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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 21, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Study brings new climate models of small star TRAPPIST 1's seven intriguing worldsNot all stars are like the sun, so not all planetary systems can be studied with the same expectations. New research from a University of Washington-led team of astronomers gives updated climate models for the seven planets around the star TRAPPIST-1. |
 | What magnetic fields can tell us about life on other planetsEvery school kid knows that Earth has a magnetic field – it's what makes compasses align north-south and lets us navigate the oceans. It also protects the atmosphere, and thus life, from the sun's powerful wind. |
 | What two planetary siblings can teach us about lifeMars and Earth are like two siblings who have grown apart. |
 | Study reveals one of universe's secret ingredients for lifeA new study led by ANU has investigated the nature of a cosmic phenomenon that slows down star formation, which helps to ensure the universe is a place where life can emerge. |
 | Mars landing comes down to final 6 minutes of 6-month tripIt all comes down to the final six minutes of a six-month journey to Mars. |
 | Could ice spikes on europa jeopardize a spacecraft landing? A study suggests soSometime in the early 2020s, NASA intends to launch a spacecraft that will orbit and possibly even place a lander on Europa, a moon of Jupiter – an object of much interest because it could harbor conditions that are suitable for the development of life. |
 | Vega launches Earth observation satellite for MoroccoArianespace has launched a Vega rocket to deliver an Earth observation satellite into orbit for the Kingdom of Morocco. |
 | Geosciences researchers will use data from new NASA lander to learn about Mars interior, coreWhen NASA's new InSight lander touches down on Mars on Nov. 26 to begin new explorations of the Red Planet's interior structure, Virginia Tech's Scott King will be anxiously awaiting the first feedback of data. |
 | The power of the wobble: Finding exoplanets in the shifting of starlightThey say there's more than one way to skin an interstellar cat, and in astronomy there's more than one way to find alien exoplanets orbiting a distant star. With the recent shut-down of NASA's prolific Kepler mission and its windfall of discoveries, it's time to look towards the future, and towards alternatives. |
 | Image: Future moon baseA vision of a future moon base that could be produced and maintained using 3-D printing. |
 | Video: Longest continual time lapse from spaceSince the very first module Zarya launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on 20 November 1998, the International Space Station has delivered a whole new perspective on this planet we call home. Join us as we celebrate 20 years of international collaboration and research for the benefit of Earth with ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst's longest time lapse yet. |
 | Pangaea-X Moon baseThe technology-focused extension of the Pangaea geology field course, Pangaea-X, is in full swing this week on Lanzarote, part of the Canary Islands. The test campaign combines geology and space exploration with high-tech equipment to prepare humans for extra-terrestrial terrains. |
Technology news
 | RoboTurk: A crowdsourcing platform for imitation learning in roboticsImitation learning is a branch of machine learning that trains machines to mimic human behavior while completing particular tasks. These techniques show great promise in the field of robotics, as they tackle some of the shortcomings of reinforcement learning, such as exploration and reward specification. |
 | Engineers fly first-ever plane with no moving partsSince the first airplane took flight over 100 years ago, virtually every aircraft in the sky has flown with the help of moving parts such as propellers, turbine blades, and fans, which are powered by the combustion of fossil fuels or by battery packs that produce a persistent, whining buzz. |
 | Electronic glove gives robots a sense of touchStanford engineers have developed an electronic glove containing sensors that could one day give robotic hands the sort of dexterity that humans take for granted. |
 | Brain-computer interface enables people with paralysis to control tablet devicesTablets and other mobile computing devices are part of everyday life, but using them can be difficult for people with paralysis. New research from the BrainGate consortium shows that a brain-computer interface (BCI) can enable people with paralysis to directly operate an off-the-shelf tablet device just by thinking about making cursor movements and clicks. |
 | Facebook's Zuckerberg says he is not considering resigningEmbattled Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday he has no plans to resign, sounding defiant after a rough year for the social platform. |
 | Nissan crisis deepens as 'charges loom' over Ghosn caseThe crisis at Nissan deepened Wednesday as it emerged the Japanese car giant could itself face charges over the alleged financial misconduct that led to the stunning arrest of its chairman Carlos Ghosn. |
 | In Quebec, Canada's newest hydroelectric dams nearly readyOn a frigid night, the roar of heavy machinery chipping away at rock echoes through Canada's boreal forest: in the far north of Quebec province, four massive hydroelectric dams that will produce "clean energy" for the northeastern United States are nearing completion. |
 | European privacy search engines aim to challenge GoogleIn the battle for online privacy, U.S. search giant Google is a Goliath facing a handful of European Davids. |
 | A new generation of organic light-emitting diodesAnother major success for the University of Bayreuth: over the next four years, the university will be coordinating an intercontinental research network that has 3.9 million euros in funding. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this network will enable international doctoral students to study and carry out interdisciplinary research in the field of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). It seeks to boost the efficiency and durability of the diodes, which are crucial for television and smartphone screens, and to foster innovations such as curved or foldable displays. |
 | Projection mapping technique developed to reduce shadowProjection mapping systems that project images onto various-sized curved surfaces ranging from buildings to flowers have been used for scenographic and modern arts since around the turn of the century. The systems are widely utilized not only for entertainment events, but also in clinical practice and technological development. |
 | A/B testing: how offline businesses are learning from Google to improve profitsThe market testing that helped give us the Google search we know today is being emulated by industries from hospitality to manufacturing to help better focus their products and services and meet customer needs. So what did Google do? |
 | Record-breaking solar cells get ready for mass productionSandwiching an oxygen-rich layer of silicon between a solar cell and its metal contact has allowed researchers in Europe to break performance records for the efficiency with which silicon solar cells convert sunlight into electricity. But the challenge now is how to make these so-called passivating contacts suitable for mass production. |
