Fwd: Science X Newsletter Friday, Apr 10

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Apr 11, 2015 at 3:13 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Friday, Apr 10
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

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Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 10, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Inorganic nanowire follows the crystal structure of its graphene template
- Researchers develop flame and water resistant cotton coating that is also self-cleaning
- Sleep- and wake-dependent neuronal changes in fruit fly brains
- Erupting electrodes: How recharging leaves behind microscopic debris inside batteries (w/ Video)
- A new beginning for baby mosasaurs
- Researchers test smartphones for crowdsourced earthquake warning
- Electrical control of quantum bits in silicon paves the way to large quantum computers
- Accelerating universe? Not so fast
- Absence of gravitational-wave signal extends limit on knowable universe
- Study explains why soil and sand get stronger when they are struck harder
- Stars with the chemical clock on hold
- Researchers find gene that increases rate of maternal aneuploidy
- DIY particle physics
- Basis established for nitric oxide joining oxygen and carbon dioxide in respiratory cycle
- Researchers create tool to predict avian flu outbreaks

Nanotechnology news

	Inorganic nanowire follows the crystal structure of its graphene template (Phys.org)—Graphene, a two-dimensional form of carbon, has many properties making it uniquely suited for nanodevices. For one, even though it is comprised of a network of carbon atoms, it displays extraordinary conductivity through its π-electron network. Additionally, graphene is an inexpensive, flexible substrate, making it a practical option for device construction. Many groups are interested in ways to align nanomaterials on graphene surfaces rather than functionalizing graphene, which changes some of graphene's desirable properties.
	Erupting electrodes: How recharging leaves behind microscopic debris inside batteries (w/ Video) An eruption of lithium at the tip of a battery's electrode, cracks in the electrode's body, and a coat forming on the electrode's surface reveal how recharging a battery many times leads to its demise.
	Researchers develop flame and water resistant cotton coating that is also self-cleaning (Phys.org)—A small group of researchers with China's Jilin University has developed a triple-layer coating that protects cotton from water and fire and is easily cleaned. In their paper published in ACS Nano, Shanshan Chen , Xiang Li , Yang Li and Junqi Sun describe how in searching for a way to make fire retardants last longer on materials, they hit upon an idea that also made such materials water resistant.
	Graphene looking promising for future spintronic devices Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have discovered that large area graphene is able to preserve electron spin over an extended period, and communicate it over greater distances than had previously been known. This has opened the door for the development of spintronics, with an aim to manufacturing faster and more energy-efficient memory and processors in computers. The findings will be published in the journal Nature Communications.
	Scientists visualize potential brain cancer treatments in real time with nanotechnology Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have developed new imaging techniques to watch dangerous brain tumor cells respond to treatment in real time.
	Spontaneous formation of biomimetic, nanoporous membrane channels For the first time, spontaneous insertion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into natural as well as synthetic cell membranes to form pores that mimic biological channels has been demonstrated. Despite their extremely simple structure, these CNT-membrane pores replicate the major functional behaviors of porins (protein-based biological channels), such as selective transport of protons, water, ions, and small molecules.
	How many gold atoms make gold metal? Researchers at the Nanoscience Center at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, have shown that dramatic changes in the electronic properties of nanometre-sized chunks of gold occur in well-defined size range. Small gold nanoclusters could be used, for instance, in short-term storage of energy or electric charge in the field of molecular electronics. Funded by the Academy of Finland, the researchers have been able to obtain new information which is important, among other things, in developing bioimaging and sensing based on metal-like clusters.
	New insights into graphene and organic composites in electronics Chemists from Europe's Graphene Flagship review the potential for graphene-organic composite materials in electronics. The researchers show how organic semiconductors can be used to better process graphene, and to tune its properties for particular applications.

Physics news

	Absence of gravitational-wave signal extends limit on knowable universe Imagine an instrument that can measure motions a billion times smaller than an atom that last a millionth of a second. Fermilab's Holometer is currently the only machine with the ability to take these very precise measurements of space and time, and recently collected data has improved the limits on theories about exotic objects from the early universe.
	Electrical control of quantum bits in silicon paves the way to large quantum computers A UNSW-led research team has encoded quantum information in silicon using simple electrical pulses for the first time, bringing the construction of affordable large-scale quantum computers one step closer to reality.
	Performance and durability combine in liquid crystal transistors Crystalline organic semiconductors have attracted a lot of interest for convenient low-cost fabrication by printed electronics. However progress has been stymied by the low thermal durability and reproducibility of these materials. Now researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology and the Japan Science and Technology Agency have designed a liquid crystal molecule that produces high-performance organic field effect transistors (FETs) with good temperature resilience and relatively low device variability in addition to high mobility.
	A novel liquid-immersible micro-electromechanical systems scanning mirror Dr. Jun Zou, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, and several co-authors recently had their paper published in the prestigious research publication Nature Methods.
	DIY particle physics A team of two undergraduate students and their adviser at Missouri Southern State University has built a type of particle detector usually found only at large research organizations like CERN.
	Study explains why soil and sand get stronger when they are struck harder When a missile or meteor strikes the earth, the havoc above ground is obvious, but the details of what happens below ground are harder to see.

