Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jul 18

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 18, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Illusive patterns in math explained by ideas in physics

A dialogue system to enhance goal-oriented human-robot interactions

'Crystal clocks' used to time magma storage before volcanic eruptions

New laws of attraction: Scientists print magnetic liquid droplets

Bioinspired MXene-based actuators for programmable smart devices

Using El Niño and Antarctic Oscillation data to predict air pollution levels in northern India

Mass estimated for two binary pulsars

Great apes found to bond when watching videos together

Jurassic fossil shows how early mammals could swallow like their modern descendants

China's plans to solve the mysteries of the moon

Red wine's resveratrol could help Mars explorers stay strong

Jumbo squid mystery solved

Stanford team stimulates neurons to induce particular perceptions in mice's minds

Ants that defend plants receive sugar and protein

A new material for the battery of the future

Astronomy & Space news

	Mass estimated for two binary pulsars By performing timing observations, an international group of astronomers has measured the mass of two binary millisecond pulsars designated PSR J1949+3106 and PSR J1950+2414. The results could be essential in order to unveil the evolutionary status of these two objects. The research is detailed in a paper published July 11 on arXiv.org.
	China's plans to solve the mysteries of the moon Fifty years ago, on July 20, 1969, the world watched as Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon. Since then, space agencies around the globe have sent rovers to Mars, probes to the furthest reaches of our galaxy and beyond, yet humanity's curiosity and fascination with the Moon has never abated.
	Red wine's resveratrol could help Mars explorers stay strong Mars is about 9 months from Earth with today's tech, NASA reckons. As the new space race hurtles forward, Harvard researchers are asking: how do we make sure the winners can still stand when they reach the finish line?
	Mapping the moon and worlds beyond In 1972, it took an astronaut going on a spacewalk to do what Lynn Carter now can do with a few mouse clicks over lunch.
	Cassini explores ring-like formations around Titan's lakes Using observations from the international Cassini spacecraft, scientists have explored the ring-like mounds that wrap around some of the pools found at the poles of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. The study reveals more about how these features formed.
	Breakthrough Listen launches new optical search with Arizona's VERITAS telescope array Breakthrough Listen—the initiative to find signs of intelligent life in the universe—announced today a new collaboration between Breakthrough Listen and the VERITAS Collaboration in the search for technosignatures, signs of technology developed by intelligent life beyond the Earth. Joining Listen's ongoing radio frequency survey and spectroscopic optical laser survey, VERITAS (the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) will search for pulsed optical beacons with its array of four 12-meter telescopes at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Amado, Arizona.
	T-minus one year and counting for Mars 2020 rover The launch period for NASA's Mars 2020 rover opens exactly one year from today, July 17, 2020, and extends through Aug. 5, 2020. The mission will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and land at Mars' Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021.
	India reschedules launch of its moon mission for Monday India's space agency said it will launch a spacecraft to the south pole of the moon on Monday after an aborted effort this week.
	Europe's Galileo GPS system back after six-day outage Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system, a rival of the American GPS network, is back in service after a six-day outage, its oversight agency said on Thursday.
	How the women of NASA made their mark on the space program The Civil Rights Act had just passed and the slide rule was giving way to computers when Frances "Poppy" Northcutt arrived at NASA's Houston campus in 1965, eager to join the space race. But her job title stunned her: "computress."
	NASA's Webb Telescope shines with American ingenuity To send humans to the Moon 50 years ago, an entire nation rose to the challenge. Surmounting countless hurdles, inventing new technologies while staring into the face of the unknown, NASA successfully pioneered multiple lunar landings. NASA demonstrated to the world the importance of partnerships and what a unified country can achieve.

