Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jan 9

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for January 9, 2020:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

A new design strategy to fabricate 2-D electronic devices using ultrathin dielectrics

Of ants and men: Ant behavior might mirror political polarization

Goldilocks stars are best places to look for life

Hubble detects smallest known dark matter clumps

How do fruit flies see in color? Study uncovers human-like brain circuit at work

Scientists observe ultrafast birth of radicals

Contaminating a fake rubber hand could help people overcome OCD, study suggests

'Resurrection ecology' of 600-year-old water fleas used to understand pollution adaptation

Shark and ray vision comes into focus

Biologists identify pathways that extend lifespan by 500%

Abnormal neuron activity manifests as parental neglect

Study paves way for new vaccines to protect infants against infections

New study reveals the origin of complex malaria infections

How bacterial evolution of antibiotic arsenals is providing new drug blueprints

Ultrasound can make stronger 3-D-printed alloys

Astronomy & Space news

	Goldilocks stars are best places to look for life To date astronomers have discovered over 4,000 planets orbiting other stars. Statistically, there should be over 100 billion planets in our Milky Way galaxy. They come in a wide range of sizes and characteristics, largely unimagined before exoplanets were first discovered in the mid-1990s. The biggest motivation for perusing these worlds is to find "Genesis II," a planet where life has arisen and evolved beyond microbes. The ultimate payoff would be finding intelligent life off the Earth.
	Hubble detects smallest known dark matter clumps When searching for dark matter, astronomers must go on a sort of "ghost hunt." That's because dark matter is an invisible substance that cannot be seen directly. Yet it makes up the bulk of the universe's mass and forms the scaffolding upon which galaxies are built. Dark matter is the gravitational "glue" that holds galaxies as well as galaxy clusters together. Astronomers can detect its presence indirectly by measuring how its gravity affects stars and galaxies.
	Cosmic magnifying glasses yield independent measure of universe's expansion A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has measured the universe's expansion rate using a technique that is completely independent of any previous method.
	Stellar heavy metals can trace history of galaxies Astronomers have cataloged signs of nine heavy metals in the infrared light from supergiant and giant stars. New observations based on this catalog will help researchers to understand how events like binary neutron star mergers have affected the chemical composition and evolution of our own Milky Way Galaxy and other galaxies.
	NEID exoplanet instrument sees first light The new NEID instrument, now installed at the 3.5-meter WIYN telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Southern Arizona, USA, has made its first observations. The NSF-NASA funded instrument is designed to measure the motion of nearby stars with extreme precision—roughly three times better than the previous generation of state-of-the-art instruments—allowing us to detect, determine the mass of, and characterize exoplanets as small as Earth.
	Researchers take exploration of key 'building block' particles into space As part of SpaceX's CRS-19 resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched Dec. 5, researchers from NASA, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and New York University (NYU) are set to begin a new scientific investigation to explore how a group of microscopic particles considered key "building blocks" for materials and products here on Earth, known as colloidal particles, behave and form in zero-gravity.
	Moon river: Rocket part ferried on the mighty Mississippi With a brass band playing and a parade of workers sporting Mardi Gras beads, a huge component of a new rocket system was wheeled slowly from a New Orleans spacecraft factory on Wednesday to a barge that will float it up the Mississippi River for testing.
	A new tool for 'weighing' unseen planets A new instrument funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation called NEID (pronounced "NOO-id"; sounds like "fluid") will help scientists measure the masses of planets outside our solar system—exoplanets—by observing the gravitational pull they exert on their parent stars. That information can help reveal a planet's composition, one critical aspect in determining its potential habitability.
	WHOI underwater robot takes first-known automated sample from ocean WHOI's robot, Nereid Under Ice (NUI), samples a patch of sediment from the mineral-rich floor of Kolumbo volcano off Santorini Island, Greece. This is the first known automated sample taken by a robot in the ocean.
	Water could disappear from Mars faster than expected Mars is losing water more quickly than theory and observations would suggest. The gradual disappearance of water (H2O) occurs in the upper atmosphere of Mars as sunlight and chemistry disassociate water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen atoms that the weak gravity cannot prevent from escaping into space.
	Lucy mission now has a new destination Less than two years before launch, scientists associated with NASA's Lucy mission, led by Southwest Research Institute, have discovered an additional small asteroid that will be visited by the Lucy spacecraft. Set to launch in 2021, its 12-year journey of almost 4 billion miles will explore the Trojan asteroids, a population of ancient small bodies that share an orbit with Jupiter.
	NASA TV coverage set for three spacewalks in January Four astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station for three spacewalks in January to complete battery upgrades and finalize repairs to an invaluable cosmic ray detector.

