Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Aug 8

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 8, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Spinning diamonds for quantum precision

Hormone shows promise as cognition enhancer

Tiny terahertz laser could be used for imaging, chemical detection

Want to learn something? Sleep on it, but not too deeply: study

New microscope technique reveals internal structure of live embryos

Amniotic sac in a dish: Stem cells form structures that may aid of infertility research

New solid lubricant shown to reduce friction and wear on steel surfaces

Maize from El Gigante Rock Shelter shows early transition to staple crop

Database of inbred mouse proteins responsible for strain discrepancies created

Scientists prevent neurodegeneration-associated protein clumping in lab study

Researchers discover potentially harmful nanoparticles produced through burning coal

Can poor air quality mask global warming's effects?

Sweet! Sugar-coated probe yields better acid test

Unprecedented Antarctic expedition maps sea ice to solve climate change mystery

Cooking up new ways to clean up our planet

Astronomy & Space news

	UCI celestial census indicates that black holes pervade the universe After conducting a cosmic inventory of sorts to calculate and categorize stellar-remnant black holes, astronomers from the University of California, Irvine have concluded that there are probably tens of millions of the enigmatic, dark objects in the Milky Way - far more than expected.
	Educational app released ahead of highly anticipated solar eclipse Thousands of years ago, human beings reacted to solar eclipses with dismay, flooding the streets with pots and pans to scare away whatever had blotted out the sun with a cacophony of banging and shouting.
	Image: Prometheus and the Ghostly F Ring The thin sliver of Saturn's moon Prometheus lurks near ghostly structures in Saturn's narrow F ring in this view from NASA's Cassini spacecraft. Many of the narrow ring's faint and wispy features result from its gravitational interactions with Prometheus (86 kilometers, or 53 miles across).
	NASA studies tethered CubeSat mission to study lunar swirls A novel mission concept involving two CubeSats connected by a thin, miles-long tether could help scientists understand how the moon got its mysterious "tattoos"—swirling patterns of light and dark found at more than 100 locations across the lunar surface.
	NASA's scientific balloon program reaches new heights For decades, NASA has released enormous scientific balloons into Earth's atmosphere, miles above the altitude of commercial flights. The Balloon Program is currently preparing new missions bearing sensitive instruments, including one designed to investigate the birth of our universe and another with ballooning origins that will fly on the International Space Station.
Rocket Lab says ground equipment marred New Zealand launch A California aerospace company says a rocket it launched from New Zealand last May did not reach orbit because a problem with ground equipment caused a loss of telemetry that forced range safety officials to terminate the flight.
	NASA program gives students access to astronauts On June 23, NASA astronaut Jack Fischer spoke with 22 Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, while he was aboard the International Space Station. More than 400 people attended the event, with many more watching live footage online.

