Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Nov 7

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 7, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

How a 'flipped' gene helped butterflies evolve mimicry

A little stress is good for cellular health and longevity

Seven new giant radio galaxies discovered

New study suggests some ancient bite marks from crocs not stone tools

Researchers find word choices can reflect stress-related changes in gene expression

New model reveals possibility of pumping antibiotics into bacteria

Taming 'dendrites' could bring better lithium-ion batteries

'Zombie ant' brains left intact by fungal parasite

Neuroscientists identify source of early brain activity

Air pollution battle is crucial to China's public health, study says

Inner ear stem cells may someday restore hearing

Face to Face with Nest's smartest home security camera

Tor to usher in better deal: A bigger, tastier, onion

Researchers identify defense mechanism of malaria parasite

New target for development of innovative antibiotics

Astronomy & Space news

	Seven new giant radio galaxies discovered (Phys.org)—Mexican astronomers report the discovery of seven new large extragalactic radio sources called giant radio galaxies (GRG). The GRGs were found by visual inspection of radio images provided by two astronomical radio surveys. The findings were presented October 31 in a paper published on arXiv.org.
	ALMA's image of a red giant star gives a surprising glimpse of the sun's future A Chalmers-led team of astronomers has for the first time observed details on the surface of an aging star with the same mass as the sun. ALMA's images show that the star is a giant, its diameter twice the size of Earth's orbit around the sun; they report that the star's atmosphere is affected by powerful, unexpected shock waves. The research was published in Nature Astronomy.
	Russia locks up six for Moon flight simulation Three men and three women were sealed in an artificial spacecraft unit in Moscow on Tuesday in a simulation of a 17-day flight to the Moon, a preparation for long-term missions.
	Shocking results of galaxy-cluster collisions A giant collision of several galaxy clusters, each containing hundreds of galaxies, has produced this spectacular panorama of shocks and energy. The collisions generated shock waves that set off a celestial fireworks display of bright radio emission, seen as red and orange. In the center of the image, the purple indicates X-rays caused by extreme heating.
	Help nickname New Horizons' next flyby target NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt is looking for your ideas on what to informally name its next flyby destination, a billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) past Pluto.
	Image: Pandora, the would-be perturber As Cassini hurtled toward its fatal encounter with Saturn, the spacecraft turned to catch this final look at Saturn's moon Pandora next to the thin line of the F ring.
	First coast-to-coast land motion map of Scotland derived from satellite radar images Using hundreds of satellite radar images the team, working with Geomatic Ventures Limited (GVL), an innovative University spin-out company, created a complete map of mainland Scotland.
	The internal ocean of Saturn's moon Enceladus could be old enough to have evolved life, finds study We recently bade farewell to the Cassini spacecraft, which after 13 years of faithfully orbiting Saturn and its moons was directed to plunge into the giant planet's atmosphere. The reason for the "grand finale" was to guard against the possibility that Cassini might crash into one of Saturn's moons – in particular Enceladus.
	Electronics demonstrate operability in simulated Venus conditions NASA's future planetary exploration efforts, including missions to Venus, require electronics capable of surviving temperatures of 470° C and above for long durations. Such durable electronics eliminate the need for cooling systems to enable sustained operations. Previous operation of electronics at Venus surface conditions (e.g., in Venus missions) has been limited to a few hours in a protected pressure/temperature enclosure, due to the extreme environment.
	How scientists discovered our first interstellar mystery visitor The astronomy world has been abuzz recently with the discovery of a new object cutting through our solar system. Its path indicates it came from interstellar space—the first body of its kind ever observed.
	NASA-developed drone aircraft offer one-of-a-kind capabilities NASA scientists, who always are on the hunt for new platforms from which to carry out their research, now may avail themselves of two agency-developed unmanned aerial systems, or UASs, that some say represent the future for drone aircraft.
	Cosmos code helps probe space oddities Black holes make for a great space mystery. They're so massive that nothing, not even light, can escape a black hole once it gets close enough. A great mystery for scientists is that there's evidence of powerful jets of electrons and protons that shoot out of the top and bottom of some black holes. Yet no one knows how these jets form.
	Apollo 12 astronaut Richard Gordon, who circled moon, dies NASA says former Apollo 12 astronaut Richard Gordon has died. He was 88.

