Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Oct 11

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 11, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Researchers create atom-thick alloys with unanticipated magnetic properties

Ceramic pump moves molten metal at a record 1,400 degrees Celsius

Injecting electrons jolts 2-D structure into new atomic pattern

Gold 'nanoprobes' used to track blood flow in tiny vessels

New smell test could aid early detection of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

Researchers document one of planet's largest volcanic eruptions

A drone can shoot strings for perching and stabilizing

Researchers identify gene to help hybrid wheat breeding

Scientists develop machine-learning method to predict the behavior of molecules

A fashionable chemical and biological threat detector-on-a-ring

Electrons surfing on a laser beam

Researchers publish detailed picture of biological particle flow into deep sea along equator

Taking the brakes off plant production can backfire, study finds

Identifying a new family of light-responsive proteins

Engineers identify key to albatross' marathon flight

Astronomy & Space news

	Scientists discover one of the most luminous 'new stars' ever Astronomers have today announced that they have discovered possibly the most luminous 'new star' ever - a nova discovered in the direction of one of our closest neighboring galaxies: The Small Magellanic Cloud.
	Haumea dwarf planet has a ring to it: study Move over Saturn! Scientists have found a ring around an unassuming mini-planet in our Solar System to debunk the theory that only giant planets can be so adorned.
	NASA using asteroid's close flyby to test warning network NASA is using an asteroid's close flyby to test Earth's warning network for incoming space rocks.
	Giant exoplanet hunters: Look for debris disks There's no map showing all the billions of exoplanets hiding in our galaxy—they're so distant and faint compared to their stars, it's hard to find them. Now, astronomers hunting for new worlds have established a possible signpost for giant exoplanets.
	How we found our lost Mars lander after a decade of searching – and what's next The last picture taken of the Mars lander Beagle 2 showed it being successfully ejected from Mars Express on Christmas Day in 2003. But sadly, we never got a signal back from the lander and have ever since tried to work out what happened, and where it is. Eventually we made a breakthrough – and our findings have now been published in Royal Society Open Science.
	Asteroid tracking network observes close approach On Oct. 12 EDT (Oct. 11 PDT), a small asteroid designated 2012 TC4 will safely pass by Earth at a distance of approximately 26,000 miles (42,000 kilometers). This is a little over one tenth the distance to the moon and just above the orbital altitude of communications satellites. This encounter with TC4 is being used by asteroid trackers around the world to test their ability to operate as a coordinated international asteroid warning network.
	New crew and new research in Antarctica The Concordia research station in Antarctica is a place of extremes: for nine months no supplies can be delivered, the nearest living beings are 600 km away at the Russian Vostok station, and the Sun does not rise above the horizon for four months in the winter.
	Where does the sand on Mars come from? This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter (MRO) shows one possible place where sand grains are being produced on Mars today. Discovered in images from the Context Camera, this region exhibits dark material that is being eroded from dark layers in the bedrock of a semicircular depression near the boundary of the Southern highlands and the Northern lowlands. Downslope lineations support the notion that these dark sediments are derived locally, and did not accumulate here by coincidence because of the winds.
	A display of lights above the storm In 2015, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Andreas Mogensen was onboard the International Space Station (ISS), photographing the tops of thunderstorms from Earth orbit. And he saw something very interesting indeed.
	Far-infrared instrument to map star formation in the universe Questions about how and when stars are formed continue to tug at human curiosity. Star formation is governed by gravity and heat. Gravity causes molecular clouds to collapse and eventually form stars and planetary systems, but to complete the process, heat needs to be continuously removed from the cloud. Hence, ionized carbon and neutral oxygen—the two major coolants of the interstellar medium (ISM)—are the best indicators of star-forming regions. New technology is being developed that will allow spaceborne telescopes to make high-resolution multi-pixel maps of the universe, which will help scientists understand why star and planet formation is common in some regions of the universe, while other regions are dormant.
Remote sensing for cosmic dust and other celestial bodies The solar system is full of various small bodies such as planetary moons, main belt asteroids, Jupiter Trojans, Centaurs, trans-Neptunian objects and comets. To study them, scientists typically analyse the radiation they reflect, which is referred to as polarimetry. Scientists not only focus on the intensity of the scattered radiation, but also on how photons oscillate in the plane perpendicular to their direction of propagation - that is, their polarisation. Combining these two aspects yields significantly better descriptions than data obtained from the intensity alone.
	Lying in bed for the sake of science Twelve volunteers will arrive this week at the German Space Agency's (DLR) Institute of Aerospace Medicine's :envihab facility to lie in bed for a month in the name of science. NASA's Human Research Program, in partnership with DLR, is sponsoring investigations in this study to observe and analyze the effects of fluid pressure on astronauts' eyes and optic nerves.
Europe set to launch atmosphere-probing satellite Europe is set to launch a satellite Friday dedicated to monitoring Earth's atmosphere, the protective layer that shields the planet from the sun's radiation, the European Space Agency said.
	US astronaut's memoir provides blunt take on year in space In his new autobiography, retired astronaut Scott Kelly gives an unflinchingly blunt take on his U.S. record-breaking year in space and the challenging life events that got him there.

