NOVA CIENCIA DEL FUTUR NCFCCCD SALT CUANTIC 2050: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Apr 17

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 17, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Researchers study extended X-ray emission in the PKS 1718−649 radio source
Ramp compression of iron provides insight into core conditions of large rocky exoplanets
Study: Diamond from the sky may have come from 'lost planet'
Mother's depression might do the same to her child's IQ
Hello DARKNESS: Physicists team up with astronomers to commission the most advanced camera in the world
Parental diet before conception affects child's health
Japan to trial 'world's first urine test' to spot cancer
How does plant DNA avoid the ravages of UV radiation?
The microbiome of a native plant is much more resilient than expected
When nuclei catch up with electrons
Researchers create new Bose-Einstein condensate
New disease model to facilitate development of ALS and MS therapies
Researchers succeed in cultivating cartilage from stem cells
Invertebrates inspire first fully 3-D printed active materials for robots
Foodborne illness caused by common agricultural practice, casts doubts on biocidal product labeling

Nanotechnology news

	Nanomotor guided inside a living cell using a magnetic field A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore has developed a type of nanomotor that can be guided inside of a living cell using an external magnetic field. In their paper published in the journal Advanced Materials, the group describes their nanomotor, how it works, and possible uses for it.
	Improved method of delivering anti-cancer drugs A new non-toxic method for delivering anti-cancer drugs to specific parts of the human body could mean the end of the severe and nasty side effects associated with many cancer therapies, according to researchers at Cardiff University's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
	IBM scientists measure the energy levels of single molecules on insulators Our understanding of single-molecule electronics has become clearer and the answer involved using a common household item – salt.
	New type of opal formed by common seaweed discovered Scientists have discovered a completely new type of opal formed by a common seaweed which harnesses natural technology by self-assembling a nanostructure of oil droplets to control how light reflects from its cells to display a shimmering array of colours that until now, has only been seen in the gem stone.
	Engineers develop technique to make adaptive materials Engineers at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the University of Maryland have developed a technique that causes a composite material to become stiffer and stronger on-demand when exposed to ultraviolet light.
	BESSY II sheds light on how the internal compass is constructed in magnetotactic bacteria Magnetotactic bacteria can sense the Earth's magnetic field via magnetic nanoparticles in their interior that act as an internal compass. Spanish teams and experts at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have now examined the magnetic compass of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense at BESSY II. Their results may be helpful in designing actuation devices for nanorobots and nanosensors for biomedical applications.
Team creates new tool to speed up the design of wearable tech In a new paper published by Nano Energy, experts from the Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) at the University of Surrey detail a new methodology that allows designers of smart-wearables to better understand and predict how their products would perform once manufactured and in use.

Physics news

	When nuclei catch up with electrons In an attosecond study of the H2 molecule, physicists at ETH Zurich found that for light atomic nuclei, as contained in most organic and biological molecules, the correlation between electronic and nuclear motions cannot be ignored.
	Researchers create new Bose-Einstein condensate Researchers at Aalto University, Finland, have created a Bose-Einstein condensate of light coupled with metal electrons, so-called surface plasmon polaritons. Nearly 100 years ago, Albert Einstein and Satyendra Nath Bose predicted that quantum mechanics could force a large number of particles to behave in concert as if they were only a single particle. This form of matter was called a Bose-Einstein condensation, and it wasn't until 1995 that researchers created the first such condensate of a gas of alkali atoms.
	Researchers have evidence that might explain the unexpected presence of energetic electrons in Mercury's magnetic tail Theoretical physicists used simulations to explain the unusual readings collected in 2009 by the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission. The origin of energetic electrons detected in Mercury's magnetic tail has puzzled scientists. This new study, appearing in Physics of Plasmas, provides a possible solution to how these energetic electrons form.
	Machine learning techniques may reveal cause-effect relationships in protein dynamics data Machine learning algorithms excel at finding complex patterns within big data, so researchers often use them to make predictions. Researchers are pushing this emerging technology beyond finding correlations to help uncover hidden cause-effect relationships and drive scientific discoveries.
	Performing under pressure: Modeling oxidation in high-stress materials Each year, the effects of corroding materials sap more than $1 trillion from the global economy. As certain alloys are exposed to extreme stress and temperatures, an oxide film begins to form, causing the alloys to break down even more quickly. What precisely makes these high-temperature, high-stress conditions so conducive for corrosion, however, remains poorly understood, especially in microelectromechanical devices. In the Journal of Applied Physics, Chinese researchers have started to chip away at why these materials corrode under mechanical stress.
	From insulator to conductor in a flash In recent decades, computers have become faster and hard disks and storage chips have reached enormous capacities. But this trend cannot continue forever. Physical limits are preventing silicon-based computer technology from attaining additional speed gains. Researchers are optimistic that the next era of technological advancements will start with the development of novel information-processing materials and technologies that combine electrical circuits with optical ones. Using short laser pulses, a research team led by Misha Ivanov of the Max Born Institute in Berlin, together with scientists from the Russian Quantum Center in Moscow, has shed light on the extremely rapid processes taking place within these novel materials. Their results appear in Nature Photonics.
	New discovery in shear-thickening fluids such as detergents What do paint, dishwasher detergent, ketchup and blood have in common? All are composed of particles suspended in a carrier liquid, flow when stirred or forced, but remain thick or even gel-like at rest.
	New capabilities at NSLS-II set to advance materials science By channeling the intensity of x-rays, synchrotron light sources can reveal the atomic structures of countless materials. Researchers from around the world come to the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)—a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory—to study everything from proteins to fuel cells. NSLS-II's ultra-bright x-rays and suite of state-of-the-art characterization tools make the facility one of the most advanced synchrotron light sources in the world. Now, NSLS-II has enhanced those capabilities even further.

