Science X Newsletter Monday, Feb 26

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 26, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

'Two-way signaling' possible with a single quantum particle

Researchers detect beryllium in the fast nova ASASSN-16kt

Researchers report the creation of Rydberg polarons in a Bose gas

Best of Last Week–Black holes erasing the past, turning smart phones into microscopes and the 'loudness' of our thoughts

More precise measurements show West Antarctica ice melt accelerating

AI and 5G in focus at top mobile fair

Archaeologists find ancient necropolis in Egypt

Lighthouse: Home monitor is one smart sentry

Plants evolve away from obsolete defenses when attacked by immune herbivores, study shows

Beech booming as climate changes, and that's bad for forests

Renault cars playing role in power ecosystem for island residents

Model based on hydrothermal sources evaluate possibility of life Jupiter's icy moon

Nanomushroom sensors—one material, many applications

Stem cell study may result in stronger muscles in old age

Scientists take step toward safer batteries by trimming lithium branches

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers detect beryllium in the fast nova ASASSN-16kt An international team of researchers led by Luca Izzo of the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, Spain, has conducted high-resolution spectroscopic observations of the fast nova ASASSN-16kt. The study, which resulted in detection of beryllium in this nova, appeared February 16 on arXiv.org.
	Model based on hydrothermal sources evaluate possibility of life Jupiter's icy moon Jupiter's icy moon Europa is a major target of astrobiology research as it offers a possible habitable environment. Under its 10 km-thick icy crust is an ocean of liquid water over 100 km deep. Energy deriving from the moon's gravitational interaction with Jupiter keeps this ocean warm.
	Rare first moment of stellar explosion captured by amateur astronomer An amateur astronomer testing his new camera captures the moment a supernova became visible in the night sky, which has helped an international team of researchers to test their theory about the beginning stages of a stellar explosion.
	Image: Hubble finds the calm after the galactic storm The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope caught sight of a soft, diffuse-looking galaxy that is probably the aftermath of a long-ago galactic collision. Two spiral galaxies, each perhaps much like the Milky Way, swirled together for millions of years.
	This was exactly where cassini crashed into Saturn On September 15th, 2017, after nearly 20 years in service, the Cassini spacecraft ended its mission by plunging into the atmosphere of Saturn. During the 13 years it spent in the Saturn system, this probe revealed a great deal about the gas giant, its rings, and its systems of moons. As such, it was a bittersweet moment for the mission team when the probe concluded its Grand Finale and began descending into Saturn's atmosphere.
	Beaming with the light of millions of suns In the 1980s, researchers began discovering extremely bright sources of X-rays in the outer portions of galaxies, away from the supermassive black holes that dominate their centers. At first, researchers thought these cosmic objects, called ultraluminous X-ray sources, or ULXs, were hefty black holes with more than ten times the mass of the sun. But observations beginning in 2014 from NASA's NuSTAR and other space telescopes are showing that some ULXs, which glow with X-ray light equal in energy to millions of suns, are actually neutron stars—the burnt-out cores of massive stars that exploded. Three such ULXs have been identified as neutron stars so far.
	Proxima Centauri's no good, very bad day A team of astronomers led by Carnegie's Meredith MacGregor and Alycia Weinberger detected a massive stellar flare—an energetic explosion of radiation—from the closest star to our own Sun, Proxima Centauri, which occurred last March. This finding, published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, raises questions about the habitability of our Solar System's nearest exoplanetary neighbor, Proxima b, which orbits Proxima Centauri.
	Stars around the Milky Way: Cosmic space invaders or victims of galactic eviction? Astronomers have investigated a small population of stars in the halo of the Milky Way Galaxy, finding its chemical composition to closely match that of the Galactic disk. This similarity provides compelling evidence that these stars have originated from within the disc, rather than from merged dwarf galaxies. The reason for this stellar migration is thought to be theoretically proposed oscillations of the Milky Way disc as a whole, induced by the tidal interaction of the Milky Way with a passing massive satellite galaxy.
	CloudSat exits the 'A-train' Mission managers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, this week lowered the orbit of the nearly 12-year-old CloudSat satellite following the loss of one of its reaction wheels, which control its orientation in orbit. While CloudSat's science mission will continue, it will no longer fly as part of the Afternoon Constellation, or A-Train—six Earth-monitoring satellites that fly in a coordinated orbit to advance our understanding of how Earth functions as a system.
	Report on an occultation near Marseille – first scientific result with the eVscope Unistellar is proud to announce the first real scientific result obtained with our eVscope prototype. On Jan, 27, after designing a special observing mode for this purpose, we viewed an occultation of a magnitude-11 star by the main-belt asteroid 175 Andromache . By combining our observations, which we made in Marseille, France, with others taken in France and Italy, the IOTA team was able to derive an estimated shape for the asteroid. In the future, eVscope users will be able to participate in observation campaigns just like this, helping scientists directly measure the shape and size of asteroids.
	Image: 22 years of SOHO The activity cycle of the sun – where the number of sunspots increase and decrease – has been monitored regularly for around 250 years, but the use of space-based telescopes has given us a whole new perspective of our nearest star.

