Science X Newsletter Thursday, Oct 25

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 25, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

An evaluation of mouse dynamics for intrusion detection

Recalling memories in context

Mouse and human skin cells produce melanin on a 48-hour cycle

Tracing the evolutionary origins of fish to shallow ocean waters

Study identifies link between DNA-protein binding, cancer onset

Novel material could make plastic manufacturing more energy-efficient

Researchers learn how the brain decides what to learn

New giant protocluster of galaxies discovered at high redshift

Gut bacteria influence movement in flies

Wildebeests' super-efficient muscles allow them to walk for days without drinking

Whiskers, surface growth and dendrites in lithium batteries

Astronomers confirm collision between two Milky Way satellite galaxies

Researchers build an artificial fly brain that can tell who's who

Certain blood pressure drugs linked to increased risk of lung cancer

Flu virus could evolve resistance to pandemic drug: study

Astronomy & Space news

	New giant protocluster of galaxies discovered at high redshift An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of a new giant protocluster of galaxies. The newly found protocluster was identified at a redshift of 5.7, when the universe was about 1 billion years old. The finding is detailed in a paper published October 15 on the arXiv pre-print server.
	Astronomers confirm collision between two Milky Way satellite galaxies If you're standing in the Southern Hemisphere on a clear night, you can see two luminous clouds offset from the Milky Way.
	Saturn's moon Dione covered by mysterious stripes Mysterious straight bright stripes have been discovered on Saturn's moon Dione, says research by Planetary Science Institute Associate Research Scientist Alex Patthoff.
	NASA's InSight will study Mars while standing still You don't need wheels to explore Mars.
	The ghost of Cassiopeia About 550 light-years away in the constellation of Cassiopeia lies IC 63, a stunning and slightly eerie nebula. Also known as the ghost of Cassiopeia, IC 63 is being shaped by radiation from a nearby unpredictably variable star, Gamma Cassiopeiae, which is slowly eroding away the ghostly cloud of dust and gas. This celestial ghost makes the perfect backdrop for the upcoming feast of All Hallow's Eve—better known as Halloween.
	Q&A: Finding Earth-like exoplanets requires new space telescopes A new type of space telescope could help find life on other planets or discover other solar systems like ours, according to a report recently carried out by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine.
	Image: Cheops in the Maxwell chamber ESA's exoplanet-characterising Cheops satellite being prepared for electromagnetic compatibility testing inside the Maxwell chamber at ESTEC, the Agency's technical heart in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
	The Big Bang–an eyewitness account Once upon a time, almost 14 billion years ago, a spectacular event took place.
	Astronomers find a universal correlation that could unify the study of star formation Star formation is one of the most important research fields in astrophysics. This process, in which gravitational instabilities cause the collapse of gas to form more compact structures and finally stars, encompasses a broad range of physical scales. These include star-forming galaxies on the large scale, individual young stars with envelopes and circumstellar disks on the smaller scale, and intermediate scales that include giant molecular clouds and protostellar cores.
	Russian rocket puts satellite into orbit, 1st since failure A Russian Soyuz rocket put a military satellite in orbit on Thursday, its first successful launch since a similar rocket failed earlier this month to deliver a crew to the International Space Station.
	Europe backs own space launchers amid growing competition Major European countries are backing a new generation of home-grown space launchers amid growing competition from private space companies and developing nations such as India and China.

