Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Jun 9

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 9, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Researchers find strong constraint on delivery of optical signals to computers
- Researchers characterize mysterious ultraluminous X-ray sources
- Engineers develop a computer that operates on water droplets
- Scientists out for dinosaur blood
- New tool could predict large solar storms more than 24 hours in advance
- How atmospheric rivers form
- Car to driver: We're not moving with that blood alcohol
- Improving energy storage with a cue from nature
- Denied under Nazis, 102-year-old Jewish woman gets doctorate
- Discovery in plant growth mechanisms opens new research path
- 'Nano-raspberries' could bear fruit in fuel cells
- Low glycemic index diet reduces symptoms of autism in mice
- Many experiments for the price of one: A breakthrough in the study of gene regulation
- Body's response to spicy foods guides design of new pain relief drugs
- Predicting tree mortality

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers characterize mysterious ultraluminous X-ray sources (Phys.org)—Many black holes are believed to have surrounding accretion disks of matter trapped by gravity and spiraling toward the event horizon. Supercritical accretion disks (SCADs) are those with mass accretion rates exceeding the Eddington limit—this describes the maximum possible luminosity of an energetic body when the outward force of radiation is in equilibrium with gravitation. Masses that exceed the Eddington luminosity to produce SCADs emit extremely intense stellar winds from their outer layers.
	Rosetta's comet remains active after nightfall and emits dust jets into space When night falls on Rosetta's comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the bizarrely shaped body remains active. This can be seen in new images of the Ma'at region located on the comet's "head" captured by OSIRIS, the scientific imaging system on board the Rosetta spacecraft. They were taken approximately half an hour after the Sun had set over the region and show clearly distinguishable jets of dust escaping into space. Researchers from the OSIRIS team believe that the increasing heating-up of the comet is responsible for the newly observed phenomenon.
	New tool could predict large solar storms more than 24 hours in advance Large magnetic storms from the Sun, which affect technologies such as GPS and utility grids, could soon be predicted more than 24 hours in advance.
	Supersonic NASA parachute torn to pieces in latest test NASA scientists working toward putting people on Mars said Tuesday a supersonic parachute they are developing to slow a vehicle's approach to the Red Planet partially deployed in a test, but immediately ripped apart.
	NASA 'flying saucer' deploys partially on test NASA launched a giant balloon Monday carrying a kind of "flying saucer" that will test technologies for landing on Mars, but its outsized parachute only partly deployed.
	Nearby 'dwarf' galaxy is home to luminous star cluster A team of Tel Aviv University and UCLA astronomers have discovered a remarkable cluster of more than a million young stars are forming in a hot, dusty cloud of molecular gases in a tiny galaxy very near our own.
	Of course space exploration is worth the money I don't suppose that readers would expect me to contradict the title of this article – that would be tantamount to signing my own redundancy notice. But, given an environment where phrases such as "pay restraint", "austerity package" and "falling service provision" are bandied around, it might be thought somewhat profligate to suggest that millions of pounds (euros, dollars) are spent on exploration of space.
	What are gravitational waves? Who wants to bet against Einstein? You? You? What about you?
	Don't stress the small stuff: NASA's One-Year Mission research combats stress and fatigue Several Human Research Program investigations are being conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA's One-Year Mission (1YM) to learn more about how the human body responds to stress in a long-duration, low-gravity environment.
	Russia aims for launch of next manned flight to ISS in July Russia's space agency said on Tuesday the next manned mission to the International Space Station would blast off between July 23 and 25, after it delayed the launch due to a rocket failure.
	NASA commercial crew partner SpaceX achieves pad abort milestone approval NASA has approved a $30 million milestone payment to SpaceX under the agency's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) agreement with the company following a recent and successful pad abort test of its Crew Dragon spacecraft.
	Rainfall spacecraft debris to re-enter over tropics The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) spacecraft, a joint mission of NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to study rainfall for weather and climate research, is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere on or about June 17.
	Image: Soyuz TMA-15M docked at the International Space Station Since docking with the International Space Station on 24 November 2014, Soyuz TMA-15M has been waiting for its return flight to Earth. On Thursday, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, NASA astronaut Terry Virts and cosmonaut commander Anton Shkaplerov will enter the spacecraft and close the hatch after 200 days in space.

