Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Oct 31

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 31, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Urban swarms for autonomous waste management

Giant flightless birds were nocturnal and possibly blind

Functional regeneration of tendons using scaffolds developed via microarchitectural engineering

Model paves way for faster, more efficient translations of more languages

'Zombie' stars return from the dead

Decoding how brain circuits control behavior

Researchers see signs of interactive form of quantum matter

'Game-changing' skin sensor could improve life for a million hydrocephalus patients

What happened in the past when the climate changed?

Appendix removal is linked to lower risk of Parkinson's

Naturally occurring 'batteries' fueled organic carbon synthesis on Mars

Researchers discover earliest recorded lead exposure in 250,000-year-old Neanderthal teeth

'Folded' optical devices manipulate light in a new way

First comprehensive study of chemosensory organ physiology in an annelid

New model offers more specifics about the swaying of the Millennium Bridge

Astronomy & Space news

	'Zombie' stars return from the dead Black holes are among the most elusive objects in the universe, but research out of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) suggests the remnant cores of burned-out stars could be the key to making the first observation of the most elusive class of black holes.
	Naturally occurring 'batteries' fueled organic carbon synthesis on Mars Mars' organic carbon may have originated from a series of electrochemical reactions between briny liquids and volcanic minerals, according to new analyses of three Martian meteorites from a team led by Carnegie's Andrew Steele published in Science Advances.
	Artificial intelligence bot trained to recognize galaxies Researchers have taught an artificial intelligence program used to recognise faces on Facebook to identify galaxies in deep space.
	Most detailed observations of material orbiting close to a black hole ESO's exquisitely sensitive GRAVITY instrument has added further evidence to the long-standing assumption that a supermassive black hole lurks in the centre of the Milky Way. New observations show clumps of gas swirling around at about 30% of the speed of light on a circular orbit just outside its event horizon—the first time material has been observed orbiting close to the point of no return, and the most detailed observations yet of material orbiting this close to a black hole.
	Astronomers discover the giant that shaped the early days of our Milky Way Some 10 billion years ago, the Milky Way merged with a large galaxy. The stars from this partner, named Gaia-Enceladus, make up most of the Milky Way's halo and also shaped its thick disk, giving it its inflated form. A description of this mega-merger, discovered by an international team led by University of Groningen astronomer Amina Helmi, is now published in the scientific journal Nature.
	Timelapse shows twenty-five years in the life of one the most studied objects in astronomy: Supernova 1987a Since it first appeared in the southern night sky on February 24th 1987, Supernova 1987A has been one of the most studied objects in the history of astronomy.
	Hubble reveals a giant cosmic 'Bat Shadow' Shadows on Earth can be mysterious and foreboding, but when they occur in space, they can convey information we otherwise could not know. In a stellar nursery called the Serpens Nebula, nearly 1,300 light-years away, a young star's game of shadow play is revealing secrets of its unseen planet-forming disk. The near-infrared vision of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured the shadow cast by the fledgling star's brilliant light being blocked by this disk.
	Neil Armstrong's huge souvenir collection to be auctioned Talk about a pack rat: thousands of things that Neil Armstrong saved over the course of a career that saw him become the first man to walk on the moon will be auctioned off this week.
	Russia plans first manned launch to ISS after accident on December 3: agencies Russia on Wednesday said the first manned launch to the International Space Station since a failed blast-off this month will take place on December 3.
	Goodbye Europe, hello Moon: European Module ships soon The European Service Module that will power and propel the Orion spacecraft on its first mission around the moon will ship early next week from Bremen to the United States. It will take off in an Antonov An-124 aircraft in the early hours of 5 November and arrive at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA on 6 November.
	NASA retires Kepler Space Telescope After nine years in deep space collecting data that indicate our sky to be filled with billions of hidden planets—more planets even than stars—NASA's Kepler space telescope has run out of fuel needed for further science operations. NASA has decided to retire the spacecraft within its current, safe orbit, away from Earth. Kepler leaves a legacy of more than 2,600 planet discoveries from outside our solar system, many of which could be promising places for life.
	NASA's mission to Jupiter's Trojans given the green light for development NASA's mission to perform the first reconnaissance of the Trojans, a population of primitive asteroids orbiting in tandem with Jupiter, passed a critical milestone today. NASA has given approval for the implementation and 2021 launch of the Lucy spacecraft.
Russia blames rocket failure on technical malfunction Russia's space agency said on Wednesday that an investigation has found that a rocket carrying a crew to the International Space Station failed three weeks ago because of a technical malfunction of a sensor.
	Image: Simulating the darkness of space A Halloween view inside one of the darker recesses of ESA's technical heart. Shaded to resemble the blackness of deep space, the GNC Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator, or GRALS, is seen being used to test vision-based navigation algorithms under development for the proposed Hera binary asteroid mission.
	Scary giant blue stars may unlock mysteries of stellar evolution Imagine a single star more luminous than a million suns, erupting every few decades in a massive flare that shines as bright as a supernova. But the blast, as ferocious as it is, does not obliterate the tumultuous star. It remains, its surface roiling with violence as spasms rock its inner layers. Soon enough the star will end its suffering in a final titanic blast, but before it does, it must suffer in this state for thousands of years.
Hotspot discovery proves Canadian astrophysicist's black hole theory The recent detection of flares circling black holes has proven a decade-old theory co-developed by a Canadian physicist about how black holes grow and consume matter.

