Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Nov 12

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 12, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Uber develops technique to predict pedestrian behavior, while new documents are released about last year's accident

Mechanisms of soft tissue and protein preservation in Tyrannosaurus rex

New chip for waking up small wireless devices could extend battery life

Physics experiment with ultrafast laser pulses produces a previously unseen phase of matter

Research team discovers epigenetic pathway that controls social behavior in carpenter ants

New material points toward highly efficient solar cells

Newborn baby hiccups could be key to brain development

Retinal imaging technology for early detection of Alzheimer's disease

Cats of the sea offer insights into territorial behavior of wild fishes

The voyage home: Japan's Hayabusa-2 probe to head for Earth

Microplastics found in oysters, clams on Oregon coast, study finds

Using sound waves to remotely target drugs to tumors

Study shows insulin can increase mosquitoes' immunity to West Nile virus

Research sheds new light on earthquake that killed 9,000 people

Spray painting fiber bandages onto wounds

Astronomy & Space news

	The voyage home: Japan's Hayabusa-2 probe to head for Earth Japan's Hayabusa-2 probe will leave its orbit around a distant asteroid and head for Earth on Wednesday after an unprecedented mission, carrying samples that could shed light on the origins of the Solar System.
	First study to combine 3-D climate modeling with chemistry refines which exoplanets are potentially habitable In order to search for life in outer space, astronomers first need to know where to look. A new Northwestern University study will help astronomers narrow down the search.
	Runaway star – out of the galactic heart of darkness like a bat out of hell The discovery of the star, known as S5-HVS1, was made by Sergey Koposov from Carnegie Mellon University as part of the Southern Stellar Stream Spectroscopic Survey (S5). Located in the constellation of Grus—the Crane—S5-HVS1 was found to be moving ten times faster than most stars in the Milky Way.
	At future Mars landing spot, scientists spy mineral that could preserve signs of past life Next year, NASA plans to launch a new Mars rover to search for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet. A new study shows that the rover's Jezero crater landing site is home to deposits of hydrated silica, a mineral that just happens to be particularly good at preserving biosignatures.
	With Mars methane mystery unsolved, Curiosity serves scientists a new one: Oxygen For the first time in the history of space exploration, scientists have measured the seasonal changes in the gases that fill the air directly above the surface of Gale Crater on Mars. As a result, they noticed something baffling: oxygen, the gas many Earth creatures use to breathe, behaves in a way that so far scientists cannot explain through any known chemical processes.
	NASA renames faraway ice world 'Arrokoth' after backlash Ultima Thule, the farthest cosmic body ever visited by a spacecraft, has been officially renamed Arrokoth, or "sky" in the Native American Powhatan and Algonquian languages, following a significant backlash over the old name's Nazi connotations.
	Is there life on super-Earths? The answer could lie in their cores Rocky planets larger than our own, so-called super-Earths, are surprisingly abundant in our Galaxy, and stand as the most likely planets to be habitable. Getting a better idea of their interior structures will help predict whether different planets are able to generate magnetic fields—thought to be conducive for life to survive.
	EU must boost spending in space or be squeezed out: experts The EU needs to boost space funding and improve its strategy to compete with military superpowers and smaller upstarts, a panel of experts told MEPs on Tuesday.
	UAE's first astronaut urges climate protection on Earth Wearing a blue space suit with a UAE flag on one sleeve and a spaceship on the other, the first Emirati astronaut said Tuesday his mission highlighted a crucial issue—climate change.
	Apparent meteor flashes across night sky in St. Louis area An apparent meteor has brightened the night sky over St. Louis.
Video: Rosetta's ongoing science On 12 November 2014 Philae became the first spacecraft to land on a comet as part of the successful Rosetta mission to study Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Five years later, and after the mission's official end in 2016, Rosetta is continuing to provide insights into the origins of our solar system.

