Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jan 10

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for January 10, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

A new approach for software fault prediction using feature selection

A new algorithm for solving archaeological puzzles

A new approach to address food security issues after natural disasters

Is that really a neglected disease?

Oceans are warming even faster than previously thought

Study finds a link between lowered levels of HDAC3 and infertility in endometriosis patients

Magnetar mysteries in our galaxy and beyond

Birth of a black hole or neutron star captured for first time

Astronomers find signatures of a 'messy' star that made its companion go supernova

Respiratory microbiome may influence your susceptibility to flu

Facial recognition: Coming to a gadget near you

Scientists seek ways to finally take a real measure of pain

Star Trek style translators step closer to reality at gadget show

Novel biomarker appears predictive of outcome in patients with HPV-related head and neck cancers

Researchers reveal active-state structure of popular drug target for blood pressure

Astronomy & Space news

	Magnetar mysteries in our galaxy and beyond In a new Caltech-led study, researchers from campus and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have analyzed pulses of radio waves coming from a magnetar—a rotating, dense, dead star with a strong magnetic field—that is located near the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. The new research provides clues that magnetars like this one, lying in close proximity to a black hole, could perhaps be linked to the source of "fast radio bursts," or FRBs. FRBs are high-energy blasts that originate beyond our galaxy but whose exact nature is unknown.
	Birth of a black hole or neutron star captured for first time A Northwestern University-led international team is getting closer to understanding the mysteriously bright object that burst in the northern sky this summer.
	Astronomers find signatures of a 'messy' star that made its companion go supernova Many stars explode as luminous supernovae when, swollen with age, they run out of fuel for nuclear fusion. But some stars can go supernova simply because they have a close and pesky companion star that, one day, perturbs its partner so much that it explodes.
	Lifting the veil on star formation in the Orion Nebula The stellar wind from a newborn star in the Orion Nebula prevents more new stars from forming nearby. That is the result of new research conducted by an international research team led by the University of Cologne (Germany) and the University of Leiden (Netherlands) using NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).
	China moon rover 'Jade Rabbit' wakes from 'nap' China's lunar rover got back to work on the far side of the moon Thursday after waking from a five-day hibernation, its official social media page announced.
	Giant pattern discovered in the clouds of planet Venus A Japanese research group has identified a giant streak structure among the clouds covering planet Venus based on observation from the spacecraft Akatsuki. The team also revealed the origins of this structure using large-scale climate simulations. The group was led by Project Assistant Professor Hiroki Kashimura (Kobe University, Graduate School of Science) and these findings were published on January 9 in Nature Communications.
	What 100,000 star factories in 74 galaxies reveal about star formation Galaxies come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Some of the most significant differences among galaxies, however, relate to where and how they form new stars. Compelling research to explain these differences has been elusive, but that is about to change.
	Cygnus A: Ricocheting black hole jet discovered by Chandra A ricocheting jet blasting from a giant black hole has been captured by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, as reported in our latest press release. In this composite image of Cygnus A, X-rays from Chandra (red, green, and blue that represent low, medium and high energy X-rays) are combined with an optical view from the Hubble Space Telescope of the galaxies and stars in the same field of view. Chandra's data reveal the presence of powerful jets of particles and electromagnetic energy that have shot out from the black hole. The jet on the left has slammed into a wall of hot gas, then ricocheted to punch a hole in a cloud of energetic particles, before it collides with another part of the gas wall.
	Unusual supernova opens a rare window on the collapse of a star An unusual supernova studied by multiple telescopes, including the SOAR telescope and other telescopes at the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) and NSF's Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), is thought to herald the birth of a new black hole or neutron star, caught at the exact moment of its creation. Observations made with facilities ranging from X-rays to optical and radio wavelengths were used to understand this remarkable event. These multi-messenger observations give astronomers a rare glimpse into the physics at play during the creation of a black hole or neutron star.
	New technique more precisely determines the ages of stars How old are each of the stars in our roughly 13-billion-year-old galaxy? A new technique for understanding the star-forming history of the Milky Way in unprecedented detail makes it possible to determine the ages of stars at least two times more precisely than conventional methods, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University researchers reported Jan. 10 at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting.
	World-first chameleon satellite leaving native British shores The last component of British-built chameleon satellite, Eutelsat Quantum, is getting ready to leave home for good.
	Chang'e 4: Why the moon's far side looks red in new images The first ever images taken from the surface of the far side of the moon have been released following the Chinese National Space Administration's (CNSA) successful landing there. The lander Chang'e 4 and rover Yutu 2 follow from Chang'e 3 and the original Yutu rover that were deployed on the moon's near side in 2013.
	Five things to know about January's total lunar eclipse This month's rare total eclipse will be the last one visible from the United States until 2022.
	A new, potentially inhabitable super-Earth Researchers at the University of Oviedo, in collaboration with the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) have discovered and characterized a planet in the habitability zone of a red dwarf star. It was detected using the method of transits.
	Do we really want a nationalistic future in space? The annals of science fiction are full of visions of the future. Some are techno-utopian like "Star Trek" in which humanity has joined together in peace to explore the cosmos. Others are dystopian, like the World State in "Brave New World." But many of these stories share one thing in common – they envision a time in which humanity has moved past narrow ideas of tribe and nationalism. That assumption might be wrong.
	Video: Fifteen years imaging the Red Planet On 25 December 2003, ESA's Mars Express entered orbit around the Red Planet. The spacecraft began returning the first images from orbit using its High Resolution Stereo Camera just a couple of weeks later, and over the course of its fifteen year history has captured thousands of images covering the globe.

