Science X Newsletter Thursday, Dec 21

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 21, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Study finds online interest in sex rises at Christmas, with more births nine months later

Scientists have isolated the very first rust pathogen gene that wheat plants detect to 'switch on' resistance

Study shows cities with bad traffic may be more resilient to disruptive events

Study of beetle flagellum offers possible way to improve medical devices

DNA bricks enable self-assembly of 3-D nanostructures from 10,000 unique components

A glucose testing patch that doesn't require pricking the skin

Team in Japan creates most advanced humanoid robot yet

Researchers solve 'four-phonon' thermal-conductivity obstacle key to tech applications

Researchers demonstrate high-quality optical microstructures using lithium niobate

New study finds 'winking' star may be devouring wrecked planets

Machine-learning system finds patterns in materials 'recipes,' even when training data is lacking

Memristors power quick-learning neural network

Team maps magnetic fields of bacterial cells and nano-objects for the first time

Researchers get first complete look at protein behind sense of touch

Fluorescent nanomedicine can guide tumor removal, kill remaining cancer cells

Astronomy & Space news

	New study finds 'winking' star may be devouring wrecked planets A team of U.S. astronomers studying the star RZ Piscium has found evidence suggesting its strange, unpredictable dimming episodes may be caused by vast orbiting clouds of gas and dust, the remains of one or more destroyed planets.
	NASA reveals finalists for next New Frontiers robotic mission: Saturn's moon Titan or Rosetta spacecraft's comet The field for NASA's next New Frontiers mission is narrowing. Officials announced the two finalists for a new robotic explorer mission—one that would send a spacecraft to bring samples of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko to Earth, and another to explore Saturn's moon Titan.
	ESA's next satellite propelled by butane ESA's next miniature satellite will be its first able to change orbit. Thanks to a compact thruster resembling a butane cigarette lighter, the cereal box-sized satellite will fly around its near-twin to test their radio communications.
	Discovery of neutron star collision is 'breakthrough' of 2017 The world's first-ever detection of two faraway neutron stars colliding, causing a massive blast that rippled through the fabric of space and time, was judged the scientific breakthrough of 2017, the journal Science said Thursday.
	Piezoelectric lighter hovering above South Pole may help pinpoint mystery source of cosmic energy Soaring some 23 miles over the South Pole, a University of Kansas experiment slung from a high-altitude weather balloon is calculating how the surface of Antarctica reflects radio signals caused by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.
	A century of galaxy discrimination revealed by giant European astronomy survey A huge European astronomy survey, whose results are released today (21 December 2017), has revealed that the view of the Universe provided by traditional optical telescopes is seriously biased.

