Science X Newsletter Monday, Dec 4

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 4, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Grasshopper problem yields insight into quantum theory

Voyager 1 fires up thrusters after 37 years

Subnanometer-scale channels in 2-D materials could point toward future electronics, solar cells

Collisions after moon formation remodeled early Earth

Neuroscientists discover networks of neurons that stretch or compress their activity to control timing

Researchers use nanoparticles to target, kill endometrial cancer

Pigeons can discriminate both space and time

Study reveals insights into the nature of protoplanetary disc around HD 169142

Replicating peregrine falcon attack strategies could help down rogue drones

Study shows genetic differences between uptown and downtown rats living in Manhattan

Calcium compound breaks 'like repels like' rule

Research bolsters possibility of plate tectonics on Europa

Researchers measure the spin rates of bodies thought to be either planets or tiny 'failed' stars

Researchers squeeze low-cost electricity from sustainable biomaterial

MACHOs are dead. WIMPs are a no-show. Say hello to SIMPs: New candidate for dark matter

Astronomy & Space news

	Voyager 1 fires up thrusters after 37 years If you tried to start a car that's been sitting in a garage for decades, you might not expect the engine to respond. But a set of thrusters aboard the Voyager 1 spacecraft successfully fired up Wednesday after 37 years without use.
	Study reveals insights into the nature of protoplanetary disc around HD 169142 (Phys.org)—A new study based on observations conducted via the Zurich imaging polarimeter (ZIMPOL) reveals insights into the nature of a protoplanetary disc surrounding the star HD 169142. The research, presented in a paper published November 24 on arXiv.org, uncovers sub-structures and offsets in the dust distribution of the inner part of the disc.
	Researchers measure the spin rates of bodies thought to be either planets or tiny 'failed' stars Taking a picture of an exoplanet—a planet in a solar system beyond our sun—is no easy task. The light of a planet's parent star far outshines the light from the planet itself, making the planet difficult to see. While taking a picture of a small rocky planet like Earth is still not feasible, researchers have made strides by snapping images of about 20 giant planet-like bodies. These objects, known as planetary-mass companions, are more massive than Jupiter, orbit far from the glare of their stars, and are young enough to still glow with heat from their formation—all traits that make them easier to photograph.
	A microlensing event seen from three positions in space The path of a light beam will be bent by the presence of mass, an effect explained by General Relativity, and a massive body can therefore act like a lens - a so called "gravitational lens" – to distort the image of an object seen behind it. Scientists first confirmed this prediction quantitatively during the now famous total eclipse of 29 May 1919 by observing starlight bent by the mass of the sun. Microlensing is the name given to a related phenomenon: the short flash of light produced when a cosmic body, acting as a gravitational lens, changes the intensity of visible light from a more distant, background star as the body's motion fortuitously moves in front of it.
	Astronomer's map reveals location of mysterious fast-moving gas An Australian scientist has created the most detailed map ever of clouds of high-velocity gas in the universe around us.
	Astronauts make, fling, float, eat pizzas on space station The first-ever pizza party in space is getting sky-high reviews.
	Model of galaxy and star cluster formation corrected When galaxy clusters and globular star clusters form, a phenomenon called "violent relaxation" occurs. After interacting intensely, the thousands or even millions of bodies reach a state of relative gravitational equilibrium and a fairly long-lasting spatial distribution.
	The Voyagers in popular culture Whether you're traveling across cities, continents or even oceans this holiday season, there is no long-haul flight quite like that of the Voyagers.
	Hubble sees galaxy cluster warping space and time This picturesque view from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope peers into the distant universe to reveal a galaxy cluster called Abell 2537.
	Flying chariots and exotic birds—how 17th century dreamers planned to reach the moon People have been dreaming about space travel for hundreds of years, long before the arrival of the spectacular technologies behind space exploration today – mighty engines roaring fire and thunder, shiny metal shapes gliding in the vastness of the universe.
	Metal asteroid Psyche is all set for an early visit from NASA Three times further away from the sun than the Earth lies an enormous lump of metal. Around 252km in diameter, the metallic "M-class" asteroid 16 Psyche is the target of NASA's next mission to the belt of giant rocks that encircles the inner solar system. And the space agency now plans to visit it much sooner than originally planned.
	Life could be likelier on icy planets than rocky ones In the hunt for extra-terrestrial life, scientists tend to take what is known as the "low-hanging fruit approach." This consists of looking for conditions similar to what we experience here on Earth, which include at oxygen, organic molecules, and plenty of liquid water. Interestingly enough, some of the places where these ingredients are present in abundance include the interiors of icy moons like Europa, Ganymede, Enceladus and Titan.
	Image: Jupiter blues The Juno spacecraft captured this image when the spacecraft was only 11,747 miles (18,906 kilometers) from the tops of Jupiter's clouds—that's roughly as far as the distance between New York City and Perth, Australia. The color-enhanced image, which captures a cloud system in Jupiter's northern hemisphere, was taken on Oct. 24, 2017 at 10:24 a.m. PDT (1:24 p.m. EDT) when Juno was at a latitude of 57.57 degrees (nearly three-fifths of the way from Jupiter's equator to its north pole) and performing its ninth close flyby of the gas giant planet.

