Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Aug 29

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 29, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Strength of global stratospheric circulation measured for first time

Harbor sediment core samples offer historic evidence of ancient Rome's plumbing

Molecules chilled below Doppler limit

High-speed video study reveals the nature of the cobra wave

New neutron holography technique opens a window for obtaining clear 3-D atomic images

Research team flips the switch on ferroelectrics

Researchers create single-crystal perovskite solar cells

Nanoparticle emissions rise 30 percent when flex-fuel cars switch from bio to fossil

NASA's next Mars mission to investigate interior of Red Planet

Brain defense cells live longer than expected

Scientists discover potential new improved way to kill cancer cells

Bahamian songbirds disappeared during last glacial-interglacial transition

Pathway's power to boost, halt tumors may be promising cancer therapy target

Tiny nanopackages built out of DNA help scientists peek at how neurons work

Bendable crystals tie current thinking in knots

Astronomy & Space news

	NASA's next Mars mission to investigate interior of Red Planet Preparation of NASA's next spacecraft to Mars, InSight, has ramped up this summer, on course for launch next May from Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California—the first interplanetary launch in history from America's West Coast.
	NASA team passes major technological milestone for characterizing exoplanets NASA researchers say they have passed a major milestone in their quest to mature more powerful tools for directly detecting and analyzing the atmospheres of giant planets outside the solar system—one of the observational goals of NASA's proposed Wide-Field Infrared Space Telescope, also known as WFIRST.
	NASA's Lunar mission captures solar eclipse as seen from the moon During the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, captured an image of the Moon's shadow over a large region of the United States, centered just north of Nashville, Tennessee.

Technology news

	In the face of climate change can our engineers keep the trains running on time? Physicist Michio Kaku once said, "What we usually consider as impossible are simply engineering problems... there's no law of physics preventing them." And so it has been with railway and metro bridges that span waterways. The city of Washington, D.C., is bounded on two sides by rivers and an untold number of streams. Every morning the Orange Line, one of six train lines that serve the city, ferries 12,060 commuters—per hour. And this miracle occurs every day in Berlin, Tokyo, London, Amsterdam, Shanghai, and numerous other metropolitan areas. In the United Kingdom alone there are more than 40,000 railway bridges.
	Collaborative effort proves silicon-based solar cells can reach nearly 36% efficiency Collaboration between researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM), and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) shows the high potential of silicon-based multijunction solar cells.
	Photosynthesis discovery could help design more efficient artificial solar cells A natural process that occurs during photosynthesis could lead to the design of more efficient artificial solar cells, according to researchers at Georgia State University.
	Burger King Russia makes Waves, presents Whoppercoin When burgers are served with sides of their very own cryptocurrency, well, watch out for news headlines. Burger King Russia is in the news with an initiative involving their signature Whopper.
Renault-Nissan, China's Dongfeng announce e-car venture Automakers Renault and Nissan say they will develop electric cars with a Chinese state-owned partner, adding to a series of tie-ups between global auto brands and local partners in the biggest electric vehicle market.
	Mixed reality gives neuroanatomy lessons a boost With its unique hemispheres and intricate connections, the brain is one of the most exceptional, yet complex organs in the human body. The intricate structure has posed a unique challenge for generations of students looking to understand and ultimately master how its many parts fit, and work, together.
	How to make robots that we can trust Self-driving cars, personal assistants, cleaning robots, smart homes - these are just some examples of autonomous systems.
	Artificial intelligence researchers must learn ethics Scientists who build artificial intelligence and autonomous systems need a strong ethical understanding of the impact their work could have.
	The creative data interpreters The ETH spin-off SpinningBytes programs software that uses machine learning not only to analyse but also to understand huge amounts of data. It enables customised solutions to be developed for numerous IT problems, and allows new insights to be gained from previously unused data.
Where's the line? Managing extreme speech on social media Extreme speech on social media—foul language, threats and overtly sexist and racist language—has been in the spotlight. While such language is not new, recent increases of extreme and offensive posts on social media have led to politicians, celebrities and pundits calling for social media platforms to do more in curbing such speech, opening new debates about free speech in the digital age. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri School of Journalism shows that while people tend to dislike extreme speech on social media, there is less support for outright censorship. Instead, people believe sites need to do a better job promoting healthy discourse online.
Some Apple 'spaceship' neighbors say life has been hell At the end of Nightingale Avenue, a tall yellow brick facade now blocks the view of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the south. Residents call it the "prison wall."
	Delivery without drivers: Domino's, Ford team up for test No ring of the doorbell, just a text. No tip for the driver? No problem in this test, where Domino's and Ford are teaming up to see if customers will warm to the idea of pizza delivered by driverless cars.
	Are consumers ready to give augmented reality a try? You might have gotten a taste of "augmented reality," the blending of the virtual and physical worlds, as you chased on-screen monsters at real-world landmarks in last year's gaming sensation, "Pokemon Go."
NREL updates baseline cost and performance data for electricity generation technologies The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released the 2017 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB), updating a key source of reliable electricity generation technology cost and performance data used to support and inform electric sector analysis in the United States. Now in its third year, the ATB documents technology-specific information on a broad spectrum of electricity generation technologies, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, biomass, coal, natural gas, and nuclear.
New analysis identifies where commercial customers might benefit from energy storage Commercial electricity customers who are subject to high demand charges may be able to reduce overall costs by using battery energy storage to manage demand, according to research by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Federal judge reviews $151 million chemical spill settlement A revised class-action settlement plan is back before a federal judge deciding how to pay victims of a chemical spill that left people without tap water for up to 9 days.
	Best Buy rolls out consulting service at people's homes Best Buy is rolling out a free service next month where salespeople will sit with customers at their own homes to help make recommendations on TVs, streaming services and more.
	Text messages as public records emerges as new Montana issue Montana government leaders plan to create rules for when and how to preserve text messages after a news organization's public-records request exposed the lack of a policy to retain the messages that have become a regular communication method for state business.
	Russian Kalashnikov arms maker presents riot control vehicle Russia's Kalashnikov company, the maker of the prolific assault rifle, has presented a new product: a formidable crowd control vehicle.

