Science X Newsletter Friday, Jun 3

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 3, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Physicists discover an infinite number of quantum speed limits

New biomarker for heart disease using atomic force microscopy

New technique helps researchers determine developmental origins of cells

Samsung challenges Fitbit with $180 fitness tracker with GPS

Researchers find that Amazon might not always be pitching you the best prices

Underwater 'lost city' found to be geological formation

Team squares off on Kickstarter for charging needs via pad and stickers

Snails reveal how two brain cells can hold the key to decision making

Promising treatment prospects for invasive breast cancer

Squeezing out opal-like colors by the mile

Research yielding insights into brain's signaling network

A mathematical model explains how popping cress catapults its seeds into the air

Physicists link topological defects to unusual behavior in ferroelectrics

Lessons from nature inspire breakthrough in catalyzing electricity from renewable energy

Fifty years of moon dust—Surveyor 1 was a Pathfinder for Apollo

Astronomy & Space news

	Fifty years of moon dust—Surveyor 1 was a Pathfinder for Apollo Before humans could take their first steps on the moon, that mysterious and forbidding surface had to be reconnoitered by robots. When President John Kennedy set a goal of landing astronauts on the lunar surface in 1961, little was known of that world, beyond what could be gleaned from observations by telescopes.
	3-D simulations illuminate supernova explosions In the landmark television series "Cosmos," astronomer Carl Sagan famously proclaimed, "We are made of star stuff."
	KickStarter project KickSat set for trip to ISS next month to test 'sprites' (Phys.org)—The team that has posted a project called KickSat on crowd sourcing site KickStarter, has arranged to have the tiny satellite system sent to the International Space Station on July 6. KickSat is a satellite system where one small satellite deploys multiple other small satellites called "sprites" and then establishes a communications system. The initiative is part of a much larger plan to deploy similar systems to the far reaches of space faster and cheaper than can be done with conventional probes.
	Luxembourg takes first steps to 'asteroid mining' law One of Europe's smallest states, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, cast its eyes to the cosmos on Friday, announcing it would draw up a law to facilitate mining on asteroids.
	New detector to reveal the interiors of stars The most intense source of gamma radiation constructed to date will soon become operational at the ELI Nuclear Physics research facility. It will enable the study of reactions that reveal the details of many processes occurring within stars, in particular, those leading to the formation of oxygen. The project includes a particle detector built by physicists at the University of Warsaw. A prototype has recently concluded the first round of testing.
	Image: The dark side of Pluto NASA's New Horizons spacecraft took this stunning image of Pluto only a few minutes after closest approach on July 14, 2015. The image was obtained at a high phase angle –that is, with the sun on the other side of Pluto, as viewed by New Horizons. Seen here, sunlight filters through and illuminates Pluto's complex atmospheric haze layers.
	Physicist develops new model for speed and motion of solar flares A Montana State University physicist who has developed a new model that predicts the speed of solar plasma during solar flares, likening it to the path traveled by a thrown baseball, will present his findings at the Solar Physics Division of the American Astronomical Society conference being held this week in Boulder, Colorado.
	Researchers assess the atmospheric absorption of higher frequency waves from a geostationary satellite Heriot-Watt University is the only site in Scotland participating in satellite data collection as part of a landmark five-year experiment with NASA and the European Space Authority (ESA).
New space savers: Small satellites Suddenly, everyone from the U.S. government, commercial satellite companies, universities and even high school students needs to have a small satellite.
	Students experience 'NASA Satellites 101' Astronauts aren't the only ones who get to use NASA technology. Computer scientists and engineers at NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, work to make flight software and satellite technology more accessible in an effort to engage the public and educate students.

