Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Aug 16

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 16, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

The mathematics of golf

Physicists measure complementary properties using quantum clones

Supervolcanoes: A key to America's electric future?

Radio relic discovered in a low-mass merging galaxy cluster

Lab experiments show why medium-sized ants can't crawl out of antlion larvae pits

Study solves mystery of how first animals appeared on Earth

Supermassive black holes feed on cosmic jellyfish

Study identifies dinosaur 'missing link'

Defeating cyberattacks on 3-D printers

David Attenborough gains new species namesake

Forget oil, Russia goes crazy for cryptocurrency

South Australia energy project to use solar thermal tech, integrated molten salt energy storage

Genetic variants found to play key role in human immune system

Drug-delivering micromotors treat their first bacterial infection in the stomach

The irresistible fragrance of dying vinegar flies

Astronomy & Space news

	Radio relic discovered in a low-mass merging galaxy cluster Astronomers have detected a new single radio relic in a low-mass merging galaxy cluster known as PLCK G200.9−28.2. The finding, presented Aug. 5 in a paper published on the arXiv pre-print server, could offer some hints about merging processes in galaxy clusters.
	Supermassive black holes feed on cosmic jellyfish An Italian-led team of astronomers used the MUSE (Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile to study how gas can be stripped from galaxies. They focused on extreme examples of jellyfish galaxies in nearby galaxy clusters, named after the remarkable long "tentacles" of material that extend for tens of thousands of light-years beyond their galactic discs.
	SpaceX Dragon delivers scientific bounty to space station A SpaceX shipment arrived at the International Space Station on Wednesday, delivering a bonanza of science experiments.
	Image: Gaia's first full-colour all-sky map While surveying the positions of over a billion stars, ESA's Gaia mission is also measuring their colour, a key diagnostic to study the physical properties of stars. A new image provides a preview of Gaia's first full-colour all-sky map, which will be unleashed in its highest resolution with the next data release in 2018.
	Mars 2020 mission to use smart methods to seek signs of past life NASA's Mars 2020 mission, which will look for signs of past life on Mars, will use smart methods originally developed to find the oldest life on Earth, according the mission's Deputy Project Scientist, Dr Ken Williford. The 2020 mission builds on the successes of prior rovers, to make coordinated measurements that could detect signs of ancient life - or biosignatures - in their original spatial context. These techniques, known as "spatially resolved biosignature analysis" derive from geochemical analysis of early life on Earth.
Сould life begin in oil? Paul Bracher, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of chemistry at Saint Louis University, and his research team have been awarded a three-year $597,380 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study what life might look like on other planets - or, here on earth - if it began in oil.
	Can't see the solar eclipse? Tune in online or on TV Ronald Dantowitz has been looking forward to Monday's solar eclipse for nearly 40 years.
	NASA's LRO team wants you to wave at the moon NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) team invites the public to wave at the Moon on Aug. 21 as LRO turns its camera toward Earth.

