Fwd: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Aug 12

HOT!

The dwarf planet Ceres

RESPEKT!

Paying off small debts first may get you in the black quicker

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, Aug 13, 2015 at 3:54 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Aug 12
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Webinar: Accelerating the Simulation-led Design Workflow (Thurs, Aug 13 - 2pm EDT)

Join IEEE Tech Insiders and COMSOL for this free webinar where Intel will discuss the recent developments in hardware and software that have dramatically improved simulation design. Register here: http://goo.gl/lexDlN

***************************************************

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 12, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- New model describes cognitive decision making as the collapse of a quantum superstate

- First cephalopod genome contains unique genes involved in nervous system, camouflage
- Flickr photo data used to predict people's locations
- Protons and antiprotons appear to be true mirror images
- Fossil pollen grains found in Antarctica push back evolutionary history of daisy family
- Adrenals run amok: Discovery could aid precision medicine for high blood pressure
- Antarctic fur seals have unique 'scent profile' to recognise their pups
- Researchers reveal mystery of how contractions in labor grow stronger
- South American example illustrates Rocky Mountain formation
- PINK1 protein crucial for removing broken-down energy reactors
- How lipids are flipped
- Toxoplasma parasite's greedy appetite may be its downfall
- Photoredox catalyst unlocks new pathways for nickel chemistry
- Bioengineers advance computing technique for health care and more
- Are marine organisms evolving to protect their young in response to ocean acidification?

Nanotechnology news

Elastic drug delivery technology releases drugs when stretched Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a drug delivery technology that consists of an elastic patch that can be applied to the skin and will release drugs whenever the patch is stretched.

Flexible, biodegradable device can generate power from touch Long-standing concerns about portable electronics include the devices' short battery life and their contribution to e-waste. One group of scientists is now working on a way to address both of these seeming unrelated issues at the same time. They report in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces the development of a biodegradable nanogenerator made with DNA that can harvest the energy from everyday motion and turn it into electrical power.

Physics news

	Protons and antiprotons appear to be true mirror images In a stringent test of a fundamental property of the standard model of particle physics, known as CPT symmetry, researchers from the RIKEN-led BASE collaboration at CERN have made the most precise measurements so far of the charge-to-mass ratio of protons and their antimatter counterparts, antiprotons.
	Microresonators could bring optical sensors, communications Researchers have solved a key obstacle in creating the underlying technology for miniature optical sensors to detect chemicals and biological compounds, high-precision spectroscopy, ultra-stable microwave sources, and optical communications systems that transmit greater volumes of information with better quality.
	Researchers reveal new electron ring formations Laser wakefield acceleration, a process where electron acceleration is driven by high-powered lasers, is well-known for being able to produce high-energy beams of electrons in tabletop-scale distances. However, in recent experiments, a team of scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) revealed new, never-before-seen electron ring formations in addition to the typically observed beams.
	Using an electron to probe the tiny magnetic core of an atom Precise information about the magnetic properties of nuclei is critical for studies of what's known as the 'weak force.' While people do not feel this force in the same way they feel electricity or gravity, its effects are universal. The weak force allows stuff to become unglued and form new elements through decay—the sun, for example, is powered through deuterium fuel, which is generated via weak force mediated interactions. The weak force is elusive as it operates between objects that are separated by miniscule distances deep within atomic nuclei. To study its properties physicists must be able to extract the weak interactions out of a jumbled sea of other, more dominant phenomena that, alongside the weak force, work to govern particle behavior. Physicists from the Francium Parity Non-Conservation (FrPNC) collaboration, which includes researchers from JQI Fellow Luis Orozco's group, believe that the radioactive element franciu! m is the perfect "laboratory" for uncovering the secrets of the weak force.
	Attosecond electron catapult A team of physicists and chemists from the Laboratory of Attosecond Physics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics has studied the interaction of light with tiny glass particles.
	Quantum computing advance locates neutral atoms For any computer, being able to manipulate information is essential, but for quantum computing, singling out one data location without influencing any of the surrounding locations is difficult. Now, a team of Penn State physicists has a method for addressing individual neutral atoms without changing surrounding atoms.
	World's most powerful laser is 2,000 trillion watts – but what's it for? The most powerful laser beam ever created has been recently fired at Osaka University in Japan, where the Laser for Fast Ignition Experiments (LFEX) has been boosted to produce a beam with a peak power of 2,000 trillion watts – two petawatts – for an incredibly short duration, approximately a trillionth of a second or one picosecond.

Earth news

	UK bottom of European avoidable food waste league The UK produces the highest amount of avoidable food waste in Europe—equivalent to a tin of beans per person per day. Those are the findings from a team of researchers based at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission.
	Findings show Asia produces twice as much mercury emissions as previously thought Once mercury is emitted into the atmosphere from the smokestacks of power plants, the pollutant has a complicated trajectory; even after it settles onto land and sinks into oceans, mercury can be re-emitted back into the atmosphere repeatedly. This so-called "grasshopper effect" keeps the highly toxic substance circulating as "legacy emissions" that, combined with new smokestack emissions, can extend the environmental effects of mercury for decades.
	Glacial earthquakes may help forecast sea-level rise It is only recently that scientists learned of the existence of glacial earthquakes–measurable seismic rumblings produced as massive chunks fall off the fronts of advancing glaciers into the ocean. In Greenland, these quakes have grown sevenfold over the last two decades and they are advancing northward, suggesting that ice loss is increasing as climate warms. But exactly what drives the quakes has been poorly understood. Now, a new study elucidating the quakes' mechanics may give scientists a way to measure ice loss remotely, and thus refine predictions of future sea-level rise. The study appears this week in the early online edition of the leading journal Science.
	Tree domination of the world's savannas may slow down Savannas are becoming increasingly woodier as trees gain the upper hand over grasses in these ecosystems, but this encroachment may proceed more slowly than previously thought, new University of Otago-led research suggests.
	South American example illustrates Rocky Mountain formation New work from an international team of researchers including Carnegie's Lara Wagner improves our understanding of the geological activity that is thought to have formed the Rocky Mountains. It is published by Nature.
	Are marine organisms evolving to protect their young in response to ocean acidification? Marine organisms living in acidified waters exhibit a tendency to nurture their offspring to a greater extent than those in more regular conditions.
	CO2 emissions change with size of streams and rivers All freshwater streams and rivers actually release carbon dioxide, but the source of those emissions has for years been unclear to scientists.
How do fire emissions from industrial plantations affect air quality in Equatorial SEA? Researchers have combined satellite observations with atmospheric modelling to calculate how fires associated with industrial concessions in the Sumatra and Kalimantan regions of Indonesia affect air quality across Equatorial Asia.
	Nearly half of americans exposed to potentially damaging earthquakes More than 143 million Americans living in the 48 contiguous states are exposed to potentially damaging ground shaking from earthquakes. When the people living in the earthquake-prone areas of Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories are added, this number rises to nearly half of all Americans.
	Panama declares drought emergency Panama's government has declared a state of emergency as it faces a drought that has prompted water restrictions, depleted reservoirs and affected shipping through its bustling canal.
	Scientists find new way to assess the health of vulnerable, valuable coastal habitats Scientists have tested a surprisingly cheap and effective way to assess the health of vulnerable coral reefs and to monitor threats on remote atolls: eavesdropping.
	Modelling the instantaneous response of glaciers after ice shelf collapse In February 2002, satellite images from a remote location in Antarctica revealed how an immense volume of floating ice, up to 1km thick, suddenly collapsed. Over the course of a few weeks, 3,300km2 of the Larsen B Ice Shelf shattered and drifted out into the open ocean, leaving behind a large number of neighbouring mountain glaciers now exposed to the ocean.
	Greenland ice sheet's winds driving tundra soil erosion, study finds Strong winds blowing off the Greenland Ice Sheet are eroding soil and vegetation in the surrounding tundra, making it less productive for caribou and other grazing animals, carbon storage and nutrient cycling, a Dartmouth College study finds.
	Eat less meat, save the planet To conserve the planet's ecosystems and their diverse plant and animal species, human populations should consume less meat, according to Florida International University researchers.
Spreading risk for resilience in the urban system First world cities have an unhealthy dependence on the "urban machine"—the modern engineering solutions within their infrastructure—making their inhabitants vulnerable to disaster.
	NASA sees heavy rain in Hurricane Hilda, south Of Hawaii Hurricane Hilda has been on a weakening trend and by August 12 it weakened to a Tropical Storm. When it was still a hurricane though, NASA satellite data showed that the northern side of the storm contained towering thunderstorms that were dropping heavy rainfall.
	Suomi NPP satellite sees Molave on the move NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite flew over Tropical Storm Molave as it was moving away from Japan.
	Experts see long-term calamity from Colorado mine spill The toxic waste gushing from a Colorado mine and threatening downstream water supplies in at least three states will continue to be dangerous whenever contaminated sediments get stirred up from the river bottom, authorities said Wednesday, suggesting that there's no easy fix to what could be a long-term calamity.

