Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Aug 13

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 13, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Counterintuitive physics property found to be widespread in living organisms

Application of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (n-HA) in tumor-associated bone segmental defect

New millisecond pulsar discovered

Atomic 'Trojan horse' could inspire new generation of X-ray lasers and particle colliders

Study: All major Chinese cities capable of generating solar power more cheaply than grid

Finding a cosmic fog within shattered intergalactic pancakes

High temperature thermal shocks increase stability of single-atom catalysts

Ancient natural history of antibiotic production and resistance revealed

Jurassic world of volcanoes found in central Australia

NASA mission selects final four site candidates for asteroid sample return

Meteorite strikes made life on Earth possible

Scientists link climate change to melting in West Antarctica

A squishy Rubik's Cube that chemists built from polymers holds promise for data storage

Taking the pulse of peatland carbon emissions could measure climate impact of development

Finding the brain's compass

Astronomy & Space news

	New millisecond pulsar discovered Astronomers have reported a serendipitous discovery of a new millisecond pulsar as part of an observational campaign using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope. The newly detected pulsar has a spin period of about 2.77 ms and received designation PSR J1431−6328. The finding is detailed in a paper published August 8 on the arXiv pre-print repository.
	Finding a cosmic fog within shattered intergalactic pancakes To understand the most ordinary matter in the universe—and the extraordinary things that happen to it—a Yale-led team of astronomers took a deep dive into the cosmic fog.
	NASA mission selects final four site candidates for asteroid sample return After months grappling with the rugged reality of asteroid Bennu's surface, the team leading NASA's first asteroid sample return mission has selected four potential sites for the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft to "tag" its cosmic dance partner.
	NASA's Spitzer spies a perfectly sideways galaxy This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope might look like a lightsaber floating in space, but it's actually an entire galaxy viewed on its side.
	Second baby planet found using pioneering technique Monash astrophysicists using the ALMA telescope in Chile have a made a world-first discovery with the sighting of a second new 'baby' planet (two to three times heavier than Jupiter) inside a gas and dust gap.
	Fluorescent glow may reveal hidden life in the cosmos Astronomers have uncovered a new way of searching for life in the cosmos. Harsh ultraviolet radiation flares from red suns, once thought to destroy surface life on planets, might help uncover hidden biospheres. Their radiation could trigger a protective glow from life on exoplanets called biofluorescence, according to new Cornell University research.
	Critical observation made on Maunakea during first night of return to operations The existing astronomical observatories on Maunakea returned to operations this weekend, and it didn't take long for a significant result to be achieved, not only for science, but for assuring the safety of the Earth.
	Image: Small object spotted orbiting 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Last week marked five years since ESA's Rosetta probe arrived at its target, a comet named 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (or 67P/C-G). Tomorrow, 13 August, it will be four years since the comet, escorted by Rosetta, reached its perihelion—the closest point to the sun along its orbit. This image, gathered by Rosetta a couple of months after perihelion, when the comet activity was still very intense, depicts the nucleus of the comet with an unusual companion: a chunk of orbiting debris (circled).
	One year, two trips around sun for NASA's Parker Solar Probe Since NASA's Parker Solar Probe launched on Aug. 12, 2018, Earth has made a single trip around the sun—while the daring solar explorer is well into its third orbit around our star. With two close passes by the sun already under its belt, Parker Solar Probe is speeding toward another close solar approach on Sept. 1, 2019.
	Solar physics with the Square Kilometre Array Although solar physics is one of the most mature branches of astrophysics, the sun confronts researchers with a large number of outstanding fundamental problems. These problems include the determination of the structure and dynamics of the solar atmosphere, the magnetic field evolution in the chromosphere and corona, coronal heating, the physics of impulsive energy release, energetic particle acceleration and transport, the physics of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and shocks, as well as the solar origin of space weather drivers.

