Fwd: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Apr 7

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, Apr 8, 2015 at 2:20 PM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Apr 7
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

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Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 8, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Maze-solving automatons can repair broken circuits (w/ video)
- Unparticles may provide a new path to superconductivity
- 'Phonon tunneling' explains heat flow across nanometer-wide gaps, study finds
- Study shows microbes may accelerate loss of permafrost in Greenland
- Inkjet-printed liquid metal could bring wearable tech, soft robotics
- New study hints at spontaneous appearance of primordial DNA
- Food for thought: Master protein enhances learning and memory
- Study determines structure of toxin in respiratory infections
- Anesthetic gases raise Earth's temperature (a little) while you sleep
- Bumblebees differentiate flower types when arranged horizontally but not vertically
- Tales from the crypt: Mummies reveal TB's Roman lineage
- Office inkjet printer could produce simple tool to identify infectious diseases
- New mechanisms of 'social networking' in bacteria
- Scientists find molecular trigger of schizophrenia-like behaviors and brain changes
- Ecological 'flash mobs': It's all about timing... and magnets?

Nanotechnology news

	Researchers put safety of 'magic anti-cancer bullet' to test A group of MIPT researchers together with their colleagues from Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Australia and the Netherlands have carried out the first systematic study analyzing the safety of so-called upconversion nanoparticles that may be used to treat skin cancer and other skin diseases. This study is one of the most important steps on the path to new, safe and effective methods to diagnose and treat cancer.
	In situ production of biofunctionalised few-layer defect-free microsheets of graphene A new method addresses the exfoliation of low-cost graphite using ultrasonic waves in synergy with a surface-active and self-assembling protein extracted from an edible fungus.
	'Explosive' atom movement is new window into growing metal nanostructures "The textbook said we should see slow, gradual and random. But what we saw? BOOM! Fast, explosive and organized!" said Michael Tringides, physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory and a professor of physics and astronomy at Iowa State University.
	Single-walled carbon nanotube composites show great promise for use in 'unconventional' computing As we approach the miniaturization limits of conventional electronics, alternatives to silicon-based transistors—the building blocks of the multitude of electronic devices we've come to rely on—are being hotly pursued.
	New way to purify arrays of single-walled carbon nanotubes a step toward post-silicon circuits The exceptional properties of tiny molecular cylinders known as carbon nanotubes have tantalized researchers for years because of the possibility they could serve as a successors to silicon in laying the logic for smaller, faster and cheaper electronic devices.
	'Phonon tunneling' explains heat flow across nanometer-wide gaps, study finds Conduction and thermal radiation are two ways in which heat is transferred from one object to another: Conduction is the process by which heat flows between objects in physical contact, such as a pot of tea on a hot stove, while thermal radiation describes heat flow across large distances, such as heat emitted by the sun.
	Inkjet-printed liquid metal could bring wearable tech, soft robotics New research shows how inkjet-printing technology can be used to mass-produce electronic circuits made of liquid-metal alloys for "soft robots" and flexible electronics.

Physics news

Unparticles may provide a new path to superconductivity (Phys.org)—Physicists have proposed that a hypothetical form of matter called "unparticles" may play a key role in mediating superconductivity—the ability of certain materials to conduct electricity with zero resistance.

Maze-solving automatons can repair broken circuits (w/ video) (Phys.org)—Modern electronic circuits may provide unprecedented flexibility and robustness, but even the best-made circuits are subject to open circuit faults—breaks caused by thermal, mechanical and electrical stress. In a new study, scientists have developed an intelligent self-healing mechanism that can locate open circuit faults—even when not in the line of sight—and then repair them by building bridges of tiny conductive particles to close the gap. The real-time repair mechanism could be especially useful for space technology, allowing open faults on satellites to be repaired without the need for expensive operations.

Earth news

	Who do Australians trust on 'toxic news'? State governments and industry need to lift their game if they are to win public trust and support for the clean-up of polluted industrial sites in the local neighbourhood.
	Video: Earth's ozone layer Several decades ago, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were chemicals used in hairspray, deodorants, foam products, air conditioners and more. In 1974 chemists Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina published a paper that indicated CFCs were damaging the ozone layer, which protects Earth from the sun's ultraviolet rays.
	Researchers identify marine sponge strategies to survive in Antarctic and Tropical latitudes The marine sponge Mycale acerata, common in Antarctic waters, can produce yolk of entirely lipid nature which could favour quick larval development and increase species survival possibilities in the cold waters of the Southern Ocean. This is the conclusion of a scientific article, recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, signed by experts Ana Riesgo, Sergio Taboada, Laura Sánchez-Vila, Joan Solà and Conxita Àvila, from the Department of Animal Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) of the UB.
	New report identifies possible next steps in US energy development The U.S. energy portfolio changes over time. Scientific and technologic advances related to hydraulic fracturing have dramatically increased the supply of U.S. oil and gas; because of this, a methane economy - in which natural gas provides the leading share of primary energy consumption - is now a possible scenario for U.S. energy development. In a report released by the American Geosciences Institute (AGI), the social, political, technical and environmental components of a methane economy are identified. The report also addresses how industry, government and the public might best work together to advance common energy goals.
	Five years after BP spill, industry touts ability to respond An oil consortium says an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico today can be cleaned up far faster than five years ago when BP's Macondo well blew out 45 miles off the coast of Louisiana, spawning the nation's worst offshore oil spill.
	World's largest asteroid impact site could be in Australia Not long ago, asteroid impacts weren't considered as a significant factor in the evolution of Earth. Following the Late Heavy Bombardment, which pummelled the inner solar system around 3.8 billion to 3.9 billion years ago, asteroid impacts were generally regarded as minor events.
	An Antarctic volcano that just doesn't make any sense Only two volcanoes in Antarctica are active. There is Mount Erebus, which is roughly due south of New Zealand, and Deception Island, which lies about 850km south east of Cape Horn.
	Radiocarbon dating reveals past fall in sea level When carbonate samples from One Tree Reef in southern Great Barrier Reef arrived at ANSTO for radiocarbon dating, Principle Research Scientist Quan Hua was confident they could accurately determine the age of the marine material.
	Trace amounts of Fukushima radioactivity detected along shoreline of British Columbia Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have for the first time detected the presence of small amounts of radioactivity from the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in a seawater sample from the shoreline of North America. The sample, which was collected on February 19 in Ucluelet, British Columbia, with the assistance of the Ucluelet Aquarium, contained trace amounts of cesium (Cs) -134 and -137, well below internationally established levels of concern to humans and marine life.
	Public views vary on climate change based on science, political news platforms While greater knowledge alone is unlikely to overcome the political divide on climate change, conservatives and liberals become less polarized when the perception of harm increases, according to a new study by the University of Michigan and Ohio State University.
	LA County gets C+ from UCLA on environmental issues UCLA today issued the first comprehensive environmental report card for Los Angeles County. The county's overall performance marks it as an unimpressive C+ student.
	California laments 'dismal' water cuts after drought call Californians cut their water use by a "dismal" 2.8 percent in February, officials said Tuesday, days after the state's governor demanded 25 percent reductions to counter a historic drought.
	Scientists map Caribbean seafloor as part of 12-year project U.S. scientists on Tuesday completed a nearly two-week mission to explore waters around the U.S. Virgin Islands as part of a 12-year project to map the Caribbean seafloor and help protect its reefs.
	Taiwan launches water rationing to fight drought Taiwan launched water rationing in some major cities on Wednesday as the island battled its worst drought in over a decade, following the lowest rainfall in nearly 70 years.
	Push for cleaner stoves in poor countries to cut pollution Every evening, hundreds of millions of Indian women hover over crude stoves making dinner for their families. They feed the flames with polluting fuels like kerosene or cow dung, and breathe the acrid smoke wafting from the fires.
	Viruses help microbial hosts cope with life at the extremes A new study reveals that viruses lend a surprisingly helpful hand to microbes eking out a living near deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
	Anesthetic gases raise Earth's temperature (a little) while you sleep The gases used to knock out surgery patients are accumulating in the Earth's atmosphere, where they make a small contribution to climate change, report scientists who have detected the compounds as far afield as Antarctica. Over the past decade, concentrations of the anesthetics desflurane, isoflurane and sevoflurane have been rising globally, the new study finds.
	Study shows microbes may accelerate loss of permafrost in Greenland (Phys.org)—A small team of researchers working in Greenland has found that as microbes become active in permafrost, they produce heat, which can increase the rate of permafrost loss. In their paper published in Nature Climate Change, the researchers, affiliated with the University of Copenhagen and the National Museum of Denmark describe simulations they created that showed possible impacts of microbe activation in permafrost areas.

