Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Nov 6

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 6, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

An emotional deep alignment network (DAN) to classify and visualize emotions

Electroanatomical mapping with non-thrombogenic, stretchable and active multielectrode arrays (MEAs)

Astronomers discover new luminous high-redshift quasar

In materials hit with light, individual atoms and vibrations take disorderly paths

Engineers develop ultrathin, ultralight 'nanocardboard'

Chinese 'gait recognition' tech IDs people by how they walk

Computer model more accurate at identifying sources of foodborne illnesses than traditional

Family tree of 400 million people shows genetics has limited influence on longevity

Bioreactor device helps frogs regenerate their legs

How melanoma evades targeted therapies

Drug pollution concentrates in stream bugs, passes to predators in water and on land

Long noncoding RNA identified as a key regulator of inflammation

NAD can restore mitochondrial function and energy production in MTDPS liver-like cells

Coping with errors in the quantum age

Scientists discover gene regulator that allows plant rehydration after drought

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers discover new luminous high-redshift quasar An international team of astronomers has detected a new luminous quasar at a redshift of 7.02. The newly found quasi-stellar object (QSO), designated DELS J003836.10–152723.6, is the most luminous quasar known at a redshift of over 7.0. The discovery is reported in a paper published October 29 on the arXiv pre-print repository.
	Galaxy-scale fountain seen in full glory A billion light-years from Earth lies one of the universe's most massive structures, a giant elliptical galaxy surrounded by a sprawling cluster of other galaxies known as Abell 2597. At the core of the central galaxy, a supermassive black hole is powering the cosmic equivalent of a monumental fountain, drawing in vast stores of cold molecular gas and spraying them back out again in an ongoing cycle.
	China unveils new 'Heavenly Palace' space station as ISS days numbered China unveiled on Tuesday a replica of its first permanently crewed space station, which would replace the international community's orbiting laboratory and symbolises the country's major ambitions beyond Earth.
	NASA's Parker spacecraft makes first close approach to sun A NASA spacecraft has made its first close approach to the sun, just 2 1/2 months after liftoff.
	The Mars InSight landing site is just plain perfect No doubt about it, NASA explores some of the most awe-inspiring locations in our solar system and beyond. Once seen, who can forget the majesty of astronaut Jim Irwin standing before the stark beauty of the Moon's Hadley Apennine mountain range, of the Hubble Space Telescope's gorgeous "Pillars of Creation" or Cassini's magnificent mosaic of Saturn?
	A call for the cold As the Northern hemisphere starts to feel the cold winter approaching, research stations in Antarctica are emerging from their long dark winter and awaiting the arrival of fresh supplies after living months in isolation.
	The rich variety in the meteorological phenomena at Jupiter's Great Red Spot revealed A study conducted by an international team of researchers led by Agustín Sánchez-Lavega, professor of Physics at the UPV/EHU, reveals the existence of a rich diversity in the atmospheric phenomena confined inside Jupiter's spot as a result of the intense hurricane winds blowing around its periphery at speeds of about 450 km/hour.
	Colonizing Mars means contaminating Mars – and never knowing for sure if it had its own native life The closest place in the universe where extraterrestrial life might exist is Mars, and human beings are poised to attempt to colonize this planetary neighbor within the next decade. Before that happens, we need to recognize that a very real possibility exists that the first human steps on the Martian surface will lead to a collision between terrestrial life and biota native to Mars.
	Staring at stardust Dust particles in space form the basis for new stars and planets. But what do these particles consist of and how do they behave? Sascha Zeegers studied this. Ph.D. defence 1 November.
	Exoplanets will need both continents and oceans to form complex life When it comes to the search for extra-terrestrial life, scientists have a tendency to be a bit geocentric – i.e. they look for planets that resemble our own. This is understandable, seeing as how Earth is the only planet that we know of that supports life. As result, those searching for extra-terrestrial life have been looking for planets that are terrestrial (rocky) in nature, orbit within their stars habitable zones, and have enough water on their surfaces.
	NASA team to fly first-ever coronagraph to determine the formation of the solar wind An observational technique first proposed more than four decades ago to measure the physical parameters of the corona that determine the formation of the solar wind—the source of disturbances in Earth's upper atmosphere—will be demonstrated for the first time next year. These parameters are the density, temperature, and speed of electrons in the corona.
	Russia reports computer bug on International Space Station Russia's space agency says that one of the International Space Station's computers has malfunctioned, but the glitch doesn't pose any risks to the crew.

