Science X Newsletter Thursday, May 19

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 19, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

First evidence of icy comets orbiting a sun-like star

ASASSN's creed—a surprising ultraviolet rebrightening observed in a superluminous supernova

New metal alloys overcome strength-ductility tradeoff

A new way to create macrolides—from scratch—may help in battle against bacterial resistance

Transparent wood made stronger than glass by applying epoxy

Using static electricity, RoboBees can land and stick to surfaces (w/ video)

Researchers create 'rewritable magnetic charge ice'

How birds turn red

Pregnant mothers may shield unborn young from damage and risk their own mortality

NASA's Valkyrie robots set the table for human life on Mars

Google Daydream VR vision: With opportunity comes challenges

Making injectable medicine safer

Genes for nose shape found

Thanks, Google: Camera system reveals rich details for art viewing

Researchers say gallium could be used as a new reversible adhesive

Astronomy & Space news

	First evidence of icy comets orbiting a sun-like star An international team of astronomers have found evidence of ice and comets orbiting a nearby sun-like star, which could give a glimpse into how our own solar system developed.
	ASASSN's creed—a surprising ultraviolet rebrightening observed in a superluminous supernova (Phys.org)—An international team of astronomers, led by Peter Brown of Texas A&M University, has spotted a surprising ultraviolet (UV) rebrightening in a distant superluminous supernova known as ASASSN-15lh. The event has baffled the scientists as it doesn't show any hydrogen emission characteristic of superluminous supernovae and tidal disruption events. The research was published online on May 12 on arXiv.org.
	New Horizons collects first science on a post-Pluto object Warming up for a possible extended mission as it speeds through deep space, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has now twice observed 1994 JR1, a 90-mile (145-kilometer) wide Kuiper Belt object (KBO) orbiting more than 3 billion miles (5 billion kilometers) from the sun. Science team members have used these observations to reveal new facts about this distant remnant of the early solar system.
	Ancient tsunami evidence on Mars reveals life potential The geologic shape of what were once shorelines through Mars' northern plains convinces scientists that two large meteorites - hitting the planet millions of years apart - triggered a pair of mega-tsunamis. These gigantic waves forever scarred the Martian landscape and yielded evidence of cold, salty oceans conducive to sustaining life.
	Faintest early-universe galaxy ever, detected and confirmed An international team of scientists has detected and confirmed the faintest early-Universe galaxy ever using the W. M. Keck Observatory on the summit on Maunakea, Hawaii. In addition to using the world's most powerful telescope, the team relied on gravitational lensing to see the incredibly faint object born just after the Big Bang. The results are being published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters today.
	Van Allen Probes reveal long-term behavior of Earth's ring current New findings based on a year's worth of observations from NASA's Van Allen Probes have revealed that the ring current - an electrical current carried by energetic ions that encircles our planet - behaves in a much different way than previously understood.
	Galactic 'gold mine' explains the origin of nature's heaviest elements The origin of many of the most precious elements on the periodic table, such as gold, silver and platinum, has perplexed scientists for more than six decades. Now a recent study has an answer, evocatively conveyed in the faint starlight from a distant dwarf galaxy.
	NASA mini-balloon mission maps migratory magnetic boundary During the Antarctic summer of 2013-2014, a team of researchers released a series of translucent scientific balloons, one by one. The miniature membranous balloons - part of the Balloon Array for Radiation-belt Relativistic Electron Losses, or BARREL, campaign - floated above the icy terrain for several weeks each, diligently documenting the rain of electrons falling into the atmosphere from Earth's magnetic field.
	Mars—closest, biggest, and brightest in a decade Look low in the southeast at nightfall, and an unusually bright, fire-yellow "star" will be staring back at you. It's the planet Mars, closer to Earth now than it has been since November 2005.
	Image: African mosaic from Copernicus Sentinel data Using almost 7000 images captured by the Sentinel-2A satellite, this mosaic offers a cloud-free view of the African continent – about 20% of the total land area in the world. The majority of these separate images were taken between December 2015 and April 2016, totalling 32 TB of data. Thanks to Sentinel-2A's 290 km-wide swath and 10-day revisit at the equator, the chance of imaging Earth's surface when the skies are clear is relatively high. Nevertheless, being able to capture the Tropics cloud-free over the five months is remarkable.
	Video: IRIS releases new imagery of Mercury transit On May 9, 2016, a NASA solar telescope called the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, observed Mercury crossing in front of the sun—an astronomical phenomenon known as a Mercury transit. During the transit, IRIS focused on Mercury in order to help calibrate its telescope. By observing the planet—a region that ideally should appear completely dark—the team could determine just how the optics focus incoming light. IRIS can then be recalibrated to accommodate any changes that may have happened during launch into space.
	Extraterrestrial oceans – beneath the surface Icy objects in our solar system have large oceans under their surfaces and here life could evolve and flourish. So says a new thesis by Jesper Lindkvist, PhD student at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics and Umeå University. The thesis will be defended on Tuesday 31 May at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics in Kiruna, Sweden.
	Identifying regions on Mars for past life signs Mars has been a frozen desert for billions of years. Any evidence of life near the surface will likely be fossilized and probably damaged, thus making it very difficult to recognize. If life ever evolved on Mars, there is a real possibility that the last surface ecosystems occupied land habitats, not aquatic ones. Those "last outposts" could contain the best-preserved evidence of past life on the planet.
	NASA's Orion EM-1 crew module passes critical pressure tests The next Orion crew module in line to launch to space on NASA's Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) has passed a critical series of proof pressure tests which confirm the effectiveness of the welds holding the spacecraft structure together.
	Friendly giants have cozy habitable zones too It is a well-known fact that all stars have a lifespan. This begins with their formation, then continues through their main sequence phase (which constitutes the majority of their life) before ending in death. In most cases, stars will swell up to several hundred times their normal size as they exit the main sequence phase of their life, during which time they will likely consume any planets that orbit closely to them.
	Sounding rocket EVE supporting tune-up of SDO EVE instrument Satellites provide data daily on our own planet, our sun and the universe around us. The instruments on these spacecraft are constantly bombarded with solar particles and intense light, not to mention the normal wear and tear from operating in space.
	Hubble takes Mars portrait near close approach During May 2016 the Earth and Mars get closer to each other than at any time in the last ten years. The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has exploited this special configuration to catch a new image of our red neighbour, showing some of its famous surface features. This image supplements previous Hubble observations of Mars and allows astronomers to study large-scale changes on its surface.
Using Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, astronomers will search for exploding stars, comets and potentially hazardous Astronomers at Queen's University Belfast will lead the UK's efforts to search for exploding stars, comets and potentially hazardous asteroids using the world's largest digital camera.
	Image: Water etchings in Western Mexico sands Expedition 47 Flight Engineer Tim Kopra of NASA (@astro_tim) shared this May 15, 2016 photograph taken from the International Space Station to social media, writing, "Water etchings in western @Mexico sands. @Space_Station #Explore"
	Researchers pioneer new calibration strategies for detecting 'habitable' planets outside the solar system EU researchers have pioneered new calibration strategies for detecting "habitable" planets outside our solar system – with impressive results already.
	Mars, Earth, sun line up perfectly in sky this weekend Last week, Mercury stole the show. Now it's Mars' turn.

