Science X Newsletter Monday, Jul 22

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 22, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Cuttlefish ink found promising for cancer treatment

Seeing smaller through cells: A natural single-cell biomagnifier for subwavelength imaging

New hard X-ray eclipsing polar identified

Machine learning approach significantly expands inovirus diversity

Parasitic plants use stolen genes to make them better parasites

Molecular sensor scouts DNA damage and supervises repair

Understanding the drivers of a shift to sustainable diets

Plants defend against insects by inducing 'leaky gut syndrome'

What gives meteorites their shape? New research uncovers a 'Goldilocks' answer

New model describes phase separation that spoils antibody solutions

Evolutionary gene loss may help explain why only humans are prone to heart attacks

Miniaturized version of ribosome found in microsporidia

A convolutional network to align and predict emotion annotations

New mechanism moving droplets at record-high speed and long distance without extra power

Russian website reportedly selling science article authorships

Astronomy & Space news

	New hard X-ray eclipsing polar identified Using ESA's XMM-Newton and NASA's Swift spacecraft, astronomers have found that a hard X-ray source known as 2PBCJ0658.0-1746 is an eclipsing magnetic cataclysmic variable of the polar type. The finding, presented in a paper published July 11 on arXiv.org, makes the object one of only a handful hard X-ray eclipsing polars known to date.
	What gives meteorites their shape? New research uncovers a 'Goldilocks' answer Meteoroids coming from outer space are randomly shaped, but many of these, which land on earth as meteorites, are found to be carved into cones. Scientists have now figured out how the physics of flight in the atmosphere leads to this transformation.
	Astronomers make first calculations of magnetic activity in 'hot Jupiter' exoplanets Gas-giant planets orbiting close to other stars have powerful magnetic fields, many times stronger than our own Jupiter, according to a new study by a team of astrophysicists. It is the first time the strength of these fields has been calculated from observations.
	50 years ago, humanity's first steps on another world Fifty years ago on Saturday, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans in history to set foot on the Moon, an event watched on television by half a billion people.
	Astronomers map vast void in our cosmic neighborhood An astronomer from the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy (IfA) and an international team published a new study that reveals more of the vast cosmic structure surrounding our Milky Way galaxy.
	Astronomers decode Milky Way's violent birth The Milky Way gobbled up a galaxy one quarter of its mass 10 billion years ago in a "violent collision" that didn't fully settle for eons, astronomers said in new research published Monday.
Physicist studying how extreme weather in space affects satellites A physicist at The University of Texas at Arlington is developing a new scale to measure weather storms in space that could lead to a better understanding of how those storms impact Earth.
	The exploration of space in 10 key dates From the Soviet Union's pioneering satellite to the first man on the Moon 50 years ago, here are 10 key dates in space exploration.
	To return to the Moon, astronauts need new spacesuits Space engineer Pablo de Leon has designed two spacesuit prototypes for the Moon and for Mars, and knows how long development takes.
	Russian capsule carrying 3 docks with space station (Update) A Russian space capsule with three astronauts aboard has docked with the International Space Station after a fast-track trip to the orbiting laboratory.
	'Stronger than ever': India set for fresh Moon launch attempt India will make a second attempt Monday to send a landmark spacecraft to the Moon after an apparent fuel leak forced last week's launch to be aborted.
	Proud India launches historic bid to put spacecraft on Moon India on Monday launched a low-cost rocket on a historic bid to put a landing craft on the surface of the Moon and join an elite space force.
	LightSail 2 is sending home new pictures of Earth LightSail 2, the brainchild of the Planetary Society, has released two new gorgeous images of Earth. The small spacecraft is currently in orbit at about 720 km, and the LightSail 2 mission team is putting it through its paces in preparation for solar sail deployment sometime on or after Sunday, July 21st.
	Image: 10 million star puzzle When observed with the unaided eye, Omega Centauri, the object in this image, appears as a fuzzy, faint star. But the blue orb we see here is, in fact, a collection of stars—10 million of them. You cannot count them all, but in this sharp, beautiful image you can see a few of the numerous pinpoints of bright light that make up this unique cluster.
	NASA seeks ideas from US firms on future lunar lander US space agency NASA on Monday asked American aerospace companies to offer detailed ideas for vehicles that could bring two astronauts to the Moon by 2024, an American objective that was reconfirmed on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.

