Fwd: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Aug 20

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Fri, Aug 21, 2015 at 3:45 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Aug 20
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 20, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- New theory—If we want to detect dark matter we might need a different approach
- Why we're smarter than chickens: Team uncovers protein part the controls neuron development
- Study shows staring into someone's eyes for a long time can cause hallucinations
- New data from Antarctic detector firms up cosmic neutrino sighting
- A detector shines in search for dark matter
- Research shows seawater involved in making diamonds beneath the Northwest Territories
- Snaring a dark energy 'chameleon': Is dark energy hiding from us? Matter may be screening it from our view
- Horizontal transfer of mitochondria in sickness and in health
- Scientists find possible replacement for platinum as catalyst
- Electrospray solves longstanding problem in Langmuir-Blodgett assembly
- Scientists uncover surprising mechanism behind antibiotic-resistant bacteria
- Lighting up cancer cells to identify low concentrations of diseased cells
- Pliable plant virus, a major cause of crop damage, yields its secrets after 75+ years
- World breaks new heat records in July: NOAA scientists
- The unique ecology of human predators

Nanotechnology news

	Scientists find possible replacement for platinum as catalyst Rice University chemists who developed a unique form of graphene have found a way to embed metallic nanoparticles that turn the material into a useful catalyst for fuel cells and other applications.
	Researchers reveal new, stable 2-D materials Dozens of new two-dimensional materials similar to graphene are now available, thanks to research from University of Manchester scientists.
	Unfolding the mysteries of DNA origami Experiments performed by a University of York physicist have provided new insights into how DNA assembles into nanostructures, paving the way for more precise use in technology and medicine.
	Lighting up cancer cells to identify low concentrations of diseased cells Researchers in China have developed tiny nanocrystals that could be used in the next generation of medical imaging technologies to light up cancer cells. In a study published in the inaugural issue of the journal Applied Materials Today, a new rapid, online only publication, the team of researchers describe how they make these films which are based on the heavy metals lanthanum and europium.

Physics news

	New theory—If we want to detect dark matter we might need a different approach Physicists suggest a new way to look for dark matter: They believe that dark matter particles annihilate into so-called dark radiation when they collide. If true, then we should be able to detect the signals from this radiation.
	New data from Antarctic detector firms up cosmic neutrino sighting Researchers using the IceCube Neutrino Observatory have sorted through the billions of subatomic particles that zip through its frozen cubic-kilometer-sized detector each year to gather powerful new evidence in support of 2013 observations confirming the existence of cosmic neutrinos.
	A detector shines in search for dark matter Results of the XENON100 experiment are a bright spot in the search for dark matter. The team of international scientists involved in the project demonstrated the sensitivity of their detector and recorded results that challenge several dark matter models and a longstanding claim of dark matter detection. Papers detailing the results will be published in upcoming issues of the journals Science and Physical Review Letters.
	Snaring a dark energy 'chameleon': Is dark energy hiding from us? Matter may be screening it from our view If dark energy is hiding in our midst in the form of hypothetical particles called "chameleons," Holger Müller and his team at the University of California, Berkeley, plan to flush them out.
	A new design for an easily fabricated, flexible and wearable white-light LED Researchers from National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan have created highly flexible, efficient white LEDs with potential use in wearable displays and non-flat surfaces, such as curved and flexible television screens. While the design itself is new, the LED was completely fabricated from pre-existing technologies, allowing others to easily replicate and build on the platform.
	Nanocrystals don't add up for reactor materials Lawrence Livermore researchers have found that nanocrystalline materials do not necessarily resist radiation effects in nuclear reactors better than currently used materials.
New probe can monitor shock from hemorrhages without drawing blood It's inefficient to periodically draw blood from someone's neck to check oxygen levels, especially when that person is in an intensive care unit for massive blood loss. Yet the invasive procedure is currently the go-to method for monitoring the status of hypovolemic and septic shock, the common consequence of hemorrhage that causes poor oxygen circulation and can lead to organ failure and death. In a quest for a better monitoring technique, researchers from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China have developed a portable probe that uses near-infrared light to measure blood oxygen saturation in the tissue surrounding the central internal jugular vein in the neck – allowing doctors to continuously monitor a patient's recovery from shock without the hassle of continuously drawing and analyzing blood.
	Small, inexpensive, and incredibly resilient: A new femtosecond laser for industry A team at the University of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics has created a laser capable of generating ultrashort pulses of light even under extremely difficult external conditions. This unique combination of precision and resilience is due to the fact that the whole process of generating femtosecond laser pulses takes place within a specially-selected optical fiber.

