Science X Newsletter Fri, Dec 29

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 29, 2023:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Zwicky Transient Facility detects four ultracompact binaries

A carbon-lite atmosphere could be a sign of water and life on other terrestrial planets, study finds

Food-as-Medicine study finds no improvements in type 2 diabetes patients

Permian marine mass extinction linked to volcanism-induced anoxia

3D printed multilayer structures for high-numerical aperture achromatic lenses

SpaceX launches secretive US military spacecraft on research mission

Researchers shed new light on how fog forms in mountainous areas

Medicaid coverage of physical, behavioral health together does not improve access, care

Researchers find large diversity of protists in the Parabasalia phylum in both mice and humans

Model suggests some asteroids that come close to Earth are torn apart by its gravity

Single 'smart' insulin injection regulates glucose levels in mice and minipigs up to one week

Breakthrough in nitrile activation is promising pathway for anticancer precursor synthesis

A dense quark liquid is distinct from a dense nucleon liquid

In coastal communities, sea level rise may leave some isolated

Silky shark observed with regrown fin after extensive injury

Nanotechnology news

	Scientists discover new method for generating metal nanoparticles to use as catalysts A team of researchers from the ITACA Institute of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the Research Institute of Chemical Technology, a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the UPV, has discovered a new method for the manufacture of metal nanocatalysts that is more sustainable and economical.
	Novel toxic gas sensor improves the limit of nitrogen dioxide detection Researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science developed a toxic gas sensor with the world's highest sensitivity. This sensor can precisely monitor nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a toxic gas in the atmosphere, at room temperature with low power consumption and ultra-high sensitivity. It can be applied to diverse fields, such as detection of residual gases during semiconductor manufacturing process and research on electrolysis catalysts.
	New strategy for high-performance cathodes in aqueous zinc ion batteries A new strategy was proposed in the field of aqueous zinc-ion battery to help increase the capacity of the cathodes, making them more efficient, according to a recent study published in ACS Nano.
	Revolutionary nanodrones enable targeted cancer treatment A study led by Professor Sebyung Kang and Professor Sung Ho Park in the Department of Biological Sciences at UNIST has unveiled a remarkable breakthrough in cancer treatment. The research team has successfully developed unprecedented "NK cell-engaging nanodrones" capable of selectively targeting and eliminating cancer cells, offering a potential solution for intractable types of cancers.
	Collaborative review unveils the potential of graphene in advancing nitride semiconductor technology In a comprehensive review, researchers from Soochow University, Beijing Graphene Institute and Xiamen Silan Advanced Compound Semiconductor Co., Ltd. have collaborated to provide a systematic overview of the progress and potential applications of graphene as a buffer layer for nitride epitaxial growth.

Physics news

	3D printed multilayer structures for high-numerical aperture achromatic lenses Flat optics are made of nanostructures containing high-refractive index materials to produce lenses with thin form factors that function only at specific wavelengths.
	A dense quark liquid is distinct from a dense nucleon liquid Atomic nuclei are made of nucleons (like protons and neutrons), which themselves are made of quarks. When crushed at high densities, nuclei dissolve into a liquid of nucleons and, at even higher densities, the nucleons themselves dissolve into a quark liquid.
	Molecules exhibit non-reciprocal interactions without external forces, new study finds Researchers from the University of Maine and Penn State discovered that molecules experience non-reciprocal interactions without external forces.
	Geometric origin of intrinsic dark counts in superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors In a recent leap forward for quantum computing and optical technologies, researchers have uncovered an important aspect of photon detection. Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs), pivotal in quantum communication and advanced optical systems, have long been hindered by a phenomenon known as intrinsic dark counts (iDCs). These spurious signals, occurring without any real photon trigger, significantly impact the accuracy and reliability of these detectors.
	Korean artificial sun, KSTAR, completes divertor upgrades for long pulse operations The Korean artificial sun, KSTAR, has completed divertor upgrades, allowing it to operate for extended periods sustaining high-temperature plasma over 100 million degrees.
	Why quantum mechanics defies physics The full, weird story of the quantum world is much too large for a single article, but the period from 1905, when Einstein first published his solution to the photoelectric puzzle, to the 1960's, when a complete, well-tested, rigorous, and insanely complicated quantum theory of the subatomic world finally emerged, is quite the story.

