Science X Newsletter Mon, Oct 23

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 23, 2023:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

New study with video shows how female frogs defend themselves against unwanted mating

Study shows that attractor dynamics in the monkey prefrontal cortex reflect the confidence of decisions

Two Neptune-sized exoplanets discovered with TESS

The moon is 40 million years older than thought, lunar crystals study suggests

Diagnosing atherosclerosis with an oxidative stress biomarker triggered multiplexed instrument

New large-scale study results add to evidence that vestibular loss increases dementia risk

Two groups look at the economic viability of mining asteroids

New 3D-printed tumor model enables faster, less expensive and less painful cancer treatment

Scientists close the cycle on recycling mixed plastics

Artificial coral reefs showing early signs they can mimic real reefs killed by climate change, says study

Saturday Citations: Hope for golden retrievers and humans. Plus: Cosmologists constrain the entire universe

Drought in Brazil's Amazon reveals ancient engravings

Scientists demonstrate the transport of light cargo using tethered and untethered soft robots made from hydrogels

Researchers use pioneering new method to unlock brain's noradrenaline system

How long should kids isolate after they've contracted COVID-19?

Nanotechnology news

	Scientists demonstrate the transport of light cargo using tethered and untethered soft robots made from hydrogels A team of University of Waterloo researchers has created smart, advanced materials that will be the building blocks for a future generation of soft medical microrobots. They published their results in Nature Communications.
	3D-printed hairs: Professor developing tiny sensors to detect flow and environmental changes Eyelashes and brows catch dust and debris from entering eyes. The same idea goes for tiny nose and ear hairs. At a more microscopic level, the tiny hair-like cilia that line human cells help detect subtle environmental changes and can boost a person's senses.
	New technology could lead to quick, minimally invasive cancer diagnoses A new device created at the University of Notre Dame employs an innovative method for "listening in" on cells' conversations.
	Researchers propose new strategy to improve efficiency for nanotherapeutic delivery in tumors A team led by Prof. Wang Yucai and Associate Prof. Jiang Wei from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) revealed the mechanism of the tumor vascular basement membranes (BM) blocking nanoparticles (NPs) for the first time and developed an immunodriven strategy to increase the NP penetration through the BM barrier. Their work was published in Nature Nanotechnology.

Physics news

	Working towards programmable matter: Unexpected behavior discovered in active particles Investigating systems consisting of self-propelled particles—so-called active particles—is a rapidly growing area of research. In theoretical models for active particles, it is often assumed that the particles' swimming speed is always the same. This is not so, however, for particles produced in many experiments, for example for those propelled by ultrasound for medical applications. In these cases, the propulsion speed depends on the orientation.
	Do we live in a computer simulation like in The Matrix? Proposed new law of physics backs up the idea The simulated universe theory implies that our universe, with all its galaxies, planets and life forms, is a meticulously programmed computer simulation. In this scenario, the physical laws governing our reality are simply algorithms. The experiences we have are generated by the computational processes of an immensely advanced system.
	Black holes could come in 'perfect pairs' in an ever expanding universe Researchers from the University of Southampton, together with colleagues from the universities of Cambridge and Barcelona, have shown it's theoretically possible for black holes to exist in perfectly balanced pairs—held in equilibrium by a cosmological force—mimicking a single black hole.
	Scientists amplify superconducting sensor array signals near the quantum limit Understanding how energy moves in materials is fundamental to the study of quantum phenomena, catalytic reactions, and complex proteins. Measuring how energy moves involves shining special X-ray light onto a sample to start a reaction.

Earth news

	Increased West Antarctic ice sheet melting 'unavoidable,' say scientists Scientists ran simulations on the UK's national supercomputer to investigate ocean-driven melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet: how much is unavoidable and must be adapted to, and how much melting the international community still has control over through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
	Finding Argoland: How a lost continent resurfaced Geologists have long known that around 155 million years ago, a 5,000 km long piece of continent broke off western Australia and drifted away. They can see that by the 'void' it left behind: a basin hidden deep below the ocean known as the Argo Abyssal Plain. The underwater feature also lends its name to the newly formed continent: Argoland. The structure of the seafloor shows that this continent must have drifted off to the northwest, and must have ended up where the islands of Southeast Asia are located today.
	Iron in ancient deep magma ocean probed by ultra-fast femtosecond X-ray lasers When the Earth was completing its formation approximately 4.5 billion years ago, it was enveloped in a global ocean of molten magma, extending hundreds to thousands of kilometers beneath its surface due to violent impacts. This early environment bore little resemblance to the habitable conditions we experience on Earth today.
	New climate maps predict major changes in vegetation by end of century A multinational study seen in Scientific Data and led by KAUST reports that the global climate has experienced notable changes in climate classification over the past century, and these shifts are projected to intensify in the coming decades. With an updated version of the 1-km Kӧppen-Geiger climate classification maps released in 2018, the study provides a comprehensive view of historical and future climate conditions across the globe.
	New study shows surprising effects of fire in North America's boreal forests A new study, using a first-of-its-kind approach to analyze satellite imagery from boreal forests over the last three decades, has found that fire may be changing the face of the region in a way researchers did not previously anticipate.
	Hurricanes are now twice as likely to zip from minor to whopper than decades ago, study says With warmer oceans serving as fuel, Atlantic hurricanes are now more than twice as likely as before to rapidly intensify from wimpy minor hurricanes to powerful and catastrophic, a study said Thursday.
	What will happen to the Greenland ice sheet if we miss our global warming targets It's hard to overstate how crucial Greenland, and its kilometers-thick ice layer, is to climate change. If all that ice melted, the sea would rise by about seven meters—the height of a house.
	Researchers: The climate impact of plastic pollution is negligible—the production of new plastics is the real problem The dual pressures of climate change and plastic pollution are frequently conflated in the media, in peer-reviewed research and other environmental reporting.
	Washington still suffers from drought despite rain—and El Nino won't help Despite recent rainfall most of Washington still suffers from drought and climatologists say the months ahead aren't likely to offer much relief.
	Cleaning up Australia's 80,000 disused mines is a huge job—but the payoffs can outweigh the costs Newly announced closures of Glencore's copper and zinc mines in Mt Isa will add to a huge number of former mines in Australia. A 2020 study by Monash University's Resources Trinity Group found more than 80,000 inactive mine sites across the country.
	How ready is your town? Researchers help coastal towns prepare for the next storm in a changing climate Hurricane Sandy brought devastation to the East Coast on October 29, 2012. With the destabilizing effects of the climate crisis, coupled with sea level rise, these record-breaking disasters are quickly becoming normal occurrences. Communities need to build resilience quickly, and UConn researchers are working on a metric to help coastal areas prioritize which measures to focus on. Their research is published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.
	Researchers correct overestimation by 'hot model' climate projections on warming in China Changes in mean temperature and temperature extremes at regional scale under a warmer climate have received much attention. A subset of CMIP6 climate models, known as "hot models," have been projecting more significant warming due to greenhouse gases.
	Washington's volcanoes are experiencing seismic tremors from an unlikely source—glaciers Most people think of seismic activity as the result of movement along faults or of violent volcanic eruptions. But seismic events can have other causes, including floods and even large crowds of excited fans—such as those at Taylor Swift's recent Seattle shows, whose enthusiastic reception caused seismic activity equivalent to a 2.3 magnitude earthquake—and glaciers.
	A layered lake reveals how oxygen built up in our atmosphere billions of years ago Little Deming Lake doesn't get much notice from visitors to Itasca State Park in Minnesota. There's better boating on nearby Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi River. My colleagues and I need to maneuver hundreds of pounds of equipment down a hidden path made narrow by late-summer poison ivy to launch our rowboats.
	More heat waves and vanishing snow: The lake Tahoe basin's future on a warming planet Lake Tahoe is known for its crystal-clear blue water, scenic mountain backdrop, and world-class recreation opportunities. Unfortunately, the lake and surrounding basin aren't insulated from global climate change.
	Residents unprepared for wildland fires, face barriers in implementing prevention measures: Study This year, Canada saw the worst wildfire season in its history, with fires destroying homes, displacing thousands of residents, and burning the largest area since contemporary records began in 1983. Much of this damage to communities could be reduced with better wildfire preparedness—but wildland urban interface (WUI) communities often face significant barriers in implementing these improvements, according to a study by York University's Disaster and Emergency Management researchers.
	Study finds mindfulness training may not be enough to increase eco-friendliness Could general well-being practices like meditation encourage eco-friendly behaviors and attitudes? As the climate crisis accelerates ecological disasters around the world, scientists' investigations into this longstanding question have taken on greater urgency. A study from the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin–Madison explores the connection between meditation and environmental consciousness and suggests the relationship might not be that simple.
	In 250 million years, a single supercontinent will form, wiping out nearly all mammals: Modeling study A recent study published in Nature Geoscience uses supercomputer climate models to examine how a supercontinent, dubbed Pangea Ultima (also called Pangea Proxima), that will form 250 million years from now will result in extreme temperatures, making this new supercontinent uninhabitable for life, specifically mammals.
	Hurricane Norma strengthens to Category 3 ahead of Mexico landfall Hurricane Norma on Friday once again strengthened to a Category 3 storm as it approaches a tourist hotspot on Mexico's Pacific coast.
	Storm Babet triggers flooding, power cuts in northern Europe Deadly Storm Babet unleashed extensive flooding and damaged towns in Denmark and Norway into Saturday, while continuing to sweep across the UK.
	Climate 'loss and damage' talks end in failure A crucial meeting on climate "loss and damages" ahead of COP28 ended in failure Saturday, with countries from the global north and south unable to reach an agreement, according to sources involved in the talks.
	EPA is funding more community air-pollution monitoring in Colorado, but nonprofits struggle to roll it out The Black Parents United Foundation learned in late 2022 that it would receive nearly $475,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency to set up air monitors in Aurora to determine how much pollution residents in low-income neighborhoods were breathing.
	Storm Babet caused dangerous floods as the 'dry side' of Scotland isn't used to such torrential rain Storm Babet has caused havoc across the UK, with strong winds and rough seas along the east coast, record breaking rainfall and river levels in Scotland, overtopped flood defenses, closed roads and railways and sadly at least two deaths. The impacts are not over as further rain is expected.