Technology news

	Ceramic pump moves molten metal at a record 1,400 degrees Celsius A ceramic-based mechanical pump able to operate at record temperatures of more than 1,400 degrees Celsius (1,673 Kelvin) can transfer high temperature liquids such as molten tin, enabling a new generation of energy conversion and storage systems.
	A drone can shoot strings for perching and stabilizing (Tech Xplore)—Getting a drone up in the air is only one step ahead for those who work on and study drones. The feats to accomplish further rest in how well they fly, self-balance, perch, land and, if used in numbers, how they may move in formation.
	Scientists develop machine-learning method to predict the behavior of molecules An international, interdisciplinary research team of scientists has come up with a machine-learning method that predicts molecular behavior, a breakthrough that can aid in the development of pharmaceuticals and the design of new molecules that can be used to enhance the performance of emerging battery technologies, solar cells, and digital displays.
	A fashionable chemical and biological threat detector-on-a-ring Wearable sensors are revolutionizing the tech-world, capable of tracking processes in the body, such as heart rates. They're even becoming fashionable, with many of them sporting sleek, stylish designs. But wearable sensors also can have applications in detecting threats that are external to the body. Researchers now report in ACS Sensors a first-of-its kind device that can do just that. And to stay fashionable, they've designed it as a ring.
	Engineers identify key to albatross' marathon flight The albatross is one of the most efficient travelers in the animal world. One species, the wandering albatross, can fly nearly 500 miles in a single day, with just an occasional flap of its wings. The birds use their formidable wingspans, measuring up to 11 feet across, to catch and ride the wind.
	Researchers work to mitigate water scarcity crisis with solar-powered devices made of wood Engineers at the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering have created a novel technological solution to the pressing global challenge of water scarcity by creating a suite of solar steam generation devices that are at once efficient, easily accessible, environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and extremely low cost.
	Future smartwatches could sense hand movement using ultrasound imaging New research has shown future wearable devices, such as smartwatches, could use ultrasound imaging to sense hand gestures.
	We should start planning for large lithium-ion battery demand, say materials scientists The key materials that make up lithium-ion batteries, including manganese, nickel, and graphite, likely have sufficient supply to meet the anticipated long-term growth in demand for electric vehicles and portable electronics if we start planning now, say researchers in a perspective published October 11 in the journal Joule. Their first-of-its-kind analysis of the lithium-ion battery supply chain identified short-term challenges for obtaining lithium and cobalt, which may be mitigated by market responses, and the potential development of new cathode materials to replace cobalt.
	'Air-breathing' battery could cut costs of renewable energy storage (Update) Wind and solar power are increasingly popular sources for renewable energy. But intermittency issues keep them from connecting widely to the U.S. grid: They require energy-storage systems that, at the cheapest, run about $100 per kilowatt hour and function only in certain locations.
	California moves toward public access for self-driving cars California regulators took an important step Wednesday to clear the road for everyday people to get self-driving cars.
	New software speeds origami structure designs Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new computer-aided approach that streamlines the design process for origami-based structures, making it easier for engineers and scientists to conceptualize new ideas graphically while simultaneously generating the underlying mathematical data needed to build the structure in the real world.
	Oculus unveils standalone virtual reality headset Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday unveiled a new Oculus virtual reality headset untethered from computers as part of a vision to bring the new technology to the masses.
	Solar panels shine in darkest Amazon, the 'last frontier' In the darkest reaches of Brazil's Amazon, solar panels are bringing light—and could help save the rainforest.
	Nearly 700,000 UK nationals affected by Equifax breach: company Nearly 700,000 British consumers may have had personal data compromised in the massive breach at Equifax, the US credit reporting agency said Tuesday.
Apple teams with Steven Spielberg on video expansion Apple is teaming up with award-winning director Steven Spielberg for its first major push into TV programming.
	Spy vs spy vs spy as Israel watches Russian hackers: NYT Israeli spies observed Russian government hackers in real time as they scoured computers around the world for the codenames of US intelligence programs, The New York Times reported Tuesday night.
	Unsent text message passes for will in Australia A dead man's unsent text message leaving his home and pension to his brother rather than his wife and son and signed off with a smiley face emoji has been ruled a legitimate will by an Australian court.
Philips suspends production of defibrillators for US market Dutch electronics giant Philips announced Wednesday it is temporarily suspending production of defibrillators for the US market to allow closer inspections in a deal reached with the American government.
Google, Facebook, Twitter scramble to hold Washington at bay Google summoned about 200 policy staff from around the world last month for a debate on whether the company's size has made it too attractive as a target for government regulators.
	Mitsubishi system uses road-surface projections and car-body displays to indicate vehicle movements clearly Mitsubishi announced today its new Safe and Secure Lighting system, which uses road-surface projections and car-body displays to inform pedestrians and other drivers about the vehicle's movements and actions. Selected features of the system will be exhibited with the Mitsubishi Electric EMIRAI4 concept car during 45th Tokyo Motor Show 2017, which will take place at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition complex in Tokyo, Japan from October 27 to November 5.
	Intel presents 17-qubit superconducting chip with advanced packaging Today, Intel announced the delivery of a 17-qubit superconducting test chip for quantum computing to QuTech, Intel's quantum research partner in the Netherlands. The new chip was fabricated by Intel and features a unique design to achieve improved yield and performance.
	Artificial intelligence computer designed to drive autonomous cars NVIDIA today unveiled the world's first artificial intelligence computer designed to drive fully autonomous robotaxis.
Automated driving key to reducing serious road trauma injuries, study shows Road trauma in Australia and New Zealand could be significantly reduced by the adoption of rapidly developing technologies that change the way drivers use vehicles, new research completed by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has found.
	End of the road for traditional vehicles? Here are the facts New sales of petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040 in the UK, which has since been joined by France. Sweden and Scotland will impose the ban by 2032, and Norway by 2025. Coupled with increasing concern over the carcinogenic effects of diesel emissions, the Volkswagen defeat device scandal, and the link between diesel particulates and Alzheimer's, focus has turned again to electric cars.
No dark side to using LED lights to supplement WiFi, research reveals Energy-saving Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) could help meet demand for wireless communications without affecting the quality of light or environmental benefits they deliver, new research funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has shown.
	What is a safe following distance? Confusion over what is a "safe following distance" has QUT road safety researchers calling for a standardised definition to prevent tailgating.
	Drivers are less cautious at railway crossings Drivers aren't as cautious approaching a railway level crossing compared to a road intersection despite the greater risk of fatality if a collision occurs, a new QUT study has found.
	Latest virtual reality technology makes opera even more magical The latest motion capture technology has been used to create an immersive virtual reality (VR) opera experience that is touring venues across England and Wales.
	Dutch design lab blends naturalistic and futuristic The first U.S. museum exhibit devoted solely to the experimental and futuristic work of Dutch design studio Joris Laarman Lab is now on view at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum here.
	Could cyberattacks knock out lights in the US? Not so easily Hackers likely linked to the North Korean government targeted a U.S. electricity company last month, according to a security firm that says it detected and stopped the attacks.
	Facebook gets real about broadening virtual reality's appeal Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg seems to be realizing a sobering reality about virtual reality: His company's Oculus headsets that send people into artificial worlds are too expensive and confining to appeal to the masses.
Dataset size counts for better climate and environmental predictions A new statistical tool for modeling large climate and environmental datasets that has broad applications—from weather forecasting to flood warning and irrigation management—has been developed by researchers at KAUST.
	Midsize match-up: Camry versus Accord The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry have long been household names, but these stalwarts are shaking things up for 2018. With fierce competition from rival sedans and the growing popularity of crossovers, the Accord and Camry have both been completely redesigned from the ground up to keep them competitive. Sure, differences in styling are readily apparent, but what's under their skin also separates these roomy, front-wheel-drive sedans. Let's take a closer look.
	AI-based financial advisor for low-wage workers Workers with lower-than-median wages are often prone to financial instability and affected by bank policies such as penalty and overdraft fees, leading to a vicious cycle of debt and poor credit. During 2016 alone, banks made over $30 billion from overdraft fees. The workers with the least financial cushion are typically the most vulnerable in these situations.
Foxconn official: No word on second site until 2018 A Foxconn Medical Group official says no decision will be made on whether the electronics giant will open a secondary facility in Wisconsin until next year.
	Zuckerberg sorry for virtual tour of devastated Puerto Rico Mark Zuckerberg has apologized for showcasing Facebook's virtual reality capability with a tour of hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.
	Report: Key changes needed to prevent fiery rail crashes A prestigious scientific organization on Wednesday called for more frequent and better inspections of freight railroad tracks to prevent potentially catastrophic oil and ethanol train crashes.
	Facebook's Sandberg meets with lawmakers amid Russia probe One of Facebook's top executives met Wednesday with House members investigating the company's Russia-linked ads and told them the social media giant is serious about dealing with the issue.

