Fwd: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Mar 25

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 3:38 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Mar 25
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

COMSOL News: The Multiphysics Simulation Magazine

Researchers and engineers share the latest advancements in multiphysics simulation in this free eBook, available for online viewing or download: http://goo.gl/5jGvSm

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for March 25, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Supermassive black hole clears star-making gas from galaxy's core
- Apollo-era lunar seismic data yields new lunar core model
- New unobtrusive electrode system for persistent brain-computer interface
- Research team develops acoustic topological insulator idea to allow for hiding from sonar
- Snowflakes become square with a little help from graphene
- 3,000 atoms entangled with a single photon
- New insights into little known but common birth defect: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
- New autism-causing genetic variant identified
- Shell-shocked: Ocean acidification likely hampers tiny shell builders in Southern Ocean
- Study finds why drug for type 2 diabetes makes people fat
- Study pinpoints genetic cause of increased leukemia risk
- OSVR dev kit to carry optional faceplate with Leap Motion tech
- More big storms increase tropical rainfall totals
- Ancient Martian lake system records two water-related events
- Common bacteria on verge of becoming antibiotic-resistant superbugs

Nanotechnology news

	Snowflakes become square with a little help from graphene The breakthrough findings, reported in the journal Nature, allow better understanding of the counterintuitive behaviour of water at the molecular scale and are important for development of more efficient technologies including filtration, desalination and distillation.
	Carbon nanotube fibers make superior links to brain Carbon nanotube fibers invented at Rice University may provide the best way to communicate directly with the brain.
	Study demonstrates desalination with nanoporous graphene membrane Less than 1 percent of Earth's water is drinkable. Removing salt and other minerals from our biggest available source of water—seawater—may help satisfy a growing global population thirsty for fresh water for drinking, farming, transportation, heating, cooling and industry. But desalination is an energy-intensive process, which concerns those wanting to expand its application.
	Nanostructure complex materials modeling   Materials with chemical, optical, and electronic properties driven by structures measuring billionths of a meter could lead to improved energy technologies—from more efficient solar cells to longer-lasting energy-dense batteries. Scientific instruments such as those at Brookhaven Lab's Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) and the just-opened National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), both DOE Office of Science User Facilities, offer new ways to study materials at this nanometer length scale—including as they operate in actual devices.
Nanorobotic agents open the blood-brain barrier, offering hope for new brain treatments Magnetic nanoparticles can open the blood-brain barrier and deliver molecules directly to the brain, say researchers from the University of Montreal, Polytechnique Montréal, and CHU Sainte-Justine. This barrier runs inside almost all vessels in the brain and protects it from elements circulating in the blood that may be toxic to the brain. The research is important as currently 98% of therapeutic molecules are also unable to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Physics news

	Research team develops acoustic topological insulator idea to allow for hiding from sonar (Phys.org)—A team of researchers working in Singapore has come up with what they believe is a way to apply a topologic insulator to an object to prevent sound waves from being bounced back and detected by a source. They have published their work in the journal Physical Review Letters.
	3,000 atoms entangled with a single photon Physicists from MIT and the University of Belgrade have developed a new technique that can successfully entangle 3,000 atoms using only a single photon. The results, published today in the journal Nature, represent the largest number of particles that have ever been mutually entangled experimentally.
	Short circuit delays particle hunter machine restart A short-circuit at the world's largest proton smasher has indefinitely delayed the particle-hunting machine's planned restart, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) said on Wednesday.
	How particle accelerator maths helped me fix my Wi-Fi Electromagnetic radiation – it might sound like something that you'd be better off avoiding, but electromagnetic waves of various kinds underpin our senses and how we interact with the world – from the light emissions through which your eyes perceive these words, to the microwaves that carry the Wi-Fi signal to your laptop or phone on which you're reading it.
	Computer simulation of vortex-induced motion improves offshore drill rig safety Los Alamos National Laboratory mechanical and thermal engineering researchers' efforts to solve the complex problem of how ocean currents affect the infrastructure of floating oilrigs and their computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulations received recognition from ANSYS Inc., a company that provides computer-based engineering simulation capabilities.
	The effect of molecular oxygen electron spin on the surface oxidation reaction Mitsunori Kurahashi, a Chief Researcher of the Nano Characterization Unit, National Institute for Materials Science and Yasushi Yamauchi, a Group Leader in the same unit, presented the first spin-controlled O2 adsorption experiment indicating that the rate of surface oxidation is strongly affected by the electron spin of O2.

Earth news

	More big storms increase tropical rainfall totals Increasing rainfall in certain parts of the tropics, colloquially described as the wet get wetter and warm get wetter, has long been a projection of climate change. Now observations have shown that an increase in large thunderstorms is the primary reason for this phenomenon.
	Shell-shocked: Ocean acidification likely hampers tiny shell builders in Southern Ocean A University of Colorado Boulder study shows a ubiquitous type of phytoplankton—tiny organisms that are the base of the marine food web - appears to be suffering from the effects of ocean acidification caused by climate change.
	Preparing Boston for the "big one" In 1755, a major earthquake shook the Boston area, toppling chimneys and inspiring sermons and poems about the wrath of God, such as "Earthquakes the Works of God and Tokens of his Just Displeasure" and "The Duty of a People, Under Dark Providences." The quake, whose epicenter was about 25 miles from Massachusetts' Cape Anne and 50 miles out to sea from Boston, measured an estimated 6.0 to 6.3 on the Richter scale. Since then, Bostonians have not had to worry much about the ground beneath them. In fact, preparing for earthquakes is probably near the bottom of the city's to do list. But what if another major earthquake were to strike? According to SUTD-MIT postdoctoral fellow Ornella Iuorio, it would not be good.
A difficult climate: New study examines the media's response to the IPCC The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) periodically releases Assessment Reports in order to inform policymakers and the public about the latest scientific evidence on climate change. The publication of each report is a key event in the debate about climate change, but their reception and coverage in the media has varied widely.
'State of nature' important in determining the impact of climate change Current models of how vegetation will react to climate change do not consider the state of the vegetation - whether it is mature and stable, or already responding to some disturbance event.
	Study maps development, one county at a time Researchers at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) have developed a county-by-county map of the United States' "lower 48" that tells a story of land cover and development across the nation, and could provide a framework for planners and policy makers as they consider future development.
	Greenhouse gases unbalanced The conversion of arctic and boreal wetlands into agricultural land results in an additional cumulative radiative forcing of about 0,1 MilliJoule (mJ) per square meter for the next 100 years. The conversion of temperate wetlands into agricultural land would even result in a cumulative radiative forcing of 0,15 mJ per square meter. Converting forested wetlands into managed forests also contributes to increased warming, albeit much less than the conversion of non-forested wetlands.
	Study finds climate refuges where corals survive, grow Reef-building corals, already thought to be living near their upper thermal limits, are experiencing unprecedented declines as the world's oceans continue to warm. New evidence from scientists at Florida Institute of Technology shows there may be some climate refuges where corals will survive in the future.
Coastal property values could erode if nourishment subsidies end The value of many oceanfront properties on the East Coast could drop dramatically if Congress were to suddenly end federal beach nourishment subsidies, a new study by researchers at three universities finds.
Justices seem divided over EPA mercury limits (Update) The Supreme Court's conservative justices cast doubt Wednesday on the Obama administration's first-ever regulations aimed at reducing power plant emissions of mercury and other hazardous air pollutants that contribute to respiratory illnesses, birth defects and developmental problems in children.
	Project aims to strengthen water, power systems in Southwest Climate forecasts for coming decades predict conditions that could put a severe strain on critical infrastructure systems – particularly in the southwestern United States.
	Cutting edge tools to better assess marine biodiversity An EU-funded project has developed cutting edge monitoring and management tools to help marine scientists better assess the state of biodiversity in the seas around Europe. These tools will also help governments in their quest to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) of the seas by 2020 – a legal requirement under the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
	NASA-NOAA satellite sees semnants of ex-Tropical Cyclone Nathan NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Nathan over the southern Top End of Australia's Northern Territory on March 25.
Hydrolyzed fish fertilizer tested in organic vegetable production In the production of organic vegetables, nitrogen is important, yet can be quite costly to manage. Nitrogen management is even more challenging when production practices call for the use of polyethylene mulch combined with fertigation. The authors of a new study published in HortScience have found that hydrolyzed fish fertilizer holds promise as an "economically feasible" nitrogen source for growing organic vegetables.
Weather service: Tornado likely touched down in Arkansas The National Weather Service said Wednesday that a severe weather system in Arkansas likely produced the nation's first tornado for the month of March, ending a twister drought in a month when tornado season is usually starting to ramp up for parts of the U.S.

