Fwd: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Jun 16

RESPEKT!

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 17, 2015 at 4:26 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Jun 16
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 16, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- What's on the surface of a black hole? Not 'firewall'—and nature of universe depends on it, physicist explains
- Renewable energy from evaporating water (w/ Video)
- Scientists find methane in Mars meteorites
- Injured jellyfish seek to regain symmetry, study shows
- Team traces strain of tuberculosis back 30,000 years
- Early behavior problems may be linked to 'aging' biomarkers in preschoolers
- Earth's core contains 90 percent of Earth's sulfur, new research shows
- Complex, large-scale genome analysis made easier
- Team finds 'unprecedented' earthquake evidence in Africa 25,000 years ago
- Einstein saves the quantum cat
- Researchers find a way to identify key nodes in illegal wildlife trade network
- Researchers create transparent, stretchable conductors using nano-accordion structure
- Scientists use molecular 'lock and key' for potential control of GMOs
- Luminescent signals from green glowing diamond defects could monitor temperature with unprecedented versatility
- Surprisingly few 'busy bees' make global crops grow

Nanotechnology news

	Researchers create transparent, stretchable conductors using nano-accordion structure Researchers from North Carolina State University have created stretchable, transparent conductors that work because of the structures' "nano-accordion" design. The conductors could be used in a wide variety of applications, such as flexible electronics, stretchable displays or wearable sensors.
	Graphene heat-transfer riddle unraveled Researchers have solved the long-standing conundrum of how the boundary between grains of graphene affects heat conductivity in thin films of the miracle substance—bringing developers a step closer to being able to engineer films at a scale useful for cooling microelectronic devices and hundreds of other nano-tech applications.

Physics news

	Second thoughts: Is a tiny addition in time too much? Question: When is a minute not a minute?
	Researchers propose potential new way to maintain communication with hypersonic vehicles in flight Near the end of the movie Apollo 13, which depicts the harrowing journey of the three astronauts aboard the aborted 1970 lunar mission, the tension mounts in textbook fashion. As the spacecraft hurdles into Earth's atmosphere it is encircled by hot ionized air that cuts off communications with NASA Mission Control in Houston. Each second that the flight controllers' calls for contact remain unanswered is torturously stretched.
	Luminescent signals from green glowing diamond defects could monitor temperature with unprecedented versatility Researchers have developed tiny, diamond-based probes that optically transmit detailed temperature information and can operate in conditions ranging from 150 to 850 degrees Kelvin, representing near-cryogenic cold to slightly below the melting point of aluminum.
	3D potential through laser annihilation Whether in the pages of H.G. Wells, the serial adventures of Flash Gordon, or that epic science fiction saga that is Star Wars, the appearance of laser beams—or rays or phasers or blasters—ultimately meant the imminent disintegration of our hero or perhaps something a little larger, say, an entire planet.
	A new and game-changing magnetoresistance More than 150 years ago, William Thomson, later Lord Kelvin, discovered the magnetoresistive effect. Today, this finding enables sensors to measure the rotational speed of a car wheel, and is also used in compass navigation and robot control systems. ETH material scientists have now found a new kind of magnetoresistance that promises further insight into basic research and could one day be used for practical applications.
	Theory turns to reality for nonlinear optical metamaterials A research team has realized one of the long-standing theoretical predictions in nonlinear optical metamaterials: creation of a nonlinear material that has opposite refractive indices at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies of light. Such a material, which doesn't exist naturally, had been predicted for nearly a decade.
	OPERA detects its fifth tau neutrino The OPERA (Oscillation Project with Emulsion-tRacking Apparatus) experiment at the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) at Gran Sasso in Italy has detected the fifth occurrence of a tau neutrino in the muon-neutrino beam from CERN. A particle that left CERN as a muon neutrino underwent "oscillation" during its 730-kilometre journey to Gran Sasso, arriving as a tau neutrino.
	A novel source of X-rays for imaging purposes Physicists at LMU Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have validated a novel laser-driven means of generating bright and highly energetic X-ray beams. The method opens up new ways of imaging the fine structure of matter.
	Einstein saves the quantum cat Einstein's theory of time and space will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year. Even today it captures the imagination of scientists. In an international collaboration, researchers from the universities of Vienna, Harvard and Queensland have now discovered that this world-famous theory can explain yet another puzzling phenomenon: the transition from quantum behavior to our classical, everyday world. Their results are published in the journal Nature Physics.
	Getting the measure of matter Peter Rohde and his collaborators develop big ideas – and a measure of corny humour – using photons, the smallest possible units of light. (Did you hear about the photon that walked into a hotel and the clerk asked for its luggage? The photon said, "I'm travelling light.")
	Miniscule mirrored cavities connect quantum memories Tiny, nanoscale mirrors were constructed to trap light around atoms inside of diamond crystals, acting like a series of funhouse mirrors. The mirrored cavities in the crystal allow light to bounce back and forth up to 10,000 times, enhancing the normally weak interaction between light and the electronic spin states in the atoms. As a result, a 200-microsecond spin-coherence time – how long the memory encoded in the electron spin state lasts – was produced.
	How DNA protects itself from UV light X-rays from the Linac Coherent Light Source were used to measure the ultrafast response of DNA nucleobases to ultraviolet light. Researchers found that the UV excited state in the nucleobase thymine decays rapidly, harmlessly dissipating the potentially destructive UV energy.
	New measurement of the mass of a strange atomic nucleus achieves very high precision An international team of physicists working at the Institute of Nuclear Physics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany has measured the mass of a 'strange' atomic nucleus with the aid of an innovative technique that is capable of significantly greater precision than that of previous methods. The researchers were able, for the first time worldwide, to observe the radioactive decay of artificially generated nuclei of super-heavy hydrogen at the Mainz MAMI particle accelerator using a combination of several magnetic spectrometers. They could then precisely determine the mass on the basis of accurate measurement of the decay product. The results have been published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
	New beamline provides more opportunities for particle detector R&D Since 2005, DOE's Fermilab's Test Beam Facility, with its distinctive orange and blue corrugated-steel roof, has staged more than 50 experiments, conducted by scientists from more than 170 institutions in 30 countries.
	Reactor brought to first criticality after 14-month overhaul An important research tool at DOE's Idaho National Laboratory was restarted recently after completion of a nearly 14-month overhaul-and-upgrade project. The Neutron Radiography (NRAD) Reactor provides researchers with a critical non-destructive tool for conducting post-irradiation examination of nuclear fuel and material samples.