Technology news

	Urban swarms for autonomous waste management Researchers at MIT Media Lab, the University of Pisa, and Université Libre de Bruxelles have recently explored the feasibility of using swarm robotic systems for autonomous waste management. Their approach, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, applies bio-inspired foraging methods to swarm robotics, with the aim of improving the efficiency and autonomy of waste management in cities.
	Model paves way for faster, more efficient translations of more languages MIT researchers have developed a novel "unsupervised" language translation model—meaning it runs without the need for human annotations and guidance—that could lead to faster, more efficient computer-based translations of far more languages.
	New model offers more specifics about the swaying of the Millennium Bridge Two researchers at Ohio State University have built a model to further explore the swaying experienced by the Millennium Bridge in London. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, Varun Joshi and Manoj Srinivasan describe their model and what it showed.
	Machines that learn language more like kids do Children learn language by observing their environment, listening to the people around them, and connecting the dots between what they see and hear. Among other things, this helps children establish their language's word order, such as where subjects and verbs fall in a sentence.
	Shape-shifting modular robot is more than the sum of its parts General-purpose robots have plenty of limitations. They can be expensive and cumbersome. They often accomplish only a single type of task.
	AI systems shed light on root cause of religious conflict Artificial intelligence can help us to better understand the causes of religious violence and to potentially control it, according to a new Oxford University collaboration. The study is one of the first to be published that uses psychologically realistic AI—as opposed to machine learning.
	AI creatives play with scary music, zany costume ideas as part of Halloween Oh, the boo and eek of it all. Artificial intelligence is at the head table thanks to technology creatives who want to make Halloween 2018 rather special.
	Samsung Electronics enjoys record Q3 despite smartphone struggles Samsung Electronics on Wednesday posted record quarterly operating and net profits as solid demand for its memory chips cushioned the fallout from slowing smartphone sales—but warned of tougher times ahead.
	Black boxes: crucial to air crash probes When investigators arrive at an aviation crash site, one of their first priorities is to locate the plane's black boxes, two pieces of equipment that can hold vital clues on what caused an aircraft to go down.
	Baidu profit grows 56% as apps and AI lift revenues Chinese online search giant Baidu on Wednesday said net profit for the third quarter jumped 56 percent on continued robust growth in revenue and traffic to its mobile app.
	Cost-effective marketing campaigns on social media Social media is the new equivalent of "word of mouth" advertising, and in the United States alone, corporate social media spending is projected to exceed $17 billion by 2019.
	Protecting the 'right to be forgotten' in the age of blockchain There's been a lot of hype about blockchain over the past year. Although best known as the technology that underpins Bitcoin, blockchain is starting to disrupt other industries, from supply chains to energy trading.
	Deep learning for glaucoma detection Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, impacting approximately 2.7 million people in the U.S alone. It is a complex set of diseases and, if left untreated, can lead to blindness. It's a particularly large issue in Australia, where only 50 percent of all people who have it are actually diagnosed and receive the treatment they need.
	Using AI to deduce bias in social media and news "I'm feeling sick." "This video game is SICK!" To a computer, the word "sick" may have the same meaning in these two sentences.
	Google puts up $25 million for AI research to help humanity, Earth Ladies and gentlemen, start your algorithms: Google is creating a $25 million fund for artificial intelligence research around the world, to address social and economic problems.
	Law enforcement faces dilemma in assessing online threats Their anger is all over social media for the whole world to see, with rants about minorities, relationships gone bad or paranoid delusions about perceived slights.
Justices weigh $8.5M settlement with $0 to 129M Google users The Supreme Court struggled Wednesday over what to do about an $8.5 million class-action settlement involving Google and privacy concerns in which all the money went to lawyers and nonprofit groups but nothing was paid to 129 million people who used Google to perform internet searches.
Cargill robot moves cattle herds with less stress, more safety Meet the world's first cowboy robot. It does not look like something from Hollywood or Silicon Valley.
	Apple updates iOS12 with new emojis, group FaceTime video calls Beyond the new iPad, MacBook Air and Mac Mini refresh, Apple also gave the world new emoji, the ability to do multi-person FaceTime video calling, and some cool photo tools in an update of iOS12, Apple's mobile operating system.
	Spotify to give family plan subscribers a free Google Home Mini speaker Spotify is giving a Google Home Mini speaker to family plan subscribers for a song—free.
	Empathetic machines favored by skeptics but might creep out believers Most people would appreciate a chatbot that offers sympathetic or empathetic responses, according to a team of researchers, but they added that reaction may rely on how comfortable the person is with the idea of a feeling machine.
	Airbus says Q3 net profit more than triples to 957 mn euros European aerospace giant Airbus reported Wednesday a third quarter net profit of 957 million euros ($1.1 billion), more than triple the 2017 performance.
	Panasonic first-half profit sags on higher costs Japanese electronics giant Panasonic said Wednesday first-half net profit slipped on higher costs linked to a factory it runs with US electric carmaker Tesla, though sales rose thanks to growth in automotive products and industrial systems.
	Air France-KLM gets boost from employee accord Air France-KLM, hit badly earlier this year by strikes and management upheaval, reported Wednesday its third quarter net profit jumped nearly 23 percent year-on-year to 786 million euros ($900 million).
	Sailing towards a fully electric ferry The Danish island of Aeroe, located in the Baltic Sea, is one of the few islands not connected to the mainland by a bridge. As a result, it is dependent on car ferries. Aeroe also has another distinction: it aims to become 100% carbon neutral by 2025. Although it has already made big strides towards achieving this goal via a comprehensive solar and wind powered infrastructure, its dependence on conventional car and passenger ferries sits as a significant roadblock.
	Vietnam rolls out web monitor to control 'false information' Vietnam said Wednesday it has set up a web monitoring unit that can scan up to 100 million news items per day for "false information", in a move that tightens its grip on internet freedom.
	GM reports strong profits, lifting shares General Motors profits eclipsed expectations in the latest quarter, despite the impact of tariffs and slipping sales volume, as the company unveiled a plan on Wednesday to cut jobs and reduce costs.
Seattle tech startup 98point6 raises $50 million for virtual doctor's visits Seattle startup 98point6, whose app lets consumers consult with a primary-care doctor via text messages, has raised $50 million from investors.
UK, Canada seek to question Facebook's Zuckerberg on fake news Mark Zuckerberg has testified to the U.S. Congress. Could a visit before U.K. and Canadian lawmakers be next?
UT students' startups land share of $50,000 entrepreneurship cash Texas undergraduate teams pitched their startup ideas recently at the University of Texas-Austin to win their share of $50,000.
	Another exec out amid sex harrassment tension at Google Google-parent Alphabet on Wednesday confirmed that an executive accused of sexual harassment left the company without an exit package as tension over its handling of such matters heightened.
	Italy tells Ryanair, Wizz Air to suspend bag charge Italy's competition watchdog told low-cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air Wednesday to suspend planned charges for carry-on bags that are to take effect on November 1.
	Troubled Alitalia says gets three takeover bids Troubled Italian carrier Alitalia has received three takeover offers as part of its latest rescue efforts, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

