Science X Newsletter Thursday, Apr 12

Dear ,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 12, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

The background hum of space could reveal hidden black holes

Researchers show how male Costa's hummingbirds control the acoustics of a tail song produced during high speed dives

Team creates detailed map of genetic evolution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

AI system trained to respond like a dog

Circumbinary castaways: Short-period binary systems can eject orbiting worlds

Droughts mean fewer flowers for bees

Study may show how chronic early-life stress raises PTSD vulnerability

Night owls have higher risk of dying sooner

NASA Tess spacecraft to prowl for planets as galactic scout

New insight into how Giant's Causeway and Devils Postpile were formed

Offshore wind farm: First of 11 turbines goes up in Scotland initiative

'Water-in-salt' electrolyte yields stable cathode for lithium-air battery operations

Discovery of four subtypes of melanoma points to new treatment approaches

Scientists teach computers how to analyze brain cells

Deep learning: A superhuman way to look at cells

Nanotechnology news

	Scientists unlock path to use cell's own nanoparticles as disease biomarkers Researchers at the University of Sydney have established a method to identify individual nanoparticles released by human cells, opening the way for them to become diagnostic tools in the early-detection of cancers, dementia and kidney disease.
	Sensing interactions between molecules In a recent study published in the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology, physicists and chemists of the University of Münster (Germany) describe an experimental approach to visualising structures of organic molecules with exceptional resolution. The key to this newly developed microscopic method is the high stability of a particularly sharp and atomically defined probe tip.
	Decreasing the magnetism of metallic core particles with a metal-organic framework shell Surface mining for rare earth elements used in smartphones and wind turbines is difficult and rarely done in the United States. Scientists wanted to know if they could pull the metals, present at trace levels, from geothermal brines using magnetic particles. The particles, wrapped in a molecular framework shell known as a metal-organic framework, or MOF, should easily trap the metals and let the rest flow past. However, the team led by Pete McGrail at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found the magnetic strength dropped by 70 percent after the MOF shell was formed.
	Oxidative unzipping of multiwall carbon nanotubes to graphene nanoribbons Graphene, a two-dimensional lattice of carbon atoms, has attracted enormous interest from a broad base of the research community for more than a decade. Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), narrow strips of quasi one-dimensional graphene, possess complementary features relative to their two-dimensional counterpart of graphene sheets. Based on theoretical calculations, the electrical properties of GNRs can be controlled by the width and edge configuration, and they can vary from metallic to semiconducting.

Physics news

	Tiny probe can see and take body temperatures University of Adelaide researchers have invented a world-first tiny fibre-optic probe that can simultaneously measure temperature and see deep inside the body.
	Researchers find combination for small data storage and tinier computers It may sound like a futuristic device out of a spy novel, a computer the size of a pinhead, but according to new research from the University of New Hampshire, it might be a reality sooner than once thought. Researchers have discovered that using an easily made combination of materials might be the way to offer a more stable environment for smaller and safer data storage, ultimately leading to miniature computers.
	Complexity, fidelity, application: Researchers outline plan for quantum supremacy Things are getting real for researchers in the UC Santa Barbara John Martinis/Google group. They are making good on their intentions to declare supremacy in a tight global race to build the first quantum machine to outperform the world's best classical supercomputers.
	Research reveals new aspects of superconductivity and correlated phenomena Discovered accidentally over a century ago, the phenomenon of superconductivity inspired a technological revolution. In 1911, while studying the behavior of solid mercury supercooled to 4 K (-269 °C), Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853-1926) observed for the first time that certain materials conduct electricity without resistance or losses at temperatures in the vicinity of absolute zero.
Researchers develop prototype of advanced quantum memory Employees of Kazan Federal University and Kazan Quantum Center of Kazan National Research Technical University demonstrated an original layout of a prototype of multiresonator broadband quantum-memory interface.

Earth news

	New insight into how Giant's Causeway and Devils Postpile were formed A new study by geoscientists at the University of Liverpool has identified the temperature at which cooling magma cracks to form geometric columns such as those found at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and Devils Postpile in the USA.
	One-fifth of carbon entering coastal waters of eastern North America is buried Coastal waters play an important role in the carbon cycle by transferring carbon to the open ocean or burying it in wetland soils and ocean sediments, a new study shows.
	Lavas in the lab could lead miners to new iron ore deposits Geologists have discovered that some magmas split into two separate liquids, one of which is very rich in iron. Their findings can help to discover new iron ore deposits for mining.
	Mountain erosion may add CO2 to the atmosphere Scientists have long known that steep mountain ranges can draw carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere—as erosion exposes new rock, it also starts a chemical reaction between minerals on hill slopes and CO2 in the air, "weathering" the rock and using CO2 to produce carbonate minerals like calcite.
	New Zealand halts new offshore oil and gas exploration New Zealand is halting all new offshore oil and gas exploration to become a global leader in the fight against climate change, the centre-left government said Thursday, but opponents accused it of "economic vandalism".
	Tree rings provide vital information for improved climate predictions Due to their worldwide distribution, trees have an extraordinary role in removing excessive amounts of CO2 released into the atmosphere by human activity. So far, however, no tool exists to precisely calculate the carbon dioxide uptake of trees over their whole lifetime. Using a decade-long sequence of annual growth rings from pine trees, scientists at the NMR Centre at Umeå University's Chemical Biological Centre, (KBC) have introduced a highly advanced technique for tracking the carbon metabolism of plants and its environmental controls. This technique lays the foundation for much improved parameterizations of climate change and global vegetation models.
	Unusual climate during Roman times plunged Eurasia into hunger and disease A recent study published in an esteemed academic journal indicates that volcanic eruptions in the mid-500s resulted in an unusually gloomy and cold period. A joint research project of the Chronology Laboratory of the Finnish Museum of Natural History and Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) suggests that the years 536 and 541-544 CE were very difficult for many people.
	Australia's 2017 environment scorecard—high temperatures further stress ecosystems While rainfall conditions were generally good across Australia in 2017, record-breaking temperatures stressed our ecosystems on land and sea, according to our annual environmental scorecard. Unfortunately, it looks like those records will be broken again next year – and again in the years after that.
	A slightly warmer office won't make it too hot to think If you're reading this article in your office, chances are the air conditioning is set to around 22°C. Setting the temperature to 25°C could cut your office's daily air-conditioning energy consumption by 18%, drive down electricity bills and help save the planet.
	Ocean heat waves and weaker winds will keep Australia warm for a while yet The Australian Bureau of Meteorology's latest climate outlook, issued today, suggests the above-average warmth of April is likely to extend into May, and for parts of the south, potentially into winter.
	Researchers fly and sail to stormiest place on Earth to study cloud processes By ship and by plane, Department of Atmospheric Science researchers ventured to the stormiest place on Earth, the Southern Ocean, to collect cloud, aerosol and precipitation data for a project called SOCRATES. Knowledge gained during the Southern Ocean Clouds, Radiation, Aerosol Transport Experimental Study is expected to enhance weather and climate modeling and forecasting capabilities across the globe.
	The urgency of curbing pollution from ships, explained The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency that regulates global shipping, is writing new rules to curb greenhouse gas emissions from ships by 2050 as it implements other regulations that will mandate cleaner-burning fuels at sea by 2020.
	Recycling experts hit milestone in quest for zero-waste phone UBC researchers have perfected a process to efficiently separate fibreglass and resin - two of the most commonly discarded parts of a cellphone - bringing them closer to their goal of a zero-waste cellphone.
	Actual fossil fuel emissions checked with new technique Researchers have measured CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use in California and compared them to reported emissions.
	Remnants of antibiotics persist in treated farm waste, research finds Each year, farmers in the U.S. purchase tens of millions of pounds of antibiotics that are approved for use in cows, pigs, fowl and other livestock.
	Algae-forestry, bioenergy mix could help make CO2 vanish from thin air An unconventional mélange of algae, eucalyptus and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage appears to be a quirky ecological recipe. But, scientists from Cornell University, Duke University, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo have an idea that could use that recipe to help power and provide food protein to large regions of the world - and simultaneously remove carbon dioxide from Earth's atmosphere.
	Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate retired by the World Meteorological Organization Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate are storm names that don't bear repeating.
	Climate change is slowing Atlantic currents that warm Europe and the Atlantic Seaboard The ocean currents that help warm the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America have significantly slowed since the 1800s and are at their weakest in 1600 years, according to new research my colleagues and I have conducted. As we've set out in a new study in Nature, the weakening of this ocean circulation system may have begun naturally but is probably being continued by climate change related to greenhouse gas emissions.
	Tsunamis could cost beach tourism hundreds of millions of dollars every year European tourists are more frequently going to places all over the world with significant tsunami risk, researchers have found. A global tourism destination risk index for tsunamis was released today at the 2018 Annual Conference of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) in Vienna, based on a study led by Andreas Schaefer of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).  This study examined all prominent tourism destinations globally with regard to the potential tourism loss impact for businesses given the loss of beaches post-tsunami.
	NASA finds Tropical Cyclone Keni dropped heavy rain on Fiji, direct hit to Kadavu As expected, Tropical Cyclone Keni followed a track similar to Tropical Cyclone Josie and passed to the southwest of Fiji's main island of Viti Levu on April 10, 2018 (UTC).
	NASA still eyeing ex-Tropical Cyclone Iris' remnants The remnant low pressure area that was once Tropical Cyclone Iris continues to linger in the South Pacific Ocean. NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the system and captured a visible image of it.

