Science X Newsletter Friday, Jul 13

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 13, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Smart window controls light and heat, kills microorganisms

Researchers isolate parvovirus from ancient human remains

A way to make cleaner metal-free perovskites at low cost

Researchers use machine learning to analyse movie preferences

Scientists sharpen the edges of cancer chemotherapy with CRISPR

Study suggests mice and rats, like humans, make poor choices based on 'sunk costs'

Graphene could be key to controlling water evaporation

Ant soldiers don't need big brains

New species may arise from rapid mitochondrial evolution

First space tourist flights could come in 2019

Fragile X: New drug strategy corrects behavior/biochemical measures in mouse model

Researchers trace Parkinson's damage in the heart

New research calculates capacity of North American forests to sequester carbon

Researchers identify target for novel malaria vaccine

Boeing, SpaceX unlikely to make manned flights to ISS in 2019

Astronomy & Space news

	First space tourist flights could come in 2019 The two companies leading the pack in the pursuit of space tourism say they are just months away from their first out-of-this-world passenger flights—though neither has set a firm date.
	Boeing, SpaceX unlikely to make manned flights to ISS in 2019 Boeing and SpaceX are unlikely to be able to send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) next year, according to a US government audit report, resulting in a possible gap in the US presence on the spacecraft.
	Observatories team up to reveal rare double asteroid New observations by three of the world's largest radio telescopes have revealed that an asteroid discovered last year is actually two objects, each about 3,000 feet (900 meters) in size, orbiting each other.
	'X'-ploring the Eagle Nebula and 'Pillars of Creation' The Eagle Nebula, also known as Messier 16, contains the young star cluster NGC 6611. It also the site of the spectacular star-forming region known as the Pillars of Creation, which is located in the southern portion of the Eagle Nebula.
	South Africa unveils super radio telescope South Africa on Friday unveiled a super radio telescope, a first phase of what will be the world's largest telescope in a project to try to unravel the secrets of the universe.
	Crescent moon and Venus pair closely on Sunday, July 15th Soon after the Sun dips below the western horizon on Sunday, July 15th, anyone looking in that direction will see a dramatic sight: a pretty crescent Moon paired closely with the dazzling planet Venus, the "Evening Star."
	Plasma jets inside the sun foretell unequal activity of its two hemispheres The sun's activity waxes and wanes periodically and holds sway over our space environment. Sunspots, strongly magnetized blotches on the solar surface, sometimes release fierce storms in space that severely impact our satellite based communication and navigational systems and occasionally, render satellites useless. However, a complete understanding of all aspects of the sunspot activity cycle remains elusive. One of its curious features is the long observed lopsided activity of its two hemispheres. Sometimes, the northern hemisphere becomes more active, sometime the south, with no apparent way to predict when this might happen.
	Brown's student satellite to be deployed from ISS into orbit Friday, July 13, will mark a major milestone for current and former members of Brown Space Engineering, a student group that has spent the past seven years designing and building a small satellite.