Technology news

	Study: All major Chinese cities capable of generating solar power more cheaply than grid A team of researchers with the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Mälardalen University and Tsinghua University has found that all of China's major cities are now in a position to produce electricity from solar power more cheaply than can be had from the grid. In their paper published in the journal Nature Energy, the group describes how they estimated solar energy costs for all the major Chinese cities, and what they found when they compared them to costs associated with the grid.
	'MacGyver'-like robot can build own tools by assessing form, function of supplies Thanks to new technology that enables them to create simple tools, robots may be on the verge of their own version of the Stone Age.
	Check Point Research shows DSLR camera vulnerabilities A security researcher took advantage of vulnerabilities in a protocol used in digital cameras to infect ransomware into a DSLR camera over a rogue WiFi connection.
	Growth of wind energy points to future challenges, promise Advances in adapting the technology for cold climates and offshore use and better methods for predicting wind conditions have fanned significant growth of the use of wind turbines for electricity in the last 40 years. A new report takes stock of where the field is now and what lies ahead.
	Carnegie Mellon team flexes hacking prowess with fifth DefCon title in seven years Carnegie Mellon University's competitive hacking team, the Plaid Parliament of Pwning (PPP), just won its fifth hacking world championship in seven years at this year's DefCon security conference, widely considered the "World Cup" of hacking. The championship, played in the form of a virtual game of "capture the flag," was held August 8-11 in Las Vegas.
	UN probing 35 North Korean cyberattacks in 17 countries U.N. experts say they are investigating at least 35 instances in 17 countries of North Koreans using cyberattacks to illegally raise money for weapons of mass destruction programs—and they are calling for sanctions against ships providing gasoline and diesel to the country.
	Researchers create 'ninth way of killing a battery' They crush 'em. They pierce 'em.
	New design advances optical neural networks that compute at the speed of light using engineered matter Diffractive deep neural network is an optical machine learning framework that uses diffractive surfaces and engineered matter to all optically perform computation. After its design and training in a computer using modern deep learning methods, each network is physically fabricated, using for example 3-D printing or lithography, to engineer the trained network model into matter. This 3-D structure of engineered matter is composed of transmissive and/or reflective surfaces that altogether perform machine learning tasks through light-matter interaction and optical diffraction, at the speed of light, and without the need for any power, except for the light that illuminates the input object. This is especially significant for recognizing target objects much faster and with significantly less power compared to standard computer based machine learning systems, and might provide major advantages for autonomous vehicles and various defense related applications, among others. Introduced by UCLA researchers [1], this framework was experimentally validated for object classification and imaging, providing a scalable and energy efficient optical computation framework. In following research, UCLA engineers further improved the inference performance of diffractive optical neural networks by integrating them with standard digital deep neural networks, forming hybrid machine learning models that perform computation partially using light diffraction through matter and partially using a computer [2].
	Microsoft halts development of Minecraft update Microsoft has halted development of an ambitious update to Minecraft, throwing in the towel after concluding it was technically too complicated, according to a blog post by the team responsible for the hit adventure and construction game.
	Machine learning tool improves tracking of tiny moving particles Scientists have developed an automated tool for mapping the movement of particles inside cells that may accelerate research in many fields, a new study in eLife reports.
	Fast, not so furious? Europe wrestles with electric scooters Ban them outright. Issue speeding tickets. Make users take a driving test. From Paris to Berlin, European cities are searching for solutions to the two-wheeled phenomenon that's fast transforming cityscapes worldwide: Electric scooters.
	Snap releasing new Spectacles that capture 3-D images Snap on Tuesday unveiled new-generation Spectacles sunglasses that can take 3D pictures to share on its Snapchat messaging service known for ephemeral posts.
	CBS, Viacom to reunite as media giants bulk up for streaming CBS and Viacom announced a long-anticipated reunion Tuesday, bringing together their television networks and the Paramount movie studio as traditional media giants bulk up to challenge streaming companies like Netflix.
	Machine learning for damaging mutations prediction Next-generation sequencing technology has ushered in a new era in medicine, making it easier to identify a sequence of nucleotides in DNA or a sequence of amino acids in the proteins of a specific individual and use this information for diagnosis and treatment. Minute alterations in these sequences can be indicative of a minor disorder, and sometimes a grave disease.
	Vehicle emissions: New sensor technology to improve air quality in cities Today, air pollution is one of the biggest challenges facing European cities. As part of the Horizon 2020 research project CARES (City Air Remote Emission Sensing), an international research consortium is working on new contactless exhaust measurement methods that will enable municipalities to take emission-reducing measures. In concrete terms, the researchers want to develop new sensors that can be attached to roadsides, crash barriers or traffic signs which detect the exhaust emission of passing vehicles in a matter of seconds.
	Faith 2.0: pilgrims turn to tech to boost hajj The hajj pilgrimage underway in Mecca has been accelerating the growth of digital worship and spawning a slew of religious apps, tablet Korans and faith-based gadgets.
	'Wi-Fi 'antenna' provides options for rural areas Ah, the joys of living out in the country: the quiet, the space and the peacefulness. Then there's the internet connection, which can go from bad to worse quickly in many rural areas.