Medicine & Health news

	New smell test could aid early detection of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Nisha Pradhan was seven when she began to suspect she was missing out on something. Her sister seemed to have an uncanny knack for predicting what their mother was making for dinner. Pradhan, meanwhile, never had a clue.
	Green tea extract delivers molecular punch to disrupt formation of neurotoxic species Green tea is widely considered to be beneficial for the brain. The antioxidant and detoxifying properties of green tea extracts help fight catastrophic diseases such as Alzheimer's. However, scientists have never fully understood how they work at the molecular level and how they could be harnessed to find better treatments.
	Mitochondrial DNA could predict risk for sudden cardiac death, heart disease Johns Hopkins researchers report that the level, or "copy number," of mitochondrial DNA—genetic information stored not in a cell's nucleus but in the body's energy-creating mitochondria—is a novel and distinct biomarker that is able to predict the risk of heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths a decade or more before they happen. In the future, testing blood for this genetic information could not only help physicians more accurately predict a risk for life-threatening cardiac events, but also inform decisions to begin—or avoid—treatment with statins and other drugs.
	Lack of CLOCK protein appears key in severe epilepsy forms A new study in Neuron focuses on the role that a lack of the protein "CLOCK" plays in several forms of epilepsy. The study provides evidence that excessive excitation of specific brain cells may be due to a lack of CLOCK in the region of the brain that produces the seizures. This effect, researchers found, is stronger during sleep.
	Research reveals how rabies can induce frenzied behavior Scientists may finally understand how the rabies virus can drastically change its host's behavior to help spread the disease, which kills about 59,000 people annually.
	Esophageal cancer 'cell of origin' identified Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have identified cells in the upper digestive tract that can give rise to Barrett's esophagus, a precursor to esophageal cancer. The discovery of this "cell of origin" promises to accelerate the development of more precise screening tools and therapies for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma, the fastest growing form of cancer in the U.S.
	Team completes atlas of human DNA differences that influence gene expression Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have completed a detailed atlas documenting the stretches of human DNA that influence gene expression - a key way in which a person's genome gives rise to an observable trait, like hair color or disease risk. This atlas is a critical resource for the scientific community interested in how individual genomic variation leads to biological differences, like healthy and diseased states, across human tissues and cell types.
	Norovirus evades immune system by hiding out in rare gut cells Noroviruses are the leading cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis in the world and are estimated to cause 267 million infections and 20,000 deaths each year. This virus causes severe diarrhea, nausea, and stomach pain.
	Promising new target for treatment of psoriasis is safe, study shows A protein known to play a significant role in the development of psoriasis can be prevented from functioning without posing a risk to patients, scientists at King's College London have found.
	Mice delivered by C-section gain more weight than those delivered naturally Mice born by Caesarian section gained on average 33 percent more weight in the 15 weeks after weaning than mice born vaginally, with females gaining 70 percent more weight.
	Experimental Ebola vaccines elicit year-long immune response Results from a large randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial in Liberia show that two candidate Ebola vaccines pose no major safety concerns and can elicit immune responses by one month after initial vaccination that last for at least one year. The findings, published in the October 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, are based on a study of 1,500 adults that began during the West Africa Ebola outbreak. The trial is being conducted by a U.S.-Liberia clinical research collaboration known as the Partnership for Research on Ebola Virus in Liberia (PREVAIL), established in 2014 in response to the request from the Liberian Minister of Health to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. The trial is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and involves scientists and clinicians from Liberia and the United States.
	Disturbing trends in men's reproductive health demand urgent action Urgent action is needed to investigate disturbing trends in men's reproductive health, argues an expert in The BMJ today.
Study finds small differences in patient outcomes between male and female surgeons Patients treated by female surgeons have slightly lower death rates in the first few weeks after their operation than patients treated by male surgeons, finds a study from Canada published by The BMJ today.
	Quorn protein on par with animal sources Protein found in Quorn meat-free foods may be just as good for muscles as animal proteins, new research suggests.
Scientists reveal how inflammation affects the life of brain cells New King's College London research reveals how blood inflammation affects the birth and death of brain cells, which could offer new treatment targets for antidepressants.
Care homes could overtake hospitals as most common place to die, new research finds Researchers from King's College London have found that deaths occurring in care homes in England and Wales could more than double in the next 25 years if recent trends continue.
	A hard lesson—the way poor sleep impacts on schooling More than a third of primary school children are failing to get sufficient sleep, according to research to be presented at the British Sleep Society conference tomorrow (October 12th).
	TB Alliance moves two novel tuberculosis drugs into human trials TBA-7371 and sutezolid entered phase 1 clinical trials, TB Alliance announced today. Both compounds have proceeded through early preclinical development and were granted "Investigative New Drug" status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The phase 1 clinical trials are presently ongoing.
	Aging slows perception of falls Seniors need twice as long as young adults to realize they are falling, a delay that puts them at increased risk for serious injury, according to a new study from the University of Waterloo.
Achievement of meaningful impacts on childhood obesity requires more than single interventions Childhood obesity is one of the greatest health challenges of the 21st century. Worldwide, there has been a more than ten-fold increase in the number of children and adolescents with obesity in the past four decades, increasing from 5 million girls in 1975 to 50 million in 2016, and from 6 million to 74 million boys, according to a new global analysis of trends in child and adolescent obesity in 200 countries, published in The Lancet.
Confusion about long-term treatment of osteoporosis clarified Osteoporosis is a common disorder among postmenopausal women which results in an increased risk of fractures. While several therapies improve bone strength and reduce the risk of spine and hip fracture, there is no cure for osteoporosis, and long-term treatment is needed. An upcoming presentation at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia October 11-14 is scheduled to present new evidence about the long-term effectiveness and safety of treatment with bisphosphonates and denosumab.
Women can breathe sigh of relief when using vaginal estrogen to treat menopause symptoms News flash... hot flashes aren't the only bothersome symptom of the menopause transition. Many postmenopausal women also experience sexual dysfunction and urinary problems that don't require estrogen pills but, rather, can be alleviated by vaginally administered estrogen. A new study shows that, despite previous misperceptions, this treatment option is not only effective, but also safe. The study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, October 11-14.
Despite effectiveness women remain skeptical of hormones at menopause—what's the problem? Women today have more options than ever before for treating their menopause symptoms, although hormone therapy still ranks as the most effective treatment for debilitating symptoms such as hot flashes. A new study demonstrates, however, that women remain skeptical regarding the safety of hormone therapy and prefer less proven options. The study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, October 11-14.
How to deal with back-to-school bullying Dear Mayo Clinic: My daughter is 9 and worried about going to school this fall because she was picked on by some of her classmates last year. Should I talk to her teachers about this or wait to see how it goes? I am trying to avoid being overprotective but don't want her to worry about being bullied. What do you recommend?
	Hepatitis C drug's lower cost paves way for Medicaid, prisons to expand treatment Valerie Green is still waiting to be cured.
Is my mole cancerous? Health-tech startup developing hand-held device to evaluate risk Chances are you have looked at a mole or irregularity on your skin and thought that maybe you should see a doctor about it. And, chances are, you didn't.
	Tai chi holds promise as cardiac rehab exercise The slow and gentle movements of Tai Chi hold promise as an alternative exercise option for patients who decline traditional cardiac rehabilitation, according to preliminary research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Frailty associated with increased risk of complications following common, outpatient operations Frailty was associated with an increased risk of complications among patients who underwent outpatient hernia, breast, thyroid or parathyroid surgery, with the findings suggesting that surgeons should consider frailty rather than age when counseling and selecting patients for elective ambulatory surgery, according to a study published by JAMA Surgery.
