Science X Newsletter Thursday, May 10

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 10, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Body's 'natural opioids' affect brain cells much differently than morphine

Neuroscientists find first evidence animals can mentally replay past events

Liquid crystals self-regulate the release of drugs in precise, repeating doses with simple nudge from their environment

Researchers invent tiny, resealable packets to deliver materials on cue

Radar reveals details of mountain collapse after North Korea's most recent nuclear test

Genetic clues reveal origins of killer fungus behind the 'amphibian plague'

Light could make semiconductor computers a million times faster or even go quantum

Levitation yields better neutron-lifetime measurement

Profiling extreme beams: Scientists devise new diagnostic for cutting-edge and next-gen particle accelerators

Heat and sound wave interactions in solids could run engines, refrigerators

Angry birds: Size of jackdaw mobs depends on who calls warning

Scientists identify cause of resistance to breakthrough breast and ovarian cancer drug

Depleted metabolic enzymes promote tumor growth in kidney cancer

Receptor related to neurotransmitter serotonin to boost memory formation

Microbes from marine volcanic vents reveal how humans adjusted to a changing atmosphere

Astronomy & Space news

	SpaceX to launch next-gen reuseable Falcon 9 rocket SpaceX on Thursday prepared to launch its new Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, which the California-based company promises to be more powerful and easier to re-use.
	Satellite pair arrive for Galileo's next rumble in the jungle The next two satellites in Europe's Galileo satellite navigation system have arrived at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, ahead of their planned launch from the jungle space base in July.
	The talking AI story since '2001: A Space Odyssey' Almost everyone knows the story of HAL 9000, the killer supercomputer in Stanley Kubrick's landmark film 2001: A Space Odyssey, whose 50th anniversary will be celebrated on May 12, 2018 at the 71st Cannes Film Festival. In an intriguing scheduling coincidence, IBM, Kubrick's partner during the filming of A Space Odyssey, and Airbus have just unveiled the CIMON (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion) project, an "intelligent, mobile and interactive astronaut assistance system" that will join the International Space Station.
	Image: Full moon over Newfoundland The crew of the International Space Station snapped this image of the full Moon on April 30, 2018, as the station orbited off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Video: Fly over Neukum crater This movie, based on images taken by ESA's Mars Express, showcases the 102 km wide Neukum Crater in the southern hemisphere of Mars.
	Image: InSight in sight On 5 May 2018, ESA's 35 m-diameter deep-space radio dish at New Norcia, Western Australia, monitored NASA's InSight spacecraft providing critical tracking support during launch and early operations on its journey to Mars.
	'New views of Jupiter' showcases swirling clouds on giant planet Members of NASA's Juno mission team, some of the world's leading observers of Jupiter, and citizen scientists from across the globe will attend a workshop 'New Views of Jupiter: Pro-Am Collaborations during and beyond the NASA Juno Mission' at the Royal Astronomical Society in London on 10-11 May.