Medicine & Health news

	Application of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (n-HA) in tumor-associated bone segmental defect Materials scientists widely incorporate hydroxyapatite (HA) for bone repair in bone tissue engineering (BTE) due to its superior biocompatibility as a natural component of human bones and teeth. In a recent report on Science Advances, a research team highlighted the proliferation-suppressive effect of HA nanoparticles (n-HA) against a variety of cancer cells by combining the translational value of n-HA as a bone-regenerating material and an anti-tumor agent. In the study, Kun Zhang and an interdisciplinary research team in the departments of Orthopedic Surgery, Dermatology, Biomedical Metal Materials and the National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials in China, demonstrated the inhibition of tumor growth, metastasis prevention and the enhancement of the survival rate in tumor-bearing rabbits treated with n-HA.
	Finding the brain's compass The world is constantly bombarding our senses with information, but the ways in which our brain extracts meaning from this information remains elusive. How do neurons transform raw visual input into a mental representation of an object—like a chair or a dog?
	Researchers identify how vaginal microbiome can elicit resistance to chlamydia The vaginal microbiome is believed to protect women against Chlamydia trachomatis, the etiological agent of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in developed countries. New research by the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) shows how the microbiome can either protect or make a woman more susceptible to these serious infections.The research is important amid a rising number of cases of chlamydia worldwide. In the U.S. alone, 1.7 million cases of chlamydia were reported in 2017, a 22% increase since 2013, according to data from the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC).
	Brains trained on e-devices may struggle to understand scientific info Overuse of electronic devices is no "LOL"—laughing out loud—matter, according to researchers, who suggest that excessive interaction with e-devices may be related to weaker activity in areas of the brain that are key to understanding scientific texts.
	Researchers identify glial cells as critical players in brain's response to social stress Exposure to violence, social conflict, and other stressors increase risk for psychiatric conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Not everyone who experiences significant stress will develop such a response, however, and the cellular and molecular basis for an individual's underlying resilience or susceptibility to stressful events has remained poorly understood. Now, a newly published paper in the journal eLife from researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at The Graduate Center, CUNY suggests that the behavior of oligodendrocytes—the glial cells that produce the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers—plays a critical role in determining whether we succumb to or tolerate stress.
	Platform for lab-grown heart cells lets researchers examine functional effects of drugs Animal models provide benefits for biomedical research, but translating such findings to human physiology can be difficult. The human heart's energy needs and functions are difficult to reproduce in other animals, such as mice and rats. One new system looks to circumvent these issues and provide a functional view of how different treatments can help ailing cells in the heart following oxygen and nutrient deprivations.
	Damaged hearts rewired with nanotube fibers Thin, flexible fibers made of carbon nanotubes have now proven able to bridge damaged heart tissues and deliver the electrical signals needed to keep those hearts beating.
	A leap forward in kidney disease research: Scientists develop breakthrough in vitro model Kidneys work to constantly filter blood and remove toxins from the body. Conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) are characterized by a reduced ability to perform this essential function. CKD incidence is growing and more than 1.4 million individuals depend on dialysis or kidney transplant for survival. Development of new treatments requires an understanding of the mechanisms of the disease progression, but scientists have not been able to accurately model kidney filtration in vitro - until now.
	Preclinical research suggests anti-cancer effect of keto diet It's well known that keeping blood glucose levels in check can help individuals avoid or manage diabetes, but new research led by biologists at The University of Texas at Dallas suggests that restricting blood glucose levels might also keep certain cancers at bay.
	Foraging for information: Machine learning decodes genetic influence over behavior Mice scurry around while foraging for food, but genetics may be the unseen hand controlling these meandering movements. Researchers at University of Utah Health are using machine learning to draw links between genetic controls that shape incremental steps of instinctive and learned behaviors. The results are available online in Cell Reports on August 13.
	Single enzyme helps drive inflammation in mice, provides target for new sepsis drugs Sepsis occurs when the body goes overboard in its attempt to fight off an infection. Immune cells rush in, overreact and wreak havoc on tissues and organs, often resulting in organ failure and death.
Better tests needed for urinary tract infections Doctors urgently need a fast and accurate test for diagnosing urinary tract infections (UTIs) to reduce overprescribing of antibiotics, according to health researchers.
	Mode of delivery at birth may play key role in shaping the child's skin microbiome The maturation of skin microbial communities during childhood is important for the skin health of children and development of the immune system into adulthood, but only a few studies have analyzed the microbiota in young children. In a new study, investigators in China found that bacterial genera in children were more similar to those of their own mothers than to those of unrelated women. Their data suggest that the mode of delivery at birth could be an important factor in shaping the child's microbiome. They report their findings in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, published by Elsevier.
	Team uncovers potential for Rift Valley fever virus transmission in Colorado livestock Rift Valley fever virus is a global health concern that is caused by infected mosquitos and the handling of infected animal carcasses.
