Science X Newsletter Monday, Apr 16

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 16, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Higher-energy, safer, longer-lasting zinc battery: Researchers revive old chemistry with new electrolyte

Thin film converts heat from electronics into energy

Some superconductors can also carry currents of 'spin'

Engineering a plastic-eating enzyme

Japanese astronomers discover gas giant planets orbiting evolved stars

Study produces clearest images to date of HSV-1, the virus that causes cold sores

A mathematical model to explain the paradox of plankton

Scientists discover a pathway that monitors a protein import into mitochondria

Altered immune cells clear childhood brain tumor in mice

We think we're the first advanced earthlings—but how do we really know?

Quantum shift shows itself in coupled light and matter

The memory part of the brain may also hold clues for anxiety and depression

'Poker face' stripped away by new-age tech

NASA's new planet-hunter to seek closer, Earth-like worlds

Team develops new way to fight HIV transmission

Astronomy & Space news

	Japanese astronomers discover gas giant planets orbiting evolved stars Using radial velocity method a group of Japanese astronomers has found that two evolved stars, namely 24 Booties and Gamma Librae, are orbited by gas giant planets. They discovered that 24 Booties hosts one planet, while Gamma Librae is circled by two alien worlds. The finding is detailed in a paper published April 11 on arXiv.org.
	We think we're the first advanced earthlings—but how do we really know? Imagine if, many millions of years ago, dinosaurs drove cars through cities of mile-high buildings. A preposterous idea, right? Over the course of tens of millions of years, however, all of the direct evidence of a civilization—its artifacts and remains—gets ground to dust. How do we really know, then, that there weren't previous industrial civilizations on Earth that rose and fell long before human beings appeared?
	NASA's new planet-hunter to seek closer, Earth-like worlds NASA is poised to launch a $337 million washing machine-sized spacecraft that aims to vastly expand mankind's search for planets beyond our solar system, particularly closer, Earth-sized ones that might harbor life.
	The gamma ray burst – supernova connection A "core-collapse" supernova occurs when the iron core of a massive star collapses under the force of gravity and then rebounds, generating pressure waves and shocks that propagate outward. A superluminous supernovae is a rare class of core collapse supernovae whose luminosity, equal to 10-1000 billion suns, is too high to be powered by the usual process that drives supernovae, the radioactive decay of nickel (there is not enough nickel present to do it). The source of the energetics has been hotly contested, with suggestions including shocks from the ejected material or pulsating instabilities interacting with surrounding material. The most favored model, however, is the sustained injection of energy from a source like a spinning compact remnant: a neutron star or an accreting black hole.
	Unlocking the secrets to dark matter University of Miami astrophysicist Nico Cappelluti studies the sky. An assistant professor in the Physics Department, Cappelluti is intrigued by the cosmic phenomena of super massive black holes, the nature of dark matter, and active galactic nuclei, which is the very bright light source found at the center of many galaxies.
	SpaceX postpones launch of NASA's planet-hunter spacecraft SpaceX postponed the launch of NASA's new planet-hunting mission Monday in order to verify the Falcon 9 rocket's navigation systems, the California-based company said.
	Storm hunter in position The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor, also known as the Space Storm Hunter, was installed today outside the European space laboratory Columbus.
	Searching for signs of ice on Mars using radar Searching for signs of ice on Mars is complex. To explore whether ice lurks beneath the surface of the Red Planet, ESA's Mars Express uses its radar to probe the interior.
	Are we alone? NASA's new planet hunter aims to find out Are we alone? NASA's new planet-hunting mission, poised to launch Monday, aims to advance the search for extraterrestrial life by scanning the skies for nearby, Earth-like planets.
	Giving roots and shoots their space: The Advanced Plant Habitat The Advanced Plant Habitat (APH), a recent addition to the International Space Station, is the largest growth chamber aboard the orbiting laboratory. Roughly the size of a mini-fridge, the habitat is designed to test which growth conditions plants prefer in space and provides specimens a larger root and shoot area. This space in turn will allow a wider variety of crops to grow aboard the station. Thus far, the habitat has been used to grow and study Arabidopsis, small flowering plants related to cabbage and mustard, and Dwarf Wheat.
	Personal recollections of an astrophysicist shed new light on the 1995 discovery on 51 Pegasi b In recent history, a very important achievement was the discovery, in 1995, of 51 Pegasi b, the first extrasolar planet ever found around a normal star other than the Sun.

