Science X Newsletter Monday, Aug 6

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 6, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Using machine learning to generate persuasive faces for ads

Researchers investigate stellar populations in the central region of the Andromeda galaxy

Best of Last Week – Terraforming Mars not possible, ending traffic jams and a switch that controls muscle development

Size matters—if you are a bubble of volcanic gas

Combining on and off switches, one protein can control flowering in plants

Soft, multi-functional robots get really small

Ricocheting radio waves monitor the tiniest movements in a room

Organic makeup of ancient meteorites sheds light on early Solar System

Ancient virus defends koalas against new viral attacks

Scientists create atomic glue gun to build better nucleic acid therapeutics

The intensity of pride people feel for a given act or trait is set by an implicit mental map of what others value

Earth risks tipping into 'hothouse' state: study

Belgian wins inaugural France to China solar bike race

Chip labour: Robots replace waiters in China restaurant

Amazon patent talk places accent translation center-stage

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers investigate stellar populations in the central region of the Andromeda galaxy German astronomers have conducted a study of the central bulge of the Andromeda galaxy and analyzed its stellar populations. The research could improve our understanding of the bulge's structure and formation history. Results of the study are presented in a paper published July 24 on the arXiv pre-print repository.
	Organic makeup of ancient meteorites sheds light on early Solar System The origin of organic matter found in meteorites that formed during the birth of the Solar System 4.5 billion years ago may provide key clues to understanding the birth of life here on Earth.
	Astronomers discover most lithium-rich giant in galaxy with LAMOST A research team led by astronomers from the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, have discovered the most lithium-rich giant ever known to date, with lithium abundance 3,000 times higher than normal giants. It is in the direction of Ophiuchus, north side of the galactic disk, with a distance of 4,500 light years from Earth.
	Spitzer infrared observations of a gravitational wave source—a binary neutron star merger GW170817 is the name given to a gravitational wave signal seen by the LIGO and Virgo detectors on 17 August 2017. Lasting for about 100 seconds, the signal was produced by the merger of two neutron stars. The observation was then confirmed - the first time this has happened for gravitational waves - by observations with light waves: the preceding five detections of merging black holes did not have (and were not expected to have) any detectable electromagnetic signals. The light from the neutron star merger is produced by the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei created in the event. (Neutron star mergers do more than just produce optical light, by the way: they are also responsible for making most of the gold in the universe.) Numerous ground-based optical observations of the merger concluded that the decaying atomic nuclei fall into at least two groups, a rapidly evolving and fast moving one composed of elements less massive than Lanthanide Series elements, and one that is more slowly evolving and dominated by heavier elements.
	The universe's rate of expansion is in dispute – and we may need new physics to solve it Next time you eat a blueberry (or chocolate chip) muffin consider what happened to the blueberries in the batter as it was baked. The blueberries started off all squished together, but as the muffin expanded they started to move away from each other. If you could sit on one blueberry you would see all the others moving away from you, but the same would be true for any blueberry you chose. In this sense galaxies are a lot like blueberries.
	Another blow for the dark matter interpretation of the galactic centre excess For almost 10 years, astronomers have been studying a mysterious diffuse radiation coming from the centre of our galaxy. Originally, it was thought that this radiation could originate from the elusive dark matter particles that many researchers are hoping to find. However, physicists from the University of Amsterdam and the Laboratoire d"Annecy-le-Vieux de Physique Théorique have now found further evidence that rapidly spinning neutron stars are a much more likely source for this radiation. Their findings are published today in Nature Astronomy.
	NASA's Planet-hunting TESS catches a comet before starting science Before NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) started science operations on July 25, 2018, the planet hunter sent back a stunning sequence of serendipitous images showing the motion of a comet. Taken over the course of 17 hours on July 25, these TESS images helped demonstrate the satellite's ability to collect a prolonged set of stable periodic images covering a broad region of the sky—all critical factors in finding transiting planets orbiting nearby stars.
	Trump wants a Space Force, but Pentagon has different idea President Donald Trump wants a Space Force, a new military service he says is needed to ensure American dominance in space. But the idea is gaining little traction at the Pentagon, where the president's defense chief, Jim Mattis, says it would add burdensome bureaucracy and unwanted costs.
	Image: Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko horizon On 6 August of 2014, after a decade of travelling through interplanetary space, ESA's Rosetta spacecraft arrived at its final target: Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P/C-G). The mission was the first to successfully land on a comet when it sent the lander Philae down to the surface a few months later, while the orbiter studied 67P/C-G in detail before the mission's end on 30 September 2016.
	Rocket City, Alabama: Space history and an eye on the future The birthplace of NASA's rockets lies in the land of cotton, hundreds of miles from Cape Canaveral's launch pads.