Technology news

	A convolutional network to align and predict emotion annotations Machine learning models that can recognize and predict human emotions have become increasingly popular over the past few years. In order for most of these techniques to perform well, however, the data used to train them is first annotated by human subjects. Moreover, emotions continuously change over time, which makes the annotation of videos or voice recordings particularly challenging, often resulting in discrepancies between labels and recordings.
	Bluetooth implementation issue raised by team exploring tracking Bluetooth devices could be giving away your location. That is what Boston University researchers discovered in their explorations, which are detailed in their paper, "Tracking Anonymized Bluetooth Devices" by Johannes Becker, David Li and David Starobinski, in Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies.
	Baby tech: Pampers to deliver a big diaper change In some home soon, a new parent will enjoy a smartphone glance as the first-time mom reads messages like Claire's diaper is dry. Bottle 46 minutes ago. Asleep 1 hour 22 minutes.
	Equifax to pay up to $700M in data breach settlement Equifax has agreed to pay $700 million, potentially more, to settle with the federal authorities and states over its 2017 data breach that exposed the Social Security numbers and other private information of nearly 150 million people, roughly half of the U.S. population.
	Kitchen disruption: better food through artificial intelligence Looking for that perfect recipe, or a new flavor combination that delights the senses?
	UK car sector accelerates towards electric future Britain's auto industry, seeking to swerve Brexit obstacles, is accelerating toward electrification as consumers shun high-polluting diesels, driven by rapid advances in technology and greener government policy.
	E-scooters now seem less likely to run people off sidewalks What a difference a year can make. It's mid-morning in downtown Los Angeles, and there are e-scooters on every major street.
	NY state police lag behind agencies nationwide on camera use A highway shoulder is where New York state troopers spotted Luke Patterson, walking by himself around 2 a.m. after his car became disabled. By the end of the encounter in rural New York, the 41-year-old chef would be killed by a trooper's gunfire.
	Mascots and javelin carriers: Tokyo adds robots to Olympic roster A roster of Olympic robots that will do everything from welcoming visitors to transporting javelins has been unveiled as Tokyo works to showcase Japanese technology at next year's Summer Games.
	Generating zero-knowledge proofs for defense capabilities There are times when the highest levels of privacy and security are required to protect a piece of information, but there is still a need to prove the information's existence and accuracy. For the Department of Defense (DoD), the proof could be the verification of a relevant capability. How can one verify this capability without revealing any sensitive details about it? In the commercial world, this struggle manifests itself across banking transactions, cybersecurity threat disclosure, and beyond. One approach to addressing this challenge in cryptography is with zero-knowledge proofs. A zero-knowledge proof is a method where one party can prove to another party that they know a certain fact without revealing any sensitive information needed to demonstrate that the fact is true.
	Is Instagram's removal of its 'like' counter a turning point in social media? Instagram's recent decision to remove its "like" counter from its platform in select geographic regions is an interesting, perhaps long overdue, measure. Although recently users in Canada reported seeing the "like" counter back on for a day, the counter is currently off. The roll-out is a techno-social experiment, and there are advantages —and a few unintended consequences —of such an action.
	When you spot one driving hazard, you may be missing another When people notice one traffic hazard, they are less likely to see a simultaneous second hazard, according to new research from North Carolina State University. The finding has potential applications for both driver training and the development of automated, in-vehicle safety technologies.
	Collaborating to better understand metal degradation Southwest Research Institute and The University of Texas at San Antonio are working together to understand the susceptibility of additively manufactured materials to hydrogen embrittlement, a common problem that can lead to mechanical hardware degrading and losing functionality. The project, led by W. Fassett Hickey of SwRI's Mechanical Engineering Division and Brendy Rincon Troconis of UTSA's College of Engineering, is supported by a $125,000 grant from the Connecting through Research Partnerships (Connect) Program.
	Airborne lidar system poised to improve accuracy of climate change models Researchers have developed a laser-based system that can be used for airborne measurement of important atmospheric gases with unprecedented accuracy and resolution. The ability to collect this data will help scientists better understand how these atmospheric gases affect the climate and could help improve climate change predictions.
	Electronic eye: Technology for breakdowns prevention Detecting deformations and the wear-out rate of underground water mains is one of the functions of the measuring optical device created by the scientists of Ural Federal University in collaboration with D-TEST Optical Measurement Systems, a research and production company.
	Read this before installing extensions to your web browser When Amazon offered recently to pay Prime members $10 to download its Assistant browser extension, Jeremy Tillman, who runs the ad-blocking software Ghostery, took notice. He likened it to that sweetheart deal when the Dutch bought Manhattan island for $24.
	Microsoft joins project on ethical artificial intelligence Microsoft on Monday announced a $1 billion investment in an OpenAI ethical artificial intelligence project backed by Tesla's Elon Musk and Amazon.
	Grants aim to fund study on technology's impact on democracy New research programs at US universities will focus on the impact of technology on democracy, including the role of misinformation, a foundation announced Monday.
	Iceland tops Europe as most expensive The hot springs of Iceland are not the only thing making tourists sweat, as a look at the hotel or lunch bill will tell you that most things cost more, sometimes much more, than anywhere else in Europe.
	'Canary in the coal mine': Singapore woes ring trade alarm bells A plunge in exports and the worst growth rates for a decade have fuelled concerns about the outlook for Singapore's economy, with analysts saying the figures offer a warning that Asia is heading for a slowdown as China-US tensions bite.
	China opens up finance sector to more foreign investment China lifted some restrictions on foreign investment in the financial sector Saturday, as the world's second largest economy fights slowing growth at home and a damaging trade war with the United States.
	China importers seek to lift tariffs on US farm goods: state media Chinese importers are applying to their government to lift tariffs on some US agricultural imports, state media reported on Sunday, three weeks after the two sides reached a truce in their trade war.
	Shares blast off as 'China's Nasdaq' debuts Shares on Shanghai's new Nasdaq-style technology board soared Monday, with one firm rocketing more than 500 percent, as investors rushed to grab a piece of China's latest market liberalisation in a frenzied debut.
	Microsoft pays $25 million to settle corruption charges Microsoft is paying more than $25 million to settle federal corruption charges involving a bribery scheme in its Hungary office and three other foreign subsidiaries.
	French inventor to hover across English Channel on 'flyboard' A French inventor aims to soar across the English Channel this week on a jet-powered "flyboard", despite authorities warning the stunt is a danger to shipping.
	Britain waits for US before Huawei 5G decision Britain said Monday it was "not yet in a position" to decide what involvement China's Huawei should have in the UK's 5G next-generation telecoms network.
	Huawei to build wireless network for Canadian north Embattled Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled plans Monday to deploy high-speed wireless internet to dozens of underserved communities in Canada's remote northern regions.

