Fwd: Science X Newsletter Friday, Feb 10

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 11, 2017 at 12:30 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Friday, Feb 10
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 10, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Liposomes modified with temperature-responsive polymers are tuned for cellular uptake

Monkey fights help explain tipping points in animal societies

Brazilian peppertree packs power to knock out antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Malaria vaccine target's invasion partner uncovered

Sea-level change in Southeast Asia 6,000 years ago has implications for today

Brilliant Control sports smart lighting, can work with other smart home devices

Fossil treasure trove reveals post-extinction world ruled by sponges

NASA demonstrates electronics for longer Venus surface missions

Super-resolution system reveals mechanics of tiny 'DNA walker'

Researchers invent process to produce renewable car tires from trees, grass

Nanotube growth moving in the right direction

Brain network connections may underlie social behavior linked to autism

Car drivers cause the most pollution in London – but are least exposed to it themselves

Simulation suggests two plumes involved in producing Deccan Traps

Researchers use artificial neural network to simulate a quantum many-body system

Nanotechnology news

	Super-resolution system reveals mechanics of tiny 'DNA walker' Researchers have introduced a new type of "super-resolution" microscopy and used it to discover the precise walking mechanism behind tiny structures made of DNA that could find biomedical and industrial applications.
	Nanotube growth moving in the right direction For the first time, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and collaborators have captured a movie of how large populations of carbon nanotubes grow and align themselves.
	Unique properties of 2-D materials and metals grown on carbon-coated surfaces Two-dimensional materials are a bit of a mind-bending concept. Humans live in a three-dimensional world, after all, where everything observed in our natural world has height, width, and depth. And yet when graphene—a carbon material unique in its truly flat, one-atom-deep dimension—was first produced in 2004, the mind-bending concept became reality and an unexplored frontier in materials science.

Physics news

	Researchers use artificial neural network to simulate a quantum many-body system (Phys.org)—A pair of physicists with ETH Zurich has developed a way to use an artificial neural network to characterize the wave function of a quantum many-body system. In their paper published in the journal Science, Giuseppe Carleo and Matthias Troyer describe how they coaxed a neural network to simulate some aspects of a quantum many-body system. Michael Hush with the University of New South Wales offers a Perspectives piece on the work done by the pair in the same journal issue and also outlines the problems other researchers have faced when attempting to solve the same problem.
	Quest to settle riddle over Einstein's theory may soon be over Astronomy experiments could soon test an idea developed by Albert Einstein almost exactly a century ago, scientists say.
	New study of ferroelectrics offers roadmap to multivalued logic for neuromorphic computing Research published Wednesday, in Nature Scientific Reports lays out a theoretical map to use ferroelectric material to process information using multivalued logic - a leap beyond the simple ones and zeroes that make up our current computing systems that could let us process information much more efficiently.
	New laser technology enables more sensitive gravitational-wave detectors One year ago, the first direct detection of gravitational waves was announced. Laser experts from the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute; AEI), from the Leibniz Universität Hannover, and from the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) played leading roles in this discovery, because their super-precise laser technology at the heart of the LIGO instruments in the USA enabled the detection of weak gravitational-wave signals. Now, AEI researchers have presented two new technologies capable of further increasing the sensitivity of future gravitational-wave detectors. The Max Planck Society now strengthens the development of laser systems for third-generation gravitational-wave detectors. The AEI, in collaboration with the LZH, receives over the next five years 3.75 million Euro research funding for the development of novel lasers Zentrum Hannover receives over the next five years 3.75 million Euro research funding for the development of novel lasers and stabilization methods.
	Heavy, short-lived elementary particle could help refine understanding of the universe The top quark is a unique little thing.
	Ancient signals from the early universe For the first time, theoretical physicists from the University of Basel have calculated the signal of specific gravitational wave sources that emerged fractions of a second after the Big Bang. The source of the signal is a long-lost cosmological phenomenon called "oscillon". The journal Physical Review Letters has published the results.

