Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Apr 2

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 2, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Methane oxidation on the plus side – A selective industrial route to methanesulfonic acid

A global motion-planning approach based on local experiences

Scientists prove that binary stars reflect light from one another

Evidence found of Denisovans interbreeding with humans in Southeast Asia more recently than thought

Researchers tune material's color and thermal properties separately

VLA makes first direct image of key feature of powerful radio galaxies

The milkweed bug's orange wings and DNA: How insects' diets are revealed by the genome

Unfroggetable: endangered Bolivian amphibians get long-awaited first date

Crop yield in maize influenced by unexpected gene 'moonlighting'

Wearable sensors mimic skin to help with wound healing process

Laser technology helps researchers scrutinize cancer cells

Love Island: Flamboyant males get the girls on Madagascar

Shrinking a medical lab to fit on a fingertip

Large volcanic eruptions can alter hurricane strength and frequency

Subaru telescope helps determine that dark matter is not made up of tiny primordial black holes

Astronomy & Space news

	Scientists prove that binary stars reflect light from one another UNSW astronomers have shown that binary stars – two stars locked in orbit around each other – reflect light as well as radiating it, revealing new ways for their detection.
	VLA makes first direct image of key feature of powerful radio galaxies Astronomers used the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to make the first direct image of a dusty, doughnut-shaped feature surrounding the supermassive black hole at the core of one of the most powerful radio galaxies in the Universe—a feature first postulated by theorists nearly four decades ago as an essential part of such objects.
	Subaru telescope helps determine that dark matter is not made up of tiny primordial black holes An international team of researchers has put a theory speculated by the late Stephen Hawking to its most rigorous test to date, and their results based on the observations using the Subaru Telescope have ruled out the possibility that primordial black holes smaller than a tenth of a millimeter make up most of dark matter.
	After the Moon in 2024, NASA wants to reach Mars by 2033 NASA has made it clear they want astronauts back on the Moon in 2024, and now, they are zeroing in on the Red Planet—the US space agency confirmed that it wants humans to reach Mars by 2033.
	Indian satellite destruction created 400 pieces of debris, endangering ISS: NASA The head of NASA on Monday branded India's destruction of one of its satellites a "terrible thing" that had created 400 pieces of orbital debris and led to new dangers for astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
	Europa Clipper high-gain antenna undergoes testing It probably goes without saying, but this isn't your everyday satellite dish.
	Where space missions are born A high-resolution radar mission to Earth's 'evil twin' Venus, a spacecraft to detect the most powerful explosions in the Universe and an observatory for the cool, dusty cosmos to investigate the origins of stars: ESA's Concurrent Design Facility has performed feasibility studies of contending candidates for the fifth medium class mission in the Agency's Cosmic Vision science programme, planned for launch in 2032.
	Video: Solar Orbiter during thermal-vacuum tests An infrared view of our Solar Orbiter spacecraft, which is currently undergoing a series of tests at the IABG facility in Ottobrunn, Germany, ahead of its launch, scheduled for February 2020.
	Methane on Mars: A new discovery or just a lot of hot air? The discovery of life on Mars would get pretty much everyone excited. But the scientists hunting for it would probably be happy no matter what the outcome of their search – whether life turned out to extinct, dormant or extant. They'd even consider finding no evidence of life whatsoever to be an important discovery. But, as the saying goes, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, and it will take many decades of detailed exploration of Mars to be reasonably sure that life has always been absent there.
	What does Uranus sound like? Sometimes kids ask really simple questions – and parents have no idea what the answers are. When one of our colleagues was asked what it sounds like on the planet Uranus, she was stumped. And so were we! So we asked an expert. (And, yes, we know this subject lends itself to jokes about flatulence, but we'll let you come up with your own jokes – this is a pun-free post.)
	Lyophilization can help create food for space travel, new medicines for cancer Research continues on an eventual 140-million-mile mission to Mars, developing the latest transportation as well as habitats necessary for the red planet.
	SwRI to conduct largest-ever Hubble survey of the Kuiper Belt NASA's Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) recently awarded Southwest Research Institute the largest Hubble Space Telescope (HST) solar system program ever, with 206 of Hubble's orbits around the Earth allocated to the project. The Solar System Origins Legacy Survey (SSOLS) will focus on Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs), particularly binary populations.
	Ten years before the detection of gravitational waves, two KITP postdocs at UC Santa Barbara had a novel idea The history of science is filled with stories of enthusiastic researchers slowly winning over skeptical colleagues to their point of view. Astrophysicist Scott Hughes can relate to these tales.

