Science X Newsletter Thursday, May 26

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 26, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Scanning for skyrmions: Scientists directly image skyrmion cluster state transitions in iron-germanium nanodisks

New stars discovered in the Rho Ophiuchi Dark Cloud

New calculations show Earth's core is much younger than thought

Possible case for fifth force of nature

First large-scale proteogenomic study of breast cancer provides insight into potential therapeutic targets

Tiny vampires

Number of habitable planets could be limited by stifling atmospheres

High altitude archaeology: Prehistoric paintings revealed

Advanced Color ePaper indicates bright turn for low-power displays

NASA hits snag while inflating new room at space station

Oil sands operations a major source of air pollution, according to study

Neanderthals were stocky from birth

Researchers look to bones and shells as blueprints for stronger, more durable concrete

New super-resolution technique visualizes important role of short-lived enzyme clusters

Memories can resist interference during new learning, study finds

Astronomy & Space news

	New stars discovered in the Rho Ophiuchi Dark Cloud An international team of astronomers led by Ignazio Pillitteri of the Palermo Astronomical Observatory in Italy has announced the discovery of 22 new young stellar objects in a star-forming region called the Rho Ophiuchi Dark Cloud. The newly detected stars constitute a small cluster formed about five to 10 million years ago. The findings are presented in a research paper published online on May 24 on arXiv.org.
	New calculations show Earth's core is much younger than thought A trio of researchers in Denmark has calculated the relative ages of the surface of the Earth versus its core and has found that the core is 2.5 years younger than the crust. In a paper published in the European Journal of Physics, U I Uggerhøj and R E Mikkelsen with Aarhus University and J Faye with the University of Copenhagen, describe the math involved in their effort and their results.
Number of habitable planets could be limited by stifling atmospheres New research has revealed that fewer than predicted planets may be capable of harbouring life because their atmospheres keep them too hot.
	NASA hits snag while inflating new room at space station NASA hit a snag while releasing air into an experimental inflatable room at the International Space Station on Thursday and put everything on hold for at least a day.
	Finding aliens may be even easier than previously thought Finding examples of intelligent life other than our own in the Universe is hard work. Between spending decades listening to space for signs of radio traffic – which is what the good people at the SETI Institute have been doing – and waiting for the day when it is possible to send spacecraft to neighboring star systems, there simply haven't been a lot of options for finding extra-terrestrials.
	How to tell the world you've discovered an alien civilisation After countless fictional scenarios of humans making contact with alien civilisations, you'd think we'd be prepared for actually discovering one. But finding intelligent life beyond the Earth is clearly likely to be one of the most shattering moments in the history of our species.
	Astronomers find giant planet around very young star In contradiction to the long-standing idea that larger planets take longer to form, U.S. astronomers today announced the discovery of a giant planet in close orbit around a star so young that it still retains a disk of circumstellar gas and dust.
	Scientists discover evidence of ice age at martian north pole Using radar data collected by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, a Southwest Research Institute-led team found evidence of an ice age recorded in the polar deposits of Mars. Ice ages on Mars are driven by processes similar to those responsible for ice ages on Earth, that is, long-term cyclical changes in the planet's orbit and tilt, which affect the amount of solar radiation it receives at each latitude.
	NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission will have a map for that On Sept. 8, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is scheduled to launch for terra incognita: the unknown surface of the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Like expeditions of old, OSIRIS-REx's mission includes mapping the exotic terrain it explores.
	NASA's yearlong spaceman still has sore feet, fatigue NASA's yearlong spaceman still is nursing sore feet, stiff legs and fatigue, even after nearly three months back on Earth.
How do astronauts overcome eating challenges in space? Space has been the subject of human observation for many centuries, and mankind has long sought the meaning of the universe. Space was so intriguing, even when technology didn't allow clear observation or exploration. The invention of the telescope, however, gave observers a new perspective. The work that Kepler, Galileo and many other scientists performed in the 17th century deepened our understanding of the universe. If only they could have seen how their efforts contributed to the project of visiting other planets...
	Image: Mascot-2 lander model This half-scale model of the Mascot-2 asteroid lander will be on display at next week's ILA Berlin Air Show.
	Mars Webcam goes pro A modest 'webcam' on Mars Express has proven useful for outreach, education and citizen-science. Now ESA have decided to adopt it as a professional science instrument.
	Image: NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft prepared for mission to an asteroid NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is revealed after its protective cover is removed inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 21, 2016. The spacecraft traveled from Lockheed Martin's facility near Denver, Colorado to Kennedy to begin processing for its upcoming launch, targeted for Sept. 8 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. After launch, OSIRIS-REx - which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer - has an approximately two-year cruise to reach the asteroid Bennu in 2018.
	Decoding light for clues about dark matter An international team of researchers is developing an instrument that will decode the light of the night sky to understand the nature of dark matter.
	The future of personal satellite technology is here – are we ready for it? Satellites used to be the exclusive playthings of rich governments and wealthy corporations. But increasingly, as space becomes more democratized, these sophisticated technologies are coming within reach of ordinary people. Just like drones before them, miniature satellites are beginning to fundamentally transform our conceptions of who gets to do what up above our heads.
	Image: Mars triptych This triptych brings together three excellent images of Mars acquired this month by two cameras in space and one in Australia.
	NASA releases 'Metabolomics: You Are What You Eat' video NASA's Human Research Program is releasing "Metabolomics: You Are What You Eat" video to highlight its Twins Study which uses omics to study Mark and Scott Kelly's metabolites. Omics is an evolving field integrating collections of measurements, biomolecules and sub-disciplines to provide a more complete picture of health. It includes the studies of DNA, RNA, proteins, your environment, microbiome and metabolites, to name a few. This is the sixth video in the omics miniseries of eight videos. The video provides a broad overview of ongoing Twins Study research on the International Space Station and the importance of the metabolome, the collection of an individual's metabolites.

