Science X Newsletter Monday, May 9

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 9, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Holoflex—World's first holographic flexible smartphone (w/ Video)

Intense wind found in the neighborhood of a black hole

Best of Last Week – LHC readied for big run, human exodus likely due to climate change and gut benefits of coffee/wine

Tiny optical frequency clock measures time accurately to 270 quintillionths of a second

Achieving zero resistance in energy flow

Researchers unveil submicroscopic tunable, optical amplifier

Invisible 'second skin' polymer material temporarily tightens skin

Map of flow within the Earth's mantle finds the surface moving up and down 'like a yo-yo'

Early Earth's air weighed less than half of today's atmosphere

Stochastic resonance, chaos transfer shown in an optomechanical microresonator

New study supports natural causes, not alien activity, explain mystery star's behavior

Students mix art with science on simulated Mars mission

Sea-level rise claims five islands in Solomons: study

Researchers see the power of two in robot roaches making climb

Egyptologists differ on Tut tomb 'hidden chambers'

Astronomy & Space news

	Intense wind found in the neighborhood of a black hole An international team of astrophysicists, including Professor Phil Charles from the University of Southampton, have detected an intense wind from one of the closest known black holes to the Earth.
	New study supports natural causes, not alien activity, explain mystery star's behavior Sorry, E.T. lovers, but the results of a new study make it far less likely that KIC 8462852, popularly known as Tabby's star, is the home of industrious aliens who are gradually enclosing it in a vast shell called a Dyson sphere.
	Students mix art with science on simulated Mars mission Three University of North Dakota graduate students emerged Friday from their simulated space mission to Mars tired, happy and longing for spicy food.
	Enceladus jets: Surprises in starlight During a recent stargazing session, NASA's Cassini spacecraft watched a bright star pass behind the plume of gas and dust that spews from Saturn's icy moon Enceladus. At first, the data from that observation had scientists scratching their heads. What they saw didn't fit their predictions.
	Mercury rising: Astronomers gear up for planetary alignment Astronomers are preparing for one of the highlights of the skywatchers' year, when the Sun, Mercury and Earth all line up—a phenomenon that happens just a dozen or so times per century.
	Flying observatory detects atomic oxygen in Martian atmosphere An instrument onboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) detected atomic oxygen in the atmosphere of Mars for the first time since the last observation 40 years ago. These atoms were found in the upper layers of the Martian atmosphere known as the mesosphere.
	The turbulent interstellar medium The gas in galaxies is typically seen to be moving at very rapid, even supersonic velocities, providing clear evidence that the medium is highly turbulent. Looking more closely at gas clouds in our own Milky Way, astronomers have similarly demonstrated using a variety of different observations that the interstellar medium is turbulent. Turbulence is a key physical parameter in the star formation process because, like the thermal pressure of warm gas, it counters the collapse of clouds into stars from gravitational contraction. Despite its importance and ubiquity, however, turbulence is poorly understood. Even its origin is far from clear. Some scientists argue that turbulence results from star formation itself, as new stars and their associated supernovae drive winds that stir up the interstellar medium. Other astronomers counter that the influence of gravity alone is enough to induce supersonic motions in gas as it moves through and across a rotating galaxy.
	What are the chances of life on another planet? In an infinite universe, most scientists agree, the odds of life existing on a planet besides Earth are pretty high. It is unlikely, however, that familiar life forms will be found on any planet within our solar system. Life as we know it—everything from single-celled organisms to human beings—consists largely of liquid water. So a planet that harbors life can't be too cold or water will freeze, nor can it be too hot or all the water will evaporate. Planets closer to the sun than Earth are too hot, and those farther away are too cold. The surface of Venus, for example, is hot enough to melt lead, and would vaporize any living thing, while the surface of Mars is frozen solid.
	Unveiled Webb Telescope mirrors mesmerize in 'golden' glory It's mesmerizing! That's the overwhelming feeling expressed among the fortunate few setting their own eyeballs on the newly exposed golden primary mirror at the heart of NASA's mammoth James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) – a sentiment shared by the team building the one-of-its-kind observatory and myself during a visit this week by Universe Today.
	SpaceX taps superhero designer for its spacesuits Everything about SpaceX seems exciting right now. In April, SpaceX successfully landed their reusable rocket, the Falcon 9, on a droneship at sea. Also in April, SpaceX announced that they intend to send a Dragon capsule to Mars by 2018. Now, Elon Musk's private space company has hired Jose Fernandez, superhero movie costume designer, to design spacesuits for his astronauts.
	The sun's magnetic field during the grand minimum is in fact at its maximum The study of the sun's long-term variation over a millennium by means of super computer modelling showed that during a time period of the Maunder Minimum type, the magnetic field may hide at the bottom of the convection zone.
Mystery solved regarding largest volcano in the solar system Scientists from the Division of Planetary Sciences and Remote Sensing in the Institute of Geological Sciences at Freie Universität Berlin have succeeded in creating a model simulating the formation of mysterious structures on the surface of the Mars volcano, Olympus Mons. The study was conducted in collaboration with the German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam and Arizona State University. The findings were published in the latest issue of the international scientific journal, Journal of Geophysical Research—Planets.
	Little Mercury a black dot as it crosses vast face of sun For the first time in 10 years, Mercury passed directly between the Earth and sun on Monday, resembling a black dot against the vast, glowing face of our star.

