Science X Newsletter Thursday, Aug 11

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 11, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Cavitands enhance selectivity and hydrolysis rate of one ester on a long-chain diester

Patent patter: Tanks not on Apple's to-do list

Hawaiian petroglyphs revealed by shifting sands on Waianae coast

Astrophysicists discover mechanism for spiral-arm formation in disk galaxies

Treatment option for Alzheimer's disease possible

Does burned food give you cancer?

The fourth state of matter, plasma: A technology to improve bone healing?

Companions of Earth—minimoons, quasi-satellites and horseshoes

Novel smart materials inspired by sea creatures

Surprising results from a new study reveal the heel bone from our fossil relative is closer related to gorillas

Plant response to carbon dioxide emissions depends on their neighbours

Spotlight on Schiaparelli's landing site

New hacking technique imperceptibly changes memory virtual servers

Orangutan able to guess a taste without sampling it, just like us

NASA climate modeling suggests Venus may have been habitable

Astronomy & Space news

Astrophysicists discover mechanism for spiral-arm formation in disk galaxies Astrophysicists at the University of Arkansas have discovered a mechanism for the formation of the spiral arms in disk galaxies.
	Companions of Earth—minimoons, quasi-satellites and horseshoes The Earth has one steadfast companion – the moon has been locked in orbit around the Earth since its violent formation more than four billion years ago.
	Spotlight on Schiaparelli's landing site Schiaparelli, the Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module of the joint ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars 2016 mission, will target the Meridiani Planum region for its October landing, as seen in this mosaic created from Mars Express images.
	NASA climate modeling suggests Venus may have been habitable Venus may have had a shallow liquid-water ocean and habitable surface temperatures for up to 2 billion years of its early history, according to computer modeling of the planet's ancient climate by scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York.
	Much ado about nothing: Astronomers use empty space to study the universe Researchers who are looking for new ways to probe the nature of gravity and dark energy in the universe have adopted a new strategy: looking at what's not there.
	Hubble uncovers a galaxy pair coming in from the wilderness NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered two tiny dwarf galaxies that have wandered from a vast cosmic wilderness into a nearby "big city" packed with galaxies. After being quiescent for billions of years, they are ready to party by starting a firestorm of star birth.
	Ten trillionths of your suntan comes from beyond our galaxy Lie on the beach this summer and your body will be bombarded by about sextillion photons of light per second.
	Why haven't we found any aliens yet? Many years ago, Carl Sagan predicted there could be as many as 10,000 advanced extraterrestrial civilizations in our galaxy.
NASA to map Asteroid Bennu from the ground up How do you study the topography of an asteroid millions of miles away? Map it with a robotic cartographer!

