Science X Newsletter Monday, May 21

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 21, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Stronger-than-binary correlations experimentally demonstrated for the first time

Two bright high-redshift quasars discovered

Mice regrow brain tissue after stroke with bioengineered gel

Nanoparticles could offer a new way to help eradicate polio worldwide

Major fossil study sheds new light on emergence of early animal life 540 million years ago

Chemists synthesize millions of proteins not found in nature

Scientists find widespread ocean anoxia as cause for past mass extinction

Research suggests sweet potatoes didn't originate in the Americas as previously thought

New evidence for existence of Planet Nine

Researchers enhance boron nitride nanotubes for next-gen composites

Annotation tool provides step toward understanding links between disease, mutant RNA

Three-year study found no relationship between methane concentrations in groundwater and proximity to natural gas wells

Hitler definitely died in 1945 according to new study of his teeth

Phone data-leak company: No record of location-data abuse

Self-driving vehicle service in Frisco, Texas, to start in July

Astronomy & Space news

	Two bright high-redshift quasars discovered Astronomers have detected two new bright quasars at a redshift of about 5.0. The newly found quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) are among the brightest high-redshift quasars known to date. The finding was presented May 9 in a paper published on the arXiv pre-print repository.
	New evidence for existence of Planet Nine A large international team of researchers has found what they are describing as more evidence of the existence of Planet Nine. In their paper posted on the arXiv preprint server, the group describes the behavior of a newly discovered distant object as suggestive of an influence of a large planet.
	Cement, extreme cold experiments head to space aboard Cygnus cargo ship (Update) Food for astronauts, new space gardening gear and experiments to test extreme cold and how cement forms in weightlessness blasted off Monday to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's unmanned Cygnus spacecraft.
	China satellite heralds first mission to far side of Moon China launched on Monday a relay satellite that will allow a rover to communicate with the Earth from the far side of the Moon during an unprecedented mission later this year.
	First interstellar immigrant discovered in the solar system A new study has discovered the first known permanent immigrant to our Solar System. The asteroid, currently nestling in Jupiter's orbit, is the first known asteroid to have been captured from another star system. The work is published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters.
Britain to intensify defence against space 'threats' Britain will boost the number of defence personnel working in the space sector by a fifth over five years to counter "intensifying threats", Defence Minister Gavin Williamson said on Monday.
NASA shipper Orbital ATK launches space station supplies One of NASA's prime shippers, Orbital ATK, has launched a fresh load of supplies to the International Space Station.
	Small packages to test big space technology advances This weekend, when the next cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station lifts off from NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, it will be carrying among its supplies and experiments three cereal box-sized satellites that will be used to test and demonstrate the next generation of Earth-observing technology.
	Just five things about GRACE follow-on Scheduled to launch no earlier than May 22, the twin satellites of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission, a collaboration between NASA and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), will continue the work of monitoring changes in the world's water cycle and surface mass, which was so well performed by the original GRACE mission. There are far more than five things to say about this amazing new-old mission; but here are a few favorite facts.
	Image: Hidden secrets of a massive star-formation region Stellar nurseries are cloudy and dusty places that shine brightly in infrared light. The G305 star-forming complex is no exception. It features a number of bright, intricate gas clouds heated by infant stars in their midst. In this spectacular image by ESA's Herschel space observatory, these star-forming hotspots stand out in a blue tone that contrasts with the red-brownish colour of cooler regions.
	Twin sportscar-sized satellites to chase water changes on Earth A pair of identical, sportscar-sized satellites are poised to zoom around the Earth and track changes in water and ice, offering new insights into global warming and sea level rise, NASA said Monday.
	Image: Orbital ATK rocket rolls out for may 21 launch An Orbital ATK rocket rolls out to launch Pad-0A at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on May 17, 2018, in advance of a May 21 launch from Wallops Island, VA. The Antares will launch a Cygnus spacecraft on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.