Technology news

	Study shows cities with bad traffic may be more resilient to disruptive events New research by scientists at Northeastern University shows that cities with bad traffic under normal conditions may actually be more efficient at handling adverse events, like accidents and storms. Conversely, some cities with typically low traffic congestion become severely backed-up under the pressure of these disruptive scenarios.
	A glucose testing patch that doesn't require pricking the skin A team of researchers from Tsinghua University working with People's Liberation Army Air Force General Hospital, both in China, has developed a two-stage patch that can be used to test glucose levels. In their paper published on the open access site Science Advances, the group describes their patch system and how it fared in a small sample test with volunteer human patients.
	Team in Japan creates most advanced humanoid robot yet A team of researchers at the University of Tokyo has created what appears to be the most advanced humanoid robot yet—actually two of them, one called Kenshiro the other Kengoro. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the team describes working to make robots that are as similar to humans as possible and demonstrates what their two latest models can do.
	Machine-learning system finds patterns in materials 'recipes,' even when training data is lacking Last month, three MIT materials scientists and their colleagues published a paper describing a new artificial-intelligence system that can pore through scientific papers and extract "recipes" for producing particular types of materials.
	Memristors power quick-learning neural network A new type of neural network made with memristors can dramatically improve the efficiency of teaching machines to think like humans.
	Mobile Trojan Loapi is one powerful nuisance A newly discovered malware by Kaspersky Lab researchers is so aggressive it can harm phones physically.
	Machine learning will change jobs—impact on economy could surpass that of previous AI applications Machine learning computer systems, which get better with experience, are poised to transform the economy much as steam engines and electricity have in the past. They can outperform people in a number of tasks, though they are unlikely to replace people in all jobs.
Computational method improves the resolution of time-of-flight depth sensors 1,000-fold For the past 10 years, the Camera Culture group at MIT's Media Lab has been developing innovative imaging systems—from a camera that can see around corners to one that can read text in closed books—by using "time of flight," an approach that gauges distance by measuring the time it takes light projected into a scene to bounce back to a sensor.
	High-speed internet to bring big change in remote Alaska Jeff Kowunna used his drone to record this year's celebration of another successful bowhead whaling harvest for one of the oldest Alaska Native settlements.
	Apple confirms: Your iPhone does get slower with age "Is my iPhone getting slower?"
	'Listening' drone helps find victims needing rescue in disasters "Robot audition" is a research area that was proposed by Adjunct Professor Kazuhiro Nakadai of Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and Professor Hiroshi G. Okuno of Waseda University in 2000. Until then, robots had not been able to recognize voices unless a microphone was near a person's mouth. Development of "robot ears" began advancing with the idea that robots, like humans, should hear sound with their own ears. The entry barrier for this research area was high, since it involves a combination of signal processing, robotics, and artificial intelligence. However, vigorous activities since its proposal, including the publication of open source software, culminated in its official registration as a research area in 2014 by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS), the largest community for robot research.
	Samsung now mass-producing industry's first 2nd-generation, 10-nanometer class DRAM Samsung Electronics announced today that it has begun mass producing the industry's first 2nd-generation of 10-nanometer class (1y-nm), 8-gigabit (Gb) DDR4 DRAM. For use in a wide range of next-generation computing systems, the new 8Gb DDR4 features the highest performance and energy efficiency for an 8Gb DRAM chip, as well as the smallest dimensions.
	The inflatable bridge A wildlife crossing over the upcoming Koralm railway is being built using a new construction technique developed by TU Wien. Traditional support structures are replaced by an air cushion.
	New photovoltaic production technique reduces cost while boosting stability Perovskite solar cells are cheap to produce and simple to manufacture. Improving their efficiency, as one EU-backed project has just done, makes them an ever-more compelling alternative source of energy.
	Facebook changing how it identifies 'fake news' stories Facebook says it is changing how it identifies "fake news" stories on its platform to a more effective system.
	Got a toy that can spy? Here's how to know and what to do The toys your kids unwrap this Christmas could invite hackers into your home.
Lithuania bans Kaspersky software over security fears Lithuania will ban Moscow-based cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab's products from computers managing key energy, finance and transport systems due to security concerns, authorities said Thursday.
	Facebook signs deal with music label Universal Music Facebook and record label Universal Music Group have signed a multiyear deal that will let Facebook users share videos that have the label's music in them.
Facebook ads targeting younger workers discriminate against older workers, lawsuit alleges Amazon, T-Mobile and hundreds of companies and employment agencies are being sued for age discrimination for placing recruiting ads on Facebook that target younger workers.
Unhackable computer under development with DARPA grant By turning computer circuits into unsolvable puzzles, a University of Michigan team aims to create an unhackable computer with a new $3.6 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
New research and tools help Internet of Things applications adapt better In a society built on communication and Internet of Things, computer systems that can adapt to changing circumstances instead of crashing become ever more important. Muhammad Usman Iftikhar's research sheds important light on how one can guarantee that a self-adaptive system is able to achieve its goals.
	Home Depot's online push continues with Company Store buy Home Depot is buying online retailer The Company Store, moving forward with aggressive plans to protect itself from competitors like Amazon.com.
	FCC proposes $13.4M fine for TV-station owner Sinclair The Federal Communications Commission has proposed a $13.4 million fine on TV-station owner Sinclair for not identifying paid programming as advertising.