Technology news

	A new design strategy to fabricate 2-D electronic devices using ultrathin dielectrics 2-D semiconductors could have very useful applications, particularly as channel materials for low-power transistors. These materials display very high mobility at extreme thicknesses, which makes them particularly promising alternatives to silicon in the fabrication of electronics.
	Nissan takes on EV road noise with lattice trap Nissan drew interest this week at CES with its announcement of an acoustic meta-material to reduce road noise in electric vehicles.
	Preparing for the hydrogen economy In a world first, University of Sydney researchers have found evidence of how hydrogen causes embrittlement of steels. When hydrogen moves into steel, it makes the metal become brittle, leading to catastrophic failures. This has been one of the major challenges in moving towards a greener, hydrogen-fuelled future, where steel tanks and pipelines are essential components that must be able to survive in pure hydrogen environments.
	Machine learning shapes microwaves for a computer's eyes Engineers from Duke University and the Institut de Physique de Nice in France have developed a new method to identify objects using microwaves that improves accuracy while reducing the associated computing time and power requirements.
	Facebook riles tiny Oregon town with plan for undersea cable A battle playing out in Oregon is pitting residents of a tiny coastal town with no stoplights or cellphone service against one of the world's biggest tech companies.
	Kitchens get smarter at CES tech show, not yet in many homes Tell your refrigerator about your dietary preferences and it'll concoct a recipe plan for the coming week, sending a shopping list to your smartphone when it notices you've run out of the right ingredients.
	From exoskeletons to education at CES Exoskeletons to give wearers super-human strength and games to playfully teach children software skills for coding—such innovations were on display at the Consumer Electronics Show this week.
	Chinese firms push ahead at CES despite trade war Chinese makers of televisions, smartphones and much more were very much present at the premier Consumer Electronics Show here, undeterred by their country's trade war with the US.
	Facebook again refuses to ban political ads, even false ones Despite escalating pressure ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Facebook reaffirmed its freewheeling policy on political ads Thursday, saying it won't ban them, won't fact-check them and won't limit how they can be targeted to specific groups of people.
	Winning at social media is probably simpler than you think The world is starting to see the gradual decline of Facebook, with 15 million US users dropping off between 2017 and last year.
	Could 5G replace cable broadband? Recent proposals by the UK Labour Party to nationalize the country's cable broadband network prompted debate about the best way to make sure everyone has a fast home internet connection. Traditionally, governments have looked for ways to expand and upgrade their cable networks so that even remote communities have fast access. But with fifth-generation (5G) mobile technology now offering superfast internet speeds without the need for a fixed-line connection, could we one day do away with cables altogether?
	Way clear for Tesla to buy Berlin factory site German regional lawmakers gave the green light Thursday for electric carmaker Tesla to buy land just outside Berlin for its first European factory.
	CES 2020: These gadgets can help you live your best lazy life People like to call millennials "lazy" when in fact we're just a bunch of tech-savvy innovators who increasingly show that you don't have to do everything the same way your parents or grandparents did.
	Apple: Record sales for apps over holidays up 16% to $1.42 billion Apps are still alive and well, and when it comes to gaming, incredibly popular and still thriving.
	First in flight again: Pilotless air taxi makes public demonstration flight in Raleigh More than 100 people, including Gov. Roy Cooper, state lawmakers and leaders of the N.C. Department of Transportation, gathered at the State Highway Patrol's test track south of Raleigh Tuesday afternoon to witness a bit of aviation history.
	Twitter to test limiting replies to tackle online abuse Twitter has announced it will test new ways to limit online abuse by offering users control over who can reply to tweets.
	Airbus to boost US production of A320 planes European planemaker Airbus said Thursday that it would increase production of its best-selling A320 passenger jet in the United States, to seven per month from five starting next year.
	Growing strained crystals could improve performance of perovskite electronics A new method could enable researchers to fabricate more efficient and longer lasting perovskite solar cells, LEDs and photodetectors. By growing thin perovskite films on substrates with different compositions, engineers at the University of California San Diego have invented a way of fabricating perovskite single crystals with precisely deformed, or strained, structures.
	CT startup brings collaborative robotics to children with special needs Robots. These humanoid machines aren't just science fiction anymore. In fact, they are relatively common in everyday life, popping up in grocery stores, hospitals, airports, even in many homes. If you don't believe it, just ask Alexa or Siri.
	California lawmakers eye back-up power for cellphone towers When the nation's largest electric utility preemptively shut off power last fall to prevent wildfires in California, customers lost more than just their lights—some lost their phones, too.
Las Vegas says no data stolen in cyber attack on city system No data was stolen or corrupted in a cyber attack this week on the city of Las Vegas computer system, according to the city.
US to probe fatal Indiana crash involving Tesla Model 3 The U.S. government's road safety agency is sending a special team to Indiana to investigate a fatal crash involving a Tesla electric vehicle.
	Ukrainian airline crash another challenge for Boeing The latest tragic plane crash involving another Boeing aircraft adds to the travails facing the company after its 737 MAX was grounded nearly a year ago following two deadly crashes.
	Quibi hopes 'quick bite' TV for smartphones wins viewers New streaming service Quibi on Wednesday provided a glimpse into its bid to win over smartphone users, vowing to shake up the industry with original programs lasting less than 10 minutes.
	British Airways-owner switches pilot as CEO quits Global airline titan IAG on Thursday said its chief executive Willie Walsh had quit, after a long stint that saw him oversee the group's creation and rapid expansion, and would be replaced by Luis Gallego, head of Spanish division Iberia.
	Report: Grubhub considers sale as competition intensifies Grubhub may put itself up for sale with competition in the online delivery business growing increasingly intense.
	Microsoft looks to detect sex predators in video game chats Microsoft says it has developed a technique to detect online predators who try to groom children for sexual purposes using the chat function in multiplayer video games.

