Fwd: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jul 20

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 21, 2016 at 12:30 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jul 20
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Latest Release of COMSOL Multiphysics and COMSOL Server Now Available*
Version 5.2a delivers a host of user-driven features with new modeling tools to boost computational speed and memory efficiency of your simulations. View the release highlights to learn more: http://goo.gl/xkzNdi

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 20, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Two super-Earth-sized planets discovered orbiting a nearby star

Connectome map more than doubles human cortex's known regions

First atmospheric study of Earth-sized exoplanets reveals rocky worlds

Asteroid that formed moon's Imbrium Basin may have been protoplanet-sized

First completely scalable quantum simulation of a molecule

New device lengthens the life of quantum information

Computed-tomography scans of 245 million-year-old fossil shed light on evolution of inner ear of birds, crocodiles

Tiny microbe turns tropical butterfly into male killer, scientists discover

Study with aye-ayes and slow loris finds that prosimians prefer alcohol

After the age of dinosaurs came the age of ant farmers

Russian balloon more than halfway to circumnavigating globe

Ford, Jose Cuervo are exploring agave plant byproduct for car parts

Childhood cancer hijacks cellular quality control system to fuel growth

Genes find their partners without matchmakers

Researchers develop a 'physical cryptography' for secure and accurate accounting of the world's nuclear arsenals

Physics news

	First completely scalable quantum simulation of a molecule (Phys.org)—A team of researchers made up of representatives from Google, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, Tufts University, UC Santa Barbara, University College London and Harvard University reports that they have successfully created a scalable quantum simulation of a molecule for the first time ever. In a paper uploaded to the open access journal Physical Review X, the team describes the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) approach they used to create and solve one of the first real-world quantum computer applications.
	New device lengthens the life of quantum information Yale University scientists have reached a milestone in their efforts to extend the durability and dependability of quantum information.
	Researchers develop a 'physical cryptography' for secure and accurate accounting of the world's nuclear arsenals Verifiably reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world will require more than international diplomacy; a scientific breakthrough is needed. To date, all nuclear arms control treaties have been limited in a peculiar way: Participants cannot determine that the warheads of other countries being counted are real.
	Mixing topology and spin In the pursuit of material platforms for the next generation of electronics, scientists are studying new compounds such as topological insulators (TIs), which support protected electron states on the surfaces of crystals that silicon-based technologies cannot. Dramatic new physical phenomena are being realized by combining this field of TIs with the subfield of spin-based electronics known as spintronics. The success within spintronics of realizing important magnetic technologies such as the spin valve have increased the expectations that new results in TIs might have near-term applications. However, combining these two research threads has relied on "shoehorning" magnetism by forcing magnetic atoms to partially occupy elemental positions in TIs or by applying a conventional magnetic field. Realizing an integrated material that is both intrinsically magnetic and has a topological character has proven more challenging.
	X-ray studies could help make LIGO gravitational wave detector 10 times more sensitive Scientists from Stanford University and the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory are using powerful X-rays to study high-performance mirror coatings that could help make the LIGO gravitational wave observatory 10 times more sensitive to cosmic events that ripple space-time.
	Quantum drag: Physicists say current in one iron magnetic sheet can create quantized spin waves in another, separate she Friction and drag are commonplace in nature. You experience these phenomena when riding in an airplane, pairing electrical wiring, or rubbing pieces of sandpaper together.
	New probe developed for improved high resolution measurement of brain temperature The brain is the most temperature-sensitive organ in the body. Even small deviations in brain temperature are capable of producing profound effects—including behavioral changes, cell toxicity, and neuronal cell death. The problem faced by researchers and clinicians is how to measure and understand these changes in the brain and how they are influenced by complex biochemical and physiological pathways that may be altered by disease, brain injury or drug abuse.
	Device architecture that can tune a material's magnetic properties could reduce the power consumption of memories The huge energy consumption of the world's data centers creates an urgent need to develop electronic devices that can process information with reduced power requirements. A device that harnesses the 'spin' of electrons offers a route toward this. A*STAR researchers show how the performance of these so-called spintronic memories can be optimized by careful control of its structure.
	Asymmetrical magnetic microbeads turned into micro-robots Janus was a Roman god with two distinct faces. Thousands of years later, he inspired material scientists working on asymmetrical microscopic spheres—with both a magnetic and a non-magnetic half—called Janus particles. Instead of behaving like normal magnetic beads, with opposite poles attracting, Janus particle assemblies look as if poles of the same type attract each other.
Scientists develop a minimally traumatic and inexpensive ceramic laser scalpel Scientists from MIPT and their colleagues have developed a compact and powerful ceramic-based laser with applications in minimally traumatic and inexpensive laser surgical scalpels, and also for cutting and engraving composite materials. The results of the study have been published in Optics Letters.
	Making massive materials data sets and tools accessible to all University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers recently used powerful computers to quickly and accurately develop the world's largest computed database of information about an important materials-mixing process called diffusion.
New superconducting coil improves MRI performance A multidisciplinary research team led by University of Houston scientist Jarek Wosik has developed a high-temperature superconducting coil that allows magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners to produce higher resolution images or acquire images in a shorter time than when using conventional coils.
	How researchers can use 19th century math to build the computers of the future When it comes to computers, people never look for "bigger and better," but rather "smaller and faster." How do we continue to keep up with that demand, making technology smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient? According to Carnegie Mellon University's Vincent Sokalski, assistant research professor of materials science and engineering, the answer may be in the fundamental origins of magnets—the spin of electrons.