Technology news

	Advanced Color ePaper indicates bright turn for low-power displays The display market just got a bright presentation option. Said the headline in Mashable: "The future of ultra-low-powered displays is finally in living color."
	Researchers look to bones and shells as blueprints for stronger, more durable concrete Researchers at MIT are seeking to redesign concrete—the most widely used human-made material in the world—by following nature's blueprints.
	Student examines the issue of over-trusting robotic systems If Hollywood is to be believed, there are two kinds of robots, the friendly and helpful BB-8s, and the sinister and deadly T-1000s. Few would suggest that "Star Wars: the Force Awakens" or "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" are scientifically accurate, but the two popular films beg the question, "Do humans place too much trust in robots?"
Force-feeling phone: Software lets mobile devices sense pressure What if you could dial 911 by squeezing your smartphone in a certain pattern in your palm? A different pattern might turn the music on or flip a page on the screen.
	Best new theme park rides: Virtual reality, interactivity You're flying alongside Superman, seeing the world as the Man of Steel views it, thanks to virtual reality headsets on a roller coaster at Six Flags New England.
Which free web apps for collaboration are the most user-friendly? The Internet is teeming with Web apps that help people work collaboratively and complete shared tasks online, often over long distances. But which ones are the most user-friendly?
Transparency reports make AI decision-making accountable Machine-learning algorithms increasingly make decisions about credit, medical diagnoses, personalized recommendations, advertising and job opportunities, among other things, but exactly how usually remains a mystery. Now, new measurement methods developed by Carnegie Mellon University researchers could provide important insights to this process.
Study dispels myth about millionaire migration in the US The view that the rich are highly mobile has gained much political traction in recent years and has become a central argument in debates about whether there should be "millionaire taxes" on top-income earners. But a new study dispels the common myth about the propensity of millionaires in the United States to move from high to low tax states.
The Latest: Solar-powered airplane lands in Pennsylvania The Latest on a solar-powered plane's flight from Ohio to Pennsylvania (all times local):
	Phones fuel great growth potential for US Internet gambling Internet gambling has tremendous growth potential in the United States as ever-greater percentages of the public use smartphones, participants in a major gambling conference said Wednesday.
	Google's late response to Amazon Echo suggests the future is voice control and virtual reality The recent Google I/O developer conference at which the company reveals its new products and directions brought with it several surprising announcements that mark significant changes for the way the company approaches its online business.
How to make a battery in 7 easy steps (w/ Video) From smartphones to electric cars to home energy storage devices, rechargeable batteries power our modern lives. But have you ever stopped to wonder what's inside these devices that allow us to send emojis, drive around town and so much more? If so, check out the Advanced Battery Facility.
Deep learning applied to drug discovery and repurposing In a recently accepted manuscript titled "Deep learning applications for predicting pharmacological properties of drugs and drug repurposing using transcriptomic data", scientists from Insilico Medicine, Inc located at the Emerging Technology Centers at Johns Hopkins University in collaboration with Datalytic Solutions and Mind Research Network presented a novel approach applying deep neural networks (DNNs) to predict pharmacologic properties of many drugs. In this study, scientists trained deep neural networks to predict the therapeutic use of a large number of drugs using gene expression data obtained from high-throughput experiments on human cell lines. Authors used a sophisticated approach of measuring the differential signaling pathway activation score for a large number of pathways to reduce the dimensionality of the data while retaining biological relevance and used these scores to train the deep neural networks.
	Japan regulates virtual currency after Bitcoin scandal Japan has passed a law regulating virtual currency, after the country found itself at the epicentre of a multi-million dollar embezzlement scandal following the spectacular collapse of the Tokyo-based MtGox Bitcoin exchange.
	Nuclear-free aspirations of Obama, Abe conflict with reality There is the soaring rhetoric. And then there's the messy reality.
	Facebook extends lead as news gateway: study Facebook has become an important news source for close to half of American adults, a study showed Thursday amid increased scrutiny over the social network's gateway role.
	Hang up: Dutch look at banning use of cellphones on bikes The Dutch government is considering banning the country's millions of cyclists from using their cellphones while riding, saying pedaling and phones are a dangerous mix.
	Microsoft-Facebook laying trans-Atlantic Internet line Microsoft and Facebook on Thursday announced they will work together to lay a high-speed Internet cable across the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.
Norway subjects viewers to 2-day stream of app terms of use A Norwegian consumers' group took inspiration from "slow television" to produce a marathon webcast of a team of readers going through the fine print of terms and conditions of downloadable apps.
EU lawmakers seek tougher limits on US data use European Union lawmakers want tougher limits set on the U.S. using information about EU citizens that's exchanged under a new trans-Atlantic data agreement.
	PS4 sales hit 40 million as Sony console dominates Sony Interactive Entertainment announced Thursday that PlayStation 4 sales hit 40 million units, being snapped up at a record-setting pace.
Philips set to rake in 750 mn euros in IPO windfall Dutch electronics giant Philips set a price of 20 euros per share Thursday, a day ahead of a highly anticipated IPO of its lighting arm, and said it was expecting to raise 750 million euros.
	Clinton email use broke federal rules: inspector's report Hillary Clinton and her team ignored clear guidance from the State Department that her email setup broke federal standards and could leave sensitive material vulnerable to hackers, a department audit has found. Her aides twice brushed aside concerns, in one case telling technical staff "the matter was not to be discussed further."
	Ephemeral messaging app Snapchat snaps up new funding Snapchat, the fast-growing application known for its disappearing messages, disclosed Thursday it has raised more than $1.8 billion in new funding.
	China's Lenovo posts $128 mn net loss last year Chinese technology giant Lenovo said Thursday it posted a net loss last year, as its smartphones struggle to keep apace with Apple and Android rivals and as the market for personal computers fizzles.
Introduction of building-specific heat distribution centers Introduction of building-specific heat distribution centres would bring improved efficiency, savings and lower emissions to Chinese district heating
Selfie wall makes viewer part of photo or outdoor advert A selfie wall implemented by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland seamlessly merges the viewer with content shown on screen, for example a historic photo or an advert. The user can share the on-screen image via social media. Content has been merged with images in real time before, but no solutions have been available to seamlessly and interactively merge images.
	Standard to improve sustainable manufacturing Anyone who's ever covered a wall with sticky notes to clearly map all of the steps in a process knows how valuable that exercise can be. It can streamline workflow, increase efficiency and improve the overall quality of the end result. Now, a public-private team led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has created a new international standard that can "map" the critically important environmental aspects of manufacturing processes, leading to significant improvements in sustainability while keeping a product's life cycle low cost and efficient.