Technology news

	Using static electricity, RoboBees can land and stick to surfaces (w/ video) Call them the RoboBats. In a recent article in Science, Harvard roboticists demonstrate that their flying microrobots, nicknamed the RoboBees, can now perch during flight to save energy - like bats, birds or butterflies.
	NASA's Valkyrie robots set the table for human life on Mars Four sister robots built by NASA could be pioneers in the colonization of Mars, part of an advance construction team that sets up a habitat for more fragile human explorers. But first they're finding new homes on Earth and engineers to hone their skills.
	Google Daydream VR vision: With opportunity comes challenges Upcoming virtual-reality headsets based on Google's new Daydream VR system could give more people a taste of VR and make better games and applications affordable.
	Thanks, Google: Camera system reveals rich details for art viewing (Tech Xplore)—Art appreciation can mean many things. For the museum goer who passes by a canvas without a guide, taped audio and textbook knowledge, the person's preferred mode of appreciation relies on instant impact of seeing what the artist did to a blank canvas. It's either Like, Hate, or Yawn.
	Dartmouth contest shows computers aren't such good poets Computers are pretty good at stocking shelves and operating cars, but are not so great at writing poetry.
	Google putting machine smarts into new messaging app Google on Wednesday unveiled a smartphone messaging application infused with artificial intelligence as it moves to stay in tune with busy mobile Internet lifestyles.
	At a Glance: Google's newest tools, gadgets and services A new virtual-reality system from Google and a way to use Android apps without downloading Android apps are among the highlights at the company's annual developer showcase in Mountain View, California.
	Germany's Bayer in talks to buy crop seeds company Monsanto German drug and chemicals company Bayer confirmed Thursday it has entered talks with the Monsanto Company about the possible acquisition of the U.S.-based specialist in genetically modified crop seeds.
	Apple will open India office to develop its Maps feature Apple will set up an office in southern India to develop the Maps feature for its products, the company said Thursday in its second such announcement since CEO Tim Cook arrived in the country.
	China's high-tech future emerges in factory town Shenzhen Forget Beijing and Shanghai. China's economic future is emerging in Shenzhen.
	Edible worms, pingpong bots: Startups find mecca in Shenzhen Shenzhen is the world's electronics manufacturing capital, so what better place to be for entrepreneurs with ideas they want to turn into actual devices?
	The small wind turbines you'll want in your back yard A European Commission strategic plan wants to see 20 percent penetration of wind energy throughout the E.U. by 2020. The growing trend for decentralised energy generation by home and business owners could help meet this target using small and medium turbines. But they continue to divide opinion due to noise and health concerns.
	Innovative trust model to help journalists verify social media content Using the November 2015 Paris terror attacks as an example, the EU REVEAL project has demonstrated novel solutions for assisting journalists in assessing the accuracy of eyewitness social media content during breaking news incidents.
US warms to 'sharing' services like Uber, Airbnb Americans are getting comfortable with new "sharing economy" services like Uber for ride-sharing and Airbnb for lodging, a survey showed Thursday.
	SEISE tool uses semantic gaps to detect website promotional attacks By detecting semantic inconsistencies in content, researchers have developed a new technique for identifying promotional infections of websites operated by government and educational organizations. Such attacks use code embedded in highly-ranked sites to drive traffic to sketchy websites selling fake drugs, counterfeit handbags and plagiarized term papers - or installing drive-by malware.
	'Technical issue' briefly cripples Swedish air traffic "A technical issue" temporarily affected air traffic control operations in large parts of Sweden on Thursday, barring planes from taking off for 90 minutes, authorities said.
	Google invokes free speech in French fine appeal Google said Thursday it feared for free speech if France succeeded in forcing it to apply the right to have information about a person removed from its search engines not just in France, but worldwide.
	Netflix faces EU quota on content The EU wants to force US web streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon to devote 20 percent of their content in Europe to European movies and TV programmes, according to a draft proposal seen by AFP on Thursday.
	Dynamic dazzle distorts speed Dazzle camouflage, as used on World War I battleships to fool U-boat commanders, has been modernised for the twenty-first century with moving patterns.
	Uber unveils testing of self-driving car Uber unveiled its first self-driving car on Thursday, announcing it had begun testing an autonomous vehicle on the streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
	Football fans to get smartphone vote to substitute player An English Premier League club wants to allow supporters to vote via smartphone for the player they want substituted during a match, a data analyst has told a Doha football conference.
Life satisfaction and electricity consumption A nation's electricity consumption has been seen as a useful proxy for measuring economic growth offering a useful alternative to conventional measures such as gross domestic product (GDP) by incorporating the assumption that greater consumption means a better quality of life. However, country-by-country analysis reported in International Journal of Global Energy Issues suggests that this may not necessarily be the case.
	Google patent glues pedestrians to self-driving cars Google on Thursday had a fresh US patent for a sticky coating that could be applied to self-driving cars so pedestrians stick instead of bouncing off when hit.
	Oculus responds to Sen. Al Franken's VR privacy questions The virtual reality company Oculus relies heavily on Facebook for security and shares information about its users with VR creators.
Technip, FMC to merge into $13 bln oil services firm Oil and gas services companies Technip of France and the American FMC Technologies said Thursday they have agreed to merge, creating one of the world's top companies in a sector battered by low energy prices.
	After conservative meet, Zuckerberg says Facebook open to 'all ideas' Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says conservatives are an important part of the social network after a meeting aimed at defusing concerns it is politically biased.
	Fighting the Zika virus with the power of supercomputing Rutgers is taking a leading role in an IBM-sponsored World Community Grid project that will use supercomputing power to identify potential drug candidates to cure the Zika virus.
	Opinion: Four arguments for ethical online shaming (and four problems with them) In democracies, it's pretty difficult to bring about any agreement on anything. So when there is general consensus that something is a problem, I think it's a good idea for us to sit up and pay attention. And few things have earned more consensus of late than online shaming. From Jon Ronson's work to Monica Lewinsky's TED talk, all the way down to the Ashley Madison affair, people are starting to get a little antsy about the way reputations can be made or broken online.
	Why we need to do more for the victims of online fraud and scams As we come to the end of National Consumer Fraud Awareness Week, I can't help but reflect on my own work researching this difficult and often fraught area.
	Slimming down supercomputers Supercomputers are hungry for power. Titan—the fastest supercomputer in the country—located in Tennessee consumes about 8 megawatts of electricity each year. In return, it solves quadrillions of calculations a second. Thousands of people use Titan at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility and supercomputers at two other DOE Office of Science centers to simulate events that are impossible, impractical, or too dangerous to research any other way—from volcanoes erupting to supernova slamming into a nearby star.
	Bayer takeover of Monsanto would create global giant Bayer's potential acquisition of Monsanto would create a giant seed and farm chemical company with a strong footprint in the U.S., Europe and Asia, combining two businesses with complementary geographical focus.
	Apple's stores getting new look as other retailers struggle (Update) Apple is getting ready to unveil a stylish new product that's not for sale—a new look for its stores.

