Science X Newsletter Thursday, Mar 8

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 8, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Energy harvester collects energy from sunlight and raindrops

Novel semiconductor-superconductor structure features versatile gallium nitride

Researchers develop heat switch for electronics

Researchers invent new method to create self-tinting windows

How brightly colored spiders evolved on Hawaii again and again... and again

Researchers sew atomic lattices seamlessly together

On Twitter, fake news travels faster than true stories: study

The shapes of water: New research details water's mysterious phase transitions

Scientists develop new tool for imprinting biochips

Manure could heat your home

Facebook patent is about robot that transitions from three-wheeled to two-wheeled mode

Researchers rescue embryos from brain defects by re-engineering cellular voltage patterns

Amazon to quiet Alexa's cackling

New insights into biodiversity hotspots could help protect them from potential deep-sea mining

Study assesses the strengths of research synthesis over 40 years

Astronomy & Space news

	Team performs first laboratory simulation of exoplanet atmospheric chemistry Scientists have conducted the first lab experiments on haze formation in simulated exoplanet atmospheres, an important step for understanding upcoming observations of planets outside the solar system with the James Webb Space Telescope.
	A peculiar galactic clash Galaxies are not static islands of stars—they are dynamic and ever-changing, constantly on the move through the darkness of the Universe. Sometimes, as seen in this spectacular Hubble image of Arp 256, galaxies can collide in a crash of cosmic proportions.
	Scientists spot pentagon pattern of cyclones —and unlock secrets of the planet's interior We all recognise Jupiter by its banded pattern of counter-rotating zones and belts – this can be seen even with small garden telescopes. These stunning structures are powered by fast jet streams that are visible in the planet's clouds. But what happens near its poles and below its cloud tops has long been a bit of a mystery.
	Image: Made for Mercury On 6 March 2018, the BepiColombo engineering model was delivered to ESA's mission control centre in Darmstadt, Germany.
	Artificial "maple seeds" from rockets The Space Team at TU Wien is launching an ambitious project together with the University of Würzburg. Measurement devices are going to be ejected from a rocket and will fall to Earth without a parachute.
	New 3-D measurements improve understanding of geomagnetic storm hazards Measurements of the three-dimensional structure of the earth, as opposed to the one-dimensional models typically used, can help scientists more accurately determine which areas of the United States are most vulnerable to blackouts during hazardous geomagnetic storms.

