Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Dec 19

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 19, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Graphene-based wearable e-textiles move closer to commercial production

Scientists control superconductivity using spin currents

'Negative capacitance' could bring more efficient transistors

Best of Last Year—The top Phys.org articles of 2017

'Weyl-Kondo semimetal': Physicists discover new type of quantum material

Both chimps and children found to be willing to pay to see bad players punished

Genetic study shows some evolutionary changes humans are currently undergoing

A type of semi-transparent polymer that can be mended at room temperature using small pressure

Researchers steer the flow of electrical current with spinning light

With a little help from my friends: Ending social isolation could lower diabetes risk

Researchers identify nontraditional sites for future solar farms

NASA solves how a Jupiter jet stream shifts into reverse

Men gave more talks than women at top 50 universities in US

Bees use invisible heat patterns to choose flowers

Rodem robotic chair takes wheelchair concept to higher level

Astronomy & Space news

	NASA solves how a Jupiter jet stream shifts into reverse Speeding through the atmosphere high above Jupiter's equator is an east-west jet stream that reverses course on a schedule almost as predictable as a Tokyo train's. Now, a NASA-led team has identified which type of wave forces this jet to change direction.
	Crew of three docks at International Space Station A three-man space crew made up of American and Japanese rookie astronauts and an experienced Russian cosmonaut successfully docked at the International Space Station to begin a six-month mission Tuesday.
	A new twist in the dark matter tale An innovative interpretation of X-ray data from a cluster of galaxies could help scientists fulfill a quest they have been on for decades: determining the nature of dark matter.
	Black hole pair born inside a dying star? Far from earth, two black holes orbit around each other, propagating waves that bend time and space. The existence of such waves—gravitational waves—was first predicted by Albert Einstein over a century ago on the basis of his Theory of General Relativity. And as always, Einstein was right.
Mystery of the Star of Bethlehem unlikely to be resolved For many years some astronomers, working under the assumption that the Star of Bethlehem was in fact an actual celestial object, have suggested possible astrophysical explanations.
	Galaxy 8 billion light years away offers insight into supermassive black holes In December 2016, what appears on digital telescopic images to be a star among stars became around 250 times brighter than usual.
	Mysterious alien cigar 'asteroid' is actually an interstellar lump of ice (not a space ship) The fundamental job of astrophysicists and astronauts is to explore the universe, and find what is out there. This year, the universe explored us.
	If past life on Mars existed, it co-evolved with the Martian environment A new article in Astrobiology, "The Coevolution of Life and Environment on Mars: An Ecosystem Perspective on the Robotic Exploration of Biosignatures," is available online today and in the January, 2018 issue.
	Santa's workshop could be on snowy moon Santa's winter workshop might be in space, as University of Warwick researchers are exploring whether snowy moons over a billion kilometres away from Earth are potentially habitable.
	Image: Seeing an X-plane's sonic boom When NASA's next X-plane takes to the skies, it will produce some pretty cool images.
Idaho lands nation's first International Dark Sky Reserve A giant chunk of central Idaho with a dazzling night sky has become the nation's first International Dark Sky Reserve.

Technology news

	Rodem robotic chair takes wheelchair concept to higher level A Japanese company has done a rethink of the wheelchair and the result is the Rodem robotic mover—we are saying "mover" instead of wheelchair because it goes beyond sitting support into direct help to accomplish daily tasks.
	Paving the way for a non-electric battery to store solar energy Materials chemists have been trying for years to make a new type of battery that can store solar or other light-sourced energy in chemical bonds rather than electrons, one that will release the energy on demand as heat instead of electricity - addressing the need for long-term, stable, efficient storage of solar power.
AI insights could help reduce injuries in construction industry Artificial intelligence (AI) is giving researchers at the University of Waterloo new insights to help reduce wear-and-tear injuries and boost the productivity of skilled construction workers.
	Scientists hope to inject robo-cat with AI to help seniors Imagine a cat that can keep a person company, doesn't need a litter box and can remind an aging relative to take her medicine or help find her eyeglasses.
	US military imagines war without GPS With GPS-guided bombs, armed drones beaming footage via satellite and spy cameras scooping up intel from the heavens, America's military machine is growing ever more reliant on space-based technology.
	Technology ready, but acceptance pending for distributed energy systems Will we be able to do away with the classic centralized energy supply in the future? From a technological perspective: yes. Distributed multi-energy systems are feasible. But from an economic and societal perspective, many questions remain unanswered, blogs Roman Seidl.
	Is your computer secretly mining Bitcoin alternatives? A guide to 'cryptojacking' Nothing comes for free, especially online. Websites and apps that don't charge you for their services are often collecting your data or bombarding you with advertising. Now some sites have found a new way to make money from you: using your computer to generate virtual currencies.
	Honda to unveil new compact gas-electric hybrid sedan Honda will unveil a new five-passenger gas-electric hybrid sedan at the Detroit auto show next month.
	German cartel office says Facebook abusing data collection Germany's cartel office said Tuesday that Facebook is acting in an abusive fashion by collecting data on the way people use third-party websites.
	Facebook improves how blind can "see" images using AI When Matt King first got on Facebook eight years ago, the blind engineer had to weigh whether it was worth spending an entire Saturday morning checking whether a friend of his was actually in his friend list. Such were the tools at the time for the visually impaired—almost nonexistent.
	Accelerators, fab labs and hackathons—the tech tools being co-opted for social good Picture the humanitarian aid sector and you don't immediately think of start-up accelerators and hackathons. But aid agencies are co-opting these tools of innovation to help solve global issues – and a new EUR 5 million prize from the EU is designed to boost this even further.
	Sandia computer modeling aids solder reliability in nuclear weapons Solder isn't the first thing that comes to mind as essential to a nuclear weapon. But since weapons contain hundreds of thousands of solder joints, each potentially a point of failure, Sandia National Laboratories has developed and refined computer models to predict their performance and reliability.
	How great is the influence and risk of social and political 'bots?' The role and risks of bots, such as automated Twitter accounts, in influencing public opinion and political elections continues to provoke intense international debate and controversy. An insightful new collection of articles focused on "Computational Propaganda and Political Big Data" examines how these bots work, approaches to better detect and control them, and how they may have impacted recent elections around the globe. The collection is published in a special issue of Big Data.

