Science X Newsletter Monday, Jul 30

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 30, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

A new complex network-based approach to topic modeling

Carbon 'leak' may have warmed the planet for 11,000 years, encouraging human civilization

Nano-optic endoscope sees deep into tissue at high resolution

Blue crystals in meteorites show that our Sun went through the 'terrible twos'

The simplest organic acid detected in a protoplanetary disk for the first time

Neuroengineering in three-dimensional brain-like microenvironments

Using nanowires to build all-optical logic gates

Research finds silicon-based, tandem photovoltaic modules can compete in solar market

Pair of colliding stars spill radioactive molecules into space

Mars terraforming not possible using present-day technology

Memory-processing unit could bring memristors to the masses

DNA repair after CRISPR cutting not at all what people thought

'Blood moon' dazzles skygazers in century's longest eclipse

Apple and Amazon lead the pack to $1 trillion market value

Google Contact Center AI could lighten load of pressures and problems

Astronomy & Space news

	Blue crystals in meteorites show that our Sun went through the 'terrible twos' Our Sun's beginnings are a mystery. It burst into being 4.6 billion years ago, about 50 million years before the Earth formed. Since the Sun is older than the Earth, it's hard to find physical objects that were around in the Sun's earliest days—materials that bear chemical records of the early Sun. But in a new study in Nature Astronomy, ancient blue crystals trapped in meteorites reveal what the early Sun was like. And apparently, it had a pretty rowdy start.
	The simplest organic acid detected in a protoplanetary disk for the first time Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international team of researchers has detected formic acid in the circumstellar disk of the TW Hydrae system. It is the first discovery of the simplest carboxylic acid in a protoplanetary disk. The finding is reported in a paper published July 16 on arXiv.org.
	Pair of colliding stars spill radioactive molecules into space When two Sun-like stars collide, the result can be a spectacular explosion and the formation of an entirely new star. One such event was seen from Earth in 1670. It appeared to observers as a bright, red "new star." Though initially visible with the naked eye, this burst of cosmic light quickly faded and now requires powerful telescopes to see the remains of this merger: a dim central star surrounded by a halo of glowing material flowing away from it.
	Mars terraforming not possible using present-day technology Science fiction writers have long featured terraforming, the process of creating an Earth-like or habitable environment on another planet, in their stories. Scientists themselves have proposed terraforming to enable the long-term colonization of Mars. A solution common to both groups is to release carbon dioxide gas trapped in the Martian surface to thicken the atmosphere and act as a blanket to warm the planet.
	'Blood moon' dazzles skygazers in century's longest eclipse The longest "blood moon" eclipse this century dazzled skygazers across the globe Friday, coinciding with Mars' closest approach in 15 years in a thrilling celestial spectacle.
	Space station experiment reaches ultracold milestone The International Space Station is officially home to the coolest experiment in space.
	Researchers report long hidden properties of Polaris Two Villanova University astrophysics professors led a research team that has discovered the long hidden physical properties of Polaris, popularly known as "The North Star." Until now, scientists' wide-ranging estimates of the star's distance from the Earth (322-520 light years), made determining its physical makeup difficult. But, equipped with precise distance measurements recently made by the European Space Agency's (ESA) Gaia Mission (447+/- 1.6 light years), the Villanova team has been able to determine Polaris's radius, intrinsic brightness, age and mass.
	Parker Solar Probe and the birth of the solar wind This summer, humanity embarks on its first mission to touch the Sun: A spacecraft will be launched into the Sun's outer atmosphere.
	Plate tectonics not needed to sustain life There may be more habitable planets in the universe than we previously thought, according to Penn State geoscientists, who suggest that plate tectonics—long assumed to be a requirement for suitable conditions for life—are in fact not necessary.
	World gazes at total lunar eclipse, longest of this century Curiosity and awe have greeted a complete lunar eclipse, the longest one of this century and visible in much of the world.
	Image: Two lunar flashes light up darkened moon On 17 July 2018, an ancient lump from space thwacked into the moon with enough energy to produce a brilliant flash of light. With another space rock seemingly in pursuit, a second flash lit up a different region of the Moon almost exactly 24 hours later (see GIF).

