Science X Newsletter Thursday, Aug 8

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 8, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Ex2SM: A text mining method to detect repeated strings in biological sequences

Hydrophobic nanostructured wood membrane for thermally efficient distillation

Astronomers investigate AGN jet in the Messier 87 galaxy

Two planets orbiting Teegarden's star described as most earthlike found yet

New perovskite material shows early promise as an alternative to silicon

Researchers find neonicotinoids present a danger to pollinators

Analysis of wildfire smoke will help calibrate climate models

Why humans in Africa fled to the mountains during the last ice age

Alternatives to burning can increase Indian farmers' profits and cut pollution

Where in the universe can you find a black hole nursery?

Dark matter may be older than the big bang, study suggests

This designer clothing lets users turn on electronics while turning away bacteria

Microsoft patch eases jitters over SWAPGS vulnerability

Looking out for the little guys: Overfishing of small fishes affects food chain

New synthesis method opens up possibilities for organic electronics

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers investigate AGN jet in the Messier 87 galaxy Astronomers have taken a closer look at the relatively nearby Messier 87 (or M87) galaxy to investigate the jet of its active galactic nucleus (AGN). The new research, described in a paper published July 31 on arXiv.org, delivers important insights into the parameters of the jet, which could improve the understanding of AGNs in general.
	Two planets orbiting Teegarden's star described as most earthlike found yet A pair of researchers, one with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the other Tel Aviv University, has found evidence that suggests two of Teegarden's star planets are the most Earth-like found yet. In their paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Amri Wandel and Lev Tal-Or describe their study of the two exoplanets and what they found.
	Where in the universe can you find a black hole nursery? Gravitational wave researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a new model that could help astronomers track down the origin of heavy black hole systems in the Universe.
	Dark matter may be older than the big bang, study suggests Dark matter, which researchers believe make up about 80% of the universe's mass, is one of the most elusive mysteries in modern physics. What exactly it is and how it came to be is a mystery, but a new Johns Hopkins University study now suggests that dark matter may have existed before the Big Bang.
	In search of signals from the early universe ,On a hot morning in early July, a seven-foot wide, 8,000-pound metallic structure made its way from Boston to Penn's David Rittenhouse Laboratory. The large aperture telescope receiver (LATR) was carefully loaded onto a forklift and carried through narrow alleyways and parking lots before being placed in the High Bay lab, while students and researchers watched in eager anticipation.
	NASA's MMS finds first interplanetary shock The Magnetospheric Multiscale mission—MMS—has spent the past four years using high-resolution instruments to see what no other spacecraft can. Recently, MMS made the first high-resolution measurements of an interplanetary shock.
	Evidence found for cloaked black hole in early universe A group of astronomers, including Penn State scientists, has announced the likely discovery of a highly obscured black hole existing only 850 million years after the Big Bang, using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. This is the first evidence for a cloaked black hole at such an early time.
	Hubble showcases new portrait of Jupiter The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope reveals the intricate, detailed beauty of Jupiter's clouds in this new image taken on 27 June 2019. It features the planet's trademark Great Red Spot and a more intense colour palette in the clouds swirling in the planet's turbulent atmosphere than seen in previous years.
	MEDLI2 installation on Mars 2020 aeroshell begins Hardware installed onto NASA's Mars 2020 entry vehicle this week will help to increase the safety of future Mars landings.
	The end of the world: A history of how a silent cosmos led humans to fear the worst It is 1950 and a group of scientists are walking to lunch against the majestic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. They are about to have a conversation that will become scientific legend. The scientists are at the Los Alamos Ranch School, the site for the Manhattan Project, where each of the group has lately played their part in ushering in the atomic age.

