Science X Newsletter Thursday, Apr 21

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 21, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Astronomers discover seven new giant exoplanets
- Microscopic 'clocks' time distance to source of galactic cosmic rays
- Light-driven dinitrogen reduction: Scientists shed new light on global energy, food supply challenge
- Diphoton bump at LHC leads to generation of hundreds of theoretical papers
- Asleep somewhere new, one brain hemisphere keeps watch
- The atom without properties
- Study suggests immune response to flu causes death in older people, not the virus
- Temporal cues help keep human looking human
- Mechanics of a heartbeat are controlled by molecular strut in heart muscle cells
- Evolution in action detected in Darwin's finches
- Cool combination produces easier carbon bonds
- Solar plane successfully departs from Hawaii with no fuel (Update)
- Wellderly study suggests link between cognitive decline genes and healthy aging
- The gates of serotonin: Cracking the workings of a notorious receptor
- Current measurement methods may be vastly underestimating the amount of plastic in the oceans

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers discover seven new giant exoplanets (Phys.org)—Using the SuperWASP-South Observatory in South Africa, a team of European astronomers has discovered seven new giant planets orbiting distant stars. According to a new study, the smallest of the newly detected alien worlds is about 38 times more massive than the Earth and has a radius nearly nine times greater than the radius of our planet. The discovery is reported in a paper published on Apr. 14 on arXiv.org.
	Microscopic 'clocks' time distance to source of galactic cosmic rays Most of the cosmic rays arriving at Earth from our galaxy come from nearby clusters of massive stars, according to new observations from the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS), an instrument aboard NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft.
	Great American Eclipse draws tourists to path of totality Where's the best place to watch next year's eclipse? If you're thinking the grand open spaces of Wyoming, you have plenty of company.
	Hubble captures birthday bubble This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image, released to celebrate Hubble's 26th year in orbit, captures in stunning clarity what looks like a gigantic cosmic soap bubble. The object, known as the Bubble Nebula, is in fact a cloud of gas and dust illuminated by the brilliant star within it. The vivid new portrait of this dramatic scene wins the Bubble Nebula a place in the exclusive Hubble hall of fame, following an impressive lineage of Hubble anniversary images.
	Hubble sees a star 'inflating' a giant bubble For the 26th birthday of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers are highlighting a Hubble image of an enormous bubble being blown into space by a super-hot, massive star. The Hubble image of the Bubble Nebula, or NGC 7635, was chosen to mark the 26th anniversary of the launch of Hubble into Earth orbit by the STS-31 space shuttle crew on April 24, 1990
	Spaceflight muscle loss study aims to benefit patients on earth "Exercise and eat right" is a common prescription for maintaining muscle and building bone, but more advanced solutions are needed to address serious diseases that lead to loss of muscle function in the general population. The International Space Station is providing researchers a unique opportunity to study muscle loss and to investigate means for muscle preservation.
	Image: Proba-1 images Ice station Svalbard Long shadows cast across the snow give a frosty view of the covered domes of Europe's most northerly ground station, as seen by the smallest camera on ESA's veteran Proba-1 minisatellite.
	NASA's twins study explores space through you NASA's Human Research Program is releasing the first half of a video series entitled Omics: Exploring Space Through You to highlight its Twins Study, in conjunction with its National DNA Day Reddit Ask Me Anything event at 10 a.m. CDT/11 a.m. EDT, Monday, April 25, 2016. The series explores space through you by using omics to look more closely at individual health.
New study explores the options for astronauts who want to prevent menstrual bleeding during their space missions A new paper in the journal npj Microgravity explores the options for astronauts who want to prevent menstrual bleeding during their space missions. The paper, written by authors at King's College London and Baylor College of Medicine, reviews contraceptive devices available including those already used by military and aviation personnel, and calls for more research into the effect of hormone treatments on bone mineral loss in space.
	Europe to launch satellites for Earth, Einstein Europe is set to launch two satellites on Friday with very important missions: one will track environmental damage to Earth, while the other will test a mainstay of physics theory.

Technology news

	Boson thermal camera core offers enhanced capabilities FLIR Systems and Movidius have pulled off a mix of a thermal imaging camera core with powerful attributes. The debut of Boson involves a hardware combo of infrared camera with a Movidius vision processing unit (VPU). Movidius signed the partnership deal with FLIR Systems to create this thermal imaging solution.
	Air Force team breaks speed record with magnetically levitated sled system "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…"
	Control algorithm for teams of robots factors in moving obstacles Planning algorithms for teams of robots fall into two categories: centralized algorithms, in which a single computer makes decisions for the whole team, and decentralized algorithms, in which each robot makes its own decisions based on local observations.
	Solar plane successfully departs from Hawaii with no fuel (Update) Two pilots are slowly carving their way into a new future of solar-powered flight as one of them embarks on the latest leg of their around-the-world journey in a plane powered only by the sun.
	Australia admits government hack attacks, boosts cyber security Australia unveiled a multi-million-dollar cyber scheme to combat hacking on Thursday, as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged an attack on the country's weather bureau but stopped short of blaming it on China.
	Twitter eyeing Japan for revenue from data for businesses Twitter has its eyes on Japan, with its 35 million users, to make money from companies eager to use Twitter data to research retail trends, manage inventory and improve customer service.
	Beijing auto show showcases China's SUV love affair China's love affair with SUVs is helping to cushion the blow of an unexpectedly painful slump in the rest of its crowded auto market.
	Breakthrough with new generation robots The robotics industry is on the precipice of a major breakthrough. Soon, industrial robots will be used at lower cost in small-scale production thanks to the operating system developed by the Dutch-German partnership SInBot. Doctoral research by Maarten Essers from the University of Twente shows that the results from preliminary tests are promising.