Technology news

	Novel semiconductor-superconductor structure features versatile gallium nitride Silicon has been the semiconductor material of choice for electronics pretty much since the transistor effect was first observed and identified nearly 80 years ago. There's a valley in California named for it, after all.
	Researchers invent new method to create self-tinting windows UBC chemistry researchers have developed a simple, cost-effective technique for making smart windows that could lead the way for wide-scale adoption of this energy-saving technology.
	On Twitter, fake news travels faster than true stories: study A new study by three MIT scholars has found that false news spreads more rapidly on the social network Twitter than real news does - and by a substantial margin.
	Scientists develop new tool for imprinting biochips 3-D printing has gained popularity in recent years as a means for creating a variety of functional products, from tools to clothing and medical devices. Now, the concept of multi-dimensional printing has helped a team of researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York develop a new, potentially more efficient and cost-effective method for preparing biochips (also known as microarrays), which are used to screen for and analyze biological changes associated with disease development, bioterrorism agents, and other areas of research that involve biological components.
	Manure could heat your home Farm manure could be a viable source of renewable energy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
	Facebook patent is about robot that transitions from three-wheeled to two-wheeled mode Tech watchers are talking about Facebook's patent for a Self-Balancing Robot, first filed in 2015 and dated this year on March 6.
	Amazon to quiet Alexa's cackling Amazon on Wednesday promised to keep virtual assistant Alexa from spontaneously cackling, giving people eerie feelings about what the artificial intelligence might be plotting.
	Paralympic snowboarder designs innovative gear—for rivals Adaptive snowboarder Mike Schultz could very well have the winning formula at the Paralympics—whether or not he even crosses the finish line in first.
	Japan penalizes several cryptocurrency exchanges after hack The Japanese government is slapping penalties on several cryptocurrency exchanges in the country, after 58 billion yen ($530 million) of virtual coins were lost earlier this year from hacking.
	Scientists help robots understand humans with board game idea Information scientists at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the University of Michigan have borrowed from the popular game "20 Questions," to make an important step towards helping robots maintain continuous and purposeful conversation with humans. They have developed an optimal strategy for asking a series of yes/no questions that rapidly achieves the best answer.
	Drone rapidly converts aerial photos into valuable information about crop health Progeny Drone Inc., a Purdue-affiliated startup, has created software that rapidly converts aerial crop photos into useful information for plant breeding, crop modeling and precision agriculture.
	Uncovering the secrets of the human body's perception of touch Scientific research has yielded deep understanding on the human senses of sight, hearing, smell, and taste. But knowledge about bodily perceptions of the sense of touch is still limited. For example, during a handshake, who is shaking whose hand? The answer to this question is just one of the multifaceted aspects of touch being studied by 'haptics scientist' Masashi Nakatani. "I am intrigued by human somatosensory (touch and body) perception and its utilization for positive psychological and cognitive effects in our daily lives," says Nakatani, who commenced his research on the Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC), Keio University, in April 2017. "I started studying touch modality 16 years ago as an undergraduate. My doctorate was about human tactile perception for developing tactile displays that can provide information through the skin surface." After his doctorate, Nakatani investigated touch receptors embedded in the skin in a dermatology laboratory and also worked in industry on developing tactile sensors for evaluating cosmetics.
	'Booth babes' on verge of extinction at Geneva Motor Show Long synonymous with scantily-clad women draped over pricy vehicles, this year's Geneva Motor Show is almost void of "booth babes", as automakers strive to polish their images following the #MeToo movement.
	The Samsung S9 has a great camera - just like other phones Samsung says its new Galaxy S9 phone features a "reimagined" camera, and it is indeed pretty darned good. But you might not want to shell out $720 or more for one just yet unless your current phone is already close to death.
	BMW posts record net profit of 8.7 bn euros for 2017 German luxury carmaker BMW said Thursday its 2017 net profit soared 26 percent to a record 8.7 billion euros ($10.7 billion), driven by strong demand for electrified vehicles and a tax bump from the United States.
Retrofitting homes to improve energy ratings and reduce emissions University of Melbourne researchers have discovered how to retrofit homes to be more energy efficient, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and cutting electricity bills significantly.
Start-up develops special lens for 3-D photography and film Until now, photographers and filmmakers had to use special equipment if they wanted to change the focus area in post-processing or reproduce an object three-dimensionally. The start-up K-Lens has now developed a special lens that can turn any standard camera into a 3-D camera. What began as a research project of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics and Saarland University, and was developed further with the help of the IT Inkubator, is expected to become available as a commercial product starting in 2019.
	Uber selling Southeast Asia operations to Grab: report Uber is selling parts of its Southeast Asia operations to local rival Grab, getting a piece of the action in the process, according to US media reports.
	Navy starts under-ice submarine exercise off Alaska's coast The U.S. Navy has begun five weeks of submarine training and testing off Alaska's north coast that will include breaching the massive underwater vessels through Arctic sea ice.
	Data processing architecture can reconfigure content within IoT data processing stream Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development of the Dynamically Reconfigurable Asynchronous Consistent EveNt-processing Architecture (Dracena), a stream processing architecture that can add or change content while processing large volumes of IoT data, without stopping. With recent advances in IoT technologies, it is expected that many real-time services will be created to utilize the large volumes of data flowing into the cloud from various devices across factories, homes, and social infrastructure. In the progression towards autonomous driving with connected cars, researchers are considering the analysis of the vast amounts of information, such as speed and location, generated from vehicles, which can then be presented to drivers, in the form of warnings, for example.
	Digital publishing to boost Axel Springer again in 2018 German media giant Axel Springer, owner of the top-selling Bild newspaper, on Thursday said its thriving digital publishing business would again drive profits in 2018, after a strong performance last year.
	Why social media are more like chocolate than cigarettes Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey took to the social platform last week to announce a call-out for ideas about how to measure the health of online conversations. The initiative follows recent demands for government to regulate the negative consequences of social media.
	A new portable system of water quality assessment in developing countries Portable, easy-to-use water quality assessment systems are essential in developing countries where water access is limited and there is a risk of contamination. Researchers from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) have designed a new system for assessing water for human consumption that is better than the systems currently available. The new system is three to five times cheaper, and is more sustainable and long-lasting, making it ideal for use in development aid.
	Capturing the value of place and time with geospatial-temporal insights IBM Research is introducing an experimental offering named IBM PAIRS Geoscope (Physical Analytics Integrated Data Repository & Services), a unique cloud-centric geospatial information and analytics service that can accelerate the discovery of new insights.
'Darknet' market spokesman pleads guilty to federal charge An Illinois man who worked as a spokesman for a leading "darknet" marketplace that users accessed anonymously to buy and sell illicit goods pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal conspiracy charge in Atlanta.
	Trump meets with video game execs and critics President Donald Trump revived a debate over the link between gun violence and graphic depictions of violence in video games Thursday, bringing members of the video game industry and some of their most vocal critics to the White House.
Vatican invites hackers to fix problems, not breach security Computer hackers with a heart are descending on the Vatican to help tackle pressing problems particularly dear to Pope Francis, including how to better provide resources for migrants and encourage solidarity for the poor.