Astronomy and Space news

	Two Neptune-sized exoplanets discovered with TESS An international team of astronomers reports the detection of two new exoplanets orbiting a bright star known as TOI-5126, using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The newfound alien worlds are similar in size to the solar system's outermost planet. The finding was published October 13 on the pre-print server arXiv.
	The moon is 40 million years older than thought, lunar crystals study suggests More than 4 billion years ago, when the solar system was still young and the Earth was still growing, a giant object the size of Mars crashed into the Earth. The biggest piece that broke off of the early Earth formed our moon. But precisely when this happened has remained a mystery.
	Two groups look at the economic viability of mining asteroids Two teams of economists have conducted economic assessments of mining asteroids—one of them is a trio with one member each from the University of Tor Rome Vergata, the University of Maryland and Middlebury College. They looked at asteroid mining as part of the next logical step in monetizing space exploration.
	Researchers study fast-moving black hole to better understand formation of black hole binaries UMass Dartmouth Ph.D. students Tousif Islam (lead author) and Feroz H. Shaik, alongside Assistant Professor Vijay Varma and Associate Professor Scott Field (mathematics), recently published findings, on the pre-print server arXiv, that include the identification of a binary black hole system that was most likely formed through dynamical capture and whose collision produced the second fastest-moving black hole observed (denoted GW191109 by astronomers).
	How could a piece of the moon become a near-Earth asteroid? Researchers have an answer A team of astronomers has found a new clue that a recently discovered near-Earth asteroid, Kamo'oalewa, might be a chunk of the moon. They hypothesized that the asteroid was ejected from the lunar surface during a meteorite strike—and they found that a rare pathway could have allowed Kamo'oalewa to get into orbit around the sun while remaining close to the orbits of the Earth and the moon.
	New exoplanet-informed research sets clearer bounds on the search for radio technosignatures In a new study published in The Astronomical Journal, researchers used the known population of exoplanets and extrapolated to the much larger, unknown population of exoplanets to set better thresholds for planetary effects on signals from ETIs (extraterrestrial intelligences).
	LIGO surpasses the quantum limit In 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), made history when it made the first direct detection of gravitational waves—ripples in space and time—produced by a pair of colliding black holes.
	'Mind-blowing': Astronomers spot most distant radio burst yet Eight billion years ago, something happened in a distant galaxy that sent an incredibly powerful blast of radio waves hurtling through the universe.
	India conducts space flight test ahead of planned mission to take astronauts into space in 2025 India successfully carried out Saturday the first of a series of key test flights after overcoming a technical glitch ahead of its planned mission to take astronauts into space by 2025, the space agency said.
	Researchers trace a powerful radio signal to the most distant source yet—a galaxy billions of lightyears away Every day and night, hundreds of thousands of intense, brief flashes of radiation suddenly flicker on and then off all across the sky. These "fast radio bursts" are invisible to the naked eye, but to a radio telescope many almost outshine everything else in the sky for a few thousandths of a second.
	A Russian satellite has shifted within 60 km of another spacecraft When it comes to saber-rattling, few countries employ it as much as Russia does. During their ongoing invasion and occupation of Ukraine, the country's leadership has repeatedly threatened to use atomic weapons. But the threats don't stop there.
	Do red dwarfs or sunlike stars have more Earth-sized worlds? Earth is our only example of a habitable planet, so it makes sense to search for Earth-size worlds when we're hunting for potentially-habitable exoplanets. When astronomers found seven of them orbiting a red dwarf star in the TRAPPIST-1 system, people wondered if Earth-size planets are more common around red dwarfs than sun-like stars.
	Carl Sagan detected life on Earth 30 years ago—here's how his experiment is helping us search for alien species today It's been 30 years since a group of scientists led by Carl Sagan found evidence for life on Earth using data from instruments on board the Nasa Galileo robotic spacecraft. Yes, you read that correctly. Among his many pearls of wisdom, Sagan was famous for saying that science is more than a body of knowledge—it is a way of thinking.
	Hubble captures spiral galaxy IC 5332 face-on This glittering image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the spiral galaxy IC 5332. The galaxy lies about 30 million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor and has an almost face-on orientation to Earth. To understand the term "face-on," it is helpful to visualize a spiral galaxy as an extremely large disk. If the galaxy's orientation makes it appear circular and disk-shaped from our perspective on Earth, then we say that it is "face-on."
	How to watch October's Orionids meteor shower and contemplate the wonders of the sky Throughout the year, there are different meteor showers that all have different properties and can be more or less easy to spot.
	Hera asteroid mission goes on trial At some point, statistically speaking, a large asteroid will impact Earth. Whether that's tomorrow, in 10 years, or a problem for our ancestors, ESA is getting prepared.
	In 1952, a group of three 'stars' vanished—astronomers still can't find them On July 19, 1952, Palomar Observatory was undertaking a photographic survey of the night sky. Part of the project was to take multiple images of the same region of sky, to help identify things such as asteroids. At around 8:52 that evening a photographic plate captured the light of three stars clustered together. At a magnitude of 15, they were reasonably bright in the image. At 9:45 pm the same region of sky was captured again, but this time the three stars were nowhere to be seen. In less than an hour they had completely vanished.
	JWST looks at the debris disk around a white dwarf Debris disks are quite common in the universe. Young stars have protoplanetary disks from which planets form. Black holes have accretion disks that are the source of the galactic jets. Supernova remnants can form a disk around neutron stars. So what about white dwarfs?
	An unusual crater on Pluto might be a supervolcano Pluto with a super-cryovolcano? Why not! All the elements are there, just not in the way we normally think of volcanoes. And cryovolcanoes are the reason why Pluto's surface looks the way it does. A recent research paper explains why Pluto could be the home of the latest supervolcano discovery in the solar system.
	A solar 'radio eclipse' ring of fire On October 14, as most Californians were treated to a partial solar eclipse, researchers at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) took in a different view.