Technology news

	Saliva-powered battery could be helpful in extreme conditions Researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York have developed the next step in microbial fuel cells (MFCs): a battery activated by spit that can be used in extreme conditions where normal batteries don't function.
	Cost-saving alternative to an expensive conductivity probe improves on design UC Santa Barbara mechanical engineer Paolo Luzzatto-Fegiz was frustrated. Once again, the delicate tip of the instrument he was using to measure water density—a conductivity probe—had broken, rendering the setup useless and his work in temporary limbo.
	Researchers turn to emoji icons as tool to smell sarcasm (Tech Xplore)—One of the headaches researchers have in training computers is trying to understand what a human really means to say when the person is using sarcasm and irony. (Terrific, train is stuck. Shocking news, our daughter is late. What could possibly go wrong. Rush hour traffic, fun, fun.)
	Google firing fans flames of diversity debate in tech sector The dismissal of a Google engineer over a memo defending the Silicon Valley gender gap has fanned the flames of a simmering debate in the tech sector over sexism, free expression and political correctness.
	Hackers demand millions in ransom for stolen HBO data A group of hackers posted a fresh cache of stolen HBO files online Monday, and demanded a multimillion-dollar ransom from the network to prevent the release of entire television series and other sensitive proprietary files.
	Siemens is preparing updates for medical imaging products to address vulnerabilities (Tech Xplore)—Siemens is preparing updates for affected products as a result of their identifying vulnerabilities in Siemens' medical molecular imaging products running on Windows 7.
Public opinion unlikely to curb a U.S. president's use of nuclear weapons in war, scholar finds A new Stanford study suggests that American public opinion on nuclear weapons usage has not fundamentally changed since 1945, and many people would support the use of such weapons to kill millions of civilians if the U.S. found itself in a similar wartime situation.
	Fake plastic trees could fuel your home Tech meets art in a life-like 'energy tree' with e-leaves that suck up sunshine and quiver in the breeze to produce solar and wind power.
	This is how regional rail can help ease our big cities' commuter crush In Sydney and Melbourne, the squeeze is on. Population is booming; house prices are still rising; roads and trains are congested. Australian governments generally have ignored the benefits of relating metropolitan and regional planning.
Hacking cybersecurity to anticipate attacks Imagine two groups at war. One defends every attack as it comes. The other anticipates threats before they happen. Which is more likely to win?
	US arraignment of British cybersecurity expert postponed (Update) A British cybersecurity figure hailed as a crime-fighter just three months before his arrest in a worldwide malware production and distribution case might still be in Las Vegas ahead of his arraignment next week in a federal court in Wisconsin, according to terms set by a judge.
	Annual wind report confirms tech advancements, improved performance, low wind prices Wind energy pricing for land-based, utility-scale projects remains attractive to utility and commercial purchasers, according to an annual report released by the U.S. Department of Energy and prepared by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Prices offered by newly built wind projects in the United States are averaging around 2¢/kWh, driven lower by technology advancements and cost reductions.
Can AI prevent the spread of HIV in homeless youth? There are nearly 2 million youth who spend at least one night homeless each year in the United States. An estimated 7 percent of homeless youth are likely to be HIV positive.
	Fired Google engineer files complaint, weighs legal options A former Google engineer who was fired over a memo he wrote about gender differences says he's exploring all his legal options and has already filed a labor complaint over his treatment.
Snyder: 'Strong possibility' for Foxconn to come to Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder expressed optimism that Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group will open a facility in Michigan, but he said the specifics remain uncertain and it could be a few months before any potential deal takes shape.
	Optimizing e-mobility use for everyday life People choose different transportation methods for work commutes, leisure activities and running errands. Each activity in daily life might require a different form of mobility, and sometimes it makes sense to link some appointments. In the future, the optimum solution could be suggested by a mobility app. A prototype of an electronic assistant for mobility customers and other tools for providers of mobility services were recently presented by the BiE project.
State wouldn't break even on Foxconn incentives for 25 years It would take at least 25 years for Wisconsin taxpayers to break even on Gov. Scott Walker's incentives to lure Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn to the state, according to a fiscal analysis released Tuesday.
	Apple will reportedly release an LTE Apple Watch: report Apple will reportedly introduce an Apple Watch with LTE capabilities later this year, according to a report Friday.