	Solar-powered plane leaves Hawaii (Update 2) The Latest on a solar plane flying from Hawaii to California (all times local):
	New development tool based on 'software quality information needs' and three case studies While constantly developing, software takes over more and more aspects of our life at both individual and community level. Thus, software failures and security are easily becoming major concerns which need to be addressed on the spur of the moment.
	EU case against Google shows contrast with US The latest EU antitrust complaint against Google underscores a sharp contrast from the approach taken by the United States, which has largely taken a hands-off approach on emerging technologies.
Answers to questions about Volkswagen dirty diesel deal People who own one of 482,000 Volkswagen vehicles with 2-liter diesel engines will be able to sell them back to the company or have them fixed under terms of a deal announced Thursday by a federal judge.
	FBI paid over $1 mn for iPhone hack The Federal Bureau of Investigation paid hackers more than $1 million to break into the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers, director James Comey said Thursday.
	Google/Alphabet profit falls short of forecasts (Update) Google parent Alphabet on Thursday reported profit climbed 20 percent, but the rise fell short of investor expectations, sending shares sharply lower.
	Microsoft profit down 25 percent to $3.8 bn Microsoft on Thursday reported a 25 percent plunge in quarterly profits as the company navigated away from its role as a software seller to a services model.
	Volkswagen owners will get a choice: a buyback or repairs The owners of nearly half a million polluting Volkswagens in the U.S. will have the option of selling them back to the company or getting them repaired at VW's expense, under a deal announced Thursday by a federal judge.
Apple delays earnings report for business advisor's memorial Apple will announce quarterly financial results one day later than planned next week, to avoid reporting on the day of a memorial service for Silicon Valley business leader Bill Campbell, a mentor to former Apple chief Steve Jobs and other tech leaders.
Philippines arrests alleged election website hacker Philippine officials said Thursday they have arrested a suspect in the hacking of the national election agency's website ahead of next month's presidential polls.
	Looking back: 30 years of photographing Chernobyl Efrem Lukatsky, a Kiev-based photographer for The Associated Press, recalls the confusion and anxiety of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion, the world's worst nuclear accident.
	Ericsson's profits rise 49 percent, but sales down Networks maker Ericsson's profits jumped 49 percent in the first quarter but the results were lower than expected and the company announced a shakeup of its leadership structure to drive growth.
	Researchers harnesss the energy of moving seawater used to cool a power plant A team of scientists from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak has found a way to recover energy from an outflow of seawater used for cooling a power plant in Seijingkat, Malaysia. As the hot water flows from the plant, it creates an artificial waterfall. The team has developed and tested a hanging hydropower-generating system that was custom-designed for use at this sensitive site to recover energy from the artificial waterfall.

Medicine & Health news

	Asleep somewhere new, one brain hemisphere keeps watch People who go to bed wary of potential danger sometimes pledge to sleep "with one eye open." A new Brown University study finds that isn't too far off. On the first night in a new place, the research suggests, one brain hemisphere remains more awake than the other during deep sleep, apparently in a state of readiness for trouble.
Confused cells lead to genetic disorders like heart problems, premature aging It has been disorienting to the scientific and medical community as to why different subtle changes in a protein-coding gene causes many different genetic disorders in different patients—including premature aging, nerve problems, heart problems and muscle problems. no other gene works like this. According to a new study, co-authored by Binghamton University faculty Eric Hoffman, it has to do with cell "commitment."
	Infectious outbreaks must be combatted strategically, experts argue New funding is not enough to guarantee success against emerging infectious diseases around the world. Rather, good governance, a long-term technology investment strategy and strong product management skills are essential, say a Dartmouth College researcher and her co-author.
	Need to remember something? Better draw it, study finds Researchers at the University of Waterloo have found that drawing pictures of information that needs to be remembered is a strong and reliable strategy to enhance memory.
	Wellderly study suggests link between cognitive decline genes and healthy aging An eight-year-long accrual and analysis of the whole genome sequences of healthy elderly people, or "Wellderly," has revealed a higher-than-normal presence of genetic variants offering protection from cognitive decline, researchers from the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI) reported today in the journal Cell.
	How a macaque's brain knows it's swinging Any organism with a brain needs to make decisions about how it's going to navigate through three-dimensional spaces. That's why animals have evolved sensory organs in the ears to detect if they're rotating or moving in a straight line. But how does an animal perceive curved motion, as in turning a corner? One explanation, published April 21 in Cell Reports, from researchers looking at macaques, is that curved motion is detected when sensory neurons in the brain receiving converging information about linear and rotational movement are activated.
	Can we hypercharge vaccines? Tapping a chemical we already make could enhance T-cell production Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital report that a fatty chemical naturally found in damaged tissues can induce an unexpected kind of immune response, causing immune cells to go into a "hyperactive" state that is highly effective at rallying infection-fighting T-cells. The findings, published online by Science on April 21, could enhance vaccines and make them much more effective.
Mortality rates improve among kids and young adults in the US, especially in poor counties Recent studies of mortality trends paint a gloomy picture for many middle-aged and older Americans, but a new study focused on children reveals a more optimistic future.
	Study suggests immune response to flu causes death in older people, not the virus A new Yale-led study suggests that death from influenza virus in older people may be primarily caused by a damaging immune response to flu and not by the virus itself. The insight could lead to novel strategies for combating flu in the most vulnerable patients, said the researchers.
	Mechanics of a heartbeat are controlled by molecular strut in heart muscle cells On top of the meaning and mystery that humans heap on the heart, it is first and foremost, a muscle. And one that beats about once a second for a person's entire life, with no rest. Given its vital importance, it's ironic researchers have only recently made direct observations of its subcellular parts in motion.
Teen moms and infant sleep: Mother doesn't always know best Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), which includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), is the leading cause of death in infants 1 month to 1 year of age in the United States. Although the reason is unknown, maternal age less than 20 years is associated with an increased risk of SIDS. In a new study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers found that although teenage mothers know the recommendations in regards to safe sleeping practices, many deliberately do not follow those recommendations.
