Fwd: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Mar 1

HOT!

Do we have free will?

NASA finds drought in Eastern Mediterranean worst of past 900 years

Depression is more than a mental disorder—it affects the whole body

DNA as a weapon of immune defense

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, Mar 2, 2016 at 3:09 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Mar 1
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for March 1, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Scientists find clues to the mystery of what causes lightning
- Reversible interconversion between alkenes and nitriles without using HCN
- Mayak, the crowd funded Russian satellite nearing launch
- Facebook-checking technique may show pals' sleep times
- Shark-hunting drone to relay info to emergency services
- New spectral analysis algorithm helps identify dialects between whale groups
- Study highlights differences between cities planning efforts for global warming
- First gene for grey hair found
- Mapping the unknown: What is the function of non-coding RNA in plants?
- Protein revealed as glue that holds biomolecules within the nucleolus
- A daily cup of tea may soothe your heart
- Researchers identify mechanism of rare blinding disorder
- Improving biorefineries with bubbles
- Why celestial bodies come in different sizes
- Researchers' new advance in quest for second generation biofuels

Physics news

	Interference at a double slit made of two atoms The investigation and exploitation of light-matter-interaction in optical resonators is one of the central research topics in the Quantum Dynamics Division of Professor Gerhard Rempe, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching. A couple of years ago, the team succeeded in creating single-photon emitters using single atoms stored in optical resonators. The stationary atoms can, for example, serve as nodes for the exchange of quantum information in a long-distance quantum network.
Why celestial bodies come in different sizes Our solar system contains one massive object—the sun—and many smaller planets and asteroids. Now researchers from Duke University in Durham, N.C. have proposed a new explanation for the size diversity, which is found throughout the universe and is called hierarchy. The researchers report their finding in the Journal of Applied Physics, from AIP Publishing.
	Historic moment as SESAME begins storage ring installation The first of the 16 cells of SESAME (link is external)'s storage ring was installed recently in the shielding tunnel in the Center's experimental hall in Allan, Jordan.
	The first principle study of electronic and optical properties in rhombohedral BiAlO3 Perovskite has a rhombohedral structure (or hexagonal) with formula ABO3, while belonging to the space group of R3c (number #161). They are popular in applications of functional devices, exhibiting the superconducting, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties. BiAlO3 was also employed in improving the structural and electrical properties of BNT-based ceramics, due to the large polarization in the Perovskite structure. Furthermore, such material has been added into the PbTiO3, PbZrO3 and BaTiO3-based ceramics to improve their electrical properties. Using first principle methods, electronic and optical properties in cubic and hexagonal have been explored.

Earth news

	Scientists find clues to the mystery of what causes lightning It's well-known that lightning is an electric current—a quick, powerful burst of charge that flows within a cloud or between a cloud and the ground. But surprisingly, scientists still don't fully understand how the initial spark forms that generates such powerful lightning.
	Study highlights differences between cities planning efforts for global warming A small team of researchers with University College London and kMatrix Ltd, Greetham House has conducted a study of urban preparedness efforts by ten major cities around the world in an effort to learn more about how resources are being allocated to deal with changes coming due to global warming. The group has published the results of their efforts as a LETTER article in the journal Nature Climate Change.
	Researchers find effective recipe for slowing deforestation When you buy food, furniture and other products, how can you be sure you're not contributing to the disappearance of the world's forests? A variety of eco-certifications exist to inform consumers, but there has been little research to determine their effectiveness. A first-of-its kind Stanford study finds that these certifications represent real improvement in forest product sustainability, with varied levels of effectiveness.
	NASA data used to track groundwater in Pakistan The vast farmlands of Pakistan—a country with an economy based on agriculture—rely on one of the largest continuous irrigation systems in the world. Farmers were once able to depend solely on rivers and man-made canals fed by glaciers and rain.
	Warmer water leads to respiratory distress in aquatic animals Warm water speeds up the animals' metabolic need for oxygen to such an extent that it causes them to suffer from fatal respiratory distress. A team of ecologists from Radboud University and Cardiff University published this finding in an article in Global Change Biology on February 29.
	Neanderthals may have deliberately sourced manganese dioxide for use in fire making Several Neanderthal sites in France have yielded large numbers of small black blocs. Neanderthals used these 'manganese oxides' in fire-making and not as previously thought for colouring.
	Autonomous kayak helps researchers capture light measurements in winter Arctic Circadian rhythms are the daily 24-hour cycles that tell our bodies when to eat, sleep and regulate a host of other physical processes. They can be affected by environmental cues like light and temperature.
	Is conservation aid preventing deforestation? With over $3.4 billion spent in international conservation funding to protect biodiversity and stop tropical deforestation in Africa since the early 1990s, it makes sense to ask if the funding is effective. A recent study finds that conservation aid alone has not been able to counteract deforestation pressures, and in some cases may have even exacerbated forest loss.
	NASA finds drought in Eastern Mediterranean worst of past 900 years A new NASA study finds that the recent drought that began in 1998 in the eastern Mediterranean Levant region, which comprises Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Turkey, is likely the worst drought of the past nine centuries.
Evidence of coral bleaching on Barrier Reef as sea warms Scientists Tuesday warned coral bleaching was occurring on the Great Barrier Reef as sea temperatures warm, and it could rapidly accelerate unless cooler conditions blow in over the next few weeks.
	Keeping transport systems on track Operators of UK transport networks are the first who are set to benefit from Live Land, a satellite-based land monitoring system developed through ESA.
	Home counties blamed for car pollution in the southeast A new Oxford University study says while transport policies inside greater London are helping reduce carbon emissions, the real environmental problem is just beyond the M25 motorway because people living around London depend so much on their cars.
	Portable laboratory will gather critical Arctic climate data To build accurate climate models, scientists require atmospheric data from all corners of the globe—from tropical oceans to the frigid Arctic. Engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory are leaders in building mobile laboratories designed to gather relevant data from remote regions. Their latest creation is a revamped Aerosol Observing System (AOS) commissioned by DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility, which contains over a dozen instruments for collecting data on aerosols, tiny particulates in the atmosphere that can have a big impact on climate. These instruments are mounted inside a modified shipping container designed to withstand the harshest weather conditions on Earth, from tropical hurricanes to Arctic blizzards.
	Climate change, dams, deforestation a vicious cycle for Amazon rivers, lakes Dams, mining, land-cover changes, and climate change are degrading the streams, rivers, lakes, and forests of the world's largest river basin at unprecedented rates, according to scientists.
	Researchers point to infrastructure as part of the solution in a carbon constrained environment Most people know that properly inflated tires can improve a vehicle's fuel efficiency, but did you know that properly maintained roadways can improve fuel efficiency across an entire pavement network?
Sticky mud and biological goo hold key to predicting coastal erosion Scientists have taken a huge step towards developing a more reliable way of predicting how climate change will impact estuaries and coastal environments.
An integrated evaluation framework for water storage strategies in Sub-Sahara Africa The current study proposes a multi-criteria decision aid framework to funding agencies for the integrated evaluation of water storage systems in Ethiopia and more broadly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Various water storage schemes within the country are assessed while the farmers are placed at the centre of the analysis as the principal stakeholders. The approach is based on a multi-criteria outranking method for the avoidance of complete trade-offs between criteria.
	High-carbon coal products could derail China's clean energy efforts China's plan to ramp up production of new chemicals and synthetic fuels made from coal could derail recent efforts to lower its carbon dioxide emissions and instead lock the Chinese government into high-carbon investments for years to come, a new Duke University study finds.
	Project with ground-breaking sub-marine CCS experiment starts today The world's first 'real world' deep-water controlled experiment to simulate an emission from a submerged carbon dioxide storage reservoir aims to further verify the safety of offshore carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS).
Experts assess the impact of climate change on public health Climate change is already having a noticeable impact on the environment and global health. Around the world extreme weather events, increased temperatures, drought, and rising sea levels are all adversely affecting our ability to grow food, access clean water, and work safely outdoors. Soon in some areas, the transformation will be so drastic and devastating that native populations will be displaced and forced to find new homes as environmental refugees. In a review published in the Annals of Global Health, doctors warn of the impending public health crisis brought on by climate change and call for action to help prepare the world for what is ahead.
Possible link between Flint water system and health problems evaluated Wayne State University announced today that it has formed the Flint Area Community Health and Environment Partnership (FACHEP). The research group, led by Wayne State researchers specializing in environmental engineering and public health, will conduct an independent study to evaluate the possible association between changes in Flint's water system and public health, specifically the recent Legionnaires' disease outbreak.