Technology news

	Samsung challenges Fitbit with $180 fitness tracker with GPS Just in time for summer, Samsung is unveiling a new fitness tracker that aims to undercut gadgets from market leader Fitbit.
	Researchers find that Amazon might not always be pitching you the best prices You need a new Chromebook computer, so you go online to Amazon and start your search. You click on an attractive item on the product page—an Acer 11.6-Inch, CB3-111-C670. Up pops the computer's price ($188.88, new, last Friday morning) and, to the right, the ubiquitous "buy box," beckoning "Add to Cart." You oblige.
	Team squares off on Kickstarter for charging needs via pad and stickers (Tech Xplore)—A popular need, a quite friendly solution: Always stay charged on an ultra-thin pad using just a strip placed on your smartphone. The team behind this idea has turned to Kickstarter. The people behind this Energysquare. This is a French startup created last year.
	Google testing appropriate honking with self-driving cars (Tech Xplore)—Google has revealed in its latest monthly report on how things are going with its autonomous car testing program, that it has recently been testing the automatic use of the horn by the vehicle. They note that the original reason for adding a horn to a car or truck, was to alert other drivers or pedestrians to its presence, thereby preventing clearly avoidable accidents. Since, that time, using the horn has become a sort of emotional extension to driving by some, but Google promises that adding horn honking to the automated features of its cars, will be strictly designed to follow the original purpose.
	Apple users experience services outage (Update) An array of Apple services including the App Store and Apple TV were knocked offline for several hours on Thursday due to an unexplained technical glitch.
Remote imaging system will spot bridge corrosion from 100m away Scientists are developing technology capable of detecting the level of rust on metal structures such as bridges from up to 100m away.
	Robot carers safer with new technology Robots carry out their tasks more safely if they are controlled by another technology. This makes them much more suitable for use in the care sector, as revealed by a study conducted at the Robotics and Mechatronics department at the University of Twente. On 2 June, researcher Stefan Groothuis is being awarded his PhD for this work.
Walmart to partner with Uber, Lyft on delivery Walmart announced plans Friday to team up with Uber and Lyft on a pilot grocery delivery program, in a fresh challenge by the US retail giant to Amazon.
	Rebranding move backfires on troubled media group Troubled newspaper group Tribune Publishing was trying for a new image as it seeks to fend off a takeover bid and adapt to the digital era.
Education and health care are ripe for startups, AOL co-founder says Entrepreneurs who show up at AOL co-founder Steve Case's door begging for money better have more to show than an idea for a killer app.
	Uber pilots 'upfront pricing,' masks surge rate In an effort to push more of its customers to carpool, Uber is experimenting with a version of its ride-hailing application that displays the maximum cost riders will pay to get to their destination.
	A security camera with no strings attached We'd all sleep better knowing our homes were covered by video cameras. A video camera would also be handy so you could know whether your dog is sleeping on the couch when you're training her to stay off the furniture.
A lesson in backups Michael Friedman learned the hard way how important it is to back up computers.
	Airbnb vows to root out home-sharing discrimination Airbnb on Friday said it is cracking down on racism after booting one home-sharing host for blatantly discriminating against a woman of color who had made a reservation.
	Tribune renames itself 'Tronc' while Gannett weighs its bid We still don't know if USA Today owner Gannett will continue its $864 million bid for Tribune Publishing, but we do know that no one will have Tribune to kick around anymore.
	Stampede 2 drives the frontiers of science and engineering forward Today, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a $30 million award to the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) to acquire and deploy a new large scale supercomputing system, Stampede 2, as a strategic national resource to provide high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities for thousands of researchers across the U.S.
Future vision? Taiwan premier wears VR goggles in parliament Taiwan's premier donned virtual reality goggles in parliament Friday to discuss the future of the island's tech industry in what looked like a debate between robots.
	Automatic debugging of software Computer programs often contain defects, or bugs, that need to be found and repaired. This manual "debugging" usually requires valuable time and resources. To help developers debug more efficiently, automated debugging solutions have been proposed. One approach goes through information available in bug reports. Another goes through information collected by running a set of test cases. Until now, explains David Lo from Singapore Management University's (SMU) School of Information Systems, there has been a "missing link" that prevents these information gathering threads from being combined.
	Non-invasive analysis of damages to materials based on advanced signal processing techniques Researchers at the Universitat Politècnica de València have developed a non-invasive means of determining the general state of repair of all kinds of materials in real time, which will help avoid potential safety issues.
Data mining of Twitter posts can help identify when people become sympathetic to groups like ISIS Researchers have shown that data mining techniques can be used to understand when Twitter users start displaying supportive behaviour to radical terror groups such as ISIS.