Technology news

	A new complex network-based approach to topic modeling Researchers at Northwestern University, the University of Bath, and the University of Sydney have developed a new network approach to topic models, machine learning strategies that can discover abstract topics and semantic structures within text documents.
	Research finds silicon-based, tandem photovoltaic modules can compete in solar market New solar energy research from Arizona State University demonstrates that silicon-based, tandem photovoltaic modules, which convert sunlight to electricity with higher efficiency than present modules, will become increasingly attractive in the U.S.
	Memory-processing unit could bring memristors to the masses A new way of arranging advanced computer components called memristors on a chip could enable them to be used for general computing, which could cut energy consumption by a factor of 100.
	Apple and Amazon lead the pack to $1 trillion market value For a long time, Apple appeared to be flying solo to a $1 trillion market value, but Amazon is right at its heels—and experts have no fears of a tech bubble.
	Google Contact Center AI could lighten load of pressures and problems Having to deal with automated assistance during call center exchanges is not fun. How is that for an understatement. We tried to dive as gently as we could.
	Research identifies key weakness in modern computer vision systems Computer vision algorithms have come a long way in the past decade. They've been shown to be as good or better than people at tasks like categorizing dog or cat breeds, and they have the remarkable ability to identify specific faces out of a sea of millions.
	Cancer is not so elementary, is it, dear Watson The use of Watson for oncology is attracting the glare, not warmth, of the spotlight. Numerous tech watching sites have covered a July 25 STAT report over internal documents which indicated criticism of the Watson for Oncology system.
	'Smart' machine components alert users to damage and wear Scientists at the United Technologies Research Center and UConn used advanced additive manufacturing technology to create 'smart' machine components that alert users when they are damaged or worn.
	3-D printing the next generation of batteries Additive manufacturing, otherwise known as 3-D printing, can be used to manufacture porous electrodes for lithium-ion batteries—but because of the nature of the manufacturing process, the design of these 3-D printed electrodes is limited to just a few possible architectures. Until now, the internal geometry that produced the best porous electrodes through additive manufacturing was what's known as an interdigitated geometry—metal prongs interlocked like the fingers of two clasped hands, with the lithium shuttling between the two sides.
	To repair reputation, Twitter, Facebook incur investor wrath Two of the biggest social media platforms lost nearly one-fifth of their market value after reporting disappointing user growth.
	Facebook cleanup: Hurt the stock, help the world? It's been a rough year for Facebook and its investors. Questions of data privacy, fake news proliferation and user growth have dogged the company.
	It's Rubens vs. Facebook in fight over artistic nudity For four centuries, the opulent, exuberant nudes of Peter Paul Rubens have been known to shock and delight in sometimes equal measure. And now, even in 2018, his Baroque paintings are still jolting the internet.
	Madrid taxis join Barcelona strike against Uber Taxi drivers in Madrid went on strike Saturday in solidarity with Barcelona cabbies protesting against "unfair competition" from Uber and Cabify.
	UK lawmakers recommend tougher rules on Facebook The U.K. government should increase oversight of social media like Facebook and election campaigns to protect democracy in the digital age, a parliamentary committee has recommended in a scathing report on fake news, data misuse and interference by Russia.
Into The Void: hyper-real 'Star Wars' VR makes you the hero Imagine putting on a helmet, lowering the visor and being transported immediately from your humdrum day-to-day existence into your own "Star Wars" adventure.
	French luxury giants dive into Silicon Valley Steve Jobs may have been a tech genius, but he clearly didn't care much for fashion.
Amazon's facial recognition tool misidentified 28 members of Congress in ACLU test Amazon's controversial facial recognition program, Rekognition, falsely identified 28 members of Congress during a test of the program by the American Civil Liberties Union, the civil rights group said Thursday.
	Cooking even when the wind blows Students and a doctoral candidate at ETH Zurich have developed a camping stove with the flame on the inside, greatly reducing the negative effects of wind and heat loss. The new design was made possible by additive manufacturing.