Technology news

	An evaluation of mouse dynamics for intrusion detection Researchers at Sapientia University in Romania and Université de Lyon have recently carried out a performance evaluation of unrestricted mouse usage for impostor detection. Their findings, pre-published on arXiv, suggest that drag-and-drop mouse actions are the most helpful for detecting intruders.
	Researchers build an artificial fly brain that can tell who's who Despite the simplicity of their visual system, fruit flies are able to reliably distinguish between individuals based on sight alone. This is a task that even humans who spend their whole lives studying Drosophila melanogaster struggle with. Researchers have now built a neural network that mimics the fruit fly's visual system and can distinguish and re-identify flies. This may allow the thousands of labs worldwide that use fruit flies as a model organism to do more longitudinal work, looking at how individual flies change over time. It also provides evidence that the humble fruit fly's vision is clearer than previously thought.
	Zero-day bug found in Windows 10, disclosed on Twitter Another day, another zero-day scare for Windows 10. The latest flaw was published on Twitter, said reports.
	Simple change, big impact: Chemists advance sustainable battery technology Solar and wind energy are widely regarded as sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuels, but each is only intermittently available. Both solutions need affordable, high performance energy storage technologies to be considered for widespread, reliable use.
Good news for immersive journalism: Look at your audience Immersive journalism uses virtual reality (VR) to put the viewer directly into a news event. But how can you help someone to personally engage and interact with a story, when they cannot alter the narrative?
	Hyundai Q3 profit plummets on slowing sales, currency swings Hyundai Motor reported a 67 percent plunge in third-quarter net profit from the previous year after overseas sales slowed and currency swings hurt its bottom line in emerging markets.
	After 'historic' quarter, Tesla looks to Europe, China Electric car maker Tesla on Wednesday reported an "historic" quarterly profit driven by demand for its mass market Model 3, as the company looks beyond its US home base to Europe and China.
	Daimler profits hit by diesel scandal German car giant Daimler reported Thursday a slump in third-quarter profits, confirming a weaker 2018 outlook as it suffered lower sales and shouldered costs for refits to polluting diesel cars.
	Questions mount over delay after Cathay Pacific admits huge data leak Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific came under pressure Thursday to explain why it had taken five months to admit it had been hacked and compromised the data of 9.4 million customers, including passport numbers and credit card details.
	Microsoft quarterly profit soars on cloud services Microsoft on Wednesday said its profit in the recently ended quarter soared on the back of revenue from services hosted in the internet cloud and its career-focused social network LinkedIn.
	UK fines Facebook over data privacy scandal, EU seeks audit British regulators slapped Facebook on Thursday with a fine of 500,000 pounds ($644,000)—the maximum possible—for failing to protect the privacy of its users in the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
	A novel approach to recycling construction waste The construction industry is one of the most resource-intensive sectors of the German economy. The nation's buildings constitute a vast store of raw materials, harboring some 100 billion metric tons of materials that could be recovered and returned to the material cycle at the end of their service life. Four Fraunhofer Institutes have joined forces in the BauCycle project to kick-start recycling of sand and gravel fine particle fractions that cannot be reclaimed today for reuse in further construction projects. The research team will present the results of their work at the 2019 BAU trade fair in Munich from January 14 to 19. The showcase at booth 528 in hall C2 will feature aerated concrete blocks made of recycled rubble, acoustical building materials, and components made of mineral granulates.
	Why we need more than just data to create ethical driverless cars What do we want driverless cars to do in unavoidable fatal crashes?
Video: feathers not included Inspired by the beauty and flying ability of birds, Leonardo da Vinci strived centuries ago to create a human-powered flapping-wing flying machine. But his designs, which da Vinci explored in his Codex on the Flight of Birds, were never developed in any practical way. Even today, mimicking bird flight still presents challenges due to the physiological complexity of a bird's flapping wings.
	Twitter surges on profit, revenue growth Twitter shares flew higher Thursday after the social network reported a record quarterly profit that helped investors look past a drop in the number of users due to the weeding out of fake and abusive accounts.
	New AI-based video system helps seniors stay safe and independent An autonomous intelligence system is helping seniors stay safe both at home and in care facilities, thanks to a collaboration between University of Alberta computing scientists and software technology company Spxtrm AI.
	My thoughts are my password, because my brain reactions are unique Your brain is an inexhaustible source of secure passwords – but you might not have to remember anything. Passwords and PINs with letters and numbers are relatively easily hacked, hard to remember and generally insecure. Biometrics are starting to take their place, with fingerprints, facial recognition and retina scanning becoming common even in routine logins for computers, smartphones and other common devices.
	Spread of self-driving cars could cause more pollution – unless the electric grid transforms radically The world is on the cusp of dramatic changes in the ways people own, operate and power their means of transportation.
Algorithm art fetches $432,500 at NY auction: Christie's A portrait made by algorithm smashed new boundaries Thursday, selling for $432,500 and becoming the first piece of Artificial Intelligence art sold at a major auction house, Christie's said.
	BA says 185,000 more customers affected in cyber attack British Airways owner IAG on Thursday said that a further 185,000 customers may have had their personal details stolen in a cyber attack earlier this year.
	Water out of thin air: California couple's device wins $1.5M It started out modestly enough: David Hertz, having learned that under the right conditions you really can make your own water out of thin air, put a little contraption on the roof of his office and began cranking out free bottles of H2O for anyone who wanted one.
	Amazon quarterly profit rockets tenfold to $2.9 bn Amazon reported Thursday that its profit in the recently-ended quarter rocketed to $2.9 billion in a ten-fold increase from the same period last year.
	Google parent Alphabet profit up 36% at $9.2 bn Google parent Alphabet said Thursday its third-quarter profit rose 36 percent to $9.2 billion, fueled by gains in digital advertising delivered online and on smartphones.
	Ford earnings drop on weak China sales Ford reported a drop in third-quarter profits Wednesday as weak sales in China and higher commodity costs countered the benefit of strong truck sales in North America.
SK Hynix posts record profits on rising demand South Korea's SK Hynix, the world's second-largest memory chipmaker, posted record profits in the third quarter, the company said Thursday, citing resilient global demand.
Nokia cuts more jobs as high-speed network deals come slowly Telecom networks provider Nokia reported Thursday lower third-quarter earnings and said it would start a new cost-cutting program as it waits for demand for the new 5G systems to pick up.
	MixedEmotions: open-source toolbox for emotion analysis A European team of researchers, including Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, has developed an open-source toolbox to assess emotions in texts, audios and videos.
	Emissions-free hydrogen production edges closer with new pilot site in Denmark An EU initiative will facilitate the production, storage and supply of hydrogen for a wide range of end users. It will help integrate green power into the energy system in a flexible way.
	A robust AI-centric indoor positioning system In modern airport terminals, hospital complexes, office buildings, sports arenas, university campuses, and retail outlets, there is a growing market for convenient and easy-to-use applications for navigating indoors. With an expected growth rate of 30% by 2022, according to a MarketWatch Report, this demand is accelerated by the presence of advanced sensors in modern smartphones like magnetometers, accelerometers, and gyroscopes. To meet the demand, our team at IBM Research-Ireland built a production-ready indoor positioning system that is more accurate than an existing commercial solution across different smartphone models.
	Trump to develop national strategy on '5G' wireless networks The Trump administration is announcing plans to come up with a strategy for supporting the development of next-generation wireless networks known as "5G."
	Boeing opens first European plant, picking UK despite Brexit The US aerospace giant Boeing opened its first manufacturing plant in Europe on Thursday, giving a boost to Britain's business credentials ahead of its impending exit from the European Union.
	Google says fired 48 for sexual harassment over two years Google said Thursday it fired 48 employees in the past two years, including 13 senior executives, as a result of sexual harassment allegations, citing "an increasingly hard line" on inappropriate conduct.