Earth news

	Research shows seawater involved in making diamonds beneath the Northwest Territories Some of the rich diamond deposits in the Northwest Territories may have been formed as a result of ancient seawater streaming into the deep roots of the continent, transported by plate tectonics, suggests new research from an international team of scientists in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. The discovery further highlights the role played by plate tectonics in "recycling" surface materials into deep parts of the earth, building on the groundbreaking discovery by a University of Alberta team last year of vast quantities of water trapped more than 500 kilometres underground.
	Warming climate is deepening California drought A new study says that global warming has measurably worsened the ongoing California drought. While scientists largely agree that natural weather variations have caused a lack of rain, an emerging consensus says that rising temperatures may be making things worse by driving moisture from plants and soil into the air. The new study is the first to estimate how much worse: as much as a quarter. The findings suggest that within a few decades, continually increasing temperatures and resulting moisture losses will push California into even more persistent aridity. The study appears this week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
	World should heed lessons from Hurricane Katrina, economist says A decade after Hurricane Katrina hammered America's Gulf Coast, measures are being taken there to protect against similar devastation from natural disasters—as well as against long-term, gradual impacts resulting from climate change.
	The downs and ups of mountain building In the D'Entrecasteaux Islands off Papua New Guinea, the rocks are giving rise to new ideas about the ways in which mountain chains form. A new scientific model inspired by data from the islands shows how the seemingly opposite processes of tectonic compression and extension can take place in the same region.  It also shows how sections of earth's crust that have been pushed deep under the surface can reverse course and rise in what in the geological time scale would be an instant. The model has implications for the understanding of how many mountain belts form.
	World breaks new heat records in July: NOAA scientists The world broke new heat records in July, marking the hottest month in history and the warmest first seven months of the year since modern record-keeping began in 1880, US authorities said Thursday.
	Boreal forests challenged by global change Management of boreal forests needs greater attention from international policy, argued forestry experts from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Natural Resources Canada, and the University of Helsinki in Finland in a new article published this week in the journal Science. The article, which reviews recent research in the field, is part of a special issue on forests released in advance of the World Forestry Congress in September.
	Scientists turn oily soil into fertile ground Rice University scientists are cleaning soil contaminated by oil spills in a way that saves energy and reclaims the soil's fertility.
	Report: Groundwater pumping in California has land sinking Vast areas of California's Central Valley are sinking faster than in the past as massive amounts of groundwater are pumped during the historic drought, state officials said, citing new research by NASA scientists.
	Study sees dying wildlife, bigger fires if drought lasts The carcasses of salmon, trout and more than a dozen other newly extinct native species lie in dry streambeds around California.
	Mapping land claimed by sea level rise The New Jersey shoreline that sea birds wandered during the last ice age is about 90 miles east of today's beaches, tens of meters beneath the sea floor. As the ice melted, sea level gradually rose and flooded the coastal terrain, and sedimentation carried out its relentless burial of things past.
	NASA begins to build satellite mission to improve hurricane forecasting Ten years after Hurricane Katrina formed in the Atlantic, construction of NASA's next-generation hurricane-observing satellite mission now is underway in Texas.
	Water quality expert discusses cyanobacteria bloom in the Charles River Recent tests indicated that the Charles River contains high levels of blue-green algae, prompting health officials to advise people to exercise caution and refrain from coming in contact with the water.
	More grasslands in Tibet could bring climate improvements In the Arctic, enhanced vegetation growth amplifies global warming. On the Tibetan Plateau, however, the situation is the reverse.
	Ancient magma movements responsible for Gascoyne minerals Geologists have used a technique developed at Curtin University to determine magmatic fluids came up from the earth's mantle repeatedly over the past 1600 million years, depositing minerals along a fault line in the Gascoyne region.
	Robot technology to measure UK's marine wildlife Today the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has launched its robot technology to measure marine wildlife in the Celtic Sea. This is the latest in a series of ambitious marine robotic vehicle trials by the NOC, off the UK coast.
Interior Department to lead review of Colorado river spill The Interior Department will lead a review of the Colorado mine spill that tainted rivers in three western states.
	Malaysia announces sweeping new protections for orangutans The Chief Minister of the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Tan Sri Haji Adenan Bin Satem, issued a video statement which highlights his intention protect orangutans and other fauna and flora located in this biodiverse-rich region in Malaysia.
Seeing Antarctica's future more clearly Do you love to lose yourself in little things? To read every footnote of a book, watch ants in a patch of grass, memorise every mole on a lover's skin?
	Suomi NPP Satellite sees Typhoon Goni brush northeastern Philippines Typhoon Goni appeared to be brushing Luzon, the northeastern Philippines in imagery from NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP Satellite on August 20.
	CloudSat slices into Super Typhoon Atsani NASA's CloudSat Satellite passed over Super Typhoon Atsani as it moved through the western North Pacific Ocean. CloudSat looked at the super typhoon from the side, revealing heavy rainfall in a sloping eyewall.
	GPM Satellite analyzes Tropical Storm Danny's rain structure Tropical Storm Danny became the fourth named storm of the season on August 18 when it formed in the central Atlantic about 1,660 miles east of the Windward Islands. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission core satellite passed over Danny the next day and analyzed the structure of its rainfall.
	EU slams top economies on climate summit targets The EU on Thursday urged India, Indonesia, Brazil and other major economies to immediately submit their emissions reductions targets to help avoid failure at the UN climate summit in Paris later this year.
	Architecture of aquifers: Chile's Atacama Desert The Loa River water system of northern Chile's Atacama Desert, in the Antofagasta region, exemplifies the high stakes involved in sustainable management of scarce water resources. The Loa surface and groundwater system supplies the great majority of water used in the region, and meets much of the municipal and agricultural demands. It is vital to regional copper mining, which constitutes ~50% of Chile's copper production, which in turn supplies one-third of the world's copper needs. However, a key property of the Loa system is the scarcity of surface water.
	Europe hit by one of the worst droughts since 2003 Much of the European continent has been affected by severe drought in June and July 2015, one of the worst since the drought and heat wave of summer of 2003, according to the latest report by the JRC's European Drought Observatory (EDO). The drought, which particularly affects France, Benelux, Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic, northern Italy and northern Spain, is caused by a combination of prolonged rain shortages and exceptionally high temperatures.
	NASA sees Danny become the 2015 Atlantic season's first hurricane NASA's Terra satellite passed over the Atlantic Ocean as Tropical Storm Danny intensified into the season's first hurricane.

Astronomy & Space news

	NASA reassures public that there is no asteroid threatening Earth Numerous recent blogs and web postings are erroneously claiming that an asteroid will impact Earth sometime between Sept. 15 and 28, 2015. On one of those dates, as rumors go, there will be an impact—"evidently" near Puerto Rico—causing wanton destruction to the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States and Mexico, as well as Central and South America.
	Astronomers observe the events around the black hole at the centre of our galaxy Who left the deep scars on the heart of our Milky Way? In their hunt for elusive clues that might reveal the culprit, an international team of astronomers at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics has been scouring cosmic images of the X-ray satellite XMM-Newton. The prime suspect is the supermassive black hole lurking at the centre of the Milky Way. But a number of massive stars and supernovae do not appear entirely innocent, either.
	Secret of Rosetta's cool These might resemble venetian window blinds, but they are actually a key technology enabling ESA's Rosetta spacecraft to travel safely from the Sun-warmed inner Solar System to the frigid expanse of the Asteroid Belt, then back again.
	What flows on Pluto? It's now been over a month since the New Horizons spacecraft flew by one of the last unknown outposts of our solar system and although we've only just seen a trickle of the data it collected, it has all been rather exciting. Over the next 14 months New Horizons will stare unblinkingly back at Earth transmitting its data over the slowest internet connection in the solar system.
	Using traces of ancient comet to explore the history of the Solar System Space: the final frontier – never were truer words spoken. We have currently explored less than 0.01% of the universe; in fact, it's much less than that. We've actually explored about as close to zero percent as it's possible to get. With so much left to discover, space is likely to remain a mystery for quite some time. But with the support of technological advances, scientists are making real progress, particularly when it comes to what planetary scientists regard as remainders from the 'building blocks of the solar system' – comets.
	How did Jupiter and Saturn form? The answer may lie with the humble pebble After many decades of exploring the solar system, we still have much to learn about our closest celestial neighbours. One of the biggest remaining puzzles is how the giant gas planets managed to form in the early days of the solar system, with the leading theories suggesting that they could have formed by repeated collisions between objects about ten times smaller than our own moon.