	What if the companies that profit from your data had to pay you? When it comes to digital privacy, there are plenty of organisations making money out of using your data – Google and Facebook are just two examples. But what if you were the one making the money?
	Laser-scribed disordered graphene significantly improves sodium-ion battery capacity Sodium-ion batteries have potential to replace the currently used lithium-ion batteries by using the cheaper (less than a thirtieth of the cost of lithium) and more abundant sodium resource. This has particular potential in Saudi Arabia, where sodium is readily available and easily extracted as a byproduct of water desalination, a significant source of potable water in the country.
	How the Russian government used disinformation and cyber warfare in 2016 election – an ethical hacker explains The Soviet Union and now Russia under Vladimir Putin have waged a political power struggle against the West for nearly a century. Spreading false and distorted information – called "dezinformatsiya" after the Russian word for "disinformation" – is an age-old strategy for coordinated and sustained influence campaigns that have interrupted the possibility of level-headed political discourse. Emerging reports that Russian hackers targeted a Democratic senator's 2018 reelection campaign suggest that what happened in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election may be set to recur.
	What's really driving the future of retail? Many predictions about the "future of retailing" have been made. These range from the supposed dominance of certain technologies, to increased use of data and analytics, the rising need for personalisation and customisation, and the transformation of physical spaces.
	Harley-Davidson rebels with an electric motorcycle (Update) Smaller bikes, electric engines and urban storefronts: Harley-Davidson, we hardly knew you.
	Weaponized information seeks a new target in cyberspace—users' minds The Russian attacks on the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the country's continuing election-related hacking have happened across all three dimensions of cyberspace – physical, informational and cognitive. The first two are well-known: For years, hackers have exploited hardware and software flaws to gain unauthorized access to computers and networks – and stolen information they've found. The third dimension, however, is a newer target – and a more concerning one.
	The magic of secret islands creates safe haven for literary classics on Minecraft.edu The magic of Treasure Island, complete with swashbuckling pirates and buried gold, is captured in a pioneering project, created by a Lancaster University team, which brings gaming and textual worlds together to re-engage schoolchildren with literary classics.
	Nokia to help with T-Mobile superfast telecom network Nokia will help T-Mobile deploy a superfast "5G" mobile internet network across the United States in a $3.5-billion deal, the companies announced Monday.
	Death of Fiat Chrysler chief focuses spotlight on CEO health Fiat Chrysler's late founding CEO Sergio Marchionne was a notorious workaholic who regularly slept on a corporate jet while landing in the headlines for his shrewd deal-making. Despite his very public profile, he kept a secret even from his board: he'd been seriously ill for more than a year.
New technology enhances speech perception Future hearing aid users will be able to target their listening more accurately thanks to new Danish technology. A researcher from Aalborg University uses machine learning to teach a computer programme how to remove unwanted noise and enhance speech.
	Spain: Taxi drivers block streets over ride-hailing services Striking taxi drivers brought traffic in parts of major Spanish cities to a standstill Monday by stopping their vehicles in major thoroughfares to protest ride-hailing services.
French lawmakers ban smartphones in schools French schoolchildren will have to leave their smartphones switched off or at home as the new academic year begins in September, after lawmakers voted for a ban on Monday.
	Number of US newspaper newsroom employees down sharply: survey The number of employees in US newspaper newsrooms has declined by 45 percent over the past decade, according to a survey published on Monday.
States suing Trump administration, company over 3D guns Eight states are filing suit against the Trump administration over its decision to allow a Texas company to publish downloadable blueprints for a 3D-printed gun, contending the hard-to-trace plastic weapons are a boon to terrorists and criminals and threaten public safety.