Medicine & Health news

	Functional regeneration of tendons using scaffolds developed via microarchitectural engineering The underlying structure-function relationship of living tissues depends on structural and hierarchical anisotropy. Clinical exploitation of the interplay between cells and their immediate microenvironment has rarely used macroscale, three-dimensional (3-D) constructs. Biomechanical robustness is an important biomimetic factor that is compromised during biofabrication, limiting the relevance of such scaffolds in translational medicine.
	Decoding how brain circuits control behavior The mouse brain contains roughly 80 million neurons, all packed into a space about the size of a hazelnut. Those cells come in a vast assortment of shapes and sizes, and their connections with one another number in the billions—at least.
	'Game-changing' skin sensor could improve life for a million hydrocephalus patients Most people simply take ibuprofen when they get a headache. But for someone with hydrocephalus—a potentially life-threatening condition in which excess fluid builds up in the brain—a headache can indicate a serious problem that can result in a hospital visit, thousands of dollars in scans, radiation and sometimes surgery.
	Appendix removal is linked to lower risk of Parkinson's Scientists have found a new clue that Parkinson's disease may get its start not in the brain but in the gut—maybe in the appendix.
	Common medications taken during pregnancy are not associated with risk for autism Babies exposed in the womb to the majority of medications that target neurotransmitter systems, including typical targets of antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs, are not any more likely to develop autism than non-exposed babies, according to research conducted at The Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published October 31 in JAMA Psychiatry.
	Babies born at home have more diverse, beneficial bacteria, study finds Infants born at home have more diverse bacteria in their guts and feces, which may affect their developing immunity and metabolism, according to a study in Scientific Reports.
	Are humans immune to the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing scissors? The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system has been generating excitement within the field of gene therapy, inspiring hopes of molecular tools capable of treating genetic diseases. By studying immune responses to CRISPR-Cas9 in humans, researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have found widespread immunity to the Cas9 protein. The researchers are in the process of developing innovative solutions that will ensure CRISPR-Cas9 can be used safely in a range of clinical applications. Their report on the potential benefits and risks of CRISPR-Cas9 can be found in the current issue of Nature Medicine.
	Scientists call for unified standards in 3-D genome and epigenetic data Studying the three-dimensional structure of DNA and its dynamics is revealing a lot of information about gene expression, expanding our knowledge of how cells, tissues and organs actually work in health and disease. Properly producing and managing this large amount of data is both challenging and necessary for the progress of this field. In a perspective paper published in Nature Genetics, top researchers call for unified standards and suggest guidelines in this emerging and promising research area.
	Unique type of skeletal stem cells found in 'resting zone' are actually hard at work Skeletal stem cells are valuable because it's thought they can heal many types of bone injury, but they're difficult to find because researchers don't know exactly what they look like or where they live.
	Review reveals ambiguous understanding of genetic privacy in US study participants Confusion and ambiguity in how U.S. patients and researchers perceive genetic privacy is uncovered by a study published October 31, 2018 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Ellen W. Clayton from Vanderbilt University and colleagues.
	Study safely delivers RNAi-based gene therapy for ALS in animal model Promising new research by Christian Mueller, Ph.D., and Robert H. Brown Jr., DPhil, MD, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, provides evidence that a therapy using synthetic microRNAs may safely treat patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The study, appearing in Science Translational Medicine, shows that a gene therapy delivered to motor neurons via a viral vector was able to silence SOD1 protein, mutations of which are linked to ALS, without causing any adverse effects.
	Is it brain infection or cancer? A new rapid test could hold the answer When patients present with neurologic symptoms such as severe headaches or seizures, the symptoms could suggest anything from infection, cancer, or an autoimmune disease of the brain or spinal cord, leaving physicians scrambling to find the cause in a short amount of time. The differences in diagnosis can mean having mere hours to act or being able to take days or weeks to devise a treatment plan. Now, researchers at Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) have developed a test that could rapidly parse out infections of the brain from other diseases. The diagnostic could prove particularly useful in infants and young children.
	Researchers discover new clues on how sleep works in the brain Star-shaped brain cells called astrocytes appear to play an essential role in sleep, a new study by scientists from the Washington State University Sleep and Performance Research Center confirms. Published today in PLOS Genetics, their study shows that astrocytes communicate to neurons to regulate sleep time in fruit flies and suggests it may do the same in mammals, including humans.
	Immune receptor provides protective immunity against Group A Streptococcus Group A Streptococcus (GAS), sometimes known as "flesh-eating bacteria," causes invasive infections that result in high mortality. GAS is susceptible to many antibiotics, but continues to cause devastating infections. Many studies have attempted to understand the mechanism for immune recognition of GAS, but none has provided a clear explanation, until now.
	Researchers reveal why Hippo pathway may have an outsized effect on solid tumor Like detectives tracking a serial killer, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a novel mechanism that may help promote the growth and spread of solid tumors. The findings appeared online Oct. 25 in the journal Developmental Cell.
	Breakthrough neurotechnology for treating paralysis Three patients with chronic paraplegia were able to walk thanks to precise electrical stimulation of their spinal cords via a wireless implant. In a double study published in Nature and Nature Neuroscience, Swiss scientists Grégoire Courtine (EPFL and CHUV/Unil) and Jocelyne Bloch (CHUV/Unil) show that after a few months of training, the patients were able to control previously paralyzed leg muscles, even in the absence of electrical stimulation.