Technology news

	Activity trackers not as accurate for some activities, study finds Activity trackers can provide a good overall estimate of calories burned, but an Iowa State University study finds they're less accurate when measuring certain activities, such as strength training.
	SpaceLiner: Europe-Australia, 90 minutes, Europe-US, one hour In aviation circles, the talk of the future involves phrases like "space planes" and "hypersonic atmospheric flight vehicles." A group presently in the spotlight is from Germany; they are carrying a roadmap for low-cost space access which involves calling upon the air passenger market for fast-travel flights.
	Language analysis predicts a coming betrayal Being betrayed is worse than just being attacked. Someone you trusted as a friend and ally suddenly stabs you in the back.
	Apple challenges figures on Apple Music user retention Only 21 percent of users who have tested Apple Music no longer use it, Apple said Wednesday, countering the results of a survey that found defection rates at more than twice that amount.
San Francisco district attorney expands Uber lawsuit The San Francisco district attorney announced Wednesday the expansion of a consumer-protection lawsuit aimed at Uber's claims about driver background checks.
	Lawsuits against Ashley Madison over hack face tough road The release of the names and personal information of millions of potentially cheating spouses around the world will undoubtedly have disastrous consequences for many couples, but Ashley Madison members might think twice before suing over the website's hacking.
	Samsung to appeal to US Supreme Court in Apple patent case South Korean technology company Samsung is filing a petition to the US Supreme Court in its long-running patent infringement case against Apple, according to court documents.
	Pilot program aims to improve traffic flow, safety The City of Edmonton is piloting new traffic technology to help drivers get where they need to faster, easier and more safely, with the help of the University of Alberta's Centre for Smart Transportation.
	Economist discusses turbulent world of aviation reform John Strong knows aviation. For roughly 30 years, the CSX Professor of Finance and Economics at William & Mary's Raymond A. Mason School of Business has immersed himself in the economics, safety and politics of the airline industry, the Federal Aviation Administration and international transportation operations and infrastructure.
	Alibaba joins China arms maker to offer location services Internet giant Alibaba has joined forces with China's biggest defence company to offer location-based services using a homegrown satellite navigation system that competes with the US GPS network, the firms said.
	Talking to Mars—new antenna design will aid interplanetary communication When people think about antennas, they often picture old television sets with "rabbit ears" – two metal rods poking above the screen. Essentially, antennas are devices that allow the wireless transfer or reception of radio signals. They come in various sizes and shapes. For instance, it's your cellphone's antenna that allows you to stream videos, post a social media status, use GPS to find a restaurant and call a friend.
	Opinion: Time to tap in to an underused energy source—wasted heat Millions of people worldwide can't afford to keep their homes warm, but few realise the heat wasted in our energy system could provide the answer.
	Greenpeace demands Swiss shut world's oldest nuclear plant Greenpeace said Thursday it had launched legal action to demand that Switzerland shut down Beznau, the world's oldest commercial nuclear plant, for security reasons.
	New arena of power generation set in motion with MOU Sandia National Laboratories and eight other companies and research organizations will collaborate to advance a distributed power system that can produce cleaner, more efficient electricity.
Smartphone makers challenged by China 'saturation' A cooling of smartphone sales in China suggests the world's biggest market for the devices has reached a saturation point, posing challenges for manufacturers, a research report said Thursday.
California bill aims to warn consumers about recording TVs Readers who scanned the user manual for a new Samsung smart TV may have been surprised to learn their household conversations could be recorded without their knowledge.
	Medical booking site ZocDoc valued at $1.8 bn ZocDoc, a startup allowing consumers to book appointments with medical professionals, said Thursday it raised $130 million in a funding round, giving it a valuation of $1.8 billion.
	Trusted electronic hardware: Top 10 list of what consumers trust most Society puts a lot of trust in its electronic devices. Whether following a GPS to the beach or paying a bill online, consumers rely on their electronics for everyday tasks.
	Twitter shares tumble back to IPO price Twitter shares sank to an all-time low Thursday before closing at their initial public offering price from 2013, as growth concerns intensified over the one-to-many messaging platform.
	New data leaked from 'cheater' site Ashley Madison Hackers released a second batch of data Thursday from the affair-seeker website Ashley Madison, including corporate emails and sensitive computer source code.
	Cheating website subscribers included WH, Congress workers Hundreds of U.S. government employees—including some with sensitive jobs in the White House, Congress and law enforcement agencies—used Internet connections in their federal offices to access and pay membership fees to the cheating website Ashley Madison, The Associated Press has learned.
Using plant materials for aerospace and automotive application Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) is pioneering a research using plant materials to produce a bio-sourced hybrid composite for aerospace and automotive application.
	High-sensitivity, high resolution magnetocardiography for use at room temperature Researchers at Tohoku University have succeeded in developing a sensor for the living body that can detect the bio-magnetic field with high sensitivity and high resolution. This was achieved by using a tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) device to work at room temperature.
Indiana man pleads guilty in cybercriminal marketplace case An Indianapolis man is the latest to plead guilty to participating in a cybercriminal marketplace where hackers schemed to cripple or steal information from computers and cellphones.
Q&A: Ashley Madison hack only latest high-profile breach The data breach affecting customers of the Ashley Madison website may be salacious, embarrassing or even ruinous for those involved. But it's only the latest, and not the biggest, high-profile breach of customer or employee data reported in recent years.

Chemistry news

	Electrospray solves longstanding problem in Langmuir-Blodgett assembly In the 1930s, Irving Langmuir and his colleague Katharine Blodgett were working long days in the General Electric Company's research laboratory. Together, they discovered that by spreading molecules with volatile organic solvents on the surface of water, they could create a one-molecule-thick film and use it as an anti-reflective coating for glass. Later named Langmuir-Blodgett assembly, this thin-film fabrication technique became popular for creating molecule or nanoparticle monolayers and is commonly used until this day.
	Making hydrogen fuel from water and visible light highly efficient Mimicking photosynthesis is not easy. The bottleneck of artificial photosynthesis is visible light as converting it into other energy is not efficient. Researchers at Michigan Technological University have found a way to solve this issue, leading to an efficient technique to produce hydrogen fuel. Last week, the Journal of Physical Chemistry published their work.
	Innovative membrane capable of detecting organisms that cause diarrhea and intestinal problems A group of scientists from the Institute of Ecology and the Faculty of Medicine of the National University of Mexico (UNAM), have created a membrane capable of simultaneously detecting numerous organisms in water or food that cause diarrhea and intestinal problems. This health problem kills 760,000 children under the age of five annually, according to the World Health Organization.
	Team identifies structure of tumor-suppressing protein An international group of researchers led by Carnegie Mellon University physicists Mathias Lösche and Frank Heinrich have established the structure of an important tumor suppressing protein, PTEN. Their findings provide new insights into how the protein regulates cell growth and how mutations in the gene that encodes the protein can lead to cancer. The study is published online in Structure, and will appear in the Oct. 6 issue.
Video: Mechanisms of mechanochemistry The solvent-free mechanochemical synthesis of a metal-organic framework, ZIF-8, was followed in real-time by in situ X-ray diffraction monitoring. Formation of the open framework is recognized by the appearance of new diffraction rings in the central part of the image, the small black spots are diffraction signals of the microcrystalline organic reactant (2-methylimidazole), while the inorganic reactant (zinc oxide, ZnO) is a fine powder, so produces the three characteristic diffraction rings on the perifery of the image.