Earth news

	Russian balloon more than halfway to circumnavigating globe A 65-year-old Russian adventurer was battling sleep deprivation, freezing temperatures and ice in his oxygen mask but was ahead of schedule for his record attempt to fly solo in a balloon around the world nonstop, his son said on Wednesday.
	North American forests unlikely to save us from climate change, study finds 30 percent of human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide—a strong greenhouse gas—and are therefore considered to play a crucial role in mitigating the speed and magnitude of climate change. However, a new study that combines future climate model projections, historic tree-ring records across the entire continent of North America, and how the growth rates of trees may respond to a higher concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has shown that the mitigation effect of forests will likely be much smaller in the future than previously suggested.
	Stabilization of ozone hole and changing wind patterns has driven regional cooling phase in Antarctic Peninsula The rapid warming of the Antarctic Peninsula, which occurred from the early-1950s to the late 1990s, has paused. Stabilisation of the ozone hole along with natural climate variability were significant in bringing about the change. Together these influences have now caused the peninsula to enter a temporary cooling phase. Temperatures remain higher than measured during the middle of the 20th Century and glacial retreat is still taking place. However, scientists predict that if greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise at the current rate, temperatures will increase across the Antarctic Peninsula by several degrees Centigrade by the end of this century.
	Oceans may be large, overlooked source of hydrogen gas Rocks formed beneath the ocean floor by fast-spreading tectonic plates may be a large and previously overlooked source of free hydrogen gas (H2), a new Duke University study suggests.
	Group clones California giant trees to combat climate change At the foot of a giant sequoia in California's Sierra Nevada, two arborists stepped into harnesses then inched up ropes more than 20 stories into the dizzying canopy of a tree that survived thousands of years, enduring drought, wildfire and disease.
	Toxic waters and climate change—how are they linked? It is imperative that society learn more about how climate change contributes to episodic and very severe water quality impairments, such as the harmful algal bloom that caused Florida to declare a state of emergency earlier this month, says Carnegie's Anna Michalak in a commentary published by Nature.
	Groundwater discharge to upper Colorado River Basin varies in response to drought Groundwater discharge that flows into the Upper Colorado River Basin varies in response to drought, which is likely due to aquifer systems that contain relatively young groundwater, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study published in Hydrogeology Journal.
	EU puts burden on rich north in new greenhouse gas targets The European Union on Wednesday unveiled national targets for cutting greenhouse gases by 2030, placing the burden on richer northern countries to help meet the bloc's UN goal.
	Air pollution up in a third of Chinese cities: Greenpeace Air pollution levels rose in nearly a third of Chinese cities monitored in the second quarter, environmental campaign group Greenpeace said Wednesday.
	NASA Looks at Tropical Cyclone Abela in 3-D Satellite data enables scientists to look at tropical cyclones in three dimensions and that provides information about rainfall rates and cloud heights.
	Ocean acidification—the limits of adaptation In an unprecedented evolutionary experiment, scientists from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and the Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology demonstrated that the most important single-celled calcifying alga of world's oceans, Emiliania huxleyi, is only able to adapt to ocean acidification to a certain extent. The proof of principle for evolutionary adaptation was provided by GEOMAR scientists already in 2012. But four years after the start of the experiment, the growth rates of the calcifying alga have only made little progress. "Emiliania huxleyi's potential for adaptation is still lower than initially expected. Even after four years of evolution, the alga could not compensate completely for the negative impact on its growth", explains Dr. Lothar Schlüter, author of the study and a former doctoral student at GEOMAR. The researchers present their results, which were obtained in the frameworks of the Cluster of Excellence "The Future Ocean" and the German research network BIOACID (Biological Impacts of Ocean Acidification) in the journal Science Advances.
	Hurricane Darby weakens on approach to Central Pacific Ocean Hurricane Darby weakened to a tropical storm as it approached the Central Pacific Ocean on July 20. NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of the storm.
	More for less in pastures: Multispecies pastures show productivity, drought tolerant promise Getting more for less is an attractive concept. But it isn't that easy when it comes to producing more food on less land with fewer resources.
	SMAP Observatory looks at Tropical Storm Estelle's winds The strongest sustained winds in the Eastern Pacific Ocean's Tropical Storm Estelle covered every quadrant of the storm except the southern area, according to data from NASA's SMAP satellite.
	Enbridge to pay $177 million for US oil pipeline spills Canadian pipeline giant Enbridge Inc. has agreed to pay $177 million to settle claims stemming from two major oil spills in the United States in 2010, US authorities announced Wednesday.
Ocean sample tests clean after Los Angeles sewage spill The first test of ocean water following a massive California sewage spill came back clean Wednesday, suggesting stinky sludge that drained into the Los Angeles River didn't flow 20 miles to the coast, officials said.
	France wants climate deal to take effect by November France's ecology minister Segolene Royal said Wednesday she wants to see the Paris climate deal take effect by November, just before a new round of climate talks opens in Morocco.

Astronomy & Space news

	Two super-Earth-sized planets discovered orbiting a nearby star (Phys.org)—NASA's Kepler spacecraft continues its fruitful exoplanet hunt with the newest discovery of two super-Earth-sized alien worlds. The newly detected planets are orbiting a nearby sun-sized star known as HD 3167, located some 150 light years away. The results are presented in a paper published July 18 on the arXiv pre-print server.
	First atmospheric study of Earth-sized exoplanets reveals rocky worlds On May 2, scientists from MIT, the University of Liège, and elsewhere announced they had discovered a planetary system, a mere 40 light years from Earth, that hosts three potentially habitable, Earth-sized worlds. Judging from the size and temperature of the planets, the researchers determined that regions of each planet may be suitable for life.
	Asteroid that formed moon's Imbrium Basin may have been protoplanet-sized Around 3.8 billion years ago, an asteroid more than 150 miles across, roughly equal to the length of New Jersey, slammed into the Moon and created the Imbrium Basin—the right eye of the fabled Man in the Moon. This new size estimate, published in the journal Nature, suggests an Imbrium impactor that was two times larger in diameter and 10 times more massive than previous estimates.
	SpaceX Dragon capsule delivers new station docking port SpaceX finally made good on its delivery of a space station docking port Wednesday morning.
	Five years after shuttle, NASA awaits commercial crew capsules Five years after Atlantis completed the space shuttle program's final voyage, NASA is still at least a year away from launching its astronauts from U.S. soil.
	BepiColombo mission to Mercury on track for April 2018 launch Humanity's next visitor to the solar system's innermost planet remains on track for April 2018, according to the project's scientist. The BepiColombo mission, being developed jointly by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is currently ahead of final acceptance tests that will prepare it for shipment to the launch site.
	Active tracking of astronaut rad-exposures targeted Radiation is an invisible hazard of spaceflight, but a new monitoring system for ESA astronauts gives a realtime snapshot of their exposure. The results will guide researchers preparing for deep-space missions to come.
What the world's oldest calculator tells us about the ancient Greeks' view of the universe When we talk of the history of computers, most of us will refer to the evolution of the modern digital desktop PC, charting the decades-long developments by the likes of Apple and Microsoft. What many don't consider, however, is that computers have been around much longer. In fact, they date back millennia, to a time when they were analogue creations.
	NASA celebrates stamp that has traveled 3.5 billion miles NASA is celebrating a 29-cent Pluto-themed postage stamp stuck to the side of the New Horizons spacecraft that has traveled nearly 3.5 billion miles from Earth.

