Science X Newsletter Thursday, Apr 4

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 4, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

A bio-inspired approach to enhance learning in ANNs

That's 'sew' smart! Scientists invent threads to detect gases when woven into clothing

Deep stimulation improves cognitive control by augmenting brain rhythms

Scientists shed light on preservation mystery of Terracotta Army weapons

Research improves understanding of new form of cell-cell communication

Ancient, four-legged whale with otter-like features found along the coast of Peru

AstroSAT observations reveal quasi-periodic oscillations in the X-ray binary GX 5-1

Heavy metal planet fragment survives destruction from dead star

Novel Hawaiian communities operate similarly to native ecosystems

Ghostly X-ray images could provide key info for analyzing X-ray laser experiments

TossingBot can grab objects and toss them in specified bins

People with autism have an altered sense of self

Stressed? Take a 20-minute nature pill

Study: Protein key to charcot-marie-tooth, other nerve diseases

Scientists pioneer new low-temperature chemical conversion process

Astronomy & Space news

	AstroSAT observations reveal quasi-periodic oscillations in the X-ray binary GX 5-1 Using the AstroSAT spacecraft, Indian astronomers have observed the low-mass X-ray binary designated GX 5-1. The observations were published March 28 on the arXiv pre-print repository. The authors report the detection of quasi-periodic oscillations in this binary and discuss its nature.
	Heavy metal planet fragment survives destruction from dead star A fragment of a planet that has survived the death of its star has been discovered by University of Warwick astronomers in a disc of debris formed from destroyed planets, which the star ultimately consumes.
	Making a dent: Japan probe prepares to blast asteroid A Japanese probe began descending towards an asteroid on Thursday on a mission to blast a crater into its surface and collect material that could shed light on the solar system's evolution.
	And the blobs just keep on coming When Simone Di Matteo first saw the patterns in his data, it seemed too good to be true. "It's too perfect!" Di Matteo, a space physics Ph.D. student at the University of L'Aquila in Italy, recalled thinking. "It can't be real." And it wasn't, he'd soon find out.
	Curiosity captured two solar eclipses on Mars When NASA's Curiosity Mars rover landed in 2012, it brought along eclipse glasses. The solar filters on its Mast Camera (Mastcam) allow it to stare directly at the Sun. Over the past few weeks, Curiosity has been putting them to good use by sending back some spectacular imagery of solar eclipses caused by Phobos and Deimos, Mars' two moons.
	Image: Connecting to Solar Orbiter In this image, ESA's new Solar Orbiter spacecraft is seen during preparations for a vibration test campaign at the IABG facility in Ottobrunn, Germany, in March 2019.
	ESA boosts startup to the Moon European Space Agency operations specialists are helping flight planners at new European space startup PTScientists, headquartered in Berlin, pilot their way to the moon.
	Russian supply ship reaches space station in record time (Update) An unmanned Russian spacecraft carrying more than three tons of cargo has set a record time for a trip to the International Space Station, docking with the orbiting outpost in three hours and 21 minutes.
	Video: A successful mission starts with nutrition Centuries ago, large, wooden ships explored the seven seas. But often a ship that began its voyage with a crew of hundreds could return with tens. The silent killer? Scurvy, a disease that occurs when there's a lack of Vitamin C in the diet. On the other extreme, explorers of the North and South poles could fall ill by eating the liver of polar bears and seals, exposing them to toxic levels of Vitamin A.
	Life on Mars? According to NASA, scientists are in agreement that there is no life on Mars. However, they continue to assess whether Mars ever had an environment capable of supporting microbial life. Now, researchers from Hungary have discovered embedded organic material in a Martian meteorite found in the late 1970s. The scientists were able to determine the presence of organic matter in mineralised form such as different forms of bacteria within the meteorite, suggesting that life could have existed on the Red Planet.
	Israeli spacecraft enters lunar orbit ahead of moon landing The first Israeli spacecraft to journey to the moon passed its most crucial test yet on Thursday when it dropped into lunar orbit one week ahead of landing.
	See the moon photobomb saturn in an amazing capture Welcome to Saturn as you've probably never seen it. It's always awe-inspiring to see the clockwork motion of the heavens transpire in real time. In a slow motion universe, occultations give us the chance to see the cosmos pull off a celestial hat-trick. This can appear as a split second-type of event—such as when the moon, a planet or an asteroid winks out a distant star—or transpire as a leisurely affair as the moon covers, then uncovers the disk of a planet.
	Almost 500 people in southeastern US report meteor For almost 500 people in the southeastern United States, getting up early Thursday was its own reward.
Soyuz rocket launches telecom satellite from French Guiana A Soyuz rocket blasted off from French Guiana on Thursday carrying four telecommunications and internet satellites, according to France's National Centre for Space Studies.