Medicine & Health news

Genetic study shows some evolutionary changes humans are currently undergoing A team of researchers with members from the U.S., Australia and Switzerland has found that male and female humans are evolving in slightly different ways. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their genetic analysis of data obtained from the U.K. Biobank and what they found out about human evolution in the process.
	With a little help from my friends: Ending social isolation could lower diabetes risk In a study involving 2861 participants, socially isolated individuals were found to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes more often than individuals with larger social networks. The findings are published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. Promoting social integration and participation may be a promising target in prevention strategies for type 2 diabetes, researchers at Maastricht University Medical Centre, The Netherlands suggest.
	Dysfunctional gene may be culprit in some Crohn's disease cases This holiday season, millions of people will gather at airports ready to board planes for destinations around the world. Depending on the environment at their destination, their suitcases may be filled with sunscreen and bathing suits, or heavy parkas and mittens.
	Immune cells in the uterus help nourish fetus during early pregnancy Natural killer cells are among the most abundant immune cells in the uterus during the first trimester of pregnancy, but their numbers decline substantially after the placenta forms. A study published December 19th in the journal Immunity shows that this transient cell population helps to optimize maternal nourishment of the fetus at early stages of development. The researchers identified a specific subset of uterine natural killer cells that secrete growth-promoting factors in humans and mice, and further demonstrated that transfer of these cells can reverse impaired fetal growth in pregnant mice.
	Brain zap saps destructive urges A characteristic electrical-activity pattern in a key brain region predicts impulsive actions just before they occur. A brief electrical pulse at just the right time can prevent them, Stanford scientists have found.
	You can take a break from practice—but not for too long, study shows Common wisdom says that you learn better if you study or practice over a period of time, with breaks between study periods, rather than trying to cram everything into a marathon session. New research from a Johns Hopkins postdoctoral fellow suggests that for certain types of learning, success depends on the length of your breaks.
	New findings point to potential therapy for Parkinson's Disease A new study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), sheds light on a mechanism underlying Parkinson's disease and suggests that Tacrolimus—an existing drug that targets the toxic protein interaction explored in the study—could be used as a novel treatment.
	New methods reveal the biomechanics of blood clotting Platelets are cells in the blood whose job is to stop bleeding by sticking together to form clots and plug up a wound. Now, for the first time, scientists have measured and mapped the key molecular forces on platelets that trigger this process.
	How the unconscious mind picks out faces in a crowd Imagine you're walking down a busy street like Times Square in New York.  There are tons of people around.  As you make your way through the crowd, your brain notices several faces but ignores the rest.  Why is that?  What are the processes that determine which faces our brain "chooses" to see and those it allows to fade into the background?
	Key to immune system's memory revealed Monash University's Biomedicine Discovery Institute scientists have defined a novel molecular 'blueprint' that plays a pivotal part in the immune system's ability to fight disease by 'remembering' infections. Understanding the fine detail of immunological memory potentially opens ways to improve, and to create new vaccines, and to hone treatments that use the immune system to fight disease including cancer.
	Discovery of unsuspected flexibility offers new pathway to cancer drug development Blood vessels are the supply lines of the human body, bringing nutrients and oxygen to cells and carrying away waste. Controlling the growth of these supply lines can be an effective tactic to combat several different types of disorders, including cancer, stroke, and injury. A new study led by Assistant Professor of Bioengineering Princess Imoukhuede has added layer of nuance to our understanding of the signals that direct blood vessel growth.
	Songbirds may hold the secret to how babies learn to speak The explanation for how people learn complex behaviors, such as speech, might be found in a new study of songbirds by scientists at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
	Researchers uncover mechanism behind metabolic vulnerability of some breast cancers Scientists have known since the 1980s that many cancer cells are relatively sensitive to the deprivation of an essential amino acid known as methionine. It has, however, long been unclear what causes such marked dependency on methionine. Now, a Ludwig Cancer Research study published in the journal Science Signaling and led by Alex Toker, an investigator in the Ludwig Center at Harvard, has elucidated one mechanism behind that dependency. The findings suggest what could be a novel approach to treating a variety of breast tumors.
	Robotic device improves balance and gait in Parkinson's disease patients Some 50,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) every year. The American Institute of Neurology estimates there are one million people affected with this neurodegenerative disorder, with 60 years as average age of onset. Falls and fall-related injuries are a major issue for people with Parkinson's?up to 70 percent of advanced PD patients fall at least once a year and two-thirds suffer recurring falls. These fall rates are twice as high as those of adults of comparable age, so improving balance in patients with Parkinson's would provide a major health advantage.
	Cigarette smoking is increasing among Americans with drug problems While cigarette smoking has declined in the U.S. for the past several decades, since 2002 the prevalence of smoking has increased significantly among people with an illicit substance use disorder, according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the City University of New York. Until now, little was known about whether the decline in smoking was also occurring among individuals with illicit substance use disorders. The findings are published online in the journal Addiction.