Medicine & Health news

	First large-scale proteogenomic study of breast cancer provides insight into potential therapeutic targets Building on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, a multi-institutional team of scientists has completed the first large-scale "proteogenomic" study of breast cancer, linking DNA mutations to protein signaling and helping pinpoint the genes that drive cancer. Conducted by members of the National Cancer Institute's Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), including Baylor College of Medicine, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, New York University Langone Medical Center and Washington University School of Medicine, the study takes aim at proteins, the workhorses of the cell, and their modifications to better understand cancer. Appearing in Nature online May 25, the study illustrates the power of integrating genomic and proteomic data to yield a more complete picture of cancer biology than either analysis could do alone.
Memories can resist interference during new learning, study finds While acquiring new memories can enrich the human experience, they also can interfere with old ones and make them more likely to be forgotten—especially when a new event is highly similar to a past experience.
	Original Zika virus papers found, dating from 1940s to 1960s Handwritten original research documents relating to the first known identification of the Zika virus have been uncovered at the University of Glasgow's Archive.
	Psychology of strategic deception revealed by online poker Online poker offers new insights into the mind-set of scheming Machiavellians, researchers have found.
	Scientists uncover potential trigger to kill cancer Melbourne researchers have discovered a new way of triggering cell death, in a finding that could lead to drugs to treat cancer and autoimmune disease.
	Powering up the circadian rhythm At noon every day, levels of genes and proteins throughout your body are drastically different than they are at midnight. Disruptions to this 24-hour cycle of physiological activity are why jet lag or a bad night's sleep can alter your appetite and sleep patterns for days—and even contribute to conditions like heart disease, sleep disorders and cancers.
	Bright lighting encourages healthy food choices Dining in dimly lit restaurants has been linked to eating slowly and ultimately eating less than in brighter restaurants, but does lighting also impact how healthfully we order?
	Mimicking deep sleep brain activity improves memory It is not surprising that a good night's sleep improves our ability to remember what we learned during the day. Now, researchers at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan have discovered a brain circuit that governs how certain memories are consolidated in the brain during sleep. Published in the May 26 issue of Science magazine, the study shows how experimentally manipulating the identified neural connection during non-REM sleep (deep sleep) can prevent or enhance memory retention in mice.
	Difficult decisions involving perception increase activity in brain's insular cortex, study finds As the difficulty of making a decision based on sensory evidence increases, activity in the brain's insular cortex also increases, according to researchers at Georgia State University.
	New technique captures the activity of an entire brain in a snapshot When it comes to measuring brain activity, scientists have tools that can take a precise look at a small slice of the brain (less than one cubic millimeter), or a blurred look at a larger area. Now, researchers at Rockefeller University have described a new technique that combines the best of both worlds—it captures a detailed snapshot of global activity in the mouse brain.
	New malaria drugs kill by promoting premature parasite division Several new malaria drugs under development share a common feature: they promote an influx of sodium ions into Plasmodium parasites that have invaded red blood cells and multiply there. A study published on May 26th in PLOS Pathogens suggests that this increase in sodium concentration kills the parasite by changing the composition of its outer membrane (the skin equivalent) and promoting division of the parasite before its genome has been replicated.
Women cooking with biomass fuels more likely to have cataracts Women in India who cook using fuels such as wood, crop residues and dried dung instead of cleaner fuels are more likely to have visually impairing nuclear cataracts¹, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
	Prenatal fruit consumption boosts babies' cognitive development (Edmonton, AB) Most people have heard the old adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away." It's an old truth that encompasses more than just apples—eating fruit in general is well known to reduce risk for a wide variety of health conditions such as heart disease and stroke. But now a new study is showing the benefits of fruit can begin as early as in the womb.
Progranulin and dementia—a blood sample does not tell the full story! Progranulin is a central protein in both neuronal survival and neurodegenerative diseases. It is thus not surprising that altered progranulin levels represent a universal theme shared across several common neurodegenerative diseases. In Alzheimer's Disease, for instance, reduced brain levels of progranulin contribute to the specific amyloid disease pathology, while increased levels appear to protect against this pathology. In genetic forms of another type of dementia, namely frontotemporal dementia (FTD), progranulin levels can be reduced. As progranulin can be measured relatively easily in blood, it seemed that a promising new biomarker for types of dementia has now been found. In fact, treatments were proposed to increase progranulin levels, aiming to yield a therapeutic effect for many neurodegenerative diseases. It was suggested to take progranulin in blood as a measure of response for these future treatments.
	Study reveals protein that dials immune responses up and down Research led by scientists at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) has identified a new regulator of immune responses. The study, published recently in Immunity, sheds new light on why T cells fail to clear chronic infections and eliminate tumors. The findings open the door for a new approach to modulating T cell responses in many clinical settings, including infections, autoimmune diseases, and tumors that are unresponsive to currently available therapies.