Astronomy & Space news

	The background hum of space could reveal hidden black holes Deep space is not as silent as we have been led to believe. Every few minutes a pair of black holes smash into each other. These cataclysms release ripples in the fabric of spacetime known as gravitational waves. Now Monash University scientists have developed a way to listen in on these events. The gravitational waves from black hole mergers imprint a distinctive whooping sound in the data collected by gravitational-wave detectors. The new technique is expected to reveal the presence of thousands of previously hidden black holes by teasing out their faint whoops from a sea of static.
	Circumbinary castaways: Short-period binary systems can eject orbiting worlds Planets orbiting "short-period" binary stars, or stars locked in close orbital embrace, can be ejected off into space as a consequence of their host stars' evolution, according to new research from the University of Washington.
	NASA Tess spacecraft to prowl for planets as galactic scout Look up at the sky tonight. Every star you see—plus hundreds of thousands, even millions more—will come under the intense stare of NASA's newest planet hunter.
	NASA's Juno mission provides infrared tour of Jupiter's north pole Scientists working on NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter shared a 3-D infrared movie depicting densely packed cyclones and anticyclones that permeate the planet's polar regions, and the first detailed view of a dynamo, or engine, powering the magnetic field for any planet beyond Earth. Those are among the items unveiled during the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, Austria, on Wednesday, April 11.
	Radio telescope records a rare 'glitch' in a pulsar's regular pulsing beat Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars and sometimes they abruptly increase their rotation rate. This sudden change of spin rate is called a "glitch" and I was part of a team that recorded one happening in the Vela Pulsar, with the results published today in Nature.
	An amazingly wide variety of planet-forming disks With an instrument at the Very Large Telescope in Chile scientists of ETH Zurich observed planet-forming disks around young stars similar to the sun 4,5 billion years ago. Surprisingly, the disks are very different. The data will help to shed more light on the formation processes of planets.
	Are viruses the new frontier for astrobiology? They are the most abundant form of life on Earth, but viruses – or their seed-like dormant state, known as virions – are outliers in our search for life on other planets. Now, one group of scientists are pushing for astrobiologists to consider searching for viruses beyond Earth more seriously.
	Pluto's largest moon, Charon, gets its first official feature names Legendary explorers and visionaries, real and fictitious, are among those immortalized by the IAU in the first set of official surface-feature names for Pluto's largest moon, Charon. The names were proposed by the New Horizons team and approved by IAU Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature.
	Proxima Centauri just released a flare so powerful it was visible to the unaided eye Since its discovery was announced in August of 2016, Proxima b has been an endless source of wonder and the target of many scientific studies. In addition to being the closest extra-solar planet to our Solar System, this terrestrial planet also orbits within Proxima Centauri's circumstellar habitable zone (aka. "Goldilocks Zone"). As a result, scientists have naturally sought to determine if this planet could actually be home to extra-terrestial life.
	Top tomatoes thanks to Mars missions Next time you eat a tomato or sweet pepper, take a closer look, because there's a good chance that its healthy appearance is thanks to one of former US President Barack Obama's speeches and ESA research for sending people on long-duration space missions.
	New Saturn storm emerging? Are you following the planets this season? The planetary action is about to heat up, as Jupiter, Saturn and Mars all head towards fine oppositions over the next few months.
	Mars impact crater or supervolcano? These images from ESA's Mars Express show a crater named Ismenia Patera on the Red Planet. Its origin remains uncertain: did a meteorite smash into the surface or could it be the remnants of a supervolcano?
	Image: The Aurora and the Sunrise "Sunrise crashes an aurora party over the southern hemisphere," said astronaut Ricky Arnold of the image he snapped from the International Space Station.
	NASA selects new technologies for flight tests for future space exploration Through NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate's Flight Opportunities program, six promising space technologies have been selected to be tested on commercial low-gravity-simulating aircraft and suborbital rockets. The opportunity to fly on these vehicles helps advance technologies closer to practical use by taking them from a laboratory environment to the real world.
	UMass Amherst geoscientist on NASA mission to improve astronaut experience Geoscientist Will Daniels, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Climate System Research Center, is set to embark on the trip of a lifetime this month as part of an experiment for NASA, spending 45 days away from Earth as he knows it, without ever leaving the ground.