Technology news

	A global motion-planning approach based on local experiences While humans can execute motions naturally and instantaneously, robots require advanced motion planning strategies in order to navigate their surroundings. Motion planning is thus a key area of robotics research, aimed at developing tools and techniques that allow robots to operate autonomously in a variety of environments.
	Wearable sensors mimic skin to help with wound healing process Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York, have developed skin-inspired electronics to conform to the skin, allowing for long-term, high-performance, real-time wound monitoring in users.
	Laser technology helps researchers scrutinize cancer cells Devising the best treatment for a patient with cancer requires doctors to know something about the traits of the cancer from which the patient is suffering. But one of the greatest difficulties in treating cancer is that cancer cells are not all the same. Even within the same tumor, cancer cells can differ in their genetics, behavior, and susceptibility to chemotherapy drugs.
	New study demonstrates radio signal benefits from decades-old theory Engineering researchers have demonstrated that a longstanding theoretical method called direct antenna modulation (DAM) has real-world utility for boosting the quality of radio signals when transmitting at high data rates. The finding has applications in fields such as military communications.
	US investigating Kia, Hyundai over 'non-crash fires' US authorities said Monday that they have opened two separate investigations into automakers Kia and Hyundai after receiving more than 3,100 complaints of "non-crash fires" affecting vehicles from both manufacturers.
	Boeing, FAA say more time needed for fix of troubled 737 Max Boeing and U.S. aviation regulators say the company needs more time to finish changes in a flight-control system suspected of playing a role in two deadly crashes.
	Facebook seeks tab to promote 'high quality news' Facebook is working on a "news tab" that could be used to financially support "high quality and trustworthy" journalism, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said Monday.
Zuckerberg's 'new rules' for the internet must move from words to actions After years of rejecting calls for increased regulatory oversight of Facebook, founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has now called for more cooperation with government in dealing with problems posed by internet platforms and emergent internet technologies.
	US, China leading race for 5G wireless: Survey The United States and China are in a virtual deadlock in the race for 5G, or fifth-generation wireless networks expected to unlock new services, an industry survey showed Tuesday.
	Computing scientists use machine learning to track health trends on Twitter A new machine learning tool, developed by University of Alberta computing scientists, sifts through millions of Twitter posts to help understand health and wellness trends in Alberta and across Canada.
	Streaming helps boost 2018 music industry sales Worldwide music sales rose by nearly 10 percent in 2018, a fourth consecutive year of growth fuelled by online streaming, according to figures released on Tuesday by an industry body.
	Walmart partners with Google on grocery shopping via voice Walmart will now allow its shoppers to order their groceries by voice through Google's smart home assistant, its latest attempt to challenge Amazon's growing dominance.
	Google workers want ultra-conservative off AI council A group of Google employees launched a public campaign Monday to remove the president of the conservative think-tank Heritage Foundation from an outside artificial intelligence ethics advisory panel.
	Cathay 'faces reality' with budget airline buy, say analysts Cathay Pacific's purchase of rival HK Express was an inevitable plunge into the no-frills market as the premier marque belatedly faces the reality that it can no longer ignore the budget sector, analysts say.
	Facebook removes fake accounts tied to Indian political parties, Pakistan's military Facebook said Monday that it had removed hundreds of pages and accounts linked to government and political organizations in India and Pakistan that misled users about their identities, part of the company's effort to fight allegations that its platform is used to spread misinformation.
	Are we on the right road to driverless cars? There is much ongoing research into autonomous road vehicles and experimental cars and heavy-goods vehicles have already hit the roads. A paper published in the International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management examines some of the myths associated with driverless vehicles and analyses the route that we might navigate to a new transport destination – the autonomous mobility paradigm.
	Purdue startup wins Army's xTechSearch for newest technology to meet modernization needs Adranos Inc., a Purdue University-affiliated company developing a high-performance, solid propellant for long-range missile and space launch systems, has won the Army's inaugural xTechSearch competition, besting more than 350 companies in the months long competition.
	Outgoing Airbus CEO poised for 37 mln euro payout: report The chief executive of European aerospace giant Airbus stands to receive a 37 million euro ($41 million) severance package when he steps down next week, according to calculations by an investor advisory firm released Tuesday.
	Germany finds truckers cheating to hide emissions German authorities have identified hundreds of trucks "manipulated" to save their operators money by shutting off exhaust treatment systems, saying many more cheating vehicles could be at large on Europe's roads.
	Scam ads promoting fake tax breaks prosper on Facebook Hundreds of ads on Facebook promised U.S. homeowners that they were eligible for huge state tax breaks if they installed new solar-energy panels. There was just one catch: None of it was true.
	Twitter says action taken against pro-Netanyahu bot network Twitter says it has "taken action" after an Israeli watchdog exposed an alleged bot network spreading propaganda in support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and smearing his opponents.
	Facebook CEO visits Ireland to discuss reform pledge Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg met Irish lawmakers on Tuesday after calling for more action from governments to regulate social media.