Medicine & Health news

	New technique helps researchers determine developmental origins of cells Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scientists have pioneered the use of genome editing to trace lineage in living systems. The researchers introduced unique patterns of mutations into the cells of a developing zebrafish embryo using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. These mutations persist into adulthood and act as barcodes that scientists can read to reveal the relationships between individual cells during development. The method will help researchers map the complex series of cell divisions that transforms a single cell into a complete organism.
	Snails reveal how two brain cells can hold the key to decision making Scientists at the University of Sussex have discovered how just two neurons in the brain hold the key to explaining how complex behavioural decisions are made.
	Promising treatment prospects for invasive breast cancer Scientists from the University of Zurich have been able to understand for the first time why many cancer cells adapt relatively quickly to the treatment with therapeutic antibodies in invasive forms of breast cancer. Instead of dying off, they are merely rendered inactive. The researchers have now developed an active substance that kills the cancer cells very effectively without harming healthy cells.
	Research yielding insights into brain's signaling network Researchers have taken an important step toward deciphering the brain's complex neuroelectric communication system that could underlie sleep disorders and conditions such as Alzheimer's, epilepsy and schizophrenia.
	Study reveals how interaction between neural networks changes during working memory How does the cross-talk between brain networks change when working memory - the mental assembly of information needed to carry out a particular task—is engaged? Investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have found that dopamine signaling within the cerebral cortex can predict changes in the extent of communication between key brain networks during working memory. Their findings receiving online publication in Science Advances may lay the groundwork for studies of how disruptions in dopamine signaling contribute to working memory deficits that are characteristic of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders.
	Study shows how judgment of sensory simultaneity may develop in the brain Most people encounter most things by sensing them in multiple ways. As we hear the words people speak, we also see their lips move. We smell, see and hear the onions as we chop them—and we feel them with teary eyes.
	Scientists offer first look at how our cells can 'swallow up and quarantine' Zika Eight weeks after receiving their first samples of Zika virus, scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) have shown that a very small protein we all have in our bodies, interferon-induced protein 3 (IFITM3), can dramatically reduce the ability of Zika virus to infect human and mouse cells. In some cases, IFITM3 can also prevent Zika virus from killing our cells. The findings, by senior author Abraham Brass, MD, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology & physiological systems, suggest that boosting the actions of IFITM3 may be useful for inhibiting Zika virus and other emerging viral infections. The study appears in the journal Cell Reports.
Pregnant women may need more information about medicine use Pregnant women overestimate the risks of taking over the counter and prescribed medication - according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).
	New mouse models give a boost to the development of cancer immunotherapies Cancer immunotherapies—drugs that work by making a patient's immune system better at spotting and destroying tumor cells—are increasingly generating headlines. A number of these drugs are now being used for the treatment of melanoma, lung, and kidney cancers, and are showing promise in clinical trials with other diseases as well.
	Healing function of sweat glands declines with age Each injury means a little more as individuals age—more impact and more healing time.
	Walnuts may improve your colon health Eating walnuts may change gut bacteria in a way that suppresses colon cancer, researchers led by UConn Health report in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.
New study finds that vaccinating mothers against flu can protect newborns Each year, influenza causes between 250,000 and half a million deaths around the world. Pregnant women and young infants have a higher risk of complications related to influenza; these complications can easily lead to death. The problem is particularly severe in the developing world, where access to health care is often limited, and health centers and hospitals are scarce and under-resourced. Babies are particularly vulnerable because there is no influenza vaccine approved for infants younger than six months.
New clues found to immune system's misfiring in autoimmune diseases A person's genetic makeup plays a role in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis that develop when the body is attacked by its own immune system. But little is known about how immune cells are pushed into overdrive.
Current apps on weight management have not been certified by authorities, no published data on their effectiveness Overweight and obese people are turning to a multitude of smartphone apps to help them lose weight. But new research presented at the European Obesity Summit (Gothenburg, Sweden, June 1-4) says that only 17 (0.5%) of the apps identified by the researchers have been developed by a certified health organisation or university. Nor are there any published evidence of effectiveness for weight-loss or weight-gain prevention apps.