Technology news

	Patent patter: Tanks not on Apple's to-do list Did an error serve a military vehicle patent to the stylish company that brings you phones and featherweight PCs to cry for if not die for? Lawyers said a vehicle patent assigned to Apple was in error, reported Patently Apple on Wednesday.
	New hacking technique imperceptibly changes memory virtual servers For the first time ever a team of Dutch hacking experts, led by cyber security professor Herbert Bos at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, managed to alter the memory of virtual machines in the cloud without a software bug, using a new attack technique.
	Researchers unveil remote lock flaw on 100m cars German and British researchers have discovered a security flaw in remote locking systems fitted to around 100 million cars worldwide, German media reported on Thursday.
	Wind power fiercer than expected, study finds University of Delaware researchers report in a new study that offshore wind may be more powerful, yet more turbulent than expected in the North Eastern United States.
Australian census back online 2 days after cyberattack Australia's first attempt to conduct a census online resumed Thursday almost two days after it shut down due to what an angry prime minister described as system failures that left it vulnerable to cyberattack.
	Snapchat "Yellow Face" lens slapped as offensive Vanishing message app Snapchat made a photo lens quickly disappear after an online uproar branding it an offensive stereotype of Asians worthy of the label "Yellow Face."
Newspapers rethink paywalls as digital efforts sputter Paywalls were supposed to help rescue newspapers from the crisis of sinking print circulation as readers shifted to getting their news online.
Expert says cyberattack worries could affect elections A real possibility exists that foreign hackers could throw a monkey wrench into the outcome of the U.S. presidential election in the fall, a Stanford expert says.
	Research finds out why people love to use fashion shopping apps Research undertaken by The University of Manchester has found that most people shop on fashion apps at 8pm, and apps with strong social media integration are the most popular.
	Robotic gait training for kids with CP—it's cool but does it work? Maggie Slessor's friends think she's a robot.
	Student researchers build table-football robot ls in table football. The next step will be to program the robot with some strategy and organise a competition among robots.
	When disaster-response apps fail When a terrorist struck Nice, France, on July 14, a new French government app designed to alert people failed. Three hours passed before SAIP, as the app is called, warned people in and around Nice to the danger on the city's waterfront during Bastille Day festivities.
	Sketch-based query for searching for relationships among objects in images Searching for specific images may become easier thanks to a new tool that generates image queries based on a sketch or description of objects in spatial relationships. The tool, which has been proposed by researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, and University College London, makes it easier to search the world's ever-expanding databases for pictures matching a wider and more powerful range of image queries.
World should consider limits to future internet expansion to control energy consumption The world should consider ways to limit data growth on the internet to prevent run-away energy consumption and help limit carbon emissions, say leading computer scientists.
	Wearable cloud could be less expensive, more powerful form of mobile computing Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are exploring the concept of a wearable personal cloud—a fully functioning, yet compact and lightweight cloud computing system embedded into clothing.
Snapchat removes filter amid claims of racial insensitivity Snapchat has removed a filter for photos that some say promoted racist Asian stereotypes.
	Huffington Post founder leaves for wellness startup Arianna Huffington, founder of the online Huffington Post news site that has become a global phenomenon, announced Thursday she was stepping down to launch a nonprofit group focused on health and wellness.
	Russia fines Google $6.7 million over anti-trust charge Russia's anti-trust authority on Thursday fined Google 438 million rubles ($6.75 million) after finding it guilty of abusing its dominant market position by forcing smartphone makers to install its search engine on Androids.
	Lock picking your way to cybersecurity at Def Con Lock picking might seem ridiculously old-fashioned at a cybersecurity gathering—but learning it can actually help people protect machines from digital threats.
	The innovative shock absorber system from Audi can generate electricity In the mobility of the future, the recuperation of energy plays an increasingly important role, including in a car's suspension. Audi is working on a prototype called "eROT," in which electromechanical rotary dampers replace the hydraulic dampers used today for an even more comfortable ride.
UK investigating reported near-miss between drone and plane British police say they are investigating a reported near-collision between a drone and a passenger plane near England's Newquay Airport.
Samsung buys US luxury home appliance maker Dacor Samsung Electronics said Thursday it had acquired US luxury appliance maker Dacor, as part of its push towards a full production line of high-end, Internet-connected homeware.
Delta computer outage included 'small fire' at data center As flight cancelations and delays move into their fourth day, Delta Air Lines isn't providing details on a "small fire" Monday at its data center and whether that fire—or attempts to extinguish it—compounded the airline's troubles.
	Shares of Alibaba jump on strong 1Q results Shares of Alibaba jumped on Thursday as the Chinese e-commerce powerhouse added shoppers and mobile revenue surged.
	Department stores hope to recapture appeal, be destinations Department stores trying to recapture their appeal to consumers are making plans to provide more experiences like spas and restaurants, and offer exclusive selections to transforms the store into more of a destination.

