Science X Newsletter Tuesday, May 10

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 10, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Geometric heat engine simultaneously maximizes both power and efficiency

Astronomers discover two new giant lithium-rich stars in an old open cluster

Ultra-fast X-ray lasers illuminate elusive atomic spins

1,284 new planets: Kepler mission announces largest collection ever discovered

Intraocular therapy prevents or reverses diabetic retinopathy in mice

Do probiotics have an effect on healthy adults? It's too early to tell

Hyperloop super-fast rail to hit milestone

Mercury rising: planet completes rare transit of Sun

Semipermeable membrane plays role in drug-sniffing system

Mouse model of autism offers insights to human patients, potential drug targets

New research gives deeper understanding of why some breast cancers are hard to treat

Scientists brew jet fuel in one-pot recipe

Engineers discover good and bad seawater salt effects on coastal algae

Withdrawn children display predictable brain activity during social interactions

Scientists cite evidence that mosasaurs were warm-blooded

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers discover two new giant lithium-rich stars in an old open cluster (Phys.org)—An international team of astronomers, led by Rodolfo Smiljanic of the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center in Toruń, Poland, has detected two new giant lithium-abundant stars in an old open cluster named Trumpler 20. The discovery could yield new important information regarding the phenomenon of omnipresence of lithium-rich stars in different environments throughout the universe. The results were published online on May 6 in the arXiv journal.
	1,284 new planets: Kepler mission announces largest collection ever discovered NASA's Kepler mission has verified 1,284 new planets – the single largest finding of planets to date.
	Mercury rising: planet completes rare transit of Sun Astronomers celebrated Monday witnessing one of the highlights of the skywatchers' year, when the Sun, Mercury and Earth all lined up—a phenomenon that happens just a dozen or so times per century.
	These space rocks could save the planet The box was inconspicuous, but Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) postdoctoral researcher Megan Bruck Syal immediately knew its contents: two meteorites around the size of walnuts. They formed about 4.6 billion years ago and survived a history of violent collisions in the asteroid belt before being bumped into a near-Earth-object orbit by gravitational interactions with the planets.
	Swept up in the solar wind From our vantage point on the ground, the sun seems like a still ball of light, but in reality, it teems with activity. Eruptions called solar flares and coronal mass ejections explode in the sun's hot atmosphere, the corona, sending light and high energy particles out into space. The corona is also constantly releasing a stream of charged particles known as the solar wind.
	Will Earth survive when the sun becomes a red giant? Since the beginning of human history, people have understood that the sun is a central part of life as we know it. It's importance to countless mythological and cosmological systems across the globe is a testament to this. But as our understand of it matured, we came to learn that the sun was here long before us, and will be here long after we're gone. Having formed roughly 4.6 bullion years ago, our sun began its life roughly 40 million years before our Earth had formed.
	NASA image: Mercury solar transit The planet Mercury is seen in silhouette, lower third of image, as it transits across the face of the sun Monday, May 9, 2016, as viewed from Boyertown, Pennsylvania.
	Recovered SpaceX Falcon 9 booster headed back to port The SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage booster that successfully launched a Japanese satellite to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) just 3 days ago and then nailed a safe middle of the night touchdown on a drone ship at sea minutes minutes later, is headed back to port and may arrive overnight or soon thereafter.