Is symptom expression a form of communication? Symptoms of illness are not inevitably tied to an underlying disease —rather, many organisms, including humans, adapt their symptom expression to suit their needs. That's the finding of Arizona State University's Leonid Tiokhin, whose research appears in the Quarterly Review of Biology.
Multiple personality disorder may be rooted in traumatic experiences A new King's College London study supports the notion that multiple personality disorder is rooted in traumatic experiences such as neglect or abuse in childhood, rather than being related to suggestibility or proneness to fantasy.
	Boosting productivity at work may be simple: Stand up Most people have heard the argument that standing desks are good for the body. They can help burn more calories and fight obesity. Standing can even help improve students' attention and cognitive functioning. Now, new research from the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health indicates that they may boost productivity in adults as well.
	New Zealanders to pay $20 for cigarette pack under tax plan Smokers in New Zealand will pay $20 for a pack of cigarettes under the government's budget plan released Thursday. Polluting industries will also get hit with higher taxes.
Belize detects first Zika case in pregnant woman Belize's government said Wednesday it has detected the first case of Zika in a pregnant woman, bringing to two the number of people confirmed infected with the virus in the Central American country.
	Tiring the legs also tires the eyes – the remedy is caffeine A new study published in Nature Scientific Reports shows for the first time that our eyes may feel the strain of exercise.
	Major new report identifies child suicide risk factors Bereavement, bullying, exams and physical health conditions such as acne and asthma are some of the experiences linked to suicide in children and young people according to a new report by the University of Manchester's National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness (NCISH).
	Mice studies in space offer clues on bone loss Astronauts know their bodies will be tested during time spent on the International Space Station, from the 15 daily sunrises and sunsets wreaking havoc on their circadian rhythms to the lack of gravity that weakens bone density and muscle.
New study says children of poor immigrants can benefit when professionals recognize that mother knows best It can be a challenge for any mother in the United States to ensure her children get the best education and the best health care possible. It can be even more difficult when her English is limited and she feels inadequate for not understanding the system.
	Parasites could hold the key to halting MS Parasitic worms are typically something we're keen to avoid, but new research from UTS's ithree institute shows that controlled infection of parasites could be harnessed to prevent the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS).
	Improving patient care by bridging the divide between doctors and data scientists While wonderful new medical discoveries and innovations are in the news every day, doctors struggle daily with using information and techniques available right now while carefully adopting new concepts and treatments. As a practicing doctor, I deal with uncertainties and unanswered clinical questions all the time.
	End of the road for Lariam? The malaria drug soldiers claim increases psychosis. The British army has long used Lariam tablets as the anti-malarial drug of choice for soldiers deployed in certain areas where they may be at risk from mosquitoes. But a committee of MPs concluded that it should only be a "drug of last resort" after an investigation into reports of severe side effects including psychosis, depression and anxiety. Their findings, including that the drug should only be prescribed after face-to-face assessments – potentially pave the way for legal action from soldiers who claim to have suffered from use of the drug.
	From frozen ovaries to lab-grown babies: the future of childbirth It is almost 40 years since the first IVF baby, Louise Brown, was born. While this amazing breakthrough was highly controversial at the time, IVF is today commonplace. So how is conception and childbirth likely to change over the next 40 years and beyond?
Sporadic steroids may be as effective as daily dose for some preschoolers with wheezing Children aged 6 and under with intermittent wheezing triggered by colds may not need to take inhaled steroids on a daily basis to limit the flare-ups that can result in emergency treatment.
What happens when your drinking mate stops drinking? As the song goes, you might love to have a beer with Duncan – but what happens when Duncan, Carol, Kevin or Pam decide to give up drinking?
Investigational drugs show promise for treating overactive bladder In a recent study of patients with overactive bladder (OAB), a 30 mg extended release formulation of propiverine hydrochloride was at least as effective and safe as a 4 mg extended release formulation of tolterodine tartrate. Both medications are called antimuscarinic drugs that block certain cell receptors, but propiverine differs from other antimuscarinics because of a dual mode of action.
Researchers aiming at improved early diagnosis of arthrosis Arthrosis, a degenerative disease that affects the joints, becomes more common as people become older. The disease is becoming increasingly common among older people in Finland as well. Arthrosis is currently the subject of research in a number of projects funded by the Academy of Finland.
Helping stroke survivors back on their feet Small sensory devices could help to improve walking recovery during stroke rehabilitation in a bid to reduce social isolation.
	Migrant children are often their parents' translators – and it can lead to ill health An estimated 30% of Australians are born overseas while nearly 20% speak a language other than English at home. But our translation services grapple to meet the demand of those who don't have an adequate grasp of English, particularly recent migrants and refugees.
Differences in metabolism between androgen-dependent and castration resistant prostate cancer may lead to new therapies Advanced prostate cancer is usually treated by removing androgen, the male hormone that helps it grow. Although initially effective, this treatment often leads to the tumor becoming castration resistant- a lethal condition. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and University of Michigan, along with collaborators in other institutions, have determined that castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) has particular metabolic characteristics that may open new possibilities for treatment. The results appear in Nature Communications.