Earth news

	How the Pilbara was formed more than 3 billion years ago The remote Pilbara region of northern Western Australia is one of Earth's oldest blocks of continental crust, and we now think we know how it formed, as explained in research published today in Nature Geoscience.
	Arctic Ocean may have been covered by an ice shelf nearly double the size of Greenland's ice sheet An ice shelf over a kilometre thick once formed over the Arctic Ocean, a new study by researchers from the University of Sheffield has revealed.
	Can your dog predict an earthquake? Evidence is shaky, say researchers For centuries people have claimed that strange behavior by their cats, dogs and even cows can predict an imminent earthquake, but the first rigorous analysis of the phenomenon concludes that there is no strong evidence behind the claim.
	Studying oxygen, scientists discover clues to recovery from mass extinction About 252 million years ago, more than 90 percent of all animal life on Earth went extinct. This event, called the "Permian-Triassic mass extinction," represents the greatest catastrophe in the history of life on Earth. Ecosystems took nearly five million years to recover and many aspects of the event remain a mystery.
	Tracking the river: Mississippi model may help save coast Scientists working on new ways to battle the erosion that threatens Louisiana's coastline have a dramatic new tool: a massive replica of the lower Mississippi River.
	Moss capable of removing arsenic from drinking water discovered Moss capable of removing arsenic from contaminated water has been discovered by researchers from Stockholm University. Within just one hour, it reduces water arsenic to levels harmless enough for consumption. The study has been published in the journal Environmental Pollution.
	Virtual contact lenses for radar satellites Radar satellites supply the data used to map sea level and ocean currents. However, up until now, the radar has been ineffective in regions where the oceans are covered by ice. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now developed a new analysis method to solve this problem.
	High concentrations of fluorinated chemical GenX found in watershed While searching for sources of bromide in the Cape Fear River watershed nearly five years ago, NC State environmental engineer Detlef Knappe and his team of researchers found more than they were looking for: high concentrations of a number of unexpected industrial chemicals in drinking water, including one—GenX—that has entered the popular vernacular in North Carolina.
	Scaling up efforts to restore forests We are at the cusp of a transformation that is changing societal perspectives and values on our environment. The Bonn Challenge – which seeks to restore 150 million hectares of forest by 2020 – represents a global response to deforestation, land degradation, and climate change.
	What children can teach us about looking after the environment United States President Donald Trump sparked outrage last year when he announced that the US would pull out of the Paris climate agreement. The decision frustrated world leaders because it undermined the process of global cooperation, setting a bad precedent for future agreements to unify countries in the effort to avoid climate disaster.
	Contrary to common belief, some forests get more fire-resistant with age An out-of-season bushfire raged through Sydney's southwest at the weekend, burning more than 2,400 hectares and threatening homes.
	U.S. rivers are becoming saltier – and it's not just from treating roads in winter The United States has made enormous progress in reducing water pollution since the Clean Water Act was passed nearly 50 years ago. Rivers no longer catch fire when oil slicks on their surfaces ignite. And many harbors that once were fouled with sewage now draw swimmers and boaters.
	The 'bread basket' of the tropics? Study explores tropical grain production It wasn't until the late-1990s that the tropics began to emerge as a possible region for growing grain crops, particularly soybean. But, today, farmers in central Brazil are running productive farm businesses, largely due to a new tropical system of production known as safrinha, or succession farming, which results in two large crops—soybean and maize—per year.
	Poland broke EU law by logging in ancient forest: court Poland's rightwing government broke the law by logging in one of Europe's last primeval forests, a UNESCO world heritage site, the European Union's top court ruled Tuesday.
	Philippines to deploy riot police for Boracay tourist closure The Philippines is set to deploy hundreds of riot police to top holiday island Boracay to keep travellers out and head off potential protests ahead of its six-month closure to tourists, the government said Tuesday.
	First global carbon dioxide maps produced by Chinese observation satellite An Earth observation satellite called TanSat has produced its first global carbon dioxide maps. TanSat was launched by a collaborative team of researchers in China, and these maps are the first steps to provide global carbon dioxide measurements for future climate change research. The maps, based on data collected in April and July 2017, are published in the latest edition of the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.
	Six ways to improve water quality in New Zealand's lakes and rivers Two years ago, New Zealanders were shocked when contaminated drinking water sickened more than 5,000 people in the small town of Havelock North, with a population of 14,000. A government inquiry found that sheep faeces were the likely source of bacterial pathogens, which entered an aquifer when heavy rain flooded surrounding farmland.
	GPM catches line of strong storms responsible for tornadoes in eastern US On Sunday April 15th, a line of strong storms at one point stretched from the Florida Straits below the Florida Keys all the way up the East Coast and into Ohio. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite analyzed the severe storms as it passed overhead. GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA.
	Greenpeace finds coral reef in Total's Amazon drilling area Environmental campaigners Greenpeace said Tuesday that a massive coral reef has been found to extend right into where France's oil company Total plans to drill near the mouth of the Amazon.

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers study extended X-ray emission in the PKS 1718−649 radio source An international team of researchers has performed of extended X-ray emission in the radio source known as PKS 1718−649. The study, published April 11 in a paper on the arXiv pre-print repository, reveals more details about physics of the environment of this source and could be helpful in disclosing its real nature.
	Ramp compression of iron provides insight into core conditions of large rocky exoplanets In a paper published today by Nature Astronomy, a team of researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Rochester have provided the first experimentally based mass-radius relationship for a hypothetical pure iron planet at super-Earth core conditions.
	Study: Diamond from the sky may have come from 'lost planet' Fragments of a meteorite that fell to Earth about a decade ago provide compelling evidence of a lost planet that once roamed our solar system, according to a study published Tuesday.
	Hello DARKNESS: Physicists team up with astronomers to commission the most advanced camera in the world Somewhere in the vastness of the universe another habitable planet likely exists. And it may not be that far—astronomically speaking—from our own solar system.
	The current ability to test theories of gravity with black hole shadows Astrophysicists at Frankfurt, the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, and Nijmegen, collaborating in the project BlackHoleCam, answer this question by computing the first images of feeding non-Einsteinian black holes: it is presently hard to tell them apart from standard black holes.
	Could we detect an ancient industrial civilization in the geological record? As a species, we humans tend to take it for granted that we are the only ones that live in sedentary communities, use tools, and alter our landscape to meet our needs. It is also a foregone conclusion that in the history of planet Earth, humans are the only species to develop machinery, automation, electricity, and mass communications – the hallmarks of industrial civilization.
An astronomical myth—astronaut ice cream Astronaut ice cream's failed mission and the snacks you can get up in space.
	What in the world is an exoplanet? Step outside on a clear night, and you can be sure of something our ancestors could only imagine: Every star you see likely plays host to at least one planet.
	Walking on the moon – underwater It's one of the deepest 'swimming pools' in Europe, but for three years has been helping preparations for a human return to the moon. ESA's Neutral Buoyancy Facility at the European Astronaut Centre has been the site of the 'moondive' study, using specially weighted spacesuits to simulate lunar gravity, which is just one sixth that of Earth.