Astronomy & Space news

	Mayak, the crowd funded Russian satellite nearing launch Russian engineers working on the Mayak crowd funded satellite project have announced that the satellite is nearing a launch date—once in space, the team claims that it will be the most visible object in the night sky.
	What if extraterrestrial observers called, but nobody heard? As scientists step up their search for other life in the universe, two astrophysicists are proposing a way to make sure we don't miss the signal if extraterrestrial observers try to contact us first.
	Medical researchers counting down to twin astronaut's return When astronaut Scott Kelly returns to Earth on March 1, half of NASA's first-of-its-kind study of twin astronauts and long duration space flight, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and elsewhere will launch the mission's next phase.
	Avoiding 'false positives' in the search for living worlds Is it life, or merely the illusion of life?
	NASA begins work to build a quieter supersonic passenger jet The return of supersonic passenger air travel is one step closer to reality with NASA's award of a contract for the preliminary design of a "low boom" flight demonstration aircraft. This is the first in a series of 'X-planes' in NASA's New Aviation Horizons initiative, introduced in the agency's Fiscal Year 2017 budget.
	Image: Aeolis Mensae on Mars shows evidence of past tectonic activity A powerful combination of tectonic activity and strong winds have joined forces to shape the scenery in this region of Mars.
	Image: Tethys and Janus captured against Saturn's rings Although Tethys and Janus both orbit Saturn and are both made of more or less the same materials, they are very different worlds. Their contrasts are related, in large part, to their sizes.
	Image: Eclipse season begins for NASA's SDO The 2016 spring eclipse season of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory began Feb. 19, 2016. These seasons – a time when Earth blocks SDO's view of the sun for a period of time each day – last around three weeks and happen twice a year near the equinoxes. The eclipses are fairly short near the beginning and end of the season but ramp up to 72 minutes in the middle. Most spacecraft observing the sun from an orbit around Earth have to contend with such eclipses, but SDO's orbit is designed to minimize them as much as possible, as they block observations of the sun. The spring season will end on March 12, 2016.
	New coronal mass ejection simulations hold promise for future of space weather forecasting Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are massive expulsions of magnetic flux into space from the solar corona, the ionized atmosphere surrounding the sun. Magnetic storms arising from CMEs pose radiation hazards that can damage satellites and that can negatively impact communications systems and electricity on Earth. Accurate predictions of such events are invaluable in space weather forecasting.
	Orbital snaps reveal Roebuck Bay's tidal movements A photo of Roebuck Bay just south of Broome, snapped by a curious astronaut on the International Space Station, has called into question the origin of some of the region's highly-unusual parallel tidal creeks.
Meteor suspected as mystery flash lights up Scottish sky Scientists say a meteor was the cause of a bright flash of light reported by people across Scotland and northern England.
	NASA Goddard network maintains communications from space to ground Spending nearly a year in space, 249 miles from Earth, could be a lonely prospect, but an office at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, made sure astronaut Scott Kelly could reach home for the entire 340-day duration of his mission. Not only could Kelly communicate with mission control in Houston, but Goddard's Network Integration Center connected him with reporters and even family.

