Fwd: Science X Newsletter Friday, Jul 24

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Jul 25, 2015 at 3:52 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Friday, Jul 24
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 24, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Why do mitochondria retain their own genome?
- Xiaomi pairs with Uber to get phones delivered a day early
- Researcher explores the current state of domestic animal cloning
- HyperSciences looking to drill for geothermal power using ram accelerator
- New paper by prominent scientists suggests ocean levels will rise much faster than predicted
- Evenflo offers seat solution to remind driver of baby on board
- Young scientist discovers magnetic material unnecessary to create spin current
- Lexus uses LumiLor coating to show driver's heartbeat on car
- Do auto manufacturers realise dangers of networked motors?
- 3D 'printouts' at the nanoscale using self-assembling DNA structures
- What's up with Ceres' mysterious bright spots? Reply hazy, ask again later
- How an accidental discovery became the key to understanding the universe
- Research group develops low-cost bi-functional carbon nanotube sponges
- DNA suggests that the diversity of European butterflies could be seriously underestimated
- The 'mini ice age' hoopla is a giant failure of science communication

Nanotechnology news

Illuminating the electronic properties of graphene Danish researchers have for the first time mapped the carrier mobility and density of large sheets of graphene with electromagnetic radiation.
	Could stronger, tougher paper replace metal? Researchers at the University of Maryland recently discovered that paper made of cellulose fibers is tougher and stronger the smaller the fibers get. For a long time, engineers have sought a material that is both strong (resistant to non-recoverable deformation) and tough (tolerant of damage).
	3D 'printouts' at the nanoscale using self-assembling DNA structures A novel way of making 3D nanostructures from DNA is described in a study published in the renowned journal Nature. The study was led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet who collaborated with a group at Finland's Aalto University. The new technique makes it possible to synthesize 3D DNA origami structures that are also able to tolerate the low salt concentrations inside the body, which opens the way for completely new biological applications of DNA nanotechnology. The design process is also highly automated, which enables the creation of synthetic DNA nanostructures of remarkable complexity.
	Colloidosomes made of gold nanoparticles offer strong plasmonic coupling If colloidal gold self-assembles into the form of larger vesicles, a three-dimensional state can be achieved that is called "black gold" because it absorbs almost the entire spectrum of visible light. How this novel intense plasmonic state can be established and what its characteristics and potential medical applications are is explored by Chinese scientists and reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

Physics news

Young scientist discovers magnetic material unnecessary to create spin current It doesn't happen often that a young scientist makes a significant and unexpected discovery, but postdoctoral researcher Stephen Wu of the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory just did exactly that. What he found—that you don't need a magnetic material to create spin current from insulators—has important implications for the field of spintronics and the development of high-speed, low-power electronics that use electron spin rather than charge to carry information.

Study of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory explores the state of "Big Science" A Swedish social scientist who has been studying the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory for nearly a decade says it represents an ideal case study for how a national lab transforms from a primary mission in particle physics to a much broader mix of research fields.