	Nearly 1 in 2 swingers uses recreational drugs to intensify sex, survey suggests Nearly one in two swingers uses recreational drugs to intensify the experience, with women more likely to do so than either straight or bisexual men, suggest the results of a Dutch survey, published online in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.
	Remove false teeth before general anesthetic, doctors warn False teeth need to be taken out before a general anaesthetic, doctors warn in the journal BMJ Case Reports after a 72 year old's dentures got stuck in his throat during surgery to remove a harmless lump in his abdominal wall, and weren't discovered for eight days.
Half of key hospital doctors remain ill prepared to respond to major incidents in UK Half of key hospital doctors who are likely to be involved in responding to a major incident in the UK aren't properly prepared to do so, reveal the results of a phone survey, published in Emergency Medicine Journal.
First ever phase 1 trial of genital chlamydia vaccine finds it is safe and provokes immune response Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide, but national screening programmes and antibiotic treatment have failed to decrease infection incidences.
	Intensive blood pressure control may slow age-related brain damage In a nationwide study, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of hundreds of participants in the National Institutes of Health's Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) and found that intensively controlling a person's blood pressure was more effective at slowing the accumulation of white matter lesions than standard treatment of high blood pressure. The results complement a previous study published by the same research group which showed that intensive treatment significantly lowered the chances that participants developed mild cognitive impairment.
	Air pollution can accelerate lung disease as much as a pack a day of cigarettes Air pollution—especially ozone air pollution which is increasing with climate change—accelerates the progression of emphysema of the lung, according to a new study led by the University of Washington, Columbia University and the University at Buffalo.
	Apples, tea and moderation—the 3 ingredients for a long life Consuming flavonoid-rich items such as apples and tea protects against cancer and heart disease, particularly for smokers and heavy drinkers, according to new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU).
Risks of novel oral prostate cancer therapies and pre-existing conditions PHILADELPHIA -A new large population-based study from the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center—Jefferson Health shows that novel oral androgen signaling inhibitor therapies are associated with an increased risk of death in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions. The research was published in the journal European Urology.
	New study links high-fat diet and gut bacteria to insulin resistance Researchers have discovered how our choice of diet can weaken our gut immune system and lead to the development of diabetes.
New evidence points to viral culprit in AFM child paralysis Scientists at the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the University of California San Diego report antibody evidence in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that points to enterovirus (EV) infection as a cause for acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a disease responsible for partially paralyzing more than 560 children in the United States since 2014. Results of the study appear in the journal mBio.
	Features of urinary obstruction following kidney transplantation identified for the first time A research group from the Medical University of Vienna has successfully described the histological features of urinary obstruction in humans the first time. Using data obtained from kidney transplant patients, it might be possible in the future to identify potentially dangerous complications following a kidney transplant at an earlier stage, and thus provide prompt treatment.
	Enterovirus antibodies detected in acute flaccid myelitis patients A new study analyzing samples from patients with and without acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) provides additional evidence for an association between the rare but often serious condition that causes muscle weakness and paralysis, and infection with non-polio enteroviruses. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, funded the research, which was conducted by investigators at Columbia University's Center for Infection and Immunity and investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings are reported in the online journal mBio.
	Healthy students develop rhabdomyolysis after intense exercise The dreaded condition rhabdomyolysis may be much more common after a particularly intense training session than previously believed. But for most people, the only symptom is slightly more soreness than usual.
	Research examines coping strategies used by family members of violent children with severe mental illness Research led by a University of Maine sociology professor explores how family members of children with severe mental illness and violent tendencies persevere through stressful situations.
	Moving house related to behavioral difficulties in four-year-olds, study finds Moving house is linked with increases in emotional and behavioral difficulties in four-year-olds, with the problems compounding each time a family moves, researchers have found.
	Cryptic genetic variation: The hidden changes in your DNA that could produce new diseases Rarely has our environment changed so quickly. On top of climate change, we're exposing ourselves to air pollutants, microplastics and unprecedented levels of fat, salt and sugar in our food.
	Does fidgeting help to burn calories? Children are often told off for fidgeting—but a study involving the University of Strathclyde has found that it could help them to use up energy amounting to nearly 3kg body weight a year.
	Being left-handed doesn't mean you are right-brained—so what does it mean? There have been plenty of claims about what being left-handed means, and whether it changes the type of person someone is—but the truth is something of an enigma. Myths about handedness appear year after year, but researchers have yet to uncover all of what it means to be left-handed.
	Memory and attention difficulties are often part of a normal life From young adults to people in their 60s, everyday functioning in today's world can place high demands on our attention and memory skills.
	Twenty years of CRIC: A cohort study comes of age For Mark Paviglianiti, it started in 1962 when he was just six years old. While he lay in bed sick for weeks with a fever, doctors from his hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, worked to figure out what was wrong. Eventually, they spotted high levels of protein in his urine—a surefire sign of kidney trouble.