Technology news

	Higher-energy, safer, longer-lasting zinc battery: Researchers revive old chemistry with new electrolyte Again establishing the University of Maryland (UMD) as a leader in the development of groundbreaking battery technology, a team led by researchers at UMD's A. James Clark School of Engineering has created a water-based zinc battery that is simultaneously powerful, rechargeable, and intrinsically safe. A peer-reviewed paper based on the research was published April 16 in the high-impact journal Nature Materials.
	'Poker face' stripped away by new-age tech Dolby Laboratories chief scientist Poppy Crum tells of a fast-coming time when technology will see right through people no matter how hard they try to hide their feelings.
	March madness: Renewables break the 100 mark in Portugal Portugal is a formidable newsmaker this month in renewables. The average renewable generation for March exceeded 103% of consumption.
	In race for 5G, China leads South Korea, US: study China is slightly ahead of South Korea and the United States in the race to develop fifth generation wireless networks, or 5G, a US study showed Monday.
	Google website offers new way to discover books and fun way to play with words Google has launched a new website called Semantic Experience. The website indicates how Google is taking word play and serious research efforts to higher levels, and it all has to do with something called semantic search.
	EU senses Facebook scandal shifts privacy tide in its favour Sensing the Facebook scandal has shifted the transatlantic winds, the EU is asserting itself as a forward-looking regulator rather than a retrograde bulwark against Silicon Valley's innovative might.
	Tech dream still alive at TED gathering despite Facebook debacle A month after news of the data fiasco at Facebook dampened enthusiasm for the idea that innovation can cure all ills, the tech dream was still alive at the big-ideas TED Conference this week.
	Chinese urged to boycott US firms, but Big Mac fans unconvinced The messages began to pop up on Chinese social media as the trade spat with the United States sizzled, urging people to boycott McDonald's and other American firms to "defend the economic Great Wall".
	Facebook CEO didn't have all the answers for Congress Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg often came across as one of the smartest people in the room as he jousted with U.S. lawmakers demanding to know how and why his company peers into the lives of its 2.2 billion users. But while some questions were elementary, others left Zuckerberg unable to offer clear explanations or specific answers.
	Japan 'rare earth' haul sparks hopes of cutting China reliance The discovery of potentially millions of tons of valuable "rare earth" elements in sea sludge off Japan has raised hopes that Asia's number-two economy can reduce its dependence on Chinese supply.
	Despite job cuts, GM won't abandon small car market General Motors confirmed Sunday its plans to eliminate a shift at an Ohio plant, idling some 1,500 employees as demand for compact cars dips.
	Farming drone imagery often inaccurate Farmers should be cautious of drone imagery being offered by rogue operators, researchers have warned.
	How to profit from biowaste ETH Zurich and Eawag researchers are developing a method to produce animal feed from biowaste products. This is one of 14 projects in the Engineering for Development programme funded by the Sawiris Foundation over the past decade and entering its next 5-year cycle.
	New robot for skull base surgery is very accurate, alleviates surgeon's workload Drilling out a hole in the skull base has to be done with great precision and often takes many hours. It is an intervention that requires the maximum from a surgeon. Researchers from TU/e have therefore developed a surgery robot to take over this task. With sub-millimeter precision, the robot can automatically and safely mill a cavity of the desired shape and dimensions. Jordan Bos will receive his Ph.D. on 16 April for the robot he designed and built. The robot is expected to perform its first surgery within five years.
	Singapore proposes allowing Airbnb-type rentals, with tough conditions Singapore on Monday proposed allowing private home owners to rent out their property for short-term stays but with stringent conditions, a move welcomed by home-sharing giant Airbnb.
How machine learning helped develop a new algorithm that could add life to bridges A new algorithm developed by the University of Surrey could help structural engineers better monitor the health of bridges and alert them to when they need repair faster.
	Two robots are better than one for NIST's 5G antenna measurement research Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) continue to pioneer new antenna measurement methods, this time for future 5G wireless communications systems.
	Motivation for using fake Instagram (Finsta) is not to reveal inappropriate self As Instagram is viewed as a place for building the ideal self, some users have created fake Instagram (Finsta) accounts to buck this trend. But are these "fake" accounts really there to express the real, sometimes ugly self, or is there a deeper motivation? A recent study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, found that users align their real Instagram accounts (Rinsta) with their actual self and to escape from reality, whereas Finsta to foster social bonding.
	General aviation pilots struggle to interpret weather forecast and observation displays When tested on their knowledge of 23 types of weather information, from icing forecasts and turbulence reports to radar, 204 general aviation (GA) pilots surveyed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University researchers were stumped by about 42% of the questions.
	Team develops face recognition technology that works in the dark Army researchers have developed an artificial intelligence and machine learning technique that produces a visible face image from a thermal image of a person's face captured in low-light or nighttime conditions. This development could lead to enhanced real-time biometrics and post-mission forensic analysis for covert nighttime operations.
	Toyota to start deploying vehicle-to-vehicle tech in 2021 Toyota says it will start equipping models with technology to talk to other vehicles starting in 2021, as it tries to push safety communications forward. The company says most of its U.S. models should have the feature by the mid-2020s.
	Web's inventor discusses digital monopolies, privacy threats Tim Berners-Lee gave away the technology that he used to invent the World Wide Web, so it's not surprising that he's worried about the current state of the internet as Google, Facebook and Amazon become increasingly dominant in the digital world.
	Netflix is proving to be a tough act for copycats to follow Netflix's video-streaming service has been thriving for so long that other companies are striving to duplicate its success in other kinds of digital entertainment and content.
Facebook's Zuckerberg got grilled, but nothing's really changed Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg made a big splash testifying to Congress this week about the social network privacy scandal, but in the aftermath, not much changed.
Reddit CEO says racism allowed, but not 'welcome,' on the site Reddit has a history of allowing its users to say just about anything. On Wednesday, its CEO said racist language is just fine—officially giving license to the hatred that already lives on the site, which bills itself as the front page of the internet.
	Spain's ACS lands contract for Toronto light rail line Spanish construction giant ACS said Sunday it had won a 775 million euro ($955 million) contract to build and maintain a new light railway line in Toronto, Canada's largest city.
	Ad giant WPP faces brief stock slump after CEO resigns Shares in British advertising giant WPP briefly slumped on Monday after chief executive and founder Martin Sorrell resigned over the weekend.
Pulsed corona discharge removes pharmaceutical residues from wastewater A doctoral dissertation by a candidate at Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) examines the removal of harmful organic substances such as pharmaceutical residues from wastewater using only electricity. According to practical tests, pulsed corona discharge (PCD) may significantly reduce the environmental burden of pharmaceutical residues.
	Record breaking fiber transmission speed reported NICT Network System Research Institute and Fujikura Ltd. (Fujikura, President: Masahiko Ito) developed a 3-mode optical fiber, capable of wide-band wavelength multiplexing transmission with standard outer diameter (0.125 mm) that can be cabled with existing equipment. The researchers have successfully demonstrated a transmission experiment over 1045 km with a data-rate of 159 Tb/s. Multimode fibers have different propagation delays between optical signals in different modes that makes it difficult to simultaneously satisfy large data-rates and long distance transmission. This achievement shows that such limitations may be overcome.
	Fleets of compact e-vehicles could help battle air pollution Lightweight electric mini-cars could soon be a common sight on the streets of Europe's cities thanks to longer-lasting batteries, tilting and stackable design, and modular components to bring down the cost of mass production.
	Russian begins blocking messaging app Telegram Russia's communications watchdog said Monday it has begun enforcing a nationwide ban for the popular messaging app Telegram.
	Lufthansa'a Alitalia bid the 'most promising': Minister Lufthansa emerged as the number one candidate to take over Alitalia on Monday after an Italian government minister called the German airline's bid the "most promising".
	Can FraudBuster help insurers use big data to combat fraud? FraudBuster is a new data-driven approach designed to help insurers in high fraud rate markets, such as the automobile insurance market, proactively identify risk and reduce fraud. The unique design and deployment of FraudBuster is described in an article in Big Data.
	Should Mark Zuckerberg be Facebook's chairman and CEO? Some investors say no Mark Zuckerberg's tight grip on Facebook is under growing scrutiny as investors call for the giant social network to name an independent chairman.