Technology news

	Researchers use machine learning to analyse movie preferences Could behavioural economics and machine learning help to better understand consumers' movie preferences? A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge, the University of West England, and the Alan Turing Institute dove deeper into this question, in a fascinating study that combines behavioural economics, business and AI.
	Latin America's largest solar park turns Mexican desert green Driving through the endless dunes and cacti of the Chihuahuan desert in northern Mexico, a shimmering blue field suddenly appears on the horizon—not a mirage, but the largest solar park in Latin America.
	Predicting when online conversations turn toxic The internet offers the potential for constructive dialogue and cooperation, but online conversations too often degenerate into personal attacks. In hopes that those attacks can be averted, Cornell researchers have created a model to predict which civil conversations might take a toxic turn.
	Popcorn robotics: Cornell team explored heated kernels From Cornell University, you now have popcorn -driven robotic actuators to think about. Take it with a grain of, well, common sense. As IEEE Spectrum 's subhead said, "Popcorn is a cheap, biodegradable way to actuate a robot (once)."
	Fighting 'fake news' with the law Some countries are bringing in legislation to fight "fake news", a particular menace during election campaigning, but critics warn of the danger to freedom of expression and the media.
	Global PC market grows for first time in 6 years: survey The global personal computer market grew for the first time in six years in the second quarter of 2018, driven by upgrades in the business segment, a market tracker said Thursday.
	Fake news: the media industry strikes back The viral spread of hoaxes and misinformation ahead of the US election and Brexit referendum two years ago was a wake-up call for many established news media, who have gone on the offensive to shore up their credibility and help filter out fake news.
	Apple launches $300 mn 'green' fund for China suppliers Apple said on Friday it has established a fund to invest nearly $300 million over the next four years to connect its Chinese suppliers to renewable energy as Beijing pushes an anti-pollution drive.
	Brazil fighting fake news in the classroom Brazil has taken a stand against the explosion of "fake news" stories swamping the internet by making media analysis studies compulsory for schoolchildren.
	US hedge fund demands $770m from S. Korea over Samsung merger A US hedge fund is demanding almost $800 million from South Korea at an international tribunal over the controversial merger of two units of the giant Samsung conglomerate, officials said Friday.
	US appeals judge's order allowing AT&T to buy Time Warner The US Justice Department on Thursday appealed last month's ruling from a federal judge allowing AT&T to buy Time Warner in a mega-deal that could reshape the media-entertainment landscape.
	Embattled bike-sharing firm told to refund customer deposits Embattled bike-sharing firm oBike must refund customers' $4.6 million deposits, authorities have warned, after the company quit operating in Singapore last month leaving some 14,000 bicycles strewn across the city.
	First machine learning method capable of accurate extrapolation Understanding how a robot will react under different conditions is essential to guaranteeing its safe operation. But how do you know what will break a robot without actually damaging it? A new method developed by scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI for Intelligent Systems) is the first machine learning method that can use observations made under safe conditions to make accurate predictions for all possible conditions governed by the same physical dynamics. Especially designed for real-life situations, their method provides simple, interpretable descriptions of the underlying physics. The researchers will present their findings tomorrow at this year's prestigious International Conference for Machine Learning (ICML).
	What are the pros and cons of longer solar contracts? The world's first 35-year day or night solar contract (ACWA Power's with DEWA in Dubai) also had a record-low price for solar with storage – of just 7.3 cents per kWh.
	Study shows virtual reality could hold the key to GPs spotting child abuse A three-year research project led by a University of Birmingham academic, working with colleagues from Goldsmiths and University College London, has indicated that virtual reality (VR) could become a vital tool for training General Practitioners (GPs) to look out for hard-to-detect signs of child abuse.
India's Infosys reports 3.7 percent profit rise, misses estimates Infosys on Friday reported a 3.7 percent rise in quarterly profits, well below expectations for the Indian software giant.
	Do drones deserve their dire reputation? Depends who is flying them Whether they are dropping drugs into prison yards, narrowly avoiding passenger aircraft or invading the privacy of unsuspecting homeowners, drones have been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
	Army researchers teaching robots to be more reliable teammates for soldiers Researchers at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University developed a new technique to quickly teach robots novel traversal behaviors with minimal human oversight.
	Researchers suggest uncertainty may be key in battlefield decision making Army researchers have discovered that being initially uncertain when faced with making critical mission-related decisions based on various forms of information may lead to better overall results in the end.
Science fiction enthusiasts have a positive attitude brain uploading Mind uploading is a prospective method to create functional copies of the human brain on computers. The development of this technology, which involves scanning the brain and detailed cell-specific emulation, is currently receiving billions in funding. Science fiction enthusiasts express a more positive attitude toward the technology compared to others.
	Greek court rules to extradite cybercrime suspect to France A Greek court agreed Friday to extradite to France a Russian cybercrime suspect who also is wanted on criminal charges in the United States and Russia.
	Scientists on Twitter: Preaching to the choir or singing from the rooftops? Isabelle Côté is an SFU professor of marine ecology and conservation and an active science communicator whose prime social media platform is Twitter.
	US lifts export ban on suppliers to China's ZTE The United States on Friday formally lifted a crippling ban on exports to China's ZTE, rescuing the smartphone maker from the brink of collapse after it was denied key components.
Pennsylvania reveals cyber intrusion in birth, death records Pennsylvania officials have revealed they had to shut down the state's online system for birth and death records for about a week after someone with apparent inside knowledge made unauthorized changes.