Technology news

	Hyperloop super-fast rail to hit milestone Elon Musk's vision of a Hyperloop transport system that carries passengers in pressurized tubes at near-supersonic speeds is on track to hit a milestone on Tuesday.
	Semipermeable membrane plays role in drug-sniffing system A drug -sniffing car kitted out with advanced sensors that can pick up suspicious chemicals has made the news rounds this month; it can smell drugs a quarter of a mile away, said Discovery News.
	Big thinking in small pieces: Computer guides humans in crowdsourced research Getting a bunch of people to collectively research and write a coherent report without any one person seeing the big picture may seem akin to a group of toddlers producing Hamlet by randomly pecking at typewriters. But Carnegie Mellon University researchers have shown it actually works pretty well—if a computer guides the process.
	Google News shines spotlight on local coverage Google began Monday shining a spotlight on local reporting mixed in with the deluge of stories at its free online news aggregation website.
	Softbank's quarterly profit drops 49 percent on Sprint woes Japanese Internet company SoftBank Group Corp., which is struggling to turn around Sprint in the U.S., reported Tuesday a 49 percent plunge in profit for the January-March quarter to 45.2 billion yen ($415 million), compared to the same period the previous year.
Nokia sees drop in Q1 earnings, gives cautious outlook (Update) Nokia reported Tuesday a first-quarter net loss of 513 million euros ($584 million) due to lower demand in mobile networks and a drop in overall revenue despite its acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent. It warned of a further decline in earnings, causing the shares to plunge 7 percent.
	'CardBoardiZer' allows users to create robotic models in minutes A new computerized system allows novice designers to convert static three-dimensional objects into moving robotic versions made out of materials including cardboard, wood and sheet metal.
	NASA, FAA demonstrate wireless communication with aircraft For the first time ever, a team of engineers at NASA's Glenn Research Center conveyed aviation data—including route options and weather information—to an airplane over a wireless communication system for aircraft on the ground.
	Wood buildings proposed for sustainable Detroit development There's a crate in Venice, Italy, that contains a vision of the future for a city that needs one.
	3D printed frog skeletons for classrooms Scientists from Massey University have developed a simple 3D scanning and printing method that will help students learn anatomy.
	Blockchain is useful for a lot more than just Bitcoin Blockchain technology is not just useful for creating digital currencies such as Bitcoin or developing new financial technologies.
	Simplifying the complex design of 3-D printed jewelry Do-it-yourself jewelry design can bring to mind visions of failed pony bead necklaces or braided friendship bracelets. So when it comes to fashionable jewelry, is it better to leave the design to the professionals? Ask Carnegie Mellon University's Professor of Mechanical Engineering Kenji Shimada, and the answer will certainly be "not anymore." Shimada's group has put the power of sophisticated jewelry design directly into the hands of the consumer with a tool that can be used to easily design and customize patterns on 3-D printed jewelry.
	Argonne rolls out new version of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles analysis tool A rising number of options for alternative fuels, such as natural gas, and advanced vehicles, like electric vehicles, are offering consumers more ways to shrink their environmental "tire tracks," so to speak. Despite the potential benefits, being one of the first businesses or individuals to embrace a new product or technology can be daunting. That's why the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory this week is releasing an updated version of its AFLEET tool to reflect the latest advances in alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies and updated emissions data.
Winter is coming—new sensors could cut millions from gritting costs 'Winter is Coming', the motto of the House of Stark, from the hit TV series Game of Thrones, warns of the inevitable onset of bad weather and bad times, and implies the need to prepare.
	Why we need to tackle the growing mountain of 'digital waste' We are very aware of waste in our lives today, from the culture of recycling to the email signatures that urge us not to print them off. But as more and more aspects of life become reliant on digital technology, have we stopped to consider the new potential avenues of waste that are being generated? It's not just about the energy and resources used by our devices – the services we run over the cloud can generate "digital waste" of their own.
FBI suspects insiders in $81 mn Bangladesh central bank theft: report The US Federal Bureau of Investigation suspects the computer hacking theft of $81 million from Bangladesh's central bank was in part an inside job, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
As bioenergy booms, certification schemes must consider food security As countries around the world look for ways to reduce their use of fossil fuels, the growing demand for bioenergy runs the risk of threatening the global food supply. Researchers reporting in Biomass and Bioenergy have developed a certification scheme for biomass resources designed to incorporate food security, to help ensure people in affected regions of the world can continue to put food on their tables.
Phones at the dinner table: Study explores attitudes Checking email for work. Posting a photo to Facebook. Texting the kids to come downstairs. Sending a quick snap to a friend. People of all ages might use their smartphones in these ways during shared meals.
	Amazon takes on YouTube with similar video service Amazon challenged YouTube Tuesday by adding a platform to its video service that lets "storytellers and creators" share works online and generate revenue.
	Facebook denies anti-conservative bias, censorship Facebook on Tuesday denied allegations from a former news curator that it scrubs its site of articles by and about political conservatives.
	Fujitsu develops AI technology to quickly solve urban security positioning problems Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Electro-Communications today announced the development of a high-speed algorithm that uses mathematical game theory as an artificial intelligence technology to aid in the development of security planning. This will work to solve city-scale road network security problems, such as where best to position checkpoints when trying to catch a criminal. For security measures at locations where people gather, it is often not possible to completely seal off all intrusion or escape routes with limited security resources, so it is necessary to effectively deploy security personnel and to minimize anticipated damage.
	Fujitsu develops high-accuracy fuel efficiency estimates through a ship's operational data Fujitsu Laboratories today announced the development of technology that uses analysis of ship-related big data to estimate fuel efficiency, speed and other performance in actual sea conditions, to a highly accurate margin of error of less than 5%. This newly developed technology puts to work Fujitsu Laboratories' propriety high-dimensional statistical analysis technology to estimate the performance of ships actually at sea.
UK court says police can't make hacker hand over passwords A judge has rejected an attempt by Britain's security services to force an alleged hacker to hand over the passwords to his encrypted computers.
	Space technology comes down to earth in new agricultural device Space technology is to be put to work on Earth - in a device for testing soil quality, in research involving the University of Strathclyde.

