Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Jul 2

Dear Reader ,

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

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Isolating intact bacteria from blood using a microfluidic monolith device

A counterintuitive case in which like charges attract

A bio-inspired flow-sensing cupula for submersible robotics

Stellar stream of galaxy NGC 5907 has a morphology different than previously thought

Getting more heat out of sunlight

Kirigami can spin terahertz rays in real time to peer into biological tissue

Scientists weigh the balance of matter in galaxy clusters

Physicist finds loose thread of string theory puzzle

Generation and sampling of quantum states of light in a silicon chip

Tiny motor can 'walk' to carry out tasks

Fast radio burst pinpointed to distant galaxy

Bonobo diet of aquatic greens may hold clues to human evolution

3-D holograms bringing astronomy to life

Citizen scientists discover cyclical pattern of complexity in solar storms

Sense of smell, pollution and neurological disease connection explored

Astronomy & Space news

	Stellar stream of galaxy NGC 5907 has a morphology different than previously thought Using Dragonfly Telephoto Array, astronomers have revisited the spiral galaxy NGC 5907 and provided more insights into the morphology of its stellar stream. The new observations indicate that this feature has a qualitatively different morphology than when it was observed about a decade ago. The new findings are reported in a paper published June 26 on arXiv.org.
	Scientists weigh the balance of matter in galaxy clusters A method of weighing the quantities of matter in galaxy clusters—the largest objects in our universe—has shown a balance between the amounts of hot gas, stars and other materials.
	Fast radio burst pinpointed to distant galaxy Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are among the most enigmatic and powerful events in the cosmos. Around 80 of these events—intensely bright millisecond-long bursts of radio waves coming from beyond our galaxy—have been witnessed so far, but their causes remain unknown.
	3-D holograms bringing astronomy to life Scientists working on unravelling the mysteries of star cluster formation have found an innovative way of sharing their work with the general public. Taking inspiration from a 19th century magic trick, researchers from the University of Leeds have developed 3-D holograms that allow people to watch massive stars forming before their eyes.
	Citizen scientists discover cyclical pattern of complexity in solar storms Citizen scientists have discovered that solar storms become more complex as the Sun's 11-year activity cycle reaches its maximum—a finding which could help forecasters predict which space weather events could have potentially devastating consequences for modern technologies at Earth.
	An infrared close up of the moon A first-of-its-kind camera developed in partnership between CU Boulder and Ball Aerospace will soon be landing on the moon.
	Evidence found that suggests dwarf planet Ceres is wrinkling A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in Spain has found evidence that suggests the dwarf planet Ceres is experiencing wrinkling on its surface. In their paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the group explains their study of data from the Dawn spacecraft and what it revealed.
	NASA launches Orion crew capsule to test abort system NASA conducted a full-stress launch abort test Tuesday for the Orion capsules designed to carry astronauts to the moon.
	Atmosphere of mid-size planet revealed by Hubble and Spitzer Two NASA space telescopes have teamed up to identify, for the first time, the detailed chemical "fingerprint" of a planet between the sizes of Earth and Neptune. No planets like this can be found in our own solar system, but they are common around other stars.
	Chile, Argentina prepare for spectacular solar eclipse Day will briefly turn to night Tuesday over large parts of Chile and Argentina as a total eclipse of the Sun plunges a vast swath of the southern Pacific and the cone of South America into darkness.
	Centuries of Moon depictions on display in New York Some 400 years of depictions of the Moon, particularly via photography, are going on display at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing.
	Learning how to protect astronauts from space radiation There is little known about the effects of space radiation on the human body. Astronauts cannot see or feel it, yet the high doses they are exposed to outside Earth's cocoon pose health hazards for trips to the Moon and Mars. To help investigate and find out more, European scientists can now accelerate atoms at close to the speed of light to learn how to protect astronauts.
	New camera system to offer high-resolution images and video of lunar landings A new spacecraft-mounted camera system funded by NASA is poised to return the first high-resolution video of a landing plume as it lands on the moon.
	Landing the Mars 2020 rover: Autopilot will avoid terrain hazards autonomously The view of the Sea of Tranquility rising up to meet Neil Armstrong during the first astronaut landing on the Moon was not what Apollo 11 mission planners had intended. They had hoped to send the lunar module Eagle toward a relatively flat landing zone with few craters, rocks and boulders. Instead, peering through his small, triangular commander's window, Armstrong saw a boulder field—very unfriendly for a lunar module. So the Apollo 11 commander took control of the descent from the onboard computer, piloting Eagle well beyond the boulder field,to a landing site that will forever be known as Tranquility Base.
	Total solar eclipses reveal the dark and stormy side of the sun we never see In astronomy, we have a common saying: "good luck, and clear skies." For an eclipse chaser like me, this is especially important. We have two minutes and no second chance—one small cloud can spoil everything.
	Methane vanishing on Mars: Researchers propose new mechanism as an explanation The processes behind the release and consumption of methane on Mars have been discussed since methane was measured for the first time for approximately 15 years ago. Now, an interdisciplinary research group from Aarhus University has proposed a previously overlooked physical-chemical process that can explain methane's consumption.
	Chileans and Argentines gape at total solar eclipse Tens of thousands of tourists and locals gaped skyward Tuesday as a rare total eclipse of the sun began to darken the heavens over northern Chile.
	Astronomers help wage war on cancer Techniques developed by astronomers could help in the fight against breast and skin cancer. Charlie Jeynes at the University of Exeter will present his and Prof Tim Harries team's work today at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting (NAM 2019) at the University of Lancaster.