 | Materials that harvest heat and turn it into electricity could lead to more cost-effective devicesScientists are getting closer to designing thermoelectric materials that efficiently harvest heat from the surrounding environment and convert it into electricity to power various devices and appliances, according to a review of the latest research in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. Devices made with these materials could avoid the need to recharge, change and dispose of batteries. |
 | Making composite electrical aircraft a realityResearchers with the EU-funded EPICEA project are developing computer tools that will help aircraft manufacturers better understand electromagnetic coupling mechanisms on composite electrical aircraft. |
 | Study sheds light on scourge of "fake" news in AfricaConcerns about "fake news" have dominated discussions about the relationship between the media and politics in the developed world in recent years. The extraordinary amount of attention paid in scholarship and in public debates to questions around truth, veracity and deception can be connected to the role of "fake news" in the 2016 US presidential election, and US President Donald Trump's use of the term to dismiss his critics. |
 | Blockchain systems are tracking food safety and originsWhen a Chinese consumer buys a package labeled "Australian beef," there's only a 50-50 chance the meat inside is, in fact, Australian beef. It could just as easily contain rat, dog, horse or camel meat – or a mixture of them all. It's gross and dangerous, but also costly. |
 | Utilities encourage energy savings with smart thermostatsAs temperatures drop and winter looms, homeowners and property managers are sweeping chimneys, insulating pipes and swapping screens for storm windows. |
 | Renault-Nissan alliance shaken, but divorce would be costlyWhen Carlos Ghosn began laying the groundwork nearly two decades ago for a partnership between Renault and Nissan, he was careful not to call it a merger, hoping to avoid any resentment over rescuing one of Japan's storied carmakers. |
 | Capturing the frugal beauty of complex natural tessellationsSurface tessellations are an arrangement of shapes which are tightly fitted, and form repeat patterns on a surface without overlapping. Imagine the pattern of a giraffe's fur, the shell of a tortoise and the honeycomb of bees—all form natural tessellations. Mimicking these natural designs computationally is a complex, multi-disciplinary problem. A global team of computer scientists has developed a new, alternate model for replicating these intricate surface designs, veering away from classical, multi-step approaches to a more efficient, streamlined algorithm. |
 | Spain approves contested data protection lawThe Spanish senate approved Wednesday a controversial online data protection law which critics say will allow political parties to target voters with ads based on their internet browsing history. |
 | Amazon says some customer email addresses exposedAmazon on Wednesday said that a website glitch accidentally exposed names and email addresses of some of the e-commerce giant's customers. |
How Chile accomplished its renewable energy boomChile is currently undergoing a renewable energy boom. Today, it's the second largest market for renewable energies in Latin America, and in 2016 Chile was the top-scoring renewable energy producer in the Americas and second in the world, beaten only by China. Two decades ago, when this process started, this transformation was unthinkable. | |
 | Ghosn scandal: What we knowCarlos Ghosn, one of the world's most influential executives, is under arrest in Tokyo, in a stunning fall from grace that raises questions about the future of his sprawling Franco-Japanese auto group. |
 | Why merchants still require signatures for credit card buys when it's not neededAre you still signing for credit card purchases? In most cases, you don't have to be. |
2018 Gift Guide: Ideas for cord-cutters and wannabesIf there's one topic that people can't get enough of, it's cord-cutting. | |
Facebook appeals its UK fine in Cambridge Analytica scandalFacebook has appealed its 500,000-pound ($644,000) fine for failing to protect the privacy of its users in the Cambridge Analytica scandal, arguing that U.K regulators failed to prove that British users were directly affected. | |
 | Nissan board to vote on Ghosn's dismissalThe fate of Nissan's disgraced Carlos Ghosn as chairman of the Japanese car giant is set to be decided Thursday when board members meet to vote on his dismissal, days after the tycoon's arrest for financial misconduct. |
Medicine & Health news
 | New way to ID cognitively aware yet unresponsive people with severe brain injurySome brain-injured people left with disorders of consciousness—unable to communicate or respond, such as people in a coma—nevertheless show normal brain responses to spoken language as measured through the scalp by electroencephalography (EEG). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies also show that such patients retain the ability to carry out repeated mental imagery tasks, as demonstrated in earlier studies. |
 | Making decisions over prolonged periods doesn't diminish accuracy, new study findsMaking good decisions typically involves gathering information over at least several seconds, much longer than the time that individual brain cells take to process their inputs. However, this disparity does not reduce our ability to make accurate choices, finds a new study by neuroscientists at New York University. Their results, which appear in the journal Current Biology, suggest a newfound ability to incorporate information over prolonged periods. |
 | Researchers stop spread of cancer in mice by blocking specific moleculesMelanoma skin cancer tumors grow larger and are more likely to metastasize due to interactions between a pair of molecules, according to experiments in mice and human cells. The results may restore the potential for a type of cancer therapy previously abandoned in clinical trials. The results also implicate one molecule already connected to obesity and dementia as a potential cause of metastasis, or spread of cancer cells to other areas of the body. |
 | Scientists shed new light on infection process of the gastrointestinal pathogen C. difficileScientists from the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research identified the mechanisms by which the bacterial pathogen Clostridium difficile kills intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), thus destroying the protective mucosal barrier of the intestinal tract. The researchers demonstrate the physiological relevance of this process during infection and have published their findings in Nature Communications. |
 | AI matched, outperformed radiologists in screening X-rays for certain diseasesIn a matter of seconds, a new algorithm read chest X-rays for 14 pathologies, performing as well as radiologists in most cases, a Stanford-led study says. |
