Science X Newsletter Monday, Mar 21

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for March 21, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Two defining features of quantum mechanics never appear together
- Tiny, ancient galaxy preserves record of catastrophic event
- Breakthrough technology to improve cyber security
- A new model for how twisted bundles take shape
- Best of Last Week – Physics formula contradicted research, Hubble unveiled monster stars and opiod-free pain relief
- Physicists prove energy input predicts molecular behavior
- Study points the way to new photonic devices with one-way traffic lanes
- Biological factors predict which viruses will cause human epidemics
- Cells that work hard stay alive, lazy cells die
- Scientists extend the reach of single crystals
- No joke: Blondes aren't dumb, national study refutes damaging stereotype
- Lighting up disease-carrying mosquitoes
- Scientists eliminate HIV-1 from genome of human T-Cells
- Caught for the first time: The early flash of an exploding star
- Humanoid Sophia is given primary role of talking to people

Astronomy & Space news

	Tiny, ancient galaxy preserves record of catastrophic event The lightest few elements in the periodic table formed minutes after the Big Bang. Heavier chemical elements are created by stars, either from nuclear fusion in their interiors or in catastrophic explosions. However, scientists have disagreed for nearly 60 years about how the heaviest elements, such as gold and lead, are manufactured. New observations of a tiny galaxy discovered last year show that these heavy elements are likely left over from rare collisions between two neutron stars. The work is published by Nature.
	Astronomers find a star with a record variation period Three years ago, Lomonosov Moscow State University astronomers detected a bright star TYC 2505-672-1 that has now faded significantly. The scientists assume that TYC 2505-672-1 is actually a double star system, though the nature of its companion remains unknown. An article about the finding was will be published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, and is accessible as a pre-print at Arxiv.
	Speedy planet birth: Astronomers observe a clump of dust in the disk around star HL Tauri Observations using the VLA radio telescope array in New Mexico show the innermost portion of a planetary birthplace around the young star HL Tauri in unprecedented detail. Clearly visible is a lump of dust with 3 to 8 times the mass of the Earth, which represents the ideal conditions for the formation of a planet: a planetary nursery with sufficient building material for a planet somewhere between the mass of our own Earth and that of Neptune. The presence of a lump points towards a solution for a fundamental problem of planet formation: how planets can form on the limited time scale available for such processes.
	Astrophysicists detect ultra-fast winds near supermassive black hole New research led by astrophysicists at York University has revealed the fastest winds ever seen at ultraviolet wavelengths near a supermassive black hole.
	Caught for the first time: The early flash of an exploding star NASA's planet hunter, the Kepler space telescope, has captured the brilliant flash of an exploding star's shock wave—what astronomers call the "shock breakout" of a supernova—for the first time in visible light wavelengths.
	NASA marks major milestones for the James Webb Space Telescope NASA's James Webb Space Telescope just got a little closer to launch with the completion of cryogenic testing on its science cameras and spectrographs and the installation of the final flight mirrors.
	New gravity map gives best view yet inside Mars A new map of Mars' gravity made with three NASA spacecraft is the most detailed to date, providing a revealing glimpse into the hidden interior of the Red Planet.
	Distant, massive 'hypercluster' of galaxies discovered A group of researchers, among them scientists from the IAC, has discovered one of the most distant and massive "hyperclusters" of galaxies found thus far: the BOSS Great Wall (BGW). According to Heidi Lietzen, the principal investigator of this research, there is probably no other similar system so clearly isolated and with a comparable size.
	Where is the closest black hole? You know that saying, "keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer?" That advice needs to go right out the window when we're talking black holes. They're the worst enemies you could have and you want them as far away as possible.
	New lenses to help in the hunt for dark energy Since the 1990s, scientists have been aware that for the past several billion years, the universe has been expanding at an accelerated rate. They have further hypothesized that some form of invisible energy must be responsible for this, one which makes up 68.3% of the mass-energy of the observable universe. While there is no direct evidence that this "dark energy" exists, plenty of indirect evidence has been obtained by observing the large-scale mass density of the universe and the rate at which is expanding.
This week's space station delivery rich in science and tech A space station supply ship is set to blast off Tuesday night with a commercial-quality 3-D printer for astronaut as well as public use—for a price—and the makings for a large-scale fire.

Technology news

	FTC encourages app developers to ensure disclosure Twelve app developers were sent warning letters on Thursday from staff at the Federal Trade Commission. The subject at hand: The use of SilverPush software. They are developers whose apps are available for download in the Google Play store and appear to include the SilverPush code.
	Research explores safer fuel for nuclear reactors Nuclear power is an important energy source in the U.S. and around the world and its use is seen by proponents as essential to reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels. However, many people feel the risk of nuclear accidents does not outweigh the benefits associated with nuclear energy.
	Is someone watching you online? The security risks of the Internet of Things The range and number of "things" connected to the internet is truly astounding, including security cameras, ovens, alarm systems, baby monitors and cars. They're are all going online, so they can be remotely monitored and controlled over the internet.