Technology news

	Ford, Jose Cuervo are exploring agave plant byproduct for car parts (Tech Xplore)—Car parts made from agave? A join-up between Ford Motor Company and Jose Cuervo is showing what can be done.
	343,000 fps camera able to capture intricacies of glass shattering (Tech Xplore)—As technology marches ever forward, devices that were once the province of high-tech labs slowly make their way into the hands of the general population. Once such example is high-speed cameras. It is now possible to buy a camera such as the Phantom v2511, which is captures action at up to 677,000 fps. Recently, a pair of British characters that host a YouTube series called "The Slow Mo Guys" filmed what happens when a Pyrex measuring cup is heated, then quickly chilled—it explodes. Their intent was to show not only how cool it looked in slow motion, but to highlight just how fast things can happen.
	Single camera can capture high quality facial performance Facial performance capture, a key component of visual effects for movies and computer games, can be obtained using just a single camera with a new methodology developed by Disney Research.
	New method reconstructs highly detailed 3-D eyes from a single photograph A digitally created face can have the most realistic looking skin imaginable and still look fabricated to audiences if the eyes aren't quite right. But a new technique developed by Disney Research can capture the crucial, yet subtle details of the eyes with just a single facial scan, or even a single photo.
	3-D-printing lab instruments one block at a time A team of researchers and students at the University of California, Riverside has created a Lego-like system of blocks that enables users to custom make chemical and biological research instruments quickly, easily and affordably. The system of 3D-printed blocks can be used in university labs, schools, hospitals, and anywhere there is a need to create scientific tools.
	Harvesting water from air with less energy Getting clean water to communities in parched areas of the planet remains an ongoing challenge. Recent developments that harvest water from air have been proposed as a solution. However, the technology to do so consumes a lot of energy. But based on new modeling results, scientists now report in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology that a new system design would require less energy and produce high-quality water.
	Access to Wikileaks blocked in Turkey as it releases emails Access to the Wikileaks website in Turkey has been blocked after the group announced, following a failed coup by Turkish military units, that it would release a trove of documents on the country's power structure.
	Japan Pokemon fans in agonising wait for game launch Legions of Pokemon fans were left disappointed Wednesday after a rumoured release of the franchise's hugely popular smartphone game in Japan proved wrong.
	Autonomous grilling robot prepares sausages at a party The BratWurst Bot was taking care of the guests by grilling sausages at the 53rd Stallwächter-Party of the Baden-Württemberg State Representation in Berlin. The autonomous service robot was continuously grilling German bratwursts on a regular gas grill all by itself.
	OPINION: Blockchain really only does one thing well No new technology since the dawn of the internet has captured the imagination like blockchain.
	Car sharing increases mobility, decreases greenhouse gas emissions Drive, ride or share? It's a question more people are asking themselves as transportation options are rapidly evolving. But what does it mean for road congestion and the environment?
China's Midea snares near-86% stake in Germany's Kuka Chinese appliance giant Midea said Wednesday it has secured almost 86 percent of German industrial robotics supplier Kuka, giving it overwhelming control despite controversy in Europe over its multi-billion-euro offer.
	How science can help us make AI less creepy and more trustworthy Stories about racist Twitter accounts and crashing self-driving cars can make us think that artificial intelligence (AI) is a work in progress. But while these headline-grabbing mistakes reveal the frontiers of AI, versions of this technology are already invisibly embedded in many systems that we use everyday.
Self-learning computer software can detect and diagnose errors in pronunciation An inexpensive, versatile and personalized system for recognizing and correcting mispronounced words could improve language learning. The A*STAR-devised system gradually picks up the most common speech mistakes made by an individual, and potentially could be applied to any language.
Myth-busting research into a new alternative solar cell material could lead to cheaper solar cells Solar cells that are cheaper and easier to manufacture could challenge the dominance of silicon, with new research showing an alternative material called perovskite is more efficient and adaptable than previously thought.
	Macy's tests artificial intelligence tool to improve service Macy's is testing a mobile tool using artificial intelligence that lets shoppers get answers customized to the store they're in—like where a particular brand is located or what's in stock—that they would normally ask a sales associate face-to-face.
	Ethically, must game designers respond to all player requests? Video games are supposed to be fun. Maybe when you're grinding your way to max level it doesn't always feel that way, but on the whole we play games because we enjoy them.
	A chair for getting fit and trim Getting fit and athletic – while sitting? Researchers at the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) of Bielefeld University are developing an active chair as part of the KogniHome research project. At first glance, the chair looks just like another other reclining chair with a footrest you would find in a living room in front of the TV. But upon closer inspection, the chair is actually connected to a virtual avatar and has all manner of technical refinements.
	Pokemon Go has revealed a new battleground for virtual privacy People have been lingering outside Boon Sheridan's house all through the night. The designer lives in an old church in Massachusetts that has been designated a "gym" in the new smartphone game Pokémon Go. Because the game requires players to visit places in the real world, Sheridan now has to put up with people regularly stopping outside his building to play.
	Adaptive rendering method reduces discolored pixels in photo-realistic images Disney Research has developed a new method to improve the rendering of high-quality images from 3-D models by drastically reducing the noise, or discolored pixels, contained in the animated images, while preserving fine detail.
	More disappointment for Japanese waiting for 'Pokemon Go' Japanese fans eagerly awaiting the launch of "Pokemon Go" in the character's country of birth faced another day of disappointment Wednesday.
	Facebook Messenger hits one billion users Facebook said Wednesday the number of users of its Messenger application had topped one billion, a key milestone as it seeks to expand the platform to new services.
	Don't hunt Pokemons while driving, warn Portuguese police Portuguese police have issued a list of commonsense rules for using the smash hit Pokemon Go augmented-reality game, warning users not to play it while driving and not to wander off with it alone.
	Social robots—programmable by everyone The startup LuxAI was created following a research project at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) of the University of Luxembourg, funded by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) under its Proof of Concept scheme. The business model of LuxAI is developing and constructing so-called social robots. Such robots can be used, for example, in the educational or health system, where they would support trainers and therapists in their work. The robots can be programmed to practice vocabulary with children or to make rehabilitation exercises with stroke patients.
	France serves notice to Mircosoft on data tracking France on Wednesday said it had served formal notice on Microsoft to stop collecting what it deems excessive data and tracking browsing by users without their consent on civil liberty grounds.
	Former US attorney general joins Airbnb bias review Airbnb said Wednesday it had hired former US attorney general Eric Holder for its review aimed at rooting out discrimination at the home-sharing service.
	How to choose a fitness tracker when they all sound the same Most fitness trackers can measure a lot: steps taken, heart beats, sleep quality and workout performance.
	How millennial nostalgia fueled the success of 'Pokemon Go' The children who once dreamed of capturing real-life Pokemon starting in the 1990s are now the nostalgic millennials helping fuel the worldwide success of "Pokemon Go."
Business software firm SAP sees rise in profit, sales Business software maker SAP SE reported Wednesday that its second-quarter net income rose to 816 million euros ($900 million) from 469 million euros a year earlier as it expanded sales in all regions.
	Indonesia's presidential palace bans playing of 'Pokemon Go' Indonesian officials have banned the playing of "Pokemon Go" from the presidential palace.
	Novel technology to automatically assess personal data privacy risks Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced development of a unique new technology to automatically assess the privacy risk of personal data.
	Putting software on a diet Concerns about battery life, heat creation, fan noise and overall high energy costs have driven the development of more energy-efficient computers and mobile devices over the past two decades.
Leader of top piracy site arrested in Poland, charged in US US authorities unveiled criminal charges Wednesday against a Ukrainian alleged to be heading the world's biggest online piracy site, Kickass Torrents, distributing over $1 billion worth of illegally copied films, music and other content.
Southwest suffers technology outage; flights held at gates Some Southwest Airlines flights are being held up while the airline tries to fix a technology outage.

Chemistry news

	Chemical synthesis of a powerful, high-energy compound Trinitrotoluene or TNT has been considered as the standard measure for explosives for 100 years, although new high-energy-density materials or HEDMs outperform this substance in terms of explosion power, safety, but also environmental compatibility. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Russian scientists present the synthesis of a highly interesting HEDM, which exhibits excellent energetic properties as well as a beautiful, butterfly-like structure.
	Lab discovers titanium-gold alloy that is four times harder than most steels Titanium is the leading material for artificial knee and hip joints because it's strong, wear-resistant and nontoxic, but an unexpected discovery by Rice University physicists shows that the gold standard for artificial joints can be improved with the addition of some actual gold.
	Rapid, low-temperature process adds weeks to milk's shelf life A rapid heating and cooling of milk significantly reduces the amount of harmful bacteria present, extending by several weeks the shelf life of one of the most common refrigerator staples in the world, according to a Purdue University study.
	Moving diagnostics out of the microwell On many TV shows that depict chemistry in action, scientists are shown using bulky flasks and metal vats to perform reactions. In real labs, countless chemical reactions occur in microwells on small plastic plates. Scientists have relied on them for years in diagnostics and other applications, but that could change with a new approach that uses tiny, evaporating droplets suspended on "pillars." Researchers report the technique in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry.
	Hydrogel scaffold helps repair injured spinal cord Spinal cord injuries can be devastating because the damaged nerves do not regenerate on their own, which often leads to permanent impairment. Scientists have been investigating methods to encourage regrowth, but so far there are no treatments that reliably restore nerve function. Now, a group reports in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering a strategy that regrows nerve cells and restores motor function in rats with spinal cord injuries.
	Garnet-type fast ionic conductor for all-solid-state lithium battery Rechargeable all-solid-state lithium batteries are expected to be one of the next-generation energy storage devices because of their high energy density, safety, and excellent cycle stability. The materials used for the solid electrolyte must not only have a high lithium-ion conductivity above 1 mS/cm at room temperature, but also possess chemical stability.