Medicine & Health news

	Altered immune cells clear childhood brain tumor in mice Engineered human immune cells can vanquish a deadly pediatric brain tumor in a mouse model, a study from the Stanford University School of Medicine has demonstrated.
	The memory part of the brain may also hold clues for anxiety and depression The hippocampus is an area of the brain commonly linked with memory and dementia.
	Team develops new way to fight HIV transmission Scientists at the University of Waterloo have developed a new tool to protect women from HIV infection.
	Painkillers in pregnancy may affect baby's future fertility Taking painkillers during pregnancy could affect the fertility of the unborn child in later life, research suggests.
	Depression study pinpoints genes that may trigger the condition Nearly 80 genes that could be linked to depression have been discovered by scientists.
	In animal studies, stimulating a brain pathway reduces depressive behavior Neurobiology researchers have identified a pathway in brain circuitry that, when stimulated, leads to "antidepressive" behavior in animals. If such brain stimulation proves to have similar effects in people, it may eventually lead to a novel treatment for depression.
	Scientists watch the brain's lining heal after a head injury Following head injury, the protective lining that surrounds the brain may get a little help from its friends: immune cells that spring into action to assist with repairs. In a new study, scientists from the National Institutes of Health watched in real-time as different immune cells took on carefully timed jobs to fix the damaged lining of the brain, also known as meninges, in mice. These results may help provide clues to the discovery that the meninges in humans may heal following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and why additional hits to the head can be so devastating.
	Antimicrobial therapy can prevent sepsis in pneumonia patients Antimicrobial therapy targeting specific cells in the immune system could prevent sepsis and life-threatening disease in people suffering from pneumonia, new research led by the University of Leicester has shown.
	New blood pressure guidelines could put lives at risk, say experts A new report in JAMA Internal Medicine by University of Sydney and Bond University scholars weighs the risks and benefits of a recent change to blood pressure guidelines in the US.
	Study identifies more than a hundred new genes that determine hair color A team of scientists, led by academics from King's College London and Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, have discovered 124 genes that play a major role in determining human hair colour variation.
	Epstein-Barr virus linked to seven serious diseases A far-reaching study conducted by scientists at Cincinnati Children's reports that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)—best known for causing mononucleosis—also increases the risks for some people of developing seven other major diseases.
	Researchers find causal link between running speed and enhanced learning A new study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience by a team from the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Lisbon, Portugal, has shown that the faster mice run, the faster and better they are at learning.
	Scientists discover hidden structure of enigmatic 'backwards' neural connections For decades, the neuroscience community has been baffled by the existence of dense connections in the brain that seem to be going "backwards." These connections, which span extensively across distant areas of the neocortex, are clearly conveying important information. But until now, the organization of the connections, and therefore their possible role, was largely unknown.
	Man-made antibodies show promise in attacking cancer cells in animal models Using chemotherapy along with aptamers—lab-made molecules that function like antibodies—Duke Health researchers showed that they can zero in on and kill prostate cancer tumors in mice while leaving healthy tissue unscathed.
	Large aggregates of ALS-causing protein might actually help brain cells Scientists at the UNC School of Medicine have made a significant advance in the understanding of the complex and fatal neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
	Regular nut intake linked to lower risk of heart rhythm irregularity (atrial fibrillation) Eating several servings of nuts every week may help lower the risk of developing the heart rhythm irregularity, atrial fibrillation, also known as heart flutter, finds research published online in the journal Heart.
	Discovery explains how the chickenpox and shingles virus remains dormant A research team led by UCL and Erasmus University has found a missing piece to the puzzle of why the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles can remain dormant for decades in human cells.
	Immune therapy scores big win against lung cancer in study For the first time, a treatment that boosts the immune system greatly improved survival in people newly diagnosed with the most common form of lung cancer. It's the biggest win so far for immunotherapy, which has had much of its success until now in less common cancers.
	Enigmatic gene critical for a healthy brain New research has shown how an unusual gene is needed for brain development in young mice.
	Scientists uncover connection between post-natal sensory experiences and brain development New research by University of Toronto (U of T) neuroscientists sheds light on links between early brain growth and sensations experienced by animals soon after birth.
	Children infected with malaria parasites produce odour more attractive to mosquitoes Children infected with the malaria parasite Plasmodium were found to produce distinctive skin smells making them more attractive to malaria mosquitoes than uninfected children, according to new research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Fewer U.S. kids are getting cavities (HealthDay)—Fewer U.S. kids are plagued by tooth cavities compared to just a few years ago, but income disparities persist, according to a new U.S. government study.
	What you need to know about fever in adults (HealthDay)—When it comes to a fever, what's true for kids isn't necessarily so for adults.
	Rapid deployment valve for aortic stenosis ups stroke risk (HealthDay)—For patients with aortic valve stenosis, treatment with a rapid deployment valve (RDV) is associated with increased rates of new-onset pacemaker implantation and disabling stroke, compared with conventional biological valves (CBVs), according to a study published in the April 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
New liquid biopsy-based cancer model reveals data on deadly lung cancer Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for 14 percent of all lung cancers and is often rapidly resistant to chemotherapy resulting in poor clinical outcomes. Treatment has changed little for decades, but a study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers a potential explanation for why the disease becomes chemoresistant, and a possible avenue to explore new diagnostic approaches.
First-in-human clinical trial of new targeted therapy drug reports promising responses for multiple A phase I, first-in-human study led by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reveals for the first time, an investigational drug that is effective and safe for patients with cancers caused by an alteration in the receptor tyrosine kinase known as RET. The drug appears to be promising as a potential therapy for RET-driven cancers, such as medullary and papillary thyroid, non-small cell lung, colorectal and bile duct cancers, which have been historically difficult to treat.
A foodborne illness outbreak could cost a restaurant millions, study suggests A single foodborne outbreak could cost a restaurant millions of dollars in lost revenue, fines, lawsuits, legal fees, insurance premium increases, inspection costs and staff retraining, a new study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests.
	Drowsy driving in the ridesharing industry is a public safety risk A position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) concludes that fatigue and sleepiness are inherent safety risks in the ridesharing industry.
	Should states support pregnant teens and their babies? The majority of U.S. adults who have children 18 or under agree that state support for pregnant teens is a good investment for the baby's health, a new national poll suggests.