Medicine & Health news

	Genes for nose shape found Genes that drive the shape of human noses have been identified by a UCL-led study.
	Immune cells may protect against Alzheimer's Clusters of immune cells in the brain previously associated with Alzheimer's actually protect against the disease by containing the spread of damaging amyloid plaques, a new Yale University School of Medicine study shows.
	Cancer cells coordinate to form roving clusters Two-way communication between cancer cells appears to be key to their becoming motile, clustering and spreading through metastasis, according to Rice University scientists.
Researchers describe strategy to develop first broad-spectrum antiviral drug By studying the rare person—about one in a million—who can fight off viral infections more effectively than everyone else, investigators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a strategy to help the rest of us achieve this enhanced anti-viral state.
	Study identifies unexpected mutation in commonly used research mice A strain of inbred mice commonly used for the creation of so-called knockout animals has been found to carry a previously undetected mutation that could affect the results of immune system research studies. In paper receiving online publication in Cell Reports, a team based at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard describe finding a chromosome 11 mutation in a strain of C57BL/6—often called "black 6" or B6—mice that they traced back to a specific commercial supplier. Their findings suggest that the results of previous studies using this subline of C57BL/6 need to be re-checked to make sure that this newly identified mutation was not responsible for observed results.
	'Sunscreen' gene may help protect against skin cancer A new USC-led study identified a "sunscreen" gene that may help stave off skin cancer.
	Why humans (and not mice) are susceptible to Zika Flaviviruses—such as Zika, dengue, and yellow fever—have emerged as human (and other primate) pathogens because of their ability to specifically overcome our anti-viral defenses. In the case of Zika, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report May 19 in Cell Host & Microbe that one of the virus's seven non-structural proteins (NS5) is singularly responsible for blocking the action of interferons (proteins that stop viral replication) in human cells, while mouse cells are unaffected.
	Fighting cancer with the help of someone else's immune cells A new step in cancer immunotherapy: researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute and University of Oslo/Oslo University Hospital show that even if one's own immune cells cannot recognize and fight their tumors, someone else's immune cells might. Their proof of principle study is published in the journal Science on May 19th.
China, India face huge mental health burden: study China and India are home to more than a third of people with mental illness, but only a tiny fraction of them receive medical help, according to studies released Wednesday.
Intake of dietary fat in adolescence associated with breast density Consuming high amounts of saturated fat or low amounts of mono- and polyunsaturated fats as an adolescent was associated with higher breast density in young adulthood. Breast density is a risk factor for breast cancer.
How will the next leader of WHO tackle future health emergencies? In light of heavy criticism of the World Health Organization's handling of the Ebola outbreak, the election process for the next director general will be under intense scrutiny.
	Deep changes urged to avoid mass deaths from superbugs Ten million people could die by 2050 unless sweeping global changes are agreed to tackle increasing resistance to antibiotics, which can turn common ailments into killers, a report warned Thursday.
	Global life expectancy up five years since 2000: WHO Global life expectancy increased by five years between 2000 and 2015, the World Health Organization said Thursday, crediting progress in Africa against HIV, AIDS and malaria.
	Bright light alters metabolism Exposure to bright light could affect your metabolism, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.
	Avoiding the deadly dangers of distracted driving More than 3,100 people were killed in 2014 as a result of distracted driving, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
	Expert shines light on maintaining summer sleep schedules for kids Longer summer days, endless free time and a new schedule can make it tough to follow a regular sleep schedule for children, but it is a must for all ages, says a Purdue University expert.
	Drop in childhood obesity cannot be explained by health behaviors While a reported drop in obesity rates among U.S. children has been heralded as positive news, more work must be done to understand exactly why that drop occurred, according to researchers at Rice and Temple universities.
	Could a beetroot a day keep the doctor at bay? A QUT study is underway to discover whether beetroot juice could be a new 'super food' to improve vascular health, including blood coagulation and boosting immune cells, in older people and volunteers are wanted to take part.
Study finds more parents choose to delay child's start to school Parents across Australia are increasingly choosing to hold back their children's start to school due to beliefs it benefits them in the long-term, QUT research has found.
	Double-dose antibiotic treatment and facial cleanliness show promise for trachoma control A revelatory new study out of Monash University, in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK), has highlighted that an annual double-dose of antibiotic treatment shows promise for controlling the neglected tropical disease (NTD) trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of preventable blindness. NTDs are the most common afflictions of the world's poorest people, affecting more than half a billion children around the world. While trachoma is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, Australia remains the only developed country to continue to have the disease as a public health problem.
	Do women really go for 'bad boys'? Here's the science that settles the question "Nice guys finish last" is one of the most widely believed maxims of dating. Fleshed out, the idea goes something like this: heterosexual women might say they want nice characteristics in a partner, but in reality what they want is the challenge that comes with dating a "bad boy". This idea is so widespread that some people are even making money off the back of it, selling self-help books and teaching men how to pick up women by insulting them – a practice known as "negging".
	Children with brain tumors undergoing radiation therapy helped by play-based preparation New research from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital shows support interventions by child life specialists decrease sedation use and costs associated with cranial radiation therapy.
Sleep disorders common in athletes, but easily fixable Professional athletes suffer from sleep disorders more frequently than generally thought, however, systematic examination, counselling and individual treatment planning can improve the quality of their sleep. Published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, a new Finnish study clearly shows for the first time that systematic measures can improve the sleep of professional athletes.
	Researchers successfully excise HIV DNA from animals Using gene editing technology, researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University have, for the first time, successfully excised a segment of HIV-1 DNA - the virus responsible for AIDS - from the genomes of living animals. The breakthrough, described online this month in the journal Gene Therapy, is a critical step in the development of a potentially curative strategy for HIV infection.
Angola yellow fever outbreak could spark 'global crisis': Red Cross A deadly yellow fever outbreak in Angola, which has already spread the disease as far as China, risks sparking a global crisis, the Red Cross warned Thursday.
Research may provide missing link in search for Parkinson's disease therapeutics Parkinson's disease (PD), a chronic, progressive and devastating neurodegenerative motor disease affecting as many as one million Americans, is complex. Its causes likely include a combination of genetic, environmental and other lifestyle factors that influence gene expression. While progress has been made, a fundamental understanding of how the disease develops on the molecular level is still lacking, due in large part because there is no good way to model the disease. Research from the Buck Institute is poised to change that. Buck Institute faculty Xianmin Zeng, PhD, has derived 10 induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) lines from PD patients and is in the process of depositing those lines along with a wealth of related genomic information about them into an NIH-approved facility for use by the larger research community. Details about the iPSC lines will publish in PLOS One on Wednesday, May 18.
	The effects of laxatives may provide new clues concerning Parkinson's disease In a recent retrospective analysis, investigators discovered that the year-on-year increase in rigidity found in Parkinson's disease flattened off with the regular use of laxatives to manage constipation.
