Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Aug 16

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 16, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Why do people sacrifice short-term happiness for long-term welfare?

Nine new open clusters found in the Sun's neighborhood

Giant planet and brown dwarf discovered in a close binary system HD 87646

Physicist claims to have observed quantum effects of Hawking radiation in the lab for the first time

China's launch of quantum satellite major step in space race

Diet and exercise can reduce protein build-ups linked to Alzheimer's

New Antarctic ice discovery aids future climate predictions

Computers trounce pathologists in predicting lung cancer type, severity, researchers find

New species of extinct river dolphin discovered in Smithsonian collection

Researchers seek Zenkerella, an elusive scaly-tailed squirrel that has never been spotted alive by scientists

Hexagonal boron nitride semiconductors enable cost-effective detection of neutron signals

Female fish can favor sperm from preferred males despite external fertilization

Studying blood flow dynamics to identify the heart of vessel failure

Using the outside world to save on brainpower

New MRI technique sheds technology's longtime limits

Astronomy & Space news

	Nine new open clusters found in the Sun's neighborhood (Phys.org)—Astronomers from Heidelberg University in Germany and the Observatory of Strasbourg in France have detected nine new open star clusters within 1,500 light years from the sun. The discovery, presented in a paper published Aug. 9 on arXiv.org, improves our knowledge of star cluster population in the vicinity of our solar system.
	Giant planet and brown dwarf discovered in a close binary system HD 87646 (Phys.org)—An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of a giant planet and a brown dwarf in a close binary system designated HD 87646. The findings, described in a paper published Aug. 11 on arXiv.org, reveal that HD 87646 is the first close binary system with more than one substellar circum-primary companion known to date.
	China's launch of quantum satellite major step in space race China's launch of the first quantum satellite Tuesday will push forward efforts to develop the ability to send communications that can't be penetrated by hackers, experts said.
	Tagish Lake meteorite may have come from Kuiper belt (Phys.org)—A trio of researchers is suggesting that a meteorite retrieved from the surface of a frozen lake in Canada may have come from the Kuiper belt—which if true, would be the first to be so identified. In their paper published in the Astronomical Journal, William Bottke and David Nesvorný with Southwest Research Institute in Boulder Colorado and David Vokrouhlický with Charles University in the Czech Republic outline their reasons for believing the meteorite did not come from the asteroid, but from much farther out.
	An ancient Mayan Copernicus For more than 120 years the Venus Table of the Dresden Codex—an ancient Mayan book containing astronomical data—has been of great interest to scholars around the world. The accuracy of its observations, especially the calculation of a kind of 'leap year' in the Mayan Calendar, was deemed an impressive curiosity used primarily for astrology.
	Pulsar-based spacecraft navigation system one step closer to reality Pulsars are highly magnetized, rotating neutron stars that emit electromagnetic radiation at regular intervals. They are often dubbed "lighthouses" of the universe as their emission is beamed; thus, the pulse of radiation is seen only each time the beam sweeps across the line of sight. A spacecraft navigation method known as XNAV, based on X-ray signals emitted from pulsars, has recently taken a leap forward, thanks to a study conducted by U.K. scientists from the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the University of Leicester.
	NASA's asteroid redirect mission completes robotic design milestone Following a key program review, NASA approved the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) to proceed to the next phase of design and development for the mission's robotic segment. ARM is a two-part mission that will integrate robotic and crewed spacecraft operations in the proving ground of deep space to demonstrate key capabilities needed for NASA's journey to Mars.
	Image: Saturn's moons Tethys and Hyperion Saturn's moons Tethys and Hyperion appear to be near neighbors in this Cassini view, even though they are actually 930,000 miles (1.5 million kilometers) apart here. Tethys is the larger body on the left.
	Did cirrus clouds help keep early Mars warm and wet? Many features on the surface of Mars hint at the presence of liquid water in the past. These range from the Valles Marineris, a 4,000 km long and 7 km deep system of canyons, to the tiny hematite spherules called "blueberries". These features suggest that liquid water played a vital role in shaping Mars.
	Will our black hole eat the Milky Way? Want to hear something cool? There's a black hole at the center of the Milky Way. And not just any black hole, it's a supermassive black hole with more than 4.1 million times the mass of the Sun.

