Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Mar 27

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 27, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

VRKitchen: An interactive virtual environment to train and test AI agents

A direct current (DC) remote cloak to hide arbitrary objects

Had enough water? Brain's thirst centers make a gut check

Historical trade of tortoiseshell reveals origins of modern wildlife trafficking networks

Rivers raged on Mars late into its history

New, more realistic simulator will improve self-driving vehicle safety before road testing

Stanford autonomous car learns to handle unknown conditions

Astronomers investigate supermassive black hole in the radio galaxy PKS 2251+11

Record-breaking gene edit disables 13,200 LINE-1 Transposons in a single cell

Researchers estimate it takes approximately 1.5 megabytes of data to store language information in the brain

Future of elephants living in captivity hangs in the balance

'Nightmarish' antlions' spiral digging techniques create effective and deadly traps

People 'hear' flashes due to disinhibited flow of signals around the brain, suggests study

Colder temperatures foster greater microbial diversity on amphibian skin

GRAVITY instrument breaks new ground in exoplanet imaging

Astronomy & Space news

	Rivers raged on Mars late into its history Long ago on Mars, water carved deep riverbeds into the planet's surface—but we still don't know what kind of weather fed them. Scientists aren't sure, because their understanding of the Martian climate billions of years ago remains incomplete.
	Astronomers investigate supermassive black hole in the radio galaxy PKS 2251+11 Italian astronomers have conducted an X-ray analysis of the accreting supermassive black hole in the broad line radio galaxy PKS 2251+11 as part of a study aimed at investigating the galaxy's nuclear environment. The new research, presented in a paper published March 15 on arXiv.org, could improve the understanding of active galactic nuclei.
	GRAVITY instrument breaks new ground in exoplanet imaging The GRAVITY instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) has made the first direct observation of an exoplanet using optical interferometry. This method revealed a complex exoplanetary atmosphere with clouds of iron and silicates swirling in a planet-wide storm. The technique presents unique possibilities for characterising many of the exoplanets known today.
	Van Allen Probes prepare for final descent into Earth's atmosphere Two tough, resilient NASA spacecraft have been orbiting Earth for the past six and a half years, flying repeatedly through a hazardous zone of charged particles known as the Van Allen radiation belts. The twin Van Allen Probes have confirmed scientific theories and revealed new structures, compositions, and processes at work in these dynamic regions.
	'Space butterfly' is home to hundreds of baby stars What looks like a red butterfly in space is in reality a nursery for hundreds of baby stars, revealed in this infrared image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Officially named Westerhout 40 (W40), the butterfly is a nebula—a giant cloud of gas and dust in space where new stars may form. The butterfly's two "wings" are giant bubbles of hot, interstellar gas blowing from the hottest, most massive stars in this region.
	Data flows from NASA's TESS Mission, leads to discovery of Saturn-sized planet Astronomers who study stars are providing a valuable assist to the planet-hunting astronomers pursuing the primary objective of NASA's new TESS Mission.
	NASA defends scrapping all-women spacewalk NASA responded to accusations of sexism Wednesday over its decision to cancel a planned historic spacewalk by two women astronauts due to a lack of well-fitting spacesuits.
	Cosmic fireworks in the clouds: Volunteer detectives sought for Magellanic Clouds Cluster Search Caught in a cosmic dance, our nearest neighbor galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds, are cartwheeling and circling each other as they fall toward our galaxy, the Milky Way. The gravitational interaction between the Clouds sparks cosmic fireworks—bursts of star formation as new clusters of stars flame on. How many and what kind of star clusters have been born this way over the history of the Clouds? A new project, the Local Group Cluster Search, invites citizen scientists to help find out!
Modi declares India 'space superpower' as satellite downed by missile India said Wednesday it destroyed a low-orbiting satellite in a missile test that proved the nation was among the world's most advanced space powers.
	Fleets of autonomous satellites to coordinate tasks among themselves Space missions have long benefited from some autonomous operations being carried out aboard spacecraft, but with a sharp increase expected in the number of satellites being launched in the next few years, researchers are using automation and artificial intelligence to make them smarter and more effective.
	Pioneering Russian cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky dies at age 84 Russia's space agency says pioneering Soviet-era cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky, who made the first of his three flights to space in 1963, has died at age 84.