Technology news

	A dialogue system to enhance goal-oriented human-robot interactions Researchers at SUNY Binghamton, Cleveland State University and the University of Washington have recently developed a new dialogue system that could improve human-robot interactions. This system, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, is designed to learn continuously from its dialogue experiences, augmenting its knowledge base and language capabilities over time.
	Peloton's Level 4 connection could turn page for trucking industry A Mountain View, California, company has a vision of driver assistive truck platooning as a potential change maker for the trucking industry—in a good way, namely, carrying with it safety and fuel efficiency.
	Researchers develop e-skin to give robots and prosthetics a sense of touch Unique sensor system responds 1,000 times faster than the human sense of touch, the fastest ever achieved for an e-skin
	Researchers implant sensors for wireless control of muscle signal transmission following nerve transfers Research in the field of wireless biosignal transmission is no longer a fringe phenomenon in the field of modern prosthetics. A large number of international research groups are working on potential solutions to create a more fluent man-machine interface. For the first time, the research group led by Oskar Aszmann from MedUni Vienna's Department of Surgery, working with commercial partner Otto Bock Healthcare Products and a development group in the U.S. (Alfred Mann Foundation), has successfully implanted sensors in three male patients following nerve transfers to transmit biosignals for wireless control of robotic arms.
	Bitcoin craze hits Iran as US sanctions squeeze weak economy Iranians feeling the squeeze from U.S. sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic's ailing economy are increasingly turning to such digital currencies as Bitcoin to make money, prompting alarm in and out of the country.
	Facebook's Libra prospects dim, but cryptocurrencies roll on Facebook's planned global digital coin Libra has run into a wall of opposition in Washington that could prevent its launch as envisioned, but analysts say cryptocurrencies are likely to make gains around the world nonetheless.
	Taller, faster, better, stronger: Wind towers are only getting bigger Former Australian Greens leader Bob Brown made headlines this week after he objected to a proposed wind farm on Tasmania's Robbins Island. The development would see 200 towers built, each standing 270 metres from base to the tip of their blades.
	Researchers collaborate on method to explain 'fake news' to users Social media can expose users to misinformation, including fake news—news stories with intentionally false information. In fact, during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, fake news engaged more people than real news, according to a BuzzFeed News analysis.
	Poll finds women more worried about losing jobs to trade and offshoring than artificial intelligence As many as 160 million women around the world could lose their jobs over the next decade because of the impact of automation, and a recent study by the McKinsey Global Institute shows that women will have a harder time adjusting to the automation of jobs and development of artificial intelligence than men.
	The internet is surprisingly fragile, crashes thousands of times a year, and no one is making it stronger How could a small internet service provider (ISP) in Pennsylvania cause millions of websites worldwide to go offline? That's what happened on June 24, 2019 when users across the world were left unable to access a large fraction of the web. The root cause was an outage suffered by Cloudflare, one of the internet's leading content hosts on which the affected websites relied.
	Maturing social media analysis Online social media analytics is a powerful tool to boost e-commerce, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics. Ogunmola Gabriel Ayodeji and Vikas Kumar of the School of Business Studies, at Sharda University, in Greater Noida, India, explain how social media apps and websites are almost ubiquitous in the lives of many people around the world now. There are more active members of some of these services than there are people in even the most populace of nations.
	Better design could make mobile devices easier for seniors to use A loud "bing" sounded as we drove onto the highway access ramp. I didn't see a message on our car's screen. Was it my phone or my wife's? Was it a calendar alert, or did one of us receive a text message? Was it the low battery warning on one of our hearing aids? Was it our home security system? Maybe the car needed an oil change or lost tire pressure? Should we stop in heavy traffic or ignore it?
	EU fines chipmaker Qualcomm for 'predatory pricing' In yet another European Union move against a U.S. tech giant, the bloc's antitrust chief on Thursday fined chipmaker Qualcomm $271 million, accusing it of "predatory pricing" to drive a competitor out of the market.
	A squeaky clean: Friendly robots spruce up Singapore Hundreds of "friendly" robots that speak multiple languages and sing are being rolled out across hi-tech Singapore, to help clean the city-state's hotels, shopping malls and government buildings.
	AI radar system that can spot miniature drones 3 kilometers away DGIST announced on Tuesday, July 16 that Senior Researcher Dae-gun Oh's team in the Collaborative Robots Research Center developed a radar system that can detect subminiature drones that are 3km away. This research is expected to make huge contributions to strengthening domestic industries and defense capabilities by securing a world-class radar sensing technology.
	Free dataset archive helps researchers quickly find a needle in a haystack Let's say you're doing research that requires millions of geotagged tweets. Or perhaps you're a journalist who wants to map murders in Chicago from 2001 to the present. You need to find large spatio-temporal datasets—but where?
	Social media, interactive AI tool can assist in saving lives during disasters, emergencies A platform to turn the growing sea of social media data into usable and lifesaving information in real time is advancing as more first responders and public safety agencies across the United States engage with the growing Social Media Analytics and Reporting Toolkit.
Is Facebook a bank? Congress pushes for answers on crypto foray After surviving a two-day battering on Capitol Hill, now comes the hard part for Facebook Inc.: turning its 12-page white paper into a legitimate cryptocurrency in the face of deep skepticism from central banks, regulators and politicians of all stripes.
	Oakland, Calif., bars city from using facial recognition technology Oakland police and other city departments will not use facial recognition technology under a new policy—the third of its kind in the United States.
	Facebook's Libra gets stark warning from G-7 finance chiefs Finance chiefs from the Group of Seven rich democracies issued a stark warning on Thursday that cryptocurrencies like the Libra digital money recently unveiled by Facebook should not be allowed before "serious regulatory and systemic concerns" are addressed.
	Poland, Lithuania probe Russian-made app behind viral old age selfies Poland and Lithuania said Thursday they were looking into the potential security risks of using a Russian-made face-editing app that has triggered a viral social media trend where users post "aged" selfies.
	Netflix subscriber drop hints at streaming-service fatigue How much is too much for streaming video?
	US senator Schumer calls for investigation into FaceApp Popular Russia-based application FaceApp, which allows users to change their appearance to look older or younger, came under fire in the United States Wednesday, with one senator urging an FBI investigation.
	Volvo Cars defies slowing market to hit record sales Volvo Cars, the Swedish luxury brand owned by China's Geely, defied a slowing global auto market to set a record for sales in the first half of the year, although US trade war tariffs and falling prices squeezed profits.
	G7 ministers agree plan on digital tax but more work ahead Ministers from G7 top economies on Thursday reached consensus on steps towards an accord on taxing digital giants, an issue that has divided the United States and its allies Britain and France.