	Breath-taking research: Throat reflexes differ in people with tetraplegia and sleep apnea New research published in The Journal of Physiology has indicated why people with paralysis of their limbs and torso are more likely to suffer from sleep apnoea. This knowledge could be used to develop much-need targeted therapies.
	Position statement: Avoid using medical marijuana to treat sleep apnea Medical cannabis and synthetic marijuana extracts should not be used for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, according to a position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
	Study shows fast-acting benefits of ketamine for depression and suicidality A nasal spray formulation of ketamine shows promise in the rapid treatment of symptoms of major depression and suicidal thoughts, according to a new study published online today in The American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP).
Study examines maternal metabolic factors and early-onset puberty In a study of more than 15,000 girls and their mothers—all Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California—maternal overweight and hyperglycemia were linked to the earlier onset of puberty in girls 6 to 11 years old. Early puberty has been linked to multiple adverse health developments as girls grow up.
Smoking may increase heart failure risk among African-Americans African Americans who smoke appear to be at far greater risk of developing heart failure than those who never smoked, or those who quit, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	Genetically altered broadly neutralizing antibodies protect monkeys from HIV-like virus Two genetically modified broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) protected rhesus macaques from an HIV-like virus, report scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. After introducing genetic mutations into two potent HIV bNAbs, researchers prepared intravenous infusions of two bNAbs known as 3BNC117-LS and 10-1074-LS. Single infusions of each modified bNAb protected two groups of six monkeys each against weekly exposures to simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) for up to 37 weeks, compared with a median of 3 weeks in 12 monkeys receiving no antibody. SHIV is a manmade virus commonly used in HIV nonhuman primate studies.
	Temperature affects insecticide efficacy against malaria vectors Ambient temperature has a marked effect on the toxicity of the most commonly used insecticides for malaria control, according to a study led by ISGlobal. The results, published in the Malaria Journal, underline the need to evaluate the efficacy of these chemicals under real field conditions.
	Effects of amyloid beta plaque on different brain cells Amyloid beta, a protein linked with Alzheimer's disease, has different properties in different cell types in the brains of fruit flies. This is the conclusion of a study led by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden. While amyloid beta is highly toxic for nerve cells, it seems that certain other types of cell are unaffected by aggregates of the protein.
	Trial reveals differences in pain-relieving drugs when combined with aspirin A landmark 2016 Cleveland Clinic study of widely used pain-relieving drugs showed that celecoxib (Celebrex) was associated with comparable cardiovascular safety and better gastrointestinal (GI) and kidney safety when compared with either naproxen (Naprosyn) and ibuprofen (Motrin).
	Drinking up to 3 cups of coffee per day may be safe, protective: study Many clinicians advise patients with atrial or ventricular arrhythmias to avoid caffeinated beverages, but recent research has shown that coffee and tea are safe and can reduce the frequency of arrhythmias, according to a review published today in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology.
Women remain less likely to receive high-intensity statins following heart attack Less than half of women who filled a statin prescription following a heart attack received a high-intensity statin—indicating they continue to be less likely than men to be prescribed this lifesaving treatment, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The persistent gap in heart disease treatment between women and men continues despite similar effectiveness of more-intensive statins for both sexes and recent efforts to reduce sex difference in guideline-recommended treatment.
	Lack of sleep leads to obesity in children and adolescents Children who get less than the recommended amount of sleep for their age are at a higher risk of developing obesity.
Children with hearing loss face more bullying New UT Dallas research indicates that children and adolescents with hearing loss experience higher rates of peer victimization, or bullying, than children with typical hearing.
	Research offers potential insight into Alzheimer's disease Slightly elevated beta-amyloid levels in the brain are associated with increased activity in certain brain regions, according to a new study from the Center for Vital Longevity (CVL) at The University of Texas at Dallas.
	Brain development influenced by the immune system University of Queensland researchers have highlighted a link between fetal brain development and the origins of developmental diseases such as schizophrenia.
	Gas stoves and damp houses increase Aussie asthma rates University of Queensland researchers have found that childhood asthma in Australia is associated with gas stoves and damp houses.
Study finds relationship between PTEN loss, potential for immune response in BRCA 1/2-deficient ovarian cancer The protein known as phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is frequently mutated or affected by cancer as tumors develop. Now a new study from the Basser Center for BRCA at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania shows PTEN may serve as a marker for whether a patient with BRCA 1-2 deficient ovarian cancer is likely to respond to checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Researchers found the tumors that had PTEN loss were less likely to generate an immune response than tumors that maintain PTEN levels. They will present their findings at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Chicago on Wednesday (Presentation #5729).
Using pre-surgical anti-PD 1 therapy in melanoma patients can identify those most likely to benefit Checkpoint inhibitors that block the protein PD-1 are used in melanoma patients after they've had surgery to remove their cancer, but not all patients benefit from the immunotherapy. Now a new study from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania found that shifting use of anti-PD-1 drugs to before surgery may provide clues about which patients will benefit and which may be at increased risk for recurrence. Researchers will present their data in a symposium at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Chicago on Tuesday (Presentation #CT181).
	Tracking quality of life during prostate cancer treatment Patients with advanced prostate cancer who received more intensive treatment experienced worse quality of life three months after treatment, but a better quality of life in the long term, compared to those on standard therapy, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.
	Screenings miss half of diabetic, prediabetic patients Screening patients for diabetes based solely on their age and weight – a recommendation from a leading medical expert group – could miss more than half of high-risk patients, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study of a nationwide sample. These limited screening criteria also missed more racial and ethnic minorities, most notably Asians.
	Raw fruit and vegetables provide better mental health outcomes Seeking the feel good factor? Go natural. That is the simple message from University of Otago researchers who have discovered raw fruit and vegetables may be better for your mental health than cooked, canned and processed fruit and vegetables.
	Advances in fertility treatment allow more people to have children, but limits remain Halle Berry. Janet Jackson. Mariah Carey. Those are just a few celebrities who gave birth well after turning 40. Browse any tabloid rack at your local supermarket and you're bound to see stories of women—some even pushing 50—who are now proud parents.
	Mood and personality disorders are often misconceived With each new version of the widely-used manual of mental disorders, the number of mental health conditions increases. The latest version (DSM-5) lists around 300 disorders. To complicate things, many share common features, such as depression and anxiety.