Biology news

	Tiny microbe turns tropical butterfly into male killer, scientists discover A scientist from the University of Exeter has helped to identify a male-killing microbe in a tropical butterfly called the African Queen, which leads to the death of all sons when a mother is infected.
	Study with aye-ayes and slow loris finds that prosimians prefer alcohol Alcohol is widespread in nature, existing in fermented nectars, saps and fruits. It is therefore a natural part of many primate diets, and it follows that primates have evolved to digest alcohol quickly to minimize toxic effects. But given that alcohol is also a source of calories, it is plausible that alcohol is attractive to some primates, including, hypothetically, our human ancestors. In fact, previous research found that humans and African great apes have a genetic mutation that radically accelerates alcohol digestion. However, this mutation is also shared with the aye-aye, one of the oddest animals on Earth. The question, then, is whether aye-ayes are attracted to alcohol. In the first controlled study of its kind, Dartmouth researchers found that two aye-ayes and another prosimian primate (a slow loris) could discriminate different concentrations of alcohol, and further, that each species preferred the highest concentrations of alcohol available to them. The findings of this Dartmouth study will be published in the open-access journal, Royal Society Open Science.
	After the age of dinosaurs came the age of ant farmers A group of South American ants has farmed fungi since shortly after the dinosaurs died out, according to an international research team including Smithsonian scientists. The genes of the ant farmers and their fungal crops reveal a surprisingly ancient history of mutual adaptations. This evolutionary give-and-take has led to some species—the leafcutter ants—developing industrial-scale farming that surpasses human agriculture in its efficiency.
	Genes find their partners without matchmakers A new study provides more evidence that identical sections of DNA can match up with each other without the help of other molecules.
	Synthetic biology used to limit bacterial growth and coordinate drug release Researchers at the University of California San Diego and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with a strategy for using synthetic biology in therapeutics. The approach enables continual production and release of drugs at disease sites in mice while simultaneously limiting the size, over time, of the populations of bacteria engineered to produce the drugs. The findings are published in the July 20 online issue of Nature.
	How cells master the art of reading life's recipes A research project led by The Australian National University (ANU) has closed an important gap in the understanding of a fundamental process of life - the creation of proteins based on recipes called RNA.
	Parrots know shapes When he looks at a Kanizsa triangle, the famous optical illusion made up of three Pac-Man figures facing each other, Griffin doesn't just see three figures converging on each other. He sees a triangle.
	Shed skins of bed bugs emit pheromones that could help combat infestations of the insect Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered the shed skins of bed bugs retain the "obnoxious sweetness" smell often associated with the pests, a finding that could potentially be used to combat infestations of the insects.
	Professor digitizing every fish species in the world Nearly 25,000 species of fish live on our planet, and a University of Washington professor wants to scan and digitize them all.
	Medieval water power initiated the collapse of salmon stocks Salmon largely disappeared from the Netherlands due to the construction of water mills, ecologists from Radboud University conclude (Scientific Reports, 20 July). The construction of water mills caused the destruction of the gravel beds in streams, making them unsuitable for salmon to spawn. Whereas it was previously thought that water contamination was the most likely explanation, archival research demonstrates that salmon stocks had already dwindled prior to the invention of the steam engine.
	Female birds call the shots in divorce Research is shedding new light on the causes of divorce in monogamous year-round territorial birds. A Monash University study of the endangered Purple-crowned Fairy-wren has discovered the females are calling the shots when it comes to breaking up.
	Habitat needs of nestling and fledgling songbirds Both before and after they leave the nest, baby birds face a host of challenges. A new study in The Condor: Ornithological Applications examining songbird survival in the nestling and fledgling stages finds that even in the same habitat, different species face different risks and survive at different rates.
	Birds on top of the world, with nowhere to go Climate change could make much of the Arctic unsuitable for millions of migratory birds that travel north to breed each year, according to a new international study published today in Global Change Biology.
	Proteins that move DNA around in a bacterium are surprisingly similar to those in our own cells In both higher organisms and bacteria, DNA must be segregated when cells divide, ensuring that the requisite share of duplicated DNA goes into each new cell. While previous studies indicated that bacteria and higher organisms use quite different systems to perform this task, A*STAR researchers have now found a bacterium that uses filaments with key similarities to those in multicellular organisms, including humans.
	Fungus a possible precursor of severe respiratory diseases in pigs Respiratory diseases in pigs typically involve multiple infections from different pathogens. Some pathogens play a greater role than others in the progression of the disease. The fungus Pneumocystis carinii is a relatively common cause of pneumonia in Austrian pigs, but its role has so far remained largely unexplored. Pneumocystis is considered to be less dangerous than other pathogens, as it probably requires other underlying conditions to sufficiently weaken the immune defence of the animals first.
New single test to detect plant viruses A Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre team are rolling out a plant diagnostic toolkit that can accurately detect plant viruses and viroids in a single test.
Dogs de-stress families with autistic children, new research shows Owning a pet dog reduces stress and significantly improves functioning in families who have a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), new research has shown.
	XX protection against age-related mutations Researchers at the University of Valencia's Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology have put the 'unguarded X hypothesis' to the test and confirmed that differences in lifespan between the sexes, a widespread phenomenon in nature, may be due to the protective effect of having two copies of the X chromosome.
"Perfect storm" brought sea louse epidemic to BC salmon—likely due to high temperatures and uncoordinated treatment High ocean temperatures and poor timing of parasite management likely led to an epidemic of sea lice in 2015 throughout salmon farms in British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Strait, a University of Toronto-led study has found.
How do cells recover their shape after being subjected to external forces? Human cells show deformation under the influence of external forces. But how do they recover their original shape afterwards? This mechanism, which is important in medicine and biology, has been described for the first time by FAU researchers and their international colleagues in an article in the journal Nature Materials.
	New data on bird population trends and the climate conditions they occupy A new study of population trends among 46 ecologically diverse bird species in North America conducted by avian ecologist Joel Ralston and colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Amherst overturns a long-held assumption that the climate conditions occupied by a species do not change over time.
	South Africa's great white sharks face extinction: study South Africa's great white sharks face the threat of extinction after a rapid decline in numbers caused by trophy hunting, shark nets and pollution, according to a study released Wednesday.
	Underwater terrain may be key factor in little auk foraging Little auks forage in the same areas off East Greenland—the continental shelf and its edge—regardless of whether sea ice is present or absent, according to a study published July 20, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Françoise Amélineau, from the University of Montpellier, France, and colleagues.
Reversing ants navigate successfully despite going backwards Scampering across the salt pans of Tunisia on their spindly legs, desert ants (Cataglyphis fortis) have a single-minded mission: locate food and get it back to the nest. Normally, individual raiders bear a tasty morsel in their mandibles and navigate home along the most direct return route, regardless of how tortuous the outbound journey was.
	How water collector bees know when to quench hot hive's thirst Thirst is a sensation that we can all relate to; however, dealing with this basic physiological impulse takes on a whole new dimension when an entire bee colony craves water.
	Putting the sloth in sloths: Arboreal lifestyle drives slow motion pace Although most of the terrestrial world is covered in trees, there are precious few vertebrates that make the canopy their home and subsist solely on a diet of leaves.
	ESA announces finalists for the 2016 YouTube Your Entomology contest Since 2009, the Entomological Society of America (ESA) has held a contest called "YouTube Your Entomology," which invites entomologists to showcase their talents and creativity through video. The popular contest has been featured in the New York Times and other media outlets, and the videos often focus on research, teaching, outreach, and other areas.
	Florida project breeds 'Finding Dory' fish in captivity Researchers at the University of Florida say fish like the animated character Dory may become easier to find for home aquariums.
	A population study of whale sharks in the Red Sea reveals unique group dynamics Despite being the largest known fish in the sea, little is known about the world's population of whale sharks. Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, are conducting ongoing research into the Red Sea's population to determine more about these elusive creatures and inform future conservation efforts.
	Novel techniques to ensure safe, spicy and delicious food EU researchers have developed tools and guidelines to help protect Europe's spice and herb commodity chains from deliberate, accidental and natural biological and chemical contamination.
	Expanding development associated with declining deer recruitment across western Colorado A new study from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) and Colorado State University (CSU) shows that dramatic increases in residential and energy development is associated with declining early winter recruitment in western Colorado's mule deer populations.
	Lebanon gives teeth to big cat protection efforts The death of a baby lion cub kept as a pet in Lebanon has inspired a major government-backed campaign to halt mistreatment and trafficking of big cats in the country.
	Winter overseeding and colorant treatments compared for bermudagrass Across many regions of the United States, water restrictions have created challenges for professionals who work to maintain playing surfaces on recreational turf facilities such as golf courses and athletic fields. As municipalities impose stricter irrigation restrictions—particularly during winter months—turfgrass professionals are looking to alternatives to overseeding practices, such as the use of colorants, to produce healthy, safe athletic turf.
	Improving artichoke root development, transplant quality According to the authors of a new study, transplant shock is very common in globe artichoke grown in semiarid regions of the United States; high air temperatures and drought stress after transplanting can delay root and shoot growth and significantly reduce marketable yield. To counteract the effects of heat and insufficient irrigation on artichoke crops, researchers are seeking to determine the best nursery practices for plant nutrition and irrigation.