Technology news

	A new approach for software fault prediction using feature selection Researchers at Taif University, Birzeit University and RMIT University have developed a new approach for software fault prediction (SFP), which addresses some of the limitations of existing machine learning SFP techniques. Their approach employs feature selection (FS) to enhance the performance of a layered recurrent neural network (L-RNN), which is used as a classification tool for SFP.
	A new algorithm for solving archaeological puzzles A team of researchers at Technion and the University of Haifa have developed a new computer vision approach for solving archaeological puzzles. In their paper, pre-published on arXiv, they introduce a general algorithm that can automatically reassemble fragments of archaeological artifacts.
	A new approach to address food security issues after natural disasters Researchers at Colorado State University (CSU) have developed an approximate dynamic programming approach to improve the food security of communities affected by natural disasters. Their work exploring methods to aid community recovery spans several papers. Their most recent paper, pre-published on arXiv, focuses on building portfolio restoration, one of the most challenging aspects of community recovery.
	Facial recognition: Coming to a gadget near you Imagine walking into a store where a robot greets you by name, lets you know that your online order is ready, and then suggests other products you might want pick up.
	Star Trek style translators step closer to reality at gadget show Once confined to the realms of science fiction, near real-time translation devices that whisper discreetly into your ear during a conversation are finally coming of age thanks to leaps in artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
	Robots walk, talk, pour beer and take over CES tech show Robots that walk, talk, pour beer and play pingpong have taken over the CES gadget show in Las Vegas again. Just don't expect to find one in your home any time soon.
	Forget pills and pizza. These drones are landing, drilling holes, and taking off again How to dig a hole with two drone and a parachute. That's a headline painfully hard to skip over and we did not. IEEE Spectrum is reporting on the portable digging system that is proving up to the many-faceted task: keeping a useful distance, locating a spot that is diggable, landing, then verifying that the spot really is diggable, proceeding to dig a hole and install a sensor, and fly off.
	Carmaker Rolls-Royce backs UK after record year (Update) Rolls-Royce Motor Cars "belongs to Britain," its chief executive said Thursday amid growing concerns over the possible impact of a no-deal Brexit on the economy.
	Deere puts spotlight on high-tech farming It has GPS, lasers, computer vision, and uses machine learning and sensors to be more efficient. This is the new high-tech farm equipment from John Deere, which made its first Consumer Electronics Show appearance this week to highlight the importance of tech in farming.
	EU court advisor sides with Google on 'right to be forgotten' An EU rule forcing search engines to comply with requests to remove links should be limited to Europe, the senior legal advisor to the bloc's top court said Thursday in a boost for web giant Google.
	Data analytics for safer air space Imagine being able to predict an inexperienced pilot's erratic flight path in real time.
	Should cyber officials be required to tell victims of cyber crimes they've been hacked? In Germany this week, the legal limbo that defines cyberspace around the world was on full display.
	Using machine learning for the early detection of anomalies helps to avoid damage The analysis of sensor data of machines, plants or buildings makes it possible to detect anomalous states early and thus to avoid further damage. For this purpose, the monitoring data is searched for anomalies. By means of machine learning, anomaly detection can already be partially automated.
	How to improve communication between people and smart buildings When it comes to buildings and their occupants, USC researchers see a failure to communicate, yet improved dialogue between the two can help smart buildings work better for a sustainable society.
	Hydrogen mobility from renewable energy A reliable energy transition requires the implication of a range of scientific domains: physical, human, social, economic, as well as earth and life sciences, with the particular concern to put the end user in the centre of technology development. As part of the ULHyS project (Université de Lorraine Hydrogène Sciences et Technologies), the University of Lorraine brings together about ten laboratories around five research topics, from hydrogen production to territorial deployment. In this context, several ULHys members were invited to visit the hydrogen filling station FaHyence at Sarreguemines.
	Technology helps reduce energy costs on Indiana farm while protecting environment A Purdue University alumnus is using clean, solar energy to drastically reduce the electric bill for his northern Indiana hog farm with the help of a company based in the Purdue Research Park.
	Researchers design a new computing system that can reduce delays on smart devices Computer scientists at Queen's University Belfast have designed a new innovative system to reduce delays on smart devices.