Medicine & Health news

	FDA-approved high blood pressure drug extends life span in roundworms UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers find that an FDA-approved drug to treat high blood pressure seems to extend life span in worms via a cell signaling pathway that may mimic caloric restriction.
	Weekly fish consumption linked to better sleep, higher IQ, study finds Children who eat fish at least once a week sleep better and have IQ scores that are 4 points higher, on average, than those who consume fish less frequently or not at all, according to new findings from the University of Pennsylvania published this week in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal.
	Physicists negate century-old assumption regarding neurons and brain activity Neurons are the basic computational building blocks that compose our brain. Their number is approximately one Tera (trillion), similar to Tera-bits in midsize hard discs. According to the neuronal computational scheme, which has been used for over a century, each neuron functions as a centralized excitable element. The neuron accumulates its incoming electrical signals from connecting neurons through several terminals, and generates a short electrical pulse, known as a spike, when its threshold is reached.
	Unifying the theories of neural information encoding Digital video cameras have the capability to record in incredible detail, but saving all that data would take up a huge amount of space. Researchers seek new methods to compress video—that is, remove information—in such a way that the difference is undetectable when it is played back. Similarly, in daily life, people are flooded with visual information, but the neurons in eyes have certain constraints—just like data engineers. Thus, given this rich set of stimuli, how do neurons select what to extract and send on to the brain? Neuroscientists have been asking this question for decades, and had previously used several theories to explain and predict what neurons will do in certain situations.
	Inflammation drives progression of Alzheimer's According to a study published in the journal Nature by scientists of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the University of Bonn, inflammatory mechanisms caused by the brain's immune system drive the progression of Alzheimer's disease. These findings, which rely on a series of laboratory experiments, provide new insights into pathogenetic mechanisms that are believed to hold potential for tackling Alzheimer's before symptoms manifest. The researchers envision that one day, this may lead to new treatments.
	Leukaemia treatment can be made more effective by using a drug for iron overload Chemotherapy for one type of leukaemia could be improved by giving patients a drug currently used to treat an unrelated condition, new research shows.
	Hunting for immune cells' cancer targets By screening millions of molecular targets, researchers have uncovered a tumor beacon detected by the immune cells of two patients with colorectal cancer.
	New technique could reveal immunotherapy targets, study finds Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and their colleagues have developed a way to pinpoint potential targets for cancer therapies that rely on the body's immune system.
	A PSA from your gut microbes: Enjoy the holidays but don't forget your fiber Anyone watching their waistline this holiday season may want to pay attention to what their gut bacteria are eating. It's not just calories that matter in a healthy diet—it's fiber that resists digestion by the body but is readily eaten by bacteria in the gut. The amount of fiber in someone's diet can influence weight gain, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and colon health. Two studies with mice, publishing December 21 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, help shed light on how and why fiber has such a powerful effect on the entire body.
	Gut reaction: Repeated food poisoning triggers chronic disease A startling discovery published today in the journal Science reveals how your past history of minor bacterial infections can add up with age to cause a severe inflammatory disease.
	Short-term exercise equals big-time brain boost A 10-minute, one-time burst of exercise can measurably boost your brain power, at least temporarily, researchers at Western University in London, Canada, have found.
	Getting straight to the heart of the matter in stem cells The process by which embryonic stem cells develop into heart cells is a complex process involving the precisely timed activation of several molecular pathways and at least 200 genes. Now, Salk Institute scientists have found a simpler way to go from stem cells to heart cells that involves turning off a single gene.
Neurosexuality needs to be better addressed in patients with neurodisabilities For people with brain disorders, whether from injury or disease, rehabilitation is a complex process. Neurosexuality is an emerging area of study and practice that focuses on the relationships between brain and sexual function in individuals with and without neurological disorders. Experts on the subject, reporting in NeuroRehabilitation, discuss how sexuality can affect neurorehabilitation in patients suffering from a range of conditions, from stroke and spinal cord injuries to sexual behavior in patients with dementia.
	Researchers find key to making transplant rejection a thing of the past Houston Methodist researchers have cracked a code in T-cells that could make autoimmune diseases and organ transplant rejection a thing of the past.
	Two surgical approaches equal in treating infection-caused hydrocephalus Implanting a shunt or endoscopically reducing intracranial pressure and reducing fluid production are equally effective in treating infants with hydrocephalus caused by brain infections, according to an international team of researchers, but endoscopy may have fewer down-the-line complications.
New test shows when body is fighting a virus A new test that measures RNA or protein molecules in human cells can accurately identify viral infection as a cause of respiratory symptoms, according to a Yale study. Performed with a simple nasal swab, the test could prove to be a quicker, cheaper way to diagnose respiratory viral illnesses than current methods, the researchers said.