Medicine & Health news

	Recalling memories in context Information recall goes beyond memory access to powerfully allow long-term memory enhancement. Using human brain imaging, researchers in the UK and US have observed that an attempt to remember a specific event, accompanied the re-activation of additional information from the same event. In a recent study conducted by Tanya R. Jonker and co-workers at the Department of Psychology, memories of the past were shown to be organized as integrated events. The study showed that even the act of recalling a minor aspect of an event will engage brain networks with powerful effects, to retain information from the entire event. The outcomes of the study were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
	Mouse and human skin cells produce melanin on a 48-hour cycle Researchers have discovered that mouse skin and skin cells from humans produce pigmentation in response to sunlight on a 48-hour cycle. They observed that exposing skin to ultraviolet light every 2 days yielded darker pigmentation with less radiation damage than daily exposure. The findings appear October 25 in the journal Molecular Cell.
	Study identifies link between DNA-protein binding, cancer onset Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and their collaborators at other institutions have identified a link between how proteins bind to our DNA and how cancer develops. This finding may allow researchers to predict cancer pathways and long-term patient outcomes.
	Researchers learn how the brain decides what to learn In order to learn about the world, an animal needs to do more than just pay attention to its surroundings. It also needs to learn which sights, sounds and sensations in its environment are the most important and monitor how the importance of those details change over time. Yet how humans and other animals track those details has remained a mystery.
	Certain blood pressure drugs linked to increased risk of lung cancer Use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor drugs (ACEIs) to lower blood pressure is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer compared with use of another group of blood pressure drugs called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), finds a study in The BMJ today.
	Flu virus could evolve resistance to pandemic drug: study The influenza virus can evolve resistance to an anti-flu drug currently in development for use in pandemics but only if there are multiple genetic mutations, a study has found.
	Binary bias distorts how we integrate information When we evaluate and compare a range of data points—whether that data is related to health outcomes, head counts, or menu prices—we tend to neglect the relative strength of the evidence and treat it as simply binary, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	Mind's quality control center found in long-ignored brain area The cerebellum can't get no respect. Located inconveniently on the underside of the brain and initially thought to be limited to controlling movement, the cerebellum has long been treated like an afterthought by researchers studying higher brain functions.
	Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed One of the many challenges with battling alcohol addiction and other substance abuse disorders is the risk of relapse, even after progress toward recovery. Even pesky fruit flies have a hankering for alcohol, and because the molecular signals involved in forming flies' reward and avoidance memories are much the same as those in humans, they're a good model for study.
	Study opens new therapeutic avenue for mitochondria malfunction A surprising offender has been emerging to drive the progression of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Huntington's and other neurodegenerative diseases: calcium. Calcium controls the production of fuel in mitochondria, the cell's powerhouses. But too much calcium can lead to cellular damage and even cell death. These events can cascade into neurodegenerative diseases and causes injury to the brain and heart during strokes and heart attacks.
	Hallucinations associated with brain hyperactivity in people with macular degeneration New research from the University of Queensland has shown for the first time that visual hallucinations in people with macular degeneration are associated with abnormally heightened activity in the visual cortex of the brain.
	Parent-child bond predicts depression, anxiety in teens attending high-achieving schools What causes some adolescents to thrive while other teenagers struggle with substance abuse and mental health? Through years of research, the scientists who study development and the clinicians who treat troubled teenagers have developed a list of risk factors that predict the problems faced by adolescents.
	Researchers make mice lose weight by imitating effects from cold and nicotine Inspired by some of the effects from winter swimming and smoking, researchers from the University of Copenhagen, among others, have found a way to improve the metabolism of mice and make them lose weight. They have done so by stimulating the body's so-called cold and nicotinic receptors.
	Antibiotics are 'avoidable trigger' for bowel disease Scientists at The University of Manchester have shown for the first time how antibiotics can predispose the gut to avoidable infections that trigger bowel disease in mice.
	A decade of data reveals that heavy multitaskers have reduced memory The smartphones that are now ubiquitous were just gaining popularity when Anthony Wagner became interested in the research of his Stanford colleague, Clifford Nass, on the effects of media multitasking and attention. Though Wagner, a professor of psychology at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Memory Laboratory, wasn't convinced by the early data, he recommended some cognitive tests for Nass to use in subsequent experiments. More than 11 years later, Wagner was intrigued enough to write a review on past research findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and contribute some of his own.
	Bioactive compound from the Rhodiola plant improves memory In an ageing society, more people are suffering from memory disorders. The progressive loss of memory severely impairs the quality of life of those affected. So far, no drugs are known to prevent age-related cognitive decline.
	Repeated interferon stimulation creates innate immune memory Mammalian cells seem to be able to memorize anti-viral stimulation at the level of DNA-packaging molecules, enabling faster and greater activation of anti-viral genes in subsequent stimulations, according to a study conducted by Hokkaido University Assistant Professor Rui Kamada and Dr.Keiko Ozato of the National Institutes of Health. Kamada explains: "This is the first time that the adaptive immune system was shown to exhibit a memory in gene regulation, and that involves DNA binding to variant packaging proteins."
	Old drug, new hope for pediatric brain cancer Some drugs for heart disease might also work against brain cancer, according to an analysis by researchers from the Jackson Laboratory (JAX), Connecticut Children's Medical Center (CCMC), and UConn Health. The researchers used a new approach to identify five heart medicines that might also be effective at fighting the most common type of childhood brain cancer, they report in the Oct. 24 edition of Science Translational Medicine.
	Probiotics are not always 'good bacteria' The first study investigating the mechanism of how a disease develops using human organ-on-a-chip technology has been successfully completed by engineers at The University of Texas at Austin.
