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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 26, 2017:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Rocket lights sky as it carries satellites from CaliforniaA reused SpaceX rocket carried 10 satellites into orbit from California on Friday, leaving behind a trail of mystery and wonder as it soared into space. |
Russia launches telecoms satellite for AngolaRussia on Tuesday launched a rocket carrying Angosat-1, the first national telecoms satellite for Angola, from its Baikonur space pad, with rare use of a rocket from Ukraine despite collapsed ties between the two nations. | |
Technology news
 | Windows Hello: Researchers bypass face authenticationIn the course of a research project, security experts Matthias Deeg and Philipp Buchegger of penetration-testing company SySS found out something that put Windows Hello in spoofing-attack news this week: They were able to trick Windows Hello face authentication by Microsoft on different versions of the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system. |
 | One more thing to ask Alexa: Where's Santa on Christmas Eve?Alexa, where's Santa? |
 | Edward Snowden unveils phone app, Haven, to spy on spiesThe former National Security Agency contractor who exposed U.S. government surveillance programs by disclosing classified material in 2013 has a new job: app developer. |
 | Twitter + Citizen Science + AI = improved flood data collectionResearchers from the University of Dundee are combining Twitter, citizen science and cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to develop an early-warning system for flood-prone communities. |
 | Alaskan microgrids offer energy resilience and independenceThe electrical grid in the contiguous United States is a behemoth of interconnected systems. If one section fails or is sabotaged, millions of citizens could be without power. Remote villages in Alaska provide an example of how safeguards could build resilience into a larger electrical grid. These communities rely on microgrids—small, local power stations that operate autonomously. Nine articles in the recent issue of the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, from AIP Publishing, provide the first reviews of energy technologies and costs for microgrids in Alaska. |
 | Introducing Neural Image Assessment for judging photosSurely computer software could not judge pictures the way we do? Attaching numerical scores to technical details is one thing, but don't we view with our hearts as well as our brains? |
 | Gift wrap or tape in 1 hour: How Amazon aids procrastinatorsWith five days until Christmas, someone in New York urgently needed 10 rolls of wrapping paper. Another person needed a bag of potatoes and aluminum foil baking pans. And someone needed six rolls of Scotch tape, 100 blank envelopes, and 240 dog poop bags—in different colors. |
 | 'Virtual gold' may glitter, but mining it can be really dirtyAs the poster child for the growing ranks of computer-generated currencies, bitcoin's recent stratospheric price rises have propelled it from the chat forum-hosted depths of nerddom into the global consciousness. |
Amazon acquires connected camera makerAmazon has bought an Andover, Massachusetts-based company that makes internet-connected doorbells and security cameras. | |
CNN cancels its daily Snapchat show after four monthsCNN has ended its daily newscast designed for Snapchat users just four months after launching it. | |
 | NORAD takes calls from kids around the world awaiting SantaHundreds of volunteers at an Air Force base in Colorado were answering questions on Sunday from eager children who wanted to know where Santa was on his Christmas Eve travels. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump also pitched in and took calls for the NORAD Tracks Santa program from their Florida estate. |
India's new 'driverless' metro train keeps driver for nowIndia's capital launched a metro train with driverless technology Monday, though officials said it would operate with a driver for at least a year or two. | |
 | Electric bike crackdown spurs delivery worker concernCheap, electric bicycles have made life a lot easier for New York City's legions of restaurant delivery workers, but the party may be over in the New Year. |
 | College students come up with plug-in to combat fake newsA team of college students is getting attention from internet companies and Congress after developing a browser extension that alerts users to fake and biased news stories and helps guide them to more balanced coverage. |
A perk that's keeping Silicon Valley workers healthy—and on the jobAt LinkedIn, employees at the world's largest online professional networking website enjoy a smorgasbord of perks, from gourmet meals to on-site dry cleaning to car washes and oil changes. | |
 | Facebook admits social media can be bad if you use it in this wayFacebook's mission is to "bring the world closer together," but the tech firm this year has faced mounting criticism that social media could be ripping society apart. |