Technology news

	A bio-inspired approach to enhance learning in ANNs The human brain continuously changes over time, forming new synaptic connections based on experiences and information learned over a lifetime. Over the past few years, artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers have been trying to reproduce this fascinating capability, known as 'plasticity,' in artificial neural networks (ANNs).
	TossingBot can grab objects and toss them in specified bins A group at Google with assistance from teams at Columbia and Princeton Universities and MIT has developed a robot that is able to grab a single object from among other objects in a box and toss it into a specified bin. In their paper uploaded to the arXiv preprint server, the team describes the challenges of the work and how well it turned out.
	Intel announcement blitz: Xeon Platinum 9200 is cherry on top Tuesday was a big day for Intel. The chip giant announced not just a few killer products either available or in the pipeline, but rather a very impressive bunch of newcomers involving processors, accelerators, networking and edge compute.
	Efficiently dismantling networks and stopping viruses Viruses, crime, and many other problems spread through networks. ETH researchers have now developed a new method of protecting them cost-effectively. When budget matters, networks are best dismantled starting with some middle nodes.
	LearnedSketch AI system for frequency estimation improves estimates of trending search queries If you look under the hood of the internet, you'll find lots of gears churning along that make it all possible.
	Engineers develop novel techniques to trick object detection systems New adversarial techniques developed by engineers at Southwest Research Institute can make objects "invisible" to image detection systems that use deep-learning algorithms. These techniques can also trick systems into thinking they see another object or can change the location of objects. The technique mitigates the risk for compromise in automated image processing systems.
	Improving 3-D-printed prosthetics and integrating electronic sensors With the growth of 3-D printing, it's entirely possible to 3-D print your own prosthetic from models found in open-source databases.
	Ethiopian Airlines 737 crash report expected Thursday: sources Ethiopian officials on Thursday are expected to release preliminary conclusions in the probe of last month's crash of a Boeing 737 that killed 157 people, two sources told AFP on Wednesday.
	Australia could jail social media execs for showing violence Australia's Parliament passed legislation on Thursday that could imprison social media executives if their platforms stream real violence such as the New Zealand mosque shootings.
	South Korea launches first national 5G networks—two days early South Korea launched the world's first nationwide 5G mobile networks two days early, its top mobile carriers said Thursday, giving a handful of users access in a late-night scramble to provide the super-fast wireless technology.
	Researchers have invented a quieter airplane toilet Airplane toilets are loud. For some, they are downright terrifying. But chin up, frequent flyers, because a group of Brigham Young University physicists have figured out how to make them quieter.
	Preliminary report: Ethiopia crew followed Boeing procedures The pilots of a doomed Ethiopian Airlines jet followed all of Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but still couldn't save it, according to findings from a preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government. The plane crashed just six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board.
	Using artificial intelligence tools to identify levels of violence in movies For many in the film industry, seeing your film landed with an NC-17 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is the kiss of death. With your film no longer accessible to viewers under 17, you are presented with a choice between limited box-office takings or expensive re-editing, or even reshooting, to meet the requirements of a more palatable R rating.
	Researchers quantify the impact of autonomous vehicles on traffic Researchers of the UWICORE laboratory, of the Department of Communications Engineering and the I3E Engineering Research Centre of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche, have proven that the coexistence between autonomous and conventional vehicles will noticeably influence the estimated effects of autonomous driving. According to this study, until at least 15 percent of vehicles are autonomous, no benefit will be seen regarding the fluidity of traffic and the capabilities of motorways unless solutions are developed to guarantee the efficient coexistence of autonomous and conventional vehicles.
	McDonald's faces significant challenges in bid to serve AI with fries McDonald's plans to adopt artificial intelligence into its drive through operations could present the fast food giant with significant challenges, Cass Business School academics have warned.
	Streaming to subscriptions: Video games enter new frontiers The video game industry is entering new frontiers.
	Ethiopian crew followed procedure but unable to control jet: inquiry The crew of the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed last month, killing 157 people, repeatedly followed procedures recommended by Boeing, but were unable to regain control of the jet, the investigators' report showed Thursday.
	No plans to delay livestreams despite NZ massacre: Facebook's Zuckerberg Facebook is working to prevent livestreams of terror attacks such as the one in New Zealand but it does not plan to introduce a delay on live feeds, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.
	Doomed EgyptAir Airbus 'should not have taken off', French report says An Airbus jet operated by EgyptAir that crashed over the Mediterranean almost three years ago, killing all 66 people on board, should have been grounded because of a series of technical issues on previous flights, according to a French investigation.
	A short first hop for 'drone taxi' in Vienna It was more of a small step than a giant leap, but the first public outing of a pilotless "drone taxi" in Vienna on Thursday nevertheless offered a glimpse into the possible future of urban travel.
	Ethiopian report says faulty sensor data led to jet crash A doomed Ethiopian Airlines jet suffered from faulty readings by a key sensor, and pilots followed Boeing's recommended procedures when the plane started to nose dive but could not avoid crashing, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the Ethiopian government.
	Snapchat launches own multi-player gaming platform Messaging app Snapchat, which is widely popular among younger users but has struggled to turn a profit since its creation in 2011, on Thursday unveiled new features including an integrated gaming platform, an expansion of its original series and new parnerships with developers.
	Durability vs. recyclability: Dueling goals in making electronics more sustainable The falling cost of solar power has led to a boom in recent years, with more and more photovoltaic panels popping up on rooftops and backyard solar farms around the world.
New scam aims to trick you into giving up your cell phone account information If someone calls you pretending to be from your cell phone carrier and asks for a verification code, don't give it to them.
	S. Korea launches 5G smartphone networks ahead of schedule South Korea's telecommunications carriers turned on super-fast 5G mobile internet networks abruptly ahead of schedule in an attempt to ensure the country becomes the first in the world to launch the services.
	Bayer victim of a cyber-attack: German media German chemicals giant Bayer was the victim of a cyber-attack for more than a year but there has been no evidence of data leaks so far, German media reported Thursday.
	US court to hear contempt case against Tesla's Musk Elon Musk's messy Twitter habit will get a once-over on Thursday when a federal court weighs whether the controversial Tesla chief executive should be held in contempt of court.
	Bayer confirms cyber attack but says no data stolen German chemicals giant Bayer confirmed Thursday reports it had suffered a hacking attack, but insisted that so far no data appeared to have been stolen.
	Unraveling the tangled web of online television Once it was just the gogglebox in the sitting room with a few broadcast channels to choose from and no chance to catch-up on programmes that had been missed. But in the internet age it can be difficult to know what is meant by "television" any more, according to a University of Huddersfield professor whose latest book helps readers reach a clearer understanding of a new landscape in which a huge range of content can be chosen and viewed on a multiplicity of devices.
	IPWhoa: What to know before joining this year's IPO parade We use Uber to go places, Slack to chat with co-workers and Pinterest to save our favorite ideas. Why not own a piece of these companies that increasingly dominate our daily lives?
	After taking on Fox studio, Disney looks to next chapter The storied 20th Century Fox studio is now part of the Walt Disney empire, but the celebrated fanfare heard at the start of its films won't die.
	Boeing defends 'fundamental safety' of 737 MAX after crash report Embattled US aviation giant Boeing on Thursday insisted on the "fundamental safety" of its 737 MAX aircraft but pledged to take all necessary steps to ensure the jets' airworthiness.
	Bezos ex-wife to surrender 75% of couple's Amazon shares MacKenzie Bezos, ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced Thursday they had finalized their divorce, and that she would surrender 75 percent of the couple's shares in the tech giant.
	US remains committed to private sector-led 5G wireless: Kudlow A top advisor to President Donald Trump said Thursday the United States is committed to private sector deployment of 5G wireless networks, brushing aside the notion of a nationalized system.