	A healthy lifestyle cuts stroke risk, irrespective of genetic profile People at high genetic risk of stroke can still reduce their chance of having a stroke by sticking to a healthy lifestyle, in particular stopping smoking and not being overweight, finds a study in The BMJ today.
	Smoke alarms using mother's voice wake children better than high-pitch tone alarms When residential fires happen at night while people are sleeping, deaths are more likely to occur. Smoke alarms are important for preventing these deaths, yet many young children don't wake up to traditional high-pitch tone alarms. In a study published online today in the Journal of Pediatrics, researchers in the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Sleep Disorders Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital examined characteristics of four different smoke alarms to determine which ones worked best to wake children. They tested three alarms that used the mother's voice in addition to a high-pitch tone smoke alarm commonly used in homes. The research included 176 children 5 to 12 years of age studied at a sleep research center in Columbus, Ohio.
	Tetris: It could be the salve for a worried mind The venerable video game was used in a recent experiment to create a state of "flow—the term psychologists use to describe a state of mind so engaged it makes the rest of the world fall away, and time pass more quickly. UCR researcher Kate Sweeny and her team have found that state of perfect disengagement may improve the otherwise-emotionally unpleasant experience of awaiting uncertain news.
	Study: Few women told of reduced cancer risk when making decision about breastfeeding With many infant formulas on the market promising the same benefits as breast milk, more women may forgo breastfeeding. However, when making that decision, women may not be considering the benefits breastfeeding has on their own health. Research has shown that women who breastfeed greatly lower their risk of developing breast cancer, but a new study by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) finds very few women are given this information by their healthcare providers.
	Hospitals differ widely in providing safe vaginal delivery after cesarean Despite the conventional belief that for women giving birth "once a cesarean always a cesarean," vaginal delivery after cesarean—also known as "trial of labor after cesarean delivery" (TOLAC)—offers a safe option for many second-time mothers with no contraindications. However, hospitals differ widely in how frequently and how well they use TOLAC, say Yale researchers. This study appears online in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
	New study shows advertizing for alcohol is prevalent in UK television A new study in the Journal of Public Health indicates that advertising for alcohol is common in British television, and may be a potential driver of alcohol use in young people.
Innovative gene therapy trial for Parkinson's disease A trial for a new gene therapy, known as AXO-Lenti-PD, aimed at improving the supply of dopamine in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease has been launched by researchers at UCL and University College London Hospitals (UCLH).
	Significant increase in mental health conditions among US students University students in the US are showing increasingly higher rates of diagnosis for a range of mental health conditions, potentially putting their academic success at risk, suggests new research published in the Journal of American College Health.
	Study of 500,000 people clarifies the risks of obesity Elevated body mass index (BMI) - a measure of weight accounting for a person's height—has been shown to be a likely causal contributor to population patterns in mortality, according to a new study led by the University of Bristol using measurements and mortality data from 500,000 people. Specifically, for those in UK Biobank (a study of middle to late aged volunteers), every 5kg/m2 increase in BMI was associated with an increase of 16 per cent in the chance of death and 61 per cent for those related to cardiovascular diseases. The work is published today [Thursday 25 October] in Obesity Editors' Choice.
Facial exercise speeds Botox's wrinkle-reducing effects For people who can't wait the three or four days for the wrinkle smoothing effects of botulinum toxin (Botox) injections to kick in, a new Northwestern Medicine study shows facial exercise after the injections speeds the change in appearance by about one day. Botox can reduce forehead frown lines and crows' feet wrinkles, giving people a more relaxed and youthful appearance that lasts for several months. But the effects take time to kick in.
Experts call for health system change to tackle the challenge of multimorbidity in the NHS The number of people with multiple long-term conditions, known as multimorbidity, is rising internationally, putting increased pressure on health care systems, including the NHS. Researchers from the 3-D Study—the largest ever trial of a person-centred approach to caring for patients with multimorbidity in primary care—at the Universities of Bristol, Dundee, Manchester and Glasgow, are hosting a conference today with the Royal College of General Practitioners to discuss the challenges facing general practice and how the health care system needs to respond.
Rates of premature mortality are two times higher in the most deprived areas of England, compared to most affluent Rates of premature mortality are two times higher in the most deprived areas of England (Blackpool), compared to the most affluent (Wokingham), according to a new comprehensive analysis of health at a local, national and regional level across the UK.
	Could thyroid screening make your baby smarter? Maternal thyroid hormones are critical for fetal brain development, but levels are frequently abnormal in women of childbearing age. Correcting symptomatic cases protects both mother and baby from complications—and according to the latest review on thyroid dysfunction in pregnancy, growing evidence shows those with no symptoms could also benefit. Published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, the new paper argues convincingly that universal thyroid screening in early pregnancy holds promise for improving fetal and maternal outcomes.
New epigenetic drug strategy to treat cancer Researchers have discovered that inhibiting CDK9, a DNA transcription regulator, reactivates genes that have been epigenetically silenced by cancer. Reactivation leads to restored tumor suppressor gene expression and enhanced anti-cancer immunity. It is the first time this particular kinase has been linked to gene silencing in mammals.
	Clues to the link between obesity and liver cancer—and identification of a new risk group New research from Monash University and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has found a previously overlooked group of obese people may be at risk of developing deadly liver cancer. The research, published today in Cell, has also explained how obesity is linked to liver cancer, both of which are increasing rapidly in the developing world.
On the frontline against monkeypox in Central African Republic In a remote southwestern pocket of the Central African Republic, doctor Patrick Karume and his small team are on the jungle frontline to quarantine a rare outbreak of monkeypox.