Technology news

	Phone data-leak company: No record of location-data abuse A California company confirmed that a flaw in its website allowed outsiders to pinpoint the location of mobile phones in the United States without authorization.
	Self-driving vehicle service in Frisco, Texas, to start in July The beat goes on, no turning back, as engineers and AI thinkers get us closer to alternative ways to move around that do not depend on human drivers. Drive.ai has announced an on-demand self-driving car service in Frisco, Texas, for July.
	Apple-Samsung iPhone design copying case goes to jury Jurors return to a Silicon Valley courtroom Monday to put a price on patented iPhone design features copied by Samsung in a legal case dating back seven years.
	Google pushes artificial intelligence for upgraded news app For its updated news application, Google is doubling down on the use of artificial intelligence as part of an effort to weed our disinformation and help users get viewpoints beyond their own "filter bubble."
	Patent talk: IBM's traffic signal timing turns cognitive Call it a green light for AI thinkers who want to use artificial intelligence for traffic management. IBM had a patent granted that sees AI-managed traffic lights.
	Don't wait for a unicorn: Investing in low-carbon tech now will save money Waiting for a 'unicorn technology' that provides green energy at low cost could be more expensive than adopting low-carbon energy technologies now.
	New 3-D printer can create complex biological tissues A UCLA Samueli-led team has developed a specially adapted 3-D printer to build therapeutic biomaterials from multiple materials. The advance could be a step toward on-demand printing of complex artificial tissues for use in transplants and other surgeries.
	Dealerships trash talk electric cars: study Car dealerships in Nordic countries actively discourage consumers from buying electric vehicles, researchers who conducted an undercover investigation said Monday.
	Researchers develop a fast, low-voltage actuator for soft and wearable robotics In the world of robotics, soft robots are the new kids on the block. The unique capabilities of these automata are to bend, deform, stretch, twist or squeeze in all the ways that conventional rigid robots cannot.
	Flexible, highly efficient multimodal energy harvesting A 10-fold increase in the ability to harvest mechanical and thermal energy over standard piezoelectric composites may be possible using a piezoelectric ceramic foam supported by a flexible polymer support, according to Penn State researchers.
	What can snakes teach us about engineering friction? If you want to know how to make a sneaker with better traction, just ask a snake. That's the theory driving the research of Hisham Abdel-Aal, Ph.D., an associate teaching professor from Drexel University's College of Engineering who is studying snake skin to help engineers improve the design of textured surfaces, such as engine cylinder liners, prosthetic joints—and yes, maybe even footwear.
	High-tech, sphere-shaped arena coming to Las Vegas Strip A massive high-tech, sphere-shaped venue that will host concerts and other events while engaging multiple senses will break ground this summer in Las Vegas, officials announced Friday.
	World's first floating nuclear barge to power Russia's Arctic oil drive To meet its growing electricity needs in its drive to develop oil resources in remote Arctic regions, Russia has built a floating nuclear power station, a project that detractors deride as a "Chernobyl on ice".
	Japan's new 'Airbnb law': a double-edged sword Rental platforms like Airbnb are hoping for a boost from a new law coming into force next month in Japan ahead of an expected surge in demand for the 2020 Olympics, but experts warn it could actually hamper business in the short-term.
'Jurassic Park' dinosaur expert's next big thing: holograms Forget the gray, green and brown dinosaurs in the "Jurassic Park" movies. Paleontologist Jack Horner wants to transport people back in time to see a feathered Tyrannosaurus rex colored bright red and a blue triceratops with red fringe similar to a rooster's comb.
	Ryanair profits up 10% despite cancellations crisis Irish budget carrier Ryanair said Monday its net profit had risen 10 percent in 2017-2018 despite the cancellation of thousands of flights, but forecast a fall this year due to higher oil prices.
	Advanced biofuels can be produced extremely efficiently A chance to switch to renewable sources for heating, electricity and fuel, while also providing new opportunities for several industries to produce large numbers of renewable products. This is the verdict of researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, who now, after 10 years of energy research into gasification of biomass, see an array of new technological achievements.
	Facebook's Zuckerberg agrees to live-stream EU parliament hearing Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has agreed to live-stream his meeting with European Parliament members as he answers questions in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, a top official said Monday.
	Lu resignation a blow for Baidu's push into AI, analysts say The resignation of a senior Baidu executive is a major setback to the Chinese internet giant's push into artificial intelligence, an analyst said Monday, as the company tries to diversify away from its search engine business.
	The challenges and potential rewards of transitioning to concentrated solar power to desalinate seawater Freshwater shortages are projected to increase in our hotter and more crowded future. Already, 150 countries desalinate seawater, using fossil fuels.
	From airlines to pizza parlors, EU businesses adopt data law Lisa Meyer's hair salon is a cozy place where her mother serves homemade macaroons, children climb on chairs and customers chat above the whirr of hairdryers.
	Consumer Reports raises concerns over Tesla Model 3 braking Long emergency stopping distances, difficult-to-use controls and a harsh ride stopped Tesla's Model 3 electric car from getting a recommended buy rating from Consumer Reports.
	Activist groups launch campaign to break up Facebook A coalition of activist groups on Monday announced a campaign to break up Facebook, arguing that the huge social network "has too much power over our lives and democracy."
	Microsoft pledges to extend EU data rights worldwide Microsoft says it's committing to giving users worldwide the same data and privacy rights being offered to Europeans under new regulations there.
	Raging 'Fortnite' eSport game gets $100 mn prize pool Epic Games on Monday stoked the blazing popularity of its "Fortnite" death-match video game by putting up $100 million in prize money for eSports competitions.
	Gay-friendly Apple weighs North Carolina despite LGBT laws Gay-rights advocates are divided on whether to cheer or bemoan a potential marriage between the state of North Carolina and one of the global corporations most friendly to LGBT workers and causes.
	US firm Harbour Energy ups bid for Australia's Santos US private investment firm Harbour Energy on Monday boosted its bid for Australian energy giant Santos as oil prices soar, in a deal valuing the company at US$10.9 billion.
Effective methods for automated design of complex technical objects and systems In almost any field of human activity, people choose optimal options from a great variety of possible alternatives. When designing new devices, products and systems, researchers and engineers always strive to ensure that their systems have the best characteristics and are economically viable. Thus, for example, a new car being developed must be fast, consume a minimum amount of fuel, be reliable and, in addition, it should not be too expensive.
	New NIST roadmap charts path to reduced fire hazards from materials Fire researchers will tell you that there's a simple solution for reducing fire hazards: eliminate flammable materials. If it doesn't burn, the experts say, then there won't be a fire. Of course, that option isn't very practical or realistic; after all, who wants to sit on a block of cement when you can have a cushiony recliner?