Astronomy & Space news

	Apollo-era lunar seismic data yields new lunar core model (Phys.org)—Like the solar system's telluric planets, including Earth itself, the moon's internal structure is composed of geoochemically distinct mantle, crust and core layers. The core is mostly iron; much of our understanding of its composition is derived from seismic data provided by the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package.
	Supermassive black hole clears star-making gas from galaxy's core Many nearby galaxies blast huge, wide-angled outpourings of material from their center, ejecting enough gas and dust to build more than a thousand stars the size of our sun every year. Astronomers have sought the driving force behind these massive molecular outflows, and now a team led by University of Maryland scientists has found an answer.
	Explosions of Jupiter's aurora linked to extraordinary planet-moon interaction On Earth, bursts of particles spewed by the Sun spark shimmering auroras, like the Northern Lights, that briefly dance at our planet's poles. But, on Jupiter, there's an auroral glow all the time, and new observations show that this Jovian display sometimes flares up because of a process having nothing to do with the Sun.
	NASA details plans to pluck rock off asteroid, explore it (Update) NASA is aiming to launch a rocket to an asteroid in five years and grab a boulder off of it—a stepping stone and training mission for an eventual trip sending humans to Mars.
	A new spin on Saturn's peculiar rotation Tracking the rotation speed of solid planets, like the Earth and Mars, is a relatively simple task: Just measure the time it takes for a surface feature to roll into view again. But giant gas planets Jupiter and Saturn are more problematic for planetary scientists, as they both lack measureable solid surfaces and are covered by thick layers of clouds, foiling direct visual measurements by space probes. Saturn has presented an even greater challenge to scientists, as different parts of this sweltering ball of hydrogen and helium are known to rotate at different speeds, whereas its rotation axis and magnetic pole are aligned.
	Ancient Martian lake system records two water-related events Researchers from Brown University have completed a new analysis of an ancient Martian lake system in Jezero Crater, near the planet's equator. The study finds that the onslaught of water that filled the crater was one of at least two separate periods of water activity in the region surrounding Jezero.
	Cluster satellite successfully shifts orbit One of the four Cluster satellites has shifted its orbit to ensure a safe reentry when the time comes, as well as providing a rare opportunity to study how a satellite's exhaust plume interacts with the solar wind.
	American, Russian leaving Earth for year at space station An American astronaut and Russian cosmonaut will leave Earth this week and move into the International Space Station for an entire year, all in the name of science.
	Europe poised to launch more navigation satellites Europe is all set to launch the seventh and eighth satellites for its navigation constellation that will ultimately consist of 30 orbiters, operators said on Wednesday.
	Unexplained warm layer discovered in Venus' atmosphere A group of Russian, European and American scientists have found a warm layer in Venus' atmosphere, the nature of which is still unknown. The researchers made the discovery when compiling a temperature map of the upper atmosphere on the planet's night side based on the data collected by the Venus Express probe.