Technology news

	Facebook-checking technique may show pals' sleep times A developer had an idea to see how one might use Facebook to see when friends are awake. Søren Louv-Jansen discussed his thoughts and technique on Medium. "Like most of my friends, I use Facebook on a daily level," he wrote. By using Facebook, that meant the website, Facebook app, and the Messenger app.
	Shark-hunting drone to relay info to emergency services In the news recently has been a shark-spotting unmanned aerial vehicle shaped like a helicopter. Declared the future of rescue in New South Wales, premier Mike Baird said every surf club in the state could eventually have access to the technology, as the UAV can not only spot sharks off the NSW coast but provide general search and rescue functions.
	Scientists look to thermionic energy conversion for clean and efficient power generation When scientists Daniel Riley and Jared Schwede left Stanford University last year to join Cyclotron Road, a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) program for entrepreneurial researchers, their vision was to take thermionics, an all-but-forgotten technology, and develop it into a clean, compact, and efficient source of power.
Study finds Craigslist catches barely half of scam rental listings Apartment hunters in big cities know the drill: They spot a listing for a well-priced, attractive place and make an inquiry, only to be met with demands for an instant credit check or an upfront fee to access the full listing. Savvier home hunters spot these scams immediately, but others fall through the cracks, making popular rental listing sites like Craigslist a highly lucrative spot for fraud.
	Judge sides with Apple in NY drug probe iPhone case A US magistrate judge in New York has ruled that police overstepped the law when they called on Apple to unlock the iPhone of a suspected drug dealer.
US to renegotiate arms control rule for hacking tools The Obama administration plans to renegotiate portions of an international arms control arrangement so it's simpler to export tools related to hacking and surveillance software, since those technologies are also used to secure computer networks, a lawmaker said Monday.
	Security with the wave of a wand Increasingly, health care is moving out of the doctor's office and into the home, allowing greater patient freedom and monitoring, but also giving rise to new security risks.
	Simulating road noise by means of "auralisation" Noise is disturbing and can be harmful to health. Empa researchers have now succeeded in simulating road noise by means of "auralisation." The aim is to make noise audible along traffic routes that are merely in the planning stage – and thus include countermeasures at the same time.
	Why kids are key to unlocking the potential of 3D printing Mattel recently announced that it will release a US$300 3D printer for kids in time for the 2016 holiday season. With accompanying software that is specially tailored for young toy designers, the ThingMaker promises to introduce a new generation of innovators to the up-and-coming world of 3D printing.
Researchers develop novel technology for harvesting solar energy Physicists at the University of Salford, along with 12 international partners, have launched a research project that aims to develop novel types of photovoltaic (PV) cell.
	Could your contactless bank card be vulnerable to virtual pickpocketing? Thieves technically no longer need to reach their hands inside your pockets to steal the money from your purse or wallet. A recent viral photograph of someone on busy public transport with a point-of-sale card reader sparked fears that virtual pickpockets could swipe such a device against passengers' bank cards and take money from their accounts without them realising. But how vulnerable are we to such attacks?
	Behavior of carbon fiber reinforced plastics during flights verified precisely Little is known as yet about the behavior of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) during a flight. As part of the Clean Sky research initiative and with the help of a measurement configuration based on fiber optics, Fraunhofer researchers have accurately verified the degree to which CFRP parts deform during flight.
	Overcrowded Internet domain space is stifling demand, suggesting a future 'not-com' boom New research suggests that a lack of remaining domain names with easy to remember – and consequently valuable – word combinations is restricting Internet growth, with an untapped demand of as much as 25% of all current domains being held back. The study's author contends that the findings show ICANN's release of new top level domains could prove a wise policy.
	In face of uncertainty, carmakers bet on SUVs, new tech Automakers looking to support sales in the face of global economic uncertainty are betting on new SUVs and the promise of high tech as they try to outshine each other at the Geneva International Motor Show.
	Lynch: 'Open dialogue' needed between law enforcement, tech Law enforcement and technology companies at odds over encryption and other issues of digital privacy need to have an "open dialogue" to try to resolve their differences, Attorney General Loretta Lynch is asserting.
	Can the FBI force a company to break into its own products? Can the FBI force a company like Apple to extract data from a customer's smartphone? In the fight over an iPhone used by an extremist killer in San Bernardino, some legal experts say Congress has never explicitly granted that power. And now a federal judge agrees in a similar case.
	UK surveillance law overhaul sparks privacy row Britain's security services and police would have their right to trawl in bulk for online data boosted under a proposed new law to recast surveillance powers published Tuesday.
Iran seeks foreign partnerships to boost auto industry Iran's president on Tuesday called for foreign partnerships to boost the country's car industry and said the sector must be privatized to improve its competitiveness.
Tax credit extensions can impact renewable energy deployment and electric sector The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today released new analysis exploring the potential impact of recently extended federal tax credits on the deployment of renewable generation technologies and related U.S. electric sector carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
	Voice-driven games: Dialog Box supports collaborative gaming in multilingual environment Language technologists have created the basis for a new kind of realistic communication in computer games. The Dialog Box supports collaboration and interaction between players speaking different languages. Using a space adventure game as a model, the research team led by Dietrich Klakow at Saarland University has developed the Dialog Box in cooperation with other project partners. Players can pose intuitive questions to the computer, issue commands and receive information. The Dialog Box acts as a mediating agent that enables the computer to understand spoken words and to manage the mission by linking the game being played by German-, French- and English-speaking players and sharing knowledge between them. The research project has received about three million euros in funding from the EU research initiative EUREKA, with half a million euros awarded to the research work carried out in Saarland.
	Peugeot Citroen reveals 'real-world' fuel consumption Leading French automobile manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroen published Tuesday "real-world" fuel consumption figures for three of its diesel cars, seeking to win over wary customers after the Volkswagen pollution cheating scandal.
	$1M Turing Award winners advocate for encryption This year's $1 million A.M. Turing Award goes to a pair of cryptographers whose ideas helped make the Internet possible. Both men say giving governments control over encrypted communications puts everyone at risk.
Hundreds walk off Tesla job in Nevada labor dispute Hundreds of union construction workers walked off the job at Tesla Motors' battery manufacturing plant in northern Nevada on Monday to protest what union organizers say is the increased hiring of out-of-state workers for less pay.
	Novel ceramics convert wasted heat into electricity Talia Alvarez, currently studying her doctorate at the University Of Manchester, U.K., has designed nanostructured ceramics, which are thermoelectric materials that convert the heat produced un industrial processes into electrical energy.
	Honeywell walks away from $90B bid for United Technologies Honeywell abandoned a bid worth more than $90 billion for rival United Technologies, saying it did not want to force a deal with an unwilling partner.
Traffic app says not at fault for Israel troops losing way Google-owned traffic app Waze hit back on Tuesday at suggestions its directions led Israeli soldiers into a Palestinian refugee camp where they were attacked, sparking bloody clashes.
Olympus to pay $646 mn for bribing hospitals, doctors The US unit of Japan's camera and hospital equipment maker Olympus agreed to pay $646 million Tuesday to settle charges it gave hospitals and doctors kickbacks to buy its endoscopes.
Following rivals, AT&T says DirecTV won't need a dish or box Like other cable and satellite companies, AT&T is trying to win new customers by making it a little easier to sign up for and watch TV.

Chemistry news

	Reversible interconversion between alkenes and nitriles without using HCN Researchers from Max Planck Institute have devised a synthetic strategy that opens the door to many medicinally important molecules. Their strategy is a reversible reaction that converts alkenes to alkyl nitriles without using or producing noxious HCN gas. Their work appears in the recent issue of Science.
	Understanding the cancer-killing properties of a chemical commando A Yale lab has unlocked the process by which a natural anti-cancer agent is able to bind to DNA and directly break both strands.
	How bilogical antifreeze proteins hinder the growth of ice crystals This week Dutch, American and Canadian researchers present a major step in understanding antifreeze proteins, the proteins that hinder the growth of ice crystals. Artificial forms of these proteins are interesting for a whole range of applications – from de-icing spray and road salt to improved preservation of frozen food and organs. The team, led by TU/e researcher Ilja Voets, will publish its findings this week in the leading journal PNAS on how we need a different type of antifreeze protein than previously thought for most applications.
	From backyard pool chemical to nanomaterial Could a cheap molecule used to disinfect swimming pools provide the key to creating a new form of DNA nanomaterials?
	Affordable fuel cell components developed Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne and Los Alamos national laboratories have teamed up to support a DOE initiative through the creation of the Electrocatalysis Consortium (ElectroCat), a collaboration devoted to finding an effective but cheaper alternative to platinum in hydrogen fuel cells.
	Lifetime breakthrough promising for low-cost and efficient OLED displays and lights With just a tiny tweak, researchers at Kyushu University greatly increased the device lifetime of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) that use a recently developed class of molecules to convert electricity into light with the potential for increased efficiency at a lower cost in future displays and lighting.
	Regulating neuronal membrane lipids could be the key to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's A study published in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports from the Nature group demonstrates, for the first time and using computational tools, that polyunsaturated lipids can alter the binding rate of two types of receivers involved in certain nervous system diseases. The work was led by members of the Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics at the IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) and Pompeu Fabra University as well as researchers from the University of Tampere (Finland), and also involved scientists from the University of Barcelona.
	Why does stepping on a LEGO hurt so much? (video) The sensation may be all too familiar - the intense, sharp pain in your foot caused by an unassuming LEGO® brick. Why does this tiny chunk of plastic cause so much pain? To answer this question, Reactions examines why we feel pain in the first place, as well as the material chemistry of LEGO bricks.