Technology news

	AI system trained to respond like a dog A team of researchers from the University of Washington and the Allen Institute for AI has trained an AI system to respond like a dog using data from an actual animal. In their paper uploaded to the arXiv preprint server, the group describes their system and what it can and cannot do. The team is also going to present their work at the Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition this summer.
	Offshore wind farm: First of 11 turbines goes up in Scotland initiative Scotland is making wind energy news with an offshore wind project carrying high ambitions. The spotlight is on the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), an offshore wind test and demo facility. It is Scotland's largest, and it is being developed by the Vattenfall-owned Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Limited.
	3-D printed active metamaterials for sound and vibration control Researchers have been pushing the capabilities of materials by carefully designing precise structures that exhibit abnormal properties that can control acoustic or optical waves. However, these metamaterials are constructed in fixed geometries, meaning their unique abilities are always fixed. Now, new 3-D printed metamaterial developed by a team led by University of Southern California researchers can be remotely switched between active control and passive states.
	Airbag-maker Takata brand disappears as CEO quits Japan's Takata said Thursday its chief had formally resigned after the completion of a takeover by a US firm, bringing the curtain down on the crisis-hit brand tainted by a deadly airbag scandal.
	Zuckerberg testimony reveals lawmaker confusion on Facebook Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged Wednesday that regulation of social media is "inevitable" and disclosed that his own personal information has been compromised by malicious outsiders. But after two days of congressional testimony, what seemed clear was how little Congress seems to know about Facebook, much less what to do about it.
	Vietnam eyes cryptocurrency crackdown after alleged $660 mn scam Vietnam has vowed to tighten regulations on cryptocurrencies as authorities investigate an alleged multi-million-dollar fraud in the country, where digital units are traded in a shadowy and unregulated market.
	Lying eyes: Google engineer developing tool to spot fake video In an era replete with fake news stories, you might expect video evidence to provide a clearer picture of the truth.
	Scandal-hit Volkswagen expected to name new CEO German car giant Volkswagen is set to replace chief executive Matthias Mueller Thursday, as it seeks to turn the page on the "dieselgate" emissions scandal that has dogged the company since 2015.
	Paris to sue Airbnb over undeclared listings Paris is taking home-sharing giant Airbnb to court for failing to remove ads from people who have not properly declared their properties, city authorities said Thursday.
Student develops gaming technology for environmental scientific research A Ph.D. student at the University of Manchester has developed a new method and software for using computer game technology for complex scientific and engineering simulations.
	Uber to up its background checks for drivers Uber will start doing annual criminal background checks on U.S. drivers and hire a company that constantly monitors criminal arrests as it tries to do a better job of keeping riders safe.
	Autonomous vehicle to improve integrated transport solutions We all know that, in the future, cars will be driving themselves. In fact, some already are – but debate is still raging about their safety after a pedestrian in Arizona was killed by a car in autonomous mode last month.
Media professor says Facebook's business model is perfectly predatory With all eyes on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's congressional testimony, UVA Today sat down Wednesday – ironically, in a Facebook Live chat – with University of Virginia media studies professor Siva Vaidhyanathan to break everything down.
	To drive AI forward, teach computers to play old-school text adventure games Games have long been used as test beds and benchmarks for artificial intelligence, and there has been no shortage of achievements in recent months. Google DeepMind's AlphaGo and poker bot Libratus from Carnegie Mellon University have both beaten human experts at games that have traditionally been hard for AI – some 20 years after IBM's DeepBlue achieved the same feat in chess.
	To serve a free society, social media must evolve beyond data mining As Congress and the public wrestle with the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal, many people are now realizing the risks data collection poses to civic institutions, public discourse and individual privacy. The U.K.-based political consulting firm didn't just collect personal data from the 270,000 people who used researcher Aleksandr Kogan's online personality quiz – nor was the damage limited to 87 million of their friends. Facebook recently revealed that nearly all of its 2.2 billion users have had data scraped by "malicious" people or companies. The firm itself has joined calls for better privacy regulations.
	Are there two pilots in the cockpit? Ever since the early days of commercial aviation, flight safety has steadily improved. Considering the number of flights, accidents are now extremely rare, and 70% of them are attributable to human factors. This has led to research in psychology, cognitive science and, more recently, in neuroergonomics. Researchers have been investigating factors such as drowsiness, stress, attention, workload, communication, and cognitive biases. One that has been surprisingly overlooked is that of social relations within the cockpit.
	Cycling motion keeps hydrofoils upright during flight When you're about to fall when riding your bike, you steer into the direction of the fall without even realising it. This correction can be explained using the principles of physics; your supports, i.e. the wheels, remain in balance due to the centre of gravity. Now, for the very first time, it has also been scientifically proven that this principle of bicycle stability can also be used to maintain the stability of a hydrofoil, such as the TU Delft Solar Boat. The students recently published their findings in the Naval Engineers Journal, an academic journal published by the American Society of Naval Engineers.
Automating personal safety with wearable smart jewelry Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are utilizing technology to create a pragmatic solution for physical or sexual assault prevention.
	Smart home dashboard to better visualize energy usage Duke's Smart Home generates a lot of data about its energy usage, but no one understands what it means—yet. To make sense of it all, an interdisciplinary team of students is developing a visualization dashboard that will convey consumption data in an easily comprehendible manner.
	Many social media users unaware researchers study their data If you're unaware that your tweets could be analyzed by researchers and published in studies without your consent, you're not alone. A majority of Twitter users don't know that researchers often gather and study their tweets – and occasionally, even the deleted ones.
	In the future, robots will perform surgery, shop for you, and even recycle themselves Daniela Rus is a robot evangelist.
	Tesla exits US probe of fatal 'Autopilot' crash Tesla said Thursday it withdrew from participating in a US probe of a fatal crash last month that killed a driver who was using its "Autopilot" feature.
Watch out, Bay Area, the e-scooter revolution is coming to a sidewalk near you When Harman Ghotra woke up late, dashed out the door and realized he had four minutes to get across campus to deliver a paper to his statistics professor, the calculations started spinning through his mind. Walk to class: Eight minutes. Run? Too much trouble.
Pay less, get more: Spotify to bundle Premium service with Hulu It may not be a buy-one-get-one-free deal, but an offering from Spotify and Hulu comes pretty close.
Google is turning some NC school buses into rolling study halls Thanks to an initiative from Google, some North Carolina students are receiving homework help from an unlikely source – their school buses.
	How much are your online data really worth? By now Facebook users seem to finally get that they may not get charged anything for using the social networking service but it sure isn't free, not after being subjected to ad after spookily tailored ad.
	No, Facebook doesn't secretly listen via your microphone to target ads at you Whatever you might have heard, Facebook doesn't listen in on everything you do through the microphone on your phone, mining the information for clues on what ads to send you.
	'Big ideas' conference steps up funding for 'audacious' projects The big-idea TED Conference is now backing up its talk on world-changing innovations with big money.
	Key points from Facebook-Zuckerberg hearings Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg testified for nearly 10 hours over two days on Facebook's privacy and data protection issues before committees of the Senate and House on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are key points:
	Hino, VW partner on hybrids, autonomous drive, technology Hino Motors, Toyota Motor Corp.'s group truck manufacturer, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus of Germany agreed Thursday to work together on technologies such as hybrids, electric cars, autonomous driving and connectivity.
	Buzz feed—bringing renewables to the power grid Renewable energy is on the rise in Europe as the economy develops away from the use of fossil fuels such as coal and oil, but an ageing electricity grid is struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of developments.
	Autonomous driving – hands on the wheel or no wheel at all Vehicles on the road today are getting smarter, safer and more capable. But even the newest vehicles vary widely in their advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which aim to enhance safety and make driving more comfortable. Add to that the global race to fully self-driving vehicles, which will take the driver out of the equation completely.
Calling for better police body cam design Challenges reported by both police and the public surrounding usability issues with the vast array of body cams and recording functionality prompted a study by human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) researchers from Wichita State University. In their just-published Ergonomics in Design article, "Design Considerations in the Proliferation of Police Body-Worn Cameras," Joel Suss and colleagues identify limitations and provide some guidelines for designers.
	Flight of the future: UC students, faculty create innovative, internationally recognized technology for Boeing Air travel can be a pretty disconnected experience. Often times passengers are left without typical phone and internet capabilities and a limited choice in entertainment options to pass the time. Meanwhile, flight attendants are stretched too thin to cater to the needs of many travelers, from safety instructions to drink orders.
Facebook to stop spending against California privacy effort Facebook says it will stop spending money to fight a proposed California ballot initiative aimed at giving consumers more control over their data.