Medicine & Health news

	Brain defense cells live longer than expected Eliminating pathogens and cellular waste is an important task of microglia, the immune cells of the brain. They are among the group of non-neural brain cells that support the normal function of nerve cells. A new study now shows that in mice, these scavenger cells may live as long as the rodents themselves. The new finding comes from scientists at the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, the University of Tübingen, and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE).
Scientists discover potential new improved way to kill cancer cells Scientists at the University of Glasgow have discovered a process to trigger the death of cancer cells that could be more effective than current methods.
	Pathway's power to boost, halt tumors may be promising cancer therapy target A protein, called inositol-requiring enzyme 1—IRE1—may serve as a key driver in a series of molecular interactions that can both promote and, paradoxically, inhibit tumors in certain types of cancers, such as non-melanoma skin cancers, according to a team of molecular biologists. They add that this pathway's dual power may make it a tempting target for future research on the design of new types of anti-cancer therapeutics.
	Magnetic stimulation of the brain improved awareness of subject's own cognitive abilities Researchers at Aalto University and the University of Helsinki have succeeded for the first time ever in affecting metacognition of a tactile working memory task by combining neural pathway imaging and magnetic stimulation of the brain. Understanding brain function might help in the development of new treatments for neuropsychiatric illnesses in the future.
	New osteoporosis treatment uses traditional Chinese herb to prevent bone loss An herb widely used in traditional Chinese medicine might hold the key to a new osteoporosis therapy that could prevent bone loss without causing side effects.
	Scientists launch virtual reality game to detect Alzheimer's Sea Quest Hero is more than just the usual computer game in which players find their way through mazes, shoot and chase creatures—it also doubles as scientists' latest tool for studying Alzheimer's disease.
Hard-drinking Lithuania wages battle against vodka Behind a heavy wooden door next to a Vilnius church, a couple of dozen Lithuanian men are talking about their dependence on alcohol. The moderator is Kestutis Dvareckas, a priest and a decade sober.
San Diego battles deadly Hepatitis A outbreak A record outbreak of Hepatitis A has killed 14 people and put scores in hospital in San Diego, hitting mostly homeless and patients using intravenous drugs.
Americans OK with GMs for health care, but still wary about food More than three-quarters of Americans would accept release of genetically modified mosquitoes to decrease risk of the Zika virus, but fewer than half accept genetic modification (GM) of animals, grain crops and produce, according to a Purdue University study.
	New technology could predict the risk of type 2 diabetes Researchers at the University of Glasgow have announced a new technology-based approach that could lead to a more accurate identification of people at high risk of type 2 diabetes.
	Revising the language of addiction When confronting the power of addiction, the power of language is important to keep in mind, specialists say.
New technique to aid IVF embryo selection Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP), led by the University of Adelaide, have successfully developed an advanced new imaging technique, which can help assess the quality of early-stage embryos.
	Profiling the gut microbiome proteins that modify bile It turns out that bile is a lot more dynamic than you might think. One of the biggest factors affecting bile, which is very important to our ability to absorb nutrients, is our diet. But another is the make-up of the community of microbes in the human gut.
	Urine test is breakthrough for patients with high blood pressure A research team led by a University of Manchester Professor has shown that a urine test, developed previously in Leicester, leads to a drop in blood pressure in patients who had been struggling to regularly take their blood pressure lowering tablets.
	Anti-inflammatory drugs can inhibit muscle growth The long-term use of over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory drugs can inhibit muscle growth in young, healthy individuals engaging in weight training, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet, reporting on the effects of ibuprofen on the skeletal muscles and published in Acta Physiologica.
	Drug study implicates benzodiazepines in accidental overdoses Common anti-anxiety drugs including Xanax and Valium have been implicated in half of all non-fatal injected drug overdoses in a new study.
	Compassion key to treating eating disorders Self-compassion is an important part of recovery for people with eating disorders, University of Queensland researchers have found.
	Which vaccinations should I get as an adult? Before vaccines were developed, infectious diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and meningitis were the leading cause of death and illness in the world. Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements in history, having drastically reduced deaths and illness from infectious causes.
	Doping among amateur athletes like CrossFitters is probably more common than you'd think Earlier this month the 11th annual CrossFit Games took place in the US. While the event has come a long way from humble beginnings, the prizemoney and fame now attached to it have led to concerns that competitors may be doping to gain an unfair advantage.