Medicine & Health news

	Hormone shows promise as cognition enhancer In a study that augurs well for the therapeutic potential of klotho - a life-extending protein hormone that a minority of people naturally produce at high levels - scientists at UC San Francisco have found that administering a fragment of the klotho protein to young, aging or impaired mice rapidly improves their cognitive and physical performance.
	Want to learn something? Sleep on it, but not too deeply: study Scientists fascinated by the idea that humans might be able to learn while asleep—a new language, say, or a piece of music—have long been coming up with clashing experimental results.
	Scientists prevent neurodegeneration-associated protein clumping in lab study Scientists report in a new study that by imitating a natural process of cells, they prevented the formation of protein clumps associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia.
	Playing action video games can actually harm your brain Neuroscientists should think twice before getting patients to play video games as a way to boost their brain power, a new study conducted at Université de Montréal suggests. Why? Because in many cases, gaming can do more harm than good.
	Blocking enzyme linked to Alzheimer's may reverse memory loss In the brains of Alzheimer's patients, many of the genes required to form new memories are shut down by a genetic blockade, contributing to the cognitive decline seen in those patients.
	How to trick your heart into thinking you exercise Researchers have discovered that a protein called cardiotrophin 1 (CT1) can trick the heart into growing in a healthy way and pumping more blood, just as it does in response to exercise and pregnancy. They show that this good kind of heart growth is very different from the harmful enlargement of the heart that occurs during heart failure. They also show that CT1 can repair heart damage and improve blood flow in animal models of heart failure. The results are published in Cell Research. The research team is from The Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Carleton University.
	Prostate cancer cells become 'shapeshifters' to spread to distant organs Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center scientists report they have discovered a biochemical process that gives prostate cancer cells the almost unnatural ability to change their shape, squeeze into other organs and take root in other parts of the body. The scientists say their cell culture and mouse studies of the process, which involves a cancer-related protein called AIM1, suggest potential ways to intercept or reverse the ability of cancers to metastasize, or spread.
	Sleep makes it possible for babies to associate words with content—and not with noise While babies sleep, astonishing processes take place in their brains. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig observed that babies succeed in associating a meaning with a word between the age of six and eight months—a capability which until now was known for older children and adults. Memory which is assigned to the meaning of words passes through the same stages during sleep that also happen in typical lexical development: So-called protowords which combine only simultaneously occurring visual and acoustic stimuli become real words that are connected to content.
	One step closer in explaining multiple sclerosis relapse during upper respiratory infection For most of us, the flu is just the flu. We suffer through it for several days, and eventually bounce back. But for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases, the flu can trigger a cascade of immune responses that result in a full-blown relapse of the disease. In a recent study from the University of Illinois, researchers shed light on what may be happening in the brains of MS patients during upper respiratory infections.
	Scientists restore youthful plasticity to the brains of adult mice Like much of the rest of the body, the brain loses flexibility with age, impacting the ability to learn, remember, and adapt. Now, scientists at University of Utah Health report they can rejuvenate the plasticity of the mouse brain, specifically in the visual cortex, increasing its ability to change in response to experience. Manipulating a single gene triggers the shift, revealing it as a potential target for new treatments that could recover the brain's youthful potential. The research was published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on August 8.
	Magnetic fields turn up the heat on bacterial biofilms A short exposure to an alternating magnetic field might someday replace multiple surgeries and weeks of IV antibiotics as treatment for stubborn infections on artificial joints, new research suggests.
Dental brace wire found in woman's bowel after 10 years A dental brace wire was found in a woman's bowel after 10 years. It was only discovered after she was admitted to hospital following two days of worsening stomach pain, explain doctors in the online journal BMJ Case Reports.
	Scientists find alcohol-free antiseptic solution works A James Cook University scientist has made a discovery that will make life easier for surgery patients and their surgeon.
	High quality early intervention for children with autism quickly results in costs savings One in every 68 children in the United States has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neuro-developmental disorder that results in difficulty socializing and communicating needs and desires, and often is accompanied by restricted interests or activities. Research has shown that early intervention leads to better outcomes for children on the spectrum. But the cost of early intervention is high—ranging from $40,000 to $80,000 per year for intensive early intervention—and health care insurers, state and local early intervention programs often are reluctant to pay for it, thereby making it difficult for families of children with ASD to obtain these expensive services.