	Plain cigarette packaging may reduce incorrect impression of product's safety An online survey of 900 consumers of three of the United States' most popular cigarette brands suggests that adopting standardized cigarette packing may reduce consumers' misconceptions that some cigarettes are less harmful than others, reports a team of researchers led by University of California San Diego School of Medicine and published in BMJ Tobacco Control.
Guidelines say no special precautions needed for flu shots for people allergic to eggs For years, people with an egg allergy have been told to avoid or take special precautions when getting a flu shot because most influenza vaccines are grown in eggs and contain a tiny amount of egg protein. An updated practice parameter from the Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters stresses that people with egg allergy should receive their yearly flu shot, and that no special precautions are required. The guidelines are published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).
Genitourinary health problems worse for sexually abused girls For years, scientists and clinicians have been documenting the significant psychological effects on child victims of sexual abuse. But what about the physical impact? Pascale Vézina-Gagnon, a Ph.D. student researcher at the Department of Psychology of Université de Montréal, has examined the issue as part of her doctoral thesis. Her conclusions have just been published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
Cooperative learning aids in preventing alcohol use in rural middle schools Adolescents' use of alcohol is a risk factor for educational problems, diminished work capacity, disease, and later substance abuse and dependence. Many alcohol-prevention programs exist, but research has generally found their efficacy to be limited. In addition, these programs generally require schools to give up instructional time, which can negatively affect student achievement. A new study looked at the role played by peer groups in preventing alcohol use among students in rural middle schools. It found that cooperative learning can reduce the growth in alcohol use that normally occurs during the middle school years.
	Quality of contact with grandparents is key to youths' views of ageism Ageism - stereotypes that lead to prejudice and discrimination against older people - occurs frequently in young adults and can be seen in children as young as 3. A new study from Belgium sought to identify the factors underlying this form of discrimination. It found that ageist stereotypes in children and adolescents generally decrease around ages 10 to 12, and that young people who say they have very good contact with their grandparents have the lowest levels of ageism.
Cervical cancer diagnoses and deaths to rocket in older women Incidence of cervical cancer in young women is set to decline 75 per cent by 2040 with deaths close to eradicated, however older women will face greater risk according to research led by Queen Mary University of London, published today in The Lancet Public Health.
Rubber bullets are not safe: study About three in every 100 people injured by rubber bullets died as a result, according to a review of recorded casualties published Tuesday, calling for alternative crowd control measures.
	Striking a chord, NIH taps the brain to find how music heals Like a friendly Pied Piper, the violinist keeps up a toe-tapping beat as dancers weave through busy hospital hallways and into the chemotherapy unit, patients looking up in surprised delight. Upstairs, a cellist plays an Irish folk tune for a patient in intensive care.
	Reproducing higher-order embryonic kidney structures using pluripotent stem cells In the embryonic kidney, three types of precursor cells interact to form three-dimensional structures of the kidney: nephron progenitor cells, ureteric buds, and interstitial progenitor cells. Methods to induce nephron structures via nephron progenitor cells from mouse pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have already been established. However, since other progenitor cells were not included, the "higher-order" structures of the kidney (the state in which differentiated nephron structures are organically connected to each other by branching collecting ducts) were not reproduced. Now, a Japanese research group has developed a method of using PSCs to induce production of ureteric buds, the progenitors of branched collecting ducts, and has succeeded in reproducing the higher-order structure of the kidney.
	Obesity can add five weeks of asthma symptoms per year in preschoolers Asthma affects almost 1 in 10 children in the U.S. and is a leading cause of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in preschoolers. According to new research from Duke Health and collaborators, symptoms may be worse for children ages 2 to 5 who are overweight.
	LGBQ adolescents at much greater risk of suicide than heterosexual counterparts Adolescents who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning are much more likely to consider, plan or attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to research from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Novel mechanism that protects from glioblastoma identified A group of researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have identified a protein called RanBP6 as a new regulator of EGFR. In a paper published in Nature Communications they show how silencing of RanBP6 promoted glioma growth by upregulating EGFR expression. Moreover, reconstitution of RanBP6 in a mouse xenograft model leads to reduction in tumor growth. the authors state that these findings might have important clinical implications.
	Put down the phone and live in the moment, says psychiatrist Have you ever unintentionally left your phone at home and wondered how you would get through the day? Baylor College of Medicine's Dr. Jin Han explains why this might be a sign that you need to put down your phone more often.
New study could help tailor treatment for most common type of leukaemia New findings by scientists at the University of Southampton could help to predict how people with the most common form of leukaemia will respond to chemotherapy. The findings will help doctors decide which type of treatment to give patients.
New study may lead to changes in treatment of ALS patients A Penn State study brings researchers one step closer to better understanding and treating dysarthria, a type of speech disorder, in people with ALS.