Medicine & Health news

	Connectome map more than doubles human cortex's known regions The age of exploration has long passed, but there is at least one area still largely uncharted: the human brain. Now, a detailed new map by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis lays out the landscape of the cerebral cortex—the outermost layer of the brain and the dominant structure involved in sensory perception and attention, as well as distinctly human functions such as language, tool use and abstract thinking.
	Childhood cancer hijacks cellular quality control system to fuel growth A serious childhood cancer takes advantage of a quality control mechanism that usually protects cells from stress-induced damage to propel tumor growth, according to a new study led by researchers at UC San Francisco and the University of Pittsburgh. By blocking that mechanism, the scientists were able to kill cells derived from patients with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a rare muscle-tissue cancer that affects a few hundred children in the U.S. each year.
	Three Alzheimer's genetic risk factors linked to immune cell dysfunction People with a variant copy of the TREM2 gene have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, but researchers are only beginning to understand why.
	People estimate their own abilities based on others' performance Ratings of our own abilities are strongly influenced by the performance of others, according to a study published July 20 in Neuron. Interacting with high performers makes us feel more capable in cooperative team settings, but less competent in competitive situations. Moreover, the degree of "self-other-mergence" is associated with activity in a brain region previously implicated in theory of mind—the ability to understand the mental states of oneself and others.
Anti-tumor antibodies could counter atherosclerosis, study finds Investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine have learned the signal that tumor cells display on their surfaces to protect themselves from being devoured by the immune system also plays a role in enabling atherosclerosis, the process underlying heart attacks and strokes.
	Uncovering a new principle in chemotherapy resistance in breast cancer A laboratory study has revealed an entirely unexpected process for acquiring drug resistance that bypasses the need to re-establish DNA damage repair in breast cancers that have mutant BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. The findings, reported by Andre Nussenzweig, Ph.D., and Shyam Sharan, Ph.D., at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and colleagues, appeared July 21, 2016, in Nature.
	Neuroscience study sheds light on how words are represented in the brain Reading is a relatively modern and uniquely human skill. For this reason, visual word recognition has been a puzzle for neuroscientists because the neural systems responsible for reading could not have evolved for this purpose. "The existence of brain regions dedicated to reading has been fiercely debated for almost 200 years," said Avniel Ghuman, an assistant professor in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery. "Wernicke, Dejerine, and Charcot, among the most important and influential neurologists and neuroscientists of the 19th century, debated whether or not there was a visual center for words in the brain."
Diseases that run in families not all down to genes, study shows Family history of disease may be as much the result of shared lifestyle and surroundings as inherited genes, research has shown.
	Scientists apply new imaging tool to common brain disorders A Yale-led team of researchers developed a new approach to scanning the brain for changes in synapses that are associated with common brain disorders. The technique may provide insights into the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of disorders, including epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease.
Team finds potential drug candidates that could intervene in deadly diseases In a new study, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified drug candidates that can boost a cell's ability to catch the "typos" in protein production that can cause a deadly disease called amyloidosis.
	Researchers block common colon cancer tumor type in mice A new scientific study has identified why colorectal cancer cells depend on a specific nutrient, and a way to starve them of it. Over one million men and women are living with colorectal cancer in the United States. The National Cancer Institute estimates 4.5% of all men and women will be diagnosed with the cancer during their lifetime, making it the third most common non-skin cancer.
	Lower risk of bowel cancer death linked to high omega 3 intake after diagnosis A high dietary intake of omega 3 fatty acids, derived from oily fish, may help to lower the risk of death from bowel cancer in patients diagnosed with the disease, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.
Rare mutations in bowel cancer may identify patients with a better prognosis An international collaboration between the University of Oxford and other European institutions has uncovered a correlation between a rare mutation in bowel cancers and a better prognosis, raising the possibility that patients with such tumours may not require chemotherapy after surgery.
Jamie Oliver's cooking courses give diets a boost, study finds Jamie Oliver's back-to-basics approach to improving our diets works, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Leeds found that men and women who attended one of the celebrity chef's eight-week Ministry of Food courses showed significant improvements in their eating habits.
Higher education associated with reduced heart failure risk after myocardial infarction Higher education is associated with a reduced risk of developing heart failure after a heart attack, reports a study in more than 70 000 patients published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
Florida probes 'non-travel' related case of Zika Florida health officials said Tuesday they are investigating a potential case of Zika infection that was not contracted by someone traveling to a region affected by the mosquito-borne virus.
	An antibody-based drug for multiple sclerosis Inserm Unit U919, directed by Prof. Denis Vivien ("Serine Proteases and Physiopathology of the Neurovascular Unit") has developed an antibody with potential therapeutic effects against multiple sclerosis. The study, directed by Fabian Docagne and published in Brain, paves the way for a new strategy to control the disease.
Reducing opportunistic infections such as TB in children with HIV could save both lives and money According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 150,000 children with HIV under 15 years of age died of opportunistic infections in low-to-middle income countries in 2014 alone. But a study recently published in the journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases suggests that not only were many of these infections and deaths potentially preventable had the children received antiretroviral therapy (ART) to support their depleted immune systems, but doing so in future would result in annual savings of close to USD$ 18 million per year for health organizations around the world because they would reduce the costs of treating the diseases the children develop.
	CDC scientists review methods to prevent bites and suppress ticks that transmit Lyme disease Dr. Lars Eisen and Marc Dolan of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reviewed decades of scientific literature on the effectiveness of various methods of preventing bites and controlling ticks that transmit Lyme disease. Their findings are published in the Journal of Medical Entomology.
Surgeons' disclosures of clinical adverse events Surgeons who reported they were less likely to discuss preventability of an adverse event, or who reported difficult communication experiences, were more negatively affected by disclosure than others, according to a study published online by JAMA Surgery.
Study examines opioid agonist therapy use in Medicare patients Few Medicare enrollees appear to be receiving buprenorphine-naloxone, the only opioid agonist therapy for opioid addiction available through Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, according to a study published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Gender of growing importance in diabetes studies The international guidelines for the management of type 2 diabetes consider such factors such as age, social environment, the duration of the illness and associated health complaints. But gender is not included. This is becoming a significant issue because men and women have different risks and develop different types of diabetes; thus, the treatment should become more gender-specific and personalised.
	Toward improving patient sleep in pediatric intensive care units Intensive care units are full of high-tech equipment and highly trained professionals, but Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA is focusing on a simple aspect of patient care that's often overlooked: sleep.
Depression's stigma can be a barrier to African-Americans seeking treatment, study finds The stigma attached to mental illness creates a barrier for many seeking treatment, but it has a particularly negative impact on the help-seeking behaviors of black Americans, a small in-depth qualitative study by researchers at the University of Georgia suggests.
Study shows elevated brain blood flow linked to anxiety and mood symptoms in females Adolescence is a critical period for emotional maturation and is a time when significant symptoms of anxiety and depression can increase, particularly in females. Prior work by a team of Penn Medicine researchers found that sex-specific changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) begin at puberty. The team's newest research shows that higher blood flow in emotional brain regions such as the amygdala is associated with higher levels of anxiety and mood symptoms in females. These findings, which are published online in Biological Psychiatry, provide further insight into the developmental biology of sex differences in mood and anxiety disorders.
	The link between makeup and a down economy During tough economic times, women engage in the "lipstick effect," stocking up on cosmetics and beauty products—a simple and familiar way to address their personal economic situation.