Medicine & Health news

	Mice regrow brain tissue after stroke with bioengineered gel In a first-of-its-kind finding, a new stroke-healing gel helped regrow neurons and blood vessels in mice with stroke-damaged brains, UCLA researchers report in the May 21 issue of Nature Materials.
	In breakthrough, surgeon builds windpipes from arteries Where others failed, sometimes spectacularly, French surgeon Emmanuel Martinod has helped people whose windpipes have been ravaged by cancer and other diseases to live and breathe normally again.
	Exercise to stay young: 4-5 days a week to slow down your heart's aging Participating in exercise 4-5 days per week is necessary to keep your heart young, according to new research published in The Journal of Physiology. These findings could be an important step to develop exercise strategies to slow down such ageing.
	Hotter bodies fight infections and tumours better—researchers show how The hotter our body temperature, the more our bodies speed up a key defence system that fights against tumours, wounds or infections, new research by a multidisciplinary team of mathematicians and biologists from the Universities of Warwick and Manchester has found.
	Age-related racial disparity in suicide rates among US youth New research suggests the suicide rate is roughly two times higher for black children ages 5-12 compared with white children of the same age group. The study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), appears online May 21 in JAMA Pediatrics.
	Pregnancy drug DES might have triggered ADHD in the grandchildren of women who used it A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reported elevated odds for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the grandchildren of users of diethylstilbestrol, a synthetic estrogen commonly known as DES prescribed between 1938 and 1971 to prevent pregnancy complications. This is the first study to provide evidence of the potential neurodevelopmental consequences of DES use across generations. The findings are published online in JAMA Pediatrics.
	Receptor proteins that respond to nicotine may help fat cells burn energy The same proteins that moderate nicotine dependence in the brain may be involved in regulating metabolism by acting directly on certain types of fat cells, new research from the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute shows.
	Compound in citrus oil could reduce dry mouth in head, neck cancer patients A compound found in citrus oils could help alleviate dry mouth caused by radiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	Insufficient sleep, even without extended wakefulness, leads to performance impairments Millions of individuals obtain insufficient sleep on a daily basis, which can lead to impaired performance and other adverse physiological outcomes. To what extent these impairments are caused by the short sleep duration or corresponding extended wakefulness was unknown. A team of researchers from BWH have isolated the impacts of short sleep and extended wakefulness on vigilant performance decline and their results are published in PNAS.
	Helping preterm infants grow bigger kidneys would prevent kidney disease later in life Nephrons are the microscopic blood-filtering units inside our kidneys that convert waste products into urine, regulate our electrolyte levels and our blood pressure.
	Eczema drug effective against severe asthma Two new studies of patients with difficult-to-control asthma show that the eczema drug dupilumab alleviates asthma symptoms and improves patients' ability to breathe better than standard therapies. Dupilumab, an injectable anti-inflammatory drug, was approved in 2017 by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for eczema, a chronic skin disease.
	Neuron guidance factor found to play a key role in immune cell function Macrophages are white blood cells involved in a variety of biological functions, from destroying infectious pathogens to repairing damaged tissue. To carry out their different roles, macrophages must first be activated and transformed into different subtypes. However, the mechanisms that lead to macrophage activation are not fully understood.
	Atomic-level study reveals why rare disorder causes sudden paralysis A rare genetic disorder in which people are suddenly overcome with profound muscle weakness is caused by a hole in a membrane protein that allows sodium ions to leak across cell membranes, researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle have found.
	Researchers identify genetic variants that may predict glaucoma risk A study led by scientists from King's College London, University College London, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School has identified 133 genetic variants that could help predict the risk of developing glaucoma, the world's leading cause of incurable blindness.
	Scientists reveal likely cause of childhood leukaemia A major new analysis reveals for the first time the likely cause of most cases of childhood leukaemia, following more than a century of controversy about its origins.
	Reading the minds of pilots on the fly After a plane engine blew apart at 32,000 feet in the air last month, the pilot flying Southwest Flight 1380 safely brought the Boeing 737 to an emergency landing in Philadelphia. Captain Tammie Jo Shults was heralded a hero, but a different flier may not have been able to respond as adeptly.
	Eating at night, sleeping by day swiftly alters key blood proteins Staying awake all night and sleeping all day for just a few days can disrupt levels and time of day patterns of more than 100 proteins in the blood, including those that influence blood sugar, energy metabolism, and immune function, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research published in the journal PNAS this week.
	Deep space radiation treatment reboots brain's immune system Planning a trip to Mars? You'll want to remember your anti-radiation pills.
	New data changes the way scientists explain how cancer tumors develop A collaborative research team has uncovered new information that more accurately explains how cancerous tumors grow within the body. This study is currently available in Nature Genetics.
	Researchers discover novel mode of neurotransmitter-based communication Researchers at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine have discovered the first example of a novel mode of neurotransmitter-based communication. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, challenges current dogma about mechanisms of signaling in the brain, and uncovers new pathways for developing therapies for disorders like epilepsy, anxiety and chronic pain.
	Daily egg consumption may reduce cardiovascular disease People who consume an egg a day could significantly reduce their risk of cardiovascular diseases compared with eating no eggs, suggests a study carried out in China, published in the journal Heart.
Simpler scan still effective in deciding stroke treatment A study led by a neurologist from McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) showed that a computed tomography (CT scan) could be sufficient for determining thrombectomy treatment in stroke.
Finasteride does not increase risk of prostate cancer death Twenty five years after it opened for enrollment, the landmark Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial has delivered a final verdict. Finasteride, a common hormone-blocking drug, reduces mens' risk of getting prostate cancer without increasing their risk of dying from the disease. Initial study findings suggested there may be a link between use of the drug and a more lethal form of prostate cancer, but long-term follow-up shows that is not true.
Could intermittent fasting diets increase diabetes risk? Fasting every other day to lose weight impairs the action of sugar-regulating hormone, insulin, which may increase diabetes risk, according to data presented in Barcelona at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018. These findings suggest that fasting-based diets may be associated with long-term health risks and careful consideration should be made before starting such weight loss programmes.
Minimizing exposure to common hormone-disrupting chemicals may reduce obesity rates Everyday products carry environmental chemicals that may be making us fat by interfering with our hormones, according to research presented in Barcelona at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018. Following recommendations on how to avoid these chemicals could help minimise exposure and potentially reduce the risk of obesity and its complications.
Larger waistlines are linked to higher risk of vitamin D deficiency Higher levels of belly fat are associated with lower vitamin D levels in obese individuals, according to data presented in Barcelona at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018. The study reports that vitamin D levels are lower in individuals with higher levels of belly fat, and suggests that individuals, particularly the overweight with larger waistlines should have their vitamin D levels checked, to avoid any potentially health damaging effects.