Technology news

	AI and 5G in focus at top mobile fair Phone makers will seek to entice new buyers with better cameras and bigger screens at the world's biggest mobile fair starting Monday in Spain after a year of flat smartphone sales.
	Lighthouse: Home monitor is one smart sentry A smart home device that serves as a security camera delivers service that goes beyond house sentry. What if you find a home device that not only acts as sentry but does double duty as private investigator/concierge/babysitter?
	Renault cars playing role in power ecosystem for island residents Groupe Renault has announced a program where it will show how re-employing second-life batteries can support a local "smart island" ecosystem.
	Charging ahead to higher energy batteries Researchers have developed a new way to improve lithium ion battery efficiency. Through the growth of a cubic crystal layer, the scientists have created a thin, dense connecting layer between the electrodes of the battery. Professor Nobuyuki Zettsu and Professor Katsuya Teshima led the research. The authors published their results in Scientific Reports.
	Hacker-resistant power plant software gets a glowing tryout in Hawaii Johns Hopkins computer security experts recently traveled to Hawaii to see how well their hacker-resistant software would operate within a working but currently offline Honolulu power plant. The successful resilience testing, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, was triggered in part by growing concerns about the vulnerability of electric power grids after two high-profile cyber-attacks turned out the lights in parts of Ukraine during the past two years.
	Alternative to traditional batteries moves a step closer to reality after exciting progress in supercapacitor technology Lithium-ion batteries could be under threat after the development of polymer materials by the Universities of Surrey and Bristol, along with Superdielectrics Ltd, that could challenge the dominance of these traditional batteries.
	New technique allows printing of flexible, stretchable silver nanowire circuits Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new technique that allows them to print circuits on flexible, stretchable substrates using silver nanowires. The advance makes it possible to integrate the material into a wide array of electronic devices.
	Inspired by nature: Design for new electrode could boost supercapacitors' performance Mechanical engineers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and four other institutions have designed a super-efficient and long-lasting electrode for supercapacitors. The device's design was inspired by the structure and function of leaves on tree branches, and it is more than 10 times more efficient than other designs.
	Facebook pulls gun game from conservative gathering Facebook pulled a virtual reality gun game from a major US conservative political gathering Friday, saying the demo was a mistake given the recent deadly school shooting in Florida.
	New Samsung phone: Nicer camera, static design, higher price Samsung unveiled new smartphones with largely unchanged designs and incremental improvements such as a better camera—accompanied by a second annual price increase for many customers.
	A look at transportation safety rules sidelined under Trump President Donald Trump says his administration has ended more unnecessary regulations than any previous administration. In response to his orders, the Transportation Department has withdrawn, repealed, delayed or put on the back burner at least a dozen significant safety rules, according to an Associated Press review of the department's regulatory actions over the past year.
	Robots get a light touch It's the Holy Grail in robotics: an android that can perform complex tasks beside humans in a real-world environment.
Spinach protein and blackberry dye give juice to biohybrid solar cells Berries really do pack extra punch – increasing the voltage of spinach-derived biohybrid solar cells developed by Vanderbilt researchers by up to a factor of 20.
Blockchain-enabled cat breeding and the future of gambling The internet loves cats so much that now some people are investing tens of thousands of real-world dollars on blockchain-powered cats that don't actually exist.
	World's largest phone show opens under Catalan secession cloud The world's largest phone show opened in Barcelona Monday with a visit by King Felipe VI as tensions run high just months after Catalonia's failed bid to break from Spain.
	Top gadgets at Mobile World Congress From headsets that help you lose weight without dieting to a smart meat thermometer, here are five eye-catching devices on display at the Mobile World Congress, wireless industry's biggest conference which got underway Monday in Barcelona:
	Wearable devices could diagnose illness as it emerges Wearable medical sensors used widely in hospitals and clinics are spreading into the mainstream as tech companies increasingly incorporate them into popular electronics, from Apple's smart watches to Fitbit fitness bands.
	How electricity changes lives: a Rwandan case study More than 1.1 billion people in developing countries lack access to electricity. Some 590 million live in Africa, where the rural electrification rate is particularly low at only 14%.
A new approach to highly efficient, air-stable perovskite solar cells Research into the use of perovskite materials as solar cells has boomed in the last several years, following reports of high energy conversion efficiencies, which have continued to climb. New research published in the journal Materials Today reveals how to improve the lifetime of these solar cells.
	Augmented reality lets students operate a chemical plant "This is awesome," said Brendan Eder '19, moments after setting eyes on a tabletop glowing brightly in a darkened room in Wegmans Hall.
	Clever coating opens door to smart windows Researchers from RMIT University in Melbourne Australia have developed a new ultra-thin coating that responds to heat and cold, opening the door to "smart windows".
	Huawei's AI-powered smartphone drives a Porsche China's Huawei used the artificial intelligence capabilities of its flagship Mate 10 Pro phone to drive a sports car as the Mobile World Congress got under way in Barcelona Monday, in what it said was a world first.
	New US tax law brings Warren Buffett a nice check: $29 billion Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company of US billionaire investor Warren Buffett, received a stunning $29 billion check last year from the US government, thanks to a new tax law that massively lowered corporate tax rates.
	Huawei launches new tablet in flagship phone hiatus China's Huawei launched a new laptop and tablet on Sunday as it seeks to cement its place among the world's three biggest electronic device manufacturers.
	Taxi! Companies line up to overhaul Japan's staid cab sector With their white-gloved, greying drivers and lace-covered seating, Japan's taxis seem to belong to another era, but as the 2020 Olympics approach, the sedate sector is facing a quiet revolution.
	Wheels come off Gobee.bike hire service in France People wanting to get on their bikes in France have one option less to do so after the Gobee.bike hire service said Saturday it was closing following a welter of thefts and vandalism.
Connecticut state agencies targeted in cyberattack State officials say a weekend cyberattack targeted about 160 computers at a dozen Connecticut state agencies.
Britain seeks to cap 'rip-off' energy prices Britain on Monday launched plans for a cap on domestic energy prices, as it cracks down on poor-value tariffs that hurt the most vulnerable.
	Ukraine arrests 'Avalanche' cybercrime organiser: police Ukrainian has detained one of the organisers of the massive Avalanche cybercrime network, police said on Monday, over a year after the global ring was busted in an international raid.
	CBS launching a 24-hour streaming sports news network CBS Corp. is rolling out a 24-hour streaming sports news network that will feature the day's top news, highlights and analysis.
	US defends moves to roll back 'net neutrality' rules The head of the US Federal Communications Commission defended Monday his move to roll back rules requiring internet providers to treat all traffic equally, saying it was needed to encourage investment in new super-fast wireless networks.