Technology news

	Fundamental equations guide marine robots to optimal sampling sites Observing the world's oceans is increasingly a mission assigned to autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)—marine robots that are designed to drift, drive, or glide through the ocean without any real-time input from human operators. Critical questions that AUVs can help to answer are where, when, and what to sample for the most informative data, and how to optimally reach sampling locations.
	Tackling global energy savings through efficiency improvements With society under pressure to meet growing energy needs and lower carbon emissions, Cambridge engineers have collaborated with industry to examine energy use and identify energy savings.
	Would Super Mario Bros. be better if you could play as yourself? Well, not exactly The gaming experience over the last decade has evolved tremendously and player-customized avatars, or virtual doppelgangers, are becoming more realistic every day. Past studies have shown women may prefer avatars that don't look like them but a new study by USC Institute for Creative Technologies and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign shows no gender difference or negative effect on player's performance or subjective involvement based on whether a photorealistic avatar looked like them or like their friend.
	Italian researchers develop lighter, cheaper robotic hand Italian researchers on Thursday unveiled a new robotic hand they say allows users to grip objects more naturally and featuring a design that will lower the price significantly.
	Researchers hide information in plain text Computer scientists at Columbia Engineering have invented FontCode, a new way to embed hidden information in ordinary text by imperceptibly changing, or perturbing, the shapes of fonts in text. FontCode creates font perturbations, using them to encode a message that can later be decoded to recover the message. The method works with most fonts and, unlike other text and document methods that hide embedded information, works with most document types, even maintaining the hidden information when the document is printed on paper or converted to another file type. The paper will be presented at SIGGRAPH in Vancouver, British Columbia, August 12-16.
	Human-sounding Google Assistant sparks ethics questions The new Google digital assistant converses so naturally it may seem like a real person.
	General Motors, Seoul agree to $7 billion bailout for S. Korea unit US auto giant General Motors and Seoul have agreed on a multi-billion-dollar bailout for the firm's troubled South Korean unit, a government minister said Thursday.
	UK telecoms giant BT axes 13,000 jobs British telecoms and television broadcasting company BT announced Thursday that it will axe 13,000 jobs in administration and management.
	China's ZTE teeters as US ban hits operations (Update) Chinese telecom giant ZTE faces a grim future after ceasing major operations due to a US ban on American sales of critical technology to the company, raising the stakes in a trade spat between the world's two largest economies.
US investigating battery fire in fatal Tesla crash The US National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday sent a team to investigate a Tesla Model S crash that left two people dead and another injured in Florida.
	Volunteers work to save vintage train simulator in Berlin Hydraulic systems jerk and pull the metal train cab back and forth as the driver pilots it along the tracks of Berlin's commuter rail system, as images of the city just after the fall of the Berlin Wall whiz by.
	Panasonic profit soars on automotive business growth Japanese electronics giant Panasonic on Thursday said its full-year net profit surged, helped by growth in its automative-related business.
	Apple fells plans for Ireland data centre over trees US tech giant Apple announced Thursday it had shelved plans to build an 850-million-euro ($1.0-billion) data centre in Ireland over a court battle with conservationists seeking to preserve a forest.
	How silent signals from your phone could be recording and tracking you My lounge room is bugged. My phone is broadcasting an ultrasonic signal to my blu-ray player via an acoustic side channel beyond human hearing.
	Alexa, check my security settings Do you trust the Internet of Things? More to the point, do you trust "Alexa" the voice-activated software in the Amazon Echo and related IoT devices? There is not necessarily any particular reason not to trust Alexa and Amazon, although one must always remember that data held by any company on its servers may be compromised by hackers or malware. In addition, might your "conversations" with Alexa and the Echo's recordings of your voice while it is in seemingly passive mode might be exploited by third parties or perhaps even used as evidence in a court of law.
	4 ways 'internet of things' toys endanger children As Amazon releases an Echo Dot smart-home device aimed at children, it's entering a busy and growing marketplace. More than one-third of U.S. homes with children has at least one "internet of things" connected toy – like a cuddly creature who can listen to and respond to a child's inquiries. Many more of these devices are on the way, around the world and in North America specifically.
Artificial intelligence needs to be socially responsible says new policy report The development of new artificial intelligence (AI) technology is often subject to bias, and the resulting systems can be discriminatory, meaning more should be done by policymakers to ensure its development is democratic and socially responsible.
Carnegie Mellon offers new artificial intelligence major Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh will offer the nation's first undergraduate degree program in artificial intelligence.
	China tech giant sidelined, US imports held amid trade spat A Chinese tech giant has been brought to its knees. Tougher inspections at Chinese ports are holding up cars, apples and lumber imported from the U.S. These are among the early signs that the widening trade dispute between China and the U.S. is exacting a toll on both sides.
	Canada, Apple back development of carbon-free aluminum smelting tech Canada and Quebec province, as well as tech giant Apple, announced Thursday their backing of aluminum producers Alcoa and Rio Tinto's new joint venture to develop a carbon-free smelting process.
	Apple, Goldman Sachs collaborating on credit card: report Apple is working with financial giant Goldman Sachs on a credit card that would carry the iPhone maker's digital wallet logo, according to a report Thursday in the Wall Street Journal.
Aide to Iowa governor touts Apple deal, gets job at company A top aide to Gov. Kim Reynolds took a management job with tech giant Apple months after helping promote a $208 million incentive package for the company's planned Iowa data center as a good deal for taxpayers.
	Tech leaders seek more focus on AI at White House summit Top U.S. tech executives and researchers want the Trump administration to invest more in artificial intelligence and craft policies they hope will strengthen the economy without displacing jobs.
Telecom Italia reaches content-sharing deal with Mediaset Telecom Italia has announced a content-sharing agreement with Mediaset, Italy's largest private broadcaster, as the former telecom monopoly pushes ahead with its plan to improve digital content after a boardroom shakeup.
	Improving the sound insulation of building materials Researcher Alberto Esteban-González has developed a method for measuring the soundproofing performance of building materials by means of small samples, thus reducing costs and resources.
	Spotify cuts R. Kelly music from playlists, cites new policy Spotify has removed R. Kelly's music from its playlists, citing its new policy on hate content and hateful conduct.
Big jump in job program for foreign graduates of US colleges A program that allows foreign students to stay in the United States for temporary employment after graduation has expanded significantly over a dozen years as technical companies stepped up hiring of science and engineering majors, according to a report released Thursday.
UK lawmakers summon ex-Cambridge Analytica chief to testify British lawmakers investigating the use of Facebook users' information in political campaigns issued a summons Thursday for the former head of data firm Cambridge Analytica after he declined to answer their questions.
	Death Dealer painting outshines Superman comic at auction Superman may be the Man of Steel, but he's no Death Dealer.