Earth news

	Permian marine mass extinction linked to volcanism-induced anoxia Mass extinctions are rapid global decreases in Earth's biodiversity, with five key events identified over the planet's history, arguably the most famous of which occurred ~66 million years ago during the Cretaceous, which brought the rein of dinosaurs to an end. However, the largest mass extinction is attributed to the Permian, during which it is estimated that >95% of all life on Earth was eradicated.
	Researchers shed new light on how fog forms in mountainous areas Of the world's various weather phenomena, fog is perhaps the most mysterious, forming and dissipating near the ground with fluctuations in air temperature and humidity interacting with the terrain itself.
	In coastal communities, sea level rise may leave some isolated Amid the threat of dramatic sea level rise, coastal communities face unprecedented dangers, but a new study reveals that as flooding intensifies, disadvantaged populations will be the ones to experience some of the most severe burdens of climate change.
	Global warming intensifies typhoon-induced extreme precipitation over East Asia Last year, Typhoon Hinnamnor, which caused 36 fatalities, gained notoriety as the first super typhoon that developed at a high latitude as 25°N since Korea Meteorological Administration records began. This year in Osong, Chungcheongbuk-do, an unanticipated intense downpour caused rivers to suddenly overflow, resulting in numerous casualties.
	NREL research quantifies losses from cardboard, paper waste Piles of cardboard and paper littering America's landfills represent $4 billion in lost economic value, according to a new analysis by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
	Orange County's new wetlands ordinance aims to protect 'Earth's kidneys' Orange County is strengthening its protections for the area's vast expanse of wetlands, delicate but critical natural areas often imperiled by pressure for new development.
	Ban on fires extended amid poor air quality caused, in part, by people ignoring the burn ban Angelenos hoping to cozy up by the fireplace this week should make other plans.
	Bangladesh's 'tiny houses' tackle giant flood challenge An award-winning architect in Bangladesh, one of the nations most at risk from flooding driven by climate change, has developed an ingenious two-floor housing solution to help people survive what scientists warn is a growing threat.
	Venezuela oil giant says 80 percent of oil spill cleaned up Venezuela's state oil company said Thursday that an oil spill at a refinery on the country's western coastline was no longer "active" and that more than 80 percent of the affected area had been cleaned up.
	Lula vetos part of Brazil's controversial pesticide bill Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday vetoed key parts of a controversial law that is set to loosen the rules around the use of pesticides in the country.
	Creation of a climate adapted urban oasis through the hyperlocal lens—Palm Springs Downtown Park in California, USA Palm Springs Downtown Park is an inviting 1.5-acre urban oasis for residents and visitors to Palm Springs, a design-forward desert destination nestled along the base of the San Jacinto Mountains along the southwestern boundary of the Coachella Valley in California's Sonoran Desert of the U.S.
	Future labor losses due to heat stress in China under climate change scenarios Climate change is the biggest global health threat in the 21st century, and the rising temperatures have undermined the health and safety of the working population, as well as caused labor losses, which are closely tied to social-economic development. Although the future temperatures increase in China has been forecasted by state-of-the-art climate change projections, to what extent the influence on labor has not been well studied.