Medicine & Health news

	Scientists sharpen the edges of cancer chemotherapy with CRISPR Tackling unsolved problems is a cornerstone of scientific research, propelled by the power and promise of new technologies. Indeed, one of the shiniest tools in the biomedical toolkit these days is the genome editing system known as CRISPR/Cas9. Whitehead Institute Member David Sabatini and his colleagues pioneered the use of this tool as a foundation for large-scale genetic screens in human cells, turning up a treasure trove of new insights into cellular metabolism, in both normal cells and cancer cells.
	Study suggests mice and rats, like humans, make poor choices based on 'sunk costs' A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota has found that mice and rats, like humans, tend to make poor decisions based on "sunk costs." In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their study and what they found. Sarah Brosnan with Georgia State University offers a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue.
	Fragile X: New drug strategy corrects behavior/biochemical measures in mouse model Research in mice shows that a pharmacological strategy can alleviate multiple behavioral and cellular deficiencies in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common inherited form of intellectual disability and a major single-gene cause of autism spectrum disorders.
	Researchers trace Parkinson's damage in the heart A new way to examine stress and inflammation in the heart will help Parkinson's researchers test new therapies and explore an unappreciated way the disease puts people at risk of falls and hospitalization.
	Researchers identify target for novel malaria vaccine A Yale-led team of researchers have created a vaccine that protects against malaria infection in mouse models, paving the way for the development of a human vaccine that works by targeting the specific protein that parasites use to evade the immune system. The study was published by Nature Communications.
	Basic research in fruit flies leads to potential drug for diseases afflicting millions River blindness and elephantiasis are debilitating diseases caused by parasitic worms that infect as many as 150 million people worldwide. They are among the "neglected tropical diseases" for which better treatments are desperately needed. But they were far from the mind of cell biologist William Sullivan when he began studying the microbial parasite Wolbachia, best known for its extraordinary effects on the many insect species it infects.
	Scientists a step closer to predicting epidemics Ecologists at the University of Georgia have taken an important step in their efforts to develop an early warning system for infectious disease outbreaks.
	New study finds that fat consumption is the only cause of weight gain Scientists from the University of Aberdeen and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have undertaken the largest study of its kind looking at what components of diet—fat, carbohydrates or protein—caused mice to gain weight.
	Pay attention – how the brain performs a background scan to help focus Research reveals that vision and brain circuits perform a regular background scan, making neurons available in case they are needed to focus on a task – enabling us to pay attention.
	How looking at the big picture can lead to better decisions New research suggests how distancing yourself from a decision may help you make the choice that produces the most benefit for you and others affected.
	The neurobiology of fruit fly courtship helps illuminates human disorders of motivation Two fruit flies meet in an acrylic mating chamber and check each other out. It's the insect version of speed dating for science.
	J&J ordered to pay $4.69 bn damages in talc cancer case US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson was Thursday ordered to pay out $4.69 billion in damages in a lawsuit representing 22 women and their families who alleged a talc sold by the company contained asbestos and caused them to suffer cancer.
	Looking at the urine and blood may be best in diagnosing myeloma When it comes to diagnosing a condition in which the plasma cells that normally make antibodies to protect us instead become cancerous, it may be better to look at the urine as well as the serum of our blood for answers, pathologists say.
	Speaking up for patient safety Previous studies have shown that when all members of the clinical care team feel comfortable speaking up, team performance improves. With intimate knowledge of patients' wishes, medical histories and clinical conditions, patients and their families are increasingly considered crucial members of the optimal patient-centered care team. However, to have an impact on patient safety, patients and families must feel comfortable voicing concerns about care to the medical team. Currently, little is known about patients' and their families' level of comfort with speaking up in real time in the ICU setting.
	Poland's double-edged vodka tradition Be it a source of national pride or negative stereotypes, vodka is an integral part of Polish identity.
	Patient experience officers can play key role in medical offices (HealthDay)—A patient experience officer is an increasingly important new role in physician practices, according to an article recently published in Physicians Practice.
	AMA aims to boost affordability of ACA marketplace plans (HealthDay)—The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has adopted policy to increase the number of people who obtain coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by making marketplace plans more affordable.
	2001 to 2015 saw decline in self-employment in health care (HealthDay)—From 2001 to 2015 there was a decrease in the percentage of health care professionals who are self-employed and a decrease in the earning gap between self-employed and employed health care professionals, according to a study published online July 12 in JAMA Network Open.