	Researchers discover new immunotherapy combination effective at killing cancer cells Immunotherapy is an emerging field in the global fight against cancer, even though scientists and clinicians have been working for decades to find ways to help the body's immune system detect and attack cancerous cells. Doug Mahoney's lab at the University of Calgary recently discovered an immunotherapy that uses existing cancer drugs in a whole new way.
	Fentanyl not recommended for routine use during coronary angiographies In a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial of 212 patients, Johns Hopkins researchers have found that the routine use of fentanyl for sedation and comfort during coronary angiography reduces the effectiveness of the platelet blocking drug ticagrelor, and it doesn't appear to provide any better pain relief than just local anesthesia. Fast-acting platelet blocking drugs such as ticagrelor are essential for preventing platelets from sticking together and forming blood clots on heart stents placed to open blockages.
	Ancient history of Lyme disease revealed with bacterial genomes A team of researchers led by the Yale School of Public Health has found that the Lyme disease bacterium is ancient in North America, circulating silently in forests for at least 60,000 years—long before the disease was first described in Lyme, Connecticut, in 1976 and long before the arrival of humans.
	Switching sugar for starch leads to less fatty liver in kids A nine-day experimental diet that cut out the type of sugar in soft drinks, fruit juices and most processed foods significantly reversed the buildup of liver fat in children and adolescents – a condition strongly linked to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Mom's, not dad's, mitochondria create healthy embryos Mammal embryos shed paternal mitochondria within days of fertilization, perhaps to ensure the offspring a healthy life, a new study shows. Researchers from the California Institute of Technology will present their findings today at the American Physiological Society's Physiological Bioenergetics: Mitochondria from Bench to Bedside conference in San Diego.
Calorie reduction + exercise = better muscle function in older adults Improved muscle performance starts with better mitochondrial function. Older adults who are overweight may improve their muscle function with a weight loss program that combines exercise and calorie reduction, according to researchers from Florida Hospital, in Orlando, Fla., who present their findings today at the American Physiological Society's Physiological Bioenergetics: Mitochondria from Bench to Bedside conference in San Diego.
Turtles may hold the key to protecting human hearts after heart attack In humans, going just minutes without oxygen—such as during a heart attack or stroke—can cause devastating damage to the heart. Conversely, freshwater turtles hibernate for months at the bottom of frozen lakes and awake with no heart damage in the spring. Researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark and the University of Cambridge in the U.K. are looking to these turtles to understand the mechanisms that protect them from heart damage. The research team hypothesized that much of the protection comes from the mitochondria. They will present their findings at the American Physiological Society's Physiological Bioenergetics: Mitochondria from Bench to Bedside conference in San Diego.
	Scientists discover key regulator of blood vessel formation New blood vessels branch out of preexisting ones is via a process called angiogenesis. Although this is essential for survival, development and wound healing, on the flip side, it also feeds and progresses malignant tumors, as well as other diseases. IBS scientists at the Center for Vascular Research, within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), in collaboration with LIM Dae-Sik at KAIST, discovered a key regulator of this process, which could become a potential therapeutic target for treating diseases associated with the formation of new blood vessels.
	Electrocardiogram recording by patients boosts atrial fibrillation diagnosis Electrocardiogram (ECG) recording by patients with remote analysis by professionals identifies more atrial fibrillation (AF) than routine care, according to late-breaking results from a randomised trial presented today in a Hot Line - LBCT Session at ESC Congress1 and published in Circulation. The approach has the potential to reduce AF-related strokes by starting preventative treatment earlier.
Anacetrapib reduces risk of serious cardiovascular events in high risk patients on statins Anacetrapib, an inhibitor of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity, lowers the risk of heart attack and related cardiovascular complications in patients receiving intensive statin treatment, according to late-breaking results from the REVEAL trial presented today in a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress1 and published in the NEJM.
Japanese study questions benefit of treat-to-target statin therapy in diabetic retinopathy A study in Japanese patients with diabetic retinopathy has questioned the benefit of treat-to-target intensive versus standard statin therapy. The late-breaking results from the EMPATHY trial are presented today in a Hot Line LBCT Session at ESC Congress.
Ablation of atrial fibrillation improves quality of life more than drugs Ablation of atrial fibrillation improves quality of life more than drugs, even though the reduction in atrial fibrillation burden did not differ significantly between treatments, according to late-breaking results from the CAPTAF trial presented today in a Hot Line Session at ESC Congress.