Technology news

	Researchers map Netflix's content delivery network for the first time Scientists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have revealed the network infrastructure used by Netflix for its content delivery, by mimicking the film request process from all over the world and analysing the responses.
	Solid batteries improve safety Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a lithium-ion battery made entirely of solid material: it contains neither liquids nor gels. The battery cannot ignite, even at very high temperatures, giving it a safety advantage over conventional batteries. In addition, they allow new forms of battery design.
	UK approves 'world's biggest offshore wind farm' project The British government gave the green light Tuesday for what it called the world's biggest offshore wind farm to be built off the English coast.
	Audi announces traffic light information system city rollouts (Tech Xplore)—Your car performs the usual functions. Driving. Braking. Parking. Audi has another function you might want to use: "infrastructure service." Audi is helping you to say it even more easily. Audi calls it for short V2I.
	Google's Duo app joins crowded field of video calling Knock, knock, Google's video chatting app has arrived.
	Software maverick McAfee warns China of hacking weakness China leads the world in connecting everyday devices to the internet, but is creating huge hacking vulnerabilities for itself and others by doing so, renegade American software pioneer John McAfee warned Tuesday.
	Existing navigation data can help pilots avoid turbulence Detecting turbulence is the Achilles' heel of modern-day aviation. The reports submitted by pilots, subjective and often very inaccurate, are the least expensive and the most frequently used method for trying to predict where it will occur. Scientists from the Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, have demonstrated that turbulence can be detected in a much faster and more precise way, using data already routinely broadcast by the aircraft operated by commercial airlines.
Survey: Too many new smartphone models released each year (Update) Consumers think smartphone makers are releasing too many new models each year, a survey showed Tuesday.
	Professors see a positive relationship between gaming and human behavior You are a gamer. The majority of us are and might not realize it. Your participation was subtly recruited by purchasing a soda with a twist top, signing up for a credit card that offers points or simply using a device to count your daily steps. Whichever your motivation or association, you, according to UNM professors are satisfying innate desires and gaining health benefits through the gamification of products and services.
	The cat-and-mouse game of blocking digital ads If you were using Facebook on a desktop last week, you may have noticed that your ad-blocking software was being blocked. That was a move by Facebook, which said it was updating its approach to ad blocking while also expanding the tools it gives people to control their advertising experiences. (A Facebook vice president explained the moves in a blog post.)
	Breaking the fourth wall in human-computer interaction: Really talking to each other Have you ever talked to your computer or smartphone? Maybe you've seen a coworker, friend or relative do it. It was likely in the form of a question, asking for some basic information, like the location of the best nearby pizza place or the start time of tonight's sporting event. Soon, however, you may find yourself having entirely different interactions with your device – even learning its name, favorite color and what it thinks about while you are away.
Persian Gulf public amenable to energy subsidy reforms Traditional subsidized energy prices may be unnecessary for large numbers of residents of the Persian Gulf monarchies like Saudi Arabia, according to a new article from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
	Ford to invest $75M in autonomous vehicle sensor company Ford and the Chinese search engine company Baidu will each invest $75 million in Velodyne, a company that makes laser sensors that help guide self-driving cars.
	Google's search engine directs voters to the ballot box Google is pulling another lever on its influential search engine in an effort to boost voter turnout in November's U.S. presidential election.
Snowden: Exposure of alleged NSA tools may be warning to US (Update) The exposure of malicious software purportedly linked to the National Security Agency is likely a message from Moscow, former intelligence worker Edward Snowden said Tuesday, adding a layer of intrigue to a leak that has set the information security world abuzz.
	EU mulls stricter controls on WhatsApp, Skype The European Union will in September propose subjecting internet services like WhatsApp and Skype to similar rules as traditional telecommunications companies, a spokesman said Wednesday.
	Android makers really want to make their phones eye-catching It's getting rarer for phone launches to generate excitement these days—especially in the Android world, where all models use the same underlying Google software. Every year, phones get routine refreshes such as faster processors, better cameras and longer battery life.
Tesla car catches fire during promotional event in France A Tesla electric car caught fire during a promotional tour in southwest France, and those aboard escaped unharmed.
	Obama admin unveils new truck fuel standards The Obama administration on Tuesday unveiled new fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty vehicles, which it said would both reduce carbon emissions and save drivers billions of dollars at the pump.
	Ford says it will have a fully autonomous car by 2021 Ford Motor Co. intends to have a fully driverless vehicle—no steering wheel, no pedals—on the road within five years. The car will initially be used for commercial ride-hailing or ride-sharing services; sales to consumers will come later.
	Big PanDA tackles big data for physics and other future extreme scale scientific applications A billion times per second, particles zooming through the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, smash into one another at nearly the speed of light, emitting subatomic debris that could help unravel the secrets of the universe. Collecting the data from those collisions and making it accessible to more than 6000 scientists in 45 countries, each potentially wanting to slice and analyze it in their own unique ways, is a monumental challenge that pushes the limits of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG), the current infrastructure for handling the LHC's computing needs. With the move to higher collision energies at the LHC, the demand just keeps growing.
French mayor bans Pokemon figures in his village near Lyon A French mayor has banned the virtual presence of Pokemon Go characters in his whole eastern village citing security reasons and ordered the game's creator to comply with the decree.
	CMI, Oddello Industries pursue recovery of rare-earth magnets from used hard drives A process developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for large-scale recovery of rare earth magnets from used computer hard drives will undergo industrial testing under a new agreement between Oddello Industries LLC and ORNL, as part of the Department of Energy's Critical Materials Institute. The effort was announced today at CMI's annual meeting at ORNL.
	US taps NCAR technology for new water resources forecasts As the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) this month launches a comprehensive system for forecasting water resources in the United States, it is turning to technology developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and its collaborators.