Earth news

	Researchers test smartphones for crowdsourced earthquake warning Smartphones and other personal electronic devices could, in regions where they are in widespread use, function as early warning systems for large earthquakes according to newly reported research. This technology could serve regions of the world that cannot afford higher quality, but more expensive, conventional earthquake early warning systems, or could contribute to those systems.
	Bacteria tracked feeding nitrogen to nutrient-starved plants With rising populations and changing climate conditions, the need for resilient and reliable crops has never been greater. Nitrogen—an essential element for plant growth—is often woefully absent in heavily farmed land. Earth's atmosphere offers an overabundance of nitrogen, but how can it be safely and sustainably transferred into the soil? Nitrogen-eating bacteria may be the answer.
	Image: Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina, from orbit Part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field – the world's second largest contiguous extrapolar ice field – and two lakes are pictured in this image of Argentina's Los Glaciares National Park.
Spatial model offers cost-effective way to identify areas for watershed management A spatial model provides a cost-effective way to identify priority areas for implementing voluntary best management practices in an impaired South Texas watershed, according to results from a Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas Water Resources Institute study recently published in the Texas Water Journal.
	Study finds new link between environment, urban diets What we eat has a big influence on our environment, in ways beyond the typical carbon footprint questions of local vs. imported or animal vs. vegetable.
	Combined sewer systems lead to risk of illness after heavy rains Consumers whose drinking water can be contaminated by the release of untreated wastewater after heavy rains face increased risk for gastrointestinal illness, according to a report in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
	NASA satellite image shows Joalane's beauty beyond compare From space, Tropical Cyclone Joalane's beauty is beyond compare. NASA's Aqua satellite captured a near-visible image of the storm moving east of Rodrigues Island in the Southern Indian Ocean.
	NASA satellite sees a rooster in Tropical Cyclone Solo Tropical Cyclone Solo looks like a rooster in visible and infrared imagery taken from NASA's Aqua satellite on April 10. Solo formed in the Coral Sea and is giving several islands something to crow about, because it has triggered watches already in Solomon Islands.

Astronomy & Space news

	Accelerating universe? Not so fast A University of Arizona-led team of astronomers found that the type of supernovae commonly used to measure distances in the universe fall into distinct populations not recognized before; the findings have implications for our understanding of how fast the universe has been expanding since the Big Bang.
	Cosmic debris: Study looks inside the universe's most powerful explosions A new study provides an inside look at the most powerful explosions in the universe: gamma-ray bursts.
	NASA image: Seasonal flows in the central mountains of Hale Crater Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are active flows on warm Martian slopes that might be caused by seeping water. One of the most active sites known on Mars is in the central peaks (uplifted mountains of deep bedrock) of Hale Crater.
	Hubble view of a cosmological measuring tape This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the spiral galaxy NGC 3021 which lies about 100 million light-years away in the constellation of Leo Minor (The Little Lion).
	Stars with the chemical clock on hold An international team of astrophysicists, led by Cristina Chiappini from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam, has discovered a group of red giant stars for which the 'chemical clock' does not work: according to their chemical signature, these stars should be old. Instead, they appear to be young when their ages are inferred using asteroseismology. Their existence cannot be explained by standard chemical evolution models of the Milky Way, suggesting that the chemical enrichment history of the Galactic disc is more complex than originally assumed.
	Spacecraft transit the Panama Canal Apollo spaceflight would not have been possible without the Panama Canal, a major transportation hub more than 1,000 miles south of the Florida launch site. These two powerful examples of modern engineering connected, literally, in 1965 to make critical NASA missions possible.
	How quickly does a supernova happen? When a massive star reaches the end of its life, it can explode as a supernova. How quickly does this process happen?
	'Space-age' research looks to provide new human health insights Imagine if all of your physiological changes were hyper accelerated so that you passed through life cycles in weeks as opposed to decades. You'd be able to grow a beard overnight or your hair might begin graying in a matter of days or maybe menopause would come knocking by next weekend. This may seem like a far stretch from reality, but spaceflight causes significant physiological changes including an accelerated loss of muscle and bone density, and immune system dysfunction that parallel the effects of natural aging here on Earth. This makes the International Space Station (ISS) is an ideal place for scientists to conduct research on aging at a "space-aged" pace.
	Scientists make no bones about first study of osteocyte cultures on Space Station Researchers may be "excyted" to learn that osteocyte cultures are headed to the International Space Station this spring for the first time. With their delivery on the next SpaceX commercial resupply services mission this month, the Osteocytes and mechano-transduction (Osteo-4) investigation team will analyze the effects of microgravity on this type of bone cell. Understanding these effects will be critical as astronauts plan for future missions that require longer exposure to microgravity, such as to deep space or Mars. The results derived from this study could also have implications for patients on Earth in the treatment of bone disorders related to disuse or immobilization, as well as metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis.
	NASA chooses UT Arlington team to develop potential Mars mission technology NASA has selected UT Arlington as one of four U.S. institutions to develop improved methods for oxygen recovery and reuse aboard human spacecraft, a technology the agency says is crucial to "enable our human journey to Mars and beyond."