	Study finds HPV vaccine protects children with vulnerable immune systems While the protective benefits of the HPV vaccine in the general population are well known, new research shows it may also benefit children with weakened immune systems who are at higher risk of HPV-related cancers. The research, led by UNSW, suggests children with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and juvenile arthritis or those requiring organ or bone marrow transplants, received a boost in immune response after receiving the vaccine.
	Opinion: Curing HIV—or at least achieving long-term remission—is possible under the right circumstances Finding a cure for HIV is a powerful concept, often spoken of as the Holy Grail of HIV research. Although effective anti-HIV drugs have transformed HIV into a chronic manageable condition – a condition you live with, rather than die from – taking life-long therapy is a very different proposition to being definitively cured.
GP records indicate long term effects on patients of 'mini-strokes' New findings from the University of Birmingham challenge the 'transient' nature of mini-strokes and provide insight into the long term impact of an under-recognised condition. TIA patients in the study consulted their GPs more frequently than similarly aged patients for fatigue, cognitive impairment and anxiety or depression.
	Photoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging visualizes blood flow and oxygenation status in brain tumor tissue Cancer diagnostics and therapy monitoring have moved into a new dimension through A*STAR research, which has developed a high-resolution and noninvasive approach to visualize brain tumors by combining photoacoustic with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.
	When bad ideas refuse to die—the denial of human individuality It is generally thought that science helps good ideas triumph over bad. The weight of evidence eventually pushes false claims aside.
Disturbances in blood cell gene transcription may lead to leukemia Researchers have succeeded in shedding light on the pathogenesis of DNA breakpoints that are associated with leukemia. A mechanism discovered in a recent study can explain up to 90% of DNA damages present in the most common type of leukemia in children. The study was carried out by the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Tampere, and the findings were published in eLife.
Breastfeeding alters maternal metabolism and protects against diabetes for up to 15 years after delivery An interdisciplinary team of scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum München has studied the metabolism of women with gestational diabetes after giving birth. Along with partners at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), they were able to show that breastfeeding for more than three months brings about long-term metabolic changes. The research findings have been published in the journal Diabetologia.
	The complex history of falling asleep When your head hits the pillow and you close your eyes after a long, hard day, it may seem like the most natural thing in the world, but did you know that simply falling sleep has a complex history?
Researchers find dangerous bacteria after sewer spills University of South Florida researchers investigating the aftermath of a September, 2014 sewer line break in St. Petersburg, Florida, have found dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the untreated wastewater that gushed into neighborhoods and into Boca Ciega Bay at a rate of 250 to 500 gallons per minute.
	ACOG addresses obstetrical services and zika transmission (HealthDay)—A new case of Zika virus infection associated with a very high Zika viral load has renewed attention to Zika transmission, according to the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ACOG).
	The zebrafish's growing impact on medical research The National Institutes of Health website Clinicaltrials.gov estimates there are more than 48 million Americans currently enrolled in clinical or observational studies. While mice have traditionally been the other most commonly studied animal along with humans—mice and rats make up some 95 percent of animals used in research—the zebrafish has become perhaps the fastest-growing segment of the research population.
	Hot enough for ya? Tips to handle the heat from emergency medicine experts The National Weather Service is calling for extreme heat in much of the Midwest and Southern regions of the United States this week. A heat dome will cover much of the country, including Alabama, with temperatures in the middle and upper 90s. The heat index is forecast to be between 100 and 108 degrees.
HIV, AIDS and 90-90-90—what is it and why does it matter? Twenty years ago, when someone acquired HIV, they would, on average, not live more than 12 years. Today, a young person who becomes infected in the developed world can expect to have a near-normal lifespan with access to lifelong, uninterrupted HIV treatment. Globally, the HIV/AIDS community has worked hard to realise the Sustainable Development Goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. One crucial part of this plan is bringing HIV treatment to all who need it. The 90-90-90 concept is one part of this plan. Ahead of the 21st International AIDS Conference, ProfessorGlenda Gray, President of the South African Medical Research Council, explains the importance of 90-90-90 and why there is so much talk around it.
Professor genetically modifies mosquitoes in quest to protect humans Matthew DeGennaro is determined to stop the world's deadliest animal.
	Wash cycle—making organs fit for transplantation There's a nationwide shortage of suitable organs for transplanting – but what if some of those organs deemed 'unsuitable' could be rejuvenated? Researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital have managed just that – and last year gave two patients an unexpected Christmas present.
Thinking inside the box – how the brain puts the world in order The world around is complex and changing constantly. To put it in order, we devise categories into which we sort new concepts. To do this we apply different strategies. A team of researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) led by Prof. Dr. Boris Suchan, department of neuropsychology, and Prof. Dr. Onur Güntürkün, department of biopsychology, wanted to find our which areas of the brain regulate these strategies.
	Sun cream compound offers unprecedented protection against UVA radiation A new compound developed by University of Bath scientists in collaboration with King's College London offers unprecedented protection against the harmful effects of UVA radiation in sunlight, which include photo-ageing, cell damage and cancer.
	Taking aspirin could have better outcome for stroke patients An international collaboration of scientists has carried out a large scale study looking at whether the use of antithrombotic drugs such as aspirin and warfarin prior to a stroke leads to a better outcome.
	Despite national efforts to fight addiction, states can make cuts anyway The U.S. Senate approved a bill July 13 with a vote of 92-2 to treat the nation's opioid addiction crisis. It's worth noting that one state – Georgia – recently passed a law that could block, rather than expand, access to treatment. Could other states also go in Georgia's direction? Could it possibly be a good idea?
	Infections, antibiotic use linked to manic episodes in people with serious mental illness In research using patient medical records, investigators from Johns Hopkins and Sheppard Pratt Health System report that people with serious mental disorders who were hospitalized for mania were more likely to be on antibiotics to treat active infections than a group of people without a mental disorder.
New treatment developed to prevent nausea, vomiting caused by chemotherapy A drug that blocks neurotransmitters could reduce nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, research co-authored by a Sanford Health physician and published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds.
Menthol-like cigarettes still sold in Canada despite ban Despite a recent ban on the sale of menthol cigarettes in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Nova Scotia, cigarettes made with similar coloring and marketed as having the same taste are still being sold, new research from the Institute for Global Tobacco Control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests.
	World first discovery gets to the heart of birth defects For the first time, scientists believe they've discovered a cause of multiple types of birth defects triggered by environmental stresses.
Study shows changes in brain activity after mindfulness therapy in adolescents Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric conditions affecting children and adolescents. While antidepressants are frequently used to treat youth with anxiety disorders, sometimes, antidepressants may be poorly tolerated in children who are at high risk of developing bipolar disorder.
Improving health facility efficiency could markedly expand HIV treatment Health facilities in Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia could extend life-sustaining antiretroviral therapy (ART) to hundreds of thousands of people living with HIV if facilities improved the efficiency of service delivery. This is one of the main findings from a paper published today in BMC Medicine, co-authored by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and collaborators from Action Africa Help-International (AAH-I) in Kenya, the Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC) in Uganda, and the University of Zambia in Zambia.
Develops plant-based Polio booster vaccine Jonas Salk created a vaccine against polio that has been used since 1955; Albert Sabin created another version that has been on the market since 1961. Together, these two vaccines have nearly eliminated polio from the face of the earth.