Earth news

	New paper by prominent scientists suggests ocean levels will rise much faster than predicted A group of 17 scientists with varied backgrounds, including noted climatologist James Hansen has written a paper describing a scenario where the world's oceans rise much faster than other models have predicted—they have uploaded it to Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics—an open access site created to allow for public peer review of researcher ideas.
	The 'mini ice age' hoopla is a giant failure of science communication This month there's been a hoopla about a mini ice age, and unfortunately it tells us more about failures of science communication than the climate. Such failures can maintain the illusion of doubt and uncertainty, even when there's a scientific consensus that the world is warming.
Undersea volcano called Kick 'em Jenny rumbling off Grenada An active underwater volcano off Grenada's northern coast called Kick 'em Jenny was rumbling Thursday and regional disaster authorities were put on alert, though they said it posed no threat of triggering a destructive tsunami.
	High-resolution mapping produces ecological data Beyond simple topographic data, high-resolution digital elevation models can provide estimates for a diverse range of ecological variables. But as shown in a recent study, higher resolution models do not always provide more accurate results.
	Image: Sentinel-1A captures southern Bavaria This image from Sentinel-1A's radar captures part of Germany's state of Bavaria, with the city of Munich on the right and Augsburg at the centre.
	Study identifies ways to reduce flood risk while protecting natural habitat With El Niño conditions increasing the likelihood of extreme weather in California throughout the rest of the year, including potentially dangerous flooding, a team of scientists from UC Santa Cruz and the Nature Conservancy has published a study that provides a method for the state to reduce the risk of flooding, save coastal buildings and structures, and preserve habitat.
	Northwest residents should channel fear of earthquake into pragmatic action A national news article suggesting that everything in Oregon west of Interstate-5 "would be toast" in a major Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake certainly drew attention to the seismic reality facing the Pacific Northwest.
	New study 'fingerprints' emissions from UK municipal waste incinerators The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has contributed to a new study, which 'fingerprints' emissions from UK municipal waste incinerators (MWIs) to assess their impact on air pollution levels.
	Reducing flood risk around the world How global flood risk models are being used to reduce flood impacts around the world is the subject of a new review by an international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of Bristol.
	NASA's GPM sees dry air affecting Typhoon Halola The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission core observatory passed over Typhoon Halola and saw that the northern side of the storm lacked rainfall. Dry air moving into the storm from the north was sapping the development of thunderstorms on that side of the storm.
	Record-breaking number of European citizens call to protect nature Almost half a million people are calling on the European Commission to save Europe's nature laws – by far the highest number of responses to a public consultation ever reached in the history of the European Union.
	Beirut awash with trash after landfill protest The humid summer air of Beirut has started to reek as uncollected trash piles up in the streets after protesters shut down Lebanon's largest landfill at a time of political paralysis.
	NASA sees Tropical Depression Felicia 'swallow' Socorro Island NASA's Terra satellite passed over the Eastern Pacific Ocean and observed Tropical Depression Felicia almost directly over Socorro Island, as if the storm swallowed the island.
	Croatian island fires causing summer havoc Firefighters in Croatia have been on high alert during this current fire season. Raging wildfires off the coast on the islands of Korcula and Brac as well as two major fires on the Peljesac Peninsula have wreaked havoc on Croatia's tourist season. The Peljesac Peninsula fires forced evacuations and destroyed olive groves, vineyards and pine forests. Errant fires have also cut off main roads and power supplies at times since they first erupted earlier this week. Efforts by firefighters to contain the blazes have been severely hampered by hot winds and high temperatures.