Cartilage degeneration algorithm predicts progression of osteoarthritis A novel cartilage degeneration algorithm can predict the progression of osteoarthritis in individual patients, according to new research from the University of Eastern Finland. The new algorithm could greatly facilitate clinical decision-making in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
	Many doping cases remain undiscovered in professional sport Researchers at the University of Tübingen have found that biological tests only detect a small number of doping cases in comparison to those reported by athletes.
	Pneumonia bug distracts immune system A Sydney researcher has discovered a common, pneumonia-causing bacterium can shed living proteins, and may use this ability as a defence against our immune system.
	Understanding the immune system at the nanoscale Gaining a better understanding of immune cells allows physicians to more effectively diagnose, monitor, and treat a wide range of diseases. Their complexity and sheer number make studying immune cells a difficult challenge, however.
	What is Seroquel and should you take it for insomnia? Quetiapine, sold under the brand name Seroquel, is a short-acting antipsychotic drug. It's used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder and as an add-on treatment for major depression and generalised anxiety disorder in people who haven't responded to other therapies. The recommended dose range for these conditions is 200-800mg a day.
	Dark chocolate with olive oil associated with improved cardiovascular risk profile Dark chocolate enriched with extra virgin olive oil is associated with an improved cardiovascular risk profile, according to research presented today at ESC Congress.
Preventing sudden death in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—new backing for ESC guidelines A large study conducted across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia has validated the ESC recommendations for predicting and preventing sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
	Why a diabetes drug could help in Parkinson's disease A diabetes drug might help in certain types of Parkinson's disease, reports a team of German brain researchers headed by Dr. Julia Fitzgerald at the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, the University of Tübingen and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Tübingen. The neuroscientists identified a protein that plays an important role in the energy balance of cells. If the protein is missing, the energy balance is disturbed leading possibly to cell death and ultimately to the onset of the disease. In Parkinson's disease, nerve cells die off in a brain area responsible for movement control. Using cell cultures, the research team has now shown that the diabetes drug metformin acts on the energy budget, thereby protecting the cells. The study has been published in the current issue of the journal Brain.
New rapid sexual infection test set to transform nation's health Researchers at St George's, University of London say the new speedy test will mean that for the first time ever patients with common sexual infections will be able to get their diagnosis, results and treatment in one clinical visit.
'Brain Glue' repairs traumatic brain injuries Researchers at the University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center have developed Brain Glue, a substance that could one day serve as a treatment for traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs.
	Bacterial cell wall mopping agents could treat chronic inflammatory diseases like type 2 diabetes Bacteria may be responsible for more than we suspect. Especially when it comes to inflammatory diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
	Placenta-on-a-chip: Microsensor simulates malaria in the womb to develop treatments Malaria, one of the most severe public health problems, affected 212 million people worldwide in 2015. This life-threatening disease is caused by parasites that are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Though malaria usually cannot be transmitted from mother to baby in utero, both might be affected because malaria-infected red blood cells adhere to blood vessels in the placenta, resulting in about 10,000 maternal and 200,000 newborn deaths annually. Those hit hardest are in developing and subtropical countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
New antibodies target protein structures common to several neurological diseases A new kind of antibody targets a feature shared by proteins thought to cause the most damage in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related conditions, creating potential for a unified treatment approach.
	Drug breakthrough for mosquito virus outbreaks Scientists have discovered a way that could help treat severe inflammation from an infectious mosquito-borne disease during outbreaks.
Bone-derived hormone reverses age-related memory loss in mice Age-related memory loss may be reversed by boosting blood levels of osteocalcin, a hormone produced by bone cells, according to mouse studies led by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers. The research team also identified a receptor for osteocalcin in the brain, paving the way for a novel approach to treating age-related cognitive decline.
	Inattentive kids show worse grades in later life Researchers studied children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and found that inattentiveness was linked to worse academic performance up to 10 years later, regardless of ADHD, even when they accounted for the children's intellectual ability.
	Tears in tiny bone cells called osteocytes appear an important step to better bones The force gravity and physical activity put on our bones causes tiny tears in the membranes of the tiny cells that enable us to make or break down bone, scientists say.