Technology news

	Defeating cyberattacks on 3-D printers With cyberattacks on 3D printers likely to threaten health and safety, researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Georgia Institute of Technology have developed novel methods to combat them, according to a groundbreaking study.
	Forget oil, Russia goes crazy for cryptocurrency Standing in a warehouse in a Moscow suburb, Dmitry Marinichev tries to speak over the deafening hum of hundreds of computers stacked on shelves hard at work mining for crypto money.
	South Australia energy project to use solar thermal tech, integrated molten salt energy storage (Tech Xplore)—A 150 megawatt solar thermal plant near the town of Port Augusta, South Australia, is in the news; the facility, known as Aurora, is from SolarReserve. This is a US-based company that is a developer, owner and operator of solar power projects. A project description in brief:
	Wikipedia-academia collaborations benefit both parties Wikipedia has been through many changes since its inception in 2001. Now that it dwarfs all previous encyclopedias in scope and depth, collaborations with expert contributors are aiding the increased focus on content quality.
	Blockchain making houses safer Blockchain technology developed to guarantee the value of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum is now being adopted by engineers as a way to fight off the risk of a hacker breaking into the connected appliances of today's smart homes.
	Follow the Bitcoin to find victims of human trafficking A team of university researchers has devised the first automated techniques to identify ads potentially tied to human trafficking rings and link them to public information from Bitcoin - the primary payment method for online sex ads.
	Computer scientists use music to covertly track body movements, activity As smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and other smart devices become more prevalent in our lives, computer scientists have raised concerns that these network-enabled devices, if not properly secured, could be co-opted to steal data or invade user privacy.
	Severing ties with utilities isn't as easy as cutting the cable cord If disaster ever struck, Joe Fleischmann could keep the lights, refrigerator and big-screen TV running in his Orange County home, even if the power company went dark.
	Scientists potentially narrow MH370 search area to 3 spots Scientists have potentially narrowed the search area for the missing Malaysian airliner to three specific locations in the southern Indian Ocean through new satellite and drift analysis of the 2014 crash released Wednesday.
	From Isaac Asimov to Aimee Mann, 'robophobia' plagues humans Robots are secretly plotting to kill us. Or enslave us. Or, at best, they will take our jobs, one by one.
	Reverence for robots: Japanese workers treasure automation Thousands upon thousands of cans are filled with beer, capped and washed, wrapped into six-packs, and boxed at dizzying speeds—1,500 a minute, to be exact—on humming conveyor belts that zip and wind in a sprawling factory near Tokyo.
World's biggest shipper: cyberattack cost up to $300 million The June cyberattack that paralyzed the computer systems in companies around the world is estimated to have cost the world's biggest container shipping line between $200 million and $300 million, A.P. Moller-Maersk said Wednesday.
	$1 billion tower lifts San Francisco skyline to new heights More than 60 stories above the ground, construction workers climb makeshift stairs and cross narrow steel planks to put the finishing touches on Salesforce Tower, now San Francisco's tallest building.
Fiat joins BMW-led group to develop driverless cars Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler on Wednesday said it was joining a BMW-led group to develop fully self-driving vehicles, the latest tie-up in an industry racing to get ready for the cars of the future.
Successful voting systems must be accurate, usable, accessible and secure Voting systems must be accurate, usable, accessible and secure to be successful, according to a new paper from a voting behavior expert at Rice University.
	Tracing the sources of today's Russian cyberthreat Beyond carrying all of our phone, text and internet communications, cyberspace is an active battleground, with cybercriminals, government agents and even military personnel probing weaknesses in corporate, national and even personal online defenses. Some of the most talented and dangerous cybercrooks and cyberwarriors come from Russia, which is a longtime meddler in other countries' affairs.
	Paying for "extras" in freemium products and services NUS statisticians have developed a better methodology to study user behaviour for freemium products and services.
	How an open approach to patents could help build a sustainable future To sustain a population of 9.7 billion people by 2050 the world is going to need innovations that make careful use of the available resources, human and environmental. Key industry sectors such as energy, water, agriculture and transport are already under pressure to move to more sustainable methods of production and consumption. However, there are barriers in the way.
	Smart electrical grids more vulnerable to cyber attacks Electricity distribution systems in the USA are gradually being modernized and transposed to smart grids, which make use of two-way communication and computer processing. This is making them increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks. In a recent paper in Elsevier's International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Dr. Sujeet Shenoi and his colleagues from the Tandy School of Computer Science, University of Tulsa, US, have analyzed these security issues. Their report provides crucial keys to ensuring the security of our power supply.
Women coders respond to ex-Googler Damore: Nope. The ex-Google engineer fired for suggesting women are innately less apt at computing has doubled down on his criticism of diversity efforts, suggesting programs to bring women and girls into coding are "deceitful" and encourage a "victim mentality."
Startup wants to do for cybersecurity what ADT does for home security Over the last three years, Einaras Gravrock has turned his concerns as a parent into a fast-growing cybersecurity startup.
Amazon's robots: Job destroyers or dance partners? Every day is graduation day at Amazon Robotics. Here's where the more than 100,000 orange robots that glide along the floors of various Amazon warehouses are made and taught their first steps.
	Body scanners being piloted in Los Angeles subway system Passengers boarding subway trains in Los Angeles may soon be shuffled through airport-style body scanners that are aimed to detect firearms and explosives.
	On a chaotic day in DC, Trump goes after Amazon, again President Donald Trump renewed his attacks on e-commerce giant Amazon, saying Wednesday that the company is "doing great damage to tax paying retailers."
	German Chancellor Merkel's favorite emoji is a smiley German Chancellor Angela Merkel's favorite emoji is a smiley—and on a good day it's one with a heart.
Amazon set to create 1,000 new jobs in UK US online retail titan Amazon will create more than 1,000 new jobs next year with the opening of a new warehouse in Britain, under plans unveiled Wednesday.
Scottish Parliament under cyberattack, no systems breached Officials at the Scottish Parliament say the legislature's IT systems are under sustained cyberattack but have not been breached.
Protests at Google offices over worker's firing are canceled Protests planned at Google offices around the country over the firing of an employee who questioned company diversity efforts have been postponed.