Medicine & Health news

	Thalamus and cerebral cortex interactions influence the decision on sensory perceptions When we receive a stimulus, sensory information is transmitted by the afferent nerves to the thalamus, which in turn, like a relay, forwards the information to the sensory cortex to process it and consciously perceive the stimulus. But, does this information travel only in the thalamus-cortex direction? And, is this journey a determining factor in the subsequent conscious perception of this stimulus?
	Dopamine conducts prefrontal cortex ensembles Anyone who has savored a bite of chocolate or glanced at each new blinking notification on their smart phone is familiar with dopamine.
	Circadian clock plays unexpected role in neurodegenerative diseases While your body might bemoan the many uncomfortable effects of jet lag, your brain may be thanking you for that cross-time zone travel.
	Study identifies new approach to repairing damaged peripheral nervous system A new University of Virginia study proves that a damaged peripheral nervous system is capable of repairing itself—when healthy cells are recruited there from the central nervous system. The finding has implications for the future treatment of debilitating and life-threatening nervous system disorders affecting children, such as muscular dystrophy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.
	Alzheimer's diagnosis, management improved by brain scans A first-of-its-kind national study has found that a form of brain imaging that detects Alzheimer's-related "plaques" significantly influenced clinical management of patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
	Research unlocks biomechanic mystery behind deadly blood clots Researchers at the University of Sydney have used biomechanical engineering techniques to unlock the mystery surrounding the mechanical forces that influence blood clotting.
	Gut microbiome directs the immune system to fight cancer The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors—which "release the brakes" of the body's immune system to launch an efficient tumor attack—are a major breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy. However, these treatments don't work for everybody and are often associated with significant side effects. The ability to stratify patients based on potential response to immune checkpoint inhibitors could therefore personalize cancer treatment. Efforts to understand the regulation of anti-tumor immunity (when the immune system fights a tumor) point to the importance of the gut microbiome. However, the underlying molecular mechanism(s) remain largely elusive.
	How the brain finds meaning in metaphor You can grasp a hand. You can also grasp a concept. One is literal. One is metaphorical. Our brains know the difference, but would we be able to understand the latter without the former?
	3-D-printed transparent skull provides a window to the brain Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a unique 3-D-printed transparent skull implant for mice that provides an opportunity to watch activity of the entire brain surface in real time. The device allows fundamental brain research that could provide new insight for human brain conditions such as concussions, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
	Transplanted bone marrow endothelial progenitor cells delay ALS disease progression Transplantation of human bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) into mice mimicking symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) helped more motor neurons survive and slowed disease progression by repairing damage to the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB), University of South Florida researchers report.
	Blood test helps accurate, rapid diagnosis for pre-eclampsia A new study published today in The Lancet, has found that a simple blood test can help make the diagnosis for a common and potentially fatal pregnancy complication.
	Scant evidence that e-cigarette growth linked to 'renormalization' of teen smoking There is little evidence that the rapid growth of largely unregulated e-cigarettes between 2011 and 2015 was associated with the 'renormalisation' of smoking among teens, reveals research published online in the journal Tobacco Control.
	Drugs used to enhance sexual experiences, especially in UK Combining drugs with sex is common regardless of gender or sexual orientation, reveals new research by UCL and the Global Drug Survey into global trends of substance-linked sex.
New research shows 73 percent of allergists prescribe under-the-tongue allergy tablets Allergy shots (subcutaneous immunotherapy or SCIT) have been available for more than 100 years. Allergy tablets (sublingual immunotherapy or SLIT) have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States for four years. A new study in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) shows that most American allergists now prescribe the tablets for some patients to treat certain allergies. The study was developed by the ACAAI Immunotherapy and Diagnostics Committee.
	Researcher studies the binge-watching blues Like many studies, Jessica Kruger's foray into researching binge-watching began with a good story.
	Healing the heartbreak of stillbirth and newborn death Parents who experience stillbirth or neonatal death will be offered "the best possible care in the worst possible circumstance," thanks to guidelines developed by the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence and The University of Queensland.
	Evaluating spousal caregivers cardiovascular risks Spousal caregivers can face increased health risks, such as high blood pressure and heart disease, possibly due to the stress of caring for an ailing spouse, according to new research.
	Metastatic prostate cancer may have its own biomarker, research finds Prostate cancer can grow slowly and pose little threat to patients, or it can metastasize quickly, causing severe pain and death. But as of now, it's nearly impossible to determine which type of cancer a patient has during the early stages.
	Researcher finds dangerous levels of metals in liquor sold in Uganda UCLA Extension's Ochan Otim is a chemist who specializes in developing methods for quantifying and assessing the health risk associated with organic and metal contaminants in the environment. For the last few years, Otim, who grew up in Uganda, has been driven to use his expertise to try to help solve a dangerous mystery in his country of birth.