Earth news

	Meeting global air quality guidelines could prevent 2.1 million deaths per year Improving air quality—in clean and dirty places—could reduce pollution-related deaths worldwide by millions of people each year. That finding comes from a team of environmental engineering and public health researchers who developed a global model of how changes in outdoor air pollution could lead to changes in the rates of health problems such as heart attack, stroke and lung cancer.
	Mount Everest shifted southwest due to Nepal earthquake The world's tallest peak, Mount Everest, moved three centimetres (1.2 inches) to the southwest because of the Nepal earthquake that devastated the country in April, Chinese state media reported Tuesday.
	Analysis shows elements not acting in nature as previously modeled Knowing how a chemical in soil reacts and transforms over time in response to neighboring elements, weather and heat is essential in determining whether that chemical is hazardous. This is especially important when that chemical is radioactive.
	Researchers find a way to identify key nodes in illegal wildlife trade network (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with affiliations to several institutions in the U.S. has found a new way to track import, export and connecting countries in the illegal wildlife trade network. As they describe in their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, their work may help identify ways to reduce such trade in order to help protect the animals involved.
	Team finds 'unprecedented' earthquake evidence in Africa 25,000 years ago Lead researcher Hannah Hilbert-Wolf and supervisor Dr. Eric Roberts used innovative methods to examine the ground around Mbeya in Tanzania where a large earthquake occurred some 25,000 years ago.
	Earth's core contains 90 percent of Earth's sulfur, new research shows So perhaps there is some truth in the old legends of the underworld reeking of brimstone (or sulphur, as it is now called)? New research confirms that the Earth's core does in fact contain vast amounts of sulphur, estimated to be up to 8.5 x 1018 tonnes. This is about 10 times the amount of sulphur in the rest of the Earth, based on the most recent estimates (and for comparison, around 10% of the total mass of the Moon). This is the first time that scientists have conclusive geochemical evidence for sulphur in the Earth's core, lending weight to the theory that the Moon was formed by a planet-sized body colliding with the Earth. This work is reported in the peer-reviewed journal, Geochemical Perspectives Letters.
	India, China need cleaner air just to keep death rate steady Never mind lowering the rate of death from air pollution in India and China. Just keeping those rates steady will demand urgent action to clear the skies, according to a report published Tuesday.
A better way to evaluate conservation policies found Protected forested areas in Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia and Thailand have prevented the release of more than 1,000 million additional tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, an economic service provided by nature worth at least $5 billion, according to new research by Georgia State University economist Paul Ferraro with alumnus Merlin M. Hanauer and colleagues.
	Predicting sediment flow in coastal vegetation Seagrass, kelp beds, mangroves, and other aquatic vegetation are often considered "ecosystem engineers" for their ability to essentially create their own habitats: Aquatic leaves and reeds slow the flow of water, encouraging sediments to settle nearby to form a foundation on which more plants can grow.
	Researcher discusses new ways to calculate ecosystem impacts on climate For decades, scientists have relied on an established formula to measure the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change.
	Toxic algal blooms behind Klamath River dams create health risks far downstream A new study has found that toxic algal blooms in reservoirs on the Klamath River can travel more than 180 miles downriver in a few days, survive passage through hydroelectric turbines and create unsafe water conditions on lower parts of the river in northern California.
Team studies diversity among nitrogen-fixing plants Researchers at Chapman University and Columbia University have published a study in Nature Plants this month, called "Diversity of nitrogen fixation strategies in Mediterranean legumes." The recently published research focuses on a question that has intrigued scientists for decades—are plants able to regulate their relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria?
	A third of the world's biggest groundwater basins are in distress Two new studies led by UC Irvine using data from NASA Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites show that civilization is rapidly draining some of its largest groundwater basins, yet there is little to no accurate data about how much water remains in them.
	Texas communities brace for another round of heavy rainfall (Update) Tropical Storm Bill moved slowly over inland Texas on Tuesday, bringing another round of heavy rains to a state weary from recent deadly floods, evacuations and washed-out roads.
Philippine volcano spews ash, no violent eruption expected A Philippine volcano spewed plumes of ash Tuesday, but volcanologists say the steam-driven explosions do not indicate an imminent violent eruption.
	Rainwater harvesting getting new flood of interest after recent rains With the recent abundance of rain, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist who presents rainwater harvesting programs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and elsewhere in the state, has been "flooded" with calls from people interested in water collection and conservation.
Natura 2000 in forests – how to tackle implementation challenges? Natura 2000 is the core of the EU's biodiversity conservation policy, with the network of protected areas covering ca. 18% of the EU's land territory. Forests play an essential role for the network and Europe's biodiversity, with ca. 50% of the overall protected area under Natura 2000 being forests. Yet, comparatively little is known about the implementation of the policy in forests.
Changes in shipping routes and speed as piracy declines in the Western Indian Ocean With the decline of piracy incidents in the Western Indian Ocean, vessels have gradually returned to travelling along the shortest route, closer to Somalia, and to sailing again at normal speed, according to a report by the European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Cervice (JRC). This also has a positive impact on fuel consumption and maritime transport costs.
New methane bioreactor produces environmentally friendly energy and mitigates climate change A new methane bioreactor, developed in the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) boosts environmentally friendly energy to the markets. The reactor stores renewable energy and produces synthetic biomethane with good efficiency. The new technology can help in achieving a carbon-neutral society.
Strategic investments in US inland waterways should focus on maintaining locks and facilities While the U.S. inland waterways system covers a vast geographic area, its freight traffic is highly concentrated, and the system needs a sustainable and well-executed plan for maintaining system reliability and performance to ensure that its limited resources are directed where they are most essential, says a new report from the National Research Council's Transportation Research Board. More targeted operations and maintenance (O&M) investments informed by an asset management approach would prioritize locks and facilities that are most in need of maintenance and for which the economic impacts of disruption would be highest.
	NASA sees Tropical Storm Bill making landfall in Texas Tropical Storm Bill was making landfall at 11 a.m. CDT on Matagorda Island, Texas on June 16 as NASA and NOAA satellites gathered data on the storm. At NASA a movie of Bill's landfall was created using data from NOAA's GOES-East satellite. The center of Bill is expected to move inland over south-central Texas during the afternoon and night of June 16.
	NASA sees Hurricane Carlos causing coastal complications Hurricane Carlos has been crawling up the coast of southwestern Mexico, weakening and re-strengthening to hurricane force. NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of the hurricane as it continued to cause coastal complications for the residents of western Mexico.

Astronomy & Space news

	Scientists find methane in Mars meteorites An international team of researchers has discovered traces of methane in Martian meteorites, a possible clue in the search for life on the Red Planet.
	What's on the surface of a black hole? Not 'firewall'—and nature of universe depends on it, physicist explains Are black holes the ruthless killers we've made them out to be?
	Habitat is designed to provide stay on the moon, sleeps two (Phys.org)—People have felt the excitement of seeing their courageous space heroes embark from the Earth to the moon. Those same heroes went up because, beyond completing the journey, they hoped to—in one word— explore. That has been a problem, said Charles Q. Choi in Popular Science, who referred to the limitations in "hang time."
	Astronomers create array of Earth-like planet models To sort out the biological intricacies of Earth-like planets, astronomers have developed computer models that examine how ultraviolet radiation from other planets' nearby suns may affect those worlds, according to new research published June 10 in Astrophysical Journal.
	Pluto just 4 weeks, 20 million miles away for spacecraft NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is at Pluto's doorstep, following an incredible journey of nine years and 3 billion miles.
	Pioneering technique using powerful new radio telescope expands our understanding of chemical formation of stars NOEMA (Northern Extended Millimeter Array), the most powerful millimetre radio telescope of the Northern Hemisphere, has unveiled its first astronomical image: a unique and spectacular view of a previously unknown region of extreme star formation in the 'Medusa merger' - a luminous collision of two galaxies at more than 100 million light years from Earth.
	Image: Messenger's iridescent Mercury To the human eye, Mercury may resemble a dull, grey orb but this enhanced-colour image from NASA's Messenger probe, tells a completely different story. Swathes of iridescent blue, sandy-coloured plains and delicate strands of greyish white, create an ethereal and colourful view of our Solar System's innermost planet.
	Saturn spacecraft to buzz icy moon Dione June 16 NASA's Cassini spacecraft will make a close flyby of Saturn's moon Dione on June 16, coming within 321 miles (516 kilometers) of the moon's surface. The spacecraft will make its closest approach to Dione at 1:12 p.m. PDT (4:12 p.m. EDT) on June 16.
	Philae wake-up triggers intense planning The receipt of signals from Rosetta's Philae lander on 13 June after 211 days of hibernation marked the start of intense activity. In coordination with its mission partners, ESA teams are working to juggle Rosetta's flight plan to help with renewed lander science investigations.
	Swissto12 conquering space with 3D printing Satellite communications could be streamlined by light and inexpensive antennas that have been developed by SWISSto12. This EPFL spin-off has just signed a major contract with the European Space Agency to develop its metal-plated polymer design.