	More youth classified with HTN using new 2017 AAP guidelines (HealthDay)—Application of the new 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics guideline on classification of hypertension status results in a weighted net estimated increase of U.S. youths being reclassified as having hypertension compared with former guidelines, according to research published in the July 13 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Optimizing pulsed electric fields to target cancer with calcium ions Several treatment methods are used against cancer, and promising new approaches are currently under examination by various institutions around the world. Researchers at Kumamoto University's Institute of Pulsed Power Science are studying one method in particular, calcium electrotransfer.
New perspective on tumor genome evolution An interdisciplinary team of scientists at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, Spain, deepens the understanding of tumor genome evolution and suggests negative selection acting on cancer-essential genes plays a more important role than previously anticipated. Their work, published in Genome Biology, also provides new insights for improving cancer immunotherapies in the future.
Study highlights genetic risk of heart failure Heart failure is known to be more common in certain families, but whether this familial transition is caused by genetic or lifestyle factors is not understood. By studying adoptees in relation to both their biological parents and adoptive parents, a new population study in Sweden has found that genetic heritage is the dominant factor when it comes to heart failure in these families.
	Treatment prevents symptoms of schizophrenia in tests with rats Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) in Brazil have tested a sodium nitroprusside treatment on a strain of rats that exhibited some of the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. The results obtained with this group of adolescent animals suggest that preventive treatment of the disease may be possible for young people considered at risk owing to cases of schizophrenia in their family history—15 percent to 30 percent of risk cases develop the disease later in life.
	Experts explain why you're bad at making decisions, and how to improve It's an unexpected home for a magic eight ball.
	Nature is proving to be awesome medicine for PTSD The awe we feel in nature can dramatically reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to UC Berkeley research that tracked psychological and physiological changes in war veterans and at-risk inner-city youth during white-water rafting trips.
	Carbon monoxide exposure in homes is a risk – here's how to protect yourself Winter is a good time to remind ourselves of the potential risk of carbon monoxide exposure from faulty or unflued gas heaters or other gas devices.
	Innovative big data study sheds light on general practice in Australia An Australian-first study by UNSW researchers has analysed millions of Medicare claims to gain insights into Australian general practice. The study opens up a new toolbox for exploring how patients use health care services.
	Team explores diabetes drug's ability to treat RSV infection A drug used to treat diabetes may point to new therapies for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis—inflammation and obstruction of the lungs' small airways. A multi-disciplinary team of Vanderbilt investigators has demonstrated that liraglutide reduces the inflammatory response to RSV infection in a mouse model of the disease.
	'Speed mentoring' improves quantity, quality of medical resident research Yale medical residents who received "speed mentoring" from Yale General Internal Medicine (GIM) faculty during an annual retreat were more than twice as likely to produce research than their peers who had received no such support, found researchers in the Yale Primary Care (YPC) Internal Medicine Training Program. This finding appears this month in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
	Higher income and being married protect older people from broken bones Research led by scientists from the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit (MRC LEU) at the University of Southampton has shown that a higher income and being married reduces the risk of experiencing a broken bone in old age.
	Products of omega-3 fatty acid metabolism may have anticancer effects, study shows A class of molecules formed when the body metabolizes omega-3 fatty acids could inhibit cancer's growth and spread, University of Illinois researchers report in a new study in mice. The molecules, called endocannabinoids, are made naturally by the body and have similar properties to cannabinoids found in marijuana – but without the psychotropic effects.
Speedy stroke thrombolysis treatment beats expectations Neurologists around the world are aware that the delivery of thrombolytic treatment for stroke in Helsinki University Hospital, Finland, is freaking fast – but is it too fast? A new study published on July 11th in the journal Neurology clarified whether the team of neurologists in Helsinki actually have enough time to diagnose stroke correctly before it is treated.
	A silent career killer – here's what workplaces can do about menopause More and more Australian women are facing a silent career killer. It can increase their dissatisfaction with work, their absenteeism and their intention to quit their jobs. Menopause is one of the last great taboo subjects in the workplace but its impacts are great – and it's time we talked about it.
	Breastmilk alone is best for the first six months – here's what to do next The Trump administration angered health experts around the world this week with its attempt to weaken a UN resolution encouraging breastfeeding.
	100 bats and a long, dark tunnel—a neuroscientist's quest to unlock the secrets of 3-D navigation On a sun-parched patch of land in Rehovot, Israel, two neuroscientists peer into the darkness of a 200-metre-long tunnel of their own design. The fabric panels of the snaking structure shimmer in the heat, while, inside, a study subject is navigating its dim length. Finally, out of the blackness bursts a bat, which executes a mid-air backflip to land upside down, hanging at the tunnel's entrance.