Medicine & Health news

	Body's 'natural opioids' affect brain cells much differently than morphine A new study led by UC San Francisco scientists shows that brain cells, or neurons, react differently to opioid substances created inside the body - the endorphins responsible for the "natural high" that can be produced by exercise, for example - than they do to morphine and heroin, or to purely synthetic opioid drugs, such as fentanyl. The researchers say their findings may help explain why the use of synthetic opioids can lead to addiction.
	Scientists identify cause of resistance to breakthrough breast and ovarian cancer drug Scientists have identified a mutation that gives cancer cells resistance to the breakthrough cancer treatment olaparib and other PARP inhibitors.
	Depleted metabolic enzymes promote tumor growth in kidney cancer Kidney cancer, one of the ten most prevalent malignancies in the world, has increased in incidence over the last decade, likely due to rising obesity rates. The most common subtype of this cancer is "clear cell" renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), which exhibits multiple metabolic abnormalities, such as highly elevated stored sugar and fat deposition.
	Receptor related to neurotransmitter serotonin to boost memory formation In a breakthrough that could one day help individuals with cognitive impairment, researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) identified a specific receptor related to the neurotransmitter serotonin that could be targeted with drugs to boost memory.
	Multigene testing replacing BRCA tests for breast cancer risk, researcher says The use of genetic tests aimed at detecting the presence of mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in women with breast cancer is rapidly declining in favor of tests that can detect multiple cancer-associated mutations, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and five other U.S. medical centers.
	How the germ behind flesh-eating disease hijacks neurons to avoid immune destruction The germ that causes garden-variety strep throat gets most of its bad rap for the misery of swollen tonsils and missed school days, but this wily pathogen has a lesser known, darker side.
	Gene disruption signals cerebral palsy and autism link University of Adelaide researchers have uncovered a genetic signal common to both cerebral palsy and autism.
	Parkinson's implant uses brain's signals to adapt treatment Scientists in the USA have developed a new deep brain stimulation method to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
	Video of moving discs reconstructed from rat retinal neuron signals Using machine-learning techniques, a research team has reconstructed a short movie of small, randomly moving discs from signals produced by rat retinal neurons. Vicente Botella-Soler of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria and colleagues present this work in PLOS Computational Biology.
	A low energy diet leaves people feeling full and eating fewer calories People who followed a diet of low energy density food such as vegetables, lean meat and rice were more likely to feel full than those who tried to restrict their calorie intake, according to research.
	Solving pieces of the genetic puzzle Every living thing on the planet contains DNA, the molecular sequence that encodes the genetic blueprint of an organism. Genome sequencing can reveal your likelihood of getting certain diseases like Alzheimer's, and it can tell you whether you have straight or curly hair or are likely to sneeze when sunlight hits your eyes. But for all this information, scientists only understand the functions of a small portion of the genome. The bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli) is widely considered the most well-studied organism on Earth, but still, scientists have no idea how more than half of E. coli's genes are regulated.
	New research puts distinct memories of similar events in their place Neuroscientists have found new evidence on how distinct memories of similar events are represented in the brain.
	Discovery of how HIV hedges its bets opens the door to new therapies A stem cell is one with infinite possibilities. So, for decades, scientists have puzzled over how the cell chooses to keep being a stem cell and continue dividing, or specialize into a specific cell type, like a heart or brain cell.
	Should the number of GP's patient consultations be capped? The British Medical Association recently proposed guidance to cap the number of patients a GP sees each day to prevent unsafe working levels, but should this be recommended? Experts debate the issue in The BMJ today.
	Many newborn screening recommendations do not assess key evidence on benefits and harms Many national recommendations on whether to screen newborn babies for rare conditions do not assess the evidence on the key benefits and harms of screening, warn researchers in a study published by The BMJ today.
	Spinal fluid could be used to predict the progression of multiple sclerosis, study finds A study led by the University of Birmingham has found that analysis of fluid in the spine could be used to predict the future progression of multiple sclerosis.
Study shows prolonged NAS treatment for infants discharged early Infants who are diagnosed with drug withdrawal after birth who are treated with medication as outpatients at home are treated three times longer than infants treated solely as inpatients, according to a new Vanderbilt study.
	Treatment for MRSA no longer more costly than for susceptible Staph aureus infections A new study from the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy (CDDEP), with collaborators from Johns Hopkins University and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, found that infections caused by one of the most common drug resistant bacteria in the US—methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, known as MRSA—are no more expensive to treat than MSSA, the methicillin-susceptible version of the same bacteria. These findings, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, are contrary to earlier studies that have found that MRSA was much more expensive to treat than MSSA.