Teens exposed to drug use, mental distress, violence at risk for HIV in adulthood The psychological and social risks that adolescents experience can have a lasting impact on adulthood.
	Diet low in specific amino acids may be the key to weight loss A worldwide epidemic of diabetes and obesity has led many individuals to try to lose weight by dieting - but reduced-calorie diets are notoriously difficult to maintain. New research published in the Journal of Physiology indicates that lowering consumption of specific building blocks of proteins (amino acids) may combat the metabolic problems that occur in diabetes and obesity.
	More tumor mutations equals higher success rate with cancer immunotherapy drugs The mutational burden, or the number of mutations present in a tumors DNA, is a good predictor of whether that cancer type will respond to a class of cancer immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors, a new study led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers shows. The finding, published in the Dec. 21 New England Journal of Medicine, could be used to guide future clinical trials for these drugs.
	Diet rich in apples and tomatoes may help repair lungs of ex-smokers, study suggests A study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found the natural decline in lung function over a 10-year period was slower among former smokers with a diet high in tomatoes and fruits, especially apples, suggesting certain components in these foods might help restore lung damage caused by smoking.
New recall of Lactalis baby milk over salmonella fears French baby-milk maker Lactalis on Thursday ordered the recall of all of the production of one of its factories since February over fears of possible contamination with salmonella.
	US woman delivers baby from embryo frozen for 24 years An American woman has given birth to a healthy baby girl from an embryo that was frozen a quarter century ago, in what hospital officials say may be a world record.
Philippines probes deaths after dengue vaccine suspended Philippine officials are investigating whether three deaths were linked to an anti-dengue vaccine that the country's regulators have suspended, health officials said Thursday.
	Mental stress-induced constricted blood vessels more likely in women In women with heart disease, constriction of peripheral vessels during mental stress affects the heart circulation more than men's, potentially raising women's risk of heart-related events and death, according to new research in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, an American Heart Association journal.
Scrubbing homes of allergens may tame asthma and its costs After years of studying the causes of asthma, a pediatrician-turned-public health sleuth thinks there's a way to substantially reduce its impact.
	Researchers map molecular interaction that prevents aggressive breast cancer Researchers in Italy have discovered how specific versions of a protein called Numb protect the key tumor suppressor p53 from destruction. The study, which will be published December 21 in the Journal of Cell Biology, suggests that the loss of these particular Numb proteins makes breast cancers more aggressive and resistant to chemotherapy, but points the way toward new therapeutic approaches that could improve patient outcome by preserving p53 levels.
Protein analysis allows for treatment of eye-disease symptoms with existing drugs Demonstrating the potential of precision health, a team led by a researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine has matched existing drugs to errant proteins expressed by patients with a rare eye disease.
	Team develops more accurate tool to track new HIV infections Researchers at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute have led an effort to develop a more accurate way to gauge the incidence of HIV infections in large populations, which will improve research and prevention strategies worldwide.
Team engineers anti-inflammatory antibodies that may treat autoimmune disease A team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has found a way to engineer antibodies within an organism, converting autoantibodies that attack "self" tissues into anti-inflammatory antibodies in animal models of two autoimmune diseases. The researchers' report will be published in the January 25 issue of Cell and has been released online.
	Tumor growth parameters predict response to anti-angiogenic therapy in mice Using a mathematical modeling approach, scientists have found that certain parameters of tumor growth in mice can predict the effectiveness of drugs that block formation of tumor-nourishing blood vessels. The findings are published in PLOS Computational Biology.
	Anti-virus protein in humans may resist transmission of HIV-1 precursor from chimps In humans, an anti-virus protein known as APOBEC3H may defend against cross-species transmission from chimpanzees of the virus that gave rise to HIV-1. Zeli Zhang of Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany, and colleagues present this finding in a new PLOS Pathogens study.
	Vampire bat rabies kills hundreds of cattle a year in Peru The vampire bat is known to be the principle reservoir of rabies throughout Latin America, yet the burden of vampire bat-transmitted rabies on human lives and livestock has been largely anecdotal. Now, researchers have calculated that, in Peru, more than 500 cattle a year die of rabies. The new study, which also detailed risk factors, appears in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Medicaid expansion leads to increase in early-stage cancer diagnoses The Affordable Care Act led to an increase in the number of cancer diagnoses—particularly those at early stages—in states where Medicaid was expanded, according to research from Indiana University.