Medicine & Health news

	Stem cell study may result in stronger muscles in old age Muscular function declines with age. A new study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows how an unexpectedly high number of mutations in the stem cells of muscles impair cell regeneration. This discovery may result in new medication to build stronger muscles throughout aging. The study is published in Nature Communications.
	Study uncovers cause of cell death in Parkinson's disease A University of Guelph researcher has discovered one of the factors behind nerve cell death in Parkinson's disease, unlocking the potential for treatment to slow the progression of this fatal neurodegenerative disorder.
	Seeing the brain's electrical activity Neurons in the brain communicate via rapid electrical impulses that allow the brain to coordinate behavior, sensation, thoughts, and emotion. Scientists who want to study this electrical activity usually measure these signals with electrodes inserted into the brain, a task that is notoriously difficult and time-consuming.
	Accurate telomere length test influences treatment decisions for certain diseases Research led by Johns Hopkins physicians and scientists shows that a test for measuring the length of DNA endcaps, called telomeres, which has a variability rate of 5 percent, can alter treatment decisions for patients with certain types of bone marrow failure.
Flu forecasting system tracks geographic spread of disease Scientists at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health developed a system to accurately predict the geographic spread of seasonal influenza in the United States, as reported in a paper published in the journal PNAS.
	Brain can navigate based solely on smells Northwestern University researchers have developed a new "smell virtual landscape" that enables the study of how smells engage the brain's navigation system. The work demonstrates, for the first time, that the mammalian brain can form a map of its surroundings based solely on smells.
	New formulated moisturizer effective for facial dermatitis (HealthDay)—Facial moisturizers with specific ingredients may be effective for treating mild-to-moderate dermatitis, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
	Artificial intelligence may help prevent physician burnout (HealthDay)—Artificial intelligence (AI), in which computers can be trained to recognize patterns in large quantities of data, may be able to reduce physicians' burdens, saving them time and energy, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Demographics can help identify migrants to Canada at high risk of TB Demographic characteristics can help identify groups of immigrants in Canada at high risk of tuberculosis (TB), according to new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Diet shown to reduce stroke risk may also reduce risk of depression People who eat vegetables, fruit and whole grains may have lower rates of depression over time, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.
Physicians develop recommendations for managing in-flight medical emergencies "Is there a doctor on board?" Hearing this call go out at 36,000 feet can be anxiety-provoking for any physician and may trigger a dilemma of whether to respond, or wait to see if anyone else will offer their expertise.
Anxiety can help your memory Anxiety can help people to remember things, a study from the University of Waterloo has found.
People rationalize policies as soon as they take effect People express greater approval for political outcomes as soon as those outcomes transition from being anticipated to being actual, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Findings from three field studies indicate that people report more favorable opinions about policies and politicians once they become the status quo.
	New directions found in understanding, fighting glaucoma Two distinctive handfuls of short molecules that regulate gene expression have been found in the eye fluid of patients with two distinct types of vision degenerating glaucoma.
	Imaging plays key role in evaluating injuries at Olympics The Olympic Games give elite athletes a chance at athletic triumph, but also carry a risk of injury. When injuries occur, it is critical that they be evaluated quickly. Onsite imaging services play an important role in the management of Olympic athletes with sports-related injuries and disorders, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.
	Insights into familial middle-age dementia suggest new avenues for treatment Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is one of the most common causes of early-onset dementia, and can lead to personality changes, impaired speaking and motor dysfunction. While most cases occur sporadically, several inherited forms of FTLD have been linked to genetic mutations, which can offer clues to the causes of the disease and potential approaches to treatment. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers have now uncovered several key events that occur in a common form of familial FTLD linked to mutations in the PGRN gene.
	How to get that perfect shave (HealthDay)—Guys, a perfect shave may be more about preparation and technique than the actual razor.
	New link between gut bacteria and obesity Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered a new link between gut bacteria and obesity. They found that certain amino acids in the blood are connected to obesity and the composition of the gut microbiome.
Kids see words and faces differently from adults Young children literally see words and faces differently from adults. Where adults can most easily comprehend a word when they look at it straight on, children need to look a bit up and to the left. For faces, they need to look a bit up and to the right.
Discovery to alter the path of bionic voice research worldwide 300,000 people world-wide have had their larynx surgically removed as a result of cancer treatment, and the number is increasing by 10,000 every year. For these people, natural, human-sounding speech is no longer possible.
Black, Hispanics less likely to drink tap water, more likely to buy bottled Black and Hispanic U.S. adults are half as likely as whites to drink tap water and more than twice as likely to drink bottled water, according to a recent Penn State analysis.
	Asthmatics show DNA changes in immune cells Children with asthma have epigenetic DNA changes in certain cells of their immune system, a major international study involving researchers at Karolinska Institutet shows. The finding, which is presented in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, can one day lead to improved diagnostics and treatment.
