Science X Newsletter Monday, Sep 24

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 24, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Using reinforcement learning to achieve human-like balance control strategies in robots

Fusion hybrids: A newly discovered population of tumor cells

How Earth sheds heat into space

Evidence that addictive behaviors have strong links with ancient retroviral infection

Common weed killer linked to bee deaths

Even mild physical activity immediately improves memory function, study finds

Researchers study a neutral hydrogen supershell in the Milky Way

Custom circuits for living cells

Ancient Mars had right conditions for underground life, new research suggests

Implant helps paralysed man walk again

Study of protein 'trafficker' provides insight into autism and other brain disorders

First to red planet will become Martians: Canada astronaut

Japan space robots start asteroid survey

Puppy love is not cheap with Aibo but robot parts, tech will make you look twice (at least)

Late to the party, German carmakers join race against Tesla

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers study a neutral hydrogen supershell in the Milky Way A duo of researchers from the Czech Republic has performed a study of the neutral hydrogen supershell known as GS242-03+37, a large structure in the Milky Way galaxy. The research, presented in a paper published September 11 on arXiv.org, provides insights into the nature of this supershell and into its interactions with surroundings.
	Ancient Mars had right conditions for underground life, new research suggests A new study shows evidence that ancient Mars probably had an ample supply of chemical energy for microbes to thrive underground.
	First to red planet will become Martians: Canada astronaut Astronauts traveling through space on the long trip to Mars will not have the usual backup from mission control on Earth and will need to think of themselves as Martians to survive, Canada's most famous spaceman half-jokingly said Friday.
	Japan space robots start asteroid survey A pair of robot rovers have landed on an asteroid and begun a survey, Japan's space agency said Saturday, as it conducts a mission aiming to shed light on the origins of the solar system.
	A new classification scheme for exoplanet sizes There are about 4433 exoplanets in the latest catalogs. Their radii have generally been measured by knowing the radius of their host star and then closely fitting the lightcurves as the planet transits across the face of the star. The radius of the host star is thus a key parameter and latest data release of the Gaia mission has enabled astronomers to improve the accuracy of stellar properties in its catalog very significantly – to a precision in radius of about 8 percent—for nearly one hundred and eight thousand stars in the Kepler exoplanet fields.
	Martian moon may have come from impact on home planet, new study suggests The weird shapes and colors of the tiny Martian moons Phobos and Deimos have inspired a long-standing debate about their origins.
	Image: Herschel's view of the galactic centre An odd-shaped formation of gas and dust at the centre of the Milky Way, captured by the far-infrared cameras on board ESA's Herschel space observatory. The nearly continuous strip of dense and cold clumps of material forms an infinity symbol, or sideways 8, that is a few hundred light years across. In this image, the strip twists around an invisible axis running roughly from the top left to the bottom right.
	Image: Hubble's galaxies with knots, bursts In the northern constellation of Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair) lies the impressive Coma Cluster— a structure of over a thousand galaxies bound together by gravity. Many of these galaxies are elliptical types, as is the brighter of the two galaxies dominating this image: NGC 4860 (center). However, the outskirts of the cluster also host younger spiral galaxies that proudly display their swirling arms. Again, this image shows a wonderful example of such a galaxy in the shape of the beautiful NGC 4858, which can be seen to the left of its bright neighbor and which stands out on account of its unusual, tangled, fiery appearance.
	MAVEN selfie marks four years in orbit around Mars Today, NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft celebrates four years in orbit studying the upper atmosphere of the Red Planet and how it interacts with the sun and the solar wind. To mark the occasion, the MAVEN team has released a selfie image of the spacecraft at Mars.
	Catalogue of planetary maps highlights the evolving view of the solar system A catalogue that provides an overview of over 2,200 planetary maps produced worldwide between 1600 and 2018 has been presented today at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2018 in Berlin. The catalogue has been produced by Henrik Hargitai, from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest (Hungary), and Mateusz Pitura, from the University of Wroclaw (Poland).