Chemistry news

	'Water-in-salt' electrolyte yields stable cathode for lithium-air battery operations Harnessing the full electrochemical power of lithium-oxygen batteries requires an efficient, more stable electrolyte. Researchers from Boston College have applied a "water-in-salt" electrolyte that enables stable lithium-air battery operation, offers superior long cycle lifetimes and presents a platform that moves lithium-ion batteries closer to their full potential, the team reports in the journal Chem.
	Faster, cheaper wastewater treatment through improved oxidation reactions Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered a method to dramatically improve the way pollutants are removed from wastewater using Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs).
	Gold protein clusters could be used as environmental and health detectors Peng Zhang and his collaborators study remarkable, tiny self-assembling clusters of gold and protein that glow a bold red. And they're useful: protein-gold nanoclusters could be used to detect harmful metals in water or to identify cancer cells in the body.
	Discovery raises possibility of treating neurological disorders The discovery of a novel class of enzyme in human biology by scientists at the University of Dundee has opened a new area of research that could benefit patients suffering from a range of neurological disorders.
	Class of proteins involved in essential cell functions has an unexpected role, scientists discover In 2013, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three scientists for their contributions to uncovering the mechanisms governing vesicle transport in cells. Their explanations provided both a conceptual and a mechanistic understanding of basic processes at the most fundamental level.
	Peptide-based biogenic dental product may cure cavities Researchers at the University of Washington have designed a convenient and natural product that uses proteins to rebuild tooth enamel and treat dental cavities.
	Scientists use carbon nanotube technology to develop robust water desalination membranes A research team of Shinshu University, Japan, has developed robust reverse osmosis membranes that can endure large-scale water desalination. The team published their results in early February in Scientific Reports.
	Team delivers world's first biosensor chips based on copper and graphene oxide Russian researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology have developed biosensor chips of unprecedented sensitivity based on copper instead of gold. Besides making the device somewhat cheaper, this innovation will facilitate the manufacturing process. The research findings are reported in the journal Langmuir.
	Scientists mimic a worm's lethal jaw to design and form resilient materials Known as the polychaete worm, it uses the tip of its jaw to inject lethal venom. The design of the jaw, with a gradient of hard materials at the tip connected to softer tissues, dissipates force and prevents serious damage to the jaw. The gradient in mechanical properties is correlated to the number of metal ions available for bonding. This mechanism inspired a novel approach to generate stiffness gradients in human-made polymers. Through a simple process, scientists controlled the density of the metal ions along a sample. The gradient in metal ion interactions created a continuous gradient in mechanical properties that spanned over a 200-fold change in stiffness, approaching that of biology.
	Theoreticians finally prove that 'curly arrows' tell the truth about chemical reactions Recent work from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, published in Nature Communications today, bridges the cultural gap between organic chemists and theoreticians that is embodied in the "curly arrow."
	Understanding a cell's 'doorbell' A multi-institutional project to understand one of the major targets of human drug design has produced new insights into how structural communication works in a cell component called a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCRs), basically a "doorbell" structure that alerts the cell of important molecules nearby. Understanding the structure and function of the receptor more deeply will enable better drug development.

Biology news

	Researchers show how male Costa's hummingbirds control the acoustics of a tail song produced during high speed dives In the world of Costa's hummingbirds, it's not size that matters—it's sound. During breeding season, male Costa's perform a high-speed dive during which they "sing" to potential mates using their tail feathers.
	Team creates detailed map of genetic evolution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae A team of researchers with members from several institutions in France has created a detailed map of the genetic evolution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their analyses of the common yeast and what they found.
	Droughts mean fewer flowers for bees Bees could be at risk from climate change because more frequent droughts could cause plants to produce fewer flowers, new research shows.
	Scientists teach computers how to analyze brain cells In the early days of neuroscience research, scientists painstakingly stained brain cells and drew by hand what they saw in a microscope. Fast forward to 2018 and machines may be able to learn how to do that work. According to a new study in Cell, it may be possible to teach machines how to pick out features in neurons and other cells that have not been stained or undergone other damaging treatments. The study was partially funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Deep learning: A superhuman way to look at cells It's harder than you might think to look at a microscope image of an untreated cell and identify its features. To make cell characteristics visible to the human eye, scientists normally have to use chemicals that can kill the very cells they want to look at.
	Sweet potato history casts doubt on early contact between Polynesia and the Americas Evidence reported in the journal Current Biology on April 12 shows that sweet potatoes arose before there were any humans around to eat them. The findings also suggest that the sweet potato crossed the ocean from America to Polynesia without any help from people. The discovery raises doubts about the existence of pre-Columbian contacts between Polynesia and the American continent.
	Viruses can evolve in parallel in related species Viruses are more likely to evolve in similar ways in related species—raising the risk that they will "jump" from one species to another, new research shows.
	Animal images used in marketing may skew public perception about their survival risks Many of the world's most charismatic animal species - those that attract the largest interest and deepest empathy from the public—are at high risk of extinction in part because many people believe their iconic stature guarantees their survival.
	Study finds a mechanism for the composition of liquid droplets in cells A longstanding mystery in biology is how the millions of molecules bumping around in a cell "find" one another and organize into functional structures. So it was a big surprise in 2008 when participants in the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) Physiology course realized that simple phase separations - like oil separating from water - may be one important way to create order inside a cell.
	Genetic changes underpin diverse structures in group of toxins produced by fungi Analysis of nine types of fungi provides evidence for evolutionary processes that have led to structural differences in a family of fungal toxins known as trichothecenes. Robert Proctor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and colleagues from the USDA, the Rural Development Administration in South Korea, and the University of León at Ponferrada in Spain present these findings in PLOS Pathogens.
	Extremely fast dives help peregrine falcons maneuver to catch agile prey Computer simulations of peregrine falcon attacks show that the extreme speeds reached during dives from high altitudes enhance the raptors' ability to execute maneuvers needed to nab agile prey that would otherwise escape. Robin Mills and colleagues of the University of Groningen, Netherlands, and Oxford University, UK, report this discovery in PLOS Computational Biology.
	Study reveals the inner workings of a molecular motor that packs and unpacks DNA DNA is tightly packed into the nucleus of a cell. Nevertheless, the cellular machinery needs to constantly access the genomic information. An LMU team now reveals the inner workings of a molecular motor made of proteins which packs and unpacks DNA.
	Inuka, first polar bear born in the tropics, may be put down An elderly polar bear at Singapore zoo, one of the site's most beloved animals, may be put down after its health deteriorated markedly, the zoo operator said Thursday.
	Bottom trawling causes deep-sea fish populations collapse Bottom trawling is causing "boom and bust" fisheries.
	New study finds genetic evidence that magnetic navigation guides loggerhead sea turtles New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provides valuable insight into the navigation and nesting behaviors of loggerhead sea turtles that could inform future conservation efforts. Loggerhead sea turtles that nest on beaches with similar magnetic fields are genetically similar to one another, according to a new study by UNC-Chapel Hill biologists Kenneth J. Lohmann and J. Roger Brothers.
	A sperm race to save one of New Zealand's threatened birds, the sugar-lapping hihi It's likely you've never heard of a hihi, let alone seen one in the wild. Also known as stitchbirds, these colourful little critters are a true taonga, or treasure. They're only found in New Zealand, and currently restricted to just seven sanctuary sites.
	Salmon farms are in crisis – here's how scientists are trying to save them Salmon farming is facing a huge challenge in the form of a tiny pest. The parasitic sea louse is infecting salmon stocks worldwide, causing devastating losses for salmon farmers and increased prices for shoppers. But scientists are working hard to tackle this global problem, with a combination of new ways to biologically and mechanically remove the lice and to make the salmon more resilient to infection.
	'Paternal' and 'maternal' DNA in fungi active at different times Many types of mushroom have two different nuclei in their cells, one from the 'father' and another from the 'mother." Researchers at the universities of Delft, Utrecht and Wageningen have discovered that the genes from the parental DNAs are expressed at different times in mushroom development. "This means that when genes involved in mushroom formation are identified, we first need to find out whether the paternal or maternal nucleus is active," says TU Delft doctoral candidate Thies Gehrmann. The research results were published in the journal PNAS on 11 April 2018.
	Discovery of switchblade-like defensive system redraws family tree of stonefishes In dark alleys of the Pacific and Indian oceans, new research shows some of the deadliest, armored fishes on the planet are packing switchblades in their faces.
	More than just menageries: First look at zoo and aquarium research shows high output Most of us think of zoos and aquariums as family destinations: educational but fun diversions for our animal-loving kids. But modern zoos and aquariums are much more than menageries. According to a new study, the institutions are increasingly contributing to our knowledge base on biodiversity conservation and other scientific topics.
Researchers optimize lung stem cell engineering process The Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM) at Boston University and Boston Medical Center has engineered two new categories of lung epithelial cells in vitro using pluripotent stem cells. Published in Stem Cell Reports, CReM researchers detailed their use of single cell RNA sequencing, a state-of-the-art technique they employed to generate the most comprehensive profile to date of air sack-like (alveolospheres) and airway-like (bronchospheres) cells derived from pluripotent stem cells. These profiles are new components associated with the Center's Open Source stem cell repository and can be used to create lung tissue in vitro enabling the testing of new drug treatments for a variety of lung diseases.
	Punk, butt-breathing turtle joins unlucky club Boasting a green, punk hairdo and the unusual ability to breathe through its backside, an Australian turtle has become famous overnight—but not only for its eccentricity.
Study uncovers surprising things about squirrels As the squirrel rotates a nut between its front paws, its brain is considering a variety of factors to reach the answer to a critical question: Do I eat this nut now, or do I store it for later?