Technology news

	Renewable energy from evaporating water (w/ Video) An immensely powerful yet invisible force pulls water from the earth to the top of the tallest redwood and delivers snow to the tops of the Himalayas. Yet despite the power of evaporating water, its potential to propel self-sufficient devices or produce electricity has remained largely untapped—until now.
	Researcher identifies strategy to guide consumers to green energy choices Convincing people to buy into green, renewable energy plans could be as simple as making it their default option, suggests a new study co-authored by a Stanford behavioral economist.
	Ubisoft blends action, music in video game lineup Ubisoft has mixed carnage, humor and music in a powerhouse lineup of video games making debuts at an Electronic Entertainment Expo extravaganza in Los Angeles.
	Google teams up with orchestras to target classical Google teamed up with five leading orchestras in a bid to draw more classical music lovers to digital music as the streaming sector booms.
	PlayStation touts virtual reality and big name games Sony has proclaimed a "new era" of PlayStation gaming complete with big-name games and the dawn of virtual reality on its powerful PlayStation 4 consoles.
	Cybertheft of personnel info rips hole in espionage defenses By exposing the names and addresses of foreign relatives, the cybertheft of private information on U.S. security clearance holders by hackers linked to China will complicate the deployment and promotion of American intelligence professionals with special language skills and diverse backgrounds, current and former U.S. officials say.
	Console kings battle with grand games and virtual worlds Console kings Microsoft and Sony battled for players' hearts with blockbuster games and the lure of virtual worlds as the Electronic Entertainment Expo was poised begin in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
	Sony's 'Uncharted 4,' 'Last Guardian' capture E3 attention Nathan Drake is back in action. Sony capped off its game-filled Electronic Entertainment Expo briefing Monday night with a bullet-riddled demonstration of "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End," the forthcoming action-adventure starring the charismatic treasure hunter.
	Solar Impulse facing 'moment of truth' in Japan An ambitious attempt to circumnavigate the globe in a solar-powered plane is facing a "moment of truth" after two weeks of bad weather that have left it stuck in Japan, its pilot said Tuesday.
	Push for facial recognition privacy standards hits roadblock Retailers have the ability to scan your face digitally, and use that identification to offer you special prices or even recognize you as a prior shoplifter. But should they use it? Should they get your permission first?
	App makes virtual clothes fitting faster The dress doesn't fit; the colour clashes; the neckline is most unflattering. They're all things it's best to work out before you buy, but too often don't. However, a new generation of virtual shopping could consign such retail headaches to history.
Improving the efficiency of solar energy cells University of Adelaide chemistry researchers are studying energy loss at the molecular level of new 'plastic' materials as a step towards the development of highly efficient, low-cost and flexible solar energy cells.
	First exoskeleton for industry unveiled Production workers often lift up to 10 metric tons of material a day. According to the Work Foundation Alliance (Lancaster, UK), 44 million workers in the EU suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Now researchers in the EU's Robo-Mate project have developed an exoskeleton that makes loads up to ten times lighter to lift or carry. The project partners presented the first prototype at Fraunhofer IAO in Stuttgart on 12 June.
	Unmanned aircraft test flights to detect mock pipeline hazards Unmanned aircraft researchers associated with the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership at Virginia Tech tested new sensor technology designed to detect potentially disruptive activities along energy pipeline routes.
	Upstream current from dams can easily capsize boats, rafts, kayaks and canoes Five years ago this summer, a couple drowned in Utah's Jordan River when their kayak capsized going over a small drop in the streambed near Murray. While the drop-off at that location creates a harmless-looking two-foot waterfall, the undercurrent is deadly.
Social media provides a data goldmine for third parties The history of human experiments often focuses on biomedical research and the gradual changes in acceptable practice and ethical considerations. But another class of human experiments that has had its own share of controversies is the study of human behaviour.
	When secret government talks are hacked it shows no one is secure in the connected age Hotel rooms aren't as private as they used to be. Recent reports suggest luxury hotels may have been targeted by national intelligence services trying to spy on negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.
	Traffic monitoring to generate knowledge Researchers at UPM have developed an application that generates traffic information for cities and roads by detecting a Bluetooth device boarded on vehicles.
	We can build remote-controlled rescue robots, but what's coming next is even more exciting Robots could one day save your life. That's the hope of those who involved in the DARPA Robotics Challenge, which recently came to an end in California recently.
	Mobile users 'resist use of ads' in news As the smartphone becomes the defining device for online news, publishers will increasingly struggle to make money, according to the latest Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ).
	BuzzFeed hires Guardian's Gibson for UK expansion Social news group BuzzFeed announced Tuesday it had hired former Guardian senior editor Janine Gibson to lead an expansion push in the British market.
	Q&A: EBay's security chief cites evolving cyberthreats It seems there's nowhere to hide these days from cyberattacks.
	OPM official: Agency has history of problems with security An Office of Personnel Management investigative official said Tuesday the agency entrusted with millions of personnel records has a history of failing to meet basic computer network security requirements.
	Can personal devices interfere with hospital care? Thousands of patients die each year in hospitals across North America due to medical errors that could be prevented were doctors and nurses provided with instant access to patient records via wireless technology. Cue the catch-22: the electromagnetic radiation caused by those very devices can interfere with electronic medical equipment and thus lead to serious clinical consequences for patients.
	Vehicle direction, not driver biometrics, best way to detect drowsiness Drowsy drivers take a heavy toll on the nation's highways. So finding a reliable way to test for fatigue to mitigate its potential damage could have a significant impact on highway safety.
	The new search engine helps people explore new information in a new way It's been 25 years since a group of students introduced Archie, the world's first Internet search engine. Since then, search engines have become smarter, faster, and more personalized. Their objectives, however, have remained mostly the same.
	Microsoft's Bing expands encryption of web traffic Bing, the Microsoft-powered search engine, has announced it will encrypt most online traffic in the coming months as part of a ramped-up security effort.
	Nintendo charts return of 'Zelda,' 'Star Fox' at E3 Link is set to return to the Nintendo 3DS before he arrives on the Wii U.
	More data hacks could emerge from probe: US officials Following disclosures of devastating breaches of US government computer networks, officials told lawmakers Tuesday even more intrusions may be discovered with investigations and deployment of new security tools.
Goldman Sachs plans digital lending for consumers Goldman Sachs intends to launch a digital banking division to lend to small businesses and consumers, broadening its clientele from its blue-chip base.
	E3 BUZZ: Women triumph, Kinect vanishes at E3 Seen and heard as the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo gears up for its three-day run at the Los Angeles Convention Center:
Video: Identifying counterfeit computer chips Counterfeit computer chips are often difficult to identify and can not only find their way into the supply chains of everyday products but threaten national security.
	Turning numbers into pictures Predictably, the cave is dark. Red lights glow overhead, scattering a faint, rosy lustre across the floor.
	Safe use of multi-core technology for mobility Information technologies provide cars and planes with many useful assistance systems and determine product properties. In the future, the necessary computation capacity will be supplied by multi-core processors that will replace the inflexible single-core systems with their limited capacity. As a result, however, programming paradigms will change and safety and reliability will have to be rethought and reviewed for critical applications in particular. The ARAMiS project has now developed demonstrators to show how the new technology can be integrated into safety-critical systems.
	Bloomberg Philanthropies gives $100M to Cornell NYC campus Announcing a $100 million donation, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined his successor Tuesday to break ground for Cornell University's new high-tech campus in New York City.
	Russian MPs back 'right to be forgotten online' law Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday gave initial backing to a bill requiring Internet search sites to remove access to inaccurate and outdated personal information, despite protests from the country's biggest search engine, Yandex.
	Fed agency blames giant hack on 'neglected' security system The agency that allowed hackers linked to China to steal private information about nearly every federal employee—and detailed personal histories of millions with security clearances—failed for years to take basic steps to secure its computer networks, officials acknowledged to Congress on Tuesday.