Technology news

	Car to driver: We're not moving with that blood alcohol Inventing a world without drunk driving would make life safer for everyone. A path leading to better driver safety is under way. An alcohol detection system for driver safety comes by way of a research program. The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) has been on a mission to advance alcohol detection technology in vehicles.
	Philips Hue and Apple's HomeKit to be house mates Philips has announced that its Hue intelligent lighting system will be compatible with Apple's HomeKit smart home platform later this year. The lights will be able to be controlled from that smart-home platform. "Your existing Philips Hue lights will work seamlessly and any necessary upgrade to the system will be fully supported," said Philips.
	Engineers develop state-by-state plan to convert US to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2050 One potential way to combat ongoing climate change, eliminate air pollution mortality, create jobs and stabilize energy prices involves converting the world's entire energy infrastructure to run on clean, renewable energy.
	Apple makes product upgrades, pushes into streaming music Apple announced a major new foray into streaming music on Monday as it showed off a host of new software features for its iPhones, iPads and Mac computers.
US hedge fund asks Seoul court to stop Samsung takeover deal A U.S. hedge fund is challenging a takeover deal between Samsung companies designed to ensure control of the conglomerate passes to the grandson of its founder.
	GE unveils experimental ecoROTR wind turbine The hillsides around Tehachapi, a brown and blustery town on the edge of California's Mojave Desert, are bristling with a forest of wind turbines of all makes and sizes.
	Professor's laser-based space energy system generates a patent A space-based system that relies on lasers to generate and deliver energy to spacecraft has won a University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) professor a U.S. patent and could become a first-line defense against asteroids on a collision course with Earth.
	Apple Music brings change to streaming, but is it enough? When Apple launches its Apple Music streaming service at the end of June, it will affect things big and small in the music industry.
	HP to pay $100 million to settle case tied to Autonomy deal Hewlett-Packard's ill-fated acquisition of software maker Autonomy will cost another $100 million, as the personal computer and printer maker prepares to settle class-action litigation tied to the 2011 deal.
Microsoft algorithm improves directions in large networks for Bing Maps Did the cross-country drive that you planned using an online mapping service take twice as long as expected?
	Microsoft beefs up Xbox ahead of major E3 event Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled an Xbox One console with double the memory space that will hit the market as the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) video game extravaganza gets under way next week.
Intel launches investment fund for minority, women-led firms Intel is launching a $125 million investment fund for technology startups led by women and minorities, a move the chipmaker says is aimed at changing the face of Silicon Valley.
	Snowden revelations costly for US tech firms, study says US technology companies are getting hit harder than anticipated by revelations about surveillance programs led by the National Security Agency, a study showed Tuesday.
First enterprise-class cloud service for designing electronic systems for mobile devices IBM today announced that it is launching IBM High Performance Services for Electronic Design Automation (EDA), the electronic industry's first enterprise-class, secure cloud service, which provides on-demand access to electronic design tools, in partnership with SiCAD, Inc., a Silicon Design Platform provider, with expertise in EDA, design flows, networking, security, platform development, and cloud technologies.
	Energy efficiency and the future of long-distance flight Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard have suffered set-backs in their quest to circumnavigate the earth in an experimental solar-powered aircraft. The Swiss nationals are flying Solar Impulse 2, whose large fixed wing is covered from tip to tip with 17,000 photovoltaic cells providing 340kWh of electric power.
	'Metal Gear Solid V': Five ways 'Phantom Pain' is different The world is Snake's oyster in the latest installment of "Metal Gear Solid."
	France TV cyberattack probe focused on 'Russian hackers': judicial source The investigation into the cyberattack suffered by France's TV5Monde television channel in April is now focusing on "a group of Russian hackers", a judicial source told AFP on Tuesday.
House votes to make ban on Internet access taxes permanent The House voted Tuesday to make permanent a moratorium that prevents states from taxing access to the Internet.

Medicine & Health news

	Researchers discover molecular rules that govern autoimmune disorders An international team led by researchers at UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and California NanoSystems Institute has identified an unexpectedly general set of rules that determine which molecules can cause the immune system to become vulnerable to the autoimmune disorders lupus and psoriasis.
	Study redefines role of estrogen in cervical cancer Scientists have prior evidence that the hormone estrogen is a major driver in the growth of cervical cancer, but a new study examining genetic profiles of 128 clinical cases reached a surprising conclusion: Estrogen receptors all but vanish in cervical cancer tumors.