Medicine & Health news

	Researchers rescue embryos from brain defects by re-engineering cellular voltage patterns Tufts University biologists have demonstrated for the first time that electrical patterns in the developing embryo can be predicted, mapped, and manipulated to prevent defects caused by harmful substances such as nicotine. The research, published today in Nature Communications, suggests that targeting bioelectric states may be a new treatment modality for regenerative repair in brain development and disease, and that computational methods can be used to find effective repair strategies.
	Sugar-based compounds could lead to ways to bypass antibiotic resistance Half of all women will experience the pain and burning of a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point in their lives. Most such infections can be successfully treated with antibiotics, but antibiotic resistance – the ability of bacteria to withstand antibiotics – is a growing problem.
	A possible explanation for why skin diseases are more prevalent in megacities A team of researchers from several institutions in South Korea has found a possible explanation for higher rates of skin diseases in megacities. In their paper published on the open access site Science Advances, the researchers describe their study of the skin microbiome of people living in extremely large cities versus those living in smaller cities, and what they found.
	Enzyme ensures thick insulation ETH researchers have revealed that Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system largely produce their own fatty acids in order to create electrical insulation for nerve fibres. This process relies on an enzyme whose absence leads to defective insulation and impaired motor function.
	Vitamin D may help prevent heart failure after heart attack New research has shown how vitamin D may help protect heart tissue and prevent heart failure after a heart attack, potentially offering a low-cost addition to existing treatments for heart failure.
	New way to fight sepsis: Rev up patients' immune systems While many people have never heard of sepsis, it causes about 250,000 deaths annually in the United States. The condition develops when an infection triggers an overwhelming immune response, ultimately wreaking havoc on the immune system. Standard treatment involves high doses of antibiotics that fight the infection, but they often don't work well and fail to boost the body's immune defenses.
	Researchers find new way to defeat HIV latency HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has a secret life. Though anti-retroviral therapy can reduce its numbers, the virus can hide and avoid both treatments and the body's immune response.
	Scientists zero in on treatment for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease About 1 in 2,500 people have a degenerative nerve disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). The disease is typically diagnosed in children, who can lose their ability to walk and use their hands for fine motor skills. There is no cure—yet.
	Cancer 'signature' first step toward blood test for patients A discovery by Melbourne researchers could help to identify patients with a particularly aggressive type of lung cancer that are likely to respond to immunotherapies currently used in the clinic to treat other cancers.
	Scientists discover a key function of ALS-linked protein The protein FUS, whose mutation or disruption causes many cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), works as a central component of one of the most important regulatory systems in cells, according to a new study in Molecular Cell from scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
	A lifetime of regular exercise slows down aging, study finds Researchers at the University of Birmingham and King's College London have found that staying active keeps the body young and healthy.
	Cueing newly learned information in sleep improves memory, and here's how Scientists have long known that sleep plays an important role in the formation and retention of new memories. That process of memory consolidation is associated with sudden bursts of oscillatory brain activity, called sleep spindles, which can be visualized and measured on an electroencephalogram (EEG). Now researchers reporting in Current Biology on March 8 have found that sleep spindles also play a role in strengthening new memories when newly learned information is played back to a person as they sleep.
	Fiber-fermenting bacteria improve health of type 2 diabetes patients The fight against type 2 diabetes may soon improve thanks to a pioneering high-fiber diet study led by a Rutgers University-New Brunswick professor.
	Gene knockout using new CRISPR tool makes mosquitoes highly resistant to malaria parasite Deleting a single gene from mosquitoes can make them highly resistant to the malaria parasite and thus much less likely to transmit the parasite to humans, according to a new paper from scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Malaria Research Institute.
	The enemy within: Gut bacteria drive autoimmune disease Bacteria found in the small intestines of mice and humans can travel to other organs and trigger an autoimmune response, according to a new Yale study. The researchers also found that the autoimmune reaction can be suppressed with an antibiotic or vaccine designed to target the bacteria, they said.
	How does the brain's spatial map change when we change the shape of the room? Our ability to navigate the world, and form episodic memories, relies on an accurate representation of the environment around us. This cognitive map, which is thought to reside in the hippocampus of the brain, gives us the flexibility we need to find our way around in familiar places and to store the events we experience in our day-to-day lives.
US cancer treatment guidelines 'often based on weak evidence' Cancer treatment guidelines produced by the US National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) are often based on low quality evidence or no evidence at all, finds a study published by The BMJ today.
	Studies examine trends in pain medication use A new study reveals that acetaminophen use and over-dosing rise in cold/flu season in the United States, primarily due to increased use of over-the-counter combination medications treating upper respiratory symptoms. Another study reports that acetaminophen is the most commonly used analgesic in France, with more high-dose tablets being consumed in recent years. The findings, which are published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, indicate that individuals should take special care to follow labeled dosing directions for acetaminophen-containing products.
Saliva plays a role in the body's defense against traveler's diarrhea Researchers have identified a protein in saliva (histatin-5) that protects the body from traveler's diarrhea.
	Unique inflammation patterns emerging in patients with type 1 diabetes Analysis of the inflammation-promoting proteins in the blood of patients with type 1 diabetes and related kidney disease indicates that the promoters of inflammation are diverse even in the same medical condition and that patients likely would benefit from an anti-inflammatory treatment that directly targets theirs, scientists report.
	Watching others makes people overconfident in their own abilities Watching YouTube videos, Instagram demos, and Facebook tutorials may make us feel as though we're acquiring all sorts of new skills but it probably won't make us experts, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	Combating childhood obesity by preventing 'fatty liver' in fetus New research published in The Journal of Physiology indicates that an obese pregnant mother and exposure to a high fat, high sugar diet during pregnancy produces a "fatty liver" in the fetus, potentially predisposing children to obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular disorders later in life. The research aims to understand the cellular mechanisms involved in laying down fat in the liver of a fetus - leading to a "fatty liver". This knowledge is essential to developing strategies to combat childhood obesity.
	Women happier to donate kidney to partner than men: study Women are statistically far more likely to donate a kidney to a partner than receive one, according to a study released Thursday to coincide with World Kidney Day and International Women's Day.
