Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Aug 10

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New User-Driven Features in the COMSOL Software Now Available: http://goo.gl/SSvkbS

Version 5.2a of COMSOL Multiphysics and COMSOL Server delivers a host of new features that benefit multiphysics analysis and streamline the deployment of apps. Check out the release highlights video to learn more: http://goo.gl/SSvkbS

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 10, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Picoscale precision though ultrathin film piezoelectricity

Photonic hypercrystals drastically enhance light emission in 2D materials

Astronomers discover new substellar companion to the Pleiades member star

Humpback whales saving other species from orcas found to be common and maybe altruistic

Betty the wire-bending crow may have been less insightful than previously believed

ProjectSuaron: Kaspersky Lab researchers describe espionage platform

New Piltdown hoax analysis points to work of 'lone forger'

Tracing the evolution of bird reproduction

Ancient ice reveals vital clues about Earth's past climate

Climate change already accelerating sea level rise, study finds

New method for generating superstrong magnetic fields

Scientists count microscopic particles without a microscope

Among galaxies, a voracious flea

Research reveals effectiveness of stones thrown as weapons by Stone Age hunters

Broken gene may help protect against ulcerative colitis

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers discover new substellar companion to the Pleiades member star An international team of astronomers has found a new substellar mass companion to one of the stars in the Pleiades open cluster. The discovery could contribute to our understanding of stellar and substellar multiplicity as well as formation mechanisms in this cluster. A study detailing the new findings was published Aug. 5 on the arXiv pre-print server.
	Among galaxies, a voracious flea Even a dwarf galaxy with very low mass is capable of accreting smaller nearby galaxies, according to an international team of astronomers led by Francesca Annibali of INAF, the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics. This result has been achieved thanks to observations of the region surrounding the dwarf galaxy DDO 68, which has a total stellar mass of only 100 million solar masses, roughly one thousandth of the Milky Way.
	How a star cluster ruled out MACHOs Are massive black holes hiding in the halos of galaxies, making up the majority of the universe's mysterious dark matter? This possibility may have been ruled out by a star cluster in a small galaxy recently discovered orbiting the Milky Way.
	Image: Infrared Saturn clouds This false-color view from NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows clouds in Saturn's northern hemisphere. The view was produced by space imaging enthusiast Kevin M. Gill, who also happens to be an engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
	Cassini finds flooded canyons on Titan NASA's Cassini spacecraft has found deep, steep-sided canyons on Saturn's moon Titan that are flooded with liquid hydrocarbons. The finding represents the first direct evidence of the presence of liquid-filled channels on Titan, as well as the first observation of canyons hundreds of meters deep.
	A black hole story told by a cosmic blob and bubble Two cosmic structures show evidence for a remarkable change in behavior of a supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy. Using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes, astronomers are piecing together clues from a cosmic "blob" and a gas bubble that could be a new way to probe the past activity of a giant black hole and its effect on its host galaxy.
	Prospector-1—first commercial interplanetary mining mission Deep Space Industries announced today its plans to fly the world's first commercial interplanetary mining mission. Prospector-1 will fly to and rendezvous with a near-Earth asteroid, and investigate the object to determine its value as a source of space resources. This mission is an important step in the company's overall plans to harvest and supply in-space resources to support the growing space economy.
	What are magnetars? In a previous article, we crushed that idea that the Universe is perfect for life. It's not. Almost the entire Universe is a horrible and hostile place, apart from a fraction of a mostly harmless planet in a backwater corner of the Milky Way.
	Getting to know more about sun storms A violent solar eruption can disrupt the Earth's magnetic field, which in turn can interfere with power grids. In Washington, the White House is making contingency plans – as is the electrical power sector in Norway.
	Stellar lab in Sagittarius Messier 18 was discovered and catalogued in 1764 by Charles Messier—for whom the Messier Objects are named—during his search for comet-like objects. It lies within the Milky Way, approximately 4600 light-years away in the constellation of Sagittarius, and consists of many sibling stars loosely bound together in what is known as an open cluster.
Undergraduates build star-tracking instrument for NASA research rockets Rochester Institute of Technology undergraduates are making a "compass" for rockets using a new kind of detector technology. The instrument will fly on a NASA technology demonstration mission later this year.
	Outburst of shooting stars up to 200 mph - meteors per hour The heavens will be bursting with shooting stars this week.bThursday night into early Friday, the annual Perseid (PUR'-see-ihd) meteor shower is expected to peak with double the normal number of meteors. Scientists call this an outburst, and they say it could reach up to 200 meteors per hour.