	How to prevent opioid addiction before it begins USC Viterbi School of Engineering researchers are working to combat opioid addiction before it can begin.
	Tooth enamel that regrows? Researcher says revolutionary gel could make it possible Dental cavities are the leading source of disability and pain: They affect 35 percent of the world's population, with an economic impact in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Still, the methods for treating cavities and tooth enamel loss generally involve pain, cost—and drills.
	Flesh-eating bacteria cases on the rise, researchers call for urgent response Victoria is facing a worsening epidemic of flesh-eating bacteria that cause a disease known internationally as Buruli ulcer – and we don't know how to prevent it. Also called Bairnsdale ulcer or Daintree ulcer, this disease causes destructive skin lesions that can lead to severe illness and occasionally even death.
	Researchers post genetic profiles of a half-million human immune cells on Human Cell Atlas online portal A team of postdoctoral and research scientists at the Broad Institute has made a data set of half a million human immune cells openly accessible on a preview site that provides initial access to data for the Human Cell Atlas initiative.
Children with non-chromosomal birth defects face higher risk of several childhood cancers Children with non-chromosomal birth defects such as congenital heart disease had a significantly higher risk of developing childhood cancer than children who did not have birth defects, according to a study presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 14-18.
Expansion of circulating tumor-specific T cells after treatment suggested systemic antitumor immunity The anti-PD1 immunotherapy nivolumab (Opdivo) given prior to surgical resection of stage 1-3 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was safe and resulted in major pathological responses in 45 percent of the patients, according to data from a clinical trial presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 14-18.
An off-the-shelf, dual-targeted CAR T-cell product shows promising results in preclinical studies FT819, an off-the-shelf, T-cell receptor (TCR)-less CD19 CAR T-cell product that could potentially be made more accessible to cancer patients than conventional CAR T-cell therapies showed positive results in preclinical specificity, functionality, and efficacy studies, according to data presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 14-18.
	A call for deeper understanding of AFib, a growing and dangerous heart rhythm disorder Much of what doctors and researchers know about treating atrial fibrillation is based simply on the yes-no question of whether a patient has the condition or not.
	Misophonia—when certain sounds drive you crazy What happens when you hear someone do any of the following: smacking their lips while eating, slurping drinks, breathing, yawning, sniffling, humming, tapping their fingers, typing or texting with the keyboard clicks switched on? If you have a strong emotional response and a desire to escape or stop the sound, you may have misophonia.
	Chamomile tea may help control diabetes – as my research into 19th century dyes revealed Chamomile – that yellow flower so often made into a tea, enjoyed before bed – is a very interesting plant. It was recently discovered that the humble flower may control or even prevent diabetes – and now my research into historical textile dyes has helped to identify the specific compounds involved. That bedtime herbal tea may be doing many people a lot of good.
	GPS trackers can save the lives of people with dementia People with dementia should have access to location finding devices – like GPS trackers – so that family carers and the police can locate the person in an emergency if they get lost, according to a new study by the University of Southampton.
	Evidence mounts that daily opioid users may fare worse after spine surgery, study finds In a multicenter database study of adults who had undergone surgery for spinal deformities, researchers say that those who had used narcotics daily on average had worse outcomes, such as longer intensive care unit stays and more severe postop disability, compared with those who did not use opioids preoperatively.
Cyberbullying, unmet medical needs contribute to depressive symptoms among sexual minority youth Cyberbullying, dissatisfaction with family relationships, and unmet medical needs are major contributors to the high rates of depressive symptoms seen among adolescents who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning their sexual orientation, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health. Their new study on sexual minority youth now appears in Pediatrics.
	Combination therapy doubles survival in metastatic lung cancer The immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, when combined with chemotherapy, doubles survival in patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSNSCLC) lacking genetic changes in the EGFR or ALK genes, when compared to chemotherapy alone, according to an international, Phase III clinical trial.
	More prehospital deaths may mean increased intensity in violence A new Johns Hopkins Medicine analysis of national trauma data shows that trauma patients were four times more likely to die from gunshot wounds and nearly nine times more likely to die from stab wounds before getting to a trauma center in 2014, compared with rates in 2007.
	Boosting T cell 'memory' may result in longer-lasting and effective responses for patients Just like people, some T cells have excellent memories. These subtypes known as memory T cells may explain why some immunotherapies are more effective than others and potentially lead to researchers designing more effective studies using combination checkpoint blockade treatments, according to experts at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Researchers find promising treatment strategy for stage 1-3 NSCL cancer patients A new, innovative approach to lung cancer treatment in which immunotherapy is administered prior to surgery is yielding encouraging outcomes in 45% of patients treated in this small, compelling study from researchers on the Stand Up To Cancer-Cancer Research Institute Cancer Immunology Dream Team, according to results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018, April 16 and simultaneously published online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Drug reduces size of some lung cancer tumors, relapse rate after surgery A drug given to early stage lung cancer patients before they undergo surgery showed major tumor responses in the removed tumor and an increase in anti-tumor T-cells that remained after the tumor was removed, which resulted in fewer relapse cases in the patients.
	Education, not income, the best predictor of a long life Rising income and the subsequent improved standards of living have long been thought to be the most important factors contributing to a long and healthy life. However, new research from Wolfgang Lutz and Endale Kebede, from IIASA and the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) has shown that instead, the level of education a person has is a much better predictor of life expectancy.
Precancerous colon polyps in patients with Lynch syndrome exhibit immune activation Colon polyps from patients with Lynch syndrome, a hereditary condition that raises colorectal cancer risk, display immune system activation well before cancer development, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The preclinical research challenges traditional models of cancer immune activation and suggests immunotherapy may be useful for colorectal cancer prevention in certain high-risk groups.
	Company recalls more than 200 million eggs due to salmonella scare (HealthDay)—Nearly 207 million eggs produced at a farm in Hyde County, N.C., are being voluntarily recalled because of concerns of contamination with the salmonella bacteria, the egg company announced.
	How to keep anger from getting the better of you (HealthDay)—Anger isn't just an emotional reaction—it can affect you physically, too.
	New study discovers cancer-relevant protein shield Researchers from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research have uncovered a new protein shield that aids in repairing damaged DNA in cells and affects resistance to drugs used for breast cancer treatment. The new study has just been published in the internationally acclaimed scientific journal Cell.