Technology news

	Replicating peregrine falcon attack strategies could help down rogue drones Researchers at Oxford University have discovered that peregrine falcons steer their attacks using the same control strategies as guided missiles.
	Researchers squeeze low-cost electricity from sustainable biomaterial Mobile phone speakers and motion detectors in cars and video games may soon be powered by electricity generated from low cost and sustainable biomaterials, according to research carried out at University of Limerick (UL), Ireland.
	New robots can see into their future University of California, Berkeley, researchers have developed a robotic learning technology that enables robots to imagine the future of their actions so they can figure out how to manipulate objects they have never encountered before. In the future, this technology could help self-driving cars anticipate future events on the road and produce more intelligent robotic assistants in homes, but the initial prototype focuses on learning simple manual skills entirely from autonomous play.
	Vision kit will bring new pizzazz to Raspberry Pi projects (Tech Xplore)—Some tinkerers are already talking about what's to come soon in the Google AIY Vision Kit, which is available on pre-order from Micro Center at $44.99. Expected availability is by December 31.
	WeWork rides lifestyle change to become new economy star Going to the office isn't what it used to be. As more workers shift to on-demand and "gig" employment, the workplace has changed, and no company has capitalized on this more than WeWork.
	5G demo is carried out on moving train in Japan (Tech Xplore)—Samsung fans get to say Cool. A 5G test on an over-100KM/H train (over 60 mph) scored results that are apt to please the corporate insiders, considering all the attention being paid to 5G in the pre-standard stage.
	NEST360's low-cost jaundice detector passes first test in Africa The first clinical study of a low-cost, hand-held jaundice detector invented by Rice University students couldn't have come at a better time for NEST360°, an international team of scientists, doctors and global health experts preparing for a Dec. 11 competition for $100 million from the MacArthur Foundation. The money would allow the team to carry out its visionary plan to halve the number of newborn deaths in African hospitals within 10 years.
	Engineers refine method to instruct robots to collaborate through demonstration Like toddlers, robots can use a little help as they learn to function in the physical world. That's the purpose of a Rice University program that gently guides robots toward the most helpful, human-like ways to collaborate on tasks.
	Facebook launches parent-controlled Messenger app for kids Facebook is coming for your kids.
	California regulators nix rules limiting carmaker liability California regulators have nixed a plan to let self-driving car manufacturers evade liability for crashes if the vehicle hasn't been maintained according to manufacturer specifications.
Elite US government hacker charged with taking secret information A member of the US National Security Agency's elite hacking team has been charged with illegally removing top secret materials, in an embarrassing breach for the crucial electronic espionage body.
	UK warns government agencies not to use Kaspersky software Britain's cybersecurity agency has told government departments not to use antivirus software from Moscow-based firm Kaspersky Lab amid concerns about Russian snooping.
	Buy it with bitcoin in New York, but it's not cheap At Melt Bakery, a hole in the wall that sells ice cream sandwiches in New York's upscale Manhattan neighborhood, you can pay for your guilty pleasure in bitcoin.
	Facebook opens new London hub, creating 800 jobs Social media titan Facebook will open a new office in London on Monday that is set to be its biggest engineering hub outside America, the company has announced.
	Australia competition inquiry targets Facebook, Google Digital platforms like Facebook and Google will be at the centre of an Australian inquiry announced Monday examining their impact on competition in media and advertising markets.
	Venezuela creating digital currency amid financing crisis Venezuela is creating a digital currency to combat a financial blockade by the United States, President Nicolas Maduro announced Sunday.
	Researchers develop semi-transparent solar cell for possible window coating Researchers at The University of Tokyo have developed a semi-transparent solar cell. Instead of conventional silicon, the cell uses the organic-inorganic hybrid material perovskite to generate electricity. This material efficiently absorbs blue light, while nanocubes of metallic silver improve the capture of red light, letting visually important green light through. Because of the efficient light capture, the perovskite layer can be made very thin, improving its transparency. The cell could therefore be used to coat windows.
	Teaching machines to teach themselves Are you tired of telling machines what to do and what not to do? It's a large part of regular people's days – operating dishwashers, smartphones and cars. It's an even bigger part of life for researchers like me, working on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
	With the right tools, we can mine cities From 1900 to 2010, the amount of materials accumulated in buildings and infrastructure across the world increased 23-fold. We are depleting our resources at unprecedented rates. Instead of extracting dwindling raw materials from nature at ever-increasing cost, the time has come to start re-using materials from buildings and infrastructure in our cities.
	How identity data is turning toxic for big companies Google might be in trouble for collecting the personal data of its users, but many companies have a growing incentive to rid their hands of the data that users entrust them with. This is because of growing costs of holding onto it.
Expert offers overview of net neutrality debate The internet is about to change dramatically. Unless it isn't.
	Apple, Google at Chinese internet fest shows lure of market The high-profile attendance of the leaders of Apple and Google at a Chinese conference promoting Beijing's vision of a censored internet highlights the dilemma for Western tech companies trying to expand in an increasingly lucrative but restricted market.
	Broadcom moves to unseat Qualcomm board, escalates takeover fight Singapore-based computer chip maker Broadcom stepped up its battle for rival Qualcomm on Monday, proposing a new slate of board members for the US firm to back a $130 billion hostile bid.
	Lamborghini drives into crowded SUV market Lamborghini, the fabled Italian sports car manufacturer, on Monday unveiled its new Sports Utility Vehicle, accelerating into a fast growing market already crowded with upmarket rivals.
Time running out for lawmakers mulling surveillance bills The congressional clock is running out as a handful of bills are batted around Capitol Hill to reauthorize a critical foreign intelligence collection program that expires in four weeks.
	Activists occupy Paris Apple store over EU tax dispute About a hundred activists occupied an Apple store in the French capital Saturday, demanding that the US technology giant pay billions of euros the EU says it owes in back taxes.
Report: Visa fires high-profile manager for violating policy The technology publication Recode is reporting that Visa fired a high-profile executive for behavior that "violated" the credit card company's policy.
Documents: UK lawmakers flout explicit password-sharing ban British lawmakers are flouting explicit instructions to lock their computers and not to share their passwords, documents obtained by The Associated Press show, a revelation that raises questions about the security of Britain's parliamentary network only months after a well-publicized email break-in.
	Navy's 2nd stealthy destroyer heads out to sea for 1st time (Update) The second in the U.S. Navy stealthy Zumwalt class of destroyers headed out to sea for the first time on Monday, departing from Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works for builder trials.
	Facebook's Sandberg warns of backlash against women Sheryl Sandberg warned of a potential backlash against women and urged companies to put into place clear policies on how allegations of sexual harassment are handled.

