SCIENCE AND HEALTH HIGHLIGHTS

March 4, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• In ongoing war with Islamic State, Twitter suspends 2,000 accounts (CS Monitor)
• DNA documents ancient mass migration (BBC)
• Can You Dig It? More Evidence Suggests Humans From The Ice Age (NPR)
• How do you solve a problem like the 'Beefalo'? (BBC)
• Yahoo and NSA clash over encryption (BBC Tech)
• Hacking Life's Code and Creating New Organisms with 3-D Printed DNA (Reason)
• VIDEO: Brain-controlled drone shown off (BBC)
• Lenovo Sued Over Superfish Adware (NPR)

HEALTH

• 3D holograms help Israeli heart surgeons (CBS News)
• 3 Men Receive World's First Mind-Controlled Bionic Hands (Jewish World Review)
• UCSD Study Finds Root Cause of Type 2 Diabetes (NBC 7 News)
• Water Fluoridation May Trigger Depression And Weight Gain (JWR)
• The Olive Oil Compound That Kills Cancer Cells (MWR)
• Study links common food additives to Crohn's disease, colitis (Reuters)
• Man sees wife after 10 years of blindness: How new tech provides hope (+video)
• Study: Salt fights infection (U-T)
• States move to toughen vaccination laws in wake of measles outbreak (CS Monitor)
• Parents Choose A Simple Device To Reshape A Baby's Ear (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

In ongoing war with Islamic State, Twitter suspends 2,000 accounts (CS Monitor)

The Islamic State is well known for its savvy use of social media to spread threats and propaganda. But social media companies in the United States, including Twitter, are fighting back.

DNA documents ancient mass migration (BBC)

DNA analysis has revealed evidence for a massive migration into the heartland of Europe 4,500 years ago.

Can You Dig It? More Evidence Suggests Humans From The Ice Age (NPR)

Initially dismissed as a hoax a century ago, scientists have found evidence in Florida of humans living 14,000 years ago. If the findings hold up, they will help rewrite the history of early man.

How do you solve a problem like the 'Beefalo'? (BBC)

The hybrid animal causing havoc in the Grand Canyon

Yahoo and NSA clash over encryption (BBC Tech)

Yahoo's Alex Stamos challenged the NSA's director over whether encryption "backdoors" should be made available to the Russian and Chinese governments.

Hacking Life's Code and Creating New Organisms with 3-D Printed DNA (Reason)

Q&A With Cambrian Genomics' Austen Heinz

VIDEO: Brain-controlled drone shown off (BBC)

A drone specialist in Portugal demonstrates a flight controlled by human brainwaves, and suggests a future of large-scale unmanned flying.... / Longer term the firm said piloting of larger jets, such as cargo planes, could be controlled in this way without the need for a crew on board.

Lenovo Sued Over Superfish Adware (NPR)

Renee Montagne talks to Jordan Robertson of Bloomberg News about computer maker Lenovo, which allowed controversial spyware to be embedded onto the operating systems of laptops sold in the U.S.

HEALTH

3D holograms help Israeli heart surgeons (CBS News)

RealView Imaging LTD says it has recently completed a successful clinical study in which surgeons used live-action 3D holograms of their patients' beating heart to help them operate.

3 Men Receive World's First Mind-Controlled Bionic Hands (Jewish World Review)

In their study, now published in the online journal The Lancet, the team of researchers from the Medical University of Vienna in Austria have outlined how they were able to successfully complete, not one, but three bionic reconstructions. Previous bionic hands were controlled by the owners using manual settings, The Associated Press reported. This new bionic hand is able to directly get the brain's messages to the new body part, eliminating the need for a third party.

UCSD Study Finds Root Cause of Type 2 Diabetes (NBC 7 News)

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, believe they have discovered the "root cause" of Type 2 diabetes — a molecular link between obesity and diabetes that may lead to new treatment.

Water Fluoridation May Trigger Depression And Weight Gain (JWR)

A new study carried out by Professor Stephen Peckham at the Centre for Health Service Studies at the University of Kent in the UK claims that fluoride in drinking water is actually far more harmful than we thought, and it can lead to an increase in underactive thyroid — which is linked to depression, obesity, and fatigue. 

 The Olive Oil Compound That Kills Cancer Cells (MWR)

Gone in a half hour. How, when, why.

Study links common food additives to Crohn's disease, colitis (Reuters)

Common additives in ice cream, margarine, packaged bread and many processed foods may promote the inflammatory bowel diseases ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease as well as a group of obesity-related conditions, scientists said on Wednesday.

Man sees wife after 10 years of blindness: How new tech provides hope (+video)

A Minnesota man can now see his wife after being blind for 10 years. How technological advancements are bridging the gap between human limitations and human potential.

Drinking Several Cups Of Coffee A Day May Keep MS Away (JWR)

The more coffee you drink the better, at least when it comes to reducing the odds of multiple sclerosis, according to a recent study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 67th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., April 18 to 25, 2015.

Study: Salt fights infection (U-T)

Sodium sent to the skin mobilizes the immune system to fight infection, study finds.

States move to toughen vaccination laws in wake of measles outbreak (CS Monitor)

At least 14 states have introduced bills that would make it harder for parents to gain vaccination exemptions. But one expert says the proposed laws focus on the wrong thing.

Parents Choose A Simple Device To Reshape A Baby's Ear (NPR)

Sometimes a baby's outer ear may be a tad misshapen. Surgery can help later on, but a plastic mold makes the most of the fact that a newborn's ears are pliable. They can reshape within weeks