Biology news

	New spectral analysis algorithm helps identify dialects between whale groups A team of researchers from Norway and Germany has come up with a computer algorithm that analyses sound recordings that quantify how various noises change over time, allowing for studying the sounds whales make in a new way. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review E, the team describes the ideas they used to create the algorithm and how well it worked as the team analyzed recordings of pilot whales off the coast of Norway.
	Researchers study the reaggregation of artificially separated marine sponge cells Reaggregation of marine sponge cells is lending new insight into the origin and early evolution of multicellular animals, according to work published in the Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology.
Sudden ban on fish throwbacks could harm ecosystems – researchers Sea birds, dolphins, crabs and sharks are among the species that could suffer if commercial fishers abruptly stopped discarding their unwanted catches, research shows.
	Shedding light on the day-night cycle New research sheds light on how the rhythms of daily life are encoded in the brain. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered that different groups of neurons, those charged with keeping time, become active at different times of day despite being on the same molecular clock.
New research shows climate change will endanger many species previously believed to be not at risk New research from the University of Aberdeen has shown that insects in high-latitude ecosystems such as Scotland are just as at risk from climate change as tropical species.
	Why did sex evolve? Prof Laurence Hurst explores The reason why, in terms of evolution, organisms have sex may seem rather obvious – they do it to reproduce. Clearly, natural selection must favour individuals who can reproduce over those who can't. But this is missing the point. For many species there is an alternative: asexual reproduction.
	Gene switch makes us look like our animal cousins An international team of biologists has discovered how the same genes are turned on in mammals, fish and amphibians early in embryonic development, making them look incredibly similar for a brief period of time.
	Improving biorefineries with bubbles A team of researchers from Japan's Tohoku University has developed a new method for the pretreatment of organic material, or "biomass", which could lead to more efficient production of biofuels and biochemicals.
	Synthesis of faulty protein chains leads to the formation of toxic aggregates Protein aggregates are deemed to be one reason for the death of nerve cells in disorders such as Alzheimer's or Huntington's disease. As researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry report in the current issue of Nature, they have now decoded a new cellular mechanism for the development of aggregates. Missing stop signals in the production of proteins lead erroneously to long lysine chains at the end of the protein. This in turn blocks the ribosomes, the cell's protein factory. Healthy cells detect blocked ribosomes and rapidly destroy useless proteins. If the necessary quality control machinery does not function properly, defective proteins accumulate and form toxic aggregates.
Protein revealed as glue that holds biomolecules within the nucleolus Researchers have determined that the protein nucleophosmin (NPM1) serves as glue that holds proteins and RNA together in the nucleolus and showed how NPM1's structure makes it ideal for the job. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists led the study, which appears today in the scientific journal eLife.
	Mapping the unknown: What is the function of non-coding RNA in plants? DNA holds the blueprint for life. However, very little of the DNA in higher organisms are protein coding genes. For example, in humans only 3% of the DNA represents genes. The question is: what does the other 97% do? Curiously, most of what we know about genomic information is derived from studying the minority of the DNA that codes for proteins.
	Researchers' new advance in quest for second generation biofuels Scientists at the University of York are part of an international research team that has made a significant step forward in understanding the processes naturally occurring enzymes use to degrade microbe-resistant biomass, a key aim in the development of biofuels.
	Penguin brains not changed by loss of flight Losing the ability to fly gave ancient penguins their unique locomotion style. But leaving the sky behind didn't cause major changes in their brain structure, researchers from The University of Texas at Austin suggest after examining the skull of the oldest known penguin fossil.
Bees 'dumb down' after ingesting tiny doses of the pesticide chlorpyrifos Honeybees suffer severe learning and memory deficits after ingesting very small doses of the pesticide chlorpyrifos, potentially threatening their success and survival, new research from New Zealand's University of Otago research suggests.
	Block that pollen Research at North Carolina State University has identified "pollen blockers" in corn that can prevent organic corn from being pollinated by genetically modified (GM) plants. The findings could aid more rapid and efficient production of organic corn with reduced risk of contamination from genetically engineered traits.
Eliminating GMOs would take toll on environment, economies Higher food prices, a significant boost in greenhouse gas emissions due to land use change and major loss of forest and pasture land would be some results if genetically modified organisms in the United States were banned, according to a Purdue University study.
	Why do cells make invadopodia? During development and immune system function in animals, specialized cells acquire the ability to invade other tissues. Such invasive behavior is important for neural crest cells that invade skin and provide pigmentation, for embryos that penetrate the uterine wall to establish the fetal-maternal connection, and for immune cells that invade tissues to reach sites of injury and infection. Cell invasive behavior is also acquired by cells in a number of diseases, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and most notably in cancer, where tumor cell invasion results in lethality.
New software provides and overview of the big data of genome sequencing - The amount of information that a genome researcher creates and which makes the basis of his scientific work has grown a million times during the last two decades. Today, the challenge does not consist in creating the data, but in exploring them and deducing meaningful conclusions. We believe that this analytical tool, which we have called "EaSeq" can help researchers in doing so, says Associate Professor Klaus Hansen
Researcher contributes engineering expertise to solving dental maladies Dentistry is often described as part art, part science. Geelsu Hwang, a research associate in the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, wants to add engineering to the mix.
Light sheet fluorescence microscope reveals key processes in the development of red flour beetles A team of researchers at the University of Cologne has for the first time succeeded in observing the amniotic sac in insects. The red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum), a pest of stored grains around the world, served as the object of investigation.
	Scientists embark on giant panda research Scientists at Aberystwyth University's IBERS are well known for their research into agricultural animals and plants, but now a team of young researchers at the Institute are embarking on a new project to evaluate how a parasite which can affect giant pandas responds to anti-parasitic drugs.
	New method to stop Argentine ants University of California, Riverside researchers may have found a better, more environmentally friendly way to stop the procession of Argentine ants, which have been spreading across the United States for the past few decades, despite pest control efforts.
	New research questions the use of nutritional supplements in dressage and eventing horses In a new study published today in the journal, Veterinary Record Open, researchers from the University of Surrey and University of Nottingham have found that owners of dressage and eventing horses in Britain are typically feeding two nutritional supplements per day to their top-performing mounts.
	Kenyan cops busted with illegal ivory Four Kenyan policemen were to be charged with illegal possession of ivory at a Nairobi court Tuesday, the government's wildlife agency said in a statement.
National Zoo closes attraction after E. coli discovered The Smithsonian's National Zoo shut down its Kid's Farm exhibit after E. coli was found in some animals.
Leaping dogs take the meaning of Leap Year to a new level Shayna, a Labrador retriever in Holiday, Florida, had taken the same leap several times and had fun swimming. So she got a running start and sailed over the canal wall, only to learn it was low tide and she was going to end up on a bed of sharp oyster shells.