Technology news

	Holoflex—World's first holographic flexible smartphone (w/ Video) Researchers at the Human Media Lab at Queen's University have developed the world's first holographic flexible smartphone. The device, dubbed HoloFlex, is capable of rendering 3D images with motion parallax and stereoscopy to multiple simultaneous users without head tracking or glasses.
	Researchers see the power of two in robot roaches making climb (Tech Xplore)—Over at the University of California Berkeley the field of biomimetics is alive and well with researchers actively studying and harnessing the way animals can move and manage their environments— little is ignored in the mechanics and dynamics as the researchers see if they can come up with little robots with like capabilities.
	With Perlan 2 glider, Airbus claims mantle of space pioneer (Update) The space glider Perlan 2 is helping Airbus take on Silicon Valley's brightest innovators, even while pursuing technologies that might eventually lead to passenger flights in space.
	Google feeds romance fiction into AI engine When was the Eiffel Tower built? Whether it is your brother or a screen giving you the date, it makes no difference. You need to know the date, regardless.
	Microsoft Research exploring pre-touch sensing for mobile devices Fingers pounding away on a screen, cloths wiping away at the smudges as a result…looks as if we are due for a better future in touchscreen technology. At Microsoft Research, a research team has a shared vision of what their own next chapter could be like, as they explore human interactions –retrieving and manipulating information—using the sense of touch.
	Toyota scientists make breakthrough on safer, smarter batteries For anyone (i.e. everyone) who's ever panicked when their mobile device chirped, "low battery," the future could be far less stressful, thanks to the advanced battery research of scientists at the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA). A new breakthrough involving magnesium batteries may soon open the doors for smaller, longer-lasting batteries for everything from cars to cell phones.
	New techniques make RFID tags 25 percent smaller Engineering researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a suite of techniques that allow them to create passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that are 25 percent smaller – and therefore less expensive. This is possible because the tags no longer need to convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) in order for the tags to function effectively.
	Large-scale study of Super Storm Sandy utility damage shows 'small' failures, big impact When Super Storm Sandy struck New York State in October 2012, the damage to the state's electric utility infrastructure was devastating, overwhelming repair and restoration by the distribution system operators (DSOs). A new study shows the extent of the challenge faced by the upstate New York distribution grid and suggests what might be done to make the system more resilient against future storms.
	UPS explores drone deliveries of life-saving medicines US package-delivery giant UPS said Monday it is teaming up with a drone company and Gavi, a global vaccine alliance, to explore using robot aircraft to deliver life-saving medicines.
	This five-fingered robot hand learns to get a grip on its own Robots today can perform space missions, solve a Rubik's cube, sort hospital medication and even make pancakes. But most can't manage the simple act of grasping a pencil and spinning it around to get a solid grip.
Founder of online underworld bank gets 20 years in prison The founder of an online underworld bank that allegedly laundered billions of dollars for criminals was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison.
Judge: Women can sue Uber over alleged driver sex assaults Two women who allege that Uber drivers sexually assaulted them, one in Boston and the other in South Carolina, can sue the ride-hailing company, a federal judge said.
Digital media may be changing how you think Tablet and laptop users beware. Using digital platforms such as tablets and laptops for reading may make you more inclined to focus on concrete details rather than interpreting information more abstractly, according to a new study published in the proceedings of ACM CHI '16, the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, to be held May 7-12, 2016. The findings serve as another wake-up call to how digital media may be affecting our likelihood of using abstract thought.
Uber, Lyft set to leave Texas city over fingerprinting rule Ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft are set to quit the Texas city of Austin after voters on Saturday said fingerprinting should be part of driver background checks, reports said.
Solliance realizes first up-scaled Perovskite based PV modules with 10% efficiency Solliance demonstrates a record 10 percent aperture area power conversion efficiency for its up-scaled thin-film perovskite photovoltaic modules. The efficiency was measured on an aperture area of 168 cm2. Twenty-five cells were serial connected through an optimized P1, P2, P3 interconnection technology. The PV module was realized on a 6x6 inch2 glass substrate using industrial scale-able slot die coating in combination with laser patterning. Further, the PV module was packaged by applying a flexible barrier using a lamination process.
	In the Nakamoto fiasco, Reddit proves a more reliable source of crowdsourced analysis The world last week was treated to another episode in the saga of discovering the real identify of the person behind the creation of Bitcoin. Australian, Craig Wright, announced to journalists and Bitcoin "experts" that he was indeed Satoshi Nakamoto and that he had proof of this.
Taiwan's HTC banks on new phone, virtual reality as sales plunge Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC said Monday its first-quarter revenue plunged by more than half, but that losses in its struggling business should end later this year as it banks on a new flagship product.
	Facebook wins China trademark suit US social network Facebook has won a trademark case in China against a local company, state media reported Monday, weeks after a court ruled against tech giant Apple in a similar suit over its iPhone brand.
	Twitter cuts intel agencies off from analysis service: report Twitter has barred US intelligence agencies from accessing a service that sorts through posts on the social media platform in real time and has proved useful in the fight against terrorism, the Wall Street Journal reported.
	Chinese search giant's model 'misleading': regulator Internet giant Baidu, China's equivalent of Google, must change how it displays search results, regulators said Monday, following an outcry over the death of a student whose family used it to seek a cancer cure.
Israelis in JPMorgan hack case to be extradited Israeli authorities have approved the extradition to the United States of two nationals indicted over a cyber attack against JPMorgan Chase, one of the largest computer frauds in history.
	Facebook's No. 2 exec pays tribute to single mothers Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg says that until her husband's death, she never realized how hard it is to be a single parent.
Senegal's child beggars show limits of 'apptivism' Mamadou is a child beggar wandering the streets of Dakar, perilously darting in and out of traffic as he tries to gather enough money for his Islamic teacher to feed him.
	CloudLab, a new system for making online video presentations LabHipermedia, a spin-off with participation by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), has designed a technology that improves the learning experience of instructors and users who employ video as a teaching and learning tool.
Suicide bomb detector moves forward with Sandia engineer's help On the chilling list of terrorist tactics, suicide bombing is at the top. Between 1981 and 2015, an estimated 5,000 such attacks occurred in more than 40 countries, killing about 50,000 people. The global rate grew from three a year in the 1980s to one a month in the 1990s to one a week from 2001 to 2003 to one a day from 2003 to 2015.