Technology news

	An emotional deep alignment network (DAN) to classify and visualize emotions Researchers at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology and Warsaw University of Technology have developed a deep alignment network (DAN) model to classify and visualize emotions. Their method was found to outperform state-of-the-art emotion classification methods on two benchmark datasets.
	Electroanatomical mapping with non-thrombogenic, stretchable and active multielectrode arrays (MEAs) To evaluate in vivo physiological functions, electrophysiological signals must be monitored with high precision and high spatial or temporal resolution. Ultraflexible, multielectrode arrays (MEAs) were recently fabricated to establish conformal contact on the surfaces of organs and to measure electrophysiological signal propagation at high spatial-temporal resolution. However, plastic substrates with a high Young's modulus incorporated in the process caused difficulties during implantation due to dynamic movement-based hemodynamics at the surface of the heart. In a new study published in Science Advances, Wonryung Lee and colleagues have developed an active MEA fabricated to demonstrate nonthrombogenicity, stretchability and stability. The arrays allowed long-term electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring in the beating hearts of rats, even with capillary bleeding. The measured ECG signals exhibited a high signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of 52 dB as a result of the active data reading.
	Chinese 'gait recognition' tech IDs people by how they walk Chinese authorities have begun deploying a new surveillance tool: "gait recognition" software that uses people's body shapes and how they walk to identify them, even when their faces are hidden from cameras.
	Hoverbike S3 2019 sparks eVTOL interest, preorders open Hoversurf's preorders have been made available for people attracted to their new Hoverbike S3 2019. The price is $150,000 with a reservation deposit of $10,000. Delivery will be in 2 to 6 months. Deliveries will be based on when you made your reservation.
	Toyota quarterly profit rises on growing sales, cost cuts Toyota Motor Corp. reported a 28 percent surge in the last quarter on growing sales in Europe, Asia and the Americas and cost cutting. It raised its profit forecast for the full year.
	Amazon mum on reports it will split new headquarters Online leader Amazon Inc. refused comment Tuesday on reports that it plans to split its new headquarters between two locations, possibly in New York City and Arlington, Virginia.
	A new semiconductor nanofibre could greatly increase the effectiveness of solar cells A team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) developed a novel nanostructure embedded into a semiconductor nanofibre that results in superb conductivity. The nanocomposite addresses a key inhibitor to conductivity, with the potential to improve a wide range of applications, from batteries and solar cells, to air purification devices.
	Stalking the drones Drones are becoming ubiquitous—they help bridge inspectors examine otherwise inaccessible spaces, monitor crop health for farmers, and assist search and rescue teams. They are also a boon to bad guys, from drug runners to terrorists. That's where David Kovar, F17, comes in. He's formed a company to glean data from drones, to understand how they and other autonomous systems work—and who is operating them.
	Learning Chinese-specific encoding for phonetic similarity Performing the mental gymnastics of making the phoenetic distinction between words and phrases such as "I'm hear" to "I'm here" or "I can't so but tons" to "I can't sew buttons," is familiar to anyone who has encountered autocorrected text messages, punny social media posts and the like. Although at first glance it may seem that phonetic similarity can only be quantified for audible words, this problem is often present in purely textual spaces.
	New antenna concept developed for cars Telecommunications is becoming ever more important for vehicles. At TU Wien, a new antenna concept has now been developed for cars.
	Forget the 'cloud', soon we'll be on the 'edge' when it comes to smart tech Time travel to the UK in 2025: Harry is a teenager with a smartphone and Pauline is a senior citizen with Alzheimer's who relies on smart glasses for independent living. Harry is frustrated his favourite online game is slow, and Pauline is anxious since her healthcare app is unresponsive.
	With poo on a pedestal, Bill Gates talks toilet technology Placing a jar of feces on a pedestal next to him, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates made a plea Tuesday for the safe disposal of human waste as he kicked off a "Reinvented Toilet" Expo in China.
	France races to save EU digital tax proposal France said Tuesday it is prepared to delay an EU-wide tax on high-tech giants in order to save a proposal that faces opposition from Ireland and Nordic countries.
Subtle visual cues nudge users to reveal more in online forum Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but icons may be even more powerful in nudging people to disclose more information online, according to an interdisciplinary team of Penn State researchers.
	Amazon considers New York, Virginia amid reports of HQ split After a yearlong search for a second home, Amazon is now reportedly looking to build offices in two cities instead of one, a surprise move that could still have a major impact on the communities it ultimately selects.
	UK regulator calls for tougher rules on personal data use Britain's data commissioner on Tuesday called for tougher rules governing the use of personal data by political campaigns around the world, declaring that recent investigations have shown a disturbing disregard for voters and their privacy.
	French hotels sue Airbnb claiming 'unfair competition' The main trade group for French hotels has sued the home-sharing giant Airbnb, accusing it of unfair competition by "knowingly violating" rules imposed as part of a crackdown in one of the US giant's biggest markets.
	Cambridge Analytica whistleblower calls for online regulation A whistleblower who claimed data consultancy Cambridge Analytica played a role in obtaining data from Facebook users called Tuesday for greater government regulation of social media and online advertising.
	Face the music: Explicit anti-piracy warnings are best deterrent STOP! This is illegal. You may be monitored and fined.
	First trials of innovative, non-invasive mineral exploration technologies In its recently published action plan for batteries which identifies EU sources for the minerals required to produce batteries, the European Commission has highlighted the essential role mineral raw materials will play to transform Europe into a low-carbon and circular economy, while strengthening simultaneously Europe's production and value chains. The 36-months project INFACT, funded under the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme for Research & Innovation, is fully aligned with this strategy. Under the coordination of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, universities, research institutions, regional agencies, international not-for-profit organisations and service companies have joined forces to develop and test innovative, non-invasive and socially acceptable mineral exploration technologies. Some of these methods will be or have already been tested in summer 2018 and 2019 at the project's three reference sites in Germany (Geyer), Finland (Sakatti) and Spain (Cobre Las Cruces, Seville and Minas de Ríotinto, Huelva).
	Ryanair shuts down Dutch base despite court ruling Irish budget airline Ryanair announced Tuesday it had shut down its Eindhoven base for winter, despite a Dutch court decision stopping it from forcing pilots there to transfer abroad.
	Foxconn may import workers for US plant: report Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer Foxconn is struggling to find enough skilled workers for its planned facility in Wisconsin and may bring in personnel from China, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
	EU approves Disney's deal to buy Fox entertainment assets European Union authorities say they have cleared Disney's acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets, provided Disney sells off some TV channels it controls in Europe to maintain competition.
	Senegal launches African 'cyber-security' school Senegal on Tuesday inaugurated a cyber-security school to strengthen West Africa's defences against computer hackers and use of the internet for terror funding and propaganda.