Tobacco giants lose appeal against UK plain packaging rules Tobacco giants have lost a legal challenge in London against imposing new rules for standardised packaging due to come into force on Friday, meaning Britain will join a growing list of countries to do so.
One in four Aussie kids under 10 has untreated tooth decay Results of a national oral health survey led by the University of Adelaide show that a quarter of all Australian children aged 10 and under has untreated tooth decay.
	Visual impairment, blindness cases in US expected to double by 2050 With the youngest of the baby boomers hitting 65 by 2029, the number of people with visual impairment or blindness in the United States is expected to double to more than 8 million by 2050, according to projections based on the most recent census data and from studies funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Another 16.4 million Americans are expected to have difficulty seeing due to correctable refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness) that can be fixed with glasses, contacts or surgery.
	Higher survival rate for overweight colorectal cancer patients than normal-weight patients Overweight colorectal cancer patients were 55 percent less likely to die from their cancer than normal-weight patients who have the disease, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study published today in JAMA Oncology.
	Can a healthy lifestyle prevent cancer? A large proportion of cancer cases and deaths among U.S. individuals who are white might be prevented if people quit smoking, avoided heavy drinking, maintained a BMI between 18.5 and 27.5, and got moderate weekly exercise for at least 150 minutes or vigorous exercise for at least 75 minutes, according to a new study published online by JAMA Oncology.
Use of arthroscopic hip surgery way up, but patient selection important for good outcome For patients with serious, ongoing hip pain, sometimes surgery is their best bet for relief. Given the choice between minimally invasive hip surgery and total hip replacement, most patients would choose the less invasive procedure, often done on an outpatient basis. But a study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City finds that arthroscopic surgery may not be the best option, especially if a patient is over 60 or has arthritis.
High levels of protein p62 predict liver cancer recurrence Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have discovered that high levels of the protein p62 in human liver samples are strongly associated with cancer recurrence and reduced patient survival. In mice, they also found that p62 is required for liver cancer to form.
	Avoiding mixtures of different mitochondria leads to effective mitochondrial replacement Scientists at The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute discovered an important biological phenomenon in human cells that will help scientists and clinicians design safer treatments to prevent mitochondrial diseases. NYSCF first pioneered a technique, mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), in 2012 to prevent inheritance of these devastating and debilitating diseases. Now, scientists at the NYSCF Research Institute and Columbia University are working to hone this technique and understand the biological processes that would impact patients as this process is brought into clinical trials.
Study shows GMU's Lyme disease early-detection test is effective After three years and 300 patients, George Mason University researchers have proof that their early-detection urine test for Lyme disease works.
Alcohol intervention programs ineffective on fraternity members Interventions designed to reduce alcohol use among fraternity members are no more effective than no intervention at all, according to an analysis of 25 years of research involving over 6,000 university students published by the American Psychological Association.
A slick way to test artificial knees and hips A new study suggests that natural proteins can be used to effectively test new replacement hip and knee joints in the laboratory. The work could help with improving design in order to reduce wear and tear and increase the lifespan of such prosthetics. Details are reported this week in the International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering.
Your gender-stereotypic genes may be giving you a leg up in dating Your success at speed-dating might be influenced by your genetic make-up and your potential partner's ability to detect so-called "good genes," or genetic fitness. This is according to a study in Springer's journal Human Nature by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, in the US. The research team found that participants who were more likely to be asked on a second date had genotypes consistent with personal traits that people often desire in a romantic partner - social dominance/leadership in men, social sensitivity/submissiveness in women.
	Researchers identify super-oncogenic protein that promotes development of melanoma An international collaborative study led by scientists at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) has identified a malicious form of a protein that drives the formation of melanoma. The findings, published today in Cell Reports, reveal unexpected insight into how this lethal skin cancer develops and progresses, and may help understand and develop novel therapies against these aggressive tumors.
	Heart defect prediction technology could lead to earlier, more informed treatment An experimental model uses genetics-guided biomechanics and patient-derived stem cells to predict what type of inherited heart defect a child will develop, according to authors of a new study in the journal Cell.
	Mouse study finds link between gut bacteria and neurogenesis Antibiotics strong enough to kill off gut bacteria can also stop the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus, a section of the brain associated with memory, reports a study in mice published May 19 in Cell Reports. Researchers also uncovered a clue to why— a type of white blood cell seems to act as a communicator between the brain, the immune system, and the gut.
	Support from family and friends important to helping prevent depression in teenagers The importance of friendships and family support in helping prevent depression among teenagers has been highlighted in research from the University of Cambridge. The study, published in the open access journal PLOS ONE, also found that teenagers who had grown up in a difficult family environment were more likely than their peers to be bullied at school.
	Social media poses threat to people with intellectual disabilities People with intellectual disabilities are more susceptible to exploitation and abuse, and the rise of the Internet only increases their vulnerability.
Vitamin E a potential biomarker for development of brain tumors Researchers at Umeå University in Sweden and the Cancer Registry of Norway have studied possible causes behind the development of brain tumours. The results, published in the journal Oncotarget, show differences in expression of certain molecules known as metabolites when comparing healthy individuals with people who would eventually develop brain tumours. The greatest difference were found when looking at vitamin E.
Hormone may offer new approach to type 2 diabetes Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and Oxford University have found a hormone that may offer an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes.
	Dropouts face a tough road, but support services can change results Certain life experiences can worsen the negative effects of dropping out of school, but interventions and treatments can improve the odds for dropouts, a new study finds.
Executive powers in the nursery A baby's cry not only commands our attention, it also rattles our executive functions—the very neural and cognitive processes we use for making everyday decisions, according to a new University of Toronto study.
Confidence in Iron Dome, coupled with resilience, can reduce PTSD symptoms Bar-Ilan University researchers have found that belief in the success of the Iron Dome air defense system, coupled with a strong sense of resilience (an inner trait that results in positive adaptation to trauma), can reduce Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms (i.e., can mitigate the effect of exposure to trauma on the development of PTSD symptoms).
	'Right to try' laws make safety and efficacy secondary to speedy access State "right to try" laws can give terminally ill patients early access to experimental drugs and medical devices, but they arguably make safety and efficacy secondary to speedy access, according to a new report by science policy experts at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
	Same gene links blood sugar problems in Down syndrome and Type 2 diabetes Problems with insulin secretion experienced by people with Type 2 diabetes, parallel similar problems with insulin-secreting beta cells in many individuals with Down syndrome. A new study, published on May 19 in PLOS Genetics by Professor Damien Keating of Flinders University and colleagues, has used this knowledge to identify a single gene that may cause these problems.