Technology news

	A bio-inspired flow-sensing cupula for submersible robotics Nature can be a precious source of inspiration for researchers developing robots and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Studies in submersible robotics, for instance, have often tried to replicate or incorporate mechanisms observed in aquatic life, such as fish locomotion patterns and shark skin textures.
	Tiny motor can 'walk' to carry out tasks Years ago, MIT Professor Neil Gershenfeld had an audacious thought. Struck by the fact that all the world's living things are built out of combinations of just 20 amino acids, he wondered: Might it be possible to create a kit of just 20 fundamental parts that could be used to assemble all of the different technological products in the world?
	Ossia suits up for new day in wireless charging Technology advances by leaps, bounds—and stagnates in a stubborn flat line. Technology has showcased machines that can learn how to make a sophisticated pizza, identify individuals by heartbeat and bring self-driving cars to move, stop and park. We are still, however, sentenced to charging pads and holding patterns on walls to juice our devices.
	A look inside neural networks Artificial intelligence (AI) is already firmly embedded in our everyday lives and is conquering more and more territory. For example, voice assistants are already an everyday item in many people's smartphones, cars and homes. Progress in the field of AI is based primarily on the use of neural networks. Mimicking the functionality of the human brain, neural networks link mathematically defined units with one another. But in the past it was not known just how a neural network makes decisions. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute, HHI and Technische Universität Berlin have developed a technology that reveals the criteria AI systems use when making decisions. The innovative Spectral Relevance Analysis (SpRAy) method based on Layer-wise Relevance Propagation technology provides a first peek inside the "black box."
	Libra, Iran and the potential end of cryptocurrencies as we know them Facebook's new cryptocurrency, libra, is being heralded as the moment that cryptocurrencies and blockchain, the technology that supports them, become truly mainstream. A notable rise in the price of bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies in the run up to the libra announcement on June 18, and since, suggests a market directly responding to this possibility and bolstered by it.
	Technology can make collecting and analysing evidence for policy easier There is more and more research being produced around the world every day. In total, about 3 million articles are published every year.
	Is Bitcoin the new gold standard or another fiat? A statistical analysis of volatility in cryptocurrencies has been carried out using a news impact curve. The analysis provides empirical evidence that could help economists decide whether these modern digital currencies are trust-based but intrinsically worthless like the "fiat" paper money system of familiar currencies we use or the new "gold standard." The research team offers details of their analysis and their conclusions in the International Journal of Monetary Economics and Finance.
	Unmanned aerial vehicles Unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are increasingly used for tasks that are too difficult or dangerous for people to complete. But better control and communication among groups of similarly tasked UAVs is still needed, experts say.
	Building trust in artificial intelligence From telecommunications to road traffic, from healthcare to the workplace—digital technology is now an intrinsic part of almost every area of life. Yet how can we ensure that developments in this field, especially those that rely on artificial intelligence (AI), meet all our ethical, legal and technological concerns? In a project led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS, and with the participation of Germany's Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), an interdisciplinary team of scientists from the Universities of Bonn and Cologne are drawing up an inspection catalog for the certification of AI applications. They have now published a white paper presenting the philosophical, ethical, legal and technological issues involved.
	Germany fines Facebook $2.3 million under hate speech law German authorities said Tuesday that they have imposed a 2 million-euro ($2.3 million) fine on Facebook under a law designed to combat hate speech.
	Facebook acts on 'sensational' health cures after report Facebook and YouTube said Tuesday they were moving to reduce the spread of misleading health care claims after a media report showed the proliferation of bogus cancer cures on social media.
	Data scientist drops Facebook defamation suit Aleksandr Kogan, the data scientist at the center of Facebook's Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal, said he is dropping a defamation lawsuit against the social network rather than engage in an expensive, drawn-out legal battle.
	Internet restored in Ethiopia 10 days after assassinations Ethiopia has begun restoring internet access Tuesday, 10 days after it was cut following the assassinations of six top government officials.
	French protesters block Amazon sites over climate, jobs Environmental activists chained themselves to gates and turnstiles Tuesday as they occupied an Amazon building near Paris, accusing the online company of destroying jobs and hurting the planet.
	Automakers report dip in US sales through midyear US automakers reported a dip in sales for the first half of 2019 on Tuesday as higher vehicle costs offset generally solid economic conditions.