Technology news

	Uber develops technique to predict pedestrian behavior, while new documents are released about last year's accident In years to come, self-driving vehicles could gradually become a popular means of transportation. Before this can happen, however, researchers will need to develop tools that ensure that these vehicles are safe and can efficiently navigate in human-populated environments.
	New chip for waking up small wireless devices could extend battery life A new power saving chip developed by engineers at the University of California San Diego could significantly reduce or eliminate the need to replace batteries in Internet of Things (IoT) devices and wearables. The so-called wake-up receiver wakes up a device only when it needs to communicate and perform its function. It allows the device to stay dormant the rest of the time and reduce power use.
	New material points toward highly efficient solar cells A new type of material for next-generation solar cells eliminates the need to use lead, which has been a major roadblock for this technology.
	New research suggests robots appear more persuasive when pretending to be human Recent technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence have made it possible for machines, or bots, to pass as humans. A team of researchers led by Talal Rahwan, associate professor of Computer Science at NYU Abu Dhabi, conducted an experiment to study how people interact with bots whom they believe to be human, and how such interactions are affected once bots reveal their identity. The researchers found that bots are more efficient than humans at certain human-machine interactions, but only if they are allowed to hide their non-human nature.
	Study shows where global renewable energy investments have greatest benefits A new study finds that the amount of climate and health benefits achieved from renewable energy depends on the country where it is installed. Countries with higher carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and more air pollution, such as India, China, and areas in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, achieve greater climate and health benefits per megawatt (MW) of renewable energy installed than those operating in areas such as North America, Brazil, and parts of Europe. The study in Palgrave Communications by the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard C-CHANGE) offers a new method for transparently estimating country-level climate and health benefits from renewable energy and transportation improvements that companies, investors, and policymakers can use to make strategic decisions around achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
	Researchers discover vulnerabilities affecting billions of computer chips Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) security researchers Berk Sunar and Daniel Moghimi led an international team of researchers that discovered serious security vulnerabilities in computer chips made by Intel Corp. and STMicroelectronics. The flaws affect billions of laptop, server, tablet, and desktop users around the world. The proof-of-concept attack is dubbed TPM-Fail
	Chinese consumers smash 'Singles' Day' shopping record Chinese shoppers set new records for spending during the annual "Singles' Day" buying spree despite an economic slowdown and worries over the US trade war, with state media calling it a sign of China's rising economic strength.
	Beyond Netflix: Disney Plus joins the streaming fray Disney is throwing its hat into streaming Tuesday with the debut of its Disney Plus service.
	Drone wireless system can help rescue workers see inside buildings Engineers have developed a prototype drone-mounted wireless scanning system, which can fly up the outside of a high rise building and detect the whereabouts of individuals who may be trapped inside.
	New efficiency world record for organic solar modules A research team from Nuremberg and Erlangen has set a new record for the power conversion efficiency of organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules. The scientists designed an OPV module with an efficiency of 12.6 percent over an area of 26 square centimeters. The former world record of 9.7 percent was exceeded by 30 percent.
	Amazon plans new grocery store in L.A. as it thinks about how to conquer the industry Amazon.com Inc. said Monday that it planned to open a new type of grocery store in Los Angeles next year, another step in the e-commerce giant's multi-pronged effort to capture a larger piece of the massive U.S. grocery business.
	Apple co-founder says Goldman's Apple Card algo discriminates Apple Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., two of the most recognizable companies in tech and finance, are caught up in a growing debate over whether lenders unintentionally discriminate when they use complex models to determine how Americans borrow money.
	Using mountains for long-term energy storage Batteries are rapidly becoming less expensive and might soon offer a cheap, short-term solution to store energy for daily energy needs. However, the long-term storage capabilities of batteries, for example, in a yearly cycle, will not be economically viable. Although pumped-hydro storage (PHS) technologies are an economically feasible choice for long-term energy storage with large capacities—higher than 50 megawatts (MW) - it becomes expensive for locations where the demand for energy storage is often smaller than 20 MW with monthly or seasonal requirements, such as small islands and remote locations.
	Fair trade: Your soul for data? In an increasingly data-driven world, are we just walking data sources for the benefit of giant multinational corporations?
	How knitting won the war Craftivists have been savvy cryptographers for aeons longer than any computing geek.
	New Low-Load Cycle targets heavy-duty diesel engine emissions Southwest Research Institute engineers developed a new certification cycle, the Low-Load Cycle (LLC), to gauge the performance of heavy-duty diesel engine aftertreatment systems in low-load conditions. Aftertreatment systems filter exhaust emissions and reduce pollutants escaping into the environment. SwRI's Low-Load Cycle challenges aftertreatment systems by analyzing them in unfavorable, but common, low-load conditions, such as while idling, at speeds less than 25 miles per hour, and when exhaust temperatures are low. Current regulatory certification cycles simulate urban and highway driving only.
	Magnetic skin ensures the force is with you Who has not unleashed their inner Jedi to use "the force" to open automatic doors at the shopping mall? A novel magnetic skin has been developed at KAUST that can remotely control switches and keyboards with the wave of a hand or the blink of an eye.
	New exploration method for geothermal energy Where to drill? This is the basic question in the exploration of underground energy resources, such as geothermal energy. Water in rocks flows along permeable pathways, which are the main target for geothermal drilling. Borehole, core and micro-earthquake data show that the pathways are spatially connected, permeable structures, such as fractures or faults in the rock. However, the geothermal potential of these structures cannot be fully exploited with the techniques available to date.
	Nuclear warheads? This robot can find them Picture a swarm of autonomous, three-foot rolling robots armed with smart detectors to support nuclear safeguards and verify arms-control agreements. The prototype of such robots, being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and Princeton University, recently demonstrated the ability to identify the source of nuclear radiation and whether it has been shielded to avoid detection.
	AI-driven single blood cell classification Every day, millions of single blood cells are evaluated for disease diagnostics in medical laboratories and clinics. Most of this repetitive task is still done manually by trained cytologists who inspect cells in stained blood smears and classify them into roughly 15 different categories. This process suffers from classification variability and requires the presence and expertise of a trained cytologist.
	Facebook messaging apps getting unified payment system Facebook on Tuesday said it is consolidating the system that handles payments at the social network and in its family of messaging apps.
	Army researcher promotes cooperation between humans, autonomous machines The trust between humans and autonomous machines is a top priority for Army researchers—as machines become integral to society, it is critical to understand the impact on human decision-making.
	Google's health care ambitions now involve patient data Google is working with large health care system Ascension, the latest foray into the health industry by the tech giant.
	Crisis-hit Nissan chops forecasts, net profit worst for a decade Crisis-hit Japanese automaker Nissan Tuesday slashed its full-year forecast for both sales and profit as it struggles with weak demand in Japan, the US and Europe, as well as fallout from the arrest of former boss Carlos Ghosn.
	Speeding up the transition towards sustainable cities In a rapidly urbanizing world, the concept of smart cities is increasingly being used across Europe to improve the quality of life for citizens. Thanks to several EU-funded projects, such as MAtchUP, Sharing Cities and REMOURBAN, various steps have been taken in energy, mobility and ICT sectors to create more livable and sustainable cities.
	'Historic' Disney+ streaming launch marred by glitches Disney flung open its vast archive with the arrival of its much-hyped new television streaming service Tuesday, but the big launch was marred by glitches which prevented many customers accessing titles from Mickey Mouse cartoons to Star Wars.
	Huawei giving employees bonus for coping with US sanctions Huawei is paying its employees bonuses totaling more than $285 million as thanks for helping the Chinese tech giant cope with U.S. sanctions that threaten its smartphone and other businesses.