Medicine & Health news

	Genetic variants found to play key role in human immune system It is widely recognized that people respond differently to infections. This can partially be explained by genetics, shows a new study published today in Nature Communications by an international collaboration of researchers from Germany and the United States. The study, "Genetic Regulatory Effects Modified by Immune Activation Contribute to Autoimmune Disease Associations," maps genetic variants that affect how much gene expression changes in response to immune stimulus. The findings offer novel insights into the genetic contribution to varying immune responses among individuals and its consequences on immune-mediated diseases.
	Active non-coding DNA might help pinpoint genetic risk for psychiatric disorders Northwestern Medicine scientists have demonstrated a new method of analyzing non-coding regions of DNA in neurons, which may help to pinpoint which genetic variants are most important to the development of schizophrenia and related disorders.
	After a half-century of attempts, psilocybin has finally been synthesized in the lab A team of researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena has figured how out to make psilocybin, the chemical responsible for creating hallucinations in people who consume the mushrooms that produce it naturally. In their paper published in the journal Angewandte Chemie the team describes isolating the enzymes needed to create the chemical, developing the recipe and creating psilocybin samples in their lab.
	Navigation and spatial memory—new brain region identified to be involved Navigation in mammals including humans and rodents depends on specialized neural networks that encode the animal's location and trajectory in the environment, serving essentially as a GPS, findings that led to the 2014 Nobel Prize in Medicine. Failure of these networks to function properly, as seen in Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions, results in severe disorientation and memory deficits. Researchers at NERF (VIB-imec-KU Leuven) have now uncovered striking neural activity patterns in a brain area called the retrosplenial cortex that may assist with spatial memory and navigation.
	Cell cycle-blocking drugs can shrink tumors by enlisting immune system in attack on cancer In the brief time that drugs known as CDK4/6 inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, doctors have made a startling observation: in certain patients, the drugs—designed to halt cancer cell division—do not just stop tumors from growing but can cause them to shrink, in some cases markedly.
	Toxic formaldehyde is produced inside our own cells, scientists discover New research has revealed that some of the toxin formaldehyde in our bodies does not come from our environment - it is a by-product of an essential reaction inside our own cells. This could provide new targets for developing cancer therapies, according to research led by scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology.
	Using barcodes to trace cell development How do the multiple different cell types in the blood develop? Scientists have been pursuing this question for a long time. According to the classical model, different developmental lines branch out like in a tree. The tree trunk is composed of stem cells and the branches are made up of various types of progenitor cells that can give rise to a number of distinct cell types. Then it further branches off into the specialized blood cells, i.e., red blood cells, blood platelets and various types of white blood cells that are part of the immune system. In recent years, however, doubts about this model have arisen.
	Popular immunotherapy target turns out to have a surprising buddy The majority of current cancer immunotherapies focus on PD-L1. This well studied protein turns out to be controlled by a partner, CMTM6, a previously unexplored molecule that is now suddenly also a potential therapeutic target. Researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute publish these findings in the leading journal Nature on August 16.
	New test differentiates between Lyme disease, similar illness Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States. But it can be confused with similar conditions, including Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness. A team of researchers led by Colorado State University has identified a way to distinguish Lyme disease from similar conditions, according to a new study published August 16 in Science Translational Medicine.
	Scientists give star treatment to lesser-known cells crucial for brain development After decades of relative neglect, star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes are finally getting their due. To gather insight into a critical aspect of brain development, a team of scientists examined the maturation of astrocytes in 3-D structures grown in culture dishes to resemble human brain tissue. The study, which confirms the lab-grown cells develop at the same rate as those found in human brains, was published in Neuron and funded in part by the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
	Scientists use magnetic fields to remotely stimulate brain—and control body movements Scientists have used magnetism to activate tiny groups of cells in the brain, inducing bodily movements that include running, rotating and losing control of the extremities—an achievement that could lead to advances in studying and treating neurological disease.
	Scientists develop blood test that spots tumor-derived DNA in people with early-stage cancers In a bid to detect cancers early and in a noninvasive way, scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center report they have developed a test that spots tiny amounts of cancer-specific DNA in blood and have used it to accurately identify more than half of 138 people with relatively early-stage colorectal, breast, lung and ovarian cancers. The test, the scientists say, is novel in that it can distinguish between DNA shed from tumors and other altered DNA that can be mistaken for cancer biomarkers.
	Study identifies a new way to prevent a deadly fungal infection spreading to the brain Research led by the University of Birmingham has discovered a way to stop a deadly fungus from 'hijacking' the body's immune system and spreading to the brain.
	Phenotype varies for presumed pathogenic variants in KCNB1 (HealthDay)—De novo KCNB1 missense and loss-of-function variants are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, with or without seizures, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in JAMA Neurology.