Technology news

	Samsung, Apple clash with rollout of new products (Update) Apple gave consumers their first hands-on look at its smartwatch Friday pushing into wearable tech just as rival Samsung rolled out its new flagship smartphones.
	Motion sickness in autonomous cars: Don't read and ride Self-driving vehicles should make roads safer, save energy and improve mobility, but they also might make some people sick, say University of Michigan researchers.
	Scientists a step closer to developing renewable propane Researchers at The University of Manchester have made a significant breakthrough in the development of synthetic pathways that will enable renewable biosynthesis of the gas propane. This research is part of a programme of work aimed at developing the next generation of biofuels.
	Group hopes recycled hotel soap helps save lives worldwide Shawn Seipler is on a mission to save lives with soap.
	At IDF: Wake up, spiderbot, the wristband said There they stood, silent, motionless, a quartet of machine spiders, waiting for their cues, like a dancer troupe waiting for curtains to rise on opening night. At Intel Developer Forum in Shenzhen, China, earlier this week, their "director" was not to disappoint the audience and the show was on. Intel CEO did the directing, putting on a wristband and, with a bunch of air gestures, had the spiders moving at his command.
US military worries about losing hi-tech edge The US military is in danger of losing its technological advantage unless it invests in research and finds ways to build innovative weapons much faster, top officials said Thursday.
	Apple Watch's worldwide preview kicks off Japanese tech fans got their first look Friday at the Apple Watch, with would-be early buyers queuing for a "trial fitting" in Tokyo's chic Omotesando area.
	Samsung banks on new smartphone roll-out Samsung rolled out its new smartphone in South Korea and 20 other countries on Friday in a bid to restore its role as market leader.
	Latest on Apple Watch release: If you're left handed (Updated) From Beijing to Paris to San Francisco, the Apple Watch made its debut Friday. Customers were invited to try them on in stores and order them online.
Tape storage milestone demonstrates record in areal density of 123 billion bits per square inch FUJIFILM Corporation announced that in conjunction with IBM, a new record in areal data density of 123 billion bits per square inch on linear magnetic particulate tape has been achieved. This breakthrough in data density equates to a standard LTO cartridge capable of storing up to 220 terabytes of uncompressed data. 220TB is more than 88 times the storage capacity of the current LTO Ultrium 6 tape. A tape of this size can preserve the human genome of 220 people on a single cartridge. This is the highest capacity storage media ever announced, including HDD, BD and solid memory NAND flash. This is the 4th time in less than 10 years that Fujifilm and IBM have accomplished record breaking storage capacities on tape.
	BitTorrent and the digital fingerprints we leave behind The Dallas Buyers Club LLC v iiNet Limited piracy court case raises many questions about what sort of trail people leave when they use technology to make illegal copies of movies and other copyrighted material.
	You could lose your job to a computer, so why isn't the digital economy an election issue? There seems to be a uniform impression among British politicians and legislators that the digital economy will radically transform the country for the better. A recent House of Lords select committee report on the digital economy highlighted the perils of failing to respond adequately to the opportunities it provides for future prosperity.
	'Great Cannon' is widening China censorship, say researchers (Update) China has expanded its Internet censorship efforts beyond its borders with a new strategy that attacks websites across the globe, researchers said Friday.
	Online excitement but no long lines for Apple Watch debut An online rush replaced the traditional overnight queues outside Apple stores Friday as the iconic tech company began taking orders and letting shoppers get their hands on its much-vaunted smartwatch for the first time.
	Chile first Latin America country to allow drones Chile introduced regulations Friday making it the first country in Latin America to officially allow drone flights.
	Hacked French TV station admits new 'blunder' over password French TV5Monde television channel, which suffered a major hack by self-proclaimed Islamic State militants this week, on Friday admitted an Internet security 'blunder' Thursday during a programme discussing the cyber-attack.
	Congress group tours Yucca Mountain nuke dump site in Nevada Six members of Congress toured a dusty tunnel and stood atop Yucca Mountain on Thursday during a trip led by a colleague who said the non-descript rocky ridge in the wind-swept desert outside Las Vegas would be a good place to entomb highly radioactive waste piling up at reactors around the country.
Heating can damage the artistic heritage of churches The antiquated heating systems in many Spanish churches create abrupt variations in temperature and humidity which can negatively affect the conservation of its artistic heritage, especially in tall ceiling areas. Also, as the heat rises, it takes time for the parishioners below to feel comfortable after the heating systems are turned on. These are the findings of an analysis conducted on a church in Madrid by researchers from the Institute of Geosciences (UCM-CSIC).
Netflix CEO's pay rose 43 percent to $11.1 million last year Netflix boosted CEO Reed Hastings' pay by 43 percent to $11.1 million last year as the Internet video service raised its prices and still added the most subscribers in its history.