Medicine & Health news

	Neuroscientists discover networks of neurons that stretch or compress their activity to control timing Timing is critical for playing a musical instrument, swinging a baseball bat, and many other activities. Neuroscientists have come up with several models of how the brain achieves its exquisite control over timing, the most prominent being that there is a centralized clock, or pacemaker, somewhere in the brain that keeps time for the entire brain.
	New imaging study reveals how saturated fatty acids damage cells In our increasingly health-conscious society, a new fad diet seems to pop up every few years. Atkins, Zone, Ketogenic, Vegetarian, Vegan, South Beach, Raw - with so many choices and scientific evidence to back each, it's hard to know what's healthy and what's not. One message, however, has remained throughout: saturated fats are bad.
	Brain researchers gain greater understanding of how we generate internal experiences Our mental life is rich with an enormous number of internal experiences. The diversity of these experiences is astonishing. We can vividly recall an episode from childhood as well as what we did just five minutes ago. We can imagine and plan in detail our next vacation. We can be moved to tears by the story of an absolute stranger or even of a fictitious character. How does the brain achieve this magic?
	New Alzheimer's animal model more closely mimics human disease By injecting human Alzheimer's disease brain extracts of pathological tau protein (from postmortem donated tissue) into mice with different amounts of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques in their brains, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that amyloid-β facilitates the interaction between the plaques and abnormal tau. This relationship promotes the spread of mutated tau proteins in neurons, which is the hallmark of long-term Alzheimer's disease. They published their findings this week in Nature Medicine.
Thyroid hormone therapy heals lung fibrosis in animal study Thyroid hormone therapy significantly resolves fibrosis, or scarring, in the lungs of mice, increasing their survival from disease, a Yale-led study shows. These provide a novel insight into the development of pulmonary fibrosis and could lead to alternative treatment for this serious condition, according to the researchers.
	High-stress childhoods blind adults to potential loss Adults who lived high-stress childhoods have trouble reading the signs that a loss or punishment is looming, leaving themselves in situations that risk avoidable health and financial problems and legal trouble.
	The human brain can 'see' what is around the corner Neuroscientists at the University of Glasgow have shown how the human brain can predict what our eyes will see next, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
	Tailoring treatment to combat diseased cells at the genetic level A new drug delivery system that uses a synthetic-biological hybrid nanocapsule could provide a smart technology for targeted treatment of a variety of serious diseases at the genetic level.
	Neurons have the right shape for deep learning Deep learning has brought about machines that can 'see' the world more like humans can, and recognize language. And while deep learning was inspired by the human brain, the question remains: Does the brain actually learn this way? The answer has the potential to create more powerful artificial intelligence and unlock the mysteries of human intelligence.
	Advances to brain-interface technology provide clearer insight into visual system Carnegie Mellon University engineers and cognitive neuroscientists have demonstrated that a new high-density EEG can capture the brain's neural activity at a higher spatial resolution than ever before.
	Researchers 'dismantle' mindfulness intervention to see how each component works As health interventions based on mindfulness have grown in popularity, some of the field's leading researchers have become concerned that the evidence base for such practices is not yet robust enough. A new study shows how a rigorous approach to studying mindfulness-based interventions can help ensure that claims are backed by science.
	Exercise changes gut microbial composition independent of diet, team reports Two studies - one in mice and the other in human subjects - offer the first definitive evidence that exercise alone can change the composition of microbes in the gut. The studies were designed to isolate exercise-induced changes from other factors - such as diet or antibiotic use - that might alter the intestinal microbiota.
	Virtual reality users must learn to use what they see Anyone with normal vision knows that a ball that seems to quickly be growing larger is probably going to hit them on the nose.
	Medical note system could boost patients' engagement in their health care Encouraging patients to help write and add notes to their personal medical charts—a task typically handled only by medical professionals—may help patients feel more involved with their own care and improve relationships with their doctors, a new study has found.
Most glaucoma patients don't ask about medication costs Less than one-third of patients with glaucoma talk to their doctor about the costs of medications needed to control their disease, reports a study in the December issue of Optometry and Vision Science, the official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.
	Under pressure: Novel technology to model pressure-induced cellular injuries in the brain Hundreds of thousands of patients from newborns to the elderly are forced to grapple with the devastation of brain injury each year, and unlike many diseases where certain demographics are protected, brain injury can happen to anyone, anytime and anywhere. Elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), which is a byproduct of the rigid skull in which the brain resides, is the primary cause of initial injury. High ICP in turn causes cellular injuries in the brain and additional neurological deficits beyond those associated with the initial insult. Although substantial research has been done on brain injuries, most of it focuses on patient outcomes after the primary insult and does not explore the secondary cellular injuries caused by persistent elevation of ICP or the mechanisms that underlie them. As a result, little is known about those mechanisms.
	Placenta consumption offers few benefits for new moms A groundbreaking study by UNLV researchers shows that taking placenta capsules has little to no effect on postpartum mood, maternal bonding, or fatigue, when compared to a placebo.
Young people in sub-Saharan Africa integral to shaping future HIV/AIDS policy Professor Piot's comments were made at the launch of a new policy paper published by LSHTM and the charity Sentebale to support governments, policy makers and NGOs in combatting the continuing high levels of HIV among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, including those infected from birth and those infected sexually.
US man's tattoo leaves doctors with life-or-death dilemma A Florida hospital faced an unsettling ethical quandary when paramedics brought in an unconscious patient with "Do Not Resuscitate" tattooed across his chest—leaving doctors grappling with whether the message accurately conveyed his end-of-life wishes.
	First baby from a uterus transplant in the US born in Dallas The first birth as a result of a womb transplant in the United States has occurred in Texas, a milestone for the U.S. but one achieved several years ago in Sweden.
Philippines 'prepared for worst' in dengue vaccine concerns The Philippines is prepared for a "worst-case scenario" following warnings that an anti-dengue vaccine administered to thousands of children may worsen the disease in some cases, a health official said Saturday.
	Marijuana use may not aid patients in opioid addiction treatment Many patients who are being treated for opioid addiction in a medication-assisted treatment clinic use marijuana to help manage their pain and mood symptoms.