Chemistry news

	Hematite 're-growth' smoothes rough edges for clean energy harvest Finding an efficient solar water splitting method to mine electron-rich hydrogen for clean power has been thwarted by the poor performance of hematite. But by 're-growing' the mineral's surface, a smoother version of hematite doubled electrical yield, opening a new door to energy-harvesting artificial photosynthesis, according to a report published online today in the journal Nature Communications.
Improving the selective extraction of spent uranium in nuclear waste clean-up Driven by the need to find ways of separating, recycling and reducing nuclear waste, chemists at The University of Nottingham are developing our understanding of how uranium interacts with elements from around the periodic table to potentially help improve the selective extraction of spent uranium in nuclear waste clean-up.
	Unravelling the mysteries of carbonic acid: Researchers peeling back the veil on a critical but short-lived molecule Blink your eyes and it's long gone. Carbonic acid exists for only a tiny fraction of a second when carbon dioxide gas dissolves in water before changing into a mix of protons and bicarbonate anions. Despite its short life, however, carbonic acid imparts a lasting impact on Earth's atmosphere and geology, as well as on the human body. However, because of its short lifespan, the detailed chemistry of carbonic acid has long been veiled in mystery. Researchers with Berkeley Lab and the University of California (UC) Berkeley are helping to lift this veil through a series of unique experiments. In their latest study, they've shown how gaseous carbon dioxide molecules are solvated by water to initiate the proton transfer chemistry that produces carbonic acid and bicarbonate.
	New foam technology to lead advances in medical devices and protective equipment Foam. We wear it. We sit on it. We sleep on it. We even use it to protect ourselves.
	Key to quick battery charging time University of Tokyo researchers have discovered the structure and transport properties of the "intermediate state" in lithium-ion batteries - key to understanding the mechanisms of charge and discharge in rechargeable batteries. These findings may help accelerate battery reaction speed and significantly shorten battery charging time.
	Optimized printing process enables custom organic electronics They are thin, light-weight, flexible and can be produced cost- and energy-efficiently: printed microelectronic components made of synthetics. Flexible displays and touch screens, glowing films, RFID tags and solar cells represent a future market. In the context of an international cooperation project, physicists at the Technische Universität München (TUM) have now observed the creation of razor thin polymer electrodes during the printing process and successfully improved the electrical properties of the printed films.

Biology news

	Injured jellyfish seek to regain symmetry, study shows Self-repair is extremely important for living things. Get a cut on your finger and your skin can make new cells to heal the wound; lose your tail—if you are a particular kind of lizard—and tissue regeneration may produce a new one. Now, Caltech researchers have discovered a previously unknown self-repair mechanism—the reorganization of existing anatomy to regain symmetry—in a certain species of jellyfish.
	Tool use is 'innate' in chimpanzees but not bonobos, their closest evolutionary relative Chimpanzees and bonobos are the two closest living relatives of the human species - the ultimate tool-using ape. Yet, despite being so closely related on the evolutionary tree, wild chimpanzees and bonobos differ hugely in the way they use tools.
	Surprisingly few 'busy bees' make global crops grow A major international study finds that surprisingly few bee species are responsible for pollinating the world's crops.
	Human cell death captured for first time Scientists based at the La Trobe Institute of Molecular Science have discovered that some molecules which are central to the body's defence and immune system are ejected from inside the decomposing cell to form long beaded strings that can break off and are distributed through the body.
	Protein discovery fuels re-design of mosquito-based malaria vaccine A promising type of vaccine designed to eradicate malaria by blocking parasite transmission could be a step closer, as a result of experts uncovering new information about the targeted protein.
	Putting the squeeze on a cell's nucleus Nuclear membranes protect genes—life's most precious cargo—but little is known about why they function in different tissue types. For instance, nuclei in brain cells tend to be soft and pliable while those in bone cells are stiff and rigid. Now Yale researchers show how mechanical forces play an integral part in cell function for good and bad.
	The interaction between culture and nature in behaviour of chimpanzees Psychologist Edwin van Leeuwen studies the interaction between culture and nature in behaviour of chimpanzees. How much of this behaviour is genetic and how much is learned? And what does this teach us about human nature and culture? On 16 June, Van Leeuwen will obtain his PhD from Radboud University and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics.
	Team traces strain of tuberculosis back 30,000 years (Phys.org)—A large team of researches with members from China, Spain and Switzerland has traced a strain of tuberculosis known as the Beijing family, back tens of thousands of years. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their methods and what their efforts have revealed about the diseases origins.
	Scientists use molecular 'lock and key' for potential control of GMOs Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed an easy way to put bacteria under a molecular lock and key in order to contain its accidental spread. The method involves a series of genetic mutations that render the microbe inactive unless the right molecule is added to enable its viability.
	Scientists construct first whole genome sequence of bighorn sheep Geneticists at the University of Alberta have constructed the first whole genome sequence of a bighorn sheep in a new study that could have a significant impact on conservation efforts of the species, which is native to Alberta.
	Structural data reveals new mechanism behind protein transport In order for newly-produced secretory or membrane proteins to find their final destination, the proteins have signal-sequences connected to themselves as a form of address tag. Furthermore, they use a particle guiding them to the cell membrane. In a new study, Umeå researchers show how this particle recognizes these address tags and thus makes it possible for the proteins to be directed to the cell membrane. The results are published in an article in the journal Nature Communications.
	Cells "dance" as they draw together during early embryo development The same kind of contraction that fires our muscles also controls a key stage of mammalian embryo development, according to a new study published in Nature Cell Biology. The research, conducted at EMBL Heidelberg, measured and mapped how cells in very early stage embryos bond tightly together. The scientists also discovered a cellular behaviour that hadn't been observed before: cells in the embryo 'dance', each one making the same rhythmic movement.
	'Noisy' Perth Canyon awash with underwater chorus The Perth Canyon—the underwater chasm that is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon—is teeming with noises made by whales, fish, the weather and passing ships according to a long-running study.
	Hungry foxes test sows on mothering skills Research into foxes preying on piglets in the Great Southern has revealed some sows are better mothers than others depending on whether or not they protect their offspring from the pests.
	Fruit flies 'push the limit' to help us understand age-related disease suseptibilities They're pesky and annoying when they get into your fruit, but Drosophila melanogaster, more affectionately known as the "fruit fly," are helping researchers at Florida Atlantic University to discover novel genes that are responsible for neuroprotection.
	Sediment makes it harder for baby Nemo to breathe easy Researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University have discovered that suspended sediment damages fish gills and can increase the rate of disease in fish.
	Starfish have a surprising talent for squeezing foreign bodies out through the skin Starfish have strange talents. Two biology students from University of Southern Denmark have revealed that starfish are able to squeeze foreign bodies along the length of their body cavities and out through their arm tips. This newly discovered talent gives insight into how certain animals are able to quickly heal themselves.
	Vagrant bachelors could save rare bird A study conducted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has revealed the importance of single males in small, threatened populations. Results from a study of endangered New Zealand hihi birds (Notiomystis cincta), published this week in Evolutionary Applications, showed that bachelor males who don't hold breeding territories, known as 'floaters', could help maintain genetic diversity and decrease the likelihood of inbreeding by sneakily fathering chicks.
	In cricket sex songs, males feel the caloric burn, study finds Male tree crickets may be a hunk of burning love when they're belting out their different mating songs, but they're all burning the same amount of calories no matter how they do it, a Dartmouth College study finds.
Next-generation sampling: Pairing genomics with large-scale herbarium sampling Plants are a ubiquitous and essential part of our lives. Estimates suggest there are hundreds of thousands of plant species known to science. How many species are there, really? How are they related? How many are threatened with extinction? Answering these questions in such an enormous clade of life is an important but daunting task for scientists.
	Flies released to attack hemlock-killing pest A tiny fly from the Pacific Northwest may provide new hope for towering hemlock forests dying along the East Coast.
	Automating microbial genome sequence decontamination Single cell genomics and metagenomics are pioneering techniques that have helped researchers assess environmental microbial community structure and function. As projects applying these techniques scale up, however, researchers are hindered by the lack of a high-throughput process to review assembled genome sequences. Currently removing the contaminant sequences from the microbial genomes being uploaded to public databases is a manual and time-consuming process that requires information about the contaminant sequences in order to remove them.
	Hi-tech tracking tags expand aquatic animal research opportunities, collaborations Advances in acoustic and satellite technologies are allowing researchers to track animals large and small across great distances, even in challenging ocean environments, leading to significant new knowledge about the behavior, interactions, movements, and migrations of many species, from tiny fish to sea turtles and whales.
	Biologist Berry Brosi on Obama's 'plan bee' President Obama recently launched perhaps the most ambitious national plan ever aimed at protecting insects. The National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honeybees and Other Pollinators calls for an "all hands on deck" approach to slow their alarming declines. "Pollinators are critical to our nation's economy, food security and environmental health," notes the plan, prepared by the White House Pollinator Health Task Force.
Video: Research boosts crop yields at home, reduces toxic pesticides worldwide Reducing blight, conserving water, controlling invasive pests with natural means – all are vital to improving agriculture practices worldwide to help feed billions of people in the coming decades.
	Vet research confirms a more accurate method for blood glucose testing For diabetics, a quick prick of the finger can give information about their blood glucose levels, guiding them in whether to have a snack or inject a dose of insulin. Point-of-care glucose meters, or glucometers, are also used in the veterinary world to monitor cats and dogs with diabetes or pets hospitalized for other reasons. In both cases, the device's readout can literally be a matter of life and death.
	Breakthrough dual fungicide technology could help prevent crop failures An expert in environmental toxins at The University of Nottingham has developed a new antifungal technology which has the potential to play a major role in securing future food supplies.
	First incidence of koi sleepy disease in Austria Carp edema virus, also known as koi sleepy disease (CEV/KSD), is a special form of sleepy disease affecting koi and common carp. Long known only in Japan, the disease was recently detected in Europe. An infection with the virus causes lethargic and sleepy behaviour in the fish. In up to 80 percent of the cases, the infection is fatal. Researchers at the Vetmeduni Vienna, recently identified the disease in Austria, publishing their results in the journal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases.
	Moon jelly found able to rearrange remaining arms after one is lost to restore balance (Phys.org)—A small team of researchers with members from the U.S. the U.K. and China has found that moon jellyfish are able to physically rearrange the anatomical structure of their remaining arms after a limb is lost. As the team describes in their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the rearranging process, which they call symmetrization, is the first ever seen in any animal.