	Seniors struggle with anxiety when personal needs not met Older adults who struggle with dressing, bathing and preparing meals, but don't get the help they need, may experience high levels of anxiety that can lead to adverse consequences, such as wearing soiled clothes or going hungry.
	Digital device overload linked to obesity risk If your attention gets diverted in different directions by smartphones and other digital devices, take note: Media multitasking has now been linked to obesity.
	Study: Families spend half of their evening meal distracted by technology, tasks When families gather for dinner at night, they spend nearly half of their time distracted by electronic devices, toys and tasks that take them physically or mentally away from the table, a new study found.
	New ebolavirus, found in bats, more widespread than first thought A recently discovered species of ebolavirus may be more widespread than previously thought and could be hosted by a particular bat species, according to findings published by a University of Arkansas biologist. The ebolavirus species, named Bombali, is one of two currently not known to infect humans.
	Story time: A novel solution for preemies, moms suffering from postpartum depression It's a heartbreaking reality: many women who give birth to children requiring the expert care of a neonatal intensive care unit suffer from postpartum depression and stress, and often report problems bonding with their babies – factors that can adversely affect both the short- and long-term health of both children and moms.
	Intestinal bacteria can be used to predict occurrence of colorectal cancer Gut microbiota, the population of microbes that live in the intestine, can be used to predict the occurrence of colorectal cancer, the second most common type of cancer in women and the third in men. Research by an international team of scientists, including researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil, has found a link between colorectal cancer and changes in gut microbiota patterns that do not depend on the dietary habits of the populations studied. The discovery paves the way to the development of non-invasive tests capable of predicting emergence of the disease.
	Newly-discovered link between biological processes reveals a novel way to control inflammation Scientists at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), in Barcelona, Spain, have uncovered the biological details of how cells produce a crucial molecule involved in inflammation, pointing toward a new avenue for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs. The findings are published this month in the journal Developmental Cell.
	Breakthrough alpha-ray treatment of cancer without external radiation For many years, radioactive iodine which emits beta rays has been used for treatment of thyroid cancer. Generally, 5-year survival rates may exceed 90%. However, some thyroid tumors become resistant to iodine treatment ("iodine-refractory"), and a breakthrough approach is needed. Many research groups have attempted to determine new methods for treatment of iodine-refractory thyroid cancer; none have shown compelling results—until now.
	A bald gene finding Hairlessness in dogs can be the result of deliberate breeding or, in certain breeds, a defect. A recent study completed at the University of Helsinki describes a gene variant in the SGK3 gene, which causes hairlessness in Scottish Deerhounds. The gene defect results in puppies born with thin fur that lose all of their hair in a few weeks. SGK3 is also a candidate for association with non-hormonal baldness in humans.
	Well-known drug has less risk for preterm delivery in PCOS Metformin can halve the risk of late miscarriage and preterm births for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS occurs in 10 to 15 percent of all women. The symptoms are irregular menstrual periods, increased levels of male sex hormones and small ovarian blisters. In addition, many women with PCOS are overweight. Women with PCOS also have an increased incidence of impaired fertility, miscarriages, gestational diabetes, premature births and pre-eclampsia.
	Inherited genetic variation linked to risk of T cell leukemia in children A study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has identified a novel risk variant associated with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). The findings appear as an advance online publication in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
	Exploring copper's potential as antibiotic Pneumonia starts like this: A bacterial cell called Streptococcus pneumoniae enters the nostril. It travels down the nasal passage and into the lungs, where a war begins. In the lungs, S. pneumoniae encounters immune cells called macrophages, which will do whatever they can to fight it off.
	Increased risk of substance abuse in people with treatment resistant depression People suffering from treatment resistant depression are at a higher risk of developing substance use disorders than other patients with depression, reports a study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal Addiction. The risk is highest for sedatives or opiates, which includes the analgesic morphine and heroin.
	Deferred umbilical cord clamping could save many premature infants New research shows delayed umbilical cord clamping improves survival and reduces risk of brain injury in extremely premature infants.
	Bevacizumab may cause cognitive impairment Glioblastoma is the most common kind of brain tumour in adults. It is a very aggressive form of cancer; patients with this diagnosis have a median post-diagnosis survival of 15 months. Especially in the US, the drug Bevacizumab is used to treat glioblastomas. The drug is not chemotherapy in the classical sense, but involves therapy with an antibody that is designed to stop cancer growth. Evidence from a large-scale therapy study indicates that glioblastoma patients treated with Bevacizumab may develop cognitive impairment. A team of scientists from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) therefore investigated how Bevacizumab affects brain cells. The researchers describe their results in the journal Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience published online on 26 March 2019.