Technology news

	Taming 'dendrites' could bring better lithium-ion batteries Researchers have learned the mechanisms behind a common type of failure in lithium-ion batteries caused by the formation and growth of "dendrites," findings that could aid in the design of faster-charging and longer-lasting batteries.
	Face to Face with Nest's smartest home security camera Nest's new home security camera is supposed to be so smart that it can identify people it's been introduced to.
	Tor to usher in better deal: A bigger, tastier, onion (Tech Xplore)—"Dance like no one's watching. Encrypt like everyone is." That is a "Wednesday wisdom" pinned tweet on the Tor Project Twitter account and quite appropriate to describe their four-year resolve to keep on trucking with a next-generation onion services system.
	System uses 'deep learning' to detect cracks in nuclear reactors A system under development at Purdue University uses artificial intelligence to detect cracks captured in videos of nuclear reactors and represents a future inspection technology to help reduce accidents and maintenance costs.
	Waymo rolls out autonomous vans without human drivers A self-driving car company created by Google is pulling the human backup driver from behind the steering wheel and will test vehicles on public roads with only an employee in the back seat.
	Introducing autonomous vehicles sooner could save hundreds of thousands of lives Autonomous vehicles should only have to be moderately better than human drivers before being widely used in the United States, an approach that could save thousands of lives annually even before the technology is perfected, according to a new RAND Corporation report.
	Thailand to require fingerprints, face scans for SIM cards Face-scans or fingerprints will be needed to buy SIM cards in Thailand from next month as the kingdom tries to crack down on electronic fraud and encourage mobile banking.
	Surf's up for startups at Web Summit 2017 The next generation of Internet giants gather this week in Portugal for four days of tech-fuelled networking, nights out and—for the first time this year—surfing of the offline variety.
	Results of Wikipedia study reveal highest influencing contributors The mysterious world of Wikipedia isn't such a mystery anymore to a pair of researchers who conducted a 10-year study on the free online encyclopedia.
	Virtual driving instructor and close-to-reality driving simulator Chinese driving schools are currently experiencing a strong demand, the number of learner drivers is growing constantly. A new type of driving simulator based on a car modified for virtual training of learner drivers in advance and an automatic feedback is to help meet this demand. For the close-to-reality driving exercises, complex projection technology and virtual-reality hardware and software are applied. The simulator was developed within the Driving Simulator (DriveSim) technology transfer project of KIT and Chinese partners.
Future robots won't resemble humans – we're too inefficient Humanoid robots are a vanity project: an attempt to create artificial life in our own image – essentially trying to play God. The problem is, we're not very good at it. Ask someone on the street to name a robot and you might hear "Terminator", "the Cybermen" or "that gold one from Star Wars". What you're not going to be given are names like Tesla Model X, Cassini or DJI Inspire 2. These are all robots, but they don't follow the sci-fi narrative of what robots should be like. The fact is, the robots of the near future won't be going about on two legs like the shuffling C3PO. And they'll be much more efficient than us bipeds.
	Software vastly improves the ability of ships to reroute through unpredictable weather Major research discoveries generate news headlines. But a research undertaking by one University of Connecticut engineering lab seeks to forestall some headlines of a different kind.
	Researchers study human movement to build better robots Draw a figure eight in the air. It might feel like one swift movement. But in fact, the velocity of your hand and arm likely varies, traveling faster through the straight parts and slowing down during the curves.
	Highly flexible organic flash memory for foldable and disposable electronics A KAIST team reported ultra-flexible organic flash memory that is bendable down to a radius of 300 μm. The memory exhibits a significantly-long projected retention rate with a programming voltage on par with the present industrial standards.
	Is the UK's energy policy fit for purpose? Business as usual' is not an option for the UK's nuclear energy sector; our energy companies' 'regressive and unjust funding approach' is causing fuel poverty, and the Northern Powerhouse could play a key role in shaping the UK's climate change future.
	Twitter doubles character limit to 280 for (nearly) everyone Twitter says it's ending its iconic 140-character limit—and giving nearly everyone 280 characters.
	Touch-sensitive avatar-robotic arm based on real-time haptics Researchers at Keio University's Haptics Research Center have developed a 'real-time-avatar-robotic arm' that transmits sound, vision, and highly sensitive feelings of touch to remotely located users. This innovative touch sensitive robotic technology was reported in the October 2017 issue of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics and demonstrated at CEATEC (October 2017, Tokyo). The technology is expected to find applications in areas such as industrial manufacturing, harvesting farm produce, and nursing care.
World's biggest shipping company counts cost of cyberattack The world's biggest shipping company, Denmark's A.P. Moller-Maersk, has fallen to a quarterly loss due partly to the cost of a cyberattack.
	Europe to test system that uses sunlight to break up plastics in wastewater Harnessing the sun's radiation to help rid the oceans of microplastics contamination is one of several technical innovations to be developed by a new EU-funded project. Beginning in November 2017, a system developed at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden for breaking down microplastics from personal care products will be tested for implementation in homes and wastewater treatment plants.
Researcher seeks to tame 'ghost' of uncertainty in complex dynamic systems We're surrounded by dynamic systems—systems demonstrating behavior changing through time—in engineering, nature, civilization, even our personal lives. Even an ordinary bathtub could be considered a dynamic system with inflow and outflow of water and a reservoir level in the tub (along with a few rubber ducks, maybe). More complex dynamic systems include aircrafts, robots, glaciers, traffic flows, power grids, national economies and global climate change.