Technology news

	VRKitchen: An interactive virtual environment to train and test AI agents A team of researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), under the supervision of Prof. Song-Chun Zhu, has developed an interactive 3-D virtual environment for training and evaluating AI systems. Their platform, called VRKitchen, was recently presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv.
	New, more realistic simulator will improve self-driving vehicle safety before road testing University of Maryland computer scientist Dinesh Manocha, in collaboration with a team of colleagues from Baidu Research and the University of Hong Kong, has developed a photo-realistic simulation system for training and validating self-driving vehicles. The new system provides a richer, more authentic simulation than current systems that use game engines or high-fidelity computer graphics and mathematically rendered traffic patterns.
	Stanford autonomous car learns to handle unknown conditions Researchers at Stanford University have developed a new way of controlling autonomous cars that integrates prior driving experiences—a system that will help the cars perform more safely in extreme and unknown circumstances. Tested at the limits of friction on a racetrack using Niki, Stanford's autonomous Volkswagen GTI, and Shelley, Stanford's autonomous Audi TTS, the system performed about as well as an existing autonomous control system and an experienced racecar driver.
	3-D printer threads electronic fibers onto fabrics The potential for wearable electronics goes far beyond smart watches, but our current options for battery packs and circuit boards don't make for the most comfortable E-socks. One solution, being developed by scientists in China, is to simply print flexible fibers on to transitional textiles or clothes. For example, they printed patterns that can harvest and store electricity onto fabrics. With a 3-D printer equipped with a coaxial needle, they drew patterns, pictures, and lettering onto cloth, giving it the ability to transform movement into energy. The advance appears March 27 in Matter, a new materials science journal from publisher Cell Press.
	Artificial intelligence pioneers win tech's 'Nobel Prize' Computers have become so smart during the past 20 years that people don't think twice about chatting with digital assistants like Alexa and Siri or seeing their friends automatically tagged in Facebook pictures.
	Using smartphones and laptops to simulate deadly heart arrhythmias Modeling the complex electrical waves that cause heart arrhythmias could provide the key to understanding and treating a major cause of death in the world. Until now, however, real-time modeling of those deadly waveforms within millions of interacting heart cells required especially powerful computer clusters—even supercomputers.
	Microrobots that can form into multiple types of swarming shapes A team of researchers from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China and Michigan State University in the U.S. has developed a way to control swarming microrobots that are able to form into multiple types of shapes. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group describes their tiny robots, what they can do, and possible uses for them.
	Android: Researchers tell troubling findings of pre-installed software A study "An Analysis of Pre-installed Android Software" says pre-installed Android apps amount to a boatload of privacy issues. Just ask IMDEA Networks Institute, Stony Brooks University, Universidad Carlos II de Madrid and ICSI. They authored the study.
	Major revamp planned for FAA's oversight process America's standing as the model for aviation-safety regulation will be on trial as congressional hearings begin into the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of Boeing before and after two deadly crashes of its best-selling airliner.
	Boeing 737 MAX makes emergency landing during US transfer: FAA A Boeing 737 MAX aircraft operated by Southwest Airlines made an emergency landing Tuesday after experiencing an engine problem as it was being ferried from Florida to California, the US Federal Aviation Agency said.
	Bodybags, rats, waste: Disaster response turns to VR for grim training A Thai policewoman trudges through waste and ruined buildings looking for bodies—but she needs only a joystick and a virtual reality headset for the grim task, as technology comes to the aid of disaster management training.
	Plans for blockbuster cryptocurrency IPO shelved amid bitcoin slump The world's largest maker of cryptocurrency mining chips has shelved plans for an ambitious initial public offering in Hong Kong, becoming the latest victim of bitcoin's price plunge.
Volkswagen to network factories in the cloud with Amazon Volkswagen said Wednesday it is partnering with Amazon to develop cloud computing capacity aimed at improving efficiency and coordination across the automaker's vast global factory network.
	Artificial intelligence can predict premature death, study finds Computers which are capable of teaching themselves to predict premature death could greatly improve preventative healthcare in the future, suggests a new study by experts at the University of Nottingham.
	United against jammers: Researchers develop more secure method for data transmission The motto "united we stand, divided we fall" has found new application in an unlikely discipline—cyber security.
	Smart speakers are everywhere—and they're listening to more than you think Smart speakers equipped with digital voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa are now the fastest-growing consumer technology since the smartphone.
	EU officials approve speed limit technology for autos European Union officials have struck a provisional political deal to require new safety features on autos that would include technology to keep cars within legal speed limits.
	The future of renewable infrastructure is uncertain without good planning In 2005, a small hydropower plant was installed in the Sukajaya district of West Java, Indonesia. This was an off-the-grid project, owned by the community, that provided electricity locally through a mini-grid to about 150 households mainly for lighting. But after 10 years the plant was discontinued when the community was connected to the recently expanded central grid.
	Why it's so hard to trace the patterns of unsustainable fossil fuel use Our future depends on a transition away from fossil fuels. To map out a path, we need to get to grips with how, and why, the use of coal, gas and oil has risen to unsustainable levels.
	Killer robots already exist, and they've been here a very long time Humans will always make the final decision on whether armed robots can shoot, according to a statement by the US Department of Defense. Their clarification comes amid fears about a new advanced targeting system, known as ATLAS, that will use artificial intelligence in combat vehicles to target and execute threats. While the public may feel uneasy about so-called "killer robots", the concept is nothing new – machine-gun wielding "SWORDS" robots were deployed in Iraq as early as 2007.
	The social animals that are inspiring new behaviours for robot swarms From flocks of birds to fish schools in the sea, or towering termite mounds, many social groups in nature exist together to survive and thrive. This cooperative behaviour can be used by engineers as "bio-inspiration" to solve practical human problems, and by computer scientists studying swarm intelligence.
	Apple vs. Netflix: Why turf wars are flaring in big tech Apple's latest move into streaming video illustrates an escalating trend: Tech's biggest companies, faced with limits to their growth, are encroaching on each other's turf.
	EU aims to put speed limit technology on cars The European Union is moving to require cars and trucks to have technology that would deter speeding as well as data recorders to document the circumstances of accidents.
	Fiat Chrysler weighs potential Europe and Asia mergers Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is torn over what partnership would most help the company turn around in its European fortunes and face looming EU emissions limits, analysts said Wednesday.
	Southwest cuts sales outlook as 737 MAX grounding hits US carriers Southwest Airlines trimmed its revenue estimate Wednesday, citing flight cancellations due to the Boeing 737 MAX grounding among key factors dragging on earnings.
	Boeing unveils fix to flight system after deadly crashes Embattled aviation giant Boeing pledged Wednesday to do all it can to prevent crashes like the two that killed nearly 350 people in recent months, as it unveiled a fix to the flight software of its grounded 737 MAX aircraft.
	End of an era in Indian aviation as Goyal bows out Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal rose from humble beginnings to be undisputed king of India's skies. But now, at 69, massive debts have forced him to cede control of the pioneering airline he founded.
	Robotic arms and temporary motorisation—the next generation of wheelchairs Next-generation wheelchairs could incorporate brain-controlled robotic arms and rentable add-on motors in order to help people with disabilities more easily carry out daily tasks or get around a city.
	Cathay Pacific to buy budget airline HK Express for $628 mn Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific said on Wednesday it will buy budget airline HK Express for more than US$600 million as it moves to counter competition from the increasing number of low-cost carriers in the region.
	Why buildings keep collapsing in Lagos and what can be done about it There's been a spate of building collapses in Lagos, Nigeria. In some cases, people have died. In one instance a building had been marked for demolition at least three times. There are also concerns about hundreds of other buildings in the city. The Conversation Africa's Moina Spooner spoke to Ndubisi Onwuanyi about this.
	Beyond 'Bandersnatch,' the future of interactive TV is bright Make a choice: Do you want to engage with your media passively or actively?
	Ford to shut three factories, stop making passenger cars in Russia US carmaker Ford will close three of the four factories of its Russian joint venture after deciding to stop making passenger cars in a country where car sales have slumped in recent years, the company said Wednesday.
	US regulators under fire, Boeing launches charm offensive The head of the US air safety agency faces harsh questions from senators Wednesday over its relationship with and oversight of Boeing, while the aerospace giant launches a charm offensive to try to restore its reputation after two air disasters in recent months killed 346 people.
	Microsoft: Seizure of sites Iranian hackers used for attacks Microsoft says it has seized 99 websites used by Iranian hackers to launch cyberattacks.
	The Three Mile Island nuclear accident 40 years ago The 1979 accident at the Three Mile Island power plant, the worst in US history, claimed no lives but provoked an outcry over the country's nuclear electricity program.
	Lyft hikes IPO target to $70-$72 a share Lyft is raising the price target for its initial public offering in a sign of the excitement surrounding the stock market debut of a ride-hailing service.