Earth news

	Sea-level change in Southeast Asia 6,000 years ago has implications for today For the 100 million people who live within 3 feet of sea level in East and Southeast Asia, the news that sea level in their region fluctuated wildly more than 6,000 years ago is important, according to research published by a team of ocean scientists and statisticians, including Rutgers professors Benjamin Horton and Robert Kopp and Rutgers Ph.D. student Erica Ashe. That's because those fluctuations occurred without the assistance of human-influenced climate change.
	Car drivers cause the most pollution in London – but are least exposed to it themselves Car drivers in London are causing the most pollution per commuter, a new study by the University of Surrey has found. But drivers themselves are the commuters least exposed to harmful particulate matter (PM), when compared with those taking the Underground or the bus.
	Simulation suggests two plumes involved in producing Deccan Traps (Phys.org)—A pair of researchers with the University of Quebec has found evidence that suggests the formation of the Deccan Traps igneous province came about due to two eruptions from two distinct plumes. In their paper published in the journal Science, Petar Glišović and Alessandro Forte, describe how they created a computer simulation able to depict events that occurred in what is now India over 60 million years ago.
	Researchers develop genetic tool to improve arsenic studies Environmental engineers are making it easier to identify the bacterial species responsible for releasing a form of arsenic that contaminates the water supplies of millions of people worldwide.
	A daily disturbance from the upper atmosphere leaves its footprints on tropical rainfall No matter where you live, rain seems to fall more often at certain times of day, whether it is seen in the daily afternoon rainstorm or a typical overnight shower. Indeed, statistically, long-term average rainfall tends to cluster at certain times of the 24-hour cycle, but that time frame varies depending on location. A team of scientists led by postdoctoral researcher Takatoshi Sakazaki at UH Mānoa's International Pacific Research Center (IPRC) has analyzed satellite-based observations and computer model simulations of tropical rainfall variation throughout the day in an effort to determine the root cause of the temporal patterns. Their results, published recently in Geophysical Research Letters, show that daily tropical rainfall distribution is significantly shaped by heating of the upper atmosphere.
Cattle pastures and other degraded lands become new oil palm plantations A new study published last week in the journal Environmental Research Letters by researchers at the University of Puerto Rico offers the first regional look at lands being converted to palm oil plantations in Latin America. Palm oil is a primary ingredient in processed foods, soaps, cosmetics, and biofuel. Growth of the palm oil industry has caused widespread deforestation in Southeast Asia, a concern among conservationists, the private sector, and consumers.
	A warm relationship between corals and bacteria Bacteria in certain microbiomes appear to help corals adapt to higher water temperatures and protect against bleaching, as shown by a KAUST-led research team.
	What kind of La Nina year is this? Scientists had been anticipating since last summer that La Niña, the phenomenon often associated with dry and somewhat cool weather on the West Coast, would develop this winter and extend a five-year drought across the Southwest.
	Long-term impacts of deep-sea mineral mining A new international study has demonstrated that deep-sea nodule mining will cause long-lasting damage to deep-sea life. This study, led by scientists at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), was the first to review all the available information on the impacts of small-scale sea-floor disturbances simulating mining activity. It found clear impacts on marine ecosystems from deep-sea nodule mining activities, which lasted at least for decades.
	Understanding climate change as a social issue Earth's increasingly deadly and destructive climate is prompting social work leaders to focus the profession's attention on one of humanity's most pressing issues: environmental change.
	Litter levels in the depths of the Arctic are on the rise The Arctic has a serious litter problem: in just ten years, the concentration of marine litter at a deep-sea station in the Arctic Ocean has risen 20-fold. This was recently reported in a study by researchers at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI).
	Team publishes new data about the history of the Pacific Ring of Fire The movements of Earth's tectonic plates shape the face of our planet. The sinking of one plate beneath another causes volcanism and earthquakes. As part of the International Ocean Discovery Program, an international science team was able to drill and investigate the origin of a subduction zone for the first time in 2014. The team is now publishing its data in the international scientific journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.
	Music professor receives patent to help fight bark beetles ravaging Western forests UC Santa Cruz music professor David Dunn has joined forces with two forest scientists from Northern Arizona University to combat an insect infestation that is killing millions of trees throughout the West.
Using science to see which countries are following through on climate change goals If the United States and its fellow Paris Agreement signatories are to meet global climate targets, they're going to have to make serious commitments that attack the problem on multiple fronts, including reducing coal use, raising renewable energy, accelerating carbon-capture technologies and electrifying more of our automotive fleet, a new analysis shows.
Radar study targeting wind events at NASA, Air Force launch facilities Rockets rolling to their launch towers at both the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida (and the people who work on them) may soon be a little bit safer, thanks to research in the Atmospheric Science Department at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).
	Image: Sicily captured by the Sentinel-2A satellite Part of the Italian island of Sicily is pictured in this false-colour image from the Sentinel-2A satellite.
	Extreme high temperatures set to break records: ANU expert A climate and health expert at The Australian National University (ANU) has warned that extreme high temperatures across New South Wales, including Western Sydney, and in Canberra could set new temperature records and put people's lives at risk.
	NASA's spots Tropical Cyclone Carlos' night-time stretch NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a night-time image of Tropical Cyclone Carlos using infrared light that showed the storm was being stretched out. Carlos is being adversely affected by the Westerlies.
	Emergency spillway use likely at Oroville Dam in California Water could pour over an emergency spillway at Lake Oroville for the first time ever, a last-ditch alternative that California officials said they had been hoping to avoid.