	Engineers adapt laser method to create micro energy units In the race to design smaller handheld devices and smartphones, a key factor is decreasing the sizes of components. As the demand for thinner and lighter microelectronic devices increases, manufacturers often are limited by how oddly shaped the energy sources must become to make them conform to the smaller space. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri, have developed a method of transferring an energy source to virtually any shape. Using an efficient laser-writing technique, MU scientists can help smartphone manufacturers potentially fabricate energy storage units like microbatteries and micro fuel cells that are more environmentally friendly, highly designable and thin.
	Statoil to store energy from floating wind farm in batteries Norwegian oil group Statoil said Monday it would store energy from a Scottish floating wind farm on a powerful battery storage system, in a pioneering pilot project.
	Taking a close look at metal 3-D printing In the wee hours of a Saturday morning, Carnegie Mellon University Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Tony Rollett and graduate students Ross Cunningham and Tugce Ozturk sit together in Sector 2 of the mile-wide Advanced Photon Source at the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois. In front of them is an enormous synchrotron x-ray machine, powerful enough to see through heavy metals down to miniscule detail—one millionth of a meter, roughly one hundredth of a human hair. The unique equipment is in such high demand that the team has just forty-eight continuous hours to use the x-rays before they will pack up and (gingerly) carry their data back to Pittsburgh.
	Humanoid Sophia is given primary role of talking to people An essay on robots by a professor in Japan over 40 years ago caused a stir in science circles when he explored what draws us and repels us when it comes to robots.
	Apple goes small for new iPhone, iPad (Update 4) Apple went small on Monday—cutting prices as well as screen size—as it unveiled a new iPhone and iPad aimed at first-time buyers and customers in emerging markets.
	Apple starts a busy week with new iPhone launch Apple is kicking off a busy week: Today the giant tech company will host reporters and analysts at its Silicon Valley headquarters for a product launch event. On Tuesday, its lawyers will square off with authorities in federal court over the FBI's demand for help unlocking a San Bernardino killer's encrypted iPhone.
	Apple, US govt to face off in court over iPhone privacy The US government and Apple will face off in court on Tuesday in a closely-watched case that could have wide-reaching implications on digital security and privacy.
	Two British ships arrive in Japan to carry plutonium to US Two British ships arrived in eastern Japan on Monday to transport a shipment of plutonium—enough to make dozens of atomic bombs—to the U.S. for storage under a bilateral agreement.
	Human eyes assist drones, teach machines to see Drone images accumulate much faster than they can be analyzed. Researchers have developed a new approach that combines crowdsourcing and machine learning to speed up the process.
	Tool chain for real-time programming In aerospace, automation, and automotive technologies, smart electronic computer systems have to meet a number of security and real-time requirements. In case of critical incidents, for instance, the software's response time has to be very short. Programming of the corresponding applications is time- and cost-consuming. Partners of industry and research are now developing a tool chain for efficient, standardized, and real-time-capable programming under the EU consortium ARGO that is coordinated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Development is based on the open source software Scilab.
	Top US court to hear Samsung-Apple patent damage appeal (Update) The US Supreme Court opened the door to Monday reducing the hundreds of millions of dollars in damages owed by Samsung to Apple in the blockbuster patent case between the world's biggest smartphone makers.
	Apple has 'obligation' to protect users: Cook Apple has "an obligation" to protect user data and privacy, chief executive Tim Cook said Monday, reaffirming his stand in a high-profile court showdown with the US government on encryption.
	The Latest on Apple: 4-inch iPhone SE unveiled for $399 The Latest from Apple's product announcement in California (all times local):
Twitter marks 10th birthday searching for followers, profits Happy birthday, Twitter.
	Spotify says it's reached 30 million subscribers Leading streaming service Spotify said Monday that it had reached 30 million paying subscribers as the company suggested it would keep expanding to more countries.
Apple and US government head to court over iPhone hack order The heavyweight legal fight between the federal government and Apple Inc. heads to the courtroom after weeks of public sparring over whether the tech giant should be forced to hack into a dead San Bernardino attacker's iPhone.
	Apple's new iDevices say: Small is beautiful, too As it struggles to match the success of its big-screen iPhones, Apple is now contending that small can be beautiful, too.
	French media websites take on ad blockers The websites of several French media outlets joined together Monday requesting or requiring readers to disable ad blocking software to gain access to news content.
Microsoft, Lowe's to help remodelers through virtual reality Why buy a refrigerator before seeing what it might look like in a remodeled kitchen?
Report: Google steps onto Amazon's turf with Apple cloud deal Google appears to have won some of Apple's massive spending on cloud services as the search engine giant steps up its game in a lucrative market hitherto dominated by Amazon.com.
	Photonics platform with 50Gb/s non-return-to-zero optical lane rates World-leading nanoelectronics research center imec presents at OFC 2016, the international event for both the science and business of optical communications held March 20-24, performance improvements of various key building blocks of its wafer-scale integrated silicon photonics platform (iSiPP). The new results expand imec's iSiPP device portfolio to support 50Gb/s non-return-to-zero (NRZ) lane rates, and are an important milestone for the realization of high data rate silicon integrated optical interconnects targeting high density, high bandwidth, low power telecom and datacom transceivers, as well as for low cost large volume applications such as sensors or LiDAR.