Medicine & Health news

	Contaminating a fake rubber hand could help people overcome OCD, study suggests The famous, but bizarre, 'rubber hand illusion' could help people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder overcome their condition without the often unbearable stress of exposure therapy, suggests new research.
	Abnormal neuron activity manifests as parental neglect The brain undergoes dramatic change during the first years of life. Its circuits readily rewire as an infant and then child encounters new sights and sounds, taking in the world and learning to understand it. As the child matures and key developmental periods pass, the brain becomes less malleable—but certain experiences create opportunities for parts of the adult brain to rewire and learn again.
	Study paves way for new vaccines to protect infants against infections A new Penn Medicine study puts researchers within closer reach of vaccines that can protect infants against infections by overcoming a mother's antibodies, which are known to shut down immune defenses initiated by conventional vaccines. That hurdle largely explains why vaccinations for infectious diseases like influenza and measles not given until six to 12 months of age. Findings from the preclinical study were published online today in Science Translational Medicine.
	Getting to the heart of heartbeats: Cardiac thin filament structure and function revealed Researchers at Osaka University used electron cryomicroscopy (CryoEM) to image essential cardiac muscle components, known as thin filaments, with unprecedented resolution. They also discovered the mechanism by which these filaments regulate heart beat via cardiac muscle contractions in the presence or absence of calcium ions by changing their conformations. This work may have application in the development of new drugs for treating heart conditions caused by mutations that affect these structures and functions.
	A newly discovered mechanism allows the immune system to detect and respond to HIV Ever since antiretroviral treatments against HIV infection were introduced in 1996, scientists have eagerly been hunting for a cure for the disease.
	Gene network helps to turn white fat into beneficial calorie-burning fat 1.9 billion people around the world are overweight. Of these, 650 million people are obese, which increases the risk of secondary diseases such as cancer. Professor Martin Klingenspor and his team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have examined how fat metabolism affects health. In cooperation with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), the team has uncovered a network of genes that could turn energy-storing fat into beneficial calorie-burning fat.
	Why are virus-targeting immune cells sniffing around Alzheimer's patients' brains? In a new study published in Nature, Stanford neuroscientist Tony Wyss-Coray, Ph.D., and his colleagues report the startling discovery of virus-obsessed immune cells in autopsied brains of deceased Alzheimer's patients, and in cerebrospinal fluid (which bathes our brains) of living individuals diagnosed with the disease.
	Scientists show that the eyes can measure hearing In 1998, University of Oregon researcher Avinash Singh Bala was working with barn owls in an Institute of Neuroscience lab when the birds' eyes caught his attention.
	In fighting gut infections, nervous system is key, team finds The peaceful and delicate co-existence of friendly gut bacteria and the immune system relies on highly coordinated information exchange between immune system cells and certain cells lining the intestine. Until now, scientists generally believed these two cell types were also central to the production of antibacterial molecules that fend off dangerous infections.
	Worm study shows how a common chemical disrupts reproductive biology Researchers at Harvard Medical School and the New York State Department of Health have discovered how a common plasticizer associated with human reproductive abnormalities likely does its damage at the molecular level.
	An out-of-the-box attack on diabetes A protein newly identified as important in type 1 diabetes can delay onset of the disease in diabetic mice, providing a new target for prevention and treatment in people, according to research led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Indiana University School of Medicine. Because type 1 diabetes is incurable and has serious lifelong health consequences, prevention is a major research goal.
	Researchers decipher a new way that immune cells detect infections and cancers Published today in Science, the research team from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute), the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and CSL Limited say this breakthrough of discovering how gamma-delta T cells become activated addresses a question that has baffled scientists for 25 years.
	Missing protein in brain causes behaviors mirroring autism Scientists at Rutgers University-Newark have discovered that when a key protein needed to generate new brain cells during prenatal and early childhood development is missing, part of the brain goes haywire—causing an imbalance in its circuitry that can lead to long-term cognitive and movement behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorder.
	Decoding hidden brain chatter to advance neuroprostheses Once you learn a skill like tying your sneakers, you can perform it consistently over the years. This suggests the neural activity in the brain associated with the skill remains stable over time.
	Researchers explain link between emotion and addictive substance use What drives a person to smoke cigarettes—and keeps one out of six U.S. adults addicted to tobacco use, at a cost of 480,000 premature deaths each year despite decades of anti-smoking campaigns? What role do emotions play in this addictive behavior? Why do some smokers puff more often and more deeply or even relapse many years after they've quit? If policy makers had those answers, how could they strengthen the fight against the global smoking epidemic?
	Baby and adult brains 'sync up' during play, study finds Have you ever played with a baby and felt a sense of connection, even though they couldn't yet talk to you? New research suggests that you might quite literally be "on the same wavelength," experiencing similar brain activity in the same brain regions.
Poor sexual health more common in UK women than men Poor sexual health in the UK is more common in women and affects them in more diverse ways than men, according to a UK study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. Out of 12,132 men and women included in the study, 17% of men and 47.5% of women reported poor sexual health. Several important at-risk groups may be in danger of being overlooked by current sexual health intervention efforts, so more tailored approaches may be needed, the authors conclude.
	AI can be used to detect and grade prostate cancer Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Tampere University in Finland have developed a method based on artificial intelligence (AI) for histopathological diagnosis and grading of prostate cancer. The AI-system has the potential to solve one of the bottlenecks in today's prostate cancer histopathology by providing more accurate diagnosis and better treatment decisions. The study, presented in the scientific journal The Lancet Oncology, shows that the AI-system is as good at identifying and grading prostate cancer as world-leading uro-pathologists.