Chemistry news

Clean interfaces: Research could usher in next generation of batteries, fuel cells Scientists from South Carolina's leading public universities—the University of South Carolina and Clemson University—have made a discovery that could dramatically improve the efficiency of batteries and fuel cells.
	Plant cell structure discovery could lead to improved renewable materials The step forward follows research by the Universities of Warwick and Cambridge and the unexpected discovery of a previously unknown arrangement of molecules in plant cell walls.
	Researchers create tool to predict avian flu outbreaks A simple and effective portable tool to predict avian flu outbreaks on farms has been created by University of Guelph researchers.
New material could boost batteries' power, help power plants You're going to have to think very small to understand something that has the potential to be very big.
	Organic semiconductors will create cheaper, greener devices Research into organic semiconductors could lead to more efficient LED TVs and flexible solar cells that are cheaper to make and take less energy to produce according to researchers at the University of Bath.
	Optimizing atomic neighborhoods for speedier chemical reactions Scientists have discovered that for palladium-nickel catalysts, certain surface characteristics, measured at the atomic level, sped the creation of carbon dioxide from carbon monoxide. To reveal the optimal atomic neighborhood for surface chemical activity, high-energy x-rays were scattered by nanoparticles while they were exposed to a reactive chemical environment.
	New clinical platform may accelerate discovery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents Researchers at University of British Columbia have developed a new technology that enables rapid discovery of aptamers, one of the fastest growing classes of diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Aptamers are short sequences of genetic material that fold into precise 3-D structures that bind target molecules and inhibit their biological functions.

Biology news

	Sodium pump could act as molecular light switch Scientists from Jülich, Grenoble, Frankfurt and Moscow uncovered the atomic structure of KR2, a light-driven transporter for sodium ions which had only recently been discovered. Based on the structural information the team then identified a simple way to turn KR2 from a sodium- into a potassium pump using simple means. Integrated into neurons, this could make KR2 a valuable tool for optogenetics, a new field of research that uses light-sensitive proteins as molecular switches to precisely control the activity of neurons and other electrically excitable cells using light impulses.
	Gut instinct: How intestinal stem cells find their niche Mommy, where do intestinal stem cells come from? All right, it's not likely a kindergartner would ask such a question. But evolutionary biologists want to know.
	More than 130 dolphins beach in Japan More than 130 melon-headed whales, a member of the dolphin family usually found in the deep ocean, beached in Japan on Friday, sparking frantic efforts by locals and coastguards to save them.
	Veterinary researchers study retinal scans as early detection method for mad cow disease New research from Iowa State University shows that a fatal neurological disease in cows can be detected earlier by examining the animal's retinas.
	How organizational ecology may relate to human networks—and even to terrorist organizations The world today is more intimate and tightly wound together than ever before. Organizations are linked together in a variety of ways, allowing relationships to form and resources to be exchanged.
	Diving for data on fish populations Famed explorer Jacques Cousteau was a pioneer in underwater diving technology, a founding figure of the modern conservation movement, and a man who inspired generations of marine scientists. Today, one of those scientists is carrying on that tradition in the waters off what Cousteau called "the most beautiful island in the world."
	Imaging reveals tiny piece of protein-making machinery Using powerful advances in imaging technology, researchers at Yale University have visualized a key component deep within the ribosome, the tiny cellular factory that produces nearly all the proteins essential for life.
	Not all GMO plants are created equally: it's the trait, not the method, that's important Many people have strong opinions about genetically modified plants, also known as genetically modified organisms or GMOs. But sometimes there's confusion around what it means to be a GMO. It also may be much more sensible to judge a plant by its specific traits rather than the way it was produced – GMO or not.
	Make your home a home for the birds The landscaping plants chosen by residents for their yards plays a much greater role in the diversity of native birds in suburban neighborhoods than do the surrounding parks, forest preserves, or streetside trees, say biologists at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
	Vegetable study targets water savings in the High Plains Vegetable production is not new in the Texas High Plains, but it is being re-examined in a Texas A&M AgriLife Research study to see if it might offer a water-savings alternative to some cereal grain production.
	Malta votes whether to ban hunting of migrant birds Malta votes in a referendum Saturday which could spell an end to the long tradition of spring hunting in which birds migrating across the Mediterranean are killed before they can breed.
	Three dolphins rescued after large group strands on Japan coast About 150 dolphins beached themselves and became stranded on Japan's northeastern coast, but frantic rescue efforts Friday saved just a few of them.