 | New mechanism controlling the master cancer regulator uncoveredWho regulates the key regulator? The Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences reports online in the journal Science about a newly discovered mechanism by which RAS proteins, central to cancer signaling, are regulated in their activity and localization. |
 | Typically human: Babies recognize nested structures similar to our grammarAt a mere five months of age, babies seemingly have the ability to recognize very complex grammatical structures. That is what a research team headed by Professor Angela Friederici from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) and Professor Jutta Mueller from the University of Osnabrück has now shown in a new study published in Science Advances. |
 | Imagining sounds is just as good as hearing them for removing negative associationsResearchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the University of Colorado, Boulder, have found that imagining a sound can be just as effective in breaking an association between that sound and a negative experience as hearing the sound in real life. And, their work shows, there are parallels in where in the brain this process of undoing the behavioral impact of the association, called extinction, happens for both these real and imagined sounds. The findings, publishing November 21 in the journal Neuron, help to explain why imagination, already widely used as a therapy tool, can help with anxiety disorders. |
 | Never-before-seen DNA recombination in the brain linked to Alzheimer's diseaseScientists from Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) have identified gene recombination in neurons that produces thousands of new gene variants within Alzheimer's disease brains. The study, published today in Nature, reveals for the first time how the Alzheimer's-linked gene, APP, is recombined by using the same type of enzyme found in HIV. |
 | Sugar supplement slows tumor growth and can improve cancer treatmentMannose sugar, a nutritional supplement, can both slow tumour growth and enhance the effects of chemotherapy in mice with multiple types of cancer. |
 | Study identifies how hantaviruses infect lung cellsHantaviruses cause severe and sometimes fatal respiratory infections, but how they infect lung cells has been a mystery. In today's issue of Nature, an international team including researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine reports that hantaviruses gain entry to lung cells by "unlocking" a cell-surface receptor called protocadherin-1 (PCDH1). Deleting this receptor made lab animals highly resistant to infection. The findings show that targeting PCDH1 could be a useful strategy against deadly hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). |
 | Researchers discover key gene in cells associated with age-related hearing lossAn international group of researchers, led by Ronna Hertzano, MD, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Anatomy and Neurobiology, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and Michael Bowl, Ph.D., Programme Leader Track Scientist, Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, UK, have identified the gene that acts as a key regulator for special cells needed in hearing. |
 | Neurons process information differently depending on their locationResearchers at the University of Queensland have discovered that the thickness of the brain's outer layer influences how individual neurons process information. |
 | 'Longevity protein' rejuvenates muscle healing in old miceOne of the downsides to getting older is that skeletal muscle loses its ability to heal after injury. New research from the University of Pittsburgh implicates the so-called "longevity protein" Klotho, both as culprit and therapeutic target. |
 | Treating spinal pain with replacement discs made of 'engineered living tissue' moves closer to realityFor the first time, bioengineered spinal discs were successfully implanted and provided long-term function in the largest animal model ever evaluated for tissue-engineered disc replacement. A new Penn Medicine study published in Science Translational Medicine provides compelling translational evidence that the cells of patients suffering from neck and back pain could be used to build a new spinal disc in the lab to replace a deteriorated one. The study, which was performed using goats, was conducted by a multidisciplinary team in the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, School of Engineering and Applied Science, and School of Veterinary Medicine. |
 | Orange juice, leafy greens and berries may be tied to decreased memory loss in menEating leafy greens, dark orange and red vegetables and berry fruits, and drinking orange juice may be associated with a lower risk of memory loss over time in men, according to a study published in the November 21, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. |
 | Probiotics no help to young kids with stomach virusChildren with stomach viruses increasingly are given probiotics to ease symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. But a major U.S. study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that a commonly used probiotic is not effective in improving symptoms in young patients with gastroenteritis. |
 | Pace of US smoking rate decline mirrors rapid rise in popularity of vapingThe pace of the fall in smoking prevalence among teens and young adults in the US has mirrored the rapid rise in popularity of e-cigarettes, suggesting that the two may be linked, finds research published online in the journal Tobacco Control. |
 | New China and US studies back use of pulse oximeters for assessing blood pressureFast and easy blood pressure monitoring could soon be at your fingertips—literally—thanks to new University of British Columbia research that showed BP can be assessed by a fingertip oximeter, a tool not generally used for that purpose. |
 | Roots and shoots: China seeks new markets for ancient medicinesA crowd gathers at a Shanghai hospital, queuing for remedies made with plant mixtures and animal parts including scorpions and freeze-dried millipedes—medicines that China hopes will find an audience overseas. |
 | Smoke-free policies associated with lower blood pressureSmoke-free policies have been associated with lower systolic (top number) blood pressure readings among non-smokers, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. |
 | Family dinners improve teens' eating habits no matter how well family functions, study findsA new University of Guelph study has revealed teenagers and young adults who sit down for family dinners—regardless of how well the family unit manages daily routines, communicates and connects emotionally—are more likely to have healthier eating habits than if they graze or fend for themselves at suppertime. |
 | Medics suggest modifications to coronary artery stentingBifurcation lesions are a challenge, even for an experienced cardiac surgeon. Currently, there are two surgical techniques for dealing with them, but no medical consensus on which one applies to which case. Russian scientists have now successfully tested a new surgical technique involving stents and drug-eluting balloon catheters on 128 patients. |
 | Fresh urgency in mapping out ethics of brain organoid researchScientists have become increasingly adept at creating brain organoids – which are essentially miniature human brains grown in the laboratory from stem cells. |