Medicine & Health news

	Stanford team stimulates neurons to induce particular perceptions in mice's minds Hallucinations are spooky and, fortunately, fairly rare. But, a new study suggests, the real question isn't so much why some people occasionally experience them. It's why all of us aren't hallucinating all the time.
	Researchers unlock clues to improving cancer treatment A research project led by The University of Western Australia in collaboration with Telethon Kids Institute and 13 health research organizations has identified key differences between cancers that respond to immunotherapy and those that do not.
	Daily coffee doesn't affect cancer risk Drinking coffee does not change a person's risk of being diagnosed with or dying from cancer, a new QIMR Berghofer study has found.
	Dermal tattoo sensors for the detection of blood pH change and metabolite levels The art of tattooing may have found a diagnostic twist. A team of scientists in Germany have developed permanent dermal sensors that can be applied as artistic tattoos. As detailed in the journal Angewandte Chemie, a colorimetric analytic formulation was injected into the skin instead of tattoo ink. The pigmented skin areas varied their color when blood pH or other health indicators changed.
	New insight into the biology of insulin release In a new study, Yale researchers challenge a long-held assumption about how insulin-producing cells in the pancreas sense and respond to glucose. Their findings could lead to changes in the way that scientists approach the treatment of diabetes, the authors said.
	Romantic partnerships mitigate influence of genetic predisposition to alcohol consumption People with a genetic predisposition to risky alcohol behavior are less likely to drink frequently, become intoxicated often, or suffer from alcohol dependence symptoms if they are in a romantic relationship, according to a new study led by a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher.
	Remodeling mRNA can be presented like an 'endless' conveyor belt of sushi Synapses between nerve cells in the brain undergo constant remodeling, which is the basis of learning. An LMU team has now traced the molecules that direct remodeling and shown that they circulate in the living cell like running sushi.
	Are we well prepared for possible cross-border outbreaks of resistant bacteria? The emergence and spread of multidrug resistant microorganisms is a serious threat to transnational public health. Therefore, it is vital that cross-border outbreak response systems are constantly prepared for fast, rigorous, and efficient response. This research aims to improve transnational collaboration by identifying, visualizing, and exploring two cross-border response networks that are likely to unfold during outbreaks involving the Netherlands and Germany.
	Study finds how people engage with science can promote unbelief or beliefs about God Most Americans believe science and religion are incompatible, but a recent study suggests that scientific engagement can actually promote belief in God.
	Genetic differences between strains of Epstein-Barr virus can alter its activity Researchers at the University of Sussex have identified how differences in the genetic sequence of the two main strains of the cancer-associated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can alter the way the virus behaves when it infects white blood cells.
	Low doses of radiation promote cancer-capable cells Low doses of radiation equivalent to three CT scans, which are considered safe, give cancer-capable cells a competitive advantage over normal cells in healthy tissue, scientists have discovered. Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge studied the effects of low doses of radiation in the oesophagus of mice.
	Researchers learn how low oxygen builds a bigger, stronger alligator heart Restricted oxygen during early life development might result in lasting heart damage for many creatures, but not for alligators. Low oxygen doesn't hurt their hearts; it makes them stronger.
	Neuroscientists discover neuron type that acts as brain's metronome By measuring the fast electrical spikes of individual neurons in the touch region of the brain, Brown University neuroscientists have discovered a new type of cell that keeps time so regularly that it may serve as the brain's long-hypothesized clock or metronome.
	Promising system delivers chemo drug straight into tumors with fewer side effects A stealthy new drug-delivery system disguises chemotherapeutics as fat in order to outsmart, penetrate and destroy tumors.
One in 270 births have 'dual burden' of prematurity and severe maternal complications A quarter of women who have serious maternal complications during childbirth also have premature births, posing a "dual burden" on families, finds research from NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) California Preterm Birth Initiative, and Stanford University.
	Shaky scaffold changes lung infrastructure Our lungs work tirelessly all through the day to keep us breathing, seamlessly expanding and contracting. When lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred, it can lose its flexibility, making it harder to breathe.
Emotion-detection applications built on outdated science, report warns Software that purportedly reads emotions in faces is being deployed or tested for a variety of purposes, including surveillance, hiring, clinical diagnosis, and market research. But a new scientific report finds that facial movements are an inexact gauge of a person's feelings, behaviors or intentions.
	Should obesity be recognized as a disease? With obesity now affecting almost a third (29%) of the population in England, and expected to rise to 35% by 2030, should we now recognise it as a disease? Experts debate the issue in The BMJ today.
	Researchers deploy a novel mobile lab for rapid, real-time pathogen testing in the field University of Minnesota researchers have refined testing methods for tick-borne diseases in the field by using a new, deployable mobile laboratory and performing genetic sequencing of key pathogens to better understand how they move, evolve and function. The U of M research team based in the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is one of the first in the U.S. to use this technology for tick-borne pathogens in this specific way.
	Diabetes medications masking surgical complication A new class of diabetes medications is masking the potentially dangerous condition of ketoacidosis at the time of surgery. Testing for acid load in the blood of diabetes sufferers who are taking gliflozin medications is needed in order to avoid complications associated with ketoacidosis—a potentially lethal build-up of acid in the blood.