	Federal preemption of taxes on state and local sugar-sweetened beverages is not warranted Federal, state, and local governments each have a role to play in protecting health. Federal and state government, however, can alter or hinder state and local activity through a legal mechanism called preemption - when a higher level of government blocks the action of a lower level of government. An increase in state preemption of local food policies led a research team to assess whether preemption of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) by the federal government would be likely based on Congress's historical rationales for preempting taxes.
	Obese people lack cells with satiety hormones Individuals with severe overweight have an inhibited sense of satiation - they release fewer satiety hormones than people of normal weight. The reason: the responsible cells in the gastrointestinal tract of obese people are severely reduced. This report Swiss doctors in the journal Scientific Reports. Surgical weight-loss procedures can repair this disorder.
How parents, siblings can become teachers for special needs children Parents and siblings of children with limited speech who took an innovative training program created by a Michigan State University scholar significantly improved their ability to communicate with the special needs youth.
	Severity of psoriasis linked to increased risk of death The more the surface area of the body is covered by psoriasis, the greater the risk of death for the patient suffering from the condition, according to a new analysis by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The study, which published today in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, is the first to link psoriasis severity to an increased risk of death using an objective measure of disease severity - called Body Surface Area (BSA) - rather than treatment patterns, such as whether or not a patient was receiving oral, injectable or phototherapy treatment for the condition. It finds patients with psoriasis on 10 percent or more of their body are at almost double the risk of death.
Experts release US policy roadmap to reduce antibiotics used in food animals Antibiotic resistance is a public health crisis that threatens the lives of millions of people around the world. Yet, according to a new report released today, the U.S. policy response fails to adequately address this major challenge. The commission report was authored by 12 antibiotic resistance experts from the fields of infectious disease medicine, veterinary medicine, microbiology, epidemiology and public health, including Co-Chair Lance Price, PhD, Director of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center, which is based at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health (SPH).
	Abnormalities shown to first appear in brain networks involved in sensory processing The origins of autism remain mysterious. What areas of the brain are involved, and when do the first signs appear? New findings published in Biological Psychiatry brings us closer to understanding the pathology of autism, and the point at which it begins to take shape in the human brain. Such knowledge will allow earlier interventions in the future and better outcomes for autistic children.
New diagnostics tool, the Xpert Ultra assay, improves detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis Researchers have demonstrated a new, improved version of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay, a test for Rifampicin-resistance (RIF-R). The Xpert "Ultra" assay overcomes the shortcomings of the current Xpert assay to significantly improve tuberculosis detection, especially in patients with pauci-bacillary disease. The new Xpert Ultra assay also provides a more reliable detection of Rifampicin resistance (RIF-R). The research is published this week in mBio, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Designing novel biologic agents to target colorectal cancer New biologic drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies and immunotherapies in clinical development, designed to target metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) and stimulate the immune system to destroy tumor cells are a significant advance in treatment over conventional chemotherapy. A comprehensive overview of novel approaches to combating CRC, the fourth most common type of tumor worldwide that has already metastasized when diagnosed in more than 50% of patients, is presented in Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals.
Altered bacterial communities in the gut could be an indicator for Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease is an insidious disease: by the time it manifests as the typical motor dysfunctions such as tremors or muscle rigidity, portions of the brain have already been irreversibly destroyed. By this stage, the disease will have often begun already decades earlier. In search of an early portent of the disease, researchers led by Prof. Paul Wilmes, head of the Eco-Systems Biology Group at the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University of Luxembourg, may now have found one in the gut: they have shown that the bacterial community in the gut of Parkinson's patients differs from that of healthy people even at a very early stage of the disease. The researchers present their results in the scientific journal Movement Disorders.
Study shows slow walking pace is good predictor of heart-related deaths A team of researchers at the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, UK - a partnership between Leicester's Hospitals, the University of Leicester and Loughborough University - has concluded that middle-aged people who report that they are slow walkers could be at higher risk of heart disease compared to the general population.