	Air pollution may kill more Africans than HIV/AIDS AIDS and malaria epidemics receive much attention from international health organizations, but a sneakier killer is on the loose in Africa. Air pollution may now be the continent's number one killer, according to a forthcoming study. Susanne Bauer, an Earth Institute affiliate who models atmospheric composition at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, presented these findings at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union on Thursday.
	Herpes virus mutant points towards new vaccine strategy A Northwestern Medicine study published in PLOS Pathogens describes a newly-designed mutant herpes virus called R2 that provides a strategy for the development of novel herpes virus vaccines.
Guidelines needed regarding searching for patient information on the internet Medical professionals have a range of tools at their disposal to care for patients. New University of Otago research delves into the ethical dilemma of adding the internet to their choices.
Chronic lung disease treatment in New Zealand often not consistent with international guidelines University of Otago researchers have found that the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in New Zealand frequently does not conform to international guidelines.
	This is your brain on Christmas music It starts with a small jump up, then back down, a major second followed by a major sixth. Sol - la - sol - mi, sol - la - sol - mi. Whether sung by Mariah Carey or Dean Martin, the four notes are instantly recognizable as the opening to "Silent Night."
	Mysteries of the developing immune system have been revealed in a study of fetal dendritic cells The fetal immune system is fully developed and functional from as early as 16 weeks gestation, but has a mechanism to keep it suppressed until after birth, according to an A*STAR-led study. Their findings could shed light on the immunological mechanisms underlying fetal-maternal health problems such as pre-eclampsia.
Novel discovery could improve diagnosis and early screening of kidney stone disease An interdisciplinary research team led by the National University of Singapore (NUS) has recently discovered a unique panel of urine biomarkers that could accurately diagnose nephrolithiasis, also commonly known as kidney stones. These urine biomarkers may potentially be used to screen individuals at a higher risk of developing the disease. Early intervention strategies could greatly reduce the economic and social burden of the increasingly prevalent and highly recurrent disease.
Gene mutation causes chronic bad breath For the first time, researchers have uncovered that bad breath can be caused by a genetic defect. A mutation in the gene SELENBP1 leads to the absence of the protein that converts the sulphur compound methanethiol. Researchers from Radboud University and Radboud university medical center have published these findings in Nature Genetics.
	Antioxidant supplements have little effect on muscle soreness Taking antioxidant supplements to reduce muscles soreness after exercise could have almost no effect, according to new research.
Ginkgo biloba trialled as stroke treatment Researchers in China have suggested that a supplement derived from the ginkgo biloba tree may help improve the recovery of thinking and memory abilities following a stroke. Their findings are published today in the journal Stroke and Vascular Neurology.
	Are mosquito coils good or bad for our health? The sight and smell of smouldering mosquito coils is a mainstay of summer. But is all that smoke really keeping away the swarms of mosquitoes, and is breathing in the smoke worse than mosquito bites for our health?
	How reading fiction can improve yourself and your relationship to others There is a fair chance that someone in your close circle of friends and family will be using a smartphone, e-reader or tablet computer to read the latest bestseller over the holidays this year. Since the 2007 and the introduction of Kindle in 2010, such devices have changed the way that people engage with books. Most newspapers, including the 166-year-old New York Times have completed their digital transition, and some are now exclusively online. In academia, journal articles are increasingly published first in digital form, and sometimes exclusively so. But when it comes to books, the paper form has shown unexpected resilience.
	Arthritis drug could help treat advanced skin cancer Treatment for the most deadly form of skin cancer could be more effective if combined with a well-known drug for rheumatoid arthritis, new research has shown.
	Obesity is linked to where you live – would regulating fast food outlets change this? The type of neighbourhood you live in predicts how likely you are to be obese, our latest research shows. And it's a bit more complicated than some might assume.
	Immune system important in atherosclerosis The immune system plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases. Thomas van der Heijden has discovered that immunosuppressants may play a preventative role. Ph.D. defence 19 December.
Exercising at own pace boosts a child's ability to learn A child's attention and memory improves after exercise according to new research conducted by primary school pupils and supported by the Universities of Stirling and Edinburgh.
Genetic changes caused by environmental factors linked to suicide risk Researchers have linked genetic changes in the so-called CRH gene, which affects the regulation of the body's stress system, to suicide risk and psychiatric illness. The study of epigenetic changes in the body's hormone-based stress system has shown that stress-related changes in the CRH gene are linked to both serious suicide attempts in adults and psychiatric illness in adolescents.
	The not so sweet side of Christmas A new video by the University of Warwick highlights a bitter side to our sugar consumption at Christmas.
	Study sheds light on rarity of disease-causing IGF mutations Peter Rotwein, M.D., was recently spotlighted by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) for a study he conducted on insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), a family of proteins that are crucial in early human growth and development. IGF mutations have been tied to dire health problems, like growth failure, intellectual deficiencies, and other developmental abnormalities.
	People with type 2 diabetes need more support, say researchers Research shows the old adage 'teach someone to fish' instead of giving them a fish, rings true when it comes to helping people with Type 2 diabetes.
	Clinical decision support app helps improve quality of life and longevity for heart failure patients A clinical decision support application developed by Intermountain Healthcare researchers that more quickly identifies when heart failure becomes advanced and a heart patient's care needs have changed is successful in helping to improve patient's quality of live and longevity, according to a new study.