Medicine & Health news

	Study shows where you are is who you are A recent study suggests that who we are might be more integrated with where we are than previously thought. Demonstrating how architects and urban planners might take guidance from disciplines like neuroscience, philosophy and psychology, a paper published in Frontiers in Psychology, reveals that a good built environment might promote well-being and effect our decisions.
	New study finds that malaria vaccine protects adults for up to a year Malaria infects hundreds of millions of people every year, and kills more than half a million, most of them under the age of 5 years. There is no vaccine.
	Exploring the gut-brain connection for insights into multiple sclerosis New research by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) suggests that bacteria living in the gut may remotely influence the activity of cells in the brain that are involved in controlling inflammation and neurodegeneration. Using pre-clinical models for multiple sclerosis (MS) and samples from MS patients, the team found evidence that changes in diet and gut flora may influence astrocytes in the brain, and, consequently, neurodegeneration, pointing to potential therapeutic targets. The team's results are published this week in Nature Medicine.
	Gut enzymes in sweet taste cells may point way to better-tasting non-caloric sweeteners According to new research from the Monell Center and collaborating institutions, the sweet taste cells that respond to sugars and sweeteners on the tongue also contain digestive enzymes capable of converting sucrose (table sugar) into glucose and fructose, simple sugars that can be detected by both known sweet taste pathways. The findings increase understanding of the complex cellular mechanisms underlying sweet taste detection.
	Scientists pioneer a breakthrough approach to breast cancer treatment In a development that could lead to a new generation of drugs to precisely treat a range of diseases, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have for the first time designed a drug candidate that decreases the growth of tumor cells in animal models in one of the hardest to treat cancers—triple negative breast cancer.
	Small brain area plays key role in making everyday decisions Choosing what shirt to buy, what to order for lunch or whether to go with the hearty red wine or the lighter white all involve assigning values to the options. A small brain structure plays a central role in the many decisions like this we make each day. But it hasn't been clear how a limited number of neurons in this small part of the brain can support an unlimited number of choices.
Epigenetic study of lactose intolerance may shed light on the origin of mental illness A new study on the epigenetics of lactose intolerance may provide an approach to understanding schizophrenia and other complex, serious illnesses.
	Placental RNA may help protect embryo from viruses, study finds The human placenta is an organ unlike any other. During the course of nine months it is formed by the embryo, sustains life and then is shed.
	Study suggests testosterone therapy does not raise risk of aggressive prostate cancer Men with low levels of the male sex hormone testosterone need not fear that testosterone replacement therapy will increase their risk of prostate cancer.
	E-cigarette poisonings surge in young children, study says Electronic cigarettes have sickened rising numbers of young children, a study of U.S. poison center calls has found. Most cases involve swallowing liquid nicotine.
	Serious video games may help increase fruit and vegetable intake Few US children meet daily recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables, making fruit and vegetable consumption an important issue for researchers. Eating adequate amounts of these foods is not only ideal for a healthy lifestyle, but has also been shown to reduce the risk of some chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Using a serious video game, Squires Quest! II: Saving the Kingdom of Fivealot, researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture / Agricultural Research Service Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital evaluated how creating implementation intentions (i.e., specific plans) within the goal-setting component in the game helped fourth and fifth grade students improve fruit and vegetable intake at specific meals.
Cancer may drive health problems as people age A new study indicates that cancer may have negative impacts on both the physical and mental health of individuals as they age. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study suggests that cancer increases the risk for certain health issues above and beyond normal aging. This is likely due, in part, to decreased physical activity and stress associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment.
	Sticky molecules to tackle obesity and diabetes Okayama University researchers report that the over-expression of an adhesion molecule found on the surface of fat cells appears to protect mice from developing obesity and diabetes. The findings, published in the journal Diabetes, March 2016, may fuel the development of new therapies targeting these diseases.
	Linking brain development and autism While earning her bachelor's degree in psychology from Penn State Brandywine, Rebecca Slomowitz quickly discovered her passion for child development and instinctively knew she wanted to pursue a career in the field.
	How much booze are parents buying for their kids? Although 74 per cent of Australian 14-year-olds have tried alcohol, parents have cut down markedly on purchasing booze for their children.
	Robotics-based intelligent therapy for stroke victims Rana Soltani and Amin Zeiaee, both second-year Ph.D. students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, are developing an intelligent rehabilitation device that will provide automated therapy to stroke patients to expedite their recovery. Sungtae Shin, a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the same research group, is working on using biosignals to recognize human hand gestures. This technology has various applications in entertainment systems, robotics and rehabilitation devices.