	Study suggests region of prefrontal cortex impacted by ketamine (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers working at Yale University has found that a region of the brain's prefrontal cortex known as the infralimbic prefrontal cortex (IL-PFC) appears to be the part of the brain involved that reacts to ketamine, causing relief of depression symptoms. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes how they tested the impact of ketamine on neural activity in the IL-PFC and what they learned in the process.
	Swapping saturated fat with 'good' fats reduces heart disease risk factors Replacing saturated fat (SFA) with unsaturated fat in our diets lowers blood pressure and 'bad' cholesterol levels, according to new research from the University of Reading.
	Researchers find possible molecular explanation for caffeine reducing mood disorders (Medical Xpress)—An international team of researchers has found a possible molecular explanation for the stress reducing capabilities of caffeine. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes experiments they conducted with caffeine and its impact on adenosine A2A receptors (A2AR) in mouse brains and what they discovered through their efforts.
	Been there? Done that? If you are sure, thank your 'memory cells' The witness on the stand says he saw the accused at the scene of the crime. Is he sure? How sure? The jury's verdict could hinge on that level of certainty.
	Low glycemic index diet reduces symptoms of autism in mice Bread, cereal and other sugary processed foods cause rapid spikes and subsequent crashes in blood sugar. In contrast, diets made up of vegetables, fruits and whole grains are healthier, in part because they take longer to digest and keep us more even-keeled.
	Scientists gain first glimpse of new concepts developing in the brain Thanks to Carnegie Mellon University advances in brain imaging technology, we now know how specific concrete objects are coded in the brain, to the point where we can identify which object, such as a house or a banana, someone is thinking about from its brain activation signature.
	Scientists find cellular mechanism for how the body regulates glucose transport UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have gleaned a key cellular mechanism of how the body adjusts glucose levels, an important process that when abnormal can promote diabetes, cancer, and rare genetic diseases.
	Modern housing reduces malaria risk Housing improvements could reduce malaria cases by half in some settings, according to research published in the open access Malaria Journal.
	Stroke patients recover arm use with virtual reality Virtual reality could assist arm rehabilitation in some stroke patients, according to a clinical pilot study published in the open access Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation. The researchers found that using virtual reality to increase a patient's confidence in using their paralyzed arm may be critical for recovery.
	Aneurysms may recur years after endovascular treatment Endovascular treatment (EVT) of intracranial aneurysm is effective in preventing long-term bleeding, but may be followed by aneurysm recurrences in a significant proportion of cases, according to a new magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) study published online in the journal Radiology.
US space program researchers develop potential nano-tools for deep brain stimulation Applying nanotechniques developed in the U.S. space program may help to better understand the electrochemical dynamics of deep brain stimulation in order to fine-tune the therapy, according to a presentation by NASA Ames Research Center scientist Russell J. Andrews, M.D., at the International Neuromodulation Society's 12th World Congress.
	New research calls for vitamin D supplementation in critically ill pediatric burn patients Deficiency of vitamin D is a common problem for patients with severe burn injuries and can lead to further health compromise. However, there are no evidence-based guidelines for vitamin D replenishment in such patients.
	New study shows boys will be boys—sex differences aren't specific to autism There are more boys than girls diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Now, a study led by a University of Miami (UM) researcher shows that behaviors relevant to autism are more frequently observed in boys than in girls, whether they're at risk of autism or not.
S. Korea reports 7th MERS death, vows to end crisis (Update) South Korea Tuesday reported its seventh death from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) as the government—concerned about the economic impact—said it hoped to end the crisis this week.
	Largest-ever study of parental age and autism finds increased risk with teen moms The largest-ever multinational study of parental age and autism risk, funded by Autism Speaks, found increased autism rates among the children of teen moms and among children whose parents have relatively large gaps between their ages. The study also confirmed that older parents are at higher risk of having children with autism. The analysis included more than 5.7 million children in five countries.
	South Korea says its deadly MERS outbreak may have peaked South Korea believes its MERS virus outbreak may have peaked, and experts say the next several days will be critical to determining whether the government's belated efforts have successfully stymied a disease that has killed seven people and infected nearly 100 in the country.
	San Francisco considers health warning on soda advertising San Francisco officials are deciding whether to impose a warning on ads for a favorite drink of children and a bane of public health advocates: Sugary soda pop.