'Bitter brake' activates gut hormones and suppresses food intake New research presented at the European Obesity Summit in Gothenburg (1-4 June) shows that a New Zealand produced bitter plant extract can supress food intake by stimulating the secretion of gut peptide hormones involved in appetite regulation. The study is by Dr John Ingram and colleagues from the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited and the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
	Stem cells may offer new hope to stroke survivors (HealthDay)—Preliminary research suggests that injecting adult stems cells directly into the brain may give stroke patients a new shot at recovery long after their stroke occurred.
	Low-dose aspirin tied to longer colon cancer survival (HealthDay)—Colon cancer patients who take low-dose aspirin may have a somewhat better chance of surviving the disease, a large study hints.
	Zika threat calls for extra mosquito protection this summer (HealthDay)—With the Zika threat growing in the United States, people need to take extra steps to protect themselves against the mosquito species that carries the virus, experts say.
	Mindfulness meditation seems to soothe breast cancer survivors (HealthDay)—Mindfulness meditation seems to help breast cancer patients better manage symptoms of fatigue, anxiety and fear of recurrence, a new study suggests.
	Clean pools can still pose health hazards (HealthDay)—Nothing seems better on a hot day than hopping into a cool swimming pool.
Testing blood metabolites could help tailor cancer treatment Testing for metabolic changes in the blood could indicate whether a cancer drug is working as designed, a new study reports.
Investigational immunotherapy drug shrinks tumors in high-risk neuroblastoma patients Neuroblastoma tumors shrank, some dramatically, in 80 percent of newly diagnosed, young, high-risk patients enrolled in a Phase II clinical trial that included an experimental monoclonal antibody. The immunotherapy agent was produced on the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital campus where the study is still underway.
	The trolley dilemma—would you kill one person to save five? Imagine you are standing beside some tram tracks. In the distance, you spot a runaway trolley hurtling down the tracks towards five workers who cannot hear it coming. Even if they do spot it, they won't be able to move out of the way in time.
	California doctors uneasy about prescribing lethal drugs Terry Petrovich asked her oncologist point blank: "Am I going to count on you to help me achieve a good death?"
Five Questions: Susan Swetter on choosing a sunscreen With summer just around the corner, a Stanford dermatologist discusses how to think about SPF labels, how to properly apply sunscreen, the differences between UVA and UVB radiation and more. what to consider when choosing a sunscreen and how to use it properly.
	Do artificial sweeteners live up to the promise of sweetness without harm? There was a time when Thomas Huber, a molecular biologist at The Rockefeller University, was drinking about 36 ounces of diet cola a day. More than a year ago, Huber, a research assistant professor in Thomas P. Sakmar's Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction, became curious about how the artificially sweetened drink might be affecting his body's ability to process sugar. He decided to experiment on himself.
	What is chronic pain and why is it hard to treat? A recent study by the National Institutes of Health found that more than one in three people in the United States have experienced pain of some sort in the previous three months. Of these, approximately 50 million suffer from chronic or severe pain.
Researchers confirm link between high test scores in adolescence and adult accomplishments Students who score extremely high on standardized tests as adolescents often become high achievers in adulthood, a new study has confirmed.
	Researchers identify potential anti–cancer target University of Queensland researchers have discovered a key driver in the development of most cancers, including breast, lung, liver and ovarian cancers.
Studies of personalized cell therapies define optimal doses More precise dosing methods and cellular engineering techniques show promise in the effort to improve treatment of aggressive cancers with personalized cellular therapies, according to new studies from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Those findings are among results of six studies of investigational chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells for both adult and pediatric leukemias, adult lymphomas, and ovarian cancer which will be presented during the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.
	'Human-on-a-chip' could replace animal testing Development of new prescription drugs and antidotes to toxins currently relies extensively on animal testing in the early stages of development, which is not only expensive and time consuming, it can give scientists inaccurate data about how humans will respond to such agents.
	Immunity from H1N1 flu vaccine wears off rapidly H1N1, commonly known as "swine flu," was a new flu strain that appeared in 2009 and quickly spread around the world, killing thousands of people. It is now a regular part of the annual flu season.
	Singing improves speech of people with Parkinson's, but more research needed There is strong evidence that singing benefits the speech of people with Parkinson's disease, but more research needs to be carried out into the area, according to a review of studies led by researchers at the University of Aberdeen.
	Preschools top home-based care in preparing children for school Children receiving formal, classroom-based preschool receive significantly higher-quality care and have better reading and math skills than peers who receive informal child care before kindergarten, according to a new study by the University of Virginia and other institutions, published this week in Child Development.
	Are toys becoming more violent ... and should we be worried? A New Zealand study has reported that Lego has become more violent since the late 1970s. Debates about levels of violence within children's media are not new, so is this significant? When we consider that Lego is famous for its principles of pacifism we might be tempted to think so. We need to be cautious, however, about such headlines contributing to ill-informed moral panics about the loss of childhood innocence and a toy "arms race" causing children to become more aggressive.