	Link between depression, hopelessness stronger for whites than blacks At a time when a number of mental health organizations are sounding the alarm about the high incidence of suicide among middle-aged white males, new University of Michigan research finds that a sense of hopelessness—often associated with suicide—has a greater impact on whites than African-Americans who suffer from depression.
	Diagnosing Alzheimer's earlier rather than later A hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the appearance of plaques in the brain. The plaques are gradually made up by the aggregation of a small protein called amyloid-beta or "Abeta". Alzheimer's is usually diagnosed late, when the plaques have developed and are already causing cognitive damage like memory loss. In a large study led by EPFL, an international team of scientists from Harvard, Edinburgh and Ulm, have now found a way to detect Abeta aggregation in its early stages, which will make diagnosing and treating the disease much more effective. The study is published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia.
	Having a sweet tooth not always linked to being overweight Sugar is the latest target in the fight against obesity, with calls for Australia to follow the lead of countries such as the UK, Mexico and Hungary and introduce a tax on sugary drinks. But does having a sweet tooth mean you are more prone to being overweight or obese?
	The science behind piracy—guilt portion of the brain fails to fire One third of Australians aged between 16 and 75 years watch movies and television shows downloaded illegally from the internet – further proof that Australians are among the biggest illegal downloaders in the world.
	New insights into motion-based video game design for young disabled players Computer games controlled through wheelchair movements have the potential to improve quality of life for young people with severe mobility impairments but more needs to be done to to meet their needs in game design, new research shows.
	Antidepressant use during pregnancy may lengthen umbilical cord Umbilical cords of children whose mothers used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy may be longer than umbilical cords of other newborn children, shows a new study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs, are commonly prescribed antidepressants, and this is the first time their association with umbilical cord length was observed. The findings were published in PLOS ONE.
Probiotics mitigate stress in medical students at exam time A probiotic given to medical students during the run-up to nationwide medical school examinations reduced stress among the students. "The probiotic strain, Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota can relieve many aspects of the stress response, especially gastrointestinal dysfunction," said corresponding author Kouji Miyazaki, PhD, director of the Food Research Department of Yakult Central Institute, Tokyo, Japan. The research is published ahead of print May 6th, in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	A baby blanket that helps preemies breathe A heated blanket developed by UC Merced-based startup St. Vincent's Solutions won't help babies get to sleep – but it could reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia for infants in neonatal intensive care.
	Hormones that are released during hunger affect decision making Never make a decision when you are hungry. The hormone ghrelin - that is released before meals and known to increase appetite - has a negative effect on both decision making and impulse control. Such were the results of a recently conducted study at Sahlgrenska University.
	Procedure uses brain signals to make prognosis on precision of movement Even simple, frequently carried-out movement tasks like opening a door or grasping an object are sometimes realized better and sometimes worse, sometimes faster, sometimes slower, sometimes more precisely, sometimes less precisely. This variability in performance can be traced back in part to brain activity. An interdisciplinary junior research group at the Cluster of Excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools at the University of Freiburg (led by computer scientist Dr. Michael Tangermann) has developed a self-learning algorithm that allows predictions concerning the precision of an action. The procedure could be used for physical training methods and for improving rehabilitation after strokes. The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Novel role for spleen B cells in inflammatory response to bacterial toxins The inability to adequately respond to infection can cause a whole-body state of inflammation known as sepsis. This can eventually lead to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and even death. White blood cells known as B lymphocytes (B cells) produce antibodies in response to infections such as blood-borne pathogens. B cells of the marginal zone (MZ), which separates circulating blood from spleen lymphoid tissue, contribute to this early immune response, but their role in inflammation has remained unclear.
	How fasting helps fight fatty liver disease Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München have new information on what happens at the molecular level when we go hungry. Working with the Deutsches Zentrum für Diabetesforschung (German Center for Diabetes Research - DZD) and the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (German Cancer Research Center - DKFZ) they were able to show that upon deprivation of food a certain protein is produced that adjusts the metabolism in the liver. The results are published in the Open Access Journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.
	Research suggests 'weekend effect' may be all in the coding Oxford University research has suggested that the 'weekend effect', the suggestion that patients admitted to hospital at the weekend are more likely to die, may in fact be the result of the way medical records are coded for data returns. The study of more than 90,000 stroke patients, by Dr Linxin Li and Professor Peter M Rothwell from the Oxford Vascular Study, has not yet been published, but has been the subject of media reporting.
In US, celiac disease diagnosis is most common among patients with Punjabi ancestry About 1.8 million Americans have celiac disease, an immune-based condition brought on by the consumption of gluten in genetically susceptible patients. Among patients diagnosed with celiac disease by small intestinal biopsy in the U.S., those from the Punjab region of India have the highest rates of disease, according to new research published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology,1 the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