Astronomy & Space news

	Arizona home of Pluto discovery dedicates year to icy world A sushi restaurant in downtown Flagstaff added a Pluto roll to its menu. A yearlong exhibit celebrates the work of the amateur astronomer in the city who discovered the now-dwarf planet in 1930. And a walking tour leads people to the movie theater and restaurant the astronomer visited the night of his big find.
	Amid controversy, construction of telescope in Hawaii halted (Update) After more than a week of demonstrations and more than a dozen arrests, Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Tuesday that the company building one of the world's largest telescopes atop Hawaii's Mauna Kea has agreed to his request to halt construction for a week.
	NASA extends campaign for public to name features on Pluto The public has until Friday, April 24 to help name new features on Pluto and its orbiting satellites as they are discovered by NASA's New Horizons mission.
	Interview with veteran NASA astronaut Brian Duffy Space is always on the mind of a veteran NASA astronaut Brian Duffy. The key figure in an aerospace company Orbital ATK and a Space Shuttle commander is extremely keen on flying to space again. The enthusiasm emanating from him for the future journeys beyond Earth, which we all patiently wait for, is heartily thrilling. In an interview with astrowatch.net, Duffy talks his successful astronaut career, post-NASA endeavors and his love for space.
	Image: Auroral curtain reflected in a placid Icelandic lake This dramatic panorama shows a colourful, shimmering auroral curtain reflected in a placid Icelandic lake. The image was taken on 18 March 2015 by Carlos Gauna, near Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in southern Iceland.
	Researchers determine the origin of Annama meteorite An international team led by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) has determined the orbit of Annama, a new characterized meteorite from a fireball occurred on April 19th 2014 at the Kola Peninsula (Russia). Researchers highlight the importance of this finding because only the orbit of another 22 meteorites is known so far.
	Sun experiences seasonal changes, new research finds The Sun undergoes a type of seasonal variability with its activity waxing and waning over the course of nearly two years, according to a new study by a team of researchers led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). This behavior affects the peaks and valleys in the approximately 11-year solar cycle, sometimes amplifying and sometimes weakening the solar storms that can buffet Earth's atmosphere.
	Dawn in excellent shape one month after Ceres arrival Since its capture by the gravity of dwarf planet Ceres on March 6, NASA's Dawn spacecraft has performed flawlessly, continuing to thrust with its ion engine as planned. The thrust, combined with Ceres' gravity, is gradually guiding the spacecraft into a circular orbit around the dwarf planet. All of the spacecraft's systems and instruments are in excellent health.
	Team returning Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to duty after computer swap NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, at Mars since 2006, made an unplanned switch on Wednesday from one main computer to a redundant one onboard, triggering a hiatus in planned activities.
	Mars has belts of glaciers consisting of frozen water Mars has distinct polar ice caps, but Mars also has belts of glaciers at its central latitudes in both the southern and northern hemispheres. A thick layer of dust covers the glaciers, so they appear as surface of the ground, but radar measurements show that underneath the dust there are glaciers composed of frozen water. New studies have now calculated the size of the glaciers and thus the amount of water in the glaciers. It is the equivalent of all of Mars being covered by more than one meter of ice. The results are published in the scientific journal, Geophysical Research Letters.
	ALMA sees Einstein ring in stunning image of lensed galaxy Astronomers have discovered that a distant galaxy—seen from Earth with the aid of a gravitational lens—appears like a cosmic ring, thanks to the highest resolution images ever taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).
	Asteroid Juno seen traveling through space in new ALMA images and animation A series of images made with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) provides an unprecedented view of the surface of Juno, one of the largest members of our solar system's main asteroid belt. Linked together into a brief animation, these high-resolution images show the asteroid rotating through space as it shines in millimeter-wavelength light.