Medicine & Health news

	Deep stimulation improves cognitive control by augmenting brain rhythms In a new study that could improve the therapeutic efficacy of deep-brain stimulation (DBS) for psychiatric disorders such as depression, a team of scientists shows that, when DBS is applied to a specific brain region, it improves patients' cognitive control over their behavior by increasing the power of a specific low-frequency brain rhythm in their prefrontal cortex.
	People with autism have an altered sense of self New research has indicated that people with autism have an altered sense of self, which may explain some of the differences shown in social functioning.
	Stressed? Take a 20-minute nature pill Taking at least twenty minutes out of your day to stroll or sit in a place that makes you feel in contact with nature will significantly lower your stress hormone levels. That's the finding of a study that has established for the first time the most effective dose of an urban nature experience. Healthcare practitioners can use this discovery, published in Frontiers in Psychology, to prescribe 'nature-pills' in the knowledge that they have a real measurable effect.
	Study: Protein key to charcot-marie-tooth, other nerve diseases A new study provides critical insight into a little-known, yet relatively common, inherited neurological condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. The findings point to a pathway to possible treatments for this disease and better understanding of other neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, that affect millions.
	Blocking epigenetic Swiss army knife may be a new strategy for treating colorectal cancer A new study out today in Cancer Cell shows that blocking specific regions of a protein called UHRF1 switches on hundreds of cancer-fighting genes, impairing colorectal cancer cells' ability to grow and spread throughout the body.
	Unexpected connection between insulin receptor and gene expression opens new doors for insulin-related disease research The discovery of insulin in the 1920s marked the breakthrough in the almost 3,500-year-long mystery of diabetes, a disease first described in ancient Egyptian papyruses. Until its discovery, physicians struggled to explain how symptoms such as sugary urine, constant thirst and frequent urination could lead to ailments ranging from blindness and nerve damage to coma and death.
	Cancer exports molecular 'saboteurs' to remotely disarm immune system Immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer treatment: many patients with malignancies that until recently would have been considered untreatable are experiencing long-term remissions. But the majority of patients don't respond to these drugs, and they work far better in some cancers than others, for reasons that have befuddled scientists. Now, UC San Francisco researchers have identified a surprising phenomenon that may explain why many cancers don't respond to these drugs, and hints at new strategies to unleash the immune system against disease.
	Genome-wide analysis reveals new strategies to target pancreatic cancer For some cancers, initial treatment with chemotherapy brings positive, but only temporary, results: tumors shrink, but then rebound as the cancer becomes drug-resistant. This pattern of remission-resistance-relapse is particularly true for pancreatic cancer, an aggressive disease in which early success is often countered by eventual disease progression.
	New way to tackle mitochondrial disease Diseases affecting mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, are often caused by mutations in the mitochondrial DNA. Symptoms of such mitochondrial diseases in mice can be ameliorated by increasing their levels of mitochondrial DNA, according to a study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet. The study is published in Science Advances and could lead to a novel treatment strategy for such mitochondrial diseases.
	Researchers engineer a cost-effective treatment for neglected tropical disease Researchers have turned a fungus into a disease-curing factory through modern genetic engineering and patience. The natural antibiotic is a promising cure for a neglected tropical disease called human African trypanosomiasis, or African sleeping sickness, that infects thousands of people in remote, rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa each year.
	New ALS gene expression atlas offers unprecedented detail into disease progression ALS researchers at the New York Genome Center (NYGC) have utilized new technologies for mapping gene expression in spinal cord samples that provide new insights into the mechanisms that contribute to disease onset and progression in ALS patients.
	Common antibiotic found to reduce adverse health events in HIV patients A large team of researchers with members from the U.K., Canada, Uganda and Zimbabwe has found that the common antibiotic cotrimoxazole reduces adverse health events in children with HIV. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes testing the effectiveness of the antibiotic in young HIV patients and what they found.
	Psychedelic drug MDMA may reawaken 'critical period' in brain to help treat PTSD Johns Hopkins neuroscientists have found that the psychedelic drug MDMA reopens a kind of window, called a "critical period," when the brain is sensitive to learning the reward value of social behaviors. The findings, reported April 3 in Nature, may explain why MDMA may be helpful in treating people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
	Artificial intelligence approach optimizes embryo selection for IVF A new artificial intelligence approach by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators can identify with a great degree of accuracy whether a 5-day-old, in vitro fertilized human embryo has a high potential to progress to a successful pregnancy. The technique, which analyzes time-lapse images of the early-stage embryos, could improve the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and minimize the risk of multiple pregnancies.
	Robots to autocomplete soldier tasks, new study suggests Smart phones autocorrect in texting, search engines autocomplete queries, and mapping applications redirect navigation in real-time to avoid slowed traffic. These ubiquitous AI-based technologies adapt to everyday needs and learn user habits by focusing on making the algorithm better, but Army researchers want to enhance AI by providing more information about the intent of the user.
	New hope for treating childhood brain cancer There could be new treatments on the horizon for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, a devastating form of brain cancer that afflicts young children and is currently incurable. Recent experiments in animal models of the disease have identified an experimental drug that effectively destroys DIPG cells. And a team of Rockefeller scientists just figured out how this promising compound works.
	Globally, 1 in 5 deaths are associated with poor diet People in almost every region of the world could benefit from rebalancing their diets to eat optimal amounts of various foods and nutrients, according to the Global Burden of Disease study tracking trends in consumption of 15 dietary factors from 1990 to 2017 in 195 countries, published in The Lancet.
	Hepatitis C-infected hearts and lungs safely transplanted Infectious diseases experts and transplant physicians and surgeons at Brigham and Women's Hospital have blocked the transmission of hepatitis C from infected organ donors to recipients in need of hearts or lungs. The DONATE HCV Trial Team reports that hepatitis C-infected thoracic organs can be safely transplanted, detecting no signs of the disease and good outcomes for the transplanted organs in all patients treated with a preemptive, short course of antivirals. In a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the team describes a four-week antiviral treatment regimen started within hours of organ transplantation surgery, preventing establishment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in all patients, and, in so doing, expanding the pool of eligible heart and lung donor organs.
	Experimental therapy completely clears HPV in one-third of cervical cancer precursors A potential new immune-based therapy to treat precancers in the cervix completely eliminated both the lesion and the underlying HPV infection in a third of women enrolled in a clinical trial.