Technology news

	Using reinforcement learning to achieve human-like balance control strategies in robots Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have developed a hierarchical framework based on deep reinforcement learning (RL) that can acquire a variety of strategies for humanoid balance control. Their framework, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv and presented at the 2017 International Conference on Humanoid Robotics, could perform far more human-like balancing behaviors than conventional controllers.
	Puppy love is not cheap with Aibo but robot parts, tech will make you look twice (at least) Yawn. Another homebody robot placed on pre-order, worthy of news headlines? This one is grabbing media nonethless. After all, the story is about Aibo, a robot dog that its designers crafted to melt hearts. Sony has made its new, improved Aibo available for sale in the US, now for pre-order.
	Late to the party, German carmakers join race against Tesla After years watching Tesla's electric cars speed ahead while they have been on the defensive over an industry-wide diesel emissions scandal, German high-end manufacturers have finally unveiled their first challengers to the Californian upstart.
	Google looking to future after 20 years of search Google celebrated its 20th birthday Monday, marking two decades in which it has grown from simply a better way to explore the internet to a search engine so woven into daily life its name has become a verb.
	Virobot: How to say your PC is toast, in French? A ransomware-flavored Virobot with keylogger capabilities was found to be capable of enslaving personal computers in a botnet, reported a number of sites including HotHardware. It was affecting targets in the United States.
	Forensic finder exploring Windows calls attention to mail pile Is Windows storing your email? Not the most comforting thought, as we recover from the Facebook user data headlines earlier this year. Nonetheless, storing of email grabbed the attention of Joel Hruska, ExtremeTech, and other tech watchers recently when they learned of a disturbing discovery by Jeremy Skeggs.
	Billionaires buying up media: Savior complex or civic duty? The Washington Post. Time Magazine. The Atlantic. The Village Voice. The Los Angeles Times. All American media icons, all bought by billionaires in the past half decade. Some are thriving. One died. On the rest, the jury's still out.
	Porsche first German carmaker to abandon diesel engines Sports car maker Porsche said Sunday it would become the first German auto giant to abandon the diesel engine, reacting to parent company Volkswagen's emissions cheating scandal and urban driving bans.
	Comcast beats Fox in Sky auction with $39B bid Comcast has emerged as the top bidder for European broadcaster Sky after a rare auction held by British regulators.
	Ether cryptocurrency, a victim of blockchain success For all the attention afforded bitcoin, it is its rival ether that is hitting the headlines, with the popularity of its blockchain technology Ethereum driving concerns that have sent investors fleeing.
	Hackers target real estate deals, with devastating impact James and Candace Butcher were ready to finalize the purchase of their dream retirement home, and at closing time wired $272,000 from their bank following instructions they received by email.
	Trump weighs draft order targeting Google, Facebook: reports President Donald Trump is weighing an executive order that would open federal antitrust and criminal probes into Google, Facebook and other social media firms, US media said Saturday, though the White House promptly distanced itself from the reports.
	Ivory Coast looks to solar vehicles to replace bush taxis Hi-tech, cheap—and quiet. The Ivorian resort of Jacqueville just outside Abidjan is betting on solar-powered three-wheelers as it looks to replace traditional but noisy and dirty bush taxis.
	Singapore watchdog fines Grab, Uber $9.5 mn over merger Singapore on Monday fined ride-hailing firms Grab and Uber $9.5 million for breaking competition rules when they merged, saying the deal had increased fares and thrown up roadblocks for competitors.
	Sky shares soar on Comcast takeover victory Shares in British broadcaster Sky soared Monday after US cable giant Comcast outgunned Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox in a dramatic auction for the pan-European television operator.
	Nepal reinstates $2.5bn hydropower deal with Chinese firm Nepal has reinstated a deal with a Chinese state-owned company to build a $2.5 billion hydroelectric plant scrapped by the previous government, officials confirmed Monday, as the new pro-Beijing administration seeks massive infrastructure investment.
	Smart transformer for the energy turnaround A new, smart medium-voltage transformer developed at ETH Zurich features cutting-edge semiconductor technology, making it extremely compact and energy efficient. Future applications are ranging from locomotives to fast charging stations for electric vehicles and from power supplies for data centres to use in future power grids.
	Reducing the conflict between energy retrofit and heritage character Buildings represent the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions from the developed world, and climate change probably the greatest threat to humanity.
	Spray-on antennas unlock communication of the future Hear the word "antenna" and you might think about rabbit ears on the top of an old TV or the wire that picks up radio signals for a car. But an antenna can be much smaller – even invisible. No matter its shape or size, an antenna is crucial for communication, transmitting and receiving radio signals between devices. As portable electronics become increasingly common, antennas must, too.
	Engineers add sense of touch to prosthetic hand Engineers at Johns Hopkins University have created an electronic skin, which when added to a prosthetic hand allows the user to feel objects as if through their own hand, including feeling pain when touching a sharp object.
From Echo Auto to Alexa: Hits and misses from Amazon's new product reveal The Echo speakers got the most attention. And pundits had fun with a talking Alexa microwave and clock.
From a microwave to a clock, Amazon is taking Alexa beyond speakers Amazon's product blitz Thursday wasn't just about new Echo speakers and new Fire TV DVR. In announcing 70 new products, the tech and delivery giant made clear it will bring Alexa to new gadgets ranging from cars to clocks and even microwaves.