	Fiat Chrysler to pay $515 mn in US 'dieselgate' settlements Fiat Chrysler has agreed to a $515 million US settlement on charges it installed "defeat devices" on cars to evade emissions tests, the US Justice Department announced Thursday.
	A new way to measure solar panel degradation Despite many benefits and relative popularity as a renewable energy source, eventually, the sun does set on even the best solar panels. Over time, solar cells face damage from weather, temperature changes, soiling, and UV exposure. Solar cells also require inspections to maintain cell performance levels and reduce economic losses.
	Blacklisted Kaspersky tipped NSA on security breach: media The computer security firm Kaspersky Labs helped the US NSA spy agency uncover one of its worst-ever security breaches—one year before the US banned the company's products for government use, US media has reported.
	Racial inequality in the deployment of rooftop solar energy in the US Although the popularity of rooftop solar panels has skyrocketed because of their benefits to consumers and the environment, the deployment has predominantly occurred in white neighborhoods, even after controlling for household income and home ownership, according to a study by researchers from Tufts University and the University of California, Berkeley, published today in the journal Nature Sustainability.
	New materials could help improve the performance of perovskite solar cells New research could lead to the design of new materials to help improve the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs).
Court orders Amazon to end Wi-Fi button purchases in Germany A German court has ordered Amazon to stop taking orders from customers using wireless-enabled buttons because they breach e-commerce rules.
	CES 2019: "Family tech" gadgets appeal to parental anxiety Every year, the CES gadget show brings more devices promising to make life a little bit easier for harried parents.
	Softbank scales back WeWork investment to $2 bn Japanese technology giant SoftBank has invested $2 billion in shared-office provider WeWork, considerably less than the US start-up was hoping for to fund its expansion.
	Ghosn case rattles Japan's expat business community Carlos Ghosn's prolonged detention under what critics see as Japan's opaque and draconian legal system has alarmed foreign executives and sparked questions over the country's ability to attract overseas talent.
	Japan labour data 'incorrectly collected since 2004' Japan may have underpaid billions of yen in unemployment benefits after it emerged that the government has been incorrectly collecting labour market data for as long as 15 years.
	German airports strike slashes 600 flights Almost 640 flights were cancelled in Germany Thursday as security staff went on strike at three airports, meaning disruption for around 100,000 passengers.
	China offers Elon Musk permanent residency Tesla boss Elon Musk has been offered a "green card", China said Thursday, a privilege enjoyed by an elite group of foreigners, including several Nobel laureates and a former NBA star.
	Ford to cut jobs in European revamp US carmaker Ford said on Thursday that it plans a major restructuring of its European operations, including job cuts, to boost profitability.
	Target plays to strength, combining digital sales and stores One of Target's biggest competitive advantages, the stores it has sprinkled across the country, accounted for a quarter of all online sales in November and December. Goods ordered online and picked up at stores surged 60 percent in that period.
	Vodafone says to cut up to 1,200 jobs in Spain Vodafone said Thursday it planned to cut up to 1,200 jobs in Spain as it streamlines its organisation to cope with a drop in revenue and profits in a fiercely competitive telecommunications market.
	The seven ages of face recognition Face recognition is becoming an increasingly common feature of biometric verification systems. Now, a team from India has used a multi-class support vector machine to extend the way in which such systems work to take into account a person's age. Jayant Jagtap of Symbiosis International (Deemed) University in Pune, and Manesh Kokare of the Shri Guru Gobind Singhji Institute of Engineering and Technology, in Nanded, India, explain that human age classification has remained an important barrier to the next generation of face recognition technology but could be a useful additional parameter in security and other contexts.
	Five-hundred fifty million barrels of oil discovered off Ghana coast Norway's Aker Energy on Thursday said it had discovered oil in commercial quantities off Ghana, which the government welcomed as a potential boost to the economy.
	Auto industry troubles buffet Ford, Jaguar Land Rover The headwinds buffeting the global auto industry made themselves felt in Europe on Thursday as mass-market carmaker Ford and luxury-focused Jaguar Land Rover announced sweeping restructurings that will cost thousands of jobs.
Austrian Post Office to delete customers' political data Austria's postal service said Thursday it would delete data about their customers' assumed political allegiances after privacy campaigners likened the practice to the Facebook data-sharing scandal.
	Renault audit finds no fraud yet as Ghosn faces key hearing The board of French automaker Renault on Thursday said an ongoing audit into executive pay had found no sign of fraud in the last two years, ahead of a new court appearance in Japan for CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Medicine & Health news