Bay Area aerial imaging startup teams up to detect disease in crops before outbreaksAn Oakland-based startup is sending its aerial imaging technology to the Midwestern plains to help farmers detect pests and diseases in their corn and soybean fields before an outbreak. | |
 | Robots do chin-ups, pushups and situps for the sake of scienceA team of Japanese engineers has designed robots that can perform pushups, do crunches, stretch and even sweat while doing so. |
Silicon Valley mystery: Why the 'time is right' for Eric Schmidt to leave as Alphabet chairmanIf the first thing you asked was "what did he do" when you heard the news that Google fixture Eric Schmidt is stepping aside as Alphabet executive chairman, you have company. | |
Maine robotics company competing for major Army contractA Maine robotics company is one of four companies competing to build the Army's next generation of battlefield support vehicles. | |
 | Insider Q&A: Aptiv spins off to speed automated drivingDelphi has long been active in the fast-growing autonomous vehicle market. Its spinoff of Aptiv may speed things up even more. |
Amid sales drop, Harley-Davidson wants to teach more to rideHarley-Davidson is placing a renewed emphasis on teaching people to ride as part of its efforts to attract more customers. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | New hope for stopping an understudied heart disease in its tracksThe diminutive size of our aortic valve—just shy of a quarter—belies its essential role in pushing oxygen-rich blood from the heart into the aorta, our body's largest vessel, and from there to all other organs. Yet for decades, researchers have focused less on damaged valves than on atherosclerosis, the gradual hardening of the blood vessels themselves. |
 | Researchers find potential path to repair multiple sclerosis-damaged nervesGene expression in specific cells and in specific regions can provide a more precise, neuroprotective approach than traditional treatments for neurological diseases. For multiple sclerosis, specifically, increasing cholesterol synthesis gene expression in astrocytes of the spinal cord can be a pathway to repair nerves that affect walking. |
 | Short-term exposure to low levels of air pollution linked with premature death among US seniorsShort-term exposures to fine particulate air pollution and ozone—even at levels well below current national safety standards—were linked to higher risk of premature death among the elderly in the U.S. according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. |
 | Neuroscientists shed light on causes of postpartum depression using new research modelPostpartum depression strikes nearly one in five new mothers, who may experience anxiety, severe fatigue, inability to bond with their children and suicidal thoughts. Such depression has also been associated with infants' developmental difficulties. Although stress has been identified as a significant risk factor for postpartum depression, this complex disorder is still poorly understood. Now neuroscientists at Tufts University School of Medicine have generated a novel preclinical model of postpartum depression and demonstrated involvement of the neuroendocrine system that mediates physiological response to stress, called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is normally suppressed during and after pregnancy. The findings in mice provide the first empirical evidence that disruption of this system engenders behaviors that mimic postpartum depression in humans. |
 | Sugar-sweetened drinks linked to overweight and obesity in children, adults: Analysis of new studiesA new review of the latest evidence on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)- which includes 30 new studies published between 2013 and 2015 (and none of them industry sponsored) - concludes that SSB consumption is associated with overweight and obesity, and that countries that have not already done so should take action to reduce the consumption of the so-called 'empty calories' that these drinks contain. |
 | The most dreaded topic at family gatherings(HealthDay)—Family harmony and talk of politics can be combustible holiday companions, a therapist contends. |
 | Staying warm, cozy and safe by the fire(HealthDay)—Holiday gatherings might not seem complete without a warm crackling fire, but when a get-together includes kids, safety needs to be on everyone's mind. |
 | Blood pressure control best achieved with a multilevel, multicomponent approachCurrent clinical guidelines recommend lower blood pressure targets for the general population, yet control remains elusive for most. A new study suggests that patients with hypertension can best achieve blood pressure control with a multilevel, multicomponent approach that includes physician- and non-physician-led interventions. The findings from a comparative effectiveness review are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Tips for holiday trips with seniors(HealthDay)—If you plan to travel with an elderly relative this holiday season, don't leave things to chance, an expert on geriatric medicine says. |