Medicine & Health news

	Neuroengineering in three-dimensional brain-like microenvironments The human brain is organized of highly complex and expansive cellular and neuronal networks, but the existing scientific understanding of the developing brain is proportionately limited. Neuroengineering is an evolving field that employs advanced technology to manipulate neurons. The discipline can develop disease models of the central and peripheral nervous system to grasp neurological disorders, and produce next-generation biomaterials for neural tissue engineering. The ability to directly reprogram and convert mature cells such as fibroblasts (somatic cells) into neurons has also presented promising therapeutic potential. Technology for neuroengineering aims to design and create a broad range of applications to regulate neurons.
	Scientists discover a dynamic cellular defense against breast cancer invasion Johns Hopkins researchers report they have demonstrated in mouse tissue grown in the lab that the cell layer surrounding breast milk ducts reaches out to grab stray cancer cells to keep them from spreading through the body. The findings reveal that this cell layer, called the myoepithelium, is not a stationary barrier to cancer invasion, as scientists previously thought, but an active defense against breast cancer metastasis.
	Lab identifies new model to study connectivity in the developing brain In a paper published Tuesday in the journal eLife, Michael Francis, PhD, and colleagues highlight a new role for the protein NRX-1, a synaptic organizer in the nervous system of the nematode C. elegans.
	Experimental drug reverses hair loss and skin damage linked to fatty diet, shows new study in mice In a series of experiments with mice, Johns Hopkins investigators have used an experimental compound to successfully reverse hair loss, hair whitening and skin inflammation linked by previous studies to human diets heavy in fat and cholesterol.
	Researchers uncover potential new role of long noncoding RNA in fatty liver disease Scientists at the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute have uncovered a potential new role for long noncoding RNA in obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease—an accumulation of too much fat in the liver that affects an estimated 64 million Americans and increases their risk for cirrhosis and liver failure.
	Brain game doesn't offer brain gain A new study led by a team of Western University neuroscientists has debunked claims that getting better at a brain training game can translate to improved performance in other, untrained cognitive tasks.
	Research on mutation 'hotspots' in DNA could lead to new insights on cancer risks New research from Indiana University has identified "hotspots" in DNA where the risk for genetic mutations is significantly elevated.
	Nanoparticle vaccine made with peptides effective against influenza virus, study finds A new, double-layered nanoparticle vaccine made with peptides has been found to effectively protect mice against influenza A virus, according to a study led by Georgia State University.
	Lack of a single molecule may indicate severe and treatment-resistant depression People with depression have low blood levels of a substance called acetyl-L-carnitine, according to a Stanford University School of Medicine scientist and her collaborators in a multicenter study.
	Microfluidic system incorporates neuroinflammation into 'Alzheimer's in a dish' model Building on their development of the first culture system to replicate fully the pathology behind Alzheimer's disease, a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team has now produced a system that includes neuroinflammation, the key biological response that leads to the death of brain cells. The investigators describe their system, which incorporates the glial cells that that not only surround and support neurons but also provide some immune system functions, in a paper published in Nature Neuroscience.
	Are caries linked to political regime? At the 96th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), held in conjunction with the IADR Pan European Regional (PER) Congress, John Estrada-Montoya, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, gave a poster presentation titled "Does a Country's Political Regime Influence Its DMTF Index." The IADR/PER General Session & Exhibition is in London, England at the ExCeL London Convention Center from July 25-28, 2018.
	Precision medicine offers a glimmer of hope for Alzheimer's disease The decadeslong search for effective ways to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease is littered with failures, leaving 5.7 million Americans already stricken with this form of dementia without a lifeline. The rest of us are left to hope we won't be among the 1 in 10 over 65 who gets the devastating diagnosis.
Study suggests journalists must take care in reporting on suicide A large study examining media reporting of suicide found significant associations between reporting details and suicide deaths, underscoring the need for responsible reporting. The study, conducted by an international research team, is published in Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
	Why bariatric surgery wait times have nearly doubled in 10 years Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and borderline high blood pressure, Dana Hayes pursued bariatric surgery in hopes of living a healthier life.
Inflammation inhibitor delivered directly to kidneys reverses course of destructive nephritis Using a manmade version of a human antibody to directly deliver a drug that inhibits a powerful driver of inflammation, can reverse a disease course that often leads to kidney failure and dialysis, investigators report.
Allergy clinic finds large percentage of anaphylaxis cases from tick bite meat allergy An increase in the Lone Star tick population since 2006, and the ability to recognize the ticks as the source of "alpha gal" allergy to red meat has meant significantly more cases of anaphylaxis being properly identified.
Many young people don't know when female and male fertility declines, study finds Most students underestimate the impact of female and male age on fertility, new research published in Human Fertility finds. Less than half could correctly identify the age when a woman's fertility declines and even fewer knew when male fertility declines.
	Mini-brains offer hope in search for new drugs for brain disorders Miniature brains grown in laboratory dishes could overcome some of the problems testing drugs on animals and help researchers identify new ways to treat very human, and incurable, conditions like Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy.
	Advice for sunscreen skeptics There's a reasonable approach to sunscreen use—even for those who are skeptical about its safety, says a University of Alberta dermatologist.
	Decline in hepatitis C treatment uptake could threaten Australia's elimination targets There has been a decline in the uptake of life-saving treatments among people living with hepatitis C, according to new data released by the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney.