Annual well woman visit to the OB/GYN can keep your heart healthy Annual well woman exams by OB/GYNs provide a golden opportunity to evaluate a woman's heart health, according to a new joint advisory from the American Heart Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) which stresses the benefits of collaborative care between OB/GYN specialists and cardiologists.
	Occupational exposures linked with increased risk of COPD An international team led by researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal has provided new evidence about the role of occupational exposures as an important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A study with more than 3,300 participants has linked exposure to biological dusts, gases, fumes and pesticides with a higher incidence of COPD. The results have been published in Thorax.
	New cancer immunotherapy drugs rapidly reach patients after approval The majority of patients eligible for cancer immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors received treatment within a few months of FDA approval, according to a new Yale-led study. The finding suggests that cancer immunotherapies are adopted at a much quicker pace than is typical for newly approved medical treatments, the researchers said.
	Making next-generation preconception screening a reality for parents For those planning to become parents, advances in sequencing technologies could make preconception carrier screening more useful by looking at a much broader set of genes. And in a recent clinical study published May 10 in The American Journal of Humans Genetics, researchers at Oregon Health & Science University found that parents-to-be do want access to the information this kind of screening makes possible. The study uncovered genetic variants that more targeted panels might have missed, but the researchers believe interpretation challenges remain before this technology becomes more broadly available.
Antibiotic prescriptions in infants may impact the effectiveness of important vaccinations Findings from a South Australian-led study on antibiotic use and the effectiveness of vaccinations could have significant implications for vaccination programs globally.
	Neuroprotective molecule could improve memory and cognition, reduce Alzheimer's degradation A Purdue University graduate and a Purdue Research Park of Northwest Indiana (NWI) startup have published a research study in Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters that identifies a small molecule SERCA activator that may improve memory and cognition.
	New treatment strategy exploits acquired vulnerability in drug-resistant melanoma Cancer cells that develop resistance to drugs pay a price for this by simultaneously developing a new vulnerability. If this acquired vulnerability can be identified, it may be exploited clinically. A team of cancer researchers, led by Rene Bernards of the Netherlands Cancer Institute and Oncode Institute, have now exposed this acquired vulnerability in melanoma that has developed resistance to a targeted therapy with BRAF inhibitors. The team then developed a new therapeutic strategy to selectively kill the drug-resistant cancer cells.
	A new puzzle piece to control the aging and age-related diseases A basic discovery of how the cellular functions are connected to control aging is presented in the journal Cell Metabolism. The study shows that an increasingly deteriorating communication between the cells' organelles is an important cause of aging. The discovery is the result of a collaboration between five research groups at the University of Stockholm and Gothenburg.
	Creating a compelling character to aid Latinas with depression and anxiety For years, MarySue Heilemann, an associate professor at the UCLA School of Nursing, has worked with Latinas dealing with depression and anxiety, looking for ways to connect them to effective treatment.
	A holistic approach for mycetoma management Mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease, can cause severe disfigurement and disability if not treated early. A holistic, community-based approach to detection and case management is effective at boosting disease prognoses, researchers now report in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
	Brain-computer interface based on mutual learning helps tetraplegics in avatar race Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are seen as a potential means by which severely physically impaired individuals can regain control of their environment, but establishing such an interface is not trivial. A study publishing May 10 in the open access journal PLOS Biology, by a group of researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Geneva, Switzerland, suggests that letting humans adapt to machines improves their performance on a brain-computer interface. The study of tetraplegic subjects training to compete in the Cybathlon avatar race suggests that the most dramatic improvements in computer-augmented performance are likely to occur when both human and machine are allowed to learn.
Working overtime linked to less collaboration between nurses and doctors Working overtime may negatively influence nurses' collaboration with fellow nurses and physicians, finds a new study by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.
	Obstructive sleep apnea in older adults: Often present, seldom investigated Older Americans are often at a high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, yet this illness remains vastly underdiagnosed, a new study finds.
	New link between gut microbiome and artery hardening discovered The level of diversity of the 'good bacteria' in our digestive systems has been found to be linked to a feature of cardiovascular disease – hardening of the arteries – in new research by experts at the University of Nottingham and King's College London.
Putting the brakes on sepsis Sepsis—an extreme response to infection—can cause damage to multiple organ systems when it triggers an uncontrolled inflammatory response.
	Study explores how wearable technologies can help reduce risk of back injury among nurses Nurses are often considered the unsung heroes and backbone of our health-care system but it's their actual backs that bear the brunt of physically demanding movements like lifting and transferring patients. In fact, nurses are the highest category of workers to experience back injuries on the job, even more than construction workers, says nursing researcher Linda Duffett-Leger.