Medicine & Health news

	Researchers find word choices can reflect stress-related changes in gene expression (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers from the University of Arizona, the University of Wisconsin and the University of California has found that the word choices people make can be reflected in stress-related gene expression in some immune cells. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes experiments they carried out with volunteers wearing vocal recording devices and what they found when comparing the recordings with gene expression in white blood cells.
	Neuroscientists identify source of early brain activity Some expectant parents play classical music for their unborn babies, hoping to boost their children's cognitive capacity later in life. While some research supported a link between prenatal sound exposure and improved brain function, scientists had not identified any structures responsible for this link in the developing brain.
	Inner ear stem cells may someday restore hearing Want to restore hearing by injecting stem cells into the inner ear? Well, that can be a double-edged sword.
	Tiny worms may offer new clues about why it's so hard to quit smoking Researchers at the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute found that a previously dismissed genetic mechanism may contribute to nicotine dependence, and to the withdrawal effects that can make quitting smoking so difficult.
	Scientists find promise in intervention to normalize biological functions in Fragile X mice A team of neuroscientists have developed an intervention that normalizes multiple biological functions in mice afflicted with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). Its breakthrough centers on protein synthesis, or the building of proteins, and actin dynamics, which help regulate cellular processes—two functions that are inhibited in individuals with FXS.
	Regulating asprosin levels might help control appetite and weight Less than two years ago, researchers led by Dr. Atul Chopra, a medical geneticist at Baylor College of Medicine, discovered a new hormone called asprosin, that regulates blood-glucose levels. New studies on the hormone have now revealed that asprosin also acts on the brain, stimulating the hunger center in the hypothalamus to control appetite and body weight. This opens an intriguing possibility for developing novel treatments for overweight people, a population for whom no effective medical therapies currently exist. The study appears in the journal Nature Medicine.
	Imaging may provide a new tool to track progression of calcific aortic-valve disease Almost a half million Americans aged 65 to 74 suffer from a degenerative cardiovascular disease caused by calcium being deposited in heart tissue, and many will need valve replacement surgery to prevent heart failure. Currently there is no good way to measure the progression of the disease—called calcific aortic-valve disease, or CAVD—and the exact mechanism by which the disease progresses isn't well understood.
	Bacteria may help babies' digestive tracts more than suspected, scientists find Some of the first living things to greet a newborn baby do a lot more than coo or cuddle. In fact, they may actually help the little one's digestive system prepare for a lifetime of fighting off dangerous germs.
	Old human cells rejuvenated in breakthrough discovery on ageing A team led by Professor Lorna Harries, Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Exeter, has discovered a new way to rejuvenate inactive senescent cells. Within hours of treatment the older cells started to divide, and had longer telomeres - the 'caps' on the chromosomes which shorten as we age.
	Study finds a new way to shut down cancer cells' ability to consume glucose Cancer cells consume exorbitant amounts of glucose, a key source of energy, and shutting down this glucose consumption has long been considered a logical therapeutic strategy. However, good pharmacological targets to stop cancers' ability to uptake and metabolize glucose are missing. In a new study published in Cell Reports, a team of University of Colorado Cancer Center researchers, led by Matthew Galbraith, PhD, and Joaquin Espinosa, PhD, finally identifies a way to restrict the ability of cancer to use glucose for energy.
	Team reports connections that will fuel future brain trauma research A team led by University of Idaho scientists has found a way to stimulate formation of new neural connections in the adult brain in a study that could eventually help humans fend off memory loss, brain trauma and other ailments in the central nervous system.
Two meds not always better than one for seasonal allergic rhinitis In a newly updated clinical practice guideline, published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergists offer practical advice on the best types and amounts of medications to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis. Annals is the scientific publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
	Promising new drug for hepatitis B tested Research at the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) on the campus of Texas Biomedical Research Institute helped advance a new treatment now in human trials for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Testing at SNPRC provided proof this novel therapeutic approach and drug delivery mechanism would be safe and effective, as recently published in the international journal Science Translational Medicine.
	How Helicobacter pylori causes gastric cancer Gastric cancer is one of the five most fatal types of cancer. According to the statistics of the World Health Organization (WHO), about 750,000 patients die each year after developing the disease. The main cause is thought to be the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). At present, there are no effective therapies for gastric cancer and growing spread of antibiotic resistances is further complicating treatment of the infection. Researchers at FAU have now identified two mechanisms through which this bacterium can cause gastric cancer. Their findings could result in the development of new therapeutic approaches. The team has published its results in the leading journal Cell Host & Microbe.