	First atlas of B-cell clones in body forms new foundation for infectious disease research A new "anatomic atlas" of how B cells - the immune system's producer of antibodies - link up to form networks has been charted by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. This map will be an important resource for researchers and clinicians studying infectious diseases, the microbiome, vaccine responses, and tissue-specific immunity. Their findings appear in Nature Biotechnology.
Study finds hormone therapy improves sleep quality for recently menopausal women For many women, the side effects of menopause don't call it a day when they do.
Obesity prevention guidelines are not followed for preschool children In a study of nearly 400 preschool children, only one child adhered to obesity prevention guidelines over the course of a single day at child care and at home.
	Researchers unravel the negative effects of pesticide exposure on birth outcomes Although common opinion holds that exposure to pesticides increases adverse birth outcomes, the existing body of scientific evidence is ambiguous. Logistical and ethical barriers—pesticide use data are not widely available and randomized control trials are impossible—have gotten in the way of more accurate conclusions.
Thorough analysis reveals immune system dynamics after immunotherapy By combining new system-biological analyses and advanced data analysis, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have been able to monitor the maturation process of the immune system of leukaemia patients who have undergone stem cell transplantation. The technique, which reveals complex interactions between cells and proteins, can be used for other diseases to generate new knowledge about the regulation and dysregulation of the immune system, which can eventually give rise to new, improved immunological therapies. The study is published in Cell Reports.
	Bowel cancer study reveals impact of mutations on protein networks For the first time, scientists have completed a detailed study of many of the proteins in bowel cancer cells. Scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute investigated the role proteins play in predicting how common mutations affect proteins in the cancer cells and also whether such proteins are important in predicting the cancer's response to treatment.
	Unraveling Alzheimer's: New study documents how brain cells go bad In the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, there are abnormal deposits of amyloid beta protein and tau protein, and swarms of activated immune cells. But scientists do not fully understand how these three major factors combine to drive the disease. Now, UNC School of Medicine and National Institutes of Health researchers have untangled the mystery in lab experiments to reveal why one Alzheimer's drug currently in development shows promise and how other therapies might reverse the disease process.
	Many parents don't tell doctor about 'Complementary' therapy use in kids (HealthDay)—Parents often try unconventional treatments—such as acupuncture and herbal products—when their kids are sick, but many don't tell their pediatricians about it, a new report shows.
	Make exercise a work-in-progress (HealthDay)—Just as there are diet plateaus, your exercise routine can become, well, routine, causing you to stall out and lose interest. That can lead to backtracking and losses in your overall fitness level.
	AAP: hep B vaccine to be given within first 24 hours of life (HealthDay)—The first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine should be given within the first 24 hours of life, according to an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement published online Aug. 28 in Pediatrics.
	Platelet-rich plasma effective for chronic venous leg ulcers (HealthDay)—For patients with chronic venous leg ulcers, autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is safe and effective, with highly significant improvement in ulcer size compared to conventional treatment, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
	ApoB levels more closely tied to reduced CVD events than LDL (HealthDay)—Clinical benefit of reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels may depend on the corresponding reduction in apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoprotein particles, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research was published to coincide with the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2017, held from Aug. 26 to 30 in Barcelona, Spain.
	FDA cites 'Significant deviations' at florida stem cell clinic (HealthDay)—A Florida stem cell clinic has received a warning letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about what the agency describes as serious problems that could pose health risks to patients.
Diagnosing sleep apnea Dear Mayo Clinic: Based on my snoring and from everything I've read, I think I may have sleep apnea. But I don't want to spend a night at the hospital for sleep testing. Is there an easier way to know if I have sleep apnea? Can I somehow test for it at home?
Signs and symptoms of Bell's palsy Bell's palsy causes sudden weakness in your facial muscles. This makes half of your face appear to droop. Your smile is one-sided, and your eye on that side resists closing.
	Diet guidelines biased against poor nations: study Researchers here at ESC Congress are calling for a reconsideration of global dietary guidelines in light of new data presented today on fat intake and cardiovascular risk and mortality.