Medicine & Health news

	Why do people sacrifice short-term happiness for long-term welfare? (Medical Xpress)—According to the hedonic principle, people are motivated by the pursuit of pleasure and, conversely, the avoidance of pain. Although there is a great deal of evidence to support this theory of motivation, both from psychological studies and everyday life, the theory does not explain why people often engage in activities that are unpleasant yet critical for their long-term welfare.
	Diet and exercise can reduce protein build-ups linked to Alzheimer's A study by researchers at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior has found that a healthy diet, regular physical activity and a normal body mass index can reduce the incidence of protein build-ups that are associated with the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
	Computers trounce pathologists in predicting lung cancer type, severity, researchers find Computers can be trained to be more accurate than pathologists in assessing slides of lung cancer tissues, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	Using the outside world to save on brainpower Every day, we rely on our physical surroundings—friends, gadgets, and even hand gestures—to manage incoming information and retain it. In a Review published August 16 in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, two researchers explain the myriad ways in which forms of assistance from gestures to GPS affect both what we know and what we think we know.
	New MRI technique sheds technology's longtime limits A new technology harnesses imperfections that typically compromise MRI exams to create images resolved enough to enable consistent diagnoses across populations for the first time. These are findings of a study led by NYU Langone Medical Center and published August 16 in Nature Communications.
	Research supports an alternate theory of how tumors metastasize Scientists at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA have taken a major step toward confirming an unusual theory of how some cancer cells metastasize. Their findings may lead to new strategies for keeping melanoma from spreading.
	It's true: Latinos age slower than other ethnicities A UCLA study is the first to show that Latinos age at a slower rate than other ethnic groups. The findings, published in the current issue of Genome Biology, may one day help scientists understand how to slow the aging process for everyone.
	Most adults know more than 42,000 words How many words do we know? It turns out that even language experts and researchers have a tough time estimating this.
	Scientists find a salty way to kill MRSA Scientists have discovered a new way to attack Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The team, from Imperial College London, have revealed how the bacteria regulates its salt levels.
	Study casts doubt on claim that people are over-optimistic A new study by King's College London, UCL and Birkbeck, University of London, casts doubt over claims that people are inherently over-optimistic or 'optimistically biased' about the future.
US female physicians reimbursed significantly less than male colleagues Female physicians are reimbursed significantly less than their male counterparts, even after adjusting for how hard a physician works, their productivity and years of experience, finds a new study—one of the largest carried out in recent times—published in the online edition of Postgraduate Medical Journal.
Trampoline park injuries 'emerging public health concern,' doctors warn Indoor trampoline park injuries are an "emerging public health concern," warn doctors in the journal Injury Prevention.
GPs' uncertainty at dealing with those bereaved by suicide revealed Interviews carried out by The University of Manchester with GPs of parents whose children have died by suicide have revealed a lack of knowledge and confidence on how best to respond to and support those bereaved.
Texas resident is infected with Zika after Miami trip A person in Texas has contracted Zika after traveling to a part of Miami where local mosquitoes are spreading the virus, which can cause birth defects, officials said Monday.
	M. pneumoniae infection linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome (HealthDay)—Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection is associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the Annals of Neurology.
	Greater drop in hemoglobin A1c with empagliflozin plus metformin (HealthDay)—Twenty-four weeks of empagliflozin + metformin correlates with a significantly greater reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) compared with once-daily empagliflozin or twice-daily metformin, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Diabetes Care.
Nutrition can be important factor in athletic success When tuning into the Summer Olympics this month, it's clear that each Olympian has worked hard to get Rio. However, according to a registered dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine, that hard work is not limited to the track, pool or stadium, but also translates to the kitchen.
Injected drug reduces risk of fracture among women with osteoporosis Among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at risk of fracture, daily injection of the drug abaloparatide for 18 months significantly reduced the risk of new vertebral and nonvertebral fractures compared with placebo, according to a study appearing in the August 16 issue of JAMA.
Expanded prenatal genetic testing may increase detection of carrier status for potentially serious genetic conditions In an analysis that included nearly 350,000 adults of diverse racial and ethnic background, expanded carrier screening for up to 94 severe or profound conditions may increase the detection of carrier status for a variety of potentially serious genetic conditions compared with current recommendations from professional societies, according to a study appearing in the August 16 issue of JAMA.
Recently approved cholesterol medication not cost-effective; could substantially increase US health costs Although the recently FDA approved cholesterol-lowering drugs, PCSK9 inhibitors, could substantially reduce heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths, they would not be cost-effective for use in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with annual drug prices needing to be reduced by more than two-thirds to meet a generally acceptable threshold for cost-effectiveness, according to a study appearing in the August 16 issue of JAMA.