Technology news

	Hackers hit Israeli websites after Anonymous threats (Update) Pro-Palestinian hackers disrupted Israeli websites on Tuesday, following threats from the Anonymous hacking collective that it would carry out an "electronic Holocaust," though Israeli cyber experts said the coordinated attacks caused little damage.
	Vivendi confirms offer for video sharing site Dailymotion Vivendi, the Paris-based media multinational, confirmed an offer for the online video sharing platform Dailymotion on Tuesday, a day after a Hong Kong company blamed France's protectionist policies for its decision to abandon its bid.
	Which type of sustainable rooftop technology is best in cold climates? Sustainable rooftop technologies—including green roofs, white roofs, and solar photovoltaic panels—can provide great environmental benefits, but studies of these technologies often look only at their use in hot climates and do not assess their full environmental consequences.
	United Tech wins appeal of accusation it overcharged US United Technologies Corp. has won its appeal of government claims it was overcharged for Pratt & Whitney jet engines.
	A compact image sensor providing image quality on par with larger sensors Toshiba has developed a super high quality image processing technology that achieves image quality comparable to that of larger image sensors. This new technology is able to apply a compact image sensor like the ones in smartphones and in-vehicle cameras. Our technology sequentially processes a continuous series of captured images to realize a high image quality previously attainable with only larger image sensors.
	Successful demonstration of DARPA's Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) system Close air support (CAS)—delivery of airborne munitions to support ground forces—is difficult and dangerous because it requires intricate coordination between combat aircrews and dismounted ground forces (for example, joint terminal attack controllers, or JTACs). DARPA's Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program focuses on technologies to enable sharing of real-time situational awareness and weapons systems data through approaches designed to work with almost any aircraft. PCAS envisions more precise, prompt and easy air-ground coordination for CAS and other missions under stressful operational conditions and seeks to minimize the risk of friendly fire and collateral damage by enabling the use of smaller munitions to hit smaller, multiple or moving targets. This capability is critically important in urban environments.
	Microsoft starts program to hire workers with autism US technology giant Microsoft has launched a pilot program to hire autistic workers at its headquarters in Washington state.
	Samsung Electronics flags 30.5 percent on-year drop in Q1 profit Samsung Electronics flagged on Tuesday better-than-expected profits for the first quarter, with rising demand for memory chips helping offset slumping smartphone sales.
	Consumer groups claim YouTube kids app 'deceptive' A coalition of consumer and child advocacy groups asked US regulators Tuesday to investigate Google's new YouTube app for children, claiming it inappropriately delivers too much advertising to young viewers.
	College tie-ins allow more to join Michigan robotics craze An increasing number of students from Michigan's most financially strapped urban school districts, including Detroit and Flint, are joining robotics teams because local universities are making space and materials available at no charge.
	German pilots' doctors urge more tests in light of crash German aviation industry doctors said Tuesday that pilots should undergo more extensive medical checks in the wake of the Germanwings crash in the French Alps that killed 150 people.
	Australia clamps down on web pirates in 'Dallas Buyers Club' ruling (Update) An Australian court Tuesday ordered six Internet service providers to release the details of customers who shared the Hollywood film "Dallas Buyers Club" online in a ruling that could set a precedent for crackdowns on online piracy.
	Biomechatronics lab develops a language of touch that can be "felt" by computers and humans alike Research engineers and students in the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Biomechatronics Lab are designing artificial limbs to be more sensational, with the emphasis on sensation.
	Uber's popularity surges; business travelers avoiding taxis Business travelers are bypassing the taxi queue with greater frequency, choosing instead ride-hailing services like Uber Technologies.
	Software firm Informatica agrees to $5.3 bn buyout Business software group Informatica announced Tuesday it agreed to a $5.3 billion private equity buyout led by the investment firm Permira and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
	M-GO to stream the complete Star Wars collection "The Force" can now be streamed.
	Shifts in electricity generation spur net job growth, but coal jobs decline In the four years following the 2008 recession, the coal industry lost more than 49,000 jobs, while the natural gas, solar and wind industries together created nearly four times that amount, according to a new Duke University study.
	New technology making drones safer, smarter Researchers at the University of Zurich have unveiled new technology enabling drones to recover stable flight from any position and land autonomously in failure situations. It will even be possible to launch drones by simply tossing them into the air like a baseball or recover stable flight after a system failure. Drones will be safer and smarter, with the ability to identify safe landing sites and land automatically when necessary.
	Can phone companies do more to block robocalls? Jeri Vargas put her elderly mother on the "Do Not Call" list years ago. So why is the 88-year-old woman with Alzheimer's disease still getting several recorded phone calls a day pitching her everything from vacation cruises to medical alert devices and fire extinguishers?
	White House says classified systems not hacked US officials insisted Tuesday that a cyber attack late last year did not compromise White House classified systems, but refused to confirm reports Russia was behind the breach.
	Review: New Apple Photos app makes fixing, cropping easy If you're like most people, those hundreds of photos you took on vacation are still on your camera or phone. You shared a handful on Facebook or Instagram, and tell yourself that you'll sift through the others—one day.
	Singapore Telecom to buy US cybersecurity firm for $810 mn Singapore Telecom (Singtel) said Wednesday it will buy almost all of US cybersecurity firm Trustwave for $810 million, saying it was looking to become "a global player" in the sector.
	Panasonic will release spherical air blower A spherical air blower that is 25cm in diameter has a double role of air circulator and fan, and it's from Panasonic. Say hello to Q. Ikutaro Kojima in Nikkei Technology said it blows out about seven times as much air as it sucks from its suction port. Matthew Humphries, Geek.com senior editor, said: "The design of the unit combined with an embedded turbo fan allows the Q to blow up to seven times the amount of air sucked in through its suction port."
	WiFi Calling offers coverage for UK homes, small offices EE on Tuesday announced the launch of WiFi Calling to make calls and texts available in every home and small office in the UK. The launch could have a positive economic impact on productivity. This, said the company, will benefit over 4 million people across the UK who lose connection in at least one room in their home. Research carried out by ICM on behalf of EE in March (a poll of 2,000 adults) found almost one in ten people have one room or more in their home where they have no mobile connectivity. This increases to 15 percent for people in rural and semi-rural areas.
	Silicon Valley mulls invasion of 'unicorns' When social media software firm Sprinklr unveiled its latest funding last month, it vaulted into the club of "unicorns," or tech startups worth at least $1 billion.

Chemistry news

	The control of Idiazabal cheese is not limited to the absence of defects Cheeses with the Idiazabal designation of origin are subjected to stringent controls at the UPV/EHU's Sensory Analysis Laboratory (LASEHU). The panel of experts in this cheese comprises 17 evaluators who have to pass various stages involving selection, basic and specific training, and finally assessment. According to Mónica Ojeda (LASEHU), the accreditation of sensory evaluation laboratories is a guarantee of technical competence, but the number of them is still limited.
	New reagents selected for nickel extraction More nickel can be produced more efficiently from Australia's low-grade laterite ores if the metal is directly extracted after leaching with nitric acid, research suggests.
	Spotting a molecular warhead for disease in the human gut Yale scientists are using new chemical tools to identify and understand molecules in the human gut that alter DNA and regulate inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancers.
	Researchers find less expensive way to convert carbon dioxide With an abundance of carbon dioxide being produced worldwide, scientists and engineers are looking for inexpensive ways to turn it into something useful, such as hydrocarbon fuels.
	Office inkjet printer could produce simple tool to identify infectious diseases Consumers are one step closer to benefiting from packaging that could give simple text warnings when food is contaminated with deadly pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella, and patients could soon receive real-time diagnoses of infections such as C. difficile right in their doctors' offices, saving critical time and trips to the lab.
	Researchers provide new insight into Nobel Prize winner's polymer theory A team of international scientists, including Dr Stuart Prescott from UNSW Australia, has discovered there is something missing from 1991 Nobel Prize winner French physicist Pierre-Gilles de Gennes' theory on polymers.
	Flexible armor design inspired by protective fish scales Body armor. Through the ages creative thinking problem-solving have gone into thinking up solutions to protect those in combat. This is where materials science, computer science, engineering and chemistry intersect as modern scientists play their part in developing protective armor. Popular Science contributor Kelsey Atherton wrote about one recent step forward, with MIT researchers turning to armor inspired by fish scales.
	New study hints at spontaneous appearance of primordial DNA The self-organization properties of DNA-like molecular fragments four billion years ago may have guided their own growth into repeating chemical chains long enough to act as a basis for primitive life, says a new study by the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Milan.