Medicine & Health news

	Intraocular therapy prevents or reverses diabetic retinopathy in mice Pathologic changes of the retina caused by diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in working adults. Diabetic retinopathy has no known cure, treatment options are inadequate, and prevention strategies offer limited protection. In the first of its kind, a report in The American Journal of Pathology describes a potential new intraocular treatment based on manipulating the renin angiotensin system (RAS) that both prevents and reverses some characteristics of diabetic retinopathy in a mouse model.
Do probiotics have an effect on healthy adults? It's too early to tell There is little evidence to support any consistent effect of probiotics on the gut microbiota of healthy individuals, according to a systematic review published in the open access journal Genome Medicine. The World Health Organization defines probiotics as live microorganisms which confer a health benefit to the host if administered in adequate amounts and probiotics products are often marketed toward the general population. However, evidence for their effects on bacteria living in the guts of healthy adults remains elusive.
	Mouse model of autism offers insights to human patients, potential drug targets A new mouse model of a genetically-linked type of autism reveals more about the role of genes in the disorder and the underlying brain changes associated with autism's social and learning problems.
	New research gives deeper understanding of why some breast cancers are hard to treat Scientists have unearthed crucial new genetic information about how breast cancer develops and the genetic changes which can be linked to survival, according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in Nature Communications today (Tuesday).
	Withdrawn children display predictable brain activity during social interactions A study using functional-MRI brain scanning reveals certain areas of the brain have higher activity in children who are socially withdrawn or reticent compared to children who are not withdrawn. Led by Stony Brook University psychologist Johanna M. Jarcho, PhD, the study involved fMRI of the children while they experienced a "cartoon classroom" that featured themselves as the new student in the school involved in various social interactions. The findings, published online first in Psychological Science , provide a better understanding of the brain activity of socially withdrawn children and could help form a foundation to teach children how to think differently about social interactions and thus prevent further socially withdrawn behavior or social anxiety.
	Researchers discover method to change emotionally charged memory patterns Imagine if memory could be tuned in such a way where good memories are enhanced for those suffering from dementia or bad memories are wiped away for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder. A Stony Brook University research team has taken a step toward the possibility of tuning the strength of memory by manipulating one of the brain's natural mechanisms for signaling involved in memory, a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Their findings are published in the journal Neuron.
	When you take acetaminophen, you don't feel others' pain as much When you take acetaminophen to reduce your pain, you may also be decreasing your empathy for both the physical and social aches that other people experience, a new study suggests.
	New breakthrough in understanding the 'neglected senses' Scientists investigating the little-understood senses of touch and movement have made a breakthrough that could eventually benefit people with movement disorders, spinal injuries, high blood pressure and even improve the design of robotics and prosthetics.
	Researchers use light to control human heart cells and expedite development of new drugs A team of researchers at the George Washington University has developed a faster method to predict whether potential new drugs will cause heart arrhythmias using optogenetics, a technique that uses light to control cells. While optogenetics has been used in neuroscience for a decade, this technique is relatively new in cardiac research.
	Research discovers mechanism that causes cancer cells to escape from the immune system Under normal circumstances, the immune system recognizes and successfully fights cancer cells, eliminating them as they develop. However, sometimes the process breaks down and tumors form, and now we know why. Researchers at the Texas A&M Health Science Center found that when cancer cells are able to block the function of a gene called NLRC5, they are able to evade the immune system and proliferate, according to research published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
	A personalized virtual heart predicts the risk of sudden cardiac death When electrical waves in the heart run amok in a condition called arrhythmia, sudden death can occur. To save the life of a patient at risk, doctors currently implant a small defibrillator to sense the onset of arrhythmia and jolt the heart back to a normal rhythm. But a thorny question remains: How should doctors decide which patients truly need an invasive, costly electrical implant that is not without health risks of its own?
	Early life stress accelerates maturation of key brain region in male mice Intuition is all one needs to understand that stress in early childhood can create lifelong psychological troubles, but scientists have only begun to explain how those emerge in the brain. They have observed, for example, that stress incurred early in life attenuates neural growth. Now a study in male mice exposed to stress shows that a particular region, the hippocampus, hits many developmental milestones early—essentially maturing faster in response to stress.
	Research indicates the brain's frontal cortex controls vision; it leaves out things in plain sight A sportscaster lunges forward. "Interception! Drew Brees threw the ball right into the opposing linebacker's hands! Like he didn't even see him!"
	Genetic variations that boost PKC enzyme contribute to Alzheimer's disease In Alzheimer's disease, plaques of amyloid beta protein accumulate in the brain, damaging connections between neurons. Now, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School have found that the enzyme Protein Kinase C (PKC) alpha is necessary for amyloid beta to damage neuronal connections. They also identified genetic variations that enhance PKC alpha activity in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
	Study finds that yoga and meditation can help minimize cognitive impairment Inner peace and a flexible body may not be the most valuable benefits that yoga and meditation have to offer, suggests new research by a UCLA-led team of neuroscientists.
	Junk food causes similar high blood sugar levels as type 2 diabetes A junk food diet can cause as much damage to the kidney as diabetes, according to a study published in Experimental Physiology.
	Influential factors of the social divide in child obesity rates Researchers from the University of Liverpool have identified important early life factors that contribute to childhood obesity rates being different for children from different socio-economic backgrounds.
	Raising a child with autism Humans are resilient, even facing the toughest of life's challenges. How individuals and families deal with demanding and emotionally charged circumstances plays a large role in how they view and face the world and the possible outcomes of a difficult situation. There's no exception for the challenging Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and how families adjust and cope with the reported stress of raising a child with autism.
	Gamma-retroviruses preferentially integrate near cancer-associated genes Identifying the sites where gamma-retroviruses commonly insert into the genome may help to identify genes associated with specific cancer types, according to a study published April 20, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Kathryn Gilroy at the University of Glasgow, UK, and colleagues.