New evidence supports HIV screening in young adulthood A new study suggests that the most beneficial age for a one-time screening HIV test of the general population would be age 25. The report - led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health - will be published in the Journal of Adolescent Health and has been issued online.
Some newborns with chronic illness show signs of serious sleep problems at birth New parents often hear about how important sleep is for their babies' development—but some newborns may have more serious sleep challenges than others.
Major measurement issues found in emergency department patient experience data There are major measurement issues in patient experience data collected from U.S. emergency departments, including high variability and limited construct validity, according to an analysis published by researchers at the George Washington University (GW) and US Acute Care Solutions.
	Novel combination therapy shown to be effective in ovarian cancer Researchers at The Wistar Institute have found that combining PARP inhibitors, recently approved for the treatment of BRCA-mutant ovarian cancer, with another small molecule inhibitor was effective to treat ovarian cancers without BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. This study was published online in Cell Reports.
	A non-invasive method to detect Alzheimer's disease New research has drawn a link between changes in the brain's anatomy and biomarkers that are known to appear at the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD), findings that could one day provide a sensitive but non-invasive test for AD before cognitive symptoms appear.
DNA annotations predict patient outcomes in childhood leukemia UC San Francisco physician-scientists have developed a test that can predict how patients with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) will respond to treatment, and may also be able to identify patients who are likely to recover spontaneously with little to no treatment. The researchers are currently optimizing the test for more routine clinical use in the United States.
Should uninfected patients accept hepatitis C-infected livers to reduce waiting time? A modeling study by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators finds that the availability of directly-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection could allow the transplantation of livers from HCV-positive donors into HCV-negative recipients without posing undue risk. The team's report will appear in the journal Hepatology and has been released online.
	Neurological assessment in the blink of an eye? A novel technology developed by the Zucker Institute for Applied Neurosciences at the Medical University of South Carolina was able to measure the blink response comparably to electromyography in a validation study of ten healthy college students, according to an article published online on Dec. 12, 2017 by the IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine. The blink response can be an important indicator of neurological status.
Researchers find possible markers for earlier diagnosis of aggressive tongue cancer Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, also known as oral tongue cancer, is an aggressive form of cancer that generally affects older people. Patients with the disease often find it difficult to eat, swallow food, or speak. Reasons for its generally poor prognosis include late detection, before pain usually starts and only when physical symptoms such as lesions are present, and a propensity for spreading to other sites in the body.
	Gene therapy for rare form of blindness wins US approval U.S. health officials on Tuesday approved the nation's first gene therapy for an inherited disease, a treatment that improves the sight of patients with a rare form of blindness. It marks another major advance for the emerging field of genetic medicine.
	U.S. lifts ban on laboratory-made lethal viruses (HealthDay)—U.S. officials said on Tuesday they've lifted a moratorium enacted three years ago on funding lab experiments that would create lethal viruses.
	FDA issues tougher warning on MRI dye tied to brain effects (HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday called for tougher warnings and "additional research" into a dye commonly used with standard MRIs.
	Cervical device may help lower preemie birth risk (HealthDay)—Women with a relatively short cervix are at higher risk of preterm delivery, but new research shows that a cervical device may cut that risk substantially.
	Sticking to your diet while on the road (HealthDay)—Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, resist taking a vacation from the smart eating strategies you follow at home.
	Intensive BP goals reduce risk of cardiovascular events (HealthDay)—Intensive blood pressure lowering may similarly decrease cardiovascular events in both patients with and patients without type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in Diabetes Care.
	Pre-op liraglutide cuts post-op plasma glucose in T2DM (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus undergoing non-cardiac surgery, premedication with liraglutide is associated with reduced median plasma glucose one hour postoperatively, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in Anaesthesia.
	Rx discrepancies common in hospital discharge summaries (HealthDay)—For older patients discharged from a regional hospital, there are frequently discrepancies between the electronic discharge summaries and the National Inpatient Medication Chart (NIMC) or discharge prescription, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
	STEMI patient perceptions impact emergency medical services use (HealthDay)—ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patient perceptions, including those involving the speed of transport and concerns about resource misuse, are an important factor in determining emergency medical services (EMS) use, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
	DBS safe but not beneficial in parkinson's dementia (HealthDay)—Low-frequency deep brain stimulation of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM DBS) can be safely conducted in patients with Parkinson's disease dementia, but it does not result in significant improvements in primary cognitive outcomes, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in JAMA Neurology.