	Is that really a neglected disease? Dangerous infectious diseases such as AIDS/HIV, Zika, Ebola and influenza frequently make headlines, and it seems as if there is no end of media attention and research interest focused on them. Conversely, diseases like leishmaniasis, Chagas and rabies seem to receive relatively little attention and research activity in relation to their perceived disease burden, and have hence been considered by many to be "neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)." But is this perception accurate?
	Study finds a link between lowered levels of HDAC3 and infertility in endometriosis patients A team of researchers from the U.S. and South Korea has found a link between low levels of HDAC3 and infertility in endometriosis patients. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes their study of the lining of the uterus in infertile women with endometriosis and what they found.
	Respiratory microbiome may influence your susceptibility to flu Specific respiratory microbiome communities may be linked to influenza susceptibility, according to a study published January 9, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Betsy Foxman from the University of Michigan, USA, and colleagues.
	Scientists seek ways to finally take a real measure of pain Is the pain stabbing or burning? On a scale from 1 to 10, is it a 6 or an 8?
	Novel biomarker appears predictive of outcome in patients with HPV-related head and neck cancers By analyzing variations in the level of human papillomavirus (HPV) in head and neck cancers, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a gene signature associated with treatment response and survival in patients. Rather than simply classifying tumors as HPV-positive or HPV-negative, this biomarker may one day enable clinicians to better predict patient outcomes, ultimately allowing for reduced treatment intensity to minimize severe side effects.
	CRISPR study reveals new immune system regulators Scientists have created the first retroviral CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing library to explore the regulation of mouse T cells, which are key cells in the immune system. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators have mapped the most important genes for controlling T helper cells, and identified several new regulatory genes. These could help scientists looking to develop new treatments to activate the immune system against infection or to attack tumour cells.
	Uncovering more options in cancer immunotherapy To make it possible for cancer immunotherapy to help more people, think small.
	Using genetics of human fat cells to predict response to anti-diabetes drugs Drugs called thiazolidinediones (TZDs) reverse insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes by targeting the activity of a receptor protein. However, an array of side effects, including weight gain, edema, and high cholesterol, limits their use in the clinic.
	Men and women remember pain differently Scientists increasingly believe that one of the driving forces in chronic pain—the number one health problem in both prevalence and burden—appears to be the memory of earlier pain. Research published today/this week in Current Biology suggests that there may be variations, based on sex, in the way that pain is remembered in both mice and humans.
	Defective glial cells can push neurons toward Parkinson's disease Researchers from the University of Barcelona have shown that defective versions of human brain cells called astrocytes are linked to the buildup of a toxic protein that is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease. The studied astrocytes, derived from Parkinson's disease patients with a genetic mutation that affects cell clean-up functions, caused more accumulation of the toxin, alpha-synuclein, than those derived from healthy individuals. The work, which appears January 10 in the journal Stem Cell Reports, suggests an important role for glial cells in Parkinson's disease and offers potential new targets for developing therapies.
	New role for brain's support cells in controlling circadian rhythms Astrocytes, 'caretaker' cells that surround and support neurons in the brain, play a much more important role in circadian rhythms, the body's 24-hour internal clock, than previously understood.
	Researchers identify drug against the formation of metastasis The most deadly aspect of breast cancer is metastasis, cancer cells spreading throughout the body. Researchers at the University and the University Hospital of Basel have now discovered a substance that suppresses the formation of metastases. In the journal Cell, the team of molecular biologists, computational biologists and clinicians reports on their interdisciplinary approach.
	Drug combo shows promise in treatment of depression and addiction The combination of naltrexone and ketamine can help treat both symptoms of addiction and depression, a preliminary study by Yale University researchers suggests.
	Scientists find a new way to target norovirus family MRC scientists have taken a major step forward in understanding how a family of viruses, including norovirus, initiate infections.
	How drugs can minimize the side effects of chemotherapy Researchers at the University of Zurich have determined the three-dimensional structure of the receptor that causes nausea and vomiting as a result of cancer chemotherapy. The study explains for the first time why some drugs work particularly well in ameliorating these side effects. The results also provide important insights into how to develop compounds to effectively tackle other disorders.
	Scientists harness machine learning to uncover new insights into the human brain An interdisciplinary research team led by scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has successfully employed machine learning to uncover new insights into the cellular architecture of the human brain.
	HIV protein function that slows migration of T cells also improves viral survival A study from a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team has identified the specific function of a protein found in HIV and related viruses that appears to slow down viral spread in the earliest stages of infection. But they also found that, after initially slowing down the spread of infection, that function may help the virus survive later on by evading the immune response. Their report has been published in Cell Host & Microbe.
New research shows that women with IBD are at greater risk of mental illness A study published today in the journal Gut shows that women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at greater risk of developing a mental illness after giving birth compared to the overall population. Study authors found that more than one-fifth of pregnant women with IBD had a new-onset mental health diagnosis. For every 43 pregnancies, there is one extra case of mental illness in a woman with IBD, compared to other women. The study used healthcare data on women who gave birth between 2002 and 2014 in Ontario, Canada to analyze the frequency of a new mental illness diagnosis in these women during and up to one year after a pregnancy.
	Mapping residual esophageal tumors—a glimpse into the future? It's one of the first questions asked by many newly-diagnosed cancer patients—"What are my chances of beating this?" Often there is no clear answer, with survival rates differing widely depending on the cancer stage and available treatment options. However, post-operative testing that provides an accurate prediction of long-term treatment outcomes is the next best thing to a crystal ball, allowing clinicians to plan further treatment or follow-up strategies and more accurately inform patients about their prognoses.
	How much is too much? Even moderate alcohol consumption is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation Alcohol is ubiquitous in Western society, and rates of excessive use among adults remain high. Excessive alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), but what are the effects of moderate and mild consumption on AF? In a new study published in HeartRhythm, the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, Australian researchers showed that regular moderate alcohol consumption (an average of 14 glasses per week) results in more electrical evidence of scarring and impairments in electrical signaling compared with non-drinkers and light drinkers. Alcohol consumption is therefore an important modifiable risk factor for AF.