Technology news

	New perovskite material shows early promise as an alternative to silicon Silicon dominates solar energy products—it is stable, cheap and efficient at turning sunlight into electricity. Any new material taking on silicon must compete and win on those grounds. As a result of an international research collaboration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have found a stable material that efficiently creates electricity—which could challenge silicon hegemony.
	This designer clothing lets users turn on electronics while turning away bacteria A new addition to your wardrobe may soon help you turn on the lights and music—while also keeping you fresh, dry, fashionable, clean and safe from the latest virus that's going around.
	Microsoft patch eases jitters over SWAPGS vulnerability Plain and simple, it began as worrying security news. Bitdefender researchers identified and demonstrated a new side-channel attack. The flaw could allow attackers to access sensitive data stored in the kernel, said Phil Muncaster, Infosecurity Magazine, on Aug. 7, Wednesday.
	Installing solar panels on agricultural lands maximizes their efficiency, new study shows The most productive places on Earth for solar power are farmlands, according to an Oregon State University study.
	Study: Older drivers need more time to react to road hazards Imagine you're sitting in the driver's seat of an autonomous car, cruising along a highway and staring down at your smartphone. Suddenly, the car detects a moose charging out of the woods and alerts you to take the wheel. Once you look back at the road, how much time will you need to safely avoid the collision?
	Researchers develop method to automatically estimate rooftop solar potential Industry figures show the global rate of solar energy installations grew by 30 percent in one recent year, and the average cost of installing solar has fallen from $7 per watt to $2.8 per watt, making rooftop solar attractive to many more homeowners. But the progress of rooftop installations is often slowed by a shortage of trained professionals who must use expensive tools to conduct labor-intensive structure assessments one by one, say scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
	Technology soars in advancing critical communication, safety for pilots, passengers The Federal Aviation Administration has been putting an increased focus on English language proficiency for pilots as the agency looks to ensure safety for passengers through improved communication.
	App helps farmers crowdsource water during India's water crisis Western Sydney University's expertise in water management is providing an efficient tool for monitoring scarce groundwater reserves as large parts of India bake in extreme drought and heat.
	LeanShips: Significant fuel efficiency gains for vessels with controllable pitch propellers In the global fight against climate change, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping plays a crucial role. There are already several offerings of hybrid and electric vessels in Europe, while efforts to make new and existing ships more efficient have also intensified.
	Samsung unveils premium-priced Galaxy Note 10 Samsung on Wednesday unveiled a new-generation Galaxy Note large-screen handset starting at $950 and said it will work closer with Microsoft so that services function better across its array of devices.
	Spotting misinformation online via artificial intelligence We live in an era of too much information—an endless stream of status updates, memes, reposts, infographics, quotes and hashtags roll daily through our social media feeds, meant to express viewpoints, drum up solidarity, provide information, change minds or cause controversy.
	New robotic laser measurement system improves and accelerates automotive quality inspection Engineers at WMG at the University of Warwick have developed and installed a new, robotic measuring system, capable of accurately and repeatedly measuring large objects on the production line, such as car body-shells, in a fraction of the time traditionally taken to measure them on co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs).
New software brings clarity to hard-to-decipher company annual reports New software from Lancaster University cuts through hard-to-understand financial reports, to help investors and regulators.
	New sensor provides next-generation ice detection A new sensor, that can detect ice accumulation in real-time, might be a game-changer when it comes to airline safety and efficiency.
	New Michael Moore-backed doc tackles alternative energy What if alternative energy isn't all it's cracked up to be? That's the provocative question explored in the documentary "Planet of the Humans," which is backed and promoted by filmmaker Michael Moore and directed by one of his longtime collaborators. It premiered last week at his Traverse City Film Festival.
	Researchers wrest control of one of world's most secure PLCs Cybersecurity researchers at Tel Aviv University and the Technion Institute of Technology have discovered critical vulnerabilities in the Siemens S7 Simatic programmable logic controller (PLC), one of the world's most secure PLCs that are used to run industrial processes.
	Artist works to merge artificial intelligence and art At Seattle Art Fair, a glistening, golden object propped upon a wooden platform blabbers on as visitors circumambulate the display. An artificial-intelligence (AI) voice-interactive project, the device called "Not the Only One" is designed to respond to people based on conversations that the multimedia artist, Stephanie Dinkins, had with her aunt and niece.
	Cord cutters getting more company: Number of pay-TV subscribers drops If you are one of the millions of Americans who has cut the cord from pay-TV services, you are about to have a lot more company in the coming years.
	Self-driving trucks are cruising down I-45 between Dallas and Houston When Don Burnette worked at Otto, a self-driving truck startup, his team hit some pretty big milestones. It recorded the first shipment of cargo delivered by a self-driving truck: 50,000 cans of Budweiser in 2016. It was acquired by Uber the same year.
	Trump tariffs could hit the iPhone Would you spend an extra $100 for a new iPhone?
	US formalizes ban on govt contracts to China's Huawei, others The United States unveiled rules on Wednesday formally banning technology giant Huawei and other Chinese firms from government contracts in the latest move in the countries' escalating trade war.
	Siemens in billion-euro deal for surgical robots firm German industrial conglomerate Siemens said Thursday its medical devices arm had agreed to buy US surgical robots maker Corindus for one billion euros ($1.1 billion), in a deal that must still be approved by shareholders and regulators.
	Lyft posts losses despite revenue growth, improves outlook Lyft continued to bleed money in its second quarter but says it expects to stem some of those losses, raising its outlook for 2019.
	After deadly wrecks, Atlanta bans electric scooters at night Atlanta is banning electric scooters in the nighttime hours during what's been a deadly summer for riders.