Medicine & Health news

	What is dopamine's role in alcoholism? It's complicated, say researchers A very large percentage of the health burden in developed countries is caused by alcohol abuse. There is a large population vulnerable to alcohol dependency, which has a high rate of relapse during periods of abstinence, and it is therefore difficult to address clinically.
	Study links signalling protein to osteoarthritis Researchers show that the protein CCN4 positively regulates the generation of cartilage matrix, which are depleted in osteoarthritis.
	Researchers identify mechanism of rare blinding disorder Scientists have identified a key mechanism that damages the cornea in Meesmann epithelial corneal dystrophy, a rare blinding disorder which is passed from parents to their children.
First gene for grey hair found The first gene identified for greying hair has been discovered by an international UCL-led study, confirming greying has a genetic component and is not just environmental.
	What you know can affect how you see Objects—everything from cars, birds and faces to letters of the alphabet—look significantly different to people familiar with them, a new study suggests.
	A daily cup of tea may soothe your heart (HealthDay)—Drinking as little as a cup of tea daily may be good for your heart health, new research suggests.
New vaccine could save thousands of lives Work led by University of Exeter experts could help to protect thousands of people from an often fatal disease found in most tropical regions.
	E-cigarettes are estimated to have helped 16,000-22,000 smokers in England to quit in 2014 Researchers from University College London estimate that use of e-cigarettes produced 16K-22K additional long-term quitters in England in 2014.1 A long-term quitter is someone who has not smoked for at least one year.
Hospitalization of patients with myelomeningocele in the 21st century Myelomeningocele is a neural tube defect affecting many systems in the human body and requiring multidisciplinary medical care to ensure optimal function and quality of life as well as survival of the patient. In the early 1950s survival of children born with this defect was only about 10%. Since that time advances in pediatric care have led to many patients surviving into adulthood. These patients' medical needs are best served by high-volume medical centers, according to a new article by Dr. Joseph Piatt Jr., published online today in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.
	Imaging shows impact of PTSD in earthquake survivors MRI shows surprising differences in brain structure among adult earthquake survivors with and without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a new study appearing online in the journal Radiology.
Family support buffers the physiological effects of racial discrimination African American adolescents who experience high levels of racial discrimination show cellular wear and tear, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The research indicated that a supportive family environment may protect against these negative physiological effects.
New biomarker identifies uveal melanoma patients at high risk for metastasis A study by J. William Harbour, M.D., associate director for Basic Research and leader of the Eye Cancer Site Disease Group at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and colleagues published today in Clinical Cancer Research details the discovery of a biomarker that puts patients at a higher risk for metastasis of uveal melanoma. Among uveal melanomas categorized as class 1, those with high levels of the biomarker PRAME mRNA were more likely to metastasize than those with low levels of PRAME mRNA, indicating that patients with this biomarker be monitored more closely for metastatic disease.
New national study finds Crohn's disease diagnosis difficult to obtain and life altering In a new national survey of Crohn's disease patients, Health Union reveals that it was not uncommon for patients to see multiple healthcare professionals (HCPs), have numerous office visits, and endure multiple diagnostic tests before receiving a diagnosis. Results demonstrate an impact on such things as the ability to work or exercise, but also on overall quality of life and social activities. Respondents wished more people understood the disease and its impact.
	Preventing Alzheimer's in African-Americans by strengthening the brain A major effort is underway to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia for older African Americans. Neuroscientist Mark Gluck of Rutgers University-Newark (RU-N) is leading a team that will use a five-year $1-million grant from the New Jersey Department of Health—obtained through a competition among states for funding from the federal Department of Health and Human Services—to teach people how to protect their brains through exercise. They hope to demonstrate that this improves memory and cognitive vitality, reducing people's risk for Alzheimer's disease.
	Study: 1st evidence that Zika may cause temporary paralysis Scientists may have the first evidence that Zika can cause temporary paralysis, according to a new study of patients who developed the rare condition during an outbreak of the virus in Tahiti two years ago.
Restaurants get temporary reprieve in New York salt war A New York court on Monday temporarily stopped the city from issuing fines to chain restaurants that don't specifically label very salty items on their menus.
Health groups aim to make medical records easier to access Technology companies, hospital systems and doctors' groups have agreed to take steps to make electronic health records easier for consumers to access and use, the Obama administration announced Monday.
	Families needed for study into children's common illnesses University of Bristol researchers led by Professor Alastair Hay are inviting Bristol families to take part in a new study to find out more about how parents manage children's coughs, colds, sore throats and ear infections in the community.
	Bristol scientists to study potential new way of treating diabetes Scientists at the University of Bristol are to investigate a potential new way of treating diabetes, following funding from the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
	Persuading picky eaters toward better choices Research has found pre-school children whose parents considered them to be 'picky eaters' ate less dietary fibre, and were 30 per cent more likely to be constipated than those who were 'never choosy'. The research, conducted on a subsample of about 6,000 participants in Children of the 90s, found about 10 per cent were picky eaters at the age of two, and this rose to 15 per cent at age three.
New study finds hydration levels affect cardiovascular health Mild dehydration can impair vascular function nearly as much as smoking a cigarette, according to a new study in the European Journal of Nutrition.
	Electrical therapy offers promise for stroke patients Patients experiencing communication problems after having a stroke could see long-term benefits from low-current electrical stimulation therapy, according to an international study led by The University of Queensland.
	Lab researchers hunt for clues in transmission of deadly Middle Eastern respiratory virus Lawrence Livermore Lab researchers have used new genetic sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis to define how a novel and deadly respiratory virus changes when it passes from one host to another.
Adding immunotherapy to RFA may benefit colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a procedure to treat liver metastases in patients with colorectal cancer, was found to induce antitumor immune responses in human samples of primary colon tumor, and mice treated with a combination of RFA and an immune checkpoint inhibitor survived longer than those treated with either one of the two therapies, according to a study published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Making sense of a miscarriage "Don't worry, pregnancy isn't an illness," said my midwife, smiling affectionately as I worried about my lack of morning sickness. She must have been well acquainted with the limbo of early pregnancy, the constant fluttering between hope and fear.
	Nerve ultrasound allows the exact diagnosis and therapy of injuries to the nerves Nerve ultrasound has rapidly developed into becoming a more precise and easily applied diagnosis tool. People suffering from injuries of peripheral nerves and require reconstructive plastic surgery often have a long history of woe and many operations behind them. Today, with nerve ultrasound, this time of woe can be extremely truncated, as the ultrasound-supported view into the neural pathways helps to take more precise and faster measures during diagnosis as well as therapy. With their research at the clinical divisions for neuro-radiology and muscular-skeletal radiology (Management of the nerve ultrasound research team: Gerd Bodner), MedUni Vienna has substantially participated in the speedy development of these new sonography methods.
When you lose weight, where does the fat actually go? The answer to this question may surprise you. In fact, according to a recent British Medical Journal article discussing this issue, few health professionals, including doctors, dieticians, and personal trainers know the correct answer.
	Do we have free will? Arriving home from work to find your partner toiling away in the kitchen, odds are you'll jump in and help. That's human nature. But if you're flat out ordered to help? That's a different story.
TXA safe and effective to reduce blood loss in joint replacement surgery, study finds Blood loss and the need for a blood transfusion are major concerns in joint replacement surgery, but a new use for an old drug is proving effective in reducing blood loss and transfusion rates, according to a study at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). The drug, tranexamic acid, or TXA, has been used for decades in heart surgery, to treat hemophilia and to stop excessive uterine bleeding.
Psychologist develops scale to measure masculine honor beliefs A Kansas State University researcher has devised a scale to the measure the degree to which men believe they must respond when provoked.
	DNA as a weapon of immune defense Our innate immune system, made up mainly of phagocytes, protects our body by exterminating bacteria. To do this, it uses two mechanisms. The first kills foreign bodies within the phagocyte itself. The second kills them outside the cell. These two strategies were already known to researchers, but only in humans and other higher animals. Microbiologists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, have just discovered that a social amoeba, a unicellular microorganism living in the soils of temperate forests, also uses both these mechanisms, and has done so for over a billion years. Since this amoeba possesses an innate defense system similar to that of humans, while being genetically modifiable, the researchers can therefore carry out experiments on it in order to understand and fight genetic diseases of the immune system. This discovery can be read in the journal Nature Communications.
Depression is more than a mental disorder—it affects the whole body An international team of researchers lead by the University of Granada (UGR) has scientifically proven for the first time that depression is more than a mental disorder—it causes important alterations of the oxidative stress, so it should be considered a systemic disease, since it affects the whole organism.
Using old drugs to treat new viruses A group of drugs already in everyday use to treat psychosis or depression may also be used to defeat deadly and emerging viruses, according to new research led by the University of Leeds.
Studies explain adolescents' vulnerability to addictive drugs Researchers have discovered one reason why adolescents are more prone to drug addiction than adults, with findings that could lead to new treatments for addictive disorders.