Medicine & Health news

	Evolutionary gene loss may help explain why only humans are prone to heart attacks Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine say the loss of a single gene two to three million years ago in our ancestors may have resulted in a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease in all humans as a species, while also setting up a further risk for red meat-eating humans. The findings are published July 22, 2019 in PNAS.
	Biologist leads pioneering study on stress A biologist at Louisiana State University conducted a pioneering research study that could help us to better understand the role of dopamine in stress resilience in humans through analyzing wild songbirds. This study could lead to increased prevention and treatment of stress-related disorders.
	Take a bath 90 minutes before bedtime to get better sleep Biomedical engineers at The University of Texas at Austin may have found a way for people to get better shuteye. Systematic review protocols—a method used to search for and analyze relevant data—allowed researchers to analyze thousands of studies linking water-based passive body heating, or bathing and showering with warm/hot water, with improved sleep quality. Researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering found that bathing 1-2 hours before bedtime in water of about 104-109 degrees Fahrenheit can significantly improve your sleep.
	Research 'paves the way' for early interventions to prevent childhood inflammatory diseases A study of newborn infants has identified a compound produced by gut bacteria that appears to predispose certain infants to allergies and asthma later in life.
	Quantifying how the brain smells Scientists haven't quite decoded how animals smell, but researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) found that it's different from previously thought.
	Fruit flies find their way by setting navigational goals When a fruit fly decides it wants to walk in a particular direction, it sticks to its plan with impressive resolve. Now, Rockefeller scientists have begun to understand how insect brains make and meet navigational goals.
	Study finds Nunavik Inuit are genetically unique A new study has found that an Inuit population in Canada's Arctic are genetically distinct from any known group, and certain genetic variants are correlated with brain aneurysm.
	Beyond finding a gene: Same repeated stretch of DNA found in three neurodegenerative diseases Families living with four extremely rare neurodegenerative diseases have finally learned the cause of their illnesses, thanks to a researcher's hunch and decades of improvements in DNA sequencing technology.
	Targeting old bottleneck reveals new anticancer drug strategy The enzyme ribonucleotide reductase is a bottleneck for cancer cell growth. Scientists at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University have identified a way of targeting ribonucleotide reductase that may avoid the toxicity of previous approaches, informing focused drug discovery efforts.
	Genes linked to death from sepsis identified in mice Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's immune response to infection spirals out of control. Bacteria in the bloodstream trigger immune cells to release powerful molecules called cytokines to quickly activate the body's defenses. Sometimes the response goes overboard, creating a so-called "cytokine storm" that leaves people feverish or chilled, disoriented and in pain. In severe cases, it can lead to multi-organ failure and death.
	Overstuffed cancer cells may have an Achilles' heel In a study using yeast cells and data from cancer cell lines, Johns Hopkins University scientists report they have found a potential weak spot among cancer cells that have extra sets of chromosomes, the structures that carry genetic material. The vulnerability, they say, is rooted in a common feature among cancer cells—their high intracellular protein concentrations—that make them appear bloated and overstuffed, and which could be used as possible new targets for cancer treatments.
	First impressions go a long way in the immune system First impressions are important—they can set the stage for the entire course of a relationship. The same is true for the impressions the cells of our immune system form when they first meet a new bacterium. Using this insight, Weizmann Institute of Science researchers have developed an algorithm that may predict the onset of such diseases as tuberculosis. The findings of this research were recently published in Nature Communications.
	Encephalitis identified as rare toxicity of immunotherapy treatment After a cancer patient receiving an immunotherapy developed encephalitis and died 18 months into treatment, researchers at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) investigated why the complication occurred, performing a molecular analysis of the disease's pathology and mining data to determine the incidence of similar occurrences.
	Gut microbes may affect the course of ALS Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have shown in mice that intestinal microbes, collectively termed the gut microbiome, may affect the course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. As reported today in Nature, progression of an ALS-like disease was slowed after the mice received certain strains of gut microbes or substances known to be secreted by these microbes. Preliminary results suggest that the findings on the regulatory function of the microbiome may be applicable to human patients with ALS.
	Toxin responsible for Legionella growth identified A team of scientists led by EMBL group leader Sagar Bhogaraju and Ivan Dikic of Goethe University, Frankfurt, discovered that the toxin SidJ in Legionella bacteria enforces a unique modification on human proteins and helps legionella grow inside human cells. SidJ hijacks human protein Calmodulin to its own advantage in one of the classic examples of pathogenic bacteria exploiting the human molecular machinery and turning it against us. This makes SidJ an ideal target to curb Legionella infection. The results have been published in Nature.