	Surgery is associated with increased survival for patients with HER2+ stage 4 breast cancer Surgery was associated with higher survival rates for patients with HER2-positive (HER2+) stage 4 breast cancer compared with those who did not undergo surgery, according to results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019, March 29-April 3.
	Increased risk of stroke in childhood cancer survivors treated with cranial radiation therapy explained A common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was associated with increased risk for developing stroke in childhood survivors who received cranial radiation therapy (CRT) for their primary cancer, according to results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019, March 29–April 3.
	Maintenance therapy with rucaparib shows clinical responses in a subgroup of patients with pancreatic cancer Maintenance treatment with the PARP inhibitor rucaparib (Rubraca) was well tolerated and provided clinical responses among patients with advanced BRCA- or PALB2-mutated pancreatic cancer sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy, according to results from an interim analysis of an ongoing phase II clinical trial presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019, March 29–April 3.
	Adults at high risk for HIV infection have low rates of vaccination against human papillomavirus Adults who are at high risk of becoming infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, were less likely than the general population to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause anal and cervical cancer, according to results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019, held in Atlanta March 29-April 3.
	Alcohol misuse is more common in the armed forces than post-traumatic stress disorder Alcohol has historically been used in the UK armed forces to encourage bonding and to deal with difficult experiences. And while alcohol use is now on the decline, harmful drinking in the forces is still double that of the general population.
	Come for the fillings, stay for the fillers: Some dentists are offering Botox, cosmetic treatments After a plastic surgeon's office botched her dermal fillers, Tima Barkeshli found a different destination for cosmetic treatments: her dentist's office.
	New thermal ablation method for adenoma shows promise Researchers from the USA (Kansas State University) and the Republic of Ireland (the National University of Ireland Galway) have completed a successful initial test of a new microwave thermal ablation technique, which could eventually be used to treat Conn's syndrome.
	Research shows impact of poverty on children's brain activity Children born into poverty show key differences in early brain function, according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
	New insights into the development and therapy of cancer Oncologists at the University and University Hospital in Tübingen have discovered a new protein variant that plays an important role in the development and therapy response of cancer. For physicians, this discovery opens up the opportunity for new options in the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. The results of the study were published on Tuesday, April 2nd in the journal EBioMedicine, the Open Access journal published by The Lancet.
	Medicare drug benefits carry burdensome costs for some patients Three times a week, Tod Gervich injects himself with Copaxone, a prescription drug that can reduce the frequency of relapses in people who have some forms of multiple sclerosis. After more than 20 years with the disease, Gervich, 66, of Mashpee, Mass., is accustomed to managing his condition. What he can't get used to is how Medicare's co-insurance charges drain his wallet.
	Kids exposed to flame retardant PBDE are at risk for lifelong liver or cardiovascular problems What factors determine if you will experience healthy and cheerful aging or if it will turn into an endless chain of suffering from numerous health conditions?
	New study evaluates psychological interventions in post-conflict Pakistan A new University of Liverpool led study, published in The Lancet, highlights the effectiveness of a brief group psychological intervention for women affected by anxiety and depression in a post-conflict setting in Pakistan.
	Doctors unclear on legal obligations in caring for patients with disability (HealthDay)—Practicing physicians might not understand their legal responsibilities when caring for people with disability, which may contribute to inequalities in their care, according to a study published online April 1 in Health Affairs.
	FDA approves mavenclad for treating multiple sclerosis (HealthDay)—Mavenclad (cladribine) tablets were approved to treat adult patients with relapsing-remitting and active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) who have inadequately responded to or cannot tolerate an alternate drug for MS, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday.
	Smoking risk: Early menopause increases the risk of bladder cancer Early menopause increases the risk of bladder cancer for smokers – this was the finding of an interdisciplinary research group, led by urologist Mohammad Abufaraj from MedUni Vienna's Department of Urology and Division of Epidemiology and other international university hospitals, using data from 230,000 participants in the longitudinal Nurses' Health Studies I and II. Hormonal factors have no influence on the incidence of the disease but smokers who start the menopause before the age of 45 run a more than 50 percent higher risk of developing it. The results of the, as yet unpublished, study were recently presented at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Barcelona.
	US health officials alarmed by paralyzing illness in kids One morning last fall, 4-year-old Joey Wilcox woke up with the left side of his face drooping.
	Thyroid cancer surges—is TMI responsible? In most cases, the cause of thyroid cancer is unknown, according to Dr. David Goldenberg, chief of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Penn State Health. But for years, the vast majority of his thyroid cancer patients have told him they blame the 1979 partial meltdown of a reactor at Three Mile Island near Middletown, Pennsylvania, for their disease.
	Married at First Sight—a 'social experiment' all but guaranteeing relationship failure Despite its obvious appeal, the Nine Network's reality TV show Married at First Sight is based on a false premise. This "social experiment" is built on the notion that individuals looking for love are matched by experts, increasing the probability of a lasting and satisfying union.