	The taste or smell of foods can affect aging, say scientists Animals can perceive changes in many environmental factors such as temperature and the taste or smell of foods. This is achieved by specialized nerve cells called sensory neurons. Interestingly, sensory neurons have been known to control the rate of aging in various animals, including the tiny free living roundworm C. elegans.
Pregnant women with Zika have up to 13 pct risk of microcephaly Pregnant women infected with the Zika virus during the first trimester have a risk of up to 13 percent that their infant will be born with the microcephaly birth defect, a new study says.
Free colonoscopy program for uninsured detects cancer at earlier stage and is cost neutral For uninsured patients who are at a high risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), performing free screening colonoscopies can identify cancer at an earlier stage and appears to be cost neutral from a hospital system perspective, according to study results published online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons ahead of print publication.
'Creative' stoners planted seed for safer medical marijuana Swiss scientists have taken a leaf from the pothead recipe book to brew an e-cigarette cannabis liquid for medical use they said Thursday is safer than a joint and better than a pill.
	Study identifies risk factors associated with eye abnormalities in infants with presumed Zika virus In a study published online by JAMA Ophthalmology, Rubens Belfort Jr., M.D., Ph.D., of the Federal University of Sao Paulo and Vision Institute, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and colleagues assessed and identified possible risk factors for ophthalmoscopic (an instrument used to visualize the back of the eye) findings in infants born with microcephaly (a birth defect characterized by an abnormally small head) and a presumed clinical diagnosis of Zika virus intrauterine infection.
	Using a model to estimate breast cancer risk in effort to improve prevention A model developed to estimate the absolute risk of breast cancer suggests that a 30-year-old white woman in the United States has an 11.3 percent risk, on average, of developing invasive breast cancer by the age of 80, according to a new study published online by JAMA Oncology.
	Cells engineered from muscular dystrophy patients offer clues to variations in symptoms Johns Hopkins researchers report they have inadvertently found a way to make human muscle cells bearing genetic mutations from people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Odor alternative: 'Olfactory necklace' detects scents in a way contrary to neurobiology dogma Mammals have an exquisitely tuned sensory system that tells them whether they are smelling an orange or a rose. Like keys on a piano keyboard, each component of an odor blend strikes only one chord of olfactory neuron activation. These chords are combined to form a melody that is "heard" in the brain as distinctly citrusy or sweet and flowery.
	Scientists discover mechanism that turns mutant cells into aggressive cancers Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have caught a cancer-causing mutation in the act.
Malnutrition results from more than just inadequate diet Malnourished children are most likely to die from common infections, not starvation alone, and immune disorder may be part of the cause, according to a review led by Queen Mary University of London.
	New discovery from the molecular machinery for depression and addiction When nerve cells have to communicate with each other in our brains, it involves release of small signal molecules, the so-called neurotransmitters, which act as chemical messengers in specific points of contact between nerve cells, called synapses. Here the released neurotransmitter is bound and registered by receptors at the surface of the receiving nerve cell. This will, in turn, trigger a signal which is sent on to other nerve cells. The circuits in the brain using the neurotransmitters noradrenaline, dopamine, GABA and serotonin are known to play an important role in mood, reward and mental well-being, and they also have a key role to in mental disorders such as addiction and depression.
Neurosurgeon studying if deep brain stimulation can help with bipolar disorder Jennifer Sweet, MD, a neurosurgeon at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, recently opened a clinical research study to learn if there is a structural target in the brain for patients suffering from bipolar disorder and whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) can bring them relief.
Mothers' parenting stress impacts both parents' sexual satisfaction First-time parents are only somewhat satisfied with their sex lives according to Penn State health researchers who checked in with parents regularly after their baby was born. And one factor that appears to be reducing their sexual satisfaction is mothers' stress as a new parent.
A new treatment room design model for future hospitals In the EVICURES project a design model for future intensive and intermediate care facilities was developed at Seinäjoki Central Hospital. The results of research conducted by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd on evidence-based design (EBD) and user-orientation were applied to the design work. The project will be realised when Finland's first single-patient intensive and intermediate care and cardiac unit designed in accordance with the model becomes operational in 2018.
Party on(line): The link between social media, alcohol use One of the undeniable powers of social media is its ability to influence people and their behaviors. This is especially true, a Michigan State University study finds, when it comes to alcohol use.
Genes that increase children's risk of blood infection identified A team led by Oxford University has identified genes that make certain children more susceptible to invasive bacterial infections by performing a large genome-wide association study in African children.
	Science commentary explores ways to pay for success in gene therapy As a new generation of gene therapy clinical trials shows promise to cure or halt the progression of several rare diseases, the time has come to explore ways to pay for the cutting edge treatments, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center argues in a commentary published today by the journal Science.
The brain needs cleaning to stay healthy Research led by the Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), and the Ikerbasque Foundation has revealed the mechanisms that keep the brain clean during neurodegenerative diseases.