Technology news

	Artificial intelligence predicts the future of artificial intelligence research It has become nearly impossible for human researchers to keep track of the overwhelming abundance of scientific publications in the field of artificial intelligence and to stay up-to-date with advances.
	Adaptive optical neural network connects thousands of artificial neurons Modern computer models—for example for complex, potent AI applications—push traditional digital computer processes to their limits. New types of computing architecture, which emulate the working principles of biological neural networks, hold the promise of faster, more energy-efficient data processing.
	Researchers design and fly world's largest quadcopter drone Engineers at The University of Manchester have built and flown the world's largest quadcopter drone. The drone, made from a cardboard-like material called foamboard, measures 6.4m (21 ft) corner to corner and weighs 24.5kg—0.5kg less than the weight limit set by the Civil Aviation Authority.
	Low-temperature synthesis of lithium ceramic for batteries A lithium ceramic could act as a solid electrolyte in a more powerful and cost-efficient generation of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The challenge is to find a production method that works without sintering at high temperatures. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a research team has now introduced a sinter-free method for the efficient, low-temperature synthesis of these ceramics in a conductive crystalline form.
	Study: AI can boost Wikipedia reliability There are enough differing opinions about the usefulness of Wikipedia to fill, well, an encyclopedia.
	Combining metals for cheaper, more stable fuel cells Fuel cells are seen as a promising source of green energy, with the potential to revolutionize various industries including transportation and power generation. They produce electricity through a chemical reaction whose only byproducts are water and heat.
	Amazon unveils new human-shaped warehouse robot, more powerful drone Amazon employees have long worked alongside robots—but the company is now testing a very lifelike, two-legged machine to help its human co-workers with some tasks.
	Students lead polymer research into more recyclable plastics Chemistry and material science researchers at Colorado State University have developed a new class of recyclable polymers that could replace common single-use plastics with a large environmental footprint like grocery bags.
	German solar industry looks to rise again A decade after a wave of bankruptcies all but wiped out the German solar industry, the sector is looking to reestablish itself in the face of stiff competition from abroad.
	Foxconn under tax and land use investigations in China Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn is under tax and land use investigations at several of its sites in China, state media reported on Sunday.
	Did a computer write this? Book industry grapples with AI From low-quality computer-written books flooding the market to potential copyright violations, publishing is the latest industry to feel the threat from rapid developments in artificial intelligence.
	AI is causing panic for authors: Now the courts are involved When novelist Douglas Preston first started messing around with ChatGPT, he gave the AI software a challenge: Could it write an original poem based on a character from some of his books?
	Neutrons offer insights into developing long-range batteries for electric vehicles Currently, the biggest hurdle for electric vehicles, or EVs, is the development of advanced battery technology to extend driving range, safety and reliability.
	Why Google, Bing and other search engines' embrace of generative AI threatens $68 billion SEO industry Google, Microsoft and others boast that generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT will make searching the internet better than ever for users. For example, rather than having to wade through a sea of URLs, users will be able to just get an answer combed from the entire internet.
	A new algorithm for building robust distributed systems EPFL researchers have developed a new distributed algorithm that, for the first time, solves one of the key performance and reliability problems affecting most of the currently-deployed consensus protocols. The work has been published in Proceedings of the 29th Symposium on Operating Systems Principles.
	Indonesians facing eviction over a China-backed plan to turn their island into a solar panel 'ecocity' I first visited Rempang island in Summer 2022. Greeting me were lush fields lined with coconut and banana trees, picture-book fishing villages with houses jutting into the water on stilts, and boats carrying people between the dozens of islands that dot the Riau archipelago in western Indonesia. I had made the pleasant, one-hour ferry trip from bustling, glass-and-chrome Singapore. This felt like another world.
	Online machine learning models accurately predict wastewater influent flow rate The accurate prediction of influent flow rates at wastewater treatment plants is important for the proper operation of treatment facilities. The influent flow refers to the untreated water coming into the plant. With the ability to accurately predict the influent flow rate, plant operators can plan for the efficient use of their resources.
	Team develops scan-to-BIM for reverse engineering from 3D vision data Researchers at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology have developed building scan to BIM (Building Information Modeling)-based reverse engineering technology required for 3D geospatial information modeling domains such as digital twin information modeling.
	How video games are being used by foreign actors and extremists Video games are easy to exploit, and are being used by actors ranging from IS and Hezbollah for recruitment, to Russia, who use it to spread propaganda during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. This according to a new report from Psychological Defense Research Institute at Lund University in Sweden.
	Surveying the realm of human rights in the wake of digitalization There are many challenges facing us in the digital age, especially in terms of security and privacy, safeguarding, and human rights. Research published in the International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics has surveyed the realm of human rights in the wake of digitalization.
	Illinois Facebook users to get 'third and final' check from record $650 million biometric privacy settlement The $650 million Facebook biometric privacy settlement is proving to be the class-action lawsuit that keeps on giving for Illinois social media users.
	Insider Q&A: AbleGamers founder Mark Barlet on the importance of making gaming accessible Mark Barlet founded AbleGamers in 2004. It's a nonprofit that works to combat social isolation among people with disabilities using "the power of video games." Most recently, his organization worked with Sony to help create its new Access controller for the PlayStation, designed to make it easier for people with disabilities to play.
	Taiwan defends Foxconn over China tax probe Taiwan defended tech giant Foxconn on Monday after China launched an investigation into several of the firm's sites, saying that Taiwanese businesses should not be subjected to "political interference".
	Philips raises outlook despite sleep machine saga Dutch medical device maker Philips raised its 2023 earnings outlook on Monday after posting stronger third quarter sales and profits despite a recent setback for its sleep machines in the United States.
	How to beat 'rollout rage': The environment-versus-climate battle dividing regional Australia In August, Victoria's Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny made a decision that could set a difficult precedent for Australia's effort to get to net-zero emissions by 2050.
	Opinion: The High Court of Australia's decision on electric vehicles will make charging for road use very difficult The High Court of Australia's decision to invalidate Victoria's electric vehicle tax has been widely noted as a major judgment in the history of federal-state taxation powers.
	Five simple tips for better cybersecurity With news of hacking attempts and data breaches, protecting your information online can seem like a daunting task.

Chemistry news

	Scientists close the cycle on recycling mixed plastics Little of the mixed consumer plastics thrown away or placed in recycle bins actually ends up being recycled. Nearly 90% is buried in landfills or incinerated at commercial facilities that generate greenhouse gases and airborne toxins. Neither outcome is ideal for the environment.
	Researchers develop new mechanism to create water-repellent surfaces Researchers have developed a new mechanism to make water droplets slip off surfaces, and describe it in a paper published in Nature Chemistry. The discovery challenges existing ideas about friction between solid surfaces and water and opens up a new avenue for studying droplet slipperiness at the molecular level. The new technique has applications in a range of fields, including plumbing, optics, and the auto and maritime industries.
	Just add salt: Researcher discovers a safe, simple way to make disinfectants work better A chemical engineer at the University of Alberta has developed a disinfectant that is more effective than purely alcohol-based products, just by adding salt.
	New lab-made substance mimics human tissue and could reduce/replace the use of animal-derived materials in research Scientists at UNSW Sydney have created a new material that could change the way human tissue can be grown in the lab and used in medical procedures.
	Chemists, engineers craft adjustable arrays of microscopic lenses They number in the thousands, light striking the phalanx of lenses arrayed on a face in geometric pattern, the beams refracting through transparent mounds no wider than a hair.
	Scientists engineer plants to speak in color as environmental sensors for dangerous chemicals What if your house plant could tell you your water isn't safe? Scientists are closer to realizing this vision, having successfully engineered a plant to turn beet red in the presence of a banned, toxic pesticide.
	Wildfire smoke leaves harmful gases in floors and walls—air purifiers aren't enough, new study shows When wildfire smoke turns the air brown and hazy, you might think about heading indoors with the windows closed, running an air purifier or even wearing a mask. These are all good strategies to reduce exposure to the particles in wildfire smoke, but smoky air is also filled with potentially harmful gases. Those gases can get into buildings and remain in the walls and floors for weeks.
	Exploring the potential and applications of superhydrophobic surfaces Researchers led by Prof. Zhang Junping from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discussed the challenges and strategies for commercialization and widespread practical applications of superhydrophobic surfaces. The review article was published in Science Advances on Oct. 20.
	Q&A: A new Nobel laureate describes the development of quantum dots from basic research to industry application The Nobel Prize in chemistry for 2023 goes to three scientists "for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots." The Conversation Weekly podcast caught up with one of this trio, physical chemist Louis Brus, who did foundational work figuring out that the properties of these nanoparticles depend on their size. Brus' phone was off when the Nobel reps called to inform him of the good news, but now plenty of people have gotten through with congratulations and advice. Below are edited excerpts from the podcast.
	Video: An antidote for deadly mushrooms? Almost all mushroom-related fatalities worldwide are caused by a single group of molecules, cyclopeptides, which are found in death caps and destroying angels.