Astronomy & Space news

	Oxymoronic black hole RGG 118 provides clues to growth Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the 6.5-meter Clay Telescope in Chile have identified the smallest supermassive black hole ever detected in the center of a galaxy, as described in our latest press release. This oxymoronic object could provide clues to how much larger black holes formed along with their host galaxies 13 billion years or more in the past.
	Philae silver lining: robot lab shielded from sun When a comet whizzes past the Sun on Thursday it won't mean certain high-temperature death for a European robot lab riding on the chunk of ice and dust.
	How CubeSats are revolutionizing radio science Next time you tune in to public radio or the hottest Top 40 radio station, you'll be using some of the same tools NASA uses to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
	Spectacular meteor shower set to light up UK skies A spectacular display of hundreds of shooting stars are expected to be visible in the skies across parts of the UK late on Wednesday as the annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak.
	Night sky puts on a meteor shower to celebrate Rosetta's closest approach to the sun A firework display is often the finale of a celebratory event, something that many people can experience and enjoy at the same time. This week, the 9 – 14th August, we should be seeing a firework display with a difference: rather than sparks shooting from the ground upwards, they will be falling downwards. And there is actually something worth celebrating up there, as comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko simultaneously reaches its closest approach to the sun.
	The dwarf planet Ceres The asteroid belt is a pretty interesting place. In addition to containing between 2.8 and 3.2 quintillion metric tons of matter, the region is also home to many minor planets. The largest of these, known as Ceres, is not only the largest minor planet in the Inner solar system, but also the only body in this region to be designated as a "dwarf planet" by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
	Airbus consortium to develop next generation Ariane 6 The European Space Agency has tapped Airbus Safran Launchers to build a new-generation Ariane 6 rocket launcher by 2020 for 2.4 billion euros ($2.7 billion), ESA said Wednesday.
	It's showtime for Perseid meteors Dark skies due to a nearly invisible moon will make this year's Perseid meteor shower—peaking Wednesday and Thursday—an especially star-studded event, astronomers say.
	Webb sunshield gives an 'open wide' for inspection The sunshield on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is the largest part of the observatory—five layers of thin, silvery membrane that must unfurl reliably in space. The precision in which the tennis-court sized sunshield has to open must be no more than a few centimeters different from its planned position.
	Revealing the "Secrets of the Universe" in IMAX theaters A unique IMAX 3D experience that seeks to answer the most essential questions about the universe is just few steps away from being released with an ambitious intention to inspire the inner scientist in every one of us. The film entitled "Secrets of the Universe" will take the science-curious audience for a trip to fascinating cosmic phenomena seen through the lens of experiments at the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator. "'Secrets of the Universe' will explore some of the most elusive and fascinating phenomena in the cosmos under investigation at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland, and explain today's advance scientific discoveries in layman's terms," Tom Assam-Miller of CrowdfundX, the project's Media Relations Manager, told astrowatch.net.
	Chilean astronomical site becomes world's first international dark sky sanctuary A sanctuary is a place that invites deep contemplation in a safe and stable environment. Few places in the world provide a better opportunity to enjoy and contemplate the starry heavens than Andean mountains of northern Chile. But even in this astronomy mecca lights can intrude to ruin the view, and thoughtful protection is needed as the nearby towns and cities grow in size.
	Image: Good morning from the International Space Station NASA astronaut Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly), currently on a year-long mission on the International Space Station, took this photograph of a sunrise and posted it to social media on Aug. 10, 2015.
Rocket carrying student experiments launched from Wallops A rocket carrying student experiments has been launched from Virginia's Eastern Shore.
	A thrift store find yields an astronomical mystery A good mystery is often where you find it. Photographer Meagan Abell recently made a discovery during a thrift store expedition that not only set the internet abuzz, but also contains an interesting astronomical dimension as well. This is an instance where observational astronomy may play a key role in pinning down a date, and we'd like to put this story before the Universe Today community for further insight and consideration.