Medicine & Health news

	Treatment option for Alzheimer's disease possible A research project has shown that an experimental model of Alzheimer's disease can be successfully treated with a commonly used anti-inflammatory drug.
	Does burned food give you cancer? If you're offered a plate of blackened barbecue food this summer, you might think twice about eating it. It's commonly thought that food that has been burnt could cause cancer. This is in part down to one particular molecule that forms when food is cooked at high temperatures, known as acrylamide. But while the chemical is a known potential toxin and carcinogen in its industrial form, the link between consuming it in food and developing cancer is much less clear.
	Targeting the gut-brain connection can impact immunity There's a reason it's called a gut feeling. The brain and the gut are connected by intricate neural networks that signal hunger and satiety, love and fear, even safety and danger. These networks employ myriad chemical signals that include dopamine, a powerful neurotransmitter most famous for its role in reward and addiction.
	Two Zika proteins responsible for microcephaly identified USC researchers have tracked down two Zika proteins potentially responsible for thousands of microcephaly cases in Brazil and elsewhere—taking one small step toward preventing Zika-infected mothers from birthing babies with abnormally small heads.
	Researchers measure how our brain reacts to Google Glass "Smart" eyewear—that can integrate augmented reality with your own, feed you live information about your surroundings and even be used in the operating room—is no longer the stuff of science fiction.
	Researchers 'reprogram' network of brain cells in mice with thin beam of light Neurons that fire together really do wire together, says a new study in Science, suggesting that the three-pound computer in our heads may be more malleable than we think.
	Autophagy under the microscope as never before We don't tend to wrap our recycling waste in bubble wrap but that's essentially what cells do during the cellular recycling process called autophagy. Using the live imaging capabilities at the Babraham Institute, Institute researchers and their collaborators at Carl Zeiss Microscopy, Munich, and the Francis Crick Institute, London, have viewed the earliest stages of this encapsulation and recycling process in super resolution to reveal what's happening in unprecedented molecular detail. Their research is published today in the journal Nature Communications.
	Heart bypass without surgery?—AGGF1 induces therapeutic angiogenesis through autophagy Coronary artery disease, the number one killer world-wide, restricts and ultimately blocks blood vessels, and cuts off oxygen supply to the heart. A study published on August 11 in the open access journal PLOS Biology reports that treatment with AGGF1, a protein which promotes angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels), can successfully treat acute heart attacks in mice. The therapeutic benefits depend on autophagy, a normal breakdown process that removes cellular structures that are damaged or no longer needed and recycles their molecular components.
	Visualization of newly formed synapses with unprecedented resolution The formation of excitatory and inhibitory synapses between neurons during early development gives rise to the neuronal networks that enable sensory and cognitive functions in humans. Inhibitory synapses decrease the likelihood of the firing action potential of a cell, while excitatory synapses increase its likelihood. Remarkably, both excitatory and inhibitory synapses are formed on dendrites of cortical neurons with high temporal and spatial precision, and it is believed that the spatial arrangement of synapses determines the functional consequences of excitation and inhibition of neuronal activities. However, studying the general mechanisms of synapse formation and distribution in dendrites has been challenging due to a lack of reliable methods that trigger and monitor synapse formation.
Reducing the harms of alcohol through weaker beer Could a small drop in the alcohol content of beer or other drinks reduce the harmful effects of alcohol in society at large?
Researchers link senescent cells to most common form of arthritis Researchers at Mayo Clinic have reported a causal link between senescent cells—cells that accumulate with age and contribute to frailty and disease—and osteoarthritis in mice. Their findings appear online in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.
	Students in government-funded school meal programs at higher risk of being overweight Government-funded school meals are putting financially vulnerable children at risk of being overweight, a Virginia Tech researcher has found.
Are violent video games associated with more civic behaviors among youth? Whether violent video games influence the behavior of youth has been a debate that has split the academic community for years. Scholars and clinicians remain divided in opinion about whether violent games are harmful. In 2011, the US Supreme Court, in a decision examining the constitutionality of regulating the sale of violent games to minors, declared the research evidence could not support claims of "harm" caused to minors. In a new study published in Psychology of Popular Media Culture, Christopher J. Ferguson and John Colwell investigate this issue in a sample of 304 children in the United Kingdom.
New study evaluates link between young women's beliefs on alcohol use and sex It may come as little surprise that alcohol use is widespread among young adults. In the U.S., 70 percent of adults aged 18 to 24 drink alcohol, with 40 percent of women imbibing over the recommended daily limit of 3 drinks per day. Add that to preconceived notions that alcohol-related behavior results in sexual risk-taking, and it may point to why young women are experiencing an increased prevalence of sexually-transmitted infections.
Patients with TB and HIV should receive prompt coordinated treatment for both conditions Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading killer of people with HIV, and providing therapy for both illnesses simultaneously saves lives - according to new guidelines on the treatment of drug-susceptible TB developed jointly by the American Thoracic Society (ATS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Treatment of TB in the presence of HIV infection is one of several special situations addressed in the new guidelines, published today in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