Patients have an important voice in shaping kidney disease research and treatment In an effort to provide patients the opportunity to share practical health consumer perspectives, the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) is including Patient Voice editorials that will accompany certain journal articles. In the first editorial, Paul T. Conway, a past recipient of the ASN President's medal, highlights 2 CJASN articles that focus on patient comprehension of how treatments align with their individual interests.
Researchers find increase in global mortality rates associated with seasonal flu A multinational study that analyzed data from 47 countries over 15 years shows a worldwide increase in annual deaths caused by seasonal influenza-related respiratory illnesses. Published in The Lancet, the study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and global partners in collaboration with Emory's Rollins School of Public Health.
Skin immunization by microneedle patch overcomes statin-induced suppression of flu vaccine response in mice Statin therapy is prescribed for 20 percent of the US population over the age of 40 and nearly 50 percent of the population over 75 years old to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering blood cholesterol levels. Although statins have become a common treatment for elderly individuals at risk of coronary disease, the impact of statin use on immune responses to vaccines has been given little attention.
Sorting patient messages automatically Secure messaging is a popular feature of patient portals, the web-based applications providers use to engage patients.
	New ovarian cancer drug licensed for use A new drug to delay the spread of ovarian cancer, which was developed from UCL research, has been licensed for use in the UK.
	Eggs improve biomarkers related to infant brain development Feeding eggs to infants could provide them with key nutrients for better brains.
	Religion may alter your psychology, even if you're a non-believer Sick of tinsel, carols and talk of virgin birth?
	Singing in groups could make you happier Singing in groups could make you happier – according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).
	Laser shoes prevent 'freezing' in Parkinson patients Freezing of gait, an absence of forward progression of the feet despite the intention to walk, is a debilitating symptom of Parkinson's disease. Laser shoes that project a line on the floor to the rhythm of the footsteps help trigger the person to walk. The shoes benefit the wearer significantly, according to research by the University of Twente and Radboud university medical center, which will be published on December 20 in Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Timely research on barriers for male victims of sexual violence As the #metoo conversation continues, another group of victims is being recognized: men. A recently published paper in the American Journal of Men's Health shows that some men who have experienced sexual violence are hesitant to speak out or seek help.
	Why parents should check twice before offering holiday sweets Over the holidays, most families will indulge in sugary treats. But before you offer your child a candy cane or chocolate coin, consider what research tells us about how kids perform in math is affected by what they eat for lunch – and consider making some new holiday traditions.
	Could an experimental brain surgery make you happier? It was a gloomy, rainy October day in 2007 when Kathryn began to see in colour again. This day marked the moment she started to recover —from a 19-year battle with a profoundly disabling treatment-resistant depression.
	The real secret to a healthy holiday season? Ease up on yourself, expert says We've all been there. The holiday reading is done, the leftover feast is ready for the compost and the scale is showing a new, higher, number. Regret and guilt is setting in.
	Personality trait shares genetic link with depression Scientists analysed the DNA of over 300,000 people and found many genes linked to neuroticism – characterised by feelings of anxiety, worry and guilt. The genes are also linked to depression. The findings help shed light on the causes of depression – which affects one in five people – and could provide information to help better diagnosis and treatment for individuals, scientists say.
	Speaking to the 'beat' of your conversation partner gives mutual connection In a conversation between two people, it is not only what you say that matters, and whether you interrupt the other speaker, but also, at times, whether you say something to 'the beat' of the conversation partner. Being in sync with somebody is therefore not merely an expression, it is a genuine sign of mutual connection (affiliation) in spoken conversation. That is the conclusion of linguist Anne van Leeuwen in her doctoral thesis titled "Right on time: synchronization, overlap, and affiliation in conversation." She defended her doctoral thesis on Friday 15 December at Utrecht University. Her research was funded from the NWO Talent Scheme (Vici of Prof. Jos van Berkum).
	A (scientific) defence of the Brussels sprout Brussels sprouts, like their European namesake, divide opinion. Some people embrace the flavour and familiarity of the small green vegetable. To others, they are an object of derision and disgust.
	Sensor-enhanced surgical robot enables highly precise and safe spinal operations Researchers from the University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology develop a high-precision, sensor-based surgical robot for spinal operations together with industry partners. Their project is being funded with two million Swiss francs, sponsored by the "BRIDGE" programme of the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Commission for Technology and Innovation.
	Increased physical fitness may offset cognitive deterioration in dementia Physical fitness is associated with better cognitive performance in older adults with dementia, according to a new study from UCL.
	Cholera: worst epidemics of past decade The cholera epidemic in Yemen, where it is afflicting one million people according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, ranks among the world's worst of the past decade.