	Ozone exposure at birth increases risk of asthma development A long-term study of the health of Canadian children has found that exposure to ozone (O3), a common air pollutant, at birth was associated with an 82 percent increased risk of developing asthma by age three. The study, which was a 10-year follow-up to the 2006 Toronto Child Health Evaluation Questionnaire (T-CHEQ), was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.
	Multidisciplinary lung health clinic helps low-income patients "Beyond our own institution's walls, we have demonstrated that creating an interdisciplinary learning health care clinic can lead to improved structure, process and patient outcomes," said lead author Lisa C. Cicutto, Ph.D., of National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado. "Within our own institution, we have also learned and recognized the importance of teams and having patient navigators and a nurse practitioner who can lead the clinic."
	CPAP may reduce resting heart rate in prediabetic patients People with prediabetes have blood sugar levels higher than normal but below Type 2 diabetes levels. People with OSA experience times during sleep when air is obstructed from flowing normally into the lungs. CPAP is considered the "gold standard" treatment for OSA.
	In utero exposure to carbon monoxide increases infants' risk of poor lung function While household air pollution from solid fuel stoves has previously been associated with child mortality, this is the first study to investigate the association between household air pollution and lung development beginning in utero and to identify the most harmful times during pregnancy for exposure to this pollution. The study was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.
Infection blood test of limited value in reducing antibiotic use Overall antibiotic use was not curbed by giving physicians the results of biomarker tests in patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infections, according to findings from the Procalcitonin Antibiotic Consensus Trial (ProACT). The national, randomized clinical trial was coordinated by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The results, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, are being presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference in San Diego.
	Inpatient opioid use and insufficient weaning pre-discharge may increase outpatient opioid prescript According to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists who conducted the study, theirs is the first large-scale evaluation of the impact of in-hospital opioid prescribing on post-discharge opioid use.
	One in 10 parents say their child has gotten sick from spoiled or contaminated food No parent wants to come home from a picnic or restaurant with a little one whose stomachache turns into much worse.
Improving heart health could prevent frailty in old age New research has shown that older people with very low heart disease risks also have very little frailty, raising the possibility that frailty could be prevented.
Research sheds light on a novel disease mechanism in chronic smokers Research published in the journal Clinical Science suggests that an immune signalling protein called interleukin (IL)-26 is increased among chronic smokers with lung disease and this involvement reveals disease mechanisms of interest for developing more effective therapy for these hard-to-treat patients.
	Fewer men are being screened, diagnosed, and treated for prostate cancer A new study reveals declines in prostate cancer screening and diagnoses in the United States in recent years, as well as decreases in the use of definitive treatments in men who have been diagnosed. The findings are published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
US poison control centers receive 29 calls per day about children exposed to ADHD medications A new study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that there were more than 156,000 calls to US Poison Control Centers regarding exposures to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications among children and adolescents 19 years of age and younger from January 2000 through December 2014, averaging 200 calls each week or 29 calls per day.
Brain stimulation may reduce food cravings as obesity treatment Stimulating the brain to alter its intrinsic reward system shows promise in the treatment of obesity, according to results presented in Barcelona at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018. The technique has yielded positive results after just a single treatment session, revealing its potential to become a safer alternative to treat obesity, avoiding invasive surgery and drug side effects.
	Technology could help pregnant women detect health complications Purdue University researchers are developing an app and wearable technology to enable pregnant women to use a smartphone to detect whether they have or are susceptible to a condition that could lead to serious health complications for them or their unborn child.
	There's a crisis in psychology – here's how technology could provide a solution Psychologists obediently follow the same rules as other scientists. But their efforts haven't yielded equivalent progress. In fact, in the last decade, psychologists have realised that some of their most intriguing findings are not reliable – when other researchers try to repeat the same study, they don't find the same results.
	New guidelines may slightly increase reliability, accuracy of melanoma diagnoses In a new study, researchers have developed updated guidelines for classifying a serious form of skin cancer called invasive melanoma. The American Joint Committee on Cancer, an organization that provides information on "cancer staging," or the severity of individual cases of cancer, recently updated its guidelines for melanoma. The researchers found that when pathologists used the new guidelines for cases of early stage invasive melanoma, they agreed with an expert-defined diagnosis 10 percent more often.
Lowering drug costs for hepatitis C would increase treatment in prisons, researchers suggest More hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment in correctional facilities, a possibility if medication costs were to drop, is essential to controlling the hepatitis C epidemic in the US, according to researchers from the Rollins School of Public Health and Harvard University.
	New research to identify what makes conversations supportive People going through hard times often find assistance by talking about their problems with others, and the support people receive has documented health benefits. However, the quality of support can vary and what happens during conversations can determine whether or not the support is actually beneficial.
Preventing murder by addressing domestic violence Victims of domestic violence are at a high risk to be murdered—or a victim of attempted murder— according to a Cuyahoga County task force of criminal-justice professionals, victim advocates and researchers working to prevent domestic violence and homicides.
	Bladder cancer model could pave the way for better drug efficacy studies Understanding that not all bladder cancers are the same, researchers at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have created a tool that may help them to uncover why only a fraction of patients respond to new immune-based treatments.
	Study looks at collaboration, facial recognition Two heads are better than one—so goes the common adage. But are two heads collaborating really more effective at making decisions than two working independently?
Study finds acetaminophen helps reduce acute kidney injury risk in children following cardiac surgery Children who underwent cardiac surgery were less likely to develop acute kidney injury if they had been treated with acetaminophen in the first 48 hours after their procedures, according to a Vanderbilt study just published in JAMA Pediatrics.
Shaping reward circuits A reward center in the brain—the nucleus accumbens (NAc)—integrates inputs from multiple brain regions to drive motivated behaviors. Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors regulate the strength of neuronal connections in the NAc, and these connections are impacted by drugs of abuse. How different mGlu receptors control NAc inputs from discrete brain regions is unclear.
	Consumers focus on food types, not portions, when it comes to perceived healthiness It's an age-old question: Is it healthier to focus on the type of food you eat or the portion size?
	Toddler bedtime can switch on snooze Bedtime fading offers a strong solution to curb toddler bedtime tantrums and promote significant improvements in sleep patterns, research by Flinders University sleep experts has found.
	Casting light on better bowels A novel light therapy is being investigated as an alternative to prescription drugs to relieve chronic constipation and other intestinal disorders which affect millions of patients around the world.