	Antibiotic treatment speeds up spread of resistance in the gonorrhea superbug Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a sexually transmitted bacterium that has developed broad resistance against antibiotics. A study published on May 19th in PLOS Pathogens suggests that screening and treatment of infected patients might actually spread resistance against the one remaining recommended treatment. Moreover, while intuitively compelling, frequent change of sexual partners does not appear to be a major driver of the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Firearm ownership closely tied to suicide rates, study finds States with higher estimated levels of gun ownership had higher incidents of gun-related suicides, with firearm ownership alone explaining 71 percent of the variation in state-level gun suicide rates for males and 49 percent for females, a new study by Boston University School of Public Health researchers shows.
ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator has good prediction accuracy, new study finds The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) Surgical Risk Calculator accurately estimates the chance of a patient experiencing postoperative complications, and its performance can improve with recalibration of the tool according to research findings appearing online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in advance of print publication.
	What the New York Times gets wrong about PTSD Believe it or not, both the public and policy-makers often get their ideas from the media. When those ideas are formed about something as serious and impactful as posttraumatic stress disorder, it's important for the media to tell the story in the right way.
Excessive drinkers, high income households pay majority of state alcohol tax increases People who drink too much and those with higher household incomes would pay more following an increase in state alcohol taxes than those who drink less and have lower household incomes, according to a new study led by researchers at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and published today in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, a publication of the CDC.
	New research could personalize medicine for arthritis patients Joint injury can lead to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). In fact, about half of all people who rupture the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in their knee will develop PTOA within 10-20 years of the injury.
	Combining radiation with immunotherapy showing promise against melanoma Combining radiation treatments with a new generation of immunotherapies is showing promise as a one-two-punch against melanoma, Loyola Medicine researchers report in the Journal of Radiation Oncology.
	UN: Yellow fever outbreak is 'serious' but not an emergency The World Health Organization says the ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in central Africa is "serious and of great concern" but does not warrant being declared a global emergency.
	'Precision' cancer treatment may extend lives (HealthDay)—"Precision" cancer treatment that's guided by genetic clues from the patient's own tumor appears to outperform traditional chemotherapy, a new research review finds.
	Asian-Americans in better health than other U.S. adults (HealthDay)—Asian-Americans are healthier than other U.S. adults.
	Prior C-section raises risk of complications with home birth (HealthDay)—Pregnant women who've had a cesarean delivery in the past should not plan a home birth because they face a higher risk for complications, researchers warn.
	U.S. motorcycle deaths up 10 percent in last year (HealthDay)—Motorcyclist deaths in the United States topped 5,000 last year—a 10 percent increase from 2014, according to a new report.
	Unrealistic expectations for many men with localized prostate CA (HealthDay)—Men with localized prostate cancer (LPC) often have unrealistic survival expectations, according to a study published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Safety of TAVR examined in all-female cohort (HealthDay)—In an all-female transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) registry, 14.0 percent of women experienced a 30-day Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC-2) composite safety end point, according to a study published online May 17 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions to coincide with EuroPCR 2016, held from May 17 to 20 in Paris.
	Adverse events not up with six months of DAPT (HealthDay)—For patients receiving an everolimus-eluting stent implantation, six months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) does not increase composite events compared with 12 months of DAPT, according to a study published online May 17 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions to coincide with EuroPCR 2016, held from May 17 to 20 in Paris.
Refugee children's academic outcomes similar to non-refugee peers despite learning challenges Refugee children had similar academic success as other children if adequately supported, despite having more behavioural and emotional problems overall, a comprehensive review has found.
	Even frail, older adults could benefit from intensive blood pressure reduction Adults with hypertension who are age 75 years and older, including those who are frail and with poor overall health, could benefit from lowering their blood pressure below current medical guidelines. The multi-institutional investigation was published online in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and presented at the American Geriatrics Society Annual Scientific Meeting on May 19.
Return-to-learn as important as return-to-play after concussion Student-athletes who get a concussion often return to school within a week but still have significant problems in the classroom and cannot perform at a normal academic level, according to a new study—suggesting the need for accommodations and return-to-learn guidelines following a concussion.
	Brain scans of dementia patients with coprophagia showed neurodegeneration Coprophagia, eating one's feces, is common in animals but rarely seen in humans. Mayo Clinic researchers reviewed the cases of a dozen adult patients diagnosed with coprophagia over the past 20 years and found that the behavior is associated with a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly neurodegenerative dementias. The findings are published in the Journal of Neurology.
	Challenges, opportunities ahead in advancing the understanding and treatment of schizophrenia While considerable advances have been made in understanding the biology and treatment of schizophrenia, patients and physicians continue to face tough challenges, says the 2015-16 winner of the University of Pennsylvania Edward A. Strecker, MD Award for outstanding contributions to the field of clinical psychiatry.
The transition between the arm and the hand occurs thanks to a genetic switch During embryonic life, the emergence of body limbs is orchestrated by a family of architect genes, which are themselves regulated by two DNA structures. While the first presides over the construction of the arm, the other takes over for the development of the hand. Geneticists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, show that the same architect proteins, called HOX13 and acting together, complete the formation of the arm and initiate that of the hand, allowing to connect the two processes. As for the region located between the arm and the hand, it escapes the attention of the two regulatory DNA structures, thus providing an opportunity for the wrist bones to develop. The study is published in the journal Genes & Development.
	Lab cell study shows that HOXA5 protein acts as tumor suppressor in breast cancer Many breast cancers are marked by a lack of HOXA5 protein, a gene product known to control cell differentiation and death, and lower levels of the protein correspond to poorer outcomes for patients. Now, results of a new study by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center scientists suggests a powerful role for the protein in normal breast cells, acting as a tumor suppressor that halts abnormal cell growth.
Mouse study: Triple-therapy cocktail shrinks triple-negative breast tumors In a new study using mice and lab-grown human cells, a scientific team led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers show how a triple-drug cocktail can shrink triple-negative breast cancers by killing off cancer cells and halting new tumor growth.
Children injured in motor vehicle crashes fare better at level I pediatric trauma centers Children and adolescents injured in motor vehicle accidents have better outcomes when treated at a stand-alone Level I pediatric trauma center (PTC) than at general adult trauma centers (ATC) or adult trauma centers with added Level I pediatric qualifications (ATC+PTC), according to a new study to be published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery by researchers from Children's Minnesota.