Technology news

	Computer student on gesture control: Start experimenting Back in 2012, authors from Microsoft Research and UbiComp Lab at University of Washington prepared their paper, "SoundWave: Using the Doppler Effect to Sense Gestures," for the Proceedings of the Association for Computing Machinery's Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Their work created a lot of interest in the way that they managed to implement motion sensing using only speaker and mic. Sidhant Gupta, Dan Morris, Shwetak Patel, Desney Tan said that "Gestures are becoming an increasingly popular means of interacting with computers. but—it is still relatively costly to deploy robust gesture-recognition sensors in existing mobile platforms." Enter their SoundWave, a technique that leveraged speaker and microphone for sensing in-air gestures and motion around a device.
	New process could make gallium arsenide cheaper for computer chips, solar cells Computer chips, solar cells and other electronic devices have traditionally been based on silicon, the most famous of the semiconductors, that special class of materials whose unique electronic properties can be manipulated to turn electricity on and off the way faucets control the flow of water.
	OSVR dev kit to carry optional faceplate with Leap Motion tech "3D Output Meets 3D Input," said Leap Motion, the software and hardware company focused on 3D motion-sensing technology, in its Wednesday announcement. Leap Motion and OSVR (Open Source Virtual Reality) announced that the OSVR Hacker Dev Kit will have an optional faceplate with Leap Motion's hardware and software embedded. OSVR, founded by Razer, is described as an "ecosystem" to set an open standard for Virtual Reality input devices, games and output. The kit is scheduled to begin shipping in June but developers can pre-order the HDK and the OSVR faceplate with Leap Motion through the OSVR web store in May.
	Beijing behind Internet security violation: group China's cyberspace administration is "complicit" in attacks on major Internet companies including Google, an anti-censorship group said Wednesday, calling on firms worldwide to strengthen their defences.
	Review: Sony streaming service modernizes TV, not your bill Sony's new PlayStation Vue television service probably won't save you money over cable.
Japan military eyes recruits with cutesy smartphone game Japan's military has released a smartphone game featuring cutesy characters who dodge household objects, marking the latest effort to polish the force's image and lure new recruits.
	Flying low during an emergency, from the pilot's point of view We climbed out over the Mediterranean after take-off from Barcelona, veered off the Spanish coast, and pointed the nose northeast. Soon we'd be talking to controllers in Marseille and make landfall near Toulon. From there onward, sometimes taking a morsel of Italy, often across Switzerland, then further north, to our base in Copenhagen.
	Navy scientists develop prototype for diver life support Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City (NSWC PC) scientists have developed a prototype for a new life support system for divers the Navy announced March 19.
Taiwan's Acer swings to profit after three years of losses Taiwan's struggling personal computer maker Acer said Wednesday it turned a profit in 2014 following three successive years of net losses.
	Sensor cable monitors fences of all kinds and can even detect low-level drone fly-bys Fenced-in areas, such as airports, nuclear power stations, industrial sites, or private plots of land, can now be monitored thanks to novel sensor technology that has been developed by a team of experimental physicists, led by Professor Uwe Hartmann at Saarland University. The sensors respond immediately as soon as someone tries to climb over or cut through the fence, providing information on the precise location of the security breach. They are even able to detect a low-flying drone passing overhead. The thin cable containing the magnetic field sensors can be easily installed on perimeter fences of all kinds. The research team is currently working on developing the system so that it can recognize the cause of a disturbance and can automatically identify false alarms triggered by wind or animals. The team is collaborating with industrial partners to produce a cable suitable for mass production. The technology will be shown at HANN! OVER MESSE from April 13th to April 17th.
	Robots on reins could be the 'eyes' of firefighters Researchers at King's College London have developed revolutionary reins that enable robots to act like guide dogs, which could enable that firefighters moving through smoke-filled buildings could save vital seconds and find it easier to identify objects and obstacles.
	Low-vibration sawing and sanding No matter whether it's a drill or an oscillator, handheld power tools produce powerful vibrations. But a new anti-vibration system almost entirely eliminates that uncomfortable shaking sensation you get when using such tools: The FEIN MultiMaster oscillator vibrates up to 70 percent less and is only half as loud as its predecessor. Fraunhofer researchers developed the technology in collaboration with FEIN and will be presenting the system at Hannover Messe (Hall 2, Booth C22) from April 13 to 17, 2015.
	Panoramas for your tablet Most people are familiar with the fictional world of 'Star Trek,' in which the characters can use a holodeck to create and interact with virtual worlds. It is possible to recreate a similar effect in the real world using 360-degree panoramic images. Researchers are bringing them now to our tablets—including individual camera work and editing.
	Automated braille writing tutor wins Touch of Genius prize An innovative device developed by Carnegie Mellon University's TechBridgeWorld research group to help visually impaired students learn how to write Braille using a slate and stylus is the winner of the 2014 Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation.
	Tech firms, activists renew surveillance reform push Big US technology firms joined a coalition of activists Wednesday urging Congress to pass a law scaling back government surveillance ahead of key deadline.
	Does your password pass muster? "Create a password" is a prompt familiar to anyone who's tried to buy a book from Amazon or register for a Google account. Equally familiar is that red / yellow / green bar that rates the new password's strength. But when those meters give the go-ahead to passwords like Password1+, their effectiveness is called into question.
Comcast says $45B Time Warner Cable deal to take longer Comcast says its $45 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable will take longer than expected because of a long-running regulatory review.
	Facebook's Messenger app adding more ways to connect (Update) Facebook is trying to mold its Messenger app into a more versatile communications hub as smartphones create new ways for people to connect with friends and businesses beyond the walls of the company's ubiquitous social network.
	Yelp expands Asian presence with Taiwan launch Yelp launched Wednesday in Taiwan, in an expansion of the Asian presence of the popular consumer business review service.
	EU unveils ambitious overhaul of digital economy The EU unveiled an ambitious plan to overhaul Europe's fragmented digital landscape on Wednesday that would allow Europeans traveling in other bloc countries to get their Netflix film fix or watch BBC iPlayer even when abroad.
PayPal to pay $7.7M in sanctions violations settlement PayPal Inc. has agreed to pay $7.7 million to settle with U.S. regulators who said the payments company allowed violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran, Cuba and Sudan.
Uber ramps up safety efforts after criticism Uber said Wednesday it was ramping up safety in response to rape allegations against a driver in India and growing concerns about background checks for operators of the popular ride-sharing service.
USTelecom, Texas Internet provider sue over net neutrality The FCC says the first lawsuits filed against the government's new Internet traffic rules are "premature" and may be dismissed because they were filed too early.
	Clash of Clans maker sees revenues hit 1.5 bn euros The maker of hit game Clash of Clans said Tuesday its revenues shot up to 1.55 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in 2014, a 130 percent bound over the prior year.
Jeb Bush had another email account while Florida governor As Florida governor, Jeb Bush used another, previously undisclosed email address, records show—the newest wrinkle in an evolving debate over public officials' use of private email accounts.
Closing salvos in Silicon Valley sex bias case Rival attorneys launched closing salvos Tuesday at jurors who will decide whether a renowned Silicon Valley venture capital firm was a "boys club" that discriminated against women.
Solar beam collectors, key to enhancing solar power New technologies could soon bring more effective ways of harvesting solar power. That is the case with small size concentrated solar power, or CSP. It is a relatively new technology compared to the more mature photovoltaic technology, which is a "big boy, well grown and muscular" in the words of Francesco Orioli, Director at Soltigua, located near Cesena, Italy. His company produces energy generation systems capable of concentrating solar power. The company is also a partner in BRICKER, a project supported by the EU, which aims at reducing energy consumption of existing public buildings, using cutting-edge technology. In this interview with BRICKER, Orioli explains the challenges ahead for implementing prototypes of these new types of solar collectors in showcase sites in Aydin, Turkey and in Cáceres, Spain.
	Industry's first flexible IoT-supporting beacon that needs no battery replacement Fujitsu Laboratories announced the development of a thin, light-weight beacon, weighing 3 grams with a thickness of 2.5 millimeters, that does not require battery replacement or other maintenance and is flexible enough for installation on round objects, corners, and curves. Previously, beacons that did not require battery replacement needed power-supply components, such as power-management ICs and secondary batteries, as control circuits to ensure adequate power on activation. These components, which are relatively thick and occupy a large area, make the beacons themselves rigid and large, limiting locations to which they can be attached.
	Imec demonstrates 50GHz Ge waveguide electro-absorption modulator At this week's OFC 2015, the largest global conference and exposition for optical communications, nanoelectronics research center imec, its associated lab at Ghent University (Intec), and Stanford University have demonstrated a compact germanium (Ge) waveguide electro-absorption modulator (EAM) with a modulation bandwidth beyond 50GHz. Combining state-of-the-art extinction ratio and low insertion loss with an ultra-low capacitance of just 10fF, the demonstrated EAM marks an important milestone for the realization of next-generation silicon integrated optical interconnects at 50Gb/s and beyond.
Mobile battery life can be prolonged with system settings Mobile devices have a large number of different adjustable system settings whose energy impact can be difficult to understand for the average user, and even for the expert.
Camry Hybrid: A family car winner The roomy, fuel-sipping Toyota Camry Hybrid family sedan gets better for 2015 with more appealing exterior styling, upgraded interior, improved ride and handling and quieter passenger cabin.