Technology news

	Flickr photo data used to predict people's locations A team of researchers with University College in England has found a way to use photo information attached to images uploaded to the sharing site Flickr to create an application that can predict where people will be at a given time. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the team describes how they used millions of photos publicly available on the popular web site and the data attached to them to create a database which was then accessed to provide data for an algorithm they developed.
	Computer scientists introduce new graphics software Computer scientists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst led by Evangelos Kalogerakis today unveiled a new software modeling program that uses sophisticated geometric matching and machine learning to successfully mimic the human perception of style, giving users powerful new tools to compare the style similarity of three-dimensional (3D) objects.
	Wireless power transfer tech: Trials set for England's offroads Wireless charging technology that is built into the road, powering electric cars as they move, is to undergo trials on England's offroads. Announced on Tuesday, the technology will address the need to power up electric and hybrid vehicles on England's roads. The trials will get under way later this year.
	On the origin of (robot) species Researchers have observed the process of evolution by natural selection at work in robots, by constructing a 'mother' robot that can design, build and test its own 'children', and then use the results to improve the performance of the next generation, without relying on computer simulation or human intervention.
	Animation research moves forward, one wardrobe at a time Animated characters can mimic human behavior extremely well. They can perform jaw-dropping feats of life and death. But there's one trick that digital denizens haven't quite yet mastered: getting dressed and putting their pants on one leg at a time.
	An insect eye for drones Is it possible to catch a fly? Small insects seem to possess a sixth sense that allows them to dodge any threats. Yet there is no magic trick, but only a compound eye that is an organ of vision made of thousands of ommatidia. These visual receptors allow insects to perceive precisely their environment, including the direction and speed of movements. Inspired by this natural model, the EPFL team, headed by Dario Floreano, has developed an artificial compound eye, described in a recent publication of Interface, a journal of the Royal Society.
	Bioengineers advance computing technique for health care and more Rice University scientists have developed a big data technique that could have a significant impact on health care.
	Computer scientists find mass extinctions can accelerate evolution A computer science team at The University of Texas at Austin has found that robots evolve more quickly and efficiently after a virtual mass extinction modeled after real-life disasters such as the one that killed off the dinosaurs. Beyond its implications for artificial intelligence, the research supports the idea that mass extinctions actually speed up evolution by unleashing new creativity in adaptations.
Symantec to sell Veritas business for $8B in cash Symantec will sell its Veritas information management business for $8 billion in cash with plans to funnel proceeds back into its main line of work, cybersecurity, and to buy back shares.
	Fiber-like light emitting diodes for wearable displays A research team at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed fiber-like light emitting diodes, applicable to wearable displays.
	Programming materials for better designs We often think of the everyday materials we use to build our human world as static, but we should think again: MIT's Self-Assembly Lab programs such materials to transform themselves to handle tasks more simply and efficiently, thus improving or creating a wide variety of products.
New Google chief joins illustrious Indian club India's high flyers have proudly welcomed the appointment as Google's new chief executive of Sundar Pichai, the latest home-grown engineer to rise to the top of the US corporate world.
	Alibaba's 1Q sales short of expectations, shares fall (Update) With sales growth slowing in China, Alibaba is looking across its borders to give sales a boost.
Australian artist to connect 'ear' on arm to web An Australian artist and academic plans to connect an ear which he has been growing for years on his arm to the Internet so people can hear and track his movements.
	Which is more vulnerable to viruses and hackers: Windows 10 or Mac OS X? During the 2000s, Apple ran a hugely successful advertising campaign for its line of Macintosh desktop computers. The ads poked fun at some of the perceived bugbears of the Windows-based PCs of the era compared to the Mac.
	Does Alphabet spell success for Google? Google has taken the idea of a company reorganisation to a new level with a restructure that sees the creation of a new overall parent company called Alphabet.
	Fast charging stations electrify south-west commute Australia's first electric vehicle highway will open in WA later this month, with the final charging stations currently being installed in the south-west.
	Researcher receives patent for ultra-fast surface hardening technology The metal components that make up industrial machines are subject to tremendous wear and tear. But a newly patented technology by Distinguished Fellow Ali Erdemir and his team at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory could greatly extend the lifetime of mechanical parts.
	Detecting malicious files uploaded to cloud services A powerful new computer security tool, called XDet, can detect malicious files being uploaded to a cloud computing service is reported this month in the International Journal of Space-Based and Situated Computing by researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University and Nottingham Trent University, UK.
	World's smallest emergency mobile phone charger Ever found yourself running out of battery on your phone while out and about and no power socket in sight?
Fireflies predict network loyalty Online social networking generates vast quantities of data that might be useful to the service providers, advertising agencies, and even the users themselves. Writing in the International Journal of Communication Networks and Distributed Systems this month, researchers in India describe an approach to establishing new connections in a network using what they refer to as a "firefly swarm approach"
	US distributed solar prices fell 10 to 20 percent in 2014, with trends continuing into 2015 The installed price of distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems in the United States continues to fall precipitously. This is according to the latest edition of Tracking the Sun, an annual PV cost tracking report produced by the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).
	Twitter lifts limits on direct messages between users Twitter lifted its character limit Wednesday for direct messages between users, saying it would help make the private side of Twitter "more powerful and fun."
	Rdio enables saving of tracks from 500 live radio stations Rdio, the music subscription service backed by Skype co-founder Janus Friis, is partnering to bring simulcasts of 500 traditional radio stations to its app in the U.S.
	Tinder 'overreacts' on Twitter to 'dating apocalypse' feature Tinder said Wednesday it "overreacted" when it sent out a volley of tweets lashing out a Vanity Fair for a feature about dating apps and sexual norms.
Fuel economy for Ford C-Max Energi most apparent in city Ford's first dedicated hybrid for North American consumers, the C-Max gasoline-electric hybrid hatchback, is turning out to be an acquired taste. Sales are declining for the second straight year, lower gas prices have led the C-Max and other hybrids to lose their luster and Consumer Reports predicts the plug-in C-Max Energi's reliability to be worse than average.
Tablet shipments continue to fall worldwide After three years of enormous growth, the worldwide tablet market continues to decline.
	Review: Why I'm no longer wearing my Apple Watch I've stopped wearing my Apple Watch. After buying it the day Apple released it in April, I wore it faithfully every day for at least two months. I strapped it on every morning when I woke up and made sure to place it on its charger at the end of the day.
New Snapchat feature could be a godsend for your mobile data plan An update to Snapchat set to be released Monday gives users more control over how much mobile data the entertainment app sucks up.
India seeks $100m in damages from Nestle after noodle ban India's government is seeking damages of nearly $100 million from Nestle for "unfair trade practices" after the food safety watchdog banned its hugely popular Maggi noodles brand.
Kerry says China and Russia 'very likely' reading his emails US Secretary of State John Kerry accused China and Russia of "very likely" reading his emails Tuesday, adding that the US has and will continue to discuss cyber attacks with China.
A look at stock market scams using the latest technology Stock scams are about as old as the market itself, but the combination of worldwide information technology and automated programs that can make thousands of trades in a second has created new paths for potential frauds. The U.S. government says alleged scammers have used methods including rapid trades, fake regulatory filings and news reports to get an advantage and make profits. Here are a few examples:
China's Tencent posts 25% profit surge in Q2, revenue slows Chinese Internet giant Tencent saw its net profit surge by 25 percent in the second quarter buoyed by growth in online advertising revenue and its popular messaging service WeChat, the company said Wednesday.
	Helping injured children walk, one step at a time A University of Houston engineer has received funding to create a pediatric exoskeleton, designed to help children with spinal cord injuries and other mobility disorders walk.
Global Blood Therapeutics latest biotech to double in debut Blood disorder drug developer Global Blood Therapeutics shares more than doubled Wednesday as the company became the latest biotechnology company to get a powerful response from investors in its stock market debut.
Fidelity National to buy rival SunGard Fidelity National Information Services is buying rival financial software company SunGard to bolster the services it can offer clients.
Will smartphone apps kill social media as a back-to-school shopping tool? Using social media to plan back-to-school shopping is so 2011.
NBCUniversal pumps $200 mn into Vox Media Vox Media said Wednesday it had secured a $200 million investment from NBCUniversal, becoming the latest digital media venture to get a large capital infusion.