	Food waste research targets cardiovascular disease Researchers are investigating how a by-product from rapeseed oil could reduce the potential formation of toxic compounds that can spark chronic kidney and cardiovascular disease.
	Early sepsis detection with infrared Sepsis is a major risk factor for patient death among those in intensive care not suffering from heart problems. In fact, it is the eleventh cause of death overall in the U.S.. It arises when infection causes a breakdown in the immune system leading to a major inflammatory response. Research published in the International Journal of Data Mining and Bioinformatics suggests that infrared thermography could be used for the early detection of sepsis. Early detection is key to treating this condition and reducing the sepsis mortality rate.
	New study helps to understand human defense mechanisms and spread of cancer With the help of new technology, the researchers of the University of Turku in Finland have gained more detailed information on the diversity of the human lymphatic system than before. The research results can help to understand the human defense mechanisms on the molecular level even better than before. Several cancers, such as breast cancer and head and neck cancers, spread primarily via the lymphatic system.
	Children with a greater number of siblings receive later ADHD diagnosis than peers Children with a greater number of siblings are more likely to receive a later diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than their peers, potentially hindering their educational and social development, new research published in the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine reports.
	The heart-stopping reality of cardiac arrest One time, Amy Dahart—an intensive care unit nurse at Mary Washington Hospital in Virginia—was part of a cardiac arrest team in a freight elevator, moving a patient from a general ward to the ICU, when the man's heart stopped. Dahart recounts how another nurse "just launched right up onto that bed, straddled the guy, and started doing compressions… we wheeled him right into the ICU, right through the doors without missing a beat."
	Adherence to surgical guidelines low for salpingo-oophorectomy (HealthDay)—Only two-thirds of all health care providers are fully adherent to surgical guidelines for risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	MRI assisted biopsies more effective at detecting prostate cancers Using MRI scans to target biopsies is more effective at detecting prostate cancers that are likely to need treatment than standard ultrasound guided biopsies alone, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. The research, led by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Universities of Bristol, Ottawa, Exeter and Oxford, combined the results from seven studies covering 2,582 patients.
	Use of technology now included in standards of diabetes care A section on the use of technology in the management of diabetes has been added to the American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes; a clinical guideline summary was published online Aug. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	40 dead in Bangladesh's worst-ever dengue outbreak At least 40 people have died in Bangladesh's worst-ever outbreak of dengue, officials said Tuesday, as overburdened hospitals struggled to treat thousands of patients.
	Global measles cases triple year-on-year: WHO Measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, amid growing concern over public resistance to the vaccine.
	Building a better backpack A well-organized backpack helps ensure that your child has everything needed for school. Problems start when it becomes overloaded. Lugging around a heavy pack can lead to bad posture, back pain and worse.
	The effects of exercise on your appetite Are you hungry after you exercise? That might not be a problem if you're at a healthy weight, but if you're trying to shed extra pounds, the calories you take in could replace the ones you just worked so hard to burn off.
	One-third of physicians will take 10 or more years to pay off debt Nearly two-thirds of actively practicing physicians are still carrying medical school debt, according to the Medical School Debt Report 2019, published by the staffing firm Weatherby Healthcare.
	Solutions for leading sleep woes The 'double whammy' of co-occurring insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a complex problem best managed with non-drug targeted psych interventions, a new Australian study has found.
	UTI discovery may lead to new treatments Sufferers of recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) could expect more effective treatments thanks to University of Queensland-led research.
	Tailbone pain often goes away without medical treatment Dear Mayo Clinic: My tailbone has been hurting for the past few weeks. I have read that it takes a while to heal, but is there anything I can do in the meantime to lessen the pain? At what point would it be necessary to see my doctor?
	ADHD medication may affect brain development in children A drug used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to affect the development of the brain's signal-carrying white matter in children with the disorder, according to a study published in the journal Radiology. The same effects were not found in adults with ADHD.
	Two Ebola patients in Congo 'cured' with drugs, say doctors Two Ebola patients who were treated with new drugs in the city of Goma in eastern Congo have been declared "cured" and returned to their home.
Study: Naltrexone to treat opioid use disorder during pregnancy, favorable for mom, baby BOSTON -Infants born to mothers taking naltrexone to treat opioid use disorder during pregnancy developed no signs of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) during their hospitalization, a new study shows. In comparison to infants of mothers taking buprenorphine during pregnancy, infants exposed to naltrexone had shorter hospital stays, and mothers reported no use of other opioids during their pregnancy. Led by researchers at Boston Medical Center, the findings provide important preliminary data on the outcomes for both mother and baby when naltrexone is used to treat opioid use disorder during pregnancy.
	Anti-viral immune discovery could lead to better vaccines Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have identified a molecular switch that impacts immune responses to viral infections, and whether or not protective antibodies are produced.