	Modeling and simulation help optimize chemotherapy to combat brain tumor St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have used sophisticated pharmacologic modeling and simulation to translate preclinical findings into a successful phase I clinical trial of a chemotherapy agent for treatment of ependymoma. The research marked the first time the approach has been used to calculate drug doses for a clinical trial in pediatric brain tumor patients.
Gauloises maker appeals French plain package law Seita, the French subsidiary of Britain's Imperial Tobacco and the maker of the iconic Gauloises and Gitanes cigarettes, said Tuesday it would appeal to France's top court against regulations imposing plain packaging.
Adolescent health neglected worldwide: report Decades of neglect and underinvestment have damaged the health of 10-to-24-year olds worldwide and could hold back future generations, according to a major report published Tuesday.
70-year-old Indian woman gives birth to first baby An Indian woman who gave birth at the age of 70 said Tuesday she was not too old to become a first-time mother, adding that her life was now complete.
	Eliminating HIV is possible; researchers explain how Worldwide, about 35 million people are living with HIV. The World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS plan to use an approach called "treatment as prevention" to eliminate the global pandemic, which the WHO says will have occurred when only one person out of 1,000 becomes infected each year.
Discovery of lung cancer mutations responsive to targeted therapies and to immunotherapies Researchers from several major U.S. universities and ITMO University in Russia have identified a number of new driver mutations in lung cancer cells that may be responsive to genomically targeted therapies and to immunotherapy.
	Blood glucose monitor could benefit millions of diabetics Professor Adrian Porch and his research team at the School of Engineering are developing a device which they believe could help millions of people with diabetes.
	Study seeks women's insights on what works best for uterine fibroids A new registry that launches this month gives women who have uterine fibroids the opportunity to help determine which strategies are most effective in treating the common condition.
	Gene mutations shown to cause form of HSP Scientists at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (MNI) have identified novel gene mutations that cause hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), a step forward in efforts to treat this debilitating disease.
Genome study offers new hope for children with rare diseases An international team involving University of Queensland researchers has used advanced genome sequencing to diagnose 30 patients with unresolved rare diseases.
	Young people turning away from pot Significant decreases in cannabis use by young Australians have been tempered by a warning about challenges to physical and psychological health.
	Failures in heart attack care? A new study has found that thousands of deaths could have been avoided if heart attack aftercare guidelines outlining when to give treatment were followed.
	Monash researchers bringing hope to lupus patients Researchers at Monash University are leading the world's largest study to describe lupus patients and disease characteristics, bringing treat-to-target options for lupus a step closer.
Loss of chromosome 8p governs tumor suppression and drug response In a typical cancer cell, up to one-quarter of the genome is lost due to large chromosomal deletions, while the concomitant loss of hundreds of genes creates vulnerabilities that are impossible to reveal through the study of individual genes. Prof. Anna Sablina and her team at VIB/KU Leuven optimized a workflow for the generation of cell lines with targeted chromosomal deletions.
Antidepressants do not prevent suicides and may even increase the risk of attempts A new analysis published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics discloses important findings as to the role of antidepressant drugs in preventing suicide.
Mindfulness may help more if no antidepressants are used An investigation published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics indicates that mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is most helpful when antidepressant drugs are not used.
	How depression develops A novel study published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics discloses how depression may develop.
	Student-made device monitors oxygen level in fetus Rice University students have created a prototype of a device to monitor the pulse and oxygen levels of a fetus undergoing endoscopic fetal surgery in a mother's womb.
	Using smartphones to reduce pre-sleep threat vigilance that contributes to insomnia An investigation published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics indicates how the smartphone may have a potential in the treatment of insomnia.
	Recurrence of thymic tumors caused by heat-shock proteins In most cases, tumors of the thymus gland are removed by surgical resection. However, they recur after a few years in up to one third of patients. A research team headed up by thoracic surgeon Bernhard Moser of the Thoracic Surgery Department at MedUni Vienna has successfully demonstrated that these tumors form heat-shock proteins. The lower the concentration of these proteins, the more quickly tumors recur. The study has been published in the leading journal Scientific Reports.
	Are our smartphones afflicting us all with symptoms of ADHD? When was the last time you opened your laptop midconversation or brought your desktop computer to the dinner table? Ridiculous, right? But if you are like a large number of Americans, you have done both with your smartphone.
	Major global study identifies a safer treatment of acute stroke The safety of a controversial clot-busting drug has been investigated by researchers, who have shown a modified dosage can reduce serious bleeding in the brain and improve survival rates.
	Prevention better than fecal transplants Most people would think nothing of sharing a bed, knife or fork with their spouse, but would you ever share poo?
	Researchers find potential breakthrough in binge-eating disorder treatment Transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS, has proved effective for binge-eating disorder for the first time, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
	Young adults in Britain more likely to drink heavily if they smoke or have a higher education background Young adults in Britain are more likely to drink heavily if they smoke or have attended higher education (college and university), new research has found.
	Study finds that eating seafood once a week may slow memory loss Eating a meal of seafood or other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids at least once a week may protect against age-related memory loss and thinking problems in older people, according to a team of researchers at Rush University Medical Center and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
	Patients and doctors in Brazil need better education on leprosy Better education for both patients and doctors on how to spot the early symptoms of leprosy would help to reduce cases of the disease in Brazil, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Birmingham.
	Moving school may increase risk of psychotic symptoms in late teens Hallucinations, delusions and disturbed thoughts in 18 year olds may in part be due to frequently moving school as a child.
	Study suggests new treatment for seizures Researchers from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, have discovered a new factor in the escalation of seizures: the synthesis, or generation, of estrogens in the brain.
	New research shows that more migraines could be safely treated with drugs that are known to constrict blood vessels About 38 million Americans suffer from migraines in the United States, according to the Migraine Research Foundation. The most commonly used and effective classes of medication, triptans and DHE (Dihydroergotamine), however, have a black box warning for two subtypes of migraine because of risk of stroke. Now researchers at Abington-Jefferson Health have shown that patients who were given the drugs off-label had no stroke or other cardiovascular side-effects from taking the drugs.