	Resilience to stress may be key for long-term health Reacting positively to stressful situations may play a key role in long-term health, according to researchers.
	Extreme exercise linked to blood poisoning Researchers have discovered that extreme exercise can cause intestinal bacteria to leak into the bloodstream, leading to blood poisoning.
Diabetes drug Sitagliptin shows no increased risk of heart events A clinical trial of the glucose-control drug sitagliptin among patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease has found it did not raise the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events.
	Images reveal structure of heart cells that may hold heart attack clues Newly released images revealing the 'bicycle spoke' structure of a heart cell may hold key clues to reducing damage from a heart attack.
	West African Ebola virus strain less virulent than prototype 1976 strain What:The Makona strain of Ebola virus (EBOV) circulating in West Africa for the past year takes roughly two days longer to cause terminal disease in an animal model compared to the original 1976 Mayinga strain isolated in Central Africa, according to a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) report. The results provide important information to scientists who have wondered if the Ebola virus in West Africa is becoming more severe. In fact, the new study suggests the current virus has a decreased ability to cause disease in their animal model compared to the 1976 strain.
	Danish nasal filter more than halves symptoms of hay fever Getting through the pollen season can now become easier for some of the approximately 500 million people worldwide who suffer from sneezing and a runny nose, watery eyes and drowsiness during the allergy season (seasonal allergic rhinitis).
Long-term care hospitals keep patients longer than necessary for financial reasons Long-term care hospitals—which care for people whose medical conditions require relatively lengthy treatment—are keeping patients longer than necessary because of the way that Medicare determines payment rates, according to a study from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
	Engineers use 'shock tube' to find greater impacts of blast waves on brains By accounting for a rush of blood to the head, University of Nebraska-Lincoln engineers have found that blast waves from concussive explosions may put far greater strain on the brain than previously thought.
	Getting to the point of parents' fears University of Queensland researchers are hoping to get to the pointy end of parents' fears about childhood vaccinations by conducting an Australia-wide survey.
	Emotionally distressed prostate cancer patients more likely to choose surgery, researchers say A study led by the University at Buffalo and Roswell Park Cancer Institute has identified beliefs and personality traits that are associated with higher levels of distress in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients.
Detecting the onset of leprosy before nerve damage occurs New research could help improve the lives of thousands of leprosy sufferers worldwide by detecting the disease long before it manifests as skin lesions. Peripheral nerve damage is the hallmark of leprosy pathology, but its origins had remained unclear until now.
	Immediate birth control implant more cost-effective Women who have just given birth are often motivated to prevent a rapid, repeat pregnancy. For those who prefer a contraceptive implant, getting the procedure in the hospital immediately after giving birth is more cost-effective than delaying insertion to a 6-8 week postpartum visit, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers.
	Study reveals why men are more forgetful Science has finally proven what many have long suspected – that men are more forgetful than women. Aston University research has revealed that women are better at remembering to perform and fulfil future tasks and plans.
Earlier surgical intervention for mitral valve disease is better for most patients A more aggressive approach to treating degenerative mitral valve disease, using earlier surgical intervention and less invasive techniques, is more beneficial to the patient than "watchful waiting," according to an article in the June 2015 issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Wales proposes indoor ban on e-cigarettes Wales could become the first part of Britain to ban e-cigarettes in enclosed public spaces, after its devolved government set out plans for new laws Tuesday.
	Simple blood test identifies which patients are prone to serious illness after surgery For the first time, researchers have identified how key differences in a person's immune system – caused by a group of white blood cells called monocytes – can be used to predict who will recover well after surgery and who is likely to develop serious illnesses.
A step towards a type 1 diabetes vaccine by using nanotherapy For the first time, liposomes that imitate cells in the process of natural death have been used to treat diabetes. Researchers at Germans Trias Research Institute (at UAB-Campus of International Excellence Sphere) generated liposomes in collaboration with professionals from the ICN2. The journal PLOS ONE publishes the work. The next steps are to confirm the efficacy in vivo with cells from patients and to carry out clinical trials to prevent the disease and to cure it.
	Researchers isolate smallest unit of sleep to date Washington State University Spokane scientists have grown a tiny group of brain cells that can be induced to fall asleep, wake up and even show rebound sleep after "staying up late."