Technology news

	Using machine learning to generate persuasive faces for ads Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have recently developed a conditional variational autoencoder that can produce unique faces for advertisements. Their study is grounded on their previous work, which explored automated methods of better understanding advertisement.
	Soft, multi-functional robots get really small Roboticists are envisioning a future in which soft, animal-inspired robots can be safely deployed in difficult-to-access environments, such as inside the human body or in spaces that are too dangerous for humans to work, in which rigid robots cannot currently be used. Centimeter-sized soft robots have been created, but thus far it has not been possible to fabricate multifunctional flexible robots that can move and operate at smaller size scales.
	Belgian wins inaugural France to China solar bike race A Belgian cyclist rode 12,000 kilometres (7,500 miles) from the French city of Lyon to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in just 49 days to win an inaugural solar-powered electric bike race aimed at promoting renewable energy.
	Chip labour: Robots replace waiters in China restaurant The little robotic waiter wheels up to the table, raises its glass lid to reveal a steaming plate of local Shanghai-style crayfish and announces in low, mechanical tones, "Enjoy your meal."
	Amazon patent talk places accent translation center-stage You have heard of the language divide. But in this ever shrinking world we need to also worry about the accent divide.
	Computer scientists develop a system to synthesize realistic sounds for computer animation Advances in computer-generated imagery have brought vivid, realistic animations to life, but the sounds associated with what we see simulated on screen, such as two objects colliding, are often recordings. Now researchers at Stanford University have developed a system that automatically renders accurate sounds for a wide variety of animated phenomena.
	Alexa, be my friend: Children talk to technology, but how does it respond? You ask Alexa to play a song, Siri for the weather or the Google Assistant to make a call. But what happens when your toddler asks a voice-activated device a question?
	Smart wristband with link to smartphones could monitor health, environmental exposures Rutgers University-New Brunswick engineers have created a smart wristband with a wireless connection to smartphones that will enable a new wave of personal health and environmental monitoring devices.
	Facebook asks big banks to share customer details Facebook has asked major US banks to share customer data to allow it to develop new services on the social network's Messenger texting platform, a banking source told AFP on Monday.
	Googlers bristle at censoring search for China: report Word that Google is crafting a search engine to meet China's draconian censorship rules has sparked widespread employee anger at the company which has responded by limiting workers' access to documents about the project, a report said Friday.
	Facebook's revelations: Real change or window dressing? For a company bent on making the world more open, Facebook has long been secretive about the details of how it runs its social network—particularly how things go wrong and what it does about them.
	Bluebird jet boat floats again, 51 years after fatal crash The famed jet boat Bluebird returned to the water Saturday for the first time since a 1967 crash that killed pilot Donald Campbell during a world speed-record attempt.
	Battery of complaints against Tesla in Norway "I've had the car for eight months and it ran fine for four days," says Yngve Solberg, who like many Norwegians is fed up with the slew of problems his Tesla X has given him.
	Palestinian teens reach finals of Silicon Valley app pitch Four Palestinian high school friends are heading to California this week to pitch their mobile app about fire prevention to Silicon Valley's tech leaders, after winning a slot in the finals of a worldwide competition among more than 19,000 teenage girls.
	Are tech titans teetering atop the market? Silicon Valley giants have become a gargantuan force on Wall Street, as demonstrated by Apple recently topping $1 trillion in stock-market valuation.
	Japanese students use VR to recreate Hiroshima bombing It's a sunny summer morning in the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Cicadas chirp in the trees. A lone plane flies high overhead. Then a flash of light, followed by a loud blast. Buildings are flattened and smoke rises from crackling fires under a darkened sky.
	AI system makes finding potholes cheaper and easier Governments may soon be able to use artificial intelligence (AI) to easily and cheaply detect problems with roads, bridges and buildings.
	BMW apologizes over engine fires caused by hardware problem BMW AG's Korean unit apologized Monday over engine fires that prompted recalls and a probe, seeking to allay concerns over images of cars engulfed in flames.
Pentagon restricts use of fitness trackers, other devices Military troops and other defense personnel at sensitive bases or certain high-risk warzone areas won't be allowed to use fitness tracker or cellphone applications that can reveal their location, according to a new Pentagon order.
	New Android version, 'Pie,' rolls out Monday on Pixel phones The next version of Google's Android system will be called Pie.
	Judge: Social media user isn't entitled to anonymity A social media platform can be compelled to divulge account information belonging to a woman who anonymously chatted online about plans for last summer's deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, a federal magistrate judge ruled Monday.
	Who could join Apple in Wall Street's $1 trillion stock club? Apple is the reigning king of Wall Street, the newest and only member of Wall Street's "$1 Trillion Stock Club."
	Bangladesh shuts down mobile internet to tackle teen protests Bangladesh authorities have shut down mobile internet across swathes of the country, officials and local media said Sunday, as the authorities try to quell massive student protests that have spiralled into violence.
	Saudi hackathon seeks high-tech fixes to hajj calamities Fuelled by caffeine, pizza and adrenaline, sleep-deprived programmers in a marathon Saudi contest this week explored high-tech solutions to prevent a repeat of past calamities in the annual hajj pilgrimage.
	Aluminum tariffs tap out Canada craft brewers Canadian craft brewers are facing a sudden aluminum can shortage and are blaming the supply disruptions on aluminum tariffs, making these small businesses among the first casualties of the Canada-US trade spat.
	Singapore cyber attack may be state-linked: minister (Update) The biggest ever cyber attack to hit Singapore was carried out by highly sophisticated hackers typically linked to foreign governments, a cabinet minister said Monday, but did not give names.
	Building the backbone of a smarter smart home The state of artificial intelligence (AI) in smart homes nowadays might be likened to a smart but moody teenager: It's starting to hit its stride and discover its talents, but it doesn't really feel like answering any questions about what it's up to and would really rather be left alone, OK?
	Convicted Russian hacker Anikeyev released from prison The leader of a hacker group that targeted prominent Russian officials has been released from prison.
	How climate change influences wind power Climate change poses a big challenge for wind energy production in Europe. This is the conclusion of a study carried out by researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) using spatially and temporally highly resolved climate models. The mean wind power production of the entire European continent will change only slightly by the end of the 21st century. However, stronger seasonal fluctuations and a more frequent occurrence of low wind phases are expected.
	No price hike, but new caps on MoviePass discount tix plan MoviePass, a discount service for movie tickets at theaters, is walking back a planned 50 percent price increase following a subscriber backlash. But the cash-starved company will soon impose a cap of three movies per month, instead of one every day.
	Tap and pray: Churches using card readers for donations Thousands of Christian churches across the world are now using portable card readers or apps to take donations as people increasingly stop carrying cash on them.
	Major tech companies remove Alex Jones for hate, bullying (Update) Major tech companies have begun to ban right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones from their services, reflecting a more aggressive enforcement of policies against hate speech following protests on social media.