Medicine & Health news

	Computer model more accurate at identifying sources of foodborne illnesses than traditional A new computer model that uses machine learning and de-identified and aggregated search and location data from logged-in Google users was significantly more accurate in identifying potentially unsafe restaurants when compared with existing methods of consumer complaints and routine inspections, according to new research led by Google and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The findings indicate that the model can help identify lapses in food safety in near real time.
	Family tree of 400 million people shows genetics has limited influence on longevity Although long life tends to run in families, genetics has far less influence on life span than previously thought, according to a new analysis of an aggregated set of family trees of more than 400 million people. The results suggest that the heritability of life span is well below past estimates, which failed to account for our tendency to select partners with similar traits to our own. The research, from Calico Life Sciences and Ancestry, was published in Genetics.
	How melanoma evades targeted therapies Melanoma is the leading cause of death from skin cancer. Many patients develop metastatic disease that spreads to other parts of the body. One commonly used targeted therapy for metastatic melanomas works by attacking melanomas with mutations in the BRAF gene that make them susceptible to RAF-inhibiting drugs. However, many cancers quickly become resistant to the treatment. Now researchers at the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center—Jefferson Health have discovered how one of the mechanisms of that resistance works, a finding that could lead to designing more effective combination therapies.
	Long noncoding RNA identified as a key regulator of inflammation Scientists have identified an RNA molecule with broad powers to regulate the body's inflammatory response to infection and injury. Called lincRNA-Cox2, it belongs to a recently discovered, highly abundant class of RNAs whose functions are only beginning to be understood.
	NAD can restore mitochondrial function and energy production in MTDPS liver-like cells Mitochondria are responsible for supplying the cell with energy in the form of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. There is a group of rare, autosomal recessive disorders, known as Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndromes (MTDPS), which causes a significant reduction in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and ATP production. There is no treatment for MTDPS, and it is typically fatal during infancy as a result of liver failure. Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have identified several drug candidates for the treatment of MTDPS. Their results, published online in the November 6, 2018 issue of Cell Reports, showed that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) significantly restored mitochondrial function in vitro as well as in preclinical animal models.
	Breast cancer cells become invasive by changing their identity Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified a protein that determines the identity and invasive properties of breast cancer cells. The finding could lead to the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies to target breast cancer invasion and metastasis. The study is published in the scientific journal Cancer Research.
	Delivering antibodies via mRNA could prevent RSV infection Almost every child gets respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes cold-like symptoms. It's usually not a big deal if they're healthy, but every year in the U.S. some 57,000 children under the age of five are hospitalized with the infection. To make matters worse, there's no vaccine and a medication sometimes used to prevent RSV in high-risk children isn't always effective. Now researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a promising method of delivering antibodies directly to the lungs, improving their efficacy in warding off RSV.
	'DNA origami' triggers tissue generation in early development In trying to decipher the "DNA origami" responsible for the generation of transplantable human skin, Stanford researchers have uncovered a master regulatory hierarchy controlling tissue differentiation.
	Key molecule responsible for learning and memory discovered Unlike old dogs, old adults can indeed learn new tricks thanks to a protein molecule called netrin.
	Researchers develop new test to objectively measure pain, test medications If you've ever visited the emergency department with appendicitis, or you're one of the 100 million U.S. adults who suffer from chronic pain, you're familiar with a row of numbered faces, with expressions from smiling to grimacing, used to indicate pain levels.
	Brain-derived compounds show surprising—and beneficial—results for cancer in lab studies A lab team led by Nobel Prize winner Dr. Andrew Schally at the Miami Veterans Affairs Healthcare System and the University of Miami showed that a synthetic compound based on a brain hormone spurred the growth of cancer cells in Petri dishes but enigmatically had the opposite effect in mice.
	Women who are 'larks' have a lower risk of developing breast cancer Women who are "larks", functioning better at the beginning of the day than the end of the day, have a lower of risk breast cancer, according to new research presented at the 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference today.
Seven in eight children's tonsillectomies are unnecessary, study reveals A new study by the University of Birmingham has found that seven in every eight children who have their tonsils removed are unlikely to benefit from the operation.
	Doctors and nurses reluctant to recommend e-cigarettes to cancer patients Twenty-nine per cent of health professionals would not recommend e-cigarettes to cancer patients who already smoke, according to research presented at the 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference.
Gut stem cells offer clues for preventing tumours in inherited bowel cancer Treating pre-cancerous stem cells at an early stage could be key to preventing bowel cancer in people born with a very high risk of the disease, according to a study in mice presented at the 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference.
	Eat your vegetables (and fish): Another reason why they may promote heart health Elevated levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)—a compound linked with the consumption of fish, seafood and a primarily vegetarian diet—may reduce hypertension-related heart disease symptoms. New research in rats finds that low-dose treatment with TMAO reduced heart thickening (cardiac fibrosis) and markers of heart failure in an animal model of hypertension. The study is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Heart and Circulatory Physiology and was chosen as an APSselect article for November.