New easy-to-use tool can help determine Alzheimer's risk, similar to pediatric growth curves A simple new tool that tracks cognitive performance in adults aims to help physicians identify people who may be on the path to Alzheimer disease or another form of dementia. The tool, called the QuoCo (cognitive quotient), is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Blood flow altered in brains of preterm newborns vs. full-term infants Cerebral blood flow (CBF) of key regions of newborns' brains is altered in very premature infants and may provide an early warning sign of disturbed brain maturation well before such injury is visible on conventional imaging, according to a prospective, observational study published Dec. 4, 2017 in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Patients only use about half of opioids prescribed after hysterectomy: study Doctors may be prescribing nearly twice the number of opioids than what the average patient needs after a hysterectomy, a new study suggests.
Dengue vaccine not deadly: Sanofi, Philippines A world-first dengue vaccination programme in the Philippines that was suspended over safety concerns will not cause anyone who was immunised to die, drug manufacturer Sanofi and local authorities said on Monday.
	UN voices alarm about spread of HIV in Egypt The U.N. is voicing alarm over the spread of HIV in Egypt, where the number of new cases is growing by up to 40 percent a year, and where efforts to combat the epidemic are hampered by social stigma and a lack of funding to address the crisis.
	FDA gives green light to Roche cancer test The US Food and Drug Administration has given the green light to Roche for its FoundationOne CDx personalised diagnostic cancer test, the Swiss group said Monday.
	Sanofi says it is cooperating with gov't on dengue vaccine The manufacturer of a dengue fever vaccine that was suspended in the Philippines after a new study showed a greater risk of severe cases in people without previous infection said Monday it is working with authorities to address fears and share the new information.
	Beyond Rx? CVS Health-Aetna deal may mean more services CVS Health wants to do much more than fill your prescription or jab your arm with an annual flu shot.
Higher risk of dying due to heart cell damage without any symptoms occurs during or after non-heart surgery Surgery that doesn't involve the heart may cause damage to the heart in people with known or at high risk of developing heart disease and was associated with an increased risk of death, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
An HIV test can be the first step to a healthy life On this World AIDS Day, health experts at Baylor College of Medicine are reminding everyone that knowing whether or not you are infected with HIV is the first step to living a healthy life.
	Stillbirth is not just stillbirth—more information is needed Forty two babies are stillborn in Australia every week, and 60 per cent of them are recorded as "unexplained".
	Researchers show aspirin added to cancer drug improves effectiveness Adding aspirin to some existing cancer drugs could increase their effectiveness against a group of tumours resistant to treatment, new research has shown.
	Smartphone app study finds label use lead to healthier food choices Research using a smartphone app has found people buy healthier foods if they use food labels.
	Vegetarian diets and health—the voice of science needs to be heard Are vegetarian diets the key to healthy aging, or could they be a risk to those who adopt them? These questions are a source of confusion for the general public, and for many scientists too. Why? Nutrition is a complex discipline and it struggles to provide simple answers to issues as broad as the relationships between a range of dietary practices and health outcomes. Are vegetarian diets good or bad? Can we tweet the answer in 140 characters or less?
	If your pet has this tapeworm, it could kill you Dogs are sending us an early warning signal about the spread of a potentially deadly tapeworm in North America.
	What is inflammation and how does it cause disease? Inflammation has a major impact on our health and quality of life. It's the trigger behind many chronic diseases and a growing burden affecting health care across the globe. But what is inflammation? And what causes it?
	Blocks are still the best present you can buy children for Christmas With Christmas looming, many people will be considering what present to buy for their children, nieces and nephews, grandchildren and friends. Soon, if not already, we will be reading lists of the top trending presents for 2017. These lists will no doubt include, and may even be totally dominated by, all the latest gadgets and devices.
	Four-fold jump in deaths in opioid-driven hospitalizations People who end up in the hospital due to an opioid-related condition are four times more likely to die now than they were in 2000, according to research led by Harvard Medical School and published in the December issue of Health Affairs.
Intestinal worms may solve allergy puzzle While young people with parasite worms currently have a four times higher risk for developing allergies and asthma than others. Their parents are generally unaffected.
	Experts call for age restrictions on the sale of energy drinks Research led by Newcastle University shows that around one in three young people say that they regularly consume energy drinks, which typically contain high levels of caffeine and sugar.
	Screening for cervical cancer to be revolutionised with HPV testing Groundbreaking technology patented by University of Sydney researchers will be used in the new National Cervical Screening Program to be implemented in Australia from 1 December 2017.
	Anti-malaria drug increases sensitivity of high-risk leukemic cells to targeted therapy St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have evidence that an anti-malaria drug sensitizes a high-risk subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) to treatment with a promising class of targeted drugs, raising hopes for more effective therapy. The findings appeared online this week in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
	Doctors could improve health by being aware of their patients' shame Doctors could improve patient's health if they were more aware of the serious impact shame has on the body, research suggests.
	Obese first-time mums more likely to have premature babies Obese women are up to three times more likely to have a premature child during their first pregnancy, according to a study from University College Dublin.
Shingles vaccine important for older adults Shingles, also referred to as herpes zoster, is a painful rash that develops as the result of reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). VZV is responsible for varicella infection, more commonly known as chicken pox.
	Scientists find new cultivation system to battle parasite causing diarrhoea A research team at the University has established the first long-term cultivation system at a laboratory scale for the parasite Cryptosporidium, one of the world's worst and most common causes of diarrhoea and death from diarrhoea.
Research proves learning is a lifelong process Change, often rapid and disorienting, is today's norm. Even things our grandparents took for granted – manual typewriters, telegrams, smelling salts, corsets – have disappeared into antique shops and museums. We change jobs and even careers many times in one lifetime. We travel more. It seems like we adapt to new technologies almost weekly.
	The benefits of fortifying flour with folic acid The UK Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, announced plans to halve the number of infant deaths, stillbirths and brain injuries by 2025. Yet successive UK governments have resisted expert advice to fortify flour with folic acid – including from the Food Standards Agency. This simple measure would prevent many serious birth defects, known as neural tube defects.