Medicine & Health news

	Had enough water? Brain's thirst centers make a gut check Water bottles are everywhere these days, along with all kinds of advice about exactly how much water you should be drinking. But how does your brain actually know when you've had enough and can stop feeling thirsty? A new UC San Francisco study—published March 27, 2019 in Nature—may have the answer.
	Researchers estimate it takes approximately 1.5 megabytes of data to store language information in the brain A pair of researchers, one with the University of Rochester the other the University of California has found that combining all the data necessary to store and use the English language in the brain adds up to approximately 1.5 megabytes. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, Francis Mollica and Steven Piantadosi describe applying information theory to add up the amount of data needed to store the various parts of the English language.
	People 'hear' flashes due to disinhibited flow of signals around the brain, suggests study A synaesthesia-like effect in which people 'hear' silent flashes or movement, such as in popular 'noisy GIFs' and memes, could be due to a reduction of inhibition of signals that travel between visual and auditory areas of the brain, according to a new study led by researchers at City, University of London.
	Cannabis during pregnancy bumps psychosis risk in offspring Pregnant women who use cannabis may slightly increase the risk their unborn child will develop psychosis later in life, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
	New potential therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer discovered Cancer cells demand enormous amounts of molecular "food" to survive and grow, and a study published March 27 online in Nature by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center may have identified a new approach to starve the cells of one of the most common and deadly cancers, pancreatic cancer.
	The salt-craving neurons: How the appetite for salt is shaped by a taste for sodium Potato chips, French fries, popcorn—whichever your preference, we all know that salt is a key component of many tasty foods. But eating too much salt has potential health risks and can lead to cardiovascular and cognitive disorders. Now, Caltech researchers have identified neurons that drive and quench salt cravings in the mouse brain. The findings are an entry point into regulating sodium cravings in humans.
	A 'druggable' mechanism of tau protein pathology could lead to new treatment for some neurodegenerative diseases In a great stride toward finding an effective treatment for early-stage neurodegenerative diseases, UC Santa Barbara neurobiologist Kenneth S. Kosik and collaborators have uncovered a "druggable" mechanism of pathological tau protein aggregation. For the millions of people at risk for frontotemporal dementia and a host of other such conditions including Alzheimer's, this could signal a shift toward significant management of symptoms or outright prevention of some of our most devastating diseases.
	Quick thinking? It's all down to timing Remember hearing people being called slow learners by teachers and parents? That oft-used description of someone who takes a wee bit longer to process information, now has a scientific basis for its existence. Scientists from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine have found that the rapidity with which a person is able to grasp, process, understand, store and use information comes down to the speed and timing with which the neurons in the brain fire. The closer the gap between the firing of one neuron and the next, the greater the speed with which the information is received, stored and acted upon.
	Newly discovered molecule promising for pain sufferers If a particular protein is missing during the fetal stage, no neurons develop that convey pain, temperature and itch, a study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in the journal Cell Reports shows. The discovery can eventually lead to new drugs for pain conditions.
	Step it up: Does running cadence matter? Not as much as previously thought Contrary to long-standing popular belief, running at a prescribed, one-size-fits-all "optimal" cadence doesn't play as big a role in speed and efficiency as once thought.
	Mini microscope is the new GoPro for studies of brain disease in living mice Working with mice, a team of Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers has developed a relatively inexpensive, portable mini microscope that could improve scientists' ability to image the effects of cancer, stroke, Alzheimer's disease and other conditions in the brains of living and active mice over time. The device, which measures less than 5 cubic centimeters, is docked onto animals' heads and gathers real-time images from the active brains of mice moving naturally around their environments.
	Newly discovered role for climbing fibers: Conveying a sensory snapshot to the cerebellum As we go about our daily lives, we are constantly bombarded by a steady stream of sensory information. Take a typical morning routine for example- roused from sleep by a shrill alarm, the strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and the brake lights and traffic horns of rush hour. In the course of a single day, we experience thousands of different cues across all senses.
	Computer program predicts risk of deadly irregular heart beats Combining a wealth of information derived from previous studies with data from more than 500 patients, an international team led by researchers from Johns Hopkins has developed a computer-based set of rules that more accurately predicts when patients with a rare heart condition might benefit—or not—from lifesaving implanted defibrillators. The new research, published online on March 27 in the European Heart Journal provides physicians with a risk prediction tool that will identify patients most likely to benefit from the protection provided by an implantable defibrillator while preventing a fifth from receiving unnecessary—and potentially risky—surgery to place the devices.
Childhood methylphenidate treatment predicts antidepressant use during adolescence Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses among children and adolescents worldwide. The standard of care for ADHD typically includes long-term treatment with stimulants, such as methylphenidate (MPH)-based medications (e.g., Ritalin).
	Eating small amounts of red and processed meats may increase risk of death A new study out of Loma Linda University Health suggests that eating red and processed meats—even in small amounts—may increase the risk of death from all causes, especially cardiovascular disease.
Patients say lack of physician guidance and fear of side effects are why they don't take statins as prescribed Despite national guidelines indicating that statins can lower risk of heart attack and stroke, many patients who could benefit do not take them. More than half of eligible patients say they were never offered the cholesterol-lowering drugs; the experience of side effects or fear of side effects were reasons for stopping or refusing statins, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