A new app pays you for product recommendations Don't try to make money off my online behavior—unless, of course, I get a commission.
	Amazon's digital ad business surpasses Microsoft, Yahoo, report says Amazon.com's advertising business is likely to more than double its sales in the U.S. this year, a market researcher said Wednesday, which would place the company behind only Google and Facebook.
Fake Apple products: Here's how to avoid being fooled—and endangered—by counterfeits Counterfeit Apple power adapters and charging cables may look like the real thing, but they have differences that can cause injuries to you or damage your device.
	Chip ramps up artificial intelligence systems' performance Princeton researchers, in collaboration with Analog Devices Inc., have fabricated a chip that markedly boosts the performance and efficiency of neural networks—computer algorithms modeled on the workings of the human brain.
	A Star Trek-inspired handheld device for sophisticated medical diagnostics A Star Trek-inspired handheld device based on a silicon chip could help make rapid, sophisticated medical diagnostics more accessible to people around the world, scientists say.
	SiriusXM buys Pandora to step up streaming music wars Satellite radio titan SiriusXM unveiled plans Monday to acquire online rival Pandora for $3.5 billion, ramping up competition in the streaming music market dominated by Spotify and Apple.
	Secret messages for Alexa and Co A team from Ruhr-Universität Bochum has succeeded in integrating secret commands for the Kaldi speech recognition system – which is believed to be contained in Amazon's Alexa and many other systems – into audio files. These are not audible to the human ear, but Kaldi reacts to them. The researchers showed that they could hide any sentence they liked in different types of audio signals, such as speech, birds' twittering, or music, and that Kaldi understood them. The results were published on the Internet by the group involving Lea Schönherr, Professor Dorothea Kolossa, and Professor Thorsten Holz from the Horst Görtz Institute for IT Security (https://adversarial-attacks.net/).
	Artificial intelligence create more than 100,000 new tunes based on Irish and English folk tunes At turns lively and yearning, the traditional folk musics of Ireland and Britain have made their mark around the world. Now these perennially popular forms of music are helping computers learn to become a new kind of partner in music creation.
	Worried about AI taking over the world? You may be making some rather unscientific assumptions ,Should we be afraid of artificial intelligence? For me, this is a simple question with an even simpler, two letter answer: no. But not everyone agrees – many people, including the late physicist Stephen Hawking, have raised concerns that the rise of powerful AI systems could spell the end for humanity.
Apple, Salesforce teaming up on mobile apps for business Customer relations software company Salesforce says it will join with Apple to create new business apps exclusively for iPhone and iPad.
	Integrated modulator is now better than ever, made by the best optical materials Conventional lithium niobite modulators, the longtime workhorse of the optoelectronic industry, may soon go the way of the vacuum tube and floppy disc. Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a new method to fabricate and design integrated, on-chip modulators 100 times smaller and 20 times more efficient than current lithium niobite (LN) modulators.
	Drivers for Uber, Lyft see incomes fall as participation jumps Drivers for Uber, Lyft and other US ridesharing services have seen their incomes fall by half in recent years as more people get behind the wheel, according to a study released Monday.
	Titanic battle for Sky culminates in auction A titanic takeover battle for European TV operator Sky between Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox and US cable giant Comcast culminates Saturday in a rare blind auction.
Fox, Comcast bid for Sky in rare auction Comcast and 21st Century Fox are contenders for the highest bid for European broadcaster Sky.
	Perovskite/CIGS tandem cell with record efficiency of 24.6 percent Today at the EU PVSEC conference, imec, the world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics, energy and digital technologies, presents a thin-film tandem solar cell consisting of a top perovskite cell developed by Imec within the partnerships of EnergyVille and Solliance, and a bottom CIGS cell from the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW, Stuttgart, Germany). The tandem cell resulting from this collaboration achieves a record efficiency of 24.6 percent.
	Screen-printed, large-area nPERT solar cells surpass 23 percent efficiency At today's EU PVSEC conference, imec—the world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics, energy and digital technology and partner in EnergyVille—announced that its latest generation of large-area monofacial screen-printed rear-emitter nPERT cells feature a conversion efficiency of 23.03 percent, certified by Fraunhofer ISE CalLab. The nPERT (n-type Passivated Emitter and Rear Totally diffused) solar cells are made using an industry-compatible screen-printing process that has been designed as an upgrade of conventional pPERC (p-type Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) processes. According to imec, its nPERT technology is projected to reach 23.5 percent efficiency by the end of this year, and there is a clear technology roadmap to eventually surpass 24 percent.
	Why are data ethics so challenging in a changing world? We now live largely in a data-driven world, and ethical oversight and constraints are needed to be sure that data ethics can reach an appropriate balance between the risks and benefits of data technology. The goal is to control the risk, but to allow enough risk to make it possible to take advantage of any potential benefits of data technologies now or in the future. A comprehensive perspective on this topic, which focuses on the nature of data, personal data, data ownership, consent and purpose of use, trustworthiness of data and those using the data, and issues related to privacy and confidentiality is published in Big Data.