Research examines evolving standards of beauty A new research letter published by JAMA Dermatology analyzes People magazine's World's Most Beautiful list to compare standards of beauty in 1990 with the present day.
	A specific protein regulates the burning of body fat to generate heat Scientists at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) have identified a protein that holds promise as a target for therapies to reduce obesity. Drs. Guadalupe Sabio and Nuria Matesanz have demonstrated that MKK6 controls the conversion of fat stores, known as white fat, into brown fat, in which lipids are burned to maintain body temperature and reduce obesity. The study is published today in Nature Communications.
	Study establishes oxytocin uptake by infants via breastfeeding Oxytocin is a peptide hormone important in establishing good communication with others. It is therefore considered to be indispensable to the development of the social brain. Oxytocin is secreted into the entire brain and the bloodstream.
	A new genetic marker accounts for up to 1.4 percent of cases of hereditary colon cancer Researchers from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have found a new genetic marker that would explain up to 1.4 percent of inherited colon cancer cases not related to mutations currently associated with this disease. This finding, made possible by new techniques of genetic sequencing, was the result of collaboration among international research groups.
	New Zika serotypes may emerge, researcher warns Zika virus is mutating so quickly in Brazilian patients that different serotypes of the pathogen could appear in the near future, as is already the case with dengue virus. This would hinder the production of a vaccine and impair the effectiveness of the diagnostic tests already developed.
	The importance of randomised control trials in medical research When a new treatment becomes available for a particular health condition, such as a new medication to treat a disease, it's tested to see whether it's effective for its intended purpose. It's also tested for potential side effects. This is done through a series of human trials, known as clinical trials.
	How do drugs get from the point of discovery to the pharmacy shelf? Not every drug designed by pharmaceutical companies makes it to the market; very few do. Only 9.6% of new drugs in development in the years 2006-2015 successfully made it to the market to be used by patients. That's because there's quite a process a drug needs to go through to make sure it's not only effective for what it's designed for, but that it's not harmful.
	The molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's Late-onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for about 99 percent of all cases, and is linked to multiple factors and pathogenetic mechanisms. One important contributor is a protein post-translational modification (PTM), known as O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine, or O-GlcNAc.
	Playing a conversation game may encourage advance care planning Few people may want to spend a Saturday night planning their end-of-life care, but playing a game designed to spur conversation about advance care planning may be a more enjoyable way to ease into the process, according to researchers.
	New neurocognitive theory of dreaming links dreams to mind-wandering Dream expert G. William Domhoff, a distinguished professor emeritus and a research professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, has spent decades chasing the riddle of dreams and their meaning.
	How the built environment impacts healthy ageing Streetscapes, cafes, buses and planes weren't necessarily designed to deal with the ageing population explosion, however older people can advocate change to their environment by voicing concerns.
	Medical male circumcision has health benefits for women, review finds Expanding access to voluntary medical male circumcision in sub-Saharan Africa may help protect women against not only HIV but other sexually transmitted infections, a literature review published Monday in The Lancet Global Health shows.
	Did the second plague pandemic reach Sub-Saharan Africa? He has not found irrefutable evidence yet but is confident that it exists. For now, Gérard Chouin continues to amass what circumstantial evidence he can for his hypothesis.
	Multiple sclerosis risk in children spotted with MRI brain scans By the time multiple sclerosis (MS) is diagnosed in children, it may be difficult to prevent the disabilities and relapses that come with the disease. In a new Yale School of Medicine study, researchers examined MRI brain scans to identify children at high risk of developing MS before symptoms appear, which may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.
	Smokers with high psychological distress are smoking less and more are trying to quit Cigarette smokers with high levels of psychological distress are often heavy smokers, and thus identified as a "hard core" group who are less willing or able to quit than other smokers. However, a study by UC San Francisco researchers shows that over the course of 19 years, from 1997 to 2015, this hard core group smoked progressively fewer cigarettes per day and tried to quit in increasingly greater numbers, along with every other group of smokers in the United States.
	Allergy drug improves function in patients with chronic injury from multiple sclerosis In a remarkably rapid translation of laboratory research findings into a treatment with the potential to benefit patients, UC San Francisco scientists have successfully completed a Phase II clinical trial showing that an FDA-approved antihistamine restores nervous system function in patients with chronic multiple sclerosis (MS).
Phone calls work better to remind people about colon cancer screening Live phone calls significantly outperform text messages and letters as a way to remind patients to complete and return at-home screening tests for colon cancer, according to new research in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Madagascans battle to evade growing plague outbreak The little footbridge near Justin Rakatoarivony's home is submerged in a murky green liquid the texture of sewage.
Children with ADHD likely to have touch-processing abnormalities Children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) are likely to also have trouble with touch (tactile) processing. A new study finds that children with ADHD fare worse on several tests of tactile functioning, including reaction time and detecting a weak stimulus on the skin (detection threshold). The article, published ahead of print in the Journal of Neurophysiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for October.
	The next decade could bring a breakthrough in Alzheimer's research, expert says Effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease are five to 10 years away, according to a Keck School of Medicine of USC researcher.
	What is mindfulness? Nobody really knows, and that's a problem You've probably heard of mindfulness. These days, it's everywhere, like many ideas and practices drawn from Buddhist texts that have become part of mainstream Western culture.
	How parents can conquer guilt to help kids with eating disorders Lydia is seriously underweight and suffering from medical complications from an eating disorder. She is in hospital. Her treatment team recruits her mom to help Lydia gain weight through meal support. Lydia and her mom sit down for their first meal together.
	Who will be the doctors of death in a time of assisted suicide? Medical assistance in dying (MAID) became a reality in Canada when legislation was passed in July 2016. This is the hastening of death through a lethal dose of medication —either by self-ingestion (assisted suicide) or physician injection (euthanasia).
	Children born prematurely have greater risk of cognitive difficulties later in life Babies born preterm have a greater risk of developing cognitive, motor and behavioural difficulties and these problems persist throughout school years, finds a new study led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).
	Why asking what causes autism is the wrong question The animal rights charity PETA recently made a link between autism and drinking cow's milk. The article on its website discussed research that linked a diary-free diet with a reduction in symptoms of autism in children. The charity cited two particular research projects which suggest a link between drinking cow's milk and autism. It was originally released a few years ago, but has recently been relaunched on social media causing much discussion.
	Research identifies brain chemical abnormalities in earliest stage of psychosis A new study of young people experiencing a first episode of psychosis reports elevations in the brain chemicals glutamate and glycine. Published in Biological Psychiatry, the study led by Dr. Dost Öngür of Harvard Medical School provides the first ever measurement of glycine levels in patients with psychotic disorders.
	Researchers identify neural mechanisms that strengthen or weaken memories during sleep A study led by the University of Barcelona has identified the process in the brain which strengthens or weakens memories of daily events during sleep. According to the study published in the Journal of Neuroscience , the brain reactivates networks of interrelated memories during sleep, instead of doing so with isolated memories. Also, researchers show that in this memory reactivation process, the brain also promotes the forgetting of less important and less established information in the network of memories.
	Experts express concerns over infant mental health assessment Forty world experts on child development and mental health have released a joint statement calling for caution when applying an influential classification for assessing infant mental health and potential cases of abuse.
	Researcher examines hope among children in Flint, Michigan Nurturing hope with children is important.