	Student investigates sun safety in daycare Daycares and early childhood education programs frequently apply sunscreen to children, but still have room for improvement in sun safety, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study published in JAMA Dermatology.
	New insights into how the retina processes orientation In a study published in Nature Communications, Northwestern Medicine scientists detail the discovery of two types of cells in the retina that determine horizontal or vertical orientation, and demonstrated for the first time how they convey information.
	Successful tele-genetics pilot makes genetic counseling easily accessible A new telehealth program is expanding access to expert genetic counseling by making it available remotely, connecting families with trained genetic specialists who can help interpret their results.
	Sipping hot fruit teas can lead to tooth erosion An investigation by scientists at King's College London into why some people suffer tooth erosion while others don't has found that it's not just what they eat and drink, but how they eat and drink, that increases their chances of developing the condition.
	Strawberries safe for children with cancer A new review from researchers at the University of York suggests dietary guidelines for children with cancer should be changed to allow them to eat strawberries and other fresh foods while undergoing chemotherapy.
	Three thyroid cancer drugs approved for NHS in England Three thyroid cancer treatments have been approved for routine use on the NHS in England.
Smoking E-cigarettes daily doubles risk of heart attacks Daily use of electronic cigarettes is associated with nearly a doubling of the odds of a heart attack, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco. This is the first evidence of a substantial, human health impact of the popular devices that were first introduced about a decade ago, indicating that e-cigarettes may be more dangerous than previously thought.
Cancer drugs could transform the lives of children with serious disfigurements Drugs normally used to treat cancer could reduce the disfigurements of thousands of children born with life-threatening blood vessel defects. The drugs are being trialed by researchers at Great Ormond Street Hospitalopens in new window (GOSH), based on the findings of MRC-funded geneticists.
	The surprising benefits of being a pessimist How many times have you been told that something great will happen as long as you believe it is possible? From pop psychology books to self-improvement seminars and blogs, there's a lot of hype surrounding the advantages of positive thinking. And there's certainly some evidence behind it – a large body of work suggests that being optimistic reaps a number of positive rewards, including better health and wellbeing.
	Preterm birth leaves its mark in the functional networks of the brain Researchers at the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University Hospital have proven that premature birth has a significant and, at the same time, a very selective effect on the functional networks of a child's brain. The effects can primarily be seen in the frontal lobe, which is significant for cognitive functions.
	Traffic jam causes immune cell road rage Mutations in the gene OCRL cause Lowe syndrome, but it has remained unclear how loss of OCRL leads to the diverse eye, kidney, and neurological symptoms suffered by patients. In the featured article from the October issue of PLOS Genetics, we report that loss of OCRL in fruit flies causes inappropriate activation of immune cells, raising the exciting possibility that inflammation might be a cause of some Lowe syndrome symptoms.
	Want to solve complex health issues? Train scholars to think across disciplines In this complex world a number of factors affect both the distribution and prevalence of disease and the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or reduce disease. These factors are social, physical, environmental and historical. It follows, then, that challenges in public health require a multidisciplinary approach.
	How we pinned down what attracts mosquitos that carry dengue fever Kenya has seen a rapid increase in chikungunya and dengue viruses outbreaks since 2016. Both are mosquito-borne viral infections that lead to debilitating joint and muscle pain.
Fewer alcohol-related visits to inner Sydney emergency room since 'lockout laws' introduced The emergency room at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital has seen a 10% reduction in the incidence of fractures that are often caused by a punch to the face over the two years since the so-called "lockout laws" were introduced.
	The real way to prevent bullying: Create inclusive homes and classrooms Close your eyes. Now imagine your three-year-old self, sitting on the classroom carpet, involved in a large group activity. You and the other children are required to listen and follow along. Some are able to sit quietly and actively participate, but not you.
	New research finds drug for alcohol use disorder ineffective A new study, published in the Addiction journal, conducted by researchers from the University of Liverpool highlights the ineffectiveness of a specific drug treatment for alcohol use disorders.
Program shows success in implementing patient transition care processes Hospitals participating in the American College of Cardiology's Patient Navigator Program, showed significant improvement in implementing performance measures that help heart attack and heart failure patients transition from the hospital to home and keep them out of the hospital longer, according to research to be presented at the ACC's 67th Annual Scientific Session.
	Study reveals no link between hormonal birth control and depression Women face several options when it comes to birth control, so potential side effects often factor into their decision. Depression is a common concern for many women, but a new study by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is putting patients at ease. It found there's no evidence to support a link between hormonal birth control and depression.