HRT tablets associated with increased risk of blood clots Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) tablets are associated with a higher risk of rare but serious blood clots (known as venous thromboembolism or VTE), finds a large study in The BMJ today.
	Excessive social media use is comparable to drug addiction Bad decision-making is a trait oftentimes associated with drug addicts and pathological gamblers, but what about people who excessively use social media? New research from Michigan State University shows a connection between social media use and impaired risky decision-making, which is commonly deficient in substance addiction.
AI approach outperformed human experts in identifying cervical precancer A research team led by investigators from the National Institutes of Health and Global Good has developed a computer algorithm that can analyze digital images of a woman's cervix and accurately identify precancerous changes that require medical attention. This artificial intelligence (AI) approach, called automated visual evaluation, has the potential to revolutionize cervical cancer screening, particularly in low-resource settings.
	Seeing shapeshifting receptors at work could yield new drugs Blood pressure drugs, like many medications in use today, often have 'off-target' effects because we don't yet understand exactly how they work.
	Cancer comorbidities reduce clinical trial participation, study shows Cancer patients with other illnesses or conditions, such as hypertension, asthma, or a prior cancer, are less likely to talk with their health care provider about a cancer clinical trial, are less likely to be offered to join a clinical trial, and ultimately less likely to enroll in a trial, according to the results of a new SWOG Cancer Research Network study.
A human model to test implants for cataract surgery Researchers at the University of East Anglia in collaboration with Hoya Surgical Optics have improved a laboratory model that simulates cataract surgery on human donor eyes.
	Madariaga virus spreads to Haiti Madariaga virus (MADV), or South American eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), has—until now— been found primarily in animals of South and Central America, with the first human outbreak occurring in Panama in 2010. Now, scientists writing in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases report the identification of MADV in eight children in Haiti in 2015 and 2016.
	Viral production is not essential for deaths caused by food-borne pathogen The replication of a bacterial virus is not necessary to cause lethal disease in a mouse model of a food-borne pathogen called Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), according to a study published January 10 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Sowmya Balasubramanian, John Leong and Marcia Osburne of Tufts University School of Medicine, and colleagues. The surprising findings could lead to the development of novel strategies for the treatment of EHEC and life-threatening kidney-related complications in children.
	Fish oil supplementation can slow muscle loss during immobilization A study published in The FASEB Journal demonstrated that dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids (or fish oils) reduced the rate at which young women lost muscle mass during a period of immobilization.
	Researchers confirm links between aggressive prostate cancer and hereditary breast cancer Aggressive prostate cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in men, is associated with BRCA2 mutations, which are also linked to hereditary breast cancer, ovarian cancer and pancreas cancer, among others. The finding was confirmed in a study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, led by Elena Castro, Nuria Romero-Laorden and David Olmos, from the Prostate Cancer Clinical Research Unit at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO). It reveals that family members of patients with prostate cancer who carry BRCA2 and DNA-repair gene mutations have an increased risk of developing cancer and should be evaluated in familial cancer prevention programmes.
	First pregnancy after robot-assisted uterus transplant Research on uterine transplantation in Gothenburg is now supported by robotic surgery. This change has made operating on the donors considerably less invasive. After the technical modification, the first woman is now pregnant.
	Perspectives on gene editing Medicine is at a turning point, on the cusp of major change as disruptive technologies such as gene, RNA, and cell therapies enable scientists to approach diseases in new ways. The swiftness of this change is being driven by innovations such as CRISPR gene editing, which makes it possible to correct errors in DNA with relative ease.
	How do we know service dogs help veterans with PTSD? Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder say service dogs save their lives. The problem is, it's hard to show quantifiable research that proves it.
	Acid reflux could cause death during epileptic seizures, study finds Pedro Irazoqui had just enjoyed a huge lobster dinner.
	What is to blame for childhood cancer? We often misunderstand the reality A new study by UNSW medical researchers sheds light on an understudied area – community beliefs about what causes cancer in children.
	Evidence clearly shows the benefits of pill testing Evidence is growing that pill testing encourages young people to reconsider their drug use—and new forms of testing can provide even more benefits.
	Researchers identify a new leukodystrophy in children and its potential cure The Neurometabolic Diseases research team at IDIBELL and CIBER of Rare Diseases (CIBERER), led by ICREA Professor Aurora Pujol, has reported a novel disease affecting myelin in children, leading to severe incapacity and death in some cases.
	When deciding to care for aging parents, affection trumps blame It is often expected that as parents age, the children they once cared for will need to care for them. Expectations become less clear in non-traditional families and can be even murkier when the aging adult might be responsible for his or her situation.
	Screenings, vaccine prevent cervical cancer January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and the National Cervical Cancer Coalition is urging women to make a New Year's resolution to talk with their health care providers.
	How do I tell if I'm dehydrated? It's a message that's been drummed into us since childhood. Drink water, especially when it's hot, otherwise you'll get dehydrated.
	How to live your life to the fullest Although most people strive to live their lives in a meaningful and purposeful way, they may still question whether they are truly living their lives to the fullest. Baylor College of Medicine's Dr. Karen Lawson gives her advice on what it can mean to live your life to its full potential.
	How words get an emotional meaning Many objects and people can convey an emotional meaning. A pair of wool socks, for example, has an emotional value if it was the last thing the grandmother knitted before her death. The same applies to words. The name of a stranger has no emotional value at first, but if a loving relationship develops, the same name suddenly has a positive connotation. Researchers at the University of Göttingen have investigated how the brain processes such stimuli, which can be positive or negative. The results were published in the journal Neuropsychologia.
	Robots to perform spinal surgery with pinpoint accuracy Robots will perform spinal surgery with greater accuracy than humanly possible as part of a ground-breaking research project led by Nottingham Trent University.