Medicine & Health news

	Newborn baby hiccups could be key to brain development Each time a newborn baby hiccups, it triggers a large wave of brain signals which could help the baby learn how to regulate their breathing, finds a new UCL-led study.
	Retinal imaging technology for early detection of Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia in the U.S., with approximately 5.4 million currently affected and an estimated 16 million by 2050. Damage to the brain from Alzheimer's disease occurs years before patients exhibit symptoms. Attempted therapies have been unsuccessful largely because there is no measurable indicator—or biomarker—for Alzheimer's disease before it is already symptomatic and advanced.
	Lower IQ, family history tied to treatment-resistant schizophrenia Those with a family history of schizophrenia and men with lower IQ are more likely to struggle with treatment-resistant schizophrenia than others with the mental disorder, according to a study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. The researchers say the findings could be important in efforts to design novel drug treatments that improve cognition.
	Sex-specific processes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder Recent studies have found a high genetic similarity of the psychiatric diseases schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, whose disease-specific changes in brain cells show an overlap of more than 70 percent. These changes affect gene expression, i.e., transcription of genes for the purpose of translation into functional proteins. A collaborative study carried out by the Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy at Goethe University (Professor Jochen Klein) and the Institute of Neurosciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Professor Hermona Soreq) now shows sex-specific biases in these changes, as well as in cellular control mechanisms based on endogenous short ribonucleic acid (RNA) chains.
	Beware probiotics in ICU patients It's become common for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), both children and adults, to receive probiotics. Often, they are started at home to counteract diarrhea caused by antibiotics. There is also interest in using probiotics proactively in the ICU. A large multicenter clinical trial in Canada is testing whether probiotics would prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia in adult ICU patients.
	Protein could offer therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer A protein that drives growth of pancreatic cancer, and which could be a target for new treatments, has been identified by researchers at the Crick.
	Researchers discover new pathways in brain's amygdala Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) are pioneering an innovative brain study that sheds light on how the amygdala portion of the brain functions and could contribute to a better understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and Alzheimer's disease.
	Flame-retardant exposure increases anxiety, affects social behaviors in prairie vole New research led by North Carolina State University has shown that early life exposure to a commonly used flame-retardant mixture increases anxiety and affects socioemotional behaviors in prairie voles, particularly in females. The work supports the hypothesis that chemical flame retardants can adversely affect neurological development and social behavior.
	Age related macular degeneration to affect 77 million Europeans by 2050 The leading cause of irreversible blindness and severely impaired eyesight—age related macular degeneration, or AMD for short—is expected to affect 77 million Europeans by 2050, reveal the latest calculations, published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Associations between childhood maltreatment and offending behaviors later in life Children who experience maltreatment, such as neglect or physical or sexual abuse, are more likely to engage in delinquent and offending behaviors in adolescence and young adulthood, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health.
	Contraceptive drug shows promise for preventing and regressing cervical cancer A new study in The American Journal of Pathology reports that medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), the active ingredient in the common contraceptive injection Depo-Provera, was effective in preventing the development of cervical cancer in mice with precancerous lesions. The drug also decreased existing precancerous lesions. If proven effective clinically, MPA may be a boon to women who do not have access to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.
	New diagnostic criteria proposed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Researchers at National Jewish Health and dozens of leading institutions around the nation have proposed new criteria for diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. The proposal, published in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, expands diagnostic criteria from a single measure of lung function to include environmental exposure, symptoms, and abnormal CT scans. If used, the new diagnostic criteria could increase the number of patients diagnosed with COPD, by 15 percent to 36 percent, or about 2 million to 5 million people.
	New insights into cause and treatments for aggressive form of breast cancer Potential environmental risk factors and new targets for treating an aggressive form of breast cancer have been identified, according to new data presented at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Brighton. The study suggests that exposure to common chemicals in our everyday environment may increase the risk of developing a difficult to treat type of breast cancer and highlights strategies for new treatment using combination therapy.
	Polygenic risk score improves psychosis risk prediction A new study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found that that using a polygenic risk score (PRS) based on data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) improves psychosis risk prediction in persons meeting clinical high-risk criteria.
	Women with preeclampsia may be at greater risk for cardiac conditions later in life Research published online today in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, confirms that women who have gestational hypertension or preeclampsia in at least one pregnancy will have higher cardiovascular risk than women without such a history, and that this elevated risk persists at least into their 60s.
Use of locum doctors rising despite limited evidence on quality and safety There is little hard evidence to support the widely held perception that locum doctors present a greater risk of causing harm to patients, according to new research published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. While the research highlighted a number of factors that may affect the quality and safety of locum practice, the research authors said a better understanding is needed of the differences between the practice and performance of locum and permanent doctors.
Study: Where one lives influences post-op care and rehab after hip replacement surgery A new study finds that the community in which one lives influences whether they receive postoperative care and rehabilitation after elective hip replacement surgery in a facility or at home. An analysis of a large regional database found that patients in the least affluent communities were more likely to be discharged to an inpatient rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility rather than home care after hip replacement.
Ethnic minority women face more barriers to seeing their GP The study published in Psycho-Oncology found that, in England, women from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to feel too embarrassed to talk to a GP (75-91%) than white women (8%). Being too scared that a symptom was a sign of something serious was also more likely to be a potential barrier for ethnic minority groups.