Study finds no evidence linking anti-nausea drug to birth defects Women suffering from extreme morning sickness often take Zofran (ondansetron) to combat their debilitating nausea and vomiting. However, two studies have found that the drug may increase risk of heart defects and cleft palate in children exposed in utero.
Study: Medicare Part D boosts medication adherence, reduces blood pressure risk New research from North Carolina State University shows that implementation of Medicare Part D has increased the number of people taking their prescribed medications as directed - so-called "medication adherence" - and reduced the likelihood that newly covered beneficiaries develop high blood pressure.
	Infants swaddling for sleep associated with sudden infant death syndrome The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) appears to increase when infants are swaddled while sleeping on their stomachs or sides, new research has found.
	Study finds many patients abusing drugs and alcohol are self-medicating chronic pain With opioid addiction and prescription drug abuse considered one of the biggest public health threats of our time in the U.S., many are asking why so many Americans are struggling with addiction to illegal drugs and prescription medications. New research suggests that chronic pain may be part of the answer.
Delayed concussion reporting may sideline college athletes for several more days Athletes who wait to report a concussion may experience longer recovery times, say University of Florida researchers who found that college players who delayed treatment or removal from play missed an average of five more days of play than athletes who immediately reported concussion symptoms.
A yellow fever epidemic: A new global health emergency? Evidence is mounting that the current outbreak of yellow fever is becoming the latest global health emergency, say two Georgetown University professors who call on the World Health Organization to convene an emergency committee under the International Health Regulations. In addition, with frequent emerging epidemics, they call for the creation of a "standing emergency committee" to be prepared for future health emergencies.
	Radiotherapy halves deaths from prostate cancer 15 years after diagnosis A longitudinal Nordic study, comparing the results of hormone (antiandrogen) therapy with or without the addition of local radiotherapy, shows that a combination of treatments halves the risk of death from prostate cancer 15 years after diagnosis. This according to a follow-up study recently published in the journal European Urology.
Therapeutic substitution could help reduce money spent on prescription drugs An extra $73 billion was spent between 2010 and 2012 on brand name medications and the practice of therapeutic substitution (substituting chemically different compounds within the same class of drugs for one another) could help to drive down those costs, according to a new study published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Artificially sweetened beverages consumed in pregnancy linked to increased infant BMI Daily consumption of artificially sweetened beverages by women during pregnancy may be associated with increased infant body mass index (BMI) and may be associated with an increased risk of being overweight in early childhood, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
Pesticide exposure may be ALS risk factor New research shows environmental pollutants could affect the chances a person will develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
	Clinical trial underway for treatment of sleep apnea in adolescents with Down syndrome An FDA-approved clinical trial is underway at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital for Children to evaluate the use of a hypoglossal nerve stimulator—a technology currently available to adults with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that stimulates the upper airway to facilitate breathing during sleep—in a select group of adolescent patients with Down syndrome and OSA. A case report on the first patient in the trial—whose implantation on April 8th, 2015, represented the first time the technology has been used in a pediatric patient in the United States—has been published in the May issue of Pediatrics. The clinical trial will now be expanded to include four additional sites in the U.S.
	Does this ankle need an X-ray? There's an app for that The Ottawa Rules, a set of rules used around the world to help health professionals decide when to order x-rays and CT scans, are now available as a free mobile health app.
	E-cigarettes not meeting potential as 'disruptive technology,' public health study shows Most smokers who have tried electronic cigarettes have rejected them as less satisfying than regular cigarettes, reducing their potential to be a "disruptive technology" that could help a significant number of smokers to quit, according to a recent study by a team of researchers at the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science (TCORS) at Georgia State University.
	Penis reconstructions 'life-altering' for men, studies show (HealthDay)—Men who undergo surgery to create a new penis seem to fare well in the long term, two new studies show.
	Could nasal spray curtail nighttime bathroom trips? (HealthDay)—Countless people—often men with enlarged prostates—need to visit the bathroom during the night. But help could soon be at hand in the form of a nasal spray, new research suggests.
	Case of palytoxin-related keratitis described (HealthDay)—In a letter to the editor published online April 30 in Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, unilateral palytoxin-induced chemical keratitis is described after a coral expressed its toxin into the patient's eye.
	Cilostazol doesn't prevent periprocedural MI in ACS (HealthDay)—For patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), adjunctive loading dose of cilostazol is not associated with prevention of periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI), according to a study published online May 1 in Cardiovascular Therapeutics.
	Substantial aggregate costs of care for cervical cancer (HealthDay)—The costs of care for cervical cancer vary by phase of care, and aggregate costs are substantial, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