Technology news

	ProjectSuaron: Kaspersky Lab researchers describe espionage platform ProjectSauron is a sobering discovery of a type of malware that has been around for years and is regarded as a top level cyber-espionage platform.
	Biohybrid robots built from living tissue start to take shape Think of a traditional robot and you probably imagine something made from metal and plastic. Such "nuts-and-bolts" robots are made of hard materials. As robots take on more roles beyond the lab, such rigid systems can present safety risks to the people they interact with. For example, if an industrial robot swings into a person, there is the risk of bruises or bone damage.
'Game on for Pokémon Go,' says The BMJ pundit Game on for Pokémon Go, The BMJ's weekly GP columnist says today in a light-hearted look.
	Researcher analyzes acoustic properties of golf club drivers Two years ago, acoustics graduate student Peter Kerrian started playing golf after years of watching PGA tournaments on television. Now, his hobby has provided him an opportunity to help understand the design of golf clubs.
You don't need to be an IT expert to mastermind cyber-attacks Anyone with a sinister mind and some dollars to spare could mastermind a cyber-attack such as the one the Australian Bureau of Statistics is claiming hit the Census website last night, according to a Deakin University cyber security expert.
	Metal-organic frameworks with a piggyback structure for solar cells and LEDs The upconversion of photons allows for a more efficient use of light: Two photons are converted into a single photon having higher energy. Researchers at KIT now showed for the first time that the inner interfaces between surface-mounted metal-organic frameworks (SURMOFs) are suited perfectly for this purpose – they turned green light blue. The result, which is now being published in the Advanced Materials journal, opens up new opportunities for optoelectronic applications such as solar cells or LEDs.
	Robot companions are coming into our homes – so how human should they be? What would your ideal robot be like? One that can change nappies and tell bedtime stories to your child? Perhaps you'd prefer a butler that can polish silver and mix the perfect cocktail? Or maybe you'd prefer a companion that just happened to be a robot? Certainly, some see robots as a hypothetical future replacement for human carers. But a question roboticists are asking is: how human should these future robot companions be?
	Cloud innovations signal the future for urban mobility A ground breaking EU project has delivered a cloud-based platform along with a range of apps and tools to help get European cities moving sustainably.
	Crushed aggregates provide major environmental benefits Norwegian cities are expanding very rapidly and in the areas surrounding many of them, naturally-occurring aggregates for asphalt and concrete production are becoming scarce. The solution may lie in local rock outcrops.
	European aircraft to use satellite communication The European aviation sector is planning to introduce satellite communication between aircraft and the ground, resulting in fewer zig-zag flight paths, reductions in CO2 emissions, and saved time and money. Norwegian researchers are looking into data security risks.
	Image: Multi-layer insulation blankets for satellite surfaces Blankets of multi-layer insulation (MLI) are used to cover satellite surfaces to help insulate them from orbital temperature extremes. These are the reason that satellites often look as though they've been covered in shiny Christmas wrapping.
User-friendly language for programming efficient simulations Computer simulations of physical systems are common in science, engineering, and entertainment, but they use several different types of tools.
	NIST's rolling wireless net helps improve first-responder communications First responders often have trouble communicating with each other in emergencies. They may use different types of radios, or they may be working in rural areas lacking wireless coverage, or they may be deep inside large buildings that block connections.
	Plastic gun from 3-D printer seized at Nevada airport Airport screening agents confiscated a plastic handgun produced with a 3-D printer from a man's carry-on luggage last week at a Nevada airport in what a federal official said Wednesday might have been the first discovery of its kind in the U.S.
	Intel buys artificial intelligence startup US-based Intel announced a deal to buy an artificial intelligence startup as the computer chip colossus looks to broaden its role in data centers and the expanding internet of things.
Thai gov't plan would track foreigners through SIM cards Thailand's telecommunications regulator has approved in principle a plan to issue special SIM cards to foreign tourists so they can be tracked through their mobile phones.
	Pokemon players not welcome at Cambodia's genocide museum The game "Pokemon Go" has caused distress in Cambodia, where some smartphone-wielding players have been chasing its virtual characters at a genocide museum that was a torture center in the 1970s.
Uber files complaint with EU against Hungary Ride-hailing app Uber filed a complaint on Wednesday with the European Commission against Hungary, where legislation came into force in July practically banning the service.
Obama's reading will now include Facebook Messenger notes People hoping to send a note to President Barack Obama can now contact the White House using Facebook Messenger, just as they would communicate with their friends.