	More than 200,000 crashes caused by road debris More than 200,000 crashes involved debris on U.S. roadways during the past four years, according to a new study released by the American Automobile Association (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety. Road debris has resulted in approximately 39,000 injuries and more than 500 deaths between 2011 and 2014. AAA is calling for drivers to properly secure their loads to prevent dangerous debris.
	New guidelines published for physicians treating patients with kidney stones A new guideline for the surgical management of patients with kidney and/or ureteral stones has been released by the American Urologic Association. Chair of the panel, Dean Assimos, M.D., worked with a team of kidney stone experts to develop one of the largest guidelines documents that the AUA has ever produced, highlighting more than 50 statements on best practices when treating patients with kidney and ureteral stones.
Cancer drug for mums-to-be may curb baby girls' future fertility Chemotherapy treatment during pregnancy may affect the future fertility of unborn baby girls, a study suggests.
Health behaviors and management critical for spinal cord injury patients It can happen in a split second from a vehicle crash, a fall or a gunshot: a person's spinal cord tissue is bruised or torn by a shocking blow.
	Improved guidelines for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder A group of experts on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), organized by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), has produced proposed clinical guidelines for diagnosing FASD, which can result when a mother drinks during pregnancy. The new guidelines clarify and expand upon widely used guidelines issued in 2005, which were the first to help clinicians distinguish among the four distinct subtypes of FASD described by the Institute of Medicine. The updated guidelines, developed over one year by a cadre of experts in the field, are based on analysis of 10,000 individuals involved in studies of prenatal alcohol exposure funded by NIAAA, part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Scientists warn anthrax just one threat as Russian permafrost melts A recent anthrax outbreak in the far north of Russia left a child dead, 23 people infected and the government scrambling to deploy hundreds of rescue workers and soldiers to stop any further spread.
Smoking greatly reduces life expectancy for those with serious mental illness Smokers with serious mental illness have their lives cut short by about 15 years, compared with people who have never smoked and who do not have serious mental illness, research from the University of Michigan shows.
	Research suggests new tool for cancer treatment based on cell type A new tumor model has been shown to predict how certain types of cancer cells react differently to a commonly used chemotherapy drug, a potential tool for "precision medicine," in which drug treatment is tailored to individual patients and certain cancer types.
	Simple blood test developed to screen for life-threatening liver disease Doctors at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have found a way to detect biliary atresia and other neonatal liver diseases in newborns using a simple blood test. This means that infants with biliary atresia, a life threatening and hard-to-detect disease of the liver and bile ducts, can be diagnosed and treated earlier, which has the potential to reduce the number of infants needing liver transplantation.
Some great leaders had mental illness - it may have helped Some of America's greatest leaders in history have had mental health problems and it may have helped in times of crisis, psychiatrists and psychologists said.
	Wearable sensor for athletes detects potential head injuries, gathers data on hard hits Head injuries are a hot topic today in sports medicine, with numerous studies pointing to a high prevalence of sports-related concussions, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, among youth and professional athletes. Now an MIT-invented tool is aiding in detecting and diagnosing concussions, in real-time.
	Millions deprived of life saving antifungal medicines, report finds The world is in the grip of a global crisis that kills the equivalent of the populations of Philadelphia, Kampala or Prague - around 1.6 million each year.
	What can a 1.7-million-year-old hominid fossil teach us about cancer? In late July, an international team of researchers announced that they had identified evidence of cancer in the fossilized remains of a biological relative of human beings who lived about 1.7 million years ago.
Genes linked to people's bowel habits A new publication in the scientific journal Gut sheds light on the role that certain genes have in determining how people differ in their bowel habits. The study results from the collaboration of research groups at Karolinska Institutet and the University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
	Decriminalisation of drug use a sound and pragmatic public health policy Decriminalisation of personal drug use and possession not only saves public money, it has significant public health benefits, according to a report prepared by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at UNSW.
Nutrition and health claims could mislead consumers Consumers need to be better protected from misleading nutrition and health claims on food packaging, according to new research.
	Why does time seem to go by more quickly as we get older? When we were children, the summer holidays seemed to last forever, and the wait between Christmases felt like an eternity. So why is that when we get older, the time just seems to zip by, with weeks, months and entire seasons disappearing from a blurred calendar at dizzying speed?
	Artificial skin tests for stopping sun damage Sunbathing without sunscreen can be dangerous. Sun rays do not only damage the skin. Some substances in drugs, cosmetics and medicinal herbs can be toxic to the skin when exposed to ultraviolet light. Experts call the phenomenon phototoxicity. It occurs when a substance absorbs light energy and is thereby chemically modified. Only the modified substance is toxic to the skin, which can cause redness, swelling or inflammation - similar to a sunburn. Companies can examine the phototoxicity of a substance with an in-vitro test methods developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB. The test procedure is ISO certified and meets the required norms and standards.