Biology news

	Research seeks early detection of wheat streak mosaic virus As spring growth of wheat begins, Texas A&M AgriLife Research studies indicate now might be the time to determine possible wheat streak mosaic virus infection and future management of the crop.
	Biologist launches 'Great Pollinator Habitat Challenge' With the help of more than 100,000 volunteers nationwide, Gretchen LeBuhn's Great Sunflower Project has built the single largest database of North American pollinator populations. Now, the San Francisco State University biologist is taking the project a step further, launching an effort to help those "citizen scientists" make their backyards or local parks more pollinator friendly.
	Complex bacterial challenge in fight against deadly amphibian disease New research from The University of Manchester and the Institute of Zoology has shed light on the complex challenge facing scientists battling one of the world's most devastating animal diseases.
	Mysterious desert fairy circles share pattern with skin cells Patterns appearing on both the very large and very small scale are extremely rare, but researchers at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) in Japan have found a similar pattern in two apparently unrelated systems—skin cells and fairy circles in the Namibian desert.
	Lizards are larger and retain heat longer in high-altitude habitats University of Granada scientists confirm that ectotherms–like reptiles and amphibians–do follow "Bergmann's rule". The 19th-century naturalist posited thatanimals inhabiting colder climates have a larger body size. The study has been published in the prestigious Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
	Fluorescent proteins light up science by making the invisible visible When you look up at the blue sky, where are the stars that you see at night? They're there but we can't see them. A firefly flitting across a field is invisible to us during the day, but at night we can easily spot its flashes. Similarly, proteins, viruses, parasites and bacteria inside living cells can't be seen by the naked eye under normal conditions. But a technique using a fluorescent protein can light up cells' molecular machinations like a microscopic flashlight.
	Contaminants also a threat to polar bears The polar bear (Ursus maritimus), one of the largest carnivorous mammals on Earth, is vulnerable to a series of dangers. An international team has established a guide to evaluate the condition of its health, and although the polar bear's biggest threat is climate change, plastic pollution and environmental contaminants in its habitat are starting to affect its endocrine system and reproduction.
	Declining great apes of Central Africa get new action plan for the next decade The number of gorillas and chimpanzees in Central Africa continues to decline due to hunting, habitat loss, and disease, combined with a widespread lack of law enforcement and corruption in the judicial process, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Wildlife Conservation Society, WWF, and partners in a new conservation plan.
	Common birds bring economic vitality to cities, new study finds Is it worth having birds in the city? If you live in Seattle or Berlin, the answer is yes, to the tune of $120 million and $70 million a year for each city, respectively.
	Impact of proposed crayfish protections on mining industry uncertain The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list species of Appalachian crayfish as endangered, with potential consequences for the struggling eastern Kentucky mining industry.
	New deer mouse study examines muscle performance and high altitude adaptation Life has adapted to all sorts of extreme environments on Earth, among them, animals like the deer mouse, shimmying and shivering about, and having to squeeze enough energy from the cold, thin air to fuel their bodies and survive.
	Gotcha! Ultra-realistic robot proves there's more than one way to scare a fish In the world of the tiny zebrafish, the predatory red tiger oscar is the stuff of nightmares. And while the species has no natural reason to fear robots, researchers at the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering have published the first study showing that, in a side-by-side comparison, a robotic predator can spook zebrafish just as well as the real thing. Their results may help advance understanding of fear and anxiety in animal populations, including humans.
	Tiny hair follicle offers big clues about the life and death of stem cells Inside the microscopic world of the mouse hair follicle, Yale Cancer Center researchers have discovered big clues about how stem cells regenerate and die. These findings, published April 6 in the journal Nature, could lead to a better understanding of how the stem cell pool is maintained or altered in tissues throughout the body.
	Researchers identify spider species able to change colors A species of crab spider is able to slowly change its color to match its background when hunting, a rare ability in the animal kingdom, says a Ball State University professor.
	Researchers take new approach to determine historical population fluctuations (Phys.org)—A pair of researches with the University of Texas has used a new method to infer historical human population size fluctuations based on Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) data. In their paper published in the journal Nature Genetics, the team describes how they applied a technique they call a stairway plot to SNP data to uncover human population fluctuations going back hundreds of thousands of years.
	Bumblebees differentiate flower types when arranged horizontally but not vertically Bumblebees trained to go to feeders labeled with a certain color or pattern cue but avoid differently labeled alternative feeders did so when feeders were arranged horizontally but didn't when arranged vertically. Researchers believe this could be because groups of flowers arranged horizontally, like those in a meadow, often include several different species, while those arranged vertically, such as in blossoming trees are likely to all be the same species.
	Study determines structure of toxin in respiratory infections Researchers from the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio today revealed the molecular structure of the cytotoxin from Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a widespread, highly contagious bacterium that infects the lungs.
	New mechanisms of 'social networking' in bacteria Bacteria have traditionally been viewed as solitary organisms that "hang out on their own," says molecular biologist Kevin Griffith of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. However, scientists now realize that in fact, bacteria exhibit social behavior within groups.
	The hoo's hoo of gibbon communication The secret communication of gibbons has been interpreted for the first time in a study published in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology. The research reveals the likely meaning of a number of distinct gibbon whispers, or 'hoo' calls, responding to particular events and types of predator, and could provide clues on the evolution of human speech.
	Ecological 'flash mobs': It's all about timing... and magnets? How does an acorn know to fall when the other acorns do? What triggers insects, or disease, to suddenly break out over large areas? Why do fruit trees have boom and bust years?
	A tall story: Why do the Dutch tower over us? The Netherlands is the land of giants: on average, its women stand almost 1.71 metres (5.6 feet) tall, and its men 1.84 metres.