Ageism linked to poorer health in older people in England Ageism may be linked with poorer health in older people in England, according to an observational study of over 7,500 people aged over 50 published in The Lancet Public Health journal. Despite the known prevalence of age discrimination and existing evidence that other forms of discrimination, like racism, are linked to poorer health, this is the first study to examine the association between ageism and health and wellbeing.
Analysis identifies patients most at risk for weight regain after bariatric surgery In the years following bariatric surgery, a person's overall eating behaviors and the amount of time spent watching television, playing video games and using a computer for recreation are a better indication of long-term weight loss success than specific weight control practices like counting calories.
Defining the responsibility to recontact research participants with new genetic findings The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), along with several co-signing organizations, issued a position statement today outlining whether, and to what extent, there is a responsibility to recontact genetic and genomic research participants when new findings emerge that suggest their genetic information should be interpreted differently, which would allow participants to benefit from current genomics advances. The statement was published in The American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG).
	Telerehabilitation benefits patients with late-stage cancers Recent research led by Andrea Cheville, M.D., a Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, suggests that remotely delivering rehabilitation services to patients with late-stage cancer improves their physical function, pain and quality of life while allowing them to spend less time in hospitals and nursing homes. The findings are published in the online issue of JAMA Oncology.
	Parkinson's clues seen in tiny fish could aid quest for treatments Parkinson's patients could be helped by fresh insights gained from studies of tiny tropical fish.
A 'million word gap' for children who aren't read to at home Young children whose parents read them five books a day enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids who were never read to, a new study found.
	Do you plan your life around your fitness schedule? You could be addicted to exercise Physical activity feels good and it's great for your health. It can reduce your risk of developing chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, strengthen your bones, muscles and joints, and can even help with certain mental health conditions, such as depression.
	What triggers nostalgia? Feelings of unhappiness, study finds For years, research has shown that nostalgia is a primarily positive emotion that can lift people's spirits. But USC Dornsife psychologists have found the opposite may be true. Just like in Bruce Springsteen's nostalgic song Glory Days, people look back to the good times when they feel dissatisfied with their current life.
	A glove to treat symptoms of stroke The most obvious sign someone has survived a stroke is usually some trouble speaking or walking. But another challenge may have an even greater impact on someone's daily life: Often, stroke survivors lose sensation and muscle control in one arm and hand, making it difficult to dress and feed themselves or handle everyday objects such as a toothbrush or door handle.
	Older women have the highest risk of dying from cervical cancer Denmark has one of highest incidences of cervical cancer in the Western world. But once a person has turned 65, they are no longer automatically screened—even though older women are, in fact, the cohort with the highest mortality. This is shown by new research from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital.
	Using metabolomics to evaluate effects of diets A new study by Ohio University faculty members found that metabolomics may be an extremely valuable tool in evaluating effects of diets.
	Getting teens to follow strict diets in the Fast Track trial is risky, but so is obesity itself The Fast Track to Health study is a year-long dietary trial in adolescents with obesity. Since it started in Sydney and Melbourne at the end of 2018, it has been criticised for increasing the risk of eating disorders in people who may be especially vulnerable to these conditions.
	If you're not sleeping at work, you should be fired In days gone by, when our economy was dominated by agriculture and manufacturing, an employee's value was gauged by their inputs. If they slacked off by not placing a bumper on a car fast enough they were unproductive, and if they slept on the job they were stealing time from their employers and could be fired.
	Helmet churn adds to challenges of e-scooter disruption You're smiling as your e-scooter whispers along the riverside path. Without the helmet, the wind can blow through your hair – and it looks good! You hear a shout, "Pull over!", and turn to see police heading towards you with your helmet in hand.
	Creating blood vessels on demand When organs or tissues are damaged, new blood vessels must form as they play a vital role in bringing nutrients and eliminating waste and it is necessary for organs and tissues to regain their normal function. At present, the injection of growth factors or genetic material into the tissue site of interest can trigger angiogenesis, i.e. the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels. In a study published in the journal Advanced Materials, scientists from the Universities of Freiburg and Basel led by Prof. Dr. Prasad Shastri show that stable angiogenesis can be achieved by simply injecting a hydrogel with mechanical properties resembling that of a blood clot.
	The screen interval for high cardiovascular disease risk should be individual According to a study published today by a Finnish-English research group, a switch from five-year screen intervals to individualized intervals could annually prevent 8 percent of myocardial infarcts and strokes without increasing health care costs.
	Screening also prevents rare types of cervical cancer Rare types of cervical cancer can be effectively prevented with screening, a comprehensive study of identified cases of rare cervical cancer over a 10-year period in Sweden concludes. The study was conducted by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and is published in the BMJ.
	Lung disease bronchiectasis associated with high frequency of allergy An international research team led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has found that patients with the lung disease bronchiectasis also often display sensitivity to airborne allergens, and has highlighted the particular role that fungi appear to play.
	Risk of over-medication increases with age As people get older, the more likely they are to take several different medicines on a regular basis. However, this increases the risk of adverse effects, including interactions between the various active agents. Electronic decision-support tools for doctors are a possible solution but patients themselves can also help, Andreas Sönnichsen points out, Professor of Family Medicine at MedUni Vienna, speaking on the occasion of upcoming World Health Day on 7 April.
	Researchers identify 'beauty spots' in the genome Genes play a role in determining the beauty of a person's face, but that role varies with the person's sex, according to a new study by Qiongshi Lu and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, published 4th April in PLOS Genetics.
	Cytomegaloviruses deploy a novel stealth strategy to subvert immune surveillance Owl monkey cytomegalovirus produces a decoy molecule A43 to evade detection and destruction by immune cells in their hosts, according to a study published April 4 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Ana Angulo of the University of Barcelona, and colleagues. As the authors note, the findings provide a novel example of an immune evasion strategy developed by viruses.
	Gut microbiome may contribute to HIV transmission in high-risk men Gut microbes from high HIV-risk men who have sex with men drive immune activation in mice and HIV infection in cells, according to a study published April 4 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Brent Palmer and Catherine Lozupone of the University of Colorado Anschutz, and colleagues.