	Keep your eyes on the ball, especially during practice and warmup Derek Meeuwisse, an undergrad student in kinesiology, lives and breathes volleyball. He plays on the Dinos men's volleyball team, he coaches youth volleyball, he conducts research for concussions in volleyball, and now his findings are beginning to change the way players warm up and practice volleyball.
	Team develops quality-control test for detecting cancer in blood Imagine how much patients could benefit if you could discover the presence of cancer, and even how that cancer develops over time, with a simple blood test.
	Prostate cancer diagnosis—how scientists are working to get it right Almost 48,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK every year. But questions are being asked of the tests used to diagnose these men, and how they might be improved.
	Neurons in the striatum may regulate response to unexpected stimuli Changing our behavior based on unexpected cues from our environment is an essential part of survival. The ability to drop what you're doing when circumstances demand it could mean the difference between avoiding a speeding vehicle or getting hit by it. A new study at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) has delved into a brain mechanism that may regulate such adaptation.
	Study confirms melatonin helps burn calories and curbs weight gain Researchers from the University of Granada, University Hospital La Paz (Madrid) and the University of Texas (USA) have identified a new molecular mechanism underlying the anti-obesity effects of the chronic administration of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone released by the pineal gland overnight. Previous studies conducted by numerous research teams, including the UGR team behind the present study, showed that melatonin possesses anti-obesity effects.
	Sugars in mother's milk help shape baby's microbiome and ward off infection While living in a mother's womb, cushioned by amniotic fluid and protected from the outside world, babies have only minimal exposure to microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. Shortly after birth, a newborn's collection of microorganisms – their microbiome – begins to develop as a succession of bacteria colonizes their gut.
	Easing the itch of poison ivy and poison oak April showers might bring May flowers, but they also bring the arrival of troublesome plants such as poison ivy and poison oak that can cause mild to severe allergic reactions.
	Food safety: Are the sniff test, the five-second rule and rare burgers safe? There are many rules in food safety lore, some that have a basis in fact, and some that are purely grounded in convenience. But it's important to look at the evidence to see which category common rules fall under.
	Suicides at record level among U.K. students According to a recent study, the rates of suicide among students in the UK has reached record levels. The international study, by Raymond Kwok and colleagues at Hong Kong University's Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, provides further evidence that large numbers of students attending UK universities are struggling to maintain their mental health.
How we see the world depends on who surrounds us As we move through the world in our daily lives, we humans make judgments about ourselves and others, assessing our thoughts and status against what we perceive around us. You may think you're doing far better, or far worse than everyone else. It can seem that everyone sees the world just like you, or the opposite: that your ideas are totally unique.
	OB-GYNs, cardiologists join to fight the No. 1 killer of women Regular annual visits to the OB-GYN can be a linchpin to improving women's heart health, according to an advisory issued Thursday that encourages collaboration with cardiologists and spells out recommendations on how the two can prevent heart disease.
	Gut microbes may affect heart disease risk – first study in humans Research has shown that having the right gut microbes can reduce the risk of heart disease – if you're a mouse. Now, our latest study, published in the European Heart Journal, shows that this might be true for humans, too.
	You're never too old to become fluent in a foreign language A new study on second language learning has recently taken the media by storm. A range of headlines – from the BBC to the Daily Mail and The Guardian – all trumpeted the depressing message that it's impossible to become fluent in a foreign language after around age ten. All of these reports dramatically misrepresented the findings from the study, and the message they sent is flat-out wrong.
	Identifying with others who control themselves could strengthen your own self-control Is self-control something you can acquire, like a new language or a taste for opera? Or is it one of those things you either have or don't, like fashion sense or a knack for telling a good joke?
	Do the elderly want technology to help them take their medication? Over 65s say they would find technology to help them take their medications helpful, but need the technology to be familiar, accessible and easy to use, according to research by Queen Mary University of London and University of Cambridge. People who do not use smartphones said that they'd prefer to have smartwatches than smartphones for reminders to take their pills.
	How young children understand death – and how to talk to them about it "Mummy, what happens after we die?" Many parents have been asked this kind of question, and it is often difficult to know how best to reply. Should you be open about your own beliefs – whether they are religious, agnostic or atheist? And is it OK to sugarcoat? Recent research in developmental psychology provides some advice.
	Chemotherapy timing could influence how well the treatment works Most living organisms – animals, plants, fungi, and even some types of bacteria – have an internal clock, a circadian clock that orchestrates the biochemical, physiological and behavioral functions in each cell according to a 24-hour day-night cycle. This clock regulates sleeping and waking, hormone levels, body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, among hundreds of other factors.