Clinicians reluctant to prescribe medication that counteracts effects of opioid overdose A variety of factors including questions about risk and reluctance to offend patients limits clinician willingness to prescribe a potentially life-saving medication that counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose, according to a Kaiser Permanente Colorado study published today in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
	Can not having enough to eat lead to poor diabetes management? Latinos who worry about having enough food to eat—so-called food insecurity—report having a poorer diet and exhibit worse glycemic control than those who aren't worried about having sufficient food to survive, according to a study presented at the American Diabetes Association's 75th Scientific Sessions. The findings suggest that food insecurity should be a factor considered in overall diabetes management.
	Are offspring of obese moms pre-programmed for obesity and metabolic disease? The evidence is clear that the children of obese parents are prone to obesity themselves, placing them at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, but how and why this occurs remains under investigation. A study being presented at the American Diabetes Association's 75th Scientific Sessions found evidence suggesting that the in utero environment in obese mothers may program a child's cells to accumulate extra fat or develop differences in metabolism that could lead to insulin resistance.
	GLP-1 alters how the brain responds to food Gut hormone-based medications used to treat diabetes, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, have also been shown to reduce body weight. Researchers have been working to understand how. This study, presented today at the American Diabetes Association's 75th Scientific Sessions, sheds light on how GLP-1 receptor agonists alter the brain's response to food, possibly reducing cravings and increasing satisfaction while eating.
	Examination of gastroenteritis hospitalization rates following use of rotavirus vaccine Following implementation of rotavirus vaccination in 2006, all-cause acute gastroenteritis hospitalization rates among U.S. children younger than 5 years of age declined by 31 percent - 55 percent in each of the post-vaccine years from 2008 through 2012, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA.
Parasite re-infection reduced by handwashing or nail clipping in Ethiopian children Promotion of handwashing with soap and weekly nail clipping are both successful strategies to decrease intestinal parasite re-infection rates in school aged Ethiopian children, according to a study published by Mahmud Abdulkader Mahmud and colleagues from Mekelle University, Ethiopia, in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Physician waivers to prescribe buprenorphine increases potential access to treatment American physicians with waivers allowing them to provide office-based medication-assisted buprenorphine treatment to patients addicted to opioids were able to increase potential access to effective medication-assisted treatment by 74 percent from 2002 to 2011, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
MCAT predicts differently for students who test with extra time Among applicants to U.S. medical schools, those with disabilities who obtained extra test administration time for the Medical College Admission Test in use from 1991 to January 2015 had no significant difference in rate of medical school admission but had lower rates of passing the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step examinations and of medical school graduation, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Control system shows potential for improving function of powered prosthetic leg A control system that incorporated electrical signals generated during muscle contractions and gait information resulted in improved real-time control of a powered prosthetic leg for different modes of walking (such as on level ground or descending stairs), according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Overall rate of traumatic spinal cord injury remains stable in US Between 1993 and 2012, the incidence rate of acute traumatic spinal cord injury remained relatively stable in the U.S., although there was an increase among older adults, mostly associated with an increase in falls, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
'Alzheimer's protein' plays role in maintaining eye health and muscle strength Amyloid precursor protein (APP), a key protein implicated in the development Alzheimer's disease, may play an important role in eye and muscle health. In a new report published in the June 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists have discovered that when proteins that bind to the APP, called FE65 and FE65L1, are deleted, they cause cataracts and muscle weakness in mice. Additionally, this study demonstrates that the expression of laminin, a protein pivotal for the interaction between lens epithelial cells and the lens capsule, is severely altered in mice lenses missing both FE65 and FE65L1 genes. If confirmed in human studies, the FE65 and FE65L1 proteins may become a therapeutic target for cataracts, muscular dystrophy and Alzheimer's disease.
	Birth weight affected by warm temperatures during pregnancy Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Harvard University researchers have developed a technique that measures the correlation between air temperature and birth weight. They evaluated the relationship between birth outcomes (focusing on birth weight) and ambient air temperature during pregnancy in Massachusetts between 2000 and 2008.
How a gut feeling for infection programs our immune response An unexpected finding by an international team of scientists based at The University of Manchester and National Institutes of Health in America has shed new light on how immune cells are programmed to either repair or protect the body.