	Poorer children's summer holiday experiences linked with worse mental well-being For most children and young people, the school holidays are a time to have fun with friends and family, and do everything they might not be able to do during term time. As one of the world's richest economies, you might expect plenty of opportunities for UK children to enjoy the halcyon days of summer. But our new research shows that's not necessarily the case, and this is having a serious impact on their mental health and well-being.
	What parents should do to help students prepare for the first year of college As the school year begins to wind down, high school seniors – and those who care about them – typically have their eyes on two prizes: getting into college and graduating from high school.
	Pet owners want to be masters, not servants – which is why we value dogs more than cats Cat videos may rule the internet, but dogs possess mastery of their owners' hearts – at least if spending is any guide.
	Intuitive eating: A 'diet' that actually makes sense Diets for weight loss usually involve restriction. The 5:2 diet relies on restricting calories, and the ketogenic diet relies on restricting particular types of food.
	Cheese may help control blood sugar Cheese's high fat content has made it a dietary culprit in the minds of many people, but a new University of Alberta study funded by Dairy Farmers of Canada (C.B.C.) shows it helps control blood sugar levels.
	Elucidation of functional mechanism of 'love hormone,' oxytocin, at molecular level Oxytocin is essential in activities of the social brain such as trust and love and in maternal bonding behaviors. It is produced in the brain and secreted into the circulation. Here, by analyzing maternal behaviors of RAGE gene-manipulated mice, oxytocin was found to be transported back to the brain, crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), an extremely effective barrier, by binding to the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) on capillary endothelial cells of the BBB.
	Associating colours with vowels? Almost everyone does Does [a:] as in baa sound more green or more red? And is [i:] as in beet light or dark in colour? Even though we perceive speech and colour are perceived with different sensory organs, nearly everyone has an idea about what colours and vowels fit with each other. And a large number of us have a particular system for doing so. This is shown in research by linguists from Radboud University and the University of Edinburgh on similarities in the vowel-colour associations perceived by over 1,000 people.
	What and where in the processing of body-part information The brain tracks the location of body limbs in space. This is called proprioception or body localization. Additionally, the brain is aware of its ownership of body parts, and can can control extremities because they are sensed or felt.
	Researchers uncover new cause of abdominal aortic aneurysm Researchers have discovered that a family of lipids (fats) contribute to the development of a serious aortic disease, by driving clotting in the blood vessel wall.
	New hope for cirrhosis of the liver Decompensated cirrhosis is a chronic disease linked to numerous complications in its final stage. Professor Jonel Trebicka from Goethe University was involved in carrying out a pilot study demonstrating that the long-term administration of albumin in high doses stabilizes the circulatory function of these patients and protects them from sepsis.
	Super berries power up porridge As the popularity of porridge continues to rise, the addition of a super berry could make it the ultimate new power breakfast for health-conscious, gluten-intolerant consumers.
	No such thing as 'sugar rush'—sugar worsens mood rather than improving it Sugar does not improve mood and it can make people less alert and more tired after its consumption – according to a new study by the University of Warwick, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Lancaster University.
	Researchers find new genetic information behind urogenital track anomalies About one in every 100 babies is born with some kind of developmental anomaly in the urogenital tract. In most cases abnormalities are mild, but sometimes life-long and even life-threatening disease develops.
	Mitochondrial permeability plays a key role in aging, recovery from ischemic injury The ability of molecules to pass through the membrane of mitochondria—the cellular structures that convert nutrients into energy—may determine whether or not autophagy, a cellular process that removes damaged and dysfunctional molecules and cellular components, is beneficial or detrimental to the health of an organism. The results of a study led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators may improve understanding of aging-related dysfunction and could help prevent the tissue damage that results when the blood supply is cut off to vital organs like the heart and brain, as occurs in heart attacks and strokes.
	Capturing mosquito waste could speed up virus detection Public health officials could soon be able to detect viruses in mosquitoes in the wild much more quickly and easily—thanks to the insect equivalent of a urine test.
	One in every 12 Canadian with migraines has attempted suicide A new study by the University of Toronto (U of T), released this week, found that adults with migraine who had been sexually abused during childhood were three times more likely to have attempted suicide. Childhood physical abuse doubled the odds of suicide attempts and exposure to chronic parental domestic violence was associated with 67% higher odds of attempting to take one's life.
Study: Impact of concussions reduced in children with more years of sport experience More years in sports—not less—may help protect the brains of children who have had a concussion, against future concussions, a new study says.
	Global life expectancy up 5.5 years since 2000: WHO Global life expectancy grew by 5.5 years between 2000 and 2016, the World Health Organization said Thursday, warning though that unequal income and access to healthcare translates into far shorter lives for many.
	In world first, France bans breast implants linked to rare cancer France on Thursday became the first country to ban a type of breast implant that has been linked to a rare form of cancer.
	Researchers show that mutations in human livers can promote tissue regeneration Researchers at the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have identified genetic mutations that accumulate in the adult liver that can promote regeneration in the context of chronic liver damage.
	Defining the emotional bond forced onto teen victims of sex trafficking Rutgers researchers have defined the relationship that forms between children who are sold for sex and the criminals who traffic them.
	Researchers determine how a major tumor suppressor pathway becomes deactivated The Hippo pathway is an important biological tumor suppressor program that controls cell growth and organ size in humans. Cancer cells have been found to frequently deactivate Hippo signaling in order to achieve increased cell growth and become more aggressive. However, how the Hippo pathway becomes deregulated in human cancers is still poorly understood.
	Supporting HIV-affected couples trying to conceive Women with HIV were once advised against having children for fear that the infection could be passed on to their babies.
	Researchers create molecules with strong anti-Zika virus potential The Zika virus is widely known for causing microcephaly and other brain defects in the fetuses of pregnant, infected women. Currently, there are no approved antiviral therapies specifically designed to treat Zika, but researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, Hunter College, and their collaborators at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center are on to a discovery that may lead to a much needed treatment. Led by the ASRC's Nanoscience Initiative, the scientists have developed a new class of molecules that show potent anti-Zika activity and low toxicity towards animal cells. Described in a paper published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, these compounds could someday become the basis for a Zika-specific therapeutic.