For millions on long-term opioid medications, change will be a challenge A team of researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System recently surveyed patients to understand barriers to reducing the use of opioids to manage chronic pain. The results of those interviews are published in the current issue of the journal Pain Medicine.
	Surrogate endpoints poor proxy for survival in cancer drug approval process Surrogate endpoints used to support the majority of new cancer drugs approved in the U.S. often lack formal study, according to the authors of a study published in the June issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. This analysis questions whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is adhering to standards that demand that surrogates be "reasonably likely to predict" or "established" to be used to grant approvals.
	New 3-D hydrogel biochips prove to be superior in detecting bowel cancer at early stages Researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology (EIMB RAS), the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry (IBCh) and a number of other Russian research centers have developed a new method of diagnosing colorectal cancer. The results of the study have been published in Cancer Medicine.
Making or breaking habits: The endocannabinoids can do it In our daily lives we constantly have to shift between habitual and goal-directed actions. For example, having to drive to a new place instead of driving home. Difficulties with stopping habits and shifting to goal-directed control underlie a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction. How does the brain control this fundamental process?
	Exploring the rise and fall of alcohol-related mortality in Scotland New research has found that the rise in alcohol-related mortality during the 1990s and early 2000s in Scotland, and the subsequent decline, were likely to be explained in part by increasing then decreasing alcohol affordability. The research was undertaken to understand better what the independent impact of the Scottish Government's alcohol strategy was. Other factors aside from the strategy and the affordability of alcohol were also considered including migration, historical social, economic and political change, the alcohol market, social norms, and health services.
Researchers shine light on common heart complication after lung transplantation Cardiac arrhythmia is a common complication following lung transplantation, and one that has a significant negative impact on long-term patient survival, reports a team of UPMC researchers in the largest study of its kind to date. The results, published online this week in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, provide critical information that will hopefully lead to better care of transplant recipients.
	In brain-injured patients, a way to measure awareness or its impending return The precise diagnosis and prognosis of recovery of consciousness of patients after a severe brain injury is a challenging clinical task, as some brain-injured patients retain certain levels of awareness despite appearing fully unresponsive. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 26 have evidence that readily obtainable measures of the amount of glucose (sugar) consumed by the brain can directly predict a person's current level of awareness, or the likelihood that they will recover awareness within a year.
	Metagenomics pathogen detection tool could change how infectious diseases are diagnosed Scientists at the University of Utah, ARUP Laboratories, and IDbyDNA, Inc., have developed ultra-fast, meta-genomics analysis software called Taxonomer that dramatically improves the accuracy and speed of pathogen detection. In a paper published today in Genome Biology, the collaborators demonstrated the ability of Taxonomer to analyze the sequences of all nucleic acids in a clinical specimen (DNA and RNA) and to detect pathogens, as well as profile the patient's gene expression, in a matter of minutes.
	How prions kill neurons: New culture system shows early toxicity to dendritic spines Prion diseases are fatal and incurable neurodegenerative conditions of humans and animals. Yet, how prions kill nerve cells (or neurons) remains unclear. A study published on May 26, 2016 in PLOS Pathogens describes a system in which to study the early assault by prions on brain cells of the infected host.
Potential impact of a dengue vaccine in the Yucatan While no dengue vaccine has yet been approved for general use, several candidates are in clinical development. Data from the clinical trials can be used in mathematical models to estimate the benefits and risks and of different vaccination strategies. A study published in PLOS NTDs suggests that even a moderately efficient dengue vaccine—if it induces long-lasting immunity—can substantially reduce disease burden. However, if immunity wanes over time, vaccination could cause years with higher numbers of sick people, unless the initial vaccination is followed by regular boosters.
The developmental origins of cultural learning A new special section of the journal Child Development features studies that explore the ways children learn about their cultures, examining the strategies through which children begin to understand and adopt the practices, beliefs, and values of their societies. This research investigates how, in an increasingly diverse global community, specific skills and behaviors are transmitted across generations.
Fasting-like diet reduces multiple sclerosis symptoms Evidence is mounting that a diet mimicking the effects of fasting has health benefits beyond weight loss, with a new USC-led study indicating that it may reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
First discovery in United States of colistin resistance in a human E. coli infection The Multidrug Resistant Organism Repository and Surveillance Network (MRSN) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) characterized a transferrable gene for colistin resistance in the United States that may herald the emergence of truly pan-drug resistant bacteria.
Brain scans reveal hidden consciousness in patients A standard brain scanning technique is showing promise for helping doctors distinguish between patients in a vegetative state and those with hidden signs of consciousness.
	1.2 million U.S. college students boozing on average day (HealthDay)—When they're not hitting the books, many U.S. college students are hitting the bars or getting high, a new government report shows.