Astronomy and Space news

	Zwicky Transient Facility detects four ultracompact binaries By investigating dwarf novae identified by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), astronomers have discovered four binary systems. The objects turned out to be eclipsing accreting ultracompact white dwarf binaries. The finding was reported in a paper published December 15 on the pre-print server arXiv.
	A carbon-lite atmosphere could be a sign of water and life on other terrestrial planets, study finds Scientists at MIT, the University of Birmingham, and elsewhere say that astronomers' best chance of finding liquid water, and even life on other planets, is to look for the absence, rather than the presence, of a chemical feature in their atmospheres.
	SpaceX launches secretive US military spacecraft on research mission SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket blasted back into space on Thursday night to ferry the US military's secretive X-37B drone to a research mission.
	Model suggests some asteroids that come close to Earth are torn apart by its gravity A pair of astronomers, one with Luleå University of Technology's Asteroid Engineering Laboratory, in Finland, the other with the Southwest Research Institute, in the U.S., has found via computer simulation, that some large asteroids that come close to Earth can be torn apart by its gravity. Mikael Granvik and Kevin Walsh have posted their paper on the arXiv preprint server—it is scheduled to be published soon in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
	NASA's Juno to get close look at Jupiter's volcanic moon Io on Dec. 30 NASA's Juno spacecraft will on Saturday, Dec. 30, make the closest flyby of Jupiter's moon Io that any spacecraft has made in over 20 years. Coming within roughly 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) from the surface of the most volcanic world in our solar system, the pass is expected to allow Juno instruments to generate a firehose of data.
	Curiosity captures a martian day, from dawn to dusk When NASA's Curiosity Mars rover isn't on the move, it works pretty well as a sundial, as seen in two black-and-white videos recorded on Nov. 8, the 4,002nd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The rover captured its own shadow shifting across the surface of Mars using its black-and-white Hazard-Avoidance Cameras, or Hazcams.
	A new way to characterize habitable planets For decades, science fiction authors have imagined scenarios in which life thrives on the harsh surfaces of Mars or our moon, or in the oceans below the icy surfaces of Saturn's moon Enceladus and Jupiter's moon Europa. But the study of habitability—the conditions required to support and sustain life—is not just confined to the pages of fiction. As more planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond are investigated for their potential to host conditions favorable to life, researchers are debating how to characterize habitability.
	Meet the infrared telescopes that paved the way for NASA's Webb The Webb telescope has opened a new window onto the universe, but it builds on missions going back 40 years, including Spitzer and the Infrared Astronomical Satellite.
	Larger and more frequent solar storms will make for potential disruptions and spectacular auroras on Earth Bright auroras, with dancing lights in the sky, characterize the clear winter nights of northern Canada. Longer nights during the fall and winter also favor seeing more auroras, but the show is best outside of light-polluted cities. Impressive auroral events allowed bright auroras to be seen as far south as the United States recently.
	Hubble captures throng of spiral galaxies This Hubble Picture of the Week features a richness of spiral galaxies: the large, prominent spiral galaxy on the right side of the image is NGC 1356; the two apparently smaller spiral galaxies flanking it are LEDA 467699 (above it) and LEDA 95415 (very close at its left) respectively; and finally, IC 1947 sits along the left side of the image.
	JWST sets a new record, sees newly forming stars in the Triangulum galaxy Our Milky Way bristles with giant molecular clouds birthing stars. Based on what we see here, astronomers assume that the process of star creation also goes on similarly in other galaxies. It makes sense since their stars have to form somehow. Now, thanks to JWST, astronomers have spotted baby stellar objects in a galaxy 2.7 million light-years away. That's millions of light-years more distant than any previous observations of newly forming stars have reached.
	First release of the largest extragalactic HI catalog The FAST All Sky HI survey (FASHI) was designed to cover the entire sky observable by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), spanning approximately 22,000 square degrees of declination between -14 deg and +66 deg, and in the frequency range of 1050–1450 MHz, with the expectation of eventually detecting more than 100,000 HI sources.

Technology news

	China's Huawei says expects revenue up almost nine percent in 2023 Chinese tech giant Huawei said Friday it "weathered the storm" of US sanctions as it announced a rise of almost nine percent in revenues in 2023, a year that saw it shock Washington with the release of a high-end smartphone.
	Legal battles loom as first Mickey Mouse copyright ends Almost a century after his big-screen debut, Mickey Mouse enters the public domain Monday, opening the floodgates to potential remakes, spin-offs, adaptations... and legal battles with Disney.
	Electric light transmits data 100 times faster than Wi-Fi Li-fi, a communication technology harnessing visible light for data transmission, has a potential to surpass Wi-Fi's speed by more than 100 times and boasts a high bandwidth, facilitating the simultaneous transmission of copious information. Notably, Li-fi ensures robust security by exclusively transmitting data to areas illuminated by light.
	Google agrees to settle $5 bn consumer privacy lawsuit Google has agreed to settle a consumer privacy lawsuit seeking at least $5 billion in damages over allegations it tracked the data of users who thought they were browsing privately.
	How the 'visionaries' of Silicon Valley mean profits are prioritized over true technological progress Technological innovation in the last couple of decades has brought fame and huge wealth to the likes of Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos. Often feted as geniuses, they are the faces behind the gadgets and media that so many of us depend upon.
	Motivation behind energy-efficient upgrades differs by location With several billion dollars available from the Inflation Reduction Act for upgrades to increase energy efficiency of the home, now is the time for consumers to take advantage of federal government subsidies that will help lower their energy costs and carbon footprint while increasing comfort in their homes.
	Machine learning methods to protect banks from risks of complex investment products Artificial intelligence (AI) is frequently touted as a silver bullet to solve complex modeling problems. Among its many applications, it has been investigated as a tool to manage risks of complex investment products—so-called derivative contracts—in the investment banking area. Despite the multiple positive reports in this area, concerns have been raised about their practical applicability.
	Advances and challenges in semantic communications: A systematic review This study was led by Prof. Ping Zhang, Dr. Yiming Liu, Yile Song, and Jiaxiang Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Networking and Switching Technology, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications).
	AI in human–computer gaming: Techniques, challenges and opportunities Human–computer gaming has a long history and has been a main tool for verifying key artificial intelligence technologies. The Turing test, proposed in 1950, was the first human–computer game to judge whether a machine has human intelligence. This has inspired researchers to develop AI systems (AIs) that can challenge professional human players.