Cardiac arrest survival greatly increases when bystanders use an automated external defibrillator Survival from cardiac arrest doubled when a bystander stepped in to apply an automated external defibrillator (AED) before emergency responders arrived, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	Scientists move closer to treatment for Huntington's disease A new variant of the gene-editing CRISPR/Cas9 system is safer and more specific than versions previously used in early research towards a treatment for Huntington's disease, shows research published today in Frontiers in Neuroscience.
Targeting pathway may reduce cocaine's cardiovascular harms Scientists have discovered a potential new pathway to treat the harmful effect of cocaine on the cardiovascular system, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension.
	Vegetarian and Mediterranean diet may be equally effective in preventing heart disease A lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, which includes eggs and dairy but excludes meat and fish, and a Mediterranean diet are likely equally effective in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	Inspiration for machine learning cell cycle sorting method found in an unlikely place The lifespan of cells in the human body varies greatly, from as short as a few days, such as those in our stomach lining, to the cells in our bones, which live for 25-30 years. And for each healthy cell, no matter how long it lives, there is a tightly coordinated series of events that lead to its division and the creation of two identical daughter cells. This is called the cell cycle.
	Decoding the signals of the heart There are currently an estimated 1.8 million people in Germany who have atrial fibrillation but do not know it. Now a Dutch company has developed an app with which a smartphone can be used to detect this dangerous cardiac arrhythmia. Scientists at the TU Darmstadt are helping to ensure the recorded data is interpreted correctly and efficiently.
Helping the heart to cope with stress A new Junior Research Group at the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention will focus on metabolic adaption of heart muscle cells to find new therapies for combating heart disease.
South Africa's reading crisis is a cognitive catastrophe When the late Black Consciousness leader Steve Biko published his seminal book, "I write what I like", in 1978 it wasn't about individual self-expression or even self-indulgence. It was a political statement with its origins in the work of Brazilian adult literacy activist Paulo Freire.
	Can coffee improve your workout? The science of caffeine and exercise Caffeine is one of the most researched substances reported to help athletes perform better and train longer and harder. As a result, professional and amateur sportspeople often take it as a performance-enhancing "ergogenic" aids for a wide range of activities. These include intermittent exercise such as football and racket sports, endurance exercise such as running and cycling, and resistance exercise such as weightlifting.
	The Russian anti-anxiety drug linked to Gold Coast teens' overdoses Phenibut was initially developed in the 1960s in Russia as an anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) drug with cognitive enhancing properties. It has since attracted a strong following of users in the "smart drug" market, with claims of boosting memory recall and exam performance.
	Preventing a million diabetic foot amputations Every 20 seconds someone, somewhere on the planet, loses a foot due to diabetes. Foot ulcers are the starting point of more than 80% of these amputations, and they could be prevented.
	Plague bacteria may be hiding in common soil or water microbes, waiting to emerge Plague is a highly contagious disease that has killed millions of people over the past 1,400 years. Outbreaks still sporadically occur in as many as 36 countries worldwide. Perhaps one of the greatest remaining mysteries surrounding plague is how and where it survives between outbreaks.
	Virtual exploratory tours of blood vessel networks Researchers at the Universities of Bayreuth and Marburg have succeeded in creating high-definition images of human blood vessels magnified thousands of times. Using virtual reality glasses from the world of computer games, it is now possible to take virtual exploratory tours through a complex mesh of tiny blood vessels. In this way, scientists were able to make new discoveries about the spleen, which they have now published in the journal PLOS ONE.
	Study finds only half of infants with deadly meningitis show traditional signs of the disease Researchers at St George's, University of London, say their new study shows the classic symptoms associated with bacterial meningitis are uncommon in young infants less than three months of age – the group at highest risk of the disease.
	New study shows repurposing leukemia drugs may prevent melanoma metastasis Data from a new study led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers shows that repurposing drugs used to treat leukemia has promise for preventing melanoma metastasis.
	Newest data shows childhood obesity continues to increase Despite reports in recent years suggesting childhood obesity could be reaching a plateau in some groups, the big picture on obesity rates for children ages 2 to 19 remains unfavorable.
	Mental illness and gun laws—What you may not know about the complexities Every time the country is shaken by a tragic mass shooting and the loss of innocent lives, the same debates are repeated. Besides sending thoughts and prayers for the victims, a common theme – especially when the shooter is not a Muslim – is discussing warning signs of mental illness, and its role in the actions of the murderer.
	Insights into depression could aid development of new treatments Fresh insights into changes in the brain linked to depression could pave the way for new therapies.
Researchers find low magnesium levels make vitamin D ineffective February 27, 2018—There is a caveat to the push for increased Vitamin D: Don't forget magnesium.
	Children's Colorado doctors conclude EV-D68 likely cause of acute flaccid myelitis A team of doctors and scientists from the U.S. and Europe led by Kevin Messacar, MD, an infectious disease specialist from Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado), has found that Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is a likely cause of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), a rare illness that affects the nervous system of children. The research was published late Friday, Feb. 23 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The widespread outbreak of the respiratory virus in 2014 and 2016, which was accompanied by increased cases of AFM, suggests a need for better preparation for the disease's possible return in 2018 and beyond.