Medicine & Health news

	Catheter-related bloodstream infections examined in home parenteral nutrition patients Catheter-related bloodstream infection is the most prevalent and severe complication for patients who receive parenteral nutrition therapy at home. A new study by researchers at Aalborg University in Denmark examined whether environmental factors have any influence on the amount of time before a first infection.
	Modeling identifies mosquito risk hotspots in Germany Scientists at the Senckenberg Research Center for Biodiversity and Climate and at the Goethe University, in conjunction with other German colleagues, have developed distribution models for the invasive Asian rock pool mosquito. This mosquito species is a potential carrier of vectors for infectious diseases, such as dengue fever or West Nile virus. In a recent study, published in the scientific journal Parasitology Research, the scientists identified new risk hotspots in Southern Hesse, the Saarland and northern North Rhine-Westphalia, and they recommend a careful monitoring of this invasive insect.
	ACL surgery may significantly improve physical health and function for at least six years in younger patients A new study appearing in the April issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (JBJS), found that most patients who underwent surgery to repair and rebuild an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, showed significant improvement in physical function at two years, which continued for at least six years following surgery. Younger patient age, lower body mass index (BMI), and having the remnants of the torn ACL completely excised during surgery, were among the strongest predictors of positive, long-term outcome.
	How do single women seeking donor semen differ from cohabiting women? Single women seeking treatment with donor semen do not differ from cohabiting women seeking treatment with regard to sociodemographic characteristics or attitudes toward motherhood, a new study of 311 Danish women shows. For most, to be a single mother by choice is not their preferred way of parenthood, but rather a solution they need to accept as they get older.
	Open-angle glaucoma: Poor data for the fixed combination tafluprost/timolol The fixed combination of the drugs tafluprost and timolol (trade name: Taptiqom) has been approved in Germany since December 2014 for adults with open-angle glaucoma or increased intraocular pressure (ocular hypertension). The combination therapy is indicated in patients who are insufficiently responsive to topical monotherapy with beta-blockers or prostaglandin analogues, and who would benefit from preservative-free eye drops.
	Efforts needed to standardize criteria for age-related muscle loss The term "sarcopenia" is most often used to describe age-related loss in muscle mass and strength, and it is commonly considered analogous to osteoporosis. Yet unlike osteoporosis, which can be diagnosed based on widely accepted clinical criteria, sarcopenia is not recognized as a clinical condition even though it can impair physical function and contribute to disability, falls, and hospitalizations.
	Museums offer array of programs for the disabled On a recent Sunday, a group of museum visitors sat in front of a large canvas by the French artist Jean Dubuffet as their guide described the work—an abstract painting created with crumpled aluminum foil tinted with oil paint.
	Arena Pharmaceuticals shares rise on weight loss drug patent Shares of Arena Pharmaceuticals rose Tuesday after the drug developer said it received an additional patent for its weight loss drug Belviq.
	US Ebola patient in 'good' condition An American healthcare worker who fell ill with Ebola in Sierra Leone has improved and is now listed in good condition at a hospital near the US capital, officials said Tuesday.
	New, natural DNA-based drugs are safe, potent activators of immune system An experimental single-stranded oligonucleotide-based drug, MGN1703, comprised only of natural DNA components, stimulates the human immune system to fight infections and attack cancer cells without causing the harmful side effects associated with similar compounds that also contain non-natural DNA components. The design and structural characteristics of MGN1703, which is in clinical testing to treat a variety of cancers, affect its potency and toxicity, as described in an article in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.
	Eating disorders during adolescence may have lasting socioeconomic consequences for women In a recent study, females with eating disorders in late adolescence were more likely to have lower levels of educational attainment and personal income in early adulthood. They were also less likely to own a home. These associations were not seen in males.
	Posttraumatic stress can have profound effects on sexual health Although sexual dysfunction is not a specific symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is a frequent complaint among trauma survivors. The Journal of Sexual Medicine review finds that PTSD-related biological and cognitive processes may contribute to the development of sexual dysfunction following traumatic stress.
	Physicians pioneer the use of stereotactic body radiation for deadly kidney cancer complication UT Southwestern Medical Center Kidney Cancer Program investigators have published what is believed to be the first reported successful use of stereotactic body radiation therapy for an often deadly complication of kidney cancer.
	Kansas governor signs nation's first ban on abortion procedure Kansas became the first state Tuesday to ban a common second-trimester abortion procedure that critics describe as dismembering a fetus.
	EPA looks at use of pesticide that sickened family at resort An odorless pesticide sprayed at a Caribbean resort has left three members of a Delaware family hospitalized for weeks after they became seriously ill during their Virgin Islands vacation, and federal officials said Tuesday that investigators found the toxic chemical has been used at the resort several times before.
	Leading cardiovascular societies release new guidance on use of heart pumps Greater availability of percutaneous mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices for treatment of heart failure is helping expand treatment options for a rapidly growing number of acutely and chronically ill cardiac patients who could benefit from the devices. An expert consensus statement released today by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), American College of Cardiology (ACC), Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) provides new guidance to help physicians match the right device with the right patient. The statement has been endorsed by the American Heart Association (AHA), Cardiological Society of India (CSI) and the Latin American Society of Interventional Cardiology (SOLACI). The Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology (CAIC) has affirmed the value of the statement.
	Mortality and blood pressure directly linked to relationship quality While other studies have shown that stress and negative marital quality can influence mortality and blood pressure, there has not been research that discussed how it might affect married couples over time. Using systolic blood pressure as a gauge, researchers assessed whether an individual's blood pressure is influenced by their own as well as their partner's reports of chronic stress and whether there are gender differences in these patterns.
	SLeone says report of Ebola returning in east 'mistaken' Sierra Leone said on Tuesday it had wrongly reported Ebola as the cause of a baby's death in a part of west African country which had been declared free of the virus weeks ago.
	Chile harvests first medical marijuana crop Workers in Chile began harvesting the country's first medical marijuana crop Tuesday, breaking new ground in cancer treatment in a nation where cannabis is outlawed as a hard drug.
	New study questions role of breast milk in obesity prevention A new study supports human milk as the optimal first food for babies, but the study raises questions about whether breast milk protects children from becoming obese.
	DPP-4 inhibitors not tied to pneumonia hospitalizations (HealthDay)—The use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors is not associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia, according to a study published in the April issue of Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
	New test helps diagnose delayed stomach emptying (HealthDay)—A new breath test has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help doctors diagnose a condition called gastroparesis, a delay in emptying of stomach contents to the small intestine.
	Motivational interviewing aids weight loss in primary care (HealthDay)—Motivational interviewing can help patients lose weight in a primary care setting, according to a review published in the April issue of Obesity Reviews.
	Purging a virus from organ transplants Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an extremely common virus, which as other members of the herpes virus family causes life-long infections in humans. Most individuals are exposed to HCMV during childhood, yet symptoms can be easily fought off by a healthy immune system. However, infections can be life-threatening for individuals with defective immunity, for instance newborn babies, people with AIDS, or those taking immunosuppressive drugs following organ transplantation. Scientists at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) have discovered the molecular switch that allows HCMV to either lie dormant or reactivate its infection. The switch can be manipulated with simple drugs to force the virus out of dormancy, making it easy to target with antivirals. Published in eLife, the study shows how HCMV could be fought in high-risk patients and purged from organs before transplantation.
	Study finds cigarette warning labels may be more effective with imagery Young adults are more likely to appreciate the dangers of smoking when warnings are presented in images as well as text, according to a new study by a Washington State University Vancouver psychologist.
	New study reveals mixed picture on the effectiveness of Viagra and related drugs Viagra and other related drugs are not a universal 'cure-all' for impotence, according to a new study from The University of Manchester and NatCen Social Research.
	Scientists confirm better test for acute kidney injury in children Yale researchers compared two markers for acute kidney injury (AKI), an increasingly common condition affecting thousands of hospitalized patients each year. The Yale team members and their co-authors found that a less commonly used, but more accurate, test may better define this condition, leading to improvements in research and care.
	Are doctors giving enough guidance to patients about end of life decisions? Doctors who treat patients as consumers and give them a menu of choices without guidance or recommendations over whether they should be resuscitated or not may prolong their suffering, according to a new research study.