	Modulating copper levels in the treatment of heart disease An article published in Experimental Biology and Medicine provides new insights regarding the use of trientine (TETA), a copper chelator traditionally used to treat copper overload conditions such as Wilson's disease, in the treatment of heart disease. The study, led by Dr. Y. James Kang, professor from the Regenerative Medicine Research Center at Sichuan University West China Hospital in Chengdu, China and the Memphis Institute of Regenerative Medicine at University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN, USA, reports that low dose TETA therapy restores copper levels and improves heart function while high doses are detrimental.
	Fiber: It's not just for adults (HealthDay)—You know how important fiber is for overall health, making meals more filling and staying "regular."
	Are you sabotaging your sex life? (HealthDay)—Research confirms that a good sex life is a key to strong feelings of intimacy and satisfaction for both partners in a relationship.
	Measles outbreak in New York state largest in recent history (HealthDay)—There have been at least 112 confirmed cases of measles in Rockland and Orange counties and at least 55 in New York City in what officials say is the largest measles outbreak in New York state in recent history.
	Fewer complications found with hybrid surgery for esophageal cancer (HealthDay)—Hybrid minimally invasive esophagectomy results in lower incidence of intraoperative and postoperative major complications compared with open esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, according to a study published in the Jan. 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Drinking tea during pregnancy may be bad for your baby's health Caffeine is the most commonly used psychoactive substance in the world. And at average consumption levels, it is considered to be good for your health – or at least not bad for your health. However, emerging evidence suggests that consuming caffeine during pregnancy may be bad for the baby. Our latest study adds to that evidence.
	Doctors: Pelvic mesh lawsuits by 4 states are ill-advised Doctors who specialize in female pelvic medicine say lawsuits by four states, including Washington and California, over products used to treat pelvic floor disorders and incontinence might scare patients away from the best treatment options—or maybe even push the products off the market.
	Team uncovers the disconnect between the brain's dopamine system and cocaine addiction Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio have revealed significant insight into cocaine addiction, a phenomenon which has grown significantly in the United States since 2015.
Pharmacists could dramatically reduce ER visits Incorporating pharmacists with an expanded scope into the community or hospital emergency departments (ED) could significantly reduce ED crowdedness, according to a new study.
Surgery remains most effective weight loss treatment but weight management also works Surgery remains the most effective and cost-effective long-term approach to reducing weight for adults who are severely obese, according to new research from the University of Aberdeen.
	Novel therapy for children with chronic hormone deficiency provides lifeline for parents A novel therapy, pioneered by researchers from University of Sheffield, is helping to transform the lives of children with a life-threatening hormone deficiency.
Semaphorin linked to lung cancer treatment resistance Lung cancer remains a major cause of mortality across the globe, although we are gaining a deeper understanding of the genetic background behind this disease, including the mutations that promote it. Mutation in the gene EGFR is known to be a particular risk factor for developing lung cancer and for the emergence of resistance to otherwise effective treatments, but the mechanism behind this has remained unclear.
Lung neuropeptide exacerbates lethal influenza virus infection Severe influenza virus infection is characterized by a strong inflammatory response and profuse viral replication in lungs. These viruses, such as the notorious avian flu, have a high rate of death and to date there are no effective treatments. A research group led by National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN) and Osaka University found that a peptide commonly found in the nervous system, neuropeptide Y (NPY), was critically involved in the enhancement of pulmonary inflammation and viral replication in severe influenza virus infection. The group reported that, when produced by immune cells in the lungs, NPY might hold the key to exacerbating severe influenza.
	Hearing hate speech primes your brain for hateful actions A mark on a page, an online meme, a fleeting sound. How can these seemingly insignificant stimuli lead to acts as momentous as participation in a racist rally or the massacre of innocent worshippers? Psychologists, neuroscientists, linguists and philosophers are developing a new theory of language understanding that's starting to provide answers.
	Speeding up genetic diagnosis of Huntington's disease Elongated segments of DNA cause Huntington's disease and certain other disorders of the brain. Researchers funded by the SNSF have developed a method to determine the length of the mutated genes quickly and easily.
Risk factors for obesity may differ for Hispanic and non-Hispanic white babies The factors that put children at risk of becoming obese within the first 12 months of their life may differ for Hispanic and non-Hispanic babies. This is a conclusion of a new study in the journal Pediatric Research, which is published by Springer Nature. Lead authors, Sahel Hazrati and Farah Khan of the Inova Translational Medicine Institute in the US, investigated factors associated with excess weight in the first year of life in Hispanic versus non-Hispanic white children.
	New biomarker links cancer progression to genome instability Our DNA is under constant attack. The delicate molecule that contains our genetic information is extremely vulnerable to everything from environmental agents, such as radiation, to the chemicals in the air we breathe and the food we eat. Genome instability can lead to genetic disorders, chronic diseases and a predisposition to cancer.
Learning about the impact of multiple symptoms in older adults "Symptoms" is the medical term for any sign of a health problem, even if that sign doesn't help your healthcare provider diagnose a specific illness. Symptoms, such as feeling tired or rundown (also called fatigue), are among the leading causes of disability for older adults.
Medication-assisted treatment helps patients avoid opioid withdrawal complications Much attention is given to opioid overdose, but opioid withdrawal is a high-risk period where patients could experience serious health complications or revert to misuse or abuse, according to a new clinical review in Annals of Emergency Medicine.
	Review shows plant-based diets benefit athletes' heart health, endurance, recovery Meat-free athletes—from tennis champion Venus Williams to Formula 1's Lewis Hamilton to Derrick Morgan of the NFL's Tennessee Titans—have already proven the performance-boosting power of a plant-based diet. Now, "Plant-Based Diets for Cardiovascular Safety and Performance in Endurance Sports," a new scientific review published in the journal Nutrients adds further evidence that plant-based athletes benefit from improvements in heart health, performance, and recovery.
	The science is clear—with HIV, undetectable equals untransmittable In recent years, an overwhelming body of clinical evidence has firmly established the HIV Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) concept as scientifically sound, say officials from the National Institutes of Health. U=U means that people living with HIV who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load—the amount of HIV in the blood—by taking and adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribed cannot sexually transmit the virus to others. Writing in JAMA, officials from NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) review the scientific evidence underlying U=U and discuss the implications of widespread acceptance of the message.