	Molecular 'rabble-rouser' fuels pancreatic cancer growth A type of molecular 'rabble-rouser' that triggers pancreatic cancer to become aggressive and spread around the body has been identified by scientists.
	Study finds art therapy helps veterans cope with trauma Researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington have found that 98 percent of veterans participating in the University's Artopia program consider that art therapy helped them cope with service-related trauma or disability. An equal percentage reported that art therapy helped them cope with everyday life.
	How parents cause children's friendships to end Making a friend is hard work. Keeping one is even harder, especially for young children.
	Research suggests a 15-minute 'daily mile' could enhance health of the world's children Policymakers should consider introducing The Daily Mile to improve the health and fitness of schoolchildren around the world, according to new research led by the Universities of Stirling and Edinburgh.
	The Yogi masters were right—meditation and breathing exercises can sharpen your mind It has long been claimed by Yogis and Buddhists that meditation and ancient breath-focused practices, such as pranayama, strengthen our ability to focus on tasks. A new study by researchers at Trinity College Dublin explains for the first time the neurophysiological link between breathing and attention.
Diabetes-associated pain linked to disrupted insulin signalling The chronic pain experienced by a number of patients with diabetes has widely been assumed to originate from damage to blood vessels or to local tissue surrounding neurons caused by high blood-sugar levels. However, a new study reports that in fruit flies, this pain hypersensitivity results instead from disrupted insulin signalling in pain sensory neurons.
	Patients who have had an irregular heart beat can't ever be considered 'cured' Patients with an abnormal heart rhythm that can leave them at a higher risk of suffering from stroke still need treatment even after their heart rhythm seems to have returned to normal, say researchers at the University of Birmingham.
Simple walking test helps predict risk for cognitive issues after heart surgery The distance a patient can walk in 6-minutes before a heart operation may be a clue to whether that patient will develop problems with memory, concentration, and attention after the procedure, according to a study published online today in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
	Boosting the effects of vitamin D to tackle diabetes More than 27 million people in the United States are living with type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the population ages and a growing percentage of people become overweight or obese, that number is expected to increase.
Study paves the way for better treatment of prostate cancer A new study published today has found a way to identify men with locally advanced prostate cancer who are less likely to respond well to radiotherapy.
	How the power of mathematics can help assess lung function Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a new computational way of analysing X-ray images of lungs, which could herald a breakthrough in the diagnosis and assessment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other lung diseases.
Nigeria and health epidemics: acting quickly for a reason A new outbreak of Ebola that has killed 17 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo is thousands of miles (kilometres) from Nigeria.
	How do public 'report cards' affect physicians' treatment decisions? Public "report cards" on outcomes for patients who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI or coronary angiography) were originally developed to increase transparency and improve care, but studies have shown that these reports may inadvertently discourage physicians from offering this lifesaving treatment to patients at high risk for poor outcomes.
	Study finds prenatal marijuana use can affect infant size, behavior Smoking during pregnancy has well-documented negative effects on birth weight in infants and is linked to several childhood health problems. Now, researchers at the University at Buffalo Research Institute on Addictions have found that prenatal marijuana use also can have consequences on infants' weight and can influence behavior problems, especially when combined with tobacco use.
	Deadly falls rise 31 percent in 10 yrs among US seniors People age 65 and older are falling at an increasing rate across the United States, with deadly tumbles among the elderly rising by nearly a third since 2007, US health officials said Thursday.
Child at Massachusetts daycare diagnosed with typhoid fever A Massachusetts child care center has shut down temporarily after a child was diagnosed with typhoid fever, which is rare in the U.S.
	Little 'quit-smoking' help at U.S. mental health centers (HealthDay)—Many mental health and addiction treatment centers in the United States don't help patients quit smoking, a new government study finds.
	More than one day of first-trimester bleeding ups odds for smaller baby (HealthDay)—Some first-trimester bleeding occurs in up to 1 in every 4 pregnancies. Now, new research suggests that if bleeding extends beyond a day there could be implications for baby's birth weight.
	Exercises for chronic health conditions (HealthDay)—Exercise can help prevent many chronic illnesses as well as make it easier to manage health conditions, from diabetes to joint pain.
	Nodal metastasis risk up when cancer is directly on the lip (HealthDay)—The risk of nodal metastasis is five-fold greater for skin cancer on the vermilion lip versus the cutaneous lip, according to a study published online May 2 in JAMA Dermatology.
	Extended range of vision lens found superior to monofocal (HealthDay)—Extended range of vision (ERV) intraocular lens (IOL) targeted to achieve micro-monovision shows superior range of visual acuity and independence from glasses compared to the monofocal IOL targeted to achieve emmetropia, according to a study published online May 3 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