Medicine & Health news

	Fusion hybrids: A newly discovered population of tumor cells In a recent study published in Science Advances, Charles E. Gast and co-workers detail the spontaneous process of cancer cell fusion with white blood cells to produce heterogenous hybrid clones in multiple biological systems, including in mice and in humans. The authors identified a new population of tumor cells that may reveal insight into a potential therapeutic target for intervention in human cancer. Despite a century-old hypothesis that cell fusion contributes to tumor initiation and metastatic behaviour acquisition, only a few experimental studies have addressed the functional underpinnings of cell fusion in the etiology of malignant progression. Preceding biological studies have only circumstantially addressed the significance of hybrid tumor cells to support the mechanism. The underlying intracellular mechanisms cannot be easily identified or determined in human subjects, therefore, murine models and in vitro studies have provided an appropriate platform in the present study.
	Evidence that addictive behaviors have strong links with ancient retroviral infection New research from an international team led by Oxford University's Department of Zoology and the National-Kapodistrian University of Athens, published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), shows that an ancient retrovirus—HK2—is more frequently found in drug addicts and thus is significantly associated with addiction.
	Even mild physical activity immediately improves memory function, study finds People who include a little yoga or tai chi in their day may be more likely to remember where they put their keys. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and Japan's University of Tsukuba found that even very light workouts can increase the connectivity between parts of the brain responsible for memory formation and storage.
	Implant helps paralysed man walk again Five years after he was paralysed in a snowmobile accident, a man in the US has learned to walk again aided by an electrical implant, in a potential breakthrough for spinal injury sufferers.
	Study of protein 'trafficker' provides insight into autism and other brain disorders In the brain, as in business, connections are everything. To maintain cellular associates, the outer surface of a neuron, its membrane, must express particular proteins—proverbial hands that reach out and greet nearby cells. And, like a creepily long handshake, surface molecules can overstay their welcome: A protein that lingers too long on the membrane may compromise the connections, or synapses, between cells.
	Cancer cells evade immunotherapy by hiding telltale marker, suggesting how to stop relapse Harnessing the immune system to treat cancer shows great promise in some patients, but for many, the response does not last long-term. In an effort to find out why, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center scientists are using a new technology to look at how cancer cells change under the pressure of immunotherapy treatments.
	Know someone sick? Your own smell might give it away Odors surround us, providing cues about many aspects of personal identity, including health status. Now, research from the Monell Center extends the scope and significance of personal odors as a source of information about an individual's health. A new paper in the open-access journal Scientific Reports reveals that the bodily odors of otherwise healthy animals sharing an environment with sick animals become like the odors of the sick animals.
	Height may be risk factor for varicose veins, study finds The taller you are, the more likely you are to develop varicose veins, according to a study led by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers that examined the genes of more than 400,000 people in search of clues to what causes this common but little understood condition.
	Mitochondrial diseases could be treated with gene therapy, study suggests Researchers have developed a genome editing tool for the potential treatment of mitochondrial diseases: serious and often fatal conditions which affect 1 in 5,000 people.
	Overlooked signal in MRI scans reflects amount, kind of brain cells An MRI scan often generates an ocean of data, most of which is never used. When overlooked data is analyzed using a new technique developed at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, they surprisingly reveal how many and which brain cells are present—and show where cells have been lost through injury or disease.
	Thousands of unknown DNA changes in the developing brain revealed by machine learning Unlike most cells in the rest of our body, the DNA (the genome) in each of our brain cells is not the same: it varies from cell to cell, caused by somatic changes. This could explain many mysteries—from the cause of Alzheimer's disease and autism to how our personality develops. But much remains unknown, including when these changes arise, their size and locations, and whether they are random or regulated. DNA technologies used to study these "copy number variations" (CNVs) in single brain cells have been limited to longer DNA sequences—those above one million base pairs.
	Scientists reveal ground-breaking plan to target cause of Alzheimer's disease A breakthrough has been made in the fight against Alzheimer's disease—researchers have found a new way to target the toxic particles that destroy healthy brain cells.
	New findings on the muscle disease Laing early-onset distal myopathy New avenues are now being opened toward treatment of Laing distal myopathy, a rare disorder that causes atrophy of the muscles in the feet, hands and elsewhere. In a study published in the journal PNAS, researchers have identified an enzyme with a clear link to how the disease develops.
	How to edit your mitochondria Mitochondrial genetic engineering is the adaptation of genetic engineering techniques to specific mitochondrial problems. Although it is not common to be born with severe mitochondrial issues, we will all eventually have to face these problems in one form or another, provided we live long enough.
	Antifungal agent found to be possible treatment for porphyria A large team of researchers from Spain, France and the U.S. has found that a common antifungal agent might be useful as a treatment for a rare type of porphyria. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes screening thousands of compounds for a treatment for congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP)—a rare type of the disease—and what they found.
	Taking a catnap? Mouse mutation shown to increase need for sleep Sleep is vital for adequate functioning across the animal kingdom, but little is known about the physiological mechanisms that regulate it, or the reasons for natural variation in people's sleep patterns.
	Exposure to farmyard bugs reduces immune overreaction found in childhood asthma Treating new born mice with farmyard microbes reduces wheezing and inflammation in the airways, by 'taming' their immune systems.
	Italy extends time for vaccine proof for young school kids Italian parents have more time before having to produce proof to schools that their children have received 10 mandatory vaccinations.
Seasonal plague kills two more in Madagascar Madagascar's seasonal outbreak of pneumonic plague has killed two more people, taking the death toll to four, the health ministry said on Saturday.
	India launches 'Modicare', world's biggest health scheme Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the world's biggest health insurance scheme, promising free coverage for half a billion of India's poorest citizens ahead of national elections next year.
	Where people live before hospitalization important for discharge planning, reducing readmissions Forty per cent of older adults who leave hospital are discharged to home care or a long-term care facility, which, combined with where they lived before hospitalization, affects their risk of readmission, found a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Too many people missing out on health benefits of golf, says expert panel The consensus—one of the first of its kind—comes on the eve of the Ryder Cup, the biennial golf tournament between Europe and the US.
	Children whose mothers use marijuana are more likely to try it at younger age When mothers use marijuana during the first 12 years of their child's life, their cannabis-using children are more likely to start at an earlier age than children of non-using mothers, according to a new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. This study is the first to establish a relationship between maternal cannabis use during a child's lifetime and earlier initiation in a nationally-representative, longitudinal cohort, and examine the role of race, gender, and other social environmental factors.