Biology news

	Why we're smarter than chickens: Team uncovers protein part the controls neuron development Toronto researchers have discovered that a single molecular event in our cells could hold the key to how we evolved to become the smartest animal on the planet.
	Researchers conduct first worldwide survey of non-native flora (Phys.org)—A large international team of researches has conducted a global survey of non-native flora that included 481 mainland regions (covering 83 percent of total land area) and 13,168 species of plants foreign to the places where they currently reside. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their study and why they believe it may help instigate a discussion on whether measures should be taken to prevent the transfer of plants from one region to another. Marcel Rejmánek with the University of California offers a News & Views piece on the work done by the team in the same journal edition.
	Aquatic hunger games: Archerfish spit the distance for food Move over, Katniss Everdeen. For archerfish, the odds are ever in their favor, according to new research from Wake Forest University.
	Molecular machine, not assembly line, assembles microtubules When they think about how cells put together the molecules that make life work, biologists have tended to think of assembly lines: Add A to B, tack on C, and so on. But the reality might be more like a molecular version of a 3-D printer, where a single mechanism assembles the molecule in one go.
	Discovery of trigger for bugs' defenses could lead to new antibiotics Scientists have exposed a chink in the armour of disease-causing bugs, with a new discovery about a protein that controls bacterial defences.
	Pliable plant virus, a major cause of crop damage, yields its secrets after 75+ years A hugely destructive plant virus so flexible that it has resisted efforts to describe its form since before World War II has finally surrendered its secrets. The discovery of what makes the bendy bug so malleable will revolutionize the efforts to stop such flexible plant viruses - and the billions in crop loss they cause every year—and may even lead to a new vehicle for delivering vaccines in humans.
	Scientists uncover surprising mechanism behind antibiotic-resistant bacteria Every year, more strains of bacteria develop resistance to the antibiotics we use to treat deadly infections. At The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) scientists have been working to develop new forms of these drugs, including an antibiotic called arylomycin—but tests have shown that it is possible for bacteria to become resistant to arylomycin, too.
	The unique ecology of human predators Are humans unsustainable 'super predators'?
	Regulatory, certification systems creating paralysis in use of genetically altered trees Myriad regulations and certification requirements around the world are making it virtually impossible to use genetically engineered trees to combat catastrophic forest threats, according to a new policy analysis published this week in the journal Science.
	Ecologists roll a century's work on food-webs into a single model What is the mathematical structure of the natural world?
	Bats wake up and smell the coffee A team from the University of Leeds, UK, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore and Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore, surveyed bats in the southern Western Ghats, in the first detailed study of the impact of rainforest fragmentation and plantations on bats.
	A "one-stop shop" for wasp identity information Determining the identity of parasitic wasps—some measuring less than a millimeter long—can be a time-consuming process that includes comparing their features to descriptions in published works and disparate specimen collections. Now, the same task could begin with the click of a mouse, thanks to an international team of researchers, including one from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
	Top ten bird species surviving thanks to zoos The African penguin, the Chinese Blue-crowned laughing thrush and the Ecuador Amazon parrot are among species staving off extinction thanks to the help of zoos, according to a new report co-ordinated by a conservation biologist at the University of York.
	Sugarcane aphids hit High Plains hard Sugarcane aphids have wasted no time in making themselves at home and becoming firmly entrenched across the High Plains, prompting a change in some recommendations on treatment, experts said.
	River Thames now fit for porpoise, says wildlife study Seals and porpoises are becoming a common sight in the Thames Estuary and further upstream, survey results published on Thursday show.
Grape waste could make competitive biofuel The solid waste left over from wine-making could make a competitive biofuel, University of Adelaide researchers have found.
	FIC proteins send bacteria into hibernation Bacteria do not cease to amaze us with their survival strategies. A research team from the University of Basel's Biozentrum has now discovered how bacteria enter a sleep mode using a so-called FIC toxin. In the current issue of Cell Reports, the scientists describe the mechanism of action and also explain why their discovery provides new insights into the evolution of pathogens.
	For trout fishermen, climate change will mean more driving time, less angling When trying to explain the potential effects of climate change on plants, fish and wildlife, scientists usually resort to language that fails to convey the impact of warming. Now, a study by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences fisheries researchers clearly explains the impact of projected warming waters on wild brook trout in the eastern U.S. for fishermen.
	Life in 3-D: Scientists pave the way for understanding the role of non-coding DNA in common genetic diseases Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and Stanford University in the USA, have shed new light on how the variations in our molecular make-up, such as gene expression, are controlled within our DNA. The research, published today in Cell, leads to a greater understanding of how certain genetic variants can 'switch' on or off the regulatory elements which control the expression of genes and ultimately the manifestation of an individual's characteristics and disease predispositions.
	Accelerating forage breeding to boost livestock productivity The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC), with partners in the UK, Colombia and Kenya bring together their leading expertise in forage breeding for animal nutrition, cutting-edge genomics and phenomics technologies to accelerate the improvement of Brachiaria, a vital livestock feed crop in central Africa and Latin America.
	Livestock producers urged to watch for toxic plants Extreme heat and dry conditions can lead to a shortage of grass, and an opportunity to consume toxic plants and forages found in Texas rangelands. Livestock producers should be aware of potential pitfalls, according to a Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory expert.
	Environmentalists praise Pakistan ban on hunting of rare bird Wildlife campaigners on Thursday welcomed a decision by Pakistan's Supreme Court to ban the hunting of a rare desert bird whose meat is prized among Arab sheikhs for being an aphrodisiac.
	Making bone in the lab Every year there are around 60,000 hip, 50,000 forearm and 40,000 vertebral fractures in the UK. At the Bone and Joint Research Group at the University of Southampton, Professor Richard Oreffo and team have made pioneering advances in the field of bone and tissue regeneration. Last year, a 3D printed hip joint made with a patient's own stem cells was implanted using this technology.