Medicine & Health news

	Researchers identify potential diagnostic test for Kawasaki disease For the first time, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Imperial College London, with international collaborators, have determined that Kawasaki Disease (KD) can be accurately diagnosed on the basis of the pattern of host gene expression in whole blood. The finding could lead to a diagnostic blood test to distinguish KD from other infectious and inflammatory conditions.
	Enzyme helps build motor that drives neuron death A biochemistry instructor curious about an enzyme discovered in the damaged neurons of people with multiple sclerosis made a leap toward a potential cure for countless neurodegenerative ills.
	Potential new class of drugs may reduce cardiovascular risk by targeting gut microbes Cleveland Clinic researchers have designed a potential new class of drugs that may reduce cardiovascular risk by targeting a specific microbial pathway in the gut.
	New regulator in aggressive breast cancer cells discovered Triple-negative breast cancer is a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. Here, important receptors are missing, which often serve as targets for treatments. Thus, these tumors are unlikely to respond to current therapies. Researchers from the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena now identified the protein TRPS1, which is commonly over-expressed in these tumors. When TRPS1 is down-regulated, tumor growth decreases whereas survival rates increase. This is a possible therapeutic approach for the treatment of this aggressive form of breast cancer. The results have now been published in the journal Nature Communications.
	Probiotic use is a link between brain fogginess, severe bloating Probiotic use can result in a significant accumulation of bacteria in the small intestine that can result in disorienting brain fogginess as well as rapid, significant belly bloating, investigators report.
	Researchers find potential key to unlocking the immune system in pancreatic cancer A University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center study may provide insights into how to overcome barriers to using immune-based treatments for pancreatic cancer, the third most deadly cancer in the United States.
	Spider venom strikes a blow against childhood epilepsy A devastating form of childhood epilepsy that is resistant to traditional drugs may have met its match in spider venom.
	Novel vaccine approach proves powerful against Zika virus A uniquely designed experimental vaccine against Zika virus has proven powerful in mice, new research has found.
	Animations prove effective in accurately measuring pain To improve communication about pain between patients and physicians, a team led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC has developed a mobile application called "Painimation" that has the potential to assess and monitor pain better than any previously used measurement tools. Results of the clinical trial were published today in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
	Stress makes people better at processing bad news Feeling stressed or anxious makes people more able to process and internalise bad news, finds a new UCL-led study.
	Reducing NOVA1 gene helps prevent tumor growth in most common type of lung cancer Researchers have identified a gene that when inhibited or reduced, in turn, reduced or prevented human non-small cell lung cancer tumors from growing.
	Striking a balance between immunity and inflammation Hookworms infect nearly 430 million people in the world, mostly in countries where sanitation is poor, and people often walk barefoot.
	Women survive heart attacks better with women doctors, study finds If you're having a heart attack and you're a woman, hope a female doctor greets you in the emergency room.
	A targeted approach to treating glioma Glioma, a type of brain cancer, is normally treated by removing as much of the tumor as possible, followed by radiation or chemotherapy. With this treatment, patients survive an average of about 10 years, but the tumors inevitably grow back.
	Created line of spinal cord neural stem cells shows diverse promise Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that they have successfully created spinal cord neural stem cells (NSCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that differentiate into a diverse population of cells capable of dispersing throughout the spinal cord and can be maintained for long periods of time.
	Patients who accepted infected kidneys cured of hepatitis C Some patients in desperate need of a kidney transplant participated in a bold experiment where they received organs infected with hepatitis C. The gamble paid off.
	Air pollution exposure linked to enlarged hearts Healthy people exposed to even low levels of air pollution over a handful of years developed enlarged heart chambers, a common precursor to heart failure, a new study indicates.
	Groups urge CMS to reconsider suspending risk adjustment (HealthDay)—In a letter sent to Administrator Seema Verma of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), medical organizations are urging reconsideration of the decision to suspend payments to insurers as required under the Affordable Care Act's risk-adjustment program.
	Ultra-early neurological deterioration common in stroke (HealthDay)—Ultra-early neurological deterioration (U-END) occurs in one in eight ambulance-transported patients with acute cerebrovascular disease and is associated with significantly worse outcomes, according to a study published online July 23 in JAMA Neurology.
	ASCO endorses SIO guideline for integrative Tx in breast cancer (HealthDay)—The American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has endorsed the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) guideline on the use of integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment, according to a special article published online June 11 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Doctors can help children, teens adhere to eczema treatment plan (HealthDay)—Physicians can create an adherence protocol for patients, particularly children and teens, receiving treatment for atopic dermatitis, according to an article published in Dermatology Times.