	Children busy with active sports schedules still find time to play, study finds Are children's busy schedules depriving them of their childhood and the ability to play freely? Not really, says a U of T study.
	Soccer is called the beautiful game, but injuries also can make it a dangerous one With the final World Cup showdown this Sunday, frenzied fans have seen the best soccer has to offer.
	New report on hospital doctor numbers out-of-hours informed by innovative sat nav research University of Nottingham research into the out-of-hours workloads of UK hospital doctors has informed a new safe staffing report, released today (Friday 13 July) by the Royal College of Physicians.
	Health coaching might sound 'new age,' but it could help you reach old age There are two ways of tackling chronic lifestyle diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes: discover new drugs and treatments or persuade people to make positive lifestyle changes to avoid developing them in the first place.
	Keeping kidney stones at bay during space flights A new, painless, non-invasive procedure that harnesses ultrasound technology to reposition kidney stones, in an effort to offer the sufferer quick relief, will undergo testing in emergency patients.
Allergy potential of strawberries and tomatoes depends on the variety The incidence of food allergies has increased in recent decades: It affects three to four percent of the adult population and five percent of children. Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) and strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) can cause allergic reactions due to the presence of various allergenic proteins. Of particular note are proteins that resemble the primary allergen in birch pollen and due to this similarity can lead to birch pollen-associated food allergy. About 1.5 percent of the population in Northern Europe and up to 16 percent in Italy are affected by tomato allergies. And around 30 percent of those who are allergic to birch pollen also report allergenic reactions to strawberry fruits.
LGBQ teens more likely than peers to use dangerous drugs Lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning (LGBQ) teens are at substantially higher risk of substance use than their heterosexual peers, according to a new study led by San Diego State University researchers and published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Breast cancer follow-up imaging varies widely, study finds Follow-up imaging for women with non-metastatic breast cancer varies widely across the country, according to a new study led by researchers at UC San Francisco. Some patients go without the annual mammograms that experts recommend, while others with the same cancer diagnosis receive full-body scans that expose them to significant amounts of radiation and are not recommended by experts.
Residential segregation associated with black-white disparity in firearm homicide rates Residential segregation is linked to many racial disparities in health, including cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Now, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers suggests the likelihood of dying from gun violence can be added to the list of adverse health outcomes associated with structural racism in the US.
Reducing Australia's cancer death rate New research has revealed for the first time what impact cutting back on drinking and smoking as a population would have on Australia's cancer death rate.
	Is depression during pregnancy on the rise? (HealthDay)—Today's young mothers-to-be may be more likely to develop depression while pregnant than their own mothers were, a new study suggests.
	100 now sickened by salmonella-tainted honey smacks cereal (HealthDay)—One hundred people across 33 states have now fallen ill with salmonella after eating Kellogg's Honey Smacks cereal, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
	1 in 9 U.S. adults over 45 reports memory problems (HealthDay)—If you're middle-aged and you think you're losing your memory, you're not alone, a new U.S. government report shows.
	A 3-pronged plan to cut type 2 diabetes risk (HealthDay)—The type 2 diabetes tide remains unchecked in the United States, as does pre-diabetes—having a blood sugar level higher than normal, but not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis.
	Cutting insurance eligibility ups peds hospitalization cost burden (HealthDay)—Reducing public insurance (Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program) income eligibility limits would result in large numbers of newly ineligible pediatric hospitalizations, according to a study published online July 9 in Pediatrics.
	Gender bias in medicine has far-reaching consequences (HealthDay)—Overlooking women in medicine can have far-reaching consequences, according to a perspective piece published in the June 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Most back pain patients halt opioid use after surgery (HealthDay)—Duration of preoperative opioid use appears to be the most important predictor of sustained opioid use following back surgery, according to a study published in the June 6 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
	Sociodemographic disparities in eyeglass use among elderly (HealthDay)—There are sociodemographic disparities in eyeglass use by age, race/ethnicity, education level, and income, according to a study published online July 12 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	AAP: lawnmowers pose serious injury risk to children (HealthDay)—Lawnmowers pose a serious risk of injury to children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which offers tips to keep children and adolescents safe this summer.
	Two regimens fail to stop declines in β-cell function (HealthDay)—Neither glargine followed by metformin nor metformin alone halts the progressive deterioration of β-cell function in youth with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or recently-diagnosed type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online June 25 in Diabetes Care.
	Higher vitamin D levels may lower breast cancer risk (HealthDay)—Higher levels of vitamin D may be protective against breast cancer, according to a study published online June 15 in PLOS ONE.