Use of feeding tubes decreases among nursing home residents with advanced dementia In a study appearing in the August 16 issue of JAMA, Susan L. Mitchell, M.D., M.P.H., of Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues examined feeding tube insertion rates from 2000-2014 among U.S. nursing home residents with advanced dementia.
	Migraines may be caused by vascular reactivity A group of scientists from several Russian universities and medical centers have proposed a new explanation of the nature of migraine, one of the most ancient neurologic conditions. The study was conducted within a larger project to develop a device capable of remotely and effectively diagnosing migraine. The scientists found that patients with migraine differ from healthy people by increased vascular reactivity, which is commonly expressed in more frequent constriction and extension of arterial walls than usual. At the same time, cardiac regulation was equal in both groups. The results were published in the Journal of Headache and Pain.
	Chronic pain linked to partners of people with depression Partners of people with depression are more likely to suffer from chronic pain, research has found.
	Unhealthy habits cost Canadians six years of life Unhealthy habits are costing Canadians an estimated six years of life, according to a study published today in PLOS Medicine. Researchers found that smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, and unhealthy alcohol consumption contribute to about 50 percent of deaths in Canada.
Harms reporting in trials of orlistat The reporting of trials of orlistat in the 1990s appears to have understated harms, both in the summarized results submitted to the European Medicines Agency for drug approval, and in the published papers, according to a document analysis conducted by Jeppe Schroll and colleagues of the Nordic Cochrane Centre, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark, and published in PLOS Medicine.
Duration of adulthood overweight and obesity linked to cancer risk in US women The duration of overweight and obesity in women's adult lives is associated with cancer risk, according to a longitudinal study published in PLOS Medicine. The study, led by Melina Arnold of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the WHO, in Lyon, France, and Professor Hoda Anton-Culver at the University of California, Irvine, uses United States Women's Health Initiative (WHI) data to identify dose-response relationships between duration of high body mass index (BMI) and the risk of developing several types of cancer.
	New cancer type with PIK3CA mutations A newly defined type of colorectal and endometrial cancer involves at least two somatic mutations in the mismatch repair genes (MMR): MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2. This double somatic MMR cancer has no germline mutations in the MMR genes, unlike tumors due to hereditary Lynch syndrome. Double somatic MMR cases, along with Lynch syndrome and MLH1 gene hypermethylation cases, exhibit microsatellite instability (MSI). This hypermutable phenotype is caused by the loss of DNA mismatch repair activity.
New guidance for administering hemorrhage prevention treatment Tranexamic acid (TXA) is currently being administered to injured patients by many prehospital air and ground systems, despite a lack of evidence supporting or refuting its efficacy in preventing hemorrhage. Several studies examining prehospital use of TXA are currently in progress, but until now there have been no guidelines for healthcare professionals administering TXA to patients. A new guidance document published in Prehospital Emergency Care provides best practices for TXA administration by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) based on the best evidence currently available.
Research supports intelligence-led heart disease prevention over systematic health checks New research suggests that intelligence-led heart disease prevention can significantly increase the prescription of preventive drugs to the patients who can benefit most.
	Study shows eye-tracking technology improves nursing training A new study by researchers at the UCLA School of Nursing shows that using eye-tracking technology could improve nursing education by reducing the role of subjective assessments and by providing more consistent evaluations.
Study to probe how concussion affects young athletes' academic performance The serious, sometimes life-altering effects of concussions sustained by college and professional athletes have become an inescapable storyline.
	So what if some female Olympians have high testosterone? On August 12, Dutee Chand became just the second female sprinter to represent India at the Olympic Games. Her road to Rio has been anything but easy.
Why get a liberal education? It is the life and breath of medicine Hospital rankings were released Aug. 2 by U.S. News & World Report. Of the top 20, almost every single hospital is affiliated with a medical school. These big academic medical centers treat a large share of our nation's sickest patients.
	Knowing the end is near makes for positive thinking Imagine learning that you only have six months left to live. What would this do to your outlook on life? A USC-led study has revealed that our focus turns positive if we think that our time will be up soon.
	Australia's largest trial of ketamine to treat depression begins The largest randomised control trial to evaluate the effectiveness of ketamine as a new treatment for major depression has begun across Australia and New Zealand.
	Study confirms golden staph a public health threat to children The first major study of golden staph bloodstream infection in Australian children has found higher death rates if the right antibiotic is not used to treat the infection.
Desperate need for elder abuse prevention research, says new report Focused, well-funded research on elder abuse prevention is urgently needed given the lack of high-quality research in this area and the ageing of the population, says QUT Professor of Public Health Philip Baker who conducted a Cochrane Review, released today, of studies from around the world.