Medicine & Health news

	Sense of smell, pollution and neurological disease connection explored A consensus is building that air pollution can cause neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, but how fine, sooty particles cause problems in the brain is still an unanswered question. Now a team of Penn State researchers, using mice, have found a possible way, but more research is still needed.
	Docs should consider a patient's weight before prescribing new chemotherapy drugs A new class of cancer drugs just now entering the marketplace seems promising so far, but researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago urge doctors to take into account a patient's weight and liver status before prescribing them once they come on the market.
	Why are we able to see moving objects against moving backgrounds? Visual motion is an important source of information for separating objects from their backgrounds.
	Gut microbes protect against flu virus infection in mice Commensal gut microbes stimulate antiviral signals in non-immune lung cells to protect against the flu virus during early stages of infection, researchers report July 2nd in the journal Cell Reports. Enhanced baseline type I interferon (IFNα/β) signaling, which drives antiviral responses, reduced flu virus replication and weight loss in mice, but this protective effect was attenuated by antibiotic treatment.
	HIV eliminated from the genomes of living animals In a major collaborative effort, researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) have for the first time eliminated replication-competent HIV-1 DNA—the virus responsible for AIDS—from the genomes of living animals. The study, reported online July 2 in the journal Nature Communications, marks a critical step toward the development of a possible cure for human HIV infection.
	The neuroscience of autism: New clues for how condition begins UNC School of Medicine scientists unveiled how a particular gene helps organize the scaffolding of brain cells called radial progenitors necessary for the orderly formation of the brain. Previous studies have shown that this gene is mutated in some people with autism.
	A noncoding RNA may play an important role in memory formation You could call this a neat discovery. Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have found that a tissue-specific, non-coding RNA called NEAT1 has a major, previously undescribed role in memory formation. The findings are presented in a paper published in Science Signaling on July 2.
	New stillbirth risk figures help women's decisions on timing delivery With every week that a pregnancy continues past term (37 weeks), the risk of stillbirth increases, according to an analysis of more than 15 million pregnancies led by Queen Mary University of London.
	New research toward predicting pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (pNET) recurrence A group of researchers funded by Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (NETRF) has discovered molecular information that may predict recurrence of non-functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs), which do not release excess hormones into the bloodstream. In a paper published today in Nature Medicine, the researchers describe new subtypes of pNETs with vastly different risks of recurrence.
	Scientists shrink stroke damage in mice by calming immune cells outside brain Instead of trying to fix stroke-damaged nerve cells, Stanford scientists took aim at a set of first-responder immune cells that live outside the brain but rush to the site of a stroke. It worked.
	B cells off the rails early in lupus New research on the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) provides hints to the origins of the puzzling disorder. The results were published Monday in Nature Immunology.
	Innate immune responses to high-fat diets lead to obesity Why is eating a high fat diet a recipe for obesity? According to a new study from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan, the answer involves the activity of a specific type of immune cell that lives in the small intestine. Published in the journal Cell Reports, a series of experiments shows that without group-2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in the small intestines, mice can eat high-fat diets without gaining extra weight or suffering from other physiological symptoms of obesity.
	Study suggests neuronal origin of 'they all look alike' A team of researchers from the University of California and Stanford University has found that the tendency to see people from different racial groups as interchangeable has a neuronal basis. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes studies they conducted with volunteers and what they found.
	Mechanism behind low cancer occurrence in bats signals potential treatment strategies for humans Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School have uncovered a potential mechanism behind cancer suppression in bats that may lead to future therapies for human cancers. The research shows that bat cells accumulate less toxic chemicals than human cells, where these chemicals are moved out of the system mediated by a cell surface pump protein, known as ABCB1, that is more abundant and widely distributed in bat tissue than in humans.
	Genetic variation linked to response to anxiety could inform personalised therapies A new study in marmoset monkeys suggests that individual variation in genes alters our ability to regulate emotions, providing new insights that could help in the development of personalised therapies to tackle anxiety and depression.
	Unraveling the brain's reward circuits To some, a chocolate cake may spark a shot of pleasure typically associated with illicit drugs. A new study by Penn biologists offers some insights into that link, revealing new information about how the brain responds to rewards such as food and drugs.
	Sister, neighbor, friend: Thinking about multiple roles boosts kids' performance A typical child plays many roles, such as friend, neighbor, son or daughter. Simply reminding children of that fact can lead to better problem-solving and more flexible thinking, finds new research from Duke University.
UK MPs more likely to have mental health issues than general public, survey shows UK politicians (MPs) at Westminster are more likely to have mental health issues than either the general public or other people in comparable professions/managerial posts, suggest the responses to a survey of parliamentarians, published in the online journal BMJ Open.
Top global public health scientists launch new challenge to anti-vaxxers Search engines and social media organizations must do more to prevent the spread of inaccurate information on childhood vaccination, and governments must better support mandatory immunization programs, says an international group of leading public health scientists in a statement published in the Journal of Health Communication.