	Many non-emergency medicine trained physicians in ER care (HealthDay)—The emergency medicine workforce comprises many non-emergency medicine trained physicians, according to a study recently published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
	Deaths from cardiovascular disease rising in India, study finds Death due to cardiovascular disease is on the rise in India, causing more than one quarter of all deaths in the country in 2015 and affecting rural populations and young adults the most, suggests a study published today in The Lancet Global Health.
	Is surgery the best option for penetrating kidney trauma? Trauma is the sixth leading cause of death worldwide, and recent studies suggest that 16 percent of renal (kidney) trauma occurs from a penetrating injury, such as a gunshot wound, stabbing or piercing injury from a car accident.
	PTSD rate among prison employees equals that of war veterans Prison employees experience PTSD on par with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, a new study from a Washington State University College of Nursing researcher found.
Testosterone research brings new hope for cancer patients Many cancer patients suffer from a loss of body mass known as cachexia. Approximately 20 percent of cancer related deaths are attributed to the syndrome of cachexia, which in cancer patients is often characterized by a rapid or severe loss of fat and skeletal muscle. Dr. Melinda Sheffield-Moore, professor and head of the Department of Health and Kinesiology, along with researchers at University of Texas Medical Branch, recently published research in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle showing that the hormone testosterone is effective at combatting cachexia in cancer patients and improving quality of life.
	Canadian court rebuffs tobacco firm in major damages suit US cigarette maker Philip Morris suffered a setback Friday in a long-running suit when Canada's Supreme Court denied it access to personal data on people suffering from tobacco-related diseases.
UK-US post-Brexit trade deal risks increased drug prices, and may threaten the NHS A trade deal between the UK and USA could risk increasing drug prices in the UK, which could diminish the affordability and accessibility of the NHS, according to a Viewpoint published in The Lancet.
	New neurons archive old memories The ability to obtain new memories in adulthood may depend on neurogenesis—the generation of new neurons in the hippocampus—to clear out old memories that have been safely stored in the cortex, according to research in male rats published in JNeurosci.
	Rats trail behind shrews, monkeys, and humans in visual problem solving Rats take a fundamentally different approach toward solving a simple visual discrimination task than tree shrews, monkeys, and humans, according to a comparative study of the four mammal species published in eNeuro. The work could have important implications for the translation of research in animal models to humans.
	Bridging the gap between human memory and perception The hippocampus may relay predictions about what we expect to see based on past experience to the visual cortex, suggests a human neuroimaging published in JNeurosci. The study is among the first to examine the interaction between these two aspects of cognition.
Medicare proposes to pay docs for analyzing texted photos Medicare says it wants to pay doctors for analyzing photos texted by patients, one of several steps to keep up with how technology is changing health care.
How to deal with online mom-shaming Many moms love to post on social media about fun family outings and their children's special moments and milestones. However, sometimes these posts can catch the unwanted attention of mom-shamers. A Baylor College of Medicine expert explains how to deal with mom-shaming when it happens.
	Novel method for microcirculation diagnosis provided new insights into migraine Russian scientists have developed a new optical method for non-invasive diagnosis of blood circulation in capillaries. The method is based on video recording of the skin surface with simultaneous registration of light absorption by red blood cells. Using this method, the scientists found that people suffering from migraine showed some malfunctions in capillary regulation. This technique can also be used to study strokes and diabetes, as well as for blood circulation monitoring during brain surgery. The results are published in The Journal of Headache and Pain.
Whether teams win or lose, sporting events lead to spikes in violence against women and children With the FIFA World Cup coming to a conclusion in Russia, not to mention the final match in the State of Origin rugby series in Australia and Wimbledon in the UK, it's been a big week for sports.
What is Novichok? A neurotoxicologist explains Novichok, or "newcomer" in Russian, refers not to a single chemical but rather a group of related molecules designed for only one purpose: to kill.
National Academies target opioid abuse and infectious disease consequences The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) today released proceedings of a March 12 workshop exploring the rise in infectious diseases accompanying opioid abuse, and possible strategies for reducing both epidemics. The workshop was requested by the Department of Health and Human Services in response to an alarming increase in the spread of infectious diseases resulting from the opioid abuse epidemic, including hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV infection, in addition to an increase in related infections requiring hospitalization.
FDA warns of fake gov't warning letters sent to consumers U.S. health authorities are alerting consumers to a new scam involving fake government warning letters sent to people who tried to buy medicines online or over the phone.
New York to allow medical marijuana as substitute to opioids New York state is now allowing anyone prescribed an opioid to request medical marijuana instead.
Jefferson University offers medical marijuana grad programs Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia will be offering graduate-level certificate programs in medical marijuana.