Variant of the p53 gene increased tumor cell metabolism Scientists at The Wistar Institute have found a novel mechanism through which mutant p53 enhances metastasis by controlling tumor metabolism. The research, published online in Genes & Development, also revealed how this process is influenced by a naturally occurring p53 gene variant.
	Perceptions of old age change as we age Does life really begin at 40? Is 50 the new 30? For people in these age groups, the answer appears to be yes.
New method extracts information on psychiatric symptoms from electronic health records Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School have developed a new method to extract valuable symptom information from doctors' notes, allowing them to capture the complexity of psychiatric disorders that is missed by traditional sources of clinical data. The study, published in Biological Psychiatry, was led by co-senior authors Tianxi Cai, Sc.D., and Roy H. Perlis, M.D. A second study published in Biological Psychiatry, also led by Dr. Perlis, applied the new method in a proof-of-concept study to identify genes associated with psychiatric symptoms.
	Most breast cancer patients' experiences with radiation therapy are better than expected A new study reveals that many patients with breast cancer have misconceptions and fears about radiation therapy, but their actual experiences with modern breast radiation therapy are better than they expected. In the study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, most patients agreed that their initial negative impressions were unfounded.
	Discovery reveals way to stop inflammation in Alzheimer's, arthritis, more A new discovery about the immune system may allow doctors to treat harmful inflammation that damages the brain in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. It might also let doctors save patients from the potentially deadly inflammation of sepsis, a full-body infection that kills a quarter-million Americans every year.
Quiescent cells also mutate For almost a hundred years, geneticists have believed that the more a cell divides the more mutations it acquires. However, research by scientists at the Institut Pasteur shows that quiescent cells, which do not divide, also acquire a particular type of mutation - deletions (mutations through loss of nucleobases).
Collaborative study takes aim at non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Texas A&M University System researchers in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Baylor Scott & White Research Institute have completed a study identifying one of the mechanisms leading to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, providing new possibilities for prevention and treatment of the disease.
	Improving quality of life for people with chronic heart failure Patients with chronic heart failure face related problems, such as depression and fatigue, that could be relieved by an expanded model of care, according to a recently published study led by a researcher from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Not enjoying your dinner out? Try putting the phone away Smartphones might make people feel more connected, but they likely don't belong at the dinner table, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.
	Health staff 'too stressed' to deal with disasters Increasing stress and a lack of motivation among healthcare staff could result in hospitals having to shut down in the wake of a major incident such as flooding or an earthquake, according to new research published in the journal Procedia Engineering.
	Watch fat cells help heal a wound in a fly Fat body cells in Drosophila play a surprising role in sealing wounds and preventing infection, researchers at the University of Bristol report February 26 in the journal Developmental Cell. The cells, which were previously thought to be immobile, propel themselves forward toward wounds with a wormlike wave motion, rather than adhering to and pushing off of other structures like most motile cells do.
	New research could lead to improved method of treating pancreatic cancer A heating and freezing process known as dual thermal ablation can kill pancreatic cancer cells, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University at New York.
	Diagnosis is not enough: Predicting avoidable transfers from nursing homes is complex Treating acutely ill nursing home residents in place and avoiding hospitalizations when possible is better for their health and for the healthcare system. Common diagnoses, such as heart failure or urinary tract infection, are often used to classify whether a hospitalization of a nursing home resident was "potentially avoidable."
	U.S. child obesity levels not falling after all (HealthDay)—Despite some promising reports in recent years, it seems the U.S. childhood obesity problem is not turning a corner.
	Pointers for easier potty training (HealthDay)—Are you frustrated with the way your toddler's toilet training is going?
	15 percent of teens say they've sexted (HealthDay)—About 15 percent of teenagers say they've shared a sexually explicit image or video of themselves over the internet or via phone messaging, researchers say.
	Factors tied to molecular testing by dermatopathologists ID'd (HealthDay)—Among dermatopathologists, relevant instruction during residency training, primary board certification in pathology, and academic medical center affiliation are among the factors associated with more frequent utilization of molecular testing, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology.
	Knee pain, functional impairment associated with depression (HealthDay)—Knee pain and functional impairments in elderly individuals are associated with the development of depressive symptoms, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Guidelines updated for managing and ID'ing adolescent depression (HealthDay)—Clinical practice guidelines have been updated to assist primary care (PC) physicians in the screening, treatment, and management of adolescent depression in youth aged 10 to 21 years. The details of the updates are presented in two reports published online Feb. 26 in Pediatrics.