Medicine & Health news

	Sleep- and wake-dependent neuronal changes in fruit fly brains (Medical Xpress)—The difficulty of studying sleep- and wake-dependent changes in neural activity in humans has led to comparative studies using animal models. Though MRI technology allows researchers to study macro-level brain responses across groupings of thousands of neurons in humans, engaging with changes at the level of individual neurons is trickier, as the brain is encased in a skull.
	Psychologist studies the emotional disconnect between our present and future selves While we routinely make sacrifices for the people we feel closest to—our spouses, children and parents—and will even give money or our time to help complete strangers like the homeless, the one person whose plight we may actually ignore is our future self.
	Trio contrast approaches taken by Britain versus the US concerning mitochondrial replacement therapy (Medical Xpress)—Glenn Cohen, with Harvard University, Julian Savulescu, with the University of Oxford and Eli Adashi with Brown University have together written and published a Perspectives piece in the journal Science, describing the differing approaches being taken regarding mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) in the U.S. versus Britain, and offer their opinion on how things should change in the U.S.
	Researchers find gene that increases rate of maternal aneuploidy (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers at Stanford University has found a gene that increases the rate of maternal aneuploidy in embryos. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes how they used material from in vitro fertilization procedures to conduct pre-implantation genetic screening which allowed them to learn more about aneuploidy—how it comes about, its frequency and what it may have to do with human evolution. Samuel Vohr and Richard Green with the University of California offer a Perspectives piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue.
Basis established for nitric oxide joining oxygen and carbon dioxide in respiratory cycle Professor Jonathan Stamler's latest findings regarding nitric oxide have the potential to reshape fundamentally the way we think about the respiratory system - and offer new avenues to save lives. It may be time to rewrite the textbooks.
	Migraine drug may up risk of eating disorders in some teens (HealthDay)—A new report has linked a migraine medication to increased odds of eating disorders in some teens.
	Dimethyl fumarate linked to development of PML (HealthDay)—An active ingredient in some psoriasis and multiple sclerosis medications, dimethyl fumarate, has been linked to two cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), according to two letters published in the April 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Periocular basal cell carcinomas can grow rapidly (HealthDay)—Periocular basal cell carcinomas (pBCCs) have a mean growth rate of 11.2 mm² every 30 days, according to a study published in the April issue of the British Journal of Dermatology.
	Many head and neck cancer survivors don't return to work (HealthDay)—Many head and neck cancer survivors do not return to work, according to a study published in the April issue of Head & Neck.
	Does midlife obesity protect against dementia? People who are obese in middle age run a lower risk of developing dementia later, said a large and long-term study Friday whose findings challenge the prevailing wisdom.
	Women born early at greater risk of delivering preemies, study suggests (HealthDay)—Women who were born prematurely may be more likely to deliver their own babies early, a new study suggests.
	Candy twists alternative to glucola drink for GDM screening (HealthDay)—Candy twists can be used as an alternative to glucola beverage in gestational diabetes mellitus screening, according to a study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	New TB drug offers glimmer of hope in S.Africa Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a major health challenge across much of Africa, but a new medicine being pioneered in South Africa could be a breakthrough after decades of frustration.
	Researchers probing potential power of meditation as therapy When Rebecca Erwin was a varsity rower at the University of North Carolina, the coach had the team's members take a yoga and meditation class. It had an impact.
	Neuroscience explains why Hodor in Game of Thrones only say one word Hodor hodor hodor. Hodor hodor? Hodor. Hodor-hodor. Hodor!
Dodo bird verdict given new life by psychosis therapy study A study by researchers at the University of Manchester and the University of Liverpool has examined the psychological treatment of more than 300 people suffering from psychosis, showing that, whatever the therapy, it is the relationship between the patient and therapist which either improves or damages wellbeing.
	Children begin to empathize with others at a younger age than expected Here's a psychology experiment you can try at home: Watch a Hitchcock film with someone and observe how they respond as the story unfolds.
	Five days of eating fatty foods can alter the way your body's muscle processes food, researchers find You might think that you can get away with eating fatty foods for a few days without it making any significant changes to your body. Think again.
	Researchers target protein to stop spread of aggressive tumours A side-by-side comparison of lung metastases showing the control antibody on the left and the podocalyxin antibody on the right. Researchers developed the podocalyxin antibody and found that it slowed tumour growth and spread.
	Breath test for detecting head and neck cancer A portable device can detect the presence of certain types of cancer in people's breath. Tested on patients, the new device was developed in part by EPFL researchers as part of an international collaboration.
	Survey asks nation's youth 'How would you like to feel?' How do you feel in school? How would you like to feel?
	Is UK evaluation of reproductive tech a model for US? When the United Kingdom resoundingly approved mitochondrial replacement therapy in February, it became the first country to give people this new medical option. In parallel it gave the United States serious cause to reflect on how it handles matters of reproductive innovation, argues a trio of experts in the journal Science.