Chemistry news

	Algae from clogged waterways could serve as biofuels and fertilizer Water-borne algal blooms from farm fertilizer runoff can destroy aquatic life and clog rivers and lakes, but scientists will report today that they are working on a way to clean up these environmental scourges and turn them into useful products. The algae could serve as a feedstock for biofuels, and the feedstock leftovers could be recycled back into farm soil nutrients.
Food additive could serve as a safer, more environmentally friendly antifreeze The sweet taste and smell of antifreeze tempts children and animals to drink the poisonous substance, resulting in thousands of accidental poisonings in the United States every year. But today researchers will describe a new, nontoxic product based on a common food additive that could address this health issue and help the environment at the same time.
	Poison dart frog inspires new way to de-ice planes Curiosity about the way a particular tropical frog releases a toxic substance through its skin to protect itself led Arizona State University engineer Konrad Rykaczewski to an idea for a new anti-icing technique for aircraft.
	Synthetic gels to protect the brain against traumatic injuries Designing better protective gear against severe impacts for civilians and soldiers requires a detailed understanding of how soft tissues in the body actually respond to such impacts, whether from concussions, ballistic attacks, or blast wounds. MIT researchers are developing new synthetic polymer-solvent gels, called tissue simulant gels, which mimic the response of natural tissue.
	LiquiGlide poised to market superhydrophobic coating for wide range of products (Phys.org)—Newly created company LiquiGlide has announced that they have landed a contract with Elmer's glue to provide a superhydrophobic coating for glue bottles, allowing consumers to more easily access all of the product inside. The product by the same name comes with different ingredients depending on the application, but the end result is the same, liquid materials inside slide against the coating allowing for easy removal.
	Perth beer dress goes from backyard shed to catwalk Exactly 75 years after nylon was introduced at the World Fair in New York, a dress created from beer in a Perth backyard shed is set to premiere at the World EXPO 2015 in Milan.
Researchers develop early warning sunburn indicator Sunbathers could soon tell when to take shelter in the shade thanks to an early warning sunburn indicator, developed by Queen's University Belfast.
	Misuse of sustainability concept may lead to even more toxic chemical materials Replacement of toxic chemical components by nontoxic and biocompatible natural analogs is one of the most popular approaches in sustainable projects. A study carried out at Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow) has shown that partial replacement of chemical compounds by their natural analogs may surprisingly lead to even more toxic products. The article published in Toxicology Research describes increased toxicity of ionic liquids after incorporation of amino acid residues.

