applies to improving potatoes.
	Hopes dashed for giant new Antarctic marine sanctuary Hopes for a vast new marine sanctuary in pristine East Antarctica were dashed Saturday after a key conservation summit failed to reach agreement, with advocates urging "greater vision and ambition".
	Lions, chimps, sharks get added protection under UN convention Lions, chimpanzees, giraffes, leopards and a wide variety of sharks received added protection at a UN wildlife conference in the Philippines, organisers said Saturday.
	Chile battling to save a favorite clam Long one of the country's favorite seafoods, Chile's macha clam has become a victim of its own popularity, with over-exploitation forcing authorities to ban clam fishing in all but a few areas to help stocks recover.
	Iran moves to save last 'mascot' Asiatic cheetahs Iranian environmentalists have mobilised to protect the world's last Asiatic cheetahs, estimated to number just 50 and faced with the threats of becoming roadkill, a shortage of prey and farmers' dogs.
	Study reveals underlying genetic basis for halictid bee communication and social behavior If you ask most people what they know about bees, you're likely to get answers ranging from their favorite type of honey to stories about their worst stinging experiences.
	Genome research challenges previous understanding of the origin of photosynthesis Plant biologists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), in collaboration with colleagues from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), have reconstructed the evolutionary history of photosynthesis to provide new insight into the yet-unfolding story of its origins.
	Emotional states discovered in fish The occurrence of emotions in animals has been under debate. Now, a research collaborative has demonstrated for the first time that fish have emotional states triggered by the way they perceive environmental stimuli. This study, published in Scientific Reports, reveals that the ability to assess emotional stimuli may have a simpler neurological basis than expected, which was conserved throughout animal evolution.
	Bears not bothered by diet high in saturated fats Campgrounds and cottages are getaways for humans. They are also locations where grizzly bears are acquiring appetites for human foods that are high in saturated fats. Diets high in saturated fats are associated with many diseases in humans. Does the health of a bear suffer too?
	A 'health centre' for juvenile salmon The condition of the water in salmon hatcheries can tell us a great deal about when and why outbreaks of disease occur. Now, SINTEF researchers are about to expose the water's secrets, both to prevent suffering in fish and to save the aquaculture industry a great deal of money.
	Plaguing insects with bittersweet tastes to protect crops Herbivorous insects are estimated to be responsible for destroying one-fifth of the world's total crop production annually, but a new, natural approach to pesticides that turns insects' taste and smell preferences against them could help reduce this toll.
	Sulfur respiration in mammals A common sulfur metabolite having antioxidant activity appears to be formed with the help of an enzyme found in mitochondria, highlighting a potential area of research for future treatments of various diseases.
	Willingness to take risks—a personality trait People differ in their willingness to take risks. An individual's propensity for risk taking can also vary across domains. However, there is new evidence showing that there is also a general factor of individual risk preference, which remains stable over time - akin to the general Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Researchers from Switzerland and Germany report these findings based on over 1500 participants in the journals Science Advances and Nature Human Behaviour.
	Cover crops provide bed and breakfast layover for migrating birds After harvesting a corn or soybean crop, farmers may plant a cover crop for a variety of reasons—to reduce soil erosion and nutrient runoff, increase organic matter in the soil, and improve water quality. Now there's another reason. University of Illinois research shows that migratory birds prefer to rest and refuel in fields with cover crops.
	Grow fresh food in your home—vertically In many places in the world, fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to come by—and not just in the places you'd think. Often, certain areas within cities, called nutritional islands, have the lowest levels of access to these foods. Residents of these areas often have to resort to feeding their families with pre-packaged foods bought from the store. Not only are these foods expensive, but their lack of nutritional value is one of the primary causes of poor health outcomes for this population.
	Tsunami reveals human noise pollution in Hawaiian waters A tsunami that struck Hawaii in 2011 and caused a temporary halt to boat traffic has provided scientists a rare glimpse into what the bays might sound like without human activities.
	Study shows that right whales, already an endangered species, may face a dim future When 15 North Atlantic right whales turned up dead in U.S. and Canadian waters in the summer of 2017, it was declared an unprecedented mass mortality event. For a highly endangered species with slightly more than 500 animals remaining, the crisis signals a major shift in the population's recovery—corresponding to a 3 percent loss.
	Study looks at how residential yards impact food webs University of Delaware doctoral student Desiree Narango is researching trees and shrubs planted in the lawns of homeowners throughout the Washington, D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia areas to assess how those choices are impacting food webs.
Early warning health and welfare system could save farmers millions of pounds A new early warning system to alert farmers to the risk of disease among their young cattle stock is being developed by experts at The University of Nottingham.
	Study may add to resource managers' toolbox A major study by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science shows that many diverse species of Chesapeake Bay fishes—whether they eat zooplankton, other fishes, or bottom-dwelling invertebrates—exhibit similar year-to-year trends in a common measure of their overall health.

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