	Scientists develop a physical biomarker for cornea restoration therapy Our eyes—the windows to the soul—need constant care, and as we age, they sometimes also need significant repair.
	New opportunities for treating kidney failure Our kidneys can sense when we need them to work a bit harder. As the intestines begin to produce more waste products, the kidneys start to work harder to excrete them. Researchers at, among others, Utrecht University and Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven published an article on the process in PNAS on July, 22. Insight into this mechanism could lead to new treatments for kidney failure.
	New, high-resolution images reveal clues to improve anti-nausea drugs for cancer patients A new study using a special type of electron microscope using samples cooled to extremely cold temperatures provides critical information for drug developers seeking to reduce nausea and vomiting side effects of cancer treatments. Published in Nature Communications, the study offers a glimpse into how widely-used anti-nausea drugs attach to their target protein in the gastrointestinal tract. High-resolution images obtained by this method provide key details about how the drugs attach into a binding pocket on the protein—and offer clues into how their design might be improved.
	New research finds private practice physicians less likely to maintain electronic records Modernizing health records by making them electronic has gained momentum as technology evolves and policies push health care toward digital solutions. But the same trend has not been evident for physicians who remain in private practice, new research finds.
	Discovering how diabetes leads to vascular disease A team of UC Davis Health scientists and physicians has identified a cellular connection between diabetes and one of its major complications—blood vessel narrowing that increases risks of several serious health conditions, including heart disease and stroke.
One-stop clinics, a rare lifesaver for Zimbabwe's sick Blessing Chingwaru could barely walk without support when he arrived at the specialist Rutsanana clinic in Harare complaining of chest pains and fatigue.
Administration pauses enforcement of abortion restriction The Trump administration is giving taxpayer-funded family planning clinics more time to comply with its new rule that says they no longer can refer women for abortions.
	Female ophthalmology residents perform fewer procedures (HealthDay)—Female residents perform fewer cataract operations and total procedures than male residents, according to a study published online July 18 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	FRAX score underestimates risk for fracture in multiple sclerosis (HealthDay)—Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a risk factor for major fractures independent of the Fracture Risk Assessment tool (FRAX) score, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Keep sugar substitute away from fido (HealthDay)— The sugar substitute xylitol may help you lose weight, but it can be deadly for your dog, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.
More colorectal cancer cases are being diagnosed in younger patients The incidence of colorectal cancer in adults younger than 50 years of age has increased in the United States since 1970. A new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, found that the proportion of adults diagnosed with colorectal cancer under age 50 in the United States has continued to increase over the past decade, and younger adults are diagnosed with more advanced disease.
	Gun ownership linked to greater incidence of domestic homicides A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, reveals a unique and strong association between firearm ownership and the risk of domestic homicides. For each 10 percent increase in household gun ownership rates, the findings show a significant 13 percent increased incidence of domestic firearm homicide. The homicide risk differed across victim-offender relationships, with nondomestic firearm homicide rising only 2 percent among firearm owners.
	Failure to launch: Parents are barriers to teen independence Something most parents don't want to hear from their teenager: I am not prepared to be an adult, and it's your fault.
Study finds children with autism more likely to be bullied at home and at school A major new study has found children with autism are more likely to be bullied by both their siblings and their peers, meaning that when they return from school, they have no respite from victimisation.
	Plasticizer interaction with the heart Calling an ambulance during an emergency, emailing a breaking news or journal article before a 5 p.m. deadline and maintaining conditions during the fifth week of a 6-week lab study, without altering the light or temperature, requires electricity and translates into time, money and lives. During critical moments, we appreciate the tiny particles and ions in electric currents that power our phones, computers or laboratory equipment. We seldom think about the speed of these connections or potential disruptors when conditions are stable. The same applies to the electric currents, or electrophysiology, of our heart.
School readiness impaired in preschoolers with ADHD symptoms, study finds Preschoolers with symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are much less likely than other children their age to be ready for school, new research from the Stanford University School of Medicine has found.
	More ED visits because of alcohol, 175% increase in 25- to 29-year-olds seeking care New research shows dramatically rising visits to emergency departments (ED) related to alcohol, especially for women, with a 175% increase in alcohol-related visits from young people aged 25 to 29. The article, published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), shows increases in ED visits related to alcohol that are occurring much faster than overall ED usage.