	U.S. life expectancy drops as opioid deaths surge (HealthDay)—The opioid epidemic continues to chip away at the average American life span, federal health officials reported Thursday.
	Choosing safe toys for the holidays (HealthDay)—When trying to choose the perfect toys for kids this holiday, consider the age of the child first, a leading pediatricians' group says.
	Squeezing in exercise over the holidays (HealthDay)—With a hectic holiday schedule, exercise often falls by the wayside. But finding ways to sneak in activity will help you avoid weight gain and ease some of the stress this season can bring, according to University of Maryland researchers.
	Herpes zoster risk not up in systemically treated psoriasis (HealthDay)—For patients with psoriasis, the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) is not significantly increased for systemically treated patients or for those receiving biologics versus nonbiologics, according to a research letter published online Dec. 20 in JAMA Dermatology.
	C7 nerve transfer improves function in spastic arm paralysis (HealthDay)—C7 nerve transfer is beneficial for patients with unilateral arm paralysis for more than five years, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
New class of anti-cancer drug effective against kidney cancer Metastatic kidney cancer remains largely incurable. Despite a dozen treatments and several immunotherapies, survival rates beyond 5 years remain around 10 percent. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reports initial findings with a novel drug belonging to a new class of medicines called HIF-2a inhibitors that show promise in treating metastatic kidney cancer.
	Medications alone don't help smokers quit, study finds Pharmaceutical interventions are routinely prescribed to help people quit smoking. However, a new study by University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers suggests that, despite promising results in clinical trials, smoking cessation drugs alone may not be improving the chances of successful quitting among smokers in general.
	Technology not taking over children's lives despite screen-time increase With children spending increasing amounts of time on screen-based devices, there is a common perception that technology is taking over their lives, to the detriment and exclusion of other activities. However, new Oxford University research has revealed that as digital past-times have become intertwined with daily life, children have adapted their behaviours to include their devices.
	Resolving to have a happier, healthier 2018? Reshape your body attitudes Put together a list of New Year's resolutions yet?
	Another test to help clinicians diagnose asthma more accurately Although about 24 million Americans are diagnosed with asthma every year, there is no single test that can diagnose the disease. Common symptoms, such as shortness of breath, wheezing, and cough, are relatively nonspecific, and physicians may use multiple tests and observations to reach an accurate diagnosis. In order to assess the accuracy and reliability of one of these tests that can be added to the clinician's toolbox to diagnose asthma - fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) concentration - researchers gathered and analyzed data from previous peer-reviewed studies. They conclude that the FeNO test has moderate accuracy for patients aged 5 and older. Their results are reported in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
	Deep brain stimulation linked to longer survival for Parkinson's patients A treatment called deep brain stimulation (DBS) could extend the life of people with Parkinson's disease. Researchers at the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital in Illinois found that patients who received stimulation via an implanted device had a modest survival advantage compared with those treated with medication only.
	Brain waves may predict and potentially prevent epilepsy Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers have discovered a promising biomarker for predicting and potentially preventing epileptic seizures in patients with brain injuries using EEG (electroencephalographic) recordings of theta brain waves.
	As income rises, women get slimmer—but not men (HealthDay)—A comprehensive survey on the widening American waistline finds that as paychecks get bigger, women's average weight tends to drop.
	Keeping the holidays allergy and asthma-free (HealthDay)—Allergies and asthma can be worse than the Grinch when it comes to ruining your holiday spirit.
	Methotrexate, azathioprine seem safe long-term for dermatitis (HealthDay)—Methotrexate and azathioprine appear to be effective and safe as maintenance treatments in moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis for up to five years, according to research published online Dec. 13 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
	Pioglitazone associated with lower blood leptin in diabetes (HealthDay)—Compared to placebo, pioglitazone is associated with significantly lower blood leptin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a meta-analysis published online Dec. 1 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
	Cancer probability documentation lacking for some at high risk (HealthDay)—For patients with high-risk indeterminate pulmonary nodes (IPNs), physicians rarely provide quantitative documentation of cancer probability, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in JAMA Surgery.
	Interruption of apixaban doesn't impact bleeding in A-fib (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing catheter ablation for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF), both uninterrupted and minimally interrupted apixaban are associated with a very low rate of thromboembolic events, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.
	Varenicline linked to reduction in heavy drinking in men (HealthDay)—Varenicline is associated with reduced heavy drinking among men and with increased smoking abstinence, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Selective suppression of inflammation could deplete HIV and control HIV activation A class of anti-inflammatory drugs already FDA-approved for rheumatoid arthritis could "purge" the reservoir of infected immune cells in people infected by HIV, according to new research.