School affects girls' chances of being diagnosed with an eating disorder The school a girl attends can affect her chance of being diagnosed with an eating disorder. That's the conclusion of research carried out by a joint UK-Swedish team. The results were published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
International law fails to protect pregnant women in war zones, argue doctors Deaths from violent conflict and lack of available care are major causes of mortality among pregnant women in war zones, warn doctors in an editorial published in The BMJ today.
Screening young athletes to prevent sudden cardiac arrest not proven to save lives Young athletes should not undergo screening to prevent sudden cardiac arrest because it is not proven to save lives, suggests an analysis of the available evidence published in The BMJ today.
Study establishes lung health response to cement dust exposure Long-term exposure to cement dust at levels that are comparable to the present occupational exposure limits could cause a decline in lung volumes, according to a new study.
	Does a parent's perception of their child's weight impact on child weight gain? Researchers from the University of Liverpool and Florida State University College of Medicine have conducted a study on the effect the misperception of a child's weight by their parents can have on a child's actual weight.
Stomach cancer diagnostics—new insights on stages of tumor growth Diagnosis of gastric cancer in the early stages is difficult because of the lack of simple and cheap methods of inspection and specific markers of gastric cancer while the symptoms of the disease are vague and tend to overlap with other common and benign conditions. Better tumor characterization and more individualized treatment planning can be expected only with the implementation of better diagnostic tools combined with advances in molecular and genetic analysis.
	New research could save TB patients from months of debilitating, costly treatment It is possible to predict how well tuberculosis (TB) responds to drug treatment, according to a new study at Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
French court bans smoking area in high school A French court ruled Thursday that a high school outside Paris must stop allowing pupils to smoke on its premises, banning a security measure adopted by many schools since jihadist attacks on the capital in November.
	Research could expand engineered T-cell cancer treatment Purdue University researchers may have figured out a way to call off a cancer cell assassin that sometimes goes rogue and assign it a larger tumor-specific "hit list."
Treatment rankings derived from network meta-analyses have a substantial degree of imprecision Treatment rankings derived from network meta-analyses feature a substantial degree of imprecision, according to a new study by researchers at Cochrane France and INSERM U1153 in Paris. More than half of the differences between the best-ranked treatment and the second, third, or fourth best-ranked treatments did not differ from the null beyond chance. The paper "Uncertainty in Treatment Rankings: Reanalysis of Network Meta-analyses of Randomized Trials" is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Technique measures 'postural sway' to diagnose neuromuscular disorders A new technique might be used to diagnose neuromuscular disorders such as multiple sclerosis or impairment from concussions by detecting and measuring subtle oscillations in a person's standing posture.
Risperidone can cause increased appetite, weight gain in children treated for autism The drug risperidone has been successful in reducing serious behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but researchers have discovered that increased appetite, followed by weight gain, can be a undesirable adverse effect. Rapid weight gain can contribute to insulin resistance and other metabolic alterations that may predispose patients to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and liver disease.
	Active prefrontal brain function appears to protect against PTSD after child abuse Increased activation of the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain that regulates complex cognitive, emotional and behavioral functioning, appears to protect against post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individuals who suffered abuse as a child, says a recent study by Emory researchers.
	Americans like health care reform, not its politics, according to poll Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA or ObamaCare) became law in 2010, Americans have remained deeply divided in their overall assessments of the law and whether it should continue.
	Research examines link between physically active children and healthy adulthood Finally, the warm weather has arrived. And with it, no doubt, a return to the outdoors for neighbourhood kids who can't wait to get out there and burn some energy.
Mindful eating helps to lose weight—and keep it off Losing weight is difficult, and keeping it off can be even harder. Many people regain the weight because typical weight loss diets involve drastic, unsustainable changes. Alternatively, learning to eat "mindfully" can fundamentally shift our relationship with food for long-term weight loss maintenance.
	Positive, humane and practical—a new paradigm for understanding autism For more than four decades, Barry Prizant has worked as a clinical scholar, researcher and consultant to persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Through his 2015 book "Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism," and a new musical theater and arts program at Brown, Prizant continues to impact the way ASD is understood and treated.
Recycling an anti-hypertensive agent to fight brain tumors Treatments available for glioblastoma—malignant brain tumors—have little effect. An international collaboration led by the Laboratoire Neurosciences Paris-Seine (CNRS/ INSERM/UPMC) tested active ingredients from existing medications and eventually identified one compound of interest, prazosin, on these tumors. Not only did it seem to be effective in this type of cancer, but it also acted on a signaling pathway that is common with other cancers. These promising findings are available online (advance publication) in EMBO Molecular Medicine.
	Sci-fi still influences how society thinks about genes—it's time we caught up We used to think that our fate was in the stars. Now we know in large measure, our fate is in our genes.
New insights in how blood vessels increase their size A new study from the group of Holger Gerhardt (VIB/KU Leuven/Cancer Research UK/ MDC/BIH Berlin) in collaboration with Katie Bentley's Lab (Cancer Research UK/BIDMC-Harvard Medical School) addresses a long standing question in the wider field of developmental biology and tissue patterning in general, and in the vascular biology field in particular: 'What are the fundamental mechanisms controlling size and shape of tubular organ systems'. Whereas the most obvious way to grow a tube in size would be to add more building blocks (by proliferating cells) to enlarge its circumference, or to increase the size of the building blocks (the cells, hypertrophy), an alternative way would be to rearrange existing building blocks. Benedetta Ubezio, Raquel Blanco and colleagues under the direction of Holger Gerhardt and Katie Bentley now show that cell rearrangement is the way blood vessels switch from making new branches to increasing the size o! f a branch. The researchers also found that this switch is triggered by synchronization of cells under the influence of increasing levels of the growth factor VEGFA.