Electrical nerve-block research aims at asthma, heart failure Biomedical engineering researchers at Case Western Reserve University are refining more than 15 years of work on an electrical nerve-block implant, focusing their next step on new applications related to treating asthma and heart failure.
Researchers reveal link between PCOS, type 2 diabetes Women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and are diagnosed at an earlier age with the condition, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The nationwide study is the first to show a connection between T2D development and PCOS.
Study shows nurses' scrubs become contaminated with bacteria in hospitals Clothing worn by healthcare providers can become contaminated with bacteria, however having nurses wear scrubs with antimicrobial properties did not prevent this bacterial contamination from occurring, according to a study published online today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
Children of unintended pregnancies may experience depressive symptoms in early adulthood Children from unintended pregnancies tend to experience more depressive symptoms in early adulthood compared to children from intended pregnancies, however there's little evidence of a causal relationship, according the results of a newly published study by a University at Buffalo sociologist.
Two-stage approach to risk-reducing mastectomy improves results for women with large breasts For women undergoing risk-reducing mastectomy to prevent breast cancer, reconstruction can be challenging in those with larger breasts. A two-stage approach—with initial breast reduction and "pre-shaping" followed by mastectomy and reconstruction—appears to be a safer procedure with better cosmetic results, reports the September issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Gov't report: 28.1M in US lack health coverage The government says about 500,000 fewer Americans had no health insurance the first three months of this year, but that slight dip was not statistically significant from the same period in 2016.
	Medicare to foot the bill for treadmill therapy for leg pain Three times a week, Rita Driscoll steps onto a treadmill at a Minnesota hospital under the eye of a rehab therapist. She walks until it hurts—pushing her limits, walking faster and adding steeper inclines.
No advantage of ambulance over hospital anti-clot therapy for heart attack patients In contrast to European and American guidelines that recommend pre-hospital antiplatelet therapy for heart attack patients suffering from ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a new study presented at ESC Congress suggests this practice has no advantage over waiting for in-hospital treatment.
Revisiting dietary fat guidelines Researchers here at ESC Congress are calling for a reconsideration of global dietary guidelines in light of new data presented today on fat intake and cardiovascular risk and mortality.
Reassessing the benefits of plant-based eating A large dietary study from 18 countries, across 7 geographic regions has found that even relatively moderate intake of fruit, vegetables and legumes such as beans and lentils may lower a person's risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death.
Asian dust and acute myocardial infarction—prediction and prevention When Asian dust clouds blow in to Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture, hospitals in the region handle a surge of acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) in the following 24 hours, and now a new prediction tool could help pinpoint which patients are at greatest risk.
Rethinking dual antiplatelet guidelines in acute coronary syndrome? New research presented at ESC Congress today suggests that for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients who require percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), treatment according to contemporary guidelines for dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) could be less preferable than sticking to older guidelines.
	Poor sleep is associated with ischemic heart disease and stroke Poor sleep is associated with ischaemic heart disease and stroke, according to research presented today at ESC Congress. The observational study in nearly 13 000 people revealed different patterns of sleep disturbance between the two conditions, with ischaemic heart disease being linked to shorter sleep and brief moments of waking up.
Women largely unaware of minimally invasive treatment for uterine fibroids U.S. women are largely unaware of uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), a minimally invasive treatment for uterine fibroids that is less painful, preserves the uterus and allows women to get back to their lives sooner than surgical options, according to results from a new nationwide poll released today by the Society of Interventional Radiology. The data included in the report, The fibroid fix: What women need to know, show that 44 percent of women diagnosed with uterine fibroids say they have never heard of the less invasive treatment option.
	Sessions: Drug overdoses 'the top lethal issue' in the US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday called drug overdose deaths "the top lethal issue" in the U.S. and urged law enforcement and social workers to "create and foster a culture that's hostile to drug use."
Bulgaria seizes contaminated eggs from Germany Authorities in Bulgaria have seized a tonne of powdered eggs contaminated with the same chemical that has led to millions of poultry products being recalled across Europe, the country's food safety agency said Tuesday.
'Unsung heroes' winning Yemen cholera battle: UNICEF The cholera epidemic that has ravaged war-torn Yemen has been declining for the past two months because of an unprecedented response by "unsung local heroes", the United Nations said Tuesday.