	Individual stress susceptibility and glucose metabolism are linked to brain function Chronic stress is a well-known risk factor for the development of psychiatric illnesses including depression disorders. The brain requires a great deal of glucose, and stress is known to alter glucose metabolism. However, whether stress-associated mental impairments are linked to glucose metabolism remains to be seen. Researchers at the Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Mainz University Medical Center and the German Resilience Center (DRZ) in Mainz have now discovered that stress-induced mental disturbances in mice are directly linked to abnormal glucose metabolism. The anti-diabetic drug empagliflozin normalized the stress-induced alterations in glucose levels and restored spatial memory as well as long-term glucose metabolism. The results have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
	Prevalence of HTLV-1 infection among teens and adults in Gabon remains high A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, by Mirdad Kazanji, of the Centre International de Recherches Medicales de Franceville in Gabon, and the Institut Pasteur de la Guyane in French Guiana, suggests that 30 years after the first epidemiological survey of the seroprevalence of Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infections in Gabon, the country remains highly endemic, with a seroprevalence of 7.3%.
	Better diagnosis to improve breast cancer treatment Breast cancer patients will soon have a better chance of fighting the disease thanks to new pathology guidelines created by University of Queensland researchers.
	Deaths due to tainted herbal medicine under-recorded A University of Adelaide forensic pathologist is warning that potentially harmful substances found in herbal medicines may be playing a bigger role in deaths of 'health tourists' than previously thought.
	Targeted drug could slow progression of ovarian cancer in women with faulty BRCA gene A drug could help slow the progression of some advanced ovarian cancers and extend the time that patients show no signs of disease, according to new clinical trial results.
	Monitoring muscles to improve athletic training Elite athletes understand that to maximize performance, they can't only train hard during workouts—they must also train smart. Unfortunately, unless you're willing to live in a lab, it can be easier to get real-time information about your car than your body.
	Real-world solution softens surgery When 10-year-old Chelsy Jones needed a lengthy operation to correct a spinal deformity, her surgeon enlisted the help of QUT biomedical engineer, Dr. Paige Little, to custom design a novel support mattress.
	The first genome surgeons: Scientists are preparing to bring DNA-editing tools to the clinic One afternoon in July, deep within the labyrinthine halls of the Medical Sciences Building at UC San Francisco's hilltop campus on Parnassus Avenue, the laboratory of Alex Marson, MD, Ph.D., is buzzing. Doors clap. Gloves snap. Keyboards clack. Cells incubate in nutrient baths the color of Kool-Aid while machines resembling rice cookers spin mixtures of molecules, separating large from small. Every now and then, a printer whirs with notes for a new experiment, like a lunch order arriving in a restaurant kitchen.
	3-D-printed bones are helping doctors prepare for surgeries Orthopaedic surgeons can now get their hands on the bones of patients before they reach the operating table – with the help of 3-D printing.
	Scientists uncover why knee joint injury leads to osteoarthritis Knee joint injuries are typically related to sports, such as football, rugby or ice hockey, but people often do not know that such injuries may lead to joint inflammation and post-traumatic osteoarthritis. In advanced post-traumatic osteoarthritis, joint cartilage breaks down completely, causing severe joint pain, lack of mobility and even social isolation. However, the mechanisms leading to osteoarthritis are not known.
	Dental tourism: Things to consider before going that extra mile for your smile Australians spend up to A$300 million each year on health-care costs abroad. As part of this phenomenon, each year around 15,000 of us are travelling overseas for cosmetic surgery tourism, including dental procedures.
	We need answers to the thalidomide tragedy – to ensure drug safety today In 2015, after decades of fruitless lobbying, Canadian survivors of thalidomide finally received compensation from the federal government.
	T-cell biofactories find, fight disease in one fell swoop NIBIB-funded researchers have transformed T cells into drug factories engineered to find cells carrying specific diseases in the body—and then produce therapeutic proteins localized to the diseased cells.
	Air pollution and noise increase risk for heart attacks Where air pollution is high, the level of transportation noise is usually also elevated. But car, train and aircraft noise also increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, as previous research has demonstrated. Studies investigating the effect of air pollution without sufficiently taking into account the impact of noise on health might overestimate the effect of air pollution. These are the results of a comprehensive study conducted by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), which was published today in the peer-reviewed European Heart Journal.
Loss of first baby tooth a positive experience for children How do children feel when they lose their first baby tooth? An interdisciplinary research group at the University of Zurich has now found that children's feelings are predominantly positive. The study also reveals that previous visits to the dentist, as well as parental background and level of education, affect how children experience the loss of their first tooth.
Weight loss surgery for obese women prevents womb cancer A study of women who had gastric sleeve or bypass surgery for obesity has found that precancerous tissue in their womb reverted to normal tissue when they lost weight.
	Space travel alters the brain: study Spending long periods in space not only leads to muscle atrophy and reductions in bone density, it also has lasting effects on the brain. However, little is known about how different tissues of the brain react to microgravity exposure, and it remains unclear whether and to what extent the neuroanatomical changes so far observed persist following return to normal gravity.
	Chemotherapy drug paclitaxel also acts as an immune response modulator Researchers in Brazil have discovered a new effect of a drug widely used as a chemotherapeutic agent and offered to patients free of charge by SUS, the national health service.
The body's defence mechanisms: Teamwork is key for cancer-fighting proteins The mechanisms that orchestrate the functions of our bodies and keep us healthy are quite complex, involving critical molecular components that are still poorly understood. The journal Nature Communications has published recent research on this topic by a team led by Dr. El Bachir Affar, a professor in the Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal and researcher at the Centre de Recherche de l'Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont. Their work highlighted the crucial role played by a very specific protein, known as BAP1, in preventing cancer from developing. This discovery was made in collaboration with several other teams, including the one headed by the co-principal investigator, Dr. Marc Therrien, a professor in the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal and researcher at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC).