	Car drivers are four kilograms heavier than cyclists, new study reveals People who drive cars as their main form of transport are on average heavier than those who cycle, according to an ongoing Europe-wide study.
Spanish-speaking parents can improve children's English skills through reading and doing math in Spanish Most U.S. school teachers instruct only in English; yet, the number of students from homes where a non-English language is spoken is expected to double by the year 2030, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. New research from the University of Missouri shows that Spanish-speaking preschoolers experience significant improvements in their English skills when they have a good grasp of Spanish letters and numbers. In another study, the researcher found that behavior traits play a role in English learning. These findings suggest that early education programs that connect children's word and math skills in Spanish to those in English can increase school readiness for Spanish-speaking children.
	Study shows that people benefit more from exercise when they believe it will have a positive effect Everyone knows exercise is supposed to be good for your health, but is the belief that exercise will have a positive effect more important for our well-being than the exercise itself? The psychologist Hendrik Mothes from the University of Freiburg's Department of Sport Science and his team have conducted a study demonstrating that test subjects derive more psychological as well as neurophysiological benefits from exercise if they already have positive mindsets about sports. Moreover, the team provided evidence that test subjects can be positively or negatively influenced in this regard before engaging in the exercise. The study was published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
	Crown gall disease—a tumour home to a varied bacterial community At present, an early diagnosis of the tumour-like crown gall disease affecting grapevines seems out of reach. Two researchers have taken a closer look at the tumours and found a very special environment.
Risk of fans catching dengue fever during Olympics 'very low' The risk of sports fans catching dengue fever during the Rio Olympics is very low, according to a new study involving mathematicians at the University of Strathclyde.
Molecular features of biguanides required for targeting of mitochondrial respiratory complex The biguanides are a family of drugs with diverse clinical applications. Metformin, a widely used anti-hyperglycemic biguanide, suppresses mitochondrial respiration by inhibiting respiratory complex I. Phenformin, a related anti-hyperglycemic biguanide, also inhibits respiration, but proguanil, which is widely used for the prevention of malaria, does not. The molecular structures of phenformin and proguanil are closely related and both inhibit isolated complex I. Proguanil does not inhibit respiration in cells and mitochondria because it is unable to access complex I. The molecular features that determine which biguanides accumulate in mitochondria, enabling them to inhibit complex I in vivo, are not known.
	If videogames do affect pupils' education and skills, it's time we found out how A study published recently examined the effects of video games on maths, reading and science skills and makes some interesting claims about the positive influence of the teenage participants' online gaming habits.
Study sheds light on use and effectiveness of sexual assault hotlines Since the 1970s, sexual assault hotlines have grown in popularity in North America as conduits for survivors, their loved ones and professionals to unite for immediate support. Today, there are more than 1,000 crisis hotline affiliates in the United States alone. Yet, despite their widespread use, much remains unknown or unclear about their service efficacy.
	Paraplegics regain some feeling, movement after using brain-machine interfaces Eight people who have spent years paralyzed from spinal cord injuries have regained partial sensation and muscle control in their lower limbs after training with brain-controlled robotics, according to a study published Aug. 11 in Scientific Reports.
The next frontier in facial plastic, reconstructive surgery Is regenerative medicine the next frontier in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery?
Prevalence of estrogen receptor mutations in patients with metastatic breast cancer A new study published online by JAMA Oncology examines the prevalence and significance of estrogen receptor mutations in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
	Researchers find new functions of blood cell protein in transplant Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University scientists have found exciting, new functions of the protein angiogenin (ANG) that play a significant role in the regulation of blood cell formation, important in bone marrow transplantation and recovery from radiation-induced bone marrow failure. Since current bone marrow transplantations have significant limitations, these discoveries may lead to important therapeutic interventions to help improve the effectiveness of these treatments. The findings were published in an article, "Angiogenin promotes hematopoietic regeneration by dichotomously regulating quiescence of stem and progenitor cells," in the August 11, 2016 issue of the journal Cell.
Long-term health effects of Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs not as dire as perceived The detonation of atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 resulted in horrific casualties and devastation. The long-term effects of radiation exposure also increased cancer rates in the survivors. But public perception of the rates of cancer and birth defects among survivors and their children is in fact greatly exaggerated when compared to the reality revealed by comprehensive follow-up studies. The reasons for this mismatch and its implications are discussed in a Perspectives review of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki survivor studies published in the August issue of the journal Genetics, a publication of the Genetics Society of America.