Astronomy & Space news

	NASA demonstrates electronics for longer Venus surface missions A team of scientists at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland recently completed a technology demonstration that could enable new scientific missions to the surface of Venus. The team demonstrated the first prolonged operation of electronics in the harsh conditions found on Venus.
	Hubble sees spiral in Andromeda The Andromeda constellation is one of the 88 modern constellations and should not be confused with our neighboring Andromeda Galaxy. The Andromeda constellation is home to the pictured galaxy known as NGC 7640.
	Technique to prevent the falsification of Galileo navigational signals The European Union activated its Galileo satellite navigation system in December 2016. The EU is dedicated to setting this system apart from other navigation systems such as GPS—the U.S. counterpart of Galileo. Researchers from the Department of Electrical Engineering at KU Leuven (University of Leuven, Belgium) have now risen to this challenge as well, designing authentication features that will make it difficult to transmit false Galileo signals.
	NASA's OSIRIS-REx begins Earth-Trojan asteroid search A NASA spacecraft begins its search Thursday for an enigmatic class of near-Earth objects known as Earth-Trojan asteroids. OSIRIS-REx, currently on a two-year outbound journey to the asteroid Bennu, will spend almost two weeks searching for evidence of these small bodies.
	Black holes are even stranger than you can imagine Our love of black holes continues to grow as our knowledge of these celestial bodies expands. The latest news is the discovery of a rare "middleweight" black hole, a relative newcomer to the black hole family.
	NASA approves first commercial airlock for space station science and SmallSat deployment In a significant move towards further expansion of the International Space Station's (ISS) burgeoning research and commercial space economy capabilities, NASA has approved the development of the first privately developed airlock and is targeting blastoff to the orbiting lab complex in two years.

Technology news

	Brilliant Control sports smart lighting, can work with other smart home devices (Tech Xplore)—A California-based tech company Brilliant on Wednesday announced Brilliant Control, and in so doing showed its ambitions in the smart home marketplace.
	New chip would thwart the counterfeiting that plagues the market for wired device chargers Counterfeit chargers for portable electronics are a major problem. At the end of 2016, Apple claimed that of 100 Apple-branded charging accessories it bought on Amazon, 90 were counterfeits. Around the same time, Britain's Chartered Trading Standards Institute reported that of 400 counterfeit chargers it bought from a range of online retailers, 397 failed a basic safety test.
	How Google Chromebooks conquered schools The Google Chromebook, a type of stripped-down laptop, isn't a practical mobile device for many people—mostly because it basically turns into an expensive paperweight whenever it can't find a Wi-Fi connection.
	Protecting bulk power systems from hackers Reliability measures of electrical grid has risen to a new norm as it involves physical security and cybersecurity. Threats to either can trigger instability, leading to blackouts and economic losses.
Apoorva Mehta had 20 failed startups before Instacart The gig: Apoorva Mehta, 30, is the founder and chief executive of San Francisco grocery delivery startup Instacart. Over the last four years, he has grown the company to more than 300 full-time employees and tens of thousands of part-time grocery shoppers. The startup offers on-demand and same-day grocery delivery in hundreds of cities in 20 states.
Sentencing of hacker in $55M scam is a rare win for feds (Update) A prolific Russian-speaking hacker behind cyberattacks that netted an estimated $55 million is facing sentencing by a U.S. judge on a conviction considered an unusual win for law enforcement officials who have identified, but failed to arrest, hundreds of others like him.
Taiwan Uber drivers protest fine hike as app halts service Protesting Uber drivers circled Taiwan's transport ministry Friday as the ride-hailing app halted operations on the island following an impasse with the government which deems the service illegal.
Struggling retailers seek silver bullet in Amazon era Want a coffee while you shop? A glass of wine? Those are just few of the gimmicks being rolled out by retailers as they fight to boost store traffic—and ensure their survival in the Amazon era.
	A sewage system that 'digests' and 'cooks' human waste Student volunteers Susannah Duck and Izhan Khan describe working with a Tanzanian community to install a system that turns sewage into essential products.
	Engineers developing advanced robotic systems that will become surgeon's right hand In the operating room of the future, robots will be an integral part of the surgical team, working alongside human surgeons to make surgeries safer, faster, more precise and more automated. In the lab of electrical engineering professor Michael Yip at the University of California San Diego, engineers are developing advanced robotic systems that could make this vision a reality.
	How machine learning is changing crime-solving tactics Modern forensic DNA analyses are crucial to crime scene investigations; however the interpretation of the DNA profiles can be complex. Two researchers from the Forensics and National Security Sciences Institute (FNSSI) have turned to computer technology to assist complicated profile interpretation, specifically when it comes to samples containing DNA from multiple people.
Researchers simulate global potential of electricity generated using hydropower TU Delft researchers have completed a detailed account of the global potential of hydropower. The results of their research were published in the scientific journal PLOS One on Wednesday, 8 February 2017.
	Scientist calls for industrial scale-up of greenhouse gas-eating microbe technology in UK A leading green energy scientist who uses bacteria to turn greenhouse gases into usable chemicals is calling for more investment from industry and government subsidies to scale up this newest of technologies.
	Review: The affordable speaker that keeps party going strong, lets you sing along My wife's family is from southern Louisiana, and every summer we head down there for a family reunion.
	Facebook to have outside audit of ad data Facebook on Friday promised an outside audit of data it provides advertisers in a move apparently aimed at quelling concerns about accuracy.
Ford invests $1B in robotics startup in driverless car quest Ford Motor will spend $1 billion to take over a robotics startup to acquire more of the expertise needed to reach its ambitious goal of having a fully driverless vehicle on the road by 2021.
CEO of recruiting software company focuses on diversity At first glance, Jon Bischke would seem an unlikely spokesman for diversity.
Uber vows to fight in Denmark after law tightened The Danish branch of the ride-sharing service Uber says it will stay in Denmark to "fight" after the government proposed toughening standards for cabs.
	The school with the largest solar facade in the world he Copenhagen International School's new building is covered by 12,000 colored solar panels based on a technology developed at EPFL. It is one of the largest building-integrated solar power plants in Denmark.
	Spanish software optimizes design of new mobile device chargers An electronic power converter is a system that adapts electric energy from a source to a specific load need. "For example, it's the system that obtains energy from the electricity grid through a socket and adapts it to charge the battery of a mobile telephone or other devices," said Andrés Barrado, one of the UC3M professors who created this company.
	A new open source dataset links human motion and language Researchers have created a large, open source database to support the development of robot activities based on natural language input. The new KIT Motion-Language Dataset will help to unify and standardize research linking human motion and natural language, as presented in an article in Big Data.