Breast density notification laws not effective for all women A new study suggests that state-mandated notifications on mammogram reports intended to inform women of the health risks related to breast density are not worded effectively.
	Tea drinkers live longer Drinking tea at least three times a week is linked with a longer and healthier life, according to a study published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
	This drug could save their lives, but less than 2% of them get it Only a tiny minority of people at risk for an opioid overdose actually are prescribed a drug that could save their lives, a new study suggests. And the odds of having a dose of the rescue drug were very low among some of the most at-risk groups, including those who had already survived a previous opioid overdose.
	Marijuana detected in homicide victims nearly doubles Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health assessed the time trends in alcohol and marijuana detected in homicide victims and found that the prevalence of marijuana almost doubled, increasing from 22 percent in 2004 to 42 percent in 2016. Alternately, the prevalence of alcohol declined slightly from 40 percent in 2004 to 35 percent in 2016. The findings are published in Injury Epidemiology.
	Probability of dying from road injury has dropped worldwide in all but 5 nations Road injuries have become more frequent but less fatal over the past three decades, according to a new scientific study.
	Study shows giving entire course of radiation treatment in less than a second is feasible Cancer patients may one day be able to get their entire course of radiation therapy in less than a second rather than coming in for treatment over the course of several weeks, and researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania have taken the first steps toward making it a reality. In a new report published today in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics, researchers detail how they used proton radiation to generate the dosage needed to theoretically give a cancer patient their entire course of radiotherapy in one rapid treatment. It's known as FLASH radiotherapy, and it's an experimental paradigm that could represent a sea change for the world of oncology in the future. In this study, researchers also found FLASH demonstrated the same effect on tumors as traditional photon radiation while sparing healthy tissue due to the shorter exposure time.
	In health care, does 'hotspotting' make patients better? The new health care practice of "hotspotting"—in which providers identify very high-cost patients and attempt to reduce their medical spending while improving care—has virtually no impact on patient outcomes, according to a new study led by MIT economists.
	Study aids fight against HIV, hepatitis B A discovery by Florida State University College of Medicine researchers is expected to open the door for new and more potent treatment options for many of the more than 36 million people worldwide infected with the HIV virus and for others chronically ill with hepatitis B.
	An often-made claim that e-cigarettes are '95% safer' is not valid The frequently cited claim that e-cigarettes are "95% less risky" or "95% less harmful" than combustible cigarettes is outdated, misleading and invalid—and should no longer be made in discussions on the dangers of vaping, according to an editorial published today in the American Journal of Public Health by six leading experts on e-cigarettes and public health.
	Chinese report says illnesses may be from new coronavirus A preliminary investigation into viral pneumonia illnesses sickening dozens of people in and around China has identified the possible cause as a new type of coronavirus, state media said Thursday.
	China believes new virus behind mystery pneumonia outbreak China believes a mysterious pneumonia outbreak that struck 59 people is caused by a new strain of virus from the same family as SARS, which killed hundreds of people more than a decade ago.
	Explainer: The virus behind China's pneumonia outbreak Since late last year, people in the central Chinese city of Wuhan have been infected with a viral pneumonia whose cause was unknown. The outbreak raised the specter of another SARS epidemic, which killed hundreds in 2002 and 2003.
	Recurrent miscarriage: Diabetes drug could lead to new treatment A drug designed to tackle diabetes could also be repurposed as the first treatment to prevent miscarriage by targeting the lining of the womb itself, according to a clinical trial led by the University of Warwick.
	Researchers surprised by high levels of alcohol consumption among cancer survivors New research in the January 2020 issue of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network uses data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 2000 to 2017 to examine self-reported drinking habits among people reporting a cancer diagnosis. The researchers found that of 34,080 survey participants, 56.5 percent were current drinkers, 34.9 percent exceeded moderate drinking levels, and 21 percent engaged in binge drinking. This is the first large study to be done on alcohol use in the oncology population. Given that alcohol has been identified as a risk factor for several cancers (and contributed to 5.8 percent of cancer deaths in 2012), the researchers were surprised by how high those numbers were.
	Scientists unveil chemotherapy resistance mechanism related to p53 mutation More than half of cancer cases worldwide are associated with genetic mutations in p53, the protein responsible for protecting DNA from changes that can lead to cancer. When this protein deforms, it not only loses its protective capacity, but can also gain new functions, acting as a "traitor" and contributing to the spread of the tumor by forming protein clusters that may be resistant to chemotherapy. The mechanisms by which this occurs and how it causes drug resistance are not yet fully understood.
	New findings: Body clock affects how the immune system works All life on Earth has evolved to cope with a rotating planet which results in the predictable transition between day and night. The details differ between plants, fungi, bacteria and animals, but the consistent feature is a biological "clock" that allows the organism to anticipate the change and prepare for it.
	With flu on the rise nationally, start your new year off safely It might be the start of a new year, but many Americans are still battling a flu bug from last year.
	New drug for cystic fibrosis patients could be life-changing Anna Thompson looks like a healthy 15-year-old, but the high school student has been living with cystic fibrosis since birth. Her daily regimen includes medications, pancreatic enzymes, nebulizer treatments and chest physical therapy three times a day with a vest that pulses air in and vibrates her chest.
	Heart patients in China may be receiving substandard hospital care A new study suggests that China needs a national strategy to improve hospital care for heart patients.
	A five-year case study changes old clinic attitudes and systems for treating chronic pain and opioid use disorder For the 20 percent of Americans who suffer from chronic pain, prescription opioids may bring relief, but also risks. An estimated 21 to 29 percent of patients who receive chronic opioid treatment will misuse their medications, and 8 to 12 percent will develop an opioid use disorder.