Biology news

	Manganese speeds up honey bees Asked to name one way people have changed the environment, many people would probably say "global warming." But that's really just the start of it.
	New research discovers 4-stranded DNA-binding protein conserved in plants and animals When it comes to plants and animals, sometimes the two are more alike than you'd think.
	Study finds flies are key to pollination Flies play an important role as pollinators and should no longer be neglected in pollination studies, according to a new study led by University of Bristol researchers, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
	How genes are permanently silenced by small RNAs Marc Bühler and his team at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) have elucidated the mechanism underlying small RNA-mediated gene silencing, thus solving a mystery which has been puzzling the research community for over a decade. Their findings, published today in Nature, have great potential for applications in various fields.
	Beards as badges of honour? Are beards 'in' again because guys are under pressure? Maybe.
	Two exotic termites find love in Florida, worrying researchers Two particularly hungry, exotic termite species apparently have found love halfway around the world and, as with so many other Florida hook-ups, the results are disturbing.
Researchers discover genetic origins of myelodysplastic syndrome using stem cells Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)—adult cells reprogrammed back to an embryonic stem cell-like state—may better model the genetic contributions to each patient's particular disease. In a process called cellular reprogramming, researchers at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have taken mature blood cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and reprogrammed them back into iPSCs to study the genetic origins of this rare blood cancer. The results appear in an upcoming issue of Nature Biotechnology.
Discovery of heat-tolerant beans could save 'meat of the poor' from global warming Amidst fears that global warming could zap a vital source of protein that has sustained humans for centuries, bean breeders with the CGIAR global agriculture research partnership announced today the discovery of 30 new types, or lines as plant breeders refer to them, of "heat-beater" beans that could keep production from crashing in large swaths of bean-dependent Latin America and Africa.
	Scientists discover the cause of heat tolerance in peas A recent collaboration between the Canadian Light Source and the University of Saskatchewan Plant Science Department is proving the potential for molecular imaging in plant research that could produce greater yields, healthier varieties, and more food for a hungry planet with a rising average temperature.
	Researchers study tourism-poverty nexus in Central America Central American economies are experiencing an ongoing boom in tourism, and in certain regions this often comes with real estate speculation in support of a trend toward all-inclusive resorts, large hotels and vacation homes.
	Threatened felids are understudied by researchers, according to report Almost half of the 36 species of felids that live in the wild in the world are at threat, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Yet the lack of studies regarding their main threat, the loss and fragmentation of their habitat, limits the establishment of effective conservation strategies. According to the findings of a study, only 162 scientific articles have been published regarding this threat, which clearly endangers the Iberian lynx.
	Turtle extinction event bodes ill for our waterways A number of distressed and dead turtles were found by canoeists in the Bellinger River on the north coast of New South Wales on Wednesday February 18 this year. At that time, it was reported by NSW National Parks and Wildlife rangers, NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) volunteers and local residents that 30 turtles were affected.
	Mitigating reptile road mortality: Fence failures compromise ecopassage effectiveness Ecopassages may be less effective reptile road mortality mitigation tools when fences fail to keep reptiles from accessing the road, according to a study published March 25, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by James Baxter-Gilbert from Laurentian University, Canada, and colleagues.
Researchers greatly increase precision of new genome editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 is a powerful new tool for editing the genome. For researchers around the world, the CRISPR-Cas9 technique is an exciting innovation because it is faster and cheaper than previous methods. Now, using a molecular trick, Dr. Van Trung Chu and Professor Klaus Rajewsky of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and Dr. Ralf Kühn, MDC and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), have found a solution to considerably increase the efficiency of precise genetic modifications by up to eightfold.
Stem cells make similar decisions to humans Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have captured thousands of progenitor cells of the pancreas on video as they made decisions to divide and expand the organ or to specialize into the endocrine cells that regulate our blood sugar levels.
Team discovers link between lifestyles of indigenous communities and gut microbial ecologies An international team of researchers led by the University of Oklahoma has discovered a strong association between the lifestyles of indigenous communities and their gut microbial ecologies (gut microbiome), a study that may have implications for the health of all people.
	30 new species discovered in Los Angeles in first-ever intensive urban biodiversity survey A new paper to be published in the journal Zootaxa (April 6, 2015) describes 30 new insect species in a single genus, Megaselia, of the fly family Phoridae. Describing 30 species in a single paper is rare, but what's especially striking is that all these come from urban Los Angeles.
	A mile deep, ocean fish facing health impacts from human pollution Deep-water marine fish living on the continental slopes at depths from 2,000 feet to one mile have liver pathologies, tumors and other health problems that may be linked to human-caused pollution, one of the first studies of its type has found.
	Flying insects take note of opponents' strengths and abilities before entering into a fight Before a male damselfly hot-headedly enters into a duel of aerial sparring, it first works out its strategy. It gives its opponent's wings a once-over to assess its strength, knowing that more transparent wings and larger red spots generally show a stronger rival. Those who then decide to engage in long fights either try to wear their opponent down, or dazzle them with brilliant aerial moves that are too hard to follow. These damselfly war game strategies are set out in a study published in Springer's journal The Science of Nature - Naturwissenschaften. Two research groups united forces to arrive at these findings, one based in Brazil, led by Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira, and the other in Germany, led by Stanislav Gorb.
	Just right: A spider's tale In the Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the little girl tries out the bears' large, medium, and small chairs to find the one that fits her best. When she does, she exclaims, "This chair is just right!"
Tokyo aquarium baffled by mystery fish deaths Workers at a Tokyo aquarium are scratching their heads after the deaths of dozens of fish that have left just one lonely tuna roaming a once-flourishing tank.
Trophy hunting may be a key to saving wildlife The world may need to allow controlled trophy hunting of elephants, lions and other animals if it wants to keep its endangered wildlife, an environmental scientist says.
	Tailoring sow's diet to nutritional needs may lead to healthier piglets Fulfilling a sow's increased nutritional needs in the last trimester may lead to greater productivity for both the mother and her piglets, according to assistant professor Crystal Levesque of the animal science department.
	Cooling silos reduces bugs and preserves grain Cooling stored wheat grain in silos with aeration fans reduces insect propagation and preserves grain quality, according to recent research.
	Aerial surveys generate first human activity maps for the Kimberley coast Maps of human activity along the western Kimberley coast generated from aerial surveys have provided key insights for conservation and sustainable development of the region.
	Global summit in Botswana tackles illegal wildlife trade Politicians, activists and conservation experts meeting in Botswana on Wednesday vowed to fight the booming illegal wildlife trade that is decimating populations of elephants, rhinos and other threatened species.
	Olive disease threatens Italian Easter tradition Italy's tradition of blessing olive branches on Palm Sunday should be ditched this year for fear of spreading a bacteria devastating trees in the south, farmers warned Wednesday.