Technology news

	Invertebrates inspire first fully 3-D printed active materials for robots To overcome the material rigidity and actuation limitations in current robotic systems, a joint U.S. Army Research Laboratory and University of Minnesota research project sought inspiration from invertebrates.
	A new way to build road maps from aerial images automatically Map apps may have changed our world, but they still haven't mapped all of it yet. Specifically, mapping roads can be difficult and tedious: Even after taking aerial images, companies still have to spend many hours manually tracing out roads. As a result, even companies like Google haven't yet gotten around to mapping the vast majority of the more than 20 million miles of roads across the globe.
	Would you pay for an ad-free Facebook? If you're not paying for the product, then you are the product.
As Facebook embraces artificial intelligence tools, will it further spook consumers? Social media companies have embraced artificial intelligence tools to scrub their platforms of hate speech, terrorist propaganda and other content deemed noxious. But will those tools censor other content? Can a program judge the value of speech?
	Microsoft turns to former rival to improve internet security Microsoft is turning to a former rival to improve the security of computing devices.
	Facebook hit with class action suit over facial recognition tool A US federal judge in California ruled Monday that Facebook will have to face a class action suit over allegations it violated users' privacy by using a facial recognition tool on their photos without their explicit consent.
	China's ZTE halts share trading following US export ban Chinese telecom giant ZTE halted trading of its shares in Hong Kong and Shenzhen Tuesday following the announcement of a US ban on its purchase of sensitive technology that drew a pledge from China to "safeguard" its companies if necessary.
	China to relax foreign ownership limits on cars, other industries (Update) China announced Tuesday a timeline to open up its manufacturing sector including scrapping ownership limits for foreign automakers, shipbuilders and aircraft firms—addressing a contentious issue in its trade dispute with the United States.
	New tool serves as digital logbook for drone users A Purdue University researcher led development of a free, web-based application that will allow those using unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to easily log their flight-related data.
	The public has a vital role to play in preventing future cyber attacks Up to 400 Australian organisations may have been snared in a massive hacking incident detailed today. The attack, allegedly engineered by the Russian government, targeted millions of government and private sector machines globally via devices such as routers, switches, and firewalls.
Bitcoin's wild ride and what's ahead for the cryptocurrency Bitcoin has been on a volatile ride in recent times, its value rising and falling like a kite caught in variable winds.
	Why the electric vehicle revolution will bring problems of its own After years of being derided as a joke by car manufacturers and the public, interest in electric vehicles has increased sharply as governments around the world move to ban petrol and diesel cars.
	How artificial intelligence is reshaping our lives It's Saturday night and you've just finished watching the last episode of a Swedish crime drama that you somehow stumbled upon, although you can't quite remember how.
	The Adversarial Robustness Toolbox—securing AI against adversarial threats Recent years have seen tremendous advances in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Modern AI systems achieve human-level performance on cognitive tasks such as recognizing objects in images, annotating videos, converting speech to text, or translating between different languages. Many of these breakthrough results are based on Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). DNNs are complex machine learning models bearing certain similarity with the interconnected neurons in the human brain. DNNs are capable of dealing with high-dimensional inputs (e.g. millions of pixels in high-resolution images), representing patterns in those inputs at various levels of abstraction, and relating those representations to high-level semantic concepts.
	With smart cities, your every step will be recorded Modern cities are brimming with objects that receive, collect and transmit data. This includes mobile phones but also objects actually embedded into our cities, such as traffic lights and air pollution stations. Even something as simple as a garbage bin can now be connected to the internet, meaning that it forms part of what is called the internet of things (IoT). A smart city collects the data from these digital objects, and uses it to create new products and services that make cities more liveable.
	Researchers develop algorithm to locate fake users on many social networks Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Beer-Sheva, Israel) and University of Washington (Seattle) researchers have developed a new generic method to detect fake accounts on most types of social networks, including Facebook and Twitter.
	Exhibit focuses on homes that adapt and change with us Most housing is designed for nuclear families, but most U.S. households don't meet that description.
	Tesla shuts down Model 3 assembly again to fix bottlenecks Shares of Tesla Inc. traded lower Tuesday after reports that the company had shut down production of its Model 3 mass-market electric car again to solve manufacturing bottlenecks.
Are drivers for Amazon, Lyft or Uber today's version of factory workers? About a year ago, 60-year-old Johnny Pollard found himself in need of a job—fast.
T-Mobile to pay $40 million after using fake ring tones on some customer calls Bellevue, Wash., telecom T-Mobile has been cited by the federal government for using fake ring tones on some customers' calls—sounds that made the caller think the phone was ringing on the recipient's side, when it really wasn't.
Facebook paid over $8.8 million for Mark Zuckerberg's security and travel last year Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook salary may only be $1, but don't think that is all the Facebook co-founder receives in benefits from the social network he helped create.
	Tech firms sign pledge to refrain from helping cyberattacks Thirty-four global technology companies and organizations signed a pact Tuesday calling for a stronger defense against cyberattacks in any form and pledging to refrain from helping governments attack "innocent" civilians or enterprises.
	New York investigates cryptocurrency trading exchanges New York state authorities on Tuesday said they have launched a probe into platforms that trade cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, including potential fraud and conflicts of interest.
Here's how some tech companies are chipping away at bias against women Bridget Frey was the only woman on Redfin's engineering team in Seattle when she joined the online real-estate company more than six years ago. She wasn't surprised, having worked in the male-dominated tech field for much of her career.
Bay Area still dominates U.S. venture capital industry but cracks may be showing Despite all the talk of technology companies and workers leaving the Bay Area for cheaper pastures, Silicon Valley looks strong as ever—for now.
Backpage.com co-founder released from jail on a $1M bond A co-founder of the classified advertising site Backpage.com who has been jailed for the last 10 days on charges of facilitating prostitution was released on a $1 million bond Monday as he awaits trial.
	China's Weibo site backtracks on gay censorship after outcry One of China's top social networking sites announced Monday that it will no longer be censoring content related to gay issues after the plan triggered a loud public outcry.
	Cannes holds out olive branch in row with Netflix The Cannes film festival said Tuesday that it was still in talks with Netflix despite the platform's dramatic withdrawal of its films last week.
	Top US court declares Microsoft email suit moot The US Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out a suit over Microsoft's refusal to comply with a US warrant for emails stored outside the country, concluding the case had been rendered moot by a new law.
	Former Cambridge Analytica chief ducks fresh grilling Former Cambridge Analytica boss Alexander Nix has refused to appear for a second grilling by British lawmakers, the MPs' scrutiny panel investigating him said Tuesday.
	Russia blocks some Google, Amazon servers after Telegram ban Russia's communications watchdog says it is blocking access to some servers owned by tech giants Google and Amazon in order to comply with a court order to block a popular messaging app.
	Starbucks to shut US stores for 'racial-bias education' Starbucks will close stores and corporate offices across the United States on May 29 to conduct "racial-bias education," the company announced Tuesday, following outrage over the arrest of two black men in one of its cafes.

Chemistry news

	Researchers discover new mechanism of antibiotic resistance in leprosy and tuberculosis A Virginia Tech research team in collaboration with researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia have discovered a mechanism responsible for antibiotic resistance in the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and leprosy.
	Strong carbon fiber artificial muscles can lift 12,600 times their own weight The pull-up, an exercise dreaded by most, answers a basic question: are your muscles strong enough to lift your own body weight?
	Solving the structure of ATP synthase A team of scientists headed by Rosalind Franklin University Professor David M. Mueller, PhD, has solved the structure of mitochondrial ATP synthase, an enzyme that makes ATP, adenosine triphosphate, the major energy source of cells.
	Full of hot air and proud of it: Improving gas storage with MOFs Of the four states of matter, gases are the hardest to pin down. Gas molecules move quickly and wildly and don't like to be confined. When confined, heat and pressure build in the container, and it doesn't take long before the gas blows the lid off the place, literally. Luckily, gases are superficial. Provide them with an attractive internal surface area, and they'll pin themselves down in no time. No, it's not love at first sight, it's adsorption.
	Researchers produce 50x more stable adsorbent A KAIST research team have developed a technology to increase the stability of amine-containing adsorbents by 50 times, moving another step toward commercializing stable adsorbents that last longer.
	Mouse study provides insights into how the metal accumulates in bone tissue New research shows how and where tungsten accumulates in bones of mice exposed to the element through drinking water. The findings, by a team of chemists and biologists at McGill University, could add to doubts over the once-universal assumption that tungsten poses little or no health risk to the general human population.
	Calculus III for cells Last year, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania revealed surprising insights into how cells respond to surface curvature. Specifically, they investigated how cells respond to cylindrical surfaces, which are common in biology. They found that cells change the static configurations of their shapes and internal structures.
	Video: What is flame jetting? We know fuels like gasoline and alcohol can burn. But sometimes, when the conditions are just right, a hand-held container of fuel being poured near an ignition source can shoot out a ten-foot jet of flame. Flame jetting is extremely dangerous and has caused several deaths.