Chemistry news

	Researchers construct atomic model of an immature retrovirus Using molecular modeling and large-scale molecular dynamic simulation, University of Illinois researchers constructed an atomic model of an immature retrovirus.
	Photoredox catalyst unlocks new pathways for nickel chemistry Using a light-activated catalyst, researchers have unlocked a new pathway in nickel chemistry to construct carbon-oxygen (C-O) bonds that would be highly valuable to pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.
How lipids are flipped A team of researchers at ETH Zurich and the University of Bern has succeeded in determining the structure of a lipid flippase at high resolution, which has provided insight into how this membrane protein transports lipids by flipping.
	Researchers pioneer use of capsules to save materials, streamline chemical reactions Chemists working in a variety of industries and fields typically go through a laborious process to measure and mix reagents for each reaction they perform. And many of the common reagents they use sit for months or years on shelves in laboratories, where they can react with oxygen and water in the atmosphere, rendering them useless.
	Nicotine-eating bacteria could one day help smokers kick the habit Most people who smoke cigarettes know it's bad for their health, but quitting is notoriously difficult. To make it easier, scientists are taking a brand-new approach. They are turning to bacteria that thrive on nicotine, the addictive component in tobacco. In ACS' Journal of the American Chemical Society, they report successful tests on a bacterial enzyme that breaks down nicotine and could potentially dull its effects in humans.
	A new CSI tool could pinpoint when fingerprints were left behind The crime scene investigators on TV's popular CSI: Crime Scene Investigation series seem able to solve any mystery thanks to a little science and a lot of artistic license. But now there is a real-life technique that could outperform even fictional sleuths' crime-busting tools. Scientists report in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry a way to tell how old fingerprints are. This could help investigators determine which sets are relevant and which ones were left long ago.

Biology news

	First cephalopod genome contains unique genes involved in nervous system, camouflage An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of an octopus, bringing researchers closer to discovering the genes involved in the creature's unusual biology, including its ability to change skin color and texture and a distributed brain that allows its eight arms to move independently.
	Predators might not be dazzled by stripes Stripes might not offer protection for animals living in groups, such as zebra, as previously thought, according to research published in Frontiers in Zoology. Humans playing a computer game captured striped targets more easily than uniform grey targets when multiple targets were present. This rebukes assumptions that stripes evolved to make it difficult to capture animals moving in a group.
	Sand fleas have ability to change color in order to match dramatically different backgrounds Sand fleas have a remarkable ability to change color in order to match dramatically different backgrounds, according to a new study from the University of Exeter and the Ascension Island Government Conservation Department.
	Research shows jackdaws can recognise individual human faces When you're prey, being able to spot and assess the threat posed by potential predators is of life-or-death importance. In a paper published today in Animal Behaviour, researchers from the University of Cambridge's Department of Psychology show that wild jackdaws recognise individual human faces, and may be able to tell whether or not predators are looking directly at them.
How human cells can dissolve damaging protein aggregates Cellular repair systems can dissolve aggregated proteins and now Heidelberg researchers have successfully decoded the fundamental mechanism that is key to dissolving these protein aggregates in human cells. Their in-vitro experiments uncovered a multi-stage biochemical process in which protein molecules are dissolved from the aggregates. Researchers at the Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University, the German Cancer Research Center and the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies collaborated on the project, along with other scientists from Germany, the USA and Switzerland. The results of their research were published in Nature.
	Toxoplasma parasite's greedy appetite may be its downfall Toxoplasma gondii is estimated to chronically infect nearly one-third of the world's population, causing the condition Toxoplasmosis. It is most commonly associated with handling cat feaces and is a particular threat to pregnant women and immune-compromised individuals, such as HIV/AIDS patients
	Antarctic fur seals have unique 'scent profile' to recognise their pups Researchers studying Antarctic fur seals have discovered their scent has a unique 'profile' which enables them to recognise their offspring and family members. Until now researchers thought voice recognition was mostly important for finding their young, but now it is proven that scent also plays a crucial part. The results are published this week (Monday 10 August) in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Octopus shows unique hunting, social and sexual behavior Unlike most octopuses, which tackle their prey with all eight arms, a rediscovered tropical octopus subtly taps its prey on the shoulder and startles it into its arms.
	Male elephant seals use 'voice recognition' to identify rivals Male elephant seals compete fiercely for access to females during the breeding season, and their violent, bloody fights take a toll on both winners and losers. These battles are relatively rare, however, and a new study shows that the males avoid costly fights by learning the distinctive vocal calls of their rivals. When they recognize the call of another male, they know whether to attack or flee depending on the challenger's status in the dominance hierarchy.
	Songbirds make mysterious altitude changes during nighttime migratory flights A new mystery has been discovered in the migratory behavior of birds! Many songbirds travel long distances during their annual migrations, and it makes sense for them to do everything they can to conserve their energy during these journeys. Researchers have guessed that, for this reason, they might pick an altitude with favorable winds and stick with it rather than climbing and descending repeatedly, but there has been little data to back this up.
	NOAA announces plan for endangered Hawaiian monk seal Federal fisheries authorities want to more than double the small population of endangered Hawaiian monk seals in the state's main islands.
Devastating bird flu threatens US poultry farmers Amish chicken farmer Ura Gingerich begins each day by lantern light, but his simple life of tradition is threatened by a modern scourge that has devastated the US poultry industry.
	Old World bollworm could pose serious threat to more than cotton and corn Texas A&M AgriLife entomologists are advising producers about the possible arrival of a potential major new pest of field crops and vegetables in the U.S. if its ominous track-record in other countries is any indication.
	Shade may mitigate invasive plant presence and richness Does more shade limit the presence of invasive plants along streams and rivers? That intriguing possibility was suggested in "Habitat limitations on invasive communities in urban riparian areas," which was posted online by Invasive Plant Science and Management. The authors are Robert J. Warren II, assistant professor of biology; Daniel L. Potts, associate professor of biology, and Kelly Frothingham, chair and professor of geography and planning.
	Competition from the ancestors of cats drove the extinction of many species of ancient dogs Competition played a more important role in the evolution of the dog family (wolves, foxes, and their relatives) than climate change, shows a new international study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS).
	Evolution peaks on tropical mountain Tropical mountains have an exceptionally high biodiversity. This is also the case for Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. During an expedition, organized by Naturalis Biodiversity Center and Sabah Parks, experts investigated the local fauna, flora, and fungi. They discovered that most of the unique species that occur in the area had evolved later than the age of the mountain itself, and that some had evolved from immigrant ancestors, whereas others evolved from local ancestors. These findings are published in Nature.
Breakthrough in 'marriage-broker' protein Scientists at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital -The Neuro, at McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre, have made a breakthrough in understanding an important protein that appears to act as a kind of cellular "marriage broker." The protein called Netrin1 brings cells together and maintains their healthy relationships. Netrin1 plays an essential role in the growth of the human organism, directing cell migration and the formation of cell circuits both at the embryo stage and after birth.
	Genetic analysis supports elevating Cape Parrot to new species In support of previous research, the Cape Parrot should be elevated to the species level, according to a new genetic analysis study publish August 12, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Willem Coetzer from University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and colleagues.
	Gravel-camouflaged nests give threatened shorebirds a boost When it comes to reproduction, not every individual equally pulls his or her weight. Dana Herman and Mark Colwell of Humboldt State University spent 13 years tracking the successes and failures of almost 200 individual Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus) nesting at a variety of sites in Humboldt County, California, to identify the factors that could be influencing reproductive success for birds in this threatened population.
	Migratory patterns of eastern Golden Eagle population revealed Eastern North America is home to a small population of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), but despite their potential vulnerability to habitat loss and other threats, little information has been available on the patterns of their annual migration. One big question is whether or not they exhibit "migratory connectivity," where individuals from the same breeding area also migrate to the same wintering area; strong connectivity means that a population is divided into small subpopulations that are especially vulnerable to environmental changes.
	Federal appeals court hears arguments on polar bear habitat A federal plan designating a huge swath of the U.S. Arctic as critical polar bear habitat should be upheld over the objections of the state of Alaska, petroleum industry groups and communities along Alaska's north coast, a Justice Department lawyer told an appeals court Tuesday.
	Bangladesh tiger poaching sparks Sundarbans ban plan Bangladesh wildlife officials are mulling a ban on access to the Sundarbans after an alarming rise in poaching of tigers that live in the world's largest mangrove forest, rangers said Wednesday.
	Wild boars are gaining ground—climate change boosts population growth The wild boar population in Europe has been constantly growing since the 1980s. This is more and more becoming a problem for agriculture when animals raid the fields, looking for feed. "It is not so easy to determine the number of wild boars in Europe," says wildlife biologist and first author of the study, Sebastian Vetter. "Therefore we analysed data on hunting bags and road accidents involving wild boar. Doing this we were able to depict the growth of the wild boar population."
	Wildlife groups say 41 tigers have died in India this year Six months after India boasted that its tiger population was growing fast, conservationists on Wednesday said 41 big cats had already died this year and worried that the country was not doing enough to save them.
	Three tiny monkeys stolen from German zoo Three pygmy marmosets—the world's smallest monkey species—have been stolen from a zoo in the western German city of Dortmund, police said on Wednesday.