Rationing healthcare: More than half of US doctors say no to clinical services More than half of US physicians included in a national survey have withheld certain medical interventions with small benefits from their patients because of the cost-implications these hold. These include deciding whether to prescribe certain drugs, ordering a scan to be performed or repeating a laboratory test. According to study leader Robert Sheeler of the Mayo Clinic in the US, such rationing behavior is more prevalent among physicians in solo practice, and less so among doctors with liberal leanings. The findings¹ of the survey are presented in the Journal of General Internal Medicine², published by Springer.
Majority of physicians have favorite patients, study finds Physicians like the majority of their patients, but a majority like some more than others, a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds.
One-third of women with ADHD have anxiety disorders, almost half have considered suicide Women with ADHD are much more likely to have a wide range of mental and physical health problems in comparison to women without ADHD, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Toronto.
Study finds differences in older adults who fall indoors versus outdoors Falling can have serious consequences for older adults, including a loss of function and increased risk of institutionalization. According to a new study by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, patient characteristics and outcomes differ for people who fall outdoors versus indoors.
	Liquid biopsies offer hope for earlier treatment, better tracking of ovarian cancer Researchers at the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine have found a promising new way to monitor and treat recurrence of ovarian cancer—a hard-to-detect disease that claims many lives. New research from George Vasmatzis, Ph.D., of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic, finds liquid biopsies from blood tests and DNA sequencing can detect a return of ovarian cancer long before a tumor reappears. That could lead to earlier intervention and more effective, individualized treatment. Dr. Vasmatzis' research on the "Quantification of Somatic Chromosomal Rearrangements in Circulating Cell-free DNA From Ovarian Cancers" is published in the July 20 edition of Scientific Reports.
	Cancer stem cells in 'robbers cave' may explain poor prognosis for obese patients Across many cancer types, obese patients fare worse than leaner patients. Now a University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell offers a compelling hypothesis why: researchers found that leukemia stem cells "hide" in fatty tissue, even transforming this tissue in ways that support their survival when challenged with chemotherapy. It is as if leukemia stem cells not only use fatty tissue as a robbers' cave to hide from therapy, but actively adapt this cave to their liking.
	Why kicking the opioid habit can be so tough (HealthDay)—He was 26, a specialist fifth class with the U.S. Army, and stationed abroad, when an accident on the German autobahn sent him careening through the windshield of his car.
	Alzheimer's may hamper ability to perceive pain (HealthDay)—Alzheimer's disease may affect people's ability to recognize when they are in pain, a new study shows.
	Review examines topical complementary meds in eczema (HealthDay)—For patients with atopic eczema (AE), six studies assessing topical complementary and alternative medicines display superiority to placebo but only two (licorice gel and Hypericum perforatum) have low risk of bias on all domains, according to a review published online July 4 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
	Postpartum women prefer delayed physician rounding (HealthDay)—Delayed physician rounding increases postpartum women's satisfaction with their hospital experience and patient-physician communication, according to a study published in the August issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Diabetes confers worse prognosis for patients with ACS (HealthDay)—For patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), diabetes confers a worse prognosis, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Exercise as effective as surgery for middle aged patients with knee damage Exercise therapy is as effective as surgery for middle aged patients with a common type of knee injury known as meniscal tear (damage to the rubbery discs that cushion the knee joint), finds a study in The BMJ this week.
Combining new and old drugs improves survival for soft-tissue cancer patients Adding a novel monoclonal antibody therapy to traditional chemotherapy increased median survival by nearly a year in patients with advanced sarcoma, a lethal soft-tissue cancer. Findings from a multicenter clinical trial of the combination therapy, led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian, represent the first appreciable improvement in sarcoma outcomes in decades.
	Clinical trial tests cord-blood cells to treat macular degeneration UIC is part of a national phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and tolerability of using cells derived from multipotent umbilical cord cells to treat age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss in people over 55.
	Come on baby, (re)light my fire Many couples find that their sexual desire has dwindled over time. It's not unusual for partners who could not keep their hands off each to gradually lose interest. But new research indicates that there are ways that couples can sustain—or relight—their passion.
	Diversifying clinical science to represent diverse populations Despite increasing attention to issues of diversity in scientific research, participant populations in behavioral science tend to be relatively homogeneous. Understanding how people differ across various dimensions, and how those differences are driven by underlying psychological, biological, and social processes, is critical to building a rigorous and comprehensive clinical science.
	Cancer Research UK boosts efforts to overcome deadliest cancer as rates climb Cancer Research UK has tripled its investment in pancreatic cancer, one of the hardest cancers to treat, since launching its research strategy in 2014 according to new figures published today (Wednesday).
The murky role of mental illness in extremism, terror After family members of the driver who slammed a truck into a holiday crowd in the French city of Nice said he suffered from depression, questions have been raised again about the links between mental illness, extreme ideology and mass violence.
Life science company licenses method to create blood vessel cells An Indiana University technology that could accelerate work conducted by drug discovery researchers, cancer biologists and vascular biologists has been licensed to a life science company in the United Kingdom that will use it to generate blood vessel cells from stem cells, which it will sell to customers.
	Groundbreaking implant technique to heal damaged bone Patients treated for broken bones and fractures could soon benefit from an innovative implant technique pioneered by Norwegian company Corticalis in collaboration with Spain's Numat Biomedical, the University of Oslo, and the University of the Balearic Islands. The joint Norway / Spain initiative aims to drastically improve the healing and repair of damaged bones, reduce patient risk and suffering, and cut costs.
Protecting our children after the wounds of racism divide us even more I find myself in this place again. I am numb. I feel empty. I almost have no words.
	Functionalized surfaces with tailored wettability determine Influenza A infectivity Disease can be spread through contact with materials contaminated with infectious microorganism, making control of transmission an interesting objective of surface research. In order to develop "active surfaces" that can reduce or eliminate this contamination, a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of interactions between the surfaces and the microorganisms is crucial.
The effectiveness of treatment for individuals with brain injury or stroke In the current issue of NeuroRehabilitation leading researchers explore the effectiveness of several neurorehabilitation treatments for individuals with brain injury or stroke. A number of published articles have covered the issue of efficacy of neurorehabilitation, but only a few have discussed the issue of effectiveness.
Preventing HIV in transgender people—JAIDS assembles critical evidence Programs to reduce the high risk of HIV infection among transgender people are urgently needed—but efforts are hindered by a lack of accurate information on HIV prevalence, HIV incidence, and specific risk factors facing this key population. A special supplement to JAIDS: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes presents essential information to meet the challenges of HIV prevention in the transgender population.
Technology improves clinical trial management and patient experience The University of Alabama at Birmingham recently integrated a clinical research management system that allows patient consent, data and documents from multiple sites to automatically flow from the the Enroll e-Consenting tablet application by Mytrus into the Velos eResearch interface.
L.L. Bean recalls kids' water bottles over lead concerns L.L. Bean is recalling children's insulated water bottles because of concerns about lead contamination.
	Listeria fear prompts 372K-pound hot dog, corn dog recall More than 372,000 pounds of hot dogs and corn dogs made earlier this month are being recalled over concerns of listeria contamination.
	Study shows power of Twitter for sharing physician-generated medical news Over a 1-year period, academic cardiovascular physicians at the Mayo Clinic used a new Twitter account to share medical news and gained more than 1,200 followers, with tweets of original journal content garnering the greatest response, according to an article published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website until August 20, 2016.
	Aripiprazole reduces severity of tics in children with Tourette's disorder A meta-analysis of clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of aripiprazole for the treatment of Tourette's disorder (TD) in children and adolescents showed a significantly greater overall improvement in total tics and tic severity from pretreatment to post-treatment for the aripiprazole compared to the placebo group. The drug was safe, with drowsiness, nausea, and headache being the most common adverse effects, according to the study published in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.