Scientists develop brainwave-based test for speech comprehension Researchers have developed a test for more accurate diagnosis of patients who cannot actively participate in a speech understanding test. Such patients include very young children or people in comas. In the longer term, the method also holds potential for the development of smart hearing devices.The new technique was developed by Professor Tom Francart and his colleagues from the Department of Neurosciences at KU Leuven, Belgium, in collaboration with the University of Maryland.
Marker involved in lymphatic system connected to heart failure Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have found a new marker in the blood associated with an increased risk of heart failure. Surprisingly, the marker is not directly involved in how the heart functions, unlike most of the previously known markers. Instead, the new marker affects processes in the lymphatic system.
	Recovery from spinal cord injuries can be predicted Injuries to the spinal cord result in tissue loss in the spinal cord and brain. These neurodegenerative changes can be analyzed in detail using neuroimaging methods. University of Zurich researchers have now, for the first time, predicted the extent of functional recovery in patients suffering from a spinal cord injury two years after a trauma based on the extent and progression of neurodegenerative changes within the first six months after injury.
	5 ways to lower your chances of getting Alzheimer's Retain a sharp, healthy brain and reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease by following five simple rules. Some of the tips are scientifically proven, while others show promise but require further investigation.
	Muscle protective systems could reduce frailty in old age New research published today helps explain why people experience muscle loss in old age, increasing the prospects of reversing the condition in the future.
Report: Big tobacco is targeting the world's most vulnerable to increase profits The sixth edition of The Tobacco Atlas and its companion website TobaccoAtlas.org finds the tobacco industry is increasingly targeting vulnerable populations in emerging markets, such as Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, where people are not protected by strong tobacco control regulations. The report was released at the 17th World Congress on Tobacco OR Health in Cape Town, South Africa.
The brain can be trained to avoid dyslexia The ability of the brain to synchronize with the tone and intonation of speech influences how language is processed. This is the conclusion of a study by the Basque research center BCBL. The results could contribute to more effective activities to train the brain in order to avoid disorders such as dyslexia.
	Africa new frontline in anti-tobacco fight: activists Africa and other developing regions are becoming increasingly significant battlegrounds in the effort to combat the spread of smoking, an anti-smoking campaign group warned on Thursday.
What conventional wisdom gets wrong about Medicare reimbursement A Stanford researcher and his colleague got access to data showing the inner workings of an influential committee advising Medicare. They found that bias among its members has different effects from what critics claim.
	Sharp rise in heart disease patients with five or more other conditions The proportion of people experiencing heart disease and stroke who have five or more other health conditions quadrupled between 2000 and 2014, and the rise was not driven by age, new research by The George Institute for Global Health at the University of Oxford has found.
Algorithm shows differences between nurse, doctor care A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago has published the first quantitative study on the divergent scopes of practice for nurses and doctors. The study uniquely leveraged computer science technology to compare individual-level patient care provided by nurses and doctors using information routinely documented in the electronic health record.
	Study finds nostalgia at the heart of sports retrobranding success There's a saying that everything old is new again. In sports, it seems everything old is cool again. Both professional and collegiate teams regularly roll out uniforms that are throwbacks to the team history, host celebrations of past glories and even paint their courts with old logos. While teams know it works to reach fans and sell them merchandise, what is not known is what consumers think of it and why it works. University of Kansas researchers have authored a pair of studies examining the sports "retromarketing" phenomenon.
	Club foot gene identified A gene which could play a role in causing the most severe cases of club foot has been identified by scientists at the University of Aberdeen.
	Serious asthma attacks reduced by temporary quadrupling of steroid inhaler, study finds Serious asthma attacks in adults can be reduced by a temporary but significant increase in the dose of inhaled steroids during severe episodes of asthma, according to a new UK-wide study led by experts at the University of Nottingham.
	Why asbestos is so dangerous The fact that asbestos causes cancer has been largely undisputed for nearly 50 years. Now, researchers supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) have discovered why the fibres cause such damage to the body. "Chronic exposure to asbestos triggers a type of tissue repair," says Emanuela Felley-Bosco, who led the study. "The immune system goes out of balance and is no longer strong enough to combat tumour formation." The research – a collaboration between the University Hospitals of Zurich, Geneva and Toronto (Canada) as well as the University of Fribourg and ETH Zurich – was published in the journal Oncogene.
	The buzz from your smartphone won't stop mosquito bites Forget a peaceful night's sleep. The whine of a lone mosquito circling your bedroom can be incredibly frustrating. They're not just the deadliest animals on the planet, they could be the most annoying!
	Enjoyment of reading, not mechanics of reading, can improve literacy for boys Year 3 reading outcomes of 2017 NAPLAN testing once again demonstrate a gender gap, with boys underachieving compared to girls. A focus on teaching for the test has not closed the gender gap and only reduced student motivation and well-being.
	Want better sex? Try getting better sleep One in 3 American adults do not get enough sleep. Sexual issues are also common, with as many as 45 percent of women and 31 percent of men having a concern about their sex life. While these might seem like distinct concerns, they are actually highly related.
	New insights into why patients have a higher risk of heart attack in the morning Cardiovascular disease patients have lower levels of an important family of protective molecules in their blood in the morning, which could be increasing their risk of blood clots and heart attacks at those times, according to early research led by Queen Mary University of London.
	Study analyses how far people will travel for specialist cancer care People are willing to travel 75 minutes longer for specialist cancer surgery if it reduces their risk of complications by 1%, according to new UCL-led research.
	Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers likely to die earlier Sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to die earlier than the general population, according to a new study by University of Toronto researchers that examined the causes of death of Ontarians over a 14-year period.
	Bullying based on stigma Bullying is an issue that is constantly in the news – either as a standalone story about a particularly egregious case or as a major contributor to much larger issues, including school shootings.
	Exosomal microRNA predicts and protects against severe lung disease in extremely premature infants Extremely low birth-weight babies are at risk for a chronic lung disease called bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or BPD. This condition can lead to death or long-term disease, but clinical measurements are unable to predict which of the tiny infants—who get care in hospital intensive-care units and often weigh just one and a half pounds—will develop BPD.