	Researchers identify three sub-types of depression According to the World Health Organization, nearly 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression and these rates are on the rise. Yet, doctors and scientists have a poor understanding of what causes this debilitating condition and for some who experience it, medicines don't help.
	Cooling 'brains on fire' to treat Parkinson's A promising new therapy to stop Parkinson's disease in its tracks has been developed at The University of Queensland.
	Muscle-building proteins hold clues to ALS, muscle degeneration Toxic protein assemblies, or "amyloids," long considered to be key drivers in many neuromuscular diseases, also play a beneficial role in the development of healthy muscle tissue, University of Colorado Boulder researchers have found.
	Gender inequality could be driving the deaths of girls under five Levels of gender inequality across the world are associated with disproportionate death rates among girls under five years old, according to a study led by Queen Mary University of London.
	Plant-based or vegan diet may be best for keeping type 2 diabetes in check A predominantly plant-based or vegan diet may be best for keeping type 2 diabetes in check, not least because of its potential impact on mood, suggests a systematic review of the available evidence, published in the journal BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.
	Childhood antibiotics and antacids may be linked to heightened obesity risk Young children prescribed antibiotics and, to a lesser extent, drugs to curb excess stomach acid, may be at heightened risk of obesity, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.
BMI associated with deaths from most causes Led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society, the research suggests a BMI of between 21-25kg/m2 is associated with the lowest risk of dying from cancer and heart disease.
	New evidence pot may harm the teen brain (HealthDay)—Teens who stop smoking pot can think and learn better afterward, even if they are only light users, a new study reports.
	Ebola vaccines show lasting effect (HealthDay)—Three experimental Ebola vaccines trigger an immune response that lasts for more than two years against the deadly disease, researchers report.
	Small association between early antibiotic exposure and weight gain in young children A pioneering study conducted within a nationwide network, the National Patient Centered Clinical Research Network (PCORnet), finds that antibiotic use at
	Trippy depression treatment? Hopes and hype for ketamine It was launched decades ago as an anesthetic for animals and people, became a potent battlefield pain reliever in Vietnam and morphed into the trippy club drug Special K.
	Gaps in understanding European children's nutrient intake levels Only a third of European countries have robust reporting on child and adolescent nutrient intakes, new research shows. This highlights the potential lack of data to inform the design and monitoring of nutritional policies in some parts of Europe.
	Three percent of children hit daily activity target Only one in 30 children does the recommended amount of daily physical activity, new research suggests.
	Potential markers identified for early detection and prevention of liver cancer Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, claiming 700,000 lives each year. Most cases are discovered too late for a cure—but now a study offers hope of early detection, and targets for new treatments. Published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, the results show a dramatic increase in expression of sugar-burning 'glycolytic' enzymes in precancerous cirrhotic livers. This increase is associated with a significantly higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)—the main type of liver cancer—and could lead to a biomarker which identifies those at risk of malignancy.
Cold therapy offers promising prevention against taxane-induced dermatologic events Due to their broad antitumor activity that inhibits the function of microtubules, taxanes are common chemotherapeutic agents utilized for the management of multiple cancer types from breast to prostate. Unfortunately, the frequency of their use is equally matched by the rates of expected and well known side effects.
	Fermented dairy products may protect against heart attack Men who eat plenty of fermented dairy products have a smaller risk of incident coronary heart disease than men who eat less of these products, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. A very high consumption of non-fermented dairy products, on the other hand, was associated with an increased risk of incident coronary heart disease. The findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
	Researchers describe a new anatomic structure in the ankle According to the guidelines of human anatomy, the ligaments in the ankle are grouped by two ligament complexes: The first is the lateral collateral ligament in the side of the joint formed by three independent ligaments. The second is the medial or deltoid collateral ligament. In this new scientific study, the UB research team defined a new anatomical structure in the ankle, the lateral fibulotalocalcaneal ligament complex (LFTCL).
	Mapping shear stress can help predict heart attacks A heart attack is like an earthquake. When a patient is having a heart attack, it's easy for cardiologists to look at a coronary artery and identify the blockages that are causing trouble. However, predicting exactly where and when a seismic fault will rupture in the future is a scientific challenge – in both geology and cardiology.
	New mothers' breastfeeding pain can affect infant health Breastfeeding pain is not often recognized as a problem, but a majority of first-time mothers experience this type of pain, which may lead some to stop breastfeeding altogether. A new study from Western University has discovered that the pain experienced is often severe and leads to avoidance and other pain-related behaviours, which could have health implications for the feeding child.
	Halloween doesn't have to be a horror for children's teeth Sweet treats are as much a part of Halloween as haunted houses, creative costumes and the Monster Mash. They're fun to collect, but having that big bag of candy around the house for weeks after Halloween can't be good for children's oral health.
	Cutting societal alcohol use may prevent alcohol disorders Society must take collective responsibility to reduce the harm caused by alcohol use disorders, a University of Otago academic says.