Medicine & Health news

	New unobtrusive electrode system for persistent brain-computer interface (Medical Xpress)—Noninvasive recording of electroencephalograms has applications in neurology, health and brain-computer interfaces. But existing technologies come with drawbacks that preclude their use for extended periods of time. The interface between the electrode sensor and the head have limitations including skin irritation, obtrusive wiring, cumbersome mechanical features, and often require complex, multistep preparation.
	Study announces a durable vaccine for Ebola A cytomegalovirus (CMV)-based vaccine provides long-lasting protective immunity against Ebola virus, and has potential for development as a disseminating vaccine strategy to prevent ebolavirus infection of wild African ape populations.
	A non-visual opsin could help future studies of the brain and central nervous system In the on-going search for a better understanding of how the brain and central nervous system develop, a potentially powerful new tool could soon be available. Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered a light-sensitive opsin protein that plays a surprising and possibly critical role in neuron maturation and circuit formation.
	Study pinpoints genetic cause of increased leukemia risk A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published today in the journal Nature Genetics describes a newly-discovered, heritable genetic cause of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), namely mutation of the gene ETV6. Much like mutation of the gene BRCA marks people at risk to develop breast and ovarian cancers, identification of mutations in the gene ETV6 may allow doctors to predict the development of ALL, allowing increased monitoring and in the future, perhaps strategies to prevent the disease. There are just over 30,000 cases of ALL diagnosed in the United States each year, with the majority of those cases being in children ages 2-5.
	Team identifies mutations associated with development of congenital heart disease Fetal ultrasound exams on more than 87,000 mice that were exposed to chemicals that can induce random gene mutations enabled developmental biologists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to identify mutations associated with congenital heart disease in 61 genes, many not previously known to cause the disease. The study, published online today in Nature, indicates that the antenna-like cellular structures called cilia play a critical role in the development of these heart defects.
	New insights into little known but common birth defect: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is not as well known as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis, but like them it is a life-threatening birth defect, and is just as common. Occurring in one in 3,000 births, CDH causes the guts and liver to protrude through a defective diaphragm and into the chest cavity, where they interfere with the lungs.
	New autism-causing genetic variant identified Using a novel approach that homes in on rare families severely affected by autism, a Johns Hopkins-led team of researchers has identified a new genetic cause of the disease. The rare genetic variant offers important insights into the root causes of autism, the researchers say. And, they suggest, their unconventional method can be used to identify other genetic causes of autism and other complex genetic conditions.
	Gene regulates healing process after myocardial infarction In the wake of a myocardial infarction, parts of the myocardium die and are replaced by scar tissue. The formation and stability of scar tissue is key to the survival of patients following an acute myocardial infarction. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have now discovered a gene, known as Reg3beta, which plays an important role in healing damaged tissue in the heart.
	Study finds why drug for type 2 diabetes makes people fat Medication used to treat patients with type II diabetes activates sensors on brain cells that increase hunger, causing people taking this drug to gain more body fat, according to researchers at Georgia State University, Oregon Health and Science University, Georgia Regents University and Charlie Norwood Veterans Administration Medical Center.
	Common bacteria on verge of becoming antibiotic-resistant superbugs Antibiotic resistance is poised to spread globally among bacteria frequently implicated in respiratory and urinary infections in hospital settings, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Interim report on UK alcohol industry's 'billion units pledge' is flawed, say researchers The Department of Health's interim evaluation of an alcohol industry pledge to remove one billion alcohol units from the market is flawed, argue researchers in The BMJ this week.
	Air pollution linked to increased risk of anxiety and stroke Air pollution is linked to a higher risk of stroke, particularly in developing countries, finds a study published in The BMJ today. In a second article, new research also shows that air pollution is associated with anxiety.
Majority of parents unaware of safe pitching practices A new study presented today at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that 53 percent of the parents/caregivers of youth baseball pitchers are unaware of safe pitching practices designed to prevent overuse injuries—common tears or damage, most often to the elbow (ulnar collateral ligament) or shoulder—which can cause pain, lost play time and, if not treated appropriately, arthritis, deformity and disability.
Study identifies low back pain risk factors New research presented today at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) identifies nicotine dependence, obesity, alcohol abuse and depressive disorders as risk factors for low back pain, a common condition causing disability, missed work, high medical costs and diminished life quality.
	Phones, friends are distracting problem for teen drivers Distractions—especially talking with passengers and using cellphones—play a far greater role in car crashes involving teen drivers than has been previously understood, according to compelling new evidence cited by safety researchers.
	Blood test can help some bowel cancer patients avoid unnecessary drug side-effects Manchester researchers have provided early evidence to suggest that a blood test could be used to identify bowel cancer patients that may benefit from more intensive chemotherapy.
Patient becomes virtuoso sax player amid frontotemporal dementia progression South Korean researchers have just revealed details of an usual case which offers new insights into frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Sense of gratitude counters life dissatisfaction in psychological study Everyone knows that money can't buy happiness – but what might make rich people happier is revealed in the current issue of The Journal of Positive Psychology.
Risk factors associated with overweight cluster already in children Lifestyle-related cardiometabolic risk factors cluster already in children in the same way as in adults, according to research from the University of Eastern Finland. A cardiometabolic risk score was used to evaluate cardiometabolic risk in different age groups. The results show that risk factor levels even lower than those generally accepted as risk factor thresholds for type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic vascular disease are harmful when several risk factors cluster.
Acid poses rapid risk to wine tasters' teeth New research from the University of Adelaide shows the acid in wine can make teeth vulnerable to erosion within minutes, prompting renewed calls for professional wine tasters to protect their teeth.
Walking after meals could save older people from a fall Going for a walk instead of resting after eating could help to save older people from some falls caused by a sudden loss in blood pressure, according to new research.
	Modeling the brain's energy Scientists at EPFL, KAUST and UCL have created the first computer model of the metabolic coupling between neuron and glia, an essential feature of brain function. Confirming previous experimental data, the model is now being integrated into the brain modeling efforts developed by the Blue Brain Project.
Repeated use of antibiotics linked to diabetes risk Repeated use of some types of antibiotics may put people at increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes by possibly altering their gut bacteria, according to a large observational study published today in the European Journal of Endocrinology. The findings emphasise the need to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.
Variety of DBT interventions with therapists effective at reducing suicide attempts A variety of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) interventions helped to reduce suicide attempts and nonsuicidal self-injury acts in a randomized clinical trial of women with borderline personality disorder who were highly suicidal, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
	Prenatal exposure to common air pollutants linked to cognitive and behavioral impairment Researchers at the Institute for the Developing Mind at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and colleagues at Columbia University's Center for Children's Environmental Health have found a powerful relationship between prenatal PAH exposure and disturbances in parts of the brain that support information processing and behavioral control. Their study of 40 children, followed from before birth until 7 to 9 years of age as part of the Center's large community-based cohort, will be published online by JAMA Psychiatry on March 25.
Use of minimally invasive surgery could lower health care costs by hundreds of millions a year A new analysis of surgical outcomes nationwide concludes that more use of minimally invasive surgery for certain common procedures can dramatically reduce post-operative complications and shave hundreds of millions of dollars off the nation's health care bill.
Autistic children more likely to have GI issues in early life Scientists at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health report that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were two-and-a-half times more likely to have persistent gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms as infants and toddlers than children with typical development. Results are published in JAMA Psychiatry.
	Children and energy drinks comprise a growing public health crisis Emerging evidence shows that highly-caffeinated, often sugar-laden energy drinks can harm children and adolescents, and supports physicians' groups and policymakers calling for restrictions on marketing and sales of these drinks to children under 18, according to a new study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut.
	Perceived open-mindedness explains religion-based dating Across a number of faiths and cultures, people tend to date and marry others who share their religious beliefs. Now, University of Otago psychology research suggests this phenomenon—known as 'religious homogamy'—is partially a result of inferences about religious people's personalities.
	Young people 'happier and healthier,' according to study Young people are happier and healthier than their counterparts a decade ago, according to a major new study into the wellbeing of adolescents across Europe and North America.
	Researchers explain science behind scalp cooling and hair loss in cancer treatment Hair loss is one of the most distressing side-effects of cancer treatment and can even deter some patients from undergoing life-saving chemotherapy. But researchers at the University of Huddersfield are establishing the scientific basis for a rapidly-advancing scalp cooling technology that can ensure hair retention in a vast number of cases.
Study helps predict which kindergartners will have reading difficulties For years, teachers have seen students who were promising readers in the primary grades begin to experience challenges in third and fourth grades as reading materials became more difficult. University of Kansas researchers conducted a study with the goal of identifying how to better predict in kindergarten who might have reading difficulties in the future and to determine what extra instruction should include in order to help ensure their later success as readers.
Research reveals high prevalence of sleep disordered breathing in adults with sickle cell A new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine revealed that 44 percent of adults with sickle cell disease who report trouble sleeping actually have a clinical diagnosis of sleep disordered breathing, including sleep apnea, which lowers their oxygen levels at night.
	Promising drug a 'new paradigm' for treating leukemia Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have developed a compound that delays leukemia in mice and effectively kills leukemia cells in human tissue samples, raising hopes that the drug could lead to improved treatments in people. The researchers call it an exciting "new paradigm" for treating leukemia.
Team identifies mutations that may enable earlier diagnosis of colorectal cancer recurrence A multi-disciplinary team of doctors and scientists from Singapore has characterised the genetic changes associated with the spread of colorectal cancer to the liver. This finding is significant in helping to develop personalised diagnostic tests for patients with colorectal cancer based on the genetic changes present in each individual's colon tumour. The research team comprises representatives from National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS), A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Cancer Science Institute Singapore (CSI Singapore) of the National University of Singapore (NUS). The findings were published online in Genome Biology.
Pregnant women not getting enough omega-3, critical for infant development Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) is a birth cohort involving over two thousand women and their infants from Calgary and Edmonton that was funded by Alberta Innovates Health Solutions and includes researchers at the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. The main objective of APrON is to understand the relationship between maternal nutrient status during pregnancy and maternal mental health and child health and development. As part of the project, the APrON team studied the first 600 women in the cohort during and after their pregnancy to see whether they were consuming enough omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3-LCPUFA) to meet current recommendations. The team has just published their results in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
Younger motorists and females most likely to use cell phone while driving Eighteen percent of drivers on academic and medical campuses use their cell phones while driving, according to researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health.
	New Ebola trial vaccine 'safe', researchers report The latest in a string of candidate vaccines against the deadly Ebola virus was proven safe in an early trial in healthy adults in China, its developers said Wednesday.