Medicine & Health news

	Tell-tale biomarker detects early breast cancer Researchers have shown that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect the earliest signs of breast cancer recurrence and fast-growing tumors. Their approach detects micromestastases, breakaway tumor cells with the potential to develop into dangerous secondary breast cancer tumors elsewhere in the body. The approach may offer an improved way to detect early recurrence of breast cancer in women and men. The work was completed at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Cleveland and was funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Study suggests REM sleep helps the brain capture snapshots of dream images When we sleep, we experience our most vivid dreams and vigorous brain activity during the rapid eye movement, or REM phase. Although scientists have long suspected that our eyes flicker in response to what our unconscious mind sees in our dreams, no one has been able to prove it.
	Recording the entire nervous system in real time will unlock secrets of the brain There are around 100 billion neurons in the human brain, each connected to hundreds of neighbours. Analysing the link between neural activity in the brain, and the behaviour that causes it, could shed light on both areas. Now, a team of scientists has engineered imaging techniques to map neuronal firing in an entire nervous system at high speed, an approach which might one day unlock our understanding of animal behaviour.
	PINK1 protein crucial for removing broken-down energy reactors Cells are powered by tiny energy reactors called mitochondria. When damaged, they leak destructive molecules that can cause substantial harm and eventually kill brain cells. Scientists at the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) showed that a protein called PINK1 that is implicated in Parkinson's disease is critical for helping cells get rid of dysfunctional mitochondria. According to the new research, published in the journal Nature, PINK1 does this by triggering an intricate process called mitophagy that breaks down and removes damaged mitochondria from the cell.
	Researchers reveal mystery of how contractions in labor grow stronger Scientists, for the first time, have identified a mechanism in the muscle cells of the uterus that could point to how contractions in childbirth grow stronger.
	Adrenals run amok: Discovery could aid precision medicine for high blood pressure Each of your kidneys wears a little yellow cap that helps keep your blood pressure in check, and much more. But in some people, it starts running amok, pumping out a hormone that sends blood pressure sky-high.
	Developing a targeted hydrogel to treat inflammatory bowel disease In the United States, more than 1 million people suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and its incidence around the world continues to rise. But treatment delivery options for patients remain limited: many people must rely on daily enemas, which can be uncomfortable, impractical and lead to side effects when medicine is absorbed by healthy tissue. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and collaborators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and MIT set out to find a better way to deliver medicine using a gel-like material created in the lab. The team, brought together by Harvard Institute of Translational Immunology Pilot Grants in Crohn's Disease from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, reports in Science Translational Medicine this week that their hydrogel material was able to stick to sites of inflammation and slowly deliver medicine over time, a breakthrough that has the potential to! offer a more targeted enema-based therapy for patients in the future.
	Scientists uncover a difference between the sexes Male and female brains operate differently at a molecular level, a Northwestern University research team reports in a new study of a brain region involved in learning and memory, responses to stress and epilepsy.
	Vaccine combo shows promise against common, dangerous infection Researchers report they are closer to finding a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common illness that few recognize by name but one that's a major cause of lower respiratory infection in babies and the elderly.
	Newly discovered brain network recognizes what's new, what's familiar One of the more heartbreaking realities of Alzheimer's is the moment when a loved one struggling with the disease no longer fully recognizes a family member or close friend who is caring for them.
	Trans fats, but not saturated fats, linked to greater risk of death and heart disease A study led by researchers at McMaster University has found that that trans fats are associated with greater risk of death and coronary heart disease, but saturated fats are not associated with an increased risk of death, heart disease, stroke, or Type 2 diabetes.
Postmenopausal women prefer vaginal estrogen to achieve higher sexual quality of life Local vaginal estrogen (VE) appears to have escaped the shroud of doubt cast upon hormone therapy as a result of the Women's Health Initiative Study (WHI) by providing numerous medical benefits without systemic effects. That's according to a new study reported online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
	Pelvic pain may be common among reproductive-age women, study finds A high proportion of reproductive-age women may be experiencing pelvic pain that goes untreated, according to a study by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City.
	Blood vessel 'doorway' lets breast cancer cells spread through blood stream Using real-time, high-resolution imaging, scientists have identified how a "doorway" in the blood vessel wall allows cancer cells to spread from breast tumors to other parts of the body. The findings lend support to emerging tests that better predict whether breast cancer will spread, which could spare women from invasive and unnecessary treatments, and could lead to new anti-cancer therapies. The research, conducted by investigators at the NCI-designated Albert Einstein Cancer Center (AECC) and Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care, utilized a mouse model of human breast cancer and mice implanted with human breast tissue. The study was published today in the online edition of Cancer Discovery.
Retrieving eggs earlier during IVF may improve success rates for older women IVF success rates for women aged 43 and above could improve by retrieving eggs from their ovaries at an earlier stage of fertility treatment, according to a new study published today in the Journal of Endocrinology.
	Molecular discovery paves way for new diabetic heart disease treatments University of Otago researchers have discovered why heart disease is the number-one killer of people with diabetes, a breakthrough finding opening the way for new treatments to combat the disease in diabetic patients by targeting a key protein.
	Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy linked with liver cancer In a new study of more than 125,000 pregnant women in Sweden, researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy found that the risk of hepatobiliary cancer and immune-mediated and cardiovascular diseases later in life is higher in women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) than in women without this condition. Their results are published in the Journal of Hepatology.
	Powering off TB: New electron transport gene is a potential drug target The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first new drug to fight tuberculosis (TB) in more than 40 years, but treatment still takes six months, 200 pills and leaves 40 percent of patients uncured. Thus, new targets are needed. Today in ACS Central Science, researchers report they have identified one such target—a gene that allows the disease to camp out in human immune cells, and is thus essential for the organism's proliferation.
	Target healthy cells to stop brain cancer 'hijack' New UBC research into brain cancer suggests treatments should target the cells around a tumor to stop it from spreading.
	New, rapid dementia screening tool rivals 'gold standard' clinical evaluations Determining whether or not an individual has dementia and to what degree is a long and laborious process that can take an experienced professional such as a clinician about four to five hours to administer, interpret and score the test results. A leading neuroscientist at Florida Atlantic University has developed a way for a layperson to do this in three to five minutes with results that are comparable to the "gold standard" dementia tests used by clinicians today.