 | Road salt good for winter driving, bad for wells(HealthDay)—The salt that makes icy roads safe in winter may not be so good for your drinking water, researchers report. |
 | Reading aloud can be a memory booster(HealthDay)—Want to remember certain information? Try reading it out loud. |
 | Bah, hum (Stomach) bug! Essential holiday food safety tips(HealthDay)—A stomach bug can quickly put a damper on your Christmas Day festivities. |
Cancer screening burdens elderly patientsElena Altemus is 89 and has dementia. She often forgets her children's names, and sometimes can't recall whether she lives in Maryland or Italy. | |
Unregulated herpes experiments expose 'black hole' of accountabilityRecent revelations that a U.S. researcher injected Americans with his experimental herpes vaccine without routine safety oversight raised an uproar among scientists and ethicists. | |
Good friends might be your best brain booster as you ageAsk Edith Smith, a proud 103-year-old, about her friends, and she'll give you an earful. | |
 | Preventing dementia: The promising, the disappointing and the inconclusiveWhat's proved to prevent the development of dementia after the age of 80? |
France to probe Lactalis baby milk salmonella scare (Update)French prosecutors have opened a probe into salmonella contamination and a major international recall of baby milk produced by dairy giant Lactalis, a legal source told AFP on Tuesday. | |
First stereotactic radiotherapy system designed for breast cancer receives FDA clearanceThe GammaPod—a first-of-its kind stereotactic radiotherapy system to treat early stage breast cancer—has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), paving the way for the manufacturer to bring the system to market for the treatment of breast cancer patients. | |
 | Pulmonary fibrosis caused by single transcription factorTo date, the molecular basis of pulmonary fibrosis has been poorly understood. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have now shown that reduced activity of the transcription factor FoxO3 plays a key role in the development of the disease. In research on mice, the progress of the disease was able to be halted using drugs that boost FoxO3 activity. The researchers are hoping they may have found a possible approach to treatment. |
 | Early puberty in girls may take mental health toll(HealthDay)—A girl who gets her first menstrual period early in life—possibly as young as 7—has a greater risk for developing depression and antisocial behaviors that last at least into her 20s, a new study suggests. |
 | Five ways to reduce saturated fat(HealthDay)—Cutting down on fat is a big part of any weight-loss diet. Fat has twice the calories of protein and carbs—so ounce for ounce, you can replace fat with twice the amount of those foods for the same calories. |
 | Good long-term survival after childhood liver transplant(HealthDay)—Liver transplantation in childhood is associated with good long-term survival, according to a study published online Dec. 15 in the American Journal of Transplantation. |
 | Plasma volume changes may mediate effects of empagliflozin(HealthDay)—The reduction in risk of cardiovascular (CV) death with empagliflozin is most mediated by changes in hematocrit and hemoglobin, according to research published online Dec. 4 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Survival down with ventricular arrhythmia early post CF-LVAD(HealthDay)—For patients post contemporary continuous flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation, early ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) are associated with significantly reduced survival, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. |
 | FDA removes boxed warning from certain asthma medications(HealthDay)—New evidence regarding safety is spurring the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to remove a Boxed Warning from certain inhaled medications used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. |
 | Higher omega-3 fatty acid intake tied to lower glaucoma risk(HealthDay)—Increased daily intake of ω-3 fatty acids is associated with lower odds of glaucoma, but higher levels of total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake are associated with higher odds of developing glaucoma, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Ophthalmology. |
 | Normalized post-op CEA may help predict colon cancer prognosis(HealthDay)—Colon cancer patients with elevated preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels that normalize after resection are not at increased risk for poor prognosis, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Oncology. |