World must tighten laws on breast-milk substitutes: UN report Legislation against the promotion of breast milk substitutes must be significantly tightened if global efforts to encourage breast feeding are to succeed, a UN report warned Monday.
	Analytics approach could improve chemo combinations (HealthDay)—Models based on machine learning and optimization could improve chemotherapy regimens to be tested in phase III clinical trials without altering the toxicity outcomes, according to a study published in the May issue of Management Science.
	Climate change may lead to higher prevalence of CKD (HealthDay)—Climate change may increase rates of chronic kidney disease worldwide as rising temperatures and heat stress damage kidneys, according to research published online May 5 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
	First case of paintball-linked liver injury described (HealthDay)—A first case of paintball-related blunt liver injury has been described in an article published online April 27 in BMJ Case Reports.
	Long-term treatment benefit seen in relapse-onset MS (HealthDay)—For patients with relapse-onset multiple sclerosis (MS), disease-modifying therapy protects against long-term disability accrual, according to a study published online May 4 in the Annals of Neurology.
	Child obesity rates drop in Canada (HealthDay)—The percentage of Canadian children who are overweight or obese is declining, a new Canadian study shows.
	Malignancy ups risk of post-hysterectomy readmission (HealthDay)—Risk factors have been identified for 30-day readmission following hysterectomy, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Microbiome linked to infectious complications in AML (HealthDay)—For patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) undergoing induction chemotherapy (IC), gastrointestinal microbiome composition is associated with infectious complications, according to a study published online May 3 in Cancer.
	Venlafaxine-induced rise in intraocular pressure described (HealthDay)—In a case report published online April 30 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, venlafaxine-induced increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) is described in a patient with open angle glaucoma.
	CDC establishes new 'Clean Hands Count' campaign (HealthDay)—The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has introduced a new campaign, "Clean Hands Count," to encourage health care professionals, patients, and patients' families to keep their hands clean in order to prevent health care-associated infections.
	Poor outcome for rotor ablation in A-fib in randomized trial (HealthDay)—For patients with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), rotor-only ablation is associated with a poor outcome compared with other ablation strategies, according to a randomized study published online May 6 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The research was published to coincide with the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society, held from May 4 to 7 in San Francisco.
	Regular aspirin use may protect against bile duct cancer (HealthDay)—Regular aspirin use may lower the risk of bile duct cancer, according to a study published online April 26 in Hepatology.
	More than 40% of pediatricians received industry payment in 2014 (HealthDay)—In 2014 there were 244,915 industry payments to general pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists, totaling more than $32 million, according to a study published online May 6 in Pediatrics.
	Preadmission SSRI use ups stroke mortality in diabetes (HealthDay)—For patients with diabetes, preadmission selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use is associated with increased risk of stroke mortality, according to a study published online May 3 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
	Adrenal cancer researchers identify new genetic drivers through The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network Researchers from across the globe have joined together to improve understanding about one of the most rare—and lethal—types of cancer.
Can gender play a role in determining cancer treatment choices? It is well known that men and women differ in terms of cancer susceptibility, survival and mortality, but exactly why this occurs at a molecular level has been poorly understood.
	Experimental therapy halts treatment-resistant brain tumors Researchers report in the journal Cancer Cell an experimental therapy that in laboratory tests on human cells and mouse models stops aggressive, treatment-resistant and deadly brain cancers called glioblastoma and high-grade gliomas.
Blood pressure over time may better predict stroke, death risk Knowing the path of a person's blood pressure from middle age onward may help doctors better assess the health risks posed by high blood pressure and could lead to earlier interventions to prevent stroke and other diseases linked to high blood pressure, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension.
Screening for postpartum depression—research review and update Mothers of new babies should undergo screening for postpartum depression—preferably across healthcare locations and at multiple times up to one year after delivery, according to a research review in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
Narrow spectrum antibiotic kills pathogens without killing good bacteria The problem with broad spectrum antibiotics is that they kill good bacteria along with the bad. But a new antibiotic, Debio 1452, which is narrowly targeted at Staphilococcal pathogens, caused almost no harm to the gut microbiome of mouse models, while conventional broad spectrum antibiotics caused major damage. The research is published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Pay now or pay more later: Treating hepatitis C The price of curing hepatitis C in the long term is much cheaper than the ongoing expense of older therapies or delayed treatments, including liver transplants, according to a group of studies published this month in a special edition of the American Journal of Managed Care.
	Videogame addiction: Sleep loss, obesity, and cardiovascular risk for some gamers Some children and youth with high videogame addiction tendencies may be at risk of sleep deprivation and disorders associated with obesity and poor cardio-metabolic health, Hamilton researchers have found.