Biology news

	New study with video shows how female frogs defend themselves against unwanted mating Among many species, breeding preferences and tactics can differ among males and females. When aggressive behavior by males toward unreceptive females goes awry, it may result in failure to reproduce, and in some cases, fatality for the females involved. This may be particularly true among species of explosive breeders in anurans, an order including some 4,500 species of frogs and toads, in which a higher risk of mortality has been reported for mating females.
	New 3D-printed tumor model enables faster, less expensive and less painful cancer treatment An international team of interdisciplinary researchers has successfully created a method for better 3D modeling of complex cancers. The University of Waterloo-based team combined cutting-edge bioprinting techniques with synthetic structures or microfluidic chips. The method will help lab researchers more accurately understand heterogeneous tumors: tumors with more than one kind of cancer cell, often dispersed in unpredictable patterns.
	Artificial coral reefs showing early signs they can mimic real reefs killed by climate change, says study Earth's average temperature in September 2023 was 1.75°C above its pre-industrial baseline, breaching (if only temporarily) the 1.5°C threshold at which world leaders agreed to try and limit long-term warming.
	Mouse mummies point to mammalian life in 'Mars-like' Andes The dry, wind-swept summits of volcanoes in the Puna de Atacama of Chile and Argentina are the closest thing on Earth to the surface of Mars due to their thin atmosphere and freezing temperatures. At their extreme elevations of more than 6,000 meters above sea level, experts had concluded that mammalian life simply wasn't possible. But researchers reporting October 23 in the journal Current Biology on their discovery of mummified mice in those tough environs now expand the physiologic limits of vertebrate life on Earth.
	Novel platform characterizes both individual carrier and cargo for clinically important molecules Akin to the packages sent from one person to another via an elaborate postal system, cells send tiny parcels that bear contents and packaging material that serve key purposes: To protect the contents from the outside world and to make sure it gets to the right place via a label with an address.
	Researchers develop DANGER analysis tool for the safer design of gene editing A team of researchers has developed a software tool called DANGER (Deleterious and ANticipatable Guides Evaluated by RNA-sequencing) analysis that provides a way for the safer design of genome editing in all organisms with a transcriptome.
	Fungal evolution discovered: Mycena can now invade living hosts Biologists have long known mushrooms of the genus Mycena, commonly known as bonnet mushrooms, as fungi that live off of dead trees and plants. New research from the University of Copenhagen demonstrates that bonnets can also find their ways into young, healthy trees and plants, where they try to cooperate. In doing so, they have made an evolutionary leap which challenges our understanding of the ecological roles of fungi.
	From meerkat school to whale-tail slapping and oyster smashing, how clever predators shape their world In the 1980s a single humpback whale in the Gulf of Maine developed the "lobtail feeding method." This unique hunting method of slapping the water's surface appears to drive fish into dense schools, making it easier to consume them. Lobtail feeding caught on. Now many humpback whales are doing it.
	Scientists create artificial protein capable of degrading microplastics in bottles Every year, around 400 million tons of plastics are produced worldwide, a number that increases by around 4% annually. The emissions resulting from their manufacture are one of the elements contributing to climate change, and their ubiquitous presence in ecosystems leads to serious ecological problems.
	Study discovers ferns can produce crop-saving insecticide A new study has identified novel insecticidal proteins in ferns. Professor Marilyn Anderson at La Trobe University said the discovery could lead to plant-made protein pest control for crop plants that are essential to global food production.
	Climate change is increasing risk of high toxin concentrations in northern US lakes, study finds As climate change warms the Earth, higher-latitude regions will be at greater risk for toxins produced by algal blooms, according to new research led by Carnegie's Anna Michalak, Julian Merder, and Gang Zhao. Their findings, published in Nature Water, identify water temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit) as being at the greatest risk for developing dangerous levels of a common algae-produced toxin called microcystin.
	Using DNA metabarcoding to analyze soil organism composition change in crop rotation farmland A research team led by Professor Toshihiko Eki of the Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology and others used DNA metabarcoding to analyze changes in the composition of soil organisms associated with crop growth in two corn-cabbage rotation fields in Tahara City.
	Genomic stability: A double-edged sword for sharks Sharks have been populating the oceans for about 400 to 500 million years. While our planet and many of its inhabitants have undergone massive changes several times during this period, this basal group of vertebrates has remained somewhat constant. Their body shape and biology has hardly changed since then.
	To find out how wildlife is doing, scientists try listening A reedy pipe and a high-pitched trill duet against the backdrop of a low-pitched insect drone. Their symphony is the sound of a forest, and is monitored by scientists to gauge biodiversity.
	Climate change may make Bordeaux red wines stronger and tastier It's harvest time again for most of Europe's wine growing regions and grapes are being picked from the UK in the north to Sicily in the south. The grapes are then sorted and pressed to make the best juices possible. These juices will then be fermented in a choice of barrel, be that oak, concrete, clay or stainless steel, to make wine ready for blending and bottling in the spring.
	Birds nesting in agricultural lands more vulnerable to extreme heat, study finds As climate change intensifies extreme heat, farms are becoming less hospitable to nesting birds, a new study found. That could be another barrier to maintaining rapidly eroding biodiversity that also provides benefits to humans, including farmers who get free pest control when birds eat agricultural pests.
	In US, invasive spotted lanternflies are devastating crops At first glance, the spotted lanternfly looks like an elegant butterfly, speckled with black spots on white wings with a splash of bright red.
	University of Michigan slithers toward history with massive acquisition of jarred snake specimens Greg Schneider scans rows upon rows of liquid-filled glass jars containing coiled snake specimens, just a portion of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology's reptile and amphibian collection believed to be the largest held by any research institution in the U.S. thanks to a recent donation.
	Keep or cull? Romania divided over its bear population It was a sight that stopped traffic. A brown bear seemingly asleep, its head on its paws, on a winding forest road in central Romania, some paper napkins by its side.
	Pacific footballfish makes rare appearance on Orange County beach For the second time in three years, a rare and otherworldly looking black anglerfish was found at Newport Beach's Crystal Cove State Park, showing up on Friday the 13th with its gaping mouth, jagged, translucent teeth and spiny dorsal fin.
	Do people everywhere care less about their cats than their dogs? Do canines get more care? Some studies have suggested pet owners are less emotionally attached to and less willing to finance care for cats than dogs, possibly because of cats' behavior: cats may be perceived as caring less about humans and needing less care in return. But these studies are often conducted on non-representative samples and don't consider possible cultural differences in attitudes to pets. A team of scientists led by Dr. Peter Sandøe of the University of Copenhagen decided to investigate further.
	Decline of rare right whale appears to be slowing, but scientists say big threats remain The decline of one of the rarest whales in the world appears to be slowing, but scientists warn the giant mammals still face existential threats from warming oceans, ship collisions and entanglement in fishing gear.
	Scientists uncover the role of the muscular and lacunar systems in the externa of parasitic crustaceans Zoologists from St Petersburg University have investigated the muscular and lacunar systems of the externa of rhizocephalan barnacles (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala)—a group of parasitic crustaceans. The paper is published in the Journal of Morphology.
	Harnessing heat-induced floral overexpression using CRISPR techniques Plant migration and gene flow from genetically modified or invasive plant species to wild relatives is a major public and regulatory concern. To counteract potential spread, various strategies have been developed, ranging from identifying naturally sterile plants to engineered sterility via gene editing.
	Biodiversity can rebound after bushfires, but recovery lags in severely burnt areas Extreme fires drove biodiversity declines despite overall resilience after the 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfire season in NSW, a new study suggests.
	Unveiling the potential of soybeans for enhanced nutrition In a study published in the Journal of Integrative Agriculture, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences conducted an in-depth analysis of over 1,000 diverse soybean accessions from China, honing in on the levels of beneficial carotenoids.
	What happens to switchgrass when food reserves are depleted? As potential for biofuel, switchgrass is a perennial plant that is of great interest to researchers. Scientists from the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory Walker lab are looking at how these plants regrow, even when regrowing with less than its usual carbon storage.
	Researchers discover genes responsible for low and ultra-low glycemic index in rice The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) announced they achieved a scientific milestone with the discovery of the genes responsible for low and ultra-low glycemic index (GI) in rice.
	Skin and gut microbiome analysis offers new therapeutic perspectives on atopic dermatitis in Shiba Inu dogs Complex diseases—including cancer, metabolic diseases and allergies—affect not only humans, but also domestic animals, such as dogs. Approximately 10% of the dog population suffers from canine atopic dermatitis (cAD). This well-known common disease in dogs is characterized by excessive pruritis (itchiness) and is caused by allergy to environmental allergens, such as pollens and mites.
	Q&A: Do we need a new approach to prevent bird window strikes? In early October, nearly 1,000 birds perished after colliding with the windows of a convention center near Lake Michigan in Chicago, marking the largest mass bird die-off in decades. But bird window-strike fatalities are an ongoing threat. Illinois Natural History Survey wildlife ecologist Thomas J. Benson, an expert in bird population trends in Illinois, spoke to News Bureau life sciences editor Diana Yates about the problem and what new strategies may help.
	Genetic analysis: Dutch bluetongue virus type is unique The bluetongue virus is rapidly spreading in the Netherlands. With the use of new techniques, including whole genome sequencing, it has quickly become clear that the Dutch virus is a different virus variant in comparison to previous outbreaks.
	Microbial allies may help turn tables on tar spot fungus in corn Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are leaving no stone—or rather, leaf—unturned in their search for new ways to counter the fungus that causes tar spot, a yield-robbing disease of field corn in the midwestern United States.
	Multifactorial stress in citrus: Divergent responses of Carrizo and Cleopatra to triple threat environmental challenges Climate change, alongside human-induced adverse factors, threatens agricultural production and food security by causing stressful situations for plants, such as increased temperatures, extreme weather events, pest outbreaks, diseases, and pollution.
	Veterinarians use little devices to make giant impact on cat's life "James Dean," a dapper orange tabby cat, lives a star-studded life. He fills his days playing mischievously with his sister, "Audrey Hepburn," and his brother, "Elvis," while his nights are spent snuggled up with his owners, Kaci and Melvin Thomas, who live in Austin.
	First confirmed cases of avian influenza in the Antarctic region Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in brown skua populations on Bird Island, South Georgia—the first known cases in the Antarctic region.
	Apoptotic cells may drive cell death in hair follicles during regression cycle A new research paper titled "Apoptotic cells may drive cell death in hair follicles during their regression cycle" has been published in Oncotarget.
	Under a temporary mining ban, four rare plant species can bloom in San Bernardino forest Four threatened and endangered plant species growing in the San Bernardino National Forest will have an opportunity to thrive following the adoption of a plan by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service that temporarily bans new limestone mining.
	Q&A: Developing a tool to identify cancerous cells from their membranes Dr. Basudev Roy, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, has recently published a paper about cell membrane fluctuations and their use for diagnosing cancerous diseases in the journal Physical Biology.
	A high-quality Bougainvillea genome helps to explore evolutionary history of a pigment biosynthetic pathway Bougainvillea, a widely appreciated ornamental shrub, originates from South America and stands out due to its vibrant bract colors, which are believed to result from betalain accumulation. Although Bougainvillea has important ornamental and prophylactic value, the lack of genomic data has limited in-depth understanding of bract coloration and breeding pathways, and the relationship between betalain accumulation and Bougainvillea phenotypes had not yet been fully understood.
	JcSEUSS1 shown to play negative role in regulating reproductive growth of Jatropha curcas In Arabidopsis, rice and tomato, the SEUSS gene encodes a transcriptional adaptor as well as a nuclear localization protein that is widely expressed in many developmental stages and organs. However, the function of SEUSS has not been reported in woody plants.