	A plant-based polyphenol for improving wound healing discovered A research group led by Osaka University found a plant-based polyphenol, promotes the migration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) in blood circulation and accumulates them in damaged tissues to improve wound healing. It is anticipated that the results will be used for stem cell treatments for cutaneous disorders associated with various damage and lesions.
	How sex, sunshine and exercise makes us sneeze As the dreaded flu season approaches you might want to consider this—research shows that a sneeze can travel up to 70cm and it can be caused by sunshine, exercise and even sex.
	Opinion: Pure, white and deadly—is the sugar-driven diabetes epidemic unstoppable? John Yudkin, British nutritionist and 1972 author of the highly-controversial book "Pure, White and Deadly", and who sounded the alarm on sugar and poor health when I was a postdoc at Purdue University and then a staff scientist at the National Institute of Medical Research in London, was ridiculed and his reputation ruined by the highly politicised and now, scientifically flawed anti-cholesterol anti-saturated fat bandwagon. Today, in a tragic real-life opera currently being played out in the arena of the World Health Organization (WHO), sugar has replaced fat as the villain, and Yudkin is the hero.
Interrogation computers work—if you believe they are human controlled Avatars can potentially make interrogations more efficient. However, a study by psychologists based at the Institute for Innovation and Governance Studies, a University of Twente research institute, shows that they are only effective if the subjects under interrogation believe that the avatar is under human control. The study was published in Frontiers in Psychology, an open access journal.
	Putting the data into dating Heart rate, step counts and sleeping patterns may not be the most romantic of topics—but what would happen if you started talking about them on a date?
	Discovery could lead to better asthma treatment Scientists have made a discovery that could lead to improved treatment for asthma sufferers.
	Opinion: Genetics—what it is that makes you clever, and why it's shrouded in controversy For nearly 150 years, the concept of intelligence and its study have offered scientific ways of classifying people in terms of their "ability". The drive to identify and quantify exceptional mental capacity may have a chequered history, but it is still being pursued by some researchers today.
	Study finds explanation for some treatment-resistant breast cancers A targeted therapy for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most aggressive form of breast cancer, has shown potential promise in a recently published study. TNBC is the only type of breast cancer for which there are no currently approved targeted therapies.
Number of medical complaints before concussion may help predict recovery time Athletes who have medical complaints, like aches and pains, that have no known physical cause may take longer to recover after a concussion, according to a study published in the April 20, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
	Advanced 3-D imaging technique applied for the first time to deadly lung disease Doctors and scientists at the University of Southampton have used advanced 3D X-ray imaging technology to give new insight into the way an aggressive form of lung disease develops in the body.
	Researchers uncover process that drives prostate cancer metastasis Researchers at VCU Massey Cancer Center have uncovered a novel function of the gene PLK1 (polo-like kinase 1) that helps prostate cancer cells metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body. This mechanism highlights new potential targets for cancer therapies and challenges the previous understanding of PLK1's role in cancer growth and progression.
	Study connects early bedtime and 'adequate' sleep with heart healthy choices No one is telling you what time to go to bed with this, but researchers are making a strong case that the duration and timing of your sleep are closely associated with whether your behavior is heart-healthy.
	Powerful genetic regulator identified as risk factor for schizophrenia By turning skin cells into brain neurons, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified that certain tiny molecules aiding in gene expression, known as microRNAs (miRNAs), are under-expressed in the brains of the 14 schizophrenia patients they studied. Their findings, published online today in the journal Cell Reports, show that one of these molecules, a miRNA known as miR-9, is a risk factor that controls the activity of hundreds of genes.
Researchers identify new mechanism to target 'undruggable' cancer gene RAS genes are mutated in more than 30 percent of human cancers and represent one of the most sought-after cancer targets for drug developers. However, this goal has been elusive because of the absence of any drug-binding pockets in the mutant RAS protein. A new study published in the April 20 issue of the journal Cell by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai led by E. Premkumar Reddy, PhD, has identified a new mechanism for targeting this important cancer gene.
No risk association observed for anthracycline chemotherapy, cognitive decline New data analyses found no association between anthracycline chemotherapy and greater risk of cognitive decline in breast cancer survivors, according to an article published online by JAMA Oncology.
No increased risk of fatal CV events for breast cancer patients on newer hormone therapy In a new study from Kaiser Permanente, researchers found the use of aromatase inhibitors, hormone-therapy drugs used to treat patients with breast cancer, was not associated with an increased risk of fatal cardiovascular events, including heart attacks or stroke, compared with tamoxifen, another commonly prescribed anti-cancer drug that works on hormones and which has been associated with a serious risk of stroke.
	New neurodevelopmental syndrome identified A multicenter research team led by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) has discovered a new neurodevelopmental syndrome and the genetic mutations that cause it. The discovery is an important step toward creating targeted therapies for individuals with this syndrome, which causes severe developmental delays, abnormal muscle tone, seizures, and eye complications.
	HIV infection prematurely ages humans by an average of five years Thanks to combination antiretroviral therapy, many people with HIV can be expected to live decades after being infected. Yet doctors have observed that these patients often show signs of premature aging. Now a study published April 21 in Molecular Cell has applied a highly accurate biomarker to measure just how much HIV infection ages people at the biological level—an average of almost 5 years.
	Increasing cases of anaphylaxis among children Anaphylaxis, known to be a sudden and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, seems to be increasing among children, according to a new study led by a team at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC). The findings, published this week in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), reveal that the percentage of emergency department (ED) visits due to anaphylaxis doubled over a four-year period based on data collected from the Montreal Children's Hospital of the MUHC (MCH-MUHC).