	Public's poor knowledge of anatomy may hamper healthcare Health screening campaigns which target a specific organ may lack effectiveness if the public have a poor knowledge of anatomy say researchers.
	Exercise may be best intervention to prevent falls among elderly, according to new study Exercise alone or in combination with other assessments and interventions appears to be the most effective strategy for preventing falls causing injury among older people, a new study has found.
	Study shows nearly 70 percent of cannabidiol extracts sold online are mislabeled In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the medicinal use of Cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical that naturally occurs the in cannabis plant (aka "marijuana"). There is interest in CBD as a medicine because there is some evidence that it has medical benefits, but it does not make people feel "high" and there is no indication that CBD, by itself, is abused. Recent research has shown potential therapeutic effects of CBD for young children with rare seizure disorders, and patients in states where cannabis or CBD have been legalized report using it for a variety of health conditions. Business experts estimate that the market for CBD products will grow to more than $2 billion in consumer sales within the next three years. While interest in this area continues to grow, little has been done to ensure regulation and oversight of the sale of products containing CBD. The primary reason for this is that CBD is currently classified as a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance by the DEA, despite having been legalized for medicinal use in many states. Thus, many people do not have access to stores that sell CBD products and instead rely on online retailers to purchase CBD products.
Clinical trial reveals low-fat diet is associated with reduced pancreatic cancer incidence in overweight women In a trailblazing clinical trial, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have released the findings of the impact a low-fat diet has on pancreatic cancer risk in postmenopausal women. The study appears in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Female researchers pay more attention to sex and gender in medicine When women participate in a medical research paper, that research is more likely to take into account the differences between the way men and women react to diseases and treatments, according to a new study by Stanford researchers.
	The long, strange history of dieting fads "Of all the parasites that affect humanity I do not know of, nor can I imagine, any more distressing than that of Obesity."
Selective PDE4D inhibitor shows potential to treat Fragile X autism spectrum disorder New preclinical research suggests the potential utility of BPN14770, a selective PDE4D inhibitor currently under development by Tetra Discovery Partners as a prospective treatment for memory and cognitive problems associated with Alzheimer's disease, in the treatment of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) and possibly other autism spectrum disorders.
	Big data analysis predicts risk of radiotherapy side effects Analysing big data to predict men's risk of side effects could help personalise radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer, according to new research presented at the National Cancer Research Institute's (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool.
	Cancer research – how a traffic jam causes tumor growth For tissues to cooperate and perform normal functions, cells need to know which way is up. When cells lose track of their orientation, they can start to grow out of control, and develop into cancer. Now, a team of researchers has identified a new regulator for cell orientation, offering a future target for precision medicine in cancer treatment.
	Tezacaftor-ivacaftor, ivacaftor alone effective in CF (HealthDay)—Tezacaftor-ivacaftor or ivacaftor alone is effective for patients with cystic fibrosis who are heterozygous for the Phe508del deletion, and tezacaftor-ivacaftor is effective for patients who are homozygous for the CFTR Phe508del mutation, according to two studies published online Nov. 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with presentation at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, being held Nov. 2 to 4 in Indianapolis.
	Steroid-releasing sinus implant deemed effective, safe (HealthDay)—For patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), placement of an hourglass-shaped bioabsorbable, steroid-releasing sinus implant improves postoperative outcomes when placed in the frontal sinus ostia (FSO) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), according to a study published online Nov. 2 in JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery.
	Smart app for diabetes The use of smartphones and other mobile devices to deliver healthcare and preventative health services is increasing and is seen as a particularly important healthcare tool in low and middle-income countries.
	It's not just mums who need to avoid alcohol when trying for a baby Abstaining from alcohol during preconception and pregnancy is usually considered to be the woman's responsibility. The main concern surrounding alcohol exposure during pregnancy often relates to well-established evidence of newborns developing a range of behavioural, physical and cognitive disabilities later in life.
	How to use music to fine tune your child for school Can music actually make us smarter? Research suggests that from as early as 16 weeks of pregnancy, when auditory function is forming, babies begin their musical development. Their early adaptive exposure to sounds, including those familiar sounds of parents' voices, enhance extraordinary processing skills.
	People who worry about insomnia have more health problems than non-worriers, study finds People who worry about poor sleep have more emotional and physical problems during the day than those who do not worry, regardless of how well either sleep, according to research conducted at The University of Alabama.