	Study: Long-term care costs continue to rise Long-term care grew more expensive again this year, with the cost of the priciest option, a private nursing home room, edging closer to $100,000 annually, according to a survey from Genworth Financial.
	FDA to re-evaluate definition of 'healthy' The Food and Drug Administration will re-evaluate its definition of "healthy," which could eventually change how a range of foods are marketed.
	Further clues in the fight against Chronic Fatigue Syndrome New findings regarding the pathology of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) are bringing Griffith University researchers closer to identifying the cause of this disabling illness.
Team finds new avenues of precision medicine for treating cancer An international team of scientists, including those at the Translational Genomic Research Institute (TGen), have discovered new avenues of potential treatments for a rare and deadly cancer known as Adrenocortical Carcinoma, or ACC.
Fatal road crashes involving marijuana double after state legalizes drug Fatal crashes involving drivers who recently used marijuana doubled in Washington after the state legalized the drug, according to the latest research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. New research also shows that legal limits for marijuana and driving are arbitrary and unsupported by science, which could result in unsafe motorists going free and others being wrongfully convicted for impaired driving. Washington was one of the first two states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, and these findings raise serious concerns about drug-impaired driving with at least 20 states considering marijuana legalization this year.
BPD strongly associated with risk of STI/HIV transmission for straight black men in jail Sexually transmitted infections (STI), including HIV, disproportionately affect incarcerated populations. In 2010, over 90% of the inmates living with HIV in U.S. prisons were men and the prevalence of STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, continues to be much higher among male inmates as compared to the U.S. population at large.
	Dementia prevention study signs up first recruit A major study to find interventions that prevent the onset of Alzheimer's dementia has recruited its first participant.
	Tuberculosis in mongoose driven by social behaviors (Update) An emerging strain of tuberculosis (TB), closely related to human TB, has been killing banded mongoose in Northern Botswana in significant numbers.
	Study finds visual and tactile processing deficits in schizophrenia A new study out today in the journal Translational Psychiatry sheds further light on the idea that schizophrenia is a sensory disorder and that individuals with the condition are impaired in their ability to process stimuli from the outside world. The findings may also point to a new way to identify the disease at an early stage and before symptoms become acute.
Potential target in treatment of oral cancer discovered For the first time, researchers have identified a reliable marker (PDGFRβ) to detect carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (cells within the tumor that encourage growth and metastasis) (CAFs) in oral cancer tissues. With this discovery, anti-PDGFRβ treatment could soon be combined with existing tumor treatments to provide a more effective cancer therapy.
Reading an opponent's face gives the edge in martial arts There's more to excelling in the martial arts combat sport of taekwondo than just being able to produce well-aimed kicks or punches. A participant's skill at reading the emotions on an opponent's face and to therefore anticipate his or her next move can mean the difference between winning and losing a sparring match. This is according to Yu-Ling Shih and Chia-Yen Lin of the National Taiwan University of Sport. In a study published in Springer's journal Cognitive Processing, the researchers also note that the understanding of intent is a skill more developed in taekwondo athletes than by weightlifters.
	With food, similar substitutes are less satisfying Sometimes the one thing we want isn't available and we have to settle for second best—instead of picking the closest substitute, new research suggests we'd be better off picking a not-so-similar alternative.
	Clue for development of diagnosis, treatment Alzheimer's disease Kichitaro Nakajima, a graduate student at the Graduate School of Engineering Science, Hirotsugu Ogi, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering Science, and Yuji Goto, Professor at Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University succeeded in increasing the velocity constant for a reaction in which proteins causing Alzheimer disease (AD) turn into toxic substances to 1,000 times by using optimum frequency of ultrasonic irradiation.
	Study points to challenges, hopes of helping vulnerable patients avoid stroke A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine today demonstrates both the importance and the challenge of treating people who are at high risk of a stroke.
	Obesity less dangerous than 40 years ago New research from Denmark involving more than 100,000 individuals suggests that the excess risk of premature death associated with obesity has decreased over the past 40 years. All-cause mortality was higher in obese individuals than in normal weight individuals in 1976-78, but not in 2003-13.
Telemedicine use increases among rural Medicare beneficiaries The use of telemedicine is increasing rapidly.
	Breast cancer detection rates of mammogram readers don't decline over time A new study has found there is no decline over time in the accuracy of medical staff who analyse mammogram scans for indications of breast cancer.
Drug does not reduce digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis In an article appearing in the May 10, 2016 issue of JAMA, Dinesh Khanna, M.D., of the University of Michigan Scleroderma Program, Ann Arbor, and colleagues evaluated the efficacy of the drug macitentan in reducing the number of new digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis.
	Nuclear DNA gets cut and activates immune system to attack cancer cells The conventional wisdom about cancer cells is that they are masters of camouflage, invisible to the immune system. However, occasionally, the immune system is alerted to the presence of a cancer cell and springs into action to attack it.
	Three lessons gut microbes have taught us about antibiotics Antibiotics have proven to be a double-edged sword: capable of killing a range of bacteria that cause infections, but also depleting our gut microbes, impairing our immune system, and increasing vulnerability to infection by superbugs. The lessons learned from how antibiotics impact the body, both positively and negatively, are identifying new approaches to prevent and/or correct the adverse side effects on our "good" gut bacteria, say authors of a Review published May 10 in Trends in Molecular Medicine.
	Researchers discover the molecular mechanisms that produce the heart's contractile structure Researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) have discovered an essential mechanism underlying the contractile structures in both the heart and skeletal muscle. When this mechanism is absent, hybrids of these 2 striated muscles are produced that are incompatible with life. The study, published in Cell Metabolism, opens new horizons for the study of striated muscle physiology by unveiling "molecular mechanisms that control the structural identity of cardiac and skeletal muscle tissue". The findings also suggest a route to possible future interventions in certain heart conditions, such as some types of dilated cardiomyopathy, or in polymyositis-type myopathies.
Report: Bullying is a serious public health problem Zero-tolerance policies are ineffective in combating bullying, an independent government advisory group says in urging schools to take a more preventative approach that includes teaching tolerance to address this "serious public health problem."