	Living in a stressful neighbourhood is biologically ageing Living in a stressful neighbourhood is related to ageing faster, according to new research using telomeres as a marker for biological ageing. Telomeres are part of people's DNA which give a measure of 'miles on the clock," or biological age.
Prostate cancer incidence and mortality have declined in most countries Prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates are decreasing or stabilizing in most parts of the world, with the United States recording the biggest drop in incidence, according to results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019, March 29-April 3.
	Acute flaccid myelitis requires galvanized research response Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) presents significant challenges not only to patients but also to researchers, and efforts must be accelerated to learn more about the condition, experts from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, write in a new perspective published in mBio.
	Team finds three factors extend life for advanced pancreatic cancer patients Historically, most pancreatic cancer patients whose tumors grow outside the pancreas to encompass veins and arteries have been told the cancer is inoperable and they should prepare for an average survival time of 12 to 18 months. A newly published Mayo Clinic study finds that a pre-surgery treatment plan focused on three factors can extend life years beyond that. The findings are published in the Annals of Surgery, the journal of the American Surgical Association and European Surgical Association.
	Scientists develop a mouse model for rare brain disease Joubert syndrome A new mouse model for Joubert Syndrome has been developed by University of Bath scientists, who hope it will accelerate research to understand how the disease develops as well as help develop and evaluate therapeutic approaches.
Combo of virotherapy and radiotherapy shows early promise in patients with esophageal cancer The experimental oncolytic adenovirus telomelysin (OBP-301) in combination with radiotherapy was safe and showed early clinical efficacy in vulnerable patients with esophageal cancer, according to results from a phase I clinical trial presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019, March 29-April 3.
	Searching for better treatments for irritated tendons When tendons get irritated it can lead to a serious condition called tendinosis—a common class of sports and workplace injuries—which is also common in older individuals. It can take many weeks of rest for tendon irritation to heal, with no treatments, save short-term steroid injections and surgery, followed by more rest. New research on the biology of tendon irritation from Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) pinpoints key molecular components of injury, opening the possibility of targeting the pathways with pharmaceutical and other interventions.
	Combine data to improve malaria tracking, say scientists Scientists have identified a way to provide more detailed information on malaria transmission both locally and across borders, according to two new papers published today in eLife.
	Study reveals genes associated with heavy drinking and alcoholism A large genomic study of nearly 275,000 people led by Penn Medicine researchers revealed new insights into genetic drivers of heavy drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD), the uncontrollable pattern of alcohol use commonly referred to as alcoholism. In the largest-ever genome-wide association study (GWAS) of both traits in the same population, a team of researchers found 18 genetic variants of significance associated with either heavy alcohol consumption, AUD, or both. Interestingly, while five of the variants overlapped, eight were only associated with consumption and five with AUD only.
	Fast-changing genetics key to hospital superbug survival For the study, published today in Microbial Genomics, a team of scientists at UCL Genetics Institute and Peking University People's Hospital in Beijing tracked the spread of K. pneumoniae in a Beijing hospital following a patient death from blood poisoning in 2016.
Researchers study effect of chronic opioid therapy on pain and survival in sickle cell disease New UMN research recently published Blood Advances, Kalpna Gupta, Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, demonstrates the impact of opioids on the survival of humanized mouse models with sickle cell disease, compared to normal mice.
	US experts reviewing low-carb, other diets for guidelines With keto-friendly recipes sweeping social media, some followers of low-carb eating are hoping for a nod of approval in the upcoming U.S. dietary guidelines that advise Americans on what to eat.
No US commercial laboratories fully meet guidance for noninvasive prenatal screening An analysis of the reports and materials provided by commercial laboratories offering noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) for genetic disorders finds that none of them fully meet the recommendations published by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). The report from a team of specialists in medical genetics is being published in the journal Genetics in Medicine.
	Defining obesity in children should be based on health issues, not just BMI Physicians are told to gauge the severity of a child's problem with obesity using the body mass index (BMI) that measures weight against height. But that doesn't work well to identify health issues, especially those of mental health, in children with obesity seeking care, says a study led by McMaster University.
	Berkeley's soda tax election changed drinking habits months before prices went up Sticker shock may not have been the only force driving the decline in soda consumption in Berkeley after residents voted to enact the nation's first soda tax in November 2014.
Acetaminophen may increase stroke risk for those with diabetes Acetaminophen (otherwise known by brand names such as Tylenol) is one of the most widely used pain relievers. Almost 60 years of widespread use have made acetaminophen a household product. It's distributed over the counter (OTC) in most countries and judged safe by the scientific community. However, acetaminophen is also one of the most common medications involved in overdoses (the medical term for taking more of a medicine than you should) and is the most common cause of drug-induced liver failure.