Other Sciences news

	Computed-tomography scans of 245 million-year-old fossil shed light on evolution of inner ear of birds, crocodiles Birds have a very successful history and rich fossil record that includes dinosaurs and dates back to 250 million years. They are famous for flying and singing and have complex ways of doing both. It is known that these two abilities are related to the inner ear, but researchers still did not understand how their inner ear evolved—until now. Application of computed-tomography techniques on a 245 million-year-old fossil allowed a team of researchers to see inside its inner ear. They have shown that bird ancestors were also agile animals and possessed a refined hearing sense.
Stanford research cites child mortality as major factor in lifespan inequality gap Around the world people have been living longer, with life expectancy pushing past 70 in many countries. However, people aren't simply living longer on average: Inequality among individuals in the length of life has shrunk over time.
	Higher-income students have an edge when it comes to working memory University of Toronto and MIT researchers have discovered important differences between lower and higher-income children in their ability to use "working memory," a key brain function responsible for everything from remembering a phone number to doing math in your head.
	New dinosaur species may give clues to evolutionary origin of megaraptorid clade A new species of megaraptorid dinosaur discovered in Patagonia may help discern the evolutionary origins of the megaraptorid clade, according to a study published July 20, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Rodolfo Coria from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina, and Phillip Currie from the University of Alberta, Canada.
	Excavated tombs of Peru's Moche priestesses provide archaeologists with troves of artifacts, data When archaeologists unearthed a large chamber tomb in San José de Moro, a ceremonial center of pre-Columbian Moche civilization on the northern coast of Peru, they found the remains of a woman who had been laid to rest with lavish offerings, befitting a priestess or a queen or both.
	Elderly couples are the wealthiest households in Australia The wealthiest households in Australia are couples over 65, who have experienced a real increase in median net wealth of almost 70% since 2002, according to Australia's largest and most comprehensive household survey.
	Early mandatory schooling laws didn't influence intergenerational mobility Expansion of mandatory schooling laws by U.S. states in the late 1800s and early 1900s did not increase levels of intergenerational mobility, according to a new study by a University of Kansas researcher.
Smuggled diplomatic diaries from dawn of Cold War to be made freely available online An extraordinary collection of diplomatic diaries smuggled from Moscow to Paris as Communism swept across the East almost 70 years ago will be digitized and made freely available online for the first time.
	Reading Harry Potter lowers Americans' opinions of Donald Trump Harry may not be a full-on patronus against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's appeal, but reading Potter stories does appear to be a shield charm against Trump's message.
	What can a crime drama teach us about justice? Law professor Jessica Silbey, a nationally recognized expert in the use of film to communicate about the law, will discuss the history of law in American film on Wednesday at a Law Library of Congress event. Here, she looks at the pitfalls of crime shows, names her favorite legal drama, and explains how the depiction of law in film has changed over the past 125 years.
Deadly truck attack on French Riviera a new twist on an old terror tactic, experts say When a Tunisian-born man drove a 19-ton rented truck into a crowd of revelers celebrating France's national holiday in the Mediterranean town of Nice last week, killing 84 people and injuring hundreds more, it was a deadly new example of an old terrorist tactic of turning vehicles into weapons, according to Stanford experts.
	Guiding EU researchers along the 'last mile' to Open Digital Science Striving to address societal challenges in sectors including Health, Energy and the Environment, the European Union is developing the European Open Science Cloud, a complete socio-technical environment, including robust e-infrastructures capable of providing data and computational solutions where publicly funded research data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable (FAIR).
	Making parenting a national priority Ask any mom or dad and they will tell you: parenting is hard work. For those parents and caregivers who struggle with the nature or the demands of child rearing, sometimes help is hard to find.

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