Medicine & Health news

	Broken gene may help protect against ulcerative colitis We often think of the body as a machine, with every part—right down to each single gene—working with optimal efficiency to keep us healthy and disease-free. Take a single bolt out of that machine and something could go wrong—a part ceases to move at the proper speed perhaps, or worse, an entire system fails.
	Right or left? Study shows how zebrafish answer key question A small fish swims in a stream, when suddenly it sees a larger fish flashing toward it, mouth open, from the left. The little fish instantly makes a hard right turn and darts away.
	Discovery of key component of HIV virus yields new drug target Scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge and University College London have discovered an essential feature of the HIV virus that it uses to infect cells whilst avoiding detection by the immune system. This discovery, published in Nature, presents a new drug target and the opportunity to re-evaluate existing treatments for HIV to improve their efficacy.
	Neurodevelopmental model of Williams syndrome offers insight into human social brain In a study spanning molecular genetics, stem cells and the sciences of both brain and behavior, researchers at University of California San Diego, with colleagues at the Salk Institute of Biological Studies and elsewhere, have created a neurodevelopmental model of a rare genetic disorder that may provide new insights into the underlying neurobiology of the human social brain.
Pancreatic cancer cells find unique fuel sources to keep from starving Pancreatic cancer cells avert starvation in dense tumors by ordering nearby support cells to supply them with an alternative source of nutrition. This is the finding of a study in cancer cells and mice published August 10 in Nature. The study was led by researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard, and the University of Michigan Medical School.
New PET scan tracer allows first imaging of the epigenetics of the human brain A novel PET radiotracer developed at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) is able for the first time to reveal epigenetic activity - the process that determines whether or not genes are expressed - within the human brain. In their report published in Science Translational Medicine, a team of MGH/Martinos Center investigators reports how their radiochemical - called Martinostat - shows the expression levels of important epigenetics-regulating enzymes in the brains of healthy volunteers.
	A breakthrough in combating malaria with odor-baited trap for mosquitoes The use of a newly-developed mosquito trap incorporating human odour has resulted in a 70% decline in the population of the most significant malaria mosquito on the Kenyan island of Rusinga. After the introduction of the odour-baited traps on the island the proportion of people with malaria was 30% lower among those living in houses with a trap compared to people living in houses who were yet to receive a trap. The study was published today in The Lancet, a leading scientific journal. Prof. Willem Takken led the three-year study with Wageningen University scientists and researchers from the Kenyan International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH).
Higher weekly activity levels linked to lower risk of 5 chronic diseases Higher levels of total physical activity are strongly associated with lower risk of five common chronic diseases - breast and bowel cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, finds a study in The BMJ today.
	Study provides details of possible link between Zika and severe joint condition at birth A study published by The BMJ today provides more details of an association between Zika virus infection in the womb and a condition known as arthrogryposis, which causes joint deformities at birth, particularly in the arms and legs.
Breastfeeding twice as likely after home births than hospital births A new study by academics in Trinity College Dublin has found that there is a strong positive relationship between planned birth at home and breast feeding: breastfeeding was twice as likely after planned home births compared to hospital births. The research involved the largest population cohorts comprehensively examined to date for an association between breast feeding outcomes and place of birth in low risk pregnancies.
Researchers successfully test modified stun gun with heart monitoring capability Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have successfully tested a prototype conducted electrical weapon (CEW) capable of recording a subject's heart rate and rhythm while still delivering incapacitating electrical charges.
	Rare genetic variations may solve mystery of porphyria severity in some patients An international research team has linked rare variations in a cell membrane protein to the wide variation in symptom severity that is a hallmark of porphyria, a rare disorder that often affects the skin, liver and nervous system. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital helped to lead the research, which appears today in the journal Nature Communications and suggests possible new treatment strategies.
	Scientists characterize the platelet activation process for coagulation Platelets are small anucleated blood cells responsible for stopping bleeding. They detect blood vessel damage and agglutinate, creating aggregates and stopping blood loss. This process is called hemostasis. Platelets aggregate and plug the wound upon activation. Scientists regard the platelet as one of the simplest cells in the human body, because the goal of its life is to decide whether activate or not. But despite this relative simplicity, numerous questions remain about the mechanisms of its functioning. Mikhail Panteleev of Lomonosov Moscow State University led a recent platelet activation study and the results are published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Boron carrier for targeted tumour therapy Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a boron carrier for use in targeted radiation treatment for cancerous tumours. The carrier is based on a common blood plasma protein, meaning it can be tailored to individual patients thus lessening the chances of blood contamination.