Biology news

	How does plant DNA avoid the ravages of UV radiation? If the ultraviolet radiation from the sun damages human DNA to cause health problems, does UV radiation also damage plant DNA? The answer is yes, but because plants can't come in from the sun or slather on sunblock, they have a super robust DNA repair kit. Today, the UNC School of Medicine lab of 2015 Nobel laureate Aziz Sancar, MD, PhD, has published an exquisite study of this powerful DNA repair system in plants, which closely resembles a repair system found in humans and other animals.
	The microbiome of a native plant is much more resilient than expected Without microorganisms humans would not be able to survive. Especially our gut flora is an extremely densely populated ecosystem that houses billions of bacteria which help us to digest or detoxify food, supply us with vitamins, or modulate our immune system. Similarly, plants have also a so-called microbiome. In contrast to animals and humans, microorganisms associated with plants are primarily soil microbiota. Scientists consider the soil microbiome as a kind or external plant immune system. However, due to the enormous complexity of these microbiomes it is very difficult for scientists to group bacteria as beneficial or deleterious, and some bacterial taxa are even able to morph from Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde upon environmental stresses.
	Foodborne illness caused by common agricultural practice, casts doubts on biocidal product labeling Chlorine, commonly used in the agriculture industry to decontaminate fresh produce, can make foodborne pathogens undetectable, according to new research published in mBio, an open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. The study may help explain outbreaks of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes among produce in recent years.
	When toxins preserve populations Some soil bacteria can alter their environment in such a way as to endanger their own survival – unless, that is, toxins do not impede their growth beforehand.
	Making protein patterns robust Correct protein localization is crucial for many fundamental cellular processes. LMU physicists have now asked how to confer robustness against variations in protein concentrations on pattern formation mechanisms.
	Bacterial 'gene swapping' sparks disease outbreaks A new study by scientists at the University of Liverpool documents, for the first time, how the ability of bacteria to swap genetic material with each other can directly affect the emergence and spread of globally important infectious diseases.
	Giant group of octopus moms discovered in the deep sea We know more about the surface of the moon that we do about the bottom of the ocean. The sea floor is an alien landscape, with crushing pressure, near-total darkness, and fluids wafting from cracks in the Earth's crust. It's also home to some weird animals that scientists are only just getting to know. Case in point: deep-sea expeditions and drones have revealed a giant group of octopuses and their eggs in a place where they shouldn't be able to survive.
	Honeybees are struggling to get enough good bacteria Modern monoculture farming, commercial forestry and even well-intentioned gardeners could be making it harder for honeybees to store food and fight off diseases, a new study suggests.
	Researchers develop first gene drive targeting worldwide crop pest Biologists at the University of California San Diego have developed a method of manipulating the genes of an agricultural pest that has invaded much of the United States and caused millions of dollars in damage to high-value berry and other fruit crops.
	Too much sitting may thin the part of your brain that's important for memory, study suggests If you want to take a good stroll down memory lane, new research suggests you'd better get out of that chair more often.
	Key tethering protein found to transport cellular cholesterol Despite its less-than-stellar reputation in the news, cholesterol is an essential molecule for living things. It serves as the building block for hormones and gives shape to the membranes that enclose cells and their internal parts (Fig.1). Consequently, many diseases arise from defects in the proper transport of cholesterol. Now, researchers at Osaka University have shed new light on one of the key pathways used to transport cholesterol inside of cells.
	Science and Twitter join forces to uncover a globally imperiled plant species What happens when researchers and social media combine forces in the name of science? A rare wildflower from the US and a team of Twitter-savvy botanists tell us a tale of symbiosis between science and modern technology.
	Timing is everything: Researchers describe genetic clockwork in germ cell development The nematode C. elegans is a true organizational talent: The tiny life forms, just one millimetre long, live for only two to three weeks, with sexual maturity lasting only four days. They nevertheless manage to generate over 300 offspring during this brief period. For this ambitious development programme to function optimally, a large number of processes must be synchronised within their cells. Geneticists at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have deciphered a central signaling pathway that encodes and controls these processes. Their study was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
	Better butterfly learners take longer to grow up The ability of animals to vary their phenotypes, or physical expression of their genes, in different environments is a key element to survival in an ever-changing world.
	These ants have evolved a complex system of battlefield triage and rescue Ants are scary. They have a remorseless quality, seemingly indifferent to their individual welfare, their whole lives submerged in the collective. And that's just the small ones. Super-sized versions are the stuff of classic horror, radioactively enhanced, famously threatening American cities from down the storm drains in Them! to terrorising Joan Collins up the jungle in Empire of the Ants.
	Prague zookeepers use puppet to raise endangered magpie Zookeepers in Prague have turned into puppeteers in an effort to save the critically endangered Javan green magpie.
Bat key to tequila trade gets off US endangered species list (Update) Wildlife managers in the American Southwest say a once-rare bat important to the pollination of plants used to produce tequila has made a comeback and is being removed from the U.S. endangered species list.
Smooth dance moves confirm new bird-of-paradise species Newly publicized audiovisuals support full species status for one of the dancing birds-of-paradise in New Guinea. This new species, called the Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise, is found only in the island's far-western Bird's Head, or Vogelkop, region.
	Scientists explore underwater frontiers with submersible tablet computers A team of experienced science divers has created the world's first submersible touchscreen for a tablet computer, whose applications are already helping marine scientists, law enforcement, explorers and other professionals toil beneath the waves and could usher in a new era of underwater ICT.
	Supply chains at risk as wild pollinators decline Companies are facing potential shortages of raw materials, a fall in crop quality and challenges around security of supply because of an emerging pollination deficit, a new report funded by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative has found.
	New ocean plankton species named after BBC Blue Planet A newly discovered species of ocean plankton, Syracosphaera azureaplaneta, has been named by UCL researchers in honour of the critically acclaimed BBC Blue Planet series and its presenter Sir David Attenborough.
	Horses can breathe easier thanks to new treatment for degenerative respiratory condition Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers have developed a new surgical technique for recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) that is improving outcomes and helping horses breathe a little bit easier.
	More than 12,000 marine creatures uncovered during first-ever exploration of West Java seas Despite a stormy start thanks to Cyclone Marcus, scientists who participated in the South Java Deep Sea Biodiversity Expedition 2018 (SJADES 2018) had collected more than 12,000 creatures during their 14-day voyage to survey the unexplored deep seas off the southern coast of West Java, Indonesia.
	Iceland resumes fin whale hunt after two-year pause Icelandic whaling company Hvalur said Tuesday it would resume its controversial hunt of endangered fin whales after a two-year suspension, sparking angry protests from animal rights activists.