	Reynolds Creek fire, Montana The Reynolds Creek Fire was reported on Tuesday, July, 21, 2015 near Grizzly Point, approximately six miles east of Logan Pass. By Wednesday, July 22, fire conditions prompted precautionary evacuations of areas within Glacier National Park. The evacuations include the St. Mary Visitor Center and National Park Service administrative area. The St. Mary Campground, Rising Sun Campground, and the Rising Sun Motor Inn were previously evacuated. Evacuations for areas adjacent to the park boundary were ordered by Glacier County Sheriff and Blackfeet Emergency Services. The majority of Glacier National Park is still unaffected by this wildfire.
	NASA sees Tropical Cyclone 12W grow into a Tropical Storm Tropical Depression 12W (12W) formed on July 23 in the Philippine Sea, near the northeastern tip of the Luzon region of the Philippines. The storm intensified into a tropical storm as NASA's Terra satellite passed overhead at 03:00 UTC (July 22 at 11 p.m. EDT). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument aboard Terra captured a visible image of the storm that revealed the storm had become more organized with better circulation. Although bands of thunderstorms were not apparent, the storm appeared more circular on the MODIS image. The image was created at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, home of the MODIS Rapid Response Team.
	Light trim for rough draft of climate pact Senior diplomats charged with condensing an unwieldy draft for a global climate rescue pact, due to be inked in December, handed in their much-anticipated homework on Friday.

Astronomy & Space news

	China starts assembling world's biggest radio telescope China has started assembling the world's largest radio telescope, which will have a dish the size of 30 football pitches when completed, state media reported as Beijing steps up its ambitions in outer space.
	Image: July 23, 1999, Chandra X-ray Observatory awaits deployment This 70mm frame shows the 50,162-pound Chandra X-ray Observatory before it was tilted upward for its release from the Space Shuttle Columbia's payload bay on July 23, 1999, just a few hours following the shuttle's arrival in Earth orbit. Chandra was spring-ejected from a cradle in the payload bay at 6:47 a.m. Central time. Commander Eileen Collins, the first female Shuttle Commander, maneuvered Columbia to a safe distance away from the telescope as an internal timer counted down to the first of a two-phase ignition of the solid-fuel Inertial Upper Stage (IUS). The IUS lit up as scheduled at 7:47 a.m., and a few minutes later, shut down as planned, sending Chandra on a highly elliptical orbit which was refined over the next few weeks by a series of firings of telescope thrusters, designed to place Chandra in an orbit about 6900 x 87,000 statute miles above the Earth.
	Simulated map of missing satellite galaxies could answer dark matter puzzle A ripple in the outskirts of the Milky Way—and a hunch—led Rochester Institute of Technology astrophysicist Sukanya Chakrabarti to a previously undetected dwarf galaxy hidden under a veil of dark matter. Now Chakrabarti is refining her technique to uncover dwarf galaxies and understand dark matter by simulating the evolutionary histories of galactic disks, rich in atomic hydrogen, and their satellite populations.
	How an accidental discovery became the key to understanding the universe Fifty years ago, Bob Dylan had only just gone electric, mankind had yet to take its great leap and many people thought the Big Bang was something that happened when you burst a Big Balloon.
	NASA's Curiosity rover inspects unusual bedrock Approaching the third anniversary of its landing on Mars, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has found a target unlike anything it has studied before—bedrock with surprisingly high levels of silica. Silica is a rock-forming compound containing silicon and oxygen, commonly found on Earth as quartz.
	What's up with Ceres' mysterious bright spots? Reply hazy, ask again later The crater that contains those puzzlingly bright spots on Ceres may harbor an equally puzzling haze. Or not. The hints of haze on the dwarf planet, seen in some of the images coming from NASA's Dawn spacecraft, add another intriguing twist to Ceres' mysteries.
	NASA's New Horizons team finds haze, flowing ice on Pluto Flowing ice and a surprising extended haze are among the newest discoveries from NASA's New Horizons mission, which reveal distant Pluto to be an icy world of wonders.
	NASA releases Hubble memorable moments video In celebration of the 25 years since the Hubble Space Telescope's April 1990 launch, NASA is releasing the second in a series of videos showcasing moments in Hubble's history that were memorable for Goddard's engineers and flight operators.