	Think female race car drivers aren't fit enough? Think again In the world of racing, the debate on whether women are as fit as men behind the wheel can often become heated. Just last year, Carmen Jorda, a member of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, was criticized for encouraging female drivers to pursue "less physical" racing opportunities.
Interparental aggression often co-occurs with aggression toward kids Parents in the midst of a psychologically or physically aggressive argument tend to also be aggressive with their children, according to researchers at Penn State. The team found that this "spillover" of aggression toward children causes kids to exhibit greater fear during future incidents of interparental aggression, regardless of the severity of those future incidents, than children who do not experience this spillover effect.
	Researchers identify one way T cell function may fail in cancer The immune system is an important defender against cancer. Immune cells continuously search the body for disease and use their anti-tumor cell properties to target and destroy defective cells. However, most cancer patients have an impaired immune system that allows cancer cells to go undetected. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have discovered a mechanism by which one type of immune cell, CD8+ T cells, can become dysfunctional, impeding its ability to seek and kill cancer cells.
	Children requiring thyroid surgery have better outcomes at high-volume surgery centers New research recently published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery found that post-operative success rates of pediatric thyroid patients, particularly children who require a thyroidectomy, correlate with the institution's patient volume. The study, conducted by a team at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), reviewed nearly 500 cases. The findings underscore how a highly experienced clinical team can make a big difference when it comes to patient outcomes.
	Standardizing last names and addresses leads to better patient record matching Standardizing last names and address information can improve the linking of patient health records by as much as 8 percent—more than 2 billion records—and enhance data available to clinicians to inform their care decisions.
	New PET imaging biomarker could better predict progression of Alzheimer's disease Researchers have discovered a way to better predict progression of Alzheimer's disease. By imaging microglial activation levels with positron emission tomography (PET), researchers were able to better predict progression of the disease than with beta-amyloid PET imaging, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
	Is it heartburn or something else? (HealthDay)—With so many heartburn medications available over the counter, it might be surprising to learn that heartburn itself isn't a health condition, but rather a symptom of something else.
	Unhealthy diets may be world's biggest killer (HealthDay)—Bad diets are shortening lives worldwide—killing more people globally than either smoking or high blood pressure, a large, new research suggests.
	High insulin costs come under fire on Capitol Hill (HealthDay)—For many Americans, the cost of lifesaving insulin is simply too high, leading as many as one in four to ration the drug, experts testifying before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce said this week.
	Patient-report instrument helps identify ADEs in older adults (HealthDay)—A patient-report instrument has good predictive value for identifying adverse drug events (ADEs) in older adults in the community setting, according to a study published in the March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Neoadjuvant chemotherapy key to survival in pancreatic cancer (HealthDay)—Three factors can predict survival in patients with borderline resectable (BR) or locally advanced (LA) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), according to a study published online April 2 in the Annals of Surgery.
	Early hospital intervention for diabetes improves outcomes (HealthDay)—Early intervention for patients with diabetes in the hospital decreases hyperglycemia and hospital-acquired infections, according to a study published online March 28 in Diabetes Care.
	Poverty leaves a mark on our genes A new Northwestern University study challenges prevailing understandings of genes as immutable features of biology that are fixed at conception.
Canada to ban breast implants linked to rare cancer Canada said Thursday it aims to soon suspend the sales in this country a type of breast implant that has been linked to a rare form of cancer.
	Radiation oncology workforce study indicates potential threat to rural cancer care access The newest study of America's radiation oncology workforce finds that gender and race gaps have narrowed slightly, although persistent and growing geographic disparities point to a need for more equity in access to radiation therapy care. The survey, which drew responses from more than 1,100 physicians across the country, finds that fewer radiation oncologists are practicing in rural communities and that these doctors are more likely to retire in the coming years.
	CVS spreads same-day prescription deliveries to 36 states CVS Health is expanding same-day prescription deliveries nationwide in the latest push by drugstores to keep customers who don't want to wait and are doing more shopping online.
	Can human breast milk reduce intestinal injury following bone marrow transplant? A new pilot study compared the use of human breast milk to formula in children less than 5 years of age who underwent bone marrow transplant (BMT), measuring the levels of inflammatory and pro-inflammatory biomarkers in the stool and blood to assess inflammatory injury to the intestinal microbiome. The results, indicating that human milk was associated with decreased markers of inflammation and injury in the stool, are reported in an article published in Breastfeeding Medicine.
	New guidelines push for better controlled experiments with synthetic nucleic acids Researchers have proposed new guidelines to overcome current problems facing scientists developing synthetic nucleic acids—such as antisense oligonucleotides and double-stranded RNAs—as drugs and research tools. The guidelines, which promote a common set of standards for judging experiments and more efficient use of resources, are published in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.
The decline of state-level IVC filter utilization After a period of prior growth, national inferior vena cava (IVC) filter utilization in the Medicare population has markedly declined over the last decade according to a prior Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study published in 2018. How IVC filter utilization has varied at the state level as well as across different payer populations during the recent decline in utilization is unknown. This new study, published online in the American Journal of Roentgenology, assesses state level IVC filter utilization and expands the population set to include both the Medicare and the privately insured population.
Survey provides snapshot of global ECMO transport services Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-sustaining therapy for patients with respiratory or circulatory failure that is best performed at high-volume centers with special expertise. A survey providing an overview of leading ECMO transport programs around the world is presented in the ASAIO Journal, official journal of ASAIO.
	Severe psychological distress and daily cannabis use: Implications for mental health? Daily cannabis use increased significantly from 2008 to 2016 among those with and without past-month serious psychological distress (SPD) and use among those with SPD was persistently higher compared to those without SPD. Research at Columbia Mailman School and CUNY shows that in 2016, past-month daily cannabis use was about three times higher for SPD (8%) compared to those without SPD (2.7%). The findings are online in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
	Surgery like Jagger: doctors explain heart valve problems, treatment Rolling Stones fans were concerned by the news Mick Jagger needs a new heart valve. But they'll be happy to know that these days most patients in his situation can get what they need—and often without intensive surgery.