	Around one in 20 patients are affected by preventable harm Around one in 20 (6 percent) of patients are affected by preventable harm in medical care a new led by researchers at The University of Manchester has found.
	Dosing regimen for an old cancer drug shows new promise as an immunotherapy As cancer cells progress, they accumulate hundreds and even thousands of genetic and epigenetic changes, resulting in protein expression profiles that are radically different from that of healthy cells. But despite their heavily mutated proteome, cancer cells can evade recognition and attack by the immune system.
	Study reveals link between licensed firearms dealers and intimate partner homicide in urban counties Much attention continues to be given to crimes committed with illegal guns, but there are high risks of intimate partner homicide with legally purchased firearms as well, according to a new Rutgers University–Camden study.
	Early drug intervention reduces risk of cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis sufferers People who develop rheumatoid arthritis as older adults benefit from early and sustained use of a drug called Methotrexate (MTX), a recent study led by University of Toronto researcher Jessica Widdifield has found.
	Antimicrobial protein implicated in Parkinson's disease An immune system protein that usually protects the body from pathogens is abnormally produced in the brain during Parkinson's disease, scientists from Sanford Burnham Prebys report. The discovery, published in Free Radical Biology & Medicine, indicates that developing a drug that blocks this protein, called myeloperoxidase (MPO), may help people with Parkinson's disease.
	Researchers reveal how the Fasciola parasite causes neurological disorders Fascioliasis is a parasitic disease caused by two species present in the liver: hepatic fasciola, which is prevalent worldwide, and Fasciola gigantica, which is found in Asia and Africa. The high pathogenicity of this disease has led the World Health Organisation (WHO) to include it in the list of the great diseases of humanity. The two Fasciola species cause varied clinical conditions, from cases without symptoms, to severe symptoms that can cause death. Among the severe cases, there is a broad range of neurological conditions including paralysis of limbs, motor and speech disorders, loss of senses, seizures, epilepsy and coma. Spain is the country with the second-highest number of cases of diagnosed neurological fascioliasis, after France.
	An omega-6 fatty acid could help in fight against heart disease An omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid has the potential to help fight heart disease, finds a new study by researchers at Cardiff University, in collaboration with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
	Research shows mindfulness in relationship is key to a happy couple A Florida State University researcher has found that an individual's ability to be mindful or stay in the present has a profound effect on a romantic partner's happiness.
	Alzheimer's drug trial targets toxic proteases from gum disease bacteria in the brain The pharmaceutical company, Cortexyme, Inc. has outlined a trial of potential Alzheimer's drug that targets toxic substances released by P. gingivalis, a bacteria linked to gum disease.
	Air travel spreads infections globally, but health advice from inflight magazines can limit that "Travel safe, travel far, travel wide, and travel often," says Nomadic Matt, the American who quit his job to travel the world, write about it and coach others to do the same.
	Yoga can improve the lives of prisoners, study finds In 2017, a small group of male prisoners participated in an eight-week yoga program at the Alexander Maconochie Centre(AMC), which houses all adult prisoners in Canberra. While prison yoga programs have been evaluated in other countries, this yoga program was the first in Australia to be the subject of academic research.
	Is your child addicted to screens? Here's what you can do about it Luke's parents gave him a cell phone last year for his 10th birthday. Since then, the amount of time he spends playing video games on and off his phone has increased.
	Home birth may start babies off with health-promoting microbes For all of human history, babies have been born where their mothers lived—whether in a house, hut or cave. Only in the last century has birth moved out of the home and into the hospital. How has that changed the types of microbes that live in and on our bodies—collectively known as the microbiome—which we know are vital to human health?
	How to make your child's hospital stay safer, less stressful More than 3 million kids are hospitalized in the United States every year. Whether it's for a planned test or surgery or an injury or other emergency, knowing how to be involved in your child's care can help you get through what's often a stressful event.
	How to eliminate added sugars from your diet People are getting the message about the dangers of sugar. Nearly 70% of Americans have cut back on foods high in added sugars, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. But there's still a long way to go.
	Deciphering brain somatic mutations associated with Alzheimer's disease Researchers have identified somatic mutations in the brain that could contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their findings were published in the journal Nature Communications last week.
	New technology targets cancer, other diseases, and hidden elements that allow those diseases to thrive A Purdue University-affiliated startup has created a platform aimed at treating relapse patients for cancers and other diseases by taking a holistic approach of not only seeking to impede the main cause but also to stop other elements that help that disease thrive.
	Research identifies new pathways for sensory learning in the brain We've all heard the saying that individuals learn at their own pace. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed an automated, robotic training device that allows mice to learn at their leisure. The technology stands to further neuroscience research by allowing researchers to train animals under more natural conditions and identify mechanisms of circuit rewiring that occur during learning.
	Aching backs could get relief from technology to improve back surgery outcomes, reduce pain, advance skills of surgeons The majority of adults in the United States experience lower back pain at some point in their life. Thousands undergo surgery to help fix their backs – but the procedures can be expensive and not always effective because the spinal area is small, is intricate and presents space challenges for surgeons.
	Group calls on international community to prevent dementia by preventing stroke The risk factors for stroke and dementia are the same, and a growing body of evidence demonstrates that preventing stroke can also prevent some dementias.