	Many adolescent and young adult cancer survivors have more social connections than peers Survivors of adolescent and young adult cancer often have stronger social networks than their non-cancer peers, according to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital researchers, who hope to translate that support into better lives for the nation's growing population of cancer survivors. The findings appear online today in the journal Cancer.
	Surprise finding could lead to new MS treatments A surprise finding by medical scientists may lead to the development of a possible treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS).
	Why suicide rates among pregnant women in Nepal are rising Huge numbers of pregnant women and new mothers are taking their own lives in Nepal as they deal with extreme poverty, natural disasters, domestic violence and oppression. Research shows suicide represents 16% of all deaths in women of reproductive age. The rate is higher than previously recorded and there has been a considerable increase over the past few years. But a new project which trained midwives about mental health issues might hold the key to turning this around.
	Women need more freedom during labour, not a medicalised birth script to follow Countless women around the world give birth to babies without medical intervention in this natural process. For them, the most valuable care is the constant presence of a midwife or other skilled attendant who creates an environment which supports their hormonal and physical processes.
Small changes make big differences in digestion The bacteria in your gut do more than simply help digest your food. The microorganisms living in your digestive tract can also influence your overall health, including your mood and susceptibility to illness and disease.
Commercial pesticides not as safe as they seem Lack of information on the effects of all pesticide ingredients makes them appear safer than they are—potentially causing serious harm to people and the environment.
	Air pollution linked to brain alterations and cognitive impairment in children A new study performed in the Netherlands has linked exposure to residential air pollution during fetal life with brain abnormalities that may contribute to impaired cognitive function in school-age children. The study, published in Biological Psychiatry, reports that the air pollution levels related to brain alterations were below those considered to be safe.
How cellular structure orchestrates immunologic memory With every infection or vaccination, memory cells form that the body uses to remember the pathogen. This has been known for decades – but the structure of this cellular immunologic memory has previously proven impossible to pin down. Researchers from the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have now identified a microanatomical region in memory cells that enables them to work rapidly in the first few hours of an immune response, as they report in the journal Immunity.
	Non-invasive brain stimulation improves gait impairment of Parkinson's disease patients Walking presents many challenges for patients with Parkinson's disease. Among the most burdensome of these challenges is "freezing of gait," the sudden onset of immobility mid-step. It often causes falls and leads to a reduction in quality of life.
	Improving birth outcomes one amino acid at a time A simple dietary supplement (L-arginine) was found to improve birth outcomes, paving the way for future clinical trials to test this inexpensive and safe intervention.
	Troubling trend in antibiotic prescriptions in the outpatient setting Antibiotics continue to be prescribed at alarming rates in outpatient settings, despite increased national attention to curtail inappropriate use of these drugs, according to a study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The findings suggest that current initiatives to improve the use of antibiotics in outpatient settings may not be enough to change clinicians' prescribing practices.
	Researchers discover new Rx for allergic contact dermatitis Research led by Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, Boyd Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, has found a promising new treatment for allergic contact dermatitis that offers an alternative to corticosteroids and their possible side effects. The research is published this month in Dermatology and Therapy.
Research reveals a mechanism that drives ataxia type 1 When the protein ATAXIN1 accumulates in neurons it causes a neurodegenerative condition called spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), a rare disease characterized by progressive problems with balance and breathing difficulties. ATAXIN1 accumulates because of a mutation that produces an abnormal, very long version of the protein that forms clumps inside neurons. However, how accumulation of longer ATAXIN1, called polyQ-ATAXIN1, leads to neurodegeneration has remained a mystery. A group of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and the University of Minnesota reports in the journal Neuron that polyQ-ATAXIN1 and a partner molecule called capicua form a complex that is essential for neurodegeneration. They discovered that this complex is able to disrupt the expression of a number of genes in neurons in animal models of the disease. Patients with SCA1 present with similar disruption of gene expression. This discovery can potentially lead to the design of novel therapies to treat the condition.
	Scientists assess transmission risk of familial human prion diseases to mice Familial human prion diseases are passed within families and are associated with 34 known prion protein mutations. To determine whether three of the unstudied mutations are transmissible, scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, exposed research mice to brain samples from three people who died from a familial prion disease. After observing the mice for about two years, they found two of the mutations, Y226X and G131V, are transmissible.
	Researchers find protein that marks difference between cancer and non-cancer cells A discovery sheds light on how cancerous cells differ from healthy ones, and could lead to the development of new strategies for therapeutic intervention for difficult-to-treat cancers in the future.
Exposure to childhood violence linked to psychiatric disorders Investing in diminishing socioeconomic status inequalities and in preventing violent events during childhood may improve the mental health of youths from low socioeconomic status backgrounds, according to a study conducted by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Federal University of São Paulo. The results showed that having experienced any traumatic event and low socioeconomic status were associated with an internalizing disorder such as depression and anxiety and an externalizing disorder including attention-deficit hyperactivity. The results are published online in the Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry.
	CRISPR-based system identifies important new drug targets in a deadly leukemia Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have discovered a way to rein in an overactive protein that drives some aggressive leukemias. The renegade molecule, MEF2C, belongs to a class of proteins that is notoriously difficult to manipulate with drugs. But the new research suggests an opportunity to develop therapies against it.
	Study finds biomarker that predicts who responds best to common diabetic complication Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital have found a biomarker from fluid in the eye that predicts which patients will respond best to current treatments for diabetic macular edema, one of the most common complications of diabetes.
	Having children can make women's telomeres seem 11 years older A recent study by George Mason University researchers in the Department of Global and Community Health found that women who have given birth have shorter telomeres compared to women who have not given birth. Telomeres are the end caps of DNA on our chromosomes, which help in DNA replication and get shorter over time. The length of telomeres has been associated with morbidity and mortality previously, but this is the first study to examine links with having children.