Biology news

	Research improves understanding of new form of cell-cell communication Scientists have improved their understanding of a new form of cell-cell communication that is based on extracellular RNA (exRNA). RNA, a molecule that was thought to only exist inside cells, now is known to also exist outside cells and participate in a cell-cell communication system that delivers messages throughout the body. To better understand this system, the National Institutes of Health Common Funds Extracellular RNA Communication Consortium, which includes researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, created the exRNA Atlas resource, the first detailed catalog of human exRNAs in bodily fluids. They also developed web-accessible computational tools other researchers can use to analyze exRNAs from their own data. The study, published in the journal Cell, contributes the first 'map of the terrain' that will enable scientists to study the potential roles exRNA plays in health and disease.
	Novel Hawaiian communities operate similarly to native ecosystems On the Hawaiian island of Oahu, it is possible to stand in a lush tropical forest that doesn't contain a single native plant. The birds that once dispersed native seeds are almost entirely gone too, leaving a brand-new ecological community composed of introduced plants and birds. In a first-of-its-kind study published today in Science, researchers demonstrate that these novel communities are organized in much the same way as native communities worldwide.
	Scientists genetically engineer yeast to improve understanding of how cells work Researchers have 'fine-tuned' a major cell signalling mechanism by rewriting DNA inside yeast cells to control how they respond to their environment.
	Global centers of unsustainable harvesting of species identified Unsustainable harvesting, including hunting, trapping, fishing and logging, comprises one of the biggest threats to biodiversity. Yet, no previous assessment has investigated which areas are most vulnerable to this threat globally.
	Novel strategy hits 'reset button' for disease-causing genetic duplications Scientists at UMass Medical School have developed a strategy for editing and repairing a particular type of genetic mutation associated with microduplications using CRISPR-Cas9 and a seldom-used DNA repair pathway. Described in Nature, this approach to programmable gene editing overcomes prior inefficiencies in gene correction.
	A light-based carrier system for CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing A team of researchers from Nanjing and Xiamen Universities in China has developed an alternative to using viruses to transport CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tools into a desired cell—and it involves two types of light. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes their new type of carrier and how well it worked with test mice.
	Meow hear this: Study says cats react to sound of their name Hey Kitty! Yes, you. A new study suggests household cats can respond to the sound of their own names.
	Electricity-conducting bacteria yield secret to tiny batteries, big medical advances Scientists have made a surprising discovery about how strange bacteria that live in soil and sediment can conduct electricity. The bacteria do so, the researchers determined, through a seamless biological structure never before seen in nature—a structure scientists can co-opt to miniaturize electronics, create powerful-yet-tiny batteries, build pacemakers without wires and develop a host of other medical advances.
	Ready, steady, go: Two new studies reveal the steps in plant immune receptor activation Although separated by more than one billion years of evolution, plants and animals have hit upon similar immune strategies to protect themselves against pathogens. One important mechanism is defined by cytoplasmic receptors called NLRs that, in plants, recognize so-called effectors, molecules that invading microorganisms secrete into the plant's cells. These recognition events can either involve direct recognition of effectors by NLRs or indirect recognition, in which the NLRs act as 'guards' that monitor additional host proteins or 'guardees' that are modified by effectors. Host recognition of effectors, whether direct or indirect, results in cell death to confine microbes to the site of infection. However, until now, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of action of plant NLRs has been lacking, and much of our understanding of how these molecules function in plants has been based on comparison with animal counterparts.
	Microglia, cells thought restricted to central nervous system, are redefined in new study Inside the body, disease and injury can leave behind quite the mess—a scattering of cellular debris, like bits of broken glass, rubber and steel left behind in a car accident.
	Shark researcher documents surge of great whites off Cape Cod They increasingly hunt in the waters off Cape Cod, and sometimes humans get in their way. Last summer, scientist Greg Skomal was one of them.