	Smokers in England have become less dependent but also less motivated to stop Published online today in the scientific journal Addiction, a 10-year study led by researchers at UCL of 41,610 smokers in England has found that smokers today show fewer signs of dependence than a decade ago but are less inclined to try to stop smoking.
	Routine HIV screening in general practice boosts testing and early diagnosis Offering HIV screening to new patients in general practice on a routine basis increases testing rates and improves detection and earlier diagnosis, research co-led by Queen Mary University of London and UCL suggests.
	Are your children sleeping enough? New blood test might hold the answer A simple blood test could provide a reliable metric to tell if children are sleeping enough—which is also a marker for general health as sleep affects susceptibility to many diseases—according to new research published in Experimental Physiology this week.
	Heart disease linked to a higher risk of kidney failure New research indicates that cardiovascular diseases—including heart failure, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, and stroke—are each linked with a higher risk of developing kidney failure. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of JASN, highlight the importance of protecting the kidney health of individuals diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.
	The meaning of life: A psychologist's view The search for meaning in life is a familiar challenge to many of us. Some materialist scientists and philosophers consider it a futile search. Prominent atheist Richard Dawkins, for example, claims that human beings are just "throwaway survival machines" whose only purpose is to survive and replicate genes.
	Neuropeptide reduces epileptic seizures in human brain tissue One challenge facing researchers who study brain diseases is that for understandable reasons it is difficult to obtain human brain tissue for experiments. For that reason, experimental models are used, such as rodent studies, but one problem is that these often cannot be directly translated to human conditions.
	Peering into the genome of brain tumor Researchers at Osaka University have developed a computer method that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and machine learning to rapidly forecast genetic mutations in glioma tumors, which occur in the brain or spine. The work may help glioma patients to receive more suitable treatment faster, giving better outcomes. The research was recently published in Scientific Reports.
	Should you exercise when you're sick? The winter cold and flu season may try to knock out your new year's plans to get or stay healthy, but the good news is you can fight back.
	Protein progression in Barrett's Esophagus disease A study led by Nikhil Reddy, a second-year student at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, has charted a protein's decline through the progression of Barrett's esophagus disease. The sickness, typically occurring after long-term acid reflux, is associated with a significant increase in the risk for esophageal cancer later in life.
	Inuit infants need access to medication to prevent respiratory illness Inuit infants living in Arctic Canada have some of the highest rates of hospitalization and intensive care unit admission in the world due to a virus called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Most children who get the virus come down with a cold, or mild respiratory illness, but RSV can also lead to pneumonia, inflammation and blockage of small airways in the lungs (bronchiolitis) and death.
	Australian researchers: Sell tobacco only through liquor stores, petrol stations or pharmacies The sale of tobacco only through liquor stores, petrol stations or pharmacies would considerably reduce the overall availability of tobacco and assist the Government in achieving its 2025 smokefree goal, new University of Otago research shows.
	Self-regulation leaves bad taste as food industry fails to drop the salt Major Australian food manufacturers are failing to deliver on voluntary commitments to make healthier products when it comes to salt, according to a new study of salt levels in foods on our supermarket shelves.
	Getting a new perspective on autism Much-needed insight into raising young children with autism in Malaysia highlights the need to improve local research, awareness, acceptance and support services.
	Infant lungs and bushfire smoke Everyone at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute extends their heartfelt sympathy and condolences to those affected by the devastating Australian bushfire situation, which unfortunately looks likely to continue in the coming months. Associate Professor David Tingay is an NHMRC Research Fellow and Co-Leader of the institute's Neonatal Research Team. A/Prof Tingay lays out what we know about the potential impacts of bushfire smoke on the infant lung.
	Worried about brain lesions and dementia? Check this blood pressure number The top number on a blood pressure test is widely viewed as the best gauge of a person's overall risk for heart disease. But the bottom number could be important when it comes to evaluating the chance of a person having scars on their brain that could be an indicator for dementia, stroke or falls.
	An international study discovers a new origin of lymphatic vessels in the heart An international study led by Drs Miguel Torres and Ghislaine Lioux of the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), has identified and characterized a new vasculogenic niche that contributes to the development of the cardiac lymphatic system. The study shows that the coronary lymphatic vessels have varied origins and functions: The results of the study reveal that the coronary lymphatic vasculature does not have a single origin, but instead forms through the participation of cells from different tissues.
	'Flash and freeze' reveals dynamics of nerve connections How do the physical parts of a neuron enable it to process and communicate information? Relating structure to function is a longstanding goal in neuroscience. In the latest issue of the journal Neuron, the group of Peter Jonas, professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), reports a novel method to achieve this objective.
	Exercise: We calculated its true value for older people and society Taking up exercise is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions for people wanting to improve their health. But our research shows that the benefits of older people going to exercise groups go beyond self-improvement and provide good value for society, too.
	Surgery may add months or years of survival for adults with rare and deadly brain cancers For adult patients with brainstem high-grade gliomas—one of the rarest and deadliest forms of brain cancer—surgically removing the entire tumor may add many months or potentially years of survival beyond that offered by radiation and chemotherapy, according to results of a medical records study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.