Chemistry news

	Liposomes modified with temperature-responsive polymers are tuned for cellular uptake (Phys.org)—Drug delivery is tricky because the therapeutic compound needs to be non-toxic and deliver the correct dosage at the correct time. Some therapeutics are chemically unstable and others do not have the correct solubility profile for cellular uptake. One way that researchers have overcome some of these drawbacks is using stimuli-responsive polymers.
	Researchers invent process to produce renewable car tires from trees, grass A team of researchers, led by the University of Minnesota, has invented a new technology to produce automobile tires from trees and grasses in a process that could shift the tire production industry toward using renewable resources found right in our backyards.
	Technique to suppress dendrite growth in lithium metal batteries A team of researchers at Tsinghua University (Beijing, China) has reported an implantable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) in a lithium metal anode. This stable SEI film can suppress lithium dendrite growth to realize safe lithium metal batteries (LMB). Their results appear in the journal Chem, published on February 9, 2017.
Lecithin enhances antimicrobial properties of the essential oil, eugenol Lecithin, a natural emulsifier commonly used in processed foods, synergistically enhances the antimicrobial properties of the natural essential oil, eugenol, but only when applied in very small quantities. The research is published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Video: The search for human pheromones Molecules known as pheromones are a potent form of chemical communication in the animal kingdom, able to convey a creature's gender, fertility and more with scent alone. Scientists have sought to determine if humans' body odor also contains pheromones.

Biology news

	Monkey fights help explain tipping points in animal societies Previous studies of flocks, swarms, and schools suggest that animal societies may verge on a "critical" point—in other words, they are extremely sensitive and can be easily tipped into a new social regime. But exactly how far animal societies sit from the critical point and what controls that distance remain unknown.
	Malaria vaccine target's invasion partner uncovered A team at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute has discovered how a promising malarial vaccine target - the protein RH5 - helps parasites to invade human red blood cells. Published today in Nature Communications, the study reveals that a previously mysterious protein on the surface of the parasite called P113 anchors the RH5 protein, and provides a molecular bridge between the parasite and a red blood cell.
	Scientists solve fish evolution mystery A University of Wyoming researcher is part of an international team that has discovered how more than 700 species of fish have evolved in East Africa's Lake Victoria region over the past 150,000 years.
Newly discovered beetle species catches a ride on the back of army ants A new species of beetle has been spotted hitchhiking on the back of army ants as a means of transportation, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Zoology.
	Hundreds of whales wash up dead on New Zealand beach More than 400 whales were stranded on a New Zealand beach Friday, with most of them dying quickly as frustrated volunteers desperately raced to save the survivors.
	Warm ocean water triggered vast seabird die-off, experts say A year after tens of thousands of common murres, an abundant North Pacific seabird, starved and washed ashore on beaches from California to Alaska, researchers have pinned the cause to unusually warm ocean temperatures that affected the tiny fish they eat.
	Plasmas promote protein introduction in plants Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology and Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, have developed a technique for introducing proteins into plant cells using plasma treatment. Their method could have multiple applications in plant research and industry.
	Adaptor proteins control ion channel gating mechanism Ion channels are proteins that form pores in cellular membranes, which can be opened and shut like lock gates to allow the passage of electrically charged atoms (ions). Members of this class of proteins are crucial components involved in a wide range of processes that are essential for survival. In order to ensure that they correctly perform these functions, however, the opening and closing of these pores must be carefully regulated. LMU researchers led by Professor Dr. Michael Mederos y Schnitzler and Dr. Ursula Storch at the Walter Straub Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology at LMU have now uncovered an activation mechanism in which an accessory molecular adaptor acts as a fail-safe mechanism to prevent inappropriate opening of two related ion channels. Their results have now been published in the journal PNAS.
	Major breakthrough in search for environmentally friendly pesticide A 'new generation' of environmentally friendly pesticides is a step closer as researchers make an important breakthrough in pest control efficiency thanks to an insect-killing fungus.
	Fish express a form of fever related to that of humans Fish express a form of fever in response to infection. This can save their live. A study, lead by Professor Alain Vanderplasschen of the Laboratory of Immunology-Vaccinology of the Univeristy of Liège (FARAH), reveals that it is induced by the same molecule that triggers fever in humans.
Bluebells may fail to flourish as warmer days speed start of spring Carpets of bluebells have long been a feature of spring woodlands - but the flowers may not be at their best in years to come as climates get warmer, research suggests.
	Alzheimer's may be linked to defective brain cells spreading disease Rutgers scientists say neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's may be linked to defective brain cells disposing toxic proteins that make neighboring cells sick.
	Whale beachings: some notable events The mass stranding of more than 400 pilot whales on the beaches of New Zealand on Friday ranks among the worst in a nation accustomed to the phenomenon.
	Super-additive leading the way to more sustainable aquaculture feed Fish farmers are always looking for sustainable feed that can make fish strong and healthy. A new study led by the CSIC in Spain concludes that marine feed ingredients in aquaculture can potentially be replaced by plant ingredients without detrimental effects, when appropriate feed additives are added.