	Infertility patients' mental health problems often unaddressed (HealthDay)—People undergoing fertility treatment often suffer symptoms of depression or anxiety, but few get any formal help, a new study suggests.
	IV immunoglobulin use up in interstitial lung disease (HealthDay)—Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is increasingly being used for interstitial lung disease (ILD), despite a lack of evidence for its use, according to research published online Aug. 2 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
	Dermatopathology more common in crohn's than ulcerative colitis (HealthDay)—Cutaneous manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) should be considered when reviewing unexplained skin lesions, particularly in patients with Crohn's disease (CD), according to research published online Aug. 6 in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology.
	Modest changes in practice for high-sensitivity TnT reporting (HealthDay)—For patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain, high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) reporting is associated with modest changes in practice, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
	Antifibrotics up outcomes after ahmed glaucoma valve implant (HealthDay)—Mitomycin C (MMC) and 5-flurouracil (5-FU) improve outcomes following Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
	Review IDs determinants of physical activity in women (HealthDay)—For women, positive and consistent determinants of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) include higher self-efficacy, self-rated health and intentions, and perceived behavioral control, according to a review published online July 28 in Obesity Reviews.
	Water-based ai chi program beneficial in fibromyalgia (HealthDay)—A water-based Ai Chi program is associated with improvements in quality of life for women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), according to a study published online July 26 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
	Many patients don't reach target dose of atomoxetine (HealthDay)—A considerable proportion of patients receiving atomoxetine (ATX), especially those receiving ATX monotherapy, do not reach the recommended dose of 80 mg/day (ATX ≥80), according to a study published online July 31 in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics.
	Many U.S. hospitals offer language services (HealthDay)—Overall, 68.8 percent of hospitals offer language services, with the proportion increasing with level of need, according to research published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
	Florida reports four more cases of local zika infection in miami (HealthDay)—Four more cases of Zika infection that were likely spread through mosquito bites have been reported in the Miami area, bringing the total count of cases to 21, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Tuesday.
Unproven stem cell therapies for lung disease on the rise despite promise of new treatments Stem cell medical tourism and unproven stem cell interventions are growing and concerning issues for patients afflicted with lung disease. According to Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers, there are an increasing number of clinics worldwide offering expensive stem cell-based therapies that are ineffective or have no proven benefit.
Human brain clocks exposed: Effects of circadian clocks and sleep loss vary across brain regions Ever wondered what happens inside your brain when you stay awake for a day, a night and another day, before you finally go to sleep? In a new study published today in the journal Science, a team of researchers from the University of Liege and the University of Surrey have scanned the brains of 33 participants across such a 2-day sleep deprivation period and following recovery sleep. Activity in several brain regions, and in particular subcortical areas, followed a 24-hour rhythmic (circadian) pattern the timing of which, surprisingly, varied across brain regions.
Researchers restore drug sensitivity in breast cancer tumors A team of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine cancer researchers has uncovered one way certain tumors resist vital medication.
Gay high school students raped, attacked far more often Gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students are far more likely than their classmates to be raped or assaulted in a dating situation, according to the first national survey of its kind.
	Risk factors, features and outcomes of invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella in Vietnam Invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella (iNTS) infections occur when Salmonella bacteria, which normally cause diarrhea, enter the bloodstream and spread through the body. iNTS infections may cause illness and death in malaria-stricken children and HIV-infected adults in sub-Saharan Africa, but little is known about the prevalence and severity of iNTS in Asia. A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases suggests that iNTS disease, like in sub-Saharan Africa, is a severe infection with a high mortality rate in Vietnam. Stephen Baker, Corinne Thompson, and Nguyen Phu Huong Lan, working at The Hospital for Tropical Diseases and Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and colleagues found that HIV infection was a risk factor for both contracting and dying from iNTS and that iNTS infections were most commonly diagnosed in HIV-infected adult men.
	A new tool to determine cost-effective control of rheumatic heart disease Based on recent estimates, there are about 32 million cases of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) worldwide, which cause 275,000 deaths per year. Effective drugs and surgical procedures to prevent and treat the disease exist, but they can be expensive and are under-used in the resource-poor settings where disease burden is highest. A study published in PLOS NTDs introduces a tool that helps health officials to make smart decisions on prevention and treatment of RHD.
	Children score low on cardiovascular health measures Proactive strategies for promoting good heart health should begin at birth, yet most American children do not meet the American Heart Association's definition of ideal childhood cardiovascular health, according to a new scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