 | A protein that makes skin cancer cells more invasiveLoss of a protein called TRIM29 promotes cancer cell invasion in a common type of skin cancer, suggesting a novel diagnostic marker and a possible therapeutic target. |
 | Indigenous suicide rates double the rest of the Australian populationA study led by The University of Western Australia that compared suicide rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people across the globe has revealed suicide rates are around two times higher in Indigenous populations, with the impact of colonisation a key cause. |
 | Nutrition concern for older adults at homeResearchers are calling for screening of vulnerable older adults at risk of poor nutrition and diminished physical performance, in an effort to identify those in need of dietary intervention. |
 | Dementia study first in a series on health needs and challenges of LGBTQ seniorsIn the first paper to emerge from a series of research projects aimed at understanding the health needs of older adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ), Jason Flatt of the Institute for Health & Aging at the UC San Francisco School of Nursing found that nearly 25 percent of the LGBT adults aged 50 and older in his study had subjective cognitive decline, a potential indicator of a future Alzheimer's diagnosis. According to the Alzheimer's Association, only 10 percent of the overall population of the United States aged 65 and older has Alzheimer's dementia. |
 | New method of breast reconstruction may reduce pain for some cancer survivorsFor nearly four decades, the main option for breast reconstruction for women who had to undergo a mastectomy was to place implants under the main chest muscle – a procedure that often results in chronic pain and muscle weakness in the chest and arms. |
 | Liquid biopsy study could help future treatment of rare brain cancers in childrenDiffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a rare childhood brain cancer that develops deep within the brain stem and penetrates into healthy brain tissue, rendering surgical removal impossible. To monitor this disease, a biopsy using a thin needle inserted through a tiny hole drilled in the skull is technically possible, but risky, and if successful would only capture a one-time snapshot of the tumor. |
 | Can liver disease be linked to heart failure? Study highlights liver-heart interactionVirginia Commonwealth University researchers have collaborated on a clinical trial that identifies indicators for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease—a typically asymptomatic disease caused by fat buildup in the liver and the leading cause of liver disease in the United States. |
 | Mobile health has power to transform HIV/AIDS nursingThe abundance of personal smartphones in southern African countries got University of Washington professor Sarah Gimbel thinking: What if these phones were used by front-line health workers—namely nurses—to collect and analyze data on patients living with HIV or AIDS to improve their care? |
 | What makes the world's fastest shoe so fast? New study provides insightThe secret ingredient in the world's fastest marathon shoe lies primarily in its squishy midsole, not in its controversial carbon fiber plate, new CU Boulder research suggests. |
 | New information on the pathological mechanisms of Alzheimer's diseaseResearchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a mechanism by which harmful tau protein aggregates are transmitted between neurons. Alongside amyloid plaques, tau aggregates in the brain are a significant factor in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. |
 | Mothers more influential than fathers when it comes to children's weightOverweight and obesity often continue for generations in families. The links can be genetic, but are also related to family relationships and lifestyle habits. |
 | Tobacco increases risk of schizophrenia, psychosisTobacco smokers are at increased risk of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, according to University of Queensland researchers. |
 | Half of all Germans regard tattoo inks as safeRoughly one in eight Germans has a tattoo. A recent representative survey conducted by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) shows that many people consider tattoos to be safe, with almost 90 percent of people who already have a tattoo believing this to be the case. Few of them know that many tattoo inks have not been inspected. |
 | Obesity strongly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in never-smokers"Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is much more common among never smoking older women who are morbidly obese (having a body mass index of 40 or higher) than among their female peers in the normal weight range (13.4 percent vs 3.5 percent, respectively). Morbidly obese older men who have never smoked also had a much higher prevalence of COPD than never-smoking men who were normal weight (7.6 percent vs 2.5 percent)," said lead author Professor Esme Fuller-Thomson. |
 | If you're feeding with formula, here's what you can do to promote your baby's healthy growthWhile breastfeeding is the recommended approach to infant feeding, some mothers may not be able to breastfeed. Others may find themselves moving on from breastfeeding to infant formula. |
 | Why do Black Friday shoppers throw punches over bargains? A marketing expert explains 'psychological ownership'Black Friday, the most celebrated shopping day of the year, abounds with tales of fistfights over discounted televisions or even stampedes as consumers rush to get that low-priced sweater they saw in an ad. |
 | Psychotic experiences could be caused by trauma in childhoodResearchers at the University of Bristol have established greater evidence for a causal link between trauma in childhood and psychotic experiences at 18 years old. |
 | Study reviews what causes chronic itching and scratchingRelentless itch is a feature of many skin disorders, such as eczema and psoriasis, but the cause of this itch—and what drives us to scratch—is somewhat mysterious. A review appearing November 21 in the journal Trends in Immunology from the Center for the Study of Itch at Washington University School of Medicine presents what we know about the biology of the itch-scratch cycle. |
 | Classroom friendships may offset effects of punitive parentsAngry, threatening and highly critical parenting is more likely to result in children with defiant, noncompliant and revengeful behavior that spills over to adulthood and impacts relationships with all authority figures. |
 | New method for studying gene expression could improve understanding of brain diseaseIt takes a lot of cells to make a human brain. The organ houses not only an enormous quantity of neurons (tens of billions), but also an impressive diversity of neuron types. In recent years, scientists have been developing inventories of these cell classes—information that will be essential for understanding how the brain works. Contributing to this effort, a new study from Rockefeller scientists describes a novel methodology for characterizing neurons and their gene expression patterns with unmatched precision. |