	Baylor College of Medicine graduate starts Speratum CR to bring his own discovery to cancer patients Dr. Christian Marín-Muller's grandmother died of cancer before he was born. It saddens him that he never had the chance to meet her, but thanks to her he knew from an early age what he wanted to be when he grew up. He would become a scientist and find a way to fight cancer so nobody else would have to lose a grandma.
	Scientists create technology that measures tumors' drug resistance up to 10 times faster A group of scientists from VCU Massey Cancer Center and UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a new, high-speed microscopy platform that can measure a cancer cell's resistance to drugs up to 10 times faster than existing technology, potentially informing more effective treatment selection for cancer patients. The technology is being presented in abstract form today at the American Association for Cancer Research's Annual Meeting in Chicago.
	Americans with a college education live longer without dementia and Alzheimer's Education gives people an edge in their later years, helping them to keep dementia at bay and their memories intact, a new USC-led study has found.
	Study finds concerning connection between feminine hygiene products and infection Vaginal hygiene products have been used by 95 per cent of Canadian women, but they likely do more harm than good, according to a University of Guelph study.
Better education during childhood decreases risk of dementia in African-Americans A newly published observational study from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University has found that increased levels of education, particularly for those who grew up in low-income rural areas, was significantly associated with the decrease in the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in older African Americans previously reported by the same research group.
Study examines accuracy of test for lymph node metastases in women with breast cancer For patients diagnosed with breast cancer, determining whether cancer cells have spread to the axillary lymph nodes of the armpit is important for guiding treatment decisions. It has been debated whether axillary ultrasound imaging is equally sensitive for detecting axillary metastatic lymph nodes in different subtypes of breast cancer.
Study identifies effective school-based cavity prevention program School-based prevention programs can substantially reduce children's cavities - but what type of treatment should be delivered in schools to best prevent tooth decay?
	How do melanoma cells survive drug treatment long enough to acquire drug resistance? Cancer often picks up genetic changes that allow it to resist treatment. But this takes time. How do cancer cells undergoing drug treatment survive long enough to evolve? To answer this question, a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2018 used real-time, single-cell imaging to make movies of live cancer cells responding to treatment with an anti-cancer drug. All cells stopped dividing in response to the drug, as expected. And then within 2-3 days, some cells restarted. By rewinding the tape of the cells that tolerated therapy - effectively, playing the movie in reverse - researchers examined how cells are able to evade drug action, long before they have acquired drug resistance mutations.
When prostate cancer reaches bone, bone cells may drive overall growth of the disease When prostate cancer metastasizes to bone, it can become especially dangerous - not only with its action in the bone but, interestingly, with increased aggressiveness of the overall cancer itself. Now, research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2018 hints at why: Cells involved in these bone metastases may release signals that drive the progression of the disease.
	Beyond PD-L1: Taking away TIM3 and Tregs stops cancer regrowth after immunotherapy Radiation treatment can boost the effectiveness of anti-cancer immunotherapy. Still, some patients fail to respond to this combination, and while the combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy is very good at creating remission, it's not very good at sustaining it. Now a University of Colorado Cancer Center study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2018 shows how tumors may learn to overcome this combination treatment: Increased TIM3 and/or increased regulatory T cells (Tregs) within the tumor may help cancers inactivate immune system killer T cells that would otherwise identify and attack the cancer. The findings may help design combination therapies that reduce relapse after immunotherapy.
	One-hour plasma glucose useful predictor of diabetic retinopathy (HealthDay)—One- and two-hour plasma glucose concentrations (1h-PG and 2h-PG, respectively) are similarly effective at predicting diabetic retinopathy (DR), according to a study published online April 5 in Diabetes Care.
	Number of drinks predicts teens' other risky behaviors (HealthDay)—The number of drinks consumed in high school students' binge drinking episodes predicts other health risk behaviors, according to a study published online April 10 in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
	Contextual factors linked to overeating, loss of control (HealthDay)—Eating-related factors appear to be most strongly associated with the severity of loss of control (LOC) among young people with overweight or obesity, according to a study published online March 10 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
	Volumetric laser endomicroscopy helps ID barrett's regions (HealthDay)—Volumetric laser endomicroscopy (VLE) users can identify regions of interest for potential Barrett's esophagus (BE) dysplasia with a high degree of agreement, according to a study published online April 6 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Adjuvant pembrolizumab beneficial in stage III melanoma (HealthDay)—Pembrolizumab is associated with significantly longer recurrence-free survival than placebo as adjuvant therapy for high-risk stage III melanoma, according to a study published online April 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research was published to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, held from April 14 to 18 in Chicago.
	Ear infections can lead to meningitis, brain abscess and other neurological complications While antibiotics have greatly reduced the dangers of ear infections, serious neurological complications, including hearing loss, facial paralysis, meningitis and brain abscess still occur, according to a report in the journal Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports.
	Researchers use search engines, social media to predict syphilis trends UCLA-led research finds that internet search terms and tweets related to sexual risk behaviors can predict when and where syphilis trends will occur.
	People with Type 2 diabetes who eat breakfast later, more likely to have a higher BMI Being an "evening person" is linked to higher body mass indices among people with Type 2 diabetes, and having breakfast later in the day seems to be what drives this association, according to a new paper in the journal Diabetic Medicine.
	Is whole-brain radiation still best for brain metastases from small-cell lung cancer? Lung cancer often metastasizes to the brain. Historically, brain metastases have been treated with whole-brain radiation therapy. However, whole-brain radiation is associated with cognitive side-effects and studies of non-small cell lung cancer patients have shown that a more targeted form of radiation, known as stereotactic radiosurgery, can improve cognitive outcomes and is highly effective for treating limited numbers of brain metastases. However, these studies have usually excluded patients with the related but different form of the disease known as small-cell lung cancer and, for patients with this tumor type, whole-brain radiation remains the standard of care for limited and even solitary brain metastases.
	Post-surgical opioids can, paradoxically, lead to chronic pain Giving opioids to animals to quell pain after surgery prolongs pain for more than three weeks and primes specialized immune cells in the spinal cord to be more reactive to pain, according to a new study by the University of Colorado Boulder.
Pancreatitis in minorities linked to triglycerides, gallstones, alcohol abuse Pancreatitis in ethnic minorities is linked to very severe levels of triglycerides and the risk is further increased by alcohol abuse and gallstones, a study has found.