	Earlier falls predict subsequent fractures in postmenopausal women The risk of fracture in postmenopausal women can be predicted by history of falls, according to new findings from the Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study (OSTPRE) at the University of Eastern Finland. Published in Osteoporosis International, the study is the first to follow up on the association between history of falls and subsequent fractures.
	AI is transforming medicine—but it can only work with proper sharing of data It is not often that one witnesses a transformational advance in medicine. But the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the early detection of disease is exactly that.
	In defense of 'imprecise' medicine: The benefits of routine treatments for common diseases The NHS states that it "will be the world-leading healthcare system in its use of cutting-edge genomic technologies to predict and diagnose inherited and acquired disease, and to personalize treatments and interventions". As all diseases are either inherited or acquired, this is no modest claim.
	Fitness gurus and 'muscular Christianity': How Victorian Britain anticipated today's fitness craze The Victorian era is often remembered as an age of industrial innovation, staunch morals and hard work. When we imagine the stereotypical Victorian, we often picture stiff collars and heavy, head-to-toe dresses—not celebrity weightlifters or homemakers practicing calisthenics. But it turns out our obsession with physical fitness isn't just because of 20th century stars like Jane Fonda, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. In fact, the Victorian age saw the beginnings of modern celebrity fitness culture and new forms of exercise—which we might credit for our current obsession today.
	Dazed and confused about the benefits of CBD? You're not alone. The number of products advertised as containing CBD, a compound derived from cannabis plants, has skyrocketed. Consumers can purchase CBD-infused burgers, coffee, beer, and toothpaste, as well as creams and oils marketed as treatments for pain, anxiety, and even cancer.
	Luspatercept mitigates anemia in lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes For patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes with ring sideroblasts who have been receiving regular red-cell transfusions, luspatercept reduces the severity of anemia compared with placebo, according to a study published in the Jan. 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Effort to control opioids in an ER leaves some sickle cell patients in pain India Hardy has lived with pain since she was a toddler—ranging from dull persistent aches to acute flare-ups that interrupt the flow of her normal life.
	Colorectal cancer risk remains despite modern treatment for ulcerative colitis Patients with the inflammatory bowel disease ulcerative colitis have a higher risk of dying from colorectal cancer, despite modern therapy, even though the risk has declined in recent years. This is according to a new study published in the scientific journal The Lancet by a team of Swedish and Danish researchers.
	VR: Not suited to visual memory?! Kyoko Hine, Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology and a research team at Tokyo Denki University have found that virtual reality (VR) may interfere with visual memory. In recent years, there has been high expectations that VR will be used effectively not only in multimedia and entertainment, but also in educational settings. However, in order to benefit society, IT needs to take human characteristics into consideration. The nature of VR can become known through scientific verification based on experiments like the work undertaken in this research.
	Nuclear radiologists 'outsmart' prostate cancer with an apparently ineffective drug When a non-scientist tries to imagine a scientist, the image that often arises is one of a somewhat remote, rather idealistic genius sitting alone in their room or laboratory and somehow discovering the most amazing things without every having contact with the 'normal' world. But science is just as much a part of life as any other activity. So it's perhaps not all that surprising to learn that—just like in normal life—intuition can occasionally play a major role in scientific progress.
	Prostate cancer can now be diagnosed better using artificial intelligence Researchers at Radboud university medical center have developed a 'deep learning' system that is better than most pathologists at determining the aggressiveness of prostate cancer. The AI system, which uses tissue samples to arrive at its diagnosis, taught itself to identify prostate cancer based on data from over 1200 patients. The Radboud team is now working with researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Kaggle, a Google subsidiary, with the intention to continue developing these methods as part of a major international competition.
	Psoriasis: Towards a novel therapeutic approach Psoriasis is a frequent skin inflammatory disorder affecting 3% of the population. Psoriasis is characterized by hyperproliferation and defect of epidermal differentiation, leading to the scaly appearance of the skin. Psoriatic skin also presents an increase in blood vessels, leading to the redness of the skin lesions and is associated with immune infiltration.
	Discovery of gene that modifies the severity of inherited kidney disease Scientists have developed a new way to understand complex genetic diseases and have identified a gene that modifies the severity of inherited kidney disease, paving the way for personalised treatments.
	Addressing the emotional toll of pediatric chronic conditions Be it autism, sickle cell or other life-disrupting health conditions, being the parent of a child with a chronic condition takes a psychological toll. For too many families, however, emotional and behavioral health support has been far too difficult to obtain.
	Study reveals insights on hidden sexual-arousal disorder Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD)—which is almost exclusively experienced by females and characterized by spontaneous and unwanted sexual arousal unrelated to desire—can compromise individuals' mental health and well-being and severely damage relationships with partners.
	Waking up dormant dopaminergic neurons to reverse Parkinson's disease As many as seven to 10 million people in the world are thought to live with Parkinson's disease (PD). Being the second most common neurodegenerative disease, PD severely affects patients' quality of life, not just brining movement abnormalities. Despite its prevalence and negative impact, current medical treatments for PD rely on alleviating PD symptoms with little efforts to explore ways to reverse the symptoms.
	Study: Judo may help health, social interactions of children with autism Judo may be just the right sport to increase the physical activity level among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and holds promise for reducing sedentary behavior, which is linked to obesity and diabetes, according to a new study from the University of Central Florida.
	Kangaroo mother care reduces infant mortality Researchers at Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health (CISMAC) at the University of Bergen (UiB) followed 8400 low birth weight infants, from 2015 to 2018.
	Common genetic defect in prostate cancer inspires path to new anti-cancer drugs Like security screening to make sure nothing harmful makes its way into a crowded area, cells in the human body use checkpoints to control their growth and prevent harmful mutations from making their way into new cell populations and causing trouble. Every cell that divides and replicates its DNA must clear at least three checkpoints—all of which call on specialized genes known as tumor suppressors.