Baking soda could prevent deadly fungal infections in diabetic ketoacidosis Patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) face a much higher risk of succumbing to a deadly fungal infection, known as mucormycosis, than healthy patients. A new study suggests a simple treatment of sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, could prevent the spread of mucormycosis in patients with DKA.
MRI stronger predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events than standard scan Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a stronger predictor of risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) than single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) at 5 years follow-up. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Changing default prescription settings in EMRs increased rates of generic drugs, study finds Using generic instead of brand name medications can save money for both patients and health systems. Some studies have even shown that prescribing generic medications leads to higher adherence and better outcomes, yet many physicians still prescribe brand name drugs when they could be prescribing equivalent generics. A new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, found that a simple change to prescription default options in electronic medical records immediately increased generic prescribing rates from 75 percent to 98 percent.
	Study: Smartphone alerts increase inattention—and hyperactivity Society's increasingly pervasive use of digital technology may be causing ADHD-like symptoms even among the general population, according to a new study of college students presented this week in San Jose, California at the Human-Computer Interaction conference of the Association for Computing Machinery.
Radiotherapy during surgery could save millions of travel miles and tons of CO2 One targeted dose of radiotherapy given during surgery to remove early stage breast cancer could save millions of travel miles, enough CO2 emissions for a 100 hectare forest, and free up thousands of hours of women's time, concludes research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
Thousands demand legalisation of cannabis in S.Africa Thousands of South Africans took to the streets of Cape Town on Saturday demanding a relaxation of drugs laws to allow medicinal and recreational use of cannabis.
Pilgrim's Pride expands recall of cooked chicken products Pilgrim's Pride is expanding a 5 million pound recall that federal food safety regulators say includes a variety of chicken products potentially contaminated with foreign materials.
	Once unthinkable in US, drug shoot-up rooms get serious look (Update) Across the United States, heroin users have died in alleys behind convenience stores, on city sidewalks and in the bathrooms of fast-food joints—because no one was around to save them when they overdosed.
Passengers on cruise ship docked in Maine may have norovirus (Update) Federal health officials said passengers aboard the first cruise ship to dock in Portland, Maine, this season may have norovirus.
	Project to help at-risk youth conquer chronic stress Stress can cause numerous physical and mental health problems, but for children, stress from problems such as discrimination or poverty are especially harmful because children have little control over these problems. Fortunately, a Penn State intervention program is being expanded for youth facing chronic stress.
	Illness and injuries at work are costing Norway NOK 30 billion a year Back pain is the most common ailment affecting quality of life, while crush injuries are the most likely to result in death – and this constitutes the biggest cost to society.
	Mosquito season brings no urgency for money to fight Zika The White House and Democrats are pressuring congressional Republicans to act on President Barack Obama's demands for money to combat Zika, but even the onset of mosquito season that probably will spread the virus has failed to create a sense of urgency.
Wilderness Medical Society issues official guidelines for prevention and treatment of drowning Drowning is a global threat to human health. Each year, more than 372,000 people die as a result of drowning, with many of those deaths being preventable by simple water safety measures. In order to arm professionals with the most up-to-date clinical protocols, the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) has issued a new set of practice guidelines for both the treatment and prevention of drowning, published in the society's official journal, Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.
New data on brain network activity can help in understanding 'cognitive vulnerability' to depression Neuroimaging studies of interconnected brain networks may provide the "missing links" between behavioral and biological models of cognitive vulnerability to depression, according to a research review in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
	A better way to diagnose and manage neuroendocrine tumors A recent study reported in the May issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine demonstrates that Ga-68 DOTATATE PET/CT scans are superior to In-111 pentetreotide scans, the current imaging standard in the United States for detecting neuroendocrine tumors (NETS), and could significantly impact treatment management.
School activities may be key to tobacco cessation for Native American adolescents According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native American adolescents have higher rates of cigarette smoking than other racial or ethnic groups. New research from the University of Missouri on the smoking habits of Native American adolescents finds that family warmth and support, as well as participation in school activities, can play a role in tobacco prevention.
	Study identifies mutations that promote HIV-1 infection in the brain Although combinatorial antiretroviral therapies (cARTs) have dramatically reduced the occurrence of HIV-1-related dementia and encephalitis, recent studies have shown a rise in the number of HIV-positive individuals who will experience minor cognitive and neurological symptoms. Identifying the mechanisms that are important for viral infection in the central nervous system (CNS) could lead to more effective therapies for preventing HIV-1-related neurocognitive disorders.