Team uncovers dose of medication more likely to put patients with pemphigus into remission Pemphigus, an autoimmune disease mediated by B cells and which causes painful blisters and sores on the skin and mucous membranes, is a rare chronic autoimmune condition that can be fatal if not treated. Treatment for pemphigus, most commonly through an oral medication, was often slow and would not result in complete remission. Now, new research from a team in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows that a lymphoma-dose regimen of rituximab, a medication regularly used to treat lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis, is more likely to put patients with pemphigus into complete remission as compared to a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) regimen of the same medication. The findings—which were published recently in JAMA Dermatology—have direct implications for patient care.
	Vaccine reduces likelihood of severe pneumonia A new study has found severe pneumonia decreases by 35 per cent in children who receive a vaccine against a pneumonia-causing bacteria.
Pneumonia epidemic is deadliest child killer: aid groups Pneumonia is the world's deadliest child killer, with a "forgotten epidemic" claiming one young life every 39 seconds, international health and children's agencies warned Tuesday.
	New vaccine protects from widespread, costly infection, mice study shows A newly developed experimental vaccine was more than eighty percent effective in protecting mice from succumbing to Staphylococcus aureus infection. S. aureus causes more than 30,000 deaths from hospital-acquired infections annually in the US, costing the healthcare system $10 billion. The research is published this week in Infection and Immunity, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Researchers examine the metabolic effects of an oral blood cancer drug A popular cancer drug is associated with significant weight gain and increased systolic blood pressure, researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report in a study published in Scientific Reports in November.
Hospitals given latitude to select transplant candidates don't prioritize sickest patients Analysis of more than 29,000 adults listed on the national heart transplant registry from 2006 to 2015 shows how rules that give hospitals discretion in determining who gets a transplant result in large discrepancies in how sick patients are when they receive heart transplants at hospitals across the United States.
	New study finds children become less active each year of primary school A new study from the University of Bristol has revealed a dramatic drop in children's physical activity levels by the time they finish primary school. Between the ages of six and 11, children lost on average more than an hour of exercise in the week, with an even greater fall on weekends.
	Improved fitness can mean living longer without dementia Staying fit or improving fitness over time should be a goal for anyone who wants to reduce the likelihood of getting dementia.
The origins of trypophobia Julia was around 11 the first time it happened. She let herself into her dad's apartment in Malmö, Sweden, dropped her schoolbag and flopped on to the sofa.
	Inactivity linked to teen suicide risk in developing countries Not enough physical activity and too much sitting and screen-time have been linked with suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents in developing countries, in a University of Queensland-led study.
	Some women seem to lack a key brain structure for smell—but their sense of smell is fine While looking at the MRI brain scan of a 29-year-old woman that had been taken for a different study, researchers in Israel recently stumbled upon a scientific mystery. The woman appears to have no olfactory bulbs.
	Bilingualism and dementia: How some patients lose their second language and rediscover their first For many people with dementia, memories of early childhood appear more vivid than their fragile sense of the present. But what happens when the present is experienced through a different language than the one spoken in childhood? And how might carers and care homes cope with the additional level of complexity in looking after bilingual people living with dementia?
	Dodgy patient treatment: It's not us, it's them, say the experts Patients might not be getting the best advice about which treatments do or don't work, according to our study published today. We found professional societies are more likely to call out other health professionals for providing low-value treatments rather than look in their own backyard.
	EVALI: Vaping-related lung disease now has a name and a likely cause More than 2,000 people in the United States have developed serious lung damage in a poisoning outbreak associated with the use of vaping devices this year. At least 39 people have died from the condition.
	Malaria hides in people without symptoms It seems like the never-ending battle against malaria just keeps getting tougher. In regions where malaria is hyper-prevalent, anti-mosquito measures can only work so well due to the reservoir that has built up of infected humans who do not even know they carry the infection.
	High blood pressure common among black young adults About one in four young adults has high blood pressure. But few are getting treated, with new research concluding black young adults are especially vulnerable.
	Flu shot may aid heart bypass recovery Getting a flu shot before heart bypass surgery can head off inflammation throughout the body and possibly lead to a healthier recovery, a new study suggests.
	Study sheds new light on how epigenetic events might spur disease Scientists are increasingly tracing a variety of diseases back to the so-called epigenome, a type of indexing system imposed on DNA that dictates how genes should be read by the cells. Now, a new study finds that changes in two epigenetics mechanisms—DNA and histone methylation—may interact to spur disease.
	Is man's best friend the key to battling cancer? New study aims to find out A new joint study by UC Davis, the University of Wisconsin and Colorado State University is looking for healthy canines to participate in a study that may benefit man and man's best friend alike.
	Editing disease in South Africa Gene therapy—there is a long road ahead to mainstream techniques and ensure that the technology is cost-effective.
	Depression linked to nutrition in middle-aged and older Canadians Your diet can put you at risk of depression, according to a new study. The study also found that the likelihood of depression is higher among middle-aged and older women who were immigrants to Canada when compared to Canadian-born women.
	Researchers develop a new home-based app to better monitor Parkinson's disease motor symptoms In order to optimally treat motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), it is necessary to have a good understanding of their severity and daily fluctuations. A report in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease describes how a new app, SleepFit, could be a useful tool in routine clinical practice to monitor motor symptoms and facilitate specific symptom-oriented follow-up. The researchers also determined that information obtained prospectively in real time from the user-friendly app can differ from data gathered retrospectively from patient interviews.
	Why you shouldn't write off e-cigarettes, despite the headlines Vaping has been getting something of a bad name of late. Countries worldwide are considering restrictions and bans. But, as a way to help smokers quit, e-cigarettes are an important tool that we shouldn't dismiss.
Preterm children have similar temperament to children who were institutionally deprived A child's temperament is affected by the early stages of their life. Researchers from the University of Warwick, the University of Tennessee, University of Southampton and Kings College London have found children who were born very preterm (under 32 weeks gestation) or very low birthweight (under 1500g) had similar temperamental difficulties in controlling their impulses, to children who experienced institutional deprivation.
	Fresh drive to close gaps on health issues facing women and girls In Africa today women still die needlessly during childbirth. They also fall pregnant when they aren't ready, and don't want to get pregnant. And there are still many obstacles on their path to living full and fulfilled lives.