	Pornography is not a 'public health crisis': researchers Existing evidence suggests pornography may negatively affect some individuals, but it does not qualify as a public health crisis, and calling it one could cause harm.
	BPA replacement hinders heart function, study reveals BPA's counterpart replacement BPS can hinder heart function within minutes of a single exposure, according to a new University of Guelph study.
	Parents aren't powerless when it comes to sleep-deprived teenagers Teenagers in the US simply don't get enough shut eye. The consequences of this epidemic of sleep deprivation are extensive and include increasing rates of anxiety and depression among adolescents, as well as suicidal thoughts and actions. Sleep-deprived teens are more likely to be involved in car crashes, and run a higher risk of injury during sports-related activities.
	Less severe cases of diarrheal illness can still lead to child mortality, research shows Diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of death for young children, accounting for nine percent of all deaths worldwide in children under five years of age, with most occurring in children under two years of age. Now, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) found that even milder cases of diarrheal diseases can lead to death in young children.
	Food textures affect perceptions of healthiness New research has demonstrated how food producers could change the surface texture of products to change people's perceptions and promote healthy eating.
	Metabolic syndrome associated with increased risk of blood clot recurrence People with metabolic syndrome—a set of conditions including obesity, impaired glucose metabolism, elevated levels of fats and cholesterol in the blood, and high blood pressure—are more likely to experience recurrent blood clots, according to a new study published today in Blood Advances. Among patients diagnosed with a type of blood clot known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), those who also had markers of metabolic syndrome were more likely to experience another venous thromboembolism (VTE) event. Furthermore, as the number of metabolic syndrome conditions that the patients exhibited increased, so too did their likelihood of experiencing VTE recurrence.
	Rejuvenating the brain: More stem cells improve learning and memory of old mice The older we get the more our brains will find it difficult to learn and remember new things. The research group led by Professor Federico Calegari used a method to stimulate the small pool of neural stem cells that reside in the brain in order to increase their number and the number of neurons generated by those stem cells. Additional neurons could survive and form new contacts with neighboring cells in the brain of old mice.
	Lack of insurance is cause of survivorship gap in minorities with cancer, study shows Lack of insurance coverage is a major cause of delayed breast cancer screening and treatment among minority women, which could lead to a decrease in a patient's chance of survival. Nearly half of the disparity in later-stage diagnosis between non-Hispanic white women and black, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander women was mediated by being uninsured or underinsured, according to a new study conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine.
	First genomic study of puberty yields insights into development and cancer In the first-ever genome-scale analysis of the puberty process in humans, researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah (U of U) outline distinct and critical changes to stem cells in males during adolescence. They further outline how testosterone, and the cells that produce testosterone, impact stem cells in male reproductive organs. The researchers believe this study adds dramatically to a foundation of knowledge that may yield insights into critical areas of human health, including infertility and cellular changes that lead to cancer and other diseases.
	Risk for suicide increased in children, teens who self-harm (HealthDay)—Children and adolescents who self-harm have an increased risk for suicide, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.
	After stroke, an 'astounding' risk of heart problems Women and men have a much higher risk of dangerous heart problems soon after their first stroke compared to people without stroke, even if they don't have obvious underlying heart disease, a study has found.
	Flu cases surge early, could a tough season lie ahead? (HealthDay)—This year's flu season has already turned bad quickly, and experts worry the worst is still to come.
	New closed-loop system offers promise as novel treatment for post-bariatric hypoglycemia Gastric bypass vastly improves the health of the patients who elect to receive the surgery. Post-bariatric hypoglycemia, however, can be a severe complication experienced by 10 to 30 percent of patients.
	One-fourth of children with autism are undiagnosed One-fourth of children under age 8 with autism spectrum disorder—most of them black or Hispanic—are not being diagnosed, which is critical for improving quality of life.
New study suggests 21-gene recurrence score may help in radiation decision-making A new study shows that a test physicians commonly used to guide chemotherapy treatment for post-breast cancer surgery patients may also help them decide whether radiation therapy may be of benefit.
Overdose rates higher and opioid addiction care scarcer, in Medicaid work requirement states Low-income people with addiction, especially those with addiction to opioids, may find it hard to access the kind of care they need to recover no matter where they live, a new study suggests.
Women with transplanted uterus gives birth to 'miracle' baby A woman who gave birth to a boy she carried inside a transplanted womb said Thursday that the experimental procedure delivered a "miracle."
Santa Fe archbishop issues safety directive for flu season The head of New Mexico's largest Catholic diocese has issued directives aimed at protecting parishioners during flu season.
	Why do people develop chronic pain? Mood disorders and the discovery of a pain signalling organ in the skin could explain why chronic pain occurs—and how to treat it.
	Harnessing biology and technology to develop new depression treatments New research into the biology of depression, along with new and evolving technologies, provides the basis for developing the next generation of treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD), according to the special January/February issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
	California could be 1st state to sell own prescription drugs California could become the first state with its own prescription drug label under a proposal that Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled Thursday in a bid to lower prices by increasing competition in the generic market.
Hungary state-run clinics to give free IVF treatment Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Thursday that fertility treatment at state-run clinics would be provided free of charge, a latest measure aimed at stemming demographic decline.