	General, abdominal adiposity linked to mortality in Mexicans (HealthDay)—General and abdominal adiposity are associated with mortality in a population of Mexican adults, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Racial, ethnic disparities in care for preemies have narrowed (HealthDay)—The disparity gap for care practices and certain outcomes between minority and white infants born at 22 to 29 gestational weeks narrowed from 2006 to 2017, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in Pediatrics.
	Coffee may speed up recovery of function after bowel surgery (HealthDay)—The time to first postoperative bowel movement after elective laparoscopic colorectal resection is shorter in those drinking coffee versus noncaffeinated tea, according to a study published in the August issue of Diseases of the Colon & Rectum.
	Type 1 diabetes misdiagnosed in one-fourth of children, adults (HealthDay)—Type 1 diabetes diagnosis is missed less frequently when patients present during childhood or adolescence, but unlike in adults, misdiagnosis in childhood is associated with an increased likelihood of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), according to a study published in the July issue of Clinical Diabetes.
	Younger stroke survivors more at risk for anxiety Anxiety is more than twice as common in younger stroke survivors, especially those who show symptoms of depression, than in older patients, according to a new study that recommends routine mental health screenings for survivors of all ages.
	Rising blood pressure puts women at greater stroke risk than men As the severity of high blood pressure rises, the risk of stroke rises almost twice as quickly in women compared with men, according to a new study.
	Understanding where patients live can improve patient health Family physicians typically don't consider where patients live when assessing their health care needs, despite research that indicates a person's environment can significantly affect their health. Things like access to health care and nutritious food and the quality of housing, education, water and air all play a role in health.
High fat foods can increase CBD absorption into the body While oral cannabidiol (CBD) capsules were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients with seizures in 2018, very little was known about the effect of food on CBD absorption.
	Gene linked to Alzheimer's disease is involved in neuronal communication A study published today in the journal Cell Reports sheds new light on how the CD2AP gene may enhance Alzheimer's disease susceptibility. Integrating experiments in fruit flies, mice and human brains, a multi-institutional team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found that the CD2AP gene is involved in synaptic transmission, the process by which neurons communicate. Digging deeper, the researchers discovered that CD2AP affects neuronal communication by regulating the levels of key regulatory proteins present at neuron terminals (synapses).
	Treatment doctor tested on himself can put others into remission Five years ago, David C. Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc, both a Penn Medicine researcher and patient, tried an experimental treatment on himself based on his laboratory research findings in the hopes of saving his own life. He has been in remission ever since. Now his research is shedding new light on why it worked, paving the way for further testing of a new treatment approach in Castleman disease, a rare and deadly condition with limited options for patients. The work is led by Fajgenbaum, who is both the director of the Center for Study & Treatment of Castleman's & Inflammatory Lymphadenopathies (CSTL) in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania as well as Patient 1 in the study. The findings show patients who do not respond to the only drug currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of the disease may have another option that targets a specific pathway called PI3K/Akt/mTOR. The research is published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation today.
	Marijuana may boost risky effects of drinking alcohol As the legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana use are both on the rise in the United States, people are not necessarily using alcohol less and may be unaware of the risks of combining alcohol and marijuana, according to researchers.
	Study: 'Conversation-based' activities reduce mental illness stigma among college students College students who participate in fun, peer-directed activities that openly and honestly address mental illness are significantly less likely to stigmatize people with these conditions, according to a new study led by researchers at Indiana University.
	Deadly protein duo reveals new drug targets for viral diseases New research from Cornell University details how two highly lethal viruses have greater pathogenic potential when their proteins are combined.
	New AAV9 gene therapy vector dramatically increases life span in Krabbe disease mouse model An optimized and newly engineered form of the adeno-associated vector 9 (AAV9) vector used to deliver the galactosylceramidase gene to a mouse model of the inherited neurogenerative and rapidly fatal form of Krabbe disease improved clinical symptoms and prolonged median survival by 275 percent. Two-day old mice treated with a single injection of the systemic gene therapy had a significant increase in median life span to 150 days, compared to 41 days for the untreated mice, as reported in the study published in Human Gene Therapy.
	Want better sleep? Try a warm bath or shower 1-2 hours before bedtime, study suggests Do you struggle trying to fall asleep? Do you feel you don't get enough sleep and you feel sleepy during the day? You are not alone. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has found that one in three American adults have symptoms of insomnia. Data show there are about 100,000 crashes each year related to drowsy driving which results in 1,550 fatalities and 71,000 injuries. The Institute of Medicine reported that the long-term effects of sleep deprivation can cause serious health consequences such as hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, stroke and depression.
	Tough restrictions have not stopped Accutane pregnancies. Doctors see ways to do better It has been 13 years since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took a bold step to prevent birth defects caused by the only drug that can cure severe acne.
	Q&A: Modern wildfires pose new health risks for firefighters As California's wildfire season gets underway in earnest this month, new research underscores the risks that modern wildfires pose to firefighters' long-term health.