Medicine & Health news

	Study shows staring into someone's eyes for a long time can cause hallucinations (Medical Xpress)—Italian psychologist Giovanni Caputo has conducted a study with human volunteers where it was revealed that when two people stare into one another's eyes for a long period of time, both can experience disassociation symptoms and hallucinations. In his paper published in the journal Psychiatry Research, Caputo describes the experiment he carried out and the results he found and offers some theories to explain what was observed.
	Horizontal transfer of mitochondria in sickness and in health (Medical Xpress)—Two of the most enticing ideas in cells biology have recently converged to create a paradigm shift of epic proportions. The first is that not only is it possible for mitochondria to emigrate from their host cell, they are in fact exchanged among cells much more regularly than has ever been imagined. The second is that while happenstance mutations are clearly associated with different aspects of a litany of cancers, the canonical force consistently driving tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis is now broadly understood to be the metabolic fickleness of their mitochondria.
	Engineered hot fat implants reduce weight gain in mice Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a novel way to engineer the growth and expansion of energy-burning "good" fat, and then found that this fat helped reduce weight gain and lower blood glucose levels in mice.
	Scientists probe obesity's ties to breast cancer risk Obesity is a well-known risk factor for breast cancer, but researchers haven't figured out what connects the two. A new study suggests the link may be due to a change in breast tissue structure, which might promote breast cells to progress to cancer.
	Scientists discover link between childhood IQ and bipolar disorder New research published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry suggests that serious disorders of mood such as bipolar disorder may be the price that human beings have had to pay for more adaptive traits such as intelligence, creativity and verbal proficiency.
	Researchers discover neurons in the brain that weigh costs and benefits to drive formation of habits We are creatures of habit, nearly mindlessly executing routine after routine. Some habits we feel good about; others, less so. Habits are, after all, thought to be driven by reward-seeking mechanisms that are built into the brain. It turns out, however, that the brain's habit-forming circuits may also be wired for efficiency.
	Joining molecular components expands ability to manipulate genes in specific cell types Want to see where a particular gene is active? Use green fluorescent protein, or GFP, and the cells will light up.
	Study provides hope for some human stem cell therapies An international team of scientists headed by biologists at UC San Diego has discovered that an important class of stem cells known as human "induced pluripotent stem cells," or iPSCs, which are derived from an individual's own cells, can be differentiated into various types of functional cells with different fates of immune rejection.
	Altering daily light-dark cycles affects fertility in middle-aged female mice The fertility cycle in mammalian females becomes more irregular during the transition to menopause. The aging of the circadian clock may be a main driver of this change, argues a study published August 20 in Cell Reports. Researchers in the United States and Japan found that fertility in middle-aged mice could be improved or reduced according to differences in the light-dark cycle, whereas younger mice were unaffected.
	Brain waves behind indecisiveness Some people find it difficult to make decisions. In a new study, neuroeconomists from the University of Zurich now reveal that the intensity of the communication between different regions of the brain dictates whether we are indecisive or not.
	Unique genes in Khoe-San people may lower risk of some pregnancy hazards An examination of the immune genes of the southern African Khoe-San people has revealed a completely new kind of mutation, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The gene variant likely contributes to healthier babies, although the variant can also lower resistance to disease.
	Cellphone data can track infectious diseases Tracking mobile phone data is often associated with privacy issues, but these vast datasets could be the key to understanding how infectious diseases are spread seasonally, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Heart attack patients without obstructive coronary artery disease at high risk of residual angina Patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) are just as at risk of angina as those with obstructive CAD, according to new research published today in the European Heart Journal - Quality of Care and Clinical Outcomes.
	Imaging software could speed up breast cancer diagnosis New software could speed up breast cancer diagnosis with 90% accuracy without the need for a specialist, according to research published in the open access journal Breast Cancer Research. This could improve breast cancer management, particularly in developing countries where pathologists are not routinely available.
Systematic review shows 'smart drug' modafinil does enhance cognition The drug modafinil was developed to treat narcolepsy (excessive sleeping), but it is widely used off-licence as a 'smart drug' to promote cognitive enhancement, where qualities such as alertness and concentration are desired to assist someone with, for example, exam preparation. Past studies on sleep-deprived individuals have shown a strong positive effect of modafinil on these functions, but there has been less attention and scientific consensus on the drug's overall effectiveness as a cognitive enhancer in people that are not sleep-deprived - presumably the majority of people taking it. Now, a new systematic review, published online in the peer-reviewed journal European Neuropsychopharmacology shows that modafinil does indeed confer significant cognitive benefits in this group, at least on a particular subset of tasks.
How newts can help osteoarthritis patients A research team at York has adapted the astonishing capacity of animals such as newts to regenerate lost tissues and organs caused when they have a limb severed.
	iPS cells discover drug target for muscle disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a muscular disease that shows symptoms in early childhood and causes progressive atrophy and eventual death. There is little in terms of treatment, partly because of poor understanding of how DMD develops, although it is known that abnormal expression of the protein dystrophin is at fault.
	Working long hours linked to higher risk of stroke Working 55 hours or more per week is linked to a 33% greater risk of stroke and a more modest (13%) increased risk of developing coronary heart disease compared with working a standard 35 to 40 hour week, according to the largest study in this field so far involving over 600000 individuals, published in The Lancet.
	'Low T' therapy has yet to be proven: FDA (HealthDay)—Testosterone supplements have long been marketed to aging men as a fountain of youth and virility, but there is still no proof they are safe or effective, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
	'Deviant brain metabolism' found in high school football players New research into the effects of repeated head impacts on high school football players has shown changes in brain chemistry and metabolism even in players who have not been diagnosed with concussions and suggest the brain may not fully heal during the offseason.
Antibiotic-resistant 'superbug' found at California hospital A Los Angeles-area hospital said that some of its patients contracted an antibiotic-resistant "superbug" that has been linked to a type of medical scope and infected dozens of people around the country.
	Heavy smoking may lead to a fatter stomach Fear of weight gain is one reason smokers give for not kicking the habit, but new research suggests heavy smokers are more likely to develop pot bellies.
Finding usable medical images made easier through software Medical education instructors often rely on images to communicate what they're teaching, whether it's the latest innovations in heart-valve replacement or the practicalities of surgery during humanitarian missions.
Health-care cost diabetics more than double that of those without the disease, study finds Each person living with diabetes requires care that costs the Canadian health-care system an average of $16,000 over eight years, compared to $6,000 in average health-care costs for people who don't live with diabetes, a new study has found.
	Researchers find surprising level of tick-borne disease risk on San Francisco Bay Area trails The San Francisco Bay Area's broad swaths of trail-lined open space hold higher risks of tick-borne disease than previously thought, according to a new study by Stanford researchers.
	Study: Calcium supplementation does not clog arteries Contrary to recent reports, consuming calcium supplements is not likely to cause heart problems or heart attacks, according to a study from Purdue University.
	Opinion: Are kids getting addicted to technology? Are toddlers really becoming addicted to technology? There's certainly a lot of media hype to suggest that they are. And there's no question the footage of small children breaking down when their tablet is taken away is unsettling.
	Why do we find it hard to keep track of days of the week? Mondays really do make us blue, Fridays are the happiest day of the working week and 'dull' midweek days are easily muddled up  – and it's all due to how the artificial seven-day cycle we live by shapes the way we think, new research has shown.
Saudi MERS infections soar ahead of hajj pilgrimage MERS coronavirus infections have soared in Saudi Arabia ahead of the hajj pilgrimage, killing three people and forcing a Riyadh hospital to close its emergency ward, officials and newspapers said Thursday.
	Researcher using engineering and medical skills to help people with type 1 diabetes By the time she was a college sophomore, LaDonya Jackson already was cloning horses in a lab at Utah State University. She thought her interest in this research stemmed from her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian, but she quickly realized that's not what excited her about the work.
Cancer researchers publish landmark "basket study" Researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have announced results from the first published basket study, a new form of clinical trial design that explores responses to drugs based on the specific mutations in patients' tumors rather than where their cancer originated.
	Middle-aged drivers admit to using cellphones while driving, even with children in the car A new study published in Journal of Transport & Health reveals that middle-aged drivers are at higher risk of crashes because they use their cellphone regularly while driving. The research reveals that most drivers admit to using their cellphones regularly while driving, even with children in the car; drivers also feel pressured to answer work calls while driving.