Technology news

	Lexus uses LumiLor coating to show driver's heartbeat on car Lexus Australia has collaborated with creative agency M&C Saatchi to create a heart-racing demonstration of a vehicle that can display a driver's heartbeat on its exterior. In the demo, professional drivers raced at night with their heart rates "connected" to the cars they drove.
	HyperSciences looking to drill for geothermal power using ram accelerator Washington State based drilling technology company HyperSciences, headed by aeronautical engineer Mark Russell has applied for a patent on a new type of ram accelerator that would be used to blast very deep holes in the ground—to access geothermal resources. He has told the press that he believes that geothermal power is the wave of the future, and not just for creating electricity—he thinks we may one day use it to make space travel commonplace.
	Xiaomi pairs with Uber to get phones delivered a day early People living in Singapore and Kuala Lampur are set to be the beneficiaries of a deal between Chinese phone maker Xiaomi and ride-arranger Uber—for one day only next week, people using the Uber app will be able to order the Xiaomi made Mi Note, and have it delivered right away. Customers there that want the Mi Note should be exited because it will mean they get their phone much earlier—typically there is a five day shipping delay.
	Evenflo offers seat solution to remind driver of baby on board Might a car seat be designed in such a way to help prevent the tragic deaths of babies left in hot cars? A new seat designed to avert tragedies resulting from babies left in overheated cars is from Evenflo, which lists the retail price of its seat solution as $149.88.
	Engineers test fly printed aircraft off warship A 3D printed aircraft has successfully launched off the front of a Royal Navy warship and landed safely on a Dorset beach.
	Robots' maps of their environments can make existing object-recognition algorithms more accurate John Leonard's group in the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering specializes in SLAM, or simultaneous localization and mapping, the technique whereby mobile autonomous robots map their environments and determine their locations.
	The future of 3D printing lies in space and with an extra dimension The concept and use of 3D printing is now well established, with a large selection of printers available today, ranging from your low-price small 3D units for home to the larger and more robust industrial printers.
	Do auto manufacturers realise dangers of networked motors? While computers bring great benefits they come with drawbacks too – not least, as news stories reveal every day, the insecurity of often very private data connected to the public internet. Only now that computers are appearing in practically everything, the same insecurity also applies – as demonstrated by the drive-by hack of a speeding Jeep SUV, hijacked and shut down by security researchers as it sped past at 70mph.
	Fiat Chrysler recalls 1.4M vehicles to prevent hacking Fiat Chrysler has decided to recall about 1.4 million cars and trucks in the U.S. just days after two hackers revealed that they took control of a Jeep Cherokee SUV over the Internet.
	Bomb-proof lining contains explosion in luggage hold of aircraft A bomb-proof lining developed by an international team of scientists, including academics from the University of Sheffield, has successfully contained blasts in a series of controlled explosions in the luggage hold of a Boeing 747 and an Airbus 321.
Study is first to quantify global population growth compared to energy use If you've lived between the year 1560 and the present day, more power to you. Literally.
Police arrest US teen who built gun-firing drone The US teen who sparked an Internet sensation by building a small drone capable of firing a handgun, has been arrested and released on a $20,000 bond, police said Thursday.
	YouTube makes virtual reality push with 360-degree 3-D YouTube says it's making a further push into virtual reality, promising to add 3-D support for videos that play back in its 360-degree format.
	WTO strikes 'landmark' deal to cut tariffs on IT products Major exporters of information technology on Friday agreed to cut global tariffs on more than 200 products, in the first such deal struck by the World Trade Organization in nearly two decades.
	Could Twitter stop the next terrorist attack? Social media giants including Twitter, Yahoo, Facebook and Google are pushing back against Senate legislation that would require them to alert federal authorities of any terrorist activity, according to industry and government officials.
	Innovative tornado panels installed in Montgomery home With the 2011 Alabama tornado catastrophe still lingering in the minds of many, University of Alabama at Birmingham research has led to the creation of new technology designed to help save lives in a natural disaster.
	Smaller and smarter antennas for military use When it comes to protecting the men and women of the armed forces, University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher Nader Behdad focuses his work on an obstacle most people wouldn't associate with combat: the physical limitations of low-frequency antennas.
	Hack of dating sites signals an end to promiscuous use of online identity If anybody is still labouring under the mistaken belief that anything online can remain private and secure, this week should have seen them finally admit defeat. In the US, UCLA Health reported) that 4.5 million health records had been compromised. UCLA Health runs four hospitals and 150 offices in Southern California, based at the University of California and Los Angeles.
	Hydrogen bus trial shows promise Heavy transport that emits heat and water instead of diesel exhaust is within WA's reach, a Murdoch University researcher says.
	Wind energy provides 8% of Europe's electricity EU's grid connected cumulative capacity in 2014 reached 129 GW, meeting 8% of European electricity demand, equivalent to the combined annual consumption of Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and Ireland. According to a JRC report, the impressive growth of the industry will allow at least 12% electricity share by 2020, a significant contribution to the goal of the European energy and climate package of 20% share of energy from renewable sources.
Powerful ceramic fuel cells could enable in-home production of electricity from natural gas The development of affordable and efficient ceramic fuel cells that could be used to power homes, the culmination of five years worth of work by Colorado School of Mines researchers, is featured in the July 23 issue of Science magazine.
Drug testing coming to e-sports after doping admission The world's largest e-sports organization said Friday it will crack down on the use of drugs intended to give players an edge in video game tournaments.
	Amazon shares surge after surprise profit report Amazon shares rocketed higher Thursday after the online giant surprised the market by swinging to profit in the second quarter amid surging sales.
	AbbVie beats 2Q profit forecasts, but sales fall short Drugmaker AbbVie Inc. reported better-than-expected second-quarter profit, but its sales disappointed Wall Street.
Amazon's value surpasses Wal-Mart after surprise 2Q profit It's official: Amazon is bigger than Wal-Mart. Amazon shares surged 15 percent on Friday after the e-commerce powerhouse reported a surprise second-quarter profit and a better-than-expected 20 percent jump in revenue.
United Technologies: US probes Sikorsky on Navy contract United Technologies says the Justice Department has launched a criminal probe into allegations that subsidiary helicopter maker Sikorsky and two subsidiaries overbilled the Navy.
	AT&T buys DirecTV, now biggest traditional TV provider in US Even as TV watchers increasingly go online, AT&T has become the country's biggest traditional TV provider with its $48.5 billion purchase of DirecTV.