	Study is first to examine relationship between absolute and relative time estimates If you've ever noticed yourself thinking about the timing of a plan in two opposing ways—something that feels longer off than your actual time calculation—you're on to something. New research shows our different ways of estimating time don't necessarily move in lock-step.
	Reversing brain injury in newborns and adults Children and adults diagnosed with brain conditions such as cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and dementia may be one step closer to obtaining new treatments that could help to restore normal function.
	Volunteering two hours per week reduces loneliness in widowed older adults, study finds Widowed older adults can reduce the loneliness that results from the death of a spouse by volunteering 100 hours per year, which is about two hours per week, according to a recent study.
Regional health system growth and implications for stroke care New research shows that stroke patients are increasingly being transferred out of smaller community and rural hospitals and sent to larger medical centers for their care and rehabilitation. While this is a positive sign for patients who need more advanced treatments, the trend has drawbacks in terms of cost and points to the need to improve the coordination of care between hospitals.
	Overcoming fear of back pain may spur recovery (HealthDay)—People with chronic back pain often try painkillers and other treatments without success. Now, a new study suggests a program of education and exercise may provide relief.
	Safety info for opioids found lacking (HealthDay)—Information about safe storage and disposal of opioid painkillers on the drugs' package inserts is inconsistent, and even missing from some products, researchers report.
	Tick-borne diseases reach epidemic levels, panel says Tick-borne infections have reached epidemic proportions on Long Island, where children are disproportionately affected by Lyme disease and other infections transmitted by the eight-legged creatures, a panel of top scientists announced recently.
Fecal microbiota transplantation produces sustained improvements in cognitive and clinical outcomes A single treatment using an optimized, targeted form of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) produces sustained clinical and cognitive improvements, according to the results of a long-term follow-up of patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) who had participated in a short-term study. The original, randomized, open label study, which enrolled 20 outpatient men with cirrhosis and recurrent HE receiving standard-of-care (SOC) treatment, had previously reported that a single FMT enema after antibiotic pretreatment improved cognitive function at Day 20 and reduced HE episodes and hospitalizations over the following 5 months compared with SOC. The long-term outcomes of this study, which were presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, demonstrated sustained and statistically significant reductions in the number of HE episodes and hospitalizations as well as improvements in cognitive function over 1 year in the men who received FMT compared with the control group.
Updates on new therapies in development for rare liver diseases Promising results for three drugs for the treatment of three rare liver diseases were presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France. Sebelipase alfa, approved for treatment of lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) deficiency in 2015, showed sustained improvements and long-term tolerability in a diverse patient population. Preliminary findings with two investigational RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics were also positive; givosiran substantially reduced the annualized attack rate in patients with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), and ARO-AAT demonstrated positive preclinical safety and efficacy in alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency—pointing to the developing potential of this new therapeutic strategy in patients with few treatment options. LAL deficiency, an underappreciated cause of cirrhosis and severe dyslipidaemia, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by accumulation of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides in the liver.25 The age at onset and rate of progression vary greatly.25 Sebelipase alfa is a recombinant human LAL enzyme indicated for the treatment of LAL deficiency which was approved in 2015 following successful Phase 2/3 trials.
Transgender youth more often diagnosed with mental health conditions Transgender and gender-nonconforming youth are diagnosed with mental health conditions much more frequently than young people who identify with the gender they are assigned at birth, according to new Kaiser Permanente research published today in Pediatrics.
	Fermentation byproduct suppresses seizures in nerve agent poisoning A compound found in trace amounts in alcoholic beverages is more effective at combating seizures in rats exposed to an organophosphate nerve agent than the current recommended treatment, according to new research published in eNeuro.
	Overdose antidote promotes stroke recovery in rats The life-saving drug used to treat opioid overdose, naloxone, reduces brain inflammation in the aftermath of stroke in male rats. The preclinical research, published in eNeuro, lays the groundwork for developing the first drug to promote recovery from a leading cause of adult disability.
	Early environment may shape axon pathfinding A new mechanism regulating the early development of connections between the two sides of the nervous system has been identified in a paper published in eNeuro. The work demonstrates that neuronal activity is required for this process, a finding that may provide new insight into brain connectivity disorders such as autism.
Optimizing the use of organs donated from overdose deaths could help to address the national organ shortage The number of organs donated as a result of overdose death has increased 24-fold since 2000 and transplants with those organs have similar outcomes to transplants with organs donated after trauma or natural death. Optimizing their use is not a solution to the organ shortage, but it could help to address the problem. Findings from a National Registry study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Family support networks in Peruvian barrios prevent child labor A recent study by the University of Seville Personal and Community Network Laboratory (Laboratorio de Redes Personales y Comunidades) has shown that family support networks have value in preventing child labour. A survey carried out among parents in high-risk contexts shows that schools in barrios on the outskirts of Lima are a central part of life of the community, as they allow families from the district to start and develop relationships with each other; and they serve as points of access for valuable resources from outside the barrio.
Saffron spices up mental health research Murdoch University researcher Dr. Adrian Lopresti saw promising results studying saffron as a treatment for depression and anxiety in adolescents.
Selective inhibitor shows early promise in patients with RET-altered cancers BLU-667, a next-generation inhibitor that selectively targets the oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinase RET, was well tolerated and had broad clinical benefit in patients with advanced cancer that had progressed on previous therapies including multikinase inhibitor therapy. Proof-of-concept data will be presented from an ongoing phase I clinical trial at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 14-18, in Chicago.
New research: High risk of malaria transmission after blood transfusions in sub-Saharan Africa A new study suggests that in certain areas of sub-Saharan Africa, nearly one in four blood bank supplies contain the parasites that cause malaria. Another study, focusing on the blood supply of Equatorial Guinea's capital, Malabo, found much higher levels of latent malaria infection, most of it—more than 89 percent—at a level that commonly-used diagnostic technology cannot detect. Both studies were presented at the 7th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan African Malaria Conference in Dakar, Senegal.
In new anthology, experts look to future for managing dementia, mental health In a newly published collection of research reports and essays , more than 20 experts in aging are looking to the future of science, professional education, clinical practice, and public policy to address two of America's fastest growing health concerns: Dementia and mental health in late life.