	Study finds that too much sodium is a worldwide killer Americans are not alone in their taste for salty foods. Whether the salt comes from French fries or miso soup, people all over the world are getting more than the current recommendations. And according to an analysis of global sodium intake published in the New England Journal of Medicine, that overabundance of salt accounts for more than 1.6 million cardiovascular-related deaths each year.
Enzyme in cosmetic products can act as allergen via the skin Papain is an important industrial protein-degrading enzyme that is used, for example, in the food and cosmetic industries. When humans or animals come in contact with papain, strong allergic reactions of the skin can be the result, as scientists from the Messerli Research Institute of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, the Medical University of Vienna, and the University of Vienna have found out. Their study was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
	Food chemist explores how peptides can improve our health What if we could make the world a better place through the food we eat? What if our food counteracted certain diseases like cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes? Faculty of Agriculture food chemist Chibuike Udenigwe is looking to do just that.
	Ketamine found to alleviate depression Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire have found that Ketamine, which has a reputation as an illicit 'recreational' drug, has an extremely large depression reducing effect. Although Ketamine has been in medical use for 50 years as an anesthetic, the past few years has seen it being trialled as a treatment for major and bipolar depression.
	Research probes new targets for cancer treatment New research at the University of Aberdeen has identified potential new targets for the treatment of certain types of cancer.
	Dropping soft drinks from kids' menus is good, but doesn't make a healthy meal In March Burger King quietly removed soft drinks from its kids' menu and as a beverage option for the Burger King Kids meal. They aren't the first fast food chain to do this – Wendy's and McDonald's have instituted similar changes as well.
	UN: Ebola still global emergency despite big drop in cases The World Health Organization says the year-long Ebola outbreak in West Africa still qualifies as an international emergency even though the number of cases has plummeted.
	Mapping energy metabolism of growing nerve cells to better understand neuronal disorders Scientists from Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) in Japan have have discovered how nerve cells adjust to low energy environments during the brain's growth process. Their study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, may one day help find treatments for nerve cell damage and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
	WHO warns of Caesarean 'epidemic' The UN's World Health Organization on Friday warned that too many women in developing and wealthy countries alike are resorting unnecessarily to Caesarean sections to give birth.
	Telomeres and cancer mortality: The long and the short of it Telomeres are short stretches of repeated nucleotides that protect the ends of chromosomes. In somatic cells, these protective sequences become shorter with each cellular replication until a critical length is reached, which can trigger cell death.
	Eating out = high blood pressure? A recent study on university-going young adults, by researchers from the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore (Duke-NUS), is the first ever to show an association between meals eaten away from home and high blood pressure. These findings highlight lifestyle factors that can affect hypertension and emphasise the importance of being aware of the salt and calorie content in food, to facilitate better meal choices when eating out.
	Q&A: What is listeria? Large food recalls have forced consumers to throw away hummus and ice cream that may be contaminated with the same potentially deadly bacteria—listeria.
FDA panel opposes dropping warnings from tobacco pouch (Update) Government advisers recommended against a proposal by Swedish Match to market its smokeless tobacco pouches as less harmful than cigarettes and other tobacco products.
	Study challenges current thinking on how attention changes with social context A new Bournemouth University study, in collaboration with University of Portsmouth, has challenged conventional thinking that people's attention is readily captured by other people's faces above all other objects.
	Benefits of modified Story Memory Technique may be adversely affected by deficit in processing speed Kessler Foundation researchers published a subanalysis of their MEMREHAB trial, which shows that treatment with the modified Story Memory Technique (mSMT) may be affected by cognitive dysfunction. Investigators looked at the influence of processing speed on benefits of the mSMT, a 10-session cognitive intervention protocol shown to improve new learning and memory in individuals with MS. The influence of cognitive dysfunction on benefit from learning and memory rehabilitation in MS: A subanalysis of the MEMREHAB trial, was published online ahead of print on February 6 by Multiple Sclerosis Journal. The authors are John DeLuca, PhD, and Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, of Kessler Foundation.
	Can humans get norovirus from their dogs? Human norovirus may infect our canine companions, according to research published online April 1 in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology. That raises the possibility of dog-to-human transmission, said first author Sarah Caddy, VetMB, PhD, MRCVS, a veterinarian and PhD student at the University of Cambridge, and Imperial College, London, UK. Norovirus is the leading cause of food-borne illness in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
	Ease back into springtime sports, doctor cautions (HealthDay)—Spring can be a peak time for injuries as people rush back into warm weather sports without being properly prepared, an expert says.