Biology news

	Ancient natural history of antibiotic production and resistance revealed A study from McMaster University has unearthed new details about the evolutionary history of both antibiotic production and resistance and dates their co-emergence as far back as 350 to 500 million years.
	Improving the accuracy of long-read genome sequencing A team of researchers from institutions in the U.S., Germany and China has developed a way to improve the accuracy of long-read genome sequencing. In their paper published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the group outlines how they improved an existing technique, and how well it works.
	Trees in the U.S. facing devastating threats due to invasive species A team of researchers from Purdue University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found that trees in the United States are facing devastating threats due to invasive species. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes analyzing thousands of forest plots across the U.S. and the mortality rates due to 15 major tree pest infestations, and what they found.
	Study finds an unexpected link between farming and immune system evolution Researchers have long theorized that cultural shifts thousands of years ago from hunting and gathering to agriculture and living in permanent settlements spurred an increase in diseases like smallpox and measles. Compared to hunter-gatherers, farmers stayed put, living close to one another and their animals.
	Innovative surveillance technique gives vital time needed to track a cereal killer Scientists have created a new mobile surveillance technique to rapidly diagnose one of agriculture's oldest enemies—wheat rusts.
	Mysterious m6A marks on RNA begin to yield their secrets Chemical modifications that appear on some RNA transcripts may have evolved in part to help cells repair themselves after damage, and may also be a key to understanding important human diseases, according to new research from scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell's Ithaca campus.
	Cow gut study finds bugs that could up yields Cutting-edge DNA technologies have discovered thousands of bugs in cows' stomachs that could improve meat and dairy production, and keep cattle healthy.
	Interbreeding turned grey squirrels black: study Research published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology has shed new light on why some grey squirrels are black.
	Researchers study protein ancestors to understand their role in growth "Resurrecting" the ancestors of key proteins yields evolutionary insights into their role in human cells and in most cancers, a new study finds.
	Not just genes: Environment also shaped population variation in first Americans The first Americans—humans who crossed onto the North American continent and then dispersed throughout Central and South America—all share common ancestry. But as they settled different areas, the populations diverged and became distinct. A new study from North Carolina State University shows that facial differences resulting from this divergence were due to the complex interaction of environment and evolution on these populations and sheds light on how human diversification occurred after settlement of the New World.
	Lost in translation: Researchers discover translator gene may play a role in disease A molecule called tRNA, or transfer ribonucleic acid, is an essential component of the human genome that acts as a translator. It reads the genetic code and translates it into proteins—one of the key building blocks of the human body.
	No teeth cleaning needed: Crocodiles shed old teeth, grow new ones Unlike people, crocodiles do not clean their teeth to slow down wear and tear. Instead, they get rid of them and replace them with new copies.
	A simpler way to choose the sex of offspring by separating X and Y sperm A simple, reversible chemical treatment can segregate X-bearing sperm from Y-bearing sperm, allowing dramatic alteration of the normal 50/50 male/female offspring ratio, according to a new study by Masayuki Shimada and colleagues at Hiroshima University, published on August 13 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology. The study was performed in mice, but the technique is likely to be widely applicable to other mammals as well.
	Scientists discover key factors in how some algae harness solar energy Scientists have discovered how diatoms—a type of alga that produce 20 percent of the Earth's oxygen—harness solar energy for photosynthesis.
	Microbes have adapted to live on food that is hundreds of years old Microbial communities living in deep aquatic sediments have adapted to survive on degraded organic matter, according to a study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology and coauthored by professors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
	Asian longhorned beetle larvae eat plant tissues that their parents cannot Despite the buzz in recent years about other invasive insects that pose an even larger threat to agriculture and trees—such as the spotted lanternfly, the stink bug and the emerald ash borer—Penn State researchers have continued to study another damaging pest, the Asian longhorned beetle.
	Do newly discovered mating habits of female Tasmanian devils help or hurt the species? Wild female Tasmanian devils have mating habits that could pose a challenge for conservationists trying to maintain genetic diversity in species recovery programs, found Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Sydney.