	Prosthetic valve mismatches common in transcatheter valve replacement, ups risk of death In the largest multi-institutional study to date, led by researchers from Penn Medicine, the team found that among patients who underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a high number experienced severe and moderate cases of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM)—meaning the implanted heart valve is too small for the patient which can lead to inadequate blood flow. The team also found that the risk of death and of heart failure readmissions were 19 percent and 12 percent higher, respectively, after one year as compared to patients without severe PPM.
	Stepfathers' 'Cinderella effect' challenged by new study Long-held assumptions that stepfathers are far more likely to be responsible for child deaths than genetic parents have been challenged by researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Gender and race may shape how minority women address barriers to breast cancer screening Black women are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of breast cancer partly due to barriers to timely screening mammography. Programs that use patient navigators—individuals who provide guidance to patients to help overcome various barriers to care—may reduce breast cancer disparities, but a study published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, indicates that such programs must consider how minority women's views on gender and race/ethnicity may affect how they seek help and support for their health needs.
	New research heralds a blood test for drowsy driving During this unique study from the Sleep Research Centre at the University of Surrey, led by Professor Derk-Jan Dijk, 36 participants skipped one night of sleep. During this 40-hour period of sleep deprivation, blood samples were taken and changes in the expression levels of thousands of genes were measured.
Online diabetes prevention programs are as effective as in-person programs for weight loss Researchers examined participation and weight loss results in an online diabetes prevention program; an in-person diabetes prevention program; and the Veterans Administration's face-to-face standard-of-care weight management program, called MOVE!
Heart failure patients with mitral regurgitation benefit from minimally invasive procedure A multicenter clinical trial has found that a minimally invasive procedure called transcatheter mitral valve repair significantly reduced hospitalizations and mortality for heart failure patients with moderate-to-severe or severe functional mitral regurgitation.
	Overweight pregnant women can safely cut calories, restrict weight gain Being obese or overweight during pregnancy can result in serious health problems for the mother and child. Obstetricians are often reluctant to recommend restricted weight gain for pregnant women due to safety concerns for the baby and lack of time and tools to safely guide women in their weight control efforts.
	'Game-changing' global pact against illicit tobacco trade kicks in A global pact to battle the illegal tobacco trade kicks in this week, with the World Health Organization hailing it as "game-changing" in eliminating widespread health-hazardous and criminal activity.
	Study shows invasive lung cancer surgery can lead to long-term opioid use Patients treated with more-invasive surgical techniques for a type of early-stage lung cancer are more likely to become chronic opioid users than patients treated with minimally invasive surgery, highlighting the need for additional research into how pain management after surgery might be a contributing factor to the opioid addiction crisis, according to a study published in JAMA Oncology in September.
	Physical activity necessary to maintain heart-healthy lifestyle Exercise and physical activity are of vast global importance to prevent and control the increasing problem of heart disease and stroke, according to a review paper published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. This paper is part of an eight-part health promotion series where each paper will focus on a different risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
	Protein produced in gut could stave off deadly bone marrow transplant complication Researchers at Mount Sinai have discovered that an antimicrobial protein found in the gut can stave off a common and highly lethal side effect of bone marrow transplants, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation in September.
	Insulin shows great potential against chronic colitis Diabetes is not the only disease on which insulin has an effect, it appears. In a new study using tests on mice, researchers from the University of Copenhagen, among others, have discovered a new method for treating chronic colitis with regular insulin. The researchers have set up a company with a view to testing the treatment and hopefully making it available to patients.
	Lyme disease: A study on the speed of transmission by infected ticks Lyme borreliosis is a disease caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia that are transmitted by a bite from a tick of the genus Ixodes. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur used mice to study the transmission of bacteria by ticks infected with various European and North American species of Borrelia. They found evidence of rapid bacterial transmission following a bite, with infection occurring within 24 hours of an adult tick bite and sometimes even sooner for nymph bites. This is a timely reminder of the importance of removing ticks as soon as possible after being bitten to prevent infection.
	Diabetes drug may prevent liver cancer A drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes might help prevent patients from developing liver cancers.
	New histoplasmosis risk map Histoplasmosis is a common lung infection caused by microscopic fungal spores that reside in soil. Most people who inhale the spores don't get sick, but for those with weakened immune systems, the infection can become severe. About 90 percent of Middle Tennessee residents have had histoplasmosis exposure in their lifetime.
	Prevention of HIV increasing, but no one should be left behind Gay and bisexual men are getting tested and using medications to prevent HIV transmission more than ever, with UNSW researchers recording an encouraging major shift towards new forms of prevention thanks to government-funded access programs.
	Take a step back from yourself to better realize the benefits of awe Religion and nature can both lead to awe, and turning to one or the other is a common coping strategy for the stress that might accompany an upcoming presentation, exam or performance.
	Reconstructing healthy liver cells using a nanomaterial-based matrix  NUS pharmaceutical scientists, together with clinicians from the National University Health System (NUHS), have developed a nanomaterial-based hydrogel that encourages amniotic epithelial cells (a type of stem cell) to grow into mature liver cells.
	The 'gamification' of health: What motivates you? Think of a game you enjoy playing, any game at all. Now imagine your boss said you were required to play this game for an hour every day. Would you still find it as fun?
	Genetic risk: Should researchers let people know? Should researchers inform research participants, if they discover genetic disease risks in the participants? Yes, many would say, if the information is helpful to the participants. However, the value of complex genetic risk information for individuals is uncertain. In a Ph.D. thesis from Uppsala University, Jennifer Viberg Johansson suggests that this uncertainty needs to be acknowledged by both geneticists and ethicists.
	Study finds Latinos' increased dementia risk linked to lower education levels Findings from a study conducted by researchers at the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work suggest that higher dementia prevalence among racial and ethnic minorities—particularly among Latinos—is connected to lower educational attainment.
	It's better light, not worse behaviour, that explains crimes on a full moon It's a full moon on September 25.
	Cumbersome blood cancer treatment can be postponed It's possible to postpone the introduction of blood transfusions for an average of 17 months for patients with the low-risk variant of MDS blood cancer, provided they are given erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA), which stimulate the body to produce red blood cells, according to a dissertation at Sahlgrenska Academy, Sweden.
	Why stigma against victims of domestic violence persists in Indonesia On 22 September 2004, Indonesia enacted the Anti-Domestic Violence Law. This law remains as relevant as ever. The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) recently reported that domestic violence is the most prevalent type of violence against women in Indonesia.
	Why life insurance companies want your Fitbit data I recently predicted that health data from electronic sources could soon be compiled into a health or wellness report and shared with insurance companies to help them determine who they'll cover.
	How to (gently) get your child to brush their teeth For most parents, the phrase "I don't want to brush my teeth" is rather familiar. While it may seem easiest to pry their mouth open and force them to brush, research suggests there are better ways that may positively influence children's future dental health.