	Scientists discover powerful potential pain reliever A team of scientists led by chemists Stephen Martin and James Sahn at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered what they say is a powerful pain reliever that acts on a previously unknown pain pathway. The synthetic compound, known as UKH-1114, is as effective at relieving neuropathic pain in injured mice as a drug widely used for pain relief called gabapentin, but it works at a much lower dose, with longer duration of action.
New research shows promise for improving vascular access for hemodialysis patients Approximately 500,000 Americans with end-stage renal disease rely on hemodialysis to survive. Hemodialysis requires repeated access to the blood. Failure to maintain adequate access to the vasculature is a major cause of medical complications and, potentially, death for these patients. A new study in The American Journal of Pathology provides information about the mechanisms underlying failure of the most common type of hemodialysis vascular access, the arteriovenous fistula. Despite being the preferred approach, there is currently limited understanding of the mechanisms involved in fistula maturation failure.
	For post-menopausal women, vaginal estrogens do not raise risk of cancer, other diseases Women who have gone through menopause and who have been using a vaginal form of estrogen therapy do not have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer than women who have not been using any type of estrogen.
	The environmental injustice of beauty Women of color have higher levels of beauty-product-related chemicals in their bodies compared to white women, according to a commentary published today in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The authors say even small exposures to such toxic chemicals can lead to health problems. They go on to say that reproductive health professionals must be prepared to counsel patients who have questions about such exposures. And health professionals can also promote policies that will protect women, especially women of color, from harmful chemicals in cosmetics and other personal care products.
	A violent environment can wreck kids' grades (HealthDay)—Kids in violent neighborhoods often do worse in school. Now, a new study helps explain why.
	High platelet reactivity tied to ischemic, bleeding outcomes (HealthDay)—There is a strong relationship between high on-clopidogrel platelet reactivity and two-year ischemic and bleeding outcomes after drug-eluting stent implantation, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
	Hysteroscopy, endometrial biopsy order has no effect on pain (HealthDay)—The order of successive office hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy for evaluation of abnormal uterine bleeding does not impact the global pain perception or time required, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	US teen drug overdose deaths inch up after years of decline After years of decline, teen deaths from drug overdoses have inched up, a new U.S. government report shows.
Researchers analyze connections between competitiveness, aggression and hormone levels Feelings can run high in competitive situations and lead to heated arguments and disputes. But not everyone reacts in the same way—men react differently to women and the reactions of individuals are dissimilar to those of groups of persons. This has been demonstrated scientifically by psychologists at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) who examined the correlations between competitiveness, aggression and hormones. The researchers recently published their findings in the eminent journal PLOS ONE.
	Aerobically fit individuals have better memory, firmer, more elastic brain hippocampus Scientists have observed that more aerobically fit individuals have better memories. To investigate this phenomenon, they used magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), which measures the firmness and elasticity of organs, and found that fit individuals had a firmer, more elastic hippocampus—a region of the brain associated with memory. The method could provide early diagnosis and potential interventions in the initial stages of neurodegenerative disease.
	Are you lonesome tonight? Why we, like Elvis, turn to food for comfort August 16 is known to many Elvis Presley fans as the anniversary of his untimely death at the age of 42 in 1977. It is also the perfect occasion, for many, to honor him by indulging in his favorite foods, including fried banana and peanut butter sandwiches (with or without bacon), fried biscuits, bacon-wrapped meatballs, chicken fried steak, jelly doughnuts and vegetables saturated with butter and salt.
Blood-filtering organs fight infections that enter through the skin New information about how and where the innate immune system fights off viral infections that enter through the skin could lead to better treatments for viruses like Zika, dengue and measles, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The innate immune system is the body's first line of defense, providing broad protection as opposed to the specific immune system which targets the specific threat.
	Communicating in a foreign language takes emotion out of decision making If you could save the lives of five people by pushing another bystander in front of a train to his death, would you do it? And should it make any difference if that choice is presented in a language you speak, but isn't your native tongue?
	Researchers unlock clues to how cells move through the body During its 120-day cycle the circulatory system transports red blood cells and nutrients throughout the human body. This system helps keep the body in balance and fight against infections and diseases by filtering old or diseased blood cells and other foreign bodies. As blood flows through the body, the individual cells must often squeeze through tiny passages. According to Zhangli Peng, assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, some of the smallest of these are found in spleen. Since the spleen also plays a critical role in determining the size and shape of healthy blood cells, it is the ideal organ through which to study cell movement or transmigration.
	Thyroid cancers overdiagnosed in Canada for in 75 percent of patients A new study by a University of Calgary researcher reveals 75 per cent of Canadians diagnosed with thyroid cancer don't have it.
	Could olfactory loss point to Alzheimer's disease? By the time you start losing your memory, it's almost too late. That's because the damage to your brain associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may already have been going on for as long as twenty years. Which is why there is so much scientific interest in finding ways to detect the presence of the disease early on. Scientists now believe that simple odour identification tests may help track the progression of the disease before symptoms actually appear, particularly among those at risk.