	Antibiotic-resistant infections could destroy our way of life, report says Humanity's defences against infection are wearing thinner by the day, and the microbes responsible are getting stronger.
	Why exercise is less helpful in losing weight than simply eating less I tend to be overweight, and for the last few years my blood glucose levels have been putting me on the brink of Type 2 diabetes. I love my food, and it is often part of my social commitments. I'm a Spaniard, so there's also the occasional tapas and glass of wine, or maybe a martini on Saturdays.
	Researchers find new way to target childhood cancer An Australian-led international research effort has broken fresh ground in the race to find more effective treatments for the childhood cancer neuroblastoma, by uncovering a new and as-yet unexploited target in cancer cells that therapeutic drugs can be aimed at.
	E-sports gamers face same level of psychological pressure as pro-athletes, study finds E-sports players competing in top-flight tournaments face the equivalent pressure and stress as professional athletes, researchers have revealed.
	Young people who eat lunch make better dietary choices Young people who eat breakfast and lunch generally eat more healthily during the course of the day. These are the results of a study which was conducted by researchers at the Department.
	Anthrax may be the next tool in the fight against bladder cancer Anthrax may soon help more people win the fight against bladder cancer, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says strikes about 72,000 Americans each year and kills about 16,000, and is one of the most expensive cancers to treat.
Universal guideline for treating mucormycosis developed Professor Oliver Cornely, head of the European Centre of Excellence for Invasive Fungal Infections at Cologne University Hospital, has developed a globally applicable diagnosis and treatment guideline for the rare disease mucormycosis. Without treatment, mucormycosis leads to death within a very short time. The new guideline is one of the first treatment guidelines to ever be agreed on worldwide. In its development, Cornely's team cooperated with 74 scientists from 33 countries, and the treatment guideline has so far been adopted by professional associations in 53 countries. It was published in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.
	Defining a new approach to treating Parkinson's disease An international research team including scientists from the University of Cologne have identified a new mechanism for the development of Parkinson's disease, which could prove to be the starting point for the development of a more targeted therapy. The results of the study "Cav2.3 channels contribute to dopaminergic neuron loss in a model of Parkinson's disease' have been published in Nature Communications.
	Scientists identify immune cells linked to malaria-induced anaemia through autoantibody production An autoimmune attack on uninfected red blood cells likely contributes to anaemia—a shortage of red blood cells—in people with malaria, according to a new study published in eLife.
	Boosting host immune defenses to treat tuberculosis Current treatment regimens for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis, are long, complex, and hard for people to sustain. Moreover, the bacteria often develop drug resistance, and many people harbor multi-drug-resistant strains. In 2018 alone, nearly 1.5 million people died from tuberculosis worldwide.
	Complementary and alternative therapies to treat colic A review of the evidence on the use of complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies to treat babies with colic has shown some that some treatments—including probiotics, fennel extract and spinal manipulation—do appear to help, but that overall the evidence on the use of these therapies is limited so should be treated with caution.
	Scientists shed new light on neural processes behind learning and motor behaviours Researchers have provided new insight into the neural processes behind movement and learning behaviours, according to a study published today in eLife.
	Chronic adversity dampens dopamine production People exposed to a lifetime of psychosocial adversity may have an impaired ability to produce the dopamine levels needed for coping with acutely stressful situations.
	Innovations in treatment of traumatic injuries with severe bleeding are saving lives Deaths from severe bleeding after major trauma have been reduced by 40% over the last decade through a programme of research and innovation led by Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust and NHS Blood and Transplant.
	MENACTRIMS guidelines for multiple sclerosis updated (HealthDay)—In a revised 2019 guideline, published in the January 2020 issue of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, updated recommendations from the Middle East North Africa Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (MENACTRIMS) are presented for the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).
	Testosterone supplements double men's odds for blood clots: study (HealthDay)—Testosterone therapy appears to double a man's risk of suffering a potentially life-threatening blood clot, a new study warns.
	Millions unaware of common heart attack symptoms Millions of Americans don't know any heart attack symptoms or how to best respond to them, according to a new study that said certain socioeconomic groups are particularly at risk.
	Want extra years of life? Keep blood pressure tightly controlled (HealthDay)—Tighter control of high blood pressure may add years to people's lives, a new study estimates.
	Good noise, bad noise: White noise improves hearing Noise is not the same as noise—and even a quiet environment does not have the same effect as white noise. With a background of continuous white noise, hearing pure sounds becomes even more precise, as researchers from the University of Basel have shown in a study in Cell Reports. Their findings could be applied to the further development of cochlear implants.
	Meal-detection technology brings 'artificial pancreas' one step closer to reality A.I. researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have developed a system that can detect when a person is eating and calculate how many carbohydrates they are consuming with unprecedented accuracy and speed. The work provides a significant advance for people who wear continuous glucose monitors as part of their diabetes treatment, allowing insulin to be administered closer to the time when it's actually needed, reducing dangerous swings in blood glucose levels.
	7T MRI offers new insights into multiple sclerosis Increased immune system activity along the surface of the brain, or meningeal inflammation, may be important for understanding how multiple sclerosis (MS) progresses from the most common and earliest form of the disease known as relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) to a secondary progressive form. The meninges are a thin, protective tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord. One proposed way to more easily see evidence of inflammation at the meninges is by finding leptomeningeal enhancement (LME) on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. This can appear early in the course of the disease and increases as the disease progresses, yet the most commonly available MRI technology—3 Tesla (3T)—gives a limited view of this proposed marker. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital have completed a new study using 7 Tesla (7T) MRI—a far more powerful imaging technology—to further examine LME in MS patients. With this new powerful tool, they have found that this proposed marker of brain inflammation in MS patients is more common than previously reported and is tied to lesions in the gray matter regions of the brain. The team's findings are published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
	Deep learning assists in detecting malignant lung cancers Radiologists assisted by deep-learning based software were better able to detect malignant lung cancers on chest X-rays, according to research published in the journal Radiology.