	Much international consensus regarding employment in autism (HealthDay)—There is international consensus as to the importance of work experience and vocational training for helping individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) obtain employment, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research, held from May 9 to 12 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
	Restricting fluids post abdominal surgery doesn't up survival (HealthDay)—A restrictive fluid regimen is not associated with increased disability-free survival for patients at increased risk of complications during major abdominal surgery, but is associated with increased acute kidney injury, according to a study published online May 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research was published to coincide with the annual meeting of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, held from May 7 to 11 in Sydney.
	Gestational diabetes may indicate future subclinical renal issues (HealthDay)—Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may be an early indicator of subsequent subclinical renal dysfunction, according to a study published online May 4 in Diabetes Care.
Congo announces first confirmed death from Ebola outbreak Congo's minister of health says the first death from a new outbreak of Ebola in the country's northwest has been confirmed along with 11 other cases of people sickened by the virus.
Many oncologists recommend medical marijuana clinically despite not feeling sufficiently knowledgeable to do so While a wide majority of oncologists do not feel informed enough about medical marijuana's utility to make clinical recommendations, most do in fact conduct discussions on medical marijuana in the clinic and nearly half recommend it to their patients, say researchers who surveyed a population-based sample of medical oncologists.
	Untangling brain neuron dysfunction in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies A decay of brain function is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, or DLB. Specifically, cognitive dysfunction defines DLB, and nearly eight of every 10 Parkinson's patients develop dementia.
Racial or ethnic discrimination impacts Latinas' satisfaction with contraception services Young Latina women who have experienced racial or ethnic discrimination are less satisfied overall with their contraceptive care, which could affect their access to more effective contraceptives, a new study from Oregon State University has found.
Nigeria says will prevent Ebola spread from DR Congo The Nigerian government on Wednesday said it was acting to prevent the spread of Ebola from Democratic Republic of Congo where an outbreak of the disease has killed 17 people.
DR Congo reports four more Ebola cases Four more cases of Ebola have been detected in northwest Democratic Republic of Congo, doctors said Thursday, two days after DRC reported a fresh outbreak of the disease.
Australian centenarian commits assisted suicide in Switzerland A 104-year-old Australian scientist on Thursday committed assisted suicide in Switzerland where he went to die after his home country denied him the right to seek help in taking his own life.
	Eyes in the back of the head Spatial representations of surroundings, including those outside the visual field, are crucial for guiding movement in a three-dimensional world. The visual system appears to provide sufficient information for movement despite our visual field being limited to the frontal region. However, this theory had not been scientifically tested until now.
	Clinical trial to determine therapies for eradication of multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma is the second most common type of blood cancer in the United States, impacting more than 25,000 people each year and disproportionatly affecting African-American men. While patients have access to more quality treatment therapies than ever before, the disease is still regarded as an incurable condition that often leads to death for those affected.
	Cost savings from integrative medicine via pain reduction in hospitalized patients Researchers at Allina Health (Minneapolis, MN) conducted a large NIH-funded observational study to examine pain treatment outcomes of integrative medicine in hospitalized patients. What they found was that when integrative interventions lowered pain there was an associated cost saving according to a recent article in JACM (The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine).
	Study examines the effects of physical activity during pregnancy In a recent Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica study, a combined lifestyle intervention including dietary counseling and twice-weekly exercise classes during pregnancy resulted in a slightly longer first stage of labor, without any other effects during labor or delivery. Women reporting to have high physical activity level (>35 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity/day) in late pregnancy had a reduced risk of having an acute cesarean section compared with those with the lowest physical activity level.
Nigeria monitoring Ebola before DRCongo World Cup warm up Nigeria's football federation says a World Cup warm-up match will be cancelled if doctors advise it, after a fresh outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
	Five new suspected Ebola cases reported in Congo's northwest A hospital director said Thursday there are five new suspected cases of Ebola in Congo's northwestern town of Bikoro, where an outbreak of the often deadly hemorrhagic fever was declared this week.
Obesity may worsen symptoms for patients with lupus In a recent Arthritis Care & Research study of 148 women with lupus, obesity was linked with worse disease activity, depressive symptoms, and symptoms of pain and fatigue. The association was consistent across different definitions of obesity.
Racial-ethnic disparities in the quality of end-of-life care among lung cancer patients Significant disparities in the quality of end-of-life lung cancer care were found among racial-ethnic minorities, with higher odds of experiencing potentially preventable medical encounters during end-of-life as compared with non-Hispanic whites.