Chemistry news

	Breakthrough in nitrile activation is promising pathway for anticancer precursor synthesis A research team, affiliated with UNIST has unveiled a novel method to produce a selective anticancer precursor substance that targets and eliminates cancer cells. This groundbreaking method, previously existing only in theory, has now been experimentally proven for the first time, opening up new possibilities in the development of innovative drugs through extensive research on the effects of anticancer precursors on the human body.
	Novel electrification strategy enhances low-temperature NOx removal Prof. Zhang Jian's group from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, cooperating with Prof. Zhang Zhaoliang's group from University of Jinan, has developed a novel electrification strategy to improve NOx pollutant removal performance at low temperatures.
	Piezoelectric-enhanced p-n junctions in photoelectrochemical systems Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a potentially feasible strategy for converting solar energy to green hydrogen. However, current PEC systems suffer from relatively low charge separation efficiency and sluggish water oxidation reaction, which prevent them from meeting the needs of practical applications. The main bottleneck like in achieving effective charge spatial separation, which is crucial for achieving efficient solar-to-hydrogen conversion.

Biology news

	Researchers find large diversity of protists in the Parabasalia phylum in both mice and humans A team of pathologists, geneticists, immunologists and engineers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, has found a previously unrecognized diversity of protists in the Parabasalia phylum in both mice and humans. In their paper published on the open-access site of the journal Cell, the group describes their study of the differences between species of protists living in the guts of mice and humans.
	Silky shark observed with regrown fin after extensive injury A marine biologist at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, has documented a case of a silky shark with a regenerated dorsal fin, after much of it was lost due to maiming by an unknown person. In her paper published in Journal of Marine Sciences, Chelsea Black describes how the shark came to her attention and how she was able to observe the fin regrowth.
	Unraveling the evolutionary origins of umami and sweet taste preferences The perception of taste is one of the most important senses and helps us identify beneficial foods and avoid harmful substances. For instance, our fondness for sweet and savory foods results from our need to consume carbohydrates and proteins. Given their importance as an evolutionary trait, researchers around the world are investigating how taste receptors originated and evolved over a period of time. Obtaining these insights into the feeding behavior of organisms can help them paint a picture of the history of life on Earth.
	Scientists study ecological response of phytoplankton to nutrient deposition of Saharan dust A new study, published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Marine Science, reports unprecedented evidence of ecological responses by calcifying phytoplankton to the deposition of nutrients provided by the Saharan dust.
	One-pot fermentative growth of predatory bacteria The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest threats to human health and life. With the alarming rise in antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens and the decline in antibiotic development and discovery, experts predicted that antibiotic resistance could surpass heart disease and cancer as the leading cause of human fatalities by 2050.
	I collect marsupial scat—and a crack team of volunteers across Australia helps me out I thought convincing my husband of the merits of my returning to study just as he had retired would be a very tricky sell. So his enthusiasm for the idea caught me by surprise.
	The secret world of puddles As the new year arrived in 2016, my home city of Newcastle upon Tyne was briefly the center of global attention—for a puddle. The Drummond Puddle, as it was grandly known, was a watery hazard placed perfectly where converging footpaths funneled a daily stream of victims to their doom. To the wonderment of the world, their fate was livestreamed over the internet to more than half a million viewers.
	Here, there, everywhere: Environmental DNA clues to biodiversity Traces of life in the environment reveal ecosystem health, prompting a scientific hunt for them.
	Can golf courses help save the planet? Ask a herd of wild pigs An Arizona golf course, so picture-perfect it was described as "the Imax of golf", was wantonly trashed by intruders in the autumn of 2023. But no, this was not Just Stop Oil back for another round, nor the result of a disgruntled golfer. In fact, it was the work of a squadron of javelinas.
	Out of the shell: Taxonomic classification of a novel snail native to Japan In Japan, a peculiar gastropod species was discovered more than three decades ago, gaining attention upon being labeled as "vulnerable" or "near threatened" in several government and local red lists. This species, referred to as Ka-wa-tare-kawa-zanshō in Japanese, remained undescribed until recent efforts sought to rectify this omission.