Medicine and Health news

	Study shows that attractor dynamics in the monkey prefrontal cortex reflect the confidence of decisions When humans make decisions, such as picking what to eat from a menu, what jumper to buy at a store, what political candidate to vote for, and so on, they might be more or less confident with their choice. If we are less confident and thus experience greater uncertainty in relation to their choice, our choices also tend to be less consistent, meaning that we will be more likely to change our mind before reaching a final decision.
	Diagnosing atherosclerosis with an oxidative stress biomarker triggered multiplexed instrument Oxidative stress is fundamental to the development of diverse pathological conditions including atherosclerosis. However, the effect of oxidative stress on atherosclerosis remains to be known.
	New large-scale study results add to evidence that vestibular loss increases dementia risk Existing research shows a link between hearing loss and the risk of dementia, and a new study adds to growing evidence that vestibular loss can increase dementia risk as well. Results from this work, by a team from the Korea University College of Medicine, are published in Scientific Reports.
	Researchers use pioneering new method to unlock brain's noradrenaline system An international team of researchers has provided valuable insights into the brain's noradrenaline (NA) system, which has been a longtime target for medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, and anxiety.
	How long should kids isolate after they've contracted COVID-19? School policies that require students with COVID-19 to stay out of the classroom for five days are more than sufficient. That's because children infected with the omicron variant remained infectious for a median time of three days after testing positive for the virus, according to a study by the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics and Stanford University.
	New study confirms safety and benefits of maternal COVID-19 vaccination for newborns Infants of pregnant women who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy had lower risks of severe health outcomes, neonatal death, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, according to a new study from researchers at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and the University of Toronto.
	Lung cancer outcomes found to significantly improve with immunotherapy-based treatment given before and after surgery A regimen of pre-surgical immunotherapy and chemotherapy followed by post-surgical immunotherapy significantly improved event-free survival (EFS) and pathologic complete response (pCR) rates compared to chemotherapy alone for patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to results of a Phase III trial reported by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	Scientists develop 'pseudo cell' formulation for vitreoretinal disease therapy Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing Chaoyang Hospital have developed a new "pseudo cell" formulation based on self-healing microcapsule-loading exosomes to treat diverse vitreoretinal diseases.
	Inducing auditory hallucinations in a lab environment without using drugs A team of neuroscientists and psychologists at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, working with a colleague from University Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LPNC, has found that it is possible to induce auditory hallucinations in mentally healthy people without using drugs.
	Study discovers new subset of retinal neurons impacting vision Investigators have discovered a new subtype of interneurons in the retina that allows the eye to see and identify objects better in both the light and in the dark, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in Nature Communications.
	Researchers aim to streamline brain surgery with a new soft robotic system Navigating the labyrinthine vasculature of the brain with standard surgical instruments can be incredibly challenging, even for the steadiest of hands. But with some robotic assistance, brain surgeons could potentially operate with far greater ease.
	17-gene signature linked to remission after triple-negative breast cancer treatment Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a distinctive pattern in a specific set of 17 genes that may be associated with remission after treatment for triple-negative breast cancer. The multi-omics study, published in Breast Cancer Research, highlights the potential for further investigating this signature as a target for individualized medicine.
	Q&A: The art of diabetes care—why precision medicine leads to better diabetes care Diabetes can show up in almost anyone: pregnant women, babies, kids, teens, adults both young and old. But the condition's various forms, all of which affect how the body processes blood sugar, can manifest quite differently in the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who have the disease—making it perfect for the individualized approach known as precision medicine, Stanford Medicine researchers say.
	Probiotics delivered in biofilm state protect the intestines and brain in necrotizing enterocolitis model Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a debilitating and deadly condition that affects infants who were born preterm. In NEC cases, intestinal tissues become inflamed, and in severe cases there is ischemia and death of the involved intestines. Treatment for NEC often involves surgery to remove the dying tissue.
	Homeless people are 16 times more likely to die suddenly, San Francisco County study finds A study led by UC San Francisco has found that people who are experiencing homelessness have a 16-fold higher rate of sudden death from heart attacks, as well as other causes.
	Novel cause of brain mosaicism and focal epilepsy identified In most people, every cell in their body contains the same genetic information. However, sometimes people can have two or more genetically different sets of cells. This usually happens during fetal development and is known as mosaicism. Sometimes one of those groups of cells has genetic changes that can cause diseases or disorders.
	New study reveals role of hippocampus in two functions of memory For the first time, a study in rats teases apart the role of the hippocampus in two functions of memory—one that remembers associations between time, place and what one did, and another that allows one to predict or plan future actions based on past experiences.
	Study highlights gut fungi's lasting impact on severe COVID-19 immune response Certain gut-dwelling fungi flourish in severe cases of COVID-19, amplifying the excessive inflammation that drives this disease while also causing long-lasting changes in the immune system, according to a new study led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian. This discovery identifies a group of patients who may benefit from specialized, but yet-to-be determined treatments.
	Study shows skin cancer diagnoses using AI are as reliable as those made by medical experts Artificial intelligence (AI) is already widely used in medical diagnostics. An Austrian-Australian research team led by dermatologist Harald Kittler from MedUni Vienna has investigated the extent to which diagnosis and therapy of pigmented skin lesions benefit from it in a realistic clinical scenario.
	Rare lung cells reveal another surprise with implications for cystic fibrosis A new study by University of Iowa researchers finds that rare lung cells known as pulmonary ionocytes facilitate the absorption of water and salt from the airway surface. This function is exactly the opposite of what was expected of these cells and may have implications for cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease.
	Study reveals how estrogen exerts its anti-diabetic effects The quintessential female sex hormone estrogen stimulates cells that line blood vessels to deliver insulin to muscles, lowering blood sugar and protecting against type 2 diabetes, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report. The findings, published in Nature Communications, could eventually lead to new therapies for type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people around the globe and continues to grow more prevalent.
	So-called toddler milks are unregulated and unnecessary, a major pediatrician group says Powdered drink mixes that are widely promoted as "toddler milks" for older babies and children up to age 3 are unregulated, unnecessary and "nutritionally incomplete," the American Academy of Pediatrics warned Friday.
	Adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy regimen improves survival in metastatic bladder cancer patients, trial shows A clinical trial co-led by Mount Sinai researchers is the first to show that using chemotherapy with immunotherapy resulted in improved survival in patients with an advanced type of bladder cancer. The results were simultaneously reported in The New England Journal of Medicine and at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology.
	Trial results suggest better use of existing drugs increases cervical cancer survival and reduces recurrence The INTERLACE phase III trial assessed whether a short course of induction chemotherapy (IC) prior to chemoradiation (CRT) could reduce the rate of relapse and death among patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. As part of an analysis of clinical data, the preliminary results are presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress on Sunday 22 October 2023.
	Highest risk patients with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma benefit from adjuvant everolimus: Clinical trial A secondary analysis from the SWOG S0931 EVEREST trial has found that in the subgroup of patients with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who were at very-high risk of recurrence, those who were treated with everolimus after surgery had a statistically significant improvement in recurrence-free survival compared to patients getting placebo after surgery.
	Experts sound the alarm on excessive noise and risks to children's hearing in updated policy statement The parent's universal cry in response to loud music— "Turn that thing down!"—is well-founded, as evidence shows that children and teens risk hearing loss by cranking up their personal listening devices. What families may not realize is that children are exposed to potentially harmful noise from infancy and that the effects are cumulative over a lifetime.