Medicine & Health news

	DuoCAR-T cells found to be effective against HIV in human mouse models A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S., working with biotech firm Lentigen, has found that duoCAR-T cells they created were effective against HIV in human mouse models. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes how the duoCAR-T cells were created and how well they worked in human mouse models.
	Electromagnetic fields may hinder spread of breast cancer cells Electromagnetic fields might help prevent some breast cancers from spreading to other parts of the body, new research has found.
	Researchers identify a possible therapeutic target for Kennedy´s disease and prostate cancer A study led by scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and published in Nature Communications proposes chaperone protein Hps70 as an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of Kennedy's disease, a rare neuromuscular condition; it may also be a treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer.
	High-energy lasers could be used to treat Alzheimer's disease in the future Amyloid fibrils are a type of self-assembled proteins/peptides that take on a stacked sheet-like formation. Amyloid fibril aggregates are known to be a cause of several diseases—including Alzheimer's—and therefore, it is of immense scientific interest to understand how these aggregates can be broken. Some types of amyloid fibrils also play a role in regulation of gene expression in some organisms. It is also thought that the fiber-like formats appearing in these aggregates act as scaffolds on which to cultivate biomaterials. Therefore, a suitable technique for breakdown or "dissociation" of amyloid protein fibrils is critical from the perspective of medical treatment, modification of biological structures and functions, and even biomaterial engineering.
	Researchers identify subtypes of squamous cell lung cancer Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, with squamous cell lung cancer (SCC) being one of the common types. Despite improved knowledge of the molecular alterations in SCC, little is understood about how the alterations contribute to the development of the cancer and how potential vulnerabilities could be exploited to treat the disease. Researchers in Moffitt Cancer Center's Lung Cancer Center of Excellence took a closer look at SCC tumors to determine if their characteristics had an impact on patient outcomes. The findings were published today in Nature Communications.
	Implantable 3-D blastocyst-like embryonic structure generated from mouse stem cells An international collaboration of researchers from the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) in Japan and Gladstone Institutes in the U.S. have generated 3-D blastocyst-like structures from stem cells. Published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, the study shows that the blastocyst-like structures very closely resemble actual blastocysts, and even induce proper changes in the uterus after being implanted in pseudo-pregnant mice.
	'Extensive gender discrimination in healthcare access' for women in India, suggests study Women in India face "extensive gender discrimination" in access to healthcare, suggests a study of outpatient appointments at one major tertiary care hospital in Delhi, and published in the online journal BMJ Open.
	Good heart health at age 50 linked to lower dementia risk later in life Good cardiovascular health at age 50 is associated with a lower risk of dementia later in life, finds a study of British adults published by The BMJ today.
	Too much coffee raises the odds of triggering a migraine headache Drinking three or more servings of caffeinated beverages a day is associated with the onset of a headache on that or the following day in patients with episodic migraine, according to a new study in The American Journal of Medicine, published by Elsevier. Results are consistent even after accounting for daily changes in alcohol intake, stress, sleep, physical activity, and menstruation, although there was some variation evident with oral contraception use.
	Fluoride may diminish kidney and liver function in adolescents, study suggests Fluoride exposure may lead to a reduction in kidney and liver function among adolescents, according to a study published by Mount Sinai researchers in Environment International in August.
Combination targeted therapy may offer hope to infants with a deadly type of leukemia City of Hope researchers have identified a potential combination targeted therapy for a deadly type of leukemia found in some infants, a population too young to receive full-blown chemotherapy.
	New research provides better way to gauge pain in mice For decades, biomedical researchers have used mouse behavior to study pain, but some researchers have questioned the accuracy of the interpretations of how mice experience pain.
	Home births as safe as hospital births: International study A large international study led by McMaster University shows that low risk pregnant women who intend to give birth at home have no increased chance of the baby's perinatal or neonatal death compared to other low risk women who intend to give birth in a hospital.
	Adults with cerebral palsy at increased risk for mental health conditions A new study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, highlights the need for increased awareness of mental health disorders among adults with cerebral palsy.
Increased CMS reimbursements for new antibiotics represents progress in attention to AMR The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule for the coming fiscal year will raise reimbursements for novel antibiotics, a meaningful step in confronting the threat of infections resistant to older medicines. At the same time, the rule does not require or support antibiotic stewardship in healthcare settings, also an essential measure to protect the effectiveness of existing infection-fighting medicines.
	Understanding gun violence and mass shootings Public mass shootings, once a rare event, now occur with shocking frequency in the United States. According to the Washington Post, four or more people are killed in this horrific manner every 47 days. The most recent mass shootings, in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, occurred less than a day apart and resulted in the loss of 31 lives.
	Expert offers tips about online nutrition information In today's social media world, it's easier than ever to find "facts"—and increasingly difficult to figure out which of them are actually true. Reporting based on findings of nutrition research, in particular, is rife with exaggerations, contradictions, and flat-out inaccuracies. Many people end up making food decisions based on this flawed advice, instead of following tried-and-true guidelines.
	The world's smallest stent Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new method for producing malleable microstructures—for instance, vascular stents that are 40 times smaller than previously possible. In the future, such stents could be used to help to widen life-threatening constrictions of the urinary tract in foetuses in the womb.
	Study identifies protein responsible for mechanism behind bone loss Researchers from the UCLA School of Dentistry have provided insight into how the mechanical process of bone loss works and have also identified a protein that is responsible for recycling of the cells that can also promote bone loss. The team showed that by eliminating a key protein responsible for the activation of bone loss, there is the potential to control the level of bone loss a person would develop.
	Blood tests for Alzheimer's: Why new studies are encouraging Many people who have problems with their memory, especially if they are elderly, worry that they have Alzheimer's disease, which afflicts at least 5.5 million people in the U.S. and brings tremendous burdens to families as well. This concern is paramount among those who have seen a family member, friend or colleague develop this insidious progressive disease.
	Spoilers can enhance thrills for some moviegoers For Stephen King fans worrying they might hear people talking about IT Chapter Two before they see it, Judith Rosenbaum advises to keep in mind that spoilers aren't necessarily a bad thing.
	Positive effect of music and dance on dementia proven in study Stereotypically viewed as passive and immobile, a University of Otago pilot study has shown the powerful influence music and dance can have on older adults with dementia.
	Hospital admissions for older people's services increase by 10% every year across Scotland Admissions to geriatric medical wards in the 19 largest hospitals with major emergency departments in Scotland have risen by 10 percent for three consecutive years, reaching 43,311 by 2017/18, according to a new report.