Medicine & Health news

	Mother's depression might do the same to her child's IQ Roughly one in 10 women in the United States will experience depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The consequences, however, may extend to their children, report researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, who found that a mother's depression can negatively affect a child's cognitive development up to the age of 16.
	Parental diet before conception affects child's health A child's health can be compromised not only by a mother who smokes or drinks during pregnancy, but by the obesity and poor diet of both parents well before the act of procreation, researchers said Tuesday.
	Japan to trial 'world's first urine test' to spot cancer A Japanese firm is poised to carry out what it hailed as the world's first experiment to test for cancer using urine samples, which would greatly facilitate screening for the deadly disease.
	New disease model to facilitate development of ALS and MS therapies Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a new disease model for neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and MS that can be used to develop new immunotherapies. The model is described in a publication in the scientific journal Nature Immunology.
	Researchers succeed in cultivating cartilage from stem cells Researchers have produced stable joint cartilage from adult stem cells originating from bone marrow. This was made possible by inducing specific molecular processes occurring during embryonic cartilage formation, as researchers from the University and University Hospital of Basel report in the scientific journal PNAS.
	Of mice and disease: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria discovered in NYC house mice A study by scientists at the Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health finds New York City house mice carry bacteria responsible for mild to life-threatening gastroenteritis in people, and some of these bacteria may be resistant to antibiotics. Findings appear in the journal mBio.
	One class of drug used to treat type 2 diabetes may not reduce the risk of death when compared with placebo One class of drug used to treat type 2 diabetes may not reduce the risk of death when compared with placebo, suggests new findings.
	Combining augmented reality with deep learning network to help pathologists spot cancer cells A team of researchers at Google has developed a tool that combines augmented reality with a deep learning neural network to provide pathologists with help in spotting cancerous cells on slides under a microscope. Google has published a paper outlining the new tool, which they describe as an augmented reality microscope (ARM) platform, on their website. They also gave a presentation at this year's American Association for Cancer Research meeting, showing what it can do.
	Study characterizes proteins resulting from RAS gene mutations, found in more than 20 percent of all human cancers When a RAS gene operates normally, it acts as an on/off switch for cell signaling to control cell proliferation. But when the gene mutates, the switch jams into the "on" position, allowing cells to proliferate uncontrollably.
	Potential lines of attack against prostate cancer Researchers from The University of East Anglia (UEA) have contributed to the world's largest study into genes that drive prostate cancer – identifying 80 molecular weaknesses that could be targeted by drugs to treat the disease.
	Researchers develop new process to differentiate stem cells Neck and back pain are debilitating and expensive: an estimated 80 percent of adults will suffer one or both at some point during their lives, racking up $86 billion in medical costs and missed work in the United States alone. Often, the conditions are caused by the breakdown of discs, the load-bearing, donut-like structures that cushion the bones of the spine and are made mostly of a tissue called nucleus pulposus. Nucleus pulposus can degenerate with age, causing the discs to lose their shape and collapse—resulting in pain, among other problems.
	Your immune system holds the line against repeat invaders, thanks to this molecule Memory T cells are a critical element of our immune system's historical archive. To prevent repeat infections, these cells retain a record of germs they've fought before.
	Huge variation in prescribing practice for gluten-free foods in England Prescribing practice for gluten free foods in England varies hugely, and doesn't seem to be driven by obvious medical factors, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
	Antioxidant therapy may reduce cardiovascular risk of young women with type 1 diabetes The high estrogen levels that typically afford younger women protection from cardiovascular disease appear to instead multiply their risk if they have type 1 diabetes, researchers say.
Diagnosing, treating neuropathy symptoms in cancer patients not exact science Most of the roughly 15.5 million cancer survivors in the U.S. receive chemotherapy, and roughly 65 percent develop some degree of the chemotherapy-induced nerve damage known as peripheral neuropathy.
	Medical marijuana push spreads to Utah, Oklahoma The push for legalized marijuana has moved into Utah and Oklahoma, two of the most conservative states in the country, further underscoring how quickly feelings about marijuana are changing in the United States.
	Recommendations developed on gender equity in medicine (HealthDay)—In a position paper published online April 17 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, recommendations are provided aimed at addressing gender equity in physician compensation and career advancement opportunities.
Novartis to inject $100 mn into malaria drug research Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis on Tuesday announced $100 million of funding over the next five years for research into new treatments for malaria, a mosquito-borne disease with a devastating impact that killed 445,000 people in 2016.
	US firm Advent to buy Sanofi's generics unit US private equity firm Advent International has agreed to acquire Zentiva, French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi's European generics arm, for 1.9 billion euros ($2.4 billion), a statement said Tuesday.
	Innate immune adaptor TRIF confers neuroprotection in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease damaging motor neurons in brain and spinal cords. ALS patients show progressive muscle weakness and atrophy, leading to a fatal respiratory muscle paralysis. There are no effective therapies for ALS.
Preventing fractures and falls: Shedding light on the USPSTF's new recommendations The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released new recommendation statements on preventing fractures and falls in older adults, casting doubt on vitamin D and calcium supplements but advocating for exercise and other interventions. JoAnn Manson, MD, DrPH, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at BWH, and Shalender Bhasin, MD, director of the Research Program in Men's Health in the Division of Aging and Metabolism, are coauthors of an editorial published in JAMA accompanying the new guidelines.
Though most prolapse surgeries regress over time, symptoms remain improved An estimated one in three women in the U.S. has a pelvic floor disorder, a condition that often develops after bearing children and getting older. These disorders can lead to incontinence, painful intercourse and even the bulging or prolapse of pelvic organs into the vaginal canal.
	Protective effect of CD9 and CD81 in COPD and accelerated aging Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disease that causes obstructed airflow, and it is expected to be the third leading cause of death globally by 2030. At present, only symptomatic therapies for COPD are available.
Hope for new treatment of severe epilepsy Researchers at Lund University in Sweden believe they have found a method that in the future could help people suffering from epilepsy so severe that all current treatment is ineffective. "In mice studies, we succeeded in reducing seizure activity by intervening in an area of the brain that is not the focus of the epileptic seizures, but is directly connected to it through a network of neurons. If we get the same result in further, long-term studies, it could pave the way for treatment of severe epilepsy," says Mérab Kokaia, professor and director of the Epilepsy Centre at Lund University.
Early life stress and depression associated with sleep disturbances Early life stress, sleep disturbances and alterations in neuronal plasticity have been associated with depression, yet the relation between these factors and depression remains poorly understood.
Study shows potential cost savings for early detection and treatment of type 2 diabetes Health checks, including diabetes risk assessment, have been introduced in a number of countries. However, there are few population-based trials assessing the benefits, harms and costs of these screening programmes, and these have shown mixed results.
	Music intensifies effects of anti-hypertensive medication Researchers report that listening to music significantly enhances the effect of anti-hypertensive drugs. According to a study conducted by researchers on of São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil and international collaborators, music intensifies the beneficial effects of medication a short time after it is taken to control high blood pressure. The results of the study were published in Scientific Reports.
New paper suggests that tumor cells may develop resistance to potential Ras inhibitors Researchers have long sought a treatment aimed specifically at the Ras family of genes, the most common oncogenes and those that initiate many of the most lethal tumours. However, the results of a hypothetical treatment may be far less positive than speculated, according to a manuscript published in Genes & Development by the Genomic Instability Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO). The study shows that cells are capable of surviving even in the total absence of Ras genes if another gene, Erf, is also lost.
	Researchers find resilience counteracts effects of childhood abuse and neglect on health Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have determined that psychological resilience has a positive effect on health outcomes for people living with schizophrenia. This is the first study to quantitatively assess the effects of both childhood trauma and psychological resilience on health and metabolic function in people living with schizophrenia.
Studies show promise of immunotherapy combinations, including CAR T As immunotherapies continue to make up a larger share of new cancer drugs, researchers are looking for the most effective ways to use these cutting edge treatments in combination with each or with other pre-existing options. New studies from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania are providing fresh clues on potentially effective combinations with CAR T therapy in brain cancer as well as a novel therapeutic target in head and neck cancer, and also providing greater understanding of the mechanisms of resistance in pancreatic cancer. All three studies will be presented as late breaking abstracts at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Study finds high rates of type 1 diabetes near food swamps Hotspots of type 1 diabetes in New York City are found in food swamps, areas with a higher proportion of fast food restaurants, for children and adults with type 1 diabetes, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of the Endocrine Society.
	Trials in Africa support conditional day 3 follow-up for children with fever Children in sub-Saharan African settings with uncomplicated fever may be safely managed with conditional, rather than universal, 3-day follow-up with a community health worker (CHW), according to two cluster-randomized, community-based non-inferiority trials published this week in PLOS Medicine. The trials, conducted by Luke C. Mullany of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, and Karin Källander of Malaria Consortium, London, United Kingdom and the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, and their colleagues, suggest that current World Health Organization (WHO) guidance for these children could be reconsidered.
	When others fail, new migraine treatment may work People who have tried unsuccessfully to prevent migraine with other treatments may find relief with a drug called erenumab, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.