	Is artificial intelligence ready to rule the world? This week humankind was delivered a body blow by an artificial intelligence (AI) called AlphaGo that beat Go's world champion, Lee Sedol, so is it now time for humans to let the machines rule the world?
	Emojimania: Fans and brands crying tears of joy When it comes to emojis, the future is very, very ... Face with Tears of Joy.
Google helps offer vastly faster Internet in Cuba Google is opening a cutting-edge online technology center at the studio of one of Cuba's most famous artists, offering free Internet at speeds nearly 70 times faster than those now available to the Cuban public. President Obama says Google's efforts in Cuba are part of a wider plan to improve access to the Internet across the island.
US Navy's largest destroyer heads out to sea for trials The United States' largest and most expensive destroyer headed out to sea Monday for final builder trials before being presented to the Navy for inspection.

Medicine & Health news

	Researchers use stem cells to identify cellular processes related to glaucoma Using stem cells derived from human skin cells, researchers led by Jason Meyer, assistant professor of biology, along with graduate student Sarah Ohlemacher of the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, have successfully demonstrated the ability to turn stem cells into retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the neurons that conduct visual information from the eye to the brain. Their goal is the development of therapies to prevent or cure glaucoma.
	FOXA1 found to control specificity of cancer cells (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with the Mayo Clinic has learned more about how a transcription factor known as FOXA1 forms cancer-specific genomic identifiers and how it regulates gene expression differently among four very different types of human cancer cell lines. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the team describes how they used gene editing techniques and other tools to learn more about the unique binding process that allows the protein to regulate gene expression in the different types of cancers.
	A quartet of genes controls growth of blood stem cells An important element in getting blood stem cells to multiply outside the body is to understand which of the approximately 20 000 genes in the human body control their growth. A research team at Lund University in Sweden has studied close to 15 000 of these genes alongside each other. The researchers have succeeded in identifying four key genes which, together, govern the growth and multiplication of the stem cells. The study is now being published in the journal Cell Reports.
	Giving antibodies to infant macaques exposed to an HIV-like virus could clear infection Scientists at the Oregon National Primate Research Center today revealed that infant rhesus macaques treated with antibodies within 24 hours of being exposed to SHIV, a chimeric simian virus that bears the HIV envelope protein, were completely cleared of the virus. The study, published today in Nature Medicine shows that antibodies given after a baby macaque has already been exposed to SHIV can clear the virus, a significant development in the HIV scientific community.
A healthy gut could help prevent deadly side effect of bone marrow transplant A healthy gut could help prevent deadly side effect of bone marrow transplant
	'Silencer molecules' switch off cancer's ability to spread around body Scientists have revealed that a key molecule in breast and lung cancer cells can help switch off the cancers' ability to spread around the body.
	Autism genes are in all of us, new research reveals New light has been shed on the genetic relationship between autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and ASD-related traits in the wider population, by a team of international researchers including academics from the University of Bristol, the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).
	Tracing the scent of fear: Study identifies neurons, brain region involved in rodent stress response The odor of bobcat urine, if you ever get a chance to take a whiff, is unforgettable—like rotten meat combined with sweat, with something indescribably feral underlying it. To humans, it's just nose-wrinklingly disgusting.
	Technicolor zebrafish reveal how skin heals Scientists can now watch how hundreds of individual cells work together to maintain and regenerate skin tissue, thanks to a genetically engineered line of technicolor zebrafish.
	Scientists eliminate HIV-1 from genome of human T-Cells A specialized gene editing system designed by scientists at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is paving the way to an eventual cure for patients infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In a study published online this month in the Nature journal, Scientific Reports, the researchers show that they can both effectively and safely eliminate the virus from the DNA of human cells grown in culture.
	Seeing isn't required to gesture like a native speaker People the world over gesture when they talk, and they tend to gesture in certain ways depending on the language they speak. Findings from a new study including blind and sighted participants suggest that these gestural variations do not emerge from watching other speakers make the gestures, but from learning the language itself.
	Better safe than sorry: Babies make quick judgments about adults' anger Adults often form fast opinions about each other's personalities, especially when it comes to negative traits. If we see someone argue with another driver over a parking space, for instance, we may assume that person tends to be confrontational.
	Sleep suppresses brain rebalancing Why humans and other animals sleep is one of the remaining deep mysteries of physiology. One prominent theory in neuroscience is that sleep is when the brain replays memories "offline" to better encode them ("memory consolidation").
	Truck drivers who fail to adhere to sleep apnea treatment have higher crash rate Truck drivers with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who failed to adhere to treatment had a rate of preventable crashes five times higher than that of truckers without the ailment, according to researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Morris, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and colleagues.
	New warning signs of mental health disorders Healthy people who have occasional hallucinations or delusions are more likely to experience mood and anxiety disorders, University of Queensland researchers have found.