Immune-cell population predicts immunotherapy response in melanoma The abundance of a subtype of white blood cells in melanoma tumors can predict whether or not patients will respond to a form of cancer immunotherapy known as checkpoint blockade, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco researchers and physicians. The research offers the beginnings of a solution to a puzzle that has vexed oncologists: Though many patients with previously untreatable cancers are in remission after receiving checkpoint-blockade drugs, only about 20 percent of patients who receive them respond.
	Old church records help assess the impact of childhood disease and why people live longer The Great Exhibition of 1851, housed in London's Crystal Palace, showcased the newest of culture and science – including the world's largest diamond, a precursor to the fax machine and barometer which worked entirely through leeches. Living conditions were tough, but having survived to the age of 20, a young Londoner attending the exhibition could expect to live until around 60. A century and a half later, 20-year-old Londoners watching the Olympics down the pub can expect to live to the age of 80.
	How your body clock determines whether you'll get ill or not From vitamin C and echinacea to warm clothes and antibacterial soap, there's no shortage of ideas about how to prevent and manage colds and flu. Unfortunately, many of these are not based on solid scientific evidence. In fact, medical researchers are only starting to unravel the range of factors that affect our susceptibility to getting an infection. Now we have discovered that our body clock plays an important role – making us more prone to get infected at certain times of the day.
Professor pursues approach to diabetes that makes daily injections obsolete Unlike type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes often afflicts the young with an indifference to lifestyle and dietary habits. It begins when the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Insulin is necessary for balancing blood sugar levels, and it allows the body to use these sugars for energy or store glucose for future use. Without this hormone, blood sugar levels will skyrocket, leading to severe health problems and even death.
Washington's foster children experience 'justice by geography,' report finds A new report from The Access to Counsel Project at the UW School of Law sheds light on how inconsistent practices and policies in Washington state dependency (child abuse and neglect) courts leave many children without an advocate in decisions that shape every aspect of their lives. Decisions made in these court hearings include where a child will live, whether they can see their family, and what services and supports they can receive.
	Molecule prevents effect of chemotherapy Annually about 2000 Danish patients with colorectal cancer are treated with chemotherapy. Today, a range of different chemotherapeutic regimens are available. However, deciding which regimen to use is not easy. Unfortunately, it is currently impossible to predict which regimen will be most beneficial for the individual patient and for a large number of patients their cancer cells are actually resistant to the chosen treatment. Roughly half of the treated patients do not benefit from their first-line treatment - the cancer cells are not killed - and the patients sometimes only experience the serious side effects of the treatment.
Personalized nutrition is better than a 'one size fits all' approach in improving diets People receiving personalised nutrition advice develop healthier eating habits including consuming less red meat and reducing their salt intake, a study has found.
	Yellow fever vaccination drive starts; global spread warned (Update) One of the largest yellow fever outbreaks in decades could soon spread globally, aid group Save the Children warned on Tuesday as the World Health Organization is set to launch one of the largest emergency vaccination campaigns ever attempted in Africa.
	Quitting smoking may gain you friends (HealthDay)—Kicking the smoking habit doesn't only boost your health, it may also help you build a wider circle of friendships, a new study says.
	U.S. college kids drink more, smoke less than others their age (HealthDay)—There's good news and bad news on America's college kids: They smoke less than other young adults, but they drink more.
	Injuries at indoor trampoline parks jump (HealthDay)—A wave of injuries at indoor trampoline parks has prompted a call for design and safety standards.
	Heat waves hit seniors hardest (HealthDay)—As much of the Northeast struggles with a heat wave that isn't expected to ease until the middle of this week, here are some expert tips on how to spot heat stroke.
	Female oncologists report more grief responses, burnout (HealthDay)—Female oncologists report more grief responses to patient death, more emotional distress, and more burnout than male oncologists, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Cancer.
	Vaginal brachytherapy cuts mortality in early uterine cancer (HealthDay)—For women with surgically staged IA or IB endometrial adenocarcinoma, use of vaginal brachytherapy (VB) is associated with a reduction in mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Cancer.
	DAPT use variable in patients with A-fib at risk of stroke (HealthDay)—For patients with atrial fibrillation at moderate to high risk of stroke, dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) use is variable among those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to a study published in the Aug. 22 issue of JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
	New study reveals a novel protein linked to type 2 diabetes Findings from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), which appear in eLife, provide a possible explanation as to why most people who are obese develop insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. A minority of obese individuals, the so-called healthy obese, have normal insulin sensitivity and are not diabetic.
Steroid treatment in very low birth weight infants may contribute to vision problems Because of the beneficial effect of corticosteroids on lung function, especially in infants who are ventilator dependent, corticosteroids are, at times, administered to very low birth weight neonates to treat established or evolving lung disease. However, it has long been suspected that steroids may have negative neurodevelopmental effects on very premature infants. In a study in the Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS), researchers found that for very premature infants with birth weights of less than 500 grams, there was a 1.6 times increased risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and a 1.7 times greater chance for advanced ROP.