	Study: To keep leftover opioids out of harm's way, give surgery patients disposal bags Many surgery patients head home from the hospital with opioid pain medicine prescriptions, and most will have pills left over after they finish recovering from their procedure.
	Artificial intelligence can improve X-ray identification of pacemakers in emergencies Researchers have created new artificial intelligence software that can identify cardiac rhythm devices in x-rays more accurately and quickly than current methods.
	Fewer reproductive years in women linked to an increased risk of dementia Women who start their period later, go through menopause earlier or have a hysterectomy may have a greater risk of developing dementia, according to a new study published in the March 27, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found a link between increased risk of dementia and fewer total reproductive years when women are exposed to higher levels of estrogen hormones.
	Artificial womb technology breaks its four minute mile A major advancement in pioneering technology based around the use of an artificial womb to save extremely premature babies is being hailed as a medical and biotechnological breakthrough. Recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the study presents world-first data demonstrating the ability of an artificial placenta-based life support platform to maintain extremely preterm lamb fetuses (600 to 700g); equivalent to a human fetus at 24 weeks of gestation.
	Debt relief improves psychological and cognitive function, enabling better decision-making While many of the poor are burdened with debt, helping them financially is controversial, because their debts are often believed to result from bad habits. A new study by the Social Service Research Centre (SSR) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) demonstrates that reducing the number of debt accounts lowers the mental burden of the poor, thereby improving psychological and cognitive performance. This enables better decision-making. Hence, poverty interventions should be structured to improve psychological and cognitive functioning in addition to addressing the financial needs of the poor.
	New gene potentially involved in metastasis identified Cancers that display a specific combination of sugars called T-antigens are more likely to spread through the body and kill a patient. However, scientists do not understand what regulates the appearance of T-antigen in cancer cells, the set of proteins modified with T-antigen, and the roles the T-antigen and the modified proteins play during metastasis.
	Where you live and how much you pay to live there can affect your health How fit you are and how much you exercise may not affect your health as much as how much you pay in rent or toward a mortgage.
	State policies might keep stroke patients from the care they need When Hollywood actor Luke Perry suffered what would be a fatal stroke last month, he was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, one of only 178 hospitals in the country licensed to provide a key advanced stroke treatment.
	Personalized in vitro model enables drug screening for kidney cancer One way to treat the most common type of kidney cancer is to use anti-angiogenic drugs to cut off the blood supply to the tumors, but patients respond differently to the drugs, and choosing the wrong one can make the cancer grow faster.
	Home-based lifestyle intervention minimizes maternal weight gain Weight gain during pregnancy and postpartum are important causes of long-term weight gain and the development of obesity-related diseases among women. A new, interdisciplinary study from Washington University in St. Louis finds providing a home-based lifestyle intervention effectively minimizes excess maternal weight gain during pregnancy and through 12 months postpartum in underserved African-American women with obesity.
	Newly single? How to beat the breakup blues Whether you dated for weeks, months or years—when it ends, you can experience a range of emotions and feel a little uncertain about what's next. Research even shows the pain from a breakup can activate pain receptors in our brain the same way that physical injuries do. When you're feeling down and out, how do you beat the breakup blues?
	Does sleep deprivation promote medical malpractice lawsuits? Can sleep loss in hospital patients lead to an uptick in medical malpractice lawsuits? A new study from researchers at Rice University and Baylor University suggests that is indeed the case.
	Unresolved injury, not fibrosis, contributes to cisplatin-induced CKD Yale School of Medicine researchers have found that the progression of acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease (CKD) caused by use of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin is due to unresolved injury and sustained activation of regulated necrosis pathways rather than fibrosis. The new study is highlighted on the cover of the April 2019 issue of Kidney International.
	Smart wrist-worn device can alert about dangerous health conditions Although smart wristbands are popular fashion gadgets for monitoring heart rate and physical activity, they are usually not sophisticated enough to provide specific and accurate information about potential health problems of the wearer. Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania researchers are developing a smart wrist-worn device for monitoring of atrial fibrillation – a condition, which if left untreated can lead to serious health complications and even death.
	Why holding a grudge is bad for your health (HealthDay)—It's surprisingly easy to hold a grudge, but whether it involves a friend, a co-worker or a loved one, it can fill you with bitterness, keep you stuck in the past and even lead to anxiety or depression.
	Enjoy these sweet strawberry treats without guilt (HealthDay)—Berries are nature's natural sweetener and they come loaded with benefits. Fiber, vitamins and antioxidants sweeten the deal.
	Common lung conditions linked to heart disease Patients with some of the most common lung diseases are substantially more likely to suffer a heart attack and develop other major heart problems according to new research.
	New muscular disease myoglobinopathy described Researchers at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) led by Dr. Montse Olivé have described in Nature Communications a new muscular disease caused by a mutation in the myoglobin gene. The study was led by Prof. Nigel Laing and researchers from the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm, Sweden).
	No laughing matter – nitrous oxide helps to unravel rapid antidepressant mechanisms Ketamine has been intensively studied in psychiatry in recent years. Unlike traditional antidepressants, ketamine brings about its antidepressant effects very rapidly. A recent study conducted at the University of Helsinki, Finland, provides insights into the putative neurobiological mechanisms underlying rapid improvement of depression.
	Help may be on the way for people with muscular dystrophy Researchers in Florida never expected this much success with a drug they're developing to treat muscular dystrophy.