	Bison vs. urban growth: Rocky Mountain Arsenal seeks solutions to water runoff A growing herd of 250 bison, re-introduced at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge to help restore toxic wasteland to the native short-grass prairie, often descends through a floodplain to reach First Creek and cross to the northern half of the refuge.
	These creepy crawlies could be Florida's next big invasive threats, scientists say Florida has long been home to an unnatural assortment of creatures from faraway lands and habitats, and these tourists turned permanent residents have wreaked havoc on the natural ecosystem.
	Safety of aquatic animals as human protein sources amid SARS-CoV-2 concerns Aquatic animals have historically constituted a vital and nutritious dietary component for humans, contributing to nearly 20% of animal protein intake for approximately 3.3 billion people. Unlike terrestrial animals, there has been no evidence indicating that aquatic animals serve as reservoirs for zoonotic viruses. However, multiple cases of SARS-CoV-2 from cold-chain aquatic food and environmental samples have evoked worldwide concerns, despite the incidence being notably lower than that associated with poultry and livestock.
	Scientists chart diversity, function and activity of global supraglacial DNA viruses Supraglacial environments mainly consist of four main types of habitats for microbes and viruses, including snow, ice, meltwater and cryoconites (the granular sediment on glacier surfaces). A new paper published in Science Bulletin reveals that there were more than 10,000 viral species in global supraglacial environments. This is a 15-fold expansion of DNA viral genomic inventory ever known.
	Artificial design and biosynthesis of a single-domain catenated dihydrofolate reductase This study was led by Prof. Wen-Bin Zhang (College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University & Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence) and Dr. Jing Fang (College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University). A single-domain protein catenane refers to two mechanically interlocked polypeptide rings that fold synergistically into a compact and integrated structure, which is extremely rare in nature.
	'Ecology on steroids': How Australia's First Nations managed Australia's ecosystems First Nations people please be advised this article speaks of racially discriminating moments in history, including the distress and death of First Nations people.
	Beyond the sleigh: Reindeer and their bonds with Arctic peoples The relationship between indigenous peoples in the Arctic region and their herds reveals a rich history and provides clues about how to protect it.
	Revolutionizing plant phenotyping: 3D plant shoot segmentation with deep learning The quest for efficient 3D plant shoot segmentation, vital for extracting plant phenotypic traits, has driven the integration of deep learning with point clouds. Traditional 2D methods, while prevalent, encounter challenges in depth perception and structural determination. The emergence of 3D imaging has overcome these limitations, providing improved trait analysis.
	Advanced CNN techniques for accurate detection and reconstruction of passion fruit branches In traditional fruit production, formidable challenges arise from labor costs and shortages, prompting extensive research into agricultural automation and the use of intelligent robots for tasks like fruit picking and branch pruning.
	Novel food regulations are a barrier for edible insects Edible insects could be the key to a more sustainable food system, yet food regulations could be restricting alternative environmentally friendly sources of protein for consumers, a new report has found.
	Revolutionizing wheat yield prediction: Introducing SPSI for enhanced panicle number estimation using UAV imagery Wheat is crucial for global food security, and panicle number per unit ground area (PNPA) is key to its yield. Traditional manual counting methods are accurate but inefficient, prompting a shift towards remote sensing and image processing for rapid, nondestructive PNPA estimation.
	Revolutionizing grape cultivation: AS-SwinT and the future of automated berry thinning Berry thinning is crucial for cultivating high-quality table grapes, traditionally carried out by skilled laborers who are becoming scarce due to an aging population. To address the labor-intensive and time-consuming process, researchers are focused on developing an intelligent machine vision system for automated berry thinning.
	Enhancing model performance and data efficiency through standardization and centralization Recent advancements in agricultural computer vision have heavily relied on deep learning models, which, despite their success in general tasks, often lack agricultural-specific fine-tuning. This results in increased training time, resource use, and lower performance due to the reliance on weights from non-agricultural datasets.
	The crucial role of realistic 3D canopy models in light interception analysis for crop resilience and sustainability Grasping the complex interplay between light and plant canopies is crucial for unlocking the secrets to enhanced crop yields and resilience.
	Novel solution for Pichia pastoris enzyme production platform The demand for industrial enzymes is continually rising, driven by the growing need to shift towards more sustainable industrial processes. Our research outlines a novel approach to enzyme production, harnessing the untapped potential of cyanobacterial biomass within the P. pastoris platform.