Can tiny doses of magic mushrooms unlock creativity? The use of minute doses of magic mushrooms and truffles containing psychedelic substances could induce a state of unconstrained thought that may produce more new, creative ideas. "Microdosing" in this way may allow people to experience the creative benefits of psychedelic drugs without the risk of the so-called "bad trips" that often come with high doses of such substances. This is according to a new study in the Springer-branded journal Psychopharmacology which is the official journal of the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society (EBPS). The research was led by Luisa Prochazkova of Leiden University in The Netherlands and is the first study of its kind to experimentally investigate the cognitive-enhancing effects of microdosing on a person's brain function within a natural setting.
	New weapons drawn in global TB fight From a revolutionary way of testing children for tuberculosis to a cure for a previously untreatable strain, scientists from across the globe launched a fresh broadside Thursday against the world's deadliest infectious disease.
	Can I still use prescription drugs after they expire? The Harvard Medical School republished a well-worn article in August that recounted a 1985 study in which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) looked to pinpoint expiration dates for more than 100 drugs in an effort to unburden the U.S. military from some of the exorbitant annual costs of replacing its pharmaceuticals.
	Playing video games to cope with anxiety may increase risk for addiction People play video games for different reasons. Some play for entertainment or for the competition, while others game as a way to cope with stress or anxiety.
Research shows that people overestimate benefits and underestimate risks of medical interventions From major heart surgery to a course of minor drugs, people overestimate the benefits and underestimate the risks of a variety of medical procedures, according to new research.
	Smartphone app supports those struggling with opioids In the spring of 2016, while Emily Lindemer was working toward her Ph.D. at MIT, she was also struggling with something closer to home: watching someone she knew well fall in and out of recovery from opioid addiction.
Researchers identify the genes involved in skin cancer Research carried out at the Health Sciences department of the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) of Castellón, Spain, has identified the genes responsible for sun sensitivity and skin cancer vulnerability. The Skin Cancer Genetics and Human Pigmentation research group (Melanogén) has analysed the skin's response to sun and the ability to get tanned, and they have detected different genetic variants among the population of northern Europe. The results of this work have been published in Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine.
	Novel combination therapy promotes wound healing By incorporating a gene-suppressing drug into an over-the-counter gel, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and their colleagues cut healing time by half and significantly improved healing outcomes compared to control treatments. Results from the combination therapy, which was tested in mice, were published online today in Advances in Wound Care.
	4.6 percent of Massachusetts residents have opioid use disorder A recent study estimates that more than 275,000 people—or 4.6 percent of people over the age of 11 in Massachusetts- have opioid use disorder, a figure nearly four times higher than previous estimates based on national data. Led by researchers at Boston Medical Center, the study involved an analysis of several linked public health data sets, allowing for a more accurate picture of the impact of opioids in the state. Published online in the American Journal of Public Health, the results indicate that better surveillance systems need to be deployed locally and nationally to make more accurate opioid use disorder prevalence data available to better address the epidemic.
California and New Jersey family leave policies improve breastfeeding rates for some women Partially paid family leave policies in California and New Jersey helped increase breastfeeding in those states, a new analysis from UC San Francisco has found, but rates increased most among higher-income women who could afford to take more time off from work.
	Method for determining donor kidneys' suitability for transplantation may be flawed New research indicates that many kidneys obtained for transplantation from deceased donors are not being used because of biopsy findings despite their unreliability and reproducibility. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) and will be published at ASN Kidney Week 2018, may suggest an urgent need to re-examine the role of such biopsies in the allocation of kidneys.
	Study questions certain treatments for diabetic patients at high risk for heart disease New research suggests that attempts to normalize blood pressure, and cholesterol may have negative long-term effects on kidney health in adults with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for cardiovascular disease. The results appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) and will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2018.
	Some choice carb choices (HealthDay)—Carbohydrates supply glucose, which your body converts to energy.
	Algorithm-defined Tx duration non-inferior in staph bacteremia (HealthDay)—For patients with staphylococcal bacteremia, an algorithm that defines treatment duration results in a non-inferior rate of clinical success compared with usual care, according to a study published in the Sept. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Head and neck cancer survivors at increased risk of suicide Despite improved survival rates among cancer patients, the risk of death by suicide remains high, especially among those treated for head and neck cancers.
	Late night snacker? Make it cottage cheese Eager to eat a snack before bedtime? A protein-filled snack like cottage cheese is the way to go, say Florida State University researchers.
	New role for protein could lead to novel treatments for cancer and vascular disease Researchers at York University have found a new role for a well-known protein in the body that may explain, in part, what goes wrong in certain cancers, as well as vascular and neurological disorders.
	Researchers find gene that makes some susceptible to middle ear infections Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found multiple genetic variants within the FUT2 gene that makes some people especially susceptible to middle ear infections.
	Systematic review of clinical studies suggests newer shingles vaccine far more effective A systematic review of clinical studies involving more than two million patients aged 50 years and older suggests a recently released shingles vaccine was far more successful in preventing the painful condition compared to the older vaccine—but also carried greater risk of side-effects.
	Unique patterns of neural communications found in brains of children with autism Think of the brain as a complex transportation hub, a place where neural traffic heads off in any number of directions to make connections while processing something as simple as a mother's smile.
Tooth loss can indicate malnutrition, study says Older adults are at risk for both impaired oral health and malnutrition, according to a study by Rutgers University researchers.