Chemistry news

	Research group develops low-cost bi-functional carbon nanotube sponges Dr. Choongho Yu, the Gulf/Oil Thomas A. Dietz Career Development Professor II in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, and his group in mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering have recently published a paper in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.
	Acetic acid as a proton shuttle in gold chemistry A recently published study gives a vivid example of unusual chemical reactivity associated with organogold complexes. Using modern physical methods and computational studies, the authors propose a reaction mechanism in which a molecule of acetic acid serves as a proton shuttle, transferring the hydrogen atom between the reaction centers.
	Insights into catalytic converters Modern catalytic converters for the treatment of exhaust gases in vehicles with a combustion engine have largely contributed to reducing of pollutant emissions. By oxidation or reduction, i.e. the donation or acceptance of electrons, the catalysts convert combustion pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, into carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen. Increasingly strict emission regulations call for a further reduction of fuel consumption and for an efficient use of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system. When adding the reduction agent ammonia formed by e.g. decomposition of urea, nitrogen oxides are converted into harmless nitrogen and water vapor over the catalytic converter. For this purpose, typically an urea solution (AdBlue) is injected into the exhaust gas section upstream of the catalytic converter.

Biology news

	Why do mitochondria retain their own genome? It sounds like science fiction to suggest that every cell in the human body is occupied by a tiny genome-equipped organelle, with which we exist in symbiosis. But in actuality, eukaryotic life is dependent on mitochondria, which provide energy to the cell in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Over millennia, the genomes of mitochondria evolved under selection for minimal gene content, but researchers have been unable to determine why some but not all mitochondrial genes have been transferred to the nuclear genome.
	Researcher explores the current state of domestic animal cloning Researchers are able to clone domestic animals using various techniques, including embryo splitting and nuclear transfer, but the expense and inherent inefficiencies of most cloning processes have limited procedures to research and certain agricultural activities. Carol L. Keefer of the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences of the University of Maryland has contributed a paper to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that provides a contextual overview of the innovations and contributions of cloning while seeking to answer an important question: If cloning is impractical and inefficient as a means of producing animals, and in the absence of societal acceptance for transgenic products, how is artificial cloning being used?
Pesticides found in most pollen collected from foraging bees in Massachusetts More than 70% of pollen and honey samples collected from foraging bees in Massachusetts contain at least one neonicotinoid, a class of pesticide that has been implicated in Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), in which adult bees abandon their hives during winter, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
	What sounds make us feel safe in public? Rationally speaking, most people know that random, violent crime is rare. But that doesn't keep them from getting the creeps when they walk through a parking structure or other public place that's not well-lit or crowded.
	High-performance computing helps chemists sort through cellular statistics DNA is often referred to as "the blueprint of life." But it's more than just a blueprint—it's also a kind of operations manual for the workings of the cell, telling it what proteins to manufacture and when.
	Insights into genomic instability during the early stages of embryonic cell development The environment within a cell is a paradoxical balance of order and chaos. Proteins, DNA and countless other biological molecules tumble together in a wildly turbulent system that somehow holds together to engender life.
	Worm pheromones trigger plant defenses, study finds Plants can sense parasitic roundworms in the soil by picking up on their chemical signals, a team of researchers at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI), on the Cornell University campus, has found.
	DNA suggests that the diversity of European butterflies could be seriously underestimated This week appears the first map of the genetic biodiversity of butterflies of the Iberian peninsula. The work has been led by Roger Vila, a CSIC scientist at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (Institut de Biologia Evolutiva-IBE) a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University Pompeu Fabra (UPF). The work is published in the Scientific Reports journal.
	Toxin from salmonid fish has potential to treat cancer Pathogenic bacteria develop killer machines that work very specifically and highly efficiently. Scientists from the University of Freiburg have solved the molecular mechanism of a fish toxin that could be used in the future as a medication to treat cancer. The scientists have now published their research in the journal Nature Communications.
	Unlocking the rice immune system A bacterial signal that when recognized by rice plants enables the plants to resist a devastating blight disease has been identified by a multi-national team of researchers led by scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) and the University of California (UC) Davis.
	TOPLESS plants provide clues to human molecular interactions Scientists at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) have revealed an important molecular mechanism in plants that has significant similarities to certain signaling mechanisms in humans, which are closely linked to early embryonic development and to diseases such as cancer.
	Parasitic flatworms flout global biodiversity patterns The odds of being attacked and castrated by a variety of parasitic flatworms increases for marine horn snails the farther they are found from the tropics. A Smithsonian-led research team discovered this exception to an otherwise globally observed pattern—usually biodiversity is greatest in the tropics and decreases toward the poles. The study, published in Ecology, makes a case for using host-parasite relationships as a tool to understand why there are typically more species—and more interactions between species—in the tropics than anywhere else in the world.
Stadium lighting affects bat behavior and may threaten biodiversity A new Animal Conservation study shows that sports stadium lighting can alter patterns of bat species activity and feeding, which may in turn have cascading effects on other organisms and the ecosystem as a whole.
Genomics research to benefit wine and biodiversity Two new research projects at the University of Adelaide will use leading genomic expertise and technologies to benefit the wine industry and biodiversity conservation.
	Researcher aims to shed light on diabetic alert dogs Today's companies that train diabetic alert dogs and place them with families have experienced a high rate of success, but there's a catch—nobody knows how the dogs are doing it. That's where Catherine Reeve comes in.
Scientists discover first 'DNA ambulance' U of T researchers have discovered how severely damaged DNA is transported within a cell and how it is repaired.
	Inbreeding not to blame for Colorado's bighorn sheep population decline The health of Colorado's bighorn sheep population remains as precarious as the steep alpine terrain the animals inhabit, but a new study led by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder has found that inbreeding—a common hypothesis for a recent decline—likely isn't to blame.
Seaworld's killer whales live as long as their wild counterparts A new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Mammalogy by the Oxford University Press adds important insights to the debate over how long killer whales in human care live. The study found no difference in life expectancy between killer whales born at SeaWorld and a well-studied population of wild killer whales.
Floridians care about endangered species, want to know more, according to survey Floridians are passionate about conserving and protecting plants, animals and their habitats, but they feel woefully uninformed, according to a survey by the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources.
	1 of oldest African elephants in North America euthanized An animal-welfare group says one of the oldest African elephants in North America has been euthanized in California because of chronic degenerative joint and foot disease.