	Parent-child interactive intervention cuts depression (HealthDay)—An intervention targeting depression in very young children can be effective in community settings, according to a study published online June 20 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
	Variation in specialty drug coverage across health plans (HealthDay)—There is considerable variation in specialty drug coverage across commercial health plans, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
	Skin appears to be key pathway for absorption of BBQ fumes (HealthDay)—Dermal absorption is a more important pathway than inhalation for the intake of low-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during barbecuing, according to a study published recently in Environmental Science & Technology.
	CDC: E-cigarette sales in the US climb as prices fall (HealthDay)—There was a large increase in sales of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and related products in the United States in recent years as their prices fell, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
	Doctors key in care coordination for pediatric inpatients (HealthDay)—Pediatricians have an important role to play in the coordination of care for hospitalized children, according to a clinical report published in the August issue of Pediatrics.
	One-quarter of older U.S. adults may be overtreated for diabetes (HealthDay)—One-quarter of older adults with type 2 diabetes in the United States are tightly controlled using glucose-lowering medications with a high risk of hypoglycemia, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	Federal parity tied to lower out of pocket mental health spending (HealthDay)—Federal parity under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) is associated with lower average annual out-of-pocket (OOP) mental health spending among children with mental health conditions, according to a study published in the August issue of Pediatrics.
	Increasing cost of insulin has serious health consequences (HealthDay)—The increasing cost of insulin is potentially exposing those with diabetes to serious health consequences, according to an American Diabetes Association statement published in the June issue of Diabetes Care.
	Confirmed Ebola cases rise to 13 in Congo's latest outbreak The number of confirmed cases in Congo's new outbreak of the Ebola virus has risen to 13, including three deaths, the health ministry said late Saturday.
	Ebola outbreak in DR Congo believed to have killed 33: health ministry A new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo is believed to have killed 33 people in the east of the country, the health ministry said Saturday.
How blogger helped bring breastfeeding back to Serbia When Branka Stamenkovic gave birth to her first child in Serbia, the experience was traumatic.
	Vaping draws strong support—from bots Social media accounts run by internet robots may be driving much of the discussion around the health threats posed by e-cigarettes, according to a study led by San Diego State University researchers, who also found most of the automated messages were positive toward vaping.
Early trauma may be risk factor for anxiety and depression in adults with head/neck cancer Among individuals with head and neck cancer (HNC), those who experienced childhood trauma were more likely to have advanced cancer, to have higher alcohol consumption, and to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings indicate that childhood trauma history should be considered during treatment for HNC.
Genetic screening before embryo transfer fails to improve the chance of a baby The genetic screening of fertilised eggs for embryo selection in assisted reproduction makes no difference to live birth rates, according to results from the largest published study of its kind. Results from this multicentre randomised controlled trial are reported today in the journal Human Reproduction and, say the authors, confirm the "widely accepted" view that preimplantation genetic testing for chromosome abnormality (PGT-A) will not increase live birth rates in IVF.
	More sensitive blood test diagnoses heart attacks faster A new test to assess a whether or not someone is having a heart attack upon arriving in the emergency room was safe and effective, ruling out heart attack in emergency room patients faster than a conventional method, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	New tools, old rules: Limit screen-based recreational media at home Screen time from computers, phones, tablet computers, video games, TV and other screen-based devices is associated with an increased amount of sedentary behavior in children and teens, according to a new scientific statement released by the American Heart Association and published in its journal Circulation.
	Seeking a culprit behind rise in colon cancer among younger adults With the incidence of colorectal cancer rising among younger adults, the American Cancer Society has lowered its recommended age for first screening from 50 to 45.
	Pakistan's new vaccination drive, 'final push' against polio A Pakistani health official says authorities have launched a week-long anti-polio campaign touted as a 'final push' against the crippling disease.
More problems found in Chinese-made heart medications Two more Chinese drugmakers have announced that a blood-pressure medication they exported to Taiwan contained a potentially cancer-causing impurity, a month after the same problem at another Chinese manufacturer prompted a global recall.
	Getting enough vitamin D? You need far less sun than you might think The summer weather has surprised us and made getting your daily dose of vitamin D that much easier. But the sunny weather always prompts questions about how to enjoy it safely.
	Why stretching is (still) important for weight loss and exercise There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the value – or lack thereof – of muscle stretching to accelerate recovery after exercise. "Stretching clears out your lactic acid," and other similar claims abound. Is any of this true?