	Hospitals put Native Americans at opioid risk, audit says U.S. government hospitals placed Native American patients at increased risk for opioid abuse and overdoses, failing to follow their own protocols for prescribing and dispensing the drugs, according to a federal audit made public Monday.
Following a healthy plant-based diet may lower type 2 diabetes risk People who follow predominantly plant-based diets with greater adherence may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who follow these diets with lower adherence, according to a new meta-analysis from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The researchers also found that the association was stronger for people whose diets emphasized healthy plant-based foods.
	Reducing the size and weight of medical MRI equipment by more than half A team led by Dr. Seog-Whan Kim and Dr. Young-Sik Jo at the Superconductivity Research Center of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute has developed a superconducting insulation technology that can significantly reduce the size and weight of medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment.
	Offspring of pregnant women exposed to high level of pollutants may have lower IQs A new study found that pregnant women exposed to higher levels of air pollutants had children with lower IQs, compared to the children of women exposed to lower levels.
	Old vaccine brings new surprises New research about an old vaccine—one that has been in use for nearly 100 years—has not only shown how effective it is but also suggests it improves our immune response to a wider range of bacteria than originally intended.
	Genetic characteristics of peripheral artery disease Peripheral artery disease (PAD)—a narrowing of the arteries serving the legs and feet —affects as many as 12 million Americans and 200 million people worldwide. It is a manifestation of clogged arteries, but until now, scientists lacked information about why some people with the disease presented with problems with their legs, some with their heart and some with strokes.
	The opioid crisis: Drug overdose deaths are down for the first time in 30 years Drug overdoses cause more deaths in the U.S. than gun violence, car accidents, or H.I.V. did when they reached their most lethal peaks. For almost three decades, the number of overdose deaths increased unabated. But, according to a recent government report, the U.S. experienced a slight decrease in overdose deaths last year, marking the first decline in drug mortality rates since 1990.
	The 'Mandela effect' and the science of false memories There's a theory doing the rounds online that nuclear research experiments caused the world to shift into an alternate reality where Donald Trump became president. This might sound stupid, but some people genuinely believe it to be true. And to back up their theory they cite the "Mandela effect," a phenomenon that supposedly occurs when large groups of people believe something happened even though evidence shows it isn't true.
	How public money for science leads to new medicines Public funding for fundamental research is essential for innovation and the development of new medicines. This is demonstrated by Professor Science Based Business Simcha Jong and his colleague Hsini Huang after studying U.S. federal funding restrictions for stem cell research under President George W. Bush. They published their findings in the July edition of Journal of Management Studies.
	Immune cell therapy shows early promise for patients with pancreatic cancer A nonengineered, multiantigen-specific T-cell therapy was safe, tolerable, and showed signs of clinical activity in patients who had pancreatic adenocarcinoma, according to preliminary results from a phase I clinical trial presented at the AACR special conference on Immune Cell Therapies for Cancer, held July 19–22.
	New technique helps create more personalized therapies for people with advanced cancers Being able to identify targets for adoptive cell therapies is one of the first steps in developing personalized treatments for people with hard-to-treat cancers. However, predicting whether a patient will have an immune response to a particular abnormal protein caused by mutations that serves as a new antigen (neoantigen), can be challenging. Using an ultra-sensitive and high-throughput isolation technology (termed imPACT Isolation Technology) designed to isolate neoepitope specific T-cells, UCLA researchers were able to characterize and identify the neoantigens driving the antitumor responses in a patient treated with anti-PD-1 blockade and isolate the T cell receptors responsible for such effect.
	Rabies: How it spreads and how to protect yourself A 21-year-old Canadian man recently died of rabies—a disease that kills an estimated 59,000 people a year internationally but hasn't infected a person in Canada since 2007.
	Why declaring Ebola a public health emergency isn't a silver bullet The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. It took the decision based on International Health Regulations agreed in 2005. These require the WHO to declare an emergency when a public health event, such as an outbreak, becomes extraordinary because it constitutes a risk to other countries, and when a coordinated international response is required.
	Having a paying job may help fend off Alzheimer's disease in women A new study has shed light on a possible risk factor for Alzheimer's disease in women: not having a job.
	Warning to those wanting to spice up their lives Think twice before adding that extra kick of chili sauce or chopped jalapeno to your meal. New research involving the University of South Australia shows a spicy diet could be linked to dementia.