	Four factors influence social media reach of public health tweets, study says A new paper co-written by a University of Illinois scholar who studies social psychology identifies four factors that lead to the retransmission of social media messages from expert accounts, creating data-driven recommendations for online public health messaging.
	A comprehensive 'parts list' of the brain built from its components, the cells Neuroscientists at the Allen Institute have moved one step closer to understanding the complete list of cell types in the brain. In the most comprehensive study of its kind to date, published today on the cover of the journal Nature, the researchers sorted cells from the cortex, the outermost shell and the cognitive center of the brain, into 133 different "cell types" based on the genes the cells switch on and off.
	Study says life span normal when Parkinson's does not affect thinking In the past, researchers believed that Parkinson's disease did not affect life expectancy. But recent studies showed a somewhat shorter life span. Now a new study suggests that when the disease does not affect thinking skills early on, life span is not affected. The study is published in the October 31, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
	Is newborn smiling really just a reflex? Research is challenging the textbooks Very few people can resist smiling at a newborn baby – signaling positive emotions, such as joy and interest. Of course, this is especially true for new parents. One study found that new mothers looked at their 16-hour-old babies 80 percent of the time and smiled at them 34 percent of the time.
	Research suggests cognitive ability may 'buffer' the impact of social disadvantage on mental health Higher levels of cognitive ability could help protect people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds from increased risk of mental health issues—but health inequality remains a major issue, new research has found.
	New and better marker for assessing patients after cardiac arrest Last year, researchers Tobias Cronberg and Niklas Mattsson at Lund University in Sweden published a study showing serum tau levels to be a new and promising marker for identifying patients with severe brain damage after cardiac arrest. Together with Marion Moseby Knappe, they have now discovered that the protein Neurofilament light (NFL) in serum constitutes an even better marker to identify the degree of brain damage after cardiac arrest. This information could form the basis for decisions on continuing life-support treatment.
	When 'what's on your mind' is tragic, not happy – sharing sad news on social media It's always wonderful to share happy news – in person and on social media. New jobs, weddings and becoming parents of healthy children are all commonly posted online, and often gather lots of encouraging comments and congratulations. But when the news is sad, distressing or traumatic, people are far less likely to share it – even though they may need lots more support than when good things are happening in their lives. And when the crisis is particularly dire, or potentially stigmatizing, people may not even tell their closest friends and suffer in isolation.
	Effective treatments for urticarial vasculitis What treatments are available for patients with the rare inflammatory disease known as urticarial vasculitis? How effective are these treatments? Researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin embarked on a systematic review and meta-analysis to address these questions. Recently published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the results of this meta-analysis reveal which of the available treatment options offer more promising outcomes.
	How to watch a scary movie with your child On Halloween, the cinemas and TV channels are filled with horror movies. But what should you do if you have a young child who wants to watch too?
	Forget bouncing back, balance is the healthiest way to manage weight post-pregnancy When you have a newborn baby, your waistline may be the last thing on your mind. Yet women often feel pressured to lose their "baby weight" as quickly as they can after pregnancy.
	World-first coeliac disease vaccine enters Phase 2 trials A coeliac disease vaccine that aims to protect patients from the harmful effects of gluten has entered Phase 2 clinical trials in Melbourne.
	A study identifies new markers associated with protection by the RTS,S malaria vaccine Protection conferred by the RTS,S malaria vaccine depends greatly on the amount and subclass of antibodies generated upon vaccination and on previous exposure levels to the parasite, according to a study led by ISGlobal. The results, published in BMC Medicine, shed new light on the mechanisms by which RTS,S confers protection and provide the basis for developing more efficacious vaccines.
	Erectile dysfunction common in childhood cancer survivors (HealthDay)—The prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) is 29 percent among male childhood cancer survivors (CCS), according to a research letter published online Oct. 4 in JAMA Oncology.
	European workers fail to hydrate properly A newly published scientific paper indicates that occupational safety and daily day performance in seven out of 10 workers from several European industries are negatively affected by a combination of heat stress and failure to maintain water balance. The study combines field observations and motor-cognitive testing in the lab, and was conducted by the Pan-European Heat-Shield project coordinated by researchers from Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at University of Copenhagen.
	A fully human system to cultivate skin cells for grafting Breakthrough study to culture human skin cells called keratinocytes to produce skin grafts has been published by a team of researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School and the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). This method is the first to use a specific type of tissue-proteins known as laminins, found in the human body, to create a safer treatment for severe burns or other skin-related defects.
	Communication skills benefit from the great outdoors Conversations are more responsive in natural environments such as parks and gardens than indoors, finds new research by the University of Manchester and Cardiff University.
	AMA announces initiative to reinvent physician training (HealthDay)—The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced a new $15 million competitive grant initiative, the "Reimagining Residency" initiative, aimed at improving residency training.
	Neuropixels technology ready for release A transformative technology for detecting and recording neural activity in the brain is now available for researchers to purchase through imec, a leading nanoelectronics research center in Belgium.