	Antimicrobial peptides modulate lung injury by altering the intestinal microbiota Lung development in the fetus occurs at low oxygen tension in the womb, but after a very premature birth, the partly developed lungs of the tiny infants experience far greater oxygen tensions even without the prolonged supplemental oxygen that is often required. This can produce well-known disastrous effects on the structure and function of the neonatal lung, causing the serious lung condition of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in high-risk premature infants.
	Dual-action drug produces positive results in patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors, trial finds A drug that simultaneously strikes cancer cells' growth circuits and pipeline to the bloodstream produced encouraging results in a clinical trial involving patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors, according to a study led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators.
	Belzutifan outperforms everolimus in advanced kidney cancer treatment Belzutifan significantly reduced the risk of progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common type of kidney cancer, in patients previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic therapies compared with everolimus in a phase 3 clinical trial. The trial, led by Toni K. Choueiri, MD, Director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, showed the risk of progression was reduced by 25-26%.
	Pre- and post-surgical immunotherapy improves outcomes for patients with operable lung cancer Compared with pre-surgical (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy alone, adding perioperative immunotherapy—given before and after surgery—significantly improved event-free survival (EFS) in patients with resectable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results from the Phase III CheckMate 77T study were presented today at the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress by researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	For people with sickle cell disease, ERs can mean life-threatening waits Heather Avant always dresses up when she goes to the emergency room.
	Study finds ice cream, potato chips may be as addictive as drugs There might be some truth to the potato chip ad that boasts, "You can't eat just one."
	Patients' geography impacts guideline-concordant COPD care Geographical challenges to accessing care increase the likelihood of receiving guideline-discordant inhaler regimens following hospitalization for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation, according to a study published online in the October issue of The Lancet Regional Health: Americas.
	Study looks at palliative care use in adolescents, young adults with cancer For adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer, the likelihood of receiving specialty palliative care (SPC) is increased for those reporting moderate or severe symptoms, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in JAMA Network Open.
	Heated yoga may reduce depression symptoms, according to clinical trial In a randomized controlled clinical trial of adults with moderate-to-severe depression, those who participated in heated yoga sessions experienced significantly greater reductions in depressive symptoms compared with a control group.
	Does diabetes affect the survival of individuals with colorectal cancer? Complications of diabetes can have numerous negative health effects, from impaired vision and nerve damage to kidney dysfunction and heart disease. In an analysis of information on adults with colorectal cancer, patients who also had diabetes—particularly those with diabetic complications—faced a higher risk of dying early. The research is published in the journal Cancer.
	Predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain A large study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) has identified 10 predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain, which can help clinicians engage in shared decision-making with patients around opioid prescribing.
	Metixene identified as a promising candidate in the treatment of metastatic brain cancer A new study has revealed that Metixene, an antiparkinsonian drug, has shown remarkable potential as a novel treatment for metastatic breast cancer and brain metastases, providing hope for patients facing this devastating disease. The study was conducted by a team of researchers led by Dr. Jawad Fares at Northwestern University and was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
	Why tuberculosis bacteria form long chains A researcher team from Ecole Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne led by Dr. Vivek Thacker now group leader at the Department of Infectious Diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital have studied why tuberculosis bacteria form long strands and how this affects their infectivity. Their findings could lead to new therapies and have been published in the journal Cell.
	Erdafitinib demonstrates improved responses in FGFR-altered advanced urinary tract cancers Targeted treatment with the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitor erdafitinib improved responses and overall survival compared to standard chemotherapy for patients with metastatic urothelial cancers with FGFR alterations. Results from the Phase III THOR trial, led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, were reported at the 2023 European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress.
	Hitting snooze on your alarm might not actually make you more tired in the morning—new research If you like to press snooze on your alarm a few times before getting up in the morning, you're not alone. According to some surveys, about 50%-60% of respondents report being snoozers.
	From diagnosis to services and support: How Australia's long COVID response is falling short Around 5-10% of people in Australia experience symptoms for more than three months after a COVID infection, termed long COVID.
	Study finds oral steroid usage increased across US, Taiwan and Denmark in past decade When being treated for an upper respiratory infection, it's common for patients to be prescribed a short course of an oral steroid.
	Diagnosis and management of postoperative wound infections in the head and neck region In everyday clinical practice at a department for oral and maxillofacial surgery, a large number of surgical procedures in the head and neck region take place under both outpatient and inpatient conditions. The basis of every surgical intervention is the patient's consent to the respective procedure. Particular attention is drawn to the general and operation-specific risks.
	Why low-cost ketamine is still inaccessible to many with severe depression A case study on ketamine reveals systemic barriers that prevent repurposing existing low-cost drugs like ketamine for treatment-resistant depression.
	ESMO: PARP inhibitor plus immunotherapy lowers risk of endometrial cancer progression over chemotherapy alone Immunotherapy with the anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody durvalumab improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with newly diagnosed advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer compared with chemotherapy alone, with further benefits gained from the addition of the PARP inhibitor olaparib in maintenance setting, according to researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	Preventing collateral damage in cancer treatment Using a simple concept and a patented Sandia sensor that detects radioactive materials, a team at Sandia National Laboratories has developed a patch to stop damage to healthy tissue during proton radiotherapy, one of the best tools to target certain cancerous tumors.
	New care model delivers hepatitis C treatment to most vulnerable Breakthrough treatments introduced over the last decade have transformed hepatitis C from a chronic and potentially deadly infectious disease into one that can be cured. But these medications have often been beyond the reach of those who are most vulnerable to the virus that causes it: people who inject drugs and lack stable housing.
	Understanding drinking behaviors in young Australian adults Young Australian adults aged 18–24 years are more likely to binge drink than any other age group prompting a team of Griffith University researchers to take a different approach to better understand why this is the case.
	Investigating the impact of replacing sedentary time with physical activity on genetic risk of coronary heart disease A research team led by Dr. Youngwon Kim, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology from the School of Public Health at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), in collaboration with the MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, has conducted a large-scale epidemiological study to examine the potential health benefits of substituting sedentary time (e.g., sitting) for physically active time in preventing coronary heart disease across different genetic risk levels.
	Nurse practitioners and physicians similarly likely to inappropriately prescribe medications to older patients: Study A study of more than 73,000 primary care physicians (PCPs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) suggest that both are similarly likely to inappropriately prescribe medications to older patients. According to the authors, this study adds to growing evidence indicating that when prescriptive authority is expanded to include NPs, these new prescribers do not perform worse than physicians. The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Clinical trial of adjuvant therapy combination shows improved recurrence-free survival in liver cancer patients An international randomized controlled trial, advised by a steering committee co-led by a senior clinician-scientist from the National Cancer Centre Singapore and Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, has reported that the combination therapy of atezolizumab and bevacizumab in the adjuvant setting is safe and effective in reducing cancer recurrence in patients with the primary liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), at high risk for recurrence after curative intent resection or ablation.
	Iron fortified cereal could be the answer to bridging infant iron gap New research from SAHMRI may have found a solution to improve iron intake among older Australian infants, iron fortified infant cereals.
	Does chicken soup really help when you're sick? A nutrition specialist explains what's behind the beloved comfort food Preparing a bowl of chicken soup for a loved one when they're sick has been a common practice throughout the world for centuries. Today, generations from virtually every culture swear to the benefits of chicken soup. In the U.S., the dish is typically made with noodles, but different cultures prepare the soothing remedy their own way.