Research shows youth sports hazing victims often in denial The true incidence of hazing in youth sports is unknown because victims don't report the mistreatment or fail to recognize it as hazing, according to a review of scientific literature on the subject by a team of Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) researchers.
	Restrictive diets may cause thyroid troubles in young kids (HealthDay)—Two cases of children who developed iodine deficiency highlight the risks of putting too many restrictions on young kids' diets, researchers say.
	Anticoagulation 'as needed' may be safe, effective in A-fib (HealthDay)—A smartphone app might offer an alternative for certain patients with atrial fibrillation who are on chronic anticoagulation medication, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society, held from May 4 to 7 in San Francisco.
	Exercise reduces fatigue, depression, paresthesia in MS (HealthDay)—For females with multiple sclerosis (MS), the addition of exercise programs to standard immune modulatory therapy can improve fatigue, depression, and paresthesia, according to a study published in the May issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
Gilead wins India patent for blockbuster Hepatitis drug India has granted a patent to US pharmaceutical giant Gilead for a blockbuster Hepatitis C drug, in a U-turn activists said could potentially stop affordable copies reaching millions of people in other countries.
	Team streamlines biomedical research by making genetic data easier to search Call them professional "data wranglers." A team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) is expanding web services to make biomedical research more efficient. With their free, public projects, MyGene.info and MyVariant.info, researchers around the world have a faster way to spot new connections between genes and disease.
	Brain pattern predicts how fast an adult learns a new language Some adults learn a second language better than others, and their secret may involve the rhythms of activity in their brains.
	Gene mutation leads to poorly understood birth defects Scientists have identified genetic mutations that appear to be a key culprit behind a suite of birth defects called ciliopathies, which affect an estimated 1 in 1,000 births. In a paper published online this week in Nature Genetics, a team of researchers led by The University of Texas at Austin's John Wallingford reveals that these mutations prevent certain proteins from working together to smooth the way for cells to communicate with one another.
Alcohol accelerates liver damage in people living with hepatitis C Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of illness and death from the hepatitis C virus. A new national household study of U.S. adults published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that many people living with hepatitis C report either former or current excessive alcohol use. In addition, hepatitis C-infected adults were three times more likely to drink five or more drinks per day every day at some point in their lives than those without hepatitis C.
	Stem cells from diabetic patients coaxed to become insulin-secreting cells Signaling a potential new approach to treating diabetes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Harvard University have produced insulin-secreting cells from stem cells derived from patients with type 1 diabetes.
	Team explores new method to stop the spread of Lyme disease Medication that is normally used to lower cholesterol could stop the spread of Lyme disease, according to a new study co-authored by Janakiram Seshu, associate professor of biology at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
Low birthweight linked to higher death rates in infants and adolescents Babies born with a low birthweight are at an increased risk of death in infancy right through to adolescence compared to babies born at a normal birthweight, according to new research.
Researchers demonstrate link between 'jumping gene' and colon cancer For more than 50 years, scientists have known of the existence of "jumping genes," strands of DNA material that can move from one location in the genome to another.
Public reporting measures fail to describe the true safety of hospitals Common measures used by government agencies and public rankings to rate the safety of hospitals do not accurately capture the quality of care provided, new research from the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality suggests.
	Research shows that body image is strongly linked to overall life satisfaction and feelings about romantic relationships Chapman University has just published the results of a national study on the factors linked to satisfaction with appearance and weight. In a survey of more than 12,000 Americans adults, the questions focused on personality, beliefs about romantic relationships, self-esteem, television viewing, and personal characteristics.
Intravenous ketamine may rapidly reduce suicidal thinking in depressed patients Repeat intravenous treatment with low doses of the anesthetic drug ketamine quickly reduced suicidal thoughts in a small group of patients with treatment-resistant depression. In their report receiving Online First publication in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, a team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators report the results of their study in depressed outpatients who had been experiencing suicidal thought for three months or longer.
Unsafe sex is fastest-growing risk for ill health in teens The Lancet Commission's groundbreaking report released today, "Our Future: A Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing," finds that years of neglect and underinvestment have had serious detrimental effects on the health and wellbeing of adolescents aged 10-24 years. Launched in London, the report shows that two-thirds of young people are growing up in countries where preventable and treatable health problems like HIV/AIDS, early pregnancy, unsafe sex, depression, injury, and violence are an ongoing threat to their health and wellbeing. Adolescents also face new challenges, including rising levels of obesity and mental health disorders, high unemployment, and the risk of radicalization.
	Scientific basis for laws on marijuana, driving questioned Motorists are being convicted of driving under the influence of marijuana based on arbitrary state standards that have no connection to whether the driver was actually impaired, says a study by the nation's largest auto club.
	Urine test could simplify Zika virus detection A urine-based test for Zika virus infection has shown to be more effective than the common blood-based one for many patients, a development that could make testing for the infection easier.
	Common antacid linked to accelerated vascular aging Chronic use of some drugs for heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) speeds up the aging of blood vessels, according to a published paper in Circulation Research (early online), an American Heart Association journal. This accelerated aging in humans could lead to increased cardiovascular disease, vascular dementia and renal failure.
	Long-term survival achieved in metastatic melanoma with personalized vaccine Two patients with melanoma that had spread to the liver survived for at least 8.5 and 12 years after resection of the hepatic tumor and treatment with patient-specific immunotherapeutic vaccines. The vaccines, designed to activate the immune system against the tumor, were derived from the patients' own dendritic cells loaded with proteins isolated from their tumors, as described in an article published in Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals.
New study: Has HDL, the 'good' cholesterol, been hyped? May 10, 2016 - For years, physicians have told patients that HDL (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) helps protect them from cardiovascular disease (CVD). And the higher the number, the more the protection. HDL, often considered an independent predictor of heart disease, has been dubbed the "good" cholesterol, thanks to its protective effects. But a new study shows for the first time that HDL's protection depends on the levels of two other blood fats or lipids associated with heart disease. If these fats are not within normal ranges, even a high HDL may not be protective.