Medicine & Health news

	Study may show how chronic early-life stress raises PTSD vulnerability A collaboration between investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital and Khyber Medical University in Pakistan may have discovered how chronic stress experienced early in life increases vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) later in life. In their report published in Translational Psychiatry the researchers describe finding that chronic stress induces a persistent increase in the hormone ghrelin, both in a rat model and in human adolescents. Rats with stress-induced ghrelin elevations were more vulnerable to an excessive fear response long after the stressful experience, a vulnerability that was eliminated by long-term blockade of ghrelin signaling.
	Night owls have higher risk of dying sooner "Night owls"—people who like to stay up late and have trouble dragging themselves out of bed in the morning—have a higher risk of dying sooner than "larks," people who have a natural preference for going to bed early and rise with the sun, according to a new study from Northwestern Medicine and the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom (UK).
	Discovery of four subtypes of melanoma points to new treatment approaches Melanoma, a relatively rare but deadly skin cancer, has been shown to switch differentiation states—that is, to regress to an earlier stage of development—which can lead it to become resistant to treatment. Now, UCLA researchers have found that melanomas can be divided into four distinct subtypes according to their stages of differentiation. Cell subtypes that de-differentiated—meaning that they reverted back to a less-mature cell—showed sensitivity to a type of self-inflicted cell death called ferroptosis.
	'Killer' kidney cancers identified by studying their evolution Scientists have discovered that kidney cancer follows distinct evolutionary paths, enabling them to detect whether a tumour will be aggressive and revealing that the first seeds of kidney cancer are sown as early as childhood.
	Newly identified gene mutation results in intellectual disability and developmental delay An international group of researchers led by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Assistant Professor Gholson Lyon has identified a new genetic mutation associated with intellectual disability, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, abnormal facial features, and congenital cardiac anomalies.
	Thinning in brain regions important for memory linked to sedentary habits Sitting too much is linked to changes in a section of the brain that is critical for memory, according to a preliminary study by UCLA researchers of middle-aged and older adults.
	How highly contagious norovirus infection gets its start Norovirus—the highly contagious gastrointestinal illness best known for spreading rapidly on cruise chips, in nursing homes, schools and other densely populated spaces—kills an estimated 200,000 people annually, mostly in the developing world. There's no treatment or vaccine to prevent the illness, and scientists have understood little about how the infection gets started.
	Bad antibodies made good: The immune system's secret weapon uncovered The 'bad apples' of the immune system are also its secret weapon, according to major Australian research published today in the world-leading journal Science.
	Drug combination overcomes barrier to effective melanoma immunotherapy Immunotherapies are treatments that stimulate a patient's immune cells to attack tumors. They can be very effective in melanoma—a common and aggressive form of skin tumor—but nonetheless fail in the majority of patients. To address this, researchers are trying to identify the factors that enable successful immunotherapy, as well as those that may limit it. The ultimate goal is to open new avenues for immunotherapies that are more broadly effective in melanoma and potentially other cancer types.
	Mouse study links early metastasis to systemic inflammation caused by wound healing According to new research conducted in mice by Whitehead Institute scientists, surgery in breast cancer patients, which while often curative, may trigger a systemic immunosuppressive response, allowing the outgrowth of dormant cancer cells at distant sites whose ability to generate tumors had previously been kept in check by the immune system. Taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) around the time of surgery may thwart such early metastatic relapse without impeding post-surgical wound healing.
	Augmented reality app may aid patients with Parkinson's It's appropriate that during Parkinson's Awareness Month, a team of Rice University seniors will show how augmented reality may help patients with the disease.
	Imagining an object can change how we hear sounds later Seeing an object at the same time that you hear sound coming from somewhere else can lead to the "ventriloquist illusion" and its aftereffect, but research suggests that simply imagining the object produces the same illusory results. The findings are published in Psychological Science.
	Immune-engineered device targets chemo-resistant lymphoma Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that is diagnosed in the U.S. more than 70,000 times annually, arises from overly proliferating immune cells within the body's lymph nodes, which are connected to a network of lymph vessels through which lymphatic fluid flows.
	Hormone imbalance causes treatment-resistant hypertension British researchers have discovered a hormone imbalance that explains why it is very difficult to control blood pressure in around 10 per cent of hypertension patients.
	Can you really be obese yet healthy? A new paper has called for an end to the term 'healthy obesity', due to it being misleading and flawed. The focus should instead be on conducting more in-depth research to understand causes and consequences of varying health among people with the same BMI.
	Do Democrat and Republican doctors treat patients differently at the end of life? The divide that separates conservative and liberal values may be as wide now as it has ever been in our country. This divide shows itself in areas of everyday life, and health care is no exception.
Mental disorders among leading causes of illness in children worldwide While global rates of mental disorders in children have remained stable over time, the decline of infectious diseases will place mental disorders among the main causes of disease in children aged 4-15 years, according to a study published in the open access journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health.
	After tax, Philadelphians 40 percent less likely to drink soda every day Almost immediately after the "soda tax" went into place, Philadelphians were 40 percent less likely to drink soda every day, a new Drexel University study found.
	Sensitive new assay detects hepatitis B infection in single liver cells and serum Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A study published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics describes a new HBV assay that offers advantages over currently used methods because it has the capability to detect closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in serum, single cells, and preserved tissue samples. This assay can be used to diagnose HCC at an earlier stage to manage treatment more effectively.
	New affordable hepatitis C combination treatment shows 97% cure rate An affordable hepatitis C combination treatment including the new drug candidate ravidasvir has been shown to be safe and effective, with extremely high cure rates for patients, including hard-to-treat cases, according to interim results from the Phase II/III STORM-C-1 trial presented by the non-profit research and development organisation Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) at the International Liver Conference in Paris.
Alectinib provides longer symptom improvement than crizotinib in ALK-positive lung cancer Alectinib provides longer symptom improvement than crizotinib in ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to results from the ALEX trial presented at the ELCC 2018 (European Lung Cancer Congress) in Geneva, Switzerland.
US approves artificial-intelligence device for diabetic eye problems US regulators Wednesday approved the first device that uses artificial intelligence to detect eye damage from diabetes, allowing regular doctors to diagnose the condition without interpreting any data or images.
	Teachers can help reduce mental health problems in children, study finds School-based mental health services delivered by teachers and staff can significantly reduce mental health problems in elementary-aged children, according to a new study by researchers at the Florida International University Center for Children and Families.
Even short travel can spread colistin-resistant bacteria The emergence of antibiotic resistance among dangerous pathogens is increasingly problematic worldwide. Many strains of infectious bacteria have become multidrug-resistant, and cannot be treated with common antibiotic therapies. While the antibiotic colistin can often be used to treat infections by multidrug-resistant bacteria, colistin resistance is also on the rise and represents an emerging global health threat, further limiting available treatments.
Novel combination therapy effective for NRAS mutant and therapy resistant melanoma Wistar researchers have identified a novel therapeutic vulnerability in NRAS mutant melanoma and an effective strategy to address it, using a combination of two clinically relevant inhibitors, according to study results published online in EMBO Molecular Medicine.
Better quality of life and cancer patients' satisfaction with a coordinating nurse Investing in the continuity of care for lung cancer patients can bring tremendous benefits in terms of patient satisfaction and quality of life. In Quebec, Canada, this investment has taken the form of a dedicated role on the medical team: The Pivot Nurse in Oncology (PNO). A study presented at ELCC 2018 (European Lung Cancer Congress) in Geneva has produced new evidence of the different ways in which this service improves patients' lives during treatment.
	Continuous glucose monitors proven cost-effective, add to quality of life for diabetics Continuous glucose monitors (CGM) offer significant, daily benefits to people with type 1 diabetes, providing near-real time measurements of blood sugar levels, but they can be expensive. A new study by researchers from the University of Chicago Medicine, based on a 6-month clinical trial, finds that use of a CGM is cost-effective for adult patients with type 1 diabetes when compared to daily use of test strips. The results are well within the thresholds normally used by insurance plans to cover medical devices. During the trial, CGMs improved overall blood glucose control for the study group and reduced hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar episodes.
	Integrating malaria and schistosomiasis control programs? There's an app for that Integrated disease control programs, which combine resources to fight multiple diseases at once, can be effective and lead to financial savings in developing countries. Now, researchers have designed a simple web-based application which allows on-the-ground decision making about the integration of malaria and schistosomiasis control programs. The application is described this week in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Dialysis providers' awareness of racial disparities in transplantation is low In a recent study of dialysis facilities with low rates of waitlisting for transplantation, healthcare providers' awareness of racial disparities in kidney transplant waitlisting was low. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), point to the need for education and training for clinicians to improve equity in access to transplantation.
	Certain iron supplements may influence the development of colon cancer Two common iron compounds increase the formation of a known biomarker for cancer, according to a new study of cancer cells from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. The two compounds, ferric citrate and ferric EDTA, are often used in dietary supplements and as a food additive respectively, in worldwide markets including the U.S. and the EU.