	Timely care key to improving survival rates and racial disparities Delayed care is a crtically important factor in the survival of patients with head and neck cancer, and the patients who most often experience these delays are African American, according to two new studies at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Hollings Cancer Center.
	How clear speech equates to clear memory Some conversations are forgotten as soon as they are over, while other exchanges may leave lasting imprints. University of Texas at Austin researchers Sandie Keerstock and Rajka Smiljanic want to understand why and how listeners remember some spoken utterances more clearly than others. They're specifically looking at ways in which clarity of speaking style can affect memory.
	Mandibular movement monitoring may help improve oral sleep apnea devices While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) continues to be the gold standard for treatment of sleep apnea, the cumbersome machines are often not well tolerated by patients. Because of this, less obtrusive oral appliances that thrust the jaw forward during sleep are becoming more popular. Mandibular protrusion enlarges the pharynx and stabilizes the upper airway. A new study in CHEST demonstrates that mandibular movements (MM) monitoring can be used to assess the efficacy of these oral appliances.
Study shows potential to develop brain tumour liquid biopsies Scientists are making strides in developing liquid biopsies for brain tumours by detecting tumour DNA in the fluid from around the brain and spine.
	Artificial intelligence predicts Alzheimer's years before diagnosis Artificial intelligence (AI) technology improves the ability of brain imaging to predict Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the journal Radiology.
	High blood pressure in young adults tied to earlier strokes (HealthDay)—Two new studies suggest that when people under 40 develop high blood pressure, their risk of early heart disease and stroke go up significantly.
Societies publish new guidance for the treatment of slow, irregular heartbeats The American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Heart Rhythm Society today released a guideline for the evaluation and treatment of patients with bradycardia, or a slow heartbeat, and cardiac conduction disorders.
	Research shows how service dogs can help veterans with PTSD For veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, service dogs might be able to offer both behavioral and physiological benefits to help counter some of those symptoms, according to research that is being led by the Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine.
	Study looks at ways technology can support nutritional needs of Parkinson's patients A study is underway at the University of Rhode Island to assess how technology could help people with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers easily access relevant nutrition information.
	Study points to novel epigenetic target for Alzheimer's Disease A research team at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Center for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) has identified a novel epigenetic drug target to simultaneously normalize multiple deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia in the elderly and the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Alzheimer's Association.
	Phobic anxiety is linked to sexuality issues in women who are breast cancer survivors A study carried out by a research team made up of researchers from the University of Cordoba, the Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research (in Spanish abbreviated to IMIBIC) and Queen Sofia University Hospital revealed that sexual dysfunction suffered by women who are breast cancer survivors is linked to phobic anxiety, which does not affect sexual function in women with no history of cancer.
	New findings add twist to screen time limit debate Many parents want to know how much time their kids should be spending in front of screens, whether it's their smartphones, tablets or TV.
	Krokodil: how 'flesh-eating zombie drug' is causing a global crisis Desomorphine has been in the news lately. Never heard of it? That's quite possible. But you may well have heard its street name: "Krokodil." However you know it, it's a cheap substitute for heroin that has been widely branded a "flesh-eating zombie drug" – and it's bad news.
	New way of monitoring medicines could vastly improve lives of people in care homes More than 50% of care home residents are being prescribed medicines that they do not need, or which do not properly address their health problems. Antipsychotics, for example, are often overused to treat the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.
	Majority of internists still have financial ties to industry (HealthDay)—A majority of internists still report financial ties to industry, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
	Why everyone should know their attachment style If you've suffered from anxiety, depression or relationship problems, a psychological theory called "attachment theory" can help you get to the root cause of your difficulties and give you a greater understanding of what's going on.
	Emotional vulnerabilities shape complex behavioral arrangement of toddlers with autism spectrum disorder At the age when autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be first reliably diagnosed, toddlers affected by ASD are already displaying emotional vulnerabilities potentially foreshadowing the emergence of co-morbid affective and behavioral conditions highly prevalent in older children, reports a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP).
	Study advocates psychological screening for the carers of child burn victims A new study published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology highlights the need for psychological screening for families/primary caregivers after a child sustains a burn injury.
	Encouraging more health workers to have flu jab needs new approach that connects on an emotional level Persuading more health workers to have the flu jab to protect themselves and their patients cannot be done through facts and statistics alone, new research by a leading behavioural scientist from Kingston University has revealed. Instead it demands a new approach that connects with people emotionally to sustain immunisation rates at effective levels.
	There's more to health care access than pre-existing conditions Health care has been a universal topic of discussion this political season. Candidates from both parties say they are in favor of it, although definitions of "it" vary widely. But what all agree is that it has to do with access. Can I get the care I need when it is needed, or are there barriers such as pre-existing conditions? These are questions that vex patients and insurers including me in my former role as CEO of a health plan.
	Could immune system spark new therapies for hard-to-treat blood cancer? Scientists are hoping to develop a new generation of therapies to tackle acute myeloid leukaemia, a type of blood cancer which is particularly difficult to treat.
	Turns out there's no 'type' in Type A personality You know the type. Hard-driving, competitive, impatient. They call it Type A.