New approach to predict respiratory allergy in early childhood A new study in EBioMedicine by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the Medical University of Vienna, Austria suggests that immune response in early childhood to a handful of allergen molecules can predict the onset of allergic rhinitis and asthma in adolescence. These findings could accelerate the development of preventive strategies and novel treatments for respiratory allergy in children.
Traumatic stress interacts with bipolar disorder genetic risk to increase odds of suicide attempt Genetic susceptibility to bipolar disorder can increase the risk for suicide attempt, but only among those who also have experienced traumatic stress, reports a study published in the December 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).
Harvesting stem cells from amniotic fluid Amniotic fluid, the protective liquid surrounding an unborn baby, is discarded as medical waste during caesarean section deliveries. However, there is increasing evidence that this fluid is a source of valuable biological material, including stem cells with the potential for use in cell therapy and regenerative medicine. A team of scientists and clinicians at Lund University in Sweden have now developed a multi-step method, including a unique collection device and new cell harvesting and processing techniques, that enables term amniotic fluid to be safely harvested for large quantities of cells.
Open, honest talk about death does no harm Talking through bad news can be good for the doctor-patient relationship—debunking a common myth among patients, according to a study co-authored by the University of Rochester Medical Center's Wilmot Cancer Institute.
	Yelp reviewers take a dimmer view of nursing homes than the feds The stars are not aligned when it comes to online reviews of nursing homes.
New immunotherapy targets misshapen protein in rare childhood brain cancer Children with an extremely deadly form of brain cancer might benefit from a new treatment that aims to direct an immune response against an abnormally shaped protein found exclusively on cancer cells, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco researchers.
	Women are naturally more fit than men Women can process oxygen more quickly than men when they start to exercise, according to a new study from the University of Waterloo.
	Preemies' dads more stressed than moms after NICU For the first time, scientists have measured the stress levels of fathers of premature babies during the tense transition between the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and home and discovered fathers are more stressed than moms, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.
	When the nose doesn't know: Can loss of smell be repaired? Researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine, led by Dr. James E. Schwob, are examining the behavior of adult stem cells within the context of aging and, specifically, the sense of smell. As part of the normal aging process, older adults frequently experience a decline in their olfactory function, resulting in a compromised or complete loss of sense of smell. The loss of sense of smell—whether as a result of aging, medication, illness or injury—affects sense of taste; when the sense of smell is intact, it combines with the sense of taste to communicate the flavor of food. Smell loss in older adults reduces quality of life, compromises nutritional status, and puts the health and safety of the elderly at risk.
	How the UK smoking ban increased wellbeing Married women with children have benefited the most from the UK public smoking ban according to Lancaster University researchers in the UK.
	People with epilepsy may gain from common sleep apnea treatment (HealthDay)—It's been used by many people to help ease sleep apnea, but new research suggests the CPAP mask may also help ease seizures in people with epilepsy.
	Better balance at every age (HealthDay)—You probably take balance for granted, but it's a motor skill that benefits from training throughout life.
	For teens, vaping today may lead to smoking tomorrow (HealthDay)— The e-cigarette may not be just a "healthier alternative" to smoking for teens. New research shows that teens who vape may be more apt to use tobacco cigarettes later on.
	Poor agreement for practitioners in defining myofascial pain (HealthDay)—Health care practitioner groups differ regarding the signs and symptoms that define myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), according to a study published online Nov. 1 in Pain Practice.
	Storage in dose administration aids doesn't affect warfarin (HealthDay)—The chemical stability of warfarin sodium tablets is not affected by repackaging into dose administration aids (DAAs), according to a study published online Nov. 16 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
	Lower microbial diversity in the gut in anorexia nervosa (HealthDay)—Females with anorexia nervosa (AN) have lower gut microbial diversity, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
	Fat intake influences HbA1c-lowering effect in DPP4i therapy (HealthDay)—For individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), fat intake may contribute to the deterioration of the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)-lowering effects in dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i) monotherapy, according to a study published online Nov. 24 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
	Network density not linked to response in teen depression (HealthDay)—Adolescents with depression who are poor responders to treatment do not have more densely connected networks, according to a research letter published online Nov. 29 in JAMA Psychiatry.
	FDA approves once-monthly injection for opioid addiction (HealthDay)—Sublocade, a once-monthly injection of buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
	ACC guides treatment of bleeding with oral anticoagulation (HealthDay)—A decision pathway has been developed to guide management of acute bleeding in patients treated with oral anticoagulants (OACs); the decision pathway was published online Dec. 1 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Study IDs clinical factors tied to free tissue transfer reoperation (HealthDay)—Certain clinical factors, including wound complications, are associated with reoperation and prolonged hospitalization in patients undergoing free tissue transfer (FTT) for reconstruction related to head and neck cancer, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
	FDA approves biosimilar ogivri for breast, stomach cancers (HealthDay)—Ogivri (trastuzumab-dkst) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the nation's first biosimilar drug to treat certain breast and stomach cancers, the agency said Friday in a news release.
	Differences in cancer survival by type of insurance (HealthDay)—From 1997 to 2014, improvements in cancer survival were mainly limited to patients with private or Medicare insurance, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Oncology.
Physicians' experiences with family and friends impact breast cancer screening Results of a national survey of more than 800 physicians suggest that their experiences with patients, family members and friends with breast cancer are linked with their recommendations for routine mammograms. Specifically, physicians who reported knowing at least one patient, family member or friend with a poor breast cancer prognosis and who had not been screened were more likely to recommend routine screening for their younger and older patients, age groups where routine screening is controversial.
Study finds surrogate decision makers experience psychological distress Nearly half of the 13 million older adults hospitalized annually in the United States are unable to make their own medical decisions and rely on surrogates, usually close family members, to make decisions for them. However little is known about how these surrogates respond to the demands put upon them. A new study from the Indiana University Center for Aging Research and the Regenstrief Institute explores predictors and frequency of surrogate decision-maker distress and has found high levels of both anxiety and depression.