Medicine & Health news

	Brazilian peppertree packs power to knock out antibiotic-resistant bacteria The red berries of the Brazilian peppertree—a weedy, invasive species common in Florida—contain an extract with the power to disarm dangerous antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria, scientists at Emory University have discovered.
	Brain network connections may underlie social behavior linked to autism Evaluating the strength of connections in the brain is one avenue researchers have been exploring to help identify children at risk for autism spectrum disorder earlier in life.
	Research suggests wearing a police uniform changes the way the brain processes info New research from a team of cognitive neuroscientists at McMaster University suggests that simply putting on a uniform, similar to one the police might wear, automatically affects how we perceive others, creating a bias towards those considered to be of a low social status.
	Laser-based camera improves view of the carotid artery Strokes and heart attacks often strike without warning. But, a unique application of a medical camera could one day help physicians know who is at risk for a cardiovascular event by providing a better view of potential problem areas.
Stressed out interferons reveal potential key to alternative lupus treatment Only one new drug has become available over the past 50 years for the estimated 1.5 million Americans and five million-plus people worldwide suffering from lupus, but new research has identified a previously unknown mechanism involved in the immune response that could provide an alternative therapy target.
	Do older guys always prefer younger women? Maybe not The stereotype that older men are usually attracted to much younger women may not fully reflect reality, a new study suggests.
	Newfound effect of cancer drug may expand its use A drug first designed to prevent cancer cells from multiplying has a second effect: it switches immune cells that turn down the body's attack on tumors back into the kind that amplify it. This is the finding of a study led by researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center and published recently in Cancer Immunology Research.
	Valsartan cuts microalbuminuria in impaired glucose tolerance (HealthDay)—For patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), valsartan is associated with reduced incidence of microalbuminuria, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
	Infection risk lower for etanercept vs monoclonal antibody treatment (HealthDay)—For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, etanercept is associated with lower risk for general infections and tuberculosis compared with monoclonal antibody treatment, according to a meta-analysis published online Feb. 3 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
	Adherence to bronchiolitis guidelines cuts LOS, costs (HealthDay)—Adherence to bronchiolitis clinical pathway recommendations is associated with reduced length of stay (LOS) and costs, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in Pediatrics.
Emflaza approved for duchenne muscular dystrophy (HealthDay) —Emflaza (deflazacort) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy in people five years and older, the agency said Thursday in a news release.
	Chinese air pollution linked to respiratory and cardiovascular deaths In the largest epidemiological study conducted in the developing world, researchers found that as exposures to fine particulate air pollution in 272 Chinese cities increase, so do deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
	One step closer to personalized antibiotic treatment Microbes in the gut can "disarm" antibiotics, leading to antibiotic resistance and incurable infections. A new method makes it possible to quickly detect resistance genes and, hence, choose the most efficient type of antibiotic treatment.
	Neural network learns to select potential anticancer drugs Scientists from Mail.Ru group Insilico Medicine and MIPT have for the first time applied a generative neural network to create new pharmaceutical medicines with the desired characteristics. Generative adversarial networks (GANs) developed and trained to "invent" new molecular structures may produce a dramatic reduction in the time and cost of searching for substances with potential medicinal properties. The researchers intend to use these technologies in the search for new medications within various areas from oncology to CVDs and even anti-infectives. The first results were submitted to Oncotarget in June 2016. Since that time, the group has made many improvements to the system and engaged with some of the leading pharmaceutical companies.
Researchers find potential treatments for hemoglobinopathies An article published in Experimental Biology and Medicine (Volume 242, Issue 3, February, 2017) identifies microRNAs (miRNAs) as key factors in some hemoglobinopathies, genetic disorders characterized by alterations in the level or structure of the globin proteins that are responsible for oxygen transport in the blood. The study, led by Dr. Thais Fornari, from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Campinas in Brazil demonstrated that differential expression of miRNAs may be responsible for the variations in globin gene expression observed in patients with two hemoglobinopathies: hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin deletion type 2 (HPFH-2) and Sicilian-δβ–thalassemia.
Research suggests link between family history and higher risk of violence in bipolar patients A large population worldwide is affected by bipolar disorder and the heritability stands at around 80 percent.
How a travel ban could worsen doctor shortages in US hospitals and threaten primary care The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Feb. 9 upheld the restraining order on President Trump's immigration ban. A key argument used by the States of Washington and Minnesota was the negative impact of the ban on higher education, but an important corollary is the impact on medical care in the U.S. While the world waits for a final decision on the matter, potentially from the Supreme Court, it's critical to look at the potential ramifications of the ban.
Peroxisomes—the hybrid organelle Like the human body itself, cells have structures within them that perform special tasks. These cellular structures are called organelles, and discovering more about organelles is key to unlocking the reasons why certain cells misbehave, causing diseases such as Parkinson's, for example.
Prevent diabetic kidney function deterioration Since the progress of diabetic kidney disease is difficult to slow, many patients have to undergo dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have managed to prevent diabetic kidney function deteriorating in mice using a new treatment method, and are confident that it could be a possible treatment for humans as well. The study is published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