	Liver, colon cancer cells thwarted by compounds derived from hops The plant that adds flavor, color and bitterness to beer also produces a primary compound that thwarts cancer cells, and two important derivatives of the compound do as well, new research at Oregon State University shows.
	Douching: more harmful than helpful (HealthDay)—Douching is the age-old practice of using a solution to attempt to clean the vagina, but there's only downsides to it.
	Over-the-counter meds save health care system money (HealthDay)—On average, each dollar spent on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines saves the U.S. health care system $7.20, totaling nearly $146 billion in annual savings, according to a report released March 18 by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA).
	Reduction in autism diagnoses observed with DSM-5 (HealthDay)—Use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 (DSM-5) criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) seems to have reduced the number of ASD diagnoses, according to a review published online March 9 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
	Best practices developed for diagnosing, managing MINOCA (HealthDay)—In an American Heart Association scientific statement published online March 27 in Circulation, best practices are presented for diagnostic evaluation and management of myocardial infarction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA).
	Guidelines address PFO closure for secondary stroke prevention (HealthDay)—In a Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions expert consensus statement published online March 21 in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions, recommendations are presented for patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure for the secondary prevention of recurrent stroke.
	Cholera cases mount to over 1,000 in cyclone-hit Mozambique Cholera has infected at least 1,052 people in Mozambique's cyclone-hit region, the health ministry said Monday in a new report, marking a massive increase from 139 cases reported four days ago.
Experts discover historic roots of Medicare for All, public option and free-market proposals As political leaders debate the future of the U.S. health care system, a pair of health financing experts discovered that all of the current proposals—from Medicare for All to "repeal and replace"—have been circulating in various forms since the 1940s.
	Anti-vaxxers appear to be losing ground in the online vaccine debate As measles outbreaks spread across the U.S., our new look at how information about vaccine safety and reliability spreads online suggests that the tide may be turning against the anti-vaccination movement.
Gout treatment may help prevent obesity-related type 2 diabetes, suggests small NIH study The drug colchicine, used to treat the arthritic condition gout, could potentially reduce complications accompanying metabolic syndrome, a combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar and other conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health. Their study appears in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism.
	NHS dental budget needs reform to meet patients' needs Routine scaling and polishing of teeth should be stopped as the NHS dental budget would be better spent elsewhere, experts warn.
	Older women benefit significantly when screened with 3-D mammography Mammography remains an effective method for breast cancer screening in women ages 65 and older, with the addition of a 3-D technique called tomosynthesis improving screening performances even more, according to a study published in the journal Radiology.
	Bariatric embolization shows promise in treatment of obesity Bariatric embolization, a new, minimally invasive treatment for obesity produces weight loss and reduces appetite for up to one year, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology.
	Can delayed/extended-release methylphenidate allow for once daily evening dosing in ADHD? A new three-part study showed that a delayed-release, extended-release form of methylphenidate could be given to adults in the evening with or without food and would not exert any clinically meaningful effect for at least 10 hours after administration. These positive findings suggest that HLD200 could provide a novel and more flexible alternative to treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children compared to the currently used immediate-release methylphenidate. The design of each study and the intriguing results are reported in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.
	Three easy measures to predict metabolic syndrome in elderly A new study found a surprisingly high rate of metabolic syndrome among individuals aged 60-100 years. Three easy-to-measure anthropometric indicators were predictive of metabolic syndrome in both men and women and could be useful for indicating the need for preventive care and further testing, according to the findings published in Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.
Caring for an older adult with cancer comes with emotional challenges for caregivers, too The number of informal caregivers who look after older adults with cancer is on the rise. Caregivers could be relatives, partners, or even friends who provide assistance to people in order to help them function.
	US regulators exploring ways CBD products could be legal U.S. regulators say they're exploring ways CBD could be used legally in foods and dietary supplements, and will hold a public hearing on the cannabis compound next month.
Cholera kills two, infects 1,400 in cyclone-hit Mozambique A cyclone-induced cholera outbreak in central Mozambique has killed two people and infected more than 1,400, the government announced Tuesday on the eve of the launch of a mass vaccination drive.
	Couple kept the faith as baby neared death—and then a transplant saved him Rikki and Greg Myers were excited to hear whether their first child would be a boy or a girl. They were hosting Thanksgiving and wanted to reveal the gender then.
	Three exercises for stronger, sleeker thighs (HealthDay)—Wall sits, leg curls and leg lifts are three effective thigh exercises that don't require any strength-training equipment—just your own body weight, so you can do them virtually anywhere, even at the office.