	Schizophrenia more prevalent away from green spaces People who grew up without green spaces are 50 per cent more likely to develop schizophrenia compared with those who grew up surrounded by greenery.
	Warning labels on alcohol containers highly deficient, new research shows Current health warning labels on alcohol beverage containers in New Zealand are highly deficient, new research from the University of Otago, Wellington shows.
	Rare plant compounds could hold key to treating resistant hypertension Researchers have discovered new natural compounds in a fig plant species native to Malaysia that could lead to improved treatment for resistant hypertension.
	Drivers on the phone more cautious hands-free Drivers use "self-regulation" techniques like slowing down when they use their mobile phone hands-free while driving, according to a new QUT study of Brisbane drivers in a high-tech simulator.
	A common but little-known condition afflicting women When Rachel, 25, made an appointment to see her GP, she wasn't surprised by the diagnosis of thrush.
	An unexpected chemosensor pathway for innate fear behavior against predator odor Innate fear is an essential emotion for animals to avoid danger in a severe natural environment. Rodents kept in a laboratory also show instinctive fear behavior against the smell of predators such as foxes, cats or snakes despite having never seen them. This innate fear represents an evolutionarily conserved and genetically encoded survival mechanism. However, the molecular basis of innate behaviors is largely unknown.
Doctors warn that breast cancer is still seen as a white woman's disease Clinicians and researchers at Queen Mary University of London and the Homerton Hospital are encouraging black women to visit their GP if they notice any changes in their breasts. The call comes following the publication of a Queen Mary research paper which shows that among black women, breast cancer is often still perceived as "a disease of whiteness".
	Why do we yawn and why is it contagious? Consider the scenario. You're driving on a long, straight stretch of country highway at about 2pm on a sunny afternoon, and you're desperately keen to reach your destination. You're trying to stay alert and attentive, but sleep pressure is building up.
	Complex price relationships influence nicotine product purchases Changes in pricing of tobacco products affect sales of those products at varying rates, with demand for little cigars, cigarillos, loose "roll your own" tobacco, pipe tobacco and e-cigarettes more sensitive to price change than that of some other products, according to a study led by a researcher from the School of Public Health at Georgia State University.
	What you see in a 3-D scan of yourself could be upsetting Amazon is reportedly looking for people who are willing to have their bodies scanned in 3-D in order to track and measure subtle changes in their sizes and shapes. It's part of the company's broader push to sell more clothes by more accurately predicting how garments will fit different body shapes.
	DNA apps promise deeper insights for consumers – but at what cost? Last month, law enforcement in California apprehended the alleged Golden State Killer, a serial murderer and rapist who terrorized the state during the 70s and 80s. Investigators triangulated to a suspect using a combination of DNA evidence left at crime scenes and publicly available genetic genealogy websites, most notably GEDMatch.
	Some people with synaesthesia feel other people's sensations of touch – painful and pleasurable Your brain is a fascinating piece of machinery. It has remarkable capacity for development. Very subtle changes in how the brain develops, or in how it responds, can lead to us experiencing the world in vastly different ways. For instance, if I was to ask you "what do words taste like?" you may wonder what I am talking about – but, for some people with synaesthesia, this is a natural way of perceiving the world.
	A clinical trial wants your DNA – what should you do? On May 6, the "All of Us" study started enrolling participants. This national study will be one of the largest ever examining the connection between genetics, behavior and medical outcomes, with a goal of 1 million or more participants. Anyone over the age of 18 in the U.S. can join.
	Nipah virus kills at least three in India, sparks alert A deadly virus carried mainly by fruit bats has killed at least three people in southern India, sparking a statewide health alert Monday.
	Label-free method for rapid cancer diagnosis Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum have deployed a novel infrared (IR) microscope with quantum cascade lasers in order to analyse tissue samples taken during routine clinical procedures for colorectal cancer diagnosis. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microscope used today had not yet been established as a diagnostic tool in hospitals, as the analyses previously took too long. By utilising the new laser technology, the researchers reduced the time required for analysis from one day to a few minutes. Coupled with bioinformatic image analysis, the IR microscope performs label-free classification of cancer tissue and can be fully automated.
	New potential target identified to fight acute myeloid leukemia AML is not a single disease. It is a group of leukemias that develop in the bone marrow from progenitors of specialized blood cells, the so-called myeloid cells. Rapidly growing and dividing, these aberrant cells crowd the bone marrow and bloodstream, which can be fatal within weeks or months if the disease is left untreated. Myeloid cells of various types and stages can become cancerous and cause AML, which makes the condition very heterogeneous and difficult to treat. Thus, finding drug targets that affect as many forms of AML as possible is a prime goal for researchers.
	Innovative risk score tool effectively predicts future risk of hospitalization for COPD patients Researchers have developed a new tool that utilizes basic laboratory tests to effectively identify patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are at high risk of being hospitalized due to a flare up of the condition.
	Mediterranean diet may blunt air pollution's ill health effects Eating a Mediterranean diet may protect people from some of the harm of long-term exposure to air pollution, and reduce their risk of dying from heart attacks, stroke and other causes of death, according to new research presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.
	Flavonoids may slow lung function decline due to aging Previous research has shown that the plant-produced chemicals known as flavonoids have beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanins, the type of flavonoid investigated in the current study, have been detected in lung tissue shortly after being ingested, and in animals models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The plant chemicals appear to reduce mucus and inflammatory secretions.
	Screening may miss signs of autism, especially in girls: study (HealthDay)—An important checklist used to screen for autism can miss subtle clues in some children, delaying their eventual diagnosis.
	Are you a procrastinator? Then read this. Now! (HealthDay)—Do you put off until tomorrow things you should do today? Or tell yourself that you work better "under pressure"?
	Two novel immune-response clusters identified to RSV (HealthDay)—Two novel immune-response clusters have been identified to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and they are associated with first- and second-year recurrent wheeze, according to a study published online May 7 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	Ischemic heart disease, CHF mortality vary across VA systems (HealthDay)—Risk-standardized mortality rates for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and chronic heart failure vary across Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs), according to a study published online May 16 in JAMA Cardiology.
	Breath test shows promise for diagnosis of esophagogastric CA (HealthDay)—Breath analysis shows potential for noninvasive diagnosis of esophagogastric cancer (OGC), according to a study published online May 17 in JAMA Oncology.
	Adding chiropractic to usual care beneficial for low back pain (HealthDay)—For active-duty military personnel, the addition of chiropractic care to usual medical care is associated with improvements in low back pain intensity and disability, according to a study published online May 18 in JAMA Network Open.
	Molecular basis for varied presentations of ETEC explored (HealthDay)—The EtpA adhesion molecule, which is secreted by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strain H10407, is a dominant ETEC blood group A-specific lectin/hemagglutinin, according to a study published online May 17 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