	Quantity over quality—larger muscles could compensate for poor muscle quality in chronic kidney disease patients The size of muscles in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) could be more important to maintaining good physical performance than muscle quality, new research has shown.
	Brains keep temporary molecular records before making a lasting memory The first dance at my wedding lasted exactly four minutes and 52 seconds, but I'll probably remember it for decades. Neuroscientists still don't entirely understand this: How was my brain able to translate this less-than-five-minute experience into a lifelong memory? Part of the puzzle is that there's a gap between experience and memory: our experiences are fleeting, but it takes hours to form a long-term memory.
	Scientists advocate new approach to linguistic research Owing to decades of neurobiological linguistic research, we know a lot about how language functions in the brain. Still, psycholinguistic research often misses important factors due to its limited attention to the context and language we use every day. Time for a new, interdisciplinary approach that is closer to natural language use, language researchers Roel Willems (Radboud University), Uri Hasson (University of Trento) and their colleagues propose in an article in Cognition.
	How to stop nagging your child to practise their musical instrument It's 4pm on a Thursday, and your child is on the couch with the iPad. You need to leave for the weekly music lesson in half an hour. You can see dust has gathered on the piano (or the flute or the saxophone), and another week has passed with only infrequent and erratic attempts at practice.
	Should I take vitamin C or other supplements for my cold? Last week, I had a shocking cold. Blocked nose, sore throat, and feeling poorly. This made me think about the countless vitamins and supplements on the market that promise to ease symptoms of a cold, help you recover faster, and reduce your chance of getting another cold.
Late nights = no breakfast and more junk food for Aussie kids From toddlers to teens, every parent knows that children can sometimes be fickle eaters. Yet, few would know that a child's bedtime and how well they sleep at night can also affect how well they eat.
	Teetotalism in midlife makes you more likely to develop dementia? What the research actually says Imagine if someone told you that not drinking alcohol makes you more likely to develop dementia. That's certainly a bold statement to make, but it is one that some media reports have put forward, leaving the public wondering whether taking up drinking alcohol will somehow be better for their brains.
	A smarter device to treat pediatric hydrocephalus and ease parents' worry USC researchers have invented a device that could significantly improve care for people with hydrocephalus, a chronic condition that causes excessive fluid in the brain.
	Tobacco marketed more heavily in city's minority neighborhoods, study finds Tobacco products in Milwaukee are more aggressively marketed in stores in African-American and Latino neighborhoods than in white ones, according to a study led by a public health researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
	Hidden signs in cancer tissue When scientists at ETH Zurich analysed very large amounts of genetic cancer data, they found previously unresearched molecular changes. These could help in developing new personalised cancer treatments.
	Tests can help assess ovarian health and fertility Just like a carton of store-bought eggs carries an expiration date, the eggs in a woman's ovaries have a limited "shelf life" when it comes to fertility. This isn't news to most women, but what many might not realize is that a simple blood test offers a snapshot of their egg supply (or "ovarian reserve").
	How Ouija boards really work "How did you die?"
Obese kids: Not all hope is lost For many young children who are obese, the future might not be as grim as previously thought, a University of Michigan study suggests.
	Differences in immune responses due to age, sex and genetics Age, sex, and specific human genetic variants are the key factors behind differences between immune responses among healthy humans, finds a study of 1,000 individuals carried out by EPFL and the Pasteur Institute.
	Breastfeeding benefits mom and baby both in the short- and long-term Breastfeeding has benefits for both infants and mothers, both in the short-term and the long-term alike, according to Ohio University's Ilana Chertok, who added that the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for babies up to six months of age and continued breastfeeding (along with appropriate complimentary meals) for up to two years or beyond. Exclusive breastfeeding refers to six months of feeding babies with only breast milk (other than medications, vitamins or minerals.) Continued breastfeeding mixes in solids and other foods while continuing breast milk.
	FDA approves medical device using shape memory technology The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a medical device in humans for deliberately blocking blood flow to treat bleeding abnormalities or other conditions, a procedure known as embolization. The device integrates expanding shape memory polymer technology that was partly developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
Pediatric telemedicine services can work well under the right conditions Doctors who provide pediatric care over the telephone—known as "telemedicine—face a range of challenges that do not come with traditional face-to-face contact. In a qualitative study led by Motti Haimi of Clalit Health Services at the Children's Health Center in Haifa in Israel, researchers found that physicians in a pediatric telemedicine service frequently face difficulties and challenges. Physicians described the difficulties with diagnosing from a distance (especially of children), treating unfamiliar patients, working alone, and managing the urgency and volume of calls. They also often faced technological hurdles, as well as a moral conflict between the desire to meet parents' expectations and maintain standards of care. The research is published in the Springer Nature journal Pediatric Research.