	Primary care crucial for preventing new HIV infections (HealthDay)—Primary care providers will play an important role in preventing the next wave of HIV infections, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
	Cancer therapies may trigger aging phenotypes in survivors (HealthDay)—Cancer therapies have direct effects on telomere length, epigenetic modifications, and microRNA, which can mimic phenotypes of aging, according to a review published online Dec. 18 in ESMO Open.
	USPSTF reviews use of ECG for preventing A-fib, CVD events (HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has found that the current evidence is inadequate to assess the benefits and harms of screening with electrocardiogram (ECG) for atrial fibrillation (AF) in older adults; and for low-risk adults, screening with resting or exercise ECG is not recommended for preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. These findings form the basis of two draft recommendation statements published online Dec. 19 by the USPSTF.
Salvaging blood during cesarean section may have potential in emergency procedures Using cell salvage, the reinfusion of red blood cells lost during surgery, did not lead on average to a statistically significant reduction in the rates of blood transfusion needed by all women undergoing caesarean section, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine by Khalid Khan from Queen Mary University of London, UK, and colleagues.
Underactive thyroid within normal range may affect woman's ability to conceive New research suggests that a slightly underactive thyroid may affect a women's ability to become pregnant—even when the gland is functioning at the low end of the normal range, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
People with rare diseases are at more risk for poor quality of life, study finds People with rare diseases are at high risk for experiencing poor quality of life, including increased levels of anxiety, depression, pain, fatigue and limited ability to participate in society, a new study from an Oregon State University shows.
Research finds increase in number of babies born drug exposed in N.H. From 2005 to 2015 the number of infants diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in the Granite State increased fivefold, from 52 to 269, according to new research by the Carsey School of Public Policy at the University of New Hampshire. In 2015, newborns diagnosed with NAS remained in the hospital 12 days on average, compared to three days for newborns not born exposed.
Mutational signatures may ID pts with Br Ca most likely to benefit from platinum-based chemo The presence in advanced breast cancer of mutational signatures characteristic of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) was associated with improved clinical outcomes to treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy.
Canadian cannabis firm licensed to produce in Denmark Canadian medical marijuana producer Canopy Growth said Monday its joint venture Spectrum Cannabis has been licensed to grow pot in Denmark for sale throughout the European Union.
BfR assesses maximum daily level for magnesium in food supplements The maximum daily level for magnesium in food supplements should not exceed 250 milligrams (mg). This is the recommendation of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), taking into account new data.
	Gaining insight into the molecular mechanisms behind squamous cell cancer Researchers at Kanazawa University report in EMBO Reports about a new molecular mechanism regulating cellular fate of squamous cell carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a lethal cancer arising from the stratified epithelia of skin, esophagus, cervix, and head and neck tissues. Genomic analysis of SCCs identified genomic amplification of TP63 in up to 30 percent of tumors, with overexpression of its mRNA in the majority of SCCs.
Researchers work to improve health care in China Harvard researchers have designed a system that aligns financial incentives for physicians and hospitals with key measures of performance, hoping to improve health care for millions of patients in some of China's poorest regions.
Why a third of antidepressants are prescribed for something else It was when he became a father that Michael Briggs resolved to somehow bring his ulcerative colitis under control. He was determined to avoid what many people with the disease end up needing – having part or all of their large intestine removed. A trained scientist, manager of a physics lab at the University of New Hampshire, he began reading medical research papers, looking for anything that might help him.
Study in Bangladesh shows zinc is an essential element in male fertility Trace levels of zinc present in semen are a vital determinant of male fertility, a recent study in Bangladesh capital Dhaka concludes.
	Scientists open the door to the development of better analgesics for treating joint pain Researchers from the University of Granada have led a novel study in mice which shows that neurons mediating joint pain are different from those mediating cutaneous pain
	What is the best policy for reducing the impact of alcohol on the road accident rate? A study by University of Seville researchers has analysed the relationship between alcohol and road safety. Specifically, it looked at the impact of both social habits and legal regulation of alcohol consumption, such as the laws that dictate the maximum blood alcohol level.
$75M gift will help Ohio center address mental health issues A health care facility in southwestern Ohio has received a $75 million donation to address mental health care issues across the region.
Diphtheria kills 21 in Bangladesh Rohingya camps: WHO Twenty-one people have died from diphtheria in the Rohingya camps in Bangladesh, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, adding that it had started a second vaccination drive to rein in the outbreak.
New supermarket in food desert may trigger economic and health gains, study finds Opening a new supermarket in a low-income neighborhood may improve residents' economic well-being and health, even if residents don't necessarily buy healthier food from the store, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
San Diego County sees slowdown in Hepatitis A cases San Diego County is seeing a slowdown in the number of cases of Hepatitis A from an average of 84 per week this summer to only two in the first three weeks of December.
	When tax reform becomes law, ACA's individual mandate becomes history (HealthDay)—With the Republican-led Congress preparing to hand President Donald Trump his first major legislative victory—a massive overhaul of the U.S. tax code—it will mean the end of the Affordable Care Act's controversial individual mandate.