	Brain plasticity after vision loss has an 'on-off switch' KU Leuven biologists have discovered a molecular on-off switch that controls how a mouse brain responds to vision loss. When the switch is on, the loss of sight in one eye will be compensated by the other eye, but also by tactile input from the whiskers. When the switch is off, only the other eye will take over. These findings may help improve patient susceptibility to sensory prosthetics such as cochlear implants or bionic eyes.
Pulmonary hypertension: A growing problem in US children A review of 15 years' worth of data in a national pediatric medical database has documented a substantial increase in the rate of hospitalizations for children with a form of high blood pressure once most common in those with congenital heart disease.
	Pancreas cancer spread from multiple types of wayward cells Tumor cells associated with pancreatic cancer often behave like communities by working with each other to increase tumor spread and growth to different organs. Groups of these cancer cells are better than single cancer cells in driving tumor spread, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published in Cancer Discovery online in advance of the print issue.
Antidepressant drug trials criteria not generalizable Mark Zimmerman, M.D., a clinical researcher at Rhode Island Hospital, and his team analyzed the criteria used in antidepressant efficacy studies (AETs) and learned that the inclusion/exclusion criteria for AETs have narrowed over the past five years so that the most patients are excluded. The research was published today in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
	Neurons' broken machinery piles up in ALS A healthy motor neuron needs to transport its damaged components from the nerve-muscle connection all the way back to the cell body in the spinal cord. If it cannot, the defective components pile up and the cell becomes sick and dies. Researchers at the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have learned how a mutation in the gene for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), which causes ALS, leads cells to accumulate damaged materials. The study, published in the journal Neuron, suggests a potential target for treating this familial form of ALS.
Older breast cancer patients less likely to benefit from chemo Chemotherapy prolongs life for older adults with most types of cancer, but for women over the age of 80 with breast cancer, the chances of survival due to chemotherapy are significantly lower, according to a study led by researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
Researchers examine the impact of OpenNotes on patient safety Researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) are homing in on the potential benefits of allowing patients access to the notes their clinicians write after a visit. An article published in the August edition of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety suggests that this kind of patient engagement has the power to improve safety and quality of care.
Children who are leaner report eating more polyunsaturated fatty acids The results of a recent study show that children who report eating more polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), found in tree nuts, seeds and fatty fish, and consume a higher ratio of PUFA: saturated fatty acids (SFAs), have more lean body mass, lower percent body fat, and less intra-abdominal fat (belly fat).
	Adult IQ of very premature babies can be predicted by the age of two Research from the University of Warwick indicates that the IQ of adults born very premature or of very low birth weight can be predicted when they are just a toddler.
	Science-backed brain game eases distraction, anxiety Researchers have created a surprisingly simple yet targeted brain game that reduces anxiety by helping people focus in an increasingly distracting world.
	Study links cardiorespiratory fitness, thinner gray matter and better math skills in kids A new study reveals that 9- and 10-year-old children who are aerobically fit tend to have significantly thinner gray matter than their "low-fit" peers. Thinning of the outermost layer of brain cells in the cerebrum is associated with better mathematics performance, researchers report in the journal PLOS ONE.
Moderate physical activity associated with lower risk of heart failure in men Men who participated in moderate amounts of physical activity, particularly walking and bicycling, were associated with a lower risk of future heart failure compared to those with lower and higher levels of activity. However, recent active behavior may play a more important role than past physical activity, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Heart Failure.
	Can stem cells cause and cure cancer? Simply put, cancer is caused by mutations to genes within a cell that lead to abnormal cell growth. Finding out what causes that genetic mutation has been the holy grail of medical science for decades. Researchers at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Institute of Biosciences and Technology believe they may have found one of the reasons why these genes mutate and it all has to do with how stem cells talk to each other.
Searching the Internet inflates estimates of internal knowledge Working in groups is advantageous because different individuals can be responsible for different information, allowing each individual to develop more in-depth expertise. For instance, a plumber, electrician, and carpenter work together to build a house, but each is responsible for unique aspects of the project. This is an example of a transactive memory system: information is distributed across the group, and each group member is aware of what he or she knows, as well as who knows what.
	Protein-packed breakfast prevents body fat gain in overweight teens Approximately 60 percent of young people habitually skip breakfast up to four times a week, previous research has shown. Although health experts recommend breakfast as a strategy to reduce an individual's chance of obesity, little research has examined if the actual type of breakfast consumed plays a significant role in one's health and weight management. University of Missouri researchers compared the benefits of consuming a normal-protein breakfast to a high-protein breakfast and found the high-protein breakfast - which contained 35 grams of protein - prevented gains of body fat, reduced daily food intake and feelings of hunger, and stabilized glucose levels among overweight teens who would normally skip breakfast.
	Hispanics in US least likely to dial 911 for stroke (HealthDay)—Fewer than two-thirds of patients suffering a stroke in the United States call for emergency assistance, with Hispanics least likely to do so, new research finds.
	Exercise may help kids with multiple sclerosis (HealthDay)—Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) who exercise have less disease activity than those who don't, researchers report.
	Scientists may have found 'marker' for schizophrenia (HealthDay)—Brain irregularities are present before a person develops schizophrenia, researchers report.
	Lyme disease in US is under-reported, CDC says (HealthDay)—Lyme disease may be grossly under-reported in the United States. Government researchers say the tick-borne infection affects about 10 times as many Americans as previously indicated by confirmed case reports.
	Index stratifies risk for advanced colorectal neoplasia (HealthDay)—A scoring system can stratify risk for advanced colorectal neoplasia in asymptomatic adults, according to a study published online Aug. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Age associated with amyloid-beta kinetics (HealthDay)—Increasing age is associated with slowed amyloid-β (Aβ) turnover, according to a study published online July 20 in the Journal of Neurology.
	Combo Tx using glycolic acid, iontophoresis effective in acne (HealthDay)—Adjuvant combination therapy with chemical peeling using glycolic acid and subsequent iontophoresis with vitamins A, C, and E seems to be effective for severe acne vulgaris, according to a letter to the editor published online Aug. 6 in the Journal of Dermatology.
	Increased work disability in diabetes due to comorbidity (HealthDay)—Among individuals with diabetes, the increased risk of work disability is mainly due to comorbid mental, musculoskeletal, and circulatory disorders, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in Diabetes Care.
	Case report describes benefit of ketamine in child with PTSD (HealthDay)—Ketamine may be beneficial for children with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and episodes of severe aggression and emotional dysregulation, according to a case report published online Aug. 10 in Pediatrics.