Pulmonary rehabilitation can improve health for patients with lung disease Kentucky is well known for basketball and horses. Unfortunately, it is also well known as a "smoker's state" as more than one quarter of all Kentuckians smoke. That translates to poor health: we have the highest rate of death in the U.S. from chronic lower respiratory tract diseases.
Hypervirulent strep outbreak identified The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) has helped state, local and tribal health officials identify an outbreak of "hypervirulent" strep bacteria in the American Southwest.
	What causes discolored teeth and is there any way to cure or prevent staining? There are many circumstances that can cause discolored teeth. Most of the time, the stains are "extrinsic," affecting the tooth enamel alone, and can be corrected.
	Antipsychotic drugs linked to increased mortality among Parkinson's disease patients At least half of Parkinson's disease patients experience psychosis at some point during the course of their illness, and physicians commonly prescribe antipsychotic drugs, such as quetiapine, to treat the condition. However, a new study by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan Medical School, and the Philadelphia and Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers and suggests that these drugs may do significantly more harm in a subset of patients. The findings will be published in the March 21, 2016 issue of JAMA Neurology.
Rosacea linked to increased Parkinson disease risk in Danish population study Patients with rosacea, a chronic inflammatory skin condition, appeared to have increased risk of new-onset Parkinson disease compared with individuals in the general Danish population but further studies are need to confirm this observation and the clinical consequences of it, according to an article published online by JAMA Neurology.
Psychiatric diagnoses in young transgender women About 41 percent of young transgender women had one or more mental health or substance dependence diagnoses and nearly 1 in 5 had two or more psychiatric diagnoses in a study of participants enrolled in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention intervention trial, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
	More elderly using dangerous drug combinations One in six older adults now regularly use potentially deadly combinations of prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements—a two-fold increase over a five-year period, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
New sensitive method for early detection of amyloidosis in humans A team of scientists at Sweden's Linköping University has developed a molecular probe that can detect an array of different amyloid deposits in several human tissues. This new probe is extremely sensitive and was used at very low concentrations to correctly identify every positive amyloidosis sample when compared to the traditional clinical tests. The probe also picked up some amyloidosis signals that the traditional methods were unable to detect. This result means that the new probe could be used to detect amyloidosis before symptoms present, leading to faster and hence more effective treatment.
Studying the human brain using 3-D printing technology In a study published in Biomaterials, a team of researchers from Australia and the US has come up with a way of printing brain structures in 3D so they can grow nerve cells to mimic a real brain. Their work has been selected by an independent, international Advisory Board to be given the Elsevier Atlas award.
	Is 'internet addiction' a misnomer? A recent study by Phil Reed and colleagues provides some experimental evidence that internet addicts may be conditioned by what they view on the screen.
	Even with higher education, obese women run greater risk of depression Even with higher education, women with a body mass index (BMI) of 30-34.9 (obese I) have double the risk of depression compared with women of normal weight and same educational attainment, according to a new study conducted by a sociologist at Rice University.
	Radiation combined with immune-stimulating drugs could pack a powerful punch against cancer cells In his final State of the Union address, President Obama tasked Vice President Joe Biden with leading a new National Cancer Moonshot initiative. The hope is that this will put America on course to be "the country that cures cancer once and for all." Listed among the cutting-edge research areas of the initiative is a class of treatments called cancer immunotherapy and combination therapy.
	How poverty and inequality make us eat more food New research from the University of St Andrews has discovered the psychological links between poverty, inequality, and food consumption.
DNA markers link season of birth and allergy risk Researchers at the University of Southampton have discovered specific markers on DNA that link the season of birth to risk of allergy in later life.
	Beyond Alzheimer's: Study reveals how mix of brain ailments drives dementia A new analysis based on two long-term aging studies—one of Roman Catholic nuns, the other of Japanese American men—provides what may be the most compelling evidence yet that dementia commonly results from a blend of brain ailments, rather than from a single condition. This is often the case even when an Alzheimer's diagnosis has been given, say the researchers.
	Parents wary of online doctor ratings For many, checking online reviews has become nearly routine for decisions on everything from cars to restaurants. But when it comes to choosing a doctor, the majority of parents aren't convinced online ratings are reliable - or even real, a new national poll shows.
	CDC: 116 cases of Zika in U.S. residents in first 2 months of year (HealthDay)— During the first two months of this year, 116 U.S. residents have tested positive for infection with the Zika virus, and all but one were linked to travel to regions endemic for the virus.
	Gene tests may help predict outcomes in advanced ovarian cancer (HealthDay)—A special genetic test might help gauge outcomes for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a new study suggests.
	Bevacizumab use in preemies associated with disabilities (HealthDay)—Bevacizumab (Avastin) used to treat retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) may be linked to serious disabilities such as cerebral palsy and hearing loss, according to a study published online March 17 in Pediatrics.