Discovery of peripheral neuropathy cause suggests potential preventive measures In discovering how certain chemotherapy drugs cause the nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have found a potential approach to preventing this common and troublesome side effect of cancer treatment.
	'Resilience' to adversity determines if a child survives or thrives when bullied It's inevitable. Most children will experience some form of bullying at some point in their lifetimes. What's not inevitable is that they will be adversely affected by the experience. So why is it that some children are devastated by bullying while others are not? Is there is a major personal characteristic or trait that buffers and protects them against internalizing the harm intended through bullying and cyberbullying?
Ketone nutritional supplements: Good or bad for athletic performance? In the quest to improve physical performance, many athletes are turning to untested nutritional supplements. But in the case of one recently available and popular class of supplements—ketone salts—research from UBC's Okanagan campus suggests it may inhibit, rather than improve, athletic performance during high-intensity exercise.
Hispanic children and exposure to adverse experiences A new study of national survey information gathered on more than 12,000 Hispanic children from immigrant and U.S.-native families found that although they experience more poverty, those from immigrant families reported fewer exposures to such adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as parental divorce and scenes of violence.
	Gut fungi could play a role in obesity epidemic A high-fat diet changes fungi in the gut and may play a role in the development of obesity, according to a new study in mSphere, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. While gut microbes have previously been implicated in the development of obesity, this study shows that fungi may also play a role.
	Women seen as younger when eyes, lips and eyebrows stand out Aspects of facial contrast, a measure of how much facial features stand out in the face, decrease with age in women across a variety of ethnic groups, finds a study in open access journal Frontiers in Psychology. The study also shows that observers perceive women with increased facial contrast as younger, regardless of the ethnic background of the women or the observers. This suggests that facial contrast is a cross-cultural cue to age perception.
Web-based treatments helping people with severe mental illness return to work Patients living with severe mental illness are being helped to return to work courtesy of new research from Sydney's Westmead Institute for Medical Research.
State laws requiring autism coverage by private insurers led to increases in autism care A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has found that the enactment of state laws mandating coverage of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was followed by sizable increases in insurer-covered ASD care and associated spending.
	Intermountain healthcare researchers launch major three-year genomics breast cancer study Cancer researchers at Intermountain Medical Center and the Intermountain Precision Genomics Program in Salt Lake City are launching an exciting, new three-year study to determine if a blood test that looks for DNA from a cancer tumor can be used to complement mammography to improve the way breast cancer is diagnosed.
	New study examines full range of post-stroke visual impairments A new University of Liverpool study, published today in Brain and Behaviour, examines the wide range of visual impairments developed by stroke survivors.
	Our brain omits grammatical elements when it has limited resources A study of the use of pronouns by French speakers with agrammatic aphasia shows that grammatical pronouns are significantly more impaired in speech than lexical ones. The findings support a new theory of grammar which suggests that grammatical elements contain secondary information that speakers with limited cognitive resources can omit from their speech and still make sense.
	Studies suggest resilience training may be a useful primary prevention strategy for employers The American Heart Association (AHA) CEO Roundtable today releases "Resilience in the Workplace," an evidence review report with practical guidance for employers looking to implement resilience training programs. With two-thirds of employees citing work as a significant source of stress, employers are seeking novel approaches like resilience training to improve employee's overall health, productivity and organizational performance. The CEO Roundtable is the AHA's leadership collaborative with 30-plus member CEOs who represent some of the nation's largest employers who are committed to applying evidence-based approaches to improve their employees' overall health.
	New genetic clue to peanut allergy Canadian researchers have pinpointed a new gene associated with peanut allergy, offering further evidence that genes play a role in the development of food allergies and opening the door to future research, improved diagnostics and new treatment options.
	'Ridiculously healthy' elderly have the same gut microbiome as healthy 30 year-olds In one of the largest microbiota studies conducted in humans, researchers at Western University, Lawson Health Research Institute and Tianyi Health Science Institute in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China have shown a potential link between healthy aging and a healthy gut.
	Frankincense tested as possible breast, colon cancer treatment Cancer surgeon and researcher Nancy DeMore is leading a clinical trial using frankincense to try to treat breast and colon cancer at the Medical University of South Carolina. The study was inspired by a research specialist in DeMore's lab.
Pregnancy-related heart failure strikes black women twice as often as those of other races African American women were found to be twice as likely to be diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy as compared to women of Caucasian, Hispanic/Latina, Asian, and other ethnic backgrounds, according to a new study—the largest of its kind—published today in JAMA Cardiology by researchers from the Perelman school of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a form of heart failure that occurs in the last month of pregnancy or up to five months following delivery, can be life-threatening. The new study is the first to pinpoint racial disparities associated with severity and effects of the condition.
	Move over e-cigarettes, meet heat-not-burn tobacco If you haven't heard of heat-not-burn tobacco, you're not alone, but a new study published today in PLOS ONE from San Diego State University Graduate School of Public Health Associate Research Professor John W. Ayers suggests this new method for consuming tobacco is poised for explosive growth.
	Study: Risk factors on rise among people with stroke Despite prevention efforts, researchers have found a significant increase over a 10-year period in the percentage of people with stroke who have high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and other risk factors for stroke. The study is published in the October 11, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
	Calcium lets T cells use sugar to multiply and fight infection A calcium signal controls whether immune cells can use the nutrients needed to fuel their multiplication into a cellular army designed to fight invading viruses.
	Serrated polyps plus conventional adenomas may mean higher risk for colorectal cancer Most colorectal cancer develops from precursors known as polyps, the most common and well researched of which are conventional adenomas. Conventional adenomas often progress to colorectal cancer through an intermediate step called high-risk adenomas. Another type of polyp known as serrated polyps, may precede up to 15% of colorectal cancer. Serrated polyps may occur in up to 20% of all adults over 50 years of age, however, when it comes to progression to colorectal cancer, less is known about serrated polyps than conventional adenomas. A Dartmouth research team led by Joseph Anderson, MD, MHCDS, used data from the New Hampshire Colonoscopy Registry (NHCR), led by Lynn Butterly, MD, to examine the risk of developing future high-risk adenomas in people with serrated polyps. They found that when the combination of serrated polyps and high-risk adenomas was present, so was a higher risk of future high-risk adenomas.
	Migraine matters (HealthDay)—Most headaches quickly respond to over-the-counter medications. But if you're among the millions of Americans with migraines, you struggle with a severe pounding that can make you nauseous and sensitive to light and sound.
	New tool IDs mortality risk after bladder cancer surgery (HealthDay)—A new risk-stratification tool is able to estimate mortality in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) after cystectomy, according to a study published online Sept. 7 in Cancer.
	Crisaborole safe for long-term treatment of atopic dermatitis (HealthDay)—Crisaborole ointment appears to be safe for the long-term treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Educational intervention in hospital can cut catheter use (HealthDay)—A simple multimodal educational intervention targeting nurses and physicians can reduce mean catheter days per patient (CDPP) and the proportion of patients catheterized, according to a study published online Sept. 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	HPV vaccination after lesion treatment is likely cost-effective (HealthDay)—For HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM), adjuvant quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccination (qHPV) after treatment of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) is likely to be cost-effective, according to a study published online Sept. 12 in Vaccine.
	Critical care nurses should be prepared for open abdomen (HealthDay)—Critical care nurses need to be prepared to manage patients with open abdomen, according to a report published in the October issue of Critical Care Nurse.