	Income inequality affects who gets an underutilized test for breast cancer Wealthier women who live in communities with the greatest income divide between rich and poor had better access to a new genetic test that can determine the most effective form of treatment for early-stage breast cancer, according to a new study (link is password-protected) by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital and Aetna. The study, published in the April issue of the journal Health Affairs, also indicated that only a small minority of women with breast cancer received the test at all.
	Unraveling the link between diabetes and the brain When diabetes strikes, the brain is not the first thing that comes to mind.
	Pregnancy brain? Study finds no cognitive deficiencies associated with pregnancy Pregnant women sometimes blame absent-mindedness on the baby, but research says this myth is all in their heads.
	Broken cellular communication in brain contributes to Huntington's disease symptoms, study finds Indiana University researchers have found that broken communication in a specific part of the brain plays a role in the involuntary physical movements that affect individuals with Huntington's disease.
	Report gives guidance to FDA on tobacco policy and public health In 2014, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, convened a committee of national experts from the fields of public health, sociology, economics, health management and policy, tobacco research, and epidemiology. The goal: provide guidance to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on using agent-based models (ABMs) to improve the effect of tobacco control policy on public health.
	Study suggests ways to simplify health insurance enrollment​​​​​​​​​​ The federal health-care law has reduced the number of uninsured people by about 10 million. But challenges remain, including how to educate new enrollees about their coverage options.
	Mobile app helps physicians identify common sleep disorders in patients Each year, more than 60 million Americans fail to get enough sleep at night due to a chronic sleep disorder. Yet few of these patients will be diagnosed and receive the care they need, even if they're already seeing other doctors, such as a primary care physician.
	Here's what you need to know about sleep apnoea Sleep apnoea is a condition where people repeatedly stop breathing while asleep. People with sleep apnoea often complain of daytime sleepiness, difficulties concentrating, and they tend to have high blood pressure. The people around them usually complain about their nightly snoring, gasping, and choking noises.
	Discovering the relationship between autism and epilepsy Researchers at the University of Veracruz (UV), in the west coast of Mexico, have studied the neurobiological link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and epilepsy in order to understand why the brain of an autistic child is 20-30 percent more susceptible to seizures that an infant without the condition.
	90 percent of all breast cancers can be detected with MRI Around 90 per cent of all breast cancers can be definitively diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This compares to the combined methods of mammography and ultrasound which yielded a detection rate of just 37.5 per cent. This is the key finding of a study published in the highly respected Journal of Clinical Oncology. The study was carried out at the University Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the MedUni Vienna in cooperation with the University Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and the Clinical Institute of Pathology.
	Central signaling pathway in lymphoma can be blocked successfully Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a blood cancer and the most common malignant condition of the lymphatic system. Although DLBCL is always fatal if left untreated, the cure rate after chemotherapy combined with antibodies approaches 60 to 70 percent. Certain types of DLBCL, however, do not respond well to this standard treatment, which results in a very poor prognosis for the patients. As the biology of this type of lymphoma remains poorly understood, there is a lack of targeted therapeutic approaches.
	Late swine flu outbreak highlights remote community risk Health professionals are urging pandemic planning be prioritised for remote Aboriginal communities following the confirmation and analysis of an outbreak of the pandemic H1N1 "swine flu" virus in WA in 2013.
	Novel therapeutic procedure helps stroke patient recover three-dimensional vision Impaired vision is one of the most common consequences of a stroke. In rare cases, patients may even lose their ability to perceive depth. Such patients see the world around them as flat, like a two-dimensional picture. This makes it impossible for them to judge distances accurately – a skill they need, for instance, when reaching for a cup or when a car is approaching them on the street. A patient with this particular type of visual dysfunction has recently been studied in detail by the research team at Saarland University led by Professor Georg Kerkhoff and Anna-Katharina Schaadt in collaboration with colleagues at the Charité university hospital in Berlin. The team has developed the first effective treatment regime and have identified the area of the brain that, when damaged, may cause loss of binocular depth perception. The results of the study have been published in the respected academic journal Neuropsychologia.
	No evidence that low-frequency magnetic fields accelerate development of Alzheimer's disease and ALS Low-frequency alternating magnetic fields such as those generated by overhead power lines are considered a potential health risk because epidemiological studies indicate that they may aggravate, among other things, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, a recent study by researchers at the Institute of Pathobiochemistry at the Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has produced no evidence that these fields can cause exacerbation or accelerated disease development in relevant mouse models. Neither learning behavior nor known disease mechanisms at the cellular level were affected.
	From the bionic ear to the 'audiologist in your pocket' An Australian company has completed a trifecta of tools to help Australians take care of their own hearing without the stress and expense of audiology visits. It's the product of decades of government-backed research.
	Don't think you have enough self-control? Try believing that you do Around this time each year, my family and I, as well as Jews around the world, celebrate Passover. Like many Jewish holidays, this one features a range of symbolic foods and eating a large meal. And like many Jewish holidays, this one ends with me fielding the mostly rhetorical question from my relatives, "Why did I eat so much?", quickly followed by a lament along the lines of, "I have no self-control around food!"
	The end of male supremacy? Women and men have biological differences that give each certain advantages, but women's biological advantages are becoming more and more relevant in modern societies and helping shift the balance of power between the two sexes, according to a new book from Melvin Konner, professor of anthropology and neuroscience and behavioral biology at Emory University.
	Sleep problems prevalent for military members Improving the quality and quantity of U.S. military members' sleep following deployment could help reduce other health problems, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
	Defect found in pancreatic cells could lead to new diabetes treatment A cellular defect that can impair the body's ability to handle high glucose levels and could point the way to a potential new treatment for diabetes has been identified by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers. The CUMC team found that ryanodine receptor type 2 (RyR2) calcium channels in insulin-producing cells play an important and previously underappreciated role in glucose balance.
	Risk of breast and ovarian cancer may differ by type of BRCA1, BRCA2 mutation In a study involving more than 31,000 women with cancer-causing mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, researchers at The Basser Center for BRCA, the Abramson Cancer Center, and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania identified mutations that are associated with significantly different risks of breast and ovarian cancers. Authors say the results - which show that some mutations confer higher risks of breast cancer, while other mutations show higher risks of ovarian cancer - may lead to more effective cancer risk assessment, care and prevention strategies for health care providers and carriers. The results are published in the April 7 issue of JAMA.
	Default surrogate consent statutes may differ with wishes of patients Among a sample of veterans in Connecticut, a substantial number had individuals listed as next of kin who were not nuclear family members, according to a study in the April 7 issue of JAMA. State default consent statutes do not universally recognize such persons as decision makers for incapacitated patients.
	Food allergies can be transmitted from blood products to children in rare cases In rare cases, children can develop anaphylactic allergies to previously tolerated foods after receiving blood products via transfusion, report the authors of a case study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Education and awareness key to helping physicians address elder abuse Elder abuse is common, affecting an estimated 5%-10% of seniors; raising awareness among physicians is key to helping address the issue, according to a review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Food safety focus of new health campaign The United Nations launched a food safety campaign Tuesday for an era in which millions are dying of hunger or tainted produce even as more and more people fall ill from eating too much.
	H5 bird flu found on Canada turkey farm Two turkey farms in Canada have been placed under quarantine after H5 bird flu was detected in one of them, Canadian health authorities said.
	Your better half (by half?): Improving your fitness may improve your spouse's With obesity on the rise in households across America, the demand for weight-loss treatments, personal trainers, and lifestyle coaches is amping up. But when it comes to physical fitness, the best incentive to get in shape might be the very person sitting across from you at the dinner table.
	Gene variant and environment can boost severity of respiratory syncytial virus A particular genetic mutation combined with an urban environment increases the risk of severe disease in children infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an international team of investigators has found.
	Asthma rates among black youth are similarly high in urban, rural communities Asthma rates among black youth living in urban Detroit and rural Georgia are essentially the same, researchers report, a finding that conflicts with the widely held theory that city life is a risk factor, and pointing instead toward poverty.