	Ebola more deadly for young children Ebola progresses more quickly and is more likely to be fatal for children under five, according to new research.
New model for predicting cardiovascular disease risk worldwide Researchers have developed the first global model for predicting cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The model—developed by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Imperial College London, and colleagues—will be of particular help to public health professionals, clinicians, and patients in developing countries for prevention of CVD.
	HBV exposure matures infants' immune systems A Singapore led study has shown that Hepatitis B Virus Infection (HBV) exposure increases the immune system maturation of infants, which may give a better survival advantage to counteract bacterial infection during early life. These findings radically modify the way that HBV vertical infection of neonates (mother-to-child) is portrayed, and present a paradigm shift in the approach to treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B.
	Head injury patients show signs of faster aging in the brain People who have suffered serious head injuries show changes in brain structure resembling those seen in older people, according to a new study.
	Team discovers organic compounds to improve heart health, small vessel disease University of South Florida scientists have identified a group of compounds with the potential for beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system and small vessel disease while researching grape seed extracts discovered at USF. This novel and patented technology was exclusively licensed from USF to Phoinix Holdings, LLC, to commercialize a variety of new products in the cosmetic, wound care, medical device, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, beverage and animal industries.
	Study compares the cost, benefit of three uterine-conserving treatments for fibroids The relative cost, benefits, and complications of three minimally invasive techniques for reducing or eliminating symptomatic uterine fibroids are being compared in women who don't have cancer and want to preserve their uterus.
Hospitals and physicians should improve communication for better patient care Coordinating patient care between hospital clinicians and primary-care physicians is a significant challenge due to poor communication and gaps in information-sharing strategies, according to a study led by physicians at the School of Medicine of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
	Researchers find promising new biomarkers for concussion By looking at the molecular aftermath of concussion in an unusual way, a team of researchers at Brown University and the Lifespan health system has developed a candidate panel of blood biomarkers that can accurately signal mild traumatic brain injury within hours using standard, widely available lab arrays. The results appear in a new study in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
FDA approves new drug for anthrax poisoning Federal health officials say they have approved an infusible drug to treat patients who have been exposed to anthrax.
	Science, patients driving rare disease drug research surge The global pharmaceutical industry is pouring billions of dollars into developing treatments for rare diseases, which once drew little interest from major drugmakers but now point the way toward a new era of innovative therapies and big profits.
	Premature deaths down in 60 percent of US counties (HealthDay)—Premature death rates have fallen in 60 percent of the counties in the United States in the past decade, a new report shows.
	Experience saves lives: Advanced life-support study reveals differences in survival rates An advanced form of life support that takes over for the failing hearts and lungs of critically ill patients saves lives. But for adults, the odds of surviving depend on which hospital provides the life-supporting treatment - with the best odds at ones that use the technique dozens of times a year, a new study finds.
Control switch that modulates cell stress response may be key to multiple diseases Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered a control switch for the unfolded protein response (UPR), a cellular stress relief mechanism drawing major scientific interest because of its role in cancer, diabetes, inflammatory disorders and several neural degenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
	Education may not improve our life chances of happiness Getting a good education may not improve your life chances of happiness, according to new mental health research from the University of Warwick.
	Drinking raw milk dramatically increases risk for foodborne illness, analysis finds An analysis conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) found that the risks of drinking raw (unpasteurized) cow's milk are significant. Consumers are nearly 100 times more likely to get foodborne illness from drinking raw milk than they are from drinking pasteurized milk. In fact, the researchers determined that raw milk was associated with over half of all milk-related foodborne illness, even though only an estimated 3.5% of the U.S. population consumes raw milk.
Global health experts outline lessons to be learned from Ebola epidemic In the year since the World Health Organization (WHO) was first notified of an outbreak of what proved to be Ebola virus disease in the west African country of Guinea, more than 24,000 cases have been reported and over 10,000 individuals have died - primarily in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Moreover, countless non-Ebola deaths have occurred as a result of the closing of health systems in those countries, and an international aid effort has invested billions of dollars in control efforts.
Mental health disorders complicate standards used by ACA to penalize hospitals for readmission Co-existing psychiatric illness should be considered in assessing hospital readmissions for three common medical conditions used by Medicare and Medicaid to penalize hospitals with "excessive" readmission rates.
	Studies of health information exchanges yet to show strong evidence of benefits Health information exchanges are supposed to improve the speed, quality, safety and cost of patient care, but there is little evidence of that in existing health information exchange benefit studies, according to a research paper published this month in the prestigious journal Health Affairs.
	NC Pre-K children outpace normal expectations through kindergarten Students who were enrolled in the NC Pre-K Program are making significant gains across all areas of learning through the end of kindergarten, according to a new report from scientists at UNC's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG).
Emergency medicine physicians urge colleagues to help prevent gun violence In an editorial posted online today in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, two practicing emergency medicine physicians from the University of California, Davis, and Brown University—both thought leaders at the forefront of finding solutions to the public health crisis of gun violence—urge their colleagues to take direct action to protect the health and safety of patients and communities.
	'Just slip out the back, Jack': We're wired to get over romantic break ups A Saint Louis University research review article suggests people are hardwired to fall out of love and move onto new romantic relationships.
	Researchers help create 'gold standard' method for measuring an early sign of Alzheimer's After six years of painstaking research, a UCLA-led team has validated the first standardized protocol for measuring one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease—the atrophy of the part of the brain known as the hippocampus.
	Obesity, smoking, drinking, depression: all linked to low back pain (HealthDay)—People suffering from lower back pain who smoke, drink, are depressed or are obese may be able to ease their agony by making some lifestyle changes, a new study suggests.
	Employers contributing less to workers' health savings accounts (HealthDay)—U.S. workers got less help socking away savings for medical expenses from their employers in 2014 than the prior year, a new study finds.
	People who suffer migraine headaches may be at double the risk of stroke People who suffer migraine headaches with auras are at roughly double the risk of suffering the most common type of stroke.
Scientists use immunotherapy to reduce memory problems with Alzheimer's disease A new study from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has revealed that a single dose of an immunotherapy reverses memory problems in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. The article appears in the March 25 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.
	Work site wellness centers equate to weight loss and health care savings, expert says As employees and employers face higher health care costs, work site wellness are becoming increasingly more important to help control the costs of health care and encourage healthy lifestyle behaviors among the workforce, a Mayo Clinic study says.
New pox discovered in Eastern Europe, but not deadly Health officials have discovered a new germ in Eastern Europe that is related to the dreaded smallpox and monkeypox viruses but so far seems far less threatening.
	Ongoing mentoring will help new nurses speak up (HealthDay)—For new nurses, learning to speak up requires ongoing mentoring, according to a study published online March 5 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
	Models may predict two-year mortality risk for CKD patients (HealthDay)—Risk prediction models with 16 characteristics may predict mortality risk in older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The findings were published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	Perceived inefficiencies rife in primary care (HealthDay)—Primary care practices have multiple perceived inefficiencies in activities that occur pre-visit, during visits, and post-visit, according to an article published in the March-April issue of Family Practice Management.
	Binge eating linked to comorbidities in obese adults (HealthDay)—For obese adults, binge eating disorder (BED) may be associated with specific medical comorbidities, according to a study published online March 16 in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Bill would create organic-type labels for nonmodified foods (Update) Inspired by the popular "USDA organic" label, House Republicans are proposing a new government certification for foods free of genetically modified ingredients.
	Uncertainty about doctors' pay has taken a toll on Medicare New momentum for a lasting fix to Medicare's doctor-payment problem shows that lawmakers may finally be recognizing what has long bothered their constituents.
Ugandan official: Typhoid sickens hundreds in capital An outbreak of typhoid fever has infected hundreds of people in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, and looks likely to spread as the rainy season gets under way, a senior health official said on Wednesday.
	Sleep loss tied to emotional reactions A person's loss of sleep can be connected to their likelihood of reacting emotionally to a stressful situation.
Marine Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake is associated with lower risk of MSI-high CRC High intake of marine ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is associated with lower risk of microsatellite instable (MSI) colorectal cancers (CRCs) but not microsatellite stable (MSS) CRCs, according to a new study published March 25 in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
A new, safer and cheaper artificial duct for anastomosis Researchers from the University of Granada and the Andalusian regional Health Service (ServicioAndaluz de Salud) have patented a new device for use in procedures that involve anastomosis. It consists of an artificial duct which makes complex, expensive surgical techniques entailing high mortality, quite unnecessary.
Analysis advances the individual response to treatment of breast cancer with tamoxifen Tamoxifen is a prodrug widely used in the treatment of breast cancer, but the patient response to it depends on their ability to metabolize it into endoxifen. Researchers have developed a new method that allows, through a simple blood test, to reveal the way each patient metabolizes the drug, information that is useful to learn the possible response to treatment, and depending on the results, adjusting the drug dose.
Obama: Base health care payments on quality, not quantity President Barack Obama wants to cut health care costs by reducing inefficiencies like unnecessarily long hospital stays and excessive paperwork for doctors that rack up big bills.
Liberia says first Ebola patient in a month is isolated case A Liberian woman who last week became the country's first Ebola patient in more than one month has not passed on the infection to anyone else, a senior official said Wednesday.
ASHG and ESHG issue position statement on non-invasive prenatal screening Two of the world's largest professional societies of human geneticists have issued a joint position statement on the promise and challenges of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), a new procedure to test blood drawn from pregnant mothers for Down syndrome and other chromosomal disorders in the fetus. The document addresses the current scope of and likely future improvements in NIPT technology, ways it may best fit with existing prenatal screening tools and protocols, options and priorities in its implementation, and associated social and ethical issues.
	Obama ready to sign bill revamping Medicare doctor fees (Update) President Barack Obama said Wednesday he's ready to sign "good, bipartisan" legislation protecting physicians from steep cuts in Medicare reimbursements and bolstering health programs for children and the poor as Senate Democrats seemed to soften their opposition to the package.
Study: Costs reduced when low back pain treatment begins with physical therapy A study in the scientific journal Health Services Research showed that initial referrals for physical therapy for patients with new episodes of low back pain (LBP) resulted in less than half the cost of imaging and generated lower costs associated with use of health care resources over time.
US state of Georgia set to allow medical marijuana Georgia looks set to become the 24th US state to legalize marijuana for certain medical uses, part of a growing movement in the country.
AGA guidelines boldly suggest high value care for incidental CT findings The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has released new guidelines on the management of asymptomatic neoplastic pancreatic cysts found incidentally during computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Indiana to declare public health emergency over HIV outbreak Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is preparing to declare a public health emergency in a county that's at the epicenter of an HIV outbreak tied to intravenous drug use.