 | Exercise reduces sleep problems in breast cancer survivors(HealthDay)—A physical activity intervention reduces perceived sleep dysfunction at three and six months for post-primary treatment breast cancer survivors, according to a study published recently in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. |
 | Text message interventions may help with weight management(HealthDay)—Extended-contact, text-message-delivered interventions appear to be effective for weight management, according to a review published online Dec. 15 in Obesity Reviews. |
 | More than one third of U.S. HIV patients fail to receive vaccination for hepatitis BDespite their high risk for infection, more than one third of U.S. HIV patients fail to get vaccinated for hepatitis B. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Slow-release oral morphine could expand options for treating opioid abuseSlow-release oral Morphine (SROM) has emerged as a promising candidate for oral opioid agonist therapy. However, more research is needed before it can be incorporated into U.S. treatment guidelines. A commentary from the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Brainstem changes underlie sound sensitivity in fragile X mouse modelDevelopmental changes in the brainstem driven by fragile X syndrome (FXS)—a condition that often co-occurs with autism spectrum disorder in humans—may underlie the hypersensitivity to sound observed in both humans and a mouse model of the disorder, according to animal research published in eNeuro. |
New laws increase access to healthcare delivery for advanced practice registered nursesAs 2017 comes to a close, many states have enacted laws and regulations expanding access to healthcare provided by advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), according to the 30th Annual Legislative Update in the January issue of The Nurse Practitioner. | |
Biology news
 | Researchers describe first-ever hybrid bird species from the AmazonA team of U of T Scarborough researchers have described the first known hybrid bird species to be found in the Amazon rainforest. |
 | Social interactions override genetics when birds learn new songsNew UC San Francisco research finds that although young male songbirds are genetically predisposed to sound like their fathers, enriched early experience with a foster-father can overcome this genetic destiny. This finding has striking implications for our thinking about how experience influences the genetics of complex human traits like learning ability or even psychiatric disease, the authors say. |
 | Self-fertilizing fish have surprising amount of genetic diversityAs weird animals go, the mangrove killifish is in a class of its own. It flourishes in both freshwater and water with twice as much salt as the ocean. It can live up to two months on land, breathing through its skin, before returning to the water with a series of spectacular 180-degree flips. |
 | A classic Darwinian ecological hypothesis holds up—with a twistNew University of Colorado Boulder-led research shows that a long-held hypothesis about the factors that govern species ranges largely holds true, but may be the result of a previously underappreciated ecological mechanism. |
In South Africa, bees stop elephants from trampling treesThe humble bee is helping to keep elephants from destroying trees and wiping out crops in their quest for food. | |
 | Winds of worry: US fishermen fear forests of power turbinesEast Coast fishermen are turning a wary eye toward an emerging upstart: the offshore wind industry. |
Puget Sound whales get a break from boaters at no loss to whale-watchingRestrictions on vessel traffic have helped keep more boaters farther from critically endangered southern-resident killer whales, while not harming the whale-watch industry, a new study has found. | |
 | Dietary restriction and life span in male and hermaphrodite wormsAn organism's lifespan is known to be affected by its sex and diet, but where these two factors overlap biologically is not well understood. Researchers in Japan looked for clues in worms—C. elegans—that have two sexes: hermaphrodite or male. They found that hermaphrodite worms can live over two weeks longer when put on various forms of dietary restriction, whereas male worms show no change in lifespan. Males were only responsive to dietary restriction if there were mutations in a steroid hormone receptor linked to sex determination. The work appears December 26 in Cell Reports. |
 | Scientists should be super modelersScholars and conservationists want to aim for the right future to preserve biodiversity and plan sustainable environments. One of those scholars is calling for due diligence to make sure the right data, not conventional wisdom, shapes that target. |
 | Feral hog poison field tests in Texas, Alabama in 2018Feral swine do more than $1.5 billion a year in damage around the country, and scientists are taking what could be a big step toward controlling them. |
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