	Ear infections common, but often missed, in infants (HealthDay)—Although most babies will have at least one ear infection before they reach the age of 1, the infections can be hard for parents to recognize.
	Number of uninsured adults decreasing under Obamacare (HealthDay)—Americans' access to health care is improving under President Barack Obama's health care law, with greater gains among blacks and Hispanics than among whites, according to a federal government report.
	Stem cells, fecal transplants show promise for Crohn's disease (HealthDay)—Two experimental therapies might help manage the inflammatory bowel disorder Crohn's disease, if this early research pans out.
	Exercise dose, intensity don't impact reduction in liver fat (HealthDay)—Reductions in liver fat or visceral adipose tissue (VAT) do not differ significantly with the dose or intensity of aerobic exercise, according to a study published online April 8 in the Journal of Hepatology.
Inspection found no problem at Oklahoma ice cream plant Days after a foodborne illness was linked to Blue Bell ice cream products, a state inspection of an Oklahoma plant later tied to the infection praised the facility for having no violations and doing a "great job," according to a copy of the inspection report.
Bird flu found on at least 15 turkey farms in Midwest A bird flu strain that's deadly to poultry has been confirmed in a second commercial turkey flock in eastern South Dakota and preliminary tests have confirmed the presence of some form of bird flu at a North Dakota farm, bringing to at least 15 the number of Midwest farms infected in the latest outbreak.
Vulnerable people at risk of becoming victim or perpetrator in online crime People with learning (intellectual) disabilities have historically been marginalised from mainstream society, and have had limited choice and control over their lives. While movements to achieve greater equality have had success, the rapid advancement of modern technology risks creating a new form of digital exclusion. For people with learning disabilities there may be a delicate balance between becoming a victim or perpetrator of crime while online. There are potential challenges that health professionals have to overcome when promoting safe and inclusive internet access.
Austria falls in line with Europe to ban smoking in restaurants Austria on Friday finally decided to ban smoking in cafes and restaurants from 2018 after years of debate in a country famed for its cafe culture.
	Latest study finds BGI's NIFTY test performs best in noninvasive prenatal screening On April 1, 2015, researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong have published a study titled Accurate Description of DNA-Based Noninvasive Prenatal Screening in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that BGI's NIFTY test performed better than all other NIPT tests examined.
Enzalutamide: Indication of major added benefit for over 75-year-olds Enzalutamide (trade name: Xtandi) has been approved since December 2014 for men who have metastatic prostate cancer that is not susceptible to hormone-blocking therapy, who have no symptoms or only mild ones, and in whom chemotherapy is not yet indicated. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this new drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy.
New guidance on contact precautions for hospital visitors Leading infectious diseases experts have released new guidance for healthcare facilities looking to establish precautions for visitors of patients with infectious diseases. The guidance looks to reduce the potential for healthcare visitors in spreading dangerous bacteria within the healthcare facility and community. The recommendations are published online in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).
Bird flu confirmed at four more Minnesota turkey farms A deadly bird flu strain was confirmed Friday at four more turkey farms in Minnesota, raising the number of farms affected in the country's top turkey-producing state to 13 and the toll at farms across the Midwest to over 1 million since the outbreak was first confirmed in early March.
Increased use of psychological testing would strengthen process for social security disability determination Broader use of standardized psychological testing for applicants submitting disability claims to the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) should improve the accuracy and consistency of disability determinations, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Some proponents of mandatory psychological testing, in particular validity testing, for SSA disability applicants argue that it would result in a significant reduction of individuals allowed onto the benefits rolls and a substantial cost savings. The committee that conducted the study and wrote the report said the data necessary to accurately assess the effects on the rolls or calculate financial costs and benefits are limited, and estimates based on available data are subject to considerable error. However, the report provides a framework for evaluating the financial impact of implementing the committee's recommendations.
Rural Indiana county's HIV outbreak tops 100 cases State health officials say more than 100 people have tested positive for HIV in an outbreak of the virus among intravenous drug users in southeastern Indiana.
Tekmira will resume safety study of Ebola drug within weeks Canadian drugmaker Tekmira Pharmaceuticals said Friday it will restart a study of an experimental Ebola treatment in the coming weeks.
Draft rules for Guam medical-pot program to soon go public Draft regulations for Guam's new voter-approved medical marijuana program are expected to open to public comment by the end of the month, according to an island health official.
ACA provision for young adults leaves racial disparities intact among trauma patients The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allowed millions of young adults to retain health care coverage through their parents' insurance plans, but new research finds that many young African-American and Hispanic adults who need coverage for trauma care may not get it. The results of the study are published online as an "article in press" in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons and will appear in a print edition later this year.