Biology news

	Scientists discover a pathway that monitors a protein import into mitochondria If there's one fact that most people retain from elementary biology, it's that mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell. As such, they break down molecules and manufacture new ones to generate the fuel necessary for life. But mitochondria rely on a stream of proteins to sustain this energy production. Nearly all their proteins are manufactured in the surrounding gel-like cytoplasm, and must be imported into the mitochondria to keep the powerhouse running.
	Grafted brain organoids provide insight into neurological disorders Many neurological disorders—Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, autism, even depression—have lagged behind in new therapies. Because the brain is so complex, it can be difficult to discover new drugs and even when a drug is promising in animal models, it often doesn't work for humans.
	What's in a niche? Time to rethink microbial ecology, say researchers Scientists in Canada, the United States and Europe are looking to rewrite the textbook on microbial ecology, advocating a new approach to studying the most abundant form of life on Earth.
	Global warming is mixing up nature's dinner time, study says Global warming is screwing up nature's intricately timed dinner hour, often making hungry critters and those on the menu show up at much different times, a new study shows.
Researchers to keep working to free whale from fishing line Researchers off the coast of Provincetown said Saturday they'll keep trying to free an endangered North Atlantic right whale from fishing line wrapped around her jaw.
	Albania's pelicans return to their lagoon 'kingdom' With feathers on its head that make it look like it is wearing a wig, it does not go unnoticed—the Dalmatian pelican is back with a flourish in the Divjaka Lagoon in western Albania.
	A new hope: One of North America's rarest bees has its known range greatly expanded The Macropis Cuckoo Bee is one of the rarest bees in North America, partly because of its specialized ecological associations. It is a nest parasite of oil-collecting bees of the genus Macropis which, in turn, are dependent on oil-producing flowers of the genus Lysimachia.
Plants play greater role than megaherbivore extinctions in changes to ecosystem structure Plants may have exerted greater influence on our terrestrial ecosystems than the megaherbivores that used to roam our landscapes, according to new research.
	Cytoplasmic streaming is involved in the transmission of signals within giant cells in Chara algae Chara algae are ancient plant organisms that are commonly found in freshwater reservoirs and occur, though more rarely, in water bodies with salt water. An unusual feature of this type of algae is the huge size of individual cells, which can reach up to one mm in diameter and up to several centimeters in length. This feature makes Characean algae a unique subject for the study of intracellular signals, which are associated with the appearance of signaling molecules in some parts of the cell (for example, when they are touched or illuminated) and their propagation to other cell areas. As these intracellular signals propagate, they cause various physiological responses, including changes in photosynthesis and respiration.
	Structure of a protein complex related with cell survival revealed A team from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) has determined for the first time the high-resolution structure of a complex (R2TP) involved in key processes for cell survival and in diseases such as cancer. This achievement was made with high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy, a technique brought to the CNIO by Óscar Llorca, director of the Structural Biology Programme and lead author on the paper published in Nature Communications.
	Plants use advertising-like strategies to attract bees with colour and scent Watching plants and pollinators such as bees can teach us a lot about how complex networks work in nature.
	Harmful genetic mutations may be less common than we thought We are all mutants. Every characteristic that defines our species is the result of a genetic mutation somewhere in the history of evolution. And the same is true for every other organism on the planet. Yet more often than not we think about mutations as bad, leading to disability or disease. So how often are these changes to DNA harmful and how many of them are potentially helpful? A new study suggests that lethal mutations may be much less common than we once thought, at least in bacteria.
	The Trump administration's new migratory bird policy undermines a century of conservation The Trump administration has announced a position on protecting migratory birds that is a drastic pullback from policies in force for the past 100 years.
	Bold and aggressive behaviour means birds thrive in cities Most people probably wouldn't consider bustling towns and cities good places for nature to thrive. Yet a few species of birds have so successfully adapted to city living that they boast large and thriving urban populations. Now, research has suggested that the success of these city-dwelling species may lie in their behaviour.
	Transfer learning meets livestock genomics Researchers at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) have developed a new computational method that predicts harmful mutations in mammalian species. As more livestock producers are using genetic tests to improve their herds, this method will help to optimize and guide the animal breeding programmes, as well as increase the profitability and yields of livestock. Published in Evolutionary Applications, the method follows closely in the footsteps of the most recent innovations in human genomics and translates the knowledge about genetics risk factors in humans to companion animals, thus having a transformative potential for genetics and genomics of livestock species.
	Sugar withdrawal—killing the leishmania parasite Findings on how parasites cope with stress on a cellular level could aid the development of drugs that combat leishmaniasis, a tropical disease neglected by the pharmaceutical industry.
Ants prefer a hard-earned treat We are not exactly closely related to ants, but our brains have one surprising similarity: we both value highly the prize we get after a hard day's work.
Sex life of the blue-ringed octopus What one of the world's most venomous marine creatures gets up to after dark.
Saving the bison: Polish bison off to help Spanish herd grow Seven young female bison from Poland are being shipped off to help boost a herd in Spain and expand the population of Europe's largest animal, which is on the endangered species list.

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