Medicine & Health news

	Fat sense: Scientists show we have a distinct taste for fat Move over sweet and salty: Researchers say we have a distinct and basic taste for fat, too.
	A newly discovered feeding behavior in worms could shed light on human heart function Tasting and spitting out toxic food is a survival trait shared by many complex organisms. Now MIT researchers have shown that a simple roundworm, Caenorhabditis elegans, has the ability to spit out potentially deadly substances—a finding that could have surprising implications for human heart research.
	The fruit fly may know it's bugging you University of Queensland researchers have shown, like humans, fruit flies may be self-aware of their actions.
	Exploring the brain's role in stress-induced anxiety​​​ Calming a neural circuit in the brain can alleviate stress in mice, according to new research that could lay the foundation for understanding stress and anxiety in people.
'Successful aging' linked to harmful drinking among over 50s The over 50s who are 'successful agers'—healthy, active, sociable, and well off—are more at risk of harmful drinking than their less successful peers, concludes research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
Study identifies risks related to falling in patients with COPD In a recent year-long study, 40% of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experienced falls, with more than 75% of these falling multiple times.
Attention-control video game curbs combat vets' PTSD symptoms A computerized attention-control training program significantly reduced combat veterans' preoccupation with - or avoidance of—threat and attendant PTSD symptoms. By contrast, another type of computerized training, called attention bias modification - which has proven helpful in treating anxiety disorders - did not reduce PTSD symptoms. NIMH and Israeli researchers conducted parallel trials in which the two treatments were tested in US and Israeli combat veterans.
US anthrax samples shipped to dozens of labs in past decade: report The US military shipped live anthrax samples to dozens of facilities in the country and to seven other nations over the past decade, a government report found Thursday, blaming faulty specimen killing and poor testing.
	Healthy diet may help shield the aging brain (HealthDay)—Eating a healthier diet might reduce the risk of problems with certain brain functions as you age, findings from a recent study suggest.
	Stillbirths now outnumber infant deaths in U.S. (HealthDay)—Stillbirths have eclipsed infant deaths for the first time in the United States, a new government report shows.
	Sleep apnea tied to increased risk of panic disorder (HealthDay)—Sleep apnea seems to be associated with increased risk of subsequent panic disorder, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Improved metabolic profile after roux-en-Y gastric bypass (HealthDay)—Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is associated with attenuated markers of oxidative stress in subcutaneous adipose tissue, according to a study published recently in Diabetes.
	Fluoroquinolones halt multidrug-resistant-TB in contacts (HealthDay)—For contacts of individuals with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), fluoroquinolone (FQN) therapy is associated with health system savings and reduced mortality, according to a study published in the July 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Bevacizumab safe, stable for multiple dosing from single vial (HealthDay)—Bevacizumab is safe and stable when stored at 4 degrees Celsius, even with multiple dosing from a single vial, according to a study published in the July issue of Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
	Ginger may be effective for relieving primary dysmenorrhea (HealthDay)—Ginger is effective for reducing pain in individuals with primary dysmenorrhea, according to a review published online July 14 in Pain Medicine.
	CDC: stillbirths now outnumber infant deaths in U.S. (HealthDay)—Stillbirths have eclipsed infant deaths for the first time in the United States, according to new research published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's July 23 National Vital Statistics Report.
	AAIC: exercise can treat signs and symptoms of dementia (HealthDay)—Regular exercise may be the best medicine for seniors facing the onset of dementia, according to three new clinical trials. The research was scheduled for presentation Thursday at the annual Alzheimer's Association International Conference, held from July 18 to 23 in Washington, D.C.
	Lifestyle changes may guard aging brain against memory loss The latest Alzheimer's research has a clear theme: Change your lifestyle to protect your brain.It will take several years for scientists to prove whether some experimental drugs could at least delay Alzheimer's disease, and an aging population is at risk now.
Resolving the cancer/diet paradox: New special issue on cancer in metabolism How much does diet affect the cancer patient? Do "antioxidants" really play an important role in health, or are they causing more cancers than they cure? And what exactly is the relationship between obesity and cancer?
	New receptor for controlling blood pressure discovered High blood pressure is a primary risk factor in the development of many cardiovascular diseases. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have now decoded a new regulatory mechanism, which could be a factor in the development of hypertension: the physical forces of the flowing blood activate a receptor on the surface of the inner vascular wall. Through a reaction chain, this ultimately leads to a reduction in blood pressure.
	California's vaccination law a national model for children's health, scholars say California's tough new vaccination law is legally sound and will serve as a model for how to keep children healthy, Stanford professors say.
	Are US vaccine rates going down because public trust and social ties are eroding? In December 2014, a measles outbreak began at Disneyland in Orange County, California. The outbreak eventually sickened 111 people in California and spread to six other states as well as Canada and Mexico.
	Study in calves offers hope for respiratory-disease treatment As every parent knows, respiratory illnesses—complete with runny nose, sore throat and cough—are quite routine for young children and usually pass as quickly as they appear.
	Urban design matters when it comes to street life For the first time, researchers in a mid-size city have shown that pedestrian activity increases when streets have classic urban design qualities and elements such as windows overlooking the sidewalks, small and uniform building setbacks, courtyards, outdoor dining and buildings with identifying elements.