	Dialysis of little benefit to elderly end-stage renal disease patients (HealthDay)—Dialysis does not significantly improve survival for elderly patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), according to research published online March 17 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
	Case report: Ceftriaxone-linked renal toxicity in adult male (HealthDay)—A case of ceftriaxone-associated renal toxicity in an adult has been documented in a case report published online Feb. 23 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
	MTHFR polymorphism, higher homocysteine up cataract risk (HealthDay)—Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism and elevated homocysteine levels contribute to the risk of cortical cataract, separately and together, according to a study published online March 17 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	Duration of estrogen deficiency linked to fibrosis risk in NAFLD (HealthDay)—For postmenopausal women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), longer duration of estrogen deficiency is associated with increased odds of having more severe fibrosis, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in Hepatology.
	Case before supreme court may expose doctors to large fines (HealthDay)—A case before a state supreme court could potentially expose physicians to large fines based on a legal technicality relating to what they should have known, rather than what they knew, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).
	Highest diabetes prevalence in poorest countries (HealthDay)—Diabetes prevalence is highest in poorer countries, even after adjustment for traditional risk factors, according to a study published online March 10 in Diabetes Care.
	Case report: Immobility-induced hypercalcemia in infant (HealthDay)—A rare case of immobility-induced hypercalcemia in an infant has been documented in a case report published online March 18 in Pediatrics.
	Drop in S. aureus carriage rate with antibiotic tx of acne (HealthDay)—Treatment of acne with antibiotics is associated with a significant decrease in the rate of Staphylococcus aureus carriage, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Propranolol for hemangiomas doesn't impair infant growth (HealthDay)—For infantile hemangiomas, systemic propranolol appears safe and does not impair physical growth, according to a study published online March 6 in the Journal of Dermatology.
Social media beneficial for sharing and building upon patient experiences, research shows Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms can be useful tools for helping patients with rare medical diseases exchange knowledge and build communities, research from the University of Leicester has found.
FDA approves new injection to combat anthrax Federal health officials have approved a new injectable drug to treat patients who have been exposed to the deadly toxin anthrax.
Free pap screening did not increase participation 1,562 women were offered free gynecological pap test screening in three socioeconomically disadvantaged areas in Gothenburg, in 2013. A new study from Sahlgrenska Academy, Närhälsan and the Regional Cancer Center West now shows that these women did not participate to a greater degree than the group that was offered the screening for the usual fee.
FDA moves to ban most powdered surgical gloves (Update) Federal health officials are moving to ban most surgical gloves made with powder, a feature designed to make them easier to wear, but which actually poses health risks to patients and health professionals.
The invisible world of human perception Stage magicians are not the only ones who can distract the eye: a new cognitive psychology experiment demonstrates how all human beings have a built-in ability to stop paying attention to objects that are right in front of them.
	New study may lead to improved treatment of type 2 diabetes Worldwide, 400 million people live with diabetes, with rapid increases projected. Patients with diabetes mostly fall into one of two categories, type 1 diabetics, triggered by autoimmunity at a young age, and type 2 diabetics, caused by metabolic dysfunction of the liver. Despite being labeled a "lifestyle disease", diabetes has a strong genetic basis. New research under the direction of Adrian Liston (VIB/KU Leuven) has discovered that a common genetic defect in beta cells may underlie both forms of diabetes. This research was published in the international scientific journal Nature Genetics.
	Eating polyunsaturated fats linked to slowing diabetes progress for some Research led by a dietitian at King's College London has found that replacing saturated fat in the diet with polyunsaturated fat, found in foods such as vegetable oils or nuts, is linked to slower progress of type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes whose muscles do not take up glucose properly.
Racial, socioeconomic disparities in genomic test used in early-stage breast cancer A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology used 143,032 patient records to show that African American patients are significantly less likely to receive a common test that predicts the seriousness of early-stage, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. It also revealed that African American patients who were tested had significantly higher scores, indicating an overall higher likelihood of having aggressive tumor biology that would benefit from chemotherapy.
	New tool to improve blood pressure measurement Scientists at Oxford University have developed a new way of estimating our true underlying blood pressure that overcomes common problems in a clinical setting which can lead to misleading results. Their work is published in the journal Hypertension.
	Adding stress management to cardiac rehab cuts new incidents in half Patients recovering from heart attacks or other heart trouble could cut their risk of another heart incident by half if they incorporate stress management into their treatment, according to research from Duke Health.
US heart disease rates decline overall; some Southern areas see less progress While heart disease death rates have declined overall in the United States, there are dramatic differences in those rates among U.S. counties, including weaker declines found south of the Mason-Dixon Line, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
Pennsylvania dairy's raw milk is linked to listeriosis death A Pennsylvania dairy that supplies raw milk around the country has been linked to two cases of listeriosis, one of them fatal, according to health authorities.
Long-acting injectable protects against vaginal HIV transmission Vaginal transmission accounts for the majority of new HIV infections worldwide. Forms of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) such as vaginal gels and vaginal rings designed to prevent HIV transmission have encountered poor efficacy in human trials due to problems with adherence. In an effort to minimize obstacles to adherence and prevent vaginal HIV transmission, researchers from the division of infectious diseases at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and collaborators from Merck demonstrated the effectiveness of a new long-acting formulation of the HIV drug raltegravir in animal models.