	Severe preeclampsia heart imaging study reveals roots of cardiac damage in pregnant women Johns Hopkins researchers say a heart imaging study of scores of pregnant women with the most severe and dangerous form of a blood pressure disorder has added to evidence that the condition—known as preeclampsia—mainly damages the heart's ability to relax between contractions, making the organ overworked and poor at pumping blood.
	Tobacco 'power wall' linked to adolescents' views about e-cigarettes Adolescents who view advertising for tobacco products on the tobacco "power wall" in convenience stores report being more willing to try vaping products in the future compared to peers who visited a store where the tobacco power wall was hidden, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Diabetes in bay area Chinese population linked to fat fibrosis A new UC San Francisco study has discovered a key biological difference in how people of European and Chinese descent put on weight—a finding that could help explain why Asians often develop type 2 diabetes at a much lower body weight than Caucasians.
	Social investments could save Medicare, Medicaid, hospitals, health insurers billions Reliable access to housing, nutrition, and transportation are some of the best predictors of your future health. While this has been well documented by research, we have seen little investment in these social determinants from health care stakeholders, who could financially gain the most from them.
Medicaid expansion leads to greater access to diabetes medications Prescriptions for diabetes medications increased in the first two years after states expanded eligibility for Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act, compared to states that didn't expand Medicaid.
	Is too much screen time harming children's vision? As children spend more time tethered to screens, there is increasing concern about potential harm to their visual development. Ophthalmologists—physicians who specialize in medical and surgical eye care—are seeing a marked increase in children with dry eye and eye strain from too much screen time.
Children are highly vulnerable to health risks of a changing climate Young children are far more vulnerable to climate-related disasters and the onus is on adults to provide the protection and care that children need, according to research by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center. In a paper published in PLoS Medicine, researchers set out some specific challenges associated with the impacts of climate change on the world's 2.3 billion children and suggest ways to address their underprioritized needs.
	Drug prices not always aligned with value, researchers say In many countries, health care reimbursements for drugs are directly related to their value or net health benefits in treating disease.
	Doxorubicin disrupts the immune system to cause heart toxicity Doxorubicin is a chemotherapy drug widely used in ovarian, bladder, lung, thyroid and stomach cancers, but it carries a harmful side effect. The drug causes a dose-dependent heart toxicity that can lead to congestive heart failure.
	Recognizing early childhood speech problems (HealthDay)—You eagerly await baby's first words and delight at his growing vocabulary. But that excitement may cause you to miss speech problems that should be corrected quickly.
	Fewer cervical spine injuries seen with motorcycle helmet use (HealthDay)—Cervical spine injuries occur less frequently among motorcycle crash victims who were wearing a helmet versus those not wearing a helmet at the time of injury, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.
	Advance care planning doesn't aid quality of life (HealthDay)—Advance care planning in frail older adults does not increase patient activation or quality of life, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	About half of child caregivers use cellphones while driving (HealthDay)—Inconsistent use of a child restraint system and negligent use of a seat belt are associated with parent/caregiver cellphone use while driving children, according to a study published online July 12 in The Journal of Pediatrics.
	Increase in proportion of TAVR used from 2012 to 2015 (HealthDay)—From 2012 to 2015, there was an increase in the number of patients overall and age 65 years and younger receiving transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), according to a research letter published online July 23 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Surgical price transparency tied to improved volume, revenue (HealthDay)—Ambulatory surgery centers experience increases in patient volume, patient satisfaction, and revenue after adopting price transparency, according to a study published recently in The American Surgeon.
In Lebanon, volunteers speak up to battle suicide Her trainers beating down on the pavement along Beirut's seafront, Nour Safieddine, 24, cuts past strollers ambling in the evening sun. In her bright pink t-shirt, she is running to survive.
	Stem cell transplants to be used in treating Crohn's disease A clinical trial has begun which will use stem cell transplants to grow a new immune system for people with untreatable Crohn's disease—a painful and chronic intestinal disease which affects at least 115,000 people in the UK.
	Saving the sight of millions Two eye surgeons (ophthalmologists) have written a first-of-its-kind book to save the sight of millions of patients around the world by making eye injections (intravitreal injections) safe and comfortable.
	How can Africa prevent the next haemorrhagic fever crisis? Invest in research and development In 2014, West Africa encountered its worst recorded outbreak of Ebola with over 11,000 reported deaths. The memory of this crisis hadn't faded yet when Ebola reared its ugly head again this month in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), showing up for the first time in one of the country's urban areas. Unfortunately for the African continent, Ebola isn't the only fatal disease it needs to fight.