	Eating 'on the go' could lead to weight gain, new research finds In a new study published today in the Journal of Health Psychology, researchers from the University of Surrey have found dieters who eat 'on the go' may increase their food intake later in the day which could lead to weight gain and obesity.  The findings from the study also showed that eating while walking around triggered more overeating compared to eating during other forms of distraction such as watching TV or having a conversation with a friend.
Home-based treatment is cost-effective alternative for heart patients Post-discharge disease management provided in their own homes could be a cost-effective alternative for recently-hospitalised elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).
	Valeant to spend about $1B on maker of women's libido drug Valeant Pharmaceuticals will pay about $1 billion in cash to buy Sprout Pharmaceuticals, the maker of the first prescription drug intended to boost sexual desire in women.
Quadruplets born to 65-year-old German woman leave hospital Doctors in Germany say the quadruplets born prematurely to a 65-year-old woman three months ago have been allowed to leave the hospital.
Team improves its sepsis therapeutic device Last year, a Wyss Institute team of scientists described the development of a new device to treat sepsis that works by mimicking our spleen. It cleanses pathogens and toxins from blood circulating through a dialysis-like circuit. Now, the Wyss Institute team has developed an improved device that synergizes with conventional antibiotic therapies and that has been streamlined to better position it for near-term translation to the clinic. The improved design is described in the October volume 67 of Biomaterials.
	Study examines breast cancer mortality after ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosis Researchers estimate the 20-year breast cancer-specific death rate for women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ to be 3.3 percent, although the death rate is higher for women diagnosed before age 35 and for black women, according to an article published online by JAMA Oncology.
	Bacteria evolve differences within the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis Treatments for the same opportunistic bacteria found in cystic fibrosis patients can work in one area in the lung and be less effective in others. The reason, reported August 20 in Cell Host & Microbe, is that bacteria become isolated from one another and evolve region-specific traits. Researchers saw differences in bacterial nutritional requirements, host defenses, and antibiotic resistance. The findings suggest that other chronic infections may yield similar bacterial diversity.
	The human genome: A complex orchestra A team of Swiss geneticists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), and the University of Lausanne (UNIL) discovered that genetic variation has the potential to affect the state of the genome at many, seemingly separated, positions and thus modulate gene activity, much like a conductor directing the performers of a musical ensemble to play in harmony. These unexpected results, published in Cell, reveal the versatility of genome regulation and offer insights into the way it is orchestrated.
	Home births save money, are safe, study finds Having a baby at home can save thousands of dollars over a hospital birth and is just as safe for low-risk births, according to a new UBC study.
	Brief postnatal blindness triggers long-lasting reorganization in the brain A brief period of postnatal visual deprivation, when early in life, drives a rewiring of the brain areas involved in visual processing, even if the visual restoration is completed well before the baby reaches one year of age, researchers at the University of Trento, McMaster University, and the University of Montreal revealed today in Current Biology.
Swiss researchers evaluate fetal progenitor tenocytes for repairing tendon injuries Tendon injuries, especially those acquired while engaging in sports, are not easily healed due to the fibrous nature of tendon tissues which transmit forces from muscle to bone and protect surrounding tissues against tension and compression. Tendon injuries to wrists, knees, elbows and rotator cuffs, often from over use when playing golf or tennis, are increasingly common for both professional and amateur athletes ("weekend warriors") alike.
	Study finds association between people who have had a traumatic brain injury and ADHD A new study has found a "significant association" between adults who have suffered a traumatic brain injury at some point in their lives and who also have attention deficit hyperactive disorder.
Extracorporeal life support is 'bridge-to-life' for patients with sudden onset cardiogenic shock Cardiogenic shock is when a patient's heart is so severely damaged that it is no longer able to pump blood to the organs of the body. When this occurs, mechanical circulatory support may be the only hope for survival. While different options are available, recovery of cardiac function with extracorporeal life support (ECLS) differs dramatically depending upon whether the cardiogenic shock results from an acute episode, such as a heart attack, or chronic cardiac deterioration. The results of a new study are reported in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, the official publication of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS).
New method of closing the incision during scoliosis surgery nearly eliminates infections Patients with scoliosis who undergo surgery may be less likely to develop an infection or other complications after the procedure when a novel wound closure technique pioneered at NYU Langone Medical Center is utilized, according to new research. The study was published online this past July in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics.
	Multiple strains of C. difficile cause severe patient outcomes No single genetic strain of the widespread Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) bacteria appears to be any more harmful than other strains, according to new research published online today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
	People with psychopathic traits are less likely to 'catch' a yawn than empathetic folks People with psychopathic characteristics are less likely to be affected by "contagious yawning" than those who are empathetic, according to a Baylor University psychology study.
	Daycare doesn't lead to aggressive behavior in toddlers Working parents often worry about sending their toddlers to daycare. But the results of a new study that tracked almost 1,000 Norwegian children enrolled in daycare indicate that working parents can breathe a sigh of relief: The amount of time children spent in daycare had little impact on aggressive behavior.
	Drug industry links run deep in field of sexual medicine How do you measure sexual desire?
	How long have primates been infected with viruses related to HIV? Disease-causing viruses engage their hosts in ongoing arms races: positive selection for antiviral genes increases host fitness and survival, and viruses in turn select for mutations that counteract the antiviral host factors. Studying such adaptive mutations can provide insights into the distant history of host-virus interactions. A study published on August 20th in PLOS Pathogens of antiviral gene sequences in African monkeys suggests that lentiviruses closely related to HIV have infected primates in Africa as far back as 16 million years.
	Breastfeeding may expose infants to toxic chemicals A widely used class of industrial chemicals linked with cancer and interference with immune function—perfluorinated alkylate substances, or PFASs—appears to build up in infants by 20%-30% for each month they're breastfed, according to a new study co-authored by experts from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. It is the first study to show the extent to which PFASs are transferred to babies through breast milk, and to quantify their levels over time.
	School vacations and humidity linked to multiple waves of influenza in Mexico during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic Scientists studying the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic have found that the inconsistent regional timing of pandemic waves in Mexico was the result of interactions between school breaks and regional variations in humidity.
	A paradigm shift in multidrug resistance Bacteria are pretty wily creatures. Take for example, an organism such as Salmonella, which which are killed by antibiotics in lab tests, but can become highly resistant in the body.
Patent expirations for blockbuster antipsychotic meds could save billions Medicaid is expected to save billions of dollars a year as patents for several blockbuster antipsychotic medications expire and use of generic versions of these drugs increases, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. These savings may provide relief from the high costs of these medications and allow policymakers to lift restrictions on patients' access, the researchers argue.
	'Memory region' of the brain also involved in conflict resolution The hippocampus in the brain's temporal lobe is responsible for more than just long-term memory. Researchers have for the first time demonstrated that it is also involved in quick and successful conflict resolution. The team headed by Prof Dr Nikolai Axmacher from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), together with colleagues from the University Hospital of Bonn as well as in Aachen and Birmingham, reported in the journal "Current Biology".
Diabetes drug shows first protection from heart complications (Update) For the first time, there's evidence that a diabetes medication, Jardiance, reduces risk of the complications that are the top killer of diabetics: heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular damage.
	Two proteins work together to help cells eliminate trash and Parkinson's may result Two proteins that share the ability to help cells deal with their trash appear to need each other to do their jobs and when they don't connect, it appears to contribute to development of Parkinson's disease, scientists report.
Researchers suggest approach to fight common virus in immunosuppressed patients Using an animal model they developed, Saint Louis University and Utah State university researchers have identified a strategy that could keep a common group of viruses called adenoviruses from replicating and causing sickness in humans.
	Maltreated children's brains show 'encouraging' ability to regulate emotions Children who have been abused or exposed to other types of trauma typically experience more intense emotions than their peers, a byproduct of living in volatile, dangerous environments.
	Study finds genes associated with improved survival for pancreatic cancer patients A study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and other major research institutes, found a new set of genes that can indicate improved survival after surgery for patients with pancreatic cancer. The study also showed that detection of circulating tumor DNA in the blood could provide an early indication of tumor recurrence.