Are the data underlying the US dietary guidelines flawed? U.S. government-issued dietary recommendations continue to evolve over time. In a special article published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, an obesity theorist and cardiovascular health researchers claim that the main source of dietary information used by the U.S. Government's 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) is scientifically flawed because the underlying data are primarily informed by memory-based dietary assessment methods (M-BMs) (eg, interviews and surveys). In an editorial response nutrition experts suggest that the purported flaws are well-appreciated by nutritional researchers and can be mitigated by using multiple data sources, resulting in valid data.
	Molescope to be unveiled at World Dermatology Conference in Vancouver Simon Fraser University PhD graduate Maryam Sadeghi will unveil MoleScope, an innovative hand-held tool that uses a smartphone to monitor skin for signs of cancer, at the World Congress of Dermatology conference in Vancouver June 9-13.
Stem cell discovery paves way for targeted treatment for osteoarthritis Scientists at the University of York have made a significant advance that could make cell-based treatments for arthritis less of a lottery.
Sweden gets cheeky in safe sex toilet campaign Swedish health care authorities are warning young travellers this summer against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) by posting cheeky messages on airport toilet seats, a project leader said on Tuesday.
For safer care, simple steps yield substantial improvements in colorectal surgery Simple steps that include the consistent use of experienced medical teams for a single type of surgery, preemptive antibiotics before the procedure, less reliance on potent opioids during recovery and urging patients to get out of bed and move around sooner can not only prevent infections, blood clots and other serious complications in people undergoing colorectal operations, but can also accelerate recovery and reduce cost of care, according to results of an ongoing program at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
	Chemo may be preferred option for some with advanced prostate cancer In a small clinical trial, scientists at Johns Hopkins' Kimmel Cancer Center and James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute found that men with advanced prostate cancer and detection of androgen receptor splice variant-7 (AR-V7) respond to chemotherapy just as well as men who lack the variant.
	Technology offers hope of better bionic legs (HealthDay)—Scientists say they're making progress toward developing a motorized artificial lower leg that automatically adjusts to changes in movement, such as from walking to using stairs.
	Review explores effect of sulfonylureas on lipids in T2DM (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), sulfonylureas seem to increase levels of free fatty acids (FFA) and triglycerides (TG) and lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), according to a meta-analysis published online June 4 in the Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine.
	Cardiac dysfunction in childhood cancer survivors examined (HealthDay)—For long-term childhood cancer survivors, abnormal global longitudinal strain and diastolic function are more prevalent than reduced three dimensional (3D) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), according to a study published in the June 16 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Ketorolac doesn't reduce pain with IUD placement (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing intrauterine device (IUD) placement, ketorolac does not reduce pain with placement, but is associated with pain reduction at five and 15 minutes after placement, according to a study published online June 5 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Review: Cognitive behavioral techniques benefit insomnia (HealthDay)— Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) helps patients fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, according to a review published online June 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Social media helps young adults quit smoking Young adults who use social media to quit smoking are twice as successful in their efforts as those who use a more traditional method, according to new research from the University of Waterloo.
	Brain lesions in children challenging to diagnose Brain lesions in children can be especially challenging to diagnose, according to a report in the journal Frontiers in Neurology by a multidisciplinary team of Loyola University Medical Center physicians.
	Study links brain inflammation triggered by chronic pain to anxiety and depression Brain inflammation caused by chronic nerve pain alters activity in regions that regulate mood and motivation, suggesting for the first time that a direct biophysical link exists between long-term pain and the depression, anxiety and substance abuse seen in more than half of these patients, UC Irvine and UCLA researchers report.
	Early intervention improves long-term outcomes for children with autism Early intervention for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder helps improve their intellectual ability and reduces autism symptoms years after originally getting treatment, a new study shows.
	NYC officials want high-sodium warning on menus New York could become the first U.S. city. to require warning labels on high-salt dishes at chain restaurants, taking campaigns to cut down on salt into new territory, health officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Lactobacillus reuteri may have multiple benefits as a probiotic in premature infants A new study finds that supplementing enteral nutrition with Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) DSM 17938 as a probiotic may reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants. NEC is a condition where portions of the bowel undergo tissue death. It is the second most common cause of death among premature infants.
New study shows intravenous glutamine reduces ischemia reperfusion injuries A single dose of intravenous glutamine (GLN) administered immediately after a non-lethal lower limb ischemia reduces the reperfusion inflammatory reaction locally and systemically according to a new study.