	Could marijuana be an effective pain alternative to prescription medications? A new study has shown how cannabis could be an effective treatment option for both pain relief and insomnia, for those looking to avoid prescription and over the counter pain and sleep medications—including opioids.
	Physical and mental illnesses combined increase emergency department visits People with both physical illnesses and mental disorders visit the emergency department more frequently than people with multiple physical illnesses or mental illness alone, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Study highlights need for integrated healthcare for the homeless A University of Birmingham study has found alarming evidence of severe mental health problems, substance dependence and alcohol misuse amongst homeless population.
	Response to gene-targeted drugs depends on cancer type Cancers with the same genetic weaknesses respond differently to targeted drugs depending on the tumour type of the patient, new research reveals.
	New imaging molecule captures brain changes tied to progressive multiple sclerosis Secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) is a relentless disease. Over time, patients experience worsening physical, mental and mood-related symptoms. And yet, even as their symptoms progress, the brain white matter lesions found on a patient's MRI scans often remain unchanged. Suspecting that changes in the grey matter regions of the brain may be playing a critical role in the disease's progression, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital conducted an initial study assessing the differences in the activity of microglial cells in the grey matter regions of healthy volunteers versus those with MS. Using a novel tracer molecule known as [F-18]PBR06 and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, the team detected widespread and abnormal activation of microglia in MS patients and a link to brain atrophy, physical disability, and progressive MS. The team's findings are published in the July 2019 issue of Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
	Supervised fun, exercise both provide psychosocial benefit to children with obesity A program with clear rules, routines and activities, attentive adults and a chance to interact with peers appears to work as well at improving the quality of life, mood and self-worth of a child who is overweight or obese as a regular exercise program, researchers report.
	Cardiac genetic mutation may not always predict heart disease More than 750,000 people in the United States have dilated cardiomyopathy, a potentially life-threatening condition in which the heart's main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, enlarges and grows increasingly weak. Research has shown that one in 10 people with this condition were born with a mutation in the TTN (titin) gene, but—until now—it has been unclear whether everyone with these mutations will inevitably develop dilated cardiomyopathy. In a new study published today in Circulation, researchers at Penn Medicine and Geisinger reviewed gene sequences of more than 70,000 people, and found that 95 percent of patients who had the genetic mutations did not have heart disease or signs of cardiac decline. However, they did find subtle differences in the hearts ability to pump efficiently, compared to those without the mutation.
	Integrated, multi-'omic' studies of asthma could lead to precision treatment Carefully designed, integrated multi-"omic" studies could accelerate the use of precision medicine for asthma patients, according to researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In an invited review article published today in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Scott R. Tyler, Ph.D., and Supinda Bunyavanich, MD, MPH report that numerous studies have shown the value of applying transcriptomics and other "omic" approaches (the study of the role, relationships, and actions of a system-wide measure of a given molecular type) for defining asthma subtypes—but they also cite the need for more studies aimed at pulling together these disparate data streams for a more comprehensive view of the disease.
	Cholesterol that is too low may boost risk for hemorrhagic stroke Current guidelines recommend lowering cholesterol for heart disease risk reduction. New findings indicate that if cholesterol dips too low, it may boost the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, according to researchers.
	Proliferation of JUUL-related content on Instagram likely to appeal to the young There has been a proliferation of JUUL-related content on the photo and video sharing social media service, Instagram, that is likely to appeal to young people, reveals research published online in the journal Tobacco Control.
	Harnessing reliability for neuroscience research The neuroimaging community has made significant strides toward collecting large-scale neuroimaging datasets, which, until the past decade, had seemed out of reach. Between initiatives focused on the aggregation and open sharing of previously collected datasets and de novo data generation initiatives tasked with the creation of community resources, tens of thousands of datasets are now available online. These span a range of developmental statuses and disorders, and many more will soon be available.
	More HPV vaccinations could prevent cancer in 1,300 Californians Based on a 2017 rate of vaccination against HPV among a group of California 20-year-olds, researchers estimate that this group is at risk for an excess of 1,352 cases of cancer that could be prevented with a 99.5 percent vaccination rate. Treatment for these preventable cancers would cost the health care system $52.2 million. The size of the group was 296,525 people, the approximate number of 20-year-olds in California in 2017.
	Relieving two headaches with one process With a new method to synthesize a popular pain-relieving medication from plants rather than fossil fuels, researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center have found a way to relieve two headaches at once.
	Using facts to promote cancer prevention on social media is more effective than personal stories When it comes to cancer prevention messaging, clear information from trusted organizations has greater reach on social media than personal accounts of patients, new University of California, Davis, research suggests.
	The activity of disease allele-selective zinc finger proteins in preclinical models of Huntington's disease Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc., a genomic medicine company, today announced the publication of a manuscript describing the activity of allele-selective zinc finger protein transcription-factors (ZFP-TFs) in preclinical models of Huntington's disease (HD). The data were published online on July 1 and will appear in the July 2019 issue of Nature Medicine.
	Gene associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes is connected to how cells regulate fat Why does weight gain cause metabolic problems that can lead to heart disease and diabetes in some individuals, but not others? Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts (HNRCA) have found one clue: a gene associated with obesity and development of type 2 diabetes, they discovered, is also connected to how cells regulate fat at the cellular level. The study about the research was published in the journal Molecular Metabolism.