Long distance travelers likely contributing to antibiotic resistance's spread Swedish exchange students who studied in India and in central Africa returned from their sojourns with an increased diversity of antibiotic resistance genes in their gut microbiomes. The research is published 10 August in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Spouses of stroke survivors face lingering health issues Caregiver spouses of stroke survivors are at an increased risk of mental and physical health issues that may continue for years, according to research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
Antibodies in the blood provide clues to transplant recipients' likelihood of rejection The dominant antibody type present in the blood of transplant recipients may indicate their likelihood of experiencing organ rejection, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings may help doctors identify patients who need aggressive treatments to safeguard the health of their new organ.
	People with few moles apt to develop deadlier skin cancer, study finds (HealthDay)—People who have many moles are at increased risk for melanoma skin cancer, but people with fewer moles may be more likely to develop a more aggressive form of the disease, a new study suggests.
	Don't let bedbugs ruin your vacation (HealthDay)—Bedbug infestations are on the rise, but savvy travelers know how to stop the pests from spoiling holiday trips.
	Most contact lens wearers take chances with their eyes: CDC (HealthDay)—Most contact lens wearers close their eyes to safety recommendations, a new U.S. government study finds.
	U.S. should reconsider labeling of genetically modified food (HealthDay)—The United States should reconsider labeling of genetically modified (GM) food, according to a perspective piece published in the Aug. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Report highlights ways to improve physician resilience (HealthDay)—Strategies can be adopted for improving physician resilience and the ability to handle the challenges presented by patient care, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
	Considerable variation in cost of generic topical corticosteroids (HealthDay)—There is considerable variation in the unit cost of topical corticosteroids across potencies and by branded generic or generic product, according to a research letter published online Aug. 19 in JAMA Dermatology.
	ACOG: Best evidence for rx of nausea, vomiting in pregnancy (HealthDay)—In a practice bulletin published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, recommendations are presented for the management of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.
	Non-ablative fractional laser could treat scar contracture (HealthDay)—Treatment with a dual wavelength non-ablative fractional laser may result in the functional improvement of scar contractures, according to a case study published online Aug. 6 in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
	Long-acting analog insulin doesn't up AMI risk in T2DM (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not significantly different for long-acting insulin analogs versus other basal insulin therapies, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
	Many parents aren't shielding babies from sun's harmful rays: study (HealthDay)—Many parents aren't providing their babies with proper sun protection, a new small study finds.
	Got a rash? You might be allergic to nickel, dermatologist says (HealthDay)—Nickel is one of the most common causes of a skin rash that occurs due to contact with an allergen, a dermatologist says.
Study documents extent of unexpected sexual consequences for young women who drink alcohol In-depth interviews conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine of 20 young women attending an urban sexually transmitted disease clinic have documented a variety of unexpected, unintended sexual encounters linked to their alcohol use before sex occurs.
	Women warriors at no greater risk for PTSD than men, study finds While past research on the question has been mixed, a new study by Defense and Veterans Affairs researchers suggests that women in the military are at no greater risk than men for developing posttraumatic stress disorder, given similar experiences—including combat.
US hospitals flout CDC recommendations that prevent infections According to a survey conducted by Rhode Island Hospital researchers, there is significant variability regarding how clinicians manage catheters placed in the arteries of patients in intensive care units. Some practices may increase risk of infection associated with these catheters. Fewer than half of those surveyed complied with current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) infection prevention guidelines for arterial catheter insertions. The study was published today in Critical Care Medicine.
	Poll: Majority in US wants gov't to curb prescription costs Move over, "Obamacare." A new poll finds Americans worried about medication costs and broadly supporting government action to curb drug prescription prices.
	NHS England urged to act as patients miss out on cancer drug tests It's a wonder of modern science that, for at least some types of cancer, doctors are now able to exploit the unique genetic faults in a person's tumour to treat their disease with precision drugs.
	Aboriginal communities have world's highest dementia incidence Research by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Health and Ageing has confirmed that the incidence of dementia in remote Aboriginal communities is the highest in the world, with head injuries and age the greatest contributing factors.
	HITECH Act did not speed up electronic health record adoption as hoped, study shows The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was signed into law Feb. 17, 2009, to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology, improve the quality of health care, prevent medical errors, reduce health care costs, increase administrative efficiencies, decrease paperwork, and expand access to affordable health care.
	Scientists build genome-based 'reference library' for blood diseases A new paper on how genome data (information regarding the genetic material of an organism such as DNA) can be made open-access – while at the same time ensuring that appropriate levels of privacy are maintained – has been published. The paper contains guidelines designed to both reduce ambiguity in the interpretation of open-access data and achieve controlled access.
Pakistan launches new polio vaccine, aims for 2016 wipeout Pakistan on Thursday formally launched an injectable polio vaccine, an important step to accelerate its polio eradication campaign as the authorities vowed to wipe out the disease by 2016.
Report shows uninsured Texans are twice as likely to delay seeking primary care, mental health care Texans without health insurance are twice as likely to skip seeking primary and mental health care because of cost. That's one of the findings of a new survey released today by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation.
AGA proposes alternate pathway to recertification Frustrated by a maintenance of certification process that doesn't improve patient care, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) this week released a proposed alternate pathway to recertification that is based on established learning theory. 1,3 It eliminates the high-stakes examination and replaces it with active, adaptive, self-directed learning modules that allow for continuous feedback.
	PET imaging detects fast-growing prostate cancer A molecular imaging biomarker is able to detect fast-growing primary prostate cancer and distinguish it from benign prostate lesions, addressing an unmet clinical need. The new research, published in the July 2015 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, is significant for patients with suspected prostate cancer that has not been confirmed by standard biopsy.
Afatinib: Added benefit in certain mutations confirmed Afatinib (trade name: Giotrif) has been approved since September 2013 for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with activating EGF receptor mutations who have not been treated with an EGF receptor tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI). After a first early benefit assessment in February 2014, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) now reexamined whether the drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy. The new benefit assessment was conducted because a limitation of the corresponding decision by the Federal Joint Commission (G-BA) expired in May 2015.
Adult stem cells for sports injuries It's not voodoo medicine anymore, it is reality and it soon may not require a trip overseas to get it done.
Researchers find ramelteon may be useful for sleep problems after TBI Kessler researchers found preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of ramelteon for the treatment of sleep disturbances after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The article, "Pilot study on the effect of ramelteon on sleep disturbance after traumatic brain injury," was epublished ahead of print in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation on May 28, 2015. Authors are Anthony Lequerica, PhD, and Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, of Kessler Foundation, Neil Jasey, MD, of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, and Jaclyn Portelli Tremont, MA, of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University.
There is lots of health data out there, how can it be used it to improve health care? Regenstrief Institute investigators experienced in the use of data to improve health care and its delivery in resource constrained environments will introduce attendees at MedInfo 2015 to open source options for health information exchange and data analysis.
Study finds e-cigarette use linked to cough reflex sensitivity The popularity of electronic cigarettes has steadily increased worldwide, but little is known about their effects on health. New research suggests that the single use of an electronic cigarette approximating the nicotine exposure of one tobacco cigarette reduces the sensitivity of the cough reflex.
	Is hospice use alone a good indicator of quality of end-of-life care? Hospice use is commonly accepted as an indicator of quality of end-of-life care, however, when researchers in the U.S. studied variations in patterns of hospice use between states, they found troubling trends. They discuss the variations in the timing and duration of hospice enrollment and their implications in an article published in Journal of Palliative Medicine.
NYC names hotel as source of deadly Legionnaires' outbreak A historic hotel's rooftop air-conditioning unit is the source of a Legionnaires' disease outbreak that has killed 12 people and sickened more than 100 in the Bronx, city Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said Thursday.
UN fears 11 typhoid cases in Syria are 'tip of the iceberg' The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees warned Thursday that 11 typhoid cases among civilians from a besieged Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of the Syrian capital may be just "the tip of the iceberg."
	Surgeons implant knee cartilage grown from patient's own cells Doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are the first in Ohio to use a tissue implant made from a patient's own cells to treat knee cartilage damage. Healthy cartilage is crucial to the smooth and painless mobility of most joints, and has limited capacity to repair itself after injury.