Experimental drug more effective in treating rare kidney disease An experimental drug is more than twice as effective as the standard treatment at reducing a key measure of severity in a rare kidney disease. This is the finding of a phase II clinical trial published online October 25th in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
	Gene therapy for Parkinson's symptoms shows promise (HealthDay)—A new gene therapy might help improve motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease who aren't responding to other therapies, an early study has found.
	An expert's guide to avoiding back pain (HealthDay)—Back pain is a common problem in the United States, but there are ways to protect yourself, an expert says.
	New research offers insights into football-related concussions (HealthDay)—Repeated hits to the head, rather than one severe blow, may determine whether football players suffer a concussion, a new study suggests.
	This halloween, pumpkin seeds pack a healthy punch You can get your hands on pumpkin seeds on about any store's snack aisle, but your healthiest option may be the old-fashioned way: scooping them out of the stringy guts of that jack-o'-lantern you're carving.
	Open surgery for early lung CA tied to long-term opioid use (HealthDay)—Surgical invasiveness might play a role in the odds of becoming a long-term opioid user after early-stage lung cancer surgery, according to a research letter published online Sept. 24 in JAMA Oncology.
	Half of women to develop stroke, dementia, or parkinsonism (HealthDay)—One in two women and one in three men will develop dementia, stroke, or parkinsonism during their lifetime, according to a study published online Oct. 1 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
	HEART pathway can safely identify low-risk ER patients (HealthDay)—Implementation of the HEART Pathway is associated with decreased hospitalizations, increased identification of myocardial infarction (MI) at the index visit, and a very low death and MI rate among low-risk emergency department patients with chest pain, according to a study published online Sept. 28 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
	Allopurinol linked to reduced risk for CKD stage ≥3 in gout (HealthDay)—For patients with gout, allopurinol is associated with a reduced risk for developing chronic kidney disease stage ≥3, according to a study published online Oct. 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Nearly half of children seen in ED for bronchiolitis get radiography (HealthDay)—Despite guideline recommendations to the contrary, nearly half of children seen in the emergency department for bronchiolitis receive radiography, according to a research letter published online Oct. 16 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Loss to follow-up common with IBD, but many have flare-ups (HealthDay)—Loss to follow-up is common with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and both low C-reactive protein levels and long travel time to the hospital are predictors of follow-up loss, according to a study published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Outcomes studied for surgical Tx of stress urinary incontinence (HealthDay)—Among women undergoing midurethral mesh sling insertion, the rate of mesh sling removal at nine years is estimated to be 3.3 percent, according to a study published online Oct. 23 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Older adults with strong grip, good memory may avoid or delay disability As we age, we may develop certain disabilities that make it difficult to walk, climb, balance, or maintain our fine motor skills. In turn, these changes can affect our ability to perform routine, daily tasks, which can lead to a loss of independence and reduced quality of life. However, experts say that it is often possible to treat these difficulties before they lead to disability.
One size doesn't fit all, when using hormone therapy to treat endometriosis Endometriosis—a condition caused by uterine tissue growing outside of the organ—affects 10% of reproductive-aged women, whom it causes chronic pain that is significant and debilitating. The standard first-line treatment for all women with endometriosis is hormonal, specifically progestin-based, therapy.
	Biologists use 'mini retinas' to better understand connection between eye and brain IUPUI biologists are growing 'mini retinas' in the lab from stem cells to mimic the growth of the human retina. The researchers hope to use the research to restore sight when critical connections between the eye and the brain are damaged. These models also allow the researchers to better understand how cells in the retina develop and are organized. These results are published online in Scientific Reports.
	Abdominal obesity common among women in rural Indonesia Abdominal obesity is seven times more common among women than among men in Indonesia's rural area. This is shown in a new doctoral thesis at Umeå University, Sweden.
Biomarkers facilitate early detection of glaucoma Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum have identified new potential biomarkers that may facilitate early detection of glaucoma in patients. Moreover, they ascertained that the mutation of a certain gene in mice causes intraocular pressure elevation. This, in turn, is one of the main risk factors for glaucoma.
	Students in health enrichment programs benefit from early team-based exposure A study conducted by LSU Health New Orleans researchers provides new evidence that early exposure to multiple health disciplines in pipeline programs targeting underserved/underrepresented students interested in health professions reduces the development of traditional role and leadership stereotypes about professional health care teams and practice. Programs that include interprofessional health exposure will ultimately improve collaboration resulting in better patient outcomes. The findings are reported in Health and Interprofessional Practice published October 18, 2018.
	Wearable tech becomes top fitness trend for 2019, says survey of health and fitness professionals Fitness trackers, smart watches, and other wearable technology are the number one fitness trend for 2019, according to an annual survey of health and fitness professionals published in the November issue of ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal.
IASLC issues statement on lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) today issued a statement on lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) based on results from the Dutch-Belgian NELSON lung cancer screening trial presented at the IASLC 19th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Toronto, Canada. The IASLC Early Detection and Screening Committee, recognizing the importance of these results, now affirms the strength of evidence arising from two large, well designed and well executed randomized trials that LDCT screening in high risk individuals can significantly reduce lung cancer mortality.
	19th case confirmed in viral outbreak that killed 7 New Jersey health officials said Thursday tests confirmed a 19th patient has been infected in a viral outbreak at a pediatric rehabilitation center that has killed seven people.
Midlife women transitioning to menopause have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome Midlife women transitioning to menopause may be able to lower their risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, if they exercise more or eat a lower calorie diet, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Biology news