Texting research could improve counseling on crisis help lines Crisis hotlines have been around for years, but until recently there's been very little data on which counseling strategies seemed most effective at helping people cope. The recent emergence of text-based crisis help lines is changing that.
	Treatment options for opioid addiction are expanding In the past two decades, the devastation associated with opioid addiction has escaped the relative confines of the inner city and extended to suburban and rural America. Due in large part to the proliferation of prescription pain relievers, rates of opioid abuse, addiction, overdose and related deaths have increased dramatically. This has affected families and communities that once felt immune to this crisis.
How a particular gene protects against aggressive breast cancer Women with an inactive Wnt5a gene run a higher risk of aggressive breast cancer. In a transatlantic collaboration between Karolinska Institutet and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York scientists have discovered how Wnt5a prevents tumour development. The study is published in the periodical PLOS Genetics.
	Bacteria's own genome becomes food safety tool Bacillus cereus – a common food bacterium – can no longer hide. The food industry has a new tool for identifying specific isolates behind foodborne illness that utilizes the bacteria's own genomes, reports Cornell food scientists in the journal BMC Genomics, Aug. 8.
Researchers use imaging technique to predict dementia status in adults with down syndrome Researchers at the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging found that magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), a noninvasive imaging technique, might help distinguish between people with Down syndrome who have dementia and those who do not. The researchers describe their findings in an article published in the journal, NeuroImage: Clinical.
	Stress hormones in breast milk linked to c-section and support for mum New research from the Liggins Institute sheds light on what affects stress hormone levels in breast milk.
	Physical aggression tendencies, aggressive foreign policy positions linked, study says Can individual tendencies toward physical aggression lead someone to support aggressive foreign policy interventions? The answer may be yes, a new study says.
	The key to effectively treating mental illness—eliminate the stigma In the 1940s, it was cancer. In the '80s, it was HIV. Today, the condition that's battling pervasive social stigma is mental illness.
Effective antiviral drugs for multiple influenza A strains could work by attacking combined RNA targets Influenza A is one of the most prolific and diverse viruses on Earth; its ability to rapidly mutate to resist treatment challenges the management of future pandemics. Now, A*STAR researchers have identified thousands of segments of RNA that could act as potential new antiviral drug targets, and provide protection against all strains of influenza A.
Blocking a protein in a critical signaling pathway could offer a new way to combat tumors Cancer drugs that block a cell-signaling pathway called Hedgehog have shown promise in recent years in treating patients with skin cancer, leukemia and other types of tumors. But the available treatments mostly target the same protein in the Hedgehog pathway, and tumors often develop resistance to these drugs.
	Presenting the future of proton therapy A leading scientist making major strides in medical imaging, which could make proton therapy a viable treatment for many more cancer sufferers, will present his latest findings – including a new type of proton imaging – at a prestigious conference next month.
"Aggressive drunk" gene may protect carriers from obesity and associated risks A genetic mutation which makes its bearers more likely to behave impulsively while intoxicated may shield them from obesity and change the way testosterone impacts insulin resistance, indicates a study conducted at the University of Helsinki.
Long-term structural changes found in brains of concussed female athletes Female athletes who have suffered at least one concussion showed structural differences in the corpus callosum, the structure that connects the two hemispheres of the brain, compared to unconcussed female athletes and other women. The brain images captured 6 months post-concussion suggest long-term changes in the corpus callosum, mainly in the region where it projects to the prefrontal and premotor areas of the brain, as described in an article in Journal of Neurotrauma.
Molecule has potential to stop cancer at the source A molecule has been developed with the potential to detect cancer-causing cells before they have the chance to divide.
Plenty of light during daytime reduces the effect of blue light screens on night sleep The use of smartphones and tablet computers during evening hours has previously been associated with sleep disturbances in humans. A new study from Uppsala University now shows that daytime light exposure may be a promising means to combat sleep disturbances associated with evening use of electronic devices. The findings are published in the scientific journal Sleep Medicine.
	Warning after pathogenic tapeworm discovered in Australia for first time A highly pathogenic tapeworm never recorded before in humans in Australia has been found in a young boy from South Australia.
	New form of antidepressant for more effective treatment for depression Scientists at the University of Huddersfield led by Dr Patrick McHugh have embarked on a project that could lead to a more effective treatment for depression.
	How to find your best running style Humans have evolved to run in the most efficient way possible. Our ancient ancestors were persistence hunters, who stalked prey over long distances, relentlessly running them down in a battle of endurance.