No sweet surrender—glucose actually enhances self-control In the age of the 'sugar tax', good news about glucose is hard to come by. But an Australian scientist has just proposed a new understanding of the established link between the sweet stuff and improved self-control.
	Researchers discover p73 as the master regulator of cells that clean our airways Rising global air pollution and increasing smoking prevalence in many developing nations will likely lead to a growing incidence of lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which currently affects more than 330 million people worldwide, is the third-leading cause of death and carries an estimated healthcare cost of $2.1 trillion. Treating COPD and other related lung conditions such as asthma, remain challenging. Now Stony Brook University researchers believe the key to discovering better treatments for chronic lung diseases sits with the p73 gene. They found that this gene is the master regulator of a cell type that is responsible for constantly cleaning our airways from inhaled pollutants, pathogens and dust. In a paper published in Genes & Development, they discovered that when p73 is absent, these cells no longer work. This leads to chronic airway infections, which causes irreversible COPD and emphysema and might also promote asthma.
	How diabetes disrupts the immune system New findings into how type 1 diabetes disrupts the immune system and impacts a person's risk of developing the condition have been uncovered by a team of researchers from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research – findings that could help focus the search for a cure.
	'Deaths of despair' drag life expectancy lower for whites Rising drug and alcohol overdoses, suicides, and disease from chronic alcoholism—labeled "deaths of despair" by one expert—are cutting the lives of white Americans short by nearly a half a year on average.
	Stress hormone cortisol link with psychosis JCU Associate Professor Zoltan Sarnyai said it was the first meta-analysis study to compare the level of cortisol in a waking patient's body with the stage of schizophrenia they are suffering.
	PTSD may negatively affect sex life satisfaction in male and female veterans New research reveals that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was a strong, negative predictor of sexual satisfaction in both male and female veterans who returned from warzones in recent Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
Low risk of dengue infection predicted for foreign visitors to Rio Olympics In 2014, before the FIFA World Cup opened in Brazil, there were fears that many of the 600,000 foreign visitors expected for the world's largest soccer tournament would acquire dengue fever. Their numbers could reach hundreds or even thousands, according to some predictions.
	Social adversity early in life may affect the expression of stress-related genes New research suggests that early severe social deprivation may impact DNA modifications that affect the expression of stress-related genes. These nongenetic (or epigenetic) modifications occur when molecules called methyl groups are added to components of DNA.
	Mechanisms of persistent infection for the human T-cell leukemia virus Joint research between scientists from Kumamoto University, Japan and Imperial College London, UK has revealed the mechanisms of persistent latent infection of the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). This is an important achievement that may contribute to the prevention of refractory leukemia, a form of leukemia in which leukemic cells do not respond well to treatment.
	The therapeutic antibody eculizumab caught in action In collaboration with Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., scientists from Aarhus University have used X-rays to understand how the therapeutic antibody eculizumab prevents our immune system from destroying red blood cells and damaging kidney tissue.
When it comes to making patients safer, is a hospital's 'safety culture' that important? If you work in a hospital these days, you've probably gotten the invitation: Take a survey about how well you, your team and your hospital do at protecting patients from harm, and how empowered you feel to do the right thing.
Psychopathy need not be a disadvantage Persons with high psychopathy values are egotistic, scheming, and sabotage their colleagues unscrupulously to look better themselves. For employers they are a super-meltdown - but is that really true? A study by the University of Bonn shows that some people with psychopathic traits are seen by their colleagues as quite helpful and cooperative. One of the prerequisites for this, however, is that they possess marked social skills. The analysis is already available online in the prestigious "Journal of Management"; the print version will be appearing soon. A short version will be published at the end of June in the journal "Wirtschaftspsychologie aktuell".
	Heroin, painkiller overdose antidote getting easier to buy It is becoming easier for friends and family of heroin users or patients taking strong painkillers to buy an antidote that can reverse the effect of an overdose, as policymakers look for ways to fight a growing epidemic.
	Study shows Zika virus directly infects brain cells and evades immune system detection The mosquito-borne Zika virus linked to microcephaly and other neurological problems in newborns of affected mothers directly infects the brain progenitor cells destined to become neurons, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report in a study published online today in Cell Reports.