Mystery of how beetles that live in aquifers breathe solved You can't always count on finding water above ground in Australia. Some rivers flow through the sand beneath their beds and arid calcite crusts in Western Australia seal off water trapped in permeable rocks beneath. Yet, far from being sterile isolated pools, these calcrete aquifers are teaming with life. 'It can be a really bustling metropolis down there', chuckles Karl Jones from the University of Adelaide, Australia, describing how these subterranean waterways are home to hundreds of species of tiny diving beetle. But no one knew how the diminutive insects breathe. 'Terrestrial diving beetles generally go to the surface and collect a bubble of air, take it underwater and consume oxygen from there', says Jones. But with no obvious source of bubbles for the subterranean dwellers, Jones, Steven Cooper from the South Australian Museum and Roger Seymour, also from the University of Adelaide, were curious to know just how the intriguing mini-beasts breathe. They publish their discovery that the insects breathe through their skins in Journal of Experimental Biology.
	Sea level rise could make plants bigger—then it may kill them Larger plants may be the first sign sea levels are rising in the Everglades, according to an FIU study.
	Singapore seizes record shipment of pangolin scales Singaporean authorities made a record seizure of nearly 13 tonnes of pangolin scales worth some $38.7 million, officials said Thursday, calling it the largest such haul globally in recent years.
	Can bacteria help us prevent salt damage to concrete roads and bridges? Bacteria, which have been working for millennia as nature's stonemasons, could soon be enlisted to help neutralize the destructive effects of road salt.
	Biodiversity is key for the fertility and productivity of arid ecosystems A Spanish and French team of researchers including Universidad de Alicante (UA) researcher Santiago Soliveres, members of the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, the National Agronomy Research Institute of France (INRA) and the Spanish National Research Council has studied the multiple facets of vegetable biodiversity in 123 arid and semi-arid ecosystems across the planet. The results, which are compiled in an article published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), show the importance of scarce species and their evolutionary history to maintain land fertility and productivity in arid areas around the world.
	Thirteen new ant species discovered in Hong Kong In two separate articles recently published in Zookeys and Asian Myrmecology, Dr. Benoit Guénard from the School of Biological Sciences of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and his team has expanded the knowledge on Hong Kong ants by adding 13 species to the 174 species officially recorded.
	Sea turtles struggle years after unexplained die-off New research is detailing how environmental stressors, including heavy metals, brought on by human activity are harming coastal green sea turtle populations—work that researchers hope will inform conservation efforts going forward.
First reported UK case of likely dog-to-dog transmission of leishmaniosis Veterinary professionals have sounded the alarm in this week's Vet Record after treating the first UK case of a dog with the potentially fatal infection, leishmaniosis, that is thought to have been passed on by another dog, rather than by travel to an area where the infection is endemic.
Massive 12-foot alligator trapped in Florida weighs nearly 750 pounds Alligators are a common sight in Florida. Those that are 12-feet long, nearly 750 pounds and walking through a commerce park aren't.
	Russian scientists discover a new function of the nucleus lamina proteins A group of Russian scientists has discovered a new function of nuclear lamina (NL) proteins: to arrange the genetic material inside cells. Understanding the mechanisms involved in gene packaging will help researchers to control and regulate the work of genes. The results of the study were published in Nature Communications.
	Scientists call for national science agenda for biodiversity collections The Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN) has developed a national agenda that leverages digital data in biodiversity collections for new uses. Informed by a series of workshops and stakeholder discussions, Extending U.S. Biodiversity Collections to Promote Research and Education will stimulate new research endeavors, particularly in areas where biology intersects with other fields and engages students and the public.
New technology set to lead fight against anti-microbial resistance Increasing pressures on health services have led to the over-prescription of commonly used antibiotics, more instances of mis-prescription and subsequently, the emergence of antibiotic resistance and an increased reliance on antibiotics of last resort. This novel technology is set to play a vital role in the fight against anti-microbial resistance.
Biologists: Killing hungry sea lions saving endangered fish A plan to kill California sea lions to save an endangered run of fish on a river that cuts through Portland, Oregon, appears to be working just months after wildlife officials began euthanizing the giant marine mammals, Oregon biologists said Thursday.

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