Other Sciences news

	A new beginning for baby mosasaurs They weren't in the delivery room, but researchers at Yale University and the University of Toronto have discovered a new birth story for a gigantic marine lizard that once roamed the oceans.
	Kindergartners who shared iPads in class scored higher on achievement tests Using tech, like iPads, in schools has turned into a heated political debate. Los Angeles infamously spent $1.3 billion on a program to give iPads to each student that has subsequently been plagued with problems. In the United Kingdom the head of the National Association of Head Teachers claimed he was dubious about using tech as a teaching aid in non-IT classes. One solution could be using shared tech in classrooms. A promising study by a researcher at Northwestern University found that kindergartners in classes with shared iPads significantly outscored their peers on achievement tests who were in classes that had no iPads or classes with iPads for each student (1:1).
Video game-like software increases academic performance in low-achieving students Low-achieving students who were allowed to teach a virtual class performed better in their own courses, according to a new University of Georgia study. The students taught a virtual class through tutoring software, which increased the low-achieving college students' motivation and engagement in the classroom.
Study details how competitors should invest in capacity of supplier Firms considering investing in suppliers that also supply their competitors need to think strategically about how their competitors or other firms may respond to their action, according to a new study from The University of Texas at Dallas.
Study shows journalism burnout affecting women more than men The field of journalism has changed greatly over the last decade, and those changes are taking a particularly hard toll on women working in newsrooms, new research from a University of Kansas professor shows. Female journalists are experiencing more job burnout and more intend to leave the field or are uncertain about their futures than their male counterparts, the study shows.
	Is science really better than journalism at self-correction? Rolling Stone's retraction of an incendiary article about an alleged gang rape on the campus of the University of Virginia certainly deserves a place in the pantheon of legendary journalism screw-ups. It is highly unusual – although not unprecedented – for a news organization to air its dirty laundry so publicly.
Stop complaining about the moral decline of Western society, says expert Good parenting used to be seen as a process of imparting self-control and social values to one's children; now it's viewed as a meaningful human relationship. Women used to be expected to stay home and raise their children; now they are regarded as entitled to pursue any career or lifestyle they desire. And sex used to be about procreation, but now it's regarded as a source of pleasure.
Researcher suggests major reappraisal of teaching methods for children in the developing world A University of York scholar has suggested that a major re-appraisal of teaching methods will help to transform the educational opportunities for millions of children in the developing world.
	Platform adoption in network markets Strategic partnering has become commonplace when introducing innovations to systems markets. In standards battles, network affiliation has been used as a market signal to create confidence in a format's success. This paper's authors thus develop and test a model aimed at finding the right partners to sponsor an innovative technology. The results suggest that company characteristics shape expectations about a system's future value and the likelihood of its survival. Partners that have proven successful in adjacent industries are especially suited to drive diffusion. Attracting big players may therefore be more beneficial than attracting multiple, but minor, firms. Quality clearly beats quantity when selecting new partners.

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