	Chemicals in hair products for black women raise concerns (HealthDay)—Multiple chemicals associated with endocrine disruption and asthma are contained in hair products used by black women and children, according to a study published online April 25 in Environmental Research.
	Most teens, young women satisfied with IUD insertion (HealthDay)—Most adolescent and young adult women report high satisfaction with intrauterine device (IUD) insertion, according to a study published online May 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
V600E BRAF mutation tied to worse survival in CRC liver mets (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), the presence of the V600E BRAF mutation is associated with worse prognosis, according to a study published online May 16 in JAMA Surgery.
	Various clinical disturbances precede MS diagnosis (HealthDay)—Various clinical symptoms precede the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) by several years, according to a study published online May 8 in the Annals of Neurology.
	AUA: Many have unused opioids after urologic procedures (HealthDay)—Patients undergoing urological procedures use just over half of their initial prescription of opioids, on average, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association, held from May 18 to 21 in San Francisco.
	New hope for women with fistula injuries The health care systems in the United States and other industrialized countries have outgrown many of the childbirth-related injuries that are still very problematic in poor countries.
	Autism is not linked to eating fish in pregnacy A major study examining the fish-eating habits of pregnant women has found that they are not linked to autism or autistic traits in their children.
	Estonia to map DNA of over 10% of population A trail-blazer in internet technology, cyber-savvy Estonia is rolling out a high-tech DNA database holding the genetic details of over 150,000 residents to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic disease.
	Ice cream funds research showing new strategy against thyroid cancer Anaplastic thyroid cancer is almost uniformly fatal, with an average lifespan of about 5 months after diagnosis. And standard treatment for the condition includes 7 weeks of radiation, often along with chemotherapy.
	Immune cells hold promise in slowing down ALS Recent research from Houston Methodist Hospital showed that a new immunotherapy was safe for patients with ALS and also revealed surprising results that could bring hope to patients who have this relentlessly progressive and fatal disease.
High-nicotine dependent smokers 'less likely' to quit after lung cancer screening Tobacco cessation is considered the single most effective primary prevention strategy for reducing the risk of lung cancer death in patients. Having a better understanding of smokers and their characteristics can help to better identify their downstream outcomes, determine predictors of continued smoking and develop a personalized treatment plan. A new study in the May edition of the journal Chest investigated the relationship between the degree of nicotine dependence and the likelihood to quit smoking and clinical cancer and mortality outcomes in a cohort of screened patients. The study found that patients with a higher nicotine dependence are less likely to quit post-lung cancer screening.
New form of local anesthetic does not reduce opioid use or complications after knee surgery Contrary to what some studies may suggest, the local anesthetic drug, liposomal bupivacaine, did not reduce in-hospital opioid prescriptions or opioid-related complications in patients who received the drug during total knee replacement surgery as part of a multimodal approach to manage postsurgical pain, finds a new study published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).
One year's losses for child sexual abuse in US top $9 billion, new study suggests A new study at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that the annual economic impact of child sexual abuse in the U.S. is far-reaching and costly: In 2015, the total economic burden was approximately $9.3 billion and includes costs associated with health care, child welfare, special education, violence and crime, suicide and survivor productivity losses.
Vascular risk interacts with amyloid levels to increase age-related cognitive decline Risk factors for heart disease and stroke appear to hasten the risk of cognitive decline in normal older individuals with evidence of very early Alzheimer's-disease-associated changes in the brain. Vascular risk factors increase the risk of cognitive impairment in older individuals and appear to have a negative synergistic effect with levels of brain amyloid-beta, the protein that aggregates into neurotoxic plaques in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease. In their report published in JAMA Neurology, a team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators describes finding that the combination of increased vascular risk and higher brain amyloid levels predicted even faster cognitive decline in clinically normal older individuals than would be expected based on the independent effects of both factors.
	How to ethically conduct clinical research during public health emergencies Following the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine established a committee to assess the clinical trials conducted in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. In a report entitled "Integrating Clinical Research into Epidemic Response: The Ebola Experience" the committee outlined ways to facilitate rapid, well-coordinated responses to future public health emergencies.
	Women with pregnancy-related diabetes may be at risk for chronic kidney disease Gestational diabetes may predispose women to early-stage kidney damage, a precursor to chronic kidney disease, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. The study appears in Diabetes Care.
Fetal MRI can reliably spot holoprosencephaly as early as 18 gestational weeks Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reliably spot holoprosencephaly as early as 18 gestational weeks, providing an opportunity to counsel families earlier in their pregnancy, according to Children's-led research published online May 18, 2018, in the American Journal of Medical Genetics. Accurately diagnosing holoprosencephaly is vital because the degree of severity of the brain malformation correlates with heightened risk of fetal and neonatal demise and intellectual disability among surviving children, the study authors write.
	Sleep better, parent better: Study shows link between maternal sleep and permissive parenting Research has shown that consistently not getting enough sleep, or getting poor quality sleep, can put you at risk for a number of health conditions. But how does sleep, or the lack of it, affect how you parent?
	Clues found to early lung transplant failure Among organ transplant patients, those receiving new lungs face a higher rate of organ failure and death compared with people undergoing heart, kidney and liver transplants. One of the culprits is inflammation that damages the newly transplanted lung.
	Study identifies new potential treatment option for triple negative breast cancer In a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Mayo Clinic researchers identified that an FDA drug approved for myelodysplastic syndrome may be useful to treat triple-negative breast cancer, which is one of the most aggressive and lethal types of breast cancer.
	New study shows higher formaldehyde risk in e-cigarettes than previously thought Portland State University researchers who published an article three years ago in the New England Journal of Medicine about the presence of previously undiscovered forms of formaldehyde in e-cigarette vapor revisited their research and found that formaldehyde risks were even higher than they originally thought.
	Kidney docs worry over no dialysis for undocumented immigrants (HealthDay)—Undocumented immigrants in the United States are often denied treatment for kidney failure until they have a life-threatening emergency. Now a new study finds that the doctors and nurses who treat them are frustrated and demoralized over it.
Doptelet approved for liver disease patients slated for a medical procedure (HealthDay)—Doptelet (avatrombopag) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with chronic liver disease who are slated to have a medical or dental procedure.
	Semaglutide found to be effective against type 2 diabetes (HealthDay)—Semaglutide is safe and effective for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, according to a review published online May 13 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
	Depression-heart rate variability link is bidirectional (HealthDay)—There is a bidirectional association between depression and heart rate variability (HRV), according to a study published online May 16 in JAMA Psychiatry.