	Researchers find potential treatment for prostate cancer Researchers at the University of Georgia have created a new therapeutic for prostate cancer that has shown great efficacy in mouse models of the disease. They published their findings recently in the journal Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine.
	US adults get failing grade in healthy lifestyle behavior Only 2.7 percent of the U.S. adult population achieves all four of some basic behavioral characteristics that researchers say would constitute a "healthy lifestyle" and help protect against cardiovascular disease, a recent study concluded.
Improving therapy for a very common disorder, generalized anxiety Results of a five-year, randomized clinical trial of a new combined treatment approach for severe generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) led by Henny Westra at York University, Toronto, with Michael Constantino at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Martin Antony at Ryerson University, Toronto, suggest that integrating motivational interviewing (MI) with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) improves long-term patient improvement rates than CBT alone.
	For heavier individuals, the anticipation of rejection drives down self-esteem and ratchets up stress Imagine yourself in a speed-dating situation—five minutes to impress, or not, the person across the table from you. It's enough to unnerve even the most confident individuals. But for heavier women, the effects are even worse. Research shows that concerns about rejection and devaluation due to one's weight can lead to negative health consequences.
	60,000 U.S. kids treated for accidental medicine poisoning a year (HealthDay)—Nearly 60,000 children in the United States are accidentally poisoned by medicines each year, a new report says.
	Men, avoid impotence drugs before surgery (HealthDay)—Men should not take erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra and Cialis just before surgery, experts say.
	Worse prognosis for heart failure patients with low osmolality (HealthDay)—For patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, low osmolality at discharge is associated with worse all-cause mortality and readmission, according to research published in the April 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	Intra-arterial chemo promising for intraocular retinoblastoma (HealthDay)—Intra-arterial chemotherapy appears to be promising for intraocular retinoblastoma, according to a review published online March 17 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	Physicians respond to new CDC opioid guidelines (HealthDay)—Physicians have responded to the new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's clinical guidelines for prescribing opioids, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
	ACC: PPI tx also beneficial for those on low-dose aspirin (HealthDay)—For patients requiring dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), gastroprotection with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) is also beneficial for patients receiving low-dose aspirin, according to a study published online March 21 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The research will also be presented at the upcoming annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, to be held from April 2 to 4 in Chicago.
Good neighbours ease fears in Pakistan polio fight In a rundown district of Karachi, Rabia balks at a neighbour's proposal to vaccinate her children, demonstrating one of the biggest hurdles to eradicating polio in Pakistan by the end of the year: confused and frightened parents.
Michelin-starred French chef rises to gluten-free challenge A top French chef has transformed her Michelin-starred restaurant in Provence into a gluten-free haven after teaming up with her daughter, a trained chemist who suffers from coeliac disease.
Video: What you need to know about sleep Dr. Alon Avidan, a professor of neurology and director of the UCLA Sleep Disorders Center, offers these tips for getting better sleep:
Review and view of future in cancer in adolescents, young adults A narrative review published online by JAMA Pediatrics examines the current status of cancer in adolescents and young adults and offers a view of the future.
	Water cooling best first aid for burns victims Running cool water over an acute burn for 20 minutes within the first three hours of injury is still the best method for first aid prior to hospital admission, a West Australian-based study has found.
	New book offers integrated approach to teaching health and physical education in elementary schools In elementary schools across the United States, teachers are tasked with covering a variety subjects with students, including health or physical education, although they may not have special training in those areas.
Study provides insight into how health services for older people are carried out A study led by Bangor University has provided a fresh insight into how health services for older people are carried out.
	Child mortality and malnutrition linked to gender inequality Women's status in society is strongly linked with children's health and survival according to a new study from UCL and the University of Cambridge.
Travel burden linked with likelihood of receiving radiation therapy to treat rectal cancer Increased travel distance to a cancer treatment facility negatively impacts the likelihood that patients with stage II/III rectal cancer will receive radiation therapy (RT) to treat their disease, according to a study analyzing 26,845 patient records from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) that was published in the March 2016 issue of International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics (Red Journal), the official scientific journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). While travel burden was associated with receipt of RT, physician availability related to the geographic concentration of radiation oncologists was not.
Pathologists often disagree on breast biopsy results when diagnosing DCIS A study applying B-Path (Breast Pathology) Study results to patient populations found that pathologists disagree with one another about 8 percent of the time when diagnosing a single breast biopsy slide. Discordance was more likely in cases of DCIS or atypia, with a tendency toward overdiagnosing disease. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Anthem slaps lawsuit on Express Scripts over drug pricing Blue Cross-Blue Shield health insurer Anthem is suing pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts over prescription drug prices.
Transplant drug helpful for patients with progressive liver condition New research indicates that mycophenolate mofetil, a drug that is usually used to prevent rejection after kidney, heart or liver transplant, seems safe and effective in treating autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), a serious chronic liver disease that mainly affects women.
Out-of-hospital births are on the rise United States' out-of-hospital births increased to nearly 60,000 in 2014, continuing a decade-long increase. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicates that out-of-hospital births increased from 0.87% of US births in 2004 to 1.50% in 2014, an increase of 72%. Out-of-hospital birth rates increased for all race/ethnic groups, but most rapidly for non-Hispanic white women.