	Research suggests zebrafish models may be efficient resource for identifying drugs for clinical use "Bench-to-bedside" describes research that has progressed from basic science in animal models that has led to therapies used in patients. Now, a study in the journal Brain describes what could be considered a direct "aquarium-to-bedside" approach, taking a drug discovered in a genetic zebrafish model of epilepsy and testing it, with promising results, in a small number of children with the disease. The study was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Study suggests product reviews posted on shopping sites do not accurately reflect product benefits Research from the University of Aberdeen suggests that product reviews posted on shopping sites like Amazon do not provide an accurate reflection of the actual benefit of the product.
	Size matters when it comes to keeping blood sugar levels in check Keeping blood sugar levels within a safe range is key to managing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In a new finding that could lead to fewer complications for diabetes patients, Yale School of Medicine researchers have found that changes in the size of mitochondria in a small subset of brain cells play a crucial role in safely maintaining blood sugar levels.
Sports-related concussion negatively affects heart rate, blood pressure A new study finds that concussion causes short-term impairment of the cardiovascular system but that these cardiovascular symptoms typically resolve within three days of the injury. The article is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.
Mitochondrial lipids as potential targets in early onset Parkinson's disease A team of researchers led by Patrik Verstreken (VIB–KU Leuven) have identified an underlying mechanism in early onset Parkinson's. Using flies, mice and patient cells, the team focused on cardiolipin, a fat unique to cells' mitochondria, organelles that produce energy. They demonstrated that reducing the effects of the protein FASN influences the mitochondria, leading to increased cardiolipin levels and reduced Parkinson's symptoms. These results could pave the way to therapies for Parkinson's disease that target lipids. The team's research was published in the scientific magazine Journal of Cell Biology.
New method reduces adverse effects of rectal cancer treatment A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that short-course preoperative radiotherapy combined with delayed surgery reduces the adverse side-effects of rectal cancer surgery without compromising its efficacy. The results are presented in the journal The Lancet Oncology.
MicroRNAs protect the precursors of neurons from apoptosis Programmed cell death is an integral part of embryonic development. Exploring the regulation of the process, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich researchers have shown that so-called microRNAs protect the precursors of neurons from 'precocious' elimination.
	New insights into the roles of different subareas in the prefrontal cortex Whether the brain responds to an external stimulus or not depends significantly on the balance between areas of excitation and inhibition in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Synaptic connections in the front of the cerebral cortex enable the brain to make a conscious decision on whether to react to a stimulus with movement or not. However, the roles of the individual regions in the PFC and how they work together in this decision-making process were unknown until now. An international team led by Stefanie Hardung from the research group of Professor Ilka Diester, a member of Bernstein Center Freiburg and the Cluster of Excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools, has now identified the roles five subareas in the prefrontal cortex play in making decisions on movement. Their results were now published in the journal Current Biology. This study may be of particular significance for the further investigation of impulse control disorders.
'World's heaviest woman' to fly to India for surgery An Egyptian believed to be the world's heaviest woman will fly to India for weight reduction surgery Saturday after intervention from the country's foreign minister ensured her a visa.
	Meadowsweet decoction showed its activity in cancer preventing Artificially increasing risks of rodents for developing cancer, researchers proved that those given a meadowsweet decoction instead of water had reduced numbers of brain and spinal cord tumors by two and three times respectively. According to the scientists, the work opens a new research path in the field of natural cancer inhibitors. The experiment results were reported in Journal of Neuro-Oncology.
	Gut bacteria may play a role in Alzheimer's disease New research from Lund University in Sweden has shown that intestinal bacteria can accelerate the development of Alzheimer's disease. According to the researchers behind the study, the results open up the door to new opportunities for preventing and treating the disease.
	Pre-eclampsia deaths are avoidable Pregnancy in the UK has never been safer, say scientists from King's College London writing in the latest edition of The Lancet.
Scientists can predict in the lab whether a drug will be effective for individual colorectal tumours Colorectal carcinomas arise in different forms, so all treatments do not work for all patients. OncoTrack, a public-private consortium supported by the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking, has conducted one of Europe's largest collaborative academic-industry research projects to develop and assess novel approaches for identification of new markers for colon cancer. Scientists from the OncoTrack Consortium, including researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin and the Institute's spin-off Alacris Theranostocs, have analysed tumour samples from patients with this type of cancer in a preclinical study. In particular, the scientists looked for biomarkers, i.e. molecules that are typical of the different tumour sub-groups and provide valuable information for diagnosis and potential treatment. Among other things, the research team discovered molecules that can predict the effectiveness of two drugs commonly used to treat this disease: Cetuximab, which inhibits the receptor for the epidermal growth factor (EGFR), and the chemotherapy drug 5FU.
	Disparities in economic opportunities lead minorities to take more hazardous jobs, study finds Latino immigrants and African-American men work in jobs with the highest risk of injury, according to a new study of workplace injuries and disability.
	Prebiotics may help to cope with stress What are some ways you cope with stresses in your life? Do you do yoga? Meditate? Exercise? Perhaps you should add taking prebiotics to that list.