	Migration contributes to flat HBV infection prevalence rate in US (HealthDay)—The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has remained constant since 1999, according to a study published online Aug. 6 in Hepatology.
Fetal ECG readings offer no advantage over heart rate monitoring during labor A new technology that tracks the electrical activity of the fetal heart offers no advantages over conventional technology in preventing birth complications, according to a new study by the National Institutes of Health.
	Fetal ECG during labor offers no advantage over conventional fetal heart rate monitoring A recent study found that fetal electrocardiogram ST segment analysis, or STAN, which is largely used in Europe to measure fetal heart activity, does not improve outcomes during labor and delivery or decrease cesarean deliveries compared with conventional fetal heart rate monitoring. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, were the results of a study conducted at 26 U.S. hospitals, including the John Sealy Hospital at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
Hematologist identifies different limb loss syndromes How people can develop limb gangrene and lose fingers and feet has baffled doctors for centuries.
Predicting risk for deadly cardiac events A marker commonly used to determine if a patient is having a heart attack can also be used to identify stable patients at high risk for deadly cardiac events, according to a new study led by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). Using a test that is more sensitive than what is currently used in U.S. hospitals and clinics, the research team found that nearly 40 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes and stable heart disease had abnormal blood levels of the protein troponin. Patients with elevated levels of troponin were twice as likely as their counterparts to die from heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular causes within five years. The team also found that a key therapeutic intervention known as coronary revascularization, frequently used in patients with heart attack and an abnormal troponin, did not lower stable patients' elevated troponin levels or their risk of deadly cardiac events.
Health care innovation isn't about smart phone apps, researchers say Health care has much to learn from innovative high-tech companies, but not in the way most people think, according to a Perspective published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and authored by innovation experts from the Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Innovation, they say, can most effectively achieve meaningful outcomes by testing many new ideas quickly, cheaply, and contextually.
Study links insulin resistance with language problems in women New research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) shows that insulin resistance—one of the hallmarks of type 2 diabetes—is associated with language problems (a lack of verbal fluency) in women, a sign of cognitive decline associated with dementia. The study, which included men and women of a range of ages, is by Dr Laura Ekblad, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland, and colleagues.
Debate: Should the NHS provide free access to wi-fi? Free internet access should be rolled out across NHS premises because it is essential for better decision making and outcomes for patients, argues Victoria Betton, mHabitat programme director at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
NHS trusts with largest deficits are least able to end costly private sector deals NHS trusts under the most serious financial pressures are the least likely to be able to terminate expensive private sector deals, warns an expert in The BMJ this week.
	Testing new therapies to effectively combat anaemia Early clinical trials of an innovative new therapeutic protein could one day lead to better treatment for anaemia of chronic disease patients.
Biotech company's research could help people affected by obesity A Purdue University alumni scientist and entrepreneur, along with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Skidmore College, are raising funds to further test and develop compounds that could hold promise in treating people who are extremely overweight.
Diseases prompt caution from veterinary laboratory director Tularemia, plague, West Nile virus, rabies, vesicular stomatitis—Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL) experts are cautioning residents to monitor not only their pets and livestock, but also themselves this summer.
	Latest non-invasive medical treatment stimulates neurons to reduce symptoms of fibromyalgia In a unique double-blind study, the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (the Research Centre) is investigating the clinical potential of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to stimulate neurons in the brain, for the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Africa celebrates one year without polio: UN Africa has marked one year since the last case of recorded polio, with the United Nations celebrating Wednesday a key step towards eradicating the disease.
Estonia to cull pigs to stop spread of African swine fever Estonian authorities say they will cull about 3,700 pigs to prevent the spread of African swine fever.
The biggest infectious disease threat we face isn't Ebola – it's our short attention span A year ago, I received a phone call: an American citizen had been infected with Ebola virus disease while serving as a medical missionary in Liberia. Would Emory University Hospital accept this patient for treatment?
	A conversation with Nobel prize-winning neuroscientist Dr. Eric R. Kandel Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has been described as a disorder of memory. It has become quite apparent that there are two types of memory in PTSD: the first being the involuntary intrusions of the trauma, and the second being the voluntarily recalled memories that constitute the trauma story, also known as the trauma narrative. Both are fundamentally different in their quality and form.
	Diagnostic imaging can rule out coronary artery disease in patients with atypical chest pain Non-invasive diagnostic imaging can rule out coronary artery disease (CAD) in about 50% of women with atypical chest pain who are at relatively low risk for CAD, while exposing them to only a modest dose of radiation. Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) combined with calcium scoring is a good first-line diagnostic tool for women, in whom CAD often presents as atypical chest pain and reduced radiation exposure to breast tissue is emphasized, according to a new study published in Journal of Women's Health.
	DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide: The third class oligonucleotides Heteroduplex oligonucleotide (HDO) is a brand new oligonucleotide drug, pioneered by researchers of Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Osaka University and ISIS.HDO is found to be significantly potent at reducing expression of the target RNA, and also improves the phenotype in disease models effectively. In addition, the high potency of vitamin E-conjugated HDO results in a reduction of liver dysfunction. HDO technology was expected as basic technology of molecular targeted therapy.The results are scheduled for publication online by Nature Communications on August 10th.
Glaxo plant with Legionnaires' bacteria is quiet for second day All was quiet Wednesday at a GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceutical plant that was shut down after the drug maker discovered the bacteria that cause potentially fatal Legionnaires' disease in a cooling tower at the site.
	Colorado may ban 'candy' name on marijuana treats Edible marijuana products in Colorado may soon come labeled with a red stop sign, according to a draft of new rules released Wednesday by state marijuana regulators.
	Helping preschoolers deploy 'superpowers' against sunburn Five globe-trotting, sun-blocking superheroes teach preschoolers about lifelong sun safety in a new curriculum available this summer based on research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Better hygiene in schools in Ebola epicentre pays off: UN Better hygiene in schools in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea—the epicentre of the Ebola epidemic—has dramatically cut infections among teachers and students, the UN said on Wednesday.
Health officials say 134 cases of salmonella linked to pork Washington state health officials say a salmonella outbreak linked to pork products has grown to 134 cases in 10 counties.