	Genetic risk tests aren't always useful—and could even be harmful Genetic testing used to be something that happened in a specialist clinic for those few families that had serious inherited conditions, like Huntington's Disease or rare cancers.
	Study finds most Australians support mandatory vaccination The Federal Government's strict "No Jab, No Pay" policy is well supported by the majority of Australians, according to a new study by researchers at The University of Western Australia and University of Sydney.
	Medicaid's shift from nursing facilities to home settings may not benefit patients New research from University of Chicago scholars provides compelling evidence that Medicaid's push to shift long-term care from nursing homes and other medical institutions to home and community-based services may be detrimental to patients, particularly those from racial and ethnic groups and sicker patients.
	What do we really know about vaping? Numerous surveys reveal a widespread view among the public—including smokers who want to quit—that e-cigarettes aren't a whole lot better for you than their combustible predecessors. An often fraught debate about how much we should regulate or encourage vaping can get clouded by contrary scientific studies and mixed messages about safety.
	Startup helps identify patients at risk for hereditary cancers University of Michigan startup InheRET Inc. has launched an online program that helps identify patients at risk for hereditary cancers without a visit to the doctor.
	Can vapes save the world from smoking? Karl Erik Lund first puffed on a cigarette at a party not long after smoking rates peaked in Norway. In the mid 1970s, almost half of adults in the country smoked. Lund, who is now 60, was young and would never take to smoking in a big way. But in 1986, as a graduate in Oslo, he spotted an advert for a research role at the government agency that collated tobacco statistics. He needed the money, but he soon became addicted to the data. "I wanted to ask the question: why do people keep going with a behavior that breaks society's rules?" he says.
	Studies support new approach to reduce stress in parents and kids Scientists at the University of Oregon are working to establish a new model for the study and prevention of childhood stress-related diseases.
	Mortality rates are still rising in the UK—and everyone is ignoring how many more people are dying When the UK's annual mid-year population estimates were released in late June 2019, much of the media coverage focused on the fact that the population had risen, but growth rates had stalled. The Express newspaper reported that the total population rise of just under 400,000 in the year to mid-2018 was still fuelled by immigration, and that: "The surge is the equivalent of adding a city the size of Coventry to the country."
	Copper compound shows further potential as therapy for slowing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis A compound with potential as a treatment for ALS has gained further promise in a new study that showed it improved the condition of mice whose motor neurons had been damaged by an environmental toxin known to cause features of ALS.
	Why it matters that more athletes are talking about their mental health The great basketball writer Jackie MacMullan recently stood at the front of a hotel ballroom in Tampa taking questions after collecting a career achievement award from the Association for Women in Sports Media.
	Blood-flow-restricted training: A new way to boost muscle performance Strapping a band tightly around your limbs to reduce blood flow while training may seem like an odd way to boost athletic performance, but our latest study suggests that it does just that.
	Will they ever wake up? New study on consciousness after brain injury shows 'maybe' Acute brain injury can result in significant damage and loss of consciousness, warranting life support and admission to an intensive care unit. A complex journey toward recovery begins, sometimes involving daily life-and-death battles.
	Study finds dramatic differences in tests assessing preschoolers' language skills About 1 in 10 babies in the United States is born premature. These children are at an increased risk for adverse outcomes across a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental domains, including language skills. They also are at an increased risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as other behavioral problems.
	Researchers describe a new resistance mechanism Researchers at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the ProCure Program of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) published today inCancer Research a study describing a new mechanism in cancer that turns cells malignant and contradicts what has been published so far about drug resistance that prevent the formation of blood vessels (anti-angiogenics). The research has been led by Dr. Oriol Casanovas, from the group of Tumor Angiogenesis of the IDIBELL, and Dr. Iratxe Zuazo has participated as one of the first authors.
	Misjudging the strength of other people's emotions based on egocentric bias People of all ages tend to misjudge the strength of other people's emotions based on an egocentric bias, according to a new study by Associate Professor Hajimu Hayashi, Kobe University Graduate School of Human Development and Environment. The findings were published on June 1 in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.
	Air pollution means pregnant women can't breathe easy Pregnant women receive a lot of instructions to ensure the healthiest possible baby: what to eat and drink, what to avoid, which vitamins to take, which activities to avoid and more.
	Need emergency air lift to hospital? It could cost you $40,000 (HealthDay)—An air ambulance might be your only chance to survive a medical emergency—but a new study reports it's going to cost you.
	10 food 'shifts' to improve your diet (HealthDay)—No matter how committed you are to eating healthier and/or losing weight, making drastic changes can be hard.
	California took on anti-vaxxers, and won (HealthDay)—California's crackdown on childhood vaccination exemptions cut in half the percentage of kindergartners who didn't have their required immunizations, a new study shows.
	Self-management strategies offer limited benefit in epilepsy (HealthDay)—Limited evidence suggests that self-management strategies modestly improve some outcomes among persons with epilepsy, according to a review published online July 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Metformin may cut mortality risk in post-pancreatitis diabetes (HealthDay)—Metformin use may promote a survival benefit in individuals with post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus (PPDM), but not pancreatic cancer-related diabetes (PCRD), according to a study published online June 21 in Diabetes Care.