	Kids with autism do well learning new words: study (HealthDay)—Children with autism learn new words the same way as other children do, but it takes them longer, a small study found.
	If one in ten US smokers quits, $63 billion saved (HealthDay)—Kicking the smoking habit boosts more than just your health—it also saves money.
	Genetic variants ID treatment response in psoriasis (HealthDay)—Genetic variants have been identified in psoriasis patients that correlate with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α treatment response, according to research published online April 30 in the Journal of Dermatology.
	Case: Exertional compartment syndrome in motorcycle racer (HealthDay)—In a case study published online April 14 in BMJ Case Reports, chronic exertional compartment syndrome of both flexor and extensor compartments of the forearm is described in a motorcycle racer, which resolved after fasciotomies.
	Slow adoption of CO2 insufflation for post-colonoscopy pain (HealthDay)—Despite evidence for the benefits of carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation for reducing post-colonoscopy pain, adoption of this innovation has been slow, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online May 10 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Drug allergy passport advised for patients with hypersensitivity (HealthDay)—A drug allergy passport, providing information on culprit drugs, clinical manifestations, and alternate drugs to prescribe, should be provided to patients with drug hypersensitivity, according to a position paper published online May 4 in Allergy.
	AUA: BRCA mutations may play role in prostate cancer (HealthDay)—A man's risk of aggressive and fatal prostate cancer may be heavily influenced by gene mutations previously linked to breast and ovarian cancer in women, a trio of new studies suggests. Findings from the studies were presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association, held from May 6 to 10 in San Diego.
	Study links parental depression to brain changes and risk-taking in adolescents A new study concludes that parental depression contributes to greater brain activity in areas linked to risk taking in adolescent children, likely leading to more risk-taking and rule-breaking behaviors. While previous research has found associations between clinically depressed parents and their teenagers' risk taking, the new study is the first to find corresponding changes in the adolescents' brains.
	Rapid diagnostics for multidrug resistant organisms in combat-related infection The occurrence of multidrug resistant infection is a major concern in Wounded Warriors and military Veterans, especially in combat-related injuries. In addition to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), other resistant strains have been associated with hospital-acquired infections that are often not responsive to even a broad range of antibiotics. Culture-directed antibiotic treatment is an early treatment regime for these kinds of infections. However, one of the key challenges of using this treatment regime is that laboratory culture analysis, which is central to antibiotic selection, requires at least two days to produce results. The delay in targeted treatment results in greater patient distress, poorer outcomes, higher overall cost, and dilution of antibiotic effectiveness as bacteria continue to adapt.
Psychology has important role in helping older Americans as they age With more than 13 percent of Americans currently over age 65, and that proportion expected to grow in the coming decades, psychology has played and will continue to play an important part in helping seniors maintain their health, adjust to retirement and prevent cognitive decline, according to the flagship journal of the American Psychological Association.
	Junction opening protein boosts cancer-killing effect of oncolytic virus A new study shows that the anti-tumor effect of oncolytic virus therapy is significantly greater in mice when the virus is genetically modified to express a junction opening (JO) protein, which helps the cancer-killing agent better penetrate solid tumors. The potential for JO to improve cancer therapy with various types of oncolytic viruses is described in Human Gene Therapy,.
Florida pharmacies taking orders from crisis-hit Venezuela The phone rings off the hook these days at some pharmacies in Florida and the calls are long-distance: from Venezuelans desperate for everything from diapers to cancer medication.
	New research could help would-be emergency room patients New research funded by the British Red Cross and carried out by UWE Bristol (the University of the West of England) and the University of Bristol aims to discover what information will help people know what to do and where to go when a person is unwell.
How maggots made it back into mainstream medicine A writhing mass of maggots in a wound might seem like a good reason to seek medical help. But, reports Carrie Arnold, sometimes it's the doctors who have put them there, adopting an ancient treatment to help heal painful infected injuries.
	Report about child and adolescent health and the environment released A report about how conditions in the environment may affect child and adolescent health has been released by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The following factors are described in the report; childhood and living conditions, injuries and accidents, physical environmental factors, obesity and health-related behaviour.
Researchers present new guidelines for treating perinatal mood and anxiety disorders based on new study Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers have issued new guidelines for treating perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), based on a recent study. The guidelines are being released to coincide with National Maternal Depression Awareness Month that occurs this month.
Breath test may help diagnose irritable bowel syndrome There is currently no specific diagnostic test for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but now researchers have identified a combination of 16 different substances in the breath that, when measured together, can accurately distinguish IBS patients from people without the condition.
Medivation opens door to merger talks with Pfizer, Amgen US biotech company Medivation has opened the door to being bought by either Pfizer or Amgen, a person familiar with the matter told AFP Tuesday.
More heart clinic patients notified about hepatitis risk Health officials have notified more patients at a West Virginia heart clinic who may have been exposed to hepatitis.
	London researchers first in Canada to use improved prostate cancer imaging Scientists at Lawson Health Research Institute are the first in Canada to capture prostate cancer images using a new molecule. Known as a Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) probe, the new molecule is used in Positron Emissions Tomography (PET) scans. The probe targets PSMA, a unique molecule on prostate cancer cells, to provide highly specific images for better diagnosis and management of patient disease.
Doctors unsure how to comply with new Utah fetal pain law Utah's first-in-the-nation requirement that fetuses receive anesthesia or painkillers before some abortions takes effect Tuesday, but doctors say it's unnecessary and impossible to comply with.
	How does robotic video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery compare to VATS for treating lung cancer? A new study shows that robotic video-assisted lung resection to remove a tumor achieves comparable outcomes with no significant differences in complications compared to conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and robotic VATS (RVATS) may allow for preservation of more healthy lung tissue. The study, "Robotic Versus Thoracoscopic Resection for Lung Cancer: Early Results of a New Robotic Program" is published in Journal of Laparoendoscopic & Advanced Surgical Techniques (JLAST).