	Robust immune responses for herpes zoster subunit vaccine (HealthDay)—Recipients of the herpes zoster subunit vaccine (HZ/su), consisting of varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein E (gE) and AS01B Adjuvant System, develop robust immune responses, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
	AUA: Most women report dysfunctional toileting behaviors (HealthDay)—Many women report dysfunctional toileting behaviors, which are associated with lower urinary tract symptoms, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association, held from May 18 to 21 in San Francisco.
	Surgical site infection rate can be reduced in hysterectomy (HealthDay)—Implementation of a perioperative surgical site infection prevention bundle may reduce the rate of surgical site infection among patients undergoing hysterectomy, according to a study published online May 7 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Congo says 3 new Ebola cases confirmed in large city Three new cases of the often lethal Ebola virus have been confirmed in a city of more than 1 million people, Congo's health minister announced, as the spread of the hemorrhagic fever in an urban area raised alarm.
	UA surgeons developing new tool to detect urine blockage Physicians at the University of Arizona College of Medicine—Tucson are developing a new tool that detects urine, or urethral, blockage. The technique may soon make it easier for patients to test themselves for the condition from the comfort of their own homes.
DRCongo prepares for first Ebola vaccinations The Democratic Republic of Congo is preparing to launch an Ebola vaccination programme Monday in a bid to stop the latest outbreak of the dreaded fatal disease from spreading.
Physicians report feeling moral distress over hospital policies that force inadequate care based on immigration status Clinicians in safety-net hospitals describe feeling moral distress and being driven toward professional burnout because of policies that prevent them from performing hemodialysis to undocumented immigrants, except in the case of an emergency. Being forced to provide inferior care due to the patient's immigration status was a significant burden to the clinicians who reported feeling a sense of admiration for these patients and a desire to advocate on their behalf. Findings from a qualitative study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Research explores why students choose to run As thousands of runners take on Plymouth's half marathon, researchers from the University of Plymouth Occupational Therapy team have analysed what makes students engage with running.
	Vascular dementia trial of Viagra-type drug nears closing stages The Phase 2 trial (named PASTIS) is examining whether tadalafil – a Viagra-like drug that treats erectile dysfunction – can increase blood flow to the deep vessels within the brain.
Ebola death toll hits 26 in DR Congo as vaccinations start (Update) The death toll in an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) rose to 26 on Monday after a person died in the northwest city of Mbandaka, the government said, as it began vaccinating first responders against the dreaded disease.
Many Americans say infectious and emerging diseases in other countries will threaten the US An overwhelming majority of Americans (95%) think infectious and emerging diseases facing other countries will pose a 'major' or 'minor' threat to the U.S. in the next few years, but more than half (61%) say they are confident the federal government can prevent a major infectious disease outbreak in the U.S., according to a new national public opinion survey commissioned by Research!America and the American Society for Microbiology.
Dispute on eye drop size fails to catch Supreme Court's eye A dispute about the size of eye drops has failed to catch the eye of the Supreme Court.
International anaesthesia standards updated with WHO in global effort to improve surgical care This month the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) launched an update of the International Standards For A Safe Practice of Anaesthesia, co-published with World Health Organization (WHO) for the first time as an official WHO guideline.
	Personalizing therapeutic brain stimulation A study of epilepsy patients with implanted electrodes provides an unprecedented view of the changes in brain activity created by electrical stimulation. These findings, published in JNeurosci, have the potential to improve noninvasive stimulation approaches toward the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
	Vocal neurons encode evolution of frog calls A study of two closely-related frog species reveals a population of neurons that give rise to the unique mating calls of each species. Published in JNeurosci, the findings suggest that changes in the properties of these cells over the course of evolution may have shaped vocal patterns in vertebrates including bats and primates.
	Single 'clock' syncs action and perception A difficult task that requires participants to determine which of two stimuli appears first demonstrates how varying rhythms of brain activity may be synchronized to achieve a stable sense of time. The research is published in eNeuro.
	Pharmacists should counsel patients fasting for Ramadan (HealthDay)—Pharmacists should counsel Muslim patients who fast during Ramadan with respect to their medications and adjusting their medication regimen, according to an article published in Drug Topics.
	Nurse dead in Congo as Ebola vaccination campaign starts A nurse has died from Ebola in Bikoro, the rural northwestern town where the outbreak began, as the country Monday begins a vaccination campaign in three health zones affected by the deadly outbreak, Congo's health minister said.
Patients with high lipoprotein(a) levels may benefit from taking PCSK9 inhibitors Lipoprotein(a) is a variant of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, and large amounts of data have shown that higher lipoprotein(a) levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Atherosclerosis patients with higher baseline lipoprotein(a) levels have a 26 percent greater risk of coronary death from heart attack than patients with the lowest lipoprotein(a) levels. To date, there have been limited therapies available that can effectively reduce lipoprotein(a) levels and reduce risk of cardiovascular events. In the latest analysis from the FOURIER (Further Cardiovascular Outcomes Research With PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects With Elevated Risk) trial, researchers found that PCSK9 inhibitors reduced lipoprotein(a) levels and that patients starting with higher Lp(a) levels appeared to derive greater absolute benefit from taking PSCK9 inhibitors. Their results were reported at the 86th Annual Congress of the European Atherosclerosis Society.
Another potential mechanism links androgen deprivation therapy to cardiovascular mortality Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the US. As the prostate is a testosterone-responsive gland, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the cornerstone of treatment in these men, with approximately 50 percent of prostate cancer patients starting ADT within a year of diagnosis. This therapy works by suppressing testosterone production, which in turn slows the growth of the cancer. Although ADT results in improved survival in a subset of these patients, it has many side effects, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease and sudden death. The mechanisms by which ADT may lead to an increased risk of sudden death were unclear. Now, a team of researchers from BWH has shed some light on this issue and their findings are published findings in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
	Congo Ebola vaccination campaign begins with health workers Congo began an Ebola vaccination campaign Monday in a northwest provincial capital in a major effort to stem an outbreak that has already made its way from rural towns into a city of more than 1 million people.
	Making America's doctors look more like America When Dr. Luis Castellanos was a resident at UC San Diego School of Medicine, he noticed there weren't many Spanish-speaking physicians on staff, even though Latinos comprise about a third of the city's population. Occasionally, the Mexican-American cardiologist found himself translating for his colleagues—a task that continued when he returned to join the staff in 2010.
	Palliative care may reduce suicide risk in veterans with advanced lung cancer "Suicide is a significant national public health problem, especially among lung cancer patients and among veterans," said lead author Donald R. Sullivan, MD, MA, assistant professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, core investigator at the Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care at the Portland VA and member of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. "We wanted to see if palliative care, which has been shown to improve quality of life, reduced suicides among veterans with stage IIIB and IV lung cancer."