Biology news

	Researchers isolate parvovirus from ancient human remains Airborne and bloodborne human parvovirus B19 causes a number of illnesses, including the childhood rash known as fifth disease, chronic anemia in AIDS patients, arthritis in elderly people, aplastic crisis in people with bone marrow-related illness, and hydrops fetalis in pregnant women. A single-stranded DNA virus, it has no vaccine or cure, and treatment generally consists of managing symptoms until the immune system can suppress the virus.
	Ant soldiers don't need big brains Army ant (Eciton) soldiers are bigger but do not have larger brains than other workers within the same colony that fulfill more complex tasks, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Zoology. A collaborative team of researchers led by Drexel University in Philadelphia, US and German colleagues suggests that because the very specific and limited tasks soldiers fulfill place limited cognitive demands on them, investment in the development of brain tissue is also limited.
	New species may arise from rapid mitochondrial evolution Genetic research at Oregon State University has shed new light on how isolated populations of the same species evolve toward reproductive incompatibility and thus become separate species.
	Researchers discover natural product that could lead to new class of commercial herbicide A garden can be a competitive environment. Plants and unseen microorganisms in the soil all need precious space to grow. And to gain that space, a microbe might produce and use chemicals that kill its plant competitors. But the microbe also needs immunity from its own poisons.
	8 endangered black rhinos die in Kenya after relocation Eight critically endangered black rhinos are dead in Kenya after wildlife workers moved them from the capital to a new national park, the government said Friday, calling the toll "unprecedented" in more than a decade of such transfers.
	Study finds 84 highly endangered Amur leopards remain in China and Russia Scientists estimate there are only 84 remaining highly endangered Amur leopards (Panthera pardus orientalis) remaining in the wild across its current range along the southernmost border of Primorskii Province in Russia and Jilin Province of China.
Sticking with the wrong choice The behavior of people who remain committed to a choice, even when it is clear that an alternate choice would be a better option, has been a perplexing phenomenon to psychologists and economists. For example, people will continue to wait in the slow line at a grocery store, stick out an unhealthy relationship, or refuse to abandon an expensive, wasteful project—all because such individuals have already invested time, effort, or money. This well-known cognitive phenomenon termed the "sunk cost fallacy" has long been considered a problem unique to humans. New research has discovered that humans are not the only species that share these economically irrational flaws.

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