	Researchers examine classic versus novel psychedelic use in United States Classic psychedelics, which include LSD, mescaline and psilocybin, have been used by humans for millennia, and there is a rather extensive body of scientific knowledge surrounding these substances and their effects. Recently, new drugs referred to as novel psychedelics have emerged on the scene., Though similar in pharmacology to classic psychedelics, there is a much smaller body of evidence on these substances. A recent study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health found that novel psychedelics have been used by only a fraction of the population, and those who have used novel psychedelics tend to be young, white, college-educated men.
	Can medicinal cannabis treat the tics in Tourette syndrome? A pioneering clinical trial investigating medicinal cannabis as a potential treatment for people living with Tourette syndrome will be conducted by Wesley Medical Research, with the cannabis supply facilitated by Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics at the University of Sydney.
	Sea squirt's microbiome offers clues to frontline immune defense, gut health What can we learn about human health from the lowly sea squirt?
	Making more drugs available 'over the counter' would be a win for the public and the health care system The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is currently looking to expand the list of medicines available "over the counter" – that is, via a pharmacist without a prescription.
	A new drug promises to lower risks of asthma attack A recent study shows that a gamechanger drug called Fevipiprant promises to lower patients' risks of suffering an asthma attack and being admitted to a hospital.
	Special offers fuel obese shoppers Shoppers whose supermarket trolleys are stacked with food and drink offered on special promotions have more than a 50 percent increased chance of being obese, according to a Cancer Research UK report published today.
	Metformin used during pregnancy may lead to obesity in children Metformin,a common drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, is often used during pregnancy where the mother suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A new study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has recently shown that this results in fewer miscarriages and premature births.
	A simple strategy to improve your mood in 12 minutes We all have a remedy – a glass of wine or a piece of chocolate – for lifting our spirits when we're in a bad mood. Rather than focusing on ways to make ourselves feel better, a team of Iowa State University researchers suggests wishing others well.
	Spinning-prism microscope helps gather stem cells for regenerative medicine Pluripotent stem cells are crucial to regenerative medicine, but better screening methods are needed to isolate safe and effective cells for medical use. Researchers at Tsukuba University developed a new microscopy technique that identifies stem cells with the greatest transformative potential based on the extent of mitochondrial activity in each cell. The technology may offer a streamlined screening tool for early stage identification of stem cells with the greatest medical potential.
Dogs helped by discovery of sight loss gene Scientists have discovered a change in the genetic code of Border Collies that is linked to sudden blindness.
Many recurrent testicular tumours 'missed' by current diagnostic markers There is insufficient evidence to underpin the use of tumour markers to detect the recurrence of testicular cancer in patients who have undergone surgery for an initial tumour, finds research from Oxford University published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology.
	A more accurate method to diagnose cancer subtypes Developed by researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, this potential diagnostic method screens a cancer sample for 'fusion genes', estimated to be linked to one in five cancers, and may provide a more accurate snapshot of rearranged DNA found in cancer. The test could help connect cancer patients with personalised treatments faster than current methods.
	Helping infants survive brain cancer Choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) is a particularly challenging type of brain cancer. The tumor most commonly arises in infants under the age of one—who are too young to undergo radiation treatment. Only 40 percent of children remain alive five years after diagnosis, and those who do survive often suffer devastating long-term damage from the treatment. Progress in developing effective therapies has been hindered by the lack of models that could help researchers better understand the cancer.
	On the keto diet? Ditch the cheat day, study says The often embraced 'cheat day' is a common theme in many diets and the popular ketogenic diet is no exception. But new research from UBC's Okanagan campus says that just one 75-gram dose of glucose—the equivalent a large bottle of soda or a plate of fries—while on a high fat, low carbohydrate diet can lead to damaged blood vessels.
	Glowing tumors show scientists where cancer drugs are working Experimenting with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers report they have successfully used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to calculate in real time how much of an immunotherapy drug reaches a tumor and what parts of a cancer remain unaffected.
	Drug shortages: Limited warnings, followed by rationing and hoarding Despite ongoing efforts to develop efficient, practical and ethical allocation systems for medication shortages, a national survey found that 81 percent of hospital pharmacy managers had experienced medication hoarding. All of the pharmacy managers reported drug shortages in the previous year. More than two-thirds reported "more than 50 shortages."
	Study: Smartphone app detects diet cheat More than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight and half of them are trying to lose weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to a recent study, led by Evan Forman, Ph.D., a psychology professor in Drexel University's College of Arts and Sciences, a first-of-its-kind smartphone app called OnTrack can predict ahead of time when users are likely to lapse in their weight loss plan and help them stay on track.
	German paediatricians demand compulsory vaccinations Germany's paediatricians association Wednesday demanded mandatory childhood vaccinations against measles and a range of other diseases in a debate kicked off by the health minister.
	Heating up tumors could make CAR T therapy more effective, study finds A preclinical study led by scientists at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer suggests that heating solid tumors during CAR T-cell therapy can enhance the treatment's success.
Study quantifies injuries and combat casualty care trends during War on Terror Thousands of military service members lost their lives or were severely injured while serving our country during America's longest war, known as the Global War on Terrorism. A researcher at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is now documenting the war's casualty statistics, mortality trends and treatment advances.