	Fake e-cigarette liquid is putting vapers at risk – here's how we can tackle the fraud Over 35m people worldwide now use e-cigarettes, according to one estimate. In the US, this includes 4.5% of the adult population. But the rise in vaping has led to a trade in fake e-liquids – the mix of water, glycerol, propylene glycol, flavours and (usually) nicotine used to create the vapour of e-cigarettes.
	Tap into the health powers of garlic (HealthDay)—As scientists look more deeply into the effects of diet on health, they're finding that more and more everyday foods offer benefits that go well beyond making dishes tastier.
	No such thing as sugar highs, says pediatric endocrinologist Sugar seems like the obvious culprit when kids get overexcited after eating cake, ice cream and who knows how much Halloween candy.
	Hunter-gatherers live nearly as long as we do but with limited access to healthcare Modern life has many benefits. Transport, comfy furniture, smartphones, TV, the internet, dentistry and advanced medicine would be at the top of most people's lists. Our bodies also show signs of responding positively to modern life. In almost every part of the world, we are much taller than we used to be. We also live much longer, with life expectancy inching towards 80 in many wealthy countries, while everyone "knows" ancient humans usually died in their twenties. But what I discovered while researching my book, is that things are more complex than that.
	Same-sex couple makes medical history by physically carrying the same embryo They both helped carry their baby—and made medical history in the process.
	Gender and schizophrenia New research from University of Dayton psychologist Julie Walsh-Messinger and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai psychiatrist Dolores Malaspina uncovers key differences in the brains of men and women suffering from schizophrenia.
	Strong ability to detect and perceive motion may prevent pilot disorientation A new study led by researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear found that good performance on a piloting task was associated with lower vestibular thresholds, which represent stronger ability to sense and perceive information about motion, balance and spatial orientation. Published online today in the Journal of Neurophysiology, the findings suggest that astronauts or pilots with higher vestibular thresholds are more likely to become disoriented during flight, especially in situations when gravity is less than that on Earth—such as on the Moon.
New drug formulation could help people undergoing heart surgery Professor Raimondo Ascione, and Professor Saadeh Suleiman, from the Bristol Heart Institute, will explore whether treatment with two drugs, which are already used in other ways in people with heart conditions, could benefit patients undergoing open-heart surgery. They have been awarded a grant of nearly £300,000 by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to carry out this work.
	Neuroscientists find molecular clue in ALS, suggesting potential new drug target Houston Methodist researchers have discovered a repair defect in nerve cells that send messages to the brain, opening the door to a possible therapy for preventing or slowing down ALS. Also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS is a terminal illness marked by rapidly progressive muscle weakness that ultimately affects a person's ability to swallow and breathe.
	Cytokine levels could predict immunotherapy problems The development of immunotherapy, which mobilizes the body's own immune system to destroy cancer cells, is one of the greatest advances in cancer treatment, but immunotherapy can cause harm to healthy tissue in some patients. Researchers at UT Southwestern have identified blood-based biomarkers that may help identify those patients at greatest risk of developing autoimmune side effects from the treatment.
	Study links cottonseed oil with lower cholesterol Researchers at the University of Georgia have found that a high-fat diet enriched with cottonseed oil drastically improved cholesterol profiles in young adult men.
Could bariatric surgery make men more virile? Men who have undergone bariatric surgery as a long-term way of losing weight might also benefit from increased testosterone levels post-surgery. However, there is no evidence that the sperm quality of a patient improves. These are the findings of a comprehensive review in the Springer journal Obesity Surgery, which is the official publication of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO). The research was led by Shahzeer Karmali and was a collaborative effort between Yung Lee of McMaster University and Jerry Dang of the University of Alberta in Canada.
Best practices in palliative care supported by growing evidence base, study finds A study commissioned to help guide revisions of best practices in providing palliative care finds that there is a wide and varied body of evidence to support such clinical practice guidelines.
	Neonatal birthweights increase in direct proportion to number of births A new Tel Aviv University study finds that neonatal birthweights increase in direct proportion with the number of births of the mother in at least 30 percent of all cases. The study focuses on the risk of having large for gestational age (LGA) infants, babies who clock in at higher than the 90th percentile for weight.
	Inflammation can lead to circadian sleep disorders Inflammation, which is the root cause of autoimmune disorders including arthritis, Type 1 diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease, has unexpected effects on body clock function and can lead to sleep and shiftwork-type disorders, a new Northwestern Medicine study in mice found.
	UA targeting rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare pediatric cancer with few treatment options Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a rare cancer of the skeletal muscle that primarily affects pediatric patients. After diagnosis, about 3 out of 4 patients are cured with standard treatment. Survival rates drop to 17 percent if the disease comes back (recurs) and to 30 percent if it spreads (metastasizes).
	Domestic violence is widely accepted in most developing countries, new study reveals Societal acceptance of domestic violence against women is widespread in developing countries, with 36 per cent of people believing it is justified in certain situations.
	Minimally invasive surgery associated with worse survival for women with cervical cancer compared to open hysterectomy When comparing standard-of-care surgical options for women with early-stage cervical cancer, two studies led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discovered that minimally invasive radical hysterectomy is associated with higher recurrence rates and worse overall survival (OS), compared to abdominal radical hysterectomy.