	G-quadruplex regulates breast cancer-associated gene For breast cancer, carrying protein CD44s, instead of CD44v, has a survival advantage. Researchers have now discovered a mechanism by which cells can regulate switching between the two proteins, opening options for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to control cancer growth in the future. The study appears in the journal Genes & Development.
Multifunctional protein contributes to blood cell development Like an actor who excels at both comedy and drama, proteins also can play multiple roles. Uncovering these varied talents can teach researchers more about the inner workings of cells. It also can yield new discoveries about evolution and how proteins have been conserved across species over hundreds of millions of years.
	Researchers propose new term for the role of microbiota in neurodegeneration Research in the past two decades has revealed that microbial organisms in the gut influence health and disease in many ways, particularly related to immune function, metabolism and resistance to infection. Recent studies have shown that gut microbes also may cause or worsen Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Small Ontario municipalities least prepared to support aging adults Small municipalities in Ontario are less likely than larger centres to be able to accommodate the needs of their aging populations, according to a report from the University of Waterloo.
After obesity surgery, general practice should do more follow-up with patients on key areas The number of obesity (bariatric) surgery operations performed yearly worldwide has increased by five times over the past 15 years, peaking close to 200,000 procedures in 2017. New guidelines released by the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), published in its journal Obesity Facts, say that the only way for countries to cope with this increased demand is for general practices and primary care to assist with giving advice to and following-up patients following their surgery.
220,000 children threatened by mines in Ukraine's east: UN Hundreds of thousands of children are at imminent risk of being hit by mines and other explosive weapons in war-torn eastern Ukraine, one of the most mine-contaminated places on earth, a UN report said Thursday.
British girls skip school over period poverty: campaigners Some girls in Britain are forced to skip school each month because they cannot afford sanitary products, campaigners said Wednesday as they called for more government support.
Alarmed by arsenic in baby food? Try this easy fix A slew of recent studies have found scary amounts of arsenic in baby food, frightening many new parents already stressed out by all-night feedings and endless diaper changes. In a world where environmental dangers seem to lurk in every corner, here is a simple piece of advice.
Suspected cholera cases reach one million in Yemen The number of suspected cholera cases in war-torn Yemen has reached one million, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday.
Poll: Health care is the issue that won't go away As President Donald Trump completes his first year in office, Americans are increasingly concerned about health care, and their faith that government can fix it has fallen.
	Assay to ID anticancer reagents targeting fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase An original research report by Eun Jeong Cho et al. (University of Texas at Austin) in the January 2018 Issue of SLAS Discovery presents a newly designed biochemical assay that is rapid, sensitive, inexpensive, and high-throughput screening (HTS)-friendly to identify antagonist against aldolase A (ALDOA).
	How did the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident impact thyroid cancer risk? New lessons are being learned about risk assessment and predicting the extent of thyroid cancer occurrence following radiation exposure due to a nuclear power plant accident such as the one in March 2011 in Fukushima Prefecture of Japan. The article entitled "Lessons from Fukushima: Latest Findings of Thyroid Cancer after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident," is part of a special section on Japanese Research led by Guest Editor Yoshiharu Murata, Nagoya University, Japan, in the January 2018 issue of Thyroid.
First-of-its-kind study of upper aerodigestive cancers Using data interpreted by LSU Health New Orleans' Louisiana Tumor Registry, a case-control study found for the first time that older people who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are at higher risk for cancers of the upper respiratory and digestive tract. The study is published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery online December 21, 2017.
Individuals in US diagnosed with cancer are 2.7 times more likely to declare bankruptcy than individuals without cancer As advancements in cancer therapies have been making headlines in recent years, cancer drug prices have significantly increased. The remaining question is, what are the economic impacts of the differentiations in cost of FDA approved drugs and the purchasing power of individuals around the world? This study, published in Oncotarget, titled "A global comparison of the cost of patented cancer drugs in relation to global differences in wealth" identifies several critical factors impacting cancer patients.
	Financial strain, stress high among colorectal CA survivors (HealthDay)—Four in 10 colorectal cancer survivors report cancer-related financial stress or strain, which is significantly associated with low health-related quality of life, according to a study published in the January issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum.
	Strong showing for Obama health law as nearly 9M sign up About 8.8 million people have signed up for coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act, the government said Thursday. The surprisingly strong numbers come after a deadline surge last week.