	Gut immune system identified as a new and effective target in treating diabetes A commonly-used drug to treat inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease, has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in obese mice, potentially identifying the gut immune system as a new and effective target in treating diabetes in humans.
	FDA questions evidence for lower-risk tobacco product U.S. health regulators have questions about the data submitted by tobacco maker Swedish Match in its bid to become the first company to market a smokeless tobacco product as less harmful than cigarettes.
	Cost of cancer drugs varies widely based on who's paying Uninsured cancer patients are asked to pay anywhere from two to 43 times what Medicare would pay for chemotherapy drugs, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
	Team discovers novel mechanism controlling lung cancer stem cell growth Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer and the number one cause of cancer-related mortality. It is estimated that more than 158,000 people will die from lung cancer in the United States this year. Many scientists believe that targeting a type of cell called a cancer stem cell may be necessary to completely cure lung cancer. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers discovered a novel mechanism that plays an important role in the maintenance of lung cancer stem cells. This finding may lead to new potential therapeutic targets.
	Stroke classification system called TOAST is easy to use and effective In 1993, neurologists Harold P. Adams Jr., MD, and Jose Biller, MD, and colleagues proposed a new way to classify strokes.
	Fast food just as effective for recovery as sports supplements, study finds University of Montana researchers have good news for endurance athletes hankering for a burger and fries after an intense workout: Dig in.
	Obesity in children: Breastfeeding is best, but... Yes, while breastfeeding is the optimal first food for a baby, it's not as simple to say that it will protect all children from becoming obese. Recent studies show that factors such as whether a child's mother is obese, the quality of her milk and the socio-economic conditions a baby is born into also have an influence. This is according to Jessica Woo and Lisa Martin of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the US, who reviewed relevant breastfeeding studies in Springer's journal Current Obesity Reports.
	Teen birth rate falls in US The birth rate among US teenagers has continued to decline, but health authorities said Tuesday that even greater strides could be made if more teens used long-acting forms of contraception.
	A brighter future after stroke There's a stroke every 10 minutes in Canada. Of those, about 10-15 per cent are triggered by arterial ruptures and uncontrolled bleeding in the brain, and are incredibly devastating. These are the strokes that University of Saskatchewan researcher Dr. Mark Hackett studies, with hopes to help improve post-stroke health.
	New model could help identify root cause of swallowing disorder Nearly 40 percent of Americans 60 and older are living with a swallowing disorder known as dysphagia. Although it is a major health problem associated with aging, it is unknown whether the condition is a natural part of healthy aging or if it is caused by an age-related disease that has yet to be diagnosed, such as Parkinson's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Following a recent study, researchers at the University of Missouri have established a model that identifies aging as a key factor in the development of dysphagia, which may lead to new therapeutic treatments.
	Common drug is re-engineered to improve surgery outcomes A Northwestern University research team potentially has found a safer way to keep blood vessels healthy during and after surgery.
	Are heart surgery patients losing too much blood to tests? (HealthDay)—Heart surgery patients often undergo dozens of blood tests while they're hospitalized, potentially losing half a liter of blood or more over time, a new study reports.
	As the weather warms, avoid gardening's pitfalls (HealthDay)—Exercise and fresh food are among the benefits of gardening, but there are also potential hazards that you can take steps to avoid, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
	Contact lens sensor safe for patients with thyroid eye disease (HealthDay)—For patients with thyroid eye disease (TED), a contact lens sensor provides a safe and well-tolerated approach for 24-hour intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring, according to a study published in the March issue of Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
	Ivermectin tops metronidazole for papulopustular rosacea (HealthDay)—For patients with papulopustular rosacea (PPR), once-daily ivermectin 1 percent cream (IVM 1 percent) is superior to twice-daily metronidazole (MTZ 0.75 percent) cream, according to a study published in the April issue of the British Journal of Dermatology.
	Success seen with mini-group visits for patients with diabetes (HealthDay)—Mini-group visits yield good results among patients with diabetes, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
	Med students, residents rarely perform stethoscope hygiene (HealthDay)—Stethoscope hygiene is rarely performed by trainee physicians, according to a research letter published online April 2 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
	Functional brain organization of newborns altered by prenatal cocaine exposure A new study by UNC researchers, based on MRI brain scans of 152 infants, found disruptions in functional connectivity within part of the amygdala-prefrontal network - a pathway thought to play an important role in arousal regulation.
	New study indicates that exercise improves non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease in the western world. A new study published in the Journal of Hepatology shows that exercise, regardless of frequency or intensity, benefits obese and overweight adults with NAFLD.
	Eight reasons the US Surgeon General should announce that UV tanning causes skin cancer A July, 2014 Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer by acting Surgeon General Dr. Boris Lushniak points out that indoor tanning is "strongly associated with increased skin cancer risk," but stops short of reporting that tanning causes cancer. A University of Colorado Cancer Center opinion published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine points out that UV tanning meets the same criteria as smoking as a cause of cancer and argues that announcing the causality could save lives.
	Nearly one in ten adults have impulsive anger issues and access to guns An estimated 9 percent of adults in the U.S. have a history of impulsive, angry behavior and have access to guns, according to a study published this month in Behavioral Sciences and the Law. The study also found that an estimated 1.5 percent of adults report impulsive anger and carry firearms outside their homes.
	Discovering another interoperability challenge in health information exchange Health information exchange enables clinicians to have secure access to a patient's medical record including details on care received at other locations. But an important piece of information is typically missing from the electronic medical record—detailed identification of the facilities at which past care was received.
	Combining nortriptyline and morphine provides better pain relief than using either drug alone The combination of two well-known drugs will have unprecedented effects on pain management, says new research from Queen's.
	Are current dietary guidelines for sodium and potassium reasonable? To reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, the World Health Organization recommends we consume no more than 2000 mg of sodium a day—less than a teaspoon of salt.
	Australia sets up task force to tackle 'dreadful' ice epidemic (Update) Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday launched a national task force to fight the scourge of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, which he said was causing "absolute devastation" in Australia.
	Case study Cabo Verde: Simulation offers policy Rx for curbing HIV When a whole country's public health is at stake, making the wrong policy choices can cost lives and money. That's why researchers have worked to develop computer simulations of epidemics that can model individual behaviors and interactions to predict the spread of disease and the efficacy of interventions.
	More anti-inflammatory genes mean longer lifespans for mammals We age in part thanks to "friendly fire" from the immune system—inflammation and chemically active molecules called reactive oxygen species that help fight infection, but also wreak molecular havoc over time, contributing to frailty, disability and disease. The CD33rSiglec family of proteins are known to help protect our cells from becoming inflammatory collateral damage, prompting researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine to ask whether CD33rSiglecs might help mammals live longer, too.
	Research effort leads to mammalian heart tissue regeneration (MedicalXpress)—A large team of researchers with affiliations in Israel and Australia has found a way to cause cell regeneration in mice. In their paper published in the journal Nature Cell Biology, the team reports on their groundbreaking study of hormones, heart cell division and tissue regeneration.
	Food for thought: Master protein enhances learning and memory Just as some people seem built to run marathons and have an easier time going for miles without tiring, others are born with a knack for memorizing things, from times tables to trivia facts. These two skills ― running and memorizing ― are not so different as it turns out.
	Scientists find molecular trigger of schizophrenia-like behaviors and brain changes Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a molecule in the brain that triggers schizophrenia-like behaviors, brain changes and global gene expression in an animal model. The research gives scientists new tools for someday preventing or treating psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and autism.
	Study finds limited mutations involved in transmission of drug-resistant HIV In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine and their colleagues have found that worldwide only a limited number of mutations are responsible for most cases of transmission of drug-resistant HIV.
	Discovery of communication link between brain areas implicated in schizophrenia The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays an important role in cognitive functions such as attention, memory and decision-making. Faulty wiring between PFC and other brain areas is thought to give rise to a variety of cognitive disorders. Disruptions to one particular brain circuit—between the PFC and another part of the brain called the thalamus—have been associated with schizophrenia, but the mechanistic details are unknown. Now, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory scientists have discovered an inhibitory connection between these brain areas in mice that can control the timing of information flow into PFC. This insight may help explain what goes wrong in schizophrenia and indicate a path to new treatments.