	Study suggests residential smoking bans will help more low-income smokers quit Enforcing residential bans on smoking could help large numbers of low-income people quit smoking, according to an analysis of federally funded national surveys by a California research team. The finding comes as public housing authorities across the country face a July 31st deadline from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to implement indoor no-smoking policies.
	Genetic study of familial leukemia solves 30-year medical mystery A decades-old medical mystery has been solved by researchers at UC San Francisco and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee, who have discovered a pair of inherited genetic mutations underlying a familial blood disorder that sometimes leads to leukemia.
	Could your gut microbes hinder your cancer treatment? A new first-in-human trial investigates Could the poop of some cancer patients hold the key to treating certain cancers in all people?
	A brain injury diagnosed with a single drop of blood Every year in Europe, 3 million people are admitted into hospitals for suspected mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) cases. Yet 90 percent of these patients detect no trauma. Today, the only reliable diagnosis is the CT scan, which is only available in some hospitals.
	Study shows role of enzyme in prostate cancer growth A new USC School of Pharmacy study led by University Professor Jean Chen Shih offers new evidence that the monoamine oxidase-A enzyme (MAO-A) pathway could be an important target in treating prostate cancer.
Researcher finds risk of later death after donor blood, marrow transplant in childhood While blood and marrow transplants can save the life of a pediatric cancer patient, research out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that those patients may be at an increased risk of premature death even years or decades after the procedure as compared with the general population.
	A better way to predict heart attacks and strokes in space Researchers may have developed a more reliable way to predict the risk of heart attack and stroke in astronauts – and the technique may eventually help gauge the same danger for regular folks on Earth, too.
	Limit low-calorie sodas and drinks, and stick to water instead, researchers advise People are drinking fewer diet drinks these days, and a panel of health experts agrees that's a good idea.
	Researcher finds surprising results in high-altitude study From battling stomach bugs to figuring out where to find deionized water, carrying out a scientific expedition in the Andes is no small feat. "We ended up using pressure cookers to sterilize our research equipment," said former CSU student Catherine Le. "I learned that you need to be creative and adaptive in field research."
UK court ruling seen as landmark in right-to-die cases Britain's Supreme Court ruled Monday that families of patients who are in a long-term persistent vegetative state do not need to seek a court's permission to have life support removed, in a case seen as placing the right-to-die decision back in the hands of loved ones and doctors.
	CDC: Homicides by firearm on the rise in the United States (HealthDay)—Gun murders are on the rise in the United States and are the most common type of murder, according to a QuickStats report published in the July 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	NFID initiative working to up hepatitis B vaccination rates (HealthDay)—A new initiative to increase hepatitis B virus vaccination rates among at-risk adults has been developed, according to a report from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) published in support of World Hepatitis Day.
	Cross-continuum communication beneficial after discharge (HealthDay)—Cross-continuum communication after hospital discharge can improve patient outcomes and overall health, according to an article published in Physicians Practice.
	Fatal child drownings in open water areas are increasing (HealthDay)—Most fatal child drownings occur each year between May and August, the majority of which happen in lakes, rivers, oceans, and other types of open water, according to a report released by Safe Kids Worldwide.
	Aldehydes dominant carcinogen in tobacco smoke (HealthDay)—Aldehydes are the major carcinogens in tobacco smoke, according to a study published online June 18 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Surgery and fluid science combine to help dialysis in kidney disease patients Aeronautical engineers, medics, and bioengineers at Imperial have teamed up to predict and improve results in dialysis patients.
	Can we improve cardiac arrest survival in hospitals? Each July brings residents – recent graduates from medical schools – to the inpatient wards of major teaching hospitals across the United States. Among the many new responsibilities these young doctors will be taking on, one of the oldest and most critical will be their role on Code Blue teams, or groups of caregivers who respond to cardiac arrests.
	Japan human trial tests iPS cell treatment for Parkinson's Japanese researchers on Monday announced the first human trial using a kind of stem cell to treat Parkinson's disease, building on earlier animal trials.
	The curious case of the people who can control their goosebumps Take a moment to give yourself goosebumps. Go ahead. We'll wait.
Study: 'Medicare for all' projected to cost $32.6 trillion Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for all" plan would boost government health spending by $32.6 trillion over 10 years, requiring historic tax hikes, says a study released Monday by a university-based libertarian policy center.
	Being overweight may change young adults' heart structure, function Even as a young adult, being overweight may cause higher blood pressure and thicken heart muscle, setting the stage for heart disease later in life, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	Poll: Older adults support opioid Rx limits, need better counseling on use and disposal Nearly a third of older adults have received a prescription for an opioid pain medicine in the past two years, but many of them didn't get enough counseling about the risks that come with the potent painkillers, how to reduce their use, when to switch to a non-opioid option, or what to do with leftover pills, a new poll finds.
	Targeting gene mutations to treat ovarian cancers New research has shown that ovarian cancer patients with a tumour mutation in the BRAF gene respond exceptionally well to treatment with targeted drugs, known as BRAF inhibitors.
	Fear of litigation is a key factor in decision to perform C-sections Fear of litigation and perceived safety concerns and are among the key factors influencing the decision to perform a caesarean section, according to a major international literature review conducted by researchers at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin.
	Key to artery health lies in LYVE-1 macrophage Arteries such as the aorta actively transport oxygenated blood, nutrients and cells throughout the body to keep our tissues functioning normally. Damage to the arteries can result in life-threatening cardiovascular diseases. A major type of damage involves hardening or stiffening of the vessel walls. This phenomenon, known as arterial stiffness, results in raised blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and aneurysm. However, the causes of arterial stiffness are still largely unknown.