	University spin out company addresses new vaccines The University of Plymouth has launched a new spin out company which will address new vaccines for diseases which spread from animals to humans and for use in infection control.
	MRI reveals striking brain differences in people with genetic autism In the first major study of its kind, researchers using MRI have identified structural abnormalities in the brains of people with one of the most common genetic causes of autism, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. The abnormalities visible on brain images corresponded to cognitive and behavioral impairments in the study group, suggesting a future role for imaging in identifying people with autism who are in most urgent need of intervention.
North-South England health divide bigger than ever Dying early (under age 75) is 20% more likely in northern compared with southern England according to research led by The University of Manchester:
Man loses feeling in legs after long-term denture fixative use A 62-year-old man lost the feeling in both his legs after the regular long term use of a denture fixative containing zinc, reveal doctors writing in the online journal BMJ Case Reports.
	Report reveals underground US haven for heroin, drug users A safe haven where drug users inject themselves with heroin and other drugs has been quietly operating in the United States for the past three years, a report reveals.
Biological bypass shows promise in coronary artery disease A new gene therapy that targets the heart and requires only one treatment session has been found safe for patients with coronary artery disease, according to a successful trial carried out in Finland. Enhancing circulation in the oxygen-deficient heart muscle, the effects were visible even one year after the treatment.
	'Ego-dissolving' psychedelic drugs could assist with mental health The altered state of consciousness and temporary lack of ego that results from using psychedelic drugs could help some mental health patients recover from their symptoms, according to academics at the University of Adelaide.
Clinical trial shows ready-to-use cells are safe and effective to treat viral infections Patients who receive a hematopoietic stem cell transplant are at risk of developing potentially lethal viral infections. Some of the infections can be treated with available drugs, but they are not always effective and side effects can be significant. Researchers at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Houston Methodist have developed an alternative treatment in which virus-specific cells protect patients against severe, drug-resistant viral infections. The results of the clinical trial, which appear in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, show that the treatment is safe and effective against five different viruses, including one for which there was no effective treatment before.
This school year, put posture to the test We often hear about how technology has impacted younger generations, and with the increased time spent on phones and computers, playing video games and watching television, it is their posture that is increasingly suffering. According to a physical therapist at Baylor College of Medicine, maintaining your posture should begin at an early age.
	Deaths from colon cancer up among younger white Americans (HealthDay)—Colon cancer is claiming the lives of more younger, white Americans, a troubling new report shows.
	Music therapy for children with autism does not improve symptoms Among children with autism spectrum disorder, improvisational music therapy resulted in no significant difference in symptom severity compared to children who received enhanced standard care alone, according to a study published by JAMA.
	The statistics of human sleep When Yogesh Lad traveled halfway around the world to pursue a master's degree in systems engineering at Missouri S&T, he never imagined he would be spending so much time with biologists.
Rates of deadly heart disease show slowest decline in blacks and populations in former U.S. slave regions A new research study has found a potential link between U.S. counties with a history of slavery and slower rates of decline in heart disease mortality. The researchers found that while heart disease has decreased by approximately 60 percent in the last 50 years nationwide, the pace of decline was slower for blacks compared to whites and slower in counties with more compared to less slaveholding in 1860.
How Big Pharma is hindering treatment of the opioid addiction epidemic "A crippling problem." "A total epidemic." "A problem like nobody understands." These are the words President Trump used to describe the opioid epidemic ravaging the country during a White House listening session in March.
	A spoonful of parenting support might help the medicine go down An "alarming" number of families do not stick to treatment plans for their children's long-term health conditions – and University of Queensland researchers are determined to help turn the trend around.
	Low blood sugars in newborns linked to later difficulties A newborn condition affecting one in six babies has been linked to impairment in some high-level brain functions that shows up by age 4.5 years.
	Doctor 'sat nav' project gives new direction for out-of-hours care The results of a research project run by the University of Nottingham which used the latest technology to track out-of-hours doctors have revealed significant improvements can be made to provide safer staffing levels and better patient care.