Study finds credentialed providers have greater knowledge of nutrition support practice Multidisciplinary health care professionals who hold the Certified Nutrition Support Credential (CNSC) scored significantly higher on a survey about their approaches to nutrition support practice than those who do not hold the credential according to new study.
Eating disorder prevention program expands online A powerful education tool to help prevent eating disorders in children and young adolescents is being expanded for young adults in the high-risk years between 18 and 25.
	Doctors use Twitter to advance health care messaging For three nights this Spring, an unusual set of fireworks exploded across the social media landscape with implications for public discussions of health, particularly for health care professionals whose work includes crafting messages for patients.
Computer game reduces issues associated with AD/HD in children in China Children diagnosed with AD/HD can improve their behavior and social interactions in the classroom by playing a computer game that exercises their concentration, finds new research out today. The study marks the 1000th article published in SAGE Open, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal launched in 2011 which covers the full spectrum of the social and behavioral sciences and the humanities.
In Kenya, program changes male attitudes about sexual violence, study finds In Kenya, where rape and violence against women are rampant, a short educational program produced lasting improvements in teenage boys' and young men's attitudes toward women, a study from the Stanford University School of Medicine has found.
Who is public health? Who do you think of when you think of public health?
	Researcher helps discover Ebola virus in eye fluid of recovered survivor A leading Flinders University ophthalmology researcher has co-authored a case study which found that live Ebola virus was present in a patient's eye fluid, 10 weeks after the virus was no longer detectable in the patient's blood.
Health officials to monitor for plague at Grand Canyon Arizona health officials plan to start monthly monitoring of public areas along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for plague.
Current BMI tests underestimate obesity in teens with disabilities New approaches, based on body mass index (BMI) or other simple measures, are needed to improve assessment of obesity in adolescents with physical disabilities, reports a paper in the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, the official journal of the Association of Academic Physiatrists.
	Insomnia leads to decreased empathy in health care workers A new study suggests that insomnia decreases empathy in health care workers and may lead to adverse clinical outcomes and medical errors.
Mean light timing may influence body mass index and body fat A new study suggests that the timing of exposure to moderate levels of light may influence body mass index (BMI) and body fat.
	Less extensive damage to heart muscle/therapeutic hypothermia following acute myocardial infarction After an acute myocardial infarction, patients treated with rapid lowering of body temperature by combined cold saline infusion and endovascular cooling had less heart muscle damage and reduced incidence of heart failure. Therapeutic hypothermia was especially protective against heart muscle damage in patients with a large area of myocardium at risk according to an analysis of two clinical trials published in Therapeutic Hypothermia and Temperature Management.
Mentorship a key factor for female authorship in GI The percentage of U.S. female physician authors of original research in major gastroenterology journals has grown over time, yet the percentage of women in the senior author position remains lower than expected based on the proportion of female gastroenterologists in academia. A look at the evolution of gender in the GI publishing landscape is presented in "Female authorship in major academic gastroenterology journals: a look over 20 years," published in the June issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).

Biology news

	Researchers identify unique marker on mom's chromosomes in early embryo Researchers in the University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center are visually capturing the first process of chromosome alignment and separation at the beginning of mouse development. The findings could lead to answers to questions concerning the mechanisms leading to birth defects and chromosome instability in cancer cells.
	Neurobiologists discover cells in the crow brain that respond to a specific number of items An old story says that crows have the ability to count. Three hunters go into a blind situated near a field where watchful crows roam. They wait, but the crows refuse to move into shooting range. One hunter leaves the blind, but the crows won't appear. The second hunter leaves the blind, but the crows still won't budge. Only when the third hunter leaves, the crows realize that the coast is clear and resume their normal feeding activity.
	Mosquitoes may also be a vector for Rickettsia felis (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with Aix Marseille Université in France has found that mosquitoes might be not only carrying the bacteria Rickettsia felis, but might be transmitting it to humans in Africa as well, causing fevers and other symptoms. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes lab experiments they conducted with samples of the bacteria and mosquitoes and what they found by doing so.
	Research group suggests modern extinction rate may be higher than thought (Phys.org)—A team of researchers from a wide variety of institutions in France has concluded that it appears likely that approximately seven percent of all modern invertebrates have gone extinct. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team outlines the research they conducted on land snail extinctions and how they extrapolated what they found to apply to non-marine invertebrates extinctions worldwide in the modern age.