	Cultural awareness key to helping pregnant immigrant women eat healthy Watermelon and honeydew melon are, by Canadian standards, healthy foods. But to a Chinese mom-to-be, they're considered dangerous enough to cause a miscarriage.
	Navigating new parent nerves (HealthDay)—A newborn can bring a sense of fulfillment to your life … and an equal amount of stress over everything from baby's health to your own parenting skills.
	He lost his son at Sandy Hook—now he wants you to know the warning signs As Mark Barden let go of the hand of his young son, Daniel, and the boy boarded the bus for school on the morning of Dec. 14, 2012, he had no idea it would be the last time he would see his child alive.
	Surgery restores boy's ability to walk post-acute flaccid myelitis (HealthDay)—A first-of-its-kind surgery has restored the ability to walk in a boy paralyzed by acute flaccid myelitis (AFM).
	Pediatric anesthesia does not affect development outcomes (HealthDay)—Young children who have surgical procedures that require general anesthesia do not have an increased risk for adverse child development outcomes, according to a study published online Nov. 5 in JAMA Pediatrics.
	Characteristics of black AMI patients impact mortality rate (HealthDay)—For patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), mortality rates differ based on characteristics associated with race, according to a study published online Nov. 2 in JAMA Network Open.
	Poll: Patients, caregivers worry about cost of cancer care (HealthDay)—In addition to fear of pain and suffering, Americans worry about cancer-related expenses, according to the results of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2018 National Cancer Opinion Survey.
	Poor nutrition ruled out as cause for obesity in adults abused as children In a new study, recently published in the journal Preventive Medicine, Assistant Professor Susan Mason from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health ruled out poor food choices and eating practices in the childhood home as a major factor in the development of obesity in adults who were maltreated.
	Patients' experiences with misdiagnosis inform patient safety improvement efforts Diagnostic errors affect an estimated 12 million U.S. adult outpatients annually; however, patients' experiences of these errors are underexplored. To gain insight into the patient perspective, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine conducted a study to identify factors that could contribute to diagnostic error, specifically those related to patient-physician interaction. The study appears in the November issue of Health Affairs.
	Five ways to encourage people to reduce their meat intake – without them even realising Meat makes a meal, so goes the saying. But with more people than ever before ditching meat for plant-based alternatives, it seems meaty dishes are starting to go out of fashion.
	Back pain shows significant association with mortality among older women Researchers at Boston Medical Center found that frequent, persistent back pain is associated with earlier death in a study of more than 8,000 older women who were followed for an average of 14 years. After controlling for important sociodemographic and health factors, women who reported frequent, persistent back pain had a 24 percent increased risk of death compared to women with no back pain. Published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the study is the first to measure the impact of back pain persisting over time on mortality. The researchers also found that disability measured after back pain helped explain the association.
	Impact of opioid epidemic on children varies by state A new report released by the Drug Enforcement Administration finds most overdose deaths are caused by prescription drugs, including opioids. While opioid abuse continues to plague certain states more than others, each state is unique in how it attempts to stem the crisis and its effect on families. These differences have resulted in significant variation across the country between opioid prescription rates and the number of children placed into foster care.
	Superbugs killed 33,000 Europeans in 2015: study Drug-resistant bacteria killed more than 33,000 people in the European Union in 2015, according to new research published this week warning that superbugs were "threatening modern healthcare."
	Tracking down microRNA candidates that can contribute to disease What started as Ninad Oak's side project turned out into something much larger, his doctorate thesis.
Team develops nanotechnology-based immunotherapy promoting transplant acceptance Mount Sinai researchers have developed a novel type of immunotherapy based on innovative nanotechnology that induces long-term organ transplant acceptance in mice. Their study, published in the November 6 online issue of Immunity, could transform patient care and help to overcome barriers that prevent successful long-term transplant outcomes.
	Women who give birth to boys much more likely to have postnatal depression A University of Kent study into postnatal depression (PND) found the odds of developing this condition increased by 79% when mothers had baby boys compared to baby girls.
	Most patients with cystic fibrosis may receive insufficient antibiotics to fight lung infections The majority of patients with cystic fibrosis may not achieve blood concentrations of antibiotics sufficiently high enough to effectively fight bacteria responsible for pulmonary exacerbations, leading to worsening pulmonary function, indicates a study led by researchers at Children's National Health System. Additionally, the study findings show that it's impossible to predict solely from dosing regimens which patients will achieve therapeutically meaningful antibiotic concentrations in their blood.
Artificial intelligence may fall short when analyzing data across multiple health systems Artificial intelligence (AI) tools trained to detect pneumonia on chest X-rays suffered significant decreases in performance when tested on data from outside health systems, according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount and published in a special issue of PLOS Medicine on machine learning and health care. These findings suggest that artificial intelligence in the medical space must be carefully tested for performance across a wide range of populations; otherwise, the deep learning models may not perform as accurately as expected.
	Study illuminates the largely unrecognized role of youth caregivers 'I need this—can you grab my pills?' 'Can you help me with this?' 'Can you go in my bag and get me my medicine?'
	New insights into the neural risks and benefits of marijuana use Research released today underscores both the dangers and the therapeutic promise of marijuana, revealing different effects across the lifespan. Marijuana exposure in the womb or during adolescence may disrupt learning and memory, damage communication between brain regions, and disturb levels of key neurotransmitters and metabolites in the brain. In Alzheimer's disease, however, compounds found in marijuana, such as the psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), may improve memory and mitigate some of the disease's symptoms. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2018.