	Smart mat detects early warning signs of foot ulcers While completing his residency in anesthesiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in the mid-2000s, Jon Bloom saw his fair share of foot amputations among patients with diabetes. The culprit: infected foot ulcers.
	A tumor-suppressing gene can be harmful in some cancers The TET2 tumor suppressor gene helps guard against blood cancers and perhaps protects against heart disease. Mutations in the gene affect about 1% of people over the age of 65, making them more susceptible to those diseases. But a new Yale-led study suggests there is a surprising flip side to the story: Knocking out the gene appears to help combat solid tumors.
	Addressing superbug resistance with phage therapy International research involving a Monash biologist shows that bacteriophage therapy – a process whereby bacterial viruses attack and destroy specific strains of bacteria - can be used successfully to treat systemic, multidrug resistant bacterial infections.
Life at home affects kids at school Some children are more susceptible to changes than others. They carry the relationship with their parents to school with them. Genetics can help explain why.
	Stress in the nest can have lifelong effect Why do some sparrows hatch six chicks while others don't hatch any? How does upbringing affect the remainder of their lives? Physiological stress in the nest can actually affect birds' DNA and possibly their lifespan.
	Depression overshadows the past Depressed people have a peculiar view of the past – rather than glorifying the 'good old days', they project their generally bleak outlook on to past events, according to new research.
	Here's how many people get infections in Australian hospitals every year Around 165,000 Australians contract infections in hospitals around the country every year, a study has found. The infections, which include urinary tract, staph, surgical site and respiratory infections in stroke patients, can lead to death in patients who are already sick and have weakened immune systems.
	Health Check: do joint and muscle aches get worse in the cold? The winter chill is often associated with an increase in aches and pains for many older people, particularly in the joints, but also in the muscles. Some recent studies have shown an increase in general aches and pain in older men and women, and in particular a correlation between joint pain and weather conditions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
	Extra 71,000 care home places needed in eight years, study warns An extra 71,000 care home places will be needed in England in just eight years to cope with rising numbers of older people unable to live independently, new research has revealed.
	Deficiencies in early brain activity linked to delinquent behavior in teens Lower levels of brain activity during childhood may lead to decreased self-control and, eventually, delinquent behavior in adolescence, according to a new study published by a team of researchers from FIU and the University of Michigan.
	New imaging technique could predict whether primary breast cancer will spread to the lung Scientists funded by the MRC, Breast Cancer Now and other collaborators have developed an innovative imaging technique that could predict whether breast cancer will spread to the lung.
Researchers identify oestrogen receptor stem cells in the mammary gland. One of the key questions in stem cell and cancer biology is to understand the cellular hierarchy governing tissue development and maintenance and the cancer cell of origin. In a study published in Cell Reports, researchers lead by Cédric Blanpain, MD/PhD, WELBIO investigator and Professor at the Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, identified a novel lineage-restricted stem cell in the mammary gland.
	Young victims of cyberbullying twice as likely to attempt suicide and self-harm, study finds Children and young people under-25 who become victims of cyberbullying are more than twice as likely to enact self-harm and attempt suicide than non-victims.
	The unexpected role of a well-known gene in creating blood One of the first organ systems to form and function in the embryo is the cardiovascular system: in fact, this developmental process starts so early that scientists still have many unresolved questions on the origin of the primitive heart and blood vessels. How do the first cells – the progenitors – that are destined to become part of this system participate in shaping the developed cardiovascular system?
	What is dance movement psychotherapy? Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP) uses the body, movement and dance as a way of expressing oneself and findings ways of exploring and addressing psychological problems or difficulties. It is an approach to psychological treatment that does not rely on talking about problems as the only way of finding solutions.
Researchers map brain tumour cells' adaptation to oxygen deprivation The most aggressive variant of brain tumour – glioblastoma – has an average survival rate of 15 months. There is therefore an urgent need for new treatment strategies for this group of patients. A research team from Lund University in Sweden has now identified new factors which may affect the tumour cells' ability to resist treatment. The study has been published in Cell Reports.
	Functions in old age influenced by previous lifestyle "Which factors increase the chance of aging with well-maintained functions?" Older men who never smoked, avoided obesity and had held a healthy Mediterranean-inspired diet have good chances of maintaining their independence at a very high age.
Online education boosts proper use of drugs that prevent blood clots Results of a yearlong study funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) with more than 900 nurses at The Johns Hopkins Hospital suggest that well-designed online education can decrease the rate of nonadministration of prescribed and necessary doses of blood thinners to prevent potentially lethal blood clots in hospitalized patients.
	Researchers discover fundamental pathology behind ALS A team led by scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Mayo Clinic has identified a basic biological mechanism that kills neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and in a related genetic disorder, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), found in some ALS patients. ALS is popularly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