Whole-exome sequencing: A rational approach for 'diagnostic odyssey' patients A new clinical study from the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine shows that whole-exome sequencing (WES) could serve as a viable diagnostic approach for identifying rare inherited diseases and providing a resolution for patients on a diagnostic odyssey. WES is a laboratory process that determines, all at once, the entire unique DNA sequence (i.e., the inherited genetic material) of an organism's genome. WES provides patients with rare genetic conditions who have been evaluated by multiple providers over, sometimes, years, without a diagnosis (i.e., a diagnostic odyssey) an opportunity to get answers.
Brain connectivity disruptions may explain cognitive deficits in people with brain injury Cognitive impairment following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common, often adversely affecting quality of life for those 1.7 million Americans who experience a TBI each year. Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas have identified complex brain connectivity patterns in individuals with chronic phases of traumatic brain injury which may explain long term higher order cognitive function deficits.
Study may widen patient pool that benefits from EPZ-5676 against acute myeloid leukemia A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation shows a weak link in the chain of events that causes an aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The study also suggests a possible tool to break this link.
	Study finds dancing halves chance of death from cardiovascular disease A world first study has found people over the age of 40 who participate in dancing almost halve their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Air pollution linked to higher risk of preterm birth for mothers with asthma Pregnant women with asthma may be at greater risk of preterm birth when exposed to high levels of certain traffic-related air pollutants, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.
New software helps confirm virus discovery How do some viruses—comparable to HIV—insert their genetic information into cells and permanently infect them? In a paper published in Nature in February, scientists showed the structure of a protein complex that enables this to occur.
	Screening test for chronic fatigue syndrome on its way Ground-breaking research at Griffith University into Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is leading the way for the development of a new screening tool for the condition.
Drugs that treat osteoporosis also can cause small risk of thigh bone fractures Osteoporosis drugs have significantly reduced the risk of bone fractures for millions of people, but also have been linked to unusual fractures of the femur (thigh bone).
	One in two Americans have a musculoskeletal condition An estimated 126.6 million Americans (one in two adults) are affected by a musculoskeletal condition—comparable to the total percentage of Americans living with a chronic lung or heart condition—costing an estimated $213 billion in annual treatment, care and lost wages, according to a new report issued today by the United States Bone and Joint Initiative (USBJI).
New formula can predict professional football players' long-term concussion damages Amid the heightened awareness of concussion-related brain damage among professional football players, a new study reports that researchers can predict cognitive outcomes long after the players have retired by reviewing the players' concussion histories, game-related data and their overall mental abilities.
Physician empathy a key driver of patient satisfaction A study presented today at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), links patient-perceived physician empathy with improved outcomes and medical care satisfaction.
Combination injection improves glucose control for patients with type 2 diabetes A multinational clinical trial led by UT Southwestern Medical Center and others found that injection of a new long-acting insulin combined with another drug improves glucose control in patients with Type 2 diabetes and, additionally, is associated with weight loss.
Severe anemia linked to risk for intestinal disease in premature infants A study from Emory University School of Medicine published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has found that severe anemia, but not red blood cell transfusions (RBC), is associated with an increased risk for a potentially fatal intestinal condition in premature infants.
Physicians with highly educated spouse less likely to work in rural underserved areas In a study appearing in the March 1, 2016 issue of JAMA Douglas O. Staiger, Ph.D., of Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., and colleagues examined the prevalence of physicians with highly educated spouses and whether having such a spouse was associated with working in rural underserved areas.
Screening for impaired vision in older adults The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has concluded that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for impaired visual acuity (clearness of vision) in adults age 65 years or older. The report appears in the March 1 issue of JAMA.
They work for stores and airlines—could customer loyalty programs work in health care too? When you buy a cup of coffee, a load of groceries, an airline ticket or a tank of gas these days, you probably pull out a customer loyalty card without even thinking about it. It might even be linked to how you pay.
	Better biopsies through biofluidics Biopsies are a gold standard for definitively diagnosing diseases like cancer. Usually, doctors can only take two-dimensional snapshots of the tissue, and they're limited in their ability to measure the protein levels that might better explain a diagnosis.
More than half of lawn mower injuries to children require an amputation Warnings, operating instructions, design modifications and safety tips all aim to protect children and teens from injuries caused by lawn mowers. However, a study presented today at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that an alarming number of serious injuries still occur, with 53 percent of injured children requiring an amputation.
Study calls into question current MERS vaccine strategy A new study suggests that the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) develops mutations that make the virus less virulent during an outbreak rather than more virulent. The study, published this week in mBio, an online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, has implications for vaccine development.
An Ebola virus-encoded microRNA-like fragment serves as a biomarker for early diagnosis In a new study, Chen-Yu Zhang's group at Nanjing University collaborate with Ze-liang Chen's group at academy of Military Medical Sciences report that an Ebola virus-encoded microRNA-like fragment serves as a biomarker for early diagnosis. It is published in Cell Research.
	Quantitative assessment of dynamic deformability and adhesion of red blood cells possible A team of researchers from the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, OH have developed a versatile microfluidic platform integrated with a cell dimensioning algorithm for quantitative assessment of dynamic deformability and adhesion of RBCs in controlled microphysiological flow. Accurate measurement of RBC deformability and adhesion, which are the two key biophysical factors of vaso-occlusion in SCD, holds great potential as a marker for evaluation of disease progression, gaining insight into disease pathophysiology, and development of novel therapeutics. Although various approaches have been utilized for measurement of deformability and adhesion of RBCs, such as atomic force microscopy and optical tweezers, none of these methods could be conducted at physiological conditions using whole blood in a clinically relevant way. The developed microfluidic system can probe deformation characteristics of RBCs at the single ! cell level, as well as reflecting microvasculature adhesion response in whole SCD patient blood samples.
Zika virus medical countermeasures, challenges and opportunities The Zika virus epidemic was not anticipated, and the world was not prepared. At the beginning of January 2016, a volunteer assembly of industry experts, infectious disease outbreak specialists, academics and thought leaders was assembled to assess current knowledge and provide non-affiliated recommendations. Key findings and discoveries include currently marketed drugs that appear to have anti-Zika virus activity, risks and obstacles to rapid vaccine development, initial epidemiologic analyses, and pragmatic actionable recommendations.
	Discovery of a key factor in the development of the peripheral nervous system In both humans and animals, voluntary movement is the result of a complex and precisely-coordinated interplay of nerves, muscles and bones. How does this 'neuromuscular unit' develop during early embryonic development, and which genes are involved? "This is the question we asked ourselves, particularly in the case of certain patients born with broken bones who, even as newborns, were neither able to move properly nor breathe unaided," explains Dr. Ellen Knierim, a researcher at Charité's NeuroCure Clinical Research Center and the study's first author. "Our attempts to determine the causes behind the disorder were greatly aided by gene sequencing technology and biocomputational analysis," adds Dr. Knierim.
	Vegas outbreak makes Nevada syphilis rate highest in US West Nevada is experiencing the highest rate of syphilis in the Western U.S. following an outbreak in Las Vegas.
Neutrophils 'vacuum' microbes away from the brain Researchers from the University of Maryland, College Park, and Nanjing Medical University, China, have discovered a new way that white blood cells (neutrophils) defend our brains from infection—they move the microbes from our brains' blood vessels or vasculature so they can be disposed elsewhere instead of just killing them at the site of infection. The final version of the report appears in the March 2016 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.
	Late surfactant does not cut duration of ventilation in BPD (HealthDay)—Late administration of surfactant does not reduce the duration of ventilation in very preterm neonates with prolonged respiratory distress, according to research published online Feb. 29 in JAMA Pediatrics.
	The evolution of amyloid toxicity in Alzheimer's A tiny protein known as an "amyloid beta" acts like Jekyll and Hyde in mysterious ways within the human body. Outsized human suffering is linked to this otherwise tiny, innocuous-looking molecule, as it is suspected to be a key player in the neurodegenerative mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease.
Campuses need safety planning to protect abuse victims, study finds With up to half of college students experiencing abuse by an intimate partner at least once during their college careers, safety planning should be added to prevention and education programs in higher education, according to a research brief by the Crime Victims' Institute.
Surgery, anesthesia not linked to long-term cognitive impairment in older adults New research suggests older patients should not feel reluctant to have quality of life enhancing surgeries due to concerns that undergoing anesthesia may boost their risk of developing cognitive issues. In a study of more than 8,500 middle-aged and elderly Danish twins published in Anesthesiology, the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), researchers found no clinically significant association between major surgery and general anesthesia with long-term cognitive decline.
San Francisco will vote on raising age to buy tobacco to 21 Officials in San Francisco will vote Tuesday on whether to increase the minimum age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21, even as opponents argue that cities and counties cannot trump California law.
The intimate link between impotence and heart disease Guys, pardon the frankness, but a couple failures in the bedroom on your end could actually be a lifesaver if you put aside the enormous male ego and take action.