Biology news

	The milkweed bug's orange wings and DNA: How insects' diets are revealed by the genome An international collaboration of researchers, including from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, have sequenced the genome of the milkweed bug, enabling scientists to understand at the molecular level what makes the bug, from its colourful development to its toxic diet.
	Unfroggetable: endangered Bolivian amphibians get long-awaited first date The fate of a species may just rest on this love story.
	Crop yield in maize influenced by unexpected gene 'moonlighting' Maize is a staple crop that came from humble beginnings. If you look at its wild ancestor, teosinte, the plant looks nearly unrecognizable. Human selection has persuaded the maize plant to grow in a way that produces higher yields and can be more efficiently harvested. But scientists and farmers are looking for ways, in the face of climate change, population growth, and other factors, to even further optimize maize yields.
	Love Island: Flamboyant males get the girls on Madagascar Biodiversity hotspot Madagascar is one of the world's biggest islands, and home to some of its biggest insects. Now German scientists have discovered two new species of giant stick insect, living only in the dry forests of Madagascar's northernmost tip.
	Fruit bats are reforesting African woodlands Not only do intact ecosystems delight the eye of nature lovers, they also help people financially. However, it is difficult to put an exact figure on how much money they actually generate in specific cases. For the first time, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell, together with their colleagues from Sweden and Ghana, have now calculated the ecological and financial benefits of straw-coloured fruit bats in Africa.
	A cellular protein as a 'gas pump attendant' of cancer development The cells that make up the body vary significantly. A liver cell does not look like a muscle cell, and each has a unique function. This is because liver cells produce the proteins that characterize them, and muscle cells do the same. The blueprint of each human protein is saved in genes, which are the same in every single cell.
	How proteins are assigned to specific transporters A fundamental cellular mechanism ensures that proteins are transported to the places they are needed in the cells. So-called vesicles are responsible for that transport. Determining their composition has been difficult up to now, not least because of their short life span. By combining innovative investigative techniques, biochemists at Heidelberg University have succeeded in analysing two of these transport vesicles – the COPI and COPII vesicles – comprehensively for the first time. The results of the research were published in the journal Cell Reports.
	The evolution of bird-of-paradise sex chromosomes revealed Birds-of-paradise are a group of songbird species, and are known for their magnificent male plumage and bewildering sexual display. Now, an international collaborative study involving the University of Vienna, Zhejiang University of China and the Swedish Museum of Natural History has analyzed the genomes of 11 songbird species, including those of five bird-of-paradise species, and reconstructed the evolutionary history of their sex chromosomes.
	New machine learning model describes dynamics of cell development From their birth through to their death, cells lead an eventful existence. Thanks to single-cell genomics, their destiny in large cell populations can now be analyzed. However, this method destroys the cell, which makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the dynamics of cell development. In order to address this problem, researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the University of Massachusetts use pseudodynamics, a mathematical model that estimates developmental processes from single-cell time series observations. Their report has been published in Nature Biotechnology.
	How much hunting is too much hunting? One of the main challenges in wildlife conservation biology is to understand what factors affect vulnerable wildlife populations over time. Scientists have been trying to understand these factors to estimate how much hunting in a season is sustainable, but the lack of long-term monitoring data, especially in remote areas such as the Arctic, makes this task very difficult to accomplish.
	New species of wood-munching (and phallic-looking) clams found at the bottom of the ocean When a tree falls in a forest, regardless of whether anyone hears it, it sometimes becomes clam food. Wood that finds its way from rivers into the ocean can eventually become waterlogged and sink to the sea floor, sometimes to great depths. There, tiny clams bore into the wood, eating the wood shavings and living the rest of their lives head down in the holes they made. In a new paper in the Journal of Molluscan Studies, researchers have updated the deep-sea wood-boring clam family tree with three new genus groups and one new species. And, it turns out, once removed from their boreholes, the clams are pretty PG-13-looking.
	Sea snakes make record-setting deep dives Sea snakes, best known from shallow tropical waters, have been recorded swimming at 250 metres in the deep-sea 'twilight zone', smashing the previous diving record of 133 metres held by sea snakes.
	The hotter it gets, the more forests act as insulators Using data from about 100 sites worldwide, an international research team has demonstrated that forest cover acts as a global thermal insulator by cooling the understory when the air temperature is high. This buffer effect is well known, but this study is the first that has evaluated this worldwide in temperate, boreal and tropical forests.
	How a male-hating bacterium rejuvenates A team from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University together with their Russian colleagues carried out genetic analysis of the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia that prevents the birth and development of males in different species of arthropods. It turns out that the microorganisms exchange their genes to rejuvenate. The results of the study were published in the Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution journal.
	Scientists confirm first report of egg parasitoid in Africa to fight fall armyworm A group of scientists has confirmed the first report of an egg parasitoid Telenomus remus in Africa, which could prove an important biological weapon in the fight against the devastating fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) that threatens the food security of more than 200 million people.
	The decline of salmon adds to the struggle of Puget Sound's orcas The crew of the Bell M. Shimada hauled in the net, long as a football field and teeming with life. Scientists, off the coast of Washington for a week on this June research trip, crowded in for a look.
	Researcher uses decomposition fungi to create patterns in wood Fungi that decompose tree trunks can conjure up real works of art in wood. In nature, however, the decay-causing fungi not only decorate the tree, but also destroy it. Empa researchers are now teaching the fungi how to draw. The result: upscale marbled wood that can be processed into design furniture or musical instruments.
	Impacts of how non-native species are assessed Millions of the world's most vulnerable people face problems with invasive weeds, insects and plant diseases, which are out of control and have a major impact on global prosperity, communities and the environment. Developing countries are disproportionately affected.
	Scientists measure extent of recovery for critically endangered black abalone One critically endangered species of smooth-shelled abalone is making a comeback in certain parts of its range along the California coast. To better understand the extent of black abalone recovery, a collaborative team led by scientists at the California Academy of Sciences, San Diego State University, University of Oregon, and Channel Islands National Park is turning to archeological sites on the Channel Islands. Their findings, published today in Ecology and Evolution, suggest that while the recent ecological rebound is encouraging, there's still work to do before the black abalone should be considered fully recovered.
	Nature versus nurture: Environment exerts greater influence on corn health than genetics Corn is one of the most important staple crops in the world—over 1 billion metric tons of corn are harvested each year, comprising 37 percent of the global cereal production. Corn production occupies an estimated 188 million hectares—roughly the size of Mexico—and utilizes 13 percent of the world's arable land. Because of this, there is a vested interest in keeping corn healthy.

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