Southern Europeans, non-Europeans less likely to have matched stem cell donors Although the pool of registered bone marrow donors has increased in recent years, a new study suggests that most people of southern-European and non-European descent are unlikely to have a suitable match if they need a life-saving bone marrow transplant.
	Pairing music with medication offers potential therapeutic strategy to manage pain Past studies have explored the therapeutic effect of music, particularly compositions by Mozart, for patients with epilepsy. Researchers at University of Utah Health found pairing music with one of four pain medications offered a promising complementary strategy to treat pain. In particular, the ibuprofen-music pair improved analgesic outcomes in an inflammation pain mouse model by more than 90 percent, while the cannabidiol-music and galanin analog NAX 5055-music pairings significantly reduced inflammation by 70 percent. The results of the study are available online on March 27 in the journal Frontiers in Neurology.
	Exercise helps prevent cartilage damage caused by arthritis Exercise helps to prevent the degradation of cartilage caused by osteoarthritis, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London.
Fulvestrant plus anastrozole extends lives of women with advanced HR+ breast cancer Women with metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer live longer when they receive a combination of two anti-estrogen drugs, fulvestrant and anastrozole, compared with treatment with anastrozole alone, according to results of a SWOG Cancer Research Network study appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Retinal prion disease study redefines role for brain cells National Institutes of Health scientists studying the progression of inherited and infectious eye diseases that can cause blindness have found that microglia, a type of nervous system cell suspected to cause retinal damage, surprisingly had no damaging role during prion disease in mice. In contrast, the study findings indicated that microglia might delay disease progression.
	Adding transition services does not aid heart failure outcomes (HealthDay)—Additional transitional care services do not improve outcomes for heart failure patients discharged from the hospital, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	After 4 strokes, rare disease and brain surgery, woman helps others When Lisa Deck was chosen as a Go Red for Women national spokeswoman in 2014, she was thrilled to have a larger platform to help raise awareness about heart disease and stroke.
	FDA says breast density must be reported to women during mammograms (HealthDay)—Women with dense breasts who get mammograms must be told of their higher risk for breast cancer under new rules proposed Wednesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
	FDA OKs new drug for multiple sclerosis (HealthDay)—A new pill for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) has won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
	Heart failure hospitalizations spike when flu season peaks (HealthDay)—Weakened hearts grow weaker and fail when influenza rages throughout the land, a new study reports.
	Infants born weighing <400 g who survive at risk for severe morbidity (HealthDay)—One-fifth of infants born with a birth weight (BW) less than 400 g survive to 18 to 26 months' corrected age, but they are at high risk for neurodevelopmental impairment, according to a study published online March 25 in JAMA Pediatrics.
	Taxane + platinum feasible for adjuvant tx in endometrial cancer (HealthDay)—Taxane plus platinum regimens may be a reasonable alternative to doxorubicin plus cisplatin as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for endometrial cancer that carries a high risk for progression, according to a study published online March 21 in JAMA Oncology.
	Study of female weightlifters crushes stereotype In the first-ever study of its kind, San Francisco State University and California State University, Fullerton researchers found that elite women weightlifters have the same amount—and in some cases more—of the muscle fibers needed for the sport compared to their male counterparts. These "fast twitch fibers" are especially suited to fast and powerful movements, such as those in "clean and jerk" lifts. By finding that males don't have more of the fibers, the study, published on March 27 in PLOS ONE, helps disprove a stereotype about women athletes that has persisted for years.
	Gene transfer improves diabetes-linked heart ailment Researchers with the VA San Diego Healthcare System and the University of California San Diego have shown that a gene transfer technique can combat heart dysfunction caused by diabetes.
	Raising smoking age to 21 passes Washington Legislature A proposal to raise Washington's smoking and vaping age to 21 has passed the Legislature, putting the state on the precipice of becoming the ninth state to make such a change.
	1st cholera cases confirmed in Mozambique's cyclone-hit city The first cases of cholera have been confirmed in the cyclone-ravaged city of Beira, Mozambican authorities announced on Wednesday, raising the stakes in an already desperate fight to help hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in increasingly squalid conditions.
	Cyclone-ravaged Mozambique reports five cholera cases Five cases of cholera have been confirmed in Mozambique following the cyclone that ravaged the country killing at least 468 people, a government health official said Wednesday.
	Researchers optimize aptamer with enhanced myelin-binding properties for multiple sclerosis treatment A new study has demonstrated the enhanced ability of an optimized 20-nucleotide derivative of a larger DNA aptamer to bind myelin in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. The study, which also provides the first evidence of cross-reactivity of this myelin-binding aptamer with human brain cells, is published in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.
	Osteoblastic cell stimulation by pulsed electromagnetic fields Bone fracture healing can be augmented with the application of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs), but a consensus regarding idealized conditions is lacking. A new study characterizes the in vitro effects of these PEMFs on the crucial osteoblast precursor cells and seeks to determine the optimal conditions that will promote bone regeneration. The study is published in Tissue Engineering.
Lurie Children's offers kids virtual escape from intensive care unit For the first time in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), patients get a chance to scuba dive, snowboard, and go on a safari or other adventures, all from their hospital bed.
	Rural America needs more headache specialists, researcher says West Virginia is short on neurologists. According to David Watson, who directs the West Virginia University Headache Center, the state has just half of the neurologists it needs. This scarcity can cause problems for people with migraine whose primary physicians aren't trained or equipped to treat—or even diagnose—their more complicated cases.