	Eye-movement test to indicate sleep deprivation developed by NASA Lack of sleep can be dangerous; it is thought to play a role in up to 30% of all motor vehicle crashes and even implicated in catastrophic events, such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster (1, 2). As sleepy individuals are often unaware of their performance impairments, there is a critical need for objective measures of deficits due to sleepiness to prevent accidents. New research published today in the The Journal of Physiology shows that a range of eye-movement tests provide a reliable biomarker of individual acute sleep loss.
	Sorting out who needs a pill sorter Researchers at the University of East Anglia have developed guidance to help prescribers and pharmacists decide which patients should use a pill organiser.
	Job candidates deemed warm and competent if interviewer is satisfied with room lighting The more satisfied office workers are with the light in a room, the more likely they are to deem people they have just met as being warm and competent, a new Loughborough University study has found.
	Evidence contradicts common stereotypes about mass shooters When 22 people were killed in El Paso, Texas, and nine more were killed in Dayton, Ohio, roughly 12 hours later, responses to the tragedy included many of the same myths and stereotypes Americans have grown used to hearing in the wake of a mass shooting.
	Psychiatric comorbidity contributes to increased mortality in ADHD Psychiatric comorbidity may play an important role in the increased risk of premature death in people with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), according to a new extensive registry study conducted at Karolinska Institutet and Örebro University in Sweden. The results, which are published in JAMA Psychiatry, suggest that improved awareness and care of psychiatric comorbidities such as substance use disorders may help reduce serious outcomes associated with ADHD.
	Novel high-sensitivity detector could aid in early Alzheimer's diagnosis A prime suspect in the onset of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases is a normally benign enzyme that is essential to proper development of the nervous system. Under certain conditions, however, its chemical structure changes and it goes rogue, contributing to the neural devastation that accompanies dementia.
	Atrial fibrillation common and incurable, but controllable One of the most common problems cardiologists handle is atrial fibrillation, also called AFib or AF. AFib is an abnormal or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.
	Baby naming time? Here's how people judge what's in a name "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."-Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet
	Promising clinical trial results for drug for rare disease in which patients can't eat fat People with familial chylomicronemia syndrome are born with a genetic mutation that means they can't produce an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase. Without the enzyme, their bodies can't break down dietary-derived fat in the blood. Instead, fat-carrying molecules called chylomicrons build up in the blood, causing many life-threatening symptoms, most notably pancreatitis. People living with this condition must follow a strict low-fat diet, but there is no treatment.
	Fertility and prion disease A high degree of uncertainty surrounds the issue of the prion disease risk associated with fertility drugs derived from urine, gonadotropins. Writing in the International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management, a team from Canada hopes to address this issue. At the time of writing, the transmission of prion disease via this route is entirely theoretical as there have been no reported cases of incidence.
	Finding non-opioid alternatives for cancer pain Westey Watson spent 18 years finishing concrete, then another 19 as a contractor—all the while beating up his body to the point of endless pain. To cope, he got in the habit of taking hydrocodone, or Norco, at 10 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. every day just to get the work done.
	Racist experiences and skin tone discrimination linked to delays in prenatal care African American women are at a two to three times greater risk of experiencing illness, injury or death during pregnancy compared to other racial groups in the United States.
	Unlocking speech for kids with autism For parents of a child with autism, communication is often the No. 1 hurdle. But what if there were a simple way to help them get their youngster talking?
	FDA: approval of zolgensma was based on manipulated data The maker of Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) gave manipulated data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when it approved the drug, the agency said Tuesday.
	Nurse intervention using tech may improve PID care in youth Adolescent and young adult women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) are more likely to experience decreases in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis positivity with a technology-enhanced community health nursing (TECH-N) intervention, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in JAMA Network Open.
	Vitamin D is not linked to low blood pressure in older adults Researchers from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College have shown in the largest study to-date that vitamin D is not associated with low blood pressure on standing (orthostatic hypotension) in older adults. Their findings have been published recently in the prestigious journal Hypertension.
	Morning workouts safer for people with type 1 diabetes, study suggests Exercising first thing in the morning might be a safer option for people with type 1 diabetes, according to a University of Alberta researcher who compared blood glucose responses in people with diabetes who lifted weights in the morning or in the afternoon.
	Researchers aim to create AI companion for lonely seniors Computing scientists at the University of Alberta are taking the first steps toward chatbots that can express and respond to emotion during a conversation—including artificially intelligent companions that could help relieve loneliness for seniors.
	Parents' drug, alcohol and tobacco use negatively impacts all areas of child well-being We all know that the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs harms our own health. But many people are not aware that their use of these substances can sometimes also affect the health and well-being of others—including their own children.
	Older people with alcohol dependence problems desperately need better support Tom held a responsible position at a charity. Friends described him as a kind and caring man. But following the death of his father, he turned to alcohol and lost his job and a close relationship. Living alone, his social circle became dominated by others with alcohol problems. After years of abuse and exploitation, at age 61, he was murdered.
	Blood signature for β-cell autoimmunity – potential tool for disease prevention Using cutting-edge genomics methods a gene signature predicting type 1 diabetes was discovered. This signature is detectable already before the appearance of type 1 diabetes associated autoantibodies. The finding could help in identifying early on the children who are likely to develop the disease later.
	Blood signature for β-cell autoimmunity – potential tool for disease prevention Using cutting-edge genomics methods a gene signature predicting type 1 diabetes was discovered. This signature is detectable already before the appearance of type 1 diabetes associated autoantibodies. The finding could help in identifying early on the children who are likely to develop the disease later.
	Thermally stable TB vaccine closer to reality thanks to microscopic silica cages Scientists working on a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine have achieved a major step forward by showing that a promising TB antigen and a novel vaccine adjuvant can be protected from heat damage with a technique developed at the University of Bath.
	Study finds fish preserve DNA 'memories' far better than humans We are all familiar with the common myth that fish have poor memory, but it turns that their DNA has the capacity to hold much more memory than that of humans.
	Researchers integrate genomics data in to electronic patient records Researchers from the HSE Epilepsy Lighthouse Project and FutureNeuro, the SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases hosted by RCSI, have developed a new genomics module in the Irish National Epilepsy Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system.
Nanovectors could improve the combined administration of antimalarial drugs Encapsulating two drugs with different properties into nanovesicles surrounded by antibodies can greatly improve their delivery and efficacy, according to a study led by Xavier Fernández Busquets, director of the joint Nanomalaria unit at the Institute for Bionengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa."