	Lending late neurons a helping hand During the foetal stage, millions of neurons are born in the walls of the ventricles of the brain before migrating to their final location in the cerebral cortex. If this migration is disrupted, the new-born baby may suffer serious consequences, including intellectual impairment. What happens, however, if the migration takes place but is delayed? Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, have discovered that even a slight delay may lead to behavioural disorders that are similar to autistic characteristics in human. Furthermore, they found that these disorders are due to the abnormally low activity of the late neurons, which leads to permanent deficit of interneuronal connections. The Geneva neuroscientists succeeded in correcting the activity of the relevant neurons, thereby restoring the missing connections and preventing the appearance of behavioural disorders. The results, which are published in the journal Nature Communications, will open up new avenues for preventing neurodevelopmental disorders linked to the cerebral cortex.
Researchers observe new forms of expression of the variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease A team of French researchers from the CEA, AP-HP, CNRS, Inserm, Inra, ENVT, Institut Pasteur and MacoPharma have demonstrated that multiple variants of prions can coexist and manifest themselves in different clinical forms depending on the conditions of transmission. The results of this study are published in Nature Communications.
	DNA correction mechanism is more efficient in the most important regions of the genome A study published by IRB Barcelona in Nature Genetics demonstrates that the error (mutation) surveillance and repair system shows greater efficiency in the protein-coding regions of genes.
If we can beat Ebola, why not sleeping sickness too? The man sits on the edge of the bed, feet touching the floor but incapable of supporting his weight. He doesn't speak and his eyes stare vacantly ahead, despite the eight or ten people who have crowded in to see him. His mother stands nearby, beside herself with despair. He's had these symptoms for a year, she tells us. His brother has to carry him on his back at home in their village.
	How SORLA protects against Alzheimer's disease Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) have identified a new protective function for a brain protein genetically linked to Alzheimer's. The findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, could inform novel treatment strategies.
	Abusing pot, booze lowers teens' chances for success in life (HealthDay)—The American dream of success is a lot harder to attain for teenagers who use pot and alcohol, especially if they become substance abusers, a new study reports.
	Cooling down sibling rivalries when they heat up (HealthDay)—Sibling rivalry—the jealousy and competition between your children—can start even before baby number two is born, according to experts at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital of Michigan Medicine.
	Healthiest college students keep weight down, spirits up Research shows that optimists and happy people are healthier overall, enjoying lower blood pressure and less depression and anxiety, among other measures.
	Researcher draws bulls eye around muscular dystrophy drug targets In a recent paper published in the journal Skeletal Muscle, a Saint Louis University researcher reports success in identifying new drug targets that potentially could slow or halt the progression of a form muscular dystrophy, an illness characterized by progressive muscle degeneration.
	A 'CRISPR' view of Sturge-Weber syndrome is coming into focus Three-dimensional modeling and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology are giving scientists a new view into Sturge-Weber syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that causes small blood vessels, called capillaries, to be malformed. These capillary malformations can cause port wine birthmarks on the face and neck, and in some cases, abnormal vasculature in the brain that can spark seizures.
	Modeling social interactions to improve collective decision-making How are we affected by other peoples' opinions? To answer this question, scientists at the CNRS, Inra and Université Toulouse 1 Capitole conducted a study in France and Japan, quantifying this impact on our decisions.
	Muscles out of the spray can An artificial heart would be an absolute lifesaver for people with cardiac failure. However, to recreate the complex organ in the laboratory, one would first need to work out how to grow multi-layered, living tissues. Researchers at Empa have now come one step closer to this goal: by means of a spraying process, they have created functioning muscle fibers.
	New study explains why US health care spending increased $1 trillion A new study finds that the cost of health care in the United States increased nearly $1 trillion from 1996 to 2013 and measures the causes behind this immense growth.
Keeping harsh punishment in check helps kids with ADHD, study finds Cutting back on yelling, criticism and other harsh parenting approaches, including physical punishment, has the power to calm children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a new study.
Circulating tumor cells associated with relapse in late-stage melanoma patients A study revealing a connection between circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and relapse in stage IV melanoma patients points to liquid biopsy as a potential predictor of patients at high risk for disease progression. CTCs, tumor cells shed into the bloodstream or lymphatic system, can lead to additional tumor growth and/or metastasis to distant sites.
	Serving water with school lunches could prevent child, adult obesity: study Encouraging children to drink plain water with their school lunches could prevent more than half a million youths in the U.S. from becoming overweight or obese, and trim the medical costs and indirect societal costs associated with these problems by more than $13 billion, a new study suggests.