'Cool' states have more coffee shops, fewer fast-food eateries A coffeehouse cappuccino or a fast-food latte? If you're one of the cool people, you'll opt for the java shop on the corner, of course.
New care model for Māori children with asthma recommended A new University of Otago, Wellington, research report has found that the main barriers to optimal health literacy—and therefore optimal care for Māori children with asthma—are structural and endemic to New Zealand's acute care model of health delivery.
	Fighting womb cancer with PARP inhibitors In the summer of 2013, mum of two, Suzanne Harford went to see the doctor after noticing unusual changes in her monthly cycle. Thinking that she might have a common non-cancerous growth called a fibroid, her GP referred her for surgery.
	Getting the right signals Researchers in Texas A&M University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences have proposed a "unified" way to explain the function of dietary bioactives in suppressing cancer-causing cell signaling.
	Tiny houses could help mitigate homelessness In recent years, the "tiny house" movement has picked up speed in the U.S. Most often, the advocates of the small homes promote them as a lifestyle choice for those seeking to save money, reduce possessions, or otherwise simplify their lives.
	The environmental influence on epigenetics Are you really what your mother ate, drank or got stressed about? The simple answer is "no", but not in the way you think.
	How we showed 'sleeping on it' really is the best way to solve a problem Have you ever struggled to finish a level of Candy Crush or complete a Sudoku puzzle in the evening but breezed through it the following morning? The reason may please anyone who's been told they spend too much time in bed asleep.
A gene-sequence swap using CRISPR to cure hemophilia Sufferers of hemophilia live in a perpetual state of stress and anxiety: their joints wear down prematurely and they have bleeding episodes that feel like they will never end. Their bodies lack the ability to make the clotting factor responsible for the coagulation of blood so any cut or bruise can turn into an emergency without immediate treatment.
	Pluto scientists were masters of the long haul—here's how people stick with extremely long-term goals It took almost a decade for NASA's New Horizons spacecraft to navigate its way across the solar system to start taking and transmitting dramatic closeup photos of the dwarf planet Pluto. Turning funding into the reality of a launch involved another five years before that. Was it worth the wait? One team member calls it "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to participate in "a history-making event," so apparently it was.
Extroverted populations have lower savings rates Extroverted populations tend to have lower savings rates, says Jacob Hirsh, an assistant professor at U of T Mississauga's Institute for Management and Innovation.
Scientists discover why some prostate tumours are resistant to radiotherapy Scientists at the University of York believe they have identified how some tiny regulatory molecules in cells can make prostate cancers resistant to radiotherapy.
Diagnosis of psychiatric disorders not as important as outcomes Nailing the diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder may not be important in prescribing effective treatment, according to Mark Zimmerman, M.D., a clinical researcher at Rhode Island Hospital. His opinion editorial was published online today in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
	EU drug regulator recommends 1st license for malaria shot The European Medicines Agency is recommending the world's leading malaria vaccine be licensed even though it is only about 30 percent effective and that protection fades over time.
Indian state sets schoolbag weight limit Children struggling under the weight of an oversized schoolbag is a common sight the world over, but now one Indian state has ordered parents to ensure kids lighten their load.
For prostate cancer patients, risk-specific therapies now more the norm After decades of overtreatment for low-risk prostate cancer and inadequate management of its more aggressive forms, patients are now more likely to receive medical care matched to level of risk, according to a study by researchers at UC San Francisco.
Brain structure reveals ability to regulate emotions We all vary in how often we become happy, sad or angry, and also in how strongly these emotions are expressed. This variability is a part of our personality and can be seen as a positive aspect that increases diversity in society. However, there are people that find it so difficult to regulate their emotions that it has a serious impact on their work, family and social life. These individuals may be given an emotional instability diagnosis such as borderline personality disorder or antisocial personality disorder.
Researchers find new method to halt the advance of liver cancer A new study by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP), the National Cancer Institute, and the Chulabhorn Research Institute has found that blocking the activity of a key immune receptor, the lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTβR), reduces the progression of liver cancer. The results, published today in the online edition of Gut, could provide new treatment strategies for the disease, which is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
Research links premature birth to withdrawn personality New research indicates that adults born very premature are more likely to be socially withdrawn and display signs of autism.
Patient satisfaction is good indicator of success after spinal surgery Patient satisfaction ratings after surgery for spinal degenerative disease—especially in terms of reduced pain and disability—are a good indicator of the procedure's effectiveness, reports a study in the August issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
	Dementia risk may be dropping with generations (HealthDay)— New research suggests that people born after 1930 may have a lower risk of developing dementia than the generation before them, adding to evidence that the incidence of dementia may be declining in the United States and elsewhere.