	Engineered cartilage template to heal broken bones A team of UConn Health researchers has designed a novel, hybrid hydrogel system to help address some of the challenges in repairing bone in the event of injury. The UConn Health team, led by associate professor of orthopedic surgery Syam Nukavarapu, described their findings in a recent issue of Journal of Biomedical Materials Research-Part B, where the work is featured on the journal cover.
Menopausal hormone therapy linked to having a healthier heart Women who use menopausal hormone therapy appear to have a heart structure and function that is linked to a lower risk of heart failure, according to a study led by Queen Mary University of London.
	Uncovering the genetics of skeletal muscle growth and regeneration Skeletal muscle has a remarkable capacity to regenerate - a capacity that is diminished in many skeletal muscle diseases and aging. To investigate the mechanism behind skeletal muscle growth and regeneration, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital bombarded zebrafish with chemical mutagen and screened for larvae with defective skeletal muscle structure. Using genetic mapping, they found that zebrafish larvae with a mutation in DDX27 showed reduced muscle growth and impaired regeneration. Their results are published in PLOS Genetics.
	Helmintex assay detects low intensity schistosomiasis infections Individuals who release low numbers of schistosome eggs in their feces may not be detected by classical methods to detect schistosomiasis. Instead, the Helmintex method— which uses a magnetic field to isolate eggs—is more sensitive for these low intensity schistosomiasis infections, researchers report in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Most living kidney donors are women, and men are donating less than before A new study reveals that changes in living kidney donation in the United States over the last decade have varied by sex, resulting in a widened gap in donation between women and men. Income may be an important factor contributing to this discrepancy. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), suggest that strategies to remove financial barriers to living donation may be important to maintain living donation.
	Runaway costs prompt another big US health merger The need to address runaway health care costs in the US prompted another megamerger Thursday with insurer Cigna announcing the $67 billion purchase of pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts.
	After knee replacement, play on (HealthDay)—Knee replacement patients can continue to enjoy sports—such as skiing, tennis and dancing—without worrying that high-impact activities might compromise their new joint, a small, new study finds.
	Mosquitoes spreading Zika virus in parts of U.S.: CDC (HealthDay)—Zika infections are on the rise in parts of the United States where mosquitoes spread the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
	Annual eye exam is vital if you have diabetes (HealthDay)—A yearly eye exam is a key part of diabetes treatment, experts say.
	Is bariatric surgery for you? (HealthDay)—If you've been struggling with your weight for some time, you might be wondering if bariatric surgery is the answer.
	Most women willing to trade off benefits, risks of breast screening (HealthDay)—On average, women are willing to accept some additional unnecessary follow-ups and costs for additional cancer detection, although there is considerable heterogeneity in preferences for screening, according to a study published in the February issue of Value in Health.
	30-day ER revisit predicts poor outcomes in elderly (HealthDay)—A revisit to the emergency department within 30 days of a previous visit predicts poor outcomes in elderly adults, according to a study published online Feb. 28 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Patient-reported outcome tool developed for lumbar spine Sx (HealthDay)—A patient-reported outcome (PRO) tool has been developed and validated to predict response after lumbar spine surgery, according to a study published online March 7 in JAMA Surgery.
	Severe sleep apnea during REM sleep tied to acute CV events (HealthDay)—Severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that occurs during REM sleep is associated with recurrent cardiovascular events in those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	Patient, caregiver characteristics predict LVAD response (HealthDay)—For patients receiving left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy and their caregivers, patient and caregiver characteristics predict response, according to a study published online March 7 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
	Progression of obesity influences risk of diabetes over life course (HealthDay)—Changes in weight influence the risk of diabetes, with lower risk of diabetes for obese individuals who lose weight versus stable obesity, according to a study published online March 5 in Diabetes Care.
	Have an (artificial) heart OHSU physicians and researchers are developing what they hope will be the first permanent total artificial heart, which could provide the approximately 75,000 Americans who die of heart failure every year another chance at life.
	Biological sex tweaks nervous system networks, plays role in shaping behavior New research published today in the journal Current Biology demonstrates how biological sex can modify communication between nerve cells and generate different responses in males and females to the same stimulus. The findings could new shed light on the genetic underpinnings of sex differences in neural development, behavior, and susceptibility to diseases.
	Gastrointestinal hormone measurably improved symptoms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Through a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II clinical trial, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that small doses of NGM282, a non-tumorigenic variant of an endocrine gastrointestinal hormone, can significantly and rapidly decrease liver fat content in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The findings, they say, represent an important proof-of-concept for the compound as there are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for NAFLD and NASH.
	Researchers close to understanding 'disease mechanisms' of ALS Syracuse University researchers are making strides in understanding the disease mechanism of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
	Study shows bowel care is top concern for those with spinal cord injury Cardiovascular physiology researcher Victoria Claydon's latest study, published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, focuses on the results of her multi-national study, which surveyed almost 300 participants with spinal cord injuries at or above the mid-thoracic level (middle of the chest ).
	Social stress leads to changes in gut bacteria, study finds Exposure to psychological stress in the form of social conflict alters gut bacteria in Syrian hamsters, according to a new study by Georgia State University.
Monoclonal antibodies crucial to fighting emerging infectious diseases Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)—preparations of a specific type of antibody designed to bind to a single target—have shown promise in the fight against cancer and autoimmune diseases. They also may play a critical role in future battles against emerging infectious disease outbreaks, according to a new article by scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. The article is published online this week by The New England Journal of Medicine and outlines the potential uses for mAbs as treatments for infectious diseases and as a prevention tool for protecting individuals at risk of infection and slowing disease outbreaks.
	Research project on dangerous hospital germ extended Cases of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals have increased dramatically in recent years, and the health system faces tremendous problems as a result. Alongside Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Klebsiella pneumonia, another pathogen has now arrived on the scene—Acinetobacter baumannii.
One-month worth of memory training results in 30 minutes A new study shows that when participants are taught an effective strategy for a working memory training task, they quickly improve their performance in the same way as those who have undergone typical working memory training without strategy instructions for a month or longer. The significance of strategies was evident also in the controls who did not receive any strategy advice: Use of self-generated strategies was associated with better working memory task performance at post-test.