	Mechanism that reduces effect of cocaine on brain discovered A type of brain cell known as microglia plays a key role in reducing the effects of cocaine in the brain, according to a major study by a team from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Montreal.
Survey: 71 percent of hip fracture patients not told they have osteoporosis More than 7 in 10 older adults who suffer hip fractures aren't told they have the bone-weakening disease osteoporosis - despite the fact that hip fractures nearly always signify the presence of this potentially debilitating condition, according to revealing new research by Northwell Health physicians.
Summer shoes may be orthopedically unsound If you're getting ready to show off your toes in summer sandals, make sure those shoes aren't a flop in terms of the support they provide, says an expert at Baylor College of Medicine.
	A new lead in the quest to understand Alzheimer's A consortium of European researchers is pursuing a new and unexpected lead in Alzheimer's research. They are examining the intestinal microbiome and its effect on neurodegeneration. EPFL is coordinating the consortium, which is part of the pan-European Horizon 2020 initiative.
House Child Nutrition Bill is a major step backwards for kids' health, says American Heart Association American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following comments on the "Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016," which is being marked up today by the House Education and Workforce Committee:
	Successful extraction of Alzheimer's-type dementia finger-tapping pattern The National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology ("NCGG") in Japan has succeeded in identifying an index finger-thumb tapping pattern unique to Alzheimer's-type dementia through clinical research focusing on the rhythmical movement of both hands (Figure 1). This result was achieved using a waveform analysis technique for finger-tapping movement developed by Hitachi, Ltd. which allows a variety of tapping patterns to be extracted from the measurement data on motor ability using the magnetic sensors, such as the discrepancy in contact time between the fingers. This achievement opens the way to advancing tests for the early detection of Alzheimer's-type dementia.
	Early vaccination might be crucial for growth and health of African children Vaccination of African babies directly after birth seems favorable for their growth and health, while vaccination later in life may have negative effects. This is shown by analyses carried out by health researcher Mike Berendsen (Radboud University Medical Center) and Big Data expert Jeroen Smits (Radboud University), who analysed the medical data of more than 350,000 African children.
	Assistive tech to tackle dementia isolation Mobile and wearable technology used to support independent living for people with dementia could hold the key to cutting social isolation.
	First results of the Fr1da study—36,000 children already tested for early type 1 diabetes One year after the introduction of the Bavarian pilot project Fr1da, the Institute of Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München has published the first results in the BMJ Open journal. None of the 105 children who have been diagnosed with an early stage of type 1 diabetes have suffered from metabolic imbalance so far.
Should doctors standardise their expressions of sympathy? The results of a new survey published in ecancermedicalscience indicate that a majority of oncology professionals believe that writing condolence letters to the families of deceased patients is an important component of cancer palliative care.
	Is California ready for physician-aided suicide? As California nears implementation of a new law that will let terminally ill patients end their lives by taking a physician-prescribed lethal dose of medication, a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research shows that health organizations, health care providers and the public have a critical gap in understanding how the law will work.
Loss of inflammatory signaling molecule protects mice against diet-induced obesity Obesity and subsequent complications are increasing in frequency worldwide. The accumulation of adipose tissue is associated with increased inflammation, and it has been proposed that modification of proinflammatory responses could alter adipose tissue composition.
Strategy for depleting immune cells implicated in asthma-associated inflammation Patients with asthma have chronic lung inflammation that results in sporadic narrowing of the airways and difficulty breathing. Symptoms and severity are variable among individuals; however, the cells and inflammatory factors that trigger asthmatic events have been fairly well characterized and are similar regardless of the asthma-inducing stimuli.
Scavenging of inflammatory molecules improves sepsis in mice Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of infection in which the molecules that the body releases to fight an infection trigger widespread inflammatory responses, resulting in damage to multiple organ systems.
Identification of a chemotherapy resistance factor in breast cancer patients Chemotherapy is a key part of the standard treatment regimen for triple-negative breast cancer patients whose cancer lacks expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). While many patients respond well to chemotherapy, a significant fraction of those treated are resistant to chemotherapy or will develop recurrent tumors that are chemoresistant.
Company to pay up to $7.8M over contaminated syringes Federal prosecutors say a drug and medical device manufacturer has agreed to pay up to $7.8 million for selling contaminated syringes.
Scientists uncover novel therapeutic targets and candidate biomarkers in childhood cancers Researchers at the Children's Cancer Institute (Instituto do Câncer Infantil, ICI), the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), the Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, and the Pediatric Oncology Service at the university hospital (Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA) have obtained evidence suggesting that proteins known to regulate neuronal development and plasticity may be useful biomarkers and therapeutic targets in childhood cancers. These proteins, called neurotrophins, are well-known signaling molecules in normal brain development and function. The neurotrophin family of proteins, which includes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), activate the Trk family of cell-surface protein receptors. There is growing interest in investigating how overexpression of neurotrophins and Trk receptors in tumors can stimulate cancer growth and contribute to chemotherapeutic resistance.
US: 1 in 8 swimming pools closed for health violations One in eight swimming pools in five populous states are closed upon inspection due to dirty and potentially dangerous water, US health authorities said Thursday.
Commissions that reflected on Ebola outbreak highlight overlapping conclusions in new PLOS piece To make the world safer against future infectious disease threats, national health systems should be strengthened, the World Health Organization's emergency and outbreak response activities should be consolidated and bolstered, and research and development should be enhanced, says a new Policy Forum article that appears in the May 19 edition of PLOS Medicine.
	Inaccuracy in administrative hospital coding data (HealthDay)—Inaccurate coding can introduce biases in studies based on administrative data, according to research published online May 16 in The BMJ.
Simple public health intervention may prevent chronic kidney disease A simple and inexpensive public health intervention helped prevent many cases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Pakistan. The intervention, which is described in a study in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), will be especially helpful for protecting the kidney health of people living in developing countries.
Screening strategy identifies adults at risk for developing kidney disease A screening program for chronic kidney disease (CKD) initiated in Canada has successfully identified a high proportion of individuals with risk factors for CKD as well as many with unrecognized CKD. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), indicate that targeted screening provides an important opportunity for early intervention to slow the progression of CKD.
Yellow fever outbreak 'serious' but not global health emergency: WHO A deadly yellow fever outbreak in Angola and Congo is of great concern but does not amount to a global health emergency, the World Health Organization said Thursday.
TXA administered intravenously and by injection reduces blood loss after knee replacement A new study appearing in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery found that administering tranexamic acid (TXA) both intravenously (IV) and injected at the surgical site (intra-articular administration, or IA) reduced blood loss by 37 percent, compared to IV alone, following total knee replacement (TKR).
	Dominican agency: 2 new deaths from Zika-related syndrome The Dominican Republic on Thursday reported two new deaths from a paralyzing disorder linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus that is spreading through the hemisphere.