Congo health ministry preps for possible Ebola vaccinations Congo's health ministry is preparing to begin Ebola vaccinations Wednesday in the eastern city of Beni and neighboring Mangina village where the outbreak was announced last week, the ministry said.
	AIDS relief funding in Kenya associated with decreased infant mortality Through the President's Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the United States contributed over $248 million to programs in Kenya between 2004 and 2014, and at the same time, the incidence of child mortality dropped sharply.
CPM for knee or shoulder joints: Advantage only in two therapeutic indications Patients who have had knee or shoulder surgery or who require conservative treatment can benefit from training with motor-driven continuous passive motion (CPM) devices. However, this only applies to two therapeutic indications, and in each case only to one treatment outcome. Patients with stiff shoulder have less pain with CPM treatment than with physiotherapy alone. The range of motion after total knee replacement is improved if CPM is used in addition to physiotherapy. This is the result of the final report published by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Hence, the conclusion was less favourable than the conclusion of the preliminary report, where the Institute had determined greater benefit of CPM also for pain in rotator cuff tear, a condition involving the rupture of tendons in the shoulder.
	PET tracer identifies estrogen receptor expression differences in breast cancer patients In metastatic breast cancer, prognosis and treatment is largely influenced by estrogen receptor (ER) expression of the metastases. However, little is known about ER expression across metastases throughout the body and surrounding normal tissue. Using a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer, researchers in the Netherlands have been able to identify differences in ER expression, which could help guide treatment for metastatic breast cancer patients. The study is featured in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine's August issue.
Comprehensive pediatric CAR T guidelines developed Almost one year after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators Network (PALISI) today published treatment guidelines for managing the treatment in the online issue of Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology. These guidelines outline lessons learned by leading experts in various fields to identify early signs and symptoms of treatment-related toxicity and detail ways in which to manage it.
	Neural signature of balance A study of young adults published in eNeuro demonstrates how the brain responds to disruptions in the body's balance. The research identifies a pattern of electrical activity that could be used to assess balance in patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
	Molecular switch triggers itch A new study of male mice published in JNeurosci uncovers two distinct pathways through which a single molecule can cause both itchy and painful skin. The research could inform the development of drugs for a variety of skin diseases.
	VIP neurons shift daily rhythms Neurons in the brain's master clock that adjust their activity in response to light have a key role in the resetting of an animal's daily cycle, finds a study of male and female mice published in JNeurosci. These cells may be responsible for circadian rhythm disruptions stemming from exposure to artificial light at night.
	Brazil rushes to thwart measles outbreak from Venezuelans (Update) Brazilian health workers on Monday moved to stem an outbreak of measles being brought by Venezuelans, many famished and sick, who have fled their homeland amid economic and political turmoil.
Prioritize cardiac monitoring for high-risk breast cancer patients Overall, heart failure is an uncommon complication of breast cancer treatment; however, the risk is higher in patients treated with certain types of chemotherapy and lower in younger patients, according to a study in a special "Imaging in Cardio-oncology" issue of JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging. Researchers concluded that cardiac monitoring should be a higher priority for high-risk patients.
Researchers detail variation in costs of child vaccination program in Indian states Researchers from the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy (CDDEP) have completed a study which outlines the cost of delivering routine childhood vaccines in seven Indian states. The findings, published in the British Medical Journal Global Health, provide useful information to India's Universal Immunization Program (UIP), where the data collected can be used to accurately plan and budget. The UIP is the largest public vaccination program in the world, yet its budget is prepared based on historical expenditure data.
Bariatric surgery linked to significant reduction in microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes Compared with usual care, bariatric surgery was associated with half the incidence of microvascular disease at 5 years for adults with type 2 diabetes. These findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that bariatric surgery not only improves glucose, blood pressure, and lipid control, but is likely to reduce macrovascular and microvascular complications, as well as improve survival in patients with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes. Results from a matched cohort study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
DR Congo to begin Ebola vaccinations this week The health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo said Monday they would begin Ebola vaccinations later this week in the east of the country, where a new outbreak of the virus is believed to have killed 33 people.
	One in 10 IBS with diarrhoea patients wish they were dead when their condition is bad Eleven percent of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D) patients reveal that they suffer from suicidal thinking when their condition is bad, a new study has found.