	A new role for an old protein in breast cancer Scientists led by Dr Chris Toseland of the University's School of Biosciences studied a protein called Myosin VI, a molecular motor which acts as a courier to transport other proteins within our cells. Myosin VI is highly present in many cancers yet the role is unclear.Dr Toseland's study to understand the role of Myosin VI found it was critical in the production of specific genes which are linked to cell growth and tumour development. This is particularly relevant to breast, ovarian, prostate and colon cancer.
	Will CVS-Aetna merger mean cheaper health care? (HealthDay)—U.S. consumers stand to benefit from CVS Health's planned purchase of insurance giant Aetna, executives from the two corporations say.
	Memory scores limited as Alzheimer's screening tool (HealthDay)—Low memory scores are an early marker of amyloid positivity, but have limited value as a screening measure for early Alzheimer's disease among persons without dementia, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in JAMA Psychiatry.
	Nivolumab may induce successful depletion of HIV reservoir (HealthDay)—Nivolumab treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer may induce successful depletion of HIV reservoir, according to a letter to the editor published online Dec. 1 in the Annals of Oncology.
	Doctor density linked to billing for dermatology procedures (HealthDay)—Higher dermatologist density is associated with increased use of dermatology procedures and billing to Medicare, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in JAMA Dermatology.
	Relevant health care price info hard to find online (HealthDay)—Overall, 17 percent of websites provide geographically relevant health care price estimates relating to specific interventions, according to a research letter published online Dec. 4 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Adherence to T2DM treatment varies across medication classes (HealthDay)—There is considerable variation in adherence across medication classes for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D), according to a review published online Nov. 14 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
	Risk of persistent opioid use a concern for youth after surgery (HealthDay)—Adolescents and young adults are at risk for persistent opioid use after surgery, and this represents an important pathway to consider in the epidemic of prescription opioid misuse, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in Pediatrics.
	Odds for carotid artery stenting in seniors up post-CREST era (HealthDay)—The odds of carotid artery stenting (CAS) have increased in the post-Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs Stenting Trial (CREST) era, despite safety concerns for patients older than 70 years, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in JAMA Neurology.
	Risk of surgical complications up for overlapping hip surgery (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing surgery for hip fracture or total hip arthroplasty (THA), overlapping surgery is associated with increased risk of surgical complications, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Blood pressure declines 14 to 18 years before death Blood pressure in the elderly gradually begins to decrease about 14 or so years before death, according to a new study published today in the JAMA Internal Medicine.
	PET identifies which prostate cancer patients can benefit from salvage radiation treatment For prostate cancer patients who have rising levels of PSA (a cancer indicator) even after radical prostatectomy, early treatment makes a difference. In a study featured in the December issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Australian researchers demonstrate that PET scans can identify which of these prostate cancer patients would benefit from salvage radiation treatment (SRT).
Opioid crisis: Criminal justice referrals miss treatment opportunities, study suggests A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that under 5 percent of those referred for opioid treatment from the criminal justice system were directed to medication-assisted programs to treat their disorder. Medication treatment, usually consisting of methadone or buprenorphine, both of which are opioids, helps control symptoms of withdrawal and cravings that can cause relapse. It is considered the most effective way to manage opioid misuse and reduce opioid-related harms such as overdose.
	Medicare shift to quality over quantity presents challenges A new study hints that even large physician practices may have trouble moving to a payment system that rewards quality of health care over quantity of services delivered. The analysis included data from the first year of a program run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and known as the Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier program.
Tanners who use sprays and lotions less prone to get tattoos and piercings than sunbathers People who often sunbathe or use tanning beds are more likely to try risky weight-loss methods and have cosmetic surgery, as well as get tattoos and piercings. But while people who seldom tan also may try unsafe diets and cosmetic surgery, they rarely opt for tattoos or piercings, according to a Baylor University study.
US provides most development assistance for health, but lags behind others in per person spending A new study finds that while the United States consistently has provided more funding for development assistance for health (DAH) than any other country, some high-income European nations have far surpassed the US's assistance in per capita and other expenditure measurements.
Researcher closes in on pathways involved in ALS disease It is estimated that between 14,000 and 15,000 Americans have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to the National Institutes of Health. Symptoms of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, may be subtle at first but develop into more obvious muscle weakness and paralysis. Recently, a University of Missouri researcher identified a potential target for therapeutics that may help to lessen the severity and progression of ALS. Researchers suggest that this same enzyme pathway also could help in the recovery of patients who have suffered strokes and other disorders.
	Medication errors for admitted patients drop when pharmacy staff take drug histories in ER When pharmacy professionals—rather than doctors or nurses—take medication histories of patients in emergency departments, mistakes in drug orders can be reduced by more than 80 percent, according to a study led by Cedars-Sinai.
How do doctors make decisions when managing care for critically and terminally ill patients? With the U.S. population aging rapidly, more resources are being dedicated to understanding how doctors make decisions while caring for critically ill, older patients at the end of their lives. If faced with an elderly, critically ill patient who has expressed the wish not to be intubated, for example, which factors affect the doctor's decision about whether to abide by the patient's preference? In a study recently published in Medical Decision Making, researchers from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and the University of Pittsburgh used a simulated patient encounter describing a man in his late 70's with metastatic cancer and worsening vital signs to study the decision-making process of 73 hospital-based physicians at three major academic mental centers.
World AIDS chief warns of risk for Africa's child brides The head of the UN's AIDS agency on Monday urged African countries to protect young women and children who are bearing the brunt of the continent's AIDS epidemic.