	Diabetes drug metformin holds promise for cancer treatment and prevention Use of Metformin - commonly used as the front-line treatment for type 2 diabetes - improves survival for some breast cancer patients, and shows promise as a treatment for patients diagnosed with endometrial hyperplasia, according to the results of two new studies presented by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.
	Finally, targeted therapies for triple-negative breast cancer At the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2016, researchers present results of three clinical trials using new targeted therapies against triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Each therapy uses a distinct strategy influenced by the immune system and all three have real potential to extend the lives of women whose cancers have progressed after previous treatments.
Type 2 diabetes drug could be beneficial for head and neck cancer patients Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine have found that adding increasing doses of an approved Type 2 diabetes drug, metformin, to a chemotherapy and radiation treatment regimen in head and neck cancer patients is not well tolerated if escalated too quickly, but allowing slower escalation could be beneficial.
	Giving chemotherapy after radiotherapy improves survival for patients with rare brain tumour GIVING chemotherapy after radiotherapy delays further growth of a rare type of brain tumour, increasing the number of patients alive at five years from 44 per cent to 56 per cent.
	Low glycemic index diet linked to drop in uric acid levels (HealthDay)—Reducing the dietary glycemic index is associated with a reduction in uric acid levels among overweight and obese adults, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
	HSCT no better than chemo in Philadelphia-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (HealthDay)—For patients ≥40 years of age with Philadelphia (Ph)-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) in first remission is associated with lower cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), but worse non-relapse mortality (NRM), compared with chemotherapy alone, according to a study published online May 6 in the American Journal of Hematology.
	AMA module promotes training of medical assistants (HealthDay)—A new training module can improve training for medical assistants (MAs), according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
	Triclosan exposure affects microbiome structure, diversity (HealthDay)—Triclosan exposure affects the structure and diversity of the microbiome in adult zebrafish, according to research published online May 18 in PLOS ONE.
	'Smart bomb' targets tough-to-treat breast cancer (HealthDay)—A new drug therapy shows promise for treating triple-negative breast cancer, an especially aggressive form of the disease, researchers say.
	Cheaper breast cancer drug does well in clinical trial (HealthDay)—For women with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, a similar but less expensive experimental drug works just as well as the standard drug Herceptin (trastuzumab), a new study finds.
	Report hints Zika can spread through oral sex (HealthDay)—A new report from France suggests that the Zika virus can be transmitted through oral sex.
	Many addicts going without meds that curb opioid abuse (HealthDay)—The United States is in the grip of an epidemic of opioid abuse. However, new research suggests that drugs that help addicts kick their habit after hospitalization are too seldom used.
	Spironolactone no benefit for knee OA in older adults (HealthDay)—For older adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA), spironolactone is not associated with improvements in symptoms, physical function, or health-related quality-of-life, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
	Hypocaloric diet, exercise both reduce visceral adiposity (HealthDay)—Both hypocaloric diet and exercise reduce visceral adiposity (VAT), with exercise tending to have a larger effect on reducing VAT, according to a review published online May 23 in Obesity Reviews.
	Twin gestation ups risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (HealthDay)—Twin gestation is associated with increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), according to an article published online May 23 in Diabetes Care.
	Contraindication to antiplatelet rx for about 18 percent with PCI (HealthDay)—About 18 percent of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have a contraindication to commonly used antiplatelet medications, according to a study published online May 31 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Bacteria found in female upper reproductive tract, once thought sterile They're inside our gut, on the skin, and in the mouth. Thousands of different types of micro-organisms live in and on the body, playing helpful roles in digestion or in aiding the body's natural defense system. Now, scientists at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have found tiny organisms living in the upper female reproductive tract, an environment they said was once thought to be sterile.
	Study finds that our level of wisdom varies depending on the situation While we may think of some people are consistently wise, we actually demonstrate different levels of wisdom from one situation to the next, and factors such as whether we are alone or with friends can affect it, according to new research from the University of Waterloo.
Study of UK diabetic patients suggests obesity surgery could save National Health Service almost 100,000 per patient A small study presented at this year's European Obesity Summit in Gothenburg (1-4 June) shows that obese patients with type 2 diabetes who have obesity surgery could save the UK National Health Service around £95,000 per patient across his or her lifetime, mostly due to savings on future medication costs due to remission of diabetes. The study is by Dr Samantha Chambers and Mr Steven John Robinson, Consultant Bariatric Surgeon, Royal Worcestershire Hospital, UK, and colleagues.