	Prevalence of ALS remained at 5.0/100,000 in U.S. in 2014 (HealthDay)—The prevalence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was 5.0 per 100,000 persons in 2014, which was unchanged from 2013, according to research published in the Feb. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Factors for poor HRQOL ID'd in patients treated for glaucoma (HealthDay)—Reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in surgically and medically treated patients with glaucoma is associated with factors including worse diplopia, poorer visual acuity in either eye, and treatment type, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	MRI risk model may cut biopsy use in suspected prostate cancer (HealthDay)—A risk model including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived parameters may reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies among patients with suspected prostate cancer, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in JAMA Oncology.
New technology may protect troops from blast-induced brain injury Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and the University of Maryland A. James Clark School of Engineering have developed a new military vehicle shock absorbing device that may protect troops from traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a land mine blast. Over the past 18 years of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 250,000 troops have suffered such injuries.
	Study suggests new strategy against vascular disease in diabetes Recent findings suggest a novel approach for protecting people with diabetes from their higher risk of advanced blood vessel disease, which sets the stage for early heart attacks and strokes.
	Scorpion venom component can reduce severity of rheumatoid arthritis A treatment that improves the lives of nearly 1.3 million people with rheumatoid arthritis might one day originate from scorpion venom. A group of researchers led by Dr. Christine Beeton at Baylor College of Medicine has found that one of the hundreds of components in scorpion venom can reduce the severity of the disease in animal models, without inducing side effects associated with similar treatments. The study appears in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
Researchers find a potential treatment for disorders involving excess red blood cells Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have cured mice with Chuvash polycythemia, a life-threatening disorder that involves the overproduction of red blood cells. They treated the mice using Tempol, an experimental drug being studied for treatment of diabetes, cancer and other diseases. The findings offer hope that Tempol or a similar drug may treat polycythemias that affect humans, such as mountain sickness—a serious blood complication experienced in low-oxygen, high-altitude settings. The study appears in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Immune system activation in pregnant women can shape brain development in their babies A landmark study published in the Journal of Neuroscience on February 26 reveals that activation of a pregnant mother's immune system can affect her baby's brain development. A team of researchers led by Bradley Peterson, MD, director of the Institute for the Developing Mind in the Department of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, found that short- and long-term brain functioning can be influenced by immune system activity during the third trimester of gestation.
	Flu may impact brain health Female mice infected with two different strains of the flu exhibit changes to the structure and function of the hippocampus that persist for one month after infection, according to new research published in JNeurosci.
	Mom's immune system shapes baby's brain The state of a woman's immune system during pregnancy may shape the connectivity of her child's brain, suggests a study of teenage mothers published in JNeurosci. The research emphasizes the influence of maternal health on a child's susceptibility to psychiatric disorders later in life.
	Researchers use human neural stem cell grafts to repair spinal cord injuries in monkeys Led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, a diverse team of neuroscientists and surgeons successfully grafted human neural progenitor cells into rhesus monkeys with spinal cord injuries. The grafts not only survived, but grew hundreds of thousands of human axons and synapses, resulting in improved forelimb function in the monkeys.
	Researchers discover receptor that protects against allergies, asthma A special receptor on cells that line the sinuses, throat and lungs evolved to protect mammals from developing a range of allergies and asthma, according to a study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The onset of Alzheimer's disease: The importance of family history You're about to turn 60, and you're fretting. Your mother has had Alzheimer's disease since the age of 65. At what age will the disease strike you? A Canadian study published in JAMA Neurology shows that the closer a person gets to the age at which their parent exhibited the first signs of Alzheimer's, the more likely they are to have amyloid plaques, the cause of the cognitive decline associated with the disease, in their brain.
	Most PA students tobacco-free, but vaping and cigarette use still a concern Most of Pennsylvania's high school and middle school students are tobacco-free, but the use of cigarettes, and their digital counterpart, e-cigarettes, is still a cause for concern, according to Penn State researchers.
	Ketamine works for female rats, too A first of its kind study in female rats finds that a single, low dose of ketamine promotes resilience to future adverse events as it does in male rats. Published in eNeuro, the research addresses a critical gap in understanding and developing treatments for stress-related disorders, which disproportionately afflict females.
ICU risk scores perform well as 'continuous markers' of illness severity Commonly used ICU risk scores can be "repurposed" as continuous markers of severity of illness in critically ill patients—providing ongoing updates on changes in the patient's condition and risk of death, according to a study in the March issue of Critical Care Medicine, official journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.
	Italy's vaccine debate shows anti-establishment sway In Italy, the fight against measles has moved from the doctor's office to the political battleground.
	Bird flu outbreak at Dutch farm More than 36,000 animals have been slaughtered after an outbreak of highly contagious bird flu was detected at a Dutch poultry farm, the agriculture ministry said on Monday.