	Doctors: Over a year to see if uterus transplant successful It took well over a year to determine if a woman who received a womb transplant would become the first in the U.S. to give birth, transplant surgeons in Dallas said Monday.
US drugstore chain CVS to buy medical insurer Aetna for $69 billion US drugstore chain CVS Health announced Sunday it would buy medical insurer Aetna for about $69 billion, in a move that would create a new giant in the healthcare sector.
	Autism-linked gene stunts developing dendrites Increased expression of a gene linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) leads to a remodeling of dendrites during brain development, according to a new study conducted in cultured neurons and an ASD mouse model published in The Journal of Neuroscience. The research identifies a series of cellular and molecular events that may contribute to differences in neuronal connectivity that underlie the social and communication deficits observed in autism.
	Human-dog bond provides clue to treating social disorders The chemistry behind social behaviour in animals, including the bond between people and dogs – and the lack of one between humans and wolves – could help scientists identify new ways of treating social disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.
Tackling the high cost of prescription drugs The high cost of prescription drugs in the United States came under scrutiny in a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicines, "Making Medicines Affordable: A National Imperative," co-authored by Stanford Law Professor Michelle Mello (former Senator Jeff Bingaman, JD '68, co-chaired the committee). Published on November 30, the report aims to increase both affordability and accessibility to crucial—often lifesaving—drugs for Americans, with recommendations such as better government negotiated prices, quicker turnaround for generic drugs, and increased financial transparency for biopharmaceutical companies. In the discussion that follows, Mello explains some of the key challenges facing Americans in need of prescription drugs and key recommendations in the report.
The new tax bill will make Americans less healthy – and that's bad for the economy The new tax bill, passed by the Senate early Saturday, is not just about taxes. It has significant consequences for the American health care system – especially for the most vulnerable of our citizens.
	Levels of violence against women and girls in south Sudan among the highest in the world Armed conflict and displacement intensifies violence perpetrated against women and girls in South Sudan, a new UK aid-funded study released today by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the George Washington University's (GW) Global Women's Institute (GWI) reveals. Up to 65 percent of those interviewed had experienced either sexual or physical violence in their lifetime by an intimate partner or a non-partner, double the global average and among the highest levels of violence against women and girls in the world.
Vitamin C deficiency and mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease Early clinical features of sporadic Alzheimer's disease include alterations in mitochondrial function that appear prior to classical features. Mitochondrial dysfunction increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which then drive the production of Amyloid beta, creating a vicious cycle accelerating Alzheimer's pathology. Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant and thus, could be protective against disease pathology.
Testing apps to help stroke and brain injury patients Stroke and brain injury patients are being guided on the best choice of digital help thanks to students in the School of Health Professions at the University of Plymouth, in collaboration with a national network of healthcare professionals.
	Discovery of key molecules involved in severe malaria – new target for malaria vaccine Malaria is one of three major infectious diseases affecting approximately 300 million people every year, accounting for about 500,000 deaths, but effective vaccine development has not been successful. Among malaria parasites infecting humans, Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) causes especially severe disease. In addition, acquired immunity to malaria is inefficient, even after repeated exposures to P. falciparum, but the immune regulatory mechanisms used by P. falciparum remain largely unclear. Therefore, malaria parasites appear to have a mechanism to escape our immune system.
	New efforts to reduce lethal superbugs in hospitals show promise If you visit a doctor's surgery or hospital you may be asked to apply a hand sanitiser upon entry. Strict hand hygiene practices have become one of the most essential activities in the battle against reducing multi-drug resistant infections in hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare settings. But it's not enough – only 20-30% of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) are preventable by intensive hygiene and control programmes.
Report from NIA-sponsored conference asks: What don't we know about bladder control? Nearly 40 percent of older women and up to 35 percent of older men live with distressing urinary symptoms, including difficulty with bladder control and urinating (sometimes known as "voiding"), which often compromise quality of life and overall health. The lack of truly effective and safe therapies for these challenges stems from insufficient knowledge of the biological mechanisms for urinary control, the impact of aging and disease on urinary control, and the relationships of symptoms to urinary health and overall well-being, so say researchers reporting on a prestigious conference hosted by the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and funded by a grant from the National Institute of Aging (NIA) to George A. Kuchel, MD, FRCP, AGSF, Director of the UConn Center on Aging and Travelers Chair in Geriatrics and Gerontology at UConn Health.
	The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation: 50 years of heart transplantation progress This month marks the 50th anniversary of the world's firrst human heart transplant performed at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town by South African surgeon, Christiaan Barnard. He transplanted the heart of a 25-year-old woman into Louis Washkansky, a 53-year-old diabetes patient who was in severe heart failure. Today, over 5,000 heart transplants are performed each year globally, more than half of which are in the US. A special issue of The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation presents a chronicle of the major milestones in heart transplantation over the last 50 years.
	MeToo no more? (HealthDay)—From the hills of Hollywood to the halls of Congress, it's now clear that sexual harassment in the workplace has long been a fact of life for working women.
Serious risk of mental health crisis in Yemen, say experts Yemenis face serious mental health risks, but the issue is being neglected, says a new study released today by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the Sana'a Center for Strategic Studies, Columbia Law School's Human Rights Clinic. The groups announced the start of a groundbreaking new joint project to research and improve mental health in Yemen.
Durotomy: A common complication of spinal surgery—and an important factor in some malpractice cases Incidental durotomy—small tears of the outer membrane of the spinal cord—are a common occurrence in spinal surgery, and may lead to litigation. Most malpractice cases associated with dural tear end in a ruling in favor of the surgeon, reports a study in the journal Spine.
Community health center funding cliff could cause more than 100,000 jobs to be lost If the Community Health Center Fund is not restored, millions of patients served by community health centers may lose access to crucial health care and up to 161,000 jobs could be lost in communities across the nation. That's the conclusion of an analysis produced by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH).