Study outlines 'perfect storm' that led to Colombia's antibiotic resistance epidemic The nearly simultaneous emergence of a gene responsible for producing carbapenemases - enzymes that kill the most powerful antibiotics used against life-threatening, multidrug-resistant bacterial infections - coupled with the introduction of a bacterial clone that spread between patients created the "perfect storm" that led to today's antibiotic resistance epidemic in Colombia. Results of this study, led by investigators from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Universidad El Bosque and Case Western Reserve University, have been published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
	Slash antibiotic use in animals to buck resistance in humans: WHO The World Health Organization on Tuesday urged farmers to stop using antibiotics in healthy animals to help ensure the drugs remain effective in fighting life-threatening diseases in humans.
Can virtual reality be used to manage pain at a pediatric hospital? Virtual reality has emerged into popular culture with an ever-widening array of applications including clinical use in a pediatric healthcare center. Children undergo necessary yet painful and distressing medical procedures every day, but very few non-pharmaceutical interventions have been found to successfully manage the pain and anxiety associated with these procedures. Investigators at Children's Hospital Los Angeles have conducted a study to determine if virtual reality (VR) can be effectively used for pain management during blood draw. Their findings showed that VR significantly reduced patients' and parents' perception of acute pain, anxiety and general distress during the procedure. The results of the study are published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.
For cancer patients with HIV, immunotherapy appears safe A new category of immunotherapies called checkpoint inhibitors that has been highly effective against many different cancers appears safe to use in patients with both advanced malignancies and HIV, a population excluded from earlier trials of such therapies, according to an early-phase trial.
	Drugstore pain pills as effective as opioids in ER patients Emergency rooms are where many patients are first introduced to powerful opioid painkillers, but what if doctors offered over-the-counter pills instead? A new study tested that approach on patients with broken bones and sprains and found pain relievers sold as Tylenol and Motrin worked as well as opioids at reducing severe pain.
	New study finds extra bite of blood transforms invasive Asian tiger mosquito from poor to potent spreader of Zika virus The invasive Asian tiger mosquito now rapidly spreading in parts of the United States and Europe may have been significantly underestimated as a potential source of Zika and dengue virus infections—and for one simple reason: they were underfed, according to a new study presented today at the 66th American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting.
HIV patients at greater risk of both heart and kidney disease HIV patients and their doctors are urged to be more aware of the additional health risks associated with treated HIV infection. This follows new research that shows HIV patients at high risk for a heart attack or stroke are also at substantially greater risk for chronic kidney disease and vice versa.
MRIs of West Nile virus victims—even symptom-free—show evidence of long-term neurological damage Brain images of people who developed neurological complications from West Nile virus found that many of them—including those who had experienced mild symptoms or none all—showed evidence of brain damage years after the original infection, according to a new study presented today at the 66th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).
	Getting self-driving cars on the road soon might save lives (HealthDay)—The sooner driverless cars make their way onto American roadways, the sooner thousands of lives will be saved each year, a new report suggests.
	Yoga may give lung cancer patients, caregivers a boost (HealthDay)—For advanced lung cancer patients, yoga appears to help improve their overall physical function, stamina and mental health.
	Brain measures tied to atrial pressure in valvular heart Dz (HealthDay)—For patients with chronic valvular heart disease, white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume is associated with mean right atrial (RA) pressure, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Neurology.
	Legal aspects to consider in voluntary refusal to eat, drink (HealthDay)—Voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED) is a course that patients may choose to hasten their death, although there are clinical, ethical, and legal aspects to consider, according to a special communication published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Rates of IVC filter placement decreased from 2010 to 2014 (HealthDay)—The rates of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement increased from 2005 until 2010 and then decreased through 2014, according to a research letter published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Sertraline treatment no benefit for depressive symptoms in CKD (HealthDay)—Sertraline treatment does not significantly improve depressive symptoms among patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), according to a study published online Nov. 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Preventive care for adolescents up since ACA implementation (HealthDay)—Preventive care rates have increased moderately to modestly for adolescents since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) but are still low overall, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Pediatrics.
	Influenza vaccines in pediatric ERs likely cost-effective (HealthDay)—Influenza vaccination in the pediatric emergency department (PED) setting appears to be a cost-effective strategy, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Pediatrics.
	Lifestyle changes successfully reduce incidence of diabetes (HealthDay)—Lifestyle modification (LSM) and medications can reduce the incidence of diabetes in adults at risk, although the effects of medications are short-lived, according to a review published online Nov. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Completion likely with self-administration of TB treatment (HealthDay)—Most people complete treatment for latent tuberculosis (TB) without direct observation, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