	Parasite that gives people a real bellyache during summer also found in bats A new study from Macquarie University has found that a certain type of parasite which infects people in greater numbers during summer, causing symptoms such as diarrhoea and abdominal pain, could also be spread by bats.
	A surprising way laundry adds flame retardants to surface waters In recent years, evidence has been building suggesting that flame retardants, which are used in furniture and electronics, are potentially linked to health problems. And studies have shown that the substances leach out of products, and end up in indoor dust, air and in us. Now, scientists report in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology how flame retardants in our homes could also be contaminating surface water through our laundry.
The healthiest eaters are the most culturally 'fit' How to be a healthy eater depends on culture. A recent study shows that in the U.S. and Japan, people who fit better with their culture have healthier eating habits. The results appear in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Combining biologic and phototherapy treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis The review, entitled "Combining biologic and phototherapy treatments for psoriasis: safety, efficacy, and patient acceptability," was carried out by a group of researchers in the USA. They conducted an extensive PubMed search for studies that evaluated the safety and efficacy of the combination of biologic and narrowband ultraviolet B (NBUVB) phototherapy to treat moderate-to-severe psoriasis.
	Warmer climate could lower dengue risk Health researchers predict that the transmission of dengue could decrease in a future warmer climate, countering previous projections that climate change would cause the potentially lethal virus to spread more easily.
Oral immunotherapy is safe, effective for peanut-allergic preschoolers, study suggests Nearly 80 percent of peanut-allergic preschool children successfully incorporated peanut-containing foods into their diets after receiving peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT), a clinical trial has found. Peanut OIT involves eating small, gradually increasing amounts of peanut protein daily. Low-dose and high-dose OIT were safe and equally effective at suppressing allergic immune responses to peanut, investigators found. The work was partly supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, both part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Loophole for cancer cells Many cancers only become a mortal danger if they form metastases elsewhere in the body. Such secondary tumours are formed when individual cells break away from the main tumour and travel through the bloodstream to distant areas of the body. To do so, they have to pass through the walls of small blood vessels. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim and Goethe University Frankfurt have now shown that tumour cells kill specific cells in the vascular wall. This enables them to leave the vessels and establish metastases, a process facilitated by a molecule called DR6.
US maternal mortality rates higher than reported, study finds Despite the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of a 75 percent reduction in maternal deaths by 2015, the estimated maternal mortality rate for 48 U.S. states and the District of Columbia actually increased by 26.6 percent from 2000 to 2014, according to a new study co-authored by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers.
Study reveals association between physical function and neurological disease A new study, based on data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) suggests a simple test of physical functioning may be able to help physicians identify individuals who are at a higher risk for developing Alzheimer's disease and stroke.
Tighter air pollution standards may save thousands of lives, greatly improve public health Reducing outdoor concentrations of two air pollutants, ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), to levels below those set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would likely save thousands of lives each year, result in far fewer serious illnesses and dramatically reduce missed days of school and work, according to a new analysis conducted by the American Thoracic Society and the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University.
Preoperative factors associated with long-term weight loss after gastric bypass surgery In a study published online by JAMA Surgery, Michelle R. Lent, Ph.D., of the Geisinger Clinic, Danville, Pa., and colleagues evaluated the association between preoperative clinical factors and long-term weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).
Low risk of developing persistent opioid use after major surgery In a study published online by JAMA Surgery, Hance A. Clarke, M.D., Ph.D., F.R.C.P.C., of Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada, and colleagues measured rates of ongoing opioid use up to 1 year after major surgery.
Is depression in parents, grandparents linked to grandchildren's depression? Having both parents and grandparents with major depressive disorder (MDD) was associated with higher risk of MDD for grandchildren, which could help identify those who may benefit from early intervention, according to a study published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Increased risk suicide death associated with hospitalization for infection Being hospitalized with infection was associated with an increased risk of suicide death and the highest risk of suicide was among those individuals with hepatitis and HIV or AIDS, according to a study published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
	How mouth microbes may worsen colorectal cancer Bacteria commonly found in the mouth have been recently shown to worsen colorectal cancer in animals, but it has not been clear how these microbes make their way to the gut in the first place. A study published August 10 in Cell Host & Microbe sheds light on this question, revealing that oral microbes called fusobacteria may use the bloodstream to reach colorectal tumors. The findings also show exactly how these bacteria home in on colorectal tumors, where they proliferate and subsequently accelerate colorectal cancer.