 | Study bridges a divide in cell aging in neurodegenerative diseasesResearch from the University of Toronto has shown that in some neurodegenerative diseases, two hallmarks of cell aging – protein aggregation and a type of DNA instability – are linked. They were previously thought to be unconnected. |
 | Keep slapping on that sunscreen and ignore toxic claimsIt's safe to slap on the sunscreen this summer – in repeated doses – despite what you have read about the potential toxicity of sunscreens. |
 | As antibiotic resistance grows, researchers find new targets for fighting deadly staph infectionsA new look at the inner-workings of bacterial cells could help researchers overcome deadly antibiotic resistance and save the lives of tens-of-thousands of people every year. |
 | How research is helping kids growing up with congenital Zika syndromeAt first, Brazil's Zika emergency was not about Zika. |
 | Antioxidants may prevent cognitive impairment in diabetesAntioxidants could help to reduce the cognitive impairment that diabetes patients experience as a result of low blood sugar levels, according to new research carried out at the University of Dundee. |
 | Gratitude is good—even if it doesn't always feel like itYou've probably heard that gratitude is good for you. A mountain of scientific research backs up that idea. People who take time to reflect on the good things in their lives report higher life satisfaction levels, are often less materialistic, and even seem to bounce back more quickly from illnesses. |
We need to learn from the men who rapeApproximately five times more women than men are victims of sexual assault and young adults are at especially high risk. | |
 | Drugs and alcohol complicate sexual consent, but context can make things clearerSexual consent is an important, complex and often awkward topic to talk about. And when people have been consuming alcohol or other drugs, it makes negotiating sexual consent even more complicated. Indeed, drawing the line between consensual sex and assault when a complainant is heavily intoxicated is a particularly difficult area of law. |
 | CDC announces acute flaccid myelitis task force(HealthDay)—A task force to investigate a rising number of cases of a rare polio-like disease among children in the United States has been created by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
 | Why bigotry is a public health problemOver a decade ago, I wrote a piece for a psychiatric journal entitled "Is Bigotry a Mental Illness?" At the time, some psychiatrists were advocating making "pathological bigotry" or pathological bias – essentially, bias so extreme it interferes with daily function and reaches near-delusional proportions – an official psychiatric diagnosis. For a variety of medical and scientific reasons, I wound up opposing that position. |
 | Screening for colorectal cancer spares male patients from intense treatmentsWhile screening for colorectal cancer does not reduce mortality, it does reduce the need for chemotherapy and emergency surgeries among male patients, according to a recent Finnish study. |
 | Environmental exposures early in life modify immune responses – effects visible even in adolescenceThe prevalence of allergic diseases has increased significantly over the last decades, creating substantial financial and societal burdens. Due to this, researchers are trying to discover new approaches to the prevention and treatment of these diseases. A new Ph.D. thesis from the University of Eastern Finland shows that there is a link between immune responses and diverse early life exposures, such as obstetric factors, farm dust and air pollution. Some changes in immune responses are visible up until adolescence. |
 | How adults with dyspraxia navigate daily lifePeople with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) – also known as dyspraxia – have a "hidden disability". This neurodevelopmental condition has recently been portrayed by Tosin Cole as Ryan, a time-travelling companion on Doctor Who. It's a condition that affects coordination and movement. But, because it is often mistaken as "clumsiness," its significant impact on everyday tasks often goes unrecognised by others. |
 | USPSTF suggests universal HIV screening, PrEP for high-risk patients(HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends HIV screening for individuals aged 15 to 65 years, including all pregnant women, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should be offered to those at high risk of HIV. These findings form the basis of three draft recommendation statements published online Nov. 20 by the USPSTF. |
 | Finding the right number of 'reps' when strength training(HealthDay)—When you first start strength training, almost any weight you lift will bring some results. |
 | Host a healthy Thanksgiving feast(HealthDay)—There are a number of ways you can serve up a healthier Thanksgiving meal, a nutrition expert says. |
 | Screening tools can miss sepsis in pregnancy; study urges actionA woman lies in her hospital bed. Her heart rate is elevated, she has a slight fever and an elevated white blood cell count. |
 | Advancement in drug therapies may provide new treatment for Cutaneous leishmaniasisCutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic infection caused by Leishmania parasite. CL cases have increased dramatically in Syria and neighboring countries due to conflict-related displacement of Syrians. A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases by Rana El Hajj at the American University of Beirut, Lebanon describes the development of a novel immunomodulatory analog that may be an effective treatment of CL. |
Researchers work to improve dermatologic care for sexual and gender minority patientsUniversity of Minnesota researchers recently published an opinion piece in JAMA Dermatology focused on standardizing collection of sexual orientation and gender identity in dermatology clinical settings. | |
 | E. coli-tainted romaine lettuce threatens the frail, sick most(HealthDay)—U.S. health officials have warned all Americans to stay away from romaine lettuce this holiday season, due to potential contamination with E. coli. |
 | Be thankful for cranberries' health benefits all year longNo respectable Thanksgiving plate is without some form of cranberry, but the fruit's popularity seems to plummet the other 364 days of the year. |
 | Arterial stiffness may predict dementia risk(HealthDay)—Arterial stiffness may predict dementia risk, independent of subclinical brain damage, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. |
 | Novel scoring system can up access to biologics in psoriasis(HealthDay)—A new scoring system that accounts for "not relevant" responses (NRRs) on the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) for patients with psoriasis is valid for avoiding bias and can improve access to biologics, according to a study published in the November issue of the British Journal of Dermatology. |
 | Bone erosions more frequent with old age at onset of early RA(HealthDay)—Old age at onset of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with more frequent bone erosions, according to a study published online Nov. 11 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. |