Biology news

	Both chimps and children found to be willing to pay to see bad players punished An international team of researchers has found that both chimpanzees and human children are willing to pay to see the punishment of someone who has behaved badly. In their paper published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, the group describes two series of experiments they carried out, one with chimpanzees in a zoo, the other with children aged four to six in a laboratory, and what they learned from them.
	Bees use invisible heat patterns to choose flowers A new study, led by scientists from the University of Bristol, has found that a wide range of flowers produce not just signals that we can see and smell, but also ones that are invisible such as heat.
	Some monkeys prone to isolation Some individual animals are prone to social isolation, new research suggests.
	Hibernating squirrels and hamsters evolved to feel less cold The ground squirrel and the Syrian hamster, two rodents that hibernate in the winter, do not feel cold in the same way as non-hibernators, such as rats or mice. Yale researchers have discovered that hibernating rodents evolved cold-sensing neurons with diminished ability to detect temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. This adaptation potentially allows their body temperature to drop for long periods of time without causing them to feel stressed by these conditions, thus triggering their seasonal slumber. The work appears December 19 in the journal Cell Reports.
	Genetic variability supports plant survival during droughts In the first study to predict whether different populations of the same plant species can adapt to climate change, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology find that central European ones die first.
	How tall trees move sugars Scientists have long assumed that the sugars that nourish trees are pushed by water pressure from the leaves where they are created to the stems and roots where they are needed.
	Virus stamping—a versatile new method for genetic engineering of single cells Research groups led by Botond Roska at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) and Daniel Müller at the ETH Zurich Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D BSSE) have developed a novel method that allows them to efficiently deliver genes into single cells in whole tissues. This not only facilitates the study of the individual cells in an organ such as the brain, but could also pave the way to new gene therapies.
	Major threats to soil ecosystems from a combination of invasive species and climate change Soil ecosystems are critical for agriculture, biodiversity and human well-being. Poor soil health means a poor planetary outlook.
	Cellular division strategy shared across all domains of life The three domains of life—archaea, bacteria, and eukarya—may have more in common than previously thought.
	Dengue 'Achilles heel' insight offers hope for better vaccines Researchers have new insights into how protective antibodies attack dengue viruses, which could lead to more effective dengue fever vaccines and drug therapies.
	Mice help find gene for bad breath An international team of researchers has identified a cause for chronic bad breath (halitosis), with the help of gene knockout mice from the UC Davis Mouse Biology Program. The results are published Dec. 18 in the journal Nature Genetics.
	Storming the castle: New discovery in the fight against bacteria Bacteria must sense and respond to changes in their environment to survive, and their exterior membranes are their first line of defense. Exciting new research reveals a previously unappreciated aspect of this defense, which could be exploited to render antibiotic-resistant bacteria beatable. The research, publishing 19 December in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Jean-François Collet at UCLouvain's de Duve Institute in Belgium and colleagues from the University of Utah and Imperial College London, potentially opens the door to promising new treatments.
	Nest of endangered giant softshell turtle found in Cambodia Conservationists have found a nest of the endangered Asian giant softshell turtle on a Mekong River sandbar in northeastern Cambodia, while 115 new species of various other animal and plant life have been discovered in the greater Mekong region.