French govt denies hiding drug-related birth defects study French health authorities are denying claims they concealed a study on a drug used to treat epilepsy that caused birth defects.
	Brain's prefrontal lobe is major player in Parkinson's Gait A new study by Tel Aviv University researchers demonstrates that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain associated with cognitive functions, plays a major role in "Parkinson's Gait." It suggests a radically new understanding of the mechanism underlying gait difficulties in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and may lead to new therapeutic approaches.
	Western diet may contribute to dense breasts (HealthDay)—Overweight and obese women who eat a Western diet may develop more dense breast tissue, possibly increasing their risk for breast cancer, according to research published in the September issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
	5 tips to help teens get needed school-year zzzzzs (HealthDay)—When a new school year begins, many teens have a hard time readjusting their sleeping habits.
	After-hours work email no friend of the family (HealthDay)—Picture this: It's Saturday morning. You're in the bleachers watching your kid play soccer. But, instead of enjoying the game, you're bracing for a barrage of emails from the boss, because that's her style.
	For aging blacks, 'Golden years' often marred by disability (HealthDay)—While Americans are living longer than ever, a new study finds there's still an important racial gap in health: Older black people are more likely than older white people to live their final years with disabilities.
Researchers find sex worker outreach linked with better health outcomes Sex workers were more likely to regularly visit health clinics for testing and treatment of HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections after being approached by a peer outreach worker, according to research from the University of Houston.
Trajectory of functional recovery after postoperative delirium Researchers from the Harvard Medical School-affiliated Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (IFAR), in collaboration with scientists from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brown University, and Northeastern University, have discovered that postoperative delirium negatively impacts recovery in older adults. Results from this study were published in the Annals of Surgery.
Frankfurter fraud: Finding out what's in your hot dog Hot dogs are the perfect summer fare. But knowing for sure what you're getting inside a bun can be difficult. Now scientists have devised a method that could help prevent frankfurter fraud, which is especially important for those who can't eat certain types of meats. They report their approach in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
	New map details threat of Zika across Europe, US With Zika sparking anxiety at the Summer Olympic Games in Brazil, and now being transmitted in Florida through contact with mosquitoes, accurately mapping the distribution of the virus is increasingly urgent.
Immune analysis of on-treatment longitudinal biopsies predicts response to melanoma immunotherapy Immune response measured in tumor biopsies during the course of early treatment predicts which melanoma patients will benefit from specific immune checkpoint blockade drugs, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the journal Cancer Discovery.
Going the distance: Babies reach farther with adults around Eight-month-old infants are much more likely to reach towards distant toys when an adult is present than when they are by themselves, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings suggest that 8-month-olds understand when they need another person's help to accomplish a task and act accordingly.
Case workers need more holistic approach to identifying chronic child neglect A new study by researchers at the University at Buffalo suggests that Child Protective Services (CPS) caseworkers may need to use a more all-encompassing approach to improve how they respond to cases of chronic neglect.
Recording selfies while brushing teeth can improve oral health care skills Recording smart phone video "selfies" of tooth-brushing can help people learn to improve their oral health care techniques, according to a new study.
Less toxic bone marrow transplants on horizon Bone marrow transplants that do not require dangerous and often toxic chemotherapy could soon be possible, US researchers said Wednesday after seeing initial success with experiments on mice.
	Isotopic analysis of teeth may identify starvation in victims of the Great Irish Famine Isotopic analysis of teeth may identify signs of starvation in human tissues from 19th century Irish workhouse residents, according to a study published August 10, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Julia Beaumont from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom, and colleagues.
Gene signature in healthy brains pinpoints the origins of Alzheimer's disease Researchers have discovered a gene signature in healthy brains that echoes the pattern in which Alzheimer's disease spreads through the brain much later in life. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, could help uncover the molecular origins of this devastating disease, and may be used to develop preventative treatments for at-risk individuals to be taken well before symptoms appear.
	New gene linked to inherited lung disease via disrupted telomerase Johns Hopkins researchers say they have identified a new disease gene that, when mutated, appears to increase the risk in a small number of people of developing emphysema and a lung-scarring condition known as pulmonary fibrosis.