 | IBD disability index for self-report reliable, valid(HealthDay)—The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index (IBD-DI) for self-report (IBD-DI-SR) is reliable and valid for measuring disability in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a study recently published online in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. |
 | AI-based smartphone app can help cut cancer pain severity(HealthDay)—An artificial intelligence (AI)-based smartphone app can reduce the severity of cancer patients' reported pain and hospital admissions, according to a study presented at the annual Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium, held from Nov. 16 to 17 in San Diego. |
 | ED utilization up for pediatric mTBI after TBI legislation(HealthDay)—Implementation of state youth traumatic brain injury (TBI) legislation correlated with an increase in pediatric emergency department utilization for youth sports- and recreation-related mild TBI (mTBI) evaluation, according to a study published in the November/December issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. |
 | Few mandatory pediatric postmarketing studies completed(HealthDay)—During a median follow-up of 6.8 years, only 33.8 percent of mandatory pediatric postmarketing studies were completed, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in JAMA Pediatrics. |
 | As vaping became popular among young, smoking rates fell(HealthDay)—The advent of the e-cigarette appears to have spurred a huge drop in tobacco smoking rates among teenagers and young adults, a new study claims. |
 | Hong Kong finds humans contracted hepatitis carried in ratsResearchers said Wednesday they have found a second patient in Hong Kong who contracted a strain of hepatitis carried by rats, in what appears to be the first known human cases in the world. |
Two physicians condemn use of disease and famine as weapons of war in YemenTwo Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) physicians call on medical and public health communities around the world to condemn the attacks on health care facilities and services in Yemen conducted by the Saudi-led coalition in the three-year-old war. In their Perspectives article receiving early online publication in the New England Journal of Medicine, Amir Mohareb, MD, MGH Division of Infectious Diseases, and Louise Ivers, MD, MPH, DTM&H, executive director of the MGH Center for Global Health, write, "The Yemeni medical disasters are man-made, with outbreaks of infectious diseases and starvation following bombing. The war has been characterized by a violation of medical neutrality." | |
 | Study shows skin autofluorescence can predict type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and deathNew research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]) shows that non-invasive measurement of skin autofluorescence (SAF) can predict future risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality, independent of other measures such as measuring blood glucose levels. |
 | Night shifts and unhealthy lifestyle linked to particularly high risk of type 2 diabetesWomen who work intermittent night shifts and do not follow a healthy lifestyle face an especially high risk of type 2 diabetes, suggests a study published by The BMJ today. |
Study calls for shake-up in mental health provision to improve patient outcomesA new study published in the journal Social Theory & Health has called into question how patients interact and respond to psychiatry when they present to mental health services. | |
 | Modeling the most common form of vision loss in older adultsAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects roughly 200,000 individuals in the United States each year. In most, it comes on slowly, gradually blurring the central field of vision used for activities like reading and driving. While treatments exist to slow its progression, there is no cure. |
 | Questions about the romaine warning? Here are some answersAvoid all romaine lettuce, but don't worry about your turkey. |
 | Computer-brain link helps 'locked in' people chat, surf web(HealthDay)—Writing an e-mail. Sending a text message. Surfing the internet. |
Anabolic steroids linked to higher rates of premature death in menMen who use androgenic anabolic steroids—such as testosterone—may face a higher risk of early death and of experiencing more hospital admissions, according to a new Journal of Internal Medicine study. | |
 | Sleep length may affect risk of falls and fracturesCompared with women in a recent study who slept seven to eight hours each night, women who slept for >5 hours or |
 | Do local employment conditions affect women's pregnancy intentions?Economic conditions can shape the decisions that adults make about their families, such as whether and when to have children. A recent Journal of Marriage & Family analysis of US women aged 20 to 44 years found that higher unemployment rates were associated with a lower likelihood of unintended pregnancy. |
 | Trial examines how mindfulness meditation may improve moodIn a randomized controlled trial of 134 mildly stressed, middle-aged to older adults, participants who were assigned to a six-week mindfulness-meditation training program experienced significantly reduced negative affect variability—which refers to subjective distress and includes a range of mood states such as worry, anxiety, anger, self-criticism, and life dissatisfaction—compared with participants assigned to a waitlist control. |
 | Cardiovascular disease may increase risk of rapid functional decline in older adultIn a Journal of the American Geriatrics Society study of adults aged 65 and older who were functionally independent, individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) were more likely to experience rapid functional decline than those without. |
 | Music may improve mood in adults with dementiaIn a Geriatrics & Gerontology International study of 51 individuals living with dementia who attended community-based adult day health centers, behavioral observations of a music intervention showed a positive change in mood and a decrease in agitation. Participants demonstrated significant increases in joy, eye contact, eye movement, being engaged, and talkativeness, and a decrease in sleeping and moving or dancing. |
 | Misconceptions about opioids affect pain control among cancer patients: a Malaysian surveyMisconceptions about the use of strong opioids showed to undermine optimal pain control among Asian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy according to a cross-sectional survey conducted at the Sarawak General Hospital in Malaysia. |
 | Negative social cues on tobacco packaging may help smokers quitNew research published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs suggests that tobacco packaging that reminds smokers that broad societal 'others' disapprove of the activity can trigger feelings of self-consciousness, which in turn reduces smoking intentions. This approach was particularly effective in 'isolated' smokers who did not see smoking as identity-relevant or congruent with their social self. |
Study uncovers link between air pollution and intellectual disabilities in childrenBritish children with intellectual disabilities are more likely than their peers to live in areas with high outdoor air pollution, according to a new Journal of Intellectual Disability Research study funded by Public Health England. | |