Lizard, turtle among more than 100 new species found in Mekong region A Vietnamese 'crocodile lizard' and a Thai turtle found on sale in a local market are among more than 100 new species discovered in the ecologically diverse but threatened Mekong region last year, researchers said Tuesday.
	Mysterious new seafloor species sheds light on early animal evolution Japanese researchers have discovered a new species of the enigmatic marine worm Xenoturbella, which they have named Xenoturbella japonica, as reported in a new study published in BMC Evolutionary Biology.
The cyanide defense: How one bacterium inhibits predators with poison Microbiologists in South Korea report this week in mBio that the bacterium Chromobacterium piscinae produces cyanide when under attack from Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus HD100, a microbial predator found in rivers and soils that ingests its prey from the inside out. The researchers found that the prey produced levels of cyanide high enough to inhibit, but not kill, the B. bacteriovorus HD100.
	Statistical modeling helps fisheries managers remove invasive species Reeling in a big fish and discovering it's a common carp is often a disappointing experience for anglers. "They're an invasive species," explained South Dakota State University fisheries scientist Michael Brown. One of the primary methods of reducing the abundance of such invasive species is to physically remove them from the lake, but timing is crucial.
	Scientists uncover patterns of elephant poaching in East Africa Scientists analysing data from aerial surveys carried out over one of East Africa's most important nature reserves have uncovered clusters of elephant carcasses close to some ranger posts.
	How your diet can improve animal welfare A systematic approach to quantify impacts of food consumption on animal welfare has been developed by researchers of the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University in collaboration with ETH Zurich, and effective altruism organizations.
	A functional genomics database for plant microbiome studies As the global population rises, estimated to hit nearly 10 billion by 2050, so does the need to boost crop yields and produce enough plant material for both food and sustainable alternative fuels. To help improve crop breeding strategies and overcome challenges such as making plants more tolerant of marginal lands, and stresses such as drought and low nutrient availability, researchers are focusing on understanding and promoting beneficial plant-microbe relationships.
	Conservation study uses tiny treadmills to test sea turtle hatchling stamina If everything goes as planned, a newly hatched sea turtle should be able to crawl from its nest to the ocean in a couple of minutes. This trek happens in the first 24 hours when they emerge from their nests and is referred to as the "frenzy" period. Just like biathletes, these hatchlings sprint from the beach to the surf and then swim a long distance to reach their home. Unfortunately, things don't always go as nature planned.
	Tiny red animals dart in the dark under the ice of a frozen Quebec lake In a frozen lake in Quebec, tiny red creatures zip about under the ice. Guillaume Grosbois and Milla Rautio, researchers at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Québec, Canada report the discovery of active life in a winter lake today in the Ecological Society of America's journal Ecology.
Baby bongo born, more likely soon at Species Survival Center A bouncing baby bongo has been born in New Orleans.
A donkey's tale: Nigeria becomes key hide export hub Abubakar Ya'u digs sand from vast, sweeping dunes and loads heavy hessian sacks of the fine, golden bounty onto the backs of donkeys which carry it to market.
	New findings clarify thyroid's role in mammalian seasonal changes Researchers now have a better understanding of the role that thyroid hormones, the tissues that produce them, and the biochemical pathways on which they act have in driving seasonal reproduction in some mammals, and how this new information may help explain seasonal changes in metabolism and mood that affect humans. The review article entitled "Seasonal Rhythms: The Role of Thyrotropin and Thyroid Hormones" 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.
	Study examines insecticide's effects on honey bees Neonicotinoid insecticides, including Syngenta's insecticide thiamethoxam, have been used globally on a wide range of crops through seed, soil, and foliage treatments.

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