Burnout is caused by mismatch between unconscious needs and job demands New research shows that burnout is caused by a mismatch between a person's unconscious needs and the opportunities and demands at the workplace. These results have implications for the prevention of job burnout.
Research shows backup plans may keep you from achieving your goal When it comes to setting organizational and personal goals, making a backup plan has been seen as a sensible way to deal with uncertainty—to be prepared if things don't go as expected.
Bilirubin contributes to immune suppression after islet transplants A team of researchers has found that doses of bilirubin help provide suppression of the immune response following islet transplantation in mouse models. Bilirubin also significantly decreased islet cell death after the cells had been isolated and undergone nutrient deprivation and hypoxic (low oxygen) stress. If applied, the results of the study are expected to improve outcomes after allograft (other donated) islet cell transplantation to treat type 1 diabetes.
Structural images shed new light on a cancer-linked potassium channel Most cells in the body carry on their surface tiny pores through which potassium ions travel. In controlling the flow of these positively charged ions, the channel helps the cell maintain its electrical balance.
Molecular flexibility shown to help pharmaceutical drugs bind to their targets Scientists have discovered an alternative way to create a stronger binding between pharmaceutical drugs and the part of the body they are targeting - a development that can be used to fight a variety of diseases, including breast cancer. The study published in PLOS Computational Biology shows that flexible molecules, instead of rigid ones, as previously thought, can bind more effectively to the proteins causing the disease.
Does marriage affect drinking? A new study provides insights Are you more or less likely to drink often and heavily when in a relationship? That may depend on the relationship.
High and low levels of 'good cholesterol' may cause premature death Commonly touted as "good cholesterol" for helping to reduce risk of stroke and heart attack, both high and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol may increase a person's risk of premature death, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System.
Strict blood pressure control may provide long-term benefits for kidney disease patients For individuals with chronic kidney disease, strict blood pressure control may help protect against premature death. That's the conclusion of a recent analysis of clinical trial data. The findings appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
Study links child obesity at age 9-11 years to gestational diabetes in mother New research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]) shows an increased risk of childhood obesity at age 9-11 years when the mother has had gestational diabetes during pregnancy. The study is by Dr Gang Hu, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA, and colleagues.
	How immune response differs for natural AAV infection compared to AAV vector for gene transfer? A new, long-term study examined the antibody response to natural infection with adeno-associated virus (AAV) in chimpanzees for the purpose of characterizing the broad-based immune responses that could reduce the effectiveness of AAV vector-based gene delivery strategies. The study, which demonstrated the production of antibodies able to cross-neutralize multiple AAV serotypes, is published in Human Gene Therapy Clinical Development.
Horses get scarred refugee children back in the saddle Fritzi is squat, wide in the hips and rather stubborn. Lucky is an imposing tower of muscle. But with their big brown eyes and endless patience this odd couple works wonders.
	Research shows we can end clinical 'tribes' in hospitals to improve healthcare People naturally form themselves into cliques in the workplace but a new study has shown that they can be overcome, according to a landmark Australian study of healthcare professionals, published in BMJ Open.
	Backyard poultry producers should take precautions against salmonella Exposure to salmonella from live poultry can be prevented if producers take the necessary precautions, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist.
Government won't reclassify marijuana, allows more research The Obama administration isn't going to reclassify marijuana and remove it from the list of the most dangerous drugs.
Cholera kills at least 12 people in Central African Republic Central African Republic's health minister says at least 12 people have died from cholera since the beginning of August.
Olympics: Phelps gives 'cupping' a boost in China Star US swimmer Michael Phelps has captured headlines in Rio's Olympic pool this week for his astonishing lifetime haul of gold medals, and for the curious red circles on his shoulder.
Novartis could face S.Korea sales ban amid corruption allegations: media Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis risks seeing some of its medicines banned in South Korea after company executives were charged with offering illegal discounts to doctors, the Financial Times reported Thursday.
Nigeria reports first 2 cases of polio in years, WHO says Nigeria has reported the first two cases of polio after more than two years, in an area newly liberated from Islamic extremists who attacked polio vaccinators in the past, the government and the World Health Organization said Thursday.
Canada to allow medical marijuana patients to grow cannabis The Canadian government says medical marijuana patients will be able to grow their own cannabis under new regulations that come into effect later this month.
US official urges Puerto Rico to step up fight against Zika The U.S. surgeon general on Thursday urged Puerto Rico to step up its public education campaign against Zika as he warned that 25 percent of the island will be infected with the mosquito-borne virus by year's end.
National proposal aims for fairer liver transplant distribution The organization that oversees the nation's transplant system said Wednesday that it believes a new proposal would greatly reduce geographic disparities that make getting a liver transplant harder in some areas of the country and easier in others.