Biology news

	Combining on and off switches, one protein can control flowering in plants As plants stretch toward the summer sun, they are marching toward one of the most important decisions of their lives—when to flower. Too early, and they might miss out on key pollinators. Too late, and an early frost could damage their developing seeds.
	Ancient virus defends koalas against new viral attacks The human genome is riddled with endogenous retroviruses—little pieces of degraded and generally harmless retrovirus DNA passed down through the generations, along with our own genetic information. Because most endogenous retroviruses have been part of our DNA for millions of years, scientists can't explain how they went from their virulent, disease-causing forms to the inert bits of "junk DNA" most of them are today. A new study published today in the journal PNAS looks to koalas for an answer.
	Mice individuality is influenced by their relations Individuality is not exclusive to humans. Though this idea was previously rebutted by biologists, today, it is accepted that individuality is found in all animal species. It is defined as all the behavior differences between individuals of a single species that are relatively stable over time. Though the process, called individuation, is supported by genetic and development components, researchers have just demonstrated in mice that the social environment and activity of some neurons also participate in determining the emergence of distinct individuals.
	Sequenced fox genome hints at genetic basis of behavior For nearly 60 years, the red fox has been teaching scientists about animal behavior. In a long-term experiment, foxes at the Russian Institute of Cytology and Genetics have been selected for tameness or aggression, recreating the process of domestication from wolves to modern dogs in real time. Today, with the first-ever publication of the fox genome, scientists will begin to understand the genetic basis of tame and aggressive behaviors, which could shed light on human behavior, as well.
	Study suggests little dogs lift legs higher to fool other dogs into thinking they are bigger A team of researchers at Cornell University has found evidence suggesting that little dogs lift their legs when peeing at a higher angle than bigger dogs as a means of tricking other dogs into thinking they are bigger than they actually are. In their paper published in Journal of Zoology, the group describes a study they carried out with volunteer dogs and what they found.
	Water and land plants control their photosynthesis similarly, regardless of their origin Plants carry out photosynthesis and thus form the basis for most life on Earth. Researchers from Kaiserslautern and Potsdam have now investigated whether the production of photosynthesis proteins in land plants and algae differs. To do so, they examined translation; this is the process by which the genetic information is converted into proteins. They have discovered that all plants produce the same amounts of major proteins involved in photosynthesis, but in some cases, based on different strategies. The result shows how important these proteins are for plants, regardless of their habitat. The findings of the study can help to make crop plants more resistant to climate change. The study was published in the journal Nature Plants.
	Can solar energy save the bees? In response to the population decline of pollinating insects, such as wild bees and monarch butterflies, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory are investigating ways to use "pollinator-friendly solar power."
	Male birds sing less to females on antidepressants During courtship male starlings sing less to females who have been fed dilute concentrations of antidepressants, according to a new study led by the University of York.
	African killifish becomes fastest maturing vertebrate on record Annual killifish are known to live their lives at one of two speeds: "pause" or "fast-forward." For most of the year, the tiny freshwater fish persist as diapausing embryos buried in sediments across the African savannah, much like plant seeds. When rainwater fills small depressions across the landscape, the fish must hatch, grow, mature, and produce the next generation before the pool dries up.
	Better sleep linked with family tree strength The question of why we sleep has been a longstanding subject of debate, with some theories suggesting that slumber provides respite for the brain, which allows it to filter out insignificant neural connections, build new ones, strengthen memories and even repair itself. However, new Oxford University research has used mathematical approaches to tackle the adaptive significance of sleep, and the findings suggest that sleep has another equally significant purpose—boosting our 'fitness' and future family line reproductive success.
	France's first baby panda celebrates one-year anniversary France's first baby panda celebrates his one-year anniversary Saturday with a birthday cake composed of bamboo, honey, apples, oranges, strawberries and lemons.
	Key gene to accelerate sugarcane growth is identified Despite international breeding efforts, advanced agronomy and effective management of pests and diseases, sugarcane yields have been static for decades owing to constraints on culm development. The culm's sugar storage capacity is physically limited, restricting the volume of sucrose and biomass that can be obtained from the crop for sugar and second-generation (2G) ethanol production, according to experts in the area.
	Slovenians strive to live in peace with bears When he used to go hunting, Miha Mlakar would dream of killing a bear. But today the 33-year-old from Slovenia makes his living watching the animals, peacefully, in their natural forest environment.
	New study identifies bird migration stopover sites Every fall, dozens of species of landbirds migrate from their summer breeding grounds in the United States and Canada to wintering grounds as far away as South America.
	Small-scale fisheries threatened—shared management, communication key to success Intertidal ecosystems and the small-scale fisheries they support are an important part of coastal economies, environments, and cultures. Globally, fisheries such as the soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria), face multiple stresses related to climate change, invasive species and unsustainable land use.
	Genetics technology could lead to more crops, fresher food A multinational agricultural company based in Idaho has acquired gene editing licensing rights that could one day be used to help farmers produce more crops and make grocery store offerings such as strawberries, potatoes and avocados stay fresher longer.
Romania reports 500 outbreaks of African swine fever in pigs Romanian authorities have reported more than 500 separate outbreaks of African swine fever in pigs, mainly in the Danube Delta and near the Hungarian border.
	Mosquito populations give a new insight into the role of Caucasus in evolution We know that the Caucasus is a relatively large mountainous region, situated between Black and the Caspian seas. In its turn, it is divided into three subregions: Ciscaucasia, Greater Caucasus and Transcaucasia, also known as South Caucasus.
Injectable trace minerals improve mineral status in beef heifers It can be a struggle for beef cattle producers to maintain mineral status, especially for cattle on pasture, so many implement a trace mineral supplementation program. But research on newer trace mineral strategies, including injectables, has been inconsistent and incomplete. In a set of recent studies, University of Illinois animal scientists study the effects of the injectable trace mineral Multimin90 on reproductive performance in beef heifers.

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