Medicine & Health news

	Early behavior problems may be linked to 'aging' biomarkers in preschoolers Preschoolers with oppositional defiant behavior are more likely to have shorter telomeres, a hallmark of cellular aging, which in adults is associated with increased risk for chronic diseases and conditions like diabetes, obesity and cancer.
	Rare autoimmune disease may be more common than we thought Mutations in a key autoimmunity-associated gene are surprisingly common and are responsible for a previously unknown form of a rare autoimmune disorder called APS-1, according to a study published on June 16 in the journal Immunity. Contrary to past findings, the study reveals that mutations in only one copy of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene can produce symptoms of the disease.
	Pneumonia found to harm DNA in lung cells A bacterium that is the most common cause of pneumonia—a leading cause of death worldwide—can damage DNA in lung cells, a new study has shown.
	Technique increases brown adipose tissue, enhances its activity Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) scientists have found a way to both make more energy-burning human brown fat cells and make the cells themselves more active, a discovery that could have therapeutic potential for diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic diseases.
	Researchers identify gene for 'emotionally enhanced vividness' As research subjects viewed emotion-laden pictures while an fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imagining) machine scanned their brains for activity, researchers in a Cornell-University of British Columbia-University of Toronto study began to think: Perhaps our genes really can regulate response to emotional information.
	Breakthrough points to cure for debilitating heart and lung disease A protein that targets the effects of a faulty gene could offer the first treatment targeting the major genetic cause of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), according to research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
	Complex, large-scale genome analysis made easier Researchers at EMBL-EBI have developed a new approach to studying the effect of multiple genetic variations on different traits. The new algorithm, published in Nature Methods, makes it possible to perform genetic analysis of up to 500,000 individuals - and many traits - at the same time.
	Redrawing the brain's motor map Neuroscientists at Emory have refined a map showing which parts of the brain are activated during head rotation, resolving a decades-old puzzle. Their findings may help in the study of movement disorders affecting the head and neck, such as cervical dystonia and head tremor.
	Returning killer T cells back to barracks could improve vaccines Just as militaries need to have trained, experienced soldiers ready for future wars, making sure that the immune system has enough battle-ready T cells on hand is important for fast-acting, more effective vaccines, according to Penn State researchers.
	Longevity hormone is lower in stressed and depressed women Women under chronic stress have significantly lower levels of klotho, a hormone that regulates aging and enhances cognition, researchers at UC San Francisco have found in a study comparing mothers of children on the autism spectrum to low-stress controls.
	Violence by teachers almost halved in primary schools An innovative programme of activities used in Ugandan primary schools has succeeded in reducing violence by teachers against children by 42%, according to new research published in The Lancet Global Health. The study is published on 16 June, the Day of the African Child.
	Randomized controlled trials must be simplified to sustain innovation Randomised controlled trials must be simplified to sustain innovation in cardiovascular diseases, which are still the biggest killer in Europe, according to the Cardiovascular Round Table (CRT).
Young adults find health insurance enrollment on HealthCare.gov challenging When trying to enroll in a health insurance plan through HealthCare.gov during the first open enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) health insurance marketplaces, young adults were confused by unfamiliar health insurance terms, concerned about the affordability of plan options, and unsure how to seek good primary care. Those findings were among the results of a study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania that followed a group of well-educated young adults as they shopped for health insurance on HealthCare.gov. The new study is published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
	Brain injury patterns linked to post-concussion depression and anxiety A new MRI study has found distinct injury patterns in the brains of people with concussion-related depression and anxiety, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. The findings may lead the way to improved treatment and understanding of these common disorders, researchers said.
Hyperlipidemia, caused by a high-fat diet, aggressively accelerates organ rejection In two studies published online today in the American Journal of Transplantation, researchers determined that hyperlipidemia accelerates heart-transplant rejection in mice. By using models that mimic the health conditions found in human transplant recipients, the researchers from Tufts determined that transplant rejection was accelerated whether the hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and high triglycerides in the blood) was caused by genetics or solely by a high-fat diet.
S. Korea reports three MERS deaths as new cases fall (Update) South Korea Tuesday reported three more deaths from the MERS outbreak but health authorities said they were cautiously optimistic the worst was over as the number of new cases was falling.
	Dieters lose more weight when others choose their food, study finds Sticking to a diet is essential to losing weight. So it might follow that letting would-be dieters choose a weight-loss program that seems relatively tasty and palatable would help them lose weight.
Newer anti-coagulant medicine may not be best choice for patients over 75 If you are over age 75, and taking an anticoagulant, the old standard may be the gold standard, Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators have determined.
	Lack of sleep affects long-term health New research from the University of Copenhagen has found that maintaining a good night's sleep is important for our future health, partly because of how it affects lifestyle factors. Previous population based studies have not provided sufficient information on the timing of changes in both sleep and lifestyle to tease out cause and effect relations of this highly intertwined relationship.
	Article weighs paying off student loans versus investment (HealthDay)—Newly-minted physicians should consider the issues relating to paying off their loans versus investing for retirement, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
World spends more than $200 billion to make countries healthier The world invested more than $200 billion to improve health in lower-income countries over the past 15 years.
Couples needing sperm donation favor the same donor for all conceptions Despite a prevalence of anonymous sperm donation in European countries, the use of the same sperm donor for subsequent conceptions is of paramount importance to those couples needing sperm donation to have children. "We found a marked tendency to favour full genetic bonds where possible," said midwife Sara Somers presenting study results today at the Annual Meeting of ESHRE.
Minor operation greatly boosts risks of very premature births One of the commonest surgical procedures in gynaecology greatly increases the risk that a woman will give birth prematurely in later pregnancies, a study said Tuesday.
IVF in women over 38: The doctor's dilemma It is a biological fact that female fertility declines with age - in assisted conception as in natural. Indeed, findings from a 12-year study reported today at the Annual Meeting of ESHRE by Dr Marta Devesa from the Hospital Universitaro Quiron-Dexeus in Barcelona, Spain, showed that in her own clinic cumulative live birth rates following IVF declined from 23.6% in women aged 38-39 years to 1.3% in those aged 44 and over.
New findings show the impact of ancestry on health A 'one size fits all' approach to healthcare is being called into question by a researcher at Victoria University of Wellington, who says the immune systems of Māori and Pasifika people are very different from those with European ancestry.
Personal experience a major driver in decision for or against flu vaccination Convincing someone to receive the annual flu vaccine goes beyond clever messaging and well-written public service announcements, new University of Georgia research finds. The study, led by UGA's Glen Nowak, outlines both the barriers and facilitators that motivate people in their flu vaccine decisions.
	The rise of cognitive enhancers is a mass social experiment Want to sign up for a massive human experiment? Too late. You're already a lab rat. There was no ethics approval or informed consent. You weren't asked, you never signed up, and now there's no easy way to opt out.
	Why cocky guys get the girl University of Queensland research suggests overconfidence may help people win romantic partners.
	Contrast between lip and skin color is marker for gender The contrast between lip and skin colour can quickly identify a person's gender, according to researchers at the University of Montreal's Department of Psychology. The brain also analyzes light reflection in the eye area, which provides much information but requires more time to be interpreted. Nicolas Dupuis-Roy and Professor Frédéric Gosselin came to this conclusion by asking 100 participants to guess the gender of 300 people after being shown different parts of their faces
	We've reduced demand for cigarettes, next step is to target the supply Australia has been hugely successful in reducing the number of people who smoke. Today, 12.8% of people over age 14 smoke on a daily basis, which is nearly half the daily smoking rate in 1991 (24.3%).