Divorce and low socioeconomic status carry higher risk of second heart attack or stroke Heart attack survivors who are divorced or have low socioeconomic status have a higher risk of a second attack, according to research from Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a European Society of Cardiology journal.
New study finds knocking out p63 gene as means of converting scar tissue into muscle tissue in the heart Following a heart attack, the parts of the heart muscle that die do not regenerate into new heart tissue and instead are replaced by scar tissue. Using rodent models, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine are looking for a means to genetically convert this scar tissue into muscle tissue at the cellular level, which could ultimately be a way to treat heart attack and heart failure patients. Their latest work was published in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
	Kids hit hard by junk food advertising: new research Junk food ads are shown more frequently on TV at times when many children are watching, new Heart Foundation-funded research shows.
	Study finds that more than 78,000 U.S. children are – or have been – married A new report by UCLA Fielding School of Public Health researchers found that approximately 78,400 children in the U.S. are or have been married.
Study finds increased survival and cure rates for patients with HIV and MDR-TB when infections treated concurrently Patients co-infected with HIV and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) can achieve similar survival and tuberculosis cure rates to those infected with MDR-TB but not HIV when treated concurrently for both infections, according to a new study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. The study was led by investigators at the Emory Rollins School of Public Health, in collaboration with Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
	Five myths about food allergies, debunked Once upon a time, kids could bring candy to school for Halloween, and the market for trading lunchbox goodies was hot. These days, classrooms are peanut-free zones, and many schools ban treats altogether.
	Rate of dementia on the decline—but beware of growing numbers The good news? The rate of older Americans with dementia is on the decline.
	Safety warning labels needed on fresh chicken, say researchers New research has found that many New Zealand consumers are unaware of the high levels of Campylobacter contamination of fresh chicken and most want safety labelling about the risks on poultry products.
	Patients in most deprived areas wait 20 percent longer for common heart procedure Researchers at the University of York have shown that waiting times for a common heart procedure are 20% longer for patients living in deprived areas of England compared to patients from more affluent neighbourhoods who attend the same hospital.
	What's in a name? Researchers track PTSD's many identities during war Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with military activities for as long as wars have been fought – but this disorder was only named in the 1980s. A new Yale paper published April 16, 2018 in Chronic Stress documents a different kind of war – a war of words – that has been fought over the name of the disorder, and may have slowed clinical and scientific progress on the disorder.
	Workplace anxiety can be good if you harness it to remain motivated and stay on task New research on anxiety in the workplace finds that too much worrying about work can hinder an employee's performance, but a moderate dose can help drive improvement.
	Biosensors for bladder cancer diagnosis Cancer constitutes one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. As early diagnosis is paramount to improved clinical outcome and survival, sensitive diagnostics capable of detecting cancer-related molecules are necessary.
	Expert discusses augmented intelligence in healthcare The potential of using machine learning techniques in medicine is immense. As electronic health records have become widely available, there is hope that machine learning will improve diagnosis and care. However, integrating these new methodologies into medical practice is challenging. New methods need to meet healthcare standards, for example around doctor accountability and patient privacy, and must be smoothly integrated into clinical decision-making practices.
Is it really bad to drink blood? Vampires are real, and they exist in all pockets of society. But is drinking blood safe? What does the science say about sipping on blood?
	T cell antigen receptors act alone—longstanding immunological mystery solved What happens when T cells detect suspicious activity in the body? Researchers from the TU Wien and the Medical University of Vienna have revealed that immune receptors of T cells operate in unsuspected ways.
	What is heart failure? Heart failure – one of the conditions former first lady Barbara Bush has been diagnosed with – is a fairly common condition, especially among older patients.
Death may still come as a shock for family carers, research finds Family members who are caring for a dying loved one are often mentally and behaviourally prepared for the death but require support to ensure they are emotionally prepared, new Curtin University research shows.
	Turning the light switch on to treat chronic pain that affects millions The finger prick from a thorn generates an immediate sensory response. In that instant, neurons at the injury site fire an electrical signal along a nerve fiber to the central nervous system. Our brain notes to avoid further encounters with thorns and the painful insult subsides.
	Choosing the wrong college can be bad for your mental health Going off to college might be a source of anxiety for some students, but once a student is on campus it shouldn't be a total drag.
Dual inhibition of IDO1 and PD-L1 safe in patients with advanced solid tumors An immunotherapy treatment combining the IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat and the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab was found to be safe in patients with advanced solid tumors, with safety data similar to treatment with durvalumab alone, according to data presented from the ongoing ECHO-203 clinical trial at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 14-18, in Chicago.
Short-acting calcium channel blockers were associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer in postmenopausal women Calcium channel blockers (CCBs), specifically the short-acting form of CCBs, which are prescribed to treat high blood pressure, were associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer in postmenopausal women, according to a study presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 14-18.
	When to go to the emergency room vs. urgent care When injury or sickness strikes, it can be hard to know where to go for proper care and treatment and if the situation is urgent enough to call 911.
	How AI is revolutionizing medical science Walk into Patrick Pilarski's lab and you immediately notice the robot arms and hands that lay casually on tabletops. You hear the soft whir of small motors as the fingers on these models curl, wave or extend. The motions appear fluid, and Pilarski's team wants to make them as lifelike as possible.
	Working together to unravel the immune system's secrets As Associate Research Director, Professor Anne O'Garra helps to promote the Crick's collaborative vision, encouraging scientists from different disciplines to work together. But when it comes to her own research, does she practice what she preaches? We examine the story behind her latest publication in Nature Immunology.
	Children are natural optimists – which comes with psychological pros and cons You might hesitate to make a character judgment about someone based on a first encounter. Most adults would probably want to see how a stranger acts in several different circumstances, to decide whether someone new is nice, mean or trustworthy.
	How does dietary restriction extend lifespan in flies? Lifespan in flies is extended by limiting the activity of a group of proteins called GATA transcription factors (TFs), giving clues to how a moderate reduction in food intake protects against multiple ageing-related diseases, according to a new UCL-led study.
	Late nights can disrupt circadian rhythms in children – are there long-term risks? A new scientific study shows that bright electric light exposure of preschool children in the evening suppresses melatonin production almost completely, an important addition to the growing body of research in this area. Melatonin suppression is a marker of disruption of our circadian rhythms.
Combination therapy strengthens T cells in melanoma pre-clinical study A pre-clinical study of two drugs designed to boost T cell performance, has revealed the agents, when give in combination, may enhance the immune system's ability to kill melanoma tumors deficient in the tumor suppressor gene PTEN. The study was led by investigators at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Researchers chart a new way to look at concussion A Portland State University research team studying concussion has published an interactive diagram showing the many facets of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) - from sleep problems to mood disorders to the increased danger of dementia—and how they connect with and affect each other.
	Using AI to detect heart disease Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the U.S., one in every four deaths is a result of heart disease, which includes a range of conditions from arrhythmias, or abnormal heart rhythms, to defects, as well as blood vessel diseases, more commonly known as cardiovascular diseases.
Under-fives should be priority for snail fever Infants in some of the world's poorest regions are vulnerable to a common worm parasite infection and their treatment should become a priority, according to a study.
	Marijuana-based drug gets positive review from US agency A closely watched medicine made from the marijuana plant reduces seizures in children with severe forms of epilepsy and warrants approval in the United States, health officials said Tuesday.
	Scientists find some human cancers to be 'evolutionary accidents' New research, published in Biological Reviews and conducted by researchers from the University of Liverpool and Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde (Brasília, Brazil) has found some type of cancers unique to humans may be a result of evolutionary accidents.
	Global ROS1 initiative: A patient-researcher collaboration targeting ROS1 cancer Cancer patients have often organized support and informational groups around their disease types. Now a presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2018 describes the first research-focused group of patients organized around the genetic mutation that creates their cancer, namely changes to the gene ROS1. While "ROS1 fusion" has primarily been studied in lung cancer, the Global ROS1 Initiative includes ROS1-positive (ROS1+) patients with melanoma and pancreatic cancer as well. And in addition to offering information and support, the group is helping to drive the direction of research aimed at cancers caused by this gene.
	'Flexitarian' eating: Part vegetarian, part not (HealthDay)—If you want to eat more vegetables and less meat, but don't want to give up meat altogether, there's an alternative.
	Daytime sleepiness linked to Alzheimer's Do you catch yourself yawning during the day and yearning for an afternoon nap? You could be at more risk for Alzheimer's disease. A recent study published in JAMA Neurology found a potential link between excessive daytime sleepiness and the memory loss disease. Researchers took a look at imaging scans of the brains of several hundred patients from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.
COPD now afflicts more women than men in US Joan Cousins was among a generation of young women who heard—and bought into the idea—that puffing on a cigarette was sophisticated, modern, even liberating. No one suspected it would make them more than equal to men in suffering a choking, life-shortening lung disease.
	Man with 3 faces: Frenchman gets 2nd face transplant In a medical first, a French surgeon says he has performed a second face transplant on the same patient—who is now doing well and even spent a recent weekend in Brittany.
	Scientists discover new way that HIV evades the immune system Scientists have just discovered a new mechanism by which HIV evades the immune system, and which shows precisely how the virus avoids elimination. The new research shows that HIV targets and disables a pathway involving a number of biological molecules that are key in blocking viral activity and clearing infection.