	Therapeutic cocktail could restore motor skills after spinal cord injury, stroke After spinal cord injury or stroke, axons originating in the brain's cortex and along the spinal cord become damaged, disrupting motor skills. Now, according to new findings published today in Neuron, a team of scientists at Boston Children's Hospital has developed a method to promote axon regrowth after injury.
High-intensity interval training helps combat high insulin resistance—a warning sign for diabetes A new study published in Frontiers in Physiology suggests that High-Intensity Interval Training is an efficient, effective way of cutting people's risk of developing type-2 diabetes, regardless of their levels of insulin resistance (a key warning sign for diabetes). Higher insulin resistance means the body starts failing to respond to insulin, a hormone which helps our bodies process glucose in muscles (~80%), and liver mainly: this failure causes diabetes. To stop this happening, patients with risk factors like known high insulin resistance are often asked to increase their physical activity, but exercising doesn't work equally well for everyone.
Starting opioid addiction treatment in the ED is cost-effective The most cost-effective treatment for people with untreated opioid addiction who visit the emergency department (ED) is buprenorphine, a medication to reduce drug cravings and withdrawal, say Yale researchers. Their study found that among patients who came to the ED, the ED-initiated medication strategy was most likely to be cost-effective compared to referral alone or a brief intervention with facilitated referral, the researchers said.
	Study uncovers possible roots of schizophrenia An abundance of an amino acid called methionine, which is common in meat, cheese and beans, may provide new clues to the fetal brain development that can manifest in schizophrenia, University of California, Irvine pharmacology researchers report in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
	Combination of traditional chemotherapy, new drug kills rare cancer cells in mice An experimental drug combined with the traditional chemotherapy drug cisplatin, when used in mice, destroyed a rare form of salivary gland tumor and prevented a recurrence within 300 days, a University of Michigan study found.
	Biophysics explains how immune cells kill bacteria (Tokyo, August 16) A new data analysis technique, moving subtrajectory analysis, designed by researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology, defines the dynamics and kinetics of key molecules in the immune response to an infection. These biophysical descriptions are expected to clarify the TCR microcluster, an essential assembly for a T cell to initiate its attack on a pathogen.
Blood marker may predict postmenopausal women's risk of bone fractures In a study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, blood tests that detect fragments of a protein secreted by bone cells helped to predict fracture risk in postmenopausal women, independently of bone mineral density, bone turnover markers, and other measures of bone health.
	Elevated testosterone causes bull market trading Since the first stock market in Amsterdam in the 17th century, trading floors have been dominated by men. It turns out testosterone may be responsible for some of the dramatic bubbles and crashes we have seen since.
	Now and Zen: Lower prenatal stress reduces risk of behavioral issues in kids Parenting is a complicated journey full of questions, and when a beloved child begins to show signs of a behavioural disorder, a parent's challenges become even more difficult to navigate.
	Specialists make breakthrough in the treatment of anal cancer Specialists at The Christie and The University of Manchester have made a breakthrough which could potentially improve detection and treatment of anal cancer, as well as have wider implications for other cancers.
	Playing smartphone app aids concussion recovery in teens Generally, after suffering a concussion, patients are encouraged to avoid reading, watching TV and using mobile devices to help their brains heal. But new research shows that teen-agers who used a mobile health app once a day in conjunction with medical care improved concussion symptoms and optimism more than with standard medical treatment alone.
	New tool aims to make surgery safer by helping doctors see nerves During operations, it can be difficult for surgeons to avoid severing crucial nerves because they look so much like other tissue. A new noninvasive approach that uses polarized light to make nerves stand out from other tissue could help surgeons avoid accidentally injuring nerves or assist them in identifying nerves in need of repair.
	The nerve-guiding 'labels' that may one day help re-establish broken nervous connections Scientists have identified a large group of biological 'labels' that guide nerves to ensure they make the correct connections and control different parts of the body. Although their research was conducted with fruit flies, the findings offer hope that we could one day reestablish nervous connections in people living with debilitating injuries or diseases that affect the nervous system.
Hypothermia after stroke reduces dynamin levels and neuronal cell death A new study has shown that following brain ischemia caused by cerebral blockage in mice both immediate and delayed reduction in body temperature helped limit cell death and levels of a protein called dynamin. These results, which suggest that dynamin may have a role in—and be a potential drug target for—stroke-related neuronal cell death, are reported in Therapeutic Hypothermia and Temperature Management.
Why teens take risks: It's not a deficit in brain development A popular theory in recent neuroscience proposes that slow development of the prefrontal cortex - and its weak connectivity with brain reward regions - explains teenagers' seemingly impulsive and risky behavior. But an extensive literature review to be published in the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience challenges that interpretation.
	Researchers find 'switch' that turns on immune cells' tumor-killing ability Molecular biologists led by Leonid Pobezinsky and his wife and research collaborator Elena Pobezinskaya at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have published results that for the first time show how a microRNA molecule known as Lethal-7 (let-7) serves as a molecular control hub to direct the function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes by putting the brakes on their cell-killing activities.
Study examines initial events linked to sustained opioid use Most of the events that led to sustained prescription opioid use were not hospital events and associated procedures, but diagnoses that were either nonspecific or associated with spinal or other conditions for which opioid administration is not considered standard of care, according to a study published by JAMA Surgery.