Biology news

	How birds turn red In the bird world, the color red has special significance. Many species use red signals to attract mates or deter rivals, adding the color to their beaks, feathers, or bare skin. Generally speaking, as far as many birds are concerned, redder is better. Now, two teams of researchers have independently identified an enzyme-encoding gene that allows some bird species to convert yellow pigments from their diets into that remarkable red. Their findings are reported on May 19 in Current Biology.
	Pregnant mothers may shield unborn young from damage and risk their own mortality Mammals can protect their unborn young from harmful chemicals in their blood even at the expense of their own survival odds, a study into mongooses conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter suggests.
	Vision assists ants to stabilise their head – until darkness falls A study of Australian endemic nocturnal bull ants has found that they rely upon visual cues to stabilise their heads when navigating uneven ground.
Nature vs. nurture? Both are important, anthropologist argues Evolutionary science stresses the contributions biology makes to our behavior. Some anthropologists try to understand how societies and histories construct our identities, and others ask about how genes and the environment do the same thing. Which is the better approach? Both are needed, argues Agustin Fuentes, University of Notre Dame biological anthropologist.
	Scientists measure impact of artificial light on sea turtles Research carried out by The University of Western Australia, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Department of Parks and Wildlife has found new evidence that there is an impact from artificial light on the survival of wild sea turtle hatchlings.
	Study shows nursery web spiders offer gift to potential mates to prevent being eaten (Phys.org)—A pair of researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark has found evidence that suggests male nursery web spiders offer potential female mates silk covered insect carcasses as a means of protection from being eaten. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, Søren Toft and Maria Albo describe experiments they carried out to determine the true reason behind the males offering the females gifts prior to attempting to copulate and what they found by doing so.
	Researchers chart landscape of genetic and epigenetic regulation in plants A new technique developed by Salk Institute scientists for rapidly mapping regions of DNA targeted by regulatory proteins could give scientists insight into what makes some plants drought tolerant or disease resistant, among other traits.
	Fruit fly brains shed light on why we get tired when we stay up too late Studying fruit flies, whose sleep is remarkably similar to that in people, Johns Hopkins researchers say they've identified brain cells that are responsible for why delaying bedtime creates chronic sleepiness.
	Malignancy-associated gene network regulated by an RNA binding protein If he ever gives a TED talk, Jeremy Sanford may have to come up with a better name for the protein he's been studying, which appears to play an important role in driving the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. For now, it's known as IGF2BP3, which stands for "insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3."
	How is rattlesnake venom like fine wine? Both have regional varieties If you're a rattlesnake, you want to bring the right weapon to a squirrel fight.
	Shedding light on the 'dark matter' of the genome What used to be dismissed by many as "junk DNA" is back with a vengeance as growing data points to the importance of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs)—genome's messages that do not code for proteins—in development and disease. But our progress in understanding these molecules has been slow because of the lack of technologies that allow the systematic mapping of their functions.
	Plant cell wall development revealed in space and time for the first time Scientists have mapped changes in composition of plant cell walls over space and time, providing new insights into the development and growth of all plants.
	Factor preserves DNA integrity in bacteria despite assault from antibiotics A key biochemical enables bacteria to repair otherwise fatal damage to their DNA, including that caused by antibiotics. That is the finding of a study led by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and published May 20 in the journal Science.
	Tampering the current in a petri dish Electricity plays a key role in cell studies, but practical issues linked with the shape of the laboratory cultureware have troubled this research. Laboratory cultureware are the plastic containers used by researchers to grow cells. These containers are typically shallow cylinders: a classic example is a petri dish. While a petri dish is circular, the simplest way to create a uniform electric field is based on a rectangular shape. These different geometries prevent scientists to fully exploit the potential of a cell cultureware, as a significant part of the round petri dish base remains outside the field-generating rectangle that goes into the cultureware. A PhD student's project, which has led to a patent application and a published article in Scientific Reports, is radically changing this situation.
	Turtle hatchlings lend each other a flipper to save energy Newborn sea turtles do not have it easy. Hatchlings take nearly eight days to dig through 40 centimetres of sand to emerge from their nests, and then need extra energy to traverse a long stretch of beach to the ocean.