Biology news

	Plants evolve away from obsolete defenses when attacked by immune herbivores, study shows Do you know what caused soldiers to stop wearing chainmail and steel plate armor? Evolution.
	What happens when you put evolution on replay? A team of scientists from the University of Arizona have engineered an instant replay switch for evolution. The technique, known as ancestral gene resurrection, inserts ancient genes into modern E. coli bacteria. It gives researchers the opportunity to watch evolution unfold again and again, providing insights into how life evolved on early Earth, and what it might potentially look like on other planets.
	Study reveals key inner control mechanism of cell's 'smart glue' Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered that a protein critical to a process called liquid-liquid phase separation within the cell undergoes internal changes in conformation that are key to its function.
	Geological change confirmed as a factor behind the extensive diversity in tropical rainforests The tropical rainforests of Central and South America are home to the largest diversity of plants on this planet. Nowhere else are there quite so many different plant species in one place. However, the entire region is increasingly threatened by human activity, which is why researchers are stepping up their efforts to record this astonishing biodiversity and find out how it developed. In a project undertaken by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in collaboration with Dutch research institutions, the causes of this plant diversity were investigated by studying two closely related groups of trees of the Annonaceae family. The researchers identified three relevant factors: the formation of the Andes mountain range, the disappearance due to natural causes of the extensive Pebas wetlands system that once existed in the Amazon region, and the formation of a land bridge between Central and South America in the form of the Panama Isthmus.
	King penguins may be on the move very soon "The main issue is that there is only a handful of islands in the Southern Ocean and not all of them are suitable to sustain large breeding colonies" says Robin Cristofari, first author of the study, from the Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC/CNRS/University of Strasbourg) and the Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM).
	Migration research reveals key to declines in rare songbirds The annual long-distance migration of rare, tiny songbirds that reproduce in the Great Lakes region and Appalachian Mountains is no longer a mystery.
	Marine animals explore the ocean in similar ways A first-of-its-kind study has mapped the global movements of a range of marine animals around the world, including whales, sharks, sea birds and polar bears, to understand how they travel the ocean.
	Researchers sequence complete genomes of extinct and living elephants An international team of researchers has produced one of the most comprehensive evolutionary pictures to date by looking at one of the world's most iconic animal families - namely elephants, and their relatives mammoths and mastodons-spanning millions of years.
	Medic! Ants injured while hunting for termites get help from paramedic-style triage system Move over, ant farms—ant hospitals are where the real action is. Scientists studying the behavior of African Matabele ants in Ivory Coast have found that the insects act like paramedics in a crisis, triaging and treating the wounds of their injured peers.
	German nights get brighter—but not everywhere Nights in the German federal states (Bundesländer) have been getting increasingly bright—but not everywhere at the same rate, and with one peculiar exemption: Light emissions from Thuringia decreased between 2012 and 2017. This is the result of a recent study by scientists Chris Kyba and Theres Küster from the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, together with Helga Kuechly from Luftbild—Umwelt—Planung, Potsdam. Kyba and colleagues have published the study in the International Journal of Sustainable Lighting IJSL. This week, they updated the maps by including the 2017 data from a satellite-born instrument.
	Small-scale fisheries are throwing away fish that could feed those in poverty At least 7.3m tons of fish (usually dead or dying) are thought to be discarded each year from marine fisheries around the world. But these estimates come mostly from observations of large-scale industrial fisheries. Limited attention has been paid to small-scale fisheries, which are assumed to have low discard rates – some estimate as little as 3.7% total catch, compared to more than 60% for some large-scale shrimp trawlers.
Untangling the debate on white shark populations A white shark population survey by CSIRO has stirred up some political debate, but what do the numbers really tell us?
	Farming fungi in a new Azteca ant colony Moving to a new home is usually accompanied with a long to-do list, from painting the walls to unpacking boxes. For young queen Azteca ants however, one important job is to start growing fungus. Many tropical ant species are famous for their mutualistic relationship with fungi, carefully cultivating and farming different fungi species to use as food or building materials or even to trap prey. However, when and how the fungiculture is started is still a mystery. Do new queens culture fungi that just happen to be around in their new home at the time of colonization? And how soon after their arrival do queens start flexing their agriculture prowess? To answer these questions, Veronika Mayer from the University of Vienna and some of her colleagues set off to the tropics of Costa Rica in the hunt of young Cecropia plants that make ideal new homes for young queen ants.
	The secret to tripling the number of grains in sorghum and perhaps other staple crops A simple genetic modification can triple the grain number of sorghum, a drought-tolerant plant that is an important source of food, animal feed, and biofuel in many parts of the world. In new research reported today in Nature Communications, scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have figured out how that genetic change boosts the plant's yield: by lowering the level of a key hormone, generating more flowers and more seeds. Their discovery points toward a strategy for significantly increasing the yield of other grain crops.
	Climate change draws invasive species to the Arctic The Arctic is changing. Temperatures are increasing twice as fast as the global average and sea ice is retreating quicker than predicted.
	Characterization of Zygophyllum album L monofloral honey from El-Oued, Algeria This study is about a new type of honey bee product collected from one of the desert plants - Zygophyllum album L - in Algeria. Zygophyllum album L honey is not a common product; it is very rare and contains elements of nutritional and biological importance according to this study.
Global scientific review reveals effective alternatives to neonicotinoid and fipronil insecticides Use of controversial neonicotinoid insecticides ("neonics") in agriculture is not as effective as once thought, and can be replaced by advantageous pest-management alternatives, according to a study1 published today in the Springer journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research.
	Video: Virtual predator makes decisions like the real one A sea slug's decision to approach or avoid potential prey has been simulated in a virtual environment called Cyberslug. In the future the software, described in a paper published in eNeuro, may provide a foundation for the development of more realistic artificial intelligence systems.
	'Noah's Ark' seed vault chalks up a million crop varieties Norway's 'doomsday' seed bank, which seeks to protect the world's crops from natural disasters, on Monday said it had gathered more than a million varieties as it marked its 10-year anniversary.
	Malaysia elephant sanctuary trumpets effort to cut human-animal conflict A herd of elephants tramp through jungle before lumbering into a river under the watchful gaze of their keepers, training at a Malaysian sanctuary for their vital work in reducing human-animal conflict.
	87 endangered vultures poisoned by poachers in Mozambique Conservationists say at least 87 critically endangered vultures have died after consuming poison planted in the carcass of a poached elephant in Mozambique.

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