IUDs may have a surprising benefit: Protection against cervical cancer Considered a safe and highly effective contraception method, intrauterine devices (IUDs) may also be quietly offering protection against the third-most common cancer in women worldwide. A new study from the Keck School of Medicine of USC has found that IUD use is associated with a dramatic decrease in the incidence of cervical cancer.
	Increasing rates of chronic conditions putting more moms, babies at risk Pregnant women today are more likely to have chronic conditions that could cause life-threatening complications than at any other time in the past decade - particularly poor women and those living in rural communities, a new Michigan Medicine study suggests.
Severely bleeding patients must receive lifesaving drug within minutes, not hours Major bleeds must be treated with tranexamic acid (TXA) as fast as possible since deaths occur quickly and the drug's life-saving benefits diminish with each passing minute, according to a new study published in The Lancet.
	Targeting a microRNA shows potential to enhance effectiveness of diabetes drugs Over the past 15 years, University of Alabama at Birmingham endocrinologist Anath Shalev, M.D., has unraveled a crucial biological pathway that malfunctions in diabetes.
	National poll: Many unaware of court findings against tobacco companies On Nov. 26, Altria, Philip Morris USA, R.J. Reynolds and other tobacco companies will begin to publish court-ordered "corrective statements" about cigarettes, the result of a 2006 federal court verdict that found the companies in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. A recent national survey shows that many Americans are not aware of the information in the corrective statements or the major findings of the court.
Immigrants living in US near California-Mexico border have history of trauma More than 80 percent of immigrants residing in the U.S. without authorization near the California-Mexico border have a lifetime history of traumatic events, according to a new study from a psychologist at Rice University. Nearly 50 percent of these immigrants suffer from clinically significant psychological distress.
Threatened medical deduction seen as valuable, versatile Several million people unlucky enough to face big medical bills not covered by their insurance would lose a valuable and versatile deduction under the House GOP tax bill. Groups representing older people and patients are trying to save it.
Advances in HIV Prevention, Treatment and Cure: a special issue of PLOS Medicine This week, publication of a special issue on Advances in HIV Prevention, Treatment and Cure begins in PLOS Medicine, advised by guest editors Linda-Gail Bekker of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Steven Deeks of the University of California San Francisco, USA; and Sharon Lewin of the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, Australia.
Study shows therapeutic impact of neighbourliness on dementia New research is showing how being connected with their local community has reaped enormous benefits for people with dementia.
	International push to reduce global burden of traumatic brain injury Substantial reductions in the global burden of traumatic brain injury (TBI) could be achieved with improved policies for prevention, new directions for clinical care, and novel approaches to research, according to The Lancet Neurology Commission on TBI.
	Opinion: 3 things I learned from delivering medical aid to a remote part of Puerto Rico I belong to a group called Doctors for Puerto Rico.
	Global nutrition crisis threatens human development, major new report finds Almost every country in the world now faces a serious nutrition-related challenge, according to a new report co-authored by a City expert.
Stress, fear of pain may be cause of painful sickle cell episodes Mental stress and the anticipation of pain may cause blood vessels to narrow and trigger episodes of severe pain (vaso-occlusive crisis, or VOC) in sickle cell disease (SCD). A team of researchers from California will present their findings today at the American Physiological Society's Physiological and Pathophysiological Consequences of Sickle Cell Disease conference in Washington, D.C.
Radical approach to migraine prevention Cutting-edge work by Perth researchers may provide relief to tens of millions of migraine sufferers—with nothing more than a course of vitamins.
	Report of highest incidence of GBS in Africa prompts vaccine study A global study of GBS, bacteria that cause stillbirth and infant death, shows that Africa has the highest incidence. Wits University is pioneering a vaccine.
	Are women and minorities adequately represented in new drug testing? A new study to assess the effects of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations and guidance, intended to encourage greater inclusion of women and minorities in clinical drug trials, has shown appropriate levels of female participation based on the estimated sex ratio of people affected by a particular disease. In contrast, some racial minorities, and especially African Americans, remain under-represented in most drug development programs, according to the study published in Journal of Women's Health.
More cardiac arrest victims could survive with dispatcher CPR instruction, rescue breaths for children More people will survive cardiac arrest if emergency medical dispatchers give chest compression-only CPR instructions over the phone and if infants and children receive chest compressions with rescue breaths, according to updated CPR guidelines published today by the American Heart Association (Association), the world's leading voluntary health organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular disease.
Trump administration moves ahead with Obama menu-label law (Update) The Trump administration is moving ahead with Obama-era requirements to post calorie counts in restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and pizza delivery chains nationwide next year.
Luxembourg moves further towards legalising medical marijuana Luxembourg, following a broader EU and global trend, took another step on Tuesday towards legalising medical marijuana by announcing plans for a two-year pilot project.