| Global study predicts more than 20 percent rise in insulin use by 2030The amount of insulin needed to effectively treat type 2 diabetes will rise by more than 20% worldwide over the next 12 years, but without major improvements in access, insulin will be beyond the reach of around half of the 79 million adults with type 2 diabetes who will need it in 2030, according to a new modelling study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal. |
 | Vaccine-exempt students behind N.C. chickenpox outbreak(HealthDay)—North Carolina's largest chickenpox outbreak in decades is centered in a primary school with a large number of vaccine-exempt students, according to health officials. |
 | Alaska Airlines: the healthiest airline in the skyThere will be more than 30.5 million passengers traveling during the 12-day Thanksgiving season according to Airlines for America (A4A). Knowing the "best" and "worst" choices is a valuable tool for any traveler, so Dr. Charles Platkin, the executive director of the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center and editor of DietDetective.com once again studied the best "Calorie Bargains" and "Calorie Rip-offs" at 35,000 feet. |
 | Musical training improves visual timingDrummers and brass players are better able to judge the timing of visual stimuli than members of the color guard, according to a naturalistic study of the world-class drum corps Bluecoats published in eNeuro. This counterintuitive finding extends previous research demonstrating superior sensory learning and memory from cross-training the brain's audio and visual systems. |
Biology news
 | Cryogenic-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) structures of a human ABCG2 mutant transporter proteinThe transporter protein ABCG2 belongs to the ATP-binding-cassette (ABC) family. The protein is expressed in the plasma membranes of cells within a variety of tissues and tissue barriers, including the blood-brain, blood-testes and maternal-fetal barrier. The protein can be powered by ATP to translocate endogenous substrates, affect the pharmacokinetics of many drugs and protect against a variety of xenobiotics including anticancer drugs, notably in breast cancer. ABCG2 is often referred to as the breast cancer resistance protein, where previous studies have revealed the ABCG2 architecture and structural basis of ABCG2 inhibition with small molecules and antibodies. The mechanism of substrate recognition by ABCG2 alongside its ATP-driven transport capability remains yet to be determined. |
 | Researchers find evidence of independent evolution of female penis in cave insectsA team of researchers from Japan, Brazil and Switzerland has found evidence that suggests female penis-like appendages in two types of cave insects evolved independently. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the group describes their study of Sensitibillini insects and what they discovered. |
 | Traffic noise stresses out frogs, but some have adaptedFrogs from noisy ponds near highways have altered stress and immune profiles compared to frogs from more quiet ponds—changes that reduce the negative effects of traffic noise on the amphibians. According to a new study, when frogs from quiet ponds are experimentally exposed to traffic noise, the noise is stressful and impairs the production of antimicrobial peptides—an important defense mechanism against pathogens. However, frogs taken from ponds near highways show a dampened stress response and altered immune profile, both of which reduce the costs of traffic noise. The study appears online November 21, 2018, in the Royal Society journal Proceedings B. |
 | Citizen science can play role in addressing agricultural challengesAn international team of more than three dozen researchers has published a paper highlighting the potential of citizen science to address pressing research challenges in agriculture and food systems. One key to capitalizing on such efforts, the researchers find, may be to build stronger ties between citizen science and agricultural extension efforts. |
 | Scientists study puncture performance of cactus spinesBeware the jumping cholla, Cylindropuntia fulgida. This shrubby, branching cactus will—if provoked by touching—anchor its splayed spines in the flesh of the offender. The barbed spines grip so tightly that a segment of cactus often breaks off with them, leaving the victim with a prickly problem. |
 | Tropical tree mortality—new study reveals why trees dieA study by scientists at UNSW Sydney, Macquarie University, data61 and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has shown why some tropical tree species die and others survive, revealing new insights into the processes governing tree death in tropical forests. |
 | The Trojan horse of Staphylococcus aureusStaphylococcus aureus causes different types of infections in humans, some of which are lethal. One of its most powerful weapons is α-toxin, which destroys host cells by forming pores in their membranes. Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, have identified the mechanism that allows these pores to be particularly harmful, by anchoring them to contact sites between cells. The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, uncovers how different proteins of human cells assemble into a complex to which pores are docked, and then molecularly "locked" to stabilize them. The biologists also demonstrate that blocking the assembly of the complex by removing one or the other of its elements allows pores to be removed from the membrane and cells to survive. Identifying the host's cellular mechanisms that contribute to the virulence of toxins is essential to develop therapeutic approaches against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. |
 | What makes vertebrates special? We can learn from lanceletsScientists once thought that humans must have 2 million genes to account for all our complexity. But since sequencing the human genome, researchers have learned that humans only have about 19,000 to 25,000 genes—not many more than a common roundworm. Now, evidence suggests humans and other vertebrates gained their unique attributes not from sheer number of genes, but from how they regulate the genes they have. |
 | Team uncovers the underlying mechanisms of 3-D tissue formationIf you want to build an organ for transplant, you need to think in 3-D. Using stem cells, scientists are now able to grow parts of organs in the lab, but that is a far cry from constructing a fully-formed, functioning, three-dimensional organ. |
 | Humpback whales found to compose new communal song every few yearsA team of researchers from the University of Queensland and the University of St. Andrews has found that humpback whales abandon community songs every few years and pick up new ones. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes their multiyear study of humpback whale songs and what they found. |