Other Sciences news

	Meet Pulanesaura eocollum, a new species of dinosaur Wits PhD student Blair McPhee has described a new species of dinosaur in a paper to be published in Scientific Reports on 19 September 2015. The new dinosaur, named Pulanesaura eocollum, means the "Rain lizard".
	Sociologist urges rethinking of sex and gender in surveys The International Olympic Committee is revisiting its standards for deciding which athletes are eligible to compete in men's or women's events. And in Washington, D.C., the signs on some public restrooms are changing to allow access for all genders.
	Researchers working to document Indigenous languages Researchers at the Australian National University (ANU) are working to document some of Australia's oldest Indigenous languages which are at risk of being lost forever.
Study shows what business leaders can learn from Formula One racing Formula One racing teams may have a lesson to teach business leaders: Innovation can be overrated.
Study finds causal connection between genotypes and years of education achieved A first-of-its-kind, nationally representative study of siblings supports previously published research on unrelated individuals that links specific genotypes to educational attainment among adults in their mid-20s to early 30s. The research, published today in AERA Open, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association, found that, within families, an adolescent with a higher "polygenic score"—which summarizes previously identified genome-wide associations for educational attainment—than her or his sibling tended to go on to complete more years of schooling.
	Anxiety in the workplace can lead to lower job performance The effect of workplace anxiety on job performance is closely connected to the quality of relationships between employees, their bosses and their co-workers, according to a new study from the University of Toronto focusing on police officers.
Study shows African Americans discriminated against in access to US local public services Requests for information from local public services, like sheriffs' offices, school districts and libraries, across the United States are less likely to receive a reply if signed by 'black-sounding' names, according to new research conducted by economists at IZA and the University of Southampton.
Fire in Paris at one of Europe's biggest science museums (Update) Scores of firefighters on Thursday fought a blaze at Paris' Cite des Sciences, one of the biggest science museums in Europe.
Mexico finds 'main' skull rack at Aztec temple complex Mexican archaeologists believe they have found the main trophy rack of sacrificed human skulls at Mexico City's Templo Mayor Aztec ruin site.

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