	Side effect to blood pressure drugs is genetically determined for some patients, study finds Some patients may have a genetic risk of developing a serious side effect to a type of medication commonly used to treat high blood pressure, research by clinicians and scientists at the University of Nottingham has found.
	Fluctuations in home-monitored blood pressure may raise dementia risk Whether or not you have high blood pressure, your risk of dementia may be higher if your pressure varies a lot from day to day, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	Medication for the unborn baby An Empa team has succeeded in developing a new three-dimensional cell model of the human placental barrier. The "model organ" can quickly and reliably deliver new information on the intake of substances, such as nano-particles, by the placental barrier and on any possible toxic effects for the unborn child. This knowledge can also be used in the future for the development of new approaches to therapy during pregnancy.
	Keep taking the tablets—three reasons to stay the full antibiotics course A recent commentary published in the British Medical Journal reignited the debate on whether patients should stop antibiotics when they feel better rather than following instructions to finish the course.
Women have heart attacks too, but their symptoms are often dismissed as something else Heart attacks claim the lives of 3.3 million women every year, and many women die from other heart-related conditions. In the United States, nearly 290,000 women died from heart disease in 2013 – that's about one in every four female deaths.
	Better medical education is one solution to the opioid crisis We are in the middle of an overdose crisis in Canada and around the world. Opioid overdose is a complex problem, but opioid addiction can be managed with effective interventions. Nonetheless, many evidence-based interventions are underused, and inadequate medical education is contributing to the problem.
	Is walking sufficient cardiovascular exercise? We all know we need to exercise to stay fit and strong, stave off disease and maintain a healthy weight. Walking is the most popular physical activity undertaken by Australian adults. It's free, easy, and can be done almost anywhere.
	Global genetic study involving different populations sheds light on glaucoma Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the eye's optic nerve and results in vision loss and irreversible blindness in some people. The diseases usually occur on their own but when they are caused by other conditions they are known as secondary glaucoma.
	Forgotten memories may be retrievable Do you remember taking your very first step, or enjoying your second birthday party? Probably not, but that probably won't seem weird to you because we have become conditioned to accept infantile amnesia as a fact of life.
	Heartbeats could hold the key to understanding babies' inner world Scientists from Royal Holloway, University of London have found that babies as young as five months are sensitive to their own heartbeats, and their research could pave the way to better understanding disorders such as anxiety, depression and autism.
	Researchers make significant advance in understanding calcium channel control of neurotransmitter release A new study conducted by researchers at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience uncovers critical aspects of calcium channel function, overturning prevailing theories that explain variability in neurotransmitter release during neuronal communication.
	Independent pharmacies and online coupons help patients save money on drugs Uninsured patients or those with limited prescription drug coverage can save significant money by buying their drugs at independent pharmacies instead of big box, grocery or chain drug stores and by using discount coupons, USC researchers have found.
	Can a Zika outbreak be sustained sexually? In most ways, Zika is a lot like other tropical fevers. People become infected when they are bitten by mosquitos. Infected mothers pass the virus to their unborn children.
Dutch egg probe widens to chicken meat tests In a new twist in Europe's tainted egg scandal, Dutch authorities announced Tuesday they had started testing chicken meat coming from affected poultry farms to determine whether it was also contaminated.
	EU says Belgium took weeks to notify tainted egg discovery The European Union's executive arm said Tuesday that Belgian authorities took around a month to notify it about the discovery of eggs contaminated with low levels of an insecticide, although EU member states are required to do so "immediately."
	Drug hope for acute myeloid leukemia A new drug that strips cancer cells of their "immortality" could help to treat patients suffering from one of the most aggressive forms of leukaemia.
CCP program in Nigeria increases modern contraceptive use, study suggests Over a four-year period, new research suggests, a program led by the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP) in six large Nigerian cities was associated with a 10 percentage- point increase in the use of modern contraceptive methods and a similar increase in the desire of women to have fewer children.
	Protein critical to early stages of cellular HIV infection identified When a virus enters a cell, one of the first steps in the process of infecting that cell is removal of the protein coat that surrounds the virus's genetic material. The virus can then produce DNA from its own genes and insert it into the cell's genome. This allows the virus to hijack the host cell's machinery, forcing the cell to make copies of the virus.