	Paper outlines image-guided radiation recommendations (HealthDay)—The Faculty of Radiation Oncology in Australia and New Zealand has issued recommendations for the use of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). The position paper was published online April 27 in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology.
	Mental disorders were most costly in U.S. in 2013 (HealthDay)—Mental disorders were the most costly conditions in the United States in 2013, with a cost of $201 billion, according to a study published in the May issue of Health Affairs.
	Prenatal n-3 LCPUFAs don't cut IgE-linked disease in children (HealthDay)—Prenatal supplementation with omega-3 (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) does not reduce immunoglobulin E (IgE)-associated allergic disease in children, according to a study published online May 25 in Pediatrics.
	Prolactin receptor signaling linked to expansion of β-cells (HealthDay)—Prolactin receptor (PRLR) signaling plays a role in expansion of maternal β-cells during pregnancy, according to a study published online May 23 in Diabetes.
	New findings offer hope for those with severe hemophilia (HealthDay)—Two new studies could pave the way to major changes in how severe cases of hemophilia are treated. Both studies were published in the May 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Genetic analysis offers options for some developmental delay (HealthDay)—Genetic analysis can improve diagnosis and management of intellectual developmental disorder and unexplained metabolic abnormalities, according to research published online May 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
FDA approves first drug-oozing implant to control addiction Federal health officials on Thursday approved an innovative new option for Americans struggling with addiction to heroin and painkillers: a drug-oozing implant that curbs craving and withdrawal symptoms for six months at a time.
	Researchers determine 3-D atomic structure of cholesterol transporter Using X-ray crystallography, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have determined the 3-D atomic structure of a human sterol transporter that helps maintain cholesterol balance.
Can we extend healthspan by altering the perception of food? Researchers at the Buck Institute have shown a new effect on aging via a small drug-like molecule that alters the perception of food in the nematode C. elegans. Publishing in Aging Cell, researchers "tricked" the worm's metabolism into a state of caloric restriction, extending the animal's lifespan by 50 percent. The study provides a new avenue of inquiry for researchers around the world who are attempting to develop human drugs that mimic the positive effects of a Spartan diet. Caloric restriction has shown to extend life-and-healthspan in simple animals and mice.
Coping with active surveillance anxiety in prostate cancer Men with prostate cancer who are under close medical surveillance reported significantly greater resilience and less anxiety over time after receiving an intervention of mindfulness meditation, according to a recently published pilot study from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
	Why everyone wants to help the sick—but not the unemployed New research from Aarhus BSS at Aarhus University explains why healthcare costs are running out of control, while costs to unemployment protection are kept in line. The answer is found deep in our psychology, where powerful intuitions lead us to view illness as the result of bad luck and worthy of help.
A diet to help prevent serious eye illness Want a diet that might help your eyes? Think green.
Fatigue and fracture of wires and cables for biomedical applications Gbur and Lewandowski, of Case Western Reserve University, have published an extensive review of the fatigue and fracture behavior of wire-based systems used in biomedical applications in International Materials Reviews.
	Nurses can apply science of caring to combat compassion fatigue The heart of healthcare is stressed. With longer shifts, staffing shortages and healthcare changes taxing our nurses, it's no surprise that up to 80 percent report suffering compassion fatigue at some point in their careers, according to recent studies.
	Philips launches new handheld blood test for rapid point-of-care diagnosis of heart attack Royal Philips today announced the launch of a new handheld blood test, the Minicare I-20 system, for rapid diagnosis of a heart attack at the point of care. The new test is being introduced in selected countries in Europe including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, with introduction in other European countries following in due course. As a result, patients with chest pain presenting at the emergency department are set to benefit from this major innovation, which Philips has recently CE marked for compliance with the European in vitro diagnostic medical devices directive. The handheld Minicare I-20 system measures the level of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), a protein that is excreted by the heart muscle into the blood following a heart attack. It delivers test results, comparable with those obtained by laboratory testing, in less than 10 minutes near the patient, reducing the time for a physician to decide on the appropriate treatment pathway.
Does AAV-based gene delivery cause liver cancer? The debate heats up Liver cancer can be triggered by mutations in cancer driver genes resulting from the insertion of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors used to deliver therapeutic genes, although this tumor-inducing role of AAV remains highly controversial. Recently published evidence of AAV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma was previously re-examined in Human Gene Therapy, and a new article in the Journal strongly challenges the re-interpreted data.
Study: Unmet surgical needs high for world's 60 million refugees New research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests that the world's estimated 60 million refugees, displaced from their homes due to conflict, persecution or human rights violations, may need at least 2.78 million surgeries a year, something thought to be very difficult to arrange in the midst of their upheaval.
	CDC urges speed on Zika as House moves to negotiate funding The U.S. must act more quickly to protect pregnant women from birth defect-causing Zika, a top health official said Thursday even as the House left town for its Memorial Day recess with no visible progress toward a congressional compromise on emergency funding to battle the virus.
Gut bacteria may contribute to poor health in patients with kidney disease Highlights