	Many nurses believe in sedation for comfort of ventilated patients (HealthDay)—More than half of critical care nurses believe sedation is needed to minimize discomfort and distress among patients receiving mechanical ventilation, according to survey results published in the July issue of the American Journal of Critical Care.
	High-sensitivity troponin levels can predict MI risk (HealthDay)—For patients presenting to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of myocardial infarction, a tool developed to integrate high-sensitivity troponin I or T concentrations and dynamic change during serial sampling can estimate the probability of myocardial infarction and 30-day outcomes, according to a study published in the June 27 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	White house immigration proposal may harm health of 1.9 million kids (HealthDay)—Almost 2 million children could lose out on vital public health care and food assistance due to a proposed Trump administration rule change related to U.S. immigration, a new study argues.
	Study probes how to tell elderly patients not to bother with cancer screening Over the past decades, the idea that all adults should get regularly screened for cancer—with mammograms, colonoscopies and prostate specific antigen blood tests—has been conveyed to the public time after time. But current clinical guidelines recommend against screening many older adults, such as those with less than 10 years' life expectancy. For doctors, talking to a patient about the idea that they've "aged out" of cancer screening can be a challenging conversation.
	Brain imaging may help identify teens at risk of increasing alcohol use Teenagers with large amounts of grey matter in the brain at age 14 are more likely to increase their alcohol use over the next five years, according to a whole brain imaging study reported today in eLife.
	Researchers identify maximum weight children should carry in school backpacks Researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) and UK-based Liverpool John Moores University have determined for the first time the maximum weight a child should carry using a school backpack trolley: a maximum of 20% of their body weight.
	Promising approach: Prevent diabetes with intermittent fasting Intermittent fasting is known to improve sensitivity to the blood glucose-lowering hormone insulin and to protect against fatty liver. DZD scientists from DIfE have now discovered that mice on an intermittent fasting regimen also exhibited lower pancreatic fat. In their current study published in the journal Metabolism, the researchers showed the mechanism by which pancreatic fat could contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.
	Long-term follow up is required to help maintain bone health in childhood cancer survivors Advances in the treatment of children and adolescents with cancer have led to substantial improvements in survival, with a 5-year survival rate of childhood cancer close to 80%.
	What do sick kids really want in hospital? Feeling safe and being able to get to sleep at night are the things that matter most to sick kids in hospital, according to world-first research from Edith Cowan University.
	Using a common anticonvulsant to counteract inflammation Serious conditions, including sepsis, stem from inflammation in the body, and there is a lack of effective medication for sepsis. A chromosomal protein called high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), secreted by immune and dying cells, binds to a specific cellular receptor—receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE)—and triggers the process of inflammation in the body. Through a computer software-based docking study with a structural similarity-based strategy, scientists from Japan, led by senior researcher Prof Sei-ichi Tanuma from Tokyo University of Science (TUS), discovered that the popular anticonvulsant drug papaverine blocks the binding of HMGB1 to this receptor. This kind of "drug repositioning" can be used to find other merits for existing drugs whose safety profiles are known. This novel approach used for the first time here is unique to TUS and is described in the paper published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. Prof Tanuma states, "Our research group has been trying to identify compounds, preferably based on existing drugs, that block the binding of irritants to cellular receptors. We want to find novel drugs to treat inflammation-based conditions."
	Novel computer model supports cancer therapy Researchers from the Life Sciences Research Unit (LSRU) of the University of Luxembourg have developed a computer model that simulates the metabolism of cancer cells. They used the programme to investigate how combinations of drugs could be used more effectively to stop tumour growth. The biologists have now published their findings in the scientific journal EBioMedicine of the prestigious Lancet group.
Concussion rates are nearly double what we thought—and summer is prime injury time With concussions seeming more common than ever before, researchers at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute—University Health Network, set out to answer the question, Are we looking at a true epidemic, or just better recognition?
	Startup enabling precision medicine for mental health, pain A new startup company founded on science developed at Indiana University is working to enable precision medicine by commercializing the first objective tests for mental health issues, including suicide risk, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and for pain, all of which historically have been difficult to measure for patients and health care providers alike. These tests will also help match patients to the right medications.
	Carbohydrate in the heart seems to help regulate blood pressure New research suggests that a particular type of carbohydrate plays an important role in regulating the blood pressure in the human body. This has been shown by researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet in a new study using rats. The researchers believe that the finding may have a vast potential for improved medications for high blood pressure.
	Study: Brain injury common in domestic violence Domestic violence survivors commonly suffer repeated blows to the head and strangulation, trauma that has lasting effects that should be widely recognized by advocates, health care providers, law enforcement and others who are in a position to help, according to the authors of a new study.
	Austria to finally ban smoking in bars and restaurants Smoking in Austrian bars and restaurants will be banned as of November following a vote in parliament on Tuesday, after years of protracted debate on the issue.