Biology news

	Scientists have isolated the very first rust pathogen gene that wheat plants detect to 'switch on' resistance Famine may be largely a thing of the past but in recent years the re-emergence of a disease that can kill wheat - which provides a fifth of humanity's food - has threatened food security; now a breakthrough is being announced just before Christmas, in two companion papers being published in the journal Science.
	Study of beetle flagellum offers possible way to improve medical devices A trio of researchers at Kiel University in Germany has discovered how the male thistle tortoise beetle manages to penetrate the coiled duct inside the female reproductive organ without buckling his flagellum. In their paper published on the open access site Science Advances, Yoko Matsumura, Alexander Kovalev and Stanislav Gorb describe their study of the flagellum and what they found.
	Researchers get first complete look at protein behind sense of touch Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have solved the mystery of the structure of Piezo1, a member of a family of proteins that convert physical stimuli such as touch or blood flow into chemical signals. The findings, published today in the journal Nature, point the way to targeting diseases where Piezo1 is mutated, such as dehydrated hereditary stomatocytosis and congenital lymphedema.
	Antibiotic resistance: 'Sleeping' bacteria that can survive drug treatment identified 'Sleeper cells', which can survive doses of antibiotics and lie resting in a dormant state, may hold a key to understanding antibiotic resistance, research has found.
	Meet the tiny machines in cells that massacre viruses When viruses infect the body's cells, those cells face a difficult problem. How can they destroy viruses without harming themselves? Scientists at University of Utah Health have found an answer by visualizing a tiny cellular machine that chops the viruses' genetic material into bits. Their research shows how the machine detects the intruders and processes them for destruction to protect cells and prevent the spread of infection.
	An integrated assessment of vascular plants species of the Americas Missouri Botanical Garden researcher Dr. Carmen Ulloa is the lead author of "An Integrated Assessment of Vascular Plant Species of the Americas," published today in Science. Ulloa along with 23 co-authors compiled a comprehensive, searchable checklist of 124,993 species, 6,227 genera and 355 families of vascular plants of the Americas. This represents one third of all known vascular plants worldwide.
	New snake species hiding in plain sight Samuel McDowell, the late herpetologist and professor at Rutgers-Newark, spent a good part of his life studying ground snakes in New Guinea. Forty years later, Sara Ruane – who joined the Department of Biological Sciences faculty last semester – was able to find evidence that the snakes McDowell studied were, in fact, a new species of reptiles that have been hiding in plain sight.
	Using footprints to identify and monitor giant pandas in the wild Footprints left by giant pandas in the wild can be used to identify the individual panda that made them and determine its sex, a new Duke University-led study by an international team of conservation scientists shows.
	Seasonal images reveal the science behind stem cells At first glance, a pair of award-winning images created by University of Southampton postgraduate researcher Catarina Moura seem to have a seasonal theme. But look more closely and you'll see that the component parts of the pictures (or micrographs) of a Christmas tree and seasonal wreath are actually comprised of stem cells created using innovative laser-based imaging techniques used as part of a regenerative medicine research programme in Southampton.
	New study details how fertilization triggers changes to thousands of proteins in frog eggs For more than half a century, studies on the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) have helped scientists better understand the biological underpinnings of life, from embryonic development and neurobiology to genetics and disease. The frog's claims to fame include the Nobel Prize-winning discovery that adult cell fate can be reprogrammed, and it once served as the world's only reliable pregnancy test.
	Fish use deafness gene to sense water motion Fish sense water motion the same way humans sense sound, according to new research out of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Researchers discovered a gene also found in humans helps zebrafish convert water motion into electrical impulses that are sent to the brain for perception. The shared gene allows zebrafish to sense water flow direction, and it also helps cells inside the human ear sense a range of sounds.
	'Tis the season to be vigilant: Risk of chocolate poisoning in dogs peaks at Christmas University of Liverpool researchers are warning of a "significant peak" in the risk of chocolate poisoning in dogs over the Christmas period as households stock up on festive treats.
	Bioethicist discusses four keys to know about possibilities, pitfalls of gene editing Gene editing has captivated scientists and medical providers with tantalizing visions of wiping out debilitating inherited diseases. Could conditions like Huntington's disease, for example, be cured by using a tool that acts as a "molecular scissors" to remove and replace disease-causing DNA? Or, would gene editing tempt some to engineer designer babies with genes encoded for superior intelligence, beauty or athletic abilities?
Smartphone app uses computer vision to identify lost animals SciPet, a company incubated at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo State, Brazil, and formed in 2016, uses computer vision and artificial intelligence to identify animals. The smartphone app CrowdPet is the result of research carried out by the company. It combines two data sources: photographs of lost animals registered by their owners and photographs of animals sighted in the street by volunteers.
	Thousands of citizen-scientists help researchers map kelp forests Kelp forests grow along coastlines worldwide, largely hidden from view. Like rainforests, they're among the planet's most important ecosystems: beautiful but fragile habitats for a wide array of plant and animal species.
	Hunting of bighorn sheep ewes could produce more trophy rams Although contrary to prevailing notions, hunting of female bighorn sheep may well be one of the most effective ways to increase the number of trophy rams in North American bighorn sheep populations, according to researchers at the University of Wyoming and other institutions.
Genetic research breakthrough to boost barley production Grain growers are celebrating a recent breakthrough by Murdoch University researchers that will lead to a boost in future barley production.
	Plants can choose between alternative responses to competition Biologists from the University of Tübingen have demonstrated that plants can choose between alternative competitive responses according to the stature and densities of their opponents. A new study by researchers from the Institute of Evolution and Ecology reveals that plants can evaluate the competitive ability of their neighbors and optimally match their responses to them. The results were published in Nature Communications.
	Research opening gates for better targeting drugs Researchers at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics and the Center for Membrane Protein. Research have determined the kinetic cycle of a potassium channel at atomic resolution. Potassium channels are important for the normal functioning of the human body. The research study, "The Gating Cycle of a K+ Channel at Atomic Resolution," was featured in the November issue of eLife.
	Snowy owls fitted with tracking devices to aid researchers Scott Judd trained his camera lens on the white dot in the distance. As he moved up the Lake Michigan shoreline, the speck on a breakwater came into view and took his breath away: it was a snowy owl, thousands of miles from its Arctic home.
	West African dolphin now listed as one of Africa's rarest mammals A group of scientists now considers a little-known dolphin that only lives along the Atlantic coasts of Western Africa to be among the continent's most endangered mammals, a list that includes widely recognized species such as gorillas, African wild dogs, and black rhinos, according to WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) and the IUCN's (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Cetacean Specialist Group.
Study finds new way to clean up radioactive sites, protect radiotherapy patients, astronauts A new discovery by scientists could aid efforts to clean up radioactive waste sites, and could also help protect military personnel, cancer patients, and astronauts.
Activists want to build bridge over freeway to provide safe crossing for wildlife As 101 Freeway traffic streaked past, a dozen conservationists and fundraisers gathered this week just west of Liberty Canyon Road in Agoura Hills, their eyes alternating between maps they carried and the contours of a canyon where mountain lions hunt and breed.
	Knock, knock! "Who's there?" Insect communication, silent and often deadly, features prominently among the remarkable experiments that are performed live during the three lectures that explore "The Language of Life" for this year's Royal Institution Christmas Lectures.
Rare white tiger diagnosed with cancer dies at zoo Officials say a rare white tiger has died at the Cincinnati Zoo.

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