Medicine and Health news

	Food-as-Medicine study finds no improvements in type 2 diabetes patients Research led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, has found that an intensive food-as-medicine program showed no improvement in glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes and food insecurity.
	Medicaid coverage of physical, behavioral health together does not improve access, care Health care systems in the United States have gradually embraced the concept that mental health should be treated on par with physical health, especially in light of increased rates of anxiety and depression during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
	Single 'smart' insulin injection regulates glucose levels in mice and minipigs up to one week A team of chemists, polymer scientists and drug delivery specialists at Zhejiang University, working with a pair of colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has developed a type of "smart" insulin that when tested in mouse and minipig models successfully regulated blood glucose levels for up to one week after just one injection.
	Experimental drug that alters gut microbiome shows promise for long COVID relief A randomized controlled trial in Hong Kong finds that the synbiotic drug SIM01 relieves multiple symptoms of long COVID, or post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS).
	Infants pay the price when parents battle food insecurity and benefits red tape Taking on the parenting duties to support a newborn child is stressful enough when everything goes well.
	Research reveals best approach for detection of maternal sepsis A new study led by researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland has revealed the most effective way to diagnose maternal sepsis, a condition with a devastating global impact.
	Mental health problems not reduced after obesity surgery in young people Young people who have had surgery for obesity do not improve their mental health despite significant and permanent weight loss. However, bariatric surgery increases the risk of early alcohol problems. This is according to the largest long-term study of young people who have undergone bariatric surgery, conducted at Lund University and Karolinska Institutet, among others.
	Experimental therapy eases Alzheimer's signs, symptoms in mice A new cellular therapy improved learning and memory in mice with Alzheimer's disease, researchers report.
	Cancer test shows promise for bringing the benefits of immunotherapy to more patients Immunotherapy is a highly effective treatment for patients whose cancers harbor mismatch repair deficiency, and a new study identifies more cancer patients who could benefit from this form of therapy. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham health care system, found that nearly six percent of endometrial cancer patients and one percent of colorectal cancer patients with mismatch repair deficiency were missed by immunohistochemistry, the current standard of care test for this condition. In these missed cases, the condition was instead detected by next-generation sequencing, which researchers estimate could identify 6,000 additional patients in the U.S. who would otherwise not be offered immunotherapy. Results are published in the journal Cancer Cell.
	Post-COVID-19 brain health impaired versus healthy controls Brain health after COVID-19 is impaired, but no more than that seen for patients hospitalized for other medical conditions of similar severity, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
	JN.1 variant now behind nearly half of US COVID cases As Americans travel far and wide to see family and friends this holiday season, a new COVID variant named JN.1 has become dominant across the country.
	Frequency of adding salt to foods linked to higher risk for CKD A higher self-reported frequency of adding salt to foods is associated with a higher risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the general population, according to a study published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
	Looking for an ob/gyn? Here's how It's important to find the right OB-GYN to guide you through some of life's greatest joys and troubles.
	New stroke risk down with clopidogrel-aspirin initiated within 72 hours Combined clopidogrel-aspirin therapy initiated within 72 hours after stroke onset leads to lower risk for new stroke at 90 days among patients with mild ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack (TIA) of presumed atherosclerotic cause, according to a study published in the Dec. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	ASA: Deep learning model can improve pain assessment An automated pain recognition system is promising for detecting pain before, during, and after surgery, according to a study presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, held from Oct. 13 to 17 in San Francisco.
	New insights into fibroids might lead to better treatments Hormone therapy is the usual go-to when women develop painful uterine fibroids, but researchers report they are zeroing in on new avenues for treatment.
	Nirsevimab protects infants against RSV-linked hospitalization Nirsevimab is efficacious for preventing hospitalization for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated lower respiratory tract infection among infants, according to a study published in the Dec. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Anxiety, depression do not cause Meniere disease, or vice versa Anxiety and depression do not cause Meniere disease (MD), or vice versa, but elevated neuroticism is causative for anxiety, depression, and MD, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
	Few children with SARS-CoV-2 develop post-COVID-19 condition Few children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection develop post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), according to a study published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
	Cryoprotectants for red blood cells: Evaluating safety and effectiveness by in vitro measures The cryopreservation of red blood cells (RBCs) holds great potential for ensuring timely blood transfusions and maintaining an adequate RBC inventory. Cryoprotectants (CPAs) are a series of biomaterials developed to reduce cryoinjuries. To achieve the high efficiency of RBC cryopreservation, suitable CPAs should be added before freezing.