	Scientists develop promising drug for treating ovarian, pancreatic cancers Known as two of the most lethal cancers, ovarian and pancreatic cancer are often called silent killers since they rarely have early symptoms. As a result, they frequently go undetected until they're too late to effectively treat.
	Heart disease biomarker linked to paleo diet People who follow the paleo diet have twice the amount of a key blood biomarker linked closely to heart disease, the world's first major study examining the impact of the diet on gut bacteria has found.
Are american nurses prepared for a catastrophe? New study says perhaps not On average, American colleges and universities with nursing programs offer about one hour of instruction in handling catastrophic situations such as nuclear events, pandemics, or water contamination crises, according to two recent studies coauthored by a nursing professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Characteristics in older patients associated with inability to return home after operation Older adults have a different physiology and unique set of needs that may make them more vulnerable to complications following a surgical procedure. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) Geriatric Surgery Pilot Project has, for the first time, identified four factors in older patients that are associated with an inability to return home after an operation. The NSQIP Geriatric Surgery Pilot Project is unique in that it is the only specifically defined data set focused on outcomes for older surgical patients.
Enhanced recovery pathway for bariatric operations cuts hospital stays by half A change in the care protocol of patients undergoing weight-reduction operations exceeded its desired effect by cutting postoperative hospital stays in half, reducing postoperative hospital readmissions by 38 percent, and reducing the amount of opioids the patients were sent home with by 95 percent, according to study results from a large bariatric and metabolic surgery center in Charleston, S.C.
	Use of non-hospital-based provider-to-patient telehealth grew nearly 1,400% From 2014 to 2018, private insurance claim lines for non-hospital-based provider-to-patient telehealth grew 1,393 percent, according to a new white paper on telehealth from FAIR Health, a national, independent nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information. The study draws on data from FAIR Health's comprehensive repository of over 29 billion private healthcare claim records—the largest in the country.
	A quality control framework for umbilical cord blood-sourced allografts The recent study from Burst Biologics challenges existing standards and outlines future safety and potency benchmarks.
	Combined online self-management for pain, associated anxiety and depression works Pain is the most common physical symptom for which adults seek medical attention in the United States, while anxiety and depression are the most common mental health symptoms for which adults visit a doctor. Drugs, especially opioids, may not be the only or best therapy.
New study finds independent predictors of first pass effect in mechanical thrombectomy A new study, presented today at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery's (SNIS) 16th Annual Meeting, found that non-internal carotid artery (non-ICA) site of occlusion, the use of a balloon-guided catheter, and better collateral grade were all independent predictors of the first pass effect (FPE).
	Canned laughter works, finds study of 'dad jokes' Adding canned laughter to the end of a punchline increases how funny we find a joke, but not as much as real laughter, finds a new UCL-led study.
	Despite progress, only three African nations expected to meet global breastfeeding goal Only three African countries are expected to meet the global target for exclusive breastfeeding, "an unparalleled source of nutrition for newborns and infants, no matter where they are born," according to a global health expert.
	HPTN 071 modelling and cost analyses show benefits of community HIV testing and treatment Continuation of community-wide HIV testing and prompt initiation of treatment as delivered in the HPTN 071 (PopART) study in South Africa and Zambia could lead to substantial reductions in new HIV cases, be cost-effective, and help to achieve the UNAIDS 2030 targets, according to projections from mathematical modelling and cost-effectiveness analyses presented today at the 10th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science in Mexico City (IAS 2019).
	Using visual imagery to find your true passions You may think you know what you like—how to spend your time or what profession to pursue. But a new study suggests that your pre-existing self-beliefs, as well as cultural stereotypes, may interfere with your memories and keep you from remembering what truly interests you.
	Patients treated for visceral leishmaniasis can still transmit the disease, study shows The results of an innovative "infectivity" study conducted by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) confirm that people successfully treated for visceral leishmaniasis in South Asia can still infect others if they develop a skin condition known as post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). The results were published in Clinical Infectious Diseases this week.
	The latest on caffeine limits (HealthDay)—It seems as though every day brings yet another study on the effects of caffeine or coffee in particular. Researchers have looked at its effects on almost every aspect of health, from overall mortality to the heart, bones, kidneys, liver, fertility and more.
	AHA news: Where there's wildfire smoke, there may be heart problems When the Tubbs Fire swept through their neighborhood in Santa Rosa, California, in October 2017, there was little time for Richard Grundy and Jamei Haswell to think about how all the smoke they were inhaling was impacting their health.