Regenerating human retinal ganglion cells in the dish to inform glaucoma treatment The capacity of the human central nervous system to regenerate after injury or illness is limited, and the resulting functional impairments carry a vast societal and personal burden. In glaucoma, degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) - the axons of which form the optic nerve connecting the retina to the brain—leads to permanent blindness; there is currently no effective treatment for RGC degeneration. Now, University of Nebraska Medical Center researcher Iqbal Ahmad and colleagues show that human RGCs can be regenerated in an in vitro setting helped by lessons learned in rodent models. The discovery is detailed in the journal Development.
	Bench to beside study of a targetable enzyme controlling aggressive prostate cancer Prostate cancer represents a major health challenge and there is currently no effective treatment once it has advanced to the aggressive, metastatic stage. A new has revealed a key cellular mechanism that contributes to aggressive prostate cancer, and supporting a new clinical trial. The study was published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
	Doctors need nutrition education, says commentary Nutrition knowledge is essential for today's physicians, according to a JAMA Internal Medicine commentary published July 1. The commentary—authored by Neal Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine—points out that overweight, diabetes, heart disease, and many forms of cancer are driven by unhealthful diets, and that most doctors do not have the knowledge to turn this problem around. In a 2018 survey, 61 percent of internal medicine residents reported having little or no training in nutrition.
	Pesticide exposure linked to teen depression in agricultural communities Adolescents exposed to elevated levels of pesticides are at an increased risk of depression, according to a new study led by Jose R. Suarez-Lopez, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at University of California San Diego School of Medicine. The study was published online (ahead of print) in June 2019 in the journal International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health.
	Foundational study explores role of diet in diabetes complications Type 1 and type 2 diabetes affect the health of the inner lining of blood vessels. People with diabetes often experience complications in the eyes, heart, and other organs because of worsening blood vessel damage over the long term. One of the earliest signs of systemic inflammation in the blood vessels is the increased sticking of immune cells to the inner lining. As inflammation and microvascular damage continues in the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye—the retina—diabetic retinopathy can ensue. Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of severe vision loss and blindness. A pressing question in diabetes research is how elevated blood levels of sugar, cholesterol, and fat may contribute to blood vessel damage in relation to the diet. A new study by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital set out to determine which components of the Western diet—one rich in sugar, cholesterol and fat—may worsen diabetes complications. The team examined the effects of different dietary fats on the earliest molecular signs of retinal inflammation and damage in an experimental rodent model of type 1 diabetes. The results are published in The FASEB Journal.
Combat veterans more likely to experience mental health issues in later life Military veterans exposed to combat were more likely to exhibit signs of depression and anxiety in later life than veterans who had not seen combat, a new study from Oregon State University shows.
	New epidemic forecast model could save precious resources When governments and institutions deploy epidemic forecast models when facing an outbreak, they sometimes fail to factor in human behavior and over-allocate precious resources as a result. Thanks to new research authored by a Texas A&M University engineering professor, that may no longer be the case.
	Study suggests genetic testing for young people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes A Joslin Diabetes Center study among people treated for type 1 diabetes for many years has discovered that a minority may have monogenic diabetes, a non-autoimmune inherited condition that in some cases does not require insulin treatment.
	Greater awareness needed of stomach cancer risk in under-40s, especially in Latin America Stomach cancer should no longer be considered a disease only of older people, and patients under 40 with chronic digestive symptoms should be more actively investigated—especially if they are of Latin American ethnicity. This advice follows new data from a retrospective, observational study in Mexico which showed that one in seven of over 2,000 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer between 2004 and 2016 were under 40. These findings, reported at the ESMO World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer 2019, support US National Cancer Institute data showing that gastric cancer is affecting more young Hispanic people, with worse outcomes than in older patients.
French doctors to end life support in right-to-die case French doctors are set to begin removing life support from paralysed road accident victim Vincent Lambert on Tuesday, in what could be the final act in a hugely controversial right-to-die case that has drawn in Pope Francis.
	How to avoid an Achilles injury like NBA superstar Kevin Durant's It was the pop felt around the world.
	Bringing commonsense cannabis education to the masses When Kent Hutchison's 70-year-old mother traveled to Colorado in 2014 to explore using marijuana to ease her chronic pain, she got different—often contradictory—advice from every dispensary she visited.
	Ebola case reported not far from South Sudan border Authorities have confirmed an Ebola case not far from Congo's border with South Sudan, a country with a weak health care system after years of civil war that is vulnerable to the potential spread of the deadly disease.
Antidepressants reduce deaths by more than a third in patients with diabetes Antidepressants reduce deaths by more than a third in patients with diabetes and depression, according to a study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
	Add a flavor punch to your meals: Give pickled veggies a try (HealthDay)—Pickled vegetables are healthy and crunchy treats, and when you make them yourself, they'll have great savory flavor with a lot less sodium than packaged varieties.
Medical marijuana may be more accessible in New Jersey New Jersey expanded its medical marijuana program, including increasing the number of illnesses eligible for cannabis use, under a broad new law signed by the governor Tuesday.
	Atlanta OKs ban on smoking inside bars, restaurant, airport Atlanta's city council has approved a far-reaching ban on smoking and vaping in restaurants and bars—and potentially one of the world's busiest airports.
Vegetables recalled over possible listeria contamination Fresh vegetable products distributed across the nation under several brand names have been voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer.