	Study reveals 'bug wars' that take place in cystic fibrosis Scientists have revealed how common respiratory bugs that cause serious infections in people with cystic fibrosis interact together, according to a new study in eLife.
	Higher education holds key to more age-friendly society, publication says The age-friendly movement is an ideal means of embracing demographic shifts in higher education and society at large, according to the latest issue in the What's Hot newsletter series from The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), titled "Higher Education and Aging: The Age-Friendly Movement—Building a Case for Age Inclusivity." Support for the publication was provided by AARP.
	At the heart of regeneration: Scientists reveal a new frontier in cardiac research One of the reasons coronary heart disease is so deadly is that fluid build-up and scarring can develop in the heart tissue. This prevents the heart from contracting properly, impacting its ability to supply the body with fresh blood. If scarring is extensive, heart failure can result.
	More Americans struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep Getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep every night is a struggle for most people, but even those who do may not have the best sleep.
	Listening to music while driving reduces cardiac stress Stress while driving is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease and sudden cardiac complications such as heart attack (myocardial infarction), according to studies published in recent years. Selecting suitable driving music may be one way to mitigate this risk.
	Getting cancer drugs to the brain is difficult—but a new 'road map' might make it easie The human brain has some remarkable capabilities—including the ability to block cancer drugs from effectively reaching cancer cells in the brain.
	Low-cost, portable system takes OCT beyond ophthalmology Researchers have developed a way to perform optical coherence tomography (OCT) in hard-to-reach areas of the body such as joints. The advance could help bring this high-resolution biomedical imaging technique to new surgical and medical applications.
	ICU survivors commonly experience job loss after critical illness, study confirms In recent years, national attention has been drawn to the plight of patients who have experienced the unintended side effects of prolonged ICU care, such as memory loss, muscle weakness and depression. Now, in the largest review to date, a research team led by University of California San Diego School of Medicine have evaluated the short- and long-term employment impacts to ICU patients, with concerning findings.
	Expectant mothers' pregnancy-related anxiety may alter how infant brains respond to sad speech A study has shown a potential link between pregnancy-related anxiety and how a baby's brains respond to sad speech. Researchers at Aalto University and the University of Turku in Finland showed that mothers with high anxiety scores at 24 weeks of pregnancy gave birth to babies who had reduced brain responses to sad-sounding speech. The effect was significantly smaller at 34 weeks of pregnancy, suggesting the effects of pregnancy-related anxiety may be transferred more easily to the unborn baby in mid- rather than late pregnancy. Studying a larger group would make it possible to understand the behavioral implications of the observed changes.
Common anti-inflammatory may increase risk of diabetes A commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory may increase the risk of diabetes after just one week of treatment, according to new findings presented at The Society for Endocrinology Annual Conference. Healthy men given doses of the drug comparable to those used to treat inflammatory disorders had changes in markers of blood sugar metabolism associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes. The study findings highlight the potential long-term health implications for people regularly taking these drugs and that medical professionals may need to consider and monitor the potential side-effects, to avoid future debilitating conditions.
	Vitamin B12 deficiency linked to obesity during pregnancy Vitamin B12 deficiency impairs fat metabolism and may be associated with obesity during pregnancy, according to findings presented at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference. Pregnant women with low levels of vitamin B12 had metabolic markers indicative of increased fat production and reduced breakdown, which suggests that low vitamin B12 levels could predispose pregnant women to obesity. These findings highlight the importance for pregnant women to consume a diet rich in vitamin B12 to help prevent obesity and its related adverse health complications in the long term.
Research on hemophagocytic syndrome uncovers new gene regulating the human immune system Researchers from the VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research and the Ghent University hospital, together with research teams from the Helmholtz Zentrum in München and the National University of Australia in Canberra, identified a new genetic cause of hemophagocytic syndrome, a rare immune disease characterized by a dangerous and uncontrolled overproduction of cytokines known as cytokine storm. This discovery provides new insights into the human immune system and could inspire new treatments for this deadly immune disease.
	ACP addresses high cost of prescription drugs in new policy papers The American College of Physicians (ACP) today released new policy papers calling for changes that would mitigate rising prescription drug costs. Policy Recommendations for Public Health Plans to Stem the Escalating Costs of Prescription Drugs: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians and Policy Recommendations for Pharmacy Benefit Managers to Stem the Escalating Costs of Prescription Drugs: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians were published in Annals of Internal Medicine and provide recommendations to improve transparency in industry and government, examine the role of the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM), and address issues in public health plans that create barriers to care.
	Using cardiac-specific biomarkers to predict cardiovascular disease risk early A new review article provides valuable insights into how traditional and emerging cardiac-specific biomarkers and their associated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may help point to effective preventive interventions in high-risk obese populations starting at an early stage of disease development. The growing problem of childhood obesity makes the identification of CVD biomarkers to identify early risk factors even more important, as noted in an article published in Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.
	Delivering large genes to the retina is problematic A new study has shown that a commonly used vector for large gene transfer can successfully deliver genes to retinal cells in the laboratory, but when injected subretinally into rats it provokes a robust and acute inflammatory response. A detailed description of this study and the implications of its results are published in Human Gene Therapy.
	Perspectives and suggestions in caring for high-need, complex patients High-need high-cost patients, many of whom are experiencing poverty, use a large portion of health care resources. Despite receiving more care, such patients often experience poor health outcomes. Teams providing intensive ambulatory care interventions were interviewed regarding how they view the work of serving socially and medically complex patient populations. Researchers conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews with nine ambulatory care team members and six "usual care" team members, focused on multidisciplinary staff experiences.
Prosthetic joint infections missed in patients with rheumatic diseases Standard diagnostic methods are not adequate to identify prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) in patients with rheumatic diseases, according to findings from a new study by researchers from Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City. The study was presented at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Professionals annual meeting in Atlanta on November 12.