	How immunity to RSV develops in childhood but deteriorates in adults The leading infectious cause of severe respiratory disease in infants, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), is also a major cause of respiratory illness in the elderly. Approved vaccines do not yet exist, and despite the development of partial immunity following infection during childhood, individuals remain susceptible to RSV reinfection life-long. A comprehensive characterization of the antibody-response to RSV published on April 21st in PLOS Pathogens advances our understanding of the human immune response against RSV and has implications for vaccine design.
Young adult survivors of childhood cancer report feeling middle-aged Do survivors of childhood cancer return to normal health as they grow up? According to new research from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, overall health-related quality of life in young adult survivors of childhood cancer resembles that of middle-aged adults. In a study published today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the investigators show that childhood cancer survivors who are 18 to 29 years old report overall health-related quality of life similar to that reported by adults in the general population who are in their 40s.
Study finds machine learning as good as humans' in cancer surveillance Machine learning has come of age in public health reporting according to researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. They have found that existing algorithms and open source machine learning tools were as good as, or better than, human reviewers in detecting cancer cases using data from free-text pathology reports. The computerized approach was also faster and less resource intensive in comparison to human counterparts.
	Researchers develop unique model for studying ALS University of Florida Health researchers have developed a unique mouse model that will allow researchers around the world to better study the genetic origins and potential treatments for a neurodegenerative brain disease that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, and frontotemporal dementia.
	Problems finding your way around may be earliest sign of Alzheimer's disease Long before Alzheimer's disease can be diagnosed clinically, increasing difficulties building cognitive maps of new surroundings may herald the eventual clinical onset of the disorder, finds new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
New genetic risk factors for myopia discovered Myopia, also known as short-sightedness or near-sightedness, is the most common disorder affecting the eyesight and it is on the increase. The causes are both genetic and environmental. The Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia (CREAM) has now made important progress towards understanding the mechanisms behind the development of the condition. This international group of researchers includes scientists involved in the Gutenberg Health Study of the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The team has uncovered nine new genetic risk factors which work together with education-related behavior as the most important environmental factor causing myopia to generate the disorder. The results of the study "Genome-wide joint meta-analyses of genetic main effects and interaction with education level identify additional loci for refractive error: The CREAM Consortium" have recently been published in the sc! ientific journal Nature Communications.
Study links neighborhood greenness to reduction in chronic diseases A new study of a quarter-million Miami-Dade County Medicare beneficiaries showed that higher levels of neighborhood greenness, including trees, grass and other vegetation, were linked to a significant reduction in the rate of chronic illnesses, particularly in low-to-middle income neighborhoods. Led by researchers at the University of Miami Department of Public Health Sciences at the Miller School of Medicine, and the School of Architecture, the study showed that higher greenness was linked to significantly lower rates of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, as well as fewer chronic health conditions.
Immune cells in organ cavities play essential role in fast tissue repair While scientists have known for many years that there are cells living in the cavities surrounding various organs such as the heart, lung and liver, their function has remained unknown. A recent Cumming School of Medicine study examined these cells, and discovered they play an integral role in fast tissue repair. The study was published in the journal Cell this month.
	Anatomy may be key to female orgasm (HealthDay)—Despite what's often portrayed in movies and on TV, most women can't orgasm with penetration alone during sexual intercourse.
	Alcohol, processed meats may raise stomach cancer risk (HealthDay)—Alcohol, processed meats—such as hot dogs, ham and bacon—and excess weight all may raise a person's risk of stomach cancer, a new review finds.
	Relative lens vault predicts post-op refractory error (HealthDay)—For patients with primary angle-closure (PAC) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG), relative lens vault (rLV; the ratio of lens vault [LV] to anterior vault [AV]) predicts postoperative refractive error, according to a study published online April 15 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
	Ongoing education betters mammography interpretation (HealthDay)—Regular education can improve radiologists' performance in detection of breast cancer from mammography, according to a study published online April 6 in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology.
	Medical expulsive therapy underused for ureteral stones (HealthDay)—For patients with ureteral stones, medical expulsive therapy remains underused, according to a study published in the April issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Interrupting prolonged sitting beneficial in type 2 diabetes (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), interrupting prolonged sitting with three-minute bouts of light-intensity walking (LW) or simple resistance activities (SRA) every 30 minutes improves postprandial cardiometabolic risk markers compared with uninterrupted sitting (SIT), according to a study published online April 13 in Diabetes Care.
In child heart patients, a novel approach improves symptoms of hazardous lymph blockage Pediatric researchers have devised an innovative, safe and minimally invasive procedure that helps relieve rare but potentially life-threatening airway blockages occurring in children who had surgery for congenital heart defects.
	Study points to how low-income, resource-poor communities can reduce substance abuse Cocaine use has increased substantially among African Americans in some of the most underserved areas of the United States. Interventions designed to increase connection to and support from non-drug using family and friends, with access to employment, the faith community, and education, are the best ways to reduce substance use among African Americans and other minorities in low-income, resource-poor communities, concludes a study led by a medical anthropologist at the University of California, Riverside.
	Reducing infectious malaria parasites in donated blood could help prevent transmission A technique for reducing the number of infectious malaria parasites in whole blood could significantly reduce the number of cases of transmission of malaria through blood transfusion, according to a collaboration between researchers in Cambridge, UK, and Kumasi, Ghana.
Improvements in NHS mental health care in England may have helped to reduce suicide rates Increasing specialist community services like crisis resolution, helping make the transition to adult services smoother for young people, and implementing clinical guidelines are just some of the service changes that are linked to significantly reduced suicide rates in mental health services in England over the last 16 years, according to new research published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.
Novartis profits dip as generic rival challenges cancer drug Swiss pharmaceuticals maker Novartis says net income from continued operations fell 13 percent in the first quarter as generic competition cut into sales of Gleevec, one of the first very effective cancer medicines.
	Study finds 60 per cent of Australia's bottle shops sell alcohol to teens without checking ID More than half of Australia's bottle shops are selling alcohol to teenagers without checking their age, a Deakin University study has found.