Researchers discover how to treat diastolic heart failure Research out of University Minnesota Medical School and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight uncovers what causes diastolic heart failure and how it can be treated.
	Researchers discover a hidden culprit in heart failure An international research team led by scientists at the University of Alberta have pinpointed a hidden culprit that leads to dilated cardiomyopathy—a dangerous condition that accounts for 20 per cent of all cases of heart failure—which opens the door to potential new treatments that could help counter the threat.
	Phat on potential, lipidomics is gaining weight The post-holiday New Year might not seem like an ideal time to celebrate fat. But when it comes to lipids, there is no better time. For the past 15 years, scientists have been working to specify and classify these fatty acids in order to develop techniques, tools and terms to better study them. Now a new generation of chemists and biochemists is pounding out research to further understand the complex nature of lipids. The pending results, according to a new article in Science Signaling, could reshape the diagnosis and treatment of various acute and chronic conditions—from diabetes and atherosclerosis to cancer and auto-immunity.
	Fatal drug ODs soaring among middle-aged women: CDC (HealthDay)—The rate at which middle-aged American women die from overdoses involving opioids and other drugs nearly quadrupled between 1999 and 2017, new government data shows.
	Breastfeeding may help a mom's heart Studies have long touted the benefits of breastfeeding for infants, including stronger immune systems and lower risk for asthma, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. But babies aren't the only ones benefiting: Nursing also appears to provide health benefits for moms.
	Millennials' odds for depression rise with social media use (HealthDay)—Millennials struggling with depression aren't being helped by their use of Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat, a new study reports.
	Private equity acquisition of physician practices discussed (HealthDay)—The phenomenon of private equity acquisition of physician practices is discussed in an Ideas and Opinions piece published online Jan. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Minority med students report more barriers to dermatology (HealthDay)—Minority medical students report a variety of barriers to applying for a dermatology residency, according to a research letter published online Jan. 9 in JAMA Dermatology.
	Total fertility rates vary by state (HealthDay)—There is considerable state-level variation in total fertility rates for each race and Hispanic-origin group, according to a study published Jan. 10 in National Vital Statistics Reports, a publication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Perceptions of chronic fatigue syndrome in the emergency department Findings from a novel online questionnaire of people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) who rated their perceptions of care in a hospital's emergency department suggest the majority of these patients do not receive proper care, say researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center.
	Regenstrief investigator calls for medicare payment for team-based care for dementia A Regenstrief scientist is calling on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to create access to better care for the 20 million Americans affected by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias—both patients and their caregivers.
Sex differences in 'body clock' may benefit women's heart health Research suggests that a gene that governs the body's biological (circadian) clock acts differently in males versus females and may protect females from heart disease. The study is the first to analyze circadian blood pressure rhythms in female mice. The research, published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, was chosen as an APS select article for January.
	New method to study biomechanical changes in tissues after laser surgery Although currently laser surgery is a very popular tool for various vision disorders correction, it is still difficult to ensure proper control over the accuracy, efficiency and safety of such procedures. Therefore, Russian scientists have proposed a new method to describe tissue changes after such operations. This method was described in a series of publications in the Journal of Biophotonics, the Journal of Biomedical Optics and Laser Physics Letters.
Congo says healthy baby born to mom who recovered from Ebola A four-day-old baby is a surprise bright spot in Congo's deadly Ebola outbreak, as the country's health ministry on Thursday called her the first child born to a mother who has recovered from the virus.
	Researcher discusses the urgent need for effective Ebola treatments The current ebolavirus outbreak in central Africa's Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) ranks as the second largest and second deadliest in history: more than 600 cases and more than 370 deaths as of January 6, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Adding to the tragedy: children—who are much more likely to die from Ebola infection than adults—now account for more than one third of all cases.
	Tobacco use linked with higher use of opioids and sedatives Tobacco is a known risk factor for the misuse of prescription opioids. In addition, concurrent use of opioids and sedative-hypnotics is a risk factor for opioid overdose or addiction.
	Study examines support for those caring for a loved one with dementia Caring for someone with dementia is one of the most challenging caring roles in today's society. A new Health and Social Care in the Community study has explored the support and social networks of family carers of people with dementia towards the end of life and the role of the internet in supporting them.
	Global colorectal cancer mortality rates predicted to rise In the first effort to predict the future burden of colorectal cancer mortality globally, researchers note that colon and rectal cancer mortality rates are projected to decrease in most countries apart from some Latin American and Caribbean countries, but increases are predicted for several countries from Europe, North America and Oceania.
	Medici acquires telemedicine startup Chiron Health Austin startup Medici has acquired its second company in two months.
African-Americans may live longer after liver transplant if their donors are the same race Among African-American adults undergoing liver transplant to treat liver cancer, patients whose organ donor was also African-American lived significantly longer than those with a racially unmatched donor, report authors of a new study using national data. The study is published online as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication.
New guideline recommendations for the treatment of mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis Most patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have mild-to-moderate disease characterized by periods of activity or remission, but practice variations exist in disease management. A new clinical guideline from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) published in Gastroenterology, the official journal of AGA, addresses the medical management of these patients, focusing on use of both oral and topical 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASA) medications, rectal corticosteroids and oral budesonide, to promote high-quality care for UC patients.
	Norovirus outbreak sickens 277 on Oasis of the Seas Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas is returning to a Florida port a day early and giving passengers full refunds of their fare after 277 guests and crew members were hit with an outbreak of Norovirus as it sailed to Jamaica.
	Canada's legal cannabis drives prices up 17%, govt stats say The average price of cannabis in Canada went up 17.4 percent after its legalization, according to data released by the government statistical agency.