	Physicists use mathematics to trace neuro transitions Unique in its application of a mathematical model to understand how the brain transitions from consciousness to unconscious behavior, a study at The City College of New York's Benjamin Levich Institute for Physico-Chemical Hydrodynamics may have just advanced neuroscience appreciably. The findings, surprisingly by physicists, suggest that the subliminal state is the most robust part of the conscious network and appear on the cover of the journal "Neuroscience."
	Increased use of partial knee replacement could save the NHS £30 million per year New research from a randomised clinical trial published today in The Lancet and funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) shows that partial knee replacements (PKR) are as good as total knee replacements (TKR), whilst being more cost effective.
	Depressed by Facebook and the like Everyone else is better than me. That's the impression you get when you look at profiles on social networks.
	Study finds key metabolic changes in patients with chemotherapy-associated cardiotoxicity More and more patients are being treated successfully for cancer. However, some cancer treatments that are very effective for breast cancer—medications like anthracyclines and trastuzumab—can cause heart dysfunction and lead to heart failure. Heart-related side effects can limit the amount of cancer therapy that patients are eligible to receive. Currently, there is no effective way of predicting which patients will develop heart dysfunction during or after receiving these medications.
	Some pharmacists missing mark on therapeutic guidelines: As the role of pharmacies in providing front-line public health services grows, a QUT study has raised concerns that some are not adhering to therapeutic guidelines when distributing pharmaceuticals.
	Rising carbon dioxide, climate change projected to reduce availability of nutrients worldwide One of the biggest challenges to reducing hunger and undernutrition around the world is to produce foods that provide not only enough calories but also make enough necessary nutrients widely available. New research finds that, over the next 30 years, climate change and increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) could significantly reduce the availability of critical nutrients such as protein, iron, and zinc, compared to a future without it. The total impacts of climate change shocks and elevated levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are estimated to reduce growth in global per capita nutrient availability of protein, iron, and zinc by 19.5%, 14.4%, and 14.6%, respectively.
	Biomaterial-delivered chemotherapy leads to long-term survival in brain cancer A combination of chemotherapy drugs during brain cancer surgery using a biodegradable paste, leads to long-term survival, researchers at the University of Nottingham have discovered.
	What makes some people more receptive to the idea of being vaccinated against infectious disease? Fear, trust, and the likelihood of exposure are three leading factors that influence whether people are willing to be vaccinated against a virulent disease, according to a new study in the journal Heliyon, published by Elsevier.
	CDC assesses burden of eye disorders in adults with diabetes (HealthDay)—Eye disorders frequently affect adults aged 45 years and older with diagnosed diabetes, and disorders are more common for those with diagnosed diabetes for 10 years or more, according to a July data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
	Novel PET staging system may help monitor Alzheimer disease (HealthDay)—A staging system of β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation may be useful for monitoring patients throughout the course of Alzheimer disease (AD), according to a study published online July 17 in JAMA Neurology to coincide with the annual Alzheimer's Association International Conference, held from July 14 to 18 in Los Angeles.
	Recarbrio OK'd for complicated urinary tract, intra-abdominal infections (HealthDay)—The antibacterial drug product Recarbrio (imipenem, cilastatin, and relebactam) has been approved to treat complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) and complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) in adults, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced.
New research identifies gene that hides cancer cells from immunotherapy A team at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has identified a gene that could make immunotherapy treatments, specifically checkpoint inhibitors, work for a wider variety of cancer patients. The study, published today in Developmental Cell, found that when the DUX4 gene is expressed in cancer cells, it can prevent the cancer from being recognized and destroyed by the immune system.
Sports participation gap exists between youth from lower-income and middle-income families Lower-income parents are less likely than their higher-income counterparts to involve their children in youth sports because of obstacles such as rising costs of these extracurricular activities, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Discovery shows how difficult-to-treat prostate cancer evades immune system Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered how an aggressive form of prostate cancer called double-negative prostate cancer (DNPC) metastasizes by evading the immune system. The investigators also reported on the pre-clinical development of a new therapy, which, when given in combination with existing immunotherapies, appears to stop and even reverse metastasis in mouse models.
	The unpopular truth about biases toward people with disabilities Needing to ride in a wheelchair can put the brakes on myriad opportunities—some less obvious than one might think. New research from Michigan State University sheds light on the bias people have toward people with disabilities, known as "ableism," and how it shifts over time.
	A better avenue for neurosurgery to improve outcomes For years cardiologists have threaded hair-like surgical instruments through arteries in the wrist, as an access point to perform procedures on the heart. For procedures in the brain, however, neurosurgeons more commonly thread instruments through arteries at the groin—a transfemoral approach. In the largest cohort study to date, new research from Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) demonstrates that transradial surgery, done via the wrist, is safe and effective for a broad range of neuroendovascular procedures, and gives patients faster recovery with less procedural risk.