Measuring adequate fluid intake A study from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition (JACN) discusses fluid intake adequacy in detail and a simple tool is reviewed that may help healthy, active, low-risk populations answer the question, "Am I drinking enough?" The article "Am I Drinking Enough? Yes, No, and Maybe" by Samuel N. Cheuvront PhD, RD and Robert W. Kenefick PhD is made available with Free Access in JACN  Issue 35(2) 2016, the official publication of the American College of Nutrition.
Policy brief on sexual and gender based violence in South Sudan This policy brief examines sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Unity State and offers a number of policy options to help reduce the use of SGBV as a weapon of war in South Sudan moving forward. It was developed in the Security and Rule of Law research programme of NWO-WOTRO Science for Global Devlopment, in cooperation with the Security and Rule of Law Knowledge Platform.
	FAU site for first US clinical trial for Lewy Body dementia Florida Atlantic University's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is spearheading the South Florida site for the first U.S. clinical trial for Lewy body dementia (LBD), the second-most common dementia after Alzheimer's disease. The HEADWAY-DLB is a phase 2b multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate an investigational medicine, RVT-101, for dementia with Lewy bodies.
	First Lancet global snapshot of indigenous peoples health released A world-first University of Melbourne-led study into the health and wellbeing of more than 154 million Indigenous and tribal people globally reveals the extent of work that needs to be done if the United Nations is to meet its 2030 goals of ending poverty and inequality.
	Review assesses published research on brain changes associated with autism A recent review that examined all published studies on anatomical abnormalities in the brains of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder found substantial discrepancy throughout the literature regarding the reported presence and significance of neuroanatomical findings.
Overall stability analysis of improved buckling restrained braces In order to improve the behavior of double-tube buckling restrained braces (BRBs), it is proposed to set contact rings between inner tube and outer tube of the brace. As a result, they can provide lateral constraint for the inner tube. In this way, the improved buckling restrained braces (IBRBs) are created. In this paper, the design methodology of the specimens is explained in detail.
Critical immunotherapy target marks dysfunctional regulatory T cells in brain cancer Immunotherapy represents an exciting advance in cancer treatment that harnesses the immune system to seek and destroy cancer cells. The programmed death 1 (PD-1) pathway dampens immune responses to tumor cells, and several clinical trials have shown favorable outcomes by targeting PD-1 or its ligand PD-1L.
Murine models of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy benefit from GSK3-beta inhibition Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited heart disease that results from mutations in genes that encode components of the cardiac desmosome, which forms the junction between cardiac muscle and the epithelium. Patients with ACM have an increased risk of sudden death due to the breakdown of the muscle wall of the heart with age.
Resolvin D1 ameliorates inflammatory arthritis in mouse model Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disorder that is characterized by the accumulation of inflammatory cells within the fluid of the joints. Current therapeutic strategies mostly serve to ease pain and rarely are able to reverse damage or resolve inflammation.
Facial grading systems for patients with facial paralysis When patients have facial paralysis, many rehabilitation specialists and facial reanimation surgeons use the time-tested Sunnybrook Facial Grading System (FGS) to measure and look for changes in facial function. A new electronic and digitally graded facial measurement scale called eFace was recently created to provide similar information to the Sunnybrook FGS.
New study looks at safety of outpatient hand and shoulder surgeries A large study of hand and shoulder surgeries performed at a freestanding, outpatient center found few complications—0.2 percent in nearly 29,000 patients over an 11-year period. The study appears in the new issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Missed nursing care may contribute to racial disparities in rehospitalizations after AMI Why are black older adults at higher risk of repeat hospital admission after a heart attack? Treatment at hospitals with higher rates of missed nursing care may be a contributing factor, reports a study in the May issue of Medical Care.
Identification of therapeutic targets in multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological cancer that frequently acquires resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Additionally, many patients experience disease relapse, but these patients are difficult to treat as the cancer is often resistant to the previous treatment regimen.
Mexican president proposes legalizing medical marijuana Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto proposed Thursday legalizing medical marijuana and easing restrictions on recreational use, a major policy shift for a government that had refused to loosen drug laws.
	Surprising result in new study of marital status, gender, and frailty The well-accepted association between marital status, health, and risk of functional impairment in older individuals is generally true, but a new study on frailty found unexpected, gender-specific differences. Notably, widowed women had a lower risk of frailty than did married women, according to the study published in Journal of Women's Health.
New study shows electronic health records often capture incomplete mental health data Complementary sources of data can be used to paint a more complete picture of a patient's health trajectory than a single source. Significant recent investment in Electronic Health Records (EHRs) took place on the assumption of improved patient safety, research capacity, and cost savings. However, most of these health systems and health records are fragmented and do not share patient information. While fragmentation and incomplete clinical data in EHRs are recognized problems, almost no published data estimate their extent. This study compares information available in a typical EHR with data from insurance claims, focusing on diagnoses, visits, and hospital care for depression and bipolar disorder.
Researchers find moderate vascular risk in southwest native population In a newly published, pilot study in the journal Ethnicity & Disease, researchers report a relatively low prevalence of vascular risk among participants of the Southwest Heart Mind Study, especially among those treated for hypertension and hyperlipidemia despite overweight and obesity.

Biology news

	Bird genomes contain 'fossils' of parasites that now infect humans In rare instances, DNA is known to have jumped from one species to another. If a parasite's DNA jumps to its host's genome, it could leave evidence of that parasitic interaction that could be found millions of years later—a DNA 'fossil' of sorts. An international research team led from Uppsala University has discovered a new type of so-called transposable element that occurred in the genomes of certain birds and nematodes.