Biology news

	New super-resolution technique visualizes important role of short-lived enzyme clusters Gene transcription is the process by which DNA is copied and synthesized as messenger RNA (mRNA)—which delivers its genetic blueprints to the cell's protein-making machinery.
	Bacterial diversity in soils was shaped by ice ages From a pharmaceutical perspective, few microbes have been as valuable as Streptyomyces: This genus of bacteria is the source of 80 percent of antibiotics in use today. A new study of its distribution in North American soils shows a gradient of diversity that corresponds with latitude and points to the South and Wisconsin as distinctive hotspots.
	Insight into bacterial cell division could lead to advancements in the fight against harmful bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) are bacteria that live all around and inside of us. Most E. coli are harmless, but some strains can cause illness, and can even, in extreme cases, be deadly. With recent outbreaks of E. coli around the world, there is a fear of acquiring an infection from these bacteria. An important component of fighting these kinds of bad bacteria is a better understanding of how bacteria divide and multiply. In each bacterium, a large protein complex – called the divisome – governs cell division. The divisome assembles in the middle of the cell to divide the cell and later disassembles to recycle the proteins.
	Cuing environmental responses in fungi Fungi can sense environmental signals and react accordingly, changing their development, direction of growth, and metabolism. Sensory perception lies at the heart of adaptation to changing conditions, and helps fungi to improve growth and recycle organic waste, and to know when and how to infect a plant or animal host. New results based on characterizing and then conducting a comparative analysis of two genome sequences published online May 26, 2016 in the journal Current Biology shed new light on the evolution of sensory perception in fungi.
Scientists discover missing link in plant nitrogen fixation process Scientists at the John Innes Centre have discovered an important component in the process of nitrogen fixation in plants. They have identified a key protein that facilitates the movement of calcium in plant cells. This movement of calcium signals to the plant that nitrogen-fixing bacteria are close by and triggers the development of nodules on its roots to house these bacteria.
	A critical inheritance from dad ensures healthy embryos An important feature for life is what embryos receive from mom and dad upon fertilization. Oddly enough, centrioles, the structures responsible for cell division and flagella movement, are given by the paternal gamete. How oocytes, the maternal gametes, lose centrioles and the importance of doing so for female fertility has been an enigma since the 1930s. A team led by Mónica Bettencourt-Dias at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC; Portugal) have cracked this mystery, shedding light upon a critical mechanism whose deregulation leads to infertility, and that is important for the working of other cell types.
	Slime mold reveals clues to immune cells' directional abilities How white blood cells in our immune systems home in on and engulf bacterial invaders—like humans following the scent of oven-fresh pizza—has long been a mystery to scientists.
	Beating the limits of the light microscope, one photon at a time The world's most advanced light microscopes allow us to see single molecules, proteins, viruses and other very small biological structures. But even the best microscopes have their limits.
	Ecosystems with many and similar species can handle tougher environmental disturbances How sensitive an ecosystem is to unforeseen environmental stress can be determined, according to Daniel Bruno, previous visiting researcher at Umeå University. The approach is to study how many species there are in an ecosystem and what proportion of these can replace species that are hard hit by environmental disturbances. Thanks to this new knowledge, we can predict how various ecosystems react to environmental disturbances, which is necessary to maintain these systems in a sustainable way.
Long missing frog, turtle species making return to Yosemite A type of frog made famous by Mark Twain will soon be hopping and swimming through California's Yosemite National Park after a decades-long absence, officials said Wednesday.
'Phage' fishing yields new weapon against antibiotic resistance Yale researchers were fishing for a new weapon against antibiotic resistance and found one floating in a Connecticut pond, they report May 26 in the journal Scientific Reports.
	Conservation drone reveals uncharted seagrass habitat in Cambodia A newly acquired drone has helped Fauna & Flora International discover important seagrass habitat in Cambodia's Koh Rong Archipelago.
	Targeting metals to fight pathogenic bacteria Researchers at the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS) at Umeå University in Sweden participated in the discovery of a unique system of acquisition of essential metals in the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. This research was led by scientists at the CEA in France, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pau, the INRA and the CNRS. It represents a new potential target for the design of antibiotics. These results are being published in the journal Science on Friday 27 May.
	Harbour porpoises are skilled hunters and eat almost constantly Harbour porpoises have sometimes been described as "living in the fast lane." Being smaller than other cetaceans and living in cold northern waters means that the porpoises require a lot of energy to survive, making them prone to starvation. Now researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 26 have monitored harbour porpoises in the wild with tiny computers attached to them by suction cups show that the animals hunt and eat almost constantly.
Bird flu reappears in Cameroon, killing thousands of birds Cameroon's government says that the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus has reappeared in Cameroon after an 8-year absence.
Nebraska pig supplier promises to investigate alleged abuses A national pork supplier promised Thursday to investigate abuse allegations at one of its Nebraska facilities after an animal rights group released an undercover video showing pigs with open wounds and other health problems.

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