	Banana waste as a source of bioenergy Researchers from the Agro-Energy Group at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) have used geographic information systems to assess the potential use of the residual biomass of bananas produced in the province of El Oro (Ecuador) for bioenergy applications. Results show that the use of this waste could satisfy the 55 percent of the electrical demand of the region and the 10 percent of bioethanol demand nationwide.
	Reintroduction of lynx requires larger numbers to avoid genetic depletion For successful reintroduction of lynx into the wild, the number of released animals is crucial. If only a few lynx are reintroduced to found a population, the genetic diversity is too low to ensure their long-term sustainability. An international research team has recently published these findings in the scientific journal Conservation Genetics. The researchers highlight the need to strengthen newly established European lynx populations by additional translocations of lynx as well as other conservation measures.
	Plants are 'biting' back: Scientist discover 'teeth' on plants of the rock nettle family Calcium phosphate is a widespread biomineral in the animal kingdom: Bones and teeth largely consist of this very tough mineral substance. Researchers from Bonn University could now for the first time demonstrate the presence of calcium phosphate as a structural biomineral in higher plants. The substance provides the necessary "bite" to the stinging hairs of representatives of the rock nettle family (Loasaceae). It hardens the trichomes, which serve as a herbivore defense. Conversely, our native stinging nettles have stinging hairs hardened by glass-like silica. The results of the study are now published in the journal Scientific Reports.
	EU delays re-approval for weedkiller glyphosate The EU on Thursday failed to agree on the re-approval of weedkiller glyphosate in Europe amid fresh fears the product could cause cancer.
Biologists find how plants reconstitute stem cells Stem cells are typically thought to have the intrinsic ability to generate or replace specialized cells. However, a team of biologists at NYU showed that regenerating plants can naturally reconstitute their stem cells from more mature cells by replaying embryogenesis.
	Why do animals hide their warning signals? A paradox explained Scientists have understood quite well why so many poisonous animals have brightly colored bodies - the colors send a message to the predators: " don't eat me, or you'll get sick and die". But why some toxic animals actually hide the warning colors from the predator's view, showing them only at the very last moment, when they are already attacked? How can a sudden display of bright underwings at the moment of capture help a distasteful insect, such like the spotted lanternfly (see Figure and movie clip). In the recent issue of Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution a Korean-Polish team of behavioral ecologists have proposed a new explanation.
	How plants conquered the land Research at the University of Leeds has identified a key gene that assisted the transition of plants from water to the land around 500 million years ago.
	Killer Nile crocodiles in Florida? Experts say it's possible Step aside, Burmese python—you may no longer be Florida's scariest invasive species. Researchers have confirmed that three Nile crocodiles were captured near Miami, and they say it's possible more of the man-eating reptiles are still out there, although no one can say for sure.
	Canada approves genetically modified salmon for food Canada's health ministry on Thursday approved a type of genetically modified salmon as safe to eat, making it the first transgenic animal destined for Canadian dinner tables.
	Spanish region bans bull killing in traditional festivals Authorities in the Spanish region of Castilla y Leon on Thursday announced a ban on the killing of bulls during traditional festivals, in a partial victory for animal rights activists.
	Six reasons habitat matters to fish, and people too Our oceans and coasts contain a stunning variety of marine habitats—everything from coral reefs to salt marshes, oyster beds to kelp forests. These habitats are essential for maintaining the robust fish populations that support sustainable U.S. fisheries.
	NIST forensic scientist helps Vietnamese counterparts identify wartime remains In a Hanoi, Vietnam, hotel conference room, Mike Coble led a group of scientists through a series of calculations. Coble's presentation was heavy on the statistics, and this created a lot of work for the translators. It took two of them, working tag-team, to keep up.
Research suggests a way to identify animals at risk of blood clots Patients who are critically ill, be they dog, cat or human, have a tendency toward blood clotting disorders. When the formation of a clot takes too long, it puts them at risk of uncontrolled bleeding. But the other extreme is also dangerous; if blood clots too readily, it can lead to organ failure or even death if a clot goes to the lungs, brain or heart.
	Trapping individual cell types in the mouse brain The complexity of the human brain depends upon the many thousands of individual types of nerve cells it contains. Even the much simpler mouse brain probably contains 10,000 or more different neuronal cell types. Brandeis scientists Yasu Shima, Sacha Nelson and colleagues report in the journal eLife on a new approach for genetically identifying and manipulating these cell types.

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