Surgery for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease found safe A new analysis indicates that death rates and the need for additional operations following laparoscopic surgery for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease are very low.
Certain mealtime practices at hospitals may help patients eat better New research confirms that hospital patients often eat poorly, and that the hospital mealtime environment may contribute to this problem.
	Results from 'Operation Brain Trauma Therapy' Consortium reported The screening of five therapies for traumatic brain injury (TBI) by the consortium known as Operation Brain Trauma Therapy (OBTT) are published in a new special issue of Journal of Neurotrauma.

Biology news

	Researchers reconsider roles of second-rank hyena males Males that don't leave home are not second-class, but can breed as successfully as their more adventurous competitors that leave home, according to a new long-term study on spotted hyenas. The results from a research team of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin, Germany were published in the open access journal Science Advances.
	Scientists identify genetic switch for female sexual behavior The key to successful sexual reproduction can be traced to a single receptor in the brain, according to a new study by Stanford scientists.
	Researchers track neural stem cells by coloring chicken eggs from the inside An overwhelming number of researchers still struggle within the black hole of the effectiveness and safety of stem cell therapy for neurological diseases. While the complexity of understanding how neurons grow, connect and function has long been studied, it remains a mystery, one that graduate student Forrest Goodfellow in the University of Georgia Regenerative Bioscience Center is helping unravel.
	Over 70 percent of essential crop wild relative species in urgent need of collection Many of the wild plants which will be the building blocks for future global food supply are missing from the world's genebanks, according to new research by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in coordination with the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust) and the Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG), Kew.
Genomic study of epidemic dysentery reveals how Europe exported a scourge worldwide The largest genetic study on the bacterium responsible for epidemic dysentery has revealed that the Shigella dysenteriae pathogen, which remains a real scourge in Africa and Asia, probably originated in Europe.
	Old tourist photos show seabird's rise over the last century In 1880, the picturesque Swedish island of Stora Karlsö became a nature preserve and hunting park. To help fund the venture, owners of the island began organizing tours in the 1920s. Stora Karlsö remains a popular tourist destination, attracting about 10,000 visitors each year. And that means that the colony of seabirds living on the island has had its picture taken over and over again, for almost 100 years.
	Eastern Monarch butterflies at risk of extinction unless numbers increase Long-term declines in the overwintering Eastern population of North American monarch butterflies are significantly increasing their likelihood of becoming extinct over the next two decades, according to Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and U.S. Geological Survey research published today.
	Rapid rise of high-resolution 3-D cellular imaging techniques in biology demands data solutions As the bioimaging revolution gives scientists ever-more detailed views on the inner workings of cells, there is growing demand for public infrastructure to store, share and link the massive datasets produced using high-resolution imaging techniques. Complementing large-scale, EMBL-led, intergovernmental initiatives such as Euro-BioImaging, the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) has expanded its EMPIAR data service to accommodate new high-resolution imaging modalities such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A correspondence published in Nature Methods today introduces the resource and gives a glimpse of future developments.
	Vet study identifies mechanism explaining female bias in autoimmunity Possessing two X chromosomes is a double-edged sword, immunologically speaking. Females are better at fighting off infection than males, but they are also more susceptible to many autoimmune conditions, such as lupus.
	Tiny water flea, big cost: Scientists say invasive species impacts much worse than thought A new study shows the economic and ecological impact of invasive species in the Great Lakes has been dramatically underestimated. In fact, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a single non-native species in a single inland lake has racked up $80 million to $163 million in damage.
	Biological factors predict which viruses will cause human epidemics The identification of biological factors that predict which viruses are most likely to spread among humans could help prevent and contain outbreaks, a study in today's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports.
	Conservation silver bullet: Invasive-mammal removal yields major biodiversity benefits Continued investment in invasive mammal eradications on islands offers a highly effective opportunity to stem the loss of our world's biodiversity. So concludes a 30-member team of scientists conducting the first ever global study quantifying benefits of this conservation intervention.
	How yeast makes heads or tails of itself Yeast has been a friend to humanity since ancient times, when people first learned to harness the organism to make bread and brew beer.
	Cells that work hard stay alive, lazy cells die A team of engineers at Washington University in St. Louis discovered a way to improve production of biofuels, pharmaceuticals, materials and other useful chemicals by capitalizing on the work ethic of cells.
	Beyond DNA: Study points the way to enhanced precision medicine with RNA sequencing Uncovering the genetic makeup of patients using DNA sequencing has in recent years provided physicians and their patients with a greater understanding of how best to diagnose and treat the diseases that plague humanity. This is the essence of precision medicine.
	Searching for the last lions in Nigeria Under a starless night sky in Yankari Game Reserve, Martial Kiki stands on the back of a battered pick-up truck searching for the last lions in Nigeria.
	Bangladesh bans ships in rare dolphin sanctuaries Bangladesh on Monday banned boats from sailing through a key southwestern river after a ship loaded with coal capsized, threatening the sanctuaries of rare dolphins in the world's largest mangrove forest.