	New clues point to relief for chronic itching A common side effect of opioids is intense itching—a problem for some patients who need the drugs for pain relief and for others fighting addiction.
Scientists identify potential targets for new autoimmune disease treatments Researchers have provided new insight into how a gene associated with autoimmunity contributes to disease in humans.
Model can predict success of treatments that manipulate the gut microbiota A new mathematical model can predict the effectiveness of microbiome therapies that manipulate the immune system through live bacteria and could help doctors choose the most appropriate treatment for people with inflammatory or allergic diseases, a study in eLife reveals.
	A new, streamlined approach to diagnosing and treating bowel cancer Researchers at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and the University of Adelaide have discovered a faster, more cost-effective way to determine which DNA mutations cause human bowel cancer.
	Study reports possible novel method for stopping untreatable pediatric brain cancers Researchers used an experimental molecular therapy in preclinical laboratory tests to effectively treat several types of deadly pediatric brain cancer and now propose advancing the treatment to clinical testing in children.
	Statins save lives of people with high levels of LDL cholesterol Cholesterol-lowering drugs are more likely to save thousands of additional lives when used in people with higher levels of LDL cholesterol, or "bad" cholesterol, according to a new study from the University of Iowa, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
	FDA approves new standard of care for kidney cancer The standard of care for kidney cancer patients continues to improve. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval to the combination of two immunotherapy drugs, ipilimumab and nivolumab, for the treatment of metastatic kidney cancer.
	Can a simple blood test rule out lung cancer? Every year, health care providers in the United States discover more than 1.6 million lung nodules in patients. Many are "incidentally detected," meaning they are found during evaluation for an unrelated cause (for example, a chest X-ray after a fall). Although 75 to 85 percent of these incidentally detected nodules turn out to be benign, they can pose a diagnostic dilemma for providers.
	Simple one-page tool improves patient satisfaction with doctor visit A simple, one-page form given to patients ahead of their doctor visit can significantly improve satisfaction with the care they receive, according to a study by Duke Health researchers.
	Siblings' experiences in middle childhood predict differences in college graduation status Graduating from college has significant implications for adults' long-term success, including employment, family formation, and health. A new longitudinal study investigated whether and how siblings' experiences in middle childhood predicted differences in their educational achievement, specifically, whether they graduated from college 15 years later. The study found that when siblings in middle childhood experienced less warmth in their relationships with each other, spent different amounts of time with their fathers, or thought their parents treated them unfairly relative to their siblings, they were more likely to differ in their college graduation status (i.e., graduating versus not graduating).
Boosting employment rate is unlikely to curb opioid use Improving job prospects for people in economically depressed parts of the United States is unlikely to help curb the opioid epidemic, according to a study by researchers at Princeton University. On the other hand, opioid use may actually help some women—but not men—stay in the labor force when they would otherwise leave because of chronic pain.
Could statins ease deadly heart condition in rare neuromuscular disease? In preclinical studies using cell models that mimicked liver cells of patients with the rare disease Friedreich's ataxia (FA), a widely used cholesterol-lowering drug increased a precursor of HDL (high-density lipoprotein), the "good cholesterol," according to new research published in PLOS ONE from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
For aggressive breast cancer in the brain, researchers clarify immune response Once it has begun to spread in the body, approximately half of patients with an aggressive breast cancer type will develop cancer in the brain. Researchers at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center want to improve treatment for patients with breast cancer brain metastases, but using the body's existing defenses - the immune system.
	Modeling prosocial behavior increases helping in 16-month-olds Shortly after they turn 1, most babies begin to help others, whether by handing their mother an object out of her reach or giving a sibling a toy that has fallen. Researchers have long studied how this helping behavior develops, but why it develops has been examined less. A new study looked at the role of imitation to find that when 16-month-olds observe others' helping behavior, they're more likely to be helpful themselves.
	Exercise, not vitamins, urged to prevent falls in seniors Falling is the leading cause of injury-related death among people over age 65, and seniors who want to avoid falls should exercise, not rely on supplements like vitamin D, US guidelines said Tuesday.
	Fire fighters save one of their own after heart attack Firefighter Tony Spagnoletti was on overnight duty when he woke up with chest pains. He sloughed it off as "gas."
	Social worker-led intervention beneficial in heart failure (HealthDay)—A social worker-led palliative care intervention seems beneficial for patients with advanced heart failure at high risk for mortality, according to a study published online April 11 in JAMA Cardiology.
	UTI calculator predicts risk of infant urinary tract infection (HealthDay)—The newly developed UTICalc calculator can be used to guide testing and treatment in children with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI), according to a study published online April 16 in JAMA Pediatrics.
	Repeated BP measures linked to drop in initially elevated BP (HealthDay)—Among patients with hypertension (HTN), repeated measurement of an initially elevated blood pressure (BP) is associated with a reduction in systolic BP, according to a research letter published online April 16 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Males with BRCA mutations have increased risk of certain cancers (HealthDay)—Males with BRCA mutations have increased incidence of malignant disease, specifically prostate, melanoma, pancreas, and breast cancers, according to a research letter published online April 12 in JAMA Oncology.
	Metabolic syndrome common with chronic hep B infection (HealthDay)—Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is prevalent among patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection, according to a study published online March 29 in Diabetes Care.
	Text messaging tool may help fight opioid epidemic A new automated text messaging service may curb opioid abuse and reduce the likelihood of relapse while also decreasing treatment costs, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and Epharmix, a St. Louis-based digital health company.
	Gene mapping lays groundwork for precision chemotherapy Despite the great successes of targeted cancer drugs and the promise of novel immunotherapies, the vast majority of people diagnosed with cancer are still first treated with chemotherapy. Now a new study by UCSF researchers using techniques drawn from computational biology could make it much easier for physicians to use the genetic profile of a patient's tumor to pick the chemotherapy treatment with the fewest side effects and best chance of success.
	Study: Ibuprofen, acetaminophen more effective than opioids in treating dental pain Opioids are not among the most effective—or longest lasting—options available for relief from acute dental pain, a new examination of the results from more than 460 published studies has found.
Adolescents' cooking skills strongly predict future nutritional well-being Evidence suggests that developing cooking and food preparation skills is important for health and nutrition, yet the practice of home cooking is declining and now rarely taught in school. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that developing cooking skills as a young adult may have long-term benefits for health and nutrition.
Four health foods that are actually bad for you Healthy living can be harder than it sounds. You know you should exercise more and eat more nutritious food, of course, but did you also know that just because a food calls itself "healthy" doesn't mean it is? Ditto calling something vegan or calling it carb-free. You have to look beyond the labels and check out the ingredients to see which foods are the real deal and which are just a gimmick.
	Confusion, blame game fuels Philippines vaccine scandal Melinda Colite shakes with rage as she clutches a photo of her grandson, who she says died after getting the anti-dengue fever vaccine at the heart of a bitter scandal in the Philippines.
Traumatic brain injury—the unseen impact of domestic violence The last time Susan's husband lost his temper, he smashed her head against the kitchen wall so many times she lost count before she managed to flee with just the clothes on her back and some basic identification.
France's autism problem – and its roots in psychoanalysis France has a problem with autism. The country's highest administrative court estimates that there are 700,000 autistic people in France. However, only 75,000 are diagnosed. Autistic children have historically been diagnosed later in France than in neighbouring countries. They have often been excluded from mainstream education and lacked access to support services and extracurricular activities.
TLR9 agonist CMP-001-pembrolizumab combination shows early efficacy for metastatic melanoma resistant to anti-PD-1 A combination of CMP-001, an intratumoral Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist, and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), tested in patients with metastatic melanoma resistant to PD-1 checkpoint inhibition, was well tolerated and had clinical activity according to preliminary data presented from the ongoing phase Ib clinical trial at the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 14-18, in Chicago.
Rethinking the fight as surge of malaria deaths in conflict zones threatens to upend progress Ten years of progress globally in the fight against malaria have masked the rapid rise of infections and deaths in African countries experiencing conflict and famine, though new strategies implemented in places like the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and northern Nigeria could provide a way forward, according to research presented this week at the 7th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan African Malaria Conference.
Over five million children get polio vaccines in Niger: UN More than five million children were vaccinated against polio in Niger last month, the UN said Tuesday, adding that the number was higher than the target.
	US regulators float ideas for boosting medical device safety U.S. health officials on Tuesday proposed steps to improve the government's system for overseeing medical devices, which has been criticized for years for failing to catch problems with risky implants and medical instruments.
Women's wellness: Understanding depression and the gender gap Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age.
High-quality nursing homes lower risks for long-term care placement for older adults After being discharged from the hospital, an older person often is admitted directly to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). SNFs specialize in the skilled care we need to recover properly. These facilities also provide the additional rehabilitation we may need before returning home. However, experts have raised concerns about the uneven quality of SNF services, the substantial differences among them, and how they are used in different parts of the country. A transfer from an SNF to a long-term care facility, for example, is considered a failure to achieve the goals of SNF care. Most older people view a move to a long-term care facility as a step in the wrong direction.