	The great fat debate: How much is unhealthy? (HealthDay)—Experts have redefined the role of fat in healthy eating, but before you grab a chunk of cheese or another pat of butter, understand the differences between the various types of fat in your diet.
	Opioid prescription education insufficient for plastic surgery trainees (HealthDay)—Only one-fourth of U.S. plastic surgery residents report receiving opioid-prescriber education, according to a study published in the July issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
	Sleep disorders up health care visits, costs for low back pain (HealthDay)—The presence of a sleep disorder diagnosis has a significant effect on low back pain (LBP)-related health care visits and costs, independent of pain intensity and disability, according to a study published online July 5 in Spine.
Risk of neural tube defects higher for babies of women on HIV therapy with dolutegrav Children born to women on HIV therapy containing the drug dolutegravir since conception have a slightly higher risk of neural tube defects, compared to children born to women on regimens of other antiretroviral drugs. The findings are from a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health, and were presented at the 10th International AIDS Society Conference in Mexico City by Rebecca Zash, M.D., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. The study also appears online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Hypothalamus pathway drives defense behaviors Scientists have identified a previously unknown pathway connecting the hypothalamus and midbrain that drives defensive behaviors, according to research in mice published in eNeuro. Further research on this pathway could increase understanding of anxiety disorders.
	Social isolation stresses rodents The traditional method of housing mice and rats alone increases stress and worsens epilepsy, according to a new study published in eNeuro. The added stress could complicate results of pre-clinical drug trials.
	Big data clarifies emotional circuit development Several brain circuits that identify emotions are solidified early in development and include diverse regions beyond the amygdala, according to new research in children, adolescents, and young adults published in JNeurosci.
Research finds workplace injuries contribute to rise in suicide, overdose deaths A study co-authored by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers and published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine finds that an injury serious enough to lead to at least a week off of work almost triples the combined risk of suicide and overdose death among women, and increases the risk by 50 percent among men.
	New study explains the molecular mechanism for the therapeutic effects of cilantro Herbs, including cilantro, have a long history of use as folk medicine anticonvulsants. Until now, many of the underlying mechanisms of how the herbs worked remained unknown. In a new study, researchers uncovered the molecular action that enables cilantro to effectively delay certain seizures common in epilepsy and other diseases.
	Exosomes may hold the answer to treating, diagnosing developmental brain disorders Like overpacked suitcases unloaded from the underbelly of a jet, molecular satchels called exosomes are continuously deployed from all cells in the body—each one brimming with an assortment of contents that another cell may unpack and use. By sending off these biological parcels, cells communicate with each other via shared proteins and genetic material.
	College spending habits may predict when 'adulting' starts How well you manage your money in college may determine when you'll ultimately achieve "adult identity," according to a new study led by the University of Arizona.
Helicopter transport for stroke patients decreases time to surgery, new study finds The sooner that a severe stroke patient can access thrombectomy, the more likely they are to experience a good outcome. A new study shows that using emergency helicopter ambulance services to transfer a patient to a hospital that can perform a stroke thrombectomy—a minimally invasive surgery which removes the blood clot in the brain causing the stroke—ensures faster access to potentially life-saving care.
Serious falls are a health risk for adults under 65 Adults who take several prescription medications are more likely to experience serious falls, say Yale researchers and their co-authors in a new study. This heightened risk can affect middle-aged individuals—a population not typically viewed as vulnerable to debilitating or fatal falls, the researchers said.
Delay from breast cancer diagnosis to chemotherapy after an operation may shorten survival Women with breast cancer should start postoperative chemotherapy, when recommended, ideally within four months of their cancer diagnosis because new study findings show that waiting longer is associated with poorer overall survival. The study, which used nationwide data, is published as an "online first article" on the Annals of Surgical Oncology website in advance of print and was presented at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Quality and Safety Conference, concluding today in Washington, DC.
	War-weakened South Sudan tries to prepare for Ebola With the deadly Ebola outbreak in Congo now an international emergency , neighboring South Sudan and its war-weakened health system is a major concern, especially after one case was confirmed near its border. Health experts say there is an urgent need to increase prevention efforts.
	Weight loss among fat-acceptance influencers a fraught topic Fashion and lifestyle blogger Maui Bigelow has always been curvy and built a social media presence by embracing every pound.
FDA approves 9 generic versions of nerve pain drug Lyrica The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first generic copies of a popular, pricey pill for nerve pain.