Beta blockers may lead to new novel triple negative breast cancer treatments New research published in the March 2016 issue of The FASEB Journal, shows that a commonly prescribed class of high blood pressure drugs may have the potential to slow the growth of triple negative breast cancer tumors. These drugs, called "beta blockers" work by counteracting the pro-growth effect caused by adrenaline by affecting the the beta2-adrenoceptor.
New discovery opens doors to manipulating fat production in the body Move over diet and exercise, a new weight control method is in the works and it involves manipulating the production of fat cells at their source. A new research report published in the March 2016 issue of The FASEB Journal shows that at least some human fat cells are actually produced from stem cells that originate in bone marrow. As a result, scientists hope to one-day manipulate the type or quantity of fat cells created to ultimately reduce the risk of diseases impacted by the prevalence of unhealthy fat, such as cardiovascular disease, types 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma, pulmonary hypertension, gall bladder disease, kidney disease, some cancers, and perhaps obesity itself.
Low vitamin D predicts aggressive prostate cancer A new study provides a major link between low levels of vitamin D and aggressive prostate cancer. Northwestern Medicine research showed deficient vitamin D blood levels in men can predict aggressive prostate cancer identified at the time of surgery.
Researchers ID risk factors that predict violence in adults with mental illness Researchers have identified three risk factors that make adults with mental illness more likely to engage in violent behavior. The findings give mental health professionals and others working with adults with mental illness a suite of characteristics they can use as potential warning signs, allowing them to intervene and hopefully prevent violent behavior.
Twin study: Genetics and environment affect different regions of the brain A recent study, reported in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, found evidence that genetic influence on cerebral glucose metabolism played a major role in the bilateral parietal lobes and the left temporal lobe of the human brain, while environmental influences after birth dominated in other regions.
Suicide re-attempt risk substantially reduced after a novel psychiatric intervention Trial shows risk of suicide re-attempt substantially reduced after a novel psychiatric intervention
Link between sleep and social participation may be key to healthy aging Sleep may be one of the most important factors for well-being; yet, according to the CDC, one in three adults does not get enough. Lack of sleep can lead to potential cognitive declines, chronic diseases and death. Now, research from the University of Missouri finds that older adults who have trouble sleeping, could benefit from participating in social activities, in particular attending religious events.
Novel syndrome resulting from multiple genomic lesions Although genomic testing can be useful for clinical diagnosis, most patients have no obvious genomic changes despite a strong indication of a genetic condition. In a paper published in the March issue of Cold Spring Harbor Molecular Case Studies, researchers from the US, Turkey, and the Netherlands describe a rare new syndrome likely arising from the dual contribution of two genomic abnormalities previously individually associated with clinical pathologies.
	Study shows high patient satisfaction with telemedicine-based care of sleep apnea A new study suggests that telemedicine-based management for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is as effective and may be comparable to in-person care.
	Researchers uncover expansion of lone star ticks in Kansas Climate change may have a new way of getting under your skin.
Moments of acute stress can cause molecular alterations in immune response Chronic psychosocial and emotional stress has well-documented negative effects upon the human immune system, measurably increasing the risk of disease. Much less is known about the health effects of acute but transitory episodes of stress, such as jumping out of an airplane. Do these panic-inducing moments also raise the risk of stress-related conditions and disorders, such as cardiovascular disease, sleep dysfunction, impaired wound healing, depression and obesity?
Study in mice places blame on immune system Sustained stress erodes memory, and the immune system plays a key role in the cognitive impairment, according to a new study from researchers at The Ohio State University.
Policies to lower prices on fruits and vegetables may help save thousands of lives Lowering prices on fruits and vegetables may be more effective in reducing heart disease than mass media campaigns over 15 years, according to an updated analysis presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology/Lifestyle 2016 Scientific Sessions.
Cardiovascular risk profile linked to profession in older workers Workers age 45 and older in sales, office-support or service occupations appear to have more risk factors for heart disease and stroke than workers in management or professional jobs, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology/Lifestyle 2016 meeting.
	Pregnancy vitamin D supplementation may help winter baby's bones Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy may lead to stronger bones in babies born during the winter months, a new Southampton study has shown.
Can't sleep? Street lights may be keeping you awake If your neighborhood is well-lit at night, you may not be sleeping well, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.
	Increases in state and local spending could decrease mortality rates, researcher finds Income inequality and government social spending. These are hot-??button issues in this year's presidential primaries: the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and the government's role in closing the gap—or not.
Novel gene variants identified in male breast cancer Male breast cancer (MBC) is a very rare tumor type, occurring in just 1% of all breast cancer cases, and the underlying genetic causes and treatment of MBC is not well understood. In a paper published in the March issue of Cold Spring Harbor Molecular Case Studies, researchers from Italy and the U.S. describe novel genetic variants found in a hormone receptor positive (HR+) MBC patient, that are distinct from previously identified genetic variants found in ten MBC cases.
Children's Hospital Colorado experts publish article on the 2014 enterovirus D68 outbreak From August to September 2014, a typically slow time for respiratory viruses, a nationwide outbreak of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) left resources constrained for Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado) and pediatric organizations throughout the nation.
Drinking more water associated with numerous dietary benefits, study finds For people who want to control their weight or reduce their intakes of sugar, sodium and saturated fat, tap water may be what the doctor ordered.
	Parents, take heed: your kids copy your heart health habits (HealthDay)—If you eat poorly and exercise rarely, it's highly likely that your kids will adopt at least some of these bad habits, endangering their hearts.
	Uric acid levels low in teens with type 1 diabetes (HealthDay)—Plasma uric acid (PUA) levels are significantly lower in adolescent patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) than in healthy control subjects, and there does not appear to be a link between PUA levels and cardiorenal abnormalities in these patients, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in Diabetes Care.
	Similar sensitivity for CBCL-AP, CRS-R in diagnosing ADHD (HealthDay)—The Child Behavior Checklist-Attention Problem (CBCL-AP) scale and Conners Rating Scale-Revised (CRS-R) yield moderate sensitivity for diagnosing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents, according to research published online Feb. 29 in Pediatrics.
	Prostate cancer tied to higher colorectal cancer risk (HealthDay)—The risk of colorectal cancer is increased after a diagnosis of prostate cancer, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in Cancer.
	IVCF use up in older patients with pulmonary embolism (HealthDay)—The use of inferior vena caval filters (IVCFs) for pulmonary embolism (PE) increased from 1999 through 2010, according to research published in the March 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Many do not share personal genetic testing results with PCP (HealthDay)—Many individuals who undergo direct-to-consumer (DTC) personal genomic testing (PGT) do not share the results with their primary care provider (PCP), according to research published online March 1 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Study: $3B will be wasted on unused portion of cancer drugs High prices for cancer medicines aren't the only reason they cost insurers and patients so much.
	Surgeon uses 3D model of patient's prostate to restore sense of touch to robotic surgery At the London Clinic, Professor of Urology Prokar Dasgupta successfully removed a prostate cancer tumour from a patient, 65-year old Mr Alexander Spyrou from London, using an exact replica of the patient's prostate, complete with tumour.
	Multifunctional fibers to help repair nerve damage or deliver treatment for mental, neurological disorders Polina Anikeeva hopes to one day be able to regenerate the spinal cord to restore movement for paralyzed people or possibly bypass the spinal cord altogether with a device that mimics its function.
Youngest and oldest patients more likely to report pain, lower activity levels following While all age groups report comparable improvement in range of motion following total knee replacement surgery (TKR), new research presented today at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that patients age 45 and younger, and those age 75 and older, report more pain and less activity following the procedure.
High court limits state power to gather health care data The Supreme Court says state officials can't force certain health insurers to turn over reams of data revealing how much they pay for medical claims.
Labels on genetically modified foods? Not so fast States could no longer require labeling of genetically modified foods under legislation approved by a Senate panel.
Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine in Asia-Pacific, the same but different Regulation of the emerging areas of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) is one of the key barriers to commercial and clinical success of TERM globally. Countries face many of the same regulatory challenges, but must address them in light of regional differences based on cultural, political, and economic factors, as examined in a Commentary published as part of a special issue of Tissue Engineering.
Nuanced findings for a large experimental treatment trial for Ebola virus disease While not conclusive, valuable research generated through researching an experimental treatment for Ebola virus disease in Guinea during the recent Ebola outbreak will support future research into treating Ebola virus disease, according to Prof. Denis Malvy from INSERM, France and a large team of international researchers in a new Research Article published in this week's PLOS Medicine.
	Donor organ recovery at standalone facility increases suitable organs for transplant Transplant surgeons report that obtaining organs from deceased organ donors costs much less and leads to a higher number of transplantable organs recovered when brain-dead donors are moved from the hospital to an independent, freestanding facility dedicated to organ recovery. Their study is published online as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication later this year.
Early MRI screening reduces risk of breast cancer death for survivors of childhood HL Researchers at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre have confirmed in a screening effectiveness study that early screening with MRIs can reduce breast cancer mortality for female survivors of childhood Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) who received chest radiation.