	No causal link between plasma lipids, diabetic retinopathy (HealthDay)—There does not seem to be a causal relationship between plasma lipids and diabetic retinopathy (DR), according to a study published in the September issue of Diabetes.
Autism prevalence and socioeconomic status: What's the connection? Children living in neighborhoods where incomes are low and fewer adults have bachelor's degrees are less likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder compared to kids from more affluent neighborhoods.
Rapamycin treatment prevents crippling abnormal bone formation after severe limb injuries Individuals who experience severe injuries to their extremities, whether due to military combat or other trauma, often develop abnormal extra-skeletal bone in the damaged or healing tissue, a process known as heterotopic ossification (HO). This post-traumatic abnormal wound healing can interfere with recovery, causing chronic pain, reduced mobility, and impaired prosthetic limb function. A new study in The American Journal of Pathology describes a potential breakthrough for treatment of these patients: Rapamycin, an FDA-approved drug already on the market, was found to dramatically reduce the presence of HO in rats, suggesting it has the potential to become the first effective treatment to prevent HO.
Training managers can improve workers' mental health Basic mental health training for managers can reap significant benefits for workers' mental wellbeing, a world-first study published today in the prestigious The Lancet Psychiatry suggests.
Transdermal estradiol shows promise in treating and preventing perimenopausal depression Did you know you're two-to-four-times more likely to suffer from depression during the menopause transition? A new study suggests that transdermal estradiol could be the key to not only treating existing perimenopausal depression, but also possibly preventing it, and the chances that it will benefit your mood are greater the more stress you're under. The study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, October 11-14, 2017.
Traumatic events take toll on the heart Today it seems about everything has been shown to lead to heart disease. Of course smoking is bad for you, as is high blood pressure. There's even mounting evidence that psychosocial factors can cause heart problems. A new study demonstrates how traumatic experiences can affect vascular health and, ultimately, heart disease. The study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, October 11-14.
Painful sex and bladder problems take toll on women's libido during menopause As women age, sexual activity typically declines. But that doesn't necessarily mean they are no longer interested in sex. The problem for many is physical. A new study demonstrates the impact on sexual activity of postmenopausal women as a result of vulvovaginal atrophy and lower urinary tract problems. The study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, October 11-14.
Once a lesbian always a lesbian, right? Or not? Are people's sexual attractions likely to change as they age? That's the question at the core of an ongoing debate as to whether or not sexuality remains stable throughout a person's life. An upcoming presentation at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia October 11-14, will review the latest research on the prevalence of same-sex sexuality and sexual fluidity and their implications for healthcare providers.
How serious is postmenopausal bleeding? If you're postmenopausal, you shouldn't be bleeding. The very definition of menopause is having gone more than 12 months without a period. So if you're still bleeding, something is wrong. Determining the seriousness of the problem and treating it, is not always evident. A presentation at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia October 11-14, provides new evidence about the reliability and risks of various diagnostic approaches.
Hormone therapy may benefit migraine sufferers without increased risk of heart disease Migraine headaches are common among women, but due to various health risks can be challenging to treat in the elderly. While hormone therapy is effective in relieving many menopause symptoms, its safe use in women with migraines was unconfirmed. A new study based on data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) demonstrates its safety for this population. The study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, October 11-14.
Getting a good night's sleep and feeling better could be all in your head For the thousands of peri- and postmenopausal women who struggle to sleep and battle depression, help can't come soon enough. Although physical changes during the menopause transition are often the cause of these problems, a new study from the University of Texas suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy might provide the relief these women seek. The study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, October 11-14, 2017.
Misperception from WHI prevent women from benefitting from hormone therapy More than a decade after the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trials, lingering misperceptions regarding hormone therapy (HT) still prevent many women from getting relief from their menopause symptoms. A new study from the University of Virginia Health System uncovers knowledge gaps of clinicians treating postmenopausal women and identifies need for additional education. The study results will be presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in Philadelphia, October 11-14.
	Critics say Trump birth control rule ignores science The Trump administration's new birth control rule is raising questions among some doctors and researchers, who say it overlooks known benefits of contraception while selectively citing data that raise doubts about effectiveness and safety.
Green gentrification can limit the favourable effects of green areas on health A scientific study conducted by ICTA-UAB and IMIM suggests that more socially disadvantaged neighbours do not benefit equally from the effects newly created green areas have on health. Scientists consider that greener cities are not healthier and more equal for everyone.
HIV: The benefits of prophylaxis of tuberculosis are confirmed A long-term follow-up study in the ANRS TEMPRANO trial confirms that tuberculosis chemoprophylaxis in HIV-infected people is more than ever relevant in resource-limited countries. This prophylactic use of drugs reduces mortality, even among people taking antiretroviral treatment who have a high CD4+ T cell count. ANRS TEMPRANO was conducted by researchers of the Ivory Coast ANRS site, which comprises teams from Inserm (U1219, University of Bordeaux), the Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department of the Treichville University Hospital, and eight other infection treatment centers in Abidjan. The results of this trial will be published in the 9 October 2017 issue of The Lancet Global Health and should encourage countries with a heavy tuberculosis burden to apply the relevant WHO recommendations.
	Simple biomechanical test could aid implant success The quality of the tissue-implant interface is key to the success of implant integration. High-output benchtop screening can help developers in assessing the complex interplay between biomaterials and the body to better prepare for clinical trials, highlights a review in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.
	China under threat from haemorrhagic African swine fever African swine fever was first detected in East Africa in the early 20th century. It is transmitted by ticks or by direct contact between animals, and is caused by a virus for which the natural reservoirs are African wild suids (warthogs, bush pigs, etc). While these carriers do not develop symptoms, in domestic pigs and wild boar, ASF causes a violent haemorrhagic fever with a mortality rate of up to 100%. Since its emergence, the disease, against which there is no vaccine, has spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It has also spread beyond the continent several times, causing substantial economic losses in many countries, from Europe to South America. A new disaster scenario is now on the cards: the potential arrival of ASF in China, which has more than half the total global pig population on a third of its surface area.
	Indigenous smoking deaths on the rise despite people butting out Smoking-related deaths among Indigenous Australians are likely to continue to rise and peak over the next decade despite big reductions in smoking over the past 20 years, a new study led by ANU has found.
Obamacare helps reverse the decline in U.S. trust Since the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, known as Obamacare, an estimated 20 million previously uninsured U.S. citizens have gained access to health insurance. Recent research from Umeå and Lund universities in Sweden shows that Obamacare might be key to reversing the trend of declining social trust that has plagued the United States since the 1970s.
A new class of drugs aims to exploit cancer cells' weaknesses In recent years, new cancer treatments have brought hope to people who once had limited options. But for others, the wait for an effective drug continues. Now on the horizon is a new generation of drugs based on a concept called synthetic lethality. The cover story in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, takes stock of what's in the pipeline.
	New survey reveals concerns about impact of migraine on work productivity A significant percentage of migraine sufferers as well as those without the disease are concerned that migraine affects work productivity, quality of life, family/relationships and employment, according to a new national public opinion survey commissioned by Research!America. Respondents also say the condition is likely to have a long-term and substantial effect on sufferers' ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
Legal challenge could scuttle prescription drug initiative A court challenge to the attorney general's explanation of a ballot measure that would cap the price state agencies could pay for prescription drugs could scuttle the initiative even if backers gather enough support to put it on the 2018 ballot, a key proponent said this week.