Study highlights at-risk group leaving hospital without contraception Women with near-fatal illnesses during pregnancy have been leaving New Zealand hospitals without the contraception that could prevent future serious harm to their health, a study by University of Otago, Wellington, has found.
	Spotting mothers at risk for postnatal depression Jane Davidson realised she had a problem when the ocean started to look like the welcoming embrace of death.
	Compound could halt mesothelioma Research into a treatment for asbestosis and mesothelioma is showing promising results, and has real potential to short-circuit the progression of the disease, says a Sydney microbiologist.
Study examines health benefits of horseback riding A study revealed many benefits for those engaging in horseback riding activities and for the first time, attempted to define the amount of energy expended in several common riding events.
Survey reveals Americans have potentially dangerous misconceptions about heart failure Nearly six million Americans currently live with heart failure, yet a recent national survey found potentially dangerous misconceptions and knowledge gaps about the disease. In fact, nearly half of those surveyed got fundamental facts about heart failure wrong and two-thirds of respondents confused signs of heart failure with signs of a heart attack.
	New method for investigating and classifying liver tumours Adenomas are rare liver tumours, a certain percentage of which can become malignant. Using a new MR (magnetic resonance) technique at MedUni Vienna, it is now possible to classify adenomas without subjecting patients to invasive tissue sampling procedures.
	Speech recognition from brain activity Speech is produced in the human cerebral cortex. Brain waves associated with speech processes can be directly recorded with electrodes located on the surface of the cortex. It has now been shown for the first time that is possible to reconstruct basic units, words, and complete sentences of continuous speech from these brain waves and to generate the corresponding text. Researchers at KIT and Wadsworth Center, USA present their "Brain-to-Text" system in the scientific journal Frontiers in Neuroscience.
	Surrogate human organs could revolutionize the way biologists and medical personnel screen new drugs or toxic agents The development of miniature surrogate human organs, coupled with highly sensitive mass spectrometry technologies, could one day revolutionize the way new drugs and toxic agents are studied.
	Health care cost-sharing prompts consumers to slash medical spending Is that surgery really worth it? Do I really value that cancer screening? Is that extra imaging service necessary?
Paying people incentives to make healthy choices Monetary incentives to encourage people to live healthier lifestyles only work in the longer term when they are designed to stop negative behaviour, rather than promote positive choices, suggests new research from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
	Reexamining the impact of Medicare Part D on health and savings For years, the Medicare prescription drug benefit Part D has been credited with positively impacting national trends in health outcomes and medical services. But a recent study led by Northeastern associate professor Becky Briesacher challenges that assumption and suggests that the U.S. Congressional Budget Office's adopted a new costing method based on assumed cost-savings may be "premature."
Study shows benefit of higher quality screening colonoscopies An analysis that included information from more than 57,000 screening colonoscopies suggests that higher adenoma detection rates may be associated with up to 50 percent to 60 percent lower lifetime colorectal cancer incidence and death without higher overall costs, despite a higher number of colonoscopies and potential complications, according to a study in the June 16 issue of JAMA.
Trial compares antibiotics vs. appendectomy for treatment of appendicitis Among patients with uncomplicated appendicitis, antibiotic treatment did not meet a prespecified level of effectiveness compared with appendectomy, although most patients who received antibiotic therapy did not require an appendectomy, and for those who did, they did not experience significant complications, according to a study in the June 16 issue of JAMA.
Development assistance for health has increased since 1990 for low-income countries Funding for health in developing countries has increased substantially since 1990, with a focus on HIV/AIDS, maternal health, and newborn and child health, and limited funding for noncommunicable diseases, according to a study in the June 16 issue of JAMA.
Extremely preterm infants enrolled in RCTs do not experience worse outcomes In a group of more than 5,000 extremely preterm infants, important in-hospital outcomes were neither better nor worse in infants enrolled in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) compared with eligible but nonenrolled infants, findings that may provide reassurance regarding concerns about performing RCTs in this vulnerable population, according to a study in the June 16 issue of JAMA.
Hormone fluctuations disrupt sleep of perimenopausal women Women in the early phases of menopause are more likely to have trouble sleeping during certain points in the menstrual cycle, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
	Prenatal DDT exposure tied to nearly four-fold increase in breast cancer risk Women who were exposed to higher levels of the pesticide DDT in utero were nearly four times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer as adults than women who were exposed to lower levels before birth, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM). A more estrogenic form of DDT that is found in commercial DDT, o,p'-DDT, was largely responsible for this finding.
Maternal stress alters offspring gut and brain through vaginal microbiome Changes in the vaginal microbiome are associated with effects on offspring gut microbiota and on the developing brain, according to a new study published in Endocrinology, a journal of the Endocrine Society.
Genetically predicted higher BP linked to antihypertensive use, lower Alzheimer's risk Genetic variants that predict higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) are associated with a higher probability of taking antihypertensive medication and with decreased risk of Alzheimer disease (AD), according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine. The study, conducted by Robert Scott of the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, UK, Soren Ostergaard, (Aarhus University Hospital, Risskov, Denmark) and Shubhabrata Mukherjee (University of Washington, Seattle, USA) and colleagues suggests that either higher blood pressure, or anti-hypertensive therapy, may play a protective role against the development of AD.
US bans 'unsafe' trans fats in food (Update) Artificial trans fats found in everything from margarine to cookies and frozen pizzas are not safe to eat and must be removed from food in the next three years, US regulators said Tuesday.
	Attention to angry faces can predict future depression Up to 80 percent of individuals with a past history of depression will get depressed again in the future. However, little is known about the specific factors that put these people at risk. New research suggests that it may be due to the things you pay attention to in your life.
	Latest supreme court ruling on Obamacare looms (HealthDay)—Millions of Americans who bought health insurance under Obamacare will soon learn the fate of billions of dollars in federal tax credits that keep their monthly health plan premiums affordable.
Benefit of knee surgery for middle aged or older patients 'inconsequential', say experts The benefit of surgery for middle aged or older patients with persistent knee pain is inconsequential and such surgery is potentially harmful, say researchers in a study published in The BMJ this week.
The presence of roseola virus in chromosomes triples the risk of angina People whose chromosomes contain the DNA of the roseola virus are three times more likely to suffer from angina, according to a new study by researchers from the Université Laval Faculty of Medicine, the CHU de Québec Research Center-Université Laval, and the University of Washington. Details of this finding are published in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Study finds novel population health management program yields major health improvement The Aging Brain Care Medical Home, a novel population health management program implemented in the homes of older adults achieves significant health improvement for individuals with depression and also substantial stress reduction in family caregivers of dementia patients, according to a new study by investigators from the Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University Center for Aging Research and Eskenazi Health.
	Not-so-guilty pleasure: Viewing cat videos boosts energy and positive emotions If you get a warm, fuzzy feeling after watching cute cat videos online, the effect may be more profound than you think.
	Dengue mosquitoes hitch rides on Amazon river boats The urban mosquito that carries the dengue fever virus is hitching rides on river boats connecting the Amazonian town of Iquitos, Peru, with rural areas.
	Device allows evaluation of the efficacy, toxicity of drugs metabolized through the liver A team of researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Engineering in Medicine (MGH-CEM) has developed a novel approach that dramatically simplifies the evaluation of the liver's drug-metabolizing activity and the potential toxic effects of the products of that activity on other organs. Their report appears in the June issue of the journal Technology.
Researchers identify new stem cell population important in the growth of colon cancer Researchers at Lawson Health Research Institute have identified a new stem cell population in the colon linked to cancer growth. The findings, which were recently published in the prominent journal Cell Stem Cell, will significantly change the way we study and treat colon cancer.
Lymph nodes signal more aggressive thyroid cancer even in young patients Patients older than age 45 with thyroid cancer that has spread to neck lymph nodes have long been considered at higher risk of dying, but the same has not been true for younger patients.