Biology news

	Bahamian songbirds disappeared during last glacial-interglacial transition Two species of songbirds that once made a home in the Bahamas likely became extinct on the islands because of rising sea levels and a warmer, wetter climate, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Riverside and the University of Florida, Gainesville. The study, which was published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, presents a historical view of how climate change and the resulting habitat loss can affect Earth's biodiversity.
	Common use of antibiotics in cells grown for research could distort tests When growing cells in the lab, researchers routinely add antibiotics to prevent contamination. But a new study by UC San Francisco researchers raises a red flag against this standard practice, finding that it can induce unintentional genetic changes in the cells and distort test results.
	Sense of smell is key factor in bird navigation How do birds navigate over long distances? This complex question has been the subject of debate and controversy among scientists for decades, with Earth's magnetic field and the bird's own sense of smell among the factors said to play a part.
	Evolutionary ecology could benefit beekeepers battling diseases Some commercial beekeeping practices may harm honeybees more than help them, scientists warn in a paper published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
	Sea Shepherd pulls plug on Japan whale hunt Activist group Sea Shepherd on Tuesday pulled the plug on its annual campaign to disrupt Japanese whaling, saying it can no longer match the country's military and economic power.
	Snakebite map for pets launched As the weather warms up, veterinarians are preparing for snakebite season with an interactive map to record when and where pets are bitten. The SnakeMap Project aims to better predict, prevent, diagnose and treat snakebite in animals as well as people.
	Decoding the unique chromosomal complexities of alpine daisies, dandelions and thistles Field work, particularly in the mountains, can present numerous sources of stress in the form of challenging working conditions, red tape and plants not growing where or when you expected. This stress can be somewhat lessened when the country you are working in has some of the best wine and cheese in the entire world. During my field work as a Kew MSc student in the French Alps this summer, we conducted research on a group of plants called the Asteraceae; the family that contains all daisies, dandelions and thistles.
	Technique gives brewers data to improve fermentation control Brewing researchers at NC State University have developed a new technique that allows them to monitor yeast behavior during fermentation, providing brewers with information they can use to better control the brewing time and quality of future batches of beer.
	An alternative to wolf control to save endangered caribou What happens when invasive and native species are eaten by the same predator? If the invasive species is abundant, the native species can go extinct because predator numbers are propped up by the invading species. This process is called "apparent competition" because on the surface it "appears" that the invading and native prey directly compete with each other, but really the shared predator links the two prey.
	Woolly rhino neck ribs provide clues about their decline and eventual extinction Researchers from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden examined woolly rhino and modern rhino neck vertebrae from several European and American museum collections and noticed that the remains of woolly rhinos from the North Sea often possess a 'cervical' (neck) rib—in contrast to modern rhinos.
	New member of NAS reveals how animals select good microbes, reject harmful ones Margaret McFall-Ngai, professor and director of the Pacific Biosciences Research Center, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, is the only woman at UH who is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). In her inaugural article published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, commemorating her induction into one of the country's most distinguished scientific groups, she and a team of researchers reveal a newly discovered mechanism by which organisms select beneficial microbes and reject harmful ones.
	Scientists use brewery waste to grow yeast needed for beer making Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have invented a new process to turn spent brewery grains into a valuable product that can grow beer yeast.
	A bed & breakfast in L.A. reveals the lifestyle of a secretive fly species For nearly 30 years, Dr. Brian Brown knew about a mysterious unidentified phorid fly species, whose females would often be spotted flying above mushrooms, while the males were nowhere to be found.
	New species of crab with unusual outgrowths has its name written in the stars A new species of crab with star-shaped tubercles all over its body has been collected from red coral beds during a survey at a small seamount by Peng-Chia-Yu Island, Taiwan. It has also been found in the Philippines. It is described in the open access journal ZooKeys.
The eyes have it Our bodies, with all their different features and variations, are the result of well-orchestrated processes that dictate what and how cells develop into the organs and tissues that comprise our anatomy. Much of the information is genetic—the result of DNA—and biochemical signals also play a role. Yet another, and still somewhat mysterious, mechanism for embryonic development exists in the tiny mechanical forces that cells exert on each other in the process.
	Drought response in global crops may be as complex as day and night Researchers have identified a set of genes that help control early drought response in a popular global crop. The pioneering study, conducted by Dartmouth College, the University of Wyoming, and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, separates itself from previous research by focusing on the entire day-night cycle and by analyzing both genetic and physiological changes.
	Scientists map genomic atlas of your inner fish gut Scientists have discovered a network of genes and genetic regulatory elements in the lining of the intestines that has stayed remarkably the same from fishes to humans. Many of these genes are linked to human illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes and obesity.
Whale gets entangled in cruise ship anchor for half a day A humpback whale became entangled in an anchor line on a small cruise ship in southeast Alaska, getting stuck for roughly 12 hours while federal authorities and the boat's crew worked to free it.
	Amid Harvey chaos, fears of alligators escaping captivity As flood waters in Texas rose to unprecedented heights Tuesday, so did fears that hundreds of captive alligators may get loose and swim into populated areas.

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