	Regular energy drink use linked to later drug use among young adults Could young adults who regularly consume highly caffeinated energy drinks be at risk for future substance use? A new study by University of Maryland School of Public Health researchers, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, suggests that there is reason for concern. In a study of young adults across a five-year period (from ages 21-25), Dr. Amelia Arria and colleagues with the Center on Young Adult Health and Development (CYAHD) found evidence that individuals who regularly consumed highly caffeinated energy drinks, and sustained that consumption over time, were significantly more likely to use cocaine, nonmedically use prescription stimulants (NPS), and be at risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) at age 25. Participants were recruited for the study while enrolled as college students, and were surveyed at regular intervals to track changes in various health and risk-taking behaviors, including energy drink consumption and drug use.
	Newly discovered pathway for pain processing could lead to new treatments The discovery of a new biological pathway involved in pain processing offers hope of using existing cancer drugs to replace the use of opioids in chronic pain treatment, according to scientists at McGill University.
	Smoking is on the rise among pregnant women with depression Smoking is increasing among pregnant women with depression in the United States, according to new research at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the City University of New York. Smoking rates for pregnant women with depression climbed 2.5 percent from 2002 to 2014, in contrast to a decrease among other groups. The results of the study appear online in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Online team-based game helps patients with diabetes lower blood glucose Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System have found that an online, team-based game designed to teach patients about diabetes self-management had a sustained and meaningful impact on a key measure of diabetes control. Veteran participants with type 2 diabetes who were randomly assigned to play the game had significantly greater reductions in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a common measure of long-term blood glucose control, than their counterparts. The researchers saw the greatest reduction in HbA1c among patients with severe diabetes. The team's findings are published online today in Diabetes Care.
	Like father like son? How we balance work and family life may be learned from our parents The extent to which we prioritise work versus family life may be shaped by our childhood experiences in the family home, according to a study co-authored by Dr Ioana Lupu from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).
Researchers identify recommendations in new effort to improve surgical patients' recovery Collaborators in a new nationwide program for hospitals designed to improve the recovery of surgical patients have identified their first set of evidence-based recommendations: a care plan for colon and rectal surgical procedures. This review of the best available scientific evidence for optimal care before, during, and after colorectal operations is published online as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication.
	Human gut microbe may lead to treatment for multiple sclerosis Mayo Clinic researchers, along with colleagues at the University of Iowa, report that a human gut microbe discovered at Mayo Clinic may help treat autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. The findings appear in Cell Reports.
	Low to no risk from pesticide-tainted eggs: experts The pesticide fipronil at the heart of Europe's latest food safety scare is found in common household products used to rid the family dog of ticks, kill lawn pests, and in cockroach bait.
	Extreme heat linked to climate change may adversely affect pregnancy Pregnant women are an important but thus far largely overlooked group vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat linked to climate change, according to new research by Sabrina McCormick, PhD, an Associate Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University.
109 US salmonella cases now linked to papayas from Mexico An increasing number of people have been sickened by eating papaya now traced to a farm located in southern Mexico, U.S. public health officials said in an update on the outbreak first reported more than two weeks ago.
	First-in-class drug holds promise for therapy-resistant breast cancer UT Southwestern Simmons Cancer Center researchers have shown that a first-in-class molecule can prevent breast cancer growth when traditional therapies stop working.
	Calcium in arteries influences heart attack risk Patients without calcium buildup in the coronary arteries had significantly lower risk of future heart attack or stroke despite other high risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or bad cholesterol levels, new research from UT Southwestern cardiologists shows.
Emergency department visits not a catalyst for falls prevention activities Adults age 65 and older who go to the emergency department (ED) for a fall-related injury are not likely to participate in a fall prevention program after being discharged, despite being given a flyer for a local program before leaving the hospital. The study highlights the challenges of effectively helping these patients prevent future falls, as well as the importance of educating both patients and providers about available programs geared to help prevent falls in the future.
	New genes discovered regulating brain metastases in lung cancer Research from McMaster University has identified new regulators of brain metastases in patients with lung cancer.