	Weight loss can be boosted fivefold thanks to novel mental imagery technique Overweight people who used a new motivational intervention called Functional Imagery Training (FIT) lost an average of five times more weight than those using talking therapy alone, shows new research published today by the University of Plymouth and Queensland University.
'Three Identical Strangers' and the real science of nature vs. nurture When Robert Shafran started community college in upstate New York in 1980, he was puzzled that some of his fellow students seemed unusually friendly, acting as though they already knew him.
'Baby Jack' returns to Kansas City as one of the youngest heart-lung recipients in history With every beat of his new heart and every breath that flows into his new lungs, 8-month-old Jack Palmer is rewriting what's possible for babies with severe birth defects.
What are dietary lectins and should you avoid eating them? DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I keep reading about weight loss and other health benefits from a diet where people eliminate lectins. Is there any truth to the claim that a lectin-free diet can cure autoimmune diseases and other health problems?
	In landmark study, doctors say test identifies people most likely to get Alzheimer's The beginning was the worst. It frustrated Janet Parkerson when her father started to forget what he had done that day or the day before.
	Brain scans reveal common patterns can predict variations in ADHD Distinct brain patterns can help explain variations in the way children present with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), paving a course towards improved treatment and support for the common neurodevelopmental disorder.
	A new remedy for celiac disease In an industrial collaboration project, TU Wien has developed a medication that can alleviate or even completely eliminate the symptoms of celiac disease. It should be available as early as 2021.
	Eye training to help children with dyspraxia Children with a coordination disorder can improve skills like throwing and catching with new training videos developed by the University of Exeter.
	Six simple, positive ways to engage with someone with autism "You've met one person with autism, then you've met one person with autism."
	I ran 100 miles in a day, this is what happened to my body The marathon race has long been considered the ultimate test of human endurance. But the last few decades have seen growing numbers of runners regularly tackling distances exceeding the traditional marathon. So-called "ultra-marathon runners" contest races from 35 miles (56km) to 100 miles (160km) – and occasionally further – in a single stage.
	Building a comprehensive profile of conspiracy thinkers Here's a theory: President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. Here's another: Climate change is a hoax. Here's one more: The "deep state" spied on Donald Trump's campaign, and is now trying to destroy his presidency.
	A fracture anywhere reduces bone density everywhere Breaking a bone causes bone density losses throughout the body, not just close to the site of the fracture, and primarily around the time of the fracture, two new studies from UC Davis Health show.
Preventing underage drinking among youths on rural reservations Underage drinking is a concern all over the country. Among American Indian and Alaska Native populations, there are especially serious issues: alcohol use and heavy drinking at an early age increase risks for lifetime alcohol problems, and American Indians and Native Alaskans have reported younger onsets than other groups.
	Memories of trauma are unique because of how brains and bodies respond to threat Most of what you experience leaves no trace in your memory. Learning new information often requires a lot of effort and repetition – picture studying for a tough exam or mastering the tasks of a new job. It's easy to forget what you've learned, and recalling details of the past can sometimes be challenging.
	The blissful and bizarre world of ASMR Have you ever stumbled upon an hourlong online video of someone folding napkins? Or maybe crinkling paper, sorting a thimble collection or pretending to give the viewer an ear exam? They're called ASMR videos and millions of people love them and consider watching them a fantastic way to relax. Other viewers count them among the strangest things on the internet.
	Milk straight from breast best for baby's weight (HealthDay)—Breast milk from the bottle may not have as many benefits for a baby's weight as feeding straight from the breast, a new study suggests.
	More needs to be done to keep teen drivers safe, pediatricians say (HealthDay)—Following years of decline, fatal car accidents involving teen drivers have accelerated in the United States, a leading group of U.S. pediatricians warns.
	Bells, whistles and home exercise equipment (HealthDay)—Exercising on a budget can be as simple as buying a good pair of walking shoes. But when you want to make an investment in fitness equipment, new options can make your workouts interactive as well as high-energy.
	Long-term outcomes of breast implants explored (HealthDay)—The long-term outcomes of breast implants include increased rates of certain conditions for silicone implants, according to a study published online Sept. 14 in the Annals of Surgery.
	Mortality rate from heart failure higher in women than men (HealthDay)—Despite decreases in overall heart failure incidence and mortality in ambulatory patients from 2009 to 2014, mortality rates remain higher in women than in men, according to a study recently published in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
	Weight loss can be boosted fivefold thanks to novel mental imagery technique, research shows Overweight people who used a new motivational intervention called Functional Imagery Training (FIT) lost an average of five times more weight than those using talking therapy alone, shows new research published today by the University of Plymouth and Queensland University of Technology.
	As life expectancies rise, so do expectations for healthy aging The Fountain of Youth may still be a myth, but a longer life expectancy is now a reality.
	Stopping the resistance of cancer cells to treatment One of the drawbacks of chemotherapy is that cancer patients can build up resistance to treatment over time, increasing their chances of possible relapse.
Inquiry starts into UK blood contamination scandal A public inquiry in Britain into a contaminated blood scandal dating back decades which left at least 2,400 people dead began Monday with a commemoration service and opening statements.
	Promising phase 1/2 results for entrectinib against ROS1+ non-small cell lung cancer Results of phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials of the drug entrectinib in ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) presented on the press program of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer show a response rate of 77.4 percent for 53 patients evaluable for response, with median duration of response of 24.6 months. The trial included patients with untreated and treated brain metastases at baseline. In 20 patients (37.7 percent of the total patients enrolled) with central-nervous system involvement, response rate of metastases in the brain was 55 percent. In 30 patients without brain metastasis at baseline, the median time of cancer control (known as progression free survival or PFS) was 26.3 months; in patients who presented with brain metastases at baseline, PFS was 13.6 months.
	Lawnmower injuries a persistent source of serious injury and high costs, new study affirms In what Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers call an unusually comprehensive analysis of nationwide data, they conclude that the rate of lawnmower injuries persists at close to 6,400 a year, most of them requiring surgery and hospitalization, and costing an average of $37,000 per patient.
	Eradicating Helicobacter pylori infections may be a key treatment for Parkinson's disease While human genetic mutations are involved in a small number of Parkinson's disease (PD) cases, the vast majority of cases are of unknown environmental causes, prompting enormous interest in identifying environmental risk factors involved. The link between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and gastric ulcers has been known for several decades, but new evidence suggests that this harmful bacterium may play a role in PD as well. A new review in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease summarizes the current literature regarding the link between H. pylori and PD and explores the possible mechanisms behind the association.