'We are scared': Deadly dengue outbreak overwhelms Bangladesh Five-year-old Mohammad Ahnaf lies in a makeshift bed in the balcony of a major hospital in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, fighting for his life as dengue fever ravages his little body.
Having a parent, sibling, or child with blood cancer increases one's own risk New data suggest that people who have a parent, sibling, or child with blood cancer have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with the disease. The study published online today in Blood offers the first evidence that such familial risks exist across the spectrum of hematologic malignancies.
Study finds changes in mindset key to helping college students exercise more Viewing physical activity as an outlet for stress can increase college students' willingness to exercise. However, in order to maintain that routine, students need social support from family and friends, according to research published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
	Brain researchers invent an affordable smartphone measurement for testing of medications Suffering from tremor can be very frustrating and reduce the quality of life for many people. This includes people suffering from Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury and a relatively high fraction of the elderly. Today, there are no effective treatments for tremor, and thus, there is great potential in finding medications that can inhibit or completely suppress the tremor.
	How cigarette smoke makes head and neck cancer more aggressive Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world. The vast majority of cases are head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a type of cancer that arises in the outer layer of the skin and mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and throat. Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for developing the disease and reduces treatment effectiveness.
	Pupillary response to glare illusions of different colors The Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Toyohashi University of Technology formed a research team with the University of Oslo to measure the size of subjects' pupils when viewing a brightness illusion (glare illusion). The pupil expands (dilates) in dark environments and contracts in bright environments in order to control the amount of light that enters the eye. Pupil contraction is also known to occur when people view a brightness illusion. This study involved showing glare illusions to subjects in a variety of different colors, and concluded that a blue glare illusion was perceived to be the brightest among all the colors and that subjects' pupils constricted significantly in relation to this perception. The results of this study were published in the Dutch journal, Acta Psychologica on July 6.
	Pancreatic cancer: Less toxic, more enduring drug may improve therapy Unlike many other cancers, most pancreatic tumors are rock hard.
	Improved Reflex app from brightlamp provides diagnostic data for concussions in seconds Capturing objective data in about five seconds that can aid concussion diagnoses through an iPhone, the Reflex PLR Analyzer, an industry-disruptive diagnostic tool for traumatic brain injury and various cognitive issues, is rapidly advancing in the healthcare market with the launch of a new version of Reflex, brightlamp's premier mobile pupillometer technology.
	Many risk factors contribute to worsening of quality of life in people with knee OA A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that the health-related quality of life of most people who have had or have a higher risk of knee osteoarthritis remained unchanged over an eight-year trajectory. Worsening of quality of life was associated with several risk factors, such as obesity and smoking, and it also reflected the patient's need for treatment. Published in PLOS ONE, the findings can help to identify patients who will benefit from early treatment.
	Preventing heart attacks Scientists have taken an important step towards finding a potential cure for the disease that causes strokes and heart attacks in seniors and increases the mortality rate of diabetic and chronic kidney disease patients.
	Thirty-three percent of new childhood asthma cases in Europe attributable to air pollution Up to 11% of new childhood asthma cases could be prevented each year if European countries complied with the WHO PM2.5 air quality guidelines. Moreover, 33% of new annual cases could be prevented in European countries if they were able to reduce air pollution levels to lowest levels recorded in the literature. Those are the conclusions of a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa," and published in the European Respiratory Journal.
	Can eating poop save you from this deadly bacteria? Every year, around half a million people in the United States get sick from the bacterium C. diff, often after taking antibiotics. Sounds counterintuitive? This week on Reactions, we break down why that happens, and how an unlikely hero could save the day.
	New technology to improve delivery of anti-inflammatory drugs A researcher at Washington State University Health Sciences Spokane has developed a new technology that harnesses the immune system to deliver drugs directly to infection sites within the body.
	Children with type 1 diabetes have poorer educational outcomes (HealthDay)—Children with type 1 diabetes have worse education and health outcomes than their peers, according to a study published online July 15 in Diabetes Care.
	FDA reports more seizures among vapers (HealthDay)—There have been 118 more reports of e-cigarette users suffering seizures since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration first warned the public about the danger in April.
	Kids getting too many opioids after tonsillectomy THURSDAY, Aug. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) —Amid a U.S. epidemic of opioid abuse, a new study finds that even children are being prescribed powerful opioid painkillers after having their tonsils removed.
	Can major surgeries cause a long-term 'brain drain'? (HealthDay)—Before any surgery, you typically hear warnings about risks like bleeding and infection, but new research suggests that problems with thinking or memory can often follow a major procedure.
	Philippines 'open' to dengue vaccine as outbreak kills hundreds As hundreds die in a severe dengue outbreak in the Philippines, many of them children, President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday he was open to lifting his government's blanket ban on the Dengvaxia vaccine.
	Researchers identify barriers to fungal infection diagnosis There are several barriers that prevent the consistent use of fungal diagnostic preparations to correctly identify cutaneous fungal infections, according to a survey from a team at the George Washington University (GW). The study is published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.
	Scientists make major breakthrough in understanding common eye disease Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have announced a major breakthrough with important implications for sufferers of a common eye disease—dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) - which can cause total blindness in sufferers, and for which there are currently no approved therapies.
	Ezetimibe reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes Patients with a history of coronary heart disease (CHD) or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) benefit more from treatment with a statin in combination with ezetimibe than from treatment with a statin alone. However, there is no hint that the combination therapy of a statin plus ezetimibe is also superior to the combination of a statin plus the lipid-lowering drug alirocumab. No studies on other lipid-lowering combination options were available.
	A new pathway: Researchers identify potential treatment target for Crohn's disease There is no cure for the more than 1.6 million people in the United States living with Crohn's disease (CD) and its symptoms, including abdominal pain, intestinal distress and severe weight-loss. CD is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which the body's own immune system attacks the gastrointestinal tract, and treatment is focused on controlling the symptoms of the disease in its acute phase and managing it in remission. But recently, researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine identified a pathway in the immune system activated in CD and which holds promise for investigating new treatments.