	Cpf1: CRISPR-enzyme scissors cutting both RNA and DNA Only a few years after its discovery, it is difficult to conceive of genetics without the CRISPR-Cas9 enzyme scissors, which allow for a very simple, versatile and reliable modification of DNA of various organisms. Since its discovery, scientists throughout the world have been working on ways of further improving or adjusting the CRISPR-Cas9 system to their specific needs.
	Do gut microbes shape our evolution? Scientists increasingly realize the importance of gut and other microbes to our health and well-being, but one UC Berkeley biologist is asking whether these microbes—our microbiota—might also have played a role in shaping who we are by steering evolution.
	New gene-editing technique improves on CRISPR allowing editing of single DNA letters (Phys.org)—A team of researchers affiliated with Harvard University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute has announced the development of a gene-editing system that improves on the performance of CRISPR/Cas9 by allowing for editing single DNA letters. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes the technique, how it works and their hopes for its use in preventing disease sometime in the distant future.
	Farming amoebae carry around detoxifying food Humans aren't the only farmers out there. Five years ago, the Queller-Strassmann lab at Rice University, now at Washington University in St. Louis, demonstrated that the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum—affectionately nicknamed "Dicty"—can maintain a crop of food bacteria from generation to generation, giving these farmers an advantage when food is scarce.
	Plant signals travel different routes to turn on defense Faced with a pathogen, important signaling chemicals within plant cells travel different routes to inform the plant to turn on its defense mechanisms, according to a recent University of Kentucky study.
Researchers find unique regulatory pattern that promotes essential cell function Scientists and clinicians often encounter road blocks in designing specific treatments for diseases like cancer or developmental disorders because proteins that regulate cell functions through complex mechanisms are misunderstood.
	Caught in the act: 3-D structure of an RNA-modifying protein determined in action The structure of a bacterial RNA-binding protein has been determined in the act of modifying a molecule of RNA—an achievement that provides researchers with a unique view of the protein's function in action and could lead to clues that would help in the fight against the development of antibiotic-resistant infections. A paper describing the findings by a team of Penn State University researchers is published in the current issue of the journal Science.
	Researchers identify key factor for reprogramming adult cells into stem cells In a new Cell Reports paper, a team led by John P. Cooke, M.D., Ph.D., of the Houston Methodist Research Institute, has identified and characterized a biological factor critical to the transformation of adult somatic cells (cells that are not sperm or egg cells) into stem cells.
	Temporal cues help keep human looking human Researchers believe that genetically modified bacteria can help explain how a developing animal keeps all of its parts and organs in the same general proportions as every other member of its species.
	A trick of the light may help diseased plants attract greenfly The leaves of virus-infected plants reflect light differently to attract the attention of disease-spreading greenfly, new research suggests.
	Evolution in action detected in Darwin's finches The most characteristic feature of Darwin's finches is the diversification of beak morphology that has allowed these species to expand their utilization of food resources in the Galápagos archipelago. A team of scientists from Uppsala University and Princeton University has now identified a gene that explains variation in beak size within and among species. The gene contributed to a rapid shift in beak size of the medium ground finch following a severe drought. The study is published in Science.
Wapiti whistles sound like Ringwraith shrieks For a majestic animal that looks equally at home as the monarch of the glen or astride the great American Plains, the wapiti's call is somewhat disconcerting. Sounding more like the shrieking cries of a Lord of the Rings Ringwraith, their haunting high-pitched screeches can carry great distances. 'Larger animals tend to have deeper resonances and lower voices', says David Reby, from the University of Sussex, UK, explaining how the pitch of an animal's voice tends to be a good indicator of its size: animals from larger species have larger larynges that vibrate at a lower pitch than animals from smaller species. However, the wapiti's extraordinary bugle calls would be more at home coming from the body of an animal the fraction of the size of these impressive red deer. The paradox had puzzled scientists for decades, but when Megan Wyman returned from a trip recording deer bellows in New Zealand, Reby knew that they might have a chanc! e to finally lay the mystery to rest. The team publishes their discovery that wapitis whistle while simultaneously roaring through their vocal chords to produce their distinctive calls in Journal of Experimental Biology.
	Crayfish may help restore dirty streams, study finds While macroinvertebrates are a tasty food source for crayfish, a new study reveals a surprising finding: When crayfish were present in in-stream experimental enclosures, macroinvertebrate density was higher, not lower.
Australian furry friend gets 'toad-smart' to survive Scientists are training an endangered furry marsupial—Australia's beloved quoll—to avoid eating toxic toads that have devastated predator populations in a novel attempt to save native fauna.
	Underwater 'zombie grass' signals trouble for Florida fishermen Decades ago, the sight of seagrass swaying beneath the waters off south Florida conjured romance for those who dangled their fishing lines in hopes of catching redfish, snook or mangrove snapper.
Virus therapy to attack superbugs VIRUSES specifically designed to battle superbugs are being trialled in a South Australian hospital.
	Aerial surveys can spot boll weevil hideouts U.S. cotton growers spent $20 million to monitor and control boll weevils in 2015, and the pest continues to infest cotton in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the southernmost cotton-producing region in the United States. To prevent the insects from taking refuge in cotton plants, growers there mow down their plants after harvest and may spray plant stalks with herbicides.
	Clever fish avoid being caught in angling hotspots Keen anglers heading out this long weekend should seek a quiet spot or prepare themselves for disappointment, new University of Queensland research shows.
	Western pond turtles found to be exposed to pesticides in Sequoia National Park Western pond turtles in Sequoia National Park and other California remote wildlands have been exposed to an assortment of agricultural and industrial contaminants, according to a study from the National Park Service and the University of California, Davis.
	Mechanism behind plant withering clarified A research team from Kobe University have reproduced the reaction in which harmful reactive oxygen species are created during plant photosynthesis, and clarified a mechanism behind plant withering. This discovery could help to ensure stable food supplies by cultivating plants that can withstand environmental stresses such as global warming. The findings were published on March 2 in the online version of Plant Physiology.