Biology news

	Pigeons can discriminate both space and time Pigeons aren't so bird-brained after all. New research at the University of Iowa shows that pigeons can discriminate the abstract concepts of space and time—and seem to use a different region of the brain than humans and primates to do so. In experiments, pigeons were shown on a computer screen a static horizontal line and had to judge its length or the amount of time it was visible to them. Pigeons judged longer lines to also have longer duration and judged lines longer in duration to also be longer in length.
	Study shows genetic differences between uptown and downtown rats living in Manhattan (Phys.org)—A small team of researchers from Fordham University and Providence College, both in the U.S., has found that there are small but discernible genetic differences between rats living uptown versus downtown on the island of Manhattan. In their paper published in the journal Molecular Ecology, the group describes trapping rats from one end of the island to the other, conducting genetic tests on them and outlining what they found.
	Medium-sized carnivores most at risk from environmental change In a surprise ecological finding, researchers discover medium-sized carnivores spend the most time looking for food, making them vulnerable to change.
	Invasive plants have unprecedented ability to pioneer new continents and climates It's no secret that globalization, aided by climate change, is helping invasive species gain a foothold across the planet. What came as something of a surprise to Virginia Tech researchers was just how mutable these invaders are.
	In mongoose society, immigrants are a bonus—when given time to settle in Researchers studying wild dwarf mongooses have provided insight into what happens when immigrants join a new group. The study in Current Biology on December 4 shows that, initially, recent immigrants rarely serve as lookout, which means they provide little information to help the rest of the group. Even when they do act cooperatively, their new groupmates tend to ignore what they have to offer. But, within five months, the new arrivals become fully integrated and valued members within mongoose society.
	Subtle cues can dictate the fate of stem cells If you've seen one GSK3 molecule, do not assume that you have seen them all. A new study in Developmental Cell reveals important differences in two similar forms of GSK3, which, in excess, is implicated in diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and ALS.
	Crop gene discovery gets to the root of food security Researchers from The University of Queensland have discovered that a key gene which controls flowering time in wheat and barley crops also directs the plant's root growth.
	Scientists track sharks picking DNA fragments from the sea Marine ecologists have shown that traces of DNA in the sea can be used to monitor shark populations.
	Surprise in the kangaroo family tree – an outsider is a close relative, after all Ironically, it is jumping genes that indicate the need for a reorganization of the kangaroos' phylogenetic tree. According to a new study by a Senckenberg scientist, published recently in the journal Scientific Reports, the swamp wallaby is more closely related to the remaining wallaby species and the large red and grey kangaroos and wallaroos than previously assumed. Together with her Australian colleagues from QUT in Brisbane, the researcher was the first to examine the relationships within the kangaroo genus Macropus on the basis of retrotransposons, genes that literally jump across the genetic material.
	Chance record of an annual mass emergence of enigmatic mantis-flies Being neither mantids nor flies, the peculiar mantis-flies are in fact predatory lacewings which use their mantis-like forelegs to catch prey. While most mantis-flies are known to feed on spider eggs in their immature stages, the larval lifestyle of one subfamily—the Drepanicinae—has remained a mystery.
	Research reveals how cells rebuild after mitosis When cells divide, they need to rebuild their nucleus and organise their genome. New collaborative research from the University of Bristol demonstrates how cells achieve this through the unexpected deployment of filamentous actin (F-actin) to the nucleus.
	Research suggests gorillas can develop food cleaning behaviour spontaneously Researchers from the University of Birmingham, University of Tubingen and University of St. Andrews have suggested that gorillas are capable of learning food cleaning behaviours without having to witness it in others first.
	Important foraging hotspots for loggerhead turtle rookery identified UCF alumna Simona Ceriani today published a new study that finds sea turtles are what they eat - but where they eat may be even more important.
	Computer simulations reveal roots of drug resistance New supercomputer simulations have revealed the role of transport proteins called efflux pumps in creating drug-resistance in bacteria, research that could lead to improving the drugs' effectiveness against life-threatening diseases and restoring the efficacy of defunct antibiotics.
	Researchers discover how plants respond to changes in light at the molecular level Plants don't have eyes, but they do "see" their surroundings using light.
	Arctic, major fishing nations agree no fishing in Arctic, for now Arctic and major fishing nations, including China, announced Friday that they have agreed to a moratorium on commercial fishing in Arctic waters before a fishery in the icy region is even feasible.
	Virtual reality for bacteria Scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) have managed to control the behavior of individual bacteria by connecting them to a computer. The interdisciplinary team including experimental biologist Remy Chait and mathematician Jakob Ruess (now at the Institut Pasteur and Inria Saclay in France), as well as Professors Calin Guet and Gasper Tkacik, used the setup to build a genetic circuit that is partly living and partly digital. In the experimental proof of concept, they made gene expression in bacteria oscillate, and controlled the patterns of oscillation by adjusting digital communication between individual bacteria. A potential application of such bio-digital hybrid technology could make it possible to "debug" complex biological systems in the same way complex computer codes are debugged: by testing each part individually while simulating its surroundings in a form of virtual reality.
	How dormant listeria hides in cells A serious infection of dietary origin that is caused by the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, listeriosis is associated with severe clinical symptoms and a high mortality rate in individuals with weakened immune systems. INRA scientists, working in collaboration with their colleagues at the Institut Pasteur, have demonstrated the novel capacity of L. monocytogenes to generate dormant intracellular forms that could be harboured, unsuspected, by hosts. These findings are published on Nov. 30, 2017 in PLoS Pathogens.
The function of many proteins remains unclear The DNA of every organism holds the blueprints for building all the proteins it needs for its metabolic processes. While researchers already know what the blueprints look like for most proteins, they do not know what many of these proteins actually do in the body.
Beetles' bright colors used for camouflage instead of warning off predators Yale-NUS College Postdoctoral Fellow Eunice Tan has discovered that the bright colour patterns of beetles are not a warning signal to predators as previously believed, but actually a form of camouflage, turning an old assumption on its head. Dr Tan, along with four collaborators from Australia and Spain, examined 51 species of Australian leaf beetles in their natural habitats, and discovered that each beetle's colour pattern is similar to the host plants that the beetle lives on, suggesting that those conspicuous colours help the beetle blend in with the plants it inhabits. The study was recently published as an open-access article in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.
	Entomologist discovers invertebrate that comes in more color combinations than any other The new millipede that Paul Marek discovered is as pretty as it is dangerous.
Brigitte Macron fetes first panda born in France Named "godmother" to France's first panda cub in August, French First Lady Brigitte Macron helped baptise her fluffy charge on Monday in one of her most high-profile outings since her husband's election.

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