Robotic surgery—what you need to know While robots once were thought of as part of a far-off future, the use of robotic and other advanced technology now is part of everyday life. But when it comes to robotic surgery, some people may find it unnerving or intimidating. A surgeon at Baylor College of Medicine describes the basics of robotic surgery and dispels common myths.
	Black-white disparities in heart disease mortality have increased from 1968-2015 according to MMWR Surveillance Summary Researchers at the Emory Rollins School of Public Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published an MMWR Surveillance Summary that found black-white disparities in heart disease mortality-have increased for populations age 35 and older in the U.S. over a 47-year period.
	After testicular cancer is cured, remain alert in the future Because testicular cancer has a 95 percent cure rate, it is easier for men to move on and forget about it. But new research in the Journal of Clinical Oncology shows that it's prudent for patients to stay in touch with their medical team as they age and to be aware of treatment toxicities.
Evaluating the accuracy of the Curacao Criteria in diagnosing HHT in children Though hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is – as the name suggests – a hereditary disorder, most people are not diagnosed with the disease until they are adults because the telltale symptoms often do not develop until patients are in their late teens or early 20s. As a result, there is little data on the efficacy or value of the available diagnostic tools in children and even less on the potential effects HHT may have on them as the disorder progresses.
	Report identifies seven ways to prevent dementia The ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), in collaboration with Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), has released new findings on cognitive ageing and decline trends in Australia.
	'Idling' cancer cells may return About half of all melanomas have mutations in the BRAF gene that accelerate tumor cell growth and spread. While most patients benefit from targeted anti-BRAF therapy, resistance to treatment and tumor progression is almost inevitable.
Evaluating pediatric leukemia treatment A drug called dasatinib was found to be safe and effective for children with chronic myeloid leukemia, according to a clinical trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Doctors evaluate 4 popular trends in dieting Thinking of trying that trendy diet your friends raved about on Instagram? Before you're ready to declare the latest celebrity fad the best diet plan, check the science first. While many diets promise quick weight loss, they often have a downside. We asked two USC experts to help us separate truth from hype for four popular diets that many claim to be the best diet plan. Here's what we learned:
	New insight into widespread virus behind birth defects A Northwestern Medicine study published in Developmental Cell provides new insights into how cytomegalovirus—a common virus in the herpes family—replicates within human cells, and identifies proteins that may be therapeutically targeted to suppress infection.
Research examines complaints into chiropractors, physiotherapists and osteopaths Many Australians turn to their local chiropractor to deal with acute and chronic back pain.
	Team computes protein conformations for paths around autoimmunity For years, computational biologists have sought ways to model how proteins change shape in real time. In the past decade, they've glimpsed the possibilities as new programs and powerful computers came on line, letting researchers learn more about disease mechanisms that once eluded them.
	Sexual objectification influences visual perception It has been suggested that sexually objectified women or men are visually processed in the same fashion as objects. Far from being unanimously accepted, this claim has been criticized by a lack of scientific rigor. A team led by Giorgia Silani, in collaboration with Helmut Leder, of the University of Vienna, and scientists of the University of Trieste and SISSA have explored the conditions under which this phenomenon persists. The results of the study were recently published in the renowned scientific journal PLOS One.
	Parents want the HPV vaccine for their sons – new research Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection that causes diseases that affect both men and women. In the UK, girls are vaccinated against HPV but boys are not.
The science of elite long distance running Sunday's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games marathon will include exceptional elite-level marathon runners, including Kenneth Mungara, the Gold Coast marathon record holder and Australia's Michael Shelley, who won the Gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Marathon four years ago.
	Can laughter make our lives better? Researchers say yes Why do humorous dating profiles get more right swipes? Can being funny help solve problems? Is laughter really the best medicine?
	Anti-epileptic drugs increase the risk of bone fractures in children New research has shown evidence that anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) reduce bone density in children and therefore lead to an increase in the number of fractures, if used for more than a year.
	The secret to being cool: Try smiling For many people, one of the unspoken rules for being cool is maintaining an emotionally inexpressive attitude. This message is reinforced through advertisements where fashion models rarely smile and by quotes from celebrities. In an article in the Huffington Post, Kanye West said he doesn't smile in photographs because "it just wouldn't look as cool."
Estonia offers free genetic testing in nationwide experiment Estonia has started offering residents free genetic profiling in a nationwide experiment aimed at minimizing risks for typical diseases and encouraging a healthier lifestyle through personalized data reports.
	Understanding how leukemia and lymphoma cells resist treatment In a study published in Nature Communications, a team led IRCM Hematopoiesis and Cancer Research Unit director Tarik Möröy reveals how the GFI1 protein sometimes helps leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells evade therapy. This discovery could eventually help orient patients towards more effective treatment by considering the particular characteristics of their disease.
	How advanced nanotechnology can improve cancer care A new Tel Aviv University study addresses the challenges of nanoparticle-based cancer-targeting strategies. It also suggests ways of refocusing the collaborative work of cancer researchers and clinicians to move the field forward from "the bench" to the patients.
	So your birth didn't go according to plan? Don't blame yourself While childbirth is often a joyful event, it rarely unfolds exactly how we think it will. This causes disappointment or distress among some women, and leaves a small proportion with a diagnosis of postnatal post-traumatic stress disorder (PPTSD).
	New bacteria-resistant materials approved for trials on humans A medical device coated with new bacteria resistant materials, discovered by a team at the University of Nottingham, has been approved for use by hospitals in the UK and Europe.
	Overeating? It may be a brain glitch With springtime comes the desire to shed those few extra pounds, in preparation to don swimsuits and head to the pool. This year, new obesity research is making it easier to find a pathway that is right for us.
	Study explores carbohydrates' impact on head, neck cancers Consuming high amounts of carbohydrates and various forms of sugar during the year prior to treatment for head and neck cancer may increase patients' risks of cancer recurrence and mortality, a new study reports.
Understanding barriers to mental health care for urban black men who experience trauma Psychological distress is common in the aftermath of a traumatic injury. Symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress can make it harder to re-establish one's social and family life, work performance, and wellbeing after injury.
	Look! Down in the petri dish! It's a superplatelet! Blood platelets have one main job: Stop bleeding by forming clots. Sometimes, however, these tiny cell fragments fail when they are needed most - when a person is experiencing massive bleeding, usually due to trauma.
	Lung stem cells repair airways after injury The human airway is a system of branching tubes that connects the nose and mouth with the lungs and allows us to inhale air, extract the vital oxygen, and exhale the waste product carbon dioxide. A layer of epithelial cells helps protect airways from harmful materials in the air we breathe. However, the cells that make up this first line of defense are vulnerable to damage and rely on local stem cells to repair and renew the barrier after injury.
	First seeds of kidney cancer sown in adolescence The earliest critical genetic changes that can lead to kidney cancer have been mapped by scientists. The first key genetic change occurs in childhood or adolescence, and the resulting cells follow a consistent path to progress into kidney cancer four or five decades later, scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Francis Crick Institute and their collaborators have found.
	Researchers are one step closer to an effective anti-atherosclerosis vaccine In the disease atherosclerosis, cholesterol-containing plaques form in vessel walls, causing arteries to narrow and greatly increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Currently, atherosclerosis is the number 1 killer worldwide, just ahead of cancer. Recent use of statin anti-cholesterol drugs has reduced cardiovascular events caused by atherosclerosis by 35%, but millions of individuals remain at risk. Hence, a desirable addition or alternative would be intervention to prevent plaque formation altogether.
	In opioid epidemic, some cities strain to afford OD antidote On a Baltimore street corner, public health workers hand out a life-saving overdose antidote to residents painfully familiar with the ravages of America's opioid epidemic. But the training wraps up quickly; all the naloxone inhalers are claimed within 20 minutes.
	Is your waiter stoned? Study finds pot use highest among restaurant workers (HealthDay)—A new survey of workers in pot-friendly Colorado finds the food service industry is the most likely to have employees who use marijuana.
	AHA: Florida lifeguards helped save man's life after cardiac arrest For J.R. Bourne, a day at the beach rekindles good and bad memories.
	Want to help beat colon cancer? Live healthy (HealthDay)—More than 1.3 million Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer, but new research suggests that adopting a healthy lifestyle goes a long way toward boosting survival.
The bad habits that lead to weight gain (HealthDay)—It's no secret that weight gain results from consuming too many calories. But at its core is an imbalance of healthy and unhealthy habits.
	No higher cancer risk seen for heart failure patients (HealthDay)—Heart failure is not associated with an increased risk of cancer, according to a study published in the April 10 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Workplace noise exposure affects cardiovascular risk factors (HealthDay)—Hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and hearing difficulty are more prevalent among noise-exposed workers, according to a study published online March 14 in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.
	Increased prevalence of depression, anxiety after colorectal cancer (HealthDay)—The prevalence of depression and anxiety are increased among survivors of colorectal cancer (CRC), according to a study published online April 6 in Cancer.
	Endocrine therapy-induced alopecia seen in breast cancer (HealthDay)—For patients with breast cancer, endocrine therapy-induced alopecia (EIA) has a pattern that is similar to androgenetic alopecia, according to a study published online April 11 in JAMA Dermatology.