	Technology and therapy help individuals with chronic spinal cord injuries take steps Of four research participants living with traumatic, motor complete spinal cord injury, two are able to walk over ground with epidural stimulation following epidural stimulation paired with daily locomotor training. In addition, all four participants achieved independent standing and trunk stability when using the stimulation and maintaining their mental focus. The study was conducted at the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center at the University of Louisville (UofL) and is published in this week's New England Journal of Medicine. The study was funded by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, University of Louisville Hospital and Medtronic plc.
	Older adults with a 'fall prevention plan' less likely to end up in hospital Older adults at risk for falls are less likely to suffer fall-related hospitalizations when they have a "fall plan of care," according to new research featuring faculty at Binghamton University, State University at New York.
	Optimizing dopaminergic treatment improves non-motor symptoms Non-motor symptoms are common in late stage Parkinson's disease (PD) as the frequency and severity of most of these symptoms increase with advancing disease. Optimizing dopaminergic treatment in the most severe stages can affect non-motor symptoms and improve quality of life, report scientists in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.
	Common painkiller not effective for chronic pain after traumatic nerve injury A new study out today in the Journal of Neurology finds that pregabalin is not effective in controlling the chronic pain that sometimes develops following traumatic nerve injury. The results of the international study, which was driven by an effort to identify effective non-opioid pain medications, did show potential in relieving in pain that sometimes lingers after surgery.
EACS issues position paper to improve cancer research and care The European Academy of Cancer Sciences (EACS), an independent advisory body of medical specialists and researchers, has issued a position paper encouraging the European Union and its member states to formally launch a mission to boost and streamline cancer research. Published in Molecular Oncology, a journal of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies, the goal is to increase the societal impact of research by decreasing cancer incidence, increasing cure rate, improving health-related quality of life, and developing cost-effective cancer prevention and therapeutic strategies.
Raw sewage in streets: Cholera is Zimbabwe's latest crisis Raw sewage flows freely in some streets of Zimbabwe's capital, posing a deadly challenge to the recently elected president who has promised the troubled country a new dawn.
Cholera outbreak in Nigeria claims nearly 100 lives A cholera outbreak in north-eastern Nigeria has claimed nearly 100 lives over the past two weeks, the United Nations said Saturday.
	Alarmingly low awareness of urology across Europe Public awareness of urological conditions is alarmingly low throughout Europe. Results of a new international survey1 of more than 2,500 responders from 5 countries show that women know more about men's health issues than men do, men have poor knowledge of key urological symptoms and don't take early signs of potentially life-threatening urological conditions seriously.
	LGBT community has poorer health outcomes, assessment finds The local LGBT community reports twice the number of poor mental health days as the general population of Richmond and Columbia Counties, and those who identified as transgender report twice that, according to a health needs assessment conducted by faculty and students at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.
	How nature, nurture shape the sleeping brain Some patterns of electrical activity generated by the brain during sleep are inherited, according to a study of teenage twins published in JNeurosci. Pinpointing the relative contributions of biology and experience to sleep neurophysiology could inform therapies for numerous psychiatric disorders in which alterations in brain activity during sleep can be detected.
	Non-epileptic seizure patients getting 'lost in system' About 2,000 patients in Saskatchewan and 72,000 across Canada experience seizure-like episodes unrelated to epilepsy, but nearly half aren't receiving followup care, harming their quality of life and driving up health-care costs even after their complex medical condition is properly diagnosed.
Neurobehavioral symptoms predictive of employment outcome after traumatic brain injury Kessler Foundation researchers have published their findings linking behavioral symptoms with employment outcomes among adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Their findings have implications for strategies aimed at improving employment outcomes in this population. The article, "Impact of frontal neurobehavioral symptoms on employment in individuals with TBI," was epublished ahead of print on July 19 in Rehabilitation Psychology . The authors are Erica Weber, Ph.D., Angela Spirou, MA, Nancy Chiaravalloti, Ph.D., and Jeannie Lengenfelder, Ph.D., of Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation.
Results from the SOLVE-TAVI trial reported The first randomized study to compare general versus local anesthesia during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with intermediate to high surgical risk found local anesthesia to be both safe and effective. In addition, the study found that a current generation balloon-expandable valve had similar outcomes to a current generation self-expanding one.
Novel drug-eluting stent with improved radiographic visibility found to be safe and effective This first randomized clinical study of a polymer-coated zotarolimus-eluting stent (Resolute Onyx) that utilizes a novel thin-strutted metallic platform allowing for better X-ray visibility was shown to be non-inferior to an ultrathin-strutted bioresorbable polymer-coated sirolimus-eluting stent (Orsiro) that uses a cobalt-chromium strut platform.
Novel polymer-free amphilimus-eluting stent is noninferior to durable polymer zotarolimus-eluting stent The first large, randomized trial comparing a novel polymer-free amphilimus-eluting stent to the latest-generation permanent polymer drug-eluting stent found that the polymer-free stent was clinically safe and effective.
	Drug prices going up despite Trump promise President Donald Trump made reducing drug prices a key promise during his election campaign, repeatedly accusing drugmakers of "getting away with murder." At the end of May, he promised that drug companies would be announcing "massive" voluntary drug price cuts within two weeks.
Results from the COAPT trial reported Data presented today from the randomized COAPT trial, which have the potential to significantly change current clinical practice, found that patients with heart failure and secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) who remained symptomatic despite maximally tolerated medical therapy demonstrated reduced rates of hospitalizations and death, as well as improved quality-of-life and functional capacity after being treated with the transcatheter MitraClip device.
Negative pressure wound therapy: violation of ethical and scientific standards About one decade after its first benefit assessment of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) is reassessing this treatment method. However, then as now, its benefit and harm are unclear. Whereas only few studies with very limited informative value were available in 2006, over 100 clinical comparisons with several thousands of patients have been conducted since. But results have been published for only some of these studies, as not only the manufacturers of the medical devices used, but also researchers, are concealing data, thus violating ethical and scientific standards. Assessing the benefit and harm of the treatment solely on the basis of the published data could have entailed a seriously biased result. Hence, there is still no valid basis for the assessment of the benefit and harm of this treatment.
Screening for depression: benefit remains questionable Almost 12% of all adults in Germany are diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) investigated whether participants in a screening programme could have advantages or disadvantages if their general practitioner, for example, offers regular tests based on a questionnaire that can reveal signs of depression. An advantage could be that the condition is diagnosed early on, making it possible to start treatment. The final report, which has now been published, confirms the preliminary results: Benefit and harm are still unclear. Hence there is still no scientific basis to introduce this kind of screening Programme.
Aid groups halt Ebola work as Congo raid toll hits 21 The death toll from a weekend attack in DR Congo's restive east rose to 21 on Monday, with the violence prompting aid groups to suspend their Ebola work in the area.
Women with non-small cell lung cancers live longer than men, study shows Women diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) live longer than their male counterparts, according to results of a SWOG study presented today by Kathy Albain, MD, the Huizenga Family Endowed Chair in Oncology Research at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC's) 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Biology news