Other Sciences news

	'Cognitive flexibility' associated with voting attitudes in EU Referendum, study finds Latest research combining social and political surveys with objective cognitive testing suggests that "cognitive flexibility" contributes to formation of ideology. The study finds correlations between cognitive thinking styles and support for Brexit.
	Team discovers mysterious head of a pharaoh Swansea University Egyptology lecturer Dr Ken Griffin has found a depiction of one of the most famous pharaoh's in history Hatshepsut (one of only a handful of female pharaohs) on an object in the Egypt Centre stores, which had been chosen for an object handling session.
	Multidisciplinary study provides new insights about French Revolution New research from experts in history, computer science and cognitive science shines fresh light on the French Revolution, showing how rhetorical and institutional innovations won acceptance for the ideas that built the French republic's foundation and inspired future democracies.
	Digital remains should be treated with the same care and respect as physical remains From live-streaming funerals to online memorial pages and even chat-bots that use people's social media footprints' to act as online ghosts, the digital afterlife industry (DAI) has become big business.
	80 percent of teachers say character education would improve school grades 80 percent of teachers surveyed across the UK say that character education would improve school grades – according to findings in a new poll.
	Science isn't broken, but we can do better—here's how Every time a scandal breaks in one of the thousands of places where research is conducted across the world, we see headlines to the effect that "science is broken".
	Study looks at social media humour during US election New research from The Australian National University (ANU) has looked at the use of humour on Twitter during the 2016 US Presidential election.
Flipping the classroom approach in public health—does student performance improve? A study conducted at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health analyzed the traditional model of education versus an increasingly popular approach to learning in the health sciences fields—the flipped classroom model—where pre-recorded lectures are viewed outside of the classroom and in-person class time is devoted to interactive exercises, discussions, and group projects. The results showed there were no statistically significant differences in test scores or students' assessments of the flipped classes compared to a traditional lecture course of study. However, students reported that the flipped format allowed for greater flexibility and applied learning opportunities at home and during discussion sections.
	Trust in science, news and experts is influenced by sound quality "Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see," Edgar Allen Poe once wrote.
	Marine fish won an evolutionary lottery 66 million years ago Why do our oceans contain such a staggering diversity of fish of so many different sizes, shapes and colors? A UCLA-led team of biologists reports that the answer dates back 66 million years, when a six-mile-wide asteroid crashed to Earth, wiping out the dinosaurs and approximately 75 percent of the world's animal and plant species.
	Data shows migration more strongly linked to aspiration than desperation A new global analysis of intentions to migrate suggests that individuals preparing to move abroad are more likely to do so out of aspiration for a better life, economic opportunities and development of skills, rather than sheer desperation.