Biology news

	Historical trade of tortoiseshell reveals origins of modern wildlife trafficking networks New research from the Monterey Bay Aquarium finds that historical tortoiseshell trade routes may have established the groundwork for modern illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The study published today in the journal Science Advances, "The historical development of complex global trafficking networks for marine wildlife," analyzes 150 years of tortoiseshell trade records and derives several realistic harvest models to explore the trade of endangered hawksbill sea turtles.
	Record-breaking gene edit disables 13,200 LINE-1 Transposons in a single cell An international team of researchers has succeeded in making 13,200 edits to a single cell—and the cell survived. In their paper uploaded to the bioRxiv preprint server, the team describes the edits they made, how they did it and why.
	Future of elephants living in captivity hangs in the balance Scientists at the University of Sheffield and University of Turku are looking at ways to boost captive populations of Asian elephants without relying on taking them from the wild.
	'Nightmarish' antlions' spiral digging techniques create effective and deadly traps A team of biologists and physicists, led by the University of Bristol, have uncovered new insights into how antlions—one of the fiercest and most terrifying predators in the insect kingdom—build their deadly pit traps.
	Colder temperatures foster greater microbial diversity on amphibian skin A far-reaching global study led by University of Colorado Boulder scientists has found that climate is a critical determinant of microbial diversity on amphibian skin, with colder, more variable temperatures producing richer bacterial communities than warmer, more stable environments.
	Laborer, doorkeeper, future queen: Neurobiology in turtle ants reflects division of labor The neurobiology of turtle ants differs significantly according to their specialized role within the colony, according to a study published March 27, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Darcy Greer Gordon from Boston University and colleagues.
	Mount Kilimanjaro: Ecosystems in global change 2019 marks the 250th anniversary of Alexander von Humboldt. He was one of the first naturalists to document the distribution and adaptation of species on tropical mountains in the 19th century. Humboldt also observed that high mountains represent a microcosm of the earth's climate zones. Today, his scientific findings are more relevant than ever.
	BridgIT, a new tool for orphan and novel enzyme reactions Effective protein engineering can give us control over the generated products inside a cell. However, for many of the biochemical reactions responsible for these products, we don't we don't know the specific protein or enzyme-producing gene responsible. These so-called orphan reactions have become a big problem for protein engineers.
	Researchers study corvid speciation in restricted zone where crow hybrids thrive Carrion crows and hooded crows are almost indistinguishable genetically, and hybrid offspring are fertile. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich biologists now show that the two forms have remained distinct largely owing to the dominant role of plumage color in mate choice.
	Male crickets use female scent to rate fertility prospects A new study by researchers at The University of Western Australia has found that male insects are able to use female scent to assess not only how many eggs she will produce but also the egg-laying potential of their daughters.
	Researchers decipher and codify the universal language of honey bees For Virginia Tech researchers Margaret Couvillon and Roger Schürch, the Tower of Babel origin myth—intended to explain the genesis of the world's many languages—holds great meaning.
	Researchers beginning to uncover the mystery of hagfish's zombie hearts They are the scavengers of the deep and the dead.
	Study identifies 'master pacemaker' for biological clocks What makes a biological clock tick? According to a new study from U of T Mississauga, the surprising answer lies with a gene typically associated with stem and cancer cells.
	Offspring of older mothers are more responsive to aging interventions, study finds Advanced maternal age at the time of giving birth is known to decrease how long the offspring will live and their fecundity. However, why this occurs is unknown, and it remains unclear if maternal age also alters how offspring respond to interventions to aging.
	US zoo to return beloved giant pandas to China Two giant pandas that have been a star attraction at the San Diego Zoo for decades will soon be returned home to China, officials announced.
	Duckweed: The low-down on a tiny plant Duckweeds are a treat for many aquatic animals like ducks and snails, but for pond owners, they're sometimes a thorn in the side. The tiny and fast-growing plants are of great interest to researchers, not at least because of their industrial applications—for example, to purify wastewater or generate energy. An international research team from Münster, Jena (both Germany), Zurich (Switzerland) and Kerala (India) have recently studied the genomics of the giant duckweed. They discovered that genetic diversity, i.e. the total number of genetic characteristics that are different among individuals, is very low. "This is remarkable given that their population size is very large—there can, for example, be millions of individuals in a single pond," says Shuqing Xu, professor for plant evolutionary ecology at the University of Münster and lead author of the study.
	Urban biodiversity to lower chronic disease Replanting urban environments with native flora could be a cost effective way to improve public health because it will help 'rewild' the environmental and human microbiota, University of Adelaide researchers say.
	Astronaut trainees discover new crustacean species in cave training course In the absolute darkness of caves, rare creatures have returned to living in water to survive. Astronauts looking for life in the underworld during the CAVES training courses discovered a new species of crustaceans that have completed an evolutionary full circle – from water to land, and back to water again.
	Banning exotic leather in fashion hurts snakes and crocodiles in the long run We are all familiar with the concept of "fake news": stories that are factually incorrect, but succeed because their message fits well with the recipient's prior beliefs.
	How nerve cells control misfolded proteins Researchers have identified a protein complex that marks misfolded proteins, stops them from interacting with other proteins in the cell, and directs them toward disposal. In collaboration with the neurology department at the Ruhr-Ubiversität's St. Josef-Hospital and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, an interdisciplinary team led by Professor Konstanze Winklhofer at Ruhr-Universität Bochum has identified the so-called linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC) as a crucial player in controlling misfolded proteins in cells.