Biology news

	Scientists brew jet fuel in one-pot recipe Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have engineered a strain of bacteria that enables a "one-pot" method for producing advanced biofuels from a slurry of pre-treated plant material.
	Bacteria are individualists No two bacteria are identical – even when they are genetically the same. A new study from researchers from Eawag, ETH Zurich, EPFL Lausanne, and the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen reveals the conditions under which bacteria become individualists and how they help their group grow when times get tough.
	Photosynthetic bacteria give biologists a cool new tool Photosynthetic bacteria that have lived on Earth for 2.7 billion years are the source of a new and valuable biological regulatory tool being developed by Rice University bioengineers.
	Procedure developed to decode histone changes that point out gene regulation (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute has developed a procedure to decode histone modifications that point out gene regulation. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes the approach they developed to map combinations of modifications made to individual nucleosomes.
	Scientists: Mussels, without noses, use smell to find homes Mussels don't have noses, but two Maine scientists believe the dark shellfish rely on smells when choosing where to set up their homes.
	Bioengineers show why lab-made stem cells might fail: Errors in DNA folding Induced pluripotent stem cells hold promise for regenerative medicine because they can, in theory, turn into any type of tissue and because they are made from a patient's own adult cells, guaranteeing compatibility. However, the technique that turns adult cells into these iPS cells is not foolproof; after reverting to their pluripotent state, these cells don't always correctly differentiate back into adult cells.
	Hijacked cell division helped fuel rise of fungi A new study finds that the more than 90,000 species of mushrooms, molds, yeasts and other fungi found everywhere in the soil, water and air may owe their abilities to grow, spread, and even cause disease to an opportunistic virus they caught more than a billion years ago.
	How algae could save plants from themselves Algae may hold the key to feeding the world's burgeoning population. Don't worry; no one is going to make you eat them. But because they are more efficient than most plants at taking in carbon dioxide from the air, algae could transform agriculture. If their efficiency could be transferred to crops, we could grow more food in less time using less water and less nitrogen fertilizer.
	Botanists warn on threats to world's plant kingdom Britain's Royal Botanic Gardens warned Tuesday about the threats facing the world's plant kingdom in the first global report of its kind aimed at drawing attention to often-overlooked species.
	Royal Botanical Gardens: Mixed report on the world's plants A report billed as the first comprehensive look at world's plants finds a planet slowly being ravaged by changing land use, mostly conversion of forests to agriculture to feed a growing population, and climate change.
	Opinion: There's a reason why Africa's migratory songbirds sing out of season Bird song has fascinated scientists for decades. Songs can be intricate, loud and, as it turns out, very important for reproductive success. In many species the males with the most complex songs secure the highest quality breeding territories and mates, and end up producing the most young. For species that spend their summers in Europe, almost every hour of daylight is crammed full with energetic and often very loud song.
	Redesigning roots to help crop plants survive hard times Among the likely effects of climate change, perhaps the one with the most potential to devastate human and natural communities is drought—not just a dry season or two, but a prolonged lack of rainfall over vast areas, lasting years or even decades.
	Opinion: Can we save the algae biofuel industry? Algal biofuels are in trouble. This alternative fuel source could help reduce overall carbon emissions without taking land from food production, like many crop-based biofuels do. But several major companies including Shell and ExxonMobil are seemingly abandoning their investments in this environmentally friendly fuel. So why has this promising technology failed to deliver, and what could be done to save it?
	Grant helps project realize 'ultra-productive' biofuel crops, attract investors Imagine—instead of acres of oil wells on barren land—endless fields of towering green sugarcane, with each stalk producing renewable and sustainable biofuel.
	Nation's beekeepers lost 44 percent of bees in 2015-16 Beekeepers across the United States lost 44 percent of their honey bee colonies during the year spanning April 2015 to April 2016, according to the latest preliminary results of an annual nationwide survey. Rates of both winter loss and summer loss—and consequently, total annual losses—worsened compared with last year. This marks the second consecutive survey year that summer loss rates rivaled winter loss rates.
	US must step-up forest pest prevention, new study says Imported forest pests cause billions of dollars in damages each year, and U.S. property owners and municipalities foot most of the bill. Efforts to prevent new pests are not keeping pace with escalating trade and must be strengthened if we are to slow the loss of our nation's trees. So reports a team of 16 scientists in a new paper published online today in the journal Ecological Applications.
Genetic testing proves Bene Israel community in India has Jewish roots A new study from Tel Aviv University, Cornell University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine reveals genetic proof of the Jewish roots of the Bene Israel community in the western part of India. They have always considered themselves Jewish.
	Northern Galapagos Islands home to world's largest shark biomass In a study published today in the journal PeerJ, scientists from the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and the National Geographic Society revealed that the northern Galapagos islands of Darwin and Wolf are home to the largest shark biomass reported to date (12.4 tons per hectare).
	Acidification and low oxygen put fish in double jeopardy Severe oxygen drops in the water can leave trails of fish kills in their wakes, but scientists thought adult fish would be more resilient to the second major threat in coastal waters: acidification. A new study published Tuesday from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) shows that is not entirely true—where fish are concerned, acidification can make low oxygen even more deadly.
	Chile fishing crisis traps tourists, empties markets A fishing ban sparked by mass deaths of sea creatures in Chile has left tourists stranded and markets empty on an island cut off by protest blockades.
	Insect larvae as an additional source of protein for Europe's animal feed The EU PROTEINSECT project has recommended a comprehensive review of European legislation to allow for insect larvae to be used as a source of protein in animal feed.
	LED treatments enhance lettuce phytochemicals, antioxidants Increasingly, vegetables are being efficiently grown using soilless techniques such as hydroponics. Hydroponic systems are favored for their ability to improve water and nutrient use efficiency and crop yields, and have the added benefit of allowing growers to use fewer chemical fertilizers. Researchers in China and United Kingdom studied the effects of LED light combinations on lettuce grown in hydroponic systems to determine whether the treatments could reduce nitrate accumulation, and to find out what effect the treatments might have on phytochemical levels.
From sweet potatoes to orchids: Kew report urges global scientific community to secure health of the planet The first annual State of the World's Plants report, which involved more than 80 scientists and took a year to produce, is a baseline assessment of current knowledge on the diversity of plants on earth, the global threats these plants currently face, as well as the policies in place and their effectiveness in dealing with threats.

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