	New treatment to help children with autism overcome phobias Following research showing that a unique immersive virtual reality can help children with autism spectrum disorder overcome their fears and phobias, the service known as the Newcastle Blue Room is now being offered on the NHS.
	Researchers develop new model for earlier treatments for AMD An international team of researchers from Queen's University Belfast, University College London and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA have developed a cell culture model that could help to develop earlier treatment strategies for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
	What's next for the Obamacare insurance exchanges? (HealthDay)—Americans who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces could have fewer health plan choices and face new enrollment hurdles and cost pressures in 2018, health policy analysts say.
	Winning the veggie wars with kids (HealthDay)—For every parent who's ever pleaded with their young child to eat "just one more bite," a nutrition expert says there are ways to get kids to eat and even enjoy vegetables.
	College students seem to take longer to recover from concussion (HealthDay)—College students seem to take longer to recover from concussion than the average in the United States, a new study suggests.
	Twelve percent of women fill opioid rx after vaginal delivery (HealthDay)—Twelve percent of women fill an outpatient opioid prescription within five days of vaginal delivery, according to a study published in the March issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	About one in three ob-gyns relocated in past 10 years (HealthDay)—About one-third of obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) moved at least once in the past 10 years, according to a study published in the March issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Rx adherence reminders no more effective at 'fresh start' dates (HealthDay)—Sending medication adherence reminders following fresh-start dates (life and calendar events indicating the start of new cycles) is not effective for increasing medication adherence, according to a research letter published online Feb. 8 in JAMA Cardiology.
	Rhytidectomy litigation usually resolved in defendant's favor (HealthDay)—Most cases of rhytidectomy malpractice litigation are resolved in the defendant's favor, according to research published online Feb. 9 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
	Anterior segment parameters tied to gonioscopic angle closure (HealthDay)—Baseline anterior segment parameters are associated with development of incident gonioscopic angle closure after four years, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	Duty hour restrictions don't impair thyroid surgery outcomes (HealthDay)—Implementation of duty hour reform does not negatively impact thyroid and parathyroid procedure outcomes, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
	Review: noncomplete mesorectal excision up with laparoscopy (HealthDay)—Patients undergoing laparoscopic rectal resection (LRR) have increased risk for noncomplete mesorectal excision versus those undergoing open rectal resection (ORR), according to a review and meta-analysis published online Feb. 8 in JAMA Surgery.
	How to reset your body clock, and get better sleep, with hiking boots and a tent Are you sick of going to bed late and waking up tired? Then grab your hiking boots and a tent. A new study suggests that a couple days of camping in the great outdoors can reset your circadian clock and help you get more sleep.
	Trying to solve the Alzheimer's puzzle Despite a 99 percent failure rate and another major setback recently, Alzheimer's researchers are plowing ahead with hundreds of experiments - and a boost in federal money - to try to a crack a deadly disease that has flummoxed them for decades.
	New treatments to extend life for multiple myeloma patients Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells that reside inside bone marrow. Plasma cells produce certain proteins that build up the immune system. In abnormal quantities, these proteins damage the body and compromise the immune system.
	X-ray to study micronutrients in human minibrains Micronutrients and minerals play a key role during human fetal development. A study published in PeerJ this week describes the composition and distribution of some elements in human minibrains created in the lab.
Appeals court OKs NYC salt-warning rule for some restaurants An appeals court says New York City's pioneering requirement for chain restaurants to flag salty items on their menus is both legal and "salutary."
	Cancer research UK announces grand challenge teams to answer biggest questions in cancer Cancer Research UK today (Friday) announces that four international teams are the first recipients of its global £100m Grand Challenge competition, which aims to overcome the biggest challenges facing cancer researchers in a global effort to beat cancer sooner.
Obamacare critic confirmed as US health secretary The US Senate narrowly confirmed Tom Price as President Donald Trump's pick for health secretary Friday, appointing a fierce Obamacare critic who aims to implement a Republican promise to tear up the divisive health care reform law.
	Better than a pill: Team to develop new arthritis treatment via silk A twisted ankle, broken hip or torn knee cartilage are all common injuries that can have medical ramifications long after the initial incident that causes them. Associated pain, inflammation, joint degeneration and even osteoarthritis can sideline a variety of different people: athletes, weekend warriors and patients who are either aging or inactive.
	In an age of political anger, the science behind human prejudice Increasing political polarisation in western democracies was starkly highlighted in 2016 with the UK's vote for Brexit and the election of Donald Trump in the United States. Such polarisation will likely continue to be a key societal factor as 2017 unfolds and consequently, more attention is being placed on a need to understand the scientific and psychological reasons that drive humans to identify enemies based on race, political beliefs and other perceived threats.
	How does penis length change after prostate cancer surgery? Many patients who have their prostate glands removed as a treatment for prostate cancer complain of shortening in the length of the penis.
Study provides new insights on how diabetes drug works Many individuals with type 2 diabetes produce abnormally low levels of a gut hormone called GLP-1, which normally stimulates insulin release from the pancreas.
	Progress toward HIV cure highlighted A comprehensive collection of articles describing the broad scope and current status of this global effort is published in a special issue of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses.
COPD treatment with two types of bronchodilators Dear Mayo Clinic: I was recently diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Why do I have different inhalers?