	Common weed killer linked to bee deaths The world's most widely used weed killer may also be indirectly killing bees. New research from The University of Texas at Austin shows that honey bees exposed to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, lose some of the beneficial bacteria in their guts and are more susceptible to infection and death from harmful bacteria.
	Custom circuits for living cells A team of Caltech researchers has developed a biological toolkit of proteins that can be assembled together in different ways, like Legos, to program new behaviors in cells. As a proof-of-concept, they designed and constructed a circuit that can be added to human cells growing in a laboratory dish, detect if a cancer-causing gene is activated in the cells, and if so, cause the cells to self-destruct.
	Burst of morning gene activity tells plants when to flower For angiosperms—or flowering plants—one of the most important decisions facing them each year is when to flower. It is no trivial undertaking. To flower, they must cease vegetative growth and commit to making those energetically expensive reproductive structures that will bring about the next generation.
	How a molecular signal helps plant cells decide when to make oil A study at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory identifies new details of how a sugar-signaling molecule helps regulate oil production in plant cells. As described in a paper appearing in the journal The Plant Cell, the work could point to new ways to engineer plants to produce substantial amounts of oil for use as biofuels or in the production of other oil-based products.
	Birds' voiceboxes are odd ducks Birds sing from the heart. While other four-limbed animals like mammals and reptiles make sounds with voiceboxes in their throats, birds' chirps originate in a unique vocal organ called the syrinx, located in their chests. No other animals have a syrinx, and scientists aren't sure how or when it evolved. In a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, an interdisciplinary team of developmental biologists, evolutionary morphologists, and physiologists examined the windpipes of birds, crocodiles, salamanders, mice, and cats to learn more about how syrinxes evolved. Their findings seem to confirm: the syrinx is an evolutionary odd duck. But it might have arisen from a reinforcement at the bottom of the windpipe that we still see in many other animals.
	Silver fox study reveals genetic clues to social behavior In 1959, Russian scientists began an experiment to breed a population of silver foxes, selecting and breeding foxes that exhibited friendliness toward people. They wanted to know if they could repeat the adaptations for tameness that must have occurred in domestic dogs. Subsequently they also bred another population of foxes for more aggressive behavior.
	Desert ants have an amazing odor memory Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology used behavioral experiments to show that desert ants quickly learn many food odors and remember them for the rest of their lives. However, their memory for nest odors seems to differ from their food odor memory. Whereas food odors are learned and kept after a single contact, ants need several trials to memorize nest odors. Moreover, ants forget a nest-associated odor very quickly after it has been removed from the nest. Hence, ants process food and nest odors differently in their brains.
	DNA islands effective as 'anti-bacterial drones' Genomic "islands" that evolved from viruses can be converted into "drones" that disable Staphylococcus aureus, bacteria that are often resistant to antibiotics and pose a threat to safe hospital care, a new study finds.
	Mosquitoes that can carry malaria eliminated in lab experiments The team from Imperial College London were able to crash caged populations of the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae in only 7-11 generations.
	Australia kills four sharks after tourist attacks Four large sharks have been killed in Australia after a woman and a 12-year-old girl were attacked at a popular Great Barrier Reef tourist spot.
	Tiger population nearly doubles in Nepal Nepal's wild tiger population has nearly doubled over the last nine years, officials said Monday, in a victory for the impoverished country's drive to save the endangered big cats.
	Light pollution makes fish more courageous Artificial light at night makes guppies more courageous during the day, according to a behavioural study led by researchers from the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development. Exposing fish to artificial light at night made fish more active during the night, and also made them emerge quicker from hiding places during the day, which could increase their exposure to predators. Nocturnal lighting, however, did not affect their swimming speed or social behaviour during the day.
	How microvilli form The gut is lined by cells containing brush borders, which are composed of arrays of microvillar protrusions that help in nutrient absorption and provide a barrier against pathogens and toxins. Microbes such as E. coli can destroy microvilli with potentially life-threatening results. But how microvilli form has not been well understood.
	Ecologist suggests wild approach to selling threatened plants Selling plants could save them from extinction. The key is growing them in their natural habitats, not on private properties or nurseries, according to FIU conservation ecologist Hong Liu.
Scientists unravel the mysteries of the Salish Sea By now, the millions of people around the world who followed the saga of a mother orca carrying her dead calf know the endangered southern-resident orca whales exclusively eat chinook salmon. But what do the chinook eat?
	Orangutans saved as Malaysia foils high-seas smuggling bid A pair of young orangutans, baby crocodiles and rare birds were among over 400 animals rescued from a boat off Malaysia as they were being smuggled from neighbouring Indonesia, officials said Monday.
	Conservationists slam Australia shark policy as more killed Conservationists on Monday slammed the baiting and killing of sharks at a popular Great Barrier Reef tourist spot after two swimmers were attacked, saying the policy was brutal and indiscriminate.
	Quicker and simpler test to detect infectious disease in dogs A team of researchers have proposed a new test that rapidly examines dogs for exposure to a parasite transmitted by sand flies. The test could be used in monitoring the effectiveness of sand fly control efforts.
	EU backs Belgium's pre-emptive swine fever slaughter The European Union on Monday welcomed Belgium's decision to slaughter thousands of healthy pigs to isolate and eradicate an outbreak of swine fever.

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