Biology news

	Study shows Plasmodium falciparum emerged earlier than thought and gives clues to how deadly parasites arise The evolutionary path of the deadliest human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, has been revealed for the first time. This parasite is a member of a parasite family called the Laverania that only infect the great apes including humans, chimpanzees and gorillas. Scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators from the French National Centre for Scientific Research, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), and the International Centre for Medical Research of Franceville, Gabon, estimate that Plasmodium falciparum emerged as a human-specific parasite species earlier than previously thought.
	Managed hunting can help maintain animal populations Researchers studying the hunting of ibex in Switzerland over the past 40 years have shown how hunts, when tightly monitored, can help maintain animal populations at optimal levels.
	Giant Chinese salamander is at least five distinct species, all heading toward extinction With individuals weighing in at more than 140 pounds, the critically endangered Chinese giant salamander is well known as the world's largest amphibian. But researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on May 21 now find that those giant salamanders aren't one species, but five, and possibly as many as eight. The bad news as highlighted by another report appearing in the same issue is that all of the salamanders—once thought to occur widely across China—now face the imminent threat of extinction in the wild, due in no small part to demand for the amphibians as luxury food.
	Study finds snap-lock mechanism in bacterial riboswitch In a discovery that points to potential new antibiotic medicines, scientists from Rice University and the University of Michigan have deciphered the workings of a common but little-understood bacterial switch that cuts off protein production before it begins.
	Profiling the genome hundreds of variations at a time Geneticists have been using model organisms ranging from the house mouse to the single-cell bakers' yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to study basic biological processes that regulate human development and physiology, and that can be compromised in various diseases. This has been possible because many of the genes that control these processes in humans are also present with similar functions in those other species; and because genes in model organisms can be mutated and deleted in the laboratory at will. Thus far, however, even in easy-to-manipulate yeast, genes had to be deleted one-gene at a time, often with additional undesired sequence modifications left behind in their genome.
	How animals holler While humans can only broadcast about one percent of their vocal power through their speech, some animals and mammals are able to broadcast 100 percent. The secret to their long-range howls? A combination of high pitch, a wide-open mouth and a clever use of the body's shape to direct sound—none of which are factors that humans can replicate.
	Humans may influence cancer in many other species on the planet As humans, we know that some of our activities can cause cancer to develop in our bodies. Smoking, poor diets, pollution, chemicals used as additives in food and personal hygiene products, and even too much sun are some of the things that contribute to an increased risk of cancer.
	Birds from different species recognize each other and cooperate Cooperation among different species of birds is common. Some birds build their nests near those of larger, more aggressive species to deter predators, and flocks of mixed species forage for food and defend territories together in alliances that can last for years. In most cases, though, these partnerships are not between specific individuals of the other species—any bird from the other species will do.
	Humans account for little next to plants, worms, bugs When you weigh all life on Earth, billions of humans don't amount to much compared to trees, earthworms or even viruses. But we really know how to throw what little weight we have around, according to a first-of-its-kind global census of the footprint of life on the planet.
	Slovenia, a land with beekeeping in its genes It was a Slovene who wrote the world's first modern beekeeping manual.
	UN, EU call for global action to protect bees The United Nation's food agency and the European Union on Saturday called for global action to protect pollinators, and bees in particular, which are crucial for ensuring food security.
	Brumby reprieve: Australia to ban wild horses cull at national park Australia said Sunday the culling of wild horses in a unique national park would be banned despite fears the animals were threatening native species.
	Wasp warriors—entomologists on samurai mission to slay stink bugs Hillary Peterson is every brown marmorated stink bug's worst nightmare.
	Chimpanzees eat plants that point to new ways of treating diseases As cancer and other non-infectious diseases continue to rise all over the world it's become harder for scientists to find safe, effective treatments. In addition, bacteria are becoming more and more resistant to drugs and synthetic medicines have become harsher.
	An eco-friendly cure for a global fish-killing disease Parasites are as a rule very picky about who they infect. But there are always exceptions.
	Loss of marine habitats is threatening the global fishing industry – new research Seafood consumption is both a love and a necessity for hundreds of millions of people worldwide. And its supply is a key part of maintaining food security for the whole planet. But during a time of rapid population growth and increasing demand, stocks of wild fish and invertebrates (such as mussels and prawns) are declining.
	Far from special: Humanity's tiny DNA differences are 'average' in animal kingdom Researchers report important new insights into evolution following a study of mitochondrial DNA from about 5 million specimens covering about 100,000 animal species.
Scientist set to tackle the mystery of Loch Ness The story of the Loch Ness monster is one of the world's greatest mysteries. We have waited more than a thousand years for an answer on its existence. Now, it is only months away.
	Six pygmy elephants found dead on Malaysian Borneo Six Borneo pygmy elephants have been found dead in Malaysian palm oil plantations in recent weeks, officials said Monday, the latest of the endangered creatures to perish as their rainforest habitat is devastated.
	Probe into rare cougar attack in US that left one dead Wildlife officials in the US state of Washington on Monday were probing what prompted a cougar to attack two cyclists over the weekend, leaving one dead and the other seriously injured.

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