Biology news

	Specific changes to non-coding RNA may be part of what makes us human Human-specific variants of four microRNAs may have altered expression levels and gene targets compared to other great apes, according to a study published April 22, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Alicia Gallego from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Spain, and colleagues.
	Honeybees more likely to regulate hive's 'thermostat' during rapid temperature increases Honeybees use their wings to cool down their hives when temperatures rise, but new University of Colorado Boulder research shows that this intriguing behavior may be linked to both the rate of heating and the size of a honeybee group.
	Smartphone lights can activate live cells Scientists at the University of St Andrews have discovered that the lighting used in smartphone displays can activate live cells that are genetically programmed to respond to light.
	Analysis of crocodile retina reveals trait that makes lying in wait easier (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with the University of Western Australia, Crawley has discovered new details about crocodile vision that helps explain how it is they are so adept at waiting just under the water surface to capture prey that wanders too near. In their paper published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, the team describes their study of the eyeballs of both saltwater and freshwater crocodiles living in Australia, the differences between them, and a unique part of the retina they found.
	Pitt-developed drug works against 'superbug' biofilms and respiratory virus A potential drug therapy developed at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research (CVR) has proven effective against tough bacterial biofilms and a deadly respiratory virus simultaneously. The drug outperforms traditional therapies in the laboratory setting.
	Genetic potential of oil-eating bacteria from the BP oil spill decoded Microbiologists at The University of Texas at Austin and their colleagues have cracked the genetic code of how bacteria broke down oil to help clean up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, revealing that some bacteria have far greater potential for consuming oil than was previously known. The findings, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, have applications for responding to future oil spills and other ecological disasters, while shedding light on the ways in which tiny microbes played an outsized role in limiting damage from the 2010 spill caused by the explosion of a BP oil rig.
	Do genes express themselves through poetry? A new study from Michigan State University makes inroads in learning to "read" the genome, a key goal of modern biology.
	Fooling the test: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria that look susceptible A diagnostic test used by hospitals says a recently isolated strain of bacteria is susceptible to the last resort antibiotic colistin. But the strain actually ignores treatment with colistin, causing lethal infections in animals.
	Now we know why carrots are orange Scientists unveiled Monday the gene in carrots that gives rise to carotenoids, a critical source of Vitamin A and the pigment that turns some fruits and vegetables bright orange or red.
	Origin of dromedary domestication discovered Dromedaries have been used for transportation for over 3,000 years. But it was not known where they were first domesticated or which genetic structure was selected in the process. A team of researchers including Pamela Burger of Vetmeduni Vienna now identified the origin of the domesticated dromedary and showed that the dromedaries, unlike other domesticated animals, have maintained extensive gene flow in the modern population. The study is published in the journal PNAS.
	Researchers implant electronic tags to track journey of juvenile salmon Using tags surgically implanted into thousands of juvenile salmon, UBC researchers have discovered that many fish die within the first few days of migration from their birthplace to the ocean.
	The jellyfish that's turning heads Maybe you've seen this video clip making the rounds on the news and social media recently? If you haven't, be sure to take a few moments to view this deepsea wonder in motion.
	Antarctic whales and the krill they eat The Western Antarctic sector of the Southern Ocean is the regular feeding ground of a large number of fin and humpback whales of the Southern Hemisphere. Around 5,000 fin whales likely migrate to its ice-free waters during summer, along with at least 3,000 humpback whales. These estimates follow a ship-based helicopter survey of whales in Antarctic waters. A net trawl survey for krill was also conducted to see if the distribution of these whales and specific krill species are connected. The study was led by Helena Herr of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover in Germany, and is published in a special issue on "Antarctic Peninsula Shelf Biology" in Springer's journal Polar Biology.
	When beneficial bacteria knock but no one is home The community of beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines, known as the gut microbiome, are important for the development and function of the immune system. There has been growing evidence that certain probiotics—therapies that introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut—may help alleviate some of the symptoms of intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease. By studying the interplay between genetic risk factors for Crohn's and the bacteria that populate the gut, researchers at Caltech have discovered a new potential cause for this disorder in some patients—information that may lead to advances in probiotic therapies and personalized medicine.
	Carrot genome paints picture of domestication, could help improve crops Sometimes, the evolutionary history of a species can be found in a fossil record. Other times, rocks and imprints must be swapped for DNA and genetic fingerprints.
Researchers discover potential new paths for plant-based bioproducts Plant science researchers at the University of North Texas have found potential new pathways for the creation of plant-based bioproducts. The research is outlined in a new article in the journal Nature Plants.
	Tiger moths use signals to warn bats: Toxic not tasty Acoustic warning signals emitted by tiger moths to deter bats - a behavior previously proven only in the laboratory - actually occur in nature and are used as a defense mechanism, according to new research from Wake Forest University.
	S. Africa may re-consider regulated rhino horn trade in future South Africa does not rule out a future call for regulated international trade in rhino horn trade, despite its decision not to push for legalisation at an upcoming CITES conference, a cabinet minister said Sunday.
	SynBio—democratizing biotechnology? In the 1970s a group of enthusiasts met at the Homebrew Computer Club in Silicon Valley to share information about DIY construction of computing devices. Members complained that computers would never become commonplace if they had to be built up from individual parts. Taking up the challenge, Steve Wozniak got out his soldering iron and constructed the Apple I computer, and the rest is history.
Effects of spectral quality, intensity of LEDs In horticultural operations, light-emitting diode (LED) lamps are becoming recognized as an important advance in artificial lighting. Among other benefits, LED lighting systems can offer durability, long operating lifetimes, and high energy efficiency. Researchers published a study in the March 2016 issue of HortScience that shows that continuous spectrum LEDs made specifically for horticultural can be superior to conventional white LEDs in terms of plant response and energy efficiency.
'Goshen Gold', late-season apricot debuts A new variety of apricot shows good potential for use in both fresh and dried product markets. 'Goshen Gold' was introduced in the March 2016 issue of HortScience by Craig A. Ledbetter of the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service. The promising late-season apricot is self-compatible, consistently producing fruit after self-pollination.
	Nine ornamental landscape plants tested for salt tolerance A new study of the salt tolerance of popular ornamental plants can be a valuable reference for gardeners and landscapers looking for plants that can thrive in locations where poor-quality irrigation water is typical. Shasha Wu, Youping Sun, and Genhua Niu from Texas A&M University revealed the best and worst choices among the nine ornamental varieties tested with high saline irrigation in an article published in the March 2016 issue of HortScience.
	Biofeedback system designed to control photosynthetic lighting Controlled environment agriculture is rapidly becoming an important part of the global food system. For example, there has been much interest in the potential of large-scale, indoor agricultural production - often referred to as vertical farming - as a means to produce high quantities of produce. These "plant factories" are expensive to operate, however, in part because of the large power requirements of electric lamps that provide the type and amount of light necessary for photosynthesis in plants.

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