Strong family relationships may help with asthma outcomes for children Positive family relationships might help youth to maintain good asthma management behaviors even in the face of difficult neighborhood conditions, according to a new Northwestern University study.
Researchers explain muscle loss with menopause In an article recently published in Cell Reports, lead authors Dawn Lowe, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Division of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Graduate Program, University of Minnesota Medical School and Michael Kyba, Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Carrie Ramey/CCRF Endowed Professor in Pediatric Cancer Research, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, University of Minnesota Medical School, are the first to establish that estrogen is essential in females for muscle stem cell maintenance and function.
Greater prevalence of congenital heart defects in high intensity oil and gas areas Mothers living near more intense oil and gas development activity have a 40-70% higher chance of having children with congenital heart defects (CHDs) compared to those living in areas of less intense activity, according to a new study from researchers at the Colorado School of Public Health.
	Women report skipping scientific conferences because of child care For oncologists in the beginning of their career, scientific conferences present an opportunity to network, share their research, gain new knowledge and begin to advance in their career. But many women find themselves skipping these conferences because of family obligations, a new study finds.
Link found between gut bacteria, successful joint replacement Having healthy gut flora—the trillions of bacteria housed in our intestines—could lower the risk of infection following knee and hip replacement surgeries, while an unhealthy intestinal flora may increase the risk of infection.
Testosterone replacement therapy can increase men's risk of stroke and heart attack Aging men with low testosterone levels who take testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) are at a slightly greater risk of experiencing an ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or myocardial infarction, especially during the first two years of use, reports a study appearing in The American Journal of Medicine, published by Elsevier. The findings confirm concerns voiced by many health agencies about the potential risks associated with the treatment.
	Infectious diseases A-Z: Asian longhorned tick finds its way to us Ticks discovered in New Jersey now have spread into neighboring states. "For the first time in 50 years, a new tick species has been identified in the U.S.," says Dr. Gregory Poland, director of the Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group.
	Rural Ohio county shows the impact of opioid influx The numbers are staggering: An average yearly total of 107 opioid pills per resident were distributed over a seven-year period in this rural county deep in Appalachia.
	Researchers compare visceral leishmaniasis diagnostic tests Accurate and timely diagnosis of the tropic disease visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the pillars for reducing VL deaths. Currently available serological tests for diagnosing VL vary widely in their performance and may, as a whole, be inadequate for VL diagnosis, researchers report in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
	Scientists discover how mosquito brains integrate diverse sensory cues to find a host For female mosquitoes, finding their next meal is all about smelling and seeing.
SIRT6 over-expression may prevent progression of diabetes, study finds Targeting obesity through exercise and calorie restriction is often the first line of approach to treat diabetes and related cardiovascular disorders, such as cardiomyopathy. A recent animal study published in The FASEB Journal explored an alternative sirtuin-based therapy to block the development of obesity and cardiomyopathy under conditions of excess nutrition, when diet restriction and regular exercise are not feasible.
	Access to contraception not 'silver bullet' to stem population growth in Africa Greater economic development across Africa in the years ahead could cause its population to grow at an even quicker rate than current projections, according to an important new demographic study released today.
	Notre Dame's melted lead prompts deep clean for schools The city of Paris has ordered a deep cleaning for schools nearest to Notre Dame, whose lead roof melted away in the cathedral's devastating fire in April.
	MSF urges DRC Ebola 'reality check', more vaccinations Ebola fighters need to widen use of vaccination in their campaign against the deadly epidemic in DR Congo, the head of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Thursday.
Florida can require licenses for dietary advice, court rules Florida can limit who gets to give dietary advice, a federal court ruled.
	Number of american smokers who've tried to quit has stalled (HealthDay)—Even if it takes multiple attempts, a majority of smokers do finally kick the habit. But new research finds the percentage of smokers who are even trying to quit has flatlined.
	Study finds maternal race not a factor for children experiencing a 'language gap' In a first of its kind study, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute evaluated the language use of black mothers in comparison with white mothers with the same education levels to measure the amount and complexity of the words they use with their infants and young children. This study resulted in the new discovery that race played no role in the amount and quality of the words they used with their children or with the language skills their children later develop.
	TGen-led study finds link between gene and severe liver damage Researchers have found that a gene known as AEBP1 may play a central role in the development, severity and potential treatment of liver disease, according to a study by Temple University, the Geisinger Obesity Institute and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope.
	First US murder conviction overturned using DNA, family tree evidence An American man was exonerated Wednesday for a decades-old murder he did not commit, using evidence based on DNA and a genetic family tree, the first such result using a revolutionary investigative technique.
	Congo soldiers, police to enforce Ebola emergency measures Congolese soldiers and police will enforce hand-washing and fever checks now that the deadly Ebola outbreak has been declared an international health emergency , authorities said Thursday.
Drug company, 4 people indicted in US painkiller probe Federal authorities said Thursday an Ohio-based wholesale drug distributor that's been linked before to the opioid drug crisis has been charged in a painkiller pill distribution conspiracy case.