	U.S. opioid crisis continues to worsen (HealthDay)—Drug overdose deaths continue to climb in the United States, despite efforts to combat the nation's ongoing opioid addiction crisis, a new federal report states.
	FDA will target e-cigs in health campaign for youth (HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will now include electronic cigarettes in a public health education campaign to discourage American youth from using tobacco and nicotine products.
	Instagram photos may offer snapshot of mental health (HealthDay)—The photos you post on Instagram can contain telltale visual clues that help predict if you're suffering from depression, a new study reports.
	Caring for aging parents (HealthDay)—Millions of Americans are juggling working and raising a family with taking care of an older relative.
	Few skull radiation patients show cognitive impairment (HealthDay)—The majority of patients undergoing skull base irradiation for cancer have no detectable cognitive impairment, but about one-third may have ambiguous results with a self-reporting tool, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in Head & Neck.
	Non-specialists can expand hepatitis C treatment access (HealthDay)—Non-specialists, including primary care providers (PCPs) and nurse practitioners (NPs), safely and effectively administer direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) to patients seen in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), according to a study published online Aug. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Nursing students report that bullying is common (HealthDay)—Bullying remains a concern for nursing students and occurs in both clinical and academic settings, according to a small study published online Aug. 3 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
	Probiotics in infancy do not reduce incidence of eczema (HealthDay)—Probiotic administration during the first six months of life does not reduce the incidence of eczema at 2 years of age or asthma at 5 years of age, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in Pediatrics.
	Births outside obstetric institutions up mortality risk (HealthDay)—Unplanned birth outside an obstetric institution is associated with increased peripartum mortality and long travel time to an institution, according to a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Researchers discover potential cancer treatment breakthrough Patients undergoing conventional chemotherapy for certain cancers could potentially receive more effective and less toxic drug treatment. In a July issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Dong Zhang Ph.D., associate professor of Biomedical Sciences at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) and a team of researchers detail findings that suggest new synthetic lethal interactions could inhibit the growth of tumors in mesenchymal cells, cells that develop into connective tissue such as those found in bones, soft tissues, and the central nervous system.
	New noninvasive method of intracranial pressure monitoring Researchers from Klinikum Stuttgart and the University of Erlangen, Germany, report preliminary findings that show a noninvasive method of monitoring intracranial pressure (ICP) that could rival the gold standards of invasive intraventricular and intraparenchymal monitoring. To date no noninvasive method of ICP monitoring has proved adequate to replace invasive ones. The new noninvasive monitoring device uses advanced signal analysis algorithms to evaluate properties of acoustic signals that pass through the brain in order to determine ICP values. It is described in the article "Evaluation of a novel noninvasive ICP monitoring device in patients undergoing invasive ICP monitoring: preliminary results," by Oliver Ganslandt, M.D., and colleagues (published today in the Journal of Neurosurgery).
	Experts: Lives at risk if no sleep tests for train engineers U.S. officials are abandoning plans to require sleep apnea screening for truck drivers and train engineers, a decision that safety experts say puts millions of lives at risk.
Increased brain acidity in psychiatric disorders The body's acid/alkaline homeostasis, or maintenance of an adequate pH balance in tissues and organs, is important for good health. An imbalance in pH, particularly a shift toward acidity, is associated with various clinical conditions such as decreased cardiovascular output, respiratory distress, and renal failure. But is pH also associated with psychiatric disorders?
What happens when you introduce four year olds to an eldercare home Lying on the floor pretending to roar like a lion can do wonders for an elderly man's well-being. That's not a scientific fact, but it was one of the surprising and memorable moments we observed while making a television program which introduced a group of very young people with residents of a retirement village.
High-tech ideas to fix opioid crisis compete for Ohio grants A call by Republican Gov. John Kasich for scientific breakthroughs to help solve the opioid crisis is drawing interest from dozens of groups with ideas including remote controlled medication dispensers, monitoring devices for addicts, mobile apps and pain-relieving massage gloves.
What we know about Europe's tainted eggs scandal Several European countries face a growing scare over millions of eggs that have been contaminated with the insecticide fipronil, which is potentially harmful to humans.
Comfy Cow recalls ice cream due to possible E. coli A Kentucky-based ice cream chain says it has recalled some of its most popular flavors due to possible E. coli contamination.
First medical marijuana dispensary opening in Hawaii Dispensary sales of medical marijuana in Hawaii are beginning after patients waited 17 years for a legal way to purchase the drug.