	FDA warning ups hysterectomy complications for uterine fibroids (HealthDay)—For women undergoing hysterectomy for uterine fibroids, there was an increase in major and minor 30-day complication rates following the issuing of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration black box warning against the use of power morcellation for excision of uterine fibroids, according to a study published online April 11 in JAMA Surgery.
Decade by decade, aging presents common challenges For 93-year-old Joseph Brown, the clearest sign of aging was his inability one day to remember he had to have his pants unzipped to pull them on.
Inhibiting metabolism found to be effective in treating aggressive form of lung cancer Researchers from UCLA and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center have found that two targeted therapies could be more effective if used in combination to treat squamous cell carcinomas of the lung. The two drugs, MLN128 and CB-839, individually target the metabolism of key nutrients glucose and glutamine, respectively, prohibiting the cancer from switching metabolic gears between glucose (a simple sugar) and glutamine (an amino acid) to tap vital sources of energy. This switch enables the cancer cells to adapt their metabolism and evade treatments.
	Why alcohol, sugar lead to thirst Why does drinking alcohol or consuming sugar make us thirsty? An international study of mice in Texas and humans in Europe reveals an unexpected anti-dehydration mechanism.
	Microscopic oxygen bubbles could help improve cancer therapeutics, speed wound healing A Purdue University-patented technology shows promise in using microscopic bubbles filled with oxygen to help with various medical treatments, including improving cancer therapeutics and helping wounds heal faster.
	Soluble antibodies play immune suppressive role in tumor progression Wistar researchers have found that soluble antibodies promote tumor progression by inducing accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in pre-clinical cancer models. Results were published online in Cancer Immunology Research.
	Immunotherapy provides long-term survival benefit: Further evidence in lung cancer Further evidence that immunotherapy provides long-term survival benefit for patients with lung cancer was presented today at ELCC 2018 (European Lung Cancer Congress) in Geneva, Switzerland.
	New Zealand dentists pick up the pieces when 'dental tourism' goes bad New Zealand dentists are increasingly having to provide remedial treatment where things have gone wrong for "dental tourists" who travel abroad for dental work.
	Indigenous more likely to be victims of homicide: student study Student research from the University of Toronto Mississauga reveals new information about Indigenous homicides in Ontario. The study by Navneet Aujla, a fourth-year student with UTM's Forensic Science program, confirms and updates 20-year-old conclusions that Indigenous people are more likely to be victims of homicide compared to the general population, and pinpoints homicide hotspots in the province.
	New study results from Uganda strengthen the case for contraceptive self-injection Evidence published today on a new contraceptive option is providing one possible answer to an age-old question in family planning: how to address barriers that make it difficult for women to keep using contraception consistently.
First real-world studies report glecaprevir/pibrentasvir to be effective and well tolerated in chronic HCV infection The results of the first real-world studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have confirmed high rates of viral suppression and a favourable safety profile in patients receiving 8-16 weeks of treatment. Two real-world studies from Italy and Germany which will be presented at this week's International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, reported high rates of sustained virological response (SVR), defined as undetectable HCV RNA, at 4 and 12 weeks after the end of treatment.
Graduate student wins design contest for mobile health app for those considering elective mastectomy HFES congratulates Marisa Grayson, a master's student in the Integrated Systems Engineering Department at Ohio State University, on taking first place in the 2018 "Mobile Health Applications for Consumers" Student Design Competition. The results of the competition were announced on March 26 during HFES's International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care in Boston.
Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma likely to be cost effective Surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by ultrasound is likely to be cost effective in patients with hepatitis C-related liver cirrhosis after they have achieved a sustained virological response (SVR) to direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), according to the results of a Canadian study presented today. The study also found that screening is very unlikely to be cost effective in patients with advanced liver fibrosis but without evidence of cirrhosis (e.g. METAVIR stage F3), challenging current clinical practice guidelines.
A third of bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis across the world are multi-drug resistant A worldwide study initiated to investigate the epidemiology and outcomes of bacterial infections in hospitalized patients with liver cirrhosis has reported a prevalence of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria of 34% and significant regional differences in the risk of developing a multi-drug-resistant infection. Research teams from 46 centres across the world collaborated in this international study, which was promoted by the International Club of Ascites, the final results of which were presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France.
	Linkage to care specialist facilitates access to hepatitis C treatment for people who inject drugs A prospective, longitudinal study involving more than 1,000 people who inject drugs has identified a promising role for linkage to care specialists in facilitating rapid access to hepatitis C treatment. The study, which was conducted in Texas, USA, ensured that individuals newly diagnosed with hepatitis C were contacted by a linkage to care specialist within 48 hours of being referred to the service, thereby ensuring that almost 50% of patients referred to a medical practitioner made it to their first appointment and that 60% of those seen were initiated on treatment.
Italy: Ongoing hepatitis A virus outbreak among men who have sex with men is linked to current outbreaks in Europe Hepatitis A viruses (HAVs) circulating in an ongoing outbreak among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Lombardy region of Italy are predominantly attributable to strains linked to two other recent outbreaks in Europe, according to a study presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France. The study found that earlier cases in the Lombardy outbreak were related to an HAV strain reported in the Netherlands, while later cases were more frequently linked to a strain seen in the UK.
Punjab, India: Mass treatment of a population with chronic hepatitis C infection produces high rates of cure A large-scale study evaluating the feasibility of decentralized care and the provision of free direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) has reported high rates of cure among a population of almost 20,000 individuals completing treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The study conducted in Punjab, India, which was reported today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, validated the efficacy and safety of generic all-oral DAA regimens delivered using a decentralized algorithm-based public health model.
Personalized T cell therapy shows signs of clinical effectiveness against HBV-related HCC Multiple adoptive transfers of T cells engineered to carry hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) has resulted in an objective positive response in a patient with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative HCC metastases in the lungs following liver transplant. The patient, described today in a presentation at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France, had a volumetric reduction of almost all lung lesions and no new lesions detected in the lung or liver.
Scotland: Direct-acting antiviral agent therapy reduces the burden of HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis Two presentations given this week at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France illustrate the impact that DAAs can have in averting HCV-related liver disease, and reducing the clinical and economic burden of this chronic infection. The first presentation summarized data from Scottish national records providing country-level evidence of a reduction in HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis since the introduction of DAAs in 2014. The second presentation described modelling data based on clinical trials of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir and UK patient tracker data, and suggested that the health and economic benefits of DAAs may be increased if treatment is initiated at an earlier stage of disease.
Hepatitis E virus infections can be life threatening and transmitted through blood products Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is once again in the spotlight, with two studies presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France challenging the ideas that HEV infections are benign and self-limiting, and that blood-borne transmission is a rare event. Researchers from Hamburg and Hannover in Germany collaborating on these studies have demonstrated that HEV infections can be fatal in immunocompromised, and in some cases, immune-competent individuals. They also demonstrated that blood products are an important source of infection in those who are immunosuppressed.
Mediterranean-style diet improves gut microbial diversity and reduces hospitalization A diet that is Mediterranean style, and rich in vegetables and fermented milk products such as yoghurt, along with coffee, tea and chocolate, is associated with greater gut microbial diversity and a lower risk of hospitalization in patients with liver cirrhosis, according to the results of an international study presented today at The International Liver Congress 2018 in Paris, France. The study, which enrolled almost 300 individuals in the USA and Turkey, showed that the entire Turkish cohort, including healthy individuals as well as those with compensated and decompensated cirrhosis, had a significantly higher microbial diversity than their counterparts in the USA.
Statins associated with reduced morbidity and mortality in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis A large register-based study conducted in Sweden has found that statins are associated with a markedly reduced risk of all-cause mortality, liver transplantation, liver cancer, and variceal bleeding in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The study, which reviewed the records of almost 3,000 patients diagnosed with PSC between 2005 and 2016, also reported a reduced risk of these outcomes in patients receiving azathioprine, but not in those receiving ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).
	Genetically modified cornea safely and effectively prevents rejection post-transplantation Researchers engineered a donor cornea, introducing two genes intended to prevent new blood vessel formation following transplantation, and have shown this novel approach to be safe, well tolerated, and effective at reducing the risk of tissue rejection in a high-risk rabbit model. These conclusive findings support angiogenesis as a valid target for treatment to prevent corneal graft rejection in high-risk patients, accord-ing to the study published in Human Gene Therapy.
Red flag laws may prevent more suicides than mass shootings Before her brother took his own life, Mary Miller-Strobel said she and her father begged every store in town that sold firearms to turn him away.
	$1 million federal grant will help study of transgender kids The first large-scale, national study of transgender children, including some as young as 3, is poised to expand thanks to a five-year, $1 million grant awarded Thursday by the National Science Foundation to the professor leading the project.