	Tracking the viral parasites cruising our waterways Humans aren't the only ones who like to cruise along the waterways, so do viruses. For the first time, a map of fecal viruses traveling our global waterways has been created using modeling methods to aid in assessing water quality worldwide.
	Public divided on heart benefits from alcohol consumption In one of the first published studies using data from the Health eHeart Study, UCSF researchers have found that people are divided on the cardiovascular benefits of alcohol consumption. And, those who do perceive alcohol as "heart healthy" drink substantially more than their counterparts.
Experts: Risk of hepatitis E outbreak 'very high' in earthquake-ravaged Nepal During the coming monsoon season, survivors of the recent earthquake that destroyed parts of Nepal face a "very high" risk of a hepatitis E outbreak that could be especially deadly to pregnant women, according to a consensus statement from a group of infectious disease experts from around the world.
Families of orofacial clefting not at higher risk for dental anomalies Today, the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) published a study titled "Spectrum of Dental Phenotypes in Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefting," which is the largest international cohort to date of children with nonsyndromic clefts, their relatives and controls. This study is published in the OnlineFirst portion of the Journal of Dental Research: the journal for dental, oral and craniofacial research and a companion podcast is also available for download. This paper is an Editor's Choice paper that provides limited 30 day free access.
Guidelines on hoarding launched by psychologists New guidelines providing information, guidance and recommendations for people working with those with hoarding difficulties are launched today, Tuesday 16 June 2015, in London by the British Psychological Society's (BPS) Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP).
Mannitol dosing errors made during transport of patients to tertiary hospitals Researchers in Alberta, Canada, investigated the use of the drug mannitol before and during transportation of patients with intracranial emergencies from peripheral hospitals to tertiary facilities that house neurosurgery departments. The focus was on the appropriate use of the drug and the extent to which dosing errors may have occurred. The authors found a 22% dosing error rate, with slightly more patients receiving a dose smaller, rather than larger, than the dose range recommended by the Brain Trauma Foundation. Findings of this study are reported and discussed in "Mannitol dosing error during interfacility transfer for intracranial emergencies," by Cameron A. Elliot, MD, Mark MacKenzie, MD, and Cian O'Kelly, MD, MSc,published today online, ahead of print, the Journal of Neurosurgery.
New review highlights principles of nutrition management of inherited metabolic disorders Thanks to screening of newborns and newly developed therapies, the population of patients with inherited metabolic disorders has expanded. As these patients age and enter adulthood, diet therapy will be the mainstay of treatment for their disorders.
German, 65, dies of complications from MERS infection: ministry A 65-year-old German man died this month after contracting MERS during a trip to Abu Dhabi, in the first death linked to the virus in Europe this year, authorities said Tuesday.
Rate of ectopic pregnancy following IVF has almost halved in past 12 years The risk of ectopic pregnancy following fertility treatment with assisted reproduction (ART) is small but significantly higher than found in natural conceptions. Now, a nationwide population-based analysis of all ART pregnancies achieved in the UK between 2000 and 2012 has found that the rate of ectopic pregnancy following IVF and ICSI progressively decreased throughout these 12 years, almost halving from an overall rate of 20 to 12 cases per thousand.
	How to dope in cycling and get away with it As an academic researcher, I have studied drugs in society for the last 20 years. In my current job, I also study cycling history and culture, and the place of drugs and doping in this sport.
	Lessening the isolation of Alzheimer's A small group of art lovers is seated in front of Frederick McCubbin's painting On the Wallaby Track, at the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW). Discussion roams freely as viewers ponder details of the 1896 oil – the woman seated on the ground leaning against a tree, the man stoking a small fire to boil a billy, the chubby baby lying across its mother's lap.
	Critically impaired infants and end-of-life decision making A Deakin University law academic has questioned if we are doing the right thing by saving the lives of extremely premature babies.
Workplace intervention boosts health for truck drivers A QUT-led workplace intervention program which saw a 15 per cent drop in drivers self-reporting their BMI as obese, has helped truckies eat healthier, exercise more and lose weight.
	Childhood obesity prevention program gets tick of approval from top doctor The champion of childhood obesity prevention and former AMA Qld president Dr Shaun Rudd has given the thumbs up to a free state government-funded program from QUT to address rising levels of obesity in children.
	Interpreting ultrasound images using an app A new app will offer health-care personnel training and experience in interpreting ultrasound images.
Expert statement on workplace sedentary behaviour Last week an Expert Statement commissioned by Active Working CIC and Public Health England was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine titled "The Sedentary Office: a growing case for change towards better health and productivity."
	HIV testing to become routine in innovative Coventry GP pilot HIV testing in Coventry (UK) is to become a routine part of registering with a GP at ten surgeries across the city, which has the highest prevalence of the condition in the West Midlands.
	Adoptive immunotherapy may help treat more types of cancer if new approaches are explored In a special issue of Immunotherapy, leading experts provide in-depth review of innovative strategies that may further the success of adoptive cell immunotherapy as a cancer treatment. Adoptive cell immunotherapy (ACT) has proven successful in clinical trials against certain types of melanoma and leukemia. The journal reviews new strategies to address the challenges of extending these effects to a wider range of tumor types.
Research team issued patent for new anesthesia monitoring technology A team of researchers from Wayne State University was recently issued a U.S. patent (# 8,998,808) on a technology that will offer anesthesiologists better methods for monitoring and managing patients in the operating room.
Academies make recommendations for improving public health In recent decades, enormous successes have been achieved in the field of public health. Three examples of these are the fight against HIV, the reduction in cardiovascular disease, and protection for non-smokers. For Germany to make even better use of the potential of public health, it needs more political support, improved research structures, and stronger international involvement. The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, acatech - the National Academy of Science and Engineering, and the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities point this out in a joint statement entitled "Public Health in Germany - Structures, Developments and Global Challenges", published today.
Blow the pain away: breathing tips to help children relax In times of stress, anxiety or frustration, you've probably been told to "relax, take a deep breath and calm down." Have you tried it? Really tried it? Many meditation practices use breathing techniques to promote a state of calm.
Nut consumption associated with reduced risk of some types of cancer Cancer and type 2 diabetes are two of the most significant public health burdens facing the world today, and currently available data suggests their prevalence is expected to continue to increase. Nut consumption has long been hypothesized to have a role in preventing both of these diseases, but until now evidence has been inconsistent. A new systematic review and meta-analysis published in Nutrition Reviews on June 16 shows that nut consumption is, indeed, associated with a decreased risk of certain types of cancer, but not type 2 diabetes.
Slight differences: New insights into the regulation of disease-associated genes Researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, in collaboration with the National Heart Research Institute Singapore (NHRIS), have gained new insights into the regulation of disease-associated genes. They used a new technique that enables them to observe gene regulation at the level of protein production. They could thus capture more individual gene regulations than with traditional methods that only capture gene expression and transcription.
	Re-booting the human gut For decades, American travelers to international destinations have been plagued by acute gastrointestinal illnesses that can arise from travel to other countries. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) warns that depending on the destination, between 30 to 70 percent of travelers can expect to experience gastrointestinal distress from ingesting foreign or pathogenic bacteria that can be present in poorly sanitized water or food.
SCOPE program developed to engage communities in preventing childhood obesity A multidisciplinary group of researchers from British Columbia has developed a participatory action research program to help address healthy body weight in children.
	Drug trials in pet dogs with cancer may speed advances in human oncology Pet dogs may be humans' best friends in a new arena of life: cancer treatment, said University of Illinois veterinary clinical medicine professor Timothy Fan. Physiological similarities between dogs and humans, and conserved genetics between some dog and human cancers, can allow pet dogs to serve as useful models for studying new cancer drugs, he said.