	Researchers identify key elements of cellular response to proteasome dysfunction Maintaining appropriate levels of proteins within cells largely relies on a cellular component called the proteasome, which degrades unneeded or defective proteins to recycle the components for the eventual assembly of new proteins. Deficient proteasome function can lead to a buildup of unneeded and potentially toxic proteins, so cells usually respond to proteasome dysfunction by increasing production of its component parts. Now two Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have identified key molecules in the pathway by which cells in the C. elegans roundworm sense proteasome dysfunction, findings that may have application to treatment of several human diseases.
Most physicians recognize shaken baby syndrome as a medical diagnosis A University of Colorado School of Medicine researcher and colleagues have conducted the first-ever survey of physicians on the validity of "abusive head trauma" as a medical diagnosis.
Prenatal BPA exposure linked to anxiety and depression in boys Boys exposed prenatally to a common chemical used in plastics may be more likely to develop symptoms of anxiety and depression at age 10-12. The new study by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) within the Mailman School of Public Health examined early life exposure to the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA). Results are published in the journal Environmental Research.
Healthy people more at ease socializing with stocky folks, but it can hinder weight loss People trying to shed pounds—but who hang out with heavier pals regularly—are more likely to lose weight if they include thinner people in their social lives, according to a study by a Baylor University researcher.
	NIH explores connection between Ebola survival and co-infection with malaria parasites People infected with Ebola virus were 20 percent more likely to survive if they were co-infected with malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites, according to data collected at an Ebola diagnostic laboratory in Liberia in 2014-15. Moreover, greater numbers of Plasmodium parasites correlated with increased rates of Ebola survival, according to a dozen collaborating research groups in the new study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. The survival difference was evident even after controlling for Ebola viral load and age. Scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), led the project.
	Study suggests ways to block hypertension in those with sleep apnea Obstructive sleep apnea - a disorder that affects nearly one out of four people between the ages of 30 and 70 - is a common cause of high blood pressure. In the Aug. 17, 2016, issue of the journal Science Signaling, researchers based primarily at the University of Chicago describe the signaling cascade that leads to this form of hypertension and suggest ways to disrupt those signals and prevent elevated blood pressures.
	Potential therapeutic target for Huntington's disease There is new hope in the fight against Huntington's disease. Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes discovered that changing a specific part of the huntingtin protein prevented the loss of critical brain cells and protected against behavioral symptoms in a mouse model of the disease.
Study details sources of discrepancies between initial and final pathology reports When should a surgeon stop cutting? The answer can depend on whether a patient's tissue does or does not contain cancer cells. This is the kind of question answered by a technique known as "intraoperative consultation by frozen section" - basically, a surgeon removes a small tissue sample, which is frozen and sent to a hospital's pathology department for lightning-fast analysis. A pathologist examines the tissue and returns an answer to the surgeon, who may base surgery decisions on the results. In addition to this intraoperative consultation, part of the tissue sample is "fixed" for a more measured analysis, resulting in a final evaluation about 24 hours later.
Bone marrow-derived stem cells offer blood transplant patients better quality of life A large, nationwide study published in the journal JAMA Oncology found that people who received transplants of cells collected from a donor's bone marrow the original source for blood stem cell transplants, developed decades ago had better self-reported psychological well-being, experienced fewer symptoms of a common post-transplant side effect called graft-vs.-host disease and were more likely to be back at work five years after transplantation than those whose transplanted cells were taken from the donor's bloodstream.
	Global database for women exposed to Zika Swiss doctors have asked thousands of colleagues worldwide to provide data for the first global registry of women exposed to Zika, the team's lead researcher said Tuesday.
	Similar brain connectivity during rest and tasks linked to better mental performance A brain on task differs from a brain at rest. But, how much it differs could depend on the cognitive ability of the person whose brain is being studied. New research published August 17 in The Journal of Neuroscience suggests greater similarity between brain connectivity at rest and on task may be associated with better mental performance.
	Pre-op urine culture doesn't predict stone culture (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing percutaneous stone removal, preoperative urine culture does not predict intraoperative stone culture results, according to a study published in the September issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Interferon-free, tailored Tx beneficial in HCV-associated MC (HealthDay)—Interferon-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is beneficial for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) vasculitis, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in Hepatology.