	Rice cultivation: Balance of phosphorus and nitrogen determines growth and yield In the future, a newly discovered mechanism in control of plant nutrition could help to achieve higher harvests in a sustainable way. Scientists from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China) discovered this mechanism in their research on Asian rice in collaboration with Professor Dr. Stanislav Kopriva from the University of Cologne's Botanical Institute and the Cluster of Excellence CEPLAS. The balance between nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) is decisive for crop yield. Both nutrients, which the plant absorbs from the soil through its roots, interact more strongly with each other than previously known. The study 'Nitrate-NRT1.1B-SPX4 cascade integrates nitrogen and phosphorus signalling networks in plants' has now appeared in the journal Nature Plants.
	Indonesia foils illegal Facebook sale of komodo dragons Indonesian authorities said Wednesday they had seized five komodo dragons and dozens of other animals being sold on Facebook, as the country battles to clamp down on the illegal wildlife trade.
	Microorganisms are the main emitters of carbon in Amazonian waters A new study has found that the microbial food web accounts for most of the carbon circulating in Amazonia's lakes, floodplains and wetlands.
	How light from street lamps and trees influence the activity of urban bats Artificial light is rightly considered a major social, cultural and economic achievement. Yet artificial light at night is also said to pose a threat to biodiversity, especially affecting nocturnal species in metropolitan areas. It has become clear that the response by wildlife to artificial light at night may vary across species, seasons and lamp types. A study conducted by a team led by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) sheds new light on how exactly ultraviolet (UV) emitting and non-UV emitting street lamps influence the activity of bats in the Berlin metropolitan area and whether tree cover might mitigate any effect of light pollution. The study is published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.
	Critically endangered birds still alive on King Island A new study has found two critically endangered bird species feared to be near extinction on King Island in the Bass Strait are not only still alive, but their populations may be larger than previously thought.
	The life and death of a 'city of worms' Twenty thousand years ago, when giant sloths and saber-toothed tigers roamed the Los Angeles Basin, in the dark ocean depths lived an immense colony of worms. Not your garden-variety earthworms, but furtive creatures that lived in little shell-like tubes hundreds of meters below the sea surface.
	After spending winter in a fridge, Minsk bats return to the wild After spending the winter months hibernating inside a fridge at a rescue centre in Belarus, a group of bats awaken and are released into the wild.
	Insect species that prefer crops prosper while majority decline Many species of flower-visiting insect are in trouble in Britain, according to a new report from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) near Oxford, which drew on almost 750,000 observations of insects between 1980 and 2013. The study used population records of 353 wild bee and hoverfly species over large areas of Great Britain to show that one third of these pollinating species declined in range during this time.
	Coffee for the birds Coffee grown under a tree canopy is promoted as good habitat for birds, but recent University of Delaware research shows that some of these coffee farms may not be as friendly to our feathered friends as advertised.
	High-speed videos capture how kangaroo rat escapes rattlesnake attack Kangaroo rats are abundant and seemingly defenseless seed-eating rodents that have to contend with a host of nasty predators, including rattlesnakes—venomous pit vipers well known for their deadly, lightning-quick strikes.
	New bird species discovered In the lush, lowland rainforests on the island of Borneo lives a rather common, drab brown bird called the Cream-vented Bulbul, or Pycnonotus simplex. This bird is found from southern Thailand to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. In most of its range, it has white eyes. On Borneo, however, most individuals have red eyes, although there are also a few with white eyes. For 100 years, naturalists have thought the eye-color difference on Borneo was a trivial matter of individual variation. Through persistent detective work and advances in genetic sequencing technology, Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science researchers have discovered that the white-eyed individuals of Borneo in fact represent a completely new species. Their discovery of the Cream-eyed Bulbul, or Pycnonotus pseudosimplex, was published recently in the scientific journal, the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club.
	Study confirms and ranks nursery value of coastal habitats A comprehensive analysis of more than 11,000 previous coastal-habitat measurements suggests that mangroves and seagrasses provide the greatest value as "nurseries" for young fishes and invertebrates, providing key guidance for managers of threatened marine resources.
	New report identifies how to supercharge agriculture science in the US A new report issued today showed how U.S. farmers—facing a surge of weather events and disease outbreaks—can increase production and revenues with innovations produced by federally funded agricultural research.
	Jury begins deliberations in Roundup trial phase 2 "Monsanto knew" its weedkiller Roundup was carcinogenic yet sold it anyway, the lawyer for an American retiree said on the last day of a trial to determine the agriculture giant's culpability for his cancer.
	Why the feds should protect Midwest wolves from slaughter The bald eagle is America's symbol, but 70 years ago it was nearly extinct. Once numbering as many as half a million, the population in the lower 48 states had been reduced to fewer than 1,000 by pesticides, hunting and destruction of habitat. Under the Endangered Species Act, bald eagles made a comeback. There are now some 70,000 across North America, including every state but Hawaii.
	Interest in RNA editing heats up The gene-editing technology known as CRISPR has attracted much excitement and investor interest with its potential to someday treat diseases by fixing faulty copies of genes. But recently, a different approach called RNA editing, which could offer advantages over CRISPR, has been gaining ground in academic labs and start-ups, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN).
	Old for new, using ancient genetic variation to supercharge wheat Wheat is responsible for half of global calories consumed either directly or as animal feed and we need to make a lot more of it in the coming decades. Now, an important paper marks a step change in how breeders might approach wheat breeding using previously untapped sources of variation to increase yields to meet demand.
Man awarded $80M in lawsuit claiming Roundup causes cancer A U.S. jury has awarded $80 million in damages to a California man in a high-stakes trial over his claim that Roundup weed killer caused his cancer.

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