Moving beyond nudges to improve health and health care policies With countries around the world struggling to deliver quality health care and contain costs, a team of behavioral economists led by Carnegie Mellon University's George Loewenstein believes it's time to apply recent insights on human behavior to inform and reform health policy.
Acupuncture, electrotherapy after knee replacement associated with reduced and delayed opioid use An analysis of drug-free interventions to reduce pain or opioid use after total knee replacement found modest but clinically significant evidence that acupuncture and electrotherapy can potentially reduce and delay opioid use; evidence for other interventions, such as cryotherapy and preoperative exercise, had less support, according to a study published by JAMA Surgery.
Increased support could reduce attrition rates among general surgery residents Because of the expected growth in the nation's population, recent forecasts have predicted the United States will have a deficit of as many as 29,000 surgeons by 2030, a shortfall that has made the successful training of the next generation of surgeons vital. Yet recent studies have shown that as many as one in five general surgery residents leave their training programs before completion to pursue other specialties.
Zika pandemic study shows health authorities can improve communication and monitoring Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem who studied health monitoring and communication during the recent Zika pandemic have proposed ways for health authorities to better contain future pandemics.
	'07 to '14 saw drop in proportion needing dialysis after TAVI (HealthDay)—From 2007 to 2014 there was a decrease in the proportion of patients needing dialysis after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), according to a study published online Aug. 2 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
	FDA announces recall of some liquid pharmaceutical products (HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a recall of numerous liquid pharmaceutical products because of possible bacterial contamination that could cause severe infections in vulnerable patients.
	Variable square pulse erbium promising for stretch marks (HealthDay)—Resurfacing with a variable square pulse Erbium: YAG (VSP Er:YAG) laser is a promising treatment option for stretch marks, according to a small study published online Aug. 9 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
	Falling insulin requirement linked to placental dysfunction (HealthDay)—For pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes, falling insulin requirement (FIR) is associated with altered expression of placental antiangiogenic factors and preeclampsia, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Diabetes Care.
	Emergency departments see few cases of sepsis in adolescents (HealthDay)—A typical emergency department sees few cases of sepsis among adolescents, according to a research letter published online Aug. 14 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Heart failure patients, clinicians have differing perceptions of risk level Physicians identified a majority of patients with advanced heart failure as at high risk for transplant, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or death while few of those patients considered themselves to be at high risk, according to a study published today in JACC: Heart Failure.
Telemedicine as effective as in-person care for Parkinson's disease New findings from a nationwide program that links neurologists with patients with Parkinson's disease in their homes via video conferencing shows that telemedicine can successfully deliver quality care. The study, which appears today in the journal Neurology, points to a new way to improve care for people who suffer from the disease, but may have not have access to a neurologist.
	Study calls for action to help adolescents with diabetes transition to adult care Adolescence can be a turbulent period of life, with struggles to establish autonomy, identity issues and risk-taking behaviours. For young adults with a chronic illness such as type 1 diabetes, this transition phase also brings about other challenges as they assume an increased responsibility for their overall health. A new study from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) sheds light on gaps in transition care practice in Quebec, pointing out a lack of standardized policies across pediatric diabetes centres. These findings, which were published in the open-access journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, highlight a need for the evaluation and development of targeted interventions at multiple levels to improve the transition process.
	Technology is changing Generation smartphone, and not always for the better It's easy to imagine some graybeard long ago weighing in on how this new generation, with all its fancy wheels, missed out on the benefits of dragging stuff from place to place.
New strategy to treat aggressive lung cancer Research conducted by a team of Norton Thoracic Institute scientists on a novel therapeutic avenue for an aggressive and difficult to treat subgroup of lung cancer was published in the August 15, 2017 issue of Cancer Research. The research was led by assistant professors at Norton Thoracic Institute, Timothy Whitsett, PhD, and Landon Inge, PhD.
	Quiet Canadian, ugly American: Does racism differ north of the border? In the aftermath of Charlottesville, it's worth asking: Are Canadians really less racist than Americans?
	Express Scripts to limit opioids; doctors concerned The nation's largest pharmacy benefit manager will soon limit the number and strength of opioid drugs prescribed to first-time users as part of a wide-ranging effort to curb an epidemic affecting millions of Americans.
	Senate ACA replacement bill failure related to divisions among Republicans and parties A new in-depth analysis of results from 27 national public opinion polls by 12 survey organizations finds that the failure of the recent U.S. Senate debate over proposals to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) relates to deep divisions among Republicans, as well as between Republicans and Democrats, on the future of the ACA. In addition, the analysis suggests that the outcome of the debate was influenced by a substantial growth since the ACA's implementation in public support for the principle that the federal government should ensure that all Americans have health insurance coverage.
Austria orders recall of unapproved cancer drug Austrian authorities have ordered a recall of a cancer medication that was put on the market without proper approval.