	Balance of 'stop' and 'go' signaling could be key to cancer immunotherapy response A crucial signaling pathway that can tell the immune system to fight off cancer can also be co-opted by cancer cells to put the brakes on the immune system, according to a new study from researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Researchers say this increased understanding can serve as a biomarker that helps predict which patients are likely to respond to immunotherapies. They also show how tipping the balance has potential implications for therapy itself, since blocking the signal in cancer cells helps the immune system fight off tumors in multiple pre-clinical cancer models. The study was published in Cell today.
	Bringing cancer medication safely to its destination Treating cancer more selectively and more effectively—this could be achieved with an innovative technology developed by teams of researchers at the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU). The process transforms proteins and antibodies into stable, highly functional drug transporters, with which tumor cells can be detected and killed.
	Genetic variation contributes to individual differences in pleasure Differences in how our brains respond when we're anticipating a financial reward are due, in part, to genetic differences, according to research with identical and fraternal twins published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings suggest that how we experience pleasure and reward is at least partly heritable.
	Depression is the single largest predictor of substance use during pregnancy It is well known that tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use during pregnancy are associated with poor birth outcomes, yet many women continue to use these substances during pregnancy.
	COMPASS study site shares post-stroke care findings with patients, caregivers, clinicians You've lost count of the sleepless nights spent in a hospital, but now your loved one is finally ready to go home following a stroke. Are you prepared to care for them?
	Restructuring Medicare Shared Savings Program can yield 40% savings in health costs More than a trillion dollars was spent on healthcare in the United States in 2018, with Medicare and Medicaid accounting for some 37% of those expenditures. With healthcare costs expected to continue to rise by roughly 5% per year, a continued debate in healthcare policy is how to reduce costs without compromising quality.
	Researchers study the neurochemistry of social perception Cues signaling trust and dominance are crucial for social life. Recent research from Dr. Dan Krawczyk's lab at the Center for BrainHealth explored whether administering two chemically similar hormones known to affect social cognition—oxytocin and vasopressin—would influence the perception of trustworthiness and/or social dominance. This research extended previous studies on the effects of oxytocin, which had inconsistent findings and only explored its influence on perceptions of trustworthiness.
	Study finds specific microbiome tied to long-term survival of patients with pancreatic cancer A key difference between the few pancreatic cancer patients who survive long-term and the many whose disease overcomes all treatments is the bacterial signatures on their tumors that either stimulate or suppress immune response, a team led by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports in the journal Cell.
	New research points to potential therapy for abnormal touch sensitivity in autism spectrum disorders The inability to tolerate light touch is a telltale feature of autism and one of the disorder's many perplexing symptoms. It has defied treatment, and its precise origins have remained somewhat of a mystery.
	One cell at a time, researchers create a blueprint of liver cells in health and disease In every tissue throughout our bodies, various cell types are communicating and coordinating their efforts to perform vital functions and maintain health.
	Lassa virus' soft spot revealed As this year's Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria is finally ebbing, the total tally came to more than 600 infected people, one-quarter of them dead. Thousands more die each year, uncounted in rural villages throughout West Africa. With an annual wave of infections and new viral strains emerging, it has never been more important to understand the characteristics of a broadly protective immune response in order to develop effective treatments, or better yet, a vaccine.
Insights on timing of Huntington's Disease onset Huntington's disease (HD), an inherited and fatal disorder in which nerve cells in the brain break down over time, may become evident at any time in life but typically starts in a person's 30s or 40s. New research results published in the journal Cell, call into question an accepted theory about the timing of HD onset.
Researchers discover why intense light can protect cardiovascular health Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found that intense light amplifies a specific gene that bolsters blood vessels and offers protection against heart attacks.
Existing anti-parasitic drug could offer treatment for Ebola Amid the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Congo, now threatening to spill into Rwanda, a new study suggests that an existing, FDA-approved drug called nitazoxanide could potentially help contain this deadly, highly contagious infection. In meticulous experiments in human cells, led by Boston Children's Hospital, the drug significantly amplified immune responses to Ebola and inhibited Ebola replication.
Study shows gun shops can aid in preventing suicides Firearm retailers around Washington state are willing to learn about suicide prevention and to train their employees in how to spot and act on suicide warning signs, a new University of Washington study finds.
	Toxic lead removed from Paris schools after Notre Dame fire Workers in full protective gear began Thursday to decontaminate some Paris schools tested with unsafe levels of lead following the blaze at the Notre Dame Cathedral, as part of efforts to protect children from risks of lead poisoning.
	Gene protective against fruit fly heat-induced seizures may explain some human seizures Researchers identified a gene in fruit flies that helps prevent the hyperexcitability of specific neurons that trigger seizures. In humans, mutations in the gene may be linked to seizures associated with Long QT Syndrome. A research team led by Yehuda Ben-Shahar of Washington University in St. Louis report these findings in a paper published 8th August in PLOS Genetics.
Reducing exposure to opioids after cesarean delivery An effort to improve the scheduled cesarean section delivery experience found that changes to preoperative and postoperative processes can lead to reductions in opioid use without increased pain and with faster recovery, according to research from Kaiser Permanente published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Targeting apolipoprotein E could be key to eliminating hepatitis B virus Human apolipoprotein E (apoE) promotes hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and production, according to a study published Aug 8 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Luhua Qiao and Guangxiang (George) Luo of the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. The findings suggest that inhibitors interfering with apoE biogenesis, secretion, and/or binding to receptors may serve as antivirals for the elimination of chronic HBV infection.
	Different gammaherpesviruses suppress largely overlapping host cellular pathways The discovery of thousands of host mRNAs targeted by gammaherpesvirus microRNAs (miRNAs) could shed light on the biology of gammaherpesviruses and how these pathogens establish lifelong infections, according to a study published August 8 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Scott Tibbetts of the University of Florida, and colleagues.
Food insecurity common across US higher education campuses Many university and college students across the U.S. report lacking access to a reliable supply of nutritious food, a concept known as food insecurity, which can affect their ability to learn, according to research presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association.
	Mayo Clinic minute: Children should have MMR vaccine for first day of school As families around the country get ready to send their children off to school—and some for the first time—it's important to ensure their vaccinations are up to date. Dr. Robert Jacobson, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician, explains why the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is so important to the health of children and those around them. Consider it an important stop on the path to the classroom.
	Don't count on freezing ovarian tissue to delay menopause or stop your biological clock A company in the United Kingdom is offering women a procedure it says can delay menopause up to 20 years and allow women to delay having babies.
	Personal trainers' top tips Ever wonder what top trainers tell their best clients? Personal trainers excel in mapping out individualized exercise programs. And they also offer insights that can help fitness buffs stay motivated.