Study shows that mortality is much lower in those who have obesity surgery compared with those who don't A study of almost 49 000 obese patients shows that those who do not have obesity surgery are much more likely to die from any cause than those who do have surgery, after an average of 5 year's follow-up. The study, presented at this year's European Obesity Summit, is by Christina Persson, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and colleagues.
Oregon allows sale of pot edibles, oils to general public Medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon may now legally sell edibles and extracts to recreational users who do not have a medical marijuana card.
	Refugees aren't getting needed surgeries (HealthDay)—Millions of refugees aren't getting the surgery they need, researchers report.
Needle stealing highlights issue tracking health workers The latest public health scare involving a Colorado surgical technician has revealed states have more work ahead in trying to prevent needle-stealing hospital workers from getting hired.
Are EEG neurofeedback benefits due to placebo effects? Neurofeedback using electroencephalograpy boasts thousands of practitioners and appears to both improve normal brain function and alleviate a wide variety of mental disorders – from anxiety to alcoholism. But after examining the scientific literature and consulting experts in Europe and the U.S., McGill University researchers Robert Thibault and Amir Raz conclude that clinical improvements from this increasingly popular alternative therapy are due to placebo effects.
Most kids in India lack timely vaccinations Two-thirds of children in India do not receive their vaccinations on time, prolonging their susceptibility to diseases and contributing to untimely deaths, say University of Michigan researchers.
	Paramedic students learn to interact with patients and their assistance dogs Paramedics can be faced with multiple situations over the course of any one shift. They have to take on board large amounts of information in a short space of time and make decisions quickly.
Improved progression-free survival for Lutathera over octreotide in patients with progressive metastatic midgut NETs Moffitt Cancer Center will present results of the phase 3 NETTER-1 study, showing clinically meaningful and significant results for Lutathera (77Lu-DOTA0-Tyr3-Octreotate) in patients with metastatic midgut neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The data will be presented Monday, June 6, 2016 during the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Ramucirumab in colorectal and lung cancer: Partly added benefit, partly lesser benefit Ramucirumab (trade name: Cyramza) is a monoclonal antibody, which blocks a receptor, reducing the growth of blood vessels and so reducing blood supply to the tumours. This aims to slow the growth of the tumours. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in two early benefit assessments whether the drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapies for adult patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC) or with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Empagliflozin, alone or in combination, in type 2 diabetes: Added benefit again not proven Empagliflozin (trade name: Jardiance) has been approved since May 2014 for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in whom diet and exercise alone do not provide adequate glycaemic control. In 2014, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) concluded in its dossier assessment that an added benefit of the drug in comparison with the appropriate comparator therapies was not proven. Partly, the drug manufacturer had presented no relevant data; partly not only the drugs, but also the therapeutic strategies differed; in addition, the indirect comparisons were based on studies unsuitable for the assessment.
Cobimetinib in advanced melanoma with BRAF V600 mutation: Added benefit now considerable Cobimetinib (trade name: Cotellic) has been approved since November 2015 in combination with vemurafenib for the treatment of adults with advanced, i.e. metastatic or unresectable, melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation. In a dossier assessment from March 2016, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) found both advantages and disadvantages of cobimetinib in combination with vemurafenib in comparison with the appropriate comparator therapy vemurafenib alone. This resulted in an indication of a minor added benefit.
Cancer patients miss appointments, prescriptions due to inability to afford care Financial pressures kept cancer patients from filling prescription medications and attending their doctors' visits, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers found in a new study.
Counseling patients at risk for cancer over the phone reduces costs and access burdens Delivering genetic test results to patients at risk for cancer-causing genetic mutations over the phone helps to ease cost and transportation burdens and, compared to receiving results in person, does not cause patients additional stress, according to a new study from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania which will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (abstract 1502). The findings suggest delivering results of complex genetic tests to at-risk patients over the phone may be an effective way to reduce burdens and costs for patients with cancer or at risk for cancer, according to the study's lead author, Angela R. Bradbury, MD, an assistant professor of Medicine and Medical Ethics & Health Policy in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine.
As abortion barriers grow, US Supreme Court ruling looms Abortion may be legal in America, but US states are throwing up more and more barriers to the practice. So an upcoming decision from the Supreme Court is hotly awaited.
	UN: Experts being asked to examine Zika risk at Rio games (Update) The World Health Organization's chief says she will convene an expert committee to consider whether the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics should proceed as planned, following concerns raised about the threat of the Zika virus.