Biology news

	Lab experiments show why medium-sized ants can't crawl out of antlion larvae pits A small team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in France has discovered why medium-sized ants have more trouble climbing out of sand pits than larger or smaller ants. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, the researchers describe experiments involving glass beads and metal disks and what they learned.
	The irresistible fragrance of dying vinegar flies Markus Knaden and Bill Hansson, and their colleagues at the Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, study ecologically relevant odors in the natural environment of insects, especially vinegar flies. In this new study they focused on a deadly smell: the odor of conspecifics which have a lethal bacterial infection.
	Impaired DNA replication can cause epigenetic changes inherited for several generations Cell division is key for renewing the cells in our tissues and organs. There are two particular processes in which cell division is crucial: embryonic development and tumorigenesis. A fault in the process that copies DNA during cell division can cause genetic changes, so impaired DNA replication is a well-known cancer hallmark and a driver of genomic instability.
	Study reveals the evolutionary history of imperiled salmon stocks New technologies for analyzing DNA may transform how imperiled species are considered and managed for conservation protection, according to a study published today in the journal Science Advances and led by the University of California, Davis.
	Scientists discover new plant in Shetland Scientists at the University of Stirling have discovered a new type of plant growing in Shetland - with its evolution only having occurred in the last 200 years.
	Understanding how fish grow their hearts could help humans, professor finds It's already known some fish have big hearts - at least during the winter.
	Hybrid barriers can cut terrapin road deaths, study finds One of Georgia's most colorful turtle species could be wiped out on Jekyll Island by simply wandering into traffic-but not if man-made barriers keep them off the road.
	The hidden secrets of insect poop Insect defecation may not seem like one of the pressing scientific inquiries of our time, but in fact the faeces of these wee creatures serves an extraordinary variety of functions in bug and human life.
	New polymer allows researchers to study how proteins fold, function University of Michigan biophysicists and chemists have created a new polymer that mimics a cell membrane, allowing proteins found within cell membranes to fold and function naturally in the synthetic material.
	The penguin that never was A Tasmanian penguin long thought extinct never even existed, University of Otago-led research has discovered.
	Sniffing the Past of human-canine history in New York, Paris and London Dog loving travellers can now tap into the human- canine history of New York, Paris and London on the move by using a new app developed by the University of Liverpool.
	Online campaign against invasive plants Neophytes – invasive plants that are alien to the region – are a huge burden on the public purse. The ETH spin-off "In-Finitude" has set up a new online platform right on time for the growing season. This displays the locations of the invasive neophytes across Switzerland and offers support to landowners and local authorities in combating them.
	How llamas conquered the world Llamas recently have become a relatively common sight around the world. Whether you live in England or New South Wales, Canada or New Zealand, you don't have to go too far to find a llama now. Indeed between 2,000 and 4,000 llamas are registered in the UK, where the species has emerged as a popular (if seemingly unlikely) choice for many aspiring livestock owners and is winning new admirers by the day.
	Modelling human psychology A human being's psychological make-up depends on an array of emotional and motivational parameters, such as desire, suffering or the need for security. In addition, it includes spatial and temporal dimensions that also play a key role in rationalising the decisions we make and planning our actions. A team of researchers from the Universities of Geneva (UNIGE), Texas, Paris and University College London joined forces to create the first mathematical model of embodied consciousness. Their aim? To understand, study and predict human behaviour. The model, which is based on solid mathematical concepts and is demonstrated using simulations, makes it possible to anticipate and explain a host of cognitive phenomena and behavioural reactions. The research—available in full in the Journal of Theoretical Biology—also paves the way for a wealth of industrial applications in robotics, artificial intelligence and the health sector.
	Predators preserve existing animal species A new study from Lund University in Sweden increases knowledge of how boundaries and barriers are maintained between different species in the animal world. According to theory, crosses between two species, known as hybrids, may not survive encounters with natural predators to the same degree as their parents. Now, researchers at the Department of Biology in Lund show that reality confirms this theory.
	Popular sungazer lizards under threat from poaching The Sungazer (Smaug giganteus), a dragon-like lizard species endemic to the Highveld regions of South Africa, is facing an assault on two fronts as farming and industrialisation encroaches on its natural habitat - which already consist of only a several hundred square kilometres globally - while the illegal global pet trade is adding pressure on pushing the species into extinction.
	Fish database could help eliminate the ultimate bait and switch Fish fraud, the misrepresentation of cheaper fish as more expensive ones, is a rampant problem worldwide. Now in a study appearing ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists report that they are making strides toward the development of a protein database capable of definitively identifying fish species. This information could help nab imposters of salmon, tuna and other popular fish before they reach people's plates.
	A new critically endangered tree species depends on unique habitat found only on Kaua'i A new tree species, Melicope stonei (Rutaceae or citrus family), endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i, is already assessed as Critically Endangered according to IUCN criteria. The newly described Melicope is apparently restricted to unique old growth forest featuring a combination of tree species that are only found on Kaua'i.
Survey examines pubic hair grooming-related injuries Pubic hair grooming is a widespread practice and about a quarter of people who groom reported grooming-related injuries in a national survey, according to a new article published by JAMA Dermatology.
Pig-to-person spread of flu at fairs a continued concern The spread of influenza among pigs is common at fairs and other gatherings, and protective measures including cutting the length of time pigs and people congregate make good sense for both the animals and humans, say the authors of a new study.
	Death of baby dolphin triggers outrage in Spain Spanish animal lovers reacted with fury on Wednesday after a baby dolphin approached a holiday beach, where it died as bathers played with it and took pictures.
	Deafness in farmed salmon linked to accelerated growth Half of the world's farmed salmon are part deaf due to accelerated growth rates in aquaculture, new research has found.
	Changing tides: Lake Michigan could best support lake trout and steelhead Invasive mussels and less nutrients from tributaries have altered the Lake Michigan ecosystem, making it more conducive to the stocking of lake trout and steelhead than Chinook salmon, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey and Michigan State University study.
	Giant tortoise that fled Japan zoo found 140 metres away A giant tortoise that made a break from a Japanese zoo has been found safe and sound two weeks after it escaped—just 140 metres from the park.

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