Other Sciences news

	British scientists hunt for Viking traces in Norman DNA British researchers on Monday began collecting the DNA of residents from Normandy in northern France in search of Viking heritage, but the project has raised concerns amongst some local anti-racism activists.
	Too many school students are over-confident Many recent, large-scale and international studies confirm that there are things outside of a child's natural intelligence that affect their academic performance.
	Parental engagement in children's learning needs to move beyond school Standards in education are being held back by a lack of meaningful parental engagement in children's learning, according to the authors of a study from our researchers, highlighted in the Welsh Government's Toolkit for Parental Engagement launched today.
	Israeli archaeologists find inscription of name from Bible Israel's antiquities authority says archaeologists have discovered a rare 3,000-year-old inscription of a name mentioned in the Bible.
	Night driving restriction reduces young driver crashes Restricting teenagers from driving unsupervised at night, and introducing strict penalties and other licensing requirements, could reduce crashes significantly, according to research.
	Physiological responses reveal our political affiliations New research from Aarhus University in Denmark shows that political partisanship is rooted in affective, physiological processes that cause partisans to toe the party line on policies and issues, regardless of policy content.
Businesses don't always get what they want, but try to get what they need Although most citizens tend to believe that big business owns Washington D.C., a team of researchers suggests that business may have a less dominant and more complicated relationship with government than previously thought.
When a sudden boost in status at work isn't all good Imagine getting a sudden boost in status at work that changes you from a largely ignored worker to someone that others turn to for advice and help.
Linking climate change to natural disasters influences charitable aid When natural disasters strike - droughts, typhoons, floods - the media, charities, and science organizations appeal to the public both for aid to the victims and to communicate the causes of these events. Increasingly, as scientists link extreme weather events to climate change, people are mixing the discussion about climate change and aid. But a new study offers caution: Researchers found that linking a natural disaster with climate change caused climate change skeptics to justify the withholding of aid from victims.
Statistics education, evidence-based data analysis practices needed to fight reproducibility crisis in science Dramatic increases in data science education coupled with robust evidence-based data analysis practices could stop the scientific research reproducibility and replication crisis before the issue permanently damages science's credibility, asserts Roger D. Peng in an article in the newly released issue of Significance magazine.
	For those over 50, finding a job can get old Results from a new study led the Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Psychology and University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management show that, compared to younger job seekers, older adults receive fewer job offers, search for weeks longer and are ultimately less likely to find re-employment after losing a job. The study is published by the journal Psychological Bulletin.
	Egypt historical study shows 'traditional' marriage more modern than we think Mention traditional marriage and family and it's easy to think you're talking about age-old customs. Those "traditional" ideals and practices, however, are more likely a product of the last two centuries, says a University of Illinois history professor.
	Australia must prepare for massive job losses due to automation Australia faces some tough policy decisions to reshape its economy and prepare for an uncertain future, with predictions that up to five million jobs are likely to be automated by 2030, according to Australia's Future Workforce report released today by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA).
	Exploring ancient life in the Vale of Pewsey Our knowledge of the people who worshipped at Stonehenge and worked on its construction is set to be transformed through a new project led by the University of Reading.
Identifying best practices for evaluating sustainability in the process industry The SAMT project of the European Union will work together with leading industrial actors from the cement, oil, metal, water, waste and chemical industries and review the latest scientific developments within the field of sustainability assessment. In the first phase of the project, a total of 90 methods and tools were reviewed. In the second phase, the best performing methods and practices will be tested with real-life case studies.
	New study uncovers same-sex couples' opinions about marriage and cohabitation As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to rule on same-sex marriage equality, a University of Cincinnati survey of same-sex couples finds that 90 percent of the respondents felt that the option to marry was important to their relationship. The study is currently published online in the Journal of Homosexuality.

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