	Advancing the search for antibodies to treat Alzheimer's disease Two new studies published by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital illustrate that not all forms of amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein—the protein thought to initiate Alzheimer's disease—play an equally menacing role in the progress of the disease. Using a new way of preparing and extracting the protein as well as a new technique to search for promising drug candidates, researchers have highlighted the importance of testing and targeting different forms of Aβ. Their work may help advance the search for more precise and effective drugs to prevent or halt the progress of Alzheimer's disease.
	Discuss religion, spirituality when treating young adults with severe mental illness A majority of young adults with severe mental illness—bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or major depression—consider religion and spirituality relevant to their mental health, according to a new study from Baylor University's Diana R. Garland School of Social Work.
	Study provides next clue to preventing dangerous episodes of low blood sugar with diabetes A new LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center study reveals that a novel biomarker might give us new answers necessary to creating a diagnostic tool for hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure, or HAAF. No objective diagnostic tool currently exists for this condition which, if left untreated, can lead to ever-worsening and possibly life-threatening episodes of dangerously low blood sugar.
Video recordings spotlight poor communication between nurses and doctors Communication breakdown among nurses and doctors is one of the primary reasons for patient care mistakes in the hospital.
Majority in U.S. support medical pot, think it could fight opioid crisis (HealthDay)—Americans strongly support medical marijuana, and a majority also believe that pot should be legal for recreational purposes, a new HealthDay/Harris Poll has found.
	Drinking while breast-feeding may dampen child's brain development (HealthDay)—Sorry, new moms, although you've already waited at least nine months, it's not time for a glass of wine just yet: New research suggests it might be best for baby's brain to wait until you've stopped breast-feeding.
	Yes, there is room for chocolate in your diet (HealthDay)—Dark chocolate is soothing and satisfying, and it may have health benefits, including some for heart health. But can it fit into a weight-loss diet?
	Sun's harms rise after organ transplant (HealthDay)—Organ transplant recipients are at increased risk for skin cancer and need to protect themselves, a dermatologist warns.
	No higher risk of autoimmune disorders after HPV4 vaccination (HealthDay)—Following quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV4) vaccination, girls age 12 to 17 years do not have increased risk of autoimmune disorders, according to a study published recently in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
	Increased levels of human herpesvirus ID'd in Alzheimer's (HealthDay)—Subjects with Alzheimer's disease have increased levels of two strains of human herpesvirus, according to a study published online July 11 in Neuron.
	Infective endocarditis more common with valve issues (HealthDay)—Individuals with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and mitral valve prolapse (MVP) have a higher risk of developing infective endocarditis (IE) than the general population, according to a study published in the June 19 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Four strategies help doctors make personal, professional gains (HealthDay)—In an article published in Physicians Practice, four strategies are presented to help physicians make personal and professional gains.
	Acupuncture may cut arthralgia from aromatase inhibitors (HealthDay)—Acupuncture may cut joint pain among postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer and aromatase inhibitor-related pain, according to a study published in the July 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Young cancer survivors have high risk of endocrine diseases (HealthDay)—Adolescent and young adult cancer survivors have a 73 percent higher risk of endocrine diseases, according to a study published online June 29 in JAMA Network Open.
	Tool improves identification of undiagnosed hypertension (HealthDay)—Use of billing and clinical data can help to identify undiagnosed hypertension, according to research published in the July 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Few health differences for trans, cisgender veterans (HealthDay)—Transgender U.S. veterans have few health differences compared with cisgender veterans, although the odds of having at least one disability are higher for transgender veterans, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
	Smaller plates don't help you eat less when you're hungry: research Tricking the brain into eating less by serving food on a smaller plate doesn't necessarily work, according a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers, who found that when people are food-deprived, they're more likely to identify a portion size accurately, no matter how it is served.
	Cannabinoid improves survival rates of mice with pancreatic cancer Mice with pancreatic cancer that were treated with a naturally occurring constituent of medicinal cannabis alongside chemotherapy, survived almost three times longer than those treated with chemotherapy alone, a new study reports.
	Team finds potent antibodies against three Ebola viruses Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and their colleagues are a step closer to developing a broadly effective antibody treatment against the three major Ebola viruses that cause lethal disease in humans.
	Harnessing hair loss gene could improve cancer immunotherapy A gene that's associated with an autoimmune form of hair loss could be exploited to improve cancer immunotherapy, suggests a new mouse study by Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) researchers.
	Don't believe the hype on 'vaginal rejuvenation,' FDA says (HealthDay)—Despite their growing popularity, there's no evidence that so-called "vaginal rejuvenation" procedures are either safe or effective, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.
	Here's what happened when one unvaccinated NYC kid got measles (HealthDay)—A new report details how a measles outbreak tore through two Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2013, ignited by an unvaccinated teen who brought the highly contagious disease home from a trip to London.
Brexit will be very bad for the NHS, survey of UK doctors reveals UK doctors think Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), dubbed Brexit, will be very bad for the NHS, reveal the results of an anonymised survey of their political beliefs and voting patterns, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