Biology news

	Research team discovers epigenetic pathway that controls social behavior in carpenter ants Through early adulthood, exposure to new experiences—like learning to drive a car or memorizing information for an exam—triggers change in the human brain, re-wiring neural pathways to imprint memories and modify behavior. Similar to humans, the behavior of Florida carpenter ants is not set in stone—their roles, whether it is protecting the colony or foraging for food, are determined by signals from the physical and social environment early in their life. But questions remain about how long they are vulnerable to epigenetic changes and what pathways govern social behavior in ants.
	Cats of the sea offer insights into territorial behavior of wild fishes The entertaining spectacle of wild fishes chasing lasers shone onto the seabed could provide scientists with an innovative way of measuring their territory size and therefore helping to sustainably and spatially manage fisheries and associated habitats in the future, a new study suggests.
	Study shows insulin can increase mosquitoes' immunity to West Nile virus A discovery by a Washington State University-led research team has the potential to inhibit the spread of West Nile virus as well as Zika and dengue viruses.
	Humans' ability to read dog facial expressions is learned, not innate In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, a team of researchers from Germany and the United Kingdom assessed how experience with dogs affects humans' ability to recognize dog emotions. Participants who grew up in a cultural context with a dog-friendly attitude were more proficient at recognizing dog emotions. This suggests that the ability to recognize dogs' expressions is learned through age and experience and is not an evolutionary adaptation.
	Frogs' mating calls also attract predators Frogs have been struggling a bit in recent years. Their populations around the world have been declining for decades, and the reasons for their loss come from many fronts. Like many other animals, frogs are losing their homes and learning to live in a changing world.
	Scientists find no evidence for 'insect Armageddon' but there's still cause for concern Researchers who set out to test the widespread theory that the UK is experiencing an alarming plunge in insect numbers have found no evidence For "insect Armageddon."
	Using CRISPR for dose-dependent activation of gene expressions A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. has developed a way to use the CRISPR gene editing technique for dose-dependent activation of gene expressions. In their paper published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the group describes their technique for altering gene expression in an alternative way and how well it worked.
	Evidence found of gene markers that may help people survive at high altitudes A team of researchers with members from several institutions in the U.S., one from Peru and one from India, has found evidence of gene markers in native Andean people that may help them survive at high altitudes, where oxygen levels can sometimes be half as much as lowland areas. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their study, which involved comparing part of the genome of highland people with lowland people.
	Cells control their dance of death La Trobe University researchers have revealed for the first time how white blood cells control the final moments of their death, helping their own removal from the human body.
	Widespread misinterpretation of gene expression data Reproducibility is a major challenge in experimental biology, and with the increasing complexity of data generated by genomic-scale techniques this concern is immensely amplified. RNA-seq, one of the most widely used methods in modern molecular biology, allows in a single test the simultaneous measurement of the expression level of all the genes in a given sample. New research publishing November 12 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Shir Mandelbaum, Zohar Manber, Orna Elroy-Stein, and Ran Elkon from Tel Aviv University, identifies a frequent technical bias in data generated by RNA-seq technology, which recurrently leads to false results.
	Songbirds sing species-specific songs The generation of species-specific singing in songbirds is associated with species-specific patterns of gene activity in brain regions called song nuclei, according to a study published November 12 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Kazuhiro Wada of Hokkaido University in Japan, and colleagues. According to the authors, the findings could be a promising step toward a better understanding of the contribution of multiple genes to the evolution of behaviors.
	Whale shark hot spot offers new conservation insights According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), whale sharks are considered endangered, which means the species has suffered a population decline of more than 50% in the past three generations. The whale shark is only two classifications from being extinct. Improvements and conservation efforts are in place, but there is still a long way to go to protect these gentle underwater giants.
	Bats don't rely on gut bacteria the way humans do Right now, there are trillions of bacteria living in your gut, making up about one percent of your body weight. They're supposed to be there—we need them to help us digest food and fight off diseases. The same is true for most mammals; in general, just about every mammal from dogs to dolphins relies on a community of helpful bacteria, called a microbiome, living inside them for health and survival. Many animals have even evolved along with their gut bacteria to better work together, to the point that closely related host species typically share more similar microbiomes. But a new study has identified one group of mammals that seems to buck that trend: bats. A new paper in mSystems reveals that the microbiomes of closely-related bats can be totally different from each other, which suggests that having a community of helpful gut bacteria may not be so important for this already eccentric group of mammals.