	Medicinal herb found to inhibit acetylation of eNOS in vascular dysfunction Angelica gigas NAKAI (AG) is a popular traditional medicinal herb widely used to treat dyslipidemia due to its antioxidant activity. Vascular disease is intimately linked to obesity-induced metabolic syndrome, and AG extract (AGE) shows beneficial effects on obesity-associated vascular dysfunction. However, the effectiveness of AGE against obesity and its underlying mechanisms have not yet been extensively investigated.
	Automated liquid biopsy detects brain tumor cells in children Brain and other central nervous system (CNS) cancers are the leading cause of childhood cancer deaths in the United States. This type of cancer is the second most common type of childhood cancer after leukemia.
	Hate salad or veggies? Just keep eating them. Here's how our tastebuds adapt to what we eat Do you hate salad? It's OK if you do, there are plenty of foods in the world, and lots of different ways to prepare them.
	Compassion and mindfulness eight-week program for those with post-traumatic stress symptoms A little compassion can go a long way in life, and just eight weeks of a new compassion and mindfulness-based program has made a world of difference to those with post-traumatic stress symptoms.
	Young people took up smoking during the pandemic—how tobacco has been used for stress relief for more than a century In the UK and much of the west, smoking rates have consistently declined since the turn of the millennium. But during some of the most anxiety-ridden months of the COVID pandemic in early 2020, that rate of decline slowed almost to a stop.
	Six ways to look after your eyes in 2024 The World Health Organization estimates that over 80% of all vision impairment around the world can be prevented and even cured. Reducing the risk of eye diseases involves adopting a combination of lifestyle changes, protective measures, and regular eye care. Here are six ways to look after your eyes in 2024.
	Cadmium and particulate matter toxicity in a bronchial epithelial cell model Particulate matter causes health problems for those who inhale the fine droplets and particles, but the chemical composition of the mixture matters—and can vary widely across space and time.
	Asthma inhaler switch in 2024 could leave some patients scrambling A popular asthma inhaler is being discontinued Jan. 1, fueling concerns that patients may have trouble getting insurance coverage for alternatives.
	Small magnetic balls sold at Walmart recalled over swallowing dangers Tiny, powerful magnetic balls sold exclusively online at Walmart as building blocks and stress relievers have been recalled for swallowing dangers, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) said Thursday.
	Vietnam war veterans at no higher risk for suicide: Study The Vietnam war was a traumatic event in American history, most especially for those who served.
	Digoxin shows promise in enhancing post-surgery survival for infants with certain heart defects A strong, rhythmic pulse is a lifelong companion for those with a healthy heart. But for about 1% of babies born in the U.S. every year, developmental heart problems compromise that steady beat.
	AI reliably detects emotions based on facial expressions in psychotherapeutic situations The face reflects a person's emotional state. The interpretation of facial expressions as part of psychotherapy or psychotherapeutic research, for example, is an effective way of characterizing how a person is feeling in that particular moment. In the 1970s, psychologist Paul Ekmann developed a standardized coding system to assign basic emotions such as happiness, disgust or sadness to a facial expression in an image or video sequence.
	Cerebral small vessel disease burden for bleeding risk during antithrombotic therapy Antithrombotic agents (blood thinners), which prevent blood clots from forming, are widely used to prevent thromboembolic events such as ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. This benefit of antithrombotic agents is not so rarely overshadowed by the drawback of an increased risk of bleeding complications, such as intracranial and gastrointestinal bleeding.
	Protective antibody targets conserved site of fusion glycoprotein of respiratory syncytial virus Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the leading pathogens that cause lower respiratory tract infections in infants and the elderly. Passive immunoprophylaxis with monoclonal antibody (mAb) has been approved to prevent morbidity and mortality from RSV infection in infants.
	New perspectives on treating gallbladder inflammation Ischemic cholecystitis is a form of gallbladder inflammation that occurs without gallstones or another form of external compression. It is caused by poor perfusion to the gallbladder tissue.
	AI offers promise for earlier and more accurate hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. It is a major global health concern with rising rates, particularly in North Africa and East Asia. Although potentially curable in the early stages, HCC often remains undetected until it's too late for effective treatment. Promising advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technology that could revolutionize HCC diagnosis, leading to earlier detection and improved patient outcomes, have been reported in eGastroenterology by researchers in Singapore and Thailand.
	Blood poisoning keeping many people out of work A few years ago, the World Health Organization estimated that blood poisoning, or sepsis, is involved in 1 in 5 deaths around the world; 11 million people die from sepsis each year, of which nearly 3 million are children.
	Thinking of a(nother) tattoo this summer? What you need to know about sunburn, sweating and fading More of us have tattoos than ever before. About 25% of Australians are inked.