	Adolescent cannabis use alters development of planning, self-control brain areas Adolescent marijuana use may alter how neurons function in brain areas engaged in decision-making, planning and self-control, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
	Over 2 million Americans have hepatitis C; opioids help drive spread (HealthDay)—More than 2 million Americans have hepatitis C—and the opioid epidemic is a major contributor to the problem, according to a new government study.
	Stress may raise type 2 diabetes risk in women Traditional risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure and a sedentary lifestyle may not be the only predictors of type 2 diabetes. New research points to the role that stress may play in the development of the condition in women.
	Meth use producing younger, harder-to-treat heart failure patients Widespread methamphetamine use is creating a unique form of severe heart failure, according to new research that shows these patients tend to be younger and have poor outcomes.
	Buprenorphine / samidorphan helpful in refractory depression (HealthDay)—An adjunctive buprenorphine/samidorphan (BUP/SAM) combination seems beneficial for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) with inadequate response to antidepressant therapy (ADT), according to a study published online Oct. 29 in Molecular Psychiatry.
	New guidelines issued for patellofemoral pain management (HealthDay)—The National Athletic Trainers' Association has issued recommendations for identifying and managing patients with patellofemoral pain (PFP); these recommendations form the basis of a position statement published in the September issue of the Journal of Athletic Training.
Huge fall in prevalence of FGM/genital cutting among girls across Africa The prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting among girls up to the age of 14 has fallen sharply in most regions of Africa over the past three decades, reveals the first analysis of its kind, published in the online journal BMJ Global Health.
Gap in research means millions living with long-term consequences of cancer Millions of people are living with the long-term consequences of cancer and its treatment, but currently there is very little research on the problems they face and how these can be tackled, according to the UK's National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI).
Adolescent brain development impacts mental health, substance use Advances in understanding adolescent brain development may aid future treatments of mental illness and alcohol and substance use disorders. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2018, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
The link between dementia and cardiovascular disease Studies that link breakdowns in the brain's blood vessels to Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia were presented today at Neuroscience 2018, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. Molecules that signal damage in these systems could aid in earlier detection of these diseases and inform more effective interventions.
Why do vegans have such bad reputations? More and more people are adopting plant-based diets in Australia and other western nations. But also seemingly on the rise is resentment towards vegans and vegetarians.
	A hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and daily exercise maintain weight loss Following a Mediterranean diet low in calories and engaging in daily physical activity are proven to reduce body weight and cardiovascular risk in patients with overweight and metabolic syndrome, and to maintain these benefits after one year. These are the main findings of the PREDIMED-Plus trial involving more than 600 patients aged between 55 and 75 with obesity or overweight and metabolic syndrome.
	Meditation—an effective new therapy to reduce eye pressure in primary open-angle glaucoma A new era in the management of glaucoma is ushered in by a landmark study published in the Journal of Glaucoma, official journal of the World Glaucoma Association. Patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) showed significant improvements of both ocular and general health after participating in a program of mindfulness meditation focused on breathing compared to the control group that did not partake.
	Novel tracer developed for precision targeting of non-small cell lung cancer Researchers have developed a new nuclear medicine tracer that could improve diagnosis and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Research published in the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine found that the new tracer, 99mTc-HYNIC-cMBP, produced clearer images in less time than currently used tracers and was more rapidly eliminated from the body, reducing radiation exposure.
	Do sexual minority women receive appropriate sexual and reproductive health counseling? According to a new study that used data from the National Survey of Family Growth 2006-2015, lesbian women were less likely to report receiving a birth control prescription or birth control counseling compared with heterosexual women. However, they were more likely to report having received sexually transmitted infection (STI) counseling, testing, or treatment, after adjusting for sexual partners in the past 12 months. In a clinical setting, lesbian women were less likely to report receiving birth control counseling at a pregnancy test and lesbian women without recent male sex partners were less likely to report receiving counseling about condom use at an STI-related visit compared with heterosexual women. The findings regarding sexual and reproductive health care disparities among women are reported in an article published in Journal of Women's Health.
Brain-computer interface advances improve prosthetics, therapies Advances in connecting neural stimulation to physical control of the body are transforming the development of prosthetics and therapeutic training for people with disabilities, according to new research. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2018, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
Study indicates opioid overdose reversal products chemically stable past expiration date A widely used naloxone nasal spray (NNS) and naloxone injection (NIJ), otherwise known as Narcan and Evzio, which are administered to prevent opioid overdose deaths, were found to be chemically stable up for at least ten months and beyond one year of the expiration date, respectively. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, from 1996 to 2014, at least 26,500 opioid overdoses in the U.S. were reversed by laypersons using naloxone. The research, Evaluation of Chemical Stability of Naloxone Products Beyond Their Labeled Expiration Dates, was presented today at the 2018 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) PharmSci 360 Annual Meeting.