	Anti-CD47 cancer therapy safe, shows promise in small clinical trial A novel immunotherapy appears safe for use in patients with a type of blood cancer called non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to a phase-1 multicenter clinical trial led by a researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	Relapsed leukemia flies under immune system's radar Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive cancer of the blood, often are treated with stem cell transplantation, in which a compatible donor's blood-forming cells are transplanted into a patient. The donor's immune cells then attack and kill the leukemia cells. But even if this treatment initially is successful, many patients experience a recurrence of the leukemia after transplantation that often proves fatal.
Off-patent drug appears promising as broad-spectrum antifungal By screening a library of off-patent drugs, scientists have identified a compound with promising broad-spectrum antifungal activity. The compound, alexidine dihydrochloride, warrants further development as a pan-fungal, anti-biofilm drug, according to the research reported in the journal mSphere.
	Diagnosing and treating personality disorders needs a dynamic approach Someone who is "neurotic" does not necessarily show anger or anxiety in a given situation, even though those are generally accepted traits of a person with that personality style.
	Black, low-income women may not report barriers to care (HealthDay)—Black women, women living in poverty, and those with higher levels of distrust are less likely to report barriers to timely screening mammography, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in Cancer.
	USPSTF: evidence lacking for lead screen in kids, pregnancy (HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has concluded that current evidence is insufficient for assessing the balance of harms and benefits of screening for elevated blood lead levels in asymptomatic children and pregnant women. These findings form the basis of a draft recommendation statement published online Oct. 30.
	Lyme disease predicted to rise in United States as climate warms Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in North America and its incidence has risen sharply in the last decade. Since its progression depends on environmental factors, increases in daily temperatures, a manifestation of climate change, might be contributing to a rise in the number of ticks as well as a greater availability of hosts. A new study looked at the relationship between climatic variables and the incidence of Lyme disease in 15 U.S. states. The study found that rising temperatures are expected to boost the number of cases of Lyme disease by more than 20 percent by mid-century.
	Biomarker discovered for most common form of heart failure A team led by a Cedars-Sinai physician-scientist has discovered a biomarker—a protein found in the blood—for the most common type of heart failure, a new study published today in JAMA Cardiology shows.
	Researchers make next move in the fight against ovarian cancer Ovarian cancer claims the highest mortality rate of all gynecologic cancers, as high as 70 percent—in part because the disease is rarely detected earlier than stage 3 or 4. When the disease is discovered early in its development, however, survival rates are high, so an effective screening technique for early detection could not only save lives, but drastically improve their quality.
	Virtual program successful in linking adult protective services, geriatric specialists In its first year, an innovative virtual program has substantially increased mistreated elderly Texans' access to elder mistreatment and geriatric experts with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
	Can you really be scared to death? Every year around Oct. 31, as horror films, haunted houses and pranksters in creepy costumes try their best to give you a fright, the question arises: Can a person literally be scared to death?
	Thailand blazes ahead with push to legalise medical marijuana use Thailand is rolling out plans to legalise medical marijuana, an official told AFP Wednesday, as the country hopes to cash in on a multi-billion dollar industry with a product its supporters hail as some of the world's best.
	New material improves the quality and resistance of knee cartilage implants Researchers of Valencia's Polytechnic University (UPV), the University of Notre Dame (USA) and the Technological University of Auckland (New Zealand), along with multinational company Zimmer, have developed a new material that improves the quality and durability of the articular cartilage implants used in knee operations. According to the tests carried out, with this new material, the implants could last up to 80 percent longer than the ones currently used. This work has been published in Materials Science and Engineering.
Is there a risk to human health from microplastics? The Austrian Federal Environment Agency and the Medical University of Vienna have presented the first preliminary results of a pilot study on microplastics (microplastic particles) in humans. They have detected microplastic particles in stool of eight volunteers. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) summarizes its findings on possible health risks of microplastic particles for humans.
Microplastics in food—Many unanswered questions among scientists and the general public Although overall 75 percent of the population regard food as safe, more and more Germans are showing concern about microplastics in food. As the latest BfR Consumer Monitor—a regular population survey conducted by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)—shows, the topic is better known and more people are concerned about it than they were six months ago.
More black South Africans are donating blood The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has succeeded in increasing the proportion of donations from black South Africans fivefold, from 43 269 in 2005 to 246 686 in 2015, while at the same time significantly enhancing the safety of South Africa's blood supply.
Understanding endometriosis About 10 percent of women worldwide suffer from endometriosis, a painful and debilitating disease with inadequate treatments. Currently, doctors don't know what causes the condition, which occurs when endometrial tissue escapes the uterus and forms lesions on other organs. But scientists are working hard to better understand the disease and develop new diagnostic tests and medicines, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.
Study: Denosumab effective in treating osteoporosis in transfusion dependent thalassemia For patients with osteoporosis caused by transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT), a twice-yearly injection appears to improve spinal bone mineral density, according to a new study.
PAPPA2: A genetic mystery What would happen if you suddenly stopped growing at age 12 or 13?