Biology news

	Researchers identify gene to help hybrid wheat breeding Australian researchers at the University of Adelaide have identified a naturally occurring wheat gene that, when turned off, eliminates self-pollination but still allows cross-pollination - opening the way for breeding high-yielding hybrid wheats.
	Taking the brakes off plant production can backfire, study finds When engineers want to speed something up, they look for the "pinch points," the slowest steps in a system, and make them faster.
	Identifying a new family of light-responsive proteins When Han Bao started looking for a new cyanobacteria species to study, she had no idea that the perfect candidate was just upstairs.
	Simulating cetacean sex with cadaver parts offers insight into marine copulation (Phys.org)—A small team of researchers from Dalhousie University, the University of Massachusetts and Tufts University has learned more about the ways that cetaceans copulate by using parts from dead sea animals to simulate mating in the wild. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes the various techniques they used to simulate copulation and what they learned from doing so.
	A defense mechanism to kill intestinal worms Researchers have discovered a mechanism that kills intestinal worms, which affect nearly a third of the world's population as well as livestock. The findings, published in Cell Host & Microbe, could help scientists create new vaccines or drugs to combat intestinal worm infections.
	New type of stem cell line produced offers expanded potential for research and treatments Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have created Expanded Potential Stem Cells (EPSCs) in mice, for the first time, that have a greater potential for development than current stem cell lines. These stem cells have the features of the very first cells in the developing embryo, and can develop into any type of cell.
	Bycatch responsible for decline of New Zealand sea lion Getting caught in fishing nets is a major cause of death for the increasingly endangered New Zealand sea lion, according to new research from the New Zealand's University of Otago and Massey University and the University of Toronto.
	Some plants grow bigger—and meaner—when clipped, study finds Some plants behave like the mythical monster Hydra: Cut off their heads and they grow back, bigger and better than before. A new study finds that these "overcompensators," as they are called, also augment their defensive chemistry - think plant venom - when they are clipped.
	Two beaked whale species take very long, deep dives for their size Two relatively small beaked whale species took exceptionally long, deep dives while foraging in the Bahamas, confounding expectations that larger whales dive should be able to dive for longer than smaller whales, according to a study published October 11, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Trevor Joyce from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, United States of America, and colleagues.
	Herbivores help protect ecosystems from climate change Plant-eating critters are the key ingredient to helping ecosystems survive global warming, finds new UBC research that offers some hope for a defence strategy against climate change.
	Tracking the viral parasites of giant viruses over time In freshwater lakes, microbes regulate the flow of carbon and determine if the bodies of water serve as carbon sinks or carbon sources. Algae and cyanobacteria in particular can trap and use carbon, but their capacity to do so may be impacted by viruses. Viruses exist amidst all bacteria, usually in a 10-fold excess, and are made up of various sizes ranging from giant viruses, to much smaller viruses known as virophages (which live in giant viruses and use their machinery to replicate and spread.) Virophages can change the way a giant virus interacts with its host eukaryotic cell. For example, if algae are co-infected by a virophage and giant virus, the virophage limits the giant virus' ability to replicate efficiently. This reduces the impact a giant virus has on the diversion of nutrients, allowing the host algae to multiply, which could lead to more frequent algal blooms.
	Where food is limited, guppy mothers gestate their young longer Trinidadian guppy mamas can't swap links to maternity blogs or copies of pregnancy books, yet evolution has made them master strategists of childbearing nonetheless. A new study shows that guppies who live with so few predators that the main survival challenge is scrapping for limited food, gestate their young longer so they are born more mature and better able to compete for their meals.
	Researchers create map of the gut's microbial landscape A collaborative effort by a team of researchers from three institutions including the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, the Forsyth Institute in Cambridge and Washington University in St. Louis provided an early glimpse of how microbial communities in the gut - known collectively as the gut microbiome - are spatially organized, uncovering a surprising degree of mixing among different bacterial members.
	Grassland sparrows constantly searching for a nicer home Some birds regularly move to new territories between years, depending on factors including habitat quality and the presence of predators, but what about within a single breeding season? Grassland ecosystems are particularly dynamic, continuously shaped by fire and grazing, and a new study from The Auk: Ornithological Advances confirms that one particular grassland bird moves frequently each summer in search of the best territories. For Grasshopper Sparrows, the grass really does look greener on the other side.
	Safety, not food, entices geese to cities Canada Geese have shifted their winter range northward in recent years by taking advantage of conditions in urban areas—but what specific features of cities make this possible? A new study from The Condor: Ornithological Applications suggests that rather than food, geese are seeking safety, congregating in areas where they can avoid hunters and be buffered from the coldest winter temperatures.
	Study shows removing invasive plants can increase biodiversity in stream waters Restoration projects to remove invasive plants can make a positive impact on native plant species. But a new study featured in the journal Invasive Plant Science and Management shows restoration has an additional benefit. Removal of invasive species growing alongside a stream or river can also improve the biodiversity of aquatic organisms.
	Research clarifies nuclear hormone receptor function in plants The striking capacity for plants to adapt their growth and development to an ever-changing environment is mediated by diverse plant hormones that regulate virtually every aspect of plant life. In the past 10 to 15 years, enormous progress has been made in elucidating the nature of plant hormone receptors.