Biology news

	Machine learning approach significantly expands inovirus diversity To answer the question, "Where's Waldo?" readers need to look for a number of distinguishing features. Several characters may be spotted with a striped scarf, striped hat, round-rimmed glasses, or a cane, but only Waldo will have all of these features.
	Parasitic plants use stolen genes to make them better parasites Some parasitic plants steal genetic material from their host plants and use the stolen genes to more effectively siphon off the host's nutrients. A new study led by researchers at Penn State and Virginia Tech reveals that the parasitic plant dodder has stolen a large amount of genetic material from its hosts, including over 100 functional genes. These stolen genes contribute to dodder's ability to latch onto and steal nutrients from the host and even to send genetic weapons back into the host. The new study appears July 22, 2019, in the journal Nature Plants.
	Molecular sensor scouts DNA damage and supervises repair In the time it takes you to read this sentence, every cell in your body suffers some form of DNA damage. Without vigilant repair, cancer would run rampant, and now scientists at the University of Pittsburgh have gotten a glimpse of how one protein in particular keeps DNA damage in check.
	Plants defend against insects by inducing 'leaky gut syndrome' Plants may induce "leaky gut syndrome"—permeability of the gut lining—in insects as part of a multipronged strategy for protecting themselves from being eaten, according to researchers at Penn State. By improving our understanding of plant defenses, the findings could contribute to the development of new pest control methods.
	Miniaturized version of ribosome found in microsporidia A research team lead by MIMS/SciLifeLab research group leader Jonas Barandun, Umeå University, Sweden, uses cryo-electron microscopy to provide near atomic details of the smallest known eukaryotic cytoplasmic protein synthesis machine, the microsporidian ribosome.
	Animals' body sizes shrinking from climate change, study finds University of Cape Town (UCT) researchers have collected clear evidence—over a 23 year period between 1976 and 1999—that climate change is shrinking animals' body sizes.
	Sophisticated molecular machines in action Almost all living organisms from bacteria to humans have gate-like protein complexes in their cell membranes that get rid of unwanted or life-threatening molecules. This is not always advantageous, since in the case of bacteria or cancer cells, these complexes, known as ABC transporters, are also responsible for resistance to antibiotics or chemotherapy. Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt, together with the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, which is also located in Frankfurt, have now succeeded in decrypting all the stages of the transport mechanism.
	How cellular fibers form and maintain dynamic states Cells assemble dynamically: Their components are continuously exchanging and being replaced. This enables the structures to adapt easily to different situations, and by rearranging the components to respond to stimuli faster, to renew or to form just on demand. The microtubules, a scaffold structure made of protein fibers that can be found in the cytoplasm of the cells of algae, plants, fungi, animals and humans, are one such dynamic mesh.
	Scientists make fundamental discovery to creating better crops A team of scientists led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered the specific gene that controls an important symbiotic relationship between plants and soil fungi, and successfully facilitated the symbiosis in a plant that typically resists it.
	New software helps plant breeders bring out their best Broccoli is in the eye of the beholder. A head of broccoli that might appeal to one person—perhaps because of its deep green color—may leave another cold, due to an asymmetrical shape or too-large buds.
	Wool odor could be key to protecting sheep from flystrike A global research project led by The University of Western Australia in collaboration with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Western Australia has identified compounds in Merino sheep wool that are attractive to Australian blowflies.
	Is New Zealand's food system unsustainable? New research from Massey University's College of Health shows overwhelming support for sustainability characteristics to be included in the Eating and Activity Guidelines for New Zealand Adults, set out by the Ministry of Health.
	Micro-naps for plants: Flicking the lights on and off can save energy without hurting indoor agriculture harvests A nighttime arrival at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport flies you over the bright pink glow of vegetable production greenhouses. Growing crops under artificial light is gaining momentum, particularly in regions where produce prices can be high during seasons when sunlight is sparse.
	Five ways buildings of the future will use biotech to become living things What if our homes were alive? I don't mean smart homes with the disembodied voice of Alexa deciding the setting for your living room spotlights. I mean actually alive—growing, living, breathing and even reproducing. The idea might seem far-fetched, but in the face of a climate crisis, we humans need to think radically about the way we live in and build our environment.
	Improving the cacao genome and phytozome According to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), global cocoa bean production in 2017-2018 was 4.6 million metric tons. The global chocolate brands couldn't exist without cocoa. But today the plant is under threat due to climate change and devastating fungal infections. That's why Mars, Inc., a maker of chocolate for more than 100 years and one of the world's largest buyers of cocoa, is collaborating with others to develop healthier and more productive cacao plants and ensure there will be cocoa for chocolate tomorrow
	How to stroke a cat, according to science Many of us will have experienced that super friendly cat who seems to love being stoked one minute, only to bite or swipe at us the next. It might be easy at this point to blame it on the cat, but what's likely happening here is that we're just not stroking them right.
	Studies show the influence of environment on the evolution of weeds Rapid increases in herbicide resistance show that weeds can undergo important genetic changes over very brief periods of time. But herbicide use isn't the only factor influencing the evolution of weeds.
	Tourist photographs are a cheap and effective way to survey wildlife Tourists on safari can provide wildlife monitoring data comparable to traditional surveying methods, suggests research appearing July 22 in the journal Current Biology. The researchers analyzed 25,000 photographs from 26 tour groups to survey the population densities of five top predators (lions, leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and wild dogs) in northern Botswana, making it one of the first studies to use tourist photographic data for this purpose.
	Unique hybrid implant first installed to a cat A scientific team from a small innovative enterprise, Biomimetix, based at the National University of Science and Technology MISIS together with their colleagues from the N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Centre of oncology developed a unique implant to replace damaged bone fragments. The implant, which imitates real bone structure, was tested on a domestic cat with osteosarcoma by surgeons at the veterinary clinic "Biocontrol." According to postoperative observations, the implant fits well and the dynamics of recovery of the whiskered patient is positive.
	Thai farmers on the cash trail with snail slime Giant snails inch across a plate of pumpkin and cucumber in central Thailand, an "organic" diet to tease the prized collagen-rich mucus from the molluscs, which to some cosmetic firms are now more valuable than gold.

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