Other Sciences news

	New model describes cognitive decision making as the collapse of a quantum superstate (Phys.org)—Decision making in an enormous range of tasks involves the accumulation of evidence in support of different hypotheses. One of the enduring models of evidence accumulation is the Markov random walk (MRW) theory, which assigns a probability to each hypothesis. In an MRW model of decision making, when deciding between two hypotheses, the cumulative evidence for and against each hypothesis reaches different levels at different times, moving particle-like from state to state and only occupying a single definite evidence level at any given point.
	Fossil pollen grains found in Antarctica push back evolutionary history of daisy family (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with affiliations to research facilities in Argentina, the U.K. and New Zealand, has confirmed that fossilized pollen grains found in Antarctica are members of the flowering plant family Asteraceae. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their research and conclude by suggesting that the fossils represent the family's oldest fossils ever discovered.
	Human societies think fast and slow in cycles, mathematicians find As humans have evolved, so has our capacity to think rationally and use resources wisely - right? Not necessarily. According to Cornell research, careful, deliberate decision-making is in constant competition with the more knee-jerk type of behavior.
Empower bystanders to stop bullying, says professor It's back-to-school time for many kids across the country—but for students who are subject to bullying, school can be a daunting place to spend eight hours a day. One UT expert suggests empowering bystanders to help put a stop to the destructive behavior.
	Roots of aggression Why are men more aggressive than women? There are two competing theories. However, a study by Oxford University researchers has found that both may actually be right.
Statisticians using social media to track foodborne illness and improve disaster response The growing popularity and use of social media around the world is presenting new opportunities for statisticians to glean insightful information from the infinite stream of posts, tweets and other online communications that will help improve public safety.
Statistical model predicts with high accuracy play-calling tendency of NFL teams If a defensive coordinator of a National Football League (NFL) team could predict with high accuracy whether their team's opponent will call a pass or run play during a game, he would become a rock star in the league and soon be a head coach candidate.
Predicting the weather or the economy? How to make forecasts more trustworthy Attention all you would-be forecasters out there. Do you want people to think you know the future? Then predict with a high degree of certainty that something will happen. According to a new study in the Journal of Marketing Research, people trust a forecaster more when she predicts that something is more likely to occur.
Want your company to remain innovative? Think twice before going public New companies are often successful because they are innovative. In search of new capital, these companies often go public. But does going public affect a company's ability to remain creative and at the cutting edge—the very qualities that allowed it be successful in the first place? A new study in the Journal of Marketing Research says yes. According to the study, when companies go public, they actually innovate more—but their innovations are far more conservative and less groundbreaking than before.
Do Legos, standardized testing, and Googling hamper creativity? Legos, the popular toy bricks, may be great for stimulating creativity in little kids. But when it comes to adults, things might be a little different. According to a new study in the Journal of Marketing Research, when adults are given a set of Legos to solve a well-defined problem, their creativity may suffer when tackling subsequent tasks.
Paying off small debts first may get you in the black quicker In debt and don't know what to do? Conventional economic wisdom says to pay off high-interest loans first. Yet according to a new study in the Journal of Marketing Research, paying off your smallest debts first can provide the motivation you need to successfully pay off even the most burdensome debts.
Seller beware: International transactions require much more than a contract Suppose China wants to buy microprocessors from the United States. The two countries sign a contract—and then the United States hopes that China, as the buyer, holds up its end of the bargain. (One could say the same for China, by the way.) One might think that a contract spelling out in detail the terms of sale and delivery would eliminate the chance that the buyer would violate those terms. A new study in the Journal of International Marketing, however, suggests that well-specified contracts are effective in reducing violations on the part of the buyer only if the buyer is a country that is highly globalized or whose business environment is a low-risk one.
Planning and improvisation actually play well together in export markets Exporting is a popular way to enter an international market. But just how are export decisions made? In a rapidly changing economic environment, can exporting companies rely on improvisation? Or should they commit to carefully thought out and executed plans? According to a new study in the Journal of Marketing Research, companies need to do both, to plan as well as improvise, as there is no one "best way" for export managers to make decisions.
	Nearly two-thirds of Americans live in poverty at some point: study Many Americans will live in poverty at some point in their lives, a new study shows.
	Some districts battle shortage of teachers as school begins As students return to their classrooms this year, some may find fewer teachers waiting to greet them.
	The man with the power to predict economic success There's a mild disappointment when you meet Shade Shutters and listen to him discuss his area of study.
	Cheap milk is a global phenomenon – so don't blame the supermarkets British dairy farmers are once again protesting over the low prices on offer for their milk. They worry that too many producers are going bust, and that long-term milk supplies are at risk.
	New research from the Population Council shows child marriage can be delayed Today the Population Council released new evidence on what works to delay the age of marriage for extremely vulnerable girls in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers also shared rarely available data on the cost of interventions that were tested, and issued recommendations for policymakers, donors, and organizations concerned about child marriage.
About 20 percent of NY students refused to take spring tests About 20 percent of New York's third- through eighth-graders refused to take the statewide English and math tests given in the spring, the state's education chief said, acknowledging the opt-outs affected assessment data released Wednesday, which otherwise showed a slight uptick in overall student achievement.

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