	Potent and highly selective CDK9 inhibitor for treatment of hematologic malignancies To evade cell cycle controls, malignant cells rely upon rapid expression of select proteins to mitigate pro-apoptotic signals resulting from damage caused by both cancer treatments and unchecked over-proliferation. Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9)-dependent signaling induces transcription of downstream oncogenes promoting tumor growth, especially in hyperproliferative "oncogene-addicted" cancers, such as human hematological malignancies (HHMs).
	New robotic single-port platform for transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery Transvaginal NOTES, introduced in 2012, has gained popularity for its integration of vaginal surgery fundamentals. The approach combines the natural orifice entry of the vagina with the manual extension of laparoscopic instruments, offering enhanced visualization of the surgical field.
	Breast cancer cells' self-sacrificial behavior uncovered as potential cause of relapse For patients with early-stage breast cancer, there is a 7% to 11% chance of relapse within five years after receiving initial treatment, and this rate can be higher for patients with more advanced stages of the cancer. While chemotherapy aims to eliminate all cancer cells, some of them may evade treatment and survive, resulting in the recurrence of the cancer.
	MRI can differentiate Meniere disease from Menieriform diseases Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can differentiate Meniere disease (MD) from other menieriform diseases, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in Scientific Reports.
	Multiple instruments can best assess transcranial magnetic stimulation success Symptom burden during repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD) may be most accurately assessed through the use of multiple instruments, according to a study published in the December issue of Psychiatry Research.
	Poor vision and falls: A deadly combo for seniors Seniors with vision issues are at much higher risk for dangerous falls, new research confirms.
	Stop using 'Baby Loungers' due to suffocation risk, feds warn A popular infant lounger violates U.S. safety standards because it poses a fall hazard and suffocation risk to babies, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns.
	pH-multichannel intraluminal impedance monitoring can ID GERD For preschool-aged children, pH-multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) monitoring is useful for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-related wheezing, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in Diagnostics.
	Bold changes are in store for Medi-Cal in 2024, but will patients benefit? California's safety-net health program, Medi-Cal, is on the cusp of major changes that could rectify long-standing problems and improve health care for the state's low-income population.
	Prone positioning does not cut time to weaning in ARDS with VV-ECMO For patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) undergoing venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO), prone positioning does not decrease the time to successful weaning compared with supine positioning, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Ask the Pediatrician: Here are 8 parenting goals to start the new year strong New Year resolutions are often sweeping and grand, but often you can reap the biggest rewards by building off the strengths already in place. Helping to make your family safer, stronger and more harmonious in 2024 may not require a complete overhaul, but rather a few strategic tweaks.
	Mettl3-dependent m6A modification is essential for effector differentiation and memory formation of CD8+ T cells This study was led by Dr. Shuyang Yu (College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University), Dr. Jingyu Xu (The Collaborative Innovation Center of Tissue Damage Repair and Regeneration Medicine of Zunyi Medical University) and Dr. Xuguang Du (College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University) and illustrated the key role of Mettl3 in CD8 T cell response during acute infection model.
	The care home sector got £2.1 billion in government COVID aid, but care workers themselves got little support The coronavirus public inquiry has made public all manner of decisions taken by the UK government, during the pandemic, that have shocked the nation.
	The impact of nurse practitioner placement in Japanese nursing homes The global demographic shift marked by a decline in birth rates and an increase in aging populations has posed a significant strain on health care resources. Recognizing the need for better health care, researchers have proposed innovative measures, including the integration of nurses into roles traditionally held by physicians. Nurse practitioners (NPs) have emerged as a potential solution to optimize the allocation of limited medical resources, particularly in addressing primary care physician shortages.

Other Sciences news

	Study of Mongolian Arc adds to mystery surrounding its purpose A team of archaeologists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, working with a colleague from the National University of Mongolia, has conducted a study of the 405-km wall system in eastern Mongolia known as the Mongolian Arc in order to learn more about its history and purpose. In their paper published in Journal of Field Archaeology, the group describes the techniques and technology they used to study the wall.
	New research suggests 'religiosity' can help Black teenagers avoid delinquent behavior Black teenagers in urban environments who were more involved in religious activities were less likely to engage in alcohol and substance use and other delinquent behavior, according to two recent studies by social sciences researchers at Case Western Reserve University.
	Can we trust students to collect data ready to use in scientific research? Recent efforts to improve on the openness and transparency in science have already begun paying off towards greater integrity in the way researchers do and report science. It is now common practice for scientists to pre-register their studies and to openly share their materials and data so that their research is easily available to scientific scrutiny and collaborations.

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