Biology news

	Great apes found to bond when watching videos together A pair of researchers affiliated with Duke University and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology has found that great apes tend to bond with one another when they watch a video together. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Wouter Wolf and Michael Tomasello describe their work involving studying chimpanzees and bonobos as they watched videos together and how they behaved afterward.
	Jumbo squid mystery solved The culprit responsible for the decline of Mexico's once lucrative jumbo squid fishery has remained a mystery, until now. A new Stanford-led study published in the ICES Journal of Marine Science identifies shifting weather patterns and ocean conditions as among the reasons for the collapse, which spells trouble for the Gulf of California's marine ecosystems and fishery-dependent economies. It could also be a sign of things to come elsewhere.
	Ants that defend plants receive sugar and protein Biologists Laura Carolina Leal and Felipe Passos have performed a series of experiments to determine how plants with extrafloral nectaries interact with ants in Brazil's Northeast region—specifically, in the interior of Bahia State, where the semiarid Caatinga biome predominates.
	Algae-killing viruses spur nutrient recycling in oceans Scientists have confirmed that viruses can kill marine algae called diatoms and that diatom die-offs near the ocean surface may provide nutrients and organic matter for recycling by other algae, according to a Rutgers-led study.
	The ABC of ribosome recycling Ribosomes, the essential machinery used for protein synthesis is recycled after each one round of translation. An enzyme called ABCE1 is responsible for this process and turns out to be remarkably plastic as LMU biophysicists report.
	How mammals' brains evolved to distinguish odors is nothing to sniff at The world is filled with millions upon millions of distinct smells, but how mammals' brains evolved to tell them apart is something of a mystery.
	Simulation explores how insects glean compass direction from skylight A computational simulation suggests that insects may be capable of using the properties of light from the sky to determine their compass direction with an error of less than two degrees. Evripidis Gkanias of the University of Edinburgh, U.K., and colleagues present their findings in PLOS Computational Biology.
	Modeling predicts blue whales' foraging behavior, aiding population management efforts Scientists can predict where and when blue whales are most likely to be foraging for food in the California Current Ecosystem, providing new insight that could aid in the management of the endangered population in light of climate change and blue whale mortality due to ship strikes, a new study shows.
	Species on the move A total of 55 animal species in the UK have been displaced from their natural ranges or enabled to arrive for the first time on UK shores because of climate change over the last 10 years (2008-2018) - as revealed in a new study published today (18 July 2019) by scientists at international conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London).
	Timing of spay, neuter tied to higher risk of obesity and orthopedic injuries in dogs Spaying or neutering large-breed dogs can put them at a higher risk for obesity and, if done when the dog is young, nontraumatic orthopedic injuries, reports a new study based on data from the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. The spay/neuter study was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.
	Toxic toads found near Sydney spark fears of southward spread A toxic cane toad prevalent in Australia's tropical north has been captured near Sydney, sparking fears the invasive species could be adapting to cooler weather and spreading southwards, further threatening the country's unique wildlife.
	How invading fungus forces zombie ant's death grip If it's thoughts of zombies that keep you awake at night, you shouldn't be worried about zombie humans; it's the carpenter ants (Camponotus castaneus) that should concern you most. When infected by a specialised fungus (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato), the hapless ants are unable to resist its potent power. Losing free will, the unfortunate victims locate tall pieces of vegetation, marching to a high point before the fungal infection forces them to clamp their mandibles—jaws—tightly onto a leaf vein or twig. There, the ill-fated host expires, only to be consumed from within by its evil fungal lodger, ready to scatter its spores below in the hope of infecting the next unsuspecting victim. Yet, despite the insects' loss of control, Colleen Mangold from Pennsylvania State University, USA, explains that the fungus does not attack their brains directly: 'the mandibular muscles ... of infected ants are extensively colonised by the fungus', she says. Wondering how the fungus exerts control over the ants' powerful jaw muscles, Mangold and PI David Hughes decided to take a closer look inside the muscle itself. They have discovered that the fungus invades the mandibular muscles, breaks open the membrane covering the muscle fibres and forces the muscle to contract so forcefully that it wrecks the minute muscle filaments that slide past each other. The team publishes the discovery in Journal of Experimental Biology at http://jeb.biologists.org.