Biology news

	How a 'flipped' gene helped butterflies evolve mimicry Female swallowtail butterflies do something a lot of butterflies do to survive: they mimic wing patterns, shapes and colors of other species that are toxic to predators. Some - but not all - swallowtail species have evolved several different forms of this trait. But what kind of genetic changes led to these various disguises, and why would some species maintain an undisguised form when mimicry provides an obvious evolutionary advantage?
	A little stress is good for cellular health and longevity Northwestern University molecular bioscientists have discovered that a little stress can be good for cellular health. The findings will help researchers better understand the molecular mechanisms that drive aging and risk for age-associated degenerative diseases.
	'Zombie ant' brains left intact by fungal parasite A fungal parasite that infects ants and manipulates their behavior to benefit the fungus' reproduction accomplishes this feat without infecting the ants' brains, according to a study led by Penn State researchers.
	Researchers identify defense mechanism of malaria parasite Portuguese researchers at Instituto de Medicina Molecular (iMM) Lisboa have identified a defense mechanism by which the Plasmodium parasite can survive inside its host's liver cells, a crucial stage in which it acquires the capacity to infect red blood cells, causing the symptoms associated with malaria.
	Detecting new proteins in active brains of mice The complexity of living things is driven, in large part, by the huge diversity of cell types. Since all cells of an organism share the same genes, the diversity of cells must come from the particular proteins that are expressed. Cells in the brain are generally divided into neurons and glia. Within these two categories, however, lies a large diversity of cell types that we are only beginning to discover. The diversity of cell types in brain and other tissues has recently been expanded by new techniques, like RNA-sequencing, that identify and measure the mRNAs present in a cell, the so-called transcriptome. Although mRNAs are the template for proteins, the transcriptome is a poor proxy for proteins that a cell actually makes, the proteome. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt now developed new methods to detect real-time changes in the proteome.
	Bonobos help strangers without being asked A passer-by drops something and you spring to pick it up. Or maybe you hold the door for someone behind you. Such acts of kindness to strangers were long thought to be unique to humans, but recent research on bonobos suggests our species is not as exceptional in this regard as we like to think.
	How climate change may reshape subalpine wildflower communities With climate change, Mount Rainier floral communities could 'reassemble' with new species relationships, interactions
	Findings probe cell cooperation, 'en masse' migration New research findings are revealing secrets about how living cells "cooperate" with each other, joining into groups that migrate collectively and alter tissue.
	Is frozen cod just as good as fresh? Is frozen cod just as good as fresh? Yes. As long as it is handled properly, new research reveals.
	Why plants form sprouts in the dark A signal from the cell wall decides that, in the dark, seeds grow into long yellow sprouts, instead of turning green and forming leaves. The signal that switches on the darkness programme in seedling development has not hitherto been identified. Earlier studies had shown that these processes involve photoreceptors inside plant cells. One vital signal outside the cells has now been described by the team of Prof Dr Ute Krämer and Dr Scott Sinclair at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, in collaboration with Prof Dr Dominik Begerow, likewise from Bochum, as well as colleagues from Australia, France, Switzerland, and from the Max Planck Institute of Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, in the journal Current Biology. The article was published online on November 2, 2017.
	How far did you fall from the tree? Scientists estimate the mutation rate from chimpanzee parents to their offspring Mutations generate genetic variation, and are a major driving force of evolution. Therefore, examining mutation rates and modes are essential to better understand the genetic basis for physiology and evolution.
	Use of glow sticks in traps greatly increases amphibian captures in study With amphibian populations declining around the world and funds to find the causes scarce, a team of Penn State researchers has shown that an unorthodox tactic will make it easier and therefore less expensive to capture adult salamanders and frogs.
Current cattle injections increase the risk of injury, research finds Research by experts at The University of Nottingham suggests that current injection techniques in UK dairy cattle need to change to avoid the risk of nerve injury.
Researchers identify the yeast genes behind rose and honeyed flavors in beer and wine A flavor compound called phenylethyl acetate imparts a hint of rose or honey to wherever it's found—a dab of perfume, a sip of wine, a slug of beer. Microbiologists in Belgium have used genetic mapping to identify, for the first time, specific yeast genes that produce higher levels of this aroma in alcoholic beverages. The new finding joins other recent work connecting genes to flavors in wines and beers, and may be used to grow yeasts that produce new flavors.
	It takes a microclimate to raise a pinyon tree With all the discussion about global climate change effects, new research shows that another kind of climate is an important factor in regional pinyon pine tree recovery after drought events - the microclimate.
Kenya male lions seen in intimate act; bonding, experts say Recent photos taken in a Kenyan wildlife area show a rare sight: a male lion mounting another male lion in what resembles a sexual act but is possibly a way of showing dominance.
Monster fish of the deep Do bugs gross you out? You haven't seen anything yet. To get some really weird creatures, you've got to look in the deep sea.
	Book describes all 451 families of flowering plants, ferns, lycopods and gymnosperms Humans are completely dependent on plants and their products. Without plants, there would be no food to eat, no air to breathe and no clean water to drink. Plants give us building materials and fibres for paper, clothes and ropes. Dyes and ornamental plants brighten up our lives. Many medicines and drugs are also still harvested directly from plants. Without being able to accurately identify plants, none of this would be possible.
	The wild ass returns On 24th October 2017, a first group of nine animals was released into an acclimatisation enclosure on the edge of the Altyn Dala protected area in central Kazakhstan. The animals had been transported 1200 km by helicopter from Altyn Emel National Park in the southeast of the country. They will be released in early spring. This is the first step in a multi-year project that aims to restore the full range of large herbivores to this unique area of steppe habitat.
	Novel intermolecular surface force reveals actomyosin driving mechanism The actin and myosin complex (actomyosin) generates contraction force of a muscle utilizing the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis reaction. Many attempts have thus been made to explain the molecular origin of the actomyosin motility.
	Los Angeles Zoo's old Indian rhinoceros euthanized A 48-year-old Indian rhinoceros that had survived skin cancer has been euthanized at the Los Angeles Zoo.

---

This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
https://sciencex.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com