	US gun homicides drop slightly after pandemic peak The rate of firearm homicides in the United States decreased in 2022, the first drop seen since a sharp increase emerged early in the pandemic, public health officials reported.
	Pandemic didn't lower parents' trust in childhood vaccines Lots of vaccine disinformation spread during the pandemic, and doctors worried that may have given some parents pause about not only the risks of the COVID shot, but of childhood vaccines as well.
	Georgia to be first state to let pharmacies sell low-dose cannabis Four years after the state of Georgia approved the distribution of low-dose THC, medical marijuana may be sold at local pharmacies.
	Kids escaping family violence can be vulnerable to intimate partner abuse Nearly 13,000 Australian children aged 10 to 17 sought help alone from specialist homeless services last year. Many of these young people will have escaped family violence and then been endangered by abusive partners.
	'We are worn out and no one cares': Why ambulance staff in UK and Australia are ready to quit the profession The COVID-19 pandemic may be over, but its scars remain for those on the frontline of the health sector—not least in the ambulance services. And our research conducted separately in the UK and Australia shows things are getting worse across the globe.
	Review of trials comparing depression therapies ACT and CBT may indicate CBT's superiority A new study from psychologists at the University of Kansas gauges the quality of the evidence from more than 500 randomized controlled trials of a common treatment for depression, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
	Expert explains parvovirus B19, a common childhood infection Parvovirus B19 is the cause of fifth disease, a mild rash typically seen in children, although adults can contract the virus. Parvovirus B19 affects only humans. You can't contract it or transmit it to dogs or cats. However, different parvoviruses can affect pets.
	'They yell and I yell back': Preschoolers' descriptions of conflict-laden interactions at home Young children are able to talk in detail about their feelings and how things are at home. They are also good at reading their parents and their emotions by describing their behaviors, facial expressions and tone of voice. This has been shown in a new study by researchers from Uppsala University, published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies.
	Can we trust autism information on TikTok? Not always, says study While social media can be a great resource for connecting with others, it can also quickly and easily spread misleading or inaccurate information in mass. Social media platforms, especially the popular TikTok app, have allowed information about autism to become more accessible. However, researchers and others in the autistic community have voiced concerns about the unfiltered nature of some of the content.
	Q&A: New research gains ground in detecting recent cannabis use Whether people use cannabis to induce sleep, relieve symptoms or relax during downtime, a vehicle crash or accident at work could leave them in jail or the unemployment line. Frequent users can lose their jobs or face criminal charges, even if their last puff or gummy was days or weeks prior to an incident.
	Could brain mapping transform how we predict and treat psychosis? Psychotic disorders affect around one in 100 people globally and are among the most severe mental health problems.
	Improvements in social, educational and economic-related characteristics of communities may reduce asthma Asthma is one of the most common, chronic pediatric diseases in the United States, complicated by persistent disparities in care and outcomes. While hospital systems are determined to tackle this issue, researchers believe that the characteristics of a child's neighborhood may be driving inequities in rates of early childhood asthma.
	Examining eye color and how it plays into clothing aesthetics "You are what you wear" is actually true, according to new research led by the University of St Andrews. Led by researchers from the School of Psychology and Neuroscience, the new study reveals, for the first time, scientifically, that a person's eye color determines the color of clothing that suits them.
	Personal air pollution monitoring needed for people with asthma, say researchers Better air quality monitoring techniques are needed to assess the acute impacts of pollution on people with asthma, new research by the University of Stirling has found.
	Researchers develop clinical tool to predict if a child in acute liver failure will need a transplant About 50 children are waitlisted for transplants in the U.S. a year due to acute liver failure. Unlike children with chronic liver disease, previously healthy children who develop acute liver failure can suddenly deteriorate. While pediatric acute liver failure has been linked to both viral hepatitis and drug-induced liver injury, at least half of cases have no apparent trigger. When a child in acute liver failure is admitted to the emergency room, the medical team may have only a brief window in which to decide whether a transplant is necessary.
	Surgeons find over-the-counter medications control pain after elbow surgery as effectively as opioids Children who take only ibuprofen or acetaminophen after routine elbow surgery report similar pain control to patients who take opioids, according to a new study by researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The study, published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, suggests surgeons can confidently recommend over-the-counter medications to patients after elbow and discontinue the routine prescription of opioids.
	Advancing ultrasound microvessel imaging and AI to improve cancer detection Ultrasound—a technology that uses sound waves to produce an image—is commonly used to monitor the development of a baby as it grows inside its mother. But ultrasound imaging also can be used to investigate suspicious masses of tissue and nodules that may be cancerous.
	Study: Climbing 5 flights of stairs a day may reduce heart disease risk Climbing five flights of stairs can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20% according to a recent study published in Atherosclerosis Journal. The study collected data from more than 400,000 adult participants in the United Kingdom.
	Roche to pay $7.1 bn for Telavant Holdings Swiss pharmaceutical group Roche said Monday it will pay $7.1 billion to buy Telavant Holdings, a group developing new treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases.
	Abortion coverage is limited or unavailable at a quarter of large workplaces About a quarter of large U.S. employers heavily restrict coverage of legal abortions or don't cover them at all under health plans for their workers, according to the latest employer health benefits survey by KFF.
	Ask the Pediatrician: How do I get my baby to sleep? Virtually every day, pediatricians hear questions from parents worried their children aren't sleeping well. Concerns vary, since the sleep issues a toddler presents are very different from what we see in a busy high schooler. But by far, the parents who seem the most distraught are caring for babies under one year old.
	Nigeria struggles to contain worst diphtheria outbreak Three nurses care for a 10-year-old girl at a clinic treating dozens of patients in Kano, northern Nigeria, amid the country's worst diphtheria outbreak which has killed hundreds of people since the start of the year.
	Fake Ozempic pens circulating in Europe, watchdogs warn Fake injection pens of Ozempic, a hugely popular diabetes drug that went viral on social media as a way to lose weight, are circulating in Europe, drug authorities have warned.
	Researchers: Many Australian kids abused in sports won't ever speak up. It's time we break the silence Sport is supposed to be a safe place for kids to learn and play.
	Novel drugs are leading to rising overdose deaths in Victoria—drug checking services could help Many of the harms people experience from using illegal drugs are a result of unregulated supply. Drugs may be contaminated, or completely substituted with something unexpected. They may also be of variable and unknown dosage or strength.
	Q&A: Examining nurses' perceptions as the spotlight focuses on the aged care workforce in Australia The tumultuous royal commission into the Australian aged care system concluded two years ago with a suite of 148 recommendations—a complete overhaul of "an aged care system in crisis," according to Anika Wells, the federal minister now holding the aged care portfolio.
	Australian national register could help reduce Indigenous rheumatic fever numbers Australia's First Nations populations are among the world's highest sufferers of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD), yet only one in five patients received treatment in 2019.
	High blood pressure isn't only a risk during pregnancy After enduring a difficult pregnancy marred with severe bouts of nausea and vomiting, Christina Roberto recalls the overwhelming sense of relief she felt two years ago when she finally brought her newborn daughter, Charlotte, safely home from the hospital.
	Biometric gun safes recalled after 12-year-old's death More than 60,000 gun safes have been recalled following the death of a 12-year-old boy and dozens of reports that unauthorized people can open the Fortress Safe devices.
	Breastfeeding in the setting of substance use The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) has released new literature-based recommendations related to breastfeeding in the setting of substance use and substance use disorder (SUD) treatments. The new clinical protocol is published in the peer-reviewed journal Breastfeeding Medicine.
	New thesis on prognostication for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome Maria Creignou from the Hematology Unit (HERM) at the Department of Medicine, Huddinge (MedH) is defending her thesis: "Improving prognostication for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes" on 27 October 2023. Her main supervisor is Professor Eva Hellström Lindberg (MedH).
	Canada's health-care crisis is gendered: Researcher says the burden of care falls to women As we enter cold, flu and COVID season, Canada is continuing to experience a health-care crisis. One in six Canadians don't have a family doctor and less than 50% are able to see a primary care provider on the same or next day. Both the B.C. Nurses Union and Hospital Employees Union report over one-third of their members are considering quitting, largely due to burnout.
	Popular nasal decongestant found to be ineffective by US drugs regulator—what it means for the UK An advisory panel of the US Food and Drug Administration has found that a drug used in the majority of cold and flu products to treat blocked noses does not work.