	Predatory bacteria—the quest for a new class of antibiotics In 2016, the World Health Organization named antibiotic resistance as "one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today." The announcement cited a growing list of infections, such as tuberculosis and gonorrhea, that are becoming more difficult to treat each year as resistance to current antibiotic treatments increases. Yet antibiotics are essential—without them, the human race would be plagued by persistent infections. So what is the solution to ensuring continual treatment while also addressing the alarming rise in resistance?
	Stop and go in the potassium channel Cells need openings in the cell membrane in order to make exchanges with their environment. These openings are closable portals in which the signals are transported in the form of ions. Private lecturer Dr. Indra Schröder from the Department of Membrane Biophysics at the TU Darmstadt, which is run by Professor Gerhard Thiel, is interested in potassium channels. The physicist and head of the junior research group has her very own view of these tiny molecular machines. She is not so much interested in the biological signals that are exchanged via the channels, but in the biophysical closing mechanism. Schröder wants to know what the molecular bolt looks like and how it works.
	Combining technology and ancient tracking to save the cheetah A life scientist from the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society is investigating whether technology can be combined with the ancient tracking skills of Namibian hunter-gatherers to help save the cheetah and, eventually, other endangered species.
	Grazing horses on better pastures When you picture a horse, you may imagine it grazing contentedly in a grassy pasture. Grazing lets horses move around naturally outdoors and socialize with other horses. And grass is an easily available, nutritious feed that horses like eating. If you have the land, providing pasture for horses is less costly than buying hay.
	Kune Kune piglets possess social learning skills and have an astonishingly good memory Pigs are socially competent and capable of learning. But the combination of these two skills, i.e. learning by observing others, has been insufficiently studied so far. The exact copying and understanding of demonstrated actions – something that would indicate highly developed learning abilities – could not yet be proven. A new study with Kune Kune pigs conducted by cognitive researchers from the Messerli Research Institute of Vetmeduni Vienna, could now show for the first time that these animals do in fact learn from each other – in this case from their mother or their aunt. The intelligent animals also possess a remarkable long-term memory once they have internalized a technique. The results were published in the journal Animal Behaviour.
	Scientists eavesdrop on little-known beaked whales to learn how deeply they dive Scientists have reported the first dive depths for Gervais' and True's beaked whales, two of the least known beaked whale species known as mesoplodonts. The study is also the first to use a towed linear hydrophone array to document dive depths for beaked whales, and researchers say it's a promising method to obtain dive depths for other beaked whale species.
	Considered ecologically extinct in the wild, Burmese star tortoise population has grown to more than 14,000 individuals The Burmese star tortoise (Geochelone platynota), a medium-sized tortoise found only in Myanmar's central dry zone, has been brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to an aggressive captive-breeding effort spearheaded by a team of conservationists and government partners.
	Climate change predicted to reduce size, stature of dominant Midwest plant, study finds The economically important big bluestem grass—a dominant prairie grass and a major forage grass for cattle—is predicted to reduce its growth and stature by up to 60 percent percent in the next 75 years because of climate change, according to a study involving Kansas State University researchers.
	MEPs urge probe into Monsanto's sway over safety studies Members of the European Parliament called Wednesday for the establishment of a panel to probe claims that US agro giant Monsanto unduly influenced research into its weedkiller's safety.
Advance achieved in dry preservation of mammalian sperm cells In a paper forthcoming in the November issue of the journal Theriogenology, a team of researchers from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, announced the first successful drying and rehydration of domestic cat spermatozoa using a rapid microwave dehydration method.
	Pumas living near human development expend more energy Pumas living near human development are more active at night, thus expending more energy each day, which could affect their fitness, according to a study published October 11, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Yiwei Wang from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and colleagues.
	Unraveling the genetics of disc disease in dogs Since the early 1900s, veterinarians have observed intervertebral disc disease—a common cause of back pain, rear limb paralysis and inability to walk—more frequently in dogs with short legs (dachshund, French bulldog, and Pekingese to name a few.) But they couldn't pinpoint why—until now.
	Chad extends key conservation area in national park Chad is to boost protection for a key haven for endangered wildlife in the south of the country under an agreement with a conservation group.
	Underwater nurseries help revive Mediterranean fish stocks A French company has developed an innovative system to replenish marine fish stocks in places like ports that have suffered environmental damage.
	Turtle that swallowed fishing line released in ocean A sea turtle that swallowed more than 4 feet (1 meter) of fishing line has been released in the Atlantic Ocean off South Carolina's coast after undergoing surgery.
	Scientists begin bold conservation effort to save the vaquita porpoise from extinction An international team of experts has gathered in San Felipe, Mexico at the request of the Mexican government (SEMARNAT) and has begun a bold, compassionate plan known as VaquitaCPR to save the endangered vaquita porpoise from extinction. The vaquita porpoise, also known as the 'panda of the sea,' is the most endangered marine mammal in the world. Latest estimates by scientists who have been monitoring the vaquita for decades show there are fewer than 30 vaquitas left in the wild.  The vaquita only lives in the upper Gulf of California.
	An engineer's guide to the embryo In roughly 48 hours, the single cell of the fertilized frog egg will undergo dramatic change to develop vital body parts like muscles, a skeleton, eyes, a heart, and a tadpole tail. Scientists have been studying this process to better understand human development, birth defects, and cancer and to advance technologies like organoid generation and cell replacement therapy. Scientists can disrupt embryo development, pause it, and accelerate it; however, they can't exactly explain how development works. Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), bioengineers at the University of Pittsburgh are taking a crack at understanding what is going on inside the egg.
New gorilla at Audubon Zoo may stay indoors for a little bit New Orleans' Audubon Zoo has a new gorilla, but she may be spending more time indoors than on view for a while.

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