	Rat detective uses DNA to uncover how rats scurry around cities It's dark and I'm parked in an alley near a lopsided compost bin. I have a notepad, binoculars and a lukewarm cup of coffee—everything needed for a successful stakeout. I am waiting for them.
	Making the case for managing the ocean's twilight zone Sustainable management of open-ocean marine life should extend to the ocean midwater, argue MBARI President and CEO Chris Scholin and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution President and Director Mark Abbott in a column published in The Hill today.
	Flame retardant may cause hyperthyroidism in cats An epidemic of cats with hyperthyroidism may be explained by exposure to a chemical contained in flame retardants commonly found in furniture, according to an Oregon State University study.
	DNA tests of UK waters could help catch invasive species early A team of scientists from the University of Southampton, Bangor University and the National Oceanography Centre have discovered several artificially introduced species in the coastal waters of southern England, using a technique that could help the early detection of non-native species if adopted more widely.
	New technique can show link between prey and microplastics Scientists have developed a new method to investigate links between top predator diets and the amount of microplastic they consume through their prey.
	Climate change is turning Florida's sea turtles female. How long can these species survive? Two dozen tiny leatherback turtles swam around in small tanks, attached by fishing lines to a system that kept them from hitting walls and hurting themselves. As an open-water species, leatherbacks don't recognize barriers, so they are kept on leashes at Florida Atlantic University's lab at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton.
	How plants synthesise salicylic acid The pain-relieving effect of salicylic acid, now sold as Aspirin, has been known for thousands of years. Besides being a useful drug with numerous health applications, it is a stress hormone made by plants which is essential in enabling them to fight off damaging pathogens. What was not known, however, is how plants generated this hormone. Now, an international research team led by the University of Göttingen with the University of British Columbia in Vancouver have at last unravelled the biosynthesis of this crucial hormone. Their results were published in Science.
	Cell biology: Compartments and complexity Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) biologists have taken a closer look at the subcellular distribution of proteins and metabolic intermediates in a model plant. The results of the study provide new insights into the dynamics of metabolic processes in cells.
	Poo's clues: Moose droppings indicate Isle Royale ecosystem health Given the choice between ice cream and vegetables, for many people it'll be the ice cream. But sometimes it depends on the situation. If you'd eaten ice cream every day for a week, you might prefer the salad. Human preferences for different foods often depend on what's common fare and what's rare.
	Gene for acid-sensitive ion channel identified In the human body the salt content of cells and their surrounding is regulated by sophisticated transport systems. Special channels in the cell membrane selectively permit salt ions to flow in and out of cells. A research team led by Professor Thomas Jentsch at the FMP and MDC has now identified the molecular components of a previously unknown ion channel.
	New water-beetle species show biodiversity still undiscovered in at-risk South American habitats Researchers from the University of Kansas have described three genera and 17 new species of water scavenger beetles from the Guiana and Brazilian Shield regions of South America, areas seen as treasure houses of biodiversity. The beetles from the countries of French Guiana, Suriname, Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela were discovered through fieldwork and by combing through entomological collections at the Smithsonian Institution and KU.
Global tracking devices negatively affect the survival rate of sage-grouses A new study in The Condor: Ornithological Applications finds that currently-available global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices, previously thought to not alter animal survival rates, can decrease greater sage-grouse survival.
	Monarchs caught up in rewrite of endangered species rule Hand-raising monarch butterflies in the midst of a global extinction crisis, Laura Moore and her neighbors gather round in her suburban Maryland yard to launch a butterfly newly emerged from its chrysalis. Eager to play his part, 3-year-old Thomas Powell flaps his arms and exclaims, "I'm flying! I'm flying!"
	Editorial: Trump guts the Endangered Species Act. Polar bears and bald eagles, take notice The Trump administration announced reckless and potentially devastating new rules Monday that will weaken the Endangered Species Act, which currently bestows a mantle of protection over 1,663 species of animals and plants. Of those, 1,275 are considered endangered and close to extinction. Another 388 are listed as threatened—the polar bear is one—and at risk of becoming endangered.
	Conservationists urge 'tighter wildlife laws' after Trump move Countries should be strengthening their laws protecting endangered species, not weakening them, international conservationists said Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump's administration announced plans to alter the country's Endangered Species Act.

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