Biology news

	Neuroscientists find first evidence animals can mentally replay past events Neuroscientists at Indiana University have reported the first evidence that non-human animals can mentally replay past events from memory. The discovery could help advance the development of new drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease.
	Genetic clues reveal origins of killer fungus behind the 'amphibian plague' A deadly fungus responsible for the devastation of amphibian populations around the world may have originated in East Asia, new research has found.
	Angry birds: Size of jackdaw mobs depends on who calls warning Jackdaws recognise each other's voices and respond in greater numbers to warnings from familiar birds than strangers, new research shows.
	Ancient skull shows early 'baleen whale' had teeth Today's baleen whales (Mysticetes) support their massive bodies by filtering huge volumes of small prey from seawater using comb-like baleen in their mouths much like a sieve. But new evidence reported in the journal Current Biology on May 10 based on careful analysis of a 34-million-year-old whale skull from Antarctica—the second-oldest "baleen" whale ever found—suggests that early whales actually didn't have baleen at all. Their mouths were equipped instead with well-developed gums and teeth, which they apparently used to bite large prey.
	What gives bees their sweet tooth? Scientists have discovered bees linger on a flower, emptying it of nectar, because they have sugar-sensing taste neurons which work together to prolong the pleasure of the sweetness.
	DNA found in lake bottom offers historical clues regarding impact of an invasive species A team of researchers from France, Italy and Norway has found a natural historical record of the impact of an invasive species of rabbit on a remote Indian Ocean island. In their paper published on the open access site Science Advances, the researchers describe their efforts to learn more about the environmental impact of an invasive species.
	Brood parasitism in fish There are other animals besides the cuckoo who smuggle their offspring into another animal's nest. The synodontis multipunctatus, which lives in Lake Tanganyika in Africa and is better known as the cuckoo catfish, is just as cunning as the cuckoo. This savvy parasite, like the cuckoo bird, places its eggs among those of cichlids. To protect their eggs, cichlids carry their eggs in their mouths.
	Caterpillar 'road rage' could affect migration Monarch butterfly caterpillars living next to roads may be stressed by the sound of passing cars and trucks, according to a new study from the University of Georgia.
	Big fish produce disproportionately more and bigger eggs What difference does it make whether an angler catches one big fish or two smaller fish, each half its weight? Experts assumed that big and small fish invest the same proportion of their energy to make eggs. But a new report in Science by a Smithsonian biologist and colleagues shows that plus-sized females invest disproportionately more in the number of eggs and the size of individual eggs. Therefore, taking a single big fish has a bigger impact on the fish population than taking multiple small ones.
	Food-carrying ants use collective problem solving to get through or around obstacles Ants working together to carry a large piece of food get around obstacles by switching between two types of motion: one that favors squeezing the morsel through a hole and another to seek a path around the barrier. Jonathan Ron of the Weizmann Institute, Israel, and colleagues present these findings in PLOS Computational Biology.
	Cassava breeding hasn't improved photosynthesis or yield potential Cassava is a staple in the diet of more than one billion people across 105 countries, yet this "orphaned crop" has received little attention compared to popular crops like corn and soybeans. While advances in breeding have helped cassava withstand pests and diseases, cassava yields no more today than it did in 1963. Corn yields, by comparison, have more than doubled.
	'Bisexual' beetles are simply inept, new study finds Same-sex mating behaviour amongst male insects is much more likely to be due to incompetence, than sexual preference, male-male competition or evolutionary motivation—according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
	Estimating species loss from habitat clearing NUS ecologists have developed improved methods for estimating biodiversity loss from habitat-clearing activities, to aid conservation planning.
	How we're using fish ear bones as 'time capsules' of past river health Fish have ears. They also have ear bones, known as otoliths. Recent research has focused on otoliths of fish from Australia's inland waters. These unique structures act as a kind of scientific time capsule, telling us about environmental conditions of the past.
	Tracking the clouded leopard Satellite collars have provided researchers in Borneo with a new insight into the mysterious movements of the Sunda clouded leopard, helping to ensure the future of this vulnerable species.
	Gene editing shows promise for improving the 'chocolate tree' Use of the powerful gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 could help to breed cacao trees that exhibit desirable traits such as enhanced resistance to diseases, according to Penn State plant scientists.
	YouTube videos help researchers study dog bites Researchers at the University of Liverpool have turned to the popular video-sharing site YouTube to study the complex issue of dog bites.
	What is a species? British bird expert develops a math formula to solve the problem Nature is replete with examples of identifiable populations known from different continents, mountain ranges, islands or lowland regions. While, traditionally, many of these have been treated as subspecies of widely-ranging species, recent studies relying on molecular biology have shown that many former "subspecies" have in fact been isolated for millions of years, which is long enough for them to have evolved into separate species.
Identification of bovine IVF embryos without chromosome abnormalities by live-cell imaging In vitro fertilized (IVF) embryo transfer has become an important innovation in the agricultural sectors, such as in cattle production. Approximately half of all bovine embryos produced worldwide were derived from IVF. However, the pregnancy success rate of IVF embryos transplanted into recipients remains low. To increase the success of pregnancy, key technological issues affecting the in vitro production of embryos and the assessment of viable embryos must be addressed. This is also true for human artificial reproductive technology (ART). Generally, assessment of bovine embryo quality is performed by morphological grading on days 7 to 8 post-insemination, as recommended by the International Embryo Technology Society (IETS), but the pregnancy success rate of embryos judged as transferable is only 30 percent to 50 percent. Therefore, novel technology for noninvasively and reliably selecting viable IVF embryos has been craving.
Museum to display mummified monkey found in air duct A mummified monkey that was found in the air ducts of a former department store in downtown Minneapolis last month is going on display.
	Sick pelicans showing up along Southern California coast A wildlife organization says there's been a surge in the number of sick and dying brown pelicans along the Southern California coast in the past week.
	Under-threat DR Congo national park bans tree-felling The threatened Virunga National Park in DR Congo announced on Thursday it has banned the felling of trees throughout the nature reserve.

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