Other Sciences news

	Saturday Citations: Hope for golden retrievers and humans. Plus: Cosmologists constrain the entire universe This week, we reported on the totality of the universe. We reported on some other subjects, as well, but since they're obviously encompassed by that first thing, enough said.
	Drought in Brazil's Amazon reveals ancient engravings An extreme drought in parts of the Amazon has led to a dramatic drop in river water levels, exposing dozens of usually submerged rock formations with carvings of human forms that may date back some 2,000 years.
	Businesses must embrace new ways of thinking or risk missing climate targets, says study Businesses must adopt new ways of thinking to effectively reduce their carbon footprint, suggests a new study from Imperial College Business School.
	Best of Last Week: Missing law of nature, a solar-power tipping point and powerful signals in brain white matter It was a good week for evolutionary and historical research, as a multi-institutional, international collaboration showed that Neanderthals inherited at least 6% of their genome from a now-extinct lineage of early modern humans. Also, a team of scientists and philosophers described a "missing" law of nature, stating that evolution is not limited to life on Earth. And an anthropologist with the University of Delaware, Sarah Lacy, found evidence showing that in prehistoric times, women were hunters, too.
	Back on the menu? Europeans once ate seaweed, research shows Europeans now rarely eat seaweed, but it was an important part of their diet until the late Middle Ages, archaeologists said Tuesday, calling for the eco-friendly aquatic plant to be put back on the menu.
	Coin tosses are not 50/50: Researchers find a slight bias Want to get a slight edge during a coin toss? Check out which side is facing upwards before the coin is flipped –- then call that same side.
	Visitors tour New Mexico atomic site in likely record attendance fueled by 'Oppenheimer' fanfare Visitors lined up Saturday to tour the southern New Mexico site where the world's first atomic bomb was detonated in what officials believe could be a record turnout amid ongoing fanfare surrounding Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film, " Oppenheimer."
	'Digital inclusion' and closing the gap: How First Nations leadership is key to getting remote communities online There are more than 1,500 remote First Nations communities and homelands around Australia, and about 670 of them have no mobile phone coverage. In research with 495 people from ten remote communities, we found 45.9% were "highly excluded" from increasingly important digital services and tools.
	Incorporating nature into education can build skills and improve mental health Could carving a wooden spoon by a lake be the answer to the mental health crisis in Canadian universities and also global sustainability?
	Ancient pots hold clues about how diverse diets helped herders thrive in southern Africa The introduction of herding—a way of life which centers on keeping herds of mobile domesticated animals—significantly changed Africa's genetic, economic, social and cultural landscapes during the last 10,000 years. Unlike other parts of the world, mobile herding spread throughout the continent thousands of years before farming and did not replace foraging in many places. This gave rise to complex mosaics of foragers and food producers across sub-Saharan Africa.
	Who were the first modern humans to settle in Europe? Before modern humans settled definitively in Europe, other human populations left Africa for Europe beginning approximately 60,000 years ago, albeit without settling for the long term. This was due to a major climatic crisis 40,000 years ago, combined with a super-eruption originating from the Phlegraean Fields volcanic area near current-day Naples, subsequently precipitating a decline in ancient European populations.
	Every letter counts: New research on New Mexican Spanish pronunciation Me-muh-ry or mem-ry (memory), fa-muh-ly or fam-ly (family), ce-luh-ry or cel-ry (celery), and so on—there are different ways to pronounce words. Across languages, linguists spend a lot of time figuring out what it is about the way that we use language that predicts when speakers produce certain words.
	The effects of mass layoffs on a brand and the role of corporate communication Especially in times of economic crisis, companies frequently lay off employees. In the short term, this can reduce costs—but what consequences does this measure have for a company's brand? A new study by researchers from KLU, Tilburg University and KU Leuven has investigated the phenomenon and provides clear recommendations on how communication measures should be planned.
	New research helps explain why Indian girls appear to be less engaged in politics than Indian boys Girls in India report being less interested and engaged in politics than boys and cite fewer opportunities to participate in politics, we found in a recent survey of youth across India.
	Students with strong self-belief are happier and more successful, research finds Students' success and happiness can be improved by building their self-belief—their perception of their capacity to complete a challenging task.
	Young Australians increasingly get news from social media, but many don't understand algorithms Adults might assume young people are not engaged in current affairs.
	Research finds racial disparity in school closures Each year about 2% of U.S. public schools permanently close their doors, a trend that has translated in recent years to roughly 1,000 school closures annually. Budgetary constraints or low academic performance are typically cited as justification, but advocates have argued that these decisions unfairly target communities of color, particularly schools with large shares of Black students.
	Equality in the labor market needs more than public childcare, economists say Having children poses serious financial challenges. One researcher to demonstrate this is U.S. economist Claudia Goldin, who was awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for her research on gender differences in the labor market.
	People who communicate more, show expertise are more likely to be seen as essential team members: Study A new study sheds light on the vital role of communication and expertise within organizations, revealing their impact on group performance. Researchers examined how individuals become part of communication networks and the effect of selection processes on group performance.
	Female board members help improve firms' corporate sustainability reporting, finds study New research has revealed that firms with female directors on the board, regardless of how many, improves the quality of corporate sustainability disclosures than those with no board representation.
	How secrecy and regulatory capture drove Alberta's oil and gas liability crisis "A hustle in the oil patch", a "dirty legacy": These are just a couple of the ways that the escalating costs of abandoning and reclaiming non-producing oil wells in Canada have been described.
	Researchers: Here's what happens to workers when coal-fired power plants in Australia close. It isn't good When Australia's dirtiest coal-fired power plant, Hazelwood in Victoria, closed in 2017, Australian authorities were blind to the collateral damage.
	Access to creative higher education remains highly unequal, says new UK report A new report has found that the creative workforce is still dominated by graduates, with access to creative higher education remaining highly unequal.
	UK screen industry failing to tackle sexual harassment, according to new report The UK film and screen industry is failing to tackle sexual harassment, with some victims punished or victimized if they do speak out, according to a new report looking at the experiences of staff in a range of roles across the television and film industry.
	Buzz, Elsa or Gru: Is there a role for pain and violence in children's media? Whether it's the antics of Tom and Jerry or a boo-boo on Peppa Pig, pain and violence have long been portrayed in children's TV and movies. But how suitable is such content in children's broadcasting?

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