Biology news

	Researchers reveal active-state structure of popular drug target for blood pressure Bringing a long quest to a satisfying conclusion, researchers have mapped the active-state structure of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor, the target of widely prescribed drugs to regulate blood pressure and kidney function.
	Bacteria help discover human cancer-causing proteins A team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas at Austin has applied an unconventional approach that used bacteria to discover human proteins that can lead to DNA damage and promote cancer. Reported in the journal Cell, the study also proposes biological mechanisms by which these proteins can cause damage to DNA, opening possibilities for future cancer treatments.
	New CRISPR-Cas9 variants can respond to viral proteases Using a technique called circular permutation, researchers at the University of California Berkeley have created a new suite of Cas9 variants called Cas9-CPs, which will simplify design of Cas9-fusion proteins for diverse applications beyond simple DNA cutting, such as base editing and epigenetic modifications. The work appears January 10 in the journal Cell.
	For these birds, climate change spells a rise in fatal conflicts Researchers have found yet another way in which climate change has been detrimental to migrating birds. As European winters have become warmer, pied flycatchers traveling from Africa over long distances to reach breeding grounds in the Netherlands are arriving to find that resident great tits have already claimed nesting sites for the season. As a result, the number of flycatchers killed in great tit nests has risen dramatically. The work appears January 10 in the journal Current Biology.
	Rice plants engineered to be better at photosynthesis make more rice A new bioengineering approach for boosting photosynthesis in rice plants could increase grain yield by up to 27%, according to a study publishing January 10 in the journal Molecular Plant. The approach, called GOC bypass, enriches plant cells with CO2 that would otherwise be lost through a metabolic process called photorespiration. The genetically engineered plants were greener and larger and showed increased photosynthetic efficiency and productivity under field conditions, with particular advantages in bright light.
	Mothers use sex pheromones to veil eggs, preventing cannibalism Species that lay eggs but don't actively keep watch over them often protect their precious eggs from predators by laying them in communal groups or by fortifying them with toxins. However, protecting these eggs from being devoured by their own kind is a completely different game; the catch is that any anti-cannibalistic strategy needs to be an effective deterrent while remaining nontoxic to the cannibals. In a new study published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology on January 10, Sunitha Narasimha, Roshan Vijendravarma and colleagues report how fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), which lay eggs communally, use chemical deception to protect their eggs from being cannibalized by their own larvae.
	Targeting an RNA-binding protein to fight aging Aging bodies undergo biological changes that cause a decline in the function of cells and tissues. However, most studies attempting to identify molecules involved in age-related dysfunctions have focused only on mechanisms based on mRNA transcription, a very important step in gene expression, but nonetheless only part of the complex regulatory mechanisms in our cells.
	Change of teeth causes yo-yo effect in elephants' weight The weight of elephants living in zoos fluctuates over the course of their adult lives in cycles lasting around a hundred months, researchers at the University of Zurich have found. The fluctuation is linked to the particular pattern of tooth change in elephants, which results in them having more or less chewing surface available.
	Bizarre 'bristle-jaw' creatures finally placed on tree of life Chaetognaths, whose name means "bristle-jaw," can be found all over world, swimming in brackish estuaries, tropical seas and above the deep dark ocean floor. Also known as arrow worms, the creatures have been around since the Cambrian Period, but their precise place in evolutionary history has long eluded scientists. Now, researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have learned where arrow worms wiggle on the Tree of Life, and their results could reveal important trends in the evolution of bilateral organisms.
	Giving Cas9 an 'on' switch for better control of CRISPR gene editing CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary tool in part because of its versatility: created by bacteria to chew up viruses, it works equally well in human cells to do all sorts of genetic tricks, including cutting and pasting DNA, making pinpoint mutations and activating or inactivating a gene.
	New strategy may curtail spread of antibiotic resistance Spotless surfaces in hospitals can hide bacteria that rarely cause problems for healthy people but pose a serious threat to people with weakened immune systems. Acinetobacter baumannii causes life-threatening lung and bloodstream infections in hospitalized people. Such infections are among the most difficult to treat because these bacteria have evolved to withstand most antibiotics.
	Intelligent males may make female birds swoon: study Male birds are often the ones with the most vibrant feathers, or the most elaborate songs, but researchers said Thursday that what female birds could really appreciate is a male who shows his intelligence.
	Canadian Atlantic village seeks help with seal invasion A Canadian Atlantic coast town asked for help from the federal fisheries department on Wednesday to help get rid of some 40 stranded seals wreaking havoc, and blocking roads and doors to homes and businesses.
	Students create probiotic to help honeybees fight deadly fungus A team of University of Alberta students are hoping to market a probiotic they created to help honeybees ward off a fungal infection that has wiped out entire hives.
	Pushing microbes to deliver preferred products If environmental engineer Daniel Noguera had his way, he would orchestrate a microbiome to pump out higher-value chemical products.
	Enzyme structure reveals how DNA is opened up for transcription DNA is a molecular manual that contains instructions for building life. And, like any manual, DNA isn't all that useful if it remains unopened and unread. In order to transcribe DNA, the enzyme RNA polymerase, or RNAP, must pry open its two strands, a process known as "melting" or "unwinding." In a recent study, Rockefeller scientists elucidated key features of RNAP, shedding light on how DNA's gene-filled folios are read.
	A tomato for everyone: 'Sunviva' for the good of all Plant breeders at the University of Göttingen and Agrecol have launched a joint initiative to protect seeds as common property. Agrecol developed an Open Source Seed Licence, which legally protects seeds as commons (i.e., a natural resource accessible to all members of society) and thus protects them from patenting and similar issues such as plant variety protection. The results were published in the journal PLOS Biology.
	Stick insect study shows the significance of passive muscle force for fast movements Long, heavy limbs such as arms or legs differ fundamentally from short, light limbs such as fingers in their ability to execute fast movements. While the central nervous system has actively controls fast movements of large limbs, passive muscle force can suffice for the movement velocity and movement amplitude of small and light limbs. That is the result of a study conducted on the stick insect by the zoologists Ansgar Bueschges, Arndt von Twickel and Christoph Guschlbauer at the University of Cologne in cooperation with the visiting scientist Scott Hooper from Ohio University. The paper, "Swing Velocity Profiles of Small Limbs Can Arise from Transient Passive Torques of the Antagonist Muscle Alone," has been published in Current Biology.
	Scientists improve on photosynthesis by genetically engineering plants Ever since Thomas Malthus issued his dire prediction in 1789 that population growth would always exceed food supply, scientists have worked to prove him wrong. So far, they've helped farmers to keep pace by developing bigger and better varieties of crops and other agricultural innovations.
	Murky water keeps fish on edge A study led by researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University found fish become anxious and more cautious when water quality is degraded by sediment, an effect that could stunt their growth and damage their health.
	Turbocharger for the cell machinery Researchers of the University of Bern have discovered a new molecular regulatory mechanism in unicellular parasites which has never before been observed. RNA fragments do not act as brakes in the cell apparatus, but on the contrary as "stimulants": they boost protein production after periods of stress.
	Scientists identify gene cluster in budding yeasts with major implications for renewable energy Yeasts are complex organisms that may become the workhorses of biofuel production. To move yeasts into this larger role, scientists need to understand the genetic machinery that leads to the production of complex molecules like the iron-binding molecule pulcherrimin in budding yeasts. Scientists revealed a four-gene cluster associated with pulcherrimin production. Further tests revealed likely functions for each of the genes: two biosynthetic enzymes, a transporter, and a transcription factor involved in both biosynthesis and transport.
	How plants regulate sugar deposition in cell walls Ultimately, researchers want to engineer bioenergy crops to accumulate large amounts of easy-to-use sugars. Researchers from the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center identified a major part of the sugar production process in a model leafy grass. They discovered a transcription factor, which turns a gene on and off. The gene triggers the synthesis of a sugar, called mixed-linkage glucan (MLG). Characterizing downstream genes regulated by this transcription factor provides insight into how plants make MLG. This information is vital to overcoming growth defects associated with engineering plants to produce large quantities of MLG.
	Researchers see a wealth of potential for aquaculture in the Caribbean There are only so many fish in the sea. And our appetite for seafood has already stressed many wild fisheries to the breaking point. Meanwhile, the planet's growing population will only further increase the need for animal protein, one of the most resource-intensive types of food to produce.
	Far-ranging fin whales find year-round residence in Gulf of California Researchers from Mexico and the United States have concluded that a population of fin whales in the rich Gulf of California ecosystem may live there year-round—an unusual circumstance for a whale species known to migrate across ocean basins.

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