Biology news

	Ex2SM: A text mining method to detect repeated strings in biological sequences For several years, researchers have been trying to use computational methods for exact string matching, which entails identifying repeating patterns in long strings of text or digits. This is because tools that can automatically identify these repeating patterns could have numerous important applications in fields such as genetics and biology.
	Researchers find neonicotinoids present a danger to pollinators A small team of environmentalists with Friends of the Earth, Toxicology Research International and Pesticide Research Institute has carried out a study of insecticide toxicity loading of chemical pesticides that are used on agricultural lands in the U.S. They have concluded that neonicotinoids present a major danger to pollinating insects and have posted their results on the open-access site PLOS ONE.
	Looking out for the little guys: Overfishing of small fishes affects food chain Small fishes play an important role in the marine food chain, providing food for larger fishes and water birds, but they are also caught for use as bait in both commercial and recreational fisheries. Over the past 30 years, a decline has been noted in some species of baitfish, leading scientists and resource managers to look more closely at the population dynamics of these important fish. However, baitfish tend to congregate in large schools containing multiple species, making it difficult to study individual populations.
	New bio-inspired technology is poised to disrupt the composites industry A new lightweight, impact-resistant technology inspired by a tiny crustacean could change the way we play sports, and also improve wind-farm productivity and automotive fuel economy.
	Tiny snapping worms make one of the loudest noises in the ocean, study shows When marine biologist Richard Palmer saw a video of sea-dwelling worms snapping at each other and making one of the loudest sounds ever measured in aquatic animals, he couldn't believe his ears.
New research on garden-variety snake sheds light on how reptiles evolved New research on a garden-variety snake in Alberta provides an unprecedented look at how their skulls develop—and may offer new clues into how reptiles evolved.
	New monkey species discovered in the Amazon's 'arc of deforestation' A new species of marmoset has been discovered in the southwest of Pará State in Brazil, a discovery that, while thrilling, already has conservationists worrying about its long-term prospects.
	Stony corals: At the limits of adaption? Corals fascinate amateurs and experts alike: small polyps that extract calcium carbonate from seawater and use it to build their elaborate skeletons. But climate change, with rising water temperatures and increasing ocean acidification, is changing the living conditions of corals at an unprecedented rate. Whether they can keep pace with these changes and adapt is an open question.
	Control theory: Mother nature is an engineer In the last 150 years, engineers have developed and mastered ways to stabilize dynamic systems, without lag or overshoot, using what's known as control theory. Now, a team of University of Arizona researchers has shown that cells and organisms evolved complex biochemical circuits that follow the principles of control theory, millions of years before the first engineer put pencil to paper.
	Using recent gene flow to define microbe populations Identifying species among plants and animals has been a full-time occupation for some biologists, but the task is even more daunting for the myriad microbes that inhabit the planet. Now, MIT researchers have developed a simple measurement of gene flow that can define ecologically important populations among bacteria and archaea, including pinpointing populations associated with human diseases.
	Studies of fungi provide new knowledge of harmful mutations in cells Long-lived mushrooms that grow in 'fairy rings' accumulate surprisingly few mutations over time. This finding indicates that their protection against harmful mutations is well developed. The results, to be published in the esteemed journal Current Biology, are interesting in terms of both medicine and evolutionary biology.
	Study furthers radically new view of gene control In recent years, MIT scientists have developed a new model for how key genes are controlled that suggests the cellular machinery that transcribes DNA into RNA forms specialized droplets called condensates. These droplets occur only at certain sites on the genome, helping to determine which genes are expressed in different types of cells.
	An 88 percent decline in large freshwater animals Rivers and lakes cover just about one percent of Earth's surface, but are home to one third of all vertebrate species worldwide. At the same time, freshwater life is highly threatened. Scientists from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and international colleagues have now quantified the global decline of big freshwater animals: From 1970 to 2012, global populations of freshwater megafauna declined by 88 percent—twice the loss of vertebrate populations on land or in the ocean. Large fish species are particularly affected. And yet there remain large gaps in monitoring and conservation actions for freshwater megafauna, particularly in areas with high levels of biodiversity.
	Scientists uncover the intricacies of the 'on/off switch' that creates cell differentiation A team of biologists has discovered how cells become different from each other during embryogenesis, a finding that offers new insights into genetic activity and has implications for better understanding the onset of disease and birth defects.
	Migration can promote or inhibit cooperation between individuals A new mathematical analysis suggests that migration can generate patterns in the spatial distribution of individuals that promote cooperation and allow populations to thrive, in spite of the threat of exploitation. Felix Funk and Christoph Hauert of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, present these findings in PLOS Computational Biology.