	Tracing the evolutionary origins of fish to shallow ocean waters The first vertebrates on Earth were fish, and scientists believe they first appeared around 480 million years ago. But fossil records from this time are spotty, with only small fragments identified. By 420 million years ago, however, the fossil record blossoms, with a huge variety of fish species present en masse.
	Gut bacteria influence movement in flies Warm, protected, and full of nutrients—the tiny intestines of a fruit fly are a perfect habitat for some bacteria. These bacteria, in turn, help the fly break down and digest food, keeping the insect's metabolism running smoothly. Now, Caltech researchers have shown that gut bacteria's influence on their hosts is not confined to metabolism—they also influence the fly's locomotion and movement. This work is the first to discover a direct molecular and cellular link between the microbiome and locomotion.
	Wildebeests' super-efficient muscles allow them to walk for days without drinking A team of researchers with the University of London, University College London and the University of Botswana has found that the wildebeest has extremely efficient muscles. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the researchers describe their study of the migrating animal and what they found.
	Plump songbirds more likely to survive migration over Gulf of Mexico A kilometer above Fort Morgan, Alabama, small migratory birds face a critical decision. Ahead lies a thousand kilometers of open water, the Gulf of Mexico, and a 22- to 24-hour flight without rest or food. On the other side, if they make it, they'll continue the journey to their South American winter habitat. For some, the journey will end in the waters of the Gulf.
	Three proteins may play key roles in female fertility and cancer biology Three proteins regulate each other with surprising twists and turns in female mouse eggs, a finding that may play an important role in female fertility and cancer biology, according to Rutgers-led research.
	A single genetic switch changes butterfly wing color Heliconius butterflies are a diverse and colorful group of species that live throughout tropical regions of Central and South America. Many of them have wing patterns and colors that mimic other species to protect themselves from predators, and new research by scientists from the University of Chicago shows that in one species, Heliconius cydno, just one gene controls whether the butterfly has white or yellow spots on its wings.
	Local hormone production is root of issue for plant development Plant roots rely on local production of a key hormone that controls many aspects of development and response to environmental changes, according to new research from North Carolina State University.
	Genome-wide study confirms six tiger subspecies Fewer than 4,000 free-ranging tigers remain in the wild. Efforts to protect these remaining tigers have also been stymied by uncertainty about whether they represent six, five or only two subspecies. Now, researchers who've analyzed the complete genomes of 32 representative tiger specimens confirm that tigers indeed fall into six genetically distinct groups. The findings are reported in Current Biology on October 25.
	Checkmate: How plant protein Feronia protects against bacterial attackers Plant scientists at Iowa State University have shed new light on a genetic pathway that influences both plant growth and disease resistance, making it a promising target for breeding new crop varieties that can fight pathogens without sacrificing performance.
	Team discovers the genetic basis for the repeated evolution of color patterns A team of evolutionary biologists from the University of Konstanz, headed by Prof. Dr. Axel Meyer, has discovered the genetic basis for the repeated evolution of colour patterns. The findings about the stripes of the diverse species of East African cichlid fishes explain how evolution can repeat itself at record speed. The study is published in Science magazine on 26 October.
	Machine learning identifies antibiotic resistance genes in tuberculosis-causing bacteria Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed an approach that uses machine learning to identify and predict which genes make infectious bacteria resistant to antibiotics. The approach was tested on strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis—the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB) in humans. It identified 33 known and 24 new antibiotic resistance genes in these bacteria.
	How sleeping mammary stem cells are awakened in puberty Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have discovered how the growth of milk-producing mammary glands is triggered during puberty.Sleeping stem cells in the mammary gland are awoken by a protein dubbed FoxP1, according to the research that was published today in the journal Developmental Cell.
	DNA 'dances' in first explanation of how genetic material flows through a nucleus DNA flows inside a cell's nucleus in a choreographed line dance, new simulations reveal. The finding is the first large-scale explanation of genetic material moving within a working cell.
	Aequatus—a free, open-source visualization tool enabling in-depth comparison of homologous genes Aequatus—a new bioinformatics tool developed at Earlham Institute (EI) - is helping to give an in-depth view of syntenic information between different species, providing a system to better identify important, positively-selected, and evolutionarily-conserved regions of DNA.
	Greater diversity enhances public interest in marine habitats Greater animal biodiversity can lead to heightened human interest in marine habitats, according to research published in Scientific Reports.
	Sampling guts of live moose to understand how they break down biomass Microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants such as moose help break down recalcitrant plant biomass into carbon nutrients, but how do they do this over the course of seasons when the moose diet changes, and what microbes are involved? Now, an international research team has studied microbial communities in the rumen of live moose and gained a more holistic view of a complex microbial food web that is responsible for carbon processing in that ecosystem.
	Using DNA technology to track marine life McGill University marine ecologist Jennifer Sunday is bringing cutting-edge DNA analysis to the formidable task of tracking ocean species along Canada's Pacific coast.
	Details of protein evolution investigated Proteins govern the biology of the cell. Through random mutation the sequences of our proteins slowly change over time, usually without affecting function. But sometimes new functions will be invented in this process. Scientists at Uppsala University have studied such a case in molecular detas. The results show how several factors conspire to shape a plastic protein-protein interaction.
	Asian catfish genome decoded The striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus makes its home in the legendary Mekong River, the longest river in Southeast Asia and largest inland fishery in the world. Vietnam stands as the leading producer of the species, culturing an estimated 1.1 million tons of the fish in a single year. But unlike other commercial fish, such as the Atlantic cod or channel catfish, little genomic data exists to guide striped catfish aquaculture.
	Biologists gain new insights into surface, acoustic behaviors of right whales In response to the dwindling number of North Atlantic right whales, researchers in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) have conducted a major study of the surface and acoustic behaviors of right whale mother-calf pairs.
	Ecolabelling no help in sustainable seafood sales How does labelling products and putting up signs in stores affect consumer choices, especially toward encouraging consumers to buy sustainable seafood? When researchers tested how ecolabels for sustainably harvested seafood would affect shopping choices in Germany and Norway, they found that customers bought significantly more seafood overall—including options that were not sustainably harvested.
	The world's largest campodeid dipluran named after the mythological giant Daidarabotchi Amongst the fauna thriving in the subterranean spaces below the surface of the earth's crust, the insect-like diplurans and, precisely, those in the campodeid family are one of the best-known groups, currently comprising almost 150 species. However, not a single subterranean member of the family had been known from Japan until very recently.
	Thousands of dogs have been killed unnecessarily due to misguided ideas about breeds Thousands of dogs, regardless of their behaviour, have been unnecessarily killed as a result of misguided UK legislation introduced in 1991. Although this sad state of affairs has been known of by campaigners for many years, only now have MPs recognised the issue in a recent statement on the Breed Specific Legislation, which aims to protect the public from dangerous dogs. After consulting dog behaviour experts, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee deemed the legislation as "unnecessarily cruel" and ineffective and proposed a series of changes.
	Fighting mosquitoes in your backyard with scientists' help Thanks to an innovative mosquito control approach developed at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, residents in several Maryland neighborhoods reduced populations of invasive Asian tiger mosquitoes by an impressive 76 percent, on average.
	Research shows pretend porpoise sounds are helping conservation efforts In a first study of its kind, Dr. Hanna Nuuttila, currently at Swansea University's College of Science—together with scientists from the German Oceanographic Museum, the University of St Andrews and Bangor University—revealed how playing back porpoise sounds to an acoustic logger can be used to assess the detection area of the device, a metric typically required for effective monitoring and conservation of protected species.
	At last, a simple way to solve the complex mysteries of the microbiome This much is clear: The tiny bacteria that live on and inside us are tremendously important for our health and well-being, affecting everything from our mood to the risk of autism. But understanding how those multitudes of microbes interact—and how they influence human health—is a gargantuan task, akin to counting the grains of sand on a beach.
	Researchers observe novel bat behavior in Panama Baby birds learn to fly. Baby mammals switch from milk to solid food. Baby bats, as winged mammals, do both at the same time during their transition from infants to flying juveniles. According to a new report from researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) who studied Peters' tent-making bats (Uroderma bilobatum), mothers prod their young with their forearms, perhaps encouraging them to fledge and wean.
	What makes a good working dog? Canine 'aptitude test' might offer clues The canine labor market is diverse and expansive. Assistance dogs may be trained to work with the visually or hearing impaired, or with people in wheelchairs. Detection dogs may be trained to sniff out explosives, narcotics or bedbugs. Other pups even learn to jump out of helicopters on daring rescue missions.
	Scientist champions conservation of neglected predators Some of the world's most threatened rays and sharks could be one step closer to being saved.
	Endangered fin whale washes up on Belgian beach An 18-metre (60-foot) fin whale washed up overnight on a Belgian beach after dying offshore, in what the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences called a rare event.
	Do neonicotinoids inhibit the development of anti-predatory behaviors in wood frogs? In a recent study published in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, scientists investigated the effects of popular agricultural insecticides—neonicotinoids—on wood frogs. Neonicotinoids are highly water soluble and can be easily carried via storm water to end up in streams and lakes. While the effect of these insecticides on growth and reproduction of wood frogs has been shown to be minor "environmentally relevant" concentrations—concentrations typically found in the natural environment—other types of effects have not been extensively studied.

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