	Physical function tied to clinical, subclinical neurological disease (HealthDay)—Physical function is associated with clinical and subclinical brain disease, according to a study published online Aug. 8 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
	Liver steatosis ups new-onset diabetes after transplantation (HealthDay)—For liver transplant recipients, donor liver steatosis is associated with increased incidence of new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT), according to a study published online Aug. 10 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
	Thrombocytopenia up with use of phosphate-buffered tirofiban (HealthDay)—For patients with acute coronary syndrome, phosphate-buffered tirofiban, but not citrate-buffered tirofiban, is associated with an increased risk of thrombocytopenia, according to a study published in the Aug. 22 issue of JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
	Prevalence of gestational diabetes up in U.S. since 1979 (HealthDay)—The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has increased considerably over time in the United States, according to a study published online Aug. 11 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
	Antimicrobial resistance to carbapenems increasing (HealthDay)—Antimicrobial resistance to carbapenems has increased, and consumption of antibiotics, especially carbapenems, is associated with antimicrobial resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, according to a study published online Aug. 11 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
Miami residents fret over pesticide used to fight Zika People at the epicenter of America's first homegrown outbreak of the Zika virus are worried that one of the weapons being used to fight it amounts to a cannon rather than a fly swatter.
Data sharing should become routine for best reponse to public health emergencies The recent outbreaks caused by Ebola and Zika viruses have highlighted the importance of medical and public health research in accelerating outbreak control and have prompted calls for researchers to share data rapidly and widely during public health emergencies. However, the routine practice of data sharing in scientific research, rather than reactive data sharing, will be needed to effectively prepare for future public health emergencies, according to Jean-Paul Chretien from the Integrated Biosurveillance Section, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch, Defense Health Agency, United States, and colleagues, writing in PLOS Medicine.
Hawaii officials: Restaurants as likely Hepatitis A source Hawaii health officials have ordered several sushi restaurants closed immediately after citing them as a possible source of a Hepatitis A outbreak.
	European agency proposes tougher medical checks for pilots (Update) The European Aviation Safety Agency on Tuesday proposed tougher medical examinations for pilots, including better mental health assessments, in response to last year's Germanwings crash.
	It's time we get realistic about addressing HIV We are in crisis; if we do not mobilize resources for the HIV response right now, we will lose control of the HIV epidemic – these advocacy messages were loud and clear at the International AIDS Conference in Durban last month. But, what was less clear and less discussed at the conference was a realistic approach to how this can be done in the current global health and development climate.
	New diabetes app to provide faster, more accurate and cheaper care for Australia's 1.5 million+ sufferers A new diabetes app that can be loaded on smart devices looks set to streamline health care for Australia's diabetes sufferers thanks to CSIRO / University of Queensland researcher, Dr Farhad Fatehi.
Study: LGBT persons get limited educational info for assisted reproductive technology With the recent one-year anniversary of Obergefell vs Hodges—the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage—researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have published a report that identifies unequal online availability of educational materials regarding assisted reproductive technology (ART).
	CDC study identifies patients with mild traumatic brain injury at increased risk of PTSD A new study identified risk factors for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), making it possible to screen for PTSD symptoms among at-risk populations. Unlike much previous research that has focused on TBI and PTSD in military personnel, the current study focused on civilian emergency services providers, and the findings are published in Journal of Neurotrauma.
	Use of inpatient integrative therapies relies on physician and nurse collaboration At Abbott Northwestern Hospital, staff are supportive of patients receiving integrative therapies, such as massage and acupuncture, while hospitalized, but levels of use vary depending on the patients. That was a conclusion of a National Institutes of Health funded study conducted at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, part of Allina Health, and published on July 25 in BMJ Open.
International Society for Burn Injuries issues new guidelines on burn care Burns can be among the most devastating of injuries. Following the formulation of practice guidelines (PGs) that addressed the care and management of burn injuries in developed countries, the International Society for Burn Injuries (ISBI) has updated these recommendations to guide the improvement of care of burn patients in resource-limited settings (RLS). Published in Burns, the official journal of ISBI, these guidelines are an important step in ISBI's global effort to achieve "one world, one standard of care."
Study finds startling rape numbers in S.Africa's mining area One in every four women living in South Africa's platinum mining belt has been raped in her lifetime, a study by the medical charity MSF revealed on Tuesday.
In NYC, 49 pregnant women had Zika, 1 baby born with defect Officials say 49 pregnant women have tested positive for Zika in New York City since April, and one baby has been born with microcephaly due to the mosquito-borne virus.
Kentucky AG sues Johnson & Johnson over vaginal implants The Kentucky Attorney General announced Tuesday that he's seeking thousands of dollars in damages for each patient in the state who got a vaginal mesh implant made by Johnson and Johnson and its medical device unit, accusing the companies of conducting a deceptive marketing campaign.