Biology news

	Bonobo diet of aquatic greens may hold clues to human evolution Observations of bonobos in the Congo basin foraging in swamps for aquatic herbs rich in iodine, a critical nutrient for brain development and higher cognitive abilities, may explain how the nutritional needs of prehistoric humans in the region were met. This is the first report of iodine consumption by a nonhuman primate and it is published in the open access journal BMC Zoology.
	Solitude breeds aggression in spiders (rather than vice versa) Spiders start out social but later turn aggressive after dispersing and becoming solitary, according to a study publishing July 2 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Raphael Jeanson of the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in France, and colleagues.
	Yellow fever virus responsible for current epidemic in Brazil originated in Amazon in 1980 The origin of the virus responsible for the ongoing yellow fever epidemic in Brazil, the worst in 40 years, has been identified by scientists affiliated with two Brazilian institutions, Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL) and the University of São Paulo (USP).
	Kangaroo Island koalas may save the koala species South Australia's Kangaroo Island koalas have been found to be free from the disease that is threatening koala populations around Australia, particularly in Australia's north-east where populations are declining dramatically.
	Altitude record for porcini mushrooms ETH researchers have discovered Boletus edulis (porcini mushrooms) growing at an elevation of over 2,400 metres in the Lower Engadine—the highest altitude ever recorded for these popular edible mushrooms in the Alps. Moreover, the mushrooms have "hooked up" with a new plant partner that was not on their list of possible symbionts to date.
	Decoding cells to unlock stem cells' potential Stem cells are jacks of all trades, capable of alleviating the consequences of such diverse pathologies as heart attacks, strokes and cancer. However, stem cell therapies have been hampered by possible side effects, which are frequently hard to predict. One way around this conundrum is to understand how stem cells conjure up their therapeutic effects, and then try to mimic them.
	Male crickets losing ability to sing, despite reproductive advantage of singing In the past several decades, a mutation has spread among male Pacific field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) in Hawaii that leads to wing structures that are unable to produce the crickets' signature chirping. While the mutation has kept crickets safe from a parasitic fly that uses cricket song to find its hosts, it also means the crickets are unable to sing to attract females. The fly's larvae burrow into the cricket, eating it from the inside out, and emerge once the cricket dies.
	DNA from tooth in Florida man's foot solves 25-year-old shark bite mystery When Jeff Weakley tweezed open a blister-like bulge on his foot, he was not expecting to find a piece of tooth from a shark that bit him while he was surfing off Flagler Beach in 1994.
	Arctic fox walks more than 2,700 miles from Norway to Canada Norwegian researchers say an arctic fox walked from northern Norway to Canada's far north, a distance of 4,415 kilometers (2,737 miles), in four months.
	New study challenges claim that exogenous RNA is essential for sperm function Scientists from the University of Bath are challenging the claims of two high profile papers from 2018 which reported that in the mouse, RNA has to be added to sperm for them to be fully fertile. The Bath findings undermine a proposed mechanism of epigenetic inheritance in which offspring inherit traits acquired by their parents.
	Can mathematics help us understand the complexity of our microbiome? How do the communities of microbes living in our gastrointestinal systems affect our health? Carnegie's Will Ludington was part of a team that helped answer this question.
	Is wildfire management 'for the birds?' Spotted owl populations are in decline all along the West Coast, and as climate change increases the risk of large and destructive wildfires in the region, these iconic animals face the real threat of losing even more of their forest habitat.
	Trendy on eight legs: Jumping spider named after fashion czar Karl Lagerfeld New to science species of Australian jumping spider was named after Hamburg-born fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld (1933-2019) after the arachnid reminded its discoverers of the designer. Intrigued by its distinct 'downplayed' black-and-white colours, the Hamburg-Brisbane-Melbourne team likened the spider's appearance to Lagerfeld's trademark style: his white hair and Kent collar that contrasted with the black sunglasses and gloves.
	Airless worms: A new hope against drug-resistant parasites Over one billion people, including 880 million children, are infected with intestinal nematode worms, such as roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms, according to the World Health Organization. The infections are especially common in the developing world due to a lack of clean water and sanitation. If left untreated, they can leave a lasting mark on health and can also be lethal.
	Study provides a closeup view of zombifying bee parasite Imagine becoming a zombie and digging your own grave. OK, don't imagine that.
	A species of cladoceran believed to be extinct has been rediscovered In a lake in Finland, Senckenberg scientist Kay Van Damme rediscovered in collaboration with an international team a species of water flea that had long been considered extinct. While there are numerous fossil records of this cladoceran species, researchers were now able to document the first living specimens. Based on the small crustacean's morphology, the scientists were able to describe the animal as Rhynchotalona latens, thereby revising its previous taxonomic assignation. Water fleas serve as important indicator species for modern as well as past ecosystems. The studies were recently published in the scientific journals Hydrobiologia and Zootaxa.
	Toxoplasma gondii utilizes at least two modes of locomotion during its infection cycle Microbiologists at LMU have shown that Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite that is responsible for toxoplasmosis, utilizes at least two modes of locomotion during its infection cycle.
	Rewilding: As farmland and villages are abandoned, forests, wolves and bears are returning to Europe Rewilding is often thought of as a fantastical vision of the future. One day we might share the landscape with wolves and bears, but in the present day, it seems unlikely. For many people in Europe though, that's exactly what they've been doing for at least the past decade.
	Researcher reveals hidden world through the eyes of butterflies An award-winning scientist and professor of evolutionary biology, Adriana Briscoe studies the evolution of vision in butterflies and how they see color. Briscoe is currently working on her first book, which is a memoir about, what else? Butterflies. A descendant of Mexican immigrants who fled the Mexican Revolution at the turn of the century and settled in San Bernardino, California, Briscoe has called for more Latino teachers in science. Below is an edited version of an interview with her that explains her work, roots, and why the US needs more Latino STEM teachers.
	Holy crocodiles: The cultural status of saltwater crocodiles in East Timor East Timor's origin is shrouded in myth. The Southeast Asian island is said to have formed from "Grandfather Crocodile." That is why many who live on East Timor revere the animal who they believe established the island. A doctoral candidate of the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Freiburg, Sebastian Brackhane, investigated the challenges the belief poses for wildlife management. He has published an article about the cultural status of saltwater crocodiles in East Timor in the journal Human Dimensions of Wildlife.
	The secret of mushroom colors The fly agaric with its red hat is perhaps the most evocative of the diverse and variously colored mushroom species. Hitherto, the purpose of these colors was shrouded in mystery. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), in collaboration with the Bavarian Forest National Park, have now put together the first pieces of this puzzle.
	Austrian parliament approves total glyphosate ban Austrian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a total ban on glyphosate, putting the country on track to becoming the first EU member to forbid all use of the controversial herbicide.
	Why do mosquitoes choose us? Lindy McBride is on the case Carolyn "Lindy" McBride is studying a question that haunts every summer gathering: How and why are mosquitoes attracted to humans?

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