Biology news

	Bioreactor device helps frogs regenerate their legs A team of scientists designed a device that can induce partial hindlimb regeneration in adult aquatic African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) by "kick-starting" tissue repair at the amputation site. Their findings, appearing November 6 in the journal Cell Reports, introduce a new model for testing "electroceuticals," or cell-stimulating therapies.
	Scientists discover gene regulator that allows plant rehydration after drought Scientists at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science in Japan have found that the protein NGA1 is critical for plants to have normal responses to dehydration. Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study shows how NGA1 controls transcription of a key gene that ultimately allows plants to survive after periods of drought.
	Small genetic differences turn plants into better teams Diverse communities of plants and animals typically perform better than monocultures. However, the mechanisms that are responsible for this have so far been a mystery to science. Biologists at the University of Zurich have now been able to identify the genetic cause of these effects. Their findings might help to improve crop yield.
	Researchers map daffodil's chloroplast genome for the first time Gardeners might end up never planting the wrong bulb again after the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and Reading University successfully mapped a daffodil's chloroplast genome for the first time.
	Researchers decode the toxin complex of the plague bacterium and other germs Bacteria have established various strategies to infect organisms and use them as sources of nutrients. Many microbes use toxins that break down membranes by simply piercing through the outer shell of the cells. Human-pathogenic bacteria such as the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis or other bacteria from the salmonella family developed a much more subtle mechanism: they inject their poison by applying a special toxin complex. A team of researchers led by Stefan Raunser from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology in Dortmund has now been able to fully unveil the sophisticated mechanism using the bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens as an example.
	Dominant bird species found to be more successful than weaker species in economically advanced cities A pair of researchers with Queen's University in Canada has found that dominant species of birds in economically advanced cities have higher numbers than weaker species. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Paul Martin and Frances Bonier describe their study of hundreds of bird species living in cities around the globe and what they found.
	The secret behind coral reef diversity? Lots of time. Strap on a diving mask and fins and slip under the crystal-clear water near a coral reef in Indonesia, Papua-New Guinea or the Philippines, and you'll immediately see why divers and snorkelers from across the world flock to the area. Known as the Coral Triangle, the region is famous for its unmatched diversity of reef fish and other marine creatures.
	Upgraded computational tool boosts search for cancer vulnerabilities Researchers on the Broad Institute's Cancer Dependency Map (DepMap) team have released DEMETER2, an upgraded version of an open source software tool that identifies cancer cells' genetic dependencies (genes they need in order to survive).
	Tropical mountain species in the crosshairs of climate change Lack of varied seasons and temperatures in tropical mountains have led to species that are highly adapted to their narrow niches, creating the right conditions for new species to arise in these areas, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Researchers discover novel anti-inflammatory bacterial protein Researchers at the University of Oregon have identified a novel protein secreted by a common gut bacterium in zebrafish that reduces inflammation in the gut and delays death by septic shock.
	Oceanographers produce first-ever images of entire cod shoals For the most part, the mature Atlantic cod is a solitary creature that spends most of its time far below the ocean's surface, grazing on bony fish, squid, crab, shrimp, and lobster—unless it's spawning season, when the fish flock to each other by the millions, forming enormous shoals that resemble frenzied, teeming islands in the sea.
	Identifying a piranha by its bark A piranha's bite is definitely worse than its bark, but the bark has uses too. A new study of the sounds made by piranhas in the Amazon finds that their underwater "barks" are an effective tool for identifying different species in murky waters.