	Largest-ever scientific camera trapping survey reveals 'secret lives of the Serengeti' The use of camera traps—remote automatic cameras triggered by heat or motion—has revolutionized wildlife ecology and conservation research. But the large number of images generated through the traps creates the problem of categorizing and analyzing all the images.
	Discovery in plant growth mechanisms opens new research path New findings reported this week by plant molecular biologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are deepening scientists' views of a cell surface regulator, FERONIA receptor kinase from the model plant Arabidopsis, once thought to be involved only in reproduction but in fact required throughout plant growth, development and in surviving environmental challenges.
	Many experiments for the price of one: A breakthrough in the study of gene regulation Inside every cell that makes up a diminutive fruit fly is a vast, dynamic network of information—the genome whose 15,000 genes allow that cell to function. In a study recently published as a breakthrough article in Nucleic Acids Research, computer scientists and molecular biologists demonstrated the utility of a novel approach to deciphering how networks of genes are regulated.
Tree root research confirms that different morphologies produce similar results Despite markedly different root morphologies and resulting disparities in nutrient-uptake processes, forest trees of different lineages show comparable efficiency in acquiring soil nutrients, according to researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
	Once-abundant bird being eaten to worldwide extinction by China A bird that was once one of the most abundant in Europe and Asia is being hunted to near extinction because of Chinese eating habits, according to a study published on Tuesday.
	Insect's wings key to azalea pollination A researcher from North Carolina State University has found that in the case of the flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum), all pollinators are not created equal. In fact, due to the flower's unique reproductive structure, butterflies – and specifically, their wings – are the key to pollination.
	Free app helps distinguish diseased from healthy plant tissues A new app lets users practice eMedicine on plants.
Small changes have large benefits for crop breeding Researchers from The University of Western Australia have developed a new method for breeding crops that will improve the potential for long-term, sustainable genetic improvement.
	Before we build Jurassic World, we need to study recent extinctions It's hard to have a conversation about bringing extinct creatures back to life without a tip-of-the-hat to Jurassic Park, or the latest instalment, Jurassic World, due out Thursday. Massive people-eaters escaping their bonds and ravaging humanity may make good cinema but the arguments both for and against de-extinction are more subtle and wide ranging.
	Emerging weeds show resilience to herbicide treatments With herbicide resistance in common weeds already impacting significantly on the WA grain industry's profitability, evidence has now been found of resistance issues in lesser-known and emerging weeds.
	Crop-rotation resistant rootworms have a lot going on in their guts After decades of effort, scientists are finally figuring out how insects develop resistance to environmentally friendly farming practices - such as crop rotation - that are designed to kill them. The researchers say their insights will help develop more sustainable agricultural practices.
	New species of leafminer on grapevine in Western Cape came from wild grapes Since 2011 an unknown leafmining moth was observed in table grape orchards and often in large numbers in the Paarl region of the Western Cape (South Africa).
	Longest ever tiger shark tracking reveals remarkable, bird-like migrations Tiger sharks are among the largest and most recognizable sharks on the planet, yet many of their habits remain mysterious because they are long-distance travelers that are hard to track. But a new study, reported in the June 9 issue of the journal Scientific Reports, has yielded the first ever continuous, two or more-year satellite tagging tracks for the animals. This study reveals remarkable, and previously unknown, migration patterns more similar to birds, turtles and some marine mammals than other fishes.
Collaboration of citrus greening researchers begins 5-year plan to save citrus A diverse group of researchers has teamed up to develop a therapeutic treatment for citrus greening disease, a bacterial infection that threatens the future of the U.S. citrus industry.
	Discovering a new force driving cell contraction during development and organogenesis CRG scientists describe a new mechanism shaping cells and generating cell contractile forces during development and organogenesis. The new mechanism, which has been published today in the journal Developmental Cell, includes strategies shared with programmed cell death but which have not previously been directly associated with force generation. Studying developmental processes contributes to a better understanding of organ development and maintenance. Also, the specific process of dorsal closure described in this work is one of the most studied ones because of its similarity with wound healing.
	South African medics make big effort to save Hope the rhino The horns and a large portion of the rhino's face were severed by poachers, a horrific injury that had some observers wincing at the sight of exposed flesh and bone. One South African veterinarian treating the mutilated survivor was so distressed at the rhino's suffering that he stepped away briefly, his eyes glassy with tears.

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