Biology news

	A mathematical model explains how popping cress catapults its seeds into the air Plants use many strategies to disperse their seeds, but among the most fascinating are exploding seed pods. Scientists had assumed that the energy to power these explosions was generated through the seed pods deforming as they dried out, but in the case of 'popping cress' (Cardamine hirsuta) this turns out not to be so. Scientists at the the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany, found out that these seed pods don't wait to dry before they explode.
	Personality changes can affect fish body shape, locomotion Fish that are bred to be bolder or more shy show corresponding changes to their body shape and locomotion, suggesting that personality changes affect other seemingly unrelated traits. The findings could be useful in animal breeding, pest management and studies of complex human behaviors.
	Gene circuits in live cells can perform complex computations Living cells are capable of performing complex computations on the environmental signals they encounter.
New praying mantis named after US Supreme Court justice One of the US Supreme Court's justices has extended her influence to the insect world, inspiring the name of a newly discovered praying mantis species.
	Free web service for deep study of cell functions A group of scientists from Russia, the U.S., Canada and Germany has developed a simple and effective web service called Genes And Metabolites (GAM) to help researchers study complex biological processes in cells. The program identifies links between changes in metabolism and genes, enabling a better understanding of how, for example, cancer or immune system cells work. Metabolic regulation plays a major role in these biological objects. New insights derived from the service can be applied to develop treatments for autoimmune diseases and cancer. The study was published in the Nucleic Acids Research.
	Increasing the amount of information that can be extracted from a protein microarray By using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), researchers at the Center for Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium can greatly increase the amount of information that can be extracted from a protein microarray. In a new report in the current issue of Biomedical Spectroscopy and Imaging, they show how high-quality spectra can be obtained from spots of protein no larger than the diameter of a human hair.
	Shy wild boars are sometimes better mothers It has been known for years that personality traits of animals, such as aggressiveness, risk-taking, curiosity or sociality, may have far-reaching consequences for reproduction and survival. However, separating the effect of personality from other factors, such as environmental conditions, is not easy. If the natural environment of the animals is subjected to strong fluctuations, the different personalities may have different consequences depending on the prevailing situation.
Enzyme with high potential for new cancer treatment identified A team of researchers from the Biology department at the TU Darmstadt has identified an enzyme that separates DNA replication from repair. This discovery could be of tremendous significance in the treatment of tumours. The scientists have now published the results of their research in the renowned research journal Molecular Cell.
	Genetically modified Golden Rice falls short on lifesaving promises Heralded on the cover of Time magazine in 2000 as a genetically modified (GMO) crop with the potential to save millions of lives in the Third World, Golden Rice is still years away from field introduction and even then, may fall short of lofty health benefits still cited regularly by GMO advocates, suggests a new study from Washington University in St. Louis.
Crowds of crows spread C. jejuni: Are humans vulnerable? Crows are smart, highly social animals that congregate in flocks of tens of thousands. Such large, highly concentrated populations can easily spread disease—not only amongst their own species, but quite possibly to humans, either via livestock, or directly. On the campus of the University of California, Davis, during winter, approximately half of the 6,000 American crows that congregated at the study site carried Campylobacter jejuni, which is the leading cause of gastroenteritis in humans in industrialized countries, which could contribute to the spread of disease. The research is published DATE in Applied and robiology.
	Team makes breakthrough toward fish-free aquaculture feed Dartmouth College scientists have discovered that marine microalgae can completely replace the wild fish oil currently used to feed tilapia, the second most farmed fish in the world and the most widely farmed in the United States.
	Scientists unveil plan to create synthetic human genomes A group of American-led scientists and entrepreneurs has announced the start of a 10-year project aimed at creating synthetic human genomes in a move that could revolutionize the field of biotechnology but raises troubling ethical concerns.
	Zoo dangerous-animal squads arm for a weighty responsibility When a 400-pound gorilla grabbed a 3-year-old boy at the Cincinnati Zoo, the sharpshooter who killed the ape wasn't from the police. Instead, the shooter was a specially trained zoo staffer on one of the many dangerous-animal emergency squads at animal parks nationwide.
	Is mammal DNA in the guts of blowflies a feasible mammal monitoring tool? Mammal DNA detected from the guts of blowflies indicated the presence of 11 mammal species at two tropical forest reserves in Malaysia. This new tool could soon join the list of conventional mammal monitoring tools, such as camera traps, used by conservation biologists. The study has been published in the journal Genome.
	Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Kent State and Cleveland Metroparks launch learning app Educators, scientists, and technologists from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Kent State University and Cleveland Metroparks have partnered to develop a new learning app that is now live and freely available on iTunes. The app, called ParkApps, features a number of different resources aimed at educating park visitors as they run, hike and bike through the parks.
	Namibia offers endangered rhino for trophy hunt The Namibian government on Friday called for bids from trophy hunters to kill three endangered black rhinos, despite fierce global criticism over previous auctions.

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