	Some hoppy news: Hops don't need to go dormant in order to flower The explosion of craft brewing across the globe has created an insatiable demand for hops—the fragrant green flowers that impart beers with those distinctive, crisp, bitter flavors.
	All antibiotics for livestock will soon require a vet's prescription No longer will producers who need injectable antibiotics for their cattle be able to grab them at their local feed store or order them online.
	The differences between SMAD2 and SMAD3, nearly identical transcription factors with distinct roles Scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), in collaboration with the Sloan Kettering Institute (New York, U.S.), have published the structural and functional keys that distinguish two very similar transcription factors, namely SMAD2 and SMAD3.
	Antibiotics: New substances break bacterial resistance Researchers at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have developed a promising new class of active ingredients against resistant bacteria. In initial tests in cell cultures and insects, the substances were at least as effective as common antibiotics. The new compounds target a special enzyme that only appears in bacteria in this specific form and that was not previously the target of other antibiotics. This is why bacteria have not yet developed any resistance to it. The team reported on its work in the journal Antibiotics.
	Putting a conservation finger on the internet's pulse Scientists from the University of Helsinki have figured out how to mine people's online reactions to endangered animals and plants so that they can reduce the chance of pushing species toward extinction.
	Potential vitamin and Alzheimer's drug produced in yeast Scientists prove that ergothioneine, an important compound that may be used to delay the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia, can be produced in baker's yeast.
	Applying biodiversity conservation research in practice One million species are threatened with extinction, many of them already in the coming decades. This unprecedented loss of biodiversity threatens valuable ecosystems and human well-being. But what is holding us back from putting conservation research into practice? The journal Biological Conservation has published a collection of 14 articles on this topic. In their editorial, Bea Maas from the University of Vienna and her co-authors show why interdisciplinary cooperation is crucial for the conservation of global biodiversity.
	Wildlife in Catalonia carry enteric bacteria resistant to critically important antimicrobials used in human health Antibiotic resistance has become a global health problem due to decades of misuse of these drugs in both human and veterinary medicine. Nowadays, the prevalence of multi-drug resistant bacteria in humans, domestic animals and livestock has increased, hindering the finding of the correct treatment for infectious diseases that before were not a problem. This is especially true in hospital settings, where antimicrobial pressure is extremely high and patients are immunocompromised and more prone to acquiring nosocomial infections. In addition, antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been described in urban environments and ecosystems subjected to low human pressure. Previous studies have confirmed the presence of resistant bacteria or resistant genes circulating in urban wastewater and river waters. Consequently, wildlife might be indirectly exposed to these resistant traits.
	Larger than life: Augmented ants An ant the size of a lion isn't as far-fetched as you would think. From as small as a sesame seed to the size of a big cat, ants come in all sizes—in augmented reality, at least.
	New collection showcases cutting-edge techniques in insect morphology and systematics While the field of morphology—the study of the form and function of organisms—is centuries old, the last two decades have brought incredible leaps forward through the emergence of new technologies and genetic research methods. And the impact of these advances has been revolutionary for the scientists working to untangle the vast biodiversity and evolutionary paths of the world of insects.
	University of Missouri loses suit over records of dogs and cats used in research A Boone County, Mo., judge has ruled that University of Missouri violated the state's open records law by placing an exorbitantly high price tag on records sought by a California animal rescue group.
Fishmeal developed for sustainable aquaculture Aquaculture in Sweden could be more sustainable if by-products from industrial feed production were used instead of wild-caught aquafeed, according to studies at the University of Gothenburg.
	Grin and bear it: Berlin panda gets CT scan for kidney exam A Berlin zoo says a giant panda whose twin cubs have captured international attention has undergone a CT scan after veterinarians discovered one of his kidneys was smaller than the other.
	Zimbabwe says 200 elephants have now died amid drought More than 200 elephants have died amid a severe drought, Zimbabwe's parks agency said on Tuesday, and a mass relocation of animals is planned to ease congestion.
	Scientists advance citrus greening research efforts Citrus greening, a devastating disease, has reduced Florida citrus production by 70%, according to most accounts. Efforts to develop disease control methods have been stymied because scientists have been unable to culture and experimentally manipulate the causal bacterial pathogen, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus.

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