	Binding to produce flowers The LEAFY protein, a transcription factor responsible for flower development, is able to assemble itself in small chains made up of several proteins. This mechanism allows it to bind to and activate regions of the genome that are inaccessible to a single protein. These results were obtained by scientists in the Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire Végétale (CNRS/Inra/CEA/Université Grenoble Alpes) and the Institut de Biologie Structurale (CNRS/CEA/Université Grenoble Alpes), working in collaboration with their international partners. Published on 21 April 2016 in Nature Communications, they open the way to new research opportunities regarding the regulation of gene expression.
	Active substances from plants—bioreactor modules share production work Plants produce a number of substances that can be used to treat cancer, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Frequently, however, metabolic pathways to obtain the target substance are so complex that its biotechnological production is hardly effective and very expensive. Scientists of KIT now combine their expertise with the technical know-how of Phyton Biotech GmbH, the biggest producer of pharmaceutical ingredients with plant cells. With the help of a microfluidic bioreactor consisting of coupled modules, the scientists technically reproduce complex plant tissue to produce active substances against cancer or Alzheimer's disease more effectively and at lower costs.
	Virtual opponents reveal fighting strategies of male jumping spiders Jumping spiders are known for their excellent vision and the elaborate body language they display when encountering other members of their species. These attributes may enable them to visually size up a potential opponent and decide whether to step away from a possible fight even before it starts. However, in live fights, jumping spiders may have limited opportunity to show this skill. This is according to Rowan McGinley and Phillip Taylor of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Their findings are published in Springer's journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
	Island foxes may be 'least variable' of all wild animals In comparison to their relatives on the mainland, the Channel Island foxes living on six of California's Channel Islands are dwarves, at two-thirds the size. The island foxes most likely evolved from gray foxes brought to the northern islands by humans over 7,000 years ago. Some think island foxes may have been partially domesticated by Native Americans. Like many island species, they have little fear of humans.
The importance of resting phases in B cell development Everyone preparing for the London Marathon likely knows that to perform their best during the event, they need to rest up now. Research at the Babraham Institute just published in the journal Science describes a new mechanism through which B cells ensure that they rest up between intensive developmental events.
Better data needed to stop sixth mass extinction To prevent a new mass extinction of the world's animal and plant life, we need to understand the threats to biodiversity, where they occur and how quickly change is happening. For this to happen, we need reliable and accessible data. A new study published in Science today reveals those data are largely missing. We are lacking key information on important threats to biodiversity such as invasive species, logging, bush meat harvesting, and illegal wildlife trade.
	New research shows how different strains of bed bugs resist insecticides There are many reasons why bed bugs have made a comeback in recent decades, and their resistance to commonly used insecticides is one of the most widely accepted explanations.
Only US grizzly recovery coordinator retiring after 35 years The nation's first and only grizzly bear recovery coordinator is stepping down after 35 years, saying the threatened species has recovered enough for him to retire.
	Outwitting poachers with artificial intelligence A century ago, more than 60,000 tigers roamed the wild. Today, the worldwide estimate has dwindled to around 3,200. Poaching is one of the main drivers of this precipitous drop. Whether killed for skins, medicine or trophy hunting, humans have pushed tigers to near-extinction. The same applies to other large animal species like elephants and rhinoceros that play unique and crucial roles in the ecosystems where they live.
	VA study of service dogs for vets with PTSD faces questions Army veteran Joe Aguirre opens a restaurant door, then steps aside to let his golden retriever take point. "Clear," Aguirre commands, and 3-year-old Munger pivots right, left, then right again, sweeping the room for potential threats.
	Vietnam investigates mass fish deaths Vietnam Thursday said it was investigating whether pollution is to blame for a spate of mysterious mass fish deaths along the country's central coast after huge amounts of marine life washed ashore in recent days.
	Healthier salmon benefits human well-being and boosts aquaculture's competitiveness EU-funded scientists have been studying fish and fish feed with the aim of maximising the health-giving properties of farmed Atlantic salmon.
	Biological control of weeds via their own aromas Plant experts in the Netherlands can still become enthusiastic about a special variety of broomrape. Farmers in southern countries, however, are less impressed because broomrape and its 'sister' striga are considered a harmful weed in these regions. Research in the Laboratory of Plant Physiology of Wageningen University shows how useful insects that can control this weed may lend a helping hand in the future, namely via the plant's own aromatic substances. "You can also use a mixture of aromatic substances to distinguish various varieties of parasitic plants," says Harro Bouwmeester, professor in plant physiology.
	Scientists call on public to look and listen out for cuckoos Devon residents are being asked to record cuckoos seen or heard in the county as part of an ongoing conservation project that has received 2,000 reports of the species by the general public in the last two years.
	Sentinel-1 counts fish Images from the Sentinel-1A satellite are being used to monitor aquaculture in the Mediterranean, in another example of the mission's contribution to food security, as fisheries become the main source of seafood.
	The cell copying machine: How daughters look like their mothers Tiny structures in our cells, called centrioles, control both cell division and motility. The number of these structures is highly monitored, with deviations causing infertility, microcephaly and accelerating cancer. But how do mother cells know they provide the right number of centrioles to their daughters? They do it by copying those structures only once, so that each daughter inherits one of the copies. A research team, from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC; Portugal), led by Monica Bettencourt-Dias uncovered the mechanism by which the mother copies only once before it distributes it to the two daughters. This study is now published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Current Biology.
	Water color and phytoplankton growth in the Gulf of Maine are changing Dr. William "Barney" Balch's team at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences has been sampling the waters of the Gulf of Maine regularly over the same transect for the last 18 years as part of a NASA-funded study. Working with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, Dr. Thomas Huntington and Dr. George Aiken, Balch reported in a recent paper an overall reduction in productivity in the Gulf of Maine.

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