Biology news

	Surprising results from a new study reveal the heel bone from our fossil relative is closer related to gorillas The new study that for the first time examined the internal anatomy of a fossil human relative's heel bone, or calcaneus, shows greater similarities with gorillas than chimpanzees.
	Orangutan able to guess a taste without sampling it, just like us Without having tasted a specific new juice mix before, an orangutan in a Swedish zoo has enough sense to know whether it will taste nice or not based on how he recombined relevant memories from the past. Only humans were previously thought to have this ability of affective forecasting, in which prior experiences are used to conjure up mental pictures about totally new situations, says Gabriela-Alina Sauciuc of Lund University in Sweden, in Springer's journal Animal Cognition.
	Researchers confirm marine animals live longer at high latitudes Researchers in the Department of Earth Sciences have shown that high-latitude bivalves live longer and grow slower than those in the tropics. Their findings are the subject of an article in the "Proceedings of the Royal Society B" (The Royal Society, 2016).
	Key molecular signal that shapes regeneration in planarian stem cells discovered Many living creatures possess exceptional abilities that set them apart from other species. Cheetahs can run up to 60 miles per hour; ants can lift 100 times their body weight; flatworms can regrow amputated body parts. Scientists have spent decades studying the mechanisms that drive such remarkable feats, with the hopes that any secrets they uncover might lead to new perspectives in human biology and new ways to enhance health and ameliorate disease.
	Greenland sharks live at least 400 years, study finds Greenland sharks live at least as long as 400 years, and they reach sexual maturity at the age of about 150, a new study reports. The results place Greenland sharks as the longest-lived vertebrates on Earth. The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is widely distributed across the North Atlantic, with adults reaching lengths of 400 to 500 centimeters (13 to 16 feet).
	Virus attracts bumblebees to infected plants by changing scent Plant scientists at the University of Cambridge have found that the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) alters gene expression in the tomato plants it infects, causing changes to air-borne chemicals - the scent - emitted by the plants. Bees can smell these subtle changes, and glasshouse experiments have shown that bumblebees prefer infected plants over healthy ones.
	Directly reprogramming a cell's identity with gene editing Researchers have used CRISPR—a revolutionary new genetic engineering technique—to convert cells isolated from mouse connective tissue directly into neuronal cells.
	How did primate brains get so big? Virtual brains reconstructed from ancient, kiwi-sized primate skulls could help resolve one of the most intriguing evolutionary mysteries: how modern primates developed large brains.
	Many endangered species face long waits for protection The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted by Congress in 1973 to protect species threatened with extinction. To receive protection, a species must first be listed as endangered or threatened in a process that is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A two-year timeline for the multi-stage process, which starts with submission of a petition and ends with a final rule in the Federal Register, was established in 1982 by a Congressional amendment to the ESA. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri found that many species are encountering much longer wait times before receiving the endangered designation. Scientists studying the ESA believe that delays could lead to less global biodiversity.
	Unearthed: the cannibal sharks of a forgotten age Scientists have discovered macabre fossil evidence suggesting that 300 million-year-old sharks ate their own young, as fossil faeces of adult Orthacanthus sharks contained the tiny teeth of juveniles.
Experts to use drones to discover more about killer whales Drones will be used to discover more about the social lives of killer whales and help conserve these amazing mammals, which are at risk of extinction.
Noise is an increasing problem in learning environments Noise is increasingly becoming a problem in schools and affects the audibility of speech.The effects of noise hamper learning opportunities for learners.
	Surveys of corn and soybean fields reveal implications for pollinator conservation Although corn and soybeans do not need insects for pollination, they do offer floral resources that are used by insect pollinators. So what kind of insects are commonly found in corn and soybean fields? The answer to that question can be found in a new article published in Environmental Entomology.
	New "Golden Tree Ant" species The Insect Biogeography and Biodiversity research group led by Dr Benoit Guénard at the School of Biological Sciences, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has recently described and named a new species of ant from Hong Kong, Paratopula bauhinia, or the rare "Golden Tree Ant" in Asian Myrmecology, a peer-reviewed, yearly journal dedicated to the study of Asian ants.
	Saving bees: France's thriving city hives offer token help Urban rooftops are buzzing across France, but the fad for beekeeping from Montpellier to Lille to Paris—including atop AFP's headquarters—will do little do reverse declining bee populations, experts say.
	In a race for Cheetos, magpies win, but crows steal Black-billed magpies and American crows, both members of the clever corvid family of birds, have adapted comfortably to life in urban and suburban communities. In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the two species often nest nearby each other in backyards and parks. Nesting near their much larger crow cousins affords magpies a margin of extra safety from a common enemy—ravens, an even larger corvid species.
Disrupting mitochondrial function could improve treatment of fungal infections By identifying new compounds that selectively block mitochondrial respiration in pathogenic fungi, Whitehead Institute scientists have identified a potential antifungal mechanism that could enable combination therapy with fluconazole, one of today's most commonly prescribed fungal infection treatments. The approach could also prevent the development of drug resistance.
	Disregarded plant molecule actually a treasure The best natural chemists out there are not scientists—they're plants. Plants have continued to evolve a rich palette of small natural chemicals and receptors since they began to inhabit land roughly 450 million years ago.
	The Aztec treasure unearthed: New earth snake species discovered in Mexico A new gem has been added to the vast treasure of Mexican reptiles. Mexican scientists recently described a new and strikingly colored species of earth snake from the mountains of Puebla and Veracruz in east-central Mexico.
	Wildlife-friendly farming shown to benefit UK moths Wildlife-friendly farming schemes can help boost the abundance of many UK moth species, a new study by the University of Liverpool has found.
	"Sleeping beauty" is a new species from the Peruvian Andes A new species of rain frog was discovered in the premontane forests of the Peruvian central Andes. Referring to the mountain chain's local name, the amphibian's name translates to 'Sleeping beauty'. Another striking thing about the new frog is the contrasting bright red that coats its groins, shanks and thighs.
	Bug collecting: Researchers map North American groups of plant-feeding insects Amateur and professional entomologists are experts at their own version of Pokémon Go. After all, part of their job is to search for and collect rare insect species that are stored in the archives of natural history museums.
	Sequencing of fungal disease genomes may help prevent banana armageddon Researchers at the University of California, Davis, and in the Netherlands have discovered how a group of three closely related fungal pathogens have evolved into a lethal threat to the world's bananas, whilst an international consortium led by scientists from Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre) has unravelled the DNA of the fungus that causes black Sigatoka disease in bananas. The findings provide leads for increasing the sustainability of banana cultivation, for instance through the development of a resistant banana plant. Both studies were published in PLOS Genetics on August 11.
Ecosystems in the southeastern US are vulnerable to climate change At least several southeastern U.S. ecosystems are highly vulnerable to the impacts of present and future climate change, according to two new USGS reports on research conducted by scientists with Interior Department's Southeast Climate Science Center.
California island foxes removed from endangered species list Not long ago, foxes native to the Channel Islands off the California coast teetered on the edge of extinction.
NIH: Last federal chimps to head to sanctuary by fall 2026 The National Institutes of Health says its last chimpanzees should be moved from Texas and New Mexico to a sanctuary in Louisiana by fall 2026.
Officials skeptical $57M fish project will work A group of Montana and federal wildlife officials has expressed opposition to a $57 million concrete dam and fish bypass that the U.S. government says would help an ancient and endangered fish species in the Yellowstone River.
	Indonesia urged to take stern action on illegal bird trade A wildlife trade monitoring group has called on Indonesia to take strong action against traders of endangered birds who are driving several species toward extinction.

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