Other Sciences news

	Research demonstrates evolutionary algorithm could be used to predict oil price rises Future fluctuations in oil prices could be forecast using a combination of previous statistics and complex computer algorithms, according to new research.
	Americans who see God as 'a secure base' tend to be more committed, satisfied on the job People who see God as a "secure base" for intimacy and attachment are more likely to be emotionally committed to their workplace and satisfied with their jobs. They also tend to see their work as a calling from God, which correlates to higher levels of job commitment and satisfaction, according to a Baylor study of working American adults.
More connectivity does not always lead to more complex technology Many technologies used in human societies are beyond the inventive capacities of individuals. Instead, technologies result from a cumulative process where innovations are gradually added across many generations—think from the wheel to modern cars or from early planes to space shuttles.
Gender gap at work reflects political views of boss Why are some male managers surrounded by a diverse group of subordinates while others only hire other men?
5000 years of migration has significant implications for Māori and Pasifika health today Dr Geoff Chambers, an expert in genetics who is based at Victoria's School of Biological Sciences, has led the project, which has spanned more than 25 years.
Raising age of majority doesn't affect teen crime rates, research shows In the criminal justice world, there's an ongoing debate about whether to increase the age of majority, the point at which an adolescent can no longer be tried in the juvenile legal system and instead must be tried as an adult.
Around a third of workers fear for jobs and pay, research says The scale of workers' insecurity since the economic crisis is revealed in research showing that 32% believed that there was a risk of losing their jobs and 38% were anxious that their pay would be cut.
	Identity unearthed: Excavations in Sudan reveal the transformation Egyptian and Nubian culture In a middle-class tomb just east of the Nile River in what was Upper Nubia, a woman offers a glimpse of how two met civilizations met, mingled and a new pharaonic dynasty arose. Her tomb was Egyptian, but she was buried in the Nubian style—placed in a flexed position on her side and resting on a bed. Around her neck she wore amulets of the Egyptian god Bes, the protector of households.
Workers prefer consistent jerk to loose cannon Is your boss always a jerk? You still may be better off than those workers whose supervisor is courteous one moment and rude the next.
Pharmaceutical company performance improves when innovation and execution align East Norriton, Penn., March 1, 2016. A study measuring the impact of pharmaceutical commercial operations on company performance finds that strategic investment in commercial innovation linked with an aligned and responsive culture of execution can produce positive results. The study, "What Makes More Better? An Exploratory Study on the Effects of Firm-Level Commercial Operations Attributes on Pharmaceutical Business Performance," appears in the current issue of the Journal of Medical Marketing.

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