Other Sciences news

	Students did not benefit from studying according to their supposed learning style The idea that we learn better when taught via our preferred modality or "learning style" – such as visually, orally, or by doing – is not supported by evidence. Nonetheless the concept remains hugely popular, no doubt in part because learning via our preferred style can lead us to feel like we've learned more, even though we haven't.
	How social media helps scientists get the message across Analyzing the famous academic aphorism "publish or perish" through a modern digital lens, a group of emerging ecologists and conservation scientists wanted to see whether communicating their new research discoveries through social media—primarily Twitter—eventually leads to higher citations years down the road.
Insensitive white audiences make black people feel unwelcome at cultural events Some black people are being put off attending art galleries and classical music concerts because they are made to feel unwelcome by insensitive white attendees, research says.
Most young Syrian refugees are in work or studying, research says Around two-thirds of young Syrian refugees in Britain are either in work or studying, latest figures show.
Philosophical debate helps make maximum security prisoners less macho and more tolerant Profound Socratic philosophical debate has helped tackle macho inmate culture and aid rehabilitation among prisoners in a maximum security jail, research says.
	Britons less satisfied with restaurant food and their dining companions Britons are less happy with restaurants' food and service, and with their dining companions, than they were 20 years ago, research says.
Study suggests ways to close CEO pay gap The gender compensation gap between women and men is well-documented, and research shows that the gap is wider in the top positions.
	Researchers reveal history through exhumation of Otago graves Exhumation and analysis of skeletons and burial sites in the historic Otago town of Lawrence is underway, with University of Otago researchers conducting The Otago Historic Cemeteries Bioarchaeology Project.
	Medicine in antiquity—from ancient temples to Roman logistics We usually regard the Greek doctor Hippocrates as the father of the Western medicine. His greatest achievement was to separate healing from religion and apply natural science methods – an early medical science that was in use centuries before the Christian era.
	What makes someone believe or reject information? Separating fact from fiction in the age of alternate facts is becoming increasingly difficult, and now a new study has helped reveal why.
	Women are shattering the glass ceiling only to fall off the glass cliff The glass ceiling is an idea familiar to many. It refers to the invisible barrier that seems to exist in many fields and which prevents women from achieving senior positions.
	With The Herman Project, home bakers become citizen scientists Researchers from MIT are taking their microbial research out of the lab and into the kitchen.
	Sociologist upends notions about parental help with homework UConn researcher Angran Li, a doctoral student in sociology, has found that one size does not fit all students when it comes to parents helping with homework, and that parental involvement in homework can be particularly beneficial among economically disadvantaged African-American and Hispanic students.
	Equal earnings help couples say 'I do' and stay together There are lots of theories about why some couples who live together get married while others separate.
	Superiority complex? People who claim superior beliefs exaggerate their own knowledge No one likes smug know- it-all friends, relatives or co-workers who believe their knowledge and beliefs are superior to others.
Is the 'queen bee' phenomenon a myth? Portrayals in the media and academic research suggest that females act like queen bees. When they succeed in male-dominated settings they mistreat subordinate women and stop their professional advancement—contributing to gender inequality in the work place. The latest study on the "Queen Bee" phenomenon, published in The Leadership Quarterly, presents a different perspective altogether.