Other Sciences news

	Older Australians are willing to plan estates, but young ones delay Young Australians often underestimate the importance of having a will and fail to plan ahead, according to the results of a national study.
	Why man allows his best friend to poop in public Generally, Western societies maintain high standards of everyday hygiene. When it comes to man's best friend, however, it seems we turn a blind eye! New research published in Environmental Sociology this month explores the reasons behind this relaxed attitude to canine excrement and the strategies employed by dog-owners to deal with it.
	X-raying the past: New insights into the life of extinct marine creatures Using state-of-the-art imaging techniques, palaeontologists at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) have been examining extinct marine creatures. Quantitative analyses provide new evidence that ammonites were able to swim using their shell - very much like the recent nautilus. For the purpose of the study, the researchers, together with partners from the industry, developed an evaluation process for high-res CT images.
	Newly discovered ancient arthropod lived hundreds of millions of years ago The Burgess Shale Formation, in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, is one of the most famous fossil locations in the world. A recent Palaeontology study introduces a 508 million year old (middle Cambrian) arthropod—called Yawunik kootenayi—from exceptionally preserved specimens of the new Marble Canyon locality within the Burgess Shale Formation.
	Archaeologists defy Isis militants by finding new antiquities in Iraq University of Manchester archaeologists are continuing to make significant new discoveries near the ancient city of Ur despite efforts by Islamic State militants to 'culturally cleanse' Iraq of its ancient relics.
	Why daring to compare online prices pays off offline The sudden closures of big-box stores like Future Shop and Target may make it seem like online shopping is killing real-world stores. But shoppers are actually engaging in "web-to-store" shopping—buying offline after comparing prices online.
	Why "brontosaurus" is no longer a dirty word for dinosaur hunters A team of palaeontologists is claiming to have "resurrected" Brontosaurus, the famous long-necked, pot-belled dinosaur. No, they haven't conducted some mad DNA cloning experiment. They have built a big new family tree of long-necked dinosaurs and argue that Brontosaurus is distinctive enough to be classified separately from its closest relatives.
	Tales from the crypt: Mummies reveal TB's Roman lineage Samples from mummies in a Hungarian crypt have revealed that multiple tuberculosis strains derived from a single Roman ancestor that circulated in 18th-century Europe, scientists said Tuesday.

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