	Prostate cancer not caused by shift work As well as the daily strain of their working lives, shift workers are probably also more likely than other people to develop cancer. While this has been well described for breast cancer, few studies had examined the correlation between shift work and prostate cancer. In a recent original article in Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztbl Int 112: 463-70), Gael P. Hammer et al. show that shift workers do not develop prostate cancer more frequently than their colleagues who work during the day.
Proposed label would tell how much added sugar to eat The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday proposed that nutrition facts labels include the percentage of a person's recommended daily intake of added sugars in a food item—the "percent daily value."
	Know it's a placebo? New study shows the 'medicine' could still work You don't think you're hungry, then a friend mentions how hungry he is or you smell some freshly baked pizza and whoaaa, you suddenly feel really hungry. Or, you've had surgery and need a bit of morphine for pain. As soon as you hit that button you feel relief even though the medicine hasn't even hit your bloodstream.
	Researchers test bioartificial liver device to treat acute liver failure Approximately 30,000 to 40,000 people die from liver disease each year, according to the American Liver Foundation. For people who experience acute liver failure, the only proven treatment has been liver transplantation. Researchers at Mayo Clinic have developed and are testing an alternative to liver transplantation called the Spheroid Reservoir Bioartificial Liver that can support healing and regeneration of the injured liver, and improve outcomes and reduce mortality rates for patients with acute liver failure - without requiring a transplant.
Repairing fatal mutations behind mitochondrial disease A multidisciplinary team of researchers has eliminated fatal mitochondrial DNA mutations in stem cells from patients with mitochondrial diseases. The study is published in a recent online issue of Nature as a collaboration between some of the nation's top institutions and Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Medicine.
Spines of boys and girls differ at birth Looking at measurements of the vertebrae - the series of small bones that make up the spinal column - in newborn children, investigators at Children's Hospital Los Angeles found that differences between the sexes are present at birth. Results of the study, now online in advance of publication in the August issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, suggest that this difference is evolutionary, allowing the female spine to adapt to the fetal load during pregnancy.
	India's 'Medicine Baba' gets drugs from rich, gives to poor Omkarnath spends his days searching New Delhi for drugs. A call to the phone number printed boldly on his saffron-colored tunic reveals his alternate identity: "Hello, I am Medicine Baba."
	U.S. health officials examine pot-linked death in colorado (HealthDay)—U.S. health officials on Thursday revisited the first reported marijuana-linked death in Colorado since voters there legalized recreational use of the drug in 2012.
'Watch' helps surgeons minimize potential risks of all-inside meniscal repair JBJS Case Connector, an online case report journal published by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, has issued a "Watch" regarding potential risks with anchor-based all-inside meniscal repairs. While all-inside techniques have many advantages, including shorter surgical time and reduced risk of damage to neurovascular tissues, potential drawbacks include risks of local soft-tissue irritation and implant migration or breakage.
Study finds young people lack knowledge to help lift organ donation New University of Otago research published in the New Zealand Medical Journal today shows that the young "organ donors of the future" lack the knowledge that could help lift New Zealand's rates of organ donation.
How to predict ICU bed occupancy and manage it effectively The critical care doctor Julio Barado-Hualde (Villava, Navarre, 1965) has developed a mathematical simulation model that enables the occupancy of beds in an ICU (Intensive Care Unit) to be predicted so that they can be managed more effectively. This research, which focusses on the Hospital Complex of Navarre, is part of his PhD thesis read at the NUP/UPNA-Public University of Navarre.
	Nigeria celebrates 1 year with no new polio cases Once stigmatized as the world's polio epicenter, Nigeria on Friday celebrates its first year with no reported case of the crippling disease, having overcome obstacles ranging from Islamic extremists who assassinated vaccinators to rumors the vaccine was a plot to sterilize Muslims.
Senate GOP setting up 'Obamacare' vote on highway bill Senate Republican leaders announced plans Friday to use a must-pass highway bill to try to overturn President Barack Obama's health care law, in the latest GOP assault on "Obamacare."
Temple-led research analyzes impact of case volume on outcomes for DVT treatment Patients who have lower extremity proximal deep vein thrombosis (LE-DVT), or a blood clot in their leg, are increasingly undergoing minimally invasive catheter-based blood clot removal - also referred to as catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) - rather than solely being treated with traditional blood-thinning medications (anticoagulation alone). This trend is due to recent literature showing reductions in lifestyle-limiting post-thrombotic complications of acute DVT in patients who undergo CDT compared to those that are treated with anticoagulation alone. One of those complications is post thrombotic syndrome, or PTS, a very frequent and disabling complication of DVT which is characterized by pain, swelling, itching, skin discoloration and heaviness in the legs and, in severe cases, skin ulcers.
Two heart transplants not slowing teen down Ryan Brown refuses to let his medical challenges limit the possibilities of his future.

Other Sciences news

Math key factor in career fields where women are underrepresented Math – not college faculty's belief that female students lack brilliance – points to why fewer women are in STEM fields, research at the University of Kansas shows.
Boeing family, company donate $30M to Seattle museum The Boeing Company and the Boeing family are each contributing $15 million to Seattle's Museum of Flight to significantly expand the museum's education programs.
	Anthem bids $48 billion for Cigna to create health giant Anthem is buying rival Cigna for $48 billion in a deal that would create the nation's largest health insurer by enrollment, covering about 53 million U.S patients.

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