Researchers in China link dangerous foodborne pathogen to centipedes A dangerous foodborne parasite typically found in snails and other mollusks was detected in two patients in a Chinese hospital and traced to their consumption of raw wild centipedes, according to a new case report published today by the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Saliva diagnostics and salivaomics: Will saliva translate to a real diagnostic tool? At the 96th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), held in conjunction with the IADR Pan European Regional (PER) Congress, David Wong, University of California, Los Angeles, USA presented his research "Saliva Diagnostics and Salivaomics" as part of the symposium "Will Saliva Translate to a Real Diagnostic Tool?" on Saturday, July 28, 2018. The IADR/PER General Session & Exhibition is in London, England at the ExCeL London Convention Center from July 25-28, 2018.
E-cigarettes and tobacco product use linked to increased risk of oral cancer At the 96th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), held in conjunction with the IADR Pan European Regional (PER) Congress, Benjamin Chaffee, University of California, San Francisco, USA gave a poster presentation "Nicotine and Carcinogen Exposure by Tobacco Product Type and Dual-Use." The IADR/PER General Session & Exhibition is in London, England at the ExCeL London Convention Center from July 25-28, 2018.
The evidence suggests Serena Williams is not being discriminated against by drug testers Serena Williams is a well-known advocate for "clean sport." For any athlete to be effective in such a role, it is important to comprehend how anti-doping programs work. Misunderstandings of the drug-testing process can lead to misperceptions about fairness between different athletes or across sports.
	Looking for love in all the right data Love lies broken in Lorne Campbell's office.
New ways to assess drug benefits can help cut health care costs With the cost of drugs a critical issue in health care, health insurance companies and government payers need to understand how new and existing drugs compare in terms of benefits and risks.
Chinese parents stage rare public protest over vaccine scare About a dozen people held a rare protest outside China's Health Ministry to demand action over a vaccine scandal that has inflamed public fears over the safety of domestically produced drugs.
Patient who had been in Congo tests negative for Ebola virus Colorado health officials says a patient who became ill after visiting the Congo has tested negative for the Ebola virus.
	55- to 70-year-old women and men with prediabetes get stronger bones with football training Football scores from all angles for untrained middle-aged and elderly women and men with prediabetes. This is the conclusion from a study carried out in the Faroe Islands by football researchers and physiologists from the Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics at the University of Southern Denmark and the University of the Faroe Islands.
	Ivosidenib earns FDA approval against IDH1+ acute myeloid leukemia Clinical trials at University of Colorado Cancer Center and elsewhere now result in the drug ivosidenib earning approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (R/R AML) with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) mutation. Ivosidenib, an oral, targeted inhibitor of the IDH1 enzyme, is the first and only FDA-approved therapy for patients with R/R AML and an IDH1 mutation.
	Researchers identify inflammatory biomarkers in T cells The Marshall University School of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine Genomics Core, recently released a new study that explores human T cell function under inflammatory conditions.
	Cannabidiol prevents nausea in rats A non-psychoactive compound derived from marijuana could potentially be developed into new anti-nausea treatments for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, suggests research in rats published in eNeuro. The study represents an advance in understanding the neurobiology of this distressing symptom that accompanies vomiting but is not effectively treated by current drugs.
	Alzheimer's risk gene impairs development of new neurons in mice Scientists have taken a step closer to understanding how the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) contributes to memory impairment. Reporting their findings in eNeuro, the researchers demonstrate a critical role of the risk gene in the proper development of adult-born neurons in the hippocampus.
	Why BACE inhibitors may be failing Alzheimer's trials Completely blocking the activity of an enzyme that produces amyloid plaques observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) interferes with the regulation of new neurons generated in the adult hippocampus, according to a study of mice published in eNeuro. These findings may help to explain why some recently developed AD drugs have failed in clinical trials.
	The heritability of anxiety Individual differences in the connectivity between regions of the brain involved in fear and anxiety are heritable, according to a large study of hundreds of related monkeys published in JNeurosci. The research provides new insights into the risk and development of anxiety disorders.
	Fruit fly study identifies neural pathway that keeps animals from falling asleep during the day A study of fruit flies has identified a pathway in the brain that keeps the animals from falling asleep during the day. The research, published in eNeuro, may have implications for understanding the sleep/wake cycle in mammals, which shares similar features.
	How time affects learning Associations between neutral stimuli and monetary rewards are strengthened over the course of weeks of learning, according to a human study published in JNeurosci that investigated learning over an extended period of time. The research may have implications for the study of addiction, in which learned associations between drug and reward are acquired gradually.
	Gene therapy restores sense of smell in mice Re-expressing a protein critical for the detection and perception of odors restores function of the olfactory system in a genetic mouse model of lost hair-like cellular structures known as cilia, according to research published in JNeurosci. This may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for a group of human diseases that can cause loss of smell.
	Homelessness in infancy linked to poor health outcomes for children and mothers A new study led by researchers from Children's HealthWatch, a research and policy network headquartered at Boston Medical Center (BMC), shows infants under 12 months old who experience homelessness are at-risk of poor health and development compared to their peers in housed families. These results demonstrate the importance of addressing homelessness among new families in order to help prevent negative health and development outcomes down the line.
	LGBQ youth more prone to obesity (HealthDay)—Rates of obesity and inactivity are higher among lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning (LGBQ) youth than among their heterosexual peers, a new study reports.