	Supermarket produce harbors antibiotic-resistance genes Researchers from the Julius Kühn Institut, Germany have found that produce is a reservoir for transferable antibiotic resistance genes that often escape traditional molecular detection methods. These antibiotic resistance genes might escape cultivation-independent detection, but could still be transferred to human pathogens or commensals.
	Veterinary experts warn cannabis can be a fatal poison to dogs and cats Ingesting cannabis can be a pleasant experience for people but for dogs and cats, it will almost certainly require a visit to the vet.
	RNAi: The secret to making our food better Bad apples may be a thing of the past. Scientists can now improve crops without genetic modification.
	More experiments may help explore what works in conservation All over the world, countless conservation projects are taking place, attempting to achieve aims from reducing habitat loss, to restoring populations of threatened species. However there is growing awareness that conservationists have not always done a good enough job at evaluating whether the things they do really work.
	Tiny thorn snail discovered in Panama's backyard Discoveries of biodiversity at the Lilliputian scale are more tedious than it is for larger animals like elephants, for example. Furthermore, an analysis producing a DNA barcode—a taxonomic method using a short snippet of an organism's DNA—is not enough to adequately identify it to the species level.
	Warming oceans lead to more fur seal deaths from hookworm infection Rising ocean temperatures are putting fur seal pups at greater risk of death from hookworm infections, according to new findings published in eLife.
Scientists pinpoint how the 'speed gene' works in thoroughbred racehorses Scientists have pinpointed the genetic basis that explains why some thoroughbred racehorses are better equipped to race over sprint distances and others over longer distances. The Irish scientists, from Trinity College Dublin and UCD, have discovered the inner workings of a known "speed gene", which directly affects skeletal muscle growth and, in turn, race distance aptitude.
	Four rhinos die after Chad conservation effort Four out of six South African rhinos that were transferred to a park in southeast Chad in a bid to revive the endangered species have died, but not from poaching, conservationists say.
	Updated book compiles 45 years of changes in Pacific Northwest flora Botanists at the University of Washington's Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture have created a much-needed second edition of the "Flora of the Pacific Northwest." Published by the UW Press, the new edition took five years to complete and is the first update on Pacific Northwest vascular plant diversity and distributions since the book was first published in 1973. In the past 45 years, much has changed: The second edition documents the doubling of nonnative species in the Pacific Northwest, the addition of 1,000 taxa—including species, subspecies and varieties—to the region's flora, and the reclassification or renaming of 40 percent of the taxa in the first edition.
	Moths survive bat predation through acoustic camouflage fur Moths are a mainstay food source for bats, which use echolocation (biological sonar) to hunt their prey. Scientists such as Thomas Neil, from the University of Bristol in the U.K., are studying how moths have evolved passive defenses over millions of years to resist their primary predators.
	First study of Humpback whale survivors of orca attacks in the Southeastern Pacific Humpback whales bear stark battle scars from violent encounters with orcas, also known as killer whales. Analysis of rake marks on more than 3000 humpback whale tails or flukes suggest that attacks on these undersea giants may be on the rise, according to a new study in Endangered Species Research.
Orcasound: A citizen science tool for whale research A crucial part of studying southern resident killer whales is finding them and quickly alerting experts to send boats out to collect fecal samples or prey fragments to better understand what the whales are eating.
	Man killed in third shark attack in weeks on Great Barrier Reef A man has died after being mauled by a shark in the third such attack in two months at a popular tourist site on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, authorities said Tuesday.
	Niger turns to drones to protect precious wildlife Niger is turning to drone technology to help protect a Saharan antelope and other endangered species in Africa's largest terrestrial park.

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