The role of childhood abuse in chronic depression An innovative study published by Eva-Lotta Brakemeier and her Group shed new light on the role of childhood abuse in chronic depression and borderline personality disorder. Numerous studies report that childhood maltreatment constitutes a risk factor for mental disorders including major depression and borderline personality disorder. However, studies investigating the occurrence of childhood maltreatment among mental disorders and comparing differences in severity are rare.
New treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder An innovative psychotherapeutic treatment protocol is presented in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Exposure and ritual prevention (ERP) treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but only some patients achieve minimal symptoms at treatment completion. Since patient adherence to ritual prevention strongly predicts outcomes, improving patients' ability to inhibit compulsions may improve the exposure and ritual prevention outcome.
Internet-based relapse prevention programs questionable for depression The long-term outcome of a randomized controlled trial on depression treated with psychotherapy via internet is presented in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. As major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly recurrent, international practice guidelines recommend maintenance antidepressant medication and/or psychological treatment after acute MDD to prevent relapse/recurrence. Since resources in clinical practice are scarce, internet-based relapse prevention programs might be a promising alternative. Indeed, small to moderate effects of internet-based interventions were found without therapist support and higher effects with therapist support.
Could stomach medication cause depression? A new study investigating the relationship between a common stomach drug is presented in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Several studies have established the connection between the gut microbiome and major depression and supported the potential role of brain-gut axis dysregulation in the pathophysiology of major depression. Proton pump inhibitors, commonly prescribed for more than 20 years, and which have a proven safety profile, have become the main treatment choice worldwide for acid-related disorders. However, their inappropriate use could alter the environment in the intestine and influence human gut microbiota , increasing the costs and risk of adverse effects such as bone fracture, pneumonia, gastrointestinal infection and dementia.
Emotional inhibition and childhood trauma may have genetic correlations An innovative study published in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics has explored the genetic relationship between childhood trauma and emotional inhibition (alexithymia). Existing evidence suggests that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of alexithymia. However, the composition of environmental as well as genetic factors and their putative interaction are incompletely understood.
	AI application for treatment of gestational diabetes AI allows individualized predictions for expectant mothers and newborn children. The aim of the individual recommendations is a positive experience for the user combined with activity that is beneficial for the glucose level.
	The airways of people with sleep apnoea collapse much more quickly than previously thought The airways of people with sleep apnoea collapse much more quickly than previously thought, say Adelaide researchers. It's a finding which could help improve treatments for sleep apnoea.
	Two drugs are better than one in fight against leukaemia Adelaide scientists have devised a way to enhance the effectiveness of a patient's leukaemia treatment by using a combination of drugs.
	Switching chemo on and off to reduce side effects A new anti-cancer drug that could be switched 'on' and 'off' inside the body has been developed by researchers at the University of Adelaide.
	Daisies offer a double boost for prostate cancer treatment A compound derived from feverfew daisies can boost radiotherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer. The compound reduces the therapy's side effects and increases its cancer-killing ability.
	Tracking the flu via tweets Public Twitter data can predict flu outbreaks, according to researchers at the University of Adelaide. They've used public Twitter data to better predict when the flu season will peak and how bad it will be.
Social approaches to ending female genital mutilation The potential of a method of replacing female genital mutilation as an initiation into womanhood with culturally sensitive alternatives is to be explored.
Exercise may decrease heart drug's effectiveness Peter Ruben and his team of researchers have spent years studying why seemingly healthy patients with inherited cardiac arrhythmias can sometimes suddenly die during exercise. (2017, 2016, 2015) His past research has shown that exercising can trigger a perfect storm of events, unmasking an arrhythmia: high heart rate, elevated body temperature, and elevated acid in the blood.
	Best practices lacking for managing traumatic brain injury in geriatric patients When older adults suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI), they may benefit from aggressive treatment and rehabilitation, but the lack of evidence-based, geriatric-specific TBI guidelines presents barriers to optimal care. The urgent need for more clinical research, data, and prognostic models on TBI in the growing geriatric population is described in an article published in Journal of Neurotrauma.
	Guidelines needed for use of therapy animals in mental health treatment The increasing use of therapy animals in Australia has prompted researchers from Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, to recommend the creation of Australia's first best-practice guidelines for animal-assisted therapy.
	Clinical trial matching project sees higher enrollment in breast cancer trials through use of artificial intelligence Mayo Clinic and IBM Watson Health today unveiled results from early use of the Watson for Clinical Trial Matching, an IBM cognitive computing system. Use of this system in the Mayo Clinic oncology practice has been associated with more patients enrolled in Mayo's breast cancer clinical trials.
	New options for targeting gene mutation in FA described in nucleic acid therapeutics Researchers have shown that a wide variety of synthetic antisense oligonucleotides with different chemical modifications can activate the frataxin gene, which contains a mutation that decreases its expression in the inherited neurologic disorder Friedreich's ataxia (FA). This new finding, which demonstrates a broad range of flexible options for identifying novel compounds capable of increasing frataxin protein expression and alleviating the effects of FA, is published in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.
Dutch prosecutors probe four euthanasia cases Dutch prosecutors Thursday launched criminal probes into four euthanasia cases, amid concerns doctors may have flouted the rules in helping four elderly women to end their lives.
Haphazard cholesterol checks put Australians at risk of heart disease A research team from Western Sydney University, Capital Markets CRC, University of Sydney and University of Adelaide did an analysis of publicly available, linked patient records within the electronic databases of the Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS).
How common is food insecurity among older adults? Social issues such as hunger, inadequate housing, social isolation, and poverty are linked to poor health, especially as we age. When community organizations and healthcare systems coordinate with each other, they are better able to help us address these concerns individually and as a society.
	Mississippi passes law banning abortion after 15 weeks Mississippi lawmakers on Thursday passed what would be the nation's most restrictive abortion law, making the procedure illegal in most cases after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The state's only abortion provider pledged to sue, and the attorney general said he expected a tough legal battle ahead.