Biology news

	DNA repair after CRISPR cutting not at all what people thought Despite high hopes and high investment in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, scientists still have a lot to learn about how it works in humans.
	Do bacteria ever go extinct? New research says yes, bigtime Bacteria go extinct at substantial rates, although appear to avoid the mass extinctions that have hit larger forms of life on Earth, according to new research from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Caltech, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The finding contradicts widely held scientific thinking that microbe taxa, because of their very large populations, rarely die off.
	New process in root development discovered As the plant root grows, a root cap protects its fragile tip. Every few hours, the old cap is lost and a new one replaces it. This has puzzled scientists: How do cells at the tip know when to die, and how do cells further back know to divide and form a new layer, especially as these cells are several cell rows apart?
	In the ant world, a mix of worker sizes leads to building superior nests Some civilizations build Gothic cathedrals, and some build huts.
	Psychologist proposes whales use song as sonar Any quick internet search for recordings of humpback whale song returns audio compilations that can receive tens of thousands, if not millions, of visits.
	Natural habitat can help farmers control pests, but not always a win-win Songbirds and coffee farms in Central America. Ladybugs and soybean fields in the Midwest. These are well-known, win-win stories of how conserving natural habitat can benefit farmers.
	World's biggest king penguin colony shrinks 90 percent The planet's largest colony of king penguins has declined by nearly 90 percent in three decades, alarmed researchers said Monday.
	Diet matters less than evolutionary relationships in shaping gut microbiome Gut microbes provide many services for their hosts, including digesting their food. Researchers have long known that mammals with specialized diets, such as carnivores and anteaters, have special types of gut microbes that allow them to eat that diet.
	Sequencing a malaria mosquito's motherline A team led by scientists from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has sequenced and annotated the first complete mitochondrial genome of Anopheles funestus, one of the main vectors of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. This milestone, published in June in Scientific Reports, offers a glimpse inside this insect's genetic diversity, ancestral history, and evolution—information that researchers might eventually exploit to develop new ways to prevent this deadly disease.
	Minke whale hunting ends in Iceland The controversial hunt for minke whales in Iceland has come to end after declining profits led to the local industry closing, the International Fund for Animal Welfare said on Friday.
How dumping fish scraps is putting stingrays at risk A new study from Macquarie University shows that the habit of dumping fish waste back into the water can have significant and concerning impacts on the behaviour of marine animals.
	How wildlife will keep cool in the face of rising temperatures Large numbers of species are at risk of global extinction from climate change. As a result, some governments are trying include wildlife in their plans for how to adapt the management of natural landscapes to a warming world. The problem is we still know very little about the sorts of environments that could help wildlife survive adverse climate shifts.
	How citizen scientists are uncovering octopus secrets Most of us will have watched a BBC documentary at some point and seen exotic octopuses, cuttlefish and squid in foreign seas. Fewer of us realise that these molluscs, which resemble aliens in our imagination with their tentacles and large heads, can also be seen relatively easily around the UK coast, often in only a few meters of water.
Bacteria that boost plant pumps against drought Adding certain types of bacteria to soil could help protect plants against drought by activating a proton pump in root cells.
	Researchers discover three new species of poisonous Colombian frogs By studying more than 300 dart frogs, the researchers have found that two existing Oophaga frog species actually "hid" three additional groups, and that there are actually a total of five species.
	Researchers demonstrate shark vertebral band pairs are related to growth, not time Band pairs in shark vertebrae have been used for decades to estimate shark age, of practical use in conserving overfished sharks and managing the remaining shark fisheries. However, recent research demonstrates that previous methods used to determine the age of sharks have underestimated those ages, particularly in older sharks.
	Madagascar's lemurs use millipedes for their tummy troubles Madagascar's red-fronted lemurs may have a secret weapon from nature's medicine cabinet: millipedes. This is according to a study led by Louise Peckre of the German Primate Center at the Leibniz Institute for Primate Research in Germany. Peckre and her colleagues believe that lemurs chew on millipedes to treat and prevent conditions such as itching or weight loss which are caused by parasites that might live in and around their guts. The research is published in the Springer-imprint journal Primates,the official journal of the Japan Monkey Centre.
	Researchers predict cell conversion factors Thanks to a newly developed computational method, Luxembourg researchers can accurately predict how one subpopulation of cells can be converted into another. "The method has great potential for regenerative medicine when it comes to replacing cell subpopulations that have been lost in the course of disease, for example," explains Prof. Dr. Antonio del Sol, head of the Computational Biology group of the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) at the University of Luxembourg. In collaboration with Parkinson's disease researchers at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, the scientists showed that, based on computational predictions, neural stem cells can be reprogrammed and ultimately converted into a desired subtype of neurons. The researchers presented their results in the journal Nature Communications.
	Beetle named after actress and biologist Isabella Rossellini for her series about animals A new species of beetle with remarkably long genitalia that hint at a curious evolutionary "sexual arms race" has been described from Malaysian Borneo.
Stinky 'corpse flower' expected to bloom in California A so-called corpse flower known for the rotten stench it releases appeared close to blooming Monday at the Huntington Library in Southern California.
Senate looms as big test for changes to US fishing laws Fishermen and environmentalists are at odds over a suite of changes to American fishing laws that was approved by the House of Representatives, and the proposal faces a new hurdle in the Senate.
	Thomas Cook drops SeaWorld holidays over animal welfare concerns British holiday firm Thomas Cook will stop selling trips to animal parks which keep captive killer whales, including SeaWorld in Florida and Loro Parque in Tenerife, their CEO announced Sunday.
	Injectable trace minerals improve oxidative stress after aflatoxin challenge in dairy cows When dairy cattle consume aflatoxin-contaminated feed, they are lethargic, their appetite wanes, they produce less milk, and their immune system goes awry. Some of those symptoms relate to oxidative stress, in which dangerous free-radicals bounce around, damaging cells. In a new study, researchers at the University of Illinois investigated the potential of injectable trace minerals to reduce the damage and keep dairy cows healthier.

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