Other Sciences news

	Fossil treasure trove reveals post-extinction world ruled by sponges Exceptionally well-preserved fossil communities are always exciting, but some are more interesting than others. Fossils from particularly important times or environments can tell palaeontologists much more than those from periods already well documented. A new window into the aftermath of the second-biggest mass extinction since the rise of animals is therefore very interesting indeed.
	Discovering what shapes language diversity A team of international researchers, led by Colorado State University's Michael Gavin, have taken a first step in answering fundamental questions about human diversity.
	Study examines how behavioral science can help tackle problem of idling engines New research by academics at the University of East Anglia (UEA), University of Kent and University of Lincoln, suggests that insights from behavioural science can help inform the design of road signs to bring about changes in driver behaviour.
Hunting tools tell how first people in Denmark lived A Danish town says archaeologists have found some 13,000-year-old hunting tools that give "a fantastic insight" into how some of the first people in Denmark lived.
	How languages shape economics Half of the world's population is bilingual or multilingual, with over 6,000 different languages spoken in the world today. But language is much more than just communication. As well as expressing cultural identity, language also enables trade and, perhaps surprisingly, trade shapes language.
	Racial disparities persist in who has a say in California politics, study shows A report released recently by Advancement Project California and co-authored by a UC Berkeley professor finds that whites have the most power and influence in terms of who has a say in California politics, while Latinos and Asian Americans have the least, despite comprising the majority of the state's population.
	What do gorilla suits and blowfish fallacies have to do with climate change? A famous psychology experiment instructed participants to watch a short video, counting the number of times players in white shirts passed the ball. If you haven't seen it before, I encourage you to give the following short video your full attention and follow the instructions:
	Attack on an airline or airport could cost the economy billions in losses The potential economic losses of the recent deadly attack in the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport could top billions of dollars over the next two years, according to USC terrorism experts.
Gaining an edge in head-to-head competition Pairs of dominant retailers in direct competition - Macy's and Gimbel's, Saks and Bloomingdale's, Dick's and Sports Authority - are always trying to find an edge over their rival. Money back guarantees, or MBGs, and personalized pricing strategy, or PPS, work well for monopoly retailers. But how do they affect duopolies?
Dinosaur surprise: Scientists find collagen inside a 195-million-year-old bone Dinosaur paleontology has long been the domain of bones and teeth - but now soft tissues could be changing the game. Scientists say they have discovered collagen preserved in a 195-million-year-old rib from a long-necked Lufengosaurus.
Surrounding real estate shows increase in value if near transit station A national meta-analysis led by a UTA researcher shows that single-family property increases only about 2.3 percent when located next to a transit station.
Immigration suppresses crime, research shows Editor's note: In his first week in office, President Donald Trump showed he intends to follow through on his immigration promises. A major focus of his campaign was on removing immigrants who, he said, were increasing crime in American communities.

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