Other Sciences news

	Personality test finds Britain's most extroverted, agreeable and emotionally stable regions A survey of almost 400,000 British residents has highlighted significant differences in personalities between regions. Amongst its finding, it shows Scots to be amongst the friendliest and most co-operative residents, Londoners the most open and Welsh people the least emotionally stable.
	Team underscores complexity of geopolitics in the age of the Aztec empire New findings from an international team of archaeological researchers highlight the complexity of geopolitics in Aztec era Mesoamerica and illustrate how the relationships among ancient states extended beyond warfare and diplomacy to issues concerning trade and the flow of goods.
Business people prefer working in their cars instead of trains, planes and airports Noisy and cramped conditions in trains, planes and airports are discouraging many commuters and business people from working while travelling, new research shows.
American mathematicians Nash, Nirenberg win Abel math prize American mathematicians John F. Nash Jr. and Louis Nirenberg have won this year's Abel Prize in mathematics.
	Lemur teeth help take a bite out of Madagascar's mysteries Out of the mouths of lemurs come many answers to old mysteries about Madagascar's unique fauna. What were their origins, and how and why did they move around?
Will you ever pay off your student loan? Would-be participants of higher education must be given full and transparent advice before they accumulate debts as students that follow them into the workplace, according to a report published in the International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education.
	Snapchat or Facebook—which one is more likely to elicit romantic jealousy? The photo-sharing app Snapchat is not yet as popular as Facebook for social networking, but the greater privacy Snapchat may offer could motivate users to share more intimate types of content for different purposes. A new study comparing Snapchat and Facebook use and their effect on romantic relationships is published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

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