	Top 50 most wanted fungi: New search function zooms in on the dark fungal diversity There are many millions of undescribed fungi, and public DNA sequence databases contain thousands of fungal sequences that cannot be assigned to any known fungal group with confidence. Many of these sequences have defied robust taxonomic assignment for more than 10 years.
	Scientists record how starfish egg cells eliminate crucial structures to ensure the embryo will be viable EMBL scientists have observed how an egg cell gets rid of its centrioles - structures that play a crucial role in cell division - to ensure the proper development of the embryo. The study, published today in Journal of Cell Biology, is the first time the whole process has been seen in its entirety, in real time.
	Protecting 30 percent of the ocean has many benefits, study suggests Protecting large stretches of the ocean from human influence may well be good for conservation. But a new study by University of York scientists Professor Callum Roberts and Dr Bethan O'Leary suggests that setting aside at least 30 percent of it would also benefit fishermen and other stakeholders.
	Island foxes may need genetic rescue The island fox has made a remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction, with three of six populations on their way to becoming the fastest mammal recovered under the Endangered Species Act. But new research published online March 17 in Molecular Ecology uncovers a hidden danger to the future viability of some island fox populations.
	Parasites reveal how evolution has molded an ancient nuclear structure Long before animals evolved from sponges, and before plants evolved out of algae, there was a pivotal event that allowed complex, multicellular organisms to arise: the development of the nucleus in single-celled organisms. Eukaryotes, one of the three main branches of living organisms, are defined by the presence of this nucleus and its surrounding membrane, which houses and protects our genetic material. All of the multitude of molecules that need to pass into or out of the nucleus do so via a channel-like structure embedded in this membrane—the nuclear pore complex.
Parasites of endangered animals should be conserved Conservation managers who try to keep members of endangered animal species parasite-free are well-intentioned but this approach is misguided, according to a new research paper co-authored by a zoologist at New Zealand's University of Otago.
	Details revealed for how plant creates anticancer compounds Catharanthus roseus (rosy periwinkle) is a plant that produces organic compounds used to treat cancer, arrhythmia, and other medical conditions. A Japanese research group has revealed the details of the metabolism process for these compounds on a cellular level. Their data suggests the existence of an unknown mechanism which regulates the creation, movement and distribution of compounds within plants. The findings will be published in the online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in the week of March 21, 2016.
	City birds are smarter than country birds Birds living in urban environments are smarter than birds from rural environments.
	Biochemist finds solution to 'acid shock' in craft brewers' sour beer production Indiana University researchers have found that conditions common in the production of certain types of craft beers can inhibit the successful production of these brews, risking a growing segment of an industry whose economic impact was recently estimated at $55 billion.
Research provides insights on lethal blindness in a Scottish bird of conservation concern The Scottish bird population of red-billed choughs, which currently totals less than 60 breeding pairs and is of major conservation concern, is being affected by lethal blindness that is passed on by non-blind individuals that carry a mutant gene.
	Many species now going extinct may vanish without a fossil trace Scientists struggle to compare the magnitude of Earth's ongoing sixth mass-extinction event with the five great die-offs of prehistory. A new study by three paleontologists shows that the species now perishing may vanish without a permanent trace - and earlier extinctions may be underestimated as well.
	Production of butter from shea trees in West Africa pushed back 1,000 years University of Oregon anthropologists have pushed back the history of harvesting shea trees in West Africa by more than 1,000 years earlier than previously believed.
Grass and flowers sourced locally Colourful, low-intensity grasslands not only look attractive, they also offer valuable habitat for many plants and animals. Yet they have become rare in many places. To create more environments that contain grass and herbs, it is usually necessary to sow the appropriate plants. But which seeds should be used? Many scientists and environmentalists are speaking out in favour of seed from the same region as that in which the future grassland will lie. Ecologists from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Halle (Saale), Germany, have carried out a joint study with colleagues from the universities of Tübingen and Münster, and TUM (Technische Universität München), to investigate the suitability of this approach. Two studies in the Journal of Applied Ecology have shown that using indigenous seed actually does bring benefits.
	Poison probe after Grizzly bear found dead in Italy The body of a brown bear, a protected species in Italy, was found Monday in Trentino, feared poisoned, the north-east province said.
The evolution of altruistic defense in enslaved ants New research looks at the evolution of an altruistic defense by enslaved Temnothorax longispinosus ant workers that rebel against their social parasite Temnothorax americanus, a slavemaking ant.
Smaller corn particle size means more energy for pigs, lower costs for producers The results of new research at the University of Illinois indicate that it is possible for producers to reduce feed costs if yellow dent corn, a staple of swine diets in the United States, is ground to a finer particle size. The smaller particle size allows pigs to derive more energy from the corn, which means producers can reduce the amount of fat added to diets (reducing their costs) without affecting the growth performance or carcass characteristics of pigs.
	Ecuador creates sanctuary for hammerhead sharks Ecuador created Monday a sanctuary for endangered hammerhead sharks in a marine reserve in the Galapagos Islands.

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