	Despite habitat protection, endangered owls decline in Mount Rainier National Park When the Northern Spotted Owl was protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, the primary threat to the species was the loss of the old-growth forest it depends on. However, new research published in The Condor: Ornithological Applications shows that the Northern Spotted Owl population in Washington's Mount Rainier National Park has declined sharply in the past two decades despite the long-term preservation of habitat within the park. The culprit? The spread of Barred Owls, a closely related, competing species that has moved into Spotted Owls' range from the east.
	Fungi living in cattail roots could improve our picture of ancient ecoystems Paleobotanist Az Klymiuk didn't set out to upend science's understanding of the fossil record of plant-fungal associations. She just wanted to figure out the environment that some fossil plants lived in. That question led her to look at modern cattail roots and the fungi that live inside of them. She found that fungi have a harder time growing in cattail roots that are underwater. And that discovery, which is being published in the journal Mycologia, could change how we interpret some parts of the fossil record, including an important community of early land plants.
	California roadkill report maps costs, hot spots and solutions California drivers lost about $232 million to costs associated with wildlife-vehicle conflicts in 2018 and over $1 billion since 2015, according to the sixth annual Wildlife Vehicle Conflict report from the Road Ecology Center at the University of California, Davis.
	Pine trees send chemical warning to each other when pine beetles attack Lodgepole pines attacked by mountain pine beetles release volatile chemical compounds to warn related trees of the incoming threat, according to a new University of Alberta study.
	Viruses aren't all nasty: Some can actually protect our health Viruses are mostly known for their aggressive and infectious nature.
	City coyotes' poor diets could make them more aggressive, study suggests City coyotes' garbage-based diets are affecting their gut bacteria and that could affect how they interact with humans, new University of Alberta research shows.
	With tiny technological tweezers, researchers uncover new aspects of cell division The body's cells are constantly dividing—which, somewhat counterintuitively, means that they're constantly multiplying. Because when a cell divides it doesn't split into two useless halves, but rather into two fully functional cells.
	When invasive plants take root, native animals pay the price Imagine a new breed of pirate not only able to sail the high seas, but to exploit nearly any mode of transportation without detection. And these raiders' ambitions have little to do with amassing treasure and everything to do with hijacking ecosystems.
	Researchers identify type of parasitic bacteria that saps corals of energy Researchers at Oregon State University have proposed a new genus of bacteria that flourishes when coral reefs become polluted, siphoning energy from the corals and making them more susceptible to disease.
	Fish that follow 'gourmet diet' more threatened by climate change Fish that follow a 'gourmet diet' may be more threatened by climate change and other environmental variations than those that are not picky eaters, new research from the Sea Around Us initiative at the University of British Columbia, the University of New Brunswick, and the Fisheries Department at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has found.
	These sharks use unique molecules to glow green In the depths of the sea, certain shark species transform the ocean's blue light into a bright green color that only other sharks can see—but how they biofluoresce has previously been unclear. In a study publishing August 8 in the journal iScience, researchers have identified what's responsible for the sharks' bright green hue: a previously unknown family of small-molecule metabolites. Not only is this mechanism of biofluorescence different from how most marine creatures glow, but it may also play other useful roles for the sharks, including helping them identify each other in the ocean and fight against microbial infections.
	Protein factors increasing yield of a biofuel precursor in microscopic algae As an alternative to traditional fossil fuels, biofuels represent a more environmentally friendly and sustainable fuel source. Plant or animal fats can be converted to biofuels through a process called transesterification. In particular, the storage molecule triacylglycerol (TAG), found in microscopic algae, is one of the most promising sources of fat for biofuel production, as microalgae are small, easy to grow, and reproduce quickly. Therefore, increasing the yield of TAG from microalgae could improve biofuel production processes. With this ultimate goal in mind, Professor Hiroyuki Ohta from the Tokyo Institute of Technology and colleagues investigated the conditions under which the model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii produces more TAG.
	Tobacco plant 'stickiness' aids helpful insects, plant health Researchers at North Carolina State University have shown that "sticky" hairlike structures on tobacco leaves can help attract beneficial insects that scavenge on other insects trapped on the leaves, increasing leaf yield and reducing pest damage to plant structures.
	Novel strategy uncovers potential to control widespread soilborne pathogens Soilborne pathogens are a major issue worldwide as they can infect a broad range of agricultural plants, resulting in serious crop losses devastating to farmers. These persistent pathogens are often resistant toward chemical fungicides, making them difficult to control, and have a broad host range, enabling them to damage a variety of important crops.
Human microbiome churns out thousands of tiny novel proteins, researchers find Your body is a wonderland. A wonderland teeming with trillions of bacteria, that is. But it's not as horrifying as it might sound. In fact, there's mounting evidence that many aspects of our health are closely intertwined with the composition and hardiness of our microscopic compatriots, though exactly how is still mostly unclear.
	The war on pythons: Florida Gov. DeSantis steps up the fight Gov. Ron DeSantis announced additional steps Wednesday to fight Burmese pythons, the giant snakes that have wiped out much of the mammal population of the Everglades.

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