Biology news

	Giant flightless birds were nocturnal and possibly blind If you encountered an elephant bird today, it would be hard to miss. Measuring in at over 10 feet tall, the extinct avian is the largest bird known to science. However, while you looked up in awe, it's likely that the big bird would not be looking back.
	First comprehensive study of chemosensory organ physiology in an annelid A team of researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Germany and the University of Exeter in the U.K. has conducted the first comprehensive study of the head chemosensory organ physiology in an annelid. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Biology, the group describes their study of the brain of the marine worm Platynereis dumerilii and what they found.
	A study of mammalian vocalizations in lead-up to copulations using giant pandas as an example A team of researchers from San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research and the China Research and Conservation Centre for the Giant Panda has found that vocalizations play an important role in the lead-up to copulation with giant pandas. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group describes their study of vocalizations leading up to copulation in giant pandas and what they learned.
	Why don't birds fall over when they jump? Scientists have been analysing the way birds jump when they take-off to help us understand why they simply don't just fall over when attempting to fly.
	Genes behind rapid deer antler growth, hardening identified Each spring, male deer sprout a new pair of antlers, which are essentially temporary external bones, at a speed unparalleled by the bone growth of other mammals. Now, research led by scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine has identified two genes that drive the animals' abnormally quick bone generation.
	Karate kicks keep cockroaches from becoming zombies, wasp chow Rick Grimes has nothing on the humble American cockroach when it comes to avoiding zombification.
	Widely used mosquito repellent proves lethal to larval salamanders Insect repellents containing picaridin can be lethal to salamanders. So reports a new study published today in Biology Letters that investigated how exposure to two common insect repellents influenced the survival of aquatic salamander and mosquito larvae.
	Ballistic beetles seek safety in numbers by sheltering with other species A group of ground beetles known as bombardier beetles are famous for shooting a boiling-hot, noxious liquid at would-be attackers, but despite their formidable defense, they prefer not to shelter alone, according to a study publishing October 31 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Jason Schaller and colleagues from the University of Arizona in Tucson.
	Changes to RNA aid the process of learning and memory RNA carries pieces of instructions encoded in DNA to coordinate the production of proteins that will carry out the work to be done in a cell. But the process isn't always straightforward. Chemical modifications to DNA or RNA can alter the way genes are expressed without changing the actual genetic sequences. These epigenetic or epitranscriptome changes can affect many biological processes such as immune system response, nervous system development, various human cancers and even obesity.
	World's last wilderness may vanish The world's last wilderness areas are rapidly disappearing, with explicit international conservation targets critically needed, according to University of Queensland-led research.
	Can bacteria colonies be good neighbours? A team of German scientists have gained new insights into the way bacteria colonies interact.
	Oxygen levels impact on species' ability and willingness to fight Environmental conditions could play a major role in the instigation of fights within the animal kingdom, according to new research.
	Flippin' hard: Myanmar's sea turtles fight against the odds Peril plagues the lives of Myanmar's baby turtles: if crabs don't get them before they scramble from beach to sea, then poachers or fishing trawlers might finish them off instead.
	A new pharmacological molecule improves the safety of canine sedation and anaesthesia A drug discovery made at the University of Helsinki's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine will increase the safety of animal sedation and anaesthesia. Vatinoxan, the pharmacological molecule discovered in the study, reduced the adverse effects of other drugs on the cardiovascular system of canine patients.
	New model is a leap forward in understanding plant organ growth Cells are the building blocks of life that grow and divide to create all living things.
How a team of biologists is taking on an infestation and saving a species from extinction Eggs hatching. Larvae burrowing under the skin and feeding on surrounding tissue. It's like a scene from a horror movie. Only this isn't a movie—it's happening in real life to an extremely endangered bird species, the Ridgway's hawk. The culprit is a botfly in the genus Philornis that is so aggressive it's eating hawk nestlings from the inside out.
	Too many fishers in the sea: The economic ceiling of artisanal fisheries A new study shows that even if fishers used the most efficient and sustainable known practices, they wouldn't generate enough revenue to maintain a living above poverty level.
	Scientists unlock secrets of falcon DNA Researchers in the University of Kent have made significant strides towards understanding the genomes—and hence the biology—of falcons.
	Researchers find the origin of an isolated bird species on South Atlantic island By wings or maybe riding on debris, that's how a now-flightless and rare species of tiny birds likely got to Inaccessible Island, an aptly named small island of volcanic origin in the middle of the South Atlantic.
	Researchers assemble the Eurasian perch genome In a study published recently in the scientific journal G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, researchers from Estonian University of Life Sciences, in collaboration with colleagues from University of Turku, assembled the Eurasian perch genome. It is three times smaller than the human genome, yet contains about 1 billion nucleotides and more than 23,000 genes. The investigated perch originated from the dark waters of lake Loosalu in the midst of the bogs of Rapla county. The results of the research enable scientists all over the world to better understand the effect of natural selection.
	Monitoring antibiotic resistance Antibiotic resistance is a complex problem in animal husbandry. Antibiotics are essential for both veterinary and human healthcare, but their usage can lead to antimicrobial resistance. Dik Mevius, an expert in the use of antibiotics for livestock management, gives here an overview of this collaborative work and findings within EFFORT where he coordinated the collection of samples and farm data as part of research on antibiotic resistance in the food chain, and zoonotic transmission.
	New report finds tropical disease causing heart problems in dogs assisting with homeland security duties More than 100 working dogs employed by the federal government across the United States have been infected with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the cause of Chagas disease, which may lead to heart problems, according to a new study presented today at the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting. Chagas disease is a tropical infection spread by a blood-sucking triatomine or "kissing bug" that may pose a growing threat in the United States.
	Portugal bans use of wild circus animals Portugal has banned the use of wild animals in circuses by 2024 with a new law passed by parliament and applauded by animal rights groups.

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