Children can benefit when adoptive and biological parents share adoption stories For most of the 20th century, adoptions were largely "closed," meaning birth parents placed their child with an adoption agency and had no further contact unless the child sought them out later in life. However, statistics show that a shift occurred in the 1990s when adoption practitioners started to recognize the benefits of "open" adoptions, or adoptions in which adoptive families have ongoing interactions with the birth family. Now, University of Missouri communication researchers are studying the benefits and challenges of open adoptions. Their recent study shows that open adoption relationships in which communication is encouraged, can benefit the child and their adoptive parents.
	New hope for shock patients in intensive care Care for critically-ill patients with shock could be improved, it is hoped, after the first successful testing by University of Oxford scientists of a new machine to record oxygen consumption in real time.
	Adding milk, meat to diet dramatically improves nutrition for poor in Zambia Over the past several decades in Zambia, data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations show that there has been a decrease in the per capita consumption of milk, meat, and eggs and an increase in starchy roots, primarily cassava.
Scientists show molecule in brain may drive cocaine addiction A new study from scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), funded by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), suggests that increased levels of a molecule in the brain, called hypocretin, may contribute to cocaine addiction.
Treating at the earliest sign of MS may offer long-term benefit Starting medication for multiple sclerosis (MS) in people who show the beginning signs of the disease is associated with prolonging the time before the disease is definitively diagnosed, according to a long-term study published in the August 10, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
New study supports surgery as treatment for myasthenia gravis In a global study of myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease that causes muscle weakness and fatigue, researchers found that surgical removal of an organ called the thymus reduced patients' weakness, and their need for immunosuppressive drugs. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Frozen embryos more effective than fresh in women with polycystic ovary syndrome Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who receive frozen embryos during in vitro fertilization have safer and more successful pregnancies than those who get fresh embryos, according to the results of a recent collaboration between Penn State College of Medicine and Chinese researchers.
Syncing up drug refills: a way to get patients to take their medicine You have your red pill and your green pill. There's the one you take at breakfast, the one you take before bed and the one you have to take six hours after eating. All told, it is a lot to keep track of. And remembering the refills, all of which often happen at different times of the month, gets so complicated that sometimes you forget - and simply go without.
Researchers develop tool to counter public health IT challenges Front-line protection of U.S. communities against disease epidemics relies on seamless information sharing between public health officials and doctors, plus the wherewithal to act on that data. But health departments have faltered in this mission by lacking guidance to effectively strategize about appropriate "IT investments. And incidents like the current Zika crisis bring the issue to the forefront," says Ritu Agarwal, Robert H. Smith Dean's Chair of Information Systems and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Research at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.
	Ageing well in the real world Heriot-Watt psychologists are to carry out a new study to look across the board at what sort of 'real-world' activities might best protect thinking and memory skills into old age.
Ospemifene in vulvovaginal atrophy: Added benefit not proven Ospemifene (tradename: Senshio) is approved for the treatment of moderate to severe symptomatic vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) in post-menopausal women who are not candidates for local vaginal oestrogen therapy. The drug has been on the market in Germany since May 2016. In an early benefit assessment, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has now examined whether it has advantages or disadvantages in comparison with the appropriate comparator therapy.
Nivolumab in renal cell cancer: Indication of added benefit Nivolumab has been approved since April 2016 as a checkpoint inhibitor for the treatment of adults with advanced renal cell cancer who have already undergone prior therapy. In an early benefit assessment, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) has now examined whether in these patients this monoclonal antibody offers advantages over the appropriate comparator therapy.
	Improved knowledge of shelf life of food "Best before", "usable at least until" and "expiry date" - those are the Danish shelf life labels used in connection with food. In 2012 a study examined whether the Danes knew the difference between these labels, and in 2015 scientists from Aarhus University examined if our knowledge of the labels has improved and if we are able to distinguish between them.
	Drivers take care! kids are heading back to school (HealthDay)—As more than 50 million kids across the United States return to school, drivers are reminded to be vigilant on the roads.
'Cultural learners' in the cradle We are "culturally biased" right from the cradle and we tend to prefer information we receive from native speakers of our language, even when this information is not transmitted through verbal speech. Hanna Marno, researcher at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) of Trieste (together with other colleagues among whom Jacques Mehler and Marina Nespor, professors at SISSA, -that coordinated the study- and Yamil Vidal, SISSA Ph.D. student) has carried out an experiment in which she proved that infants selectively paid attention to the informants they have previously heard speaking their own language.