Biology news

	Of ants and men: Ant behavior might mirror political polarization Could the division of labor in an anthill be driven by the same social dynamics governing the gap between liberals and conservatives? That was the surprising question tackled by Princeton biologists Chris Tokita and Corina Tarnita.
	How do fruit flies see in color? Study uncovers human-like brain circuit at work Columbia scientists have identified a brain circuit that drives fruit flies' ability to see in color—and found that it bears a striking resemblance to the circuitry behind our own capacity for color vision. These findings shed light on the fundamental, yet mysterious, process by which information about light waves is transmitted from the eye to the brain. This research will not only fuel new investigations into how color vision works in flies and humans, but could also spur efforts to develop algorithms that help computers see in color.
	'Resurrection ecology' of 600-year-old water fleas used to understand pollution adaptation One of the leading threats to lakes since the rise of agriculture are runoffs from fertilizer, in the form of high phosphorus levels. These can trigger devastating events like eutrophication, where deadly algal blooms thrive on phosphorus, and in the process, outcompete and choke off vital nutrients from the rest of the lake.
	Shark and ray vision comes into focus Vision is a crucial sense for most animals, and vertebrates have evolved a highly adaptable set of opsin genes that generate light-sensitive pigments to decode the retinal image. These opsins include a rod opsin to help see in low light, and four classes of cone opsins to see in bright light and detect colors across the visible light spectrum.
	Biologists identify pathways that extend lifespan by 500% Scientists at the MDI Biological Laboratory, in collaboration with scientists from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, Calif., and Nanjing University in China, have identified synergistic cellular pathways for longevity that amplify lifespan fivefold in C. elegans, a nematode worm used as a model in aging research.
	New study reveals the origin of complex malaria infections New technology employing single cell genome sequencing of the parasite that causes malaria has yielded some surprising results and helps pave the way for possible new intervention strategies for this deadly infectious disease, according to Texas Biomedical Research Institute Assistant Professor Ian Cheeseman, Ph.D. Dr. Cheeseman was Principal Investigator of a three-year study published in the January 2020 edition of Cell Host & Microbe, a high-impact peer-reviewed publication.
	How bacterial evolution of antibiotic arsenals is providing new drug blueprints Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have discovered that two very different species of bacteria have evolved distinct, powerful antibiotic arsenals for use in the war against their bacterial neighbours [Thursday 9th January, 2020]. By blueprinting precisely how the antibiotics function against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the scientists have provided new options for drug designers seeking to hold back the global threat that antimicrobial resistance poses humanity.
	Ancient iron-sulfur-based mechanism monitors electron flow in photosynthesis A delicate balance of electrons flowing through the photosynthetic machinery is essential to a plant's ability to turn sunlight into energy and its survival. Understanding the factors that regulate this balance is key for plant breeders who may want to improve light energy conversion in crop plants for increased yield.
	Selfless African grey parrots get by with a little help from friends (Update) Acting selflessly to help others in need was long thought to be a trait confined to mammals, in particular humans and some great ape species like bonobos and orangutans.
	Scientists transform a BBQ lighter into a high-tech lab device Researchers have devised a straightforward technique for building a laboratory device known as an electroporator—which applies a jolt of electricity to temporarily open cell walls—from inexpensive components, including a piezoelectric crystal taken from a butane lighter.
	Acidic environment could boost power of harmful pathogens When food we've swallowed reaches our stomachs, it finds an acidic environment. The low pH in the stomach helps to begin digestion—and has been thought to kill the bacteria that hides in food that otherwise could harm our bodies.
	Prosocial and tolerant parrots help others to obtain food Parrots are considered extraordinarily clever animals. Alex, the famous Harvard-based African grey parrot, communicated with a vocabulary of more than 500 human words, could answer questions and classify objects spontaneously. Scientists from the Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology based at the research station outpost for parrot comparative cognition in the Loro Parque in Tenerife, Spain, have shown that parrots exhibit a high level of social intelligence and cooperativeness. They readily help others, even when there is no immediate opportunity for reciprocation. Moreover, they reciprocate received favours and do not appear jealous, if conspecifics obtain a better reward than themselves. This further supports that they have evolved a level of intelligence comparable to that of great apes, crows and dolphins.
	Large 'herbivores of the sea' help keep coral reefs healthy Selective fishing can disrupt the delicate balance maintained between corals and algae in embattled Caribbean coral reefs. Removing large parrotfish, which graze on algae like large land mammals graze on grasses, can allow the algae to overtake the corals, with potentially dire consequences for reef health. New experimental research suggests that maintaining a healthy size distribution of parrotfishes in a sea floor ecosystem through smart fishing practices could help maintain reefs that are already facing decline due to climate change.
	Study finds deforestation is changing animal communication Deforestation is changing the way monkeys communicate in their natural habitat, according to a new study.
	Scientists learn how to increase corn crop yields NSF-funded scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory are figuring out how to pack more kernels onto a corn cob. One way to boost the productivity of a plant, they say, is to redirect some of its resources away from maintaining an overprepared immune system and into enhanced seed production. Now, a team led by CSHL scientist David Jackson has found a gene that could help tweak that balance.
	New ways to generate totipotent-like cells Totipotency is set to become a key tool for research and future medical applications. Finding efficient ways to generate totipotent-like cells is therefore crucial. In a new study, a group of researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München found that totipotent-like cells can be induced by manipulating the availability of metabolites in pluripotent cells. These findings open up new possibilities for cell reprogramming.
	Doctors come together to save eyesight of 3-year-old gorilla Animal care specialists at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park were concerned when they noticed cloudiness in the left eye of Leslie, a three-year-old female western lowland gorilla. Closer inspection confirmed the lens had changed and the left eye was shifting haphazardly, prompting Leslie to favor use of her right eye.
	New research reveals connection between drug treatments and antimicrobial resistance in cattle disease A new study from Kansas State University on the treatment of non-responding cases of bovine respiratory disease, known as BRD, conducted by Hans Coetzee and his collaborators from Iowa State University, sheds light on the relationship between drug treatments and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.
	Coordination by remote control Protein filament systems within cells are subject to constant reorganization, which is in part mediated by the actions of motor proteins. LMU researchers have now shown that motor-driven movements can propagate through such networks.
	Improved functioning of diverse landscape mosaics It is well-established that biodiverse ecosystems generally function better than monocultures. Ecologists at the University of Zurich have now shown that the same is true on a larger scale: Having a mix of different land-covers including grassland, forest, urban areas and water bodies improves the functioning and stability of a landscape—irrespective of the plant species diversity, region and climate.
	Monkeys smashing nuts with stones hint at how human tool use evolved Human beings used to be defined as "the tool-maker" species. But the uniqueness of this description was challenged in the 1960s when Dr. Jane Goodall discovered that chimpanzees will pick and modify grass stems to use to collect termites. Her observations called into question homo sapiens' very place in the world.
	Moths' flight data helps drones navigate complex environments The flight navigation strategy of moths can be used to develop programs that help drones to navigate unfamiliar environments, report Ioannis Paschalidis at Boston University, Thomas Daniel at University of Washington, and colleagues, in the open-access journal PLOS Computational Biology.
	The claw disease tyloma is primarily genetic in cows Scientists at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and Georg August University Göttingen have succeeded in proving that a claw disease in cows is primarily genetic. Until now, the occurrence of interdigital hyperplasia has mostly been attributed to poor hygiene conditions in the barn. However, a team led by Professor Hermann Swalve discovered a farm in which the disease occurred frequently and was able to identify the gene responsible. As a result, the disease may now be contained through selective breeding.
	Vector-borne causes of fever in cats demand year-round preventive therapy Increased body temperature is the single-most commonly noted abnormal finding for the medical practitioner. While it may be a sign of something relatively innocuous, it can also be an indication of underlying critical illness. In cats, an elevated body temperature equates to a reading in excess of 39.2°C or 102.5°F and, as in humans, it can arise as a result of two major mechanisms: hyperthermia and fever. Hyperthermia refers to a sudden and uncontrolled increase in temperature owing to failure of the body's thermoregulatory mechanism. By contrast, in fever (or pyrexia, from the Greek for 'fire' or 'burning heat'), the body's hypothalamic set-point is increased, secondary to the release of pyrogens, as the body's adaptive response to a pathological state.
	If the pines disappear, can it still be called Big Pine Key? More than 30 percent of the trees on Big Pine Key died in the months following Hurricane Irma.
	AAFP releases updated feline retrovirus guidelines to the veterinary community On Thursday, January 9, The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) releases updated Feline Retrovirus Testing and Management Guidelines to the veterinary community, which will be published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. In publishing these Guidelines, the AAFP aims to provide the most current information about feline retrovirus infections to veterinary practitioners so they may optimize the care and management of their feline patients.
About 300 sea turtles die in Mexico from red tide Mexican environmental authorities said Thursday that 292 sea turtles found dead on the country's southern Pacific coast since Christmas died as a result of a red tide algae bloom.

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