Biology news

	Researchers seek Zenkerella, an elusive scaly-tailed squirrel that has never been spotted alive by scientists Researchers are on a real-life search for what one calls "the ultimate Pokémon": Zenkerella, an elusive scaly-tailed squirrel that has never been spotted alive by scientists. However, biologists recently found three newly dead specimens that hint at how the "living fossil" has evolved over the past 49 million years.
	Female fish can favor sperm from preferred males despite external fertilization Biologists studying a small, colorful fish in the Mediterranean Sea have discovered a new way in which a female can choose the best father for her offspring.
	How Chinese cabbage and white cabbage became alike White cabbage and Chinese cabbage have a lot in common: both have leaves that wrap tightly around each other to form a leafy head. Remarkably, however, these two crops originate from two different Brassica species used and domesticated by farmers on two different continents. In their publication in Nature Genetics, scientists from Wageningen UR show how these two different Brassica species developed (were domesticated) in Europe and Asia, sometimes resulting in very similar crops.
	Fruit-fly diet impacts descendants, researcher finds For a fruit fly, what its grandparents ate may affect how much it weighs. But the passing down of a body type based on diet is not a simple cause and effect, a University of Alabama researcher has found.
	Researchers identify a gene that causes male Drosophila to produce different courtship songs For decades, pinpointing the precise relationship between genes and behavior has been notoriously tricky for biologists. But now, Janelia Research Campus scientists have devised new strategies to drill down into this link. Using new technologies, a group of scientists, led by David Stern, has identified a gene that causes male Drosophila to produce different courtship songs – one sings a high note; the other strikes a low note.
	A dog's dilemma: Do canines prefer praise or food? Given the choice, many dogs prefer praise from their owners over food, suggests a new study published in the journal Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. The study is one of the first to combine brain-imaging data with behavioral experiments to explore canine reward preferences.
	Neonicotinoid insecticides linked to wild bee decline across England Exposure to neonicotinoid seed treated oilseed rape crops has been linked to long-term population decline of wild bee species across the English countryside, according to research published today in Nature Communications.
	What happens when soapberry bugs switch to a new host? Soapberry bugs are a classic evolutionary example of how rapidly insects can switch hosts, adapting from a native to an invasive plant.
	Parasitic flies, zombified ants, predator beetles—insect drama on Mexican coffee plantations Ants are voracious predators and often very good at defending plants from herbivores. People have taken advantage of this quirk for centuries. In fact, using ants in orange groves is one of the first recorded pest control practices, dating back to A.D. 304 in China.
	Vienna zoo hails rare birth of tiny giant panda twins A giant panda on loan from China to Austria has given birth to two naturally conceived twins, an exceptionally rare event for the endangered species, Vienna's famous Schoenbrunn Zoo said Tuesday.
Researchers identify the secret genetic weapon of Clostridium difficile A trio of researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center, School of Public Health in Houston, have identified the location of the genes that control production of toxins that harm people infected by Clostridium difficile bacteria. The gene locus, agr1, forms part of a signaling communication system that produces a small molecule that, in turn, tells the rest of the population to turn on their toxin genes.
	Birds fly faster in large flocks New research at Lund University in Sweden shows that the flight speed of birds is determined by a variety of factors. Among the most sensational is that the size of the flock has a significant impact on how fast the birds can fly. The larger the flock, the higher the speed.
Snake eyes: New insights into visual adaptations Snakes have adapted their vision to hunt their prey day or night. For example, snakes that need good eyesight to hunt during the day have eye lenses that act as sunglasses, filtering out ultraviolet light and sharpening their vision while nocturnal snakes have lenses that allow ultraviolet light through, helping them to see in the dark.
	Flood-hit elephant that travelled 1700km dies in Bangladesh An elephant thought to have travelled at least 1,700 kilometres from India into Bangladesh after becoming separated from its herd by floods died on Tuesday despite last-ditch efforts to save him.
Enhancing understanding of genetic regulation Our understanding of genetic regulation would be improved by better knowledge of regulatory elements known as enhancers, which are not located alongside the genes they control. In a recent paper published in Briefings in Bioinformatics, researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, reviewed the differences between various computational approaches to this problem and outlined some of the major challenges in the field.
	Soybean science blooms with supercomputers Knowledge of the soybean in the U.S. has come a long way since its humble start, namely as seeds smuggled by ship from China in the 1700s. A sanction back then from emperor Qianlong prevented trade outside of Canton. Undeterred, a former seaman with the East India Trading Company named Samuel Bowen first brought soybeans to Savannah, Georgia, in 1765. A couple of years later Bowen filed a patent for a new way of making sago (a starchy cake), vermicelli (noodles), and soy sauce from soybeans. Soybeans on colonial soil also got noticed by Benjamin Franklin, who wrote of their universal use in China as a cheese, which we now call tofu.
Regulators study horseshoe crab survival in medical harvest Environmental regulators studying the harvesting of horseshoe crabs that are drained of some of their blood for biomedical use say they need to get a firmer handle on how many die as part of the process.
	Outcry in Canada over video showing spear-hunted bear An online video showing an American hunter spearing a black bear and leaving the animal to die in the Canadian woods has prompted outrage and calls to ban the "archaic" practice.

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