Biology news

	Humpback whales saving other species from orcas found to be common and maybe altruistic A team of researchers led by Robert Pitman, a marine ecologist with NOOA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center, has found evidence that suggests humpback whales may engage in altruistic behavior during encounters with killer whales attacking other marine species. In a paper available on the open access site Marine Mammal Science, the team describes their analysis of humpback whale encounters with killer whales and why they believe it is possible the whales are intentionally helping other creatures to escape certain death by orcas.
	Betty the wire-bending crow may have been less insightful than previously believed A team of researchers with the Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, in the U.K. has found that the seemingly clever wire bending abilities of New Caledonian crow Betty back in 2002 may not have been as impressive as scientists at the time thought. They note in their paper published in Royal Society Open Science that while conducting field experiments with other crows of the same species in their native environment, several crows exhibited the same behavior as Betty, suggesting that her behavior might have been more responsive than insightful.
Research reveals effectiveness of stones thrown as weapons by Stone Age hunters Stone objects collected by prehistoric hunters were effective as throwing weapons to hunt animals, research at Leeds Beckett University reveals.
	Crowdsourcing the transformation of mass spectrometry big data into scientific living data In a landmark paper published in the August issue of Nature Biotechnology, 127 scientists from a consortium of universities and research labs in the U.S. and worldwide report for the first time on the establishment of an online, crowdsourced knowledge base and workbench that could be a game-changer for the study of natural products that could potentially be useful in the development of the next antibiotic, better pesticides, or more effective cancer drugs.
	Novel process for synthesizing DNA could lead to better gene therapies Michigan Technological University scientists have developed a process that could lead to stickier—and better—gene therapy drugs.
	When ships pass, whales eat less: study Noise from ships impedes humpback whales from foraging for food, and could have long-term impacts on the health of these majestic creatures, according to a study released Wednesday.
	Engineering a better biofuel While the bacteria E. coli is often considered a bad bug, researchers commonly use laboratory-adapted E. coli that lacks the features that can make humans sick, but can grow just as fast. That same quality allows it to transform into the tiniest of factories: when its chemical production properties are harnessed, E. coli has the potential to crank out biofuels, pharmaceuticals and other useful products.
	New analysis shows threats to 8K Red List species Less than a month away from the kick-off the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawaii, a team of scientists report in the journal Nature that three quarters of the world's threatened species are imperiled because people are converting their habitat into agricultural lands and overharvesting their populations.
Total number of neurons—not enlarged prefrontal region—hallmark of human brain A new scientific study puts the final nail in the coffin of a long-standing theory to explain human's remarkable cognitive abilities: that human evolution involved the selective expansion of the brain's prefrontal cortex.
	Scientists gather data from observations of minke whale carcass For the past three days, CCS researchers have been monitoring the carcass of a small minke whale in Cape Cod Bay off North Truro. Data collected during these 72 hours shows that there is as much to be learned from the whales in death as in life.
	Fighting invasive species in michigan Researchers from Michigan Technological University have received significant grants to tackle Eurasian Watermilfoil and Phragmites. They are developing novel strategies and community-based methods to combat the aquatic invaders.
	Human selection pressure on novel peptide aided domestication of asian rice International research team led by Nagoya University identifies peptide required for awn development in wild rice, and shows that human selection caused its dysfunction in cultivated Asian rice.
	Probing RNA Function with 10,000 Mutants Creating and examining 10,296 mutants of a ribozyme leads to a better understanding of these widespread but understudied RNA molecules.
	Stress bites! Researchers study mosquito/bird interactions When researchers from the University of South Florida (USF) and colleagues investigated how the stress hormone, corticosterone, affects how birds cope with West Nile virus, they found that birds with higher levels of stress hormone were twice as likely to be bitten by mosquitoes that transmit the virus. Their studies have implications for the transmission of other viruses such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and perhaps even Zika, both known to be carried by the kind of mosquitoes used in this study.
	Research aims to help Canadian flax farmers A UBC professor's flax research could one day help Canadian farmers grow a car fender.
	Galápagos faces first-ever bird extinction Scientists have discovered a new species of colorful songbird in the Galápagos Islands, with one catch: it's extinct. Researchers from the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco State University (SFSU), the University of New Mexico (UNM), and the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) used molecular data from samples of museum specimens to determine that two subspecies of Vermilion Flycatchers, both found only in the Galápagos, should be elevated from subspecies to full species status. One of these newly recognized species—the characteristically smaller San Cristóbal Island Vermilion Flycatcher—hasn't been seen since 1987 and is considered to be the first modern extinction of a Galápagos bird species. The findings were published online earlier this May in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
	Unraveling the jaw-dropping goblin shark A research team, led by Emeritus Professor Kazuhiro Nakaya of Japan's Hokkaido University, analyzed world-first footage captured by public broadcaster NHK in which two goblin sharks separately captured prey on a total of five occasions. The research has unraveled a century-old mystery surrounding how the deep-sea shark utilizes its protruding jaws, among other factors, to feed itself.
	Stowaway frogs being stopped by border security An analysis of stowaway frogs coming into Australia has shown that strict biosecurity measures at borders and within the country are reducing the risk of introduction of new diseases by up to 50%.
How climate change will hurt humanity's closest cousins The consequences of climate change are an increasing concern for humans around the world. How will we cope with rising sea levels and climbing temperatures? But it's not just humans who will be affected by these worldwide shifts—it's our closest cousins, too: monkeys, apes and lemurs.
	Morphological analysis of a light-controlling organ suggests two new deep-sea fish species Two new species can be added to the bioluminescent deep-sea fish family Opisthoproctidae, or "barreleyes"—named for the fishes' tubular eyes—according to a study published August 10, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Jan Yde Poulsen from the Australian Museum, Sydney, and colleagues.
	Managing climate change refugia to protect wildlife Results of a new study led by Toni Lyn Morelli, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Northeast Climate Science Center based at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, offer a framework for conserving areas she and co-authors dub "climate change refugia," that is, areas naturally buffered from climate change that protect natural and cultural resources.
First validated canine behavioral genetics findings of nine fear and aggression traits in dogs Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental illness in the United States. And while much is understood about the biochemistry of anxiety, little is known about the genetic variation associated with it.
	First report on efficient reprogramming of diabetic foot ulcer cells to create therapeutic stem cell The potential to use a patient's own cells to treat non-healing chronic wounds - a serious complication of diabetes - took an important step forward as researchers successfully reprogrammed skin cells taken from diabetic foot ulcers to form induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The reprogramming technique was similar in efficiency to the results achieved using healthy foot skin from non-diabetic patients, as described in the study published in Cellular Reprogramming.

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