Biology news

	Amniotic sac in a dish: Stem cells form structures that may aid of infertility research The first few weeks after sperm meets egg still hold many mysteries. Among them: what causes the process to fail, leading to many cases of infertility.
	Maize from El Gigante Rock Shelter shows early transition to staple crop Mid-summer corn on the cob is everywhere, but where did it all come from and how did it get to be the big, sweet, yellow ears we eat today? Some of the answers come from carbon dating ancient maize and other organic material from the El Gigante rock shelter in Honduras, according to a team of anthropologists who show that 4,300 years ago maize was sufficiently domesticated to serve as a staple crop in the Honduran highlands.
	Database of inbred mouse proteins responsible for strain discrepancies created (Phys.org)—A trio of researchers affiliated with several institutions in Belgium has developed a bioinformatics tool that allows for comparing protein-coding genes of 36 inbred mouse strains to the C57BL/6J strain. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Steven Timmermans, Marc Van Montagu and Claude Libert describe the tool, the database they created using it and applications for other researchers.
	Researchers find that teamwork helps jellies jet around the ocean Scientists now know why jellyfish-like salps swimming together move better than a single salp pulsing solo. That information, says UO marine biologist Kelly Sutherland, could guide the development of jet-propelled underwater vehicles.
	Multi-nutrient rice against malnutrition ETH researchers have developed a new rice variety that not only has increased levels of the micronutrients iron and zinc in the grains, but also produces beta-carotene as a precursor of vitamin A. This could help to reduce micronutrient malnutrition, or "hidden hunger," which is widespread in developing countries.
	Single cell RNA-seq will provide key insight on how different types of taste cells function A significant technological advance from the Monell Center now allows scientists to identify the complete set of genes in any type of taste receptor cell. The technology provides taste researchers with a treasure trove of information that will help identify precisely how each type of taste receptor cell carries out its specific function.
	New scanning process allows unprecedented look inside live insects Until now, insects have been too wriggly to make good subjects for scientists wanting to understand more about insect innards.
	Cougar makes rare successful crossing of LA-area freeway Researchers recently documented a rare case of a cougar from the Santa Monica Mountains successfully crossing U.S. Highway 101 and moving into a range less hemmed in by Southern California sprawl, the National Park Service said Monday.
Study tests the complexity of important plant hormones A Purdue University study confirms complex associations among plant hormones and their signaling pathways that are key to controlling plant architecture.
	Lizard venom may contain clues to treating blood clots Various types of lizard venom are being studied as possible treatments for blood clotting diseases that lead to millions of cases of stroke, heart attack, and deep-vein thrombosis annually.
	Wild bees thrive after severe forest fires Early results from a two-year study in southern Oregon suggest that moderate and severe forest fires create conditions that lead to greater abundance and diversity of wild bees.
	Climate change may confuse plant dormancy cycles Perennial plants in the Midwest are well attuned to their surroundings. They hunker down all winter in a dormant state, just waiting for a sign that it's safe to unfurl their first tender leaves or flower buds. For many plants, the cue is a sustained warming trend, but day length also factors into the dormancy equation.
	Study shows seaweed succumbs to viruses Scientists are warning the UK kelp biofuel industry to beware of viruses. Whilst known to infect certain types of seaweed, a new study published in the ISME Journal is the first to describe viruses in kelps, which are important both ecologically and commercially.
	Sage grouse conservation changes draw mix of praise, alarm President Donald Trump's administration has opened the door to industry-friendly changes to a sweeping plan imposed by his predecessor to protect a ground-dwelling bird across vast areas of the U.S. West.
	Anger mounts in Hong Kong over massive palm oil spill Residents in Hong Kong desperately tried to clear the coastline of greasy lumps of palm oil Tuesday as it continues to wash ashore after a huge spillage at sea.
	Researchers and global fishing companies form coalition for sustainable seas The initiative marks the first time that companies from Asia, Europe and the US have joined forces to work on a clear agenda and commitment for change, and illustrate how sustainability scientists can actively engage as change makers.
	Asian hornet to colonize UK within two decades without action The yellow legged or Asian hornet - a voracious predator of honey bees and other beneficial insects - could rapidly colonise the UK unless its spread is combatted, according to new research by the Universities of Warwick and Newcastle, working with the National Bee Unit.
Local collaboration key to protecting pollinators while managing ticks, mosquitoes Managing mosquito and tick populations and protecting the health of pollinators are growing concerns on a global scale, but success in both requires teamwork on the local level.
	Four new fruit fly species from the Himalaya and information about their flower visitation The first record of flower visitation in a group of fruit flies from Himalayan India and a total of four new species are described in the open access journal ZooKeys. In their paper, scientists also revise the descriptions of all representatives of this genus (Lordiphosa) in India.
	Icy treat for panda stars' birthday in Dutch zoo Two multi-layered "cakes" made from ice, vegetable juice and fruit greeted a pair of giant pandas at a Dutch zoo Tuesday for their first birthday party since arriving from China.
	Even bacteria have baggage—and understanding that is key to fighting superbugs New research points to treatment strategies for multi-drug antibiotic resistance using currently available drugs. The study, publishing August 8 in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Phillip Yen and Jason Papin at the University of Virginia demonstrates how different adaptation histories of bacterial pathogens to antibiotics leads to distinct evolutionary dynamics of multi-drug resistance. In an era where there are few new antibiotics in the R&D pipeline and bacteria are developing resistance to the drugs now available, exploiting bacteria's past may be a major breakthrough for the future.
An updated classification for freshwater crayfishes A new paper published in the Journal of Crustacean Biology provides an updated classification system that includes all the known crayfishes worldwide. This makes available a single, comprehensive taxonomic summary of all the recognized species of crayfish of the world.
	Sign language orangutan dead at 39 Chantek, a male orangutan that learned to communicate in sign language, has died at the age of 39, a US zoo announced.
	Groups propose ocean refuges for captive dolphins, whales A Hawaii marine park's purchase of Kina, a 40-year-old false killer whale long used in echolocation research, has reignited a debate about captive marine mammals and the places that care for them.
	Dopaminergic neurons derived from iPSCs in non-human primate model Researchers have demonstrated the ability to generate dopaminergic neurons in the laboratory from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from fibroblast cells of adult marmoset monkeys. This new study, documenting the iPSCs' pluripotent properties and the potential for using this animal model to develop regenerative medicine approaches for dopamine-related disorders such as Parkinson's disease, is published in Stem Cells and Development.
	Researchers use TACC supercomputers to uncover the genetic roots of Yellow Canopy Syndrome Since 2011, a mysterious illness known as Yellow Canopy Syndrome, or YCS, has afflicted Australian sugarcane. The condition causes the mid-canopy leaves of otherwise healthy plants to rapidly turn yellow to a degree that the plant's sugar yield can decrease by up to 30 percent.

---

This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
https://sciencex.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com