	Researchers refute widespread racist analogy comparing human races to dog breeds As a researcher and teacher, Holly Dunsworth enjoys poking holes in misconceptions about human evolution her students bring into the classroom.
	Making fish farming in eastern Africa's Lake Victoria sustainable Overfishing, water shortages and pollution—these are just some of the environmental problems Lake Victoria has been facing over the last few decades. Bordered by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the world's second largest freshwater lake provides the main source of income for the populations living around the Lake Victoria basin. However, the environmental pressures put on the lake have seriously compromised fish farmers' livelihoods.
	From bugs to drugs A new study led by Prof Shoumo Bhattacharya has decoded the structure of unique proteins found in tick saliva and created new ones not found in nature, paving the way for a new generation of "Swiss-army knife' anti-inflammatory drugs, with customized extensions to block different inflammatory pathways.
	More than 28,000 species are officially threatened, with more likely to come More than 28,000 species around the world are threatened, according to the Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The list, updated on Thursday night, has assessed the extinction risk of almost 106,000 species and found more than a quarter are in trouble.
	Two-headed turtle born in Malaysia A two-headed baby turtle has been born in Malaysia, captivating conversationists, but it only survived a few days after being discovered.
	New species of flying squirrel from Southwest China added to the rarest and 'most wanted' Described in 1981, the genus Biswamoyopterus is regarded as the most mysterious and rarest amongst all flying squirrels. It comprises two large (1.4-1.8 kg) species endemic to southern Asia: the Namdapha flying squirrel (India) and the Laotian giant flying squirrel (Lao PDR). Each is only known from a single specimen discovered in 1981 and 2013, respectively.
	Scientists hope genetic research will lead to new breakthroughs in weed control An article featured in the journal Weed Science sheds important new light on the genetics and potential control of Palmer amaranth and waterhemp—two troublesome Amaranthus species weeds that are resistant to multiple herbicides.
	Tornadoes, windstorms pave way for lasting plant invasions When tornadoes touch down, we brace for news of property damage, injuries, and loss of life, but the high-speed wind storms wreak environmental havoc, too. They can cut through massive swaths of forest, destroying trees and wildlife habitat, and opening up opportunities for invasive species to gain ground.
	Lionfish ear-bones reveal a more mobile invasion Just as lions are apex predators on land, lionfish in Florida are an underwater force to be reckoned with. The biggest threat they pose, however, is not their venomous spines. It is the alarming speed and ferocity with which they invade new waters, eating prey that have not evolved to recognize them as a predator, stealing food from important commercial fish like snapper and grouper, and spawning baby lionfish at incredible rates.
Waking up sleeping bacteria to fight infections Researchers in the group of Jan Michiels (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Microbiology) identified a mechanism of how sleepy bacteria wake up. This finding is important, as sleepy cells are often responsible for the stubbornness of chronic infections. Findings published in Molecular Cell reveal new perspectives on how to treat chronic infections, for example by forcing bacteria to wake up.
	Study reveals zebrafish make an unexpected decision when faced with conflicting opportunities When making decisions that are important to the species' survival, zebrafish choose mating over fleeing from a threat. This decision, different compared to that of some other species, appears to be controlled by specific brain regions that respond to pheromone cues.
	New frog species discovered UCF student Veronica Urgiles has helped describe two new frog species discovered in Ecuador, and she named one of them after one of her professors.
	Sperm may offer the uterus a 'secret handshake' Why does it take 200 million sperm to fertilize a single egg?
	Manmade ruin adds 7,000 species to endangered 'Red List' Mankind's destruction of nature is driving species to the brink of extinction at an "unprecedented" rate, the leading wildlife conservation body warned Thursday as it added more than 7,000 animals, fish and plants to its endangered "Red List".

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