Biology news

	How brightly colored spiders evolved on Hawaii again and again... and again About 2 to 3 million years ago, a group of spiders let out long silk threads into the wind and set sail, so to speak, across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. These spiders were parasites of other spiders, invading their webs, snipping threads to steal insects that had been caught. But there weren't many webs to rob on Hawaii when they arrived. So they expanded their repertoire, looking for other ways to survive by trapping and eating other spiders. A new species evolved from those first spiders, after finding a way to live on rocks. And then another species evolved to live under leaves. And then another. And then 11 more species.
	Study shows decline of shark populations even in remote 'pristine' archipelago A team of researchers with members from the U.S., France and the U.K. has found evidence showing reductions in shark populations in a part of the Indian ocean thought to be nearly pristine—the Chagos archipelago. In their paper published on the open access site Science Advances, the group describes their study of shark populations in the archipelago over time and what they found.
	Discovery sheds light on ancient cell structure New research by University of Alberta cellular biologists is putting into question existing theories about what's responsible for organizing a central part of our cells, known as the Golgi apparatus.
	The social life of the humble fruit fly revolves around alcohol Humans aren't the only species with a well-developed drinking culture. The social life of the humble fruit fly also revolves around alcohol.
	Study sheds light on the genetic origins of the two sexes A new study published in the journal Communications Biology has shed light on the earliest stages in the evolution of male-female differentiation and sex chromosomes—and found the genetic origins of the two sexes to be unexpectedly modest.
	City mouse-country mouse experiment shows link between environment, worm infections When laboratory mice moved to the countryside where they could burrow in dirt, forage for food and generally live like ordinary mice, they became more susceptible to infection with parasitic whipworms than mice that stayed in the lab, a new study has found.
Marine charities net more than iconic fishery Massachusetts boasts one of the most iconic fisheries in the U.S., but new research suggests that protecting marine coastlines has surpassed commercial fishing as an economic driver.
	China plans panda park that will dwarf Yellowstone China will create a bastion for giant pandas three times the size of Yellowstone National Park to link up and encourage breeding among existing wild populations of the notoriously slow-reproducing animal, state media reported Thursday.
	Determining the cause of difficult-to-control mitochondrial diseases A Japanese research group has discovered that taurine is conjugated with mitochondrial transfer RNAs (tRNAs), small RNAs that decode genetic information, and that taurine deficiency in tRNA dramatically reduces both mitochondrial protein translation and impairs mitochondrial membrane integrity. Subsequently, many mitochondrial proteins are unable to localize on mitochondria and end up forming toxic aggregates inside the cell. Furthermore, researchers also found that some symptoms of mitochondrial dysfunction can be improved by maintaining protein quality.
	Urban big cats cut rabies risk It's a leopard eat dog world – and people are benefiting from it.
	Seasonally adaptable species may face greatest risk from climate change A species of butterfly that changes its appearance through the seasons lacks the genetic variation needed to quickly evolve a different response to more unpredictable environmental conditions, such as those expected under a changing climate, according to an international study including researchers from Wageningen University & Research.
	Fish farms are helping to fight hunger Over the past three decades, the global aquaculture industry has risen from obscurity to become a critical source of food for millions of people. In 1990, only 13 percent of world seafood consumption was farmed; by 2014, aquaculture was providing more than half of the fish consumed directly by human beings.
	New butterfly species named for Field Museum's Emily Graslie As the Field Museum's chief curiosity correspondent, Emily Graslie has plunged elbow-deep into wolf guts, dug up 52-million-year-old fish fossils and unpacked species classification using candy as stand-ins.
	'Bat detectives' train new algorithms to discern bat calls in noisy recordings Using data collected by citizen scientists, researchers have developed new, open-source algorithms to automatically detect bat echolocation calls in audio recordings. Oisin Mac Aodha, formerly of University College London, now at Caltech, and colleagues at University College London present their new approach in PLOS Computational Biology.
	Early-killed rye shows promise in edamame With the rise of herbicide-resistant weeds in most grain and vegetable crops, farmers are looking for alternatives to herbicides to control weeds. Cover crops offer one potential weed management tool. Their use in specialty crops is limited, and no testing has been done so far in edamame. However, a new University of Illinois study reports that early-killed cereal rye shows promise for edamame growers.
	Researchers to study ramps' market, flavor profile, vulnerability to pest A good way to describe ramps, it has been said, is to note what they are not. Ramps are not leeks, nor are they scallions or shallots. Ramps look like scallions, but they're smaller and have one or two broad, flat leaves.
	How do sea snakes find their mates? Sight, touch and spatial memory are key ways sea snakes find their mates, says an Adelaide researcher.

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