 | How do flying bees make perfect turns?If you've ever lost your balance standing on a bus that takes a sharp turn at speed or felt your car skid when you drive around a corner too fast, you've experienced the effects of centrifugal force. Turning while simultaneously moving forwards creates a force that pulls the turning object away from the direction of the turn. The faster you're going and the sharper the turn, the more centrifugal force you experience, and the more likely you are to lose control. |
 | Putting a face on a cell surfaceOn the cell surface, anchored in the cell membrane, a wide array of proteins perform functions, which are vital for the cell. These proteins, collectively known as the surfaceome, are a cell's antennae to the outside world, sending and receiving signals that enable it to communicate with other cells. They also serve as gate keepers for molecules, transporting materials into and out of the cell, and enable cells to attach themselves to other cells or structures. |
 | Professors use whale earwax to reconstruct whale stress levels spanning 150 yearsIn a follow-up to their groundbreaking study, Baylor researchers were able to reconstruct baleen whales' lifetime stress response to whaling and other manmade and environmental factors spanning nearly 150 years. |
 | New technique improves efficiency and accuracy of single cell RNA sequencingIn the era of personalized medicine, scientists are using new genetic and genomic insights to help them determine the best treatment for a given patient. In the case of cancer, the first step toward these treatments is an investigation into how tumor cells behave in an effort to figure out the best drugs to use to attack them. |
 | Snails become risk-takers when hungryHunger increases risk-taking behaviour in snails, according to research from neuroscientists at the University of Sussex. |
Scientists identify key hantavirus receptorA global team of investigators has identified a key protein involved in Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a serious and sometimes fatal respiratory disease, according to research published today in the journal Nature. | |
 | Monsanto appeals Roundup cancer verdictMonsanto on Tuesday said it was asking a US appeals court to toss out a damning verdict in a landmark Roundup weed-killer cancer trial and grant it another hearing. |
 | Counting orangutan nests to estimate orangutan populationA general misconception about estimating wildlife population is that it is a simple calculation of individual animals. Much like how we do a headcount at school, orangutans too, can be counted in a similar way in the wild. |
 | Living with lions and tigers and bears, oh myLarge carnivores are a source of inspiration and fear for humans. We admire their power and respect their role atop the food chain, but we fear their impacts on our livelihoods. For lions, tigers, bears and a suite of other predator species, coexisting with humans is increasingly difficult. Competition for limited land and resources is pushing people and predators into a state of nearly continual conflict. |
 | HSPC 'seeds' reveal VCAM-1+ macrophage role in homing processHematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) give rise to all blood lineages that support life. HSPCs, like seeds, need a suitable microenvironment to maintain their function. A process called "homing" allows HSPCs to anchor in their niches in order to expand and differentiate. Unique niche microenvironments composed of blood vessels and other niche components, including stromal cells, regulate this process. |
 | Early gut bacteria shape intestinal ecosystemBeating their brethren to the gut can help bacteria make a lasting impression, says new research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. |
 | Sexual conflict: A key to sustaining biodiversityWhat factors sustain the diversity of life on our planet? This is the main question surrounding the study of biodiversity, but in spite of significant gains in our understanding of the field, many of the key factors defining it remain obscure. |
 | We found grizzly, black and polar bears together for the first timeNorth America's three bear species —black bears, grizzly bears and polar bears —don't typically live in the same place. But in Wapusk National Park, on the west coast of Hudson Bay, in northern Manitoba, we caught all three bears on camera —for the first time. |
 | First new butterfly species identified since 2016The "Stanley Cup of entomology" has been won by a U of M biologist. |
 | Sex in a world of fear: Scared rodents produce more offspringRodent mothers produce more offspring after smelling odors produced by frightened males. This is reported by a team of biologists from Finland and the Netherlands and bring new information the proximate and ultimate explanations of small mammal behavioral responses. |
 | Dramatic change in seabirds' winter food source over past 30 yearsThe availability of a key prey for seabirds has changed dramatically over the past three decades, particularly in winter, with possible consequences for their population numbers, a new study has found. |
 | Niger to move protected giraffes as habitat shrinksPart of a group of a rare giraffes that has become a Niger tourist attraction is to be moved to a reserve 600 kilometres (400 miles) away owing to encroaching desert, farmland and increasing instances of them being struck by vehicles, officials said Wednesday. |
 | Simulator helps experts understand how whales get entangledA new simulator is letting scientists use a joystick to swim a virtual whale across a video screen. But this is no game—it's a serious attempt to better understand how the giant mammals become entangled in fishing lines. |
Scientists find possible new species in Caribbean watersU.S. scientists have wrapped up a 22-day mission exploring waters around Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with the deepest dives ever recorded in the region. | |
 | Study predicts decreasing brown bear habitat due to climate changeA recent analysis of data related to the brown bear (Ursus arctos) estimates that suitable habitat will be reduced by 11 percent across Central Asia and the Asian Highlands by 2050 due to climate change, predominantly due to the changes in temperature and precipitation. |
 | De-moo-cracy: Swiss farmer's quest to save cow horns goes to voteConcern over the cruelty of removing a cow's horns had not been one of Switzerland's most pressing political issues. |
 | Revisiting the hub of protein synthesisProteins are not only necessary for making strong muscles, they are also required for establish new connections between neurons during the learning process. A defect in protein synthesis leads to defects in learning, memory and also brain development. |
 | Wild coffee plants, Christmas trees and chocolate's tree are surprisingly poorly protectedHeadlines about threatened plant species often focus on hardwood plundered from the Amazon or obscure plants known only to specialized botanists. A new way of measuring plant conservation shows that a wide range of wild plants used for food, medicine, shelter, fuel, livestock forage and other valuable purposes are at risk. These include wild populations of firs used for Christmas trees, the original types of kitchen-cupboard staples like vanilla, chamomile, cacao and cinnamon, wild relatives of crops like coffee, and non-cultivated plants used by bees to make honey. |
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